Totem

  “Don’t forget the beer.” He winks as he gives me a side hug then turns his attention back to the grill.

  I look over at the keg and smile. A happy feeling rolls through me as I take a mental picture of the whole scene. This is a new and fun experience. This is the college experience I dreamed of those last few years of high school. I am an adult and the decisions are no longer dictated by my parents. It is another coming of age moment and I freely accept it as I walk over to the keg shooting Jake one last smile.

  The keg sits in a trashcan with ice surrounding it to keep it cool. Red solo cups, a sign of all that is college, rest on top of the keg inviting me to take one. So I do. Nothing is better than washing a burger down with ice cold beer from a keg while listening to the sounds on a New Orleans parade route. At this point in my life, it is one of the coolest experiences I have ever had.

  The rest of the day is spent socializing with the Thetas as we wait for the parade. I carry on a few conversations with the sorority girls I know from my classes or the dorms and even make friends with some new ones as we bond over the national college past time of beer pong. Michelle and I make a pretty competitive team, but by no way are we the best at beer pong. That is held by the fraternity’s senior members Devon and Joel. Either way, just interacting with everyone is tons of fun, making my parade going experience complete. The only thing missing is Ty.

  Time passes. The skies fall darker as the shadows cast by the sun begin to disappear. I feel the excitement surge through the crowd as the moment we are all gathered for begins to creep closer. The sirens of the cop cars signaling the start of the parade bounce off the houses and down towards where Michelle, Daniel, Jake and I stand waiting. This causes even more excitement to surge through the crowd. As if answering the call of the sirens, the first marching band begins to play.

  The anticipation of the crowds around us is brimming and flowing over into each of us. I press up tighter against the police barricade craning my neck in the direction of where the parade is coming from. Cheers ring through the crowd as police cars come into sight slowly passing us, their red and blue lights flitting across our faces as the last remaining sunlight hovers in the night sky. As soon as they pass, I look down the road again. This time I see the first fantastical, glowing float being pulled by a tractor. Objects and small trinkets shoot out the sides and cut through the sky as music blasts from the band. Hands in the crowd reach up as if pleading with the god like float for some token of worth it will bestow on them and only turning away when they are satisfied.

  The float draws closer. It is our turn to raise our hands up in hopes of receiving beads and presents. Michelle and I reach toward the float and cry out hoping to entice the masked men and women for the best they have to give us. As if to answer our calls, a masked man flings a set of large beads at Michelle and I. Excitement rises up as we catch the beads together. We smile at each other as our hands disappear into the crowd allowing us to divvy up our treasure among ourselves. We each place our own share over top of our head letting the purple, shiny beads hang freely around our necks. Daniel leans in and gives Michelle a kiss.

  “Good job, baby,” he yells over the screaming crowd.

  “Thanks,” replies Michelle.

  “This is awesome!” I exclaim.

  Michelle nods her head and all three of us turn our attention back to the masked purveyors of presents that line the float. More floats start rolling by only to be broken up by marching bands and an occasional fire truck. With the new floats come new masked people throwing more beads. Some of them hand out plastic roses and stuffed animals while some throw glow sticks and plastic cups. Anything and everything you can think of flies off the floats as people on the float dance around. Michelle and I join in their dancing when a band plays a lively tune. Energy filters through the bands instruments causing us to move in reaction. It is amazing!

  Occasionally, the parade stops because of some unseen obstruction ahead and we are left to entertain ourselves. I take up my normal hobby of people watching scanning the crowd as I try to ignore Daniel and Michelle cuddling beside me. It is in this time of people watching, close to the last third of the parade that I see him.

  My heart begins to race as my adrenaline kicks in again as the vampire who seeks revenge on Ty through me locks eyes with mine. His red eyes are glistening. No one notices him. He is a statue in the midst of a crowd ebbing and flowing in the excitement of the parade. I stand still naively hoping he doesn’t see me. That is the moment he chooses to acknowledge me. His toothy smile slowly slithers across his face as his eyes lock even tighter on mine. I feel the blood drain from my face. My knuckles hurt as I clench the metal railing in front of me frozen in space not knowing what to do. A float passes in front of us breaking our eye contact. Quickly I become guarded. My eyes dart all around looking for an attacker. When the break between floats comes, I find him in the crowd. He is closer than last time only a few people away from the barrier on the other side of the street. The bodies in front of him move attempting to seek the attention of the next float. Their hands are outstretched. Their faces full of smiles as laughs fill the night sky. Little do they know behind them stands a cold hard killer stocking. The prey is me.

  He stands perfectly still only moving to raise a finger and point at me before the next float shields me from him. My heart begins beating faster at the sight of the vampire. My mind picks up speed racing through all the possibilities and outcomes that can happen tonight.

  I know I can’t fight him. His strength infinitely exceeds mine. I can try to out run him, but it is pointless. His speed is faster than anything I have ever seen. I glance down at Michelle. Her attention is directed towards the people on the float completely clueless to the dangers lurking steps away from us. My heart breaks at the thought of placing Michelle in harm’s way again. It is then I resolutely decide to get out of the crowd. If he is going to attack then I do not want anyone else to get hurt besides me. I know I have to run.

  I glance at Michelle one more time silently saying good bye to one of the truest friends I have ever known. A pain in my heart rises inside of me as the weight of my decision falls upon me. The float in front of me has stopped and now is my greatest chance. I turn and run through the crowd as fast as I can. The fresh, cool air hits me as soon as I burst through the forest of people and into the open. With new speed I take off towards the only place I can think to go where I will be alone and no one else will get hurt. I draw him to City Park. My heart beats inside my chest in protest as my lungs push their limits propelling my feet forward.

  I chance a glance back only to see my demon predator jumping effortlessly side to side on the street, a smile drawn tightly across his face reveals his pointed teeth. I know he is toying with me. He can catch me in a blink of an eye, but it is all a game to him. Yet, I am running for my life. Quickly I dodge across City Park Avenue sending car horns blazing and wheels screeching in protest as they swerve to avoid me.

  This is it. This is the night I, Kimberly Anne Storm, am going to die. I run through the grass trying to get further away from more people. I do not want him to take more victims than me. Further I run into the safety of the old oak trees. When I am satisfied I am hidden in the shadows, I grab the last bit of courage from somewhere deep inside of me.

  I stop running. I turn around to face my attacker. If this is the end, then I am not going down without a fight. The demon stops yards away from me. His posture relaxes as his unwavering toothy grin looks upon me triumphantly. My chest heaves trying to catch the breaths denied on the run. My heart beats quickly as if knowing these are the lasts beats it will take. My eyes begin to water as anger rises up inside of me.

  I always wondered how I would die. Out of my many guesses, in the hands of a vampire was not one of them. I hoped I would go when I was old surrounded by pictures of my children and their children and their children’s children. I wanted to go quietly in my sleep knowing I lived a full life…but not here… not like this.r />
  There are so many things I will never get to experience. There are so many things I want to know, but one thing that I am certain of without a doubt is that I know love. I know the type of love worth dying for. My thoughts shoot to Ty as a single tear drops down my cheek. Silently I lift my thoughts out to him in hopes he hears my gratitude for loving me and allowing me to love him in return.

  The vampire lets out a chuckle causing my eyes to look deep in his. There is no remorse. There is no sadness. He is a killer and has been that way for quite some time. Quickly I bend down and pick up a stick that happens to be lying in front of me. This makes him laugh even more. My anger builds causing a tremor to rise through my body and the stick in my hand to shake.

  “What are you waiting for?” I ask through clinched teeth.

  “I’m waiting for you to beg,” replies the vampire.

  “I wouldn’t give you the damn satisfaction,” I state defiantly flicking my head back to remove the hair from my face.

  I narrow my eyes staring hard at the vampire. I am going to die but I will not show fear. I refuse to show fear. His smile immediately drops as his voice rises in anger. Quickly he charges me. I throw the branch back and let it swing with all the force and speed my human body can muster. The branch misses its target flying off into the night and in one fluid blur, he is behind me. All the force I exude throws my body forward. Now, my body is being dragged unnaturally back the opposite direction. I feel it contort under his strength. Aggressively, he pulls my hair forcing my head to one side exposing my neck. He is rough, unkind to me, and I feel the tears building inside as every fiber of my being begins to make peace with the end of my mortal life. Roughly he positions my head one last time.

  “I am going to enjoy this,” he whispers in my ear. Anger at him takes hold of me causing my tears to stay within. Then I feel it. A sharp sting in my neck causes my body to tense as he sinks his teeth in. My heart beats, unwillingly speeding up the blood flow and making it easier to drink for the demon taking my life. I feel my body begin to slump as my veins contract seeking to feel the blood that once flowed so freely through them. I want to crumple to the ground but the vampire holds me up against my will.

  This is the end. Light fills my eyes, but I know it is still dark. My head feels empty and I begin to relax as I accept the inevitable. I close my eyes greeting death openly with the euphoria brought upon by adrenaline.

  Suddenly, I am jolted. I hear the howl of a dog as I am flung to the ground like a ragdoll. My attacker has left my body. My eyes flutter open and the light gives way to the darkness of the night focusing on what is going on around me. I see the grey hair and the white teeth of the wolf. I hear the gurgling of my blood in his throat as the wolf rips into the vampire’s neck. I hear the hiss of forced breaths through a closed throat as flailing arms frantically reach towards the oversized unrelenting wolf. Finally, I see the redness leave my attackers eyes as his body slumps and crumples under razor sharp teeth. With one final gut wrenching sound of flesh tearing, I see the head severed from the body as both lumps of flesh begin to turn to dust. The vampire disappears, crumpling into the earth that seeks to reclaim him.

  It is over. No longer will my attacker lurk around corners. Relief washes over me as I feel my body lightening. The wolf lets out a howl then looks at me. Concern fills his face. He nuzzles my arm. Tears stream down my face. It is a bitter release to the end of a traumatizing experience. The wetness on my neck soaks into the collar of my shirt. It is all over. I look into the glowing golden eyes of the wolf, my savior, my boyfriend, and my love.

  “Hey, babe,” I manage to whisper through a sore throat.

  I reach for the face of a wolf knowing behind it is Ty. My consciousness leaves me and I slip away.

  Chapter 20: Feeling again

  My body lifts up as the blood red eyes of my killer obstruct my vision. It is dark but I am alive. Underneath my body is plush fabric. My brain processes the bed I am in. A dull ache coming from my right arm causes my left arm to tentatively touch it. A tube is attached to my arm held by tape. Quickly I pull away as the touch causes more pain. I feel pain. It is a sign that I am alive. Tears begin streaming down my face in sweet release. I am alive! I thought I was dead. With my left hand I cross my body fumbling for a light that has to be on the night stand. Sure enough, I reach for the outline and find the way to turn it on. Light floods the room and I wait for my eyes to adjust. I am in Ty’s room. The familiarity registers as I look around. I look down at my arm. An IV is attached to my arm with two bags running into the tube; one has red liquid I can assume to only be blood and the other seems to be clear liquid. I look at the bags a little closer. The red bag reads B positive in big letters followed by a bunch of small letters.

  How did Ty know?

  “You had your donor card in your wallet. I noted it the first time I saved you,” a voice from the door way answers.

  I startle. My body is still on edge and I am ready to run, but I stop when I lock eyes with Ty standing in the doorway. In one hand is a glass filled with liquid. In the other is a plate. He is shirtless, beautiful and alive. I am alive.

  “Hey babe,” he says with a crooked smile and eyes still filled with concern.

  I feel my lips tremble as everything inside of me comes relentlessly out. I am left debilitated by my emotions as I sob uncontrollably. My body trembles. Ty quickly comes over to me. He sets the items on the end table then sweeps me up into his arms gently brushing the plastic tubes out of his way as he cradles me like a baby. My tears drip down his bare chest. I watch through blurry vision as the light from the lamp gets caught in the tears on his skin.

  “I thought I was dead.” I manage to choke the words out through heaving sobs.

  “Shhhh… it’s ok now. You are alive and I have you.”

  My sobs grow louder and harsher. Ty wastes no more words to fill the empty space. Gently he rocks me, never stopping, never yielding no matter how long it takes. Slowly, my body tires of the sobs as the tears begin to run out. I cling to him tightly causing him to hold on even tighter.

  “The vampire bite…am I going to become a vampire? Does it transfer?”

  “No” replies Ty. “They aren’t sparkly vampires that walk in the sunlight like certain authors would have you believe. They do not have venomous blood that magically makes you a vampire. You would have to ingest their blood and die to become a vampire.”

  He holds me tight to him. I sense the tension in his body.

  “I should have been there sooner,” states Ty remorse filling his words. “There were just too many people. The lights, everything, I lost him and that’s when he happened to find you. I couldn’t… it’s just… he is gone now.”

  “Forever?” I ask knowing full well what the answer was.

  “Yes forever…Sarah checked you out,” replies Ty changing subject. “She said you probably would have been fine without the blood and saline solution, but that it wouldn’t hurt. I made her. I knew it would be for the best.”

  I nod my head to let Ty know I am listening. I can’t help but continue to cry even with the tears being dry. When the lights went out on me in the park, I literally thought I was dead and like in death, I was filled with nothingness. There is a hole with nothing but emptiness filling it.

  “We can take these out now,” he states.

  I don’t move. I merely stare at his chest covered in my tears. He clamps the plastic tubes then grabs a pair of gloves from the top drawer along with gauze. Placing the gauze over the needle going into my skin hiding it from sight, he gently pulls it out and applies pressure. I watch as he patiently waits for my blood to clot under the pressure of his fingers. Blood. This is all I am made of and I can lose it all within minutes. With his free hand, he fumbles for something in the drawer and pulls out tape. Gently he tapes a new clean piece of gauze on my arm lingering extra-long as he rubs the tape to my skin.

  “I thought I was dead.” I state again perhaps still in shock.

  Ty w
atches my eyes closely as he begins to cradle me again.

  “The worst part of it is that I accepted it,” I begin. “My only concern was not putting others in harm’s way. So I ran away from the crowd drawing the vampire with me.”

  Michelle! I know she will be worried about me. I ran away from her without an explanation. Within seconds, I am crying again. I just need to release everything that is inside me. I need to try and fill the emptiness I left by accepting death. I need to learn how to feel again. Ty holds me tight and continues rocking me.

  “It’s ok. You’re safe now. So is everyone else. I called Michelle and told her you were with me. She said she was planning on catching a ride with Daniel anyway. Everything is ok.”

  I can’t believe it. I didn’t want to believe him. I do not feel like everything is ok. I do not feel alive.

  “Kiss me,” I whisper into his neck.

  Ty begins to plant light kisses on my forehead. He follows them in a straight line along my hair then my neck. This isn’t enough.

  “Kiss me harder,” I whisper a little louder.

  Ty hesitates a moment. The rocking stops a fraction of a second. Then he leans in and kisses my lips harder and longer. The rocking starts up again. I kiss back with a new found urgency. I reposition my legs so that I am straddling him and his kisses become deeper more urgent. I am beginning to feel alive again but it isn’t enough. I want more. I crave more. I have known the icy cold breath of death. Now I need to feel the heat of being alive. It is a heat that Ty has in a limitless supply. My arms stretch freely over his body quickly exploring every inch and every contour. As my hands wander down him, I realize that I want to feel his skin on my skin. Quickly I lift up my shirt and pull it off over my head throwing it onto the floor. My hands quickly find their way back into his thick black hair. I am pulling. I am relaxing. I am kissing him deeper and deeper. It is an unrelenting motion that pulls my beating heart forward warming my body in parts that need to feel.