Sweet Nightfall

by Kathryn Vegas

  Another handsome man under her spell. Is she a witch?

  The conversation that followed shed a little light on her relationship with Adam. If she was telling the truth, they were sleeping together. Rebecca still had no idea for how long or how serious it could be.

  She watched as Sara wiped her sweaty palms on her yoga pants and grabbed her phone. Was she texting Adam? The smile on her face said, yes. Sara typed for a hot minute then chuckled softly before hitting send.

  Less than a minute passed and Sara’s phone chimed. She eagerly read the message and a loud giggle escaped her lips before her hand came up to stifle it. Rebecca’s eyes tensed, focusing on every detail of this woman and her joyful little laugh at a joke sent by Adam.

  No.

  Was all she thought. Just no.

  Rebecca shook her head. She would not take this lying down. A plan began to formulate. She would not stand for losing her man to this old fucking bitch. Rebecca refused to see the irony in that thought.

  She watched as Sara stopped her bike and gathered her things. Rebecca waited a few moments before she stopped her treadmill and followed her.

  Sara stepped into the sauna, relieved not to see Steve inside. She could overheat in peace. She was still smiling to herself over Adam’s texts.

  How in the hell do I get along so well with a twenty-four-year-old? She asked herself for the millionth time.

  She sat down across from the door and settled in for the sweet, hot torture. Her thoughts drifted, as they seemed to do every other minute, back to Adam. Christmas Eve felt so good and she had longed for him every day since. She had to be responsible. But if she’d been twenty something, she would have dropped everything to spend every minute with him. The butterflies in her stomach from his touch. The warmth of his smile. The deep sexy tone of his voice reverberated in her mind.

  Sara sighed loudly.

  The door cracked open and a beautiful woman walked in. Sara was taken aback.

  Damn. She’s fucking hot.

  The goddess woman smiled the sweetest smile. “Oh thank goodness. I was afraid the sauna would be filled with men all hairy and sweaty… and too friendly.” The bubbly voice was cute and coming out of such a beautiful face was enchanting. Sara was awestruck.

  “Today is your lucky day, it’s just me. Maybe too friendly and sweaty but only slightly hairy.” Sara responded with her kind smile.

  She’d seen the woman around the gym this morning, there was no missing a body like that. Sara wasn’t too stubborn to admit she hadn’t expected her to be so nice. It actually made her a little nervous that she’d be alone with someone so obviously on a higher societal level. Twenty-something with a rocking body, impeccable expensive gym wear and that perfect messy bun.

  How do pretty girls get their hair to do that? Would it be weird to ask? Sara thought.

  “Well I’m relieved. I’m Becky by the way.” She closed the door behind her and sat down opposite Sara. “I’m new here.”

  “I’m Sara and I would shake your hand but it would be gross for you.”

  “Is it normal… I mean have you noticed the men who go here are a little…” It seemed like she was trying to be polite by trailing off.

  Sara supplied, “too friendly.”

  “Yes. A guy approached me today to explain how to use a machine I was already successfully using. I’ve been to gyms before.” She gestured to herself indicating, obviously . “What was his name… Steve. I was like thanks for the mansplaining. He kept ‘helping’ me as I went about my own business. Then I saw that same guy bothering you out there. I rolled my eyes so hard. It was obvious you already knew how to ride the stationary bicycle but I bet he had to give you advice.”

  Sara laughed at her assumption, “Oh yeah, Steve. I was new to the gym a couple weeks ago and he asked me out on a date and being that I was hoping to find a man, I said yes. Come to find out while on the date, he is married.” Sara put up her hands and raised her eyebrows. “I hadn’t seen him since. He was just trying to explain himself to me.”

  “OMG. No.” Becky seemed aghast.

  Rebecca had a limited amount of time to engage with Sara. Sunrise was upon them. She could feel the urge to escape to safety rising in her body. In less than thirty minutes she needed to be inside her blacked out Land Rover. The sauna was also public and they could be interrupted at any moment.

  Her features still schooled in the expression of friendly disbelief, Rebecca continued. “Seriously? That guy has some balls. Yuck. Well, I hope your search for a man gets better from here on out.”

  Rebecca hoped she’d take the bait and continue leaking information.

  “It’s not going too bad… now.” Sara shyly bragged.

  Rebecca knew she had her. It’s so easy to lead humans. She almost rolled her eyes. Almost. No one could play roles like Rebecca. She could be whoever she wanted you to believe she was.

  “Ooh la la. That sounds promising. Are you using an app I need to know about? I’m new in town.”

  “Oh, you’re way too hot for an app. Your inbox would be flooded with di—” Sara stopped herself.

  Rebecca saw the slight change in her skin, a reddening flush. Sara must be embarrassed that she almost said something off-color to a stranger.

  “Were you going to say dick pics?” Rebecca let out a musical laugh. “You’re probably right! How many have you gotten?”

  Sara’s sigh of relief was evidence to Rebecca that she’d put her back at ease.

  “Well, it wasn’t through an app, but I was put on the spot recently to give a man at a bar my number. He immediately sent me one. It was my first.”

  She noticed the sweat beading on Sara’s forehead. She could hear her heart increase in rhythm to compensate for the extreme temperature. Thick blood was loudly chugging inside Sara’s veins. The smell of her overwhelmed Rebecca’s senses for a moment and the urge to drain her dry and snap her neck was like a runaway freight train.

  “Is that who ‘it’s not going too bad’ with?” Rebecca questioned.

  If Adam sent this woman a dick pic, she didn’t know if she could remain in control. Unbeknownst to Sara, her life hung in the balance of her answer to this question.

  “Oh god, no! I met a younger man… and I’m kinda freaking out.” Sara blurted out. She took a deep breath of hot air.

  Rebecca relaxed her jaw. Now this was the information she was after. Her control was fraying, but she knew any information she could get out of Sara could be all she needed. She couldn’t kill her today and she knew it. She had a plan. Sara’s sudden death, after everyone knew she’d seen that photo at Christmas, would be damning. No one would believe she wasn’t responsible.

  “Now we’re talking. Younger man, huh?”

  Rebecca’s performance was flawless. She played up the congeniality in her voice and expression. Her eyes only sparkled with socially acceptable interest. Nowhere in sight was the complete malice in her heart.

  “I’m thirty-nine almost forty. You’re gonna think this is weird…. Everyone’s probably thinking what the hell? He’s twenty-four.” Sara’s face reflected the expression of throwing out a dark secret to a friend and waiting for their reaction.

  Rebecca’s realization at that point kept her silent for a moment too long. This woman was Adam’s real age.

  That’s what he’s doing. Trying out a woman his own age.

  “Wow. It sounded worse when I just said that to a stranger out loud. I must be insane to even be contemplating dating a man his age.” Sara’s expression was crestfallen. She looked genuinely upset.

  Rebecca ran through her response options and what they could gain her.

  “I didn’t mean to make you feel like I was judging. I hope when I’m your age I can be as brave. Have your fun while you still can.” Rebecca let the implication that time would be running out for sexual escapades with younger men. “I don’t know how you handle sitting in this heat.”

  Sara sat crestfallen.

  Rebecca wiped nonexis
tent sweat from her brow, stood up and cordially said, “I think I’m going to have to beg out early. I wasn’t hydrated enough to do this today. Nice to meet you and good luck with the boy.” She let the word ‘boy’ hang in the air and headed for the door. She quickly opened it and left.

  Rebecca had the information she needed. She knew a few minutes more smelling Sara’s heated blood in the rage she was in, she might just throw everything away. She enjoyed the fantasy of Sara’s lifeless body for a moment. The endearingly sweet expression her face had been wearing faded, revealing the face of a lethal woman.

  Sara stepped out of the gym’s shower wrapped in a fluffy towel. Her flip-flops forlornly clapped on the tile floor as she dragged her feet to her locker. Her face reflected the downward spiral of her thoughts. She walked by a bay of mirrors and looked over into her eyes and huffed at herself.

  Beautiful Becky definitely thought I had lost my damn mind, Sara thought angrily.

  “I’m pretty sure she’s right,” she whispered to herself.

  Sara’s brain had been in overdrive ever since that young woman’s response to her confession had knocked the wind out of her. All she had done was tell her their age difference. She cringed to imagine if she’d explained that not only was Adam fifteen years younger, he also had the face of a movie star and the body of a god. Sara mimicked putting a gun to her head and pulling the trigger.

  “Shit.”

  Sara shook her head and opened her locker. She quickly dried off and redressed in the clothes she’d worn to work the night before.

  Adam was coming over tonight for their sleepover. Up until ten minutes ago she had been on cloud nine about it. Just thinking about what she planned on doing to that man, made pressure build between her legs. Now she felt like a fool. An old fool.

  Did you see Becky’s tight body? She didn’t have a single line in her face. That’s the kind of woman a man like Adam could date. You’ve only been working out for three weeks. You don’t think you’re in shape do you? The mean girl in her mind let loose.

  I’m trying my best. I have a good personality. She pouted out her bottom lip.

  A good personality? You’re stupid to believe a twenty-four year old muscle jacked hottie wouldn’t be looking at your every flaw.

  Sara yanked her gym bag over her shoulder. Her eyes tightened around unshed tears. She was thankful the locker room was empty this morning. She was about to throw a full-blown pity party. Those are best celebrated alone.

  “Pull it together, you can cry in the car.”

  Chapter Twent y- Five

  Adam knew the freezer was empty, but he opened it anyway. It was, as expected, completely bare. His stockpile of blood was gone, save for the last bag that was heating up in his towel warmer.

  Fuck.

  He was in a bind. Anyone that could have helped him had been out of the country celebrating the holidays. His preoccupation with Sara hadn’t helped him plan ahead. By the time he knew he needed to break down and ask for help no one was in the states to ask. He had tried to ration after it dawned on him how screwed he was. He was days away from being bailed out of this mess but after draining the last bag he was going to have to starve or beg Raphael to cut his holiday short.

  Or call Rebecca.

  Fuck no. I’d rather starve .

  TV shows and movies show vampires breaking into the Red Cross and hospitals for donated blood, as if it were a cakewalk to commit a robbery. As though every building didn’t have 24-hour surveillance. Maybe the police wouldn’t find him if he wore a mask and did it a state over, but his community of vampires would spot him right away. The Elders would quickly end him for bringing unwanted attention to their existence.

  Adam did not have access to a Volunteer. A Volunteer was what the vampires called humans in the inner circle who were properly vetted. In today’s world where everyone can take pictures or videos, you could be recorded at any time. Volunteers signed iron clad non-disclosure agreements and knew that the penalty of breaking it was not just a hefty fee, but their life. The Elders drilled it into everyone’s head. Someone posts a video of you doing things only vampires can do and you better run and hide.

  Vampires had a system in place, but it wasn’t cheap. A month’s supply of Volunteer blood would set you back ten thousand dollars. The cost was a stumbling block for Adam at the moment. Trying to live an honest life didn’t leave him with a large cache of cash. He had spent everything he’d saved for this last supply. He had stretched out the one-month supply for the last three months.

  Volunteers weren’t slaves held captive in a basement somewhere being drained. They were perspective vampires. They could also be generational familiars, meaning their families came from a lineage of servants. The whole servant thing had gone out of style in this century for most humans unless you were extremely wealthy, but it was still going strong in vampire culture. Working for vampires had its perks. In today’s day and age, job security, living wages, and the intriguing nature of being an insider is worth sticking with.

  There was a black market that supplied blood for half the price but the thought of where it might be coming from made him shudder. He’d once accepted a bag of questionable origin and the taste of fear, disease and heroin in it still haunted him.

  There are subtle notes that can be tasted in blood. Like a snapshot of someone’s life at the moment it’s taken from their body. You can tell if they were happy or sad, healthy or sickly, vibrant or depressed. He’d been groomed on Volunteer blood from happy hosts. Tasting fear and pain didn’t interest him like he knew it did some of the others.

  Rebecca for one preferred the taste of fear. He remembered finding her secret stash. He had never suspected she was unsatisfied with Volunteer blood. It was a decade later when he started seeing the clues that there was a hidden side to her that was actually frighteningly sadistic.

  He had been thoroughly disgusted to smell the bags tinged with the adrenaline of a body in shock and fear. Adam had confronted her to only be shamed for not understanding her time as vampire before the modern age. What did he expect from her? At least she wasn’t killing anyone anymore. How much more could we expect her to change her ways? It took a few more years to figure out she had never stopped killing for blood.

  The towel warmer dinged and Adam took the warm bundle out and unwrapped his last meager supper. He looked forlornly at the empty fridge and freezer.

  I’ll figure it out tomorrow. I’ll have to call Raphael, he thought begrudgingly.

  The massive castle door slammed shut behind Rebecca after she quickly entered her home, shutting out the first rays of morning sun.

  Sara. Sara. Sara .

  The name echoed inside her skull. She stopped walking and just stood letting the encounter at the gym replay. Now she knew why Adam would be dating an aging human woman, but it was still disgusting. The image of Sara’s reddened face sweat beading on her brow. The smell of human sweat had permeated the air. She could still smell it. She had been replaced by that . She should have killed her right there. Drank her hot blood and tasted her fear.

  Stupid old bitch! Rebecca was too livid to recognize the irony of that thought.

  “I was getting worried.” Collette interrupted Rebecca’s dark thoughts.

  “I met her.”

  Collette didn’t need any further explanation. She knew Rebecca had been stalking Sara for the past couple days. Her eyes lit up in expectation of the new information in this drama that was unfolding.

  “Let’s sit. I need to get comfortable for this.”

  Collette led Rebecca to the sitting room across the foyer. They walked under the massive chandelier dripping with crystals. The new day brought the crystals to life. The room sparkled with ever increasing rainbow prisms.

  The sitting room was beautifully appointed. Collette indicated to Rebecca to take the chaise lounge. It was covered in buttery red leather, the focal point of the seating arrangement. Rebecca floated down onto the chaise like a queen. She settled again
st the overstuffed reclined back and put her feet up.

  “Did she survive?” Collette asked and settled into the ornately carved antique chair nearby.

  “Unfortunately.” Rebecca dryly responded. She looked over at her friend’s eager face. “I hate living in today’s world. What would we have done fifty years ago… even twenty-five years ago?”

  “Bitch would be dead.” Collette smirked.

  “Exactly.”

  “It has been hard to adjust.” Collette pondered. “It takes a lot more planning to go undetected, to do nothing… untoward.”

  Untoward was putting it mildly. They had lived centuries as hedonistic killers. Human life meant nothing. Humans were food. Delicious, life-sustaining, orgasmic-level food. They had hunted together during the times before forensic evidence. Rebecca and Collette believed they had lived through the glory days.

  Things changed during the twentieth century. They had spent countless hours lamenting about the good ole days for the past several decades. This was no new conversation.

  “What are you going to do?” Collette asked.

  “I want her dead.” Rebecca’s voice was made of steel.

  “That’s going to be a hard one. You would be the only suspect.”

  “These modern times have put a damper on our freedom, but they have also made us more cunning. I want to glutton myself on her blood. I want Adam to suffer like he has made me suffer. Then I want to kill him, too.” Rebecca ended very matter of fact.

  “There’s the Rebecca I know and love. Over the last few decades, I thought you’d adapted. Gone soft on me. Adam was such a humanly vampire. No one that’s been changed in this century is worth a damn. They are so in tune with who they are as a person and invested in their fellow man. J’en ai jusque-là!” So disgusted she reverted back to her native tongue.

  “I gave him everything. Everything a human could ever wish for.” Rebecca stated. “Power, money, immortality and me. Men have fought and died to be granted my attention. He threw it away like it was trash. Like I was trash. He took my gifts willingly, told me he loved me. How could you turn your back so easily on someone you love? He is a liar. If he thinks he can now happily live the immortal life I gave him…”