by Hunter Blain
Chapter 14
Ireland, 1480
The camp was fortified with a wall and sentry posts complete with guards wielding bows. The grounds were adequately lit with torches spread out along the perimeter.
I started moving out of the tree line and down a hill to the camp when Ulric placed a hand on my shoulder, stopping me.
“How many do you see, John?” Ulric asked.
“I can’t tell,” I said. “Only a few in the sentry posts.”
“Use your sight,” he said.
“How?” I asked.
“Do you think your father cried out in his final moments?” Ulric asked, looking down to casually adjust his clothing.
The disrespect of his comment and nonchalant attitude with which he had asked made me freeze with rage. PS grabbed both reins. My eyes focused and ears became attuned to the sounds around me. I could smell the oil from the torches and the sweat on their skins.
Ulric beamed at me. “Good, John. That is how it is done. You harness your emotion and use it as a weapon. Now,” he pointed, “tell me how many you see down there.”
With sheer will, I forced my gaze off him and looked down the hill. I could see the red, blurry outlines of men in their tents. In the stone buildings, I could only make out a small patch of warmth about two feet off the ground, then another three feet above that. I pointed at them and asked, “What are…”
Ulric interrupted, knowing what I was going to ask, “Men sleeping in their bunks close to the wall. I noticed this at the other camp. You will grow to become observant of such details.”
“Can you see the others in the building?” I asked, intrigued.
“Unfortunately, no,” he sighed, as if he had asked the same question when he was but a fledgling vampire. “However,” he continued, “when near, I rely on my other senses. Come.” He started down the hill, silent as an apparition. I followed.
He stopped at the bottom of one of the sentry posts and looked up, his eyes changing to predator red.
He climbed up the wood without a sound and hopped over the edge, where there was a gasp of surprise. I could hear the guard’s heartbeat speed up in panic, then falter, and finally, stop.
Ulric jumped down and landed in a crouch, then stood up and wiped his mouth with a handkerchief he had removed from his inner coat pocket. His skin had plumped back up, and the rings around his eyes had diminished significantly. He must have drained the poor bastard completely before his heart had even thought about quitting.
“Now your turn,” Ulric said as he pointed at the next corner of the compound. There was a renewed vigor in his words.
I ran along the wall just outside of the immediate light of the torches, and stopped at the bottom. I squinted up but couldn’t see the outline. Ulric approached.
“This one must be empty,” I said, and started walking to the next one.
“Wait,” Ulric whispered. “Look again.”
I stopped and looked up.
Ulric asked, “Why was your mother executed, I wonder? Seemed unnecessary.”
My teeth clenched and then relaxed as I realized more and more what he was doing. I grabbed one rein and PS grabbed the other.
The red outline of a man sitting with his head propped on his knees came into view through the wooden planks. I could hear his snoring from below.
Ulric motioned for me to go.
I scaled the building easily and jumped over the ledge, catching my foot and falling on my face with an, “Oomph!”
The man quickly woke up, like a person who knew they weren’t supposed to be sleeping on the job and their chief walked by. His eyes locked on mine, and he shot up to his feet and pulled out a sword, swinging it with both hands.
I was still recovering from my fall when the blade hit. All I could do was close my eyes and wait. There was a thud on my shoulder, followed by a yelp. I opened my eyes and looked up to see the blade had bounced off my shoulder and rebounded into the man’s neck and chest.
“Take the blood before it goes to waste,” Ulric whispered loudly from below.
I stood up and grabbed the sword, pulling it free. A torrent of blood erupted and streamed down his new chest cavity like a wild river. I put my hand on his chin and pushed it in the opposite direction of the cut in his neck, opening the wound more. I crouched down and let the blood flow into my mouth.
It was delectable. Energy flowed through my limbs, making my hairs stand on end. The man managed a sob before taking his last breath.
The blood continued to flow, though not as forcefully. I frowned in disappointment as the elation and power I felt faded to a whimper as the blood dripped from the dead man’s corpse.
I let him drop to the ground and then hopped over the ledge, landing next to Ulric.
“Why—”
“Once the soul leaves the body, the blood is not as effective,” Ulric said, again anticipating my question.
“Wait, are you saying we eat their souls?” I asked, mortified.
“I am not entirely sure, if I am to be honest. What I do know is we can feed and not kill, and the mortal appears fine after a few nights. There are even those who gladly provide us sustenance at our leisure,” Ulric said.
“So, we don’t have to kill anyone? Those men last night…”
“Do not attempt to go down that righteous path with me, fledgling,” Ulric commanded firmly. “Even if you had not needed to feed on those soldiers, you would still have ended their existence with glee. Do you blame the fox for eating the chicken?”
“I—”
“No, you do not. Why is that? Because it is the way of things. We are vampires. They,” he said, pointing to the camp, “are food.”
“If there are those who willingly provide us with sustenance, what do they get in return?” I asked, intrigued.
Ulric calmed at the question and said, “Some do it for wealth. Others, protection. Still others want to be one of us, so a bargain is made. My taste was for those who wanted a rival to be killed. If their reason was greed and not something like vengeance, I would drink them dry instead. It was amusing.” Ulric smiled as his eyes focused on nothing, reliving numerous memories inside the theater of his own mind.
I stood in silence looking at my mentor, assessing him. It felt as if I had been given a riddle to solve; but with each word in a different language or missing entirely.
“I grow tired of this cloak-and-daggers game.” Ulric looked at me, smiled, and said, “For my next trick…” and clapped his hands together. Every torch in the complex violently blew out one by one down the line. There was a shout of confusion somewhere in the camp as it was enveloped in darkness.
He jumped over the wall in one effortless leap and started casually walking through the camp. I followed. There was a stone structure with rows of tents just beyond. It was clear that this spot was chosen because of —what I hoped was—the abandoned building. It made me shudder to think a family might have been forced out, or worse.
We approached a wall with a red blur, and Ulric punched through the stone, pulling out a very dazed young man. His torso was the only thing exposed; his lower half remained inside the building. Ulric drained him quickly and then swiped his hand parallel to the wall, bisecting the man just above the waist.
“You cut here, John, because it allows the entrails to fall out.” He threw the body up and over the roof; it landed in the center of the tent line. Organs came tumbling out with a sickening slosh.
Ulric raised one hand to his ear, closed his eyes, and waited. After a moment, we heard a tent rustling, followed by a gasp and then a scream of terror.
“There it is,” Ulric purred, a smile creasing his face. He burst through the wall like it was made of sticks, and grabbed the cowering soldier on the top bunk by the neck as the bed fell to the ground. These men had to be barely of fighting age. Ulric turned with the boy clutching at his hands, desperate for air, and held him out for me.
“He,” I started, “he’s so young.”
&nbs
p; Ulric, on the verge of losing his patience, said to me flatly, “How many innocents has this boy murdered?”
“By command of their superior,” I retorted.
“What do his victims think of his orders? They can’t think, can they, John? They’re dead,” he said while stepping forward. The boy was turning purple. The capillaries in his eyes were bursting one at a time. “End his pain, John. Be his salvation and redemption.”
The boy looked at me with crimson eyes and mouthed, “Please…” before falling unconscious. Ulric didn’t let up on his grip.
I stood horrified looking at the boy with the purple face. My eyes moved past him and saw the anger growing on Ulric’s face. He closed his fist completely, with the boy’s neck still in his hand. The sound reminded me of a head of lettuce being struck with a mallet. Blood started pouring out of the child soldier’s nose, eyes, and ears. His heart beat one last frantic beat, then stopped.
“Wasteful insolent fledgling!” Ulric screamed before throwing the boy through the opposite wall with a thunderous boom. The body rolled like a rag doll into the nearest tent. Stone tumbled with him.
Ulric looked at me and said forcefully, “If you do not obey, your parents will never know vengeance. Now, decide!”
He strode out into the center of the compound and started ripping soldiers apart as they approached, weapons drawn. All I could do was watch, frozen with indecision.
Ulric manifested two bloodswords from a time long since passed and began cutting and stabbing those who rushed him. With each thrust, I saw the soldiers’ blood pass from their bodies to his. Ulric was laughing maniacally.
At one point, Ulric stopped mauling and laughing as he turned and looked at me. The soldiers continued to attack, swords bouncing off his impervious flesh.
I moved forward, letting my predatory self take control. Rather, I just gave up and let go of the reins, which PS grabbed with enthusiasm.
It was a beautiful dance. The soldiers played their part, chaotic and frantic, while Ulric and myself performed with grace and finesse. Blood splattered the ground like paint on a canvas. My hands were my brush, swiping through leather and armor like a scythe through wheat. My teeth pierced flesh as if taking a bite of warm cheese.
The cool air carried the steam from the mutilated corpses off the ground. Our bellies were full. My skin tingled with warmth and elation. A shudder rippled through my body as I exhaled, sending a plume of steam through the air.
Ulric looked at me approvingly. With the prey downed, my predatory self contently sauntered aside, letting me reluctantly take control again.
I fell to my knees, cupping my face with my hands.
“Oh, do not start now, John. You did so well!” Ulric said, pleading. “You are no longer a puppet to your human emotions. Realize this and cut the strings tying you to mortality. Embrace the freedom of eternity.”
I let my hands drop to my lap and looked at him. Ultimately, he was right. The longer I fought, the harder it would be. These men were a means to an end. Once the commander was dead at my feet, I would be able to best decide about my future with Ulric—damn any promises. This man…this monster would not corrupt my soul. At least, not fully.
We searched the camp and found only tidbits of information that could potentially lead us to the commander. Our only recourse was to travel to the next site and hope we found something more substantial.
“Anything?” Ulric asked as I rifled through papers on a desk.
“Nothing,” I said, defeated.
“Then on to the next camp,” Ulric said triumphantly, and we were on our way.
Chapter 15
Present day
I knocked on the door of the house behind the tanning salon/repair shop. After a few minutes, a porch light came on and Ed sleepily opened the door wearing a sweat-stained wifebeater and old blue and white striped boxers. He already had my keys in his hand, and held them out without saying a word.
“Gracias, senior,” I said, severely mispronouncing the words. “Would you happen to know the time?”
He mumbled with half-open eyes, “It’s late. Or early. I’m going back to bed.” With that, he shut the door and turned off the porch light.
I made my way around his shop to where my car sat with brand-new glass. I would have to get them tinted later. Opening the door, I noticed the broken glass was still everywhere inside. “Guess I didn’t ask him to clean it, did I? But shouldn’t that be a standard?” I asked the wind.
After I swept most of the glass onto the parking lot (his problem now), I opened the trunk and placed Depweg’s goodie bag inside and climbed into the driver’s seat, pushing the engine start button.
Taking my eyes off the road for a second, I checked the clock to see that dawn was about thirty minutes away. I snorted angrily and cursed at my lack of time management. There was no time; I was going to have to find a place to sleep for the day, and quick.
When something like this happens, there are a few alternatives:
1) I can dig a hole in the earth and sleep there. This is a messy option because not only do I have to wash my clothes with a garden hose in the backyard, but I will find dirt in crevices for weeks.
2) I could pull into a Walmart or another 24-hour establishment and hide in the trunk. With this, getting towed or broken into could be a real problem, especially if they open the trunk, exposing me to sunlight and effectively ending the last of the vampires. Can’t do that option. There’s already too much pressure on my shoulders being the last without the fear of dying and wiping an entire supernatural species off the map in a Walmart parking lot.
I used to do option one fairly often before Valenta once suggested a hotel after I had dropped ear dirt into my drink and just stared at it, debating if I should continue to drink it or not. After he had made his suggestion, I’d lifted my head slowly with fierce eyes and a clenched jaw and said, “Well, if you wanna take the easy way out, I guess.” I was mentally punching myself for never even considering that.
My time management hasn’t improved over the centuries, so at this point I am a Hilton Diamond member.
I pulled into my closest Home2 Suites by Hilton and checked in right as the beginning rays of dawn were piercing the morning sky. Sun tendrils were already dancing in the sky.
I was sweating bullets (or would have if I could actually sweat) and had to squint my eyes to see while speaking to the front desk attendant who, thankfully, was approvingly efficient at her job and got me my key card within a few minutes. Though she did keep glancing at my forehead where the glue was surely peeling off by now.
After she handed me my key, I touched my forehead and said, “Cut myself shaving,” before making my way to the elevators and up to my room.
As I walked in, the sun’s rays were already hitting the top of the room and moving down the walls quickly. I ran over to the window to close the drapes right as the sun snuck through a gap in the tree line, and I was hit in the face with the magic-canceling light of morning.
Movies would have you believe vampires hissed when hurt or threatened. That was total bullshit. A massive, super manly, and not at all like a little girl’s scream escaped my throat as I slammed the thick window treatments closed and collapsed to the ground, holding my burnt face.
After a minute of (not) crying on the floor, the phone started to ring. I opened my eyes to see nothing but black. “SIT!” I cursed with a new speech impediment. “I’n hucking ‘lind!” My fingers explored the sockets to find that my orbs had indeed been melted in the split second they had been exposed.
What remained of my eyes was gooey sludge. My trembling hands explored the rest of the damage; skin and hair had been incinerated into dust, leaving behind aching muscles and tendons. Even my upper lip was gone, leaving behind only my pearly whites. “Lilith damn it,” I said.
The phone continued to ring, so I felt my way over, using the bed as a guide, to where the nightstand was. I grabbed the receiver, took in a deep breath to control the pain, br
ought it up to where my ear used to be, and said through lipless teeth, “Hello? Yeth. Oh, thorry a’out tat. ’it eye ton. Huh? I. Dit. Eye. Tong. Yeth. Eye eye.”
I placed the phone down, foolishly searching for the receiver. I turned toward one of the two queen beds and let myself fall facedown with a sigh of relief. The ground met me instead of nice, soft pillows and a thick blanket. Did I get the single king room instead of the two queens? Yes. Yes, I did.
“Thuck it,” I said and fell asleep right on the floor.
Chapter 16
Europe, 1483
Ulric and I went from camp to camp, gathering any information we could find that would lead me to the commander. They were never ending; across the land and seas; high up in the mountains, and down in the valleys; deep in the forests, and resting at the edge of the oceans. I lost track of time. It felt like the commander was always one step ahead of us.
“Why is there never any useful information?” I angrily asked Ulric.
“It would appear he is aware of our path and is not leaving behind any sufficient clues,” Ulric thought out loud.
“How is it we don’t even know his name by now?” The frustration was evident in my voice.
“Commander Godwin,” Ulric said conversationally and without looking at me.
I paused, not able to quite articulate the unrest I felt at what Ulric had just said so casually.
“How long have you known?” I asked, narrowing my eyes.
“Saw it at the last camp, I think. Did I not tell you?” he asked, still blowing this mountain of a revelation off as if he had only forgotten to return a borrowed tool or some other menial everyday task.
“No. No, you did not, Ulric,” I said, anger and annoyance evident in my voice.
“Well, you know now, do you not?” he responded while turning to meet my gaze. It was stern and unrelenting.
I decided it was best to let it go, convincing myself to be satisfied that I had at least learned the bastard’s name. Godwin. I had never hated a name so much in my life, or unlife for that matter. Godwin. Even mouthing it to myself made my blood boil. I wanted to spit on the ground every time the syllables were wordlessly formed by my lips and tongue. On the body-half-full-of-blood way of looking at things, at least I had his name. It powered my resolve and became a beacon for my rage.