Vampires Rule
Page 7
The vampire pulled back, her teeth dripping with blood. It ran down her chin and trickled onto her white tank top. Derek swayed and everything clouded over.
*
Derek’s eyes flashed open. He was staring at his own magnolia bedroom ceiling, the art deco design in little frosted peaks. The room was in its usual condition, clothes and appliances scattered around in a haphazard fashion.
A haze of confusion descended over him. Lying in his bed, he felt well. He felt better than well. He felt as if he had just awoken from a deep, satisfying sleep, the memories from the last few days simply a curious dream. Reality blended effortlessly into the fantasy of vampires, killings and turnings.
Vampires don’t exist, Derek thought to himself, still gazing at the white swirls on the ceiling. What a crazy dream.
Derek patted down his pockets in search of his phone but found it resting fully charged on his bedside table. He searched his contacts for Emily and hit dial. The phone rang repeatedly but no answer came.
Derek remembered Emily’s body, spread eagle on the bed, her limbs thrown out from her body. Her blood had soaked through the lavender sheets, her neck wounded by little puncture holes. The image was so visceral it was like Emily’s cold body lay right there in front of him.
Banishing the picture from his mind, Derek moved to the mirror but a stranger looked back at him. The reflection had pale skin and wild eyes. His complexion was sallow and his cheeks hallow, as if he’d been suffering from a long-term illness. However, at the same time, he had the appearance of someone new, someone reborn. He had a new quality to his features. He was attractive. His eyebrows were shaped and his face more angular and masculine. Even his body looked different, as if he had lost fat and gained muscle overnight.
Suddenly a terrible hunger rippled through him. He licked his lips in a snake-like fashion and felt for the first time his newly pointed canines. He needed food and he needed it now.
Derek laced his shoes and left, not bothering to lock the door behind him. It was dusk and the streetlamps were just being to spark into life. Derek roamed through the suburbs and entered the local park through a large iron gate. The park wasn’t lit but the stars and the moon glowed brightly in the sky. The air was cool and dry but not a soul could be seen.
A rustling in the bushes caught Derek’s attention. His eyes snapped up, his night vision intensified. A rabbit was scurrying through the thicket of bush, twitching its nose and chewing on a leaf. In a flash, Derek had caught the rabbit and its limp body was hanging out of his mouth. He gnawed at the flesh hungrily. Hesitating, he dropped it on the ground. What am I doing? He vomited in the bush and wiped his mouth on the back of his sleeve. He ambled home and found the blond sat on his sofa.
As if she had known what he’d done in the park, she said, “Welcome to your new life, Derek,” with a madly excited expression planted on her face. “Don’t you worry, I’ll show you the ropes.”
An eager smile spread across her face, a smile of anticipation.
Derek’s life was no longer a mortal one.