The Birth of Vengeance (Vampire Formula #1) (11 page)

“Yeah, it is okay. I understand.”

“Good, let’s seal the deal,” she said lying down on the bed, pulling me on top of her and kissing me passionately.

We made love again but without the swirling mists and her other powers seducing me. I didn’t mind as her body and passion was more than enough for anyone. Afterwards, as I lay in the bed recovering, Thorn got up and walked into her wardrobe. She pulled on a pair of tracksuit bottoms and vest top. She threw over a pair of shorts.

“Try these on and put your t-shirt back on. The night is young; we might as well start on your training,” she said.

I dressed eager to get started, and Thorn stood in the space between the bed and wardrobe.

“We should have enough space here,” she said, and I stood opposite her.

“Ready,” I nodded.

“Okay, hit me.”

I threw a feeble punch at her, worried about hurting her for some reason. She looked at me with disdain as she easily moved out of the way.

“Hit me,” she said.

I tried again but not much better than before.

“Use your emotions; pretend I am someone you hate,” she said.

I pictured Barry.

“Close your eyes and picture them. Let those emotions of hate and anger build up ‘til you are ready to burst.”

I relived the mugging and visualised the picture of him with Scarlett. The anger swelled up, and it pumped around my body as it had done before when I tried to take the needles. I flashed back into the moment again, lying on the floor, as Barry kicked me in the stomach and encouraged his friends to join in. The pain of the kicks thumping into my back and legs, as my arms shielded my face. Their abusive taunts filling the air and spit running down my face. Barry filming it all and laughing. The final threat punctuated with my broken nose and head slammed onto the pavement. I had revenge on all of them except Barry. He escaped, and I still wanted him dead. The anger of his survival intensified my rage ‘til it reached new heights.

“When you are ready, open your eyes and let it take you.”

My eyes opened and I launched a fist at her. She parried and moved away quickly.

“Good, remember what you are fighting for. Now keep that feeling and control it.”

I didn’t wait for any more instructions, launching a flurry of fists and random kicks in her direction, as I realised I would be unlikely to ever hit her. I had let my emotions fill me with energy.

“Good. Now control it. Use it with intent. Focus on your goal and your aim.”

I started again focusing on punching her in the head, fist after fist and legs pumping me forward. Trying to get through to her and make a connection. Thorn skipped out the way, circled around me and clipped my around the ear as she moved.

“More,” she shouted.

I charged at her some more until she eventually stepped to the side and flung me, face first, onto the bed.

“Good, you have discovered your aggression and desire to fight. You will need them where I am going to take you.”

I pushed back off the bed and charged at her headfirst trying to tackle her as she talked. I was close but she spun out of the way at the last moment and I went headfirst into her wardrobe. I laid on the floor, face in her shoes, and her skirts and dresses had fallen on top of me from where I had caught them on the way through.

Thorn laughed.

“Nice try, good instincts,” she said and helped me back to my feet.

“Let me show you some moves.”

She showed me how to stand properly, and we went through various punches and kicks. I then practised trying to hit her, and then defended against her measured attack. We carried on for a couple of hours training and practising, then stopped and showered off.

Thorn waited in bed for me as I dried off.

“Tomorrow, we go out shopping. We both need more clothes,” she said.

“I will need some more blood from you tomorrow to keep me going. Is that okay?”

“Yes, of course,” I answered, I realised she would have to feed, and I felt it made the bond between us stronger. After all, I had some of her blood in terms of the needles.

“I can’t keep drinking from you; it’s just until we are settled. You will need all your strength for the training,” she continued.

“It’s okay; I understand you need to feed.”

“Let us sleep now. We are both tired and tomorrow will be a full night,” she said, pulling back the covers for me to join her.

I bounded in, and she wrapped her arms around me and went to sleep. I felt ecstatic to be in her arms again, and felt like I was finally getting to know her as I started my journey to becoming a man.

It was a Friday afternoon, and it had been two weeks ago I killed the gang in the park and rescued Thorn from her prison cell. In that time, Thorn kept to her side of the deal and trained me every night. I was expecting to learn fighting skills, and I did but it went far beyond combat training and into skills on how to survive and hide. I learnt about creating new identities, as I couldn’t carry on as Jonathan Harper after the incidents two weeks ago. Plus, computer hacking to infiltrate our enemies and create my new identities. Learning to drive a car and ride a motorbike, so I could get about quickly and get us shelter before sunlight. I started learning Spanish, as it was one of the most popularly spoken languages in the world. I knew there would be more to come but for now, she seemed happy I was progressing. I felt like I was in vampire training school with Thorn setting me homework to do while she slept.

I completed my boxing practice, revised my Spanish homework for the day and then went shopping at the local supermarket. I put the food away, and as I did, I dragged out the back of the freezer a packet of fish fingers. Stuffed inside the packet was a plastic bag and wrapped inside the bag was money and a map. This money and map were part of my escape plan. During the daylight hours, I stayed uncertain of my time with Thorn and longed for a normal life, which I knew was impossible. Those thoughts I had on my first night alone came flooding back every day while she slept, knowing I could think freely and explore my true emotions. Free not to have to fill my mind with junk to protect myself, free to think about what I genuinely wanted. I pulled out the money and counted it, one hundred pounds, and I added in another ten pounds left over from the shopping. I reviewed the map and visually traced the route from Thorn’s house to the research centre. I pretended to drive the route using Google Street View, and I had memorised the route so I didn’t need the map, just in case. I would use the money to buy things for the escape, a phone to call ahead, and UV light to defend myself in case she tried to hunt me down.

In the meantime, I wanted to learn more, and maybe another injection or two wouldn’t be a bad thing either. I could go back home as a proper man, bigger, stronger and more experienced in life, just what I needed to be a proper boyfriend and win Scarlett back. I decided I couldn’t go anywhere until I finished what I had started with Barry. I didn’t want him coming back after me looking for his own revenge. That night my nerves returned as I waited for Thorn to rise, wondering if this would be the night she killed me but as soon as she woke up, I felt comfort and reassurance in her company.

It was a feeding night. I knew I would need to be on alert for potential problems. Thorn needed to feed every other day to keep going properly. I guessed we would head off to the usual spots hoping to catch some prey. Thorn woke up hungry and satiated her bloody thirst with a rare steak. She could eat, and it helped but was no replacement for blood. She liked to eat and drink, as it helped to keep her identity as a normal human when out at night. Her metabolism worked fast and hence the high heat she generated. It meant that alcohol burnt through her quickly. She would get drunk fast but sober up just as quickly. She preferred to take her alcohol within the bloodstream of her victims. The intoxication lasted longer and came on slower, allowing her to control herself. Thorn dressed in something sexy and comfortable as quick reactions could be needed. Trousers and sturdy boots were the order of the night.

There were a few rough areas nearby that Thorn usually frequented when looking to feed and we headed to one of these first. The clock approached 9 o’clock at night and we entered the area looking for a place to park. I would stay with the car while Thorn walked around by herself flashing her Gucci handbag pretending to be helpless, rich and stupid. I would stay with the car to protect it and stayed in radio contact with Thorn the whole time. We both had earpieces connected, and Thorn carried a GPS locater, which I followed on my smartphone. If Thorn needed a quick escape, I could drive round to pick her up and we would be away before anyone knew. Likewise, if I ran in to trouble, Thorn could be back quickly. Her training and techniques extended far beyond what I expected in a vampire, and she used whatever new technology she could find to give herself an edge.

On other nights out, I was always surprised how many good Samaritans tried to direct her off the streets and into safety. They were worried she would be attacked and robbed. Thorn always thanked them and moved on down the street out of their sight. I was equally surprised at which people would help and which would attack. Over the weeks, I learnt to spot the good ones from the bad ones. Thorn always knew but she had her vampire senses to alert her. Eventually, someone would see her as an opportunity and make a fatal mistake. Thorn would get her feed.

That night we didn’t even get to park, as a police car pulled us over as we drove along the main street. The young policeman warned us to turn around and go home, as it wasn’t safe. When asked why and he mentioned a number of recent bloody attacks that had left their victims dead, or hurt having lost a lot of blood. When Thorn fed, she would cover up the fang marks with a cut and would try not to take from the neck, as it would draw the attention of the Hunters. The policeman never suspected her as the culprit behind the recent attacks; no one ever did.

We headed into a nightclub instead, and I watched with drinks in hand, as she pushed her way into the middle of the dance floor, and started dancing as if she lived in a seductive world of her own. Her raven tousled hair swaying about and her body dancing to the rhythm beating out of the speakers. The lights flashing in coordination with the trashy euro dance music belting out. It didn’t take long before she got the attention of a group of men who tried to dance along with her, each of them trying to take the lead over the others. She danced between all three shaking her body and making sure they got an eyeful of what they needed. The loud music and amount of people in the place made it nearly impossible for Thorn to read minds, as the noise was just too loud and too many voices to focus on. She told me she could pick up the odd thought of those close to her. With the thoughts of just the three men, I knew she was deciding which one would make the best meal. I still had the earpiece in and could hear the odd shouted comment to her. Eventually she picked one, grabbed him by the hand and dragged him off the dance floor. They stood at the side and shared his drink for a few minutes, and then kissed before Thorn led him off to a private spot, usually the toilets or alleyway out the back. She made sure I saw them kissing and groping, and smiled over at me as she finished, purposefully trying to make me jealous. I listened to the whole thing in my earpiece as they carried on in the toilets until Thorn decided to feed. I heard a sudden thump, followed by the sounds of cutting and gulping of blood. I walked out of the nightclub and waited outside, knowing she wouldn’t be far behind. Thorn appeared after a few minutes, smiling as her thirst had been quenched and grinning slightly intoxicated from the alcohol in her victim.

“I need another before we go home,” she said, and we drove off in the car to another nightclub a few miles away to distance ourselves.

“Is he dead?” I asked.

“No. I only took about a pint. He will be weak for a day or so but will recover. That’s way I need another one tonight.”

Thorn had her own twisted morale code when it came to feeding. If they attacked her, it was fair game to kill them and drain them dry, or at least get her fill, which inevitably left them near dead. If she had entrapped someone, like in the nightclub, she would only take what she needed and leave them to live another day.

“Do you have to kiss them and go so far with them before feeding,” I asked agitated and jealous of having to endure another man with her again.

“Oh Jon, they deserve something to make it worth their while.” She laughed and pressed her foot against the accelerator forcing the car to surge forward towards the next nightclub.

This formed another part of her hunting code, give them something to remember her by, so they would struggle to understand what had happened but she insisted she didn’t have sex with them. She usually pushed thoughts into their minds, telling them they had slipped over and cut themselves.

“Didn’t your mum tell you not to play with your food,” I said angrily but she laughed again.

“That’s very funny Jon. I do think you are jealous. You have to remember I have been around a few more years than you.”

“I know but I can’t help it.”

“Don’t worry Jon, I am keeping to our deal. You are my companion; he was just sustenance.”

At the next nightclub, she went through the same routine but this time she took her victim to the alley out the back for a quick exit. I watched as three girls followed her down the stairs and into the back alley. I let her know.

“You have three women on your trail,” I said, knowing her earpiece would receive the message.

“I used to be a singer in a band called the Leeches,” Thorn suddenly said to her victim.

“Really,” he replied.

This was one of our codes to say we received the message. Good, I knew she would be prepared. She would have probably detected them anyway and unlikely to be in any trouble, but it allowed me to play my part as her protector.

The gang of girls walked as quickly as their tight skirts would let them down the dark alleyway, with their high heels splashing through the shallow puddles on the ground. One of them grabbed a bit of broken wood from the side of the alley and held it like a club as they moved in. I waited for Thorn to signal me for help but she didn’t. Thorn and her victim stopped kissing as they detected the girls approaching.

“That’s my boyfriend; you leave him alone,” a chubby blonde girl snapped.

Her dyed blonde hair scraped back tight over her head into a ponytail, and her face plastered in makeup. Her dress too tight for her size and the fat pushed out at the seams of the fabric. She looked horrible and scary in a different way than I was now used to.

“He is a grown boy; I am sure he can make his own choices,” Thorn replied, with no sign of emotion.

“I wasn’t doing anything, Michelle I promise,” the man pleaded with her.

Thorn let go of his arm, and he walked over to Michelle. She slapped backhanded across his face. Her gold sovereign rings cut his mouth leaving his face red and his body shaking.

“Get out of here now you prick and go home,” she screamed into his face.

He recoiled, holding his bruised jaw, and he looked at Thorn apologetically.

“Sorry,” he said, and received another smack on the back of his head as he walked away making him stumble forward. He walked back to the nightclub and saw me laughing to myself.

Behind him, the girls had surrounded Thorn.

“Going to teach you a lesson, little Miss Perfect. After I am finished with you, no bloke will want you,” Michelle said sneering and her friend slapping the broken wood into her own hand.

I looked forward to watching this but the scolded boyfriend approached and he looked angrily at me.

“What you laughing at?” he said.

“Nothing.”

“Bullshit,” he said, face red from the slap and wanting to regain some pride.

He pushed me back into the wall. I pushed myself off it and shoved back making him stagger backwards. He charged in and swung a fist. My instincts took over, I ducked, and rugby-tackled him to the floor and rolled off back onto my feet. I was scared and reacting from instinct. I tried to let my anger pour through me by thinking about the mugging but I didn’t have time and he returned to his feet and punched at me again. I put my hands over my head, absorbed a couple of blows and then fired one back into his chin making him step back. I followed up with a couple more, which he stepped back from and then he caught my square on the chin with a punch. I dropped to the floor. He stood over me ready to follow up, when Thorn appeared in front of him and launched him off his feet into the alleyway wall.

Back down the alley, the three girls were rolling on the floor in pain, covering their clothes in grime and rain. Thorn had cut open the man’s arm and crouched over him like a predator feeding on their kill. Yet another normal night when hunting with Thorn, as I often got embroiled into the fights. I got the impression it was part of my training plan.