Bloodliner

by Robert T. Jeschonek

  He just had one burning question at the moment.

  "Where the hell's the town?" Jonah spread his arms wide and turned in a circle. "Where is it?"

  Stanza marched past him. "You'll see."

  Jonah stared after her. She was heading for nothing but desert.

  Jonah turned to Mavis, who was leaning against the car. "Am I missing something?" he said. "Is there a mirage or something?"

  Mavis shrugged and started toward him. She looked beat to hell, but at least she wasn't covered in blood anymore. Stanza had washed her up and bought her a fresh sweatshirt and jeans at a Wal-Mart in Tucson.

  Without a word, Mavis stumbled past Jonah and followed Stanza. She kept her eyes on the ground and didn't even glance at him.

  "Maybe I'm the mirage," said Jonah.

  Though Mavis didn't answer him, he decided to cut her some slack. She was probably still in shock after the vampire attack at the church. Unlike Jonah, who'd met the blonde vampire in the alley behind Halcyon, Mavis had gotten her first taste of creatures of the night at the church, in a life-or-death bloodbath.

  He hoped she'd get over it soon. He was curious, and he wanted to get her story. After all, she was family.

  Just when he'd thought he didn't have any family left, Mavis had come along. Maybe she'd be the one bright spot in the vampire horror show his life had become.

  According to Jonah's watch, they walked through the desert for almost an hour. When Stanza finally stopped, the sun was up, and the heat was rising fast. Jonah hoped they'd reach their destination soon, and that they'd find water there, because they were all going to need it before long.

  It didn't look promising, though. The car was a speck on the horizon behind them...and there was still no visible sign of any kind of town, village, shack, or trailer.

  "Wow," said Jonah. "What a great town! This place is the best-kept secret in New Mexico!"

  With a grunt, Stanza kicked the side of a boulder. Suddenly, Jonah heard a muffled grinding sound from somewhere nearby.

  He stumbled backward when the ground began to move. Not three feet away from him, a shelf of dirt and rock rose at an angle, exposing a dark space underneath.

  Sand poured down all around as the shelf continued to climb. When it had risen to eye level, Jonah saw that it was a slab of metal six inches thick and six feet wide, red with rust. Big underground gear mechanisms on both sides turned and cranked it out of its bed.

  The slab stopped moving when it reached a forty-five degree angle. Without hesitation, Stanza ducked her head and started down the metal ladder that lay beneath it.

  Jonah and Mavis moved up to the edge but didn't follow. All Jonah could think of as he gazed down into the dark pit was what Stanza had called this place the night before.

  A vampire town.

  Stanza shouted up at them from below. "Come on, you guys. Shake a leg."

  "Were you serious when you said this place was a vampire town?" said Jonah.

  "Door closes automatically in thirty seconds," said Stanza. "I have the car keys, so you'll die in the desert if you don't get down here."

  Jonah stared into the darkness and shook his head.

  Do I pick certain death in the desert or possible death in vampire town?

  He shrugged and ducked under the slab. "Ah, what the hell." He put a foot on the first rung of the ladder. "I'm sure they'll welcome us with open arms."

  *****

  Chapter 12

  "Welcome to Bluegiller, New Mexico," said Stanza.

  Mavis shivered at the bottom of the ladder as the door boomed shut and the sunlight cut off. Just like that, she was left in a twilight world underneath the deep desert, with no clear escape route in sight.

  And vampires in the vicinity.

  Stanza had said this was some kind of vampire town. Three vampires back at the church had been more than enough—so how could they handle a townful?

  "What kind of name is 'Bluegiller' for a hidden vampire town in the desert?" said Jonah. "Doesn't look like there's a lot of fishing for bluegills around here."

  "Original name's 'Blutgeliebter,'" said Stanza. "Means 'blood lover' in German."

  "Oh," said Jonah, and then he fell silent.

  "This way," said Stanza, starting down the tunnel that led away from the ladder. Jonah followed, and Mavis brought up the rear.

  The tunnel was lit by a strand of red Christmas tree lights strung from hooks in the arched ceiling. Every other bulb was burned out, so there was little more than a dim glow to break the darkness.

  Ahead of Mavis, Jonah stumbled on a rock. "They could use some more light down here," he said.

  "Vampires don't need much," said Stanza. "Eyes fully dilated, remember?"

  "You have a flashlight, don't you?" said Jonah.

  "Might as well hang a sign on us that says, 'Food,'" said Stanza. "We need to blend in."

  "They won't know we're not vampires?" said Jonah. "They can't sniff us out or something?"

  "Not so much if we don't draw their attention," said Stanza. "The thing is, if we're here, they'll assume we belong here. This place isn't exactly public knowledge."

  "Then how do you know about it?" said Jonah.

  "If I told you, I'd have to kill you," said Stanza, her delivery as deadpan as always.

  Jonah laughed, but not Mavis. Something about Stanza rubbed her the wrong way.

  I guess she saved my life, but I can't help it. She gets on my nerves. So does Jonah. I'm two for two when it comes to not liking the people I'm with.

  "Here we are," said Stanza. She stepped out of the tunnel into a vast open space. "The secret city of Bluegiller."

  Jonah followed her out and froze. "Wow." He turned his head slowly from side to side, taking in the view.

  Mavis squeezed past him, annoyed that he wouldn't make way for her. Her annoyance passed, however, as soon as she took a look around.

  The three of them stood on a ledge overlooking a deep, cylindrical chasm. As far down as Mavis could see, the walls were lined with nooks and niches cut into the rock. Strands of Christmas tree lights hung everywhere, looking like constellations of dim, distant stars glowing against the inky background of the night sky.

  Then, there were the vampires. Dozens of them swirled through the chasm, climbing and diving—naked bodies held aloft by huge, leathery wings. They sprang and circled and banked, sometimes flying in twos or threes, sometimes flying alone. They roosted in the nooks and niches and hung upside-down from perches jutting from the chasm walls.

  The whole time, they made the most unearthly sounds, a combination of whispering, whistling, and whalesong that rippled and echoed in the chasm.

  Beautiful.

  I never imagined vampires could make such beautiful music.

  "Well?" Stanza kept her voice low. "What do you think?"

  Jonah peeked over the ledge and took a step back. "Could use a railing here." He sounded nervous.

  Stanza waved at the winged figures swooping around the core of the chasm. "We don't need a railing if we're vampires, right?"

  "Good point," said Jonah.

  "This way." Stanza started around the ledge.

  Jonah followed, looking nervous. He stuck close to the wall and kept glancing down into the darkness.

  Mavis lingered at the mouth of the tunnel for a moment, watching a vampire glide gracefully around the chasm.

  The scene was so strange, it hardly seemed real. Just hours ago, she hadn't known for a fact that vampires—or anything else out of the ordinary, for that matter—even existed.

  Now, here I am. In the middle of fantasy land.

  The gliding vampire turned as he coasted past her, and their eyes met. Mavis felt dizzy for an instant, as if it had been too long since she'd last had something to eat.

  The vampire smiled and waved. Then, he rolled over, tucked his wings in tight, and plunged into the depths of the chasm.

  Mavis watched him go, then realized she was too close to the edge and eased back. She frowne
d.

  Do I know him?

  *****

  Chapter 13

  "I'm not here," said an old woman's voice from behind the beaded curtain. "Come back some other time."

  Stanza smiled and parted the beads with one hand. "We're here to talk to you, Mother Nothing," she said. "May we come in?"

  "Absolutely not," said the old woman.

  "I guess we'll just go away, then." Stanza pushed through the beads and nodded for Jonah and Mavis to follow.

  When Jonah stepped inside, he was surprised. If he hadn't known better, he might have thought he was in an old lady's parlor in a house instead of a cave in the wall of the secret vampire city of Bluegiller, New Mexico.

  By the light of candles and gas lamps, Jonah saw that the room had three walls and a ceiling. The walls were covered with wallpaper of an antique style, a white floral pattern over a burgundy background.

  An old-fashioned sofa with a striped oval back and seat occupied the middle of the room. The sofa's dark brown wooden arms and legs ended in elaborately carved claws.

  A silver tea set gleamed on the low coffee table in front of the sofa. Tiffany lamps, knickknacks, and black-and-white photographs in intricate pewter frames were arranged on other small tables scattered around the room.

  Mother Nothing herself, tiny and shriveled, sat on a high-backed wooden rocking chair in a corner. A black shawl was wrapped around her upper body, and a white blanket covered her legs.

  Jonah thought she was blind, because her eyes were milky, and she stared straight ahead instead of at her guests. Her brown hair must have been dyed, because she looked like she was a hundred years old.

  At least.

  "You didn't leave like I told you, did you?" said Mother Nothing.

  "Of course we did," said Stanza. "None of us are here."

  "Good." Mother Nothing nodded firmly and pulled her shawl tighter. "Now tell me who isn't here, so I know what not to call them."

  Stanza turned and gestured at Jonah. "The boy's name is Jonah Ivory." Next, she gestured at Mavis. "The girl is Mavis Kirkellan."

  "Interesting." Mother Nothing scratched her chin with a bony index finger.

  Jonah looked at Mavis, but she didn't seem to be paying attention. She was half turned away, staring at a point between the sofa and coffee table.

  "As for me," said Stanza, "my name is Stanza Miracolo."

  Mother Nothing nodded. "I remember you. You used to babysit me."

  "That's right, Mother," said Stanza.

  Jonah gaped at her in disbelief, but she wouldn't look his way. When he shot a glance at Mavis, she was rolling her eyes as if to say, Oh, brother.

  But Jonah wasn't so totally cynical. He was amazed at the possibility that Stanza had babysat for that ancient crone. Was she serious, or just playing along with a senile old woman?

  What was Stanza's story, anyway?

  "So what can I do for you?" said Mother Nothing.

  Stanza moved to sit on the sofa and gestured for Jonah and Mavis to do the same. Jonah sat beside her, but Mavis stayed standing.

  "Jonah's parents hired me to trace his family history." Stanza put a hand on Jonah's knee.

  Jonah felt himself blush. He hadn't had much time to consider it, given the surreal chaos of the past days...but Stanza was a very attractive woman.

  "It turns out Mavis is his cousin," said Stanza, "so it's her family history, too."

  "I wonder who their most recent shared ancestor might be," said Mother Nothing.

  "His name is Shadrack Kirkellan," said Stanza. "He's their great-grandfather."

  "Yes, of course." Mother Nothing rocked her chair with creaking vigor. "Shadrack. My son."

  *****

  Chapter 14

  Even as Jonah laughed at what sounded like a joke, he did the mental math. Was it possible the old woman wasn't kidding about being his great-grandfather's mother?

  No way. That would have been his answer two days ago. But now he was on the other side of the mirror.

  Haven't you wondered what the old woman is doing down here in vampire town?

  "Oh my God." The words slipped out of Jonah's mouth before he could catch them.

  It was too incredible to be true.

  Play it cool. You're a vampire, remember? This shouldn't surprise you a bit.

  "So you're my great-great grandmother?" Jonah couldn't quite keep all the amazement out of his voice.

  "That's right." Mother Nothing smiled.

  Jonah stared closely at her mouth and found what he was looking for: a pair of fangs. She didn't have many other teeth left, but the fangs were still there.

  She's my great-great grandmother, and she's a vampire. I don't know which is weirder.

  Stanza turned to Jonah. "This is my specialty, remember?" she said. "Long-lived supernaturals. Meet your own great-great grandmother in the flesh. Why settle for dusty old marriage licenses, deeds, and death certificates?"

  Jonah had pressing questions for Stanza, but held back for fear of giving away his non-vampire status. Better to wait until later.

  Not like I don't have other questions I can ask.

  "She's your great-great grandmother, too, Mavis," said Stanza.

  Mavis shrugged. "If you say so."

  Mavis doesn't buy it. Maybe she's right.

  "Where were you born?" said Jonah.

  "A little town called Gondola, in the Shenandoah River valley in Virginia." Mother Nothing tugged a wadded tissue from her sleeve and dabbed at her nose. "In 1848."

  "Wow," said Jonah. "That was a long time ago."

  "I guess it was," said Mother Nothing. "My husband and I had a pretty little farm where we raised two girls and three boys. Lost one of the girls and two of the boys in the war between the states. The son who survived was your great grandfather, Shadrack."

  In spite of his doubts—and the fact that the old woman was a vampire—Jonah was fascinated. "What was he like?"

  "Tough as nails," said Mother Nothing. "That was how he got through the war. Was a general for a while, too—at least until he got The Big Bite."

  Jonah's eyes widened, and he leaned further forward. "He was a vampire, too?"

  Mother Nothing winked. "Runs in the family, right?" She looked completely incongruous when she opened her mouth wide, bared her fangs, and hissed at Jonah.

  No one would ever believe this. I can never tell anyone. My vampire great-great grandmother just hissed at me.

  "There's a picture of him beside you on the table," said Mother Nothing. "From the old days."

  Jonah looked over and found the image, set in a round pewter frame the size of an apple. He searched the face of the black-bearded general in Confederate gray, but he did not recognize any family traits.

  "Mother Nothing," said Stanza. "I've connected the dots from Shadrack to Jonah and Mavis. What we want to know is who came before Shadrack. Who came before you."

  Mother Nothing slowly closed her milky eyes. "My parents came from England. Their names were Martin and Evelyn Gaunt."

  "And they were vampires?" said Stanza.

  "My father was," said Mother Nothing. "That side of the family was nothing but vampires."

  Stanza nodded thoughtfully. "Where in England did your parents live?"

  "An island called Lyonesse." Mother Nothing cackled softly. "Lyonesssse."

  "Why did they leave?" said Jonah.

  "They were searching for something. Never did find it." Mother Nothing shrugged and looked him in the eye...or as close as she could through the milkiness clouding her sight. "Maybe you will."

  Mother laughed loudly, and Stanza cleared her throat. Jonah had the feeling he and Mavis were the only ones in the room who weren't in on the joke.

  What the hell's that all about?

  "I've been to Lyonesse," said Stanza. "I know how to get there."

  "Planning a visit?" Mother Nothing grinned.

  "Depends," said Stanza. "What can you tell us about your grandparents?"

  Mother Nothing
sighed. "Never met them. All I know is they were from the Old Country. Germany, I think. And they were vampires on my father's side."

  "If that's all you can tell us, then yes," said Stanza. "We're going to Lyonesse."

  Mother Nothing raised her eyebrows. "That's a long trip."

  Stanza got up from the sofa. "I know a shortcut."

  "Good for you." Mother Nothing's demeanor darkened. "Just remember, you might not come back."

  "We'll be fine," said Stanza. "I've got a friend there."

  "Well, then. Good luck to you." Mother Nothing smiled sweetly and waved.

  Stanza headed for the exit, with Mavis close behind. Jonah swung toward Mother Nothing on his way out.

  "Nice meeting you," he said.

  Mother Nothing reached out with tiny, trembling hands. Her milky eyes stared in his general direction. "Always happy to see a great-great grandson," she said.

  Jonah gazed at her—so withered and weathered and frail. What a miracle, seeing his own great-great grandmother in the living, breathing flesh.

  How many people can say they've done that?

  So much for not having any family left. Just days after losing his parents, Jonah had found a cousin he hadn't known existed and an ancestor he'd never imagined meeting.

  I'm not alone anymore.

  Mesmerized by Mother Nothing's ancient face, he continued to stare at her. In a daze, he felt her fingertips brush his forearms and wrap around his hands.

  Only when she got up out of her rocking chair did he realize he couldn't move.

  "I'm so hungry," she whispered in his ear. "And lucky me, you're not a vampire at all."

  Oh my God! My own great-great grandmother's going to suck my blood!

  Just as Mother Nothing lunged for his throat, her head suddenly snapped back. As she thrashed and squealed, Jonah saw Stanza standing behind her, pulling her away by a fistful of brown hair.

  "Now that's not polite, is it? Putting the bite on your own great-great grandson?" Stanza pitched the old woman to the floor.