Path of the Vampire forum

Katie Mae laid in the dark in the room at the ER. Her head was pounding and all she wanted was the pounding in her head to disappear. “Why or why do I have to be such a klutz?” she kept asking herself. She was so embarrassed at making the table tip and getting hit in the head with a beer she and had left as soon as she knew she could without it looking like she was running away.

The nurse walked in, made some notes on her chart. “We just got the results back of your CT-Scan and the doctor will be in shortly.” She adjusted her blankets and smiled “It will be ok honey, but that eye will be black for quite a while. Put some meat on it, they say it actually helps.”

Katie nodded and sighed. She wouldn’t have come if it hadn’t been for her landlord pushing her to go to make sure she didn’t have a concussion since her vision had been a little blurry after hitting her head. She closed her eyes as a few tears slid from underneath her lashes. She was scared to death and the one person she felt close enough to call she didn’t want to bother. He was so busy and she was just in his way anyways. She hated hospitals. Always had ever since she was a small child and had watched her grandmother die a painful death, hooked up to all kind of tubes and machines. She had been told to sit in the corner of the room and play with her dolls and left to herself. No one noticed how pale she’d been, or the fear showing in her eyes.

“Ah Katie, here we are.” The doctor flipped the bright lights on in the room causing her to squint and almost groan aloud. His voice was a deep bass and booming. She wanted to put her hands over her ears but knew it would be rude. She lay there as he got a light and tested her pupils once again and did some simple neurological tests and then sat on the bed. He was older and had a kind face. He patted her leg. “Nothing to worry about. You had a slight concussion. I don’t expect any complications to develop except for you to have a headache for tonight and possible continued for a couple days. I’ll give you some meds for that. Unless you notice the vision getting worse, vomiting, dizziness….”he continued listing all the possible things that could go wrong. She looked at him but quit listening grateful she could leave soon knowing she wouldn’t be back. “You’re free to leave. Get this script filled, no driving while taking it. Are you sure you don’t have a ride? If you do we can give you shot that will knock the pain right out of your head.”

Katie looked down and quietly answered him, “No sir, there really is no one I’d feel comfortable in calling. Thank you though, I’ll survive until I get home.” The doctor handed her a note for school since he wanted her to just hang out in bed for a couple days and take it easy. She grabbed her coat and walked out to the hallway.

Something on the directory caught Katie’s attention and she smiled as she stepped on the elevator pressing a button to go up. Babies were the one thing she would brave any hospital for and decided to go look at the viewing window. She hoped one day she could find a man that would love her just as she was and they could have a family. The elevator stopped and she got off walking down the hall, not really paying attention to where she was so lost in thought. She turned not seeing anything that looked like a nursery. A nurse was headed into the room in front of her. Katie stopped to ask.

“Excuse me but is this the floor with the nursery?” The nurse looked harried and overworked. As she answered, Katie noticed a man in the bed in the room. He looked like he had been beat pretty good but the bruises were fading. “No ma’am, it’s on the floor above us. “ As she was talking people started yelling Code Blue and everyone went rushing to the end of the hallway. The nurse crammed a can of Sprite into her hand, “Please could you take this into that man. Thanks!” In an instant she was gone.

Katie walked quietly into the room. The man lay in the bed, the television playing quietly in the background as he stared out the window. She walked up to the bed and sat it down on the tray. “Um, Hi, I’m Katie. I’m sorry to bother you but the nurse asked me to give this to you, she had to rush off.” She smiled shyly at him. “Is there anything else I could get you?”

Eachann had woken up a day or two ago, and wept for it. He'd thought it would be the end, he'd hoped it would be the end and one of them should have died. He had no idea what had happened and his memory was of the events was foggy at best. All he knew, was that he'd woken up here with all manner of wounds about his body, lines and drips and wires going in an out of his body, and the pain. The pain was there, but it was like it didn't quite register and was kept at the back of his mind and not actually 'felt'. He was numb to it all and had no joie de vivre left within him for anything. Doctors had come and gone, poked and prodded at him. His bandages had been changed twice daily, as had his drains. There was one guy who came round every day without fail and there was just..... something about him that Eachann couldn't quite place.

He looked younger than Eachann himself was, from what he could make out of him. He came in every day and did..... stuff that made him feel better. He wasn't sure what the man did, or why, and he couldn't see properly because of the angle at which he was lying. However, the one thing he did know, was that when the man left - he did feel an awful lot better and quite a bit stronger than he had before the man's visit. He tried to see the man's face, so that he could remember it for once he was healed. Though, to be honest, he wasn't sure if he wanted to thank him for helping, or punch him for helping. His head was so mixed up and all over the place that he still wasn't sure if he really wanted to be alive or not right now.

Some doctor or other had been in and twittering about, trying to pull him from his reverie and had gone off to supposedly bring him a treat of a drink that wasn't water. The police had been and gone since then, once more trying to pry from him what had happened to him and how he'd got the wounds he had. He'd said nothing and simply stared out of the window, so much so that as they'd left, he'd heard them talking about how he had slipped, mentally, and perhaps they should get a shrink down to see him. He'd sighed at that, because that was the last thing he needed. What was he supposed to say? Yes, I'm alive - again - because I have super powers and it's vampires who are trying to kill me? That would get him booked into the psyche ward faster than he could blink!

He heard footsteps coming into the room and he figured it was the doctor, or one of his lackeys, coming back with this supposed treat of a drink. He heard something being placed onto the tray and couldn't help but smirk at the fact he had been right. However, the voice that accompanied the drink and the words it used just didn't sit right. It wasn't the voice of staff, it was someone - or something - else and his body tensed and was ready for action as his head turned to look. He stared up into her face as she stood by the bed, waiting for his body to tell him if this were a vampire or not, as he gathered his wits and his powers. Apparently, faced with the possibility of dying, it turned out he didn't want to at all. So there was that question answered. He stared and stared, a good few minutes passing where he said nothing and just looked at her. However, his body didn't itch and crawl and the sickness never came over him. Which meant that this one, wasn't a vampire.

He cast a glance to the can that had been put onto his tray and scowled at it. Anyone who knew him, knew he didn't drink fizzy juice. Since becoming a paladin, he'd done the whole, my body is a temple - except for his fry-ups at the cafe, and alcohol, and the sweets he liked to keep in his pocket. Ok, so his body wasn't exactly a temple, maybe just a shrine? However, he did stay away from fizzy juice - so that 'treat' tehe doctor had promised him had just fallen flat. He then realised he'd not actually said anything to this woman, Katie, who'd brought him it, and was standing there looking back at him. His face broke into his charm offensive and he grinned in a very disarming manner, his old swag coming back to him and sliding on like an old and comfortable glove. He was such a flirt, and nothing was ever going to stop that.

"Ta vurry much hen. Tis much appreciated, aye."

He shifted himself over on the bed a little to make room for her, seeing as how his chair had been nicked for someone who had visitors, and patted the space he'd made.

"Aye. Sum company wuldnae be a bad hing. Cn ye spare a poor wee laddie sum time?"

He smiled sadly at her and his eyes went all puppy dog like as his facial expressions pleaded with her to sit with him and keep him company.

"Ah-m Eachann, nd welcum tae me hame fer the noo."

He indicated the room with his good hand and winked at her, curiosity getting the better of him.

"Sae then, whit brings ye heer? Cus, ain't nae whay yer staff. Right?"

Katie stood there silently ready to turn and leave when he suddenly broke into a smile and spoke. She smiled at his accent. His voice deep, his accent made him quite charming but Katie knew it had nothing to do with her, she reasoned he was this way with everyone. She eyed him, unsure whether she should stay and visit with him or just leave. She usually could read people well and he was confusing her. When she came in he seemed to want the world to go away but he seemed as if he really wanted her to stay.

The bed gave way under slight weight, bending her knee and facing him, making sure that she wasn’t hurting him in anyway. “If this bothers you tell me because I can stand.” She smiled genuinely at him this time. There was something about him that seemed to draw her. It wasn’t a sexual type interest, just two people who had some hidden hurts. She didn’t have any other place to go except to an empty house.

The room was the typical, sterile hospital room. Nothing to indicate any warmth. She felt sorry for him. He seemed really sad and a bit lonely. His flirtiness was a cover, she could sense that much about him but she wondered why, what his story was.

“Like I said my name is Katie Mae, but I go by Katie usually. And what would your name be? I’m curious as to where you’re from. I totally love your accent.” She blushed slightly as she talked to him wondering if her eye was turning black yet. She hoped not. At least the small cut hadn’t required stitches.

As she laid her bag next to her a paper fell to the floor. She stretch to try and reach it, her sweatshirt riding up, her yoga pants were low rise and you could see the top of her Paladin tattoo on her hip. She sat back up pulling her sweatshirt down again. “I can’t afford to lose this, my doctor’s note to get out of class.”

Katie watched a bird land outside the window on the ledge finally turning to him. “Not to be nosy but what happened to you?

As she asked if her sitting there would bother him, he just shook his head and then reached out and patted her knee. It was a chance, he knew, but he didn't push it too far as he removed it after he'd patted, and lay it back onto his stomach again. He had noted the cut on her face, and the slight discolouring that was flaring under her skin and blooming. He didn't mention it however, because he knew he was hardly in any shape to comment on anothers 'war wounds'. Though he did have to wonder what had happened, if it were a domestic fight, professional, accident, or so many other things.

He couldn't help but chuckle as she mentioned how she liked his accent, then made no move to answer him or seem to understand what he'd said to her about his name. However, he smiled kindly at her and nodded along. as she spoke. However, before he had a chance to reply, she'd presented her *** to him - and a fairly fine looking *** it was too if he was honest. He was a man, and he had no better offers of things to look at, so of course he was going to stare. Which was why, when her shirt rode up and her pants rode down - he had a full view of her tattoo. He blinked and stared some more, trying to place the shape of the tattoo and then it clicked. In his surprise, he couldn't help himself as he spoke fairly loudly and pointed at her ***.

"Yer a pally tae!"

He grinned then, wider than he had before and winked at her. His arm stopped pointing and came back to his chest, pointing to himself and repeating his name again for her.

"Eachann"

He chuckled softly, glad to know there was at least one other out there who was still alive.

"Tha's me name likes. Yer Katie, n ahm Eachann. As fer whit happened tae me, ah tried tae tak on anither fanger. Ah managed tae kill ane afor likes. But this'n...."

He just shook his head sadly.

"She git the jump ahn me! Oh! And ahm fae Scoht-lahnd. Yersel?"

Katie blushed as his hand patted her knee. She hated that she blushed so much. She smiled and made herself comfortable again as she sat back down after picking the paper up. The enthusiasm in his voice made her smile and laugh. “Yes I am how did you know?” she asked then saw his hand point to her hip. She felt the heat returning in earnest as she realized her tattoo had been exposed when she bent over and she wondered what else. “Oh” her mouth a wide O. “How do you know about the Paladins?” she was surprised to say the least. She giggled as he winked at her, starting to relax realizing he was a really nice guy.

“Awwww Eachann, I missed it before. I will get used to your brogue. You must think I’m an idiot!” She laughed knowing she couldn’t pronounce his name like it was supposed to. “Sorry if I butcher your name. I’m a total klutz in speech and movement.” She laughed at herself.

Her face showed her surprise as he told her how he had been hurt and what had happened to him. So he was fighting a vampire. “Wow, I’ve never had to fight one. I’ve seen some and I still that the guy who did the tat on my back was feeding from me when did my tat but to fight one. Wow.” She looked at him with sympathy in her eyes suddenly wishing she could take his pain away. “Are you ok? I mean obviously you’re still healing but my gosh, it must have been horrible for you.”

Unable to help herself she reached forward and squeezed hand feeling so bad for him and it didn’t look like he had many visitors either. Katie leaned back, her foot swinging off the bed. “I always wanted to go to Scotland. I think my mom says we had some ancestors from there. I’m from the US. I came to Harper Rock originally doing research for an author who was writing a book about vampires. I enrolled in classes at the University to finish my degree and then was supposed to see if I could find any evidence of vampires. I wasn’t finding anything so I called him and told him it was all nonsense there was no such creature but now I know different. “ Shrugging her shoulders she continued, “I could call him up and give him so much information now but I don’t know, just doesn’t feel right to tell him.”

Feeling completely at ease now she laid down at the end of his bed, her head on her hand as they talked. “What is a guy from Scotland doing clear over here?”

He listened to what she was saying and his eyebrow rose a little at some of it. She was a paladin, but she didn't fight vampires? Huh? How did that work and what sense did that make? He knew he wasn't the most informed on the subject of vampires or the paladins, but surely fighting the vampires was why you became a paladin? Right? Well, she didn't seem like she was going anywhere fast, so perhaps he'd be able to find out a bit more as to how it all worked in this city. Maybe there'd be some more folks for him to join with and take out some more vampires. That would be cool. Well cool.

"Ah'll be fyne. Ah've hud wairse likes. She git lucky, nae mair then tha'. I shud hae been able tae tak her, but.... ah dinnae ken. She hud powers ah ain't ne'er seen befaire, an it threw me aff. But next time..... ahll be ready likes."

He nodded with a cheeky smile and a wave of his hand to say it didn't matter about his name nor that she'd missed it the first time, he was already planning his next attacks to try and rid the world of vampires. However, it was a bit of a front because he was well aware of how close it had all come to being the end of him. Again. But he had no plans of stopping, because to stop was to give up and let them win. And that just wasn't who he was. They wanted to stop him - they would have to kill him. His fingers linked with hers and his thumb brushed the back of her hand softly, looking into her eyes with that smile that spread from his lips and into those sparkling globes.

"Aye, maist Americans think they're Scoh-ish. Feckin whannabees."

He winked at her good naturedly though, not meaning to insult or offend her.

"As fer me.... Ah came tae say guidbai tae mah cousin. Ahm the delegation fae Scoh-land. However, when we were huvin the git the gither, sum feckin fanger came an killt everywhan. Ah survived, dinnae ken hauw likes, but here ah ahm. Sae, ah goht mah powers sae ah cud fight an kill as mony ae theym as ah kin. But..... why er ye a pally if'n ye dinnae fight they'm? Whit's the point?"

“Well apparently my great, great grandparents emigrated from Scotland as children is what I was told. I never really listened to the stories, guess I should have! I’ve just always considered myself and American mutt, full of who knows what!”

Katie smiled back at him. He seemed really nice but wondered what prompted this hatred of vampires, besides the fact that he was Paladin too. What had caused him to want to choose this path? She listened and then the question she had hoped he wouldn’t ask was asked.

“Well, the group I am in, we were told to not attack until there was sufficient strength to survive. I am only now becoming strong enough to even think about fighting. It isn’t that I haven’t wanted to fight them but I was following a direct request. I guess you could say I’m support for others like you who want to fight.” Some of the light went from eyes as she became lost in thought then suddenly vengeance was in her eyes once again. “Trust me there are some that I would dearly love to kill once and for all. I am beginning training in how to fight but from what I’ve heard no human has ever killed a vampire, they usually just end up in here like you.”

The pair looked at one another, when she finally asked him, “What made you choose to follow the path of Paladin? If you had them Scotland why did you come here? It sounds like your hatred runs deep for these creatures.”

He really hated his accent sometimes. She'd asked him what had brought him to the city before and he'd answered, telling her how he'd come to the town, from Scotland, for his cousins memorial and that his entire family had been attacked and killed at the memorial. Though he'd survived somehow, and so had sworn vengeance and to get it, he'd become a Paladin. So he just looked at her pointedly and hoped she'd rewind what he'd said and understand him. He could hope, couldn't he?

"Ye huv ae group ae Pallys, and ye willnae fight? Feck that! Ahv killt a fanger, by meself likes. But did ye ken, they huv packs or summat. Ye hurt whan ae theym, AHLL the feckers cum tae git ye! Naewhan cn survive, unless they whant ye tae fer whitever reason or are disturbed. Ye and yer grup huvnae a cloo hauw these feckers fight n act, cus ye've been hiding away!"

He shook his head, staring at her and feeling himself getting annoyed at the fact there was possibly an army of paladins who'd been cowering away and doing nothing, while he'd been fighting the good fight on his own. It was ridiculous, and he firmly believed they wouldn't have a clue what to expect when they came face to face with an actual vampire.

Katie sat quietly trying to find a nice way to ask without seeming like she was prying and finally decided the direct approach was the best. “So your cousin lives here and you were amongst the delegation from Scotland or you lived here and he was from the delegation from Scotland? I’m assuming your cousin was killed or was he turned? This just seems a lot more personal than a delegation got killed. There is something different about you Eachann,” faltering over his name trying to say it how he did though hard without the brogue, “Did I say it right that time?”

The girl blushed hoping she had, “Sorry, this bump on my head has given me a real headache and my brain isn’t working all the well.” She smiled and continued, “but well, there is a passion behind you that I’ve only seen in a very few. One still has it, the other seems to not mind the creatures so much anymore and the other has been turned into one of them but yet fights against them. It just seems there is more to this, is it because of your cousin?” Her eyes curious but looking sympathetic. She had been lucky and no one she cared about had been taken from her due to the foul beasts but she knew at some point that would change.

“You gotta be careful Eachann” she smiled the name coming easier to her tongue, “They are powerful, even the weak of their species seem to be able to defeat us. I do think banning together and fighting we might stand a chance but then they’ll be on us like a duck on a June bug.” She looked at him, his expression telling her he wasn’t buying it or the fact that it seemed no one else was doing anything.

“The truth is there were some that were willing to go out and fight and had the strength. I’ve just newly acquired my skills and was asked to get strong before I fought. Our leader had to leave for a while and the person they put in charge, well they didn’t do their job so things fell apart. I kept gathering supplies and money in the hopes our leader would come back. One woman, Dominque was a little bit crazy and was always out trying to fight them. As far as I know she never bothered to ask anyone to go with her and ended up getting herself turned. So hopefully things will start happening soon.” She looked down embarrassed that more wasn’t happening and this man was out fighting all the time.

He nodded his head to her question about whether she'd pronounced his name right or not and then went on to try and explain his situation, ignoring for a minute her comments on Dominique.

"We Scohts huv mooved evrywhur, populated ahll they cuntries. Sae she lived here, wi ahll her family. She wis sum sairt a distant cusin, and she died last year. This year, we hud a memorial, n people came fae ahll aiver the wurld tae pay oor respects. However, sum fanger fecking attacked the pairty, n killt everywhan - but me."

He sighed, and hoped she'd understand what he'd said, though he was curious.

"Yer the third Pally ahv met. Ah wis engaged..."

His voice broke a little bit then, but he forced himself to continue on.

"Tae Dominique, mah Moose. She wis pregnant, wi mah babby. She'd promised, she'd told me, she'd take it easy until the babby wis born. But she didnae. She got hersel killt, and mah babby tae!"

His head turned away from her, tears pricking his eyes as he stared out of the window and tried to control himself. Softly, almost so low that it would be missed he whispered.

"Ah wish ah whur deid."