Kimberly stood over her kill with crimson blood dripping from her chin. With the swipe of her hand she smeared it on her neck and chest. She was bathing in it. She loved the feel of fresh blood upon her, like a cleansing force, wiping away the doubt and replacing it with the feeling of fresh sustenance. She could not get enough of the feeling of fresh blood on her, in her, rushing fresh life into her body. She was hopelessly addicted.
Around her other young vampires, all turned by her, feasted on the group of teenagers that they had found drinking in this abandoned building. The wide open space was filthy, neglected for years. The windows were mostly smashed out and it appeared it had been host to more than one clan of wandering homeless. The scattered remains of their camp lay spread around the ample floor space of this former warehouse. A burned out barrel with a few broken chairs around which they fought away the cold of the night. The remnants of a forgotten blanket, torn by the trials of its life.
Here Kimberly felt power. Power over the teenagers they feasted upon, and power over the vampires she created. They looked to her as a leader. And lead them she shall. They will help her to acquire the greatest power in the vampire world, the power of Lanius and The Council.
"Stop!" she commanded of the vampire closest to her. "Turn that one, and you also." she pointed to another vampire. "We must increase our numbers." Stepping into the center of the floor she addressed them all in a loud voice "We will turn as many as we can and overrun this city. Soon The Council will have no choice but to send their troops to deal with us and we shall have the numbers to overrun them, as well. Go now and do as I command!" she ordered and they
complied. They did not kill all of the teens but turned them instead. Welcoming them to the vampire world and to forced adherence to the authority Kimberly held over them. Her authority was guaranteed by one they dare not question and this was made clear to the new vampires. They would join or die. No other choice was afforded them.
Some of the vampires had already drained their meals dry so there was no way to turn them. They left the corpses there on the floor and were quickly on their way to find other prey. They left a wake of dry bodies and vampires across the city. Their movement over the city of San Francisco was gaining momentum with every bite. Soon they would have control of a large army of vampires, enough to overwhelm the authorities.
`
Inspector Martin Gendron entered the station house with coffee in hand. He was unshaven and looked disheveled. His overcoat was wrinkled and he wore no tie. His white button down shirt, open at the collar and the next button, was also wrinkled and he looked like he slept in his clothes. His blue pants had a stain on the right hip pocket like he sat in something. He found his partner working the phones in the bullpen.
"My treat today" he said putting a cup in front of Inspector Mike Green, his partner for the past three years. Mike jutted his chin as a silent thanks and hello while he listened on the phone. Mike was well put together. He had a crisp white shirt and a perfectly knotted tie. His pants were pressed with a seam and crisp as if fresh from the cleaners. He wore a sandy colored sport coat with elbow patches like a professor. He was clean but not very up to date on fashion.
"Okay, if you hear anything else you call me right away." He hung up.
"That sounded like a boring conversation."
"You can say that again, Marty. This guy was supposed to have a lead on these cult murders but all he had was a goth club full of druggies. Nothing to go on. Just a name of some new guy passing out X. I'll send it over to narcotics. My bet is he is just trying to rid himself of the competition."
"You're still certain these are cult murderers?"
"Do you even doubt it? Bodies drained of blood. Thats not a normal murder. How long have we been working this beat? Murders are bloody, it gets everywhere. So much so that the way it splatters has become a forensic science. Why else would these people drain the blood? It has to be some kind of cult. The goths might be involved but I'm not convinced we will find them at the club. I think these people are more serious about the lifestyle. We have to watch the graveyards."
"I don't know" Marty replied "It just seems to me that there's more to it. It feels supernatural to me."
"Oh are we going on X Files now? Do you think it's vampires? I wonder if they're on team Edward."
Mike laughed. "God I hated those movies. What kind of sissy vampire has glitter all over him?"
"Well, since we have nothing else, let's go down to that club and ask some questions. Maybe someone has seen something. And if they're holding, maybe we can use it as leverage to persuade them to talk."
"You got it, partner, but the place doesn't start hopping until near midnight so we have the whole day to track those forensic reports and see if they left any DNA or fingerprints we can use. Did you get that autopsy report on the Goldman girl?"
"Not yet" he groaned "they promised to have it to me today." He stood up and stretched. "I'm getting too old for this shit. A few drinks with the boys last night and I'm hurting this morning." Mike stood up with him.
"A few drinks? It looks like you passed out in a puddle of your own vomit last night. Have some water and snap out of it, let's go track down that autopsy report, no use sitting here waiting when it might be done sitting on someone's desk."
`
Dr. Jennifer Morin was still examining the body when they walked in. A short, petite woman she wore thick glasses with black frames that accentuated her jet black hair and pretty face.
"Any news for us doc?" asked Mike as they walked into the examination area. Marty was trailing, still nursing his hangover.
"Well," began Jennifer "it looks like a series. The same two punctures on the neck, piercing the jugular and the body has experienced exsanguination, just like the others."
"Ex-what?" questioned Mike.
"Exsanguination. It means the body was devoid of blood." replied the doctor. "It would appear that the same murderers are responsible for this one, as well. I could not find any usable fingerprints or even any fibers of note. Everything we took off of her was either from her or too common to trace to an origin. All the hairs we found were hers. The rest of the fibers appear to have come from her own clothes."
"So we have squat." Marty chimed in, finally joining the conversation while squeezing the bridge of his nose against his headache.
"Not necessarily." Jennifer started "At the site of the punctures some sort of drug has been administered which seems to have stopped the clotting process. Without it, it would be difficult to completely drain a body as the clotting would begin immediately. Also, the average human contains about five liters of blood. All that blood has to go somewhere. If they're pumping it out of their victims they have to do something with it."
"So, can you identify the drug used to stop the clotting?" inquired Mike. Suddenly more interested.
"Not yet but we are working on it. When we have something I'll contact you. Hopefully it is traceable."
Then Marty asked "So if we can find out what they're doing with all of that blood, we may have a way of tracking them. Is there a market for blood?"
"Well, if you ask the Red Cross they're always trying to get more blood but they get it from human donors, not by the bagful. These people have to be storing an awful lot of blood considering the number of victims."
"And they have to be doing something with it" finished Marty.
"Yes, precisely." Jennifer said in conclusion.
"Okay, so we're looking for someone with an unknown clotting agent, a pumping system and a whole lot of blood" summarized Mike, "Well, partner," he said turning to Marty "Lets get to work. We can start by going through recent arrests of goths and see if there was any trace of unknown chemicals or pumping systems involved."
"Thanks doc" called Marty, and they were out the door.
`
Sarasoto trod through the cemetery swiftly, not noticing the aging tombstones as he approached the large crematory building. Entering he saw that Balor had already set up shop. Lines of computer monitors and filing cabinets occupied one wall and there he sat, at one of the terminals, typing away.
"Greetings, Balor" Sarasoto's voice filled the chamber.
"And to you, Sarasoto." returned Balor in a meek and quiet voice that was rather nasal. "I have already begun a database with information available on the unsolved murders being investigated with public information. The bodies were all drained dry and left in abandoned buildings or alleys out of sight. So these vampires are careful enough to not be seen in the act but not careful in disposing of the bodies."
"Where was the last one?" asked Sarasoto gruffly.
"Amanda Goldman, found in an alley by the trash collectors two nights ago. Just like the others, completely empty. According to the papers the police are keeping tight wraps on any other information. They don't know if there are any suspects or if any witnesses emerged."
"Okay, I'll go check it out and see what I see."
"Wait, you? What about we? Why would you exclude me?"
"You need to stay here and work your magic on your data thingy. Let me know if you find a common thread."
"Fine, but I will see that crime scene at some point."
"Sure tinker bell. Call me if you find anything." Sarasoto called over his shoulder as he left. He was glad to be away from all of the technology. He didn't even like the phone Lanius had given him to use while he was here.
Sarasoto approached the alley at Hayes and Shrader where the girl was found noticing the park across the way.
That would be a great exit he thought driving by. If I were up to no good around here I would definitely stay close to the park. He took the turn into the alley slowly, thinking there would still be crime scene tape but it was clear. He started to poke around for signs of vampires that the cops would miss. He checked the structures for marks that would have come from a struggle of more than one vampire. He saw nothing.
He exhaled heavily, there's nothing here to find because nothing happened here except a new vampire feeding and not cleaning up. I don't know why Lanius is so interested in what's going on here.
He turned to leave and saw someone watching him, just out of the corner of his eye. He pretended to pick something up, as if he had dropped something and that's why he was looking around in the alley, and moved on. There's nothing here to find, I have to check with the new vampires in the area. That means goth kids. I hate those little shits.
As he drove away he had the same sense of being watched but didn't turn to look, he could just make out who it was by the side of his eye. He would be sure to remember that face.
`
Inspector Gendron noticed the huge man in the alley as soon as he pulled up. What's he looking for in there? he thought watching the giant look up and down and all around. Then the man stooped and picked something up. He wasn't looking at me. No, that's not right. He was looking at me but he was taking great pain to make it look like he wasn't looking at me. He was doing the same as he drove away. He's a curious sort, I'll have to remember that face he thought getting out of his car. He had no way to stop him right now.
He wasn't sure what he was doing here. This crime scene had been swept clean the night that they found the body and open to the public since. Exactly what am I looking for? he thought spinning in place and looking at what the big guy was looking at. He did a little dumpster diving and came up empty. There has to be something that we're missing he thought jumping clear of the dumpster and its filthy stench. I think it's late enough to meet Mike and go to that goth bar.
He got back in his car hoping he didn't pick up the stink of the dumpster and headed over to the station to meet Mike.
`
Sarasoto entered the club and was immediately regretting bringing Balor. The little geek did not fit in anywhere. He was awkward around people and was always staring at his feet. He pretended not to notice the world around him. And the world, in turn, ignored him. But Sarasoto also knew that Balor noticed more than anyone. He is an old, strong vampire but he lets these humans push him around Sarasoto thought watching him cower away from a few humans that were particularly rowdy in the bar area.
"Let's split up, we'll cover more ground." Sarasoto suggested and Balor instantly had a look of fright upon his face.
"I'd rather you did most of the questioning, Sarasoto. I'll just analyze people you talk to to see if they're lying to you. I can tell by their mannerisms and voices, psychology tells us that one who looks left while speaking is probably lying but one who looks up is trying to remember something."
"Ugh, fine, stay close then you little wimp." Sarasoto grunted and pushed his way to the bar. "Just keep a look out for some actual vampires we can talk to."
Balor stuck to his hip and sat in the seat next to him while Sarasoto ordered them both a drink and started to scan the crowd. For a vampire, it's easy to see another vampire but in a goth club it's a little harder. They all dress the same and wear make up to look pale. In a sea of goth kids a vampire can almost get lost.
Then Sarasoto spotted her. She was definitely a vampire. A skinny black girl in a booth with two others who could be vampires. She was scanning the crowd with a look that was all too familiar to Sarasoto. She was on the hunt for a meal. And by the looks of her, she was famished. If he would just watch her for a little while he would certainly find an opportunity to sneak up on her while she was feeding. He was focusing on her when a feeling came over him. That same feeling as when he was in the alley a short time ago.
He looked around and saw him. The same guy from the alley. He's a cop. Of course.
He was discretely flashing his badge and talking to a goth punk but it was definitely him. If he sees me there's no way I'll shake him in time to question the girl. he thought tugging on Balor's lapel.
"Do you see that guy in the wrinkled overcoat?" he said out of the corner of his mouth.
"Yes, what about him?" asked Balor sounding annoyed.
"He was watching me at the alley earlier today. He's a cop and if he sees me here he will definitely want to talk with me. You need to distract him while I go question our friend over there." he pointed discretely over his shoulder in the direction of the black girl.
"I see. And just how shall I distract a policeman?" inquired Balor adjusting his thin rimmed glasses.
"Be creative." Sarasoto retorted and headed toward the girl's table staying out of the sightline of the inspector.
"What an asshole." Balor mumbled and then stood up thinking of how he could distract a cop. He headed straight for him and bumped into him, spilling his drink on his wrinkled coat.
"Oh man, I spilled!" Balor slurred "I'm sorry about your coat, dude, is it expensive?"
"You idiot!" Marty exclaimed trying to wipe away the vodka with a napkin he took from under someone else's drink. He glanced up to look at who had spilled on him and out of the corner of his eye he saw a huge man moving through the crowd. It's him he thought, and then was snapped back into the conversation with the drunk.
"Hey man are you a cop?" Balor slurred loudly this time "Hey I got a speeding ticket, can you fix it for me?"
Suddenly everyone in the bar was staring him down. He didn't exactly fit in here but this idiot just spelled it out to everyone. He looked around alarmed. Will they charge or just clam up? he thought. And then, looking around again he couldn't locate the big guy.
How can a guy that big disappear so fast? and then he was on the move, pushing aside the drunk that blew his cover and fighting through the crowd in the direction the big man went.
Behind him Balor smiled. "Well, I'll just meet Sarasoto back at the cemetery." he mumbled to himself and, distraction executed, he extracted himself from the uncomfortable surroundings as quickly as he could.
`
She didn't even notice Sarasoto until he sat down. Wow was she thirsty. How a vampire that size snuck up on her was a little alarming to her. He seized her arm and spoke into her ear.
"I don't have time to discuss this here but we need to talk. Let's go outside," he tugged her out of the booth and she started toward the entrance.
"Noooo, back door, into the alley, let's go" and he pulled her along. She thought of fighting it but it was useless. He was far older and stronger. In here it would do nothing but create a disturbance she couldn't explain. She let him push her out the side door into the alley.
"Who turned you?" he demanded of her.
"I don't know. Who are you?" she said clearly afraid but trying to appear tough.
"I'm the guy asking the questions. If you have any senses you know that I could tear you apart easily so don't lie to me. Who turned you?!?" he demanded again. He looked her up and down. She was skinny, too skinny, but not unattractive. She looked like a brat to him and sounded like one, too.
"I told you, I don't know. Some white bitch. She attacked me. Yeah, attacked me. The bitch bit me, on the neck. I couldn't believe it. She was so strong, though. I couldn't break away. Then I felt weak and she just dropped me and she was gone. I couldn't believe the pain. I passed out from it and when I woke up, all I wanted was blood. And I've been out at night ever since."
"Where?" Sarasoto asked knowing he didn't have much time.
"It was in the alley at Hayes and Shrader, by the park. I was walking home with my friend Amanda and we were both attacked. When I came to she was dead and all I wanted was blood. I didn't want to talk to any cops so I got the hell out of there before anybody saw me. Can you tell me what happened to me?"
"You were attacked by a vampire; A stupid vampire. She turned you and left you without instruction. You must be careful not to be detected by the humans. Always be mindful of the possibility of witnesses and you must learn to dispose of the bodies."
"Can-can you teach me? Will you help me?" she asked now almost crying "I get so thirsty. I can't help it, I'm sooooo thirsty and I just need blood, ya' know?"
"Fine," he sighed "come with me." he gripped her arm again and they were headed down the alley when the door swung open and the inspector came out. He looked this way and then that and saw them escaping around the corner.
"Hey!" he called after Sarasoto, recognizing his size as he cleared the corner and then he was off on a run.
He got around the corner and Sarasoto was nowhere to be found. It's like they vanished into thin air he thought looking for any sign of someone running or brake lights in the empty night. He saw nothing but the street lights and a few goth partiers smoking out in front of the club.
"Damnit!" he said aloud I hope Mike has something.
`
"It's about time. What is she doing here?" said Balor as Sarasoto brought the black girl into the crematory.
"We're about to find out." Sarasoto replied pushing a chair up behind her. "Now, what's your name?" he said to her and pushed the chair into the back of her legs folding her knees so she sat but it wasn't entirely voluntary.
"Ashley, my name is Ashley. Where are we?" Her eyes flitting back and forth and around at all the technology in the little room.
"Never mind, you're safe for now. That's all you need to know. Ashley, you need to tell me everything about the woman who attacked you. When, where and anything you can remember. Talk."
"I-I don't remember much. My friend Amanda ..."
"Amanda Goldman" Balor interjected and Ashley continued "yeah, Amanda and me had been out and we were going to walk by the park on the way home. We headed through an alley, a short cut, ya' know, and then all of a sudden we were attacked.
"Did you hear or see anything suspicious before the attack? Any peculiar noises or odors?" asked Balor.
"No" she said turning to him, now looking very frightened "nothing I noticed but I was just talking to Amanda. One second we were talking and the next second they were on us. It was a guy that attacked Amanda. He knocked her down and was on top of her. He had a fucking sword in his hand! The woman was holding me up off the ground. She was so strong. It happened so fast! I thought the guy was going to rape us, I was so confused. And she bit my neck. I remember thinking this bitch is fucking biting me and then feeling sick and then the world got fuzzy and I guess she just dropped me and then they were gone. I didn't even really see them go because I was so foggy, ya' know. And then the pain started. Unbelievable cramps in my stomach. I thought I was dying."
"I had passed out from the pain. When I woke up I was so thirsty. I saw Amanda and I ran over to her." she paused pushing back tears and wiping her cheek with the back of one hand "she wasn't moving. I checked her pulse. She was dead. She was dead and cold and all I could think about was getting some blood.
I could smell it in the air. I needed it so bad. I've never been so thirsty. I couldn't think of anything but getting some fresh blood."
"Once the thirst has you, you'll never be out of its control" Balor said wiping his glasses with a small cloth. He wore them out of habit. "We are all subjects of it. Can you describe the assailants appearance? Height, weight, clothing, distinguishing marks?
"I'm so thirsty right now." Ashley pleaded "I need blood, I need it now. Please let me go so I can get some?"
Sarasoto had made a decision and he wanted to take action. "Balor" he began "can you tell me anything about any abandoned buildings that are close to the kill sites? I think whoever has done this is hiding out close by and those old abandoned warehouses I drove by would be perfect hiding places."
But I need to feed!" exclaimed Ashley "Please let me feed?!?"
Turning toward her Sarasoto sighed "I will take you to feed. I will show you the proper way. We only eat bad people. We take care not to be seen by humans and we take great care in disposing of the bodies. I will teach you this and you will obey those rules or I will tear you apart. It is the will of The Council and all vampires must adhere. First, you will give Balor the descriptions he asked of you and you will not leave out a single tiny detail, do you understand?"
"Fine, Fine, whatever. Just as long as I get to feed. I NEED blood!"
`
"If we're going to find you a meal in San Francisco quickly we have to go to The Tenderloin" Sarasoto told Ashley as they drove along Geary Blvd.
"We'll park by the Curran Theatre and walk from there." It took a while to find a spot to park off the street but they got lucky and they headed into The Tenderloin.
"Most of the people here are crack heads and dealers so they are not worthy of being alive. We will find you someone to drink."
They found an alley off of O'Farrell Street and waited and watched. The area was dilapidated and filthy. Even the cops were afraid to come around here. Taxis didn't hang around for fear of being robbed and thugs ruled the streets.
"This is a bad area." Ashley whispered, clearly frightened.
"You have no reason to fear them. The only way they can kill you is if they take your head. They can stab you and shoot you and you will heal almost immediately, with some fresh blood anyway."
"Really? And the strength of the vampire that turned me? Will I be that strong?"
"The older you get, the stronger you will be. You will never age but as the years pass you will get stronger and stronger. The oldest of us can even go out in the daylight because we heal faster than the sun can scorch us. You will not be able to go out in the sun until you are over a thousand years old, though. Until then you must hide from sunlight. It scorches your skin and is very painful. It will burn you to death if you don't limit exposure to less than a few minutes or so.
You can eat and drink to fit in with humans, and for pleasure, but you take few nutrients from the food. You can get drunk on alcohol but it takes a substantial amount as very little of the alcohol is processed as it is. However, drinking the blood of someone who is drunk will do the job better. The alcohol dissolved in their blood will be processed by your system. The same goes for drugs. These people will certainly be filled with some kind of drug. It doesn't last long but you'll feel it."
As he spoke Sarasoto was eyeing a young black man who was selling drugs on the corner. He saw that he was a rather large kid, probably six foot two and meaty. He would do nicely for Ashley's thirst. He stepped out into the light of the street light and uttered a short whistle. The kid looked over and Sarasoto subtly waved him over. The kid looked up and down the street and then began walking over. A sale is a sale he thought waiting for a jeep to pass so he could cross. Sarasoto turned to Ashley,
"He's coming. Remember, he can't hurt you and I'm here if you need help. As soon as he turns the corner, seize him and drink."
"Okay, I can do this. And you'll hold him for me?" she replied in a shaky voice.
"No ..." exasperated and shaking his head a little, "I don't have to, you are far stronger than him. Hold him tight and drain him dry. I will show you how to get rid of him when you have drunk."
The kid turned the corner with trepidation.
"Yo, whats up? you need suttin'" he said and Ashley was on him. She yanked him into the still darkness of the alley and sunk her teeth into his neck. She was clumsy and missed the jugular the first time but was able to reposition. The kid struggled but she felt the strength in her hold true. She slurped clumsily at his blood and small spurts flew out when she repositioned her mouth but she drank deeply.
She could feel fresh strength bubbling up in her as she took sustenance from his blood. She also felt the jittery rush of the crack he smoked. He went limp in her arms as she finished. She drained him dry and then dropped the empty corpse to the filthy, pitted concrete. The kid's skull made a comical bonk and she giggled.
"Good." said Sarasoto "now, pick him up and follow me." with that he took to the sky and she followed.
They flew over Alcatraz Island to the sea and he instructed her to tear apart the corpse and cast the parts into the sea.
"Now you know one trick. I will show you more. The idea is to find an area where the animals will devour the meat and the body won't wash up somewhere. The longer you're around the more tricks you'll learn."
"I feel so much better now" she said with blood on her chin.
"And you will learn not to spill. You don't want to be seen covered in blood. It's hard to explain. I have a towel in the truck. Come now, we will return to the crematory."