Check out this unique vampire story with a twist! The Vampire Within by Laura Daleo - full review on #LaurensIndieBookClub! #WritingCommunity #reading #darkfantasy #indieauthors #indiebookclub #vampires
As a fellow dark fantasy writer, I had a blast reviewing this book called The Vampire Within by Laura Daleo. I found her book through BookRoar which is a website where you can review indie authors and they can review you as well – more on this site later! Below is my review that I left for her on Amazon and GoodReads.
Part of me would loves the idea of my stories being turned into a movie/tvshow. The other part hates it’s. The best part of books and comics is how weird they can get. Things the normies can’t handle.
Justin kept telling himself that the concept of the undead, blood drinkers, and vampires were not real. He pondered this as he got dressed. He found it unsettling that Milo had gone to his home to get him new clothes. But in the grand scheme, it was the least of his worries.******
This thought drowned out Milo’s words about presenting a certain way. He wondered how old Milo had been. Had he been old enough to be a slave? They would explain why he was now obsessed with his appearance. But he sounded like he was more European. He was sure that they had slaves, but was it as bad as in America?
He shook his head. Milo was not a vampire. He was just some crazy person he had to get away from. So why hadn’t he tried to get away yet? As they left the lobby, neither of them noticed a bald man raising from one of the side rooms, trying in vain to get their attention.
“You said there was a place to get tea around here?” Milo asked for the third time as he placed the top hat on his head.
“Yes, I already said.” Justin pointed across the street. “Just over there.”
Milo glanced across the street. “I don’t know if I care for it. Are there any others we could go to?”
“No, it’s the best one in town. At least for coffee, or. Never Mind, just come on.” Justin was often called pretentious, but this was ridiculous. Milo could at least appreciate something for what it was worth and not just judge it for its appearance. Yes, the place wasn’t crisp and clean, but they made do with what they had. And making it steampunk-themed made the exposed ceilings work. The lighting may look cheap at first glance, but with very little effort, you can see it wasn’t. And most of the rust was just paint. He just couldn’t appreciate the beauty in it.
This was all exacerbated by the fact that Milo wouldn’t even give it a proper look. It didn’t matter how good his eyes were. You can’t see through people. If he just took a few steps forward to the curb, he could see it better. Instead, he put as much distance between himself and the coffee shop, practically hugging the walls of the buildings they passed.
“No, I don’t think it will suit me.” Continuing to walk forward until they hit the intercession. Jumping back as a car blasted his horn, and nearly hit another pedestrian. Milo glared at the driver as it swerved past.
“It wasn’t honking at you.” Of course, he would be the kind of person who takes everything personally. Justin slammed his hand into the crosswalk button. “Well, it’s the one we are going to. It’s my favorite, and I’m not going another six blocks to a generic chain store just because it looks nicer.” At that point, Milo hadn’t been talking. But Justin was determined to hold his ground.
The white walking man flashed as people crossed in all directions and all traffic was brought to a halt. Milo picked up his stride as he crossed the street, waiting at the corner of the building until Justin could make it over.
Crazy Bean was the best place to go. And he knew everyone that worked on a first-name basis. Perhaps they would know something was wrong and could help him. It was only as he reached for the door handle had he realized he did not know how he would ask for help without Milo noticing.
At that same moment, as if he read his mind, Milo placed a hand on Justin’s shoulder. He could hear Milo speak, but not with his ears. The voice came from his mind. It wasn’t his thoughts but Milo’s. “It would be in the best interest of you and your friends not to tell them what has happened between us.” A threat. It was clear as day that was what it was. He could feel it in every fiber of his being. They said, If you out me, I will make you pay. I will make you wish you were never born. And I will harm everyone you love before turning on you. Justin turned to Milo’s vacant expression. “Shall we go in?” he asked as he gestured to the door with a pleasant smile.
As they entered, it was clear to Milo that the place had seen better days. But it was also clear that whoever owned it put a lot of love and work into the place. The grunge was strategically placed and quite clean. It was perplexing why anyone would want their place to look dirty, but it was a far improvement from the places that acutely were. The place had been packed, which was normally a good sign of the quality. He did not know what the economy was like, so the prices next to the items meant nothing to him.
The people didn’t bother him. He had always lived in high-density areas. The cars on the other hand. They made him uneasy, a way he hadn’t felt in thousands of years. They moved too fast; they were too big, and they were controlled by humans, from what he could tell. Humans shouldn’t be in control of anything that gives them too much power. It never ended well.
A short woman with jet black hair and a name tag that read Vicky greeted them. Her arms crossed and her brow rose. “And where were you last night?” Her cold and angry gaze was directed at Justin. “Amy said you stood her up.”
“I, um.” He turned to Milo. Not sure what he could say.
“That would be my fault, my dear.” Milo took a step forward. His expression, desperate. “You see, I haven’t seen Justin in so long. And after being away from family for so long, one finds it hard to take no for an answer.”
Her hard, cold stance melted away. “Well, I suppose that’s a good reason. What will you guys have today?” Now in a happier mood, she reached for a pen and paper.
It had not been a good reason, Milo noted to himself. He had hardly given her a reason at all. But at least he was still able to do that much. Manipulating people’s feelings weren’t hard and required few supernatural abilities.
“What do you want to drink?” Justin asked, pointing to the menu.
The words made little to no sense. There was an uneasiness that bubbled up inside him once more. His mind was in a fog that he couldn’t seem to push past.
“Order for me,” he said as he waved the question away. Making his way to the back of the room.
“Yeah, no problem. I guess I’ll pay for you too,” Justin said under his breath as Milo walked away, the barista giving Justin a disapproving look.
It didn’t seem possible that only one hundred fifty years had passed. He questioned if the way people calculated time had changed. As he took a seat in the back. The table, plastered with art, was covered in a clear resin. Telling a story of the people of the time. They were quick sketches, but there was still beauty in them.
The centerpiece was reminiscent of a candelabra. But made with copper pipes and gears and strange candles. Milo waved his hand over them, but no heat radiated from them. Only when he pinched the flame did he fully realize it too, was made of plastic. It was at that moment he realized he was alone.
Dropping it abruptly once Justin approached the table. “Is this meant to resemble fire?” Milo asked as Justin handed him his cup. Taking a sip, quickly realizing he disapproved of whatever he was given. Forcing himself to swallow what was in his mouth.
“Yeah, it’s fake, so it lasts longer and isn’t a fire hazard,” Justin answered. Picking it back up, Milo examined the fu candle once more. “What, have you never seen a fake candle before? They’re everywhere. How have you never seen one before?”
“I have been asleep since 1856. When we had proper fire. Not whatever this is.” As he said this, he snapped his fingers, a small flame danced between his tomb and index finger before fading away.
Justin shifted in his seat as a wave of different emotions came over him. Embarrassment, confusion, fright. Each bounced so fast that Milo couldn’t quite get a feel for what he was thinking. “Well, you see the battery,” Justin began, plucking the candle up and opening the bottom, revealing the power sure of the fake flame.
“Battery?” Milo had never heard it be called that, but the concept was easy enough to grasp. This had not been the first time seeing something that worked in this way.
“You see, it works with electricity. And the battery holds it, and when this switch is turned on, it makes the candle work.” Justin explained as if he was talking to a child.
“I know how it works,” Milo snapped. “I was just unfamiliar with the name. And to be honest, if I didn’t, your piss poor excuse for an explanation wouldn’t have helped.” In his frustration, he took another sip of the tea. Closing his eyes once he realized his mistake and gently set the cup back down. Resisting the urge to throw the glass across the room. He needed to kill something. “What a waste of space.” He mutters under his breath, trying to keep calm.
“Well, some people like the look of it.” Justin put the candle back.
Amy checked her phone as she power walked to Crazy Bean. A ping from Vicky appeared on her phone. Yeah, he’s still here. No idea who the guy is. Said he was family….?”
Amy couldn’t remember Justin saying anything about family being in town, or even that he had any living family that he knew about. And more importantly, why didn’t he just tell her? He should have known better. Has he thought she was that unreasonable that she wouldn’t understand?
Once she got to the coffee shop, she went straight to the back where Justin and this mysterious man sat. She wanted to cause a scene. But felt a calm come over her as she approached the two.
Instead of saying anything, she waited for Justin to turn around as she flung her arms around him, kissing him on the cheek. She wanted to talk about what had happened the night before. But she pulled out a newspaper as she set down. “Did you hear about what happened two nights ago? Up at that abandoned factory? They said there was some kind of power outage and there was some kind of shock wave that affected people a mile out. Killing three and injuring another ten.”
“I’m sorry about last night,” Justin answered, taking her hand. “I know you don’t really care about the factory.
“What’s that?” Milo asked as he took the paper. Eye the headline as he skimmed the pages.
“I know, it’s stupid. But I enjoy having a physical newspaper. I know it’s better for the environment to just get the news from your phone. Less wasteful. But I don’t know. I just like it.”
Milo seemed to not give her any mind as she spoke. As she studied Milo’s face, she frowned. There was nothing in his face that made her believe that Justin and he had been related in any way. But she found it was hard to keep her eyes on the man. An uneasy feeling filled her. Finally, turning to Justin. “So, what happened last night?”
Justin didn’t answer at first. Instead, Milo had placed the newspaper down as he answered. “I apologize, my dear.” The discomfort she felt from looking at him was gone. That had been my fault. You see, there is this project I wanted Justin’s add-in. Do forgive him for my negligence. You see, I knew he had a prior engagement, but I wouldn’t take no for an answer.”
Deep down, something felt off. But not only did she find she wanted to accept the answer, but she wanted to apologize as well.
“That’s ok,” she said with a smile as she reached for Justin’s arm. “You can make it up to me tonight.”
“That will not do,” Milo interjected as she attempted to kiss Justin on the cheek. “You see. This minor project isn’t quite done. It will take some time, and in this early developmental stage. There will be little time for anything else. Give us a few weeks’ time and you can resume your courting.”
“And What exactly is it you’re doing?” Amy asked with folded arms. “And better yet, who are you…really. I have never heard of you before and you look nothing like Justin.” Her anger and distrust for this man spilled over.
At that, Milo leaped from his seat. For a second, Amy thought he may hit her. Instead, he reached down for his hat. “I suggest you don’t worry your little head over this. It will be best for everyone involved if you stay out of this.” A moment later, he was out the door. A shocked look on both Amy and Justin’s faces lingered for a few seconds.
Before she was about to get a word in, Justin leaned in to kiss her. “I’ll explain later.” And another second later, he too was gone.
Justin tapped his toe. His stomach twisted as he waited for her. He was too nervous to wait inside the cafe. He needed to know as soon as she got there. He patted his pocket where the small ring sat. Despite the air being chilly, he had to pull his hair up, taking his flannel off, exposing his ink-covered arms. She wasn’t late; he was early. Everything would be okay. Or that was what he kept telling himself.
Taking his eyes off the sidewalk for a split second to check if the ring had still been in its box, he didn’t notice the man who took the seat in front of him. He had an air of aristocracy that, in itself, was an overwhelming presence. When Justin looked up, he almost fell out of his seat. “That seat is taken.” But the man didn’t seem to care.
His skin was the same dark shade as Justin’s, with cherry red hair. At first, Justin had thought he didn’t hear him, so he spoke once more.
“I heard you the first time. No need to repeat yourself.” The man glanced around the place before leaning in. “Who are you waiting for?”
“My girlfriend,” Justin answered without hesitation.
“Is she late?” The man didn’t give him time to answer. “Doesn’t matter? Do you have a family? Or do you live alone?”
Justin answered these as well. “No, I live alone. My family is.” Then he stopped. It was none of this man’s business. Why had he been answering these stupid questions?
“Job, where do you work? Do you do anything important?” The man still locked eyes with Justin, making it impossible for Justin to look away. And even harder not to answer his questions.
“Baker, down the street from my house.” Justin got agitated, wanting to just tell the guy off. That was Amy’s seat. He didn’t have time for his 20 questions.
The man tapped on the table. As if his questions were leading up to something. Something he was eager to finish. He continued to ask highly personal questions, and Justin kept answering them. Despite not wanting to.
Doing everything he could to break eye contact with the man, he no longer understood the questions that were being asked him. He didn’t notice the man speeding the questions up. Or even that he was answering every question he was asked. Without hesitation, with no thought.
***
That was the last thing Justin remembered when he shot up in bed. An awful pain that he never felt before shot through his body all at once. He realized he wasn’t in his room. But he could hardly think about that with the pain he was in. Had the cafe been a dream, or was he really there?
Flashes of disturbing dreams ran through his mind. He had done monstrous things. Killing people as he stood over their bodies. A light-haired man in danger. Fire and blood everywhere. No, you can’t die. Then a woman. The most beautiful woman he had ever seen. No, but she wasn’t. Justin had seen none of these people. One minute they would be clear as day, as if this had been his life, the next they were gone, as if they were never there. All the time in so much pain, he could no longer see anything around him when a door opened.
He didn’t need to see to know the man stood over him, watching him. The disconnect between reality, minutes, and his delusions of hours slowly shrank as the pain in his body lessened. The blankets he laid on were soaked in his own sweat as he slowly looked around the room. Where was he? Looking up, he saw the man that was at the cafe. At that moment, he remembered the man telling him to follow him. He didn’t question it or fight. They walked into the hotel. He asked for a room and threw some money at the person. When they made it up, the man bit him. Everything was a haze, but he recalled the pain as clear as day. For the first time in his life, he knew exactly where each and every vein was in his body. The venom from his teeth worked its way through his system.
Justin quickly reached for his neck. No blood, no enormous gaping hole. The dreams he couldn’t remember, they weren’t dreams. They were of this man’s life. “What do you want from me?” The words stuck in Justin’s throat. Too weak to even lift his head. “You’re a monster. I, I know what you did.”
The man’s face was just as untelling as the night before, aside from a small grin that formed.
“Are you going to kill me?” Justin whimpered in fear.
“If I intended for you to be dead, you wouldn’t be here.” His voice was icy and hollow. “The pain will pass, and you will fall into a deep sleep.” Crouching down, he looked into Justin’s eyes. “What did you see? You should know, that turning people isn’t something I do often. I fear something has gone wrong.” Something flashed in his eyes. Some emotions that Justin couldn’t pinpoint. Then it was gone.
As the man spoke, Justin felt his entire body relax as his eyelids became heavy. The last thought that went through his head was the man’s name, Milo. How did he know that?
***
They both knew something was wrong, but neither of them knew exactly how wrong things had gone. Milo clenched his stomach as he pulled himself from the bed. When he fed from the human and turned him. He should get memories from him. But instead, he got nothing. Some unfamiliar words, some new feelings of how the world thought. He was sure his accent would have changed slightly, but he knew nothing else. Without that, all of this was pointless.
He dragged himself to the on-suite bathroom. Now that Justin was asleep, he would have an hour before he woke. He could still taste the blood in his mouth. And just like when he had killed the woman in the morgue, he felt sick. Had whatever she pumped into him made him ill? Do humans have a way of killing their kind? Was his kind out in the open now?
Perhaps he was too hasty in killing that woman. He hadn’t suffered from morality for some time, not in thousands of years, in fact. But he wouldn’t worry about that. He had to clean up not only his appearance but also the blood that remained in the sink and on the floor.
With how much blood he regurgitated, there couldn’t have been much that remained in his system. It was just lucky HE wasn’t there. He could imagine HIS reaction at the sight of the amount of blood in the room. Despite what they were; the red stuff always seemed to put his friend on edge. It would have been a lot to take care of himself and the other.
His mood fluctuated between relief and urgency. Where could he be? He didn’t even know his own location. Milo would have to get the answer from Justin after he woke.
His hand was more stable, and the tremors and pain were fading. He could make it through the rest of the day. The pain was only thereafter he fed. He could inform Justin of what he needed to know. Then what? He would use him to find his family and figure out what was wrong with him. In the meantime, he would need to get dressed. He reached for the clothes he gained the night before. They were not custom made. But they would have to do. A silver suit that included a white blouse, silver vest, slacks, tie, and jacket. He could also snag a matching top hat before he left the shop.
***
The events of the night before were long gone when Justin woke up. In fact, he had felt better than he had in as long as he could remember. It wasn’t until he reached for his phone that he remembered things were not right. Instead of his hand hitting his side table, it just hit more bed. He was on the wrong side of the bed. He had the wrong pillow; he had the wrong blankets. It was only then did he remember being bitten. Being in pain, and Milo.
He leaped from the bed to a white room he had never seen before. He wanted the night before to be a dream. He did not know where he was. He grasped at his neck again, and yet again, there was no enormous gaping hole. But now that he was more aware, he could feel some bumps on his neck. A scar from where Milo bit him. The last and only scar he would ever have.
He reasoned with himself. There had to be an explanation. Yes, Milo was a vampire. No, that was too far. When he paused. The sun seeped in at the edges of the blinds. If he was turned into a vampire, the sun would burn him. This was common knowledge about vampires, right?
His heart thumped, half expecting to be harmed by the rays of the sun. But there was only slight discomfort from being in a dark room. He squinted his eyes as he approached the window. He knew the street; he knew where he was. Across the street was the coffee shop he was abducted from, Crazy Bean. And a few blocks down was Amy’s dorm. That would make this the Hotel Dam Sanctum.
Before he moved to the city, his family wanted to stay here once. The prices were expensive, but they will pay it for the location, only to be told that the waiting period for a room was over 4 years. Now he was here, four years after their death. For a moment, he almost forgot how he got there when the spigot from the bathroom ran.
It was Milo. Justin couldn’t explain how he knew, but he just did. The door leading out of the room was right next to the one that led to the bathroom. He could run, getaway. But he did not know the layout. Even if Milo wasn’t familiar with it himself, he at least had the luxury of passing through once. But if he could get out, he could tell the police what had happened. He just had to make it to the lobby. He could tell the workers.
“And what would you tell them?” Milo asked as he stepped out of the bathroom, drying his hands on a towel. His eyes glanced from Justin to the door. “I will not stop you. But I want to know who you will seek and what you will say?”
Justin hesitated. “I’ll tell them…” It was obvious, wasn’t it? He was abducted, possibly drugged. Why did the words not want to leave his mouth?
“What do you know? What will you tell them when they ask what I look like? Or my name. I doubt they have a record of me. And if they do, they are people who are unlikely to help you.” His words were dark and dangerous. Justin knew he was being honest. He would let him leave. But there was a threat behind his words that didn’t sit well with him.
“Can you tell me what I look like? If you’re going to report me, they will want to know what I look like.” Even looking the man directly in the face, Justin found the words stuck in his mouth. Long nose, high cheekbones, gold eyes, brown skin, long cherry-red hair. “A man. Um, no. ah.” The words stumbled through his mouth. It was no good. He couldn’t do it, he wouldn’t be able to give any useful information about him. “What do you want?” Justin asked, unable to keep his voice level.
“I assume that you already have an idea.” Milo stood next to him, pointing to the store that was directly in front of them. “What does that piece of paper say? The one that’s posted on the door.”
Justin read it with no problem. The days and times that the store was open. It was only then he realized he shouldn’t have been able to read that from over ten stories up. He turned to Milo. He still didn’t believe he was anything other than human. But standing next to him. He got a sense of danger, something he never experienced before. He found it hard to look at him, so he looked back at the road. He could see every person, their expression as they sat in their car or passed on the sidewalk.
“I will not follow you. If you leave now, you will never see me again. But you will also be completely in the dark about what I turned you into. The choice is yours.”
“How do I know I can trust you?” Justin asked.
“You can’t.” Milo’s voice was flat as ever. Not even bothering to put on a fake facade of kindness.
“I don’t feel like I have a choice,” Justin answered reluctantly
“You don’t. Not really.” Milo said, as he turned to walk away.
Between not trusting that Milo would just let him go and being conflicted about what he may or may not be now, he reluctantly agreed to his terms. He still wasn’t sure what the other would get out of this. But he would play along for now.
There are times in one’s life when you feel you have been swept up by everything. When you feel you have no control over your life and your only choice is to cling to whatever you can. Even if that thing is pulling you down. Never knowing just how far you will fall before you can get back up. Always in hope that you have hit the bottom and the only way forward is up. Only to find there is another lower level and your only choice is to let time do its thing. And to hope you are not too damaged by the end of the ride.
The last thing he remembered when he regained consciousness was nearly being killed. The blood of the Necrobeast pumping through his veins. His heartbeat had been slow enough that there was time to extract the poison before it had made it to his heart.
His survival that day landed solely on the fact that he had not drunk from a human for a few weeks. It wasn’t something every one of their kind could do. For him, it comes down to discipline and tea. A small amount of blood was added to sustain his existence. Not quite the same as drinking from a fresh body. But it kept his heart moving just enough to function between feedings.
He didn’t refrain from the kill for any moral dilemma. His kind needed it to live, after all. Something he came to terms with millennia before now. The tea he made would get him through the weeks he didn’t eat. Sustaining his heartbeat by about 15 beats per minute. A few people in his life would ask if he did this so that he would have to kill less. He would never answer them. But if he were to, it would be something along the lines, Don’t be ridiculous, what do their lives matter to me?
His reason was simply that he enjoyed the adrenaline in his veins, matching the adrenaline in his victims. The feel of the blood coursing through his own nearly vacant veins. The blood crashed through his system like an unexpected storm. Renewing everything all at once. His reward for keeping up such a rigid structure in his everyday life.
That familiar feeling stirred through him as he awakened from the deep sleep he had been in. But the refreshing feeling he so longed for wasn’t there. Replaced with a sharp pain. The liquid coursing through his body cut through his veins. The more he awakened, the more unbearable it became. His eyes stung and his mouth ached when he tried to speak.
He wouldn’t panic, though there was much that could have gone wrong. The black blood had not killed him. Or perhaps he had killed him. He had only experienced the black blood once. They must have put him in a permo-sleep. But for how long, now that was the question. He did not know how long it would have taken for his body to heal.
He’d gone to sleep in the catacombs, a sanctuary for weakened or tired Kaw-Sekhmu, who needed more than a few hours of rest to recover. His kind typically needed only half the sleep required by a human, but there were times at which a Ka-Sekhm would require much, much more. When one grew bored with life itself and wanted to sleep through to another era—or, as in his case, when one was so badly hurt that the only thing that could save them was to rest until the body recuperated. They could spend decades or centuries resting in one of the glass coffins that filled the walls of their family mausoleum. Only a select few Kaw-Sekhmu knew the true location of the catacombs. And no other creature was permitted anywhere near. Something terrible must have happened.
He could hear a faint voice, no two. Two people were talking. He didn’t recognize them.
“Okay, I’ll see you tomorrow!” A soft woman’s voice came from across the room, calling out to someone as she drew nearer. She felt human, the heaviness of her steps, the way she breathed. His kind still could breathe, but it was much quieter, and mostly only did so when it was necessary, and in most cases, it wasn’t. Speaking, eating, drinking, extra.
As he got more feeling in his body, he became aware he wasn’t wearing any clothes. A sure sign that things were truly dire. A thin, cheap blanket draped over his entire body. That was when he noticed the sharp pain in his neck. Pumping something other than blood into his body. A strong chemical smell insulted his nostrils.
He could hear the woman sigh as she lifted the blanket from around his ankles. “It clotted again. Why does this keep happening?” as she said this, he felt a prick in his ankle. Blood poured out, then drip, then. “Damn it. I’m going to be here all night because of you. What is going on with you?” She pricked his ankle one more time, and once more, the same thing happened.
Then it happened, as if in a realization, something clicked. He felt the panic wash over her before she did or said anything. She cursed to herself, pulling whatever it was out of his neck. Raising across the room, then back at his side. Pulling the blankets off, he could feel something cold against his chest as she sighed. The panic subsided within her. “Don’t be stupid, why would he…” He could feel her weight on his chest. “What is with your blood?” She asked before cutting into his collar, plunging the tube back into his neck.
Still unable to move. To tell her he indeed had not been “dead” but merely sleeping when he heard a small click. Before he could question it, music played. This was the first clue that things had changed in the world. Things lingered. Clothes, music, culture. Only really became apparent when there were enormous gaps. This music eluded him. He could tell there was only one person in the room with him. And yet, multiple voices and instruments echoed through the room.
He would just have to find out. Focusing all his attention, he performed a trick he was quite good at. One moment, his vision was dark. The next he could see the room through her eyes. A room of metal. Try as he might, he couldn’t see where the music was coming from. She was the only one in the room.
Next to him were two tables. White blankets covering them. He wondered if the people under them were as dead as he was. That is to say, not at all. Pain shot his arm as she moved it. She did this for a few minutes until she was called out of the room by another strange sound. Milo could move his fingers, finally able to examine what was under his eyelids. Slowly removing a substance that held his lids shut and then removing the pointed disks underneath. Then moved to his mouth where he found a thin, but strong piece of thread that held his jaw in place.
As he set up, his stomach lurched as he saw the frightened look on the women’s face. A plastic visor over her head, paper clothes that couldn’t have protected from any elements. What was the weather like in this time period? He truly hoped this was not meant to be the fashion of the time.
He took pride in being able to blend in with the high society of any place he had gone. But he couldn’t ever wear that. He would much sooner go back into the ground for another 100 years than be caught wearing something that despicable.
But his thoughts were quickly brought back to the present, to a slack-jawed woman. “But, but…..How.” Her eyes grew wide with a shaking hand pointed his way. “I checked, I…” The confusion melted away, replaced with fear as she scrambled to pick up the metal box she dropped. “I’ll call.” Her fingers hovered over the screen. “Who do I call when? I thought you were dead.” Her voice was small and shaky.
“No need to get anyone else.” He said in a smooth voice. He had pulled himself up, his legs dangling from the table, the blanket draped around his lap. “It appears I’m naked. You don’t happen to know where my clothes are, my dear?”
Her finger slowly pointed to a bag that held his clothes. As she began to quickly ramble about how they would have normally just cut the clothes off. But they had been far too nice. This caused quite a stir among everyone at the morgue. The clothes would suggest he had money, but why was he found in a ditch with no ID. Homeless, actor, eccentric billionaire.
“Do you mind?” Milo interrupted her ramblings, nodding to the pile of clothes. Hoping to get the girl to stop talking. “I’m having a hard time moving. Would you be a dear and aid me? It’s the least you could do, after attempting to embalm me.”
Moments later, she was fixing the last button on his jacket, mumbling that this couldn’t be happening the whole time. When he placed a hand on her cheek. “Look at me. You have nothing to fear.” As she did, her body became weak. All her worries seemed to melt away. And the events of that night were no longer a mystery.
“I didn’t think vampires were real.” Answering a question that was never asked.
“What makes you think that’s what I am?” Milo asked. Normally, he would hate being called something as low as a vampire. He was something far superior. Any self-respecting Ka-Sekhm would never allow someone to mistake them for the loathsome Netopuri, the monsters that most refer to as the vampire.
But with all that was going on, he let himself find amusement in this. “Vampire, you say? No, not a vampire. I can walk in the sun, I can be seen in silver, and I have a heartbeat.”
“Your accent?” She said in a daze. “It’s so strange. European, old English?”
As he spoke, he reached for her hand, placing it onto his chest. Her hand was warm against his cold skin. The small twitches in her hand, her body trying to tell her to run away, were only known to Milo. At first, there was no heartbeat. Then there it was. Budump. A few more seconds passed before a second budump.
“This is just as unpleasant for me as it is for you. I would much prefer it to be beating faster than this.” Milo’s words were slow and soothing. Giving the girl more reason to relax.
“Is there a way you can do that? Make your heart beat faster, that is?” she asked, forgetting her fear. More fascinated by whatever was going on than what he could mean.
“It’s very simple.” She didn’t notice the wicked grin that grew on his face. “And you can help me.” She looked up at him, about to ask what she could do, when she noticed his teeth. His canines were much larger. Split in two, gadget. All at once, she knew how he would restore his heart.
At that same moment, a dread that she had never felt before rushed through her as she tried to pull away. His smile was unchanged by her attempt to get away. Delighting in her struggle. A moment later, his teeth were in her neck.
Taking all he could and then some. He let her fall, dry meat collapsing in a heap that didn’t even warrant a glance from him. As he stepped over her. He gently looked under the blankets of others in the room. But neither was he. He didn’t have time to worry. Humans were, on a whole, not a threat. But he had no desire to stay when he was so blind at the moment.
Reaching for his top hat, he glided out of the room without a second glance. Stopping only once to clench his stomach as an unknown pain quickly went through him.
The sun is out so I decided to taint everyone by some smut! It’s a late happy birthday for Minseok, so I hope you enjoy this darlings! <3
-
The day at school was tiring- you had a lot of classes today and even though the day was packed with activities, it went by slowly. You counted the minutes when you would be able to see your mate again, and so you practically skipped up the path leading to the house after you were free from school.
“Minseok, I’m home~!” you almost sang, closing the door behind you and only then taking the surroundings of the completely quiet house. Odd. It was never this quiet. You hummed in thought, taking off your shoes and starting out to the living room. The thing is, you never got there.
It was surprising- the cute, gentle Minseok who doesn’t even look the part of a bloodthirsty creature, suddenly pouncing. You had no idea why- it must’ve been for something he asked you not to do. Maybe it was for going to that party last night? Or he saw you talking to that frat boy again? It wouldn’t matter at that moment because Minseok had you against the wall in seconds, your books flying across the floor.
“M-Minseok…” you whined, wide eyes staring into a pair of glowing red.
“Shh…” His breath feathered over your lips in warning.
The only warning before his head was swooping down, fangs extended to full, frightening length. You had to confess, you were a bit afraid at the dark look in Minseok’s red eyes but god damn your mate was hot when angry, and you felt something inside you instinctively surrendering you to him, your neck craning back to create a beautiful and inviting arch. He struck with precision.
It was a flash of pain, white and hot behind your eyelids as they drooped closed. Whatever you did, this had to be the best punishment imaginable. And your muscles, the singing pleasure tingling at every nerve ending, agreed. You couldn’t help the desperate whimper that ripped through your throat and as your hands inched to grip at his shoulders. Minseok slammed them against the wall, away from him with a warning growl. You gasped his name when you felt his fingers tighten around your wrists and you were sure if he would add even an inch of pressure, he’d break them. The next action happened in a matter of seconds. At one moment, you were quite sure you were pressed up against the living room wall and the other your back landed on Minseok’s bed upstairs. The flash of change had you breathless, gasping in confusion. You blinked up at him, eyes frantically trying to adjust to the change in lighting.
The rushing of blood from the hard pumps of your heart had your senses hypersensitive. And all of them trained to pick up your mate’s next intention. Your hands were still in his hold, preventing you to reach up and cup his cheek as you wanted. He looked so alluring this way- his eyes pure ruby and fangs slightly dirty of blood. Your blood.
“Minseok…” you whined quietly, as if you didn’t want to anger him.
Again, his breath hissed between those blood-stained fangs, and you quieted. His hand moved from one of your wrists, trailing a finger to follow the thin streak of blood that was trickling from the still-open holes of his bite. And even without the restraint, you couldn’t find it in yourself to move your hands.
You opted to watch it instead, following its trail down to your shirt, where it ripped through you shirt and bra as if it was nothing. A gasp escaped your lips, but Minseok ignored it just like he ignored your now revealed chest, moving lower, over your bare stomach to your pants. The denim felt constraining, and as if Minseok read your mind, he ripped through the middle of them in complete disregard of the button and zipper. You gasped, silently lamenting the destruction of a favorite pair of jeans, but were promptly interrupted when Minseok’s cool hand ripped the remains off your body.
He chose to ignore the fact that you’re lying in his bed, almost naked and body inviting. The finger slid back up and cupped your jaw, angling it to have better access to the wound on your neck. He hummed softly, leaning down and leading with his tongue to lap at the stinging wound. You flinched, but otherwise remained still as he let his hands roam down your sides while he tended to the bite marks.
You couldn’t stay silent though when his hands gripped your hips, tugging them harshly up to meet with his, grinding deeply into your barely clad loins. A surprised moan ripped through your throat at the mixture of Minseok’s healing mouth and his sinful hips. Your hands moved for the first time, wanting to grip his shoulders. That’s when the whole world spun again and you found yourself on your stomach, face full of pillows and hands stretched out, bound by Minseok’s grip.
“This is not a reward. Don’t move them or I won’t let you out of here for a week.”
Though the prospect sounded quite appealing, even to your lust-hazed mind, you mewled in response. You still weren’t sure exactly what you’d done wrong, but Minseok’s hands moved, one palming your ass with an appreciative stroke before-
“Ahh!”
You winced at the sting of pain, the loud slap echoing in the room with your gasp of surprise. And immediately, your brain supplied, ‘more’.
You clenched the pillows tight in your hands, as your hips instinctively lifted up, seeking his touch. Minseok squeezed your ass tight before spanking you again, his breath heavy on your neck.
“Do you know what you’ve done?” Whimpering, you shook your head.
“N-no.” Another smack rang in the air, shaking your body. You clenched your teeth, biting back a moan.
“You really don’t know?” he growled into your ear, some sounds impeded by the length of his fangs.
“N-no! I-AH!” Your desperate attempt to explain yourself was interrupted by another spank.
“Do you think I didn’t see you? With him?” His questions were accompanied with more slaps.
“Touching you like you were his? Cupping your cheek like you belonged to him?” His voice turned into an angry hiss and after the last, hard spank he squeezed the flesh roughly, making you squirm.
“Tell me, ___, what should I do? Should I fuck you so hard that you can’t attend class for the next few days? Mark you where you can’t cover yourself up?”
All of it, you wanted to say. But you couldn’t manage anything else but another ragged moan as his hand came down for another slap, then a round of strokes to ease the stinging.
“Hm? What do you think, my pretty mate?”
“Ah, Minseok, just…” he cut into your speech one again but this time, his hand slid down your front, in between your spread legs. Your head buried deep in the pillows as you tried to muffle the wanton moan from the way his fingers pressed down on your clit. “Maybe claiming you once wasn’t enough. Maybe I should claim you again.”
“And again… and again…” he hissed against your shoulder as his fingers traced the wetness leaking from your center. “What do you think?”
“Yes!” You keened breathlessly, your hips pushing out to him and then grinding into his teasing fingers. Your hands tightened in the sheets and you pulled, your head turning to the side so you could speak more clearly.
“Yes, please, Minseok, I-”
“I like how you say please all the time. It shows you have manners.” He chuckled, leaning down and licking the shell of your ear.
“It makes me want to taint them.”
“Please, please do.” You cried out when you felt two fingers push into your body without warning, Minseok’s growl vibrating into your skin.
“So tight…” You threw your head back as his fingers started thrusting, your body moving of its own accord into each movement of his hand.
“Yes. Move for me. You like that, don’t you?” You mewled into the sheets, eyes shut tight at the feeling. You had just begun yet your orgasm was so close, you could almost feel it coming onto you.
“Open your eyes, ___.” You heard Minseok’s command but you couldn’t do it. It was all happening so quickly.
“I said-” Minseok’s growl was cut off by him roughly turning you around, back flat against the bed and him hovering above you.
“Look. At. Me.” Your eyes met, and your breath left you as a moan. You reached up for him, and this time he allowed it. Your fingers stroked the curve of his jaw, clenched tight as his hands pressed your hips down. His body followed, fitting perfectly between your legs.
“I’m sorry…” you murmured. "I didn’t-“
He didn’t let you finish by kissing you, his tongue easily prying access into your mouth, coaxing a moan out of your throat. Your hips pushed up against his and the hand on his cheek pushed into Minseok’s scalp.
"Shhh~” he whispered against your lips as his hand undid his button and pulled the zipper down. You picked up the sounds, and you parted your legs further in blatant invitation.
“Don’t worry, ___. I know.”
Minseok shoved his pants down his hips as far as they could go, and he grunted when the cold air hit the hard jut of his cock. It didn’t take long for you to feel the press of his cock, slow yet insistent against your heat.
“Will he ever be able to see you like this?” The rough hiss was there again- you were fooled by the soft coo of his voice just seconds ago.
“All ready to be claimed?” The words had you whining, pulling on his hair.
“Answer me, ___.” He hissed, the head of his cock pushing in.
“N-no,” you moaned, clawing yourself closer. Your hips twisted up, urging him inside your body.
“Please, Minseok, please.”
“That’s right. You only beg for me.” Minseok pushed inside you with one clean thrust, your walls clenching around his cock at the sudden intrusion. You threw your head back with a breathless call of his name, eyes rolling with the feel of him stretching you so deliciously.
He didn’t wait for you to adjust, setting a fast and rough pace, filling you completely with each and every thrust. You were reduced to a moaning mess, unable to utter a single word at the treatment you received from your mate.
“Ah, ah, Min-! Ngggghhh~…”
“Are you close? That quickly, are you close to coming?” Your nod was frantic, your moans breaking.
“Y-yes!” You thought he couldn’t feel any better. But you were clearly mistaken. Minseok moved even faster, pushing harder and hitting just a little deeper. Your muscles tensed, preparing for an orgasm you thought might actually drive you to tears.
“Then come for me, ___. Come for me now!” His snarled words ripped through you, pushing you over the edge. Your body convulsed underneath him, chasing every little bit of the pleasurable tingles as you squeezed his still-thrusting cock.
You screamed out his name as you felt the fangs digging in your neck again and the final thrust that had him pressing in you as deep as he could before you felt him release with a feral snarl. You mewled at the sensation if him filling you and his lips on your neck, sucking you as if you were a delicious treat.
His draws were long and hard, making you shudder each time and stretching out the pleasure of your orgasm. You arched into him, encouraging his mouth even as his sucking slowed along with his hips. When he came to a halt, you knew Minseok took much more blood than usually. Most of the times, he never went more than three or four sucks, afraid of hurting you but this time, you felt the swirl of unconsciousness coming over you, as the grip you had on Minseok faltered greatly. His fangs retracted and he licked at the wound, making you shiver. All was hazy, all was muted.
You dropped onto the sheets, breathing shallow and shaky with the effort to keep from passing out. Minseok leaned over you, rolling you onto your side and tucking you against him tightly.
“Baby, I’m so sorry. I took too much.” You could only mewl in response, you yourself not even sure what it was supposed to mean. It’s okay? It feels good? But the uncomfortable fight against unconsciousness wasn’t and you whined, eyebrows furrowing.
“I should’ve been more careful…should I take you to the hospital?” You shook your head, closing your eyes and nuzzling into his neck even as your head continued swimming.
“No. I’m fine…”
“Are you sure?”
“Y-yes, I just…need…hnngh…”
And the world became black. -
When you came to again, it was to Minseok’s voice whispering your name in concern and his hand stroking your hair and your face gently.
“___… Baby…?”
You moaned, snuggling into the hand on your cheek affectionately.
“Minseok…” you whispered into his palm and you could hear him sigh in relief.
“Thank god…I was afraid I had gone too far for a second…”
“No, no, I just…” you sighed, too tired for any words. Your hand reached up, shaking heavily, reaching for Minseok. You just kissed him softly.
“I’m fine…” you breathed. Minseok shook his head.
“I’m sorry. Never again. I won’t-”
“Minseok, please. I’m just tired. You didn’t do anything wrong.”
“The way he touched you, the way he looked at you it was…” Minseok’s eyes turned red at the memory. You frowned, having forgotten how this began.
“R-right. I’m sorry, Minseok…” He shook his head, dispelling the memories and shaking off the red in his eyes in exchange for a warm gold. He leaned down and kissed you softly.
“I love you.”
You gripped him tighter in a sign you didn’t want the kiss to end. You knew that Minseok was slightly conscious of being who he was. He had this opinion that you would much rather be with someone who has a pulse.
“I love you too,” you murmured, smiling and stroking his hair in an attempt to clear the thoughts you could see clouding his eyes.
Minseok gave a small smile. “I’m just always so afraid I’ll- …”
“But you won’t.” You cut him off, giving him a hard look. “I trust you completely, Minseok.” Minseok sighed, looking somewhere else on the bed.
“Sometimes I wish you wouldn’t.”
You frowned, grabbing his face. “Too bad, I guess. It’s nice that your persuasive abilities don’t work on your mate.” He rumbled his disagreement.
“You’re not going to hurt me. You know how I know?”
Minseok raised an eyebrow. “Hm?”
“Because you need me,” you said simply, shrugging. “I don’t care how it sounds. We both know that it’s true and it’s mutual.”
“You would die before you’d hurt me, and I know that. I feel it…” you took his hand, guiding it to your heart.
Your last statement had his eyebrows rising and a surprised look on his face.
“W-what?”
“Your possessiveness…it was pretty hot.” You admitted with a smile and as if you wanted to prove your statement, your hand buried in his hair and tugged lightly, just enough to make him growl. Minseok laughed, the flash of teeth reminding you of his fangs, his bite and making your stomach clench all over again.
“You like that?” he asked softly, kissing your forehead. You smiled, unable to prevent the blush creeping onto your cheeks.
“A little…okay, maybe more than I should.”
“That always depends on a person,” he said with a chuckle.
You nodded. “In that case, yes. I like it.”
Minseok laughed softly. “I’ll keep it in mind.”
“Should I keep in mind to make you jealous more often?” You winked at him, to which Minseok snarled.
“Better not. Because next time, I won’t punish you, but him.”
You shuddered, shaking your head and wrapping your arms around his neck to bring him close. “Got it. No more then.”
“More rough playing and less jealousy.” Minseok agreed with a small smile, bumping his nose against yours. You giggled at the action.
“You’re drained.” He noted the paleness of your skin with a big frown.
“You should rest.”
You nodded, urging him closer to you. “Then let’s sleep.”
“Good night, my love.”
“G'night, Minseok. I love you.” He kissed your forehead with a content sigh.
Hi guys! I saw that Witness was well received, and now I’m happy to give you another part to read, this time from the side of Minseok! I hope you enjoy this, darlings! <3
-
Everything was a painful blur from when the pair of hands shook you awake and took you from your haven with the promise of safety. Too groggy to fight them, you went willingly, letting yourself be wrapped in blankets and ushered into a car, into a building, into a small, white room with one table and three chairs.
You were offered coffee, comforting smiles from two burly men and a cooing of “You are safe ma'am, we just need to ask you a few questions.”
You were not safe. You were not okay, not in the least, as you felt the brand new wound on your neck throb in pain. Agony surged from the two puncture wounds into your entire body, solidifying into little anchors at the end of your nerves, holding you down in the sludge of pain from which only one person could rescue you.
And the two police officers were talking about him as if he were a criminal.
“Do you know the whereabouts of Kim Minseok?” the questions at first were gentle, and they talked to you as if they were dealing with a wounded doe. But your everlasting confusion and dizziness became tiring for one of them really quickly.
“You know who he is, do you not, miss?” the at first honeyed voice slowly turned rough, and the soft gaze hardened. You shivered, wrapping the coarse blanket around yourself tighter, trying to ward yourself from the cold that was coming from within you.
“I-I do. And…and there is nothing wrong with being a vampire, sir, just like there is nothing wrong with being human.” you resolutely stated, trying to hold your ground. The supernatural beings were hunted centuries ago, and it seems that it was hard to let go of stereotyping. Nevertheless, you were ready to fight for your brand new mate.
“And I’m not saying there is, Ms.___.” The cooing tone was replaced by one of an exasperated teacher losing patience over a less-than-bright child.
“But there is most definitely something wrong with being a mafia leader.” you shook your head at his statement.
“Absolutely not. Minseok is not a gangster. He is a businessman.”
“A businessman with blood, miss. We just raided one of his establishments and have taken more than 50 blood donors from the estate.”
“You must be mistaken, I believe. Minseok would never do anything like-”
“Are you in business with him, miss?” the less patient policeman cut you off, and you stared at him, shivering, slowly more and more agitated.
“I am in no business with him. I am his mate. Need I remind you that it is against the law to keep a newly bonded couple separated?” it was general knowledge that a couple that has just bonded needed to be in close vicinity while the mating process has been established. You began to feel it yourself, the low burning slowly growing, kindling in your body and leaving you in a strange combination of feeling in an almost hypothermic state while being feverish as well.
What you thought would be a triumphant way to make the two rough men let you go proved futile. The meaner one grinned, flashing his yellowed teeth at you.
“You don’t need to remind us of the laws, miss ___, we know very well what we can and cannot do. And while making sure newly bonded mates are kept in close contact is protected by the law, the capture of a dangerous criminal on the loose is above assuring your comfort during this first week. Especially…” he leaned against the table, entwining his fingers and resting his chin on top of it, “when we can lure your mate over here and capture him.”
-
“What the hell happened?” Minseok seethed, flipping over the table. The wood cracked under the force of his fingertips, splinters flying from the furniture. His expression of anger did not phase his right hand, who didn’t even flinch as his boss ranged through his luxurious house.
“There was a raid in the main estate, sir. The police somehow found out about your house as well.”
“Someone ratted?”
“I’m already working on finding the person, sir.”
“Where is ___?” he knew immediately that you were not in the vicinity. He would’ve felt the constant anxiousness that was plaguing him since he left your side decrease, but at the moment, it just rocketed sky high. What the fuck was this day about.
“They took her, sir.” Luhan’s words made him stop the rampage, his whole body frozen in disbelief.
“What did you say?” Minseok’s voice was no longer filled with fury - that was hiding inside of him, bubbling and boiling and seeping.
“She was taken into custody by the police force, under the belief she was a blood whore.”
“Give me the address.” Luhan was barely able to finish his sentence when Minseok turned to him, eyes blood red and determined. Knowing that it was his neck on the line this time, Luhan immediately told his boss about the whereabouts of his mate.
Minseok disappeared with the fog, slipping underneath the door and into the darkness.
-
The flimsy blanket that accompanied you into your jail cell wasn’t enough. You tried your best to cocoon yourself into the fabric on the hard mattress, but it still didn’t stop you from shivering. Were you shivering because you were cold? Because you were afraid? Was it both of these reasons at once?
Where was Minseok? Why did they claim he is mafia? Were you that blinded by love that you did not see the snake behind the roses?
Your head ached and your eyes strained against the dimmed lights, making it even worse. The jail was quiet, save for the occasional snort coming from the other occupants, taken into custody because of drunk and disorderly behavior or other offences. Minutes trickled by like they were hours, and you thought that if something, somebody didn’t come and take you from there, you will die in that dinky, small cell.
Suddenly, there anchoring agony faded.
And in front of you stood Minseok, eyes filled with a mess of anger, relief and pain.
You felt like this was all just an illusion, but nevertheless you reached out to your mate, just a tiny flicker of hope in you rooting for him actually being there. And when you heard your name in his chocked voice, his hand grasping yours, the flame spread throughout your body, rushing the tears into your eyes.
“M-Minseok,” you stuttered in a watery voice as you tried to untangle yourself from the blanket as quickly as possible to get to him, but Minseok was quicker; he was on the bed in a flash, arms enveloping your body and hoisting you into his lap. His nose immediately buried into the crook of your neck, lips gently brushing over the mark on your shoulder, the source of immense happiness but also indescribable pain.
“My love,” Minseok rumbled as he held you tight, as if there was someone who could take you away from him. And in the past hours, that someone really came. The realization of where you are and what happened came crashing back down to you and a whine ripped from your throat as you leaned back from his embrace to look into his eyes.
“Minseok, what’s all…what’s all this? Why am I here…” he kept quiet, just staring at you as his hands stroked your hair, thumbed at your tear-stained cheeks, squeezed at your shoulders in reassurance.
“The police… they keep telling me…that…that you’re a gangster…that…that you have blood whores… Minseok, they’re lying, right?” your voice grew desperate, because you felt that his silence only served to prove that the pudgy, sweaty, mean police officer back in that interrogation room was right.
“I will explain everything to you, ___. I promise. When I get you out of here, I’ll tell you everything.”
“You just have to pay them and they will let me go, Minseok. You could just…just walk up to the desk and give them money and I will be free.” Something in his eyes told you he couldn’t do that. In your pained mind, it all started to click into place. His long, unnatural hours. His partners, all thick-necked and tattoo-ridden, eyes as hard as their punches most probably were.
“They were telling the truth.” You finally said after a pause, your hands falling from their perch on Minseok’s shoulders. The retreat of touch made your mate whine, eyebrows pinched and a flurry of emotions in his eyes.
“You’re a gangster.”
“___,”
“You’re…you do run brothels…”
“I can explain everything, I promise. The second I get you out of here I-“
“No.”
It was barely whispered, but the word had the same reaction as a roar would have. Minseok stopped trying to explain, his hands frozen on your cheeks as he tried to make you look at him. Your gaze was still on the floor, away from your partner. From someone you loved.
From a criminal.
“Just go, Minseok. Before I call the guards.”
“Let me stay here for a little more, baby. The mark-“
“I don’t care. Leave me.”
“But you will hurt-“
“It’s nothing compared to the fact that I just mated for life to someone I apparently didn’t know at all.” The chuckle was self-depreciating.
There was commotion down the hall. Your conversation must have alerted somebody.
“___,” his voice was full of pain, pain that the two of you apparently shared. He should’ve been honest with you from the start, and maybe you would’ve prepared better for the possibility of a raid. Of the possibility that somebody would try to use your love to make Minseok pay for his crimes.
“I can’t bare the thought of you being executed, Minseok…just…please just go. I can’t look at you right now.”
“I’ll come back to you.” Minseok swore as he made sure that you looked into his blood-soaked eyes filled with fiery determination.
“I don’t care.” You told him, voice dead. The presence that was calming just a few minutes ago now felt like a burden.
“I’ll be back, baby, I promise. And I’ll explain everything.”
“What’s going on down there?” a new voice barged into your conversation. After the minute glance sent to the cell bars, Minseok turned back to you and pressed a long kiss to your forehead.
“I love you, ___. I’m sorry this had to happen. I’m coming back for you.”
“I don’t care.”
But as you watched your mate disappear in the ventilation, grey fog slipping through the blades, your heart clenched tight at the confusion it felt.
Warnings:vampire harassment, some spooky shit, blood, strong language.
BELLS
Her bare feet moved discreetly across the obsidian floors. Shivers embodied her, setting her on edge. Moonshine and candle lights accompanied her, following through the intimidating corridors. Bells couldn’t understand why she felt so lonely and spooked, trapped between those entangled walls. Maybe she didn’t actually hear it, maybe it was just her disturbed mind, weakened by the blood loss. The reminiscing thoughts clouded her judgement.
“Come with me.”
Fuck.
It scratched her ears again, but this time she was sure she heard it. She grabbed her t-shirt, trying to keep her heart in her chest. She could run back to her room, but at this point she no longer knew which way was the right way. All the lights were hugged by darkness and her head was close to spinning. All she could do was follow the melody, the thing that should have stayed in her dreams.
“Come with me.”
She didn’t know why, but her eyes looked instinctively at the freezing window on her right. She spotted something white, something light, down in the garden. It moved ghostly around the rose buds. They started blooming under the night sky. Was it something or was it someone? She couldn’t tell if one of her nightmares manifested into real life. It looked like something caught between life and death, floating towards an arching entrance. There was something right after the garden.
“To the sea.”
Giggles embraced her ears too. They started running around, small figures that were familiar to her.
No, no, no, no.
Everything should have stayed in her head, but memories started to flood the long hallway. Shooting stars clouding the dark sky. Spheres of light blinking. Something she didn’t mean to remember.
Why am I seeing this?
But now she had to revisit that memory.
There were 3 of them. They were small, yet mighty kids, no older than 5 years old. They didn’t have to worry about what was outside of the big, grey house. They ran through the hallway, chasing each other and laughing. No evil could hurt them, only the monsters of their imagination and invented games.
“Bells, Bells, I’m going to get you!”
“Not if I run faster than a car!”
“Waaaait for me!”
Except for one. Miss Lorraine.
“What is going on here?”
That’s when the other two suddenly stopped running. Bells looked back, rookie mistake. Her skirt was too long for her age, she stripped on it and fell on the floor. It slightly hurt the child, she looked up in pain.
Miss Lorraine stood above her. She was taller than the highest mountain. Furrowed brows and lines hardening her face. Their eyes met for a moment. Bells’ reflected fear, Miss Lorraine’s reflected disappointment and anger .
“What is going on here?” She repeated.
The giggles stopped. No one laughed anymore. The other two just pointed their fingers at Bells. They wanted her to become the guilty one.
“You are aware of the rules.”
Nothing.
“And you broke them.”
Again, nothing.
“This is why I have to punish you, Arabella.”
She grabbed her arm furiously. It was too tight. She was hurting her.
“Come with me.”
No.
“Come with me.”
NO.
“Come with me.”
“NO!”
Bells opened her watery eyes. Her heart wanted to run laps, it felt caged inside her chest. She no longer felt the memory reflected in the hallway, because she was no longer there.
Shit.
She found herself surrounded by tall, hedge walls. The air tried to tickle her blue locks. Her shivers weren’t caused by her doubtful fear. It was the cold breeze’s fault, it marked the season of death. Her toes were stroked by chilly grass. Bells turned her head around, trying to figure out where the actual fuck she was. Her eyes found several stone benches circling a running fountain. Her ears couldn’t focus on the sound, her heart was still echoing in her head. The statue of a woman stood in the middle of the circle. If it weren’t for the marble, Bells would have thought the woman was actually breathing, smiling, blinking. She was beautiful, but she wasn’t alive. The sight of her soothed Bells’ breathing.
Somehow she wanted to relate to the statue, but she never felt beautiful and unfortunately, she was still alive, trapped in a mansion crawling with nightwalkers. Yet, she somehow got out. Bells looked around, it must have been the heart of the maze. This one was standing still, not beating crazily like hers. She was pretty sure Oliver told them about it when he gave them the mansion’s tour, but she could care less about his words. Now she wished she actually listened to him.
The melody started again.
“Come with me.”
And Bells was so fucking fed up.
“Come with me.”
She picked a random path, following the voice. She wanted all of it to be done and go back to sleep.
“To the sea.”
Bells found the way out. It was the path leading towards the woods. And she took it.
“Jump in!”
She did. Bells jumped over a rotten log, a few mushrooms and some moss crowding it. The moonlight guided her no more, but the scratching of her ears. Tall trees started distorting around her as she got closer to the source.
“Jump in!”
She couldn’t jump over the thorny bushes. She went through them, scratching her uncovered skin. Bare feet, unclothed legs, naked arms. Not even the logo of the t-shirt survived. Bells didn’t want to think about the metallic smell. She was close. Too fucking close. She bit her lip hard, trying to let no whimper out.
“Oh, Jack!”
She walked through mud, until her path ended. She felt cool cement under her feet. She knew there was another line to the song, she heard it in her dream. And that’s when she saw it, standing in the middle of the open road. Bells thought she dissociated, understanding no more the difference between essence and appearance. It stained the road in white, being so close, yet too far away from her. It was haunting and breathtaking.
“I’m waiting for you…”
The melody ended on a soft, feminine note. It was barely a whisper. Bells was mesmerised for a second, but the illusion soon ended as she grasped the situation she was in. The phantomic figure stood still, no other sound coming out of it. Bells wasn’t too sure, but the figure reminded her of a woman, a spectre, a siren. A white rabbit that led her towards a Nothingland. An empty road that went somewhere and nowhere.
So she broke the silence.
“Who… Who the hell are you?”
Nothing. Bells’ patience was running low. She looked straight at it. She hoped this was a dream again or the product of her rotten, bleached and dyed head.
“Hellooo? Can you hear me?”
Again, nothing.
Fuck, that’s it.
Blood started boiling inside of her. She couldn’t take it. “Show yourself, for Christ’s sake! I’m bleeding, I’m covered in scratches, I’m tired and dirty. Who the fuck are you?”
Bells made two steps towards it, trying to cut the distance between them. The closer she was getting, the harder she could see it. Agitated hands were grasping for something in the air. “I followed you all the way to nowhere, half of it I wasn’t even conscious. What the fuck do you want from me?!”
Something felt frozen. “If you are like one of those assholes, go ahead!”
The wind wanted to murmur, to moan, but Bells’ voice was covering it. “Have a drink and eat me up! I’ve got nothing to lose. ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. I’m done with your bullshit! GODDAMIT, ARE YOU LIKE THEM?!” She screamed with all the breath she had left. She had no other words, stillness settled.
The woman turned her head. She looked at her.
“I’m worse.”
And the stillness was gone.
Just like Bells. She sprinted in the opposite direction, her mind couldn’t grasp what she just saw. That memory was imprinted inside her head, but the sudden, strong lights blinding her vision were much worse than the woman’s appearance.
Woman, woman, woman…
Light, light, light…
Car, car, car…
CRASH!
Bells stood there like a deer in the headlights. Her body froze, it felt clawed by a force of human nature. Fear. She was too disoriented to understand what happened right in front of her. A car horn didn’t stop screaming. Her vision was blurry; her arms shielded her body, until a pair of hands started shaking her.
“Oy, oy, oy! Can you hear me? Can you hear a fucking word I’m saying?!”
Bells’ vision was clearing up.
“Huh?”
“Huh? That’s all you have to say, you fucking Smurf?!”
His fingers pressed tighter into her shoulders. She got a better view of his face, it was the only thing her eyes could grasp. Narrow, dark chocolate eyes fixed her with a frown. A small mole was placed under his right eye. His nose bridge was perfectly straight, his lips were slightly pressed together. Long, blonde strands of bleached hair hugged his oval face. He looked like a being that left heaven, but not without a fight for the gold that shimmered all over him. Several golden piercings decorated his ears, he even had one in his nose. Chains dripped on his neck, protecting the colourful tattoos hidden by his golden shirt. He looked like a fallen angel. A stolen treasure. A fucking idiot, that chose to fly too close to the sun.
The scratching of her ears vanished. Bells knew who was standing right in front of her.
Kinzou.
He opened his lips, his tone was calmer than before. Calmer than usual. “The fuck happened to you? Why are you wandering around like this? I could’ve ran you over.” He looked into her eyes.
She couldn’t hold his gaze. She stared at the bright yellow car behind Kinzou, it crashed into a tree. Bells cleaned her throat, the words were slowly coming out. “I… I… I don’t… I don’t know… I walked around… S-somehow…”
Kinzou let go of her. “So, I crashed my car into a tree just because you were fucking walking around. Did I hear that shit right?” He looked behind at the smashed vehicle, moving his fingers to his temples.
“Yeah…” Bells kept hugging herself.
His jaw clenched. “Is that so?” He licked his lips.
She blinked twice. Bells chose to not say a word.
He is too fucking calm.
And then it came out. His real behaviour. Bells didn’t have to blink a third time. Her back hit a hard tree, he pushed her into it like a feather.
“You are a fucking bitch.”
“W-what? L-Let me go!”
“I don’t think I will.. That was a pretty expensive car.” His fingers found her neck. “I hate it when people ruin my expensive, personal things. And you will pay for that.” Kinzou leaned in and whispered, grabbing her whole neck with his right hand. “Slowly, ‘cause I’m feeling fucking generous.”
Bells’ eyes widened.
Shit, shit, shit!
“You shouldn’t waste your precious blood like this, all scratched up.” His left hand ghosted over one of her arms, spotting tiny cuts. He brought his coated fingers to his lips; he took a lick.
Bells grabbed his arm with both of her hands, trying to push him away. But it was like he was made of stone.
“Y-you fucking moron! Let me go! There are blood bags in the house, just let me go!” The corners of her eyes were watering.
“I prefer my blood right from the force.” He caressed her neck in a manner that could be mistaken for tenderness. The brushing of his fingers… The thirst in his eyes… Kinzou was most likely looking for her vein.
Something changed, his face. His eyes darkened, his irises went bloody red. Bells could see sharp fangs peeking out of his twisted smile, his tongue as well. She felt a wet stroke on her neck.
“Ow, fuck you!” Was all she could whimper before she felt the long puncture in her neck. So he bit. And it all started spinning around.
The spheres of light were gone, only flashes of wild colours possessed her as she closed her eyes in defeat. Bells’ night seemed to resemble what happened to her a couple of weeks ago. Those fluorescent images kept flourishing inside her head, whispering to her over and over again that no one will ever save her this time. Maybe a nightwalker sparred her then, but the greedy Kinzou was not going to. Not when there was so much at stake…
Money…
Blood…
Power…
Control…
Rays of pink begined wandering the ground, announcing the arrival of something new, something different.
Kinzou pulled away from her neck in a second.
“Shit.”
***
The estate laid still as the others were already sleeping during the beginning of a new day, but not these two brothers. Their voices echoed through the East Side of the X Mansion, Oliver’s laboratory, a place of sacred science and experiments that sometimes functioned as a nurse’s office.
“I knew that to a certain extent you were not the brightest in this family, but I never thought you would reach such a level of stupidity.”
Kinzou kept his hands in his pockets, leaning against a stacked bookshelf. He was now wearing a white t-shirt, his hair pulled in a half-bun. “Me? Stupid? You wanna go for a round right here, nerd? I’m warning ya’, I might break some of your bottles.” His tone was a warning, but his eyes fell on Bells’ figure sleeping on the velvet couch. She was covered by a wool blanket, skin so pale he could see through it.
Oliver pulled out a syringe and bent over. He carefully injected her arm, ignoring his brother’s remark.
“Feeling remorse?” He asked.
“Never.” Kinzou replied.
A smile fell on his face. His round glasses reflected the light as he discarded that used syringe. He went back to her.
“Since when do you behave like Brutus?”
“Since you started bossing people around like Ginsei.”
“He left me in charge though, not you. That speaks more about you, than it speaks about me.” He pulled out his stethoscope. “But that answer seems reasonable,” Oliver murmured as he took a look at the sleeping girl’s heartbeat, “it makes you an even bigger idiot than you already were.”
“The fuck is that supossed to mean?!”
“Nothing.”
“Ow, you are lying.”
Oliver rose to his feet. “More than nothing then,” he paced around his desk as he was satisfied with the examination, “I talked to Ginsei over the phone while you were changing from your bloody etire.”
Kinzou got quiet for a second. Curiosity shone in his eyes. “And what did he have to say?”
“That you are an idiot.”
The blonde rolled his eyes. “Besides that shit?”
“Well, you are to be punished.” Oliver put down his stethoscope.
“Punished for what? Not running her over? The fuck are you even talking about?”
“His words, not mine.” He removed his gloves and started washing his hands.
Kinzou rolled his eyes, he straightened his back. He wasn’t interested in Oliver’s words anymore. He scratched the back of his neck.
“I know that you practically do not care, but she is fine. I gave her a shot and she is going to have a fine sleep.” Oliver wiped his hands with a towel. “She walked around without any of us noticing, so I told Akin to scan the area. We did not sense anyone nearby, that’s strange.” He pushed his glasses up on the bridge of his nose, a habit older than history itself.
“And?! How does that excuse what happened to my car?” Kinzou snarled. “Chain her to a chair or something! Put her in the dungeon! ‘Cause if I see her again on that road, I ain’t hitting the breaks!”
“First of all, it is the 21st century, we do not have one anymore. Second of all, you are barbaric, I hope you are aware of that, at least. You know they are allowed to leave as they please, right?”
“Pffft!” Kinzou walked towards the door, but the thought of his older brother stopped him. “Before I leave, tell me what Ginsei had to say.”
“Oh, he just stated that we should be more careful with what happens in his absence. Or something between the lines.”
“I see no fucking punishment in that.”
Oliver’s lips curved in a sardonic smile. “We demanded that Bells needs a guardian, someone to escort her. I gave him a suggestion…” Forest eyes shone under thick lenses. “You.”
Nothing could ever compare to one of the few elements that bound all rational creatures together.
A feathery touch that turns into carnal desire at the blink of an eye. Could it be lust?
No.
A seizing hurricane of tumultuous emotions that could take down a whole town. Could it be feelings?
Ha, no.
A sphere of light. Once something new occurs, such a thing lights up. If someone dares to touch it, it starts blinking. It reminds them of something. Could it be a memory?
Yes, a sky full of memories. Just like stars.
Shades of cobalt settled behind her gaze; millions of memories shone inside them. For a moment, Bells didn’t even realize her eyes weren’t the ones causing the mellow sound of running water, but the open sink. She wiped her cheeks with the back of her wrist, some light concealer came off. She took a wipe, she had to take her make-up off properly. At least this time.
Bells didn’t stop the sink. She liked it, she enjoyed the sound. It flooded her with memories.
***
Audrey took a break, she went to the bathroom. Bells couldn’t blame her for that. She ran a hand through her already messed up and greasy hair. Her fingers’ shape was imprinted on the armchairs, she was feeling overwhelmed too. The most innocent one was spared from the conversation that was about to follow.
“So you just let her run away? Didn’t you have some business to finish?” Kinzou complained again, Bells could no longer count for how many times he did.
Ginsei took a sip from his tea cup. “I am not a monster, Kinzou. She can go to the bathroom if she feels like it.”
“Shit, I can’t wait to get out of here.” He mumbled to himself.
Ginsei’s face didn’t move, but Bells knew he was mentally rolling his eyes.
“I hate to say it, but he is kind of right.” Four-eyes spoke.
Kinzou jumped dramatically, trying to contain his chuckle. “Wait, wait, wait! Hebeingme?Fuck, I can’t believe it. Somebody, write down the date! Oliver admitted for the first time this century that I was right! Ha, ha!”
Oliver sighed. “I shouldn’t have said it.”
Kinzou continued to laugh, and Ginsei raised his eyebrow. “Oliver, go on with your last idea.”
“Yes, right,” he cleared his voice, “you are leaving next week and this is the last interview of today. It’s them or nothing.”
Ginsei didn’t hesitate. “Hand them the contracts, Oliver. Renard, make sure Audrey comes back. In one piece, please. We’re hiring them.”
“You are talking to Renard, not Akin.” Kinzou started to laugh again at Brutus’ joke.
Bells’ mind was about to get lost in their conversation, but Ginsei’s remark made her look at Ramona with widened eyes. And Ramona looked back. They didn’t expect it; they were both shocked. Bells got railed up again.
“What the hell?! That’s all it took? Blind luck?”
Oliver was about to choke on his cup of tea.
“Are we for sure hiring someone that speaks like this?”
Renard got up, his posture resembled a feline, but his smile looked more like a canine. “Do I really have to go when the drama begins? You know it makes me thrive.” He whined.
“Get out.”
“Oui, oui.”
So he left.
Ramona stared at the emptiness of her tea cup, she didn’t feel like refilling it. Not now, at least. “You asked us such pointless things, maybe I should be the one asking the important questions now that we know you have no options left.”
Oliver scoffed and handed them some papers.
“What do you mean by that?”
Bells’ gut tightened, the room started to feel heavy. She felt like the ceiling was about to crush her; she no longer burned, she was about to become dust.
“Why do you need blood donors?”
Silence sank in. They were about to drown.
Shit.
“The first time this century, said Kinzou.”
Bells begged for the first time in years.
“Ramona, don’t do it.”
“What are you?”
Bells wanted to drag her feet across the floor and burst through that door. That was her first instinct. But her eyes glued to the five people.
People. If they were people.
Ginsei spoke. “I am a businessman. Oliver is a chemist and botanist. Though, I can’t speak for the rest of my lazy brothers.” His tone told nothing. His eyes told nothing. Ginsei was a statue.
Bells expected a protest from Kinzou or Brutus, maybe a first word from the silent Akin. But they let him speak like the leader he was.
After all, he looks like the head of the family.
“This answer won’t ever satisfy me. And you didn’t answer my first question. Do I have to repeat myself?” Her amber eyes were scanning the papers thoroughly, her fingers kept turning the pages.
She is actually reading them. Should I do the same thing?
Bells turned one of the pages, the job was stated as “donor”.
“You require a weekly quantity of blood that seems impossible to acquire from only three people. I wonder how much we get to live if we sign this. A week? Two weeks? A month?”
“I’ve met your kind before, Ramona. You are an intelligent woman, therefore none of my answers will ever satisfy you. You figured it out already.”
“And I’ve met yours before. Once.”
No.
Ginsei took another sip. “Did you?”
“Yes. In a dark alley, much fancier than this place.”
Ramona, stop.
Bells tried to interfere. “Do we get any paid vacation? What about health insurance?”
But they didn’t care about her, no one ever did. It was a fight between two beings above Bells.
“Can you tell me what happened there? In that dark alley?”
Ramona turned another page. “It states here that you won’t require any emotional or sexual services from us. Yet, you will allow us to live here for the three month trial period. You want to keep us a little bit too close for three blood bags a week per each. How is that even manageable?”
“Answer me.”
She stared at him, he couldn’t stare back. But he did hold her gaze.
“I learned that your kind doesn’t bark, but it bites.”
Nightwalkers.
Bells bit her lip. Hard. She hoped blood wouldn’t come out. Not now. Ginsei was somehow feeling proud, the left corner of his mouth moved up.
Did this motherfucker just smile?
“And this is why I’m hiring you.”
“I never imagined that a creature of the night would ever hire me.” Ramona looked at the last page. “But it pays too damn well to turn it down.”
They continued drinking their tea and Audrey came back eventually.
***
Her make-up was off; she took a steamy shower, scrapping all the collected dirt that crawled on her skin for more days than she wished upon. The white towels were stained blue, so were the dark marble walls and the shower cabin. An over-sized, dark, band t-shirt served as her pajamas, barely covering her thick thighs. She rubbed her wet hair again, then took a look at a cobalt strand of hair.
Yes, that’s the perfect shade.
But it wasn’t enough for Bells. She wanted more. She tried to ignore the mess made in the sink, but her nose definitely couldn’t ignore the chemicals. All the stuff that she borrowed from that shitty Erin was spread around there: two bleaching kits, cheap blue hair dye, several hair brushes and pairs of scissors.
She wiped the foggy mirror and grabbed the sharpest pair.
“It’s show time.”
As she started to cut, another memory unfolded.
***
A week after signing the contracts, the girls were back at the X mansion. Vincent had welcomed them, not allowing the rays of sunset to come in. He was just like them. Bells didn’t carry much, only her patched up backpack and a huge sack containing some of her not-so-destroyed belongings from Magnolia Motel.
Don’t think about Mr. Cho, just don’t.
Audrey and Ramona were so unlike her, presentable, polished, Bells could name only a few adjectives. This time, Audrey wore a much longer wig, the ends of her hair reaching her hips; a shade of black that faded into brown at the ends. It was straight now, but it had bangs that faced her perfectly, just like the last one. Her dress was baby pink and short, but it had some rounded, puffy sleeves. And she carried so much luggage. A little too much.
Ramona’s look resembled her last one. She traded her green turtleneck for a beige one. Beige pants, beige coat, beige everything. Maybe even beige underwear. Her chocolate locks were up in a milk-braid, keeping her long hair away from her shoulders. Gold shone around her neck. Bells wanted to laugh when she saw it. Who else would have the courage of wearing a cross in a house filled with blood-suckers, if not Ramona? Bells was soon expecting it to turn upside down.
That chick for sure is crazy.
But in her case, nothing was presentable, nothing was polished. She wore the same shoes and the same pants. What was different now was the gray hoodie she found at the thrift-store. And she was so sick of her grown out, faded hair. It had to go. Now.
“Good evening, ladies. I hope the family’s butler, Vincent, welcomed you well.” The voice that echoed from the head of the stairs was not Ginsei’s, but Oliver’s.
What took Bells by surprise was how the interior was back to perfect. No more holes in the wall, no more missing columns, no more glass everywhere. That was the power of money, that was the power of the nightwalkers that she was about to work for.
“Good evening,” Ramona replied, “he sure had.”
“Glad to hear it.” Two more joined Oliver - Akin and Brutus.
Inside her head, there was a vague image of Brutus lingering from last time. He was the one that commented once in a while, the one throwing stuff around. She knew not to get on anyone’s bad side at the X Mansion, especially his. But what seemed to clutter Bells’ head was the presence of the other one, Akin. If Brutus was a Greek sculpture, Akin was an unknown myth lurking in the shadows. He towered them all, he must’ve been at least 2 meters tall. His skin was dark and velvety like the night sky. His head’s sides were shaved and the rest of his long hair was gracefully braided. Her eyes couldn’t grasp the idea of such an intriguing man. Maybe it was the stress, maybe it was the fear of getting eaten alive, but something lurked inside of her when she saw him in the candle-lit space.
Shit.
A soft voice spoke. “Are you here to help with our luggage? I kind of brought… A lot.” Audrey’s tone trembled, just like her legs. She was filled with embarrassment.
“Yes, Audrey. That’s why my brothers are here.”
She clapped her hands. “Oh, thank you!”
Bells’ eyes couldn’t help it, but glance at Akin’s muscular arms. He rolled his sleeves and grabbed Audrey’s things. “And why are you here? Shouldn’t someone with a cane lead us through the mansion blindly?” She scratched the back of her neck as she spit the words.
Brutus contained his laugh. They came down and grabbed their belongings, Oliver continued to talk with his hands behind his back. His lean and skinny figure reminded Bells of a popsicle man.
“Such eager eyes you have, hope they don’t cut just like your tongue.”
“Cut the crap.”
“Brutus, Akin, let’s show them the rooms.”
Oliver pushed his glasses back on the bridge of his nose. He took a deep breath and waited. For his answer or for someone else’s. They all came up, swaying through the long and eternal hallways. It was a maze of marble, vintage paintings and candles. Tall windows mirrored the wild woods guarding the residency.
Ramona’s voice leaned towards Bells, but not her body. She was staying away, she didn’t want to associate with someone like her. “You don’t pay much attention to details.”
“What?!”
Oliver and the others didn’t turn, but they definitely heard her. Audrey didn’t bother to listen, she was too intrigued by the decorations. Oliver was telling her about the paintings.
“Keep it civilized, will you?”
“No, thanks. You keep it enough for all of us. You like a tight leash, don’t ya?”
“Are you starting a fight with me? Again?”
Bells was about to, but the sight of the brothers helped her control her impulses. She clenched her fists.
“No, I’m not.”
Ramona scoffed. “At least I listen to people,” Bells didn’t reply, so she continued “last week they were so rushed to get someone to work for them, because the head of the house was leaving for business.”
“Are you talking about that Ginsei guy? The one with the cane?”
“Yeah,” Ramona rolled her eyes and repeated her words, “that Ginsei guy. The one with the cane.”
“Audrey, here is your room.”
***
Those were some fragments of her memories. What was said before or after that, Bells didn’t bother to remember, now that her body was lying comfortably between freshly washed bed sheets. She inhaled the unfamiliar smell of cleaness. She was used to sleeping during the day and staying up during the night, so adjusting to the brothers’ schedule was no problem to her.
Her eyelids were heavy. She wasn’t supposed to go to sleep this early. She wanted to at least masturbate once in this expensive estate, but after Oliver took some blood bags from them today, she could no longer battle her tiredness.
She fell asleep.
***
Something shifted.
Her nose caught a rancid smell - rotten eggs and spoiled milk.
Bells was in her old apartment; a place that had everything and nothing. Dirty plates and untidy clothes crowded the connected living room and kitchen space.
That living room was actually her bedroom. It reeked of her. She reeked of rotten eggs and spoiled milk.
She was alone, Erin was most likely busy with one of her shows.
Bells might have been dreaming, because several indigo flowers popped up from nowhere. They never had flowers.
“Come with me.”
She heard it from somewhere.
“Come with me.”
Or was it from nowhere?
“To the sea.”
She had to be dreaming.
“Jump in!”
She turned on her heels, searching for something.
“Jump in!”
Her head was spinning.
“Oh, Jack!”
She didn’t know a Jack.
“I’m waiting for you!”
The flowers smelled like rotten eggs and spoiled milk.
***
Something tickled her ears. It was suave and gentle, a sound so endearing that it woke her up instantly. Bells was used to sleeping like a rabbit, always expecting something bad to happen. She got up in an instant, searching for a source of light in the emptiness of the dark. The moonlight helped her, it highlighted everything in the room.
“It’s only 5:15 AM.”
She mumbled to herself after looking at the old fashioned clock hanging on a dark wall.
The sound continued to tickle her ears. It was a song, coming from somewhere. She couldn’t stand it anymore.
So she decided to start wandering around the mansion.
Warnings: vampire harassment (everytime they are shady as hell I’ll use this), blood, strong language.
AUDREY
“Have a seat, please.”
As they sat down, a grandfather clock made its company known. It wanted to fill in the silence.
Tick, tack. Tick, tack. Tick, tack.
Only one of them spoke in the beginning, he matched the stillness perfectly, yet he knew how to make himself heard; the others listened to himandhim only. Audrey slightly tuned out the sound of his dead voice, her eyes could only focus on her surroundings. Similar to the spacious entrance and long hallway, this room was also painted in shades of purple, grey and black. Her chest relaxed, her breathing regulated. The room held an air of mystery, intrigue and aristocracy.
Their six future employers sat at an obsidian, half-moon table that rounded their three seats; some seemed bored, some seemed excited, some didn’t show any emotion at all. Spirals of shadows and plum clouds hugged and fought as lovers and enemies on lavishing wallpaper. Tall windows were covered by everlasting curtains, their ends seemed to merge in with cold, onyx tiles.
Her head smelled smoke, not her nose.
So she stared at the wallpaper again.
They didn’t pick red, it would’ve been too aggressive, too stubborn, too threatening. They didn’t pick blue either, it would’ve resonated too much with her gloomy heart. They chose a safe colour, something to remind her of a dollhouse, of the twilight sky, even of misty berries. They knew what they were doing, keeping the three of them tame. Especially the fierce Bells, her behaviour changed from the moment they appeared.
The charcoal, oak door opened. The butler that had welcomed them in the beginning showed up again, holding a metal tea tray. It was enough for only six people. Three guests, three employers. Maybe the rest of them didn’t like tea.
“Thank you, Vincent.” He perfectly picked up his tea cup, his eyes not breaking contact with their trio. It was like he was staring at those same shadows stirring behind their backs. He wasn’t looking at them directly, he wasn’t able to. “If you may, accept my apologies for keeping you waiting. Many people came in today, there was plenty to manage. Furthermore, accept my apologies in the name of my younger brothers. Incidents of this kind rarely happen, I hope you understand that clearly.”
The only reply came from Ramona, she nodded and picked her cup of tea. That was all.
He continued his monologue. “Thank you for coming in today. We went through several candidates, but none showed signs of being the right fit for our household. You are the last of the herd. What makes you so special?”
The monologue was finished. “Are you really asking us that?” Now Audrey knew where the smoke was coming from. “After all the shit that we saw today, you really think my mind is shitting answers to crappy questions like this?! For fuck’s sake! I’m poor and I need a job. End of the story.” Bells gripped the purple armchairs; her eyes were bloody and her eyebrows arched. She no longer feared what she didn’t understand, maybe she knew that fearing what you actually understand is practically worse.
“Well, poverty isn’t a quality, nor a talent. And it doesn’t make anyone special, so it nullifies her answer.” The one sitting by the leader’s right commented and took a look into some papers. He wore a pair of round glasses.
“That one is feisty. I’m into that.” Another purred.
“Shit, Renard, stop being a freak! Ginsei, why did you allow him in here? He’s gonna scare them, just like the others.” The blonde named Kinzou protested and moved impatiently in his seat.
Ginsei, that Ginsei.
“Definefreak, you punk,” Renard’s voice coated the room in honey even in its most fatal moments, “am I a freak of nature for admiring the purest and rawest emotion? Is there something wrong with feeling coruptuous rage? Maybe we should ask our brother right here.” He pointed towards another blonde, but with shorter and curlier hair than Kinzou. “Brutus. Care to join? It’s your field of expertise.” Brutus of Rome, a destroyer of columns.
He isn’t looking at the purple.
“Mm,” only a murmur came out of his lips.
Renard nodded. “Well, isn’t that a vague answer. I was expecting more from you today. You became a sentinel, just like Akin sitting over there.”
“What the hell do you want me to say?” Brutus snapped.
“Ha, there it is!”
Renard chuckled, while Kinzou leaned into his armchair, throwing his head back. “God, you annoying little shits!” His hands called for an unknown God. There was no God there, only several.
“Yes, I would call them the same thing, but in a different way.” The one with the round glasses added.
He is searching for something else.
Ginsei raised his left hand. His right chilled on a silver cane. They stopped talking. Again, he didn’t need to turn his head towards them.
He is blind.
“Alright, you are poor. What about the others?”
“Well, I do not share Bells’ opinions or statements. I came here looking for an available job, not to declare my material situation. And about that question… What makes me special?” Ramona moved her finger towards her lips, she pretended to care about the question, just like Ginsei. She probably went to many interviews before. Maybe too many. “Nothing, absolutely nothing. I do the bare minimum, I jog everyday and swim three-times a week. I maintain a healthy diet and never eat sweets. You most likely have the rest in your files. I speak 5 languages: English, Spanish, French, Latin and Greek. I’ve read more books than pages touched by the two sitting right next to me.”
Bells jumped in. “What the fuck, Ramona?”
She continued. “The blood type is there, my height and weight are there. My family history is there. I know you are cautious people. But besides all of this information, why would you share it with your butler? It’s unprofessional and uncalled for.”
“Measure of safety,” Ginsei replied.
She scoffed. “Like you actually need it.”
“She has a point there,” Ginsei’s right hand said, “anything else to add before we end this?”
“The third one didn’t speak yet, I want to hear her before I make a final decision.”
Audrey didn’t even hear the question, it was difficult to follow their rhythm.
“Don’t you mean us?” Kinzou shouted.
“Not at all.”
Abyssal eyes fell upon her. They weren’t able to peek at her or anything at all. They lived in deep, thoughtful darkness. Sharp features and short, inked hair matched them. If he ever dared to speak at midnight, in a cemetery surrounded by untroubled souls, his voice would’ve matched them perfectly.
“What makes you special, Audrey?”
Her eyes faced his. She heard him this time.
But Kinzou interrupted them, once again.
“You know what? Do your own thing, I’m out of here.”
He rose to his feet, eager to get bored somewhere else. A flash of silver stopped him, pressing into his chest. Ruby eyes shone alarmingly between those purple walls; only they dared to breathe. A valuable goat topped the fearful cane. The goat’s gaze stared at Kinzou instead of its owner’s eyes.
“Stay,” Ginsei simply said, “put.”
Dust settled in its place, so Kinzou decided to sit down as well.
Audrey knew it was her time to speak, she kept playing with her fingers in her lap. The purple walls tightened, putting pressure on her, squeezing her in. Her chest ached. “May… May I go to the bathroom? I just need a minute.”
A pair of glasses looked at Ginsei, seeking approval. He shook his head.
“Of course. Third door, to the right.” His right hand replied.
She couldn’t look at the other girls when she left the room, Audrey was too focused on her aching stomach. She found the bathroom quickly. This time, pearly walls circled her, but she was too focused on taking her panties off. Then she saw a bloody stain.
Red, it’s red.
“It came too early.” She whispered to herself.
She left her purse in the other room and the girls were out of reach, all that she could do was make use of their high-end toilet paper. A handful of it.
Audrey came back in the hallway, trying her best to maintain a normal appearance. Her eyes spotted something red, again. It was a troubled fox, leaning against a wall. His long, ginger waves cascaded on his shoulders hugged by a beige, satin shirt.
“There you are, petit agneau. I thought you lost your way coming back to your flock.” The last time she heard him speak, his words were coated in honey. Now it was like he was taking his time in the early morning, with a piece of freshly toasted bread topped by butter and strawberry jam. “I will give you the benefit of the doubt, because we haven’t officially met.”
“What are you talking about? We were in the same room earlier.”
“Yes, but I never got the chance to kiss your hand.”
Her cheeks felt warmer.
“Is that so?” She gave her hand to him and he gently took it.
His lips ghosted her hand. They were cold, too cold. Like his hand holding hers.
“So sweet,” he murmured, “a real pleasure to meet you, Audrey. My name is Renard.”
“Likewise.”
She was ready to pull away, but Renard was still holding her hand.
“I can’t help, but catch the fragrance phantoming on your wrist.”
“Daisy by Marc Jacobs.”
Bright, coppery eyes smiled at her mischievously. “Fascinating. But I wasn’t referring to that.” His fingers anchored around her wrist.
She couldn’t catch his gaze back, instead she stared at his slender fingers. “What do you mean?” Words came out of her lips as a mumble.
“What do I mean?” His lips spread in a sly smile. “You smell so, so sweet, that I could pick wild berries waltzing under your velvet skin.” Renard turned her palm; he catched a glimpse of her pulse. It throbbed under his finger.
“P-please, let me go…”
But he went on. “I can already feel the taste on the tip of my tongue. Syrupy, silky, whispering sticky thoughts like an unnamed lover. It tempted me; it called to me earlier. I knew the others could hear it too, but they couldn’t dare with Ginsei present.” He looked at her. “Let me have a taste, just to satisfy my craving. I’ve got a burning desire, Audrey, and that desire is running through your veins.” His tongue caressed her wrist. It was moist, it was agitating. She slightly trembled.
So the fox and the lamb finally met.
“No.” She pulled her hand harder and he let go. “I need to… I have… I have to get back there.”
Renard accepted his defeat, watching her leave. “Go, go, petit agneau. Never stray too far away, ‘cause next time a wolf might actually welcome you.”
His words echoed behind Audrey as she entered the meeting room again. They were all still in their places, some enjoying the last drops of warm tea. They all looked at her.
Except for Ginsei.
Audrey settled in her armchair.
“Now that you are back, you can also read the contract.” The one wearing the glasses handed her a couple of papers. “It’s a temporary contract, for a three month trial period. Take your time, make sure that everything is in place.”
She looked at the two others. On one hand, Bells spread the papers around, but she didn’t even look at them, she was ready to sign right away. On the other hand, Ramona read them vigorously. She didn’t want to miss any details. Audrey’s eyes widened, she assumed they all passed the interview. Somehow.
“You gave her the papers to sign, yet she didn’t provide an answer to my question.” Ginsei added.
“Really? That shitty question again?” Kinzou could no longer take it.
“I don’t think I have to repeat myself.”
The door opened, the fox joined them. Audrey only wanted for all of it to end, nothing else.
Is there anything special about me? Anything at all?
She spotted that foxy smile again resting on Renard’s face.
That might be it.
“I like to paint, many people paint, but I’m aware of that. And I’m sweet. I think that’s it.”
Ginsei raised an eyebrow. “Sweet?”
“Yes.”
“Prove it.”
She felt Ramona’s and Bells’ eyes on her. Everyone’s eyes. Both of them wanted to whisper something, to reassure her, to encourage her, to tell her that there was nothing to prove, but Audrey took the lead for the first time in a long, long time. She reached to her ears, the little pearly earrings hid well behind her curls, and she took one out.
And that’s when it started to drop. Crimson on white, staining the paper. It filled the room with sweetness, it was almost overwhelming. For Ramona or Bells? No. For the others. Some clenched in their seats trying to ignore her finger, others seemed to be unbothered by it. And that was it.
Duality, especially in nature, manifests in all kinds of forms: harsh winters bring the most beautiful and treasured memories during the holidays, gentle springs often end up initiating tempestuous storms, romanticized summers tend to melt away all of the remaining love. Yet, autumn is the one that marks death and rebirth at the same time. It holds the warmth of late summers and the chilliness of early winters. As migratory birds choose to fly away from the unforgivable winter, others remain in their place, embracing change, embracing survival, embracing death.
The beauty of eternal rest frequently showed up as colourful leaves haunting the roads leading towards Arcpool’s periphery. The air was still warm, Ramona could feel it through the taxi’s half open window. The driver wasn’t too shy about his cigarette addiction as he drove with one hand, savouring the nicotine.
Ramona’s own tan fingers brushed against the back of her hands. They used to be soft and gentle, now the harshness stayed as a reminder of her own struggles. All the late nights were imprinted on her face too. The dark eyebags didn’t treat her tenderly - ah, the duality of nature, the change that autumn brought. Like the leaves haunting the roads, she was haunted as well.
Shaking trees started to cover the way, rays of sunlight were already losing themselves under the wheels of the speeding car. Even though it was only an early evening, the sun was trembling and waiting for something. The answer arrived as the X Mansion came into sight. Guarded by iron gates covered in ivy and unsteady branches that were ready to snatch away every crossing soul, the estate of the X family did know how to make an intimidating impression. There was no need for anyone to speak, the gates automatically opened. The taxi driver didn’t even seem phased.
Maybe I’m not the only one that’s haunted.
As the car pulled in the driveway, Ramona opened her purse and grabbed her tattered wallet.
“How much for the ride, sir?”
She knew how much it cost, so she was ready to bargain the price. The taxi driver made a guttural sound. He didn’t seem to mind her, he was more concentrated on his cigarette.
“Hmm?”
Ramona used the same tone.
“How much for the ride, sir?”
“Ah, the ride! Yes! Nothing, it was all covered by the family.”
He was done with her and she was done with him. Ramona barely got out of the car and it already drove away; the car wheels were devouring pieces of the effervescent pavement. It was like the taxi tried to go towards the direction of the sun; it kissed her chocolate brown hair goodbye. Truth to be told, nobody wanted to ever be catched by dark.
Another reason to hate men. Great.
A stoic and misunderstood giant stood in front of Ramona. It had three levels. Several tall, glossy windows wanted to peek at her appearance but the silk curtains would not allow it. She was invading the mansion’s territory, a building older than her whole family tree. Cinnamon bricks glared at her, who thought such a shade of brown could hold such a gloomy state. Not a crack to be spotted. She made her way towards the dark, wooden door. It towered over her. She stared at it, it stared back. Still, it wasn’t the door that held her gaze longer than it should have, but the metal doorbell that duplicated the shape of a goat. Ruby eyes fancied the golden cross protecting her neck. She scoffed. The young woman grabbed the circle held by its atrocious mouth and knocked three times. That’s when it opened, just like the gate.
Definitely haunted.
“Hello?”
All was fair between shadow and light, but in this doubtful case the only source of luminescence brought inside was the one materializing behind her slender figure. Her own shadow wanted to break free and sink inside abyssal dullness. Two steps forward, two prayers and two sceptical thoughts.
Suddenly, the heavy door moaned behind her. It closed. She instinctively grabbed her cross, not moving one meter.
“Good evening, Miss Cortez.”
¡Dios mio! I forgot to close it!
In front of the now closed door, a gentleman dressed in elegant attire looked straight at Ramona. His wrinkled and sickly-looking face made her question a few things, but she kept her composure. Her fingers grasped the handbag’s handle a little tighter.
“Good evening, sir.”
“I presume that you are here for the open position.” A drop of drowsiness escaped his lips, comparable to a sleeping death. “When you meet the stairs, do not climb them. Stay on this level by turning right. You shall find whoever is left awaiting, just like you, Miss Cortez. The masters will most likely have you in a few minutes, after they are done with the others.” Ramona looked at the direction leading towards the stairs, then at the butler again. Or where the butler was supposed to be, now that he was gone at the blink of an eye.
¡Santa María! The things I do for dinero!
Her lips met with her golden cross.
¡Protégeme y ayúdame!
As she called for Saint Mary, brightness was brought to her vision. Now she got to see everything clearly; onyx marble floors danced under her moving feet, tall chandeliers winked at her. Infinite columns carefully held the room. She paid no attention to the threatening stairs as she took right. Peeks of lighted candles illuminated her way. Ramona had to look twice at them, for a second she thought they were levitating, but they were just hanging on the mulberry walls. A musky smell started to embrace the air while she paced down the hallway, a door was expecting her at the end of it. And so did an unfamiliar duo.
Two other girls were waiting on a mauve velvet sofa. These two could not be any more than different. One of them looked like a doll freshly pulled out of her box - the toy that a child might have been expecting on a Christmas morning. Her body was carefully hugged by a white sundress, a baby blue cardigan made sure she wasn’t going to get cold. The dark wig that she wore was perfectly curled, a pink headband was safely placed over her bangs. Her dark skin was enriched by the light colours, but what made her stand out were her big, doe eyes, her soft cheeks, her thick eyelashes and her rosy, plump lips - she truly was the image of a doll.
The other resembled a doll made out of rags, the polar opposite. Her dark roots were overgrown; only her bleached, blue faded ends were adding a pop of colour to her vanishing image. Her dark clothes were unironed, her shoes were muddy. One of the sneakers was even missing a pairing sock. This whole outfit might have seemed terrible in people’s eyes, but Ramona got to understand that during certain days, the worst to some might be the best to others. That’s why she was trying not to judge either of those girls, she was really trying. But she was slowly failing.
“Are you here for the job too?” the cheerful tone of the sweet looking one caught her attention.
Ramona straightened her back, she had to look her best, especially in front of someone that appeared to be better than her.
“Hope not, that would be just more competition,” the other added grumply.
That answer raised one of Ramona’s eyebrows.
To me, you are not.
“Actually, I am.”
“Shit, I’m not gonna get this job.” She quickly got up and grabbed her torn-apart backpack.
Well, that was fast.
“What do you mean, Bells? You said you really needed this.”
The doe eyes opened up even more in shock, her small hand was close to grabbing Bells’ jacket.
“Sorry,Lottie Doll, but I’m not humiliating myself. I don’t even know why I came all this way.”
“But, I am not Lottie doll.”
“Then, sorry, Barbie.”
“That’s not my name…” Unsureness reflected in her voice.
“Maybe someday it’ll be.”
She shook her head disapprovingly.
“I told you my name was Audrey!”
Ramona could slowly analyse the different behaviours of Audrey and Bells, she was glad that they were just strangers that met most likely, only a few minutes ago. Maybe the situation would have been different if they were friends or family.
Friends or family.
Now Bells was heading down the way that Ramona came from.
“See ya!”
“Maybe you shouldn’t leave,” Ramona crossed her arms over her chest, “they are looking for blood donors and they didn’t specify which blood type they need. There might be a need for all of them; the more, the merrier.”
And who knows who might be actual competition.
“I didn’t even think about that!” Audrey’s lips curled in the sweetest smile, now she found the confidence to follow Bells along. “You should stay! What’s your type? Mine is O+.” The words fell out of her mouth like butterflies and swallows.
Bells stopped in her tracks. She furrowed her thick, dark eyebrows for a second.
“B-.”
“That’s great, we have different ones! What about you?” Her eyes focused on Ramona’s figure, her sunny personality confused her for a bit. She no longer followed Bells and came back to her. She was similar to someone she knew. “Gosh, I didn’t even introduce myself! I am Audrey and that grumpy fellow trying to run away is Bells.” She shook her hand, Audrey had smother ones.
“Ramona, nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you too, Ramona!”
“Also, my blood type is A+. We have different ones.”
“Amazing! Maybe they would take all of us in!”
While Audrey was full of rainbows and sunshines, Bells just laughed dryly. A sprinkle of repulsiveness trembled in her throat.
“Of course you are an A+, a minus wouldn’t have looked good on you.”
“Excuse me?”
“You are the A+ type, that’s all.”
Ramona’s hands fell on her own hips, she looked into Bells’ blue eyes. “I insist, elaborate.”
“Shit, you really want me to say it, huh? You literally stink of entitled bitch syndrome! You walked into this place like you own it, with your stuck-up nose hanging high on your face.” Bells pronounced each word strongly. “You act like you didn’t come here for the job, but like you are the one hiring!”
¡Vete pa’l carajo!
Audrey covered her gasping mouth. A cataclysmic urge seized Ramona and it was ready to come out.
Avalanche.
“Ramona, please, please, don’t listen to her! Let’s all get along, it isn’t even the beginning of the interview! Let’s not make a scene!” She tried to get between the two, but it was already too late. Too damn late.
“¡Ah, sí! The beginning of the interview!” The first laugh that broke out of Ramona today was a cruel and cold one. It was almost like she iced the space, chills started to pirouette down Audrey’s back. “You dare to be all mighty and criticize me, yet you couldn’t bother to take a shower before coming here. If I stink of entitled bitch syndrome, you smell like a fucking rat from the Needles!”
CRASH
It came out of nowhere; tumultuous, deafening, ear-splitting. The impact it had shook the building, it vibrated through the whole hall, no, through the whole mansion. Dust infused all around them, Audrey’s eyes were tearing. She brought a hand to her coughing mouth. She wished Ramona slapped Bells’ face with her freezing hand, she wished Bells punched Ramona with her feisty fist, God, she wished for anything else, but this.
Ramona covered her nose with her green turtleneck, Bells impulsively went on the ground, hands over her head. She thought the other levels were about to collapse over them. They all thought they were about to die. Tears started to drop, Audrey could no longer hold them in. They all looked at the direction of the crumbling sound, where the dust came from, the direction of the stairs.
Ramona was already hurrying that way. “Stay here! Stay put! I’ll go look for help.”
“B-but, the owners are after this door right here!” Audrey’s voice could barely be heard.
“Trust me, if they were, they would have come out!”
Ramona went further into the sandstorm.
“YOU CRAZY ASS BITCH!” Bells shouted, following Ramona.
If the two were close to danger, Audrey also came close to it.
All three of them came back to the beginning of nothing. A good part of the bricks was now all over the place, spread through the main entrance. It seemed to have hit a small part of the stairs, yet they were still standing majestically. The upper floor didn’t seem affected at all; Ramona suddenly stopped, followed by Bells, followed by Audrey.
The ground was covered in sharp shards of glass, the three chandeliers peacefully rested on the crushed marble floors. They glimmered through the last ray of sunshine that visited them through the enormous hole made in the wall.
The sun went to sleep, but they woke up.
“WHAT THE HELL?”
That’s when they noticed the missing column; it no longer stood where it was supposed to be, it went missing, it went through that hole.
No, it created that hole.
Particles of dust began to spread around, allowing them to see things clearer. He rose from it, like a sculpted figure, like an Adonis. A ripped shirt was barely covering his robustus chest, he inhaled and exhaled. He was waiting for something, the calm before the storm. Or the calm after a tornado.
“MAN, WHAT THE FUCK? IT WAS JUST A SCRATCH, NOT EVEN A CENTIMETER BIGGER THAN A THUMB.”
They noticed the other one, same height like the Adonis, lankier build, shimmering in gold. If Audrey was the present underneath the Christmas tree, he was the star sitting at the top. He went closer to Adonis, his hands grasping desperately through the air for something imaginary, something unreal. “Shit, shit! If Ginsei sees this, you are done, we are done! You and your stupid ass, I just borrowed your car, I didn’t kill your whole family or anything like that! It was just a scratch, man!”
“Watch your fucking mouth.” Adonis finally spoke. Stern voice, stern appearance. It matched him well. His glistening eyes found the three little lambs, staring at two wolves. “And who the fuck are you supposed to be?”
Ramona wanted to speak, she was supposed to be the one speaking. Her mouth moved lightly, but Bells was already running hers around, just like her body. Looking and searching for something, she couldn’t even swallow her words properly. She walked as far away from them as she could, her feet trying to avoid the glass.
“We are nobodies, we were just leaving. Right, girls?” She looked at them, something trembled inside of her. “Right, girls?”
No answer came from them, but from the golden one. He might have remembered her of an unpleasant memory, because she was trying so fucking hard to hide her disgust. “Yeah, nobodies? Never heard about nobodiesever crossing the X threshold. Ya’ don’t even have a name?” She blinked and he was right in front of her, one puff appart. Her eyes noticed them all. Shoulder-length, bleached and dyed, blonde hair, expensive sunglasses, multiple golden piercings. Bells didn’t reply, she stood there. If Adonis was a man-made sculpture standing on the other side of the room, she now was one of Medusa’s stone carvings. A stunned victim.
“We came here for the job.” Ramona’s voice helped Bells release a well-held breath. “We didn’t mean to run into your little dispute, we just thought you might need help dustingeverything off.”
Ice.
“Ha?” He turned towards Ramona. “I didn’t hear shit, there is no job here.”
“There is,” she assured him, “we are not here to cause any trouble. Like you are, for example.”
“Ah, if she is a nobody, you definitely act like somebody.” He no longer paid attention to Bells, he didn’t have to, ‘cause he found the shepherd. Again, the girls just blinked and he moved himself across the room, savouring Ramona’s heartbeats. “What if I stopped it?”
Their eyes met.
“Stop what?”
“Your heart, you fu-”
“Kinzou.”
They all turned their heads in the direction of the stairs. He was standing at the top of them, accompanied by three others. His voice cut like a knife.
“Do not move another finger. We are here to have a discussion.”
The sun went down a while ago, Audrey looked again at that hole.
Warnings: s*xual harassment, minor character death, violence, blood, fatphobia/body-shaming, racism, strong language.
BELLS
Something moved behind that dumpster; it definitely was not human.
Shards of glass, broken syringes and pieces of the surrounding rotten buildings crowded the alley. Some segments of a broken fence tried to keep unwelcome visitors away from the abandoned hospital’s yard. Once it held a high status, now it was standing on remaining memories. Fragments of murmurs and whimpers hung in the air, that’s all that could be heard in a neighbourhood such as the Needles. These sounds and the one coming from behind the dumpster.
Bells’ hands clenched the straps of her backpack, or what remained of it, sweating and staining. She was standing near, wanting to dive in and maybe find dinner for tonight. She hoped for a glimpse of luck.
Yet, her feet were cemented in the ground. All she could do was wait.
What if it’s one of those? The sightings became more and more regular. I have no weapon.
All that could be found around were bricks, smashed bottles of beer-
Yes, a brick.
She slowly bent down, rough hand trying to grab it. As soon as her fingers clawed around it, Bells rose to her feet. No sound, no whispers. Putrid was rising, clouding the midnight air.
That’s when it moved. The big, fat rodent made its way out of there with a piece of sausage in its mouth, abandoning Bells.
Damn it.
She got scared by a fuckingrat. Now she will get to eat sleep for dinner. Fucking hell.
“Shit!”
She threw the brick away, her grumbling stomach was not helping either. All she could do was nervously grab some strands of her raven locks. There was no time to waste with childish fears, bedtime stories.
Nightwalkers are not a thing. Get your shit together.
Her hands found the sides of the dumpster quickly and she threw her whole body weight between opened plastic bags. When you find a roof over your head in a place like the Needles, you have two options: eat or get eaten. Some people get to live in better places around Arcpool - the Beetles for the rich, the Tweedles for the middle class and what remains of that stays in the Needles. All of the bad things stay here. That is the order of things.
Arcpool, the unwelcoming house of capitalism, was a city built on the remains of three villages that were the inspiration for the three distinct urban areas.
Doctors, lawyers, engineers and businessmen get to eat wagyu steaks after golf matches in the Beetles. Their wives sunbathe under rays of their own pollution, wearing enough sunscreen to cover their plastic bodies. Kens and Barbies get to rule this city.
Other people have quiet family dinners and watch TV-shows right after church in the early Sunday afternoons. Average lives for average people, that’s the Tweedles life.
The leftovers, like Bells, get to look for leftovers in dumpsters that conquer the Needles.
She used to live at the border between Tweedles and Needles. Nights used to be much more peaceful there, but peace never stayed with her. She lost her job two months ago, her rent one month ago and nothing else could be done. Her roommate bailed on her. Erin, that damned Erin.
Now her hands were filled with an expired, half-opened bean can and a piece of cheese that somehow was spared from the wrath of the rodents. Protectively placing the goods in her bag, she made her way out of that alley.
The street lamps barely worked, which allowed shadows to play around, unbothered in the darkness. They were always whispering unholy things that Bells’ ears chose to ignore. By walking two different streets and turning one corner, the shadows could no longer say anything. The bright red lights of Magnolia Motel invited outsiders in and scared the locals. 3 floors build in the most mysterious ways represented home to many people: drug dealers, drug addicts, prostitutes, gang members and people like the girl that chose to go dumpster diving just to be able to pay for another night. It was one of the few places in this neighbourhood where people actually got clean water and heat, all being managed by Mr. Cho. That kind, yet somehow frightful man, always found a way to keep his motel safe. The biggest investition of his life allowed him to put food on the table for his own family, by wearing a smile and having a hand of steel.
Everytime Bells would come back late at night, he would silently sit at the reception. His eyes could be focused on six different tasks at once, yet he could always see right through her. Maybe he was an intuitive man or maybe he learnt this ability by having three daughters. The smell was bearable, but Mr. Cho’s stare was not. Even his hearing could hear right through her. There was something peaceful about this old, scary man that owned a motel in the worst neighbourhood imaginable.
“Arriving late again?” his stare didn’t leave the papers he was signing.
Bells turned her heels, right before walking the first couple of steps.
“Didn’t know there was a curfew.”
“There isn’t.”
“Then why are you asking me that?”
“A poor, old man is not allowed to be curious, Miss Bells?”
“I didn’t say that. It’s just none of your business.”
“Nothing that happens in here is ever my business. Why would something that happens outside could ever by my business?”
He was right, nothing was ever his business. Just the motel, not actually what happened inside of it, considering the people that lived there.
“I don’t know. A poor, young girl is not allowed to be curious, Mr. Cho?”
“Good night, Miss Bells.”
“Night’.”
That memory was now replaying inside her imagination like a broken record.
In front of Magnolia Motel, six shadows dared to stand tall. Cigarette smoke came out of their breaths. They were no longer afraid of the crimson lights, because the two O’s and magnolia flower were out. The lights inside the upper floors were out as well. The wooden door was unhinged, leaving the reception unprotected. Leaving Mr. Cho unprotected. The reception’s lightbulb was throbbing in despair, trying to breathe during its last moments.
It went on. It went out. It went on. It went out. Images of light and dark were playing and replaying, it was like sitting in the front row at the cinema. Mute films were filling the silence. Everything was reflected in Bells’ eyes; blue turned red. Bloody handprints stained the walls, red waves coating the baseball bats held by the strangers.
Just red.
Mr. Cho was coated in red, sitting at the unwary reception. Or what remained of him. It was the first time she saw his eyes not looking down at that desk. His lifeless orbs were staring right through her.
They were red.
The reception was red.
He was red.
“That fucking gaffer thought no one could ever get through a fucking plastic safe.”
“Bet ya’ ass that it’s made in China,” they all bursted in a laugh. The only one that didn’t laugh at first had a sudden smile creep on his face. It revealed his golden teeth.
“Wasmade in China, Remy. I fucking smashed his face into it.” He brought the bloody bat a little too close to his subordinate’s face. Remy could only stare at the hammered nails that decorated the dirty weapon.
“Yeah, boss, you are right! Always right!” another one approved.
Remy shook his head, the boss was always right. Especially when someone as feral as Goldie was your boss.
“Should we play rugby with his head?” the tallest asked.
“After you do it, send it to his family.” the boss replied and finished his cigarette, his gaze catching the figure staring at them.
Bells was standing too close to this whole scene. She saw it all. And they saw her too, turning their heads in unison like crows. The mute film turned into a play of tragedy.
Her legs were no longer cemented like before, because they weren’t creatures of the night that wanted to chase her down for a drip of blood. They were humans and she knew how cruel humans can be. They were monsters.
“Get that bitch!”
Bells’ sneakers were burning over the pavement. Her body moved impulsively between dumpsters, storming the way she came before. It was like a sickness infected Lotus’ Motel and it was now spreading everywhere. Structures were dancing under the throbbing of the street lights, inside the girl’s brain everything was going upside down. Shadows were following, running after her. No, men were chasing her.
Eat or get eaten.
She sprinted through the familiar alley. Her breath was shaking, her heart was close to jumping out of her chest. Her fingers found the wire fence of the hospital. Trembling, she climbed the safest part of it and jumped over. The steps were getting too close. An echo of bats swinging in the air was scratching her ears.
“There she is! That fat bitch fucking climbed it!”
“Let’s tear it down.”
“We are gonna cut ourselves!”
“Jay, are you crazy? She’ll escape us!”
“You really think that?”
Their voices tuned out as Bells picked herself up and tried to find a way around or inside the hospital. Her clothes were filled with mud, half of her belongings were lost during the chase, spread around the streets like gingerbread. Her incoherent breaths were not getting any better. All that her eyes could find were hammered pieces of wood, no possible entrance. She grabbed one, finding some of her last strength. She had to tear it down. She had no weapon.
Why did I leave the fucking brick there?
Bells didn’t have a chance to turn around on her own, because one of them grabbed a handful of her dark hair. She screamed out of her lungs.
“Y’all hearing this bitch? She thinks somebody is gonna hear her,” he started to laugh as he yanked her even harder. She struggled to escape his grip, but the bat that came too close to her throat stopped her. The nails were digging in her neck.
Their leader bent down, grabbing her whole face. “You are a feisty one, aren’t you?” His golden teeth shone even in the darkest time of night. She stopped for a moment like a wild animal facing the headlights of a car. She shook her head obediently.
”No? How come?” It was silent for a second.
You ugly ass bitch.
Then she bit him.
“Fucking bitch!” his other hand glued instantly to her left cheek, leaving her with a red mark. “She might have given me rabies. Do what you want with her, Cho’s blood is already all over me.”
Goldie stepped back in the shadows and started cleaning his hands with a dirty napkin that was not doing even half of its job.
“Damn, Jay, I do love a fat bitch. Wonder if I could start with her toes first?”
He swung his bat around like a dog moving its tail, having a taste of his fantasy on the tip of his tongue.
“Remy, you fucking weirdo! Don’t talk about feet.”
Jay, the one that held her, moved her around like a puppet, allowing Remy and the others to spit on her.
“I wanna undress her first.”
“Ha! She doesn’t deserve the nice guy treatment!”
As the men were bickering, Bells’ eyes started to fill with tears. Her face was now a mix of shame, spit was coating her eyes.
“Aww! Is the fat baby going to cry? Are you gonna cry now? You worthless fucking cunt!”
No sound came out of her lips. It wasn’t because she didn’t want to scream again. She wanted to. She wanted not to be afraid of them. Instead, her attention was grabbed by the lifeless head that rolled out of the shadows. No sound came from him either, no more at least. Goldie’s teeth stopped shining, no more greedy smiles.
“WHAT THE FUCK?!”
“I DON’T KNOW MAN, I DON’T KNOW!”
They all jumped back.
“No, no, no, no, no!”
The four remaining rushed to check what happened while Jay was still holding her firmly. That was when the night’s smoke moved around them. It was huge, it clouded everything. It was above everything.
“I can’t get his gold teeth, I want his teeth! I’ve always wanted them!”
“Shut the fuck up!”
“What the fuck is tha-”
Something ripped Remy’s head out of his body, only with its teeth. Only with its teeth. The corpse fell on the ground, leaving the others stunned, no time to react. A flood of crimson started to drown them. Screams of terror were mixing in with the thick midnight air. The bats became worthless pieces of wood, they didn’t even have time to properly swing them around. The sounds coming out of them left mixed feelings inside of Bells.
Why is a part of me not feeling bad for them?
By second, they all fell down like feathers. Jay’s grip started to lighten, he could no longer keep on the brave appearance, not in front of something like that.
“YOU KNOW WHAT? HAVE HER, I DON’T NEED HER!” He runned towards the only exit, but a flash of nothing stopped him. His bat fell out of his hand.
It grabbed Jay by the neck, lifting him up. It didn’t even bother to use its teeth on him, it just choked him until his voice could no longer phantom the night.
The harshness of Jay’s hands was still ghosting Bells’ body as she cleaned her view with the back of her hoodie. It was a mirage, it had to be. He fell like the others, just a feather touching the ground. She fell too, but not like them.
This time she didn’t scream. She was too afraid to. She was holding herself tightly, trying to seem invisible in front of danger.
Only if she could be part of the ground now. Or soon she would be.
This time, Bells’ whole body was cemented, a rock at the bottom of the ocean. But the smoke, the shadow of shadows started to become the outline of a man. Or of something that resembled a man. She heard about them; bedtime stories, the monsters hiding inside her closet or under the bed were never supposed to become real. She always believed that monsters were actually humans and creatures were creatures. She never thought she would ever get to see one of them in her lifetime, what remained of it at least. Her blood was boiling in her veins, it was preparing itself for what was about to come.
Nightwalker.
Yet, he didn’t even bother to come closer. Thoughts could only dream of wandering around the fields of her mind. She caught his cold gaze for a split second. Sharp dark eyes stole a glimpse of her soul.
Then he faded in the harsh, putrid air. He came in as smoke, he stayed as the thunder of a storm and he went away like a summer breeze. Feathers and dirty posters moved around Bells, circling her like wolves. Her eyes were clear now, one even caught her hazy attention:
Looking for blood donors. Fair price, good payment. At the X Mansion.
If interested, please contact the following phone number:
Here is the first chapter, I hope I will get to post weekly. If the prologue raised question marks, this one might be even more confusing. Hahahaha.
MINORS, DO NOT INTERACT WITH THIS STORY.
Wordcount:2,7k words
Warnings: violence, strong language.
RAMONA
Duality, especially in nature, manifests in all kinds of forms: harsh winters bring the most beautiful and treasured memories during the holidays, gentle springs often end up initiating tempestuous storms, romanticized summers tend to melt away all of the remaining love. Yet, autumn is the one that marks death and rebirth at the same time. It holds the warmth of late summers and the chilliness of early winters. As migratory birds choose to fly away from the unforgivable winter, others remain in their place, embracing change, embracing survival, embracing death.
After years of writing vampire fanfiction, I decided to jump in and write my own series. Please, read the warnings below. Hope you enjoy!
MINORS, DO NOT INTERACT WITH THIS STORY.
Wordcount: 2,5k words
Warnings: s*xual harassment, minor character death, violence, blood, fatphobia/body-shaming, racism, strong language.
BELLS
Something moved behind that dumpster; it definitely was not human.
Shards of glass, broken syringes and pieces of the surrounding rotten buildings crowded the alley. Some segments of a broken fence tried to keep unwelcome visitors away from the abandoned hospital’s yard. Once it held a high status, now it was standing on remaining memories. Fragments of murmurs and whimpers hung in the air, that’s all that could be heard in a neighbourhood such as the Needles. These sounds and the one coming from behind the dumpster.
