Katie runs over to Will to try and help him up. ‘Will come on, we’ve got to get out of here before he gets up.’ Katie puts Will’s arm over her shoulder as she gets him to his feet.
‘I wouldn’t worry about that, he’s already gone.’ A man’s voice from the darkness scares Katie as she drops Will. She turns slowly to see that Leofric’s body had vanished. When she turns back to help Will to his feet again the man steps into the light holding a shotgun in one hand. Katie focuses her eyes to the man’s face as she recognises him from earlier. It was Vaelen that had saved them from Leofric.
CHAPTER 7:
FAMILY TIES
Jeff let the hot water spraying from the shower head run down his head then down his body. As the water ran across his stab wound he felt a slight numbing pain. He couldn’t believe that he had just been stabbed yet it was already healing. Is this a miracle? No. Jeff knew deep down it was a curse. His hands gripped into fists as he began to punch the wall tiles of the shower. As the anger left him Jeff pointed his face up towards the jets of water. The hard slap of hot water on his face felt mildly therapeutic to him. Like the dirty darkness being washed away. But he knew there was no escape now.
Rita allowed him into a spare room in the hotel to take a shower to make himself presentable before he went home to his family. Rita entered the room with spare towels which she laid on the bed which lay to the left of the cloudy stained glass door of the shower. Even Rita often questioned why in over half the rooms of the hotel the shower was its own separate room away from the toilets and basin. More hygienic she thought. Along with the towels Rita brought Jeff and plain white t-shirt and a pair of grey jogging bottoms. It was all she could get hold of at such short notice.
Jeff began to plan in his head what he was going to say to his wife, Jade, on the phone. He knew he couldn’t say anything about being a vampire. First of all she wouldn’t believe him, but he couldn’t go home and face her. A part of him urged him to just run home and give Jade and his four year old daughter, Lisa massive hugs. Ecstatic at thought of surviving a blade to the back without any help from doctors. But it was this that scared him, thought of himself as a monster. It was this feeling that stopped Jeff from wanting to go home. He would have to lie to his wife for the first time ever since they had been together, this hurt him inside. Jeff turned the nob of the shower to switch the water off. He rubbed the water from his eyes before opening the shower door.
As he stepped out he was startled to see Rita standing there. She quickly averted her eyes as he clambered to pull a towel from the bed to cover himself up. He wrapped the towel around his waist tucking it in so it held.
‘I’m so sorry.’ Rita still not making any eye contact.
‘It’s fine really. I’m covered now you can look.’
Rita slowly peers to double check. She sees his bottom half covered and knows it’s now safe to look so she focuses her eye line back to Jeff.
‘I was just bringing you some spare clothes because your clothes were covered in blood.’
Jeff picks up the jogging bottoms and looks at them with a slight look of disgust.
‘I’m sorry it was all I could find at such short notice.’ Rita looks at the floor in embarrassment.
‘Not really my style but I appreciate the effort you’ve been through for me. Thank you.’ Jeff bends down to stick his feet through the legs of the joggers. Rita looks up and notices the fresh scar on his back that’s slowly healing.
‘Who did that?’ Rita asks.
‘I’ve been a vampire for less than a day and I already got stabbed, is that some sort of record?’ Jeff pulls the joggers all the way up. He pulls off the towel and begins to dry his body. Rita cannot help but stare at his chiselled six pack; the rest of the world is now non-existent to her now.
‘You think? A record?’ Jeff asks again oblivious to the fact Rita is speechless at the sight of his body. He picks up the t-shirt and slips it on. Rita snaps back into reality.
‘Sorry. I was in my own little world.’ Rita’s cheeks begin to blush.
‘Oh it doesn’t matter anyway. Thank you again for the clothes and the room, you’re a star.’ Jeff slips her a smile. Rita’s knees begin to wobble. She’s overwhelmed. No man had treated her like a normal human being in such a long time. She felt warm inside for the first time in years.
‘It’s not a problem at all.’ Rita opens the door to the room. ‘I’ll leave you to yourself now, you can stay here for as long as you need.’ Rita smiles at Jeff before she shuts the door behind herself.
Jeff pulls his phone from his old trouser pocket which was sprawled across the floor. He paces around the bed as he scrolls through his phone for Jade’s number. As the scroll bar on the phone screen lands on Jade’s name Jeff’s thumb hovers over the call button. He takes a deep breath as his thumb presses into the call button. Hesitation sets in before he raises the phone to his ear. The call tone beeps in his ear as he waits to hear Jade’s sweet voice. He didn’t have to wait long.
‘Hello honey.’ Jade sounded happy to be hearing from Jeff. A huge smile spread across Jeff’s face as Jade’s voice penetrated his ears.
‘Hey babes, I’m so sorry for not phoning you sooner.’ Jeff prepares himself. Builds himself up emotionally enough to lie to his beloved.
‘You should be. Me and Lisa were starting to worry.’ The mention of his beautiful daughter filled his heart with joy.
‘I’m sorry to have worried you and especially Lisa. I’ve just been caught up at work, just this big case I’ve been assigned to.’ It pained him to lie out right like that to the one he loved but he knew it was the right thing to do.
‘You planning on coming home at any point tonight?’ The soft heavy breathed way Jade said that sentence instantly made Jeff want to just rush home and be with his wife. Lay with his wife.
‘I don’t think so darling. I’ve got like a hundred law books to read through and we’ve got a lot to talk about.’ The pain of the lie just grew and grew within Jeff’s heart.
‘Oh, I guess I’ll be pleasing myself tonight then.’ Jade giggled. This wasn’t helping Jeff. He knew what would get his mind out of the gutter, and what would keep him in that hotel room. The thought of his daughter being kept safe.
‘I guess you will be ha. Can I say goodnight to Lisa?’
‘I’ve already put her to bed.’
‘Please. For me. Just for a minute.’ Jeff needed this.
‘Ok. Let me go get her. Hold on.’ The sound of the phone being placed on the table is heard. Jeff stops pacing and stands at the foot of the bed waiting to hear his daughters beautiful voice. Only moments pass but it feels like minutes to Jeff.
‘Daddy?’ Lisa’s childish high pitched voice sends Jeff weak that he has to perch himself on the end of the bed.
‘Hey Lisa, how you doing?’
‘Sleepy daddy.’
‘I’m sorry to wake you, I just wanted to hear your voice and tell you I love you so very much.’
‘I love you too daddy.’
Hearing his daughter say those words to him filled Jeff with instant joy.
‘Ok, you can go back to bed now, put your mummy back on.’
‘Isn’t she sweet?’ Jade was now back on the phone.
‘She’s the best. Equally as beautiful as her mum.’
‘Oh you charmer.’ As Jade giggled, Jeff thanked the lord that he was with the most gorgeous woman he knew and also had a beautiful daughter with that woman.
‘I love you so much.’ Jeff stated with the weight of his heart behind it.
‘I love you so much too honey.’ Jeff knew all of Jade’s heart was behind that too.
Jeff hung up the phone. He could never handle saying goodbye. He wanted every conversation he and Jade had to finish with them saying they loved one another just in case it was the last thing they ever said to one another. Jeff knew it was now a true possibility that it could all end at any time. The phone gets tossed across to the other side of the double bed as Jeff po
sitions himself on the other. As he laid his head on the pillow he began to think about Jade and Lisa. Nothing could wipe the smile from his face.
‘Hope I’m not intruding?’ A female voice from the dark corner of the room is heard.
Jeff quickly sits up and focuses on the corner of the room. As his eyes adjust to the light, Tessa walks into the moonlight shining through the window.
CHAPTER 8:
PREDATORIAL BLOODLUST
Vaelen directs Katie to open a large metal door at the back of the Ruby.
‘This is a rule you’ll need to remember. If ever you’re hurt, covered in blood, or something similar, always use this back entrance. Never use the front entrance as this hotel is still in use by the public. We don’t want them finding out about our little secret. Got it?’ Vaelen stares into Katie’s eyes. She nods and opens the door.
Vaelen carries Will through the door.
‘What’s going to happen to him?’ Katie asks as she closes the door behind her.
‘He needs blood.’ Vaelen explains without turning his head towards Katie.
They proceed down a flight of stairs and then down a long dark corridor lit with torches. They pass a huge number of doors on either side of the corridor. Katie begins to wonder what could possibly be behind each of these doors. As Katie looks around she spots each door has its own sign attached to them. Katie stops at a door on her right and reads. Cell 12. I wonder if that’s what I think it is. Katie looks ahead at Vaelen, he’s still walking down the corridor with Will not paying her any attention. Against her better judgement Katie reaches for the shutter on the face of the door. She begins to shake as she unlatches the shutter and lifts it slowly.
‘You smell delicious bitch!’ An arm comes shooting out of the shutter and the hand grasps tightly round Katie’s neck. The smell of rotten flesh and faeces was the first to hit Katie’s senses. Even though the flesh looked weak and falling apart there was enough strength to pull Katie to the door. Her neck now in line with the open shutter. She shudders with fear as the feeling of a dry withering tongue runs up her neck. This was enough to make her scream.
‘Push away from the door.’
Katie opens her eyes and spots Vaelen pointing a gun at her still holding up Will in the other arm.
‘Now!’ Vaelen steadies his aim.
With all her strength Katie throws her hands to the cell door and begins to push herself away.
‘You’re not going to get away from me gorgeous!’ Katie focuses into the shutter and almost throws up instantly at the sight of the man’s rotting flesh practically falling from his face as he wags his tongue in a licking motion whilst he fights to pull her back in. Katie’s arms begin to buckle as the man regains control. Within seconds a deathly loud bang over powers all sound in the corridor as a bullet shoots straight through the man’s arm. A death curdling scream howls from cell as the arm disappears inside. The shutter slams shut. Katie in a panic quickly shuffles with the latch mechanism to lock the shutter. Katie’s sigh of relief echoes through the corridor.
Katie pulls herself together and turns to walk towards Vaelen and Will. But as she turns Vaelen stands solid with arms folded now right in front of her.
‘I’m sorry.’ Katie couldn’t think of anything else to say.
Vaelen looks into Katie’s eyes for a moment in silence. Unfolds his arms and turns back to the direction they were walking where Will is laid on the ground shaking.
‘Help him down these stairs as I unlock the door.’ Vaelen points to a set of stairs in front of Will as he sets off past Will and down the stairs.
Katie rushes over to Will and begins to help him to his feet.
† † † † † † † † † † † † † † † †
A door swings open into a dark room. Vaelen enters first and pulls out a lighter which he uses to light a touch hanging on the wall opposite the door. The dim light reveals a wooden table and chair at the other end of the room. The damp on the cold stone walls glisten in the light.
‘Bring him in and sit him on the chair.’
Katie struggles slightly as she drags Will through the door. Vaelen takes over and points towards the chair. Katie rushes over and pulls out the chair as Vaelen lowers Will onto it carefully.
‘Right I need to go get something. Stay here but keep your distance.’ Vaelen heads out of the door but before he has the chance to close the door Katie stops him and joins him outside.
‘What do you mean keep my distance?’ Katie inquires.
‘He’s in pain. Could be dying from internal injuries as we speak. He needs blood to help repair his body.’
‘That still doesn’t answer my question.’ Katie raises her voice but quickly cowers as Vaelen folds his arms and pushes out his chest. I hate dealing with rookies. He quickly lets out a sigh.
‘You haven’t changed yet have you? I know this as our friend upstairs smelt you straight away. Once you’ve become a vampire you can immediately smell the blood of a mortal and then the cravings begin. You saw how matey upstairs acted at the smell of you; we don’t want Will to do the same because he could rip you apart. And once he has this bit of blood I’m about to get him, he will not be able to control his hunger.’
‘And attack me.’ Katie looks down to the ground at the slightest thought of the idea.
‘You can leave at any time, you don’t have to stay and watch if you’re worried about that.’
Katie raises her head and looks Vaelen dead in the eyes. ‘I want to witness feeding first hand.’
Vaelen can see in her eyes that she is serious.
‘Ok. Go back inside make sure he isn’t dead. I’ll be back in a second.’ Vaelen heads down yet another long corridor.
Katie re-enters the room and freezes with the sight she is confronted by. Will motionless slumped over the table.
‘Will?’ Katie’s voice trembles as she hesitates to walk over to him as she fears the worse.
Cluck!
Katie jumps out of her skin as loud clucking echoes down the corridor through the door. Vaelen enters holding a live chicken in his left hand swinging it back and forth by its legs.
‘Dazes the chicken. Don’t want it flapping around when I’m trying to cut its head off.’
Vaelen lets out a little chuckle as he pulls out a huge knife with his free hand.
‘I think we may be too late.’ Katie turns her head towards Will’s body.
Vaelen runs over and slams the unconscious chicken and the knife on the table. He lifts Will up until he’s leaning backwards on the chair with his head tilted backward. He lifts Will’s eyelids one at a time. Then takes off his jacket and throws it at Katie.
‘Hold!’
He rolls up his shirt sleeves as he positions the chicken on the table where he wants it then progresses to picking up the knife. With one swoop of the arm the chickens head comes clean off as blood begins to squirt across the room.
‘There’s still time, he’s not dead yet. This is the gross part; you may want to look away.’
Katie takes no notice and continues to stare at what is happening.
Vaelen opens Will’s mouth then proceeds with lifting the chicken over it and letting the blood pour out into his mouth.
Suddenly Will’s eyelids open wide revealing the darkness behind them. Vaelen spots this and drops the chicken on the table. Will springs to life as he starts to rip into the chicken, blood all over his face as his canine teeth rip into the meat before sucking out every drop of blood he can get to. Katie gasps in horror.
Will quickly turns his head, his pitch black eyes staring directly at Katie. Katie is frozen solid with fear.
‘Get out of here.’ Vaelen whispers across to Katie as he begins to walk in the way of Will’s eye line.
Katie nods and reaches for the door handle. Just as her hand touches down on the handle Will leaps from his chair towards her. Vaelen quickly changes to his vampire form and grabs his arm and continues to throw him over the table.
‘Leave
now! Lock the door behind you and do not open until I say so.’ Vaelen screams at Katie as she opens the door and takes one final look at Will. She could see the bloodlust in his expression and it scared her to the bone. As Will leaps back to his feet towards Vaelen, Katie gets out and shuts the door behind her. Exhausted from the events of what had just happened and the rest of the day she collapses against the door and begins to cry.
CHAPTER 9:
BEGINNING OF THE END
As the early morning breeze begins to flow through the air and the sun begins to rise from behind a row of expensive looking apartment buildings, a black stretch limo pulls up outside one of them. The driver opens his door and steps out onto the pavement. He straightens his tie as he walks towards to back of the limo and opens the passenger door. From the darkness of the backseat out steps Dirk. The driver bows as he holds the door open. Dirk takes a deep breath of the fresh air as he reaches into his inner jacket pocket. The driver starts to shake and cower behind the door. Dirk notices and smirks to himself.
‘Why so scared?’ Dirk questions the driver leaving his hand in his inner pocket.
‘I just…’ The driver’s voice quivers.
‘You just what?’
‘I just know who you are sir.’ The driver looks into Dirks eyes but in fear looks back at the ground quickly.
‘Oh do you now? Tell me please.’ Dirk loves dwelling in the knowledge that his name is like royalty among the vampire community.
‘You’re the Rank A vampire that works directly for The One. One of the most strongest and powerful vampires there has ever been.’
‘Nice to know my reputation is well known.’ Dirk smiles. He loves the attention. But this sweet satisfaction quickly turns sour as the driver carries on with his description.
‘You were also trialled for high treason against The One but were let off on lack of evidence.’
The Vampire Council: Case File:1 Page 4