“So we’re seeing a Johnny Depp movie?” he took a guess as he stared at her red dress.
“We’re going to a concert, to hear the musical stylings of Demetrius Del Marin,” she was excited. “But before that, we need to talk to my father. Now undress or we’re going to be late.”
“Isn’t he that goblet player?” he remembered their conversation from earlier.
“You remembered that he played actual goblets instead of glasses. I’m impressed. But yes, that’s where we’re going later tonight. But for now, my father wants to meet you. Now get dressed. We’ll be heading out in a few hours,” she flipped her hands up, gesturing for him to take his shirt off.
“Why does he want to meet me?” he pulled his shirt up.
She thought about her answer. The reality was that he wanted to confirm Zack had begun to turn. He wanted to confirm that he was the harbinger of the next incarnation of the demon vampire. But she couldn’t say any of that. She just smiled faintly and spoke the first half truth that came to mind, “he’s a father, does he really need more of a reason than that?”
Chapter Forty Six
Approval
Kyli helped Zack get the shirt over his head. She was giddy. It took her mind off of the present dilemma. For a moment, she blushed as she stared at his naked chest. He was toned. His body was thin and very fit. It was almost too fit for a young man his age. By the time he began to remove his shoes, she was nearly drooling.
He unbuckled his pants.
“Nope, not here,” she pointed to the bathroom. “You can finish in there. I may be helping you out with all of this, but that doesn’t mean I want you to get naked on me.”
“It doesn’t?” he asked sincerely as his eyes burned into hers.
She thought about the offer and thought about where they were going next. “No, just change in the bathroom.”
He took the laid out clothing and made his way to the bathroom. He closed the door.
She stared blankly at the door as it closed, “for now.”
He proceeded to dress himself. He put on the white dress shirt.
As he buttoned, she leaned her back on the door, “this concert is for your own good, Zack.”
“What do you mean?” he slid his pants down and off his legs.
“I mean that I know some people that are going to be at the concert that might be able to help you.” She thought about the real meaning of her words and sighed as she used her silver tongue further.
“You mean vampires?” he stepped into the slick black pants.
“Yes, vampires.” She walked over to the bedroom closet. He looped the black and silver leather belt through the dress pants, “by the way, how did you know what size I was?”
“Are you kidding? I sized you up the moment I got you up here.” She reached for her jewelry box in the center of the far shelf, “besides, I know someone your size.”
He buckled the silver fastener to the belt, “who?”
She opened the box. There was a large assortment of silver, red, black, and pink trinkets. Rings, necklaces, anklets, chokers, chains, and even piercings were in every possible style. “You don’t need to know.”
He peeled off his socks, “you’re really not going to tell me?”
She took out a single silver chain from the box, “it’s a surprise.”
He put his right foot into one of the socks. He thought about it. Whoever they belonged to, they were clean and pressed. He rolled up the other sock.
She attached the chain to the back of the choker. It hung midway down her back. “You’ll find out soon enough,” she went silent.
He picked up the black blazer. She removed a set of cuff links from the box and closed it. He put on the blazer and opened the door.
She walked out of the closet and back to the main bedroom. “Put these on,” she held her left hand out to display a set of silver cuff links. “You’ll need to impress him.”
He took them and them to his sleeves. He looked down at his socks. “What about shoes?”
“Sorry, here you go,” she reached under her bed for a pair of black leather men’s shoes. They were shined and polished. They were in his size.
“How did you know I was a thirteen?” He really wanted to know who these clothes belonged to.
“I told you I sized you up,” she took him by his shoulder and sat him down on the side of the bed. “Let’s tie these loose ends before we go on, shall we?”
He presented his right foot for her, “that isn’t an answer.”
“You’ll meet him. Don’t worry. He really wants to meet you,” she slipped the shoe on and laced it up.
He followed along and raised his other foot.
She slipped the second shoe on and tied it, “tonight.”
“At the concert?” he stood back up.
“No, before we leave,” she went back to the closet.
He checked the fit of the shoes. As he thought, they were his size. “You’re too good at this you know. Most people think I have smaller feet.”
She ruffled through a large cache of silk neck ties in her closet, “I’ve got lots of practical experience.”
“Brother maybe?” he guessed.
“Nope. I don’t have any siblings. I hold the sole weight of my line, no matter how heavy that burden is,” her depressed comment was out of place as she came out with a single Christmas red silk tie. “Here, this will complete the look.”
“A red tie with a white shirt?” It was summer. He knew it was the wrong thing to wear.
“Pull down your jacket,” she instructed.
He obeyed, “you’re going to tie it for me?”
“I’m here to help you aren’t I?” she flipped up his collar and threw the silk tie around his neck.
“Kyli, am I really going to find answers at this concert?” he sighed.
She pulled the ends around each other and quickly finished. “Not at the concert. At the after party.”
“There’s a party too?” he pulled the jacket up.
“You look great. Now all I have to do is get ready,” she walked off.
“You didn’t answer the question,” he pursued her.
She walked into the spare bathroom, “I know.” She closed the door before he could come in.
He sat down on the couch, frustrated. He straightened his tie. She spent the time doing her makeup and generally getting ready. He didn’t know how long he’d been there. The headache was gone. The thirst too. But the hours had flown by. It was almost eight o’clock. Their conversations had eaten more time that he had realized.
She opened the door, “follow me.”
Her hair was fluffed and angelic. Her eyes had a light red liner with black eye shadow. Her face was perfect. A hint of color accented her pale lips. She glided across the floor as her dress flipped with the sway of her hips. He followed her into the main hall. She knocked twice on the only other door on that level.
“He’s late,” she said impatiently.
“Who?” He could see she was agitated but didn’t understand why.
Normally David would be at the door waiting for the knock. He was that type of guy to actually enjoy the anticipation of a moment like this. But he wasn’t there initially. She was irritated by his absence.
She knocked again.
There was a slight sound that came from the other side of the door.
“Just remember to be respectful of him and to mind yourself,” she straightened her posture.
The door opened.
A short young man stood just about at Zack’s height. At five foot seven, he stared back at them with dark green lightly speckled black eyes. His hair was jet black and gelled back. His adolescent features were chiseled and thin for his age. He was dressed in a formal dark black suit with gray pinstripes. He was young. The mysterious figure surveyed Zack. He checked out the clothes he had on first. He glared and then shift
ed his attention to Kyli. He didn’t appear to be pleased.
“Where are you two going? Who is he? And why is he wearing one of my suits?” the young man wasn’t happy but there was an excitement to his words that betrayed his tone.
The voice seemed familiar to him. He had heard it somewhere before, but couldn’t place it. He thought about it as she smiled back.
“Nice to see you too,” she was sarcastic.
The questions gave him all the information he needed. He knew who this was. He didn’t want to admit it, even to himself, but he knew. Before she spoke again, before their heated discussion took flight, he knew the relationship of this seemingly young man standing in front of him, even if he still couldn’t place where he knew the voice from.
He spoke first, “it’s nice to meet you Mr. Waterfield.”
“Daddy, this is Zack Giver. He’s a-” she was cut off.
“-A vampeal,” her father’s tone was short and livid. He wasn’t happy.
“Well, y-” she was cut off again.
“Yes, I know what he is. But why is he wearing my suit?” her father sighed.
He could feel the tension grow between them.
She stepped in, “he’s a boy I met at the club. We’re going to see Marin’s concert tonight. Is that enough for you? Do you need to know his blood type as well?” it was clear she didn’t like to explain herself.
Her father scoffed at the mention of Marin’s name.
“Zack needs to borrow your suit for the night,” she asserted herself.
“Zack is it?” her father stepped forward to get a close up view of his face. There was a nervous tension in his eyes. He knew something that he wouldn’t admit.
“That’s my name,” he held his ground. His muscles tensed but he stood straight under the pressure of the moment.
“I’m David Waterfield. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Zack,” he extended his left hand firmly.
He politely shook David’s hand in return. His skin was cold and slightly clammy. It was frail. It was a distinct difference to Kyli. They felt and looked nothing alike. He wondered how exactly they could be related.
David lightly gripped his hand. He flexed then let go, “come in. I have one condition if you’re going to Marin’s concert in my suit.”
He examined David’s face. He was prepubescent with no sign of facial hair or an Adam’s apple. He was obviously turned in his youth but his apparent age was disturbing. If David was the vampire parent and Kyli’s mother was human, then it meant that David conceived with someone that was physically older than him, but mentally far younger. It was an odd fleeting thought. He shook his head and dismissed it.
All three walked into the loft. The room was an opposite copy of Kyli’s floor plan. There were still hardwood floors but the taste of the room was very different. Black resin coated floors glistened as the reflection of the overhead recessed lights casted shadows on everything. He was impressed by the amount of lighting. More than two hundred individual bulbs blanketed the ceiling of the room. The perspective of them changed as you moved through the living room. What was left of the ceiling was nearly holographic from the small seemly random spots of acrylic black finish. Dark angular chairs finished out the room. There was no couch. There didn’t appear to be any forms of entertainment either. David’s personality showed through this room. He was a very astute person, not one to bother with the comforts of a home. It was a dwelling alone to him.
He closed the door behind them.
David went to the bedroom closet.
“Zack needs to borrow a few things for the concert tonight,” she was direct as she made her request.
David looked at her for a moment. He clearly wanted to confirm something in her eyes. A piece of information that they wanted to keep hidden between them. “You’re asking me for a favor?” he contemplated something greater. “Do you enjoy stealing my suit to parade your latest toy around at a show?”
“No Daddy, it’s not like that. I’m helping him,” she argued.
“You’re always helping people,” David stood still. He was almost too motionless. He appeared inanimate.
“Zack’s not like the others,” she contested.
“So he has a job?” David’s words were harsh.
He smiled. This was an easy fix. “Well actually, yes, I have a job as an apprentice carpenter,” his voice was smooth and his timing was perfect.
It shut down David’s complaint. He didn’t say anything in turn. His eyes were steely as he came out of the closet with a bright red tie. He was angry but he had come to a conclusion of sorts, “I have an idea that can make this fair for me.” He smiled in a manner that put her smirk to shame. It had a devilish flare to it. He had an agenda that was all his own. “Wear this and we’re even.” his eyes were cold. They didn’t seem real.
She interrupted, “what’s the catch?”
David didn’t break eye contact with him, “No catch, he only has to wear this tie and go to the after party later tonight.” He paused, “and say hello to Marin personally.” His dark green eyes were eerie.
Suddenly David’s left eye slid down and out of place. He was wearing colored contacts. The lens fell sharply to the floor. His eye was a translucent black with a dark green iris.
It was disturbing but he couldn’t look away.
She noticed David’s eyes, “Daddy.”
“What?” David was too focused to notice.
She pointed to the floor, “your eye is on the ground.”
David looked down. Before Zack could acknowledge it, he had the contact on his fingertip and had already placed it back over his eye.
He was shaken by the flawless speed. He remembered how she had moved before. It was nothing compared to David. She was right, vampires were something else. They were the complete form of the mutated strain that he belonged to.
David cleared his throat. He turned to Zack, “sorry. You have to understand, this is how we appear all the time,” he briefly explained. “A vampeal has the perfect balance of anonymity. You can walk in the sunlight and hide your fangs when you need to. You appear human. Our eyes give us away as the monsters we are if ever people have the mind to simply look directly at us.”
“I thought all vampires were able to easily blend in?” he asked her.
She was about to answer him as David stepped toward him, “what Kyli said is true. At present, a vampire is indistinguishable from a human. All full vampires have eyes like mine. Through the invention of modern wide colored contacts we have the opportunity to be normal socialites.”
“Are the colors your choice?” He asked David.
“Yes, as with any contact,” David assured him.
“No. Your actual color. Is it a choice?” he rephrased his question.
David was silent. He didn’t like the question for some reason. It was tied to a distant memory for him. Something too painful to be recalled at such a trivial moment.
“Zack, that’s enough,” she put her hand on his shoulder.
He stopped but he didn’t break eye contact. He could tell David was upset.
“We’ll talk later, okay. Let it go for now,” she instructed him.
“Daddy, you were asking Zack to meet Marin at the party.” she got things back on track.
He thought about the words and what they meant, “meet him? I’m supposed to meet him tonight?”
“That’s exactly what I want you to do.” David held the red tie up to Zack’s right shoulder, “and wear this tie.”
He nodded and removed his current tie. They were the exact same shade of red. There was something about the new tie. He could feel the animosity that oozed from David’s eyes.
David grinned. His fangs protruded as Zack adjusted the tie.
“Won’t Marin be surrounded by body guards?” He brought up a good point.
“Vampires don’t need body guards,” David stared Zack down. “M
ention my name to the door man and he will let you in.”
He could tell where she got her sense of wit and deception. There was something tricky about her family that crafted a quick mental response to every situation.
She nodded that he should just go along with David’s request.
“Don’t worry Zack. I’m sure I’ll warm up to you in time,” he feigned a smile. He was lying. “I can play the good father when I want to.”
Chapter Forty Seven
Finding Usefulness
A few weeks after the diner Del found himself at a local dock in the middle of a clear, cloudless night. He was easily able to hear a dispute between a group of five men and a lone sailor. They were fighting over the right to buy out the sailor’s fishing business. It was obvious the man didn’t want to sell to the group and they were pressuring him.
He crept closer. It was a bright night despite the lack of a lit moon in the sky above. He could see for miles. His vision was far better than it had when he was a young boy. He watched from the shadows as their argument continued.
“I told you all to get lost. I’m not selling, ever.” The man was gruff, short, and had a thick curly beard. He barked at the group, “now get the hell off my dock!”
“That’s not how it works old man,” the taller one in the group of younger men shouted. He advanced on the sailor, “you’re going to sell or else.”
The group of men began to encircle and hold down the older man. They were about to beat the answer they wanted out of him.
He knew it was wrong. His morality forced him to act. He was going to stop this. He set out on a mission to save the sailor’s life. He moved in to stop the taller one from slugging the old man. He hadn’t noticed until then but he was significantly faster. His movements were exacting. They had a swiftness to them. He knew there was power in his body that he had never known. He had a strength that was new and unique. The world seemed to slow around him as he acted. He arrived in the middle of the group in a flash. His speed was bewildering, even to him.