Sheriff Hornsby was lying in his hospital bed in his private room when Todd Journey, Sheriff Kyle Spencer, and Deputy Sheriff Greg Stills walked in. Greg was taking point on this negotiation.
Bear was not the easiest person to deal with. Greg grew up with Bear and worked with him for ten years, he knew how to get around this very stubborn man. He hoped. This subject was a little touchy. Vampires.
Greg cleared his throat. "Bear."
"How's the leg, Sir?" Todd asked.
Bear smiled. "It's fine. I'm on some nice painkillers now and there was no infection so that's great." He nodded and took a breath. "So, what happened out there?" He watched the three men. These were men he trusted and he never doubted them.
Greg cleared his throat. He didn't want to be the one to say it out loud. Kyle stepped forward. "Fucking vampires!" He watched Bear. He had known him for fifteen years.
Bear just laughed. "Right! So, a satanic cult?" It was all he thought, Satan worshipers would be afraid of crosses, right? It was much easier to believe that it was crazy humans and not vampires... that didn't exist.
Kyle laughed as Greg and Todd stared. "Uh, no, Sir. Did you watch the video?"
Bear smiled. "Oh, I did. It's all crap but it was a nice try. Where's the real video? I mean this is a funny joke for April Fool's Day but I don't have time right now!"
Greg nodded. "Sir, that is the real video." He looked at Todd. They were the same height and shorter than Kyle. He was a tall, stick man. Bear was a brick house and properly named. He cleared his throat.
Kyle tried again. "Bear. I would never play games with you at a time like this. I spent last night writing my report. We all did, everyone that was in that cave. All of our reports match. There were twenty of us, plus the ten that came to help. All of the reports are the same. We're not making it up. I know what I saw." He knew Bear well enough to know he wouldn't listen. Seeing is believing.
"Fuck off, Kyle!" Bear was getting mad. He didn't like this game. "I want to see the real video now."
Greg shook his head. "He saved our asses out there. He saved my life, Bear." He was talking about Creed.
Kyle nodded. "Creed saved Big Rock and Red River. Those people in the church building would have died also."
"I'm not sure I trust him." Bear wasn't budging easily.
"I do," Todd said plainly. "I trust him with my life. He could have killed us all in the station. I saw it. He took our sidearms in less than five seconds. He could have killed us all." He took a breath.
Kyle nodded. "I trust Creed with my life."
Creed took this as he cue to walk in. He knew Sheriff Hornsby wouldn't believe them. The three men had no idea that he had followed them. He stepped beside Kyle and Kyle almost hit the ceiling. "Creed!"
"Sorry! I just...I knew he wouldn't believe you." Creed touched Kyle's shoulder. "Are you okay?"
"Fine! My heart is working just fine." Kyle took a breath.
"It's getting a workout for sure." Creed smiled. "Todd, Greg? Are you both okay?" They both nodded. Creed looked at Sheriff Hornsby. "Sir?"
"About time you asked the man in the hospital bed!" Bear glared. "I'm fantastic. I can't walk without crutches for a couple of weeks and then I get a walking boot. I'm great! So, are you hiding the real video?" He figured Creed was in on this.
Creed laughed. "I wish." He slowly shifted into a vampire. "This is real, Sir." He watched Bear. All four men were staring at him. "I am a vampire. I have been for five years." He sat beside Bear's bed. He told them the story while he looked like a vampire. "This is my natural appearance. The human mask is just that, a mask. A facade. This is what I look like."
"Women can fuck us up!" Kyle smiled.
"The wrong ones!" Creed smiled back and agreed. He put the teeth away.
"Haven knows all of this?" Todd had to ask.
"Yes, and Lois. I hate lying to people but I can't just go around and say Hey, I'm a vampire...see!" He shook his head.
"Everyone knows now!" Kyle pointed out. "Even in Big Rock, they know."
"I know. I'm worried. I keep picturing a room full of crucifixes and sunlight!" Creed took a breath.
"So, that stuff is real?" Bear looked at Creed.
"Yes. I do have a reflection though. It's always the vampire even when I'm not being a vampire. When I look in a mirror, it shows the real me." He hated this.
"Can I see it again?" Bear watched Creed. Creed nodded and let his teeth out. His eyes were glowing blue. "I told you that you creeped me out. I knew you were odd!" He smiled. Bear put a finger up to Creed's fang.
Creed pulled away. "Sorry, they're razor sharp. I don't want to hurt you or cut you."
"Why only the two fangs?" Bear was still staring.
"It's not always two. When I'm hunting... animals..." He reminded them. "I have more. It's like they are there when I need them. This is my natural state but if I'm hunting a bear, for instance, I have a mouth full of very sharp fangs. They adjust, I guess."
"You hunt bears?" Todd had to ask.
Creed smiled. "Yes. I got a big bastard last week? Two weeks ago? I don't remember but he was fresh out of hibernation and heading towards town."
"I'm going hunting with you!" Kyle smiled. "Bear? Are you okay?"
"Sure. I would love to join that hunting trip!" Bear smiled finally. He had relaxed more when he realized no one was trying to fool him. He knew that Creed could have left him in the woods, but he rescued him and gave him water and kept him safe. Bear wouldn't ever forget that. Creed saved lives.
Creed was shocked. "Oh! I don't know if hunting with people is a great idea! I don't want to hurt anyone."
"We can talk about it later. You can catch the bear and we can get it home. I would love a taxidermy bear in my living room!" Kyle was all for it. "Talk about a conversation piece! I could say that bear was killed by a vampire!"
Todd smiled. "We could donate the meat to the community center here and the one in Big Rock. Have an annual BBQ. It takes the cost way down!" He was planning.
Creed just laughed. "That actually sounds nice." He sighed. "I really don't need attention. I appreciate this but I prefer hiding out and fixing my house up." All of that sounded ideal and he wanted to be a part of this community and these people.
"Well, you have to deal with it, Creed. We are your people." Kyle smiled. "You better buck up."
Bear laughed. "Let me see that damn video again."
Greg smiled and hooked it up to the TV on the wall. They all watched it. It sounded like a football game at the end. All of the humans were cheering when the sword took the woman's head. Creed just laughed. "Glad you did that. I was done at that point."
"What happened?" Kyle had to ask.
"The cross made me weak and there was blood in that cave. I was trying to keep my thoughts from you guys. I could have killed all of you in seconds before I realized I moved. I rushed out and flung myself off the cliff. I found a couple of rabbits at first but then I found three deer and rushed back to town." Creed sighed.
"That cliff is two hundred feet high!" Greg stared.
"I knew it was something like that. Big falls are nothing. I landed on my feet and began hunting." He paused. "I was more like a wild animal. Maybe a starving lion? I'm sorry I had to abandon you guys."
"You didn't abandon us, Creed. You saved us! We were dead without you. Both towns would have been gone. They would never have stopped and we weren't prepared to fight a vampire." Greg assured him.
"No one knew they were real!" Bear put in.
Creed nodded. "Sure. Well, thanks. If you ever want to kick me out, just tell me. I prefer to pack up and leave."
"Leave? Hell, I'm thinking about voting for you for Mayor and we don't have a Mayor!" Bear smiled.
Creed laughed and knew Killian was in the hallway. "I would vote for you!" Killian smiled.
Kyle jumped again. "Is that a family trait!" He was holding his chest.
"Sorry!" Killian smiled. "I was just checking on everyone. Sorry to startle you, Sheriff."
"Are you a vampire too?" Greg asked. He figured no question was stupid at this point.
Killian laughed. "Hell no! I'm just a human." He looked at Creed. "Did you tell them the story?"
"I did."
"I'm not a vampire. Question? Where in the hell did that sword come from?" Killian stared at the men.
Kyle smiled. "Someone brought it with us when we went on our search. Uh, Officer Granite. He's superstitious. He believes in voodoo and vampires. He said that we can't be too careful."
Killian nodded. "He's right." He looked up at the paused screen. "Did I miss the video?" Killian wasn't sure.
"Yes, but we were going to watch it again." Bear was hitting play. They were shouting at the TV again, even Killian joined them. Creed just laughed. These men were idiots but they were his idiots.