Reborn by Blood

by Richard Murray

  Beth led the way out of the flats and along the path that wound around to the car park at the back of the building. Even behind the shades, the morning sunlight was painfully bright and I could feel the beginnings of a headache.

  Two large metal bins sat at one side of the cracked tarmac that made up the car park. Black bin liners full of rubbish were overflowing and littered the ground. It looked like an animal had gotten into the bags as several were split, their contents strewn around.

  “I don’t know why you live in this dump” I said to Beth as I pinched closed my nose to try and block out the stench that was coming from the bins.

  “It’s alright.” She said as she unlocked the door to her Ford Ka and we both climbed in. “The other people who live here leave me alone, which is what I want.”

  Beth drove with her usual confidence, high speeds and blaring music. I sat in the passenger side with the seatbelt firmly buckled and held on to the handle, set just above the door. Immortal creature of the night or not, I had little doubt of ever being comfortable with her driving.

  The trip into Leeds city centre took ten minutes instead of the twenty it would have taken anyone else. I was gripping the handle tight all the way as Beth sang along to her music and I stared out from behind my shades and watched the light washed city as we drove by.

  All through the city centre were people. They were going to and from work, doing their shopping or just wandering through from one place to the next. Students moved in groups laughing and talking, revelling in their youthful enthusiasm and hope for the future.

  Tall stone buildings rose on both sides of the street, a half dozen storeys high. A curious mixture of decorative stone architecture and newer, glass fronted buildings. I loved the city, the vibrancy and of course the people.

  We passed the building where I used to work and I made a mental note to call my office to tell them that I wouldn’t be working for them anymore. That of course reminded me that I would need to find some sort of job since I had no place to live and no money.

  Even with the shades and the hat, my skin was starting to tingle from over exposure to the sunlight and I was glad when Beth pulled into the side of the road and stopped the car.

  “This it?” I asked as I looked around.

  “Yeah, it’s in that place” she said and pointed towards a red brick building a little way up the street.

  It was five storeys tall and had a coffee shop on the ground floor, the floor to ceiling windows that formed the front revealed a lone customer waiting for service at the counter.

  “Where?” I asked.

  “Second floor, you get to it through that door.” She said with a nod towards the gray unadorned door that was set into the wall beside the coffee shop.

  Since I could barely see and Beth had visited the shop once before, I let her lead the way. She crossed the road with barely a glance for traffic and I followed with a silent prayer that I wouldn’t be run over by a car. I had no real desire to test how un-killable my new Vampire self was.

  The gray door opened into a dim stairwell and I moved inside eagerly. The tingling on my skin began to fade almost immediately and I could actually see normally again. I gave a happy sigh as I followed Beth up the stairs.

  A second door at the top of the stairs was a simple wooden frame with a frosted glass panel that had ‘Magik Earth’ embossed at eye level. I had an immediate sense of... something. I couldn’t say what it was exactly but, something about the place felt off. Beth pushed open the door and walked in without concern and I followed cautiously.

  Inside the shop was much as I expected. A small space crammed full of as much junk as possible. Baskets full of coloured beads and crystals, ornamental jewellery made of silver and other cheaper metals.

  One wall held a rack that was full of colourful t-shirts with appropriately new age slogans. It was all save the forest, smile and be happy and other nonsense. Besides that rack was a shelf full of books on meditation and self help books.

  A display case on the opposite side of the room held elaborate metal sculptures of dragons and fairies. Another section of shelving had row upon row of candles and oils. I was firmly convinced that if the shop ever caught fire it would burn for days just from the oils alone.

  At the far end of the room an old lady sat behind a waist high counter. She was wearing a long white dress that matched her steel grey hair and she was staring at us over her glasses.

  “Can I help you?” she asked in an icy tone as her stare turned into a glare.

  “Yeah, we’ve come to pick something up.” Beth said with her usual bright smile, impervious to the glare.

  “Oh you have, have you?” She said and pointed towards an open doorway to the side of the counter, “It’s in there.”

  “Cool, that was easy” Beth said with a glance towards me. She pushed aside the beads hanging down before the door and stepped inside. With one last glance towards the old woman I followed.

  Lights exploded behind my eyes as I walked through the doorway and lightning surged through my flesh with such intensity I thought my heart may explode. I collapsed to the floor with a whimper as pain wracked my body.

  “What the hell’s happening?” I heard Beth yell from a faraway place.

  “It’s ok young lady. The creature can no longer hurt you.” The old woman said as she stepped over my convulsing body and into the room.

  “What’ve you done to him?” Beth demanded.

  “It is incapacitated for the moment. I shall dispose of it.”

  “Don’t you bloody touch him bitch.”

  I couldn’t seem to control my arms or legs and the tears that had filled my eyes were obscuring my vision. It was maddening not to be able to see what was going on.

  “You have been compelled young lady. This creature is controlling you; don’t worry though we can help.” The old lady said calmly.

  “I’m not compelled you stupid...” Beth stopped speaking and all I could hear were the grunts and scraping sounds of a scuffle. I desperately tried to move my head.

  “You have her?” The old woman asked someone.

  “Yes.” A melodic voice answered, young and strong.

  “Put the necklace on her.” The old woman commanded.

  “Done” her accomplice replied.

  “Now young lady, the necklace we have placed around your neck is warded. It will protect you from all forms of compulsion whilst you are wearing it and will break away any compulsions you have been placed under.” The old woman said.

  “I’ve told you, I’m not bloody compelled.” Beth snarled.

  “Of course you have been to serve one of those creatures” The younger voice said.

  “You can let her up now” the old woman ordered.

  I strained to move my head to see what was happening and was rewarded with the tiniest tremble of movement.

  “You know what this creature is?” Old woman asked Beth.

  “Yes.” A surly reply.

  “Then for you to serve him, he must have compelled you. I am sure now that if you think back over your time with him, you will begin to see that your actions were not your own.” The old woman was full of self importance, her tone laced with it. I felt the littlest finger on my right hand move.

  “How many times do I have to tell you, he didn’t fucking compel me to do anything.” Beth yelled.

  “Then why would you be helping him?” the younger voice asked.

  “He’s my best friend. Why wouldn’t I help him?”

  “This creature is a Vampire, a killer and the worst type of predator.” The old woman sounded shocked and I wished that I could move, if only so that I see her expression. My entire body had begun to tingle as feeling started to return.

  “So what? It’s not like he asked to be turned into a Vampire or even meant to hurt anyone.”

  “He is a full Vampire which means that no matter what else, he has had to kill one person.” Young voice said. “That makes him a murderer.”

&
nbsp; “That was my fault” Beth said, “I brought the guy to his flat, I didn’t know what was happening to him and when we went into the flat, Ray couldn’t control himself.”

  “So he is just weak willed and that excuses him?” The old woman snorted.

  “It was an accident and it can’t be changed.” Beth said. “He isn’t going to hurt anyone else.”

  “Oh child, I am sure you believe that but he is a Vampire. He will kill someone else sooner or later and he will compel others to take away their free will. If he is not a monster now then he will soon become one.” The old woman said with a voice full of sorrow.

  “Please.” Beth pleaded, “He’s my friend.”

  I was shocked. I had never heard Beth beg for anything before in her life. I was oddly touched and I struggled to move with greater intensity.

  “Let her go” the old woman said with a sigh.

  “Why Grandma?” the younger voice asked.

  “Everyone deserves a chance.”

  “He killed someone though.” Young voice protested and I felt a little irritation towards her desire to see me dead.

  “That first one isn’t always by choice child” the old woman said and I had to admit that she was growing on me. “He hasn’t compelled this young woman and he could have, most would have. It is usually the first thing they do. Perhaps this one is different and it could be worth the risk.”

  There was some muttering but I heard footsteps on the wooden floor and Beth’s face appeared above me. Her eyes were red and puffy.

  “Hey mate, you still alive?” she asked.

  “I think so.” I managed to say through a throat that was just starting to work properly again.

  “That’s good,” She said with a smile that widened as her gaze moved over my twitching body. “I think you pissed yourself though.”

  Chapter 7

  The back room of the shop held two comfy arm chairs with a hideous floral pattern on a cream fabric and a dark green three seater sofa. They were arranged in a semi-circle all facing inwards towards a coffee table. I sat on a towel in the armchair furthest from the door and let the others talk as my body recovered.

  The walls of the room were covered in bookshelves with all manner of books filling them to overflowing. Stacks of books in all forms filled the floor and a faint musty odour surrounded everything else.

  The old woman had introduced herself as Anna and was sat in the chair opposite the one where I sat. Beth was seated beside a stunningly beautiful young woman.

  As they made the obligatory small talk and Beth filled them in on what seemed to be my life story and subsequent descent into Vampirism, I studied the young woman.

  She had dark hair that hung in wavy dark strands to just below her shoulders. Her eyes were dark and if I were feeling more poetic, I would likely compare them to dark pools. Fortunately I had never felt the need to wax poetic, so I resisted that urge.

  Her garb was the sort of hippy attire that I usually detested. Long shapeless dress made of white cotton with a cluster of bracelets around her wrists that rattled irritatingly whenever she moved her arms. She had a silver stud piercing in her nose and crescent moons in silver hung from either ear.

  I was smitten. She glanced towards me with those beautiful dark eyes full of hate and disgust and sneered. I turned my attention back to the conversation.

  “So this necklace will stop them compelling me?” Beth was asking Anna.

  “Yes. The silver it is made of is naturally repellent to them and the spells I have suffused it with will protect your mind.” Anna said with a touch of pride.

  “So magic is real then? That is kind of cool.”

  “Yes, magic is very real and also very dangerous.” Anna said sternly, “It is not something for you to mess with, though if you ever need to learn more about it you can always come and visit me.”

  “It was a spell that you hit me with then?” I asked, though it took a couple of attempts to get the words out.

  “Oh yes. A very good one, it is designed to incapacitate monsters” Anna said with a sly smile.

  “Do you know a lot about Vampires?” Beth asked before I could respond.

  “I sometimes think I know too much.” Anna said with an old sorrow in her voice.

  “We just have this little book that Sebastian gave Ray” Beth said, “It’s hard to read...” she trailed off as she saw the expression on Anna’s face.

  “You work for Sebastian?”

  “Well Ray does yeah; he kind of has to though.” Beth said.

  “He has to? One Vampire can’t compel another Vampire unless they sired them.” Anna said thoughtfully, “Is Sebastian your sire?” she asked me.

  “Yes, why?”

  “Oh this is not good. Sebastian hasn’t sired anyone for a long time. This is not good at all.” Anna said and I noticed her granddaughter looking at me much as someone would look at a rat their cat had brought in.

  “Why is it so important?” Beth asked.

  “Sebastian is different.” Anna said before turning to her granddaughter. “Tempest, please go and collect the package from the safe.”

  Tempest nodded and quickly rose to her feet and left the room. I watched her leave and felt a familiar stirring in my loins.

  “Hey!” I yelped.

  “What?” Beth asked.

  “Oh, nothing.” I said as I felt the blush rising to my cheeks. It was a relief to know that when I had enough blood in my system, my body would behave exactly as a normal persons.

  “What do you mean Sebastian is different?” Beth pressed.

  “Sebastian’s tale is not mine to tell and to be truthful, he would not be happy if he knew that I had shared it.” Anna said with a heavy sigh to match her glum expression. “Suffice to say, if he has sired a new Vampire then he is planning something that will benefit no one but himself.”

  “He did it by accident” I said as Tempest returned with a cardboard box, roughly the size of a large book, in her hands.

  “By accident? Well that could mean something or nothing.” Anna said as she leant back in her chair thoughtfully and removed her glasses before polishing them on her dress.

  Tempest thrust the box she carried at me and glared at me until I took it from her.

  “You have an interesting name.” I told her with a smile that soon wilted beneath her contemptuous glare.

  “Her mother gave it to her, blithering idiot that she was.” Anna said. “She was caught up with some hippy cult that was all about free love and drugs when she had Tempest and her sister. She probably thought it had some deep significance at the time.”

  “Oh. Where are your mother and sister now?” I asked in an attempt to be polite and was ignored as the beautiful young woman turned her back on me and went to sit beside Beth on the sofa.

  “You have your package for Sebastian, I think it’s time you left” Anna said with a look towards her granddaughter that was as full of sorrow as any I had ever seen.

  “Wait, please.” I said, “I am new to all of this and I know nothing. Should I be worried about Sebastian? How much control does he have over me and can I break that control?”

  Anna stared at me for several long seconds before sighing once more and glancing at her granddaughter. “Would you please give me a moment alone?” she asked.

  Tempest nodded and rose from the sofa, “Call if you need me.” She said in her melodic voice that didn’t match the glare she sent my way.

  “So what do you want to know?” Anna asked as Tempest left the room.

  “I know the basics about being a Vampire, the need to drink blood, the sunlight and silver things” I began, “But you said that most Vampires start with compulsion straight away. What did you mean?”

  “Vampirism is a parasite.” Anna said quietly. “When you first become infected, this parasite changes you physically and mentally. The physical changes are all things that the parasite would need for you to become an almost perfect hunter.”

  “Being blind
during the day is perfect for hunting?” I asked.

  “If you hunted openly during the day you would soon be caught and killed or locked up, whereas if you hunt at night when few people are around your chances of surviving to keep hunting are greater. Now don’t interrupt again.” She explained.

  “The mental changes are necessary to make sure that you are able to hunt. You need to see other humans as prey, nothing more than a meal.” She paused and looked towards me, “I can guess that you weren’t overly upset about the person you killed were you?”

  “No.” I said thoughtfully, “I knew that I should be horrified but I didn’t actually feel that horror.”

  “That is part of the changes that you underwent. You see people as little more than walking bags of blood, food for when you are hungry or tools to use when you need something. When you see people as nothing more than food, the idea of taking control of them and doing whatever you want isn’t repulsive. It’s just part of the natural order. Vampires are arrogant.”

  “So I have a parasite in me?” I asked, “That is making these changes?”

  “Yes, I am afraid so.”

  “Then he could be cured of it right? I mean, if it’s a parasite then they must be a way to get rid of it.” Beth said.

  “No, it is more of a supernatural parasite than anything physical.” Anna said, “If you ever went to a doctor they would find nothing inside of you that could be responsible for the change.”

  “What does it want?” I asked.

  “It wants to survive. It feeds off you; it remains alive as long as you do, so it alters you. It changes your body and your mind but that requires energy, a great deal of it. Blood is that energy source.” Anna looked directly at me with an intensity that I found unsettling.

  “Every second of the day, the parasite is using its energy to keep you alive. To stop you ageing, to heal your wounds. When that energy gets low, you will feel the thirst and you will drink. The more damage you do to your body, the more energy the parasite uses to repair it, the more blood you will need. Do you understand?”