The Grateful Boys

by Françoise DuMaurier

  “What the hell is going on up there,” Ben asked.

  It wasn’t usual for police cars to have formed a fleet – not in Corpus – unless a serious crime had taken place.

  They got as close as they could and realized the police were spread across a field of grass. Police tape separated authority from civilian.

  Upon the grassy ground lay dead cows. Everywhere.

  An elderly man – Old Man McIntyre – was yelling at the police.

  “What have they done! Who did this! I want answers, ya hear! What kind of a monster killed all mah cows! All mah livestock!”

  Mason recognized the officer the old man was crying to. It wasn’t just any officer – it was Sheriff Antwan Zeddman.

  “Rest assured. I promise you,” Sheriff Zeddman told him, his hands clasped to his police belt, “we will find out who did this.”

  Chapter 5

  A refrigerator opened. A pale hand reached in. It pulled out a porron – a glass wine pitcher with a narrow-sealed top and a spout on one side – filled with dark cold blood.

  There stood the boys in black. Four of them. There was Percy, who’d saved Hailey. And Gregory, who’d saved Sebastian. The third of them was a boy with a mohawk. The fourth one – the sole blond – carried the pitcher into an ornate dining room as the others followed. The floor of the dining room was covered in a massive oriental rug. The walls were painted deep red and adorned with elaborate fleur-de-lis symbols. China cabinets were filled with decanters of every style and size.

  “Sit,” the blonde commanded in a hushed tone that conveyed his authority.

  The other three took their seats at the table. In front of them were ornate dinner plates with all the trimmings – forks, knives, dinner cloths, the works.

  “May we begin,” the blonde one said, speaking with an air of elegance. “And may we feast upon the cattle with young Jacobus in our thoughts. For who amongst us has not made a similar mistake in our many centuries upon this earth.”

  The three sitting at the table looked to him and nodded.

  “Fangs, gentlemen,” he said with a deep imitation of a southern accent.

  The incisors of everyone at the table became both elongated and deathly sharp.

  The blond vampire slowly maneuvered around the table. He poured the blood from the spout of the pitcher into the mouths of the vampires he held court over.

  “First you, Percivell,” he said, pouring the blood into Percy’s mouth. “Now you, Gregorious,” he said as he moved again, continuing to pour blood.

  The porron was now half empty as he made his way to the third vampire.

  “Now you, Gabriel,” he said as he poured a quarter of blood from the narrow spout into the mouth of the mohawked vampire.

  He stopped. “And mine,” he said as he poured the remaining quarter of blood into his own mouth and swallowed. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and moved his tongue flatly across his lips.

  “And onto the main course,” the blonde vampire spoke again, “before we make our dark wake through the rise of nightfall.”

  Out through a door walked an elderly man, dressed as a butler – complete with white gloves. He rolled a cart made of gold covered with matching trays. He rolled it right into the dining room. He bowed to the vampires. Then placed a covered tray in front of each of them.

  “Thank you, Sheridan” the blonde vampire said to the butler.

  The butler bowed again. “It is my honor, Master Alobard.” With that, the butler rolled the cart out of the dining room and disappeared into the kitchen.

  “Hail the Order of Lilith,” said Alobard, raising his sleeve and revealing a small tattoo, which read Carpe Omnia in cursive.

  The others all repeated the phrase in unison, as if it were a dark chant. The type uttered frequently before feasting upon blood.

  ***

  It was an hour before midnight and Hailey, dressed in t-shirt and pajama pants, had just begun video chatting with Madison.

  “Where have you been all day?” Hailey asked, in a voice of friendly shock.

  “What do you mean where have I been?” Madison laughed. “Don’t you remember last night? I’ve been sleeping all day. Like literally, all day.”

  “Yeah, I kind of saw you going overboard.”

  “As if I was the only one,” Madison said. “I saw you knocking back shot after shot.

  “Oh, well, not really…” Hailey thought quickly. There was no way she would explain the situation with Percy and how her night ended – drinking a vampire’s blood. Speaking of which… wasn’t it supposed to be the other way around. Hailey had so many questions. None of which could be answered by Madison.

  “Are you saying you maintained your dignity better than I did?” Madison laughed.

  “I’m saying I wasn’t wasted the way you were,” Hailey scoffed. “I mean you were on the bed of a truck making out with a guy neither of us know.”

  “Oh, gosh. Was I really?” Madison asked, embarrassed.

  “Oh totally,” Hailey said. “I may have been drinking. But you were like a fish breathing water in the ocean.”

  “Leave me alone!” Madison laughed in shame.

  “But it’s not like I’ve been out shopping all day. I’ve been in the house too. Just resting. Recuperating like you.”

  “See, Hailey. I know I wasn’t the only one who had too much fun last night,” Madison said. “And I’m pretty sure I saw you go into the woods. Weren’t you with Charlie Ray? Yeah, I don’t remember a lot but I remember you taking off with him.”

  “Uh, yeah,” Hailey said awkwardly. “I did follow him. But we kind of parted ways after that. I wasn’t really into him, you know.”

  “Oh yeah, I know.”

  Hailey had no intention of telling her friend what really happened. She’d be committed if she told Madison that Charlie Ray tried to pin her down, a firework injured her arm, and she was magically healed by vampire blood. She might as well have told Madison that she rode home on a unicorn.

  So Hailey dressed up her story, left out the blemishes, and explained that she went to the bonfire, had a great time, and met a ‘mystery guy’ who took her home. Madison immediately focused on the story of the mystery guy and wanted to know more.

  “What was his name!?” Madison asked. Hailey decided it would be okay to use his real name, and even explain where she’d seen him.

  “His name’s Percy. Do you remember those guys we saw earlier this week? The ones at school. They were dressed in all black and seemed to be in a clique. Well, he was one of them.”

  “Oh my gosh,” Hailey squealed. “You have a crush on a six-foot-tall goth guy. I can’t wait to tell everyone we know.”

  “No, no, no,” Hailey rolled her eyes. “I never mentioned anything about a crush. I might not even see him – like ever again.”

  “Of course you’ll see him again. It’s a tiny school. You’re bound to see everyone again. Even the ones you don’t want to.”

  Like Charlie Ray, Hailey thought to herself. Boy, was that going to be uncomfortable. Seeing his face in one of the classes they shared together. In fact, it would be a total nightmare. She imagined him bursting into a fit of rage upon seeing her – demanding to find the freak who tossed him into a tree and stopped him from getting what he wanted most. Hailey knew that was just a bridge she’d have to cross once they got there. For now, it was still the weekend. Saturday night and close to midnight, no less.

  “Well I guess I ought to let you get going, it’s kinda late,” Hailey said.

  “Yeah but I’ve been sleeping all day. Need someone to keep me company.”

  “I’m afraid that’s not my problem,” Hailey joked. “I mean, I’m kidding. But I’ve been awake all day. Just watching tv and eating. Now I’m ready to do nothing while I sleep. At least we’ve still got tomorrow. But I swear I hate school. I don’t want to go back.”

  “Why’s that?” Madison asked.

  “Because it’s such a waste of time. Like literally, why�
�s it gotta be eight hours? We sleep for eight hours. At least I do. So if you don’t count the hours we’re sleep, that’s 16 hours a day we get to be productive. And you’re telling me every young person in the world has to spend literally half of their waking day in school. As if! What a total waste. Then there’s having to interact with people you never want to see again.”

  “Oh. Well you’re really riled up. Where did that anger come from? It sounds like something you’ve been thinking about for a while. School’s just something we all gotta put up with. After all these years you learn to just roll with the punches.”

  “What if I’m tired of rolling with the punches? Nevermind. I’m too tired to even argue my point. You stay up all night. I’m going to get some rest.”

  “Night, Hails. Love you.”

  “Hate you less,” Hailey smiled and ended the video call.

  Hailey went into her bathroom and brushed her teeth. She thought about Mason asking to use her toothbrush and decided that was the most disgusting thing he’s ever suggested – by far. After brushing her teeth and using mouthwash – after just recently getting into the habit of doing this nightly – Hailey turned out her bathroom light. Next she walked to the stand nearest her bed and reached for the lamp. Before she could turn it off, she heard a knock at her window.

  She immediately turned her heard toward the window. “Who’s there?” she called out. There was no answer. She slowly walked over to the window and saw a familiar face, rising up from the bottom of the window and appearing on the other side.

  Hailey gasped because her bedroom was on the second floor. And here was her mysterious pale new friend floating in midair, knocking at her window.

  “Shh! Stop it!” she whispered to him. “You could wake my mom or brother.”

  He pulled his hands back as if letting her know he was sorry and wouldn’t knock again. Without fearing what might happen, Hailey unlatched her window and pulled it up.

  “Percy,” she said.

  “Hailey,” he said in reply.

  “How do you know my name? I remember you telling me yours. But I’m pretty sure I didn’t tell you mine.”

  “Firstly, my dear, you were in no state to remember much of anything. Secondly, I recall that subhuman species referring to you as Hailey. I hope I am not incorrect to assume that is your distinct namesake.”

  “It’s fine. It is, and yeah,” Hailey said, giggling at him referring to Charlie Ray as a ‘subhuman species’. She returned her attention. “What are you doing out there?”

  “I’m waiting to be invited in, of course,” Percy smiled.

  Before she said anything further, she paid close attention to his pallid appearance, almost glowing against the moonlight. His rosy cheeks, slender figure, large languid eyes, and soft red lips that looked as though they were stained with blood.

  His appearance alone was of an intoxicating variety. Her gaze was interrupted as he spoke again. “I said I’m waiting to be invited in.”

  “Oh, sorry. Please, come in,” she said to him. He gracefully swept in through the window seal, like Peter Pan arriving in the bedroom of Wendy Darling.

  “I hope you’ve come with a thimble,” Hailey smiled.

  “No, why would I?” he smiled back, half confused.

  “Nothing, it’s just a joke… Tell me. Why are you here?”

  “Perhaps you should tell me why I am here,” he said authoritatively. Hailey thought for a moment, her index finger pressed to lips. He smirked at her, awaiting whatever response she was trying to come up with.

  “You’re here because you’re expecting me to thank you. In which case, thank you, Percy. For saving my life…. last night.”

  “Please to be of service,” he said, feigning nobility. “But that is not why I am here. The words certainly please me. But I’m here for something far more important from you than your thanks.”

  “And what is that?”

  “I’m here for your time.”

  “What do you mean?” Hailey was totally confused.

  “I’d like to get to know more about you.”

  “I promise… not as much as I want to know about you,” she half laughed.

  “Try me,” he smirked.

  “You’re a vampire?” she asked.

  “Well, well. I hereby award you the title of World’s Greatest Detective.”

  “Ha, ha,” Hailey rolled her eyes. “Stop laughing at me. It’s not every day a girl meets a real living vampire.”

  “Living?” he raised an eyebrow.

  “I suppose to the extent that you’re walking and talking and thinking… right before my very eyes.”

  “Limited imaginations think only of the binary forms of alive and dead. There exists so much more.”

  “Such as yourself,” Hailey pressed.

  “Precisely.”

  “You can’t be allergic to sunlight. I first saw you at school during the day. And later at the pep rally – also during the day.”

  “That is correct,” he informed her. “Vampires do not burst into flames any more than owls do. We are merely a nocturnal species. Our senses are strengthened in the absence of sunlight. Sure, a vampire could sleep at night and stay awake each day. But why waste one’s life not living to the fullest of one’s capabilities?”

  “But you were out during the day, twice.”

  “Sounds about right. I stay awake during the day only about once or twice per week. Unless, of course, something truly fascinating has caught my eye.”

  “Something such as me?”

  “Clever,” he winked in amusement.

  “So sunlight doesn’t make you burst into flames. But you prefer sleeping at night. Wait… how do you explain school then. How do you take classes if you’re only awake during the day once or twice a week?”

  “Think about it,” he gazed at her softly. “You tell me, my dear.”

  “You don’t actually attend school, do you?”

  “God no,” he scoffed. “Why on earth would a centuries old vampire waste half their day attending classes, presumably repeating such a life on loop? I’ve no interest in repeating high school for a hundred years.”

  “That’s why no one has ever had classes with you, isn’t it? You just occasionally roam the halls,” she said as he nodded in agreement. “But,” she went on, “what if you’re caught in the halls by a principal? I imagine someone like that doesn’t scare you?”

  “Scare me?” he raised an eyebrow. “Tell me, have you ever heard of hypnosis in vampiric folklore?

  “Yes, it’s in a lot of movies and books.”

  “Well, unlike the sunlight claims, the claims of hypnosis are very true.”

  “You can trick people into thinking whatever you want them to?” Hailey asked, dismayed.

  “I can.”

  “Then how do I know you didn’t hypnotize me? And trick me into opening the window for you.”

  “Firstly, you don’t know. You can’t be sure. It is one of the reasons why humans do not trust our species. But I can assure you that I do not hypnotize anyone I respect. And that is why I am so drawn to you. There is something incredibly unique about you. Impenetrably so.”

  “Thanks… I guess,” Hailey said, for the first time with apprehension. “It’s just… I thought I’d be freaking out. I’ve never seen anything like what you did last night. Your blood…”

  “My blood is just blood… to vampires. But to humans my blood holds healing properties. The same applies to us… almost. If a human were to consume another human’s blood, it would have no effect, besides perhaps a queasy feeling. But if a vampire consumes human blood, well – it is our nourishment.”

  “Human… people… blood?”

  “To be fair, we have been feasting only on animal blood as of late.”

  “Do you have a reflection?”

  “I do not.”

  “Can you be killed by being staked?”

  “Who can’t?”

  “I never thought this would be happening
to me,” Hailey said, sitting down on her bed and feeling light hearted. “It’s just… your blood. It healed my arm. And it tasted… incredible. I guess you want mine in return now?”

  His eyes flickered and the slightest smirk was drawn across his lips. “I assure you, Hailey – you would desperately crave to taste my blood again before I, you.”

  “Are you sure about that?” Hailey asked. “Because I can feel you drawn to me in some weird way. I’m just afraid… you might hurt me.”

  “I can promise you that I would never hurt you. But now comes the bad news,” he told her with a burning gaze. “The blood of a vampire to humans often has addictive properties. But I felt a great desire to help you – It is one of the reasons why we should not often let humans feed upon us. Unless we hold a true connection to said human being. Otherwise, can you imagine the travesty that would ensue? Humans get one whiff of vampire blood and they would hunt us to extinction in their lust for our blood. So a connection is essential.”

  “And you feel that connection to me?” Hailey asked.

  “Historically, we should only let a solitary human feed on us after we have cultivated a degree of closeness.”

  “But now you want to work backwards with me. You let me drink from your wrist so now you have to court me?” she asked.

  “I do not have to do anything. There is no vampire rulebook. Furthermore, we are presently residing in perhaps the least vampiric populated town on the face of this earth.”

  “Then why are you here?”

  “It is where we were assigned. By our order.”

  “We?” Hailey asked with a great curiosity. “How many of you are there?”

  “There were five of us at your school. Of us, you may remember a blond vampire. The only blond among us. He is Alobard, the eldest of us five. However, there is one far older than he. Our Chancellor. And he is not here. Nor will he be. But one of us, Jacobus, is now with him.”

  “Why?” Hailey asked.

  “Because, Jacobus, the youngest of us, put us in danger. He killed and feasted upon two humans. And that is strictly forbidden.”