Thursday, October 25, 2012

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Night Sighs by Emma Meade, available through www.emmameade.com. My only regret is that they're short stories and that there weren't more of them. As good as the ending was, I would like to have kept reading.

Excerpt
    "It’s who I am."
    "Yes."
    "A vampire Alex."
    "Uhuh."
    "I never make them suffer."
    "My hero."
    Tristan pushed her away and she stood. Sunlight had crept halfway across the dusty, attic floor and he watched Alex step back into it, out of his reach.
    "What do you want from me?" he asked after a long minute’s silence.
    Alex shook her head.
    "Nothing but this."
    "Do you really love me?" Tristan wanted to know, not releasing her from his unwavering gaze. He never blinked.
    Alex smiled warmly. "More than anything else in this world."
    "Promise?"
    "Promise," she said as if to a child.

* * *

    "She left me that morning," Tristan spoke to his avid audience. "Crept out into the light, knowing I couldn’t follow. Saving herself and me is how she put it. Because the night was too dark for her..."
    A roar rose up from the 50,000 strong crowd in the rural landscape miles outside London. Tristan stepped back from the microphone and lowered his head. His long black mane had been cut into jagged spikes. Silver crosses hung from his ears and on a chain around his neck, gleaming brightly against his black t-shirt and dark ripped jeans. A glance behind at his band told him they were good to go.
    The moon illuminated the five vampires on the roofless stage, spotlighting Tristan as the opening bars on the piano sounded. His fans screamed again. Some were crying, others fainting, many more were as high as the grey clouds overhead.
    Because the Night was a favourite cover the band liked to perform. Another haunting note on the piano followed and then the first strum of Tristan’s guitar. His thumb scraping well used strings was met with the wild screams of teenage girls. He satisfied them with a few more twangs.
    And then. Silence. The band stopped. The crowd was unsure, excited and dizzy with anticipation.
    Tristan lifted his head and stared straight ahead. The cameras focused on him for a close up and his face appeared on the dozens of temporarily erected screens throughout the park.

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