The Life of a Half-Vampire

 

Tablo reader up chevron

Introduction

Comment Log in or Join Tablo to comment on this chapter...

A Dark Begining

It was a dark and stormy night and Eric Hanson found himself running from his father. This is not even close to the way he thought this day would end. 
This day had begun as what should have been the best day of his life, not to mention it had started quite a bit sunnier as well,  his friend Zane Eldridge and himself were supposed to make their choices together this evening right before nightfall. 
It was choice  available to  half vampires only, the choice between becoming a vampire, human or the animal of their choice, to live forever or live the life of mortal, with all the pain that would entailed. 
Zane had already made up his mind as to what choice he would make, becoming human was the only way to gain the free agency they had, the freedom to progress. Living forever as a vampire sucking the life blood of people had no appeal for him. 
Eric in the other hand hasn't quite made up his mind, being a cute hedgehog might after all be quite fun. Or perhaps living forever as a vampire might really be his thing. 
They had been just hanging out at the local garden park, passing the time away talking, they hadn't noticed it growing dark. 
Meeting up with his dad had been the very last thing Eric could have ever wanted for this day of choice. 
Eric's father had become a vampire before Eric had been conceived and had been trying ever since to turn both his wife and  son into vampires as well. 
They had been just leaving the park when they ran into him. 
As if he had been preparing for this very moment, he lunged at Eric with all he had; however just before he could bite Eric, Zane intervened and had been bit instead. 
The rest of the moment seemed to go in slow motion for Eric, from his standing still in shock to Zane's yelling his name in great pain with a one word command "Run!"
Hearing this had brought him back to the present moment. And he took off running not knowing quite where he was going, with his father hot on his trail, and to top everything else off it started to storm. 
'It's a good thing I like to run' he thought to himself. It was as he thought this he saw an open window, knowing it might be the best way to get away from his father for a while he hopped through it and closed it behind him right before his dad got to him. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As April Day and her brother Dave walked up to their shared apartment, Dave stopped outside Jeff their friends place. 
"April you go on ahead, I just have a small bit of business to take take of with Jeff and ill be right up."
"Alright, Dave have a nice time chatting" she grinned at him. So saying she ran up the next two flights if stairs, went into her brother and hers shared apartment. 
Flipping on the lights she kicked off her shoes and set her keys down on the side table, as she looked around the apartment her eyes stopped at a side window. 
" I don't remember closing that window" April said to her self, " I should have and I'm glad it's closed after all it's gotten stormy outside" as she talked she had been drawing closer to the window until at last she saw something the froze her blood and stopped her talk. 
An evil looking man was starring through the window,  April opened her mouth to scream when a hand clamped over it and a voice behind her said, "Please don't scream it will give me away."
April turned to look as best she could at the person restraining her, and saw another man, yes he was a younger non evil looking one that was rather good looking, however he was still a stranger in her apartment and she would have screamed then but he still had his hand over her mouth. 
"Please don't invite him in.  He's after me, for my blood" after saying this shocking thing he carefully removed his hand from her mouth. 
April's brain seem to have stopped working, because all the questions she had got rather scrambled trying to come out, almost all at once. 
"After your blood, does that mean he wants you dead? And just who are you anyway?"
"No he doesn't want to kill me, just suck some of my blood and make me a vampire like himself. My name is Eric, Eric Hanson."
"Vampires aren't real, though."
"I bet my dad would love to prove you wrong" Eric shot back at her. 
April looked back at the window, as if to prove Eric's story true, the evil looking man, Eric's dad?, grinned an evil fang barring grin. He very much looked like a vampire those fangs didn't look fake, of course she couldn't prove that they weren't either. 
"He's your father? Yet he's a vampire?" Then her brain made a not so nice leap of logic, "Wait," she pulled away from him, "You're a vampire too, aren't you?"
"No, I'm not. I'm a mere half-breed." 
"Half-breed?"
"I'm half vampire, half human."
"How can you only be half vampire?"
"Easy enough, my mom is human. My dad a vampire. Is there a reason you keep asking questions?"
"You broke into my apartment. I think it's my right to do the questioning."
"If that's how you feel about it, though I'd like to point out your window was left open."
" I live on the second story of this building. How did you even get up here?"
"The fire escape. Can I ask you just one thing?"
"What?"
"You're not going to let my dad in are you?"
April took a quick glance at the window, the evil man was still there smiling. 
"No I think one crazy in my house is enough for tonight. Why hasn't he come in already anyway?"
"He's a vampire."
"You said that as if it was an answer."
"The only way a vampire can come into a home is if they are asked in." Before she could ask the question forming on her lips he added, " I have no idea why this is so. You're not going to let him in right?"
"Of course not, I'm a bit more worried about the crazy I already have in my house."
"Wait are you calling me a crazy?"
"Yes you are the crazy I'm worried about right now."
"You're worried about me? But I'm just trying to stay away from my vampire father!"
"Yes I'm worried about you. What am I going to tell my brother when he at last comes up here? This is a creep who I found in our apartment, by the way he calls him self Eric Hanson, and he's claiming to be a half vampire, because his dad who chased him into our apartment is a vampire."
Before Eric could reply to this rant of hers the front door of the apartment opened, and Dave called out. 
"April, I'm home and done chatting."
They heard him walk into another room. 
"Hey where are you?" 
"In here," she called loudly, in a quieter voice she added to Eric, "I guess you get your chance sooner than l thought you would."
As Dave walked into the room his eyes fell on Eric and he dropped the glass of water he had in his hand. 
"Who are you? And what are you doing in our apartment?" He demanded. 
"Maybe I should explain my story from the beginning and go all the way through this time. But before I start I'd like to make it clear to both of you that I did not enter your apartment with any ill intent towards you."
"Ok, you can be innocent until proven guilty" Dave agreed. 
"No Dave in this case he's guilty until proven innocent."
"As I have already told your sister here, I'm a half-vampire. I was out with a friend of mine this evening and we didn't notice it getting dark. The dark is one of the things I learned to fear as a child, because of my father who is a vampire a fact I would swear on any bible in any court. My father was bit by a vampire and before he himself bit anyone and really change into a vampire himself, well lets just say I came, I wasn't born yet just kind of around in a way. I'm sure you know what I'm talking about."
The Day's nodded their understanding. 
"We'll shortly after that my father tried to bit my mother, and being a sane person she fled not wishing for that fate for herself or I. 
Anyway after my father died in an auto pedestrian accident and put in a grave, she warned me that I must never wander around at night, the only time he can escape from his grave and rove around, to look for me and other victims. I remember as a child sitting at the edge of our yard on my side of the stream that surrounded our yard at dusk and seeing his glaring stare that clearly told me that on's say he'd get me. 
This storm came up this evening causing it to become darker a lot sooner than either of us thought it would. Anyway after we noticed we headed home, as we left the park we ran into my father almost as if had been waiting for me. 
He lunged at me, however before he could bit me my friend Zane  in between us and was bit himself. 
I froze, I could not move until he (Zane that is). Yelled at me to run. 
So I ran as fast as I could with my father following close behind. I saw your window open so I popped in and shut it behind me."
"Why didn't he come in here?" Dave asked with a shiver running down his spine. 
"Because he can't, a vampire has tone given permission to enter any house, however you should know that once you give your permission you can not recant it."
"I guess it would be really bad to let one in then" Dave remarked. 
"Yep. Have I proven my innocent to you two yet?"
"All you've done is told your story. How do we know its true?" April replied a bit to harshly. 
"Can't you just believe me?"
"No" She stated flatly. 
"Yes" Dave said at the same time. 
April glared at him for this. 
"What if I brought my friend by tomorrow, would he prove my story?"
"I thought Zane got bit which would make him a vampire now wouldn't it?"
"Not quite, he was a half vampire like me once and he's been bit which would, I think make half of his human side turn vampire, making him three-fourths vampire now if I'm right. Of course I can't be sure because I don't think anything like this has happened before. But I'm pretty sure he'd still need to bit another person to become a full vampire."
Dave and April exchanged looks, after a bit Dave turned back to Eric. 
"If your friend will meet us we will meet him but only outside we don't really want to take any chances, not after what you told us about vampires."
"Thanks that really means a lot to me. Would you guys mind if I stayed the night?"
"I don't think so" April said quickly. 
" April, I think Jeff wouldn't mind if he stayed at his place."
"What makes you think Jeff would want to house a half-vampire, Dave?"
"I should let you know, I just choose the life of a vampire hunter. That makes me no longer a vampire at all."
"Whatever" April said not wishing to get into a longer conversation.
"I'll go down and introduce you to Jeff and see if he'll let you stay with him for the night.
As they headed down the stairs Eric asked, "Is April going to be alright? She seemed a bit mad and snappish back there."
"I think so, you just scared her a bit is all."
"Oh, ok. I can't thank you guys enough for helping me out."
It's been nothing, I believe you. April needs a bit of evidence, which I'm sure you'll provide tomorrow." 
Eric gave Dave a warm smile.  
Dave gave a swift rap on Jeff's door. 
It took a while but Jeff at last came to the door. 
"Hey I didn't think I'd see you again this evening" Jeff said by way of greeting to Dave. 
"Yeah who would have thought I'd be so lucky. "
"So what brings you around this time?"
"I was wondering if you'd let my friend Eric here stay at your place for the night? April doesn't really want him staying at ours. He's from out of town."
"Sure thing Dave if he's a friend of yours I don't mind helping him out for you. Come on in Eric." Jeff motioned Eric inside, "See you tomorrow Dave."
"See you later."
"As long as later is tomorrow, sure."
"Alright see you tomorrow then."

Comment Log in or Join Tablo to comment on this chapter...

A Trench Coat

Not knowing where else to start looking his friend Zane, Eric headed to the house he had called his home for the last twelve years. 
The  Eldridge's house. It's was a safe haven for part vampire children. 
It was also a veritable fortress against any full vampire that might somehow gain access into it. 
It had a running stream that circled all the way around it and bird seed was put out on the grounds every day. 
There were garlic plants planted in the window boxes and in flower beds by the front and back door. 
As Eric enter the spacious house he noticed a strange lack of noise. 
Zane's mother had three younger half-vampires that stayed here, and in Eric's memory Saturday mornings had never been this quiet. 
Eric entered the kitchen the one room of the house Zane's mother was to be found in most of the time. 
And he at last found Zane sitting by himself at the table, in front of Zane was a set of important looking papers, Zane seemed to be starring blankly down at them. 
"Where is everyone?"
Zane jumped up at the sound of Eric's voice, the chair he had been sitting on clattered loudly as it fell down. 
"Stay away from me Eric!" Zane said in a commanding tone, his golden eyes glinting in the sunlight coming from the kitchen window. 
Eric took a quick step backwards, putting his hands in the air as he did so. 
"What's wrong with you? And where is everyone?"
"I got bit by your father last night and you ask what's wrong with me? I'm more vampire than ever that is what's wrong with me, Eric. Everyone else is gone because I got bit."
"Why is you being bit the reason everyone is gone?"
"Because I came back here, I have permission to come in here. It's too dangerous for them to stay here anymore until you take ownership of the house and kick me out. Even then my mom isn't sure about the safety of coming back here ever again."
"Why?"
"Eric, I'm one bit away from becoming a vampire all I'd have to do is give into the growing temptation to bit someone. It could be anyone, even someone as close to me as my mom."
Eric stared at Zane trying to comprehend what Zane had just told him. 
"These papers here," Zane pointed to the ones on the table, "are the ownership papers for the house. Mother signed them over to me just before she left with the other kids."
"And here I was going to ask just a simple request of you?" Eric remarked, "but I guess you're too busy with a moral  quandary."
"Of course I'm, but all the same what did you want?"
"I was wondering if you'd come and meet my friends that helped me out last night I'm in hot water over with one of them she really doesn't believe anything I said, and I have a really bad crush in her."
Zane rolled his eyes as he replied, "I wonder if you even heard anything I just said Eric. I'm now roughly about three-fourths vampire I think, that is if I did my math right, you have always been better at math than me. So lets see here, confirm your story, and by doing so put your new "friends" in danger by just being near me, or don't and say we did. How did you meet them anyway?"
"I ducked into their apartment to get away from my father.  And, if you saw her you wouldn't say that, besides if you don't go in their house they will be fine and I was thinking of meeting up in the day time because vampires don't feel as inclined to bit in sunlight. Or at least that's what your mom used to say anyway."
"That she did," a warm smile reached Zane's face as the memory came back to him. Then he shook his head and came back to the present moment. 
"Wow thats quite a story. I'll make you a deal if your "friends" will help me out. I'll help you out by meeting them."
"What do you want them to do?" Eric said quite sure he soundede nervous. 
Zane laughed, "It's nothing that will harm them in anyway. I just want them to be witnesses of you getting the deed to this house. Which unfortunately is becoming rather repugnant to me as the hours pass."  
"You got yourself a deal. "
"When are we going over to their place to get everything done?"
"We can go now if you'd like to."
"Great the sooner we can be done with this the better. Just let me go grab my cloak then we can be off" Zane pick the paper up off the table and walked off. 
As Eric watched his friend walk off to get his cloak he noticed that his shadow had indeed gotten less visible to the point were it hardly be seen at all. The need for something to wear that could give a shadow had grown into a real need for his friend.
Zane came back into the kitchen wearing a full length cloak of a deep midnight blue color. 
Pulling the hood over his head he asked, "Do you think this will cast a dark enough shadow so that people won't think me odd?"
"Yes and no" Eric answered as truthfully as possible. 
"Would you please expound on that?"
"Well I doubt your lack of a normal shadow is going to get you pointed out, however I do people will think the cloak rather odd. Don't you have a,"
Eric snapped his fingers as if trying to remember something, "what is that kind of coat called?"
"What does it look like Eric?"
"It's long, looks really cool. I think it's worn in the fall and winter mostly."
"Do you mean a trench coat?" 
"That's it! Do you have one and maybe a scarf and hat to go with it? I think that might help pull off the trying not stand out look, if you know what I mean."
"True enough. But I don't think I have one."
"I guess you're to tall for me so I guess that cloak will just have to do" Eric said this with a regretful sigh, "Wasn't that apart of your vampire costume last year?"
"I think so. But I don't think it would help me any if I dressed up as one right now considering that's just a image of what people see in their heads when they think of vampires. I think you want your friends to see me as the real vampire that I am."
"I guess so. I didn't really think about it." Eric shrugged. 
"Well considering that fact that I have no trench coat I guess we should head out shouldn't we."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Zane realized as he walked down the street that he really did need to invest in a few other sets of clothes because this cloak really was drawing to much attention to his person.
What should the other clothes be? He wondered. What Eric said earlier would be really nice and really was a must buy for him. But wearing it all the time would get old and heck he'd look like Sherlock Holmes if he wasn't careful. Maybe if he was as brainy and not so moody it might really work for him. But this seemed as unlikely as Sherlock knew that the sun went around the sun. He sighed aloud.
"What's up?" Eric asked him.
"What are your friend’s names? I just realized I have no idea."
"April and Dave Day, I believe."
Zane couldn't help but laugh, who in their right mind would name their daughter April when their last name was Day?
"What's so funny?"
"The young lady's name, it's one of the sorriest I've heard of in a long time."
"Why is it funny though?"
"Eric her full name is April Day."
"I think it fits her she is just like a clear sunshiny April Day if you ask me."
"I find it funny, alright, because to be quite honest it really is."
"Well I didn't think of her name that much last night I was kind of occupied with the fact that my dad wanted to turned me into a vampire, then a bit later on my mind went off into well how can I ask this girl who seems to dislike me out on a date."
"Of course."
"Trust me after you meet her I think you'll know why."
Zane laughed out loud, "Are you you sure you want me to understand?"
"What do you mean by that?"
"Never mind. I'm sure ill get your point to a point with out, well with out me taking to much real notice of her."
Eric shrugged not really knowing what to say back. And with this they went back to walking along in silence Something Zane really preferred. 
What should he do with his life now that he was an outcast just waiting to happen. After all it would only taking him bitting just once to send himself to where no one would want to be around him anymore, not that he thought Eric would ever have that kind of sense, however Zane would have to instill fear into even his best friend even though he didn't really want to it would be for the best in the end. 
He didn't want to give up what he had always had the freedom for the most part to be normal. Sure he had always had fangs growing up and to cover up this fact he had learned sign language and never smiled to show his teeth/fangs ever well except on Halloween night, because on Halloween he was always a vampire. He only talked inside his home around people who could be trusted not to say a word. 
Eric had gotten off lucky, he had only gained from his father an obbssion with counting small things and his really dark red hair, which had seemed to turn black lately. He must have made the choice to be human a choice that now was forever out if reach of Zane something that Zane had wanted more than ever. 
Or was it really out of reach? Was there any chance of him becoming whole again?
There had to be, he still had a fourth of human in him. 
"And here is their apartment," Eric stated braking into his thoughts. 
"I'll go up and get them."
"Alright, don't take too long after all I have other things to do today."
"I won't take too long."
As he watched his friend walk off Zane made his decision no matter what the cost he would not bit anyone, no matter how long it took for him to find the cure for being a vampire. Even though this quest would most likely have no end until the heavens decided it should.  
At last Eric came down with the siblings who's apartment which he had ducked into last night. 
The brother was about five nine in hight had light brown hair and light blue eyes. 
The sister had golden blond hair and green eyes and a great hour glass figure. And Zane had to agree with Eric she was very beautiful, some might even say a drop dead beauty. 
"Zane this is Dave and April Day. April and Dave this is Zane my best friend ever."
"Hi Zane" Dave cheerfully said while shaking Zane's proffered hand. 
Zane gave his normal non teeth smile in turn and signed 'hi' in sign language.
April leaned close to Eric and whispered in a hissing tone, which Zane could hear just fine because. 
"I thought you said your friend was a vampire, what's with his using sign language?"
Zane grinned to himself and he signed to Eric "We should go some where there are less people"
Eric translated for him. 
Dave looked confused, "Ok, I guess we should head behind the apartment complex it doesn't have a people back there most of the time."
When they at last got behind the apartment complex Zane smiled a smile that revealed his fangs. 
April gasped feeling the same fear that she felt last night when she saw Eric's father smile through her window. 
"Please tell me those are fake."
"I wish I could, and I'd do anything to make them that way but they aren't."

Comment Log in or Join Tablo to comment on this chapter...
~

You might like Nisha A. Halim's other books...