Back in my apartment I felt lonelier than I ever had before. How could it be otherwise? I didn’t have anybody anymore. The rest of my family was beyond my reach, my best friend had been turned into a vampire, and I had just lost Michael. It had been my decision to leave him, but it had been the right decision. I now knew that I had never actually had him.
I spent the entire Friday I bed: crying, eating, and watching TV. I didn’t brush my teeth, I didn’t shower, and I didn’t bother to even wash my face. But no matter how many bars of chocolate I ate, they couldn’t fill the hole in my heart. I missed Michael and felt as if a piece of my heart had been taken away.
I forced myself to get up the next morning, took a shower and got dressed. I needed a few things, like food, toiletries and such. It was Saturday, which meant I would have to work again, but I had several hours to kill before my shift started, since the manager had asked me to start later than usually. I took a bus to the city center, bought a few necessities, and visited Katja in the hospital. She was tired and weak. Although she was happy about my visit, she soon asked me to leave her alone again. She was asleep before I had left her room. I softly closed the door behind me and headed back in the direction of the city center. A short distance from the square with the baroque well called the Pferdeschwemme, a spot where they used to water horses, two policemen were doing a traffic check. Austria is a very safe country. Few people here are afraid they could be robbed in bright daylight, and that apparently applied to these police officers, too. They were standing several yards away from their unlocked car, while the key was in the ignition. I pictured their faces if I got in the car now and drove away.
I rounded the corner and reached the square that framed the famous well on three sides. I saw five men who were beating up a single victim. None of the passers-by reacted to the unfair fight in any way, but they automatically gave it a wide berth. I immediately knew that magic had to be involved. I acted like an ordinary pedestrian and approached the scene inconspicuously. Now I could see who the victim was: The heart-shaped mouth, the broad, muscular shoulders, the blond hair – it was Michael. I quickly put some distance between myself and the magically shielded area around them, and then I called Stefan’s number.
“Melanie, I’m really busy right now, is it important?” he asked, sounding hounded.
“Shut up and listen to me! I’m in the square by the Pferdeschwemme. Five men are beating up Michael, and it doesn’t look good. I’m too weak to interfere; I can do nothing to stop them.”
“We’re coming! Don’t hang up, so you can keep us updated what’s happening.”
I didn’t even try to be stealthy about it when I returned to where they were still at it. Supernatural creatures were arrogant when it came to their magic. They wouldn’t pay me any mind. I squatted on the ground a little to the side, watching the fight and telling Stefan what was happening. I could hardly bear seeing Michael like that, outnumbered and beaten. Still, I had no choice but to wait for Stefan’s arrival. It would be no use getting caught by them, too, and then Stefan wouldn’t be able to find either of us due to their spells.
Michael was barely moving. One of his tormentors injected the contents of a syringe into his arm and said: “That should be enough. Get him into the car. We have to go.”
What could I do? Stefan and the others would never make it here in time. I remembered the squad car. Oh heck! I would spend the rest of my days in prison. “Hurry up; they’re about to take him away and disappear,” I whispered into the phone, before running for the police car, slipping into the driver’s seat, and starting the engine. A few of the men were standing to one side of the still-prostrate Michael. His attackers ignored the approaching car; they were certain that it would pass them by and did not see it as a threat. I jerked the wheel around when I had almost reached them, running over two of them and swiping the others. Frantic, I jumped from the car, grabbed Michael’s arm, and tried to half drag, half haul him into the car. He was in really bad shape and did not recognize me, even though his eyes were fixed on me. A hand grabbed me by the shoulder and pulled me backwards. It hurt. “How is Alexei?” I heard the man who had grabbed me ask. One of the others was kneeling next to the squad car and replied: “Not well; I’m afraid he won’t make it. Let the woman live. Xavier will want to deal with the murderess of his son himself.”
Murderess? Son? When I hat hit the men, I was convinced that they would survive such a crash easily. Distraught, I waved my hand at the injured man on the ground and then threw up my arm in a gesture that dismissed their claim. “Come on, guys, he’s a supernatural creature. He’ll be on his feet again in no time.”
“He’s only half an elf.” I was surprised that they answered me at all. The hand that had held me let go with a push, and I stumbled to the ground next to the injured half human. I would never have killed anyone on purpose. I hoped he would get well again. I wanted it so badly. His face was smeared in blood and he had a number of visible injuries, the worst of which seemed to be a shoulder wound that was bubbling blood. His subclavian artery must have been torn.
“Yeah, cry for your sorry life, girl. Xavier won’t spare you. You should be afraid,” one of the men sneered. He had utterly misinterpreted my reaction and thought I was scared for my own hide.
“I’m not a killer!” Everyone could hear how desperately I wished that I was right. A small, subconscious part of me realized what I had to do. I briefly closed my eyes and let my instincts assume control. I knelt by the elf’s side, held my hand over his bleeding shoulder, and felt my palms heat up. A golden yellow light spread from them and enveloped the elf’s wound. It was like an extension of my consciousness, an upgrade to my perception. Like a disembodied creature, I examined him until I found the source of his blood loss. My energy flooded his cells like the pure life force, triggering their growth. His cells divided in record time, until the tear in his artery was mended again and the bleeding stopped. I searched his body for further injuries, wanting to make up for my violent attack. Michael’s voice was a weak croak that spoke of pain and suffering, but it brought me back to reality: “Melanie, stop! Your nose is bleeding. You’ll kill yourself, and he isn’t worth it!”
“Shut up, you dog!” and angry voice ordered. Then I could hear a hollow thwack, and Michael was silent. I couldn’t react anymore, for I was already gripped by the familiar pain, the pressure on my chest, and the imminent shortness of breath that would make me faint. I knew it would happen any moment, so I clenched my teeth and used the last of my strength to break the spell that concealed us from our surroundings.
I woke up in a bed and was scared to open my eyes.
“Melanie should wake up soon. I’m not so sure about Michael though. He was beaten badly. We should fuel him with energy, but slowly and cautiously. Healing him will take days or even weeks. We can’t afford to make a mistake. With the high dose of Pericon they administered, he could easily die.” The sound of Stefan’s familiar voice told me where I was. I was in Michael’s home, in one of his guest rooms. I opened my eyes with a jolt, only to meet the concerned and affectionate gaze of Michael’s son. “You saved him, Melanie. Thank you.”
I still felt tired and exhausted. Michael had hurt me, but I loved him. I didn’t want him to suffer or die. After Stefan and the others had left my room again, I snuck into Michael’s bedroom to check on him. I could no longer call it our bedroom. He lay there motionless and pale. Dried blood was stuck to his bruised lips and cheeks. I lay next to him and let my energy flow, let it flow as strongly as I could. He didn’t react, but I didn’t give up. It took a while, but at some point he put his arms around me and began drawing on my energy, his eyes still closed. Relieved, I nestled more closely against him. I was glad that he took what he needed. I fell asleep before he was done.
23 FRIEND OR FOE
Someone was shaking me by the shoulders. Still half asleep, I heard Michael’s voice: “Please wake up!” followed by a loud, angry scream: “Stefan!”
�
��Father! You are awake. You look fully healed; how is that possible?”
“How could you let this happen? How could you allow her to lay with me? You knew that in my condition I wouldn’t be in control.”
“Melanie? What is she doing here?” Stefan asked. He hadn’t noticed me before.
“How would I know? I swear, if she …” Michael broke off mid sentence, because that was when I opened my eyes, sleepy and confused. “Michael, what happened?”
He breathed a sigh of relief. “It’s okay, sleep some more. Or maybe …?” He put his arms around me and I felt his beloved lips on mine. Still sleepy, I melted into his fiery kiss. It felt incredibly good and I wanted it never to end. But when my sleepiness was lifted, I remembered my decision to leave him. Frantic, I tried to pull away from him, but it was futile, he wouldn’t let me go. I had to stop this immediately, before his caresses would break my resolve and I would be doomed. Sleeping with him again would only hurt me worse. I started to cry with despair and hit him as hard as I could. Baffled by my sudden outburst, he loosened his grip on me. I jumped from the bed and tumbled to the floor next to it. When he rose to help me, I shrank away from him and stared up at him, desperation in my eyes. He froze abruptly and his body language went blank. “You’re scared of me now? You’re not serious!”
“No. I can’t do this. I love you. It only makes it harder for me. We’re no longer together.”
He knelt by my side, put his hand on my cheek, and whispered affectionately: “Why are you doing this? You’re only torturing yourself. I still want to be with you.”
He didn’t love me; he loved another. There was no future in it for us. I felt exhausted when I got up, but I stumbled towards the door, shaking my head at the mess that was my life now. Stefan had watched us, and now he put a protective arm around me. “You need more rest, Melanie,” he urged and led me to the guest room.
He had grasped how I was feeling. When I lay on the bed, I remembered that I had stolen a police car. Worried, I asked Stefan about it, but he assured me that they had taken care of everything and that the police wasn’t looking for me. I still had almost four hours till my shift would start, so I set an alarm and fell asleep again. I was showered and dressed even before it buzzed. On the way out I could hear Michael talk somewhere in the house. Before I left through the front door, I paused and said into the empty front hall: “I’m going to borrow a car next week and come get my things.”
At the cinema I was happy to take care of any job that kept me from thinking about anything for a few precious minutes of respite. When my shift was almost over and I was just about to cut open a big cardboard box of candy bars, Andreas walked in with two of his pals. I had never been so happy to see him. I put the scissors in my back pocket and ran towards him. Halfway there I saw that his companions were vampires and stopped with a jerk. But it was already too late; Andreas had spied me and came over to meet me. “Hey there, why did you disappear without saying anything on Thursday? Astrid was furious.”
I shrugged and looked back and forth between the two vampires. “Who are your friends?” I inquired, curious to hear where he’d picked them up.
“Come on, you know Franz,” he replied, baffled. I immediately realized what was up. Two vampires had taken on the form of two of his university buddies. Whatever it was they wanted from him, it couldn’t be a good thing. I made a quick decision. I had no experience seducing human men, but they were still men. I greeted his pals with a casual “Hi, guys,” threw my arms around Andreas’ neck, and pulled him closer. He gave me a suspicious look. “Melanie, what are you doing?”
I replied with a seductive smile and bit my lower lip, before saying huskily: “You’ll see.” Instinctively I ramped up my energy, which was probably lost on a human like him. Then I put my lips on his and opened them with my tongue. Andreas needed no further invitation. He pulled me against him and took control. So it was true, practice actually made perfect: He was a great kisser. I wrapped it up by tugging at his lower lip with mine, ran my fingers down his cheek, and threw his companions a quick, mischievous glance: “Guys, will you excuse us for a minute or two?”
One of them uttered a dirty laugh, the other chuckled. Andreas hesitated, skeptical, but he wouldn’t be Andreas if he could have helped responding. I took his hand, luring him along to the popcorn closet with a smile that promised everything. His expression was expectant, aroused, but also suspicious and cautious. When we stood before the door, he pulled me in a different direction. “Come, I have a better idea,” he said, steering me through another door, the one which led to the stairs that went down to the parking garage. In the stairwell he pushed me against the wall, his lips sought my mouth, and his hands slipped underneath my blouse. I grabbed his wrists, pushed them away from me, and took a step to the side. I had confirmed his suspicion, for now he gave me a look that said ‘I knew it’ and asked: “What, are we doing it now or not?”
I rolled my eyes in an exaggerated fashion. “Of course we are, but we need a condom,” I said and put a finger to my lips to make him shut up. Then I waved for him to follow me. Unsure of where this was going, he paused. Caution and curiosity were wrestling in his mind. He ended up following me. When we stepped into the first basement level, I was sure that we were sufficiently far away from the vampires. They shouldn’t be able to hear us anymore. Upstairs it was noisy after all, with people chatting and music from the different bars and restaurants. “Andreas, I know this will sound crazy, but the two men you think are your friends are really not who they seem to be. They are …” I broke off, nervously shifting my weight. How could I make him believe me?
“Come on, spill it!” he demanded, suddenly impatient.
“They’re vampires and they changed their outward appearance by magic.” I gave a helpless shrug and waited for his reaction. He would laugh at me, run away, or have me institutionalized. But no, he seemed to ponder that for a moment, before grabbing my arm with an alarmed expression. “How do you know?”
“We don’t have the time for explanations; you have to disappear. I’m going to tell them some made-up bullshit and send them in the wrong direction. Where is your car?”
He pointed to the left. Why didn’t he start running? I gesticulated wildly to get him going, but he pulled at my arm. “You’re coming with me. If they find out that you helped me get away, they will kill you.” He started to drag me with him towards his car, but then his knees buckled abruptly and he fell to the concrete floor. Something had hit him in the neck. He pulled the tranquilizer arrow from his flesh, when two more of the tiny things hit him in the back. Groaning, he tried to get up, but the fist of a vampire brought him low again. Another jammed a syringe into his thigh only a moment later. He cried out and fought the need to close his eyes. One of the bloodsuckers from upstairs kicked him in the stomach with a menacing laugh. “Gotcha!”
I knew that I could not fight these creatures, so I just stood there and watched them beat up Andreas. One of the two – he was tall and heavy and disgusting – put his arm around my shoulders from behind. He inhaled and dragged his nose up my neck. “Mmh, you didn’t have to bring an extra snack for us, but thanks anyway.” His taunting words were obviously meant for Andreas.
The other vampire gave him a disapproving look. “We don’t have the time for nonsense like that. Break her neck and let’s go.”
“Are you crazy? She smells fantastic!”
The other vampire came rushing at me. Anything was better than a broken neck. I whipped out the scissors from my back pocket. He caught my hand with a dismissive laugh. “What do you want with that, tickle me?” But that had not been my plan. Instead I had cut my own flesh with the scissors. The blood was already dripping on the concrete from the wound at my wrist. The second vampire inhaled, puzzled at first: “What is that? This smell …” He put his mouth on my wound, going: “Mmmh” and biting into my wrist. I had expected it and held still so they wouldn’t gag me. The heavy jerk chuckled into my ear and brushed my hair a
side. “There’s a good girl; keep quiet now and maybe we’ll let you live.” Then he bit into my neck, choosing the same spot Daniel had sucked on all those weeks ago. I flinched but didn’t utter a sound. As soon as I had gotten used to the pain, I forbade them to drink my blood, which only had them grinning disdainfully. But the next moment, they had abruptly let go of me and were writhing on the floor whining and retching.
Peris Night: Terakon (Secret Language) Page 34
