The Vampire Keeper (11 page)

“The windows!”

“I know; it’s careless and unlike Larkin. He won’t talk to me, but I know he is hiding something. I need you to drop by and talk to him about it.”

“What makes you think he will tell me?”

“I don’t, but I do know you can use your gift to confirm or deny my assumption.”

“I’ll think about it.”

Wyler nodded as he took a seat on the sofa.

Knowing Wyler wanted an immediate response Julius said, “Later! It’s dinner time.” Flashing a venomous smile, he said, “You’re welcome to stay. Blonde is on the menu tonight, but I have red if you prefer.”

Larkin awoke to a figure hovering over him in a crouched position. His hazy eyes were unable to distinguish the features, so he closed them again. Although his sight was unreliable his other senses were unaffected, Larkin immediately knew he was in the presence of another vampire.

“Julius,” he said trying to hide a playful grin.

“Larkin,” he said followed by a sarcastic tone, “let me guess, fell off the couch drunk on amber.”

Larkin chuckled and thought,
Wyler.
He did not move; he only responded, “This visit is unexpected. To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“Since when do I need an invitation or reason?”

“You misunderstand me; I only assumed you were coerced here.” Then he said in a rather authoritative tone, “Wyler, bring our friend something to eat.”

Before Wyler could respond Julius said, “No, thanks. I have already had dinner, but I would love some dessert.”

Larkin did not respond. He simply lay on the floor listening to Wyler, “What do you have in mind? I- I mean Wyler will get you whatever you need.”

Without an acknowledgement or cursory glance toward Wyler, Julius said, “I think something exotic,” as he held out his hand toward Larkin.

Larkin took his hand as he mumbled the word exotic under his breath, and then he turned to Wyler and said, “Never mind. We will be going out.”

Wyler nodded his head and walked away. Without another word, Larkin and Julius proceeded to enter the underground cellar that emerged a few blocks either up or down town depending on which route they took. Julius silently followed Larkin as they took the path that would lead them to the edge of Transylvania just near the town’s clever tribute to fiction, the bat water tower. The well-concealed exit was overgrown with wild grass and untamed shrubberies making it hard for the public to discover. When they reached the exit, they listened for a moment for the sound of human voices, but all they heard was the wind as it rattled by. Larkin pushed against the stone covering so that they could exit the tunnel, and after emerging Larkin glared at Julius and said, “What’s this really about?”

“Dessert.”

“I think I’ll pass.”

“Then why did you come?” asked Julius.

“I thought you needed to talk. You know as well as I that there is nothing exotic in this town except Mr. Peterson’s striptease.”

Julius shook his head and said with a hint of laughter, “The things humans will do for pleasure.”

Larkin, intrigued at Julius’s amusement, continued, “Mrs. Peterson found out about her husband’s affair with Greta.”

Julius scoffed, “I bet she cried.”

“Yes, but while holding a gun.”

Julius could not hold his laughter in as he replied, “So I heard.”

Larkin tried to use Julius’s sense of humor to extract his true agenda, so he teased, “You hear a lot for someone residing in another town. What else did you happen upon?”

He stopped laughing and with a fixed stare, he offered, “Join me for dessert, and I will tell you.”

Larkin knew it was a long shot but well worth the try. He also knew he would not get anything else out of Julius without giving something back.

Using his supernatural senses, Julius perceived that Larkin was not ready to hear what he had to say. Instead, Julius thought he would avert the topic until the right moment presented itself.

Although Larkin had consented to have dessert with him, he did so with one condition. “Okay, but it’s my choice,” said Larkin.

Julius conceded with a smirk and followed him as they strolled through the woods back toward town. They chose the same old path that Mr. Peterson took every time he met up with Greta for their secret rendezvous, which were excessive as of late. They walked down the recently worn path in silence. They were both quietly formulating a strategy to manipulate the other into exposing the motive for their vagueness.

When they reached the back of Peterson’s General Store, Julius asked, “So… what will it be tonight? I hope something a little exotic.”

“You will see. Stay here and keep a look out. There have been many people around since the incident. I’ll be back in a moment.”

Larkin ducked in the store as a smile crossed Julius’s face. He was not smiling at Larkin’s attempts to keep their delectable dessert a secret. It was the thought of Mrs. Peterson with tears streaming down her face, holding a gun, and shooting rapidly throughout the store with no aim, all the while cursing at her cheating husband that had him smiling. He simply shook his head at his final thought:
Humans are so dramatic. It’s like going to a show every day
.

“Let’s go,” said Larkin reemerging from the shop.

As they edged their way around the building, Larkin presented Julius with an ice cream cone.

They reached Main Street undetected before Julius blurted out in a questioning tone, “Ice cream?”

“Yes, ice cream. What’s the matter? You said you wanted something exotic.”

“Are you confused? There is nothing exotic about an ice cream cone.”

Larkin took a bite. And, with a devilish grin said, “Nothing… except only a vampire would be cold blooded enough to eat ice cream in the dead of snow.”

“Now that you put it that way, I guess the circumstance makes it a little exotic. Nice choice.”

“Okay, we got some dessert. No more games. What did you hear?”

Still predicting an unfavorable reaction from Larkin’s bodily expressions, Julius tried to prolong the conversation, “Nothing much. Do you want another?”

With a fiery gaze, Larkin placed one hand roughly on his shoulder, and said, “No more stalling! And do not lie to me either. I made you, so I know you have an ulterior motive for being here.”

They turned down an alley just off of Main Street as Julius took the last bite of his ice cream cone. “I hear you have a guest.”

Larkin slowed his step as he responded, “Wyler rented out your old apartment to his new clerk, but I suspect you already knew that. What else did Wyler tell you?”

Julius sensed the time was now. If he prolonged the topic any further, Larkin might become enraged and uncontrollable. Although there was no one else in the ally, there were still several individuals scuttling about on Main Street. Julius did not particularly care if a scene occurred. He knew Larkin would despise himself if such an event took place in public, so Julius opened his discussion with basic facts until they had strutted far enough down the alley to be isolated from society.

After he was done, Julius turned to Larkin and said, “Does Wyler have a reason to be concerned?”

Trying not to reveal too much, he responded, “I didn’t know he was troubled. Ana’s usually the worrywart.”

“You know very well he is only concerned that you are hiding something from him about her.”

Larkin slowed his step again as he responded, “Who? Ana! Why would I hide something about her?”

Now halted, they turned face to face as Julius responded, “These games are unnecessary between us. You know very well that Wyler thinks you attacked Jezalyn.”

“Oh, that. I thought I made myself clear. I will have another talk with him,” responded Larkin nonchalantly.

“Stop avoiding the implication. Did you attack her?”

“You’re the one who has been evading the topic all night not me. And to answer your question, no.”

“So you maintain you saved her?”

“Yes.”

“Okay,” said Julius as they both commenced their stroll down the alley, “but one more thing.”

“What is it now?”

Julius could tell Larkin’s tone had changed, but it did not stop him from pursuing his questioning, “Did you drink from her?”

Larkin’s look of annoyance had left him. Instead, it was replaced with exasperation as he stated, “I already told you. I did not attack her.”

Julius sensed Larkin was hiding something as he thought about Larkin’s last response,
I did not ask if he attacked her again, I asked if he fed off of her, and yet he is still defending himself. I will have to push him if I want to discover the truth.

Julius took several large steps, turned, and stopped in front of Larkin so that they would be face to face once again. Without hesitation, he brushed his tongue over his left fang and asked, “Is she tasty,” trying to extract the information out of Larkin by provoking him.

Larkin lunged forward at him, but Julius’s reflexes were swift. They found themselves squared off against each other’s shoulders.

Larkin roared, “Just leave it alone!”

“Stop avoiding! Tell me what really happened.”

Larkin released his forceful grip, leaned forward, twisted to the right, and Julius sailed past him into the brick wall. Julius retaliated by lunging forward at Larkin’s midsection, leaving the crumbled bricks behind him. The force of the impact caused them both to crash through the metal siding of a storage unit. Once they scrambled back to their feet, Larkin saw a piece of torn metal protruding out from Julius’s left shoulder. Larkin quickly moved forward to remove the piece of metal, but when he got close enough Julius lunged at him. Larkin broke free, pushed himself back, and said, “Alright, that’s enough. Look at your shoulder.”

Julius’s only response was, “You’re going to have to kill me because I won’t stop until you tell me the truth.”

Larkin smiled. He had always loved Julius’s intensity, which is one of the reasons he converted him; however, intriguing as Julius was, Larkin hated it when Julius used his keen ability of perception against him. Letting the smile fade a bit, Larkin said, “I hate when you use your innate abilities against me. How long have you known I was hiding something?”

He laughed and said, “Ever since you proclaimed my visit to be unexpected and coerced.”

Julius scanned the storage unit before sitting down on the edge of an old couch surrounded by boxes. Larkin walked over and directed, “Close your eyes. I will remove it swiftly.”

He put his hand up, “No. It is too deep. If it’s removed now, I will leave a blood trail back to the shop. Just leave it for Wyler.”

“Are you sure?”

Pain crossed his face as he placed his hand under the metal shard for support and said, “Yes. Now tell me what really happened between you and Jezalyn.”

Larkin ripped through several boxes and pulled out a red and green Christmas throw. “Okay, but let’s get home first. If the chief catches us here, we’ll be visiting Mrs. Peterson,” he said as he wrapped the throw around Julius’s shoulders to hide the wound.

They peered around the jagged, metal edge of the building and saw no one in the alley, so they stepped out and started their journey back toward the water tower. Julius expanded on Larkin’s detainment comment with haughty amusement, “If we get hauled in, would you do a rendition of Mrs. Peterson crying?”

Larkin perceived his riddled sarcasm and said with a deep breath, “Yes, I attacked her.”

Julius released a short chuckle and said, “Wyler was correct.”

Julius slouched over as Larkin supported him so that the shard of metal would not be visible. Although Larkin could not see Julius’s face, Larkin knew that he released a sinister smile as he pronounced Wyler’s earlier assumptions accurate.

“Not exactly, I…” He slowed his step and clarified, “I did, but I didn’t. Not the way Wyler is thinking. I am sure Wyler told you about the bloody tea incident.”

“He did. He also thinks you may be too attached since you haven’t decided whether to eradicate or release her yet.”

“I had found her somewhat interesting; she likes Mythology.”

“Fascinating,” Julius replied, filling his voice with sarcasm.

“Never mind. Anyway, I finally decided to get rid of her, so I was waiting for Wyler to come back upstairs so that I could tell him. But then I heard Mrs. Peterson cursing and screaming. I also heard the gun cock back and two shots, but the bullets only lodged in the wall.”

Hearing that the bullets had not penetrated the wall, Julius was ready to make a declaration. “So you did cause the wound,” proclaimed Julius, who tried to marvel in his conclusions, but could not since the metal implement caused him too much discomfort. It was something of an irritation, for every little wriggle sent an intense pang down his arm.

“No, it was a bullet. She was in front of me when I heard the bullet break through the wall. I jumped over the counter and lunged myself toward her.”

“Wyler did say you saved Jezalyn from a stray bullet,” said Julius thinking out loud. He was trying to work out the facts, yet he was becoming increasingly bored with the situation.

Larkin hung his head, “I did not save her. I pushed her…”

Julius let out a chuckle accompanied by the word, “Really? So you’re a villainous hero?”

“Sure, if that’s what you call it.” Julius stared intensely at Larkin until he continued, “Okay! Okay! When I heard the bullets penetrated through the wall, all I could think was this would be the perfect chance to get rid of her.”

“Your rendition of this little escapade is a few details shy of a narrative,” he said, after listening to Larkin contradict the previous details.

Perplexed, Larkin responded, “What do you mean?”

“It’s sounding more like a fable than reality. The bullets either did or didn’t penetrate the wall, which is it?” Julius questioned.

Feeling he needed to defend himself, Larkin quickly gave justification to his story to refute Julius’s underlying claim that what he was reporting to him was the truth. “Both, some did and some didn’t. I pushed her into one that did, and it clipped her neck,” Larkin explained.

Julius laughed again and said, “And?”

Feeling his taunt, Larkin shot back “That’s it.”

“That’s not it because if you wanted her dead, she would be dead.”

Larkin shook his head and said, “It was an unfortunate turn of events,” and afterward mumbled, “if it had been only a few more inches…”