Tainted Blood

The night was unusually warm for this time of year. He enjoyed the touch of the wind on his skin. He was bored. This ritual, repeated every night, was starting to annoy him. He walked slowly down one of Silverford’s streets, passing crowded bars and scantily dressed prostitutes smoking lazily. There were few pedestrians, most of them drunk.

Pretending to be interested in one of the women, he discreetly glanced over his shoulder.

The man who had been walking behind him for some time also stopped, feigning interest in a shop window. He sighed. So, he was being tailed.

Continuing his casual stroll as if nothing had happened, he passed a bus stop where a couple of teenagers huddled, sharing a cigarette. At the next intersection, he turned into a side alley, slipped into the shadows, and waited.

A few seconds later, the tail appeared, hesitating at the mouth of the alley before venturing deeper. The next moment, he was slammed against the wall.

“Who sent you?” the vampire demanded, gripping him by the throat.

No answer. But the characteristic odour betrayed a hunter. A novice, judging by the sloppiness.

“I said, who sent you?” His patience was waning quickly; his fingers tightened.

Silence. A stubborn fool.

“Fine. Have it your way.”

With one sharp movement, he snapped the man’s neck, letting the lifeless body slump to the ground. The hunter’s blood was useless to him anyway.

Applause echoed behind him. He turned to find a tall, bald man in a gray, expensive suit standing there, with a smirk on his face.

“I see you haven’t changed one bit, Darenicus,” the newcomer said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Still a gentleman.”

“Save me the lecture, Verminion,” he growled, eyeing the man warily. “Why are you here?”

“Vermilion,” came a calm reply. “Twisting my name doesn’t make you clever, Daren. Just childish.”

“Funny. So what’s your business, Ver?”

The man’s mouth tightened, but he let it go. “Now, now. Can’t a teacher pay a visit to his former student?”

The younger vampire studied his teacher intently before crossing his arms. “The last time we met, you tried to kill me. Just say what you came here to say. I don’t have time for this.”

“Really?” The bald man arched his brows in mock surprise. “I was under the impression that being cast out left you with nothing but time.”

Daren simply stared at him, unblinking, waiting.

“Very well,” Vermilion continued. “The Council has decided to give you another chance. I have a job for you.”

“What job?”

“There’s a problem,” he hesitated. “A very delicate one.” He looked at the younger man pointedly. “It requires discretion.”

“Cut to the chase.”

“We’ve identified a Taint. The Council wants the carrier eliminated.” He produced a rolled-up piece of paper. “Quietly.”

“Who’s the carrier?”

“That’s for you to find out.”

The younger vampire grimaced.

“And why me?”

Ver shrugged. “For reasons beyond my understanding, the Council believes you’re the best one for the job.” He turned away. “Good luck.”

Then, he vanished into the darkness.

The park was quiet and gloomy. In the pale moonlight, the bare branches looked like claws, poised to tear someone apart. Thorns from a wild rose bush caught in his coat. He yanked himself free, not caring about the marks it left.

He wasn’t sure why he had come here. One didn’t hunt in places like this.

The overgrown square, once full of life, had become wild and intimidating ever since the series of brutal murders a few years earlier. The killer had stalked his victims here.

They had called him a vampire, which had always amused Daren. The psycho collected blood, draining it with some kind of device.

He smiled at the memory. The police never caught the man; at some point, he simply vanished.

Yes... Daren didn’t like it when mortals impersonated his kind.

He was jolted from his reverie by voices coming from the opposite side of the park. His sharpened hearing caught something else, too—a faint whimper, almost like an animal’s.

He instantly hid behind the nearest tree and listened.

They were getting closer. He could smell the sharp stench of human sweat and heard the sound of something being dragged. Then there was another scent. One he couldn’t identify.

Two men were hauling a large fabric sack. Something inside it was moving.

Normally, he wouldn’t care about criminals. This city was full of them. But that smell…

Curiosity won.

At the northern end of the park lay a pond—by now probably little more than a bog, but still deep. That was where they were headed. He followed them soundlessly.

As expected, they stopped by the water.

“How about we have some fun first?” asked the taller one, gesturing toward the sack. The other scoffed, tapped his temple as if to say ‘are you mad?’, and bent down to shove their load into the water.

Daren decided it was time to intervene.

“Leave it,” he commanded, stepping out of the darkness beside them.

They immediately drew their weapons, which he swiftly knocked out of their hands. Fists flew, and he didn’t hold back. A few well-placed punches later, both men lay face-down in the mud.

The creature in the sack whimpered again. He untied the cord and looked inside. A moment later, something lashed out, pushing him back.

He was on his feet in an instant, ready for an attack.

Nothing came.

Two bound legs protruded from the sack—human. Female, judging by the pink sneakers. He grabbed them and pulled the rest of the body free.

A bound girl lay before him. Seventeen, maybe. Her hair was covered with some green sludge, its color impossible to tell. Tape sealed her wrists, ankles, and mouth. Gray eyes stared up at him in pure terror.

He crouched beside her.

Yes, she was the source of the strange scent.

He tore the tape from her mouth and pulled out a knife to cut the rest. She didn’t scream. Not even when he grabbed her unceremoniously and set her on her feet. For a moment, he studied her neck. He was hungry. But that scent… Something was wrong with her.

“Run,” he said.

She didn’t move. She looked at the men on the ground—probably already dead, then at him. And suddenly smiled.

“I said run,” he repeated, irritation creeping in. “You’re free.”

“I have nowhere to go,” she shrugged. Her voice sounded strange in his ears, like little fairy bells.

“What do you mean, nowhere? Friends. Relatives. Anywhere but here.”

“I don’t have those. Friends, relatives.”

He almostrolled his eyes. Why should he care? He’d saved her. He had done more than enough.

He turned to leave.

“Please…”

He stopped.

“Please, what?”

“Take me with you.”

He looked at her, dumbfounded.

“What?!”

“You’re Daren, aren’t you?” Seeing his expression change from stunned to alert, she added quickly: “I recognized your signet ring.” She pointed at his hand, and he glanced at it reflexively. A golden band with specks of black opal. How could she have identified it in the dark?

“What are you?” he demanded, stepping closer again. “How do you know my name?”

“From Martin,” she explained, backing away. “He told me to find you. He said you could—”

Suddenly, he was right in front of her.

“Could what?”

She swallowed, now scared. “That you could help me.”

“Really?”

She nodded.

“And did he tell you what I am?”

“He said you two are friends.” Her voice was weak, uncertain. “That you saved his life.”

Daren closed his eyes and counted to ten. Then, he shook his head.

“No, kid. I can’t help you,” he said flatly. “Go back to Martin and tell him not this time.”

“I can’t. He’s dead,” she choked out. “I think.”

“What?!” He grabbed her by the arms. “Who? When?”

“I don’t know,” she whimpered. “It hurts…”

He loosened his grip.

“He said they came for me,” she continued, “Told me to run. Then there were gunshots. And silence. I was supposed to find you—but they caught me.”

She gestured toward the bodies.

“That so...” Daren said quietly, thoughtfully.

Then, he stepped back.

“Well, good luck.”

He moved quickly this time, joining the shadows.

“But... You can’t just leave me!” Came the girl’s protest from afar. Her voice broke. It sounded like she was about to cry.

Halfway to the gate, he stopped again. He wanted to ignore her. He should ignore her. But, for some reason, he couldn’t. Damn conscience, it seemed he had one after all.

He turned around and headed back, cursing under his breath. She was still standing there, as if waiting for something.

He gestured with his hand, and she ran to him. Like an obedient dog to its master.

“Fine, kid.” He sighed, resigned. “You can stay with me, but— ” He cut off her burst of joy, “— only for tonight. And you need a shower.”

“Yes—thank you,” she said quickly, smiling brightly. Daren got a distinct feeling that he had just adopted a pet.

He raised his eyes to the dark sky, suddenly feeling old and tired.

“I’m going to regret this,” he muttered.