Call out to the Dead

I was worried. What did you wear to a ceremony out in the cold where you’d be donating blood in the least conventional of ways? I mean would it be cliché to wear all black? Maybe I should wear all white? I’m not a virgin sacrifice! What the fuck was I thinking? The fact that my clothes were the biggest thing on my mind at the time disturbs me. Somehow I’d come to trust those bloodsuckers who lived in my basement with my life.

If there was anyone equipped for this it was Jo. She’d probably picked something the second the guys announced that we’d both be present for the ritual after they’d done more research and found the more willing human energy in the circle the more likely it’d be to work. We would have invited Val and Kelsey if we didn’t agree that the more normal their lives got to stay the happier they’d be.

“Dame Wilson!” I called out my door with some tragically bad accent. “Will you come help me pick out clothes?!”

She came walking down the hall adjusting her pewter cuffs that matched the solid metal necklace she was wearing. They were intricately carved with Celtic knot work, they were beautiful. Her black leggings were tucked into pointed toe flat boots that came halfway up her calf and her long dark green poet shirt was clenched at the waist with a thin black belt so it’d loosely drape around it. She certainly dressed for every occasion. It was like a motherfucking costume designer lived in her closet and made clothes for the movie that was her life.

She walked straight to my closet without even stopping to look at me let alone talk to me. She already knew what she wanted me to wear. She knew I would have no clue. Part of me wanted to be offended that she had so little faith in me but the other side was thanking my lucky stars.

“How do you pull this shit together for these things?” I asked running a hand through my still partly wet hair flustered that I couldn’t adapt to these things like her.

“Thrift shops. Always.” She said easily.

My eyebrows pulled together. “Not quite what I mean but… Noted. How do you know what’s right for these things?”

She shrugged. “I’ve attended and watched a lot of things and I ask tons of questions. Curiosity is a great tool.”

I just nodded watching her quickly thumb through my clothes obviously knowing what she was looking for.

“I bought you something and stashed it in here. I know you have a simple black dress though…” She explained what was taking her so long. “It’s like a silk thing I think…”

My face twisted up in confusion. “My long black slip?”

She looked at me obviously not thinking about the true intent of a slip like I was. “Yeah, where the hell is it?”

“In my underwear drawer! It’s freezing outside Jo, I’m not wearing a slip!” The fact she didn’t have the social graces –okay it was more the fact she didn’t care- to realize slips are for under another dress.

“You’ll be covered don’t worry about it. You’ll probably be warmer than me.” Then she was off toward the drawer my slip was in.

I groaned I should have just figured something out on my own. I glanced out the windows in my French doors seeing the white covering the whole world out there. Winter was in full swing and we were going to be out in the thick of it for who knows how long.

Then a lump of fabric hit me. “Go put that on and I’ll have the rest of your outfit ready when you come out.”

I did as I was asked, went into the bathroom and slid the slip on and realized there were fishnets too. Really those were necessary? I slipped into them anyways so Jo wouldn’t complain. The large squares slid up my legs easily I noticed I could see the scar on my ankle through them. It was the only scar that really stayed the rest were pretty much gone but it gave me horrible flashbacks.

I returned to Jo in the clothes she gave me anticipating what will come next. She was gone and there was an intricate black and red coat hanging from my closet door. Even when she tried to play a little cryptic Jo was never subtle.

The coat fit like a dream and was lined with thick black wool. It was really warm even though it was only a three forth sleeve. The black designs were velvet and there were laces up the sides, it was just too perfectly beautiful.

I walked out to the living room to meet Jo and she was watching the news. They’d discovered more remains out in the woods. People were really starting to get worried. The news had a lovely way of doing that to people. Fear mongering was the only way to describe it. Of course, the fact that I knew more than everyone else changed the feelings what that jarringly perky -even when she tried to be somber- news anchor said to me.

Jo finally glanced over to me her face morose. She walked over to me to re-tie the laces on the sides so she knew they were perfectly hugging my curves. She didn’t say a word, she was far too lost in thought.

“Put on your boots so the coat doesn’t drag through the snow. We’ve got to head out there.” She spoke in a very understated voice, not one that was at all typical of her. Maybe it spoke of the volumes that she felt deep respect for every ritual she was invited to. Maybe she was a little worried that we’d only been seeing the vampires on their best behavior, that what the news was showing was what they really were.

I tried not to think about it. Truth was I didn’t want to think about it. I didn’t want to be wrong about trusting Michael. I didn’t want to be just another girl so easily swept up in the idea of a knight in shining armor to come to her rescue.

We left through my door out to the woods behind my house to the area the guys had been preparing for nights. Walking through the snow was a daunting task in heeled boots. All I could do was hold my coat and dress up and keep going.

Blood red candles stayed lit as a stark contrast of the white that surrounded them. As we got closer the candles were closer really solidifying the path.

When the clearing came into view lit by the fire in the middle Jo grabbed my hand before we stepped through the last row of trees.

Then we were in the thick of it. The guys were all in black –no surprise there- no band shirts, no prints at all.

Phil even looked like he was back in his old pirate days in a poet shirt with his hair pulled back tightly and boots covering the lower half of his legs. It was far from his typical attire. It was funny; he and Jo were dressed just alike. I couldn’t think anything but they planned it that way.

DJ was dressed similarly but his top was obviously from a different time period, I couldn’t guess which and his hair tied back loosely at the base of his head in a black ribbon. I knew this was a common men’s fashion in different eras as well. I knew Jo was making mental notes so she could research these hints they were dropping later.

Aaron was obviously going to be the ringleader of sorts for this his outfit told nothing of any time period just a wrapped shirt with a few buckles that seemed to secure it across his chest.

Michael looked most like he did every day in his unlaced combat boots, barely buttoned button up, and tight black leather –or faux leather- pants.

When Jo and I entered his were the first eyes to fall on us. Michael looked at me and his hard eyes softened instantly and a smile came to his lips despite the obvious urge to keep it at bay. I think he was amused at the fact that my clothes were more of a nod to the past than his.

Things couldn’t stop then. Too much was already in motion here. Aaron spoke in Latin and Jo softly translated in my ear just so she knew we both understood what was going on.

“’Death is the curse.’” She quoted softly. “‘Our own death leading to a cursed, never ending life; all we do is propagate death.’”

When he spoke the words they sounded so much more musical than the harsh English interpretation. I was somewhat terrified by the sound of all of this. Jo wasn’t worried though, I knew I had to trust her faith.

“‘Time has come for change, respect of the living and their right to remain that way. The blood is life.’” He glanced over at me and continued. “Death can live amongst life peacefully. Light has invited darkness in with the trust it won’t consume.”

He was right there was a lot of trust on the table from the non-fanged side of this right now. It was all quite tedious to me for my anxiety was creeping up and down my spine through this whole bit of ceremonious uselessness.

He went on to say something about them putting trust in us as well not to sell them out to the sun I think… I didn’t really get it. I know the sun kills them but it just seemed like a silly way to word things.

Finally he reached his hand out to me speaking of my willing donation. Then I lost the translator. Michael had already told me what to do though.

I stepped over to Aaron, eyes glued to him as he handed me the athame. The blade weighed heavily in my hand. Michael told me he’d sharpened it so the task wouldn’t be so hard. I put the blade to my palm holding it there as Aaron positioned what would catch my blood below my hand.

I let out a shaky breath, nerves kicking my ass. Closed my eyes.

Then I heard Michael’s voice in my head. “You can do this Eli. Take a breath and it’ll be over before you know it.”

I didn’t even open my eyes I just nodded and pulled the athame down the center of my palm and clenched my fist in hopes of squeezing more blood out of the thing. I hissed in pain but managed to keep any other sounds in.

Then someone was gently opening my hand and I felt that familiar feeling of a tongue over the slice. It was Michael I knew that much before he spoke his own short phrase in Latin. I opened my eyes as the pain was gone seeing him on one knee before me and Aaron behind him dipping his fingers in my blood saying a short little thing I couldn’t understand before running the blood over Michael’s face.

Michael repeated those words, “Sanguis vitam. Vita sancti. Sacra tuta erit.” And kissed my hand before standing up and moving away.

Phil stepped up to me next, dropping to his knee like Michael had, and took my hand leaning his forehead against it. Aaron repeated the words so Phil would follow suit and Aaron applied the blood to his face just like he had Michael’s.

Then DJ did the same following the same little ritual.

Finally Michael took everything from Aaron and Aaron stepped in front of me and dropped to one knee like his brother before him and this time Michael led.

It was weird, how quickly it was over and the guys told us to head back as they cleaned up knowing we were freezing. It was so cold Jo and I walked back toward my house huddled together.

“Did Michael tell you what this all meant?” She asked softly trying to keep the chattering of her teeth from really appearing.

“Not really, just that they’d be able to stay.” I answered vaguely.

“They have to protect you if you need them. They are indebted to you.” She spoke in something of amazement. “They did it out of kindness before now they have to.”