The Blood of a Wendigo

You had felt much in the way of weird shit but these doors... they were twin emergency exit doors, each of the doors frames etched with subtle symbols scratched in by knife or maybe claw, they emanated a strange glow that seemed to both repulse, but also entice you inwards.

Placing your hand on one of the polished gold opening bars, you pushed into the space with hungry, curious hands.

Awash with cold air, an icy spider crawled across your neck as a sensation swallowed you inside, making the world turn black. It was like drowning but not for long, it came and went like a horrible drenched wave that collapsed in on you and spat you back out again. And when you stepped out... you were not in your dad's garage anymore.

"That was some weird shit." You cringed, peering around, eyes eager.

The place looked a little like a high-class kind of office, a kind of reception leading into a long corridor. It was all stained mahogany and smooth cream walls struck across, covered in lined wallpaper. as you crept on the dark wooded floor, you could not shake this smell that lingered in the back of your nose, half of this place smelt pretty good, like woodsmoke candles and Incense, but the other was sharp, irony, and metallic, it almost distracted you so much that you damn near walked into the door at the end of this weird hall.

You held back from tensing as a melody suddenly wandered smoothly from the other side of the door. It was gentle and alluring... a woman singing very softly, but perfectly, it carried a warmth like southern honey, viscous like molasses.

Carefully, you reached out and silently guided the door open, so peer out... at Rudy, sat on a stool in front of a wide table, with many blank masks strewn across it. Her skull mask was pulled up to rest on her crown and she peered with focused eyes as she carefully worked on the mask before her, with strange sharp metal claws which forked like an old set of keys strapped to each finger.

Blood oozed on you as the red form gazed over your shoulder.

■ Who is this little singing minx then? Another tortured soul you hope to save? ■

"I barely know her, she seemed beyond crazy before but now... when she sings and works, she looks more human."

Rudy swayed and smiled, a soft tune leaving her lips as crimson sparks shot around her, and fell like glowing red snowflakes, staining her dirty blonde hair with red glittering rust.

"This ain't build a bitch -- A Bitch
You don't get to pick and choose
Different ass and bigger boobs
If my eyes are brown or blue.

This ain't build a bitch - a Bitch
I'm filled with flaws and attitude
So if you need perfect, I'm not built for you."

Tapping away with her strange claws, she painted the mask before her in swirling red light, with many small glowing blood runes, she etched like an artist. with each sweep of her metal-covered talons painted new details shaping and moulding the bright golden shape into tall perfect spires in an octagonal formation.

All the while the embers flew like red fireflies, settling on the smokey mahogany walls, kissing the many visages that hung above, it was... quite beautiful.

"Bob the Builder broke my heart
Told me I need fixing
Said that I'm just nuts and bolts
Lot of parts were missing, Curvy like a cursive font
Virgin and a vixen. That's the kind of girl he wants ~ But he forgot -

This ain't build a bitch -- A Bitch
You don't get to pick and choose..."

■ Humanity will feed us, with bloody hearts and bones snapped to lick out the marrow, hearts wrung out into our jaws feeding our power, that is what We want, not some broken little southern songbird. ■

You believed that. The whisper was making your head ache with the images in your mind, hunger, feeding. Perhaps this Mask maker had some secrets worth telling.

You entered the room subtly, as not to disturb Rudy as she hummed along. This place was incredibly organized, the walls covered in many masks, with immaculate machines and tools neatly organized in the wide mask-studio.

You felt goosebumps flush across your shoulder and you turned to see a dark beauty, sat in a chesterfield armchair in a sleek women's suit. Cleo's eyes smiled at you, but her lips remained impartial as she nodded as not to break Rudy's focus.

Moving over and crouching next to the onyx-haired Vampire, her pale face looking on at Rudy's work with equal fascination as yours.

"Is this how Undead masks are made?" You kept your volume low, and Cleo nodded.

"I'd never seen an Undead Mask-maker at work before Rudenia, they are few and far between, but... I can't help but find it-"

"-Enthralling?"

Cleo's black eyes looked down at you in recognition "I disliked her at first, Rudy is difficult to understand, I've seen her try and nibble on one of us every so often, but it's clear what her priorities are." Her brows pressed in "I know you got off on the wrong foot. Give her a chance."

Apparently, you weren't as good at hiding apprehension as you thought. Sighing you nodded "Great Surprise, Clo."

Claudia's eyes lit up for a moment and her crimson lips curled into a wide smile.

"Sorry, I uh..." You suddenly paused "...Can I call you Clo? You just don't look like a Cleo to me."

Her hand wandered over to your shoulder, where she swirled around on your broad collar, she licked and bit her lips, you'd never seen such a dark woman look so triumphant "I'm not a Cleo, moron." she spoke softly "You can call me Clo, if I can call you Chip."

You rolled your eyes "Such a stupid nickname, always made me feel even smaller. Do better at school chip, eat more protein chip, Stop arguing with your sister, Chip."

"My father called me a lot worse when I was a girl," Cleo pointed out as if to numb the blow, shrugging as Rudy sang.

You felt your smile sour, as Your eyes softened "My Mom gave it to me. among others."

The Dark vixen felt your discomfort, but pushed the boundaries further "What else did she call you?"

"Baby, Child, My Boy. When I could coax dad into talking about her, he always described her as the bluntest woman that he'd ever met... but kind, warm, whimsical, curious. Before all others, she'd call me, Angel, because...."

Cleo smiled "Because of what?"

"She thought I was some kind of Miracle. Whatever she saw when she looked at me, I've always been blind to-- I'm sorry I don't know why I'm telling you all this." You admitted, recoiling inward.

Dark and tightly wound as she was, Cleo rested her hand on your shoulder, supportive and warm "I'm glad. I... have trouble connecting with others, it's nice to feel trusted."

Rudy suddenly erupted "EXQUISITE!!!!!!!!!" She yowled, making both you and Cleo flinch. She knelt down and with powerful legs shot up into the air in an arc, her powerful and pale legs flashed against the low light, her dress hiking up to momentarily reveal her panda bear-littered panties.

Her shadow grew from above and your eyes widened as the Blonde minx hurtled like a bullet, gravity carrying her back down... you'd only realized that she'd land on you within seconds of the collision.

Tensing you thought immediately "NEVERMORE."

■ Tut-Tut Dumb-fuck ■

The sensation of slowing didn't come, but a flash of rattling, destabilized the thread, and a terrible shock smashed into you. The thumb of flesh on flesh was followed by flesh on the hardwood floor and you laid back dazed.

■ Wow-wee now that was fun wasn't it Lover-boy? Do you think you can just pretend like I am not here as if nothing is at all wrong? I OWN YOU! ■

You weren't quite as winded as suspected, in fact, you only wheezed a little... but you did feel a pair of powerful glutes, paired with something vaguely warm, press directly into your groin, a woman's weight paired with two strong legs wrapped around your waist as something flaccid and cold rapidly blitzed over every inch of your face.

Batting away the cold manic hands like flies, you gasped "Cut that shit out!" You growled, shooting up, claws wrapping around a pale throat as Magenta's eyes looked on, only inches away from yours.

Rudy twitched, but grinned manically, removing the tape measure from your forehead "You have a beautiful head, Cowboy hehe... Can I lick it?" Her voice became deep and dark and you pushed her back, though she continued to remain mounted on you.

"By the blood god, Rudy for crying out loud. I literally just told him you weren't so bad!" Cleo complained.

The Blonde frowned "Rudy, isn't bad. She's mischievous, like a lemur, or a Fox... OR A SERIAL KILLER, A CANNIBAL, LIKE A GANGBANGER!"

Lord in heaven, please get this crazy bitch away from You, hallowed be they name...

Rudy's face shot back down to yours as she rocked her full hips "Hmmmm, You're warm, Cowboy. In the old days, I'd have had you for breakfast lunch, and dinner, hmm hmm hmmm."

"Get off of me, or I will kill you." That was probably clear enough.

"Promise?" Rudy purred.

Okay, apparently not.

"Just do me a favour, Cowboy, do it slowly, I barely got to finish the measurements. I cannot be nice-nicey without the measure... Measury?" her eyes narrowed, then crossed before she blinked them straight again "Rudy will have to work on that."

You felt her petite but buxom body on yours, saw the gleam of the Pink gloss sloppily placed on her full lips, the dark shadow around both eyes, the low cut chest of her flowery dress which showed just enough cleavage to draw you in. Rudy wasn't just a Crazy Southern Minx, she was the textbook definition.

■ You want her, don't you? You are so greedy, honestly, it's making me flush the thoughts you're having. You should just lay back and let her ravage us. ■

Completely lost, a little irritated, and plenty confused, You decided to simply... relax. Rudy brandished her tape measure, flashing it around every curve of your cranium much more delicately this time although with no less speed. When she was done, she gritted her white teeth "Perfectly proportioned, wonderful forehead, magical nose, you sir, are a sexy fucker of mothers."

You blinked "Thanks?"

Rudy patted your shoulder and shot up to her feet "No trouble."

You looked at Cleo who cringed as her eyes cast between you... and your groin. Peering down, you saw the wet patch that Rudy had left behind. You pinched the bridge of your nose and huffed "Vampires. Couldn't be werewolves, witches, fairies, centaurs, dragons... had to be Vampires."

Slipping up to your feet, Cleo waltzed over in her graceful manner and withdrew a handkerchief for you, which you took gratefully, blotting on the.... damp patch that the Mask-maker gifted you.

Cleo sauntered over awkwardly, removing the deep azure handkerchief that hung from her breast pocket and moving in closer. You flinched still a little peeved and agitated by the rumbling inside. But Cleo did not hesitate, her cold sleek form invaded your space, the handkerchief diving down to- Your fingers caught at her wrist tightly "What are you doing?" You asked lowly.

The Dark Vixen huffed, pushing back a black hair "I should have warned you that she does things like this, the least I could do is..."

"What happened to the whole, I have a bigger sexier boyfriend than me already huh?"

Her black eyes turned away "I'm trying to be courteous."

"But not unfaithful?" Your words were venom that clearly rubbed her the wrong way.

"Unfaithful? Unfaithful!"

Oooooh no.

Cleo's face tightened and You stepped back as Rudy continued to brand the gilded mask under her fingers. "Listen to me you tiny, pathetic man, I have been inhabiting this world 3-score the duration of your small-minded existence. I have lived in Africa, Prague, Bohemia, I have killed in Ireland, fucked men with twice your metal and thrice your heart"

Oh god what have you done, she plunged her finger into you, driving you back into the wall as her anger exploded like a Volcano.

"I have been a Singer, a Seamstress, a Lady, a Duchess, I've been a fucking prostitute, I worked in a Mcdonalds for thirty years! Do you have any idea what it is like to work in a Mcdonald's, for thirty fucking years, I still smell the Big Macs in my hair! I have been many things Charles Artorias Drake, but I am not Unfaithful, don't ever call me Unfaithful!"

■ I've never heard such a contradictory little rat in all my hours of existence, she's lying about something, all of them know, but none of them will tell. ■

You frowned at Cleo taking her hand, making her yelp as you pulled her in close. Cleo seized up as you wrapped an arm around her, your lips pressing against her ear "You said to me, that You have a boyfriend, now you look at me like I'm Channing Tatum smothered in butter. You're lying to me, all of you are lying to me. What are you hiding?" your whisper cut into her, silencing her anger as she grew quiet.

But Cleo did not get angrier, she merely... wrapped her arms around you and rested her head on your shoulder. You blinked surprised at the gentleness of her free hand as it carefully pressed the handkerchief into your groin and blotted the dampness.

"I didn't mean to explode at you. I'm sorry, I can take insults from anyone, all I've ever done is endure. But not from you, please? Never from you, I can't take seeing you like this, You look half-dead."

Sighing with relief at the feeling of her fingers pushing against your shaft over your clothes, you swept the Whispers manipulation away "I have always been half-dead." You spoke allowed in revelation "And you are going to have to tell me what is going on, sooner or later because as much as everybody here hides it, something is clearly very very wrong."

Cleo nodded but did not separate from you, she merely clung on for a few minutes, tightly and desperately so badly interrupted by a blonde head zipping up from nowhere.

"Ayooo!"

"Ah!" Cleo cried slinking back into herself, as Rudy rocked from side to side excitedly, slithering an arm around yours and pulling you away giddily.

"Okay then, Hunk, soo Rudy has been toiling day and night and hour after hour to make amends with not meeting this beast of a man sooner." She gripped your bicep and hummed at the strength in it "First impressions aside, I think it's just dandy that You let me move my Iron Maiden in this here garage.

"what? I didn't-"

"It makes my pussy shed tears of joy... or maybe I'm just aroused? who knows I can never tell the rootin' tootin' difference!"

Rudy practically dragged you over to her spotless workplace, her hair still stained with the crimson dust that scattered the air from her work. Standing you in front of a wide stainless steel table beautifully welded and engraved, and strewn with the dozen or so masks that she had clearly spent much time on.

"You made all of these... for me?" You asked, still unable to pinpoint exactly what Rudy meant. It was her tone, one minute it seemed what she was saying made sense, but because of her glittering cadence and unnatural tone of voice, defining the meaning of her words was difficult.

Rudy skipped around you, whisking up one of the many masks in her taloned hands. "Choices! choices are the wit of reality, why go one way when you can go the other, why choose one when you can have many, right!? that's the kinda feller you are, without doubt, a greedy, angry, funny critter with no regard for anyone's feelings, happy to hop skip and jump away -- BEFORE A GIRL EVEN GETS TO TAKE A BITE!"

You raised an eyebrow at the outburst, but Rudy cleared her throat and shoved the mask into your chest harshly.

Pulling the mask from your chest and rubbing the slight pain away, you looked at the serpentine engraved wood, a half-mask depicting a hissing snake, made of black mahogany and swirling with dark spirals. "I uh... I like it?"

Rudy became still, her eyes narrowing as her frantic joy faded, replaced with spite "That one is boring, it is grumpy, it's rigid and wooden, dead, unalive -- NO MATTER, OPTIONS!!!!"

Snatching that mask, she threw it perfectly into the trash can behind her and shoved another into your fumbling hands. This one was smooth and circular, with eyeholes fitted with red glass, its dark almost blank visage making you cringe at the sight of it.

"It's... very creepy."

"A bit like you." Rudy growled, "Empty and inconsiderate, blank and uncaring."

"Hey, will you Cut it out-"

The Crazed Vampire snatched the mask away, throwing it hard against the floor and stomping on it so rapidly that her foot blurred it into dust.

A little bemused and confused, You just remained quiet as Rudy huffed heavily, staring at you intently as she straightened out and folded her arms.

Cleo came over, her face gentle at the upset on Rudy's cute face "Rudy, if you're upset, just say so, he doesn't know you, You're just confusing him."

What did she mean by that, did you... do something wrong? Rudy felt familiar, like many others, like Cleo herself, what horrible thing had you done to vex this manic blonde?

Sighing, you softened "What about this one?" Picking up the tall winged mask, splayed wide, dark crimson. But Rudy, clearly disheartened, took the mask and put it back on the table. Sulking, she moved over to her desk and sat down, unsheathing a Green crayon from a packed beside her and drawing in silence.

Cleo tried to speak "She's just-"

"Would you mind waiting for me outside? just for a minute?" You asked plainly.

The Dark Vixen saw the gears turning in your head, and nodded "I'll be at the doors, make sure to meet me after... whatever you're gonna do, I have something else to show you."

Your brow skipped up. your forehead.

"Don't look at me like that, this one will make a lot more sense, I promise." with that, Cleo bowed and strutted out of the room, closing the door to this weird studio behind her.

Your steps echoed as you prowled the Mask Studio, truly admiring some of these masks, made of all kinds of materials. Artistically, they were brilliant, all made with clear purpose and inspiration... it was like, you understood who they were meant for, just by looking at them, you saw everything that made its potential owner tick.

"How long have you been doing this?" You called as Rudy drew.

Rudy did not turn to look at you, but she answered in a low, defeated tone "Rudy doesn't remember."

"And there are other Vampiric mask makers? are they all like you?"

"Nobody is like Rudy, only Rudy is Rudy." Rudiena whispered.

Next, you approached the table where the masks lay, she had made these for you, where everyone else had one mask, you had many... that's when you realized, Rudy couldn't pinpoint what it is that you were, how you acted, she must have gone off of what people said. Or maybe perhaps what she would have known from the You that seemed lost in the abyss of your memory.

Approaching the girl with dirty golden hair, You crouched by her side, eyes widening as she wrote on a large A3 sheet, over and over again "I cannot see, I cannot see, I cannot see, I cannot see."

Crouching at her side, You reached over and took the crayon from her hand. Rudy watched as You wrote in the empty space below her repetition "My name is Charles Roman Artorias Drake, I was born in 1999 in the Autumn, on all-hallows Eve. My father was Romulus Drake the Black star, and My mother, Liz was a Vampire. She died when I was young or ran away, I don't know. I have Amnesia, and it frightens me. When I was a kid, I never felt much love, and because of that, I latch on to love as hard as I can, as I have too much to give. I was bullied a lot, so much that I became numb to everything like I was born in ice... but now, it seems like I'm the opposite, all I can do now is Burn. And it is all my fault."

You placed the crayon aside and Rudy contemplated your words, they seemed to sober the chaos of her mind enough, to grasp the Crayon and continue writing in the space below.

"My name is Rudiena-Lynn Vulcan, I do not know when I was born, but I remember the deserts of Nevada, and the long planes of the West, when **** came easy and conflict even easier..." You smiled, her handwriting was perfect and practised "...I am not myself, for that I apologise, the woman you're looking at now is broken, but that isn't who I really am, In truth, I do not know who I really am. What I do know is that when I build a new face, I feel the mind I had before, the temperance, the intelligence and not this shell that I have become."

You looked at her, the Vampire's eyes wide, a twisted smile on her face.

"I am not like other vampires, the things I do and have done would sicken you, but I want to be free of this, I want to be sane again. Please, Please help me, You are the only person that I cannot see, not anymore... and If I cannot see you like I see everyone else, then You must be special --" She scratched that out "You are special. I know you can help me get rid of the Wendigo, it makes me do these things, I cannot control it anymore. Help me see, help me be free and I swear to always be loyal to you and everything that You stand for."

Rudy put down the Crayon and looked at you with her unsettling twitching eyes "You're frenzied, aren't you?" her voice was low.

■ She knowsssssssss! ■

Your breaths quickened "I don't know what you're talking about"

"It's difficult for Rudy to ignore someone like her." She admitted, "But the Hunk is very good at hiding it."

"You don't know what You're talking about, You don't understand"

"I'm the only one who understands, Sugar lips." She grinned "How long before you start stuffing random things down your throat, hoping that it quenches the Call for blood, how long before you start to see things that aren't there?"

Your lips creased and Rudy gasped "I see, you've already gotten past that haven't you? then it won't be long now before blood alone isn't enough, soon you will be tearing flesh from bone. the Hunger controls you now and the greater it grows the smaller you will become."

She recollected it like an old memory, and it made you grimace "You're crazy, that isn't... that isn't what's happening to me."

■ Liar-Liar, pants on fire ■

Rudy bit her lips, moving closer. She smelt pleasant, like smoke and lemons, her citrus allure stung the eyes but had a strange animalistic desire behind it "Feed on me." She whispered.

"No." Was your immediate response.

But Rudy reached out touching your arm "It won't hurt, I'm not human, it will only curve your symptoms a little, just for a minute, bite me. I'm giving you my permission."

"Why are you doing this. What are you trying to achieve, do you think tormenting me like this helps?" You groaned, eyes fixing to her soft, pink neck.

Rudy reached up pushing aside one of the straps of her dress, teasing just a little more of her smooth skin. "Come on, Cowboy, don't I look tasty? taste my blood, I am a Wendigo, it's all Venom -- Y'all don't have to hold back. You can have me, as much as You want."

Your ears were ringing, eyes locked on her dead veins, sharp fangs sliding out from your lips, claws like razors oozing from each finger.

■ DRINK ■

Shooting into her space, you inhaled every inch of her scent like a starving animal, your forked tongue lapping at her collar bone. Rudy gritted her teeth, her magenta eyes closing as she purred longingly. seizing her waist, you growled, afraid that something, anything would take this away from you. Your canines tempted against her skin, and Rudy's legs locked around you again.

Salivating, you savoured no longer, slowly clamping down, piercing the flesh.

Eyes rolling back into her head, Rudy hummed as You spilt her blood, sucking desperately as it splashed into your maw. You were blown away like a tumbleweed, thrown into an endless washing of sweet, heavy blood that you swallowed in horrendous gulps. Rudy began to quake with pleasure, her hands holding on as you crushed her neck with tooth and jaw.

An explosion overwhelmed you, shaking your mind, attacking your senses. Everything was chaos, you saw laughter, darkness, hatred, love, all in a mixing pot of mania and pain. You saw long-empty deserts, thousands of miles across were lonely trees, some with nothing on their branches... some with men or women swinging in the dry wind.

Everything rocked as the Horse growled, it was nearly as thirsty as You were, but Rudy had to get back... she had to return before it was too late. Days passed, then weeks, riding tirelessly, until the sand began dirt, and the dirt became grass-covered rock. The Horse collapsed before she did, it pinned her and she struggled to free herself while crying, mourning a lifelong companion.

It was her determination to not lose another that drove her forward, marking this part of the mountain on her map so that she could find the body later. The Sun was falling, time had already run out but she refused to relent, running, half-starved and dying of thirst, having sweated all the water into her clothes.

The moment she saw the entrance to the deep cave, She began to scream a name that You couldn't hear, her voice was lost long ago, dry and breaking... there was no answer.

It was dark in there, cold and strange, but Rudy knew every crag like the back of her hand. She nearly collapsed as she saw her red doors were splintered and torn open, but she pushed on to a place within the cave that was walled, with striped wallpaper, and mahogany hardwood floors. You were overwhelmed by fear, loss and nostalgia as she saw blood dragged across the ruined walls, pulpy flesh crushed into the cracked floor of the long hallway.

Terror in her bones, she knew she was too late, unable to cry due to the dehydration, Rudy ran on adrenaline, sprinting through the door... to a sight that would birth a Wendigo, the Call of ****, taken complete form, a creature of gluttony and Venom.

Letting go, you slowly pulled away, lips smeared with dark blood. Rudy's eyes were hazed but still alert. She blinked, looking small and **** in your arms "Do you feel better?" she whispered.

The ringing had stopped, your muscles relaxing. You nodded "That was... what happened to you?"

Rudy shrugged "I don't remember, I don't think Rudy wants to. Thank you, I think, something is different?" Indeed it was, she seemed... clearer, a little less twitchy. "I can... think? Ain't that a thang?" She smiled.

"Did I hurt you?" You asked worriedly.

The Wendigo bit her lip "No, sweet lips, in fact... I've not felt this good in a long long time."