The Two Vampires (5 page)

‘OK, if you’re so sure, go ahead and drive.’

‘I am.’

Daniel looked a little worried.

‘What is it?’  Sarah asked.

‘I’m not sure, I have a feeling too.  And it’s of unease.  Why would you suddenly think to go to a specific place?’

‘I really don’t know - I just feel this impulse.  It’s like we’ve got to go there.’

‘Do you often get feelings like this, that you can’t explain?’

‘I don’t think so.  Let’s go,’ said Sarah, she was getting impatient and wanted to be moving.

Sarah picked up her keys, she appeared to have discarded them in her moment with Daniel.  She felt a pang, should I really be acting like this when Jo’s still missing?  But where the hell is he?  And it’s not like he hasn’t done anything like this before.  And, Daniel, there’s just something unexplainable about him.  I’m intensely drawn to him.  I’ve never felt so strongly attracted to anyone before.  The way he makes me feel, the way I gravitate towards him.  It’s like I’m not in control, like he’s in control of me. 

She started to move closer to Daniel again.  He was still watching her, thinking, but she shook herself and made herself head for the car door, wrench it open and climb inside.  Soon Daniel was next to her and she smiled at him.  He gave her a glowing smile in return, making her insides melt again, and making her feel like everything would be OK. 

‘I will go with you,’ he said, looking into her eyes, ‘but when we get out the car I want you to stay close.’

Sarah looked back into his eyes, so beautiful, and was lost to his words, his influence seeping in.  When he looked away Sarah saw him frown and wondered what he was thinking.  But her compulsion to visit this place persisted so she started the car and drove towards the woods.

Daniel reached out and brushed her cheek as she drove, then placed his hand, possessively, on her leg.  Sarah couldn’t help but smile, and shot Daniel a look.  He looked beautiful, still smoldering.  It was a wrench to put her eyes back on the road.

The road wound around and they found themselves approaching the quarry and Quarry Bridge.  Sarah drove carefully over, there were steep drops on either side, and entered the smaller roads.  From here on the roads were surrounded by a dense canopy of trees.  Sarah was quite familiar with them - she’d lived in the area all her life and had long been a fan of forest walks.  She had walked all the trails for miles around, and sometimes explored off track too.  As a teenager she had camped in the woods with friends, freaking each other out with ghost stories.  She felt at home in the woods, and at peace.  If only she could find Jo and sort this mess out.

Sarah saw the turning she’d been looking for, and felt Daniel tighten his grip on her leg as she turned into the forest, the tall conifers shading their way.  The track was rough and stony but her car could handle it if she took it slow.  She glanced over at Daniel again - he was looking around, peering through the trees, alert.

When she looked back on the road she saw the place she’d been thinking of, a little further down the track.  A clearing where she’d parked before.  When she reached it she pulled up and turned off the engine.  ‘We’re here.’

‘This is the place you thought we should come?’ Daniel asked.

‘Yes, here and the surrounding woodland.’

‘Don’t be disappointed if we don’t find anything.  And remember, stay close.’  And he gave her a grin, before exiting the car and dashing round to her side before she’d even finished undoing her seatbelt.  Sarah watched, amused, as Daniel opened her door and extended his hand.  As she took it fresh tingles shot up her arm and Daniel pulled her to him, teasingly, before closing her door. 

This close, Sarah thought he was going to kiss her again, but he kept hold of her hand and walked back to the track they’d driven up, carefully inspecting the ground.

‘It looks like someone’s been here recently,’ he said.

‘How can you tell?’

‘These car tracks, they look recent.  They would have washed away in the rain if they were more than a few days old.’

‘People don’t drive up this way often,’ said Sarah.

‘No, I don’t suppose they do.’

‘Let’s follow them, find out where they go,’ said Sarah, pulling him after her.

***

Sebastian smirked to himself.  He had been listening very carefully and he’d just heard the sound he was waiting for; a car.  It looked like his plan had worked.  They were here.  He was excited to see how his plan would pan out.

Jo had just taken out that deer and his face was smeared with blood, but he was still ravenous as animal blood didn’t compare.  

‘Jo, it’s time to hunt again now.  Listen carefully, try to extend your senses even further.  When you find pray, draw it towards you.’

He watched as Jo closed his eyes and focused hard on the animals in the forest.  Sebastian turned himself into a bat and flew up into a tree to watch the action, and to be out of Daniel’s way when he realized what was going on.

Jo’s ears pricked and Sebastian suspected he had heard that distant heartbeat, the heartbeat of a human.  Jo would be able to pick that up already.  It was such a natural instinct, the attraction to the sound of the human heart pounding.  He probably wouldn’t even notice there was another vampire with her. 

He didn’t think any of them were in any real danger.  Daniel would stop Jo hurting Sarah.  Sarah would stop Daniel hurting Jo.  It was the emotional response he was eager to watch, and the consequences he would find amusement in.

He sensed Jo sending out tendrils of power - he must be wrapping them around Sarah now, pulling her closer.  I wonder if Daniel will even notice.  I would, but then, I am stronger than Daniel.

In the distance he spotted movement as Sarah appeared, Jo’s full attention on her.  Sebastian watched Jo’s teeth extend in anticipation of her blood.  He knew he desired Sarah’s blood, Sebastian had picked up that thought trail from Jo.  Thoughts could project themselves like wisps of power, only detectable by those strong enough, and interested enough, to perceive them.

Jo froze as he watched Sarah, his prey, appear.  Then, without a thought, acting on pure instinct, he sprinted.  Sebastian watched as Daniel’s eyes snapped into focus - in less than a second he had released Sarah’s hand.  Moving at lightning speed he was in front of her, bracing himself for Jo’s attack.  Sebastian laughed - this was brilliant, just what he’d hoped for.  Jo skidded to a halt snarling, teeth extending, looking for a way to get around the wall that was Daniel.  The look on Sarah’s face.  Magnificent!  Shock, anger, horror.  She was stepping away, removing herself from the situation, preparing to run, yet transfixed on the sights before her.  She looked so tempting Sebastian nearly abandoned his plan and considered going into the fray and just taking her for himself.  He withheld that desire though, and watched. 

Jo went for it, he obviously couldn’t help himself.  The desire was too strong, and he didn’t yet understand Daniel’s strength.  All he could think of was the blood.  Sarah’s blood.  He tried to ricochet off a tree, jumping towards Sarah.  Daniel was faster, he blocked Jo’s path with his body, but he tumbled down and Jo darted over his head towards his goal. 

Sarah hastily backed away, too shocked to do anything but stare now.  Watching her husband, a monster.  A vampire. 

Sebastian could see Jo - he looked wild, fierce, bloody, savage.  As any new vampire would.  Jo launched himself at Sarah, pushing into her chest and flattening her against the leafy floor.  Daniel was fast though, he righted himself and grabbed Jo from behind, yanking him off Sarah.  Soon Daniel would lose control of himself, Sebastian could see the signs.  This was definitely good afternoon entertainment, a fun way to while away the hours until the real hunt tonight. 

Jo pulled his hungry eyes away from Sarah, the most desirable prey a new vampire could wish for, to eye up this new vampire protecting her.  He attacked, launching himself at Daniel with all his speed and strength.  Sebastian was impressed - Jo was pretty strong for a newbie.  Jo knocked Daniel back, trying to take him out, to reach Sarah. 

As Daniel fell back he hit a tree, snapping off a branch as he did. 

This is not so good, thought Sebastian. 

Jo lurched towards Daniel - meaning to rip his head off from the look of the snarl on his face.  Daniel rammed the wood into Jo’s shoulder.  It sank deep - not a killing blow, it didn’t touch his heart. 

Sebastian watched Jo’s reaction; he actually hissed, first at Daniel, then at Sarah, before running at lightning speed away from the scene.  Sarah looked from the retreating Jo, to Daniel, rugged from the fight.  She backed away from him, fear and horror on her face as she ran. 

Sebastian swooped though the sky after Jo, leaving the now revealed Daniel behind.

Sarah reached her
car, stumbling the final few meters.  Her chest was tearing apart, she was heaving with emotion, not even knowing what she was feeling.  Jo.  What had happened, what was he?  How could this happen?  This was the end of everything.  She fumbled for her keys, not finding them in her state, instead crumbling to the floor.  Daniel was soon at her side, she could see him through her tears, rumpled, muddy, yet gorgeous.  She stood up, anger igniting and pushed him back.  

‘You. 
You
, stopped him. 
What are you?
’  And she pounded his chest, not caring about the consequences.  Her breath tore in her chest, her face wet, she was sickened.  She pushed Daniel again and turned away, pounding her car.  The metal hurt her hands but she didn’t care.  The pain was a distraction.  Then she slumped once more to the ground, feeling the earth against her fingers, the cold air surrounding her. 

Daniel leant down and fumbled in her pockets, and she let him, not caring about anything at this point.  She felt his arms lifting her up and sliding her into the passenger seat.  He fastened her seatbelt, making her feel like a child.  He then climbed into the driver’s seat, started the car and drove away as fast as he could manage on the bumpy track. 

Sarah continued to cry the entire way home.  When they arrived Daniel didn’t wait around, he exited the car and hastened to Sarah’s side.  Sarah felt numb as he helped her out, picking her up again and carrying her to her front door.  He unlocked it and took her inside.

He gently laid her on the sofa, her heart so painful she found it hard to breathe. 

Sarah barely grasped that Daniel was now on the phone.  She could hear him but she felt far away.  He was calling her parents, telling them to stay in, not to let the children out - saying that he would explain later.  Then he was in the kitchen, while her breathing became shallow and came in gasps.  Sarah looked through her swollen eyes as Daniel returned, hot drink in hand and placed it on the table next to her. 

Then he was holding her chin, ‘Look at me Sarah,’ and she couldn’t help herself, she looked into his eyes through her tears and he said, ‘It’s OK.  Calm down.  I will take care of you.  We will work out what to do.  You don’t need to be scared.’ 

Despite herself, Sarah became lost in his eyes, found herself succumbing to his influence.  Her breathing slowed enough to take her drink as Daniel pushed it into her hands.  He joined her under the blanket on the sofa and Sarah melted into his arms as he held her close.

***

Jo tore the wood from his shoulder.  It splintered as it left his body, causing ripples of intense pain.  As his blood lust subsided he found a good branch to sit on and took deep breaths, trying to find calm.  Sarah.  Images of their past together flashed through his mind.  Picnics in the wood, dinners, movies, childbirth.  Love.  Lust.  Restlessness.  Lust for other women.  Betrayal.  Boredom.  Blood - he wanted it.  Who was that vampire she was with?  The one who had stopped him feeding.  Why was she with a vampire at all?  Why were they here?

Sebastian landed next to him. 

‘Did you orchestrate this?’ Jo asked.

‘Me?’ He laughed. ‘I thought you might like to face your past.  Meet your enemies.’

‘That vampire.  Who was he?’

‘Daniel.  My nemesis.’  Sebastian laughed again, he couldn’t take the situation too seriously.

‘What was he doing here?  Why was he with Sarah?’

‘Well, he was here because she brought him.  I influenced her to come so you could see her.’

‘So I could see her?  Why?  To ignite my passions?  To anger me?  To make me hunt her?  Or to make me hate him?’

‘Does it have to be only one reason?’ Sebastian said, eyebrows raised.

‘How do you know this Daniel?’

‘I sired him, as I did you.’

‘But he’s no longer under your control,’  Jo said.

‘No, you could say that,’ answered Sebastian.

‘Why not?’

‘Hmm, it’s complicated.  He retained too many feelings from his humanity.  You don’t need to worry about it.  Together we can avoid him, he won’t get in our way much.’

‘But he 
was 
in my way.  I wanted her.’

‘It was good he was in your way, I planned it like that.  Had you drank her blood, gloried in it, killed her, you would have regretted it later, when this new lust for blood has diluted in intensity.  But now you’ve seen her, you can start processing your feelings.  It won’t be such a shock next time you see her.  Should it be in public for instance.’

‘What are your plans for me?’ asked Jo.

‘We’ll see.  We may just take over this little town, one victim at a time.’

***

Sarah, freed from her fear now, pulled back from Daniel and looked into his dark eyes.

‘Now I’ve calmed down, will you tell me Daniel?’

‘Tell you what, specifically?’

‘What’s going on?  What has happened to Jo?  What are you?  Why are you here?’

Daniel gripped her face between his hands, ‘I’m here because I want to protect you.  I feel for you.  You, you do something to me.  Jo is a vampire, a new vampire.  Someone has turned him.’ And intently he looked at her. ‘It was not me, I did not do it.  But I suspected something like this.  I am following someone, trying to stop things like this happening.  I am different.’

‘What are you Daniel?’

‘I, I am a vampire too.’

As he said it he pulled away and leant back against the sofa.

Sarah looked at Daniel.  She couldn’t take it all in - she trusted him, but it was all too much, and her attraction to him was obscuring logical thought.

‘What can we do?  Will he be after me, my family?

‘I don’t know.’

They sat in silence for a long while.  Sarah kept seeing Jo, snarling, bloody and deranged.  It was like he was with them, in the living room.  She felt as though he was angry at her.  As though she deserved it for being with someone else.  For feeling for someone else.  Daniel.  A vampire.  She pushed all thoughts from her mind.  She couldn’t deal with any of it.  She pushed Jo away, refused to see him snarling again.  She pushed the notion of vampires away.  She would think about it later.  One more question first. 

‘Is the mythology true?  Do vampires have to be invited in?’

‘Yes.’

‘Even to their home they used to live in?’

‘Yes.’

Sarah watched his arms as he reached out for her.  She reached for his hair; it was smooth and silky beneath her fingers.  She felt reckless, it didn’t matter how she behaved now.  Everything was in ruins.

She ran her fingers across his jaw, to his lips.  She stared into his dark eyes.  Her heart twisted, and once again she pushed out doubts, images.  Daniel was here, and he was in front of her.  They were here together.  Vampire?  She traced her hands down his neck, to his chest, and felt his heart beating.  He was real.  He was solid, full of life.  His eyes full of heat, desire.  Desire for her, or for her blood?

He moved his hands back to her face and locked eyes, ‘It’s you, I will not hurt you.’  Sarah looked into his eyes as he leant in and kissed her on the lips, gently.  He pulled her body closer and their kiss deepened.  Her body ignited with tingles and flames.  She felt alive in his embrace.  As though this was where she was meant to be.  As though this was why she existed.  She swung her left leg over him to wrap her body as close as she could to his.  He ran his hands over her hair and kissed her cheekbones, her eyes, his kisses moving down to her neck.  With each kiss Sarah felt energy rushing from the point of his touch to her heart, to her fingers, to her belly. 

She opened her eyes and looked into his, he looked almost fierce in his passion for her, his eyes were blazing.  He leant in and kissed her lips again.  Then he flipped her onto her back on the sofa, and he was on top of her, kissing her passionately. 

Sarah wanted him so badly, she pulled against his body, grabbing his back, his legs, his hips and he pressed into her.  She wanted to rip off his clothes and devour him, to bite him, for him to be inside her.  She wrapped her legs around his hips, feeling him press against her.  His body was so firm under her fingers, cool and muscular.  And he wanted her, he was all over her. 

He grabbed at her jacket, lifting her by the waist and pulling it off her arms.  He yanked down her top, running his tongue over her chest.  He looked once more into her eyes, breathing deeply, before grabbing the bottom of her top and pulling it smoothly over her arms and head. 

Sarah lay there exposed beneath him.  She couldn’t help it but smiled self-consciously.  She reached up and pulled him back down onto her, breathing in his masculine woodland smell, kissing his neck. 

She pushed him back and pulled off his jacket and t-shirt, while he sat astride her.  His chest and stomach were tight and smooth, delicious looking.  She ran her fingers down his chest, to the top of his jeans, and he was back on top of her, pushing against her through their trousers.  She pushed back, wanting him, desire running though her. 

He reached around her back and undid her bra, removing it and flinging it to the floor, caressing her breasts.  Sarah felt in heaven as his mouth came down to her tummy, tracing kisses down to the line above her jeans.  Then his fingers were ripping her jeans open and he pulled those off too.

He left her pants on and Sarah watched as he looked over her body, absorbing the site of her nakedness.  She reached for him and pulled him back to her again, pulling his hips towards her, fumbling at his belt as he kissed her lips, and breathed in her scent at her neck. 

He pushed her pants aside, forcing himself inside her, pounding into her repeatedly, pulling her bum hard against him.  Sarah touched him everywhere, trying to be as close to every part of him as she could.  Feeling him deep inside her, she pulled him even deeper, contracting her hips towards his, pushing into his rhythm.  She kissed him passionately as he penetrated her, feeling his hair, his chest, his back.  She felt she was living in a fantasy, a book, a make believe world.  Like this couldn’t be real.  But it felt more real than anything she’d ever experienced. 

She felt tension building within her, moaning as she released, repeatedly.  Shaking around him as she held him tight.  She felt him release into her, while he kissed her and loved her.  Sarah leant into him as he pulled her back on top and held her tightly, stroking her hair, their breath slowing.  She looked up into his intense eyes, regarding her with awe, and what looked like love.  She couldn’t break his gaze and just let herself look at him, taking him in, connecting with his soul.

***

After Sarah had lain there, looking at Daniel for what she felt could never be long enough, she forced herself to get up.  He watched her mischievously as she dressed in front of him.  She felt her cheeks warming again, he was so hot. 

‘I’m going to fix some food, would you like anything?  Do you even need to eat?’

‘I don’t need to, I can survive off blood, but food does nourish me, especially when I don’t feed as often as I should.  So yes, please, I would like some food.’ He said with a smile.

Sarah just made a couple of sandwiches and a small salad to share, opened some wine and fetched glasses.  Daniel came in and sat at the table, watching her as she poured their drinks.  He raised his glass, ‘Cheers’.

‘To what may I ask?’ said Sarah.

‘To us, to staying strong, to sorting out this mess.’

Sarah clinked his glass and tucked in.  Her sandwich was simple but tasty, she hadn’t realized how hungry she was.  Images from earlier in the woods flicked back to her mind, but she pushed them away.  If she let them in she would lose it all over again.  No.  That couldn’t happen.  If she let them in she wouldn’t be able to plan.  She wouldn’t be able to sort out the mess at all.  And she had to do something, otherwise she was in danger - it was likely her whole family was in danger.  And the town?

‘What was it you said the night we met?  Something about writing a book about vampires invading our town?  Was that true, are you writing a book? Or were you testing me?’

‘I admit it, I’m not writing a book.  It’s partly my cover story, and partly I wanted to see how you would react - to the idea of the supernatural.’

‘But when you said about invading our town, did you say it because you think this town is being invaded?  And who is it that you’re following?’

‘I’m following Sebastian.  I think he must have turned Jo.  And killed, or turned, other people in this town who have been reported missing.  Sebastian likes creating havoc.  He is old, he’s wild, he finds fun in hurting people.  He turned me.’

Daniel looked sad so Sarah interrupted, ‘He hurt you too?’

‘Well yes, but it’s complicated.  It was a long time ago.  I never turned wild like him.  He took things from me - my family, tormenting me, trying to make me act like him.  It didn’t work though, he made me insanely angry, but at him, not at the world.  I didn’t want to take it out on victims as he’d hoped.  I wanted to destroy him.  I do want to destroy him.’

‘Why haven’t you?’