Free Vampire Books: Vampire Bite – Chapter 17

Alfie turns up at seven, as is our normal routine.  He comes up by himself and picks me up, hugging me to his chest.

“I wish I could just keep you in a safe bubble, Ava – and not take you out on these hunts.”

“You know I’m safest when I’m with you.”

“That’s not true – I take you into the most dangerous situations.  You’d definitely be safer at home.”

Casper flits into my mind, and I wonder again if I should say something to Alfie about him coming by.

He must see something cross my face, for he says, “What’s wrong?”

But if I tell him … if I do decide to do my stupid plan … it would never work.  He’d sit outside my flat watching to see if Casper turned up again.  He’d kill Casper.

“Nothing’s wrong … or everything’s wrong.  I just wish we could stop them.  What happened at the meeting?”

He puts me down and starts pacing.  “Everyone’s worried – we think – maybe they are increasing their numbers – turning more people.”

“More vampires?”

“Yep, more blood sucking bastards.”

“I guess that would explain the increase in deaths.”

“Yeah, new bloodsuckers are crazy killers.”

“Even more so than normal ones?”

“Yeah, when people change they lose all sense of human feeling – and don’t care about anything – not even getting discovered.”

“What about older vampires?  Does that mean they regain a sense of humanity?”

“Well … in comparison I suppose … not entirely though … or they wouldn’t still kill, would they?”

“Guess not….  If the new ones are more reckless it might be easier to catch them?”

“Yeah, except all events at the uni have now been cancelled.  And less and less people are going out each night – which makes it harder for us to remain unnoticed.  I was so confident – we all were – but now I’m worried.  It’s never happened like this before.”

“How’s it happened before?”

“It’s always been straightforward.  Once we work out there are bloodsuckers in a town; we move there, seek them out, and kill them.  They’ve never evaded us this long – and we’ve always stopped the problem before it’s gotten out of hand!  And now we don’t even have a plan!  Just more patrolling.  Patrolling, patrolling, patrolling!  It’s just not working!”

“Hey, Alfie, come here,” I say.

He walks up to me and I wrap my arms around his chest.  He’s breathing deeply and giving off even more heat than normal.

“We’ll come up with a plan.”  My stupid plan pops into my head.  “We’ll think of something.”

He wraps his arms around me too.  “I hope so, Ava.  I do.”

We have another night where we don’t meet another vampire.  Alfie is agitated throughout the entire hunt, and I don’t blame him – I feel pretty agitated too.  When the night draws to an end I don’t invite Alfie to stay again – even though a big part of me wants to.  Another part of me thinks this shouldn’t be rushed – I don’t want to ruin it by pushing things too quickly. 

I also need to think … about whether there’s a way my plan could work.  If Alfie’s with me I won’t be able to think about it reasonably – and if I keep drifting off in thought he’ll ask me questions – and then I’ll probably give in and tell him – which will most certainly ruin any chance of the plan working.

In the afternoon, news reports begin to come in that more people have been murdered.  The city is seriously debating a curfew – which is getting the werewolves pumped up – if a curfew comes in it won’t prevent people getting killed – it will either make the vampires move to another city, or just drive them onto the streets earlier – as people are heading back from work.

The total murders for the night creeps up to six.

The next night there are ten murders.

I start to feel an increasing sense of panic, and the idea I’d had creeps into dominance in my mind.  Maybe getting Casper to capture me wouldn’t be such a bad idea.  It would be risky – and scary – but how many lives could I save?  It could be worth it.

After another night hunting Alfie kisses me goodnight and then leaves with his brothers.  I go to bed and can’t sleep – thoughts are spinning and spinning around in my head;  I could pretend to be ill and wait at home to see if Casper comes by again, and this time I could go out and see him.  And then what would happen?  How would I get him to take me back to their coven?  Could I just ask him to?  Maybe … but I couldn’t just come out with it – it would be too suspicious.  I’d have to spend some time with him first, and make him believe I really liked him.  That wouldn’t be hard – the effect he has on me.  What would be harder is remembering why I don’t like him.  What he’s done.  But that should be easier than it was … with the way I feel about Alfie now.  I’ll remember that when I’m with Casper and it will help me keep perspective.

I’ve still got that GPS tracker in my jacket pocket.  And I’ve got my phone … I could message Alfie once Casper has taken me to his coven.  But … at the coven there will be other vampires – what if they react like that blond vampire – and try to kill me?  What if they don’t respect Casper?  Maybe Casper would kill another vampire to protect me – that wouldn’t be a bad thing, another one down and all, but what if they ganged up and killed him?  And then me?

What if Casper just kills me?

Or changes me into a vampire?

Then Alfie would have to kill me.  Could he do it?  How would that affect him?

But all this going out and looking for vampires; Alfie is right – it’s not working anymore.  Not since they discovered the werewolves are here and searching for them.  The vampires are multiplying.  If I don’t do something soon it will be worse.  This could be the only way.

The best way.

I think I should do it.

I wake up early in the afternoon feeling a grim sense of certainty.  I really should do it, and I should do it tonight.  It’s the only way we’ll stop this quickly.  I don’t want to die – but my life will have been worth losing if it saves countless others. 

I hope it doesn’t come to that though.  I don’t believe Casper will kill me.  So far he’s protected me.  He thinks we’re meant to be together.  I think he will try and protect me again.

I decide to ring Alfie and tell him I’m ill.

My stomach is filled with butterflies as I pick up the phone.

“Ava,” Alfie says, “You alright?”

“No, but nothing to worry about, it’s just I feel like shit.  I don’t think I can go out hunting tonight.”

“What’s wrong?”  His voice is filled with concern, it’s so sweet, and makes me feel very guilty.

“I feel sick, and fevery, and like I just need to wrap myself up in my duvet and watch TV until I get better.”

“Do you want me to stay with you?”

Shit – that would most certainly ruin the plan.

“I’d like you to – but you know you can’t.  You’ve got to stay out there and try to catch them.”

“Not working too well at the moment though, is it?”

“No, but that doesn’t mean tonight won’t be the night.  And I will be fine.  A couple of nights’ rest and I’ll be back to hunting with you.”

“You sure?”

“I am.”

“But if you’re not better tomorrow I’m coming to see you before we go out – make sure you’re not dying or anything.”

I blow him a kiss down the phone.  “See you tomorrow, Alfie.”

“Take care of yourself, Ava.”

It’s done.  But will Casper come by or will this have all been for nothing?  I feel so filled with fear that I actually do feel sick, so everything I said to Alfie wasn’t actually a lie.  I wish I hadn’t had to lie to him, and hope that he will forgive me for that, and for what I’m planning to do.  Maybe Casper won’t come by at all, and I’ll be saved from having to do this.  If he does … please let it work … and please let me be alive at the end of it.

I have a long bath, trying to relax, but my heart feels like it’s beating too fast and my head is racing:  Am I doing the right thing?  Is this a huge mistake?  What if I die?  What will it be like?  How will people react?  What will I miss not being here?  I wish I could just shut my thoughts off for one night until this is over.  That would be sweet.

I put on a fitted jumper with jeans and make myself up like I’m going out – I don’t want to look like I’ve put in too much effort, but I also don’t want to put him off – this plan won’t work if he suddenly decides he doesn’t like me after all!

As the sun sets I check the GPS tracker is still in my pocket – it’s still there, looking very convincingly like a key.  My phone is charged and ready, and even though it feels weird to wear my gun at home I load it and strap it on.  Just in case.

I’m constantly listening out for noises – the trouble is, living in a city, there is quite a bit of noise.  Even though it is dark people are out and about, coming home from wherever they’ve been – although it’s rare to see anyone out alone anymore.  Solitude is a pretty suspicious thing these days.  A door closes in my building and my heart jumps into my throat.  I take a deep breath and decide to have a glass of white wine – to see if it will help me get a grip.

It starts to rain, and gradually gets heavier until there’s the constant noise of water hitting my window.  I stick on a movie, but can’t concentrate – so I get up and pace around for a bit, and then sit down to check things on my phone.

My doorbell buzzes.  My heart leaps and my stomach lurches – but it’s too early, only six-thirty – and surely Casper wouldn’t ring the bell?  Maybe Alfie decided to come and check on me.  Confused I go to the intercom and ask, “Who’s there?”

“It’s me, Mark – let me in before I get eaten out here.”

I buzz him up, and when I open the door to him he’s shaking rain out of his black and blue hair.

“What the hell, Mark?” I say, hugging him.  “You shouldn’t be out alone after dark.  And why didn’t you tell me you were back?!”

He shrugs.  “Didn’t walk here – got taxi – not entirely stupid.”  He rolls his eyes.  “And just got back today – so thought I’d surprise you.  Thought maybe … maybe I would come out on a vampire hunt after all.”

I hug him again, but in my head I’m thinking – what am I going to do now?!!!

“I don’t think Alfie will let you – not unless you learn to shoot first.  And anyway … I’m not going out tonight….”

He looks me over.  “Really?  You look like you’re planning on going out.”

“Well….”

He looks at me sharply.  “You’re not going to carry out that stupid plan are you?”

“Well….”

“Ava—”

“It’s not necessarily stupid….  It might work,” I say.

“Yeah, and it might not!  It’s seriously dangerous, Ava – you can’t do it!”

“I need to do it!  People keep dying.  I have to do something!”

“Not this!  Seriously, Ava?  I can’t believe you’d even think about it!”

“Can’t you?  After what’s happened to Trish?  After being attacked myself?  People are dying every night!  And this might work!”

“What does Alfie think about this?”

“Err…”

“You haven’t told him?  How will it work if you haven’t told him?!”

“Was planning on ringing him … I’ve got a GPS thing.”

“That’s stupid, Ava.  It won’t work.  You’ll end up dead.”

He picks up my phone which is lying on the table and starts touching the screen.

“What are you doing?” I say.

“Just a minute,” he says.  He puts the phone to his ear, and a moment later I faintly hear Alfie’s voice.  “You need to get here quickly,” Mark says, “Ava is going to do something really stupid.”

“I’ll be there,” Alfie says, and Mark hangs up.

“Seriously?” I say, looking at Mark and fuming.

“I can’t let you do it, Ava – I care about you too much.”

“You’ve just ruined my plan!”

“Good.”

I wish I could tell him to leave, but it’s not safe, so instead I go and sit on the sofa, and stare at the movie which is still on, although I don’t really see it.  Mark sits near me and stares at the screen too, not saying anything.

An hour passes.

Another hour passes.  Alfie still hasn’t turned up, and I start to worry about him.  I pick up my phone and ring, but he doesn’t answer.  I ring again, and no answer again.

The buzzer goes.

“Must be him,” I say, and walk over, then click on the intercom.

“Hello, Ava,” says a voice, but it’s not Alfie.  It’s Casper.