“Yeah. C’mon Terry. What do you say you let me in and we go another round?” asked Kristof tauntingly in a creepy, whispery voice. “What’s the matter? Your little squirt gun not working?” he added with a cruel chuckle.
Terry’s eyes didn’t move. He was fixated on Kristof and wanted to slaughter him.
“Terry? You hearing me, dude?” asked Curtis. “Just let it go, man. Just let it go.”
Terry’s eyes finally looked down.
“Coward,” said Kristof, casting an evil grin and flying away. “I’ll see you soon, Terry.”
Terry turned to Curtis. His eyes were vacant. He was in shock. He was speechless. He was so defeated he didn’t know what to think or what to feel. The other bikers wiped tears from their eyes. Harold, Betty and the others hung their heads low in sadness. Some of them wept too.
“You okay man?” asked Curtis, putting his hand on his shoulders.
“Trent was only twenty-seven years old,” said Terry quietly, his voice full of gloom.
“It’s alright, man. He had us. He had a family,” Curtis responded, trying to comfort him.
“I’ll not rest until every vampire is dead,” Terry declared in a soft voice, still in shock.
Everyone stood with somber faces. Their losses were great. Terry fell to his knees bursting into tears. Curtis and the bikers gathered around Terry and placed their hands on his shoulders trying to comfort him. Terry’s weeping turned into wailing. No one said anything. The grief was overwhelming.
***
It was two thirty a.m. Shaun lay wide-awake thinking about the horrific day he’d had. Jones and Trent were dead. Everyone was traumatized. They were numb from their stronghold being so badly compromised. They were in shock from watching Jones and Trent be taken from them so unbearably. He was left with a decision.
Should I go see Sharon one last time? Would it really cause any damage? What more could they do? The bead strands are back up. There’s no more crazy old man Jones stumbling around to do something erratic. I got to see her again. One last time anyway. After tonight, no more
, he thought.
He picked up another one of Jones’ crucifixes. He caressed it, remembering what a crazy old buzzard he really was, and smiled. He knew although Jones was completely nuts he’d be missed. There would always be a soft spot in his heart for him. He was part of the tower family for several months. Shaun fastened the crucifix in his waistband and left the room quietly.
***
The elevator doors opened on level sixty-eight. Shaun stepped out and saw Sharon floating outside the window as expected. He didn’t know why but he smiled at her, walking closer to the window. She was his woman. She would always be. She was his dark fantasy and a source of pleasure all rolled up in one package. Of course, he was oblivious to the fact that it was Miranda in disguise.
He stepped up to the window with a sad face, not saying anything. Sharon noticed his gloomy expression.
“Hi lover,” said Sharon. “Why so sad?”
“Two of our friends died today,” Shaun responded, glaring at her as if she was in part responsible.
“There are many who seek your blood, Shaun,” she stated. “All of us do, in fact.”
“I thought you would have told them to back off?” he asked, raising his tone.
Sharon laughed.
“What’s so funny?” asked Shaun.
“We’re vampires, Shaun,” responded Sharon. “Did you really believe our nightly rendezvous would provide some form of protection?” she added, justifying their actions.
“Out of love and respect for me, yes,” he responded.
“Love and respect for you?” Sharon asked, looking down at him as if he had no right to demand such a thing. Then her face softened. She floated as close as possible to the window.
Shaun was still full of malcontent.
“Shaun. It is inevitable,” she said.
“What is?” asked Shaun.
“The fall of the mortals,” she answered. “Look around you. There’re hardly any of you left. There’s nothing more for the humans in this world. It’s because it belongs to us.”
“What are you trying to convince me of?”
“Join us.”
Shaun looked down and pondered. He thought about it long and hard. Sharon was making too much sense to ignore her.
What if I went to the other side? Who would I really be hurting? I would make sure I wouldn’t try to hurt Harold and the others. I could promise myself that, right? I don’t think I can. I know I can. No! I can’t do it
, he wrestled with his thoughts.
“You don’t owe anyone in this tower anything,” Sharon whispered like a tempting demon. “Yet you’ve practically given them everything.” She sounded convincingly.
In a dark corner of the large room, a little ways off, Mark stood watching the entire conversation between Shaun and Sharon. He could hear everything. He knew that, if he waited, Shaun would most likely come back for another one of his suspicious
strolls
but he had no idea Shaun had close ties with a lady vampire.
Maybe Shaun is really responsible for Jones’ and Trent’s death
, he thought.
Mark’s angry eyes were fixed on Shaun. He glared at him from the shadows of the room as if he was the worst traitor ever. He couldn’t believe Shaun was speaking to one of them so informally despite the killings that had happened earlier that night. Mark held up a handgun, unsure if he was going to use it. He knew he wasn’t prepared to take on Shaun and his woman vampire.
What if the vampire gets in and overtakes me?
Mark thought.
“You know it to be true,” said Sharon to Shaun.
Shaun was still in a daze thinking over what she had said.
“I’ll make you powerful, Shaun,” Sharon continued. “You’ll never grow old, never die. You will be immortal. You can fly through the sky as a bird and be free,” she added, extending her arms out graciously.
Shaun didn’t answer. Her poisonous words festered in his mind and infected him.
In the corner, Mark kept his eyes on Shaun and Sharon and moved out of the corner quietly along the wall. He took silent steps towards the stairwell. He couldn’t use the elevator. Shaun would spot him for sure. He dared not be seen. He had to get back to Terry and the others and report what Shaun had been up to. He was almost there. He had another twelve feet to go before he could head out the darkened doorway towards the stairwell. His face perspired; he kept his breathing under control.
Mark made it out the doorway and rushed to the stairwell. His leg bumped against an end table. A small figurine shook and fell to the floor. He filled with terror.
Shaun and Sharon turned their heads to the sound.
“What was that?” asked Shaun, dashing a few feet from the window and looking into the huge, dark, open room, fearing someone was watching him.
Mark grabbed the figurine frantically, set it back on the table and headed up the stairs. He knew Shaun would catch up to him. He stopped, turned, and kept his gun aimed at the door to the stairs. He was ready to take Shaun out at any second. He panted from fear.
“Someone is over there,” Sharon responded, looking through the window into the room sharply. “They’ve left the room.”
Shaun was horrified. Someone had discovered him! He was found out! Shaun talks to a lady vampire. This couldn’t be told to the others. They would never understand. A terrible feeling of stress poured over him. He didn’t know what to do. Sharon noticed his frustration and smiled coldly.
“Let me in, Shaun. Let me in. I will stop him for you.”
Shaun looked at her saying nothing, knowing she may be the only way to stop whoever was spying on him. The seconds counted on; time was running out. Shaun was at a major impasse. He had to come up with something quickly.
“Let me in,” said Sharon. “You know I’m your only option.”
“If I let you in, promise you won’t kill him,” said Shaun, knowing it was most likely Mark. “Swear it now!”
“Fine. I won’t kill him,” Sharon answered.
“Okay. Just you though,” said Shaun firmly, knowing he was letting the devil in the front door.
“May I come in?” she asked.
“Yes.”
In a quick flash, she appeared behind him. He was scared, turning around and facing her. She looked at him, her eyes showing that she knew she had complete power and control over him and everyone else in the tower.
“Bring him here, please,” said Shaun, fearing Sharon wouldn’t keep her end of the bargain.
Sharon smiled with evil eyes. She disappeared in a flash.
***
Sharon reappeared in a flash next to Mark on the stairwell. His eyes widened. His jaw dropped opened. He was scared stiff, frozen in fear.
“Hello handsome,” said Sharon, shoving him with one hand.
Mark flew across the stairwell, struck against the cement wall and fell to the stairs below. He rolled down the stairs landing at the entry door. He got up on his knees and fired a few shots at Sharon. His shots did nothing but put holes in the concrete wall, one of them ricocheted. She vanished from the stairwell landing and appeared next to him. She lifted him up with one hand, gnashing, a horrible smile showing off her large fangs. Mark was terrified; his eyes were still large. He aimed his gun at Sharon’s chest. He fired three more rounds into her while she carried him into the other room, one handed, over her head. Sharon just grinned at him. The gunshots did nothing to her.
She threw Mark several yards across the room where he landed at Shaun’s feet. He was scared, looking up at Shaun. Sharon appeared next to them. Mark put his gun in his lower back. He had one shot left.
“Excellent,” said Sharon.
“Thank you for not killing him,” said Shaun, staring at Mark with a guilty expression.
“Shaun? What the hell is this, man?” asked Mark, his eyes darting back and forth between him and the vampire. He began to pick himself up from the floor slowly. “Who is she?”
“Mark. This is my former wife, Sharon,” answered Shaun. “She’s a vampire now.”
Sharon glared at Mark as if he was a pile of fresh meat. She licked her top lip, desiring his blood.
“Are you going to kill me?” asked Mark, still frightened.
“It’s not my plan,” answered Shaun. “But I am considering joining
them
. You, Terry and the others will have to be in charge here.”
“Shaun. This is crazy, man,” said Mark, trying to reason with him but still scared. “You don’t know what the hell you’re getting into.”
“Probably not, but I’ve made my decision,” said Shaun. “If that’s something I have to live with forever, then I’d rather do it with my wife and daughter at my side.”
Sharon began to chuckle.
“What’s so funny?” asked Shaun.
“I’m sorry darling,” said Sharon. “I’m going to have to break my little promise,” she added, whispering into Shaun’s ear and playing with his earlobe.
“What promise?” asked Shaun, filled with horror, knowing he had no power over Sharon and that whatever she wanted she could take.
“About killing… Him!” she hollered, rushing at Mark and biting his neck savagely. Mark screamed. His blood oozed down his neck and down his chest.
“No!” shouted Shaun.
Sharon dropped Mark to the floor. He lay on the floor with his eyes wide open. His blood continued to ooze out of his neck and pooled beneath him. She gnashed her teeth and gazed up at the ceiling slowly in a state of bliss.
“You promised you wouldn’t kill him!” shouted Shaun angrily.
“I lied,” Sharon responded.
“How am I going to hide this!” he cried, beginning to weep, looking down at Mark in his gore.
“Pure ecstasy,” stated Sharon, exhaling calmly as if Shaun’s words meant nothing and didn’t faze her. She was too intoxicated on the fresh gush of blood in her mouth.
“Did you hear what I said?” hollered Shaun.
“You really are stupid aren’t you?” said Sharon looking at him with a dull expression.
“What?” asked Shaun.
“You knew what I was when you invited me in here,” answered Sharon, licking her lips again, showing off her fangs.
“I’m ready to leave with you,” said Shaun. “Let’s go now.”
“Not so fast,” said Sharon. “My work here isn’t done yet. You see, I have several more victims upstairs that I intend to bring back to him,” she added, looking up towards the ceiling.
“Who?” asked Shaun, knowing he single-handedly caved the house in.
“Kristof,” she said with an evil grin, floating up to Shaun closely. She began to caress the sides of his face, his neck and shoulders.
“You were working for him the whole time?” he asked, beginning to feel frightened and played for a fool.
“Don’t worry, darling,” Sharon whispered, still caressing him, preparing her next victim. “You and I will have plenty of time to be together,” she added with an evil smile. “After all, the other vampire that posed as your daughter and I have been salivating over you the most.”
“Posed as my daughter?” asked Shaun, his voice shaking with fear.