Dean's Online Fiction

The Greater Darkness

Chapter 26

Geoffry couldn't escape the thought that after such a vicious battle he should be sore and tender regardless of whatever superior regenerative abilities he might have. The first time I faced one of those creatures, it all but killed me. I'd just finished healing from that when we fought the second werewolf.

The vampire mentally shrugged, and then checked his back trail one more time in an effort to satisfy himself that he wasn't being followed. He couldn't shake the feeling that someone was following him. Geoffry almost turned around and went home without finishing his trip, but he was certain that this would be his last chance to visit Melody for quite some time. Based on the debrief we gave Imastious last night, it sounded like he expects Venice and I will be on the front lines of the hunt. If that's the case, I'll be lucky to get adequate sleep until this is all over, let alone sneak away for another visit.

His mind made up, Geoffry crossed the last few blocks to Melody's building, wrinkling his nose at the smell. There was another brief rain storm during the day, which usually clears out the smell of garbage for a while, but it's already back. What a depressing place to live.

The climb up the heavily-graffitied stairwell went fairly quickly, and Geoffry shortly found himself scanning the apartment to make sure that Anna wasn't around. Not that she ever stays this late, but it's a good habit to establish if I don't want to cause Melody awkward questions at some point.

Satisfied that Melody was alone with her mother, Geoffry knocked gently on the door. As always, the peephole in the door darkened for a moment, and then there was the furious sound of multiple locks being opened.

This time Melody was crying before she even managed to hug him, and Geoffry felt a stab of guilt. The last time he'd been able to stop by he'd told Melody that the odds were good he'd be killed in a few short days.

“I thought you were dead. Why didn't you let me know you were ok? I kept thinking that someone was watching me, and I didn't know if it was you trying to protect me, or someone coming to kill me.”

The vampire hugged the slender teenager to him and guided her inside. “I'm so sorry, but things have been happening, big things that I haven't had any control over. I haven't had the time or freedom to get away so that I could come talk. Nobody's trace me back to you, it was just your imagination.”

Melody's surface thoughts were full of relief, anger and a few other equally conflicting emotions, but she nodded and then pulled him in to see her mom. “Is there anything you can do? Anna says that the disease hasn't taken a turn for the worse, it's as stable as ever, but she's getting weaker. I think maybe she's stopped wanting to live.”

Thinking of the struggle he'd faced that last time he tried to plumb Debbie's mind, Geoffry wanted to tell Melody that there wasn't anything he could do, but looking into expectant brown eyes, he knew he couldn't lie to her of all people.

“I can try, Melody, but I can't guarantee anything.”

Melody nodded her understanding, and then pulled up a chair for Geoffry to sit in while he worked.

Closing his eyes, Geoffry rested a hand on Debbie's forehead and then sent probes into the raging mind below his palm.

Rather than wasting time in the shallower parts of Debbie's mind, Geoffry immediately started pushing his way to the center. As his strength ebbed, Geoffry worried that this time he wouldn't be strong enough to make it, but he knew the fear for the irrational thing it was, and pushed on. If I made it before I can make it again.

For all it seemed to take ages to arrive at the natural, flexible barrier protecting the center of Debbie's mind, it still happened much faster than Geoffry had feared. Matching his thoughts to the barrier, the vampire slid through it and felt a shock of astonishment lance through his being.

Geoffry's elation died out as he tasted the rest of the feelings in Debbie's center. Now that her hate is gone, she's at peace with the idea of death. The hope that I left when I was here last time has morphed to a hope for salvation after this life. She's lost the will to live. What do I do? What do I tell Melody? Is this all my fault? Did I mess up her mind when I put those constructs in, or is this just the natural course her mind would follow once it worked through the guilt? Once she stopped punishing herself.

In the end, the vampire didn't do anything other than create a construct that would temporarily block some of the pain so that Debbie wouldn't have to be as heavily medicated. Maybe that will be enough. Maybe she'll become conscious enough to talk to her daughter, and in so doing rediscover a desire to live. With the amount of pain she's in I can't make her stay here. Not if that isn't what she wants.

Exhausted by his efforts, Geoffry let his thoughts snap back to his physical body and looked up at Melody. Fresh tears had filled the slender teen's eyes, as if she somehow knew what Geoffry was about to tell her.

“She doesn't want to stay anymore does she?”

Geoffry shook his head. “It isn't that she doesn't love you, she's just ready to move on.”

Shaking her head violently, Melody denied his words. “Make her stay, you can make her stay, I know you can.”

The vampire felt emotion rise inside him, but managed to maintain his control. “I could, but doing so would be counter to what she wants. It would only be a matter of time until it caused some kind of problem.”

Geoffry pulled Melody to him and hugged her. “I blocked some of her pain. You can step down the painkillers for the next few days. I think that might be enough for her to wake up and be coherent for a while. Maybe that will spark a desire to stay.”

The hope that suddenly flashed through Melody's eyes tore at Geoffry's heart. “I can't guarantee anything, and if she doesn't you shouldn't blame yourself. She's lived with unimaginable amounts of pain for years now. It may just be her time to go.”

The hope guttered, nearly dying out, but amazingly none of that crossed her face as Melody nodded. “I understand, thank you for trying.”

Taking Geoffry's hand, Melody pulled him back into the living room. Once the pair was seated on the old green sofa Geoffry explained events of the last few weeks. By the time the vampire finished, Melody's eyes were wide.

“It was hard enough to believe that vampires existed, and I have you as proof. To think that werewolves are out there too is amazing. Amazing and scary.”

Geoffry nodded, “Scary is right, they are faster and stronger than anything I've ever encountered. The more I think about the thoughts I touched last night, the more I'm positive that for all they are predisposed to kill vampires, they are just as dangerous to humans.”

The brown eyes that looked into Geoffry's eyes were momentarily ancient and wise beyond the appearance of the face they just happened to be set in. “So you've found your cause. You'll hunt them down and in so doing protect innocents from being torn apart and killed.”

Geoffry hadn't thought things through as clearly as that, but as Melody said it he realized she was right. “I guess so, someone has to help stop them or they'll destroy the city.”

Melody wrapped her arms around her knees and shivered. “I don't feel very good about all of this. Run away, Geoffry. Get out of the city. You can fight these things still, but do it once you are out from under Imastious.”

A sudden spark of anger flared up inside Geoffry. “Haven't you been listening to me? I can't beat these things by myself, they're too strong. If I don't have the help of other vampires I don't stand a chance. Why are you so anxious for me to leave, when you aren't willing to do so yourself?”

Hurt blossomed in Melody's eyes. “I'm just worried about you. You don't understand what it's like to wonder if you're dead. How much it hurts when I try to sleep but can't because I'm worried that you've done something that you can't come back from, that the next time I see you the darkness will have grown, will have killed off the light.”

Geoffry was suddenly exhausted, not physically, but emotionally. “I'm sorry, I shouldn't have snapped. I just feel like things are the best they've been, and you're not even happy for me.”

The tears were back, but Melody stubbornly refused to let them escape her eyes this time. “I'm happy that you've found a purpose, I'm just worried it will be twisted by Imastious and Venice to something darker than you would have chosen for yourself.”

“You don't understand. Even if that's so, I'll still be doing good, I'll still be protecting people from the werewolves.”

Melody reached out and captured Geoffry's hand. “I do want to leave the city, just as much as I want you to leave. I just can't do that while I have to take care of my mom.” Melody's hand tightened inside of Geoffry's as her breath caught. “If that ever changes, I'll leave the city like you want me to, but only if you come with me. You've been inside my mind. You know how I feel about you, just like I know what you feel for me.”