Journal

by Cat Thomson

  Charlotte stopped when they were finally standing outside one of the two prefabs Ed's crew had built for the vampires, and Katie, in Parry.

  "This is where I sleep," she said as she led Martin into her sleeping chamber. "As you already know, we vampires have been banished to the shelter's lower level."

  Charlotte slowly began to unbutton Martin's shirt.

  "Ed wouldn't be too happy if he knew you had deliberately ventured out of your safe zone, would he Martin?" she said.

  "Are you going to kill me?"

  Charlotte laughed and Martin once again became mesmerised by her laughter's lucidity.

  "No, Martin, I'm not going to kill you. And besides, why would I want to kill a human so vehemently anti-vampire, when the most intense desire he has ever felt has been for me, a vampire."

  Martin's quickening heart beat drowned out all other sounds that Charlotte would ordinarily hear and she felt her yearning for him expand. She threw his shirt to the ground. Her hands lingered on his chest for a moment, before moving down to his jeans. She undid them, then knelt before him and pulled them and his boxers off. Her mouth and tongue began to deftly tease his cock. Martin's longing for her exploded, and as soon as she had risen to her feet again, he ripped her T-shirt in his hurry to pull it up over her head. When she was finally naked, he pulled her towards him so that they were skin-to-skin, melded in an electrifying embrace, her breasts brushing enticingly against his chest.

  Martin suddenly became aware that he and Charlotte were rising off the ground. Soon they were suspended in the air, floating, and he marvelled at Charlotte's weightlessness on top of him as she began to move her undulating body against his, with his phallus deep inside her, titillating him, until she had unleashed his inherent, unrestrained wildness and his desire to dominate her had overcome them both.

  ***

  "There were three of them?"

  "Yes. And they knew what they were doing when they destroyed Vanessa; all three of them were wearing crucifixes. It could only have been holy water that they used on her."

  Nikolas leant forward and picked up a clock radio from the table in front of him. "I wonder if they're the same ones who destroyed the vampires in the house - how many was it?"

  "Fourteen."

  Only days ago, Nikolas had sat in the grand chamber, taking in the human scent embedded in the surface of the clock radio. He had discovered the hidden camera inside the clock radio accidently the last time he had stayed in his hotel suite and he now wondered if that, too, was linked to these vampire slayers.

  "Fourteen," he said. "They seem to know what they're doing. They would've had to act fast to be able to annihilate that many vampires before the rest of the coven awoke with the sound of it all. And they couldn't have escaped unless they knew what they were doing either. I think I'm going to take a tour around the places they've frequented of late so I can become acquainted with their scent. I intend to find them and to have my revenge. Would you like to accompany me to the house where the unfortunate incident took place, Michael?"

  "I'd love to."

  ***

  Location: London

  Saturday, 19 December 2026

  Sunrise: 08:03

  Sunset: 15:53

  Martin had left Charlotte and was making his way back to the human designated area of the shelter. He felt euphoric and in some strange way, his euphoria was heightened by the fact that he was still alive. As he approached the myriad crucifixes at the entrance to Collingwood, he saw Ed standing behind them. Martin had been walking fast, but now slowed his pace.

  "Where the hell have you been?" Ed asked. His voice was hoarse.

  Martin didn't answer.

  "A group of us went looking for you; we found your crushed e-cig and thought you'd been attacked by one of the vampires. Then we actually heard you and Charlotte down on the lower level, and both of you were clearly enjoying yourselves, and it dawned on us that you may have left the safe zone deliberately. We considered disturbing your little love tryst with Charlotte, but in the end we left you to it. And here you are now, alive and looking well satisfied. Oh, and are those the trademark love bites of a vampire on your neck, Martin? I could've sworn that the last time we spoke you were staunchly anti-vampire. This whole situation's getting just a little too weird for me. Do as you wish with that creature, but I'm warning you: if she transforms you and it ever becomes necessary, I won't hesitate to destroy you."

  Martin watched Ed walk away. He felt saddened that the guys had been so anxious about him. He slowly made his way to his bunk and lay down, pulling the duvet up until it almost completely covered him.

  "What happened to you last night?" Mark asked, his eyes still bleary from the deep sleep he had just awoken from.

  "Long story," was all Martin said in reply, before rolling over onto his side, his back to Mark.

  Mark checked the time: it was just after 08:00. He stretched then began to dress with reluctance. Before all this vampire shit had started, he would have woken up late on a Saturday, but now day time hours had come to be seen as precious, especially during the weekend. That was the only time they had to catch up with friends and family, have a little fun and actually get outside.

  He had met up with his brother Brian last weekend, and had listened to him talk about a work colleague who had gone on sudden, unplanned sabbatical leave and had then messaged the manager, asking if he could change to working nights because his wife was a nurse working on the night shift; the guy had complained that with their conflicting work schedules, he and his wife hadn't been able to spend any quality time together. Because of the state of emergency, it was rare these days for just anyone to work after nightfall, and one had to apply for special permission to do so. The guy had been granted permission, but now that he was working nights, he was completely uncontactable during the day.

  Mark's brother was one of the many sceptics who didn't believe vampires existed and Mark had given up asking him to join them in the shelter. Brian had always refused.

  ***

  The frailty of Malcolm's slender figure was emphasised by the expanse of the bronze lion at the foot of which he stood. A recognisable face suddenly appeared in amongst the crowds, moving towards him. It was Ed's.

  "Good to see you," Malcolm said when Ed reached him, and he and Ed shook hands.

  They had arranged to meet in Trafalgar Square; it was probably one of the safer places to meet in London nowadays. Even if there were hidden microphones, the laughter and talking of the surrounding tourists and pedestrians would drown out any incriminatory words that passed between them.

  Ed and Malcolm strolled casually in the vicinity of the bronze lions as they spoke.

  "It was discussed at a Cabinet Office emergency meeting," said Malcolm. "The intelligence services are planning a massive recruitment drive to form a rapid response unit within Scotland Yard's Counter Terror Command to deal with any major vampire attacks."

  Malcolm seemed edgy.

  "Something's bothering you, Malcolm," said Ed.

  "The government is fully aware that vampires are already entrenched in certain key positions in government," said Malcolm, sighing.

  "I suspected as much."

  "I'm beginning to wonder if some of my colleagues are now working in collusion with the vampires; they're acting differently."

  Ed watched tourists as they climbed onto the lion plinths for photos to be taken.

  "Malcolm, I don't think we should meet again," he said. "I wouldn't be surprised if your colleagues are working with the vampires. They could be watching you and I can't allow you to risk your life by staying in contact with me."

  ***

  Location: London

  Sunday, 20 December 2026

  Sunrise: 08:03

  Sunset: 15:53

  Ed was waiting for James in the forlorn Inglefield sub-shelter on the lower level. He felt vulnerable; he hadn't brought a crucifix with him and had risked coming here alone, putting his trust in this vampire.
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  When Ed saw James approaching from the other end of the long tunnel, he called out, "What is it that you want to discuss with me in private, James?" He wished that James would come no closer.

  "It's about Martin," said James.

  "What about him?"

  When James reached Ed, he said, "Martin has a very strong attraction for Charlotte that he isn't capable of resisting. I sense that Charlotte is contemplating turning him when he returns to her next, which will most likely be tonight."

  "Get her out of here!"

  In spite of his indignant anger, Ed somehow felt compelled by the lure of James's piercing gaze to move closer to him.

  "Charlotte is out hunting," said James, his voice now low. "I don't want to risk Martin overhearing our conversation so, please, keep the tone of your voice low. Charlotte will be a great asset in our fight against Nikolas. We can't risk losing her."

  "Then make damn sure she doesn't turn Martin," said Ed.

  "That's why I asked you if we could meet." James paused. "I want to make him a dhampir."

  "What! You think I'd somehow accept it if Martin was transformed into a dhampir rather than a vampire?" said Ed.

  "At least if I transform him into a dhampir then Charlotte can't make him a vampire. And if we survive the war with Nikolas, I intend to reverse what I have done to Katie, and can also do the same for Martin. Charlotte has some way to go before she's able to control her instinctive urges and I did give you my word that she wouldn't harm any of you if you allowed her to live here. This is the only way I can think of to save Martin from an irreversible transformation. At least as a dhampir he'd have vampiric powers and that would be of help in battle. And his being Charlotte's human-vampire lover would help dampen her bloodlust for humans."

  "So how do you intend doing this, James, because I doubt Martin's going to accept your proposal without a fight?" said Ed. "In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if he actually unconsciously wants Charlotte to make him a vampire."

  "Oh, Ed, with your permission I'm going to take him by surprise. Tonight."

  ***

  Location: London

  Thursday, 24 December 2026

  Sunrise: 08:05

  Sunset: 15:55

  The night air was mildly cool and the remnants of the sun had long since been devoured by the veneer of grey-black night sky. James had ventured further afield tonight, choosing to hunt in new territory for a change, and had already spent far longer out-of-doors than was prudent for an enemy of Nikolas.

  The streets were no longer filled with people at night, now that there was a state of emergency, but instead were speckled with army vehicles which slowly patrolled the streets. Soldiers never shot vampires on sight; they couldn't risk inadvertently killing a human, but if a vampire's eyes reflected the give-away red when penetrated by light, the army didn't hesitate to attack and so vampires had taken to wearing dark sunglasses to avoid scrutiny.

  Although hunting had become more complex because of the curfew imposed by the state of emergency, James found the human sparseness of the cityscape thrilling. It had previously been almost too easy to find beautiful human prey, but now that James had to seek his prey out, his intrinsic hunter's instinct had been honed, and the pleasure of his precarious sensuous encounters with his victims had become an exquisitely accentuated reward for his endeavours.

  James's eyes scanned the dark houses on either side of him as he walked down the middle of the deserted suburban street. He was seeking out signs of human life hidden behind the shuttered windows. He stopped in front of a house and approached it, scaling its exterior brickwork with ease to reach a window sill on the first floor. There, he prised the locked window open with his fingers before dislodging, in one swift and powerful kick, the thick panel that had been affixed over the window internally.

  James climbed through the window and found himself standing in an empty room in the quiet house. The humans present in the house had not been awakened by the short burst of noise he had made when he had kicked the panel aside. He moved through the room's open door into the hallway, but as he took a step towards a closed door further down the hallway, the rapid movement of a white shape caused him to stop in his tracks, his senses alert, ready to attack. Again, the white form flitted past him, too fast even for his vampire vision to discern, before it stopped at the top of the staircase.

  Now James was able to see the male vampire that had previously only been visible as a rapidly moving white smudge. He was well-built and exquisitely beautiful, even more so than was typical of a vampire, with an air of quiet serenity about him, which was further emphasised by the plain white outfit he wore. The vampire took a cautious step towards James, who stepped back in retreat, hissing in expectation of an attack.

  "I have no desire to attack you," the vampire said, the volume of his voice too low to be audible to the humans that slept behind the closed door.

  James observed that the vampire's eyes were a piercing blue, their centres lit with a tiny pinpoint of pure white light, and that his hair was as white as virgin snow. He found him intriguing but, even so, he remained vigilant.

  "Who are you?" he asked.

  "My name is Helmut. We are from Germany."

  "We?"

  "My coven. I noticed you tonight; the fact that you were hunting alone, which is unusual now that the war against humans has begun."

  "What is it to you whether I hunt alone or not?" James asked, sneeringly.

  "If you choose to hunt alone, then perhaps you are not one of Nikolas's coveners?"

  James steeled his mind against this stranger; he did not want to risk his thoughts being read. "What I choose to do or not do is not for you to decipher," he said as he spun round and flew back to the window through which he had entered the house.

  But James reached the window only to find that Helmut was already there, blocking his exit.

  "But if you are not one of his coveners, then perhaps you also choose not to fight with him," said Helmut.

  "Get out of my way!" James commanded.

  "Only by combining our forces can those who fight against him have any chance of winning," said Helmut.

  Helmut's voice had a gently persuasive quality to it and James now saw that he was not someone to be wary of.

  "Would you now agree that we have something we need to discuss?" Helmut said.

  James nodded, and because it was safer to remain where they were, inside the house, they did so and soon came to understand that they both wanted the same fate for Nikolas.

  ***

  Location: London

  Friday, 25 December 2026

  Sunrise: 08:05

  Sunset: 15:55

  As James and Helmut hurtled towards the shelter, it dawned on James that Helmut was the sire of the legendary continental coven that was renowned for preying only on animals and yet, even so, they still had an insatiable erotic need for humans.

  James and Helmut reached the shelter about an hour before sunrise. Ed had reluctantly agreed to allow for continued access to the shelter after dark, but now getting through the second entrance door up at street level at night was only possible by pressing the intercom buzzer and waiting for the door to be opened by whoever was viewing the monitors in the Control Room.

  In spite of the presence of a stranger with James, the second door slid open for them without any questions being asked, and James led Helmut down to his sleeping chamber, where Katie lay asleep.

  James knelt down beside her and shook her gently. "Katie, wake up," he said quietly.

  Katie stretched and her hand felt its way over James's thigh, up towards his chest. She took hold of his coat and pulled him towards her.

  "Katie, open your eyes; we have a guest," James warned her.

  Katie opened her eyes and sat up stiffly, her lust for James now restrained by the presence of Helmut, who stood watching her with interest in the doorway of the sleeping chamber.

  "I need you to take a message to Ed - let him know about our gues
t," James said, and Katie reluctantly got up and left.

  ***

  For no reason in particular, Katie rarely went up to Collingwood these days and whenever she could, she avoided Ed. As she entered the sub-shelter, she became aware of the buzz of excited chatter and the hum of Christmas music. Most people were already awake and some of them were standing admiring the display of presents around Tom and Sharon's Christmas tree. Katie had forgotten that it was Christmas day today.

  "Merry Christmas, Katie!" Jonathan called out when he saw her.

  "Same to you, Jonathan."

  Katie and Ed noticed each other simultaneously. Ed looked resentful. Katie never came to the upper level to socialise, so if she was here now, it was because she needed something. He approached her.

  "What is it, Katie?" he said.

  "Oh, merry Christmas to you, too, Ed," said Katie.

  "Oh, I'm sorry. Merry Christmas. I didn't mean to be so abrupt."

  "James has brought someone to the shelter he'd like you to meet."

  "Let me guess. Another vampire?"

  Katie nodded.

  "That's the second vampire he's brought here now and thanks to the last one, Martin's gone from being one of the most vampire-wary people around to becoming a dhampir besotted with Nikolas's former mate," said Ed. "I'm not sure I really want to meet this one. Oh, and who's on duty in the Control Room? There's clearly been a lack of vigilance. How the hell did this creature even manage to get into the shelter?"

  The expression on Katie's face was cold, and her intense dislike for Ed dawned on him for the first time.

  "Are you coming back with me or not, Ed?" said Katie. "It won't be long before the sun rises."

  As Katie turned and strolled away, Ed recalled the last time he had met with James. He had been alone with him and had had neither gun nor crucifix on him, and yet James had made no move to harm him. It may be that he was becoming complacent, but he felt he could trust James.