Demon Vampire (The Redgold Series) (97 page)

“She's putting it together.” Salas commented. “And she isn't liking it.”

Zack answered Salas in his mind. “I don't need you to complicate this.”

“But I'm not the one that did. Your words are what's frightening her.” Salas defended himself.

Zack knew Salas was right.

Salas knew he had struck a chord. “Things are unfolding exactly as I told you.”

“No they aren't. She's opening herself up to me.” Zack told Salas.

Kyli just sat, staring at Zack. Silent, she thought of what to say next.

“I said that in her heart, she would be afraid of what you are, of what we are.” Salas laughed. “Look at her she's trembling at the thought of what you did. She's remembering you in the dream world. It's terrifying her.”

“Zack.” Kyli said, then stopped. Unsure of how to pick up the conversation. “I think I need some-”

“-Some what?” Zack snapped at Kyli. He didn't want to think that Salas was right, but she was retracting. She was retreating from him.

“You can see the subtle dilation of her eyes, the fear response. It's growing inside her, permeating her.” Salas was adding to Zack's problem.

Kyli stood up. “I can't handle this right now, Zack. I have to go.”

“No, you can't!” Zack grabbed Kyli's left hand by force, pulling at her to stay. “We can work through this!”

John knocked on Zack's door. “Is everything okay in there? I heard some yelling. Zack, is Kyli safe?”

“See, they don't trust you. Even in the simplest way, your own father doubts Kyli's safety around you.” Salas was tormenting Zack.

“SHUT UP!!! I don't need to hear that right now! Shut the hell up!!!” Zack screamed out loud to Salas.

Kyli pushed on Zack's hand to get away from him. It was stuck, locked in place by his iron grip. Kyli was scared, if she wasn't earlier, Zack could easily see it now. John thought Zack was yelling at him and burst through the door. Zack was breathing hard, frustrated at the situation.

“Zack, calm down. Let go of Kyli's hand. You're not going to hurt her, are you?” John was making things worse.

“Your father thinks you're dangerous.” Salas egged Zack on.

“Just shut up.” Zack said to Salas silently. “I don't want this to happen. Not like this.”

“But it is.” Salas said to Zack.

“Zack, let go. You're making my hand bleed. Please let go.” Kyli asked politely.

Zack looked at Kyli's left hand. His fingertips were embedded within her skin. Blood was pouring down on the floor. He didn't realize he was doing it. In his mind, he was only holding her gently, not as he was. The blood spattered on the carpet, pooling. Zack let go.

Kyli took her hand back, covering it to hide the true damage from John's eyes. “Mr. Giver, can you get a first aid kit for me?”

John could see the blood on the floor. “Yeah, I have one in the bathroom. Are you sure you're okay here, with Zack like this?”

“Yeah, I'll be alright. Please, the kit.” Kyli asked again.

“Of course.” John left to the other room.

Kyli didn't say anything to Zack. She stood against the farthest wall from him, holding her injured hand.

“Your girlfriend, your father, your so-called friends, the only people that haven't lied to you are your enemies. How does that feel Zack? To be betrayed at this level?” Salas was blaring his voice inside Zack's head. “You know he's calling the police in the other room. Right now he doesn't know what to think of you. He doesn't know who you are. Kyli's the same. She's cowering in the corner because she believes you are a monster.” Salas laughed. “And you are a monster! They are only sane to be shocked by what you are doing.”

Zack didn't want to respond to Salas.

“It was fun, wasn't it? Killing those men? I know you liked it, the taste on the tips of your fingers.” Salas was forcing the memory back into Zack's mind.

Kyli studied Zack's face, looking for a read on his emotions, trying to see what was going on inside his head. She was deaf to the conversation that was taking place in the room. Immune to the words of the demon being whispered to Zack.

“All I want to do is protect you Kyli. I don't want to hurt you. I'm sorry about your hand. I didn't mean to. It was Salas.” Zack told Kyli with a calm voice.

Zack's empty proclamation fell unwelcome to Kyli. She still refused to speak to him.

“Now you're blaming me? You were the one that took her hand, not me.” Salas corrected Zack.

“I don't know who you are Zack. If you are you, or the demon.” Kyli raised her left hand. “It's not healing, Zack.” Her wounds were still fresh. “I've fed, I'm not hungry at all. This is because of what you are. It's the demon inside you that's doing this. I know it is, but you tell me that you're the one in control.” Kyli welled up. Tears began to stream down her eyes. “I don't know what to believe. If it's you in there, why did you hurt me? If it's Salas, why only hurt me, why not kill me? It makes me think that you can't protect me from yourself.”

“She's leaving you.” Salas laughed.

“What about Orhn? Damien? They'll use you to get to me in time.” Zack was rationalizing things.

“I know, but I can hide.” Kyli was leveling with Zack.

“You don't have to, I can-” Zack was cut off.

John walked in, interrupting Zack. “Here it is. Do I need to hang around in the room?” John asked Kyli.

“No. We're just talking.” Kyli gave John the go-ahead.

John stepped out, leaving the door cracked open.

Zack went to shut the door to get some more privacy. Kyli flinched, and Zack stopped where he was. He backed away from the door. He sat down on the bed. With his hands together, Zack lowered his head.

“You don't have to Kyli. I can drink less blood, Yugo can teach me to control him.” Zack tried to convince Kyli.

“And if Orhn kidnaps you again? What then? What happens when you are put into a bad situation again? Will you snap like you did with me?” Kyli was pushing Zack away, she was building a case against him.

“You can see what she's doing. She's continuing to remove herself from you. You don't have the power to defend yourself, to defend her. Next, she's going to say you're losing it.” Salas chuckled. “It will all be over soon. You won't have a choice then.”

“Then what the hell am I supposed to do?” Zack said out loud to Kyli and Salas.

Kyli didn't have an answer.

Zack knew what she was thinking. Kyli wanted to end things. This was the tipping point for her, she was about to exit Zack's world.

“Oblivion is sitting on the precipice. A thousand paths and one destination. You stand without the strength to bear the weight of your own decision. I offer the choice you fear. The nagging wish at the back of your mind calls. There is no expiation for the sin I whisper.” Salas' voice hushed.

Zack considered the value of his own soul.

“Rip, tear, rend, and swallow the blood like milk. Walk with me through the shadows of this dark path. I welcome you on my journey. Not as a traveler, but as a companion, a host. To transcend monsters as an abomination. Stare at the sun and laugh. To scream at the moon and feed. Pain, blood, vengeance, nothing will matter next to you. You wish to shield the life of this woman that has betrayed you. That is your goal, your aspiration. Take my hand, reach for me. Close your eyes.”

Salas appeared within Zack's closed vision. His outstretched palm waiting for him, waiting for an answer. Zack began to raise his right hand towards Salas. He was making his choice.

“Kyli, this is for you.” Zack said out loud, softly and whole heartedly.

“What? What is?” Kyli didn't understand.

Zack was about to connect with Salas. He smiled for a moment. “Because, I love you.”

Zack took Salas' hand. Everything went black. Zack could feel the prick of thorns on his skin. Piercing his body, entering his flesh, they were becoming part of him. This was different than any pain he had ever felt. It was overwhelming, it swept through him. The pain was gripping, crushing him. Zack could hear Salas laughing wildly.

Zack fell backwards on the bed. Kyli rushed to him out of instinct. She did love him. Through all that had happened and all that Zack had done, she still loved him. In her heart, she could feel it. Kyli leaped to his side, picking him back up. Zack's body flopped upright, sitting next to her. He was unconscious.

“Zack.” Kyli shook him. He wasn't moving. “Zack, what's wrong? What's happening to you?”

Zack's eye lids fluttered. He was dreaming. Kyli tried to rouse him again to no affect. He was muttering something under his breath. Talking to someone in his head. Salas was winning and Kyli knew it.

“Zack it doesn't have to be like this. We can work on things. Come to a reasoning that's good for both of us. Something, anything but this.” Kyli was speaking to a limp, almost lifeless body now. Zack was flush, trembling. Kyli could see Zack was considering whatever Salas was offering.

“She's calling to you, you know. How pathetic is that?” Salas slanted.

Zack's mind was shut. Kyli was a faint message reflected against a distant broken emotional mirror. He didn't want to hear what she had to say anymore. He was going to show her, prove to her what he was. His loyalty towards her is what surpassed her lies. Zack cared for Kyli, loved her. This was his way of showing it. To desecrate himself to keep her from danger.

“It's too late. This is what I want.” Zack said to the demon before him.

Kyli took a hold of Zack's left hand and put it to her chest. Kyli was holding back. There was a piece of her that wanted the truth in her to come out. It was burning her to think that Zack might be losing himself because she was unable to say a few dire words.

“Zack, there's something I need to tell you.” Kyli squeezed Zack's hand.

Zack could hear only Salas' rant as Kyli poured her heart out to him.

“This is where the sky turns to red. Where the day will bleed for the crimes inflicted upon the night.” Salas' voice was dark again, grumbling, just as it did the first time Zack had heard it.

“The night we were together on my couch, in the apartment.” Kyli put her arms around Zack. “I noticed something different about you. The reason why everyone wants you dead. The real reason why you are such a threat to everyone.”

Zack answered from his mind. “Is it done? Have you given me what I asked for?”

“It's true that Salas did awaken inside a vampire once before. That there are a lot of people that don't wish to see a repeat of it.” Kyli slowly rocked Zack back and forth in her arms. She kissed his left cheek. “But that's not why. It's not why they all fear you.” Kyli tucked her chin down, pressing her forehead against the side of Zack's face. “It's because you're special, Zack.”

“Yes.” Salas hissed, happy to deliver on his deal. “It's done.”

“I put it all together when I found out you were his host. That you were the first and not the second like everyone had told you.” Kyli stroked Zack's ear once. “You need to understand, everyone has limits. The vampire elders have a cap on their physical strength. The vampires do as well. Vampeals are different. Power can be measured in funny ways sometimes. Our gifts have the same potency as our vampire counterparts. Age affects them all. The longer we hold them, the greater the gift becomes. Normally vampires and the elders are considered to be the greatest because of these gifts.” Kyli kissed Zack on the side of the mouth. “You aren't normal.”

“With this power I'll be able to fend off Orhn and Damien?” Zack wanted to know for certain, he wanted to be reassured what he had done was right.

“No. No, You will kill Orhn for attacking you. I will kill Damien for delaying me.” Salas explained.

“That's not what I wanted.” Zack protested.

“The elders, the vampires, the organizations they belong to, they all fear you, just you. Didn't you ever stop to think why?” Kyli embraced Zack. “Four hundred years ago, Damien helped to create the perfect weapon against Salas and the rest of the demon vampires. He failed because of Salas, but it didn't end there. After Malio entered your dream world, Salas had full access to every thought and memory he'd ever had. Damien, as well as the elders all knew this. They knew what would come next.”

“You will have no say in it. You've sold yourself. The only part of you worth anything to me, is your soul. There is no panacea for what I am to you. You don't get to complain. You will not become my foible. I will take your body. I will face a world unable to cope with the devastation I am about to bestow. Soon the veil of fire will cleanse the sky in all shades of red and black I wield. Blood will quench the palate of all that dream. Their minds will be forfeit to the pain I will instill upon them. I will be inimitable. Tomorrow is judgment. Tonight is hell. And now, this moment-” Salas paused. “This moment is pure.”

“It's the Redgold that Malio consumed, Zack. It's what made him capable to fight a demon vampire. Think, if the elders considered Malio to have the same combined power as a demon vampire, why did Salas overcome him so easily?” Kyli kissed Zack's neck. Gently licking a small spot on his skin, as if to clean it. “Salas has the one type of gift that trumps all others. If he can bite you, you're already dead. It's terrifying, even to them. They all know it. What you can do is far worse. In you, Salas has a real chance to gain true immortality and become practically invincibility. Zack, there has never been a demon vampeal. If Salas gets you, the world will burn to his desires.” Kyli bit into Zack's neck, letting the blood spill out. “And I'll lose you forever in the process.”