Memphis Vampire Hunter: Chapter 1Memphis Vampire Hunter: Chapter 2Memphis Vampire Hunter: Chapter 3Memphis Vampire Hunter: Chapter 4Memphis Vampire Hunter: Chapter 5The funeral for Peter Stevenson was three days later. It was a sunny Saturday afternoon and Zack stood with Mr. and Mrs. Stevenson throughout the gravesite service. Those gathered included Peter’s friends from school, fellow students from Zack’s school, and family members. Lynn Rose was also in attendance.
“This is a sad day for all who knew Peter,” the priest stated solemnly. “To die at such a young age is a tragedy, but he will live on in our memories. Peter was a kind boy with a good heart. He will be missed. May God watch over you soul Peter.” The priest crossed himself and the casket was lowered into the grave. Once completely lowered, the priest picked up a handful of dirt and tossed it onto the casket in the grave. “Ashes to ashes. Dust to dust.” The priest led a prayer and then concluded the service.
After the service, those gathered slowly began to leave after giving their condolences to Mr. and Mrs. Stevenson. Zack waited for nearly everyone to leave before he approached Peter’s parents.
“Oh Zack,” Mrs. Stevenson said as she hugged him. “Thank you for coming.”
“I wouldn’t miss this. We all needed to say good-bye,” Zack paused. “Peter was a good kid. I’m so sorry.”
Mr. Stevenson took Zack’s hand and held it for a long moment. “Thank you for everything you have done,” he said and then they turned and walked with the priest to their car. Zack watched them leave and then turned to the grave.
He stood at the gravesite in deep thought when Lynn Rose came up next to him. They stood in silence for a long moment when Zack finally broke it.
“He died because of me,” Zack said barely above a whisper.
“No…” Lynn began to respond but stopped when Zack raised his hand and shook his head.
“Yes it was,” he said. The two continued to stand in the afternoon sun. “He will not have died for nothing.”
“Go home Zack,” Lynn said.
“How can you tell me to go home when this kid died because of me?” Zack burst. After a moment he shook his head and said, “I’m sorry Lynn. It’s not you. I know I should go home. I’ve cancelled tonight’s classes and Wendy is busy at the club.”
“You need some rest,” Lynn stated putting her hand on Zack’s shoulder. “Go home and get some. Please.”
“What do I do Lynn? Peter’s death will not be in vein.”
“After you have gotten some rest, then we will talk.”
Memphis Vampire Hunter: Chapter 6 Zack Anderson finished his last evening class and packed up his things. Earlier in the day he had told Wendy that he had some things to attend to after class and would not be going to the club.
“Are you sure Zack?” Wendy asked. “You really need to relax, especially with everything you have been through lately.”
“No, this is something I need to get done,” Zack said. “Don’t worry, I’m okay.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’m sure,” Zack said with a smile. “Now get going, you have a club to run.”
“Okay, but I’m not through with you yet Zack,” Wendy said with a wary smile as she left Zack’s office. You’re up to something, she thought.
The day’s classes had been long and Zack was ready to learn more about vampires.
***
“Hello Zack,” Lynn Rose said to Zack while he stood on the porch of her house. “Come on in.”
Zack walked into Lynn’s house, remembering the last time he was here. The night he killed those vampires. The night that led to Peter’s death.
Lynn led Zack to her office and asked him to take a seat. Ignoring the couch, Zack sat at the chair in front of her desk. Lynn walked to one of the bookcases, removed a very old looking book, and brought it to her desk. Sitting the book in front of Zack, she walked around the desk and sat down.
“What is this?” Zack asked.
“Take a look,” Lynn responded.
With a sigh, Zack looked over the book. There was no name or title printed on the front. Zack opened the book and found the pages tattered and browned with age. He flipped through a few pages and looked at Lynn with a combination of shock, frustration, and trepidation.
“The language is Sumerian. This is one of the oldest texts dealing with vampires, demons, and other supernatural entities and phenomena.” Lynn folded her hands and leaned against her desk, “Vampires have existed since the beginning. Their exact origins are not known, even in the oldest of texts. Vampires feed off of humans to stay “alive.” Much of what you see in the movies has at least some basis in reality. They are the undead, but they are more than that. A vampire is a human transformed into a demon, yet it isn’t completely either. Vampires have very human and demon aspects yet exist somewhere in-between.”
Zack stared at the book and continued to thumb through pages, stopping at the occasion map or drawing.
Taking a deep breath, Lynn continued. “Vampires are stronger and faster than humans. All of their senses have greatly enhanced acuteness. Some vampires develop telepathic abilities while others practice magic and other just enjoy killing.”
Zack closed the book and looked at Lynn with stark determination, “How do I kill them?”
“It’s not that easy Zack. Vampires are much stronger and faster than we are. They can-“
Zack held up his hand cutting her off. “I know they can be killed. You showed me how. Remember? So besides the sharp piece of wood to the heart, how else do I kill them?”
Shaking her head Lynn began, “I never wanted this for you.”
“Never wanted what?” Zack shouted as he jumped to his feet and began to pace the room. “Never wanted me to save some poor homeless guy from a savage death? Never wanted me to watch as one of my students is slowly killed in front of me? Christ, who would want that?”
“I’m sorry Zack,” Lynn said “This is a long road that you are about to start down and it is not one that you can easily get off of once you have started.”
“What are you talking about?” Zack said. “I just want to take out Peter’s murderer and since you said we cannot go to the police…” Zack stopped mid-sentence and collapsed into the couch putting his head in his hands while resting his elbows on his knees.
Slowly Lynn walked around her desk and sat next to Zack on the couch.
“I’m sorry Lynn. I know this is not your fault,” Zack said.
“It’s okay. This is not easy and besides at some point you needed to yell at someone. I am good for that,” Lynn said with a small smile while placing a hand on Zack’s shoulder.
Zack looked up at her and said, “Please tell me everything that you know about these things and how I can stop them. I need to do this.”
“Are you sure?” Lynn asked. “Once you start, they will never stop coming.”
Zack shook his head yes.
“Okay. Get up. We are going for a drive.”
***
Lynn Rose drove Zack through Memphis to the cities oldest Catholic church.
“What are we doing here?” Zack asked.
“You’ll see,” Lynn responded as she got out of her car. “Follow me.”
Shaking his head Zack followed Lynn and the two walked into the church. The two took a seat in one of the back pews. The church was a typical Catholic cathedral with stained glass windows, vaulted ceilings, and a basic cross floor plan. The two sat in the pew in silence for a few minutes.
“No one is really sure where they came from,” Lynn started. “Some believe that they are souls cursed by God, others believe that they were made by the Devil, but no one knows for sure. Vampires are a type of demon that lives in a human’s body.”
“Wait a second…a type of demon? There are other things out there as well?” Zack asked.
“Yes. Much of what is thought to be folklore and fairy tale is based on reality. Vampires, demons, magic…it’s all real,” Lynn said with a sigh.
“How do you know about all of this?”
“The how’s really don’t matter right now. What matters is getting you ready,” Lynn said with a look of determination that Zack had never seen in his friend before.
Nodding his head Zack replied, “okay.”
“Much of what you know of vampires from the movies is at least in part correct. Vampires are immortal but have a few weaknesses and can be killed. As you have seen, a wooden stake to the heart is one of those lethal weaknesses. As is decapitation, direct sunlight, fire, and large amounts of Holy Water. They don’t like crosses but cannot be killed by one.”
“And when they die they turn to dust?”
“Yes. Vampires are also incredibly strong and agile. Their senses are much more powerful than that of the average person and it is nearly impossible to pick a vampire out of a crowd of people. The demon inside only comes out when it is time to feed. They live off of the blood of the living by drinking it from their victims. In some cases, a vampire will choose to turn his or her victim. They do this by first drinking the victim nearly to death and then by making the victim drink their own blood. The person will die and then be reborn as a vampire.”
Zack leaned forward, puts his elbows on his knees and placed his head in his hands. Letting out a sigh he said, “So how do I fit into all of this?”
Staring blanking into space Lynn responded, “I wish you didn’t, but now they know who you are and if you don’t fight back,” turning to look directly into Zack’s eyes, “you’ll never be safe.”
The next day Lynn met Zack at his school to begin the training. She taught him the ways to kill vampires and how to incorporate it with his existing fighting skills. The training also included studying. Over the next few weeks Zack was consumed with learning as much as he could about vampires. Every book that Lynn gave him he devoured. All of his time that was not taken up with his classes was focused into training and preparing for his fight with the vampires.
***
“Who was it that killed Peter?” Zack asked at the end of his nightly training session.
Lynn walked around the room to face Zack. “His name is Richard. He has lived in Memphis for a few years now and is believed to be a bit of a leader in the vampire community.”
“Okay,” Zack replied as Lynn handed him a towel, “that’s a start. What else do we know about him?”
“I haven’t found out much on his past but I have been able to find his lair,” Lynn stated as Zack looked on with great interest. “He and many other vampires have taken over an office building in the middle of downtown Memphis. This is where they seem to live and sleep. If you can get in during the day when they are sleeping, you should be able to kill him and many others.”
Nodding his head Zack said, “That’s good but it sounds almost too easy.”
“Oh it won’t be. The building is heavily guarded.”
“Wonderful,” Zack replied with a sigh.
“I never said this was going to be easy Zack. In fact I wanted you to stay away from all of this,” Lynn said.
“And you know that is something that I just can’t do. I’d never be able to live with myself if I didn’t do something,” Zack said in exasperation.
“I know. I’m sorry. You have worked very hard and I think you are ready, but you will have to be extremely careful,” Lynn assured Zack.
Looking up at his former professor Zack asked, “when?”
