The Vamp Six

Note: This is a possible excerpt from a urban/suburban fantasy novel that I'm thinking about writing. This is my first posting on this site, and really the first piece of fictional writing that I've done. All feedback is appreciated:)


It was hot, I mean really hot. Usually this late at night the temperature would drop down to at least the lower eighties, but tonight it had to of still been at least 95 degrees out here and I was really starting to regret not bringing any water with me. Slugging ahead, I could start to make out the pinnacle of Star Mountain, another few hundred feet and I’d be there.

This was the first time I’d ever hiked a mountain like this at night. Star was around 2,500 feet high, and although it wasn’t an overly challenging trail that took you to the top, making the trek in the dark was a whole different ballgame. Now I’m not completely stupid, I had a powerful little flash light with me that I’d bought yesterday, and it was doing a nice job of showing what was directly in front of me, but still, being up here by myself so late was a little scary.

The first part of the climb hadn’t been too bad. I could see the shimmering lights of the Crimson Palms valley below me, and the glow of the full moon was doing a fine job of illuminating the side of the mountain I was on. However, once I had made my way to the north side, the valley disappeared, and my guide in the sky was blocked from view. Also, the higher I climbed, the more jagged and narrow the path became. Cacti and other sharp plants began to close in on me from both sides while the sounds of the desert night life grew louder with each step I took. In addition, this was also prime time for scorpions; all it would take was for one of those little monsters to find its way into one of my shoes and I would have a serious problem.

Focusing on keeping a calm mind, I steadily made my way around the elevating curvature of the mountain. So far I hadn’t seen anything that could potentially sting or bite me, and I prayed that I wouldn’t hear the rattle of one of the Western Diamondbacks that also made their homes in the Crimson Palms desert.

Step by step, I quietly navigated the trail, and just as I thought I was going to make it to the top unscathed, I felt a sharp pain in my left arm as it rubbed against a cactus thorn that had been hiding in the dark, just outside of the beam of my flashlight. Stopping for a moment, I shone the light on my arm and saw a nice little cut on the outer part of my left bicep. Blood trickled from the wound, and I watched as droplets fell down onto the dirt trail beneath me. The cut wasn’t bad, very minor-I’d be more than happy if that was the worst thing that happened to me tonight.

Soon after my encounter with the cactus, the path evolved from a gradual upward slope, to a short, but steep incline that would take me the final forty feet or so to the peak of the mountain.

If anything was waiting for me up there, the night would most likely end in a very bad way. However, I chose this location because I was pretty sure that it would not only be safe, but because it would provide me with a clear view of the house where Red Crimson’s most glamorous, most intriguing, and unquestionably, most dangerous new residents now lived.

I felt a slight burn in my hamstrings as my strides became more powerful. Quickly I bounded up the final part of the trail and then I was at the top. A feeling of exhilaration overtook me as I stepped onto the mountain’s summit.

The view that had been lost during the second part of my climb was now back. I now had a 360 degree view of the sparkling night valley, and the claustrophobic feeling that I’d felt while on the path disappeared immediately. The peak of the mountain was mostly flat and probably about sixy feet in width and length. A few large rocks, along with a number of Cholla cacti, rested up here like the silent guardians of the mountain top.

I walked towards the far side of the peak and knelt next to one of the large rocks that sat close to the edge. Taking off and unzipping my backpack, I reached in and took out a pair of powerful binoculars. Raising them to my eyes, I looked towards the house-the house that for the past three months had become the high priced palace for the cabal of monstrous socialites I had named the Vamp Six.

It was easy to lock on to the house. It was enormous and sat alone, high up in Red Hawk Mountain, probably at around 2,000 feet. Furthermore, Red Hawk was less than a hundred yards from Star, and my view of the mountain and the house was unobstructed. It was also one of the most expensive homes in the valley, and was rumored to have gone for close to seven million when the Vamp Six made the purchase.

I leaned against the rock and zoomed in on the house. Lights were on everywhere, and the party that was being thrown was in full effect. Women were everywhere. I recognized some of them as professional models who lived in Crimson Palms; others, wild college girls whom resided in great abundance throughout the area; from what I could tell, they were all extremely attractive. I had to give the Vamp Six credit; they knew how to pick them.

Slowly panning towards the pool area, I carefully studied the interactions between the girls. They were all drinking, and from the way they were acting, had probably been doing so for a couple of hours. I could hear their laughter soar across the valley; they were definitely having a good time.

To the unknowing eye, it would appear that this was just another summer night bash in the exclusively wealthy Crimson Palms Mountains. However, to my eyes, it was something else, something much more sinister than that. I didn’t trek all the way up here on a Saturday night just so I could get a stellar view of a party I wasn’t invited to.

For the next five minutes I patiently watched and waited, and then, I saw one of them. He emerged from the darkness of an unlit area just outside the pool. He was tall; at least 6’5” and powerfully built. It looked like he was wearing a suit, and based on what I’d seen from these guys over the past three months, it was most likely designer and probably around five grand. Studying his face, I saw that his long black hair was slicked back with whatever gunk an over styled creature like him would want to put on his scalp. It was an obnoxious look, and yet, being what he was, he was more than able to pull it off.

The man’s name was Mason. He was the cabal’s second in command.

I watched as he made his way towards one of the girls. She was dancing by herself; slightly apart from the rest of the group. He didn’t walk, but rather, glided towards her. She seemed oblivious to his presence, unable to see the dark figure now looming directly over her.

Tightening my grip on the binoculars, I watched as Mason placed his right hand on the back of the girl’s neck. She looked like one of the younger college girls, possibly a freshman or a sophomore. Even from this distance I could see that Mason’s hand was bizarrely muscular; with sharp, angular fingers that were nearly a foot in length.

Leaning forward, I noticed that my own hands had started to sweat from the anticipation of what I knew was about to happen.

Mason and the girl were now in their own world, totally separate from the other party goers, some of whom were just a few feet away. In fact, everyone else had faded into a dark fog while the view of Mason and the girl was now enhanced by a powerful, menacing red glow that surrounded the two of them.

Mason leaned in, his hulking frame completely dominating the girl as she simply stood there; lost in a trance that her captor had cast upon her.

At this moment I felt a wave of helplessness crash over me. I wanted to save her, but there was nothing I could do. I’d come up here looking for validation of my suspicions and now I was going to get it. This was a stealth mission. A reconnaissance to help me figure out what my next move would be. I hadn’t really given any thought as to what it would be like to actually watch one of the Vamp Six take a victim-and now it was happening.

The strange thing was that it wasn’t as horrific to watch as it should have been; there was a seductiveness to his taking of her.

Mason’s teeth sunk in to the girl’s neck and her head leaned back. The expression on her face was almost euphoric. This of course, was perfectly in line with how vampires operated. Like the old axiom says; you can catch more flies with honey than you can with vinegar. The Vamp Six had charmed its way into the arrogant Crimson Palms community with disturbing ease. Through charisma and flattery, this cabal of sociopaths had claimed victim after victim without raising anyone’s suspicions-except for mine.

And then it was over. The girl’s body went completely limp as Mason lifted her and slung her over his right shoulder. Amazingly, none of the other party guests seemed aware of what had just happened, and soon the other girls came back into light and the party could be fully viewed again.

Mason unassumingly carried the girl towards the house.

I had seen enough for the night, and just as I was about to lower my binoculars, the vampire turned his head towards me. My heart seized as the monster showed me a sadistic, blood filled grin; his razor sharp fangs glistening white against the desert night.
There was no way in hell that he could know I was here, let alone see me. He had to of just been looking into my general direction-a ravenous glance back at the group of potential victims he had just taken his current prey from.

Unfortunately, the queasy feeling in my gut told me otherwise. Somehow, some way, he knew I was up here and he was staring right at me-taunting me with his demonic smile and icy blue eyes.

Seconds felt like hours during our epic stare down, and then it was over. Mason turned, walked thru the open glass door wall, and disappeared into the house.
Once again I was alone. Had the beast really seen me? I still didn’t think there was any possible way he could have. From the online research I’d done, I’d found that vampires had superior night vision, but nothing suggested that they had anywhere near the type of vision that would allow them to see through over 100 yards of darkness, not to mention, I was several hundred feet higher than him, and more than partially hidden by the rock I was leaning against. No, there was no way he knew I was there.

Or at least that’s what I told myself.

Slowly I rose to my feet and made my way back to the mountain trail. The walk down shouldn’t take too long.

After about ten minutes I felt my nerves begin to calm, and a sense of vindication came over me. Damn it! I was right and they were wrong. For all their glitz and materialism; for all their self-perceived intelligence and self-righteousness, the majority of the inhabitants of Crimson Palms were completely brain dead when it came to some very important things.

I knew from the moment the Vamp Six rolled into town that they were serious trouble. Virtually no one else could see it-but I could.

It took me about thirty minutes to make it back down the mountain. Walking off the trail head and onto the impacted sand of the mountain’s parking area, I felt a great relief to see my black ZR-1 loyally waiting for me.

I climbed into the car, hit the ignition, and in a cloud of dust sped off.

Driving home, I thought about how it was going to be just me versus them. Maybe I could find a few allies, but it seemed like all of Crimson Palms was under the Vamp Six’s spell. It didn’t matter though; one way or the other I’d give them a fight. Whether the dim bulbs around here understood it or not, I was their savior-their knight in shining armor. Let the fun begin.