The Calling (13 page)

“You can report them to the police.” Paige looked as if she wanted to cry or scream or run and hide, maybe all of those.

“Sure. Call up the police right now and say, oh by the way, there's a pack—a troupe—whatever you call them—of vampires living in the old Sullivan Theater downtown. Please go arrest them.”

Paige knew Miki was right. “They won't believe you.”

“Of course they won't believe me. I can hear them laughing now. They'll hear in my voice that I'm young and they'll think it's a prank call. They get prank calls every day.”

The apartment door opened and caught on the chain, interrupting Miki's and Paige's discussion. Miki's mother closed the door and banged until Miki let her in. Once inside, she immediately bolted and replaced the safety lock. “Girls, thank God you're home. The world is crazy out there.” Her mother looked as stressed as Miki had ever seen her.

“Why? What's going on?” Miki's heart leaped again. Had her mother come across—had her mother been in danger?

“Sirens were screaming as I came in. I was so afraid for you. I'm glad you locked up good.” Her mother took off her jacket and threw it on the couch. “What is that you're drinking? If it's hot, I don't care. Pour me some.”

“Why were police—”

“An ambulance was parked at the corner. A young woman was dead. Her date was hysterical. He said—I can't believe this—he said they were attacked by bats. He tried to fend them off and then a couple of punks beat him up. When he got back to his friend—she—she was dead.”

Miki's mother's eyes were wild. She was practically hysterical herself. “Mom, calm down. You're home. We're home.”

“That's not all. I talked to one of the policemen who'd come to the scene. I know him. He said a bus driver was killed tonight—a driver for our line. He'd driven his bus into a street lamp, but that wasn't what killed him.”

“What did?”

“Bill doesn't know yet. He was really pale, and looked as if he just fell over and died.”

“Maybe he had a heart attack.” Paige looked at Miki and Miki had to look away.

Her mom continued. “An old woman was killed downtown. Close to that building where you've been rehearsing. That scared me most of all. To think you might still be down there. The woman killed was one of those shopping-cart ladies. A homeless person who lived in that area, as nearly as they could find out.”

“I know her.” Miki thought of the old woman she had spoken to so often, given money to when she had it to spare. She remembered how the old woman had seemed afraid of Davin and had crossed herself when they left the theater earlier that night.

“Paige, I want you to spend the night here. No way am I letting you go out there. After that killer in Bellponte this spring … What is happing? It's just not safe anywhere anymore.”

“I'd already decided that, Mrs. O'Ryan. If it's all right with you. I need to call my mother. She's probably worried sick by now, especially if she's listening to the news.” Paige got up and reached for the kitchen phone.

“I don't know when I've been so scared, Miki.” Her mother took hold of Miki's hand. “I realized I'd been letting you run around all times of the day and night by yourself, and how I've never been home lately. Just as if you were always safe. Always able to take care of yourself.”

“That was fine, Mom. I'm used to taking care of myself. I've been doing it for a long time.”

“I know that. I'm sorry.”

“Mom, there's nothing to apologize about. You just had a bad scare. We'll find out more about what happened tomorrow. This may have been a string of coincidences. You make it sound as if there's some awful killer loose out there.”

“Bill made it sound that way. He seemed scared, Miki. And he's a policeman.”

“That doesn't make him fear proof.” Anyone would be scared of a flock of bats attacking, Miki added to herself.

Anyone with any sense would be afraid to go back to a place where she might be in danger. A place where—where vampires—where something evil lives.

They didn't have to be vampires. Miki started to reason with herself again. Granted they were pretending to be vampires, but maybe they—some of them were street punks—sort of a gang. Gangs thrive on danger and dares and sometimes killing for sport.

Maybe Davin tries to keep them in line. Certainly Barron is older and Elah—What is an old—well not old—older man doing hanging out with a gang of punks? Maybe he doesn't even know what they do in their spare time.

None of this made sense. Had she accepted the idea that Romney the giggler and his buddy Kyle, both incredible dancers, and that Primavera with her exotic perfumes and makeup were killers? If Rima had killed before, it would be easy for her to kill Miki if she was jealous or hated her.

Deep inside, Miki knew she really would be in danger if she went back to the theater. Even if she pretended to know nothing, to suspect nothing.

But somehow, as if she had to know for sure, or because of her feelings for Davin, somehow she knew she had to go back one last time.

One last time, the little voice inside her whispered again. One last time.

Nineteen

N
EITHER OF THEM
wanted to go to school the next day. Getting through classes was miserable. Miki swung from being incredibly excited to being terrified. During math class she broke out in a cold sweat. A pop quiz, which she was sure she flunked, added to her misery.

Paige should have stayed in bed. Weepy and pale, she begged Miki over and over not to go to the old theater. Miki didn't want to argue. She didn't want to think about not going, since the idea felt tempting.

“I have to go, Paige. They'll kick me out of the troupe.”

“I can't believe you still want to be in it.” They argued all day.

“If you go, I'm going with you,” Paige declared later at dance class. Paige sat out most of the exercises, watching Miki.

“If you didn't feel like dancing, Paige,” Ms. Lawton said, “maybe you should have stayed home.”

“I didn't want to miss anything, Ms. Lawton,” Paige told her with a big sigh.

“That's it, isn't it?” Miki accused in the dressing room. “You want to go with me because you're afraid you'll miss something. You're hooked on dancing with them, too. And you want to see if Davin is all right.” Miki pulled on a big sweatshirt. She felt cold, so cold. As if she'd never be warm again.

Paige shook her head. “Honest, Miki, I am curious, but I'm afraid for you. I think going back will be a big mistake.”

Miki thought so, too, but she was incredibly torn. She didn't think Davin would hurt her, and she had to see him one more time. She had to.

At five o'clock, Miki won her argument, she was going, but so was Paige. If Miki was honest, she'd have to admit she was glad to have Paige with her. Walking back to the Sullivan building, looking up at the old, gray hulk, seeing the broken windows like eyes watching them approach, sent shivers over her entire body. She hugged her raincoat and sweatshirt closer, rubbing her arms to keep the circulation going.

Her blood felt as if it had stopped flowing or slowed to thick syrup. She felt heavy and her brain was nearly numb. She walked, moved, solely by instinct, like some programmed robot—programmed by Davin? Or by his friends who were waiting, hoping Miki and Paige would be foolish enough to return?

She tangled her fingers into the folds of her umbrella, took a deep breath, and hurried to the stage door.

Miki was aware of missing a familiar face. She had so often seen the shopping-cart lady on her way over here. They had started to wave at each other if they weren't close enough to speak. Who would want to kill an old lady on the streets, unless they thought she had some money saved up and carried it on her. Who would need to kill an old woman?

She knew. In her heart she knew.

Clouds billowed overhead signaling a growing storm. A bad one from the looks of the sky, alternate shades of charcoal and gray tinged with a hint of green.

When the back door opened in Miki's fist, she looked at Paige. Paige shrugged and followed Miki inside. The hall that led to the auditorium and stage was pitch black. Complete silence made them tiptoe toward the dim light at the end of the corridor. Every step said they weren't wanted here, that they were intruding.

Maybe no one was waiting after all. Maybe the whole troupe had left town last night.

“Maybe no one is here,” Paige whispered, reading Miki's mind. She clutched Miki's arm, stopping her at a point where they could see the shadows and folds of the stage curtains, could see the fear on each other's faces.

Miki took deep breaths and tried to still the hammering of her heart on her rib cage. “I know they're here. Maybe they're still asleep.”

The minute Miki said that, an image popped into her mind. An image set by old movies, stereotypical vampire scenes. Davin was sleeping peacefully in an old coffin in the basement of the building. Beside him, each in a separate coffin were the other troupe members. The scene should have been funny. She should have been able to laugh. Last week she would have laughed. Today she wanted to flee. To turn, grab Paige, and run as fast as possible back onto the street. To get home, lock the doors and windows, and huddle in bed like a child after a nightmare.

“Why are you back?” A hand reached from the darkness and grasped Miki's arm, stopping her from heading for the auditorium.

Miki gasped, sucked in air and held it until her chest felt it would brust. She stared into the dark blue eyes of Elah, who blocked her path. His body smelled musty, his breath rotten. She drew back, loosening her arm from his firm grip.

“You might have gotten away. They might have been willing to let you go. Now they won't. You are trapped like me. They'll never let you go.”

“What do you mean?” Miki stuttered.

“You understand what we are, don't you?” Elah's face softened a little. He seemed old and weak. Miki lost some of her fear.

“Yes.”

“Then why didn't you stay away? Why are you being so foolish?”

“I don't know,” Miki admitted. Her chin came up of its own accord. “I love Davin.”

Elah looked even sadder. “Please go.” He tried one more time, but seemed resigned to Miki's disobeying. His voice no longer demanded, but in a sense, begged. Miki felt curious about his concern.

“Why do you care? You hate me. You didn't want me here from the first.” Miki felt the warmth of Paige's body right beside her, practically hugging her.

“I have a reason to care, Michaela. Maybe if I explain—” Elah looked deep into Miki's eyes, and even in the dim light, Miki could see an emotion that went way beyond simple caring.

“Why do you call me Michaela? How did you know my real name? She waited for him to continue. He seemed to struggle with what words to use.

“You told Barron your name that first day, Michaela. Remember?” His eyes were sad, and a frown creased his forehead.

“Yes, yes I did.” And Elah remembered? There was something familiar about the man. Miki wished she could tell what it was.

“Michaela.” He used her full name again. “I swore I'd never tell you, never see you again, but if it will help save your life …” His voice trailed off.

“Tell me? Tell me what? And what do you mean, see me again? You hoped I wouldn't come back? I know you're right. I'm being foolish, but I have to see Davin one more time. Can you arrange that for me? Can you understand and help me? You seem to want to help me.” She pleaded with this man, since he no longer seemed threatening to her. In fact, he seemed like a vulnerable old man, broken and miserable. Maybe he wished he could leave. That he wasn't—wasn't what he was.

The silence gave Miki time to get over the rest of her fear. Elah had become rather pathetic. Maybe if she faced off with the others …

“I found this troupe in much the same way you did, Michaela, by accident. The idea of—of vampires, of actually being a vampire, appealed to me. It seemed perfectly romantic. Eternal life, belonging at last, really belonging. I was such a failure in my life out there, in real life. I knew I was such a disappointment to my—my family …”

Miki wasn't particularly interested in Elah's past, his life before he became a vampire. But when he admitted to them that he had a romantic idea of being what he was, Miki had hope there was some of that romance left inside him.

“So you know how I feel, don't you? You'll go get Davin? Let me see him one more time, Elah?” Miki took his arm and squeezed it. A part of her had empathy for this man, a part of her was impatient with him, with his stopping them, with his need to talk.

She did realize, however, that this man, who seemed ancient with his lined face, his bloodshot eyes, his stooped walk and feebleness was as homeless as the old woman on the street, as any of the people on the street. He had joined the troupe as she wanted to, but he wasn't happy, and maybe he wasn't really accepted by them. Perhaps he had needed a family as Miki did, but he hadn't found one in this life he'd taken on.

To her surprise, Elah took her arm again, demanding that she be patient, that she listen to his story. “I was happy at first. You should know that. I felt all powerful. I felt wanted and needed by the troupe. I was always good at the technical side of theater. But it was hard for me to give up dancing. For a time I danced as Davin and Kyle and Romney dance. I was a good dancer again.” His eyes lost focus as he looked back over the years. “Then life—how I was living—became disgusting to me. I lost the taste for—for—”

“Blood?” Paige whispered, finally speaking. “They are vampires? Really, truly vampires?”

“We are of the living dead. Call us what you wish. Our souls are lost. Our bodies will live forever.”