***
Cain and Helena arrived in Alaska and went straight to Helena’s home. The journey had taken its toll on her fragile state. Her skin was paler, and she looked unsteady on her feet as she gingerly got out of Cain’s car. He watched her slowly walk up to the door. Maybe it was because being here was very upsetting for her, but it was the best place to start. There was a faint chance Vasile had been sloppy and left a trail for them to follow.
Hers was a traditional cottage on the edge of a lake, with a boat dock off to the side and a large wooded area to the rear. The inside was tastefully decorated. The wooden wall had been left exposed, the living room and kitchen were almost open plan with just a brick wall in the center and a large built-in fireplace. The side of the wall had been removed and you could see through to each of the rooms.
Cain thought the cottage would have been quite charming but for the horrific scene that greeted him. There were two enormous, green leather couches, one of which lay in bits and the other upturned. The glass coffee table was smashed into hundreds of pieces. The white sheepskin rug was stained red with blood. There was not a picture left on the walls and all the books were scattered around the room. Cain could see hair and pieces of flesh and blood in the smashed television screen. The house looked like a tornado had gone through it. Almost all the furniture was smashed in the living room. Helena’s and Karl’s blood was everywhere. Her other arm lay on the floor a few feet away. The extreme cold had helped to preserve it.
He immediately took Karl’s body outside and Helena followed. She wanted to bury her lover without Cain’s help. She was distraught but to Cain it was a sad thing to watch. She looked like she was crying but there were no tears. Vampires could not cry, as their tear ducts did not work once they had been turned. A chill ran through him when she told her dead lover she would be with him soon. So she still planned on dying. A few years ago, before he had met Mia, this would have seemed pathetic to him, for a vampire to end her life for a dead human. Now he knew what it was like to truly care for one of them.
He watched Helena return and stand over the place where Karl had died. She could still see the bloody outline of his body, and she stood staring at it as if he were still there. She appeared unable to move, as if moving would make it all the more real. Eventually she was able to look away.
As they were about to leave, Helena gave Cain a book and a letter. “Do not open these until Vasile is dead,” she cautioned.
Cain nodded and put them in his backpack.
He was not happy that she planned to end her life when Vasile was dead, but he would deal with that at the time. He would try to make her see sense but for now they had to concentrate on catching the very thing they most coveted.
Helena picked up a photo of her and Karl, and then set fire to the building. Then they left to search the woods and nearby towns. But there was no sign of Vasile.
Chapter 18
Helena and Cain had been searching for days for Vasile when they came across a bar.
Helena thought it would be a good place to hear any gossip or if strange things were happening. If people had started disappearing, the locals would be talking about it.
They entered the Wolf Eye Tavern and Cain spotted two men sitting in front of the bar. He hissed and grabbed Helena. “Out! Now!”
Helena did as he said. Once outside she asked Cain what was wrong.
Cain told her of his encounter with three men and their dogs, a meeting that left one of the men dead. He explained how he had nearly died and would have done so if not for the kindness of a human girl, just a child.
Helena insisted they needed to speak with the men.
His body tensed as he stood in front of her. “Are you crazy? Do you know how dangerous they are? They know about our kind!”
Helena pursed her lips. “Think about it. Why are they here? What is it they do?”
“You think they are hunting him?”
“Maybe, but there is only one way to find out, isn’t there?”
“Helena, they are far more dangerous than they look.”
“Do not worry. I will be careful. They may have recognized you, so go book into the hotel we just passed and I will meet you there. Give me an hour.”
Cain gave her a displeased look and shook his head.
She smiled, and that smile lit her face up. “What do you think they would do to a woman with one arm, in front of a bar full of people?”
He agreed to wait at the hotel.
***
Helena sat down at the bar and ordered a glass of white wine. As she sipped her drink, she studied the two men. One was a very slim young man with red hair. He looked timid in his thick, black-rimmed glasses. He wore a brown checked shirt, at least a size too big, baggy jeans, and worn boots. His leather, flying jacket looked tired, like he had been wearing it for years.
And the other one? Now there was a bad boy if ever she saw one, and she had seen plenty in her time. His blond hair could have been beautiful if it was washed. He had a pretty face, and the three days’ worth of growth only made it more appealing. He wore army style boots with camouflage combat trousers. It was cold, but he wore a sleeveless black vest showing off his broad tanned body. His coat was slung over the chair next to him. It looked old, and unusually long for the style. It reminded her of a hunting type of coat.
The two men looked back at her. Tim could not take his eyes off her. Helena smiled at him.
“Wow! She’s the most beautiful woman I have ever seen,” he told Ted.
Helena looked at Tim. “Thank you. That is very nice of you to say.”
Tim looked embarrassed at being heard. He didn’t have a lot of experience with women. Ted slapped him on the back and laughed. Tim shook his head and glared at his brother.
Helena introduced herself and the brothers told her their names. Helena and the two brothers continued chatting for a while until she thought she could make her move.
“So what brings you gentlemen here?”
“Hunting,” Tim said.
“Oh, really? What are you hunting?”
Ted and Tim looked at each other.
“The usual stuff. So what brings you here? You don’t look like a local in your fancy clothes. You can’t be a hunter in high-heeled boots and a pink sweater, and those jeans look designer.” Ted kind of huffed. So what are you, a scammer or a hooker? Did you lose your arm after asking too many questions?
“Looks can be deceiving,” she said with the biggest smile she could muster.
Ted raised an eyebrow. “That’s true, so come on. Tell us your story. You have Tim intrigued.” He grinned, winking at Tim.
Tim shook his head. “Give it a rest, Ted.”
“You would not believe me if I told you,” she replied.
“Try us,” Ted said.
“Let’s go somewhere a bit more private,” she said.
The brothers agreed, and Ted thought he was right all along. She is a hooker!
Helena asked to be excused for a moment and headed to the ladies’ restroom. She phoned Cain and told him she was bringing the guys to the hotel. She would get another room and call him when it was safe for him to come along. She slipped out of the restroom window, got a room at the hotel and slipped back into the restroom. Although she was quick, it had still taken nearly fifteen minutes to get the room, and she nearly lost control over the ditzy girl at the desk, who seemed to take her time on purpose.
When Helena returned to the bar the brothers were just about to leave.
“We thought you’d left,” Tim said.
“As you have probably noticed I am missing an arm. Things take a little longer for me,” she said with a smile.
“We’re not blind. But it’s not polite to point these things out,” Ted said sarcastically as he rolled his eyes.
They all left the bar and headed to the hotel. Helena took the brothers up to her room. As she entered the room, she was hit by the musty smell; it had been empty a long time. The décor was dra
b and the furniture old and dirty. At least the bed linen looked clean. As she walked across the room, her feet were sticking to some parts of the carpet so she tried to avoid the darkest stains.
She got everyone a drink and sat down. She tried to read the men to anticipate how they would react to her words, to her revelation of being something they hated, what they probably considered a disease in this world.
“So out with it! Why have you brought us here?” Ted was thinking, How much is this going to cost us? She had to be cheap for them to pay her. Her clothes didn’t look cheap, but she was staying in one of the cheapest dives in town.
“Well, you wanted to know my story. I will tell it if you promise not to judge me and do not think that I am mad. Just reserve your judgment until I have finished.”
“Okay, we’ll give you the benefit of the doubt,” Ted said, waiting for the sob story she was going to spin to get as much money as possible out of them.
“I have lived in Alaska for five years with my partner, Karl.” Ted went to interrupt her, annoyed at the revelation that she had a boyfriend. She put her finger up to stop him. “Please, let me finish, and then you can have your say.”
The brothers nodded.
“Karl was in the house, and I was outside when a man came to our home. This man killed my partner with his bare hands. As I came in, I watched him throw him about like he was nothing. He never had any weapons, but he left me for dead after taking this.” Helena looked in the direction of her missing arm.
Tim’s mouth was open in shock.
“If he had no weapons, how’d he take your arm?” asked Ted.
“He just tore it off like you would a chicken wing.”
“With his bare hands?” Ted was doubtful that she was telling the whole truth.
“Yes, but he was not a normal man.” She stared at the men, tried to judge their reaction to her statement. They just sat there, giving each other the odd look. Tim was the most timid of the pair. So he would be her best bet at being believed when it came to revealing Cain. “Do you believe there are things in this world that should not exist, things only thought of as stories, things of nightmares?”
“We’ve seen things too, some things that shouldn’t exist,” Tim said.
“I am talking about vampires.”
“Yep. We’ve seen them too, ” he said. “Vampires!”
“Will you tell me your story before I finish mine?”
The brothers told her of their encounters. How a neighbor of theirs had been murdered by one. How they were treated as if they were madmen, or drunks. They explained that they decided to hunt the creature and how it resulted in their brother, Sam, being murdered by another one of them.
Cain was listening to the conversation, ready to help Helena if needed. He did not trust the brothers. He did not trust Helena’s judgment over this meeting. After all, the boys’ only encounter with vampires had resulted in death.
“Do you know that not all vampires are the same? Most do not kill humans. Most are like me and do not wish to harm anyone.”
“Bullshit!” yelled Ted.
“No, it is not. I speak the truth.”
Tim said, “What makes you think that? Look at the one who attacked you. He murdered your man and left you for dead. I’ve seen them too, so I know what I’m talking about. One killed our neighbor, and the other killed our brother, so how can you say they don’t kill, that they’re not all the same?”
“I have known a great many of them in my time and most are good people. They do not hurt or kill others.”
Ted grabbed his jacket. “Come on, Tim. Let’s go. She’s fucking crazy.”
“No, wait. Let her explain.” Tim did not know why, but he believed her when she said she had known a few of them. There was something about her that just wasn’t sitting right with him.
Ted grumbled something under his breath, but sat back down.
“I know the vampire who killed your brother. He is not a killer. He does not kill for fun or food.”
Both of the brothers were now shouting at her. “You know the bloodsucker? Where is he? I’ll take his head off.”
It was difficult to keep track of what each one said as they shouted over each other.
“He did not want to harm any of you. You attacked him, so you left him no choice. He was fighting for his life.” Helena braced herself, waiting for the onslaught that would come out of their mouths. She needed to keep calm, keep control of the situation. “I am sorry about your brother. He is sorry about your brother. I can assure you he does not kill people.”
“He’s sorry? You’re sorry? He’s still a fucking murderer,” Ted said.
“Please listen to what I have to say. I can explain.”
“No, you listen! We saw him sucking on an old man’s neck,” Tim said.
“Yes, you did. All vampires feed on humans, but only a few kill their prey. He is not one of them. He does not kill. Not without a reason.”
“So it’s our fucking fault that our brother’s dead? Is that what you’re saying?” Ted was glaring at Helena. If she were a man he would beat the crap out of her.
“No, of course not. I just want you to understand about him, that he would not have killed your brother if you had not attacked him.”
“How do you know him? And why do you think you know so much about them?” Tim had a feeling she was hiding something.
“I spent some time with him a few years back. Let me explain. This man was turned into a vampire by his mother. She was turned into a vampire by the one who killed my Karl and left me for dead. We both want revenge. He and I are hunting this monster who kills and tortures people for food and fun. If we do not stop him there will be a lot more deaths.”
She thought about how she could further vindicate Cain, but the boys were in such a rage she feared they would not listen to her.
Ted looked at her and suddenly he realized what she was saying. “He’s here, isn’t he?”
Chapter 19
Ted’s eyes were unblinking as he stared at Helena. His jaw clenched and he breathed loudly through his nose. “He’s here, you scheming bitch.”
“Yes. He is here.”
“We never knew for sure if he died,” Tim said, surprisingly calm at the news his brother’s killer was alive and nearby.
“Now we will get the chance to finish the job.” Ted was overcome with so much fury his nostrils flared and he sprayed Helena with rank saliva.
“I should warn you not to try anything. There are only two of you. He would kill you both easily, if he has to.”
Tim appeared quite relaxed about it all. His voice was softer, his vitals slowing down. Ted on the other hand looked like he was going to explode. His heartbeat was through the roof, and his blood pressure must surely have been bad if the color in his face was anything to go by.
Ted started to leave again. He wouldn’t talk to the mental case any more. He would find the one that killed their brother and the other one that killed Mandy.
But Tim looked at Helena, and asked, “Is it true? All you said?”
“Yes, Tim. I have not lied to you about him. His name is Cain.”
“Don’t listen to her. She’s fucking crazy. Come on, we’re getting out of here.”
“I don’t think she is, Ted. When did you lose your arm?”
“Just over one week ago.”
“I told you she was crazy. No way! A week ago? You think we’re idiots?”
“I do not think you are idiots. I thought we could help each other rid the world of the evil sadistic one who is called Vasile. There is something else you need to know too. I am also a vampire.”
Tim knew what she meant. He had suspected as much.
“You crazy bitch!” Ted was near pulling his hair out. Why did Tim insist on listening to her? But he could not take the chance and leave Tim alone in case the other vampire she was so fond of turned up.
“I do not kill. Yes, I feed on humans, but I do not kill them. Karl was human and I lo
ved him. Now Cain and I could use your help.” Helena looked at Tim as she spoke. “Vasile is very strong and fast.”
Ted was starting to lose control. Both Cain and Helena knew this had always been a possibility. Cain knew now was the time to show himself.
“You!” Ted screamed and lunged at Cain. Tim grabbed him in a bear hug. He was afraid for his brother. “What the hell are you doing? Get off me. Are you with them now, Tim? Have you forgotten what he did to Sam?”
“Of course, I haven’t, but have you forgotten what we did to him? We need to listen to them. Just for a few minutes, and if you still want to kill him I’ll help you.”
Ted glared at Cain, his face screwed up in anger. If the parasite’s sorry, he sure as hell isn’t showing it! His boots, dark blue jeans, and heavy padded lumber shirt made him blend in well with the locals, but Ted could never forget his face. He imagined that face rolling away as he cut Cain’s head off.
Cain raised his eyebrows at them. “I am truly sorry about Sam. My intentions are never to kill anyone if I can avoid it.”
“Don’t you say his name, you blood-sucking leach!” Ted screamed.
“Please, listen to what we have to say before you make your mind up. Let Helena tell you about our kind. I promise no harm will come to either of you.”
Tim nodded at Cain, but he held on to Ted, who just shouted obscenities. After a few more minutes, Ted eventually wound down. But he was still filled with memories of Sam, and thoughts of killing the monster that stood before him.
Helena told the brothers her story.
“I was born in Prussia in the time of Frederick the Great Elector. I was married at fourteen. At nineteen my first-born died aged three, and my second child died of the same illness one day later. He was three months old.” She paused for a few minutes at the memory of her children.
“When I was twenty-six I was pregnant with my third child. The sickness had left our town and I knew my child would survive. I was so happy. Then a man and a woman came to our home.” She watched the brothers, trying to judge if they believed her.