Mermaids and Vampires

38: Bonfires

~~~~OLIVIA~~~~

When I wake up it's pretty dark outside. A distant orange fire casts flickering light through the trees. I go to sit up and feel the stinging pain in my shoulder. Glancing down reveals the marks she left, closed but caked in dry blood.

I look around but see no one nearby. At least that's what I think.

But when I stand up a voice from behind startles me.

"Take it easy." Charlotte's voice warns, "You'll faint from the anemia."

"I feel fine." I say, turning to face the sound.

She steps out from the shadows.

"Lucky I saw you two leave." Charlotte remarks.

"You told Adam?" I ask.

She shrugs, "I have a sort of sixth sense about mermaids. Can smell'em from a mile away."

I nod. "Guess I should thank you."

"I didn't do it to save your sorry ass. Just wanted her dead." Charlotte says.

"They killed her?" I ask quietly.

"Not yet. Not without making her suffer." She pauses while a roar of barbaric noise erupts from the direction of the fire. "There's the sound of sweet revenge."

"She's awake?" Adam's voice approaches.

"Adam!" I try to hug him but he pushes me back.

"What were you thinking going off on your own?"

"I don't know. Maybe that I didn't want to spend the night with Cedric."

A ragged scream breaks the air.

"What the hell is going on over there?"

"They're torturing her." Charlotte explains.

"Slimy little fucker." Adam mutters. He turns to Charlotte. "They're all doing this now."

"What?" I ask.

"Nothing." Adam walks off towards the fire.

I sigh. As if it wasn't bad enough having just nearly died, it seems Adam wants nothing to do with me.

"They're going after vampires now." Charlotte says flatly when Adam is out of earshot.

"You're kidding. For food?"

"When we're full our blood gets pretty thick. It's more efficient than say, hunting down ten separate humans."

"They can kill you?" I ask.

"Wouldn't know, I haven't had the experience."

Another horrifying scream erupts.

"Kinda makes you feel bad, doesn't it?" I whisper.

"No. She's our enemy. If we get things right, we'll be sending a message to all the others. No one fucks with us and gets away with it."

"Charlotte, why did she.."

"Try to kill you?" She shrugs. "Easy target, probably wanted to gain some strength before taking on one of us."

Shouts come from the fire. Angry vampires. I never knew they could get so loud.

"I don't like it here." I state.

"Suck it up, buttercup." Charlotte says.

Not the meanest she's ever been.

 "Do you miss your brother?" I ask after a silence. "Because, I was thinking-"

"What kind of a question is that?" She sighs harshly. "Get away from me,"

Charlotte begins walking away.

"Hey wait! I wasn't trying to upset you. How am I supposed to get back-" I pause. Get back where? I have no place to stay. The car is currently inhabited by a few extra bodies which have probably already lay claim to the air, marking it with territorial scent.

All alone now, my only guiding light to company is the fire. As much as I don't want to go to it, I fear it will disappear if I don't go now.

I walk through the pitch dark woods. Branches creak under my feat. Leaves rustle in the wind. I feel vulnerable.

As I come closer to the burning fire and the sounds of voices become audible, a sense of safety encompasses me. I can pick out Adam's silhouette against the flame, but I keep my distance from him.

It isn't until I hear the whimpering sounds of the mermaid struggling that I remember why we're all here. And even though she tried to kill me, I can't help but sympathize as I watch her writhe.