by M. Cheykota
Clutching my daggers, I return to the bedroom to find Austin waiting for me in bed. He is bare from the waist up from what I can see. He pulls back the covers on one side of the king size bed, patting the mattress.
“Get in. I promise to behave myself.” He says amusingly.
I am alert now, but decide to get into his bed so I don’t draw more attention to myself than I already have. I put a dagger between the mattresses on my side of the bed, out of his reach and put the other dagger under my pillow before climbing into bed.
He chuckles. “You amuse me Olivia.”
“Is that so? I don’t think I am that interesting. I am just a girl trying to stay alive.”
“We should spend some time getting to know each other better. Maybe you will learn to trust me more. For now, we can stick to your questions.”
“Why are you so willing to answer my questions? I can’t imagine all vampires are so forthcoming.” I ask in distrust.
“I was once a fledgling. I remember what it was like when I was turned. I remember all the questions and uncertainty flooding my mind. I was lucky. I had a patient sire that was willing to explain life as a vampire. Many are not as lucky. Plus, I have a soft spot for young, beautiful women.”
I laugh. “You are lousy at hiding your motives.”
“I will not deny that I want to sleep with you. However, I am more interested in your vampire status so I can resist the urge. Contrary to what you may think, I do not have a problem finding a woman to sleep with me.”
“What do you really want from me then?”
“If you answer my questions, I will answer yours.” He replies craftily.
“Wait a minute! That was not what you agreed to before.” I complain.
“I will still answer your questions, but I have questions of my own. We do not have much time before dawn so we should get started. I will go first. What is your name?”
“Huh? You know my name.” I give him a perplexed look.
“What is your real name? I know it is not Olivia.”
“Why would you think that?” I ask evasively.
Austin sighs. “The questioning is going to take a long time if you continue to answer my questions with another question. I am taking a risk by having you in my bed, in my home. I do not know who your master is or whether you are trustworthy. The only thing I am sure of is that you are a fledgling with a very strong mind and that makes me curious. I will answer your last question then I expect answers to mine. Vampires can tell when someone is lying. We can hear their heart rate or breathing change. Just as I can smell strong emotions, I can smell when you are lying. Now, I know your name is not Olivia. For the sake of arguments, could you please answer my simpler questions honestly?”
“My name is Jessica. Some people call me Jess.” I confess.
“Thank you Jessica.”
“Okay, my turn. How did you do that disappearing thing?” I blurt out curiously.
“What you saw me do is move extremely fast. It may have looked like I disappeared and reappeared, but I did not. Teleporting occurs when a vampire disappears from one location and appears in another location, using the power of their mind. Teleporting is a very rare ability. It takes a lot of accumulated power to be able to move by thought. Only the eldest and most powerful vampires may obtain that ability. I am a Master vampire almost 400 years old and I cannot do it.” Austin admits.
“Impressive. How old do you have to be to get that ability?”
He ponders the question. “I am not sure. I have only heard of only one, a very old vampire over two thousand years old, being able to teleport. I know it requires a lot more power than I have accumulated. Now it is time for my next question. Who was your sire?”
I cringe, knowing that I can’t answer his question honestly. Instead of bluffing, I tell him the truth. “I can’t answer your question.”
“Why not?” He asks curiously.
“I have my reasons. It would seriously endanger my well-being if anyone knew my history. He is dead. About that, I am not lying to you.”
Austin studies me carefully before nodding his head. “I am only concerned because of my intent to bring you into my household. Taking another vampire’s fledgling would be grounds for a war. I believe your sire is dead. I do not smell a lie, but I am still curious about you. What can you tell me about yourself?”
“I can tell you about my personality and what I have learned on my own about being a vampire. I have had minimal contact with vampires and I grew up sheltered. I have done well for myself considering my circumstances and I am only looking for information to survive.”
“Hmm, I see. You have a very strong mind for a fledgling. I cannot control you. Were you a witch or some other magical being before you were turned?” He asks, studying me in fascination.
Witches are real? “I guess you could say that.” My response is deliberately vague.
“I thought we discussed being honest with each other.” He growls in disappointment.
I sigh. “I’m trying, but the answers you’re looking for, I can’t give you. I have some secrets I have to keep for my own safety.”
“If you will not answer my questions, I have no reason to answer yours.” He pouts.
“What happened to all that talk about helping me because I’m a fledgling with questions? Was all that bullshit?”
“I am getting none of the answers I seek out of this arrangement. I should force my way into your mind and extract the answers I want to know.” He states angrily, losing his temper.
I cross my arms defiantly. “You could try, but if you do, I will leave and you will never have your answers.”
Austin looks into my eyes and sees my indignation. He grumbles to himself incoherently for a few seconds before turning to face me. “There are not many people that I find intriguing so I will play your games for now. You should know that I am not known for my patience.”
My lips twitch. “Duly noted.”
Austin rolls his eyes and smiles at me. “Dawn is approaching and I still have a couple of questions before we rest.”
“Okay, I’m listening, but I can’t promise I’ll answer.” I repeat stubbornly.
“Are you hiding from someone?”
I hesitate before answering. “I have many enemies, but they are all mortal. They are not a problem for me so I don’t expect you to be very concerned about them. I am not running from anyone, but that does not mean that people aren’t looking for me.”
Austin laughs, his whole body shaking in amusement. His eyes are still twinkling in humor when he calms enough to speak. “You are going to be a thorn in my side. Every answer is a riddle or has a twist. I will enjoy getting to know you better Jessica.”
I pout at his wayward comment. “I am not trying to be difficult.”
“I know. That is what intrigues me so much. As for my last question before dawn, I must know. Will you try to kill me?” He asks, all humor gone.
“I will not kill you unless you attack me first.” I reply confidently.
“I will not attack you or try to harm you. I sense no lies in your answer. It is time for bed.” Austin lowers himself to his pillow and closes his eyes.
In no way do I believe he is not fully aware of my presence.
I pull one of the sheets off the bed, grab my pillow and daggers then walk into his bathroom. Shutting and locking the door behind me, I make a bed inside the large tub with my daggers resting across my chest before I dare close my eyes. A soft chuckle from the bedroom is all I hear before I feel dawn break over the horizon, forcing vampires to fall asleep during the day according to what I’ve read about vampires and learned from my mother’s visits to me when I was younger. Finally feeling safe enough to relax, I fall asleep.
Chapter 8
The advantage of being half-angel, half-vampire is the ability to move around during the day. By noon, I am up, dressed in my clothes and creeping my way out of the bathroom. With my daggers tucked neatly in my jeans, I tiptoe by A
ustin in bed and cautiously open the bedroom door. I am at the bottom of the stairs when a human woman, most likely a servant, turns the corner and sees me. Her eyes widen in surprise and fear.
“You are supposed to be asleep.” She announces in a hushed tone.
“I was just leaving. Tell Austin that I will drop by the club tonight.” I say over my shoulder to her.
Without a second thought, I trot the rest of the distance to the front door and open it.
I hear her gasp from behind me at the foot of the stairs. I turn around to see what is wrong.
She is covering her mouth with one hand as she points at me with the other. Her eyes are as wide as saucers.
“What’s wrong?” I look down at my clothes and search around myself. When I see my shadow on the ground, I realize why she is in shock.
She believes that I am a fledgling vampire. I am so used to blending in with humans that I forget young vampires should not be awake during the daylight hours. Never interacting with vampires, I am making amateur mistakes. I should know better than to walk out of a vampire’s house at high noon. Better yet, I should have realized I was missing something when she looked surprised to see me up and about. I, also, should not be able to stand in the sun as I am now. My ability to walk in sunlight is a gift from my mother’s angel half.
In a panic, I use my weak mind control to capture her mind. I convince her to forget that she saw me. I make her walk into another room so she can’t see me slip out the front door.
Using the first payphone I see, I call a cab to take me back to my apartment in the city.
Later that evening when the moon takes the sun’s place high in the sky, I wake up to take a shower and change my clothes before returning to the vampire feeding building. Eager to find Austin to ask him more questions about vampires, I wait patiently in line, hoping he will be there tonight.
A short, pudgy white man in a black t-shirt and blue jeans walks down the line of people waiting to get into the club and stops in front of me.
“Excuse me Miss.” He calls out politely, gaining my attention.
“Is something wrong?” I ask.
“No ma’am. I was told to escort you inside.” He replies, unlatching the rope that keeps the line straight. He steps back to give me room to leave the line and join him, before reconnecting the rope line.
“Who told you to escort me?” I ask the bouncer.
“My master, Austin, told me to wait for you out here. If you showed up, I am supposed to bring you to him.” He says quietly to prevent the humans around us from overhearing.
I follow the vampire inside the feeding building. My eyes dart between him and the crowd.
After all my mistakes this afternoon, I vowed to pay closer attention to my surroundings and be more cautious around vampires.
He guides me to the back of the club where the hidden door is.
The door opens and Jalik steps out of the hallway.
“My master awaits you.” Jalik informs me between gritted teeth, stepping out of my path.
“I don’t want to cause any tension. If my presence is a problem, just say so. I am more than willing to move on and disappear. I only want answers to my questions, not trouble.” I explain, hoping to ease Jalik’s frustration.
“It doesn’t matter what I think. My master is waiting.” He waves his arm, trying to usher me inside the room.
Instead of walking inside the room, I turn around and walk back out into the club. Jalik and my escort stare at my back in disbelief.
After maneuvering my way through the crowd, I am back outside without any resistance. I am halfway down the street before Jalik catches up to me.
“Where are you going?” Jalik asks in disbelief.
“I don’t need my questions answered that badly.” I reply as I continue towards the city lights, picking up my pace. “The last thing I need is a bunch of vampires getting pissed because I’m hanging around their master.”
“You are leaving without any explanation to my master?” He asks incredulously.
I turn another corner and begin to run while responding to Jalik’s question. “He is your master, not mine. I don’t want or need any trouble from any vampires. I’ll see you around.”
I put on a burst of speed and run as fast as I can towards the brightening lights of the city. I can hear Jalik’s soft footfalls behind me as he runs after me, trying to catch up. He keeps calling out my name, but I don’t look back or slow down until I am at the edge of a large crowd on a street full of bars or other drinking establishments.
Several people glance in my direction when I appear next to them suddenly, but they are too drunk to question where I came from. Apparently, Jalik is being more cautious about hiding his nature than I am, because when I look over my shoulder to see if he’s still following me, I can see he has slowed to a human walking pace well beyond the crowd’s view, but still coming towards me. Hoping that I can get lost in the crowds of people barhopping before he gets close enough to keep track of me, I duck and weave through the patrons partying on the sidewalk until I see a door open. Inside the bar, I glimpse a thick crowd of people so I slip inside, just as the door is closing. Crouching low, I work my way to the women’s restroom in the back of the bar.
Standing over a sink, I unnecessarily wash my hands a couple of times to have an excuse to linger. I pick up a non-human scent from a small woman standing in front of the mirror next to me, primping. My nostrils flare to take in her scent as I stare at the woman through the mirror.
Her eyes catch mine. She gives me a quick once over and returns to her primping. “You look pretty young to be a vampire. Someone was a very naughty vampire for turning you at such an early age.”
My eyes must be glowing vampire silver and she knows about my kind. Her eyes flash more of a golden color before returning to a more human shade of light brown. I don’t think she is a vampire because she doesn’t have a silver glow in her eyes.
I smirk at her, using my attitude to hide my concern. “I am not as young as I look.”
She chuckles. “If you say so.”
“You are not human or a vampire. What are you?”
She raises an eyebrow at my audacity. After a moment of studying me, she decides to answer my intrusive question without hesitating. “I am a Weretiger, someone capable of shifting their shape into a tiger, and the owner of this establishment. My name is Blixen. You are?”
Weretiger? Is she serious? “Apparently, I am probably in a lot of trouble. I should go.” I walk around her cautiously, making my way towards the door, never taking my eyes off her.
“Wait. You don’t have to leave. Beings of all kinds are welcome in my club. Anyone tell you different, you send that person to me and I will set the person straight. What’s your name?”
“Olivia.” I lie.
She shakes her head. “There’s no need to lie. I’m not going to hurt you. What’s your name fledgling?”
Grudgingly, I reply honestly, realizing her kind must also be able to detect when someone is lying. I need to work on my poker face. “My name is Jessica. Most people call me Jess.”
“I think I have heard about you from somewhere. If you are who I think, I don’t want you causing fights here in my club, but if you want to hang out and party, you are welcome to stick around.” Blixen turns to leave. Pausing at the open bathroom door, she looks over her shoulder at me. “Are you coming?”
“I … um …” I mumble, unsure of what I should do.
“Come on Jess. I will not let anyone bother you.” She motions me to follow her.
I reluctantly follow her out the bathroom and she guides me to the bar. A quick scan of the club reveals there is no sign of Jalik so I relax.
Blixen orders me a drink. When the bartender places it in front of me, I am shocked when I get a whiff of blood.
She looks at me expectantly. “Not the right blood type?”
“No, I mean yes. The drink is fine. I am only surprised to get a drink with blood
in it.”
“Well, anytime you are here, just tell the bartender what you want. We have all blood types on tap. Just be mindful that the humans don’t find out about the blood in your drink. I am sure you know how to be discreet.” She responds in a low tone.
“Okay, thanks Blixen.”
“I have to go Jess. It was nice meeting you.” Blixen leaves me at the bar and disappears into the crowd.
I linger in the bar for a few hours, finding a sense of relief in a safe place to hide. After relaxing a bit, I even do a little dancing, before heading home.
Chapter 9
The following evening, I decide to return to the bar named Blixen, after its owner, since I had a good time the night before. Just like last night, the bar is bursting at the seams with partygoers. Unable to find a seat, I find a secluded spot in the corner of the bar. There are people waiting for the bartender, so I patiently wait for my turn to order. The bartender sees me, bypasses all of the waiting patrons and comes to take my order.
“Hey, I’m Henri. The other bartender is Mack.” He points to the other man at the end of the bar. “Blixen said to look out for ya and if ya came in again tonight, to take good care of ya. It seems she has taken a likin’ to ya. She doesn’t like many people so ya musta made quite an impression. It’s Jessica, right?”
“Yeah, or just Jess. I answer to both.”
“Nice to meet ya Jess. So, what’ll ya have?”
I lean over the bar to get closer to prevent any humans from overhearing my request. “Um, do you have anything in O positive?”
