Tainted Love

by Livell James

  “They say you are in danger,” she says before I cut her off.

  “Now if you will excuse me, I have to get back to work.” Thankfully, I’m standing right next to the door. I roll my eyes and turn to walk away from her.

  I walk into the stockroom as fast as I can, trying not to call attention from anyone else in the store. I closed myself into the meat cutting room as my chest began to tighten, sitting on the stock cart and trying to catch my breath. How the hell could she know my parents, and how did she know where to find me? Talking to them? How is that even possible? Can people have actual conversations with dead people?

  I have to get out of this room before I’m seen and get in trouble for goofing off. It's been about fifteen minutes and, surely, she’s gone by now. I stand from where I am sitting, lean against the wall, and whip off my apron that has the market’s logo in the middle of my chest. I make sure it isn't wrinkled before walking out on the sales floor again, since it had just been balled up in my hand for the past fifteen minutes. Still a little shaken, I eased my head outside the door to see if she was still standing there.

  Not seeing her, I pushed past the door, leaving it swinging behind me as I speed walk toward the front of the store. I see one of the cashiers, Stacy, standing with her ass leaning on the counter, twirling her hair with her index finger. I suppose this is what they do when they are bored at work.

  She is about five-foot-tall, red hair, sparkly blue eyes, and has freckles dusting her face. She has that cute girl next door look about her. Stacy works here five days a week, but she never talks much.

  "Stacy, did you see the blonde chick in the hoodie? Did she leave?" I ask.

  Stacy had a crazy, almost fearful look in her eyes when she sees me.

  "She left her number and said you really need to call her. She left walking up the street a few minutes ago. She said you're in danger!”

  "She’s a nut case! Why am I in danger? I hardly know anyone in this town, other than the few friends I made when we moved here a few years ago,” I answered reasonably.

  “Austin, I would not blow this off as if it were nothing. Why would she come to your job if there wasn't some truth to what she says?” Stacy argued.

  “She came to my job because no one knows where I may be sleeping in my car on any night of the week," I pointed out.

  I put the paper Stacy handed me with the number on it in my pocket and try to get back to work. I can't focus on anything. All I can do is think about my parents. I wonder, even if this were true, why would they send some chick to tell me I am in danger? Maybe I should have given her more time to explain before running off to the meat room like a scared child. Perhaps she is telling the truth, and she’s one of those people who communicates with the spirits or dead people. Whatever, that shit still freaks me out.

  What a fucking prick! I walked three damn blocks in the cold to help this guy, and I get a door slammed in my face. He has to know the truth, but I shouldn’t be the one having to tell him. Why did his parents come to me from the afterlife, knowing who my parents are, and the world in which I come from? There have to be other mediums in this city.

  Hopefully, Stacy doesn’t rat me out. I had no idea someone from our coven would be working in the store with Austin. It’s more surprising that I ran into Stacy, since not many of us are out and about in the daytime hours. Those of us that do are called daywalkers.

  I’m the only medium born to my family. Our part of the city is hidden to the human eye, right in the middle Shreveport. We have to enter through secret passages placed throughout the city. I wouldn’t call it underground—okay, so maybe it is underground, but we like to think of it as our own town. This town is made of vampires and the lucky human slaves in which they feed upon.

  These humans come to the city willingly. They’ve all been sworn to secrecy to never let outsiders know where the passages are located, and will be executed if the bonds are broken. This really doesn’t matter, since our city isn’t visible to human sight unless they have drunk from the wrist of a vampire. It is then and only then that they can they see the logos placed on the openings leading into the passages. Humans only come into the underground by way of the vampire.

  My parents chose to let me live among the humans in the outside world, as I was one of the lucky ones to be a daywalker. They said it was to protect me, once again. We’re not the only vampires that walk the city at night, but even so, I haven’t quite figured out what my parents are protecting me from yet. Because how is moving me away from the coven helping me stay protected?

  And on top of that, now I’m supposed to protect someone else?

  Speaking of which, I need to find my parents and figure out what I should to do about this one. I find a bench to sit on for a bit while I collect my thoughts.

  Wait, I remember this place…. I’ve been here before with my parents when I was younger. I remember they took me through a passage somewhere around here. I can hear my mom’s voice in my head as I stand up and look around.

  “Where the triangle meets the road, then, there we must go.”

  She always tried to make our adventures outside of the dark chambers we lived in under the city more of a fairytale. Mom had a weird nursery rhyme way of explaining where we were going. So here I stand on a busy ass street, looking for this damn triangle. I know where other passages are, but I’m here so I shall find it.

  There are a lot of shops, bars, and restaurants lining the street. The smell of burnt grease is making me sick to my stomach. I’m very unusual in that, along with my powers as a medium, I wasn’t born with the craving for blood. My mother is human, and my father is a vampire. Yes, I am a dhampir and will remain human until my death, upon which I will become a vampire. Ninety percent of us daywalkers were born of human and vampire parents. We are needed to let others know what happens in the world outside during the day.

  And the voices are back!

  “You must hurry! Our son is in grave danger. You have to make him believe you!”

  I shake my head as the smell of gas from the passing cars and fried foods enveloped my nose.

  "Okay! You two have to stop randomly yelling in my ear about your son! I have to figure out where I am going and what the hell I am doing before I can help your son!"

  I didn’t notice that I had been looking down at the ground as I walked until just then. I raise my head to look up at the street, and there it was! The triangle was staring me right in the face. Two buildings where the roads forked give the illusion of a triangle dipping into the street. Now I just have to figure out where this passage is supposed to be. Maybe once I get there, I’ll remember.

  It feels like I have walked two miles already when I finally get to where the triangle meets the road, and I see an adult bookstore with our coven's decal on the door. Yes, we have a coven sticker, shown only to members as to where our passageways are located, as I said before. It's not like we go around wearing that shit. However, I don’t remember going into the adult bookstore when I was younger. Oh well, screw it. Here goes nothing.

  Most of the time, the people who own and run the stores where we cross over into our area of the city are part of our coven. They may also have been partners to someone in our coven as well. This business must have changed from the headshop I remember it being as a child. I push the door open, and my eyes are filled with lingerie, adult movies, and whatever else lies inside these places. Loud dance music is playing on the speakers in the ceiling.

  I see a chick, who I suppose works here, sitting on the front counter. She is twisting her hair around her finger, smacking on gum, and dazing off into space. Her jet-black hair is pulled up into pigtails, and she is wearing fishnet stockings with a bustier and schoolgirl skirt.

  "Excuse me. I’m looking for the passage," I say as I walk up behind her.

  The clerk jumps as if I were a ghost or some shit. I mean, I know I am as pale as one, but damn…

  “You’re looking for what passage? I have no idea what this is
you speak of.”

  The girl turns and will not look me in the eyes. Then she decides she is going to try to ignore me standing here.

  I grab her by the right arm, and extend my fangs.

  Why the hell did I get my dad's fangs? Yes, I have fucking fangs. While they are of no use to me, they are effective at scaring the hell out of people. So, while I have them on display, I show them and raise my voice. "My father is Angelus DeVile, and I will have him here in less than two minutes! Now I suggest you show me where the passage is!"

  I can't explain the look she has on her face after I finally release her arm from my grip. She shakes her head and tells me to follow her. I look over my shoulder to make sure no one is watching before she leads me into this room behind the crushed red velvet curtains. She pulls the curtain open and lets me walk into the room without her. She stays outside the door, holding the curtain and staring at me as if I have lost my damn mind.

  The room looks more like a stripper lounge and is entirely out of place. I ask no questions about the room and just hope that I’m out of here soon. I have to make sure not to come back this way upon returning to my car. Surely there has to be another way, someplace near where I parked beside here.

  She points to a shelf on the back wall of the room and tells me to remove the purple book before she runs back to the front of the store as if she feared something may jump out at her. I pull the book from the shelf, and there is a latch behind it. I grab ahold of it and pull it down releasing, a small door from the wall to the left of the shelf. This is nothing like I remembered. Maybe I am on the wrong street and not in the right triangle. Just as I enter through the doorway, “Tainted Love” starts to play inside the stripper room. Maybe it isn’t a stripper room, but that’s what I am calling it. What the hell is with this song?

  The hallway seems to be noticeably narrower and darker. Much darker. This is nothing at all like the passage I remember. The walls are jet black with only one little light in the center that barely lit the way. After walking about a hundred feet down into this dark square tunnel, there is finally a door.

  Moans and screams fill the air from the other side. As I slowly open the door, I hear a couple fucking against the wall just outside the entry, and I look over to see a vampire towering over the hot blonde he has just slammed into the wall, with his fangs dug into her neck. Blood glistens in the reflection from the small light above as it trickles down the side to her perky, taut breast. Guess that explains where the sounds were coming from. Everyone walking about and acting as if nothing is happening, is the norm here.

  Sex in the streets and vampires feeding on their slaves is just as common as sex in the bedroom for humankind. Our streets are more so pathways with chambers lining the way. Vampires can move at rapid speeds, so there is no need for vehicles here, other than the carts or motorcycles used to drive humans from place to place. The human body cannot withstand the warp speeds. Homes are built within the chambers and stacked depending on the depth of the ground above. Imagine it as a city on a smaller scale built beneath another town. Originally, the city built the chambers and passages as a way to secretly transport things during the war. It had been abandoned and believed to have been filled in and closed off to the outside world.

  When my father and his coven were forced to leave their original homes, they came here looking for shelter. With no other place to go, they were forced to start their lives here beneath the city above. The tunnels we call passages go for miles and miles. Some even have been said to lead to New Orleans. I’m not sure this is true, since there’s a distance of three hundred miles between the two cities. No sooner than the door closes behind me, my phone starts ringing. I don’t recognize this number. It could be Austin, but I really can’t talk to him before I talk to my parents and find out more information.

  “You are running out of time,” Austin’s dad’s voice yells loudly.

  I have to shake off their voices, at least for now, until I find my dad. I have to figure out what is going on. Why does Austin need to be protected? What does he need protection from?

  Thank God, I’m finally able to leave work. I run to the time clock machine that looks like it’s from the 1970’s to punch my card. I’m trying to get out of here before anyone sees me and asks me to do something else. Reaching in my pocket, I pull out the wadded-up piece of paper that has the chick's number on it.

  "Damn it!" I swear under my breath when realize I don’t even know her name. I got so thrown off by the "protect him, your parents sent me” bullshit, and maybe those damn blue eyes. I forgot to even to ask her what her name was. I hardly even said anything to her before I ran off into hiding.

  Actually, I was a complete ass to her. Why would she not put her name on the paper with her number? Who just leaves someone a number without a name—although she might have told Stacy. I walk around the outside of the store, so the manager or Mr. Jones doesn't see me. Because even though I am clocked out, he will still ask me to do something.

  There is a black SUV sitting in the back parking lot with two guys inside. They look like they just rolled in from some sort of space movie, dressed in all black and wearing sunglasses. I couldn’t see their eyes, but I would swear that they’re watching me. Nope, this isn't weird at all. The vehicle starts moving slowly as I walk closer to the front of the store. I speed up my steps to an almost running pace before I finally reach the door to go inside. Out of breath, I see Stacy standing there and tell her what just happened. The look on her face is not a look I was expecting from her.

  "Austin! They’re after you for a reason. I can’t explain it to you, but you need to call Haley, and we need to find her as soon as possible. We have to get you out of here."

  “What the hell is going on, Stacy?” I yelled at her.

  I’m getting a little freaked out about all this. Why does this chick need to protect me, and why do I need to get out of here so quick?

  "Austin, just breathe slow, deep breaths and listen to me. I was sent to work at the store to keep an eye on you. I am an Other!

  She’s making no sense at all to me. Nothing is making sense at this point. Still trying to catch my breath, I grab her by the arm, my next question coming out dumb, even to my ears.

  “Just what the fuck is another?”

  “No, Austin, I am an Other. As in a vampire. A daywalker.” Stacy smirked

  “Holy shit, are you crazy? There is no such thing as a damn vampire!”

  "Austin, you have to listen to me! Calm down and Haley will explain everything later, but for now, we have to get you out of here quickly! I will distract them while you sneak out the back. Here are my keys, get in the back of my SUV and stay down. I will be out as soon as I get rid of them and clock out. Here’s my phone, call Haley and tell her what’s going on.”

  I may be freaking out a little, but I try to play it cool as I snatch the keys and phone from her hand and head for the back of the store. They still hadn't come in the front door yet, so I’m hoping they didn’t see me come back into the store. Still wanting to be safe, I head out the back and slip into Stacy's backseat. This isn't weird at all, nope, not in the least. Okay, I need to try to focus so I can call this Haley chick. Damn, these girls are crazy as fuck—voices, vampires, men in black.

  I pull Stacy's phone from my jacket pocket, along with the phone number on the crinkled piece of paper the name is written on. My hands are shaking as I push the digits, then I hear—"Sorry this person has a voice mailbox that has not been set up yet."

  Why…just why the hell do people not have voice mail on their damn phones anymore! Finally, after what seemed like hours, I see Stacy coming toward the window on the driver's side. Then, I hear the popping sound from the key fob unlocking the doors. I think it has really only been less than ten minutes, tops, but that still seems like forever when you're just lying in the seat of a car, trying not to be seen. Thankfully, it’s warmed up enough that I’m not freezing my ass off out here.

  As soon as she pops her h
ead into the car, I hear—

  "Did you call Haley? She has to tell you what’s going on Austin, I’m not allowed to. However, I can tell you that you are in danger and you have to believe everything we are telling you."

  “Yes, I called her. She didn’t answer, and there’s no voicemail set up on her phone. You guys are really freaking me the hell out. Stacy, I need to know what’s going on.”

  Stacy starts the SUV and practically peels out of the parking lot.

  “Austin, I’m not even sure what is going on, myself. I do know that those guys are the Thompson brothers and they’re the ones who go after the hunters. I was only sent to work at the market to keep an eye on you. I was never really told why. Just that I had to keep watch and until today I didn’t know that I was watching you for at all. Actually, I still have no idea really,” Stacy says as she whips the car into a parking garage.

  “Are you a hunter, Austin? Why would the hunters of the hunters hunt a non- hunter? Damn, that sounded confusing as hell!"

  She then backed her car in between two other SUVs, as if we are trying to blend in.

  “I have no idea what to even say at this point, Stacy! Haley has voices in her head, and you're talking about hunters. What the heck is a hunter? Do they go out and hunt people to feed you vampire folks? Need I even mention that fact? Is Haley also a vampire?”

  "It’s not my place to tell you what she is or isn't, Austin. You really do need to get in touch with her, but I’m sure she is most likely in the tunnels if she has no service on her phone. It’s also possible she just has her phone off. Who knows? Oh, and no that is not what the hunters do!”

  “Now you speak of tunnels, Stacy! Oh, and why the hell are we still sitting in this parking garage? We have been sitting here for almost an hour. Shouldn't we have moved on by now?”

  "Shush, Austin! We have to wait, out of sight, until we can get ahold of Haley."

  Well, Haley needs to answer her damn phone.