Created (Book 1 of the Created) (9 page)

There were five pens measuring in the vicinity of forty feet
by forty feet. Each of the pens was separated by approximately forty more feet.
The enclosures were marked with colored coded signs. The signs were red,
purple, blue, pink and green. This was of no meaning to me, but was something I
would definitely have to ask Darby or Veronica about later.

Anxiously, I watched the armed guards who were posted
outside of the structure label with a two foot by two foot placard in the color
red. There were eight, two stationed at each corner, with another ten inside
working to clean up the mess.

Darby and Veronica marched straight ahead. Neither one paid
any attention to the cleanup operation though the guards shifted their weapons
swiftly from shoulders and into ready positions as we pulled even with the pen.

The scene was surreal and one I hoped I would soon forget.

Past the pens were single story row houses all painted
white. Each house was well maintained, yard manicured, some had plants hanging
from the corner post, others did not. The houses were a few on the right and a
few on the left, no more than twenty
total
. Sounds of
foreign origin mingled with sounds of various television shows as we slowed.
The sun rose steadily revealing the detailing of each home as the shadows were
torn away.

Had it not been for the smell of gore lingering in the early
morning air, the scene would have been ideal.

Stopping at a house marked with the number fifteen, I jumped
when the hiss of a sprinkler kicked on beside my leg. I stepped from its half
rotation path in the nick of time, keeping my pants leg from getting soaked.
The ladies sidestepped the initial stream of water jetting from the sprinkler
head. Just as suddenly as the sprinkler started it disappeared back into the
grass.

Darby faced me before I knew what was happening. "It
was great meeting you. Maybe next time you will have a name."

I laughed uneasily not sure of what to say.

She hugged us both. Her tiny arms were strong and the hug
seemed of genuine warmth. The gesture was needed. It had been a long night and
the contact was greatly appreciated. I even thought she lingered a little long
during our hug, but it could be the over burden imagination playing tricks on
me.

Veronica spoke, "See you at the meeting tonight. Darby,
please don't be late."

Darby fingered the cross around her neck between her thumb
and forefinger. She fiddled with the small silver cross on the chain, passing
it back and forth along the small diameter of shiny rope.

I thought she appeared to be thinking of something to say
though she never did. A sudden frown broke free through her constant happiness.
Recovering quickly she smiled, shook her head in a knowing, playful gesture
then flipped her long golden hair around as she swiftly moved up the concrete
walkway behind her. In a couple of seconds she was gone within the house
leaving me alone with Veronica.

Veronica tucked a few stray strands of her dark hair behind
her ear as we both nervously stood around killing time. She traced the ground
with her foot back and forth as she looked down, pushing a small stone along
the edge of the concrete.

I wasn't sure why we were just standing there. The silence
and awkwardness didn't help to deter my body from being ravished by hunger, but
it did allow me to take the opportunity of studying my tour guide further.

Veronica was beautiful. For the first time since I had met
her a few hours ago, I was transfixed. As the sunlight fell across her face, I
realized her hair was a dark brown with auburn highlights and not the stunning
black I had perceived it to be last night. Veronica's skin was flawless, lips
full, cheekbones prominent. She was radiant, but something about her appeared
fragile, empty.

I wanted to say thank you to for her helping me. I hoped if
I started a conversation it would break up the awkwardness. The thank you would
be a gateway to asking more questions about my condition I reasoned. Mouth
open, I was about to start to say it when a commotion arose behind me.

The noise seemed to be a conglomeration of angry voices and
growls. Afraid to know what was happening I froze. In my heart, if I still had
one, I knew the source of the anger was me.

Veronica's hair
phased
to black and
her eyes grew wide, then murky.

The sudden color change meant I hadn't been mistaken
earlier, her hair had been black.

She grabbed my shirt with both hands, violently hurling me
out of the way with considerable force. The act was reckless, unplanned.

The arc of my path through the air carried me into the
single column of Darby's porch. The wooded column exploded into splinters from
the impact. Slamming into the front of the house cracked the wood siding, but
stopped me from flying further.

I found myself lying on the small porch, crumpled beside the
aluminum door. The door had received a mortal blow when I had flown into it.
The ancient piece of craftsmanship was barely hanging on by a few now pulled
loose screws that were desperately clinging to the smashed door frame. The
concrete was cold and damp. I tried to catch my breath. The porch floor was
rapidly growing wet underneath. I could feel the moisture seeping through my
pants.

The burning in my side told the truth. My hands hurriedly
searched my torso for the source of the brownish red blood soaking the ground
beneath.

My torso was bruised and more than one bone was broken. The
exploration of my torso revealed that internally the devastation of Veronica's
attack was extensive.

My ribs were crushed. I could feel jagged fractures floating
around inside of me. Maybe one had punctured through the skin I thought.

A bout of coughing caused blood to be expelled from my
mouth, covering the bent and dented storm door I was facing. Half opened eyes
could discern the denting was caused by my face. The primary dent was in the
shape of my face. I had been lucky enough that most of the glass from the door
had dropped between the storm door and the wooden door behind though some
shattered specks had fallen onto the porch.

Shaking hands found a sharp fragment jutting from the right
small of my back. I could barely touch the sharp end; the tip was almost within
grasp. I attempted to roll over onto my side to get my arm free enough to pry
the embedded slither out. I was careful not to drive the piece any deeper.
Still I was unable to reach more than the tip which I could not grasp. My dilemma
was when I struggled to remove the wood from my body the motion moved it
further away.

My bladder released allowing a small stream of urine to leak
from me. The trickle was lukewarm against my thigh. The strong smell was
nauseating.
 

All sound stopped except for the sound of water rushing over
a falls. The sound was low, but loud enough to block all other sounds of the
surrounding world.

Consumed with my injuries, I had forgotten about how I had
arrived at my situation. Snapping back to reality, I worked my head around to
find Veronica. What had happened with Veronica? She had thrown me onto the
porch when we had heard the voices approaching. All I could make out was a
large crowd of irate people and things circling and pacing around eyeing me.

I had to check on her. Trying to rise from the floor I found
myself too weak. Falling back down hard, the pain caused by the action was the
worst experience so for in my life as a changeling vampire.

A long groan flew from me.

The rushing water sound had begun to fade before my failed
attempt to rise, but was now louder than before.

Looking up toward the opening in the door, where the window
had once been, I saw a very animated Darby pointing toward the yard. Her eyes
were brackish, fangs exposed. She was saying something, but the sound was still
obscured. I knew from her gesturing and shouting she was clearly upset about
the events unfolding behind me.

Veronica had protected me before and now it was my turn to
repay the favor. I had to get off the porch and help somehow. My mind was
racing. How could I get up? I was weak and on top that the hunger was
overriding.

I looked to the cute little vampire standing in the broken
door for help.

Darby was still trying to tell me something. Even screaming
with the furrowed brow, fangs and the darkened eyes Darby was less than
menacing. She was getting frustrated. The young vampire who couldn't have been
more than fifteen or sixteen needed help for her friend.

Glancing over my shoulder at the mixed crowd of humans and
monsters, Veronica was enveloped. The collective was tightening around her.

The noise in my ears was no longer deafening just annoying.
The roar of the falls had dissipated to the sound of a dull lulling brook
during a drought. My hearing was improved and over the flowing could be heard
the shouting of Darby, Veronica and the others. Everything was jumbled and
distorted. Whatever was wrong was a big deal?

Though she had attacked me, Veronica had saved my ass twice
removed. She had to have had a reason to want me out of the way. I was about to
help see if I could return the favor or die trying.

With as much force as I could muster, I flipped over onto my
back driving the slice of wood deeper into my flesh. The embedded wood pushed
through my side at an angle which allowed a shredded, mangled tip to burst
through my skin. The pain was agonizing. I tossed and turned trying to deal
with the pain.

Darby flung the dangling aluminum framed door open as she
rushed to my side, sending shredded glass airborne.

The crowd had forgotten about us or either the group did not
care as evidenced by the lack of focus in our general direction.

I clutched at the wood then jerked the broken splinter free
only to find the shard had split leaving it inside of me.

"Oh god!"
I screamed
through clenched teeth as the pain resonated throughout my broken body.

Darby bent down and held my hand. "Be quiet. They are
preoccupied trying to figure out how to deal with you. Veronica is trying to
reason with them and make them give you a chance to live with us. The more you
remind them that you are here and badly hurt, the more incentive you give them
to take care of the problem quickly while you are an easy kill."

I nodded my understanding through the pain. I really didn't.
This world was bizarre, a nightmare. Why did they want me dead?

Anger began to dig at my mind as I dealt with the pain.
Veronica was standing up for me and I didn't know her but a few hours.

Pushing my hand deep inside the wound, I wrapped my left
hand around the wood inside of me, getting a firm grip. An uncontrolled loud
grunt escaped in a fit of rage as I grabbed the chunk in my side and discarded
it, flinging it haphazardly. The item hurled toward Darby, who dodged at the
precise second it should have hit her.

My hands covered the wound as red clay colored ooze flooded
out. Soon I was covered in the blood. I looked down for a millisecond before
the hunger and the pain from all of my injuries took hold. My vision was
blurring. It wouldn't be long before the cloudiness gave way to complete
darkness.

I kicked my feet, fighting the burning filling my body.
"Fuck it hurts!"

My head was heavy. Veronica's name slipped quietly from my
lips.

Darby slipped her hand behind my head and cradled it,
positioning herself so my head would be in her lap. Reaching out, she found a
large section of broken glass with her right hand. Through my fog covered eyes,
I saw her turn her left palm up. In a single movement she cut diagonally
through the tissue of her hand from her thumb to her little finger. Dark,
maroon tinted blood flowed freely. Several drops spilled onto my forehead.
Cupping her hand tightly, Darby squeezed the gash, pressing her fingers hard
into her palm. Her hand and upper wrist was covered in fresh blood as she
allowed a few teasing drops to fall into my mouth.

I readily accepted the life she was offering. The taste
wasn't the salty blood I expected. The blood was warm and sweet with a flavor
similar to a lemony peach hybrid. The taste was subtle and not overpowering; it
was delicious. I wanted more. Seeing how I took to the blood, Darby lowered her
hand to my lips. At first she let me lap at the wound, my tongue licking at the
crevice.

Darby let a soft whimper escape as I pulled her hand to my
mouth, sucking in the flowing blood. I was going delirious as the sweet nectar
drained down my throat. My body needed more, wanted more. Slowly my fangs
extended, sinking into her soft flesh.

She shuddered and gasped, "Oh. Oh. Oh! Oh!! Oh,
shit!!"

A throaty moan escaped past her lips before she could say
another word.

The taste of her blood was intoxicating. I felt drunk as the
world dissolved into a swirl of melted colors and sounds. Lost in a delirium, I
did not notice when Darby tried to break from our ecstatic bond.

Darby wasn't tethered in as deeply as I. She remembered
Veronica needed us, needed me. She struggled to break our bond.

I needed more blood to satiate my hunger so I sank my fangs
deeper as she struggled to force me to turn loose.

"Let go. Damn it let go!” She cried.

Taking hold of my hair with her free hand, Darby yanked as
hard as she could. The action tore out a small clump. "You have to stop!
Please stop, you are killing me!"

The feeding ended abruptly as her words hit me hard,
bringing me from my enchantment.

The connection broken, I snapped back to the harshness of my
injuries and the growing turmoil less than fifty feet away. Wiping away the
blood covering my face, I suddenly was straightened by a rush of adrenaline
pouring through my system.