Totem (22 page)

              “Well, maybe he is scared. Maybe he hasn’t had a girlfriend in a while and doesn’t know what to do.”

              I begin running through all the reasons and scenarios as to why a guy would not want a girlfriend. I spout them off to Michelle as they come to mind. Of course I omit the ones that she wouldn’t want to hear or that sound too cruel. This little pep talk seems to cool her off a bit.

              “Besides, you are the one who is dating around. Why settle on just one?”

              “You seem to be doing that, too.” Michelle snickers. “What’s up with you and Jake?”

              “We’re just friends.” I state defensively. “He definitely wants to be more, but I just see him as a friend which was what we were discussing until I was rudely interrupted by a little blond.”

              Michelle lets out a sigh as she releases some of her anger. I can see her begin to relax physically. My small comment at her expense lightens the mood.

              “Yeah, yeah.” She begins. “I’m sorry. It’s just Daniel gets under my skin and I don’t know how to get him out. I could go on all the dates in the world but truth is I keep coming back to him. I have no idea why.”

              “I feel yea.”

              I smile at her. She returns the smile then comes in for a side hug. If Jake is like a brother then Michelle is my close sister. I already have one, but there is always room for more. I could not be happier to have her as a friend and be a friend in return.

              “Screw boys.” Michelle states. “They are nothing but trouble.”

              I laugh at her comment. We continue to walk arms around each other as Michelle’s worries melt away. My arm rests comfortably on her shoulders while hers wraps around my waist. The side walk gives way to the distinctive cobblestone of the quarter as we step down the small steps in front of the St. Louis Cathedral and into Jackson square. The little flitting candles that speckled the walkways earlier have disappeared along with their owners. The tarot card readers and fortune tellers must have turned in for the night. Even the old woman who spoke to us earlier is gone. Their absence brings even more darkness. I tread lightly through the night as a weary feeling begins to rise up in my chest. My senses become heightened as I remember the gypsy woman’s words. There is darkness. I look around as reality sets in. There is no one to be seen. We are alone in the square. Ty’s words of caution rise up into my thoughts. I quicken my pace as my heart begins to beat faster.

              “Are you ok?” Asks Michelle

              “I’m just ready to go back to the dorms. Being out here in the darkness is giving me the creeps. I am ok though.”

              I lie. I am not ok. WE are not ok. A queasy feeling rises in my stomach. A few steps more and we are turning the corner walking away from the church and closer to the Mississippi River. I look forward into the light afraid to look at the darkness around us. Speckles of people flit back and forth under the street lights on Decatur. My hope rises. Their little figures in the distance are a beacon of light surrounded by darkness signaling to us our way home. I begin to walk faster. The specks begin to take human form with each closing step we take. The light is growing in my chest.

              Out of the corner of my eye flits a shadowy figure. Naturally, my eyes gravitate toward the motion and I halt in my tracks. A pair of glowing red eyes greets us from the shadows. In that split second, I know it is a vampire and running would be futile. Slowly he steps out of the shadow revealing the guise behind those haunting red eyes. I gasp as my heart stops in my chest. Like the gypsy said, darkness follows me and it is in the form of a vampire. Not just any vampire but the one who stalks me. He is the one who followed me from the library and he is the one Ty swore to protect me from. It is the one who knows what Ty is.

              The vampire steps closer out of the hiding spot created by the shadows. Michelle notices the man and I see her body stiffen in response. Her grasp around me gets tighter. I hold on to her as I begin to back up taking her with me. He moves slowly with calculated steps as he takes in the sight in front of him. My heart makes up for lost time revving back to life beating faster and faster as he comes closer.

              “I knew I would get you alone eventually.” The vampire hisses. “Well, almost alone.”             

              He gestures a slender hand towards Michelle disregarding her as nothing more than a pesky gnat. To him she is an incessant bug flying around his head. She is something to be tolerated or even killed then discarded on his quest to me. I glance down at my roommate. Her eyes are fixated on the gaunt man in front of us. I pull her tight to me. As I move her, I place myself between her and him in hopes of protecting her with my body should it come to that. My simple protective act only bemuses the brown haired vampire whose lips curl into an unsettling smile.

              “Come now, Kimber.” He says rolling his red eyes. “Do you really think that will protect your friend?”

              Shit! He knows my NAME. I feel the blood draining from my face. How does he know my name?

             
“I know a lot of things about you.” He replies as if reading my very thoughts.

              This time, I keep my face still making sure it is unreadable. I do not want to give him the satisfaction of an expression. Carefully he scrutinizes me. I hold still like stone unwilling to show emotion. A smirk rises on his face. He looks at his fingernails in mock boredom or perhaps real boredom.

              “I was kind of hoping your little boy toy would be here to watch me kill you.”

              Keep your face straight. I tell myself. Don’t give him the benefit
.
I feel Michelle shift her weight behind me. I quickly glance down. Her eyes are big as she stares at the man in front of us. I can’t tell what she is feeling. Is it shock? Is she scared? Either way, she will not be the first to go should this be our fate. I look at her once more. She catches my eye but does not speak. A slight look of panic crosses her eyes. It is the first sign of fear I have ever seen from her. I hold on tighter keeping her behind me.

              “It does not matter.” The vampire states biting his nail and spitting the excess out of his mouth. “I shall enjoy it just the same.”

              This was it. I see the determination in his eyes. This is the end. Adrenaline courses through my body. I push myself completely in front of Michelle pressing her against the wrought iron fleur de lis fence lining the garden to our backs. My attacker barrels upon us with speeds my eyes do not register. I close my blue eyes for the last time in my life not wanting to give him the satisfaction of seeing my fear. I hold my breath savoring the last bit of sweet New Orleans air my lungs will ever feel again.

              I feel the wind move as he comes in for the kill. I brace myself for impact… but the impact never comes. Instantly I hear a guttural growl of an animal then a bone crunching thud on the stones in Jackson Square. The ruffling of clothes and movement heard by my ears registers late in my mind. After a brief moment of processing the fact that I am still alive I chance a look and open my eyes. I let out a gasp releasing the air from my lungs as I take a short sweet intake of breath at the site before me. I release Michelle from the fence and we slowly move away. The vampire is pressed down to the concrete. On top of him is a big dog or wolf like creature pinning him down and snarling.

             
I cannot believe my eyes
. The man who had only attacked me weeks ago is pinned to the ground. On top of him is a larger than life dog. Maybe it is a wolf. Its sleek white muzzle opens up revealing jagged teeth as a low growl rises from its chest. The man with red eyes looks up at the beast with a bemused sneer across his face.

              “I knew you wouldn’t be too far away from your bitch.”

              His words are menacing. He points a thin white boney finger at me. I do not understand what he means. All I know is that he is targeting me. The eyes of the wolf flit briefly to meet mine and for a split second I think I see regret flash through those brown eyes. The attacker seizes the miniscule moment to push the beast with his hands sending him flying. The wolf hits the black wrought iron fence. I hear what I think to be the crack of bones as a small yelp sounds out from him.

Advancing with lightning speed, the vampire seizes the moment once more lunging at the animal on the fence. The wolf quickly moves out of the way causing the red eyed man’s fist to land square in one of the iron poles. The pole bends under the demons pure strength melting like butter around his arm holding him captive to its metal grip. With moves just as quick, the wolf repositions around the demon and sinks his teeth into his shoulder. A blood curdling scream rises up from somewhere deep inside the vampire. I look around for people. I look for anyone who can possibly help. Much to my displeasure and for the first time that I can ever remember, there is no one. The lights of people beckoning me earlier seem miles away as I hope against all odds that someone will be here to help the wolf in his pursuit to save us, but the plaza outside the cathedral is completely empty. I feel Michelle tug on my hand.

              “Come on Kimber.” She whispers. “We can run.”

              She finds her voice once more. I know we should, but I cannot move. I am glued to the spot as I watch these two unnatural creatures duke it out. Blood cascades down the shoulder of the red eyed man as he frees his hand from the fence. Reaching behind him with the arm the wolf was not clamped on, he pulls its scruff. With incredible strength, he hoists the beast over his head by the neck. The man’s screams turn into rage as the wolf stays clamped to his shoulder. The unwillingness of the beast to let go fuels his rage further for as soon as his shoulder is free, he throws the beast over the fence and into the garden. I hear the rustle of the bushes and harsh thud as the wolf hits one of the trees.

              Fear begins to rise up in me again as our only savior was tossed carelessly aside. I look at the man and gasp. His back is turned to us and he is missing a whole shoulder. Not just the shoulder is gone, but the whole arm as well. The guy touches the area with the missing appendage and lets out a scream.

              This is it, I think. I should have run when Michelle told us to.

              We stand there as still as can be frozen with fear, but before anything can be done the man with the red eyes is gone along with his detached appendage. Buckets of blood spilt like wet paint and a bent fence act as proof of the unnatural occurrence. I cannot believe it. He was there one minute and then in a split instance he is gone like magic. Michelle and I stand there grasping each other not saying a word. Is it over? We cannot tell. It all happened so fast. Our minds need time to process. I stare blankly at the spot where moments ago there was a fight. I look down at the pool of blood left on the street. Then my eyes draw to the dark garden behind the fence. I look to the spot where the wolf, the beast that saved us was thrown darkness encasing it. Is it dead? Is it injured? All I know is that we should have been dead, but this creature, this guardian rescued us. Now it lies alone in the dark. Compassion for this creature rises in my heart. Not meaning to, I begin walking forward.

              “What are you doing?!” Whispers Michelle menacingly.

              For reasons I cannot understand myself, I know I have to see the creature. I know that, if anything I have to make sure it is alright.

              “I need to see if the thing is alive.”

              “The wolf?! You mean that oversized dog?” Michelle hisses. “Kimber, we NEED to go. As if the fight with Daniel wasn’t enough, some psycho coke head tries to kill us and then the guy thinks the dog is with YOU. I do believe this has just claimed gold on my Olympic list of bad nights.”

              Ignoring Michelle’s rant, I search the fence looking for a way in. One thing New Orleans did a great job of is keeping people out of this garden during the hours it is closed. I look around. There is nothing I can do but try and climb it.

              “I am going to have to climb it.” I state.

              “What?!” Michelle looks at me with a mixture of disgust and disbelief. “Are you KIDDING?!”

              “Help me up.” I command unperturbed by Michelle’s comments.

              “Ugh.”

              She is lost. She did not want to help, but she did not want to walk away from the only other person she knew on the street. She is trapped. She skulks over to the fence to hoist me up. I visually scan the fence weighing out the best possibilities for getting over. Before I can get a good grip on the bar there comes a shuffling noise from behind us. I turn and look. There walking towards us is Ty.

              His black leather jacket is zipped up all the way and his jeans are loosely hanging off his hips. It would have been sexy, but there is a look of pain on his face. Michelle immediately leaves my side and runs up to hug him. He braces himself ever so slightly as the little woman throws herself into him. I swear I see a wince cross his face before quickly disappearing. I walk up slowly in disbelief. Excitement rises up at the sight of the man who makes my heart flutter. I wanted to smile. I wanted to run and kiss him, but he has also left me alone for weeks without a phone call leaving me worried about where he is. Why is he out here? The question sinks into me causing a tinge of anger. He is back in New Orleans and he didn’t see me first. I know our relationship is not defined, but I hoped he would have at least texted me he was back.

              “Hey you.” He states endearingly as he reaches and give me a one handed hug with his right arm.

              “Hey babe,” I state cautiously. Ty leans down and kisses my lips tenderly.

              Warmth rises up at this simple act. It is a hope that everything is okay. It is hope that Ty and I are fine, but with that warmth came the numbing pain that not everything is as it should be. The feeling left me confused, weak and vulnerable.

              “You would not believe the night we had.” Michelle begins.

              “Are you walking to your car?” Ty asks before Michelle begins her story.

              “Yeah,” responds Michelle.

              “I’ll walk you two there.”

              My eyes flutter over the fence. I still want to know what happened to the wolf, but my need to be with Ty outweighs my curiosity. There are so many things Ty and I have to discuss. I give one more glance to the fence before resolving to drop the idea of finding the wolf. Even if I make it to the other side, I did not know how I was going to get back across. I extend one silent thank you in the direction where the beast lay before we leave.

“Good,” begins Michelle again. “This night has been hell. First, Daniel ticks me off. Then as we were walking back this coke head guy tries to attack us. Then a giant dog came and bit the crap out of his arm.”

              I guess Michelle didn’t see the bloody stump the guy was sporting after he threw the wolf. I walk silently with Ty holding my hand. I look at him wearily. There is something wrong with Ty. He smiles weakly at me while Michelle begins her endless pursuit of her story covering and repeating all the details of the night. Finally, we reach Michelle’s car and I feel Ty give my hand a little squeeze.

              “Well, I will leave you ladies here safely at your ride.”

              He lets go of my hand and opens the door for me. As he reaches his jacket lifts up revealing a small sliver of his stomach. My heart begins to beat faster as my mouth drops. There, trickling down in a stream is blood. I look closer at his jeans and the growing dark spot on his pants finally registers in my mind. He is bleeding. Noticing the look on my face, Ty quickly releases the door and his jacket falls back down covering it up. I look at him.

              “I think I should probably go with Ty.”

              I turn towards Michelle. She looks at me annoyed. After this whole night, I know all she wants to do is talk to me more about everything. It is one of those times she didn’t want to share me with Ty. I give her a look right back. She rolls her eyes and nods her head in acknowledgment.

              “No.” Ty argues. “I will be fine. You two should go.”

              “No.” I hiss back at him. “I insist.”

              I lean in and whisper in his ear so that Michelle can’t hear.

              “I saw the blood, Ty. You’re not alright.”

              He looks flustered. I am sure a stern girl around him is the last thing he wants.

              “I didn’t drive my car down here.” He whispers back.

              I feel anger raging inside. Blood pulsates through my veins as I think the worst of the situation. This is really shipping up to be a horrible night.

              “Then we can take you home.” I reply this time loud enough for Michelle to hear.

              Ty looks into my face. He is lost and pleading but I will not budge. The whole reason I went out tonight was to relax and get my mind off Ty. I wanted to blame all the incidents that had happened tonight on him, but I know it is not true. My thoughts are not logical. They are emotional. The night was my decision but I cannot help but to hold the man who holds me at arm’s length responsible. Not only that, but I find him out here wondering the streets bleeding. To top it off, he doesn’t have his car. Maybe he went out with his friends and they drove. Was he with another girl? I suppress the thought temporarily concentrating all my efforts on to this little battle in front of me. Ty is hurt and alone if we leave. He needs to accept my help and get in the car. I shoot him a stern look.

              “I insist.” I state leaving no room for argument.

              Ty looks at me then at Michelle who nods her head agreeing with me. He lets out a sigh and makes his way to the back seat. He hops in carefully making sure the side with the blood does not touch anything in Michelle’s car. I want to hop in the back seat and face Ty, but knew I am already pushing my luck with Michelle.

              I take my seat in the front. Michelle turns on the car with a sigh of relief that the night is finally at an end. We drive off as Ty gives directions to his house from the French Quarter. He knows the streets by heart which is something I haven’t mastered yet. I look out the window as we drive down Canal Street. Even at 2:00 am, swarms of people wonder around with drinks in hand and beads around their necks. The light turns red at the street where Bourbon Street meets Canal. I look down Bourbon to see a brass band set up on the corner. The sound of New Orleans jazz drifts into the car as we sit waiting for the light to change. Further down the street is a sea of people ebbing and flowing under the flashing colors casted by the signs. It is a world of light so deep in contrast from the darkness in front of the cathedral. The light changes and we wonder further along Canal Street. The tall buildings of the city give way to houses and small businesses. The crowds of people in the French Quarter disappear and the only thing to fill the streets is darkness. We follow Canal Street all the way down making the awkward turn between the cemeteries and passed the bar I am too young to enter. Perhaps one of the only bars I cannot find a way in.

After a couple more turns, we are passing the sailboats parked in the Marina. High rise condos with manicured lawns greet us on the other side of the road. My mind drifts briefly away from my anger as I awe in the diversity of the city. In only fifteen minutes, we managed to go from the French Quarter, skirt past the high rises in the outer parts of the business district. Then through an old style New Orleans neighborhood area immediately passing upper middle class neighborhoods and into a harbor with sailboats, condos and boat houses. The city has so many different faces all of which I love. Despite all their differences, there is a uniform energy that ebbs and flows between them making them one. I take a deep breath allowing my uneasy feeling to fall back over me. In a few short moments, we will be at Ty’s house and I still do not know what I will do or say.

              An internal struggle is going on. My heart wants to cry out to Ty and ask for the truth. The right side of my mind thinks up creative and outlandish stories as to why Ty has been absent from my life. My left side rationalizes it. Either way, I am facing a losing battle if I keep all my thoughts inside. It all needs to be released and the only man who can help is sitting in the back seat bleeding. We pull up to the boat house all too soon.

              “THIS is where you live?!” Michelle is in awe as she pulls up to the gates.

              I look at the beautiful wrought iron work. True to Ty’s word, his bronco and mustang are both parked on the other side of the fence. Sarah’s car, however, is missing. She must have a night shift at the hospital.