The Rise of the New Bloods, From Dark Beginnings

by K A HAMBLY

  ‘Okay, I suppose it couldn’t had been easy for you either, so let the past be alright. There's nothing we can do about it now.’

  I returned to the sink to continue trying to scrub all the blood from my hands when I felt a nudge on my arm. I looked down and Ryder was holding out his palm.

  ‘I still have this.’

  I looked at him, and then down towards his hand again, he was holding out a piece of a blade.

  ‘The sword?’

  ‘Yes, I thought you may want it.’

  I took it out of his palm and wrapped it in my bloodstained shirt. It was after all Draven's favourite thing he possessed.

  ‘I’m sorry you didn’t get a chance to know Draven…he was a very special person that deserved more than the life he led offered him.’

  ‘I’m thankful I managed to save his life that day, it was the least I could do. I’m just sorry I couldn’t save your dad.’

  ‘Yeah, well I still don’t know what happened to him. He wasn’t there at the compound when I saw them all turn to dust. Anyway, enough of that talk for now. Would you pass me my jacket?’ I asked.

  ‘Ready?’ Blaze shouted from the doorway.

  ‘Always.’

  ‘Oh hey,’ he said, opening the door again, ‘you’ll never guess who's here? Jules. I called her a few nights ago. Which was a mad thing to do when we didn’t even know if things were gonna turn out okay. Well, see you out by the bar, there’s a Guinness waiting for ya,’ he said quite happily.

  ‘Nice one, I'll be out in a second, ok.’

  ‘C'mon you, I guess you can keep the girls away from the stage, make yourself useful.’ I sniggered.

  ‘Sure uncle. I can call you that right?’

  ‘Jyrki is better. I reckon uncle makes me sound old.’

  The bar was full tonight, which was not much of a surprise as we had gained quite a following in the city.

  I looked out over the sea of heads to find April and Stride talking by the bar. I walked up behind April and put my arm around her.

  ‘Ah here he is, our new human friend.’

  ‘Stride, I just want to thank you for everything...’

  ‘Now, now lad, I'm just glad to help, but I will be sorry to say goodbye.’

  ‘Goodbye? Why?’ I said, feeling quite stunned.

  ‘Well, you see, I still have some business I’ve got to sort out, so I was thinking of going travelling for a bit on the old girl...’

  ‘What’s the old girl?’ April laughed.

  ‘It’s my motorcycle love, what did you think I meant?’

  ‘Just remember, you'll always be welcome here.’ I said

  ‘So you're staying in New York then?’

  I looked at April.

  ‘Well, for now at least.’

  ‘It's good to see you happy, and you have a bit more colour in them cheeks. You look after him love, he's something special.’

  ‘I will do, you can count on that,’ April said.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

  There was one thing I had not quite thought about since becoming human, was I was no longer an immortal.

  Here I was, sitting in a room full of people, knowing that anyone at any time could cause me harm. Not that I thought they would want to, but I was feeling quite vulnerable with all these new emotions that were attacking my mind. I certainly did not feel like the human I was when I went back to Egypt.

  This was different.

  ‘Oh, you'll soon get use to this,’ Stride said.

  I watched him stubb out his fourth cigarette in the half hour we had been here. I never really thought to ask what the point in it was.

  ‘What exactly am I going to get used to?’

  ‘Being a human of course. You don't have to pretend with me, I can see you're looking a little startled by it all.

  ‘Yeah, it is kind of overwhelming. I only wish Draven could’ve been here too.’

  ‘I can imagine so. Just remember there isn't one person in this room who isn't fucked up in some way or another. Nobody's perfect lad just be yourself and you'll be fine.’

  ‘It's...Oh doesn't matter,’ I shook my head wishing I hadn't said anything. The subject matter was something I’ve always tried to avoid discussing, but now it was inevitable.

  ‘No, no, we’re not letting this go. What's bothering you? Spill it. Tell your uncle Stride.’

  I sighed and put my drink down. This certainly wasn't an easy topic to discuss.

  ‘Mortality,’ I said looking down at my half-drunken glass. ‘The fear of being hurt or worse. I guess I haven't had time to give it much thought until now.’

  ‘Don't go worrying over things which may or may never happen. You have been given a second chance, Jyrki. Embrace it. Now the curse has gone, and the wolves have fucked off back to hell, or whatever they came from, you start living, if anyone deserves it, you do, he said pointing at me.

  ‘Thanks Stride. You know from the moment I first met you I always thought you were a crazy fucker, but you've come to be a father figure to me. I don't know what I would've done without your help.’

  ‘Now that's where you've gone wrong already. Never suck up to anyone!’ he laughed. ‘That’s rule number one my friend.’

  ‘Unless they were paying you!’ Blaze said. ‘You’ll never guess what? We've been offered a support slot with a well-known Glam band in Europe,’ he said leaning over the table.

  ‘See that guy over there?’ he pointed across the room towards a guy with long blonde hair and eyeliner, ‘He’s offering us a couple of months’ worth of gigs, how about it?’

  ‘In Europe?’

  My jaw dropped and I looked towards Stride.

  ‘Yeah, Just a thought, do you even have a passport?’ Blaze said.

  Stride slammed down his drink on the table, and laughed hysterically.

  I looked at Blaze with a wide grin across my face.

  ‘Um, nope.’

  I could not help but laugh either.

  ‘You mean to say you don’t have one at all. How did you get to New York then?’

  ‘How do you think?’ I said, ‘By cargo ship of course.’

  He shook his head at me, disgusted, and walked over to the bar.

  The Halloween theme was quite apt for tonight, I chuckled to myself at the blatant display of fetish bunny girls, and vamped up Goths, making me feel slightly out of place since the curse had gone, but it was all pleasing to the eye nonetheless.

  April leaned in next to me, and whispered in my ear.

  ‘Ryder is staying with Blaze tonight, so you can come back to mine...if you want that is?’

  ‘Absolutely,’ I said, cupping her head in my hands, ‘but you know my back is in bits don’t you?’

  ‘I’m sure I can sort it out for you.’

  ‘Hey, hey come on break it up you two; let's get on that fucking stage. Oh and having Ryder around is going to be handy with all this shifting of gear. I might give him a job,’ Blaze said as he walked past the table with Jules.

  ‘Oh hey, Jyrki, it’s nice to see you again,’ she said.

  I raised my hand and nodded at her.

  ‘Looks like things are working out just fine,’ Stride said, lighting another cigarette.

  ‘Yeah, I hope they stay that way too.’

  The show ended to a rapturous applause. As I was now in a human state I began to feel the strain a touch more, or so I thought until I saw Ryder helping Blaze with the equipment.

  I looked inquisitively at him.

  He showed tremendous strength still.

  I shrugged and put the thought to the back of mind.

  The majority of the audience had gone home, and the bartender was busily wiping down the glasses behind the bar. Just as I was about to bend down to pick up Blaze's amp, I felt a tugging on my arm.

  ‘Hey, any chance of signing this for me?’

  ‘You want an autograph?’ I said, looking up at her. She looks good enough to eat. Shit, what in the hell am I thinking.

  I re
moved my sunglasses, and put them inside my jacket pocket. The young woman with long blonde hair and dressed in a tight fitting PVC suit handed me a notebook and a pen. I was feeling slightly uncomfortable with her staring at me, and flirting, so I quickly scribbled my name and handed it back to her.

  ‘Here you go. I'll see you at the next gig right?’

  ‘For sure,’ she giggled and walked off.

  ‘Groupies already?’ April said

  ‘All part of the job,’ I joked, ‘Come here,’ I said pulling her towards me.

  ‘Are ready to go home?’

  ‘I’ve been waiting to hear that for a long time.’

  ‘Not as long as I have.’

  CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

  It had been a long night, and I was reeling with a mixture of emotions. Part of me felt unsure of whether the curse had been broken.

  It all seemed too easy for my liking.

  I needed to snap out of these negative thoughts, I had lost Draven tonight and for that reason only I ought to be thankful for my life, not wallow in self-pity.

  ‘April. Are you ready?’ I called.

  She was saying goodbye to some friends by the bar. I noticed the blonde male look over at me peculiarly, and whispered something to April.

  An uneasy feeling came over me.

  Then I noticed April turn to look at me with a wide smile, and whispered something back to the bloke.

  Pangs of jealousy, I guessed.

  Must have been a new human emotion I was experiencing.

  ‘Hey. Are you coming back to mine then?’ She said, as she walked over to me standing by the doorway.

  ‘Sure, if that's what you really want?’

  I smiled at her as I tilted my head down to her level. She leaned in close and kissed me on the cheek.

  ‘Of course it is.’

  ‘Um, so who is he then?’ I nodded to the guy.

  ‘What are you talking about?’ She said, ‘The blonde guy I was talking too?’

  ‘Yeah, him. He was looking at me rather oddly.’

  ‘Jealous are you?’ she laughed. ‘For your information that was one of my colleagues, James. He fancies you.’

  ‘What?’

  ‘Don’t look so shocked, you’re a good looking guy. He's gay by the way, er you do know what that is don’t you?’ she said, laughing at me.

  ‘Um…’

  ‘Well, anyway don't worry, I put him straight,’ she said, laughing even more.

  She looked at me as if she was expecting me to ‘get’ the joke.

  ‘Oh come on,’ she grabbed my arm, ‘let's say goodbye to Stride before he leaves.’

  I put my arm around April's shoulder and walked out the door to the sight of Blaze and Stride talking by the van.

  ‘So, er, are you two off then?’ Stride asked.

  ‘Yeah, it’s been a long day. So where are you going now?’

  ‘Oh, I'm gonna start packing soon, make my way back to Blighty. I've quite missed my local pub, and my wife.’

  ‘You have a wife?’ I said surprised.

  ‘Yeah, didn't I ever talk to you about her?’

  I flicked a look at Blaze who looked just as surprised as I was.

  ‘No,’ I shrugged.

  ‘Noreen her name is, a fine woman. She makes the best haggis in Glasgow. I'll have to introduce you one day.’

  ‘Of course, I look forward to it. You're still full of surprises aren't you?’ I joked

  ‘Absolutely, you’ve got to keep life interesting pal,’ he said, taking his hand from his jacket pocket.

  I shook his hand, and I was almost sure he had a tear in his eye.

  ‘It's been a helluva ride hasn't it?’

  ‘It has, but I couldn't have done it without you.’

  ‘You’ll keep in touch yeah?’

  ‘Of course, we’ll have a reunion every Halloween. Uh, Blaze…we’re leaving now ok?’

  ‘Yeah sure, I’ll call around tomorrow to pick you up.’

  ‘Ryder?’

  ‘Yeah?’

  ‘I'll call you tomorrow?’ I shouted, but he seemed more preoccupied with the women that had gathered around him.

  I decided to leave him to it.

  For once, the rain had stopped as we walked back to April’s place a few blocks away. I held her hand as we walked silently through the crowds gathered outside a theatre holding a masquerade ball.

  I brushed past vampires and devils thinking this could’ve been the norm right now. I shuddered at the thought. After the night we had neither of us felt like talking much, and I was happy with that, it was just so good to be in April’s company for a change.

  April let go of my hand and stopped outside a townhouse.

  ‘This is home, well, part of it. I live on the third floor,’ she said, gesturing towards the house.

  I watched her walk up the steps towards the red door when I thought I had heard something whispering to me. The tree behind me on the sidewalk rustled in a sudden gust of wind that had come from nowhere, which propelled me to glance around the quiet street.

  I had no idea what I was hoping to uncover, or any idea as to why I should’ve been bothered.

  The curse had been lifted.

  ‘Are you ok?’ she called.

  ‘Yeah. I think so.’

  I could tell she was nervous by the way her hand shook as she opened the lock.

  We both knew what would happen tonight, it was inevitable. The attraction between us was instant from the moment we first met. It was any wonder how it had taken us this long to arrive at this point.

  ‘Are you coming in? It’s not like I have to invite you in now, since you’re not a vampire anymore,’ she smiled.

  ‘Very funny, you shouldn’t watch those vampire movies you know, they got us all wrong.’

  ‘Ah, I take it you’ve been watching Blaze’s DVD collection. So what’s your favourite?’

  I rested my arm on the metal handrail and thought about the question for a few seconds. ‘That would have to be Scars of Dracula, with Christopher Lee. He portrays the character in a very cool and suave way, but it’s also fascinating how he converses with people--’

  ‘Woah, slow down,’ she laughed, ‘sounds like you’ve taken a degree on the subject. Which sounds like a good idea though, I mean, have you decided what you’re going to do in case the band don’t work out?’

  ‘It sounds like you don’t have a lot of faith in your brother?’

  ‘Oh you know what I mean. It’s always a good idea to have something to fall back on that’s all.’

  ‘Of course, but… I need to live for a while, you do understand that don’t you?’

  Under the security light that flickered on, I noticed her cheeks flushed a hint of pink and saw the warmth in her eyes as she gazed down at me.

  ‘Yeah, I do understand, I’m sorry. I’m getting ahead of myself.’

  ‘You need to live a little too from what I have seen.’

  Feeling quite nervous, I walked up the steps to the front door. She placed her hand in mine and led me through the hallway. I drew a sharp breath in excitement as she slipped her hands under my shirt and pulled me against her body. I eased her gently against the wall before stooping down to kiss her. I clasped her face in my hands.

  ‘I love you,’ I whispered before slowly moving my hands down her curves.

  ‘Love you too,’ she smiled, as she nodded towards the stairs.

  I found it impossible to keep my hands off her as we walked up the steep staircase to her apartment. The hall was dark and April fumbled around for the light switch.

  ‘Must be nerves,’ she said ‘I don’t usually forget things so easily.’

  ‘Am I that much of a distraction?’ I laughed.

  ‘You have no idea, seriously.’

  Whether it was the excitement of the evening or not I do not know, but I could feel my throat burning. Like when I use to crave blood. I smiled at her and leaned against the doorframe, watching her as she looked for the keys in her han
dbag; when I realised I was no longer looking at her as myself but as the thing I used to be.

  It must be my mind playing tricks.

  The curse was broken; I was not a vampire anymore.

  I snapped out of my dark thoughts thinking it was probably some sort of after effect of the curse, but was it.

  My heart beat, but did it beat new blood?

  ‘Hey Jyrki, I’m not going to charge you an entry fee y’know.’

  ‘Oh sorry, I was…’

  ‘That’s alright, I know it’s been a tough night…oh Merlin, there you are!’

  She looked over towards the sofa, and I wondered whom she was talking too.

  ‘Merlin?’

  ‘It's my cat,’ she said

  I saw a black head and two green eyes peeping at me from behind the black leather sofa. I knelt down to call the cat over but he just looked at me and hissed.

  ‘Hm, he doesn't like me?’ I joked.

  ‘Eat him,’ I heard a whisper.

  ‘Um…did you hear that?’ I said, as I shot up from the floor.

  ‘Hear what?’

  ‘Oh it doesn’t matter,’ I said, feeling like an idiot.

  Although I was certain I heard something.

  ‘He's quite nervous with new people,’ she said as she picked the cat up. ‘I'll just give him some food, make yourself comfortable.’

  ‘It's a nice place,' I said, as I removed my jacket and walked over to the book cabinet. The shelf covered almost the whole wall. I ran my fingers across the leather binds fascinated by the titles she had on there.

  ‘I take it you like reading then?’

  ‘Absolutely. I did a lot in Finland, so I knew--’

  ‘Shhh.’

  She came over and wrapped her arms around me.

  ‘So where were we?’ she whispered seductively in my ear.

  ‘Hm, I think I was about here,’ I said, as I bent down to kiss her.

  ‘Do you want to go into the bedroom?’

  She led me into her room, and switched the small bedside lamp on.

  ‘I won’t be a moment. I want this to be just right…’

  I watched her as she walked over to her ivory vanity table by the window and pulled out four candles from the drawer.

  Almost instantly, the air in the room filled with the sweet scent of vanilla. I took this moment to sit down on the silky crimson duvet and with jittery hands; removed my shoes.