While he hissed, a pair of perfectly white incisors slid down and he grabbed its throat within his jaws, ripping and spitting out a splatter of blood.
"That is disgusting, I hate killing these bastards!" He snapped, "Either come with me or I'll tell them I found you dead!"
Ophelia ran over to him before I could stop her and turned her head, her blonde curls framing her face perfectly, her bright blue eyes burning into mine; she looked as old as she was for once. She looked like a mature 18 year old staring at me for the life of me to go with her, and really I had no choice. She was all I had left then.
"Fine, let's go." I gave in.
"Where are we going?" Ophelia asked
"A school, for people like us, and nothing will get to us there, damn well promise." Kasper spoke as he eyed a vehicle out front.
"How are you sure?" I asked.
He laughed a little and led us out quickly to a car, "You just have to wait until you meet the ‘Captains’."
“Captains?” I couldn’t help but ask.
“Yes, the people who run our school are basically Military men who happen to be like us.” He got in quickly and I followed along with Ophelia, her sitting in the backseat and me upfront next to Kasper.
“They make sure we’re all in line and some of us end up like them.”
“How old are you?” Ophelia asked
“Older than both you combined and then some probably.” He laughed “Hold on, we need to go now, there’s dozens more on their way here for you.”
I stared out the window as he hit the gas jerking us forward, when I managed to steal a look at the speedometer, it said 200 and that, didn’t scare me nearly as much as the fact that we nearly died by our own kind in our home.
“You’re both going to start over here, leave everything behind.”
“No problem.” I nodded and let my mind wander; We were stuck with a damn vampyre and we were trusting him with our lives. This was new even for me, and it scared me yet, made me feel a little safer, I looked into the mirror back at Ophelia and let myself manage to calm down finally, this would be hard to understand surely for us both.
Memories & A New Start
"Kasper, what is wrong with you lately?"
My attention fell on the woman to my left. She was slender, tall, with wavy blonde hair, and vibrant blue eyes, she held herself like a goddess, and practically floated as she walked.
"What do you mean what's wrong with me, Heather?"
"You attacked a guard for no reason!" She growled a little bit, "Do you know what this means?"
"No, What? Enlighten me."
"It means you, lost all freedom. You're going to that school."
"Good! That's where I’ve been trying to go." My head jerked sideways at the feeling of her cold flat palm slapping me across the cheek, i heard a small crack from my neck and knew if I was living, I would've been dead from the impact.
"You asshole, you good for nothing fucking asshole! You want to leave me!?" She screamed. "What the hell even made you consider this? Tell me! What has happened in your life that has made you resent me this much?"
I stared at her, my own eyes cold on hers as I slowly began to smile sitting back in my chair "What has happened? Heh, wouldn't you like to know."
“Yes, I very much so would like to know!” She hissed at me, her eyes bright and vampiric, and the bright red seeping into her irises color quickly.
I stared at her as her hand came down again against my face, she let out a string of profanities and then started taking out her anger on the furniture around her, and all I could do then was roll my eyes to keep from grabbing her and making her stop.
I instead decided to let myself stay seated where I was and slowly let my mind wander... to the summer of the last of my human years, the first time I met this "Heather".
***
New England, 1895
I sighed a little bit slowly raising my hand to wipe my brow's with the back of it; I was filthy covered head to toe in dirt and soot, my only pair of clothes were tattered now and my shoes long gone, and I was in dire need of a haircut.
It was my Eighteenth year, and mother had passed away. Father was missing and my baby sister was sickly, I was working four separate jobs to try and get her help, but I had feared that I was already too late. I took the money I was paid and walked towards my house, I had enough for bread, but I could go another night without food, Claire was the one who needed things.
When I got home, I could hear her as clearly as if she were sitting next to me, her lungs were filled with fluids, her breathing was slow and raspy with each breath, and I feared nothing but the worst.
At ten years, Claire was usually strong and smart, until the day I saw her break down with her first fit of coughs, from there it kept getting worse and worse, her small pale body was thinner than normal and turning a ashen color, her blonde hair was plastered with sweat around her body, her soft blue eyes were weakly held open to watch me as she smiled weakly.
"You look like crap, brother."
"Shh, don't talk...” I said quickly sitting next to her, brushing back some of her hair delicately "Are you getting worse?"
She nodded slowly, looking away. "I feel weaker and sicker than I did yesterday." I shuddered, thinking about some foreseeable death as I kissed her forehead pulling her blankets up. "Rest, I'll fix you something to eat.”
She barely made a sound as she let her eyes flutter shut. I got up walking off scavenging for what food I could find lying around.
Once she ate, I left for my third job of the day; as a gravedigger. As long as you could keep the job and not become scared and run away, it paid a pretty penny, so even if fear took over I was willing to die from fright than quit.
It was mid-day, good four hours of sunlight left when I arrived. It was a good thing too, I usually had quite a few jobs to do and it always got dark when I was half-way through.
"Glad you're on time today, boy."
I nodded quickly "Got off early today, Mr. Rently."
"Ah, well good." He turned his head, spitting before looking back at me. "Got us about fifteen new bodies today, I dug up twenty hole's earlier for the ones we got this here mornin'. Make sure you dig up 'em fifteen holes for me, here's your pay in advance, and I'm feelin' under the weather and need to go. I’m sure you can handle this." He said tossing me a satchel.
I caught it with ease staring at the bag before nodding "Yes. Of course, sir."
"Good good, I will s'you tomorrow then."
I watched as he left; his short pudgy body awkwardly limping down the street, his bald head nearly gleaming when the sun hit it. I bit my lip to keep back my laugh as I put the money I had gotten into my pocket grabbing my shovel and walking off to begin my work.
I watched as he left; his short pudgy body awkwardly limping down the street, his bald head nearly gleaming when the sun hit it. I bit my lip to keep back my laugh as I put the money I had gotten into my pocket grabbing my shovel and walking off to begin my work.
I was finishing my last hole when I heard it, a shuffling of some sort, like a woman was near; the noise skirts made was hardly easy to ignore or to not hear. I climbed out of the hole quickly setting my shovel off to the side, looking around to find where it had come from. Only 'It' had found me.
"So you're the boy with the sick sister?" A girl's voice rang from behind me
"How do you know!" I yelled as I jumped turning around to stare her in the face.
"The Grave keeper of course, he tells all those things." She giggled. "What's your name?"
"Kasper. Yours ma'am?" He said to her, speaking as politely as he could manage.
"I am, Heather Maylor." She smiled happily, letting her head tilt in a flirty way, her blonde spiral curls falling out of her bun around her face highlighting each of her features.
‘"Well Ma'am, it was lovely to meet you but I must get out of here and back to my sister."
"Oh nonsense! She's going to die anyways." She giggled
I straightened, letting my eyes form into daggers as I stared at her, a bubble of rage building highly inside of me "Excuse. Me." I said bitterly walking by without a word, her careless giggles following after me.
When I got home, I knew something was wrong from the start; our house's door was wide open. it was never that strong but I always made sure it was shut so she was safer. I ran up to the house at that, and as soon as I stepped inside I froze, I felt the blood drain from my face, and my heart stop pounding within my chest for a moment before my mind fully understood what had happened.
Someone murdered Claire.
I stared at the blood splattered all along the room, bits of her body strewn around, I fell back out of the door onto the cold ground with a cry as I stared at it, beginning to shake. ''Why on earth would anyone want to kill her? Ever.''
I sat there letting it sink in, swallowing slowly before I let out a loud scream of pain, my fists clenching and unclenching in the grass. I stood up slowly moving forward again to make sure my eyes weren't playing tricks on me, and saw it again.
This time I left the house, beginning to dry heave, clutching my stomach with my left hand as I let out one more yell.
"What the hell did she ever do!" i screamed out at nothing falling onto my knees and then my side, clutching my stomach still as I closed my eyes "What did Claire ever do..?''
I passed out from the agony after a while, falling into a sleep that lasted longer than even I knew, I lost all three jobs for sleeping for almost four day's straight, and the police had come by to check on me and found my sister, I ran first moment I saw them.
***
New England, 1896
A year had passed, and I was still on the run though I doubted I’d be recognized now. I had chopped off my hair finally, leaving me with nothing more than a buzz cut of sorts. I was cleaned up most of the time from being able to con my way out of anything and into getting anything I wanted.
Though, I didn't use it like I should've most of the time, I used it enough to get myself a home, and some clothes and food.
Claire was always on my mind though; my little sister today would've been her eleventh birthday, she would've been beaming and well, and just happy and joyful as any other time instead of being dead in the ground next to our mother.
I swore that night a year ago that I would get my revenge on whoever did it and revenge I would in fact get.
Just as I was letting my mind wander into a rage, someone has knocked on my door, I stood up quickly, walking to the door in small strides as I tried to escape my thoughts and plaster on a friendly smile.
I had just got it down, when I opened the door and just as quickly it fell away.
"You! I know you!"
"Of course you do Kasper; I’ve had my eye on you." Heather smiled striding in without asking
"How's sister dearest doing in her grave? Hope she enjoys it, she was a fun toy."
"Toy?" I narrowed my eyes slamming the door shut "You, killed my sister and dare walk into my home!" I all but screamed.
"Now now. If we don't settle down I'll have to ki-"
"Shut the fuck up!" I snapped. "You killed my only family; my baby sister was murdered in an impossibly cruel and foul way because of YOU!"
"Yes yes."
"You bitch." I walked towards her "I'll kill you."
She smiled wickedly at that, slowly taking her hand and running it down my face "Tsk tsk. Such a mouth on you, shouldn't have threatened me now what to do? I like you too much to have to kill you... I know."
"What are you going off about?" I snapped raising my hand to hit her, I had never struck a woman in my life but she was one I would strike and not think twice over.
She grabbed my arm and within a few impossibly inhuman motions she had me pinned face first into the ground, blood was trickling from my side
"Mmm... smell that ripe blood." She laughed. "You smell delicious, shut up and stop moving so I can enjoy."
"What the hell are you planning you crazy b-" I let out a scream that soon died away as I felt her teeth sink within my skin, it soon went from pain to a numbing sensation, and I laid still as I began to let my eyes flutter shut, she drank greedily, not caring what I did as she let out a noise like a pleasure full moan, then everything went dark.
***
I shook my head waking up from my own trance staring at Heather snarling a little bit
"You know what you did, and you know how much I resent you." I snapped at her.
"You hurt me Kasper. I thought we got over this, it was another lifetime."
"And she was my sister." I growled, hearing the door open
"Kasper, your car is here."
"Good." I snapped standing up and stalking off, my long hair hanging in my eyes as i shoved my hands in my pockets and walked out the door of the room to the front door in less than a stride, opening the door and walking out. I heard Heather yelling inside for me to come back and only smiled cruelly to myself.
"Kasper! Don't do this!"
"Why Heather? Afraid?" I asked opening the passenger side door and slipping in, leaving it open so I could hear her.
"No, you just can't. You're not allowed."
"You're not my mother, she was a good woman and she's dead. You are a heartless dead monster, and you will always be as such."
She widened her eyes staring at me as she went to reply growling, "And what are you?"
"The same as you...”
"I hope you die there." She screamed in my direction.
"I hope I do too, Heather. I hope you die as well, it'll do this Earth good." With that I slammed the door shut and heard her muffled yells as the driver pulled out and away, watching as she attempted to run humanly after us, laughing as she did so.
"How far is this school?" I asked the driver, watching his yellow eyes slit a little bit as he smiled.
"About a day's drive sir, I took the liberty of getting a blackout blanket and screen for you."
"Thank you." I said nodding
"You won’t die there though, you're far older and more trained than they will be, and you’ll probably be promoted into helping run it."
"Is that so? Hmm, this may be interesting."
“Yes sir, they’re always looking for experienced helpers there.” The driver spoke coolly.
“What kind of work is this we’re talking about?” I asked inclining my head to the side as I awaited his reply.
“They always want help, fighting,” He cleared his throat and began again, “They train the younger generation there sir, and they’d appreciate an older one as yourself to help teach them the ropes so that they do not go out into the world helpless.”
“Interesting,” I rubbed my jaw. “Do you know what kind of students tend to go there?”
“Yes sir, Fey, Witches, Shifters, Wolves, Vampyres such as yourself, as well as demons and others as well.” He shifted his eyes for a moment to me then looked back at the road “Always busy there sir. Always”
“Sounds like this will be very fun,” I smirked. “You’re very well informed.”
"Clearly sir, I will tell you once we're there."
"Will do," I said yawning as I looked at my watch, almost sunrise. “I’ll be taking a small nap then till we’re there.” I got situated and let my eyes fall shut passing out quickly into a sleep.
Thieves, Gypsies and Witches
Esmeralda sighed softly. Living from place to place wasn't exactly the funnest thing in the world but, you take what you can get when you live like her and her father did.
William Krylee, was her father, leader, and mentor, they were a group of Gypsies; amongst the group were four others like her and her father. dhampire's, half vampyre and half human. Each day was something new, but not any better than the last day, each day, was a new target to thieve from, to steal away all they had just so their group could live.
But everyone expected it, Gypsy's were supposed to be thieves, and good for nothing liar's, and growing up as on
e made her wonder half the time, why did she bother being as nice as she was, but she never changed.
"Esme, mi amour, wake up daughter."
"I'm awake, Father." She said merely turning and smiling weakly up to the never aging man.
"Very well, meet me out front, we must move on."
"Yes father."
She made her way out of the small abandoned house they found, meeting the others outside it, there were fifteen in total, six dhampires, and nine humans. Each and every one was family to her. Leena was a surrogate mother to her and a best friend to her father after her actual mother had died.
She quickly brushed some of her black hair from her face, letting her ice blue eyes scan the ground, last night it was still fall, cold but not covered in this white ice, now it's like she was in another world, another dimension even though she felt neither cold nor warm.
"Esme, we must go after them...we need Carlos back." Her father spoke to her calmly as if this situation was nothing, but at those words her heart raced, so fast she thought it'd leap from of her chest.
"Father no, something isn't right. I know it’s wrong but by now he's dead." She said sternly.
"Come on, Esme... my little Esmeralda, don't let silly fears cloud your judgment, come we have to get started.”
"Esme, Esme!" A girl yelled in a fit of giggles followed then by a boy calling her name. She turned on her foot quickly to see a girl and boy who looked about her age come running over; Amelia and Carter, her two best friends.
"Amelia! Carter!" She smiled brightly, Amelia ran over letting her full skirt rush around her in waves before she swung her arms around Esmeralda hugging her tightly. Esmeralda hugged her back with her own embrace as her arms wrapped up around that of Amelia.
"Are you ready to kick some ass, Es?" Carter asked, his darkened eyes scanning her over.
"Kick some ass? No, I'll do without." She frowned as she spoke to the male.
"Always the spoil sport, Es.” Carter had moved back a step as he stretched out a bit, as he moved into a squatting position, stretching his hamstrings.
"Shut up Carter. It's not like we want to kill." Amelia frowned as she watched him, not quite sure of his actions.
The Darker Side: Short Stories Page 2