by Stead, Nick
A length of rope lay in one corner and a few old tools leant against the right wall, their blades dulled with rust. The barn was otherwise empty.
“Really? Where are you going to hide from the sun in here?”
She eyed me as if it were a stupid question. “In the ground, of course.”
“Oh, of course.”
If she noticed the sarcasm in my voice she didn’t respond to it. “But I insist on the comfort of a coffin if we are spending the entire week here. Can I trust you to bring me one while I hunt? That graveyard we passed on the outskirts of the town ought to be safe enough, if you can slip in and out unseen. But do not do anything so stupid as to steal from a funeral home.”
“I know, I know. It’ll draw too much attention to us,” I growled. “I’ll see what I can find in the graveyard.”
She dipped her head in a show of noble gratitude. “Thank you. Then I grant you permission to leave my side to find a coffin. Fresh meat will be waiting for you upon your return.”
Expecting more of her leftovers, I gave an unenthusiastic nod and slunk away.
Fields turned to pavement, hard and uncomfortable to my bare feet. The air was noticeably fouler and the night’s peace was no more, broken by the roar of cars and the beat of that terrible club music that was becoming so popular. I crept along the streets, straining my ears for sounds of anyone approaching. Twice I heard cars threatening to drive down the roads I was on, forcing me to find cover till they’d passed. It made me miss the clothes I’d have been wearing back in my hometown. Then I wouldn’t have needed to worry so much about being seen.
It felt like it had taken forever, but I made it to the graveyard unchallenged. There was nothing to indicate there was anyone in the area, Slayer or otherwise, and I was able to dig up a coffin without any trouble.
Wrenching the lid open, I wrinkled my nose at the smell, the corpse inside too rotten to be considered in any way appetising, even to the wolf. There was little flesh left on the bones. Withered skin stretched so tightly across them that it looked like the skeleton could burst out at any moment. But as ghoulish as it appeared, it was just a corpse, limp and lifeless as I tipped it out of its box and back into the grave.
I filled the hole in again and hefted the coffin up onto my shoulders, then struggled back to the barn. The weight of it wasn’t a problem, but it was awkward to carry without any help and I had to pause a couple of times to shift my grip. I just hoped it was the right size for the vampire after the effort I was putting in.
Luckily the streets remained devoid of life as I headed back out to the fields. It was a relief to return to the cool dampness of the dew soaked grass, and my progress was much quicker once I no longer had to worry about being spotted. The barn loomed ahead like some large creature waiting to swallow unsuspecting travellers. I drew nearer to the sound of voices.
“If this happened last full moon, why am I only just hearing about it now?” Lady Sarah said.
My curiosity was successfully piqued. I lowered the coffin to the ground, as gentle and quiet as I could manage, and sat on top, eavesdropping.
“You underestimate your evasive skills,” a male voice answered. Another vampire? “It is not just our enemies who have had a hard time finding you.”
“They have been finding us all too quickly, so how is it that you took nearly an entire month?”
“It matters not. I am here now and I advise you to return with me.”
Her voice turned stubborn. “I will not leave his side.”
The male sounded incredulolus. “Do you truly trust the wolf that much?”
“Yes.”
There was a pause before the other voice spoke again, as if she’d taken him by surprise. “Even so, you must know that staying with him could potentially be dangerous for you.”
“I do not believe he is the one behind this. I will not.” That last was said with conviction.
“Whether he is the one responsible or not, you know he could still be found guilty. And if he is indeed ruled guilty we may not be able to protect you. Do not let the wolf drag you down with him.”
“I will not leave his side,” she repeated.
“So you would choose an animal over your own people?” It came out as a hiss. Definitely another vampire.
“I hope it will not come to that. I thank you for coming to warn me and I will consider our next move. But you should go now; we do not have long before the dawn.”
“Very well.” His anger seemed under control again, at least on the surface. “But you know it is only a matter of time before he summons you and the wolf. Do not be a fool and try to run. It will only end badly – for the both of you.”
Lady Sarah sounded irritated then. “I am well aware of how this works.”
“Forgive me – I am merely concerned you are letting your fondness for your pet cloud your judgement. Tread carefully, Lady Sarah. Until the next time.”
This new vampire strode out of the barn, pausing to give me a look of utter disdain before he ran off into the dwindling shadows. I watched him go, a part of me hoping he wouldn’t make it to shelter in time. Whatever the conversation had been about, it was clear he was one of the vampires who had no love for my kind. Lady Sarah had warned me that there were still plenty of them out there – all those who remembered a time when our races were at war, before the rise of the Slayers forced us to ally against the threat of extinction they posed. It seemed he still held a grudge for events long past.
“Nick?” Lady Sarah called. “The sun is almost up, hurry!”
With a start, I jumped off the coffin and hastened to lift it inside. It looked like I was just in time. The light was creeping into the barn, its rays almost stretching to the corner Lady Sarah sheltered in. A few more minutes and she’d have been starting to burn.
“Hurry!” she repeated. The other vampire didn’t seem to have done much for her mood, her eyes flashing with irritation. Luckily the coffin turned out to be a good size for her. I didn’t think I’d have heard the end of it if I’d picked one too small.
“What was that all about?” I asked as I started to rip up the floorboards. The barn was really no more than a large shed made from wood. It didn’t take me long to get down to the earth beneath and together we started to dig a large hole. The coffin alone would have provided enough shelter from the sun, but burying it added an extra layer of security. There was always the chance our enemies might not find her if they attacked and I couldn’t fend them off.
“Nothing you need concern yourself with.” Her eyes were on the ground and I couldn’t read her expression. That only made me more desperate for answers.
“Yeah right. I heard him talking about a wolf and we both know that could only have been me he was referring to. Even if we found more surviving werewolves out there, I’m the only wolf companion you’ve got.”
Still she refused to look at me. “It is merely vampire business. If there is a need for you to know more I will tell you, but for now you are better off staying clear of it.”
“How can it be ‘merely vampire business’ if it involves me somehow?”
She did look up then. “Leave it, Nick. I will say no more on the matter.”
I wanted to argue but without the anger driving me I knew better. So I helped her lower the coffin into the hole and watched her climb inside.
“I left your meat in the corner over there, but bury my coffin before you eat please. We seem to have lost the Slayers again for now but it is better to remain cautious.” Then the coffin lid closed, just as the first rays of light began to fall on it.
With a sigh, I filled in the hole as she’d asked, doing my best to ensure the spot wouldn’t be noticeable at a glance. But the earth still looked disturbed to my eyes when I placed the floorboards back. Oh well, it would have to do.
I stalked over to investigate the kill she’d left me. A round, dead eye stared back, unblinking as a fly crawled across it. The deer was already cooling but I was pleasantly surprised
to find the meat still juicy when I bit into it. Hunger took over and I tore the carcass apart, dribbling blood as I shovelled chunks into my mouth like there was no tomorrow. It was the most appetising meal I’d had since the last full moon.
Once I’d finished eating, I sat with my back to the wall and thought over the conversation I’d overheard between the two vampires. What had happened last full moon, and why would they think I was responsible? Were they simply blaming me out of prejudice, or was there more to it than that? The more I puzzled over it, the more questions I had. Then a thought occurred to me – what if my reckless actions had provoked the Slayers into more aggressive action? Could it be that it was not just me and Lady Sarah they’d been hunting so actively, but all of the undead in general? And if that was the case, perhaps they’d even succeeded in killing a number of us. It was the only thing I could think of that could be considered my fault.
My thoughts turned to killing again. I hadn’t been feeling the need to slaughter since the last full moon, but I wanted to. I wanted to reawaken my bloodlust and let it rise up to fill the gaping chasm within, and since my anger had deserted me, it seemed killing was the only way to do that. Yet no matter how badly I wanted to hunt down more prey, Lady Sarah’s power wouldn’t allow it, and so my thoughts turned to all those I’d left behind with my human life. Images of the pain they must be feeling flashed across my mind’s eye. I didn’t want to dwell on what my friends and family must be going through, wondering whether I was alive and might come home, or whether my body would be found lying in a ditch somewhere. But with little else to do, I couldn’t seem to help myself. It only made the chasm gape wider.
Darkness returned and a knocking on the coffin lid signalled Lady Sarah had awoken. I dug down so she could climb out, grateful for the distraction she offered, even if she insisted on giving me more lessons in survival. Yet the night still dragged.
Eventually the sky began to lighten from black to a dark blue. Lady Sarah climbed back into her coffin and paused with her hand on the lid. “How are you feeling?”
I shrugged. “Bored, I guess. It’s not like there’s anything for me to do while you sleep.”
“Yes, I realise this must be hard for you, Nick.” She hesitated, as though debating the wisdom of what she was about to say next. “And thus I give you permission to hunt for yourself today. But only small animals and you are not to go anywhere near the human world. Understood?”
My stomach gave a weird little jump. I could kill again. It was exactly what I needed to fill the void. I was going to feel alive once more.
“Thank you.”
She gave a regal wave of her hand as though it were nothing and closed the coffin lid. I filled in the hole with less care than the morning before. My desire to kill was too great and I wasted no time in going off to hunt.
The nearby town was just coming alive when I first set out. If it hadn’t been for Lady Sarah’s hold over me, I may well have given in to the temptation to fall upon the hapless mortals and slaughter them to my heart’s content. But the small animals she’d given me permission to kill would have to suffice for that day.
I let the transformation take hold, all the way to my wolf form. A rustling in the undergrowth indicated the presence of prey, and I bounded forwards, snatching the rabbit up in my jaws and crushing the life from it with one mighty bite. But this wasn’t how I had been picturing it.
The gush of blood didn’t bring that lust for more, nor did I feel my usual sense of dark pleasure as I dropped the carcass to admire my gruesome handiwork. I’d thought the simple act of killing my prey would bring me that bloodthirsty joy again, thought that was all that had been missing since my last kill. Yet the thrill at the sight of blood jetting out from an artery wasn’t there. The desire to rip the carcass apart until limbs and organs lay scattered around me in a bloody circle remained quiet.
And without it, what was there? Nothing. In its absence there was nothing but the emptiness, akin to how I’d begun to feel before the rage filled the void. Without that fire burning it seemed the joy of hunting lay solely with my wolfish half. The knowledge was of little comfort. What did I have to live for now? Survival was far from a trial for a supernatural predator like myself – not without the threat of the Slayers at any rate and they had yet to find us in this latest area we’d temporarily claimed as our own. When no prey existed that could escape my jaws, what was there to enjoy from the simple pleasures of life? There were no hobbies for me to enjoy or kindred spirits to share this existence with. No, there was nothing but this growing emptiness inside, and these thoughts were doing little to help with that chasm re-opening in my soul.
Lady Sarah might have been my constant companion for the last two months, but she was still very much a stranger to me in many ways. Perhaps I would have to make a more concerted effort to get to know her. Yes, I’d try talking to her when darkness fell and see if I could get her to open up to me; share some stories from her past maybe. Or maybe she could give me some insight into how she managed with her eternal existence whenever she wasn’t hunting, fighting or fleeing, or putting me through more of her damn lessons.
I looked back down at the dead rabbit and sighed. There was no fun to be had in my kill. The wolf might as well have it, then at least one of us could take pleasure in the animal’s death. And perhaps giving him control would grant me an escape from the troubling thoughts of the previous day. Anything to keep from imagining my family’s pain.
I stripped the small carcass of flesh and gnawed on the bones for a while, but I really wanted to hunt something larger and more filling. It wasn’t worth the risk though. So I buried the remains to hide my kill from any Slayers that might pass through the area and went in search of more prey.
The human may be having trouble adjusting to life on the fringes of humanity, but I was content to be closer to the natural world, if not quite a part of it. I belonged out in the wilderness, and truth be told I was glad to be living further from man’s festering heart, ever spreading their pollution outwards and smothering nature in the thick smog they wreathed their settlements in.
Yet despite my pleasure at no longer living among them, a part of me was drawn towards the nearby town and the hunting grounds that lay therein. Only Lady Sarah’s power kept me from wandering too close. The curse caused me to hunger for human flesh above all else, the one thing that truly set me apart from other wolves. Or at least it had been before the line between my two halves began to blur.
The human seemed to think it was beginning to accept my nature and in doing so we were becoming one, yet it still did not understand the sanctity of life and the predator’s place in the world, just like the rest of its wretched species. And until it learnt to respect our prey and only to hunt and kill in the name of survival, I wanted nothing to do with my other half.
My ears picked up the flapping of a bird’s wings and I sniffed the air, struggling to find its scent through my bloodied muzzle. Talons gripped a nearby tree branch and allowed me to pinpoint its location. I bounded towards it, happy to be alive and free. The feel of the earth beneath my four paws was all I needed, and a good chase, with meat at the end of it. Why couldn’t the human be content with that too?
The bird turned out to be a crow. Too late, it sensed me coming and took to the skies. I leapt after it, my body twisting in the air as I snapped it up mid-flight. Its life ended in a crunch of bone and a spatter of blood. The land grew quiet after that, the mortal animals knowing better than to venture from their dens when a werewolf stalked the lands. I swallowed the bird almost whole and headed off, back towards the barn.
One of Lady Sarah’s recent lessons had been on evading any would-be hunters and covering my tracks, so I doubled back on myself a few times before finally returning to our current shelter. Once inside I settled down to rest for the day, keeping an ear cocked for sounds of any potential threats.
My hunger was far from satisfied but I was still weary from the vast distances we’d had to cover o
ver the past three weeks. Exhaustion took over and I let myself doze off into a light sleep. The human would reassert itself while we lay unconscious, but I could bide my time.
In the first few months of my awakening, I’d struggled for control whenever the human did something to give me a strong enough grip, like when it let anger take hold, or hunger, or when the smell of blood called me forth. And once it learnt the true nature of the werewolf, the truth of our hunger for human flesh, it had fought to keep me locked deep down in our subconscious. But much had changed since then and with this new sense of despair creeping over my human half, I knew I would be given more free rein between full moons. Especially if there was no longer any pleasure in hunting for that other side of me.
I still despised the human’s nature, but I knew to continue to fight each other was a pointless waste of energy. Neither of us could remain in control indefinitely, and our survival was more important than my distaste for humanity and that part of my being. I knew I’d have chance to hunt and explore our current surroundings soon enough, so I was content to surrender to the human for now. The full moon was close and I hoped Lady Sarah would give me more freedom this time, as long as I didn’t become consumed by rage again. My time would soon come.
Still in wolf form, I awoke to the sound of knocking coming from somewhere beneath my paws. Lady Sarah was ready to rise for the night. I yawned and got to my feet, studying the floorboards. There was no way I could get down to her without completely destroying them in my current shape, so I shifted back. Then I dug down to the vampire.
“Come, there is much more you need to learn,” she said, throwing the coffin lid open and climbing out. “It is about time we worked on your self-control.”
I groaned. Putting myself through something so taxing was the last thing I felt like doing. Not when I was still feeling dismay over my bloodlust deserting me. “So close to full moon, are you sure?”
