In Love With A Vampire Page 2

  “What are you doing?” Kalista demanded, rage searing her eyes. “I thought you didn’t want to kill me?”

  “No, I don’t!” Catan raged, his eyes bloodshot all of the sudden. “I don’t want to kill you, but you cannot leave here.”

  “What?” Kalista gasped incredulously. “You want me to stay here and yet you don’t want to kill me? What logic is that? Wait. Are you making me your slave?”

  For a moment, there was silence. Catan never had any slaves before, because before he could have any at all, he’d already killed them. And if he didn’t kill Kalista, would that mean that she was his slave? He had never ventured into that possibility, but it sounded inviting. Kalista as his slave. That was something new.

  “Yes,” Catan finally replied after some afterthought. “I want you to be my slave.”

  “I’d rather die than be your slave!” Kalista declared furiously, anger bubbling inside her like lava at the thought that she’d have to be slave for this, this … cruel beast.

  “You’d rather die?” Catan asked, more in a rhetorical sense, but he knew that deep down he didn’t want her to die at all. “You would rather die than be my … slave?”

  “Yes!” Kalista answered boldly, hot tears streaming from her eyes like a burst dam.

  For the first time in his life, unadulterated rage seared Catan. Seared him so bad that he lost complete control of himself.

  He grabbed Kalista’s throat so hard, choking her. Wild with rage, he jerked Kalista around like a toy, strangling her, cutting the flow of oxygen to her lungs. Kalista’s life was slowly ebbing away, but the fury in Catan made him blind to the fact that he was killing her. He’d never been so furious in his entire life. He’d tried to spare Kalista’s life, and yet, she’d refused. No one in his life had been so bold to counter his offer. His past victims had pathetically begged for their lives, asking Catan to spare them, but Catan had never done so. And here he was, trying to spare Kalista’s life, and yet she refused? What kind of woman was this? If she was even a woman at all.

  Kalista gasped for air, life draining away from her. She was going to die soon! Everything around her became a blur, and any hint of light slowly faded from her vision.

  Catan was so consumed with rage that he didn’t even have the appetite to taste Kalista’s blood. The rage had messed up with his system, causing him to lose interest in her blood but more in ending her life.

  All of a sudden, in her semi-conscious state, Kalista heard a deafening scream that was so high-pitched that it almost shattered her ears. She could feel Catan’s hands slipping away from her neck, releasing her, setting her free. The air started to rush back into her lungs, and it felt revitalizing, like fresh morning dew. Something had happened to Catan, but she wasn’t sure what had exactly happened. She knew that somebody had saved her. Yes, somebody had come to her rescue. But who was that?Who? What had happened to Catan? Did her rescuer finally kill him for good?

  Kalista jerked her eyes open once more, trying to see the face of her savior. Before everything turned black, the last thing she saw in her foggy vision was the face of a Greek God. It was Lipton.

  2. Cursed

  Jesse Winds had heard about those deaths, alright. People who were randomly killed by vampires. People who had died in gruesome pallor because all the blood had been drained out from them like a sucking tube. Children, women and men were victims. Even babies were not spared from these merciless attacks. Who was so heartless to have killed all of these innocent people, regardless of age, race or gender?

  Jesse knew that she had to find out who the killer was as soon as possible, or these serial killings would continue aimlessly.

  She knew that the person who did this was undeniably a vampire, like she was. Jesse was a vampire too, but she didn’t go around killing people for their blood. If she needed blood, she’d order supplies from the blood bank. She had connections in the hospital, so getting those supplies wasn’t so difficult for her. Of course, she could also consume animal blood, but it wasn’t as tasty as human blood.

  Whoever this vampire was, he or she must be stopped because more and more people were killed.

  Jesse worked in the Wartwick Police Department (WPD) as a female police officer. She’d worked on countless of crime cases, but nothing were as gruesome as these senseless killings that had been happening in the city over the past few months. She had seen the lifeless faces of the children where vampire bites had been left all over their bodies. The image had been etched in her mind like an unwanted parasite, and every time she thought about these helpless victims, it made her angry and sad at the same time.

  She’d to get to the bottom of this, and bring justice to all the dead victims.

  “What are you doing, honey?” a husky male voice said.

  Jesse turned around in the kitchen, and smiled at her husband who was gazing at her dreamily from the doorway.

  “What are you doing?” Ken Winds asked, slowly making his way toward his wife.

  “Just making some salad,” Jesse replied, putting the bowl of salad on the island counter. “And doing some thinking.”

  Ken chuckled. “What kind of thinking? You’re always thinking.” Ken wrapped Jesse in an embrace from behind, giving Jesse the warm and comfort she needed in the air-conditioned kitchen. Maybe she’d set the temperature too low. But she had been thinking so much about the killings that she’d forgotten how cold she was.

  Jesse whirled around to face her husband. Ken had very pleasing features, his brown eyes looking so beatific and calm. His ruffled short hair added to the charm of his features. Jesse’s heart skipped a beat at the sight of her husband. Maybe she ought to stare more at her husband and think less about the gruesome deaths of the victims.

  “Nothing that you ought to worry about,” Jesse said with a brief laugh.

  “Oh, come on,” Ken prodded. “I can see those frown lines you’ve been trying hard to conceal.” He paused for a while, flashing her a calm smile. “You can tell me about it.”

  Jesse sighed. As much as she’d like to share her life’s tribulations or triumphs with her other half, she just didn’t think that it was necessary for him to know about the horrific killings.

  She had been married to Ken for four years, and Jesse had confided in Ken about almost everything. Ken was a human and she was a vampire. Ken had known that Jesse was a vampire before he married her. He wanted to make an honest woman out of Jesse because Jesse was the kindest, sweetest woman he’d ever met in his life. There had been objections from his family and friends because Jesse was a vampire, and their lifestyles might run differently. But Ken went with his gut and decided to propose to Jesse one day, because Jesse made him feel special, and they had perfect chemistry. Sometimes, Ken would willingly offer Jesse his blood, but Jesse would refuse because he didn’t want Ken to think that she was marrying him for his blood. Jesse would rather drink the supplies she got from the blood bank. But there were times that during their intimate sessions, Jesse would lose slight control and sink her teeth into Ken’s flesh, where she would take a sip or two. Ken didn’t mind because he felt more intimate with Jesse through that act, and it forged their bond in ways they couldn’t comprehend.

  Ken had even asked Jesse to turn him into a vampire, but Jesse had repeatedly rejected.

  “I don’t want to turn you into a vampire not because I don’t love you,” Jesse had said when Ken had misunderstood the rejection. “I love you the way you are, as a human. I think you’re unique in your own way, which I really adore. I know that I can’t grow old like you, and sometimes I worry that we may not be compatible once you grow older. But know that I will always love you no matter what. And if ever the time feels right to turn you into a vampire, then I promise you that I will.”

  Ken and Jesse had also tried a few times for a baby, but to no avail. Doctors had said that it was an infertility issue, and they might have to opt for artificial insemination or even adoption. But for this moment, Ken and Jesse were happy the w
ay they were. As long as they had one another, everything would be perfect in their own little world.

  Jesse decided that she’d better tell Ken what was bothering her. She just didn’t want to carry that burden alone.

  “People are dead, Ken,” Jesse said, her voice shaking. “People are being killed. Innocents are dead because of a vampire who has gone rogue.”

  Ken was quiet for a moment, digesting everything Jesse had just said. Then, he wrapped Jesse in his arms and whispered, “It’s OK, baby. Everything is going to be alright. The police are going to nail this vampire, whoever he or she is. You bet that justice will be served.”

  Jesse closed her eyes tight, trying to shut out the gruesome images from her mind. She burrowed her head deep in Ken’s chest, clinging to the warmth comfort that was easily accessible to her.

  “It’s not alright, Ken,” Jesse retorted. “How can this be alright? Dozens of innocents are dead in the course of three months. The numbers are going up, not down. Somebody’s gotta bring this killer to justice.”

  “Don’t think about it anymore, baby,” Ken cooed, breathing in the floral fragrance in Jesse’s hair. “Just forget about and let’s have a cozy meal together. What do you say?”

  Jesse sighed. It was easy for Ken to say that but it wasn’t easy for her to push away the ghastly images from her mind. They haunted her so mercilessly, torturing the tranquility of her soul.

  Like a puppet, Jesse let Ken lead her to the dining table, where he pulled out the chair for her. He began to set the places on the table, and lighted the scented candle centered there, creating a romantic atmosphere.

  “I’m going to dish up something quick and fast,” Ken said softly. “You just relax and don’t think about anything, but how delicious my dishes are going to be.” He chuckled, eliciting a soft laughter from Jesse.

  Jesse rested her arms on the table, trying hard to think happy thoughts. Thoughts about Ken and her holding hands by the beach, watching a comedy together, laughing together, and just having a plain good time. But in the crevices of those forced happy thoughts, Jesse could see a hint of scarlet tinging her thoughts. The color of blood. Blood oozing out from the bodies of the dead victims.

  So much for happy thoughts. Jesse flicked her glance at Ken, who was busy cooking up something in the kitchen. The checkered apron he wore made him look strangely adorable. He was whistling an oldies tune as he sprinkled some ingredients into the saucepan. The aroma of cooked food wafted across the kitchen in Jesse’s direction, causing her stomach to grumble. Maybe she needed to eat something. She’d been so drenched in those horrific thoughts that she’d completely forgotten how hungry she was.

  Maybe she should go and help Ken, even though she had a feeling that Ken would reject her offer to help. Ken would want her to sit still and do nothing at all, like a pampered princess. But Jesse couldn’t just sit still. And she was really hungry. Jesse got up from her seat, and was about to head toward the kitchen when she heard an ear-splitting scream slicing the silence of the night.

  The scream belonged to a female, probably in her twenties. It only lasted for a few seconds, and then there was a chilling silence.

  Jesse heard Ken mutter, “Oh, God! What’s that?” The shrilling sound had made him drop his cooking utensils, which clanged noisily onto the floor.

  Instinctively, Jesse pounded toward the door, her heart drumming against her ribcage. It was a common notion that vampires did not have a heartbeat. However, this wasn’t entirely true. Vampires did have a heartbeat just like humans, except that vampire hearts had different beating rhythms and their hearts were pumped by blue blood, as opposed to red blood in humans.

  Jesse had a hunch that the notorious vampire killer was behind this, and she couldn’t let him escape easily through her fingers. She was going to catch him with every strength and wit she could muster if it was the last thing she did.

  Jesse slammed against the oak paneled door with all her body weight, causing it to rip off its hinges. She whooshed down the entrance steps to the front yard, taking long strides, heart pounding against her chest. Once she reached the sidewalk of the streets right off her house, she halted momentarily and scanned her surroundings, eyes alert for any signs of the female victim or the vampire.

  The streets were cold and empty, the strong gale whipping littered cans around like balls.

  Where are you? Jesse cried mentally, trying to sense where the vampire was. She had to find the vampire as soon as she could, or else she’d lose him, and the vampire would go on with his killing spree in the future. She couldn’t let that happen.

  Jesse had to utilize her vampire ability, her sense of smell. Vampires can scent humans or things as far as miles away, depending on the age of the vampire and how well-trained the vampire is. Jesse was a mid-level vampire, so her vampire scenting was limited to a certain distance only.

  Jesse sniffed as hard as she could, her eyes closed momentarily so she could focus.

  She could hear snores emanating from somewhere in the apartment. The sound of rustling leaves, dogs barking in the distance, water flowing in the drain. Damn. She had to focus clearly. She reprimanded herself mentally for not focusing hard enough on any signs that may hint vampire activity.

  Then, she heard something, something that sounded like sucking. Jesse jerked her eyes open, her heart accelerating. It was probably the sound of blood sucking. The vampire sucking the blood of his or her victim.

  Highly alert, Jesse whooshed across the streets in lightning speed in the direction of the sound, which came from northeast. Leaping over hurdles of obstruction with perfect agility, Jesse dashed as fast as she could as she maneuvered her way through dark alleys and the open streets. She climbed walls and leapt from roof to roof like a skillful animal, her mind focused on getting to the vampire as soon as possible.

  The sound became clearer and clearer the closer she got to her target. Finally, she jumped off the roof and landed in a dim-lit alley reeking with the heavy stench of rubbish and fish.

  She saw the dark figure of the vampire sucking the blood of his lifeless victim. But the vampire caught the sound of Jesse’s footsteps and whirled his head around, blood dripping from his jaws like freshly squeezed lemon.

  He tossed his dead female victim aside like a useless toy and sprang to his feet. Rage filled his emerald eyes.

  “Who are you?!” the seething vampire demanded, wiping the blood stains with his shoulders. “Why are you here and what do you want?” He let out a fierce growl, indicating that he was ready for a fight if it came to that.

  “I’m Jesse,” Jesse introduced herself, a grim expression plastered on her face. “I’m a police officer, and I’ve come to arrest you for killing that poor woman.”

  The vampire let out an evil laughter, shaking his head incredulously. “You’re going to arrest me? That’s the most foolish thing I’ve ever heard. You can’t arrest me. I’ll kill you before you can do that.”

  Jesse could feel fear slowly seeping into her system. She had no idea how strong this vampire was. He could be a thousand year old vampire, thousands of times stronger than her in terms of age. Or he could be a newborn, and if he were, Jesse would probably be more stronger than him. She could go into the battle with this vampire, but there was no telling if she would win.

  “I won’t let you get away that easily,” Jesse threatened, taking one step closer toward the vampire, showing him that she wasn’t afraid even though her heart was ricocheting in her chest.

  “The name’s Catan,” the vampire introduced himself voluntarily with a wicked grin. “Yes, remember that name, you bitch.” Catan glanced at the lifeless body of his victim, a sneer curving his lips. Blood was still oozing out from the victim’s body, tantalizing him. “It’s such a waste not to finish the blood. Let me drain her out completely before I deal with you?” His tone was amused and mocking. He settled back toward his victim, ready to unleash his fangs once more.

  Jesse wasn’t going to let that happen. She lau
nched herself into the air as high as she could and landed a huge kick into Catan’s back, causing him to roll across the floor like a ball. She unleashed as many violent kicks as she could, the anger in her pumping up her adrenaline.

  Catan growled and groaned in pain as he suffered Jesse’s physical assaults. Jesse pummeled her fists against Catan as if he were a punching bag. She vented her anger at him, feeling the rage of justice searing her nerves. The thought of all his innocent victims charged up Jesse’s anger, causing her to add force to her punches.

  But Catan wasn’t about to let Jesse batter her like a flattened box. Recovering from pain and shock quickly, Catan whipped out one hand and managed to grab Jesse’s fist in time before she could land a full punch. He twisted Jesse’s wrist with such ferocity that Jesse let out a howl of pain. And then, he jerked Jesse around as though she were a soft toy and easily hurled her across the air with his might. Jesse landed in a pile of rubbish with groans of pain escaping her throat.

  Catan was supernaturally stronger than her, alright. But Jesse wasn’t going to give up without a fight. If Catan wanted to play fire with fire, then fire was what he was going to get.

  Mustering all her strength and composure, Jesse set herself back to her feet, brushing away the dirt from her clothes. Her fangs protruded out, her tongue rolling out in a fierce hiss.

  “Not giving up, are you?” Catan taunted, crossing his arms over his chest with an air of supremacy.

  “Not to a heartless monster like you!” Jesse fumed, the rage within her fueling her energy. She clenched her fists, ready to pulverize Catan.

  Catan and Jesse exchanged threatening looks, circling the alley and never leaving each other’s fierce gaze. They were waiting for the other to launch an attack so one of them could retaliate. But they continued holding each other’s gaze, as if waiting for the other to make a move first.

  “Scared to make a move?” Catan mocked again, a condescending grin on his face.