Ch. 16 ... Sound of the Bell
2007 Words
It was dawn before Dylan awoke. Himself and Bennet were nearly back to the house.
"What happened?" Dylan asked.
"You were shot," Bennet replied.
"It feels like it," he said. "By who?"
"Doesn't matter, we couldn't touch him," Bennet said. "They think you killed Kate though."
"Maybe. She had definitely turned into one of them. She was saying things. I couldn't see anything of her left," Dylan paused. "Where is Kilian?"
"He stayed behind, to find the vampire," Bennet said.
"Good," Dylan said. He didn't want to see his brother right now. What Kate had said was a little too close to what he had seen in the wine cellar. That's what vampire do. He thought. The mind games. She knew it would make me wonder and she used it. It had to be a lie. If she was herself, she never would have done that... or would she? He realised then that he really had barely known her, but it didn't matter. He had loved how she made him feel, and for that he loved her. Now he had to figure out how to mourn her. Dead or not, she's still gone. "Are we going home?"
"Yeah," Bennet said. "Brianna hasn't been answering the phone, so we need to check on her and you need some rest."
"... AUTHORITIES SAY A WOMAN AND HER DOG WERE FOUND DEAD AT 6:15 THIS MORNING IN HYDE PARK, WHEN MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL STUMBLED UPON AN OPEN UNMARKED GRAVE. THE WOMAN IS SAID TO HAVE BEEN DEAD FOR SEVERAL HOURS. THEY SAY IDENTIFICATION HAS BEEN MADE AND WILL BE RELEASED TO THE PUBLIC AFTER HER FAMILY HAS BEEN NOTIFIED..."
Kate awoke, lying in a hotel bed, in front of the television. Vincent was no where to be seen. She was covered in blood, and it was difficult to breathe. It felt like there was a hole in her lung, and judging by the amount of blood in that area, she assumed there likely was. She lied there for what felt like hours, unable to move, unable to stop listening to the news report about the woman Vincent had killed. She knew that Vincent must have killed that boy too. A part of her felt she deserved this. Another part of her was starting not to care. They didn't care about her after all. Her life was inconsequential. Dylan shot me for telling him something he didn't want to hear, she thought.Vincent was using me for his own motives. Christian wouldn't even stand up for me when the whole bar was trying to kill me. My own father never prepared me for any part of this world, even though he knew I came from it. I matter to no one, so I'm wasting my time caring about anyone.
She tried to move, but couldn't. The pain was too great. She felt like she was dying. Eventually she heard Vincent rush in the door with a couple of people.
"Kate? Are you still alive?" he asked.
"What's it matter?" she retorted.
"Good," he said. "Now, listen to me. I know you don't want to, but you need to drink human blood. It is the only thing that can heal you."
That part of her that felt abandoned and apathetic, now felt a pang of guilt for considering it. "No," she said, although her mind thought, yes.
"You need it," he said. "You will die."
"Or they will," she said.
"You don't need to kill them," he said.
"I've seen the news," she cut in. "You killed them. Both of them. That lady and that poor boy."
"She wasn't exactly a lady," he said.
"That's not fair," she said. "Don't speak ill of the dead."
"They are food, Kate," he said. "Food like cattle."
"No they're not," she said. "They're human."
"Everything in the animal kingdom that is not top of the food chain, is food," he said. "Humans have never been top of the food chain. They're just incredibly good at building loop holes. They don't have claws, or tough skin to protect them, their teeth aren't that sharp, without buildings or weapons to protect them they couldn't live through a fight with any of the world's large predators. They're omnivores, aka middle of the food chain. We only eat human. We can only eat human. That, super strength, super speed, sharper teeth... all makes us top of their food chain."
"You used to be human," she said, sucking in her breathes just to feel them escape her chest through the hole in it. She flattened one hand over it, sealing it. "We're an anomaly, a disease amongst a population, not part of the food chain. They have minds, intelligence, they don't want to die."
"Have you seen Animal Planet? Or even pet cow videos on youtube? Nothing wants to be something else's dinner. Were you a vegetarian as a human?" he asked.
"No," she admitted.
"Then this is no different," he said. "Except that you don't have the choice to eat beans on toast for your protein. If you don't drink their blood, you will die. You made it this far, which is surprising, but you're half dead now."
"I said no," she said, weakly.
Just then, the phone rang. "Did you give someone this number?" Vincent asked.
"No," Kate said.
Vincent picked it up. "Hello?" he asked, and Kate listened in to the girl on the other end.
"Vincent?" she asked.
"Who is this?" Vincent responded.
"Baden," she said.
"Hang on," he said to her, looked down at Kate and said, "I'll be in the other room." He went through the dividing door between the rooms, closed and locked it on the other side.
Kate turned her attention to the two people standing mindlessly next to the door. "Come here," she said, when she had caught one of their eyes. "Bring your friend." The man grabbed the woman's hand and walked her over. "Sit down."
They sat on the bed opposite the one Kate was lying in.
"You're bleeding," the woman gasped. "Let me help you," she said then, trying to move, realised she couldn't. Fear grew on her face.
"Who are you?" Kate asked.
Amaya Loiola," the woman said, the words pushing out uninvited.
"And who is he?" Kate asked, watching the woman squirm.
"My boyfriend, Eneko Mendoza," she said.
"Where did Vincent find you?" Kate asked, looking now at Eneko.
"We were out at dinner, celebrating Amaya's success," he said. "Vincent came to us before we got into the taxi, and told us to come with him. I don't know what we're doing here."
Kate could hear the blood coursing through his veins as he spoke. It made her salivate. She could almost taste it. They were an incredibly attractive couple, with their dark hair, olive skin, and fit bodies. Were she human, either one of them would win against her in a fight for survival, but as a vampire, she knew that even in the condition she was in now, she could bend them to her will- mentally, as well as physically, if that's what it took. She tried to fight it, but part of her just wasn't in it. She wanted their blood. She was hungry. More than that, she wanted their bodies and to consume their minds. She wanted to feel what it would be like to be a part of their world for a moment.
"What do you do?" she asked Amaya.
"Painting," she said, waving her hand as if it held a brush. "I have pieces in Aldama Fabre."
"What is that?" Kate asked.
"An arte galleria, here in Bilbao," Amaya said.
"Spain?" Kate asked, flabbergasted to find herself in Basque country.
"Bai," she said. "Yes."
"What do you do?" Kate asked again, this time to Eneko.
"I am a chef. I own a restaurant in Matiko," he said. "Just outside the city."
Kate was trying to fight her urges, but their accents were enough to drive a person ravenous. Maybe just a bit, she thought. Just a taste to heal this wound. She didn't know if she could stop herself once she started. It smelled too good.
"Do you want to be here?" Kate asked, trying to stop herself.
"No," Mateo said. "I don't know why we came."
"You came because he told you to. When I tell you to do something, you do it, too," she paused. "Do you know what we are?"
"No," Eneko said, with fear written atop of intrigue in his features.
"Vampires," she said.
"Banpiroa!" Amaya exclaimed.
"Are you afraid now?" Kate asked Eneko.
"Yes," he said, clearly trying to fight the compulsion to stay seated.
"Good," Kate said, drawing as much breath in as she could. Still, her sentences were punctuated with coughs and choking. "Then listen (cough) closely. Do not let Vincent hurt you. Fight him (cough) with everything (cough cough) you have. Scream... when he tries. Scream until (cough) someone comes."
"Will you not let us leave?" he asked.
With that, it dawned on her. She could tell them to leave. It would be that simple. She could save their lives by letting them go before Vincent came back, but she didn't want them to go yet. She wanted them to stay. She wanted to play with them. To drink from them. To stop this gnawing pain in her chest and her throat. To stop having to gasp for air. It was them or her. And she knew now, that she was choosing her. She looked to Amaya. "Come here."
Amaya, involuntarily moved off the bed and positioned herself on her knees in front of the bed where Kate lay. "Please don't," Amaya whispered.
"I have to," Kate said. "Don't speak." Tears welled in Amaya's eyes. "Don't cry," Kate said, but they didn't disappear. Amaya was trying not to cry, but her fear was overpowering. Kate saw this, but didn't tell her not to be afraid. She wanted to know what the girl was feeling. Kate hoped it might stop her from going too far. Kate reached the hand that wasn't holding her chest, up to Amaya's neck and pulled her in close. She could smell Amaya's perfume, and her natural scent underneath it. It was intoxicating. Kate kissed her neck, easing herself into it. She tasted salt on Amaya's skin and wondered if the human body sweats, when fearful, in order to flavour itself for a predator. They truly are meant to be dinner, she thought. Her canine teeth extended and without another moment's consideration, she plunged them into Amaya's neck.
Amaya screamed.
The taste of her sweet blood on Kate's tongue, excited her. She drank greedily, and could feel the woman's blood coursing through her. Healing every part of her.
Amaya kept screaming.
Kate couldn't pull herself away long enough to stop the woman from making noise. It felt too good, but she also wanted to savour it. She didn't want this to end right away, so she knew she had to stop herself. Her entire body was telling her something different than her mind. Telling her to keep going no matter what. Telling her it was necessary. That she was starving. That this was the first food she had had in a week. That she couldn't - couldn't - release her. She couldn't stop drinking. She was too thirsty.
Vincent rushed in the room, hearing the screams. He grabbed the girl by the jaw and whipped her face towards his and yelled, "Be quiet." And suddenly she was. There was nothing to impede on Kate's thoughts, nothing to encourage her to stop. To pause. To think. She just drank. And would have continued drinking until there was no more, if Vincent's next move hadn't been to pull her away from Kate.
Kate growled at him. A low, guttural noise that sounded like a lion claiming it's kill.
"Give yourself a minute," he said. "Or else you'll choke."
"Back off," Kate growled.
"Besides," he said, ignoring her. "I want to play as well."
- Writer
