Demon Vampire (The Redgold Series) (36 page)

“I will call you Maria.” Marin thought the name suited the young girl well. She had the same sass, audaciousness, and willingness to jump Marin's bones as Maria did when he first met her.

“That's a fine name to use. It's nowhere near her real one. And it sounds very lady like.” David drank the rest of the blood in the goblet.

“Yes, let's just hope she doesn't shoot him like the real Maria did.” Yugo laughed at Marin.

“Maria's nice. I like it a lot.” Maria stepped closer to Marin, looking up into his eyes above her. “Thank you for my new name, Marin. I really appreciate it.” Maria pushed her chest against Marin's. “Later I can show you how much.”

“I told you there will be none of that with him.” David barked at Maria. “Besides, Marin isn't like any of your boy toys. He's chaste. He might as well be a eunuch.”

“I'm reserved.” Marin said to David. “I'm not chaste.” Marin said to Yugo. “And I'm not a eunuch.” Marin said finally to Maria.

“I can check if you're not sure.” Maria was pressing Marin's boundaries too much.

Marin turned and pushed Maria away. “I don't mess with children, ever. You have to understand that now. If I am to teach, that will have to end.”

“I told you, chaste.” David set the empty goblet down on the coffee table, away from the others. “He's the perfect answer to all the fooling around you're used to. He's going to be the one thing you want and will never have.” David reached for another glass of blood. “Aw, the taste of sweet justice.” David took a sip.

“That's a shame, but I will grow up you know. Maybe someday-” Maria was stopped by Marin's hand on her throat.

“Not with me. Not ever.” Marin held Maria's neck tight. She hadn't attempted to block him. Marin turned to David. “You said she had talent.”

David smiled as he drank the rest of the blood in his second glass. “You're bleeding.”

Marin didn't believe what David said, he hadn't felt anything. He didn't notice any movement from Maria. Marin stared into Maria's eyes. She wasn't able to breathe, but she wasn't panicking either. He was confused.

“Look down.” Yugo gave the hint to Marin.

A medium sized pool of blood had formed at Marin's feet. Maria had pierced his liver with a sterling silver needle about ten inches long. Marin let go of Maria's neck and backed off of her. As it drew out of Marin's flesh, he saw the weapon was the size of a knitting needle and sharp at both ends.

“When did you?” Marin asked. “You never moved to attack me.”

“You're right about that.” Maria said confidently. “I held the needle out as I spoke. You did the rest.” Maria traced her right index finger over the blood and lifted it to her mouth. “You may be stronger, faster, and older than I am.” Maria tasted the blood. “But none of that matters if I make you come to me, does it?”

Maria was smart. Marin was realizing that. Maria had used Marin's clear distaste of her advances as an advantage. Using a social condition as a tactical edge. It was quick, brilliant, and highly effective. Marin loved it, but refused to admit it to her.

David finished his glass and set it down next to the other. “Are you satisfied? Or should she take your balls away with your pride?” David picked up a third glass of blood from the table.

A hint of detectable anger welled up in Marin.

Yugo stepped in. “That won't be necessary.”

“See, I'm good. Aren't I?” Maria slid the silver needle back into the concealed slit in the side of her long brown skirt.

“Your speed is good, your skill is even better. I'll give you that much.” Marin peered down at the puddle of his blood on the hardwood flooring. “However, if I had wanted to, you would have died.”

“Yes, but I knew you didn't want to, that's how I won the minute.” Maria was cocky.

“Then I only have one thing to honestly teach you.” Marin said to Maria.

“And what could that be? I already know how to wound, maim, and kill. What else is there?” Maria smiled.

“Speed is good, skill in execution of that speed is even better. However, knowing how to use them correctly when you are threatening someone else's life takes experience. If you are over powered, under-speed, and left all but defenseless, you need to know what to do. That is why experience is best of all. If you have no other talents, that is what will save your life.”

David lightly clapped into the hand that held the goblet of blood. “Bravo. You really do have a way with words. With that, we will be going.” David drank the entire glass and set it down next to the other two. He ushered Maria to the door. “Goodbye Marin. She'll be back soon.”

Maria waved goodbye with blush on her face. David sighed and shut the door.

“That was fun.” Yugo made light of the situation.

Marin was silent. He stared at the blood on the floor and then at the three empty goblets on the black coffee table. He was angry.

“At least he didn't drink them all.” Yugo laughed.

Marin said nothing as he walked behind the far couch. He picked up one of the unconscious bodies on the floor. Marin held the middle aged man up with one hand on the back of his neck.

“Marin, don't make a mess. It's not worth the cleaning bill.” Yugo warned.

Marin set the man down on the couch. He proceeded to lift up the man's shirt, carefully making sure the body was level. Marin drove his right hand into the abdomen and up into the rib cage. There was a definite snap as the quick movement of Marin's arm broke some of the man's front ribs. Marin's hand slid out of the small hole he had made in the abdomen. There was no blood spilled as he reached over for one of the three empty goblets. In Marin's hand was a still beating heart, freshly ripped from the now dead body on the couch next to him. Marin filled the other two glasses to a certain level and slid the corpse onto the floor.

“What now?” Yugo wanted to know if Marin was feeling alright.

“I practice.” Marin said as he rearranged the three goblets on the table. As the dead body's leg was still twitching on the floor, Marin began to play a bright, cheerful melody.

The Offer and The Motivation

Zack stood, shivering, gazing at Marin's bloodied right hand. The severed head of the recently living Bethany was laying on the floor by Zack's feet. There was a sense of horror that had taken a hold of him. The feeling refused to let go of Zack's limbs, restraining his breath, and preventing him from thinking.

Kyli wasn't sure what to do. Her idol had put fear into her heart with this suddenly violent action. Marin had scared frozen the one fledgling boy in her life. All that Kyli had hoped wouldn't happen, just had. They were in danger now and she knew it. Kyli stood up next to Zack. She put her hand in his.

Marin turned his head to Zack. “Do you believe I am a monster?”

Zack said nothing.

Kyli remained silent.

“Am I evil? Am I your savior, or your soon to be executioner?” Large drops of blood struck the ground at Marin's feet.

Zack didn't respond, he was in shock.

“Cherry's psychic artist was over sixty years old. A very young vampire, turned only fifteen years ago. She was taught to respect the same old ways Yugo passed onto me. One of those rules was to cherish human life whenever possible. To never kill without need or provocation. Bethany was always good at following the rules.” Marin stared at Bethany's blood soaked head near Zack's right foot. “She held them till the end.”

“Why!? Why kill her? If Yugo taught you the same principles, why kill her!?” Zack was angry, he was yelling at Marin.

Kyli squeezed Zack's hand. She was afraid of losing him.

Without warning Marin had closed the five foot gap between them. There was no sound and there was no wind. Marin simply moved and Zack stopped talking. “To save your life, to save mine. To keep the life of my mentor the way he has become accustomed to.” Marin was in Zack's face, bearing down on him. “If you die again and we lose him, we'll have to wait another 300 years. Yugo doesn't find that particularly appealing, but I don't find allying myself with a demon an acceptable compromise.” Marin's hand clasped Zack neck in an instant. His other pulled Zack's lip up to check his teeth. “It's not in there right now, you haven't given in yet. That's good to see.” Marin let Zack go.

Zack's heels touched the floor again. A wet sound echoed in the still room. Blood was coating Zack's shoes.

“You have some will power at least. I hear that she was the same.” Marin eased away from Zack. Giving him room to breathe.

“Who's
she
?” Kyli spoke out with a tremble in her voice. She had been quietly crying, hoping Marin wouldn't kill Zack in front of her eyes.

“Moira. The last host of your demon gift. The only vampire in history to say no to the evil temptation now within you.” Marin walked over to the dead woman and wiped his hand off on her skirt. The stain of blood was still present on Marin's skin.

“But how do you say no to a demon?” Kyli asked as if she knew more about the situation than she had told Zack. Kyli let go of Zack's hand.

“Tell it to fuck itself, then ignore it forever.” Yugo stepped in from the living room. “Cherry's not going to like this. Why'd you have to kill the psychic, Marin?”

“I wanted to know for sure what he was, to you, to me. Call it the cost of added insurance.” Marin got back up.

“Cost of insurance? Cherry won't believe that shit for one minute.” Yugo argued.

“She tried to murder Zack. I stopped her.” Marin was coarse towards Yugo. Some piece of information had been put together in Marin's mind that had unsettled him concerning Yugo. “Is that provocation enough?”

“He's here to save us Marin.” Yugo said calmly.

“He's a token to redeem you for what you let happen to Moira. You're-” Marin was stopped by Yugo's hand on his right cheek.

Yugo did not strike him, only touched his jaw gently in a quick popping fashion. Marin's expression was that of instant disgust. Marin had spoken out of line and he knew it. Whatever Marin was harboring against Yugo, the image of Zack's dream world complicated things.

“Zack, do you remember what I showed you? The secret I told you about the ocean of blood?” Yugo walked away from Marin.

Marin coughed and regained his composure.

Zack nodded as Yugo stepped up to him. Kyli leaned into Zack, letting his shoulder touch hers, showing support. Telling him she was there.

“I remember what the forest represented. If that's what you're asking?” Zack had stopped shaking. He knew that Yugo would at least prevent Marin from killing him if things came down to that again.

“I can show you how to live a long life with it. To never have the anxiety as it whispers in your dreams. To know that all the power it speaks of is completely true and all you have to do is give it the blood it wants and you along with it all.” Yugo lowered his voice and spoke into Zack's left ear, the side farthest away from Kyli. “I can teach you how to protect the people you care about. To protect her in a way no one else can.” Yugo paused. “With your unique demon gift.”

“What about when it speaks to me when I'm not dreaming? What about the times when I'm awake?” Zack was nervous.

“It's done that much already? He's gotten bold.” Yugo lifted back a little from Zack and turned to Marin. “You were right to protect him the way you did.”

Zack stepped away from Yugo. He gripped Kyli around the waist, holding her tight and close to him. “I'll protect her how I want to, not with its help. I've seen what it's offered, what you've offered. I don't want any of it!” Zack shouted.

Yugo lowered his eyes momentarily.

“Marin, if you're going to kill me, why save me? Don't toy with me, I don't deserve that, neither does Kyli. I'm either dead or waiting to die in your world. And you haven't slaughtered me so far. So tell me why, or I'm taking my girlfriend and leaving.” Zack laid it down. He wanted the answers Marin and Yugo had been so illusive with. Zack was taking charge of the situation.

Kyli was loving it.

Yugo was irritated, not mad. With one look he told Marin to leave. “Zack, I know what you are capable of more than anyone else in this world. On that you have to take my word. The gift you hold is no light burden. It can destroy nations. It has destroyed a nation.”

Zack stood strong next to Kyli.

“This gift is cruel to its host. Some demons will threaten, some will bribe, this one torments the mind directly. It's a psychic gift by nature, dreams are its playground, its world. It is god there. It is omnipotent and it will let you know it. You need to understand, as you are now, it will win one day. If you fight it, it will always win. I can teach you to withstand its illusions and prepare for its lies. To become one of us and keep your gift in check.” Yugo was offering an alliance to Zack.

“And if I refuse?” Zack was feeling manipulated, forced. He didn't like how this was going.

“A few things. Most of them have a very bad result for you.” Yugo told Zack.

“They are?” Zack wanted to know his options.

“If you don't let me help you. The demon inside will eventually kill you.” Yugo could see that Zack wanted to know more. “If that doesn't happen, there's always Malio.”