Hunger

by Lillie J. Roberts

  He stood from behind his desk and cleared his throat. “David?” he questioned.

  David gave him back scared eyes and raised a shoulder in a tight shrug. Lucius walked forward to stand in front of the boy.

  I touched his shoulder, and he started. “It’s okay. I’d like you to meet the head of our family and my father, Lucius Draco.” I spoke with a quiet calm, and Lucius extended his hand, palm up, in an easy gesture. “Go ahead, kid, shake his hand, he’s not going to bite.”

  His eyes darted swiftly around the room and back to Lucius. He reached out to clasp his hand. “Hey.”

  “Do you know what happened to you? Who attacked you?” Luc’s tone resembled mine, reassuring the young vampire. But David remained just as confused, relaying the story of his turning in halting narrative. I felt the touch of Lucius’s thoughts as he tried to delve into David’s tortured mind. A look of disquiet crossed his face as he struggled to see past the same mishmash of thoughts … of betrayal and deception.

  Then a dawning broke over Lucius’s features as he discovered something that I’d missed. Glancing from David to Lucius, I watched as he moved deeper, past the illusion used by the true rogue vampire. There’s something to be said for being as old as he was. As he probed, he drew me along with him, and I joined him in his quest. Two minds searching would unravel the truth quicker. At first, I only saw the distraction. A wolf lunged at the boy as he walked along the edge of a park.

  David stood before him, his own eyes wide.

  “What were you doing when you were attacked?” Luc asked.

  “Heading home,” David grunted back.

  “But a wild animal jumped at you from the darkness, dragged you away.” Lucius’s gaze lost its focus as he dug into David’s mind.

  “I think so, some kind of animal …” The boy shivered with the memory, rubbing his shoulder where the wolf had planted its teeth.

  “Okay, concentrate, think back. Remember the attack. Can you do that?”

  “If I have to, but I try not to think about it.” He shivered again.

  I grimaced at Luc. “I know it’s hard. But you must, so we can see. Just for a few minutes.”

  David thought a moment and closed his eyes. The images became clearer. Only this time instead of the wolf, I saw what Lucius had discovered. It was an ancient vampire, so old he was almost unrecognizable as the human he once was, able to conceal his form with that of the large, grey-silvered wolf. As it became clearer, I nearly jumped back. It was … Loupgarin. My father’s maker. Our old enemy.

  I peered at Lucius who watched me to see if I understood what he discovered. “Damn, what the hell’s happening here? Is this what I think it is?”

  He avoided my eyes for a moment then sighed. “I’d sincerely hoped he’d met the true death after this many years.” He scrubbed a hand across his face. “This is why the Council insisted we come here, insisted it be our family?” he grounded out, not really asking a question of anyone but himself. “This is some kind of revenge, some punishment?” Lucius seldom expressed emotions other than confidence. He was very old and knowledgeable, but on this occasion, he showed his outrage. “We’re to clean up after him, again.”

  “Is this why … the true rogue vampire … Loupgarin.” I released the breath I’d been holding, hoping I was wrong. Fucking vampire politics. We were in their crosshairs again.

  “I believe so.” He glanced at David who had almost been forgotten. “I’m sorry. No one should have to go through what’s happened to you. Let’s see what we can do to help.” Luc turned to walk away, but swung around to meet my eyes. He hurt on a level unknown to me. “Ben, why don’t you see to our young friend’s needs.”

  David brooded for a moment. “Do I stay here?”

  Lucius nodded. “It’s here or dead. I can’t leave you to run the streets of Chicago or anywhere else for that matter.”

  “How do I hunt here?” He glanced between us. His time as a vampire had not been pleasant, he hadn’t learned how to live, what was expected of him, how to feed.

  “Your feral hunting has to stop. It’s time to learn true vampirism, to live inside the human society. Hunting and feeding are parts of the same thing. Only, when feeding, our prey doesn’t have to die.” With assured confidence, I answered his questions. The lessons Lucius had taught me long ago, how he’d guided my hand, helped me to survive, shared with this young vampire. “There’s nothing to worry about, I’ll show you how and where to hunt, how to feed without killing,” I promised.

  His shoulders sagged like a huge weight had been lifted from them. “I hate the killing.”

  “So do I, kid, so do I.” I squeezed his shoulder. “Now, go find Isabella. I have to speak with Lucius.”

  As David left us, I spun back to face my maker. “What are we going to do?”

  “This is my problem. I’ll deal with it.” He withdrew into himself as he paced the room.

  “No, you’re the only father I can remember. This is our problem.”

  “As you well know, Loupgarin is dangerous. I’ll have to contact the Council, though I’m sure they’re aware of the problem. Why else would we be dumped here?” He thrust open the balcony’s doors, seeking the comfort of the nighttime sky.

  I watched as he traced the constellations he knew by heart, an old trick he used to calm his nerves.

  “Tomorrow I’ll make arrangements to meet with the Magistrate. If you’d like, you can accompany me. Only the Gods know what the old bastard will have in store. For now, go take care of David.”

  “Lucius …” His eyes wandered around the room before settling on mine. “I will go. Whatever the Council is attempting touches all our lives. I won’t lose you either,” I said quietly, touching his shoulder before I turned to find the boy.

  I worried about what Lucius was going to do. The Council purposely dropped us into this nightmare, no friends to back us up this time. Why not take care of the problem themselves?

  I shook off the thoughts. This was the first night of David’s education. He had to relearn how to live, try to recapture a little of his humanity, because without it, none of us survived, vampires or humans alike.

  *

  I found him huddled in his room, back tight against the wall, hands fisted, his spooked eyes glued to the door. He sagged with relief when I leaned in. There was nothing extraordinary about him other than his mastery of the intense. I was sure he was a random target, but questions still begged to be answered. Did the old vampire know we were here? Was he aiming for the Draco family? After all these years, why? Again, I probed the spot where a scar should have been. Was this the reason we were brought to Chicago? Would we survive the Council?

  Sighing, I walked over to where the boy pressed himself into the wall and sank down beside him. I rested my head in my hands, wiping them across my face. Dawn was coming, only a few hours away, and David needed to feed.

  “We’re going to hunt now, right?” When I looked closer, his hands were quivering, his face paler than only seconds before.

  “Fuck, you need to calm down. Relax, kid. I’m going to help you.” I wanted to reach out to him, but I was afraid he’d take off.

  He thumped his head against the wall, hard enough to leave a dent. “I feel closed in. It’s too constricting.” He squeezed his eyes closed. “I don’t know if I can stay.”

  “It’s here or death. Personally, I’d choose here, it’s not too bad. I mean, what’s not to like?” My attempt at humor fell on deaf ears. “It’s going to be okay.”

  David’s scared eyes found mine. “How can you be so sure?”

  “Look, you have us all in your corner. I’m willing to fight for you. That should mean something. You just need to get used to people again.” I spoke with the same calmness I had earlier, trying to share the feeling with the young vampire.

  He visibly relaxed, hands loosening, his back bowing, and his head sank down toward his long legs. When he looked up, it was with the beginnings of trust. “One question. Why do you
call me ‘kid’? You don’t look much older than me.” For a moment, I thought he might smile.

  “I’ve been around for a long time, more years than you can fathom. I may not look it, but I’m ancient. Well, not as old as Lucius.” I grinned, and finally, he smiled too. “Does it bother you?”

  “Nah, I kinda like it, it makes me feel … human.”

  “Well, then, about hunting …” I started. “When we hunt, we do it with stealth. A shadow that steps out of the darkness. The most important rule about what we are, is no one can know of our existence.” My eyes moved over David. “You’ve been killing and drawing attention to yourself. So much so, I came looking for you. Someone else would have sought you out eventually, maybe they wouldn’t have been so … nice.” We both chuckled. Life, even vampiric, was strange. “Tonight, we begin brand new. This evening, you hunt with me, taking when I say and as much as I say. Do you understand?”

  “Yeah, I understand. You’re the boss.”

  “Yeah, kid, that’s right. You follow my lead.” I stood. “There are perks to vampirism, you know. Bullets might sting but they’re mostly useless, unless it’s a clean shot to the brain.” I pointed to my own head. “But with our speed, it shouldn’t be a problem.”

  His eyes rounded with wonder. “Cool.”

  My gaze took in his. He had a lot to learn.

  “’Kay, so we’re hunting now?” He struggled to his feet.

  “Only if you do what I say, when I say.”

  He nodded.

  “Never thought I’d be a vampire,” he said as we moved to the door.

  “Me neither, but shit happens, you know? Better than dead.” Eyeing the boy, he shrugged his bony shoulders, muscles bunched beneath his pale flesh. Though he had hunted his entire existence, he had yet to lose the starved look. I hoped that would change too.

  “Yeah, I know all about shit.” His eyes were distant now.

  “I just bet you do.” I flung my arm across his shoulders and he flinched. “I know about it too.”

  *

  Together we set off into what remained of the night, in search of prey. We headed to the center of the city where the criminal element was strongest. Here were the fertile hunting grounds in this place called Chicago, where the gangs were the thickest, where crack and meth were sold on the street corners, where police seldom patrolled.

  “Here’s where we hunt, not in the neighborhoods, and never do we kill. Definitely not like the old lady and, if there is an accident, the body must not be found.” I was a walking contradiction, killing when needed and insisting he restrain himself.

  He colored ever so slightly, almost like he might still be human. “I didn’t mean to kill her. I wish I could take it back.”

  “Part of life, kid, mistakes happen. There aren’t any do overs.”

  “Doesn’t stop me from wishing it.”

  “No, it doesn’t.” I’d wished it myself, more than once.

  “How soon ’til the hunt?” He fidgeted, rubbing his arms.

  My gaze locked on the boy, seeing his renewed distress. “Remember what I said earlier. You listen to me, do as I do, and remember, no one must know what we are.”

  “Okay, I understand.”

  That feral look had taken control again. Being around all this humanity was an overload to his senses. I felt his need to strike.

  “And always, control the beast.” I turned to catch his eyes and stared deeply into them.

  “Beast?” He gazed back, questions lurking in their depths.

  “Your beast, the animal inside that begs to hunt, to kill if you let it. Because if you lose control of the beast, you become the thing you hate most. So, the first thing you learn is control.”

  We walked down the sidewalk until the only thing left were the rowdy night spots. Inside there was rancorous laughter, the camaraderie of shared experiences. This was the place we’d start our hunt, a prolific ground of small-time wannabes, sure their rise to power was close at hand. Rounding the corner of one such establishment, the back entrance sat unprotected. I made my way toward it, and pushed the broken lock to force the door. We hurried to the interior, drawing little attention, and made our way to the front. A sign over the bar said, ‘Enter at your own risk’.

  “It smells good here.” David cast about with a eager look.

  It actually did not ‘smell good’ in the bar. It reeked of sour liquor, death and drugs, human waste and sweat, anger and violence.

  “Yeah, kid, that’s your beast. It doesn’t see everything else going on around you, but that’s what it does, how it thrives. It drives you to strike, when what you need to do is wait for the right opportunity.”

  “You talk a lot. Let’s hunt.” He shifted his feet, ready for action, and it was hard not to answer his need with my own.

  “We’re not hunting yet, David, we’re learning. This is our starting point. Control, kid, it’s all about knowing when and where.” Pushing away from the bar, I went to the door. The night sang with the song of insects, car engines, the roar of music from open doorways, but it quieted around me, until it narrowed down to only heartbeats. David wasn’t going to like leaving, but he had to learn how to quiet the beast. Walking away from prey is hard to do.

  “Let’s go.” Loping down the sidewalk, I turned to see David looking back into the bar, and then down the sidewalk at me. Slowly, he followed.

  When he caught up to me, anger colored his features. “I thought you said we were hunting. We left a bunch of warm blood back there.”

  Grabbing the boy’s arm, I pulled him into the shadow of a low building. “You follow my lead, you do as I do. You listen when I tell you. Understand?”

  He twisted away. “Yeah, I got it. Show me what to do.”

  “Kid, being a vampire isn’t all about feeding or hunting. There are things you can do to help you find prey. First, you can hide in plain sight.” Damn, the kid was so green, he didn’t even know how to conceal his energy.

  “Don’t want to hide. How can I hunt if I’m hiding?”

  “You don’t want to be noticed. You want to be part of the darkness.” Drawing the night to surround me, my body vanished. When I glanced at David, his eyes were big with wonder, his child-like innocence showing. “Second, you can bleed the noise away, until heartbeats are the only sound.”

  “How … how do I do it?” Finally, something that made his beast grow silent, something to help with the hunt.

  “First, think of the shadows, the shades. Pull the night in tight around you and concentrate.” Slowing my motions, I opened my arms, gathered in the night, tipped my head back, and I became the darkness.

  He closed his eyes. I felt the night shift a little, and when I looked over where David stood, there was a wisp of a shadow.

  Smiling, I pulled the night a little tighter around our bodies. “Next, hold your breath. Listen to the sounds, focus on the people, then the vessel …” I closed my eyes and listened to the music of ‘lub-DUB, lub-DUB, lub-DUB’. “Can you hear it?”

  “I can … this is so cool.”

  Making our way to another night spot where feeding would be easy to hide, I led the boy down the backstreets and through the alleys to another rear door. This lock was better, but still no match for the vampire. We strolled inside where the music blared from cheap speakers, echoing as if from a tin can. The bar smelled of old alcohol and sickness. The air conditioner groaned as it spewed out cooled exhaust-fumed air. On one side of the room sat a table with several small-time hoods clustered around it, talking in muted tones. They thought themselves drug lords, but they were only prey this night.

  Speaking in a low volume only David could hear, I nodded my head toward the group. “We need to separate them; we’ll feed from them one by one.”

  He nodded. A rickety wooden chair stood near the exit. I thrusted it hard with a kick into the wall. It shattered into splinters.

  One of the men jumped to his feet and grabbed another by his shirt front, dragging him to stand. “Che
ck it out, Cey.”

  “Man, why’s it gotta be me?” The whites of his eyes showed, and he felt the butt of his gun sticking out of the top of his low rise jeans.

  “’Cause I said so.” He gave the man a rough shove, nearly knocking him to the floor.

  Cey grumbled a bit more and started moving to the rear of the room. He was our first target and didn’t even know it. He moved with sureness, his fingers caressing his weapon.

  David grinned when he saw the pistol. His new knowledge of the world we lived in bringing confidence.

  Cey didn’t look like a bad guy, but he was a drug dealer. How many dealers do you know with scruples, only selling to those who know the dangers? They’d earned their right to be prey on this night.

  As the man came closer, I felt David grow stealthy, ready to strike, a lion waiting to roar. My arm snaked out, bracing his body, halting his actions. He gazed at me, tried to relax as he coaxed his beast back into submission. He strained against my arm, and I shook my head and motioned him to follow me. His stare flew to the man, then back at me, but he allowed me to lead him away. When we were out of ear shot, I grabbed him.

  “Understand, David, we’re doing this my way. Got it?”

  “Yeah, okay …” He shrugged off my hand.

  We headed back to Cey who’d made his way to the alley entrance, seeing the sprung lock. He prepared to sound the alarm, until I fell upon him cutting off his struggles. Baring his neck, I motioned to David. “Feed.”

  He grinned as he leaned down, whispering a growl to release fear endorphins, making the blood so much richer. “Tonight, you’re mine.” He ran his nose along the length of the man’s bare throat, and the small-time hood struggled. David greedily sank his fangs through the soft flesh, moaning as he did so, his beast starved inside him. Now that he’d started feeding, I could feel his hunger rolling off him in waves, almost driving me to feed. He pulled deeply, and I felt Cey’s body sag.