Herrick (Vampire Morsels) Read online



  Vampire Morsels:

  HERRICK

  A short story

  By Joleene Naylor

  https://www.joleenenaylor.com

  [email protected]

  Copyright 2012-2015 by Joleene Naylor

  Cover art copyright Joleene Naylor 2012-2015. All rights reserved.

  Ramblings from the Darkness at https://www.joleenenaylor.com

  You never know what you’ll find in the shadows…..

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  GET ALL SEVENTEEN SHORT STORIES IN ONE ILLUSTRATED VOLUME:

  The Vampire Morsels Collection: Tasty Bites from the Amaranthine Universe

  Other books by Joleene Naylor:

  Amaranthine:

  0: Brothers of Darkness

  1: Shades of Gray

  2: Legacy of Ghosts

  3: Ties of Blood

  4: Ashes of Deceit

  5: Heart of the Raven

  6: Children of Shadows

  7. Clash of Legends

  8. Masque of the Vampire

  9: Goddess of Night

  Also:

  Vampire Morsels Collection: 17 Short Stories

  101 Tips for Traveling with a Vampire by Joleene Naylor

  Heart of the Raven Mini Prologue Collection

  Tales from the Island: Six Short Stories

  Thirteen Guests: A Masque of the Vampire companion

  Road to Darkness: A short story companion to Brothers of Darkness

  COMING SOON:

  Tales of the Executioners

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  Thanks to Sue Koenig & Bonnie Mutchler for their ninja-like proofing.

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  This is the eighth in a collection of short stories, Vampire Morsels. Each story is about a different vampire from the Amaranthine universe who, for one reason or another, didn’t get a chance to tell their tale.

  You can’t really find Herrick anywhere. He existed as a character in an early draft of Legacy of Ghosts – originally he accompanied Kariss to Jorick’s house – but he got cut in a revision and is no more than a name in Legacy of Ghosts and Ties of Blood, which is a shame because he is an interesting guy. This story takes place in a small but familiar New Hampshire town during Shades of Gray. If you’ve read the book you may recognize the timing.

  This story may contain violence, strong language, sexual content or other disturbing scenes and is not intended for a young audience.

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  Thunder rumbled in the distance. Herrick could smell the coming rain on the breeze, and so could Caroline. She held her hand out to check for stray drops before she pulled her front door shut. The dog strained at the leash, anxious for its nightly walk. It didn’t care if there was rain or not.

  “Okay, okay.” Caroline took a few steps and the dog leapt ahead, his tail wagging and his tongue lolling to one side with enthusiasm.

  Herrick stepped deeper into the shadows, not that Caroline could see him with her mortal eyes. She stopped at the quiet street corner and looked both ways, a habit she’d held onto from childhood, then she plunged forward again. He waited until she was halfway down the street before he followed. He didn’t want to get too close.

  Not yet.

  He crept silently from shadow to shadow as she shuffled along at an uneven pace, her eyes on the dog in front of her. He wondered what she was thinking about. Her friends? Her family? Her ex-boyfriend? Was she happy? Sad? Worried? He wished he could crawl inside her head and make himself comfortable, if only for a few minutes. But vampirism hadn’t given him those gifts.

  Vampire.

  It was a too familiar word, but it still held old terrors, ingrained from his childhood. He could hear his grandmother muttering prayers against the demons. He could see her terrified eyes, the way she made the sign of the cross with her withered hands. It was well that she hadn’t lived to see her grandson join them, so long ago.

  The clouds drifted over the moon and the world was suddenly shrouded in shadows. Herrick didn’t mind. Sometimes, he thought he could see better without the light. Caroline couldn’t. Her eyes darted around as if, in the dark, she was suddenly conscious of his presence. He wondered if she could feel him watching. Waiting. Wanting.

  “Come on, boy.” Her voice was too loud. The dog didn’t notice, and turned back for the house with the same enthusiasm he’d left with. She picked up her pace, her shuffling, random steps suddenly a steady rhythm on the pavement as she hurried towards her perceived safety. The closer she got, the faster she moved. Then, she passed him, only a few feet away. It was a distance he could have closed without effort, but he didn’t.

  Not yet.

  A raindrop fell. And then another. And another. It pit-patted on the last of the tree leaves and the bugs in the branches sang to the beat. Thunder rolled across the sky, like tympani drums. The symphony of the storm only hurried her steps and by the time she reached the house she was running.

  She fumbled with the door, her eyes on everything but it. Finally, it opened and she shoved the dog inside and followed quickly. The door slammed and the lock clicked. Herrick could hear it; the faint metallic sound that meant she was safe – or thought she was safe.

  The thunder sounded, an echo of the door that shut him out. He walked silently until he stood under the tree across from her house. He leaned on it and watched. Light flickered in the window; the television. He could see her silhouette as she dropped onto the couch and pulled a blanket over her.

  “Back here again?”

  Herrick turned towards the voice. At first there was only the glowing cherry of a cigarette, and then a bald vampire came into view. He walked casually towards Herrick and stopped next to him. “You know it’s fucking raining out here, right?”

  “As a matter of fact, Micah, I had noticed.” Herrick turned back towards the house and fought the desire to sigh deeply.

  Micah followed his gaze. “This is stupid. You drive forty-five minutes for this every night. Why don’t you just go knock on the door? What’s the worst that could happen? She probably remembers you.”

  There was no mirth in Herrick’s laughter. “And how do I explain that I haven’t changed in the last twenty years? How do I explain my very presence here?”

  Micah took a puff from his soggy cigarette, then dropped it to the ground and stomped it out. “You could just tell her the truth, man.”

  “What? That I’m her great-great-great-great-great-what’s it and I’ve been keeping an eye on her all these years? That should go over well.”

  “How many greats are there? You sure it’s distant enough for all this pining shit you do?”

  Herrick ground his teeth together. “Yes. It’s distant enough. Don’t you have somewhere to be?”

  “Yep.” He clapped his hand on Herrick’s back. “I’m here, savin’ your ass from the miserable black hole you seem to wanna live in. Though, I guess I can kinda see it. You meddled when she was a kid, so it was like custom raising your future girlfriend. You shoulda got her some ‘vampires are your friends’ picture books or something. Woulda made things easier. ”

  Herrick glared at him from under soggy blond bangs. “You make it sound cheap, sick even.”

  “Ah, I’m just kiddin’ ya. I don’t give a damn who ya wanna chase after. She’s got a nice ass.”

  “Watch your mouth!”

  “Sorry, man.” He held up an appeasing hand, then grinned. “She does, though.”

  “Whether she does or not isn’t for you to notice.” Herrick gave the house a final look, then turned back to his friend. “Since you refuse to leave me in peace, might I suggest we go somewhere that’s a bit dryer?”

  Micah’s grin grew. “
Now you’re talkin’! I got some laundry to do, then what do you say we hit a bar or somethin’?”

  Laundry. How lovely.

  It was nearly nine p.m. when they walked into the all night Laundromat. Despite the time, a woman and three children sat in the far corner. She talked on her cellphone, and waved her free hand to punctuate her words.

  Herrick chose a plastic chair on the other side of the room and flipped absently through the stack of old magazines. Micah dumped his bundle of clothes into a nearby washer.

  The washer started and he flopped into the chair next to Herrick, his eyes on the woman and her tiny denim shorts. “Take a look at that.”

  “I see her,” Herrick answered stiffly. “Perhaps if she had more clothing on.”

  “More?” Micah chortled. “I think you mean less.” He gave his friend a once over. “Never mind. I’m talking to a guy in a cape.”

  “It isn’t a cape. It’s a cloak. And it’s comfortable. You should try one.”

  “No thanks. Not really into the whole