Pulse of Heroes

by A. Jacob Sweeny

  “Was Rion here?” she asked, mostly to herself.

  “He was. An old friend stopping by to say hello,” Haden said as he fought to button his right sleeve with his left hand. Michelle watched him struggle for a while, then climbed out of bed to help him. He didn’t say anything, which Michelle found rude, and she let him know that a slight thank you would help improve his manners. Haden pretended not to hear her. “Are you hungry?” he asked her. Michelle wasn’t sure because her stomach felt unstable. She squeezed her forehead, hoping to relieve some of the pressure behind her eyes. Haden said that he was leaving for a while and that she should probably just lie back down because she looked pretty bad.

  “I can’t. It’s late. I need to get back to my aunt’s or she’ll be worried sick,” Michelle said, concerned. Haden told her that she would be spending the night, explaining before Michelle could protest that there was no point in going out there with the traffic being so bad.

  “It will take many hours before the roads are clear, and even after that you wouldn’t get back to Budapest until morning. Vilna would agree with me.” Michelle suddenly remembered Vilna leaving and asked Haden if he wasn’t worried about his sister being gone for so many hours, or if he knew about what had happened to Adi. Haden seemed genuinely surprised.

  “If it’s true then I’m sure she’s off drowning her sorrows somewhere. Personally, that idiot was never worth it.” Michelle was put off by Haden’s callousness and asked if he didn’t care about his sister’s feelings. “Of course I do. That’s why I’m not shedding any tears over this.” Haden asked Michelle for her aunt’s phone number and punched the numbers in to his cell before handing it to her. “I wouldn’t tell her you left the country. Why worry her, right?” Haden watched as Michelle told her aunt that everything was ok and that she’d see her tomorrow. He told Michelle that he’d have the housekeeper bring her some fresh clothes for when she was ready. Michelle didn’t want to be left alone in Haden’s room.

  “Where are you going?” she asked him nervously, and he told her in a neutral voice that he was going ‘out’. Michelle assumed that he was on his way to meet some woman. “Haden,” she called him again just as he was about to close the door behind him. “Did… um, did we, I mean did you…?” Haden stopped dead in his tracks but didn’t look at her.

  “You had no problem kissing me in front of Rion as long as you thought it might get back to Elliot and make him jealous,” he blurted out with venom. “I told you then and I’ll tell you again; I don’t like being used by anyone. You’re lucky I didn’t just throw you to the ground.” Haden’s version of events conflicted with Michelle’s memory; she remembered him smiling and taking her in his arms, and kissing her more than once. Michelle curled her knees up to her chest. Is that what she did? Did she kiss Haden only because of Elliot?

  “I’m sorry,” she apologized quietly, still confused about the whole situation. “I don’t remember.” What she did know is that for two days straight she had been thinking about Haden and what it would feel like to wrap her arms around him, and now that she had done so she didn’t even remember it, and supposedly she did it just to get back at Elliot?

  “I don’t know what it is you see in this Elliot? He must have lied his pretty little face straight into your heart. Why else would he pick a young, vulnerable girl such as yourself. Maybe we read different books about him, you and me? From judging you, if you knew half the things he’s done you wouldn’t love him, but rather hate him to the core.” Haden looked at Michelle’s wide eyes. She had no idea he knew Elliot. “There’s water over there if you want,” he pointed his chin towards a carafe with a glass next to it, then shut the door behind him leaving Michelle alone in his room.

  The carafe perspired drops of condensation which gathered to form a circle around its base. The ice was barely melted so Michelle figured she must have only slept for thirty minutes or so. She was thirsty. There was no clock in the room and she had no idea when either Haden or Vilna would return. She examined her surroundings, trying to get a sense of who Haden was. Although the room was nicely put together, it was definitely masculine, dominated by Haden’s large sleigh bedframe made out of thick dark reddish wood with intricate cravings and decorations along it’s four sides. Above the bed hung a very large oil painting that depicted a forest scene with two strange figures that looked like men with lion heads standing to either side of a large tree. Michelle walked over to the matching desk to see if she could at least use the laptop, but she needed a password to get in. The wardrobe stood to one side of the room and was also made of dark antique wood with two beautifully carved doors flanking a large floor length etched beveled mirror. Michelle assumed that the dark arched door led to a bathroom, and she was right.

  Michelle feasted her eyes on the most amazing washing room she had ever seen. It was like a palace. Her first step was into a sort of parlor area featuring beautifully laid diamond shaped tiles alternating between deep green and creamy yellow. Along the wall was a narrow antique table with a marbled top that had clean towels and dishes displaying various soaps and bottles. On the opposite side of the room there was a sitting area with two small armchairs and a marbled coffee table. Above them was a refrigerated niche with a glass door displaying bottles of wine and chilled glasses. Beyond that was another narrow room with double vanities and marble sinks on either side of the wall with what seemed to be gold faucets and matching towel racks. And then the area widened into a large octagonally shaped room with an eight-sided sunken bathtub in the middle. The floor here was made out of huge golden marble slabs, and when Michelle looked into the bottom of the tub she saw that it was beautifully decorated in a colorful lotus flower design made of tiny mosaics. Up above on the high ceiling there was a spectacular round stained glass window with images of angels floating amongst a blue starry night.

  Haden must spend all his time in here, Michelle thought to herself as she ran her hand against the plush white towels that hung on gold racks. Suddenly bath time didn’t sound so bad.

  Michelle felt no pain at all. She stretched out in the hot bath that was big enough to be a small pool and leaned her head back on the built in headrest. She was mesmerized by the image of the beautiful angels above her and wished that it was lighter outside so she could see the colored glass better. Suddenly, as if by magic the stained glass came to life with a bright light shining down on it from above, emphasizing the bright reds and greens of the robes the angels wore and the orange and yellow curls that framed their faces. The whole scene looked to be made of colorful gems.

  “It’s a sin to look at it in darkness,” Haden said, pointing a remote control towards the ceiling. Michelle turned around to see him, then immediately covered herself up with her hands. Haden knelt down next to her and looked up at the window, smiling. “You’ve got to admit that you don’t see something like that everyday. I paid a lot of money to have it done just right. Many years ago I used to have one just like it above my bed, but I don’t really want angels looking down at me in bed,” he laughed. Haden took the small washcloth that lay by Michelle’s neck, dipped it in the water, and wrung the water out of it down her face and neck. She closed her eyes. “It’s only lukewarm. You must have been in here for a while,” he said, getting up. He grabbed a towel off the rack and tossed it over to her. Michelle instinctively raised her arms to catch it so it wouldn’t fall into the water and Haden laughed. “Not too bad, for a little girl,” he said, smirking at her exposed torso. Michelle felt mortified, stupid, and angry. She immediately wrapped the towel up against her chest and slowly rose up backwards onto the ledge of the tub.

  “Why am I here? What do you want from me?” Michelle’s voice sounded high and full of angst. Haden circled around the tub and walked over to where she stood against the wall. He moved her wet hair away from her face.

  “You’re here because I want you to be here. I’m sure you already realize that I have no need of you personally. I guess you could say that I was curious to see what
that buffoon Atras, oh sorry, Elliot as he calls himself these days, was attracted to.”

  “Elliot is not a buffoon! You’re the one that’s been after him?” Michelle questioned, slipping from underneath Haden’s arm.

  “Oh wait, that’s right. Elliot is an angel walking upon the earth, and to be so lucky that he bestowed his attention on you.”

  “Am I a hostage? Am I here so you can get to him?” Michelle felt so used and so insignificant. She thought that Haden had actually seen something in her. Haden told her to look on the bright side, because he found her attractive enough and besides, earlier that day it had been her that had kissed him.

  “You wanted to be here, so here you are. I don’t remember dragging you by the hair while you kicked and screamed. You came her because you’re attracted to me, and why shouldn’t you be? You seem to find our kind irresistible.”

  “You’re nothing like him,” Michelle yelled out, although she had failed to convince herself.

  “Listen, Elliot and I go way back. I’m sure he never mentioned me. There are things between our type that are beyond your understanding.”

  “What if I want to go home?” Michelle’s voice trailed off at the end of the sentence and Haden stepped over to where she stood. He wiped her tears and told her that if Elliot was indeed the loving, kind man she remembered him to be, he would be on his way in a day or two and she would be free to leave. “Why do you hate him so much?” she wanted to know. Haden smiled sweetly and led her by her hand back into the bedroom.

  There were fresh sheets on the bed. On the side table something smelled delicious. Michelle found a tray displaying some sort of a soup and small round buns. There was a pat of butter in a cute gold dish and a small bowl that had some sort of rosy-hued cooked fruit in it. “I had my housekeeper cook it just for you. I hope you like my choice.” Michelle looked at Haden and swallowed hard. She was hungry but had no appetite. Still wrapped in her wet towel, she felt exposed and uneasy. She told him that she didn’t want to be there and she didn’t want to eat; she just wanted to go home already. Haden walked over to where she stood by the side table and moved closer, forcing her to back off till she bumped into the bed and had to sit down. Haden sat next to her and told her that he didn’t want to force things because it wasn’t his style. “I’m sure you already know that all I have to do is touch you and you’ll be asleep in no time. You also know that I’m much stronger than you. But have I used any of my powers to bring you here? Hear me out, and you can decide how things will be.”

  Haden took Michelle’s limp hand in his and said he had a story to tell her. Michelle felt infuriated. He told her that many years ago he, Rion, Ando, and later Elliot had all helped Vlad III of the order of Dracul fight against the Ottoman Turks. “That’s poor Dracula, in case you didn’t know.” Michelle pretended not to care, but Haden knew otherwise. He told her that it was a matter of jokes between all of them whenever people spoke of Dracula the Vampire, or Vlad the Impaler and other such nonsense. “The poor man got such a horrible name thanks to that Irish author who wrote that story based on some skittish Turkish rumors.” He told her that the original rumors were actually about them.

  “When the Turks came upon one of us in battle they might mortally wound us. But of course, we don’t die of such wounds, and the next day that poor son-of-a-bitch would be fighting the same guy he thought he had killed the night before. The stories scared the hell out of the enemy, and Vlad decided to capitalize on their fear. The drinking blood was just an act, and the impaling was something he had learned from them as a young boy. He was once a prisoner of those wretched Turks.” Haden’s voice became bitter, “It was there that he learned about the vile ways in which they executed their enemies - his people, my people, even some of my own family. Did you know that they gouged his brother’s eyes out and buried him alive? Vlad saw thousands of women taken as sex slaves; they were raped in pubic to the cheers of the soldiers. His wife committed suicide because she thought they were coming for her. After that, even I will admit that Vlad was never the same. Her death caused him so much grief that he became obsessed with punishing the Turks and anyone who helped them with the exact same cruelty that they inflicted on us. He argued that to win the war, he had to be crueler than the cruel, and he was right.”

  Michelle sat quietly transfixed by Haden’s story, much as she had been by Elliot’s. Haden looked at her large eyes and smiled, but then got serious again. He told her that one day while riding through the Turks’ deserted camp he came upon a mass grave. “It was horrifying. It was an enormous pit full of decomposing bodies, women and children, beautiful children, and babies too. The Turks killed them all in revenge because they knew they were losing the battle. Anyway, I turned to leave when I sensed that one of our kind was around. It was a faint Pulse, but I felt it.” Michelle finally spoke, telling Haden that Elliot had told her about that terrible incident. “Did he fail to mention who dug him out from in-between all those bodies? Did he tell you who nursed him back to life?” Haden’s voice became enraged and he began walking around the room in agitation. “Did he tell you that he ran off with that man’s woman? Such disrespect!”

  “No, you must be mistaken.” Michelle couldn’t believe it. “Elliot is not the kind of person who…”

  “How long have you known Elliot, really? You’re going to tell me you know him better than someone who’s known him personally for 600 years! He left you, remember? Without so much as a means for you to contact him. He’s cold. Cold and calculating.”

  “No! I will never believe you,” Michelle yelled at Haden as loud as she could.

  “Then be my guest. Let me show you Elliot through my eyes. Things you would never see, not even in your worst nightmares.” Haden began speaking in a strange language that was completely foreign to her. At first she thought he was talking to her, but he leaned his head backwards as if he was speaking to someone on the ceiling. In a flash he was next to her and she could see that his eyes had gone completely white. Michelle was terrified. He told her to look into his eyes as he put his hands to her temples. His voice was unrecognizable. Michelle fought him for a microscopic second but he forcefully tilted her face to his. Her eyes opened wide and her pupils dilated. She couldn’t see anything anymore, everything went to a complete blank, then the images began to come into focus as if they were playing on a screen somewhere deep within her mind.

  The first scene was of a large military encampment with soldiers sleeping inside and outside of the tents. Then three shadowy figures appeared from the side. Michelle couldn’t tell who they were, but as they got closer she recognized Devin, Elliot and Kahl. They wore metal breastplates with long blue and white tunics and laced-up leather boots, and they were whispering amongst themselves. Then the image changed as if someone had switched a channel, and she saw Elliot swinging his sword. He was attacking the soldiers she saw earlier. Some were still asleep and he stabbed them where they lay, while others got up to protect themselves. The dying men let out horrible shrieks while others begged for their lives. But Elliot didn’t stop; he didn’t even look at their faces. He just kept swinging his sword and their heads flew off, releasing sprays of blood from their severed throats. There was a mountain of dead bodies piling up behind him as he threw each dead man over his back. His face and clothes were drenched with the blood of his victims, while Devin and Kahl were doing the exact same thing just a few feet away.

  Michelle couldn’t take what she was seeing and screamed at Haden to make it stop or else she would rip her eyes out. The scene faded, but a new one took its place; this one was nothing like the first. Michelle saw what looked like a swimming pool and heard the echo of a woman’s laugh. Then a figure came into focus and she saw a beautiful Indian woman wearing a magnificent orange and yellow sari that was tied up above her knees. She was wading in the aquamarine water, her face stunningly painted and adorned by a large gold hoop that hung from one side of her nose and was attached to a matching earring by a delicate gold chai
n. She had some sort of a bottle in one hand and a towel in the other. She laughed as she dipped the towel partway into the water. She then began walking and Michelle couldn’t see her anymore. All she could see was the blue water. In the distance, there was a structure that looked like another small pool, only this one was covered with a painted roof.

  Closer now, Michelle saw Elliot seated on a stone bench with his legs in the water. Another woman was pouring water on his hair from a silver vase while he smiled, his eyes closed. Then the first woman came into view. She was still holding the towel and began washing Elliot’s chest with it while she giggled. After a few seconds, the girl who was washing his hair tilted his head backwards and began kissing him. He kissed her back and pulled her down onto his lap, removing the veil she wore over her head and shoulders. Michelle’s heart was at a standstill. She wanted to throw up. She didn’t want to see anymore. But it was like watching a car wreck; she couldn’t turn away. The woman in orange stepped away from Elliot and slowly began unraveling layers of her sari, letting the weightless fabric glide above the water until she was completely nude. Elliot stepped up from behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, kissing her neck while she laughed that same sweet laugh. Suddenly, a large wave swept away that image and the pool was gone.