by Al K. Line
And it was. This was what people did, right? They went home for lunch, chilled out before heading back to work. It was just that in my case heading back to work meant fighting trolls, dealing with wayward witches, and trying not to think about a possible nuclear meltdown somewhere in the world as imps had got carried away with their key hiding again.
"Wow, you look like it's been a long day."
"It has, and it ain't over yet. It's great to see you." I gave Kate a kiss; the world melted away.
What was wrong with me? Why didn't I stay there forever? Chase chickens and plant vegetables? Because magic was a part of me, that was why. Her too. She felt it. Kate would go off on her own into the city. I never asked, and sometimes she never told, but she is a vampire, and there is no escaping that.
It will change things, I know that, so does she, but for now, and for as long as possible, we will enjoy what we have, take it one day at a time, and make the most of this rare chance at happiness we have been granted. Hell, I'd waited long enough for my turn. A century of being a man means I deserve a bloody break, doesn't it?
"What was that for?" she said, stepping back and smiling.
"Just giving my favorite girl a kiss. I'm starving. Fancy some lunch?"
"Sure. I'll make it."
"No, leave it to me. You take it easy and I'll fix us something." I left Kate outside and headed into the house. It would do me good to do a normal task. Bring me back down to earth. No crazy fighting or dwelling on the morning and what I'd seen.
I couldn't shake the smell of the zombie pit. It lingered in my nostrils no matter it was a memory rather than real. I decided to change. My trousers were muddy, jacket ruined, shirt stained and gross. Kate had said nothing, just glanced at it and noted the mess. I suppose it wasn't the first time she'd seen me in a similar state, and it wouldn't be the last. Just part of the job.
Rather than pick another suit, something told me to keep it casual, so I dressed in red t-shirt, jeans, and battered retro Adidas Gazelles, listening to that silent voice again that told me what to do without me knowing why.
One thing I knew, the reason I kept it casual wouldn't involve chasing chickens around the garden. It would be something else, and something a lot worse.
A Welcome Rest
We had a pleasant lunch in the kitchen while I told Kate what had happened so far that morning. She offered suggestions, gave my neck a rub, and I could have happily stayed there for the rest of the day, maybe the rest of my life. But I'd made a promise, and besides, it wasn't just Rikka's future on the line. It was all of ours.
If Rikka got outed then you could bet the witches wouldn't be asking me to help clean up any problems, they would keep it in-house. We both shuddered at the thought of crazy old ladies running around dealing with all the issues that constantly arose in our world. Nothing against witches, but it would be chaos. They simply aren't best suited to the type of work I specialize in.
"Faz?" said Kate from by the sink as she stared out the window.
"Yeah?" Something was wrong, I could tell.
"Is this... um... What we have, is it enough? Enough for you?" She turned, eyes darting around nervously, as if afraid to meet my gaze.
"Is it enough? Of course. What do you mean?"
"I mean, the life we have now. Us being here, away from the city. The quiet, spending so much time together. Is it enough?"
"It's more than that, it's amazing. What about you? I know you feel the pull of the vampires, that they want you with them." It was true. They have this thing, something that draws them to each other, to the Head. To Taavi.
The vampire world had been crazy for many months after the previous year's events, and things were only just getting back to normal. Kate had been away quite a lot at first, unable to resist, called by Taavi to help. Nobody refused him.
"It's perfect. I never thought I'd be so happy. But look at you, Faz, you're practically glowing with excitement. You love this stuff."
I stood and moved to Kate, held her close and took in her scent, her essence. I love this woman more than anything. Being with her is what I want forever. We were quiet, just held each other, and then I pulled away, looked her in the eye and said, "I know what I want, and it's you, and this. Yes, I have to work, it's who I am and I don't know any different, Kate, but you are what I want. Is that okay? Enough?"
"Yes. Haha, just checking."
"It seems too easy, right? Like we've been given too much, that we couldn't be this lucky?" It was what I lived in fear of, that she would wake up one morning, realize she was amazing and I was, well, just me, and leave, not even look back. And I'd be alone. Again. Yeah, I know, I'm not as tough as I make out.
"Exactly! It's like we landed in heaven and I'm waiting for it to all go wrong. I know you see it in me, Faz, see me lose myself a little, become more like the vampires, the older ones. But I'm trying to fight it, to stop it. It's horrible, Faz. Sometimes I feel cold, and empty, like I don't care about anything. Then I'm back being me. It scares me, scares me so much it feels like I'm trapped inside somebody else's mind when it happens."
"I know. It's okay. You just have to fight it. You can beat it, Kate. You can remain who you are as long as you fight it. I'll be here, you can count on that."
I think maybe we both cried a little then. It wasn't the first time, and it won't be the last. Kate does become distant, and I can see the struggle inside of her.
It's the call of the wild, the urge to take another human being's life and revel in the blood magic, the sheer unrivaled force and pure animal drive they derive from their taking of a life.
Such a curse is a hard thing to beat, but she made her choice and she has to live with it. Me too. And I would rather that than the alternative, which is her death. She is infected with the vampire virus. She kills and drains other human beings so she can live, and whether we like it or not she is a part of that world.
So we do what we can. We cling to each other in the kitchen and we cry and we grow vegetables and we have lunch and I go off chasing about the city like a thing possessed. And she goes and kills people, but only bad people, and that proves she is human, that she cares.
When she doesn't care, when she looks at me and feels nothing, when she kills without guilt or shame, without it meaning anything, then she will be one of them. But we won't let that happen. We will fight it and I will not lose her. I will do all I can to keep her as Kate. Perfect, yet flawed, the same as the rest of us.
"Right, now about these witches," she said some time later, eyes dancing and bright.
"You got an idea?"
"I do, and if it means having you all to myself again soon then maybe this is the best way."
"Huh? You lost me."
"You need to kill Kaisa Hayashi, then it will be over."
"Kate, I can't kill the witch Head. Are you nuts?"
"Okay, what alternative is there? She's already got who knows how many people killed. The trolls are out of control. All the zombies they killed, that's awful. Um, sort of. Actually, maybe that's for the best."
"You see! It's never black and white, is it? She's gone crazy, that's for sure, but the trolls are doing what they think is right, not being cruel on purpose. Although I did prefer it when they were less smart." It was a mess, and for once I was stumped.
I couldn't exactly just go call on Kaisa Hayashi and ask her to stop with the troll smart pills, but I did need more information. I wouldn't do anything until I was totally sure who was to blame and what exactly was really going on.
Turns out I didn't need to wait long. The witches made it perfectly clear what had to be done.
"Um, Faz, I think you better come see."
I looked where Kate nodded. Coming up the garden were three very serious, and very powerful witches. They hadn't come for a cup of tea or to bring a housewarming present.
"Black Spark, you are interfering with our business. This stops. Now."
"Well, I guess lunch is over."
"Guess s
o," said Kate. Then she vanished, moving in that weird way vampires can. One minute there, the next gone, faster than the human eye can follow.
As I heard the scream from outside, I didn't need to guess where she was.
"Damn."
One thing Kate is above all else, is protective of her friends and family. So it came as no surprise to see her with her fangs exposed, millimeters away from ripping out the neck of a witch in our chaotic garden between the lettuce and garlic I was pleased were doing so nicely.
What she isn't, is old enough as a vampire to have any clue how bad an idea it is to make such threats. Kate still has a lot to learn about our world, and I keep forgetting that the other vampires are rather lax when it comes to teaching her about her new life.
Lesson number one should be don't go threatening to kill witches unless you are ready to go through with it, and fast. Otherwise, it's a very bad idea.
I ran out the front door, hoping it wasn't too late for her. My heart pounded, knowing my world could be obliterated at any moment. This is the problem with being happy—it stresses you the hell out and you wonder when it's all going to be taken away from you as maybe nobody gets to stay happy for long. Now and then I think I was happier when I was miserable. At least I had less to lose.
I will kill anyone that messes with me or my family, and I don't care about the consequences. I'm a goddamn wizard and I will rip you to pieces if you threaten mine. Kind of an awkward situation when it's your loved one that starts it by threatening to tear their throat out.
None of us are perfect.
Not the Best Greeting
"You better control your vampire," said a cocky looking witch, "or I'll do it for you." She sneered in a way that riled me up so bad I wanted to suck the magic right out of her and leave her a Regular. And I could, too, or I would try, at any rate.
The only problem being that one of them would probably rip the life out of me before I'd dealt with even one—they were, and I don't mean this lightly, some scary-ass witches.
Witches are a strange lot. Many are like Grandma—innocent looking and adept at the subtleties. They focus on potions and working as much with the mind as anything else. But some are more like Rikka and me—fighters, techniques honed over centuries or even millennia that go beyond mere spells and potions, specializing in using magic as a weapon, each with their own unique skill set.
These women were, I guess, witch goons of the most basic type. Meaning they weren't big on subtlety.
"Kate, I think you better leave the witches alone." She raised her eyes, mouth still poised just above the pale neck of a woman that would give a troll a run for its money in regards size if not current intelligence. I nodded and she was gone, by my side in a flash, doing that weird shuddery thing like a movie on fast forward where frames are missing. I doubt I'll ever get used to it.
"Don't mess with the witches, not like that. They'll kill you faster than you can bite them." Kate looked at me suspiciously, like I was making it up. It's moments like this I realize how much we have to talk about and how much needs explaining, but now wasn't the time.
With us by the house and the three witch goons spread out in the garden, I felt a little more comfortable about the situation. No way would they try to kill us, at least I hoped not. No, this was to be a warning, I was sure.
"Okay, spill it and get the hell out of here. I'm not in the mood for your threats, so if you have any you can save them."
"You don't tell us what to do or say, Black Spark." She spat the words like my Hidden name was an insult. "We don't answer to you."
"No, you answer to Kaisa Hayashi, and if you don't behave I'll tell her how you came to my house and failed to show the proper respect. You want that?"
They exchanged glances, all three of them knowing that the way they acted was of the utmost importance. There are rules of etiquette, ways of doing things, and they had to obey them or suffer the consequences. That meant no fighting unless they intended to go all the way. If we were alive at the end of it, and their boss heard, then it would be goodbye witch, hello dead witch.
"Kaisa Hayashi sent us to deliver a message," said the main goon. I didn't know this group, they weren't like the ones that go to Grandma's, not a part of that world. These were the higher-ups, the ones that run things for Kaisa Hayashi, and they don't get involved in anything unless it could end up with violence. I knew them by sight but had never had the pleasure before.
"So deliver it, then go."
"You are to stay away from her business. It is not your place to interfere."
"Is that right? Anything else?"
"Only that you have been warned," said the one that was a few brain cells richer than the rest.
"Consider me warned. Now, you can leave."
As if they'd timed it, all three sneered in unison, then their bodies kind of melted. They sank down as if swallowed by the earth, then pinged into a green smoke that merged with the damp grass, a fine smoke that weaved between the vegetables and the herbs in delicate tendrils.
Talk about dramatic, but it got the point across.
"You see what I mean? They are not to be underestimated."
Kate stared at the retreating smoke in shock. "Wow! That is so cool. Can you do that? Wonder if it tickles?"
"Are you serious? You're thinking naughty thoughts at a time like this?"
"Don't tell me you wouldn't like to try it."
"What? Turning to smoke and tickling your naked skin with my smoky tendrils and..." Damn, now she had me all excited.
Kate smiled at me in a way that meant only one thing. We both felt it, the adrenaline surge because of the visit, the increased sexuality because of her unfinished attack. When you sink deeper into the world of the vampire your animal urges increase, and Kate was pure heat, flushed and full of lust and the thrill of the kill that remained unsatiated.
I stared at her full red lips, caught a hint of fang as her teeth caught the weak light, and became utterly mesmerized by the rise and fall of her chest.
You know what? Sometimes vampires getting all excited about a kill is no bad thing. And I may not have been able to do the smoke trick, but we made do with other special skills I have acquired over the years.
It did make me an hour late for getting back to work though. Perks of being your own boss, sort of—at least you can keep your own hours. Not that I'd tell Rikka, of course. I'd skip the bit about running upstairs and throwing our clothes about the house like two kids who hadn't seen each other for months and were full of lust like the first time.
"This is who we are, isn't it?" said Kate, curves hidden by the sheet, hair a mess, smiling and utterly sexy.
"Yeah, it is. Is that bad?"
"I don't know, Faz. But look at us. Turned on by me almost killing someone. You all hot and sexy because of all the magic and fighting you've been doing. Isn't that wrong? Kind of weird?"
"Kate," I sat down, took her hand, tried not to pull back the sheets, "this is the life we live, the things we do, the way we are. It has an effect. It's why we do what we do, why I do, anyway. I'm old enough to know it, to admit it. This is being alive, doing more than other people. Understanding more, seeing more, feeling more. We pay the price, but it has its perks."
"So I can see," she said, looking down at the main "perk."
"No time for that now. Things to do, people to see, stuff to blast with the dark arts."
"Are you sure?" Kate pulled back the sheets. I got dressed. Later.
Once dressed, again, I left, hoping there would be no more repeat visits. I didn't think there would be, but I made sure to explain to Kate that she was not to try anything like that again on the witches. It would have been a very messy end for her if she had been alone.
She understood, but there was a real sadness too. She had to spend more time with her own kind. Kate wasn't getting the schooling she needed in the ways of our world, and I could only teach her so much. She had to learn what those like her knew, and that meant hanging out w
ith vampires.
I left, and I knew that she would head to the new vampire headquarters. It had taken Taavi, the vampire Head, a while to settle on a new home, and he'd gone to town this time, picking a place that made the old one seem like a faery castle. This new one was even spookier, and may as well have had "Here Be Vampires" across the gate.
He likes it old skool. Taavi thinks being a vampire means you have to stick to certain traditions, which means a spooky as hell HQ for the vampires, just so anyone that visits knows exactly what they are letting themselves in for.
Kate would go there, be with those of her own kind, and I worried there would come a time when she no longer felt uncomfortable and hated doing what needed to be done, but rather enjoyed it, craved it, and never wanted to come home to me again.
What can I say? I'm a worrier. If things go well I worry they will turn bad. If things are going badly I worry they will get worse. Problem is, they usually do.
Which Witch?
The circles I mix in are often male dominated. Rikka's world is comprised mostly of men, meaning mine is too. The Dark Council is male and totally antiquated, but its members are powerful. Most have been there for so long it makes them permanent fixtures. It's static, basically a bunch of wizards arguing about things with Rikka the one that gets things done.
A lot of Hidden humans aren't too happy about the way things are, and you can't blame them. It's out-of-date and at odds with modern society. Considering our world is one where there is no difference in the way you are treated regards gender, it's crazy that the Council doesn't reflect this.
For many, the Dark Council is a reminder of what once was, and they pay it little mind. They are wrong to do so. The power is enormous, and combined, the wizards influence more in our country than most realize.
But the witches know, and I was surprised it had taken them quite as long to make a serious move to get access. Most other countries have had mixed Heads and members of the Council for years, or centuries, but it never happened here. Probably because the wizards refused to die, so new seats never became available and the living refused to give up theirs.
