From Death's Door Chapter 1
FROM DEATHS DOOR
Chapter 1: The Lust
I jumped away as a dagger was thrust in my direction. The air was cold and if my skin were alive it would probably be damp and clammy. It was a moonless, cloudless night. I had come knowing exactly what my future had in store for me. Death.
*****The only kind of death that could take away the horrid curse I was born with and had lived with for more than a thousand years. The hardest part about my death was that the only one I had ever loved was going to kill me, and my family.
*****She is a ravaging beauty, the one I love. She has hair of fire and eyes like emeralds. Her soul has always had a soothing effect on me, though I never knew why. She has the purest of pure hearts and I; I had the darkest ever imaginable. I was born dead and I would die dead, but to the hands of my love. In a way my savior. I didn’t care though, for I would do anything for her love, even if it came to my death like I knew it would on this night.
*****I let out a yelp as the dagger grazed the side of my stomach. It would be soon now, I was at death’s door but soon it would invite me in. As soon as it invited me in I would take up its offer and my memory and presence would be vanquished. Only one would truly remember me, the one I had fallen in love with. They say there is no such thing as love at first sight, but in my case there is.
*****"Gwen…" She took a step towards me, a forlorn look upon her face. I took a step towards her, now not afraid to be lost forever. Her hand that held the dagger dropped to her side. I came up to her and embraced her. Sadly I took my lips and pressed them against hers, for the very last time. The second I pulled away from her I felt the dagger plunge into my heart. Darkness started to engulf me, pulling me deeper into the pit of my own hell.
*****"I love you…" I heard myself say as I started to fall and remembered…
*****
*****The very first thing I was ever taught was blood. Blood so rich, sweet, and thick that it was all I could think about my first five hundred years of life. As I got older I started to realize that there was more than just blood. I started to become a true vampire in my six hundredth year of life. I learned not only was there blood but there was also death and darkness. I thought that was all, but as I grew older still I learned a thing that almost no vampire ever learns, that I was different. I would learn the one thing that saved me from the gloomy pit of death and despair that I was born in; love.
*****I thought I was normal up until then. Okay so I was stronger than any normal vampire and I was smarter, but other than that I was no different. The realization that I was different didn’t come until I met her.
*****It started on a cool evening when I had gone to hunt alone. Being young and headstrong I thought that I could conquer the world that night. I went first to the park, and there I saw her. She was about fourteen at the time, with an aura pure of heart. She was pushing a little boy on a swing. The little boy laughed everytime he went up into the air.
*****"Higher, higher!" he screamed in delight.
*****I stayed there and watched them for most of the evening. Her with her bright smiles and sweet nature. My thoughts of hunting her were gone, for some reason I couldn’t picture myself piercing the skin of her sensuous neck. So instead I watched, marveling in her beauty.
*****
*****I got to know her routine, from where she lived, to what time she got up in the morning, to what school she went to, and what time she picked up the little boy from his school. I followed her every chance I got, watching and waiting.
*****I thought many times about trying to talk to her but to no avail. She was always at a distance to me, even if I was so near. My parents had no notion of how I had become possessed with her, with her essence. It wasn’t until a year later that they finally found out; the year things were set into motion.
~~~~~
*****It was dusk; evening was just starting to cover the day like a blanket. The girl was pushing the boy on the swings when I saw a shadow across the playground drifting closer to her. I knew instantly what it was. It was a vampire quite like me, except he was stalking her. That’s when I knew I had to make my entrance, even if only to ward him away.
*****Every vampire in the land knew who I was and to leave me alone for I was strong. No other vampires dared to mess with me, in fear that I would kill them. So I strode onto the playground, fearless; making well sure that the other vampire would see me and think the kill was mine.
*****I went straight over to the swing set and then leaned against one of the posts. The girl had noticed me instantly and her guard went up.
*****"Hello." I said in a friendly voice.
*****The girl looked around and noticed that other people were starting to leave the park. Her gaze then wandered back to me. "Hello."
*****"I couldn’t help noticing you here." I could see the girl start to get nervous.
*****"Am I supposed to take that as a compliment?" I shrugged my shoulders and then scanned around for the other vamp, he still wasn't far off. He clearly wasn’t getting the message.
*****"Take it however you want to. I’m just trying to be friendly."
*****"Yeah, a little too friendly." She stopped the swing that the little boy was on and then took his hand. "I really should be going."
*****"But Adrienne, I want to keep swinging!" The little boy pulled against the hold of Adrienne’s hand.
*****"I don’t think so Fredrick, we should really be going home."
*****"Adrienne, that’s a nice name…"
*****"…Thanks…I really should be going now."
*****"I want to stay and swi—"
*****"NO! Let’s go!" She gave Fredrick’s arm a hard tug and then started to lead him off in the direction of her home.
*****"Let me walk you home." I said, coming quickly to her side.
*****"Not meaning to sound rude or anything but I would prefer to walk home by myself."
*****"I’m headed this way anyway." Adrienne was clearly freaked out now.
*****"Please will you just leave me alone!" She started to walk faster but I matched my pace to hers.
*****"I’m trying to do you a favor." The shadow of the other vamp was following us, slowly but surly.
*****"I don’t take favors." She picked up her pace even more, making Fredrick run to keep up with her.
*****"Trust me you’ll take this one," I said this in a whisper so the other vamp couldn’t hear me. "Someone is following you and I know you wouldn’t want to be raped." The girl stopped dead in her tracks.
*****"How do I know you’re not the one following me?" Her eyes searched wildly for someone following our wake.
*****"Keep moving and I’ll tell you where the person is that’s following you." She started to walk again more frightened this time.
*****"Behind us to the left there is a guy in the shadows that’s been following you for the past half hour."
*****"How would you know how long he’s been following me?" She took a step away from me.
*****"I can’t help but notice a pretty girl. Now listen, you have to get home and quick. He’ll be less likely to try and jump you if I’m with you."
*****"How do I know you’re telling the truth? How do I know you’re not with him?"
*****"Look," was all I could say. Adrienne turned as if she was trying to slap a bug on her shoulder and saw the vamp following slowly behind us. Probably trying to take the leftovers of the kill he thought I was going to make.
*****I saw her turn pale and pick up her pace. We weren’t far from her house now.
*****"Why would I try and get you away from him, huh? Believe me now?"
*****"Yeah," she gulped. We were now a block away from her house.
*****"Next time you’ll trust me when I try to get you out of a jam." She nodded her head and I saw a little color coming back to her cheeks as we reached her house.
*****"This is my house."
*****"Yeah, I know. Get inside and lock your doors and windows. Don’t let anyone in unless you know them really well." I looked over my shoulder. The other vamp was slowly inching forward, towards us. "Well go on."
*****"Thank you."
*****"Whatever." She walked up to her door and unlocked it. Then she hurried in and was about to close the door when she stopped.
*****"What’s your name?"
*****"Gwen, now get inside." With that she shut her door and locked it.
Very angry I pulled out my fangs and walked right towards the vamp that had been trailing her. He grinned when he saw me and came towards me.
*****"What the hell is your problem? She was mine! Then you showed up and screwed everything up!"
*****"Why didn’t you kill her?" He said in a deep voice.
*****"None of your damned business! I was waiting for the right time but then you scared her away!"
*****"Yeah right. You walked her home, you’re protecting her." My eyes flashed with anger and I’m sure he saw them.
*****"Get out of here before I kill you!" I said in a growl. He gave me a menacing grin and then disappeared.
*****I stayed not to far from Adrienne’s house for ten hours, wanting to be sure he wouldn’t come back. When it was nearing dawn I slowly moved away from her house and went home to my father’s lair. For I could watch her all day, but as a vamp rule you never attacked during daylight or you would burn up instantly. Only if your fangs were sheathed could you survive in the sun.
*****
*****"Where have you been!" My father’s voice slammed into me.
*****"I was hunting."
*****"You’ve never hunted this long before, why tonight?" He came out from the shadows of the lair so I could see his angry expression; although it wasn’t like I couldn’t hear it in his voice.
*****"I felt like it, I was bored."
*****"Ungrateful child! Your mother is starving, go feed her!"
*****"Why me!"
*****"You were out hunting so much you won’t miss some blood." He gave me a suspicious look then bared his fangs, warning me.
*****"Fine!" I turned away from him and went towards the back of the lair to my mother’s room. Luckily I had fed once that night but I would be hungry all day because I hadn’t fed enough to feed two people.
*****When I entered my mother’s bedchamber I was surprised to see a familiar figure beside her, it was the vamp that had followed Adrienne and Fredrick. He stood seeing me, and then, remembering his place, bowed. My mother smiled when I entered and beckoned me over to her.
*****"Gwen, I would like you to meet my sister’s son, Vixen. He’s going to be staying with us for a while."
*****"Great, just great." I rolled my eyes.
*****"What’s wrong?"
*****"Oh nothing…" I let the sentence trail off, not wanting to get into trouble.
*****"Fine, is your father going to feed me tonight or are you?"
*****"I am."
*****"Well then, what are you waiting for?" I came over to my mother and offered her my neck. She drank some and then pushed me away, disgusted.
*****"Done?" I lifted an eyebrow; she had hardly wet her lips.
*****"Done! You didn’t drink very much tonight! I’d drink you dry if I took anymore! Get out of my sight! Now I’ll have to ask your father to feed me, too." She gave me a glaring look and then pointed out of her room. Not wanting to cause any trouble I got up and left her room immediately.
******
*****Adrienne yawned and opened her eyes. The events from that night came flooding to her in a rush of thought. What had happened had made her very suspicious about the boy and the man who were following her last night. For one he said he’d been watching her and then noticed someone else watching her. Then he knew exactly where her house was. Then to confirm her suspicions he walked away in the direction of the man that was following her that night, making her think that he was working with him.
*****But if he was working with him why would he try to get you away to safety? A small voice nagged in the back of her mind. Forgetting she had ever heard the voice Adrienne threw her covers off and got out of bed.
*****She went into the bathroom and splashed some cold water over her face. She had to get dressed for school, not as if she wanted to though. The boy kept coming back into her mind. Even as she brushed her hair and then changed into her clothes he kept reappearing in her thoughts.
*****He was cute, maybe late eighteen or nineteen, possibly even older. He was tall and lean, yet muscular. He had pale brown hair and violet eyes. Though he was probably wearing contacts his eyes were very alluring. It made him even more mysterious and intriguing.
*****Putting the finishing touches on her makeup Adrienne glanced at herself in her mirror making sure she looked okay and then went downstairs to eat breakfast. Fredrick was already up and munching on some Captain Crunch cereal. Adrienne gave him a warm smile and then popped a pop tart into the toaster.
*****When her pop tart was warm she wrapped it in a paper towel and kissed Fredrick on the cheek before she was out the door on her way to catch the bus. The bus stop was maybe three minutes from her house. She was about a block away when a rustling in the bushes made her stop suddenly.
*****She was about to make a run for it when a cat came bounding out of the bushes and then scampered away. It was probably more frightened than she was. Adrienne sighed, relieved, and then turned to start back to the bus stop when she bumped into someone.
*****Adrienne looked up and saw a familiar face looking down at her for he was maybe six inches taller than her. Adrienne jumped about two feet into the air and dropped her pop tart and book bag. She was just about to take off when he grabbed her by the arm with a tight grip and held her there.
*****"Hey take it easy, I know you remember me." Adrienne shied away from the boy she'd been thinking about all that morning.
*****"Yeah," she said with dry lips, "I remember you."
*****"Don’t worry, I won’t hurt you."
*****"How can I be sure?"
*****"I give you my word, and my word is the best thing I have." With that he released her hand. Adrienne looked at him for a second, her knees trembling. He was pale, last night he hadn’t seemed so pale, but now in the light she could see he was very much so. His eyes looked even more beautiful in the morning light and his hair ruffled in the slight breeze. He was handsome but in the light he looked older, now nineteen maybe twenty.
*****Adrienne gave him a slight smile, for she couldn’t resist the beaming smile that crossed his face when her legs started shaking.
*****"I guess your word will have to be good enough for right now." He then bent over and picked up her book bag for her.
*****"Sorry about your breakfast, I’ll make it up to you. Okay?"
*****"All right. I have to go now or I’ll miss my bus."
*****"Can I walk you there?" Adrienne felt herself start to blush.
*****"I guess so." He swung her book bag over his shoulder and then started to walk beside her.
*****"So where do you live, since you seem to know where I live."
*****"Not to far from here."
*****"Then why haven’t I seen you around before?"
*****"I don’t get out much during the day. I’m a night person; besides it’s quieter at night." They had now reached her bus stop and several of the other kids were starring at them curiously.
*****"Can I ask you one question, even if it will probably sound stupid." She asked her curiosity getting the better of her.
*****"Fire away." He turned to face Adrienne, letting her gaze into his ravishing eyes.
*****"Are those contacts in your eyes, and if so, what’s your real eye color?"
*****"Hmm…I’ve never had someone ask me that before. No it is my real eye color. It’s the way I was born, my curse I guess you could call it."
*****"So are you like albino or something?"
*****"Not exactly. I’m not as sensitive to the light as albinos are."
*****"Oh." Adrienne’s bus pulled up just then. "I guess I’ll see you around then?" He handed her her backpack.
*****"Yeah, I’d like to see you again."
*****"Bye."
*****"Bye." With that Adrienne turned and sprinted to catch her bus before it left without her.
I smiled and then pulled a pair of sunglasses from my pocket as the bus drove away. I didn’t usually come out in the day because it of the fang rule. That if we tried to bite someone during the day we would burn up and die.
*****I somehow thought it was funny that the girl had liked my eyes so much. Only natural born vamps had strange colored eyes, like my dad had gold and my mom red. I was just lucky and happened to have violet eyes that had a dazzling effect.
*****Now back to the matter at hand. I needed to get some money. Not for obvious reasons, to buy Adrienne breakfast. She had dropped her breakfast when she startled seeing me. I had some money from different ways I had just happened to come upon it, but not enough to buy someone lunch.
*****It was just to my luck then as I was walking back towards the lair pondering over the situation that I came across an ice cream vendor. I pulled a knife I had hidden in the leg of my boot and came over to him.
*****"Hello, would you like some ice cream?"
*****"No, I don’t know how to say this politely. I want your money, please." The man’s face went stony.
*****"Um…" I flashed him my knife. "Sure, but I don’t have much. Only about twenty dollars."
*****"Give me five."
*****"Five?"
*****"Five dollars, that’s all I’ll need." The man looked perplexed but reached into a pouch about his waist and drew out a five-dollar bill then handed it to me.
*****"Here you go."
*****"Thanks." The man gave me a puzzled look but then smiled slightly. I flashed him a grin and then left, towards McDonalds. I heard that was the best place to buy a fast breakfast.
*****"Who was that Adrienne?"
*****"I’m not exactly sure. He walked me home yesterday."
*****"Really, I’d be flattered."
*****"You might have if he hadn’t told you that he’d been watching you and that someone was following you. Therefore, he said that he’d walk me home, and sure enough someone was following behind us. I don’t know if I can trust him or not. He even knew what house was mine."
*****"Oh god, that’s so scary. Then he turns up this morning to walk you to the bus stop. Maybe he’s stalking you."
*****"That’s what I’m afraid of Kim. I don’t want to be raped or anything like that. I’m not sure what to do."
*****"Come on Adrienne, we’ll be late if we stay on this bus any longer." Kim took Adrienne’s arm and guided her off the bus and into the school building. They went to their lockers and then walked to their first period together.
*****"What am I going to do. I mean he’s so cute but I don’t know if I should trust him."
*****"Don’t trust him. Besides he’s a guy. Even if he was trustworthy guys are only there to break your heart. He probably just wants to lay you and then he’ll be gone. I mean you are pretty Adrienne. Even Gary Humon, who people say is female, looks at you twice when you walk past him. Every guy in this school want’s to go out with you."
*****"That’s just the thing Kim. I don’t want people to like me because I’m pretty. I want people to like me for me. That’s why everyone thinks I’m snobby, because they only see my looks, not me. I hate stereotyping, that’s why you’re my only true friend Kim."
*****"Come on Adrienne, we’re going to be late for first period." Kim took a hold of Adrienne’s sweater and pulled her into their first period class just as the late bell rang.
*****"Will that be all sir?"
*****"Um, yeah." The lady smiled, trying to flirt and then handed me the food for Adrienne. I took it and then smiled to myself as I left. I would never understand what it felt like to be alive.
*****Adrienne’s school was big inside. I easily found Adrienne’s first class (I watched her sometimes) and knocked on the door. All the eyes in the class shifted towards me at the door. A long legged blonde head got up from her desk and opened the door. She smiled at me and then consciously scratched her leg, inching her short skirt up a little bit higher.
*****"May I help you?" I came into the classroom and was greeted with gaping mouths and gawking eyes. The female teacher, who was starting to go gray and had a slight smile on the ends of her pinched mouth, had addressed me.
*****"Yeah, Adrienne forgot her breakfast so I brought it to her." The teacher glared suddenly enviously at Adrienne and then her eyes instantly returned to study me.
*****"Adrienne." I watched as Adrienne stood up slowly, blushing terribly, and came towards me. I smiled at her and held out the McDonalds.
*****"Gwen, what are you doing here?" She whispered fiercely as she took the McDonalds bag. Her cheeks were beet red and she was clearly embarrassed.
*****"I told you I’d make it up to you." I said leaning closer while I had the chance.
*****"Bye, thank you." She gave me a sweet smile, blushing horribly and then turned and headed back to her seat.
*****"I’ll see you after school." I said and then turned to leave. I could hear all the girls in the room whispering and giggling softly to each other.
*****"Well," I heard the teacher say as I strolled down the hall. "Is it just me or is it suddenly hot in here." I grinned and then was out of earshot.
*****"I hate you!" Kim said setting her tray down next to Adrienne’s and then taking a seat.
*****"It’s not my fault that he came here." Adrienne said starting to peel her orange. "I never asked him to come and embarrass me in front of my class. Man I thought my cheeks were on fire."
*****"God he’s gorgeous, I’d love to have a guy like him." Kim brushed a lock of her brown curly hair out of her blue eyes.
*****"Kim! I told you I think there’s something strange about him. You even said yourself that he might be stalking me." Adrienne glared at Kim.
*****"Hey, if it was him he could rape me as many times as he wanted," she said, a small smile playing across her lips.
*****"Thanks, that sure was comforting!" Adrienne put down her orange and laid her head in her hands.
*****"Oh Adrienne, relax. How many guys that stalk someone go out of their way to bring the person they're stalking breakfast? It just doesn’t make sense. I think he likes you and he’s just trying to get closer to you."
*****"Adrienne!" Megan, the most popular girl in school came over and sat down next to Adrienne. "How come you didn’t tell me you had such an awesome boyfriend. Or is he you’re brother? How old is he? Was that his real eye color? If he is your boyfriend have you…you know?"
*****"Megan! I’m not a slut you know."
*****"Well how old is he?"
*****"I don’t know, nineteen or twenty. Somewhere around that age range anyway."
*****"What about his eyes? Those were contacts right?"
*****"No, they’re real. He says it’s his curse, whatever that’s supposed to mean. I asked him if he was albino and he said sort of but he’s not as sensitive to light."
*****"When did you meet him? Does he have a brother? Is he your brother?" By now all of Megan’s girl group was sitting around Adrienne’s table. They all were bombarding her with questions, may of which she didn’t have answers to.
*****Adrienne was relieved when the bell rang announcing that lunch was over. Kim gave a big ‘Phew’ and then wiped her brow. "Aren’t you happy that we got rid of the happy go lucky gang?"
*****"You’re telling me. Here I am scared that he’s stalking me and they’re sitting there asking if he has a brother and where he lives and… I’m pooped."
*****"I don’t blame you. I’ve never heard you talk non-stop for that long in my life."
*****"Thanks." Adrienne gave Kim a quirky smile.
*****"Come on, we’re going to be late."
*****"Oh Kim, do I have to ride the bus home?"
*****"Yes, unless you’ve suddenly gotten a car and not told me about it then yes!"
*****"But Kim, you heard what he said. That he’d see me after school."
*****"I know, and that’s exactly why you have to ride the bus. I want you to introduce me to him. You can’t just leave me hanging you know. I want a cute guy too." Kim grabbed Adrienne’s arm and pulled her onto the bus and to their seat in the back.
*****"But—"
*****"No buts!"
*****"Gwen, come here." I got off my bed and followed the sound of my father’s voice into his room. My mother was laying against my fathers chest and playing with his dark black beard.
*****"Yes?"
*****"Your mother wants you to take Vixen out and show him around. Show him where the best hunting spots are. Then take him out later on tonight and hunt with him."
*****"You have got to be kidding!"
*****"Do I look like I’m kidding?" He asked in a threatening growl of a voice.
*****"No sir."
*****"Well then."
*****"I have something I have to do right now."
*****"To bad, whatever it is you’ll have to take him with you or change your plans. He’s in the guest bed sleeping, now go wake him up."
*****I cursed under my breath but left his room for the guest bedroom. In the guest bedroom Vixen laid sprawled out over his bed. I went up to him and grabbed one of his legs and yanked him off the bed. He grunted and then sat up. When he saw me an evil smile crossed his lips and he stood up.
*****"I’m supposed to take you to the best hunting grounds but I don’t have time right now. I’ll show you where they are and then you can go explore the town yourself."
*****"What, you don’t want to be respectful to your guest and take him with you?"
*****"Did you understand what I said?"
*****"Yes."
*****"Then you will do as I say." Vixen gave a curt bow mocking me and my heritage.
*****"As you wish." I bared my fangs at him then left his room. He followed behind me and didn’t say another word.
*****"So, what do you want for your birthday?"
*****"I don’t know."
*****"Oh come on, you have to know. You’re going to be sweet sixteen! I wanted a car for my birthday but my parents refused. Instead they gave one to Cathy, who turned eighteen a month later. How about a gift certificate to the spa just outside of town?"
*****"Ooh, that sounds nice."
*****"Good, then a gift certificate to the spa it is."
*****"Oh my god Kim, there he is!" Adrienne whispered fiercely to Kim and then took a hold of her shoulder.
*****"Hey relax before you rip my arm off."
*****"What am I going to do? Kim you have to walk me home. I don’t want him trying to rape me once we’re out of sight."
*****"All right, all right, don’t have a hissy fit, I’ll walk you home."
*****"Thank you Kim!" The bus pulled to a stop at the corner and people started to stand up to leave. Adrienne made sure that they were the last ones to finally stand up and make their way to the front of the bus.
*****When Adrienne saw Gwen’s face light in a smile her knees went weak and wobbly. She had to hold onto Kim’s shoulder to keep from toppling over. Gwen straightened his shoulders and then came over to them.
*****"Hello, how was your breakfast?"
*****"Fine." Adrienne made herself reply through her burning blush.
*****"And who is this?" Gwen said turning his gaze to Kim who beamed under his attention.
*****"Kim, the name’s Kim. Adrienne has told me a little about you."
*****"Nice to meet you Kim." Gwen held out a hand and Kim eagerly took it then was reluctant to let go.
*****"I thought that we could go to the park after you pick up Fredrick. You always go unless it’s a Friday."
*****"How would you know?"
*****"I um"
*****"Why have you been following me? You even knew where my house was yesterday. Then you know my routine? Are you stalking me? If you are I’ll call the police and"
*****"Hey clam down. You want to truth. I wouldn’t call it stalking I saw you one day and then I’ve wanted to find out everything about you from then on. It wasn’t until I saw Vi...I mean, that man stalking you that I actually got up the nerve to go and talk to you. Would you call that stalking?"
*****"Yes! I would!"
*****"I can’t help it I’m infatuated with you." Gwen suddenly got down on his knees in front of Adrienne and spread his arms wide. "Marry me."
*****Kim burst out laughing. Adrienne couldn’t help but smile at the gorgeous Gwen who looked so ridiculous down on his knees in front of her. Adrienne took one hand and pushed Gwen’s head away making him topple. Kim broke out into uncontrollable fit of laughter that shook through her whole body.
*****"I’ll take that as a no. That doesn’t mean that we can’t be friends, does it? Maybe even more…"
*****"I don’t know Gwen…"
*****"Ah come on, you know I’m a nice guy."
*****"Actually I don’t."
*****"Then until you trust me we’ll only meet in public places. Deal?"
*****"Oh go on Adrienne, can’t you see he’s madly in love with you?" Kim said who had finally calmed herself and controlled her laughter.
*****"You tell her Kim!" I said, trying to back up her excuse.
*****"All right! Just friends. If we go anywhere it’ll be with a chaperone. Deal?"
*****"Deal."
*****"That means that Kim," Adrienne turned to her friend, "you have to come with us to pick up Fredrick in half an hour."
*****"Sure, I’ll just have to call my dad once we get to your house."
I followed behind the two girls to Adrienne’s house. I was glad I’d been able to ditch Vixen. I had purposely taken him to the farthest hunting ground from Adrienne’s house so that he’d be less likely to find out what I was doing. Adrienne opened her front door and walked in, Kim right behind her. I couldn’t go in with out her say so, being a vampire and all.
*****"Um…"
*****"What are you doing out there?" Adrienne asked.
*****"Well, being a gentleman and all I can’t come in until you invite me. So, may I come in?"
8****"Of course you may." I gave them a courteous bow and then strode confidently into the house, closing the door behind me. The girls exchanged glances that I couldn’t interpret and then went on talking.
*****"So, how old are you Gwen?" Adrienne asked while examining an apple in a fruit bowel on the kitchen counter.
*****"Older than the dawn of time." I mumbled to myself.
*****"What?" she asked setting the apple down.
*****"I said how old are you?"
*****"I’m fifteen, going on sixteen in two weeks. And you?" Kim came over and leaned against the counter next to Adrienne.
*****"How old do you think I am?" I asked, wanting to know what she thought.
*****"I don’t know, nineteen, twenty?"
*****"Wrong, seventeen." I just picked a lower number. I didn’t want her to get the wrong ideas. I mean if she knew I was what seventeen hundred years old that would freak her out. It was still nice to know I only looked about twenty.
*****"You look older. How come I’ve never seen you in school?"
*****"I don’t go to school." Both girls went silent at this. "I graduated early." I lied, grabbing an answer out of thin air. Even though I had been to school a long time ago but had gotten bored of it I still kept up with the times.
*****"Oh, so where do you live around here?"
*****"Not to far from the park." Adrienne went to the refrigerator and took out three Cokes and then walked into the living room. Kim and I followed a step behind her.
*****"Do you have any siblings?" she asked taking a seat on the couch. Kim took a seat next to her and I took a seat opposite them.
*****"Nope, it’s just me." Adrienne handed a Coke to Kim and then tossed one over my way which I caught easily due to excessive use of my reflexes.
*****"What about a job?"
*****"Why would I need one?" Then it suddenly clicked. "I mean, I’ve been looking for one and I haven’t found a good one yet. But I’m still living with my parents so they pay my way." Which is zero but I couldn’t tell her that. Better to let her think I am actually normal.
*****"Lucky. I’ve been trying to find a job for a while but no cigar. All the places say I’m to young or to inexperienced, life sucks."
*****"Death isn’t much better."
*****"No, I guess not." Knowing she had no idea what I was talking about I chuckled.
*****"You have no idea."
*****"So, what do you plan to do with your life? I mean don’t you have a goal in life. I, for instance, I want to be a fashion designer, maybe even a model."
*****"I bet you’d have no problem with that. As for me I’ve never really thought much about a goal in life. I wouldn’t know where to start. What do you think I’d be good at?"
*****"A lawyer." Kim spoke up. "You’re good at persuading people, either that or my sex slave. Oh my god! Did I just say that out loud?" Adrienne laughed and smacked at her friend.
*****"Sorry but I’ve been there and done that and it doesn’t appeal to me that much."
*****"What do you mean?" Kim asked, curious now.
*****"I was a love slave once, and it just wasn’t my kind of thing."
*****"Ooh, I want to hear the story. Please, will you tell us, even if only to pass the time?" Adrienne rolled her eyes and took a long swig of her Coke.
*****"All right. It was a while back—"
*****"You mean a couple of years ago? How old were you, fifteen?" Kim interrupted and I was thankful that she did.
*****"Yeah, I was fifteen. Her name was Terina. She was dark. Dark hair, rich dark brown eyes, dark features, dark everything. She was similar to me; she had the same…condition that I do, you could say. She was my mother's best friend’s daughter. We shared a lot of good times together, then things got intimate. We had fun in the dark one evening and then before I knew it I was in chains and she had a whip. It only went on for a couple of months, nine or ten I think. Then Terina’s mother decided that it was time for them to leave, that they had overstayed their welcome. She offered to let Terina stay with me but by then I was tired of her. I turned down her offer and they left. I haven’t seen her since. Last I had heard she was missing…"
*****"That’s so sad. Sick too, her mother offered her to you?" Kim said, mesmerized.
*****"Yeah, but I like new things. After an eternity of one thing I move along to the next."
*****"That’s disgusting!" Adrienne said standing up. "If you think I’m going to be friends with a sick pervert than you’re wrong!"
*****"Take it easy, I was just kidding. Can’t you take a tall tale? I’m a virgin, if that helps any. I’ll be a virgin till the day I die." I told her the lie, although in human terms I was a virgin.
*****"Don’t you want kids?" she said calming down and coming to sit back down on the couch.
*****"I’ve thought about it. I don’t want to commit myself to them, at least not in this lifetime. I want to wait till I find the perfect person, also. Trust me, as soon as I find her I’ll never let her go. Not even after I’m dead. If I find her, she’ll be mine forever."
*****"Look at the time, I have to go get Fredrick. Kim, didn’t you say that you had to call your dad?"
*****"Yeah, thanks for reminding me." Kim vanished into the kitchen.
*****"I’m sorry if I embarrassed you in school today."
*****"That’s okay. The worst part of my day was at lunch. I was mobbed with snobby girls asking me about you. If you had a brother, if that was your real eye color, if you were my boy—" she broke off suddenly.
*****"Boyfriend? I can be if you want me to be." She got up from the couch and grabbed her keys from the table.
*****"A little too fast, I don’t even know you."
*****"Fine. Then you won’t mind if I bother you again tomorrow at school?"
*****"Depends."
*****"On what?"
*****"As long as you don’t bring me breakfast again."
*****"Why not?"
*****"Because even my teacher now has the hots for you. That’s pretty bad."
*****"What about you? Do you think I’m attractive?"
*****"Maybe. Come on I don’t want to be late."
*****Fredrick ran out to greet Adrienne merrily. When he recognized me he smiled. I ruffled his hair and then flashed him a smile in return.
*****"I ‘member you. You’re that person who saved us from the bad man."
*****"Yeah, I guess I am. I hadn’t thought about it that way." Adrienne gave her younger brother a glare and then picked him up.
*****"You stinker! Are you ready to go to the park?"
*****"Yeah!" He noticed Kim and stuck his tongue out at her. Kim stuck hers out right back at him.
*****Fredrick blushed, "Hi Kim."
*****"Hi you little demon. You’re going to behave…right?"
*****"Sure, if I feel like it." Kim laughed and bopped Fredrick on the nose.
*****"You two knock it off. Let’s get to the park."
*****Adrienne set Fredrick down once they were near the park. Fredrick sprinted down towards the park and then scrambled up on to the jungle gym. He tore through the place knocking smaller kids down and creating chaos throughout the playground.
*****"Fredrick, enough!" Adrienne said automatically, like it was normal for her to be saying it.
*****"So have any pets?" Gwen asked, trying to strike up conversation after Adrienne had taken a seat.
*****"A fish, nothing exciting." Adrienne said while admiring his violet eyes. "What about you, have any pets?"
*****"Nope."
*****"What do you do all day if you’re out of school and don’t have any siblings or pets and no job? I’m sorry, I’m prying. I do that sometimes, just yell at me next time."
*****"I don’t do much. Right now my cousin is over and I was supposed to be showing him around but I ditched him to come see you." Gwen said, not afraid to reveal that much to Adrienne.
*****"That’s awful! Why didn’t you just bring him with you?" Adrienne asked, her curiosity aroused.
*****"Because he wouldn’t have approved of you and we would have started fighting, you know."
*****"No, I don’t know." Adrienne was not too sure about Gwen now. Something about him just wasn’t clicking.
*****"It’s hard to explain, can we just drop it?" He asked, starting to get desperate.
*****"Sure," Adrienne said suspiciously.
*****Evening was setting and it was staring to get chilly out. Fredrick was on a swing trying to push himself but not doing a great job. Kim got up and went over to push him, leaving Adrienne alone with Gwen.
*****Gwen was sitting at the far end of the bench that they shared and looking down at the dirt. He was thinking about something that was troubling him. Adrienne shivered and watched as the sun started to set.
*****Gwen suddenly swore and stood up. Adrienne saw a momentary flash of something that looked evil. His eyes darkened and his body became rigid. Adrienne followed his line of vision and found a figure walking towards them.
*****"What’s wrong?" Adrienne asked quietly, suddenly frightened.
*****"It’s my cousin." Adrienne was shocked to find out his change was towards his cousin, a part of his own family. She promised herself that she would talk to him about it later.
*****I pushed away from Adrienne and walked calmly towards Vixen. When he realized who I was with he got a wicked gleam in his eyes.
*****"What the hell are you doing here?" I asked angrily, shoving him. He backed a step from the force of my shove but then put his face right up in mine.
*****"Why the hell should it matter to you…human lover." I lashed out at Vixen angrily and slugged him hard in the face knocking him to the ground. Then I sat atop him and grabbed his hair.
*****"I should kill you right now! How dare you dishonor me by calling me that! I am the son of the first and if you cross me one more time I swear by my father’s name that I will kill you!" I slugged Vixen in the face one more time and then got off him.
*****Vixen rose slowly and then spat at my feet. I muttered one word and he flew backwards a few feet to land in a heap near the swing sets where Kim had stopped pushing Fredrick. I rarely used my vampire powers that I had but this was an instance where I felt compelled to use them.
*****"Go home, now! If you mutter one word of this to my parents…" I let the threat hang. He knew what I would do to him if he told.
*****Vixen cussed at me and then spit in my direction again before he stalked off towards the direction of the lair. I turned and made my way back to Adrienne who sat completely still, stunned.
*****"I’m sorry you had to see that…I just had to make sure that he left. You understand, don’t you?"
*****"I don’t want to talk to you. I have to get home." She stood and walked away towards Kim and Fredrick.
*****"Why did he do that to him?" I heard Kim ask Adrienne.
*****"I don’t know and I don’t want to know. I have to get home. Thanks for coming with me Kim."
*****Kim nodded. Adrienne took Fredrick’s hand and led him off in the direction of their house. Kim finally got her wits about her and marched over towards me.
*****"She’s pissed at you now. What was that all about anyway?"
*****"I just told her I was sorry she had to see me like that with my cousin."
*****"No, not with you and Adrienne, with you and your cousin."
*****"Oh, it was nothing really. He’s just a jerk. He doesn’t listen to anything I say so I have to teach him the hard way. Unfortunately my parents are going to hear about this and I’m gonna be in deep shit. You know what, I better go. Nice meeting you." I jogged away from the playground towards the lair. I knew I was in for it if Vixen told my father. He’d personally kill me if he thought that I was with a human girl and didn’t kill her or wasn’t planning to.
I knew as soon as I was slammed against the wall of the lair that Vixen had told my father and boy he wasn’t happy.
*****"What’s this that I hear that you’ve been with a human all day?" My father strode across the room, fangs bared.
*****"I’m planning to kill her tonight. I was just having fun, getting her to trust me and all before I kill her. You know, I’m sure you’ve tried it before." My father grinned.
*****"I’ve tried many a thing in my days. I still don’t like the fact that you’ve been with this girl all day. Your skin’s becoming too dark; it should be paler. We’re supposed to be creatures of the night, we only go out in the day if we absolutely have to. Understand?"
*****"I’m thinking about making this girl a vamp, you know I need a mate. I came close to taking Terina but I tired of her. This girl…I could spend eternity with her at my side."
"Well then, what are you waiting for?"
*****"I’m not sure that she’d want to spend an eternity with me. I don’t want a mate that hates me. Let me talk to her a few more days and make sure that she’s the one that I want and then I’ll leave her alone. Okay?"
*****"Fine, I’ll give you two more days. After that you either change her or kill her."
*****"Thank you."
*****"Go to your room for the rest of the day. You go out with me tonight to hunt." I fled the main hall of the lair before my father decided to change his mind. Not many vamps could stand up to the wrath of Dracula; I was one of the few considering I was his son.
*****The moon cast silvery pools of light in scattered corners of the park. I followed close to my father. Even though I could hunt for myself he had taken Vixen’s warning to heart. He had also heard about my lie yesterday and had had to face my mothers rage, so he was keeping a weary eye on me. I’d have to be more careful from now on.
*****The park was a good hunting ground but the best place was a grocery store across town. That’s where we were heading right now. I was supposed to feed for two for it was my turn to feed my mother. She was too heavy with my forthcoming sister to hunt. She also didn’t want to risk my sister’s life.
*****My father and I slunk from shadow to shadow until we reached the grocery store. He broke away to the left side of the lot while I took the right. I ducked behind cars in the very back of the lot and sat to wait.
*****My first victim was a man in his late forties. He had a bag full of beer and liquor that clinked as he strode closer to his death. As he stopped at his car I grabbed him from behind and sunk my teeth into his neck. The chemicals in my salvia made him instantly dazed and confused. His body relaxed and I drunk my fill, savoring the rich, hot, thick taste of blood going down my throat.
*****When I was done I set the man down on the ground. I could have killed him but I wasn’t a cruel vampire, I drank enough to satisfy and left the person alive, I’d done so since I was a small vamp, since something inside me had changed. I rummaged in the mans bag and pulled out a beer. I emptied it over his face and the front of his shirt; he would wake up remembering nothing.
*****My next victim was a girl in her early twenties. She was walking to her car quickly when I was suddenly in front of her with my hand around her mouth and my teeth in her supple throat. She relaxed instantly as my saliva went to work, numbing the pain and confusing the mind. When I was done with the girl I unlocked her car and put her in it on the back seat. Then I locked her inside so that no one could hurt her.
*****I met up with my father an hour after we had arrived. He wiped his mouth as he approached me with a content look on his face. We walked in step side by side back to the lair. Vixen was still out hunting and I was relieved for that. I fed my mother and then left the lair again, telling my father I just wanted to go out for a walk.
*****Adrienne kissed Fredrick good night then went back downstairs to do her homework. Math was slow, and English was fall asleep boring but Adrienne did it anyway. School was not really a thriller on her part. She got C’s and B’s on an average. She didn’t know if she wanted to go to college or not and now she had Gwen to complicate her life even more.
*****He was beautiful, charming, seductive, mysterious, and secretive. She had a feeling that there was more to him that meets the eye. Yawning Adrienne closed her English book and put her things away. She was tired and ready to get some sleep.
*****"Good night dad." Adrienne called to her father.
*****"Good night darling. I have to leave early tomorrow; I’ve got a shoot three hours away. Make sure Fredrick gets to school on time."
*****"How am I going to do that? My school starts an hour and a half before his."
*****"I guess you’ll have to go in late. Sorry pumpkin." Annoyed Adrienne climbed the stairs and entered her room.
*****To her surprise her window was open and she didn’t remember having opened it. Flabbergasted Adrienne closed her window and then spun suddenly as the floorboards creaked unexpectedly.
*****Someone stood in her room, amongst the shadows by her bed. He shifted when he noticed that she had seen him and started forwards. Adrienne started to let out a scream when his hand clamped down on her mouth. She struggled to get free from his grip but failed for he was extremely strong. Finally he spoke.
*****"Hey, calm down, I’m not going to hurt you." Adrienne recognized Gwen’s voice and relaxed slightly. "I’m going to take my hand off your mouth, please don’t scream." Gwen lifted his hand from her mouth and eased away from Adrienne.
*****Adrienne spun away from Gwen and turned to face him. Her face was flustered and her pulse was racing. Gwen smiled at her and then took a step closer. Adrienne backed up instinctively.
*****"What are you doing here?" She asked furiously in a hushed whisper. "My father is just downstairs! If he knew you were up here he’d kill me!"
*****"Then just don’t tell him." Gwen took another stride forward. Adrienne tried to back away from him but the bed was in her way.
*****"You should go, I have to get to bed. I need to be up early tomorrow morning."
*****"Can’t I stay for a little while?" Gwen asked stepping even closer, his hips now lightly brushing hers.
*****"No. I really thing you should go." Adrienne felt her palms start to sweat and her heart start to beat faster from the heat of his unyielding body. A strand of his silky brown hair had fallen in front of his eyes and Adrienne longed to reach out and brush it back.
*****"Can’t I stay, just for a few minutes?" Adrienne closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. He was so close she could feel his breath on her neck, sending ripples of pleasure through her body.
*****"I’m afraid of what will happen if I let you stay a few more minutes."
*****"I’ll be a good boy, I promise." Gwen now slipped his hand behind her back and drew her slowly closer. Adrienne felt his chest come in contact with hers and could feel firm, taunt muscles underneath his thin black shirt.
A lifetime of courting made me an expert at what I was doing. I slipped my hand behind Adrienne’s back and slowly drew her closer until her chest came into contact with mine. Her perky breasts making me yearn for her even more. Then slowly I lowered my head down to her mouth and kissed her, softly, tenderly.
Adrienne’s knees wobbled and I supported her. I kissed her again, this time deeper and with more demand. Adrienne wound her hand into my hair and pulled me closer. I slipped my tongue into her mouth and felt her pull back in surprise.
"What, what’s wrong?"
"I’ve never been French kissed before."
"Trust me, you’ll like it." I drew her back towards me and kissed her again, but just brushed the insides of her mouth with my tongue. She drew back a little bit but didn’t pull away. I took that as a sign and I put my tongue back into her mouth and explored it. When I pulled away from her she was breathing hard and her face was flushed.
"I’m sorry if what I did today made you mad. Me and my cousin are like rivals. I just lost it when I saw him. He’s a charming person and I wouldn’t want to take the chance of losing you."
"Oh Gwen." Adrienne wrapped her arms around me and I welcomed the embrace. "I just don’t know you. Things are moving so fast…I just don’t know whether to trust you or not."
I sighed into her hair and hugged her tighter. "I don’t know what to tell you. There isn’t any way for me to make you trust me. My word is the only thing I have."
"For right now, shut up and kiss me." I smiled and willingly kissed Adrienne again.
Adrienne melted into me. I welcomed her and kissed her deeper. Then to my surprise I found Adrienne’s tongue in my mouth. I let her explore but when she grazed one of my sheathed fangs I pulled away.
"Can I touch you?" I asked, trying to steer her away from kissing me and what would happen if her tongue came in actual contact of my fangs and cut her tongue. It was hard enough right now to control myself from biting into her soft neck and drinking her just for the pure joy of it.
"Touch me how?"
I brought one of my hands from behind her back and slipped it up the front of her sweater. Adrienne gasped at the coldness of my hand and the shock of my hand up her sweater. She didn’t push away from me so I took that as a good omen. I felt my way over her flat sleek stomach to the curve of her breast. Then with a quick skillful move I had Adrienne’s sweater on the floor at our feet.
Surprised Adrienne covered her chest with her hands, even though she had a bra on. I grinned at her and kissed her on her cheek before moving to kiss her neck and shoulder, trying really hard to control my fangs as I did so. Adrienne relaxed slightly. I then moved my hand to the back of her bra and unhooked it. I slid the straps down her shoulders and let them fall to her arms that were still crossed tightly against her chest.
I pried Adrienne’s hands away from her chest and let her bra fall to the floor revealing her small, perky breasts. Adrienne was breathing hard, watching my eyes light up at the sight of her. I took cupped one of her small breasts in my hand and then stroked her nipple with my thumb, making it rise up in response.
"This is how." I said as Adrienne groaned and closed her eyes, tilting her head back slightly as she did so. She had goose bumps all down her arms and along her chest. Then pushing my good luck I took her rosy peak in my mouth, and that was the end of it. Adrienne pushed away very suddenly and covered her chest with her arms again.
"That’s enough. I think you better go now." I nodded and went back to her window. I slid it open and the went through, feet first. I pushed off and landed on my feet with a dull thud. I then raced off into the shadows of the night back to the lair before my father got suspicious about my outing.
Shaking from head to foot Adrienne found her bra on the ground and slipped it back on. Then sniffling Adrienne rooted around for her shirt. Before she knew it she was bawling her eyes out. He had said he would be good, he hadn’t said her would touch her like that and make her insides melt to mush.
Pulling herself together Adrienne went to the bathroom and cleaned off her face. She soaked a cloth in cold water and pressed it against her face. Her sobs soon turned to sniffles and then diminished. Taking in a big shaky breath Adrienne went back into her room where she curled herself up into a tight ball on her bed and then fell into a restless sleep.
Adrienne almost expected Gwen to jump out in front of her as she made her way to the bus stop the next morning. She was glad when she arrived and he hadn’t and wasn’t anywhere in sight. Kim showed up minutes later and plastered Adrienne for answers.
"Well, why did you run off after he got into that fight?"
"Do we have to talk about this right now? I’m exhausted. I had to get up super early to get Fredrick dressed and ship him over to a friends house. My dad left late last night to go to a photo shoot. I was stuck with finding a place for Fredrick at the last minute. I’m tired and groggy and still upset about him coming back over last night so please just leave me alone."
"He came back over last night?" Adrienne cussed, something she rarely did, and stomped away. "What, what’d I stay?"
"I don’t want to talk about it, okay?"
"Why not, did you two do something that you now regret?" Kim asked, raising an eyebrow.
Adrienne was silent for as moment. "I said I didn’t want to talk about it so will you please leave me alone?"
"You did! I can’t believe it! Adrienne of all the people I know I would least expect you to put out, even if he is gorgeous."
"Could you say it any louder Kim, I think that Australia didn’t hear you! Besides I didn’t have sex with him."
"But you came close didn’t you?"
"I don’t know, I’ve never been kissed, let alone touched like he touched me."
"How did he touch you?"
"I can’t tell you here."
"But there’s no one here yet but you and me."
"So, it’s still too public."
"Fine then as soon as you get home you’re going to tell me all the details."
"All right!"
With this said more students had arrived for the bus that had shortly appeared after.