In the Shadow of Darkness

by Nicole Stiling

  Angeline nodded, the same look of amusement playing on her lips. “Well, here I am. I haven’t been pulled to you since that first night, so things are going well enough, I presume?”

  “Well enough, I guess. I mean, I was nearly killed, and two men died less than a week ago. Otherwise, totally fine.”

  “Touché. Did you just come here to watch me work, or was there was something you wanted to talk about?” Angeline walked into the hallway, readying a syringe on a sterile countertop.

  “What’s that for?” Megan asked, slightly uneasy.

  “Jacques. Diabetic poodle,” Angeline said, nodding to a large crate against the wall. The white poodle cocked his head when he heard his name.

  “I have to ask. Do you work here so you can, you know, drink blood without anyone knowing?” Megan swallowed hard, her stomach flip-flopping.

  Angeline laughed as she flicked the syringe to remove the air. “Of course not. Why do you keep implying I’m some sort of animal killer?”

  Megan thought for a minute. Wasn’t that sort of a thing in vampire lore? When humans were scarce, or the vampire didn’t want to feed on humans, they went for animals? Megan was pretty sure she’d seen that more than once. “I thought that’s what vam—you people did.”

  “Well, maybe some do, but I certainly don’t. I work here because I prefer the company of animals to about ninety-nine percent of people. You people,” Angeline said. “Plus, it’s an overnight shift, which is helpful.”

  “Oh, an overnight shift. So you don’t have to go outside in the…” Megan trailed off. She felt more than a little uncomfortable discussing those things. The same thoughts, again and again. Nutty? A marvel?

  “Okay, you’re obviously weirded out by this whole thing, which hey, I can’t blame you. Why don’t you just ask me whatever questions you have so that we can have a conversation that doesn’t revolve around this,” Angeline said, flicking her hands toward herself. “Let me go take care of the cats,” she looked at her clipboard, “and Ginny the gerbil, and I’ll be right back. Have a seat.”

  Megan watched as Angeline tied her hair up into a messy ponytail and stuck a pen behind her ear. Aside from the fanged elephant in the room, Angeline was really, really attractive. Megan cleared her throat, trying to focus on the matter at hand.

  Megan sat at the desk Angeline had left her at, presumably her own. There was a framed photo of a lake, or maybe a river, and a few greeting cards thanking Angeline for her kindness and warmth toward Fluffy and Spot. Megan shot off a quick text to Stacey.

  Megan: Are you still here?

  Stacey: Yes, are you ok?

  Megan: Yes, I’m fine. She’s doing her rounds and then we’re going to talk. I think you can leave. I don’t think she’ll hurt me.

  Stacey: Not leaving. We’ll go across the street and grab some fries, but we’ll be back.

  Megan: Ok thx

  She slid her phone back into her pocket as Angeline came around the corner. She grabbed an armless office chair from a nearby desk and sat on it, backward. She checked her watch. “I’m good for about thirty minutes, and then I need to take our guests for their pee breaks. So, ask away.”

  Megan caught herself looking intently at Angeline’s eyes. They were mesmerizing. She squinted hard and pinched the bridge of her nose. “Okay. Anything?”

  “Anything.”

  “Did you kill that guy at the gas station? The shooter?”

  “Yes.”

  Megan looked down. She didn’t know how to feel about that. “Why?”

  Angeline looked taken aback. “Why? Because he had just shot you, and I needed to focus on you. If I hadn’t dealt with him, he could have shot me, or worse, while I was trying to get you out of there. And he was a bad guy.”

  “So you can die from a bullet wound?”

  Angeline shook her head. “No, but it weakens me. Until I can get the bullet out.”

  “You’ve been shot before?”

  “Sure, many times.”

  Megan nodded. Perfectly normal. “How did you do it?”

  “I slit his throat.”

  “Mm-hmm.” Megan shifted uncomfortably. Maybe she didn’t want to know these things.

  Angeline seemed to sense her discomfort. “It’s not something I find enjoyment in doing. You were on the ground, but he was right there. If he had seen that you weren’t dead, he might have shot you again, and I wouldn’t have been able to save you from a bullet to the head.”

  “What were you doing there? At the gas station?”

  “I needed some paper towels and I forgot to stop before I got to work. I left my car here, at the clinic, and walked over to the Gas ’n’ Eats before my shift started. I didn’t feel like stopping after work. When I got there, that guy still had his gun pointed at you.” Angeline tucked a piece of hair behind her ear.

  “Did you, you know, drink his blood?” Megan asked, not meeting Angeline’s eyes. She was certain a more bizarre question had never passed her lips.

  “I didn’t. There wasn’t time. I had to take care of you before I did anything else. I’m not sure if you realize just how badly you were wounded.”

  Angeline had a point. Megan knew there was bullet inside her, but was she really that close to death? The thought sent a shiver up her spine.

  “Does garlic burn your skin?”

  “No.”

  “Do you have a reflection?”

  “Yes.”

  “What does blood taste like?”

  “Well,” Angeline said. She paused. “It’s hard to describe. It’s not about the taste, really. You don’t taste much. It’s more like a drug. Euphoric, kind of. Once it starts coursing down your throat, it feels like heaven on earth.”

  “Do crosses make you shrivel up and die?”

  Angeline laughed. “No! You really need to read something other than Bram Stoker. I don’t sleep in a coffin either. Shocker, I know.”

  “Can you go out during the day?”

  “That one, unfortunately, holds some truth. It’s not quite like television, where if I walk out in the sun I’ll burst into flames, but it does weaken me quite a bit. It feels like I’m suffering from a strong sunburn after just a few minutes. After an hour or so, I’d start to burn from the inside out. It would eventually kill me. I try to avoid sunlight as much as possible.” Angeline checked her watch. She smiled at Megan. “Anything else?”

  Megan breathed in deeply. “Why aren’t you killing me? Why aren’t you trying to drink my blood, if that’s what you do to people?”

  “I’m not a monster, Megan. I was in the wrong place at the wrong time, a very long time ago, and I ended up with an inexplicable blood disorder that leaves me so vitamin deficient that I have to replace my defective blood with the blood of others. I don’t want to tear people apart or set villages on fire while I pillage them. It’s not like that. I take what I need, discreetly, and I do everything possible never to kill anyone. I haven’t in a very long time.”

  Angeline had a look of sadness in her eyes that made Megan’s heart flutter. “That’s what it is, really? A blood disorder?”

  Angeline shrugged. “I don’t know that for a fact, but it’s the best explanation that I can come up with. I’ve read so many books over the years, researched as much as I could possibly find, but I’ve never come up with any real answers. I know that I’m not the devil’s bride or anything weird like that. And I like my description the best.”

  Megan shifted, fighting the urge to reach out and touch Angeline’s long brown hair. She was pretty sure it would be soft to the touch, but she still wanted to feel it for herself. “Are you immortal?”

  “That’s the one part of this I can’t seem to rationalize. I don’t know if I’m immortal, but I do know that I don’t age. I look the same as I did when I was turned, ninety years ago.”

  Megan gasped. “Ninety years ago?”

  “Give or take a few.”

  “How old were you?”

  “Twenty-six.”

&nb
sp; For a brief moment, Megan had forgotten how ludicrous the conversation sounded. Everything Angeline was saying sounded like the truth, but it was all too unrealistic for Megan’s logic to accept.

  “And you believe that all of this is true?” Megan said before she could bite the words back. Obviously, Angeline believed it was true. That was one thing she didn’t question. Angeline might have been living in a fantasy world, but she wasn’t lying.

  Angeline stiffened and stood up straight. “You don’t? Then what are you still doing here?”

  Megan reached out and put her hand on Angeline’s arm, expecting it to be cold or slimy, or something. It wasn’t. It was warm and the connection sent a tingle throughout her body. Angeline pulled quickly away.

  “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that. But I mean, you have to cut me some slack here. This isn’t the kind of thing that a person can just accept and say, ‘Oh, okay, you’re a vampire, wanna play checkers and then turn into bats?’ It’s not that easy.”

  “I get it. It’s just exhausting to go through this every time. You wonder why we don’t come out to people, well, this is why. That, and the innate need to stake us through the heart, of course.” Angeline still looked annoyed, but she seemed to have softened up a bit.

  “Is that true? Stakes through the heart is the only thing that can kill you?”

  “No. It actually doesn’t kill us. It hurts, and if it isn’t removed will put us into something like a coma. But extended exposure to sunlight, decapitation, and fire will all do the trick. A quick burn will heal, but there’s no coming back from a pile of ash. Listen, I have to go walk some dogs. I know this was a lot to take in, so if you want to head out, I won’t be offended. I do ask that you not tell anyone where I work. I enjoy this job, and having to leave because of a lynch mob would really suck.” Angeline grabbed a few harnesses off of a hook in the hallway.

  Warmth crept up Megan’s face. “Well, actually—”

  “I know your friends in the parking lot know. I’m talking about your detective buddy. You didn’t tell him where to find me. Why?”

  “You asked me not to.” Megan didn’t elaborate and Angeline didn’t push. She was glad Angeline didn’t question her further. She wasn’t sure she’d have been able to answer.

  “If you want me to try to talk to him, I will. I know it’s unfair that you’re in this position with the police because of me.” Angeline tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and adjusted a tack on the bulletin board.

  “Do you really think that’s a good idea?” Megan couldn’t imagine that anything Angeline could tell the detective would make him back off. There weren’t many scenarios where Angeline wouldn’t end up in trouble.

  “Not entirely, but I also don’t want it to be solely your burden.”

  “No,” Megan said, sure of her answer. “I can handle it. If I run into trouble and need you to bail me out, I’ll let you know. But for now, I’ll just keep being vague, I guess.”

  “Thank you, Megan,” Angeline said, making direct eye contact. “Now, I assume your friends aren’t going to try to drown me in holy water?” Angeline nodded toward the parking lot.

  “No, of course not. Does that actually work?”

  Angeline rolled her eyes. “Good night, Megan. Try not to have any intense bouts of emotion over the next few weeks, so our bond can weaken naturally, and I won’t have to come check on you every time you watch Steel Magnolias.”

  Megan’s eyes widened. “How did you know I love that movie?”

  Angeline chuckled. “Just a guess. Now go, the pups are crossing their paws waiting for me.”

  “Will I see you again?” Megan asked, surprising herself. She was afraid of Angeline, in the abstract sense of the word at least, but her allure was just as strong. She’d be lying if she said she wasn’t attracted to her. But she drank blood. And was a hundred. And burned to death if she stayed in the sun too long.

  “What’s going on there? I literally just said to watch the emotion,” Angeline said, wiggling her fingers toward Megan’s stomach. She smiled warmly.

  “Oh, nothing. Sorry. I’m hungry, that’s all.”

  “Sure, okay. And yes, we’ll probably run into each other again at some point.”

  Megan nodded and started toward the exit.

  “Megan?” Angeline called.

  “Yeah?”

  “You don’t have to be afraid of me. I won’t hurt you.”

  “I know.” Megan turned and walked out into the parking lot, the door slamming shut behind her. It was true. In some deep part of her psyche, she knew Angeline wouldn’t hurt her. Mixed emotions coursed through her, most of which she didn’t understand. There was a certain undeniable allure to the unknown, which Angeline definitely was. If asked directly she might deny it, but Megan believed that Angeline was telling the truth. She decided she might need a few more means of proof, but Angeline seemed open enough to oblige.

  Megan waved to Stacey and Kristen, who were seemingly passed out in the front seats of Stacey’s car. Neither of them waved back, so Megan assumed they were napping. She laughed and shook her head. Good thing she wasn’t in danger or else she’d probably be toast. Still, she was heartened by their loyalty. She knocked on Stacey’s window.

  “What!” Stacey yelled, startling awake.

  “Nothing, it’s me! I just wanted to tell you that you can go now. Thank you for staying.”

  “How did it go?” Stacey asked, putting her window all the way down.

  “Fine. Good.”

  “That’s it?”

  Megan yawned, more for effect than anything else. “I’m super tired, but I’ll fill you in on everything tomorrow. I promise.”

  “You suck.”

  Megan tried to come up with a campy vampire-suck joke but heard something in the distance. She turned to see Angeline walking a beagle next to the building, a scoop in one hand and a leash in the other. Megan decided to forgo the joke and smiled instead.

  “Call you tomorrow.” She watched Stacey drive off. Before she got into her own car, she had the urge to see Angeline again. Megan walked quietly over to the fence, where Angeline was adjusting a beagle’s collar.

  “Back so soon?” she asked, looking up at Megan.

  “Yeah. Do you want to grab a cup of coffee? In the morning maybe?” Megan asked. She had no idea what the hell she was doing. But it felt right.

  “Well, the morning might be a little difficult.”

  “Oh, I know. I meant really, really early. Maisy’s opens at four a.m.” Megan swallowed hard. Maybe Angeline didn’t want to have coffee with her. It was entirely possible that she just wanted to pretend like the incident at the gas station had never happened and move on with her life. The blood bond posed a small problem with that notion, but that didn’t mean that she wanted to see Megan socially.

  “That sounds great. Are you normally up that early?”

  Angeline smiled broadly. Megan felt the words catch in her throat. Striking didn’t even cover it.

  “Yes! Actually, no, never. But I can set my alarm,” Megan said. Do I always need to sound like a complete idiot?

  “If you’re sure you’re okay with waking up before the rooster crows, then I would love to. Maisy’s has an amazing herbal tea selection too,” Angeline said.

  “Perfect. I’ll see you then.”

  Megan gave a small wave and then headed back to her car. Alone, she laughed at her own audacity. She knew she’d better get home quickly and try to fall asleep fast. Merlin would wonder if she’d lost her mind.

  Chapter Nine

  Megan sat across from Detective Nolan, nervously chewing on her thumbnail. He’d called her in to the station without any explanation as to why he needed to see her in person. She knew that she’d had nothing to do with the shooter’s death, so there wasn’t a whole lot of reason to worry. But this time, she knew what had happened to him. Neither she nor Angeline had brought it up again at Maisy’s. The conversation had been light and easy, mostly about the a
nimals Angeline treated and how they’d managed to never run into each other in such a small town. Nothing about the supernatural or the fact that Megan was pleased to see that Angeline drank things other than blood. They finished with plenty of time for Angeline to get home before the daylight broke over the hills. They’d left it with another “see you around,” but this time Megan believed it. She prayed that the police didn’t want to hook her up to a lie detector.

  “Coffee?” Nolan asked. He seemed distracted, pulling files together on the table in front of them.

  “No, thank you. I’m good.”

  He nodded. “Well, I wish I was calling you here under better circumstances.”

  Megan’s heart rate quickened.

  “We finally got our results back, and I think,” he turned to look at the calendar, “seven days is a pretty good turnaround time. Unfortunately, we don’t have much more information than we did the night of the robbery. None of your prints match the inside of Haim’s car or the prints on his body. The blood on your sweater is, in fact, yours. Which leads us to a whole slew of other questions that we can’t answer. Has the vampire lady shown up again?” Nolan leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest.

  “No,” Megan lied. She hoped her eyes weren’t betraying her. She held Nolan’s gaze for as long as possible without appearing to challenge him. “She showed up that night, and that was it.”

  “And you still stand by your story that she is a supernatural being that filleted her own arm open, only to immediately heal it in front of you?” Nolan narrowed his eyes at her.

  Shit. Megan didn’t know what to say. Maybe if she told him that she was hallucinating that night, he’d accept it and move on from her. And Angeline. But if she went that route, chances were good that he wouldn’t believe anything that came out of her mouth from that point forward. Shit.

  “I don’t know,” she said slowly. “That’s what I think I saw, yes. But the more time that passes, the more outrageous it all seems.” Megan swallowed hard. Good. Keep it vague.

  Nolan let out an exaggerated sigh. “Once the tech guys got in there, there was no surprise that the camera had stopped working. Standard analog camera hooked up to a digital recorder. Seems that the transmission cable had been pulled right out of the box. Ripped, actually, since the little metal thing on the end was still stuck in the slot on the recorder. Doesn’t make a lot of sense. I suppose it could have been the clerk, Sampson, when he fell from the gunshot. Maybe his elbow got caught on the wire or something like that.” Nolan furiously tapped a pen on the table. “Doesn’t seem all that plausible, though. He would have had to have fallen so precisely for that to happen that it seems like a one in a million chance. Funny how it went black just after you fell to the ground.”