After the Fall

by Martinez, A. J.

  The truck rocked back and forth for a few minutes. The Vampires came out of the back wiping their mouths. A few people knew what had just happened and hurried home. I’m not sure how many people knew the truth about the people in charge, but they got the idea and cleared the streets. I had seen enough. It was time to head to the manor.

  Anathorn Manor looked more like a fortress now. Armored trucks lined the streets. Vampires in full kevlar clothing patrolled the perimeter. They were armed with both axes and firearms, which told me they were not just worried about zombies.

  “Sir, I’m going to have to ask you to step back,” said the team leader as I walked up to the barricade line.

  “My name is Mordecai. Let me in.” His eyes flashed with recognition and he all but fell over backwards.

  “Right this way, Mr. Councilman. They’ve been expecting you.”

  “So I’ve heard. What is this about?”

  He held up his police sergeant stripes on his collar. “That’s not for me to know,” he said before returning to his post.

  I walked up the cobblestone path to the house. There were more guards patrolling the grounds and posted on the roof with sniper rifles. The men at the door knocked two times, paused, and knocked three more times. Someone opened the door. The butler looked around nervously and ushered me in.

  “Come with me, sir. Everyone is already assembled at the hall.” Fear burned its way up from my stomach. I hoped this wasn’t what I thought.

  The hall was full from wall to wall, but they made a path for me to walk through and make my way to where the rest of the council members stood. Lucretius was standing in the middle of the only open space in the room. He stood beside an altar. On top of it was what I knew to be a sarcophagus. My heart started to pound.

  “Mordecai, good to see you. Now that you’re here, we may begin.” He turned to the servants. “Close the door. No one else enters!”

  The servants hurried out of the room and locked the heavy doors. Lucretius turned back to the crowd and got ready to address them.

  “I am glad to see everyone could make it tonight,” he said, looking around the room, holding his gaze a little longer on me. The council members stared at me with disdain. Some of them seemed to relish the moment. I ignored them an turned my attention to the centerpiece of the room.

  Lucretius clamped his hands in front of him and continued. “The events outside have no doubt left you curious. We have discovered a breach in the eastern sector. Special teams have already secured the area, but we have reason to believe some of them may have breached the inner perimeter.” A few of the people started to whisper. “Now, there is no reason to fear. The curfew and other restrictions are merely a precaution to protect us and our citizenry from the infection. You need not fear; we are safe. The situation is under our control.”

  He paused for a moment and let the message settle before proceeding.

  “There is one more thing that I wish to bring to you all. It is about Anna Thorn. From the beginning, she was our founder, Mother, Queen. She led us, nurtured us, gave us the will to go forward and forge our destiny. Her death sent shockwaves through our once small community.

  “In keeping with her wishes, we persevered and built a legacy that would have made her proud. It has made her proud. She rejoices at our accomplishments as a mother dotes on her children’s successes.

  “That is why I am glad to speak to you tonight, to bring you good tidings. Ladies and gentlemen, the Queen is alive and well.”

  There was a collective gasp from the audience.

  “You should not joke wiss such tings, Lucretius,” said Gustaf.

  “I know. None of what I said is in jest; every word is true.”

  “Why do you speak so? Has her death not caused us enough pain?”

  “Why am I still speaking, when perhaps I should let her speak for herself?”

  The heavy sarcophagus lid moved aside like a child’s plaything. The Queen set it aside and stood. Every person in the room was paralyzed with shock. She still wore her veil, but her eyes were uncovered. She had brown eyes, the color of desert sand. It reminded me of Rayna. She looked so much like her, and yet I could see that the Queen was much paler in complexion, more like us. Rayna’s complexion was an anomaly that I could not yet explain.

  “My children,” she said as she stepped out of the sarcophagus. Some of the people in front stepped back and shrank away from her. “There is no need to fear. I am not a ghost. My flesh is as real as yours.” She offered her hand out to Gustaf. “Here, touch.”

  He reached his hand with hesitation and touched her arm. “It really is you. My Queen!” Forgetting himself in the moment, he embraced her. “Oh, where are my manners?” He knelt before her.

  “Arise, Gustaf. Are you not one of the council members?”

  “Yes, my Queen. I am.”

  “We need not be so formal.” She stepped back and took center stage. “My dear children, I was dead for a time. When I arose, I was unsure whether to return. You were all doing so well, and I did not know if my presence would complicate matters. For years, I remained underground, watching from a distance. I am proud of all you have built.

  “As a mother, it pained me to be away from my children. Now that you have all grown, it is time for me to return. There is no greater joy than seeing my children again.”

  “And it is a joy to have you again,” added Lucretius. “Now, to everyone else, we will be concluding this meeting. You will have an opportunity to greet the Queen on your way out.” Lucretius held out his arm and escorted the Queen to the door. The crowd parted and cleared a wide path for them, with a few hands reaching out to touch the Queen.

  “She is real, I assure you,” said Lucretius. The crowd laughed.

  It took quite a while to empty out the room. Lucretius had been right to start right away. Everyone stalled on their way out. No one knew that I had already met the Queen. Since I had already seen her a few times, and seen a bit more of her once, I decided to wait for everyone to leave. It turned out to be the right choice.

  “Don’t go too far. The Queen would like to speak to the council when the guests are gone.” He leaned in to whisper. “Then she would like to speak to you some more. She has taken a shine to you.” The last words came with a bit of an edge.

  The crowd finally left the house, leaving only the Queen and her council. Even the servants had made themselves scarce. It seemed they were as surprised as everyone else to see her. To think that this whole time she was living right under their noses.

  Her speech turned out to be short and rather disappointing. She spoke of the great work we had done and how much farther we could come. The council members had expected more, it seemed. She promised that she would hold a meeting soon and bade them goodnight. I tried to be sly and joined the group when I felt the hand on my shoulder.

  “Not you, Mordecai. Did you forget?”

  So close.

  “Come, let’s go see the Queen.”

  The departing council members turned to look and took the time to send some disdain my way before going out the door. I wished I had been able to tell them I didn’t ask for this, but it would probably come across as false modesty. They didn’t get to be council members because of their kindness.

  “Mordecai, come. Don’t keep the Queen waiting.”

  She had taken a seat at a chaise longue and was waiting for me with a smile on her face. I could see it even with her mouth covered.

  “Come closer,” she said. “I will not bite.”

  Something told me that wasn’t entirely true.

  “My Queen, can I ask why you wished to see me?”

  “I can ask to see any of you and not need to give anyone an explanation. It is the privilege of being the Queen.”

  “My apologies. I was merely curious.”

  “If you must know, I just wanted to have you beside me. Come, sit.”

  I seated myself on the identical chaise right next to her. Her hand glided over to min
e and started to caress it.

  “You’re so tense. Relax, there’s no need to be afraid.”

  “I’m not afraid,” I replied. Just concerned. About her intentions.

  “Then take my hand.” I did, and it seemed to make her happy. Her grip was strong, but I had a feeling that she was holding back. An Elder like her might be able to crush my hand on a whim.

  “You’re still tense.”

  “Forgive me, my Queen. I cannot help it.”

  “That’s all right. We will fix that.” She rang the bell beside her and a servant came right away.

  “Fix us a drink, and make it fast,” she ordered.

  The servant nodded and hurried away. He came back with a pitcher and two short glasses that he filled. The blood was ruby red and looked a little thinner than usual.

  “This is not your usual drink. It has a kick to it. Go ahead, try it.” She took a long sip to demonstrate.

  I drank from my glass. It tasted only vaguely like blood. My insides felt like they had been doused with kerosene and set on fire. I blew out a cloud of alcoholic mist.

  “There, isn’t that better?”

  No, I wanted to say, but the burn had taken my voice for the moment. She took my hand again but felt my apprehension.

  “What’s the matter? Aren’t you feeling better?”

  “You’ll have to forgive me, my Queen.”

  “Tell me what’s bothering you.”

  “That story would take us long past dawn.”

  “Then try.” She put her other hand on top of mine and caressed it from wrist to fingertip.

  “I’m sorry. I really must go.”

  “Go where? There’s nothing to do tonight, until the meeting tomorrow. Treat this as a vacation. If you feel you need my permission, you have it in full.”

  “It’s not that. I have to check on a sick friend.”

  “Who’s your friend? I can send someone to check on him.”

  “I appreciate the gesture, but this is the sort of thing a friend does.” I excused myself and walked out the door before she could think of another reason for me to stay.

  It was stupid, like many of the things I do. I should be used to it by now, or at least comfortable. The back of my head felt hot, like her gaze was burning into me. Even when I walked out of the hall I felt it. I hurried out of the mansion and to check on Rayna, like I had told the Queen.

  Someone was following me. I knew she would send someone, but part of me wanted to believe our benevolent Queen wouldn’t do that. I chuckled out loud. All their dogma was lost on me. I just couldn’t stomach the truckload sack of manure they were trying to feed everyone. The Queen was not some angel of mercy descended to Earth. I don’t know if she had ever been. Her policies showed that she was as efficient and ruthless of a killer as the rest of us.

  “Oh, it’s you,” she said, turning her back on me to return to the comfort of the couch.

  “Well, it’s nice to see you, too.”

  She grumbled and waved me off. I suspected that she was more upset about getting off the couch than seeing me.

  “How was Her Majesty?” she asked. “Did she show you a good time? Ooh, maybe you got to see under the mask. Tell me, is she disfigured under there, like the rumors say?”

  “How’d you know about that?”

  “Those fancy folks think they got it all figured out. I still got my little birds in their castle, though.”

  “Good for you, I guess.”

  “So what’d you do?”

  “I had a drink and left. That’s all.”

  “So she got bored with you and sent you away?”

  “Not exactly.”

  “Ohhhh. I bet she didn’t like that too much.”

  “Time will tell, I guess. I wouldn’t be here if I was a caring guy.”

  “Oh, you’re caring enough. A perfect gentleman. Won’t even touch a woman when she’s asking for it. Maybe women just aren’t your thing.”

  “Shut up.”

  “Are you sure? Maybe you’d rather get your hands on some wide, rippling muscles.”

  “I said shut up!” The room zoomed and I was now at her side, squeezing her forearm.

  “What’s the matter, did I hit too close to home?”

  I threw her arm aside and started to walk out. “I don’t even know why I bother. I came to check on you, but you seem to be doing just fine. At least your mouth is working.”

  She bolted in front of me and pressed her lips against mine. With the alcohol still lingering in my veins, it seemed like a good idea. I thought about pulling back, but she seized me and squirmed against my body. We found ourselves struggling up the stairs. When we landed on her bed, we bit into one another and took the most sacred communion one Vampire can have with another.

  Her blood was overpowering. She must have been made from ancient Elder blood. My heart beat until it almost leaped out of my chest. A rushing river of blood coursed through my head, drowning every other sound. She also seemed to be overwhelmed. We both collapsed facing each other with bewildered eyes, chests heaving up and down. There was no other sound in the room except for our ragged breathing.

  I was the first to recover. After the initial shock, I felt the raw power flow through my veins, strengthening me, reinvigorating me. Primal lust overtook me and I made her mine. In the throes of passion, we bit into one another once more and became one blood, one body. This went on until dawn, until we collapsed from exhaustion and let the darkness take us.

  The Fall of Rayna

  Gone again. Of course she would be. Always giving up a little of herself just to snatch it back. I got dressed and went back downstairs. I was all by myself in her apartment. It was as good a time as any to raid her fridge.

  Posted on the door of the black fridge was a note. It read:

  I’m going back to work. Last night was nice, but remember…

  “It’s not going to happen again,” I said, crumpling the paper.

  I don’t know what I was expecting. She got what she wanted and raced back off into the night. Those feelings are pesky things. I would know. Even now, I only felt slightly annoyed. The few feelings I had left were for someone that had been on the ground for what, months? Years? There was no use trying to remember. I had been feral for too long, stuck in a temporal limbo, living from moment to moment.

  I wasn’t really hungry, but I opened the fridge anyway. The refrigerated bags had no appeal, not after I had just had a fresh meal in a warm bed. I decided the best thing I could do was go look for her, try to sort this out.

  My tail was waiting in his car just outside the building. He was either incompetent or had no intention of hiding. I leaned towards the latter. The Queen wanted me to know I was under her surveillance. It was all the more reason to find Rayna and make sure she was all right. Depending on how much she suspected, there was no telling what the Queen might do.

  I went down to the parking lot and started the car, a white Land Rover, probably another present from Her Majesty.

  All the kindness she has done me, I thought. Maybe I should go and apologize.

  “Nah.” I started the car and headed out for the outskirts.

  I couldn’t find her. All night I drove around until I had to head back for fear I would run out of fuel. She was either hiding very well or had not showed up to work at all. I hoped it was just that, and not that a group of reanimators had gotten the drop on her.

  There was no answer at her door when I got back. She was avoiding me, at least that’s what I preferred to think. I waited for a while, knocking often in the hopes that she would be annoyed into opening the door. It didn’t work. The only option I had left was to go to bed. Posted on my door was a notice. I threw it on the counter on my way to the bedroom, but the thing came open. I recognized the seal on the inside. It was from the Queen. It read:

  The Queen requests your presence tonight, as soon as you are able.

  I scoffed at it and headed to bed. The Queen wouldn’t like that, but I didn’
t give a damn about her right now. It was probably light out, and my body was getting ready to shut down.

  My mind wandered to her as soon as I closed my eyes. I had a dream that she was suffering. She had been injured. Clumsy figures approached her with their ghostly moans. Zombies. They closed in on her, ready to devour. Somehow she got the strength to get up and started taking off heads. She was able to clear a path to the truck. Two pairs of hands reached out for her and dragged her into the back. The truck sped off.

  “The hospital!” I cried out loud.

  I woke sitting up on the bed, reaching out to something. It was clear where I had to go. Her Majesty would just have to wait.

  The front desk clerk at the hospital was not very helpful. He was a placid-looking human, slightly on the chubby side, who seemed like he’d have the same expression on his face whether you were in there looking for relatives or bleeding to death.

  “The patient’s name is Rayna.”

  “Last name?”

  “Um…Espinoza.”

  “Can you spell that first name for me?”

  I did.

  “Okay, spell that last name for me.”

  I did that as well.

  “Can you spell the names just one more time for me?”

  At this point, I wanted to drive my fist through his skull. “Is she here or not?”

  “Please calm down, sir.”

  “Don’t tell me to calm down. Is she here or not?”

  “I-I couldn’t find her on the-on the computer,” he stammered.

  I leaned over the counter and looked at the screen. Even upside down, I could see that he had completely misspelled her name. My rage got the better of me and I stamped my hand on the counter. The man shrieked.