Blooded

by Jessie Rose Case

  Arturo looked at the men facing him. They were all men or had been. They were something other now and had been for some time by the look of them. Some were older than others but no master’s here. The leader he knew. “Well Arturo. It has been a while has it not?” Arturo disliked this male intensely. And he was in his territory without permission. He would pay for that. He saw Regin look up at him questioningly. It was clear to him that although the leader had spoken quietly, for Vamp hearing, Regin had heard him. That was another surprise. A human would not have heard him. “Jazel. I see you have been busy.” He told him indicating his men. Jazel laughed. “This is nothing. Just a few friends out on the town. You’re out of your comfort zone here aren’t you Arturo?” Arturo watched as Jazel looked around him. He kept his eyes on him. “In fact. I do not see your men and there was such a delicious smell coming from this direction I had to pursue it.” Regin whispered to Arturo barely audible. “They have come for me. You need to move away from me as much as you can. Do not break the circle. If you need to leave. Fly over it. If we fight. I will take the left.” Arturo raised his eyebrows again. She’d take the left? Jazel sniffed the air. He became excited. And looked at Regin. “You seem to have found my prize Arturo.”

  Regin grasped globes in both hands. Bringing them quickly out of her pockets. “Do not breath in.” She told Arturo quietly. And just as quickly broke both globes and spun the contents over herself and the ground surrounding her. She looked at Arturo. “Do not touch me.” She whispered again. Her scent disappeared. Arturo hoped his protection would be enough. The female was strange. “Jazel. You are trespassing and mistaken. You are not approved to be here. That is a breach of the rules. Leave now before I make you pay for that. There is no prize here. Just myself and my …. ward.” Arturo told him. ‘Ward?’ Where did that come? What was he thinking? He could feel Regin looking strangely at him. “Ward?” Jazel spoke. “Wrong century old man.” He spat at him. “And I go where I like.” Arturo remained calm. He would not be bated by this punk. “Never the less. The female is under my protection.” Jazel looked at his men. He looked over confident. “Do you really think so? You are on your own with the female and I am not.” He told him grinning like a mad man. Jazel twitched and there was movement from the right and left.

  Arturo dropped into a fighting stance wondering how he was going to be able to cover both sides with this woman next to him. The two either side of them, came at them within a split second. And screamed as they hit what he guessed was Regin’s barrier. Well dam. Arturo watched as in their surprise they stopped and looked about. Regin was already in motion, lifting two globes and threw them. “Don’t let her hit you.” Jazel cried out too late. Hitting her targets in the face. “Surprise!” She called out. Both looked at her confused. Then started screaming again. Clawing at their faces and necks and ripping open their clothes making it worse as the powder seemed to burn them. Arturo watched as they became frantic trying to rid themselves of it as they continued to burn. They staggered back and dropped to the floor. Ashing in seconds. At the same time, Arturo caught the movement near him and punched the first assailant on his side of the barrier, sending him flying along with his screaming as he too had hit the barrier. The second attacker had stopped as he witnessed what had happened to his companions, he regained his composure and wisely stepped back slowly.

  Arturo looked at Jazel. “My ward has bite.” He told him with a smile. Jazel screamed. “She is mine. Take them now.” The four that were left rushed them. They each hit the barrier at the same time. They cried out at the impact but had learnt from the previous four. They leaned over it and tried to swipe them with their claws. Arturo dodged one and struck one with the back of his hand sending him flying. Arturo saw Regin face off with the two coming at her. As they reached forward towards her, she called out “Boo”, held up her hands and ejected a cloud of powder from her wrists. Both men breathed it in, a reflex action, they didn’t need to breath. It was a human response. Arturo guessed the brain remembered the memory reflex. It was automatic. And in this case, it seemed to be deadly. Both started to combust from the inside out and they both fell away from her.

  The two downed from Arturo looked at Jazel. The third who had initially attacked Arturo and had stepped back turned and looked confused at Jazel. Arturo wasn’t surprised to see Jazel appear to be teetering on the edge of madness. “I will have her.” He screamed. In a desperate bid to do as his master told them, the male who had backed off Arturo threw himself across the circle to break it, burning himself in the process from the outside inwards, it was slow and would be painful. His screaming filling the night. Arturo wondered how that couldn’t be heard by humans. The two downed men came at them again. Using the bridge given to them by the disintegrating body of their colleague on top of it. Arturo fought one off viciously. Cutting into him. Hobbling him before taking his head.

  At the same time Regin’s assailant went to grab her and let go quickly as he started screaming. His hands burning. “Haven’t you heard. Never touch a lady unless she asks you to.” Regin told him. He backed away and tried to go around her. Arturo saw Regin lift another globe. “Do I really need to use this?” She asked her attacker. Jazel’s scream could be heard across the park as his man lost his head by Arturo’s hand. That left one. Arturo was relieved to see Regin keeping her gazed on her opponent. He knew the minute the male was going to try again. And so it seemed did Regin. Arturo watched her lift her other hand, at such close quarters she couldn’t miss. She fired. Her assailant looked up at her in shock. But smiling that he was still whole and not smoking. He took a step forward. He’s grin suddenly dropped. Arturo watched Regin study him. The male took a step forward again towards her and Arturo moved to intercede. “No.” She called out to him as he came to stand beside her. “He’s done, don’t touch him.” Arturo looked on as fire suddenly engulfed the male before her.

  For the first-time Regin address Jazel. She turned to face him. “Why do you persist. It always ends this way. How many times do we have to do this?” Jazel crouched and gave a raw cry. “You are mine Reginleif.” He told her screaming. Regin shook her head. “I was never yours and never will be.” It was clear to Arturo that she knew him. And not in a good way. “Leave while you can Jazel.” Arturo told him with menace. “Your time is over Arturo. What you have will be mine.” He screamed at him. With one last glare, Jazel turned and disappeared into the night. Regin felt him leave. He’d lick his wounds and be back but not today. She sighed.

  Arturo turned and looked at his human. She awed him. She fought like a warrior. Had skills. Unusual ones but skills none the less. She would not allow herself to be a victim. He liked that. He looked at the ash around them. And back at Regin. She was stunning. And it had nothing to do with how she looked. She was a wonder to him. An enigma. Something was different about this one. She pulled him in and he desperately wanted to go. The adrenalin from the fight riding his emotions looking for release. It suddenly hit him. He wanted this woman. Wanted to slack his need with her. Wanted her to feel how it would be with him deep inside her. Arturo shook his head. What was wrong with him? He had better control than this. No human pulled him in like this. It just did not happen any longer. No. He would not allow these emotions to compromise him or take advantage of her. That would not be right. This was turning out to be far more than a planned welcome reprieve from the everyday. A break checking out his latest venture.

  “Well.” Regin said breaking into his revelry. “That was more than I had intended this evening.” Arturo looked at her and laughed. She laughed too. “Women. You are a wonder. But you are going to get yourself killed. So tell me. What did you use.” He indicated the floor around them and her. He watched Regin carefully put the globes she hadn’t used, in wrapping and back into her bag. She took out two canisters and refilled her wrist holders. The gun she kept in her pocket. “The powder on the floor is a combination of Chlorine, Salt, Nitrate, Phosphate, Copper, Carbon, Magnesium and Oxide and some other ingredien
ts. It creates the barrier once its charged and the circle complete. If you are Vamp and outside it, it stops you entering and burns you. It tends to be a nice surprise when they touch it. Stay long enough and it will burn them out. Most don’t though. They hit the barrier are in intense pain and back off quick. The shock of hitting it is usually enough time for me to go in for the kill. These,” Regin lifted one of the globes. “Are fragile and an airborne mixture of concentrated silver nitrate, nitric acid and salt. If it hits you and you are Vamp. The coating will break and cover you in the powder. It is light and it burns like hell. Once it gets onto the skin there’s no getting it off. It sticks. Once it’s in the skin your gone. This,” Regin lifted her gun, “is a soap mixture of naphthenic and aliphatic carboxylic acids a combustible accelerant, concentrated liquid silver nitrate with mercury and a dash of powdered blessed oak. All very effective. None harmful in this state to humans. Well nearly non harmful to humans.” Arturo nodded. “And what did you put over yourself?” Regin smiled. “Charged blessed ground silver and blessed powered oak. If that fails, I’ve a shock or two I can use.”

  Arturo stared at this Regin. “That’s some arsenal.” Regin shrugged at him. “Please stand back so I can remove some of this.” Arturo moved several paces back outside of the circle and watched as she brushed off as much of the powder as she could shaking it out her hair and off her clothes and arms. He watched her take off her jacket and shake it. “It works. For now.” “And if it doesn’t work?” Arturo couldn’t help but look worried as he watched her put her jacket back on. “Then we start blowing shit up.” She told him calmly. Arturo just stared at her. “Do I want to ask?” Regin smiled. “I’d leave it as a surprise.” She told him and winked. Arturo was lost for words. He stared at her. He could not think of a name to describe what she’d told him. Moving to safer ground he asked her. “You have an unusual name. Reginleif.” Regin smiled as she closed her bag. “Yes, it annoyed the hell out of me as a child and I shorted it real quick. Dad thought it was appropriate.” Regin checked her watched. “Dam it I’m late again. This was real. I don’t get to meet many in this situation, well actually you’re the first of your kind, usually it’s just me and someone I have to burn. So this was fun. Sorry got to dash. I’m meant to be meeting some friends and got caught up in this. It was real nice meeting you. I’d say let’s do it again but I’d rather not if you know what I mean.”

  Regin felt the need to touch him and held out her hand. “Thanks for the help Arturo, loving the name by the way. I didn’t need it you know. Take care now.” Arturo took her hand when she offered it and appeared to listen to her rambling. He grasped her hand tighter. She felt the tingling in the contact. She didn’t know why she felt drawn to this male but she did. She wanted to hold onto him but that wouldn’t happen. Regin withdrew her hand reluctantly. The was a complication she didn’t need. This male was something else. She’d be the one burned if she wasn’t careful. Regin turned and headed back the way she’d came. As she hit the path she couldn’t stop herself from turning around and waving. Arturo still stood in the place she’d left him and waved back. Regin smiled. That looked too cute. Picking up where she’d left the trail she headed towards Wild Bills. Her friends were gonna be pissed she was late again.

  Arturo watched her leave. Had he just been blown off? Women didn’t treat him like that. This female was mad. Amazing. Alluring. But mad. Utterly mad. How did she expect to hold off a group of Vamps on her own? She clearly knew Jazel. Arturo frowned again. That wasn’t good. If he had her scent he could track her. Arturo started walking. He didn’t realise he was following her until he was on the path. It’s a free country he surmised. He’d just pop in where she’s meeting her friends and make sure everything was ok. Arturo could see Regin clearly. She was up ahead and going quite fast. She really must be late or very thirsty. After 20mins Regin stopped and opened a door. Arturo could see the sign. Wild Bills. It was a themed bar. Arturo cringed. He hated these places. Regin went in, 8 mins later Arturo followed her inside.

  Regin was just making her way to her friends table through the crowd. It was busy and noisy. He caught them waving her over. He watched as Regin hugged her friends and tuned out the noise in the bar so he could listen to the good natured comments her friends made to her on being late again. Regin held up her hands and told them she had good reason this time. They all called her on it laughing. “I do I’m telling you.” She told them, “I got stopped by this hunk of a man, talk dark and deadly, who refused to let me go on alone and insisted we continued until I was all safe. He was a real chatterbox, wanted to know all about everything and it took me a while to shake him off.” Arturo listened to the abridged version she gave her friends. He smiled at the comments. It was close enough but not the whole truth for obvious reasons. So. Her friends did not know about ‘others’. And he liked the way she called him a ‘hunk’. As her friends called out a chorus of “Yeah.,yeah.” Arturo was drawn to come to her aid. It didn’t sit well that they didn’t believe her. He turned to the bar and asked the bar man for a jug of whatever the girls had at the table. He was given a jug of pink stuff. It looked disgusting. He paid and took it and walked over to their table. “Hello Regin. I see you met your friends ok. I hope you don’t mind, I brought you all a drink for the inconvenience of keeping Regin earlier.”

  Regin couldn’t believe what she was hearing from behind her. She turned. Mr Tall, dark and deadly was carrying a pink pitcher. All three of her friends had stopped in mid-sentence and were looking from one to the other open mouthed. “Are you going to introduce us.” He asked her. Before Regin could ask what he was doing there. Caroline reached out and touched his arm. “Hi I’m Caroline.” She told him in her best breathless voice. “I’m Toni. Your gorgeous with a capital G. Have we met before?” Toni asked him. Regin groaned. “Hi, I’m all yours.” The third friend told him. Regin smacked her hand on her face. Really? “Her names Cindy.” She told him. Caroline stared open mouthed. “Your catching flies Caroline.” Regin told her. “Yeah well, it’s no surprise is it. I mean. We didn’t actually believe you meant a real life tall dark and handsome but here he is and good choice by the way.” She told him pointing to the jug. “Thank you. I’m Arturo.” He told them putting down the jug. Cindy nodded. “Cool name loving that.” Regin sighed. Here we go. “Pull up a chair Arturo and tell us all about yourself.” Caroline told him. Regin widened her eyes. Ok this was going to interesting. She turned to look at him with an expression that told him. You put yourself in it now deal with it.

  Regin listened as Arturo spun a well crated story of lies. She was impressed. He obviously lied about his age. Where he lived. What he did. How he knew Regin and how they met. And the girls literally drunk it in. All that is, except her. All his story did for her was make her annoyed. He’d gone on to tell them that Regin fascinated him. That she was unique, special and was very important to him. Regin had turned to look at him then with an expression of incredibility. What drivel. She thought. But he didn’t take the hint and kept going. Told them that he valued her uniqueness and enjoyed her company. Toni burst out crying. “I wish a man thought that about me.” She told him. Wiping her eyes. Regin choked on her soda and rolled her eyes at him. Seriously. This guy was way too good at bullshitting and she didn’t need someone taking the piss. Regin had endured over an hour of the tall, dark and handsome show and had had enough. When Arturo offered to buy another round to a chorus of thank you’s from the girls and headed in the direction of the bar. Regin leaned in and told a tail of her own. Feigning feeling sick but not wanting to ruin their good time with Arturo, she was making her escape now and she’d catch up with them tomorrow. As expected, half-hearted “get well soon’s” saw her heading out the door while their attention was already back on Arturo.

  Regin was gone by the time Arturo returned from the bar. He was impressed. He’d hadn’t noticed at all. He put the pitcher down and told them he had to go. It was a pleasure meeting them and hoped to again soon. But duty called.
Arturo made his way through the crowd and headed out the door. Regin’s scent was weak but it was still there. He followed at a discreet distance and hoped she did not pick him up. He knew that she could feel him if he got to close. The journey took them some time and led him to a car park. In the distance he could see Regin. She had stopped by a car. She started unloading her things. It was clear that the car was hers and she was leaving. Arturo was torn. He didn’t want her to think he was pestering her but it seemed unwise to let her go on her own. As Regin opened the car he called to her.

  Regin sat up straight and blew out a breath and turned to the voice coming towards her. She looked at him. She didn’t feel threatened by him just annoyed. She had that odd comforting thing going on, like her body knew him which was crazy. She’d never met him before tonight. “Let me help you with that.” He offered as he approached. Regin didn’t move. “I can do it.” She told him narrowing her eyes. “I’m sure you can. But I’d like to help.” Regin didn’t like to be dependent on anyone. Couldn’t stand people feeling sorry for her. But it was clear he wasn’t moving. And she wanted to get home. She was suddenly very tired. “Ok.” She told him. Regin twisted her seat around to her open car door and stood up. She held onto the buggy handles to brace her legs. Took two steps. Held onto the door frame. Turned and sat down on the driver’s seat. Arturo opened the back-passenger door and placed her basket on the floor. Regin turned in the driver’s seat and faced the steering wheel. Arturo passed her her bag. Regin took it from him and closed the driver’s door. She bent to open the boot. Arturo lifted her seat and folded it. Then the buggy and put both items in the boot. Regin’s mobility scooter was now in the car.