by Andrea Wölk
Channing nodded in agreement since he’d heard all this already. »The car caught fire and I pulled you out. You were badly injured so I had no choice but to transform you. I had to give you my blood to save your life. It was the only option. When the police got there, I fled, but I visited you a few times while you were in the hospital. But you were in a coma the whole time so that your body could recuperate. It seems to me like you found us. I had to save you, otherwise my sister would have torn my head off.«
»Where do you come from?«
»We’re from different parts of the world. Sara and I were born here in Seattle. I was transformed in 1889 and my sister ten years later...« »Sara’s a vampire, too?« Channing yelled out agitated. »Yes, she’s one of us. Just like Maroush, Aragón, Jôrek and Ruben. You’ll meet them all later. And there are more, but you won’t want to run into them.« Channing shook his head in disbelief.
What had he gotten himself into? Shia’s story didn’t leave any room for guessing. He was craving answers, but now he almost wished that he’d never heard the truth.
Shia put his hand on Channing’s shoulder trying to comfort him. »I understand, my friend. I know all of this is really hard to digest, but there isn’t anything you can do about it. This is what you are now and you’re going to have to get used to it. The sooner the better because the alternative would’ve been death, which would have been an absolutely senseless undertaking.«
She left the club at about three-thirty in the morning. You could hear the drone of the bass outside on the street, as she stumbled along the sidewalk looking for a taxi to take her home. Her feet hurt from dancing and her tight shoes were almost unbearable. She was feeling dizzy from all the vodka martinis, but it hadn’t seemed to matter since she hadn’t been the one paying. She really should have been more careful, then maybe she would have noticed the dark figure who’d been following her from the bar. There was no need for him to operate in the shadows. His movements could not be seen by the naked eye. The smell of blood was making him crazy. He could taste the metallic flavor and it was making him salivate. His own lifeblood was beginning to boil slowly in his veins and he could hardly hold himself back from attacking her at that very moment. It didn’t matter at all to him that she was beautiful, with her shiny black hair and large brown eyes. Her high heels and mini skirt didn’t turn him on at all either. There were more important attributes, like the smell of her blood, the mix of hemoglobin and plasma, which made her irresistible to him. But it was much too dangerous out in the open. He could be seen. He had to keep himself under control until she reached the little side street. His patience would have to hold out for only a few more yards. Then, in one swift silent movement, he seized hold of the woman and dragged her into the dark end of the alley. There would be no witnesses here. Slowly he took in her beauty. Before she could even make a sound, he drove his razor sharp fangs into her jugular vein and greedily sucked the succulent cherry-red juice into his mouth. He took in deep swallows of her blood, letting it drip down his chin and neck. The only thing he felt was the deep satisfaction growing within his own body, even better than an orgasm. It was of no concern to him that each mouthful of blood brought the woman closer and closer to her death. She had only felt the slightest amount of pain when he’d bitten into her neck. Afterwards, it was only the disgusting scent of human, which briefly hung in the air and the slurping sounds, before she lost consciousness forever.
After Shia had left his room, Channing shut the door and went to the window. Just a few hours ago he’d been standing in this exact same place and had decided that his life wasn’t worth anything. Now he’d met Shia and that had changed everything. But how different was it really? There were still so many questions that hadn’t been answered and Shia had asked him to be patient. Everything would clear itself up, he’d said. But could he really trust him? Shia wasn’t mortal anymore. He was a vampire and he wasn’t sure if he could trust such a bloodthirsty creature. And now he was one of them himself. Channing turned away from the window and pulled his sweater off over his head. A hot shower would do him good and clear his head. He heard a brief knock at the door as it opened up and Shia entered the room again.
»Sorry, man, for interrupting you again, but I just wanted to ... « he stopped speaking suddenly when we saw Channing’s bare chest. Not that he was embarrassed by his nakedness, but he was much more surprised by the tattoo, which was having an enchanting effect on him.
»Primus inter pares ... Memento te hominem esse« murmured Shia reverently.
»First among equals ... Considering that you’re a mortal ... how long have you had this tattoo?« But before Shia had even asked the question, it was clear to him what the answer was.
»I’m pretty sure, since my transformation,« answered Channing anxiously. »I can’t really remember if I had a tattoo before or not.« Shia nodded knowingly. »Okay, I don’t think so either, but I think we’ve found our leader.«
Eva Butler parked her small car on the side of the road in Blue Ridge right in front of her house. She’d lived there almost six months now after she’d been transferred from L.A., and had hardly seen a single neighbor since. It was most likely because she worked in the evenings and at night and slept during the day when most people were out and about. Not that it mattered to her. Strangers asked questions she wasn’t prepared to answer. And the next house was about 200 yards away, which wasn’t far, but enough to keep a distance from curious looks. She had lucked out, that she’d found this house so close to the beach. In L.A. she’d also lived near the beach and a sea view was something she didn’t want to have to live without.
Eva turned and looked down the coastal road towards the bay. Stars were illuminating the beach in silver. She would have liked to have gone down there and strolled along the shore, but it was two in the morning and she was exhausted. First she’d cook up something fast and then sleep, if possible. One of the reasons she preferred working at night was so she could fall into bed dead tired and not waste nights constantly worrying.
She quickly got her groceries from the car and tried to close the trunk gently, as to not make too much noise. In the process, the paper bag slipped out off her arm and all her groceries spilled out onto the street. »Shit!« she hushed as someone approached her from behind.
»I think this must be yours.« Eva saw a man holding an orange coming towards her out of the darkness. His large build and outstretched arm gave him a menacing look. At the same time, his movements were fluid, almost predatory. Eva automatically reached for her gun, which she wore hidden under her jacket. When the moon hit his face, she recognized that he was a very young man and held out her hand hesitantly for the orange.
»Thank you. Today isn’t my day.« She quickly brushed a few strands of hair out of her face with her hand. The young man’s dark clothes and black hair made him really difficult to see, even in the moonlight. Only the straight white teeth hidden behind his smile made Eva feel like she could trust him. She wouldn’t have to use her 9 mm Glock pistol after all.
»You’re new here in the neighborhood, aren’t you? I’ve seen you a few times already. I live in the house on the cliff. I guess that makes us neighbors. I’m Shia Keane. I hope I didn’t scare you.« He held out his hand, which Eva cautiously shook. »Mr. Keane, what are you doing out so late?« »Well, I guess the same as you. I just finished work, too. But, my name is Shia. Mr. Keane was my father.« »Okay, Shia. I’m Eva. What do you do, if I may ask, which keeps you up at this hour? You look young enough to be in college.« Shia laughed out loud. »How old do you think I am then, Eva?« He conscientiously took the bag of groceries from her arms.
»Let me help you,« he said and walked towards the front door. She didn’t have a choice but to lock the car and follow him to the house. Regardless of his disarming manner, Eva liked the way he pronounced her name so deep and quietly, emphasizing the a, so much so that it left her body feeling tingly. The depth of his voice, so rich and peaceful, didn’t fit at all to his youthful a
ppearance.
She checked out his body and was left starring at his broad shoulders and back as he took the keys from her hand and opened up the door. »You haven’t answered my question yet.« »And you haven’t either.« Eva followed him into the kitchen, which he found immediately and put the groceries into the fridge. When he was finished, he leaned up against the counter and crossed his arms in front of him. »I’m in the security business.«
Eva got herself a glass of milk and turned on the radio softly, all the while trying to avoid starring at his huge biceps, which were visible through his sweater. »Would you like something to drink?« Eva asked holding up her own glass. Shia declined.
»Security. That’s a fairly broad business. And at your age.« Shia ran his hand through his hair and laughed. She looked into his dark green eyes, noticed his high cheekbones and symmetrical features. He was so handsome and with his build and muscular arms, he was a presence, which deserved respect. Only his face was that of a twenty year old.
»Thanks for the compliment, but my college days were awhile back.« How long exactly, Shia kept to himself. »I’m thirty-two actually and work for a security company which specializes in personal and building security. Most of the time I have the shift from 6 pm to 1 am. Does that answer all your question, Eva?« It was hard for Eva to break eye contact with him.
»I see, then you’re a bodyguard!« She took off her jacket and put her holster containing the pistol and her badge onto the counter to see how Shia would react. When he raised an eyebrow in question, she explained: »Seattle Police Department.« »You’re a cop?« »Yes, I’m a profiler and was called up here to work on a case and then transferred permanently from L.A.«
»I guess that makes us colleagues to some degree.« Shia stated and then removed his own weapon from the back waistband of his pants and set it down on the counter next to Eva’s pistol.
Her eyes widened subtly and she swallowed hard. „I assume your weapon is registered?« »Yup!« Shia smiled at her provocatively. Eva lifted her glass and drank a sip of milk. She had wanted to shock him with her gun, but the effect seemed to have backfired. Now she was the one starring annoyingly at his weapon. For a moment, no one spoke and only the quiet music coming from the radio filled the room.
Shia recognized that it would be better to go, but something was holding him there. He looked over at Eva and knew what it was. She was the woman he’d been waiting for his entire life. The fact that she was a mortal was something he was trying to ignore. He’d seen her the first time about a week ago while watching the police secure a crime scene, where a person had been found murdered in an alley near a new club. The body of the woman was covered in bites and Shia was sure that vampires were responsible. He’d seen Eva’s blond hair illuminated in the dark, like a beacon from a lighthouse leading him to her. He could not get enough of her clear blue eyes, which lit up like stars in the sky. She looked so familiar to him, but he wasn’t sure from where. A day later when he was coming back from the beach, he saw her getting out of her car. He immediately took in her scent, even before he saw her slender body and golden blond hair. The fragrance of lavender after a summer rain drifted into his nose. Ever since, he’d watched her every night hoping to meet her. Being so close to her now, to breath in her scent was making him crazy. He knew he should go, but he couldn’t.
»Why did you transfer? Not because of the gorgeous weather here, I gather?« He laughed quietly. »No, definitely not. It was because of a murder case.«
Shia looked into her eyes and sensed a deep sadness. He wanted to take her into his arms, but he painstakingly held himself back.
»Were you not able to solve it?« He dug a little deeper. »No, it happened about a year ago and I haven’t been able to find any answers. The victim was a police officer, my husband, actually.«
Shia was focused on Eva’s thoughts and emotions. He could see the emptiness creating her pain. She didn’t talk about it and had buried the memories, but he had to find out more about Eva and her sorrow. In order to help her, he would need information. Shia wished so much that he could protect her from all harm.
»I’m so sorry, Eva!« She nodded. »It’s okay. I’ve gotten over it. He was called out on assignment and was killed in the line of duty. One of the risks of the job. You must know how that is. Your job is dangerous as well. « She shrugged her shoulders indifferently. »When we got married, I knew what I was getting myself into.« »How long were you married?« A feeling of jealousy began to eat away at him. »About two years. I couldn’t take L.A. anymore so I came up here to start a new life.« She lifted the glass to her mouth and drank the last of the milk. She looked over at the radio just as a new song was beginning to play and her eyes changed their expression. Something unrecognizable to most people, Shia registered the emotion, which the song awakened and noticed the sorrow in her face. He moved away from the counter and walked slowly towards Eva. »Is there something about this song?« »Over and Over, an old hit from Fleetwood Mac. We used to listen to this song together, that’s all.« There was an embarrassing silence. »Come here.« He took her hand and pulled her into his arms.
»What are you doing?« she asked quietly, letting it happen and then swayed with Shia slowly to the music, allowing herself a moment of weakness in his arms. »I hope that the next time you hear this song, it makes you smile.« He pulled her closer to him and they moved slowly to the rhythm of the music. »And you think that dancing with you will magically make a smile appear on my face?« She didn’t look up at him, but instead rested her cheek on his chest and listened to his heartbeat. His heart was beating quietly, while her heart was racing. She’d often found herself in difficult situations, but this, dancing in the kitchen with a strange man in the middle of the night, was beyond reason. »Uh-huh,« responded Shia full of assurance. He placed his finger lightly on the small of her back and pulled her a little closer to him. »You are pretty convinced of yourself, Mr. Keane.« »I’m a just warrior.« He stopped for a moment and lifted Eva’s chin with his finger so that be could look into her eyes. »A warrior of faith!« She nodded subtly as he lowered his head and kissed her. First soft and tenderly and then, when Eva returned his kiss, more urgently. He pulled her tightly into his arms, as if not wanting to ever let go. The scent of lavender and summer rain was too irresistible and the hiss of her blood too overpowering.
As he played with her hair, it fell loosely through his fingers. She opened up her lips slightly and allowed his tongue to explore her mouth. He could taste traces of mint, orange and sweet milk. Shia was literally salivating, overwhelmed by all the tastes and smells.
His fangs came alive and he couldn’t hold them back. It took him an incredible amount of energy to tear himself away from her mouth, an energy almost super human. Eva was captivating and her kiss, absolutely enchanting. He rested her head on his shoulder and caressed her hair.
»Oh my God, Shia,« said Eva gasping. She was so aroused that she felt faint and rested herself against him. He looked down at Eva and saw the light skin of her neck shining beneath her blond hair. He saw her jugular pulsing and could smell the dark blood flowing through her veins. His heartbeat emulated hers and began beating in unison, and then he slowly sunk his teeth into her neck. He hadn’t wanted to get so close to her, but she’d been so tempting and he hadn’t been able to resist.
It was the first time in over one hundred years that he’d totally forgotten and ignored what and who he was. He sucked the lifeblood from her body into his own in long, greedy gulps, allowing her to become part of him. She tasted amazing, exactly as he had imagined. No, even better actually, than he could have ever imagined.
Eva only slightly sensed the bite. The pain only lasted a second, as Shia’s teeth sunk into her neck, but as soon as she heard the quiet sucking in her ear, she only became more erotically aroused. She should have fought against him, but her body was not capable of doing so. Instead, she pulled herself even closer to him, like a drowning person pulling itself towards the shore. Her body w
as on fire. She was ablaze and was relishing the pleasure spreading through her body. She felt like her insides were going to burst into flame if she didn’t pull herself away from him, but she couldn’t do it. All she wanted was to stay in Shia’s arms, to breath him in and to give him her blood. She slipped into a condition of absolute submission, so she closed her eyes and completely let herself go.
Deep mouthfuls quenched his thirst and calmed his stirring soul. He began to breath normally again and he drew back from Eva. She was lying helplessly in his arms, as he brushed his hand across her eyes to steal her thoughts, and let her fall into a deep sleep. At the same time, he erased all memory of him and of the events of the last hour. She would only remember getting out of the car, but would have no recollection of their discussion, dancing together, or the bite. The little wound on the side of her neck would heal by morning. Without waking her, he picked Eva up in his arms and carried her into the bedroom. The house wasn’t very big and he was able to find the room right away. He put her down on the bed, removed her shoes and attentively covered her up. He lightly brushed a few strands of her blond hair from her face, kissed her lips and then left the room. When he reached the door, he turned around to look at her, to imprint the image of her sleeping in his mind; like an angel smelling of lavender and summer rain. Down in the kitchen he picked up his SIG handgun and tucked it into the back waistband of his pants and then left the house unseen.
Channing was standing in front of the mirror studying his tattoo, which really covered a large part of his body. ›Primus inter pares – First among equals!‹ Whatever that was supposed to mean. He kept on repeating the words over and over: ›Memento te hominem esse – Remember that you are but a man!‹ What was he exactly? Shia had asked him to be patient, but he was pretty much at the end of his rope. How could he be something, which doesn’t even exist? Well, at least he assumed there was no such thing as vampires, but Shia had told him a different story. Whether or not his reason told him otherwise, vampires existed and he was now one of them. He couldn’t dismiss the facts, regardless of what his head was telling him. He wasn’t alone either. Shia and Maroush were also vampires. Channing shook his head in confusion. He had to get a grip on reality.
