Parasite ; Sleeper Cells ; Kingdoms of the Dead

by Ian Woodhead

  Dylar frowned. “I find no comfort in your words, Jalim.”

  “Did you expect to find any? I am not a wet nurse. You can take comfort in the fact that I would have allowed your goat to live. You need to come to terms with this one solid truth, Dylar. It troubled you to recall your final moments. This is because you are not made of the correct material. I look at you and I see a dreamer and a thinker. Your heart was full of compassion. Those faults are still inside you.”

  The boy just stared at him. Jalim’s brutal words had left their mark on the boy, for once, Dylar had left his thoughts uncovered. His mind boiled with so many violent and conflicting ideas. Jalim had given the simple boy too much to contemplate. That suited him just fine. He kept his own thoughts shut and locked. It would not be a good idea for Dylar to uncover that his human emotions would, in time, fade like old smoke.

  “I do not understand this. We are Swarmers. It is the other clan who adheres to such conservative ideals. At least, that is what he preaches.”

  “He had distorted the original ideal to suit his own purpose, Dylar. The other clan corralled the humans, turned them into passive livestock and kept them as pet animals. They believe in restricting our natural urge to kill. How can that be normal? We live for the hunt and for the kill. Of course, we Swarmers still attempted to keep the line pure but we knew that the occasional throwback would join our ranks, such a thing could not be helped. The human should not be caged up and fattened for the eventual kill.”

  The young vampire’s mind moved like leaves caught up in a blizzard. Had he tried to be too clever with this simpleton? “Dylar, tell me why we are here, in this wood.”

  His companion shrugged then looked at Jalim as if it was he who was the foolish one. “You know why, we are scouting the area.”

  “No, stop repeating his words and think for yourself. I have already explained this to you. There is nothing here to scout. He has banished us. He does not care about our wellbeing. All he is concerned with is that we do not poison the others with our thoughts. Can you not see that?”

  Dylar slowly shook his head. “I have done no wrong.”

  “He had always hated me as I remind the fool that if it wasn’t for more my ancient ability to manipulate changed flesh, he would not be the clan leader. He does not want you near the others because he does not consider you to be a true vampire.”

  It pleased Jalim to see his words finally make their indelible mark upon the young vampire.

  “Then, we are doomed?”

  Jalim shook his head. “No, this is an opportunity. The humans have forgotten their true place, the beast really do believe that they are master of all they survey. Just recall our journey from the well to where we stand now. Their taint is everywhere. Even these woods were created by them, the trees are too regular for natural growth. They have cultivated the land just as the other clan cultivated them all those years ago. The beasts have bred like flies on a week old battlefield. Dylar, you still think as one of the beasts. I believe that we can use that to our advantage.”

  “But…”

  “Strike the reticence from your mind,” he hissed. Jalim opened his mouth, then slammed it shut again, his words drying up when he felt the vibrations of something very familiar and most welcome. He stood up and scanned the tree line, smiling when he caught sight of furtive movement, beside the large trunk of an oak tree in the distance. The fire had indeed attracted attention.

  “Listen to me, Dylar. He severed our allegiance to the Swarmer clan when he banished us.” Jalim grabbed the vampire’s shoulders and spun him around. “Can you see him?” he whispered. “Tell me what you can take from that approaching meal.”

  Dylar chuckled, “I can read his mind like an open book. Many of his thoughts are of concepts that I cannot grasp. I do know that he has already seen us. He is curious but not afraid. A strong streak of annoyance runs through his thoughts. The man believes that he is a hunter. He thinks that we are sleeping in the woods and that our presence will disturb the local wildlife.”

  Jalim smiled. “Wait until he crosses the fallen tree, Dylar.”

  “Than what?”

  “Then, I want you to kill him. There is enough blood in that bloated body to keep us sated until we can find somewhere to roost. He will be our first kill. The first kill for our new clan.”

  He drew back from the young vampire, surprised at how quickly his thoughts changed from confusion and panic to lust for hot, sweet blood. Dylar’s immature vampire senses had finally awoken, casting out his old, soft human feelings.

  Jalim silently chuckled, “Welcome to the family,” he whispered. The human had not noticed the subtle change in Dylar’s posture. Had this supposed hunter never seen a carnivore tense before the kill? He should allow this dumb beast to continue walking towards his death but no, where was the fun in that?

  He drew up to his full height and glared at the human, willing his own vampire senses to full ascendancy. Jalim felt his canines burst through his bloodied gums, filling his mouth with his freezing blood. He growled and clenched both his fists tight to stop him from ripping into Dylar’s back.

  The man finally stopped walking towards them. He must be close enough to realise that it wasn’t reflection of the fire that he saw in the two stranger’s eyes, they were the colour of molten metal. Like a rabbit catching scent of a wolf, the human spun around and shot through the undergrowth. Dylar did not need Jalim’s counsel on what to do now. The young vampire emitted a single excited screech before chasing after the terrified human.

  It took enormous willpower not to join in with the hunt, the chemicals flowing from the fleeing human smacked into Jalim, setting his nerves alight for the first time in over a thousand years. He staggered back and wrapped his long arms around the nearest tree and slammed his head forward, biting into the rough bark, just hoping that the fool would hurry up and make the kill. Jalim would share the blood but only after Dylar had brought down the beast.

  The young vampire needed to remember this gift, this would be the bond that forged the allegiance of his new clan, this new world needed vampires that understood this strange land. The old ways belonged in that pit. This would be his world and anyone who got in his way would suffer the fate of that human hunter. Jalim pulled his teeth out of the hard wood, jerked back his head and looked at the full moon, sighing in delight at the sound of his companion bringing down his first kill. Jalim turned and ran out of the clearing when he heard the abrupt end to the man’s scream.

  His clan would rise, made strong from the blood of the beast. He would not rest until the other two clans bowed down to him. “Before I crush them all under my boot,” he growled. Jalim saw his companion ripping the flesh from the dead man’s neck and burying his huge mouth in the open wound. He smiled at the young vampire’s inexperience. He still had much to learn, but not just yet. Jalim needed to regain his former strength; he needed to drink his until he was bloated. His vampire senses demanded it. This would be the first of many tonight. After they had finished with this one, he intended to take Dylar out of this desolate woodland and find a settlement. They had to work quickly to stand any chance of bettering their enemies. Jalim ran over to where his companion fed and dropped to his knees, the hot metallic scent of blood forced out every other thought. All that mattered to him now was to sate his overpowering thirst.

  Chapter Six

  Nothing in their posture indicated to Damien that his arrival had unnerved the strangers. Perhaps, in their eyes, it was perfectly acceptable to wander around the town centre, carrying a naked female in your arms. Or perhaps, they were just very drunk and hadn’t noticed the irregularity.

  Damien didn’t recognise any of them, that fact did surprise him. Welbourgh’s metallers weren’t that large and Damien knew them all. He had no idea who these were though. The sour smell of cheap lager irritated his nostrils as he neared their makeshift encampment. Three large men all dressed in similar long black leather coats, rolling about the grass verge in hyster
ical laughter. Another scent caught Damien’s nose. These idiots were stoned out of their heads.

  “Is it that time already?” he whispered. Damien felt like a complete moron. Of course it was, the festival posters were all over town, the sudden invasion of the metal bands and their thousands of fans, invading the several fields a couple of miles from the town had been the only subject on his dad’s lips for the past two weeks. He had even attempted to organise a protest, asking all the local shops to ban anyone wearing any kind of black leather clothing from their premises. His dad’s request had gone down like a mug of iced vomit. The town made a bloody fortune from the sudden influx of Goth kids, eager to spend their money on food and alcohol.

  It appears that this advance guard had already started to enjoy the town’s hospitality. Damien slipped into a passage between two buildings and gently laid his sister down on bed of cardboard. He wrinkled his nose at the stench of sour sweat and stale urine emanating from the collapsed boxes under her body. It looked like he’d stumbled upon some vagrant’s home. This foul place was no place for his beautiful sister. He comforted his feelings by telling himself that it would only be for a few minutes until those clowns out there had given up their clothes. “And possibly, some of their blood,” he whispered, running his hand down her perfect body. Elsie looked so vulnerable, so desirable. He snatched his hand from her cold skin and stood up, trying to control the hot emotions rushing through his body.

  Damien cut off the frustrated growl building up deep within him and turned away, hoping that he might be able to shut off this confusing lust if she wasn’t visible. He hurried over to the corner of the building and watched his potential three victims, continue their task of getting seriously fucked out of their heads.

  “I need to get that girl some clothes before I really do something that I’ll regret.” Before he left the alleyway, Damien glanced back, wondering if he really would regret it. He shook the thought away, he needed to focus on his task.

  He stopped dead when Damien spotted another figure further down the embankment, away from the others. His whole body flushed with blood at the sight of that firm body, encased in tight red leather, clinging to every contour. Her position signalled sleep, either that or she had fallen into a drunken stupor, a state that her companions were eager to reach.

  This couldn’t have fallen better for him. The girl’s general shape wasn’t that different to his sister’s. Her clothes would fit Elsie like a glove. “And that dark haired beauty will fit me like a glove as well,” he murmured, chuckling. Damien watched one of the men stagger onto his feet, he was headed towards his location. He smiled, this would make his job a little easier.

  “Where the fuck are you going, Trev?”

  The small built youth, turned around, almost tripping up over his feet. “I need to go piss,” he slurred. “Don’t smoke all that shit, while I’m gone.”

  He heard the others giggling to themselves as their companion stumbled his way towards the alley. He pressed his back against the wall, listening to this drunken idiot, attempting to whistle. The boy walked straight past Damien and stopped to unzip. He didn’t believe this, was this clown that blind? His naked sister was right in front of him and he hadn’t even noticed.

  Damien sidled up close to the boy, feeling his young heart pump all that sweet blood through his body. His proximity was driving Damien wild. “Hello, Trev.” He whispered, clamping his hand tight over the boy’s mouth. “No, you’re not going to cry out.” Damien dragged his fingernails along the boy’s hot flesh, “You have no idea what you are doing to me,” he whispered. It was no good, all his tactics of extracting information regarding their female companion just vanished as the lust overpowered Damien’s rationality.

  The boy’s thin film of flesh just melted away as Damien pushed his sharp teeth through the meat. He dropped onto the filthy floor, taking his food with him, wrapping his arm around the boy’s head, ensuring that the grip stayed secure.

  As Damien feasted upon the boy’s blood, his emotions cooled enough for him to realise that like the artery in his neck, the boy’s thoughts were also open and very accessible. The vampire saw the female wrapping her arms around Trevor and kissing him on the cheek. At first, Damien believed that he was drinking from the girl’s boyfriend until the memory solidified and Damien saw the girl pull back, smile at Trevor before handing him a framed picture.

  Trevor had just passed his driving test and his sister, Sandra had framed a copy of his certificate to give to their parents. Damien discarded that thought and ploughed through the dying boy’s brain, looking for any other snippets of information that he could exploit.

  His mouth slipped from his neck when Damien found one dominant memory that rose to the top of Trevor’s mind. Damien saw himself standing in a hallway, covered in pale floral wallpaper. Once more, he saw through Trevor’s eyes. This time Damien watched a hand push against a dark blue panelled door a crack, to reveal a green tiled bathroom. The sound of splashing indicated that the room had an occupant. He moved to the side and stopped when the magnificent sight of Sandra’s shampoo covered hair and smooth back swam into view. Damien watched the hand push open the door a little more and he now saw the girl’s small breasts, dripping in soap bounce up and down as she vigorously rubbed the shampoo into her scalp. Her left hand then fell into the bath water. The girl’s legs spread a little wider and then Damien heard the boy let out an audible gasp.

  Damien dropped the body, when the image of Sandra faded. He took a deep breath then glanced over at his sister’s body, somehow gratified that he wasn’t the only one in this little alley who concealed forbidden feelings for their sibling. In Trevor’s case though, his urges stemmed from the fact that while his sister enjoyed a healthy sex life, Trevor could only release his frustration with the help of online porn.

  “You sad little man,” he said, gazing down at his pathetic body. “You are going to die without ever experiencing the delights of pleasuring a beautiful woman.” Damien then heard Elsie release a quiet moan and smiled. Perhaps Trevor may yet realise his desire before he did expire. After all, his sister did need to feed as well. There wasn’t much blood left inside the little man but it’ll suffice until he brought her one of the larger ones.

  He dragged the body over to the cardboard, then punched Trevor hard in the chest, shattering his ribs. The force of the blow, helped to expel a little more blood from his neck wound. Damien scooped up some of the liquid and held his fingers over Elsie’s mouth, watching the thick fluid drip onto her pale lips. As soon as he saw her tongue push through her teeth and eagerly cleaned the fluid from around her mouth, Damien wiped the rest down her cheeks and along her arm, before placing the limb over Trevor’s chest.

  Her vampire essence would complete the procedure. “Die well, Trevor, and thank me in the afterlife. You’re about to make a very beautiful woman very happy.” Damien retreated, watching his sister start to stir. He didn’t think it would have taken a long time for the predator inside his sister to detect Damien’s generous gift. Now that the sad virgin had quenched one of his thirsts, the boy’s delectable sister can now satisfy his other desire.

  As he emerged from the alleyway, Damien smiled at the sight of the two other men slumped in the long grass. Evidently, their bodies had decided to shut down for the night and join their female companion in sleep. Well, he had plans to make sure that these visitors wouldn’t wake. He hurried across the road, keeping his eyes of their unconscious forms, ensuring that they were indeed dead to the world.

  His beautiful Sandra had not moved from her position. Damien scurried down the embankment, unable to keep his lustful eyes from devouring every part of that beautiful body. He kneeled down above her, placing his knees between the girl’s head. Damien then gently stroked her cheeks and leaned over to kiss her warm lips. The taste of greasy takeaway food, combined with dope smoke made his stomach turn. He pulled back and wiped his lips.

  Sandra groaned in her sleep and turned onto her side. Da
mien felt a little sick, not understanding where this ailment had come from. As she moved, he saw something flutter under where she had laid. He reached over and picked up a bundle of screwed up, grease-stained plain paper. He took a tentative sniff and the foul odour of spicy food, covered in garlic sauce, burned his nose. “You have got to be fucking kidding me,” he growled, tossing the offending object over his shoulder. “The sickness he felt, inside him came from what this woman had for her last meal.

  Damien, placed his hands on her head and closed his eyes, her sleeping mind showed Sandra and her companions receiving abuse from a group of chavs slumped outside a takeaway. They all gave back as much as they received before staggering away, giggling. Sandra’s stomach begged her to ram the food into her mouth right now. Her brother and her mates were all telling Sandra to wait until they had got back to their site, explaining that the food would taste better washed down with lager. She was having none of that though. Sandra told them that she needed to be satisfied right now.

  The tall youth stood next to Trevor had thought her statement was just priceless and told her that he’d be able to sort her out, but still, she’d have to wait until they got to the site. He was worried that one of the locals might have stumbled on their hiding place and made off with all their gear.

  Sandra had laughed alongside the others. Knowing that before the festival was over, she would definitely be taking Nathan up on that offer. She knew that he fancied her to death, did it matter that they were both engaged? Well, not to Sandra. Granted, her Tommy was the sweetest, kindest and most generous man that she had ever met. The fact that his parents were loaded just sealed the deal in her opinion. The only downside was that her hunky man wasn’t the greatest lover in town and he certainly couldn’t satisfy her desires, no matter how hard he tried. Nathan’s girl just adored him and Sandra knew that he would do anything for his fiancé. He would never do anything to hurt her and despite his flirting, that included sleeping with Sandra.