The Last Vampire

by Tanja Neise

  With tears in my eyes, I quietly closed the door behind me and proceeded to the stairwell. You could only use the lift if you entered it from inside the loft. Outside the luxurious apartment there were only the stairs. Cold, grey concrete testified that nobody lived here except Robert. This tower had been built solely for a vampire.

  I stepped forwards steadily, placing one foot in front of the other, even if it caused me physical pain to walk away from him. Suddenly, I stumbled as something grazed my ankle. Perplexed, I tried to look down. My alarm system hadn’t warned me of the danger when I was in the apartment. No, she’d been out here waiting for me and I’d blindly fallen into her trap. The next moment, however, I felt a sharp pain in the back of my head and everything around me turned black.

  Robert Tensington

  The flash of light that shot through my head definitely had nothing to do with the fact that I was about to become the hero again. It didn’t have anything to do with the transformation my body was going through. No, it was much more powerful. Even more powerful than the thirst vampires felt when they didn't get regular blood. I could sing a song about it. No one else had endured life as long as I had without the possibility of getting blood. This here was more like a fire burning in me, causing an irrepressible rage within me and almost causing me to lose my mind. Not the pain itself, but the certainty that something must have happened to the person I loved. It tore me apart and a huge scream left my throat involuntarily.

  The next moment, the door was almost ripped off its hinges. Dark stormed in. His face was distorted and he was obviously ready for anything. “What...?”

  Glowing lava flowed through my veins. “Where’s Liv?” I pushed out between pinched lips, and the heritage I carried inside me would’ve preferred to let out a snarl. But I didn't want to deviate so much from my humanity. In the many years of my existence I hadn’t always held on to it, but that had been in my young years. Back when I hadn’t yet gained full control over myself and my actions. But that was a long time ago and I would never sink so low again.

  My colleague looked at me, helplessly. “Um, I don't know. I’ve just been patching up Sally.” I could see Dark lifting his nose into the air, sniffing.

  The noose that had caught my heart contracted painfully and robbed me of the opportunity to breathe. “We have to find her, right now.” As soon as I’d finished my sentence, Dark turned around and shot out of the hallway like lightning. I followed him at a not quite so fast pace – I wasn’t yet in full possession of my powers. He stopped abruptly in front of the apartment door, signalled to me to be quiet, and put his hand on the doorknob. He stopped and listened, and I did the same.

  I could hear breathing noises, quiet and further away. I could sense two people slowly moving down the stairs. When Dark silently opened the door, Liv's smell penetrated my nose and all the nerves in my body were on alert. He looked at me questioningly and I gave him a sign. Instantly, he vanished from my field of vision and disappeared again into the apartment. As always, we were a well-rehearsed team and Dark had understood immediately what I was thinking.

  I proceeded carefully, one step after the other, even though I felt the need to run. I smelled Liv's blood, which increased my aggression immeasurably. Who had hurt Liv? Was it the woman Dark had locked in the limousine? The woman who’d already attacked Sally? Why hadn't he got rid of her? Apparently, this person was not to be underestimated. Who else would have the nerve to step foot on my property and hurt someone? Something like this hadn't happened for years, and it would have been a strange coincidence if, today of all days, two attackers had chosen us as their target. Accordingly, I could safely assume that it could only be Sally’s kidnapper who was taking what I most desired – Liv.

  I heard the emergency exit open further down and, contrary to the safety precautions I’d taken, the alarm didn’t go off. The woman had obviously hacked into our security system; she must be extremely skilled – a real genius with computers. And Dark would clearly have to retrofit the system after we’d found out what that devilish woman was up to. When the door clicked shut, I ran down the last few floors as quickly as I could and tore away the piece of metal that separated me from Liv. The woman with the short hair turned to me, a shard of glass in her hand, which she pressed firmly against Liv's carotid artery. Her look revealed a fighting spirit, which should probably not be underestimated; after all, for a second time, she had taken control of a woman who belonged to a vampire. That she had managed to do that at all bordered on a miracle.

  Olivia's blood was seeping from a small wound, and she was feebly attempting to keep still. She seemed disoriented. What had been done to her? The sight was not to my liking, my heart was tightening, but I was sure nothing would happen to Liv. I was faster than this criminal. And, as if to confirm my theory, Dark appeared in the background. He had taken the path across the outer façade, causing our trap to snap shut. Exactly as I had planned. Silently, he sneaked up and courageously grabbed the hand that was holding the shard of glass. A wheeze was heard as he got the woman into a headlock. She had no chance. I quickly stretched out my arms. Not a second too late, because Olivia collapsed as soon as she had to stand on her own two feet. Without any additional support, she wasn’t able to stay upright on her feet. Her eyes looked for mine and our glances interlocked like cogwheels that were finally moving into the right place.

  “Robert,” she whispered.

  I tried a smile, which probably didn't work out very well for me. “Shh! Everything’s going to be alright, Liv.” Her eyelids fluttered, and then she softly closed her eyes. She wasn't unconscious. I could tell from her irregular breathing, which sometimes contained a sob. Relieved, I pressed her tender body against mine. Pride surged in my chest in the face of her strength.

  “What should I do with her, Boss?” Dark tore me away from my emotions and carried me back to reality. He was pressing himself against the building wall. His body was protected by the leather motorcycle gear he was wearing but his face had already turned red like a lobster. It was red from the UV rays that affected his skin so easily. Amazed, I realised they couldn't do anything to me. This had already been the case in recent decades, but I had assumed that this would change now that I’d consumed blood again myself.

  Dark's skin would heal again quickly, but he couldn’t stay out here for too long. “To the loft,” I replied decisively, and Dark did not object for a second; he simply disappeared into the hallway, his prisoner in tow. She neither screamed nor fought back, which made me sceptical. The dainty little woman was probably already working out the next escape plan. As the two of them passed us, I caught a whiff of something I couldn't explain, but at that moment Olivia needed all my attention. I would take care of the other thing later. First of all, I had to look after this trembling lady who had so quickly stolen my heart.

  “I'll carry you up, Liv,” I said, tenderly, and lifted her up. I wrapped my arms around her like a cocoon, “I hope that's okay with you.”

  The woman in my arms nodded, and I was glad she didn't ask me to take her home. I pressed her so close to me that not a single tree leaf could fit between us anymore. I inhaled her scent and kissed her gently on the crown. For nothing in the world would I let her go again. I hoped she wouldn't have a problem with that. Of course, I wouldn't force her to do anything she didn't want. But I wasn't sure yet if I could accept it if she were to disappear from my life again.

  “Robert?” Liv's voice still sounded fragile, which was no wonder, given tonight’s experiences. It must have shaken her when she learned what I was. Her friend had been kidnapped. She had seen me dying and then miraculously recovering. All this would have to be a shock to anyone who wasn't a normal part of in my world.

  “Yes, my darling?” I put as much emotion into those three words as I could.

  Smiling, she opened one eye and winked at me. “Thank you.”

  “No need to thank me. I would give my life for you. Anytime and without doubt.” I meant every single word
as I had said it. I didn’t understand how it was possible that my heart was so overflowing with love, but I was being completely serious.

  She looked at me with an astonishment that made me smile. “Why?” she demanded to know from me.

  To take the tension out of our conversation, I smiled and asked, “Why what?” I knew what she wanted to know, but I needed time. Time for me to work out why. And I knew that there was no way back once I had said it.

  “Why me?” Her eyes looked at me with a vulnerability that gave me goose pimples.

  I took a deep breath before stepping into the lift, which was opening its doors for us at that moment. When the lift started to move, I said: “Never before have I reacted to a woman in such a way. I want you with every fibre of my body. You make my heart overflow with joy. Your smell penetrates my pores and I have the feeling I can no longer breathe when it’s not in the air that fills my lungs. You make me laugh, dream and hope.” Determined, I bit my tongue. I couldn’t say any more, not yet. She was already looking at me now, like a deer under a spotlight. Slowly, I said to myself, slowly. We still had plenty of time, which meant I could tell her everything that was so impatiently waiting to be said.

  Limply, she put her head to my chest, exactly where my heart would from now on beat only for her.

  Anne Rumsfield

  Without resisting, I let myself be led away by this guy with the gloomy aura. Trying to defend myself wouldn't even have done any good. He would be stronger and faster than me; I wasn’t a match for him without equipment, I knew that much, too. He was hot, if you liked vampires, which I didn’t.

  It would’ve been so easy if I’d had a hostage, but she was now in the arms of a man who was supposed to be dead. Or at least seriously injured. Never before had I failed so badly as I had on this mission. No matter what I’d planned, I had screwed it up, had been too inattentive and arrogant. In actual fact, it wasn't a mission at all, at least not one that had been imposed on me from the top. Rather, it was my personal campaign in the fight against the individuals who had killed my father, Sir Rumsfield. And everything that could possibly go wrong had gone wrong.

  But I might get some answers to my questions up there in Tensington's loft as his prisoner. Finally! At least that's what I hoped. And I would try to use these answers skilfully against my enemies. God! How I hated being the weaker one! It was simply not my thing to subordinate myself. Especially not to someone I detested. And I hated this gloomy guy with all my heart. No matter who he was or what he was like, he was a vampire; that was perfectly sufficient to drive my hate to the point of immeasurability.

  My gaze turned back to Tensington, who obviously felt something for the young woman I had wanted to kidnap. Feelings like love weren't really my thing, but I recognised them when they were rubbed in my face. And in this case it was sprinkled with sickening pink hearts. It was disgusting!

  The vampire everyone called Dark was walking ahead of me and presenting me with a striking view of the back of him. The guy’s defined muscles, which I could see well even under the leather motorcycle gear, were remarkable. He was holding my wrists with one hand clasped and his skin felt warm on mine. I would’ve loved to snatch it from him, but he probably would’ve broken my wrist, rather than let go. We stopped at the lift. Without batting an eyelid, he looked down at me, scanning every inch of my body. There was nothing sexual in the way he looked at me, only attentiveness. When his brow formed deep furrows, I was no longer sure whether I felt any fear after all. Involuntarily, I lowered my gaze. I would’ve loved to curse loudly. I hated giving in, but my survival instinct was reacting here, which had recognised the clarity of my defeat and knew that every counter-reaction would get a response that wouldn’t be very good for me.

  Finally, a soft humming sound announced the arrival of the lift. I was relieved when the guy turned around and I was no longer at the mercy of his piercing eyes. He did what I would have done – not a word left his lips and everything about him radiated calm and self-confidence. That was a tactic I had learned early on. No contact with the prisoner, except visual contact. The first phase of interrogation would probably begin soon. But I wouldn't give in, after all, I knew all about this kind of conversation. I knew what I was in for. No, I didn't want to and couldn’t even think about buckling on my part. The sole fact that I was entertaining the thought made me weaker already.

  They probably wanted to fill any gaps in knowledge regarding the military procedure. Not with me, I said to myself over and over again. And suddenly I realised that my pulse was accelerating, that my breath was irregular and that I was actually getting scared.

  Olivia Morgan

  The heartbeat against my ear was strong and steady. I felt more secure than I had in a long time. Robert's warmth enveloped me, letting me breathe a sigh of relief, and slowly I relaxed again.

  I’d been terribly afraid earlier. The blow to the back of my head had only made me see a fraction of a second in black. When I’d hit the ground, I’d already regained consciousness, had got up onto my feet again, groaning, and tried to flee. But the woman, who wasn't much taller than me, had relentlessly grabbed hold of me and immediately held me at bay with a piece of broken glass.

  But now, here in the arms of the man who was so much more than a bloodsucker, I felt safe. So safe that my eyelids fluttered and I succumbed to the temptation to close them. I inhaled his scent, enjoyed his warmth, and pushed away from me all thoughts of the terrible reality, the violence and the fear that had so mercilessly entered my existence. For once in my life I just wanted to feel loved and safe.

  And then it happened, it was as if I was watching a film. I saw Robert running away from something. He was afraid. Was this a vision? A vision meaning that I could keep him safe from danger? Similar to what I’d experienced for myself until now? Frightened, I sucked in the air and lifted my head. The pictures drifted apart as if a gust of wind had snatched them from me.

  “Hey, you okay?” His velvety, deep voice caressed my soul, took away the horror of what I had seen, and suddenly I felt silly that I was overreacting so much due to a daydream. I was obviously in a state of shock and was seeing things.

  As I raised my head, the tip of my nose glided softly over the skin protruding through his open shirt. I inhaled Robert’s scent as his breath whooshed out of his mouth. The reactions I got from him were like sweet chocolate – I wanted more. More of him, more of his reactions to me, and I never wanted to have to give them up. “Yes, to some extent,” I replied, instead of giving in to my desire to press my lips onto his warm skin. A sarcastic laugh slipped out of my mouth. “Given the events of the past few hours, it’s a miracle I'm not falling into sheer hysteria, isn’t it?”

  Relaxed, Robert leaned against the wall of the lift and looked down on me. In his eyes I could sense something that gave me goose pimples. Meanwhile, he thoughtfully furrowed his brow, which didn’t match the look that he threw me. “Well, you're probably stronger than you think is possible.”

  Amused, I straightened up my upper body. “Me, strong? I can't even stand alone at the moment. No, Robert. Once you get to know me better, you’ll notice that I’m not,” I admitted.

  A smile stole from his face, which totally irritated me. “So I can get to know you better?”

  I was silent because I wasn't sure of the answer. He was a vampire. He needed blood. If I decided not to stay away from him, I would be in permanent danger of him drinking from me. If the government got wind of the fact that there were still vampires here in America – in the middle of Seattle – I’d probably be put straight into a rehabilitation programme. The death penalty had been abolished decades ago because human life was now too precious to waste. As long as it was possible for a woman or a man to get on the right track, the authorities sanctimoniously tried everything. In reality, the people in these camps were tortured and exploited. Women were raped, men were forced to do hard physical labour until they were completely exhausted. To that effect, I knew my destiny; I knew
what I’d be getting involved with.

  And I knew Robert couldn't survive if he was caught. People could dismember him. His body on a dissection table and my heart shattered with grief in pieces on the floor. The thought alone led me to press myself firmly into his embrace. Did I want to expose myself to such danger?

  Robert cleared his throat briefly. “It's okay. You don't have to answer. You only need to know that I’ll wait for you.” Our relationship with each other had changed as if we’d been in a time lapse. Only yesterday I was his employee, and today?

  I softly closed my eyes once more and put my cheek against his chest again. Robert's arms welcomed me lovingly. I comforted myself with the sound of his heartbeat. And again, the regularity lulled me.

  Shortly before the lift door opened, I felt Robert's lips on my crown, his warm breath making my hair stand on end. I knew the bubble we were in would burst. Reality would greet us, and with it, the fear would return.

  Once we were in Robert's loft, he carefully put me down. With wobbly knees I stood there and noticed that Sally's boys were no longer sleeping on the sofa. Instead of her, this terrible woman was sitting where the young bodies had been before. She was casually leaning back and looking at us curiously. She seemed as confident as if she was in her own home. I, for my part, avoided looking at her. Dark had set himself up in front of her, ready to intervene at any time, should she even blink in a slightly irregular way.

  I knew he'd pull out all the stops to protect us. This gave me a feeling that took a little of the burden off my lungs. Lungs that were absorbing only ten percent of the oxygen I needed to survive. But I couldn’t think about breathing a sigh of relief. I still felt the danger – felt that we weren’t safe. My psyche was hanging by a silk thread.

  Robert's hand sat gently on my back. I would’ve preferred to flee into his embrace once more, to exclude the world around us and to live in a bubble where there was no violence and no danger. But I knew that was impossible. I knew that this joy couldn’t be granted to me. So I did what I always did – I breathed in, and tried to make myself useful by marching to Sally's room and leaving the men alone with a maniac.