by Jason Fuquea
“The bathroom is stage left, just past the bar.” One of the bouncers said as he walked away from us.
“Damn you.” John slurred as the other bouncer turned with him holding his shoulder. It looked like John was shaking mad as he was helped toward a door marked employees only.
I wonder, “Do Vampires grow fangs back?” I shrugged and made my way down to the girls bathroom now that John and the bouncers are gone. Walking toward the bathroom I notice one of the Vampires in a secluded booth is following me with his eyes. He’s in a formal three-piece suit flanked by a full squad, and they all have the upside-down A on their foreheads.
Maybe he was watching the whole thing with John, or maybe he likes my hair as it fell in weighted sheets behind me or maybe he just liked my ass. I was, after all, a bombshell. “Would sex be better or worse now?” I thought.
In the bathroom, I washed my hands and face then pulled out my silver cross and chain. It’s sticky and wet, so I rinsed it under the water and scrubbed off some of the dried dark-colored alcohol that smelled of blackberries. I took paper towels wet them and cleaned my thighs off.
“Wait I’m in a Vampire club, I think I should put on my silver cross necklace for safety.” I snickered under my breath. I slid on my jewelry and walked back outside to the bar floor.
You would have thought I had a flame thrower burning down the place. Every eye is on me now some looking afraid, others looking angry. It’s the silver. I simply walked past everyone to the exit door. I opened it and walked to the hotel entrance then disappeared, going home. I missed Buddy.
Chapter 8
Father Bennet
Outside my blood bank apartment door laid Buddy curled up. I did a little dumpster diving on the way home and found him a half-eaten pork chop. I opened the door and walked through, and Buddy followed meowing like normal. I’m sure he smells the porkchop.
I put the food in his bowl and shut the door. His ragged purr is loud and soothing to my ears. I watched as he growled tearing into the meat. “I need a shower this sticky shit is starting to smell sour.”
I got into the hot shower letting my mind drift. I can feel a slight warmness radiating from the scalding hot water trying to caress my new body, it’s not as much I would like, but it’s something. “I wonder what fire would do to me?” I thought, my mind wondering.
I spent about forty-five minutes in the shower sitting and thinking, I no longer needed to shave, so that gave me more time to relax. Gathering myself I got out of the shower realizing the water isn’t clinging to me like it did before my change. I am perfectly dry, including my hair without drying off.
I changed into my nightshirt pulling my silver cross necklace to the front of my chest and letting it dangle. I walked over to my bed and got in laying my head on the pillow and almost on queue Buddy jumped on the bed and cuddled up near my hair. “I guess my body was too cold for him, but my hair was ok.” I closed my eyes and willed myself to sleep.
“Am I dreaming?” I thought. I’m looking down into an open swirling chasm of smoke. The smoke formed, and reformed again creating images of humans being chased down and eaten by Vampire-like creatures in broad daylight. The things had fangs and red eyes like a vamped-out Vampire, but Vampires could not be in the sun, could they? All of the creatures are branded with the upside-down A on their foreheads.
The image reformed again, and I can see a hospital with nurses and emergency works slain by red four-legged Werewolf-like creatures. The creatures are eating patients and drinking blood stores.
The image swirled and changed again, I see my blood bank. Below me, Allen and Jane are dead along with most of the other tenants and workers. The doors were torn open and the blood bank depleted. Vampires are destroying everything, looking for something.
The image changed once again, I saw three vamp-like creatures in all black, with what looked like monk robes on. These three have large upside-down A’s imprinted on their foreheads and are about seven feet tall. The three Vampire men carried poles with three-foot ivory blades on the end. It seems they are in command, somehow helping the beasts and Vampires and other creatures destroy and kill.
I can see nothing clearly, and I may be completely wrong with what I’m seeing, but it’s horrible. The screaming and eating, and death are all around me surrounding me.
The smoke reformed, no Vampires or robed guys, it’s just thousands of dead bodies covering the ground between the buildings outside of the DBBA. Looking down at the bodies from my bedroom window, one is starting to move, then the rest, they are all getting up from death. All branded with the upside-down A on their forehead.
“Looks like trouble, Alice,” a man’s voice said in my dream. “I can’t say that you were chosen, but there is something special about you isn’t there.” Chuckling, the man continued, “You did, in fact, die twice after all. Something that has never happened before. Who knows why, who knows the balancing act that’s playing out, but you’re defiantly part of it, aren’t you?”
“I think we both know the answer to that one.” My other voice said politely.
The man answered kindly, “Yes, yes, we do, Lilith. Alice, the images in the mist should not be taken to heart, no, no, I don’t think. They have been changing a lot lately, each time different. I would instead think of the overtone of the images the theme of it all, not the actual images themselves, but who knows anything really.” He paused. “Even stranger, why did all of them have the upside-down A branded on their heads, and what does it mean to you?” He stated. I tried to open my mouth to talk to the voice, but nothing happened, I can’t speak. No words would form.
“If I had to guess,” the voice continued, “and put my thoughts into words it would seem your body is on a higher plain, but yet controlled here by your two spirits for a purpose. Ah, but don’t listen to me, I’m just a crazy old man that’s been around for too long.” His voice moved away from me.
“Yes, I realize that the more I know the less I understand, and that would mean I understand less than anyone doesn’t it.”
I saw a bright light and woke to find my white pillows with huge red blotches. My tears leaked down my cheeks to my pillows soaking them. “What a crazy dream,” I thought.
Light broke through my windows in familiar bands highlighting the particles floating carelessly through the air.
“Thump, Thump, Thump.” I could hear three thudded knocks on my front door as if someone were not using their knuckles to knock. “Alice, you in there,” Allen said in his characteristic monotone voice. “I’m here to evict you. You got to get out.”
I let Allen beat on the door making my way into the bathroom. I washed the blood from my eyes and cheeks as Allen continued. “Alice, I’m going to call the police. You haven’t paid rent in over a month, plus late charges.” He chuffed.
I imagine his chuffing sound being the same one he makes when happily getting a third piece of pie. I rummaged through my dresser and put on panties and bra along with a pair of blue jeans with holes all in them, and a white top that doesn’t fit my new body like it did my old one, then I went to the door.
I turned the knob opening the door just as Allen hit the lock with his key. Buddy slipped out the crack and went down the half-spiral stairs leading to the blood bank. Allen looked into my eyes staring aimlessly as if he were looking through a telescope at the stars.
I gave him a very toothy smile, showing my Kris like fangs. Allen started shaking, his tremors visible. “Allen, do you need something?” Lilith answered in an inhuman carol. He said nothing, just slowly turned around and started down the stairs. I shut the door and spoke to Lilith inside my head. “Thanks, sweetie, sure I’m going crazy, but I don’t think he will bother us for a while.”
She giggled, “I think we’re stuck with each other, might as well make the best of it.”
“I need to check on Chester.” I’m worried that Victoria may blame hi
m for my visit and do something spiteful. I filled up Buddy’s water bowl and set it beside the door, then found my way outside the blood bank to Decatur Street.
Walking my normal path toward Jackson Square, I can hear Christina humming her beautiful melody. It is truly music to my ears; I want to dance every time she sings.
Chester is only a few blocks away by both the sounds of Christina and the blood wine scent. I continued walking for a few minutes and once I was near Chester, I said, “Sir Chester, it’s only been a day, but feels like weeks since Christina sang for me.”
He replied, “Alice, it is a delight to have you near us once again. I fear, if you continue to make yourself available, we will get our foolish hopes up for further visits.”
I said, “I think it’s fair to say I will continue to expect to see you on a daily basis and would imagine that you will at once find me in the event you needed anything at all.” Chester did his normal bow as I finished.
He and Christina played something magical, immediately making my day better both with the sound of their music and by them simply being here. I continued up to Jackson Square looking for a quiet place to figure out my next steps.
The St Louis Cathedral is just outside of Jackson Square. I needed guidance and to figure out what I should be doing. Church is a good place to start, especially with Werewolves and Vampires all over the place.
The St Louis Cathedral is a magnificent structure that has been through several rebuilding’s over the years from its original birth in the early 1700s. It’s exactly what you would expect with large turrets and a breathtaking worship hall complete with painted ceilings. My favorite part is the cemetery, where supposed voodoo Witches are buried. I didn’t believe in voodoo until now, but I’m a believer in everything, Big Foot, the Lock Ness monster, aliens, you name it, I’m open to it.
Walking inside the worship hall to the front pew, I sat looking at the sculptures and imagery. Closing my eyes and sitting forward I started meditation. A few minutes into my reverie I sense someone coming and know they are on the row behind me. I don’t smell vamp or any foreign scents, so I relaxed.
The person sat behind me and spoke. “My daughter, are you in need of prayer?” I nodded my head and felt a slight touch on my shoulder. I expected his hand to be quickly removed after the icy cold of my skin penetrated through the shirt, but his hand didn’t move.
“Father, we are in need of you today. We need your guidance, your love, and your forgiveness. We need help to find you and what you would have us do in your name for alone we are but empty shells and worthless. Help her, father, bless her, lord, and give her the strength to persevere, the patience to understand, and the power to defeat those who would turn her from your righteous path. In your name, father, we pray. Amen.” The man finished.
I turned to look at the man sitting behind me. He’s a priest dressed in traditional black attire with a white clerical collar. His hair is light brown and just cut, supported by glacial blue eyes and a stone-like facial expression. He has a bible in one rugged looking hand and a rosary in the other. Most people that touch me retract in fear, be he didn’t. He looked me in the eyes and smiled, fear is not something this man has.
“I’m Father Bennett. It’s good to see you in the house of the lord today,” he said in a firm but comforting voice.
“Thank you, father,” I said. “My name is Alice. I’m having a hard time with everything that’s happening to me. This is going to sound crazy, but I died and came back to life different. I don’t know what to do or what I am.” I looked down at my worn-out tennis shoes when I was done speaking.
“If you came back different maybe you were supposed to.” Father Bennett said.
I replied, “Father, I don’t know what I am. I am a creature of some kind, if I knew at least what I am, maybe that could help me understand.”
“It’s not what we are, but what we do, and become that matters. You probably already know the answers to all your questions, if you just think about them. What do you know?” Father Bennett said in a matter of fact tone.
I answered, “I’m icy cold to the touch and have these fiery amber eyes that clearly aren’t mine. I move too fast and am called to blood but have control over it. I can walk in the light and see through the darkness, and I’ve died and come back from death twice.”
He looked at me for a moment then spoke, “That last thing you said. You died and came back from death twice. I think that’s the most important part. To my knowledge, only two living things can come back to here from true death. God and Demons.
“You see Vampires are turned while living and never truly died before the turning, but if you kill them, they stay truly dead. Angels are created by god, but still no Angel has ever came back from death, and Witches are mostly human and do not rise from the dead either,” he paused and cleared his throat, “but a Demon, that’s something totally different. So, if you died and came back you are either God or a Demon or something between the two, and my guess is, you’re not God.”
“Father, this doesn’t make any sense. How can I be a Demon or something like a Demon? I’ve never hurt anyone. I have been terrified for most of my life of everything. I am so weak; I went to church asking God to just help me get through the day. I’m sitting in a freaking church right now, how can a Demon thing sit in a freaking church?” I said, going out of my mind. “Aren’t you guys supposed to be throwing holy water on me and casting me back to Hell?”
Father Bennett laughed, “My dear, yes there are Demons that the church will exorcise out, but those take over a living body, and while they are dangerous are nothing like what you say you are. You are living between this life and the next is my guess. But what matters most is not what you are, but who you are. Why must all Demons be evil? After all, we know all Angels are not good. If God didn’t have a very good purpose for you, I promise we wouldn’t be talking.”
Shaking my head, I stood, still not truly believing everything. Father Bennett is probably the closest to correct about my situation. I did go through a rebirth of sorts, but was I really reborn as a Demon? I thanked father Bennett and asked him to pray for me, then walked out of the Cathedral.
I left the St Louis Cathedral and crossed over to Toulouse Street. Walking, I saw a cool-looking sign in the shape of a circle, hanging from short chains over a brick storefront, “Adventure Travelers,” the shop sign read. It seems my adventure is just beginning! I guess I’ll stop in. I laughed releasing some tension from the church visit.
The store is jam-packed with all sorts of goods. I immediately feel the culture of New Orleans reaching out to me. Handcrafted leather bags and belts are hanging throughout the quaint store along with a multitude of local art and crafts. Some items looked to be a hundred years old. “I wonder how long Demons live,” I though.
“We don’t age, Alice.” Lilith answered kindly. I walked around and browsed the shop goods for a few minutes, then someone spoke to me.
“Welcome to ‘Adventure Travelers’ how can I assist you on your journey?” a lady’s voice said from behind me. I turned to find a dark-skinned lady complete with bone necklace and a handkerchief wrapped around her head, hiding her hair if she has any.
I looked at her and spoke, “I’m just looking, thanks.” Now that I’m paying attention to what I think I am, my voice didn’t sound exactly human. It was close to human and my raspy Southern accent is there but it has a slightly seductive tone and is almost irregular as if I had a new accent mixed in.
The lady said nothing, just froze for a moment walking away, behind the counter and into an office. I continued perusing around for five or ten minutes looking at all the knitting supplies and craft paints. “I want to learn to paint once I get a handle on all of this,” I thought. “Alice, ‘the painting Demon’ sounds nice.” I chuckled.
Continuing my walk around browsing, I overheard the lady chanting something. It sounds like wor
ds to a song with a specific cadence. Focusing, I can smell a distinct aroma, nothing human at all. It’s tangy and bright, like finely aged wine. A faint shimmer is now encircling the lady. “A magical ward. I guess she doesn’t like our eyes, Alice,” Lilith thought. I’ve never seen magic; in fact, I don’t even think Vampires can see magic. Me seeing magic probably has more to do with my new Demon eyes than anything else. Lilith agreed.
“I’m just shopping,” I said, in my seductive Southern voice at her. “No need for whatever it is you’re doing.” Turning my back to her showing she was no threat I continued my browsing of the store goods.
She continued chanting a slightly different version of her cadence than before. I can feel tingles of light in the air, it radiated around me and for some reason I liked it. I could see a kind of structure forming. It had a bluish silver tint and the magic danced occasionally around the newly forming boundaries.
I stood still turning my head to the woman behind the counter while the magic cage finished forming around me. It’s color shimmering in bands moving up and across its surface. It looked lovely. “Why are you attempting to trap me?” I asked calmly and non-threateningly.
She said in a shaking native New Orleans’s accent, “Vampires aren’t supposed to be girls or walking in the day, something’s not right with you. Knew you was walking evil when I seen your eyes.”
“She had a point,” Lilith thought. I didn’t look even close to human.
“Listen, lady, I am really just shopping, and I’m not evil, for all you know I could be wearing contacts. Why are you warding me, do you ward everyone you get afraid of?” I could smell her sweet-smelling candy-covered fear radiating around her.
The door made a jingling sound as it opened, and four more women walked in. All of them wearing black cloaks. “Now it’s a party,” Lilith said, interested. One woman turned the open sign to closed and locked the door.
