Chapter 7: Resurgence

Upon finding that they had in fact not gained resistance to the sun, and after a dozen or so vampyres had tested it and turned to ashes, the rest of them inside the club had resigned to their daily rest. Kalvin and Veronica had decided to wait it out until night fell, so that they could get back Danielle and Victus, wherever they were being held.

 

That first day of light, there with Veronica, was the best day of Kalvin’s life so far; he could say that much. They didn’t really do anything; they just climbed up the stairs to the roof, and sat out in the sun all day, watching the planes go by. Kalvin had forgotten what airplanes actually looked like, as he had seen them as little red and blue lights in the black sky for so long. They looked over the edge of the building, and Kalvin watched all the humans going about their daily business. Shopkeepers swept the sidewalks in front of their shops. Pedestrians purchased hot dogs, newspapers, and even flowers, all from street-side vendors. This fascinated him. He watched delivery trucks bring in fresh food for the local grocery shop. The streets really came to life during the day, and that was how he felt inside now. It was exhilarating.

 

Veronica, meanwhile, tested out some of her newly gained strengths. She could hear a cat padding around in the alley below them, without even looking down. She could see it, too, as clear as a bell, even in the murky shadows of it, as she confirmed her senses. And with Kalvin’s help, she tried not to squeal as they leapt from the Club building to the next one, and back. Both of them were enjoying their new bodies.

 

This kept them plenty entertained throughout the afternoon, until the sun began to complete its course, and came closer to the opposite horizon. Kalvin and she sat curled up on the rooftop, watching the sky change into something like a painting. Kalvin had never seen this before; and Veronica had never seen it so clearly. Finally, when the light had disappeared; they knew that their kind would be waking any minute. Time for a second rescue; though they expected it wouldn’t be too difficult, for the guards had lost their leader.

 

As they expected, when they made their way back to the ceremonial chamber, many of the guards had returned there, wondering what had taken place; what had gone wrong? When they saw Veronica and Kalvin, they put the pieces together. Kalvin was sure they would attack – but instead, they holstered their weapons and each bowed his head once, in respect. He could guess why: they had lived their entire vampiric lives hearing about the Prophecy, and they were not about to contradict or attack the Vessel. She nodded to one nearest a chamber door.

 

“Fetch his companions,” she ordered in a quiet, but commanding tone. He immediately obeyed and disappeared through the archway. After a few moments, Danielle and Victus entered the chamber, unharmed, with the guard following suit.

 

“We thought you were done for,” remarked Victus, exhaling in relief. Danielle nodded

and raised her eyebrows as well, expressing her previous worries. Kalvin patted Victus on the shoulder.

 

“Good to have you back,” he said with a grin. He turned to glance at Veronica. “Let’s get out of here.” Without question, the four of them made their out of the chamber, through the anterior chamber, down the hall, and back to the stairwell, where they made their slow descent to the main floor of the Club. I wonder if anyone will run the club now, Kalvin mused. It would probably turn into another deserted building, like so many others.

~

“So what happens now…?”

 

They sat on the couches in Kalvin’s apartment; for the most part their trip had been silent: in the car, all the way up to the room, and for the past five minutes. Veronica had finally broken the stupor that held all of them. Danielle shrugged.

 

“We probably just had the most climactic experience of our lives. What can you do after something like that…?” It was difficult to tell whether she sounded sardonic or serious. Kalvin felt it had always been that way with her. Victus spoke next.

 

“We made a pretty good team back there,” he remarked, with a nod of his head. Danielle and Kalvin silently agreed. “And now we have a demi-goddess in our midst,” he added, with a somewhat teasing smile directed towards Veronica. She rolled her eyes; but then sighed, deep in thought.

 

“I think we should stick together,” she said, staring thoughtfully at the patterns in the wooden floor. “We could use some unity around here.”

 

Kalvin made a mock-confused face. “But… what about that boyfriend of yours?”

 

Veronica shrugged. “Eh. Honestly…? I bet he’s already got some other girl over there. Wouldn’t surprise me. Besides… I don’t think he’d want some blood-sucker for a girlfriend.”

 

Kalvin shrugged exaggeratingly. “Oh, I dunno… Doesn’t sound so bad to me.” He looked at her, a seriousness falling over him. Veronica’s eyes glistened. Victus coughed.

 

“Hey, Dani, want a drink? Compliments of Mr. Riley,” he said. Danielle looked a bit confused.

 

“No, I’m fine–”

 

He got up and dragged her by the arm. “To the kitchen then!”

 

Veronica chuckled quietly as the pair left them in the living room area. Kalvin smiled.

 

“I suppose you’ve known them a while?”

 

 

“Decades.”

 

Veronica nodded. “So… You really mean what you said…?” She swore she saw the slightest tinge of red flush into his cheeks. “I meant what I said, too. I think we should stay together – the four of us,” she said, as she reached for his hand and took it in her own. “We can even get a place for all of us, and it will be our own… and maybe it will grow into something larger some day. We can’t tell now.” She paused. “But, I just know… If we split up now, all of this will just go away, like it never happened. And I can’t handle that feeling.”

 

Kalvin squeezed her hand. “I agree with you completely. In fact… There’s a name for something like that. A congregation of vampyres, living together like a family in one house. It’s called a coven.” Veronica nodded in recognition; she’d heard that term before in vampyre legends.

 

“That’s precisely what it would be. We’ll all stay together, and form our very own covenhood.” She paused, and a knowing grin came over her face.

 

“What?”

 

“It’s just… Aronius–” Kalvin’s face twitched a little at the name. “…Aronius said that a new age of vampyres was coming. And he was right.” She looked Kalvin in the eye. “And we are it, Kalvin. And nothing is going to stop us.”

 

Kalvin heard these inspirational words from her, and he thought to himself that Veronica had not once before looked more beautiful to him. Even that first night, when he met her, scared and alone in that alley; she had been beautiful to him. But now, she was a vampyre – and his. His alone. Kalvin leaned in towards her gorgeous dark face, and without restraint planted his lips upon her own.

 

Victus and Danielle peered around the kitchen wall at them.

 

“Maybe we should give it a go,” muttered Victus, with a tone of removed hopefulness. Danielle rolled her eyes and pushed his shoulder.

 

“Give it a rest.”

 

“Oh, come on! I mean, now that we’re going to be in a coven and all…”

 

“I said, give it a rest, Vic.”

 

Victus sighed, and regardless slipped his arm around her waist.

 

Outside, it was a remarkably clear night. A few stars twinkled in the great blanket of navy blue, reflecting the most recent lift of darkness from the world.

 

Author's Note

Note: The end! That's it, for now... This is also a set-up for a sequel I'm planning, concerning the new friendships between Veronica and Kalvin, Victus, and Danielle.


And I know the ending's a bit cheezy. But I like it that way. Heh.

Reviews

[cuddlebear62]

sounds good. like what I read. Need to finish and lengthen to make into a novel.

[Adela Muresan]

Your ideas are great and all but� everything happens a bit too fast : them falling in love, Veronica becoming a vampire , the prophecy � ( witch is very poorly described) and the other vampires bending to their will even with her being the Vessel .

You took things a bit too far by making Vic come on to Danielle just after Kalvin and Veronica kissed.

But it's a good write, nonetheless.

A.M.