A Soul in Torment

by D. J Marteeny

  Rick proceeded to gather the few things he needed to help him perfect the human façade he hoped to portray to the locals. He gathered the cosmetics that most people used knowing full well he would never open any of them. When he was finished, he moved out into the open and headed for the counter stopping only once to pick up a couple of dark colored shirts and a pair of black jeans before finally approaching the couple who had yet to take their eyes off of him.

  Three pairs of eyes stared each other down as Amber rang up the items, her husband quickly tossing them into a brown paper bag. Rick could sense their uneasiness and how could he blame them? He’d be freaked out, too, if a guy who’d just spent a year in the woods, and looked it, came at him in the dead of night. These people weren’t fools. They didn’t know him. They couldn’t tell how hard he was fighting his urges so he wouldn’t hurt them. But, somehow, they did know he was dangerous and they just wanted him to leave.

  He toyed with the option of hypnotizing them into forgetting they’d ever seen him but his own stubbornness refused to let him use the power of the vampire unless it was absolutely necessary. In his former life he’d always had a way with people, his gentleness immediately putting people at ease. With a deep sigh of regret he wondered if he would ever regain that ability in his present form. Well, it’s worth a try,he thought as he looked at the couple.

  “Look—I’m really sorry to bother you both at this late hour. I’ve been—traveling for quite some time and I just need to find a place to stay for the night. Is there anywhere near by where I can get a room and—a bite to eat?” He noticed the quick look that flashed between the couple before the woman replied,

  “The Lakeview Inn is about a mile down the road. They have rooms to rent but—it’s the height of the tourist season around here, mister. It’ll be hit or miss if they have any openings. Go to the bar at the front of the building. Ask for Roy,” she said, again looking oddly at her husband. “If anyone can help you he can.”

  Rick couldn’t help but wonder what secret message had passed between the couple but he wasn’t about to ask. He knew better than anyone about secrets especially the one he was trying desperately to hide. He also realized that these people suspected something was off about him, but he refused to do anything about it. I’ll take my chances. They can’t possibly have any clue who—or what—I am, he thought and with a quick, “Thanks,” he turned and walked out the door, the young couple following close on his heels.

  “There’s something strange about that guy.” Amber said as she lit up a cigarette.

  “Yeah—but Roy will know what to do with him.” John replied.

  “Fucking townies.” Amber said as they both turned and re-entered the building securing the lock behind them.

  Rick’s sharp hearing picked up their words as he unzipped the duffel bag and shoved his recent purchases inside. His vampire instincts were screaming a warning in his head. There’s trouble brewing—I can feel it. He didn’t know who this Roy guy was but something was telling Rick he was walking straight into a trap. He almost forgot about getting a room, opting to find a deep cave once again to spend the night in—almost. But stubbornness and the longing to feel human again got the better of him. “No—tonight I’m sleeping in a real bed. I’ll worry about the consequences later,” he said aloud as he headed for the shimmering lights he could just make out off in the distance.

  As he approached his destination, he noticed that the Lakeview Inn was not only a place to rent a room for the night but a bar/restaurant as well—and a very prosperous one at that he thought when he noticed at least twenty or more cars parked out front. “This must be the place to be on a Friday night,” he mumbled under his breath as he heard loud music coming from inside the building.

  He wasn’t sure if a crowded bar was a good thing or not where he was concerned. On one hand, the less people he came into contact with the better he liked it but—a crowded room would make it much easier for him to blend in. He could find himself a dark corner where he could sit back, un-noticed, and watch the locals in action. Get a feel for what the area had to offer.

  He already liked what he’d seen so far of the landscape of the state park. It really was quite beautiful. The woods, full of trees of every kind, were spread out for miles, with houses popping up sporadically among the green foliage. A man, or a vampire, could easily lose himself in a place like this. The population was so sparse he wouldn’t have to see anyone if he didn’t want to. If he could find a small cabin, to rent or even buy, buried deep within the woods he might actually find some sort of peace in his new life. And then, of course, there was the wildlife. The woods were teeming with it. Deer—bear—wildcats—everything a hungry vampire needed to satisfy his hunger—his craving for warm, fresh blood.

  Rick shook his head to rid himself of the image of the stag he’d hunted down hours ago. He’d fed well, and that was normally enough to keep him satisfied for the entire night but if he kept thinking about food he was going to have to hunt again—and soon—and he really didn’t have time for that right now. Dawn was approaching and he needed to find out if the Inn had a room that would meet his needs provided, of course, that this Roy person didn’t pose a threat to him. “Well, there’s only one way to find out.” he said as he started towards the front entrance of the building.

  The Inn itself was perched on the edge of a large lake, the blacktop parking lot literally flowing to the water’s edge. It was a long ‘T’ shaped building with a large peak in the center of the crossbar just above the entrance to the front door of the bar. The column of the ‘T’ shot directly out of the back of the building with windows indicating the rooms the establishment had for rent. The building was cream in color with a long deck in front running its entire length. There was a large blue neon sign just below the center peak, the words LAKEVIEW INN spelled out in glowing red letters.

  As Rick approached the front deck, a young couple came stumbling out of the main entrance. It was obvious that the man was drunk as he tripped down the two front steps, his girlfriend swearing angrily as she tried to hold him up. “Jake, you’re such an ass. When’r you gonna realize you can’t mix beer and whisk…” but her words died on her lips as she stared at the man who had appeared out of the darkness.

  He was tall and very handsome, with long dark hair and, she assumed, dark eyes but it was hard to tell in the glare of the neon lights. He was dressed all in black and had a rumpled duffle bag slung over his right shoulder. She decided she liked what she saw immediately and, with a look of disgust at her boyfriend, turned to face the stranger thinking she could do a lot better than the drunken fool beside her.

  But before she could speak, the stranger raised his head, looking directly at her. Something about the look in his eyes, haunted—desperate, made her stop and think twice about striking up a conversation. Turning quickly, she grabbed her boyfriend by the arm and dragged him across the parking lot until she came to a battered old Ford truck. Unlocking the door, she shoved the man inside, slamming the door after him. Running around to the other side, she opened the door and jumped inside, jamming the key into the ignition. A moment later, she whipped out of the parking lot, the tires of the truck screeching loudly as she sped off down the highway.

  Rick snickered in disgust as he watched the vehicle disappear into the night. I didn’t have to say a word and she was terrified, he thought to himself. I really do need to be more careful or there’ll be no need for secrecy. Everyone will know, just by looking at me, exactly what I am and it’ll all be over with.

  “Remember what Simon taught you, you fool,” he said aloud as he stopped for a moment to regain his composure. Standing still, head bent, he tried to focus all his energy on calming himself. Taking a deep breath, his mind drifted back to the image of the man he once was. After a few seconds he raised his head and Rick Ferrante, the man, now stood where, moments before, there had only been the monster he’d beco
me. A fierce determination replaced the haunted look of desperation in his eyes and he knew he was ready for the next step as he prepared to blend in with the human race. “Well, here goes nothing,” he said as he turned and walked up to the building and through the front door.

  As he entered a smoke filled hallway, he noticed the building was divided into two separate rooms. The bar was to the left and the dining/dancing area was off to the right. The smoke blurred his vision as his heightened senses were bombarded from all directions. The music was blaring, the lights glaring since all the rooms were filled to capacity. But nothing affected his sensory overload more than the smell that assailed his nostrils as he found himself surrounded by dozens of human beings eating and drinking as they tried to forget their mundane lives for a few short hours while they enjoyed a work free week-end.

  No-one seemed to notice him as he turned sharply, his eyes searching for something—anything—that would drive the smell of fresh, warm pulsating blood from his tortured mind. He could feel the hunger roar to life inside of him—feel his fangs starting to elongate as he brushed his tongue lightly over them. He had to do something—and fast—before the bar patrons got the shock of their lives!

  Turning his head, Rick found what he was looking for. He moved towards the bar where patrons occupied every one of the tall stools positioned in front of it. The bartender, a handsome man with shoulder length brown hair and strange reddish brown eyes looked up as Rick strolled by. His eyes followed the vampire’s every move, watching Rick with a strange intensity. And I thought no-one was paying any attention to my arrival, Rick told himself. Guess I was wrong.

  Deciding to ignore the man for the moment, Rick walked to the end of the bar where a young woman was serving drinks. She was young and pretty, with long dark hair and deep brown eyes. For a moment the image of Adrianna flashed through his mind and he caught his breath in shock, blocking out the barmaids words, forcing her to repeat herself even louder,

  “What’ll you have, mister? Or are you just gonna gawk at me all night?”

  “What—no—I’m sorry. Give me a glass of wine—red wine.” Rick told her.

  “Ooh, classy—wine it is then,” she said as she slammed a wine glass onto the bar and proceeded to fill it with the rich, red liquid.

  As Rick lifted the glass to his lips, he inhaled deeply, the scent of the rich bouquet filling his nostrils. He could feel his control returning as the sweet smelling wine drove all other scents out of his mind making it possible for him to calm the raging beast threatening to burst free. He drank deeply, finishing the glass in mere seconds. Turning to the waitress, he asked for a refill.

  “A drinking man—I like that,” she said as she flashed him a crooked smile and it was then that he realized the resemblance to his life-long friend ended.

  The barmaid was pretty but she had nothing on Adrianna. Not that it should matter to me anyway, he thought in disgust as he took another sip of wine. Willing himself to relax a little, Rick turned, leaning back against the bar as he studied the room he was in and the other, larger one, across the hallway. The room housing the bar was small, with about nine or ten stools to accommodate the serious drinkers. Others milled around, drinks in hand while still others chose to carry their drinks to the dining room across the hall.

  The dining room held about ten tables in all and was neat and tastefully decorated. As his eyes continued to take in the scene around him, he noticed another, much larger room continuing off the dining area. The back room was similar in décor, with ruffled curtains of brown, yellow and white and wallpaper to match. It held at least fifteen tables scattered haphazardly around the room. The far wall had a wood burning fireplace directly in the center of it with a small dance floor off to the left.

  There was a cleared section of the room which ran from the dance floor to the main hallway. Rick noticed someone, suitcase in hand; go through a door at the end of the hall that led to the back of the building. That had to be where the rooms for rent were. He picked up bits and pieces of the locals conversation as he stood there listening. It seemed that the Inn rented to hunters and the like during tourist season. I guess I’d better see about a room before they’re all taken, he thought as he turned back towards the barmaid.

  “Ah, miss…”

  “Lisa—the name’s Lisa,” she said, flashing him her best smile only to be disappointed when Rick deliberately ignored her attempt to flirt.

  “Yes—Lisa—is there someone I could talk to about renting a place to stay in this town?”

  “Well, yes—you plan’n to stay for a while?” Lisa asked hopefully.

  “That depends,” was all Rick said. He really didn’t want to get into a long, drawn out conversation about his plans—especially since he really didn’t know what the future held for him.

  “Well, you need to speak to Roy there,” the girl said indicating the man at the end of the bar —the one who hadn’t taken his strange eyes off of Rick since he’d entered the bar. “He’s in charge here so he can rent you a room or he can point you in the right direction if you prefer a cabin. Hey Roy…” Lisa shouted, motioning with her hand for the man to join her. That was all the invitation Roy needed as he walked over to the barmaid.

  The two men locked eyes as Rick watched the stranger approach. His vampire senses were on full alert screaming a warning to him, letting him know something was not—quite—right as Roy came to stand directly in front of him.

  “Something wrong, Lisa?”Roy asked in a voice that was soft—sensual.

  The man had a certain—animal magnetism about him and Rick didn’t miss the fact that Lisa couldn’t seem to take her eyes off of her boss. She was staring at him the way she’d been looking at Rick moments ago. He’s not a vampire, Rick thought. I’d know it if he was but he’s definitely not human either.

  “What—no, everything’s fine— but this guy here needs a place to stay so I told him you could help him,” she explained.

  “Thanks, kid, I’ll take it from here. Can you go to the other end of the bar? Willie is here tonight and you know how he likes his glass of beer constantly full.”

  “No, problem, I got him covered,” she said.

  “Thanks.” Roy replied. He watched her until she was far enough away from them so as not to overhear their conversation, then he turned his full attention to Rick. “I’m Roy—Roy Samuelle—so, you need a place to stay?”

  “That’s right.” Rick replied, sensing some hostility in the man’s voice and wondering why unless—he knows what I am, the vampire thought— but how?

  “You planning on staying in the area long Mister…?”

  “Franco—Rick Franco.”

  “…Mister Franco. I only ask because our rooms are rented on a daily basis. If you’re staying longer than a few days a cabin would suit your needs better but, well—it is tourist season and there’s a good possibility that the cabins are all gone.” Roy said, watching Rick closely as he waited for him to reply.

  Rick knew the man was trying to feel him out—figure out what he was up to. I guess I can’t blame him, he thought so he chose his next words carefully. “My plans are—uncertain—right now. I’ve been traveling for quite a long time and I’d like to stay in one spot for a while. If you have a cabin available that would be great. If not—then I guess I’ll just keep moving until I can find some place that does have something to offer me. ”

  “Are you here to hunt—or just to enjoy the scenery?” Roy asked and Rick didn’t miss the emphasis the man put on the word hunt.

  Rick was getting a little tired of this cat and mouse game. He took another long drink, finishing his wine. Setting the glass down on the counter he leaned closer to the man before him. “Look, I’m not looking for any trouble. All I want is a nice, quiet place to stay, preferably away from the noise of the town, where I can relax a little. I’ve had some—trauma—in my life re
cently and I’m just trying to get myself back on track. I’m not here to hassle or bother anyone, provided no-one bothers me.”Rick said looking Roy directly in the eye. “I’m not a hunter by profession but—I do take down the occasional animal once in a while. But, if you don’t like it…?”

  “No, no—that’s fine.” Roy said, as long as you stick to what’s in season and don’t take more than you need.

  “I can live with that. Do you have a place I can stay or not?”

  “Well, as I said, it’s tourist season so we’re pretty full. I do have one room left you can use for the night but it’s pretty small—and there’s only one window. Is that a problem? You’re not one of those folks that likes to watch the sun rise now, are you?” Roy asked, staring a Rick.

  “No, that’s not a problem. As a matter of fact that sounds perfect.” Rick replied, saying nothing more.

  “Good. Well, I guess we’ll get you settled for the night then tomorrow we can discuss any long term arrangements. There may be one cabin that’s still available. I’ll talk to the owner and make sure she hasn’t rented it out for the season yet. I can let you know in the morning. Excuse me a minute.” Roy said as he turned and walked towards a small door directly behind the bar that Rick had failed to notice before. Must be an office of some sort, Rick thought and his suspicions were confirmed when Roy returned with a key.

  “Here’s your room key. Take a right there…” he said indicating the intersection between the two halves of the restaurant“…and go through the door at the end of the hall. Your room’s the first one on the left. It has its own bath so you should have everything you need. Oh—and there’s another door at the far end of that hallway that leads out onto the back porch. You can use that as an entrance and exit if you want to avoid the noisy patrons we sometimes get in here.”

  “Thanks.” Rick said, taking the key then bending down to retrieve the duffle bag he’d set down on the floor.