by H. T. Night
I cracked a wry grin at the thought these five gorgeous former humans would make one hell of an act—like some heavy metal band with a metaphysical twist. “America’s Got Talent” could do much worse. Too bad they were just visiting.
“You are so funny!” Chanson chuckled for a moment, alluding to my latest musing, but then her demeanor turned solemn. “We have a proposal for you…something serious to consider. As it is getting harder to protect you, we ask tonight that you return immediately with us to Europe.”
Wow. Part of me was flattered by all of this attention….but I couldn’t even consider leaving my country…my homeland. I loved Virginia, and my second home of Knoxville, Tennessee, had already found a place in my heart. And aside from not wanting to leave my friends and be any farther away from my family, I had a slew of homework and several tests to study for before Thanksgiving break began in a couple of weeks.
“I can’t,” I told her, lowering my gaze while wondering if this would piss her or the others off enough to rip my head from my shoulders and share my precious blood amongst themselves. “I need to stay here.”
She simply nodded, although the look on her face was one of intense concentration—perhaps searching my thoughts for a truthful confirmation of my words to her, or more likely some weakness she could use to twist my arm into going.
“It’s far too dangerous for you to stay, Txema—I won’t allow it!”
Everyone turned to look at Garvan. He appeared distressed, his green eyes flashing even brighter than Chanson’s. As he regarded me, I sensed intense longing…far stronger than any of the others and like a powerful magnet emanating toward me. My pulse began to rise and I could feel my face flush.
All of this drew an amused laugh from Armando, who clapped his hands approvingly.
“While I certainly share Garvan’s opinion for urgency, I can only admire his infatuation with our cherished guest,” he said, still chuckling while moving up to Garvan and grasping his shoulder in a show of brotherly affection. Meanwhile, Garvan scowled. His face flushed as it had the other night, only this time from obvious embarrassment. “Perhaps you fancy this young girl—this young human—as your vampire bride, no?”
“She needs to be safe—none of us can afford for anything tragic to happen to her!” he seethed in response.
Apparently, there were limits to his subservience to Armando, and a glance toward Chanson confirmed he needed her approval instead to go on. She nodded slightly, and he continued.
“You should be just as passionate as me in getting her to agree to leave with us—Tonight! You should all be helping me convince her!!”
He looked at each of his companions individually, his eyes and quivering mouth imploring them to aid him. Everyone nodded quietly while a slight snicker escaped Armando’s mouth.
“Come, Txema. Please, come with us back to France!” Garvan begged me, his tone almost plaintive as he ignored Armando. “It is the surest way to save your life, and I guarantee every comfort imaginable will be provided to you!”
The way he looked at me pulled on my heart and almost made me say ‘yes!’ I felt like I was sixteen all over again, experiencing my first taste of love. But I also knew the treachery of infatuation. Such infantile attachments most often led to empty promises and assuredly a broken heart. Not to mention the blatant betrayal of Peter’s devotion.
“I’m not ready for this…I’m sorry,” I said finally, knowing I could likely never leave, but struggling to control my heart’s sudden desire to do just that. My growing attraction to this gorgeous vampire both exhilarated and frightened me.
“Then we must wait!” Chanson announced. She raised her open hand to quiet one last protest from Garvan. “We will continue to watch over and protect you, Txema. Contrary to what you might presume, you have no say in regard to our surveillance of you. Know that we will interfere if necessary to save your life.”
She nodded her head and then motioned for Garvan and Armando to lead me from her presence. Just before we stepped out of the cave, I heard her call to me one last time.
Make sure you avoid the shadows, Txema! The Monstres Glabres are growing in number and will continue to hunt for you…..following your blood scent! But remember that you can call us anytime, and we will be there quickly. Stay safe! Stay alive, Txema!!”
As her words finished, Armando and Garvan pulled me into the air and we again traveled through the surrounding darkness at incredible speed. Even faster than the trip to the cave, or so it seemed. Especially once we reached Knoxville’s city lights and everything became an indiscernible blur. I feared we’d crash into Massey Hall, which came up suddenly.
But then we slowed dramatically. My window opened as if some unseen hand loosened the latch and pulled the pane aside. As before, I again floated into the room. Peter still snored, unaware of our return, and there remained no sign of my roommate and her boyfriend…thankfully, I might add. I didn’t want to consider what might occur if Tyreen and Johnny awakened to find two members of the undead guiding my floating body through our dorm room. Garvan and Armando positioned my body next to Peter’s.
“Good night, Txema!” they whispered together.
Peter stirred slightly as the window closed and the latch clicked shut, announcing my companions’ swift departure. The coolness that slipped into the room brought a shiver to him, and he pulled up the comforter and instinctively made sure to cover my torso despite the parka I still wore. A moment later he snored again, as if completely oblivious to what just happened. So clueless and innocent…a state of being I coveted, fearing it was gone forever. Life had quickly become so complicated. Amid so much death and danger lay a decision that had to be made…soon.
Chapter 10
It was almost eight o’clock when Peter woke me up. By then, bright sunlight filled my room, and a busy Saturday morning was already under way. Yet, it felt like I had just gone to sleep an hour or so earlier.
“You had better get up, babe. The best of breakfast will be over and done with if we wait much longer,” he advised, after my initial response was to roll away from him and the harsh light pouring in my window. “Tyreen and Johnny have already left, and they promised to save us a couple of seats in the cafeteria…provided you wake up and take your shower.”
I so wanted to sleep, especially since I felt light-headed. A headache would be coming soon. These late night vampire visits weren’t such a good thing for my health. But sleep while your persistent boyfriend tries to wake you up is by no means an easy proposition either.
Peter had already showered, and was dressed in a faded pair of Levis and a Tennessee Volunteers sweatshirt. I wished to God I had my cell phone handy so I could take his picture, dressed this casually. His hair was still wet, combed back from his forehead to reveal his regal hairline. I remember seeing pictures as a young girl of John F Kennedy Jr., and Peter’s thick head of hair often has reminded me of the late jet-setter.
“I’m up,” I muttered weakly, slowly bringing my leg over so I could step down from my bed.
“If you want to rough it today, just throw on some sweats and a ball cap and we can go eat first and come back here afterward,” he suggested, grinning while he watched me slide down from my bunk and stumble to my dresser. “It’s up to you.”
“Let me take a quick shower and I’ll be right back,” I told him. My head throbbed and I thought for a moment I’d have to lie down again. But after I grabbed my shampoo and body wash, much of the throbbing passed. “Go ahead and text Tyreen to let her know we should be there within the next twenty minutes.”
“All right.”
I watched him pull out his handset and plop down in a beanbag chair in front of the TV. Before he could look over at me again I was already on my way to the showers. The expressions on the faces I passed along the way were a curious mixture of worry and tension, and just a few smiles. Surely this had much to do with what I’d find out a short while later, that classes had been canceled for Monday and UT’’s Regent B
oard of Directors were discussing the possibility of closing school until after Thanksgiving.
Why?
Yes, the killings and abductions were enough on their own to warrant escalated efforts to keep the student body safe. But more had happened since the last update…details to follow soon.
“Ha! You look like a drenched ‘Cousin It’ like that!” teased Peter, once I returned to my room with my dripping hair hanging over my face.
“Careful, buster, or it could be ‘Broom Hilda’ instead1” I countered, surprised he even knew who ‘Cousin It’ was, given his sheltered and often superficial upbringing. Sixties TV programs would’ve seriously cut into his X-box time as it is. The confused look he gave to my response told me he had no idea who the comic witch I mentioned was. “Then you might end up turning into a little horny toad with a wart on its head!”
“Well, at least the horny part would still be here!”
“Ha! You’re so terrible!”
Time was wasting. A glance at the clock on the vanity confirmed more than twenty minutes had passed since I asked him to text Tyreen.
Shit!
“Did Tyreen get your text?”
I pushed my urgency to finish getting ready. Deciding that wet hair would have to suffice, I moved on to a quick makeup job. Applying my lipstick as we scurried out the door, Peter acted as my mirror to make sure it was straight with no smudges.
“Yes, she responded right away,” he told me. “And, she just sent a message a moment ago, asking ‘where the hell are you?’” He snickered until he saw my frown. Not the time to be teasing his ‘darling Txema’. “Okay, I guess we should just hurry, huh?”
“Yes, we should,” I said, tersely. “But you could do me a big favor and text her back that we’re on our way.”
I forced a superficially sweet smile, and Peter pulled the keyboard out on his phone, ready to send a reply. But he also started slowing down, almost to a full stop.
“Never mind, I’m dialing her now,” I told him, shaking my head as I dialed her number from my handset.
She answered my call while Peter ran to catch up with me before the elevator door closed.
“Yeah, I know we’re running late, but we’ll be there in just a few minutes,” I told her. “What security problem?”
Once we reached the main floor, I soon understood Tyreen’s advisement of a beefed up police patrol. It seemed like there were cops everywhere, making me wonder if the rest of campus looked like the main lobby of Massey Hall.
It took nearly fifteen more minutes to make it through the security checkpoint at the building’s main entrance. The female cop who finally let us through was none too happy about Peter’s presence in the building, after he readily admitted he spent the night. The look of disappointment she gave me would’ve been no worse had it come from my mother.
“Damn, it took you two long enough….we’ve already finished eating!” said Johnny, making room at the cafeteria table so Peter and I could sit down with our scrambled eggs and pancakes. Tyreen sat across from us, shaking her head at either how late we were or her man’s weak attempt at sounding pissed. “I guess I’ll just have to grab another pumpkin muffin to tie me over for the day!”
He got from the table after asking us all if we wanted something else. Tyreen told him she’d like another cappuccino. Dressed in a purple wool pullover and matching tights she looked rested, although the oppressive worry this week’s events had forced upon her remained…ever so close beneath her lovely smile. It lurked in her eyes. I wanted to ask her how she was doing, but wasn’t sure what it would take for the delicate façade to crumble and send her stress level soaring up. So, I focused on small talk, like what to make of the horde of police officers in the cafeteria and back at the dorm.
“Is this how it is everywhere?” I asked, making sure I sounded light-hearted. I knew it would be hard as hell to get any studying done at the library if this was the scene there too. “I worry about who’s watching the usual villains ready to strike in Gotham City.”
She laughed for a moment and the worry in her countenance diminished. Even her gorgeous eyes twinkled a bit.
“You have got a way of cheering me up, sister,” she said, pausing for Johnny to set her cappuccino in front of her. The cup billowing steam, she blew on it for a moment. “This seems a helluva lot hotter than the last cup.”
“I had em’ heat it up just for you, sweetie!” said Johnny, his smile impish. Dressed in his preferred Vols football jersey, and the three gold chains he most favors, it suddenly hit me that he and Tyreen must have plans other than hanging around campus for the day.
“So what are you two up to today?” I asked, shifting my glance from one to the other. Peter looked up from the pancakes and bacon that had completely absorbed his attention since he sat down. “I take it you won’t be spending much time at the library or in the dorms today, huh?”
“You obviously haven’t heard the latest news, have you?” said Tyreen, shooting an ‘I told you so’ look over at Johnny.
“More shit’s happened?”
“Yes,” she said. Worry clouded her face again. “They found two of the girls who disappeared the other night…or what’s left of them.”
“Oh my God!”
I hoped I sounded alarmed enough for her. Yes, I was just as horrified at the thought of what was discovered since the night before. But with everything going on, the initial shock I felt when Irma Goizane was gruesomely killed had waned with each new victim. It was more like a heavy sadness that this shit hadn’t stopped, despite my belief that everyone on campus didn’t expect the four abductees to walk again amongst the living.
“The head from one girl and part of the shoulder and neck of another,” said Johnny.
He bit his lip to keep from saying more. Really, these were pointless details since we already knew the killers were beyond normal viciousness.
“And that’s enough for me,” said Tyreen. “I’m outta here!”
“So, you’re leaving?” I sought to confirm, surprised. “Are you just leaving campus and hanging around this area? I know you mentioned renting a chalet in Gatlinburg the other night.”
“No,” she said. “Johnny and I are heading down to Atlanta, to stay with my folks until this bullshit’s over and done with, and they catch the Ted Bundy ‘mo-fos’ who are killing people!” Her bottom lip quivered, and just like that the fragile façade of peace and well being was on the verge of going ‘poof!’
“Maybe we should go someplace too,” said Peter, quietly. “We can head to Nashville this afternoon. My parents have an unused guesthouse where we can wait it out until they catch the guys doing this. I mean, they’ve already closed school through Monday, and with just a little over a week before Thanksgiving break, I’m sure they’ll cancel classes and this place will be a ghost town before the weekend’s out anyway.”
“I don’t know,” I said, shaking my head. All three looked at me as if it was my decision to make. The second recent request to get the hell out of town, I needed time alone to think about this…to consider the situation and all viable options.
“Yes you do know,” pressed Tyreen. “Go with Peter to Nashville, and you should leave right now!”
“I’ll have to think about it,” I replied, more firmly, raising my hand to stop her from pressing harder. “I promise to be smart with this decision, and I will make it before tonight. Just give me a little time to consider everything, okay?
“We’ll be leaving around three o’clock this afternoon, and if you haven’t decided to go with Peter, then your ass is coming with us! You got that, girlfriend?” Anger simmered within Tyreen’s emerald irises. “Hell, you can bring Peter with you, too, as we’ve got plenty of room in Johnny’s Caddy. We always have a good time anyway, so why don’t you both plan to go with us?”
“We’ll see,” I told her, despite Johnny and Peter’s enthusiastic support of her offer. “I’ll let you know in plenty of time before you leave this afternoon.”
Of course Tyreen was right…I really did need to leave. The question, though, was how safe would I be no matter where I went? If what the vampires told me was correct, then it wouldn’t matter if I headed to Atlanta or Nashville—or anywhere else in the country for that matter. Whatever menace had traveled across the Atlantic surely wouldn’t be deterred from tracking me down as long as I resided on planet earth.
The complicated decision of leaving with Tyreen, Peter, or with the vampire ‘emissaries’ presently sleeping somewhere in the Smoky Mountains didn’t have an easy answer. I likely would’ve struggled with a final answer, if not for a phone call early that afternoon from Richmond, my home.
“Txema?”
The familiar voice sounded distant, like the connection wasn’t so good
“Momma?”
“How are you, honey?” My mother’s voice sounded clear now. “Papa and Grandma are worried sick about what’s going on out there. I am too.”
“I’m okay…safe,” I told her, gazing out my dorm room window at the deserted courtyard below. “Don’t worry, Momma….I’ll make sure I stay inside my dorm, and the only time I’ll go out is during the daylight hours to eat at the cafeteria we visited when you, Papa, and Jon were here for orientation. Peter, my boyfriend, is staying here with me.”
“Yes, I remember the food wasn’t so bad, and I’m sure your boyfriend would do everything he could to protect you,” she said, and then chuckled nervously. She grew silent on the other end of the line.
“Momma…are you still there?”
“Yes…Txema, your father has made the decision for you to come home,” she told me, her voice hushed. Apparently, this had been a decision reached with much discussion, not an easy compromise. “He has already arranged for a flight to Richmond, first thing tomorrow morning.”
