Larger men not only posed more of a challenge before the bite, but physically they attracted me. It was one reason I frequented red light districts in towns within driving distance of wherever I chose to settle. It was easier all around to find a man willing to not only fuck me but to feed me afterward. It was almost pleasant. It was also why I never fed on women. Something about their smaller stature and the way they smelled were repellant to me. They’d never attracted me in my human or vampire life.
The story of how I’d been made vampire was a common one. Long ago, I’d given up all hope of finding happiness. When I’d been a young human of twenty-four, I’d set off with my father and uncles to join one of the final great crusades to the Holy Land. I’d been in many battles, always doing what I was destined to do before that fateful night in Ruad, the last crusader outpost on the coast of the Levant. The Knights Templar had set up a permanent garrison on the Isle of Ruad but I was young, strong, and after almost four long years, I’d been tired of war, tired of always fighting alongside my elders. Just this one night, as everyone lay down, I’d let passion get the best of me and thrown caution to the wind. I’d snuck off to lie with a strong young knight who’d caught my eye.
A dark man by the name of Sir Robert had come into our camp late that night and away from my father and uncle’s prying eyes, I’d gone off with him alone. Little had I known those would be the last moments I’d ever spend as human. After my transformation to vampire, my maker, Sir Robert, traveled with me for many years, teaching me how to be who I now was destined to be. By the time some barbarian separated his head from his shoulders in battle decades later, I had accepted my new life. I held my maker in great regard though oddly, love had never been part of our bond. I’d taken his bones with me after his death and carried them wherever I settled.
After my shower, I dressed in old clothes, determined to lay his bones to rest after dark. After accomplishing that, I’d be going out to check the progress of my movers. First things first, meant taking the elevator upstairs and then sealing up my secret room again. I walked to the kitchen and wrenched open the door, pulling out a fresh bottle of ketchup, and cracking the seal before pouring the contents down my throat. I chucked the empty bottle into the bin and then strode out to the small trailer and unlocked it.
Having extraordinary strength and incredible speed were two of the benefits of being what I was. It was nice to be able to accomplish a task like digging a six-foot hole, lovingly laying a coffin inside, and covering it up, all in a matter of minutes. If it hadn’t been dark, I would have moved at human speed, infinitely slower, less chance of being seen by nosy humans, even though I didn’t smell any in the vicinity. After accomplishing one goal for the evening, I washed my hands and changed into fresh clothes, grabbing the keys to the Civic. It was time to drive into town and see what the movers had accomplished while I’d slumbered. Later, I’d be off to eat, most likely headed to Stockton or another larger town to find a bar where I’d pick up dinner.
I pulled the Civic out onto the road, convinced that my home and the treasure buried on the side of the house was safely hidden from prying eyes. I’d connected my alarm system to my Apple watch so that with the touch of a button, I’d be able to check if my cameras picked up anyone prowling around the house. Though it was unlikely any predatory animals knew I was in town, I wanted to keep it that way. I didn’t have a scent but if a supe was close by, they might hear the absence of a heartbeat… if they were listening. I was dead after all. In this existence, I was always alone, living a solitary life and it suited me. I’d become accustomed to it many centuries ago.
As I drove, I stayed alert. I always was. It’s how I knew other supes were in the area, running in the forest around my new home. It would take time to pick up and move again so soon and I didn’t want to have to do that unless I had to. The other supernatural beings in the woods wouldn’t know I was there unless I gave myself away. It was the last thing I intended on doing. I was only glad that I’d realized they were there before they picked up on my presence. For the most part, I went through life ignoring their presence. Though most supes lived as pets, they were not the problem.
Packs were.
I hoped against hope that I hadn’t moved into pack territory because if I had, things could get messy before I extricated myself. I sighed out loud, realizing I was being judgmental again. In my experience, packs were not all bad. There were some decent ones. I suspected that the woods around town were being used as a place to run. It just wasn’t clear to me whether a pack who lived in town or somewhere close by was using the Prosper Woods. That was another thing I planned on learning tonight. It was better to know what I was dealing with so that I could get on with life in town. Odds were, they wouldn’t detect me
