The Night Life: Exodus of Evil

by Natasha Davis

  Kim gasped, “Ava don’t talk like that, please be positive. We’ve turned many people in our time. Davie and the others know what their doing. Just stand here beside me and watch, if you can’t stand to see this then turn around or bury your face into my shoulder, I don’t mind.”

  “I’m sorry. I’m just so scared. I don’t know what came over me.”

  Kim pulled me closer to her body and started patting my head, “Shhh. Darling its okay. You didn’t know any better. We’ve kept your vampire side a secret from you. It’s not your fault that you weren’t prepared for this, but we also thought that you two had done the dirty deed a long time ago.”

  I looked up at her with my mouth opened in shock, “Kim that’s private.”

  Kim shrugged, “Just being honest is all.”

  “But no we hadn’t.”

  “I can see that,” Kim nodded over towards Jess.

  The weird thing is I want to cry, but my body isn’t allowing me to do so. I can feel the tension of the grieving but no liquid is flowing from my eyes. I decided now isn’t the time for nonsense questions. I’ll save this one for later.

  “Kim, can I confess to you about something?”

  “Ava, you know you can tell me anything, what is it dear?”

  “I’ve always known about my vampire side. My parents told me when I was little. They never told me what to expect, or about feeding on others. I’m sorry I hadn’t said anything. I’ve learned so much from Davie and you, and for that I want to thank you both.”

  “I see, well I know you still didn’t know what to expect, but I would have felt much better if you’d told me sooner. How much more do you know?”

  “Nothing, I mean that’s it. I guess my parents felt I was much too young to know anything more. Other than I have fangs is all. I didn’t know my father was a vampire. I’d always thought I was “special”.”

  “Okay. That makes me feel much better. I thought maybe you’d already known everything.”

  “No I didn’t.”

   6

  I stood there next to Kim watching the others surrounding Jess. Davie knelt down next to him and was whispering in his ear, telling him to stay as still as he could. I saw Jess nod. Davie looked at one of the men and stared into his eyes for a while. It seemed like they were having their own silent conversation. I’ll have to remember to ask about that too, later. Davie leaned Jess’s head over to the side and bit him. Jess’s body became tight with tension, he started squirming trying to fight it, and then his body went limp from the lack of strength to continue on struggling. Once Davie was finished draining his blood he slit his own wrist and held it to Jess’s mouth. Once he realized that Jess was too weak to feed he had Misty hold Jess’s mouth open and let the blood from his wrist drip down Jess’s throat. Once Davie was finished everyone else aside from Kim did the same. They each slit their wrists and let the blood drip down Jess’s throat while Misty continued to hold it open for them, they did this in a synchronizing way.

  Kim bends down and whispers in my ear, “The transformation is almost complete. What you’re about to see will be a little disturbing for you; but please stay strong for him. It want be any easier for him if he hears you screaming in the distance.”

  I looked at Kim, “I’ll do my best, but I can’t make any promises.”

  I’ve never seen anything like this happen before. I didn’t know what to expect. I just hope that Jess doesn’t suffer. I couldn’t stand the thought of him being in pain.

  Everyone in the meeting room grew quiet. Jess’s body started moving slightly. He still hadn’t opened his eyes, but I felt a little relieved knowing that he was still alive in there somewhere. His body started jolting in every direction, along with horrible screams coming from him. It was awful to witness; I turned around and buried my face into Kim’s chest.

  “Kim is he okay. Why is he screaming like that?”

  Kim said, “He’ll be okay, Ava. Our blood is like venom to his body. We told him it would hurt before this, and it does hurt Ava. His body feels like its burning to a crisp. Once the venom has completed its course he’ll be fine, actually better than fine.”

  The only noise that echoed through the cave was Jess’s screams. They were horrible. I felt so bad for him, I wanted to take his pain away. I just hope Kim is right, that Jess will feel much better once it’s finished. I just hope he’s not able to acknowledge any of this pain once he wakes up.

  “How long does it take? How long will he hurt like this?”

  Davie walked over to me, “Ava, listen to his heart. You can hear it growing stronger and stronger. It will eventually sound like its going to soar out of his chest, but once you no longer hear that, then you know the transformation is complete.”

  All I could do is stand there. I didn’t scream, but the pain was all too much for me as well. I felt wretched. I couldn’t cry there was no way for me to release the pain that I was feeling. I was almost on the verge of becoming angry, when I heard his heart beat drew faster and faster. I gasped and then raised my hand to cover my mouth.

  Kim moved me behind her, I looked around as much as I could and everyone was crouched in an attack position expecting the worst to come. They didn’t know how Jess would react, but they were ready. Jess’s body became still and I could no longer hear his heartbeat.

  “Kim, Is he okay? I don’t hear his heartbeat. Oh, NO! He isn’t dead is he?”

  “No, Ava he’s not dead in the sense you are claiming, the process is complete. Jess will pull out at any moment, just stay behind me in case.”

  “Okay.”

  I felt much better now knowing Jess was going to make it, but I was still a little scared, not knowing what will happen next. I just hope he doesn’t hate me for causing his human life to end early. Parts of me are also scared that he won’t remember me or even love me anymore. I just want to go back to when life was normal for us, even if that time was when we were kids.

  Jess started moving around and then like a flash of lightening he jolted up on his feet and was snarling in front of Davie. The others were hovering around him, trying not to let him move. His movements didn’t even register with me until now. He was after me, he was snarling at me. Oh God, what have I done?

  “Kim, what’s happening? Why is he acting like this?”

  Kim said, “Just stay behind me Ava, until they get a hold on him. He’s trying to get to you. He can hear your heartbeat, and sense your blood. Unless you want to be his first meal, you better take my advice.”

  I gulped at the realization, “Okay not a problem.”

  Everyone was still in a tense crouched position. Davie, Misty, John, Edwin, and even old man Peters was standing in his way. I couldn’t believe it, he’s really lost it.

  Davie was struggling with Jess, but even Jess new to this world seems to be much stronger, which in all was shocking to me. First of all, Davie has been around for a very long time. I wouldn’t have thought that Davie would have trouble forcing him back. Davie had his head against Jess’s chest and his arms around his torso, Jess had his upper body forced over Davies’ shoulders with his arms reached out towards me still snarling. He was retching, angry, and hungry. His eyes were blood red like a monsters, his fangs were out ready to take a bite with saliva slinging from his mouth with every movement he made with his head.

  Davie slung Jess forward, hard, bouncing him off of the cave’s wall.

  “Get him out of here; take him to the woods to feed, now!” Davie yelled.

  Edwin, John and old man Peter’s rushed Jess out the cave’s entrance with Davie close behind for backup. Misty, came over to stand beside Kim and me. Just in case, something went wrong outside. She didn’t seem to have much to say. Misty looked at me with sad eyes and shook her head in a negative way. I couldn’t help but feel very ashamed with just that small gesture. It wasn’t something I would’ve wished upon Jess, those who know me well would know at least that much.

  “Kim, do you know where they are? Is everyone
okay?”

  “Their okay Ava, don’t worry. Once he feeds he’ll be less chaotic,” Kim replied.

  “Chaotic! That’s how you define that? No, that wasn’t chaotic, that was monstrous.”

  “You’ll never understand our ways, Ava. You’re not like us, you’re half human. You don’t depend on blood the way we do, or should I say you hadn’t depended on it. Now since you’ve completed your transformation as well, I don’t know what the outcome for you will be. We’ll just have to wait it out.”

  “Wait it out, it’s not like we have a lot of time here. You and Davie will be facing doom pretty soon, since you’ve both decided to go through with it. I hope that the potion works; just the same as the others do, but let’s face it, you haven’t had much luck with that in the past. Just look at all the lives that have been lost because of it, and you think of yourself as being all high and mighty, please.”

  Kim smacked me across the face, my hand flitted up to my left cheek, my mouth agape, it stung, and most of all it shocked me.

  “You bite your tongue, I may not be your mother, but I will not tolerate your smart mouth and attitude. Do you understand me?” Kim shrieked.

  I had crocodile size tears streaming down my face, I couldn’t say anything, and all I did was nod my head to show that I understood. I don’t know what to think of her smacking me like that. I’m not her child, she’s not my mother. I know I wouldn’t have spoken that way to my mother, but my mom wouldn’t have allowed this to happen, or, better yet she wouldn’t have put me through this.

  I knelt down against one of the cave’s wall and put my head between my knees. I was on the verge of exploding into hysterics when Misty knelt down beside me.

  “You should be more careful about what you say,” Misty said.

  “Why do you care, Misty? You’ve never cared about me before, why start now?”

  “I know I haven’t made life here good for you. I do care about you Ava. You may not believe it by the way I’ve treated you and Jess, but I do. I’m happy that Jess and you’ve decided to become vampires. Now I can talk to you without wanting to eat you, or at least, I won’t want to eat you as badly.”

  I couldn’t help but sniffle a small laugh, after all that does make more sense.

  “I’d have to agree with you. Trying to talk while your mouth is salivating from hunger would be tried as difficulty.”

  Misty smiled at me, for once she seemed nice, but I won’t let my guard completely down just yet. I can feel that there’s more behind this truce than she lets onto.

  “Is there something else you’re not telling me?”

  Misty just looked at me with those big pansy eyes. She nodded, “Perhaps some other time,” and she turned her head to look at Kim.

  Interesting, I thought to myself. She does have something to tell me, in fact something that she doesn’t want Kim to know about or hear, should I say.

  “Yes, I agree, now probably isn’t the best time to have a heart to heart,” I smiled sheepishly at Misty and she giggled.

  Kim just sighed and turned off towards the back of the cave, I raised my eyebrow at Misty, “What’s that all about?”

  “That knowledge is beyond me kid.”

  “Misty, Do you think maybe sometime later we can sit down and talk? I have a lot of questions to ask, and I want to hear your opinion on the matters.”

  “Sure, I don’t see a problem in that.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Don’t mention it.”

  I just set there restlessly waiting for them to come back. I didn’t know how long it took to hunt, especially for a first timer, but I do know its taking an awful long time. I just wanted Jess to return to me, even if it is his hungry snarling self. I just feel much safer, with him around, and who knows what powers I have lurking. Some part of me is maybe a little too scared to find out, but I know that day’s a coming, probably sooner than later.

   7

  I felt like I was in a dream. I was sleeping on the cave’s floor, Jess petting my hair, and whispering my name in my ear, “Ava honey wake up.”

  I jolted up into a sitting position, startled, it wasn’t a dream it was Jess. Everyone was back and laughing at me apparently. They thought that I being startled was funny, I don’t.

  “Jess. Jess, is that really you?” I stroked Jess’s hair and rubbed my hands up and down his arms.

  “Yes, and take it easy. The others are here to see how well I can control myself, and you groping me isn’t making it easier.”

  “Oh. I’m sorry.” I settled back down on the floor beside him, “I was just worried that’s all.”

  “Don’t be, I’m better than ever. The transformation sucked; sadly I remember every bit of it, but everything is clearer, my eyesight, my hearing, taste, strength, speed and smell. Who knows what else may be lurking in my body waiting to be let out. It’s awesome Ava, I can’t wait until you work on your abilities. You’ll love it.”

  “I hope so.”

  “Oh come on Ava, don’t be all gloomy on me, it isn’t so bad. Don’t think I’m going to let what happen earlier go either. We’ll have to talk about that.”

  I gulped in remembering what had happened, “I was afraid of that.”

  Everyone laughed, Jess was smiling at me.

  “You know you’re beautiful right?”

  “Did you guys give him something while you were out?” I turned to look at them but they were gone. It was just me and Jess. I guess they wanted to give us some alone time to talk things out.

  “You’re silly, Ava. No. What, I’m trying to say is, with these eyes I see you so differently. When I thought you couldn’t get any prettier, here you are. You smell wonderful too, I never could understand what everyone was fussing about, but now I do. Your vampire and human side intertwine perfectly, if I’ve never said it before Ava, I’m saying it now. I love you. You’re the only one that will ever complete me.”

  “What are you babbling about Jess?”

  “I heard your fears when I was transforming. You were worried, scared that I wouldn’t love you anymore, that I wouldn’t remember who you were, but there’s one thing that you forgotten. It would be very hard to forget a piece of you. Something that exists, you can’t lose that.”

  I looked at him mesmerized and shocked that he could hear my thoughts. I wasn’t that scared, or at least I don’t remember being that scared. Usually, I have to be very terrified before my telepathy abilities work.

  “What’s going to happen next, Jess?”

  “Well, first things first, we learn to hunt prey, hear far distances and so on. I already, asked Davie. Tomorrow night you go with Kim and I go with Davie to begin our training. Davie said he would eventually help you with your telepathy skills also.”

  Jess gasped, “What happened to your face?”

  “Oh, that, don’t worry Jess its nothing.”

  “It doesn’t look like nothing. You have a huge hand print across your cheek. Who did this to you?”

  “Jess, don’t worry. Please just drop it.”

  “Ava, I do worry about you. If you can’t trust me enough to tell me when someone abuses you then, what does that say about us.”

  “Fine Jess, I’ll tell you. I went too far with Kim and she smacked me. Now what, what are you going to do?”

  “You don’t have to get all defensive, I just wanted to know. Well if you say you went too far and she smacked you, then we’ll wait and see if she’ll apologize to you. If she doesn’t then we’ll bring it up.”

  I shook my head at him. I know he loves me and is just trying to take care of me, but I really don’t want him to get into the middle of it.

  Jess caressed my reddened cheek and then kissed it lightly. That’s all it took, my insides turned to mush at the feel of his touch. Well I guess I should be happy with the way things worked out, but I’m still scared.

  “Are you happy with this decision?”

  “I couldn’t be happier, at least now if you bite me, I can bite you b
ack.”

  I couldn’t help but laugh at him. Leave it to Jess to make things so right when everything is so clearly not.

  “You don’t hurt do you?”

  “Like I said earlier, it really hurt during the transformation, but now I feel fine. Please stop worrying.”

  “Okay. I’ll try to stop worrying.”

  I could tell by his side ways glance he didn’t quite believe me.

  “I’m sorry if I scared you.” Jess placed his arm around my shoulders and kissed my forehead.

  “Don’t sweat it, the thought of losing you is what scared me the most.”

  “If I have anything to say about it, you’ll never lose me, Ava. I’ll never stop loving you.”

  I reached up and pulled Jess’s face towards me and kissed his lips lightly and pulled away. He smiled at me and ran his fingers through his sandy blonde hair giving it a rough look. I always love it when he does that. Jess use to have these baby blue eyes that I loved so much, but I guess I’ll just have to get use to these bright red eyes. It just dawned on me, I didn’t use to be able to see his eyes in the dark, but now I can. I guess some things have improved since I bit him. Even though, I’m still not quite ready to pat myself on the back just yet.

  “Will your eyes be that color always?”

  “No.” Kim came in the room answering for Jess, surprising us both.

  I didn’t realize I had tensed up at the sight of Kim until; Jess put his arm around me and hissed at her. Hissed! I couldn’t believe it, Kim raised her hands gesturing that she didn’t mean us any harm.

  “Calm down, I came to apologize. Ava, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have reacted like that, but what you said really hurt.”

  “I understand you to be upset with me Kim, but I still didn’t think you of all people could treat me like that. I’m sorry if what I said to you; upset you, but there are other ways you could have apprehended me for it.”

  “I completely agree with you, I was in the wrong and again I’m sorry. Please believe me when I say that I love you Ava, and I wouldn’t in a million years wish you any displeasure, especially from me. Will you please forgive me?”