Bryn Morrow

by Cooley, Mike

  “Dig that guy over there,” Tommy said, keeping his voice down. “KGB?”

  Jason turned around and scanned the bar casually. “He does look like an enforcer of some type. I’ve never seen him before.”

  The stranger was solidly built, with sandy brown hair and brown eyes. His gaze was piercing, and he looked at people as if he were analyzing their ability to run. He caught Jason looking at him and stood up. He grabbed his beer and walked across the room towards them.

  “Uh oh,” said Suze. She turned around and grabbed her glass with both hands, then slid closer to Jason on the padded bench of the booth.

  “Hello, I’m Simon,” said the stranger. He was dressed in boots, blue jeans, and a black leather jacket heavy with studs. His belt had a python buckle. He sat down next to Tommy, who slid toward the window, giving Simon room.

  “Hey, Simon,” said Tommy, trying to keep the panic off his face. “You must be new around here.”

  “I am. Just traveling. Are you all local? I’m looking for someone I met… online.” Simon smiled a dangerous smile, and set his dark beer down on the table in front of him. Judging from the distinctive creamy color of the foam, he was drinking Guinness. His hands were large and scarred. He was wearing a gold ring on his left middle finger that had an obsidian stone in the center.

  “Yeah, we’re from just down the road a bit in Lanston.” Jason topped off his beer from the pitcher and refilled Suze’s glass. He introduced his friends.

  Suze gulped some beer and put her right hand on Jason’s knee. Tommy raised his glass to his lips and turned to look at Simon.

  “Ah, Lanston. That’s where I’m headed.” Simon placed a hand on the table, and his beer slid toward it. The puddle of condensation from the pitcher near his left hand ran toward his fingers and evaporated.

  Suze gasped. Jason squeezed her knee and gave her a look.

  “There’s nothing in Lanston. It’s even smaller than Corwin.” Tommy raised his hands to indicate their surroundings. He met Jason’s eyes with a look that told him to play along.

  “Hmm.” Simon drank his dark beer, eyes fixed on Suze’s neck. “Do any of you know a girl named Celeste? She has dark skin and eyes like jade. Her hair is pale like moonlight.”

  Jason and Tommy kept their expressions neutral while looking at each other across the table. Their hearts were racing. Suze was about to speak when Jason stepped on her foot.

  “Doesn’t sound familiar,” said Jason, heart thudding loudly in his ears. He could feel his face heating up. “What do you want her for, anyway?”

  “We know everyone in Lanston, so you’d just be wasting your time going there.” Tommy hid his expression behind his beer glass.

  Suze had a panicked look on her face, and her lips were pressed tightly together. Her back was against the bench and she was watching Simon. Jason squeezed her knee reassuringly.

  Simon looked from one face to another. Under his studded leather jacket, he was wearing a red T-shirt with Karl Marx on it. Marx was wearing a lampshade on his head. “Thank you. You’ve been very helpful.” He slid to his right and stood, then grabbed his beer. He brushed a hand against Suze’s dark hair and dragged his fingertips over her neck. Then he headed back to the bar.

  Suze exhaled and trembled. Her blue eyes were wide with fear. Jason wrapped his arms around her and gave her a hug. “I’m sorry he scared you.”

  “This is not good.” Tommy watched Simon’s back. “We need to warn Celeste.”

  “Did you see his beer move all by itself?” Suze asked. “When his eyes connected with mine, I felt a powerful force drawing me in. And he was staring at my neck instead of my tits. Who does that?”

  “We need to finish this pitcher and get out of here,” said Jason. “Lanston is only twenty miles away, and he is already planning on going there.” Jason refilled everyone’s glasses, and they drank up.

  “Do you think he’s like Bryn?” Tommy asked.

  “I don’t know,” said Jason. “But we can’t take any chances.”

  Chapter 18

  Jason knocked on the door and waited. It was ten, and he wasn’t sure Celeste was still up. There were lights on in the living room, but the curtains were closed. It had been a couple of years, but he still wasn’t used to the fact that Celeste’s mom didn’t live there anymore. It was a two-story house, with four bedrooms and a small, fenced back yard. Celeste had painted it forest green after her mom died, covering up the bright yellow that had adorned it all the years of her childhood. The colorful flower garden in front was gone, replaced by a rock garden and small bushes. Celeste had never been a gardener and didn’t want the house to remind her of the painful loss any more than it had to.

  “Jason?” She opened the door a crack and looked out.

  “Can I come in for a minute? There’s something I need to tell you.” Jason turned around, examining her yard and his blue Chevy parked out front. He looked up and down the street, and then turned to face her.

  “Sure.” Celeste opened the door wider and let him in, then shut the door behind him.

  Jason locked the door, then led the way into the living room and sat on the black leather couch facing the TV. The news was on, but the sound was low. Celeste sat next to him. She was in a white nightgown, and her journal was lying open on the glass coffee table.

  “What is it? You look scared.”

  “I was in Corwin at Brinkman’s with Suze and Tommy.” Jason met her eyes. He leaned back and tried to relax. His gaze went from window to window. He clenched his hands.

  “You’re dating Suze now? That’s nice. I like her.”

  “Well, dating is a bit of an exaggeration. And I’m not here to talk about Suze.” Jason leaned forward and put his hands on his knees.

  “Let me get you a beer,” she said, standing up and heading for the kitchen. “You’re making me nervous.”

  “Thanks, babe.” He looked around the familiar house. It hadn’t been that long since the breakup, and everything looked the same. “And you’re seeing Bryn?”

  “Yes.” She handed him a Summit Ale, then sat down to his right.

  Jason twisted the cap off and took a big gulp. He resisted the urge to place his hand on her knee. She looked like an angel in her white nightgown, and his heart skipped a beat. “There’s a new guy. I think he’s dangerous. He calls himself Simon.”

  “Simon!” She jumped to her feet. “You saw Simon?” Her arms were extended and her knees were bent like she was ready to bolt.

  Jason’s eyes widened. “You know him?”

  “Only from a dream.” She trembled and sat back down. She rubbed her face with her palms and took a deep breath. “Tell me.”

  “He was asking about you. We didn’t say nothing, but I think he knows you’re here… in Lanston.” Jason took another swig of beer and set the bottle down on the glass table.

  “That’s not good. I think he’s a latent, like Bryn.”

  “A latent?” He looked puzzled.

  “It’s like a vampire, only different. Tell me what happened.” She leaned forward and watched him with wide eyes. Her hand rested on his knee.

  Jason couldn’t help but admire the view of Celeste’s breasts through the thin nightgown. He glanced at her neck, looking for bites. The room smelled like sandalwood from a lit candle under the window. “He sat with us. And when he reached for his beer, it slid toward his hand. I thought I was seeing things. There was a puddle of water on the table near our pitcher, and it flowed toward him and vanished.”

  “They feed on water. Somehow their skin is able to absorb and process it,” Celeste explained.

  “I thought vampires fed on blood.” Jason downed the rest of his beer and set the empty bottle down. He resisted the urge to hold Celeste in his arms and comfort her.

  “Latents are different, although they do have a taste for blood.” Celeste self-consciously looked down at her left arm; the sleeve of her nightgown hid the Band Aid.

  “I wanted to warn you he’s look
ing for you. I don’t know what he wants, but he looks powerful. Dangerous.” Jason tried not to notice Celeste’s delectable lips. She was with Bryn now.

  “Thank you, Jason.” Celeste gave him a hug. He tried to ignore the pressure of her breasts against him. “It was brave of you to come here.”

  “Are you going to be all right alone? I could go get my rifle and stand watch.” He reluctantly let go of her and stood.

  “That won’t be necessary. I warned Bryn about Simon.” She smiled.

  “You think Bryn can take him?” He asked.

  “I think Simon would kill a mortal without thinking twice. I don’t want you getting in the way. I may have broken up with you, but I don’t want you to get killed.”

  “I still have feelings for you. And I want to help, but I understand.”

  “Thanks, Jason.”

  “You call me if you need me. I won’t let Simon hurt you. Thanks for the beer.”

  She stood up and escorted him to the front door, which she unlocked and opened. “Thanks for warning me. I didn’t expect Simon to find me so fast. I only had the dream a few days ago.”

  “Anytime, babe. Be safe.” He looked into her pale, green eyes for a moment. He swallowed the heartache and didn’t let any sign of it reach his face. Then he turned away and headed down the walkway toward his car. He heard the door close and lock behind him.

  Chapter 19

  “I came here because of the girl,” said Simon. “I never expected to hear stories about one of us walking in daylight. But I knew you were here somewhere. It’s not possible for our kind to move through society completely unnoticed.”

  Bryn glanced at his watch. It was quarter to six in the morning. It was dark except for the stars and moon. He had been walking back toward Lake Saul from the north when Simon showed up, blocking his path.

  “I thought I was the only one.” Bryn kept his arms loose and watched Simon warily. He scanned the ground for something to use as a weapon. He could see the lake over Simon’s shoulder, the smell coming to him on the breeze. “For two hundred years, I had never met another. What do you want with Celeste?”

  “Answers. Why was she there when I died? How many more of us has she seen? Where are they?” Simon took a step closer and looked Bryn over.

  “She doesn’t know any of that. She is drawn to us in her dreams.” Bryn looked past Simon at the glassy smoothness of the water. There was no traffic yet, but the people of Lanston would be stirring soon. The birds were still silent in the trees.

  “You give me the girl and the secret to daylight.” Simon circled Bryn at a distance. “And I let you live.”

  “I have a different plan,” said Bryn. He turned to keep Simon in front of him. “You leave town, and I give you a head start.” He extended his arms, palms up, showing he bore Simon no harm.

  Simon laughed. “I’m stronger than you.” He was wearing a studded leather jacket over a red shirt which did little to conceal the strength of his build. His hands and face were scarred.

  “You’ve only been dead twenty-seven years. What makes you think you can beat me?” Bryn asked.

  “Vampires don’t get stronger with age. That’s a myth,” said Simon. He bent his knees and clenched his fists, getting ready to spring.

  “I’m a latent, not a vampire.” Bryn didn’t respond to Simon’s aggressive stance. He stood still and stayed relaxed.

  “That’s a rather dull term for what we are, don’t you think?” Simon bared his teeth. His incisors were capped with silver and glinted in the moonlight.

  Bryn’s back was to the lake. He looked at his watch again. “It’s just you, against me… and the sun.” He reached into the inside pocket of his leather jacket, pulled out his sunglasses, and put them on. He was wearing a white T-shirt under his jacket, and jeans.

  Dawn broke across the water and raced toward them. Simon lunged toward the lake, but Bryn caught him by the arm in an iron grip.

  “Oh, come on. A little sun will be good for your skin.” Bryn laughed.

  Simon screamed. His exposed skin began to bubble. “So it is true? Let go of me!”

  “I can’t emphasize the importance of an accurate timepiece strongly enough.” Bryn held on tight.

  The fear built in Simon’s brown eyes. He struggled against Bryn’s grip. His face was red and charred. Smoke rose from his skin. Light shone across the water as the sun rose above the horizon. Simon screamed and tore at Bryn, but Bryn maintained his grip. Simon was weakening while the polymer continued to protect Bryn from the harsh daylight.

  “Let go.” Simon dropped to his knees. His hair was smoking and his eyes steamed. The skin of his face melted like wax.

  “Stay away from Celeste, or I’ll kill you.” Bryn released Simon, who crawled to the lake, leaving bits of flesh behind. The water boiled where he went under. The air smelled like burned meat.

  Bryn watched the surface of the lake until it was as smooth as glass. The sun rose like a demon into the sky, and the birds began to sing.

  Chapter 20

  Bryn sat at a table in a dark corner of Rock and Bowl, upstairs from the bowling lanes. He had a glass of wine in front of him, and his back was to the wall. The entrance was at the other end of the room, and he was facing it. The bar was to his right and had an assortment of animal heads and trophy fish on the wall above it. The bartender was a brunette with a nice smile.

  Celeste came in the front door, looked around, and then walked over to his table.

  “Thanks for meeting me here,” he said.

  “It’s good to see you again.” She leaned over and kissed him on the lips. She was wearing a pink blouse and blue jeans. Her hair was tied back with a red ribbon. “I missed you.”

  Bryn slid his hand around to the small of her back as he responded to her kiss. His dark blue eyes lit up. “It’s always a pleasure to see you. You look stunning.”

  She pulled a chair out and sat down facing him. He slid the glass of wine over to her. “People look at me strangely when I don’t eat or drink anything, so I ordered this for you.”

  “Thanks,” Celeste smiled and took a sip. It was dry burgundy the color of blood; it tasted of oak casks and time. “I’ll let you bite me somewhere later.”

  His eyebrow lifted. “Temptress.”

  She smiled. “What did you need to talk to me about?” She glanced over her shoulder at the other people in the bar. A few were down on the lanes bowling, and the regulars were sitting at the bar. Most of the tables were full of people chatting and drinking.

  “Simon.”

  “He sure is popular… for a dead guy.” She drank more wine and licked her lips. She unfastened another button on her blouse and watched Bryn’s reaction.

  “He’s dangerous. I encountered him this morning.” His gaze slid down to her breasts and then back.

  “What does he want from me?”

  “He thinks you are special. He thinks you know where other latents are. He wants to know… things.”

  “Other latents? I’ve only seen you and him.”

  “Are you sure?” He reached out and took her hand. “Maybe in a dream you barely remember?” He lifted her hand and kissed the back of it.

  She sifted through her memories and came up empty. “I’m sorry. For the longest time you were the only one in my dreams. And then Simon showed up.”

  “Do you have feelings for him?” He released her hand.

  “Of course not! I’ve never even met him. He doesn’t seem like you. He’s hard. Changed.”

  “He has powers. Like I do. And I’m worried I may not be able to stop him if he tries to take you.”

  “Then you must tell me how I can protect myself.” She finished her wine. “I know you have spent centuries guarding your secrets, but you can’t leave me defenseless. Don’t you believe you can trust me?”

  He rubbed his hands together and looked down at the wooden table. “Old habits die hard. I want to trust you, I really do. But when you are one such as I—defenseless in the
sunlight—you either stay paranoid, or you die.”

  “Try.” She arched her back and smiled brightly. Sliding her chair closer to Bryn, she reached under the table, resting her hand on his thigh.

  “You are fire.” He placed his hand on her lower back and rubbed gently.

  “And you are rock.” She slid her hand up the inside of his thigh and felt him, gasping at his thickness.

  He smiled. “Your best defense against him is sunlight. At night he will be nearly impossible to kill.”

  “Is there anything that will keep him away? Silver, garlic, crosses?”

  “Nothing like that. We are not vampires.”

  “And I can’t stab him with a wooden stake?”

  “It’s extremely difficult to penetrate the skin of a latent. And he would heal too quickly. There’s no heart to stop. His blood doesn’t flow.”

  “Well, that’s a bitch then.” She squeezed his hardness.

  He looked down her shirt while smelling her neck. “Gunfire should slow him down. Bright lights using the solar spectrum will cause him pain.”

  “Thanks. I hope I don’t have to use any of that, but I will prepare the best I can.”

  “How will you know if I’m in trouble?”

  “I won’t. I’m not psychic. Call me on my cell.” He held up his phone.

  She laughed. “You are such a shitty vampire, Bryn.”

  He smiled. “Sorry I can’t live up to your mythological expectations, babe.”

  She touched his chest. “At least you’re warm, and you don’t turn into a bat.”

  “Well, aren’t you two cozy? Are you going to introduce me to your friend, Celeste?” Debra pulled out a chair and sat down, putting her beer glass on the table.