by Amber Garr
“Yes. I am Gallus.” My attention turned back to the gladiator. He had a slight accent and he enunciated every syllable. “I am a vampire.”
I didn’t believe it. Vampires. This was too much. I looked at the medium wrapped around the vampire. She was smiling, he was not. Oh my gosh, did he bite her? Wait, where were his fangs if he was really a vampire?
As if he could read my mind, Gallus smiled and two pointed canines dropped from his upper jaw. I flinched and he laughed a deep mocking sound reserved only for crazy people. Or enormous, gladiator vampires. Elise must have noticed my reaction because she nudged him and shook her head.
“Yes, ladies. He’s all mine,” she joked as Gallus snapped his fangs back inside and closed his mouth. “Please excuse him. You would think that someone would learn his manners after a few centuries. He’s really quite harmless.”
I seriously doubted that. When Conner snorted, I guessed I was right.
I turned to Conner. Everyone else had introduced themselves both in name and species, so now it was his turn. He wouldn’t meet my eyes at first, and instead of feeling annoyed, I felt amused. I mentally ran through all of the other things that go bump in the night, trying to decipher which one he might be. What was left? Trolls, ghosts, zombies. Oh no. If he was a zombie, I was so out of here. I had a brief image of Shaun of the Dead and giggled. Quick! I need a shovel and a box of records.
“Is something funny?” Conner asked me.
“Oh no. Nothing at all,” I said as I swallowed the last of my amusement. “I’ve just learned that there are creatures I thought only existed in nightmares and fairytales.” I glanced toward Mac, “No offense.”
“None taken, my lady,” Mac replied.
I continued, “And I’m having an inner struggle here to figure out what you could possibly be. Any chance you could just be a lawyer? I mean, they are monsters in and of themselves.” Conner didn’t say anything. “Yeah, I figured as much. Okay, out with it.”
He paused again and I saw him share a look with Terez. Perhaps she knew I wouldn’t be able to accept this, and he was hesitant to push me over the edge. Or perhaps he was such a scary creature that he didn’t want me to know. I hoped it was the former.
“I’m a cambion.”
Oh. Just another friendly cambion. What was a cambion? “Would you care to elaborate? That’s a new one to me.” And not something I recalled hearing about before. Conner paused again, but then sat up tall.
“I’m a half demon. Product of an incubus father and a human mother.” As though that was explanation enough, he pursed his lips together and stayed silent.
“Aren’t demons…or whatever your species is… supposed to be conjured into existence?” I wondered if species was the right terminology. Gallus mumbled something in the affirmative.
Before Conner responded, he glared at the vampire. “I am half human, so the rules are different for me.”
“Huh.” It was the only word I could form before I had a clearer thought. “What about that man at your office?” Conner looked questioningly at me. “That grumpy old man that looked like a troll? Was he one?” He nodded.
I looked around the table of supernaturals. The medium, witch, sorcerer, fairy, werewolf, clairvoyant, vampire, and cambion all stared back. Maybe it was shock, but for some reason I didn’t think this was odd. My whole world view had been flipped upside down and turned inside out, but yet I didn’t believe they were playing a joke.
I thought about the crash last night. Conner had saved us. Conner, the cambion, had saved us. Maybe he had super demon strength and speed to get us out before the train barreled into the car. Maybe he conjured himself to the tracks. Did cambions actually have any powers? Did demons? I catalogued all of these questions, thinking that maybe someday I would ask. I also thought that I might have to reevaluate my religious and world views.
“So Leila, welcome to our group.” Terez’s calm voice pulled me from my racing thoughts. “We wanted to talk to you about the murder investigation you’ve been working on. After what you told me this morning, I think Atticus may have some information for us.”
I held up my hand. “Wait. Just wait a minute.” Shaking my head, I tried to wrap my brain around what she was saying. “What is this group? Vigilante X-Men? I mean, seriously, can’t a girl have a moment to process what you all just confessed to me.”
“I’m afraid time is of the essence, my lady.” Mac’s previously lighthearted voice darkened. “We’ve been following this case and we understand that another body was found.”
“Erin Montgomery,” I whispered. That poor family.
Terez laid a comforting hand on my shoulder. “It is a tragedy, yes. But we think there’s more involved than just the senseless violence of humans.”
They were trying to solve the murder case too. And considering the information I’d received about the people we live next to, I suspected they thought this case had a supernatural twist. I wanted to help Garrick solve Erin’s case. It had allowed me to feel needed after so many days of wallowing in depression. It gave me a sense of purpose. But if this case involved subjects outside of my normal world vision, I wasn’t sure if I could do it.
“Before we discuss anything else, I need to use the restroom.” I looked across the table to Mac.
“I’ll show you,” he said as he stood.
“No, that’s okay. Just point me in the right direction. I won’t be long.”
He hesitated for a moment until agreeing. “Through the door and on the left before you get to the cashier counter.”
I stood and pulled my shirt back down over the top of my jeans. I didn’t have a purse or a cell phone at the moment, since they had gone up in flames on the train track, so it didn’t look like I was collecting my belongings. “Thanks. Terez, I’ll be right back.”
She nodded and I heard the others begin discussions in a whispered tone as I left the storage area. I passed through the door and walked by the corner porn room. Although the restroom sign was on the left, I continued to march past Blake and out the front door.
Ten
As soon as I stepped outside, the gravity of what I’d witnessed crushed my chest. I walked as fast as I could away from the porn shop owned by a fairy and filled with a slew of other creatures. Before I knew it, I reached the divided highway we drove in on, and I found myself crossing the street onto the church’s property. I needed to see Russ. Now more than ever.
Although I hadn’t been here in almost a year, I walked to his grave without hesitation. It was almost completely dark now, but the small wrought-iron gate hadn’t been locked yet. I stepped through the cemetery entrance and stopped to take it all in. The green grass and large oak trees with the brightly colored leaves really made a beautiful setting for a final slumber. I find cemeteries themselves to be quite peaceful. Sad, but serene.
Trudging up the paved pathway, I focused on the large tree on top of the hill. I used the quiet evening energy to help calm myself and release the pressure in my chest. By the time I reached the top of the path, my breathing was under control and I prepared myself to take the next few steps.
Russ’ family had a section of the cemetery. He’d mentioned that he wanted to be buried there should something happen to him while his parents were still alive. I never planned that far in advance and always thought it was disturbing to arrange your own funeral, but I’d thanked him when I felt at ease knowing this is what he had wanted. Crickets chirped throughout the graveyard and the sound of the muffled traffic soothed me. Taking a deep breath, I walked off the path toward my fiancé.
Even though I didn’t know the first thing about picking out headstones, the one we chose for Russ was perfect. Nothing fancy or plain. Just a nice polished boulder with his name engraved above the dates of his life. No eulogy or inscription or carvings, clean and simple. Russ would have liked it. The flowers on his grave had started to wilt. I’d heard that his mother visits almost every week. I don’t know how she does it. Sitting here, remember
ing his funeral was almost too much to bear. I took a moment to compose myself and then placed my hand on the stone.
“Hi there,” I said with a shaky voice and unshed tears. “I’m sorry I haven’t been here in a while. Well, at all. It’s been too hard for me.” I sat down and laid back against it as though breaking contact would prohibit me from talking to him.
“I miss you so much, Russ. And right now, I would give anything to have you here with me.” I couldn’t stop the tears, but I chuckled. “You thought I was crazy with my abilities…boy did you miss the good stuff.”
I continued to tell him about the evening’s events and how I would have loved to see his face when he listened to everyone introduce themselves as supernaturals. Although Russ never questioned me, I’d always thought that it was hard for him to truly comprehend what I could do. He was never confrontational under normal circumstances, but I laughed to myself as I imagined introducing him to Gallus. It would have been hilarious.
I told him about my work, and gave him an update on Sara and Ben. I avoided discussing the police case or my near-death experience for fear that he would worry about me. Stupid, I know, he was dead. But I didn’t want to upset him nonetheless.
I rested on my side, head propped up against the stone, snuggling with him again. The air got colder and the ground began to dampen, but I didn’t care. This was peaceful. Why hadn’t I come to visit sooner? I laughed and cried as I carried on with my one-way conversation, feeling the sadness ease with each topic.
I don’t know how long I was lying there, but when I heard a scuff on the pathway, I sat up and strained to see what had made the noise. The dim lights surrounding the cemetery were bright enough to move around in, but didn’t help identify my two visitors.
“Leila?” A soft high voice asked. “It’s Elise.” All right. “And Gallus.” Oh no.
I saw her move toward me while the other large silhouette remained on the path. Her movements were timid, and I changed my position so that I stood next to the tombstone before she reached me.
“Are you okay?” she asked.
I cleared my throat and checked my hair for foliage. “Yes. I needed to get away and,” I looked down at Russ’ grave, “I needed to confide in someone. Tonight’s been a little overwhelming. In fact, the past few days have been too much. How did you find me anyway?”
She stared at me with a smirk on her face, and before I could ask her what that look was for, I knew what it meant. “Oh, right. Terez.”
Elise came close enough to see the name on the tombstone. She closed her eyes and tilted her head to the sky. Her breathing moved slow and steady, and she must have remained like that for a minute or two. Finally she opened her eyes and looked up at me. “You know, I could contact him if you want me to.”
“What?” Did she mean what I think she did? “Russ? Is he here? No wait, don’t tell me.”
A chance to talk to Russ again? There were so many times that I had longed for that. I promised numerous things for one more chance to tell him how much I loved him and that our stupid fight that night was just that…stupid. It would be a chance for me to know that he was all right. A chance for me to see him again.
“How does it work?” I asked the medium.
“Well, it’s not as easy as you might think. I can’t contact those who don’t want to be bothered or those that are no longer here.”
“No longer here? Like there really is an afterlife?” I asked in wonder, realizing again how tiny my version of the world had been.
“Yes. It’s usually just the restless, or the really irritating spirits that stick around.” She shifted her stance before going on. “There’s no guarantee that I can reach the one I want to. I have to rely on my spirit guides and sometimes even that’s not enough.” Spirit guides, restless souls? I suppose my gift wasn’t so esoteric after all. Elise continued talking . “I could perform a ceremony, and we could try to contact Russell.”
“Russ. And you mean like a séance?”
She smiled again. “Sort of. It’s not always necessary, but it sometimes helps the spirit find me better.”
Do I want to talk to Russ? Although I’d been in tears, tonight had been therapeutic enough that I was content talking to a stone. I even thought about coming back next weekend. If I decided to talk to him in person, or spirit, and then he didn’t show up, it would be like the world ripped him away from me again. Seeing him and his face or hearing his voice may not be the best thing for my psyche. On the other hand, I would get to see him again. I’d know that he was at peace. My heart was torn.
“Thanks Elise. I think I’ll pass for now.”
She looked disappointed, but quickly regained her professional composure. “I understand. If you ever want to talk more about this, please don’t hesitate to contact me.” She held out what I assumed to be a business card, even though I couldn’t read it in the dark. I thanked her and slid it into my back pocket.
Wanting to change the subject I asked, “So you and Gallus? How did that happen?”
She laughed a full weighty laugh. “I know, right? Opposites attract, I guess. Well really, the dead is drawn to me, so maybe it was more of a natural attraction than I give it credit for.”
“Is he…are vampires really dead? Like no heartbeat and all of that?” I could imagine what my face looked like.
“Yes and no. A lot of the folklore and fairytales are exaggerated, but those stories were usually based in truth. Conner will probably tell you more once you settle in.”
I scoffed at the idea. “No, I don’t think I’ll be seeing Conner anymore.” Although as I said this, I did realize I was itching to get some of my questions answered. Maybe I could talk to Mac instead, since I was also a little annoyed with Terez right now as well. I tried to imagine how that conversation would go. “What’s the deal with a fairy owning a porn shop anyway?”
“Ah yes. Well, the fae are known for their sexuality and lack of...shall we say…modesty. Mac’s been able to make quite a living catering to the sexual needs of humans. He is quite old, but I do believe this is his first adult entertainment store.”
I tossed that thought around in my head. Maybe it wouldn’t be Mac that I talked to after all.
“We should get going. Conner is waiting to take you home, and Terez rescheduled another meeting for Wednesday night.” She nudged me with her shoulder. “I know this is a lot to accept Leila, but don’t take it out on Conner. He’s a good guy.”
Gallus grunted again from the road, making me believe that the super-hearing myth might be one of the truths about vampires. Elise glanced toward him and rolled her eyes. “Those two have issues that they need to work out,” saying it loud enough to make it a demand of her boyfriend.
We hiked back down the hill in relative silence. I wondered how hard it was for Elise to be at a cemetery. Did the ghosts bombard her with constant requests? By the way she was entangled in the vampire’s arm and leaning lovingly against his side, I guessed that she was at ease. Maybe she could shield in the same way Terez and I could. More questions to add to the growing list.
By the time we reached the plaza, most of the vehicles were gone. Conner and Terez stood outside under the awning, and his head snapped up when we came into view. I really didn’t feel like dealing with either of them right now. I was mentally, physically, and emotionally exhausted and I had no intentions of conversing. Elise and Gallus excused themselves and got into a car across the parking lot. Now I was on my own.
Terez approached me first with her hands out. “Leila, you’re okay?”
I stopped before I reached her. “Yeah. Sorry I ran off, but I really needed a break.”
“It’s understandable.” She motioned to Conner. “He’ll take you back to your car. I hope we’ll see you on Wednesday. Conner will give you the details.” With that, she turned and walked away, leaving me there with the half demon.
“Leila…” Conner started to say, but I stopped him cold.
“Can you take me back to
your office please?” I wasn’t sure why I was so angry. A part of me felt betrayed by him. I hadn’t known him long, but I felt the same level of animosity toward him as I did toward Terez right now. “I don’t mean to be rude. But I’m very tired and I don’t think I can deal with this until tomorrow.”
He paused for a few seconds and seemed to be at a loss for words. Finally, he unlocked the car and we got inside. The trip back to his office was quiet. Not a hint of conversation developed between us, and although it was uncomfortable, I wasn’t going to give in. He pulled up next to my car, and turned off the engine. I suddenly had the realization that I was trapped in a car with a bloodthirsty demon who apparently had really pointy teeth. Okay, I didn’t know if he was actually bloodthirsty, but I felt my heart speed up. Conner sighed, pulled the keys out of the ignition, and jumped out of the car before I even noticed his movement. Creepy.
I got out at my normal human pace and unlocked my car. “We’re meeting on Wednesday at seven at my house. I hope that you can come. I’ll send you directions.”
“I don’t have my cell phone right now,” I snapped, although I hoped to get it replaced tomorrow.
I opened my door and got in the driver’s seat. What was I doing? It wasn’t his fault I’d been sheltered my entire life. It wasn’t his fault he was a cambion, at least I didn’t think it was. I always hated being rude to people. I guess I hated being rude to supernaturals too.
I sighed. “I should have it by tomorrow. So you can text me the address, okay?” That earned me a small grin and a nod. I closed the door and drove away, reflecting on how complicated my life had just become.
Eleven
The silence of the condo welcomed me. I took a long shower, fixed dinner, and drank a smooth glass of wine. Settling down at my drawing table, I thought that immersing myself in work might help me cope with this evening’s events. Plus, I was behind schedule.
An hour into my illustrations, I found that all I wanted to draw were werewolves, bats, and other animals with fangs. Not the adorable young boy playing with cats and squirrels like I was supposed to.