Forbidden Feast

by Joelle Sterling

  As she neared the end of her block, she saw a familiar person walking swiftly toward her, and when she realized it was her chatterbox neighbor, Mrs. Murphy, Holland thought about walking in the opposite direction. But before she could turn around, she and Mrs. Murphy were face to face.

  Braced for a long-winded conversation, Holland sighed and greeted her neighbor. “How are you, Mrs. Murphy?”

  Surprisingly, Mrs. Murphy muttered, “Just fine,” and kept moving without breaking her stride.

  Holland turned around and watched as Mrs. Murphy crossed the street and speed-walked along Abercorn Road. Apparently, Mrs. Murphy was getting in her evening exercise.

  Holland turned right onto Mill Stream Court and noticed newlyweds, Amy and Derek Horsheck, as they came out of their house, rushing toward their driveway. Holland waved, but the couple seemed to be in too much of a hurry to return the greeting. Derek opened the car door and then gestured impatiently. “Get a move on, Amy; we’re gonna be late.”

  “I’m coming; I’m coming,” Amy said as she rushed to the passenger’s side of the car.

  “Hi, Amy,” Holland greeted with another hand wave.

  Startled, Amy jerked around. “Oh, hi, Holland; you scared the living daylights out of me,” Amy said with a nervous chuckle.

  “Get in the damn car!” Derek bellowed.

  “Gotta go; good to see you, Holland.” There was a forced smile on Amy’s face as she gazed at Holland through haunted eyes.

  Okay, what’s going on? Why is everyone in a rush? Curiosity getting the best of her, Holland shamelessly stared as Derek and Amy yanked their seatbelts across their bodies. Looking panicked, Derek looked over his shoulder and backed out of the driveway. The tires squealed as the car peeled off.

  In the distance, she noticed indistinct shapes and figures flitting about in the shadows. There were more people than usual out tonight. No one seemed to be moving at a leisurely pace. Everyone seemed to be racing to get somewhere. But where? Had people finally come to realize that there were dangerous vampires living among them? And were they all trying to get safely inside before the vampires came out? But Amy and Derek were leaving their house, so that theory didn’t make sense.

  Curious to know if Doreen’s juicy gossip had anything to do with the odd behavior she was seeing tonight, Holland pulled her cell from her jacket pocket and pressed Doreen’s number. “Hey, Doreen,” Holland said when Doreen picked up. “I was wondering if your news has anything to do with, uh, the vamps.”

  “We can’t discuss vampires on the phone . . . especially not at night! Geez, Holland, use common sense. I’ll talk to you in the morning . . . when the sun is shining,” Doreen said gruffly.

  “It’s just that I’m noticing more people than usual out tonight, and you should see the way they’re all rushing around. It’s weird. They’re acting like New Yorkers or people from some other fast-paced city. I can’t help thinking—” Holland’s voice was drowned out by blaring car horns. At the traffic light, an impatient driver cut in front of the cars that were at a standstill, and roared away, leaving behind a trail of disgruntled motorists.

  “Are you outside, Holland?” Doreen asked.

  “Yeah, people are acting really weird out here tonight. Cars are whizzing past and pedestrians are zooming like they’re trying to get to the finish line in a 10K race.”

  “I told you, you should stay inside at night.”

  “I know, but I got restless.”

  “Obviously, you didn’t take the information I shared with you very seriously.”

  “Yes, I do. But—”

  “For your own sake, Holland, get off the streets, and go home!”

  The phone went dead and Holland didn’t know if the call dropped or if Doreen had angrily hung up on her. She noticed that people were still moving about with a sense of urgency, as if all of them were being drawn in the same direction by a sinister, magnetic pull. The vibe in the air was growing creepier by the second, and going home was starting to seem like a good idea. The moment she returned the phone to her pocket, it buzzed in her hand.

  Assuming Doreen was calling again, Holland held the phone to her ear and said, “Sorry, Doreen, the call must have dropped.”

  “Hello, Holland,” said a silky smooth voice, and Holland’s heart began to flutter.

  “Hi, Jonas!”

  “I hear traffic sounds; are you outdoors?”

  “Yes, I was taking a walk, but I’m heading home now. Are you okay?”

  “For now, I’m fine. But my heart aches for you.”

  “Yeah, mine too,” she said in a voice that came out in whimper.

  “Before you return home, can you do me a favor?”

  “Of course.”

  “Would you mind meeting me at our spot in the park?”

  “I’m on my way.”

  “I’ll be waiting for you.”

  CHAPTER 9

  Overjoyed, Holland practically jogged to the park. She laughed to herself, realizing that she fit right in with the strange, night-time travelers that were hurrying along the streets of Frombleton.

  As she grew closer to the park, she could see a figure standing near the entrance. The moon’s glow streamed through tree branches and highlighted Jonas’s face. She could clearly see his smooth, mocha complexion, his strong jawline, and his sumptuous, full lips. At the sight of him, her breath caught and her heart skipped several beats. Impulsively, she picked up her pace, eager to get to him . . . ready to leap into his arms. But instead of running, she reduced her speed, and began walking very slowly and carefully, as if any rapid movements might cause her elusive lover to evaporate before her eyes.

  Jonas had been waiting for Holland at their favorite spot, but when he detected her enticingly sweet scent, he walked to the park’s entrance to meet her. Eyes closed blissfully, he inhaled her fragrance, filling his nostrils until he was almost intoxicated with pleasure. The soft tread of her footsteps announced her arrival, and his eyes opened in excitement. The sight of her sent a rush of love swirling through him. Briefly forgetting the woeful reason he’d asked her to meet him, he made swift strides toward her.

  “Oh, Jonas,” Holland whispered, her gaze lingering on his face.

  He enfolded her in a tight embrace, murmuring her name over and over. “I missed you. I wish we could be together like this forever,” he said, his fingers stroking her hair.

  Holland clung to him with her cheek pressed against his chest. “Just hold me,” she said softly, melting into him as his arms tightened around her. After a few moments, he loosened his embrace, and Holland looked into his eyes. “We’ve been through so much together, and yet we’re always saying goodbye. I love you, Jonas; why does it have to be this way?”

  “I love you, too. With all my heart, and I’m sorry. I never intended to hurt you,” he soothed, his long fingers caressing her face.

  “Then stop hurting me,” she said in a pained voice. “We’ve said goodbye so many times, and I never know when or if, I’m ever going to see you again. It’s unbearable. I can’t even smile when we’re apart.”

  “I’ve been doing the best that I can, but my life is such a nightmare.”

  “So is mine! I lost my best friend; the girls at my prominent new school were only pretending to like me so they could steal my blood, and I’ve recently learned that there’s an army of vampires plotting against the people of Frombleton.”

  “Let’s walk,” Jonas suggested quietly. Holland nodded, and he guided her away from the park entrance. They walked in solemn silence for a few minutes, his arm draped over her shoulder and hers wrapped around his waist.

  Holland came to a stop, and Jonas gazed at her questioningly. “What’s wrong?” he asked.

  “Everything’s wrong. What are we doing, Jonas? When am I going to start seeing you more regularly?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “You don’t know?” Shaking her head, she struggled to fight tears. “You could at least keep your word and call me
like you say you will. You have no idea how it feels to be in a permanent state of waiting—waiting to hear from you; waiting to see you again. You have no idea how much it hurts.”

  “I’ll call more often, but I can’t promise anything else.”

  “Why not?”

  “I’m not suitable to be yours or anyone’s boyfriend. Not in my condition.” He inhaled a slow breath. “I love you, Holland. I swear I do, but it’s best if you start seeing other people. You know . . . someone who can be there for you . . . not someone who’s cursed.”

  “Are you breaking up with me?” she asked in a shrill voice.

  He nodded grimly. “I think it would be best if you moved on.”

  “I can’t believe this . . . you asked me to come here so you could break up with me? That’s cruel, Jonas.”

  Now Jonas’s eyes glimmered with tears. “It would have been cowardly of me to tell you over the phone, and that’s why I wanted to meet with you, face to face. I wanted to tell you that I’ll never love anyone the way I love you.”

  “How can you say that?” she cried, her voice going up several pitches.

  “Because it’s true. I love you, Holland, more than you’ll ever know.”

  “Love shouldn’t feel like this. Do you have any idea how many scars you’ve left on my heart?” She touched her chest and whimpered as tears streamed down her face. Sobbing softly, her shoulders began to shake.

  Gathering her in his arms, Jonas murmured, “Hurting you is the last thing I ever wanted to do, but being the way I am, I can’t figure out any other alternative.”

  “But I accept you as you are . . . you know that,” she said, wiping her eyes and sniffling.

  “I don’t want to be accepted like this. I’m an abomination, Holland, but I’ve made peace with the monster I am,” he said in a calm voice, the features of his gorgeous face arranged in an expression of serenity.

  “You’re not a monster,” she said, shaking her head. “How can you say that?”

  Jonas leaned in close, looking Holland in the eye. “I can say it, because it’s true. The voodoo priestess was my last hope, and she couldn’t help me. Not only was she unable to reverse the spell, she was terrified and repulsed by me. Mamba Mathilde called me vile and evil. She pleaded with me to leave Haiti before my evil spread throughout my homeland.” His passive expression morphed into a slight frown. “I’ve lost all hope for my redemption,” he said, releasing a sigh.

  “You can’t give up, Jonas. Just because Mamba Mathilde couldn’t help doesn’t mean that the curse is irrevocable.”

  “There’s nowhere else for me to turn, and now I’ve decided to focus on caring for the misfortunate creatures that I’ve unwittingly created.”

  “But . . .” Holland inclined her head to one side, looking at Jonas in bewilderment. “What misfortunate creatures?”

  “The flesh-eaters, like me.”

  “Where’d they come from?”

  “That’s a mystery that I hope to unravel. These creatures are worse off than I am. They’ve lost every trace of their humanity. They’ve lost their ability to communicate. They’re wild and ravenous and no longer possess any rational thought. Their bodies are ripped and torn carcasses that are rapidly decaying.” Jonas winced as he thought about the two creatures he’d led out of the cornfield: the woman with the open cavity in her stomach and the man with a series of bites and gouges, and a foot that was awkwardly twisted. “If you saw them, you’d be horrified. They’re dead people that have risen and are now viciously feeding on living beings.”

  Holland shivered involuntarily. “They sound even worse than vampires.”

  “Yes, I believe they are. Vampires can be reasoned with . . . even outwitted, but these creatures have lost their capacity for intelligent thought. And sadly, I think that I’m to blame for all the devastation they’re causing.”

  “I don’t understand. Why are you taking responsibility? Maybe a spell has been cast on all of them.”

  “I feel connected to them,” Jonas confided. He clasped Holland’s hands. “While in Haiti,” he said softly, “I could hear their cries in my mind—I could feel their anguish. I knew they were calling me, pleading for guidance. I don’t know how they became the way they are, but I know instinctively that somehow I’m the cause of these dreadful, yet pitiful beings. They’re multiplying fast, and if I don’t intervene . . . their rampage against humans will be tragic.”

  “Are they here in Frombleton?” Holland asked in a fearful voice.

  “No, not yet. But they’re growing close. I can feel them.”

  “What’s your plan? How are you going to stop them?”

  “I’ve contained two of them—confined them in a place where they can’t hurt anyone. But the problem is, there are more of them—many more, and they’re spreading out to bordering towns. I’ve got to find a way to draw them to me.”

  “Drawing them to you sounds dangerous. Have you considered that they may not want your guidance? I mean, suppose they band together and turn on you?”

  Jonas shook his head. “That won’t happen. I feel no more threatened than a parent feels in the presence of his child. I’m going to figure out a way to communicate with them, and teach them to survive as I do.”

  “There has to be a simpler way.” Holland looked off in thought for a moment, and then returned her attention to Jonas. “If your spell was broken, what do you think would happen to these creatures? Would they still be rampaging against humans?”

  “I don’t think so. I believe their dark hunger would finally be satisfied, and they’d meet the peaceful death they were denied.”

  “That’s the answer, then. We have to break that terrible spell.”

  “Holland, there’s no use—”

  “Voodoo isn’t the only magic in the world,” Holland said sharply. “My magic is powerful, Jonas. Let me help you.”

  “But . . . you’re only a novice, Holland. You’re still learning. The evil spell that’s been cast upon me is unalterable. It’s a miserable fate, but you have to accept it, as I have.”

  “I can’t.”

  “You have no choice.”

  “Yes, I do. Do you remember what you told my mother when she warned you that the witches at Stoneham had strong powers?”

  “No, I don’t recall.”

  “You told her that nothing is stronger than the power of love. Do you remember saying that?”

  A smile flickered across his face. “Yes, I remember now.”

  “That’s how I feel about the curse you’re under. I can break the spell because nothing is stronger than the power of love.”

  “Holland,” he uttered, his voice lilting in protest.

  “I knew that you would rescue me from those Stoneham witches, and you did. Now, I need you to believe in me the way that I believed in you.”

  “Sounds fair,” Jonas said quietly, and then lowered his head and covered Holland’s mouth with his.

  She pressed her palms against the sides of his head, and parted her lips, kissing him more deeply than ever before.

  CHAPTER 10

  Bradley woke up with a start. He flung the sheet from his bare chest, and for a moment he thought he was in his smartly furnished condo. But the crisp, lavender-scented sheets at home would never hold the scent of mold and dust that now drifted up to his nostrils.

  Eyes wandering, he saw the aged wallpaper and the old-fashioned furniture, and he realized that once again, he’d awakened in the outdated hotel from hell. Waking up like this was becoming a recurring nightmare. Panic-stricken, his breath emerging in quick gasps, he shot a glance at the other twin bed, and found it empty. “Tessa!” he called out, his voice cracking in desperation.

  Violent memories surfaced when he noticed his crumpled suit jacket hanging over the side of the bed. The shredded fabric pieces of his blood-stained shirt were scattered around the floor. Bradley jumped to his feet; he quickly threw on the crinkled jacket and fled the room.

  “Tessa!” he shouted
, running along the long, darkened hallway, and twisting doorknobs that led into empty rooms.

  What had those demons done to his daughter? Was she still alive or had they completely drained her?

  Recalling that he’d been viciously bitten by several vampires, he stopped cold, his panicked fingers examining himself for injuries. Amazingly, his wrists and arms were smooth and unblemished. Confused, he ran his hand over his neck and then his shoulders, feeling for the gouging wounds that the crazed, acrobatic vampire called Chaos had inflicted with his claws. But the gashes in his shoulders were no longer there, and the terrible pain was also gone.

  Flooded with relief, Bradley wondered if he was going insane and had perhaps imagined it all. Tessa was probably safe and sound at home, and a call to Nicole would confirm that their daughter was all right. Searching for his cell phone, he patted his pockets, and then groaned in distress when he remembered that one of the female vampires had snatched it from him while he was trying to get help for Tessa. This madness is real, he solemnly admitted. Feeling desperate, he fell against a wall, panting and raking his fingers through his hair as he tried to figure out his next move.

  Sadly, he didn’t know what to do. He’d gone from being an indignant and entitled hotshot attorney to a man teetering on the brink of sanity in a short time span.

  A distant scream from a floor below caused the hairs on the back of his neck to rise. “Oh, God, Tessa!” Bradley cried in a voice thick with dread. He skidded down several flights of stairs, yelling his daughter’s name. The screams grew closer when he reached the main level.

  From the corner of his eye, he saw a flash of movement and then felt an eerie chill as a pair of icy lips brushed against his cheek. “Looking for someone, Counselor?” a voice hissed in his ear.

  Bradley recoiled from the lips that were as cold as death. “I’m trying to find my daughter,” he croaked. “I’ll do whatever you people want; but please, stop torturing her.”