Captivated (An Affliction Novel) (25 page)

“Do you think she’s still alive?” He asked me as if I was certain that the answer was yes. The boy was looking for hope that I needed to look for as well.

The sharp pain stabbed at my near lifeless heart. If I lost her, that would be the end of me. If they hurt or kill her, I would destroy them all. Regardless of the rule that bounded me from randomly killing every vampire that I saw. I didn’t care if the vampire didn’t feed on humans; they still deserved the sharpest of my blades. Waldron could strip me of my powers for all I cared. Just as long as she was safe again. I’d die trying.

“She better still be alive.” I said grimly.

“Okay. This is confusing so bear with me.” Markus pointed at the word ‘start’. The picture on the paper looked similar to the markings I had on my forearm. This one resembled the shape of an oval. I could make out circular squiggles around it that I assumed were trees. Markus needed to improve on his drawing skills. “You would have to enter here and go up this way then that…” He babbled until his finger landed on the word ‘finish.’

“How did you find this?” I asked as I studied the map.

“That’s not important. I found it. So don’t worry.” He tried to assure me.

“How Markus.” I demanded. For hours I’ve been trying to find what he found. I had to know.

“Well…umm.” Markus took a deep breath. “Just try to keep cool when you hear this. I know how you get.” He stuck out his chest and made an impression of me with a deep monstrous voice, “Dean smash!” He paused to take note that I was not laughing at his joke. Markus cleared his throat. ”See this tattoo on his-” He walked over to the vampire and stood behind it, “if I touch the vampire will he bite me? Mosquito bites are one thing but-”

“He won’t bite you because I’ll kill him if he so much as moves a centimeter.” I glared at the vampire, daring it to give me that satisfaction.

“Cool.” Markus inched hesitantly towards the thing. He stood in front of it and looked at his wrist. “I can’t get to it with all that rope.” Markus pointed out while looking up at me.

“Which one do you need me to untie?” I asked.

“Mindy said Shane had one on his right wrist. So let’s go for that one.” Markus said.

I untied the vampire’s right wrist and held a tight grip on it exposing the marking. It was like a maze with the tribal tattoo around it to give it an effect. “See this? Well apparently it’s a map. I did some research and all. Don’t ask me how. Long story. All I had to do was find the exact entrance to the forest. Because if you enter through the wrong side. Even through the wrong bushes…it throws the map off.” Markus looked up at the vampire. “So, you guys are born with it right? Or do you go to a tattoo shop?” He asked.

“Born. I guess you would call it that. A new life.” The thing snickered. “Yes, we’re born with it. It’s how the new vamps find their way to us. Sometimes we accidently turn someone when we drink. When humans turn, they start a whole different life. Fresh. They don’t know what they are or who they are. All memories are fresh.” He said calmly.

“You mean if I turn into a vamp…I won’t remember who I was as a human?” Markus asked with curiosity. “How long does it take for someone to turn? How can it be an accident?”

“Very few of us remember our past lives as humans. A small fraction are born into the vampire life with complete knowledge of who they were. It’s blinking into a different breed.” Said the vampire. “And the turning…it depends. When I say accidently, that’s when we’re feeding off of someone and some of our blood makes contact with a cut the victim has. Sometimes we run into a feisty meal and we get clawed at. There’s also the times we are being intimate with a human-”

“Intimate.” I interrupted with disgust.

“Yeah. During foreplay, we have the human taste some of our blood. It’s like a high they get. Then they are more willing and less feisty. With all the blood being involved, ours gets mixed with the humans if we’re not careful. It takes those victims much longer to turn since they have little vampire blood working through their system. It could take them days to turn. When it’s purposely done, it only takes minutes.

“Purposely done? What is the procedure?” Markus asked with too much curiosity.

“The human has to be drained. Then we have them suck some of ours. It doesn’t take much of our blood for them to turn. Just as long as their blood is drained.” The vampire explained.

“Let’s get back to telling me how you found Lina.” I said through clenched teeth.

Markus looked up at me and his hands started to shake nervously as he walked back to his map on the washer. “Here goes Dean. Get ready.” Another deep breath. “I went back to the forest to try to find signs of a struggle. Anything that would lead me to believe that they were there. It’s kind of hard finding them because deer are always trampling everywhere. But I found blood on the ground. I think it was Mindy’s blood.” He paused and looked up at me, expecting something to happen. He was right to believe it.

Fury surged through me taking over my body and mind. I whirled around to the demon sitting on MY chair, in MY basement. He was in on it and he helped spill Lina’s blood. I grabbed him by the neck and raised him up above me. I squeezed harder and harder until I felt snaps under my fingers. The things eyes were popping out as it struggled to break free. I walked over to the window and released one of my hands from his neck. I pulled the curtain open, letting the glorious sun shine through. It landed right on the demons face and arm. The pale skin started turning black. Like dipping a piece of paper into fire. And like a paper catching on fire, so did the vampire. I threw the thing down and watched it roll around, trying to use its own body to scuffle the fire.

“Wait!” Markus called out. “We still need him! He knows his way around the mansion. We won’t be able to find Mindy without him!” He frantically called out to me.

The demon screamed. He had a rather deep voice. It sounded like a giant monster screaming for his life. “He’s right! I can show you!” The vampire cried out.

Disappointment came over me. I wanted to watch this one die. I grabbed the bucket of water I had used throughout the night to put out other fires I started on him. I drizzled the water on the flames until there was nothing but smoke coming off of him. I shut the window again and untied him. His skin was already starting to heal itself, but he still laid there. Probably in too much pain. Good. I smiled in satisfaction.

“I feel bad.” Markus drawled.

“Don’t. Vampires deserve to burn.”

“Not that.” Markus folded the map and put his head down. “I kept all of this from Mindy. I shouldn’t have. When I found out what you really were, I should have told her. All I did was avoid the topic and hint her to stay away from you.” He absently handed the map to me. “I feel like I abandoned my best friend when she needed me the most.”

“You did the right thing. She couldn’t know about all this. I was the one that put her in danger by getting close to her. Everything would have been fine if I hadn’t.” I huffed out.

“I can’t believe I thought you were a vampire.” Markus laughed out.

I remembered the vampire on the floor. “Hurry up and heal. I don’t want your limping slowing me down.” I said to the thing. I didn’t even look at it as I walked to the other side of the basement. I unlocked my weaponry chest and it creaked as I opened it. On top, there was a worn out basketball, a picture of my parents and me, and other knick knacks I had memories of. It was all a cover up in case my aunt ever opened this box. I removed the top tray that contained all my childhood memories and gently set it aside trying not to disturb the arrangements. All my weapons for killing vampires were arranged at the bottom of the chest.

“Cool!” Markus exclaimed with the same monotone. There was only a slight pitch in his tone you could miss easily if you weren’t paying attention. He leaned over me gazing at the weapons as a child would at a new shiny toy.

Behind me, I could hear cloth rubbing hard against the surface of the floor. The grunting of the injured demon was soft, but loud enough to grab my attention. I kept my ear out to see how far the vampire would go before I interrupted his already failed escape.

“What are these?” Markus pulled up one of the black vests from the chest. I didn’t answer. This boy was good at figuring stuff out. I gave it a minute or two. “They’re not bullet proof because it doesn’t really cover your back or your chest with these straps.” Markus turned the vest in circles, inside out, you name it. “I got it! This is where you slip the throwing knifes in. These small pockets look like they can fit pencils in it or something.” He took a quick glance in the chest. “Darts. These are for those darts. But where’s the one for that cool looking knife you got in there?” He asked while examining the vest again. Then handed it to me so I could put it on.

“I strap it to my leg.” I stated. I grabbed the strap and wrapped it around my thigh. This boy. Something about him let me talk easily. I hated conversations with people. I more like detested it. With Lina, I had a hard time because of all the secrets I kept inside. Everything was easier with Markus.

I reached down for my favorite knife, the one that was lying next to my father’s body the night my parents were killed. I’d killed hundreds of vampires with it. Even then, the black blade never dulled. I could still see my reflection in it. I wrapped my hand around the black jewels that were incrusted in the handle and secured it in the pocket of my thigh. The sword was already on my bike, but I wasn’t going to drive it today, it made to much noise. It would ruin my surprise attack. There were also throwing knives I strapped around my chest, all made out of the same metal as my sword and knife. Lastly, I slid the darts into their sockets. Anything else would slow me down.

“Why do you have a smaller vest?” Markus asked as he pulled out the other vest.

“I used it when I was smaller.” I said.

“You mean you weren’t born buff?” Markus replied with a joke. I didn’t laugh; I just nodded my head and reached for my black leather jacket.

“Whoa…dude, you totally look like a slayer with all that black leather. The pants, the jacket, they’re so cool!” Markus smiled widely.

“You’ve never seen a slayer Markus,” I stated.

“I used to watch a show. She was hot…” Markus rambled on about the show as I walked towards the stairway.

I looked up at the crawling vampire who was reaching for the door to the kitchen. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” I warned. “I opened all the windows. Unless you want to be a flaming mosquito, I suggest you come back down.” I tilted my head and envisioned the vampire on fire. Immediately, I smiled.

“Hey, don’t we have to take him with us right now anyway? How is he supposed to survive?” Markus asked. He said ‘we’. The boy thought he was going with me. I’d break the bad news to him later.

“Wait. We’re going now? It’s still daylight. I can’t go out there!” The thing cried out.

“You didn’t have a problem with it a minute ago when you tried escaping.” I snapped at him. He was standing now, almost healed. I didn’t really care if he burnt to a crisp out there. I had to keep reminding myself that I needed him in the mansion. “We’ll take an umbrella.”

“I’m not like Shane.” He said. “Shade isn’t enough for me. His skin has adapted to shade since he’s been outside everyday practicing.”

Hearing Shane’s name made my blood boil.

“I thought Shane was after Mindy. Not practicing? Wait…what do you mean practicing?” Markus stumbled his words in confusion.

“After discovering his power of controlling shadows, he was sent to school to collect Mindy. In the mean time he strengthened his control over shadows.” Said the vampire.

“Why didn’t he just snag her on the first day? Why did he wait so long?” Markus asked.

“Because he’s the only one that could be out during the day. He had no back up to fight Dean. And he couldn’t handle him by himself. Even at night, Dean was always watching over Mindy. Shane was too, but he never got the chance to get her without Dean hanging around. His distraction gave us the chance to create more vampires as a small army to face Dean.” The vampire turned to me. “It was a big distraction. We were able to do things we never could do on your watch.”

“I don’t get it.” Markus turned to me. “Why didn’t you just kill him when you knew he was going to school with us?”

“Slayers aren’t allowed to harm vampires if they haven’t attacked a human. There are some vampires that prefer to eat off of animals and steal from blood drives and such. To my knowledge, Shane didn’t feed off of humans.” I said.

“What happens if you do?” Markus asked.

“My powers. Whatever you call them gets taken away and I’ll be the same as the rest of the humans.”

“How would they find out?” Markus asked.

“Waldron. The one who turned me, has watchers everywhere. It’s a way for him to see if a town needs another slayer he could send. And a way to keep an eye on us.” I said.

The vampire was standing up tall now. His skin looked healed under the burnt holes in his clothes. It was time to go.

“Does the shade kill you?” I asked it.

“No. But it hurts. Real bad. The shade only blocks seventy five percent of the rays from the sun.” He admitted while shuddering at the thought.

“In that case. The umbrella will do.” I said coldly.

I grabbed a chain hanging on the wall and wrapped one end to the demon’s neck locking it in place. The other end, I wrapped around my forearm and held the remaining part in my hand.