The Vampiric Housewife

by Kristen Marquette

  “What the hell is going on in there? Why hasn’t she turned the device on?”

  “Maybe she doesn’t know where Charlie is. Venjamin may not want her to see him. Give her some time. The night shift doesn’t start quite yet. We still have time,” Alessandro said.

  Ethan grunted. He may not like the idea of Valerie in there alone with Venjamin, but he wouldn’t be like Charlie—keep her in a bubble, a false safe environment. Valerie had proven to be an exceptional woman. He would have faith in that.

  Suddenly his ears perked up. “Do you hear that?”

  Alessandro and Jonathan listened.

  “Three ATV’s headed this way, about a mile out,” Jonathan said.

  “Venjamin knows we’re here,” Alessandro said. “I guess things aren’t going to go as planned.”

  “We have to act now,” Ethan said loading a backpack full of gasoline, Molotov bombs, and torches onto his back and grabbed a crossbow equipped with wooden tipped arrows.

  “You two to the hospital. Light it and get Valerie and Charlie out,” Alessandro said. “I’ll take care of our visitors.”

  Using their vampire speed Ethan and Jonathan were at the guard station within seconds. With nightfall, the shifts had already changed. They were faced with two vampires armed with silver bullet rifles. Ethan shot one with his crossbow turning the hissing creature into a pile of dust. Jonathan preferred the up close and personal approach. He let the vampire attack him with a couple blows to the face then staked him in the heart.

  “Let’s get to the hospital,” Ethan said.

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Alessandro took the jeep off the road and made a run for it leading his assailants far away from the town. Three all terrain vehicles followed behind him with bright lights and a mega phone, two passengers to each vehicle.

  “Pull over immediately! This is a restricted area!”

  Alessandro just laughed, his blonde hair coming loose as he bounced around in the jeep. He had been a sophisticated gentle-vampire for a long time. He had missed the thrill of a fight. Two vehicles flanked his sides, one lingering behind him. He made a quick turn kicking up dust to blind his pursuers.

  “This is your last warning, pull over now or we’ll be forced to use force.”

  “Forced to use force,” Alessandro laughed. “Shakespeare, these men are not.”

  Bullets struck the side of the jeep and driver’s side window. “Bullet proof, always spring for top of the line!”

  He heard a loud thud on the top of the jeep. He laughed out loud and tried to shake the intruder from the roof. Another thud. A second vampire. A hand punched through the metal ceiling above him. Bullet proof but not vampire proof.

  The vampire rolled the metal back like a tin can and two claws grasped him by the shoulders. The other vampire punctured a hole in the back seat and climbed in. He now had four arms attacking him, the top pair trying to gouge his eyes out, the back pair digging into his flesh. That particular vampire was in desperate need of a manicure. Alessandro slammed on the breaks. The vampire surfing on his roof went flying forward and rolled in the desert sand. Alessandro’s seatbelt kept him from breaking through the windshield but the bridge of his nose banged into steering wheel. Blood dripped down his face, but he wasn’t fazed. With only one attacker to fend off, Alessandro reached behind him and threw the vampire over his shoulder and through the windshield so he landed not far from his accomplice.

  “I forgot how much fun this could be,” he said and reached under his seat to retrieve two axes. Since his human days, axes had always been his weapon of choice. Armed, he jumped through the broken windshield, his bloodlust renewed. The Saxon in him had been resurrected.

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  “I’m yours. You can do whatever you want with me. Just stop hunting my children,” she told Venjamin.

  “What makes you think that I want you? I won’t lie, you’re not dried up yet, but you are past your prime. John, Amelia, Harry, they’re just coming into theirs,” Venjamin said. “But for now you will do just fine.”

  “You have a whole town of born and crossbred vampires. You don’t need my children.”

  Venjamin turned towards the view. Houses were lighting up across the valley like Christmas lights as everyone woke up thinking it was just another day, that their lives were peaceful and ordinary, unaware of the lie that they lived. “It’s like we’re standing above the stars, don’t you think? Like we’re in the heavens with the gods.” He turned back to her. “Your children are the gods. I still have a lot of research ahead of me, but I will locate the gene for immorality and I will formulate a way to share that gift with humans.”

  “So it’s true, you are nothing more than a pill peddler working for some pharmaceutical company, out to make a buck.”

  “Is that what your friend told you? They may fund my project, but I’m not interested in money. You know that. So does Ethan.” He turned to Charlie. “Do you know the type of vampires she’s been consorting with? We discovered the identity of your mystery vampire.” He looked back at Valerie. “Did Ethan tell you that we had a history? He taught me a valuable lesson about vampires. It will be good to see him again. Oh, I have a patrol rounding him up as we speak as well as any other friends you may have brought along.”

  For the first time her calm exterior cracked and her panic and fear shown through.

  “What are you going to do with them?” she asked.

  “Charlie sets a good example. Don’t worry though, I—“

  A siren suddenly sounded. Venjamin looked around. “Rhett, Drew, find out what’s going on!”

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Jonathan had launched the first Molotov bomb through the back reception area of the hospital then switched to a flame thrower. Ethan showered the upper floors with flaming arrows. They had to make sure the Sangre Valley Fire Department couldn’t put the fire out. Alarms sounded and humans began pouring out of the doors in a cloud of black smoke. They saw MaryAnne make it out. That was their cue to go in.

  “You ready for this?” Jonathan asked.

  Ethan just looked at him. “How long to download the information you need?”

  “Fifteen minutes tops. Which direction are you going? Up or down?”

  “Down first. It’s the logical choice. Soon as you get the data, get out. Don’t wait for me.”

  “Here.” He handed Ethan the blackberry. “In case she shows up on there.” With that, both vampires charged into the burning building.

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Rhett and Drew bolted down the stairs as smoke seeped into the stairwell. Ever since Venjamin called them back to Sangre Valley, Drew had a sick, ominous feeling in his stomach. He knew Venjamin no longer trusted him and that his usefulness would expire soon as the family was captured. With Valerie here, it was only a matter of time now. He saw how easily Venjamin could dispose of one of his beloved born-vampires. He wouldn’t blink at killing Drew. It didn’t help matters that since he tasted Amelia Murray’s blood, no other blood could satisfy his hunger. He had even lost interest in all other blood leaving him weak. Now a fire in the most secure building in the town. This was a sign. An omen that it was time to get out.

  “We have to tell Venjamin. Shanahan must have gotten past the patrol.”

  Drew continued down the stairs. Rhett grabbed his shoulder and slammed him against the wall.

  “What the hell are you doing?”

  “I’m not going up in flames for some crazy doctor or freak family! Let me go!” He had survived for centuries. He could not go down like this. Life on the run from Venjamin was better than a life with Venjamin.

  Rhett let the coward go. He never liked the vampire. But he would deal with him later. It wouldn’t take long to track his ass down and stake him. He had bigger problems on his plate at the moment. He ran back up to the fifteenth floor.

  “The building’s on fire. We should get out now, sir,” he told his boss. The smoke and hot air wouldn’t injury him, but it would kill the
doctor.

  “No. That’s what they want. Flush us out. Shanahan’s got to be in here somewhere. Find him. I’ll alert the Sangre Fire Department. Go!”

  The doctor was being irrational, but Rhett wasn’t about to argue.

  Venjamin picked up a phone. “Ms. Pines? Ms. Pines?” He waited for a reply. There was nothing. He had never paged his secretary before and not received a prompt answer. He could not believe that she would leave the building without him. She must have succumbed to smoke inhalation. Without Ms. Pines he could not call the fire department directly, but they would see the flames and be on their way. Just in case . . .

  “I thought you arrived to save your husband. I never believed for a moment that you wanted to make a deal. But now I think I underestimated you. You intended to take St. Vladimir down even if it meant giving your own life and your husband’s. But that’s not how it’s going to happen. I was tempted to use you. You see, I’m dying and my illness has made me rash. I thought I could risk using your blood to save myself, bring me immortality so I can complete my work. But you’re tainted. A savage, no better than these walking corpses! The only guarantee I have is in Amelia’s blood. You’re only out to destroy me. I don’t need you.” From the pocket of his lab coat, he retrieved his revolver. “It was Ethan that taught me never to be alone with a vampire unarmed.” He aimed the gun at Valerie’s chest. Her eyes darted around the room. There was no place to hide, no place to run. “Your death will be a loss to science. But sacrifices must be made.” He pulled the trigger. There was a loud pop and everything slowed down. The silver bullet left the barrel of the gun with a puff of smoke. Valerie closed her eyes preparing to accept her fate. Charlie who had been all but nonresponsive suddenly leaped in front of her, chair and all, his eye wide open. He knocked Valerie to the floor. She hit the side of her head, the earring with the GPS fell from her ear and rolled away. The bullet struck Charlie in the chest. He never even hit the ground. Ashes rained down all around her.

  Chapter Forty-four

  Bloodbath

  Alessandro stood in the middle of the desert, teeth bared, an axe in each hand, his hair streaked red, blood dripping not only from the blades of his weapons but his chin and hands. In the sand around him laid six corpses in a circle, all of them headless. Dropping his axes to the ground, he retrieved a wooden stake from the jeep and pierced each torso in the heart reducing the bodies to ash as an extra precaution. There was a time in his life when he would have taken the heads as trophies. He had evolved though.

  With the threat neutralized, he climbed back into the vehicle and headed towards Sangre Valley hoping his friends had as much success as him.

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Ethan tore through office after office with no sign of Valerie, Charlie, or Venjamin. He found Venjamin’s pristine office. He rifled through the desk hoping to find a clue as to where they where. Instead he found mad ravings about singing blood, blood transfusions, and grandiose ideas of immortality, all saturated in the sickening self-congratulatory aplomb of a deranged man.

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Charlie was gone. Just like that. No body to hug or mourn. No goodbyes. He gave his life to save hers, and she could never thank him.

  Venjamin was just as stunned as she was by Charlie’s death. He stared at the ashes. Valerie recovered from her shock quicker than the doctor and struggled to get back on her feet while still in handcuffs. The pearl gleamed on the floor, she went after it tripping and falling on top of it. She cried out in pain and frustration.

  “Where do you think you’re going?” Venjamin picked her up by the hair. Just as he did, the whole building trembled beneath their feet. The fire must be out of control. Venjamin looked nervously around. The whole building was going to come down.

  The earring was in her hand. She pressed it.

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  The red light jumped to life on Jonathan’s blackberry. She was upstairs, fifteenth floor. He went speeding up the stairs to the lobby. The walls trembled as the rampaging fire weakened the structure, the heat had intensified exponentially, and there was a cloud of black smoke so dense he could hardly see through it. Jonathan was no longer behind the receptionist’s desk but locked in combat with Rhett.

  Rhett delivered a kick to Jonathan’s face knocking him off balance then swept his feet out from under him with another swift kick. Jonathan went down but managed to latch onto Rhett’s jacket and took him to the floor with him. They wrestled, Jonathan on top using Rhett’s face as a punching bag, but Rhett was able to push Jonathan off and bounced back onto his feet. He picked up the sprawled-out Jonathan and catapulted him across the lobby. Jonathan hit a wall and broke through it. Rhett stalked through the wreckage unconcerned with the flames around him and took Jonathan’s dazed head in his hands. Ethan knew he planned to rip his friend’s head from his body with his bare hands. He couldn’t let that happen.

  Ethan flew at Rhett like a huge wild feline tackling him to the ground.

  “Jonathan! Get the flash drive and get out! The building’s coming down!”

  Jonathan staggered to his feet, grabbed the flash drive, and headed out of the hospital.

  Both he and Rhett struggled back onto their feet.

  “I’ve been waiting for this,” Rhett said spitting out a mouthful of blood. “A true challenge.”

  They both lunged at each at the same moment meeting like two great gladiators with teeth bared, ready to rip out the other’s throat. Rhett had the better momentum and sent Ethan to the ground with a heavy thud and landed on top of him giving him the upper hand. But Ethan threw him over him head causing Rhett to crash into the receptionist’s desk. He back flipped on to his feet and without giving Rhett time to recover, he lifted his opponent into the air, twirled him around like a professional wrestler and released him into a fiery wall. The flames leaped onto his clothing consuming him in a blaze. Rhett screamed in agony as the fire devoured the flesh from his bones.

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  The flames had reached the top floor. A sulfuric smoke choked her lungs, the stifling heat suffocating her. Venjamin was coughing and pushing her towards the stairs, his fingers still tangled in her hair, tearing at her scalp. She fought back though. She wasn’t about to let him escape. Not after he murdered Charlie. She didn’t care if that meant sacrificing her own life. As long as Venjamin was dead, her children would be safe.

  She head butted Venjamin with the back of her skull. He released her hair and clutched his bleeding nose. The scent of human blood was pungent.

  “You bitch! I’m the one who saved you from a sad, pathetic life in a Romanian village. Your family could have murdered you on any given day. They knew what you were and it frightened them. But I saw that you were special. I saved you Valerie!”

  “You imprisoned me!” she hissed. “You murdered my husband! You abused my children!”

  He raised his gun once again. “I chose you for something special!”

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Ethan had made it to the fifteenth floor. The room was dark and empty except for a vast quantity of medical equipment. Then he saw her, hands cuffed behind her back, hair falling into her face, but she was alive. Then his eyes found Venjamin and the little gun aimed at her heart.

  “Valerie!” he called out pounding his fists on the two-way mirror.

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  With the speed of a vampire, she rushed him, knocked the gun out of his hand, and pinned him against a window. He was larger than her but not stronger. She kept him pinned with her chest using little effort. Her true strength had finally surfaced. “I promised myself that I’d never kill another human for food. I wouldn’t want your putrid blood in my body. I can kill you without drinking your blood.”

  “Valerie—“

  She sank her fangs into his neck and tore out a chunk of flesh; blood spurted out like a busted water main, drenching her in the sticky red liquid. He gave very little fight and she released him from her jaws spitting out the putrefied fl
esh she had bitten off.

  “Immortality . . .” he gurgled as life drained out of him. “I was going to get it one way or another . . . I will live through my son, he will never die . . .”

  Horror suddenly swept over Valerie. “What son? Venjamin! What son?”

  He gave a weak laugh. “Harry . . .” He laughed again. “You didn’t miraculously get pregnant, Valerie . . . I inseminated one of your eggs with my sperm . . . it was a little experiment incase I didn’t discover a cure to death in time . . . My son . . .” With a final smile he was gone, his mouth agape, his eyes wide and empty.

  The mirror on the wall exploded into shards and Ethan emerged from the debris.

  “Valerie!”

  She let Venjamin’s body slumped to the floor and slowly turned around. Her face and neck were soaked in blood as she looked up at him with those violet eyes. She had killed the man who threatened her family, yet somehow Venjamin still won.

  “Are you alright?” he asked cupping her face in his hands and inspecting her for wounds. “Where’s Charlie?”

  With her eyes she led him to the chair and the pile of ash on the floor. He just looked at it without comment.

  “We have to get out of here. It’s going—“

  A sudden explosion rocked the building, but it hadn’t come from inside the hospital. They both turned towards the window. The circular perimeter of Sangre Valley was collapsing into the ground, one house after another like dominos falling. The kids’ school, the Blood Market, their old house, all reduced to rubble. Marie and Bobby. Betsy. Lisa. All those vampires down there, the innocents who had no idea their lives were a lie, dead or trapped in the wreckage.

  Ethan didn’t leave her time to ponder the fate of her neighbors. He flung her over his shoulder and whisked her down fifteen flights of stairs skipping three or four steps at a time. The ceiling beams crashed down around them. With each flight the heat and smoke intensified.

  They reached the lobby; they were almost out, but Ethan stopped. Slowly and carefully he set Valerie down.