Helena (A Short Story), Page 2

"Father?" Cora called, her voice echoing through the hollow worship hall.

  No one answered.

  Cora pushed open the hall's wooden doors a little more and called again.

  "Father? Are you there?"

  Nothing.

  Worry began to creep into Cora's mind. Father Jessop was always here. He certainly never made her call him a second time. She had known the kind man for almost forty years and in all that time he had always answered on the first knock. He had been a father and a mentor to her when she had no one else to turn to.

  Having no memories of where she came from or how she came to arrive on the church steps, a man named Father Stephen took in that confused eighteen year old and gave her a home.

  He watched over her and protected her for more than forty years and never cared that she wasn't human. There were times even she herself would forget that she was a vampyre. That was almost a hundred years ago. It was the last forty years in the care of Father Jessop that she cherished most.

  This was her home, her sanctuary. She knew this place better than anywhere else in the known world.

  No, something wasn't right.

  "Father," her voice was commanding and loud. This time she heard voices, neither of them Father Jessop.

  "Come on, man, let's get outta here." The first voice said.

  "Not until we find that amulet. The dwarf ain't gonna pay us if we ain't got that amulet."

  The second voice was confident and sure of himself, but Cora could smell just as much fear on him as his partner.

  "But what if we run into a troll or something?" asked the first voice, "Didn't you hear that?"

  "Don't be stupid, Thomas. Everyone knows that trolls only live in the forests and mountains," the second voice paused for a moment before continuing, "So don't worry. It's just yer nerves playing tricks on yer hearing."

  "You mean like in the stories my dad used to tell us when we were kids?" Thomas asked.

  "Whatever," The second man said, "Come on…"

  The talking came to an abrupt stop. Now she could make out a female voice, but it was quieter than the men. Cora strained to hear the newcomer.

  "Hand me the amulet and I'll let you live," the female voice said.

  "We ain't got it," Thomas said, "Right James?"

  "That's right," James said, "We ain't got it. Not like we'd give it to ya anyways."

  Cora heard James scream for a moment, followed by what sounded to her like raw meat being ripped from the bone. She stepped away from the door as a man shoved it open and ran out of, and away from, the church. This, she assumed from the scream, was Thomas.

  As slow and quiet as she could, Cora crept through the doors and into the worship hall. To her left was Father Jessop's office. The broken in door told her this was where the two men and the woman had been. As she crept closer she could hear someone rummaging inside. The smell of fresh blood caught her attention as she approached, causing her mouth to involuntarily water. Blood spattered what was left of the door and covered the floor. Placing herself against the wall next to the entrance, Cora carefully peaked her head around the corner.

  Before she had time to even think about reacting a hand grabbed her by the throat and lifted her into the air. The woman holding her was not what she expected to find. Slim, long dark hair, and no taller than Cora herself the woman seemed to expend no effort in holding her.

  "What's this," the woman asked, "Are you looking for the amulet, too?"

  "Who are you?" Cora struggled with her attacker but could not free herself. The woman was abnormally strong. Cora lashed out at the woman with one hand but the mystery woman swatted it away easily. Her attacker pressed her against the wall, putting pressure on her throat. The woman leaned in close and sniffed her. Still only inches from Cora's face, the dark haired woman smiled.

  "Well, well. This is surprising. I don't believe I know you, and I know every vampyre. Who are you?"

  "Where is Father Jessop?" Cora was having a hard time breathing. The woman was crushing her throat.

  "The old man?" the woman asked, "I left his body in the back room. He wasn't juicy enough for me."

  The dark haired woman opened her mouth and a set of fangs popped into view. Cora had met another vampyre only once and it did not end well, for either of them. Try as she might, however, she could not break the hold on her throat. The woman sniffed Cora again.

  "You're not one of us, are you?"

  "No."

  "Shame really," the woman said, "I like your spunk."

  The strange new vampyre continued applying pressure until Cora passed out and hit the floor with a hollow thud. By the time Cora woke, the vampyre was gone.