The Eldritch Trials

Chapter 19: The Vampire King

Gale

I knew that there was no way to beat Angel in a fair fight. So. I sought to weight the odds.
I slipped out of the manor. It wasn't hard to find the nearest vampire coven, Shane keeps record of all those things should he need vampires to stab while he's home. They didn't know who I was when I showed up, but their leader was more than happy to turn me in exchange for getting to feed. Human blood is something of a delicacy, and most vampires stick to animal for practical reasons.
I met them in a field beyond the edge of the city, where they usually fed on sheep. The leader chose to turn me, and I thought it would hurt, but it didn't.
It felt amazing.
He leapt on me, and after the sharp pinch of his teeth entering my neck, it was...fine. It was like, like instead of blood I was being filled up with something more. Every muscle felt stronger, more alive, and I felt more awake then I ever have. Like light and color were rushing through me, all cold and beautiful inside, making me up whole again, and stronger.
I let him feed for a moment, keeping my last word as a warlock. Then I ripped him from my throat and sank my teeth into his neck.
I've had alcohol, and nothing in my life has been so intoxicating as the vampire blood. It was warm, thick, metallic, and wonderfully filling. My head was light with it by the time I drained their leader. And then of course they kept coming. They didn't want to let me live after that. They could stake me of course, if they could catch me.
But with each one I fed off of I was stronger than ever. Faster than them, and god knows I spent my youth learning to fight from a chief vampire slayer. I was fully prepared to become one.
I barely came to my senses as dawn rose, standing in the field of savaged bodies. I was coated in blood, sticky with it, and insanely high from the vampire blood coursing through me.
I knew I had to get home without being spotted. I took the subway, where I didn't look out of place, and slipped back to the manor. Thankfully, everyone was too busy looking for me to notice me come in the front door and go to my room to clean up. Once the blood was off of me, and I was slightly more sober, I appraised them of the briefest part of my plan.
And now for this.
"Go on, stake me, cut off my head, I don't care, I'm over, I want to die anyway," I say, sitting on the bleachers, as everyone, in true form, argues.
My dads have gotten over the shock of what I've done and are now more concerned with telling my mothers, more specifically, being blamed for letting it happen.
"I can't—I can't bring him back to Anita like that—we won't tell her—," Alec says.
"I will immediately tell everyone," I say, lazily, lying back on the bleachers.
"Take this," Jade says, handing me some herbs, "It will help you recover from the bloodloss faster."
"Thanks," I say, taking the packet of herbs and putting it in my mouth. Jade and Mac have gotten very comfortable with the situation very quickly, like they're very okay. I get the sense I'm not the first friendly vampire they've run across.
"No, we're not lying to them—also —no," Shane says, looking over me, "Have you eaten?"
"Yes," I say, folding my arms behind my head, "You should really just stake me and have done. I'm a menace to society."
"Stop being so fucking suicidal for a goddamn minute," Shane sighs.
"It is important, Gale, you're worn out, and the night is half over. When did you last feed?" Jade asks.
"Last night," I say.
"What—oh my gods please tell me you did NOT feed on the vampire that turned you?" Shane asks.
"Why? It's true. I was hungry at the time," I say.
"Because if you've fed on vampires—vampires and humans will now be after you— the vampires will not accept you now that you have a taste for their blood," Shane says, practically.
"I know. I did intend for you to have killed me by now," I say, shrugging and sitting up. I hear footsteps.
"Gale. How many vampires did you kill?" Alec asks, frowning. He doesn't know me, but he knows his brother.
"Did you kill the entire coven?" Shane asks.
"No," I say, standing. The footsteps are quickening. Shane realizes what I'm doing a half a beat too late to stop me.
I spring into the air, landing and pinning the other vampire with ease. He draws a stake, but I break his arm, digging my teeth into his warm, thick throat tearing it open and lapping out the rich blood. He was weak it only takes me a few moments to drain him dry. I stand, my belly comfortably full, wiping the blood from my face with the back of my hand.
"Now I killed the whole coven," I say, going back to sit down.
Shane puts his hands to his face.
Alec looks like he's going to throw up.
Mac kicks the body and starts robbing it.
"What? I was hungry," I say, sitting back down.
"He's addicted to vampire blood," Alec breaths.
"Thank you so much, nobody would have figured that out. We're really lucky to have you," Shane says, looking like he wants to stake his brother.
"You shouldn't need to eat for a couple of days so long as you don't over exert yourself. Turning was what caused you to be ravenous it's very stressful to the body. Now you should level out. It will taste like pond water in comparison but we can get you sheep's blood," Jade says, nicely.
"Thank you. I'm sure someone helpful will kill me before long," I say, "I still took the pills my mother gave me. I think they're helping."
"You're having fewer suicidal thoughts?" Mac asks, finishing robbing the corpse.
"No, but when I have them they feel stupid," I shrug.
"Good, welcome to the immortals," Mac says, squeezing my shoulder. I wince in pain.
"Whoops, sorry," Mac takes off his cross and tosses it away, then hugs me around the shoulders harder. I almost smile.
"That's why you wouldn't let your mother hug you," Shane realizes.
I nod, "Couldn't give it away that early."
"Let me look at that, how long did you let him feed?" Jade asks, examining my neck.
"A minute," I shrug.
"Okay, okay, we can't—how are they this calm?" Alec asks.
"Don't ask, you'll be more upset," Shane guarantees.
"Might not be the first, second, third, fourth, or fifth time a rogue vampire king has wound up being an ally," Mac shrugs, "Could be more, that's just what I can remember."
"Eighth time actually," Jade says, dabbing something on the bite on my neck, "The swelling on that will go down after a few weeks. You're always going to have a scar though."
"That's fine. I don't plan on hiding," I say, "It's going to be fairly obvious what I've done, plus Angel's not going to keep it quiet, even if he is in prison."
"No, no, no we'll keep you safe—we can't bring him back to them like this," Alec says, as I lick left over blood off my fingers. They stare at me.
"What? I'm hungry. All of you had dinner," I say, pathetically.
"We're not lying to them," Shane says, "Okay, just—yes let's go back to the manor. The night is half over."
"I travelled at dawn yesterday I just have to not let the sun hit my skin, it burns," I say tugging up my sleeve where a sliver of skin was burned yesterday. I've got a third degree burn there.
"Duh," Jade says, sorting for more things in her bag, "You're nocturnal now."
"Yes, let's get you home," Shane says, nodding.
"You angry with me?" I ask him, looking down at my hands.
"Ah—a little? I'm not happy with you let's go there —what were you thinking?" Shane sighs.
"That I'm more good like this or dead," I shrug.
Alec rubs his temples.
"Dawn is coming and until he gets used to avoiding sunlight; let's get him to the crypt where he can sleep it off and suck on rats when he gets hungry," Mac says, practically.
"Sure, how would you like being locked in a basement with a capri-sun as your only snack?" I mutter.
"Oh, I'm sorry we didn't stock up on blood for you. Maybe you should tell people next time you get bitten by an undead," Mac says, helping me to my feet.
"Deal," I say.
"NO YOU ARE NEVER DOING THIS AGAIN!" Alec and Shane are not comforted by our little argument.