Melabeth Forgive Me, For I Am Sin! (22 page)

"I watched the video of my death, you did not make me," I accused.

Nicks shook his head, "Not entirely. I am afraid you are an enigma to me."

It all made sense now; I wasn’t even a vampire, and no one knew what I was, or what I would become. My voice sounded empty as I asked, “And the ghosts? Why can I see them?”

Nicks looked at me as if he were hoping that this conversation wouldn’t go there, “I can’t answer that in full, but I will try to make you understand. I had been hoping that you hadn’t even noticed that other vampires couldn’t see ghosts. How did you figure it out?”

I was upset; how could he not tell me, why couldn’t he tell me? I know that I should trust him, but it was hard. I told him, “Well, it was a couple of months after being in Vegas. Alice likes to come to my room at night and try to mess with me. I don’t always use my second sight, so sometimes she gets me good. I know it was her way of testing me; she was trying to figure out ways around my defenses. One night when she was over I tried to introduce her to Carrie. Alice’s response was that the silly ghost wasn’t showing herself. Carrie had no idea why she couldn’t see her. Then Alice explained to me that she didn’t like ghosts and how she didn’t want anything to do with my boyfriend’s spirits. It was then that I explained to Alice that Carrie was not David’s ghost but my friend.”

Nicks’ eyes widened, but he kept his voice steady, “And what did she say?”

I answered Nicks’ question, “She asked me for every little detail, and then told me never to speak about it again. She made mention that I should probably kill David, or, at the very least, make sure David understood that I would kill him if he ever made mention of it to anyone.”

Nicks sighed, “What’s done is done.”

“Tell me what it means?” I demanded.

Nicks’ eyes, that always had this red light in them, were now burning with fire. I felt three inches tall when he said with a booming voice, “It means you are my child; it means there is more to come… and it means you must find your way soon, before it is too late.”

I wasn’t sure what to say.  I felt like I was shrinking under those eyes. I was working up a response when he waved his arm through the air. It felt as if someone let all the air out of the room. I felt myself being pulled through the dark.

As I lay in the dark I heard Nicks’ voice call out to me, calmer and full of love. “Find your way, love; greatness is in you; it’s up to you.”

剣

After my terrible time with my father Nicks, I was glad to be awake.

I looked out the hotel room window, the sky was red, and it wouldn’t be long before nightfall. I wished to leave in the dark; I wished to fly. Forget driving back; I wanted to feel the wind in my hair as I sailed through the sky. It would take a lot longer, but I was in no hurry.

I laid out an outfit and then got dressed. I put on the same dress I had on the night before. That is after I cleaned the blood off. I had my tall boots next to the bed as I laid out my trench coat. Ezra had made this for me; it was black leather and fit me tightly around the waist when closed. It also had knives hidden throughout the garment.  I was packing the rest of my stuff into a bag and half considering just throwing it away. The extra weight would affect how high I could go.

Flying was more like floating; vampires could make themselves weightless. It’s kind of the opposite thing we do when we make ourselves flash. When we flash, Ezra believes that there are particles breaking apart, and that’s how vampires move so fast. When we make ourselves weightless, we are so strong that, when we jump, it looks like we fly away from a human perspective. It may not be actual flying, but it is fun.

I can get at least two hundred feet up in one jump, but that wouldn’t get me anywhere, so I have to jump in an arc. It's really fun when I jump off high places like buildings and cliffs. Even though I can make myself weightless, I can't make items that I am carrying weigh nothing.

I had nothing but clothes in the bag anyway; I was about to toss it into the corner of the room when I remembered I put the handle of my magic sword in there. I fished it out and looked at it; I wonder if it will turn back into a sword at night. I really don’t know how this thing works, and David didn’t tell me. I laid the hilt on the table; I would wait until after dark before putting it in my pocket.

I was ready to go; I looked outside, and the sky was red. I walked over to the table where the hilt laid, still no sword. Well maybe it has to be completely dark; I mean I would hate for this hilt to turn into a sword when it was in my pocket. I guess I will just carry it, so I picked it up.

I was about to head toward the door and leave, when I heard crying coming from the floor on the other side of the bed.

I walked around slowly, a little spooked.

When I came around the bed and could see who was crying, I froze. There Carrie sat, leaning against the wall with her knees drawn up to her chest. Crying softly like she was in pain, or that she lost someone dear.

What was she doing here?

A few thoughts went through my head really quickly. First I hadn’t seen Carrie when me and David had taken on the
troll. What a great friend I was. I had been so preoccupied that I didn’t even notice her missing. Second, this was some more cruelty of David's; why else would she be here with me.

I came to one knee and gently laid a hand on Carrie; I tried to soothe her, “Carrie dear, it's me, Melabeth. Are you ok? Can I help you?”

Carrie slowly lifted her head; it took her a moment as if she was trying to figure out who I was. “Melabeth, it was awful, so damned awful.  It was like dying again. I had no idea it would be like that, or as God as my witness I wouldn’t have done it.  I will tell you this; that there David, is a no good rat to talk me into that.”

I asked, “I don’t understand Carrie, what did David have you do? Why are you here? Is it something to do with this magic sword?”

Carrie started laughing; she was laughing so hard she was crying again. Wow, she was worse off than I thought. “Carrie, what's so funny? What's wrong with you?”

Carrie f
orcibly controlled her laughter and then said through giggles, “You sound like me. Twenty questions and all; then I realized how annoying that is.” She went back to crying, “It's not every day you come to realize that you're so annoying, and that no one cares if they hurt you.”

With that, I took her in my arms and held her to me. I understood that David was mad at me, but he has gone too far, and now I’m pissed. I moved Carrie to the edge of the bed, and, after a few minutes, she had control of herself.

I also noticed she was now wearing the same dress as when I first meet her. Without David’s Necromancer power, she was weaker and could only appear as she did in death.

Concerned I asked Carrie, “Now that you are calm, tell me what’s going on, and what David has done.”

Through a few sniffles Carrie explained, “He said you' all would need a magic weapon to defeat the troll in battle. You know I would do anything for you… don’t you?”

I smiled, “I never doubted it for a minute, but I never wanted you to hurt yourself.”

Carrie's face was sad, “Well, I really didn’t either. David told me he could turn me into a spirit sword. Using my spirit, I would make a weapon that couldn’t be broken, well except for during the day. He didn’t tell me… that I would feel the pain of the person you cut. I felt everything, and every time you cut him, I screamed, but you couldn’t hear me.”

When she said that, I remembered how the sword rang like a bell when I cut the
troll up. Now I realized that was Carrie’s screams. I looked at Carrie, “I am so sorry.”

Carrie smiled at me, “No need to apologize; you didn’t do anything. It was that no good rotten Necromancer, bless his little heart.”

I felt a wave of guilt come over me, “Well, if I were honest…”

“You knew?” Carrie’s eyes grew big.

Unable to keep eye contact, my admission came out in a rush, “Yes, no… maybe. David told me he was going to make a magic weapon, so I could defeat Jason. He told me that it would hurt someone to do it. I told him I didn’t care; just make the weapon. I did it, so I could have my revenge. I never thought he meant you.”

Carrie’s face looked so hurt, “I understand… you got to do what you gotta.”

I looked in her eyes, “I am really sorry, and I will make this up to you. This is entirely my fault; David would have never done this if I hadn’t hurt him the way I did.”

Carrie had a weak smile, "It ain't no thing sweetie. Pay backs a bitch, I think that David owes us both now."

I was walking to the truck. I decide flying would take too long, I needed to go talk to Alex McDonald. That was the detective that helped me out. He was David's stepfather’s friend, and I do believe that is where David was getting his information from. I remembered the man's handwriting, it was very original and hard to forget. When David gave me that file for Christmas, it had his handwriting in it.

“Where we going?” Carrie whined from behind me.

Trying not to sound like a bitch, but not really accomplishing it, I spoke fast as I walked. “To California, I think it’s time that I visited the detective. So far it’s always David talking to him and David leading me around by the nose, time for me to find my own way.”

I jumped in the truck and Carrie just simply floated through the cab and came to rest in the passenger seat. “It’s about time girl. And since it’s such a long ride, we could talk. Hanging with David has been boring me to death, well not literally. You would think since I was the third wheel, I would know a little bit more about what’s going on.”

I huffed as I responded, “Don’t worry, I will fill you in, but meanwhile I need a little quiet time.”

Carrie gave me a nasty look, “You know I don’t do
quiet
time. That’s one thing that ain't fair, neither you nor David like talk-in. Now here I am, crazy ghost girl talking to herself.”

“Talking to herself
quietly
,” I added.

I ended up talking to her until the early hours. She was
a force to be reckoned with when she wanted to talk. We only stopped once at a gas station to fill up the truck and my stomach. It was easy to act like a hooker at a truck stop. In fact, I got lucky because this real perverted truck driver picked me up; he was so excited when he thought I was thirteen. I can't help but wonder what the cab of his truck will smell like when they find him.

Me and Carrie talked as I drove, but I kept the subject away from me and Michael. I had got a late start, the sun rose, Carrie disappeared and I kept on driving. I had put on my dark sunglasses; I wanted to drive further before finding a place to rest. Now that I was alone and Carrie wasn’t around to interrupt my thoughts.

It was close to noon and I just crossed the New Mexico border from Texas. I was tired and the sun had popped out from the clouds.

I pulled the truck over at a rest station, and then I went for a short hike away from the rest area. I found a sandy spot where I could bury myself; this was the safest way to sleep. If I fell to sleep in the truck and someone tried to check on me, they would find a corpse. And if I did awake, I could attack them. I was so tired, I hadn't slept well the night before. Every time I visit the library I don’t feel as rested the next day.

I finished pulling myself into the sand; it's harder to do than I had thought it would be. I remember the first time Ezra had shown me how. I just love the fact that you get sand inside every crevasse and opening on your body, and I do mean every opening. I hated sleeping in the ground.

Why can't there be more crypts?

殺人者

I hate working late.

I better give my wife a call and let her know not to wait up. Since the death, or should I say murder of my best friend Tony, I have been up to my neck in supernatural cases.

I couldn’t help thinking back to when all this started for me. I was a little surprised when I was visited by members of our government. They wanted me to run a secret detective agency to keep the supernatural out of the news and the lives of the citizens.

Keeping it out of the news was much easier then I had thought. Apparently they don’t print stories of people seeing witches or Bigfoot. In fact, when questioned by the reporters it's best to tell them the truth. It brought a big smile to my face when my mind wandered back to earlier tonight, just another example of how easy it was to hide the truth.

*                     *                     *

The reporter asked, “So detective, what happened here? How did this guy get torn up like that?”

It was hard to hold back the smile as I told the reporter the truth, “We believe it to be a young werewolf, and the wounds on the body are consistent with that.”

The reporter was agitated, “Why are you trying to cover this up? Is this a cult? Is there a new mass murderer in town? The people deserve the truth.”

“They wouldn’t know what to do with it… the truth that is.” I said this as I walked away from the reporter. He followed me all the way to my car, asking questions the whole way.
Even after I shut my door and started my car, I could still hear him shooting accusations through the window.

*                     *                    *

I chuckled, the truth, no one believes it. The real pain of this job was to deal with the supernatural creatures and try to serve some sort of justice. I had always been against The Order, but now that they are gone, I realized they did have a purpose. Maybe that’s why I have this dangerous horrible job, karma for what I have done.

After Tony was murdered by some of The Order members, I helped his son with information. That little shit ended up murdering and attacking The
Order members everywhere. He has a powerful vampire to help him; it’s my fault; I really thought he would bring positive change, but instead he brought pain, suffering and fear.

I looked
at the clock it was only nine pm, it wasn’t that late. I heard the front door to my office open. Beverly was leaving; my secretary would not work past nine, I couldn’t really blame her. I heard her yell out, “Goodnight Alex, don’t work too late.”

I yelled back, “Night, see yeah tomorrow.” The door shut and it was quiet. I had some phone calls; first I better call my wife.

*                   *                     *

That was my third yawn and fifth phone call tonight, and it was only fifteen minutes until midnight. So far the only lead I have on the werewolf was that it was one of the blue dog gang members. I may have lied to the reporter after all; this was looking a lot less like a young werewolf attack, but a planed hit.

I heard a knock at the front door, but if I ignore them I’m sure they will go away. Great, now they’re pounding, they know I’m here. Reluctantly, I got up to see who it was, and then make them go away. Checked to make sure my 9mm was in its holster resting on my hip. In this line of work it pays to be careful.

My office was in an old building in uptown Banning, CA, it had its challenges. It was more like a closet; once you came out of my office you walked directly by my secretary’s desk. In front of my secretary’s desk there were a couple of couches set up for a waiting room, but seldom did I have people waiting so even though they were old, the couches remained new. The front of our building was only about twenty feet wide and covered with windows, the secretary had already pulled all the long vertical blinds closed. The front door was metal with a glass window. The door was covered with blinds as well.

I walked up and slowly slide the blinds apart to get a look at who was out there. There stood a girl with long black hair wearing a black dress down to her knees. She had tall black boots. I noticed her fingernails were painted black, and she was wearing a lot of white make up, black eye liner and dark red lipstick. She was pretty even though she looked to be going to a Halloween dance; I never was one for the Goth look.

This was not a bad neighborhood as neighborhoods go; there is a theater across the street. There was only one pay phone out front, and sometimes it was out of order. It wasn’t uncommon to get kids trying to use my phone to call their folks for a ride home after a movie. Still something was off; there was no other movement on the street. I doubt a movie had let out, and why would such a young girl be all alone, no matter how safe of a neighborhood. I saw a big box truck illegally parked across the street, and wondered if she had anything to do with it.

Working with witches, werewolves and other supernatural creatures, I had learned to be wary of anyone late at night. This girl was out of place, but I better see what she wants, she could need help. I opened the door a crack, just enough so she could see my face. “Can I help you?” I asked pleasantly, but I kept one hand on my pistol.

“Are you Alex McDonald?” she asked quietly with a soft voice that rang like a bell.

She was a knockout, I stammered out, “Yes, what can I do for you?”

She cocked her head ever so slightly and was staring at me with huge blue eyes. She said a little louder
, but still in a kind voice, “I’m Melabeth, I need to speak to you about the men who murdered me… May I come in?”

Oh shit, o
h shit, she’s a vampire. I’ve been working the supernatural cases for years, but I’ve yet to deal with a real vamp. Let alone this one, she killed those men at the Inland Mall in broad daylight. And how many did she kill at the cemetery in Beaumont? and let’s not forget all of the reports I’ve seen come across my desk of her and David destroying hundreds of Order members. I had a witch years ago put protection around my office so she couldn’t come in unless I invited her, but then again I would never be able to come out either. This vampire is not afraid to fight in the day, I am so screwed.

She must have read my fright, she softened her face as much as possible and with a very kind voice, “I don’t want to hurt you, and I just want to talk. I just want to know what you know.”

My voice sounded strained as I stuttered, “Nooot a good time, mmmmaybe later…” the last word faded with no power as it left my lips.

Her face showed no change, but her voice was commanding, “Mr. McDonald I am not going anywhere until I have a chance to speak with you. I have considered all of what
you have done for me in the past as a great favor and will not bring any harm to you. Please give me a minute of your time.”

I took a breath, maybe it was the please or she might have used her mind control on me, “Ok… come on in.” I opened the door and stepped back without turning my back on her.

She smiled, “Thank you.”

She walked into my waiting room without a sound. The boots she was wearing had high heels on them. I had expected a sound when she entered my building, because the floor was ceramic tile. Not one sound came from her as she gracefully came through the door. I had taken a few steps back, she glided up to me and now stood in front of me.

Her smile was pleasant as she stared at me, “Would you like to stand here and talk? Or shall we go into your office?”

Bang… I jumped.

It was only the sound of the door shutting behind her. I could feel my heart trying to escape my ribcage. My vision was becoming blurry around the edges, I was panicking.

I forced myself to regain control, I spun around putting my back to her, “Let's go into my office,” I rattled off.

I hurried into my office and around my desk, the whole time the creepy vampire made no noise. I couldn’t tell if she was following me, or about to rip my throat out. I spun around; she had already sat in one of the chairs in front of my desk. Damn they move fast, I almost missed my own chair as I sat. After I situated myself, I tried to look comfortable and calm.

Trying to sound unafraid, “What can I help you with Ms. Melabeth?”

“Just Melabeth please,” she looked friendly and her voice was easy and kind. “May I call you Alex?”

“Yes, that would be fine.” That was the first thing I had said since she told me who she was, that didn’t sound as if I were going to pee myself.

Putting her hands together into her lap, she told me, “Two nights ago I killed Jason Black. I was wondering how close you were to figuring out where my other killers might be?”

I was a little confused, “I can’t believe you let him live this long. He’s been working at that strip club for five years now.”

Her face twisted into something not so kind, I felt myself shrink in my chair. With a less calm voice, “Then why didn’t you tell us earlier?”

Once again confused and little worried over my own safety. “Look
, I gave David that information awhile ago. Along with where the Smith brothers can be found. As much trouble as the brothers still cause… I was thinking you would have taken care of that by now too.”

Her face was still angry, but she wasn’t looking at me. She was quiet and I wasn’t sure what to say. I sat in the most awkward silence of my life. When she looked back up at me, she looked as if she might cry, “My father?”

Not following, I repeated her statement, “Your father?”

Still sounding sad and mad all at the same time, “Yes
, my father, what have you found out about him? Do you know where he is?”

This was not good, not good at all. I slowly slide my hand down to my gun, “Well
, me and David had spoken about that, a long time ago.”

Her face was no longer sad, it was enraged. Her teeth were long and sharp, and her eyes were fixed upon me, wide and menacing. Her voice filled the room, “I AM NOT DAVID… TELL ME WHAT YOU KNOW OF MY FATHER.”

I was in shock my hand was shaking as I clutched the handle of my gun. I was going to die; my wife was always telling me to get away from all this supernatural shit.

I didn’t answer the vampire
. She was looking down again, taking deep breaths, when she looked up she looked like she was going to cry again. Ok she's crazy; great I have a PMS vampire girl, who most likely hates men. I don’t pray often, but lord if you’re listening… a little help would be nice.

Melabeth spoke before I could answer her raging question, “Sorry, I’m scaring the shit out of you. I’m not mad at you; David’s been lying to me. Please tell me what you know about my father.”

By the time she finished speaking I could see her anger had faded away. I took some deep breaths of my own, “Ok, look… I will talk to you, but you can’t do that again... ok.”

She nodded her head. I took another breath, and my heart felt like I had just ran the hundred yard dash.

Trying to sound in control I spoke to her again, “Ok, I need to ask you a question first. See, a long time ago I found out about your father… Jack Dare right?” She nodded her head again to let me know that I had the name right. “Ok, well you see… I found out where he is. I did a little back ground check and pulled up some information on him. As I had told David, I don’t feel comfortable giving you this information. If any harm is to become of this man I don’t want to be a part of it. What I am asking you now is, what is your intention toward your father?”

Her eyes narrowed, but she didn’t move. She was perfectly still as she stared at me. I couldn’t help but twist around in my own chair. It was like being stuck in a room with a tiger. The tiger said it wouldn’t hurt you, but you’re just sure the tiger would. I was ready for her to start to yell at the very
least, but she just set there, unmoving, unblinking and I felt the chill run up my back.

She spoke soft and kind, but I was still startled by the sudden noise after the intense silence, “Will you tell me about the Smith brothers?”

The sudden subject change caught me off guard. “Yes… in fact, give me a moment… it’s here somewhere.”

I pushed some files around on my desk looking for a yellow folder marked blue dogs. I found it under one of my stacks of paper, “Here it is. In this file there is enough information to track down those two clowns. The blue bikers run up and down the west coast, but the Smiths are based out of San Francisco. They have family up there including w
ives and children, or should I say exes and children. You will find there are several key hang outs around town for the gang, it wouldn’t take you long to find them.”

She took the file out of my hand and thumbed through it, and then she asked, “And Alex?”

I knew she was talking about this mysterious Alex who led the group of bikers that kidnapped and raped her. “I told David…” her look said it all, “I know, I know, you’re not David.” A tight smile spread across her lips. “All I was trying to say, is that you don’t have enough information to hunt down this Alex. When you catch up to the Smith Brothers, I wouldn’t just kill them; you will need to question them. They’re the only ones who will know who this guy is, and where he might be. You have already killed Jason and I doubt your father ever knew who he was dealing with.”

She considered this for a second then with a very soft voice and a smile, “Thank you.”