That beutifal scent of blood drifted up from the floor far below, almost intoxicating in its intensity.The beast inhaled deeply,enjoying every second of it.He let his deep breath out slowly,not wanting to scare away his victims.

His claws dug into the ancient wood as if it were paper as he crept catlike along the rafters. Below him,a single candle burned, revealing part of a man on the ground, the rest of him streaked across the wall. The beast smiled,he had screamed very well in his last seconds.Beside the corpse, a priest and a young woman stood huddled together near the candle, shaking with terror.The woman rattled off many barely audible phrases in Italian in her fear.

The beast dropped down behind the two without a sound.

He breathed on the woman briefly,the toxic venom in his breath paralyzing her instantly as she dropped to the ground.

The priest turned towards him and started the Our Father in Latin as the beast chuckled.

“He is of no help to you now, father.” And he blew out the candle