The Truth

by Marcus Brown

  “But, you’re going to be one of them by the end of the year, surely you have to be dead to become a vampire.”

  “You’re right, but only one amongst our kind is permitted to end my life, and that’s Empusa herself.”

  “Double standards if you ask me? You’re all forbidden to do what’s in your nature, but she can do what she likes.”

  “It’s not as simple as that. Long ago, Empusa was cursed to live this life – she didn’t ask for it and knew if we had free reign, the human population would be decimated. If she’s the only one to take life, her curse isn’t passed down to us, her children.”

  *

  Kane was feeling less agitated – the blood of the Gypsy had exacerbated his cravings, but he’d returned to the castle and depleted the blood bank hidden deep inside the subterranean chamber.

  “I’ve been unable to locate the girl so far, master.”

  “That is unacceptable, Carlo. Find her. You have twenty-four hours, or I’ll feed you to the wolves -- alive.”

  Chapter Ten

  It was daylight when Chloé and Kyle finally finished talking.

  He was tired, and hungry, but didn’t feel strong enough to leave whilst the winter sun was shining brightly in the sky.

  “You can sleep in the closet if you want. It’s dark, and Mom will never think to look in there.”

  “I need to feed. It’s unwise for me to be around you when I’ve not fed.”

  “Well, brother, as much as I love you already, my blood is mine to keep.”

  “I’d never feed from you,” he said, disgustedly. It warmed his heart to hear she loved him. He loved her, but he’d never been encouraged to be demonstrative with his feelings and emotions and struggled to tell her.

  “You said you ate raw flesh, right? Animal flesh?”

  “Yes,” he said giggling at the notion he would entertain human flesh.

  “Wait there,” she said, skipping toward the door. “Today’s your lucky day.”

  He could hear Chloé rummaging in the refrigerator in the kitchen, and her footsteps as she rushed back up the stairs.

  “Here,” she said, throwing him something sealed in a vacuum pack.

  “What is it?” He brought it to his nose and smelt it, the aroma of the blood alluring.

  “Fillet of beef. Only the best in this establishment you know. Mom will wonder where it’s gone, but I’ll play dumb.”

  “I cannot eat in front of you.”

  “Well use the bathroom, in there,” she said, pointing to the door on the other side of the room. “And clean up any mess you make.”

  Kyle smiled at her and made his way into the bathroom.

  *

  He tore open the pack, gnawing at the raw flesh, and lapping at the blood, careful not to spill a drop.

  He was sure she would hear him eating and for a second, felt ashamed of what he was, but he needed her to be safe, and this was the only way.

  Chloé knocked on the bathroom door. “Kyle, I’m heading out to meet Beth. Make yourself comfortable. I’ll be back before nightfall.”

  He wiped his mouth and dropped the uneaten flesh, rushing out of the bathroom, but didn’t have time to protest before she bolted out the front door.

  Standing at the window, he watched as she jumped into a waiting car and sped off.

  *

  “Girl, are you messing with me?” Bethany asked, looking shocked.

  “No, I’m telling you the absolute truth – pinky promise.” Chloé held out her little finger.

  “Oh, don’t start with that juvenile crap again.” She waved Chloé’s hand away. “Just tell me everything again, just in case I missed something.”

  “You’re not deaf, or stupid. Repeating myself won’t change anything, you know.”

  “Vampires. I don’t believe it – he’s pulling your leg.”

  “I’m deadly serious. Beth, would I lie to you?”

  “Well, no, I don’t think so, but…”

  “I’ve never lied to you, but before you carry on, there’s more.”

  “More than vampires? Shit, girl. I’ll need something stronger than a milkshake by the end of the night.”

  “The other night when we were supposed to have a sleepover.”

  “I don’t remember no sleepover.” Bethany looked confused.

  “Look, I haven’t got time to go into the what and why’s right now, but he took me away, told me I was on some vamp King’s hit list, and then dropped a killer secret on me.”

  Bethany looked like the tension would kill her. “Don’t keep me hanging. WHAT SECRET?” she shouted.

  “He’s my twin brother,” Chloé said quietly.

  “TWIN BROTHER.” Bethany’s voice rose several octaves.

  “Shush, mouth almighty, I don’t want the whole place knowing I have a long-lost brother.”

  Bethany slumped forward in the chair, knocking her lime milkshake over. It spilled onto Chloé’s leg, the rest running onto the floor. The glass tumbled off the table and shattered into tiny pieces. “Damn,” she said, looking mortified as everybody turned to look at her.

  Chloé was embarrassed, hating being the centre of attention. “Sorry,” she said, as the middle-aged waitress rushed around the counter.

  “All part of the job,” the waitress replied. “Don’t worry about it.”

  Bethany jumped up. “Let me go and get some napkins.”

  “No need, miss. Take this.” A small pudgy-faced man handed her a silk navy-blue polka-dot handkerchief from his top pocket.

  “It’s okay, mister. Thank you anyway.”

  “I insist,” he said.

  “Thank you,” Chloé said, reaching for it. “If you give me your address, I’ll have it dry cleaned and bring it back to you. It looks expensive.”

  “As you wish,” he said, handing her his card.

  “Thank you,” she said, looking down and scanning the details. “Mr Abelli.”

  “Carlo, please, and my pleasure entirely. If you would excuse me ladies, I have an important meeting to attend.” He bowed and scurried away.

  Chapter Eleven

  “I’ve found her.” Carlo was beyond excited.

  “I suspected you would, after all, the alternative wouldn’t have been pleasant.” Kane replied.

  Carlo watched as his master stood up and glided toward him. He still found it unnerving seeing his face after all this time. The eyes, he’d never get used to, not if he lived for a thousand years. They glowed red, like pools of lava, and seemed to burn right through him.

  “The resemblance between them is striking if you’d allow me to say.”

  “Hmm. I wonder what other similarities they share?” Kane looked down, seemingly appraising him, noticing the pocket square missing from Carlo’s jacket. “Your attire seems to be… unfinished.”

  Panicking at his less than perfect presentation, he quickly offered. “The girl spilled a beverage down herself. I offered her the handkerchief as a means of opening the conversation. She wishes to return it to me, and I thought that would be the ideal time to grab her.”

  “Sometimes, you pleasantly surprise me, now let’s see if your plan comes to fruition.”

  “I’m sure it will, master.”

  “Did you find out her name? Does the girl have a new identity?”

  “I believe her name is still Chloé.”

  “Call me, as soon as you hear from the girl.”

  Carlo knew he’d been dismissed as Kane disappeared in the blink of an eye.

  He pulled the phone from his pocket, tapping the screen, waiting for the call. He was excited – if he managed to snare the girl, it would surely be enough to win back Kane’s favour.

  *

  Chloé put her key in the lock and pushed the front door, but it wouldn’t budge.

  “Dammit, Mom,” she said out loud.

  “Is that you, Chloé?” Lara called from behind the door.

  “Yeah, who’d you think it is, Kim Kardashian?”

 
Chloé could hear the lock click.

  Lara pulled the door open. “No, I thought it might be Kanye West -- where’ve you been? I’ve been calling your cell for an hour -- going out of my mind.”

  “I was out with Beth. We went for a milkshake and she spilled it down my leg so I used this guy’s silk hanky, but promised I’d have it dry-cleaned. I took it to that one hour place just off Washington Avenue, then dropped it back to him. No biggie, Mom, I wasn’t on my own.”

  “There’s a lunatic on the prowl and it’s no biggie. Well, little miss smart mouth, you’re grounded until further notice.”

  “I’m seventeen,” she protested. “You can’t ground me. I’ve done nothing wrong.”

  “Until you can act more responsibly, you’re not going out that door, got it.”

  “Come on, Mom, you’re way over-reacting here. So, I didn’t answer my cell, but I’m home, safe and sound. Give me a break, please.”

  “End of discussion, Chloé.” Lara stomped off into the kitchen, slamming the door behind her. “Veggie Lasagne for dinner. Thirty minutes,” she yelled from behind the door.

  Chloé stormed up the stairs, shoving her bedroom door open, then taking great pleasure in kicking it closed. She flung herself onto the bed, her face pushed into the pillow, letting out a frustrated scream.

  “Don’t be too hard on her, it’s only because she’s lost one child, she never wants to lose another.” Kyle pushed the closet door open and stepped out.

  “Jeez, I forgot you were in there.”

  “I couldn’t leave until you were back.”

  “Not you too. Look, I’m sorry, but I just want some time on my own. Can you go and play in the clouds for a little while?” It wasn’t a request. “It’s all so much to take in and I just need some breathing space.”

  “Okay, whatever you want,” he agreed.

  He walked toward the balcony doors as she jumped off the bed, slightly worried.

  “You will come back, won’t you?”

  “Of course.” He grabbed her hand, obviously trying to reassure her. Stepping outside, it was only seconds before he opened his arms and the wind carried him away.

  Chapter Twelve

  Eduardo watched from across the street, hidden in the shadows. He watched his son open the doors and felt mixed emotions, a part of him impressed with how at ease he seemed with the gift, but another part of him feeling deep sorrow for what his son had become.

  What were the odds of father and son both turned into creatures of the night?

  Lara was still as beautiful as the day they married all those years ago. That rare feeling of happiness as he watched them interact was blissful and even though it was heated conversation, he was pleased to see their daughter was as feisty as her mother. He always liked the fact his wife stood her ground, and it seemed the apple hadn’t fallen that far from the tree.

  He smiled, remembering those precious years watching her, as she grew up, the most magical years of his life, before he had to leave them.

  Lost in the past, he didn’t notice the boy approach from behind.

  “Who are you?” the voice asked.

  Eduardo spun around, crouched and ready to attack. He stopped himself, suppressing the urge to attack as his son stood above him.

  “Cody,” he whispered.

  “How do you know that name?” Kyle asked.

  “I gave you that name.”

  “Impossible,” Kyle replied. “The man who gave me that name died a long time ago.”

  “And the son I loved so much was taken from us long ago – I believed him to be dead also.”

  “Who are you?” Kyle asked.

  “My name is Eduardo Beck, and I am your father.”

  Kyle staggered backwards, what little colour he had in his face, draining by the second.

  “You cannot be him. I visited his grave – he was killed five years ago.”

  “By a Nightwalker,” Eduardo replied.

  “No, this cannot be.” Kyle shook his head. “My children,” he remembered. “The words I heard the other day – it was you, wasn’t it?”

  “Forgive me, you were never meant to hear me or be aware of my existence.”

  “Why are you here?” Kyle demanded. “I won’t allow you to harm my sister.”

  “I stayed close, after my death, it was the only way I could survive without them. If I could see them still, know they were safe, I’d be able to let them live out their lives.”

  “But you’re here. Outside their home. Why?”

  “I think you’re all in danger. Selena Buckland knows about you. She told me you were here, but I had to see for myself. Surely you don’t blame me for wanting to see you after all this time?” He stood and approached his son. “We didn’t know what happened to you, your disappearance nearly destroyed us. It was only Chloé that kept us from falling apart. She kept us alive.”

  Eduardo could see the resemblance between the two of them. He knew his son could see it too.

  “And now?”

  “I will do everything I can to protect my family, that includes you.”

  “I don’t need your protection,” Kyle said, rudely.

  “You’re still a Daywalker, Cody. You’re not invulnerable, and whatever is coming will be stronger than you are.”

  “I can fight my own battles, and don’t need you.”

  “Be that as it may, son, but I believe Selena. Something is coming.”

  “Not something, someone.”

  “You know who it is?”

  “Kane. He’s coming for me.”

  “Who?”

  “Where were you for the last five years? Everybody knows who Kane is.”

  “Anything I know about our world, I discovered for myself. After my transformation, I hid away. I don’t even know who my maker is.”

  “You were turned against your will?”

  “Yes,” Eduardo replied.

  “That is forbidden and is the most sacred of our laws.” Eduardo didn’t know much about the night world and its laws, but he could see from the outraged look on Kyle’s face that there would be implications if what he was being told was indeed true.

  “Only Empusa can turn a human into a Nightwalker -- the price for disobeying her is death.”

  “Who is Empusa?” Eduardo wondered.

  “She is the mother of us all. Our world began with her – you really need to brush up on the history of your own kind.”

  “I tried to stay as human as I could – it hasn’t been easy, but…”

  “It was you.” Kyle stepped away. “You killed that girl and started all of this. Your actions will bring him here.”

  “I didn’t do anything,” he lied.

  “I know you lie, I can read your thoughts.”

  Eduardo felt ashamed, standing in front of his son, being condemned for his actions. The girl’s death had been playing heavily on his conscience. “I’m sorry, I couldn’t control myself.”

  “You must try and control your thoughts, if nothing else – nobody else can know what you’ve done. It’s forbidden to take a human life -- you’ll burn if they find out.”

  “Do I detect a hint of concern?”

  “You detect nothing. You may have been responsible for my birth, but that’s where my respect for you ends…”

  Eduardo grabbed Kyle, pulling him out of sight as a limousine pulled up outside the Beck residence.

  “Don’t touch me,” Kyle said, shrugging Eduardo’s hand away.

  “Quiet. Look.” He pointed and watched as the little man climbed out of the car and walked toward the front door.

  “It’s Carlo, he’s tracked me down – if he’s here, then Kane won’t be far behind.”

  “You know this man personally?” Eduardo asked.

  “Yes, and it’s not good that he is here.”

  Eduardo had a strong sense of what Kyle intended to do and reached out to try and stop him.

  It was too late. The wind picked up and Kyle took flight.


  *

  Carlo was already halfway up the path as the wind pushed him forward, knocking him off balance

  “What are you doing here, Carlo?” Kyle hovered in front of him, watching as he struggled to his feet.

  “Ah, so you are here, Kyle. Our master will be most pleased to see you.”

  “I’ll ask you again, what are you doing here?”

  “I do not answer to you, child.”

  Another gust of wind announced his presence. “But you will answer to me.” Eduardo appeared next to his son.

  “I answer to one person only.” Carlo looked angry.

  Kyle did nothing as Eduardo flew forward and lifted Carlo off his feet, carrying him fifty feet into the air. “You will tell me what I want to know, or I’ll drop you from here, dwarf. I doubt you’d survive such a fall.”

  “Such foolishness. If anything were to happen to me, it would only help to seal your fate.”

  *

  Chloé stabbed at the Veggie Lasagne in front of her – the fork scratching the plate. She had an uneasy feeling and couldn’t settle her stomach. There was no way she’d be able to keep anything down, even if she was hungry.

  “Are you going to eat that, or push it around your plate?” her mother asked, obviously irritated by her daughter’s attitude. “I could have sworn I’d bought beef from the market the other day, but I must have forgotten, so I had to improvise a bit.”

  “I’m not hungry anyway.”

  “You’re not leaving this table until that plate is cleared. I’m fed up of your attitude – it’s about time you realised I’m the adult in this house, and I set the rules, not you.”

  “Where’s all this come from?” Chloe objected. “You’ve never kept me on a leash before.”

  “I’ve lost too much already, Chloé, and I won’t lose you too.”

  “You’re not gonna lose me, Mom. Look, I know that girl’s murder has scared you. It scares me too, but I’m not gonna do anything to put myself in any…”

  Chloé stopped herself. The word danger flashed through her mind.

  Take Lara, and hide. Now. She knew it was a warning from Kyle.