Chapter 4
The dark was the only comfort I knew right then. Everything was numb to me. Do I even belong to a body at this point? I tried searching for something, anything that I could hold on to. A voice. I remembered hearing a voice that told me I was going to live. But I had been drained of my blood… How was the voice planning on getting me out of that hole? I really screwed up this time. Is this the proper time to pray to God to redeem your soul? He might not appreciate that number. As much as I admired the moral wellbeing of churches, I never could look past the obvious bigotry that stained many religious grounds; therefore I wasn't a regular church goer. But I had always known there was Something with a capital S out there that was much bigger than myself and everything I know. Maybe I should give this a shot.
Well, God, if you're up to granting me a favor, it would be nice to know which side I'm on at this point, living or dead…. If it's not too much trouble. I didn't really know how much time had been passing me by, or if I even needed a concept of time, but after some point, I was getting antsy, and there was an awful itch on my little toe that I could absolutely not take care of. Wait… An itch? I have skin! I have nerves in my body! I'm, I'm alive!
I was now violently thrashing in the darkness, hoping to resurface, find any kind of light my eyes could grasp. I was coming closer, more and more feeling returned to my limbs; I could feel the press of fabric on my body, the prick of sweat on my skin. My eyes slowly creaked open, until the haze cleared and I could survey my current surroundings. I was in an obscenely large, opulent room, sitting in a bed that was tailored to a queen. A lace canopy delicately draped over the pillars that extended from the bed. There had to have been at least twenty pillows around me. The dim city lights of Chicago flooded the room through the horizontal blinds of the window. Good. I'm still in familiar territory.
I quickly raised my hands to make sure they were still intact, along with my arms and legs. I was no longer wearing my work uniform, or my coat, but instead a soft black dress that felt more expensive than half of my yearly pay checks. It was an exquisite dress; It had a perfectly tailored sweetheart neckline, and ethereal, gauze like black fabric that softly flowed to just above my knees. I also was sporting new under garments… Oh boy, what happened while I was out? I tentatively raised my hand to my neck, prodding and feeling for any sign of impalement. There was none whatsoever. All I felt was the unbroken skin of my neck. My eyes widened in shock. I then frantically searched for a pulse on my neck. Sure enough, there was the firm and steady buh-bumb of my heart. I'm… I'm still human. The tips of my hair, I noticed, had dried blood in them, making me feel instantly unclean.
I stared at the door for a moment longer. Whoever brought me here saved me from sure death, but why? What moral obligation did they have to me? I had a feeling whoever it was wasn't human, though. No regular being could have gotten past those vampire thugs. A shiver flew down my spine at the thought of remembering Keegan throwing me around like I was some raggedy toy, then drinking me to the brink of death. I focused on feeling for anything around me, extra sense wise. No auras, except for the wispy remnants of my own. I patted down the sheets on the bed to see if I could pick up who the bed belonged to. There was nothing. Either my ability's gone… Or this bed doesn't belong to a human. I closed my eyes, fishing for anything the future might hold. I couldn't hear anything and no visions came to me. I felt blind and deaf, though I could still see and hear.
Gotta find the closest exit, I decided. I swung my legs over the side of the bed, and in the process, my vision began to fog over. My legs felt like lead as well. I lightly patted my cheeks hoping the dizziness would let up and forced myself to stand, my knees struggling to keep my upright. I stumbled over to the door in the front of the room, and found it with a lock only a hotel room would use. I looked out the small peephole on the door, checking to see if anyone was one the other side. The hall was completely empty. Slowly, I turned the handle and pushed the door open, inch by inch, making sure I wasn't grabbing anyone's attention. I poked my head out tentatively, scoping out the area. I was still alone. I crept out, still using the wall to make up for my lacking balance. I was in a long hall, just as elegantly decorated as the room I was in. Only two other doors marked hall, along with a wide window giving view to the shimmering night light of the city. At the opposite end was an elevator and a staircase. Judging by the view the window gave, this was a sky high level. I momentarily debated which hotel this was, but decided there were just too many places in Chicago to decide that. Just… Act natural Pash. Don't give anyone a reason to be suspicious. Walking as briskly as my fumbling legs would let me, I made my way over to the elevator, knowing I'd never make it down that many flight of stairs safely.
I pressed the down button and waited anxiously. I realized I might need a cab to get home considering how my body was fairing. Even if I did have my original clothes on, my pant pocket only had about three dollars and a nickel. It seemed walking back barefoot was my only viable option. I rubbed my eyes in frustration, willing the grogginess to clear. I was really going to need to pull off a doozy of a stunt in order to make it back to my mediocre, comfortable life. 'When life gives you lemons,' my dad used to say back in his sober days, 'just eat the damn things.' I allowed myself to a small smile, though I felt a familiar tug in my chest. I really missed those days. My dad was the kind of guy who always had a witty remark on the tip of his tongue, and he was so very smart, on the useless things to be smart about of course. He and I would watch Jeopardy and he'd answer nearly every question in such a nonchalant way, but he'd get incredibly annoyed when the "incompetent idiot" contenders couldn't think of the proper answer. Being a kid, I'd just watch my father wide-eyed thinking he was some sort of super hero brainiac.
This is when I first tried to channel my ability searching the future to lend me the next answer, in hopes to impress my father. On a rare occasion, I'd be able to pull the next answer from the future, and it would work; my dad would high five me, calling me his little smartie pants. Other times my timing was a little off. Alex Trebek would state "Sakura cheese from Hokkaido is a soft cheese flavored with leaves from this fruit tree." I'd blurt out "What is 20 Liters?" not realizing the question was asking for a plant, not a measurement. I'd feel totally embarrassed but my dad would mess up my hair saying "Ha-ha, real funny Pash." Where the next statement would be 'the internationally recognized bare minimum for personal water consumption', my previous response would have been completely acceptable. Dad's aura would spike with suspicion, and I'd catch tidbits of "Odd… Coincidence, right… Is this a rerun?" going through his head.
The high pitch ding! of the bell caught me off guard, snapping me back to the present. I quickly entered and pressed the button marked Lobby, making mental note that the current floor was floor thirty. I felt the light presence of a human that had touched this button… A male hotel employee. Only one human out of this whole place. There's no way…. My breathing started to quicken as the instincts returned to fight or flight mode. As the elevator descended, I couldn't help from cracking a grimacing half smile at the irony of the irritatingly upbeat, jazzy elevator music in comparison my current situation. The elevator was approaching the last few floors when I thought up a quick little role for myself. Just pretend like you can actually afford to stay at a place like this. I'm just any other patron that walks in and out these doors… And if all else fails, I'll see how far I can run before my body meets the ground.
The elevator reached the lobby and the doors opened, though I didn't dare let my eyes stick to anything but the floor in front of me. I'm back in the void. The void was now a palpable thing I could instantly recognize, akin to falling in a pool of water. I hurriedly walked towards the hotel exit, hardly letting any more than the bare tips of my feet touch the ground, in hopes to be as swift and inconspicuous as possible. Left foot, right foot, one in front of the other. Just get yourself out of here. The normal chatter the lobby was filled with prior now became silent. I could practically feel eyes on me.
"Passion Kendall." A deep voice, a full octave lower than my own, casually stated my proper name. My entire body froze upon hearing him. I leveled my head to see almost everyone in the lobby was looking at me. I could feel heat pool in my cheeks, not enjoying being a side show spectacle. That voice… That's the last thing I remember hearing before I took a dip in the darkness. What do I do? Slowly, I turned my body, now rigid with instinctual fear, to the man.
My eyes locked with his cold, slate pair instantly, affirming my predictions of my savior/captor being super human. I couldn't help but feel a slight spur in my stomach from looking at him. He was just unfairly handsome. Midnight locks twisted and mingled within his well cut hair making it seem like he'd just awoken from sleep. The aristocratic shape of his nose and mouth gave him a dignified air, one that should not be messed by lesser beings. His jaw was locked tight, showing he was not at ease; this severely contrasted with the languid manor he called my name in. He was sitting in an elegant loveseat sofa, his posture casual, but parts of him looked tense. His white button down shirt made his light olive skin look polished and pristine, like the marble male statues the Romans so obsessively created.
"Passion," he called again. I wasn't used to my full name being called. I'd always thought it was a silly name, but then again, people rarely like the names given to them. He patted the open spot next to him on the loveseat, motioning for me to join him. My heart clenched, not wanting to again be put in the situation that nearly killed me before. One foot backed away and I eyed the door quickly computing how fast I could make it to the door. It's not going to be fast enough, and I'm not sure this body is up to the run… When my eyes shifted back to him, his expression was darker, more threatening telling me that if I was stupid enough to make a break for it, I'd regret my decision wholly. I relented and took stiff, deliberate steps over to him. The whole time he didn't take his eyes off me, holding me captive with that same cold stare. As I found myself in front of the seat, I really didn't want to sit next to this unknown man… vampire. He raised an eyebrow at my hesitation, and gestured with his eyes for me to take my seat. Grudgingly, I did what he wanted. I saw a malicious smirk form on his face, like he enjoyed pushing me around silently. From that moment I willed myself to resent this guy. This new feeling of annoyance made me want to play his game.
"Can I help you?" I said coolly, crossing my arms.
His smirked remained but fashioned by a different humor this time. "Sven Portman," he offered his name. He extended his hand out for a handshake, such a simple thing. I stared at it uncertain and looked in his eyes. He was just daring me to take his hand. Not wanting to gape at his hand like a little kid scared shitless, I accepted his dare and reached to grab his hand with my own smirk of competition on my face.
As soon as my skin made contact with his, I felt a jolt of electricity zap off his skin onto mine. It ran wildly through my body, dancing in my legs, sparking through my hands, ricocheting through my skull, lingering just below my hips. I reeled my hand back letting out a shocked yelp. My eyes, which I was sure were the size of dinner plates by now, watched him with suspicious fear. He leaned back in the seat, a dark chuckle bubbling from his broad chest as he examined his hand curiously. He must have felt the zap too.
"That would be known as the introduction," He explained, with the small laugh still echoing in his words.
"W-what do you mean? What was that? More importantly, you mind explaining why I'm alive right now?" A flood of unanswered questions pour out of my mouth.
"I suppose you deserve an answer by now, little one." The patronizing add-on just fed the fire of my anger. "You remember the girl in the alley that you attempted to save?" He asked.
I recalled what Keegan had called the kid in my mind. "Her name's Ruth."
"Yes, well I owed a great debt to her, that's a century or two overdue." Wait, centuries? That means Ruth… my thoughts trailed as I heard what he had to say next. "When you put your life on the line to save Ruth, it moved her greatly; enough to decide that she'd want to keep you alive. That's when she asked me to change you." My hand covered my mouth in disbelief.
"No, I'm still human! My heart is beating and all, really! If I'm supposed to be a vampire, then you did a shitty job…" I said with a frightened laugh.
His faced turned sour at my unintentional insult. "Don't be stupid. I fully realize you're still human. But I have mixed my blood with yours and let a supernatural bond be formed. Your cells have stopped aging since then. Your body will heal instantaneously no matter how great of damage might come your way. You will live eternally, till the day of Ragnarok when even supernaturals meet their end. This bond is an ancient one, one I haven't seen in quite some time, but it was the only way to keep you alive without making you vampire. The bond is made so that a human, you," He pointed at me, "can serve, feed, and provide company to their master, me," He gestured to himself.
That nervous, terrified laugh came out of my mouth once again. "You can't be serious… No. Things don't work like that. People have certain biological law that they follow. End of story." And he wants me to do what for him? My eyebrows knit in worry that what he said might hold some truth.
"You no longer follow such human laws, Passion." He held no joke in his words this time.
His words were too unreal to me. I shook my head so badly wanting them to not be true. "Okay… so if what you're saying is somehow true, what if I don't want to be your pet, huh? Are you going to chase me down for all of time until I yield to you?" The corner of his mouth raised slightly at the idea.
"As much as I love a good chase, you leaving my sight would be a bad decision. You've made enemies, little one. The vampires that you got involved with are from an extremely powerful coven. This Keegan knows that you have been changed, and I hear he's tasted your blood. Once a vampire sets their mind to a prey, they won't be doing much else but plotting how to find you. It's not only Keegan, too. If you get in the business of one vampire, their entire coven gets involved. If you stay with me, I can provide you with safety and protection. If you were to be caught by this group, I can assure you that you will be violated, you will be tortured, and you will be kept a slave for an unimaginable amount of time." His words caused my face to blanch. I know how bad fifteen minutes with that guy can be, a lifetime would surely destroy me.
"But we're strong too, and we won't let those low-lifes get anywhere near you," A young, melodic voice chirped behind me. I twisted to see Ruth standing there, a beaming a bright smile. She no longer had blood drenching her hair, but it was instead pulled into two long blond braids, and she wore a soft pink, frilly dress. I suppose I know whose room I woke up in now. And this kid was supposed to be a vampire. I had thought her eyes were dark, but I guess I didn't see the dark grey color… She reached for my hand and shook it with glee. "It's good to finally meet you, Pash!" She let my hand fall back to my side as I just stared at her dumbly. "And let me first thank you. You did something really stupid. But it was brave. And you really helped me out there. I owe you one. I was really starting to think all humans were the same, after, oh, 600 years give or take of watching humanity." My mind simply could not wrap around the fact that she was that old, she had to be adding a few years.
"I… I just need some time to reboot my brain." I felt the fogginess creeping over again. I got up from the seat, but my knees buckled a bit more than they had before when I had first woken up. I begged my legs to obey, and just walk, but they betrayed me and I felt myself losing control quickly. In a speed faster than my eyes or mind could register, Sven was at my side bracing me so I didn't come crashing down to the floor. He tossed me over his shoulder and began moving toward the elevator.
"What a gentleman," I said quietly. I wanted so badly to put up a fight, but I was quickly losing consciousness.
"Sven! Be gentle and hold her properly," Ruth reprimanded. I didn't want him to hold me. I didn't want to be his servant. I didn't want to spend another minute with this guy, let alone eternity. Darkness began to wash over my sense.
It was just too, too much.
Hurrah for another chapter released! I'm super excited to get this story going now that everything has been set up (according to my evil, evil plan).
I'd love if you guys could leave me a review to read, it makes me embarrassingly happy when I find I have a new one...
Review Reply time!
Uitori- Thank you very much for taking time out to review my story. I agree with internal view of the supernatural ability that you talked about, though it's hard to do for our Pash right now, she's going to be in "the void" for a while (but not for too long!). And if you were confused by the ending mentioning silver, vampires in a lot of lore have a bad reaction to silver, which can be used as protection by humans.
See you guys in the next chapter!
