by Dima Zales
I flew down, cawing once more as I landed on the vampire's shoulders. She tried to bat me away, but I wouldn't budge. Without much thought, I pierced her skin with my beak, and she screamed, flailing her arms before crashing to the snow-covered ground. I flitted my wings behind me and jumped off of her body. My eyes, although perhaps not the ones visible to the outside world, were wide with fear and confusion. Her body writhed and wriggled on the snow, as if I had severely damaged her.
The snapping, crunching sound came again. I flinched as a burst of radiant feathers surrounded me, and I fell upon the frosty ground beside her. She took the chance to clamber to her feet, although she was still in evident pain. Suddenly, she was on top of me. My hands grasped onto her shoulders, and I pushed her away with all the might I could muster, shoving her into a nearby tombstone. I caught sight of my crossbow lying idly in the snow, and I crawled over to it, aimed it in her direction and shot again. She moved before it could hit her. Something had clearly weakened her, but it hadn't been enough.
Before I had time to react, her body was over mine again. Her long, thick nails clawed at my skin as I tried to hold her back. I screeched as the nails dug deep into my shoulders. The monster of a woman cackled, and then opened her mouth wide, fangs bared and ready to strike. Salem had been right; I was not only going to get hurt out here–I was going to die.
Something moved outside my line of sight, and my heart sunk when I realized it wasn't who I had expected—it wasn’t Paul. Salem, with glowing red eyes, appeared beside us. He swiftly kicked the female vampire as hard as he could in her ribs, knocking her off of my body. He tackled her to the ground, and I stared in fear as his fangs were bared.
“No, Salem!” I shouted, but he didn't listen. His teeth tore deep into her flesh, and I shut my eyes.
Paul finally came into view, the sound of his boots crunching in the newly fallen snow made me open my eyes. He stood a few feet away, wielding his crossbow and preparing to shoot either one of them. I panicked, ran into him and pushed him over as the trigger went off. My mouth fell open, and I expected a howl of agony to erupt, but no sound came. I rolled over onto the snow, grasping at the shaft in my side.
Paul's lips trembled as he stared at the arrow embedded in my skin.
I fought to keep my eyes open, fought to focus on where Salem was, but everything was spinning so fast and growing hazy. “Salem...” I gasped, and I was swallowed by darkness.
20
“Get away from her, Paul!” Salem said fiercely. I could feel something wet and cold beneath me as I suddenly regained a bit of consciousness and realized I was still lying in the snow. My eyes were open, but I could hardly focus. My father knelt beside me, his eyes frantically staring from my face to the wound in my side.
“I'm not leaving her, you monster!” Paul replied through gritted teeth. “If I wasn't so worried about her safety, I would kill you right now!”
“Do you not realize that I saved her life?!" Salem shouted, incredulous.
“That doesn't make you any better than the rest of them.”
I could hear my own shallow breathing and the faint sound of painful moans. “Salem...” I coughed.
“She wants me, Paul,” he said in anguish. “I can help her, please.”
Through the haze, I could see my father stand and back away. Salem was at my side now; his cold hand gently brushed against the side of my face. “Alexis? Can you hear me?”
I nodded my head weakly and shivered. “Salem...is she...”
“She's dead,” he assured me. “Try not to move.”
I wasn't sure at first why he wanted me to remain still until I felt his hand at the base of the arrow. “No!” I cried out in pain.
“It has to come out,” he said calmly.
My body shook with unbearable pain as he tore the arrow from my skin in one swift motion. The screams I heard didn't sound like my own—they sounded horrific and terrifying. I curled up in the snow, holding my arms tightly against myself trying to stop the shaking. Salem gathered me into his arms and held me.
“It's okay, Alex,” he whispered soothingly. “The pain will fade soon; I promise. You are lucky it didn’t hit any organs, just tissue.”
“What happened...to the little girl?” I gasped as I remembered the vampire's poor victim. From the look on Salem's face, I knew I didn't want the answer.
Paul stared at us angrily. “How did you know she would be here?!" he demanded, ignoring my question entirely.
“That's really not important right now, Paul,” Salem seethed.
“Don't forget I could kill you where you stand, monster.”
“P-please, stop fighting,” I pleaded, shivering against his cold body.
“Let me take her somewhere warm,” Salem said, lifting me up as he stood.
“No. I can take her to a hospital,” Paul objected.
“It burns!” I screamed. “Salem...it burns!” I squirmed violently in his arms.
He stared at me with confusion, and then turned his frightened gaze toward my father. “Please tell me those were just normal arrows.”
Paul frowned and shook his head.
“What is on them?!” Salem demanded, cradling me in his arms, his eyes wide and fearful.
“They're tipped with venom,” he said in shame. “It helps weaken your kind for when we miss our mark.”
“Is it fatal, Paul?” Salem's voice was pleading now.
Paul didn't answer.
“Is it?!" Salem shouted.
“I honestly don't know,” he muttered. “I've never shot a human before.”
“You better pray it isn't,” Salem growled and began running at speeds faster than I had ever imagined possible.
I could vaguely feel the smooth silk beneath me, and see a figure pacing back and forth at the front of the room. Everything looked like it was shrouded in a mist of fog, and my head ached as if I had been bludgeoned with a bat. I groaned and pulled my hands to my face.
“Alex?” Salem's sweet voice reached my ears. Where was he?
“S-Salem...” I whispered between a sudden shiver.
“Are you cold?” He sounded absolutely devastated.
“N-no. I’m okay. Where are you?” I felt around the bed for him, and then the realization washed over me; he was the figure pacing at the end of the bed. I felt his weight hit the mattress as he lay beside me. His cold hand met my clammy forehead.
“You're running a fever,” he said sadly. “Do you remember anything from last night?”
I wracked my brain in an attempt to recall the previous night. Images flashed through my mind of myself floating over a blurred figure, Salem pouncing through the darkness, and Paul was there, too. I shook my head; this didn't make sense. They wouldn't have been together; Dad would have killed Salem.
“Why were you and Paul together last night?” I asked groggily.
He relayed the memory, and it all came to me in sudden images. “No...” I groaned. “Paul saw you!”
“That's not important right now, Alex,” he said quietly, pulling me against him. “How do you feel?”
“Confused.” I laughed bitterly. “A little sore, too...and everything is blurry.”
“It will fade,” he whispered comfortingly into my ear, his embrace tightening. “Are you hungry?”
“No,” I said and laid my head against his chest. “What do we do now?”
“Nothing has changed, Alex.”
“Paul knows.”
“He doesn't necessarily know anything. For all he knows, I am stalking your every move.”
I laughed. “Did that noise bother you?” I mumbled, somewhat embarrassed. Why should I be?
“A little.” He grimaced. “I wasn't aware a raven could be so powerful. Like I said, I have only heard stories.”
I sighed contentedly as I relaxed against him. “How did I hurt her so badly? That's what I really don’t understand. It was just a peck, really.”
“I think it's similar to the arrows,” he spoke quie
tly, hesitantly–not wanting to upset me, I suspected. “Perhaps Waldron ravens are capable of producing venom that is harmful to my kind.”
I shook my head. “None of this makes any sense Salem. Ravens are just birds. Birds don’t have poison.”
“Listen to what you are saying, Alex,” he sad and chuckled. “You are lying against a vampire, and you spontaneously turn into a bird! How is the idea of being capable of such damage outside of reason, knowing this?”
“Because...we're just birds!” I shouted. I wasn’t sure why I was acting like this, maybe it was just the confusion still swirling around in my head from the night before.
“You aren't a mere bird! You are far more than that. It is scarcely different from me being able to do this.” His eyes flickered purple and a bowl of chicken noodle soup appeared on my nightstand. “I've been through this with you before; the world isn't at all how you may have once believed. Waldron's have always been strong and dangerous to my kind, and clearly, they have developed a form of poison that weakens us,” he explained with slight distaste. “Now, get some food in you. It will make you feel better.”
I wanted to reject the soup, but I knew he was right. I began feeling better after I consumed just half the bowl, and I could feel my fever starting to pass. Salem said the fluids probably helped dilute the poison in my system. He disposed of my half-devoured meal and returned immediately.
“How do you feel now?” he inquired, brushing a strand of hair from my face. “You're no longer clammy; that's a good sign.” He smiled pleasantly.
I shuddered as he flashed his teeth at me. An image of him with deadly fangs entered my mind, and I wondered unwillingly how exactly he had killed the female vampire. “I'm okay...” I answered, lost in thought.
“You seem frightened.” He frowned and sat beside me again.
“I just...have a lot on my mind, about last night. I saw you attack her.”
He glanced away temporarily. “I'm sorry you had to see that.”
“Don't apologize. It was just sort of unexpected, and scary,” I said honestly. “I never thought you could be like that.”
He laughed quietly. “I can do plenty of frightening things, Alexis. The important thing is that I don't, unless necessary...such as last night.”
I nodded mutely as I considered this. “I don't think I want to practice hunting anymore.”
“If that's how you feel, I won't pressure you to continue, but I think it might be wise of you to reconsider.”
“Why?! For what purpose! I nearly got myself killed last night!”
He cringed at my words. “That was of no fault of your own. Paul is more to blame for that than anyone else. You did exceptionally well.”
I shook my head and sighed. “I just don't know if I can handle it.”
“Don't change your mind just yet, Alex.” He pulled me close again. “What you are doing is a good thing, and I will always make sure you are safe.”
“I guess.” I sighed in defeat.
He smiled and kissed me lightly on the forehead. “You'll have plenty of time to think once you have rested.”
21
A mere week had passed before I was out on the battlefield again. Despite my initial reservations, I had decided that this was what I wanted. This time I would fight solo. My feud with Paul was not over, and I hadn't spoken to him since the incident, despite his constant phone calls. I stalked through the cemetery again—my father was right about it being a common feeding ground. I found my target leaning against the base of one of the many tall trees. He eyed me hungrily; a devious smirk painted across his pale face. His skin was rugged and dirty, and his build was tall and muscular.
“Fancy meeting you here,” he said casually, flipping a golden coin in his left hand.
I eyed him curiously. “Were you expecting me?”
“Word has been going around that there's a raven among these parts,” he replied smugly. “I just had to come and see what all the fuss was about. I never imagined it would be a little girl.”
Where could he possibly have caught word of that? My eyes didn't leave his. I had anticipated a scene similar to my prior visit to the graveyard, but instead it appeared that I was the victim. I reached for my crossbow, but he was much too quick. The coin flipped one last time, landing with a quiet clink against the top of a nearby gravestone. His cold hands were suddenly wrapped around my wrist, preventing me from grabbing my weapon.
“You will be the first raven I have tasted.” He grinned maliciously, leaning his face toward my throat.
“You won’t be tasting anything tonight I’m afraid,” I replied calmly. With my available arm, I punched him hard in the jaw. He fell back, stunned by my strength, but within seconds his laughter resumed.
“A feisty one, I see,” he remarked. “You are just making this more enjoyable for me. I haven't had a challenge in a long time, and despite what my dear mother always told me–I don’t mind playing with my food.”
“I’m glad you are having so much fun right before you die,” I replied fiercely. He sprung at me, but I rolled out of the way. My head slammed into a rock behind me. I was hardly aware of the damage at first. The man's nostrils flared as the scent of my blood reached his nose, and he licked his pale, thick lips hungrily. My fingers found the spot on the back of my head; I could feel moisture against my fingertips.
The distraction was enough for him to get the opportunity he had anticipated. I staggered to get up, but he lunged toward me with full force. The stone behind me crumbled beneath our combined weight. I could feel the rough rock stabbing into my back as I laid there helpless for a moment. His mouth opened wide, revealing his stained yellow fangs. I shuddered and tried to block out the memory of Salem, but it was impossible.
“You are truly making this too easy for me, raven! And here I thought I had a real fight on my hands for once,” he snarled, his lips nearing my throat once more.
“You got lucky.” I kneed him as hard as I could between the legs, sending him hurtling over my head and behind me. Grabbing my crossbow, I turned and pointed it toward his chest.
“Considering the rumors I have heard of your family's shooting skill, that’s not going to do you much good,” he barked with laughter.
“Unfortunately for you, I have better aim.” I pulled the trigger. The arrow whistled through the air, and the vampire, caught up in his own banter, was too slow to realize what was happening. I grimaced as he fell to the ground, a bloodcurdling scream emitting from his gaping mouth. My eyes were wide with horror as I watched the vampire's body contort in misery. Despite what he was, I couldn't control the pain I felt at watching him die.
Salem appeared at my side from some place unseen. He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me away from the horrific scene. “I was afraid for a moment,” he whispered. “I almost intervened.”
“How does it not affect you like it does the rest of them?” I asked, “The blood; I mean.”
“There is a difference between human and animal blood,” he commented after checking my scalp—the damage wasn't severe. We walked away from the dying vampire. “Over time I have not only grown accustom to animal blood, but I enjoy it. Your blood actually smells—and probably tastes—quite revolting to me now.”
“Thanks,” I said sarcastically, not quite sure if that was a compliment or not.
“You were quite impressive out there.” He smiled, although it was obviously forced.
“Do I scare you?” I asked in wonder.
“You don't, but what you are capable of certainly does. I am very fortunate to know you will never turn against me like that.” He paused and looked at me. “You won't, will you?”
“Of course not!”
“Good.” This time his smile was sincere. “I was thinking tomorrow, perhaps we would go back to the creek.”
“That would be nice,” I said as we walked to my car. “Will you be eating innocent bunnies again?”
He glared at me momentarily, and then shrugg
ed. “Possibly. I should, actually.”
“You don't eat as nearly as much as I would imagine,” I spoke quietly, opening my door and getting in.
When he was inside, he looked at me. “I don't enjoy it the same way they do. Let me try to put it in a perspective you might understand. Food is intended as fuel, but humans are weak and easily give in to temptation, ignoring that fact. They will eat and eat, no matter how full they might be, simply because they enjoy the taste. That's similar to how a vampire feeds...they will go beyond what is necessary to keep them going, because they thirst for more. I may have grown fond for the taste of animal blood, but I only drink what I need.”
As I thought this over, Mark's wretched voice came to mind “Once I smelled her blood, oh...it was hard to control my thirst for more! The hunger was far too powerful.” I felt sick to my stomach thinking about it, about Janet.
“That makes sense,” I said quietly as we drove to the old Victorian. “I’ve done some thinking, Salem...and I sort of want your opinion.”
“On what?” There was an edge to his voice.
“My house,” I replied simply. “Now, before you say anything—I'm not going to sell it.”
He smiled at that. “Good.”
“I want to rent it out. I was thinking I could offer it for cheap to Jason.” I noticed the unsettling look on Salem's face and placed my hand against his. “His parents are going through a divorce. It would be good for him, and I think it'd be good for me, too. I don't want to stay there anymore, especially when I could just stay at yours.”
There was a hint of a smile in the corners of his mouth. “Are you asking to move in with me?”
“I might as well have already, right?”
“Considering you spend every night there, yes.” The sound of his laughter was pleasing to my ears. “If that's what you want to do, I won't stop you. Giving it to Jason leaves you the opportunity to visit the house whenever. And you will still own it, of course.”
“Right.”