The Kiss: An Anthology About Love and Other Close Encounters(75)

With a roar, Tim and several others sprinted toward the creatures. Abbie joined them.

The remaining vampires moved with startling speed. Before Abbie and her mini-army were halfway across the room, the vampires leapt to the ceiling, using their claws to stay there. “Your murder of our brother has given you false confidence. You didn’t kill him because of speed or skill. You killed him because he underestimated your willingness to attack.”

“We won’t make that mistake,” the second creature added.

“Then it looks like we’re at an impasse,” Abbie said. “We can’t catch you, but if you get close enough to attack, we’ll kill you.”

“You think so?” one of them hissed.

With blinding speed, he dropped to the ground, swiped a claw across the throat of a young woman standing beside Tim, then leapt back to the ceiling. The girl fell to the ground. Blood poured from her sliced throat.

“No,” Abbie whispered, her heart aching. I’m failing them.

“Still think we’re at an impasse?” the vampire said from the ceiling.

“Go to the front of the church,” Abbie said to the others. “Now.”

“There’s a door up there,” Tim whispered. “We could run to the kitchen.”

“No,” Abbie said. She didn’t bother to whisper because she was quite sure the vampires could hear them, no matter how quietly they talked. “The back rooms are likely in total darkness. We need to keep these creatures in the chapel, where we at least have a chance of fighting back.”

“Smart decision,” a vampire said from the ceiling.

Abbie looked at Tim. “Why are you standing here? Get to the front. Now!”

They all ran to the area behind the chapel’s podium. Abbie stayed beneath the vampires. She looked at the young woman on the ground. A girl, really. No more than sixteen.

“Sister,” Tim yelled, “come on.”

Abbie looked at the vampires on the ceiling. “You’ll pay for what you did to her.”

One of the vampires laughed. “Just her? Sister, there are hundreds of people dying outside as we speak. Across the globe, millions are dying. Right now. Will you avenge them all?”

“Yes,” Abbie said.

With a hard flick of her wrist, Abbie threw her crucifix at the vampire. The small cross spun through the air until it embedded itself in the vampire’s left eye.

The creature howled in pain as it fell from the ceiling. As soon as it hit the floor, Abbie slammed her stake into its heart. She put her foot on its chest and pulled the stake free, then put her foot on its forehead and pulled her cross free.

She looked at the remaining vampire. “Come on down here and get it over with.”

“Wouldn’t you rather deal with me?”

Abbie turned around to see Father O’Reilly standing in front of the church door. More specifically, it was the toothy, pale monster that had taken over Father O’Reilly’s body.

“Oh, good,” Abbie said as she walked toward O’Reilly. “You’re up.”

“I gotta admit, Abbie,” O’Reilly said, “I find your enthusiasm a little disturbing. The entire world just went to chaos and you’re strolling around like you enjoy it.”

“I don’t enjoy it,” Abbie said. “I also don’t hide from reality when it presents itself to me. And don’t call me Abbie. We are not friends.”

“I’m glad you’ll be my first kill,” O’Reilly said. “I never liked you.”


“Since we’re having a share-moment here,” Abbie said as she continued to walk toward the former priest, “I never liked you, either. More than once, I wanted to punch you in the teeth. I know, I know. It’s inappropriate to think such thoughts, especially for a nun. Thing is, right now… I don’t care so much about what’s appropriate.”

“Abbie, look out!” It was Tim.

Before Abbie could turn around, she felt two clawed hands grab her arms from behind. “Here you are, priest,” the vampire’s serpentine voice whispered as his grip tightened. “Have your first drink.”

Abbie tried to break free, but the creature was simply too strong.

O’Reilly looked at the others behind Abbie. “If any of you take a single step toward her, I’ll ask my new friend to snap her neck.” He looked at Abbie. “Just to be sure, tell them to stay away.”

“Stay away, kids,” Abbie said. “I mean it. I have things under control.” She was, of course, lying. She had absolutely no idea what she was going to do, but as long as the vampires were focused on her, the kids were safe. Considering the slaughter outside, Abbie couldn’t think of another alternative. She was very literally living minute to minute and her decisions were appropriate to that outlook.

O’Reilly smacked the crucifix from Abbie’s hand. As the cross bounced along the floor, he grabbed her makeshift stake and threw it across the room. “I think you can release her now.”

The vampire behind Abbie let her go.

“Let’s make a deal,” O’Reilly said. “If you don’t fight this, we’ll leave without harming the others.”

“How do I know you’ll keep your word?” Abbie asked.

“I have a world to explore,” O’Reilly said. “Those children don’t interest me. You, however, need to learn humility.”