The day finally came when my cast was removed. Mark had to use a hacksaw to free me, and once the cast was off, I wasn’t very impressed. My left arm was deformed with bright red scar tissue.
“There was a lot of tissue and muscle damage,” Mark said.
“This is hideous,” I said.
“You’re alive,” Mark said.
“My arm feels weak,” I said.
“I’ll show you some exercises,” Mark said. “They’ll help you strengthen it back up.”
“Do I have any danger of tearing?" I asked.
“No,” Mark answered. “You’re good to go. Just take things easy. Don’t stress your arm too much until you feel a bit more normal.”
I stared at my damaged arm. Despite the weakness, it worked perfectly. Ciaran’s claws were so sharp he managed to actually scrape the bone.
I put on a long sleeved shirt. I didn’t want to stare at my scars, or my damaged arm. My father would want me to get plastic surgery. No way would he allow me to live the rest of my life with a damaged arm, but the vampires were different.
“I’m so sorry,” Derry said after he examined my arm later that night.
“It wasn’t your fault,” I said.
“It was,” Derry argued. “My brothers are wilder than I am. I shouldn’t have left you alone with them.”
“You can’t always keep me safe,” I said.
“I think you’re wrong about that,” Derry said.
“If I was turned,” I said. “Would that heal my arm?”
“Eventually it would,” Derry explained. “The curse upon us makes certain we don’t stay damaged, but existing scars take a few years to fade away.”
“It’s unsightly,” I said. “I’ll frighten children.”
“What can I do?" Derry asked.
“You can find me thousands upon thousands of dollars so that I can get plastic surgery,” I said angrily.
“I can do that,” Derry said. “Or I can convince a doctor to do the surgery for free.”
“No don’t do that,” I said. “That hypnosis crap often has scary results. I don’t want someone operating on me that’s going to flip out and start acting crazy.”
“That doesn’t often happen,” Derry said. “Just look at, Mark, the two of you get along perfectly.”
“We don’t get along at all,” I said. “If Mark isn’t busy making sure I stay alive, he’s staring at walls and talking to himself. Whatever it is that you do to people doesn’t work in the long run.”
Derry only looked at me.
He was so handsome in the shadows. I constantly found myself reaching out for him just to feel the coolness of his skin. A part of me never wanted him to leave my side, but the rest of me understood that fifteen children were murdered during my so-called rescue.
“Let me take you somewhere,” Derry said. “You’re well enough. Anywhere you want to go. Soon we’ll be leaving California. I’m already planning things out.”
“I don’t want to leave California,” I said.
“Neither do I,” Derry said, “but I’ve pushed things a bit too far. We’ve been sloppy, and we’ve exposed ourselves. It isn’t safe to remain here for much longer.”
“What about this house?" I asked. “The cats have already been gathering outside.”
“We can stay here for another week or so,” Derry said. “After that, it’ll be time to find another location.”
“I don’t want a human companion,” I said.
“What?" Derry asked. “Are you sure?”
“Yes,” I answered. “I’m not an invalid, and I’m not a child.”
“They’re here for you,” Derry said. “I thought they could protect you, and take care of you when I’m not around.”
“I’d like privacy,” I said.
“Okay,” Derry said. “I understand.”
“And if we’re leaving California soon,” I said. “I’d like to get the most out of this place while I’m still here.”
“What do you have in mind? Derry asked.
“I want to go out,” I said. “I want to be around people. I want to party. I want to go to parties.”
“You could be recognized,” Derry said.
“We’ll stay outside,” I said. “If someone comes close to recognizing me, we’ll leave.”
Derry let out a slight laugh.
“You amaze me,” Derry said. “You truly amaze me. Instead of weeping over your damaged arm, instead of being afraid at all the uncertainties of your future you’d still like to go out and have fun.”
“Why not?" I asked.
“Exactly,” Derry agreed. “Why not. In truth, I can deny you nothing. I’m a slave to your every whim.”
Two days later, and I was drinking heavily at a backyard party in the Inland Empire. I didn’t have fun. Derry stayed far away from anyone, and I kept close to him in case there were any problems.
We stayed late, and when we finally got home I saw that blood had been splashed all along the walls of the living room, and Mark was nowhere to be seen.
“Marks gone,” I said.
“He served his purpose,” Derry said.
“I wish you’d stop harming people that I know,” I said. “Go feed on all the nameless people that I’ll never meet.”
“I don’t understand,” Derry said.
“No,” I said. “You don’t understand. The killing means nothing to you. You have no connection to the living.”
“That’s not true,” Derry said. “You’re my connection to the living.”
“I’m hardly living,” I said. “I’m a lost spirit just like you and your brothers. I may still be alive, but I haunt this house just like the rest of you.”
“We’ll be more careful,” Derry said.
“Will you?" I asked.
“Of course,” Derry said. “I’ll speak to my brothers.”
As drunk as I was, I fell asleep a few moments later. I woke up sometime before dawn, and noticed that Derry was holding me lovingly as if he were a living boy.
“I wish we could stay like this forever,” I said. “I wish you were different. I wish I was different. I wish the world was different.”
“The things you say,” Derry said. “They make me dream of the future.”
It was daylight when I next opened my eyes. Derry was long gone, and there was a note on my door telling me to avoid the garage.
I didn’t.
Inside the garage I found Marks body, next to four other corpses all sitting around a cheap card table. Someone had even brought them a deck of cards to spread out in front of each player.
Why?
Why the scene?
I already knew the answer. They did what they did because they enjoyed playing games with the police. How frightened would everyone become once these corpses were discovered. Vampires enjoyed causing fear. They enjoyed the suffering of others.
I understood more and more as the days went by.
More parties.
I had become a regular party animal.
We kept to the Inland Empire, and that wasn’t a problem. There was always a party going on in the desert. Derry even seemed to enjoy watching me dance at these gatherings.
And then one night I recognized someone.
I wasn’t sure about his name. He was only introduced to me once, but I was certain he was one of the vampire hunters. I looked at him. The two of us were roughly the same age. We made eye contact, and then he without a hint of acknowledgement, he got up from his seat, and walked inside the house.
“I need to use the restroom,” I said.
“I’ll wait right here,” Derry said.
I followed the vampire hunter. He went into the bathroom, and closed the door behind him. When he reemerged he shook his head only slightly when I tried to approach him. I stopped in my tracks, and watched him motion to the bathroom before walking away.
I went to the bathroom.
At first the room looked perfectly normal. I started looking in all t
he drawers, and found nothing, but the medicine cabinet had a note with my name on it. My fingers trembled as I ripped it open.
The vampire hunter wanted me to come back in three days. Same house, another party, and further instructions. I was being extricated from the vampires, but my rescuers were going about things very carefully, and I didn’t blame them one bit.
Derry was waiting for me when I went back outside.
“Are you alright?" Derry asked.
“I’m fine,” I answered. “Why do you ask?”
“Your heart rate,” Derry answered. “It skyrocketed.”
“I thought I saw somebody that I knew,” I said.
“Where are they?" Derry asked.
“I don’t know,” I answered. “I was mistaken anyway.”
Derry seemed unconcerned with my answer as he quietly surveyed the crowd of people all around us before making his way to a much less crowded area. He didn’t like being so close to all the humans. All it took was one overly curious person to ruin his secret. Don’t look too long at the boy in the hoodie, he’ll give you nightmares.
We stayed another hour.
I was very drunk as we lifted into the air, and I was still very drunk when we finally landed far away by the ocean. The two of us walked along the beach, and this time both of us let the cold water wash over our feet.
I held onto Derry tightly as we walked.
I understood what he was. I understood that our differences were insurmountable. I had to leave. I had to say goodbye, but I loved him despite everything that came between us.
“They’re having another party in three days,” I said.
“It’s best not to repeat ourselves,” Derry said.
“I had such a lovely time,” I said. “Maybe just this once we could break some rules.”
“Just this once,” Derry laughed. “I break many rules for you my love, but of course we’ll go to your party. How could I ever say no to you?”
Derry took a victim while we were at the beach. A nameless girl and her handsome boyfriend fed his hunger while I waited just a short distance away. I was impatient over the entire ordeal. I didn’t want to hear them scream, but scream they most certainly did.
Frank was waiting for us when we finally made our way to the house we were staying at. I was confused at first. The large man walked boldly up to Derry without a concern for his own safety.
“Selma,” Derry said. “This is Frank. He’ll be taking care of you for a little bit.”
“Why do I need him?" I asked.
“Daytime protection,” Derry answered. “He’ll stay out of your way, but if you run into any problems he’ll handle everything. I don’t want you getting arrested again. Exposing myself in that hospital was way too risky, and I definitely shouldn’t have included my brothers.”
“I don’t need protection,” I said. “We’ve talked about this. I want more privacy. I can’t even bring myself to leave the house. I’ve thought about it many times, but I just can’t bring myself to go anywhere without you.”
“Perhaps you simply enjoy the safety I can provide,” Derry said.
“Its way more than that,” I said. “I have an actual fear of going anywhere during the daytime, and I have no idea why.”
I was lying. I knew exactly why I was suddenly frightened of the sun. Derry had been inside my head. Derry didn’t want me going anywhere during the daytime. Was that to keep me under control, or was he truly worried about my safety when he wasn’t around?
“You’ve been through a lot,” Derry said. “Don’t try and figure everything out. Just relax and go with the flow. Remember, I’ll take care of you. These are things you shouldn’t worry about, not with me here.”
I smiled and wrapped my arms around him. I still loved the chill that came from his dead body.
“Take me to bed,” I said. “Let me smother you with kisses.”
Derry scooped me up in his arms, and I squealed with laughter. The sun was coming, but I wanted just a few undisturbed moments. I wanted to say goodbye. I wanted to love him with all of my heart before I left him.
Like always, I tasted the blood in his mouth. I was going to miss him. I was going to terribly miss him despite all the horrible things I had been forced to witness. My heart was breaking ever so slowly, and by the time Derry took his leave I was crying in my bed.
Derry
I awoke with a feeling of urgency.
There was something wrong with Selma. She hadn't been acting properly since the party, and I wanted to get back to her as soon as possible. Tonight we had plans to go back to the same place for a second party, but something felt off, and I couldn't put my finger on exactly what it was.
I had slept in an empty house, not five miles from where Selma was staying. I was hidden in the attic under the insulation, just waiting for the sun to go down.
A neighborhood cat was waiting for me the second I exited the house. I couldn't leave without petting him, so I sat down on the back porch as the feline crawled into my lap.
I gave the cat a good twenty minutes of attention, and then I was in the air. Selma wanted to go to a party, and I was happy to be taking her.
Oddly though, it was Ciaran that met me in the backyard and not Selma.
"We're not alone," Ciaran said.
"What do you mean?"I asked.
"There's another one of us here," Ciaran said. "We have a trespasser."
"Are you positive?"I asked.
"Absolutely," Ciaran said.
"Where?"I asked.
"The city," Ciaran answered. "I caught the scent on my way over here, but they've been all over the city."
"How the hell does that happen without us realizing anything?"I asked.
"I would have thought it not very likely, but here we are," Ciaran said.
"Where's Lorcan?"I asked.
"He'll be here," Ciaran answered.
"Okay," I said. "I'll go take care of the intruder as soon as Lorcan gets here."
"Why don't I take care of the intruder?"Ciaran asked.
"No," I said. "I want both you and Lorcan keeping an eye on Selma. I want her safe at all costs."
"Shouldn't I go with you?"Ciaran asked.
"No," I said. "You should stay here to protect Selma and your brother. I can handle this much faster than you."
Selma made her way into the backyard. I heard her moving in the house, and I watched as she almost silently slid open the glass door to the back yard. She was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, but she also wore perfume and makeup. The poor girl was excited about the party.
"Are you almost ready?"Selma asked.
"Something's happened," I said. "I can't take you to the party."
"What…really?"Selma asked. "Can't Frank take me?"
"No," I answered. "Frank wouldn't be much help. Another one of our kind has arrived, and that adds a bit of danger that needs to be addressed."
"I was really excited," Selma said.
"There will be other parties," I said. "I'll make it up to you."
"You can read to Lorcan and me," Ciaran offered.
Selma looked at both of us and finally shrugged heavily.
"Okay," Selma relented. "Do what you need to do. I'll be fine."
I was shocked at her amount of disappointment, so shocked that I almost sent Ciaran after the intruder just so I wouldn't disappoint her. Why was she so concerned about a simple party? Perhaps I wasn't taking her out enough?It was exhausting trying to entertain a human.
I stretched out my arm, and Selma embraced me just as readily as she normally did. I'd never get over that. I loved the way she made me feel.
"This is a dangerous situation," I whispered.
"You said that," Selma whispered back.
"Vampires are often petty," I tried to explain. "They do things to hurt other vampires, and this intrusion into our territory is rather odd. Normally when paths cross greetings are exchanged. If not, it's a sign of aggression.
Selma sighed heavily, and r
etreated into the house.
"Try and entertain her," I said.
Ciaran nodded. He was excited to have Selma staying home. I never knew books meant so much to my younger brothers.
Without another interruption, I lifted off in search of the intruder. With just a bit of luck, I'd be able to locate and destroy this vampire quickly.
Selma
My disappointment was a living presence that both vampires could sense. I was going to miss the meeting. I wasn't going to be able to escape.
Ciaran was waiting for me by my usual chair, and Lorcan had only just arrived. I listened as the brothers whispered back and forth, but I couldn't make out what they were saying.
Lorcan vanished into the back of the house and reappeared with a thick blanket that he wrapped around me as I took my seat.
"So you'll be warm," Lorcan said.
I smiled at the gentle vampire and ran my fingers through his soft auburn hair. Ciaran had my book in his hands and was waiting to hand it over.
I sighed heavily for attention.
"Why are you sad?" Lorcan asked.
"I just wanted to go out tonight," I answered. "Sometimes, I need to be around others of my own kind. I miss them."
"Derry will handle this intruder," Lorcan said. "Things will be back to normal in a day or so."
"By that time, the party will be long over," I pouted.
"What's so great about this party?" Ciaran asked.
"The music," I said. "I love the music. I love the people, and I love the dancing. It was just a really nice place."
"I like parties," Ciaran volunteered.
"Of course you do," I said. "Who doesn't like parties?"
"Lorcan doesn't like parties," Ciaran teased.
"Too many people," Lorcan said.
"That's true," I laughed."A good party has a lot of people."
"I like people," Ciaran said. "Do you think I'd enjoy this party?"
I hesitated a moment before I answered as a distant warning floated up from the fog of my abused mind. Derry had warned me about his brothers. Ciaran especially was wild and unpredictable.
"Yes," I answered. "You'd love this party."
"No!" Lorcan snapped. "This isn't a good idea. You shouldn't be taking Selma anywhere."
The Forgotten: A Vampire Story Page 24