Sasha gawked, too stunned to move as she watched "Niane" fight three vampires. This couldn't be Naomi and Diane could it?
The couple had always been kind if the comic relief if the group. Naomi, the cooky, goofball with Diane as the straight man girlfriend. They were a comedy duo. Powerful wizards in their own right but Sasha never thought of them as dangerous or intimidating. Now, having merged into a single body, Sasha was stunned tobwatch her friends lay waste to a trio of vampires strong enough to knock her out and capture Duke. Shaking herself out of her gazing she now sprinted to Duke. "Hang on ill have you out in a minute."
Duke groaned, Sasha glancing up at her boyfriend in concern. The damphir teens face and body were heavily bruised, his face bloody as he tried to look at Sasha with badly swollen eyes. Looking at Dukes chains, she now cast a spell watching as the Iron shackles transformed into water freezing Duke.
Sasha now caught the damphira limp body, gently lowering jin to the ground as she brushes his hair from his face. "Sasha," he whispered. "Whats going on? Is that Naomi and Diane?"
"Um sort of," she replied, not exactly sure how to explain their spell. "They kind of merged together. They said their name was Niane now." Duke simply 5tared at the merged wizard, shocked to find her holding her own against three powerful vampires. The longer he watched though, the more he began to realize something. "She can't hold this form for very long."
"What do you mean," Sasha asked. Duke turned his gaze towards his girlfriend, giving her a solemn look that transcended his injuries. "Shes putting everything she has into that spell Sasha," he stated. "Shes overpowering them right now yes but when the spell ends we'll be sitting ducks."
"Then we have to go now," she exclaimed, hoisting her boyfriend into a standing position. "Lean on me I'll getbus out of here." As she looked to leave, she was surprised that Duke wouldn't budge, his gaze fixed on Wyatt. "Duke?"
"I have to finish this Sasha," Duke said, his voice low yet serious. "I'm the one that needs to beat Wyatt or we'll never be able to live our lives peacefully."
"Duke thats crazy," Sasha exclaimed. "I mean, look at you! You can barely stand right now. What good are you going to be in a fight?" Sasha immediately regretted her statement as Duke turned towards her. The damphir teen now sported a look of anger as he glared at his wizard girlfriend.
"Sorry," she replied meekly. "But Duke, your not a fighter. Yeah your strong, but these guys are killers! I don't want you to get hurt."
"I won't be," he grumbled. "I'm stronger than they are but, it means I have to do something I really don't want to do."
"What?"
Duke fisgeted in place, what he was about to suggest nauseated him. He had only done it a couple of times in his life, forced by his father when Miro still believed that Duke could become a worthy successor. If he was to save Sasha and ensure a safe future for his friends, he would have to resort to this measure.
"Sasha," he said slowly. "I need to drink your blood."
"What," Sasha exclaimed. "But you hate blood! In fact, your scared of it! You told me yourself."
"And there's a reason for that," he stated. Duke now sighed, pleasingly looking into Sashas eyes as he explained himself. "After my mother died Miro tried to mold me into a worthy successor."
"You told me that already. What does that have to do with drinking blood?"
"Everything," Duke exclaimed. "My father forced to to drink blood. Threatened to kill me if I didn't. I was scared, a frightened child who for the first time witnessed what a monster his father was. I drank, filled myself with the blood of that innocent man. It disgusted me, but it also unlocked my true power."
Sasha was confused, unnerved to discover her boyfriend had actually killed at the behest of his father. "It was terrifying," he shuddered. "Watching the life fade from his eyes. What was worse though was the power I felt afterwards. The power, it was intoxicating, I felt like a God."
Duke now sighed, sadly looking at his horrified girlfriend. "I haven't drank since. I saw what my blood lust did, taking that man's life. If power meant that I would have to hurt others than I wanted no part of it."
"So why change your mind now?"
Duke furrowed his brow, glaring at his adopted brother. "Wyatt will not rest until he destroys me and you," he growled. "I have to beat him in order to protect you. Please, Sasha, it won't take much, just let do this so that we can have a future."
Sasha bit her lip apprehensively. The idea of letting her half vampire boyfriend feed on her was quite alarming. Still, she could see Duke was earnest with her. He was willing to face his own fears in order to protect her. Sighing, she now held out her arm, firmly gazing into Dukes magenta eyes. "Do it."
Duke glanced at Sashas arm, his stomach already churning at the idea of drinking Sashas blood. While she wouldn't be turned, he did fear that he could quite possibly kill her. Shaking the thought from his head, he now bared his fangs as he sank them into Sasha's forearm.
Sasha winced, feeling her boyfriend now drink from her arm. It was odd, like having ones blood drawn. Already she could feel herself getting lightheaded as Duke drank. "Duke?"
Duke suddenly pulled away, releasing an almost primal scream. Sasha could see his breathing was ragged, his body tense as he tried to steady himself. Gazing up at his face Sasha gasped as she beheld her damphir boyfriend.
Dukes face was feral, monstrous in appearance. The teens eyes having becoming a solid magenta with only a small pupil set in the middle. The wounds and bruises having completely healed as his muscles now bulged under his skin. Hearing his girlfriend, Duke grunted, turning his face to his now frightened girlfriend. "I'm okay Sasha," he replied, his voice raspy yet powerful. "I'm okay. Stay here, I'll take care of this."
Wyatt snarled as Niane once more knocked him back. This wizard was proving to be incredibly frustrating. As he was about to attack he paused as something screamed his name.
"WYATT!"
Wyatt turned, surprised to see Duke now standing before him, or at least someone that looked like his brother. "Duke?"
Duke snarled, his eyes glowing with power as the very walls around him seemed to crack at his very presence. "Leave them alone," Duke snarled. "This fight is between you and me!"
"You can't be serious," Wyatt chuckled. "I am the heir of Miro Tepes. His blood now flows through my veins!"
Duke snarled, darting forward at an incomprehensible speed, leaving only a purple afterglow as he now punched Wyatt. The blood heri now tumbling backwards as Duke growled at him once more.
"Blood magic will only go so far brother," Duke snarled. "I am the true Tepes heir. The power of Dracula flows through my very being and I am about to show you what true power looks like."