Page 80 of Starved Until Sunset

“He may have gotten a little too invested in his part,” Demetrius said. “We’ve called a doctor to come check him out. Why don’t you have a seat on the bench over there and wait for him?”

“Who are you people?” the girl asked. “Do you have some kind of ID or something?”

“Hey, you’re the critter dude!”

The voice was familiar, but Demetrius couldn’t quite place it. He looked up and saw a man in his early twenties smiling down at him. From the man’s expression, he’d hit a bong or eaten some laced brownies before wandering the street.

“I used to be,” Demetrius said. “Not anymore.”

“You don’t remember me, do you?” The guy crouched down before him, still smiling. “You came over and evicted a bunch of chipmunks from my house a few months ago.”

Demetrius gave him a closer look. His dark hair was cut in a floppy, Bieber-esque style that fell over his forehead just above droopy, stoner eyes. The memory clicked into place. This kid had created a video game and bought one of those huge houses out in Hollow Hills.

“Yeah, I remember you.” Demetrius glanced to where Amelia and Eileen were talking to the victim’s girlfriend. “Sorry, I’m kind of in the middle of something here.”

“I’m Baron. You got rid of the chipmunks for me.”

“Yeah, right. Baron. Hi, it’s good to see you again. Look, right now is kind of a bad time⁠—”

Aldrik lifted Baron up from his crouch and dragged him back a few feet. He curled one strong arm curled around Baron’s throat, the boy’s eyes wide, and his mouth a dark “O” of surprise. Aldrik peered over Baron’s shoulder, his red eyes shining in the shadows.

“Dude, whoa,” Baron said. “This monster act stuff is totally on point. Is this your new gig?”

Demetrius stood up and held out a hand. “Aldrik, let him go.”

“Is he important to you?”

“He’s a human being, so yes, he’s important.”

“Dudes, this is totally killing my buzz.” Baron struggled a bit, then frowned. “Damn, this guy works out. His sticks are like logs.”

Aldrik put his nose against Baron’s neck, then scowled. “He reeks of cannabis. I do not drink from a spoiled sample.”

Aldrik ran off, leaving Baron flailing to catch his balance. He stayed upright, barely, and looked around, then back at Demetrius. “Dude, that was intense. Like, level VR stuff. I hope they’re paying you extra for this.”

Michael ran up from the opposite end of the alley, suddenly appearing beside the shrieking elderly woman vampire and grabbing her tight by the upper arms.

“What the fuck?” the victim’s girlfriend said. “Is that…? How did he…?”

“Dude, where you’d come from?” Baron asked, looking up the alley walls. “Did he fly in on wires?”

“No, it’s not wires. Get inside, Baron. It’s not safe out here.” Demetrius turned to the girl. “It’s okay. He’s on our side.”

The young girl’s eyes widened even more. “Side? There are sides? I thought this was staged or something, like those fucking haunted houses all over the country.”

“Your friend is going to be okay,” Demetrius said. “Give us a minute to get this woman under control, and we’ll check your friend out.”

“Under control?” the girl looked around wildly. “Help! Somebody help! They’re attacking this old woman!”

“It’s all part of the show, folks,” Eileen said, poking at a few people with her cane. “Move along now. Let us get set up for the next one. There you go. More to see around town. Eat at Margie’s diner and tip well.”

“Here, dear,” Amelia said, pulling a small bottle of booze from the bag slung around her shoulder. “This will help calm you.”

The girl slapped her hand away. “I’m not drinking anything you psychos offer me.”

Demetrius found that Baron had wandered off. He hoped the kid had taken his advice and gone home instead of somewhere to smoke some more. When he turned back, two older men ran up from the opposite end of the alley, moving faster than Demetrius could track. One of them wrapped an arm around Michael’s neck, and the other grabbed the now screaming young girl by the upper arms. Opening his mouth wide and exposing his fangs, he prepared to latch on to the side of her neck, but a stream of water hit him right in the mouth, filling it as he gargled and screamed. The sizzle and pop of his burning flesh reminded Demetrius of meat placed in a hot skillet. Releasing his victim, he ran off down the alley, leaving behind a dark, foul smelling trail of smoke.

The girl sat down hard on the decorative brick pavers. Her face was pale as she stared at the other end of the alley. Without a word, she got up and snatched the small bottle from Amelia’s hand, twisted it open, and chugged it down in one long swallow.