Demon Vampire (The Redgold Series) (16 page)

“Upwind? You mean we smell?” Zack sniffed his right shoulder.

“No, you may smell, but I don’t. We smell different to them. Not human, but not quite right as a vampire either. It’s the pheromones we let off. To each other, we smell sweet, with an undeniable scent that attracts us. To a vampire we smell like bruised fruit, like something that went wrong with the virus. Their sense of smell is shocking. Compared to a blood hound, they are just about half as capable. Meaning, their noses can be fooled with certain perfumes.” Kyli looked at Zack, surveyed his face and added another dab of orange juice to the eggs.

“Is that why you smell like cherries and lavender?” Zack asked Kyli.

“So you have been paying attention.” Kyli's lip curled at the end as she tended to the eggs. She refused to look Zack in the eye. Kyli was blushing.

“It’s a virus?” Zack was getting hungry sitting so close to the eggs. His mouth was watering because of the delicious smells.

“Yeah. That’s what my dad found out over his lifetime. He has friends that test that sort of thing and pass on the knowledge to other vampires. There are entire vampire science divisions dedicated to researching what our limits are. In truth, he tells me mostly for safety.” Kyli set down a plate each for Zack and herself, then added bacon to the eggs.

“So what do you know about vampeals? What happened with the virus to make a person into one?” Zack was salivating over the eggs now. They smelled delicious.

“Xx Xy, Zack.” Kyli said confidently.

“What?” Zack had no clue what she was talking about.

“You didn’t pay attention in Biology either, did you?” Kyli shook her head. “tsk, tsk.”

Zack didn’t say anything.

Kyli rolled her eyes. “Babies, Zack. You know how babies are made, right?”

“Of course I do!” Zack wasn’t going to let that one pass under the table. He proudly announced that he knew what she was talking about. Zack leaned in, nearly lifting off of his seat.

“Calm down. You don't have to go all ape-shit on me.” Kyli sighed.

Zack eased back into his stool. “Sorry.”

“When a vampire has sex with a human, the virus mutates the embryo. Almost always the same way. Each and every instance is nearly identical. Changing the virus to eliminate the deficiencies and take the best of both aspects to produce a vampeal. At the price of an increased blood requirement, vampeals have none of the downsides of being a vampire.” Kyli turned to get out a bottle of soda from the fridge.

“What downsides? What disadvantages does a vampire have?” Zack wasn't thinking of the one truly obvious flaw to a vampire's strengths.

“Besides becoming a human fritter?” Kyli's statement was a clear wakeup call to Zack.

“Okay. Then are we the better version?” Zack wanted to know. “Are there any other types of half-vampires?”

“No and no. The process happens the same way each time, but no one knows why. If we were better, we'd be able to contest them. So far, that hasn't happened. A vampeal will never be any real threat to a vampire.” Kyli stirred the edge of the eggs and flipped it in to an omelet.

“Then wouldn’t there be many kinds of vampeals? Since it’s a mutation, it’s random. What prevents any other changes? I thought the same freak occurrence can't happen twice in nature.” Zack wanted to make sure that he wouldn’t grow horns or sprout wings.

“I'm impressed. I didn't think you knew that much on the subject. Unfortunately, the virus is very predictable in this way. So no, it’s pretty uniform. The exemptions are the gifts. For some reason, they can appear in anyone with the virus. Vampire or vampeal, it doesn't matter.” Kyli smiled at Zack like she knew something he didn't.

“But I thought vampeals always got the same types of crappy gifts?” Zack touched on the sore spot in the conversation.

Kyli finished cooking the omelet. She cut it into two and served it. “Yes, but normal vampire gifts can be passed down through vampire families. Like inheriting a trait from your parents. These gifts usually grow and are passed from generation to generation. Except the difference is your great, great grandpa is standing there when you announce what your gift is.”

“So why can't vampeals do the same?” Zack dug into the omelet with a fork. It was soft from the milk, sweet from the juice, and meaty from the bacon. “These are amazing.”

“Because most of us don't live past fifty.” Kyli stared at her place, waiting to take the first bite of the omelet.

Zack swallowed. “Fifty? You're telling me that I only have five decades to live?”

“No. I'm telling you that most vampeals are either dead or no longer vampeals by then.” Kyli began to eat.

“What is there besides being dead?” Zack asked Kyli.

“Those that don't end up making bad mistakes in their lives choose to take the right of Redgold.” Kyli could see Zack wasn't tracking. “Redgold can turn a vampeal into a full vampire.”

“What is it?” Zack relaxed slightly and had another bite. “And why do these taste so good to me?”

“I’m damn good, that’s why.” Kyli boldly declared.

“You know what I mean. This hits the spot, why?”

“It’s the protein. Your body’s craving it now. Over the next few days, you’ll need gallons of blood and lots of protein. That’s why I told you to tell your dad it will be a while before you’re back.”

“That’s right. I still need to get a hold of him.” Zack said while stuffing his face and finishing the eggs. “Now about that Redgold.”

The phone rang. The caller ID said John Giver. Zack answered the phone.

“Dad? Is that you?” Zack asked.

“So he did call back.” Kyli put down her food. She placed her hands under her chin and her elbows on the counter. “This should be good.”

“Zack? Yeah, it's me. Where are you? I saw this number on caller I.D. and I was hoping it was you. Zack, why are you at a hotel?” John sounded upset.

“Um, dad.” Zack looked to Kyli for an answer.

“Put him on speaker.” Kyli suggested.

Zack pressed the conference button. “Dad. I'm okay. But listen, I have something to tell you.”

“Mr. Giver? Is this Mr. Giver?” Kyli spoke up.

Zack set the phone down. Waving his hands back and forth to signal Kyli to stop.

Kyli didn't take the hint. “Mr. Giver. My name is Kyli Waterfield.”

“Waterfield as in the hotel Zack's at right now?” John's voice calmed.

“Mr. Giver. I met Zack at the night club he went to the night before last. Early the next day, I called Zack up and we went to my hotel.” Kyli's tone seemed to suggest that more happened than what she was describing.

“Go on.” John merely said.

Zack buried his head in his hands, silently waiting for it to all end.

“That night I took a liking to Zack. We started talking and talking. Before long, it was morning again. We simply were so engaged in such a good playful time, Zack had forgotten to call you and tell you where he was. I wanted to call and apologize for distracting Zack so much.” Kyli was laying the innuendo on thick.

“I'm sure you at least kept him safe.” John commented. “Then are you related to the hotel?”

“Yes sir, I'm the heiress to the Waterfield Heights Hotel chain. I just moved into town a few weeks ago.” Kyli could feel the unease growing in John's voice on the other end. She heard him cough. She decided to act. “My father lives next to me on the same floor. We share the same wall for safety reasons and so he can hear should anything happen to us.”

John sighed on the other end of the phone.

Zack was about to die.

“So I take it Zack's getting along with you over there?” John asked Kyli.

“Yes, of course Mr. Giver. As of last night, I'm Zack's girlfriend.” Kyli laid the big guns out.

Zack nearly choked to death. “What she means is that I asked her out and she said yes.”

“Yeah, that's usually how these things happen Zack. Now put Kyli back on the phone.” John told Zack.

“It's okay Mr. Giver. I know Zack can be a little slow sometimes, but I like that about him. You can rest assured that he's welcome to stay here as long as he wants. Thanks to my father, Zack even ate steak last night.” Kyli was full out embarrassing Zack now.

John laughed on the other end. “That'd be a first. I nearly have to serve it black in order for him to eat it. Good luck with that.” John knew his son well.

“Dad, just know that I'm okay.” Zack wanted to make sure his dad understood as much.

“Yeah, I can tell. All I ask is that you call me every couple of days and in time, introduce me to this girlfriend of yours.” John told Zack.

“Sure dad.” Zack was happy that was all John had asked for.

“Good to hear. I'll talk to you later Zack. I take it this is a good number to reach you?” John asked.

“Yeah.” Zack said.

“Yes, Mr. Giver. This is the direct line to my room in the hotel.” Kyli politely added.

“Good. Then I'll go. Later Zack.” John said goodbye.

“Later Dad.” Zack said under breath.

“Nice talking with you Mr. Giver.” Kyli signed off.

Zack hung up the phone. “What was that about?”

“Buttering up your father?” Kyli continued eating. “Or the girlfriend part?”

“The girlfriend part?” Zack demanded to know why she said as much.

“What? Now I'm not girlfriend material?” Kyli pouted facetiously.

“Now he's thinking that we're getting it on in your private hotel room.” Zack was upset.

“And what's wrong with that? Do you want to be getting it on at a drive in?” Kyli was baiting Zack.

“Stop trying to trick me and answer my honest question for once.” Zack strongly asked.

“Finally, you stand up for yourself.” Kyli smiled. “We needed him to think you would be busy. Last I checked a teenage boy all alone with a new young girlfriend is pretty busy and doesn't want to be disturbed. It was the easiest way to get him to go along with what we needed to do.” Kyli had a plan. It was unorthodox, but it was sound. “Do you have any other questions? Or can we get back to what I was saying?”

Zack sighed.

“Were you wondering any more about the vampire gifts?” Kyli was nursing her omelet.

“Later. For now, there’s a lot I still need to tell him. There's a lot I need to ask him about my mom. About vampires and everything.” Zack clicked the dial tone with his thumb, but before he could fully release it, Kyli pressed the button again using Zack’s own thumb.

“No, you’re not.” Kyli held her grip tight.

“You told me to tell him.” Zack whined.

Kyli didn’t budge. That clearly was not the correct reply.

“Then what can I tell him? We can't just leave it at the fact I'm shacking up with you for the week.” Zack was feeling frustrated again. There was something inside him that wanted to argue the point.

“You need to listen more, Zack. Don’t mention anything about vampires or what actually happened to you. Remember what I told you about vampires mating with humans. He probably doesn't know anything. For now, tell him only what he needs to let you stay here. Beyond that, we’ll tackle the details in time.” Kyli released Zack’s hand.

A waft of scent plumed in the air as Kyli relaxed. Zack thought that this must be the different smell she was talking about earlier. It seemed to come out with anger and exertion. Zack didn’t say anything, concentrating more on Kyli than her words. The scent was of lavender and cherries again. Zack figured some of it was perfume, but that there was a part of the smell that was actually her.

“Zack!” Kyli pulled Zack's shirt forward. She smacked him across the face and returned her hand to the fabric before it had a chance to uncrinkle. It looked to Zack like she did it in one motion instead of three. “Your dad doesn’t know you’re a vampeal. You have to understand the danger of what that means. If you start saying that you're some kind of 'special' vampire all of a sudden. He won't know what to think. He might think you are crazy and commit you.”

“He wouldn't do that.” Zack said confidently.

“And how many times have you told him that you drink human blood to sustain you?” Kyli was dead on.

Zack said nothing.

“That's right. You never thought of it that way before, did you? The reality is your secrecy is what's keeping you free and alive. At least for now.” Kyli let go of Zack's shirt.

“Alive?” Zack worried.

Kyli quickly and lightly backhanded Zack across his right cheek.

“Ouch! Don't do that!” Zack cried out in pain.

“I won't when you're not acting stupid.” Kyli reprimanded Zack.

“Well, wouldn’t he of had to of been with her? You know, if they were naked and all. Wouldn't he have found out he was with a vampire in the first place?” Zack was being stupid again.

Kyli grabbed Zack's shirt, pulling him towards her. Zack was being held so much forward that he was on his toes and off the chair. She wasn't playing around with him.

Kyli took a deep breath. She was angry at Zack. She squeezed tighter, Zack's shirt was beginning to rip.

“Do you mind? I’m kind of dancing here.” Zack said whimsically.