by Lisa Randall
There was so much that was different about this new and strange world that I almost wanted to climb back into my coffin. Almost. It was also exciting to be living in a world where vampires didn’t have to hide, but also scary since the humans know what to look for when spotting a vampire. At least, as far as I knew, I could walk around during the day still. I wondered at Rai’s goggles. Would I need a pair too? Why did he wear them?
“The goggles are because of the radiation that’s present all over the Earth’s surface,” he answered, sensing my questions. “I can walk around during the day, even more so since the Human Wars, after the sky was darkened. But the radiation left from the wars carries with it the ultraviolet light from the sun, the combination of the two hurts my eyes if I don’t have the goggles on.”
Well, that explains the goggles.
“If you were able to walk around during the day before the wars, you will most likely be able to do so now, too.” It was almost a relief to hear that, since I wanted to feel the wind in my face as soon as possible. I tried standing now, to stretch my legs, and found I could do so easily. It was as if I had been feeding off of Rai this whole time and even had some energy to spare. I didn’t even realize I was doing it. I didn’t know I could. I looked at him to ask if he was ok to stand, but I didn’t have to. He looked as energized as I felt.
“It’s the radiation, Helen,” he said. I got goose bumps when he said my name. “Radiation is a type of energy. I wasn’t sure if you could use it as I do, so I didn’t say anything.” I felt like I could run a marathon, which was odd, considering I had been sleeping for over 2800 years. I let a small laugh escape me before I could catch it.
I started grabbing my things from my coffin, the extra clothes, money, passports, and IDs, but Rai said I didn’t need any of that. I took the clothes out and found they were in even worse shape than the ones I was wearing. They fell apart as soon as I took them out of my bag. I frowned, thinking I had nothing to wear now. How was I supposed to go outside? The only thing that didn’t fall apart as I sorted through my things was the ring I had made that reminded me of my family. I had put it on a chain in a steel box by my feet for safekeeping. Since it was pure silver, it didn’t look as if it had aged much. I put that around my neck and turned to go out the door when Rai cleared his throat. I turned to look and him and was surprised to see he held out his trench coat and a pair of goggles for me. I took it and thanked him.
“The goggles were my spare ones, and since you haven’t been outside in a very long time, you can use my coat until I get a new one.”
While I was putting the coat on, he left through the door first, and I got a good look at his frame as he passed me. Let me tell you, it was a good frame to look at, and once again I felt myself thinking if I had a pulse I would be blushing now, hard.
I followed Rai out the door.
*****
As I made my way down the stairs of the crypt, I could sense the owner of that voice. The woman who has haunted me these past few days. I could sense her need to escape, and her anger as she lay in the coffin in the center of the room. So she either trapped herself in there on purpose, or someone did it to her. Either way, I knew she wasn’t a ghost, I could hear her mind screaming, and ghosts didn’t have voices.
The energy zaps I had been getting were coming from here, and they were not normal. But I knew what was causing it.
She was like me.
She was a vampire.
She could take energy from her surroundings. I guessed she didn’t need blood normally, and must have been in the coffin a long time to not be able to open it.
I knocked on the lid to see if she could at least move. I knew that she wasn’t a shriveled skeleton like the movies showed, since she had been taking my energy for a few days now. I didn’t hear a knock in return, but I heard her say Who’s there?
“So it was you.” I said.
Get me out of here! She said.
I didn’t waste any time and opened the lid to the coffin. I saw the woman who had haunted me all week laying there with her arms at her side. The sight reminded me of that movie with the sleeping princess when the prince comes to wake her up. Except vampires don’t make good princesses, not in the movies anyways.
“My name is Rai.” I said, introducing myself.
I saw her take a deep breath, which I know she didn’t need to do, but like me, she seemed to cling to some human habits. As a vampire, there is no need to breathe or dress warmly, but she seemed to be doing both. Most vampires I had met didn’t cover themselves up as much as I did, since I could go out in the daytime. Maybe she could too.
I saw her trying to move and sensed her anger rising, so I picked her up and began to take her out of the coffin.
Rai. She said.
“What? Oh, I’m sorry if I’m being rude or anything. You said you wanted out, so that’s what I’m doing.” I said.
She just lay on the ground where I had put her without moving. Maybe she needed more time to get her energy back, I wondered. After a few minutes went by I said “You know, you don’t have to worry. I know what you are.” I saw her tense up as I said this. Maybe she hasn’t met that many vampires, I thought.
I offered to get her something to feed from, since she looked like she really needed it. I wasn’t about to let her feed off of me again, and she didn’t seem to know she had done it in the first place, so I didn’t mention it.
At the mention of some food, I heard her say Energy. Blood. I’m not sure she knew I could hear her or not so I just left to find something for her. Maybe she will be a little better by the time I get back.
It took about a day and a half to find some rabbits for the woman and to get back. Animals were scarce to begin with now these days, and even scarcer around the crypt. Her energy must have scared everything away a long time ago.
When I returned, she was exactly where I left her on the ground. She hadn’t moved an inch. I told her the rabbits were all for her and waited for her to feed from them. After a minute of nothing I thought maybe she was either a shy eater or too weak to even feed. Then the rabbits began to slow down as if they were getting sleepy.
I could already tell their energy was helping her. She was able to open her eyes and sit up against the wall, which was a start. Instantly I noticed her eyes. They were like mine, hazel with silver flecks, the only difference was mine were green.
I could tell what she really needed was blood, and put a rabbit up to her mouth. In a few short minutes all four of the rabbits were drained and she was looking a bit better.
Then the woman introduced herself as Helen Grey, and told me of how she saw me in her dreams, thinking herself crazy. I reassured her that she wasn’t. She told me how she saw me wandering around and how she envied how I could be outside walking around, feeling the wind blow around me. I again wondered at how long she had been in that coffin, but didn’t ask. It wasn’t a question vampires like being asked. That, and how old they are. It seems most creatures never want to tell their age when they are older.
Finally Helen asked me the year. I wasn’t sure how to proceed without knowing when she first slept. When she told me, I knew I had a lot of explaining to do. It took a while but we got through the basics of the world today. So much has changed since she slept. I wonder if she will recognize the world when she sees it.
After I answered most of her questions, I noticed she was getting her strength back. Then she seemed upset about something and she told me of her maker. Most vampires would stick around those they turn in order to teach them about how to hunt and how to avoid the new dangers of the world, but not hers. I knew her story all too well. It turned out we had the same maker, and neither of us had even really seen his face.
I thought back, remembering waking up one day to find my whole village gone. Killed by the one who turned me. I have been hunting him since then, to no avail.
I realized I had been staring into Helen’s eyes for about a minute, which was odd. I didn’t stare. Eve
r. There was something about her that drew me to her. I wanted to know everything about her. I had never felt this way with anyone else.
Finally I asked her if she had any questions. She didn’t say the ones on her mind, but I could still hear them. Since I am a telepath, I can hear people’s thoughts, but usually I need to concentrate to hear them. With her, I didn’t really have to listen very hard. I could hear her as clearly as someone speaking out loud. She had so many questions, mainly about me, which I found interesting.
I answered her questions, telling her about the human wars and all of the different supernatural species now out in the world. She seemed genuinely surprised, and didn’t really seem to believe the part about demons.
During our talk, I could tell she was getting her energy back. I guess being out of the coffin she could feel the energy in the air. The radiation from the wars was everywhere, and for vampires like us, it means we almost never have to feed unless we are badly injured or begin to crave it. What little radiation that made it down here she seemed to be feeding from it. I wondered how she would react after a day on the surface. It was something worth seeing, I’m sure.
Since her clothes were basically falling apart around her, I gave her my coat and my spare goggles, as she had none. The coat was, of course, very big on her, but it looked good on her nonetheless.
Chapter 5
Outside, I felt even more energized than before. I think it was the high from the residual radiation Rai had spoken of.
Although it was overcast, I could tell it was daytime. The sky had a strange, yellow tint to it. It was probably somewhere close to noon. But I had no trouble with the sun or the ultraviolet rays, thanks to the extra set of goggles and coat Rai had given me. It was somewhat windy outside at the moment, so I took the chance to undo my braid and let my dark brown hair blow around in the wind. It felt strangely good, probably since it had been so long since I was “aired out”. I probably smelled like a musty attic, but I didn’t care. It was so nice to feel alive again.
Rai smiled at what I was feeling. I knew I looked odd standing there, taking everything in, but again, I didn’t care. After meeting him, it was as if we had known each other all our lives. It was a nice feeling. Energized, I turned to Rai to ask where we were going.
“Anywhere you want,” he said.
Before I could answer him, I heard something coming our way. Looking around I couldn’t see anything, but I kept hearing something moving. Like wings flapping. I looked up into the sky and saw what looked like a huge human like figure with wings coming our way. Must have been one of the demons Rai was talking about. Thinking of how I was to defend myself, Rai pulled out a sword from his bag, which I hadn’t noticed him carrying until now. He handed me one and grabbed another from the bag. I had never used a sword before, but it felt comfortable in my hands.
“Let me try something,” Rai said, leaning towards me, the demon coming closer by the second. He put his hands on either side of my head, and stared into my eyes. What is he doing? I thought. Then, out of nowhere, a rush of knowledge made my head spin, and I found I had years of memories using a sword. My eyes widened at what had just happened. Rai had given me all of his knowledge on how to defend myself with a sword. It seemed like something I saw in a movie once, where the main character had information ‘downloaded’, and could use that information at a second’s notice. This was starting to weird me out, the fact he could alter my mind like this.
But before I could speak, Rai said “Wow, it worked! That’s the first time it’s ever worked.” He looked as surprised as I felt. “Prepare yourself Helen. I have yet to meet a demon who didn’t want to fight. They always either want to kill you or want something of yours, so be careful.”
As if on cue, the demon landed before us, standing just over eight feet tall. It made me feel shorter than I already felt, next to Rai. It had huge horns on its head, its skin looked like leather, and it was a dark red. Its wings were twice the size of his body; he had claws on his hands and feet, and a tail. He looks like what a typical demon would, I thought. It was what I had pictured a demon to look like in my head.
“What are you doing in my master’s domain, puny human?” the demon bellowed.
“How did you find us?” Rai asked.
“I could feel you as soon as you got to the surface, foolish mortal” the demon said.
Rai smirked at being called a mortal. I couldn’t help mine either, mirroring Rai’s. Then the demon looked confused. “Oh, I see you are not mortals, after all” the demon said. “But how is it you are in my master’s territory? Here to steal our humans are you?” it said, eyeing our long teeth.
“No, I came to get her,” Rai said, nodding at me.
The demon looked confused again and said, “How long have you been here, Vampire?”
“For over two millennia, if you must know,” I answered.
“I have been in this territory since the beginnings of the Human Wars and have never seen you, I don’t believe you.” it said.
“Check your math, demon.” Rai said.
The demon thought for a minute before answering. Then it said “How is it you are able to be out during the daylight? I know of only one other vampire capable of this.”
Was this demon speaking of our maker? Was he well known? “Tell me everything you know of this vampire, demon.” I said.
The demon began to smile and said “And what will you give me in return?”
“What is it you want?” I asked.
His grin grew as he said “You.” And he lunged at me. I panicked and dropped the sword Rai had given me, leaving me defenseless. Rai noticed and tried to interfere, but the demon swatted him out of the way as easily as you would a fly buzzing in your face. Rai landed a few feet away, hitting his head on a rock, and stopped moving.
Now I really was defenseless, Rai knocked out, the sword a few feet away, and my panic rising. My first few minutes outside in what felt like forever, and this demon had the nerve to attack me for no reason.
My anger and panic rising, I felt myself grow hot from the inside out. It felt like a powerful fever trying to escape me, and something was holding it back. But what?
The demon reached me and gripped me by the waist with one hand, holding me in the air. Even with my vampire strength, I was powerless. “What are you going to do to me?” I asked.
“I think my master will want to play with you a bit, before killing you.” The demon said.
I could only imagine what the demon’s master would do to me, and it was nothing good. The fever-hot feeling grew stronger, and I knew I was going to die. Maybe not today, and most likely not very quick, but I would die. A calm grew in me, and I didn’t know where it came from.
Then it happened.
The heat inside me found its way out, reaching for the demon. It seemed to have a mind of its own, and all I could think of was to defend myself against this demon. I opened my eyes to see the heat I felt had a form of its own. It looked like white fire, and it was coming from me. From somewhere inside of me. The fire moved its way from me, searching for the demon. When it found it, it seemed to go into the demon, and he began to scream in pain. The demon dropped me on the ground, clawing at himself, trying to put the fire out. He began to glow faintly as his screams increased. After a few seconds, the demon was trying to fly away, but couldn’t since he was in so much pain. Then he fell to the ground and stopped moving. The demon was dead. Whatever I had done to him had killed him. Then he started to disintegrate, ashes blowing away into the wind.
I stood up, head spinning from what had just happened, staring at the demon on the ground. Rai came up beside me, blood coming from somewhere on his head. “What happened?” I asked.
“I’m not sure. But whatever happened, you saved us.”
“Why did it want to kill us?” I asked.
“Most demons are either leaders or followers. The leaders are in charge of what they have claimed as their own territories, and the followers – underlings
, some call them – are what you would expect. They keep the place running for the leader. I can’t tell you much more though, since I have never been fully inside a demon’s territory. I got close a few times, and every single time I was asked to either leave or die. They are very protective of their land for some reason,” Rai explained.
“What exactly did you do to me when you grabbed my head earlier?” I asked. I wanted to know more about this ‘downloading’ thing he did. I was trying not to think about the fire that had come from inside of me.
“Well, I have tried to share memories with other creatures before, and it has never worked. I only tried it to prove my innocence, as a lot of creatures don’t trust vampires on principle,” he said.
“How did you do it?” I asked. I wondered if I could do the same as Rai, seeing we were similar in other ways so far.
“I thought of all my experience with swords and just kind of ‘pushed’ the memories at you. I got the idea from that movie you were thinking of earlier,” he said. “I hope it was ok, I didn’t want you to be defenseless around a demon, since they can kill vampires as easily as we can kill humans.”
“Thanks. I think,” I said. I wondered what else he would be willing to share with me. I wondered again if I would be able to do it as well.
Rai looked at me and said, “Do you want to try it on me?”
“Um, sure. What would you like to see?” I wondered.
“Don’t tell me so I can say if it worked or not,” he said. I nodded in agreement. Thinking about a happy memory, I tried to ‘push’ a memory of me running in a field of flowers on a sunny afternoon as a child. The memory only lasted a few seconds, but it felt like minutes passed before it was over.