“I tell you what, Terry,” I walked over and touched her on the shoulder, “we can go visit my father and along the way we can stop at a butcher or pet shop and let you choose your dinner.”
“Do you hear yourself? How can I go into a pet shop and choose one of those innocently little creatures?”
“I was just making a suggestion for fuck sake.” There I go again. This whole thing was getting on my nerves too. She looked up at me as if I had given her an idea and thank goodness for small favors.
“There must be some wild animals in the park or at the zoo,” she said smiling, “I would be doing a mercy killing if I stalked one of them. Like that we would both benefit by it. I would get to feed and they would be put out of their misery. Animals shouldn’t be in a cage.”
Her eyes brighten at the thought. She calmed and took a large breath. I guess there’s nothing more comforting than to know that there is food. It is something we have to do every day to survive.
Then I realized; what was so repulsive for me to watch Sebastian feeding on that human, wasn’t so repulsive after all. He was only doing what was natural and that was to eat.
Under those conditions I would have done the same. He must have been very hungry to do such a thing. I forgive him, but now it’s too late to tell him. I will never see him again. But then he has to see Terry and then I will get my chance to tell him how I feel about him.
“After we visit my father, then we’ll go to the zoo,” I said.
“How about we go to the zoo first,” she said.
“Then we’re going to need a car. I have to call for a rental.”
Reaching for the phone on a nearby table I called the front desk and National rental brought over a car. I was informed that it would be waiting for us. When I had taken my shower, ordered new clothes and shoes from the boutique downstairs and ate it was dark and about eight pm.
Terry waited patiently through all of my rituals, and I could see her face turn pale as I walked into the living area.
As we stepped out of the elevator and walked into the lobby to go to the parking area where the rental company parked the car, Terry passed a man in his late twenties standing with a few of his friends.
“Terry?” She stopped. This guy was tall, muscular, and blond, but not like most of Terry’s boyfriends, but somewhat resembling Aare in build and looks. Maybe that’s what attracted her to Aare in the bar, I thought.
“Who is that?” I asked.
“Blake. How are you?” Terry smiled a wide friendly sexy smile.
“You look great,” he said initiating the hug, and he held her tight to him.
“I’m good,” she said pulling away from his embrace. “You’re looking great yourself,” she said her eyes beaming.
“Are you staying here?” She asked Blake.
“Yes, I am. Just checked in.” I stood around away from them because the last thing I wanted was an introduction. However, his friends were eyeing me as if I was a fresh cut steak.
“What do you say if we get together tonight? Say about eleven thirty. Have some drinks and talk over old times. You tell me what you’ve been up to, and I show you some of my trophies,” Blake said.
He smiled at Terry when he said show her his trophies. He did look like a jock. Blake looked pass Terry as if he wanted an introduction. But Terry knew better. The fewer people who knew where I was the better. In fact no one was to know. I thought I was being clever by going to a hotel where there wasn’t a chance to run into anyone.
“It’s a date,” she said. What I didn’t know was that they had a history together. But I would find that out later.
Walking to the car and getting in, I left Terry talking to Blake. They appeared to be very chummy. Finally Terry sauntered over to the car and climbed in.
“What was that about? He looks like a jock. I’ve never known you to date jocks. I thought you only date nerds and sometimes bad boys but not jocks.”
As Terry turned to me, I started the car and drove out the exit and into traffic.
“He is I mean he was a football star. We were in high school together. He was the quarterback in this small suburb of Denver, Colorado. Sharpstown.”
Her dark almond eyes opened wide, and she gave out a small happy moan with a small smile as if remembering her small town life growing up there. “And I was the head cheerleader on our squad,” she said proudly.
As I drove, Terry continued talking. She wasn’t one to hide her feelings like me. “I was in the eleventh grade and crazy about Blake. And I thought he felt the same way about me. We were the most beautiful couple in that school and in that town. It was only right that the quarterback and the head cheerleader should date.”
I watched as Terry’s eyes sparkled as she talked glowingly about Blake and then her voice and tone changed to something dark.
“Blake raped me on our first date. I was still a virgin.” Terry looked away as if it was too painful and I wouldn’t understand. “I was afraid to say anything to my parents. He told me that he wanted me too much and he couldn’t help himself. So I didn’t tell anyone and went out on another date with him, but this time he brought a friend with us to the movies, I don’t remember what we saw that night.” She glanced my way to see the expression on my face. I kept my eyes on the road and held my breath.
“After the movie was over, he took me to a spot in a park where all the high school kids would go to look at the lake and pitch rocks, or make out. I did wonder why he didn’t take his friend home, and after both of them raped me and sodomized me it wasn’t a question anymore.”
I watched at Terry as her face changed to a hard cold pale artificial stone like expression. She looked out as she continue to tell me all the unbelievable things she experienced at Blake’s hand. Maybe that’s why she was immodest and promiscuous when it came to men.
And I thought my life was shit. Mine was nothing compared to hers. I was too young to know that anything was wrong, and happily I soon forgot about my abduction and my parents. I was treated as if I was royalty. Everything was done for me and I guess you could say I was somewhat spoiled.
Everything I ever wanted was provided. I still don’t remember Sebastian’s mother and father, they were like a dream where you can’t quite make out the faces and the experiences you had when you wake up.
Terry’s confessions left me sick and exhausted but she felt better.
When I parked at the zoo, Terry had let go of those memories and her only concern I thought was that of her desire to feed. I sat in the car a mile from the front gate. That gate would have guards and with Terry’s new strength she was able to climb the wall without much trouble.
Sitting strumming my fingers on the dashboard, listening to soft music, and ducking when I saw a car for a half hour, finally she returned to the car. I took a look at her.
Terry was sweating and her sweater was stained with blood. “You will have to change.”
I couldn’t believe I had fallen into this kind of life, but then I had better get used to it if my best friend is to become a vampire, and the love of my life is a vampire. The only thing I knew and held on to is that sooner or later Sebastian would return if not for me, but to make Terry what he had promised.
“You can get some fresh clothes from my house. And please don’t hold a long conversation with my father and tell him something ridiculous like you were out hunting.”
“Why would I say that?”
“Because you are you, remember. You haven’t stopped being Terry just because you are becoming a vampire.”
“I guess you are right,” Terry said, “I do talk too much sometimes.”
“You think?” I said looking at her with a quick closed smile.
Chapter Seven-Zoey
We drove to my father’s home. A place with low property value of mostly working class people and the working poor. As the car turned the corner leading to my home, Terry spotted what I couldn’t see with human eyes. A yellow tape on the door that said Crime Scene.<
br />
“Something is wrong there, Zoey. Let’s not stop.” I heard the sound of her voice. It was calm and matter of fact. No longer did she panic and raise her voice as before, but her words and her tone had a cool clarity to them.
“But I have to, my father must be worried, and you can’t go back to the hotel looking like that.” I stopped the car in front and cut the lights and that’s when I saw the same thing. I bolted from the car barely putting it in park and bounded up the few steps.
Fumbling in my purse, I found the key. I opened the door, flicked a switch for the lights and stood in horror. Someone had made a white mark on the floor which looked like a body.
No tears welled inside of me. No tears escaped my eyes. I had to question if I had seen too much to shed a tear for my father, but then my breathing became uncontrollable and I bent over shook and the tears fell slowly down my cheeks.
I felt a cold hand on my shoulder, “Don’t cry. I know it’s hard. I lost both my mother and father at the same time,” Terry said to me. “It will get better.”
I slumped into the nearest chair. “My room is over there,” I said pointing, and Terry headed in that direction. My eyes followed her to look away and not face the inevitable. I thought of Terry wearing my clothes and I laughed.
She and I weren’t the same size. I was a six and she maybe an eight or nine. But I’m sure she didn’t mind. She’s worn tight tops before just so men would think she had large boobs. And her being almost a vampire didn’t seem to diminish her need for companionship and the attention of young men, on the contrary, her seeking out male attention may have been more noticeable than ever. Because I saw the way she looked at Blake. She felt no disgust for him but more of an erotic desire she needed to quench.
As I looked around the room trying to digest what had happened to my father, I looked to my left and a stranger stood in the doorway. He stood about six feet. Maybe an inch shorter than Sebastian. He was dressed in a dark suit, white shirt and a tie. He looked in the dim light about thirty and very handsome but not as handsome as Sebastian but who was.
I didn’t feel as if he was a threat. But I did feel and immediate attraction to him and I didn’t know why. Maybe I’m attracted to men that give me the impression that they can protect me. That was a stupid reason to be attracted to someone.
It’s those instincts that woman had that caused some to survive when things were difficult, I thought. It was probably my attachment to Sebastian instead of Aare when I was a child that made me cling to Sebastian instead of Aare.
He stepped close with his badge in his hand. “What are you doing here?” he asked me.
“I came to see my father,” I said with a low voice and weak reply. “My friend is in my room and she spilled something on her sweater and she’s changing it. I prayed Terry didn’t come tearing out of the room with her small fangs drawn.
He stood over me, “You’re Zoey Miller. Do you remember me?” His face brightened and his blue eyes softened as if he wanted me to remember his face. It was a nice face but I didn’t know where I had seen it before.
“My name is Ryan,” he said trying to stoke my memory as you would a low fire. I slanted my head to the side and narrowed my eyes. “Detective Ryan Cole. I was the one who brought you home from England. You were a young teenager then and very scared. You were so skinny and I thought you would die before I got you home and to the hospital. I was the one who picked you up from the hospital.”
All those memories came flooding out and I stood. He looked at me and I walked to him and he held me. I fell into his chest and held on to him and the rush of memories of his smell came back to me when he held me when I was afraid. The thoughts of him on the plane when I fell asleep on his shoulder and he let me sleep, and that too was a reminder of Ryan Cole my savior.
He held my hands as we walked from the airport. He was still very young then in his early twenties as I am now. But he had the instincts of someone who cared and wanted to take me home.
“Are you alright?” he said. Before I could look up and tell him, Terry showed up.
“Of course she’s alright. She just need to find out what happened to her father.”
“And who are you?” Ryan didn’t recognize Terry and that was a relief.
“Terry, her friend.”
“What’s your sir name?” Ryan asked.
“Just call me Terry.”
“I need to know more than that?”
“For what reason?”
“There was a crime committed here.”
“Obviously we didn’t do it.”
“Did you say Terry?” Ryan’s eyes moved he was thinking of something, and he walked closer to Terry and she backed away.
“Yes. I said Terry.”
“Are you the Terry Millhouse who disappeared three months ago about the time Zoey went missing?”
“Do I have to answer that?” I could tell Terry was getting upset and I didn’t know what she would do. She could still die because she wasn’t yet a vampire. And I hoped she realized it.
When Ryan stepped back and put his hand on his gun, I sensed that he thought Terry was a threat. I stood between them.
“Terry is that person you referred to and she and I went on a vacation and we just came back from Italy.”
That wasn’t exactly a lie. I watched at him put his hand down, but he glared at Terry.
“You two can’t be here. Didn’t you see that yellow tape? I need you to come to the station and you have to go to the morgue to identify your father’s remains,” he said to me.
“I can’t do it now.” I became hysterical. He grabbed me and Terry stood watching at him with Ryan’s eyes never leaving Terry. He knew something about her or he suspected something but he wasn’t sure about it.
“You don’t need to now, but you will have to sooner or later. And I need to speak to you alone.” I looked to Terry and Terry left and walked to the kitchen as if she would look for something to eat.
When we were standing looking at each other and silence fell between us, Ryan said, “I think you’re in danger. I don’t have proof and no one will believe me, but I think there are beings that are here to harm you.”
I laughed at Ryan. “You can’t be serious. Who would want to hurt me?”
“That strange friend of your for example.” I narrowed my eyes and lost my smile.
“Terry would never bring me harm. You have no reason to suggest something as outrageous as that. I don’t think you have a right to say those things about her.”
“If I’m wrong, I apologize but something strange has happened in this house and something that defies reality happened to you. Starting with your kidnapping when you were a child. You knew something you wouldn’t disclose about the people who did that.”
“I told you then I didn’t remember and I don’t know anything. Why are you badgering me?” I asked him. This time my tears began to flow freely and it wasn’t because I didn’t want to talk to him, it was because he knew too much, and someone was getting too close who could harm me, and I may never see Sebastian again if Samantha succeeds or Aare finds me.
After assuring Ryan that I would go to the station to talk to him and identify my father, he left and Terry stayed inside the kitchen and then came out.
“Where to now?” Terry said.
“Back to the hotel, I’m tired.” She had a wide smile on her face which I would soon learn why.
Chapter Eight-Sebastian
I eased from behind the walls of Aare’s crypt to find he was still sleeping with one of his females. When he woke it was his routine to feed on her before he began his night. That way he would become stronger to do the things he needed to do to cause pain and rebellion in the world.
When he opened his eyes and lifted the lid on the coffin, I caught him by surprise. “Are you happy to see me, brother?” I questioned.
He sat up, and then stepped out leaving his snack still asleep inside the crypt, too weak to function. When he cleared the way I c
ould see her. A very young woman with a head of full long blond hair, lying nude, probably a virgin who’s body bore scars of someone who could have been much older.
There were dark incisions covered with splashes of blood along her neck leading down to her hard breasts. Her legs had what looked like cigarette burns to cauterize the wounds after puncturing her veins.
Inch after inch of her body there lay cuts of different sizes and small drips of blood where Aare had pulled out his fangs after feeding, and inserted into another lesion trying to get as much blood as possible.
As thin and pale as she appeared he had to have been feeding on her for months without changing her. That was my fear for Zoey.
“Why don’t you change her instead of making her suffer like that?” I asked with disgust written on my face. My mouth taking a downward turn because of my loathing for him.
“If I change her, then I don’t have the pleasure of her blood, and as you can readily see, that’s what’s so appealing about her.” He shrugged his shoulders. In his arrogance he said, “Just wait until I get a hold of Zoey.”
I didn’t answer him. I wondered how long it would take for him to ask about me. It didn’t take long. “How did you get loose?” He said his eyes full of disapproval at the idea that I could have gotten free from his guards, since they had me incapacitated by a solid silver hammer he had fashioned, especially for me.
“Do you expect me to tell you?” Then he connected the dots and he flew up and stood in front of me. His eyes full with blood.
“Where is Zoey?”
“Where you can’t get to her.”
“There is nowhere I can’t go or find her. You should know that.”
“I’ve hidden her,” I said. He sniffed around.
“Is she here? No. I would have picked up her scent. Her blood is like no other,” he said his nostrils flaring remembering her smell.
“She’s no longer a virgin. I made sure of that. I wanted to keep her away from you,” I said. His eyes grew red, dark angry red. That was how I could tell he was enraged, and when he would lie about not wanting to hurt Zoey. He gave himself away when his eyes glossed over to a crimson color.
The Soul of a Vampire Book 2 Page 4
