The Soul of a Vampire Book 2

by Rachel E Rice

  The chief of police had given them to me because they were strange and unusual. Most of the cases were of murders and the other half were of people disappearing and then turning up again years later. I had only one of those and that was Zoey.

  When I arrived at Mr. Miller’s house, I stepped on to the porch. I leaned and looked at him sitting in front of the fire. I knocked on the door and nothing. I knocked on the window and Mr. Miller never moved.

  Trying at another knock, I pound on the door with my fist much harder and louder than before. It was then I decided to kick the door in. I would either break my foot or the door would give. First I tried the doorknob and then it turned and I walked in slowly.

  “Mr. Miller. It’s Detective Cole,” I said in case he had been asleep. But he would have to have been a hard sleeper not to hear me bang on the door. I stood in front of him and that’s when I saw his face. It was as if someone had drained him of all the oxygen in his body. He was blue. I checked his neck but there were no bites or a pulse. His body was still warm as if he had just died within minutes of me reaching here.

  Then I heard the sound of doves. They were screaming as if a predator had invaded their nest. I rushed to turn the light on in the back where a large Oak tree stood and I saw a colorful little bird that didn’t belong. It stood on a flower pot and looked at me.

  I thought it strange that it would be out this time of night but I thought nothing of it at the time. There were too many strange things that seem to surround me since I first laid eyes on Zoey. I immediately called for the police. Homicide.

  They came with two uniform cops, and someone from the coroner’s office to take the body away. “Ryan, you seem to get the strangest cases. Look at him. He’s all shriveled up. Like someone drained all the water out of his body. Last time we picked up a stiff you happen to come across, the blood was missing. You sure you aren’t doing this just to bring attention to you to get a raise or a stay at the mental hospital.” And everyone looked at me and started laughing.

  “I’m wondering that myself,” I said.

  After everyone had cleared out, I searched the house for anything that would help me in my search for Zoey. Then I came across a paper with the name Sebastian Vesper. I wouldn’t forget that name. It’s him again. Dr. Vesper. But how does he fit into this, I wondered.

  There wasn’t any more I could do until next time. When I get time off I would search for Zoey and Dr. Vesper.

  Chapter Five-Zoey

  I heard the lock click and the door opened. It was still light outside and I knew even without a clock that it was an hour before the sun set. It was the way the sun lay off in the horizon with the burst of orange and red light breaking and spilling over the blue water.

  “It’s me, Zoey. I have terrific news,” Terry said whispering. What could be so wonderful in here, unless there was a way to get me out of this hellish place?

  “I spoke to Sebastian as they were taking him to the tower.” My breath hitched and my eyes shut for a second. I didn’t want to hear what was coming next.

  “Don’t tell me, I said biting my nails. “He’s dead isn’t he?” I said breathless. My heart sank and my knees grew weak. I held on to the bed. I had forecast Sebastian’s death and my doom without Terry giving me the facts.

  “No. He isn’t. But it was as I said, Aare had no intentions of letting him live.” I should have known better, but I was full of wishful thinking.

  Sebastian had said to me when I was a child to go on and wish. That’s what children do. And so I wished for him to be with me forever, and that I would never grow up because I didn’t want to marry anyone if I couldn’t marry him.

  Being in this room had brought back all my recollections and all my fears.

  “Aare had his zombies use this on him. She pulled out a small sledge hammer with a large head made out of pure silver. A vampire can be subdued by pure silver. And I brought this for you.”

  In a sack she carried something that I remembered from reading history. “It’s a crossbow. What do you expect me to do with that?” I asked Terry.

  “It’s a weapon of some sort. The vampires are afraid of it. But they display it to remind the young ones that it can kill them.”

  “I know it’s a weapon. I passed history with an A and you...”

  “I got a C,” Terry said to me with slanted look. “Like that’s going to help me now. All that schooling wasted. All those student loans will never get paid. So sue me,” she said into the air as she presented me with the bow. She had a habit of going off on a tangent and her bad circumstances hasn’t altered or changed her behavior or personality. She still managed to be good old light hearted Terry. But without her pretty face.

  “Where did you get that?” I asked as she handed me the arrows.

  “I picked it up from the wall leading to tower three. I guess whoever hung it there never thought anyone would use it in this place.

  Taking it from her hand, I placed an arrow in the bow. “I remember this when I was young. It was a little heavy then, but I was fifteen and barely weighed ninety pounds. Sebastian gave it to me to protect me from Aare.” I held it close to my chest as if it was a precious doll I remembered from my youth.

  “At the time I thought it was a strange gift to give a young girl. He taught me how to use it.”

  I placed one of the arrows into the catch and I was ready to fight vampires. But at the time I didn’t know what a vampire was or did. Now I realize they were my own family and my brother. The one I loved dearly.

  Sebastian made especially for me, I remember him saying. It was lightweight with some kind of metal and wood, but it felt heavy then, not like it does now. At the time, I thought it unusual for him to give me this. I wanted a doll. I thought it was mean for him to give me a gift which could kill or maim someone around the castle.

  It was like giving a girl a miniature car when she expected a doll. For months I sulked around until he won me a doll at the carnival. I carried it around and slept with it until Aare took it from me and I found it the next day soaked in blood and naked. I ran to Sebastian and he told me never to be alone with Aare.

  I tagged along with Sebastian when he would visit... “What’s wrong Zoey? You look as if you have seen a ghost.”

  “I wished it was a ghost I had seen. But I remember now who Sebastian visited the day he sent me away. It was Samantha.”

  “Who is Samantha?” Terry asked.

  “No one,” I said. Terry had enough problems, she didn’t need to add Samantha to a list of things that could frighten the hell out of her like dealing with a witch.

  “We have to go now, Zoey,” Terry said in a whisper to me. “The walls have ears and they are alive.” I knew what she meant. As a child I saw the walls open and close. It didn’t have significance for me then, but now it’s clear.

  “Where are we going?” I said.

  “To meet Sebastian.”

  “I don’t want to see him.” I placed the back of my hand over my mouth.

  But I did want to see him. My feelings were too conflicted. I cared if he was alive, but I had anger inside me I couldn’t express, and I was afraid that I would say ugly things to him I didn’t want to. Things I couldn’t take it back.

  I had a habit lately saying many hurtful things to the people I love, Terry and Sebastian. Somewhere down inside of me I felt embarrassed, and didn’t want to admit to it.

  “But you just said... I thought you were crazy about him.”

  “I just don’t want anything to happen to him. After all he did try to protect me from his family.” I couldn’t tell Terry how much I desire Sebastian. Then I would have to admit it to myself.

  That I am in love with a vampire and I wanted more than anything to be his.

  To feel his bite and to feel his body thrust inside me at the same time. Our loving making had been great, but somehow I felt that he was holding back with me. I wanted him to be himself. I didn’t want him to hide from me where I would find out things I coul
dn’t accept. Be who he is now because I didn’t want to learn later, when it was too late, when I had fallen deeper under his spell, that he had lied to me and deceived me.

  When I glanced up standing before me was Sebastian. He had burns on hands and neck but they were healing as I watched at him. He wore a black sweater and pants and black boots. He stood erect, tall, and bold. He stood still as his bluish eyes explored every part of me. He was without expression, and then his mouth curved upward into a small closed unconscious warm smile.

  Wanting to run and jump into his arms was only a thought and a feeling that being a woman and a human can relate to. So I watched at him with the same intensity he gave me and I didn’t move to throw myself into his arms. And I didn’t return the smile of satisfaction when I saw that he was safe.

  But his expression changed from warm to cold and devilish. His eyes hard with no hint of passion.

  “I told you Terry to get her out of here before the sun sets.” Sebastian’s eyebrow raised and the look in his eyes frightened me. They were red now and no longer the cool blue that made him appear to be more human. I didn’t recognize the vampire in front of me. He appeared more aloof than he was before I declared that I never wanted him to touch me every again.

  “You know how Zoey is,” Terry said with a half-smile. The side of her mouth leaning and distorted to her left side. She was a mess and I felt sorry for her.

  “Sebastian, you’re not going to hold that against me will you?” she pleaded. “I tried to get Zoey out of here and to the first floor, but I couldn’t.” Sebastian glared at me as if he could fuck me, but didn’t have the time nor was this the place. “You are going to keep your promise and change me,” Terry said begging.

  “He going to change you to what?” I asked.

  “To a vampire,” Terry said. I glared at her and she dropped her head. “I can’t go around for the rest of my life looking like this. You know how vain I am, Zoey. Even you said that you would marry Aare. And you know what he will do to you.”

  Sebastian glared my way as Terry spoke reminding me of the nonsense I had spewed in front of everyone. But I knew I was buying time and trying to keep Aare from destroying Sebastian. I knew I was his weakness and I was trying to make that weakness Sebastian’s strength. But I had fucked that up already.

  “Come, Zoey, let’s go. We don’t have much time. I worked out the arrangements with Terry. Once you are safe, then I will change her.” I pulled away from him. I didn’t want him to take my warmth and give me nothing.

  He walked to the wall and hit it and it opened. He stood to the side as Terry pushed me through. I stood there looking around and then I felt a cold hand take mine. We rushed through the dark passage. Terry first, and Sebastian and me behind her as he held firmly on to my hand. I tried to pull away from him, but his hand clinched mine dragging me along.

  “You will change everyone except me, Sebastian. You will drink their blood or let them drink yours, but with me you don’t want this. That’s why I’m being hunted. Why didn’t you change me when I became a teenager? Like that I could have been with you and no one would have cared. Well except for Samantha.”

  “I would have cared.” He stopped and held me to him. “I didn’t want a cold body. I needed the heat that your body sent to me. It makes me feel almost human.”

  He grabbed me and pulled me into him. I felt his rise through my clothes. I felt the heat course down. His cold mouth full of fire and heating me to no ends.

  Breaking from his arms, “It’s not about you. It’s about me.”

  “It has always been about you, my love. Can’t you see that Zoey?” I broke away from him and managed to follow the light Terry was carrying. Then I spotted her standing at the opening to the Mediterranean Sea.

  Standing and breathing the sea air I knew then how much I wanted to be alive. I hadn’t felt the sun on my face in days, and I was eager to be in a place where I could. I glanced up at the moon and I glanced over to Sebastian.

  “You’ve done your job, Terry.” He moved close to Terry as he dropped my hand and looked at her, and he slid his lips on her neck. Then he leaned and looked at me as his fangs lowered and punctured the side of Terry’s vein.

  I watched at Terry whose face changed from a painful look, to a look of pleasure. She held on to his arms as he drank from her blood. Her rough rutted broken lifeless skin changed with a blink of an eye.

  Then Sebastian took a knife from under his black cloak and cut his wrist.

  “Now feed from my blood,” he said to Terry. An excited Terry leaned down and sucked Sebastian’s blood. When she rose at Sebastian’s insistence, her cheeks were rosy and her face porcelain like a doll. Even her body stood erect. She looked different if not beautiful.

  “Here. This is enough money to take you back to the states. The captain of that boat will take you to the mainland. You can get a plane back. Don’t tell anyone where you are. I don’t want to know either. Hide and don’t let anyone find out about your whereabouts.”

  “Where are you going? How will you come for me if you don’t know where I am?” I asked. I walked to him and looked into his eyes. “I want to go with you.”

  “You can’t come. I have something to take care of. I have to make sure you can have a life. I promised you that when you were young. I’m trying to make that come true. It’s my giving back because of all the young girls that were lost.”

  “But I meant I wanted a life with you.”

  I held on to his hand, “I didn’t mean all the things I said to you, Sebastian. I’m sorry,” and then he disappeared in front of me. It was too late.

  He was gone from me and I felt empty.

  Chapter Six-Zoey

  We managed to get back to the US without a problem. We had a change of clothing and documents waiting for us on the sail boat where it made it easier to get to the airport in Rome and then England.

  There were few choices for us to make once we arrived at the airport to purchase tickets so I chose the familiar.

  Sebastian had made arrangements for two people. Those two were me and him. But now it was Terry and I, and Terry enjoying her new found status as half vampire and half human couldn’t wait to be changed into the status of full time vampire, which would come later because it was her job now to protect me. Sebastian had confidence in Terry. More than I had.

  After a long ride we arrived in Seattle. Not knowing what to do next and where to go, we stood looking at each other.

  “I guess we should get a cab,” I said.

  “Where are we going?”

  “To a hotel. Sebastian said go where no one could find us,” I said to Terry not knowing if this was the right thing to do. We entered the cab and asked for the best hotel in Seattle and the cabbie dropped us off at the Four Seasons Hotel on Union Street in downtown Seattle.

  When we arrived there, “Now what,” Terry asked.

  “I’ve always wanted to stay here and now we get some sleep and have something to eat. The jet lag is draining.” But what I didn’t realize, Terry’s eating habits had changed. As we settled into a suite on the twenty-third floor, I immediately called for room service.

  “What are you having, Terry?” she glanced up at me from the chair she plopped down in.

  “I thought I’d have that guy at the front desk,” she said with a sly grin.

  “What the fuck are you talking about? You can’t go around picking up a man and then feed on him.”

  “So what’s the big deal?”

  “What’s the big deal?” My voice raised to a ten on the panic scale. “We’re talking about people. Just because you made this choice to become one of the undead they didn’t choose this. Did you at least check to see what you could eat? You can’t go roaming the streets and biting people and sucking out their blood.”

  I hoped with that sermon I had gotten to her, but then again she had always been stubborn.

  Terry slumped in the chair facing the Seattle skyline. She lowered her head to sulk, �
��Then what the fuck good is it being an immortal?”

  “It’s not good at all. And you’re not really that. You’re somewhere in between. Until Sebastian sees you again, you will have to settle for what you have now,” I said.

  In a huff Terry gritted her teeth and crossed her arms and her shoulders slumped forward. Her mood changed. Her eyes narrowed and her mouth curled downward.

  “Then I rather be dead.”

  “Don’t say that. Sebastian feeds on animals. Maybe you could go out and find an unsuspecting little animal to suck dry.” I said that as a joke because I didn’t want to think about that. Finally the thought of becoming an immortal didn’t quite please me. There would be consequences that I hadn’t thought about, like killing helpless animals.

  It had all sound so romantic, the vampire thing, but now the reality had hit me square in the face and I had woken up to the horrible idea of it all.

  Terry glanced up at me with her big brown eyes. At least that was an idea bad as it were, and I had run out of ideas.

  “What would you suggest?” She asked.

  “How would I know? I have enough trying to stay alive. I don’t have time to think for you, too.” I had raised my voice at Terry. I didn’t like doing that and I had used the F word which I promised Sebastian that I would curtail. But it’s hard trying to be something you’re not and Terry can attest to that. She was just trying to get used to a life she hadn’t anticipated or wanted. I couldn’t blame her because the blame lay with me.

  It was because of me that she found herself among the undead. She’s in the middle of living and dying, and until Sebastian takes her over to the other side she is teetering between being human and not being human.

  All this is becoming painfully aware with her and I can’t do anything to help. Hell I can’t help myself. Terry sat crying and I looked over at her. She didn’t know what to do. This was new to her. No one had told her what’s expected of a vampire. Well not a full vampire.