Blood of the City Page 7

  Mack laughed. “Thanks, Vinnie.”

  Vinnie beamed. “No worries, mate. Hey, you seen Sparky?”

  Mack hid his shock well. “Not today.”

  “He’s meant to be here, but no one can get ahold of him. I mean, he went home with this huge guy last night—like, massive, really not his type. It was weird, but hopefully it wasn’t some straight guy looking to beat on him or nothing, right? Sorry.” Vinnie nodded at Allen then, realizing what he’d done, nodded at Mack. “Sorry. You know what I mean.”

  “Hey.” Mack put his hand on Vinnie’s arm, silencing him. “Has Jason been around?”

  Vinnie shook his head. “Not that I’ve seen. Haven’t been upstairs, though. He might be on the roof?”

  Mack shook his head.

  “Vinnie, baby!” A woman squealed and launched herself at Vinnie, almost catapulting him to the floor. “You were so great!” She swung around his arms and Vinnie kissed her on the cheek.

  “Hey, Miranda! You made it. Hey, Mack, this is my little sister. Her first time here.”

  Miranda stared at the two men. “You were so…hot,” she said to Mack. “So hot.”

  “Thank you,” said Mack.

  “This your boyfriend?” she asked, pointing at Allen.

  “No, sis, that’s his dad. Real family event here tonight, right? Anyway, we gotta go get a drink. Nice to meet you, Allen.” Vinnie shook his hand again.

  Miranda grabbed Allen and kissed him on the cheek. “Hey, you straight? You ever wanna younger woman, you come find me.”

  Vinnie laughed. “Okay, Miranda, let’s get you some water, yeah?” He waved. “See you guys around.”

  Even though the music was still playing and people were still shouting to one another, it seemed quiet when Vinnie had gone.

  “He was…talkative,” said Allen.

  “Yeah…” Mack thought about what Vinnie had said.

  “What’s troubling you?” Allen asked.

  “I’m worried about Sparky.”

  Chapter Six

  Shattered Dreams

  When Jason awoke, his blood had already run cold. The stench of death steamed around him. Jason could taste both of his victims’ blood mingling in his mouth, and he spat a glob into a puddle of carnage beside himself.

  Desperate to remove himself from his present state, Jason scrambled away from Sparky’s cold corpse and got to his feet, slipping in blood in the process. He stumbled to the window and peeked out of the blinds. The darkness outside said there were still hours until dawn. He ripped off his shirt and jeans then grabbed the edge of a bed sheet and pulled it up to wipe his stomach and groin, using his palms to wipe his face.

  He grabbed for a pair of Sparky’s shorts and pulled them on, knocking an ashtray off the table in the process. It fell with a wet crack and smashed ashes into the blood. Jason jumped and almost fell, kicking away the clutter under his feet—money, a wallet and Sparky’s tank top, now soaked in his and Antonio’s blood.

  “Fuck,” said Jason. He went to the door and pulled it open to see Mack and Allen standing, about to do the same thing. Both were dressed in identical, dirty boiler suits. Mack’s cheeks were flushed and as he took in the blood behind Jason, they only became redder.

  Jason stared at Mack’s father, resurrected as a vampire. Allen’s hairy chest was huge and still under his suit. He was transfixed by Antonio’s corpse while Mack pushed past Jason and ran to Sparky’s side. He retched once, but put his ear to Sparky’s mouth. No breath came from within, but some blood plopped from Sparky’s cold mouth. Mack shook his head and frowned,

  “No,” Mack said. “You can’t be dead. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

  Jason continued to stare at Allen. “How is this possible?” he asked. “How are you here?”

  “Long story,” said Allen, pointing at the body by the door. “Did you do this?”

  Jason glanced back at that and at Mack, rocking Sparky’s corpse on the bed. He avoided Allen’s eyes. “Are you a vampire too?” he asked, instead of answering.

  “Yes.” Allen pushed Jason aside and approached his son. “Mack, are you okay?”

  Mack glared at Allen for a second but transferred it in an instant to Jason. He dropped Sparky’s body on the bed and shook with rage. His body started to crack with change but he struggled to remain humanoid.

  Jason held out his hands, palm first. “Mack, please calm down. I know it’s a lot to take in. I didn’t mean to do it. I just wanted to scare him, but—”

  “Don’t tell me to calm down! You killed Sparky!” Mack shouted. “Why would you do that? To get back at me? Did you think if you killed him, I would love you more?” Mack choked and started to cry. “Why did you do this?”

  Jason’s face fell. He stumbled back against the door. “I didn’t mean to—”

  Mack roared. “You didn’t mean to kill two men? How were you gonna scare him, huh? What did you come here for if not to murder him?” Mack looked at Sparky. “He was a good person, Jason. A nice person. He was my friend.”

  “Yeah, and you fucked him. And I was jealous. And can someone please explain how your father is a vampire now? Where has he been?”

  “Don’t change the subject,” said Mack. “Don’t try to get out of this. He’s already explained all that to me, but he doesn’t need to explain it to you. You’re just a monster, but we were trying to be something more.”

  Jason leered. “I’m a monster? I’m a monster? You’re a legend, like the boogieman. You murdered hundreds of people.” Jason turned his attention to Allen. “And you abandoned your family. Whatever your story is, whatever stupid shit you wove to get him to like you again, you’re a terrible father and you don’t deserve a son.” Jason started to cry. “Neither of you deserve it. It’s not fair. You get everything, Mack. You got freedom from Zoran. You got to come here and get me, then you slept with him. And now your father comes back for you? And I’m still all alone.”

  “You wouldn’t have been alone if you hadn’t done this! I love you, Jason. I loved you. I want to spend the rest of time with you. Sleeping with Sparky was a mistake. I shouldn’t have done it and I’m sorry, but”—he stopped then shook his head—”why am I apologizing to you? I slept with him, sure, but I didn’t fucking kill him. You’re in the wrong here, not me.”

  Jason looked between the two vampires. “Get fucked.”

  Mack’s face was white with shock at Jason’s words. He seemed to be wavering between breaking down in tears and flying into a rage. Jason was in a similar state. He pushed off the door.

  “I was happy without you, you know. I had work and a life. I had Greg.” Jason sighed. “I didn’t need you. When you came back, you just got in the way. You’re outdated and nothing but a memory to me. Go back where you came from and leave me alone.”

  Allen stood in front of his son. “Don’t speak to my son like that.”

  “Get out of my way, old man. Same goes for you. Why don’t you both fuck off and leave me alone.” He took a deep breath. “When I think about what happened to my family, to my father, because of what you did to Bela and his fellow vampires…” He tapped on Allen’s chest. “And now you get to be reunited?” Jason spat. “Fuck you both.”

  Mack clenched his jaw and planted both hands on Jason’s chest. He heaved Jason up and threw him into the wall where he landed with a crack and fell against the floor, laughing and getting up as soon as he did.

  “See what I mean? You’re a monster.”

  Mack roared and his body crackled with change. He ran at his lover and slammed his shoulder into his chest, driving him back against the wall again. Jason lifted his elbow and brought it down on Mack’s back, drawing a grunt but no movement from him. Jason pulled his leg back and kneed Mack in the balls, crumpling him before he threw Mack at the window.

  Glass sprayed from the impact, bouncing off the sill
and onto the carpet below, tinkling over Mack’s shuddering form as he tried to get up. Mack punched his fists together, leaned back on one leg then readied himself to run at Jason again.

  “Stop it!” Allen threw himself between the dueling vampires, holding up both hands. “Stop fighting with each other.”

  Mack launched forward, shoving his father aside with a razor-clawed push. He leaped, two hands and two feet connecting with Jason and driving him to the floor where he lifted an arm, splayed the fingers and slashed them across Jason’s face. Blood oozed onto the carpet.

  Allen pulled himself up and shook his head, then he jumped over and wrapped his arms around Mack’s torso, dragging him off Jason and falling on his back, Mack on top of him. They flailed for a moment before separating and stalking around Jason’s choking body, staring each other down.

  Mack shook away his growling rage and said, “Why are you helping him? Didn’t you hear what he said to me? Can’t you see what he’s done?”

  “I heard. But you can’t kill him. You need him.”

  “I haven’t needed him so far. Why do I suddenly need him now?”

  Allen sighed. “Think of everything he’s done for you. Think of what you told me about him—how you want to be with him forever. Remember why you love him.”

  “How could I love him when he does this?” Mack spat blood.

  “He’s a vampire. We’re capable of much worse things than humans. These have to be accepted as well.”

  “You’re telling me to just accept that he killed my friend? And move on?”

  “Not right away,” Allen said.

  Mack laughed. “Not ever.”

  “So go,” Jason spluttered. “Get out of here. This is my life that you’re in. Why don’t you go back to the farm—and never come back.”

  Mack was taken aback. “I don’t understand.” He looked at his hands. “How did this all get so messed up?” He looked out the window. “I thought we were happy.”

  “What part of sleeping around is happy?” Jason struggled to his feet. “Does this look like we’re happy? Like we’re normal? We’re vampires, Mack. Get used to it.”

  Mack’s eyes shone with the advent of tears. “I thought we were happy,” he whispered.

  “Well, you were wrong.”

  Mack lurched in place like his heart was breaking. He spared a final glance at his father, watching them both, and he let a few tears spill down his cheeks, cleaning fresh roads in the blood. He took a deep breath, turned then flung himself from the window.

  Jason let out a sigh as Mack disappeared from his life once again. He surveyed the broken room and laughed, but it turned immediately into teary sobs. He curled up and cried in the blood and aftermath of his fight.

  Allen looked out the window, but instead of following his son, he went to Jason’s side and put a hand on his shoulder.

  “What just happened?” Jason asked.

  Allen sighed. “I’m not sure.”

  “Why aren’t you going after him?”

  The night outside was dark and loud. “I think he needs to be alone.”

  “So you’ll just stay with me, after I said those things to Mack? I didn’t mean them, you know. He just… He made me so angry. And Sparky said Mack was angry at me, and I just, lost control.” Jason cried.

  “Jo used to talk about this sometimes. She called us immortal sinners.”

  Jason rolled his eyes. “Who is Jo?”

  “My wife,” said Allen. “She was human.”

  Jason nodded without understanding.

  “Her and my point being, at some level, we are monsters. And we need to learn to live with that. Accept it on some level. What you did here tonight—what little I understand of it—was done out of jealousy and desire for revenge. We can’t help but lose control when in the grip of that. Call it a side effect of being dead most of the time.”

  “So”—Jason avoided looking at the corpses—”you think it’s okay?”

  Allen shook his head. “Not what I’m saying. I understand why it happened, but it’s not okay. Mack is certainly not okay with it.”

  Jason stared at Allen.

  “Do you know where he’s gone?” Allen asked.

  Jason braced himself to stare at Antonio’s body. His huge frame was diminished with lack of life and his figure, not as impressive. Compared to Sparky’s tiny frame, they could have been different species.

  “Do you know where he’s gone?” Allen asked again.

  “I think we both know,” Jason said.

  Allen sighed.

  “Should we go find him?” Jason asked.

  “Do you want to?”

  Jason thought about it a moment before nodding. His jaw was clenched tight and his fists were the same. “I need to fix this,” he said.

  “Will you come back here?”

  “What?”

  Allen gestured at the bloodbath. “This will be hard to explain or conceal. There will be questions. Are you confident you can answer them?”

  “What’re we meant to do then?”

  “You could start a nocturnal farm. Grow cabbages and have day staff look after cattle. You could live off the land again or travel around. It’s not like you need all the trappings of society.”

  “I guess not.”

  “Do you regret killing these humans?” Allen got up and went to the window.

  Jason glanced at the two bodies. “Yes and no. I doubt they deserved to die.”

  “Who does deserve to die?”

  “Criminals? Murderers?” Jason laughed, bitterness sharpening his tone. “Us.”

  “We’re already dead. Remember?”

  “Yes, thanks for that.” Jason put his hands on his hips and considered the bodies on the bed. He took in the remnants of his feast, coating the room, and he slumped. “I should burn it.”

  “The bodies?”

  “Yeah, and the room. The Backpackers…”

  “Why not burn the whole city while you’re at it? Do you really think it will hide your crimes?” Allen asked.

  Jason looked up, where even the ceiling was flecked with blood. “I guess you have a point.” He slid his gaze over to the large, burly man. “So, now that we have this truce of sorts, you gonna explain where you’ve been?”

  ****

  It took a long time for the lights of the city to fade into the darkness of the bush. And even when they did, the afterglow reflecting off the sky continued to eliminate the light of the stars and moon. Mack’s frenzied flight over Sydney and past the mountains gave way to a land of paddocks and patchwork crops. He slowed over the tarnished landscape, feeling more at home the farther inland he traveled.

  The dark line of highway he was following became a network of lit roads with small homes dotting the sides. He lowered his path and could make out English gardens, grassy lawns and huge—but dry—water features in some of the yards. The first and last cars of the evening crawled around the streets like sleepy glowworms. Wattlebrook was much changed since he’d been a boy. He adjusted his trajectory and aimed for his old home, the dilapidated farm he had been trapped beneath for years.

  As he flew along another well-maintained tarmac road, he noticed large billboards advertising a new attraction along the way. Each one was different, with garish teeth and fake blood pools, as well as camp renderings of vampires in large, black capes with hints of red lining around the necks. He slowed, flapped his wings to position himself then landed in the scrub beneath one of the signs.

  See Massacre Manor in the flesh!

  Come on our macabre Twilight Tours.

  Be horrified! Be amazed! Be turned!

  Mack read the signs in disbelief. Black and white, grainy photos of his family were dotted over the sign, with himself and a few of the servants circled in red. He looked up and down the deserted road, hugged hi
mself and took off once more, veering slightly away from the home he could now see illuminated in floodlights and surrounded by cold parking lots.

  He landed again, this time in the bush, on a walking track. Changing back to his naked human form, Mack followed the route past sleeping wildflowers and shuffling animals in the undergrowth. Wind rustled in the branches of the eucalypts above and brushed over his cold skin. The path was forgotten by all but the animals and the most devoted bushwalkers, so it was hard going at times, but after a time, Mack found himself at his destination.

  A clearing, ringed by small trees and populated with long grasses met his eyes in the moonlight. Within, the tips of headstones peeked out from the blades. Mack pushed forward, making a beeline for two graves to the side. When he found them, he pushed the grass down so he could read the inscriptions and he knelt before them, uncaring of the insects that crawled and buzzed around his body.

  Here lies Evelyn Rose McIntyre

  Wife of Allen McIntyre

  Mother of David McIntyre

  Loved and cherished

  d. 1887

  Mack wiped his hand over the rough, mossy sandstone. The writing was eroded and hard to make out, but in it, he could picture his mother before all the changes, happy and smiling in the sunlight, beating out clothing and baking bread. They had been a perfect family once.

  In memory of Allen McIntyre

  Gone, but not forgotten

  And now back again. He clenched his fists, wishing he hadn’t abandoned his father with Jason, but unable to comprehend what Jason had said to him. He’d spent decades missing Jason, and their reconciliation was the best thing that had happened to him. And he had ruined it by sleeping with Sparky.

  He looked up at the dark blue sky and screamed, his neck straining and muscles contorting with rage and sorrow. He reared back and punched his thighs. He punched again, and hit the earth so hard it echoed through the night. In shock, he cried and flailed against the recent tumultuous memories running through his head.