The Vampire Family

by Kristin Battestella

  "Oh, please, continue.” Mestiphles crossed his arms. “Go ahead, destroy yourselves. Gives me one less thing on my agenda."

  "My star,” Lilith said softly. “I thought that was why I was sent? To destroy these decadent heretics once and for all."

  "Oh yes, you were, my dear.” Mestiphles turned to Samantha and Victoria. “But I knew you two would not go so easy. You are both like your father, each in different ways. However, this pathetic game of cat and mouse has to end!"

  He waved his arm at Samantha and Victoria, and Victoria flinched. “First, you waste a few hundred years of my time doing nothing.” He waved his other hand at Lilith. “Then, I give you opportunity after opportunity to increase my power. I had to send you away, Lilith, and Antonio learned his lesson. We had the Masquerade after that. Another failure."

  Mestiphles turned back to Samantha. “Samantha, Samantha. I always knew you would be the most trouble. So unhappy with your membership. You could have been The One."

  Caine looked at the sisters, and Stephanie ran to Michael. Mestiphles rubbed his face in his hands and paced.

  "Lilith.” He groaned. “One always has to improvise! Lilith always needs a little entertainment first."

  The Professor dared to shift his glasses again. Lilith opened her mouth to contest Mestiphles, but he snapped his fingers, and no sound came from her.

  He stood still. “I've done many bad things in my millennia, but never so bad a deed as vampires."

  The ground rumbled and shook, and Mestiphles looked at Lilith. She burst into flames, and Victoria covered her ears at the demon's screams. The land opened beneath her flaming body, and Lilith fell into a guzzling river of hot, smoldering lava.

  The earth closed, and a red light flashed. Angelo and Pamela lay on the restored earth where Lilith had been. Caine gulped and looked at Mestiphles, who sighed. “I must conquer the world another way."

  A light circled and enveloped Mestiphles. Theodore covered his eyes, and the light brightened. Stephanie dug her face into Michael's shoulder.

  The light grew to an un-viewable luminance, and the supernova exploded. A bolt hit Victoria, and she fell to the ground. Samantha and Rain felt similar bolts of light and power pierce them. Michael and Stephanie dropped to the ground in a heap of light. The Professor hid behind a headstone, but Caine was struck down before him.

  The dark evening returned again. Michael sat up and shook his head. Stephanie groaned beside him, and Rain stood with Samantha. Victoria wiped the dirt off her black clothes.

  "What the...?” Caine asked.

  "Oh, my.” Victoria blinked. “Gaston is gone."

  "Good observation, my love.” Mestiphles was beside her. “I've decided to end your particular penance."

  A tornado of color swiveled next to Mestiphles, and a young blonde haired man appeared. Mestiphles smiled, “Hello again, Gaston."

  "Why are we still here?” Samantha demanded. The Professor looked back and forth, fully captivated.

  Mestiphles put his hands on her shoulders. “I grant your one wish, Samantha. Your former life has been restored. Vampires you are no longer."

  "Aw, man!” Caine walked toward the cemetery gates. “I'm back to doing business the hard way."

  "I'm going to make a lot of money with this one.” The Professor smiled.

  "Before I change my mind.” Mestiphles snapped his fingers. Michael and Stephanie watched another swirl light the cemetery.

  "Jean!"

  Samantha ran to him, and they hugged and kissed.

  Theodore smiled, then turned to the Professor as they walked through the headstones. “What was that you said about making some money?"

  Rain smiled, a divided vampire no more. Michael and Stephanie kissed, and Gaston put his arm around Victoria.

  "Come along, Sister. We've got a lot to talk about, and not so much time to do it!"

  * * * *

  Victoria and Gaston sat in the hard wooden pew and waited with the rest of the guests.

  "I never thought I would be sitting in a church,” she complained.

  "Shhh,” he quieted. “We were invited, weren't we?"

  "A Catholic church at that! Do you know all the trouble they caused us?"

  "That's over now.” Gaston looked over his shoulder.

  "Why did it have to be in a church? When did Samantha get so religious?"

  Gaston looked back at Victoria as he stood up. “Maybe it's something you should think about."

  The guests stood and turned to the back of the church. Stephanie and Pamela were dressed alike, and Jean smiled at Michael and Theodore beside him.

  "Here she comes.” Gaston nudged Victoria. She stood up and looked down the aisle.

  The procession music began, and Samantha and the Professor came down the aisle. Angelo winked at Samantha when she passed him. The church's side entrance squeaked open, and Caine sneaked just inside the door frame. Samantha's smile grew bigger, and Victoria smiled slightly at her sister. The Professor gave Samantha's hand to Jean, and the wedding proceeded.

  [Back to Table of Contents]

  Epilogue

  Arrivederci!

  A Letter From Gaston

  Dear Theodore, my friend.

  This tale I must tell you.

  Fumbling in the darkness, knocked over furniture—I should've known it was Victoria. She crept into my apartment after yet another night out. I should say our apartment-like the old days, when Victoria and I shared thoughts along with everything else. Maybe I missed her a bit, or had grown used to her and me. Either way, when Victoria was down and out, she came to me for a place to stay. Gaston and Victoria together again. Scary.

  There's Victoria. Just as I suspected, on the couch again. She smells of liquor—Bourbon, I think. This time, I can't say I blame her. Sure, Victoria lived way beyond her means, but now she has no family fortune to rescue her. Nor dark gifts to whisk her away. Victoria was here when the uniforms showed up. Angelo listed her as his next of kin when he enlisted (I suppose in the vampire way she was). I came home from work and found Victoria entrenched in alcohol. Angelo was dead.

  "I didn't know the address here.” Victoria wiped a tear away before she thought I noticed. “I didn't know where to send his remains."

  * * * *

  Victoria hasn't mentioned it since, but I dare say she's come back trashed every night thereafter. Was it two weeks ago?

  "Victoria.” I nudged her leg. “Come on, you need some coffee."

  "I don't like coffee.” She turned over. “And you're still in pajamas."

  "It's the middle of the night.” I sighed. “You're not a vampire."

  "Says who?"

  I wasn't going to have this conversation with Victoria again.

  "It's been four years, Victoria.” I sighed again and sat on the tip of the couch. “Mestiphles isn't coming back this time."

  "He's left us before.” Victoria sat up. “Four years, four hundred years. He'll unpunish us soon enough."

  "I don't think so."

  "I don't care what you think!"

  Victoria fumbled from the couch to her room-or rather my computer and a futon. I tried to help her, but she pushed me away. Fine, paw the wall.

  "Even if he did come back, Angelo is still dead. Mestiphles would not change that."

  "Bah!"

  She left the room.

  Victoria never could touché.

  * * * *

  Not only does she criticize my cooking, but Victoria runs up my phone bill. She doesn't think I know, but I hear her phone calls early in the morning. Caine visited us before Victoria moved in, and now she's calling him to come back again. I don't know how a man with his record and reputation can get on a plane, but here he is four days later. I won't say I dislike Caine, but I am not so sure he's healthy for Victoria. Not that I care, but I'm tired of finding needles, pills, dirty spoons, and any other druggie materials. Victoria, the druggie—who knew?

  At least, I think she is only sleeping with one person. Hell
, I can hear her and Caine all the time it seems, and it's pretty kinky by the sound of it. I had to say something to Caine. Oddly enough, I needed him to be Victoria's voice of reason. I stopped him one morning on his way out.

  "Do you have a minute, Caine?” I offered him a plate of eggs.

  "Yes.” Caine looked at the door and sniffed. “No food, though, thanks man."

  I pulled out a bottle of vodka instead, and he took up a bar stool.

  "I never realized how alike you and your big sister were."

  I poured his glass. “She is my younger sister, and we are hardly alike. Not anymore, anyway."

  Caine shrugged and took a shot. I took the plunge. I'm tall and svelte, mind you, but Caine is dark by nature, rugged, streetwise, and most likely high. Vampire or not he could split me in two.

  "Things are not great here, now,” I fumbled. “Maybe Victoria needs help from someone else. A professional."

  "Ask her.” He shrugged again.

  "I don't think she's in the right condition to make serious decisions."

  "She's in great condition.” Caine's eyes glinted. “And she can be in total control when she wants to be."

  "Caine.” I swallowed that kinky reference. “Lay off the mind trips, at least, will you?"

  "Whatever, man.” Caine finished his glass and slicked out without another word.

  * * * *

  Even before Angelo's irreversible death in Iraq, some of us Welshires were living better than others. I've been at a London law firm for two years. Mailroom and everything else, but it's a respectable job. I had money, a nice place, too. Until Victoria, that is. Rather than have a life of her own, she's continued to leach off the rest of us. All but Samantha. Her and Jean wished her well, but they made it clear Victoria wasn't welcome with them in America, especially if she was visiting with her new kind vampirism.

  I've warned Victoria to never call me at work, but I swear the ringer screamed it was her. I couldn't tell if she was crying or trashed, and I didn't care. “I told you not to call me."

  "Caine is going back to America,” she pouted. “He's leaving me here alone."

  So Caine did perhaps hear something of what I said.

  "Men like him can't stay in one place too long."

  "I don't care!"

  I could hear the pitch change in her voice, and I knew the cubicles around me were listening.

  "Victoria, please.” Could anyone entreat on her?

  "I can't do this, Gaston,” Victoria whispered again. “No matter what I do, I feel nothing. I don't know who I am anymore. I need to find me."

  "Caine wasn't helping you there, that's for damn sure."

  I should've known then. Victoria didn't even try a comeback, she just hung up. She never just hangs up. I dialed home, but I was suddenly aware of a more threatening person behind me. My boss.

  "Mr. Welshire.” He cleared his throat and straightened his expensive tie. “I need to see you in my office ... when you're through."

  I hung up the phone. Shit.

  * * * *

  "Mr. Welshire, your attention to detail has been slipping of late."

  I definitely remember that and my utterly lame response. “Things aren't well at home. My sister ... we've lost a relative in Iraq."

  "I don't want to make things more difficult, but we need results this quarter..."

  I really didn't need to hear the rest. I couldn't hear the rest because the phone in my pocket vibrated. Vibrated loudly. Loud enough for my boss to hear.

  "I think you should get that.” My boss gave me the tone. If I answered it, my job was most likely lost. I knew I had to answer. Without fancy powers, vampires or not, I knew something was wrong.

  The number displayed, however, was not Victoria. I turned from my boss.

  "Is this Gaston?” a woman asked.

  "Yes."

  "My name is Erin. I am an EMT. We are responding to a female, pale skin, dark hair. She's asking for Gaston."

  "Victoria.” Was my boss still there? “She is my sister. What's wrong?"

  "Sir, we are taking your sister to the hospital. Please meet us there."

  I don't recall anything about the drive. I arrived at the hospital, and the doctors ushered me to Victoria's bedside. The crazy bitch slit her wrists.

  * * * *

  Actually, I was angry, genuinely angry. If she made a mess in my bathroom! She always did like attention. Drama Queen and Daddy's Princess. She didn't want to die. She called for help, didn't she? Victoria loves life. Well, her old life. She wanted to be undead again, methinks.

  I sat by her bed while Victoria slept. No longer zealous and proud, sleeping and beeping with machines; gauze wristbands padding her arms. Mestiphles surely would not notice this woe is me plea, as I'm sure was her intention. My thoughts were all over the board. I was angry at Victoria's stupidity. Angry she had survived. My job was lost because of her. My own violent urges came to the forefront, but amid the beeping machines I heard Victoria, talking in her sleep.

  "Mother?"

  All thoughts left me, and I listened closer.

  "I want to stay here, with you.” She paused, then frowned. “Because it's Heaven?"

  Somehow, she knew I was there, and Victoria opened her eyes.

  "Gaston,” she whispered. “I've seen Elizabeth."

  Well, that was a doozy. I knew I what I had to do. I made a phone call.

  * * * *

  The next day, Professor James came and stayed with Victoria at the hospital while I tried to salvage my job-if possible. Fortunately, my boss wasn't being rash with the ax considering my situation. I returned to the hospital to relieve the Professor.

  "Even groggy and out of her wits Victoria still scares me,” The Professor confessed.

  "You and me both."

  "I'm surprised she would take such action. I don't doubt Victoria's power. Even now. She simply needs to find her strength again."

  The Professor patted my shoulder and pointed to suitcase by the door. “Pamela wasn't interested in visiting, but she sent a few things."

  "Thank you both.” I smiled at Pamela's well-meaning gift. “For everything."

  "We'll be in touch.” The Professor left, but I was not alone. I got comfortable in the vigil chair and leaned over the bed.

  "I know you're not asleep.” I just knew Victoria had been listening.

  "What did Pamela bring?” She opened her eyes and turned to me.

  "Get up and look yourself.” I didn't think I was being too insensitive.

  Victoria wriggled her nose, but gently inched up in the bed and winced. At first I thought she was being melodramatic, but then I noticed the weight on the wrists. Victoria wasn't stupid and was milking it for all it was worth, but she did do a good number to herself. Blood soaked through the gauze, and honestly, if we weren't humans, I'd suspect she bit her own wrists with nice long canine fangs. We aren't vampires, however, and wounds for us no longer heal.

  Victoria looked over my shoulder and her countenance changed. Bewildered, angry, happy, sad altogether I couldn't tell. I looked behind me and smiled. Samantha was there. I had called her, and she had come.

  "Victoria is in a bad way,” I confessed over the international landline.

  "I don't know that there's anything I can do.” Samantha sounded concerned, but tired and far away in body and distance.

  "Make arrangements if you can.” I don't know why I called her; why even felt the need to inform her, much less request her presence. Samantha rose as the leader of The Few, and I had no human adviser. Well, the Professor, sure, but I needed another relative. Family. Blood.

  Samantha had come, swiftly and with child. I was as dumbfounded as Victoria, but stood to greet our sister. Her hair wasn't short and chick anymore. Long and blonde crinkles. She reminded me of Ann—who I somehow still carry memories of as if they were my own. I then thought of Antonio, something I hadn't done a long time.

  "You're huge!” I could think of nothing else to say. Samantha put he
r arms out for a hug, but I couldn't get around her belly.

  "Twins.” Her voice is unchanged through all our changes. “A boy and girl, they think."

  I heard Victoria rustle in the bed—once again demanding attention in her subtle way. Samantha looked around me, and I helped her with the chair.

  "Can I get you girls something?” I braved asking a pregnant woman about food.

  "I like the Jell-O,” Victoria demanded. “Not the orange, though. It makes me sick. The red, preferably, thanks."

  Samantha looked up at me. “Hot chocolate."

  "Will do.” I exited—but only to listen, anyway. I knew this conversation would be interesting, so I peered back in the open door.

  "When are you due?” Victoria asked.

  "Three weeks."

  "Should you be flying? Pamela did not come to see me, not that I expected her or wanted her to. She sent a suitcase with the Professor. The nerve. I haven't heard from Theodore."

  Ha!

  "He's in Montréal, doing a thesis on global warming."

  "Oh,” Victoria pouted. “He could've called. Caine finds a way to travel. Remember how he hated transforming into a puppy?"

  "Yes.” She smiled a bit. “We tried getting him into rehab."

  I think Victoria snorted. I saw her toxicology report. If she hadn't butchered her wrists, she could've croaked all the same.

  "Michael and Stephanie divorced,” Samantha shared, but Victoria snorted again.

  "And Jean is the father of your babies?"

  "Yes."

  "Do you have names yet? If you don't, you can name the girl Elizabeth."

  "What?” I said.

  Shit, that was out loud! I hope they didn't hear me. If Samantha did, she didn't let on.

  "Jean and I were considering it."

  "I saw her."

  My jaw dropped again.

  Samantha finally frazzled. “What?"

  "It was very bright, and I wanted to stay with her. Mother said no, it wasn't time yet."

  I eurekaed. That was some dream Victoria had, Because it's Heaven!

  "Victoria, I'm sure that the doctors are doing everything they can to help you. I think the medication might have had an effect."

  Wow, Samantha put it nicely.