by DM Wolfenden
“It’s nearly half-past-five. I need to go soon. I have to be home before six.”
“Okay, and thank you for helping me, Mia.”
She smiled. “I’ll come back to see you in the morning. Is there anything you would like me to bring for you?” She liked being with him, he was interesting, and she loved to listen to him talk.
“I don’t think I’ll be here in the morning.” He had put this girl in enough danger and he needed her to forget about him. Once he had made the token, he would know if she ever needed him, and if she didn’t, she would never have to see him again.
She felt strange at that statement and a panic set in. “But I have to check on you, make sure you are okay. What if you need more blood? I could try….”
He stopped her. “You have done more for me than I deserve. I may still be here tomorrow. I will see what I can do, but I cannot promise that I will be.” How strange that it bothered him for her to be so panicked at his leaving. Should he really consider staying? He was trying to weigh up the pros and cons. The fact that he could put her in danger was outweighing everything else.
She smiled widely. “I’ll see you tomorrow” She ducked out of the tent and zipped it shut before heading back home.
Chapter 13
The next morning Mia’s alarm went off at eight o’clock. There was no need to be up so early. Phil had not worked last night, and he was off work all this week. She wanted to cry at the thought of him, what he had said, but then she remembered. Cain might still be there. Yes, he would be there. He would have waited to say goodbye, of that she was sure.
She would make an effort today with her clothes. She did not want Cain to think she dressed like a tomboy all the time. She picked out the white gypsy top with the delicate lace neck, the designer jeans her Grandpa John gave her for Christmas, and her flat black pumps instead of her usual trainers.
Jess heard Mia in the bathroom. “Mia, do you want scrambled eggs this morning?” She knew the answer would be yes. It was all Mia ever wanted in a morning but they both found the ritual of question and answer comforting.
“Yes, please, Mom, with one slice of toast.”
“It will be ready in ten.” Jess smiled at Mia’s chirpy tone, much more like she used to be.
“What time are you going to work, Mom?”
“I’ll be leaving in about thirty minutes. Don’t wake Phil. He was up late.”
“Don’t worry, I won’t.” That’s the last thing I want to do!
“You look nice this morning. What are you planning on doing today?”
Mia blushed as she thought about Cain. She turned away to sit at the table. “Oh, you know, just hanging out with a friend.”
“Well, it’s a nice change to see you haven’t just shoved on the first pair of jeans and T-shirt like you normally do.” My little girl’s growing up, Jess thought, pleased and sad at the same time that peer pressure was finally having an impact, preparing her daughter for adulthood.
A couple of minutes after Jess left for work, while Phil was still sleeping, Mia grabbed one of his sweaters from the laundry, some chocolate, some ham, a bread roll, and a bottle of water. She headed out to the woods.
She approached the tent wondering if he had left without saying goodbye. “Cain, are you still here?” Her nervousness was audible in her shaky voice.
“Yes, I’m here.” He just could not make himself do the right thing and leave. He had imagined the hurt on her face at finding an empty tent, and this had made him feel strange. He could not put his finger on the reason for his remorse at that thought. He would stay just a few hours. That would not make much difference.
Mia climbed into the tent. “I have breakfast for you, and I have brought you a sweater. Your shirt looks really bad, and your jacket too. Well, what’s left of it.”
“Thank you, I have already fed, but the sweater was very thoughtful.” How could anyone hurt her? He removed his shirt and started to put the sweater on.
Her face scrunched up in confusion. “Your burns have completely healed.”
He looked down at himself with a smile. “Yes, they have.”
“Does this mean you will be leaving?” She could not look at him as she asked the question. She knew the answer and grimaced, awaiting those dreaded words.
“Yes, I will be leaving soon.” She looked pained by his answer, but he had no choice. He would have to leave so she would be safe. His world was not a world that children should be exposed to, not by choice.
She sighed heavily. “I don’t want you to go. I’ll miss you.”
“Strangely enough, I think I will miss you too.”
She crossed her arms in front of her chest and looked accusingly at him. “Why don’t you stay, then? Are you afraid those men will come for you, the one that was here and his friends?”
“That is one of the reasons.” He saw the disappointment in her eyes, the pained look on her face. She was an odd little thing, deeply troubled for one so young. He wanted to help her and if he could he would. That was the least he could do for her. It was strange but he felt apprehensive about asking the question that had been playing on his mind most of the night.
“Why did you say it would not matter if you died?”
“My stepfather makes my life hell.” She abruptly stopped herself from saying any more. Oh crap, I’ve done it now! Phil is going to kill me. Maybe he won’t find out. A hundred and one things raced through her mind at once. If he did find out, there was more than one way he could make her pay for exposing him. Her hands began to shake and the color drained from her face.
“How does he make your life hell?”
“I can’t talk about it.” She sat there staring at the ground. In her mind she was pleading with Cain to stop asking her about Phil.
But he felt compelled to find out why this child was going through hell. Maybe if he got her to talk about other things she would eventually confide in him. “Will you tell me about your family? Where is your father?”
She talked of how her dad left when she was five and how she often thought about him, but never mentioned him to her mother. When she used to ask about her dad, or why he left, it would make her mother cry. “I don’t know what I did wrong, why he didn’t love me any more, to leave like that.”
“I’m sure he does love you,” Cain said. “How could anyone not love you? Especially your own father.”
Mia looked at him, her eyes solemn. “So why does he never come to see me? Why doesn’t he phone or send me birthday cards or something? Anything.”
Cain had no real answer for her. “We can never know what’s going on in someone else’s life.”
Mia changed the subject, told him how she couldn’t have a pet because her mother worked full time and there would be no one there to look after it, and how she would love a dog, as they were her favorite animals. She went on to tell him about spending time with her grandparents when her mother was at work, before Grandma got ill, and how much fun Grandpa was.
“And are you doing well in school?” He then further prompted, “What do you want to do with your life?”
She said she liked school, and maybe she would become a vet one day, after she had finished exploring, of course. She wanted to see the world and named the ten places she would visit, the first four of which were in America.
He sat listening to her, all the while smiling. He couldn’t remember the last time he had smiled so much. And he liked to hear her talk about her future.
She continued to talk, hoping to keep him from leaving as long as possible.
Then they heard a voice in the distance. “Mia, where are you?”
Mia jumped. She put a finger to her mouth. “Shhh.”
Cain saw the blood drain from her face. Her heartbeat was so loud he would have been able to hear it in the next state. “What is wrong?” Of course, he knew what was wrong. The stepfather. But he wanted her to open up to him, and he wanted her to give him a reason to kill the man.
“I hate h
im! I hate him!” She was trying so hard not to cry. Her perfect day with Cain was ruined. She had not had a care in the world while they talked. It was as if that part of her life could not hurt her while she was with him. She wondered if he might take her with him when he left? She would hate to leave her mom, but if she were gone it would be safer for her mother.
Cain could feel himself getting angry and wondered at the strength of his reaction. Why should he feel the need to protect a child he hardly knew? She had offered him his life when he was dying, yet he felt there was more to it than that. He had a connection to her. “Why does he scare you?” His rage was intensifying as he imagined all sorts of diabolical things the degenerate was doing to her. “Do not be scared. I will not let anything happen to you, but I cannot help you if you do not tell me.”
“He said if I tell….”
Cain wanted to run out of the tent and rip the man’s neck open then and there. “You need to tell your mother what is happening with your stepfather.”
She leaned in close to him and whispered. “I can’t. He said he would kill her, and me, if I tell anyone. You won’t tell, will you? Please, I’ve never told anyone else.”
Her eyes filled up and tears started to fall. Why did she tell? Her heart was pounding so much she thought it would fly out of her chest.
“I promise you, he will not hurt you again.” He struggled to keep control as the demon inside was surfacing. He could not contain it for much longer. He needed to get her out of the way.
These feelings were new to him. In the seventy years since he had become a vampire, he had never had an emotional attachment to a human. They were simply food. He did not kill them, and on rare occasions had felt empathy for some, but this girl, the one who saved him, his little angel, needed him. She needed to be protected, perhaps even from him. He could not lose control in front of her. What if she got hurt? He would never be able to forgive himself.
He managed to gain a small amount of control, although his breathing was almost up to human speed and his fists were clenched into balls. “Mia, you need to leave now and go to your mother.”
Fear crossed her face. “No! Please, don’t make me go on my own. I want to stay with you. You said you wouldn’t let him hurt me.”
“I will not let him hurt you, but you have to go now.” It was tearing him apart seeing how scared she was. Her heartbeat was out of control and she was bordering on hyperventilating. He feared she would pass out.
Mia’s swollen and bloodshot eyes pleaded with him. “Please, he will find me if I leave.” She was trying very hard to remain in control but she knew she was failing badly.
He stood up and held his hand out in front of him. “I promise you that will not happen. I will make him go away and you will never see him again.”
Mia threw her arms around his waist and buried her face in his chest. Cain’s heart sank. How is this possible? How had she, a mere child, got under his skin like this in such a short time? Was it her innocence, her vulnerability, her kindness? Did he feel guilty for using her, feeding on her? But he did not have a conscience, so it could not be guilt. He wondered if he had feelings for this girl because she was the daughter he never had, and never would. Was he coveting something that he could not possibly hope for, a family? He could not help it; he returned her embrace. As he held her he thought of Emily and what their child might have been like if it had lived.
Cain carried Mia to the edge of the woods. He put her down and turned her to face him. He looked deep into her eyes and he saw the fear as Phil called her again.
“Mia! I am losing patience! Get the fuck out here now!”
Cain’s body tensed as a vision appeared. He saw her running, caked in mud and blood. He hissed out loud. Mia jumped and stepped back. Cain was horrified he had scared her. “It’s okay, I will not hurt you.”
“I’m just scared. He’ll kill me for telling. I know he will.”
“He will never hurt you again.” Cain’s body was shaking, his blue eyes turning almost completely black. “Now, Mia, run to your mother and tell her about him. Promise me you will tell your mother what he has been doing to you.”
Mia was almost hysterical. All she could think about was not letting Cain go. He would keep her safe. She knew he would. “Take me with you!”
“No! You cannot come with me.”
“I don’t want you to go.” If he would not let her go with him, then she had to make him stay. She could not face Phil alone.
“I have to. I am sorry.”
“Please stay!”
“I will come back to see you, I promise. Now go. Run now!”
Mia took off as fast as she could.
After a few minutes she tripped and fell, landing in some mud. A pain shot up her left arm and both knees began to throb. She was finding it hard to breathe. All she could do was curl up into a ball and cry. She was scared and felt abandoned by the only person she thought could protect her. Why had Cain sent her away?
She did not know how long she lay there, but there was a terrifying, blood curdling scream.
More scared than ever she raced toward the hospital.
Chapter 14
Cain watched Mia run. He had not felt this bad, not felt so much rage or torment over another life, since his mother’s death. He was infuriated to the point of madness.
His whole body stiffened as he heard Phil bellow again.
“Mia, you get the fuck out there now! You are going to be in big trouble, you little bitch. I know you’re in these woods. I’ve got your tent.”
Cain stalked his prey for a few minutes, wondering if he should kill him slowly or take his time, make it a little painful…well, very painful. He could have some fun. After all, he was a monster too and this was his time to play. He would make Phil as petrified as Mia was. Yes, slowly! It was what he deserved and it would give Cain the most pleasure. He walked silently up behind Phil.
“The little bitch is not here. And I know what you have been doing to her.”
Phil was startled at the sound of a man’s voice, but he was scared of no one. “Who the fuck are you?” He turned around to face the voice then stopped dead. This man with his jet-black eyes looked pure evil.
“Shall we have fun now?” Cain said. He extended his fingers and dragged them across Phil’s chest.
Phil screamed as Cain’s nails opened his chest up, his blood dripping down the open fabric of his white T-shirt. He looked in disbelief and horror at the deep red stain. He tried to run from his attacker, not knowing how futile his attempt at escape would be, how quick and strong Cain was.
Cain picked him up by the throat. “You cannot leave yet. We are about to get to the good bit. This is for Mia, you piece of scum!” He looked deep into Phil’s eyes and saw the evil lurking there. He thought it strange that such a poor excuse for a man could so easily masquerade as the average guy on the street.
Cain knew his sort. Play the nice guy to everyone on the outside. Only their victims saw what they really were.
Phil screamed again when Cain’s fangs appeared and then screamed even louder as Cain slammed him up against a tree, let go of his throat, and crushed his testicles.
“Now I am going to take your eyes. The pain is much worse when you lose one of your senses.”
Cain knew that telling a victim what you were going to do to them when they did not have the power to stop you was sometimes worse than the actual act.
Phil froze, mesmerized by Cain’s fingers coming toward his eyes. “Oh, God, no!” Though his body jerked and twisted there was no escape.
Cain waited for him to calm down. The begging for mercy between the screams was starting to get on his nerves. Once Phil was down to pathetic whimpering, Cain grabbed both of his hands and slowly crushed the bones. Then he stepped away from Phil to watch him slide to the ground. At least had stopped begging for mercy.
He knelt down and whispered in Phil’s ear, “How does it feel to be at the hands of a monster?”
Phi
l moaned weakly as Cain sank his teeth into his throat. Then he passed out.
Cain waited for him to regain consciousness.
A murmuring noise started coming from Phil’s throat as he slowly began to come around.
“Ah, good, you are awake. Ready for Round Two?” Cain smiled and Phil opened his mouth to speak but Cain shoved his fingers into the mouth and ripped his tongue out. He began ripping away chunks of flesh with the teeth still imbedded in them. He started at the neck and worked his way down, taking his time. He did not want Phil to faint again and miss any of the pain.
After a few minutes of this torture, Cain could see that Phil was not going to last much longer. The pain and the blood loss had finally taken its toll on him. “Well, this has been fun, but unfortunately it has to come to an end. I am now going to suck the life out of you as you sucked the innocence away from Mia.”
Cain let Phil’s body fall to the ground. He was pleased with himself. Mia would be safe. If he had still been human and somebody was hurting his child, he would have killed them. This was justice, not murder. His thoughts again turned to Emily, her smile, and their unborn child. He could not help it, and his next thoughts were of the funeral, watching her coffin being lowered to the ground, his mother collapsing at the graveside…and later memories of his mother, engulfed in flames. His eyes stung and he could feel the heat in them as if it was happening in front of him all over again.
After Cain had killed Phil, he ripped the body into a hundred pieces, then scattered the bits all around the woods. The forest rodents will feast well tonight, he thought.
Now that he was back to full strength and Mia was safe he had to move on. There would be a search in the woods for that piece of scum. And while Cain might be a monster, he would never hurt a child. This had been the first time he had intentionally taken a life since his mother had killed herself. He could not blame it on the hunger. He had not lost control because of that. He had wanted to kill this man.
Of course, he had killed before, but he tried very hard to keep control during his feedings. In the first year when he was a new vampire there were a lot of killings, but that was before his mother’s death. Then he managed to get control of his thirst. On rare occasions he would feel like he was losing control but always managed to leave his victims alive. But this was different. He wanted to hurt him. He wanted him dead.