Christmas Consort

Eaten Alive...But Not Dead

How was it possible to be eaten alive and not die? The vampire stood over Kylie who was too weak and shaken to move other than running her hands along her arms, neck, and torso. By some cruel twist of miraculous healing, Kylie's skin was smooth and whole except the last bites that were closing down to scratches under her hand. Smooth and ready to be torn open again.

Her attacker was no longer mangled. She too healed. Guess I was able to help. Kylie grimaced and tried to sit up, swayed and laid back down.

The vampire said, "I have decided not to kill you." She sounded so proud of herself, like a 5 year old who announces they can tie their shoes. "Are you grateful?"

Kylie kept quiet because it seemed the safest thing to do. That and avoid eye contact, keep her head down. She remembered reading about people in camps during the holocaust and in Northern Korea, learning about the deprivations, tortures and deaths. Now she wondered they didn't all give up and die, and what happened to her was only one night, only a few hours? Minutes? She didn't know.

"You will be. When my plans for you and me, or course, are done, you will be grateful." She bent down beside Kylie who twitched when the vampire reached out and stroked her hair.

"Oh, you must be cold. Here, let me help you." She pulled Kylie's coat up and tucked her arms into the arm holes like she was dressing a rag doll or a very small child. "There all better."

Delusional, Kylie thought. That's what this chick is.

"Now, my name is Lara. What's your name?"

Kylie raised her gaze to the vampire's face that now appeared perfectly normal, just one young woman introducing herself to another, albeit with a very patronizing voice.

With an edge she said, "What. Is. Your. Name."

"Kylie."

"Kylie, that's a nice name. You and I are going to be great friends, Kylie." The vamp slid her arms around the limp girl's waist and pulled her to her feet. "I'm going to take you home with me."

Kylie moaned.

"That's where you wanted to go. I'm sure. Because you turned down this path which leads to only one place. Do you know what that place is, Kylie?"

Kylie would have given a derisive chuckle. She could only force a bit of extra air out. The vampire didn't seem to need much to carry on the conversation.

"Of course, you do. My house. Not too far now. You're a smart girl. I'm sure you'll figure out how to behave, what's best for everyone."

Kylie tried to support her own weight, pull her feet forward instead of letting them hang and drag. Too much effort.

"Kylie, what is my name? Can you remember?"

White eyes, vampire, blood sucker, monster. Kylie shook her head. These weren't the names the vamp wanted, still Kylie could not remember what the beast had just told her.

"You're White-Eyes. Best to stay away from them," she said. Kylie mumbled but Lara caught it.

"Who said? You've heard of us before? Where?"

Too many questions. Kylie's thoughts were muddled. She could remember what the vampire said if the daggone world would stop rotating around. The world was a turn table, and Kylie needed to get off.

"Have you seen one of us before, Kylie? Is that what it is?"

Kylie's head snapped up, "The Man in Black."

"What?"

Was that alarm in the vampire's voice? Couldn't be.

Lara gave Kylie a little shake. "What did you say?"

"He's not like you. No. White-eyes, yes."

"Who?" she demanded. "Who's not like me?"

"He saved my life. Had big black hat, the Man in Black."

Lara thrust her blood bag away as if discovering the woman was a leper. There was only vampire in these parts who would have revealed himself to save a human's life. Jackson Ridley, the enforcer. What have I done? Better question, what will he do to me if he finds out?

Lara moved to grab Kylie and drag her along by the arm. Contemplated digging a grave right there and burying the evidence. The real evidence was inside Lara though.

Did he feed on this one? Was she his blood bag? Will he smell her on me? In me?

Ridley was the oldest vampire she knew of. If he was any measure, the Old Ones had incredible senses, smell, taste, hearing. Worst of all, though. He was due. Due to visit and check up on his rehabilitated protégée. Lara thought she had a few days, two weeks at most, to make this right.

"Oh, you fell down. Here, let me help you." Lara gently lifted the blood bag back up, held her around the waist and slowed down so the weak thing could try to use her own feet. They're so damn weak. Why would anyone, much less a powerful Old One, go around protecting them?

Kylie kept stumbling along beside her captor. Her feet would cooperate a few steps and then fall behind as her body went forward because of the arm around her waist. The vampire showed no sign of fatigue or muscle failure despite carrying her so far.

The house came into view and Kylie saw an antebellum wannabe. Such homes weren't uncommon in the south and midwest rural byways. This one was a two story white box with a covered front porch that went all the way to the roof line and had columns. In the moonlight the place looked lovely to her, except there was something odd about the shutters. The downstairs windows were lit up, and a small sense of relief came to Kylie. She was arriving at last. The moment quickly passed.

"You keep your mouth shut and you might live to see another day. Otherwise those little rips I gave you earlier--told you they'd heal in no time--well, it's gonna expand. I'll rip up your entire body and end by tearing that throat out. You got it?"

Kylie nodded.