Turning Point

by K M Smith

  Eliza stopped just before bumping into him and let out a chirp of surprise. “Make up your bloody mind, man!” she huffed and strutted over to the metal chair. Lowering herself onto the cold seat, she slowly crossed one leg over the other and looked haughtily at Adam. “What’s it going to be?”

  Adam stayed by the door. He couldn’t help letting his eyes wander over Eliza’s enticing silhouette as she leaned back in the chair. He cleared his throat when he realized his eyes had lingered too long and he hadn’t spoken yet. Feeling compelled to do so, Adam moved toward her, his physical interest in her growing with each step, even as she sat there apparently unaware of what was happening. He knew full well that to attempt to touch Eliza would tip the already precarious situation with Drew into an unmanageable one, and one that would not favor him.

  As Adam approached, Eliza shook her hair. To Adam it was a slow-motion movement; her hair flowed delicately over her shoulders and softly framed her face, intensifying the fiery blue of her eyes and the fullness of her vibrant red lips. His mind flashed to images of Eliza moaning, her legs and arms wrapped around him, holding onto him as fiercely as he held onto her, crushing his body into hers, a tangled mess of limbs and hair and—

  “Hey lover boy, snap out of it.” Eliza ordered and tucked one foot under her as she waited for Adam to come around.

  He cleared his throat again, realizing he had stopped a couple paces before reaching the chair and had just stood there looking foolish and acting like a high school boy who was unable to control his nascent and burgeoning hormonal desires. To force himself back to the present, he rubbed his hands down his pant-legs, smoothing them out. “Yes, right. Back to business.” Putting space between himself and Eliza, he asked, “How do you do that? I’m genuinely curious.” In the middle of the room and several feet away from her, he stopped and wrapped his arms around his body. He pinched his triceps to keep himself in the moment. “I’ve never lost control of my mind, or my body, in that way before. I’m rather particular about how I behave, seductively speaking. But, just now, I had no control.” He paused and rubbed his chin. “That was you. Wasn’t it?”

  Eliza sat forward, her bosom leading the way, and tipped her head up toward Adam, “If I told you all my secrets, they wouldn’t be secrets.”

  “Clever, clever girl. That’s how you do it. That’s how you’ve been able to get Drew to do your bidding.”

  Eliza shrugged.

  Adam clapped his hands together and let out a bark, “I love it! Yes. This is going to be great! Ha!”

  A look of confusion crossed Eliza’s face.

  “Don’t you see?” Adam rushed over and knelt in front of her. “Surely, you’ve utilized this skill before?”

  Demure, she looked away.

  “You have. And you will use it to our advantage in Albion. Tonight.”

  “I aim to please,” she finally replied, with a smirk.

  “Great. Now, get out.”

  In a blink, Eliza was gone, and Adam was back on the floor ready to respond to the pull of the sun.

  CHAPTER FIFTY

  Leo

  The sun dropped below the horizon at 6:35 p.m. Within seconds, Leo and Jake were out the door and headed toward the Hudson River. Ever the pragmatists, they headed straight to Battery Park. Even this early in the evening they were sure to find those who wouldn’t be missed. There would be a few commuters and joggers out, but most people would be where they wanted to be for dinner or on their way there. The casual tourist had no business being in Battery Park after dark.

  Wasting no time with their usual pre-feed cat and mouse dance, they zeroed in on two junkies looking to score. The kill, and only the kill, drove their actions. The night ahead would be long and possibly dangerous; they’d need a full feeding to power them through. That meant draining their victims completely. No questions, no sympathies, only blood. Any less and they may fall prey to someone else’s will.

  Since businessfolk were still milling about, efficiency and stealth were of the highest priority. Practiced and expert at their jobs, this expedition should give them no trouble as long as each partner played their role. As lookout, Leo hung back several yards while Jake approached the two street dwellers on their bench. He flashed what appeared to be a bag of heroin in their direction and gave them the follow-me-for-your-fix face. They followed Jake, the pull the drugs had on them as difficult to ignore as the pull of the sun for any vampire. I feel ya, Leo thought as he waited for the signal from Jake. It would be his turn to join in the kill soon enough.

  Jake led them behind a large statue near the water. Not exactly private, but close enough for their purposes. He threw a quick glance toward Leo as they walked—the humans would’ve missed it—and spoke to him telepathically. ‘Cover me?’

  Leo nodded and kept a lookout with his vampire eyes and ears. Tonight’s feast needed to go smoothly. No time for charming police officers or wayward tourists. The cops usually hung around Battery Park after the sun set, but so far, Leo didn’t see any uniforms. The occasional street performer, sure, but coppers, no. Pretending to be awed by the 9-11 Sphere, Leo kept tabs on the humans in the park, paying close attention to Jake and the junkies. If officers got in the way, Leo would charm them, but that would trigger a long messy trail that nobody had time to deal with. Plus, he didn’t like dealing with law enforcement–in any decade. If he kept the NYPD away the rest would fall into place.

  The junkies followed Jake eagerly and paid no attention to Leo in the distance. That suited him just fine. He enjoyed catching his victims off guard and going in for the kill. None of this mind-games mumbo jumbo. He relished the look on their faces as they realized their fate. If only he could keep a scrapbook with all their shocked expressions.

  Before being turned, Leo was feared and respected in the Organization, and Chicago in the 1920s would’ve looked very different without his presence. But he kept to himself, so most people never knew he carried out the most gruesome killings of their time. Most people only met Leo once because once you met Leo, your time was up.

  Part of him felt bad for the junkies chasing their next fix. Life didn’t always work out the best for everyone. But at the end of the day, Leo needed blood, and even filled with smack their blood would satiate him and extend his life.

  Jake kept his bag of goodies in view, but just out of reach, as the addicts came closer, their arms outstretched like the zombies they were. Leo crept closer, ready to jump when Jake gave the signal.

  Without fanfare, Jake pounced on one of the now very sorry delinquents. This prompted Leo to jump in, and the two vampires feasted in unison. They tore at their victims with fierceness and speed that would rival the most macabre horror scene, but they had work to do, so efficiency was key.

  They fed on their victims until the very last heartbeat. As he was finishing his feast, Leo recalled having to convince Jake that overfeeding was a myth. Having read too much vampire fiction before being turned, he was convinced pulling blood from his victims after their hearts stopped beating and their circulatory systems failed would kill him. It was gross, like eating a strawberry that had withered and died in your mouth, but it wasn’t fatal.

  Once they finished, they threw the corpses into the Hudson River for the current to take them out under the Verrazano and into the ocean. If nature didn’t help them, Eliza would pick up the pieces. Tonight was important to all of them—including Drew. Even though he didn’t show it. At all.

  “You ready?” Leo asked Jake as the bodies bobbed and drifted away in the dull, frigid water below.

  Jake nodded then looked at Leo. “What if she’s gone?”

  “We’ll deal with that if we have to. Right now, we gotta get to the airport.”

  They took off at vampire speed in the direction of the Lincoln Tunnel, easily outpacing any vehicular mode of transport. A guy with a plane waited for them at Teterboro Airport. Eliza had a guy for everything, and she easily convinced this one to take her friends to the Mitten State for little more
than a thank you.

  Technically, they could’ve run all the way to Albion, but after a while, their speed and energy would’ve petered out making driving faster, but still slower than flying. The airport was only about fifteen miles from Battery Park, and they could run that distance in a matter of minutes without using too much energy. Leo wasn’t keen on air travel, but Alice might be in trouble. Flying was worth the risk to reach her in time.

  At the airport, Leo and Jake found the hangar and boarded the plane without issue. Their guy was ready to go and asked zero questions. And who could blame him, really.

  Once in the air, Leo relaxed a bit, but Jake was still on edge. “Why does it feel like we’re going to war?”

  “As if a pretty boy like you would know what going to war feels like,” Leo said, ribbing his friend to ease his nerves.

  “Fuck you, Leo.”

  That didn’t work. He looked out the window, purposely avoiding eye contact, and said, “Lighten up, Romeo. I’m on your side. Let’s just see what happens when we get there.”

  Jake shifted in his seat and groaned, “I thought private planes were supposed to be comfortable.”

  “I’m feelin’ pretty good right about now.” Leo looked at Jake and waggled the bottle of beer in his hand.

  Jake sighed and looked out the window, Leo’s attempts at humor and goodwill falling on deaf ears.

  They sat in silence watching the clouds below and contemplating their situation.

  “But what the hell happened to her? How did she just disappear? Have you ever heard of anything like this happening?”

  Leo kept watch on the clouds and finally replied, “I have.”

  “I mean, basic laws of space and time – wait. What?” Jake twisted in his seat and reached across the aisle to grab Leo by the arm. “What do you mean you have? Why didn’t you say anything before? Jesus, Leo. If you know what we’re getting into, you’ve gotta tell me!”

  “Cool your jets, man. What I meant was, strange things sometimes happen to vampires, but nothing exactly like this.” Leo swigged the last sip of his beer and let the bottle dangle and twist in his hand.

  “Alice isn’t a vampire,” Jake said.

  “Hmmm,” was all Leo said.

  “What do you know that I don’t? Is that why you can talk with her telepathically?”

  “Just a theory I have.”

  “Care to share it?”

  “I think Adam’s her second daddy.”

  “I think he thinks he’s got some hold over her, but I don’t see how that’s possible. Hasn’t he been undead for like five-hundred years?”

  Leo nodded and got up to grab another beer. “Yup.”

  “So…?”

  Leo heard the lingering question mark but took his time getting his beer. He wasn’t aware of anything like this happening and had zero evidence to base his theory on, but he couldn’t shake the feeling in his gut. His gut didn’t lie. He returned from the plane’s pantry with two fresh cold ones, twisted the tops off and handed one to his partner before sitting down. “So, I think Adam somehow got mixed up in things before Alice was born.”

  “You think he had sex with Alice’s mom without her knowing and she somehow conceived Alice? I didn’t think we could reproduce, being undead and all.”

  “Like I said, strange things,” Leo shifted in his seat. These fancy airplane seats are not comfortable.

  “I’m not buying it. Alice didn’t have any idea about Adam before now.”

  “You have your theories, I have mine,” Leo said, his voice suggesting that Jake, in fact, did not actually have any theories.

  “No. You’re wrong. I know we can’t reproduce. I can feel it. Can’t you feel it?”

  “I haven’t felt anything like that in a long time, pal.”

  Jake snickered at Leo’s admission. “Yeah, I didn’t realize being undead would be so… celibate. In the movies, the vampires are always suave and getting all the action they could ever want.”

  “Yup,” Leo took another swig. “Now look at us. On a plane, not a single piece of tail in sight.”

  “That’s just poor planning on our part, man.”

  “You’re telling me.”

  The conversation stalled, and Jake went back to watching the world drift by below.

  “I think we should be prepared for her to be different,” Leo said. He’d been thinking about it for a while, but he hadn’t been sure how to articulate his thoughts, so he just came out and said what he was thinking.

  “I know. You’re right. But different, how?”

  “Different like she might not find you so cute now.”

  Jake’s shoulders sagged at that news. He looked hard at Leo, tipped up his bottle and turned his head to resume looking out the window. A few minutes later, the plane touched down in Marshall, just minutes outside Albion.

  ◆◆◆

  “Why didn’t we do this the first time we visited this dump?” Leo asked from the passenger seat of their rental car.

  “Because it was supposed to be a routine trip and not cost an arm and a leg, not to mention all the charming Eliza has had to do this time around,” Jake said, his hands on the wheel and his eyes straight ahead. “So, what’s our game plan?”

  “Go to Alice’s mom’s house. Snatch Alice. Come home.”

  “Okay, so what’s Plan B?”

  “Fuck if I know.” Leo rapped his knuckles on the window.

  “Leo, man, what if—” Jake stopped himself and looked over at Leo. Looking straight ahead, Leo nodded but didn’t say anything. Jake tightened his grip on the steering wheel and continued driving, shaking his head.

  Leo watched his friend out of the corner of his eye. Jake was taking this whole situation the hardest. He’d never seen Jake like this before. Rational and purposeful in his actions, Jake never went against Drew. Ever. He’d been the diplomat to Leo’s brute. Always the one to fix a hairy situation, Jake might get them into some difficult business if Leo didn’t nip this in the bud.

  “Let’s not get too caught up in Plan B, all right? We don’t know nuthin’ other than Alice is alive and still feisty as ever.” Leo glanced over and noticed the corner of Jake’s mouth curled up slightly and his eye crinkled at the corner. Leo released the breath he’d been holding and continued. “We’ll just go to ’er mom’s house, and we’ll politely ask ’er to come with us. And she will. So, then we’ll take her home. Bam. Bob’s yer uncle!” Leo worked to keep a straight face and refused to look at his friend.

  Jake laughed heartily after Leo laid out his fantasy story. “You’re funny when you want to be, Leo. Don’t let anyone tell you you’re not!” Leo shrugged in response. Jake continued, his tone serious, “Don’t worry, I’m not going to do anything stupid when we get there. If… if she’s dangerous, I’ll—” Jake cleared his throat and tried to keep speaking, “I’ll—”

  “I’ll do it, if it comes to it,” Leo said, reading Jake’s thoughts.

  Jake glanced over at Leo and gave him a crisp nod. No witty comeback, no accusations of Leo poking around inside his head again. His friend needed him, and Leo was certain to oblige.

  They pulled off I-94 at exit 121 and made their way down the long and windy road toward campus. They would find Alice. They had to.

  CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE

  Sarah

  The steaming mug of herbal tea felt good in Sarah’s hands and on her throat. Knotted with worry all day, she gripped the mug now, in her kitchen, and blew on the steam. Alice was gone, and Sarah had told her to go. I was afraid. What else could I have done? With no idea what would happen after the sun set, she forced herself to eat dinner. A full stomach made facing your fears a little easier, or so she used to tell Alice. Swallowing hard, Sarah closed her eyes and lifted her face toward the light in the kitchen. All those years parenting, doing her best to raise a good human – gone. Why? For what? Sarah blinked and a tear spilled onto her cheek. Using the side of her forefinger, she wiped the wetness from her face and flicked it away.r />
  One moment, her beautiful baby girl was home with her and safe, and the next she turned into some kind of monster. Sarah winced when she thought about how she reacted to her daughter’s transformation. Disgusted and afraid, she hurt Alice by cowering like she did. But, humans did not experience these changes. Eyes going black, skin and hair paling, becoming nearly translucent, in a matter of seconds. Teeth extending into fangs. Fangs? Puberty she expected, but this…was something else entirely. These changes brought with them major implications in Sarah’s life. Was she still Alice’s mother? Could she just go back to work tomorrow, pretend everything was okay? Squeezing her eyes, Sarah tensed her whole body, hoping to push everything away, forcing it to not be true. Because this must be a dream. A nightmare.

  Opening her eyes, Sarah surveyed her empty kitchen. Wide awake, gripping her mug of tea, she accepted the inevitable. It wasn’t a nightmare and everything had changed. As a strong, independent woman, Sarah would change, too. But how can you change a whole life, start over, do things differently? Does that take a day? A week? Can I ever really move on while I’m here? Albion was her home; she and Andrew started their lives here. It’s where she gave birth to her daughter. Her husband died here, and let’s face it, her husband was dead; even if Andrew, Drew, whatever he’s known as now, is still walking this earth, the man she swore her vows to no longer existed.

  Lost in thought, Sarah drifted over to her picture window. She didn’t expect to see anything out there in the dark, but she couldn’t help wondering what was happening with her baby girl right now. The trees shook, like they knew something evil lurked nearby. Her skin prickled, agreeing with the trees. A group of angry and dangerous vampires was coming to Albion to look for her daughter. They would find an angry mother instead.

  Sarah looked down. Her hand trembled. Fleetingly, she considered dropping her mug, grabbing her keys and running. Instead, she gulped her tea and plonked her mug onto the counter. They won’t know what’s hit them. She ran upstairs with renewed energy and sense of purpose. They’ll wish they had never messed with me and my family! At the top of the stairs, she zeroed in on the hall closet. Filled with crafts and stray decorations that never found their way into the attic, it held everything she needed to ward off evil.