Charlie (Bloodletting Book 1)

by Joe Humphrey

  Charlie seemed to think for a moment.

  "I wouldn't say that it's moving fast. We've been living together for almost five years."

  "I know, and I didn't mean that we got to this point quickly, just we've gone through some changes recently and I want to know how you feel about that, and what your expectations are."

  "Okay, I hear you. If you're wanting to know how I feel about things, I'm feeling really good about us. I suppose, more than anything, I want to know how YOU feel about us. I've been pretty open with my feelings and I think you know how I feel. I kissed you first. I told you that I wanted us to be something more than we were before. How do you feel about it?"

  Caroline looked at Charlie for a long moment before speaking.

  "I'm not sure, to be honest."

  When Charlie seemed to be hurt by this, Caroline continued.

  "That's not to say I'm unhappy with how things are progressing, it's just very different for me. It's something I've always told myself I wouldn't allow myself to do, develop feelings for someone I was mentoring."

  "I like to think we're a little past that point," Charlie said, biting her thumbnail.

  "Oh no, honey. That's actually something I was afraid of. We're not past it. You still have a lot to learn, and I have a lot to teach, and that can't stop."

  "I didn't think it would stop. I just think you're more to me than my mentor. We're partners. We need each other. At least, I feel that way."

  "Yes, that's true. And I don't mean to diminish that relationship. I just need to make sure we're still on the same page in regards to your training."

  "My training? That's a kind of crappy way to put it. I'm not a fucking dog," Charlie said.

  Caroline closed her eyes and put her gloved fingers to her temple.

  "That's not what I'm saying. All I'm saying is that you still have a lot to learn. You're deliberately reframing my point into something it's not," Caroline said, her eyes still closed. She was developing a headache.

  "Okay. I'm sorry. So I still have a lot to learn. That doesn't mean that we can't have a more intimate relationship," Charlie said, touching Caroline's leg.

  "Thank you. That's all I'm asking."

  Charlie smiled and Caroline opened her eyes. After a moment of thinking, Charlie spoke.

  "I want us to be romantic. That's what I want out of this. And I want you to want me," Charlie said. Caroline nodded.

  "I do, but you know that I can't... I can't perform in the way that you might want me to. There are some of us, of our kind, that can, but I can't."

  "That's okay. I've learned that I can't either. I thought I'd miss it, and sometimes I do, but for the most part, I've moved on. We can do... other stuff... though, right?" Charlie said, suddenly having trouble making eye contact with Caroline.

  Caroline smiled, nodded, and leaned forward. With her good hand, she tilted Charlie's face up and kissed her. Charlie let out a sigh and kissed her back.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  - 1 -

  "What is that noise?" Charlie asked, sitting up from where she was lounging on the sofa, drawing in her sketchbook. Caroline tilted her head, listening.

  "It's an engine. I'd say a motorcycle engine. It's getting closer," Caroline said, putting down her knitting. They both sat there for a moment, listening, Charlie's eyebrows drawing together as the engine noise grew louder.

  "I think it's coming down the street," Charlie said, getting up and going to the front door. There was once a window in the front of the house next to the door but it was long since drywalled over. Charlie opened the door in time to see a figure on a big motorcycle pull into the driveway. Charlie closed the door and put her back to it.

  "A man just pulled into the driveway," Charlie said, looking at Caroline, concerned.

  "Move," Caroline said, getting up and pushing past Charlie to open the door and look. Charlie stepped aside and watched as Caroline stepped outside.

  "You can't park that here!" Caroline yelled at the man who was getting off the bike. Charlie watched as the man took off his helmet, revealing a head of long hair and a shaggy beard. The man was tall and broad across the chest and shoulders. He wore a leather jacket that looked older than sin and dusty blue jeans. Caroline squealed in a way that Charlie had never heard from her.

  "DEREK!" she said as she ran to him and he embraced her in a hug. Seeing this, Charlie felt her stomach drop and anxiety swell up in her chest. She had no idea who this guy was but she sensed he was trouble. Worse, she sensed he was vampire trouble.

  When Caroline kissed the man she'd called Derek on the cheek, Charlie's anxiety turned into a jealous knife wound in her heart. It stung more than she would have guessed and she physically recoiled and stepped back from the door. Somehow not being able to see them was worse than seeing them. In her mind's eye, she saw the man kissing Caroline deeply on the mouth, his hands in her hair. Tears stung her eyes and she shook her head reactively, trying to push the feelings down and failing. When she heard the loud clomp of the man's stupid boots walking up the stone path to the door, she rubbed her eyes and went back to her spot on the couch, trying to look casual.

  Hearing Caroline laugh like a school girl made Charlie realize just how ridiculous their relationship was. Charlie was a kid — practically a baby — and this dumb bastard was a big man and Caroline was clearly in love with him. The knife in Charlie's heart twisted at the sound of Caroline's laughter as they entered the house. Caroline was holding the man's helmet and it looked huge under her arm. The man was smiling, with his dumb fucking face and gross beard and idiotic handsome features.

  Charlie did her best to smile when the man stepped forward and around the coffee table and held a hand out to shake.

  "Hi, I'm Derek," he said, smiling. Charlie looked at Caroline, who nodded, grinning, and Charlie reached up and took his hand. He was wearing fingerless motorcycle gloves and his fingers were cold and clammy. When she didn't say anything, Caroline spoke up on her behalf, giving Charlie a quick look of disapproval.

  "This is Charlie. She's my apprentice and apparently feeling a little shy."

  Derek smiled at her, warm and friendly, and it only pissed Charlie off even more.

  "That's alright, we're all a little shy sometimes. I totally get it," he said, looking back to Caroline. Charlie suddenly had the feeling that she had become invisible. That as soon as they were looking at each other and not her, she ceased to exist.

  "Here, give me your jacket, sit down!" Caroline said, reaching for Derek's leather jacket as he pulled it off. He was wearing a long-sleeve white poet's shirt that reminded Charlie of the shirts Jim Morrison wore and she had to actively stop herself from rolling her eyes. Sure, she still loved Jim, but this guy was no Lizard King. He stepped around the coffee table and motioned to the other side of the couch.

  "Do you mind if I sit?" he asked Charlie.

  "Sure," she said with a shrug. She could already tell it was going to be a long night.

  - 2 -

  The night dragged on slower than Charlie anticipated. It was torture. The fact of the matter was that Derek was charming, friendly, and unbelievably cool, and all of that made Charlie feel like complete garbage. It didn't help that Caroline was fawning over him like a schoolgirl with a crush. It made Charlie's insides twist and scream in a blind rage. The fact that he kept making an effort to make her feel included while Caroline seemed to have forgotten that she existed was especially hurtful.

  "It's so nice to see you with the beard again. It must be so liberating to live in a time where you can dress and groom yourself how you like," Caroline said, laughing at nothing in particular. Derek turned to Charlie.

  "You see, back when Caroline and I last spent time together, I had short hair, clean-shaven, wore a suit. It was a very different time."

  "When was that, 1943? 44?" Caroline asked.

  "I left for Mexico in 1945."

  "Wow! Time flies." Caroline said with a sigh.

  "What was Caroline like back then?" C
harlie asked, glancing at Caroline to see her reaction to the question, knowing that Caroline didn't like to talk about her past. As she expected, a brief but certain look of disapproval flashed across her face.

  "Oh yeah, she was something else. Powerful, a mover, and a shaker. She used to wear pants, which, you gotta understand, was a statement back then. Women didn't wear pants. Even powerful women in a business setting wore long dresses and skirts. But no, Caroline wore suits and, I must say, looked spectacular."

  Caroline smiled at him.

  "When I heard that you were living in Flagstaff, I was surprised, because it's such a sleepy place. Finding you out here in the suburbs just seems really weird."

  "I'm surprised that you and Caroline were close. You seem very, I don't know what word I'm looking for...:"

  "Dirty?" he said, chuckling.

  "That's not what I was thinking, but it works. I was going to say 'rough around the edges' but yeah. If she was this power player and you're like, this motorcycle guy, how did you two know each other?"

  "We don't need to —"

  "We both worked for Salome. Caroline was her right-hand woman and I was muscle. We were often sent out together to take care of business dealings. We became quite close after a while," he said, looking at Caroline, who looked suddenly uncomfortable.

  "Salome? Who is Salome?" Charlie asked, looking from Caroline back to Derek.

  "You don't know who Salome is?" he asked, first to Charlie, and then turning to Caroline. "She's your apprentice, right?"

  "Honestly, we don't talk about Salome or my life in California," Caroline said. Derek seemed to understand that he'd stepped into awkward territory.

  "Okay, sorry about that. I just assumed it was something that... I'll shut up," he said.

  "Wait, Salome like The Bible Salome?"

  Derek looked at Caroline, who sighed.

  "Yes, that Salome. She was my boss in California. She's the one who... anyway. She's why I'm here and not there. Which is why we don't talk about her."

  "Okay," Charlie said, a million new questions bubbling under the surface, begging to be let out.

  "When did you come out to Flagstaff?" Derek asked Caroline, trying to change the subject.

  "I left California in 1948. I lived in New Mexico for a time and then relocated here in 1956, and I've been alone here since. Until I met Charlie here in 1971 and she came to live with me and we've been together since," she said, smiling at Charlie. Charlie knew instinctively that Caroline was lying. She didn't know specifics, but she was certain that Caroline had lived with other people between when she left California and when she met Charlie. Which begged the question: What happened to those people? Charlie didn't want to speculate. She smiled back then turned to Derek.

  "Yes, and now we're together," Charlie said, locking eyes with him.

  "Well, it's complicated," Caroline interjected, laughing nervously. Charlie looked at her, wounded rage building up inside her even more than it already was.

  "Is it complicated? I feel like it's pretty clear cut."

  "It's complicated," Caroline said, looking hard at Charlie.

  "Is this a bad time for me to be here? I'm sorry I just showed up. I should have called first. I didn't have your number. I just had your address," Derek said.

  "No, it's not a bad time at all. You're always welcome here," Caroline said, trying to defuse the tension.

  "It's not a bad time, it's just important to me that you know it's actually not complicated at all," Charlie said, looking at Caroline. Caroline stood and straightened her dress.

  "Excuse us, Derek, I'd like to speak with Charlie for a moment. Charlie, step outside with me,"

  "Fine with me," Charlie said, standing up. Derek looked down at his hands as the two women walked towards the backdoor.

  - 3 -

  "What the fuck is the matter with you?" Caroline said, almost yelling, as soon as they were outside.

  "What's the matter with me? You're fawning all over this guy! It's gross!"

  "I'm not fawning, he's my friend," Caroline said, her gloved hands on her hips.

  "Yeah, your friend," Charlie said, sarcastically.

  "Yes. That's what he is. A very good friend and you're treating him like shit and embarrassing me."

  "Yeah, like I'm your friend? Is that the kind of friend he is?" Charlie spat.

  "No, he's actually a good friend. He doesn't act like a spoiled little brat when company comes over," Caroline said, crossing her arms.

  "Oh fuck you," Charlie said, wounded. Caroline suddenly slapped her across the face and slapped her hard.

  "How dare you?" Caroline said. Charlie stared at her, mouth hanging open, eyes narrowed. She was stunned into silence. Caroline hit her. Things were changing and fast and it terrified Charlie. "Go to your room," Caroline said, pointing to the back door. Charlie flashed back to her mother and the day she'd confronted her about Patrick. She'd hit her and told her to go to her room. It was happening again and Charlie felt herself beginning to cry. She desperately tried to stop it but it wasn't happening. The tears were coming. She turned and went inside, trying her best to keep quiet as she walked through the kitchen, into the hall, and to the back bedroom.

  - 4 -

  The door to her bedroom behind the wardrobe opened and Charlie heard Caroline step in. She kept her head under her pillow, under the blanket, and pretended to be asleep, though she was sure Caroline could tell that she was awake. She felt Caroline sit on the bed and touch her shoulder through the blanket.

  "Talk to me, Charlie."

  "No, I don't want to," Charlie said, her voice muffled under her pillow.

  "Please, I don't want things to be weird."

  "Well, they're fucking weird. Please leave me alone," Charlie said, coming out from under the blanket.

  "I know," Caroline said.

  "Where's your boyfriend?" Charlie asked, leaning back against the wall, putting space between herself and Caroline.

  "He's not my boyfriend and I set him up on the couch to sleep for the day," Caroline said, barely hiding her frustration.

  "He sure seems like your boyfriend. He's not sleeping in your bed?"

  "No. He's not. It's not like that."

  "Did you guys used to have a thing?" Charlie asked.

  Caroline seemed to think for a moment.

  "I don't know, not exactly," she said.

  "Not exactly? What does that mean? Can't you just tell me?"

  "We were close, yeah, but we didn't... we weren't intimate if that's what you're getting at," Caroline said.

  "Why not? He's good looking, charming, seems like a nice guy."

  "Because I wasn't in that kind of place when we knew each other. And now, I'm with you and so things are platonic. Okay?"

  "I guess," Charlie said, collapsing in on herself like a deflated balloon. The whole thing seemed so fractured and ruined, she didn't know how they were going to be able to get back to normal.

  "Are you okay?" Caroline asked.

  "No," Charlie said. Caroline leaned in to hug her and Charlie shook her head and muttered "I'm sorry I can't."

  "Really?" Caroline said, letting her annoyance come through a little more.

  "You hit me, Caroline. You can't do that," Charlie said, looking at her as sternly as she could manage, which wasn't much.

  "Oh grow up," Caroline said, standing back up.

  "Excuse me?" Charlie said, stunned.

  "I said grow up. Yeah, I smacked you. It's gonna happen sometime. When you get out of line I'm going to have to sometimes knock you back. This isn't a game Charlie, and you aren't a kid anymore. You need to smarten up," she said, heading to the door. Charlie sat there, watching as Caroline left the room in a huff. She sat there for a long time until sleep finally took her.

  - 5 -

  The first thing Charlie noticed upon waking was that the house was unnaturally quiet. Caroline was always up before Charlie and was usually vacuuming or listening to one of her records and knitting. It was unn
erving to wake up and only hear the ticking of the cuckoo clock in the living room. She got up and picked out a pair of clean underwear and a fresh t-shirt and headed out of the room.

  At the end of the hallway, she peaked around the corner into the living room. It was empty and there was a comforter folded on the couch. Charlie noticed a piece of Caroline's stationary sitting on the coffee table and nerves began to eat at her belly. She walked across the room and picked up the note. It said simply "Out getting food. Derek is with me. Will be home by three." Charlie crumpled up the note and dropped it on the table.

  In the shower, she tried to realign her feelings. She knew that she was letting jealousy cloud her judgment and that she was responding to some of what happened the night before irrationally. At the same time though, Caroline hit her, and that wasn't okay. Her response to that wasn't irrational. The way Caroline was treating her could not continue. For the first time, Charlie considered what it would be like to strike out on her own.

  That's when she realized that she could leave if she wanted to. It had simply never occurred to her that that was an option. Considering it was both terrifying and exhilarating. She tried to imagine actually walking out of the house alone, a bag packed and slung over her shoulder and... then what? She didn't know. She didn't have a car. Hitchhiking was an option. She supposed she could take a bus to... where? Los Angeles? Caroline had worked so hard to pound in the idea that California was a dangerous, awful place and that she should never go there, so naturally, it was the only place she wanted to go. It had been for as long as she could remember. Plus, she knew that Caroline couldn't follow her there, and that was important. She might not be safe from the world there, but she would be safe from Caroline.

  Was that where she was in their relationship? That she was afraid of Caroline? She thought maybe, yeah. She loved Caroline, very much, but she would be lying to herself if she didn't admit that she was afraid of her as well. Caroline was a killer and she was extremely dangerous, and Charlie knew that. Until the previous night, that danger hadn't been directed at her. But Charlie was self-aware enough to know that Caroline hitting her had the potential to escalate into something worse. Charlie had her anxiety and self-esteem issues, but she was also fully capable of recognizing a bad situation when it arose.