by R.A Cullison
One
Night, it approaches another day has ended Philadelphia. The city fallen to the point of despair and was full of secrets. Secrets I wish I didn’t know about. My name is Nora and I am a vampire hunter and yes I am also a vampire. I look for the bastard who turned me into this monster.
I watch the sun go over the buildings, waiting for the opportune time to do my searching. Vampires are cunning creatures they don’t sleep in coffins, crosses and garlic don’t work. The only thing that does work is a stake to the heart or a bullet to the brain. I have killed many Vampires in my 80 years. I still never found him. I watched my children grow old and die. I now watched their great grandchildren make mistakes and become victims of a corrupted government.
The vampire who bit me was named Victor, he was the oldest vampire I heard of in existence. He was cunning, strong and above all lethal. He infected over 100 and killed much more. I had to stop him, I know I am the only one who could.
I slipped into the shadows on the street. I could hear a familiar sound at the far end of a dark alley, I knew the sound. It was a waking demon ready for its night feeding.
I pulled out my gun and slowly slipped behind a big truck. Hoping to get a glance of the monster before it killed. I could see its glowing red eyes in the darkness of the alley, it was unaware of me. I pulled up my gun and took aim. I aimed right between its glowing eyes and I squeezed the trigger. Another one down and hundreds more to go.
I switched on my light and went to look at my kill. I couldn’t believe it. It was nothing but a child, a child no more than ten years old. My black heart sank, this was someone’s child. I am sure she was loved by a mother and a father or maybe brothers or sister.
I picked up the small body and wrapped it in a white cloth. I noticed it had a tattoo on its arm. I knew what it was, it was from the vampire refugee camp, she must of escaped.
The fallen government kept most of the vampire locked up. Only a few of us can blend in with the humans. I only know of 2 others, Stephen and Gabriel they both worked with me. We don’t feed on human blood. We feed on a special plasma that Doctor Kane invented. It keeps us strong and helps us lead a normal life.
I took the small body to the hideout, when the other seen how small they just lowered their heads in disgust. I was angry and began to vent. “Do you see this? This is a child! I wonder if she had a choice or was she just another victim of the government.”
Gabe looked at me, “Nora, we know your passionate about this, but we are doing all we can. We are just a few against many. Yes its terrible that a child had to be infected and I am sure there are more out there. That’s why we have to stop this. We HAVE to go see Pete, he will help us.” I looked at Gabe, I knew he was right.
Peter was a surveillance man he had the city wired and he knew everything that was going on in this place. “Your right, Gabe.” I turned around and headed into the weapons room to reload my weapons. I shoved shell after shell into my rifle and scooped up a few clips and put them in my autoloader.
“Nora?” I turned towards Gabe.
“What?” I snapped.
“I know you think about your children when….” I held up my hand to stopped him.
“Don’t go there. My children are no longer children.” I interrupted.
“I know. But they will always be your children not matter how old they get.” he strapped two guns to his side. “at least you had children while you were human.”
I turned towards him. “I had to watch my daughter die. I couldn’t do anything about it. I had to watch her and my son grow old slowly. I had to watch my husband die as well. I watched his own kind turn on him and rip him to shreds. I didn’t get to him in time.” Gabe placed his hand on my shoulder.
“I’m sorry Nora, really.” I pushed his hand off my shoulder.
“Save your pity.” I loaded my last gun and left the room. I didn’t want his pity or anyone else’s either.
We pulled up to the night club where the troubled hung out. They knew us there well, especially me. Most would flee at the sight of us. The club was booming, people where on the dance floor dancing.
There weren’t many vampires in there, most where in the vampire refugee camps. I was standing outside waiting for Gabe and Stephen to go in and talk to Pete. People didn’t react well when they seen me.
“Get out of here!” I watched the bouncers throw a man out of the club and he landed at my feet. I looked down at him as he looked up at me. I knew who it was, Travis’s grandson Zander.
I raised my eyebrow at him and helped him up. “Thanks.” he said getting to his feet.
“This happen often?” I asked.
He dusted himself off and smiled. “Yeah whenever I lose my ass at the tables.” he straightened up. He looked at me funny.
“What?” I asked.
“You remind me of someone.” he said giving a look that reminded me of Matt.
“Oh, who?” I asked.
“My Grandma.” he said.
“Oh, really.” I chuckled.
“Yeah, but much younger.” he smiled.
“Thanks. I think.” Three men came out of the club and beeline for him.
“You owe us 10 g’s, Z! Pay up!” they pushed him. I backed into the shadow of the building to watch for a second. I wouldn’t let anything happen to him. I just wanted to see how he handled himself. I could tell he wasn’t a fighter.
“I told you I don’t have the money right now!” he said backing up.
“Then it looks like we are going to have to take it out of your skin!” the bigger one said cracking his knuckles.
“Excuse me!” I said. “does 4 against 1 seem fair to you?” I walked out of the shadows.
“What’s this Zander? Having your hot girlfriend take your battles?” they said jokingly.
“She’s not my girlfriend!” Zander informed them. Their attention turned towards me.
“I love the tight leather look!” one of the men said.
“Really! I am surprised you can get a woman.” I said walking closer to them.
“What the hell is that suppose to mean?” he said balling up his fists.
“It means, you smell like a pig and look worse !” the other men laughed including Zander.
“Bitch!” he went to hit me. I dodged it and smacked the back of his head knocking him to the ground.
“Hit her, Bo!” the biggest guy said. He got up and tried again. I punched him in the face and bloodied his nose.
“OW! The bitch hit me!” he said covering his nose.
“Grab her!” the biggest one ordered and they did. They started hitting on me. I lowered my head to watch them hit my stomach. I started to laugh. I couldn’t feel their hits. They looked at me funny. I raised my head, they stared at me with wide eyes.
“The bitch is a vampire! RUN!” they let me go and they all ran. Zander didn’t run or seem scared.
“Your not going to run?” I asked.
“No, I’m not scared.” he said.
“Why not?” I asked.
“I have seen worse let leave it at that.” he walked away. Stephen and Gabe came out with no real news. “Pete said he hasn’t seen anything unusual.” Gabe said. I opened the back door to the car.
“Where you going?” Stephen asked.
“I have to following someone.” I said grabbing my jacket out of the backseat. I caught Zanders’s scent a few blocks away. He was trudging down the sidewalk. It was sad to watch him roam around with nothing. I followed him until I saw where he lived. I then jumped down from my hiding spot. I walked up to his door and knocked.
“Just a second!” he yelled. He came to the door with nothing but a towel on. Then I seen the mark, the same mark that Matt had. Zander was a werewolf.
“Hi Zander!” I greeted him.
“How do you know my name? or where I live?” he asked in shock.
; “I know a lot about you. Including you’re a werewolf.” he backed up. I walked into his small grimy apartment.
“What? How do you know?” he asked. I shut the door behind me.
“You have the signs.” I pointed to his chest. “People who see it wont know what it is.”
“How do you know?” he asked looking down at his chest.
“I knew your grandfather, Matthew Hanson.” I said while walking around his apartment. “I also knew your grandmother Nora.”
“You did? Wow. She died when my Grandpa was a baby.” he went into the kitchen and grabbed a beer.
“Your grandmother Nora would be appalled at his place.” I checked out his cabinets.
“Wait how did you know them?. You’re my age.” he studied my face.
“Vampire, remember?” I smiled at him.
“Right, I forgot.” he opened the beer and sat down on his couch.
“I have to go. I wanted to see how your doing. I promised your Grandma I would look after you. So if you need anything.” I pulled out a piece of paper and wrote my cell on it. “Call me.” he took the paper.
“Thanks.” I watched him for a second then left. I ran back to the hideout. I walked into the garage area where Stephen and Gabe where working on something mechanical.
“Nora, you have a visitor.” Gabe chuckled. I frowned at him and headed up to my room.
“Hi Nora!” Michael greeted me.
“Hello Michael.” I walked over to him. We started at each other for a few seconds and began kissing.
Michael ran his hands over my arms and down my back to pull me closer to him. He began to unzip my jumpsuit. He began to push it off my shoulders exposing my bare chest. I pulled off his shirt and threw it on the floor.
We laid there in each others arms staring at each other. “Did you hear the news?” Michael asked. At first I thought he was teasing me.
“What news?” I asked.
“There is a new boss in town and the news is he is stalking Zander.” I looked at him. “your great grandson.”
“I know who he is. Why?” I asked.
“Well, he owes some money down at the club, he seems to have a gambling problem. He gambles money he don’t have.” he stood up and got dressed. I did the same.
“So?” I shrugged.
“Dutch Anders is the owner and he is tired of losing money to people who cant pay or owe a lot to his tables. Rumor also says he plans of killing him.” Michael zipped up his jacket up.
I had a feeling of dread wash over me. I knew what I needed to do and I had the money to do it. I waited for Michael to leave and I removed a few stacks of bills from my private safe. I didn’t need the money so I might as well save Zander’s ass.
I drove down to the club, like usual the place was busy. I walked inside. The lights were bright people where dancing and drinking. I walked over to the bar.
“Can I get you a drink?” the bartender asked, he must be knew.
“No thank you. I am here to pay off Z’s balance.” I said.
“Really, Listen Z is a friend of mine and if your bullshitting me you can go screw yourself.” he cockily.
“Who do I talk to?” I asked. He pointed to some fat man in a grey suit.
“Dutch Anders. Just a warning he is a bastard.” he said while walking away to his next customer. I walked over to him.
“Excuse me?” I said sweetly. He turned towards me and smiled.
“Hello beautiful. How can I help you?” he asked in a gravely voice.
“I am here to pay off Z’s balance.” I smiled.
“Z? Ok, do you have that much money?” he chuckled.
“How much is it?” I asked.
“11 g’s.” I handed him several stacks of money. “Look what we have here. Ok, his balance is clear.” he began to count it. “Where did this money come from?” he asked.
“I have rich friends.” I said. I walked out of the club and to Zander’s apartment to check on him.
The door was slightly open. I peeked in and the place was trashed. I walked in and began searching for him. I found him unconscious in the bathtub. I check him he was breathing, I pulled out my cell phone and called Gabe and Stephen to come help me. “Zander?” I called his name and shook him some.
“Ow!” he groaned.
“What happened?” I asked.
“That fat bastard Anders sent his thugs after me.” he said holding his head.
“How come you didn’t turn?”
“Are you kidding? He knows about werewolves and vampires he would kill me for sure.” his eyes met mine.
“What?” I questioned.
“Who are you, really?” he asked.
“Long story.” I went to help him up, he pushed me away.
“Seriously.” he said with a stern voice.
“OK, I am Nora Hanson.” I watched his face turn flush.
“My Great Grandma?”
“I would be her.” with that I helped him out of the tub. Stephen and Gabe showed up with a change of clothes and some first aid stuff. After a hour of silence and him staring at me.
“How?” he finally asked.
“I was bitten when April and Travis were little. I chose to stay away because I didn’t want to put them in danger.”
“So they never seen you again?” he asked.
“Yeah, but I watched and seen them nearly everyday. I couldn’t just go and not care. I loved my children and my grandchildren. Including you, Zander.” I smiled at him.
“Wow.” He was shocked.
We headed back to the hideout. Zander looked like he was starving. He watched me load my guns and other weapons.
“Do you have any food in this place?” he asked.
“Sure, in the kitchen.” I waited for the obvious question to come up.
“Besides blood?” and there it was.
“Yes Zander, there is normal food in the kitchen. We have some humans that live here with us.”
“As what?” he asked
“Friends.” I answered. He pursed his lips together and shook his head. He left the room.
I was going to find out who this Dutch Anders was.
