Hunted in Darkness

Doubling Down

I parted company with her when one night I caught a glimpse of crystal blue eyes and red lips in a crowd near her shop, I couldn’t risk him finding out who had helped me and following me there. I ran and every ten years or so, this feeling, the dreams, let me know he’s still looking, still hunting me. I know he’s closing in on me, but this time I felt something else..I struggled to bring my dream back into focus. This time I realized how hunted his own eyes look, and there is something just behind him, something awful, I shudder again as I feel it there behind him, full of malice. I realize that he’s not hunting me now to claim me back, but because something terrible is chasing him too. I see his full red lips mouthing a word, and deep inside of me I know that it is “Help”.

I poured a red liquid into a glass from the fridge, a mixture of modern science and the real thing keep me sustained these days, along with the occasional blessing from volunteers among the living, straight from warm, soft, yielding bodies. The nourishment seeps into my body and I silently thank those who provided it. The idea of Emile needing my help runs a track though my brain, ticking off the boxes next to each possibility. It could be a trap, or a ruse to find out where I am, it could be true, and if so, what could have him this frightened and what could I possibly do to help. I tried to remember if I ever saw Emile afraid of anything, he was by far older and stronger than I was. I only remember a moment when we were in Rome during the summer, what feels like ages ago, when he glanced over his shoulder and caught his breath, ushering me along faster. We were on a ship to America the next day. I didn’t know what had him worried then, I guess I just thought he was tired of our Grand Tour of Europe and wanted a change. It never crossed my mind that he who held me crushed against him so tightly, could fear anything.

I wandered around my apartment doing chores, because not even immortality spares us laundry and dishes, unfortunately. Something is sitting uneasily in my heart, but I can’t place what it is. I know if I’m cornered, I can fight, but I’m not sure what or who I should be ready to fight. With the household finally in order, I sit down to read a book, but it’s impossible to concentrate on the words with this feeling nagging at me. I finally decide to do something I haven’t done in forever, I decide to let him speak to me through our link. I have a stone that I wear at all times, crafted into a silver ring that looks like a dragon, this deep green stone, called Moldavite coupled with a spell crafted into the silver, protect me from psychic links and unwanted energy exchange. I take a deep breath and walk outside, down the steps outside of my door and to the cemetery a block from my apartment. This place seems appropriate considering who we are and the probably foolish thing I am about to do. The moon is at a full apex and the shadows dance like ghosts. I sit down in front of a large granite obelisk, the soft loam emitting a dank smell of earth and old decay. I cross my legs and lean against the cool stone, solid and reassuring against my back. A deep breath, unneeded but habitual, passes my lips as I slip the ring from my finger and slide it into the pocket of my dress.

At first I feel as if nothing has changed, but then I feel the tug, like a radio dial changing stations. Inside my head feels like static as all the feelings of humanity tune in and out of my brain from all around my body. Suddenly though, there is a stillness and silence, immersing me wholly. I’m drowning in it for a moment, and then, a clear voice across a distant wire, “Katinka?” If the beating of my heart mattered to my dead body, I would have died again, I felt ice filling it and making it too heavy to move inside my chest, but from within myself I willed an answer, “Yes.” 

“Kat?”He’s sobbing my name and saying it like a prayer. I wish for a moment I could hold him and calm him, but then I remember why I’m here and sit quietly, waiting on the rest. “I..I thought I’d lost you forever..”..more sobbing. Is this really the strong vampire who took my life and did those awful things to me as an immortal? “Em, you need to calm down and tell me whats going on.” I will myself to say calmly. “ Kat, I know what I did, and how I hurt you, but can we please meet? I have so much to say..please?” I can feel myself sigh, it’s not a good idea, and we both know it. “ Kat.. please?” hes pleading and there is a desperate edge to his voice. “I need you, Kat, please?” My better judgement is railing against me even as I hear my lips say “Where?”