Dark as the Grave

by Peter Dawes

  Sabrina lifted the sword with a hiss and brought it crashing down. Her impatience cost her, though, as I caught her blade with the katana in my hand and I plunged the short sword into her stomach. I laughed as she doubled over and pushed her off, watching her fall onto the floor. “You call that a collection?” I raised the katana, eyes lowering to her neck. “Allow me to properly demonstrate a collection, dear Sabrina.”

  “Rose!” Sabrina yelled. “The lights!”

  The lights? Oh fuck.

  I could instantly hear Robin’s voice chastising me for failing to keep my infirmity in mind. The world afforded me one mocking second with which to line Rose in my sights, enough time to see her grin and flick a switch that immediately filled the room with bright, blinding light. I screamed as an unholy amount of pain lacerated my corneas. The short sword dropped from my hand as I tried desperately to cover my eyes, to little effect. I fell to the ground, writhing in agony. “Damn it to fucking hell,” I muttered, still clutching the katana, but now lacking the ability to use it.

  I heard Sabrina come to her feet. The sound of a blade cutting air closed in on me and I at least had the presence of mind to raise my sword to intersect the easily anticipated strike at my neck. I could not see to where she retreated, however. I did not know her position or how she would next attack. I was left a sitting duck.

  ‘Peter!’

  I rolled away and attempted to stand, my eyes still clenched shut. Sabrina kicked me in the jaw, and I toppled back down onto the ground.

  ‘Use my eyes, Peter!’

  I furrowed my brow, realizing the voice in my mind belonged to Monica. “Sabrina,” I said, realizing I needed to stall. “Tell me, before you cut me down, what it would have been like had I surrendered to you.” I began to feel for Monica, homing in on her thoughts, which screamed at me as if attempting to be heard over a multitude. “Would everything have happened as you have said, or was I being played to the end?”

  Sabrina stepped forward one pace as I locked onto Monica. At once, the room exploded with detail. I saw the faces of everyone watching, each gaze beholding me, waiting for the demise of Flynn. They all knew better than to move, which would have made me smile if it would not have revealed my ruse to Sabrina. A coven of slothful, decadent vampires and Rose remained the only one left to lend a hand. Once again, it made sense to me, why my maker kept the masses complacent and sated. They were easily ruled.

  Rose strolled closer to where Sabrina stood, undoubtedly to secure a front row seat. I spied her through Monica’s eyes, but kept my attention on Sabrina. She stood in front of me, holding my katana as though it had been meant for her. Like the pendant around her neck. Like the man lying before her. Everything she possessed, stolen from something or somebody else. I rolled onto my back, preparing to steal from her in return.

  My hand tightened around the sword’s hilt.

  Sabrina walked two more paces forward, staring up the length of my body from her position beyond my feet. “Flynn, you should know by now how it works,” she said with a smile. “Oh yes, we would have enjoyed many bloody years together. You would have savored the affair and I would have reveled in the covens you kept subjugated. Once your use to me ended, though, I would have killed you before you could do the same to me.”

  I laughed. “The coward’s way out. My life has always been forfeit.”

  Sabrina raised her sword, but paused. “It’s a shame you have to die now. There’s so much more left to do.”

  She grimaced and motioned to administer the deathblow. I waited, ready, and rolled to the side at the last moment. Lifting my leg as the blade slashed by harmlessly, my kick caught her in the chest. Unprepared, she flew backward, the katana falling from her hand. Rose rushed for it, but I came to my knees and plunged my sword into Rose’s chest.

  Rose stopped. I smirked. “Goodbye, sweet Rose,” I said, releasing my grip on the sword to snatch my katana from the ground at long last. I came to my feet just as Rose’s dust descended to the floor. Clutching the red and black hilt of my weapon, I focused on Sabrina, knowing it had to end now.

  Sabrina realized it as well. She came to her knees and, in a blur, plucked the other sword from Rose’s ashes. I raised my katana and aimed for her neck.

  She thrust. I swung. I felt cold steel run through my chest as the sharpened edge of my weapon severed Sabrina’s head from her body. Pain sharper than any I had experienced before overwhelmed me and I crumpled onto the ground, losing consciousness. Somewhere in the haze of white light, the room faded from view.

  As surely as I had died to be reborn a vampire, I began to suspect my second death had come to embrace me. Rather than facing the demons, however, an angel greeted me instead.

  Chapter 34

  The next sensation I became aware of was both comforting and confusing at the same time. A hand brushed the side of my face and a voice spoke softly. “I know you’re hurt, but please, Peter. I need you to wake up.”

  “Monica?” I asked, my voice groggy and thoughts impaired for the moment until I opened my eyes. A sudden sense of tranquility washed over me as I peered at my surroundings, finding myself in a room much like the ones where I had spoken with Lydia. The ground beneath me was flat, and I could make out nothing in the way of walls from where I laid. I sat up, aware of the woman crouched beside me, but noticed several strange points of interest first.

  I touched my mouth and failed to feel the points of my fangs. My finger slid across the top row of my teeth and when I discovered them reverted to their duller state, my eyes widened. My senses were normal, not as sharp as they had been no more than a few moments ago. My lungs filled and a laugh of wonder floated past my lips. I was human once more.

  I turned my head to regard the woman. Not Monica, but Lydia, a smile crossing her lips when we made eye contact. I could not help but mirror her grin. “I thought for a moment I would never see you again,” I said.

  “Oh, Peter.” Lydia threw her arms around me. I wrapped her tight in mine. “I wondered the same thing about you. You’ve broken my heart so many times, being so lost inside your own head.”

  “You have no idea how sorry I am that I have put you through that.”

  She nodded, her cheek pressed against mine. I felt a tear trickle from her eyes onto my skin. “I wished I could have done more to save you. But here you are.”

  “And here you are as well.” Without waiting for permission, I pulled away enough to kiss her in a deep, lingering manner, allowing myself to get wrapped up in the moment. Our lips touched a few times before Lydia broke away and chuckled. I grinned, resting my forehead against hers. “This has been one long, horrible nightmare I have been stuck living.”

  “I wish it was.” She sniffled. Her eyes opened to peer into mine. “I’d like very much to tell you that it’s all been a dream, but I’d only be lying to you.”

  Nodding, I intertwined my fingers with hers. “I am sorry I doubted you when you tried to warn me. I wish I could go back in time and force myself to believe you, but I cannot.” I drew a deep breath inward. “How do you want to be close to me right now after all of the things I have done?”

  “What matters is that you believe now.” She settled back on her heels, allowing us to look at each other more readily. “I’m just glad to be able to see you. Even if it’s only for a short visit.”

  A glassy haze obstructed my line of sight as my eyes met hers. “My sins are too great for me to linger with you, wherever this is. I should have expected as such.”

  A smile broke out on Lydia’s face. “No, Peter,” she said, visibly holding back a laugh. “You’re not dead. Well, not dead again, anyway.”

  I blinked. “How did I survive? I could have sworn Sabrina –”

  “Got you through the chest?” Lydia nodded. “Yes, but not through your heart. You are pretty badly hurt, but you’re just resting right now, nothing else. I needed to talk to you before you could wake up.”

  I nodded. A frown tugged at the corners of my mout
h as I looked away. “I had hoped it to be over, to be perfectly honest.” My eyelids drifted shut. “God, I would have preferred eternal damnation to waking as a vampire again, if there is such a thing as hell.”

  Lydia touched my cheek, forcing my eyes open again. “You’re right about having a lot to make up for, and your job isn’t finished. If I could, I’d sneak you off with me, but I don’t have a say in the matter. You have other places to go. Other challenges to face. A long road ahead of you.”

  “A long road wrestling with the demon.”

  She nodded. “I’m sorry, but it’s true.” Pausing, she considered me for a moment. The look in her eyes turned deliberate. “You have to listen to me, though. There’re a lot of things waiting for you. I’ve brought you this far, but I can’t help you with what lies ahead. You’ll need to rely on Monica and your wits to carry you the rest of the way.” I detected a hint of sadness in the way she regarded me. “I wish I’d been there to see you through it.”

  “You have, Lydia.” My grin broadened. “Far more than you realize.”

  “Then my work here is done.”

  Freeing one hand, I lifted it to touch her hair once more before lowering it onto my lap. “When will I see you again?” I asked.

  “Not until you reach the other side.”

  “Then let your lips be the last ones that call me Peter. Flynn has a lot to atone for, and that will be his task until my days on Earth are finished.”

  “While I don’t envy your position, I admire your strength.” She leaned forward, pressing a soft kiss onto forehead. “My fondest blessings for you on your journey, Peter, as well as the hope that you can endure the challenges you’ll have to face. I can’t tell you more than what I’ve already said, but don’t count ‘Peter’ out just yet.” She nodded. “I’m leaving you to Monica’s care now. Take care of yourself.”

  “I love you, Lydia.”

  She smiled. “I love you, too.”

  My eyes shut as I pressed my lips to hers again, allowing the moment to linger as many seconds as The Fates would allow until the world around me shifted. I felt myself being swept away as though a leaf upon the wind.

  Without further warning, consciousness returned to claim my immortal form.

  Pain. The first thing I became aware of the moment lucidity began trickling toward me again. Darkness was the second thing I noticed. The lights in the room had been turned off again.

  I grimaced despite myself. “Bloody broken body,” I murmured. “Put me out of my misery, Monica. I am no use to you anymore.”

  She chuckled, but it sounded weak, as though she could manage nothing more than that. “We’re both a mess,” she said. “You’ve been stabbed so many times, I’ve lost count, and you took more out of me than I think you realized. It tapped me out to keep up with all this madness.”

  “Exemplary work for what I assume was your first time assisting a seer.”

  “The fact that you have no idea what any of that means has me tempted to say, ‘Go fuck yourself.’”

  Despite the pain it caused, I barked a quick laugh and opened my eyes. The sight of the ceiling above me confirmed I yet lay on the floor of the common area, and touching my chest inspired a wince before I pulled my fingers away, sticky with blood. Feeling its location confirmed the truth of what Lydia had said, though. Sabrina had only missed my heart by a hair’s breadth.

  I heard Monica stumble over and saw her when she sat beside me. Leaning over me, she examined my chest wound for herself. “Have I ever told you that you’re a lucky son of a bitch?” she asked. “Because you are, Peter.”

  While I recognized her attempt at humor, I could not help but to frown. “Please, let that be the last time you call me that.”

  “The last time I call you a lucky son of a bitch?”

  “No, Peter.” I shut my eyes and sighed. “I know my humanity still lives inside of me, but as long as I am a vampire, I will always be Flynn. And I will always have too much to atone for.”

  “You can’t look at this as atonement. You’ll bury yourself in a rut as deep as your guilt and never come out. It’s what you were born to do, plain and simple.”

  “Regardless, I will petition for redemption until I no longer have to.”

  “Fair enough, I guess.” Her gaze softened when I opened my eyes to look at her again. “You had me worried for a minute there, you know. I didn’t think your whole ‘descent into evil’ thing was an act.”

  “I wish I could say it was all an act, but then I would be lying.” I finally motioned to sit. The effort laborious, I felt overwhelmed with dizziness and hunger at first, but managed to suppress both in favor of looking toward Monica again. “There is work to be done, this much I know. Lydia visited me for what she said will be the final time and informed me there are trials lying ahead. Perhaps, if I make it through, the Fates can at least rend me in half and have mercy on Peter. Until then, it would appear you are stuck with me.”

  “Have a little faith. Like you said, we have a lot left to do.” Monica nodded. “I understand, though. Even if calling you Flynn all the time might take some getting used to.”

  I smiled wanly, as did Monica. She reached forward, patting my shoulder. “For what it’s worth,” she said, “At least you beat Sabrina. That’s a good start.”

  “When you put it that way, I suppose you are right.”

  Monica struggled to a stand. “I’ve got faith in you.” She took her first precarious step forward, and then motioned for me to follow. I rose to my feet as well, collecting my katana and Lydia’s pendant before making my way to the back exit with her. “The seer won in the end. Even if he scared the shit out of his watcher in the process.”

  “I would say this is the last time I will do that, but I can make no guarantees.”

  She laughed and we walked, side by side, out of the coven of my rebirth for what I assumed would be the final time. I had no desire to return and finish the others; they might have been lazy and decadent, but they were not evil. No doubt there might be a day I would face the unruly ones, I thought to myself, but I had many lessons left to learn before then.

  After all, I had a prize in my sights. Pleasing the Fates enough to merit some way free from the curse of being a vampire, or earning the right to a peaceful rest. I wanted it so much I could taste it.

  And I felt it worth all the pleading in the world.

  “There is no person so severely punished,

  as those who subject themselves to the

  whip of their own remorse.”

  * * *

  Seneca

  Epilogue

  “So, you’ve finally come to speak to us about this vampire named Flynn,” the man said from his position on the other side of the room. The area itself the sanctuary of an old church, it came replete with seven chairs poised where the altar used to be. Six elders from the Supernatural Order occupied seats. One chair remained empty, as it had for five years.

  The meaning of this gesture failed to be lost on me.

  I was absent from the meeting, situated on the other side of the stained-glass windows. Using Monica’s eyes to witness the events, I filled in the remaining details with my ears and smoked a cigarette to mask my apprehension.

  Monica regarded each elder and inhaled deeply. “Yes, I have, Richard,” she said to the man with salt and pepper hair who had addressed her. Her voice cracked, though she recovered quickly and worked to regain her confidence. I could envision her, however. Shuffling her feet. Looking down at the floor before lifting her gaze to regard her superiors. “I know I’ve angered the Council, but I have news I hope will justify my actions.”

  “Speak the news,” said a female seated a few chairs down.

  Monica directed her attention toward her. “The vampire covens of this city have been quieted by Flynn. He’s realized his position as a seer and put out several fires they started. One of the vampires he killed was his maker. It was difficult for him to accomplish, but the fact that he was able to do it
shows how far he’s come.”

  “Why does the seer continue to use his vampire name?”

  “Because he feels the need to. It’s a complicated issue, Joan, but I promise the Council the Flynn they’ve known has been suppressed.”

  “Suppressed?”

  Monica sighed. “If I’m his watcher and he’s under my guidance, I’ll do what I can to ensure his conscience remains steady. He’s already come a long way toward holding his instincts at bay for good.”

  “But he’s not at that stage yet?”

  “He’s still a vampire and a fledgling seer. That makes his condition unsteady, but given the time, he’d–”

  “So, he might strike at humans again?” asked another elder, seated closer to Richard. A blond-haired man. He raised an eyebrow at her.

  “Please, Lewis, the Council needs to give him a chance. Any of us could become wicked. Yes, I know, in Flynn’s case it could be more volatile, but he wants to learn about being a seer. He’s been a good student and faced all the challenges he’s been presented. Even his bloodlust has been kept at bay. He doesn’t feed on live hosts anymore, and I –”

  “Show us your neck, then.”

  Monica turned to look at the other female, a brunette. “Excuse me, Beverly?”

  Beverly leaned forward in her seat. “I asked you to remove your scarf and show us your neck.”

  Monica hesitated. “I don’t see why this is relevant.”

  “Now, Miss Alexander.” Beverly lifted an eyebrow.

  “Alrighty then.” Monica sighed and untied the scarf. Her eyes were downcast when she removed it altogether, revealing the scars on her neck.

  A hush settled across the room. Beverly shifted in her seat and pointed. “Please explain this injury,” she demanded.

  Monica looked up at her. “I was bitten. It wasn’t Flynn’s fault.”

  “Then who bit you? One of the other vampires?”

  Monica shut her eyes, rendering me blind for the time being. “No, Flynn did. But he’d been injured and needed my blood to be able to finish the job. This was three days ago and he hasn’t made any move to harm me since then.”