CHAPTER. TWENTY-ONE
Over the next three days, there had been another death; another man. Sheriff Bostwick told a news anchor that they were taking every precaution, but so far the island hasn't seen much done.
Eden worked on the mural with all the free time she could gather. Caleb didn't mind spending some time after school to help her paint, which did help a lot. Their bond was getting stronger and every time she saw him, she lit up inside. She tried not to show it so much in front of Vincent, but Eden couldn't help it.
Sam visited again on Tuesday and had dinner. He had also brought over a few of his own paintings and drawings to show Eden. The more she talked with him, the more comfortable she felt. Their relationship grew stronger with every laugh and she wondered if that was what it felt like to have a father. Again, she had another dream about the house and the girl and this time it was exactly like the first dream she had. Eden couldn't understand why it was after she saw Sam.
Chad and Nina spent more time together and like Eden expected, Reid started to pay more attention to Nina. Nina kept her word and didn't worry about him.
Vincent and Eden started talking more and she was starting to get inside his head. At times she could see that it bothered him, but he never stopped talking. She knew he needed someone to talk to and she couldn't imagine what talking to Reid was like. Reid wasn't a bad guy, but he did think he was more wise and that didn't blow over with Vincent very well.
Kate acted as if Eden didn't exist anymore, which was good for everyone. Eden didn't miss the nasty looks and glances from afar. She got a kick out of watching Kate parade around in her skimpy little outfits and having her way with all the poor souls of the male race. Trent was always first in line trying to get her attention and sometimes she did take advantage of it. In the end, he was always left on the sidelines.
It was Thursday and Eden rushed up to the Art room after the final bell rang. Caleb was already waiting for her with the paintbrushes and the different tubes of paint laid out on the table.
"Thanks for all your help this week Caleb" Eden told him, dropping her bags on the floor and rolling up the sleeves of her shirt.
"No problem" he replied, handing her an orange apron. She tied it around herself as Caleb got the ladder to continue finishing the last little section of the sky. Eden sat herself on the floor and went to work on the tombstones.
"So tomorrow, what time do you want me to pick you up?" Caleb asked her.
"Well, the dance starts at seven and I'll be here till at least six setting the place up. I'm sure we don't have to be here right at seven."
"I'll pick you up at seven, how's that?"
"That sounds good. I've been meaning to ask, did you ever find a Green Arrow outfit?"
"No, I didn't, but I found something to wear."
"What are you going to be?"
"You'll see."
"I see how it is" Eden laughed.
"Why ruin the surprise?"
"I was kidding, I can wait. I'm a very patient person."
"You'd have to be to work on paintings like these" Caleb laughed.
"Painting and drawing is my release from everything" Eden told him.
"Like what?"
"Nervousness, anger, pain, just everything." Caleb could tell she was thinking about her mom and wondered why she didn't bring it up yet. The glossiness of her eyes also gave it away.
Caleb finished up the sky and hopped of the ladder, which caused Eden to jolt a bit. He rinsed his brush and sat down next to Eden to work on headstones.
"Can I ask you a question?" Caleb asked as he dipped his brush in the dark gray paint.
"Absolutely" Eden answered as she mixed the gray paint with a little bit of black to coarsen up the gravestone.
"Would you like to come to my house Saturday night for dinner?"
"Is Nell going to be there too?"
"No, just you and I," he said, outlining a headstone.
"So, it's a date?"
"Yeah." He paused his painting and looked over at her as Eden thought about it. She glanced at him, smiled, and said, "It's a date." He gave her a wide smile and continued painting.
"Thank god the graves are the only things we have to do!" Eden exclaimed. Caleb laughed and said, "I'm having fun! I get to contribute to this dance and I got to spend time with you."
"You can always spend time with me" Eden told him, staring him in the eyes. They were as warm as the sun in July and Caleb could easily get lost in Eden's electric blues. He smiled and brought his face slowly to hers. Their lips met and a surge of electricity shot through them both, causing the kiss to be short but sweet.
"You couldn't wait until Saturday?" she laughed.
"I could have, but I didn't want to" he answered. Eden went to say something, but smiled instead and they went back to the mural.
Since the dance was tomorrow, final preparations were being made that day. Eden and Caleb were able to stay until six p.m. to finish the graveyard. She was very proud of the work they did and she couldn't wait until others could see them as well.
"Good work Caleb."
"Good? No, we did great. Well, you did great" he chuckled.
"Yeah, but with your help. Honestly, I'm going to miss staying after school to paint."
"You could always stay after school and paint Eden, the difference would be that you wouldn't be painting for a class or a school event."
"That's true." Eden grabbed the paintbrushes and dirty cup of water as Caleb picked up the paints. She rinsed them off good in the sink and dried her hands on a rough brown paper towel.
As Caleb and Eden were leaving the Art room, they bumped into Kate's best friend, Ashley.
"Hi Eden" Ashley greeted with a smile.
"Hi" Eden replied, a little curious as to why Ashley Lentil was talking to her. Since she was Kate's wingman, Eden would most likely be the first person on the list to be ignored.
"How did the murals come out?"
"Great" Caleb told her.
"I can't wait to see them tomorrow. Is Kate bothering with you?" Eden knew there was something weird going on.
"She hasn't yet, why do you ask?"
"She can be overbearing and downright evil."
"She can, but that's who Kate is. What she needs is a taste of her own medicine and maybe she'll see the light," Eden said.
"Maybe you should be the one to do that Eden. You have good reason to."
"I'll defend myself, but I'm not like her Ashley. I don't pray on other people for personal entertainment. I have to get home, but I'll see you tomorrow." Eden gave her a smile and Ashley continued walking. Caleb and Eden watched her as she disappeared around the corner and then looked at each other.
"That's a little suspicious, isn't it?" Eden asked.
"Just a little" he chortled.
"That makes me a little nervous to tell you the truth."
"I'm sure it's harmless. Let's get out of here." She nodded as he led her downstairs.
Caleb was taking a walk down his street, enjoying the night air. It had been a while since human blood was ingested into his system and he was craving exactly that.
After getting into his car, Caleb drove to the center of Beverly. Endicott College was nearby and Caleb noticed a lot of its students enjoyed a certain night club called Diamonds.
He sat down at a table and scoped out the bar scene. He saw a young brunette sitting on a stool next to a muscular blonde who was clearly saying all the wrong things. When he walked off, Caleb saw it as the perfect opportunity to move in.
"You don't look like you're having much fun," Caleb said over the music.
"Is it that obvious?" she asked him.
"The look on your face says it is" he smiled.
"The blind date isn't going very well."
"They never do in my opinion. I stay away from them."
"I haven't been out in four months."
"Why's that?" he asked, moving closer.
"I'm busy with school."
"Law or Pre-Med?"
"Law" she smiled.
"You want to get out of here and go someplace more quiet?"
"I'm still on a date technically, so I don't think it would be a good idea."
"I understand." He stared into her eyes and said as his eyes changed size, "You want to leave with me." He leaned back and asked again, "You want to get out of here and go someplace more quiet?"
"Sure" she smiled. They both stood up and the girl followed Caleb out of the club.
"Where's your car?" she asked him.
"I thought it would be better if we walked actually. It's not too cold."
"Oh, okay then." They started down the busy street and walked into a nearby park.
"I'm Shannon by the way. What's your name?" the girl asked him.
"That's not necessary" he told her.
"Why not?" He stopped walking and she looked at him.
"You won't remember me after tonight" he grinned.
"What do you mean?" she giggled. Caleb got behind her and moved all of her hair to one side, inhaling her scent through his nostrils.
"Are you okay?" Shannon asked, starting to get nervous.
"I'm fine, are you?" he replied.
"Honestly, you're making me nervous."
"I don't want to do that, so I apologize. Just relax and it will be all over soon."
"What will?" Caleb's eyes turned black and he opened his mouth to expose his extended canines. He covered her mouth with his hand and bit into her neck, swallowing the sweet tasting liquid. He could feel himself revitalize as he swallowed and she screamed into his hand.
Caleb pulled away and whipped her around so she was staring at him. She was in shock at this point and the scream couldn't come out. Caleb bit into his wrist and told her to drink it. She tried to pull away, but he forced his blood into her system. The bite marks on her neck closed up and he placed both of his hands on her face. As his pupils resized, Caleb said, "You do not know me. You were walking through the park and we ran into each other. You are going to Diamonds down the street to have some fun." Caleb let her go and she looked around her.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
"I'm fine. I have to get back to the club, but it was nice meeting you" Shannon smiled and continued walking.
When Caleb knew she was back at the club, he walked to his car and sat in the driver's seat. As much as her blood satisfied him, he felt guilty about using her. Caleb never used to care about who he fed upon, but after meeting Eden, he looked at it differently. He knows how helpless he makes his prey feel and Eden's face flooded his mind as the blood trickled down his throat, fulfilling his thirst. Animal blood he could live on, but Caleb didn't receive as much strength from a deer or a raccoon as he did from a human.
As he crossed the bridge to get to Gero Island, he could feel his strength fade. As long as he's been a vampire, he seems to forget the rule about running water. Once across, he felt good as new and started in the direction of his house.
As he turned down Logan Street, blues and reds were visual in his rearview mirror. Caleb quickly pulled off to the side, letting them pass, and he decided to follow them. When the police vehicles turned down Cadbury Lane, Caleb decided to park in the nearest parking lot and track them.
He moved swiftly through the woods until he saw where the cops had stopped. Caleb jumped into the tree above him and travelled speedily through the leafy branches.
Another body was visible to him and it was another young woman. Caleb listened intently as the police talked amongst themselves. Whoever was killing the people of Gero Island had to be found and fast.
Caleb walked into his house to find Nell glued to the television screen.
"Where have you been?" she asked, not taking her eyes of the TV.
"Another girl is dead."
"I know, it's on TV. You get anything while you were there?"
"I couldn't investigate with all the police there. His scent is long gone by now."
"Too bad. This guy needs to be caught Caleb. This one was only twenty years old," Nell said with concern.
"I knew she looked young."
"Where else did you go?"
"Beverly."
"You only go there when you're hungry."
"And I was." Nell tsked him, but with a playful smile.
"I know, I know. I can't just live off of animal blood Nell. I thought I could, but there's always this little voice inside telling me that I'm a vampire and human blood is normal."
"Just as long as you don't feed on the island."
"What are you watching?" he asked, sitting down next to her.
"Besides from the girl, there's three missing teenagers in Salem; two girls and a boy. There was four, but one was found in a wooded clearing burned to death."
"Burned?"
"Oh yeah. There was a pentagram carved in the poor boy's hand."
"A witch?" Caleb questioned.
"How many deaths have you come across that had a pentagram carved in the body's palm?"
"Not many. My guess would be witch hunters. I was in Salem just before I came home and there was talk about a group that hunts the paranormal. I found it to be bull, but now…"
"We have enough to deal with already and now this. Salem is only a half an hour away, if that."
"Who's to say that Gero Island is in danger of witch hunters though? We have to focus on the new vampire."
"We need to be prepared for anything Caleb."
"I agree, but we are dealing with six deaths now. I haven't seen the Sheriff accomplish much and there's school events coming up. Whoever this is will most likely start feeding upon younger prey and I can't let that happen. I got his scent once, but I couldn't find him."
"You'll find him Caleb. Just do your best keeping your friends safe and you may want to tell the boys about the death in Salem," said Nell.
"I'm sure they already know. For as long as I've known Evan..I mean Vincent, he doesn't sleep and has details before the others."
"I have to get some sleep. We can talk more later." Caleb nodded and watched her walk upstairs.