by DM Wolfenden
Cain walked into the building and two women appeared, one either side of him. Each held a sword in her hand. They could have been twins; they were both petite with long, wavy blonde hair and green eyes.
“I am here to see Ivan. Haygarth sent me.” Cain hoped the names would be recognized.
A slightly balding man with gray hair and a deeply wrinkled face appeared in a doorway. Light from the room beyond flooded the hallway. “I am Ivan. How is my son?”
“Haygarth is well.”
Ivan gestured for Cain to enter the room. The women quickly went to Ivan’s side.
All the furniture in the room appeared to be Louis XV style. Cain was shown to a low, curved armchair with an exposed wooden frame, upholstered in deep green velvet. Ivan sat down on a similar chair opposite him. The two women sat on a chaise longue with the same deep green velvet between Cain and Ivan, still clutching their swords and glaring at him.
“Don’t mind my daughters. They are very protective of me.” He gave them a warm smile. “So tell me, why has my son sent you to see me?”
“Haygarth thought you might be able to help me with my search for a vampire called Vasile.”
Ivan sat up straight, his eyes narrowed. “Why do you search for that anathema? He is evil of the worst kind. What is it you want with the likes of him?”
Cain smiled and his eyes narrowed. “To tear his heart out.”
Ivan studied Cain for a moment. He leaned over and whispered in the ear of the woman closest to him. The woman left the room. “Tell me more. Maybe I can help you.”
Cain told his story, and at the end he held out Haygarth’s letter to Ivan.
Ivan smiled as he read the letter from his son. “Haygarth took a bride. It’s not easy for a father to leave his son behind.” His age showed then, the wrinkles deepening in his sadness. “He didn’t want to leave his country, his home.” But then a gentle smile appeared. “It brings me great joy to know he is not alone.”
Cain relaxed for the first time since entering the dwelling. “She was another of Vasile’s victims. Haygarth saved her.”
Ivan nodded. “He has a good heart. Now, I insist you stay the night. I may have news of Vasile tomorrow. My daughter will take you hunting. You look like you haven’t fed in quite some time.” Cain started to speak but Ivan held his hand up. “Stay away from the villagers. They do not bother us as long as we leave them alone.”
Cain looked bemused. “Do they know what we are?”
“Yes. The people here practice an ancient form of Voodoo. They have a close relationship with the spirits of their ancestors, therefore they are more aware than most.” Ivan turned his head toward the woman. “Take Cain to the east woods.”
She bowed her head once and stood up. She looked at Cain. “We leave now. Stay close.”
By the time Cain and the female returned from hunting, Ivan had already retired. She showed Cain to a bedroom so he could rest. He thought she was a strange one. She would not speak to him during the hunt, and only spoke two words to him when they got back. She pointed to the room. “Sleep here.” He was too tired to care whether she spoke or not.
When he walked into the living room the next morning the other female had returned. The two women and Ivan were sitting in the same seats as they had the night before. Cain sat down opposite Ivan.
“Did you sleep well?” Ivan asked him.
“Yes, thank you.”
“We have possible news of Vasile. My sources think he is in Portugal. A trail of death and destruction follows that one.”
***
Two weeks later Cain arrived in Portugal but it appeared that again Vasile had eluded him. Despite this, Cain enjoyed his time in Portugal with its rich, unique culture, lively cities, and beautiful countryside. This country offered outstanding landscape diversity. He traveled from the green mountains in the north, covered with vines and all varieties of trees, to Rocky Mountains with their spectacular slopes and falls in the center, to a near-desert landscape in the Alentejo region. Despite the limited amount of Portuguese he spoke, the people treated him with respect and often would apologize to him for how ‘difficult’ it was to learn, or how ‘hard’ their language was. This country and its people reminded him of his old life, and how much he missed having a family, friends, and a normal life.
Although Cain did not find him, Vasile was in Portugal, in Viana do Castelo.
Vasile was exploring the 19th-century boulevards and narrow lanes crowded with Manueline manors and rococo palaces when he spotted her: long, dark wavy hair, a curvy figure, and dark eyes that complimented her olive skin. The young woman was with a group of traveling Romanians. She expertly picked the pockets of the unsuspecting, and she was as ruthless as she was beautiful.
Vasile decided to follow her as the group of four men and three women traveled across the Minho River into Spain. They set up camp just outside Tui, where he noticed the young woman leaving the group. Vasile followed her and watched her pick her target for the day. She chose wisely; old men were the easiest for beautiful young girls to take advantage of, and she had one in her sights.
The light was fading and the old man was sitting on a wooden bench outside his home. She approached him and could see the sadness in his eyes. “Are you all right?” she asked and sat down beside him.
He smiled at her. “Thank you, I’m okay. I just miss my wife.”
Her shoulders slumped and she gave him a look of empathy. “I miss my family too.” She wiped away a single tear.
“Where is your family?” Concern showed in his voice.
She put her head in her hands. “I don’t know.” She looked up, her watery, reddened eyes tearing at his heart. “May I have a glass of water?” she asked in a shaky voice, once more wiping her eyes. “I have been wandering these streets all day.”
“Have you had anything to eat?” he asked gently.
“Not for two days.” She looked away from his pitying eyes.
The old man stood up. “Will you join me for bread and cheese?”
“I would love to. Thank you. My name’s Simza.”
Simza stood up and the old man smiled at her, offering her his arm. She smiled back and let him lead her into the house.
Vasile smiled and walked over to the house. He watched her through the window. The old man cut the bread and cheese, and then placed it on a plate. He gestured for Simza to join him at the table. The old man walked toward the sink and started to fill a glass with water. Simza picked up the knife from next to the bread. The old man turned around and at first he looked confused as she held the knife above her head. Then his eyes opened wide, the horror of what she was about to do sinking in. He dropped the glass and tried to protect himself but his actions were too slow. She plunged the knife into his chest, a satisfied smile crossing her face.
Simza was on her knees checking her victim’s pockets when she heard someone speak. She froze.
“You will do nicely.”
The male voice sent a chill down her spine. Simza turned her head toward the sound of the voice. “I found him like this. I was trying to help him.”
He smiled at her. “You are truly a magnificent creature, ruthless to the core. My name is Vasile, and I have come to give you a gift.”
***
Vasile was wandering the streets of Thailand, Simza sulking at his side. “What is wrong now?”
Simza was glaring at a group of men and women. “Look at them with their clothes and jewels, and I am here dressed in rags.” Her icy glare never left the group.
Vasile grabbed her arm and dragged her into a darkened alleyway. “You had nothing, you were nothing, until I found you.” Vasile turned and started to walk away.
“Do you love me, Vasile?” she called out.
He slowly turned and faced her. Her body began to tremble at the malice in his eyes. Her back hit the wall as he stalked toward her.
He picked her up by throat, his fingers digging deep into the flesh. His face was merely inches from her
s, his eyes turned black. “Do I not give you everything you ask for?” He let go and she slumped to the floor.
Simza hissed at him and she bared her teeth. She stood up and brushed herself off. When she looked up, he had gone. “I’ll show you,” she muttered.
Many hours later Vasile’s anger was growing more intense with Simza’s continuing absence. He started combing the streets for her. It was not long before he felt her presence and then heard her voice.
“Do you love me enough to die for me?” he heard her say, followed by a male voice. “Sure, baby. Whatever you say.” Vasile smiled, not for one moment expecting what he was about to see. Then he could not take his unblinking eyes away from the vision before him.
Simza’s blood turned cold under Vasile’s icy glare. Her legs were wrapped around the soldier’s waist and he was thrusting away between her thighs. She shook her head and blinked as Vasile lifted the soldier into the air and threw him violently against the wall. She watched Vasile jump on top of him and rip him limb from limb. Pieces of bloodied flesh slapped against her face and body.
She closed her eyes and curled into a ball. Then he lifted her to her feet by her hair. She kept her eyes tightly closed as she felt hot breath on her neck just seconds before his teeth entered her flesh. She screamed as he tore at her flesh, feeling the warmth of her own blood flowing down her body.
Later, when all was quiet once more and she could not feel him nearby, she allowed herself a peek. He was gone. She ripped a strip of fabric from her dress and tied it around her neck. Slowly and unsteadily she got to her feet, as something glistening in the moonlight caught her eye. A diamond-encrusted necklace lay on the ground.
Chapter 8
It was in 1975 that Cain went to Thailand. He had heard the reports of mysterious deaths in remote villages when he was in Cambodia. Bodies had been found beaten, with no blood left in their veins. He questioned the locals and they confirmed the stories, but the most recent of those deaths was merely six months back. Now they had a new fear: the phi am or ‘widow ghost’ was attacking their villages.
The villagers all told the same story. “The phi am comes at night to steal away the souls of our young men. Some of the men have started wearing lipstick at night so the ghost will mistake them for women and leave them alone.” Others said their sons were so afraid they had run away.
Thailand’s countryside amazed Cain, awash with lush lime-green vegetation, sprawling rice fields and deep green, mountain forestry. He could think of far worse places to be maintaining surveillance. For almost a week Cain watched the last village that had reported being attacked by the widow ghost. It was 2am on the third night when he felt another vampire’s presence. He moved back into the trees until the feeling passed. He still had a good view of the village, and hopefully of the vampire without her knowledge. The vampire made her way around the village until she found the house she wanted. Her long dark wavy hair seemed to dance in the breeze.
While Cain watched he felt more vampires approach. Four appeared at the edge of the trees; three males and one female. Simza felt their presence too. She ran, and a male and female chased after her.
The other two males walked toward Cain. “Why are you here?” one asked.
“My name is Cain. I came in search of the phi am. I have questions for her about one called Vasile.” Cain saw both vampires freeze at the sound of Vasile’s name.
“I am Niran and this Daw. Come with us. You will not be harmed.”
Cain raised an eyebrow at the two men, and then indicated for them to lead the way. The vampires led him into a house a few miles away. A few minutes later they were joined by Simza and the male and female who had pursued her.
The two vampires looked Cain up and down. “Why have you brought him here?” the male asked. He pushed Simza and she fell to her knees.
“He is here in search of Vasile,” Niran answered.
Simza looked up at the sound of Vasile’s name. She gave a sly half-smile. “He is long gone, if that’s what this is about.”
Cain walked over to Simza. “Where did he go?”
The smile left her face. She sat back on her legs and glowered up at Cain. “I don’t know. He grew tired of me. He left me here with no money, no home, nothing.” She threw her hands up in the air in frustration. “You think this is about Vasile? You think you can go around torturing and murdering humans, drawing attention to our kind, and we will do nothing?”
Her eyes were pleading with Cain as she spoke. “It wasn’t me. I was searching for the one who did this.”
Cain turned away from her toward Niran. “What happens to her now?”
His face was stern, no emotion. “She dies tonight.”
Simza grabbed Cain’s arm. “Don’t let them kill me! Please!”
Cain pulled his arm away and glared at her. He turned to walk away but she grabbed at his leg.
“No, you have to help me. I’ll do whatever you want.” Cain looked away. “Please. I will help you find Vasile.”
He bent down in front of her. He removed her hand from his leg and held it in both his hands, his voice soft and low. “But you said you don’t know where he is. And if I were to help, it would not change you. I see the evil in your eyes and heart. You are an abomination.”
Cain stood up and the female vampire approached him with a sword in her hand. “There is a vampire who may be able to help you, she travels.”
Simza pulled the necklace from her neck. “This is worth a fortune. It’s yours, and more, in exchange for my life.”
The female vampire took the necklace and laughed, holding it up to the light. “It’s fake.” She threw the necklace in Simza’s face.
Simza grinned wryly. “Why am I not surprised?”
The female vampire turned back to Cain. “Come back in two days. Meanwhile I will see if she will meet with you.”
Cain nodded.
He froze when he heard Simza scream. He turned around and two male vampires were holding her arms out. Niran pulled her head forward by her hair. The female vampire walked toward them. She stood between the men and held the sword just above Simza’s neck. Cain could not watch. He knew this was the right thing to do, but still, he did not wish to witness it. He closed his eyes and turned away.
***
The female vampire called Helena had agreed to meet Cain in Pattaya, at the end of the week. Cain booked a hotel in Pattaya the night before he was due to meet with her. He was enchanted with this land and its people. Beautifully ornate and glistening Buddhist temples and orange-robed monks seemed to be everywhere. Cain wondered what the future held in this fascinating country. There was so much poverty, so many women now serving the sex industry. He saw men of many different nationalities coming to this beautiful place for that one thing. He feared their culture and lifestyle could soon be lost.
Cain felt the vampire’s presence before he left the hotel. He turned to see a very striking woman with long blonde hair and green eyes. She was about five-foot-four, with a curvy figure. She smiled at him and her face lit up. For the first time, he felt comfortable around another of his kind. Helena walked over to him, her body language radiating a confidence Cain found most appealing.
“You must be Cain?”
“And you must be Helena?” He held his hand out for Helena to shake.
“How very formal. I hope in the future you will be more relaxed around me,” she said, while gently holding his hand between both of hers. She quickly kissed his cheek. “Now which room is yours?” She let go of his hand and looped her arm into his.
Cain’s body tensed.
“Oh, darling, why do you look so shocked?”
“I’m sorry. I’m not used to being around others. Those I have met didn’t want me to stay long enough to get acquainted.”
Helena laughed. “Well, we shall have to change that. We are going to be good friends. I can always tell.”
He just smiled and led Helena to his room. She sat on the only chair in the room and Cai
n sat on the edge of the bed. She asked him why he wanted to find Vasile and he told her his story, leaving nothing out.
“After all these years you still seek revenge?”
He dropped his gaze. “Yes, I will not rest until he has paid for his crimes against my mother. Do you know of his whereabouts now?”
“Not yet, but I may be able to help. I do know of him, but I’ve never met him. I have met many others who have spoken of him, of his cruelty and megalomania. I heard he was here a few months ago.” She moved to sit beside him and took his hand once more. “Cain, I have lived a very long time, and I have learned a great many things. One thing I know is you must not become obsessed by this or it will ruin your life, consume every part you.”
Cain’s composure dropped for the first time as put his head in his hands. “My life is already ruined. I am alone in this world, a monster. I have done terrible things. I will pay for my crimes one day, but Vasile will pay for his by my hands.”
Helena leaned her head to the side, a slight smile on her face. “Take a walk with me along the beach. Let’s see if I can make you see what a wonderful life you could have. Do you have shorts to change into?” Cain shook his head. “I didn’t think so. You need to relax a little, stop being so British.” She beamed. “Let’s go shopping.”
***
Over the years, Cain researched what he could about his kind. Most of it was fiction at worst or exaggerated folk stories at best, with wild claims of superpowers being attributed to vampires. He had pushed his own skills to the limit to test what ones, if any, were true.
He had a heartbeat, although it was ten times slower than any human’s, so the stake through the heart thing was probably true. This folktale was not one he wanted to test out on himself, nor could he imagine any creature being able to live after its head had been cut off.
A fire could definitely kill him. Hadn’t he had seen his mother burn herself to death? His skin was cooler than a human’s, but not ice-cold (maybe this was because the blood pumped through his veins a lot slower than a human’s, but he wasn’t sure on that). He could hold his breath for thirty minutes, but he definitely breathed. He could stand like a statue for hours without moving a muscle, which came in handy.