Sewer



The slow steady sound of dripping water filled the small chamber and with her heightened hearing she could hear the flowing of water through nearby pipes, and while she could not see the tiny creature in front of her, the faint sound of breathing was nearly deafening. The cold wet floor of the chamber was unmercifully hard beneath her as she knelt naked on its muck-covered surface.

Sitting directly in front of Dirge, in the pitch-black chamber, was a small bamboo scaffolding over a narrow deep earthen pit. Tied up on the scaffolding was a small black cat with its mouth tied shut. Dirge knew it was a black cat because Mark had helped confirm this for her when she found it in the alley. She heard it struggle futilely against its bonds before finally ceasing its motion. On the Nosferatu’s lap sat a lone cut daffodil and her black handled boline.

She repressed her growing excitement over the coming ritual. Ignoring the sewer stench from the small chamber she was in, Dirge breathed deeply to center herself and clear her mind.

After several minutes of quiet contemplation she spoke, “Dark God, ruler of the dark realm and keeper of the wealth within the earth, hear me and accept this offering of blood. Dark Goddess, Queen of Iron turn not your dread gaze upon me and accept this offering of blood.”

After speaking Dirge next grasped both the flower and the dagger. She slit her wrist and pressed it up against the flower and held it over the cat willing her Vitae to fall onto both the flower and the struggling creature. When she was finished she stopped the flow of blood and spoke as she placed the flower onto the rack the animal rested on and then raised her boline above her head in both hands, “Accept this offering and provide me with a word of wisdom in answer to the paths before me.”

Swiftly the knife descended and plunged into the feline’s body. It let out a muffled yowl of pain and suddenly ceased. After setting the knife down Dirge reached under the platform and caught some falling blood then she smelled it; then she wiped it on her forehead and her bare chest. She sat in silent meditation; the smell of blood was overpowering and it caused her fangs extended in response.


Vision




Dirge found herself in an average sized room that had a bed, a couch, a desk, and two exits. The room was mostly open space and was spartanly decorated. She had never seen the new smelling room before but it felt familiar. As she looked at the queen sized bed she saw herself laying on it along with a blurred man shaped figure on top of her. She was kissing the man and then she heard Mark’s voice coming from the figure, “Dirge, Ah love yah”

She saw her own reaction of surprise at the words and her reply, “I love you too Mark.” The words rang hollow in her ears and made Dirge feel empty and ashamed.

While watching the two make love she could feel the lust radiating from the scene before her; it was an animal like insatiable hunger. The hunger overpowered her; it consumed her. She jumped onto the bed and grabbed Mark’s figure from behind as he made love to the other Dirge and she sunk her fangs into him. She felt him stiffen beneath her and struggle slightly but she overpowered him and drank until there was nothing left. Her hunger not sated, she fought and struggled with the corpse until finally it turned to ash in her grasp.

She looked down at the other Dirge who was confused and surprised with ash falling onto her and her lover now gone. Dirge fell onto the surprised woman and sunk her fangs into her. The sweet blood flowed down her throat as she sucked it from the struggling woman and then the other figure stopped. Her hunger was her hunger was unquenchable and she continued to consume until the woman dissolved into a pile of ash that mixed with her lover’s remains.

Suddenly the walls, doors, and ceiling looked like they were growing snake like creatures. They crawled across floor to surround the bed and as they crawled onto it she could she that they are growing in size and sprouted multiple heads. The creatures hissed at her and began to swarm her. Dirge struggled futilely against them for when she killed one three more took its place. They began to bite her repeatedly and she felt their venom entering her body and every inch of her skin was covered in painful bites. The venom reached her blood and she felt like it was on fire. She screamed and the sounds were soon muffled as the snake creatures crawled into her mouth and down her throat. Darkness overtook her as they consumed her.


Sewer




Dirge was once again surrounded by darkness and there was the sound of dripping and water flowing through nearby pipes. She knelt there trembling not from the cold but from the frightening experience. She felt a stronger connection to the divine and expanded knowledge of the blood, but what did the vision mean? What did this mean for Mark and her?

She began her meditations anew and tried to understand the message in the vision. She silently thanked the gods for their message and began a humming droning noise to help her focus.