The Vampire's Mate Page 2

  While Caitlyn kept up a running commentary, I lay there on the cold concrete and remembered the feeling of his arms. The taste of his tongue on my lips, and in my mouth. I smiled and closed my eyes.

  "Alex?" Caitlyn called.

  "I'm cold, Caitlyn. Can you get me a blanket?"

  "Sure, okay. Stay there. Get an ambulance, John. There's something wrong?"

  I heard John calling for an ambulance as Caitlyn ran to the car to grab a blanket. I didn't care. I was happy. Content even. For the first time in my life I felt like I had just come home. What did that mean? I did not understand. But for now. I knew I was happy to just lie here. So, that's what I did.

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  They kept me overnight for observation.

  It was John who arrived early the next morning to take me home. It surprised me. I was expecting my mother or Caitlyn, maybe. Not John.

  "Hey," he said. "Ready to go home?"

  I nodded, "Yeah, why are you here?" I sat down in the wheelchair. The hospital had a policy that all patients, regardless of why they had been admitted, had to leave in a wheelchair. I thought it was a silly rule, but no-one listened to me. They ignored me as John pushed the wheelchair. A nurse walked beside us. I felt like the biggest fraud ever. I mean, all I had done was faint. Oh, and maybe come under the thrall of a vampire. But that's all.

  "I volunteered. I needed to talk to you."

  "Oh, okay." I grabbed hold of the arms of the wheelchair as John pushed it through the hospital door.

  John helped me into his car. I locked in my seat belt, and we were away. For a time we rode in silence. It was pleasant to be out of the hospital and away from the constant noise, so I soaked up the silence.

  It was as we were nearing mum's house, that John pulled over to the side of the road, put the car in park and turned off the motor.

  If John wasn't Caitlyn's boyfriend, it might have concerned me. As it was, I sat and waited for him to begin whatever it was he wanted to talk about.

  "Alex, I need to talk to you about last night."

  "Okay."

  He sighed. "Do you know what happened?"

  I laughed. "I passed out."

  He didn't laugh with me. He was serious. I was getting a little scared. "Yeah, before that."

  I thought back to last night. Thought back to the vampire licking my lips, then sticking his tongue inside my mouth. It wasn't sexual. It was more like he tasted me.

  "Alex?"

  I exhaled. "I suppose the vampire did something to me?"

  John’s breath escaped his nose as he looked over to me. "When he tasted you… he…"

  I missed some of what he said next, but I caught something like, "Not my pay grade." I understood he didn't want to talk to me, but he felt he had to. "Look, John. I was there, and I know something happened. I don't know what. But it's not important in the grand scheme of things. I'll never see him again. I'll go back to work. You'll go back to work. And everything will go back to normal."

  John sighed louder. His hands wound around the steering wheel. He tightened his fists until they were white.

  "Or maybe not," I whispered as I watched his knuckles change colour.

  "What did you see when you touched the ash, Alex?"

  I looked out of the window. It was a beautiful sunny day. The sun was reflecting off the blue water, making little stars floating on top. I loved living here in My Town. Being so close to the ocean.

  "Alex?"

  I sighed and glanced back at him. "I saw a man. He said his name was Trevor, and he was a vampire. He also told me that William had killed him. Stabbed him with a knife. I asked him how we could find William. He said he was staying with Serentis. And that's it."

  "Did you tell the vampire all of that?"

  I nodded, "Yes."

  John nodded back, "Okay, so that solved the case."

  "What?"

  "The case is now solved. They have apprehended the murderer."

  "How do you know? Did you arrest him? How could you know who to arrest, anyway? I hadn't told you any names until now."

  "No, but you told the vampire last night. He would've taken care of it."

  "What do you mean taken care of it?"

  John looked over at me with a raised eyebrow, but said nothing.

  "You mean he killed him?"

  He nodded.

  "But… is he allowed to do that?"

  John laughed, "Who will stop him?"

  I started to say the cops but realised that wasn't true. How could human cops stop a vampire from killing another? "So, the vampires in this town have their own justice?"

  He nodded again.

  "So, who's in charge of them?"

  John hesitated, "The vampire you saw last night."

  "He's the boss?"

  John nodded again.

  "Wow! Okay, so is that it? Can we go now? I'd like to have a shower and…"

  "No, Alex. That isn't it."

  I looked at him. His jaw was so tense I thought it might break. He refused to look at me. He was staring straight ahead. Looking at nothing. I sighed, "Just tell me."

  He gripped the steering wheel tighter with his hands. "When…" he coughed and started again. "When vampires…" He stopped again. "Vampires have been around for many years. We don't know a lot about them. But we have found out a few things. One is… how they find their mates."

  I took in a breath, then let it out. I decided I didn't want John to keep talking. Maybe I could distract him and jump out of the car, I thought.

  "They sense them," he finished with.

  "They what?" I blurted.

  "They sense them. Vampires have a strong sense of smell and other abilities. They can sense their mates from many miles away. Once they find their mates, they take their… essence inside themselves. The essence acts as a phone line to them. They will always be able to find their mates once their essence is inside them."

  I gaped at him. Wet my lips. "Are you saying…"

  He nodded.

  "I'm…"

  He nodded again.

  "Damn!" I blurted. My mind reeled. I was mated to a vampire. But I didn't even know him! How could I be mated and not know it? "But I know nothing about him! Don't I get a choice in this?"

  John shook his head. "No, you don't. I'm sorry."

  I glared at him. "You knew all of this before last night. Why didn't you keep him away?"

  "Did you miss the part when I said vampires could sense their mates?"

  "But why now? I've lived here all my life. Why now?"

  He shrugged. "Maybe your smell has changed? I don't know."

  I thought about that. My smell. Is it possible that when I began to see ghosts that my smell changed. That could be it. If my smell changed, and he sensed me… that would make sense. "What if I don't want to be mated to him? And anyway, what does mated mean? Does that mean I have to live with him in his… what? In his lair?"

  John gave a grin. "They don't have lairs. They live like us. And you have no choice."

  "Whoa! No choice! What do you mean I have no choice?"

  John sighed and fidgeted. "Two years ago, there was this girl. A vampire sensed her. She wanted him. He wanted her. Problem was, her parents refused and seeing she was under age, they had all the power. The parents and the girl left town. Moved miles away from here." He ran his hands through his hair and glanced out the window.

  "What happened?" I asked. I knew this would not have a happy ending, but I had to hear it.

  "The vampire chased them down. The girl ran out to him. The father… he aimed his gun to shoot the vampire, but the girl threw herself in the way, just as her father shot."

  "Oh, no!" Tears welled in my eyes at the horrible tragedy.

  "The vampire tried to save the girl. He tried to turn her. It was too late. The girl died in his arms."

  Tears flowed down my face. But I never uttered a sound.

  John gulped and wiped his eyes. "The vampire let out an in
human sound and, he picked up a stick from the ground and stabbed himself in the heart."

  I gasped and gripped my hands tight.

  "So they both died," John continued. "The father was so distraught at killing his daughter, he killed himself shortly after."

  "Oh, God!"

  "The mother ended up in a psychiatric ward. I think she's still there."

  Silence reigned in the car for a few minutes. The tragedy was still running through my mind.

  "So, you can't run, Alex."

  I nodded, "Yeah, I got that. Seems as if I had better talk to my future mate."

  John shook his head. "No need. He'll come to you. When he's ready. All you can do is wait and prepare."

  "Prepare? For what? How? How, John? How do I prepare for something like that? I mean will I ever have kids? Can vampires have sex? Am I supposed to live with them? Are they supposed to live with me? Do they work? Am I the only one that will bring in money?"

  "Alex, Stop! I don't know the answers to any of those questions. I only know a little about vampires. I can tell you that they live like us. They live above ground in houses. They eat food. They…"

  "Wait! What? They eat food?"

  John nodded. "Yes, many of the old assumptions about vampires are not true. Vampires live above ground. They eat food. They have sex. They can have kids. Think of it this way. They take in blood. The blood provides nutrients to their organs inside the body. All of the organs. There is no reason they wouldn't be able to do all those things. I don't know how the old assumptions started, but they're wrong. They walk in daylight. They prefer the night."

  "Wow!" And as if that expressed my thoughts I said it again. "Wow!"

  "Yeah."

  "I…" I was at a loss for words.

  "It's okay. I understand you'll need time to take it all in."

  I gulped. "Yeah." Then a funny thought hit me. "Does this mean I have a boyfriend now? Do I have to tell all my other beau's to leave me alone?"

  John looked at me. He saw the twinkle in my eye, then laughed. "Yeah, you have a boyfriend now. I would advise strongly that you tell your other beau's to stay away. For their own safety."

  I laughed.

  "You're not taking it how I thought you would," John admitted.

  "What? You thought I would be in tears pleading for help or something?"

  He nodded. "Or something."

  "What's the point? You told me there's no escape. That story about the girl and her parents… that shook me up, you know."

  "I know. I'm sorry. I had to explain…"

  "No, don't apologise. It was what I needed to hear."

  There was a silence then.

  I coughed and looked away. "So, I guess I have to wait."

  John nodded, "Yeah, there's nothing else you can do."

  I nodded, "Right, I'll wait."

  "Do you need to ask me any more questions?"

  I shook my head. "Not now. My head is so full I have no idea what I want to ask."

  "Yeah, I can understand that." He waited a few more seconds. "Do you want me to take you home now?"

  "Yeah, that'd be good. Thanks."

  He nodded, waited another couple of seconds, and started the car.

  He drove the short distance to my mum's house and stopped outside. Mum came out and stood on the front patio. "I guess I should go in then."

  "Yeah. Alex… I…"

  "It's okay, John. You've done your best. You couldn't do anymore." A small sob escaped before I could hold it back.

  "Alex!"

  "It's not your fault, John. Whatever will happen… well… it would've happened, anyway. Last night just brought it closer. I'm fine. Or, I will be." I opened the door and stepped out. Mum came down the stairs to meet me. I ran into her arms and held her tight while I cried. I cried for my humanity. I cried because I was suffering. I cried because I couldn't keep it in anymore. I heard John's car drive off.

  Mum turned me around and we meandered up the stairs and inside.

  My head rested on her shoulders. My old life was over. My new life was yet to begin.

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  The next few weeks flew by.

  I spent the time working and preparing for my future. A future I did not understand what it entailed. Or, when it would begin. The only certainty was that it would. I told my family what happened. At first it outraged them, but when I explained what it meant, they calmed down. It still upset them because I had no choice, but I knew they would come around. Well, everyone except maybe mum.

  She took it a lot harder than the others.

  My dilemma was the waiting. It was as if all the clocks in the world had suddenly slowed down. Time seemed to freeze. Each day lasted forever. Sleep was scarce. Food didn't taste like it should. The sun wasn't shining as bright anymore. I tried to tell myself it was just me reacting, but it didn't help. I couldn't seem to stop. When I wasn't working, I was pacing. When I wasn't pacing, I was watching movie after movie about vampires. None of it helped. I needed information. I needed to talk to a vampire. I needed to learn.

  "Alex!" Mum yelled one morning.

  I had worked my normal shift last night. I had only just got off.

  "What?"

  "Go to bed. I can hear you pacing from here."

  I sighed and climbed into bed. I couldn't sleep. My mind had too many questions and, no answers. The questions just went round inside my head. "Enough!" I cried. Jumping out of bed, I threw on my clothes and picked up the phone. I rang the one person who might help me.

  "Hello," John mumbled.

  "John, it's Alex. I need to know where vampires hang out during the day."

  There was no response for a few minutes, apart from a long sigh. "Alex…"

  "Just tell me, John. I've waited long enough. I need answers."

  Another sigh came echoing down the airwaves. "Okay, I'll pick you up in an hour."

  "No, just tell me."

  "I will not send you down there on your own. Take this option or not. I don't care."

  "Fine, I'll be ready." I hung up the phone. I needed answers. How long was I supposed to wait for this vampire to show up? Was I supposed to wait forever? And what the hell was he waiting for? Why didn't he come already? I went back to pacing.

  "Alex!" Mum called again.

  I sighed and walked onto the front patio to wait. It was a fine morning, with a blue sky, and a slight wind. It would be a good day.

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  John drove me downtown to the darkest alleys he could find. The alley he stopped at was at the back of a bakery. It was early morning. Too early for the bakery to be open. There was a crowd of people cluttered around the bins at the back of the bakery itself. I was unsure if they were stealing old bread from the bins or if they were meeting there. They were vampires. Somehow I knew they were vampires. They looked like humans. The group was about twenty or thirty in total. There were smaller factions within the larger group.

  "Stay in the car, Alex," John commanded. He opened his door and stepped out.

  The vampires all turned as one and sniffed the air.

  I gulped. That can't be good.

  John hesitated and then shut the door. The noise of the door shutting echoed inside the vehicle.

  He walked over to the group.

  One vampire met him halfway.

  They stood talking for a few minutes.

  It was getting hot and stuffy in the car, so I wound my window down. An instant breeze hit my face, and I gasped at the coolness. Because I had been so focused on the vampires, I hadn't realised how hot it had become. I closed my eyes and breathed the fresh air in. When I opened them, I screamed. A face was right in front of me. It was so close, I could count his individual eyebrows.

  John came running over to the car. He grabbed the vampire and pulled him away.

  The vampire hissed at him and claws came out of his fingers. They looked deadly.

  John reached for his gu
n.

  But I knew, if it came to that, it would be too late. The vampire would be faster than John. I did the only thing I could think of. "Hey!" I yelled. "Leave him alone."

  The vampire swung back. He hissed and then darted away.

  John relaxed and backed over to the car. "You alright?" he asked breathlessly.

  I nodded. "Yeah, sorry. He scared me. I had my eyes closed enjoying the breeze. And when I opened them…"

  "Yeah, I get it. Another minute and we'll be gone. Okay?"

  "Yeah, Okay."

  John walked back to the vampire he'd been talking to.

  I felt so stupid now. The vampire had done nothing. He was just looking at me. Okay, maybe a bit intently, and a bit close. But, he hadn't touched me. Another vampire came walking over to the car. He stopped well back from my window. He stopped and stared at me. His head went back, and he sniffed deeply. His eyes flared red. Then focused on me.

  I gulped. Wow! The vampires eyes could penetrate inside me. That's what it felt like. It was like he was reading me from the inside.

  "So," the vampire spoke. He had a raspy voice. Unusual, like he'd been a smoker and had damaged his throat. "You're his mate."

  I glanced at him. "John's mate? No, I'm not."

  He shook his head from side to side. His eyes never leaving mine. "No, you're Serentis's mate."

  I stared at him. "Serentis?"

  He cocked his head at me. "Don't you know?"

  I shook my head. "No."

  Quick as a flash, he darted forward and pulled out hairs from my head.

  "Ow!" I yelped. My hand went up to rub the spot where he'd ripped the hairs out. I glared at him. "What was that for?"

  He held the hairs up to his nose and sniffed. His eyes reflected amazement. Then he burst out laughing. A booming laugh which sent the pigeons flying from the nearby trees.

  John came back, opened his door, and got in the car. Without a word, he pushed the button to wind up my window and drove off.

  I watched the vampire as long as I could as we drove away. He was still standing there laughing. The other vampires walked up to him. Then I couldn't see him anymore. I turned around and faced the way we were going. Fear flew through my veins. I would mate with one of them! Oh boy!