by Jen Pretty
“I do not need assistance.”
“Perhaps you might let us come along? We could drive you wherever you want to go,” he persisted.
“No,” I replied and walked out the door.
“But we can help. We can clean up the bodies and ensure no one knows about what you have done.”
I spun to face the one who had spoken so foolishly. Clive.
“This is why the vampires persist in their murderous ways towards the human race. They do not see my work and they do not fear me. I have chosen poorly this time and the body is small and frail. I will prove to vampires everywhere that they should still fear me and I will regain the balance that is necessary for your species to survive.” The knife flashed into my hand. “Unless you step out of my way, I will start attaining that balance with your head.”
“Move, Clive.” The vampire lord spoke from the end of the hall and the vampire who dared to defy me turned and walked away.
“Please, Durga. Can we speak for a moment?” the lord asked. He was lovely to look at so I agreed with a nod. My work could wait for a moment longer. I followed him down the stairs and into his office.
“Please, won’t you sit?” He gestured to a chair in front of the desk. I instead circled the desk and took the chair he usually sat in when he lorded over his vampires.
“You look so much like your brother, I trust he is well.”
“Yes, thank you. He is quite well. I think he would have liked to speak with you if he could have stayed away from his home a bit longer.”
I pushed the dark hair out of my face and smoothed it down behind my ear. “Of course, he would have.” Vaughn had a more interesting personality than Vincent, but they were indeed identical.
“Why are you doing this?” He asked. I narrowed my eyes at him.
“Because Lark is too simple. She is distracted by her own desires and has already let your fallen brother Vernon escape twice. Once when he was just outside the door of that frozen house.”
“That wasn’t her fault.”
“It was absolutely her fault!” I yelled, rising to my feet. I slammed my knife down into the surface of his desk. “I will not suffer your evil brother to live any longer. He will die by my hand and soon. He is creating more vampires and upsetting the balance beyond an acceptable level. I have had enough!”
Vincent leaned back and dropped his eyes from mine before using his canine to slice his lip, releasing the scent of his blood into the air.
His show of submission pleased me. I am to be feared by all, even the oldest of the vampires should show me due respect.
I pulled the scent of his blood into my nose. I would allow him to live despite his continued questioning of my motives. He was neither evil nor fallen and his features, so much like his twin brothers, were nice to gaze upon.
His eyes met mine, as though he knew my thoughts and his lip curled in a defiant smile.
I slammed my hands down on the desk. “You and your vampires will not meddle in my business.” Rounding the desk, I strode towards the door.
“Please, Goddess,” he begged. His voice sounded submissive now, which caught me off guard.
“Please, what?”
“Please don’t keep her forever.”
I continued out the door, he wisely did not follow me.
The night was cold and it was thrilling to be out hunting in the dark. Taking the shadows, I walked down the lane this time. I was done hiding from these lesser beings. I needed the vampires to know and fear me if I was going to find the balance again. The gate opened as I approached and the vampire in the hut by the end of the lane wisely kept his head down.
At least some had respect for me.
I walked to the bus stop and waited. No bus arrived. Inconvenient.
I continued towards the dirty section of town on foot. The evening was pleasant and the walk invigorating. I sensed several vampires in the city which should not be there. No respectable vampire would live in this foul part of the city.
My first stop was to a run-down building. It was filled with humans sitting in their own waste. The smell was overwhelming when I entered and worse as I moved deeper into the structure. I could smell human blood over the scent of excrement and followed it to a back room. I pushed the door open and discovered a vampire feasting on the blood and flesh of a dead human. Disgusting.
The vile creature hissed at me and I called my blade to hand.
He dropped the dead body with a wet thud and launched himself towards me. I brought my blade up as he approached, but he managed to dodge at the last second and the blade slammed into his collarbone instead of his neck. When he reared back, the knife was embedded so deeply that I lost my grip. I called the blade back to me, but in the split second that took, he managed to bite down and tear out a piece of my flesh. The pain was irrelevant. I swung my blade down hard on his neck, severing it completely and his head rolled to rest beside the body he had been dining upon.
Fallen vampires were definitely the worst of the lot. Animals.
I wiped the blade clean on the vampire’s shirt, not that it was much cleaner. As I stood up, the engraved lark flying across the blades flat edge caught my eye. I didn’t have time to consider the strange loneliness that settled over me at the sight of the image. I had work to do.
I exited the building and followed the road down to the river. Humans were sleeping in makeshift tents and against the cement girders. I saw a small child curled up beside her mother and wondered how the cities had grown so large and yet one so little could be left to rot in the grass. The injustice was rampant among the humans, but my only job was the vampires. I forced myself to look away from the small form and went back on the hunt. Another vampire was here. Feasting upon the homeless and the helpless.
I crept along the silent river, scanning the area for the beast that would be my prey. I kept my mind still and my steps silent -- hunting the hunters of the night.
Finally, in the distance, I saw her. This one was female and she was bent over a body on the ground. She wasn’t feral like the last. Her eyes flashed up and she immediately knew who I was. She turned and ran, but she would not be fast enough tonight. I bolted after her, slowly gaining ground as she ran down the dark streets of this forgotten part of the city. We ran past overflowing trash bins and more homeless humans lining the back alleys, sleeping on flattened boxes.
She emerged on the main street a few steps ahead of me and paused a moment too long. In a flash, I was on top of her. My knife slid deep into the back of her neck, and she collapsed to the ground. I rode her down and ensured her spine was severed. She would not feast on the unwilling ever again.
I stood slowly after drying my blade on her back. That is when I noticed lights flashing and four humans with their weapons pointed at me.
I had never faced down a group of humans before. They usually stayed out of my way and I stayed out of theirs. These were innocent humans. I could not injure them and flee.
“Drop the weapon,” a fat man in uniform, said. It was the same one that had been in Vincent’s office earlier, Officer Blane.
“Lark, you need to put the knife down. Don’t make this situation worse.” I glanced at the other speaker. I recognized this one as well. He had been at the house and introduced himself as Officer Jeffery. But I could sense he was not human, and his stark white hair reminded me of something. When his eyes flashed yellow, I smiled, recognizing my old friend and I dropped the knife.
A human behind me grabbed my arm and twisted it before knocking me to the ground.
“Go easy Frank. Her lawyer will have a field day if there is a mark on her,” said Jeffery. Such an unfitting name. I would have to remember it though. His real name was much nicer.
“She just stabbed that woman in the neck and killed her. Her lawyer is not getting her off this time.”
The man, Frank, ground his knee into the middle of my back. I had half a mind to kill him right here for daring to treat me like this, but if officer Jeffery, wi
th his beautiful yellow eyes, wanted me to play human, I would do so. Perhaps I could speak with him later. In private. Once this mess was cleaned up.
The imbecile on my back put steel handcuffs on me and then dragged me up off the ground. He then shoved me forward roughly. This type of handling was unacceptable. I was about to change my mind and destroy these humans when Officer Jeffery’s hand came down on my shoulder.
“I’ll take her in,” he said.
“Sure, why not. Let you deal with the paperwork,” Frank said before he released me to Singh.
Singh, for that was his correct name, not Jeffery, grunted, wrapped his hand around my upper arm and led me to the backseat of his waiting police car. He gently placed his hand on my head and pressed down as I stepped into the vehicle.
He and his partner, drove me away with lights flashing as two more police cars and an ambulance arrived.
Foolish humans. No paramedic would heal that dead vampire. I laughed to myself at the absurdity of the human race in this era.
“Something funny, you psycho?” The fat human asked, half turned around to glare at me from his place in the front seat. If he only knew who I was, he would be thanking me right now.
I turned my head and looked out the window, pointedly ignoring him. The lights of the city passed us until we pulled into a garage below the police sign on the side of the station.
The officers exited the vehicle and Singh came around to my door. He opened it and helped me to my feet and then led me through the building to a cell made of heavy steel. I could probably destroy it and escape, but these humans didn’t deserve to die and I would probably have to fight my way free. Very well. I would be still and wait for guidance.
“Please, stay in here. I will inform Vincent,” Singh whispered as he led me in and then he walked back out, locking the heavy door behind him. His eyes stayed locked on mine for a moment, until I curled my lip in a smile. Then he was gone to get the vampire.
I didn’t want Vincent’s help, but if he could arrange my exit from this building, I would allow him to do that.
I sat on the hard bench that ran along one wall and waited.
Eventually, Singh returned. I stood and approached the bars of the cage he had left me in.
“What word have you, Singh?”
“Goddess. I have spoken with the vampire. He has sent the warlock to erase the memories of those who witnessed your work, but there were many. It will take time.”
“Very well, my beautiful lion, I will await your return.” Singh grinned, flashing me his pearly teeth, reminding me of his great power and then he walked away.
I sighed. Sitting here was a waste of time, but hopefully, now the vampires would know the stakes and they would change their treacherous ways. I lay down on the hard bench and shut my eyes. Surely, I wouldn’t be here for long.
I opened my eyes again to find I was still in control. This suited me.
I stood and started through a routine of stretches to release the stiffness bought on from sleeping on such an uncomfortable surface. My neck prickled and I turned to find Vincent sitting in a chair beyond the bars of my cage.
“Have you come to release me?” I asked him. He didn’t reply immediately, so I went back to my stretches.
“You can’t just keep her locked away,” He muttered.
“I can do as I please,” I replied from the filthy floor where I was stretching my spine.
“She gave up her life to do your work and now you would steal what little she has left?”
I did not like his tone. Who was he, a vampire, to question me? “I let you live, you should not be so ungrateful.”
“But you kill Lark. She is more innocent than any of us.”
I turned away and continued my routine.
A few minutes later I heard the lock click and the slide of the door. I turned back to find it open, and the vampire had vanished.
Finally, I could get back to my business. But first, I needed to find Singh. He would be invaluable in the battle against evil.
CHAPTER TEN
DURGA
I walked through the police station and wove between the desks and cubicles until I found him. He looked up at me and gave me a half smile.
“Will you come with me, great lion?”
He gathered his coat and belongings and led me out into the waning daylight. I had been trapped for the whole day and it was now nearly night again. As we strolled along the city streets my mind wandered to my past. I had not seen Singh in many centuries. He was the power and will that I rode into battle.
“Why have you not come to find me before now, my lion?”
“Goddess, forgive me. I had not thought you needed me until now. What have you become?”
I gasped. “I am the great hunter. I balance the tides.”
“At what cost?”
A human walked by, forcing us to pause our conversation. I had not considered that Singh would not understand our mission.
“At all costs,” I replied as the human moved down the street.
“Is it truly a holy mission if you misuse trust and destroy one life to save another?”
“You refer to the stupid little bird? She is of minor consequence when there is such great evil running through the world.”
“Is that the way?” he asks, his eyes trained on the ground.
“Of course, it’s the way. I say it is the way.”
He bowed his head and spoke no more.
We took the city bus and transferred to one that would take us to the yoga studio. It would be quiet there at this hour and perhaps I could seek Shiva for guidance. Singh had brought doubt to my mind and now it would not let go.
We got off the urine scented bus close to the studio and I found that the vampire named Randy was inside.
“Lark,” he said as I walked through the door.
“Lark is busy right now, I have come to use this space. Do not interrupt me vampire.”
I felt a flutter within me. Surely that small bird couldn’t be flapping her wings. I was in control now.
I moved into the studio proper and sat, crossing my legs and resting my hands on my knees, palms up. I reached out to Shiva, clearing my mind of my troubles.
“Lark, you have come back.”
I scowled at Shiva, the foolish man.
“Durga,” he said in a much less enthusiastic tone.
“Yes, it is I,” I replied.
“Will Lark be coming back to see me?” he asked, sounding cautious.
“No.”
“But she was nice, Durga. Why must you do this?”
“Because, she is weak and useless. I am much better prepared to fight our battles than the tiny girl.”
“Perhaps you have let ego win the war already,” he muttered, looking at his slimy reptile. I always hated that thing.
“How dare you question me!”
“Perhaps if you made better choices, you would not need to be questioned. However, from where I sit, you are making a poor decision that will not only lead to your destruction, but also ruin the life of a pure soul who has already suffered much.”
“But—”
“No, Durga,” he cut in, his voice unusually harsh. “This is not a wise road you travel. It is not the way.”
We sat in silence for a while and I considered his words. He pet his disgusting snake. I found it difficult to take him seriously when he cooed at it as though it were an infant. I began to feel restless. Doubt ate at me.
“Singh has returned,” I said, to break the silence.
He scoffed. “A clear sign that my words ring true.”
“If I allow Lark to be in control, she will not kill as many vampires as quickly,” I argued.
“Perhaps, but if you assist her, the balance will be restored before long, then you and she will work in harmony, as it is meant to be. I understand you have already caused problems for her.”
“Nothing her warlock and vampire couldn’t handle.”
“And do you
believe they will keep handling the problems you create if you have forsaken their beloved?”
“Alright! Shiva, no need to beat a dead horse. I will make some concessions. But you must educate her more fully. I will not be ignored. She must pay attention.”
“Very well,” Shiva sighed.
“Goodbye,” I sneered.
“Goodbye,” he said, his word cut off as I relinquished control to the Lark in the night.
LARK
“How did I get here?” Shiva was sitting in front of me. His snake draped loosely around his neck and holding perfectly still. Like an imitation of jewelry. I watched it a moment longer and its tongue flicked out and back in. I shivered.
“Durga has decided she is willing to work with you but says you must listen more carefully to her. She said to tell you I will not be ignored,” he spoke in a strangely feminine voice that would have made me laugh in any other circumstance. “Those were her exact words.”
“I haven’t been ignoring her,” I argued. Ok, maybe I had been fighting her a bit.
The Hindu God scowled at me. “Do not make trouble, Lark. Listen more carefully. She will guide you.”
“Ok, I’ll try.”
“Do not try, do.”
“What are you Yoda now?”
He scowled again, crinkling his forehead in both anger and confusion. “You are just like her, no wonder you two don’t get along. Be gone, child. I have work to do and so do you.”
“Ok, fine.”
I opened my eyes and I was in my yoga studio. The police officer who I had seen in Vincent’s office was sitting cross legged in front of me.
“What the fuck?” I muttered, standing abruptly and backing away.
“It’s ok, Lark,” the officer said.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, trying to make my brain work. Durga must have taken over again. The last thing I remember; I was in the house with Frankie. Vincent came home. I rubbed my forehead.
“Durga and I are old friends,” he said startling me out of my memory hunt. When I looked at him again, his eyes flashed yellow for a moment.
