by L. M. Justus
“Let me guess, in your two hundred plus years of existence, you learned how to fly a helicopter?” Reed said.
“No, but I do know how to control the mind of a helicopter pilot. I can jump high enough to gain access to that helicopter and force the pilot to do our bidding.”
Trudy cleared her throat. “Um, not that it matters if you’re able to control a pilot, but just in case . . . I know how to fly a helicopter.”
Reed’s eyes widened. “No way. You know how to hot-wire a car and fly a helicopter?”
Nathaniel should have been impressed at Trudy’s skill set, but instead he felt somehow inadequate. “Yes, well, I shall attempt to commandeer a helicopter for us then. It would be ideal for Trudy to fly it so we may leave the human pilot behind. Can you fly any helicopter?”
Trudy nodded. “It might not be pretty, but yeah, the basic controls are always the same.”
“Where are we going to fly?” Sophie asked.
Nathaniel turned northward. “I propose we head to Canada.”
“Uh, how are we going to get across the border?” Reed asked. “Won’t they shoot us out of the sky?”
“You watch too many movies,” Nathaniel replied. He sped off into the night.
Reed
Sarah stood with her arms crossed, looking out into the darkness. I hoped she wasn’t upset with me for not agreeing with her immediately when she’d suggested we run from the Queen. I wanted to support Sarah, but running didn’t seem like a real solution.
I kept a wary eye for movement as we stood in the field, waiting for Nathaniel to return. For the moment, we were in a calm oasis of absolute stillness. If I’d imagined a post-apocalyptic world, this is exactly what it would have looked like: no cars driving down the road or planes flying overhead, just empty fields lit by the light of the moon. The silence was creepier than any sound I’d ever heard.
A cold wind picked up and I was glad the temperature didn’t affect me as much as it had when I was human. I still felt the chill in the air, but it didn’t bother me the same way as it did the others.
The girls huddled together while I stood off to the side. We would need to find them some warmer clothes, especially if we were going to head even farther north.
In a surprisingly short amount of time, the whirring of a helicopter stirred the silence, growing louder as it neared. I squinted as it came closer, the grass flattening as the air swirled around like crazy.
When the chopper touched down, a door on the left side opened and two men hopped out. They were dressed in military fatigues and armed, but they didn’t seem like much of a threat because they stared blankly forward; Nathaniel’s mind control over them was absolute. I felt guilty about abandoning them in their hypnotic state, but hopefully they’d snap out of it in time to handle any revenants. They marched off in the direction of the prison and didn’t look back.
“Are you sure they’re going to be okay?” I yelled over the deafening rotors.
Nathaniel leaned out the door, gesturing for us to get inside. “Do not dillydally. Get in,” he shouted.
I shrugged. “Fine. C’mon,” I said, hustling everyone else inside the waiting chopper before climbing in after them. Trudy had taken the pilot’s seat and Nathaniel sat in the passenger seat beside her. I clambered into the back and squeezed myself between Sarah and her sister.
Nathaniel leaned over to speak in Trudy’s ear. “Begin by heading east.”
I hadn’t the slightest clue how to fly a helicopter, so I was intrigued. “Are you sure you know what you’re doing?” I asked.
She took control with confidence and we rose slowly into the air. “I’m sure,” she answered.
We continued to rise while the women and I wrestled with our seatbelts. Suddenly, we banked to the right and then the chopper evened out as we headed in the direction of the city center.
“What’s that flashing red light?” I pointed to the middle of the console.
“Please, let me concentrate,” Trudy said.
“I thought we were planning to head north. Why are we flying toward the ocean?”
Nathaniel turned to face the back seat. “We are only heading east until we reach the water. It will be easier to head north over the ocean than past the barricades the authorities have set up at the city limits.”
“Oh.”
No one else said anything and I tried to relax. I felt nervous and awkward. It was too loud to have a proper conversation so I was stuck stewing with my own thoughts.
Sarah stared out the window at the dark shapes of the city below, and I could only see the back of her head. If I had her mind reading ability, I’d know exactly what she was thinking. I wished I knew her thoughts at that moment, but I was left guessing.
A sense of sadness fell over me, and I wondered if we would ever be able to stop running. The idea of settling into a nice Canadian cabin on a lake–with a warm fire crackling and a few blankets to snuggle under–sounded like paradise.
After almost four hours of flying, Nathaniel caught Trudy’s attention and pointed at a clearing up ahead. They made a good team, with Nathaniel’s superior night vision helping Trudy navigate. She nodded, and a few minutes later, she set us down in a field of snow surrounded by forest.
Trudy shut off the helicopter and the rotating blades slowed to a quiet thrum before coming to a stop. Was this Canada? I knew there wouldn’t be a visible line separating the two countries, but it seemed weird crossing the border so easily.
“I spotted a small town in that direction,” Nathaniel said, pointing out the window. His voice sounded strangely muffled after hours of being deafened by the helicopter. “We can hike there and acquire more appropriate winter attire.”
We hopped out of the helicopter without argument, our feet sinking almost a foot deep in snow. Our breaths puffed out clouds of mist into the crisp winter air, and moonlight sparkled off the pristine surface of the snowy field. I’d never seen anything like it.
The thin line of a gurgling creek cut a black trail through the blanket of white, and the faint smell of wood-smoke drifted across my nose. Evergreens encircled the clearing, their branches heavy with snow.
“Reed,” Sarah said lightly, snapping me out of my trance. “Let’s go.”
Tromping through the snow, Nathaniel led us as we walked single-file. Even my feet got cold after a while; sneakers were not very good for trudging through the winter wilderness. The girls’ feet must have been freezing.
Streetlights lit up the small village, so it was easy to find. There was no activity, but it was the middle of the night after all. I hoped everyone was in bed asleep, not killed off by revenants. Supposedly, the revenant problem had been confined to New York City, but we didn’t have any proof of that yet.
A sign over the first shop had the word Boulangerie in a fancy cursive script. The slightly larger store next door was the Supermarché Côte-des-Rivières.
“Oh no,” I groaned. “That’s French, isn’t it?”
“Do not worry,” Nathaniel said. “I am fluent in the language.”
“Oh, yeah. You grew up in France, right?”
“Indeed,” he said, gesturing to a building at the end of the block. “That place should have what we are looking for. Come.”
We walked toward the small, square building and followed Nathaniel up the three steps to the entrance. Racks of outdoor wear and shelves packed with hunting and camping equipment were visible through the shop’s front window.
“This place looks perfect,” Sophie said, her teeth chattering.
“Too bad it won’t be open for another few hours,” I said.
“We cannot wait for it to open,” Nathaniel said.
“So what, we’re going to break in and steal–” I began, but was interrupted by the loud crack of the door breaking as Nathaniel wrenched it open. “. . . stuff?” I finished lamely.
Sarah squeezed her hands against her forehead. “How did I go from being a cop to leading a life of crime?”
&n
bsp; We went inside and rifled through the assortment of coats and other winter wear. The moonlight filtering inside was enough for everyone to see by, even those without vampiric night vision. I found a puffy, tan-colored coat with a fake fur-lined hood and tried it on.
“Oh my God, check this out,” Sophie said with a giggle.
I turned and she had a ridiculously large hat on, with two big side flaps and another flap folded up at the front. A mass of gray fur, it looked like there was a dead animal on top of her head. I couldn’t help grinning because it was pretty funny.
Just then, there was a sound from the back of the store like keys turning a lock. We all froze as the back door opened and a man wielding a crossbow stepped inside. A freaking crossbow!
He yelled a stream of words in French as he shifted the aim of his weapon to point at each of us in turn.
“I bet he’s wondering what the hell we’re doing in here,” I muttered.
The man glared at me. “That’s exactly what I want to know,” he said in perfect English. “This is my store and I’m calling the police. Nobody move.”
I cleared my throat. “If anyone here has mind control powers, this would be a good time to use them,” I said, giving Nathaniel a pointed look.
He gave me a slight nod before turning to the man. “Mon ami . . .” he started, continuing to speak in a calm voice. After a few seconds, the shop owner had lowered his crossbow and relaxed completely.
“This is Albert,” Nathaniel said, pronouncing the guy’s name Al-bear. “He has offered to take us into his home next door so I can spend the day hidden from the sun while the rest of you get some sleep.”
“How generous of him,” Sarah grumbled. “First we steal his merchandise, and then we take over his house.”
“And he and his wife will provide Reed and me with our next meal,” he added.
I closed my eyes and shook my head. Sarah was probably ready to punch Nathaniel in the face.
Nathaniel guided Albert out the back door, and the rest of us went after them carrying our freshly stolen outdoor wear. We followed the footsteps in the snow to the narrow, two-story house next door and crowded through the side entrance into a small mudroom. There was barely enough space for us to stand next to the washing machine and dryer, which were piled high with laundry. After draping our coats on top of the laundry pile, we went into the main area of Albert’s home. The lights were off, and there was no sign of his wife who was probably still in bed.
“Albert has a small, but finished basement where I must spend the daylight hours,” Nathaniel said. “You can make yourselves at home here. Excuse me for a moment.”
He took off upstairs while the rest of us exchanged questioning looks. Albert hadn’t said anything else, and his eyes had that unfocused, mesmerized look. We shuffled around the room, and Trudy, Sarah, and I found spots to sit on his worn couch while Sophie plopped herself into the ratty armchair next to the fireplace.
Nathaniel reappeared suddenly. “As soon as the sun sets, in ten hours or so, you may feed from Albert’s wife, Reed. I have controlled her mind to accept her role as hostess to you all during the day and to provide you with sustenance as required. After Reed’s death sleep, we will depart for the city center.”
I gave him a barely perceptible nod.
“What are we going to do about whoever’s territory we’re in now?” Sarah asked Nathaniel. “You were always so concerned with getting permission from the other vampire rulers before.”
“An excellent point,” Nathaniel said. “I believe we are in the realm of the vampire King of Montreal. However, I do not know how to contact him. We will have to head into the city to make our presence known.”
“The Montreal vampires won’t kill us on sight?” I asked.
“I would hope not. Most boundary enforcers ask at least a few questions before acting. The King of Montreal is also rumored to be more accepting and open-minded than many of his peers.”
“And what about the Queen of San Jose?” Sarah said.
Nathaniel took a moment to think before continuing. “I am uncertain what to do about her. We may find some protection from the King.”
“That’s not very reassuring,” she said, her brows drawing together with worry.
“It is time for me to feed now. I will send Albert back up to his bed when I am done. I bid you all good day,” he said, pulling Albert toward the steps leading to the basement.
Trudy shifted to my left. I was surprised she hadn’t said anything during the last half hour or so. “Maybe . . . maybe I could come with you. You’ll only be asleep for a small portion of the day, isn’t that right, Nathaniel? It might get boring without any company.”
Nathaniel looked taken aback, but said, “Of course you may join me. If you wish.”
I gave Sarah a look. How interesting. Apparently, Trudy was over her aversion to vampires. Well . . . if opposites attract, I thought, outwardly-friendly-and-warm Trudy would make the perfect companion for uptight-and-robotic Nathaniel.
Nathaniel, Albert, and Trudy headed to the basement while Sarah, her sister, and I settled in for the day.
“Don’t you think we should be creating as much distance between us and the Queen of San Jose as possible?” I said. “This doesn’t feel right, sitting around when my instincts are telling me to run.”
“Totally,” Sophie agreed, leaning forward to rest her elbows on her knees.
“I agree too,” Sarah said, “but we can’t abandon Nathaniel, and he’s stuck having to hole up for the day. At least the Queen has to hide from the sun during the day as well.”
“We could stuff Nathaniel in the trunk of a car and start driving,” I suggested.
“It’s too bad we can’t use the helicopter,” Sarah said. “It would be so much faster.”
“Yeah,” I agreed. “Trudy did say it was almost out of fuel though, and I know Nathaniel would say the helicopter attracts too much attention, especially during daytime.”
The three of us were quiet for a solid minute. It seemed like the girls were taking my idea seriously. I tumbled our options through my head; if we did go against Nathaniel’s instructions, he’d be more than a little pissed off. Also, we had no idea where we should go. After thinking about it, Sarah and her sister appeared to reach the same conclusion: we were better off doing what Nathaniel had said.
Sophie reclined her chair as far back as it would go. “I’m going to try to get some rest. I hate the way my sleep cycle is getting screwed up,” she grumbled.
Sarah stretched out along the couch, cushioning her head in my lap. I stroked my fingers through her golden brown hair.
“You should try to sleep too,” I said. “Albert’s wife might keep you awake once she’s up for the day.”
“Mmm,” Sarah hummed, her eyes closed. Her breathing slowed as she relaxed and soon fell asleep, leaving me alone with my thoughts.
Nathaniel
The basement was cramped but tidy, and the smell of mildew permeated the air. Two bookcases–packed so full of books their shelves sagged–flanked a black futon along the far wall of the single room.
Nathaniel pulled the futon out into a bed, the perfect place for him to die after feeding. Then he guided Albert to sit on the edge of the mattress while he took a spot next to him. The futon’s metal frame protested with a squeak when they sat down.
Trudy sat down on the opposite side of the bed. Four feet of space separated her from the two men.
Uncertain whether to proceed directly with his feeding, Nathaniel waited and tried to gauge Trudy’s mood and intentions. Was she merely curious, wishing to observe the process? Somehow, he must have gained her trust for her to be in his presence by choice. He was certainly interested in learning more about her as well, but he couldn’t help the itch of suspicion crawling under his skin. He had lived too long amongst people with ulterior motives and disreputable behavior.
The scent of Albert’s blood pumping below the surface of his skin called to Nathaniel, and hi
s fangs tingled through his gums. He inhaled deeply. There was another smell adding to the mix, growing stronger by the moment: something akin to freshly baked cookies, an odor associated with–
His eyes widened and he sat up straight, staring at Trudy with wonder. She was attracted to him? Impossible. No one thought of Nathaniel in that manner, nor he them. Not since his wife, who had died so long ago. Besides, Trudy despised vampires, did she not?
No, he thought, answering his own question; that could not be true any longer, or she would not be sitting with him now.
“Is everything okay?” she asked, peering at him through her glasses with a slight frown. “Do you feel awkward with me here? I shouldn’t have presumed you’d want company. I can go.” She shifted position, preparing to stand up.
“No, no . . . please, stay,” Nathaniel said quickly. “It is no imposition and I do appreciate your company. I am surprised you would choose to be in the presence of one of your mortal enemies, that is all. I know you were wronged by one of my kind.”
“As I’ve gotten to know you and Reed, I’ve learned I can’t blame every vampire for the horrible things that happened to me,” Trudy said. She paused, her gray eyes searching his from behind her slightly lopsided glasses. “I used to think all vampires were monsters, intent on killing without remorse. I realize now . . . I overgeneralized. Clearly, there are good vampires and bad ones, just like with humans. When a vampire destroyed my life, I directed my anger and hatred toward hunting down and destroying them. I’ve murdered vampires, Nathaniel. I wanted revenge and to save others from suffering the same fate I did. I feel awful knowing I probably killed innocent vampires in the process.”
“One could hardly blame you for your actions. May I ask what happened to cause you such pain?”
Nathaniel was more curious about Trudy than ever, now that he knew she found him attractive. Could he allow himself to reciprocate those feelings after stifling his emotions for so long? He had ignored all romantic urges and even inclinations toward friendship for more than two hundred years.
