“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.”
“This is because the cross worked for me, but not for you,” Abbie said. “You’re pouting.”
“Abbie, Abbie, Abbie,” O’Reilly said. “I don’t care about your trinkets any more than I care about your God. I used to preach about the ‘power of God.’ After my recent transformation, I realize what a joke that phrase is. There is no power in being a servant.” His red eyes were wild and excited. “But this new state of existence… this is beyond anything you could imagine. This is power! Keep your trinkets, Sister. I’m perfectly happy without them. Truth is, I always was.”
In that moment, Abbie understood. She understood why the cross had worked for her, but not for Father O’Reilly.
It’s not the cross.
It’s me.
“You’re suddenly quiet, Sister,” O’Reilly said. “Have you finally run out of things to say?”
“No,” Abbie said. “I have one more thing.”
“I’m listening.”
Summoning all her strength, Abbie looked into the monstrous priest’s eyes and quietly said, “God damn you to Hell.”
“Sister,” O’Reilly said with a laugh, “I wouldn’t have expected blasphemy from you. I understand this is a stressful situation, but that’s no excuse to turn your back on—”
“That wasn’t profanity,” Abbie said. “I was making an honest request.” As soon as she saw the confused look on O’Reilly’s hideous face, she reached forward and grabbed his throat.
Smoke began to rise from the area where Abbie’s skin touched O’Reilly’s. He tried to speak, but couldn’t. Abbie couldn’t tell if she saw pain or confusion in his eyes. She decided she didn’t care. Either one was just as satisfying.
“You’re a channeler!” the vampire behind Abbie screamed.
Abbie released O’Reilly and turned to face the other vampire. She had absolutely no fear that O’Reilly would attack. As a human, he was a coward. She suspected that was still true.
“I don’t know what a channeler is,” Abbie said.
Before the vampire could answer, a table leg burst from his chest. He coughed blood for a second or two, then fell to the ground, dead.
Tim stood behind him.
“Thank you,” Abbie said.
Tim gave her a single nod. “No problem.” He looked behind her. “I think Father O’Reilly’s feeling a bit under the weather.”
Abbie turned around to see the creature that used to be Father O’Reilly on its knees. Its hands were cupped over the burns on its neck.
With hatred so powerful it caused a pang of guilt, Abbie drove her table leg into O’Reilly’s chest.
As she pulled the leg out, Tim said, “You burned his flesh with a touch. You really are kissed by divinity.”
“I’m not sure if it was the power of God or something inside me,” Abbie said. “The other vampire called me a ‘channeler.’ That makes me think I’m not unique. For all I know, you can do it, too.”
“I doubt it,” Tim said. “You might not be unique, but you’re definitely something special. As soon as that thing saw you burn O’Reilly, it was terrified.”
“Oh well,” Abbie said. “Either way, it was a gift from God and I’m thankful.”
“No argument here,” Tim said. “So what now? If they were telling the truth, all we really did here was buy some time.”
“Stay here,” Abbie said. “Protect the others.”
“Where are you going?” Tim asked.
“Outside.”
Tim shook his head. “The town might be overrun with those things. Why in the hell would you go outside?”
“I’m going outside to kill them,” Abbie said quietly.
“There could be hundreds out there,” Tim said. “You seriously think you can just go outside and kill them all?”
“Yes,” Abbie said.
*
Two Hours Later
Tim sat with the other volunteers at the front of the church. “I should’ve gone with her,” he whispered.
“I get the feeling you’d have just been in the way,” Amber, a girl Tim knew from school, said.
“She’s been gone too long,” Tim said. “I could’ve helped.”
“What are we gonna do?” Amber asked.