“Okay, here’s what we’re gonna do…”
Melanie looked up and down the seemingly deserted street.
“You kind of stagger or something—like you’re drunk or
whatever. You got on a nice leather
jacket, expensive Pumas—they won’t be able to resist.”
She smiled at Zac, “This’ll be fun.”
“So, when do we eat?” He
asked.
“It depends. If there’s
a bunch of ‘em, we might have to wait ‘til some of them run away.
If there’s only a couple…” She
smiled, showing her fangs, “chow time.”
“Cool.” Zac agreed,
“’Cause that little Chinese guy didn’t have nearly enough to spare.”
“I know, I know.” She
said. “And Taylor’s so
freaky,” She shook her head,
“he throws a shit fit if he finds out you took too much.
I think he’s got eyes in the back of his head.”
Zac smiled back at her, “Naw, he can just smell guilt.
He gets it from our Mom.”
She rolled her eyes, “Whatever. I
don’t feel guilt over them. Maybe
if I killed ‘em…”
She ruffled his hair. “Alright,
you’re on.” She said and she
backed into the darkness of a doorway behind her.
Zac looked around him. The
street was lined with older buildings, obviously owned by absentee landlords as
live-in owners would never allow their places to disintegrate like these had.
Above him, voices floated onto the night air;
some arguing with each other, others laughing and teasing their drunken
partners.
He walked, careful to stumble now and then,
towards a bar, its neon signs advertising the many cheap beers they stocked
behind iron bars that covered every window.
“Hey.” He was greeted by
a woman as she stepped forward, holding a faux fur jacket tightly around her
thin frame. “You searchin’ for
somethin’ sweetie?” She asked.
He smiled, flashing straight, white teeth.
“Naw, not tonight…” He
slurred, placing his hand on the wall, feigning dizziness.
Melanie could see the woman’s eyes.
She was looking around to see who was watching.
“You alright there?” The
woman asked, stepping closer to him. Zac
felt her hand snake around him, going under his jacket.
“Yeah, yeah. I’m
good.” He said, leaning back
against the wall and closing his eyes. The
woman looked at him and slipped her hand into his jacket pocket, then pulled it
back out quickly when she found it empty.
“Where’s your car, baby? I’m
sure you didn’t walk here.” She
said, her voice taking on a sultry tone.
“And why couldn’t he have walked here?”
Taylor’s voice rang out. “Does
he look like he’s injured, or otherwise incapable of walking?”
The woman gasped as the tall blonde before her seemed to have appeared
out of nowhere.
“If you’d looked closer, you would have noticed he’s not even old
enough to drive.” Taylor stated,
stepping close to her.
“Um, actually, I am old
enough now.” Zac retorted,
standing up straight. “I turned
sixteen a couple months ago.”
“What are you doing?” Taylor
asked, looking around the old buildings. Before
Zac could answer, Taylor looked at the woman, “You stay right where you
are.” He said.
She stopped, midstep; she’d
been slowly backing away from the two. “Where’s
Mel?” He asked.
Zac looked down the street to where she stepped out of her hiding place.
Taylor shook his head, “You’re gonna get hurt doing this kinda stuff,
man. People in these places carry
weapons.” Melanie was slowly
making her way towards them.
“Well, it’s not like I’m gonna get killed.”
Zac reasoned, pushing his hands into his pockets.
“Maybe not, but if you get shot or stabbed, it’ll hurt like a bitch.
Why risk it if you don’t have to?”
Taylor asked.
“Were you gonna rob him?”
He asked the woman.
“I…” She stuttered.
“What’s in your pockets?” He
demanded, crossing his arms over his chest.
Keeping her eyes on his, she pulled out a small knife and various pieces
of drug paraphernalia, along with precious bits of illegal substances she’d
bought or bargained for that evening.
“Zac, why would you want to drink from somebody like that?”
He asked. “It’d
be like chewing gum you scraped off the bottom of your seat in a movie
theater.”
Melanie slunk up and stood next to Zac.
Taylor glared at her. “What?
We were just having a little fun.”
She said.
“You know, if I recall, my problems started when you tricked me into
attacking the son of the police chief.” Taylor
said to her.
“How was I supposed to know who he was?”
She said, one eyebrow raised.
“Exactly.” Taylor said.
“You’re such a dumbass. Are
we supposed to ask for I.D. before we bite somebody?”
She spat.
“No, bitch.” He said
back. “But, if you can tell
somebody is bad news, how about moving on to somebody that isn’t?”
“Um, because there’s no way of telling that?”
She retorted.
Taylor took a deep breath and looked over at the woman again, “Why
don’t you clean yourself up and go to college or something?
Find a job. Get off the
streets.”
“It’s not that easy, Taylor.”
Melanie said, now looking on the woman with pity.
“Some of us weren’t born talented and with the uber family that you
were.”
“Yeah, I know. I never had
to work for anything I got. My Dad
owned a record company, right Zac?” Taylor
said.
“Yeah, in your dreams.” Zac
said, glancing over at the woman. She
didn’t look nearly as appetizing to him now.
Still, hunger was creeping up on him again.
He looked past his brother and Melanie spitting at each other like cats
and saw a man walking on the other side of the street.
Quickly, he trotted across and walked behind him.
He sniffed the air. He’d
been in a bar probably, but he wasn’t drunk.
His jacket was old, but it was clean.
He smiled thinking Taylor would approve, just as he sprang forward,
pulling the man into the shadows. He
hadn’t mastered the art of giving them visions, like Camille and Taylor, but
he did an okay job of the hit and run—leaving them not knowing what
had happened. His instincts were
right, the man had drunk a beer or two and that was all.
His blood was rich and warm and it tasted glorious as it slid down his
throat and warmed his insides. Zac
took more than he’d been able to from his earlier victim.
This man was probably as tall as Taylor and built solidly,
not like the wiry man at the restaurant. When
he felt the man stop fighting back, he let him go, letting him pool down on the
sidewalk like a wino. He licked his
lips, ran his hands through his hair, and stepped over the man to go back to his
brother. Melanie stood, her back
against the wall and her eyes raised to the sky.
Aiming his ear at Taylor he could hear him, softly talking to
the woman. “I’m giving you some
money, but I want you to buy food with it.
If I find out you bought more of that shit, I’ll come back here…”
Zac stopped listening.
When Taylor joined them again, he sighed.
“The reason I was looking for you is that Ike has a gig tonight.
I thought you might want to check it out.”
“Yeah?” Zac said,
interested. “Do you think it’s
okay if we both go?”
“Well, I guess, if we’re careful.
I mean, I’m dead and you have short hair now—who’s gonna suspect
it’s us?” Taylor asked.
Melanie rolled her eyes, “Every Hanson fan on the planet?
What makes you think they won’t recognize you?
No, wait. Nevermind.
It’s not like they’d be going to some little jazz club in New York
City.
Now, if NSync plays the Garden, though—you guys better
steer clear!”
“Hanson fans don’t even like
NSync.” Taylor grumbled.
“Whatever. Ten million
girls moved on to somebody and I’d
bet a bunch moved on to Justin Timberlake for their pretty boy fix.”
Melanie replied. The
December wind blew her hair back from her face so she had a clear view of Taylor
rolling his eyes.
“Are you coming with us, or are you going to the homeless shelter for a
hot meal?” He asked with a smile
on his face.
She looked up as if the question needed a great deal of thought to be
answered. “Hmmm…well, Isaac’s
pretty good. I think I’ll hang
with you guys.”
Taylor placed his hand over his heart, “Oh, thank you Miss Melanie!”
He gushed.
“Don’t mention it…” She
said and she turned and began to walk back down the street.
~~~~~
Melanie and Zac stood inside the dark club watching Taylor pay the man at
the door. “Why’d you pay?”
Melanie asked as he joined them.
“This place isn’t struggling.”
“I don’t know—I guess because it’s the right thing to do.
If I didn’t have money, I wouldn’t pay.
Besides, Ike gets paid according to how much the place takes
in.” He muttered, pushing his
money back down into his front pocket.
“Wouldn’t it be better spent if you just gave it to him?”
She asked, her eyes following a woman in a low cut blouse.
Taylor rubbed his temples, “She’s not coming next time.”
He said, looking at Zac.
Zac shrugged and followed his
brother as he made his way to a small table in the back of the room.
They sat down around the small table.
Zac liked the place, it was lit with candles and it wasn’t full of
smoke. It was one of the few clubs
he’d been in that wasn’t. He’d
been able to take it when he was alive, but his nose was so sensitive now, it
made him feel nauseated. “Hey,
give me some money.” Melanie
said, breaking his train of thought.
Zac reached into his pockets,
“Um, I don’t have much…” He
said.
“What do you need it for?”
Taylor asked.
Melanie smiled, “I need a
drink.”
Taylor looked up towards the bar.
It was lined with men, eager to spend their paychecks on drinks for women
they may or may not get to spend the night with.
Taylor shook his head and reached in his pocket as he watched her
unfasten the top two buttons on the slinky blouse she wore.
“Here.” He said,
pressing a twenty dollar bill into her hand.
They both watched her as she made her way through the crowd and stood at
the bar.
Within minutes, two men were talking to her and not long
after, she was leading both of them to the restrooms.
“Where they goin’?”
Zac asked.
Taylor leaned back in his seat,
“They probably think they’re gonna get a blow job, but actually they’ll be
donating blood and money to Metro United Melanie.”
He waved over a waitress.
“Why two? I mean, how much
does she need—“ Zac started.
Taylor shook his head and
interrupted him, “Who knows? Sometimes,
she likes to make ‘em fight, or think they’re getting a threesome.
Shit like that.
She says it makes them taste better.”
“It does?”
Zac asked, his eyes going wide.
Taylor snorted, “I doubt it.
I think she just likes to fuck with people.
She must have had a shitty childhood.
Hey—“ He said as
the waitress approached. “Could
you bring us four bottles of water please?”
He asked.
“Sure.”
She answered with a smile.
“Anything else?”
“That should do it.”
He said. “Thanks.”
He watched her turn and walk away. He
looked back toward Zac, the candle light reflecting golden in his eyes.
“Have you fed?” He
asked, already knowing the answer.
“Yeah, a couple times.”
The boy answered.
“Did ya get enough?”
Taylor asked.
“Yeah, I guess so.”
Zac answered.
“Good.”
Taylor said with a smile.
Just then the waitress came back and began to set the bottles down.
“Thanks.” He said and he
gave her a twenty. She started to
give him change and he waved her off, “Keep it.”
“Oh, thank you!”
She said brightly. She
smiled at him and Zac watched as they paused and looked at each other.
For a moment, she stopped and just looked into Taylor’s eyes.
“What’s your name?” He
asked.
“Um…Andrea.”
She said, blinking her eyes.
“That’s a pretty name.”
He said. He looked at his
brother, “Isn’t it, Zac?”
Zac nodded, “Very.”
He agreed.
“Thanks.”
She said, blushing. “I
guess, um…I’ll let you guys watch the show now.
It’s about to start. But,
if you need anything, y’know, just let me know.
Okay?”
“We will.”
Taylor assured her. They
watched her walk away, glancing back at them now and then.
“What did you just do?”
Zac asked.
Taylor unscrewed the cap from one
of the bottles and took a long drink, “Well,”
he said, sitting it on the table in front of him, “I just told her how
much she likes me. And I asked her
her name so I can call her later.” Zac
furrowed his brow and Taylor leaned in. “Talk
to me.” He said.
“What do you want me to say?”
Zac asked.
“It doesn’t matter.
Just don’t use your mouth.” Taylor
said.
“I want to hear it in
my head.”
“I don’t think I can do
that.” Zac said.
“Yes, you can.
Just pretend you’re Obi Wan Kenobi and these aren’t the droids
you’re looking for.”
“That never works for me.”
Zac said softly.
He’d tried various times to do the tricks that the others
could do, and he hadn’t mastered it yet.
In fact, he hadn’t even managed to do it poorly.
“Kirk can do it.
He’s your sire, isn’t he? You
should be able to do it.” Taylor
stated.
Zac sighed, “Yeah, but he’s
like sixty years old or something.”
“So?
I’m eighteen. What’s
your point?” Taylor said.
“My point is, I’m not you.
Melanie showed me how to do it and so did Camille.
It didn’t work for me.” Zac
said, looking up towards the stage where a man was putting finishing touches on
the stage set-up.”
“I know that.”
Taylor said.
“It might take a while, but everybody can do it eventually.
You’ll get there.
Just try it. Just
think something to me—like, envision it going from your brain to mine.”
Zac sighed and closed his eyes.
“Can’t you read minds, anyway?”
He thought.
Taylor listened as Zac
concentrated on sending his thoughts to him, but he didn’t really hear
anything. Occasionally, he’d hear
something, if they were just milling about the apartment, but when the boy tried
to send him something, it never seemed to get through.
He’d been able to manipulate him a bit before he’d been turned, but
now his mind seemed closed to him.
“Hmmm…”
Taylor said, leaning back again.
“Well, good for you. Sometimes,
it drives me crazy to hear people’s constant chattering in their heads.
I had to figure out how to block it out, or I would have killed myself by
now.”
“I can imagine.”
Zac said.
“But, it does make feeding
easier. It’s like…delivery!”
He laughed. “But it’s
not like you’re starving. Just
talk to Kirk about it. It comes in
handy when you’re in trouble or whatever.
And since we don’t really get to use cell phones and
stuff…”
“Beatriz and Sonya have ‘em.”
Zac said, opening one of the bottles before him.
“Yeah, but they’re special.
I think they just want us to be able to disappear if we need to,
y’know? No bills, no
tracking—all that.” Taylor
said, pushing his hair off his forehead.
Zac shook his head, “Whatever.
I still think it’s weird.”
“Dude, Beatriz is old fashioned.
I mean like, real old
fashioned. She’d rather walk than
use that Jaguar in her garage. She
uses feathers and blood and stuff to like…call up gods
and shit.” Taylor replied.
“Is she a witch?”
Zac asked. He looked up to
see his brother Isaac and three other musicians walking on as the stage lights
were turned on.
“She says she’s not.”
Taylor said.
“In fact, she seems to get a little insulted when anybody
puts forth the notion that she’s anything but straight up.”
Taylor clapped his hands as the band members took their spots.
Zac whistled and he watched Isaac
raise his head and look around the room for his brother, but the lights kept him
from seeing either of them in the dark room.
After a little fine tuning of their instruments, they began
to play and Zac found himself lost in the music.
It was different than rock ‘n roll and Isaac had been taking lessons so
that he could master the more intricate timing and tones he needed to play and
his brothers had been more than happy to help him out.
Thrilled, in fact, that they now could play together and bounce ideas off
each other about their music.
“I feel good tonight!” Melanie
said as she plopped down on Zac’s lap, then boldly kissed him on the lips as
he blushed, much to her delight. She
shot a sideways glance at Taylor, hoping to see his feathers ruffled, but
instead he had his eyes shut and his hand across his forehead.
“What’s wrong with him?”
She asked Zac quickly. “Has
he been acting weird?”
Zac looked over at Taylor,
surprised to see him looking anything but normal.
“Um, no. He
was fine a minute ago. He’s
probably tired.” He said, looking
back towards the stage.
“Has he fed?”
She asked, standing up.
“I don’t think so.”
Zac answered.
“I think he was gonna have a go at our waitress.”
“Good.
You take him in the men’s room and I’ll get him somebody
to eat.”
Zac shook his head, “Why?
We’re watchin’ the show.”
“Get off me.
What’s your problem?” Taylor
growled as Melanie began to pull him from his seat.
“You should probably feed.”
She said. “You look a
little pale.”
Taylor raised an eyebrow, “I am
a little pale. I’ve always been a
little pale and I think I can decide when I need to feed, thanks.”
Zac watched the exchange,
wondering what was wrong with Melanie. Wasn’t
Taylor the chief of this big whacked out tribe?
Why was she trying so hard to get him to feed?
Finally, she sat down with a sigh,
but she kept her eyes on Taylor rather than the band.
“Stop staring at me.”
Taylor said, irritated.
“You just look like you don’t
feel good. And you know Beatriz
likes for you to be home when…that happens.”
She said, glancing at Zac. He
watched Taylor turn his eyes to her with an aqua coloured flash.
“You can go on home and nobody
needs to know you saw me. How’s
that?” He said.
“Heheh,”
she chuckled, “yeah, right.
I’ve told you before, I like my head on my shoulders.
But thanks for thinking of me.”
Zac shook his head and moved to a
table farther from them where he wouldn’t have to listen to their ongoing
bickering.
“Fine then.”
Taylor said, and he picked up the water and finished it.
Melanie continued to watch him as he watched Isaac up on the stage.
She watched him rub his eyes and run his hands through his hair.
She got up and sat next to Zac again.
“We need to get him home!”
She hissed.
Zac furrowed his brow and looked
at her. “Why?
What’s the deal? He’s
got a headache or something. So
what?” He said, losing his
patience.
“So when’s the last time you
had a headache?” She retorted.
“I don’t know!
It’s been a while!”
“Of course it has.
It’s been since before you got changed.
We don’t get headaches.”
She replied. “You need to
help me. He won’t listen to me.
Tell him you want to leave.”
Zac rolled his eyes,
“Whatever.” He said, standing.
He picked up his water and tipped it up to drink, looking across the room
towards Taylor. At once, he set the
bottle down and re-focused. He
wasn’t certain, but it appeared that Taylor had called their waitress back and
was making a meal of her right there at the table as the people around them
stared.
“What the…”
He said. Melanie looked over
his shoulder.
“Fuck!
C’mon.” She
commanded.
The two of them approached the
table and Melanie sized up the situation. The
scene could definitely be construed as a very heavy make out session if they
played their cards right. Taylor
had his back to the wall and the girl was sitting on his lap, her tray still in
her hand, her back against his chest.
His mouth was clamped to her neck from behind, but both of
their hair covered it all fairly well, but, the trickle of blood her vampire
eyes had just seen could be troublesome.
“Taylor!”
He heard in his head. She
watched his eyes meet hers, but he continued to drain the girl in front of him.
“I’m totally supportive of you
feeding, but you just need to move it to the restroom or something.
She works here! Someone’s going to
see, or miss her—fairly quickly.” Melanie
warned. As she positioned herself
in front of the couple, she laughed, “Geez!
You two need to get a room!”
Zac stood back watching, amazed
Taylor would ever do such a thing. In
the time he’d been like the others he’d hardly ever observed his brother
feeding. Taylor was always overly
cautious. “Zac.”
Melanie interrupted his thoughts, “You come here.”
She instructed. He walked
over and stood next to her. “I’m
gonna clear out the ladies room. You
stand right here and act like everything’s copasetic—you got it?
Don’t let him get freaky.”
Zac looked over his shoulder as
the girl lay her head back on Taylor’s shoulder.
She was getting weak. “Okay.
But hurry. I don’t know
what to do if he does anything weird!”
“You’re strong.”
She said, leaving.
“Just don’t let it happen.”
Zac shook his head and watched her
disappear.
