A Grave Hunger by G. Hunter Page B

slightly. This was something completely different from what I was used to. Pull yourself together , I scolded silently. I was close enough to the cell that I could smell its musky body fluids seeping out from its pours.
                 
    Staring down at the monstrosity, I could see the veins in its eyes emerge from the corneas, the pupils dilate, the secretions that dripped from its extra set of sharp teeth protruding from its gums. It was dying.
                 
    "Leah," Robert said quickly.
                 
    I barely heard him. I couldn't take my eyes off the creature lying in front of me. The darkened skin beneath its jagged claws turned a lighter shade as they became human hands once more. The eyes had begun to clear. I felt my heart skip a few beats as I watched, horrified.
                 
    "Leah," Robert called out.
                 
    I never thought about answering Robert's call. I was too enthralled with the sight in front of me. I watched the beast reform into a man, his weakened body trembling. His arms wrapped around his waist, and he was cowering to a darkened corner of his confinement.
     
    "You might want to back up a bit," Robert said, in the lamest voice possible.
                 
    "Please?" he said. "Help me."
                 
    I stepped forward. It lunged for the bars. I was once again the enemy. It reached through the metal barrier, attempting to snatch me by the throat. If I hadn't drawn back, blocked off the attack not only by a swift evasive manoeuvre but by delivering a solid forearm to the incoming threat, I would definitely be dead right now. The sounds of shrieking and madness fuelled rage emanated from his lips.
                 
    It reached for me again and hollered in three tones when I stood out of reach. It kept making that screaming high pitch wail, but it was low, in the same note. Then it folded back up into the cowering, terrified man. He backed his way into a darker corner of the cell.
                 
    "You see," Robert said. "This is what happens."
                 
    He grabbed my attention. I turned to catch him with the corner of an eye.
                 
    He said, "It should happen any time now."
     
    I took a few steps away from the cage.
                 
    "You'll see soon enough if you keep hanging around. But I don't think you're gonna wanna see what happens next."
     
    The man in the cage trembled. He was off in the far corner up against the bars. His face was wrinkled in pain. He held his eyes shut, and his teeth chattered a bit louder than usual. It sounded like someone was shaking a pair of dice in my ear and wouldn't stop. And then he suddenly silenced and fell over with a thump.
     
    He was lying on his side, his body frozen in place, and only his eyes moved. They twitched like someone having a bad dream. Blood drooled from his gaping mouth. It was a hollow, echoing sound. He was clapping his elbows against his ribs, the muscles in his body all tightening, his cheeks pushing spit and blood through his purple lips while his teeth chattered. Then his eyes opened.
                 
    I could see his extra set of teeth protrude when he'd sung a song of pain during his massive seizure. He was sweating profusely and now looking to me with human eyes. He gradually stopped vibrating and started breathing heavily.
                 
    "He's dying Leah." Robert’s voice was thick with disappointment. "Only a few are strong enough to beat the venomous vampire blood in their system."
                 
    "I'd prefer a bullet to the brain."
                 
    He nodded and took a step forward. "If there was a way to cure them, why kill them?" he said, in a way that insisted he wasn't expecting a response.
                 
    "Have you seen anyone survive this?" I asked.
                 
    "Not with my own eyes