Shifters

Chapter 6

Jared was sitting in front of the cage they had built to keep the vampires imprisoned. Each in their own separate section. It was easier to question them without their precious liquid. Actually it was almost too easy to interrogate them. The hunger that usually rules them if they haven’t fed in a while was almost in full force. Without their serum controlling and holding the thirst at bay, they were going into a blood lust frenzy.

“You!!! You have to get us food!” one of the shorter looking vampires was straining against the specially made bars.

 He was kind of odd looking for a vampire.  He had a mustache that flowed into his beard which had reached to about the bottom of his neck.  His hair was scruffy looking, messy, unkempt and a mix of grey and white.  So unlike the vampires he was used to seeing.  He looked a bit older than a normal vampire as well. Mid fifties he was thinking. A bit on the thick side.  If you were looking at him on the street late one night he would almost look like just hard working grandpa. Odd. Vampires like younger, stronger, taller hosts. Humans that made them look beautiful, strong, appealing.  Either this one meant something to someone or he had something useful. 

“They don’t understand!! Please, I’m not beneath begging if gets me what I need,” he sounded as if he was pleading now. “Please sir please! Come closer I can tell you what kind of animal I prefer to feed on if no human blood is available.”

Jared laughed, come closer indeed, he must be consumed by the blood lust by now to have not have smelled what he was. Jared just sat and stared at him. Pretending not to understand.

“Sir please!! My name is Gregor, please why can’t someone understand me,” Gregor was almost crying now. If vampires could cry.  Everything inside of them was dead and dried up. He really didn’t understand how they even survived, even off the blood of others it made no sense.  He almost did feel sorry for him. The way he looked, that old feeble man look. Maybe that’s why they kept him around. If he behaved just so, he could infiltrate just about anywhere easily he imagined. Except Alex said he spoke some odd language they couldn’t pinpoint.  Maybe he was so consumed with feeding he forgot to use that language now.

“Can’t you smell what I am old man?” Jared said softly. Gregor’s eyes opened wide, an almost fearful look. And at once he started screaming, an almost other-worldly scream.  He backed away from the bars still screaming and shaking his head. The guards rushed in then, along with Alex who had been listening.

“What’s wrong with him what did you say?” Alex said immediately.

Jared merely stood and walked towards the bars smiling.

“What? What is going on?” Alex was looking from the screaming vampire to Jared. The screams were starting to become almost unbearable to him now.

“You may want to leave, his screams will soon make your ears start to bleed,” Jared said just loud enough for the men to hear. Looking uncomfortable, Alex nodded and started to back out of the room.

“NO!!! NO don’t leave me with this abomination!! NO NO NO!!!” he was screaming at Alex now.  Alex just looked from the vampire to Jared and backed out of the room shutting the door.

“Why are you screaming old man?  I haven’t done anything to harm you, yet. And why are you even as you are? I always thought vampires were more … reserved with who they turned. For self-image purposes,” Jared forced a laugh.

Gregor had stopped screaming, but he was pressed against the back of the small prison the government had made for him.

“So tell me old man,” Jared was right up to the bars now peering at the vampire, ”how is it you are as you are?”