Part Two

1

          “I’ll tell you what,” I sneered digging my claws into the cotton of his dirty old farm shirt. The man smelled of cow droppings and horses’ behinds. It was worse than the smell of garlic, but I maintained to keep a satanic look when I hoisted him up effortlessly into the air. The man was roughly in his forties, a puny little farmer who was balding at the top and shaking like a leaf.

          He was even becoming paler than I was. It was still a wonder to me how the poor fellow made it without soiling his trousers.

          “You’re far too weak for my taste, and I’d rather not lose the appetite on someone like you,” I added more venom to my tone flashing my pearly white fangs at him. I saw him wince and I had to hide my sympathy for him. “But you’re going to have to do something to make sure I did the right decision. You listening?”

          I watched him bob his head up and down frantically.

          “We vampires, we come in through unlocked doors and windows if you don’t invite us. Because if it’s unlocked then it’s assumed we’re welcome anyways,” I said hoisting him higher. There was hay all around us, stacks of it everywhere, and if I decided to drop him, he’d be safe and scurry off someplace hiding like a rat. “So when I let you go what are you going to do when I leave?”

          “L-l-lock…the doors…”he stuttered, cold sweat dripping from his forehead.

          I smiled releasing my grip from the dirty rag that was his shirt. He dropped like a Raggedy Anne doll and then scurried off hiding into one of the hay piles in the barn. He didn’t bother trying to run towards the door that led to the inside of his home.

          I guess it was too far for him.

          He was my last stop for the night and I turned my back ready to go home.  Every home in this little town had their doors unlocked and I was actually tired of acting like the Big Bad Wolf to scare them into locking their homes at night. Maybe it was the fact that they lived in the town where the great Louis Briggs, the hunter that brought spine chilling fears to any creature of the night, lived in this town. It was obvious he wasn’t here tonight, or I would have tried to talk to him. He might have tried to kill me on the spot, but trying to warn him about my clan and maybe, just maybe, he would scare Luna out of her skin so she’d pack the clan up and leave to another location.

          The only reason she picked this town was to get rid of the great hunter so she could gain more power over all. I loved my sister dearly, but I wasn’t going to let that happen as long as I was kicking around in this undead body.

          “W-w-w-wait…why…why did-d-didn’t you kill me?” the man asked poking his head up.

          I was almost home free but I spun around looking at him. I sighed rolling my eyes. “Do you want me to change my mind?”

          “NO!” He shrieked recoiling back into his hiding spot. “Please don’t…nice…evil creature lady.”

          I go around town making sure my “family” won’t take this town by storm and I’m still a monster!? I thought bitterly letting out a deep breath.

          But I couldn’t deny the truth, it made sense.

          I was part of a great deadly race. We were the creatures of the night. We used lechery against human kind luring them into our grasp. We drank their blood and we left them there to die. Or we did the worst; we let them become one of us. We lived forever and were immortal, Satan’s imps and soldiers against the war of heaven. We brought fear down the hearts of normal men and made the brave look nothing more than weaned Chihuahuas. We were nothing more than pure evil allergic to garlic.

          I lightly touched the golden cross around my neck and sighed heading out the barn.

          Unfortunately, that was everything I wasn’t. I had been a vampire for just about 500 years and never sucked on human blood. I would starve myself and wait until I found a diseased animal, that was about to kick the bucket anyway. Using good looks to get prey? I never even tapped into the ability of lechery we possessed and as far as I knew it, I wasn’t planning too. As for Satan, I feared him. I feared him more than anything. I was damned on Christmas Eve when I was sixteen and since then I was sentenced to hell. But if I was going to be immortal on earth I wasn’t going to give the devil what he wanted, what he intended for my kind to do.

          I was Catholic and I prayed every night. The cross around my neck I never took off since I was turned. It burned me for quite some time and there were nights I cried in agony, but I welcomed the pain willingly and adapted to it. There were even moments I would walk out into the sun. I couldn’t do it for long, I would begin to sizzle and I would have to crawl back into the hole I came from, but feeling the warmth of it’s rays on my dead skin made me feel a little more human than I was ever going to be again. It was better than skimping away into the shadows. I was one more shameful thing that separated me from normal vampires.

          I was deathly terrified of the dark.

          It wasn’t that I couldn’t handle walking around in the dark. Living as long as I had, it had become second nature to me. I could easily slip into the shadows without as much as a quiver from my lips. When I was a kid I was horrified of what could be lurking in the shadows. The boogeyman still scared me when I was sixteen. Luna had a blast rubbing it in my face by hiding in my closet one day taking blood from one of the lambs that had to be slaughtered for our dinner. She caked herself with it, keeping the door open just slightly. Entering my room that night and seeing my sister collapsing out of the closet looking dead with I’m coming for you Stella! painted on the wall was not one of the happiest moments of my life.

          Happy Sweet Sixteen to me!

          But on the night I turned I realized that everything that I was afraid of was real. All the stories and all the nightmares that parents coax their children at night saying it was all but fantasy was a pile of lies. The idea that the boogeyman could be just a dirty old sweater you got for Christmas from the grandparents was no longer a possibility. All of it was real. The demons, the lycans, and the vampires. Worst of all, I was one of them now. I became one of the defiling beasts I feared when I was human. Walking through the brisk of the night I did not fear what could come at me or what evils that lurked about.

          I feared what I, Stella, would unleash upon mankind when hiding in the shadows.

          Breaking into peoples homes and scaring them to death was the only thing I could do to make sure they’d be safe. At least at home there were lights, they could see me coming and I could warn. In the dark and open territory? It was open game, anything could happen and there was barely anything I could do to stop people meeting their demise. I just had to hope I wasn’t the one causing it, or the one that brought it to them.

          My ears twitched as a high pitch scream filled the dry air. My face tightened, the voice was young. Not a teenager, not even considered a kid. This little voice must have been a baby, a little girl. My arms shook seeing the mental image of a lycan ripping her head off or one of my own sucking her neck. This was vampire territory so it had to have been that one.

          Damn it! The clan wasn’t supposed to start hunting until everything was settled! Luna was supposed to let them run loose in two weeks! Who was stupid enough to risk Luna’s wrath and take blood tonight?!

          The answer hit me like someone punching my gut. My breath escaped my lungs as I pictured him holding that little baby, well maybe she was a toddler, and brutally damning her life. My legs were shaking and they felt like someone dropped two big cinderblocks inside me but I was able to start moving. It was slow at first taking one step at a time but soon I found myself sprinting. I didn’t have enough energy, vampyric energy, to disappear and appear in front of the b*****d so I just had to pray I would make it in time.

          When another tearful heart yanking scream shattered through my eardrums I was able to pick up my pace faster than I thought I could run on two legs.

          “Damn you Damian!” I hissed out. My un-beating heart seemed to bash against my ribs as I feared for the worst.

2

          He was there alright, being the biggest gloater a vampire can be when he decided to hold his little prisoner in a clear opening in the forest. Usually we dealt with our killings in the dark havens Satan granted us, but not Damian. He would boast and kill in areas where humans could show at any moment. It was just the way he was, which made it easier for me to track him down. He didn’t see me yet, but he was going too soon. If you saw him in the shine of the moonlight, you probably would have been entranced with his dangerous beauty, and not see that little girl squirming to get away. You might have been lost in that thick dark hair, wavy and the perfect length, just around the neck so it wasn’t too long but gave off that natural sexy appeal. Seeing it myself made me want to vomit. I couldn’t stand the perfection that he was, because he was nothing but a monster when he looked like an angel. If he wasn’t a vampire I swear he could have passed as one of the Fallen Angels that fought alongside Lucifer himself.

          I wasn’t distracted at all by this, what distracted me was the prisoner, that poor little victim that still might have a chance. It was the way he held her, by the collar of the shirt brought a chill down my spine. It was the same way I held the farmer and I must have looked just as scary as he did now.

          The only comfort I had seeing this image was that I was doing it to justify a better cause, even if it was still horrible. I was still a monster just like him, but it was the only excuse I could muster to make myself come to terms for what I was.

          And she was just a baby! She was probably four years of age, nothing more, and I was probably stretching the four. Her perfectly white nightgown was covered in dried blood. I had to guess it wasn’t hers, her neck was still clean and if Damian had done what I feared she would have been a hell of a lot bloodier. The girl had long blond hair, it was loosely tangled around her face like a wild forest and it showed me he must have had fun shaking her about like some Barbie doll.

          It was when I could hear the silent whimper trembling off her lips that I grabbed a rock and chucked it at him.

          Damian hadn’t sensed me at all, and if he had he would have been able to dodge my pathetic attempt at an attack. If he knew I was standing by a tree just about fifteen feet away he would have been right at me before I could blink. Unlike me, he was loaded with vampyric energy that it leaked out of his pours.

          But of course he hadn’t.

          The rock had smashed directly in to the side of his cheek, just below the eye. He shrieked, more out of sheer surprise rather than pain. A mere rock couldn’t hurt someone like Damian. He dropped her instantly jerking his head in my direction. The little girl didn’t run like the farmer did, instead she sat there mesmerized as her body shook violently.

          “You little b***h,” he growled, a trickle of blood ran down his cheek. His hands flexed in and out becoming balls of fists back to normal hands. “This is the last time you’re going to stop me from enjoying a good meal!”

          I smirked controlling the shakiness of my body. I just hoped I looked leveled and controlled instead of how I really felt now. “You know we’re not supposed to be out and about Dames. Luna will have your head about this, she’s wants everything under control when the hunter decides to make his entrance.”

          I didn’t have a chance to let out air when he was at me. He moved faster than I could ever dream of, his sharpened claws pressed deep into my cheeks as he forced me to look up at him.  “Stella, Stella, Stella,” he cooed, the anger that was in his voice dissolved away. His thumb pressed lightly on my right eye. “You know how much I hate that nickname don’t you? And your definitely smart enough to know that I don’t give a damn what your sister is going to do, and you don’t either considering you’re out and about.”

          His thumb pressed a little harder into my eye, he moved it gently but I had to bite my lip to prevent myself from shaking.  My hand grabbed a hold of his wrist, clenching my own claws into his skin hoping he would let go.

          It didn’t work. He just chuckled pressing his thumb on my other eye. “You still continue to be feisty even after you lost everything, don’t you Stella?”

          My mind began to spin and I could barely see Damian, just his thumbs. But even then my mind was reeling back on a memory I’d rather keep hidden. He wasn’t holding me, just my face but I began to feel two of my kind holding my down and punching my gut. I knew it wasn’t happening but I could feel it.

          Instead of seeing his thumbs I saw my sister and  thousands of red eyes staring at me waiting to see what was going to happen.  

          “I wonder if you should lose that other eye of yours,” he mused. I could barely feel his hand press harder on my thumb. Instead I could feel the memories. I felt the hands on my arms press me down until I crashed on my knees. I couldn’t see Damian anymore than I could see my own father. I just saw Luna approaching her hand reaching out for my right eye.

          I’m sorry Stella, but you left me no choice.

          “This ought to teach you to never interrupt me again,” he laughed pressing once again and this time I could feel it.  I saw Luna gouging out my eye and I screamed whipping out my hand and slashing whoever was in front of me. I could no longer tell if this was a memory or reality, if I hit Damian or my sister.

          Damian scowled dropping his grasp on me. His hands went to his face cursing words under his breath. I couldn’t hear him. I didn’t want to. I began to breathe heavily losing control of my feet and falling to the ground. I could feel the little girl’s arms around me at that moment. She was behind me, her little hands clasped in front over my belly. I looked up at Damian, his face mutilated with four hideous long scratches that went from the top of his eye down to the bottom of his cheek in a hideous diagonal. His eyes turned violently red glaring down at me.

          But he didn’t lunge, instead he turned into mist and disappeared leaving me with a little girl.

          “Is the boogeyman gone?” she whispered perching her chin on my shoulder. Her voice was shaky but that was not what I paid attention to.

          She was hugging me!

          I grabbed her hands and pulled the link apart quickly getting to my feet. “Yes…for now, where do you live?” I asked. I didn’t look at her but up at the sky. Damian never lunged because he never had time to. The sun was beginning to arrive which meant I had barely any time at all. I had to bring her home and somehow make it to a safe dark place before the sun killed me. Though the idea of dying this way brought a sweet lullaby to my ears.

          She nearly knocked me down lunging at me and clasping her arms around me in another hug. “You savered me! Thankies! You scared away the boogy!”

          I flinched once again grabbing her hands and pulling her away. I gave her a stern look. “Listen here, kiddo, I am not some sort of hero. You got it?”

          She smiled, those big blue eyes of hers widening with admiration. I couldn’t have her like me, it wasn’t safe for her or her family. “You big hero!” she giggled.

          I flashed my fangs at her baring out my hideous claws trying to look as monstrous as I was. I didn’t want to scare her, but for her own safety I had to.

          The little girl bared her own teeth posing in the same position I was in. She was laughing the whole time making a little growl acting fierce. My face sunk defeated. My hideous claws became normal nails again as my fangs shrunk to the little pricks they normally were.

          “Where do you live?” I sighed, my voice deflating.

          She pointed north. “Big red barn there! My daddy built it,” she said sounding proud.

          I sighed once again. The only farm in that town happened to belong to the wimpy farmer I just scared. My mind twitched on the idea of knocking on his door and saying Hey! I know I came here to eat you and all, but look! I found your little girl in the woods and here she is nice and safe! The blood? That isn’t hers; that belongs to a twisted vampire that I slashed up to bring her here. Slashing my own kind? Well, I really can’t tell you why I did that.

          I groaned at the horrid thought of that stupid speech. Hopefully I could just drop her off and skimp away. But I knew that wasn’t going to happen, I probably wasn’t going to make it there. I could feel the sun now, my skin burned but at the same time I enjoyed it.

          “Come on, I’m taking you home,” I said hoisting her up on my back. Her frail hands clung onto my neck. “Did he bite you?”

          “No,” she giggled kissing my cheek. I flinched. “You angel, thankies.”

          “I’m a monster! Stop doing that!” I hissed, at least she wasn’t bitten, that would just complicate things more than I needed them complicated.

          “You no monster.” She said matter-of-factly.

          I just shook my head heading towards her home. The sun was beginning to make its way for another day and since I didn’t have blood for days this meant I wouldn’t be strong enough to last when it finally reached it’s peak.

          And the blood on her dress was nauseating. It made my stomach growl and arouse the primal hunger that I denied for years. I just hoped that I didn’t snap halfway there. Goose bumps spread across my whole body seeing that little face filled with horror discovering I was a monster.

          And the farthest thing from an angel you could possibly get.

3

          How I survived not throwing her off me and biting into her neck I will never know. The blood had clogged my nose and half my senses, but by some miracle I made it. Maybe it was because that little girl never stopped talking. She told me all about herself and especially about some kid named Louie. I assumed it was her brother, but it was none of my business. Her uncle was watching over the place as her big, strong daddy took care of business in the West. Her mother was killed by the boogeyman, but she didn’t remember her very well, considering she wasn’t even one at the time. She only knew this because Louie and Daddy told her. She went on telling me that she went outside looking for Mr. Teddy-bear, because he went missing. When she checked by the shed, where apparently she contained a ultra Barbie scooter, the boogeyman swept her up and took her to the woods. A dog happened to be in the woods and saw the boogeyman with her. He lunged at the boogeyman in the clearing. She saw the boogeyman kill the dog and the poor pup’s blood was all over her. I felt sorry for her knowing when she got older she was going to have that memory of a vampire ripping a dog to shreds become her nightmare.

          Her talking also distracted me from focusing on the pain from the sun. My skin was sizzling and I could see smoke arising from my pores. And the Irish complained about being burned? I’d rather have my skin turn red instead of sizzling like some egg on the sidewalk on a hot summer day.

          We finally made it and I let her go. I fell on my knees feeling no strength in me in any shape or form. The little girl tried opening the barn doors but they were locked. The famer was actually smart enough to do what I asked. But it was horrible timing. My hand, still sizzling but my skin wasn’t crispy yet. I wondered if that was a good thing or maybe bad considering what I was. Either way, I feebly knocked on the doors. Everything began to spin and color began to fade. My mind already went through enough torture by reliving that horrible moment and now it was beginning to shut down because I was dying a second time. The little girl was saying something to me but I couldn’t hear her or see her.

          Everything just went black…

 

To be continued…

Reviews

[Chillbear Latrigue]

I really like where the story is going. The concept is great. Since I am reviewing in chapters instead of waiting until I read it all, some of my points may be off base. The protagonist seems to be the young woman telling her story. It appears that she has conditioned herself to be impervious to things that normally weaken or kill vampires. I think that is all very ingenious. I think she is coming across as a little too good. I know she has a bad attitude and is sassy, but I think that you need to blur the lines a little between here unusual morality and her overwhelming desire to feed on blood. Other than the wrath incurred by other vampires, I think it almost seems to easy for Stella to be good. I'm sure you've known addicts in your life. Most of the ones that I know are either prisoners to their addiction, or they are recovered and fight the constant urge to go back. That's how I see Stella in a way. I see that you can write a good story, but I want you to make me feel her agony. That, I believe, will set her up as great hero that you want. The plot points are excellent. A lot happened in this chapter. Can't wait to read more.

[Danny J.H.]

a great way to continue an amazing story

[ATG]

This was great. Very interesting. I liked how it ended. I can't wait to read more.

[Maximus. R.]

A vampire with a conscience interesting. Maybe it was the fact that they lived in the town where the great Louis Briggs. I would have liked it better if the Hunter had a more manly name Louis Briggs sounds French to me and the French are not scary. But so far so good..

[Wunderlich]

The ending is very appropriate, as now I want to continue reading. I'll check back on the other parts later.

[BarbCarAn]

"Whew!" What a story, I'm hooked! I will continue reading tomorrow, very interesting, not the usual run-of-the-mill vampire story. Loved the dialogue.