Sunrise was coming.
I clumsily took to the air in search of my daytime retreat.
Selma
Jake and Betty came over rather early, and we spent the morning at the pool. The conversation, however, was a bit different than normal.
“You can’t be serious,” Betty exclaimed.
“I’m totally serious,” Jake said. “The second lifeguard was found shoved inside an SUV, and his body was damn near dismembered.”
“I don’t get why the police can’t find this guy,” Betty said.
I vaguely knew what they were talking about from the flashes of news I’d just happened to catch on the television. Apparently, there was a violent serial killer haunting Southern California.
“It’s the way he rips them apart,” Jake said. “That one medical examiner said the killer must be freakishly strong.”
“Why did that one kid's dad disappear?” Betty asked. “I bet he had something to do with all the killings. What was that kid's name again?”
“Bret something,” Jake answered. “I don’t know him all that well, but I met him a few times. He was kind of an asshole. Now they say he just stares at the walls all day and screams at night, won’t say a word to anyone.”
“Are the police still looking for his father?” Betty asked.
“Yes,” Jake answered. “Like you, I’m sure they think he’s involved somehow.”
I only listened half-heartedly to the rest of their conversation. I wasn’t concerned with serial killers and the like. I had a protector, and his presence in my life filled me with confidence.
I smoked some weed.
Jake smoked some weed.
Betty wanted to smoke some weed, but we sent her out on a food run instead.
Dad called in the late afternoon. He was out of town and didn’t bother saying where he was, but he was concerned.
“Have you been out of the house today?” Dad asked.
“No,” I answered.
“Very good,” Dad said. “Stay close to the house, and keep an eye on Tyler.”
“You’re making me a bit nervous, all things considered,” I said.
“What?” Dad said. “No, no. Don’t be worried. I just want to make sure everything’s okay after recent events.”
“I wouldn’t worry about me,” I said. Everything over here is calm and quiet. I’ve been with Jake and Betty all day.”
I got off the phone quickly, but I was wondering if my Dad knew I was still talking to Derry. I didn’t want him to find out. No parent would be okay with their child spending time with a monster like Derry.
Tyler took a break from whatever he was doing and joined the three of us for lunch. We had pizza, sodas, and breadsticks. Jake and Betty kept talking about the serial killer despite my constant attempts to change the subject.
“Why are you so concerned about this sociopath?” I finally asked. “Surely there are more interesting and less morbid things to talk about?”
“This is important,” Betty said. “We’re in danger. Everyone’s in danger.”
“I thought this dude was in Glendale,” I said.
“No,” Jake answered. “He’s getting around.”
“I’m not really worried,” I said. “I can’t imagine anyone coming around here and looking for trouble.”
“You were kidnapped not too long ago,” Betty said.
“That was then,” I said. “This is now.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Jake asked.
I laughed and messed up his hair with my fingers before fixing myself a drink from the bar. Tyler looked shocked as he saw what I was doing, but I gave him a wink and a smile that would assure his discretion.
“I’m seeing someone,” I said. “Well, I’m starting to see someone.”
“Who?” Betty asked.
“He’s a new boy,” I answered. “I met him online, so you wouldn’t know him.”
“Do you have pictures?” Betty asked.
“Not yet,” I answered. “He’s a bit different. He might not like having his picture taken.”
“Is he one of those too cool for school types? Jake asked. “Am I going to have to intimidate him?”
“I don’t think so,” I answered.
“When can we meet him?” Betty asked.
“Yes,” Jake agreed. “I can’t wait to meet this lovely chap.”
“I don’t know,” I said. “We’re taking things really slow. He’s a bit of an introvert, and I don’t think my dad will approve.”
“Your dad won’t approve?” Betty asked.
“Probably not,” I said.
“Why not?” Betty asked.
“I don’t know,” I answered. “He’s just a bit different.”
“What’s his name?” Jake asked.
“His name is Derry,” I answered.
“What kind of name is that?” Jake asked.
“It sounds sort of Irish,” I said. “He has a faint accent, but it’s hard to tell.”
“You haven’t asked him where he’s from?” Jake asked.
“We’ve had more important things to talk about,” I said.
“What’s his last name?” Betty asked. “We can look him up online.”
“I don’t know his last name,” I admitted. “There’s a chance he doesn’t have one.”
“Everyone has a last name,” Jake said.
“Maybe he’s from some lost Irish tribe,” Betty joked. “He’s not had much contact with the modern world.”
“That might be true,” I said with a laugh.
Later that day we went to the cinema. Once we were inside, Betty and I flirted with the guys at the counter until they gave us free candy, popcorn, and drinks. The manager even let us in early so we could pick out the best seats.
“I love hanging out with the two of you,” Jake laughed as we sat down.
“An attack from both a blonde and a brunette rarely fails,” Betty laughed. “Selma has that whole California surfer girl vibe, but I bring the hot ice princess attitude to the table.”
“Ice princess is right,” Jake laughed. “You damn near intimidate men into doing what you want them to do. You should try Selma’s approach. She’s much kinder.”
“Selma’s anything but kinder,” Betty laughed. “Don’t let her fool you; she’s the real shark around here.”
“I’m a sweetheart,” I said. “Don’t let her tell you anything different.”
“You could be a sweetheart,” Betty said with a laugh, “but why mess with success? You achieve your goals because you have a habit of speaking your own mind. There really isn’t a need to change your style.”
“Not anytime soon, anyway,” Jake teased, “but eventually you’ll get older. Us men may not spoil you as much when that happens, especially if you have a bad attitude.”
“Perhaps I’ll find a way to stay young forever,” I said with a sly smile. “That way, I never have to change.”
“If you find a fountain of youth, keep me in mind,” Betty said. “I’d like to stop aging right after I turn twenty-one.”
“I’d like that as well,” Jake added.
“I’ll certainly keep both of you in mind,” I laughed.
The movie started, and it wasn’t that great, a typical homicidal maniac running around and hacking up young women kind of affair. It was good for a few jumps, but nothing more. We should have seen the romantic comedy instead.
Throughout the movie, I kept thinking about Derry. I wondered what he was doing. I wondered if he was safe. I felt very protective of him suddenly. He was like having a stray cat showing up at your window every evening. You begin to expect the cat, but deep down inside, you sort of realize that eventually, the cat won’t show up.
I was worried.
After the movie, we went to a party at classmate’s house.
There weren’t a lot of people there, but admittedly we showed up just a bit too early. The sun was barely setting.
“I’m not expecting too many more p
eople,” Darryl, the host informed us.
“Why’s that?” I asked.
Darryl’s house was in a nice enough location, and he had a pool. There was no reason his party shouldn’t have a decent enough gathering.
“That damn slasher dude,” Darryl answered. “He’s got everybody worried.”
“No shit,” Jake agreed. “My parents didn’t even want me to leave the house tonight.”
“Just when you think it might be over, he goes out and kills somebody else.” Betty added. “I’m really wondering how long this can continue.”
“I’ve heard people asking for the police chief’s resignation and everything,” Darryl said.
“Oh enough about all that dreary stuff,” I pouted. “Surely there’s something more exciting we can talk about. Darryl, don’t you have a girlfriend?"
“We broke up about a month ago,” Darryl said.
“Really?” I asked. “Well, Betty over here is single as well.”
Betty and Darryl both laughed, but I caught their eyes lingering on each other for the briefest of moments before the inevitable blush. We all talked a bit more, and more people joined our conversation.
My ex-boyfriend, Brad, must have been there for at least a few minutes before I even noticed him. At first, my heart damn near leapt out of my chest, but I quickly regained my composure and played cool.
Somebody passed a joint around, and I made sure to take an impressive hit. All eyes were upon me. I was wearing short shorts and a t-shirt a couple sizes too small. I looked good. Brad was defiantly looking in my direction.
Unfortunately for Brad, I didn’t want his attention. I didn’t want anyone’s attention, and I did my best to avoid making eye contact with anyone too long.
After a fashion, I snuck off to the back yard. There were a few people milling about around the pool, and there were even a few people swimming in their underwear. I thought about stripping down and taking a dip, but again I didn’t want any attention on me.
I only wanted to observe. Everything I saw seemed unexceptional, perhaps even trivial. I was bored with my peers. None of them held any level of excitement any longer.
I’d seen things that the people around me would never believe. I’d also experienced things most of them couldn’t relate to.
I had nothing in common with the living.
If only it were that simple. It would at least explain why I found such solace among the dead. I watched my fellow teenagers frolic and wrestle around the pool, but I did so from a distance.
“You want to share a beer with me?” Brad asked.
I was startled, but I played it off. I accepted the first swig of his beer, and that was probably a mistake.
“I’ve been thinking about you lately,” Brad said.
“Really?” I asked.
“Yes,” Brad answered. “We have some good memories together.”
“I suppose we do,” I said.
“I miss you,” Brad said. “We were together a long time.”
“We were,” I said.
Brad offered the beer after he took a long swig, but I refused it with barely a shake of my head. I was already bored with the conversation.
“Maybe we can go somewhere,” Brad said.
“No,” I said. “I came with Betty and Jake. I think I’ll leave with them.”
“I get that,” Brad continued, “but you look really good tonight.”
“I look like I look every night,” I said. “If you’re horny, maybe you should call up that little slut you cheated on me with. I bet she’ll be glad to hear from you.”
Brad looked shocked.
I didn’t realize that my voice had risen during our conversation, and other people were listening in on us. Betty was laughing from not far away, and Jake was just sort of standing there with his mouth hanging open.
I walked away from Brad before he could recover and get angry. Almost immediately, I was surrounded by a group of acquaintances from school that were hungry for gossip. I gave them nothing, but I allowed them to hang around me regardless because they kept Brad at a distance.
Jake spent the evening flirting with anyone that happened to be within spitting distance. Betty and I enjoyed that immensely. We also enjoyed toying with any boy brave enough to approach the two of us.
We left as the party started picking up a bit.
I hadn’t been sleeping at night lately, and I was feeling a bit tired. Jake complained the entire way home, but Betty and I only laughed as he ranted and raved.
I was tired, and I was missing Derry.
I was being ridiculous. I barely knew Derry, but there I was missing him. He was special. He was different, and I wanted his cold arms wrapped around me. I wanted his slack kisses and his bloody mouth.
I laughed at the thought of turning into a vampire. I laughed at the thought of Brad trying to hook up with me. The stars were bright and beautiful even through all the light pollution of California, and it was all I could do to refrain from shoving my head out the window to see them better.
When I finally got home, I checked on Tyler, brushed my teeth, and climbed into bed. I stared out the window until I drifted off, and then I dreamed of black eyes and pointy teeth. I had a vampire lover. The rest of my life seemed a bit boring compared to that.
Derry
My brothers were angry, and they let me know the moment I walked into our house. Bob was nowhere to be seen, but I could hear him in his bedroom. He was dealing with an injury, and having trouble stopping the blood.
“You’re out there eating steak, and Lorcan and I are dining on swill,” Ciaran snarled.
“What are you going on about?” I asked.
“You think we don’t know?” Ciaran asked. “We watch the news. You’re hunting excessively, and you’re feeding on people that will be missed.”
“How could you say that?” I asked.
“Derry,” Lorcan said in that quiet way of his. “Look at yourself. You’ve obviously been feeding excessively. I hate complaining, but if you keep this up, we’ll be forced to leave much earlier than Ciaran and I would like.”
“I’m keeping up appearances,” I said. “It just won’t do to show up not looking my best, and besides, the two of you have been obsessed with your video games lately.”
“It’s that human girl of his,” Ciaran complained. “Had I known you were going to become so obsessed with her—
“No,” I interrupted. “Don’t talk like that.”
“You deserve it,” Lorcan said. “You’ve been behaving badly.”
“I hate feeding on alcoholics and runaways,” Ciaran complained. “I just hate it. It’s not fun, there’s rarely a decent hunt, but I do it. I do it for Lorcan, and I do it for you. I do it so we can stay in one place longer. I do it because sometimes it’s nice to have a home.”
“You’re jeopardizing what we have,” Lorcan said.
“Oh, please,” I said. “Look at the two of you. You look like monsters. Neither one of you has been feeding properly, and now that you’re really hungry, you’re starting to complain. Learn to take better care of yourselves, and what the hell happened to Bob?”
“He got too close to Ciaran,” Lorcan answered.
“What the hell does that mean?” I asked.
“I bit him,” Ciaran answered.
“Why?” I asked.
“He was too close,” Ciaran said. “If a human gets too close to me, I’m going to bite them, and Bob smells so damn good. I can’t imagine what he’s going through spending so much time with us, but he’s certainly wonderfully terrified.”
Lorcan started laughing.
“Wonderfully terrified?” I asked.
Lorcan started laughing a bit harder, and for just a brief moment, we almost appeared to be an average human family talking in a darkened kitchen. Never mind the lack of emotion on our faces and our reflective eyes.
“I’m hungry,” Ciaran said. “Bring me the girl’s father. If you do that, I’ll stop complaining.”
“He’s not around much,” I answered.
“Then I want to go on a real hunt,” Ciaran pouted. “The games are losing their shine, and just smelling how much you’ve been feeding is making me hungry.”
The idea of Ciaran heading out for a night of hunting filled me with dread. If he made mistakes or raised the body count any higher, we’d need to leave California, and I didn’t want to leave just yet.
Too many things could happen with my reckless brother. I was being selfish, maybe even ridiculous. I knew that, but I had Selma to think about.
“Be patient,” I said. “You’ll have fun again, I promise. Just give me some time. That’s all I’m asking. Go and hunt the alcoholics and the runaways for just a bit longer. Stay quiet and stay safe. I need this time. I’ll make it up to you in the end.”
“Do you mean that?” Lorcan asked. “You’ll make it up to us?”
“Of course I do,” I answered.
Ciaran looked at me for a bit. His empty face gave away nothing, but I knew he’d be patient for me.
“Don’t take forever,” Ciaran said.
“I won’t take forever,” I said.
“I want to meet this human girl,” Lorcan said.
“What?” I asked. “Why?”
“I don’t know what it’s like to spend time with humans anymore,” Lorcan answered. “I only know what it’s like to spend time with the two of you. It might be interesting to meet a human that knows exactly what I am.”
“Well,” I said. “She doesn’t know everything.”
“What do you mean?” Lorcan asked.
“Nothing,” I said.
“I’d like to meet her as well,” Ciaran said. “It might prove interesting.”
“I’m not sure I can trust the two of you around this girl,” I said. “You haven’t been good at all to Bob,”
“Bob doesn’t count,” Ciaran said.
“He does count,” I said. “I asked you not to hurt him, and you keep hurting him. He’s not going to last forever if you keep damaging him.”
“I have an idea,” Lorcan said.
“What’s that?” I asked.
“If Ciaran can go a week without hurting Bob, then we get to meet your human,” Lorcan said. “How does that sound?”
The Forgotten: A Vampire Story Page 10
