The Kiss: An Anthology About Love and Other Close Encounters

by C. A. Newsome

  Making sure to stay between the vampire and the humans, she stole a glance around the chapel, looking for anything that might help. She saw nothing.

  “I’m so glad we found the church,” the vampire hissed. “The others can have the crowds outside. I’ve always had a taste for religious blood.”

  Abbie’s heart sank. So there were more of them. This wasn’t just an assault on the church. It was an assault on the town. “Tim,” she said, still looking at the vampire.

  “Yes?” Tim answered from somewhere behind her.

  “There are two tables behind the podium.”

  “I see them.”

  “Knock them over,” Abbie said. “Break them up. See if you can break off the legs.”

  “On it,” she heard Tim say.

  The vampire smiled. “If you’re looking for makeshift stakes, you’re wasting your time. Stakes or no stakes, you won’t leave this church alive.”

  “You’re probably right,” Abbie said, “but that doesn’t mean I’m not going to do everything I can to stop that from happening.”

  The creature cocked an eyebrow. To Abbie, it felt strange to see this monstrous thing make such a human gesture. “I’m impressed. The people outside are screaming and running, but you and your friends are handling this remarkably well.”

  “Oh, I think we both know I’m terrified,” Abbie said, “but I have responsibilities I can’t walk away from.” She extended her arm, pushing her cross a little closer to the creature. “And don’t think I didn’t notice you trying to inch your way closer.”

  The vampire laughed and took a step back. “What responsibilities?”

  Keep him talking, Abbie thought. Keep his attention away from the others. And pay attention to what he says. There may be clues about how to kill these things. “My first responsibility is to the people in this church. While I’m alive, you won’t touch them.”

  “That won’t be a problem for me,” the vampire said. “I fully plan to kill you first. What’s your second responsibility?”

  “You’re a real Chatty Patty for a monster,” Abbie said.

  The creature pointed a clawed thumb toward the vampires at the door. “Turning a human into a vampire can be a time-consuming process. We have to feed him our blood, so the more vampires we have, the faster it goes. Since there’s only two of them—”

  “No,” Abbie whispered.

  The vampire laughed again. “Wait a minute. You didn’t know that’s what we were doing to the good Father? I thought I had made that very clear.”

  “It has been an eventful night,” Abbie said. “I must’ve missed it.”

  Abbie instinctively knew it was time to act. She knew she had to do something. The problem was, she had no way of knowing whether or not Tim was ready. One wrong move and they were all dead. With a deep breath, she decided it was time for faith.

  Still looking at the vampire, she raised her right arm and opened hand. “Now, Tim.”

  She prayed Tim was ready and she prayed he understood what she was asking for.

  “Heads up!” Tim yelled.

  Abbie risked a glance behind her. A makeshift stake – which was actually just a broken table leg – flew toward her.

  With agility she didn’t know she had, Abbie caught the stake and quickly drove it into the heart of the lead vampire. She was surprised by how easily the leg plowed through the creature’s chest. The vampire’s eyes widened in horror and pain.

  “My second responsibility,” Abbie spat, “is to rid the world of vampires. It’s a brand new job. Just started tonight, actually.”

  The vampire fell to the floor, dead. Abbie calmly reached down and pulled the table leg from its chest. She looked back at the others. For the first time, she noticed just how young they all looked.

  Seven of them were holding table legs.

  She turned back toward the front entrance. The two vampires were now standing above Father O’Reilly’s body. “She killed him,” one of the creatures said. “She actually killed him.”

  “Run?” the other vampire asked. “Get help and come back?”

  “No,” his companion said. “It’s a church full of children and one nun. They must be punished for what they’ve done.” He pointed a claw at Abbie. “Especially her.”

  “Kids,” Abbie said, “we came here to clean this chapel. So let’s clean it.”

  With a roar, Tim and several others sprinted toward the creatures. Abbie joined them.

  The remaining vampires moved with startling speed. Before Abbie and her mini-army were halfway across the room, the vampires leapt to the ceiling, using their claws to stay there. “Your murder of our brother has given you false confidence. You didn’t kill him because of speed or skill. You killed him because he underestimated your willingness to attack.”

  “We won’t make that mistake,” the second creature added.

  “Then it looks like we’re at an impasse,” Abbie said. “We can’t catch you, but if you get close enough to attack, we’ll kill you.”

  “You think so?” one of them hissed.

  With blinding speed, he dropped to the ground, swiped a claw across the throat of a young woman standing beside Tim, then leapt back to the ceiling. The girl fell to the ground. Blood poured from her sliced throat.

  “No,” Abbie whispered, her heart aching. I’m failing them.

  “Still think we’re at an impasse?” the vampire said from the ceiling.

  “Go to the front of the church,” Abbie said to the others. “Now.”

  “There’s a door up there,” Tim whispered. “We could run to the kitchen.”

  “No,” Abbie said. She didn’t bother to whisper because she was quite sure the vampires could hear them, no matter how quietly they talked. “The back rooms are likely in total darkness. We need to keep these creatures in the chapel, where we at least have a chance of fighting back.”

  “Smart decision,” a vampire said from the ceiling.

  Abbie looked at Tim. “Why are you standing here? Get to the front. Now!”

  They all ran to the area behind the chapel’s podium. Abbie stayed beneath the vampires. She looked at the young woman on the ground. A girl, really. No more than sixteen.

  “Sister,” Tim yelled, “come on.”

  Abbie looked at the vampires on the ceiling. “You’ll pay for what you did to her.”

  One of the vampires laughed. “Just her? Sister, there are hundreds of people dying outside as we speak. Across the globe, millions are dying. Right now. Will you avenge them all?”

  “Yes,” Abbie said.

  With a hard flick of her wrist, Abbie threw her crucifix at the vampire. The small cross spun through the air until it embedded itself in the vampire’s left eye.

  The creature howled in pain as it fell from the ceiling. As soon as it hit the floor, Abbie slammed her stake into its heart. She put her foot on its chest and pulled the stake free, then put her foot on its forehead and pulled her cross free.

  She looked at the remaining vampire. “Come on down here and get it over with.”

  “Wouldn’t you rather deal with me?”

  Abbie turned around to see Father O’Reilly standing in front of the church door. More specifically, it was the toothy, pale monster that had taken over Father O’Reilly’s body.

  “Oh, good,” Abbie said as she walked toward O’Reilly. “You’re up.”

  “I gotta admit, Abbie,” O’Reilly said, “I find your enthusiasm a little disturbing. The entire world just went to chaos and you’re strolling around like you enjoy it.”

  “I don’t enjoy it,” Abbie said. “I also don’t hide from reality when it presents itself to me. And don’t call me Abbie. We are not friends.”

  “I’m glad you’ll be my first kill,” O’Reilly said. “I never liked you.”

  “Since we’re having a share-moment here,” Abbie said as she continued to walk toward the former priest, “I never liked you, either. More than once, I wanted to punch you in the teeth. I know,
I know. It’s inappropriate to think such thoughts, especially for a nun. Thing is, right now… I don’t care so much about what’s appropriate.”

  “Abbie, look out!” It was Tim.

  Before Abbie could turn around, she felt two clawed hands grab her arms from behind. “Here you are, priest,” the vampire’s serpentine voice whispered as his grip tightened. “Have your first drink.”

  Abbie tried to break free, but the creature was simply too strong.

  O’Reilly looked at the others behind Abbie. “If any of you take a single step toward her, I’ll ask my new friend to snap her neck.” He looked at Abbie. “Just to be sure, tell them to stay away.”

  “Stay away, kids,” Abbie said. “I mean it. I have things under control.” She was, of course, lying. She had absolutely no idea what she was going to do, but as long as the vampires were focused on her, the kids were safe. Considering the slaughter outside, Abbie couldn’t think of another alternative. She was very literally living minute to minute and her decisions were appropriate to that outlook.

  O’Reilly smacked the crucifix from Abbie’s hand. As the cross bounced along the floor, he grabbed her makeshift stake and threw it across the room. “I think you can release her now.”

  The vampire behind Abbie let her go.

  “Let’s make a deal,” O’Reilly said. “If you don’t fight this, we’ll leave without harming the others.”

  “How do I know you’ll keep your word?” Abbie asked.

  “I have a world to explore,” O’Reilly said. “Those children don’t interest me. You, however, need to learn humility.”

  “This is because the cross worked for me, but not for you,” Abbie said. “You’re pouting.”

  “Abbie, Abbie, Abbie,” O’Reilly said. “I don’t care about your trinkets any more than I care about your God. I used to preach about the ‘power of God.’ After my recent transformation, I realize what a joke that phrase is. There is no power in being a servant.” His red eyes were wild and excited. “But this new state of existence… this is beyond anything you could imagine. This is power! Keep your trinkets, Sister. I’m perfectly happy without them. Truth is, I always was.”

  In that moment, Abbie understood. She understood why the cross had worked for her, but not for Father O’Reilly.

  It’s not the cross.

  It’s me.

  “You’re suddenly quiet, Sister,” O’Reilly said. “Have you finally run out of things to say?”

  “No,” Abbie said. “I have one more thing.”

  “I’m listening.”

  Summoning all her strength, Abbie looked into the monstrous priest’s eyes and quietly said, “God damn you to Hell.”

  “Sister,” O’Reilly said with a laugh, “I wouldn’t have expected blasphemy from you. I understand this is a stressful situation, but that’s no excuse to turn your back on—”

  “That wasn’t profanity,” Abbie said. “I was making an honest request.” As soon as she saw the confused look on O’Reilly’s hideous face, she reached forward and grabbed his throat.

  Smoke began to rise from the area where Abbie’s skin touched O’Reilly’s. He tried to speak, but couldn’t. Abbie couldn’t tell if she saw pain or confusion in his eyes. She decided she didn’t care. Either one was just as satisfying.

  “You’re a channeler!” the vampire behind Abbie screamed.

  Abbie released O’Reilly and turned to face the other vampire. She had absolutely no fear that O’Reilly would attack. As a human, he was a coward. She suspected that was still true.

  “I don’t know what a channeler is,” Abbie said.

  Before the vampire could answer, a table leg burst from his chest. He coughed blood for a second or two, then fell to the ground, dead.

  Tim stood behind him.

  “Thank you,” Abbie said.

  Tim gave her a single nod. “No problem.” He looked behind her. “I think Father O’Reilly’s feeling a bit under the weather.”

  Abbie turned around to see the creature that used to be Father O’Reilly on its knees. Its hands were cupped over the burns on its neck.

  With hatred so powerful it caused a pang of guilt, Abbie drove her table leg into O’Reilly’s chest.

  As she pulled the leg out, Tim said, “You burned his flesh with a touch. You really are kissed by divinity.”

  “I’m not sure if it was the power of God or something inside me,” Abbie said. “The other vampire called me a ‘channeler.’ That makes me think I’m not unique. For all I know, you can do it, too.”

  “I doubt it,” Tim said. “You might not be unique, but you’re definitely something special. As soon as that thing saw you burn O’Reilly, it was terrified.”

  “Oh well,” Abbie said. “Either way, it was a gift from God and I’m thankful.”

  “No argument here,” Tim said. “So what now? If they were telling the truth, all we really did here was buy some time.”

  “Stay here,” Abbie said. “Protect the others.”

  “Where are you going?” Tim asked.

  “Outside.”

  Tim shook his head. “The town might be overrun with those things. Why in the hell would you go outside?”

  “I’m going outside to kill them,” Abbie said quietly.

  “There could be hundreds out there,” Tim said. “You seriously think you can just go outside and kill them all?”

  “Yes,” Abbie said.

  *

  Two Hours Later

  Tim sat with the other volunteers at the front of the church. “I should’ve gone with her,” he whispered.

  “I get the feeling you’d have just been in the way,” Amber, a girl Tim knew from school, said.

  “She’s been gone too long,” Tim said. “I could’ve helped.”

  “What are we gonna do?” Amber asked.

  Tim shrugged. “How should I know? I suppose we just stay here and hope the sun comes up before one of them decides to check the church again.”

  “I didn’t mean tonight,” Amber said. “If we survive the night, then what? If those things were telling the truth, they’re attacking all over the world. It really is a war, like that guy said on TV.”

  “If it’s a war,” Tim said, “we’ll win. People are tough. I bet it won’t last a week.”

  “I hope you’re right,” Amber said.

  “Yeah,” Tim said. “Me too.”

  The front door to the church opened.

  Tim jumped to his feet, table leg in hand.

  Abbie stepped inside and closed the door behind her. She was covered in blood. She turned around and looked at the others. “It’s over.”

  “No,” Tim whispered. “They’re dead?”

  “They’re dead,” Abbie said. She was clearly exhausted.

  “What are we gonna do?” Tim asked.

  “The others are outside,” Abbie said. “We’re taking you all to the school. It’s got a basement that can be barricaded in case more show up before dawn.”

  “Wait,” Tim said. “Who’s outside?”

  “Your family and friends,” Abbie said. She thought for a moment, then added, “Most of them, anyway.” The sadness in her voice was unmistakable.

  “You’re not making sense!” Tim snapped. “Who’s dead?”

  “Oh dear,” Abbie said. “You thought I meant the townspeople. I’m sorry, Tim. It’s been a very long night. Most of the village is fine. The vampires are dead.”

  “You killed them all?” Amber asked.

  Abbie nodded.

  “Holy shit,” Tim said. “How many were there?”

  “I don’t know, Tim,” Abbie said. “Too many to count. Now, follow me. I’m very tired.”

  “You don’t look so good, Sister,” Tim said. “Maybe you should sit down and rest for a moment.”

  “I’ll rest when the sun is in the sky,” Abbie said. “Let’s go.”

  She turned toward the door, took one step, then fell.

  “Abbie!” Tim yelled as he ran across the
room.

  “Is she okay?” Amber asked.

  “I think so,” Tim said as he knelt over Abbie’s unconscious body. “She’s breathing.”

  “What happened to her?”

  Tim shrugged. “I’m not sure. I think she fainted.”

  *

  Abbie woke to find herself in a hospital bed. Every inch of her body ached. She was alone in the room for several minutes before the nurses realized she was awake. Once they saw she was conscious, they began the process of checking her vitals while asking her a million questions.

  After about an hour, a doctor came to see her and ultimately told her she was fine. He explained that she had simply fainted. “It was shock,” he said. “And exhaustion. You took a real beating. Emotionally and physically.”

  “How long was I unconscious?” Abbie asked.

  “Two days,” the doctor said.

  Abbie was floored. “Two days…” She was quiet for a moment, then said, “The town… was it… I mean, did it really happen?” Abbie prayed it had been a dream.

  “It happened,” the doctor said.

  “Damn,” Abbie said.

  The doctor nodded. “Yeah. Damn.”

  “Where exactly am I?” Abbie asked.

  “Welcome back to the world of the living,” a man with a deep voice and an American accent said.

  Abbie tilted her head toward the voice. A powerfully built man stood in the hospital room’s doorway. He was an older man, maybe fifty. He had short gray hair and a hard face, but gentle eyes. Caring eyes.

  “Who are you?” Abbie asked.

  “Geoff Wallace,” the man said. “Most folks just call me Wallace.”

  “Why are you in my room, Wallace?” Abbie asked. “I seriously doubt you’re a member of the staff.”

  Wallace chuckled. “You’re right about that. As to why I’m in your room, I’m here to recruit you.”

  “Recruit me for what?”

  Wallace looked at the doctor. “Is she well enough for a one-on-one?”