Alex raised her eyebrows at Dante. “I of course told Michelle this exact same thing. She dismissed it as completely ridiculous and so came up with her own name for him.”
Alex laughed. “So, Dougie? Dougie the vampire?”
“If I have to be called somethin’, that’s not bad,” Dougie smiled, his arm around a beaming Michelle’s shoulders.
Alex couldn’t help but feel warm and happy just by being next to Dougie. She thought that she hadn’t felt more comfortable and safe in her life than with these people. Maybe it was one of those freaky vampire powers, but although he hadn’t said three sentences to her, she instantly felt she could trust Dougie.
Alex extended her hand again. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Dougie took her hand in both of his and shook it earnestly. “And you.”
“So nice to see you again!” Margaret gave Dougie a kiss on each cheek.
“You’re looking well, love,” Dougie said. “Very happy you got your girl back, aye. How does it feel to be back in the mix of things?”
“Absolutely wonderful.” Margaret answered. “And you? Where is Leslie?”
“She got the bubs inside,” Dougie replied. “No good. No good for the bub. She’s gone with her husband back to New Zealand.”
“Oh, how delightful. I’m very glad for her. So I suppose you’re here to bid on a new donor?”
“Excuse me one moment. I’ll be right back.” Dante moved off towards the gruff-looking security guard who had taken the homeless woman away.
“Nah, just here to see my boy and his girl,” Dougie replied with a smile. “You know me, love. I never pay for it.”
Margaret laughed. “It’s surreal. The more things change, the more they stay the same. I’ve seen so many people I had almost forgotten about. And met some wonderful new friends. Michelle is a delight, and Alex has become good friends with Dante, so everything is as right as rain.”
“Dante and his girls,” Dougie said, sipping from his glass. “Nothing changes.”
“So you knew Dante from when he was made?” Alex asked.
“Nah,” replied Dougie with a wave of his hand. “Years after. I watched him for a while before I finally spoke, though. It was tough going there for a while.”
Bids were being shouted out around them. It sounded like the going price for number 12 was reaching $150,000. The other bids had begun and ended.
“Tough? How?” Alex pressed.
“Most of our kind don’t survive the first year.”
“But what about the extra strength for the first month?”
“Oh it’s true, we are extra tough then. Sometimes that strength can be your own worst enemy, though. You get so desperate you lose all odda’ reason just to get blood. I have seen newlies die by bitin’ themselves and drinkin’ their own blood because they so thirsty. Without good makers who teach survival, a new vamp is pretty much a fifty-fifty.”
“Dante didn’t have good makers, did he?”
“Nup. He was left to die. The red head lady wasn’t so bad, she wanted to help him, but the odda’ one…” Dougie trailed off, shaking his head and looking away.
“Wait…you saw who did it?”
“I saw somethin’.”
Finally he drained his glass.
“Another?” Margaret asked.
“Yeah, what the hell. I ain’t drivin,” he replied, handing her his glass. “Eighty-five was a good year. White female, thanks, love.”
Margaret took Alex’s glass as well, leaving her and Dougie alone.
“Anyway, love, I been walking this land for near on four thousand years and I never felt nothin’ like the fella that made Dante. He a bad spirit. I followed Dante because I felt he would need savin’, by helpin’ or killin’ him. One way or another. I follow him still every now and then when he has a darkness on the horizon.”
“Darkness on the horizon?” Alex asked, curious.
Dougie looked up, toward the skylight. “Just make sure you leave with him,” he said, his tone suddenly heavy.
The bid on number 12 had closed at $210,000, the last bid of the night. People were gradually filing out of the venue and Alex turned to watch them go. When she turned back, Dougie was gone, as if he had never been there.
“I apologise for making you wait.” Dante had appeared behind her.
Alex hugged him tight. “Time to go?”
He nodded. “I told the others we’d meet at the car.”
They made their way towards the entrance doors and the street outside. Other departing vampires gathered behind them, applauding Dante as the founder and shaking his hand as he exited, thanking him for a wonderful night.
They stepped through the doors and into the empty street, when she felt Dante’s hand pull away sharply.
“Die, mother fucker!”
Alex whipped around just in time to see a figure disappear into the night. It was when her eyes returned to Dante that she screamed. Dante slumped to his knees, looking down at the sharp point of a stake poking through his chest. The round bloodstain on his shirt expanding more by the second.
Alex screamed his name but he didn’t appear to hear her. The crowd had stayed inside for more goodbyes and congratulations. There was no one in sight. She was alone.
Dante touched the tip of the stake with several fingers. A small smile crossed his face. “My heart.”
His eyes found hers and the smile disappeared. “Alex, don’t…”
Dante fell face first onto the concrete. The stake was pushed out from the impact, but the hole it left didn’t close. The wound was through the heart.
She knelt beside Dante’s body, clumsily patting and pressing him, choking out his name, praying for him to respond. But he lay still.
“Step away.”
Alex looked up to see a tall, pale man approaching. He was thin with slicked-back hair the colour of
