Vampires and Zombies (and Werewolves and some other stuff)

Chapter 5

August 8, Ernest

We should have been in Greece by now, but were sidetracked and have new companions, though I am not very fond of them. Well, the humans are fine, I suppose, but my fellow bloodsucker is getting on my nerves. Albert seems to like her though, the flirt. Paedar seems hesitant about her. I can't help but be a little jealous. She and Albert have been drinking in the kitchen (or the galley, as Albert called it). Albert is drinking alcohol and the woman, Elizabeth as she (eye roll) wants us to call her, is drinking blood from one of her unfortunate young companions who she got drunk (yes, vampires can be affected by alcohol and drug tainted blood. It used to be a whole thing in the clubs back in the day. Never into it myself). Yes, as in Bathory. We'll get to that. Hold on, let me just go back to the beginning.

I confess to being angry with Albert, for he didn't wake me when we passed the Strait of Gibraltar. He said it looked like land and water and didn't see the need to stop and let me see. Sigh. It was nightfall, and we were in the Mediterranean somewhere. In any case, it was just barely after sunset and we were anchored for a bit, so that Albert could rest. I was on the deck, looking out at the water, listening to the waves when an unnaturally bright light shot into the sky and exploded, hanging there, illuminating a ship far off. It was a flare, of course, and obviously the ship was in distress.

I awoke Albert who told me we shouldn't be meddling and we should bloody well mind our own business, but I insisted we try to help them if we could. Albert tried the radio, but was not able to get anyone on it. As he prepared to take the ship closer, I told him that I'd fly over and render what assistance I could, despite his numerous protests and profanities at my "mule headed stubbornness".

I love flying. Obviously I had barely done any of it since my starvation had set in, but since my fast had recently been broken, the best part of that tragic episode was my abilities were back at full strength. I had not felt the hunger since we left Ireland either. It is not as though I am unused to hunger. In the Old West, it is not as though I was able to find a fresh evil doer to feed upon all the time (hence why I was regulated to using horses more often than I would like. When at full strength, I'd normally just fly above Albert as he rode).

Now though, I felt strong and young. I looked for any grey in my hair and it is as black as it ever was. I actually think I look a bit younger than I even was when I turned (I was 23. I had married my wife shortly after coming of age at 21). I wonder if I'd get carded. You know, supposing there was anyone around still carding people to get into places. And assuming I had a card to give them. I didn't bother to take any identification with me when Albert and I fled the city. In any case, I promptly put on what I viewed as my crime fighting costume, very similar to what I wore when Albert and I gallivanted around America in the day. Loose black trousers, a white ruffled shirt (yes, I am a dandy, and proud of it still!), black silk cloaked with red lined interior. Sometimes I would wear a hat, of varying styles (top being my preferred, but I have also worn gauchos, bowlers, and gamblers), depending on the situation, but as I was to be flying, a hat is not preferable, as even the most well-tailored hat is likely to fall off, hence my cloak to hide my features and lend a bit of mystique. I considered a silk scarf, but decided it would be too whippy and so, after fastening on my saber and whip to my belt, I was ready to goI rose up into the night sky and made my way towards the ship, still illuminated by the flare, though I was able to see in the night now eve was it not. I flew with my arms to my side and my head down, looking at the waves, only occasionally looking up, preferring to watch the waves, looking beneath them at all the life there. I think back to when I was human and how I would swim in the ocean in my younger days. Now I avoid it at all costs, because the things down there, both natural and supernatural, are enough to turn even the melt even the most iron of nerves. I mean, don't get me wrong, I've never seen anything quite Lovecraftian down there, but what I have seen are pretty messed up. One may wonder why I never thought of trying to invoke a Siren or some other water dweller to aid us, especially ones that can also move around on land (many can). To not put too fine of a point on it, I have yet to encounter a supernatural sea creature who wasn't a complete and total bastard. Oh sure, you have your cartoons with the mermaids. Ever seen a mermaid? I have. They're horrible. Oh sure, they're beautiful (up top anyway), but open their mouths and teeth for days. Bit like the Korrigan, except part fish, really. And yes, there are sea monsters. Serpents, krakens (giant squids, not kraken like eating Andromeda kraken), and other things in the deep that I doubt any human has seen, but definitely qualify as monsters.