Being Human (14 page)

“There you are,” Risen panted when he reached Fallen. “We've been looking... all... over...” His voice faded, stopping both himself and Settle as I dropped down from my perch.

I paused in my own tracks, confused. Didn't they recognize me from the night we met? I took a step forward, prolonging my smile. “Hi.”

They didn’t reply as they inched closer to Fallen. When she was within arm's reach, Risen grabbed her and pulled her away. The distance between us was about the length of the parking lot when they stopped and began talking.

“Are you insane?” Risen whispered. “Do you want to die?”

Fallen scoffed, her voice much louder. “Please, if he wanted to kill me, he would have done it the night we met.”

“There were three of us!” Risen's voice jumped in pitch. “Vampires never attack crowds.”

“That was hardly a crowd,” Fallen snorted.

“Enough of a crowd,” Risen replied. “It could have killed you, then me or Riley. All of us could have died!” He leaned closer, lowering his voice more. “There's been some talk around campus. There haven’t been any deaths, but the college heads are thinking about calling VF. They don't want a vampire on campus, bad publicity.”

Fallen scoffed again.

Risen’s scowl deepened. “This is serious, you know what people will say.”

“I don't care what people say and I thought you didn't either,” Fallen challenged.

“I don't,” Risen said defiantly.

“No one in their right mind wants to be seen as a sympathizer,” Settle said softly.

“I don't want to be a sympathizer!” Fallen hissed.

“We know what you want,
Fallen
. You've made that perfectly clear,” Risen snapped. His eyes narrowed when she didn’t respond. “Fine, if you’ve made up your mind. Guess we’ll start treating you like one. Come on, Riley.”

“Find them first,” Fallen muttered as the two humans hurried away.

I walked to her, watching her friends disappear. My chest felt crushed, the whispered conversation revealing. “They don't like vampires; they don’t like me.”

Fallen scoffed. “That night at the field, they were too high to realize you were a real vampire. They said it wasn't possible, that you would have killed us instead of talked. They don't know anything, they don't know me.” She sighed, wiping the anger away and quickly changing the subject. “Halloween is coming up and there's this place I go every year; they have a party to celebrate the spirits. Want to come?”

“Why?”

“Why not?” she replied with a grin.

“That won't work on something that pointless.”

“Fine, because it's fun.”

“Do I look like I care about fun?”

“You'd do it if your
precious brother
asked,” Fallen muttered.

“My brother wouldn't risk my safety by insisting I go somewhere with humans. In case you haven't noticed,” I motioned the way her friends had retreated. “Humans hate vampires. You should hate vampires.”

“Why?” Fallen demanded. “Because you drink blood?”

“Because if I was inclined, I'd kill you. It wouldn't bother me and I wouldn't feel guilty or mourn you. The only reason I haven't is because I like talking to you. I like having a...” My voice died.

I finally understood a human behavior. Friendship. I understood why humans made those connections with each other. I didn't talk to my brother just because he was my brother. That was the reason I didn't kill him three years ago. I talked to him because I enjoyed his company. He was my friend and so was Fallen.

A smile filled my face and I was sure my brother would be proud of my human discovery. “I won’t kill you because you’re my friend.”

****

“Tommy.” My name drifted like a whisper in the wind. I froze and listened closer, hearing leaves softly rustle and cars driving in the distance. Around me, human heartbeats called like a siren. My name didn’t repeat, the voice falling silent.

Fallen watched my frozen form, eyes boring into me. “Is someone coming?

“Something's wrong,” I replied. Feelings churned in my chest, growing with each passing moment. Annoyance and anger bubbled, tugging at me. I let the emotions pull me, leading me across campus as Fallen hurried behind.

“Tommy!”

There was no mistaking the voice this time. It grew louder with each step I took, my brother calling my name again and again. His voice ended at the dorms, a group of humans filling the doorway of one and more clustered inside. A few were pleading with him, trying to convince him to go back inside.

“Come on, Dan,” a short, stocky male I recognized said. “You drank too much and don't know what you're saying.”

My brother jerked away. He wavered, almost falling, as he jabbed a finger at the short, stocky human's chest. “I know exactly what I'm talking about. I'm talking about my twin brother, who's a vampire.”

“You don't have a brother,” the short, stocky human insisted.

“Yes, I do!” my brother snapped, his words slurring together. “Whyou... why do you think I live with my aunt and uncle? Because my brother got turned and came back and killed our parents. He killed our parents and he can't even give me the decency of showing up on the night he did it. Tommy! Where are you, you leech bastard?”

“You shouldn't say stuff like that, Dan,” a girl said. “It's not right.”

“You're not right,” my brother snapped. “Why don't you go have a few more shots and kiss the next guy you see? It's what you've been doing.”

The girl made an offended noise and anger flashed across her face. “Since you're drunk, I won't take you seriously.”

“Whatever,” my brother snorted. “Why won't he come? I said his name. Can't he feel my pain? Doesn't he care what tonight is?”

He started to sag, letting the short, stocky human grab him and maneuver him towards the door. “Let's get you inside and to bed.”

“My room's open. He can crash there for a few,” another human offered.

“Thanks,” the girl said. “We'll get him back to his room later.”

My brother was led through the door, the rest of the humans following. They muttered and whispered as they piled through, discussing his behavior.

“He always rambles about a brother when he's drunk.”

“Tony said he never met a brother.”

“Maybe the brother was killed by the vampire and he's in denial. They say it happens.”

“Who knows, he's wasted and people say crazy shit when they're drunk. Probably won't remember what a fool he made of himself tomorrow.”

Fallen pulled on my arm. “Come on, he's drunk. Let his friends take care of him.”

I looked back at the dorm, at the scene through the glass door. Humans crowded the lounge, huddled in groups, cups in hand. The short, stocky human and girl rejoined the crowd. One by one, their voices halted, the loud music forgotten as the humans noticed what was among them.

I had never been around so many humans, not in an enclosed area. I should have stayed closer to the door, giving myself a clear view of my only escape route. Pushing my instincts and nervousness back, I made my voice loud enough to be heard over the music.

“I'm looking for my brother. He wants to see me.”

No one answered and I wasn't surprised. Humans were thrown off when I let them see me. Even more when I talked to them, asking for help. But it didn't matter if these humans were struck speechless, I caught my brother's scent. I dashed up the stairs, footsteps following as a voice yelled in panic.

“Don't let it find Dan!”

It took me seconds to find the room that held my brother. I dashed to the bed, sliding onto my knees. “Danny.”

His eyelids fluttered open. “Tommy, what… When did I get back to my room? My head is pounding, how much did I drink?”

“You called me, you're not in your room and I have no idea how much you drank.”

“I'm not in my room?” He bolted up. “Ow!”

“What's hurt?”

He gripped his head. “My head, sat up too fast. Damn. Why did you come? Are you nuts?”

“I heard you call my name. You wanted me to come,” I replied weakly.

“I'm drunk. I say and do a lot of stuff I don't mean when I'm drunk.” He looked sideways at me. “How many people saw you?”

I glanced at the door full of fearful humans. I looked back in time to see his eyes follow. “All of them.”

“All right,” he muttered and threw his legs over the side of the bed. He pinched the bridge of his nose, squeezing his eyes shut. “Did anyone call VF?”

“No, we didn't want to get busted,” the short, stocky human replied.

“Good, go downstairs and tell everyone it’s cool. He won't hurt anyone. He's like a pet tiger.”

“Tigers eat people,” the short, stocky human said.

“Only if you piss him off, so don't give him a reason.”

Slowly, the humans disappeared. The short, stocky human was the last to leave, eyes darting between me and my brother. He dismissed the short, stocky human with a wave.

He rubbed his face, groaning. “I'm still drunk and it's fading, which is good. Usually I pass out and forget what happened. I'll remember everything I said for once. Damn. You've never shown up before when I've gone on a rant.”

“You've called me before?”

“Yeah, we get talking about vampires and I mention my vampire brother and insist I can prove it. No one believes me, then I pass out and forget what I said until someone tells me.”

“Did you really think I didn't know what tonight was?”

He shrugged. “You don't pay attention to dates and you’ve never said anything about it before.”

“I didn't think you wanted to remember. You always say anything related to Mom and Dad's death is tainted, so I figured the night was tainted.”

He gave me a weak, tired smile. “You can mention that night. Aunt Dee and I always make a trip back home to visit the graves and lay some flowers. I always wished you could be there too.”

“I like that idea.”

“Mean it?”

“Would I lie?”

He snorted, then winced. Wobbling, he pushed to his feet. I grabbed his elbow to help keep him steady. “Oh this sucks, everything is spinning. Don't let go or I'll fall flat on my face.”

“They're going to separate us again. Take you away and try to destroy me. What if I don't find you again?”

He turned to me with a serious look. And fell forward. His face smacked into my shoulder, his hands flailing. For a moment he stood there, face buried against my shoulder, hands gripping me. Then he started shaking with laughter.

“What's funny? I think you bit me,” I informed him.

He laughed harder. “I wish I could have seen myself. Oh, I just drooled on you.” He dissolved into fits of laughter, barely staying on his feet. Finally, he tried to calm himself. “I'm sorry, I'm still a bit drunk and that was funny. Now, come on, you’re walking me through a room full of drunk college students.”

The humans fell silent when we appeared at the top of the steps. Their eyes followed us, watching and waiting to see what I'd do. I wondered who was more nervous: them or me.

“Dan, what are you doing? That thing will kill you.” the girl from outside whispered, a hint of annoyance in her high voice.

I growled at her, irritated at being called a thing.

“Stop it,” my brother ordered me. He looked at the girl who had shrunk behind the short, stocky human. “If he wanted to kill me, he'd have done it already.” He planted himself firmly, refusing to let me take him to his dorm. Instead he raised his voice, eyes daring any of the humans to speak. “This is my brother. He’s very real, very dead and mostly harmless.”

I smiled, trying to look harmless.

“Don't do that. You'll freak everyone out,” he ordered.

I dropped my smile.

“Now you look like you want to eat everyone.”

“I do.”

“I should smack you.” He looked back at the humans. “I'd appreciate everyone not calling VF. Tommy's–”

“Hey!” I interrupted.

“Rick, Kate, Linda, Susie, Jerry, Casey, Arik, Kel, Tyler, Vinny, Matt, Scott, Michelle and Charissa. Now you know their names.” He jabbed a finger at me. “You're not going to eat any of them.” He turned his finger at the humans. “And no one is going to call VF. I'm not crazy or a sympathizer or any of that crap. If anyone can't deal with my association with my brother, then don't talk to me.”

I felt he wanted to march out of the building on his own, but he had started to shake. Sweat covered his forehead and a green tint was creeping into his skin. I kept one hand on his elbow, supporting him with as little contact as possible as we walked out the door.

The humans watched us from the building, hiding behind the glass doors. The short, stocky human looked conflicted, like he wanted to break away and help my brother, but didn't want to break away from the group of humans at the same time.

“I don't think anyone's calling Vampire Forces.”

“No one wants to get busted.” My brother weakly laughed, grinning. “That felt great, showing people you’re real. I don't have to make up excuses for leaving early. I can say,
My vampire brother's coming to visit tonight
.”