After the Fall (15 page)

It’s amazing, the power that young girl held over me. She actually made a Vampire over three centuries old flinch and stop in his tracks. Her words were tinged with poison, but they were also true. That was the reason they hurt me the most. I shut the door and continued on my way out, not slowing down as I left the house.

There was a murmur growing amongst the people. Troubled, worried voices expressed their concern to anyone who would hear. All that ceased when I stepped out onto the streets. Here comes the savior, ready to deliver them from the cold, grasping hands and gnashing teeth of the undead. I was their great hope. My ego welcomed the reverence with open arms, but my mind exercised caution.

Pride cometh before the fall.

This would be the last thing that would normally come to mind, but its ominous tone sobered me into action. I could hear the faraway moans of the undead thrashing at the gates. It was all that I needed to go find my axe and put it to work.

After going to retrieve the axe and climbing atop the wall, I surveyed the landscape once again. The horde was so much larger. It was like they had come from all corners, smelling the living flesh and clamoring for it. Their advancing, thrashing bodies were actually shaking the heavily reinforced gate, once more threatening to take it down.

“Soldier,” I said to the guard. “Has that gate been barricaded?”

“We are awaiting on Alaric’s orders. Everyone has been instructed to hold their place.”

“You have to block the entrance before they break down that last door. If we don’t do it now, we’ll be overrun.”

“I-I will have to speak to the Head Sentinel.”

“Do it. I’ll hold your place. It’s not like I see them vaulting over the walls anyway.” That last bit of humor was lost on him as he’d already gone beyond earshot. He must have known all this just like I did and he still held his position like a good soldier—a
stupid
soldier. I glanced over the edge and watched the zombies thrash themselves against the wall, trying to get at the good stuff within. Dread rose up from deep within my chest, not for me because they paid me no mind, treating me with the same indifference they treat others of their own kind. I felt fear for the people inside. My food supply was threatened. I felt utterly despicable. Even now, I was only concerned with their physical well-being, just so they could keep me fed.

The guard returned after a long absence. I thought it might only take him a few moments to ask his superior what he should do. If he was told no, he would simply return to his post and continue watch. He didn’t come for a good half hour, at which time I developed an appreciation for the horrifying drudgery these men had to endure all this time. The man didn’t come back alone, however. Following behind was Alaric himself, walking up the stairs with indignant airs.

“I heard you’re trying to run things in my stead,” he said with a tone that had none of his usual warmth. I might as well have been one of his men that he was disciplining. “Who said you can give orders here?”

“I’m only stating the obvious. There are many more than last time, and they got through the first door and almost through the second. If we don’t reinforce the door, we will be overrun.”

“So you will have us as your prisoners, not being able to go outside?”

“You can’t go outside now. You would be eaten in seconds.”

“Either way, my decision stands. We will hold position for now.”

“Do you realize that you could cost everyone their lives with this foolishness?”

He stepped right up to me and shoved his barrel chest into mine. The fact that I didn’t budge seemed to escape him. “That savior bit only goes so far. You don’t get to command my men. Next you’ll be trying to run the town, I suppose.”

It would be nice.
“Of course not. I just want to keep you all safe.”
To protect my food, you know.
My kind words fell on deaf ears. Now it was my turn to feel indignant.

“Fine, have it your way.” I went to the edge of the wall and let myself into the mess of tangled bodies down below.

Let the carnage begin.

It was easy, far too easy. Shooting fish in a barrel wouldn’t cover how simple it was to dispatch them by the dozen. I hunted them the same way I would my own, going for the decapitation or crushing their skulls. So far, my efforts were paying off. They didn’t even put up a fight against me, like they didn’t even know I was there. Soon their numbers began to dwindle. More of them were lying on the floor twitching than standing. I could actually see through the thinning ranks into the night.

That was when my mouth dropped agape.

There were more, so many of them, easily thousands marching, advancing on the city like Hannibal’s army advanced on Rome on days long past. The sight demoralized me at once. I could spend whole days hacking and cleaving away without making a dent, and in all that time, a great many of them could rise again. Not that I had that kind of time. I owned the night and leased my time in the light by covering up, by hiding. They owned both day and night, more so because their eyesight worked to some extent while mine was flooded burning light.

Now that I’ve explained this to you, maybe you won’t think me a coward, or maybe you will think me one anyway. All I’m saying is, I saw the situation clearly and withdrew back to the house.

Everyone was gathered upstairs, including Evelyn, Magda, and a few other people I hadn’t met. Rhiannon was still lying in bed, tethered to a young man by a clear plastic hose filled with delicious red liquid. Alaric stood on the far side of the room, watching the situation with cool detachment.

“It seems to be helping,” said the doctor. “I want to thank you for this, Micah.” The young man smiled and nodded humbly, just happy to do something to help.

Alaric noticed me enter the room and his dispassion turned to a slow-burning kind of anger. He didn’t hate me outright, but I was not his favorite person for some reason.

The procedure finished and everyone gave their goodbyes and well-wishes to Rhiannon. They began to filter out of the room until it was just the doctor, Alaric, and myself in there with her.

“Just try to take it easy, girl. I’m hoping I just have to see you for routine house calls, okay?” 

“It’s fine. I’m not going anywhere,” she said with a smile.

“You better.” He pointed his index finger and gave her a severe look that quickly melted into a smile. “Take care.”

She nodded and the doctor gave her a kiss on the forehead before leaving the room. That just left Alaric and I in the room with her.

“I have to get back to the watch to check on the men. I will be back as soon as I am done.”

“I’ll be waiting for you.” She held her arms out and he leaned over to embrace. She began to kiss him with a passion that surprised him, but he didn’t seem to complain. I stood by the entrance and pretended not to notice anything, but I did notice that while she kissed him, she did not take her eyes off me.

“I love you,” he said.

“You, too. Come back soon.” He walked out of the room and I began to follow him out when she spoke. “Not you, Mordecai. Please close the door.”

I closed it and turned back to her. “What is it?”

“We have to talk.”

Dying

Without realizing it, I swallowed and my cold heart did a somersault. “What could we possibly have to talk about?” I stammered.

“About you…and me.”

“There is no you and me.” I started to back out towards the door.

“Don’t lie. You know it’s true.”

“What’s true?”

She crossed her arms and gave me an angry look. “I already told you. I am in love with you, and I know you feel the same.”

I started to feel for the doorknob.

“Stop that. Come closer.”

I’m not sure why, but I obeyed her. She sat up and yanked me down to the bed. That’s a lie, of course. She wasn’t strong enough to pull me. I did it on my own.

“Come, now. Why are you being like that?”

“Because you are married, for starters? Or because the man you’re married to has been more than generous to me? Pick one. Either one should be plenty of reason by itself.”

Her lips puckered into a pout that I’m ashamed to admit I found very seductive at that moment. She put her hands on the back of my head and pulled me in for another kiss. I allowed it, of course. This time she closed her eyes and immersed herself in the passion. When I sensed I was in danger of being enveloped in her passion, I pulled away.

“What’s wrong?” she asked me, still in a daze.

“This…all this. It’s not right.”

“I don’t love him.
That’s
not right. I married him because my parents thought it would be the best thing for the family, and it was. But what about me?”

“I’m sorry. This can’t happen.” I got up and made it as far as the door.

“I told him.”

I whirled around. “You told him…what?”

“About us. I told him about the kiss, about what happened between us.”

Rage flooded my head. I looked around the room, anything not to look at her right now. “Nothing happened between us.”

“But it did. And you could have more if you wanted.” She started to slide her dress strap and I had to go. If I stayed a second longer, I would make her mine, and that was something I couldn’t allow.

No, I wish that was the way I could have said it went, but I pulled my hand off the doorknob and went back to her. I unleashed my passions on her, and she responded in kind.

She fell into a deep sleep when we were done. I walked out of the room and walked through the house, shamefaced and penitent. Evelyn passed me downstairs and gave me a look of reproach, if not outright scorn. It was all well deserved. They knew what I had done, that I had defiled their master’s house, but I also had a feeling they would not tell. They were true servant women to the core, willing to take their secrets to the grave.

For the sake of brevity, I will fast forward a bit. The next few days were darkened by the siege. The horde grew in numbers every day. After last night, I had given up at the hacking of corpses. There wasn’t enough fuel to burn, and Alaric had stayed the guards’ hands so that I stood alone fighting the undead.

It was just last night that I stood at the foot of the walls plowing through the horde, harvesting them like stalks of wheat. He just stood at the wall, looking down at me while I hacked away. The bodies would fall and thrice as many would join their place. I felt the futility stripping away at my will. Something had to give. It was time to speak to Alaric. I hopped on the wall and stood beside him.

“How is it going down there?”

“Can’t you see how it’s going? I can’t kill them fast enough before more show up.”

“I thought you were our savior,” he responded with a smug look.

I wanted to punch him, to pick him up and throw him over the wall, and watch the hungry horde feed on him. I almost did it, too. Fighting all night for days on end, with scarcely a break to fill up on life-giving blood, I was ready to snap. The only thing that saved him was the arrival of one winded-looking boy.

“Sir!” he said, needing a break before he could speak. He rested his hands on his knees and panted hoarsely.

“Well, don’t just stand there. What is it?”

“You must come home fast. It’s your wife!”

Dark Side of Fame

He didn’t waste a moment before running home. I followed him back, both of us running at top speed. Of course, my top speed vastly surpassed his and I arrived long before he did. Rhiannon lay in bed in a deathly pallor. The vigor had drained out of her. She just lay in the bed, enfevered and shivering. As bad off as she was, she noticed me walk in the room and her eyes brightened. What little life was left returned to her body, at least for the moment.

“Mordecai,” she whispered.

“Please, stay still,” said the doctor. “Save your energies.”

“You came.”

I nodded. Of course I came. This was my doing…and I also felt something for her, which I dared not admit.

“I need to try to find another suitable donor. Can you watch her in the meantime, son?”

I repressed the grin that wanted to spread across my face. This man was three centuries younger than me and somehow still wanted to call me son. He walked out of the room and I took his place at the chair by the bed. She immediately seized my hand with strength I knew she could not spare.

“Please, rest,” I said.

“I promise I’ll be still, but only if you stay.”

“It’s a deal. Just save your strength.”

She wrenched down on my hand as if to say she would do as she pleased. Unfortunately, I wasn’t one to say no to a dying woman. And for sure, she
was
dying. They could keep her alive for quite a long time with these transfusions, but eventually she would slip away. The thought of it tore me apart, but I still could not bring myself to do the unthinkable.

I heard the front door slam open. Heavy lumbering steps approached the room. I pulled my hand away just before he entered the room.