Before The Dawn

By Tim Povhe

Nearly a century ago, on the shores of the Savannah River, Nicole Stratford became a creature of the night, turned by a mysterious former member of the vampire council. Later abandoned by him, Nicole spends decades trying to adjust to her life as a vampire, ever searching for the one who turned her. Now, her quest for answers will lead her beyond the borders of her quiet home in Maine, as Nicole finds herself drawn into events that will shape not only her own future - but that of the vampire community as well.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tim Povhe
• Release date: Mar 2, 2014
• ISBN: 9781311062338

Book preview

BEFORE THE DAWN

Tim Povhe

Copyright 2014 by Tim Povhe

Cover Illustration by Lynne Povhe

Smashwords Edition

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For Lynne.

Thank-you for believing in me.

You are and always will be my

Best Friend.

PART ONE: WHISPERS IN THE DARK

It was the perfect night in which to hunt.

The vampire stood by the edge of the pier, watching the moored lobster boats gently rocking in the dark water of the harbor. Further out, her keen night vision detected the twinkling of green and red lights as a few late night fishermen made their way back to the seclusion of Frenchman Bay.

Overhead, a full moon dominated the late September sky, illuminating the clouds with a ghostly phosphorescence. The night air was chilly, what the weatherman in Bangor had deemed 'unseasonably cool' for this time of year. Rain and fog were nearly guaranteed for the following day but at the moment, the vampire's sharp eyes allowed her to see well past Porcupine Island and out to the ocean beyond.

She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, pulling the scent of the ocean deep into her lungs.

The vampire loved the water. It reminded her of where she had once lived in Savannah, nearly a century ago. With a bit of imagination, she could almost envision herself walking along the Savannah River, on a night not so different from this, save for the temperature.

The night she had met him.

With an effort, the vampire shook herself from her bittersweet recollection of the past, forcing her mind and senses to focus on the task at hand. The young girl she had spotted three nights before had just left the hotel, to wander down to the water's edge.

The vampire's pulse quickened as she watched the girl head toward the circular patch of sand below the hill, just on the other side of the hotel. Stepping away from the railing that overlooked the docks, the vampire lithely began to move in the direction of her intended prey, blending into the night.

A gentle breeze had arisen by the time she reached the wooden ramp that led to the daytime dock of the Margaret Todd, the four-masted schooner currently moored further out in the bay.

The cool wind blew her shoulder-length dark brown hair away from her oval face, making it resemble a stream of thick, silky chocolate flowing behind her head as she walked.

A sudden shift in the breeze filled her nostrils with the sweet aroma of the girl's scent. The smell triggered a reflex in the vampire's brain, heightening all of her senses as a primal instinct took control of her mind and body. She paused and closed her eyes, breathing deeply.

Yeeeeesssssss, the vampire thought as she filled her lungs with a new scent, one that was stronger, more intoxicating. Oh yes. I can smell her blood. An intense craving erupted within her as she breathed in the salty-sweet scent of the girl's blood, a craving that was unlike any other sensual delight she had ever experienced.

The bloodlust had begun, and it would not abate until she had fed.

Rational thought was slowly replaced with an animal-like desire to strike, fast and silent, to pounce on the girl and hold her fast with her gaze, to see the fear in her victim's eyes before sinking her teeth into the soft flesh of her neck and draining every drop of sweet blood from her veins.

As the vampire opened her eyes, her vision slowly began to cloud over with a reddish haze as the bloodlust spread through her body like fire. She could feel it intensifying with each beat of her heart, making her arms and legs tingle with heat.

The wind and the lapping of the water under the ramp very quickly became secondary perceptions.

It was as if the world around her didn't exist. She was aware only of the girl sitting on the beach less than a hundred yards away. Without straining, the vampire's sharp hearing was able to make out the steady rhythm of the girl's heartbeat over the sound of the wind blowing past her ears.

Not yet, she thought, forcing the impulses back down. Don't give in just yet. I can't let her see my fangs. Not until I can control her mind.

She needed to be closer.

Like a cat stalking an unsuspecting bird, she slowly and quietly closed the distance between them until she came to a tree not more than forty feet from the water's edge. There, she stood in the shadows, watching and reaching out with her mind to probe the teenager's thoughts.

The vampire had seen her earlier in the week, in a shop on Cottage Street. She had found herself drawn immediately to the vivacious teen, with her thick ash-blonde hair reaching to her shoulders and a body-hugging top riding high enough on her mid-section for the vampire to see the small gold ring clipped to the girl's navel.

She knew right then that she had to have her.

Not right away - as was her practice, the vampire discreetly followed the girl around Bar Harbor until she returned to the hotel, where she was staying with her parents. She watched her for several nights, until a pattern had emerged in the girl's nightly wanderings.

It was at that point the vampire knew the hunt could truly begin.

The girl's name flowed into the vampire's mind along with random thoughts and feelings associated with her life, as she gently probed her victim's thoughts. She learned that the girl was seventeen, she didn't get along with her parents all that well and she wished that she was anywhere other than here, with them, on this vacation.

Thoughts of her boyfriend were uppermost in her mind, who was currently in Ireland hiking through the countryside. She wanted more than anything to be with him, to be free of the restrictive life she currently led. The vampire smiled, for she sensed that the teen was planning to do just that as soon as the opportunity presented itself.

The vampire continued to stand in the shadows, holding her bloodlust at bay while she watched the girl build a fire from a few pieces of driftwood and a section of newspaper. She sniffed the air again as the teen stoked the fire with a stick.

Yes, the vampire thought in satisfaction. You most definitely have been worth the wait. And the time has come for you to be mine.

The vampire moved fluidly away from the tree and approached the girl from behind. When she was no more than five feet away, she sent a thought into the girl's mind to make her turn and look in the vampire's direction.

The girl jumped slightly at the sight of someone standing in the darkness looking at her.

I'm sorry, the vampire said as she moved out of the shadows and into the glow of the girl's campfire. I didn't mean to startle you.

It's okay, the girl replied. I just didn't hear you over the wind.

It's a nice night to be out. The girl nodded in agreement.

Yeah, it is. The vampire stared into her bright blue eyes, eyes that reminded her of a ring with a lazurite stone, glimpsed long ago on a hot, Savannah night. Holding the girl's gaze with her own, the vampire reached further into her victim's mind, gently probing the outer regions with her own thoughts and working them through the crevices in the girl's mental armor. It was not a difficult task, as the vampire's mind was considerably more disciplined than that of the teen's.

Gently, so as not to inflict any unnecessary trauma the vampire entered the girl's mind, speaking directly to her by thought alone.

What happens from this point forward, you will not remember, she instructed. You will not know me, or be able to recognize me. It will be as if we never met. The girl stared at her for a moment, a look of confusion on her lovely features as her mind tried to assimilate the telepathic command.

Then she smiled, and indicated for the vampire to sit down next to her.

Do you live around here? the girl asked.

More or less, the vampire replied evasively, then added, I have a house in Hulls Cove, a few miles back down the main road.

I'm Jen, the girl said. The vampire nodded, resisting the urge to reply, I know. She had learned the girl's identity the instant she had touched her mind. The teen stuck out her hand as the vampire crouched down in front of her, keeping a healthy distance from the fire. And you are?

You can call me Nicole, the vampire said softly as she reached out and gently touched the girl's hand. Although everyone here knows me as Lisa. She resisted the urge to smile, as she didn't want the girl to see her fangs, which despite her best efforts had begun to extend from her upper jawline.

Not that you're going to remember my name anyway, the vampire said, her voice dropping so low that she barely heard it herself. It was difficult to hear anything over the tantalizing sound of the girl's blood coursing through her body, or the thundering of her own heart.

Like a cat she settled down into the sand next to Jen, staring at the girl as she struggled to keep the bloodlust under control for a few more minutes. It was nearly at its peak now, and she didn't know how much longer she could control it.

I don't understand, Jen said, a puzzled look on her face. The vampire slid closer to her and gently reached out to touch her wind-ruffled, silky hair.

You don't need to, she said, holding the girl's gaze with the hypnotic power of her mocha-colored eyes. As the red veil that coated her vision blazed to a fiery peak, the vampire projected her will into the girl's mind, making Jen completely susceptible to her advances.

Trust me, she whispered softly in Jen's ear. You won't feel a thing. She knew that the fire crackling next to them would reflect the near madness that now controlled her. She leaned closer to her young victim and opened her sensual mouth, revealing a pair of very sharp, pointed incisors protruding from her upper jaw.

She sensed a brief spark of panic flare up in Jen as her victim began to comprehend what was happening to her. Then the fear subsided as the vampire cooed softly in her ear, gently brushing her hair and reassuring her there was nothing to be afraid of.

Wrapping her arms around the girl as if she were a lover, the vampire buried her face in the shoulder-length tumbles of ash-blonde hair and breathed deeply. The sweet tang of the girl's blood was so strong that it completely overwhelmed the vampire and her control evaporated in an instant.

She relinquished herself to her animal passion, giving in to the bloodlust that drove her.

A soft feral moan, bearing no resemblance to any sound manufactured by human vocal cords, escaped from her mouth as she sank into the sand with Jen still tightly wrapped in her arms. Brushing the waves of sandy-colored hair away from the girl's neck, she sank her fangs into the tender, tanned flesh.

Blood squirted into the vampire's mouth and down her throat, stoking the fire that burned within her. She was nearly overcome by the driving force of the bloodlust, coupled by the intense physical attraction she felt for the girl. Unconsciously, her left hand slid down over the girl's firm breasts as she continued to feed on her.

Time has no meaning to a vampire caught in the throes of bloodlust; it simply becomes an unremembered concept. As the vampire fed, the world folded in around her. The focus of her existence narrowed, until there was only the girl she held in her arms and the sweet blood that flowed into her eager mouth.

A rumble of distant thunder sounded outside the small, two story house, heralding the approach of a storm over Frenchman Bay. Looking up from the book she was reading, the young woman sitting on the couch glanced out the window to her right, which offered a view of the water.

The moon was obscured behind heavy clouds, but the dark sky was suddenly lit up by a jagged lash of lightning. The girl counted the seconds until the next rumble of thunder occurred.

Not long, she thought with a smile. She started to turn her attention back to her book when she sensed movement out in the yard, followed by the sound of the front door opening and slamming closed, as if forced shut by a heavy wind. Leaning her head backwards, she found herself staring into the eyes of a disheveled looking young woman approximately her own age.

So, how was she? the girl asked with a wide grin. Nicole Stratford looked at her and shrugged, then in one fluid motion moved to the couch and leaned down to kiss her roommate firmly on the mouth.

Lorraine Tevis reached up and gently touched Nicole's face. The two vampires held onto each other for a few seconds longer, then Nicole broke the embrace and stood back up. Brushing her dark hair away from her face, Nicole regarded her lover with a puckish smile.

Well? Lorraine persisted. You still haven't answered my question. She eyed the older vampire as she spun around on the couch, sitting on her knees and leaning against the soft cushions to look over at Nicole.

The willowy vampire sighed and ran her hands through her hair once again.

The truth? Lorraine nodded.

Yes Nic, the truth.

Lori Honey, she was almost as sweet as you were the night I turned you. Lorraine cast her a snide look.

I hope that drinking her blood was all that you did.

Hey, give me some credit, will you? Nicole retorted. "I love you, remember? I can be attracted to someone without coming on to them, ya know. I’ll be honest, she was gorgeous." She looked at the younger vampire and smiled.

But so are you. Sliding off the couch, Lorraine walked over and wrapped her arms around Nicole's waist.

Will she remember what happened? Nicole shook her head.

No, but she may feel a bit faint for a few days. I took a little more than I should have from her. But she's young, and healthy. She'll probably think she has the flu. By the time she returns to Chicago with her parents, she'll be fine. Lorraine looked at her with a pout.

Now it's my turn to find a suitable victim, she said. I haven't had a decent meal in three days. Nicole smiled, and gently stroked her cheek.

Come into town with me tomorrow night, she said. "We'll find someone for you. There are still plenty of tourists around, or as our friends up in Toronto would say, 'Oot and aboot'." Lorraine laughed and slid her hands up to Nicole's neck.

All right, we'll go grocery shopping tomorrow. She turned and looked toward the window seconds before the night sky was illuminated by lightning, followed seconds later by another burst of thunder. The sound of the thunder had barely faded when rain began to pelt the roof of the house.

C'mon, Nicole said. Let's go cuddle and listen to the rain.

The storm had finally abated during the night, but the sky was still heavily overcast. This didn't bother Nicole in the slightest as she made her way down Cottage Street, heading toward the harbor. If it weren't for the fact that the sun was blanketed by clouds, she wouldn't even be able to venture out during the morning hours.

Still, there were times when Nicole had to admit that she missed the feel of the sun's warmth on her face, or the ability to watch a sunset with her own eyes. But those moments were few and far between and overall, she had adapted to her primarily nocturnal existence.

After a hundred and two years, Nicole had decided it would probably would be very difficult to adjust to living as a 'normal' human being again. Although she didn't despise humanity the way so many of her kind did, Nicole accepted her life as a vampire, and was basically content with it.

More content, actually, than she had been in quite some time. And most of that contentment stemmed from having Lori with her once again.

Stopping at the entranceway to Parker's Coffee and Tea Shoppe, Nicole pulled the door open and stepped inside. The heavy scent of freshly ground arabica beans assailed her keen sense of smell, nearly overpowering her with its robust aroma.

The smell of coffee always brought back memories of her childhood here in this coastal Maine town. Her father had loved coffee, and Nicole remembered how she would always help her mother prepare a pot and have it waiting when her father and his friends returned from fishing in the bay at the end of the day.

As a rule, Nicole didn't usually drink coffee, although she had before becoming a vampire. Stopping in town and buying a cup of coffee at Parker's two to three times a week was a good way to maintain the facade that she was anything but a vampire.

Nicole made a point of trying to appear in town during the day when it was overcast, just to look 'normal.'

As far as she knew, not a solitary soul had an inkling of what she really was.

Nicole had no real intention of drinking the cup of light roast that she ordered, save for a sip or too. Like most vampires, her unique physiology made the digestion of 'normal' food extremely difficult.

But that hadn't stopped her from experimenting. There were certain foods that she had loved before she had been turned, and over the years she had taught herself to tolerate some of those favorites again in small quantities.

Nicole paid for her coffee and was pushing the lid in place when she spotted a familiar face walk through the door.

Fancy meeting you here, she said as Ron Keswick, staff writer for The Bar Harbor Times, walked over to greet her.

Hey Nicole, Keswick said, how are you? Like everyone else in town, Keswick had no clue that the twenty-six year old woman he had known since the fall of 1997 was in reality, a vampire who had been born over a century ago.

Unlike everyone else, however, Keswick knew Nicole by her real name and she never really had been overly concerned about it. She and Keswick were friends, so there was no reason that he'd ever go digging into her sordid background.

I'm great, Nicole said, and meant it. She was still basking in the high she had received from feeding on the vacationing girl the night before. And you? she asked politely. Keswick shrugged.

I somehow manage to make ends meet, in spite of myself. Nicole laughed as he ordered a cup of Sumatra, then started towards the door.

I've got to run, she said. Have a good day.

Wait up Nic, Keswick said. I've got something to tell you. The slender vampire waited by the door as Keswick paid for his coffee, then followed him outside.

Nicole quickly pulled her dark sunglasses down onto her nose, shielding her light-sensitive brown eyes from the cloudy brightness of the morning sky. She wrapped her fingers around her coffee cup and made a show of sipping the hot liquid as they walked along Cottage Street.

So what interesting piece of news did you want to tell me? Nicole asked.

It's pretty bizarre, Keswick replied. I almost wouldn't believe it myself if it weren't for the medical evidence.

Okay, you've hooked me, she said. This is obviously something more than the sighting of a lost moose or something. Keswick nodded.

What would you say if I told you that there was a vampire in town? Nicole paused, and looked at the reporter as if he had just claimed to have interviewed Elvis. Had she actually been drinking her coffee, she probably would've choked on it.

Here? In Bar Harbor? Nicole said incredulously, the town's name coming out of her mouth as 'Baaaaa Haaabaaaah'. Keswick nodded.

"You've got to be joking? A vampire? Really Ron, I thought you left stuff like that for The World Weekly News to pursue."

I must confess, even though I stick with the 'regular' news, I do have something of a fascination for weird things. And weird is certainly the best adjective I can come up with for some of the reports I've been hearing lately.

Go on, Nicole said, somewhat interested in spite of herself.

"As you know, I listen to the police radio a lot, just to get a feel for what's happening here and on the mainland. I also get the ambulance and rescue frequencies. Over the past few weeks, I've heard a number of calls placed to 911, reporting people who have just fainted or passed out.

I didn't think much of it until a friend of mine who works at the hospital in Ellsworth told me that the doctors there had examined at least two people suffering from severe blood loss, but had no visible wounds. Nicole paused and looked at him. At this point, Keswick now had her full attention.

Except for two strange marks on either their arms or legs. Marks that basically resembled an animal's fangs.

Nicole mulled this over as she pretended to sip her coffee. Could one of the victims have been the girl from Illinois, Jen? Had she taken more from the girl than the usual half-pint she limited herself to when she fed?

Or, if it really was the work of another vampire, then who was it? As opposed to the rest of New England, Maine did not sport a large vampire population.

There were only three vampires currently residing in Bar Harbor, herself included. The only other of their kind who made their home in Maine that she knew of was Alban, who lived like a mountain man up in the northeast corner of the state.

And none of them were careless enough to leave the people they fed on that drained of blood. It drew unnecessary attention to the fact that vampires actually existed.

Which left her with the question: Was there a new vampire in town? And if so, who?

Well... Maybe there's a rabid dog loose or something, Nicole said. As soon as the words left her mouth, she realized how lame her idea sounded.

That's what I would've thought, Keswick replied, except that none of these victims remember being attacked by a vicious animal of any kind. In fact in each case, these people have no memory of how they ended up in the hospital.

Keswick continued to relate various other details about the strange attacks as they continued to walk towards his car, which he had parked along the street. Nicole listened and the longer she listened, the more she was becoming convinced that there was a vampire on the prowl somewhere between Ellsworth and Bar Harbor. And a thought lingered in her mind.

Could it be him?

Finally, she turned and faced the reporter.

That's an interesting story Ron, Nicole said. But I think the most likely answer is some kook with a blood-fetish, who’s read too many Anne Rice novels.

"In other words, someone who merely thinks that they’re a vampire." Nicole nodded slowly.

Yeah, something like that. She smiled at Keswick, and started to walk away.

Thanks, Nicole, Keswick said as he set his coffee on the roof of his car and opened the door. Waving goodbye, he slid into the driver's seat.

Troubled, Nicole continued walking down the street.

Nicole paused and looked at the message she had composed on her monitor. She was sitting in her customary position, with her feet on the coffee table and the keyboard in her lap, staring at the thin, flat-screen monitor in front of her on the table.

Deciding that the message was worded to her satisfaction, she moved the cursor up to click on 'Send'. She leaned back in her seat and glanced over at Lori, who was asleep on the couch.

It was mid-afternoon, the vampire equivalent of the middle of the night for a normal person. As so often happened, Lori had finally gotten tired and fallen asleep while Nicole opted to stay up and play on the computer