A brief respite

It took two days. Two short days before on the third sunset hunger gave in. The human had become more noxious, pitiful, as the vampires above failed to provide him food, water, or a place to relieve himself.

After his high had come down the man had crashed, sleeping like the dead after grumbling about needing something sweet. As if the tiny concrete box that made up the room contained some secret stash of confections, frozen or not.

She had spent the bulk of those two evenings huddled in her corner, fighting against the hunger that burned along her insides and throat until it felt Gabriela had swallowed a burning torch. 

The third sunset her will gave in to the demands of her body. There was no moment of thought, or clarity of waking. Merely the sun released its grasp on her and she sprang across the room without thought, her mind only catching up to her actions as she released the dried husk that had formerly been another human being.

A moan of horror escaped her as she realized what she had done. Her hands rose to cover her face, streaking blood that had smeared around her mouth to run in thin lines across her cheeks. 

Again she retreated to her corner, curling up on herself as a soft keening noise escaped from the back of her throat as she fought against the reality of what she had done, of what she had become.

Her knees pulled up for her to press her forehead against them. Another sunrise and sunset passed before Gabriela wondered if she truly had died and gone to hell. The scent of decay and death filled the small room.

No one came and the buzzing of the light haunted her through the night and day until she snapped.

Gabriela bolted to the door, banging on it frantically. Her screams, sobs, and frantic strikes brought no response. Instead, the lightbulb continued to buzz and flicker intermittently.

Dawn came again, then with the sunset she woke with the door still firmly closed. The dead man's face was turned towards her, his lifeless eyes staring accusingly in her direction.

Her hands bunched into the filth stiffened material of her skirt as she fought the urge to scream until she couldn't, to lose herself into madness and let all reason slip away from her mind. 

A soft scratching noise came from outside her door sometime deep into the night. Gabriela felt the door shift behind her and had enough time to brace herself before falling backwards as the support she leaned on was suddenly gone.

Gabriela bit back a cry of alarm as a hand curled around her upper arm, the hold firm but somewhat gentle as she was brought to her feet. Haggard, with knotted hair, filth covered cheeks, and her clothing stiff from blood and grime Gabriela felt inside the same as she knew she presented on the outside. 

Gabriela's breath caught as she turned to look at a battered Shawn. Crusted blood remained along his mouth and face where small jagged cuts had sealed over. Bruises had started turning into the mottled sickly green-ish yellow of healing but seemed to be paused there without the rapid regeneration typically displayed.

He managed a half smile, despite the puffy and broken state of his mouth. The action cracked some half healed wounds causing them to seep blood with the action and the man to wince. 

"Hurry. All the Elders retreated and healing. Hunters attacked the other night. Big mess upstairs but they took the brunt of it." Sheepishly he rubbed at the back of his neck before wincing as his fingers caught over a forgotten wound.

"You look and smell like hell. Worse than the rest of us smell wise at least." His nervous chatter was calming in a way, another human voice to remind her that she was real and that she was actually out of that horrible room.

"Yah, I am certain I do. Did Eli send you?" Gabriela didn't exactly sink into the press of his hand along her back. The gentle pressure of his palm that guided her down the hallway and towards the stairs.

Her steps were uncertain, tottering, as she moved. She relied greatly on Shawn's support to remain balanced as her mind sorted out the act of moving, of standing, of just processing more sensations than the constant humming of the poorly wired light. 

"No, Eli and the rest of the elders are still sleeping off their injuries. You might as well get cleaned up." The ascended the stairs together, both drunkenly swaying as they worked on sorting their balance and the give and take of support between the handrail, steps and each other.

As they made their way through the oddly darkened kitchen, past the silent Living Room, and up the stairs to the bedroom Gabriela's skin felt like it was crawling. The quiet seemed sinister rather than restful. Her body tensed as she waited for the next attack. 

Down the hall she could hear a few frightened whimpers of the remaining humans from that night. It seemed the meals were being consumed over time in some cases. Her body tensed and muscles twitched as she fought back the impulse to run and try and free them.

A small act of calculated defiance to show she wasn't broken just yet. That she wouldn't be broken, but the fear of being sent back to that room, of being trapped and confined to her own thoughts, the buzzing of that light, and those dead accusing eyes stopped her rash moment of bravado. 

"They should be out for another day or so. Enjoy the freedom." Shawn grunted as he slumped against the wall. His skin ashen and concern took over Gabriela's mind as she reached out to steady the other man. Dismissively he batted her hands away.

"I am gonna go rest as well. Let the healing of torpor happen." With that he made his way down the hall. His hand pressed against the stained wallpaper for balance. Each limping step threatened to leave Gabriela alone with her thoughts. Dangerous and dark thoughts that she wasn't ready to face. 

Instead of wallowing she turned and retreated into the bathroom. Like much of the house it showed the wear of use. The off colored cream sink, toilet, and tub were at least clean even if stained with mineral deposits from the water.

The linoleum floor was worn thin in spots and appeared grubby from overuse. Clean towels, fluffy and new, were a counter image as they were neatly folded and set onto a shelf for easy access. Inside the shower various shampoos, body washes, and soaps waited. 

She didn't bother to think about whose products she was using but instead turned the water up to as hot as she could stand. Gabriela nearly ripped the disgusting dress from her body, wincing as it fell and partially stood up instead of pooling on the ground.

A hiss escaped her as she stepped into the cascading spray of water and started to desperately wash. Bath and Body Works, Japanese Cherry Blossom body wash didn't erase the feeling of disgust and filth from her body, neither did the following round of Irish Spring, or even the cheap abrasive Dial. Dark ugly sobs escaped as she scrubbed and tried to wash her sins away. 

 The hot water ran out before her disgust and reluctantly she climbed from the shower feeling spent and worn. She swaddled herself in a clean towel before wrapping her hair in a second one.

Out of habit she worked the stay-in conditioner her hair before rubbing a thin amount of moisturizer into her skin; not for need to care for herself but just to feel normal. Gabriela needed to pretend the past several nights hadn't happened. 

The howling and pleading down the hall where Vincent dispelled the illusion she kept trying to cast. Desperately she dressed, throwing on a simple tan cotton skirt that fell to her knees, a soft pink shirt with the popular peasant top, and a pair of simple pink ballet flats.

Her frantic need for escape overrode any other sense or vanity as she groped around on the desk trying to find a hint of somewhere she could go to escape this house. Nothing to show but the discovery of a small keyring complete with the basic metal key of a Ford. 

A car promised a fair amount of escape as she fled downstairs and out into the driveway. There were only two cars, thankfully, one a newer Saturn and the other was a 90's model Ford Taurus in a blue-green color.

Nondescript, the kind of car you saw most suburban moms driving around their kids or fetching groceries just a decade past. It would work perfectly and she jumped inside before turning the key. 

The interior was basic with the only upgraded features being power windows, and an updated radio that boasted a CD player along with the cassette tape deck. On the radio blared the familiar upbeat pop song "I'll Tell you what I want.. What I really really want"

The aggressive and perky song came over the speakers a bit grainy but so mundane that tears threatened to spill from Gabriela's eyes. Biting the inside of her cheek, Gabriela eased the car out of the driveway before turning down the dark country road. She could hear the gravel crunch beneath the tires, the soft click of the turn signal, and the occasional flash of animal eyes caught by the turn of her headlamps. 

She wasn't certain how far she drove, or in what direction. She just drove only to find herself back in the city where it started. The downtown streets were packed and music blared from the various clubs and bars.

Life teemed around her in stark contrast to the world she had just escaped. Gabriela knew the reprieve would be short lived. She had no money, no place to stay, and the sun was unrelenting on both its hold on her sleep schedule but also the fact that it's light could badly damage or even kill her. 

Reluctantly she parked the car. The bounce and noise of the busy downtown strip became a temptation. Bright with neon lights, the stream of headlights, and the teeming flow of women dressed in an eclectic mixture of pleated plaid skirts that barely reached their knees, or short skirts paired with nearly see through tops that sparkled with the hidden bits of glitter woven into the sheer material.

The men were dressed similarly, with some wearing the fitted jeans that were popular at the moment, others wearing tracksuit bottoms with the breakaway snaps. 

Gabriela hesitated, standing in the shadows as her conviction waivered. She could smell the warmth and temptation of their blood beneath their veins. Her ordeal had brought up her hunger to a greater need as she fought against the urge to wade through a sea of these careless and unaware people.

It was just a nightmare right? There could be nothing wrong with killing figments of her imagination.

'What if it's not?' That lingering and faint possibility was all that she held to, refusing to let it slip as she stood in the parking lot, her hands flexing and unflexing as she worked through the inner battle.

"You shouldn't be out here." The voice was deep, masculine, and held the faintest of accents. British perhaps? Something else beneath it the proper enunciation though. Gabriela had no interest in deciding as she turned.

Her lips pressed into a frown before her mind could catch up to what she was seeing. Dressed in a tailored gray suit, the man leaned against the brick wall of the building beside them. Clean, his blue-black hair styled in a messy longer fashion, almond shaped eyes with iris's a deep rich brown.

His lips were full, quirked in a slightly mocking grin, and cruelly sensual. Beneath the physical appeal she could feel something predatory seeping off him. Something that turned her beast into a mere housecat. 

"Well? Didn't your sire tell you that this is our territory?" He continued, before pausing as he frowned, finally registering the shocked and almost desolate expression on the woman's face.

He could read the youth on her, the fact that she was barely turned, a fledgling to their world, spoke ill of her 'Family'. Annoyed Callum walked over to the girl, reaching to grab her arm only to pause at the barely audible whimper that escaped her.

Gabriela stood frozen, even as she shuddered at being grabbed again. The idea of being forced back to that house, to those mewling cries of pain and fear, had her panting in terror. Her lips parted as she fought the urge to scream her denial, to run into the night and wait for the daylight.

Her wide, honey-brown eyes focused purely on the man in front of her. His statement made it clear he knew what she was, but the scent on him was strange.

Earthy, rich and vibrant, without a hint of blood or decay. He smelled like the summers spent tending the sun warmed earth. Like the gardens lovingly cultivated by her grandmother while Gabriela laid in the grass. 

"You aren't here with permission are you?" His tone gentled and he stopped short of touching her. The faint trembling of her body threatened that she would bolt if he touched her. Callum frowned as he took in the entirety of the girl's appearance.

Her wet hair had left damp spots on the thin shirt she wore, the curly strands threatening to become a mass of tangles as it dried in the faint breeze. Clean at least and her large doe eyes were compelling. She was pretty, innocent almost in the clothing he had seen worn by the local college students, or retail workers. 

"No, I don't think I am. I should, I should go.." Gabriela whispered, finally finding her voice as she took a step back. Her foot caught on a chunk of concrete and she stumbled.

A hiss escaped her as her ankle twisted and she fell striking the ground. Her palms and knees abraded by the rough ground and rougher landing had tears finally escaping and running down her cheeks.

Shame had her cheeks flushed as she bit down on her lower lip, trying to find a sense of composure as her resolve crumbled around her. 

Carefully, as one would approach a frightened and cornered animal, the man walked towards her. His hand offered to help her up, clean and manicured.

A perfect contrast to her torn nails and dirty grit imprinted palm; still something had her placing her hand in his as he helped her up to her feet. Once she was standing he released her, sensing again the tension that radiated through her at the prolonged contact. 

"You look like you need a drink and perhaps someplace calm." He surprised himself with the words that escaped. Callum couldn't remember in centuries where he had felt anything beyond the basic needs of this body.

Curiosity stirred in him and warred with pity at the sad creature. Something else though was there, a base need to protect, desire too mixed in. Emotions that he wasn't certain the woman would willingly entertain; unlike so many others of their community. 

"What's your name? I could give you a pet name but I doubt you would like what I come up with.." 

"Gabriela" The words escaped her quickly. Her last name didn't come, she wasn't certain if she had the right to it any longer. Last names were human things, connecting her to a human family, and she had killed someone. Committed a heinous act that took away all claim she had to being human.

" Just Gabriela.." She breathed out again, fighting the trembling of her body as it demanded she flee from this greater threat. Something about the inhuman grace he held himself with, the cool gleam of his eyes distanced him from humanity. 

"Callum, now that we have introduced ourselves, why don't you come with me?" He offered his hand to her again, waiting patiently for the woman to respond.

"Somewhere public, but offers drinks that might interest you." Callum blinked as the blood seemed to drain from her face and those alluring honey colored eyes filled with tears. What had happened that a fledgling would be so afraid to feed?

He could tell by the pallid color of her skin, the way her heart beat only weakly, and even the slight swaying of her balance that she needed to feed yet she fought that pull. 

"No.. no, I need to.." Gabriela started, her hands fisted at her sides as she turned to look back towards the street teeming with life and temptation. Suddenly warm hands cupped her face, bringing her gaze back to his. It wasn't concern that she read on Callum's face, but it was kind enough that she didn't shudder or pull away.

His touch offered her a sense of peace, of stillness, as she stared into his eyes. A piercing scream broke the moment as Gabriela jumped at the noise before frantically looking to see if Vincent, or one of the enforcers had followed her.

"None of that. Come on now. You need to drink before you do something you will regret." This time Callum didn't leave room for her to pull away. His hand grasped hers as he pulled her close, one arm looped around her waist to support her as much as keep her from fleeing.

These Western monsters were creatures he would never understand, with the way they created and discarded their spawn. Certainly he had discarded his shares of host bodies; though this one fit the best and had been the shell he enjoyed for centuries now until he wasn't certain how much was the body's thoughts and how much was his own. 

"Alright, ok.. Let's go.." Gabriela whispered. She didn't want to run from him, not really. Neither did she fully trust him; after all her judgment with men had been seriously faulty in the past.

The solid warmth of his hand against her side steadied her as they walked towards a nondescript building.

The storefront showed branding for some local mattress store and her look of confusion earned a low chuckle from her escort as he pulled open the door before ushering her inside. 

The store's interior was silent, dark but for the few code enforced night dimmed display lights. He led them towards the door labeled staff only and waited as she paused; wavering between trust and the urge to flee.

He didn't push or prod her along but waited patiently until she moved forward on her own accord. The tightness of her jaw gave away her nervous fear and yet she walked beside him in a dark building alone. Either foolishly brave, or too trusting. Strangely, he didn't feel the familiar urge to exploit that trust. 

At the back of the warehouse, behind a carefully arranged stack of mattresses was another door. Behind this she could hear the low husky voice of a blues singer, the hushed mummer of voices conversing, and clink of glasses being shuffled.

As Callum pushed the door open she was greeted with lighting that was bright enough for her to see the bulk of the small space while still dark enough to soothe her sensitive eyes. 

"Cecily here keeps the establishment neutral. All species can come here in peace." He explained as he led them to a small booth in the corner of the room. Gabriela didn't seem to notice or perhaps ignored the knowing leers of the other patrons in his wake.

Looks that turned away at his glare. Others of her species lifted their heads, turning those strange almost glowing eyes to focus on her and him. The tips of their fangs flashing in a hint of territorial threat that Callum knew they wouldn't act on.

Fear of his kind kept the nightwalkers in check. Fear that this small wisp of a woman seemed to hold for everyone but him; a refreshing sensation and a reminder of something long ago. 

"The blood is bagged, but it should help steady you." He spoke gently as he waited for the server to approach.

The woman that came to the table was dressed in the tidy button up shirt and fitted black slacks of the staff. At her side she held the round black tray typical for waitstaff. Not too tall, or short, the woman was of athletic build and seemed unassuming until you reached her eyes. Golden with vertical slits for pupils that focused on Callum with a different sort of hunger. 

"Been a while since you stopped in." Her gaze flicked to Gabriela before looking away dismissively.

Self conscious Gabriela placed a hand against her hair only to realize that it had puffed up into a mess of waves and curls that would take her an age to tame again.

Absently she worked to smooth it down as she tried to distance herself from the mundane, if not flirtatious conversation, the woman and Callum held. 

Focused and lost in her own world as she worried the strands of her hair down and into place, she missed when the server left to fetch whatever the man had ordered.

Only the weight of his palm against her hand, guiding it away from her hair, brought her back to the present. Stunned, she looked up at him again, just focused on how she finally understood the description of masculine beauty, and yet wondered how she found such peace. 

"Rough night I am guessing. No, no need to tell me. Just drink and steady yourself before the sunrises. I don't want to have to clean up the mess of a rampaging fledgling." His words turned from gentle to dismissive. Distant as he reclined against the cushioned back of the booth.

His eyes moved and roved over the inhabitants of the intimate little bar. He knew most by name and had no doubt that the rumor mill would soon start spinning about this little scene. Enough that he worked to appear his usual distance and jaded self. 

"Oh... oh, alright.." Gabriela replied softly, her own gaze turning over the occupants. Her expression flickering between disbelief and resignation as she took in the crowd.

Alone, they could pass as human, but gathered together and relaxed it was clear that none of the patrons had claimed humanity in a while.

She blinked as suddenly a wine glass was set before her. Another one was placed in front of Callum, though his was less viscous and smelled of fermentation and fruit. 

Her throat squeezed closed as she looked at her beverage. She needed to drink, could feel the cry of her body and how her mouth was already too dry and her stomach clenched and writhed in protest of her denial.

Slowly as she could force herself Gabriela took the stem of the cup into her hand before taking a small sip. The coppery liquid was definitely blood, but somehow richer. The strength and vitality it offered coated along her throat and stomach. 

For the first time in days, she felt both safe and sated. Oddly at peace as she spent the evening nursing that one drink and listening to conversation flow around her before making her way back to her car.

The drive back to the farmhouse offered the promise of hope, even as she raced against the impending dawn.