by K M Smith
As he set the bottle noisily on the bar, he felt a tap on his shoulder. He chuckled inwardly and paused to relish the moment before slowly turning around to face his aggressors. Throw the first punch, please, he thought as he exhaled, time slowing down and a crescendo of action movie music rising in his mind. He turned on the stool, eyes still closed, fully prepared to receive a fist to his jaw.
Instead of a fist, he was hit with the faintest whiff of lavender. That’s familiar. He screwed up his face, trying to recall why he knew that scent.
“I thought you might be here,” Sarah said.
Drew’s eyes flew open and his face fell. The crowd had dispersed. Seeing Sarah flooded his mind with memories he had long since packed away. Of course, that was Sarah. The calming lavender had been Sarah’s scent all along, he had just never noticed it. Not like this, anyway. God, he missed her. His chest tightened as he thought about all the years he’d wasted.
“Hey, do they still sell Nat Light in cans?” Sarah asked as she slid onto the stool next to him.
Hearing her speak brought Drew back into the present. Sitting next to her, once a natural, normal thing to do, felt awkward. “Oh, uh, nah, not anymore,” Drew shook his head and tapped his bottle. “It’s all craft brew now. They probably have Bud Light, though. Hey bar guy…get the lady a Bud Light.” The bartender hopped to it and brought Sarah a cold bottle.
“Wow, that was fast,” Sarah remarked as she took a sip.
“Yeah, the bartender likes me.”
They sat on their stools, staring at their respective bottles, silence hanging between them.
“Andrew, is it safe for me to be here? For you to be out in public like this?”
Drew nodded. “It’s fine. I uh, I… ate already.” This was definitely not part of his plan.
Sarah winced. “Oh, right. Of course.” She looked away and rubbed her hand slowly down her neck.
Drew didn’t know what to say to her. How could he start a conversation two decades in the making? “Sarah, I—”
“Don’t.” Sarah put her hand up and shook her head. “Now’s not the time.”
Drew nodded slowly, “Okay. Of course, you’re right.” Drew shook his bottle at the bartender and looked at Sarah, “You ready for another?”
Sarah nodded, laced her fingers together on the edge of the bar, and faced Drew. “Do you know where she is? How I can get her back?”
Drew felt the sting of the word “I” instead of “we.” Intentional or not, it didn’t feel good. “I really don’t know, Sarah. This is new territory for all of us. I only discovered she was different when my guys picked her up last week. I just assumed she was a normal girl.” He took another swig before his next admission. “And I assumed me being there would complicate things, so I stayed away.”
Sarah nodded stiffly and blinked rapidly. “That makes a certain amount of sense, Andrew. But I just don’t know what to do now. I’m so scared. You should’ve seen the monster she turned into.” A teared escaped down her cheek, and Sarah blinked, ignoring it.
Drew knew he was a monster to her, but he hated hearing that word from someone he’d loved. Still loved. He didn’t know what to say.
Sarah finally wiped at her cheek, “Sorry, Andrew. I didn’t mean….”
“I know. It’s okay.” Drew ran his hands through his hair and tugged, not knowing how to proceed from here. He felt antsy. Like, now would be a great time to run away. Again. It’s what he did best. “Sarah, I can’t help you.”
Sarah’s face twisted in confusion. “What? What do you mean? Of course you can. She’s your daughter, Andrew. And she’s, well, she’s like you now.”
Drew squeezed his eyes tight and swallowed hard, a lump forming in his throat at the word “daughter,” but he didn’t want Sarah—or Alice—getting involved in his world. Sarah wouldn’t last. She was too kind, too giving. If killing people didn’t suck the life out of her, having to deal with his associates surely would.
He loved her too much to put her through that. He realized that now. That’s why he’d stayed away in the first place. He didn’t want her to see what he’d become, and he didn’t want her to get hurt, or worse, become like him. He had to get Sarah to leave. He had to make her want nothing more than to be far, far away, and never, ever want to get involved again. He knew what he had to do.
Drew rubbed his hands over his face, elongating and squishing his cheeks as he geared up to do the unthinkable. He placed his hands on his lap and leaned close to Sarah, his nose nearly touching hers. She smelled divine.
“Did you see where Adam went?” she asked, unaware of what he was about to do. “I heard fighting outside and once it went quiet, I went out to see what damage had been done. Thanks for breaking my railing, by the way.”
“What do you mean did I see where Adam went? Was he not shriveled and dead on your front porch?” She held such a sway over him, he completely forgot about Adam being left for dead on her porch.
Sarah grimaced when Drew mentioned that someone might be shriveled and dead on her property. Though he knew Adam was far from human, to Sarah, Adam must’ve seemed normal, if only nocturnally so. “There was…There was a blood stain, but Adam wasn’t there. Nobody was there.” She shifted slightly away from Drew. “What do you mean was he dead and shriveled? Did you kill him? Like, actually kill him, kill him?” Jumping off the stool, she took several steps back and bumped into a drunk frat boy. He pushed her in the back and stumbled forward falling into her. “Hey!” she shouted.
The powder keg that was Drew’s current state of mind exploded. He needed no more prompting to unleash terror in the small-town bar. Life as he knew it was over. Life as anyone in that town knew it, would never be the same. Drew flashed his fangs and hissed. “Get out of here, Sarah. You don’t want to be witness to this. And I can’t promise you’ll be safe.”
Sarah reared back and laid a steadying hand on the bar top. “Oh my god, Andrew!”
The look on her face told him all he needed to know. He was a monster. It was time to act like one. He hissed again and turned his sights to the frat boy. “You should watch where you’re going. It’s not polite to push a lady!” He sprang at the drunk man, shoving Sarah out of the way. In one swift motion, he yanked the man’s head to the side, ripping the skin and causing blood to pour out. Drew dove into the gaping wound and ravaged it. He laid it on thick, the whole beastly vampire thing, but then bloodlust took over and he found himself ravaging in earnest, feeling a freedom he hadn’t felt since that first night in lower Manhattan. He forced his breath to be ragged and flashed his fangs. Catching Sarah’s gaze, he steeled himself against her horrified stare.
He let go and indulged his vampire instincts. He was free, high, in control. In the distance, he heard screaming and scuffling. The sounds of terrified onlookers pushing and shoving to get away from the crazed killer in the bar. Good. All that was left was to bring it home. He didn’t want to hurt Sarah, not physically, and in his current state, she’d need to be gone to ensure that didn’t happen.
Blood soaked Drew’s clothes and painted his face. The bar was now empty, except for Sarah. She remained frozen next to the bar stool. His eyes twinkled, and he smiled wickedly. “You made me do this,” he hissed between breaths. “You rejected me. I came back to you and you rejected me. Closing the door on me was a big mistake.” Blood spilled from his mouth as he licked his lips. “I’m a killer. And you smell delicious.”
“What? No! No, Andrew! Oh, god.” Sarah stumbled back, losing her balance and sliding on the bloody floor. Drew laughed harshly as she hit the ground. She scrambled up and ran to the door, looking over her shoulder at Drew the whole time. Drew beat her to the door and hissed again. In that moment, she would know only fear, and that Drew was the force controlling it. It wasn’t an act any more. Drew could think only of killing and anyone who got in the way was fair game.
Sarah recoiled and stumbled into a tall table behind her. “You wouldn’t,” she said, her voice hoarse.
“You don’t know me anymore, Sarah,” he growled. He lunged for her and some tiny voice somewhere told him to hold back, let her go. He pulled the door open behind him as he reached for her. Sarah screamed and jumped out of the way. Drew turned around to grab her again, but Sarah ran through the door. He knew he’d never see her again. Good.
Sarah’s hoarse screams tore through the fabric of the night as she ran through the streets. He ran his hand down his face, pulling his chin down and rubbing at his neck. He skulked over to the bar and downed the rest of his beer. Still thirsty, he jumped over the bar and grabbed another beer from the fridge. He sucked it down in one long gulp and threw the bottle at the mirror, shattering it. The heavy glass rained down around him and settled to the floor immediately – no wind or fabricated hurricanes causing the particles to jump and scatter through the air. No meddling asshole rushing in to fuck things up any more. Adam was gone. And good riddance.
Drew hopped back over the bar to leave. The dead frat boy rested in a bloody clump on the floor. What a mess. And a waste. Sirens wailed in the distance. Didn’t matter, this wasn’t Drew’s home. He’d be halfway to Toledo by the time anyone who cared arrived. Drew sucked in a deep breath and walked out the door.
On the street, red and blue lights washed over buildings several blocks away, spinning closer as the sirens grew louder. Drew sensed there were people about, but he could see no one. Cowards. Hiding from a monster. No one would believe them. Vampires aren’t real. He should run. He should kill them all, then run. Or, maybe he could stay, kill off the police force and claim Albion as his own. Surely Leo and Jake would come back, work for him. Run the town.
Nah. He hated the Redwings too much to stay here out of spite. He’d kill off half the town before hockey season ended. Best to leave now and let someone else clean up the mess. That was his M.O. Why change now?
Several police cars arrived, skidding to a stop in the middle of road. Doors flung open and officers shot out of their vehicles. Using their doors as shields they crouched and pointed their guns. Sirens off, the officers shouted their demands to stop, put up his hands. Get on the ground. Cowards. Not one had the balls to approach the crazed monster in the road. Drew laughed. A roaring, maniacal laugh. The officers continued shouting and posturing while they hid.
“Hands up, asshole, or you’re dead!” one officer’s voice cut through the rest.
Chest heaving as adrenaline joined the fresh blood pumping through his veins, Drew charged the police officer and snapped his neck. Before anyone had registered movement, Drew returned to his position in the middle of the road. A ball of energy formed in his stomach. Dancing and spreading out to his limbs. He waited, eyes twinkling. “I’m already dead,” he whispered. A childlike laugh bubbled to his lips and released as the officers nearest their now dead comrade shouted.
“Officer down!” Bending to check for signs of life, one officer shouted, “Kill him! Shoot to kill! Shoot. To. Kill!” Bullets whizzed past Drew and he laughed at their futile attempts to kill a dead man. After several rounds failed to meet their target, the barrage stopped. Shouting and confusion continued as they huddled behind their cars. The initial high had worn off and Drew grew weary of their game. It was time to go.
“I’m already dead!” he roared, his voice booming and cutting through the chaos. The officers stopped their chatter and watched as the man in front them seemed to disappear into the night. Drew ran, his feet barely touching the ground, until he couldn’t run any more. Somewhere just over the border into Ohio, he stopped in a cornfield. It was quiet. The first chance he’d had to think in a long time.
“What have I done?”
CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT
Sarah
Sarah ran all the way home. The burning in her lungs and the fire in her legs couldn’t stop her. She hadn’t moved so fast in years and she was impressed her body could still move like that. At the top of the steps, she fumbled with the keys for what seemed an eternity before she succeeded in unlocking the door. She flew through it and slammed it solidly behind her. She leaned against it, gasping for breath and shaking.
It had been a mistake going to Cascarelli’s. What was she thinking? Reasoning with a man who had nothing to lose? She was smarter than that. Vampires were real, and she was surrounded by them. Adam. Her husband. Her daughter. There must’ve been others she never knew about. All those unsolved mysteries she’d heard about on tv over the years…were they from vampires? She shuddered to think. Not that she should believe anything Adam had said, but he did tell her Andrew was dangerous. She shrugged that off to jealousy, but after what she saw tonight, a deranged vampire on a rampage, it must’ve been more than that. How could Andrew kill that poor man? Did he do that because of me? These people—these monsters—were dangerous in the extreme.
Adrenaline coursed through Sarah’s body, rattling through her spine and shaking her extremities. Bending over, she rested her hands on her knees, and lowered her head to calm herself down. Fight or flight instinct had kicked in and likely saved her life, but it wasn’t loosening its grip on her even after the immediate threat had passed.
Deliberate breathing and focused thinking helped to calm her. You are safe. You are in control. Exhaling the negative energy out, she stood upright. It was time to move. Propelled by will, or maybe fear, she took the stairs two at a time. Once upstairs, she made a bee line to her closet and pulled her suitcase down from the upper shelf. Whirling through the room, she grabbed clothes and toiletries and threw them in the open case. On her nightstand, a photograph of Alice on Halloween caught her eye, from when she was seven and dressed as a sheep.
Pausing her packing, she walked over and picked up the picture. Where did you go, baby-girl? A lump formed in her throat. She shut her eyes tightly and pulled the picture close to her chest. She squeezed it as hard as she could, hoping she’d break the frame and shatter the glass. Wanting to damage that image, her memory. That little girl was gone. As far as Sarah was concerned, she’d never return. If Alice had become anything close to what these monsters were, Sarah couldn’t have her in her life.
Her stomach lurched, and she threw the unscathed picture frame on the bed and ran for the bathroom. She snapped the lid and seat up and retched into the toilet. Nothing came up, but not for lack of trying. Pushing herself away from the toilet, she pulled her knees up and leaned back against the wall. Sweat ran down the side of her face. Tears and snot battled for space on her cheeks. She used her sleeve to wipe her face and hocked a giant snot glob into the toilet.
“Disgusting.”
Groaning, she pushed herself to her feet and washed and dried her face. With a sense that this may be the last time, she methodically went through the room, turning off lights and making sure everything was secure and in its place. She grabbed her bag, leaving the picture on the bed, and walked calmly out of her room, down the stairs and out the front door. Locking the door, she placed the key under the mat and turned toward the street. The wood on her front porch was darker where blood had stained it. Lifting her head and steeling her nerves, she strode through it and straight to her car. She left Albion that night without looking back.
CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE
Leo
On arrival at Sarah’s house, the absence of a certain undead, supposed to be actually finally dead, specimen was evident.
“Looks like you missed, tough guy,” Jake said.
“I didn’t miss. I mean, I did, but I meant to,” Leo said. He walked over to the bloodstain on the porch and bent down to investigate.
“Anything?”
“Nope. Just a bunch of drying blood.” Leo shrugged, “he probably went home. Or maybe he found an unsuspecting dame to help him heal.”
Jake nodded. “Now what?” He walked over to the broken railing and kicked at the jagged piece leftover, breaking it out and making it look like the piece was missing, not broken.
“You think the coppers are gonna buy your fix? ‘Ain’t nuthin’ to see here, officer. Just a massive
blood stain and a missing railing, probably not worth worryin’ about.’” Leo cackled at the scenario he’d created.
“Funny. No. I just didn’t like that stake-y bit hanging down. It wouldn’t take much for an angry human—or half-human—to grab that and that’s the end of one of us.”
“That’d be you. She ain’t mad at me.”
“Hmmph.”
The moon peeked through as the clouds separated and illuminated the area around the bloody stain on the porch. Footprints appeared. Someone had run through the stain and away from the house. The striped treads were obviously those of running shoes. Leo didn’t know any vampires who wore running shoes. Even his work boots, with diamond shapes in the middle of the treads, were fashionable back in his day.
“Looks like Mama Bear left.” Leo looked up at his partner.
“I don’t blame her,” Jake said with his hands on his hips, “But, should we be worried? The whole, ‘never leave ‘em living,’ thing?”
“Nah. Who’s gonna believe her? She don’t want to hurt nobody, anyway.”
Jake nodded.
Leo walked over to the door. A clean spot on the porch next to the doormat caught his eye. He lifted the mat and discovered the front door key. “I don’t think this was here earlier.” He stood and handed the key to Jake who had joined him near the door.
“Even if we have a key, it’s not our house.”
“It could be if she abandoned it,” Leo said with raised eyebrows.
Just then, the door opened.
“Well, would you look who it is! My favorite human. Well, half-human,” Leo said.
“You’re still here, I see,” Alice said. She looked at Jake and rolled her eyes, “you, too. Obviously.”
“Didja think we’d leave without you?”
“I was hoping you would.”
“I’m hurt. I thought you knew me better than that.”
“I was just leaving—alone. Mom’s gone. You won’t find her, so don’t try. I don’t even know where she went.” Alice remained inside the threshold. “I see something bad went down on the porch though.” She nodded toward the stain.