#2 - Sunny Daze

By Adam Koeth

This issue is recommended for Mature Readers only!

The bright sunlight glinted off the motorcycle's chrome and metal as Blade raced down the Florida highway, hot on the trail of the child vampire. She had escaped him once, and he was out to make sure it never happened again.*

* (see last issue - Adam)

A tinny ping sound alerted him to the fact that he needed gasoline, so the vampire hunter pulled over at the next gas station he found and fueled up. His leather jacket creaking, Blade strode into the small store to pay for the gas. A small group of locals were huddled around a color television set off in the corner, watching what appeared to be the news. One of them made a gagging sound, covered his mouth, and rushed out the door, past Blade.

"Five bucks, pal," the attendant said, paying more attention to the television than he was paying to Blade. He grimaced as another picture came up, and hurridly looked away. "Can't believe they show that stuff on TV..."

Blade looked over the shoulders of one of the locals to see a bloody scene. A trio of bodies were strewn about, lying under blood-soaked sheets. Reporters, police officers, and the coroner crowded around the area, along with a substantial group of onlookers.

"Where is that?" Blade inquired, handing a five-dollar bill to the attendant. "And how do I get there?"

She stood a little way back from the gas station, leaning against her jet black Charger, waiting impatiently for Blade to emerge into the waning day once more. Finally, he purposefully made his way out of the gas station and to his motorcycle.

A thought crossed her mind... what if Blade wasn't what they were looking for? What if the rumors were false, and he was nothing more than a poseur? Too many of their hopes rested on Blade's shoulders, she decided, watching as the hunter jump-started his bike. God help Whistler if he was wrong about this one...

"I hope you're worth it, Blade," she whispered to herself, climbing into her car. Ahead of her, Blade, silhouetted against the setting sun as he sat on his bike, was getting back on the highway. She started her car, a hint of a smile crossing her face as the radio blared her favorite Metallica song, and set out after him.

The scene was abandoned when Blade arrived, with nothing but a thin ribbon of yellow tape and a trio of chalk outlines on the ground to show that a crime had occured.

Stepping off his motorcycle, Blade looked around to make sure nobody was watching. Deteriorating tenement buildings stared back at him, a few lights shining through the gathering gloom.

"Even Orlando has a 'hood," Blade muttered, ducking underneath the yellow police tape. He took off his sunglasses, jammed them in his pocket, crouched down and surveyed the white, dusty outlines.

Splotches of blood dotted the area. "Messy... this leech didn't much care about keeping it a secret."

Something caught Blade's ear, making him stand up quickly and once more survey the alleys and buildings around him. He was greeted by an eerie silence. Somewhere off in the distance a dog barked loudly, then was joined by another canine voice.

Whatever Blade thought he had heard was either a figment of his imagination or a one-time thing, because he didn't hear it again. And it sure hadn't sounded like a dog barking.

Peering up to the top of the nearest building, Blade thought he saw one of the shadows move. He scowled, staring up into the darkness, trying to see what was up there.

Drawing a quick, surprised breath, she crouched on the roof of the building, trying her best not to be seen. Blade was looking right at her, how could he not see her?!? Something small and furry raced across her foot, but she dare not move lest Blade take notice and investigate. She wasn't ready to reveal herself, not yet.

After a few tense moments, Blade glanced down toward his feet, to a sewer grate set into the side of the cracked, concrete sidewalk. She watched as the vampire hunter inexplicably fell to his hands and knees, peering through the grate into the darkness below, then watched as he stood up and crossed to a nearby manhole cover.

"What are you doing ...?" she whispered, as Blade ripped off the manhole cover and descended into the tunnels below Orlando. Conflicted as to what she should do, the woman simply decided to wait for Blade to come back up. The furry little creature had returned to rush across her foot again, but this time she lashed out and kicked whatever it was over the side of the building.

Blade descended into the dark, dank sewers in pursuit of... something.

He wasn't sure what it was, but something had peered out at him... something with a pair of red eyes. Most likely a vampire, but one could never be too sure...those mutants come in every size, shape, and eye color.

They rushed out at him without warning, falling upon him from every direction, flooding out of the tunnels. Claws tore his clothing to ribbons, rended his flesh. He tried to fight back... more than one fell into a heap of ash by his sword, but they kept coming.

And coming...

And coming...

Finally, Blade fell into the dirty water, nearing unconsciousness. Scratches and deep cuts criss-crossed his body.

A bony, pale hand cupped Blade's chin, lifting his head up. The red eyes he had seen earlier gleamed at him through the gloom. Shortly, a wide grin joined the eyes, it's canines sharp and pointed.

"So you're Blade," the vampire spoke, it's dusty voice deep and cracked. It leaned over and picked up the sword Blade had dropped during the fight and examined it, turning it over in it's hand.

"The sword... where did you get this?"

"Go... to... hell!" Blade sputtered, blood dripping from his mouth, mixing with the green water. He shakily attempted to get up, but his arms collapsed from underneath him, sending him face-first into the trough of sewer water.

"Been there," the vampire replied. "In fact, I live in hell every day of my putrid existence. This is my own, personal hell."

He made a sweeping motion with one hand, incorporating everything near into his version of hell. A pack of rats sat idly by, their tiny, beady eyes fixed on Blade.

"This sword will help me escape this hell. This sword... and you, Blade."

Blade, struggling to remain conscious, looked up. "How do you... know my... name?"

Grinning, the vampire stood tall, the sword still gripped in one white hand. "Every vampire in the United States knows of you, Blade. Some in other nations, as well. Bring him" he called out, turning away from the rapidly fading hunter.

Blade looked up, his mind hazy, and saw three forms looming out at him, reaching for him. Feebly trying to fight the darkness, Blade finally fell into unconsciousness.

Perched on the rooftop, the woman watched the manhole... and waited. Time passed, and she was becoming impatient.

Finally, a lone figure emerged from the darkness, hopped onto Blade's motorcycle, and started it up. It briefly looked up toward where she was crouched, and she saw that it definitely wasn't Blade. Its red eyes shone through the darkness before it looked away again.

"Damn!" she whispered, watching as the leech manuevered the bike into a nearby alleyway and turned it off. "Blade, what the hell's going on down there...?"

The vampire scurried out of the alleyway, slid down the manhole shaft, and pulled the cover over. The woman silently cursed herself for a novice, gathered up her bag, and silently headed down to the street.

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