“Look—Rick…” Simon said. He reached towards the man then let his arm fall uselessly to his side as Rick backed away from him. “…I’m sorry for all that you’ve been through. I realize none of this was your choice but, given the circumstance, you’ve adapted well to your new—situation. Even so, it doesn’t matter how prepared you think you are, creatures like us have the best chance of surviving if we band together. That’s why we live in covens. There’s safety in numbers and you, of all people, know very well the dangers that are out there threatening our kind. Come back with me—join our group. Julian and the others would be glad to have you and you can have some semblance of a normal life—a family— back in Winwood.”
“Winwood!” Rick shouted, turning on the man who’d been his mentor and companion for the past year. “How can I ever go back there? Have you forgotten the whole town thinks I’m dead? What kind of a normal life could I possibly have if I return to my hometown? How do I explain to people that have known me most of my life that yes, I did die, but I was reborn—as a vampire! I’m sure that would go over really well. No, Simon, my mind’s made up. I’m grateful for all that you’ve done for me. You’ve given up a year of your life to see that I was trained properly and now it’s time that I put that training to the test. I need space—some time to myself to figure out just what I’m going to do for the rest of eternity since I was lucky enough to have the gift of immortality forced upon me. Don’t, Simon…” Rick said, holding up his hand to stop the vampire from responding. He already knew what his friend was going to say. “I won’t return with you. I realize that what happened to me was un-intentional and you know I don’t blame Julian at all but, if the truth be told, it’s because of him that I am what I am. Winwood, and Julian’s coven, is the last place I want to be. I’m not ready to face him and I’m sure as hell not ready to face Adr—her. For god’s sake, Simon, he’s human now and I’m not. Our roles have been reversed so why—why—would I even consider…?” Rick stopped for a moment when he realized his words were upsetting his friend. “Never mind, it’s not important. My mind is made up. I’m sorry if you disagree with my decision—and I’m sorry if I’ve upset you. That was not my intention but—I’m leaving tonight and nothing you say will change that. Thank you again for all that you’ve done for me and now, I think I’d better get on the road or it will be dawn before we know it.”
“Alright, I won’t argue with you anymore and, hard as it may be for you to believe, I do understand where you’re coming from but, Rick…” Simon told him as the other man turned to walk off.
Rick stopped, turning his head slightly to the side to listen to what his friend was saying. “…even though you’ve made it perfectly clear that you want to do this all on your own you’ll have certain needs that will have to be addressed. You’ll want to fit in with the people around you—appear as normal as possible. You’ll have to find a place to stay and everything else that goes along with setting up house. You’ll need cash—credit cards, etc. and, since you’ve pointed out that everyone thinks you’re dead, you won’t be able to access anything that was yours in your former life.” Simon, seeing the look of pain in the priest’s eyes, hesitated before continuing.
The vampire wasn’t sure how his friend would take what he was about to tell him but Rick had to know that there were resources at his disposal. With a little trepidation Simon bent down and withdrew a large black duffle bag from behind a nearby tree.
“Julian had money put into an account for you—use it. I’ve put credit cards and enough cash to hold you for a while in a wallet inside of this bag as well as the names of the banks that are safe for you to use—for blood as well as cash. Do not let that stubborn pride of yours cloud your judgment. You’ll need these things to survive on your own and—it will help Julian with the guilt you know he’s feeling for his part in all of this.” The man before him just nodded in agreement. “And, Rick —don’t hesitate to call if you need us.”
Rick turned to stare at the man who’d been his trainer as well as his good friend. Simon had stayed with him throughout his transition from human to vampire, helping him survive months of agony and torment as Rick fought to control the beast within him—to hang on to whatever was left of the humanity that had been stripped away from him against his will and for that, this vampire was grateful. “Take care, Simon…” he said as he held out his hand to the other vampire. Simon grasped it tightly for a brief moment before releasing it. “… and thank you again.” Bending down, Rick picked up the duffle bag that now held all of his earthy possessions. Turning, he took one last look at his friend before disappearing into the woods.
“Take care, priest, and good luck.” Simon whispered to the darkness.
* * * * *
“Luck has nothing to do with it.” Rick said aloud, his sharp hearing catching Simon’s last words as they drifted towards him on the soft summer breeze. Well, what do I do now”? he wondered, as he moved swiftly through the darkness. He had no idea where he was going so he decided to stay under cover of the trees. He’d just keep walking and see where he ended up.
He knew Simon was probably right; he should go back to the coven, maybe get some actual battle training from a seasoned warrior like Christoff, but he just couldn’t bring himself to do it. He’d meant what he’d said when he’d told Simon that he didn’t blame Julian, or anyone else for that matter, for what had happened to him. His becoming a vampire was just one of those ironic twists of fate that you can do nothing about so you just accept it and try to make the best of an unfortunate situation. “Or maybe I’ll get lucky and someone will stake me,” he said bitterly.
The thought had occurred to him more than once to end his own life. It would be simple. All he had to do was meet the dawn and let the sunlight do the rest. But remnants of his human existence always seemed to get in the way. Guilt is a great motivator he thought as his mind drifted back to the night that changed his life forever.
He could see the scene unfolding before him as if it were happening all over again. It was seared into his brain, the pictures playing over and over again in his mind every time he closed his eyes. He could see Adrianna Avani, his lifelong friend, fighting for her life as a vampire prepared to attack her. Vampires—creatures of myth and legend, right? Wrong! They were real— along with all sorts of other monstrosities you thought were only figments of your imagination. He and his friends had found out the hard way when the demon, Dragone, an ancient vampire and Julian Reynold’s sire, set out to destroy Julian, Adrianna, the woman he loved, and anyone else that got in his way.
Unfortunately for him, Rick had been one of those people. Aware that he couldn’t save Adrianna against a supernatural enemy like Dragone on his own, Rick had let the injured Julian feed from him to regain the strength he needed to help Addie. It was at this precise moment that Dragone’s son, Enoch, an evil vampire in his own right, attacked Rick, inflicting a mortal injury. Oh, Julian had destroyed Enoch in the end but not before the irreversible damage to Rick had been done. As Julian held the dying priest in his arms, the blood from his own wounds mingled with Rick’s and that was how the priest became infected. Rick’s transformation had begun without either of them even realizing it.
But, unfortunately, someone else did. Dragone had witnessed it all and he knew very well what was happening—and what the terrible aftermath would be. Even though the demon was eventually captured and imprisoned by the one known as The Avenger, Dragone was found and released by his own followers. One of his first orders upon returning to his hordes was for the dead priest, Rick, to be brought to him.
The demon saw to it that Rick was nourished by one of his own foul creatures thus finishing the process that Julian’s vampire blood had started. Dragone further planned to capture Julian and Adrianna again and have Rick turn Adrianna into a vampire as well—before Julian’s very eyes. But the Avenger, also known as Michael the Archangel, had saved the day and Dragone wa
s destroyed once and for all, stabbed through the heart by the only weapon that could end his evil life—the spear of redemption. But, although Michael had saved the others, there was little he could for Rick except bargain with the devil to return Rick’s soul.
The life Rick had known in the small town of Winwood was lost to him forever. Never again would he preside at mass on Sunday morning at St Mary’s Church where he’d been the pastor. Never again would he enjoy the company of his close friend, Kate St. John and never again would he be able to look Adrianna, his dearest friend and the woman he’d loved in secret for longer than he could remember, in the eyes without recalling every detail of the nightmare he was forced to live for the rest of eternity.
That was why he needed to get away from everything that reminded him of all that he’d lost. He needed to think, to plan out some sort of life for himself while he tried to make the best of the situation he now found himself in. Deep in thought, he continued walking. On and on he went until he found himself on a bike trail, barely visible in the darkness, but he had no problem seeing anything. His eyesight, as well as his other senses, was enhanced to the extreme, one of the upsides of the creature he had become.
As a matter of fact he didn’t have to walk anywhere if he didn’t want to. He could just close his eyes and think of a place and poof—there he was. But he didn’t do that very often. Even as a human, Rick enjoyed walking. It helped to clear his head. It also gave him a sense of peace and serenity he didn’t think was possible for the creature he’d become so he kept on going, farther and farther until, with some surprise, he realized that dawn was just over the horizon. Where had the time gone—and where in God’s name am I? he wondered.
Stopping for a moment he did a quick survey of his surroundings. Off in the distance, through a halo of leaves sprouting from the top of a large oak tree, he noticed a sign printed in bold black letters—Rt. 118. Okay, that’s a start, he thought. It would be more of a help though if he actually knew where Rt. 118 went. He moved cautiously closer to the long highway which was bordered on either side by a thick dense forest but, as his eyes continued to search the area, he could see no further markers that would tell him where he was. Looking up, he noticed with some alarm that the darkness of the evening sky was fluttering between black and shades of grey.
“I’d better find a place to stay soon or I’ll be spending the day in some damp, dark cave yet again and that I refuse to do,” he said to no-one in particular. He was tired of living like an animal even though he knew it was for his own safety, and that of the local human population, that Simon had kept them both as far away from civilization as possible while he trained Rick in the ways of the vampire.
He’d been so pre-occupied, the training harsh but necessary, that Rick hadn’t realized just how much he missed the comforts of his human existence until now. He found himself longing for a hot shower and a soft bed to sleep in. I may be a monster but I don’t have to live like one, he thought as he remembered something Simon had said to him as he was leaving.
Unzipping the duffel bag he was carrying, he fumbled around inside. His fingers wrapped around a wallet buried beneath a pile of clothing. He also noticed a few other necessities. Thank God someone had their wits about them. Rick hadn’t really given any thought to what would happen after Simon was gone and he was on his own. Only now was it becoming evident that he wouldn’t survive long if he didn’t fit into society —and fitting in meant that he had to at least appear to be human. And appearing to be human meant that he needed things—all of which he, Rick Ferrante, had plenty of back at his home in Winwood. But he couldn’t go there to retrieve them so—that left him only one choice. As much as he hated to do it, he’d have to use the resources, money, credit cards, etc, that Julian had set up for him.
With a deep sigh, he flipped the leather wallet open—and stared in shock at the contents. What the —there has to be at least a thousand dollars in here —in cash, he thought to himself in stunned silence. I’ve never carried around that kind of money. Glancing back down at the wallet he noticed it also contained three or four assorted credit cards all in the name of Rick Franco. Oh that’s great—I can’t even use my own name anymore. Even though he understood the reasoning behind it, the fact that he was no longer Rick Ferrante was hard for him to accept. “And when had Julian found the time to set all of this up and get everything to Simon without my knowledge?” he asked himself.
As he stood alone in the darkness, surrounded by nothing but the endless night, he was filled with a despair so great it was like a physical pain reaching into the depths of his very soul. “Damn it!” he shouted as he tossed the wallet into the inky blackness. “I don’t need your blood money! I don’t need…” but he never finished the sentence as he buried his face in his hands.
“Why is this happening to me?” he asked, his voice sounding muffled as his face remained hidden in his palms. “And how can I possibly go on?” His sadness—the sense of loss—was overwhelming. He had to get a grip on things, come to terms with what he was or he wouldn’t last out the week. He fought to gain control of his emotions. After a moment, he dropped his hands and slowly wiped the moisture from his eyes. “I am what I am and it’s no-one’s fault. It was an accident—just a horrible accident and I have to get beyond it,” he whispered aloud.
He stood a moment longer listening to the sounds of the night. If I don’t get moving the morning sun will soon take care of all my worries—and maybe that would be for the best, he thought with a cynical smile. But he knew the man he used to be would never allow that to happen so he started walking slowly towards the blacktop highway. As the woods ended and he stepped out into the open, Rick’s keen eyesight picked out the leather wallet lying in the road just a few feet in front of him. With reluctance, he forced himself to scoop the object up, placing it in the back pocket of his jeans. He’d wasted enough time. He needed to find a place to stay like right now.
Making sure to stay close to the side of the road and the protection of the nearby trees he walked for another mile or so before another sign came into view. This one was much larger, the words RICKETTS GLEN STATE PARK carved into the wooden background. Pausing, he peered into the darkness in front of him. Off in the distance was a four way intersection. To the right, sitting very close to the main road, was what looked like a small store. The words THE OLD TRADING POST glistened on the neon sign plastered to the front of the building. “This seems like as good a place as any to get some information about a place to stay.” Rick said aloud. Looking first left then right, he checked out the area for any sign of a threat but, sensing nothing, he approached the building with caution.
Just as he was about to step onto the front porch Rick hesitated, taking a step backwards. Running his hands through his hair he tried to neaten his appearance the best that he could with what he had at his disposal. When he was satisfied that he wouldn’t frighten the human population with just one look at himself, he stepped onto the porch and proceeded into the store.
He stopped just inside the doorway, his hand rushing to shade his eyes from the glare of a dozen fluorescent lights, his senses once again on high alert. In the past year he’d had minimal contact with humans. Okay Rick, he thought to himself, this will be your first real test. Let’s see if you can blend in without making a meal of the first person that crosses your path! As his eyes finally adjusted to the brightness of the room, Rick lowered his hand slowly, taking in his surroundings. There were only two people still in the small store. One, a pretty woman with locks of red curls flowing down past her shoulders and a half empty bottle of Smirnoff poised just above her lips as she stood staring at him with an expression of surprise—or was it suspicion?
“John…” she said urgently as she lowered the bottle, placing it on the counter before her.
“What is it Amber—I’m kinda busy right now,” replied a young man with dark blond hair who was working behind her, his musc
ular forearms bulging from the strain of the heavy crate he was in the process of heaving into a back storage room. As he turned towards the woman, John noticed Rick standing there. The young man’s eyes locked with the woman’s before he bent down to place the crate onto the floor, moving quickly to join her behind the counter. “Amb—you didn’t lock the door?” he asked in a quiet voice.
The woman looked at him as if he were crazy. “What—we never lock the doors around here,” but she told herself that was one practice that was about to change.
Rick could feel their fear. He pulled his eyes away from the couple and moved slowly down a side aisle, but not before he’d noticed the woman’s hand reaching for something hidden beneath the counter. He assumed it was a weapon of some sort and he could feel the beast within him react, survival its only concern. Two sharp fangs began to elongate as his lips drew back into a snarl. His eyes changed from a deep brown to blood red as he sniffed the air, picking up the scent of fear as the young man approached him from behind.
“Is there something I can help you find, mister? We’re really not open for business at this hour.”
Rick stood, hidden from view, surrounded by shelves of merchandise. His fists clenched tightly as he fought against the rising tide of emotions churning within him. No— I will not lose control. I will not hurt these innocent people. He tried desperately to relax, breathing slowly—deeply—forcing the monster inside of him back to the inner most recesses of his soul. After a few minutes his emotions were once again under some semblance of control and he moved on down the aisle. Turning his head slightly, he could just make out the outline of a tall figure as the man called John watched him intently. “I’m sorry.” Rick said in a low voice. “The door was open so I assumed—I won’t keep you long. I—just need a few things.”
“Make it quick then.” John replied as he turned and walked back to his wife.
A Soul in Torment Page 2