Vampire

by Richie Tankersley Cusick

“Jake! Oh, no—did I hurt you? Are you all right?” She didn’t even realize she was free again until she fell on her knees beside him, horrified at what she’d done. “Oh, Jake—I didn’t mean to! I thought—”

“What’s the matter with me!” Jake gave her an incredulous look. “What’s the matter with you? You nearly knocked my goddamn head off!”

“What do you think you’re doing?” Jake’s tolerance was at the breaking point, but Darcy was determined to crawl through the tiny opening.

“It was Elliott!” Darcy scrambled up again, her face flexing between anger and tears as she surveyed the rest of the booth. “He must have crawled out the back! But he was here! I saw him in the crowd, and I chased him—look at my foot!” She stuck out her leg, her eyes widening at the dark red streaks on her shoe and ankle. “It’s blood! See that?”

“What—I have to check in with you?” Jake gave a derisive snort, but his hands were busy again, brushing at his shirt with quick, nervous gestures.

“Why are you so nervous?” Darcy’s voice raised. “Why do you keep looking around like that? Are we being watched? Are you scared of something—”

“Don’t you say that! Don’t you ever say that to me!” Without warning Darcy flew at him, only this time when he hit the ground, he took Darcy with him. As she tried to swing at him, he pinned her arms easily, looking down at her from his vantage point on top.

“Quit calling me your uncle!” Jake slammed her arms down hard and glared at her. “I’m not your uncle! We’re not even related!”

“I’m adopted. And I bet your mom and dear Aunt Alicia never told you that, did they? Hell, no—it would have offended their sense of—of propriety—and—and—good breeding! As if that wasn’t bad enough already, I lived with their father—who they hated because he was a plain, decent man who couldn’t have cared less about money!”

“You’re thinking it—” “I didn’t think it.” Kyle shook his head adamantly. “Brandon didn’t think it, and I didn’t think it.”

“You’ll just ask him.” Darcy folded her arms across her chest and gave the two of them a scathing look. “And of course he’ll just admit that he’s been following me.” Again the look passed between them. “I have to work with this guy, remember? Alone!”

“Yeah, but I can’t believe what we’re hearing.” Brandon studied Darcy’s stubborn face. “You’re serious, aren’t you? About that hand … and what happened to that girl at the market. What kind of an accusation is that? How do you even know it was Elliott’s hand?”

“A little strange?” “But he’s …” Kyle stammered, searching for words. “You know, kind to kids and animals and—”

As Darcy wandered restlessly through the apartment, her thoughts kept going back to the Farmer’s Market and what had happened there that morning. How did Jake know where I was—why was he so nervous? Again she heard the desperate voice in his bedroom—“I can’t stand this anymore.…”

She realized she was standing in his room, staring at his closet. The door was half open, dirty clothes spilling out onto the floor. She opened it and stared down at the pile. You threw something in here last night … what was it?

“What did they see before they died?” Darcy whispered. “Who did they see?”

Is it, Kyle? I want to believe you … but is something really wrong here, or am I just being paranoid?

“Now you quit talking like that.” Darcy blushed. “There’s nothing going on between Brandon and me, and he’s in enough trouble already.” “Nothing, huh?” Kyle gave her a sly look. “That’s not what I hear.” “What do you mean? What do you hear?”

“He told me he told you that so you wouldn’t think some psycho was after you.” “Does he know you did it?”

“Why is this one so special?” Liz snapped. “What is it about this one that’s got your charm working overtime?”

“You’re really sick, Liz, you know that?” Brandon sounded tired. “Really sick.”

“You really think you’re perfect, don’t you?” Liz’s fury carried loud and clear, and Kyle winced. “God’s gift to women? Well, let me tell you something, Mister Tall, Dark, and Stupid, if you don’t stay away from little Miss Darcy, I promise you I’ll fix it—personally—so no one will even want to look at her again!”

“Well, I tried to enjoy the concert. And thanks for being honest about the rat. That took a lot of guts.” Kyle let out a low whistle. “Yeah, it sure did.” As Darcy smiled at him, his eyes crinkled up into a relieved grin. “No more worrying, okay? I mean, I live with her; I’ll keep an eye on her all night.”

“Are you sure that’s where he is every night?” “Well, sure.” Kyle shrugged. “Where else would he be?” Darcy watched him leave, then went up to her room. It didn’t take long to inspect for bats, but even though everything seemed normal, she still felt uneasy. So what else have you been up to, Liz? Things that haven’t even happened yet?

Immediately Darcy sensed a change in her intruder, sensed rather than saw, felt his sudden tension, his hand paralyzed upon her hair, the faint stir of air as he slid away from the bed. She heard her bedroom door closing softly … the muffled footsteps down the stairs. And then … voices … familiar voices … but low and urgent, as if they didn’t want to be heard.

“She’s your girl, you keep an eye on her—” “Well, she’s your sister.” “So what?” “Will you two cut it out?” Darcy could picture Jake throwing up his hands in his standard gesture of impatience. “When are you guys going to learn that Liz is ninety-nine percent bluff?”

“Nothing is going to happen to Darcy,” Jake said again emphatically. “Liz isn’t going to touch her.”

Her question seemed to catch him off-guard. He took a long time washing his hands at the sink … drying them on a towel. “I have a club to run.” “And that takes all your time?” He shrugged. “Most of it, yeah.”

“Yeah, that’s right.” Jake snorted. “You just never know what I might do. Which doesn’t say much for how she feels about you, if she’s willing to leave you with me.”

Darcy stayed in her seat a long time after he’d gone, a low, steady panic building in the back of her mind. I can’t think about this … it’s too crazy … too horrible.… I won’t think about this—She hurried upstairs, trying to escape her dark, ugly suspicions, but they followed her, demanding to be acknowledged. Too many things, Jake … too many strange, frightening things I don’t understand.…

I’m not going to get upset over this. Someone’s just trying to scare me.

Gratefully Darcy watched another group disappear into the Dungeon, emptying the lobby. She leaned wearily onto the counter, cradling her head on her arms. She wished she could talk to someone, but the only one here was Elliott. She had no idea where Kyle and Brandon were, but after Liz’s little performance last night, she didn’t dare call Brandon’s house and leave a message. Maybe he’s at rehearsals.… She looked longingly at the door. There was no way she could leave right now, and she wasn’t even sure there were rehearsals on Sunday. Chosen one … what does that mean?

People began filing out, clustering around the counter for souvenirs. Darcy threw herself into hostessing, not wanting to think about the note anymore, but the message had burned itself into her brain. “Yes, I have lots more postcards of the Dracula exhibit.…” You are my chosen one. “Yes, sir, the guillotine is real—and sharp.…” Jake was in my room last night … bending over me … watching me sleep.… “I’m not sure about the Space Cannibal—I don’t think I’ve ever heard of that movie.”

You are my chosen one. Chosen for what? Death at the hands of a deranged killer? The Vampire’s next victim? Then … does he know me? Do I know him? She was never so glad to see the place clear out. Turning the Closed sign out, she started toward the office when she heard someone tap on the door. Impatiently she inched it open, speaking near the crack. “Sorry, we open again at ten tomorrow.”

“It’s okay, we’ve got time.” Brandon sat in the chair facing her and put one hand on her knee. “Darcy, come on now, what is it?”

“I can’t believe I’m even saying this”—she fought back tears—“and I don’t want to say it—I don’t even want to think it—” She looked at him helplessly, one tear slipping down her cheek. Kyle hovered at Brandon’s shoulder, looking distressed. Brandon’s face softened, and his hand caressed Darcy’s cheek.

“Jake?” After an endless moment Brandon’s voice sounded shocked. He cleared his throat and tried again. “Jake? A murderer? What are you talking about—”

“That night we were looking for towels—and it was your idea to snoop, not mine!”

“And that makes him a murderer?” For the first time Brandon sounded like he was trying not to laugh. Kyle turned away so she couldn’t see his face. “Maybe he just had a date, and she asked him to hold it for her!”

“I know you don’t believe me, so I’ll prove it to you.” As the boys stood uneasily in Jake’s bedroom doorway, Darcy rummaged through the junk in the closet.

“He talks to all those monsters down there,” Darcy said stubbornly. “I know he thinks they’re real—especially Dracula. Doesn’t that suggest anything to you guys?” She looked pleading, and Kyle finally nodded. “Well, yeah, I know it seems kind of funny, but—” “Look,” said Brandon, “all I know is Jake’s a real private person, and I like him a lot. If he wants to talk to mannequins, that doesn’t make him a murderer.”

“Well”—Kyle glanced away, as if reluctant to say what he was going to say—“I mean … I can kind of see why you’d jump to conclusions.” Brandon shot him a patronizing look, and Kyle stammered, “Well … like those bats … Jake didn’t even seem surprised about them. And he was jumpy at the market. I noticed it, too.”

“So what about Elliott, huh? You’re always seeing Elliott everywhere you go—where does he fit into all this?”

Darcy’s tone was defensive. “Well, how should I know? Maybe he’s the one who picks out the victims and—”

“Yes—the night you and Liz had that fight, they both showed up at the same—”

“Don’t you believe me, Kyle?” She looked earnestly into his face, saw surprise and embarrassment there.

“Okay, if you can just find whatever weapon he used, then we’ll believe you.” “And thank you, Brandon, for your support.”

“How long have you been there?” she demanded. “I thought you’d left a long time ago.” How much did you hear, Elliott? How much do you know …?

“You know, Elliott,” she said carefully, and she couldn’t believe she was doing this, her words spilling out even as she tried to stop them, “I thought I saw you at the Farmer’s Market this morning. It’s funny, you know? I just looked up, and there you were in the crowd. Just like that day outside the Club. Just like that time at the café.” She heard her voice shaking and realized he had stepped out into the room. “It really is funny,” she said again, her laugh weak and forced, “because nobody believes you’re ever really there.” He was directly across from her now, the counter between them. “Are you really there, Elliott?” she whispered.

“Sooner or later,” he said hollowly, “it will happen.” He took another step, and Darcy turned and ran, plunging through the beads, their bloodred shimmering closing off her escape—because there was no escape now—