Requiem for Blood

by Alexandra Hope

  “Olivia...is that you?”

  “Allison?”

  Twenty Three

  Olivia had given the dao to Troy and was on her knees crawling underneath the table, sure that she would be able to restrain herself. Her fingertips fell in the pool of blood underneath Allison's head and she pulled her hand back and shook at the sight of the blood that was trickling down her white palm. When she brought her hand up to her trembling lips and smeared it across, her eyes became hollow shells of their former selves, totally consumed by the lust for the little girl's blood.

  Troy had been shouting her name but she couldn't hear through the thickness of her thirst. Though Allison's heart was faint, it pumped loudly in Olivia's ears as she focused on it. She reached down and tugged the girl's arms but was snapped up by Troy, pulling her away from her prey but not out of her bloodlust. She turned on him and put her hand to his neck and slammed him against the wall. He let her keep him on the wall as he looked in her eyes and hoped for the best.

  “Snap out of it. You don't want to drink her blood,” he said through a struggled breath.

  Though his eyes were on hers, she couldn't fall prey to his manipulation because she couldn't see his eyes. Her vision had been blurred by red and she only saw the outline of the humans when she attacked them. Troy repeated his words but when he saw that he wasn't getting through to her he yelled out, “Think about Alexa and Noah! Do you want to do to this little girl what you did to them?”

  Despite his best efforts to bring her back, she was gone. She tossed him to the side and was clawing her way to Allison once more. Troy groaned and shook himself off as he staggered through the kitchen. He picked up the weapon he had dropped and was standing behind her with it in his hands.

  “Listen to me! I don't want to stab you but I will! Stop, now!”

  “Please,” a soft voice choked, “don't hurt her...”

  Troy hadn't heard Allison's words and he was coming down with the dao straight to her heart when Olivia spoke, “Allison?”

  His heart was beating heavily when he just barely stopped the dao from entering her back. He saw her crawl out from underneath the table, pulling the little girl by her arm. She barely had a breath to take as she lay quietly across Olivia's lap. There was a ghost of a smile on her face as she sat there contentedly.

  “Allison, wake up. Please do not go to sleep.”

  “I'm awake Olivia,” she assured her.

  What happened, is what she wanted to ask but she knew Allison couldn't survive a question and answer session in her condition. She wanted to know how it happened to her and she briefly thought of her mother, but had to know for certain who would have left her like this. She sat her upright and tilted her head to the side and before the child or Troy could react, she was draining her of her blood. She took her bleeding wrist to the half dead girl's lips and forced her to drink. She knew she wasn't doing it right but hoped that it would work itself out anyway, unable to allow another friend to die. When Allison had gotten enough blood, Olivia resumed her draining until she had no more life inside of her.

  Allison still hadn't come back when they got in the car and drove away. Olivia ran an unsteady hand through her dark curls as she lay on her lap while Troy raced down the road. She could hear the hasty pounding in Troy's chest as he maneuvered through the streets. They were back at his house and Olivia had Allison in her arms as she quickly darted inside and out of the rain. David had a hot towel and medicine for the girl but Troy explained that she was already dead and that they were waiting for her to be undead. Bear scrambled across the now wet foyer and jumped onto the couch where Allison lay. His coat soaked up the water on her skin as he walked over her body, trying to figure out who it was. The dog bayed as small fingers crawled up the side of his body and the hand pulled him down onto her chest. His large brown eyes were staring into the little girls when they snapped open.

  “Allison!”

  Allison sat up and Bear ran away and took shelter between behind David's legs. She put a hand over her chest and clenched her shirt. “Olivia...my heart...it's....” her hands moved up to throat as each word burned coming out, “I'm so thirsty....”

  Troy couldn't be the one to give up his blood as he was gearing up for a fight so David slit his wrist and let the blood pour into a cup before handing it to the girl. As soon as she caught the scent of his blood, her eyes came close to darkening but Olivia grabbed her shoulders and forced Allison to look into her eyes, “You will drink this blood and no longer be thirsty.”

  “Maybe I should try?” Troy offered but Allison nodded her head and repeated after Olivia, shocking them.

  She downed the blood and looked at Olivia. “I'm a vampire?”

  “You are. But I need you to listen to me, I need you to tell me how this happened,” she spoke quickly as she pressed her palms on Allison's face. “Did my mother do this?”

  “No, it was Felicity. The Matriarch never came back but she ordered us to leave and just before we were to depart Felicity locked me in the house and said I had run away.”

  “Where were they going?”

  “I heard Dr. Wilkinson say something about a recreation center...” she said, uncertain.

  “Why were you covered in blood?” Olivia tried as calmly as she could to ask but the word alone made thirsty.

  “I found human food in the refrigerator and cabinets but when I tried to eat them, I just threw them up...eventually I started throwing blood up. Olivia, what's going on? How did you become a vampire? When Noah left, she said he was as good as dead outside the colony and you probably died yourself. Have you seen Noah?” Her lips quivered and her body trembled as she asked.

  Olivia shook her head slowly.

  “We have to find him!”

  Olivia shook her head more fiercely. “That is not what I meant. Noah is gone. He is dead.”

  Allison fell into Olivia's arms and began sobbing. She tossed her head from side to side, refusing to believe that Noah had truly died. “You mean he's a vampire, right?” she screamed. “That's what you mean, right?”

  Olivia crossed her arms behind Allison's head and pressed her inward in an effort to stop her rampant shuddering as she shook frantically. “No Allison. He is dead and it is my fault.”

  She let out a muffled yell, “No!” Her tears streamed down Olivia's pants leg.

  “Please listen to me. I will try,” she paused, “I will take vengeance out on....”

  She couldn't finish her sentence. To take vengeance out on his and Alexa's killer would to be to kill herself, but if not for Erika she wouldn't have been turned. Though, if it hadn't been for her mother she wouldn't have been able to be turned in the first place. That single thought was the only thing that justified the insanity in Erika's plan and her actions.

  Allison was still screaming when she unfixed the girl's hands from her clothes and pulled her off of her. She didn't want to let go, she couldn't let go, but by the time she opened her eyes she was struggling in the arms of David and Olivia was gone. Troy didn't glance at Olivia as he drove through the town after she had said just a few words.

  To the recreation center.

  It had been, after all, where all of it started and it helped that Allison confirmed her suspicion when they briefly spoke. David mentioned that Erika had left, saying that she was headed to the fight. Olivia had hoped her manipulation would be strong enough to hold while she was away but how could she really contain a new vampire's thirst in just a few words? She wanted to ask Troy if he thought his father would be OK but he had been staring too intently onto the road to be disturbed. There was once again a heavy pounding in Troy's chest and as deafening and sporadic as it was, it sounded like battle music and gave her a sense of ready for the fight to come.

  He was anything less than steady as he drove into the parking lot and jerked unevenly into a spot. Olivia was already out of the car and standing at the door of the recreation center before he shut off the car's engine. Troy trotted through the rain dre
nched lot, pools of water splashing as he made his way toward her. It was dark under the canopy and he could barely see Olivia as she stood there but he could feel her presence. They had awaited Erika who gave no word as to when she would show up or what she would do when she did and after a few minutes, he let out a breath and spoke quietly, “What is your plan of action?”

  “I don't plan. I just do.”

  She turned to walk inside but Troy pulled her back, their fingers touching for the first time. She thought she heard a flicker of sparks when they met but she wasn't sure. His hands were warm and instead of fading away as his touch usually did, it lingered as if the warmth was pouring into her and filling her body.

  “Clearly, Erika led you to this place outnumbered and she's not here, so it's a good idea to have a plan...”

  “How do you know we are outnumbered?” She had a look of genuine shock on her face.

  “I've learned a skill or two since finding out about my kitsune blood. I can tell there's humans walking around in there...I don't know how many, but I can hear them.”

  “Nine.”

  “Are you planning to kill them? These could be people you've grown up with...held hostage...”

  Her first thought was of Sam who rarely spoke but when she did, she had said something so profound Olivia couldn't escape those words. When I become a vampire, I'm going to eat her first. Those words alone showed Olivia the type of person Sam really was. She had been the type who would've been better suited as the vampire to fight for Troy, but it was too late for that. Her second thought was of Natalie and how much of her trust she would be betraying by storming the building with the intent to kill and she briefly wondered if telling the truth of Noah's death would alone kill her. Her final thought was of Troy and what she was going to do to keep him out of her way. Out of harm's way. Her fingers slipped out of his grasp but there was something cool pulsating in his hand as it replaced hers. She had pulled the daggers out of her jacket pocket and told him faintly to protect himself.

  She left him outside, reasoning with herself that the bulk of the fight was inside and therefore he would be better off not in the recreation center. She had long since rid herself of the urge to drink his blood but she knew anything could happen with a bunch of blood drinking humans so all she wanted for him to do was stand outside and wait for it to be over. It had almost been ironic the last words she heard from him as she let go of his hands.

  Don't get yourself killed.

  When she slipped through the door, she noticed the lights were off and even with her vampire sight that could literally eat through the darkness, she still had to adjust. As she waited for her eyes to adjust, she caught the scent of something familiar and heard a soft whistle as something split the air and pinned her throat to the wall.

  “Hello, Olivia.”

  With the bolt stuck in her throat she couldn't speak but she knew very easily who had said her name.

  Twenty Four

  Olivia ripped the bolt out of her throat and sunk to the ground, coughing up blood as the wound closed itself. Bright light filled the hall like a rush of water crawling through a tunnel and scurrying up the sides as it encased her. She lifted her head and saw Felicity walking toward her with a crossbow in her hands.

  “So nice of you to join us.”

  “I am not here for you Felicity.”

  Olivia had stood up and was shaking her head in warning at Felicity but the girl didn't stop her tortuously slow saunter. There was a glimmer of cruel delight in her eyes as she eyed Olivia and she even paused to yawn, tapping a palm to her lips before putting the crossbow in front of her again. Her pale skin wasn't nearly as flawless as it used to be and Olivia could see faint scars across her neck and collar bone.

  “You certainly aren't afraid of a vampire.”

  “Are you kidding me? I've been waiting to kick your ass and it would be a pleasure to do it myself but unfortunately that's not my job.”

  Olivia's eyes widened and then she stumbled back at the sting of the bolts as Felicity shot one and loaded another. “That's for cheating in class—told you I'd find out.”

  The bolts were pinned in her heart and she rolled onto her back to yank them out. When she sat up, she saw Felicity running down the hall. Olivia had been losing blood and was groaning as she staggered against the wall and used it to stand up. She heard a heavy metal door slam from where Felicity had run to and suddenly a wave of pattering hearts filled the hall and she saw about eight or so men walking toward her. They certainly weren't men she recognized and she noted that they couldn't be blood drinkers as their bodies were much bigger than the blood drinking men she knew. She wondered if these could be the hostages but there was something about the way they looked at her as if they knew what she was and weren't afraid. One man was dressed in a business suit, an eggplant dress shirt underneath and she half expected him to be carrying a briefcase but instead he had a machete. Another wore clothes resembling a mechanic and held tightly onto a wrench as he stalked toward her.

  No matter what Erika said, she still couldn't believe that her mother had the power, as a human, to control the minds of others. Erika challenged with a thought, suggesting that she had been under her mother's control all along, unable to believe that she could do any wrong and Olivia was briefly toying with it now. She watched their every movement closely and finally decided to speak, the hilt of her weapon tight in her hand, “Who are you?”

  They didn't answer. It was strange that she could cry real tears but she couldn't sweat but she imagined if she could, she might've been sweating quite a bit now. “I will not kill you if you let me pass.”

  Those words were all they needed to lunge at her haphazardly. First, the guy with the wrench ran toward her and swung but she jumped back, avoiding him. When she had gotten far enough away from him, she announced, “The difference between me and whoever is ordering you to fight me is that I will kill you.”

  The guy once again ran towards her but instead of swinging he held the wrench up, ready to stab her. She knocked it out of his hand and grabbed his throat, squeezing so tightly he began to choke on his saliva. She watched his eyes roll back and despite wanting to pull away she kept her hand there, relishing in the life she was draining him of. She had to admit it felt even better knowing she didn't have to be bogged down by her bloodlust as she watched him die in her hands but still she kept the sword in her grasp. All of the men stood there watching, almost entranced by the sight of her strength. She tossed him aside and turned to the others. Before any of them could react she was in front of the man dressed in the business suit, dropping the sword and snapping his neck. Each time she killed, she felt a greater sense of power watching them fall. The need to kill had been ingrained in her and it wouldn't let up as it grew stronger with each person she ravished with her own hands. The feeling was exhilarating.

  With bodies sprawled out on the floor there was just one left, with no weapon in hand. He picked up the dropped dao and ran toward her but she sidestepped him and broke his neck when she got behind him. She picked up the weapon and started toward the doors that Felicity ran through. As she got closer she felt several more hearts beating and groaned and the thought of another fight. She tugged on the door and just as she opened it she felt her body get hot and her frozen heart thaw out. She felt the throbbing in her chest and knew that something was wrong. She turned back and ran through the halls and burst through the doors. Felicity was standing behind Troy, her body stepped out to the side and visible to Olivia, with a dagger was in his chest. She was bleeding and Olivia noted that Troy had given her quite a fight, striking her with several chakram and possibly the daggers before she had gotten a hold of them. She could see the depravity in the girl's eyes as she pulled the dagger out and limped away. She was pissed that she had fallen for such a cheap distraction and knew she should've expected that from her.

  Olivia was at Troy's side and awaited his return to life. She would've waited there all night if Erika hadn't showed up
and told her to go back inside.

  “I'll look after him, I promise. Just go back inside and fight for him.”

  When Olivia walked back inside, she was greeted with a sight she hadn't been prepared to see. A room full of newly turned vampires.

  “Have fun trying to kill them,” said Felicity who ordered the bloodthirsty beings forward and once again left. She figured Felicity must have just rounded them up randomly and gave them human blood a couple of times and led them to be killed just to turn them. The idea of it all made Olivia sick.

  She pulled her jacket off, throwing it to the ground in a huff and then pointed her sword forward boldly despite being wholly outnumbered. The fight was unfair but when had Felicity ever fought fair? That was the only thing she thought about as she slashed through the first man. His wound healed quickly and he ran toward her again, fangs bared and his eyes dark. This time she did not hold back as she sliced her blade through the air and took his head off. Another man had sunk his fangs into her neck when he came up behind her and she reached back and yanked him off of her, throwing him against the wall. He jumped up, nearly unscathed though the same could not be said for the wall that was chalked up with a huge dent in it. He, along with the rest of them, ran toward her. She could only fend off a couple at a time and only managed shallow cuts as she slashed at them but couldn't dismember them. One had gotten his hands on her arm and was biting down on her, allowing her to stab him in the back, right through his heart. It hadn't been enough to kill him, but the pain distracted him enough for him to stumble back and allow her wound to heal.

  The man with the purple dress shirt had appeared in front of her so quickly she almost didn't know what to do but had enough sense to thrust her hand in his chest and rip his heart out. He dropped to the ground and she watched him with wide eyes, almost confused at what she had done. She didn't have enough time to dwell as she turned around and swung at another man. He was entranced by his own blood as it seeped out of his chest and then she sliced his head off as well. It wasn't what she wanted to do, she didn't want to kill people like this but when it came to her life over theirs, she knew she had to be the one to survive, especially since her sire told her to do so.