Reginald Baxter the Vigilante Vampire (6 page)

"No one," Reginald said, snatching his phone back. "Just a coworker."

"Come on," Maya said, smiling. "It's about time you settled down. I need a mother, you know."

Reginald laughed. "Yeah, I guess you do."

"I've got a friend named Cindy. You want me to introduce her sometime?"

"No, no," Reginald said. "I'll meet someone eventually, don't worry."

Maya shrugged as she began adding up the total on a calculator. "Alright, let me know if you change your mind."

A silence hung between them for a minute. Eventually Reginald asked, "So have you been well, lately?"

"I have," she said. "How about you?"

"I can't complain."

"Or you won't complain," she said, shaking her head. "You wouldn't complain about anything."

Reginald just shrugged.

"Are you still working at that burger place near you?"

Reginald nodded.

"If I ever get a night off, I might stop by and see you," Maya said, placing his items into a bag. "I used to love me some burgers before I was turned. I still can imagine the taste. I might would give in and eat one." She excitedly groaned at the thought

"Don't do that, Maya. That would be a rough couple days for a few minutes of pleasure."

"Yeah, I know, but it's still so tempting," she said, finishing up the bagging. "Your total is eighty."

Reginald looked at her closely. "Now Maya, I know that this is supposed to cost more than that. You should treat me equally."

"I am, but I'm also doing this for the past three Christmases. It's nowhere enough for a real gift."

He frowned as he took out his wallet. "If anyone owes anyone for Christmases, it me. I have hardly been any sort of role model for you. Hardly been there."

She smiled. "You're right, but it makes no difference. You're a part of my family, Reginald."

He smiled and lightly chuckled. "I suppose that's right." He handed her the money and took the bag. "That is right. I shouldn't ignore you like I have been. Let me know when you want to hang out and we'll do it. You pick what we do."

Maya's smile grew. "Alright. I should be able to next week. Be expecting me."

Reginald waved and walked past the several customers who were standing in line. He made sure to avoid the aisle that he noticed Daniel was on as he made his way to the door. Stepping outside, he glanced at his watch. "It really is later than I thought. If I don't wrap it up soon, I'll need to find a place to sleep here." He looked towards the distant entrance. "I could just leave. I don't have to seek his counsel." Reginald sighed and started walking deeper into Requiem. "I won't feel better until I've spoken with someone else about this."

As Reginald neared the central building several minutes later, he noticed a large crowd gathered around the platform just outside the entrance. He barely visited, but he knew that mostly officials used the platform to make announcements to the people of Requiem. The man standing before the crowd was clearly no official. He stood in nothing but his loincloth, revealing his muscular body covered in scars. His head was shaved, with a long forehead above angry gray eyes. 'If he is a vampire, why does his scars not heal?" Reginald wondered to himself as he stepped up to the back of the crowd.

"The emperors themselves feared me, and some sought to take my head, but I have lived on," he continued shouting. "Through bloody wars and blood soaked battles, I was forged into a magnificent weapon. There is no other soul on this earth designed to kill as efficiently and quickly as I. I was feared and worshiped by all. I killed my fill in battles, and then honed my craft further in the Colosseum. Even when Rome fell, I continued to fight, for I was still thirsty for blood. Eventually I found a man able to kill me, but instead he turned me into the true symbol of power. I died and became even stronger. In the crusades I killed ten thousand men alone. There has never been a warrior like me before, and there never will be one again. If there are any who wish to disprove that, return here in three weeks time and face me. We will battle in front of all, and prove me correct. So who is this city's champion who might give me a challenge? Will there be anyone to step up and fight? I am tired of killing weaklings from such a proud race of beings. I hope to break a sweat here before moving on to the next city."

Most of the observers appeared disgusted at the man's attitude, but no one stepped forward to offer a fight. Even as an immortal, there were still ways to kill vampires. The thought of fighting the man filled Reginald with dread. He knew of many vampires who used words to intimidate and cause fear in others, but this man seemed different. His face, body, and words displayed the intense battles that he had lived through. His every movement made him seem ready to leap into battle at any moment. There were likely some who could match his prowess, but those numbers were few. Reginald knew he would not be volunteering for that fight.

After a couple minutes of silence, the man spit on the ground. "Weaklings! If no one will fight for this city, I might just have to make my own fun here!" He slammed his hand backwards into the side of the building, causing a hole about the size of a head. As he shook the dust loose from his hand, he bellowed laughter. "Bring me someone who can fight, and I will move on. Otherwise, there will be fun to be had by all. Three weeks!" With that he leaped down from the podium and quickly made his way through the crowd, leering at them as they quickly parted for him.

As the man came close, Reginald made sure to keep his head pointed down somewhat. He nodded slightly as the man passed by, trying to keep his breathing under control. Up close, he seemed even larger and intimidating. He watched as the crowd broke into groups and began to gossip about the strange man. He saw a pair of officials looking over the damage to the building. They were gesturing angrily as they talked. 'I guess they were too afraid to approach him earlier,' Reginald thought. 'Can't say I blame them.' He glanced back and saw the man walking up the path that Reginald had come. Shaking his head, he meandered through the vampires and began to walk down a more rugged path.

The rugged path lead down towards the cheaper residences of Requiem. The trees were not as maintained with many basically sticks poking up from the ground waiting to fall over. Several of the yards had large patches of dead grass. The houses were much less elaborate here, though most were well sustained. He saw a couple of men sitting in one yard playing chess. They looked up and nodded as Reginald passed by.

Reginald walked along for several minutes, getting further out into the Requiem. He glanced at the numbers on the wooden signs along the path. "I should be getting close," he muttered. "I'm sure I remember the number right."

Just as he was ready to give up, he stumbled onto the house he was looking for. "This looks just like his houses in Atlanta and Los Angeles. I guess that shouldn't surprise me." The house was made of unpainted granite, contrasting with the nearby houses that were made of more modern building materials. Windows were hollowed out at intervals and filled in with panes of glass. A double door stood in the middle with a stone pathway leading up to it. The lawn was well manicured with a pair of trees planted on either side.

Reginald stepped up to the door and raised his hand to knock. He glanced at his watch. 'It really is getting on into the night,' he thought. 'Maybe I should just go and not worry about it.' He shrugged and knocked on the door anyways. 'He moves around all the time. He is likely not even here now.'

Reginald grimaced as he heard a chair scooting backwards on hard floor. Then he heard footsteps that seemed to last forever as they walked towards the door. Finally he heard the lock on the door unlatch, latch, then unlatch once more. He saw a small window open in the door and an eye appear on the other side. Reginald smiled and waved. Then the door opened wide revealing a man. Knowing him, Reginald waited until he was spoken to.

Jules Crane was a short, skinny man with thinning blond hair and a thin mustache. Though he appeared elderly, he was constantly fidgeting, usually by pulling on his sleeves or adjusting his reading glasses. Reginald was sure that all of his strange behavior was something he had been born with, though the twenty-five hundred years he had lived had done little to calm him. He was the oldest vampire that Reginald had ever met.

After a couple minutes of uncomfortable silence, Jules said, "Reginald Baxter, I was not expecting you here."

"Um, yes, it has been a while," Reginald agreed.

"It has. It has been precisely sixty five years, four months, and twelve days since our last meeting. Too long, too long." Jules blinked and stepped backwards. "Come in, come in and be comfortable."

"Thanks," Reginald said, stepping between the door and Jules. He stood and watched as Jules locked the door, unlocked it, then relocked it. Jules then rushed off into another room. Reginald slowly walked forward into the main room. 'Remember, do not touch anything. It will agitate him,' he reminded himself. The room was cozy with a couple of comfortable chairs in the middle. Bookshelves lined the walls all along the room, full of older books that appeared to almost be falling apart to brand new books just released. Reginald looked closely at them and smiled. 'Not a single speck of dust. Amazing.' A tidy desk was tucked away in the corner of the room, . Reginald was shocked to see a modern computer set up and turned on.

He eased himself into one of the chairs. 'Now this place feels lived in,' he thought smiling despite himself. Calling out, he said, "So, what have you been up to lately, Jules?"

He heard the clattering from the next room stop. "Umm, I have been, umm-- Let us refrain from speaking now. The wall distracts me."

The smile faded slightly. 'I willingly walked into this, didn't I?' Reginald asked himself.

Soon Jules came walking in with a couple cups filled with steaming coffee. He handed one to Reginald and carefully sat down in the opposite chair. He sipped from his glass twice, then sat his cup down on a coaster on the small table between them. "As we said, it has been a long time, Reginald Baxter. That is still the name you choose to go by, correct?"

"Yes," Reginald said, taking a sip of the strong coffee. "I have never fancied using a different one. I doubt anyone will ever try to track me down, so it shouldn't matter."

"I see. That is a noble idea, my friend. In these times when we can become anyone, many lose who they really are. When they can become anyone, they become no one."

Reginald laughed and nodded. "I suppose that is right. I suppose I'm myself. So what have you been doing with yourself lately?"

"Ah, yes, I have been keeping myself busy lately," Jules said, sipping from the glass two more times. "I have been learning some of the Mandarin dialects that I failed to pick up in my travels throughout China. Of course I have been following current events in technology and mathematics and most of the sciences. Also I have been studying the latest in television."

Reginald burst out laughing. "You have been watching television? Somehow that seems like something that would bore you?"

"To the contrary, I find it most enlightening. Humans produce their many forms of fiction to reflect how they wish for reality to exist in many cases. They show the darkest and brightest sides of the same coin." Jules eyes became distant. "They remind me greatly of the great Greek plays I frequented."

Reginald nodded. "I suppose I can't argue with you there, though I never have seen a play. As far as television goes, it is a mixed bag."

Jules shrugged. "That is an honest observation," he said, taking another couple sips. He adjusted his glasses and looked Reginald in the eyes. "You have not made a social call in a long while. What is it you need?"

Reginald cleared his throat. "I have a question that requires more than just knowledge, but experience. Experience one has gained through a long life."

Jules nodded. "I will strive to answer to the best of my ability. Please, proceed."

"Our kind has spent its time inside the shadows, both figuratively and literally. Vampires, as a whole, tend to believe that we are better than the humans. We push them down and take what we want. It used to be blood, but now it's money, love, or possessions that we take. Would you agree?"

Jules sat back in his chair. "That is true. It is also true that humans do the same exact thing to everything on this planet. They take from the plants and animals and earth to sustain themselves and build civilization. If it is in their blood to take from others, then what are we? Most vampires believe that we are the next step past humanity. It has been that way for a long time. Now the weaknesses that have made us feel somewhat equal are disappearing as technology advances. There are those who see little use for the humans." Jules frowned. "If there is ever a day when war breaks out between us and humanity, that will be the darkest day this world has ever seen. I have seen more dark days than you can imagine. Does that answer your question?"

Reginald blinked and looked at the ceiling. "No, but it does give me something else to think about."

"I apologize, Reginald. I simply gave my opinion on the statement you provided. What exactly is your question?"

Reginald sighed. "I guess your opinion does have something to do with my question." He paused and gathered his thoughts carefully. "If that day comes, who will protect them?"