Symbiosis: A Vampire Psycho-Thriller

by Louise Atkins

‘Yes. The fighting’s on the NetNews.’

  ‘You won’t go down there will you? Either of you. You’ll stop him if he wants to, won’t you?’

  ‘I can’t promise you that, Emily.’

  ‘No Gabriel, you have to.’

  ‘Emily, I’ve got to go. I’ve got to make a press statement in about ten minutes.’

  ‘Press statement?’

  ‘Oh yes. Keep tuned to the NetNews. I’m going to be on after the Joint Government’s appeal for calm. Keep watching. I’d best go. I’ll get Lucas to call you when he gets back.’

  Emily sat through the Joint Government’s statement about keeping off the streets, not retaliating, not letting the actions of one vampire destroy all that was established in society. Somehow it was hard to hang on to the cause of all this, the revelation that the HeadHunter was a vampire, spread by their paper.

  The NetNews cut from the joint leaders to the Retail District which was now being flooded with Security Forces officers. Arrests were very obviously being made, although hardly soon enough. The damage to shops was extensive, the damage to life far worse. There were some on stretchers, some being supported by friends. Humans or vampires? It had to be both Emily reasoned. There would be no way to tell if vampires had been killed though. No way to track their dust. That wouldn’t be clear until someone missed them.

  Then, as if to divert her, there was Gabriel, microphone thrust in front of him. Emily had missed the question he’d been asked, but Gabriel was saying,

  ‘I totally agree. This is about so much more now than just the HeadHunter. This, all this mess, shows what people have been repressing for so long.’

  ‘Can we get back from this?’ The interviewer asked. Gabriel’s title, leader of the Vampire Rights Organisation, was now scrolling across the screen. Lucas had said that Gabriel had been organising some protests but that title sounded so official. Far too real.

  ‘The question is: will people want to go back from this?’ Gabriel replied.

  ‘Would you care to clarify that?’

  ‘A lot of damage has been done. A lot of trust destroyed. We’ll all need to work hard to resolve these tensions.’

  ‘And how does your organisation see that being done?’

  ‘For a start, once things are a little more under control, myself and representatives from a number of groups will be meeting with the Joint Government to see what the next steps are.’

  ‘And will that be human and vampire groups?’

  ‘Indeed it will. It’s …’

  ‘I’m afraid we’ll have to leave it there as we understand the chief of the Security Forces is ready to speak to us. Gabriel Black, thank you for your time.’

  The ringing of her phone interrupted the next interview. Lucas. All she hoped this time was that it would actually be him.

  It was.

  ‘Did you see that? Gabriel on the NetNews. Weird or is that just me?’

  ‘No, it was odd. Are you okay?’

  ‘I’m fine. I told you, don’t worry.’

  ‘Where are you?’ Emily asked.

  ‘At my flat.’

  ‘That’s good. Safe then?’

  ‘The flat’s fine. I’m one of the lucky ones.’

  ‘I guess so. How is it over there?’

  ‘Not sure really. It seems to be a bit more under control. None of us is allowed out though. The Security Forces won’t call it house arrest, but it’s not far off.’

  Emily crossed to the window. ‘There are patrols outside all our blocks too,’ she said slowly, peering across to the neighbouring buildings. ‘Guess we’re not going anywhere either.’

  Emily could see why Lucas’s voice was tense; far from feeling safer, she felt trapped. Guilty. Why hadn’t they been there when they should have?

  ‘Emily? Are you still there?’

  ‘Yes, yes. Sorry. Just tired. It’s been a very long day.’

  ‘I know. I think you should get to bed.’

  ‘I don’t know. You might need me or something.’

  ‘I’m sure the drama’s over. I told you, it’s much quieter out there now. ’

  ‘I hope so. I’m exhausted.’

  ‘I’ll call you if there are any developments.’

  ‘No, you won’t,’ Emily laughed.

  ‘True. You need to get some sleep.’

  ‘I know, I know. Can I see you tomorrow?’ How pathetic did that sound, she thought.

  ‘Try and stop me. It’ll be okay Emily.’

  ‘Will it? Do you really think that?’

  ‘I don’t know,’ he sighed. ‘It’ll even out. Everything always does. Especially once they catch the HeadHunter.’

  ‘I hope so.’ She hesitated. ‘It won’t change anything, for us I mean?’

  ‘I don’t see why it should. Not on my part anyway.’

  ‘Good. Nor mine.’

  ‘You need to go to bed. Gabriel’s on his way back with a couple of friends who are going to stay here tonight. And believe me, you don’t want to hear Gabriel boasting about his NetNews appearance.’

  Emily laughed.

  ‘No. I think I’ll avoid that one. I’ll see you tomorrow then?’ she asked.

  ‘Yes, of course. I love you.’

  ‘I love you too.’

  She knew Lucas was right. She did need to go to bed. The NetNews had now resorted to recycling earlier footage. Even though her world had been battered, it was still there. She and Lucas were still there. Worrying about the rest could wait for daylight.

  Sixty Two

  Even I couldn’t have predicted such a satisfying chain of events as the last few days have served up.

  Who’d have thought my supposed mistake could trigger such a whirlwind, such a fireball even? The revelation of what I am has brought far more crashing down than I could have hoped for.

  It wasn’t anything other than deliberate. A cold, calculating killer such as myself doesn’t make mistakes. Surely you realised that, my friend? Surely you realised that it was not some crazy, over-confidence, that I was not so dizzy with my success that I would make an error?

  No. The mistake is theirs. I left that little clue quite deliberately. By placing my blade too low, I’ve left the world in no doubt about what I am. By allowing them to see those two puncture wounds, I’ve revealed the truth of what the HeadHunter is. They don’t like it, but I’m sure you do.

  And, no doubt, you enjoyed my starring role on the NetNews this evening? All my lies? Could you tell? I think I did well, no doubting the sincerity of my call for discussions.

  Discussion? Talks? Peace once more?

  You know that’s not the way it’s going to be.

  The world will soon be created anew.

  There are others, a few, like me. Not killers. That’s my crown alone. But, there are others, on the Committee even, who are ready to shape the future.

  Have I made my last kill? Maybe.

  You’ll have to wait and see.

  Sixty Three

  Emily lay on the bed in one of the few Donation Centres that hadn’t been too damaged to open. The NetNews was playing on the screen in the centre of the opposite wall. There had been no news of the HeadHunter. No capture, but no further deaths either. It was hoped he’d been killed in the fires.

  But the world still wasn’t back to normal. Not one vampire member of staff had been allowed back into the Entertainment Times building. The rumour was Bernstein was refusing all further negotiations. He’d have to give in eventually, Emily was sure, but for now, nothing was going to change.

  And then, it had been announced that afternoon that there was to be a meeting of all the vampires to discuss ‘the move’. Emily tried to stop the wave of fear that washed through her body. The proposal was to move their entire vampire community fifty miles away. The Joint Governments were busy stating the benefits on the screens.

  ‘Initially, the community will be vampires only, with the most up to date residential blocks, each housing its own Donation Centre, which will still rece
ive products from our city Donation Centres. All will get reduced rents. Apartments will be more spacious, come equipped with the latest gadgets and be based around communal areas, housed under specially designed glass to allow their use, even on summer evenings.’

  Emily watched the graphic of the compound spin on the screen. It looked amazing and could be just perfect for her and Lucas. The Joint Government claimed that fifty compounds, each housing twenty people were already completed. That fact Emily did find hard to believe. In less than a week apparently, these areas had been prepared, without anyone knowing anything about them previously. Unless this was something that had always been planned, she wondered. Lucas had said nothing about them. Not even when she had spoken to him earlier in the evening.

  Replaying that conversation was unpleasant. They had argued. Again, it had been about her being changed. Lucas pointing out that all the applications had been frozen did not put her off. There was only one person who she wanted to do it, and that was Lucas. He just couldn’t see it. She frowned, frustrated. If he was willing, then she wouldn’t need the plan she’d been forced to come up with.

  ‘All done?’ the Donation Centre technician touched her shoulder. ‘You okay there? You look lost in thought.’

  ‘Yes, sorry. It’s just been an odd few days.’

  ‘Tell me about it. Weird out there isn’t it? Nothing looks quite right. It’s like it’s all there, still the same, but not quite the way it used to be. It looks like a pretend copy of the world that someone’s dropped us into.’ Emily looked at the tech in surprise. She smiled back, a little embarrassed. ‘Or maybe that’s just me.’

  ‘No,’ Emily laughed. ‘I know what you mean. That’s a perfect way to describe it.’

  ‘You’re all unhooked. Thanks for coming in today. We can never be sure how many people we’ll get now.’

  ‘Sounded from what the NetNews said that stocks were low,’ Emily replied raising herself up from the bed slightly.

  ‘Absolutely. And this is one of the few centres that the Security Forces will guarantee safe.’

  ‘Were the others that badly damaged?’ Emily asked. ‘Humans or vampires cause the most harm?’ Part of Emily didn’t want to know. She hated the idea of vampires breaking in and stealing their feed.

  ‘Both apparently. Still,’ the tech continued, pointing to the NetNews, ‘sounds like it’s all going to be sorted out pretty quickly.’

  ‘It’ll be interesting to see how many vampires turn up for the meeting.’

  ‘All required to, so I heard. Lists for attendance, special trams and escorts organised by the Security Forces, or that’s what they were saying earlier.’

  ‘Good,’ Emily muttered under her breath. That meant Lucas had to go. She picked up her coat.

  ‘Humans can go too,’ the tech continued, not looking at Emily. A throw away comment as she carried on clearing away.

  ‘What?’ Emily whirled to face her.

  ‘Humans can go to the meeting, that’s what it said. As long as they’re accompanied by a vampire.’

  Lucas hadn’t told her that part.

  Calling him as soon as she got out of the building, she said,

  ‘I’m coming with you.’

  ‘What?’

  ‘To the meeting, Lucas.’

  ‘You can’t. Vampires only.’

  ‘I can if you invite me.’

  ‘Emily, there’s really no need.’

  ‘Yes there is. Where are you?’ she asked.

  ‘On the tram. With half the Security Forces in the city.’

  ‘Good. I’ll meet you outside the theatre. Ring me when you get there.’

  ‘Emily, don’t. It’s only an initial meeting.’

  ‘I’m coming with you. When they relocate you, I want to come. Surely, they’ll have to let humans join fairly soon. Those that want to. There must be more people in our situation.’

  ‘Emily, I can’t ask you to do that.’

  ‘You didn’t. I decided. It’s what I want. I thought you’d be pleased,’ she tried, and failed, to keep the disappointment out of her voice. ‘Don’t you want me to?’ Emily’s words fell away. She’d been so sure he’d still want her. Silence. For too long. ‘Lucas?’ She hated how pitiful and thin her voice sounded.

  ‘Emily, of course I do but …’

  ‘I love you and I want to be with you. Forever,’ Emily interrupted. ‘And I know you won’t let me do that.’

  ‘No.’

  ‘But for the time that I have, this is what I want.’

  ‘I love you, Emily.’

  ‘Good job. I’ll see you in a bit.’

  What Emily hadn’t reckoned on was the crowd gathered at the theatre. Humans, she supposed. Did they, like her, want to join the meeting? She’d mingled in at the side of the mass, and was now enclosed within it. She realised that not all the hostility had been extinguished by appeals for calm. But, the Security Forces were there. For once, they were actually there. And they were containing the crowd. She needed to find a way through to where she could meet Lucas.

  Pushing her way to the back, Emily began to walk up the ragged edge of the crowd, until she was nearer the front on the side that Lucas would come from. The crowd was becoming more vocal. Shouts told her that the vampires were coming.

  More Security Forces had arrived. The crowd was now surrounded. It jostled and swayed, but the lines held. Emily fought her way to the edge. She could see the huddle of vampires coming, again, flanked by Security Forces.

  Her phone rang. She stared at it stupidly. It said Simon when it was supposed to say Lucas. She shoved it back into her bag, unanswered.

  Where was he? The crowd pushed forward as the vampires came into sight. The Security Forces stood firm. Emily was shoved into a uniformed back. Maybe this was her chance?

  ‘Please. Help me. I need to meet someone. Please.’

  The officer didn’t move. She was going to have to fight. Hardly believing what she was doing, Emily pushed him, hard, in the back.

  He didn’t turn.

  ‘Please. I need to get through. I need to get to the meeting. I’m invited.’

  ‘Emily?’ A shout.

  There he was. Lucas, moving out of the group. There were others too, other vampires calling to the crowd.

  ‘Lucas!’ she screamed. ‘I’m here.’

  Then, somehow, he was in front of the officer who was blocking her way. She could reach his hand.

  ‘Let her out. She’s my invited guest.’

  Emily pushed, harder, and then, she was through. The Security Forces closed ranks behind her, but she was in Lucas’s arms and didn’t care.

  Booing swelled in volume as the vampires began to enter the theatre. A few in the crowd began to throw stones, others settled for insults. But, gradually, they were forced back. Those officers that had accompanied the group of vampires had joined those containing the crowd.

  Emily became aware that Lucas’s mobile was ringing.

  ‘Gabriel? Where are you? I didn’t see you on the tram.’ There was silence, then Emily heard Lucas say, ‘Why are you still at the gallery? This is your meeting. What your organisation helped arrange. This is no time to be running late.’

  More silence.

  ‘Okay. I’ll see you in there.’

  Lucas turned to Emily, planted a kiss on her lips.

  ‘Can you believe him? He’s not here yet.’

  ‘Do you want to wait?’

  ‘Looking at that lot?’ Lucas nodded towards the crowd, who were still shouting, pushing, shoving. ‘Not for too long.’

  There were four different queues to enter the theatre, with a Security Forces officer on each doorway. At first, Emily took no notice of the individuals standing motionless on the steps up to the main door where their queue was taking them. All she wanted to do was get inside. Lucas had tight hold of her hand. She squeezed it as they came to the front of the line far more quickly than she’d thought they would.

  ‘Lucas Harrington,’ Lucas swiped h
is credits card and the officer motioned him in. Emily did the same.

  ‘Sorry, no entry to humans.’ He moved to block Emily’s way.

  ‘I’m allowed. I’m invited.’

  ‘No humans.’

  Lucas turned back. ‘She’s my guest. My invited guest. It was on the NetNews.’

  ‘No humans. The invitation has been revoked.’

  ‘When?’ Lucas demanded. Emily felt herself crumple.

  ‘About twenty minutes ago.’

  ‘I see. About the time it took us to get here,’ Lucas said.

  ‘Please, let me in,’ Emily could feel tears spill.

  ‘No humans. You’ll have to wait until the meeting’s over.’

  ‘NO. That’s not fair.’ Emily tried to push past.

  ‘If you continue with that behaviour, you will be arrested.’

  ‘Emily, stop. I’ll meet you afterwards.’

  ‘No.’

  ‘Go and find somewhere to wait for me. I love you, Emily.’

  ‘I love you too, Lucas.’

  She took a step back.

  If it were only vampires allowed in, then a vampire she would have to be. And, there was one person who might still be able to help her. One person not at the meeting yet. One person running late.

  Gabriel.

  Emily turned and ran.

  Sixty four

  What a beautiful evening this is turning out to be. A full moon, clear skies, plenty of stars. All out to witness the obedient little vampires trotting to their meeting. Do you detect my disdain? I do hope so.

  Not for me, their new little community. I shall continue my work here. I’ve ways and means of making them think I’m all present and correct and where I should be. In fact, my name will have been ticked off already.

  For this is how the future begins.

  *

  Emily ran until she couldn’t drag breath into her lungs. She was nearly there. Nearly at the art gallery. All she hoped was that Gabriel was still there. That he hadn’t left yet. The streets she’d run through had been nearly deserted. She hadn’t wasted time on a call.

  She was there. But the gallery was boarded up. Glass smashed in. No sign of life. No. She couldn’t be too late. Emily punched her fist into the wood of the board. Then she remembered – the back door. She knew at once that was right. Purpose lending her new strength, she ran round the side of the building and began to pound on the black metal door that Lucas had once led her through what seemed a life time ago.