The Progeny

by Shelley Crowley

  Pushing his bad memories back behind the very flimsy door in his mind, Alexander threw his game face back on. “No. What did I just say? I said you were Turning. You haven’t fully Turned yet.”

  “But how?”

  Alexander’s eyes glazed over with exhaustion. “For a man who pretty much kills vampires for a living, you don’t know that much about them do you?” Nico scowled. “I spiked your meal with vampire blood. I’m guessing you’ve never tasted vampire blood before, otherwise you would have been able to tell the difference between it and cow blood.”

  Nico’s mouth opened and closed some more. “But how did you get your hands on that?”

  “The sexy little minx you have locked up in the basement was happy to help out.”

  Nico seemed to shrink back in the chair. “How do you know about her?”

  Alexander laughed. “Let’s just say I know a lot more about you than you realise. That just about clears everything up.”

  Nico’s eyes flicked to the door and then to the plastic bag on the floor. “You could have killed me. You had the chance to kill me. Why Turn me instead?”

  “You don’t deserve to die,” said Alexander, his voice raw and morose. “That’s the easy way out.”

  “So instead you’re going to Turn me into the thing I most despise in the world? Why? Is that supposed to make me stop this project after how far I have come?” Nico huffed a pitiful laugh. “That’s not going to happen.”

  Alexander flew off the desk and fisted Nico’s hair, jerked his head back and pressed the tip of the fancy silver letter opener against his throat. Nico gasped as the metal burned his skin. His grey eyes grew wide as Alexander bore down on him, almost vibrating with fury. “I am giving you a choice!” he hissed. “I can save you. You don’t have to Turn. I’m being the bigger man. I am offering something you never gave me. You stole everything from me and I could have so easily have done the same to you but I won’t. Because what would that do? It would be selfish of me to take your life as I know so many others who would love to do the honours.”

  “I don’t have to Turn?” Nico said hopefully.

  Alexander tightened his grip on his hair and pressed the letter opener firmer against the exposed skin of his neck, making him suck in a hiss of pain. “How about not thinking about yourself for one minute and start seeing the bigger picture?”

  “That’s all I have ever seen!” Nico exclaimed, his eyes wide and sparkling with madness. “A world without vampires! That’s the big picture! I can do it!”

  “No, you can’t!” snapped Alexander, letting go of his hair and dropping back against the desk, the letter opener hanging limply in his hand. He scrubbed his free hand over his face in dismay. “This world is fucked up. And your cure, it’s not going to un-fuck it up. It’s going to make it worse.”

  “Not if I solve the problem with the repressed memories. And I can. I know I can do it!”

  “You don’t know shit!” hissed Alexander. “Even if you sort out this cure of yours so that vampires can become human again with no added baggage, there are vampires out there that don’t want to be cured. Like me.” Alexander gulped back the sudden lump in his throat. “And they will feel threatened. And they will attack. You see, Nico? Your cure could wipe us all out. And it will if you unleash it into the world.”

  Nico shook his head vigorously, fighting off Alexander’s words. “That’s not true. I can save us all. It will save us all. Vampirism is a disease. It needs to be eradicated.”

  Alexander watched for a moment as Nico’s eyes glazed over. He was staring back at Alexander but it was as if he wasn’t seeing him at all. “How old were you when you were recruited onto this project? Seventeen?”

  Nico nodded and his eyes shifted away.

  “Pretty impressionable age, don’t you think?” He knelt before Nico, searching his eyes. “Your mind has been warped. All you can see is your goal and you think nothing can get in the way of it. Because you have been programmed to believe that’s the case. Doctor Willis or whatever his name is, has you thinking you’re a god. But here’s the thing, Nico,” Alexander stood, towering over him with his eyes reduced to slits. “There are no gods in this world. Only monsters. And I am not talking about vampires.” Alexander sank back onto the desk again. “Its men like you. Men who think they have a bigger purpose in life.”

  Nico cackled. “There are no other men like me.”

  “And thank fuck for that. Otherwise I’d have to take them out as well,” said Alexander tiredly. “Just think about it. Everyone left the project. There is a reason for that. You’ve already ruined fourteen people’s lives with your cure. Just let it go.” Tears welled in his eyes and his voice dropped to a broken whisper. “Please, just let it go.”

  A silence fell over them. Alexander had his head bowed so Nico couldn’t see him crying. He was emotionally and physically exhausted and Nico’s blind ignorance made him want to pull out his own hair.

  “But I was chosen.”

  Alexander tilted his head up slightly to see Nico through the curtain of his blond locks. He was gazing down at the floor, his shoulders slouched and his body limp with defeat. The white strips of his bed sheet had rubbed against his pale skin as he had strained and now left red lines across his chest.

  “What that doctor guy did to you was wrong. He led you down a path of anger and self-righteousness and then left you to fend for yourself. But it’s not too late to back down. Only you can end all of this.”

  “That’s why you didn’t kill me, isn’t it?” He looked up, meeting Alexander’s watery gaze.

  “You need to set us free. All of us. Only you can give those orders.”

  “And what happens if I don’t?”

  “I’m going to keep you here until you do and help you get accustomed to your new half-vampire body.”

  Nico opened his mouth to reply but then snapped it shut, gritting his teeth in pain as Alexander slapped the length of the silver letter opener across his bare lap. The sizzle and stench of burning flesh filled the room. The click of Nico’s newly acquired fangs bursting free made Alexander flinch back. Nico stared at him, wide-eyed as he licked the tips of his own fangs in horror.

  “I’m… I’m one of them now… Aren’t I? It’s happened. I’ve Turned.”

  Alexander rolled his eyes. “Not yet. And if you make the order to release us all, you won’t have to.”

  “But I have fangs!”

  “Yes, and you have a cure. If you stand down, I’ll let you have it.”

  Nico stared at him, his eyes wide and fearful. “My phone is on the bedside table.”

  Alexander rushed over and grabbed it. Nico told him the four-digit code for the loud speakers and Alexander held the phone to his ear.

  “A-attention all.” Alexander could hear the words echoing down the hall. Nico peered up at Alexander as he spoke. “I’m sorry for waking you all at this hour but I have an announcement to make.” His eyes squeezed shut for a moment, as if he were ashamed to be speaking these next words. “I resign. I am no longer going to be continuing with Project: Revive. I am so sorry but the truth is-” He sucked in a shaking breath. “The cure is as good as it is going to get.” The words were like a kick to Alexander’s gut. He had always suspected that Nico was incapable of following through with his promises but to actually hear him admit it was soul-crushing. There was no hope for his sanity. There never had been. “You may all be excused. Collect your things and leave the mansion immediately.” Nico’s voice began to tremble. “That goes for all of you. Stand down.”

  “And Joe can release Vanessa,” added Alexander.

  Nico’s eyes flickered up to him. “And Joseph… release Vanessa. Everyone- everyone is free to go.” Nico bowed his head and Alexander ended the call, tossing the phone onto the bed.

  “It’s done. Now you need to hold up your end of the deal.”

  With pleasure. Alexander sliced his forearm with the letter opener and pressed the oozing cut against Nico’s mouth. He
gasped and tried to twist away but Alexander grabbed his hair and forced him to drink. He choked it down, gagging and heaving. When Alexander released him, a seizure took over his body.

  “That fancy virus of yours has quite a kick, doesn’t it?” he hissed, his heart racing with adrenaline as Nico began foaming at the mouth.

  Nico convulsed violently and the chair tipped over. His head smacked against the carpet as he continued to groan and spasm. Alexander left him to choke on his own blood.

  Doors were opening as he passed through the corridors and sleepy, confused members of both the Cured and Nico’s team were stumbling out, bleary eyed.

  “Didn’t you hear?!” called Alexander, stabbing his finger down the stairs. “We’re free to go!”

  One by one, the disorientated victims of Nico’s tyranny fled the mansion and ran out onto the lit up driveway.

  Joe had stopped at the door and had grabbed Alexander in a bone crushing hug, and the now free Vanessa gave him a kiss on the cheek that left his face hot. He didn’t catch sight of Daisy or Jennifer – not that he cared. In fact, everyone rushing past him seemed to blur into one, and as his eyes darted around the hallway, he was hit with the heart wrenching realisation that he was looking out for the one person who he hadn’t been able to save.

  “Nico’s up in his room,” Alexander said to the guard by the front door who was standing looking flustered as the Cured made a run for it out of the building. “He’s sort of dying. He needs the cure. But it’s up to you if you wanna save his ass or let him die. I’m not too fussed either way.” He patted him on the shoulder as the man blinked at him in confusion then Alexander followed everyone else out of the door.

  The huge silver gates at the end of the driveway had been opened and Alexander jumped onto the grass just in time to not be run over by a black BMW as it sped past. He stared after it with longing. Now he no longer had his vampire speed, how the hell was he supposed to make it back to Varsee? He was hours away from their farmhouse in the countryside. He couldn’t walk it. He had no money for a taxi. And he had no experience stealing cars. He was fucked.

  The freezing winter night air had turning Alexander’s face numb as he wandered the streets wishing he had any idea of which direction he was supposed to be going. Unfortunately, he had been unconscious for most of the trip from the farmhouse to Nico’s so the right way was somewhat of a mystery. He had followed Snowflake up a few streets until he turned a corner and headed up the driveway and into a house- most likely his own. Where he had someone waiting for him? Alexander didn’t know. But he liked to think that there was. Not that he cared.

  Alexander huffed and squeezed his fingers together in the pockets of his jacket to gain some warmth. Thankfully he had shoved on a pair of his boots before he had left.

  He needed to stop pretending that he could go back to being the apathetic jerk that he had loved being. He had a conscience now. He had those disgusting, niggling things called feelings now. It was starting to get so bad that he had actually let himself feel a smidgen of sorrow for Nico. After realising how much his mentor had taken advantage of his young mind, Nico hadn’t looked like the man Alexander thought he knew. He just looked so lost and vulnerable, as if he was rethinking his whole life. And right at that moment of weakness, Alexander had taken advantage of that and had possibly ended his life.

  It was three in the morning when Alexander entered a well-known vampire bar called Bite at the edge of town. He had had a little situation with the bouncer at the door who had refused to let him in because, apparently, he looked younger than eighteen. Part of him really did wish his face would hit puberty already. Or have his fangs back. But when Alexander made a fuss and told the bouncer that he only needed to go in for a moment, he had let him on through.

  Bite was a lot less fancy than Crimson Moon. It pretty much looked like the vampire equivalent of a biker bar with its bare wood tables and high stools, a dart board in the corner and a load of broad hairy men belching and hollering over the country music. All eyes turned to Alexander when he stumbled inside, shivering and dripping from his nose. He had never felt more out of place in his entire life. A blonde woman with a black bandana and figure-hugging jeans sniffed him and jerked back, popping out her fangs. Alexander gulped and shifted away, knocking into a bald man and almost making him spill his pint.

  Being human was doing a number on his nerves. He’d never realised how terrifying the world was until he lost his fangs and gained a heartbeat. A heartbeat that could so easily be stopped.

  “You look like you want something,” said a voice in his ear. Alexander spun round and smacked into a hard body. His eyes trailed up from the broad chest to the obsidian gaze baring down on him.

  “I-I need a ride,” said Alexander. The body heat radiating from the man before him was so inviting, he wanted to wrap his arms around the brutish stranger.

  “A ride where?” asked the man, the timber of his voice sending a delightful shiver up Alexander spine.

  “North, I think. Out of the city. A few hours by car but by vampire…”

  The man’s dark eyebrow arched. “You want to ride a vampire?”

  “Don’t we all?” laughed Alexander, but the sound came out high and uncomfortable. “It’s just-” He scratched his head. “I need to get there like yesterday.”

  The man smiled and wrapped his arm around his shoulder, steering Alexander in the direction of the rest of the bar. Alexander felt minuscule tucked under the wing of this Amazonian warrior of a man - and easily crushable.

  “Hey, listen up guys!” hollered the man, followed by a wolf whistle.

  He gained everyone’s attention almost instantly.

  “This guy here has somewhere to be ASAP and he needs to take a vamp for a spin. Any takers?”

  Alexander could feel the even beat of the man’s heart against his ear and wondered why his was thumping almost twice as fast. He was used to getting attention. It had been his narcotic for over a century but he couldn’t help the desperate desire to run.

  But he needed to get back to his sister.

  “What do we get if we help you?” called a man from the back.

  The Amazonian warrior gave Alexander an encouraging squeeze.

  “Erhh-” He patted his empty pockets. “I don’t have any money and you don’t want to drink my blood, trust me.” His eyes flickered to the woman who had sniffed him. “But erhh, I’m pretty good with my hands?” He lifted his palms and gave his slender fingers a wiggle.

  Because that’s all Alexander had now – his free-spirited sexuality. That was the only card that remained.

  The scraping sound of a stool being pushed back brought Alexander’s attention to the tall, muscular man at one of the tables. He wrung his hands together as he sized Alexander up and the corner of his thin lips quirked upwards in a predatory smile. His raven black hair was styled into a quiff and the white t-shirt he was wearing was tight enough that Alexander could see the ripple of his muscles beneath.

  “I’ll give you a ride,” he said in a sultry tone that suggested that he was up for the other sort of ride. It didn’t surprise Alexander that the offer had encouraged a man rather than a woman. He knew his androgynous looks appealed to the sort of men that liked what other men had below their belts but also enjoyed the tender touch and the delicate body of a woman – and Alexander’s slim physique was apparently the best of both worlds.

  His Amazonian friend patted him a little too roughly on the back and pushed Alexander in the direction of his admirer.

  The man smiled and held out his hand to him. “The name’s Ridley.”

  Alexander took his hand and sucked in a shaky breath and the firmness of his grip. “Alexander.”

  Ridley had him pinned for a moment with a hungry, primal stare before swaggering over to the door, the hefty steps of his leather boots thudding against the wooden floor. He slammed open the double doors with purpose, making the cold breeze billow inwards and swallow Alexander whole. “Don’t worry, I
’ll get you to where you want to go, Alexander.”

  Alexander crossed his fingers, hoping that that was all that was going to go down on this little trip because Ridley sure looked like a man who knew what he wanted and would stop at nothing to get it.

  Chapter 32

  The house was always either eerily quiet or in complete chaos. There were very rarely moments that fell in-between. But even when all was quiet, there was tension in the air, thick like a blanket, covering everything.

  Caius’ hand caressed the top of Evie’s arm in a soothing motion. Back and forth, back and forth. Her head was bent into the curve on his neck as she sat curled up beside him on the sofa. Robin had claimed one of the armchairs as his own since Alexander had left, and had spent so much time sat in it that Evie was sure he was sinking into his own indentation. That was where he sat now, with the remote dangled limply in his hand. His brown eyes were wide and vacant on the TV screen, as were Caius’. Evie, on the other hand, was on edge. Constantly on edge. Her eyes flickered across to the chairs every few minutes and she shuffled on the sofa, failing to find a comfortable enough position to feel at ease.

  And then it happened.

  What always happened when there was a lull.

  Something to break it.

  The loud shattering sound ricocheted down the stairs and Evie was up on her feet in an instant. Robin spun around and Caius readied himself to stand but Evie pressed a hand on his shoulder, lowering him back down. His pale blue eyes were wide and his brow was pulled up in that beautiful, helpless way of his. She headed up the stairs alone.

  She found Varsee in her bedroom sat at the foot of her bed with her hands in her hair. She was wrapped up in her dressing gown, the one she had been wearing for the past five nights. It was tattered and covered with blood stains from wiping her eyes on the sleeves. The remnants of a china plate scattered the floor after being hurled against the wall. Evie knew what had happened because it wasn’t the first time.

  When there had been no crockery left in the kitchen, Varsee had moved onto the decorative plates, venting her anger by destroying old Mrs. Braverman’s collectables as she screamed and wailed. And when the bursts of rage depleted, what followed was always torture for Evie.