Undying Vengeance

by Burnham, K. L.

Victor shrugged slicking his jet-black hair off his face. His eyes showed no compassion. “That is something I am ready to face. I did the right thing and you know that.”

  “Thank you kindly, Victor.” Armani said. “I appreciate your honesty and trusting me enough to share the darkest secret of The Dark Ones.”

  Donovan smirked at Armani. “It’s a dark secret I hope you have no intention of fulfilling. Death by fire is a painful death and I cannot assure you that your soul will go to Heaven. You will die and be free from this world and your life as a vampire but there is no guarantee you will be with Simone.” Donovan wondered if Armani would still feel grateful for the honesty now. Damn Victor for telling Armani this.

  Armani’s brow creased. “What do you mean? You don’t know if I will be with Simone once I end my immortal life?” He asked rising to his feet, his face and eyes red with anger. He picked up a lamp and threw it at the wall smashing it into pieces. “Damn you both! You cursed me forever and for that I will never forgive you.” He walked up to Donovan and spit in his face. “Fuck you!” He screamed. “My life is an eternal hell now. I feel like a minion of the Devil thanks to you both.” He walked past Victor purposely bumping his shoulder with force. “Call me when the guilty men are all here.” Armani ordered and stomped out of the room and down the stairs.

  Donovan raced after Armani but was stopped by Victor at the doorway. “Let him go. Time is what he needs.” Victor ordered.

  “Time is what he needs?” Donovan questioned. “Have you lost your mind? He is on a quest to do two things: get revenge and commit suicide. You know that. Why would you tell him how to die?”

  Victor grabbed Donovan’s shoulders and shook him. “Have you forgotten I’m the Master? No one questions my motives, not even you.” He released his grip and stared into Donovan’s eyes. “My theory is that if Armani kills himself then he was never fit to be a member of The Dark Ones in the first place.” Running his fingers across his cheekbones he traced his finger down to the tip of his chin. “I consider it a test of sorts.”

  “Do you care about anyone except yourself? You seem to have lost your mind.” Donovan stated flatly.

  Victor laughed. “You’re a funny vampire telling me your assumptions of my actions.” His face turned to stone and evil gleamed in his eyes. “Armani must ask himself a very simple question and that is ‘do you really want to die?’ He knows there is no guarantee that he will be with Simone. It’s a risk I don’t see him taking.” Victor stated lighting a cigar. He inhaled and exhaled blowing smoke rings into the air. “He doesn’t strike me as the tragic type. I don’t see him playing Russian roulette with his existence now.” Using his bony finger he speared the rings. “He lost Simone once. Armani won’t risk losing the memory of Simone.”

  “Sir, with all due respect these are all just mere speculations.” Donovan said. “Your theory of a man you really don’t know.”

  “Ah, but I do know him. I’ve watched him for years. Long before I sent you to be his guardian.” Victor smiled a crooked grin. “Also, he’s not a man anymore, Donovan. He’s a vampire now. Get it right.”

  The front door slammed followed by a blood-curdling scream from outside. Donovan and Victor ran to the bedroom window and saw Armani inside the dog kennel stabbing Gabe over and over. Blood splattered everywhere. Gabe’s hands were in front of his face while pleading and begging for mercy.

  “Oh God, no.” Donovan stammered.

  Victor grinned. “Oh God, yes. This is better than watching Sunday afternoon football.”

  Donovan faced Victor. “I didn’t know you watched football.” He stated, shocked.

  “I don’t. That’s what mortals would say, correct?” Victor stared with delight at his newest vampire. “I love him already. Now this is entertainment for vampires, the merciless slaying of the guilty.” Victor walked away from the window wrapping his cloak around him. “This reassures my thinking that Armani won’t kill himself. He will have such a high, a rush from killing Gabe that he will want to continue in the works and mission of The Dark Ones.”

  “I hope you’re right,” Donovan said watching Armani tear Gabe to pieces.

  “Have faith in me as you once did,” Victor said. “I must go now to meet Alex at Manhattan Park.”

  The room was cold. Donovan turned to say something but Victor was gone. A mist like fog floated where he stood only a second ago.

  Armani stared at what remained of Gabe. “Take that you son of a bitch!” He felt good. The floodgates of anger opened in his heart with each stab into Gabe’s filthy body. “I hope you burn in Hell forever.” He knew killing Gabe and the others wouldn’t bring Simone back but it brought peace into his heart and soul. That is if he still had a soul. Donovan claimed he might not be with Simone if he killed himself. But there was a 50/50 chance he would. Was it worth the risk? Life as he knew it now was hell. What difference would it make?

  He grasped the knife with both hands and held it high above his head. “This one’s for Simone.” Gritting his teeth he brought the knife down. Seconds before piercing Gabe’s mutilated body a strong firm hand gripped his arm and squeezed like a python. The knife fell and Donovan kicked it to the side.

  “That’s enough, Armani.” Donovan said. “You did what was necessary. He’s dead. Let it go.”

  Armani stood tall and faced Donovan. “Let it go. Let it go, you say. I will never let it go.”

  “Come. It’s dark and cold out here. You need to clean yourself up.” Donovan said. “Gabe is dead. Why do you feel the need to stab an already dead man?” He questioned. “You must tame the rage or lose yourself to evil.”

  “The last stab was going to be for Simone.”

  “Wasn’t every stab for Simone?” Donovan fired back.

  Donovan stared at Armani eyes seeing nothing but darkness. Evil penetrated around them. He had to keep a closer watch over Armani. He feared Armani was susceptible to allowing evil to control and dominate him. Snapping his fingers in front of Armani’s eyes he said, “You must learn when to turn the evil off. The only other vampire I’ve seen act as you have during a kill is Victor. You must never let the darkness control you. Once it does you become its prisoner and there’s no escape.”

  Armani’s eyes bore into Donovan. “What do you mean?”

  Donovan took Armani’s arm and led him to the house. “It’s simple. Everyone has good and evil within them. We must control our emotions or they will control us. That applies to both humans as well as us vampires.”

  Armani looked confused. “If I kill as Victor does then why isn’t Victor pure evil as you presume?” He stopped walking and faced Donovan.

  Donovan stared straight ahead. “Victor is a four hundred ninety one year old vampire and has years of experience and control over himself. You are merely a day old in the vampire sense.”

  “What makes you so different from Victor?” Armani asked. He had so many questions and was prepared to ask Donovan each and every one tonight. The need to know everything about The Dark Ones weighed heavy on his heart.

  “We are really no different, just as you are no different from us. Age is our difference and that is all. Victor kills in torturous ways and enjoys each and every minute of it.” Donovan said his lips turned down for a second. “I kill for justice and justice alone. It’s not something I look forward to or enjoy doing. I’d much rather see the world as a peaceful place without evil people. But, wouldn’t we all?” He questioned and shrugged. “But unfortunately we live in an imperfect world.”

  Armani nodded in agreement. Donovan always seemed to make sense when he spoke. He had respected him almost instantly. “Were you a professor at one point?” Armani couldn’t help asking.

  Donovan smiled. “Yes, I was.” He answered. “You’re very observant. How did you know, my dear friend?”

  Armani shrugged. “You speak as an instructor does. I could see it right away in the professional way you carry yourself and in your manner of speaking.” Armani stared at the house looking up
at his bedroom window. He closed his eyes wishing when he opened them that Simone would be standing at the window waving at him. Armani opened his eyes, glanced at the window and lowered his head. A red teardrop splashed onto the baby powder white snow. He quickly shuffled his feet trying to cover it up. He was sick of having his weakness and pain on display all the time.

  Donovan saw the teardrop. His heart went out to Armani. The poor soul was struggling each and every minute of the day. “Armani, remember I lost my love in the same manner as you. I know exactly what you’re feeling and going through.” He stopped to face Armani. “Look at me,” he ordered. He waited until Armani’s gaze locked with his. “You are not weak. You have every right to mourn the loss of Simone for as long as you need to. Pain, agony and suffering have to be dealt with and there is no time limit on how long a heart takes to heal. I still feel the pain of losing my fiancée.”

  Armani heard sincerity in Donovan’s voice and saw it in his eyes. He wasn’t alone after all. He knew Donovan would prove to be a true friend in the end. Victor, on the other hand, was not one Armani saw himself warming up to. He seemed to be more of a loner and happy being that way.

  “Has Victor always been a loner?” Armani asked. “He just seems so cold and brash. Do you understand what I mean?”

  Donovan laughed. “Of course I understand exactly what you mean and yes, Victor enjoys a solitary life. He’s a vampire who has little need for relations of any kind. Although, I will say that Victor is devoted to The Dark Ones with all of his being. He would die for each and every one of us vampires.” He took Armani’s arm leading him to the house and continued to talk. “I already discussed Victor’s childhood with you. It should give you an understanding of his issues with trust and love. I’m afraid he isn’t capable of neither of those two things immediately. Give him time and he’ll warm up to you. Contrary to what he displays, he does have much kindness and goodness in him.” Donovan pointed to the black hawk perched high in an oak tree overlooking the house. “Look at him. He’s my protector and my friend, a gift from Victor.”

  Armani stared at the hawk like a lamb in the presence of a lion.

  Donovan sensed Armani’s fear. “No need to fear him. He’s harmless to vampires and people who are good.” Donovan reassured him. “My point is that if Victor was cold and ruthless he wouldn’t have sent a hawk to be my protector. Do you see what I’m saying? Does that make sense to you?” Donovan questioned.

  Armani thought for a moment and nodded. “I understand. If Victor was only evil and selfish he never would’ve cared enough for your safety by giving you that hawk.” He walked up the steps and opened the door. “Come on, it’s cold and I’m a mess. I want to wash Gabe’s blood off me.” He finished disgusted.

  “You will be getting a hawk as well.” Donovan said once inside the house. “Don’t say I told you, though.”

  Armani took his shirt off and threw it in the trash. “Do all the members of The Dark Ones have a hawk watching over them?” He asked.

  “No, only a few of us do.”

  “Why is that? Doesn’t Victor want all his vampires protected?” Armani asked a puzzled look on his face.

  “He does want them all protected but he chooses a select few to have a hawk.” Donovan stated and sat on the couch. “I’m going to tell you something if you can swear to secrecy.”

  Facing Donovan, Armani said, “Yes, I can. You can trust me.” He folded his arms over his bare chest and waited.

  “Victor likes you a lot. He thinks highly of you just as he does me. When I first crossed over, Victor referred to me as his son.” Donovan paused and smiled. “He hasn’t said it but I know he views you as a son, too.”

  Shrugging, Armani walked to the bar and poured two glasses of brandy on the rocks. “Is that supposed to make me feel better? To be honest it doesn’t.” He handed Donovan a glass and sat across from him.

  “No, it’s not supposed to make you feel better. Only you can make yourself feel better. But, it should give you some encouragement in your new life as a vampire. Victor chose you because he sees so much potential and has great respect for you. He’s been watching you for years, my friend.” Donovan said taking a sip of brandy and licking his lips. “Ah, now this hits the spot. Thank you kindly.” He said raising his glass to Armani.

  “If he has been watching me for years then why did he allow Simone to die? Why didn’t he stop it?”

  “Armani, first of all, Victor is not God and never will be. He is not omnipresent. You and Simone were attacked at a hotel, not at your home. Victor was not your personal bodyguard and was not there to stop the horrific and brutal attack on you both. Believe me, if he had been there those men would have been unrecognizable to the human eye.”

  “I guess I don’t understand why he couldn’t have stopped it before it happened then.” Armani stated angrily and rubbed the burnt side of his face. His face felt like it was on fire when he got angry. “Well . . . .” He trailed off waiting for an answer.

  “Armani, do you fully understand what we’re about?” Donovan asked not waiting for a reply. “The Dark Ones are about serving justice where it has been overlooked, ignored or is just not known to anyone. We cannot avenge the deaths of anyone if they are living. Our code prohibits us from killing someone without a justifiable cause, which in our circle of vampires means the guilty ones have murdered or abused someone. Victor could not kill Gabe, Adam or Alex without them having committed a crime. He heard their conversations about what they wanted to do but as they say, it’s only talk. As I’m sure you’re aware, talk is cheap and actions speak louder than words. Talking of committing a crime is different than actually committing the crime. For all Victor knew, these men were full of shit and could have backed out of doing it in the end. That would make Victor a killer, a murderer. No worse than these men. We must never kill or avenge wrongdoings unless we see or witness the crime being done. Victor tends to target adults and people who abuse children and he witnesses the acts being done before he plans his attack. Believe me you never want to see Victor in action. He’s ruthless in his technique. He makes his victims suffer but rightfully so.”

  “They should suffer. It’s what they deserve. Don’t you make your victims suffer for the crimes committed on innocent humans?” Armani asked. He set his glass down and stood.

  Donovan thought for a second and answered. “Every member of The Dark Ones has their own technique. I make my kills swift and deliberate. I for one don’t care to waste my time playing games with the scumbags of the human race. The less time I have to see them and hear them cry out their innocence the better for me. I target a wide range of people who commit crimes, but all are murderers.”

  Armani was silent allowing this new information to sink in.

  Donovan smiled. All this questioning from Armani had to be a good sign. Why would he ask questions of this nature if he planned on killing himself once he avenged the death of Simone? He wouldn’t. Relief flooded his soul. He changed the subject and suggested that Armani take a shower.

  “That’s a wonderful idea. I will be back in awhile.” Armani said walking to the stairs. “You’re welcome to use a bathroom and shower if you would like.” Halfway up the stairs, Armani stopped and looked at Donovan. “By the way, I think you should know that suicide is still weighing heavily on my mind. I’m a curious man and ask many questions. Don’t read into them and make assumptions.” That being said he turned and took the rest of the steps two at a time.

  Donovan frowned. He had to convince Armani that suicide was not the solution. Armani was not a coward and by God, he was going to do everything in his power to keep him from taking the easy way out. The road to recovery was a tough one but well worth it. Donovan knew the pains of losing the one special person you loved like no other.

  He knew what he had to do when Armani finished showering. The same thing he did for himself so many centuries ago. He must convince Armani to live for those he lost and will lose along the way. It was going to prove to
be difficult but he had to try with all his might before it was too late.

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Alex sat on a bench near the black horse statue in Manhattan Park. Where in God’s name was this son of a bitch named Victor, The Master of The Dark Ones? Alex scoffed. What the hell kind of joke was this? Alex stroked the gun hidden in the inside pocket of his long brown trench coat. This guy would prove to be an easy kill for him. He was probably on all sorts of drugs. Gazing at the seat beside him he patted the black briefcase full of money. He had no intention of losing this money. Not today and not for his son. To his surprise there were still people walking through the park at this time of night. Victor sure wasn’t too smart when it came to picking a spot to meet. This was a public place, not an abandon old building or someplace he would’ve chosen for a meeting of this nature.

  A woman passed, glanced at him and smiled. Alex returned the smile. She sure was a pretty little thing dressed in a black sweat suit, jogging boots and a pink hat on her head. Long auburn hair flowed behind her back. He checked his watch, a few minutes before nine. Why not get this fine young woman’s number? Once this meeting was done he could call her and take her out for a victory celebration. Only she wouldn’t know what the celebration was about. He waved her over to him and stood waiting for her to jog his way.

  “Hello. My name is Alex and you are?” He asked extending his hand.

  “Michelle. It’s nice to meet you.” She said smiling sweetly. “What are you doing in the park at night?” She asked.

  Michelle was a bit too nosy for Alex’s taste. It was none of her business what he was doing here. He had a right to be at the park just like anyone else. However one look in her eyes changed his mind. She was a beauty, a trophy for him and he planned to have his way with her tonight once he was finished meeting with the nutcase who claimed to have his son held hostage. Fuck his son. He’d kill Victor, get his son, beat the shit out of him and lock him up in the garage. His reward would be picking up this beauty, taking her out and bringing her home so he could make sweet love to her all night long.