Chapter 6

Merlin didn't know the way he went but somehow he found himself in front of a public hospital. Last time he was in front of one, he was high for days.

He knew better than to do this but he couldn't stop.

There was only one benefit of hospitals for vampires, blood. Lots of blood. And you don't even have to kill anyone for that. He has been here before, he knows he doesn't need to be invited. Discretely making his way past the reception he entered the elevator and stepped out on the hallway with private rooms. This was it.

"Excuse me sir. You look a little pale. Are you alright?" Asked a passing nurse, his hand grasping Merlin lightly . What does he know? Merlin laughed out loud and walked away. It wasn't hard to find loads of blood bags in a hospital but it was hard to clean the mess made after bursting and licking them all. After giving the good enough sedation to his vampire nervous system, he was barely in position to walk straight, let alone clean the blood off the floor. But still he had enough senses left to not take the common path of exit.

Escaping through one of the rear pathways, he came out into the dark alleyway of Ginger-Spring. He was buzzing and buzzing, feet out of order, view out of focus. He hasn't felt this in a long time but, at least he was not angry anymore. He didn't care at all.

And then there was this sharp piercing pain at the side of his left shoulder blade and everything went from hazy to utter black instantly.

He didn't bother opening his eyes because he knew where he was, an underground dungeon of vampire hunters. He recognized the smell of filthy air and burned vampire ash. Someone had died here recently, a vampire. But it wasn't him, he was still alive but don't know for how long.

He was hanging by his wrist, toes barely touching the rough ground. He opened her eyes to a bright flash of light and squinted it back close. He opened them again but this time, turned his face sideways to avoid the direct contact of flash. For the millisecond his eyes opened, he saw the huge tank of light white liquid beside him before he was again forced to shut his eyelids by another flash of light. Realisation hit him. It was a tank of silver water. A deadly vampire torturing technique in which water with minimal amount of silver is used to give vampires the biggest pain their body could ever bare. It is the worst because, it doesn't kill, it never kills, never leaves a scar.

"Gratitude to the young vampire that you graced us with your presence." Said a rough male voice and several other voices laughed.

"You could have just asked." Said Merlin and that's when he realised the pressure of a thick rope tighten on his neck.

"Keep your bloody mouth shut." Said another voice, more piercy and louder.

"So afraid of blood huh?" Merlin said and something sharp pinched into his back.

"Say that again." Said the same voice.

"Humans afraid of blood should not mess with a vampire." Said Merlin. He was feeling surprisingly clean and awake. Must be the tranquilizer, he realised.

"Boss, permission to crack this dead piece of meat." He asked someone else, Merlin couldn't open his eyes for more than a few seconds in those bright flashy lights. He could see no one.

"Not yet." Came the first voice again and some footsteps of more than one person, then long sigh that didn't not sound very happy and then, the press of skin against his cheekbone. His face was jerked to the side but he could make out the silhouette of at least two people, one of whose hand was holding his face but that was least of his concern. He knew the worst was yet to come. The tried to shake off the wrist binds but that only hurt his skin with the powdered silver rubbing down the scars on his wrist.

"Don't bother kid. You won't escape this. But we will let you go if you answer some of my questions." Said a sharp female voice from right next to his ear, warm human breath on his overly heated sweaty skin.

"This is a children's play you know. Not even the first I am being held hostage by some nobody vampire hunters. You should be concerned for yourself." Merlin said, trying to sound as composed as possible even though he was sure he was going to be thrown down the hill any moment now.

He didn't see or hear it coming, suddenly there was a sharp jab on his stomach. Pain subsided immediately as this was just an angry punch from one of the immature hunters.

"What the hell?" Yelled the man.

"This was all you had?" Merlin mocked and there was some unpleasant noise, he couldn't make out the words  clearly but it all made sense when came the strong blow of water on his back that shot up burns in almost all of his sensory receptors. He heard his own voice shouting and for a horrifying second he wished he was dead. Past burn hadn't healed when next came in the form of a silver rod, piercing his ribs, then neck, then right above navel. It was not unbearable but enough to pull out a scream out of his sore throat. The rod receded.

He was panting now, body slumping down and rope on wrist digging further in. After what seemed like eternity, he felt his shirt being removed by human hands.

"Don't worry we won't do anything you don't agree with." Said the voice of a woman. It was soft but chilling. He felt his shirt damp with silver solution melting his body gently.

"You needed a lay, should have just asked." Merlin said, taking up all the strength left.

"You don't get tired of saying that, do you?" She said smugly. There was a soft trail of kisses on either side of his face. He was experienced enough to know one was a man and another a woman. In any other circumstances, he won't have minded but this time it was too much to go.

A heavy thump for distance startled them all. Some whispers and he heard footsteps move away from him. He tried opening his eyes again, the flash of light was gone and it was utter darkness.

More distant screams and more wall punching. Growls. Doors slamming. Doors breaking. More screams. And finally silence.

Merlin smile to himself, "Thanks for coming but this doesn't make up for you screwing our client." Merlin said despite sharp pain coursing through his whole body.

"I know." Paula said and Merlin felt her gloved hands untie his wrist. "Wasn't very professional of me. You also didn't have to rob a hospital of its blood. You went off in a pretty bad mood last night. I didn't go after you because I thought you needed time to cool down by yourself but you didn't come home before morning and I had to wait for night to search for you."

"What? I was out for almost a day? What did they give me?"

"We will have you tested. Now take off your clothes. Your skin will melt to marsh." Paula said and Merlin, with massive effort removed every piece of clothing. Paula handed him some bloodstained clothes of a human hunter she had just killed and Merlin put them on gratefully.

"So, what did they want?" Asked Paula.

"They were going to ask something but I guess idea of torturing a vampire seemed fancier."

"This is not this original spot. They were sent by someone. Dad needs to know." Paula said and Merlin knew there was no bargaining across this so he too nodded.