Cry of Fangs by Kailey Alessi

Author:Kailey Alessi [Kailey Alessi]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: The Whumpy Printing Press
Published: 2024-03-14T00:00:00+00:00

18

Reeve – Torin

“They’re going to process you today,” Major Kelly said. “Do a physical exam to make sure you are healthy and then put an identification number on you.”

The major left Reeve with the doctor, who looked like he had never smiled once in his life. “Strip,” he said.

Reeve’s face heated. “You strip,” he spat back.

The slap was so fast he didn’t even have a chance to duck away. The skin of his lip split. Reeve raised a hand to wipe the blood from his mouth.

“Strip. Now. Unless you want me to call in the guards to forcibly tear the clothes from your body.”

“Fine,” Reeve muttered as he removed his clothes.

The doctor’s hands were rough as he poked and prodded Reeve.

“You’re healthy enough,” he said finally. “Your identification number will be 486. Remember that.” Then he left the room.

Reeve scrambled to put his clothes back on. He pulled his trousers over his hips and was just grabbing his shirt when two more vampires came in.

A heavy hand landed on his shoulder.

“What now?” Reeve asked.

The vampires ignored him as they led him out of the room. They took him to what appeared to be a blacksmith’s shop. There were metal tools scattered about, and the din of hammers on iron echoed through the air.

“What’s going on? What are you doing?” Reeve was scared now. There was a wooden table in the center of the room. The vampires manhandled him onto it.

“This is 486, right?”

One held his legs down, and the other held his right arm. A third vampire stretched out his left arm. He was trapped. Reeve looked around wildly. Then he saw another vampire approaching with a white-hot piece of metal.

“No!” Reeve tried to pull away, but a skinny sixteen-year-old human was no match for three adult vampires. The vampire pressed the branding iron against the inside of his upper arm.

Reeve shrieked. The scent of burning flesh hit his nose. It seemed like the vampire held the brand there forever. When he finally pulled it away, Reeve was sobbing, snot and tears slipping down his face.

The vampires let go of him, and he curled into a ball.

“Give me your arm,” one said.

“No fucking way,” Reeve replied.

“Fine. I was going to give you a salve for the pain, but clearly, you don’t want it.”

Reeve peered up at the vampire. He grudgingly sat up and held out his arm.

“Oh? Have you changed your mind?”

Reeve nodded.

The vampire dabbed the white goo across the brand. It helped soothe a bit of the burning. Then the vampire wrapped his arm in a clean cloth.

After, Reeve was escorted back to the major.

“You didn’t say they would brand me,” Reeve blurted out, accusatory.

The major sighed. “I’m sorry. I didn’t want to make you more nervous. It’s over now though. You won’t have to go through that again.”

Later that night, Reeve sat in his room with Davin.

“Did they brand you too?” he asked.

Davin nodded. He rolled up his sleeve to show Reeve the brand on his upper left arm.

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