The Forgotten: A Vampire Story

by Clary, Michael

  “Another life ruined,” Glen said as he sat down at the foot of my bed.

  “She’ll recover,” I said.

  “Are you afraid?" Glen asked.

  “I’m terrified,” I answered through the haze of medication, “but not for myself. They won’t hurt me. They only want me back. It’s all of you that I’m worried about. You weren’t at the police station. You don’t truly know what they’re capable of.”

  “Believe me when I say that I do know what vampires are capable of,” Glen said almost sadly.

  Sightings of hooded teenagers continued throughout the night. The brothers would allow themselves to be seen, and then they’d vanish. The entire hospital was on edge, my floor especially.

  The police thought Glen was crazy, but more and more of them were willing to give him the benefit of the doubt after a number of police cars were torn apart, and flipped onto their sides.

  “What’s happening?" A frantic detective asked after bursting into my room.

  “I believe they are warning us,” Glen said. “If we stay calm and remain inside the hospital everything will be fine. Just make sure none of your officers try and leave until daylight.”

  “We won’t be safe forever,” I said. “They aren’t patient. As old as they are, they lack patience. Eventually they’ll come for me.”

  “He won’t try and take you tonight,” Dad said. “I can’t believe it. It’s too dangerous.”

  “I disagree,” I said. “I truly don’t believe the brothers are intimidated by your defenses.”

  “I have a private security force of twenty armed men,” Dad said. “They’ve been briefed, and their weapons have been approved by Glen. The police officers are only using firearms, but there are another twenty of them just waiting for action. Elevators are guarded, stairwells are closed, and all the windows are being watched. We’re in a good position.”

  “I disagree,” Glen said.

  I laughed out loud. Glen and my Dad disagreed on just about everything.

  “What’s wrong?" Dad asked.

  “We can’t fight them like this,” Glen explained. “We need to catch them by surprise, during the daytime for any kind of successful results.”

  “I’m not trying to kill them just yet,” Dad explained. “I’m only trying to create enough of a deterrent.”

  “Good work, Dad!” I said with an amused chuckle.

  “Thank you, sweetie,” Dad said. “Do you think it will work?”

  “Nope,” I answered.

  My father fell silent as he considered the situation.

  “It would be foolish for them to come,” Dad finally said. “We’ve had time to prepare. The odds of a successful defense have only improved with time. It would be a risky endeavor.”

  “You haven’t considered everything,” Glen said.

  “What did he miss?" I asked.

  “It’s what you said before,” Glen said. “The vampire loves you. Love can make anyone do stupid things.”

  An eerie laugh echoed up and down the long hallway outside of my room. The police and all the bodyguards instantly took up their positions, but nothing moved under the bright overhead lights.

  “False alarm?" Someone asked.

  “Hold your positions,” Lieutenant Morris said as she watched a bank of video monitors that had been hastily erected in the far side of my room. “I just saw a blur of movement, in the emergency room, and now one of the nurses is moving towards the elevator.”

  A moment of quiet came afterwards, and I could hear my heart beating inside my chest. Dad and Glen were watching the door of my room intently.

  “The elevator is heading towards our floor!" Someone shouted out. “Everyone get ready.”

  “We’re all going to get killed,” Glen said. “It’ll be like shooting fish in a barrel.”

  “Elevator doors are opening!" Someone shouted.

  I heard a brief ruckus. Men began shouting over one another, and then things abruptly calmed down.

  “We have the nurse,” someone said. “She’s pretty out of it, but she’s unharmed.”

  “Hold all positions,” Someone else shouted.

  A quiet fear permeated the entire floor. Glen was damn near hyperventilating he was so frightened.

  “There!" Someone shouted. “At the end of the hall!”

  “We have contact!"

  “False alarm!" Someone screamed. “That’s just a kid!”

  “Fuck this,” Glen sighed as he crossed the room, cracked the door, and took a peek down the hallway.

  “What do you see?" Dad asked.

  “It’s Derry,” Glen said quietly. “He poked his head around the corner, but he hasn’t entered the hallway yet.”

  “There are too many people,” Dad said. “The odds are stacked against him. He doesn’t want to reveal himself.”

  “He’s gone!" Someone shouted from outside the door.

  “No,” someone argued. “He’s just around the corner.”

  “It’s just a kid.”

  “That’s no kid.”

  “Did you see his eyes?"

  “How do you feel?" Glen asked me.

  “What?" I asked. “How do you think I feel?”

  “Not emotionally,” Glen said. “How does your arm feel?”

  “It doesn’t hurt anymore,” I explained. “I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing.”

  “He’s coming for you,” Glen said. “And if need be, he’ll kill every man and woman on this floor.”

  “What are you getting at?" Dad asked.

  “Selma needs to leave with him,” Glen said. “Before it’s too late.”

  “You’re out of your fucking mind!" Dad growled.

  “If we don’t live to fight another day, your daughter will be lost.”

  Glen threw open the door, and about five people all started yelling at him at once to get out of the way.

  “Put your weapons away!" Glen ordered with authority. “Put them away immediately!”

  I could sense the confusion coming from the hallway.

  “No matter what happens,” Glen continued. “Do nothing. Do not attack. Do not make sudden movements, and avoid eye contact.”

  “What are you doing?" Lieutenant Morris asked.

  “I’m saving everyone’s life,” Glen said.

  “Dad,” I said. “Help me with my IV.”

  “No!" Dad shouted. “Get back in that bed!”

  “I don’t want everyone to die because of me,” I said.

  “That’s not going to happen,” Dad said. “Just get back into the bed.”

  I grabbed my dad by the arm, and forced him to look me in the eyes. He struggled briefly, but he was too worried about hurting me.

  “Selma,” Dad whispered. “I can’t let them have you.”

  “You have no choice,” I said. “Now help me.”

  “Contact!" A police officer shouted.

  “Fuck me!" Glen said. “He just entered the hallway. He’s revealed himself in front of all these people.”

  I slowly moved past my dad, and stood beside Glen at the doorway. The police and all the bodyguards had moved to the left and right sides of the hallway. Some of them were using medical equipment as cover, others were crouched in the entrances of adjoining hallways and rooms. Every single person had their weapon trained on Derry who stood silently watching everything.

  “Don’t move!" Glen ordered. “Don’t make any noise, and do not interfere in any way.”

  The hallway was a powder keg just waiting to explode. I was just waiting for the sound of a gunshot to begin the violence.

  Derry was staring at me.

  He wasn’t acknowledging anyone else, and he certainly wasn’t speaking. I had his full and undivided attention, but I didn’t know what to do.

  Derry started walking towards me. He was wearing sneakers, jeans, and a dark blue hoodie over a t-shirt. I could see his dark bangs falling down over his forehead, and I could see his exquisitely shaped eyebrows clearly etch
ed against his grayish skin.

  There was a corpse walking down the hallway, and the bright lights above made sure that Derry couldn’t hide his true nature. Those that doubted, no longer doubted.

  Glittering black eyes darted back and forth, and fang teeth jutted from a half-open mouth. Derry wanted to kill all of them, and one wrong move would set everything in motion.

  “Don’t move!" I shouted in a quivering voice. “Please everyone, don’t move!”

  Derry’s steps were so slow it was agonizing. For me he had entered the belly of the beast. For me he revealed himself, and he seemed to relish all the fear and confusion he was causing.

  “Contact!" Someone shouted. “Six o’clock.”

  I turned to look, and saw Ciaran had entered the hallway at the opposite end. All the people that were here to protect me were sandwiched between the two vampires. Ciaran wasn’t wearing his hood, and his blonde hair was almost glowing under the bright lights. He too had a mouthful of fangs.

  “It’s okay!" I said. “I’m well enough to leave. Nobody needs to get hurt.”

  Ciaran also seemed to enjoy walking past all the armed men. He almost beamed underneath their terrified gaze.

  “I’m ready to go, Derry, “I said. “There’s no need to hurt anyone.”

  “Contact!" Someone shouted.

  No. It couldn’t be. I almost screamed when I saw his auburn hair, and sweet smile. Lorcan had joined his brothers, but he was in a side-branching hallway. In between him and his brothers were at least five of my protectors.

  “Get out of his way!" Glen shouted. “Move very slowly. Don’t give him any reason to attack.”

  Lorcan wouldn’t attack. Lorcan was sweet. Lorcan was gentle. Why was he here? This hospital was too dangerous for such a sensitive being.

  “He’s smiling at me!”

  “Don’t move!”

  “Help me!" Someone shouted.

  I turned to look, and saw that Ciaran had stopped walking forward, and instead stood facing one of the many police officers. More and more fang teeth began popping through his gums.

  “Ciaran,” I said. “Please stop!”

  Ciaran opened his mouth wide so that everyone could see his vicious fangs. A few of the men cursed. One of them fell to his backside, and scrambled away. The man Ciaran was staring at however was frozen in fear.

  “Derry!" I shouted. “Take me away from this place!”

  Derry stopped his slow walk towards me. He looked around at the hallway full of men, and I saw that more and more of his teeth were emerging from his mouth.

  “Derry!" I shouted. “I’m frightened! Please, take me away from here!”

  Derry looked at me.

  “Please!" I whispered.

  His empty face gave away nothing, but he slowly raised his hand, and gestured for me to walk forward and take it, but before I could do so Glen pulled me in close.

  “If you can escape, do so in the daytime,” Glen whispered in my ear. “If you can’t escape, encourage them to take you out. Look for backyard parties. That’s where we’ll be looking for you.”

  I left my room, and entered the hallway.

  Dad let out a stream of obscenities behind me, and Glen was forced to restrain him.

  Derry was only about ten feet away, but walking towards him took an eternity. His cold hand closed over mine, and very gently he guided me away.

  Lorcan and Ciaran followed behind us. Everything was moving too slow, and I understood why. Derry wanted all the humans to know he wasn’t afraid.

  There was a wide window at the end of the hallway. With a casual backhand, Derry shattered the glass, and I watched as the sharp shards fell to the sidewalk far below us.

  Lorcan was the first one out the window, and for that I was glad. Ciaran was next. His black eyes lingered on my arm cast, and then he was gone.

  My father finally shoved past Glen and entered the hallway. Derry turned to face him despite the distance, and the two of them sized each other up fearlessly.

  “Don’t wait up,” Derry said in his low scratchy voice.

  And then we were gone.

  The sidewalk rose up to meet us at an alarming pace, and then we were flying through the air. I held on tightly as we dissolved into mist, and I was still holding tightly when we landed far, far away from the hospital.

  Another beach house.

  This one was larger, more elegant. I loved all the glass walls, and the wide balcony that offered an un-obstructed view of the ocean.

  “Come with me,” Derry said.

  I followed closely behind him, and we entered the house.

  A man was waiting for us.

  “This is Mark,” Derry said. “He’ll be looking out for you while you’re healing.”

  “I’m delighted to be of assistance,” Mark said.

  I shook the man’s hand, but I wasn’t happy to have him looking over me.

  Derry was still moving through the dimly lit house, and I was doing my best to keep up. Sensing my weakness, Derry stopped to pick me up, and lovingly carried me to my new bedroom.

  The bed was a modern affair, but it was tasteful and comfortable. The windows had electronic shudders, and the air was cool and refreshing with the ocean breeze passing through the house.

  “I know how you love the ocean,” Derry said as he tucked me into the bed. “Now you can have a view while you heal.”

  “Come here,” I said as Derry tried to step away from the bed.

  Derry leaned towards me, and I wrapped my arms around his neck.

  “Thank you,” I said. “Thank you for coming for me.”

  “Of course I came for you,” Derry said.

  “I was so afraid,” I said. “Everything’s so confusing when I’m not with you.”

  “I’m here now,” Derry said. “There’s nothing to fear anymore.”

  I closed my eyes, but I didn’t sleep. Instead, I allowed my thoughts to wander. I loved Derry, that was certain, and being near him had a profound effect on me.

  Just the other day I wanted to run and hide from him and now after just a short time in his presence, all thoughts of escape had vanished from my mind.

  Mark entered my room with an IV, and some other medical equipment. Turns out the man was a doctor, Derry was making certain I had what I needed to get better.

  I slept.

  In the morning, I awoke to the sound of the surf pounding against the beach. There was a storm brewing, and the wind was picking up drastically.

  Mark came in and checked on me regularly. It seemed he only existed to guard my health. In the afternoon I turned on the television.

  The news was covering what had happened at the hospital.

  Fortunately for me, I was no longer a wanted murderer. Now I was an abductee that needed everyone’s help. There was even a number to call if I was spotted.

  I didn’t much care about any of that. I only wanted Derry. I wanted my vampire lover. I wanted him to hold me in his arms, and then the next part of the story came on.

  Fifteen children from the hospital had been murdered before I was taken. My abductors had sneaked into the children’s ward, and had their way with all the young patients before coming to my rescue.

  No.

  How could they?

  Fifteen children.

  The warm feelings, and the confused emotions began to fade away just a bit. This was Ciaran’s doing. Ciaran was the evil one. My Derry could never do such a thing. Ciaran committed the crime.

  I fell asleep.

  When I woke up, my room was dark, but I could sense a shape in the corner.

  “Who is that?" I asked.

  “Mother,” Ciaran whispered.

  “I know what you did,” I said.

  “Do you?" Ciaran asked without emotion.

  “You disgust me,” I said. “They were just children. Surely you could have fed on something else. You didn’t need to harm those kids.”

  I couldn’t make out any of Ciaran’s details in the darkness.
The wind and rain were beating upon the windows and roof as the storm raged on above us, but Ciaran was calm and quiet in the corner as I vented more and more of my disgust.

  When I was finished. When I was too exhausted to continue, Ciaran moved closer to the bed. So close in fact that I could smell the metallic scent of blood coming off of him in sickening waves.

  “I never hurt children,” Ciaran whispered in my ear before leaving me alone.

  I said nothing in return.

  The tears fell freely from my eyes, and I finally understood what I needed to do. There were no more visitors that evening, and after a fashion I managed to fall asleep.

  I woke up late the next morning.

  Mark was checking me over when I opened my eyes.

  “What’s the verdict?" I asked.

  “Obviously you’re still rather weak,” Mark said, “but that’s to be expected. However, you’re on the mend. Give yourself another week or so to get your energy levels back up, and you’ll be able walk about on your own.”

  “How long will I need to wear this cast on my arm?"

  “Four to six weeks,” Mark said.

  “You’ve got to be kidding me,” I said.

  “Not at all,” Mark said. “You almost died. You probably should have died. If you hadn’t gotten to the hospital as quickly as you did, you would have died. The cuts on your arm were deep, and the flayed flesh couldn’t have been easy to sew back together. You had some great doctors.”

  Time moved slowly after that. The days blended together, and eventually my energy started coming back to me. The vampires were rather wonderful during my recovery.

  Every day I woke up to fresh flowers, new clothes, jewelry, and excellent food. I was being spoiled. Derry even took up my nightly readings. How he had learned to read and not his brothers was a mystery, but his low and scratchy voice readily took up where I had left off.

  I loved him so.

  I loved a monster, but he wasn’t a monster to me. Why was I special? How many lives had he taken?

  Did it matter?

  Of course it did. I wasn’t a monster. His crimes against humanity cut me deeply. I understood it was his nature, but he seemed to delight in causing suffering.

  Derry had a duel nature, but when he flew me up into the night sky past all the lights of the city so that I could see the stars truly shine…well, that’s something.