Midnight Rays

Chapter 10

  The night air hung heavy around Samuel as he entered yet another bar.  "Four restaurants and three bars so far, and yet none have seven bags for me to buy?!  What is going on in this God forsaken city?!" he thought to himself.
  He reached the counter and the barkeep turned to him.  He was a burly man, with a long, thick beard, and a scar under his right eye.  "What can I get you, sir?"
  "Well, I was hoping you had seven bags of O Positive, or whatever you have for that matter, I could buy off of you."
  "Sorry Mister, we are in short supply, but I could sell you half a bag in a glass.  But anymore than that I would have to decline."
  "You mind me asking why everyone around here seems to be so low in blood?"
  "Well, been wondering that myself Vamp.  Put in my order for restock, and I, and everyone else I know round here, was told it would be delayed.  No clue what's going on, but I really hope we get some soon.  I don't mind helping the good ones, like yourself, that order the donated stuff.  I know what will happen to ya'll though, if you don't get what you need.  And we just don't need anymore round here like the rest of 'em.  No siree. Wouldn't be good at all."
  "Thank you for your kindness, anyway.  Reckon I'll just have to head a few towns over and hope it's a different story."
  "You have a good night sir, and I pray you find some."
  A few hours later Samuel was out of Tennessee and well into Kentucky before he finally found a restaurant that had enough stock to sell him three full bags.  "It's not much, but if I space it out right it will keep the hunger at bay long enough to make it through the week," he thought.  He moved quickly, and his energy almost completely drained by the time he made it back into Tennessee.  "I have to find out what is going with the blood supply! This is not good for anyone!" he thought to himself as he sat on a park bench.  He leaned his head back and looked up at the stars shimmering in the sky above him.  "Someone has to be doing this, but how? And most importantly, who?"
  Before he could have another thought, he could sense the presence of another.
  "Chricton.  Do tell, how is Vastin?"
  The vampire stepped in front of Samuel and crossed his arms.  "Pissed.  And rightly so.  He wants to know where you are hiding your human at.  And why she is still human, or as I would prefer, not drained, yet.  What are you playing at, Samuel?  You know you can't keep this up, she'll soon be old, and dead anyway.  She's food, not a pet.  This is not the natural order of things."
  "While I understand that, what I do on my own time is my business.  I will not settle for the constant invasion of my privacy and the lives of those I care about to be threatened, Chricton.  Just leave us in peace."
  "You know we cannot do that.  It goes much bigger than just your business, it becomes all of ours when our food supply begins to think it has control over us."
  When Samuel heard this he had a sudden thought.
  "Chricton, what has happened with the donations?  I have had a hard time procuring a supply this night.  Why is that?"
  Chricton looked at him and smiled, an evil glint in his eye.
  "You were warned to walk away or turn her, Samuel.  A warning to all those who dare to defy us, vampire and human alike, needed to be made.  We are the superior species!  We are in control and everyone shall see!  When the streets run red with the blood of those below us, when they hear our roar of power they will know!  Very soon, all will bow down before the mighty Vampyre!  There is not much supply left, and when that runs out instinct will kick in to those who choose not to follow the old path, and the natural order will be restored."
  "This is not right!  Who called this into action?  When the blood lust hits from all of us trying to stave off the hunger long enough to get donated blood we will not be able to control the rage!  Innocents will be slaughtered for nothing!  Thousands will perish, we have to stop this!"
  "No, it is as it should be.  And when the rest of the country, and the World, sees what we have done here, the same will happen.  The blood banks of six states have been emptied, and by tomorrow night the lust shall begin, and we shall take back our rightful place at top."
  Before Samuel could say another word, Chricton was gone.  Realizing how close dawn was now getting, Samuel hurried home.  He had to figure out to stop this, and he did not have any time to waste.