Apartment 102

Assault

My heart was literally pounding out of my chest as I watched Vincent grab his gift and stand. He walked to my front door as nonchalant as ever and pulled it open. Trace and Vincent eyed each other for a good minute before either of them said anything. Of course Trace was the first to speak.

"Who the fuck are you?" He asked taking a step into Vincent's personal space. Vincent had already been glaring at him since he opened the door, but his face suddenly softened.

"Trace is it?" He asked in a calm voice.

"Yeah. I'm Amaya's boyfriend." Trace said rather defensively.

Vincent nodded. "I've heard quite a bit about you. I'm Amaya's neighbor. I came briefly to exchange gifts with her." I was so shocked at how civil Vincent was acting in front of the steaming Trace.

"The vampire!?" Trace then took his first look at me. He ran to me and examined my neck closely. Vincent said nothing and quickly made his exit.

"Babe, what the fuck are you doing!?" he asked loudly.

"He's my neighbor, Trace. We were just exchanging gifts." I crossed my arms and looked up at him. He just shook his head and ran a hand down his face.

"Whatever… So besides letting vampires in your house what else have you been doing? I knew havin you go to school up here was a bad idea." He sat down on my couch, kicked his feet up on the coffee table and turned on the TV. I plopped down next to him in the spot that Vincent left. His scent was still there.

"He's not even a vamp.."

"Then what the fuck is he, Amaya!? Red eyes, pale skin, black hair… bingo he's a vampire!" he threw his hands up in the air. I sighed loudly and focused my attention on the TV.

"Sorry…for yellin at you…babe." He said after nearly ten minutes of silence. He wrapped his arm around me and pulled me close. I closed my eyes as he stroked my hair. I silently accepted his apology and fell asleep with him.

∞∞

I woke up the next morning lying alone in the bed Trace and I had shared the night before. He left a note on my mirror that he had to run and would call me later. Most of the 'call u laters' meant never, so I threw the note in the trash rolling my eyes at it. I should have known there was only one reason he came to see me…

I really just wanted to call Vincent and let him know how grateful I am that he handled the situation yesterday so calmly, but I knew he was probably still dead asleep. I loved not having class, it gave me so much free time. I got my closets organized, my laundry done, and my clutter picked up. I watched two movies and hung out with Rena and Lunaz for a couple of hours. At around seven o'clock at night I felt that it was late enough to bug Vincent so instead of calling I walked right over to his apartment and knocked on the door. I grabbed a hand and my scarf off of the coat hanger just incase I would have to look around outside.

Vincent answered in less than ten seconds. "I was just on my way out."

"Out where?" I walked beside him as he started down the hallway. He was in all black again today, but that was no surprise.

"Anywhere." His spoke in a distant voice. I walked beside him as he led the way out of the apartment buildings and down the side walk. Once we passed the parking lot I had to ask again where we were going.

"Just walk." He replied in that same voice. I trust Vincent. At least…I think I trust him. Vincent seemed to sense my paranoia and reached out and grabbed my wrist. Anyone who passed by would think he was dragging me off somewhere. We finally came to a park with a huge lake. It had been freezing the passed few weeks so it was solid ice. It was flurrying now as we walked. Vincent wore a long sleeved black shirt and black pants with black gloves on both hands. I had on a hoodie and jeans along with my pink scarf and hat.

"It's snowing." I said as the flurries turned into bigger flakes falling at a faster rate. Vincent stopped and looked up at the sky. He blinked as a flake hit his pointed noise. His pale skin reminded me of a porcelain doll. We walked passed the lake and sat down at a picnic table.

"I come here often." He said. "During the winter… and watch the snow fall."

I smiled and scooted closer to him. I was happy he was willing to share one of his hobbies with me. I then remembered what I came looking for him for. "Thanks for saving me yesterday."

"It was nothing…" he said. He always says that when I thank him for something. I scooted even closer to him trying to absorb some body heat. He didn't seem to mind. We sat there silently watching the snow fall for a good hour. I was now officially freezing, teeth chattering and all. Vincent was completely oblivious to the cold temperature. I scooted one more inch closer and surprisingly Vincent put his arm around me.

"I forgot…"

"What?" I asked.

"…that your body is sensitive to temperature. I've lost that feeling." I had to look up and see if it was really Vincent Valentine I was sitting next to.

"You don't feel the cold?" Then it occurred to me that he probably couldn't feel intense heat either and that's why he could withstand such an extreme fever like he had that one night.

"No." he whispered. We both jumped slightly as my cell phone rang. I hurried and answered it knowing it was Trace.

"Babe? Answer your door I'm outside." I froze and turned to Vincent. Another pleading look crossed my face. He sighed very loudly and stood up from the picnic table.

"Uh…Trace I'm taking out the trash I'll be there in a second, ok?" I heard him sigh loudly on the other end. What's with these men and their impatient sighs?

"Hurry up!" he said before hanging up. Vincent led me in the direction of home.

"I adore you, I hope you know that." I said. Vincent didn't respond. I really didn't want to inconvenience Vincent and make him go out of his way to make sure Trace isn't mad at me, but what else could I do at this point. Vincent agreed to hang around the outside for a while so I could greet Trace alone.

I was on my way up the stairs while Trace was coming down them. He had on a huge bulky light grey coat with grey fur on the hood along with dark blue jeans.

"I just came by to say hey." He said scooping me up into a hug and kissing my cheek. We both froze as we heard a growling noise in the distance. He turned his head sharply to the right.

"What the hell was that noise!? They let you have dogs here?" he asked. I swallowed hard knowing just what that noise was.

"Let's get in your car." I said suddenly. Trace wasted no time in letting go of me and running to his car. We both quickly shut our doors. It was so quiet we could hear each other breathing. All of a sudden we felt the car shake. The winged creature I knew as Vincent jumped up from under the car and was pulling on the door as if to rip it off its hinges.

"Start the car. Trace, start the car!!" I screamed. Trace was frozen with fear as he stared into the glowing yellow eyes of the creature outside of his window. Vincent's other form succeeded in ripping the door off of Trace's car. I hurried and opened my car door I got out of the car and stood back a couple of feet.

"Vincent! Vincent stop this! Get control of yourself!" I yelled as I watched him throw Trace from the car to the ground. He clawed away at Trace's face and chest. Trace managed to block his face from getting hurt, but I could already see blood on his light grey jacket.

"Stop please!" I begged taking another step closer. Vincent suddenly stopped and looked up at me with those glowing eyes. He cringed and brought his claw to his chest. I watched as the creature had transformed back into that familiar form. He took a few deep breaths and stood. I watched as he slightly swayed to the side and had to swat down to prevent himself from just falling out on the concrete. I looked back at the unconscious Trace. Blood poured out of the cuts on his arms. I grabbed my cell phone with unsteady hands and called an ambulance.

∞∞

I sat alone in the hospital room with Trace. It was now coming close to two in the morning. I stared at his motionless form. The doctors had yet to tell me his condition. They had only told me to call then when he awoke. I jumped slightly as I felt a hand rest on my shoulder. I turned my head sharply to see Vincent Valentine standing there.

I looked away from him. I know it's not his fault… It's not him that does this. I squeezed my eyes shut and kept repeating these thoughts in my head.

"I guess you'll be moving out now." A deep voice said from behind me. I looked at him again. Couldn't he at least show a bit of sympathy? Look at what he had done. His face remained emotionless and he didn't even take one look at Trace.

"N..no…I don't have anywhere to go." I whispered turning back to the sleeping figure on the bed. I had already formulated my excuse if he woke up with Vincent in here. 'I had to call my neighbor to help because I didn't know what to do.'

"I don't want to do this to you. I don't…want to do it to anyone. That's why I scare off the people who dare to live around me." I watched as he took his first look at Trace. "Will he live?"

"I think so…" I said softly. Vincent took a seat in the chair next to mine.

"I've let you stay too long. You must leave." He stared straight ahead at Trace. He wasn't wearing that gauntlet or a glove and I then realized why he kept that hand covered. Every single one of his fingernails were gone and there were tons of scars on his wrist. I gasped upon seeing the scars.

"Vincent…did you do that to yourself?" I asked reaching out to touch his wrist only to have him jerk his hand away from me.

"…before I realized no matter what I did I couldn't die…" He sighed. I watched a pained expression cross his features for a brief moment. I leaned towards him and rested my head on his shoulder.

"I know it must be hard…I wish there was something I could do for you…"

"You can't." Vincent said quickly. "So just leave me alone. Get out of those apartments."

"I can't."

"I'll give you as much money as you need."

I paused for a moment. Not because I was considering taking money from Vincent, but because I just didn't know what to say. I didn't want to leave him alone. Something about him just draws me to him. Trace stirred causing us both to turn our heads in his direction. When he settled again we both let out relieved sighs.

"You're my friend, Vincent. I care about you. I'm not leaving you. You can control that creature, I know you can. When you heard me say 'Stop please,' you came through." He turned to me. His crimson eyes darted around my face. I watched as his eyes landed on my lips.

"His name is Chaos." He said not taking his eyes away from my lips. "It…takes so much out of me to try and stop him…" I licked my lips and leaned closer to him.

"I promised I'd take care of you anytime you got really sick." Finally his eyes met mine again. He leaned closer to me and brought his unharmed hand to my face.

"Why…?" he touched my face so gently as if he thought it would break. He then let his fingers hover about a millimeter away from my cheek as he finished his question. "Why do you care?"

I rested my hand on top of his pressing it closer to my face. "I…I'm a caring person." I watched as Vincent's eyes slowly shut and he brought my face closer to his. I closed my eyes as well. My heart was racing.

Suddenly Trace groaned causing Vincent and I to open our eyes and shoot away from each other as if we had both just touched fire. Vincent stood and walked out of the room before I could even say anything else. I watched as Trace slowly awoke. I hurried and called the doctor as I was ordered to. I couldn't stop thinking about how Vincent's fingertips felt on my face and how he almost…well it seemed like he was almost gonna…kiss me. Vincent must really be having some conflicting thoughts going through his mind.