Round Three

Bloody New Year

“Joey? Gina?”
I look about me for a moment at first, wondering if I was heard.
“Hi Dad,” comes Joey’s cheery greeting, as both my children spring into view from nowhere. I don’t bother to ponder where they’d materialised from, instead giving a little expectant smile before I speak again.
“I’ll need you to help me clean up,” I tell them, before I look down at a spot on the floor. “We’ve got a nasty mess to dispose of.”
Both children follow my gaze, and their spirits sink. Joey scowls as he delivers a kick to the untidiness in question.
“Serves them right,” he growls.

“That’ll teach them to mess with Mum and Dad!”
A fond smile momentarily plays upon my lips as I watch him. He reminds me of my cousin Kian; aggressive tendencies, but his heart’s in the right place.
“Yes,” I muse with an air of sadness as I begin to drift, “It will.”
Not exactly the kind of mess you’d expect to find after a New Year’s bash, I know. They weren’t even invited… but I’m jumping ahead of myself here.

What with our children being older, Chris and I had decided to welcome the new year in style, mostly to lift our spirits after all that’s already happened. Could 2008 be any worse to us than this past year? To be honest, I’m starting to wonder. As it was, we had to be very choosy over who we invited, although we still managed to fill the house, in more than one way.
“They’ve got kids!” Chris protested.
“So do we!” I told him, “They can bring them along, they’ll have someone else to play with.”
We didn’t invite Mum – I doubt she’d have attended if we had – but we did invite her parents. I could picture their eyes lighting up even from the other end of the phone.
“Fireworks?” Granddad challenged, “You don’t want fireworks! I’ve a much better idea!”
“Oh, you fancy yourself as an entertainer do you?” I grinned, “Look forward to seeing what you have planned!”
I also became grateful very quickly that one of my Uncles runs the city hospital, as I found myself asking if he’d be able to supply any blood bags – we wouldn’t normally ask, but I knew first hand what happened if you let even one vampire get hungry, let alone the group we were waiting for. I therefore heaved a sigh of relief when he said he’d arrange something, but told us not to expect him at the party as it’d be a full moon.
“Okay,” I smiled wryly, “That’s three people off the guest list right there.”
It wasn’t just vampires though. A good portion of hu… well, mortals were coming too, so it was worth setting up a buffet table, whereupon I faced a different challenge.

“Oooh, that looks good!” Emily drooled, "Can I have some?"
“Hands off!” I told them as I continued to serve out the food, “There won’t be any left for the party!”

Said party got into full swing very quickly. We very carefully scheduled it for eleven thirty so we’d have enough refreshments to last the night. In the meantime, as midnight crept ever closer, Granddad Patrice – or Pat as he preferred to be called – and Grandma Fabio snuck off, after strongly suggesting that we should move the party outside.
“Are we having fireworks?” one of the children asked excitedly.
“I don’t know,” I answered truthfully, with an air of suspicion, “They have something up their sleeves, no idea what.”
The older couple returned in heavy overcoats and flip-flops, with something wrapped in sackcloth. While Fabio uncovered the bundle, Pat addressed the audience before them in true showman style.
“Ladies, gentlemen and others,” he began with a devilish grin, prompting a series of sniggers, before changing his manner. “Okay, okay,” he chuckled, “Well, after our long break away, and coming back to this,” he paused to indicate the snowy ground, “We decided to bring a taste of summer to this cold night, warm things up a little.”
“A little?” Fabio challenged with a wink as he rose.
“Okay, maybe more than a little,” he shrugged in reply, “You ready?”
“Si,” Fabio agreed with a grin, their hands lifting to their coats.
“Un,” Pat began, following his husband’s lead in reverting to his mother tongue.
“Duo,” Fabio continued, looking as though he was bracing himself for something – the cold?
“Trois!” Pat finished, and in a flash they whipped off their overcoats, kicking off their shoes. At first I burst out laughing at the sight of these tropical skirts they were wearing, but something in me took over, and by the sound of things Chris too, as his wolf whistle echoed mine.
“Hey you two, behave!” Pat winked, while Fabio passed him what seemed to be a staff as he took over the introductions.
“Straight from the tropics,” he grinned, torching the ends of his staff, “We bring you a sizzling start to the New Year!”

My eyes widened in delight as the penny dropped, and I began to chuckle in glee.
“Wow, this beats fireworks any day!” I beamed, watching with wonder as the men masterfully tossed and twirled the burning rods, both above their heads and below. Not surprisingly, once they’d finished, they were quick to pull on their coats and sandals.
“You learnt that on holiday?” I asked, intrigued.
“Certainly did,” Pat grinned, “Enjoy it?”
“Loved it!” I replied happily, “You’ll have to teach me sometime!”
“We might be able to arrange something,” he winked, “Let’s get back into the warm, eh?”
“Good idea,” I agreed, about to move when I felt hands on my hips. A loving smile stretched across my face as I looked back at Chris.
“I don’t know,” he teased, “Bunch of lightweights!”
“You were human too once,” Pat reminded playfully, leaving us to each other as he retreated to the cosy interior.
“You know, if you’re cold, you only have to ask,” he smiled knowingly, planting a kiss on my cheek before I turned to face him.
“Mm hmm,” I murmured, my arms hooking round his neck as I watched the others move inside, before looking back into his red eyes. “Happy New Year sweetie.”
“Happy New Year,” he grinned, placing a tender, lingering kiss on my lips. I soon became lost in his touch, our mouths melting together as we clung tightly to each other.
“Come on you two!” Evan teased, beckoning us inside, “You’re meant to be hosting a party!”
I gave him a good view of my emerald tongue in reply, before following them back inside. I couldn’t believe the sight before my eyes at first, but it became infectious after a while.
“Come on!” Fabio encouraged us, holding out his hands invitingly. “It’s easy!”
Chris and I exchanged looks, before I went to join them, finding out just how easy this was meant to be. Not even Chris could escape this dance’s clutches as he appeared by my side.

The alcohol flowed, the blood bags were drained, the buffet table was emptied, and we even let our human children sample some of the wine, “only because it’s New Year, so make the most of it.” Chris and I could snuggle up to each other in the company of others, and that in itself lifted the mood considerably. Just as we’d forgotten our troubles though, we were rudely interrupted as they came back to haunt us.
Bang bang bang.
With the music as loud as it was, we became grateful a lot of us had sensitive hearing. One of the vampires used thought to turn off the stereo while Fabio answered, still in his grass skirt but not the sort of person to care, with or without the alcohol.
“Maybe a complaint about the music?” Rowan sniggered.
“They’ve never complained before,” Chris supplied, but our musings were cut short on seeing Fabio pushed roughly aside. As the gatecrashers came into view however, my heart sank as I recognised their faces.
“Well well, look who it is,” I observed coldly, crossing my arms, “Six years since we left school, and you’re still looking to give us trouble?!”

“Oh, things are much different this time,” one sneered as they advanced, “Seems there was more going on back then than we thought.”
“What’s it to you?”
“We thought you were sick before?!” another spat, “Couldn’t believe it when I spotted you in your garden. Kissing another man is bad enough, but your brother?! Last time I checked that was illegal.”
I swallowed hard, rooted to the spot as the panic crept up my body, encasing my being like ice. The men before us, once the kids who’d bullied us at school for preferring other guys and even me for my colour, were far from done too, especially when they spotted our two dhampir children, Joey and Gina.
“Hold everything,” another stalled, a glimmer of recognition in his eyes as he realised how much they resemble me, “When we thought you both had spare tyres… you were pregnant?”
“With each other’s kids??” yet another deduced, “Now that is disgusting.”
Chris moved towards them while my grip tightened on the little hands felt in mine, as I struggled to control the pace of my breathing. It all seemed to play in slow-motion like a dream, and I was only vaguely aware of one of the older vampires pulling the human children away from the scene unfolding before us.
“I missed the part where any of this is your business,” he stated slowly.
“Wow, look at you!” one observed, and I idly wondered whether or not he was genuinely impressed by what he saw. “New face and bigger biceps too! You’ve been busy!”
“Certainly have,” Chris concurred, crossing his arms, “Now, is there a point to your impromptu visit, or did you just come to preach morals at us?”
“Oh, you can be sure,” Dad piped up as he joined his side, “My two sons have been there plenty of times already. What makes you think a bunch of homophobes are going to cut any ice, or even that they have the right to try?!”
They paused in their tracks for a moment as they looked about themselves.
“What is this, Transylvania?!” one pondered aloud.
“The whole town is by now,” another answered, before their manner changed as odd looks seemed to pass between them. “Pays to come prepared these days.”
“Certainly does,” came the strangely sinister reply.
I saw glints of silver, and Dad recoiling with a look of horror on his face. The fear etched on the other vampires told me they could only be stakes. I silently prayed that Chris wouldn’t do anything hasty, mentally reminding him he had four children to consider, and his slow steps backwards prompted a small sigh of relief at first.

Without warning there was a blur of movement, his leg melting into a smear of black treacle as he demonstrated his physical knowledge, combined with the predatory instincts and lightning mobility of a vampire, with alarming accuracy. In one sweeping movement his foot collided with each man in turn, and the deadly silverware clattered to the hard wooden floor. Disarmed and disorientated, the hunters had become the hunted, and now easily succumbed to Chris’s wrath as he gripped one by the throat, snarling with fangs bared like a lion defending his pride. Following their Mum’s lead, my hands became empty as the twin dhampirs lunged forward, and others moved in to claim the remainder. Meanwhile I just watched, still frozen with fear, as my friends and family turned 2008’s welcome party into a bloodbath. My head spun as past and present blended into one, tears of distress and confusion trickling down my cheeks as I watched them fall one by one. The scent of blood was strong, hanging in the air like smoke, but it did nothing to pull me from my teary trance. Only when Chris walked back to me with bloody lips did I move, and even then just to fall into his waiting arms.

“I’m scared Chris,” I uttered, holding him close to me.
“Me too,” he confessed, clutching my head as we clung to each other.
Understandably the others started to leave, the mortals to their beds and the immortals to the cover of their homes, not knowing how much longer the sun remained curled up under the sparkling black duvet of the night sky, and how long the moon would keep its canine companions entertained as they frolicked in the woods with their four-legged counterparts. Among those I knew to be our Mum’s brother, as well as Dad’s Mum and twin sister, who were no doubt celebrating the New Year in their own way, oblivious to the new threat looming over the heads of their extended family.

I still wonder now what there was really to celebrate. With all sense of time lost through the absence of sleep, I have no idea how much has passed as I continue to peer down at the corpses of our old school bullies, new tears tracing the tracks of the old. If they saw me with Chris, how many others did? What would happen to our children if word reached the wrong ears?
“Dad?”
The little voice carries on the air, reaching through my ears into the depths of my mind, pulling me free from the thick fog of memories as I trace the sound back to my daughter Gina; the little lady who tore my throat open at the tender age of two, making me into the blood-sucking creature I am today. I dread having to explain the night’s events to not only her, but the rest of our children.
“Is everything okay?” she asks innocently.
“I don’t know,” I reply softly, looking back at the fallen bodies, “I hope so.”

Round Two

Two's Company

I return to my spot by the fire with a big grin on my face, having been disturbed by the phone ringing about half an hour ago. Still in my pyjama bottoms and onto the next issue, before I hear a sound at the front door – given that now the children are away all night, there’s only one possibility left. Happily I grab the magazine and plop it back into the rack, before going to meet my fiancé as he comes through the door.
“Buena sera, bello!” I greet cheerfully as I approach, scooping his bulky form into my arms. My mirth dwindles as he gives but a weak smile in return.
“Hey,” he replies meekly.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, noticing bloodstains upon his cheeks. “Has something happened?”
He gives a heavy sigh as his red eyes lock onto my brown. “How long have you got?” he asks dryly.
“All night,” I grin fondly, “The kids are sleeping over, so just for a change we have the place to ourselves.”
“Really?” he checks, a smile creeping across his face.
“Yep,” I confirm, “Tell you what, how about I get us some wine, we curl up in front of the fire and you can tell me in your own sweet time, hmm?”
“That sounds great,” he agrees, his lips now stretching wider. Determined to lighten his mood, I peer at his mouth expectantly.
“Still can’t see them,” I remark, at which he chuckles briefly. Enough for me to catch a glimpse of his little fangs, which is all I was waiting for.
“That’s more like it,” I grin, laying my fingers upon his jaw before lightly kissing his lips. “I’ll get some clothes on then I’ll be right with you.”

“So, just tell me one thing,” I ask, “Has she accepted our engagement?”
He wears a sad yet knowing smile as he shakes his head. Mine drops in despair as I curse under my breath.
“I know,” he utters, eyeing me with a sorry stare.
“What is it with that woman?!” I complain, “You’d think after all we’ve been through…”
“I know,” he repeats, “but this time it gets better.”
I scoff as I look back at him. “Could it get any worse?!” I ask, almost wishing I hadn’t.
“She’s preggers.”
I stare back at him in disbelief for a moment.
“I beg your pardon?!”
“Given how they bicker I’m surprised they managed it,” he muses, “but yeah, she’s running on a hormone overdose.”
“Nice,” I remark, trying valiantly to ignore the increasing pains in my stomach.
“Are you okay?” he asks, maybe sensing my condition.
“Yeah,” I lie, “I’m fine.”
“Have you eaten?”
I sigh in resignation at possibly my least favourite question. I hate my diet and I hate eating, so I’m thankful I don’t need to do it often.
“Is that a no?”
I briskly shake my head as a particularly sharp pang in my stomach makes me wince. I can feel myself shaking, but even with not enjoying my food, my appetite is at an all-time low.
“Here, take some of mine.”
“It’s fine, really…”
“Yeah, looks like it,” he remarks sardonically, “You can’t keep doing this to yourself.”
“I just don’t feel like it…”
“You need to eat something,” he tells me, offering his open wrist, “Come on, take some of mine, then we’ll get something to eat, huh?”
I relent in the end, more due to the smell of blood in the air. That always gets me eventually, no matter how much I dislike the idea of feeding.
After I’ve lapped at his blood for a while, he pulls his wrist away and rises to his feet.
“Come on,” he coaxes with a smile, “I’ve got an idea that’ll make it more enjoyable.”

If there’s one thing I love about the city, it’s being able to walk down the street with my hand in his, and generally indulge in the public displays of affection we just can’t do in our small town – not because of a fear of homophobes, but because we all know each other. People in the city either don’t know or don’t care enough to say anything, although what some may take offense to is the fact that we’re both men. On this particular night however, that is a driving force behind our actions, although how much of Chris’s amorous mood is down to that I’m not sure. Not that I’m in any position to complain though, in fact I savour the time we spend now snuggled into each other’s arms as we walk.
“Ooh, there’s one.”
I look up at him as I hear his mental racings, then follow his gaze as I realise they were directed at me.
“How many do you think…” I begin, knowing I don’t need to finish.
“Two or three, I reckon,” he muses, “Still, let’s not think about that for now, eh?” he finishes, planting a kiss on my temple as we approach the opening to what definitely looks like a back alley.
Knowing exactly what he means, an excited smile stretches across my face as I clutch his jaw in my hand, my eyes closing as I feel his lips upon mine. Our steps decelerate into a halt as we embrace, our grip round each other tightening as our mouths lock together in a passionate kiss, only breaking away to let him lead me down the alleyway, into what appears to be a blind spot. Already kept warm now by the flame inside, I barely notice the icy wall as he presses me against it, and allow him to unzip my jacket before our lips meet again, our fire now blazing with a heat that threatens to melt the snow around us.

My hunger is forgotten, to the point where we very nearly go at it for real, before our sensitive ears pick up the sound of footsteps. We pretend not to notice until they get louder, whereupon we calmly break away and turn to the source of the sound. Two, not three, but still, the looks of menace on their faces is enough to stir my appetite once more.
“Got a problem guys?” Chris challenges casually. I envy him with his practised demeanour in these situations; even in school he was the one protecting me. I’m just not the fighting type.
“Oh, don’t think we didn’t see you earlier,” one of them sneers, “Don’t you guys ever learn?! No room for your kind here.”
So saying, they approach with deadly intent, while I battle to still my pounding heart. Chris however just gives a little laugh as he leaves my side to confront the man.
“We don’t learn?” he queries, before fixing his eyes with a cold gaze. He speaks again but in a hushed, equally threatening tone as a smirk plays upon my face. “What colour are my eyes?!”
“I couldn’t care less what colour your eyes are!” comes the reply, “They’ll be black by the time…”
“I don’t think so,” he interrupts, before a cat-like snarl escapes his throat as he bares his fangs. Before the man can move Chris has a hold of his neck, and the other man is so busy trying to help he doesn’t notice me, or the raw hunger now burning in my eyes as I lunge forward, clutching hold of his jaw and pulling him into my waiting arms while I bite into his now exposed throat.

I had no idea how hungry I’d let myself go – I must have sucked him dry, something I never usually do. After disposing of the bodies however, Chris moves towards me, again slipping his arms round my waist as he gazes at me.
“Feel better now?”
I briskly nod, my tongue darting out to mop up the traces of blood upon my lips, but his fingers run along my jaw as he shakes his head, a sly smile taking hold of his mouth.
“Allow me,” he purrs, leaning forward to kiss me, his lips beginning to caress mine as I feel the familiar blaze becoming stoked once more, which now rages out of control as we cling to each other.

The sense of cold gradually returns as the last of the heat evaporates from my body, my chest heaving as I look back at him with a happy smile.
“Never let it be said that we can’t enjoy a romantic meal,” he grins, sweeping stray, sweat-dampened strands of hair from my face.
I chuckle a little as I run a hand up his chest.
“This was a great idea,” I tell him, “Thanks.”
“Oh, I’m not done yet,” he grins, holding out his hand.
“Are we going somewhere?”
“Certainly are!” comes the reply, “Come on!”

“You’re kidding me,” I utter, looking down at the shimmering, steaming water, before back at him, “How did you wangle this?”
“Yours is not to reason why,” he replies with a sparkle in his eye, beginning to strip, “Merely to enjoy the ride!”
I break into a fit of giggles as I follow suit. “Hey you,” I tease, “Poetry’s my job!”
“I can be poetic too!” he counters, chuckling. As I cast aside my jeans and jumper, my body reacts violently to the cold air that now antagonises my bare skin.
“Daaaamn, it’s cold!”
“Is it?” comes the innocent reply.
I glare teasingly across at Chris as I fling my shorts at him.
“Hey, I don’t want them!” he laughs, tossing them at the rest of my bundle of clothes. “Come on, you ready?”
He takes my hand, before speaking again.
“On the count of three; one… two… three!”
Splash!

Ah, this is more like it. Swimming pools do have heaters, and he’s even included the salt! To add to that, this time I’m not alone – in fact I couldn’t ask for better company than the man I aim to spend the rest of eternity with. Time flies when you’re enjoying yourself, however, and all too soon it appears we need to be out of the water and heading home. No sign of the sun yet, but Chris’s fingertips are beginning to resemble raisins.
“Come on you,” he smiles as he hoists my now crippled body from the water, “let’s get your sexy legs back so we can get home, eh?”
I giggle a little as he lowers me onto the icy ground, whereupon I shudder involuntarily as he grabs a towel and wraps it about himself, while I reach for another and scrub vigorously at my scales. He finds another going spare and comes to my aid, although he protests at the flapping of my tail against the frosty tiles.
“I can’t help it!” I tell him, “You ever seen a fish out of water?”
“That’s because they can’t breathe,” he counters, “You’re just being awkward, now hold still!”
Wearing an indignant expression at first, my mouth shifts in shape until it becomes a devilish smirk. Supporting myself on the ground, I deliberately flip my tail fin at his face.
“Hey!” he complains, “I’ll stand on it!”
“You’d better not!” I exclaim, “That’s fragile, you know! Imagine my boot pressed right into your…” I trail off as I notice the nature of the smile playing upon his lips. “Never mind,” I finish, “Just promise me you won’t stand on it!”
He compromises by resting his knee on it while continuing to work. I flinch a little at the discomfort, but decide it’s best to grit my teeth and look forward to getting dressed.

Finally we get back home, still with enough time before the sun awakes to hold the vampires at bay. With the fire extinguished before we left, the chill as we enter is bracing enough for me to head for the hearth again. Chris has other ideas though, and pulls me into his arms.
“You cold?” he quizzes, his eyes glinting.
I laugh as I allow him to bring me in closer. “As it happens,” I reply, “Did you not get enough earlier?”
“Oh, this is dessert,” he purrs, pressing his tender lips against mine.

In an otherwise empty house, it is a dish I find impossible to resist.

Round One

Lonely Boy

Dhampirism has its ups and downs; on the plus side I get to move things without touching them, I can fly, do pretty much anything else a vampire can do without worrying about the sun... while on the flip side, I survive by sucking the life fluid from others, and I last slept about three to four years ago. I miss my sleep. Not just the feeling of lying still for about ten hours in the dark, enjoying the wonders of your dream world... but with no sleep the days are endless, blending seamlessly into each other. In short, they drag.

It's dawn. The kids will be up in a bit to get ready for school, but Chris isn't here to help - he's staying at his parents' this time. Then I send off the kids to school, with heavier backpacks than usual - they're staying at their friends' afterwards. As the door closes, it takes me a moment to realise that now, I am completely alone. The most I have ever been for a long time.

Hey, wait... I'm alone! YES!! Now I have a chance to do something I very rarely get the chance to do anymore. You may well ask why I'd be headed down the beach in the middle of winter. Well, there's something about the sea I miss. Not the waves as they kiss the shoreline, not the crying of seagulls - I won't even hear them where I'm going.

It's been too long. Although sadly, the sea bed doesn't house underground heaters. Even my merfolk friends are absent this time, and after a while of stretching my fins I can understand why. Dhampirs feel something vampires don't - the cold! Swimming does little to stave it off, yet it's with reluctance that I leave the open sea, back to the confines of my home.

I don't stay inside for long though. There's something I forgot to do, which I may as well do now I'm on my lonesome. See this nice big tree outside our house? I got it planted over a week ago. Took some work but it was worth it - you see, there's nowhere to keep a Christmas tree in our house, so I improvised; the pagans kept their trees outside, which is where the whole tradition comes from. They decorated them about this time of year, just as I'm about to do now.

... Um, Andy? Why are you bothering with a ladder when you can fly?! Doh!

Ah well. Snowing once again, and it's already coated the ground with a nice thick blanket. You know what's coming don't you... right? Wrong!

There's more than one way to play in the snow after all! ... Only problem with snow though, it's cold! Better get inside now, I'm pretty sure the kids won't want frozen fish tonight.

I know I've been in the water once already, but if ever there was an excuse for a bath it's now. Great way to thaw out and actually enjoy the feel of the water as it tickles my scales.

Ah, that's better. Chris was nice enough to get in a bigger bath to allow my tail room to stretch, and I have to say I've noticed the difference. The last one was pretty cramped, even before I got like this.

Hmm... I know, change into something really comfy - something I haven't worn for ages.

Nothing like a good read curled up by the fire. I could get lost in these... given how long I still have before some part of my family gets home, that can only be a good thing!

Application Round

Hi folks! Yep, it's me again, Andy Turilli, still twenty-one years old and working through an online degree in music. I guess my job could be best described as part-time home student, and full-time Mu... erm, Da... Parent to four little terrors... Nah, not really, I love them to bits, just can't keep up with them all!

Got my hair done specially! How do you like it?

Ah, I love a good roast, don't you? What? You thought I meant the dish?

I love it when it snows. Especially during the day, when I get some time to myself. Snowman!

What, me resist building a snowman? Puh-lease. Best part of winter! Aside from Christmas of course!