What Fresh Hell is This?

They rushed after him, Dakari leading the charge. He wasn’t hard to find as the outer door to their little den had been sealed, magically, by Grandfather.

“And thank the goddesses,” Katalea thought as she watched the big man pull and tug, trying to get the door open, “Can you imagine the local police getting a whiff of vampire in the middle of a homicide investigation?”

“Luca, what is it?” Zinnia soothed. “We are all family now, whatever it is, we can help.”

Luca finally gave up his worthless mission and turned to face the rest. His face looked weathered, somehow older, and far more sinister.

“You guys don’t understand, you can’t.” He rubbed at his smooth scalp and lifted his chin as if praying for calm. With his eyes closed, he inhaled and held his breath. Opening his eyes, he released the air. His whole body seemed to slump as the breath left his body.

“Let’s sit down then, I have a story to tell you,” he said, and made his way to the nearest little sofa. The bulk of him