by Amy Cross
"Stop it!" I scream.
She tries to punch me, but it's a desperate, pathetic effort. Tiring of her constant fighting and struggling, I maneuver us around a little and then I slam her head into the side of the bannister, using a little more force than I'd planned. The impact is strong and heavy, and I'm quite certain that it must have hurt, but she's still struggling. What the fuck does it take to bring this bitch down?
"Nice try," I whisper, before slamming her head into the opposite wall. When that doesn't work, I try it again, this time with so much force that I knock a hole in the plaster. Pulling Kerry's body back, I turn her over and see that she's barely conscious.
She moves her lips, but no words come out.
"You're tougher than you look," I mutter, staring into her half-open eyes. "You should be proud of yourself." I wait, and for a moment I'm tempted to explain everything to her. Finally, however, I decide that the best thing would just be to get this whole encounter over and done with, so that I can move onto the second and final stage. Taking hold of her head between my hands, I tilt her so that she's facing the wall again, and then I slam her face into the plaster with such force that for a moment I worry I might have already killed her.
Finally, once I've checked and found that she has a faint pulse, I sit back and try to regather my thoughts. I've done it. I've actually done it. I feel weak as hell, and the struggle took more out of me than I'd expected. There's blood on the stairs and the wall, and part of the plasterboard has been smashed open. There's clearly no way I'm going to be able to clean the mess up, so there's no point even trying. Still, I'm so desperately close to my goal, I can't stop now. While it's tempting to take a little rest, I know that I have to keep pushing, so I slip out from under Kerry's unconscious body and get to my feet while she slumps face-down against the stairs.
Okay. One more little journey, and then we're ready.
Chapter Eight
Maybe there's a God after all. Why else would it start pouring with rain just as I'm lugging Kerry's unconscious body out of the house?
It's 3am by the time I feel strong enough to carry her to the woods. The journey isn't too long, but in my weakened state I can barely sustain my own weight, and having Kerry over my shoulder means that every step is agonizing. Several times, I have to stop and put her on the ground for a moment, and occasionally I try to change my approach and drag her instead. As we reach the edge of the forest, the mud makes it almost impossible to move with any real speed, and I struggle to pull the bitch through the small rivers of rainwater that have already started to flow.
Finally, losing my grip and falling backward, I land heavily in the mud and realize that I can't go any further. Once again, my human body has let me down, but at least this will be the last time.
I'd been hoping to get her to a larger clearing, but this spot will have to do. Patches of moonlight are streaming down through the rain as I kneel next to Kerry and grab her by the shoulders, and then finally haul her up onto my knees. It's a miracle that she's still unconscious, and I'm starting to wonder whether she might have a concussion. I'd been hoping to talk to her a little before I make my final strike, but I guess the only vital thing is that her heart's still pumping. I want my first taste of human blood to be fresh and warm.
"You want to wake up, bitch?" I whisper.
She doesn't reply, and suddenly I feel a little sad that she won't know the full horror of what I'm doing to her.
"Come on," I say, giving her a gentle shake. "Hey! Kerry, wake up!"
Nothing. She's still just limp in my arms.
"Please," I mutter, feeling a little tearful. "Come on, just wake up for a minute or two."
Hearing a screeching sound above, I look up and spot something small and dark moving through the rain. It circles the clearing, and after a moment I realize that it's a bat. In some strange way, it feels appropriate to have such a symbolic visitor. Perhaps it recognizes me as a fellow creature of the night.
Moving Kerry's collar aside, I stare at her bare, rain-soaked neck. The skin looks so tight and clean, it's hard to believe the damage that I'm about to cause. Reaching down, I run a finger across her flesh, and I realize that there's no point delaying things any longer. It's been a long journey so far, but I've finally arrived at my destination. With rain pouring all around us, I take a deep breath and then finally I lean closer and get ready to bite. One side of my mouth is still painful and swollen, and I know that the exposed nerve is going to make this unnecessarily painful. Still, I'm as ready as I'll ever be, and I guess I just have to go for it.
I pause for a moment.
I am ready for this. I know I am.
Opening my mouth as wide as possible, I bite down as hard as I can, but I have to let go as pain shoots through my damaged tooth.
"Fuck!" I shout, taking a deep breath as I try to calm down.
Pulling myself together, I try again, and this time I ignore the pain. I'm not sure what I was expecting, really, but I find that instead of biting clean puncture wounds through the side of her neck, I end up with a big section of flesh in my mouth, and no blood. I bite down harder, and I can feel the veins and arteries being squeezed beneath her skin. I continue to bite, but it feels like I'm just squeezing and squeezing. Finally, determined to get this over with, I decide to try a slightly different approach. After angling my sharpened teeth against the skin, I push down and then I jerk my head back, and to my shock I manage to pull away a large chunk of skin.
Suddenly trying to jerk away from me, Kerry lets out the loudest scream I've ever heard, and the noise seems to be coming not only from her mouth, but also from the hole in the side of her neck.
"No!" I shout, grabbing her head and holding her still before I bite her again. This time, I sink my face into the wound and bite down, feeling her soft skin between my lips and on my tongue. Sucking as hard as I can, I feel blood running into my mouth, but it's not enough. I bite deeper, and this time my tongue brushes against what feels like some kind of tube before suddenly blood bursts into my mouth, gushing so fast that I can barely swallow it all. Closing my eyes, I embrace the strength that pours down my throat, and I try to make sure that as little spills over the sides as possible. I don't want to waste a drop.
With no warning, Kerry finally pushes me away. Blood sprays over my face as I'm momentarily put off my balance, but I quickly grab hold of her again and pull her closer. I bite down again on her neck, and this time my teeth grate against some of her bones. I continue to suck as much blood as possible, and although the exposed nerve on one of my fangs is causing me immense pain, I focus on the glorious feeling of her blood in my mouth. I was born for this moment.
She's trying to struggle, of course, but there's nothing she can do. Not now. She's already weak, and it's strangely reassuring to feel her hands desperately trying to push me away. She's got no chance this time, of course, but I appreciate the gesture. It's as if she's acknowledging my superiority, and accepting that I'm the stronger beast. In a way, Kerry's capitulation is symbolic of the capitulation of the entire human species. She's the first to feed my hunger, but she won't be the last.
After a few minutes, the blood stops pouring with such relentless force, and I relax my bite. Kerry still seems to be clinging on to life, but she can't have long left and I can feel her getting weaker and weaker. With torrential rain pouring down, her face looks strangely peaceful as she slowly looks up at me, and there's a moment of intense intimacy between us, as her eyes fix on mine. I keep expecting her to say something, or to scream, but it's as if she's lost all her strength. Her lips move slightly and I'm certain that she's trying to get some words out, but I can't hear a damn thing, not even when I lean closer. It's as if she hasn't even noticed that there's all this rain.
"What?" I shout, putting my ear close to her mouth.
She's still trying to speak, but I can't make it out at all.
"Louder!" I shout.
Finally, I manage to make out a few words, and I realize to my shock that she's p
raying. Like, she's actually saying The Lord's Prayer or whatever it's called. I swear, I never even considered that the bitch was religious. In fact, I know fuck all about her at all, really, other than that she's always been the most annoying person on the planet. Right now, however, I can't help but be slightly impressed that she's turning to God. It's a desperate move, and she's clearly lost her mind now that she's looked into the face of a creature with my level of power. Once again, she's inadvertently paying me a great compliment, and I feel as if my initiation into this new vampire life is going perfectly. My first kill is almost complete.
"I don't know if you give a shit," I say firmly, "but I'll always remember you. No matter how many others I kill, you'll always be the first."
She stares at me, but nothing about her vacant expression shows that she understands.
I feel stronger than before, though, as if her blood has infused me with a new kind of power. It's almost as if I can feel her life force coursing through my veins and giving an immense boost to my body. This must be what it's like to be a real vampire, to feed oneself by consuming the energy of another living creature, and to step up to the next level of human evolution. I always knew this moment would come, but now that it's here, I feel as if my entire body is vibrating, almost shimmering with new strength.
Having drunk so much of Kerry's blood, it's kind of hard to know what to do next. The meat of her body is of little use, and I've got no interest in becoming a full-on cannibal. I can just about feel her heart still beating, and I know I have to finish her off somehow, so eventually I lean down and begin to suck as hard as possible on the wound at her neck. After a few minutes, I start biting away chunks of flesh and spitting them out onto the floor, and I keep glancing at her eyes and seeing that she's still not dead. Eventually, however, I notice something else. She seems to be looking at something that's behind my shoulder. I guess she's probably reached some kind of religious peak, which seems strangely fitting for such a fucking bitch. Whatever she thinks she can see, I hope it brings her no peace at all. In fact, I hope it makes her death even more horrifying. Smiling, I turn and look back into the forest.
When I see him, my chest tightens and my body feels like it's about to turn to stone.
He's standing a few meters away, his features hidden by shadows. There's something about him, however, that's instantly terrifying, as if he carries with him some extra kind of darkness. Most humans, if they came across the sight of a girl having her blood drained in the middle of a forest, would just turn and run. This guy, however, seems to be content to stand and watch, as if he's fascinated by the whole thing. Perhaps my imagination is working overtime, but I can't shake the feeling that somehow this person understands me. After years and years of people thinking that I'm some kind of freak, I suddenly feel as if I'm in the company of someone who recognizes me for what I am. It's almost as if his mind is reaching out to reassure me.
I open my mouth to shout out to him, but I'm not really sure what to say. Looking down at Kerry, I see that her glassy eyes are staring up at the sky. Shaking her gently, I realize that she's dead. For a moment, I'm overcome by the realization that I've actually ended the life of a human. If it hadn't been for me, she'd still be alive, and she wouldn't have this horrific gash on her neck. Most of her blood is in my body now, and all that's left of Kerry is a loose, limp cadaver.
Turning to look back over at the dark figure, I realize that there's something very different about him. It's almost as if I can sense a kind of darkness in his soul. Before I can decide what to do next, however, he starts walking slowly toward me. I take a few steps back, and then I watch as he leans down and takes Kerry's body by the neck, carefully lifting her up to the light as if he's examining her. He twists her first one way and then the other, presumably so he can get a better look at the wound on her neck, and for a moment I wait to see what he might do next. Suddenly, he lets go of her neck and the body slumps to the ground, and I realize that he's staring straight at me.
"Who are you?" I ask, even though I doubt he can hear me over the sound of the rain.
No reply.
"What are you doing here?" I continue. "How did you find me?"
Still, no reply.
"You don't scare me!" I shout, as I instinctively start nibbling on the sleeve of my jacket. Taking a couple of steps back, I feel my feet almost sinking into the wet, muddy forest floor. "You'd better stay back!" I continue. "I'm not what I look like! I can fucking take you down if you come near me! Do you understand? I just fed on a live human! I'm strong! I'm..."
My voice trails off.
Slowly, he tilts his head to one side, the way a dog does when it doesn't understand something.
I take a deep breath, fighting the urge to run. If I run, I'll be showing that I'm weak, and I need to stand my ground.
"Go fuck yourself!" I shout eventually, trying desperately to make sure that he can hear me over the pouring rain. "This is nothing to do with you! Go fuck yourself and leave me alone! This is nothing to do with you!"
No response.
"Fuck!" I yell, before turning and running. I know it's a mistake, but I feel as if I just have to get the hell out of here. It's difficult to move too fast across such a wet and boggy landscape, and I don't even take note of which way I'm going. All I care about right now is that I need to get the hell away from this bastard. I can come back in the morning and find Kerry's body and clean up, and I can get my whole plan back on-track, but at the moment I have to -
Suddenly something grabs me by the collar and yanks me back, sending me flying through the air until I land face-first in the mud. For a couple of frantic seconds, I can't breathe: there's mud in my mouth and up my nose, and I just can't clear it away. Eventually, I manage to spit enough out to create an airway, and I try to crawl away on all-fours, desperately gasping for breath.
Before I can get too far, however, I become aware of movement nearby, and I turn to find the dark figure standing over me. I'm filled with an impression of immense, immovable strength, and I realize with a sense of rising panic that he was easily able to run after me and pull me back. I don't know what the fuck this guy's supposed to be, but I swear he's too strong for me to handle. I just need to get my breath back, try to knock him down, and then run for my life. There's no way some stinking human is gonna bring me down, not when I'm on the verge of glory.
"What are you?" I shout, looking up at him as the rain pours down. "Are you a cop?"
Again, no response.
"Are you..." I pause for a moment. "Are you my master?"
He stares at me.
"I didn't do anything wrong!" I scream, close to tears. "I had to kill her! She was inferior! I needed to prove it! I needed to push up to the next level! You don't fucking understand!" Struggling to my feet, I try to hide the fact that I'm trembling with fear. "I'm something you'll never understand," I continue, trying to sound confident despite the fact that I'm starting to really panic. "If you knew the truth about me, even for a fraction of a second, you'd run screaming!"
For a moment, he doesn't reply. Then, slowly, he leans forward slightly, and I catch sight of his face. His eyes are dark and deep, like mine, and with a hint of calm anger, but what really grabs my attention is his smile. As he starts to open his mouth, I see to my shock that he's got two perfect fangs. For a moment, I try to work out how this is possible: how could I have run into someone else who wants to be like me? It's as if I'm staring at someone or something that's a kind of dark and twisted mirror image. Finally, however, I realize the truth.
"You're..." I start to say, as my mind goes almost completely blank with shock. "You're a... You're..."
I take a step back, but he moves toward me.
"I'm like you," I mutter. "Can't you tell? Look at me!" I bare my fangs, but they must look pathetic compared to his. My mind is racing as I try to work out what's really happening. Is it possible? Have I somehow, in the middle of all this madness, stumbled into the path of a real vampire? Or did he f
ind me? Did he seek me out, having somehow learned of my plans? Perhaps, in some strange way, he recognizes me as a kind of kindred spirit, and he wants to reach out to me and draw me into his world? If that's the case, I'm standing on the brink of a greater victory than I could ever have imagined. He's come to congratulate me and welcome me, to help me rise to the next level. I thought I'd have to do it all by myself, but now I have someone to show me the way. For a brief moment, I'm flooded with relief. It's as if his mind is reaching out and trying to calm my panic.
I'm not alone.
Finally, someone understands me.
"Did you see what I did?" I stammer, staring straight at him, trying to face him down even though he's at least a foot taller than me. "Did you -"
Before I can finish the sentence, he reaches out and grabs my shoulder, before leaning toward me and opening his mouth.
"No!" I shout, trying to push him away. I manage to turn and take a step away, but his hand keeps hold of my shoulder and pulls me back. "Don't touch me!" I scream. "I'm not like them! I'm like you! We're the same! I'm a -"
It's too late.
I feel two long, razor-sharp fangs slice straight into my neck and cut through to the jugular, and as I struggle to get free, I realize that he's drinking my blood. I try everything to get free: I kick at him, I try to elbow him in the chest, I even try to bite his arm. Nothing works. It's as if, despite all the blood I drained from Kerry's body, I'm no stronger than before.
Straining desperately, I start to feel weaker and weaker as my blood flows into him, and after a moment I realize that there's nothing more I can do. My only hope is that in some way this is an initiation into his dark world, and soon he's going to declare that I've truly become a vampire. Perhaps this is how it was always meant to be. Any moment now, I'm going to become a full vampire. I'll feel the power start to spread through my body and finally I'll be reborn.
Suddenly there's a loud ripping noise, as if fabric is being torn, and I feel a sharp pain around my neck. Seconds later, he throws me through the rain and I land on the forest floor. I try to get up, but I can't move at all. Something feels very wrong, and finally I see that the figure has something in its arms. It takes me a moment to realize that he's cradling a headless body and drinking blood directly from the stump of its neck. At first, I assume that it must be Kerry's body, but then I realize that it's wearing my clothes. For a fraction of a second, I can't work out what the hell's happening, and then finally, as my mind begins to fade away, I understand that he ripped my head clean off my shoulders. That's my body in his arms, several meters away, and it's my blood that's flowing into his mouth as he stands in the rain.
