“Are you seeking Vamp-Lightenment?” it read. “We have what you need. Chat with licensed vampire experts now!” I didn’t know there was such a thing. “Questions, comments, or something in between? We’ve got the people who can give you the answers. Just want to chat live with sexy vampire men and women?” Not really. “We’ve got those too! Choose your type!”
I assumed “type” was supposed to be witty repartee about blood. Ha ha. I got it. It wasn’t that funny. I clicked on the link to the chat for “questions, comments, and everything else” and was immediately ushered into a chat room. There were three other people in it, one of which being Tate. The other two were men. I chose a screen name, StaciDoll, and joined the chat.
Tate: Welcome to the chat, StaciDoll. How can we be of assistance?
Will: Cute name, Staci. Do you look like a doll?
SirMarxALot: You wanna slip into a private chat, Staci?
Tate: Cut it out, Marx. You scare everyone away.
SirMarxALot: Not me. People love me.
Tate: Yeah, you think so. Don’t mind him, Staci. He’s just annoying. How can we alleviate the boredom?
It had been a while since I’d been in a chat, but I didn’t think I would have trouble keeping up in here. It was pretty slow.
StaciDoll: Hi, Tate. It’s LeKrista.
Tate: Oh, hey! Glad you decided to join us. Ignore Will and Marx. The full moon is close and they’re feeling antsy.
Will: Shut up, Tate.
SirMarxALot: Yeah, Tate. Shut up.
Tate: They aren’t too witty either. Guys, this is LeKrista. She has vamps in her head.
SirMarxALot: lol
Will: lol
Will: You might want to try a psychiatrist.
SirMarxALot: How many vampires, exactly, do you have in your head?
Will: Yeah. Do they tell you to do things to yourself?
SirMarxALot: LMAO Will!
Tate: Guys, stop. You really aren’t as funny as you think you are.
I decided it might be funny to see what they had to say.
StaciDoll: There are two. Roman and Perdita. Roman lives up the street from me. Perdita, well, I don’t know where she lives, but I killed her lover and now she wants me dead.
The room went quiet. Will and Marx had no more smart remarks to make.
Will: Wow.
SirMarxALot: Tate, isn’t Roman your vampire?
Tate: He didn’t tell me about Perdita. LeKrista, see if you can get Roman to bring you to us. I think I know someone who can help.
StaciDoll: Where is here?
Tate: Oh. Stupid me. Charleston.
I called to Roman in my head and while I waited for him to answer, I continued to talk to Tate, Will, and Marx. I felt Roman move in the back of my mind and sift through the conversation. When I finally signed off, Roman was behind me. “You’ll take me to Charleston?” I asked.
“I will.”
“Right now?”
“Do you think it wise to do so much so soon?” he asked.
I shrugged. “I barely feel anything.” I wrote a quick note for my aunt and uncle, told them I was going to Charleston and wasn’t sure exactly when I would be back.
“What about Pierce?”
I shrugged again. “He’ll be alright.” I felt Roman’s joy before he was able to lock it all away.
Bastard.
Roman wrapped his arms around me, but I didn’t like it the way I once had. I guess now I understood what price came with it.
I knew the moment we were in the air and flying. The air rushed around and through me and I lost the need to breathe.
The flight was short because he was very, very fast and we didn’t have far to go. We touched down on the sidewalk of downtown Charleston in front of a shop called, I kid you not, Vamp-Lightenment.
“So hokey,” I said aloud and Roman chuckled before I realized I couldn’t breathe. I reached out to grab Roman’s arm and missed. “Roman.”
“You can’t breathe.” Roman scooped me up in his arms and carried me inside the building, pushing through the doors with his broad back. “I need a place to lay her,” he told someone I couldn’t see for the spots in my eyes. “She can’t breathe. Help me man!” I heard Roman’s urgent plea, but it was like I was listening from the other end of a long tunnel. Just an echo of what it was.
I guess he’s not going to help.
And that thought chased me into unconsciousness.
I was drowning, but there was no water. I couldn’t breathe, but I could smell the comfort of sea salt, sunblock, and coconut tanning oil. I heard seagulls, the soft lull of Roman’s accent, and...was that a lion? Some kind of giant cat was in the distance. There was a mourning lilt to the sound of its call and I thought “that can’t be right.” The cat was sad, hurt, heartbroken, but I couldn’t tell why. I wanted to comfort it, but didn’t know why I should.
I came back with a sudden jerk and sat up very straight, thunking my head on something hard as I did. I gasped for air and choked on oniony, stale breath.
“What the hell?!” I gagged. “What the...hell?” It was the only thing I could think to say.
“LeKrista?” I looked up into Roman’s concerned eyes. “I told you this was a bad idea. It was too soon.”
“What were my options?” I rasped. “Take the risk and fly out here tonight or let Perdita try and kill me again.”
“I was not going to let that happen, LeKrista. I promised. It was my fault she was able to get to you in the first place. If I hadn’t left you alone...”
I coughed and tasted onion again. “Who the hell was eating onions and why am I tasting them?”
“You weren’t breathing,” said a small, hesitant male voice from behind me. “I wouldn’t let him give you mouth-to-mouth. Sorry.”
I turned to find a small, bald man with glasses perched on the end of his nose squatting next the end of the sofa where my head had been. We were in a bookstore/souvenir shop done in black and red, gothic vampire style. The sofa I lay on was a rich red velvet material and very comfortable. The floors and walls were just black painted concrete, but free of any dust or dirt. It was commendable. The book shelves looked like a special order, made of twisted wrought iron. They were beautiful to say the least. Above was a fantastic black crystal chandelier. It was so amazing that I knew it had to be handmade by someone in town and I wanted their number.
“Did we bump heads?” I asked, still looking around in wonder.
“Yes.”
“Sorry about that. I’m LeKrista.”
“Herman.”
“Herman.” Typical. The geeky man had a geeky name, but he seemed cool enough. “I’m here to meet Tate?”
“I’ll go call her up.” Herman walked away, he wasn’t very tall, but he made sure to keep an eye on Roman and me. I guess he didn’t trust the vampire. Couldn’t blame him, really.
“He won’t hurt me, Herman.”
“If it’s all the same to you...he doesn’t care a thing about me.”
I looked at Roman, who stood and plastered himself against the black, black wall, standing out against it like an orchid amongst roses. “You won’t hurt the nice man?” I asked.
“I have no reason to. He saved your life. I owe him.”
I looked at Herman and shrugged. “He owes you.”
Herman stared at me, he stared at Roman, then picked up his phone and looked down to dial. “Hey, Tate. There’s a woman here to see you.” Herman pulled the phone away from his face and looked at it quizzically before setting it back down in its cradle. “I guess she’s on her way up.”
“Thanks, Herman.” I looked over at Roman. He was still plastered against the wall, his eyes fixated on something across the room, but I don’t think he was actually seeing anything. Nothing that I could see, anyway. I watched him. He’d gone still as death. There, but not alive. Another fixture in the room to add to the ensemble, and it was amazing how much he seemed to belong in this dark coffin of a room.
“Don’
t look into his eyes,” Herman said. His voice didn’t match the feel in the room and it helped to pull me out of the spell some. “He’ll catch you.”
“He won’t use his eyes on me,” I told him.
“Would you call to my blood even though you know it could kill me?”
“Come to me, LeKrista. Stand before me and I will share some of myself with you.”
I wasn’t sure I liked the sound of that. “What do you mean?” I asked, because that hadn’t been an answer to my question.
“I will not call to your blood. Come. Stand before me.”
I stood and walked around the sofa to stand before him toe to toe and I looked into his face, but not his eyes.
“You wound me, but that is good enough, LeKrista. Just watch.”
I fell from my world and into Roman’s, a world of darkness and blood and death. I wasn’t really sure what I was watching, it was more feelings than images, but it was interesting. I knew he was sharing a part of himself that he hadn’t shared with Adelina or Calliope.
“The young man is afraid for you, LeKrista.”
I felt Herman’s fear like I’d never felt anything in my life. It was so real and tangible like it was my own.
“He thinks you’ve caught me. He thinks you’re hurting me. Feeding from me. Let me go so I can tell him.”
“You are free to go anytime you want.”
But I couldn’t break free. I didn’t know how and Roman knew that. I felt my anger rise and Roman’s humor grow.
“You anger so easily, my sweet.”
We were slipping out of whatever this was and I felt the room again. I could smell the cleaning products used on the floors and walls. I could smell...blood? I could smell the blood of four people and I knew one to be Herman.
“I don’t think that’s it, Herman, honest.” I recognized Tate’s voice.
“He’s caught her,” Herman insisted, his little voice so high and squeaky it sounded like it hurt. “He has. Do something to help her.”
“Look, man.” The voice of a man. “They’re coming out of it.”
“I don’t think it is what you think it is, Hermy.” Tate’s voice again.
I had full control of myself now. I took a step back and crossed my arms over my chest, scowling.
“If you weren’t already dead, I’d kill you,” I told Roman, and I heard the other’s chuckle. The scent of blood was fading quickly, and I was glad for that. I turned to the others.
“Hey,” said Tate.
“Hey.” I looked up at the two men she had with her. “You must be Marx,” I said to the tall, broad-shouldered one to her right. He was attractive, but looked like he knew it well.
“Smart girl,” he said. “Yeah, I’m Marx. This is Will.” Will was shorter, stocky, with dark brown hair and eyes. He was cute, attractive, but not my type.
I grinned. “Here’s one of my vampires,” I said. They laughed.
Roman moved past me toward the four standing across from us. Herman took a giant step back from him and the laughter died in the other two men’s throats. Roman stepped up to Tate and offered his hand, bowing deeply.
“So strong the smell of your blood, sweet Tate.”
I frowned.
What the heck?
Tate giggled.
I rolled my eyes. “Psycho freak.”
“Well, let’s go down stairs, shall we?” Tate asked. She didn’t wait for anyone to answer, just turned on her heel and flounced through a dark door into a hallway. We descended some stairs and walked toward a door.
“Do you really have to tell her how strong her blood smells?” I asked. “She doesn’t know by now?”
Roman turned an empty, intense look to me. “What are you talking about, LeKrsita? I spoke Latin. No one knew what I said. You shouldn’t know what I said.”
I frowned back, or tried to because I think what he really got from me was a look of terror.
We walked through a door into a wide open room with a stage to one side and sound box to the other.
“You’re going to have to stay here,” Tate told Roman. “No vamps past this room. Sorry.”
Roman sniffed the air and let out a breath. “That’s fine,” he offered, and his eyes sparked with hunger. It was the closest I’d seen him to feeding time and it frightened me. He turned those glistening eyes to me - I think he smelled my fear - and said, “I think I’d rather stay here and find some...refreshment.”
Tate grinned. “Figured you would. We’ll take good care of your human. Promise.”
“I have no fear of that.”
Tate led me across the club through yet another door. And a lot more stairs.
The door closed behind us with a heavy, thundering finality that made me jump, and a small squeak of fright escaped my lips. Marx chuckled and I looked up at him. Something in my face quieted him and his eyes softened.
“Nothing down here will getcha,” he offered. With a hand on my arm he ushered me down a dark, damp corridor of red stone.
“Why aren’t vampires allowed past that room?” I asked mostly to distract myself from the fear creeping into my heart.
“It’s not that we’re doing anything...bad,” was Tate’s suspicious answer.
I smiled in the dark. “It’s just not legal,” I answered for her.
“It’s not illegal in the way you’re thinking,” Will replied.
“Will,” Tate silenced him. “It’s not something we can discuss with you without permission.”
A yellow-orange light flickered like torch flames up ahead. As we drew nearer, I realized the corridor was lit with torches, no electric lights at all.
“Why the medieval lighting?” I asked. Anything to distract myself from being afraid.
“Um...we have trouble keeping electricity working down here,” Tate answered. It was a good answer, but I knew there was more to it. I let it go and stopped asking questions for time being.
We kept walking down, deep underground until if I imagined hard enough I could feel the weight of the earth and stone pressing down on us. The air was damp and smelled like musty sea water, not fishy but old, and I believed we were most likely under several tons of ocean. The stone soon turned slick under my feet and I had trouble keeping them under me. I took several careful steps until I was sure I wouldn’t fall, but I overestimated myself. I took one more step and slid. My feet flew out from under me and my body fell hard toward the solid stone floor. I braced for impact. I expected pain to shoot up my spine from my tail bone and my hands to scrape against the stone, rubbed raw and bloody. I expected my teeth to clack together painfully and possibly even chip.
Instead, I found myself suspended in the air, mid-fall, feet straight out in front of me. Strong hands held me under my arms, caught in a shrug.
“Careful,” Marx said from above me. I looked up into his blue eyes and smiled, embarrassed.
“Damn,” I said. “I wanted you to think I was cool.”
He chuckled and lifted me like I was light as a feather. He expected me to ask about it. I could feel the tension around him, so I let it go. I grinned, wiped my grimy hands on my pants, and turned too fast. Before I knew it, I was falling again and this time I was sure Marx wouldn’t catch me. But he did.
“I said careful,” Marx admonished as he lifted me to my feet once more. “Next time I won’t catch you.” But I heard in his voice that it wasn’t true.
“Sorry I’m such an inconvenience,” I said. Marx’s hand stayed lightly on my elbow for the duration of our trek. It was sweet, and would have been cute if I wasn’t already taken. For all his posturing, Marx seemed to be a decent guy.
Eventually, we came to a door at the end of the hall. I was a little nervous but I shouldn’t have been. It was nothing but a waiting room.
The air here was dry, clean, and pleasant and the floor was covered in thick moss-like carpeting that made me want to take off my shoes and see if it felt as real as it looked. The stone walls were etched with beautiful carvings. They ran t
ogether, one right after the other, so it was impossible to tell where one ended and the next began. Three long, luxurious sofas separated the room.
“Stay here,” Tate said. “I’ll let them know you’re here.” She turned to a solid looking wooden door with wrought iron reinforcements like the kind you would find in an old castle, then turned back. “I should warn you. They may keep you waiting a while. I’ll let them know that time is of the essence, but...” she shrugged. “They like to do things in their own time.”
I smiled.
I don’t exactly know that Roman going up in flames in the heat of the sun would be such a bad thing. I might have trouble getting home, though.
The thought flashed through my mind, but I discarded it quickly. I didn’t want to have to explain that to him.
“That’s fine.” Marx and Will threw themselves down on separate sofas like they lived here and I sat next to Marx.
“Is Marx your real name?” I asked.
Marx shook his head. “No, that’s my pimp name,” he answered with a sly grin and I grinned back, rolling my eyes. “My real name is Marcus, but don’t tell anyone. I like to keep it secret.” Will heard and laughed.
“Don’t listen to him. He’s as much of a pimp as I am, and that’s none at all. Though, he is pretty good with the ladies.”
I nodded. “Yes, I’m sure he is.”
I tipped my head back against the soft back of the sofa and closed my eyes. I was so tired.
“LeKrista?”
My name was faint and distant, no louder than the softest whisper.
“LeKrista? Are you asleep?”
My eyes fluttered open to the brightly lit room and I looked around. Marx was there next to me and Will was across the room. They were both staring at me like they’d never seen me before.
“What?” I asked. “What’s wrong?”
“Did you just fall asleep?”
I thought about it and eventually nodded. “Yeah, I think so.”
“Damn!” Will exclaimed. “It took you no time at all!”
“How long have you been awake, Doll?”
I frowned at Marx. “What did you just call me?” He held up his hands.
“I meant nothing by it. I call all the ladies doll. My bad.”
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