A/N: I'm back! Thanks everyone for the wonderful reviews. I really appreciated them. They made me feel so much better about this story. The first few chapters are kinda slow so bare with me please. For now, I'm rating this story T, but I have plans for it that might earn it an M. We'll see, I'll leave it up to you guys. Well, read and enjoy...
Losing in the Game of Life Already
When the grueling and over-dramatic first day of school was finally over, Amber and Holly were making their way towards the student parking lot. Holly had managed to sweet talk their way out of the detentions they would have gotten by saying that there had been a "feminine crisis" and Amber had been in desperate need of a tampon. By some small miracle it had worked, and they had been let off with a warning. It might have helped that Holly was Prof. O'Connell's favorite student, too. All well, either way they had gotten out if their punishment and were now home free.
"So what are you going to do when you get home?" Holly asked as they cut across the soccer field.
"I don't know…" Amber sighed, running her fingers through her bangs again. "I still have to pick up Maggie from school. Then, probably get started on some of that bogus homework some of our teachers gave us. I think the teachers that assign homework on the first day needed to be checked into an asylum or something. It's just not right. Anyway, then I'll have to get dinner started before Dad gets home."
"Yeah well…while you're bustin' your ass off with all that shit, I'm going to be rockin' out to my music for a couple five hours. Then, if I have the energy…I'll go and grab a veggie wrap from the kitchen and retreat back up to my lair to try and break my eardrums again. And maybe I'll find time to squeeze in a shower and sleep." Holly said, thoughtfully. "I don't know; I'll see how it goes."
"You're so weird." Amber muttered with a smirk, shaking her head.
"Would you like me if I was anything less?" Holly asked, sweetly.
Amber chuckled lightly, but said nothing. Suddenly, their comfortably warm and light-humored discussion was broken when a low voice shouted out, "Yo, Amber!"
The two girls stopped under a large oak tree and turned to see who had called. That's when they spotted a tall skater-looking guy striding towards them. This was Matt Simns, Amber's somewhat-pleasant boyfriend. He wore a tight fitting white shirt with the sleeves pushed up his arms and his uniform pant were pulled down so that they hung low on his hips, displaying hints of his boxers. His blazer was slung over his shoulder at the moment, and his tie hung loosely from his neck. A black and white beanie was pulled snuggling on his head, covering most of his shaggy, platinum blonde hair. As he approached the girls, they noticed that his eyes were fixed on Amber coldly; obviously he wasn't too happy with her for some reason. When he stopped in front of them, he crossed his arms over his broad chest. He towered over them both; his presence almost seemed menacing.
"What's the matter, Matt?" Amber asked, just barely able to hide the hint of fear in her tone. "You seem upset about something."
"You're damn right I'm upset!" He growled, angrily, his icy blue eyes glinting dangerously. "I heard that you were seen flirting with that prick Jason Farr whose on the football team! You care to tell me what that's about?!"
"I didn't flirt with Jason. We're just friends. I gave him a few answers in Geometry, that's all. I felt bad for the guy. He's as dumb as a doorknob." Amber explained, hurriedly, trying to crack a joke to lighten the mood.
Matt seemed not at all convinced. He took another step closer to Amber, backing her up against the tree, throwing his blazer down in the process. Holly watched frozenly as he stood an inch away from her, sneering right in her face, "You're lying to me! You were too flirting with him, you little whore!"
"No, i…it's the truth, Matt! Ho…honest!" Amber stuttered in a high- pitched tone that was so different from her usual confident drawl. "I'd never lie to you. I…I love you. I could only ever love you. I'm yours, remember?"
After looking her up and down for a minute, an arrogant smirk took over his ugly scowl, making him actually seem quite gorgeous. The smirk made Amber's fears dissolve and made her knees feel weak. She always felt that way when Matt looked at her like that. But Holly on the other hand was still wary and afraid. She saw the true monster underneath the handsome façade, the beast sleeping within just waiting for the opportune moment to wake up and devour the woman in front of him. Matt's arms snuck around Amber's waist pulling her impossibly close to his body. Amber's hands came to rest up on his chest looking as if she just might push him away. The fearful look re-appeared in her aqua orbs.
"That's right, Baby." Matt whispered, huskily. "You're mine and always will be. Always remember that."
"How…how could I ever forget?" Amber stuttered, quietly.
"Good, now…how was your day, Love?" He asked, brushing back her bangs almost tenderly.
"Alright, I guess. I got sent to the Provost's office again otherwise it was just dull." Amber replied, tentatively.
"I see, so am I going to see you tonight?" Matt inquired, raising a suggestive blonde eyebrow.
"I…I don't know. It depends how late my dad has to work." Amber answered, a little unsure of his reaction. "I gotta take care of my sister.'
"Well," Matt whispered, bring his lips close to her ear, "you've got my number if you need it. I can be over and ready to either sneak you out or scale your drain pipe, which ever is easier."
Amber's eyes fluttered shut with lust as his hot breath ghosted over her ear. As he pulled away, he nipped playfully at the small golden hoop on her upper right ear.
"So…call me." He told her, winking flirtatiously as he lowered his lips and captured hers in a fierce kiss.
Holly turned away at this point for it was almost too sickening to watch. Not because it was graphic or anything, she could take that. It's just…it didn't seem right. Amber gave into his control and took up the role she despised more than anything else: the submissive. Just once, she wanted to be the controller and steal a kiss from him, not the other way around. She just wanted to see what it was like. But no…Matt devoured her mouth, pushing his tongue into her mouth roughly, the piercing on the end of it hitting the roof of her mouth painfully, and nearly making her gag as he tried to stick it down her throat. He gripped her hard, almost crushing her petite frame into his hard body. Very briefly, Amber wished Matt could be a little gentler, but she just threw that idea out as soon as it had come. Would she like Matt if he was anything less than what he already was?
Finally, he pulled away, separating their connection and leaving her gasping for air. Matt smirked smugly down at her as he played with his lower lip lightly, his hands too covered in fraid, black fingerless gloves. He always did this right after he kissed her. Holly watched with relief as he made a kissing motion to Amber before stalking off. Her gray eyes then, drifted over to her friend worriedly. She looked dazed to say the least. Holly walked up closer to her, standing right in front of her and waving a hand in front of her face. Amber blinked a few times before the look in her eyes that made her look high left and she actually focused on Holly.
"Are you okay?" Holly asked, somewhat anxiously.
"Yeah…yeah, I'm fine." Amber answered, gulping down a pant.
"Okay, let's get to our cars." Holly suggested linking her arm through Amber's for support.
Amber merely nodded in response and followed obediently. Holly didn't want to say the things she really wanted to. Everytime she told Amber how bad Matt was for her and how she really needed to break up with him, she'd just get so upset. She'd say things like "oh, he's not really all that bad" or "he's a completely different person when we're alone". Holly knew they were lies; Amber had always been a terrible liar. But Holly knew the reason why Amber wouldn't break-up with him.
She was afraid.
Amber was afraid that Matt would hurt her if she dumped him, which he most likely would. Matt didn't take rejection well, which was why his daddy had to buy his way onto the soccer team just incase if he didn't make it, even though he was now one of the best players St. Lawrence Academy had ever seen. That and for some reason Amber had a weird obsession with Matt's anger-infused passion. It was kinda like the whole Stanley and Stella deal. Even though Amber hated being submissive, part of her was still intrigued by it. Holly just wished Amber would see the light and break it all off, that way she wouldn't have to pretend she didn't see the bruises on her arms and face or pretend to believe the pathetic lies of running into a door.
Once they got to their cars, Holly made sure Amber was alright to drive and told her to call her later if she wanted. Amber smiled and told her goodbye before sliding into her red BMW convertible. She drove to her younger sister Margaret's school just a few blocks away and picked her up before heading home. As Maggie went on about her great first day of second grade, Amber drove into an upper-class neighborhood lined with lush trees and bushes and grand brick townhouses. Even as they pass down this peaceful and quiet street, Amber had to wonder how something so pleasant could exist in a city as dangerous as hers. She pulled into the driveway of house 58B and parked right behind a black Jaguar.
"Yay, Daddy's home!" Maggie exclaimed in her high little girl voice, grabbing her book bag and jumping out of Amber's car.
Amber followed more reservedly, nor very thrilled with the fact that her father was home early. Her car beeped as she locked it, and she followed Maggie up the stone steps to the front door. The little eight year old jumped up and down excitedly as Amber opened the door slowly, trying to stall for time. But when the door opened and the light from the crystal chandelier in the foyer glared down at her, Amber knew she was only avoiding the inevitable. Maggie bounced into the house daintily, handing her maroon blazer to the door maid with a smile before sprinting off in the direction of their father's study. Amber slid her messenger bag off and dropped it on the floor as the maid said politely in greeting, "Good afternoon, Miss. How was your day?"
"Just fine, thank you. Is my dad in his study?" Amber replied, sticking her hand in the pocket of her blazer and crumpling the blue note anxiously.
"I believe so, Miss." The maid answered.
With a thankful nod, Amber made her way down the hall slowly, messing with her lacy gloves idly. It wasn't that she was afraid of her father. No, Amber wasn't scared of him in the slightest, but she wasn't exactly looking forward to the severe scolding that was surely in store for her when he found out she got yet-another blue slip. The door to the large study was open, but Amber went no further than the doorway. Maggie sat behind a large mahogany desk on the lap of a middle-aged man with salt and pepper colored hair. His face was mostly clean-shaven, except for the little mustache that twitch on his upper lips. The little girl on his lap giggled as he poked her sides lightly, smiling widely himself. Maggie's blonde curls bounced around her face as she thrashed this way and that. With tears of mirth in her eyes, Maggie turned and saw Amber standing there watching them.
"Sissy, Daddy won't quit tickling me!" The child exclaimed.
Amber put on her best fake smile that she could muster. If only he had played with her like that when she had been Maggie's age… That's when Amber's father turned to look at her. Those piercing periwinkle blue eyes of his seemed to stare right through her soul, making Amber wonder how those same eyes could have been given to Maggie. Ronald Hemingway looked his daughter over with a mixture of disappointment and revulsion. Amber just stuck her head up in the air with pride and pretended that his judgmental gaze didn't bother her.
"And I hope your first day of school went well, too, Amber." Mr. Hemingway stated, his eyes narrowing already in suspicion.
"Coulda been better." She replied, stiffly.
Ronald's eyes narrowed even more at this response, but when his gaze shifted down to his younger daughter, his expression softened.
"Maggie, why don't you do up to your room and get started on your homework?" He suggested, softly.
"Okay, Papa." Maggie replied, jumping off of his lap.
On her way out the door, she stopped to hug Amber around the waist before skipping happily down the hall. The older daughter shut the door behind her, thinking of the screaming match that was to come. Ronald got up from his chair and stood with his back to Amber, looking out the large window in front of him.
"What did you do this time, Amber?" He asked, wearily.
"Dress code violation." She answered, taking the blue slip out of her blazer pocket.
"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Ronald sighed, turning towards her and taking an ink pen out of his suit pocket.
With a flick of his wrist, he signaled her to come closer. Amber did as she was told just to make things more bearable for herself. She gave him the note without a word and watched as he signed it. It didn't escape her notice when he'd glance up from the note briefly to look at her. She smirked internally at this. He was only a head taller…maybe just a little more, and Amber knew her father found this slightly intimidating. That and her eyes were always a constant reminder of the one thing that he had loved most that he'd also lost.
"Now, Amber…"
"I know, Dad. I know, I gotta straighten up in school or there will be serious consequences to pay if I don't." Amber recited, while rolling her eyes. "I got the whole speech from the Provost earlier."
"Well, it wouldn't hurt for you to hear it again." He replied, sternly, giving her slip back. "Maybe it would actually sink in this time."
Amber sputtered sarcastically and rolled her eyes, turning to leave.
"Don't you walk away from me, young lady!" Mr. Hemingway barked, irritably.
"Why? What are you going to do about it if I don't?" Amber snapped back, turning to him slightly and putting a gloved hand on her hip.
"You're my daughter and you live under my roof. You will do what you're told!" Ronald seethed through clenched teeth.
"Oh, yeah and that's plenty of reason for me to listen to you." She scoffed back.
"You insolent little brat…I don't know why I even bother to reason with you!" He shouted, his eyes glowing with anger. "You should know you're this close to being thrown out onto the streets!"
"Now, Father, that wouldn't be very smart when election time starts rolling around." Amber retorted with a cold smirk. "What would your constituents think if they found out their "perfect" State's Attorney threw his own daughter out on the streets to starve?"
Mr. Hemingway's lips tightened into a thin line, and Amber's smirk grew, knowing that she was right. With a bitter laugh, she said, "That's what I thought."
She whirled around and strode towards the door. Her hand was right on the knob when her father's voice hissed, spitefully, "You're as deranged and hopeless as your mother!"
This made Amber stop dead in her tracks. It felt as if her heart had stopped beating and grown icy cold. Her hands shook violently with rage, rattling the golden door handle noisily. When she spun back around, Amber saw her dad's still infuriated expression, but his eyes gleamed with hateful triumph at striking a nerve in his daughter.
"Don't you dare talk about her to me like that!" Amber snarled, viciously.
"Why not? She is worthless trash, and you know it!" He spat back.
"You're just sore because she left this loveless and lonely life she had with you to be happy and free, something you wouldn't let her be!" Amber sneered, frostily, turning back towards the door. "You never understood her and you never will!"
"You think you know your mother so well! You give her pity when she deserves none!" Her father called out behind her. "She left when you were only eleven, yet you think you've got her all figured out. She left you, too, Amber! She left you with me!"
Amber looked down at her feet as his taunting words rang throughout her head, but she refused to believe them. Her mother had loved her; she still did. Pale fingers came up to brush the pendant that hung from her slender neck. It was a sapphire-encrusted silver crucifix that hung from a black lace choker. Several other small silver chains hung with it. The necklace had once been her mother's, and Amber had found it on top of her dresser the morning her mom had disappeared. A little note had been laid under it, telling Amber that someday she would come back for her and Maggie. For six years Amber had worn the necklace…for six years she had waited. And even though the chances of her mom ever coming back to get her were growing slimmer with each day that passed, Amber still held some small sliver of hope deep down in her heart.
"She'll come for me." Amber whispered softly to herself. "She promised."
As she left the study and ran up the steps to her room grabbing up her messenger bag as she went, Amber let a single tear fall from her aqua eyes. She allowed it to trail down her face, finding comfort in the wet streak it had left behind. Finally, Amber came to a mahogany door with a large poster of Evanescence plastered up on it and dug out the key to the lock from her blazer pocket. After unlocking the door, Amber turned the handle and stepped inside her sanctuary, slamming the door behind her again. The "Do Not Disturb" sign would ward off any unwanted guests. Everyone in the house knew Amber preferred to be alone after school and usually let her be to blare her music and drown out everything else in existence.
Dropping her bag down on the midnight blue plush carpet and throwing off her beloved hat, Amber ran and hurled herself onto her bed. Her body bounced a couple times before settling down comfortably. She turned to her right and grabbed for the remote to her iHome, turning on her music. Bring Me to Life by Evanescence blasted through the small speakers, and Amber closed her eyes in relaxation. Amy Lee always had a way of taking her mind off of stressing matters. The woman was a genius and a brilliant singer. Slowly, Amber re-opened her eyes, staring blankly up at her dark plum canopy. Her father wouldn't let her decorate her room in all black as she had wanted, so she chose the next best thing: dark purples and blues.
The walls were painted bluish-purple and when she had candles burning and just a few lamps on, the room looked so warm and inviting. Her comforter was a satiny patch work of dark plum, light and dark ocean blue with patterns of suns, moons, and stars stitched into it with silver thread. An array of beaded pillows in different shapes and colors littered her black rot iron headboard. The heavy dark blue curtains were pulled tightly over her windows, blocking out the sunlight from her glittering cave. Band posters and paintings she had done herself were hung up on the wall, while candles and other little trinkets cluttered the tops of her cherry wood dressers and tables.
No black, just as she had promised her dad. Well…except for the moon-and-star designs she had painted on the walls in black glitter acrylic paint. She smiled when she remembered how he'd come in right after she'd gotten done with painting them. Oh, the look on his face had been priceless. He'd been so angry that he'd grounded her from her painting for a month, which had nearly killed her. Painting and sketching were forms of stress reliever for Amber; things that could take her mind off of anything that was troubling her. Her latest subjects of interest for her artwork though would surely send her father up the roof.
The thought of sketching these subjects gave her that hungry feeling in the pit of her stomach; her hands were just itching to hold a charcoal pencil. Bending over slightly, Amber picked up her messenger bag and started to rifle through it, looking for her sketch book and pencil case. After finding them, she through her bag back onto the floor and reached for another remote on her dresser. This one turned on her TV. She put it on mute, only the image of the afternoon news letting anyone know that it was actually on. Amber smiled in satisfaction before starting to flip open her book to a blank page. She liked having the TV on while she was drawing, even if she preferred the sound of her music over the people talking.
She started to sketch out the figures quickly, letting the picture take form as it pleased. Amber never really knew what she was going to sketch before she did. Sometimes it seemed like the pencil in her hand had a mind of its own and was just guiding her hand to do its biding. But Amber wasn't complaining; her spontaneous drawings were always so much better than her thought-out ones. Suddenly, a bright flash of light from the TV caused Amber to glance up from her sketch. But when she did, her eyes flew right back up to the screen and stayed glued on it intently. On the screen, an emergency news bulletin had been posted. A sharply-dressed newswoman behind a large oak desk was saying something to the camera while the picture beside her summarized her words. Amber reached over subconsciously and pressed the volume button on her remote, turning the sound up before turning the sound on her iHome down.
"Another vampire attack was reported late this afternoon right around the slums near the Boundary Line area. A young woman in her early twenties was found by the Patrol drained completely of her blood. The only proof of the suspected killer was the four-point incision mark on the side of her neck. The bite was said to have severed her jugular, cutting right through muscle and tendons. My sources aren't releasing the name of the victim yet, only that she is being transferred to the city morgue as we speak. The Patrol is still on the look out for the possible attacker, hoping to kill him before anymore murders can be committed." The woman explained, solemnly. "All citizens near the Boundary Line area are advised to seek immediate shelter during sunset and anoint their doorways with a cross to prevent any vampire intrusions. Keep tuned in for any more information on the latest attack. You can also read about it on our website at www. lawrencehillnewsteam. org/vampireattackandprotection.html for the latest in vampire protection methods. Back to you, Tom."
Amber turned off her TV in a daze, her music playing quietly in the background.
Not another killing…this is the fifth one this week! She thought, hopelessly.
The city of Lawrence Hill wasn't only known for their super corporations or large economy intake. No, Lawrence Hill was one of the few cities in the U.S. where vampires lives along side humans. It had been like this many years before Amber's father was even born. It was said that when the founders of the city came to this location, they found it over-run with the night-walking, blood-drinking menace. Even though it seemed like a ludicrous things to fight over, the founders actually discovered a way to control the vampires. With electric shock and crucifixes, they bound the beasts to their will. Now, the vampires were all kept in one part of the city…in the Vampire District or the "Vampire Ghetto" as some people preferred to call it. An elite squad of protectors, the "Night Patrol", was suppose to keep the Boundary Line between the vampire territory and that of the humans secure, so no vampires could sneak into the city.
But even that line of defense seemed to be failing now. More and more attacks were occurring every week, more innocent people were dying. The news tried to make people think they were safe by anointing crosses on their doorways and advising them not to invite strangers into their home. But, the crosses would only work if your faith was strong, and the vampires could just control you into inviting them in if they wished. The truth was, no one was actually safe anymore. The vampires were strong and ruthless, even more so when they were hungry. Prison cells couldn't even hold them, so even if they did catch a vampire, they'd have to kill it immediately.
They frightened Amber to the core…and yet, she still felt that old natural curiosity towards these strange creatures. When she was younger, Amber had dreamed about meeting a real vampire and of even becoming one herself. Her father had put an end to that of course by showing her pictures of the cases he had taken in against a few vampires. Some of those still haunted her to this day. And even though she hoped she'd never actually run into one on a dark lonely night in some alley, Amber still had the craving…the desire to be bitten. Maybe…just maybe then she wouldn't be considered a freak.
Amber just shook her head of that notion. She couldn't allow herself to picture being a mistress of the night, of slaking her lust for blood on some poor innocent bystander that just happened to cross her path. Cause every time she actually thought about taking someone's blood, Maggie popped into mind. That sweet and angelic little girl with sun-golden curls framing her face smiling up at her before her face contorted with pain as Amber sunk her fangs into her delicate little neck. Or Holly…her body laying limp in some alley, flesh turning blue from lack of oxygen and her blood smeared all over Amber's mouth. These thoughts sent chills down Amber's spine and she shook her head vigorously to get rid of the images. No, she could never be a vampire. They were loathsome and vile…
Then, Amber's eyes drifted down to her sketch. It was of a waltzing couple, faces covered by masquerade masks. The pair started off small at the very corner on the left side of her pager and slowly grew bigger as they went through the various steps until they reach the middle. The man had his partner tilted back into a low dip, holding her in his arms gently, while the woman's head was bent back in ecstasy, hair cascading down towards the ground in silken curls. But then, the picture became disturbing for when you looked closer, as the man bowed his head towards her neck, a pair of double incisors could be seen protruding from his upper row of teeth.
A Vampire's Waltz… Amber thought, grimly.
This was her obsession…these were her subjects. In her drawings, the vampires became less frightening and more…intoxicating. The handsome young man in the drawing made her blood boil and skin crawl with desire. As she stared at the sketch longer, she started to see herself as the woman bent back in his arms. Amber closed her eyes, imagining herself in the perfect black and blue gothic dress; black hair pulled back and curled elegantly….and her masked Romeo dipping her into a graceful pose… Then, she could almost feel his warm, tantalizing breath upon the arch of her throat.
And then, her most perfect daydream was broken when someone knocked on her door. Amber's eyes snapped open and to her disappointment, she found herself back in her room and not in the arms of her handsome night walker. Another knock sounded from her door, this time a little more impatiently. Her aqua eyes glared at the slab of wood, a low growl emitting from her mouth as she switched off her music. She laid her sketch book down and swung herself off of her bed, stomping over to the door. Just as the person started to knock again, Amber unlocked her door and threw it open, snapping out irritably, "WHAT?!"
She stared out ahead of her and saw nothing but the railing that looked out over the lower level of the house.
"Um, Sis…" A tentatively quiet voice piped up below her.
Amber looked down in the direction the voice had come from and her eyes softened immediately. Maggie stood before her, looking a little unsure now after her older sister's out-burst. A smile found its way to Amber's now-fading red lips as she knelt down slightly.
"What is it, Maggie?" She asked, gently.
"Do you think…you could maybe…help me on my…homework… please?" Maggie replied, choosing her words carefully as she looked down at the ground and swiveled the toe of her foot cutely.
The smile on Amber's face grew warm as it only could for Maggie.
"Of course I can." Amber answered, standing back up and offering her hand.
Maggie looked up with a bright smile, the little gap in her upper row of teeth where she'd just lost a tooth made it seem that much more adorable. She took her sister's hand, her chubby little fingers entwining with the longer pale, gloved ones. They walked down the hall together, hand in hand; Maggie skipping happily as she said, "I just don't understand my times tables, Sissy! Their so much harder than the teacher told us they'd be!"
"Don't you worry, Margaret! By the time I'm through teaching you, you'll be saying your times tables in your sleep!" Amber announced.
But then…there were times like these when Amber wouldn't give up the world for a hundred handsome vampires…
A/N: Well, I hoped you liked it. This chapter was actually hard to write, but I think I did good. An abusive boyfriend, a down-grading father, and a city over-run with vampires...what will I add next? I hope I did good with describing Amber's fear/obsession with vampires. She supposed to be terrified of them, yet have a secret wish to find out what they're really like. Well, I better get to work on the next chapie. Review please!
