Life after Death
Seven.
The sun peeked over the horizon, casting a glow on the young vampires as they entered into the lobby. He held the members in the lobby, waiting on any other occupants to arrive. Jack sighed. He wanted to change the meeting back to its original time, because it was too early. It was still too dangerous for so many new vampires to walk around in the daylight. Before he closed the door, Jerry slipped through. Jack kept his eyes on the teen before Kim caught his attention.
"Well, it seems everyone is here," Kim announced, pleased by the turnout. "We are going to make our way to the back. Any questions?"
The others shook their head. Kim followed behind the large group, walking alongside him. Jack looked to her, analyzing her furrowed brows. She was concerned. Jack could tell there was something tumbling through her head. Kim glanced over her shoulder and Jack followed the direction of her eyes. Jerry trudged several feet behind them.
"Hey, Jerry, come on pick it up," Jack stated. "At this rate you'll get there next month."
Jerry didn't respond, instead he dragged his feet and pocketed his hands. Jack wanted to fallback and have a private chat with the other, but decided to leave it alone. The topic of the night was inner demons, and he hoped it would spur some kind of need to participate from their usually lively member.
"I'll make sure there are enough cups on the table," Kim said, jogging ahead. "Don't want the regulars to take too much."
Jack nodded, allowing her to move far ahead. He watched her enter their meeting room. He decided to fall back, waiting for Jerry to catch up. He threw an arm around the shorter teen's shoulders. He analyzed the crease between Jerry's brows and frowned.
"Anything new with you?" Jack questioned. "Don't hesitate to bring it up in group. Regulars stumble through their new vampire life all the time. Don't be embarrassed."
"I'm not embarrassed," Jerry shared. "I'm tired."
Jack frowned, watching Jerry shake his arm away from his shoulders. Jack shook his head. There was something pressing down on the younger vampire's shoulders. No one should hold the heavy burden of a thousand painful thoughts alone. He hoped group would reopen the door.
"Well, Annabel. It seems that Josh, your boyfriend, still loves you," Kim remarked, squeezing Jack's hand. "I don't think he wants to break up with you. I think you believe he hates vampires to such an extent that breaking up with you is a no brainer."
Annabel tucked a golden strand of hair behind her left ear. She was in her mid-twenties. A vampire turned her six days ago. Like any transition hers was marred by high pitch shrieks of pain. It didn't matter the individual, the transition was always painful.
"If he loved me, he wouldn't have looked at me in disgust," she spat. "I –I went to him two days after my change. It was before I even came here. I just am more comfortable talking about it now."
Jack sighed. The turn put many relationship in a dangerous place. The significant other had two options, distance or closeness. They could leave their vampire love behind or embrace their new change. For some it was a no brainer, leave the vampire and run, but for others the struggle was hard. He hadn't experienced the average push and pull. Kim came to him when he was in the deepest and darkest abyss of his vampire life. She too had been a creature of the night. Their own natures could do nothing to separate them.
"I think that you should give him the benefit of the doubt," Jack added, watching a few other members in the circle nod. "He could surprise you and then –"
A female shrieked. Sounds of wood slapping against a hard surface drifted toward his ears. Hurried footsteps caught his attention. He leapt to his feet, eyes on the members in the group. He tightened his hold on Kim's hand as she arose from her seat nearby. A few of the members looked around, eyes wide.
"Alright, everyone please relax," Kim stated, voice soft. "Remember we've rehearsed this?"
"Everyone grab a hold of the hand of your neighbor, there may be a group of three," Jack shared. "Keep an eye on each other. We'll regroup after all of this."
Hands reached out grabbing their neighbor's hand. Sam latched onto Jerry. Jack sighed. Usually Sam resided with Rudy on group nights. He looked to Kim and nodded. Both of them entered the hall just as Taylor bolted into them, tears streaming down her face. Jack gulped. Down the hall, the door hung off its hinge. He spotted Rudy and a few older vampire males, in the lobby, holding off figures dressed in black.
"Slayers," Jack breathed out, eyes wide. "Kim, slayers! We need to get them outside."
Jack scrambled toward the meeting room. He needed to get all the vampires to the emergency exit. They always kept the emergency door closed, having no need for it during their regular hours. Once a month the rehearsed an emergency escape plan. The vampires young and old, descended down the cold stairwell, nervous whispers drifting from pale lips. Jerry stopped in front of him, clutching Sam's hand.
"Slayers?" Jerry asked.
"Yes, get to safety," Jack said.
"I can help."
Jack eyed him, brows furrowed. "No, you can't and you won't. Get to safety now, Jerry. We don't have time to argue."
Kim's light and agile footsteps headed down the hall toward the fray. In any and all rehearsals, Kim and Jack were designated to fight alongside the more skilled vampires. Taylor remained, eyes wet. Jack pulled her into a hug, rubbing comforting circles into her back.
"Al, went out into the lobby, Jack," she whimpered. "Al, went out though I told him not too. He wanted to distract them while I let everyone know what was going on. I could have called on the phone, why didn't I call?"
Al was one of the older members in Rudy's adult vampire support group. He had spent only a month in support before he decided on joining the staff. He liked what they were about and wanted to give back. He offered to sit in the office to help Taylor. They both watched the monitors, scanning for anything out of the ordinary.
"Sh, hey, relax. Take it easy," he stated, eyes on her. "What happened to Al?"
"They killed him!" she shrieked, falling to her knees. "Jack, he is gone. Oh my gosh!"
Jack's heart stilled. He nodded, helping Taylor back to her feet. He pointed toward the exit, assigning her a new position. Toward the front the shouts and hollers elevated. There was a shriek, followed by a tortured wail. He shot his head toward the emergency doorway. Teens ran up the stairs. Jack told Taylor to stay put and help the teens into the conference room.
"Lock the door, Taylor," he ordered. "Keep them inside as they come back up the stairs."
She nodded, cheeks wet. "Okay, I can. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."
"Don't be sorry, you did well."
He ran down the steps, passing by the hurried footsteps of the teens rushing up the stairs. He tried to shush the hysteria by shouting out comforting words as he sped down the steps. He gave curt commands as he pushed past, mouth dry. Anguished cries drifted up the stairs as he reached the bottom step. Blotches of dark black liquid stained the walls of the room leading to the underground garage. Slayers grabbed squealing and shrieking teens, dragging them off into vans and or cars. He searched the premise. Clumps of ash decorated the underground parking deck.
An arm wrapped around his throat and a stake pointed at his nose. The man cackled. Jack nudged his elbow into his gut and swung a fist at the face of the assaulter. He knocked the stake to the ground and gave a round house kick to intruder's face, startling the figure. Jack gulped. He hadn't seen these many slayers in years. He didn't know they knew where Life after Death was held.
"Vampire," the slayer said. "Stand down."
Jack sent a kick, sending the figure to the ground. He straddled the male, sending a blow to the face. The figure stilled. He arose and ran off toward another pair dragging a shrieking and crying teen. He needed help. There were too many. His vision blurred. He was in over his head. On his right, he spotted Jerry and frowned. Jerry knocked a slayer to the ground with a kick to the side. The man shouted out Jerry's name as he dropped a screaming Sam to the ground. Jack ran to the pair, eyes wide.
"What are you doing?" Jack hollered. "How the heck?"
Jerry jumped at the screaming. Jack calmed himself to the best of his ability as he reached for a crying Sam. He pulled the kid to his body, cradling his twitching body in his arms. He glanced at the slayer unconscious on the ground and then to Jerry.
"You can fight this well?" Jack asked.
"Do you really think you want to question me now?" Jerry asked.
"No, but I kind of do now," Jack remarked, remembering a disturbing thing he heard. "He knew you by name, why?"
Jerry's eyes widened.
"Never mind that," Jack stated, agreeing with Jerry. "Take Sam and go up the stairs. I'll take it from here."
"Just you, by yourself?" Jerry hissed, fangs elongated, voice strained. "You have no back up."
"Fine, call for back up then!" Jack shouted. "Just get Sam and you out of here."
Jerry hesitated but then ran past Jack. Sam clutched his hand as they ran. Jack sighed. He swept through the garage, spotting a few more slayers and vampire victims. Not every vampire was clueless. He held self-defense classes on the weekends. Many of the support members attended. He spotted the few with the fighting ability defending their fellow vampire. He leapt from the path of a large black speeding SUV. He noticed the squealing and shrieking vampire teens in the back seat. He sped off toward the car, leaping onto the hood. The car swerved as it tried to exit the parking deck. He punched through the glass, drawing the driver from within.
"Hold onto something," Jack shouted, alerting the teens inside. "You'll be fine!"
The teens hunkered down as they listened to his advice. Jack struggled through the broken windshield, trying his best to take control of the car. He regained control of the vehicle, clipping the side of a large concrete support beam. He pulled the car to a stop, turning over his shoulder.
"You two find a way up the stairs," he commanded. "Taylor is hiding members away from public eye. I'm not sure if the doors are still open, but you'll have to take a chance."
"Are you insane?" a male, shouted. "I'm not going to risk running up the stairs if there is no guaranteed safety."
Jack sighed. "Look, I'm sorry. I'm so freaking sorry. I'd lead you there myself, but I'm trying to handle the situation down here. Alright?"
The female grasped onto her companion's hand. "Sheldon, come on. Let's go, I'll keep you safe. I've been taking the defense classes. Let's try, please."
Sheldon stuttered, eyes wide. The girl pushed opened the door and then rushed out, heading toward the stairs, Sheldon following behind her. Jack took a deep breathe, eyes focused on the shattered glass sprinkled upon the hood. There was no time to rest. He pushed the driver's door open and launched himself out. He spotted a few of the older members fighting off some of the slayers. He guessed they were sending more help to other places. He sighed, relieved. He couldn't do it all alone.
He ran off toward another pair of slayers, determination in his eyes. No slayers were going to destroy fifteen years of blood, sweat, and tears. They weren't going down without a fight.
Hello Readers! Oh my goodness! What is happening here? A lot seems to be going on all of a sudden.
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Ilwynoges
Also thanks to Ilwynoges for the favorite.
I really enjoyed this chapter. I tried to write a calm before the storm halfway through, so hopefully it worked out and you all enjoyed it. The next chapter is 10 %( estimated) of the way done. The next chapter is another very big one, so stay tuned.
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Until Next chapter,
Bye