The Way

A Story by Natalie

A Vampire/ Past life story of finding your way in the darkness to the light.

The way

By, N .Barry

The Bitter taste of life

The angels descended, drawing their swords. Face to face with the beast, His pale face and cold hands still clutching the child. “Save her “He pleads, “Take of my blood and save the life of this angel I hold before you.”

1999 June 14^th

New York

The night sky seemed to hold so much mystery it made him think about the past, now it was his sun, His night light, the only refuge he had. He remembered a time he could run day and night which actually left him time to do things for himself. Now it seemed all he had time for was his never-ending hunger.

He did love the hunt he wasn't going to lie about that, But for hundreds of years people had been getting wiser, safer, and more ready, He couldn't count how many times he had been shot or stabbed. He walked along the now familiar streets of New York lowering his head not to cause any unwanted attention to himself. He put his hand through his long hair, which had fallen, in his eyes. He moved his eyes upward to see the line up of Prostitutes and sized each one up as he passed them, He knew it was just food, But his Human arrogance still wanted a beautiful woman that was worthy of his attention.

He saw his pray and walked up to her slyly, She turned to him pushing her long red hair away from her eyes she smiled lightly at him, he had not seen her here before she looked like a porcelain doll her skin like china, flawless, But it was the hair that drew him to her he had a weakness for redheads, He smiled at her and motioned for her to follow him without a word she followed him close behind, Every so often he would turn back to make sure she was still there, She looked at him each time with a nervous smile.

Finally he had her inside his apartment; she stood close to the door and looked around

“I, I have to get the money first" She looked down in embarrassment,

He pulled a piece of paper from his trench coat pocket and walked towards her, “It’s a fifty is that enough?”

He took her hand and opened it he put the money in it and closed her hand lightly, He could feel her pulse race and it excited him.

She looked up at him as she put the money in her small black bag, Her eyes looked sadder as she did this, He looked deeply in her eyes and was frightened by his thoughts, His heart raced like it had only done with one other woman, But that was so many years ago when he was a man, not a monster as he loved to call himself.

He lowered his head for a moment to collect his thoughts, she was nothing, he fought with his mind, she was food, He had been taught, and taught well to put his human emotions deep inside himself.

He collected his thoughts and walked over to his stereo, and clicked it on, The woman walked over to the couch and sat down removing her high heel shoes one by one, he did not turn to see her walk up behind him, she put her hands on his shoulders and then down his arms, he felt the warmth of her body close to him, His mouth watered with his hunger as he let out a sigh of ecstasy. He closed his eyes as she turned him around. His lips parted as he let out a moan of pure exhilaration and wanting, Her touch was soft and delicate, not like the countless other women he had been with.

It made him feel exposed like he was the pray, he lifted his head as she kissed his throat. He was frail and felt almost violated as she ran her hands over his chest and began to undo his buttons. He grabbed her wrists hard and she looked at him in shear terror, He smiled at the turn in the events. He let her wrists go and turned her head to the side moving her hair away he began to kiss lightly mischievously. This was more like it, he thought as she whimpered to his touch, He took her hair in his hand and he knew that the games were over, he wrapped it around his hand and pulled it back harshly sending her almost to the floor, he then exposed his teeth to her, He loved to see the terror on their faces before he would watch them die. A lone tear trickled down her cheek as she pleaded not to hurt her, He was no novice to being pleaded to, He had learned long ago to ignore their cries and their begging, and he plunged his teeth into her neck hard, she feel to the floor with an agonizing cry he sucked hard so the neibours would not hear any commotion, He rose off her now lifeless body and pulled the back of his hand a crossed him lips, looking at the blood on his fingers made him feel accomplished and he licked it off.

The next step was not one that Shane liked at all, he took no pleasure in body disposal, but it was something that had to be done. He sat on the floor be side the girls body his legs crossed and his chin resting on his hand, A smile lifted the corners of his mouth as he thought about all the things he had tried when he had first started killing, He thought that he could just put the body in a bag and leave it out for the Trash, that was till one night he woke up and dog had gotten into the bag and he had to run outside and bring the smelly body back in, she stayed in his house till he could no longer stand the stench of her rotting flesh , He remembered it was a particularly hot summer that year , Then he started cutting the bodies up and digging holes in the park, That soon stopped when some children decided to search for treasure.

But now years later after all the mistakes he had made he was sure he had it right, he got up and walked towards the bathroom to get things ready. He rolled up the sleeves of his shirt and grabbed a pair of rubber gloves. He reached for the large jug beside the tub and started to fill it up, when it was to satisfactory height he went to the living room to get the body, he looked down at her for one last moment and sighed, he lifted her up and over his shoulder, once in the bathroom he took off her clothes and through them in the corner, He put her tiny body into the tub and submerged her in the liquid Chloroform ,he smiled as it began quickly to eat away at her flesh and bone. It was perfect, so little work for him and such a time saver, when her face went under he turned away he didn't enjoy seeing the face be eaten away it made him feel sick.

He walked out of the bathroom and went to the kitchen he pulled out a large bottle of scotch and grabbed a glass from the sink he rinsed it out and poured himself a drink, He sat down at the table and looked at the glass for a few moments before picking it up, It felt good going down it was warm and stimulated his taste buds , Which for the most part was only stimulated with the taste of blood. He sat it back down and he realized that he could hear the bubbles from the chloroform eating away at her bones now and he knew he should have closed the door, He felt a chill go through him. As he anticipated what he knew he had to do next, sure the chloroform was easier but it wasn't perfect, He still had to scrape out the stuff that wouldn't go like small bones and teeth, it was something he took had to be done.

Somewhere in New York same night.

Kim Barns Sits outside her home and lights up a cigarette, She had tried to stop many times but it made her feel too good to inhale all that smoke and then she blew it out slowly, she looked at her cigarette and smiled and shook her head. How pathetic she was, she could hunt down cold-blooded killers and tell the authorities why they did it, but she couldn’t tell herself why she couldn’t kick this small but overwhelming habit of hers.

She sat back on the steps and looked up at the night sky; there were alot of stars out tonight, which was unusual for a night in New York. As she looked up her mind wonders, Back to her dungeon as she called it when she was taken, She remembered one dark night sitting alone looking out the small window, the sky was just as bright as it was tonight.

The memories were all she seemed to have lately besides the bad dreams which seemed to come so forceful lately that she did not sleep.

She sat up and looked and her cigarette, which was almost gone, she put it between her thumb and forefinger and flicked it into the yard. She stood up and stretched her arms up, Getting rid of the stresses of the day, and she turned and walked inside.

She walked to the bathroom and looked into the mirror, she was looking more then her twenty-seven years she thought, and she put her hand on her face and traced the small but noticeable lines around her eyes. She smiled at her vanity and pulled her long dark hair back in a ponytail, she ran the water in the sink and splashed her face twice with the cold water trying to wake herself up, It seemed that nothing would keep her up forever though she had tried everything, Late night movies, Endless cups of coffee, But she always seemed to pass out some time through the night.

She figured it wouldn't be so bad if she didn't remember the dreams, but she did every sick twisted moment of them. They started soon after her abduction and had become stronger and more real as she got older. She didn't like to think about that and she surely did not talk about it to anyone, She was as she called herself a loner, She didn't want to be pitied or looked down upon by anyone especially in her line of work, Weaknesses were something she could not afford to have, So she kept a low profile not letting anyone in ,shutting anyone that got to close out, That's just the way she was.

Kim sat herself on the couch and flicked the TV on, late night television had to be her least favorite thing in the world. It was an endless array of infomercials and talk shows.

Before long she was asleep drifting into abyss, her head snapped back with a force she had only felt from one person She looked up his faceless presents looking back at her " Our time is now"

She screams but no sound comes, it is all so real too real she thinks to herself.

A sigh of relief as he disappears behind the now opened door, she lifts herself off the dirt floor walking hesitantly towards the door, looking around the dark as she leaves her dungeon. She hears a dog whimpering and she walks towards the sound, Laying on the ground she sees the hurt animal, she kneels down and holds the animal in her arms crying with tears of sympathy, her dreams were the only place Kim could show her tears and she did without shame, as her tears fall she looks again at the animal who now looks like a man, he places his hand on her cheek " You can leave now " he says.

Kim wakes like always in confusion and disbelief, the dreams were so clear now.

At the New York Police Dept

The next Morning.

Kim walked herself silently over to her desk and sat, with the night dreams still on her mind she looked forward at her computer screen, she clicked it on and then looked over at the stack of files beside her, So much work she had to catch up on. But it seemed as soon as she finished her work there was still more to do, it was never ending. She opened the file on top and stared at the first victim, a young girl, about 17, prostitute, runaway .as she focused hard on the girls face her partner Richard Postman walked up behind her, he was handsome clean cut he had dark hair and eyes he was the closest thing she had to a friend.

“I am starting to think these girls were abducted by aliens"

She looked back at him and smiled her best fake smile.

“This guy is so close to being caught, I can feel it"

Richard put both hands on her shoulders and rubbed “don’t try too hard kiddo"

Kim not liking to be touched shrugged him off,

“I will catch this guy, before he strikes again"

Richard feeling a little rejected by her reaction to him touching her backed away

“I have some bad news for you “He handed her a file with the picture of a young girl paper clipped to the outside.

She took the file from him without a word knowing the killer struck again, and turned away, noticing her disappointment he walked back to his desk.

She started typing her reports and suddenly a force came over her and she stopped, she looked over at a man walking into the office he did not notice her at all, she stared at him for sometime, and felt an involuntary flush, and collected herself.

The man was tall distinguished looking, Richard walked up behind her again breaking her concentration,

“His name is La Montay, He owns a club that the last victim used to frequent alot"

Kim looked back at Richard, “Do they think he's the killer "?

Richard looked at the man who looked back at him with an evil almost knowing smile.

“Everyone is a suspect in my book"

With that he walked away leaving Kim eye to eye with the man. She had to turn away he seemed to look right into her, like he knew her thoughts her dreams, her fears.

She watched as the officers walked him to the questioning room, she shook her head as he disappeared behind the door. She tried not to think about the man the rest of the day but she could not forget the strange meeting, Her strange yearning to see him again She had never had such a strong wanting, it was almost an aching a hunger she had to satisfy.

As she walked to the coffee machine her boss stopped her,

“Listen Barns, we have an assignment for you"

She looked at him with an inquisitive glare

“What is it”?

Her boss motioned for her to go to his office.

“It’s a really important undercover job"

She followed him very interested in what he had in mind. Even though she already knew what he wanted her to do. She had always been able to do that read other people, which made being a behavioral Profiler much easier and partly why she had choose this line of work. But first and foremost she loved the hunt the stalking of killers...

Later that night...

Shane walked his familiar streets again, he had slept well that day and was more then ready to get back to his feasting, He lowered his head and walked slowly. As a light rain began to fall it took his mind away to a time when he was human, to a

man and his promises of a better life. How inviting it had sounded never to die, to live forever. At that time he was still so young so naive all he could think of was how much he could do, how much he could learn, it would be never ending. That was what made him take the mans gift of immortality, a gift, He smiled to himself now. More like a curse.

His mind jerked back to the streets he walked along now, the rain poured .He walked faster along the street. Noticing as he walked that there was know one along the streets but him, His hunger was growing intense as he stood and looked up and down the empty corners.

He needed to find food; His mouth watered as his stomach began to cramp .It seemed his hunger became more intense and forthcoming as the years went by. He looked around like an animal, for refuge and food. He then remembered a place one of his victims spoke of a place where she frequented often, BLACK GATE. A vampire club, he smiled as he walked towards where it was, he remembered her intensity when telling him she was a vampire.

“Are you afraid “? She asked him while she crawled towards him on the bed.

He smiled as he thought about her face when he bite into her chest and then strangled her.

“Are you afraid? “He had smiled back at her as she died. The absolute terror on her eyes at that moment was the most gratifying he could have hoped for.

Like a sign beckoning him to enter he saw the bar it was old run down looking, a large red light sign flashed Baldors gate. He walked in passed the bouncer who was dressed all in black and focused an unwelcome glace at Shane who ignored it and walked passed to the smoke filled room. Strobe lights flashed passed him, and music wafted throughout the bar, strange faces looked at him like he was a stranger invading their lair. He walked up to the bar,

" Scotch" he did not look at the bartender, He turned his attention to the dance floor where woman moved there bodies against one another, as the music beat carried him to a table with his drink now in hand.

He took a large drink almost emptying the glass already Alcohol seemed to curb his hunger, something he had learned through the years. While he sat a woman walked up to him. Without words she took his hand and he followed her onto the dance floor.

Kim who was already at the bar doing her undercover work watched this man with intensity she could not explain the attraction, yet he was a very good looking man, she just could not take her eyes off him and it was more then looks, more then simple attraction. It felt deeper. Stronger and it made her feel frail, virile. Like a child.

She watched him like a cat watching its pry, as he took the girl in his arms and swayed slowly to the music .as the turned she caught his eye, he smiled at her like he had known she was watching him and he knew what she was thinking. She turned away anxious and embarrassed, but she could not stay focused on anything else when she thought it was safe she turned back around, he was now running his hands through the girls long hair as he did he kept his uninterrupted attention on Kim like he was teasing her, or more so tempting her.

Shane took the girls hand when the song was over and he began to walk her towards the back of the club, Kim watched him until he had disappeared, when he was gone it was like she snapped back into reality, she shook her head at her own crazy thoughts that she wanted this man, she smiled abit at the thought of wanting someone in her life.

She had always held her freedom very highly, and she knew she could not let anyone into her life anyway. Or into her heart, it was just too cold and distrusting.

As her thought trailed on she remembered a time when things were normal, safe, happy, she was eleven her Mother was her world, she was always known as a loner though, and something Kim figured she inherited as an adult. Kim didn't mind being a lone though; she didn't like people to know too much about her, actually about her past....

It all started in June she had just turned twelve, The memories of that night only came to her when she went under regressive hypnosis at age Twenty, " No please No" She could hear her Mothers screams from down the hall. She sat up in bed and clung tightly to her blankets as it went silent, she looked around the room for an escape when she saw that there was none she wiggled her shaking body under her bed. The door creaked loudly and slowly making her move back even more. She saw his feet as he walked towards the side of the bed, he stopped there for what seemed like forever, her heart raced uncontrollably and she could have sworn he could hear it,

She listened to his breathing it was heavy; it was a sound she would not soon forget., Until he made his move, Like a wild animal he lifted the bed wildly, forcing her to hyper ventilate and eventually faint.

She closed her eyes holding back tears as the memories came forward like a speeding train, which never ended. She took a deep breath and swallowed hard her emotions as her eyes slowly opened, To her surprise he stood there, the man that she had been watching, he said no words and just smiled softly at her, sensing his intentions she followed him to the dance floor, The music was slow and seductive he put his one hand around her small waist and took her other hand in his he pulled her close to him like he was teaching her to trust him, She cooperated with his wishes and put her head to his chest, she inhaled his scent it was almost intoxicating, she closed her eyes as he guided her body with his.

As the music played all she could think of was how perfect and almost familiar this felt.

The music began to slow to an end she could feel his breath near her neck and then

Shivers of sensuality invaded her; he whispered “let me take it all away ",

The song ended and she opened her eyes, He was gone she stood looking around in confusion

Turning in circles she felt drunk. While stranger’s faces leered back at her like she was

an intruder.

As she walked home along the wet streets of New York her mind played over what the stranger had whispered to her, what had he meant? His words had played on her consciousness all that night, till it hit her square and recite,

As she leaned her head up against her pillow and drifted to sleep the words echoed, away, away from what?

She was there back in her dungeon, the door opened she looked at the floor as hundreds of rats scurried around her feet. She rose quickly off the floor, and hurried towards the door, but something seemed different this time it was unfamiliar to her, but why? She walked along a long corridor into a large ball room, it is dark and looks as though it has not been used in years, and she walks into the room as she looks at the large windows with an almost familiar sense in it. She is stopped in her tracts as the room begins to change, color begins to flow up the walls, the carpet beneath her feet turns red, Her eyes turn up towards the ceiling where there had been only cobwebs and wood now lay before her beautiful painted collages, Now the room was full of people who seemed to be celebrating something, she stood back as a young couple walked through the crowd, she listened as the Man began to speak holding up a glass,

I would like to thank all our family and friends for sharing in this very special day with Catherine and I,”

He stops and looks at the woman who’s eyes are full of tears.

" I can only think of this as a beginning of a lifetime of love and happiness", He takes his young brides hand and stares out towards the crowd and what seemed to Kim as strait at her,

" Time can never end a love so strong that defies all time and worlds, I shall love you till I die and die again, till time has no meaning till love has no reasons, And when you seem to be lost, I shall show you The Way ".

Then he looked straight towards Kim “Time will never keep us apart “

BUZZZZZZZZZZZ...

She wakes up, now more confused then ever, she had so many questions but know one to ask.

She rolled herself out of bed reluctantly she got ready for work, The whole time thinking about this stranger and the strange dreams that played on her self-conscious, When she got to her desk she flopped herself into her chair and leaned way back staring at the ceiling she took a single deep breath and tried to clear her mind, Her concentration was broken by her Boss yelling in her face,

“What were you doing”?

She opened her eyes and sat up strait puzzled she answered him as best she could

“What”

He put both hands abruptly on her desk causing her to jump back a little

“What the hell do you think you were supposed to be doing last night “?

She stared strait at him almost glaring

“I was conducting an undercover investigation, Sir"

He stood up and threw a folder on her desk

“Female, 21, prostitute, Found murdered last night outside of buldors gate, while you were supposedly conducting your undercover investigation”

With out letting her answer he walked away

She was glad because she had nothing to say in her defense, she put her head in her hands and breathed deeply,

“What’s up sunshine?”

She looked up to see Richard standing their holding two coffees,

“I blew it Rick" she stood up and grabbed her coat, Rick looked at her with concern

“What happened last night "?

She picked up the folder and handed it to him

“This is what happened”

As she walked briskly by him he opened the folder he then looked as she walked out the doors,

He knew she was way in over her head on this one, and even though she wouldn't admit it she needed someone on her side.

He walked after her .she eagerly walked faster to her car when she realized he was behind her knowing he was going to try to stop her from whatever it was she was planning on doing, Doing? She stopped flat in her tracks “what was she planning on doing? Her anger in her own self-worthlessness reeled her; she turned strait to Rick, who was now out of breath,

“What”

She yelled at him even though he was right in front of her.

Richard put both hands on her shoulders

“It’s not your fault, Kim"

Kim threw his hands off her and glared

“Then whose fault is it, it was my case, and I blew it,"

Rick still a little hurt by her dismissal of his trying to console her, just stood there

“Well aren’t you going to say anything, aren’t you supposed to be my friend”

Kim looked deep into his hurt eyes

“No, Kim I am not your friend, or at least that what you want, so deal with it”

With that he turned and started to walk away, But Kim couldn't let it go, couldn't let him have the last word as he walked away she searched her self for a reason to make him stay,

“I need you”

She covered her mouth after she yelled to him like it had involuntarily said those words.

Rick turned and looked at her with almost a sorrowful look in his eyes, he started to walk towards her

As he got closer she felt her eyes well up with tears and her chest fill with agony, He looked into her eyes and she look up at him hoping he couldn't see her hurt, her need.

He put his arms around her and to his surprise she didn't pull away she actually forced her self deeper into his chest like she could somehow hide there, They stood there like they were the only two people alive with out words there souls talked, Kim placed her head against his shoulder and could smell his cologne she closed her eyes and inhaled his manly smell,

Then she felt strange, She could not control her passion her longing to be near him she began to kiss his neck like she had never felt a mans touch before, Rick was shocked yet he went with it, He touched her back pulling her closer, She could feel his hunger for her as she felt a hunger for him, She felt almost animal like she kissed him hard and teased his lips with her tongue, while he ran his hands through her hair, she went back to his neck now licking it, tasting his salty skin, it tasted sweet to her . Her heart threaded as her pulse raced, she nibbled on his neck and then bit. She stood back as he let out a yell,

“What the”

Rickard put his hand up to his throat and then looked at it,

Kim stood back afraid and sorry

“I’m sorry”

She turned quick without a word and got into her car and sped off, leaving Rick standing there confused.

As she drove she caught her reflection in the mirror her lips were stained with Richards blood, she wiped it off frantically. Tears of fear and confusion streaked her face. Unknown to herself where she was going she just kept driving.

Later that night

Shane reluctantly got out of bed and drew the heavy blinds reveling the dimly lit streets below, He pushed his long hair away from his face and walked tiredly towards the kitchen, he opened the almost empty fridge and took out his bottle of rye He took a deep gulp and then sat at the table, he was tired, tired of life, tired of being alone, he looked up at the ceiling fan as it spun his mind wondered back to a time when he wasn’t alone.

The year was 1892 He was the son of a Coal miner; His Mother had died years ago of measles and rubella

He was too young to remember her but his Father had many wonderful stories he would tell his son about her, like how she loved to take her newborn son in her arms and sing rocking him as she walked around the room.

He loved to hear about his Mother she was the most wonderful woman in the world he thought, until she came into his life like a breeze of spring blossoms she came. She was the Daughter of a doctor and very well liked in town, He had watched her many times in church; he was shy and did not have the courage to talk to her, besides he had nothing to offer her. He was poor and uneducated, But one day she was walking home from town and he was behind her she kept looking behind, he just smiled and she smiled back then she turned around again and he saw her beautiful lips part,

“Do you want to keep following me or walk with me "?

He was shocked yet overjoyed, he ran up beside her

They talked all the way, about their dreams their family threes sad nesses. He had learned more about her in that short time then he had learned about anything in school. After that day they were inseparable. It wasn't long before they were married. They were happy for a while until the night she was taken from him. His father was ill and Shane went to look after him for a night, he had left his now pregnant wife at home alone, The next day he woke up and his Father had passed away he was torn apart as he called the doctor and told them to come and get his Father, he bent down at his fathers bedside and held his hand,

“Go be with Mother”

He walked out as the doctors walked in he left his horse and walked all the way home his tears streamed down his face as he walked towards his home he could smell smoke his eyes darted upwards as he saw fire engulfing his home he ran to the door way and covered his mouth as he pushed his way into the door, He yelled for his wife, yet there was no answer, He darted past falling boards and burning curtains, towards the staircase, The smoke now filled his lungs making it hard to yell, He walked slowly up the stairs his legs feeling heavy with pain ,He knew he was hurt but he did not know how badly. He eyes burned and his chest filled with pain and he began to lose consciousness and he got to the top of the stirs, with one final burst of energy he grabbed the railing he clung hard to it, as he looked through the thick smoke towards what was going to be the nursery, He could see a figure standing he looked up as it came closer, It was a man.

“Who, where"...

Shane could get out no more before gasping for his final breathes.

Then all went dark cold, He was alone, was he alive?

Shane opened his eyes slowly as light hit hard and heavy .He was in a hospital, He knew this because heaven or hell was not so busy. People where coming in and out of his room he could hear a Childs cries from a distance. He closed his eyes again, wishing that he had died than he would not have to live with this pain in his soul for the loss of his family.