Masked

by RB Stutz

  I obeyed his command only because I couldn’t do anything else. He went on.

  “I appeared in the world with no memory or past. I awoke, naked and alone, lying on the cold earth. I tried searching for the answers to who I was and where I’d come from and it didn’t take long before I started to notice I was different. There were things I could do no one else could. Already feeling I didn’t belong anywhere, this realization even further isolated me from the rest of the world. All I wanted was to be accepted, a part of society, but I couldn’t be. For some time I wandered from place to place, nowhere in particular, looking for answers, looking for peace.

  He seemed focused on some unseen target at the far side of the room.

  “One night I was out walking through a wooded city park. I often did that during this time of searching and self-discovery. There was a faint screaming somewhere beyond the trees. It had sounded like someone needed help. Being able to move faster than others, I was quickly able to find the spot where the screaming was coming from.

  “In a small clearing, I found a young woman lying on the ground, struggling against a man in a dark ski mask. He hit the woman in the face and continued forcing her to stay on the ground. Neither of them saw me approach. Deciding I needed to intervene, I grabbed a hold of the man and threw him back. I underestimated the strength of my throw and the man flew several feet before hitting a tree with a crunch. The impact broke his neck and immediately killed him.

  “The broken woman was lying on the ground, sobbing. I offered her my hand to help her up. With some hesitancy she took it. Once on her feet she was able to thank me in her shaky weak voice. She was a beautiful, dark skinned woman. Her dark hair was disheveled and in the moonlight I could see swelling starting to form on her face. From her lip, dark blood flowed down her chin. The deep scarlet ran bright against the monochrome world around it. It was then, in that instant, I realized what I wanted, what I needed.

  “Seeing the blood, seeing her lick the wound with her tongue, awoke a hunger in me, an uncontrollable desire. My heart began to beat quickly. I could feel the adrenaline running through my veins. Without another thought, like instinct, I grabbed a hold of the woman. I held tightly to her thrashing panicked body as I moved my mouth over hers and tasted the blood. The thick warm liquid hit my tongue, and the utter satisfaction it gave, the emptiness it filled, cannot be explained. It’s something only to be experienced. I needed more than just that small taste so I held her closer, more tightly and began to suck on the wound, drawing more of the liquid warmth into my mouth. This felt natural; this primal act felt like my true self.

  “She struggled and screamed as I continued to take in her blood. When I calmly asked her to stop fighting, she did. Her body just stood there for me, completely passive. There was no more screaming or fighting and now that it was easier to concentrate, I bit hard into her lip and the blood started to flow more freely. I stayed with her, taking in the gift she’d given until I no longer felt the beat of her heart. The emptiness I had felt was gone. Her life had been given to me so I may know what my true existence was.

  “Her blood unlocked a knowledge that had been hidden in my mind, understanding closed to me until that night. I was a being with abilities above other men. I drew my strength from the life’s blood of others. I realized I was a vampire. Not like those you may see in movies or read about in popular fiction, but a true vampire. I also realized if I existed, others like me would too. I finally had a purpose for my life. I’d seek out others like me and work towards leading my kind to their rightful place in the world.”

  I’d never thought about vampirism much before. Maybe that had been short sightedness on my part. What Peter was saying did make some sense. I mean, I knew what they told us at the HUB hadn’t been entirely true. In fact, I knew they’d lied to us about several things. Now that I seemed to be thinking more clearly, gaining abilities as the result of a super virus I contracted did seem a little far-fetched. That just didn’t make any sense. Who’d ever heard of that?

  Now, if I had abilities because, well, because I was a vampire that did seem to fit. The strength, speed, the weakness from the sun, it all made sense. At least I’d heard of vampires before.

  I came to the conclusion he did speak the truth. I was a god among men and there were other gods like me out there. I didn’t have to be alone anymore. I had a family again. I’d been wasting my time wandering, protecting the humans when I should have been conquering them, feeding on them, increasing my strength, my power.

  Suddenly, the thought of feeding sent a rush of primal longing through my body. I wanted to feed, and didn’t want to wait.

  CHAPTER 22

  If I was a vampire, which vampire persona did I fit the most? Was I more of a Bela Lugosi or Brad Pitt? I definitely wasn’t the purple looking thing from Salem’s Lot.

  “I realize now what I am. I feel the need to feed, the need to be fulfilled,” I said.

  Peter smiled. “I thought you might see it my way.”

  I noticed he had long pointed canines. “When do I get some of those?”

  “One step at a time, Michael, one step at a time.”

  I felt a release from around me, as if an invisible chain was cut. Finally I was able to move. I rose from the floor and stretched with a moan.

  “Thanks for letting me up. Sorry for trying to attack you earlier. Thanks for stopping me,” I said.

  “Not to worry Michael. You were confused. I understand.” Peter looked over at Angel. “Go get something for Michael to eat.”

  “Sure, there are still leftovers from last night.” Angel bounded off disappearing behind one of the curtains.

  Peter watched her exit. “Angel is a good hunter. She brings in most of our prey willingly. She has a way with appealing to them, especially the men.”

  Peter headed towards his large ornate wooden chair in the middle of the room, climbed the couple steps and had a seat.

  “Angel will be back soon with nourishment for you. She’ll also bring some of the others so they can meet you. Our family has been growing lately and our numbers here in Seattle are now at fifteen. We all reside in the apartment building above this space, which I own. This room, with its access to the underground, was the obvious appeal to the real estate.”

  “The place is great,” I complimented. “Very grand, very majestic.”

  Peter smiled. “Thank you.”

  “Where did you find Angel?”

  “It took a while initially to find others like myself, but eventually I did. Angel was the first. I was in New York City at the time. There’s a lot of food in New York, so much that what I took went unnoticed with all of the violent crime the humans there inflict on each other on a day to day basis. I do miss New York …” Peter trailed off thoughtful.

  “Angel was alone, living on the streets. I could sense the enormous power coming from such a small frail looking body the moment I first saw her and I immediately knew she was one of us. Just like me, once she started to feed, she realized the full potential of her abilities. She found she was able to make others see whatever she wished them to see. Her imagination manifests at will to those she directs it at.”

  I had the sudden image of the large, cold, fury fingers probing the orifices of my face and shuttered. “Yeah, cool ability, but what’s with all of the spiders?”

  Peter smiled at my question but didn’t answer.

  “Soon after finding her, I found two others, Lila and Darius. The three of them became the first of my family.”

  “What are their gifts?”

  “Darius has the ability to mask himself to the perceptions of others. In effect, it gives him the ability to be invisible to those he chooses. Lila has the gift of being able to move objects with her mind, her strength and focus seeming to grow more powerful each day.

  “Actually, recently another like her joined our ranks and her abilities are even more advanced than Lila’s. She, like you, has come to us with her abilities already developing. I�
�m not sure how to explain this phenomenon, how your abilities have developed before ever feeding. It is curious though…” Peter said trailing off for a few seconds.

  “Lauren has been with us for a couple days now and she still has yet to feed. The truth has been revealed to her, but she is not yet ready for the power feeding will be certain to unleash. I respect her perspective for now and feel confident she will feed soon. Her potential is, incredible. I can only imagine what an already developing telekinetic will be able to do once she feeds and unleashes her full potential.”

  “Now, regarding your ability,” Peter said as he turned his focus on me. “You have the ability to tap into the thoughts of others, correct?”

  “Yeah, I can read the current thoughts of whoever I focus on. That’s how I knew what Angel was up to last night when I followed her from the bar. It all seems so stupid now, that I was so concerned for the well-being of her prey.”

  Peter waived the words away. “You didn’t know the truth of who you were. You were just confused. It’s of no matter now.”

  “You too already have such a powerful ability for having not ever fed. I’m glad you’ve fully embraced truth. I’m curious to see your full potential.”

  There was a pause and then Peter asked “Michael, have you come across others of our kind before today?”

  I was just about to answer his question, to tell him all about Titan and the two I found in Idaho, when Angel came back.

  “We can discuss this at another time,” Peter said.

  Angel was followed by a half dozen others, one of which was carrying a limp pale almost naked female body cradled in his arms. Officer Raymond was covered in small red incisions and her dark hair hung back revealing her weakly pale panicked face.

  “We left enough for you to finish her off,” Angel said as the dark skinned man carrying the officer, laid her at my feet.

  The exhilaration of seeing her lay there, her blood, her life, ready for me to take, overcame me. It was hard to imagine how the sight and smell of blood use to make me nauseous. The blood was beautiful, the smell intoxicating. My heart beat jumped to a speeding rhythm as the anticipation grew. She was my gift. I’d thought the things I could do were incredible, but now she’d help me unlock my full potential.

  I looked at the defeated officer. She didn’t resemble the strong woman I’d gone into the basement with the night before or at least what I’d thought of her at that time. Now that she was set at my feet ready for me to take, I realized who she was, or at least what I had thought of her, was inconsequential. Her sole purpose now was to nourish and strengthen me. She was no more than food, a beast ready for me to devour.

  “Please help,” her mouth barely was able to whisper.

  Her desperate eyes bore into me pleading, screaming for help. They searched for a shred of compassion, looking for the sliver of hope that just had to be there. Somehow her fear and despair intensified my hunger. The hope she wanted didn’t exist, but fed the hopelessness of her condition. She didn’t understand her role. She didn’t understand her purpose.

  “Michael, she’s your gift, yours to take. She’ll give you strength. Your first feeding is a moment you will never forget,” said Peter.

  I took a moment to look at my audience. Angel and the group of young followers she’d brought watched, waiting for me to experience my first feeding. They were there to witness me become more than I currently was. None were faces I knew, but all were faces I would soon call my brothers and sisters.

  But wait, one member of my audience did look familiar. A girl towards the back of the group… That face… It was a face I knew, a face I’d only dreamed I would ever see again. Her features were framed by unfamiliar black shoulder length hair and a forced attempt of hardness I wasn’t familiar with, but it was her. I was sure of it. She was still alive.

  At seeing her standing there, the hunger I’d felt so strongly evaporated. The only thing I’d ever desired more than the need to feed right then was that girl. I couldn’t make myself do anything but stand frozen, confused, ecstatic. As my look was fixed on her, she showed no indication of recognition, but searched the room in almost an uninterested or bored manner. The seconds that passed seemed frozen in time as I continued to just stand there, taking in the sight of her. Finally, I was able to push out the words to get the confirmation I needed.

  “Sara, you’re alive?”

  At those words, several things happened at once.

  Sara’s hands flashed under her jacket and pulled out a small black weapon, pointed it at Peter and pulled the trigger two times. With two muffled pops, two small darts hit Peter in the neck before he had time to react. On impact Peter rose, staggered for a few seconds and fell forward to the ground.

  A pressure, I hadn’t realized was there, was suddenly released from my mind. Clarity I hadn’t realized was lost, rushed back in. Confused about what had just happened, I stood stunned. Everyone else in the room appeared to be equally shocked and confused. It was quiet. Nobody moved.

  “What did you do?” Angel finally cried out in a loud screeching voice as she turned her back to me to face Sara. “What did you do to him?”

  Angel rushed Sara, but with her weapon still in hand she was able to fire two of the darts into blonde psycho. Angel stopped in her tracks, staggered and dropped.

  No one else moved. Each person in the room seemed to be resolving some internal conflict as I was. Whatever had a hold on me and instantly had me believing all of the crap Peter was selling had been strong. My thoughts had been whatever he wanted them to be. I was 100% on board and just about to feed on, drink the blood of officer Raymond, killing her in the process. Oh god. My stomach started to turn and lurch. It felt like I was going to be sick. Her life had meant nothing to me. I quickly worked to suppress the utter revulsion in myself at that thought.

  “Michael, are you okay? Are you yourself?” Sara asked, with her weapon held high, searching the room for more movement from the others.

  How could she be there. It was too much to process.

  “Yeah, I’m okay.” I just stared, trying to pull the pieces of the situation together as if waking from a dream, not yet able to know if I was really awake. “Sara, is that really you?”

  She gave me a wink and a nod in acknowledgement.

  “How…” I muttered before she cut me off.

  “Now is not the time. I’ll explain everything later. Do you have a weapon still?”

  I patted the front of my chest, not remembering if I had retrieved my gun after Angel tricked me into throwing it down. One was gone but the second weapon was there. I drew it and aimed with my trembling arms towards what remained of Peter’s followers.

  She hadn’t seemed as surprised to see me as I was to see her.

  Sara addressed the room. “Peter was controlling your minds. He was making you think the things you’ve been doing were who you are, part of your nature. He no longer has control of you.”

  A young olive skinned girl, no older than fifteen, dropped to her knees, leaned forward so her forehead was on the ground and began to sob. The others stayed where they were with pained thoughtful looks, trying to resolve the conflict in their minds. None looked ready to spring as Angel had. They all looked broken and lost.

  “The longer you were under his control, the harder it’s going to be to reconcile. If you cooperate, I’ll get you the help you need to get past this,” Sara said to the group.

  Suddenly, Sara’s weapon flung from her hand and she was lifted and thrown by what appeared to be no one. She flew about twenty feet, crashing to the floor.

  Just as she landed, there was a heavy metallic blow to my back that forced me to fall forward several feet. The impact was enough to knock me down, but not for long.

  Quickly, I recovered; the adrenaline kicking in, restoring my clarity. I turned to see a woman who was not part of the group who had originally come in with Angel. She was a tall athletic woman, dressed in a black leather jump suit. The expression on her
pale face was twisted, her eyes wild and framed in fiery strawberry hair that hung to her shoulders.

  Where I’d been standing lay a rusted heavy metal pipe. In the second I took to look down at it, I caught another flying towards me in my peripherals, coming from the woman.

  I stepped to the left just in time; the pipe sailed past me.

  It seemed some were too far gone. The hold Peter had on both Angel and now this woman must have been strong.

  With a wild feral scream, the red head rushed. I put three bullets in her and she dropped still yards from where I stood. The shots were not lethal, just painful enough to slow her down.

  I turned my attention to Sara. She was still on the ground and was struggling against something unseen. Her body twisted with her hands at her neck. Her face was starting to turn purple.

  In a panic, I rushed over to her. What was choking her? As I bent down to try and help, some invisible force hit the side of my face, causing me to crash to the side. It was a potent blow from seemingly nowhere.

  There was another phantom impact to my side, knocking the air from my lungs. Searching for my attacker, I didn’t see anyone, but it looked like whatever was holding Sara had released her.

  There was a repeated assault to my side, powerful. While trying to catch my breath again, I attempted to move back in order to avoid another. I couldn’t see anyone other than Sara still on her back, pulling another weapon from under her jacket. She pointed it at the space right above me. At the pull of the trigger, there was a twangy bass drum sound with a barely visible ripple of force emitted from the barrel. It hit its target and instantly, a dark skinned young man with black dread locks wearing, of course, black leather fell to the ground next to me.

  They must have received the group discount on black leather.

  I rolled away and got back to my feet.

  “Nice shot,” I said to Sara. “Are you okay?”

  “Will be once we get out of here,” she said in a now raspy voice. “You?”

  I smiled. “I’m fine. I’m durable.”