Vampire's Key
Chapter Three
Carl hadn’t let up since they’d left the restaurant, swearing as he stormed off toward the car, leaving Lilly to hurry behind him. *Bastard,*she thought, *such a selfish bastard. Why is everything my fault? Why can’t he just accept that he’s in a bad mood?*She stopped momentarily to rub her shin, glancing towards an approaching man. He didn’t smile and Lilly hurried on. *Hadn’t that been the guy sitting alone in the restaurant,*she wondered? She’d caught his eye a few times during their meal. That, like everything else, had angered Carl and he’d kicked her under the table. She’d almost yelped at the sharp pain. It brought tears to her eyes. She’d sat through the rest of the meal wishing she had the courage to stab him with her fork, or throw her plate in his face. But she hadn’t. She’d sat in uncomfortable silence, aware that the stranger kept looking at her. Maybe he’d seen Carl kick her. If he had, though, he hadn’t intervened. No one had.
Lilly half ran down the road in an attempt to catch up with Carl, dodging puddles and uneven paving slabs. Eventually, when his pace didn’t slow, she gave up and walked again, cursing him mentally.
He only stopped when he reached the entrance of the car park. Almost a road away, he called out. “God, you’re so fucking slow. How old are you, 23 or 73?”
“Carl—wait,” Lilly pleaded, finally catching up.
“Just get a fucking move on,” Carl replied, continuing into the deserted car park. He looked back at Lilly and shook his head. “You’re so slow. No wonder no one likes you.”
Wrapping her arms across her body, Lilly glanced over her shoulder. The dark stranger was still there. *Is he following us,* she wondered? He stopped beneath a streetlight halfway down the road, said something she couldn’t hear and thrust his hand deep into his pocket. About him an amorphous cloud of darkness formed. Its oily blackness seeped into the solidity of the surrounding world. The man whirled around, his arm raised to strike. Lilly stood rigid, her mouth agape, not quite sure what she was seeing. Maybe her eyes were playing tricks on her. Or her mind. Shocked, yet fascinated by the strange apparition, she strained to see. She wanted to move closer, but fear of Carl held her in check. Cloaked by the swarming shadow, the man disappeared. Then it, too, was gone, dissipating as quickly as it had formed, leaving only the empty street, washed again in light.
Lilly hurried after Carl, passing parked cars soaked in raindrops. She peered back one last time. The man had definitely gone. Ahead of her, Carl had come to an abrupt stop. He spun around, his face disfigured by his trademark sneer. His eyes narrowed and he glared malevolently, taking a long step toward her. Lilly braced herself, certain that he was going to hit her. “Will you fucking hurry—”
The furious rush of a black shape smashed into Carl and whisked him away into the darkness. Lilly gasped. Frozen to the spot, everything seemed silent and still, as though she had been alone all along. Lilly jumped as a gentle voice broke the silence from behind her. It was soft and feminine, with the trace of an Eastern European accent. “Hello.”
Cautiously, Lilly turned to see a dark-haired lady, a few inches taller than herself, dressed in a black ankle-length coat that seemed to melt into her body.
“My boyfriend’s disappeared,” Lilly confided.
The woman stepped closer. Her stunning eyes pierced Lilly’s, searching, pushing inwards. Lilly felt an intense heat drive into her. It seeped deeper and deeper, permeating every cell and fibre of her being. It brought with it an innate sense of freedom, unbound in its simplicity. Then it was gone. “No mind to the Stakes,” the lady replied, breaking the intimate connection.
“Stakes?” Lilly asked, trying to understand what had just happened between them.
“Your boyfriend is with the other man.”
The lights flickered and died, dropping Lilly into a pit of darkness that saturated the car park. Vehicles appeared vague and shadowy, as though their colours had been stolen.
“So this is Lilly,” another woman said. Unlike the blackened vehicles, there was a luminescence to the lady, as though she possessed an internal light that could be projected into the darkness.
“Hello Lilly. I’m Aadhira. Call me Addy.” She was tall and slim with a light brown face. She offered a gentle smile. It eased Lilly’s growing nervousness.
“How do you know my name?” Lilly asked.
“They are putting up a fight,” Aadhira said, ignoring Lilly’s question. “We need you, Katie.”
Katie offered a clipped reply. “Let Evie deal with them. They’re only Stakes.”
Faint shouts came from the far end of the car park. Lilly looked towards the noise, trying to peer through the thick layers of darkness.
“I may not have much time,” Katie announced. “It is good for you that we are hunting your partner. If you wish, you may leave now, or…” she paused and stepped closer. Her eyes dove inwards, penetrating the outer layers of Lilly’s mind and once again intimately touching her sense of self. “I ask you, does it feel as if all the colour has drained from the world?”
Lilly tilted her head, intrigued and enraptured by this strangely seductive woman.
“Do you like the black and white world you live in Lilly? Or are you so lost you cannot see any more?”
“I—” Lilly swallowed. Her arms tightened around her. “What do you want?”
“No, Lilly. What do *you*want?” Katie quizzed.
“Where’s Carl?”
“He is there,” Katie replied, inclining her head towards the darkness. “Along with the other misogynist.”
Lilly strained to see through the thick darkness. She shook her head. “I don’t see anything.”
“I will take you to him.” Katie was beside Lilly instantly. A warm arm wrapped tightly around Lilly’s waist, her face inches from Lilly’s. She smiled and whispered, “come.”
“Don’t worry,” Aadhira soothed. “If she wanted to hurt you, you’d be dead by now.”
Lilly sensed herself moving through the car park. She looked down, watching the ground passing below. “I’m flying.”
“Yes,” Katie said, before setting Lilly down on the ground once more. “Here is your man, if you want him.”
Katie’s grip dissipated like fading mist, leaving Lilly alone amidst a circle of hooded women. The darkness seemed less intrusive here, enabling Lilly to see the figures clearly. Around her, a group of women stood ready to attack, their hooded faces obscured by the absorbing darkness of shadow and black cloud.
Carl stood in front of her, shifting from foot to foot as he twisted around. His suit jacket was ripped, along with a trouser leg that revealed a bloodied shin. Behind him stood the man from the restaurant. His thick black hair was a mess atop his head and sweat coated his brow.
He spoke with a strong American drawl, “Get back,” he warned, pointing a large wooden stick towards Lilly.
Automatically, she stepped backwards.
“Come,” an unearthly voice whispered behind her.
She peered back and jumped at the sight of two white dots where eyes should be. “Carl, what’s going on?” she asked, unsure where to go.
“Lilly, come here,” Carl replied. He offered her his left hand. It was covered in blood and dirt. Lilly stared at the dagger in his right hand, its blade coated with dark blood.
“Why have you got a knife?”
A whispered response echoed around the circle. “Stakes love their weapons.”
“It makes up for what’s between their legs,” another said.
“Yeah, dicks with dangling dicks!” came a response.
“Evie!”
*That’s Aadhira,*Lilly thought.
“What? Just saying it as it is,” Evie replied.
Lilly looked towards the sound of the voice. She had broad shoulders and full hips. Her head was hunched forward. A grey hood obscured her face. “Should lock them all up,” she quipped. “They’re way more compliant when they’re locked away.”
Carl’s voice was low and serious, demanding obedience. “Lilly, come here.”
“She’s not your fucking bitch, Stake,” Evie hissed.
“Shut it, parasite,” Carl retorted.
“Even when he’s outnumbered he can’t shut his stupid mouth,” Evie commented.
Carl took a step towards Lilly. His voice dropped even lower, “Lilly, get the fuck over here.” The thick blood dripped from his knife, oozing down in a long tendril of gooey liquid. Lilly hesitated. Malice laced Carl’s voice. “I told you to get over here.” Still, Lilly didn’t move. Exasperated, Carl sighed and went to grab her, then froze as a cacophony of sound swamped them.
Lilly cringed at the high-pitched screams that emanated from the hooded women. As the screeching continued, a gap appeared in the circle.
Lilly found herself retreatingto stand beside Carl. He gripped her wrist tightly with his free hand. “What is it?” Lilly asked. A stooped figure hobbled forward, dragging its left leg behind it. The cacophony of disorientating screams and repetitive clicks died down. Lilly rubbed her hand over her face, trying to refocus her mind. She looked back at the aged figure.
With wheezing breaths and jilted movements it staggered closer. A long grey cowl, filthy and rotten, was interwoven into her hair. An emaciated hand, gnarled from age, stretched towards Lilly as if the crone wanted the young woman to help her.
Lilly swallowed, repressing bile that threatened to escape from her stomach.
The creature rasped and wheezed as it approached, its feral movements broken and disjointed.
“It’s their Matriarch,” the American said. “It’s Nell.”
“You vampire bitches!” Carl shouted, sweeping outwards with his dagger. The haggard creature grew closer. Its dishevelled cloak, patchy and rotten, intermingled with its wrinkled grey skin.
Mesmerised by its otherworldliness, Lilly tried to see its face. Obscured by a hood and scarf, piercing grey eyes, peered out from beneath the cowl. A withered hand removed the scarf. The creature grinned at Lilly, her mouth toothless but for two dirty-black incisors. “Wife beater,” she hissed, staring at Carl.
Carl shivered and took a step back, placing Lilly in front of him.
The creature wheezed and shuffled closer.
“Don’t. Please,” Carl begged. He glanced back, checking how close he was to the circle of vampires. “Do something,” he said to the American.
“Fine,” the American replied, stepping in front of Lilly. The creature hissed and reached out with a long, boney arm. She grabbed him by the throat and lifted him into the air. The American lunged downwards with his weapon. The creature swept around. Clawed fingers caught his hand, her thumb cutting into his palm. The American cried out. His stake fell to the ground. The crone grinned, yanked his head back and plunged her black teeth into his neck while her dead eyes stared at Lilly.
“Please,” Lilly pleaded, surprised at finding her voice. “Don’t hurt us.”
“Don’t worry, Lilly,” Katie replied, appearing behind the crone. “She only wants a taste.”
Discarding the American, the crone swept past Lilly, evaporating in a whirl of black shadow. She reappeared behind Carl, ripped his dagger from his hand and sunk her teeth into his neck. Carl kicked out as the aged vampire rose from the ground and rotated towards Lilly. Carl’s arms and legs flailed helplessly. He stared at Lilly, fear and hatred interwoven in his gaze as the vampire stole his blood and life force. Withdrawing from his neck, the crone grinned. Hot blood dripped from her black-red mouth. It merged with the glossy blackness of the tarmac below.
Lilly shook her head. Carl was coughing now, nauseous from the overwhelming stench of decomposition. The crone’s bony, fleshless hand retained a tight grip on his body. She pulled him close again, until he brushed against her emaciated torso. Discarding her cloak, the creature’s gaunt eyes drilled into Carl’s. He shivered and kicked weakly at its bony shins. It grinned again, flicking a rancid tongue over its two long, black fangs. Carl screamed and pushed hard against her chest. The hag sniffed at him, then tilted her head back and fed on him once more.
“Stakes have no place in our world,” Katie mused, reappearing beside Lilly. Her cold hand interlocked with the startled girls. “You can come with us now.”
Shaking, Lilly turned and looked at Katie.
“Come,” Katie coaxed, offering her hand. Her gaze tenderly pushed past Lilly’s thoughts to embrace that deep unspoken sense of herself.
Lilly gasped as she tried to make sense of Katie’s intrusion. Finally, her hand dropped to her side and she shook her head.
“Soon then,” Katie said.
About them, the hooded women disappeared into the blackness. At Lilly’s feet lay the two men, their souls teetering on the edge of life and death. Lilly screamed and rushed over to Carl. Blood seeped from his neck and she pressed her hand against the wound. Warm liquid gushed through her fingers. She gritted her teeth, repressing the nervous shivering that threatened to overwhelm her. “You’ll be okay,” she soothed. “You’ll be okay.” She looked at the other man. He looked dead already. His eyes were closed, his face drained to a gaunt white, his chest unmoving. “Help,” she cried out, staring up at Katie.
The vampire didn’t move.
“Oh god!” Lilly exclaimed. Fumbling for her purse she pulled out her phone. Bloodied fingers dialled the digits.
Katie’s words pushed into Lilly’s mind. “You have a chance right now,” the vampire repeated. “Come with us.”
“For fuck sake help me,” Lilly shouted. “He’s going to die!”
“No, he is not,” Katie stated. “We have other plans for these boys.”
“I need an ambulance,” Lilly blurted into the phone.
“We shall meet another time, Lilly,” Katie said, and left with the darkness.
Alone in the car park, tears streamed down Lilly’s face. “Oh my god,” she gasped. Her heart pounded hard against her chest. Her body shook and she breathed deeply, desperate to calm herself.
Carl’s eyes opened and he tried to lift his head.
“Don’t move,” Lilly sobbed. “Help’s coming.”
His voice was weak. “Lilly,” he murmured. Lilly moved closer, tilting her head to listen to his faint words. “Please, don’t leave me. Don’t leave me.”
“I won’t. I’m here. You’ll be okay,” Lilly replied, trying her hardest to repress the tears.
His bloodied hand gripped hers tightly, as though he were clinging on for his life. He shook his head weakly and closed his eyes. “I’m sorry. You shouldn’t have seen this.”
“Carl, it’s okay,” Lilly said, glancing around for help. It looked normal now. A normal car park, but for two men lying on the ground. Katie’s words returned to haunt her, *“Come with us.”*
Vampire’s Key
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