Night Walker (Undeadly Secrets Book 1)

by Aaron L Speer

  “She’s the furthest thing from my mind.”

  Michelle interlocked their fingers, leaning back. “You can’t lie to me. It’s the one thing you’re not good at. Why don’t you just talk to her? I know you want to.”

  “There is nothing to say. I made the mistake of believing she cared about me once and I gave my life for her. In the end I lost everything only to find her with an enemy. What once was there no longer exists.”

  Michelle was about to retort when Dante gave her a fierce look. She shrugged, defeated. He swept her fringe back with his hand and kissed her cheek.

  *

  By the time Alex had come out of the bathroom the other two were already in bed, Michelle the only one under the covers.

  “So how is this going to work?” Alex asked, trying to sound casual.

  Michelle faced her, “I sleep naked. Dante offered to be the go between the two of us if it freaked you out.”

  Michelle gave Alex a blown kiss and faced the other side. She placed Dante’s right arm around her neck and snuggled into it, holding it with both her hands.

  “What about the others? Can they come in here?” Alex asked, nervously removing her towel, revealing her underwear and bra.

  “It’s a vampire dwelling, so yes. But they won’t,” Dante replied.

  “How do you know?”

  “Because I’m here.”

  “Damn straight,” Michelle said, raising her fist in victory. She seemed completely at ease, which comforted Alex no end. If anyone could be understandably frantic it was Michelle, but in the arms of Dante it seemed she did not have a care in the world. She knew she would be fine.

  Alex climbed into bed with her back to Dante and soon shifted this way and that. Of course I would find a huge, soft bed uncomfortable and fidgety, she thought.

  “I have a really nice pillow here, just so you know,” Michelle said.

  Alex turned into Dante just as he raised his arm. She instinctively placed hers over his stomach and nestled onto his chest. Dante slowly curled his arm around her shoulders, completing the mass of muscle protecting her.

  Alex sighed deeply. A good pillow? Oh yeah.

  She had almost moulded into his body, praying nothing shifted.

  “Don’t move” Alex whispered.

  “Told you,” she heard Michelle mumble, already drowsy. Alex felt a soft brush of lips against her head.

  “Goodnight,” the dreamy voice said.

  She didn’t have time to respond before she drifted off to sleep.

  It seemed like only minutes had gone by when she was being jostled awake again.

  “Hey, Alex. Time to wake up.”

  Alex could hear Michelle, but had trouble doing what she asked. Finally, she pried open her eyes. “Ohhhhh…why’d you wake me?” Alex moaned playfully.

  “It’s late, sleepy head. Don’t get up too fast!”

  Alex yelped and dropped back down to the bed, her body doubled up, her limbs screamed, all centralised by a spasm feeling like it was destroying her back.

  “It’s ok, don’t worry. It’ll pass. Here.”

  Alex scrunched her eyes as Michelle kneaded the exact spot Alex felt was crippling her. Finally, she felt enough relief to speak.

  “What is going on?”

  “It’s a sort of temporary muscle atrophy. It always used to happen when I slept with Dante’s arms around me. Sorry, I forgot to warn you. Our bodies relax when we sleep next to him, he must give out some kind of aura that gets us comfortable and drowsy. It’s a natural pheromone vampires can use when they feed, I guess. It feels unreal but we pay for it in the morning. It doesn’t last long, just hurts when we try to move again.”

  “Ow…ok thanks. I think that’s better.”

  “Yeah, I told you it doesn’t last. You’ll get used to it. I did.”

  Alex sat up. Much slower this time and stretched her neck and arms. Get used to it? What did that mean?

  “That was the best night’s sleep I’ve had in months,” Alex said. She felt energised, strong. She looked at Dante, ghostly pale, even a grey tinge to his skin and not breathing, yet he looked very much at peace. His bruises were gone, the lacerations too. Alex slowly reached a hand over to touch his face. She may as well have touched an ice brick, so cold was his skin.

  “That is so weird.”

  “Completely healed. The most gorgeous corpse you will ever see,” Michelle said, kissing his lips lightly. “I’ll see you downstairs. I’m starving.”

  After visiting the bathroom, Alex ventured cautiously downstairs and found Michelle in the mansion’s kitchen. Alex had taken the time to get what she felt was properly dressed, (the clothes she wore last night). Michelle on the other hand wore nothing but Dante’s shirt, her hair tousled from sleep. She was sitting at the end of the serving table with three plates of food. Whether it was Dante’s arms or the daylight streaming in the kitchen window, Michelle’s hatred and fear of this place, it seemed, had abated.

  Michelle spotted her and beckoned her over. “I didn’t know what you’d like so I got a few things,” struggling to speak while chewing. “There is toast and fruit here, but there is bacon and eggs in the fridge. Have whatever you like.”

  “They keep food here?” Alex asked.

  Michelle nodded, swallowing. “For the servants. But as it’s so late, they would’ve already eaten. They’re probably attending the gardens or something.”

  Alex looked around, focusing on the sky outside. “Hey…how late is it?”

  Michelle took a sip of some coffee. “We’d better be heading up pretty soon.”

  “Why?” Alex asked.

  “Dante will be up soon.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “They all will,” Michelle said darkly.

  Alex saw the darkening sky in the background, having to do a double-take. Finally, the truth hit her.

  “No way! I thought it was only late morning”

  Michelle rose with a piece of half eaten toast in her mouth, a cup of coffee in her hand and an apple in the other. “We’ve been asleep for the entire day,” she mumbled through the bread as she turned rather quickly, towards the hallway.

  Alex, still flabbergasted, followed the now uneasy Michelle to the stairs. Out of the corner of her eye, Alex saw a door to her left slightly ajar and a hint of the brightest colour of blue she had ever seen. It was unnaturally bright, glowing even. Curiosity getting the better of her, she stepped closer to the opening and could hear whispering.

  “Are you sure they are even still alive…?”

  “I don’t ask questions…just do what I am told. So should you. It’s safer that way.”

  Alex peered in to see a very small room, rather a large-sized pantry. But instead of food, the spice racks were lined with tens of small vials, each holding the glowing blue-coloured liquid. The two men inside appeared to be taking inventory, taking the oldest ones on the top shelf and pocketing them.

  Alex moved along as she heard, “Is that enough for the week?”

  “Who knows? It is taking more and more to keep them asleep…”

  She found her room again and Dante was awake. Alex forgot her question about the blue vials and the loss of an entire day when she noticed he was drinking from Michelle’s wrist. Alex stood mesmerised as Michelle played with his hair with her other hand, pressing her lips to the top of his head. Michelle caught Alex staring from outside the door and gave her a quick wink. Alex was unable to piece together her feelings about what she saw. Confused, sickened perhaps, but in a strange way, jealous.

  Michelle looked so content to do this. It’s the feeling of submission. Of being completely helpless. From the quiet moans she let out, she sounded it too. She held him close to her and used her fingers to play with his skin, giving him tender kisses along his ear and cheek. Dante moved his arm around Michelle’s waist, pulling her in even closer to him, twisting their bodies around.

  Dante opened his eyes and found Alex. There was no wink, no acknowledgement
whatsoever. But he didn’t break contact with his eyes or mouth, continuing to stare at Alex as he drank. Alex didn’t budge, save for an unconscious movement, her fingers gripping her arm, pinching and scrunching it. She didn’t know where to look. Despite herself, just for a moment, the thought flashed through her mind of joining them.

  A flash of walking over…having Dante give her that look of hunger…Michelle behind her, running her hands over Alex, letting her know everything was going to be all right, before leaning Alex’s head to the side, pulling her collar down with other hand…Dante looming closer, gripping her body with his incredible strength…the canines, already dripping with blood, coming for her…that wanted her.

  Suddenly her thought was forgotten as she found herself back inside the room, hearing footsteps underneath her. The other vampires had awoken too. Judgment was at hand.

  Chapter Thirty

  Hail To The King

  While waiting for the summons, Dante, Michelle and Alex kept to themselves, until Nathaniel knocked on the door, asking Dante to play with him. They watched a movie to while away the time. Alex, still a bit leery, was beginning to warm to the vampire boy, who was admittedly very cute. Before long, the request came and the three descended to stand before Vincent.

  The two trios faced each other again in the same spot as the previous night, but there was no longer just the six of them in the room. Alex noted a solitary vampire standing in the corner. He had definitely not been there the day before. Alex had no idea if that was a good thing or a bad thing. She and Michelle had clasped each other’s hand as they walked in. It was the only comfort they could give in the cold, dark room.

  “Do you wish to say anything in your defence?” Vincent asked, torches flickering around him.

  “No.” Dante said flatly. “Let’s just get on with it.”

  Vincent raised an eyebrow at Dante’s clear disregard for his authority, but seemed to think better of making an issue of it, and simply proceeded with his judgement. “Very well, I find you guilty on all charges.”

  Michelle clutched Alex’s arm frantically. Dante did not move.

  “Had your actions been the result of self-defence or survival it would be overlooked.”

  “How was it not self-defence? How was it not survival?”

  “You put yourself in the situation, a situation you helped create. You gave a show of your abilities in the process to a waiting throng of cameras.”

  “The media thought it to be a joke! An act! What harm was done?”

  “You risked the exposure of our world for the protection of a human! That human! One who still offers nothing,” Vincent hissed now, pointing to Alex. “Your punishment…” Vincent began, moving his eyes towards Michelle, “will be the removal of your donor.”

  Michelle gasped in horror and before Alex could react, she was jerked away from her friend and flung to the ground as Michelle was set upon by the unknown vampire Alex had spotted earlier. He jabbed a syringe into her neck, pressed the plunger and pulled the needle. Suddenly, the vampire was vaulted across the room from a kick to the chest by Dante, who caught Michelle’s woozy form and eased her down gently beside Alex. It all happened in such a blur, and Alex had barely had time to think

  “Fitting justice for a vampire who hates his own kind,” Vincent spat.

  Michelle shook her head dizzily. She seemed mostly unhurt, but Alex noticed a trickle of blood had begun to seep from the small puncture wound. She looked up at Dante, who had also noticed the damage.

  “Not to worry,” Dante assured her. “Nothing compared to a vampire bite. She’s a tougher girl than that.”

  Alex tried to let his words reassure her, but the look on his face betrayed his worry. Dante reached down to wipe away the blood and suddenly he jerked his arm back and screeched. He held his injured hand in the other, the flesh of the finger that had touched the blood seeming to dissolve as if by acid. Alex and Michelle, her senses recovered, screamed his name in unison, but it was Michelle who was the quick thinker. Dante’s finger still had her blood on it, and without a moment’s hesitation she placed her mouth over it to wash away the blood. At once Dante’s screaming stopped. Michelle looked at the damage to his finger, and it was bad. A horrific burn with white flesh peeling away. Alex turned away from the gruesomeness of it.

  Dante stroked Michelle’s cheek. “Thank you, my beautiful saviour.”

  She returned the gesture with a small, trembling smile.

  Dante rose and glared at Vincent, all sweetness evaporated. Alex had never seen him look so dangerous. Even though she was sure she was in no danger, she backed away a few steps, instinct taking over.

  “What did you do to her?” Dante asked, very slowly.

  ”Exorcized her,” explained Vincent, without emotion.

  “What? What do you mean?”

  “I call it VB, or Vincent’s Bitter.” Vincent gestured nonchalantly, as if this were all merely a subject of somewhat interesting conversation. “A concoction of ours usually reserved for those of our kind for whom the death penalty has been decreed. Once injected with this, a vampire’s organs are dissolved to shreds, whereupon they bleed to death from the inside. Bodily fluids tend to pour out of every orifice until nothing is left,” he finished with mild delight. “In a human the substance is harmless, but remains, coursing forever through their veins. This effectively makes feeding on them impossible for the rest of their lives.”

  “No!” screamed Michelle, burying her face in her hands. Julian looked down and chuckled, looking quite pleased about this whole exchange. Alex put her arms around Michelle to comfort her.

  “Why?” Dante breathed. “Why would you do this?”

  Vincent shook his head in mock pity. “You never learn, Dante. This is your punishment for the cosy life you have lived. You hide behind the one law you agree with—that it is not illegal not to kill—just so you can feel better about being a vampire. Humans are not our friends, they are food. You have no human now, and so you must live as one of us. You will learn!”

  Dante screamed as his fangs lowered. “See this! I am already one of you, though I never chose this life.”

  “You are a pathetic excuse for a vampire.” Vincent was growing visibly angry now, and his voice sliced the air. “You feed off only your captive, yet hunt and kill your own kind when they prey on humans.”

  “You would have us slaughter them all! They are being hunted for sport, not food. We need them to survive.”

  “So you take it upon yourself to dispense justice with no trial? No evidence? How nice.”

  “I might as well. You are doing fuck all about it!” Dante shook in fury and the room grew eerily silent.

  When Vincent spoke again, it was barely above a whisper. “Repeat that.”

  “You heard me. You are no king.” Dante spat out the words as if they tasted truly foul.

  After a minute’s silence, Vincent gathered himself. “You are lucky that your past deeds have counted for you. You have come out of this hardly damaged. Your female blood sack is free of you,” Vincent said, gesturing to the sobbing form of Michelle. “Something you always wanted. All you have to do is commit to me and to follow our ways.”

  A door opened to the right of the three thrones and a young girl was shoved inside the room where she fell to the ground. Alex thought she looked to be no more than eight or nine years old. She scrambled quickly to her feet but was grabbed from behind by Raul, who half dragged her towards Dante.

  Dante looked at the girl and then to Vincent. “What is this?”

  “Turn her or drain her,” Vincent said. “Your choice, but either way she dies tonight.”

  The girl was terrified, crying and whimpering against Raul’s grip.

  “It’s time you proved you are one of us,” Raul smiled. “Not so tough now, are you?”

  He shoved the girl towards Dante’s feet. She tried to crawl away but was kicked violently back towards Dante. Dante leapt and planted his fist straight into Raul’s face. Raul
fell back, blood spewing from his shattered nose. Raul made to retaliate but the king put up a hand.

  “She’s just a child!” Dante screamed at Vincent.

  “Please…don’t hurt me! I didn’t do anything wrong!” she called.

  “You really shouldn’t walk off with strangers,” Julian cooed down to her. “Tell this handsome man your troubles. He will make them go away.”

  She gripped Dante’s legs, pulling herself up. Her words were slowed from her sobbing. Her tears threatened to choke her. “Please help me. I want to go home. I…I want my mum.”

  Dante cringed, hesitant. Alex could see he wanted to help her, but was conflicted.

  “That will be difficult. She won’t be much help to you. Your mother is dead,” Julian said with much delight. The air of someone passing on a happy secret.

  The girl slapped her hands over her ears and screamed.

  “She tasted very nice,” he continued loudly.

  “Stop!” Dante yelled.

  “Why should I? You can make it stop. Even you know the taste of pre-teen blood. Just give in.”

  Dante looked down at the girl, staring for a moment. “Never. I would rather enter the eternal sleep,” Dante flashed his hands as his nails grew an inch. He pointed one of them directly at Julian, baring his fangs as he growled, “and if that be the case, I want you to do it. If you can.”

  Julian rose slowly, looking as of all his Christmases had come at once. He stepped down the high steps one at a time. Before he reached the bottom, a group of men had emerged from the shadows and surrounded Dante. Alex noticed all of these men had the same charcoal eyes that Dante sported as he glared at Julian.

  “Coward,” Dante sneered.

  “Smart,” Julian countered. “You like killing vampires so much, well here’s your chance.”

  “Become one of us, Dante. You don’t have to die here,” Vincent said, looking towards the girl that Dante had stepped in front of, trying to defend her. “You have no human, you have no choice.”

  Dante turned to Alex, still comforting a devastated Michelle. “I’m sorry,” he said simply. He turned back towards the royal family and glared at them all. “I would rather die on my feet for them, then live on my knees for you.”