Vampocalypse (old first draft)

Chapter Eighteen

We stopped on top of a hill, where we had a full view of the small valley below. The wild had been cleared out and a rickety, little town had been salvaged within. I could see the lights glowing from the worn windows. If I didn't count the huge fence surrounding it, the town looked exactly as I imagined a town would have looked in my gramma's childhood. Cozy and safe. But not safe for me - nowhere was safe for me.

"This should be safe," Hector said.

The supply pack on my back bounced against me as I hopped down from his back. The pack was much heavier than it had been when I first put it on, like someone had slipped a few bricks in here and there. I wrapped my thumbs around the straps to relieve my shoulders of some of its weight.

"I didn't realize there were still places like that. . ." I said.

"Of course not. They wouldn't want you to know."

They sure wouldn't, I thought bitterly.

It was all gone, they'd told us. Everything. Swallowed by the dangerous wild. Ravaged by deadly creatures. Swarmed, ransacked, and useless. Uninhabitable, they'd said.

Apparently not. Not this place.

"They still have electricity out here," I remarked.

"Yeah. The weres are pretty determined to keep things how they were. They work hard for it, too. Of course we'd ask them to join our cause, but they're quite nasty. Cruel. Not really the type of folks you want to make dealings with."

"That's a were town?"

"Yep." Hector's nose twitched. "I can smell them from here." He pulled a face.

"You say they're bad...are you sure we're safe here?" I asked, concern clear on my features.

"Yeah, since they should have this area cleaned out. No deaders. The scent alone will keep them away."

I could only smell dirt and plants, but a deader would be able to smell whatever Hector could... and so would a were.

"But are we safe from them?"

"As long as we don't get too close," he said.

"What is that in the middle?" I asked.

Smack dab in the center of the town stood a large cage. I had previously mistaken it for a shelter of some sort.

"Come here," he said, adverting my question. I knew he heard me. Clearly it was something he'd rather not discuss - something terrible? Did they lock vampires in there and leave them to meet merciless sun?

I tore my eyes from the suddenly uninviting were-town, following Hector's voice in the dark. I searched for a glimmer of his eyes, but instead was led to him by a clanking sound. He was standing by a white structure. I would call it a small house, but it had no windows.

"What was that noise?" I asked.

"So full of questions tonight," he teased. "The lock. We're going to have to wait the day out in here."

He opened the door and I gagged. It was putrid.

"Deaders!" I choked.

I wanted to run, but I already knew I couldn't. I gasped. Suddenly, breathing had been taken out of the equation as well.

"No, they're not deaders. Just plain dead weres. They won't change," he assured me, rushing to my side.

Of course. He wouldn't have opened it if deaders were inside. We'd have heard them having a fit at the door as soon as they realized I was outside. I let out a breath in relief.

"It's not the Hilton, but it's the best we've got," he said, inspecting the inside.

What he must think of me, I thought. Poor little sheltered, useless Spellbinder, afraid of dead things.

I was even disgusted at myself. I hated the way my body froze anytime I was afraid, and I hated his comment. What, I'm not a survival type of girl? I'm some kind of pampered princess? I squared my shoulders and put on my tough face.

"Big deal. I've been in worse places." I shrugged.

I couldn't see a thing beyond the door, but I stepped inside anyway, stopping only when I bumped my knee on something. I suppressed my discomfort, slipped the supply pack off, and sneezed when my movements stirred dust.

"Bless you," he said.

A tiny laugh escaped me.

"What?" he asked.

"Well...it's just...I've never been blessed by a vampire before."

"Well, I'm not entirely sure it does any good..." he replied.

"I think it's mostly the thought that counts," I said quickly.

Hector was silent, but another noise broke the silence. The sound of something heavy and hard grinding against something else of the same material. I nearly cringed.

"I hate to be a nosey-body, but what are you doing?" I said.

"I'm opening a coffin. The sun, I have to be sure it can't get to me," he said. "You're welcome to join, though I don't suppose anything erotic will transpire, so feel free to eat and be human while I die for a few hours. "

"You're very kind," I said, dripping in sarcasm.

"And very tired. It's close. Just stay inside and be quiet. You'll be fine."

"Except I'm basically blind in here."

"Knowing Wren, there are probably candles or flashlights in the bag. He's very thorough."

"Great. Go on and rest." I refused to refer to it as dying.

"See you soon," he said, and I heard the grinding again. Then silence. Eerie silence.

Basically, I was alone in a pitch dark were-mausoleum. On a scale of one to ten, it ranked somewhere around morbidly creepy. Even more morbidly creepy than thinking you're in love with a vampire.

"Suck it up," I told myself. It wasn't as though I had a reason to be afraid. I was sealed in... wasn't I? Had he locked the door? Did mausoleums lock from the inside? That would be silly. But Hector wouldn't have settled down for the day if we weren't a hundred percent safe... Right?

I let out a heavy breath and crouched in the floor near the supply bag. It only took a few moments to discover a small flash light, and with that, I located candles as well.

Very thorough of Wren, indeed. I thought.

There was even a little match book in the front zipper and... a stake. I twisted the stake this way and that in my hand.

Why would he pack this for me? I wondered. A hint? Did it mean maybe I shouldn't trust Hector as much as I did?

It was remarkable, really, that something as simple as a sharpened piece of wood could cut down a deadly, fierce vampire. Talk about painful splinters-

But I could never have used it. Not on Hector for sure. It probably wouldn't have been a good idea to try it on any other vampire either. I'd miss the heart or likely stab them with the wrong end. I let the stake drop to the dusty wooden floor where it bounced slightly, then settled.

Among the supplies was a handful of freeze dried meals, which were good enough for me. I had one and put the others back inside. They weren't so bad, and it looked like one had enough calories and nutrients to hold me over for a while, which was good news. I had no idea when we would get to where we were going. The longer I could spread out meals, the better. I'd never been a heavy eater anyway. It's almost like my stomach knew I'd be on the run one day. I wished it would have sent the memo to my bladder.

Falling asleep in a were-mausoleum was about as easy as falling asleep in the compound. Uncomfortable, but possible. At least I dozed for quite a while, until something startled me awake. Was that voices I heard?