Longest Days

by C. L. Quinn

  Tomorrow, if the women came to the building together, he would do it. Ka-boom. And Alvin’s life as a vampire would, finally, be over.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Eillia walked slowly, like any human, as she strolled beside Park to check on Tamesine. Her holding cell had been constructed inside Park’s research lab Koen had built for his daughter, a geneticist, to continue her work on the vampire genome. Park had been awed with the virus that completely changed the DNA of humans to vampire and considered it to be the holy grail for a genetic researcher. It was strictly for the vampires, never to be known outside the first blood community.

  Tamesine had been with them for five days now, and just last night, Eillia thought she might have seen the slightest glimmer of response from the sullen, angry first blood detainee. While sitting outside the unit in comfortable chairs that matched the ones in the cell, Eillia and Park had joked about how lame the male of the species could be sometimes when it came to romantic details. Tamesine had smiled. Slightly, but it was there. It was a start. A connection. Finding a common ground to bond on a simple human level woman to woman. Beginning to understand that they really wanted to help her get well. It was going to be a long hard process, but Park really believed they would do it. Once Tamesine accepted that they might be able to help her, they were going to bring Cherise back and the three of them were going to enter Tamesine’s mind and begin to search for the catalyst that began it all.

  Tonight was warmer, spring was coming, and the air smelled of freshness and saltwater. A waning moon peeked at them through some trees. Park was texting Bas with a soft smile, so Eillia thought it was something either sweet and loving, or naughty. Those two were so good together. The three made such a lovely family with that darling baby girl. Until maturity around thirty years old, Cairine would be mostly human. First blood talents would manifest, but not be fully realized until mature. But just holding the baby, Eillia could feel the latent power. The child might give her powerful mother a run for it someday. All she knew was that when she held Cairine, there was a peace in her that she had not felt in centuries since she was young. Eillia knew the child was “impressing” her. The “impressing” talent usually didn’t work on first bloods. It showed Eillia, incontrovertibly, that Cairine would be a vampire one day with extraordinary talents. Even for a first blood.

  Park dropped her mobile phone into a pocket.

  “Bas reminded me, for the fiftieth time, to be careful. I know he’s worried. But you saw her, last night, didn’t you? She smiled.”

  “I did. We won’t give up. I really think we can help her.”

  Park paused and looked at Eillia, then said, “Bas says she’s done some pretty horrible things. Not just to David.”

  “I’m sure. But if we can help her, she’ll be the one who has to live with the consequences of her actions. If we can’t help her, then I agree with the council that she’s too dangerous to be left alive. We’ll have to euthanize her. I hope it doesn’t come to that.”

  Park threaded her arm around Eillia’s.

  “Good thing we’re brilliant! So, how are you feeling tonight? How did you and the little vampire-to-be sleep?”

  “If there’s anyone who understands how I feel, it’s you. Ah, Park. Once Cherise gave me the news and my spirit amulet unmasked his presence, he overwhelmed me. I know him already. Of course I love him like nothing else in all of my life. I was certain you couldn’t possibly be right. Daniel’s human.”

  “So was my mother. It’s one of the things I’m doing right now. My pet project is to discover what makes anyone, vampire or human, biologically compatible with a first blood and capable of breeding with one. I’ve already taken samples of Bas and myself. Jake, Bas’s right hand

  man, dispatched two blood-bonds to bring back a sample of my mother’s. They’re still tracking her down. And I’d like one from you.”

  “Of course.”

  “And Daniel.”

  Eillia stopped.

  “Oh, sweetie, I swear we’ll get it properly. He’ll never know. A quick compulsion, a fast stab, and he won’t even remember we’ve been there. It’s important, Eillia. I know you understand.”

  “I do. Um, yeah, of course. It’s okay.”

  “So, are you going to tell him?”

  “I don’t think so. My son is vampire, and he’ll grow up in our world. Daniel doesn’t belong here.”

  “He could.”

  “Well. I haven’t made any final decisions. We’ll see. Oh, look. An early bloom.”

  Park smiled and leaned down. Distraction. It was all too new for Eillia.

  “It’s pretty. Let’s get inside.”

  They entered through a side door after working through a series of locks, and then said hi to a first blood from Scotland who held daytime security now that Tamesine was in residence.

  “Get some rest, Logan. We’ll watch her now.”

  He nodded to Park. He’d go to Koen’s villa where they had a room set aside for the sentry, then return before sunrise.

  A secondary set of intricate locking mechanisms secured Tamesine’s cell that included passcodes no one had access to but Eillia, Park, Bas, Koen, and Logan. Remotely, two other first bloods had access, but they would never visit the facility unless necessary.

  The main room of the holding cell was empty. She must be in the lavatory. Eillia laid her satchel on a counter near the huge door that locked immediately behind them. Park walked near to the cell to look around. A dinner tray lay abandoned on the floor, full of food. Untouched blood packets had been pitched across the room to rest against the back wall. Her television remote was shattered under the front Plexiglas wall.

  “She had a rough day,” Park said to Eillia.

  “Surprise, surprise. I wish we could just go in and access her mind.”

  “So do I. But it will work better if we have her permission and cooperation. She needs to accept us and believe that we can help her. Anyway, I have to check with Burne for a moment. She’s working on one of my projects that has to do with human to vampire conversion. Can you keep her company until I get back?”

  “Sure. Take your time. I’ll try to get her to tell me where she’s been the past centuries.”

  “Helpful. Good luck.”

  Park left the room just as Tamesine walked out of the bathroom. Naked. Glorious.

  Eillia watched her move elegantly across the room and press her body against the front of the enclosure.

  “Hi. I’ve missed you. Where’s your partner in crime?”

  “Park’s attending some business. She’ll be back.”

  “Good. I want to let you both know that if you want me to be happy here, you need to give me a real live blood meal. I need warm blood and a hot cock. Otherwise, this is torture. That isn’t what you intended, right?”

  Eillia smiled. “No. We want you to be calm and learn to trust us. And if I can go without sex, I think you can make it too. The blood in those bags is warm. Well, it is when it’s served to you.”

  “It’s dead! Vampires don’t drink from plastic bags. I’ll starve first!”

  “Tamesine, do you understand at all what we are trying to do here for you? And…please put something on. You’re distracting.”

  “Turning you on? Come in here with me. I guarantee no one has fucked you like I can. I’ve been told my tongue is exceptional. Let me prove it to you.”

  “Tempting, but no, thanks. I can get anything I want in the shower. By the way, so can you.”

  “Can’t get cock.”

  “You’re not going to. Not until you’re safe to let out of here. So, why don’t we start on that? How about you tell me where you’ve been all these years when the first blood community thought you were dead?”

  Tamesine pushed away from the Plexiglas with a scream. She threw a tablet computer at the far wall to land shattered next to the blood bags.

  “I just want to go home! I wish I’d never intercepted your dreams. I wish I’d never gone to Alaska.”
>
  “From where? Where were you living?”

  Suddenly Tamesine turned around and stared at Eillia. Then she pulled an overstuffed chair up to the front of the cell and sat down, her legs spread, giving Eillia an unwanted view of her privates.

  “I lived in a lovely three story beach house in Tasmania near the sea. I haven’t been there all this time, but off and on, a lot. I have several favorite blood meal people there. Any chance of sending for some of them?”

  “Not here to sex you, Tamesine. We’re here to help you get well.”

  “Nothing wrong with me. Except you narrow-minded assholes. I’m a first blood. I absolutely do not need any help being one.”

  “Do you realize at all that you can’t control yourself? That you have manic childlike tendencies which are dangerous? Do you want to come back to your people and regain a normal life? Until you understand that something is wrong with you, you won’t be able to open up to our help. Tamesine, there are so few first bloods. We want to help you get well.”

  Suddenly Tamesine sat upright and then got up and walked over to the front of the cell. She put her head in the air and closed her eyes. For several minutes she didn’t move or speak at all. Then her eyes opened and she pinned them on Eillia.

  “You have a baby inside you. I can feel him. He’s brand new. I didn’t know first bloods could have babies.”

  Eillia’s hands went to her belly immediately out of a sense of protection. Damn. Tamesine really did have incredible power. At this point it was a great concern for their safety. Tamesine was still a threat and this child meant everything to her. Maybe she should return home until he was born.

  Tamesine threw her hands up against the Plexiglas, her legs wide, frantic.

  “No. Don’t leave. I want to see the baby vampire. Don’t take him away! Please. I’ll be good. I’ll be compliant and let you mind-rape me. Just…don’t take him away.”

  She didn’t know what to do. This was the first time Tamesine had responded to anything.

  “I can’t let anything hurt him. I can’t trust you.”

  “I would never hurt him! I promise you. Eillia, I promise I wouldn’t let anything happen to the lovely baby boy.” She slid down on her knees and there were tears in her eyes. “He likes me. Eillia, your son likes me. He doesn’t want you to leave me, either.”

  Eillia was standing now, her hands still wrapped protectively around her middle. “I will stay. But you have to promise to let us try to help you. If you give us shit, or frighten me, give me any reason to worry, I’m taking him away. I won’t risk him for anyone. Not anyone, you understand?”

  “I do. I won’t.” Tamesine drew a ragged breath. “If I’m good, if I get well, can I hold him some day?”

  “Um. Well, let’s see how things go. You must work very hard with us to try to get well.”

  “I’ll be the perfect student. Go on, get in there. It’s a mess, though.”

  Eillia smiled. “I’m sure it is. Tamesine, I think we may be alright. Park is so strong, you know that, and we are really excited to help you.”

  Suddenly Tamesine’s head went into the air again. She began to shake her head.

  “No, no. He’s here. He’s going to kill us all. He’s going to kill the baby. Eillia, you have to let me out. That weasel faced vampire has a bomb!”

  “Alvin? Alvin’s here? He has a bomb!?”

  “He does.” She closed her eyes again, and when she opened them, she was really upset.

  “He’s killed Park. He hasn’t taken her head yet, but he will. You have to let me out!I have to help the baby.”

  Eillia shook her head, panic settling inside her gut. Could she believe this? She tried to reach out for Park’s life force. It wasn’t there. It didn’t mean she was permanently dead, but it didn’t mean she wasn’t.

  “I’m going out there.”

  “Not alone! He’s just a measly vampire but he’s serious! He expects to die. You know when someone is this serious, when they have nothing to lose, it’s chaos!”

  Eillia could not believe she hadn’t brought her mobile phone in with her. Of all the days!

  Okay, well Koen would know his daughter’s life force was gone, wouldn’t he? He had to be attuned enough, surely, to feel her missing. And Bas. He would know if his wife’s life force disappeared. Wouldn’t he? Unfortunately, she knew that if a first blood wasn’t actively reaching for another first blood’s life force, they wouldn’t know if it had changed. She tried to send a telepathic message to either of them even though it wasn’t really her talent. She sent the message to both men that they were under attack and needed them immediately. But she had no idea if they received it. Well, there was only one choice. If Park was in danger, she had to go to her.

  Tamesine was shocked when Eillia opened the door that Alvin could not. And watched her walk out into the huge warehouse room into whatever danger he had waiting for her. The huge door closed automatically behind her, sealing Tamesine in.

  From her place in the protected cell, Tamesine heard an explosion. It rocked her floor and then everything was quiet. She was crazed, trying to find some way to get out of the cell. But she knew she was well and truly trapped. She couldn’t help Eillia. She couldn’t help the baby.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  Eillia was thrown back against the outer door of Tamesine’s cell. Blood dripped from her head, her ears were ringing, and something was wrong with her right leg. She struggled to stand, her hands curved tightly over her belly, her mind and heart racing. Reaching in with her spirit amulet, she felt for the baby. He was okay. Her body had protected him. For Eillia, in this one moment of time, that was the only thing that mattered. A moment later, she thought of Park and Burne and made herself stand.

  A debris cloud fogged the large room so densely she could only see a few feet in front of her, but her first blood instincts led her to Park, who lay another twenty feet away, bleeding and unmoving. She didn’t have to check her vitals to know that she wasn’t breathing. At least the bastard had not taken the final blow of removing her head, so she knew she’d be okay. If Eillia could get her to safety. As she bent to pick up her body, sharp reports announced he was firing at her. Bullets bounced off metal cabinets nearby and buried themselves in the wall behind her. And then one found its way to her chest. It tore a hole straight through, forcing her to the ground again. Then she heard his voice come out of the cloud of smoke.

  “Think I can’t take you?! Game changer, bitches! I’m filled with your original vampire blood. Damn that stuff ignites!! I may not be as powerful as a full first blood vampire right now, but I feel fucking invincible! I’m coming for some more, pretty lady. If you want to survive, get out of here. Because I am drinking from Bas’s woman!”

  He’d fed from a first blood? Who? Eillia’s mind searched for possibilities. There was only one. Logan. He must have attacked him on his way out of there a little while ago. That’s how he got in. Shit!! The feed made him significantly stronger than normal. And a much greater threat. Still, if she could get up, get to him, she’d snap his neck and end this. Her eyes searched desperately through the almost opaque air. Where was he? Her superb hearing kicked in and she followed a slight scraping to her right and shot to the spot in vampire time. He was gone. Oh, god, she had to get back to Park.

  A second burst of speed nearly destroyed her leg, but she made it back to Park’s side in time to receive a blow across her shoulder blades with something sharp. The deep cut from the ax put her down immediately, pain and blood trapping her on the ground for a split second. At least he’d missed her neck. She was back up and faced the dark form bending over Park, sucking wildly at her throat. She threw herself on him and grabbed his neck, twisting quickly. Her hold was weak due to her severe injuries, so he was able to pull free to grab the ax near his right hand and lift it above his head.

  Eillia reached inside for her last bit of strength and froze him. He froze with the ax over his head, seconds from ending Eillia’s life forever. She shoved
herself backward just as two hands grabbed her and pulled her away from the hideous statue-like man who had nearly murdered her. Again.

  Koen swept her up in his arms and carried her out of the smoke into the clear cool night air outside the doors. Eillia was choking out the ingested debris from the damaged air. When she could focus, she saw Logan outside the door. Dead. Beheaded. Tears welled from pain much deeper than any injury to her body. Then her eyes moved back to the door and she sighed in relief as she saw Bas carry Park out and bring her over next to her.

  “Is she okay?”

  Bas shook his head, his jaw set in anger. “Not now. But she will be. Fuck! Her second death in a year. He dies this time.”

  “Without doubt. It’s over now. I’ll be right back with his head.”

  Koen vanished into the building to return with the ax dangling from his hand.

  “Where’s his fucking head!?” Bas asked, Park’s dead body curled tight in his arms.

  Koen’s eyes were hard and his mouth grim. “Still on his neck. He’s gone.”

  Eillia shook her head in disbelief. “Not fucking possible. I froze him. He should still have been…” She trailed off. Then swore again. “He was drinking from Park. He already had first blood in him from Logan. And with her super powerful blood, it probably let him override my freeze. Koen, we have to find him. Tonight. Logan is dead forever. That bastard killed him like he did Hamid. He can’t get away again!”

  “We’ll find him. He won’t get out of France alive, I promise.”

  She struggled to get up. “Cairine. What if he’s gone for her?”

  Bas relieved her mind right away.

  “She’s in the safe-room beneath the villa. Not only is it impenetrable, but he won’t even be able to find it. Park’s spelled it.”