The Muse And The Vampire

5

Edie ran. Number one sin, ditching your baby sister and breaking a promise to your mother. Fuck Annabel, she could fend for herself, Edie needed to escape, get some fresh air failing that the loos But on sight of the flooded tiled room and The smell of cheap wine, sweat and oh yes, vomit of a club toilet after a few hours use made bile rise to her throat. She had to get out, book a taxi but she'd had to find her sister, tell her and she didn't want to face Annabel, not yet. Besides, the feeling like she was on the menu was unsettling. Yes the woman at the entrance had mentioned that white bands would not be approached but she had her doubts.

She smelled the monster before she saw him. At first she thought one of the toilets were in need of a plunger and some elbow grease but the smell persisted, developing a menace and a sense of danger. Smells don't do that, something's up...

She looked up and met him in the face. She'd watched horror movies and seen zombies but nothing compared to the real thing. The thing had her round the neck, sniffing her, relishing the kill.

"So hungry," it said, voice sounding like nails on a blackboard. It was once a he, a young man. His skin was pale as a corpse, mottled and grey, not the marble white of the nourished undead, "You smell so good," his fangs were out. A zombie vampire? She thought, Ugh! His breath? Someone needed some dental hygiene.

"Didn't someone tell you to brush your teeth?" She blurted out, "and wash? You stink! No wonder you can't get enough neck!" It was childish but she had run out of options apart from swooning or messing herself, neither were desirable.

The monster just tightened his grip. Why did he just get it done with? Because they feed on fear, calm down, her mind said. It was counterproductive, fear was coursing through her veins, making her taste even more appealing. Two pin pricks were felt on her neck, the pain was searing through, clouding her thoughts. She waited for her death.

Dust exploded around her. A sword edged with blue it's owner wearing a dark suit and a scowl. Before she passed out there were symbols everywhere, in blue before darkness.

********

Protocol suggested detaining the vampire, feeding them up and analysing them in a secure facility. If they were too far gone or had killed they were executed. While most of them ended up dead a few could be rehabilitated with enough blood and a master.

So much for protocol.

They were only good for a swift execution. He had probably done the wretched thing a favour in the end.

It did not change the fact that he had a lot of paperwork now and his suit needed dry cleaning but no one had died, well no one living and sane at least.

He looked at the woman who had slumped to the floor in shock covered in dust. Her sister was by her side rubbing her back.

"I need something to stop the bleeding." She said to him.

"A first aid assistant is on his way, " he said, he got out a handkerchief, an old fashioned habit but always useful in an emergency.

"Use this, it is clean," it was, but they were already covered in dust

She thanked him and clamped the material to her sister's neck. The sister spoke in a stuttered voice.

"What was that?"

"We call them the Hungry Ones. Vampires who have not fed for a while tend to go insane and corpse like. "

"Like a zombie?"

"Yes," he said as he tried to look reassuring, "let me look at the wound." It was a command not a request . The woman Edie, that was what her sister called her complied.

Bending down next to the woman he cautiously lifted the handkerchief. His little finger grazed her skin.

A jolt went through his body and a sense of dread came over him. The Gods were laughing at him, they really were.

"A Muse?" He said it out loud. Shit, he'd kill Faith. What was she doing letting her minion roam about here? And when did She employ this one?

"Yeah, according to the crazy lady I met this morning. I got a job apparently." Edie tried to get up , but her legs gave out from underneath her, She slumped back down.

"I would stay still if I were you. You are going into shock." He could sense her pulse getting fast, her heart directing blood away from her hands.

He breathed in deep, her blood was tempting but he had to control himself.

"I'm fine!" Edie snapped, "I just need to get out of this place and away from her!" She glared at her sister.

"I think we need to get Edie somewhere quiet to recover," Annabel said, "I could make a calming tea if I had some of my herbs."

"I don't want your flipping undead tea. I need blackcurrant wine!"

Annabel looked at him and said, "She's delusional, no one sane would touch that wine!"

"Well it's better than the wine here!" Edie snapped back, "and since I've already seen zombies, glowing swords and symbols, I think I'm already insane!"

Symbols? Glowing swords? His heart sank. Not only Faith had allowed her employee into The Vault she'd had then touting for business here. He would speak with Faith later, for now there were more pressing matters.

Why was there a hungry one at his workplace and why had the fates assigned him a Muse?