The Dark Gifts Birthright

  The wood around the hinges splintered as she yanked the door open. Liz took no notice of the cracking sounds or damage. Her main concern was relief from the pain--

  And once again she was back in the dank cell. “What the hell?” she hissed.

  However long it had taken them to read her, enough time had passed for her eyes to adjust to the darkness. A sliver of light beamed under the massive metal door holding her in.

  Anger spilled over her in waves. “Who do you people think you are? What is your problem?” she yelled. The situation was ridiculous! She hadn’t done anything wrong. She hadn’t killed anyone, caused any trouble, or broken any of their laws. She’d done exactly what Michael told her to do. More importantly, she’d done what she known was the right thing to do. She hadn’t called her parents to explain her disappearance or attempted to go home.

  This time she felt them enter. Numerous minds probed her thoughts. Her body seized, shoving her back against the wall as she fought to keep them out. It did no good. They took over and as if by magic, she found herself in the cabin—

  Her eyes snapped open. Where was she? Bits and pieces of the previous night sparked to life. I have to get out of here. I have to find help! Scanning the room, her eyes locked on an antique scrolled mantel clock over the fireplace. Six p.m. She had slept for twelve hours.

  Sitting up, she swung her feet over the edge of the bed. The shag carpet tickled her soles as she stood. Every fiber caressed her skin sending shivers up her legs. She slid her feet back and forth enjoying the tickling sensation. Droplets of red adorned the legs of her jeans. Tugging her shirt away from her body, she surveyed an identically colored stain covering her left shoulder and sliding down the side of her pink tee shirt. “It's ruined. I'll never get this out.”

  Drawing in a deep breath, the haze lifted from her mind, and in its place, a feeling of invigoration and strength began to fill her. Not her normal strength, this was something else, something alien to her. If not for the fire in her throat, she would have felt wonderful. For a moment, the scents in the air caused her to pause. Raising her head, she sniffed. The place smelled of wood, both burned and freshly cut. A dusty unused smell permeated the air, but underlying there was something else. An unusual musky, sweet scent that seemed familiar, but she couldn't place it.

  Elizabeth crossed the room to the kitchenette before she even realized she was moving. Confused, she turned and surveyed the room. My mind must be playing tricks on me, she thought as she opened one of the cabinets. The cold metal pull felt strange in her hand. Running her finger over it, she felt a slight electrical discharge. Gently, she opened the cupboard door and reached in for a glass. As soon as her hand wrapped around it, the glass shattered into hundreds of pieces, sending shards flying across the counter. What the hell?

  Dusting the shards of glass from her shirt and hands, she attempted to pick up another glass. This time she was successful. A smile played at the corners of her mouth as she came to the conclusion she'd had too much to drink last night. “That is the last time I go out drinking with the girls.”

  The fridge was stocked with drinks. There was a six-pack of cheap beer, a crystal decanter of dark red wine, milk, and orange juice. The vegetable keeper housed a single package of moldy bologna.

  "Not much to choose from," she said as she decided on the juice.

  She patted her gurgling stomach. “You have to wait. I don't care how much noise you make, I'm not eating moldy lunch meat.” The handle of the plastic quart jug crunched and flattened as she grabbed hold of it. She hastily sat it on the counter beside the glass. Hundreds of thoughts and emotions skittered through her mind. What is happening to me? On the verge of being overrun with fear, she brought her hand to her forehead. It didn't feel unusually warm; in fact it felt cool to the touch. I wonder if someone slipped me acid? Maybe I'm hallucinating?

  The events of the previous evening toyed around the edges of her mind. She forced them back. It simply could not have happened that way, and she refused to waste any more time on delusions.

  Slowly, she picked up the juice and drank straight from the container. She gulped down half of the jug before her stomach clenched and her throat closed. The juice was rancid. She dropped the container and ran to the sink. Standing there, she rested her head on top of her arms, waiting for the nausea to run its course.

  How long has this stuff been in here? Her mouth and eyes watered as her mind fought to control her body's instinct to heave. Once she was certain that her stomach would obey, she returned to the open refrigerator. Stepping over the spilled juice, she grabbed another container before glancing around the small kitchen for anything to wipe up the mess. Liquid fire erupted in her throat. The mess would have to wait.

  Gingerly sniffing the milk, she decided it didn’t smell right either, so she popped the top of a beer and guzzled. It was disgusting. It tasted like someone had pureed shoes and put them in a can.

  Her thoughts centered on the aching burn in her throat. Need. Thirst. She needed to quench it, before she spontaneously combusted. She grabbed the unused glass and poured fresh water out of the tap. It didn’t taste any better than the other things, but at least it was cold and wet. Three glasses later, there was no relief and her stomach clenched again. She leaned over the sink as her stomach emptied its contents. A watered down orange color swirled down the drain. Something was terribly wrong. Whatever had been done to her, she needed to get to a doctor.

  Liz took one last look around the cabin, headed for the door, and stepped outside.

  Evening had settled over the forest. Liz entered into a world she’d never seen before. Each tree, leaf, and blade of grass seemed to take on a life of its own. Her eyes focused on a tree several feet away. Amazed, she watched as lines of tiny ants scurried up and down the trunk. A barely audible squawk pulled her eyes in its direction. In the distance, she could see a small brown owl perched on a tree limb. She smelled soil and leaves rotting, mixed with the overwhelming scent of pine. But, lingering in the forest scents was a different odor. Whispering to her, it pulled her forward. She identified the luring bouquet. Food. Her mouth watered as it enticed her further into the woods.

  Coming closer to the delicious aroma's source, she was less able to focus. Desire drove her, forcing her forward. Beside a tree, not fifty yards away, a doe watched. The smell emanated from it. Poised to move, it lifted its muzzle. A light snarl escaped her lips as the burning thirst consumed her. The doe blurred as it turned and ran.

  Instinct took over and Liz followed. Throwing her body through the air, she barely felt the impact. Seconds later, the deer lay on the ground and she was perched on top sucking blood out of a gash in its neck.

  The burn was gone! She felt exhilarated. It was like being high without drugs and drunk without liquor. Somewhere in her head, Liz knew she should be disgusted by her actions, but she wasn‘t. She wanted more.

  A new hunt began. Sniffing and listening, in search of new prey, she ran through the woods as silent as death. Almost giddy with the anticipation of the next kill, she lost herself in the thrill. Liz drained two small does and a huge buck before her mind started to process what had happened.

  Power coursed through her veins as the hot blood filled her with unearthly warmth. Charged with this new vitality, she stretched and reveled in the power bursting within her. Mind and body filled with this new raw emotion, and overwhelmed by the woodland scents, she wiped the congealed blood from her chin with her sleeve.

  Her sleeve caught on something sharp. She tugged, ripping the fabric as she pulled her arm away. Her lips felt smooth and supple as they parted allowing her index finger to venture inside. Four sharp objects protruded from her teeth.

  One word slithered through her mind…Vampire. Her mind reeled against the possibility of the existence of such a creature. Last night. It was all real. Everything she knew had to have been some sort of drug induced delusion was real. Logical or not, there was no alternative answer for w
hat was happening. Her mind raged at the injustice of it. I can't. This can't-- Her scream of rage broke the silence of the forest sending birds and small animals flying for cover.

  Liz dropped to her knees and again reached up to touch her newly found fangs. Her eyes sought the starry sky as she yelled, “How could you let this happen? I’m not evil! Do you hear me? I’ll never be evil!” Where she had once found peace and solace in prayer, now she felt nothing. No sense of well being. No sense of comfort. Just the cold loneliness of the damned. A labored sob escaped her chest. Chest heaving, her shoulders shook. She lifted her sleeve to wipe away the tears, but her cheeks remained dry. Where are the tears? Why don't I have tears?

  Just under the terror another feeling asserted itself. A feeling of desolation and emptiness. And nestled within, anger and hate. Darkness. The darkness ate at the terror consuming and filling, until the horror was gone. Within seconds, all other emotions silent, the only feeling left oozed from the emptiness and the wicked power of the darkness. “No!” she screamed. Then closing her eyes, she whispered, “I am not evil,” over and over until the feeling receded.

  Dejected, she sat on the hard ground trying to figure out what to do. A rustle to the left caused her to turn. A tiny rabbit wiggled its nose as it watched her from under a fern frond. The soft brown eyes, for just an instant, met with Liz's. That instant was all it took. It stood frozen in place just a few feet away. “Come here little guy. Come see me.”

  After a short pause, the cute ball of fuzz hopped over to her.

  She reached out, and taking it in her hands, brought it to her face. The fur tickled, sending a delicious shiver down her back. Its’ little heart beat furiously in her hand. Closing her eyes, she breathed in its scent. The smell was warm and musky with tinges of earth and pine. A faint sour smell grew stronger as she felt warm fluid flow down her arm.

  “Ewww.” She held it away from her allowing it to finish over the ground. Standing it on end, she turned it and gazed into its eyes. “I'm not going to hurt you, buddy. You don't have to be afraid of me.”

  Its’ nose twitched rapidly, but its heart began to slow.

  Sighing, she released the tiny animal and watched it hop away. So I can control it when I want to. I just have to keep hold of myself. She rose and began dusting off her jeans.

  Liz knew she could not go home. She couldn’t risk killing her whole family when she got there. Her heart tightened in her chest as she thought of her mother and father. Pain seared through her. I can never go home. I can never see anyone I love again. In fact, if she had any say about it she was not killing anyone at all.

  Where do you go when unexpectedly, you discover you’re a blood-sucking ghoul? Town was out. She couldn’t control herself with the deer until the blood-lust was satiated, so she certainly wasn't going anywhere near people. She had no choice but to find him, but how could he help her? What could he possibly do besides kill her? She glanced around the woods. Even with her new abilities, she couldn't locate him. Who even knows where he could be by now? At the very least he could answer some questions. Last night he could have killed her, but now she wasn't so sure.

  Walking over to the nearest tree, she pushed with all her might. Although she expected the tree to move, amazement filled her as it crashed to the forest floor, sending dust and dry leaves high into the air. “Well that's cool.” A smile worked at her mouth as she flicked at a small limb. The limb split from the trunk and flew into a nearby tree with a resounding thwack. “Okay, that's really cool.”

  Her gaze shifted to the east. Far above her on the side of the hill, stood an old gnarled pin oak. She sped in its direction. Air lifted her hair for a moment, and in the course of one breath, Liz was beside the large tree. The smile that had threatened before spread over her face as she gazed at the span of distance covered. “Holy crap, I'm fast.”

  Looking up, she judged the height of the oak. Twenty? Maybe thirty feet? Crouched, she flung her body upwards. Skimming through the branches, she neatly landed on a small protruding limb. Arms outstretched to balance, she surveyed the surrounding area.

  Once again she raised her eyes to the sky. “So you're going to leave me to do this alone, huh? Fine.” With that, Liz jumped and landed with a small thud at the base of the tree. Inside her, the darkness swelled. She closed her eyes and by sheer force of will, squelched the dark power. I will be who I am. No matter what, I will be me, she thought as she gained control of the power within her. For a moment, the darkness receded, but she could still feel it lingering within her, ready to spring forth. It frightened her. What if she couldn’t continue to rein it in? Okay, Liz. Get a hold of yourself. Think! You need something to level the playing field.

  Her mind ran through old movies and books she had read. She bent and pulled off an average sized, sturdy limb. Using her fingernail, she pushed against the green wood. Long shavings curled up and fell off as she sharpened the end.

  “If this jack-off reacts the same as last night, he’s going down.” She was ready. Her body felt strong and her mind was clear. First we talk. If he's unreasonable...

  Liz stretched, reveling in the strength. She didn't know if she could take him in a fight, but she wasn't giving up without one. Her cold eyes held no mirth as her lips twisted into a wicked grin.

  Chapter Three

  The Fortress

  Laughter filtered through her mind, leaving a dull pain in her head as her thoughts became her own and the cell came back into focus. From a seated position she launched her body at the iron door. The darkness insidiously consumed her as she beat on the door in rage. Iron buckled and dented as her fists slammed against it. Each blow resonated throughout the small cell with a deafening boom. Finally, she screamed at the top of her voice, “Will you just do something and get this over with! You’re torturing me for nothing. I’ve done nothing wrong!” Her voice echoed in the silence, bouncing off the walls. Breathing heavily, she quelled the storm inside her. If she were going to die, it would be with dignity. If it was going to happen, it would happen to Liz, not some monster.

  A discernible noise made its way through the quiet. Footsteps. Footsteps in the outer passageway coming toward her. She was out of time. They were giving her what she’d asked for--death.

  Surprisingly, the door opened without so much as a creak and the room flooded with light. After the long period of darkness, the dim torchlight seemed so bright that it hurt Liz’s eyes. She blinked until they adjusted. The small-cloaked figure from the Council stood in the passageway. “Just one more thing and then this matter will be put to rest. We can easily take control, you’ve seen that. However, your powers are developing with surprising speed. This last intrusion could be quite painful for you without your compliance.”

  Liz sighed. It wasn’t as if they’d really given her the option of saying no. “Go ahead.”

  Without any fanfare, she was hiking through the forest trying to mentally prepare for the looming altercation with her attacker. The fact that she might not find him never entered her mind. She was determined to find out how this happened and if there was anything she could do to return to normal. Growing up, her dreams and goals had centered on finding the right job and the right man. Being a vampire didn't enter into the equation. The shock of finding herself in this predicament had begun to wear off. Thoughts of what she might be able to accomplish began to fill her mind.

  Maybe she could be a superhero of sorts. Seeking out evil-doers and setting them on better paths. She didn't have to be a monster. It was obvious she could live on animal blood. Visions of herself wearing a skin-tight, black leather outfit with a black cape streaming behind caused her to giggle. She saw herself standing on the edge of a skyscraper, long, auburn hair flailing behind her in the wind. I could do it. I'd have no problem leaping the tall buildings. Mind reading isn't entirely out of the question. And the strength... If I use these new powers for something good, maybe I can be redeemed. It wasn't like I chose this path.

&n
bsp; Deep in thought, she didn't notice the eerie stillness around her, until she stopped to listen. Her eyes scanned the dark forest looking for some clue as to where the watcher was hidden. After a few moments, she heard his deep voice chuckle. She knew he wasn’t actually there. She couldn’t see or smell anyone.

  “Do you really think you can kill me, Elizabeth Markum?”

  Her eyes darted around as she turned in a circle trying to locate him. “Where are you? Come out here and face me you coward!”

  “Coward? I'm afraid you've mistaken me for someone else. I hope you slept well.”

  Her hand fluttered to her temple, massaging the tender area. The cabin and its contents flashed in her mind. A man's jacket and muddy shoes by the door, thick curtains at the windows, and no food to speak of. That familiar scent she couldn't quite recognize. A sick feeling settled in her stomach as she realized she’d spent the night in his home.

  “You have a lovely family. Do you dream of them often?”

  The veiled threat to her family crossed the line. After that, her questions didn't matter. The only thing that mattered...was killing him.

  “I think you had better come to me, Elizabeth. There are things we need to --”

  “Oh I’m coming, and you better be ready when I get there!” She knew no one was around to hear her voice, but she felt better saying it out loud. Her pace quickened as anger took over. She sped through the forest, leaving no trace other than dry leaves floating in her wake.

  “I’ll be there soon,” he answered.

  How can a voice sound sexy and cruel at the same time? It was mesmerizing to hear him. No wonder she’d ended up on the beach alone with him. “It's not going to work this time,” she yelled out to the invisible voice.

  Chuckle.

  “Get out of my head. I’ll tell you exactly what I think without you eavesdropping.” With her newly crafted stake in hand, she approached the cabin for the second time. This time she was ready for him. Liz stopped short, just inside the clearing. All her senses were in overdrive. This time she could hear the slight tick of tiny ant legs running up and down the trees. Breathing in, she smelled his sweet aroma mixed with earth and pine. For some reason, it did not seem as nauseating as it had the night before.