“But he is good,” she whispered in the privacy of the room.
“Is he really?” she asked herself.
Meryl stretched both arms as she thought about how everything was confusing. She should try to stay alive before becoming interested in anyone. Let alone a vampire that she didn’t trust one hundred percent, but she wanted to know about his past, and why he was like he was. Meryl knew he hid something in his heart and was going to try to know what it was in time. It was still early and her life there had just begun.
Several long days passed, dark days full of things to do. Meryl still got lost in the big house. She did not know even half of the place and although she helped Alexander with the work at the moment she was only concerned with washing the clothes, especially Pein’s because they stayed clean for just a few hours. Losing to his brother had been traumatic and he forced himself to amuse himself by training. In the back courtyard where Meryl and Alexander had removed several bags of weeds, Pein joined Caleb.
“You have to learn to remain calm in a fight. Analyze your opponent first and then think about the best way to attack. A direct attack is not always best,” Caleb explained. While Alexander watched the scene from nearby, amazed at Pein’s face of concentration.
“My brother is a bit silly,” Alexander laughed. “But he knows that Caleb is strong. He can see it.”
“I don’t know much about these things. I’ve never seen a fight up close until that day,” Meryl said.
“Our skills make it a more dangerous fight than between humans.”
“Yes, I realize that.” How could she not notice? The afternoon that she met Pein the fight had been short but fierce. She’d been afraid because she already considered Alexander a great friend. His way of being so pleasant and charming to those around him attracted people like a magnet, and Meryl felt that she could tell Alexander anything that she couldn’t talk about with Caleb. The young man with black hair praised her so that Meryl was overwhelmed.
“Jeoff?” Alexander said when he saw the driver arrive.
Alexander got up and walked towards him. They whispered a few words and his expression turned dark, showing alarm and concern. The other two men were talking about fighting and had not realized anything. Meryl looked back once more to them.
“It will be better if we practice. Words don’t seem to mean much to you,” Caleb said.
“Thanks, man. I need action!” Pein shouted making strange gestures with both arms and it caused Meryl to laugh in amusement at the scene.
Caleb had a half smile on his face and walked toward her. Meryl was still sitting at the same place and Alexander was back.
“Are you going to fight?” Alexander asked.
“Yes, your brother doesn’t understand with words,” Caleb explained.
“Be careful, you know how he is.”
Caleb took off his jacket and he remained in a tight black T-shirt without sleeves. His muscles were impressive. Meryl could distinguish the rounded and perfectly sculpted muscles of his body, but something caught her eye as he turned to sheathe both hands within gloves and as he turned to his fighting position.
“Alexander?”
“What’s wrong, Meryl?”
“Those scars. What are they?” Meryl asked looking at Caleb’s right arm. There she could see some of the scars that looked like they would continue further down, hidden under the fabric.
“Well ...” he muttered. “That’s complicated Meryl and it’s not my place to talk about it.”
Meryl was intrigued and wanted to know more and Alexander’s silence made her more eager to discover the hidden story. She was almost certain that everything would come in due course, and in the end, she would satisfy her curiosity.
Pein showed off as he was fighting and attacked without thinking. Just as Caleb had explained minutes before that he should not do. Without hiding his smile Caleb bent down, put his hands on the dry ground, spun on an axis and kicked Pein on the cheek. Meryl gasped thinking he had killed him and if they had been human. The result would certainly have been that, but they were not human. Alexander smiled and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder to prevent her from running to them on impulse.
The blonde got up rubbing his face and smiling. He had not given up yet, had an unshakable will, his ninety-five years as a lower class vampire had served to increase his strength. The beatings at the hands of his masters, the hunger and despair had made him stronger. It took him a few seconds before attacking.
He’s learning, Caleb thought, waiting for his next move.
Pein jumped more than three meters upwards. He moved so fast that Meryl could not keep her eyes on him, and before she knew it, he was behind Caleb. To prevent the attack Caleb turned and crossed his arms across his chest avoiding a direct impact. The blow pushed him half a meter backward and raised a lot of dust.
“Almost!” shouted Pein. “Next time I’ll give you a direct hit.”
“You still have much to learn.” Caleb smiled wiping the sweat off his brow. “But it’s enough for today.”
“What? But we’ve only practiced for one hour.” The blonde whined. “We can practice till the afternoon.”
“It’s time for Meryl to eat and for us to rest.” Caleb ended the discussion by taking his jacket and entering the mansion.
Once again Caleb felt that strange feeling. He acted by thinking about her well-being. Maybe she was not used to that kind of concern. Not by someone who was still a stranger. Her family always worried about her welfare, but now it was different. She would not have the same tastes and he couldn’t make her happy that way, and above all, her heart would not beat as fast.
Meryl always enjoyed the food prepared by Alexander, because it was a skill that unfortunately she did not have. Outside it began to rain so hard that only the strong blows of water crashing against all the windows were heard.
“I’ve never seen it rain here,” she murmured standing in front of a large window.
“It doesn’t rain often but when it does. It rains hard for several days.”
“Caleb!” Meryl panicked. For a moment, she thought that the stranger had entered.
“Have you seen him again?” Caleb asked alarmed and frowning.
“No, not since that night. Caleb, could I ask you something?” Meryl asked ashamed as he sat waiting. “Can you tell me what happened?”
“Let’s go to the living room.”
Meryl walked slowly behind him and couldn’t help getting nervous because she didn’t want to know and yet wanted to. If she found out what happened during those days when she was sleeping. Then she would know how her loved ones died.
Caleb took his usual seat, but first, he put another chair in front of him and both of them by the fire. Meryl was so nervous she almost wanted to cry and did not know exactly why. Maybe it was just because then it would be real. Everyone had died and she was alone. It was time to face reality and her situation.
“What do you want to know?”
“How it started?”
“You mean how it ended,” Caleb said staring at her. “All this started way back, much further back than you can imagine. Eventually, the vampires began to become strong and dangerous in numbers. The humans were terrified.” He coughed slightly clearing his voice. “A day or two after you joined the project everything exploded. I remember they used some kind of biological weapon. That’s where the cloud that covers the entire planet came from. That’s what killed most people on both sides. Those who survived did it with difficulty. However, the humans suffered much worse.”
“Why did they release it if they knew what could happen?”
“Because war began. Vampires in different countries made the decision to expose themselves by attacking the cities in broad daylight. Governments could no longer hide our existence, and seeing that they could not beat us. They released the bioweapon.”
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“Did all vampires agree to that?” Caleb laughed, for he knew the intent of the question.
“If you want to know what I thought. I’ll tell you. Yes, I agreed and participated in my own way.”
Meryl stopped; she was shocked by his words. He wanted to kill humans, make them suffer. Where did that leave her?
“The world is now divided into four new countries. Alpha Zone is where we are, Amadeus is the ruler and it is the largest of all the countries,” he continued, changing the subject. “After this, the Omega Zone is under the control of Epsilon and Edel, who occupies the same position as me. The Sigma Zone is the territory of Elizabeth and her bitch Dee,” his expression betrayed his disgust at the memory of the woman, “and finally, the smallest area is the Gamma Zone. It belongs to Ajax, and is commanded by sinister twins called Adara and Angelo.”
Meryl listened without interrupting but kept thinking about what Caleb had said. The mere fact that he could have killed her family with his own hands gave her a horrible choking feeling.
They both stared at each other for a few seconds. Caleb knew exactly what was going through her little brown haired head, as was clearly evident from her expression.
“Do not give importance to the past.”
“What?” Meryl rose from the chair on impulse and slapped his face with tearful eyes while biting her lower lip hard. “It’s my family that is dead!”
“You say that as if I had been their executioner,” he replied reluctantly grabbing the wrist of the angry young woman.
“It was your fault! You are all monsters!”
“You think so?” Caleb asked with a sharp tone. “I am like this because of humans. You are liars and betrayers. However, most of the vampires I know won’t stab you in the back. You deserved what happened.”
“Do not blame me for what happened to you!”
“Is it not, what you’re doing to me?”
Meryl remained still; his words were like an icicle in her soul. It was true, she had blamed him for the death of her family without even knowing what role he had played in everything that happened. She lowered her eyes guiltily and Caleb ran a hand through his hair wearily.
“It’s late, go to sleep.”
Meryl climbed the stairs heavily. Pein was up there eating an apple. Meryl had discovered why they kept eating. It was a habit, and maybe for nostalgia. Who knows? It didn’t harm them.
“Good talk, huh!”
“Not now, Pein.”
“Why do you make that face? You speak little, but when you do, the atmosphere becomes gloomy.”
“You’re funny!” She was angry, frowning while staring at him. “To you, it’s all a game!”
“You think so?” he asked leaving in the opposite direction. “That may be, but at least I’m not paranoid, little girl.”
“Idiot!”
The door slammed shut. She held the handle for an instant and cursed. It was already difficult enough without all those conversations. Although she knew deep down, that Pein was right, she and Caleb crossed few words, but when they spoke the air became entirely different.
“It’s his fault,” she whispered sitting on the soft bed. “ Him and his stupid condescension!” she cursed, “Mr. wonderful is here!” she pretended to be on a stage and rose suddenly, “Ladies and Gentlemen, bring tribute it’s Caleb himself! Him and his stupid way of being.”
Caleb was still in the living room. He had sat down and smiled at the fire. Meryl didn’t know it, but he and the two brothers had heard her childish tantrum. This ability would be hidden from her for the moment. No one was going to take away her little fun.
Melody no.5
Your Blood
The days passed slowly for Meryl, with no radio, and no television she had no distractions other than doing the laundry. It was the only thing that Alexander let her help with. One evening after a few weeks in this new world. She was hanging around the east wing of the house where she hadn’t investigated before. Downstairs there were several closed doors, so she decided to climb to the second floor. There, in the farthest area, she saw double doors with beautiful decorations in relief that caught her attention.
“It’s open,” she muttered as she heard a slight rustle when the golden door handle opened.
Almost with a heavy heart, she ventured inside. Deep down she knew that she wouldn’t find much, but the thrill of being an intruder was delicious. Meryl needed some excitement.
Everything was dark, the dim light coming through the huge window panels gave a chilling air to the room. It was enhanced by the slight movement of the curtains dancing with the gentle breeze that was introduced by one of the open windows.
Meryl saw a chimney and took the lighter from her pocket to turn on the candles and illuminate the room. Slowly she lit the candles that were there. They illuminated the room and she was stunned. Before her eyes was a library twice as large as the one in her previous home. The library consisted of two floors of shelves full of books.
Meryl began to walk through the first floor looking at all the books. Some were so old they should have been in museums, and so well preserved that they made you want to touch them and read them all.
“It can’t be!” she gasped, grabbing an old manuscript with almost trembling hands. “This is amazing!”
“I didn’t know that you liked to read.” Frightened she let the book slip out of her hands.
“Please be careful. It’s an original edition, handwritten,” Caleb said.
“Sorry, Caleb! You scared me. Is this all yours?” He nodded. “I never would have imagined.”
“I wouldn’t have imagined it of you either. Romeo and Juliet?” He grimaced in astonishment as he watched the book that he had caught before it fell to the floor. “I see you like drama.”
“The story is beautiful dramatic though it is. I worked at a small bookstore so I spent the day reading.”
“Here.” Caleb handed her the book. “If you take care of them you can come here anytime.”
“I’m not a little girl who will stain them with chocolate,” Meryl complained looking away. “I know how to take care of something.”
Caleb chuckled turning around to leave and leaving behind Meryl stomping the floor in a fit. He didn’t say it because he thought she was a child, which she was, in his opinion. He said it because she was unable to care for herself, and some of those books were ancient and very fragile as well as unique.
“Oh! What was he thinking? It’s not like I break everything I touch,” Meryl said not noticing the echo coming back to her ears. “It’s always the same. Be careful, do not cook you’ll cut yourself, do not ruin my books. Surely he has stolen them, criminal!”
Once more, he listened to the young woman sulk as he walked towards the main entrance. He had to go out and do a routine inspection of the city. One of his men had witnessed some altercations. Apparently, there was a man creating some trouble.
“He wants to draw attention,” Caleb said when he was riding in the car and reading a report. “Killing like that. He knows that’s all he’s going to get.”
“You should be careful.”
“Calm down Jeoff. First, I have to find out who it is. The witnesses didn’t see him that well. This guy knows how to hide. The way that he kills by leaving the mangled body in full view. It is clear he is challenging me.”
“Vampire?” The driver asked.
“Most certainly, because he only kills human women. They were exsanguinated.”
The rain was still falling, though less now. The humidity was high and he did not much like these rainy days. They took away the little humor he had. Usually, no one spoke to him in the rainy season, because of his unfriendly manner. Now that he knew Meryl, his mood was different, softer. The woman with her awkward way of being managed to get a smile even from him.
She’s like a baby. Cal
eb thought. Speaking only when angry and shouting nonsense.
Nevertheless, with her there, the house was full of life. Usually, it was so quiet that it seemed empty. Maybe it was too big for him, Alexander and Jeoff, but it was the closest thing to a home he had ever had, and if they added Pein. It was like having another child. Although he could not deny that many times he wanted to throw them out until they stopped screaming.
The streets were almost deserted, the water ran down the deteriorated asphalt looking for a place to stay, and the few people who ventured out took shelter from the rain in any corner, doorway or overhang.
The car stopped near the old town hall. The building now served as the station for the special police and it was where the executions took place. There were no prisons, either you were sold into slavery for some task or were bled.
Caleb spoke to Cristian, the police chief, who was a serious person and did his work to the letter of the law. Caleb had always thought the mature man had never enjoyed his life as a vampire, because he spent day and night reading crime reports and chasing criminals, human or not, to make life a little safer in the city. Maybe it was those things that Caleb respected about the vampire. It wasn’t for nothing that he had given him that job.
There were no clues about the murderer and that irritated Cristian exceedingly. He hated going in blind after someone and he became so bitter that he and Caleb clashed like two cars colliding after driving two hundred kilometers per hour.
“You’re wet,” Jeoff said, running towards him with an umbrella in his hand.
“That guy makes me sick when he gets so engrossed in his work,” Caleb said.
“Any clues?”
“No,” Caleb sighed, “This is giving me a bad feeling.”
“Caleb ...” Jeoff started talking with some doubts. “The other day I was informed that someone had seen Edel in the city.’
Caleb narrowed his eyes at his trusted driver. He couldn’t hide the anger he felt at that moment. Not telling him was a betrayal because Jeoff knew the kind of relationship they had. Caleb and Edel hated each other, and if they hadn’t killed each other, it was because they simply could not.
Melodies of Blood I Page 6