Disclaimer: I disclaim all but my original characters, including any references to songs or movies.
Rickie looked so terrified that I sought his shaking hands with mine. When he started to cry in jerking sobs, I pulled his whole body close to me and sang to him. I sang his favorite lullaby's from our time at the orphanage. One of which was from an Opera called Hansel und Gretel by Engelbert Humperdinck. Great name, I know, but the song was beautiful and soothing. It had been translated from German to English by someone, I didn't care who, and the lyrics were sweet nothings about angels watching over sleeping children.
I hummed softly, right by his ear. He was only what, seventeen this year? He was still a child... And he'd always been a bit of a crybaby. Something about a good contrast between physical and emotional strength.
"You know what?" I prompted him, "I think it would be nice to have some new appliances in the kitchen. What all are you going to replace, Cocoa-butter?" He looked up at me through his tears, finally stopping the sobbing that soaked through my shirt.
"Th'stove," he choked a bit, but, as if the words calmed him, he began to speak more smoothly "An' the oven first... They look as old as the whole house. The fridge, I want one with a freezer drawer at the bottom, an' a place to pour water out from the door that puts out specific measurements." He was distracting himself marvelously, so I kept the charade.
"I didn't know that they could do that Rickie, when did you find all this out? Do you actually spend any time with your tutors studying school subjects at all?" I smiled painfully down at him. No need to mention that the drugs were wearing off. It would keep me sharp for... I didn't know what for.
"You know," and I kept talking, just to kill time until we were killed ourselves. Ha. I crack me up.
I was doing a marvelous job of distracting the both of us too. But I had questions I needed answered. Why were we here? How did they massacre the rest of the group? I needed to know these things before I made any rational decisions about what I could do to at least try to protect us. Who knew why they decided to separate us first. Experiments?
"I think that we should put in new hardwood floors in the foyer. How about a new Persian rug in the den? You've been saying you wanted a dog too... I shouldn't keep you from having one just because I'm fragile," I kept babbling, though my mind was busy with more relevant thoughts, "If you want one, we can find ways to protect my bones from a careless pet. Just keep it away from the greenhouse and we'll be fine! What kind of dog do you want? Not a small one though, I prefer big dogs."
He was starting to show signs of denial of our situation. Good. He started talking about dogs then. What breeds were good, and how to care and train those breeds. I didn't bother to listen. I really should have gotten him one. There were so many things I could have gotten him.
Ah. So there was that regret I hadn't been feeling, creeping up like kudzu. Strangling me. I took a deep breath, and Rickie fell silent, laying his head on my chest, against the beat of my heart. It was still steady, my breaths were even, and I started humming again. More for me than Rickie now. He needed me to be stronger.
I knew I could never get out of here, and I knew I couldn't get Rickie out either, not by busting out of this cell and making a break for it. Somehow I knew they'd catch him. Quickly. When the screaming had started upstairs, there had been no gunshots, but the accompaniment of lots and lots of snarling, growling noises.
Rickie couldn't run, no... but if they wanted something from us... If I could negotiate... Maybe... just maybe... I could save him.
Marcus finished his meal quickly and efficiently, avoiding any spatter on his clothing. A man in his twenties whose blood tasted just like any other man, or woman for that matter. He didn't care for feeding on children. There was nothing pleasing about it, just like there wasn't much of a thrill to hunt mice in a cage.
Not that Marcus was one for thrills in the first place, but... perhaps it had been too long since he'd seen a human who actually believed himself capable of escaping. That was where the fun was supposed to be, right? But Marcus shed the thought from his mind as he did most thoughts, and left to find his brother, who'd led the woman away.
Such a curious thing, that woman. She'd looked so strong, and yet, terribly fragile. A contradiction... dark, red hair, and silvery blue eyes. They were an attractive combination, but there was something odd about the shade of her skin, and the slight deformation of her nose and fingers. ...Perhaps, then, she was not attractive except that she was interesting?
It didn't matter either way to Marcus. He simply wanted his obligation to be complete, without actually having to go through with the deed. Marcus spotted Aro then, coming out of the elevator in the lobby.
"Ah! Marcus, my brother! You have definitely chosen a unique specimen for our work! The man with her may become a problem, however. They are extremely close, the two of them." and Aro frowned. "Separating their bond may be difficult for Chelsea." Marcus wondered which one was Chelsea briefly, before once again deciding he didn't care.
"But," continued Aro jovially, "The woman is a frail human whose bones shatter at the slightest pressure," he stopped smiling then, "It will be a challenge to stop yourself from killing her."
Marcus stared at his brother blankly, watching the slightest change in his bright red eyes when he lost patience and reached for Marcus's hand. His brain felt a tiny tickle. Most people wouldn't notice their mind being read, but, after thousands years of sharing his thoughts with Aro, Marcus could feel it in his head. Perhaps he was simply going senile... If vampires could go senile, that is.
Aro made a face when he was through. "Perhaps I was too hasty in thinking that she would be of enough interest to you to continue this experiment," He seemed nonchalant, but kept his hand on Marcus's. "Maybe we should send them both with the next group and look for a new human woman."
Marcus felt a small wave of... something... he wasn't sure what, but it was what Aro had been looking for, and he smiled again. "Then again, why don't you go introduce yourself to her, and we'll save that decision for later?"
He held Marcus's hand a bit longer, feeling the confusion that was beginning to overwhelm the parts of Marcus's mind that continued to function after Didyme died. Marcus was one of the oddest vampires that Aro had ever met. He simply stopped working after she had...Died. He had been an odd vampire beforehand as well. Passionate. Rather like Carlisle in some ways, and that had always worried Aro slightly... Enough that, even though he encouraged this experiment, he was very wary of the way Marcus reacted to it. He had to be.
Aro let go of Marcus's hand, and Marcus felt the tickling feeling go away, and turned soundlessly to do the bidding of his brother. Aro was behaving in a particularly suspicious manner, and it was leaving him even more unsettled. He walked to the elevator and stepped inside. The doors closed and Marcus sighed quietly. He watched the numbers change on the monitor as he moved below the surface of the city, into the dungeons of the castle where his victim awaited him.
We didn't have long to wait in that little cell before there was the sound of the door rattling. Rickie froze in my arms and took in a trembling breath. I tightened my grip on him, so he wouldn't try to protect me from whatever came through to meet us. When the door finally opened, I caught a pair of red eyes, glazed with a milky film, but bright and eerie at the same time. I felt a hundred emotions sweep through me in that one moment. But they subsided to a faint lull and clung to my conscious mind, as if something bound me to him. It wasn't fear, not even for my Rickie. Something about him seemed so soft to me...
"Hello," I started, not sure what I should say to him, "I was wondering if you would explain what it is you want with us...?" He kept looking at me... studying me. So I looked back, pressing Rickie against me to keep him out of whatever was going on between this monster and me.
He had long, dark hair, and he was tall, very tall, a little taller than Rickie with broad shoulders. I couldn't make anything else out because of the cloak he wore, but he looked that were he human, and not a monster, he would be perfectly capable of overpowering us. His face was beautiful, just like the rest of them, and his features were aristocratic. He seemed like a dark and terrible king, alluring and cold.
My heart started picking up pace, so I closed my eyes in order to calm it. When I opened them, his face was only a foot away. In just a moment, he'd closed the distance, and bent down to look closer at me. He took my face in his hands like he was searching for something. His fingers felt like they were bruising me, and so cold! My breathing turned completely ragged, which hurt like hell for my ribs, and Rickie pulled away from me. I pushed him to the side so that the monster could finish his inspection.
Rickie yelped when he saw how close it had gotten to me, and I spared him a glance. I certainly didn't want him involved in this... whatever it was.
"Don't move Rickie," I commanded and he obeyed, but his eyes were terrified. He whimpered quietly as he watched us, and I turned back to face the man again. He turned my head to one side, and brought his nose close to my neck. I calmed my breathing again while he took a long drag of air, and his fingers tightened there grip. When the tip of his cold nose touched the side of my neck, all of my efforts at calming myself went to hell. His face moved until I could feel his cold lips right behind my ear, and he took another breath, this time through my hair. My heart rate must have been going through the roof, but my mind cleared as I accustomed myself to his nearness.
He smelled very good. Sweet and musky and intoxicating. It was an otherworldly scent that spun through my brain, replacing the panic with a sort of haze. I felt my heart begin to slow, and my eyelids fell halfway shut.
"Lu?" Whispered Rickie tentatively. The man backed up away from me, but squatted down at my level. Then he looked at Rickie, and his eyes weren't speculative at all. They were bored. I brought my good hand up to his face, and tried to take back his attention. As I had suspected, his face was cold and smooth. He let me turn his head until he was facing me again.
"What do you want with us," I repeated, this time firmly. If he wasn't interested in Rickie, then he might be willing to let him free.
"I am Marcus," he said, very quietly, in an attractive Italian accent. His voice was as beautiful as the rest of him. Big Surprise. "You are here to serve as a ...vessel." The monster seemed uncertain of his words, and Rickie was oddly silent. No doubt he was paralyzed with fear.
"A vessel for what?" I prompted impatiently. I wanted to negotiate for Rickie's release.
Marcus was quiet for a moment, then he stood, and I felt something stretch away from me in his absence. How odd. Wasn't I cold when he touched me with his freezing hands? But I felt colder when he pulled away from me. But then his eyes were boring into mine with an intensity that honest to goodness frightened me. "For a child."
Heya peoples! I wanted to make this longer, but I figured I'd let this piece out sooner instead. I just got increasingly busy with finals looming nearer. I'm also having some difficulties with some whacko housing changes at my school next year.
I appreciate the support of my reviewers! I have three people reading now? That's pretty awesome for me! :D I haven't even gotten my first flame yet. Which, I'm actually looking forward to, so if you feel like flaming, just know that I will laugh my ass off as I read it. However, if anybody has legitimate criticisms, or suggestions for improvements, or if you catch a stupid mistake I've overlooked, I'll take you seriously. .O Just the other day I realized that I'd forgotten my disclaimers, and I had to add them to all of the chapters.
Ah! I really want to keep going with the next chapter, but if I don't study for theory, I will BOMB the final, and that's a no-no. Ciao!