Fangs and Fur

Chapter 2 - Kirstie

The moon had just barely risen, and already there was a hubub surrounding Kirstie.

With annoyance, she waved away many of the hovering wannabes and summoned forth one of the more experienced vampires.

"Yes, Matriarch?" the vampire asked, bowing.

"What's going on?" Kirstie hissed. "It's a full moon and I have a terrible headache." As she spoke, she swung herself out of her black hammock and swiftly untied it from the trees, clasping it around her neck as a cape. The late-October chill did not bother her - she hardly needed to wear a cape at all.

"A metal creation has been spotted, Matriarch. On the human's path."

"You mean, a car?" Kirstie snapped. "Why am I the only one who knows anything about humans?"

"Because you are mighty," the vampire supplied, groveling.

Kirstie ignored him and began to run, her black heeled boots hardly touching the ground at all as she careened along at speeds faster than the fastest human runner. In less than a minute she reached the edge of the woods where it met the road, joining a large crowd of vampires jostling for position just behind the treeline.

"There!" someone yelled, as a pair of headlights came around a bend and approached their stand of trees. Kirstie pushed her way through the others, who parted when they saw it was her. As the car passed, the headlights flickering, the vampires began to jog alongside it, making sure to stay in the shadow of the trees. The light emanating from the vehicle caused many of the vampires to shrink further into the woods, blinking in pain. But for Kirstie, she hardly noticed. All she could think about was the prospect of a meal. It had been so long since any of the clan had had proper human blood. For months, they'd been living off of the animals in the forest.

As she jogged alongside the car, Kirstie wondered how she would get it to stop, so that she could get at the human inside. But her problems were solved for her.

An explosion of sound caused the vampires to cover their extra-sensitive ears as something within the vehicle broke. Kirstie watched eagerly as the car ground to a halt. For a second, nothing happened.

Then, in a burst of motion, the human emerged.

Beside Kirstie, several of the vampires started to lunge forward. "Stop!" she hissed. "Not yet."

Not willing to risk disobeying the matriarch, the crowd hung back.

Kirstie eyed the human. It appeared to be a male, with brown hair, only slightly taller than she was. Outside of his smelly oil-sucking machine, she could smell him. Like the other humans she had encountered in her time, this one's scent spoke volumes. Human, it said, first of all. And scared. The humans always seemed to be scared. But mostly the scent invigorated Kirstie, and promised a savory meal.

After coughing and waving his hands about, the human moved back to get into the car, and his scent faded. Next to Kirstie, the vampires were writhing about, so near the edge of the trees it was a wonder the human hadn't spotted them. When the human's scent started to fade, they whined, and inched forward. Kirstie felt their desire to drink, but she wanted the victim first. Just as the others began to lunge forward, she let out a primeval scream.

The vampires stopped dead in their tracks. One by one, their eyes turned upwards to their matriarch.

"He's mine, first," said Kirstie, baring her fangs at her clansmen and clanswomen.

One woman dared step forward to challenge her. "But I discovered the metal contraption," she spat.

Kirstie gave another howl, one that sent the rest of the clan scattering, even the defiant woman. They knew she was matriarch for a reason.

Alone, now, Kirstie approached the steaming car and walked around to the driver's side, accidentally bumping into the hood as she went. With one thin hand she reached out to grab the handle on the door, but when she tugged, it didn't open. Locked.

With a grin, Kirstie balled her right hand into a fist and sent it flying through the driverside window. Reaching inside, she unlocked the door and swung it open.

The stench of human fear now filled the air. Kirstie looked at the human and gave a small grin. He'd passed out all by himself, so she wouldn't have to do a thing. She dragged the limp body out of the car and laid it on top of the roof of the car.

Then, with a feeling of deep anticipation, she plunged her fangs into the human's neck.