I shook my head, bewildered. Was it that in our moment of happiness, we had forgot all that was most important?
It seemed like a cruel irony.
‘All right, Eirik, no need to kill another tree. We have to make a plan.’
Eirik stopped his rampage, and calmed down. It was an extraordinary change: the huge, angry vampire turned into something entirely different—a calm, stoic navigator. His breathing eased, and his eyes returned to their normal clear blue.
‘You’re right, of course. Clearly, we can’t seem to get out this way.’
‘Haven’t the emergency services tried to make contact?’ I asked. My parents might not be here, but surely someone would ask around. I mean, there was my room mate, and Eirik had his family.
‘Your room mate probably thinks you’re trying to get off school. And my parents know I’m a teenage vampire likely to act unpredictably. Even if they have contacted the authorities, it will take them ages to just figure out where we might be. And with this weather, it’ll be hard for them to find us, and even harder for them to mount a rescue. We’re on our own,’ Eirik told me.
I slapped myself upside the head, amazed that I could get myself in such a situation.
‘What do you suggest we do?’ I asked.
‘I think we should head west. We might have to take a bus, but it’s probably the fastest way out of here.’
I turned to look at the setting sun, taking in the final vermillion rays of sunlight; the world seemed on fire.
‘I think that might be a good idea.’
‘It’s our only idea.’
***
We moved on. Both me and Eirik still simmered from the bad news, but I tried to make the best of the situation.
We had missed lots of things on our first visit, but since the snow was constantly moving, we were able to excavate some useful detritus from the wreckage. We found some more rope, which would definitely be needed. We found a screwdriver, which might also be useful; and finally, we found a metal pole, which I’m hoping Eirik can carry with us.
‘You want me to carry a big pole? Are you crazy?’
‘You’re strong enough, aren’t you?’
‘It will still slow me down. Besides, what the hell do you need it for?’
‘I just have a feeling about it. Can you trust me? Anyway, if it’s too much, you can always leave it behind.’
He argued some more, but I willed him into submission. With a wearied sigh, he grabbed it, carrying it on top of his shoulders.
Unfortunately, it had started snowing again. Those snow flakes still possessed a beauty, but it was not the beauty of idyllic winter scenes: it was a terrible beauty, a parody of that childish wonder. It concealed our tracks and cut away our visibility. I had started shivering—the air was definitely colder.
Despite this, I ploughed on, determined to cover the distance we had lost so tragically. I turned my head away from the snow and the wind, looking for Eirik.
I looked forwards; he was nowhere to be seen. Had he somehow gone so far ahead of me that I could no longer see him?
Then, I decided to look behind.
And there he was, not ahead, but far away in the opposite direction. The pole hung loosely on his back; it moved wildly with every step he took. His eyes appeared almost pained, the effort of carrying it—or not? I couldn’t tell in the distance, but something seemed different about him.
I waited calmly for him to catch up.
‘Let me take that for a while,’ I said.
He gave it to me without a word.
It was made from steel, and reasonably heavy. But even for me—little more than the average human—it was no great weight.
‘You okay?’ I asked.
‘Sure,’ he replied.
I narrowed my eyes, but I couldn’t see anything wrong with him yet. I let it pass.
We began making another shelter. It was similar to the previous one—only this time, we also used snow for additional insulation. It sounds counter-intuitive, I know, but snow actually works quite effectively for that. When I say “we”, though, I mean only me. Eirik just put on some snow.
We both crawled into the shelter. The wind had picked up, peppering us with more icy precipitation. Darkness had fallen; it was no longer possible to see anything, at least for a human. No stars could be seen. Flashes of blue light dominated the sky, along with the sound of thunder.
A thunderstorm. Great.
I started a fire. We had managed to find plenty of wood, because timber isn’t in short supply in a country where thirty-seven percent of the land is covered in forest. The fire burned lazily—it didn’t seem like much, not in this cold, hostile wilderness, but it was infinitely better than nothing.
I put my hands to warm next to the fire. Eirik’s hand moved to cook the last of our ox meat.
When our hands met, I pulled back, shocked.
‘Your hands…’ They were colder than the snow I had been touching earlier.
‘Yes.’
He looked away when he said this. But I was no idiot; I’ve seen enough vampire films to know vampiric hunger when I saw it.
‘You’re hungry, aren’t you?’
He didn’t reply.
More thunder could be heard outside. It was now a full-on storm. We weren’t getting out of here anytime soon—we had to survive for longer, and that meant Eirik needed to be strong.
I made my decision.
‘Look… I’m offering.’
***
The storm raged around us; the very Earth seemed to tremble against it. Our meagre shelter was scant defence against it—the wind seemed like it could huff and puff, and blow it all down.
Lightning flashed occasionally. It lit Eirik’s face—now haggard, his eyes dilated and bloodshot—in an almost inhuman glow. But I knew that was a lie: Eirik was a vampire, but he was not a monster.
There was emotion in his eyes: fear, vulnerability, and something like love. But there was definitely hunger too.
‘You sure about this?’ he asked. He was positioned above me; I was lying in my back, exposing my neck. His fangs were out: they were small, pointy and pretty. I almost wanted to believe I wouldn’t feel it; it would be just a small little incision.
I gulped. Who am I kidding? It might hurt. Even so, I was sure: if Eirik couldn’t hunt and keep me warm, I would die. This could kill me as well—Eirik told me it was possible, especially for a young, inexperienced vampire like him. But if I died, at least I could be certain he would make it.
‘Yeah. I’m sure.’
He looked unconvinced.
‘Just do it already.’
He licked his lips.
‘This isn’t going to hurt, all right? I’m going to be careful. You’ll only feel a prick…’
I laughed. But it was an ironic laugh.
‘I’ve seen how you made mincemeat out of that ox, Eirik. This might be many things, but it’ll sure as hell hurt. Now cut to the chase.’
‘Peter... you’re acting like a martyr—like this is going to be some horrible torture you will need to endure. You’re steeling yourself for it. You’re not preparing for the other possibility; that you might enjoy it. That it could be the best thing you ever had.’
‘Like sex?’
‘Maybe better.’
‘Well, if I like it, you can hand out the gay card.’
He laughed at my joke. Then he turns serious, and grave.
‘I’m not going to tell you to do it again!’ For a moment, I thought he had not understood me.
Then he moved. A blur; a pair of white fangs flashing before my eyes. He was biting me.
At first, it hurt. His teeth were sharp, and my neck was tender. I put my hands on his neck, threading my fingers through his hair—a hopeless attempt at restraining him.
Then, something changed. I felt incredibly warm, and all the pain seemed to fade away. My heart beat in tune with his; the blood in my body was like fire, and my skin tingled with pleasure.
I’m was vaguely aware that I was moaning, and not in pain, but with ecstasy. I wrapped my legs around him, running my hands across his back and lower abdomen. I was distantly aware that I was hard, and so was he. The he growled, and pinned me down harder.
The world seemed to wobble, and darkness entered my vision. I knew I should panic—but how am I supposed to panic when it all feels so good? I wanted Eirik more than anything else in the world. I would die for him.
Then he stopped.
The warmth disappeared, and I was cold, dreadfully cold. The strong, reassuring presence of Eirik was gone; I feel empty and spent. And I didn’t like it.
Without thinking, I reached out, ripped off his shirt, and threw myself on top of him. I could not even understand what I was doing. Was I kissing him? Biting him?
‘Peter, stop.’
His voice snapped me out of it.
‘Eirik. What did I… ?’
‘You were trying to bite me, and fuck me as well.’
‘Why? Why would I do that?’ I felt shocked with myself. What was wrong with me?
He read my mind. ‘There’s nothing wrong with you; it’s a normal reaction. My parents warned me this could happen—that a human can lose themselves in the experience just as much as the vampire can. I had to restrain myself not to kill you. You were driven insane by lust.’
I realised that I still had a raging hard-on.
‘I think you should give me my gay card now.’
He chuckled, his voice deep, like a pleased lion.
‘It’s not like that. You’ll go back to being your normal self.’
‘That’s good, because I feel really unsure of myself right now.’
He shrugged. ‘I figured out that I was bi pretty early on, and I think you would have too.’
‘Okay. And I can’t tell anyone else about this?’
‘No—not to a vampire or a human. Humans would think you were insane, and vampires…’
‘Would assume I was a whore or a drug addict. I get it.’
‘That’s harsh.’
‘Is it? I mean, I get the appeal; it’s the best thing in the world. I can’t even imagine what the sex would have been like. A bit like being on meth.’
‘But it can’t happen again. I’m not… myself. Nor are you.’
I frowned.
‘Why not? What’s the real danger?’
He closed his eyes for a moment. ‘The danger is that it could ruin our friendship. The relationship would become one of mutual exchange; I would be the predator, and you, the prey.’
‘Is that how it feels for you? Like eating a meal?’
I could tell how hard it was for him to tell the truth, but he was being honest with me. He cared too much to lie.
‘It’s more than that. I was aroused and... I cared for you. But I still wanted to eat you; I am a predator.’
‘Besides,’ he continued matter-of-factly, ‘there are good medical reasons to avoid it. Regular consumption of blood would lead to iron deficiency, which would lead to anaemia.’
I laughed out loud.
‘This is crazy. You know that right?’
His eyes twinkled. Their colour had become deeper, more intense—more human, or more predator?
‘I know. It’s a crazy world Peter. We’re just hitchin’ a ride.’
I now understood Eirik’s reluctance. For better or for worse, our relationship had changed profoundly.
I just hoped I’d live to see it.
Chapter Six: Nord Lysene
When you watched the survival shows on TV, you could never understand how it feels to wake up every morning. It was one thing to see the ice and snow; another to feel its cold whisper in your bones. Nothing could describe the sense of complete exhaustion, of weariness that never leaves your heart. Nor did the survival shows prepare you for the sense of unreality: you want to believe it’s all just a dream, but your brain tells you otherwise.
Survival shows didn’t have vampires, either. It’s impossible for me to describe what I felt towards Eirik: the desperation, that I depended on him as surely as he needed me to survive; the quiet fear in the back of my mind, that he might abandon me or eat me; and more than that. The friendship. The longing I could not admit even to myself. The love I felt for him, and I don’t necessarily mean romantic love.
I tried to crawl out of the shelter, but I had to steady myself to combat a bout of dizziness. It seemed the bite had taken its toll on my body. I felt like I was hungover, only this was the worst hangover ever. My head felt like an air balloon. My vision was slightly blurry, like wearing bad contact lenses.
But despite this, I couldn’t help feeling a little bit proud when I saw Eirik standing next to me, looking healthy and alive. I would feel better soon, but I knew that what I did for him would last far longer.
‘How are you coping?’ he asked me.
‘Well, I’ve got a roaring headache and a case of dizziness. Is this normal?’
‘Probably. I’m not sure,’ he said uncertainly.
‘You’ve really never done this before, have you?’
‘I know the theory, that’s all. But I hope you’re okay, Peter.’
‘I’m fine. Humans kill animals all the time, and all I’ve got is the effects of a hangover.’
‘I’ve never thought of it like that.’ He looked towards the horizon. Calm had descended on the landscape—in reassurance or in preparation of something worse, I did not know. It was cold, but not not intolerably cold. Hopefully, we would be able to make it out of here in a day or two.
‘Let’s move,’ I suggested.
‘You must eat. A vampire bite is not something to be taken lightly, Peter: my parents made that clear a long time ago. If you don’t, I’d have to carry you.’
Sighing, I wondered what I could eat. I spotted some mushrooms at the base of a tree: they were bright red and very pretty.
‘Don’t even think about it,’ Eirik told me. ‘They could kill you in days, and I’m not sure if there’s anything I could do to help you.’
I kept searching for food. I couldn’t see a single berry or root in sight; it was winter, and winter was not the time of plenty. Only a few pathetic trees stood, mangled and old. Last night’s storm had reduced our visibility to practically nil, and we hadn’t picked the best position.
A river wound its way near us. It was frozen solid, of course, so there was no point in fishing. I wanted to ask Eirik if he could try and break the ice, but something stopped me.
Eirik had gone still. His nostrils flared; his shoulders tensed. His pupils narrowed in concentration, and he moved smoothly and silently, crouching low in the snow. Moments later, I saw what had captured his attention. A bunny: it was small, white, with light red eyes. In the back of my mind, I wondered what species it was. Maybe it could have been someone’s pet?
Then Eirik jumped.
He moved unbelievably quickly, as fast as an arrow loosed from a longbow. I had enough time to close my eyes, but the bunny stood no chance.
When I re-opened my eyes, Eirik was making impromptu breakfast.
‘I guess that solves the problem.’
‘True.’
‘You know I don’t like eating bunnies?’
‘You think they’re cute?’
‘They’re adorable.’
He just sighed. ‘There really isn’t anything you can eat that’s not an animal, Peter. You need to make sure you eat enough calories, or you won’t survive the cold.’
I knew he was right, but I couldn’t help looking at the dead bunny. Its neck was broken, its eyes staring sightlessly into space.
***
We had been travelling for hours. We crossed woods and rivers, a few of which hadn’t frozen over fully. Although too small to fish, and we already had adequate water, it did allow us to watch the wildlife.
We spotted the bear first. It looked a bit thin, likely having just come out of hibernation. It was a brown bear, and it was very cute, but Eirik warned that bears we
re dangerous at the best of times. Then again, so were vampires—the bear left as soon as he got a whiff of Eirik.
I realised that that less than three weeks remained before spring. This must be the coldest February on record.
Then we had a small stroke of luck. Standing desolately on the outskirts of a small clearing was a log cabin: it was probably abandoned, but my heart swelled at the sight of it, even so. The roof was partially covered in snow, despite the steep gradient—Norwegian houses were traditionally designed in this way to prevent the roof from being snowed in. The cabin had a small window, but it was iced over, and we couldn’t see what was inside.
‘Oh goody. It’s not even dusk yet, and we’ve found shelter. Plus, civilisation can’t be far now.’
‘It is good news. We can’t be far from the city.’
‘It should also mean a warm night; I really hate the cold. Did I mention that?’
‘You’re clearly not a Norwegian.’
‘Am I not? You usually like to keep buildings pretty warm; you all love the koselig.’
‘Okay, maybe it’s just us vampires then. I always sleep naked with the heating off.’
‘Yes mate, but you’re a human furnace.’
‘I’m not human.’
‘Fine, you’re a vampire, and you sparkle in the sun.’
‘I don’t—oh. Have you been reading Twilight again?’
‘You’re telling me you never read it?’
‘Only out of curiosity! I wanted to know what humans were writing about us—it’s not like I care about some dumb teenage girl.’
‘Well, I liked it.’
He shook his head seriously, but I could tell he found it funny.
‘Come on, let’s go in,’ I suggested
‘I almost forgot about the cabin,’ he said, bemused.
The door didn’t creak when I opened it, which surprised me. The cabin couldn’t have been abandoned long ago. Inside, the interior was surprisingly pleasant: the floor was intact, as was the window. It smelled faintly of dust, and cold, untouched darkness. The lights didn’t work; there was obviously no electricity here, and no fuel for the generator. But you can’t have everything.
I examined the rooms—I found two bedrooms, and there was a larger room that served as the living area. But the kitchenette was what I was after. I opened each drawer quickly, craving more than wild animals and berries for food.
The Vampire Eirik Page 4