Tyran's Thirst (Blood Lust) (3 page)

Running a brush through my dark blonde hair, which now
reached the midway point in my back, I fixed my black halter shirt
and was satisfied that I wasn’t a total scab. My black pants fit my
body perfectly. My post-apocalyptic body. I used to be a size
sixteen, but spending my days running and eating next to nothing
brought my frame to a two. After lacing up my steel-toe boots, I
was ready to go on the hunt. It was a mission that, if I was lucky, I
would only find food and not the stiffs or the vamps.

Peering over the edge of my tree-house, all seemed clear.
Cautiously, I climbed down and began my mile-long walk to the
corner store. It was dangerous. I knew it. But as far as I could find
there wasn’t a better home closer to the inner city. Weird, I was
calling that wooden pile in the tree my home. It was though. I
worked hard, finding blue and white paint to create a sky. I needed
a sense of normalcy. The Earth’s ceiling remained torched since
Hell’s Gate opened and spewed the evil. Black clouds swirled
above the same way it had two and a half years ago. Once in a
while the sun would pierce through, but it didn’t happen often. The
world was actually hotter though. I guessed it was the heat from
Hell keeping my land toasty. Not taking the time to think about it,
at that moment I realized how much I missed a sunny day.

Dodging behind trees and abandoned cars, I didn’t see any
stiffs. My pace was slow and cautious. At any moment something
could show itself. I could handle a stiff or two. It was the vamps
that proved to be the hardest to deal with. They were fast, cunning
and had the smarts to outdo me. The stiffs were only out for food
and therefore dumb. Tricking them was rather easy.

The store was within sight. The Friendship Market had a
gas station, but a car had run in to it and torn down the pumps. Fire
erupted and burned down the outer portion of the place. The inside
was smeared with blood, always a sign that zombies did the
killing. Vampires didn’t leave behind the trickles. They were also
few and very far between. In the two and a half years since the end,
I had only seen a couple dozen and killed two. I was lucky to be
alive after those battles. Zombies, on the other hand, were
everywhere.

Holding my gun close to my chest, I kicked in the door of
the store and walked in. Some of the shelves had been tipped over.
Great. Now I’d have to clean it up. Not like I had anything else to
do, but taking care of the Friendship store did give me a sense of
satisfaction and purpose.

I stepped over some chili cans and headed for the cooler. A
warm flat Coke and some beans would make for a good meal.
Then I heard a scarfing sound. Ducking lower, I walked around
and found a zombie eating the stomach out of some poor sap. It
didn’t bother me any longer. I was used to death and blood.

Pulling out my ax to save my bullets and sound barrier, I
swung it and watched as it connected with its neck and removed
the head. The grey body slumped to the floor, a paste for blood
oozing from the wound.

“Scum,” I said and picked up a can and a cola.

Staring down and the zombie’s dinner, I debated on
removing its head. Sometimes they re-animated, sometimes not. It
depended on how severe the guts had been ripped out, which, of
course, was almost impossible to tell by looking.

A growling erupted outside. I strolled to the door and saw
three stiffs dragging past. Now I’d have to wait until they were
gone. Tucking my soda and beans under my arm, I watched as they
slowly trudged down the road. A cold hand grabbed me by my
neck and jerked me backwards. A scream escaped as I turned and
found the corpse did re-animate and I was on the menu.

I ripped my pistol from its holster and reached behind me
to shoot the zombie in the neck. It screeched and I put one more in
its forehead. It fell and I was safe.

Or not. The stiffs from outside heard my scream and shots
and I was in their sights. Throwing down my dinner, I knew I
wasn’t a good enough shot to take them down without getting
close, which was not an option. In a sprint, I ran from the
Friendship and tried to make it home. Around the corner, I
slammed into a zombie.

It grabbed my wrist and forced it to its mouth. I kicked it in
the balls, but it continued to snap. Finally I used my pistol to slam
it into his head. It growled and released me. Aiming my gun at its
scalp, I was about to pull the trigger when it swung its hand and
knocked my pistol from me. Shit.

Pulling my ax from its holster, I moved it to cut off its arm
reaching for me. The zombie was barely fazed as my ax connected
with its neck, removing its head. Turning around, I was inches
from three very hungry zombies.

My pistol was lying on the ground but within my sights. I
dove to grab it. An undead stepped in front of me, cutting off my
reach from my gun. Standing, I swung my ax and hit one of the
zombies in the chest. It staggered back, but kept moving towards
me.

Desperately trying to fight them off, a zombie picked me
up by my chest and nipped at my long hair swinging in its face.
Another grabbed my leg. Shaking it off, I kicked and shook my
body to keep them from devouring me.

The sound of a gunshot and the zombie who had ahold of
my leg fell forward as its head sprayed across my body. The
undead that had my head dropped me. I hit the pavement hard and
glanced up to see a man holding a rifle. The two remaining
zombies lurched toward him. He blewone’s head off and the other
he kicked in the chest, sending his foot piercing through.

The zombie screamed while pulling the man’s foot out. I
heard the sound of a rifle cocking and it went off, sending the
undead’s head flying across the lot.

“We got to get out of here,” the man said, picking me up
and dragging me into the bushes. Once we were concealed, I
turned back and found a dozen zombies scanning the area. The
man saved my life. I rolled over a log and sat, trying to catch my
breath.

“That was close. They almost had dinner,” he said, handing
me back my pistol.

I laughed whil
e kicking a stick lying on the ground. “Yeah.
Thanks a bunch.” Standing up, I finally had a chance to see my
savior. He had medium length hair that was blonde. He was tall,
slender and seemed to be in terrific shape. I took a step closer and
immediately pulled my gun from my holster. His brows creased
before I shot him between the eyes.

His head was thrown back. I took hold of his rifle and
started to run, but I was pulled back.

 

“What the fuck was that?” he asked.

 

Crimson eyes.

I slammed the butt of my pistol into his jaw. He hissed,
pulling me closer to him so our lips were inches apart. Shattering
into him, I forced my scalp into his forehead, knocking him down.
Turning again, he grabbed hold of my ankles, sending me into the
dirt. He jumped on top of me, trapping me beneath the weight of
his body.

He gazed into my eyes, and then entangled his fingers in
my hair. “Now, darling, we both know you can’t scream. We also
know that shot was risky and our friends will be here soon.”

I hissed, “Vampire.”

 

“I’ll give you that.”

He was heavy. His limbs were in the perfect position that I
couldn’t move anything. I decided to buck my hips to get him off
of me. With the move he held onto my wrists and I remained
trapped.

He chuckled. “I must hand it to you. You are persis
tent. But
keep in mind I am stronger, faster and more of a challenge than
those zombies. Now, tell me where you live.”
My eyes pierced into him.

His gaze didn’t leave mine. “I can hear them coming. We
need to get out of here.”

 

“I’m not going anywhere with you.”

 

“Where do you live?”

 

I spat in his face.

He used the back of his arm to wipe it away. Faintly, I
could hear the sound of the stiffs coming in our direction. Their
moaning was unmistakable.

The vampire got off of me and pulled me to my feet. I
kicked him in the shin and began to run. Hands were around my
waist an instant later.

Warm breath on my ear. “Don’t go that way. A zombie is
coming.”

I still had a steak knife hanging from my hip. If I could get
away from the vampire, one zombie would be a challenge with
only a blade, but I could manage. My gaze shifted to the ground
where my ax and pistol lay. It wasn’t possible for me to reach them
before the vampire took hold of me. Suddenly I was lifted from the
dirt into his arms. Kicking, I couldn’t free myself.

He held on tight. “Shh, my darling. We must get out of
here.” He bent over and picked up my weapons, but was careful to
secure them out of my reach.

I was carried through the woods. A number of times the
vampire leapt over some logs and puddles. Then we came to a
massive waterhole. My guess was it was formed over the last
weeks of May when Norwalk experienced many days of heavy
rain. Glancing over the water, I didn’t know how deep it was. I was
also fearful because on more than one occasion I had seen zombies
come out of the water. Instinctively, I tightened my grip around the
vampire’s neck.

He smiled. “That’s more like it. Go ahead, grab onto
anything you want.”

There was a double meaning to his words. It sent chills
through me, although I didn’t know why. “Why don’t you just kill
me?”

He turned his head so that we were inches apart. “Now why
would I want to do that?”

A shiver ran through me. He was good looking and his red
eyes didn’t seep hunger like the other vampires I had run into.
“You want to keep me alive so I’ll take you home. Well I live
alone so if you’re expecting to find a buffet, you aren’t going to
find shit.”

“Hmm.”

He pulled me closer to him and with the bend of his legs,
we leapt over the water and landed on dry ground. I could feel his
grip loosen. With a kick I was free. Running, I dodged some
bushes and branches. Soon I was in the clearing and staring at
some houses. With a quick check, I didn’t see the vampire
following me. My tree house wasn’t far.

I ran through several backyards. Then I heard a noise
behind me. Peering around, I found a child’s playground. As quick
as I could, I climbed up the ladder and into the top which was
covered with a tent. Sitting in the corner, I reached for my knife
and sat, legs curled to my body, and hoped I hadn’t been seen.

Through a small opening, I saw the vampire pass by. He
was definitely looking for my. I may be food, but I wasn’t going to
go down without a fight. My mind had already been made up. If
death was coming, I’d rather take my own life. If it was a choice
between monsters, I would choose the vampires. Those deaths
didn’t seem so painful. Zombies, on the other hand, looked
terrifying, being ripped apart and having your guts eaten while you
cried for help.

The vampire passed by again. My grip tightened on my
knife. I waited, checking my watch for twenty minutes, but I didn’t
see him again. With an exhale, I scooted to the opening. The tent
was thrown back and the vampire jumped in on my. I tried to
scream, but a hand was over my mouth. Tears rolled down my
cheeks as teeth grazed my neck. They were cold and sharp. Then I
could feel something running down my neck. Warm blood. It
didn’t seem like I was bitten, just cut. A moaning began and his
tongue lapped up the trickle.

He sat up and smiled at me. I edged to the opening, hoping
my plan would work. As he moved to get closer to me, I slammed
my knife into his stomach. The vampire cursed and I jumped out of
the playground and ran. In the distance I could see my home, but
he was too close for me to make it without him knowing where I
was. Instead I ran to the bushes framing the house and ducked
behind them. My breathing couldn’t be steadied.

Grass was bending. I crouched lower and waited for him to
walk by. Growling. Moaning. Not a vampire.

I knew the zombie would smell my blood if he got close
enough. Preparing, I heard scuffling and then a thud on the ground.
Knowing what I had to do, I jumped from my bush and onto the
only thing standing…the vampire. He grunted as I forced him to
the ground, pinning him against the dirt and my knife.

He pushed the blade from my hands and flipped me over. I
landed on my belly and my hands were yanked behind me. I was
helpless.

“Darling, must we fight like this?”

 

“Fuck you.”

 

“As tempting as that sounds, I have other plans for you.”

 

I tried to free myself,but I couldn’t. “If you’re going to eat
me, then just do it. Quit playing games.”

He picked me up and sat me on my feet. Defiantly, I peered
into his deep red eyes. There was nothing soft about them
anymore. Pure evil.

“Now, my sweet, where do you live?”

 

“I’ve already told you I’m alone.”

 

“That has yet to be seen.”

 

“Just fucking kill me. I accept death.”

 

He laughed. “I’ve been called the walking death. Doesn’t
suit me. I leave that title to the zombies.”

I bit my l
ip but didn’t speak.
He placed his hand on my chest. After a long minute he
dropped it and smiled. “Your heart is beating so strong. So healthy.
The blood passes through easily.”

“Just kill me.”

“Not until I find out where you live.” He gazed around.
“You were hell bent on this area. It must be close.” The vampire
looked at the houses but shook his head. “Not there…” He peered
up at my tree house. A smirk illuminated his face. He nodded.
“There.”

Shit. He knew where my home was. I wasn’t afraid. I did
livealone. He wouldn’t find anything. The vampire picked me up
and thrust me into the door of my house. As we landed I was
thrown on the futon. My head whirled. My stomach felt sick. It
was coming…

The last thing I remembered was seeing the crimson eyes of
the vampire before passing out.
CHAPTER 4

Feeling very groggy, I placed a hand to my head to stop the
daze. Then I knew what I’d been through and jumped out of bed.
Sitting on the floor across from me was the vampire.