You can't expect to meet the challenges of today with yesterday's tools and expect to be in business tomorrow.
- Unknown
Mid bite, I hear, "And I plan to kill the vampire who sired me." I was already mid-motion, so I didn't stop, but his statement made me think.
He hates vampires as much as I do—did, do, whatever.
It made me reconsider: Liking Asher might not be so bad afterall.
I gulfed the rest of my food, and drank about a gallon of water in one sitting. Some of the water spilled down my chin, but I didn't care. Water never tasted so good.
I was almost finished with the gallon of water before I handed it back to Asher. He looked at me, eyebrows high, expression a mix between disbelief and amusement.
"You know, I always took you to be the type to eat daintily, and drink water with your pinky sticking out," he said as he recapped the water bottle.
"Yea, well," I said, out of breath from drinking the water in one sitting, "I haven't eaten right in two, three days." I got up, but the sudden hydration made me dizzy. Smart being that I was, I started to walk to the door, only to fall back on the first step.
I was almost sure I was going to fall, but a firm arm grabs my shoulders. "You falling like a drunkard would be amusing, but know that Sayira is still alive, and she would try to kill me if she saw I was helping you."
I shake my head once I am standing up right, and I look at him. "Are you scared of Sayira?"
He looked offended. "No," he said in a disbelieving tone. "But, I have a score I have to settle with her," he said quietly. "And I don't want to have to attack her prematurely."
"Did she do something to you?" I ask him, once again relatively chill. He snorted; first time I ever heard him do that. "You could say that," he said, and I knew that even if I tried prodding, I would get nothing out of him.
"Hm," I said, as if I had a slight clue as to what he said. "Anyways, do you have any idea where Friedrich might be?" I ask him, getting back to the subject at hand: going home.
"No."
No? That's it? No? I sigh. "Did he have all the money?"
"Yes." He stayed there, thinking, probably about where Friedrich might possibly be. Meanwhile, my conversation with myself (how lame) came back, and a name as well.
"He might still be with Ayrilyn," I said, though in a questioning tone.
"He might," he said, "But I doubt it; he doesn't waste time with humans," he said blandly, and still thinking.
"Unlike you," I mutter, half-sarcastic, half-grateful. He was not planning to kill me…I don't think.
He ignored me, and I face him, leaning against the high chair, relaxing into the old leather background. He looks at me, thinking hard, and then he turns away, and head to the door.
"Let's go," he says, and heads down the stairs, not even waiting for me. I run to the door, but bump right into him. He steadies me.
"Sorry," I say automatically.
He keeps his hold on my hand, and drags me down the stairs. "No problem," he says, though I doubt he even meant it. Just like how I meant my apology: automatic.
"Why are we walking so fast?" I ask him, knowing I was breaking my promise of being the quiet, scared, and hostile good girl.
"Blood," was all he said. He walked even faster, and I was almost running. The pain of the night before came back, and my feet began to hurt after ten minutes of walking briskly.
"Can I get something other than boots?" I look at Asher pleadingly, hating that I had to beg to wear something I took for granted before this: sneakers.
He looked at me absentmindedly, and then my feet—or at least, where my feet would be, since the dress covered them up. "Yea. I'll find Annaliese. She has your bag, since you refused to leave my shirt behind."
At that, I blushed. I knew I had no reason to; the shirt was something I wanted to change to, but because there were no jeans in my size, I was stuck with it. But it wasn't like I was creepily keeping his shirt to sniff it or something. I didn't even know what he smelled like! Although that thought got me curious. But the thought was instantly pushed out of my mind with the new wave of pains those goddamned boots were giving me. The heel was just too damn uncomfortable!
We were nearing the outskirts of the city, and he finally slowed to a walk. By then, I was panting as if I ran the marathon. He looked at me again, and said, "Do you want me to carry you?"
I wanted to jump in his arms and say "Yes, please," but it would seem weird, even if I was just acting out of gratefulness.
"Please," I say, sighing the word. He nods, and puts one arm around my shoulders, and I say, "How about a piggy back ride?" I didn't really want the whole bridal style going on, even if he told that jail officer we were newlyweds.
"Old times' sake, eh?" he said, but he got down in one knee, and waited for me to get on.
I get on, and he gets up, quicker than a human would with my added weight. "Alright. We're going to go into the Amish village. No one knows about us except Ayrilyn and Tally."
"Taelia."
"Taelia."
I almost fall into a slumber before his words finally processed. "Into the Amish village? With me wearing this dress?"
"Nothing wrong with it. We go in, ask about Ayrilyn, ask her to tell us where Friedrich left her, and we get out." His logic didn't work on me.
"She would not talk to me."
"Sure she will."
"No, she won't. I won't go to the village with this." At that, Asher disentangled my arms from around his neck, and brought me down. "Yes you will. Say 'it's cold here! It's not like California!' or some other crap."
He is not human. Vampire using slang. Not human.
"The sweater Ziek gave me is uncomfortably warm. Dresses are not really my thing. I hate boots with a passion. I might need to run, and no doubt the boots are impairing my foothold with the crappy 200-year-old mold that's been forming—" I stopped, disgusting myself with thinking that green mold was almost in contact with my feet, with only (hopefully, I had some) socks as protection.
"I don't care where we go," I said, though I would normally worry as soon as I said it, because guys can be such immature assholes (like myself), but I'm pretty sure Asher wanted to fulfill his promise and get rid of me quickly.
"Fine. We're going somewhere cheap, cuzz I have no money."
"I do."
He turns to me, annoyed. "You could have said so before. We could have used it to take you home."
I frown. Bickering was not going to get us anywhere. "You said you would take care of it."
He opened his mouth as if to say something, but closed it, and walked back. "What are you doing?" I say as I run to catch up to him.
"Annaliese and Karl are nearby. Five minutes into the forest. Stay here. You'll slow me down."
"Five minutes walking or running?"
"Walking."
"Then I can go!" I said, not really wanting to be alone. Sure, he might be a vampire (hunter), but I was getting used to his company. I didn't want to be alone and let the last two or three days build up inside me and crack me to insanity. Well, I knew I was going to safety soon and it was definitely making the last few days seem surreal, but I didn't want to risk it.
"No," he said, finalizing our argument. He walked in, and he stopped. He looked back, and said, "Don't follow me."
I sat on a thick root, stiff posture to show I didn't like it, and said, "Fine."
He came back a couple minutes later with a pair of sneakers—my sneakers.
"Where's my bag?" I ask, grabbing my shoes. I was about to ask if he got the money, but I saw it tucked in one of my shoes.
"With credit cards and cell phone? No. Family doesn't even know you are as far as you are."
"They might think I'm missing," I said, worrying.
"No, they won't. Katrine is the best in her field. She chooses people who are about to leave anyone who might care anyways. And you were the perfect person from the region she went to look."
I look down. Despite my hating the words, they were true. True to the last resonant sound. I wanted to cry. If I hadn't been thinking that being away from the people I cared about as freedom, I wouldn't be in this situation. If I had gripped my family tighter, I would still be there, screaming at my mom one moment, and telling her I love her the next.
Asher made an uncomfortable sound, and I knew he thought I wanted to cry. "Uhh…don't cry," he said, patting my head as if I were a child. "You're useless if you just cry."
It didn't reassure me the way he wanted it to, or anger me, but it did make me laugh, albeit bitterly.
"It's pretty early, since you slept for most of the night, so we can walk to a nearby store, get you what you need, and leave."
"Ayrilyn and I were heading to some Montgomery place—"
"That's in New York. Her brother moved from the much stricter place one here to New York, where they are much more lenient."
Instead of letting my mouth drop, my eyes grow huge thinking about how far Ayrilyn wanted us to walk.I look at him, wonderingly. "How do you know all this?"
"Because Karl made it a rule to stick to Amish communities," he said, annoyed. I smile, not laughing, because I know I wouldn't want people laughing if I told them that.
"Alright then. So, where's the nearest store?"
"That's not Amish?" I nod my head. "About four hours away, and if we walk."
"And if we get transportation?" I ask him, hopefully.
"Less than thirty minutes. But it would do you no good. By now, it must be about two or three in the morning. Unless you're willing to wait in the cold for that long, you—"
"I get it," I tell him, annoyed, though not at him; time seemed to be of the essence. "Lead the way," I said, as soon as I stood up, my feet feeling so much more relived since I changed into my running shoes.
"Tell me when you get tired. It's a long walk," he said softly. I nod, and he begins to lead the way.
For the first hour or so, we are quiet, though my breathing becomes a little more labored because we were still walking in the forest and in some areas, the terrain easily made me lose my footing.
"I'm tired," I say in a puff. "Can't we rest for a little while?"
"It's better we don't. Sayira is still out there. She has that charm that could make any vampire debase himself and fight for her."
"Did you fall into her charm?" I ask. And despite its meaning nothing to me, since I never saw her charm, it made me slightly jealous. I wait to hear his answer, but I never did.
I look at him, waiting for him to answer. "What?" he said.
"I asked you a question," I said. "At least tell me the answer, or if you don't want to talk about it, say so."
"Ask me again," he said, though I had a feeling he was lost in his thoughts. I always thought vampires had, like, a capacity of doing about a million things at the same time, but I guess not. Or maybe he was just pretending not to be listening, to make me shut up.
I sigh. "I said: Did you ever fall into Sayira's charm?"
"Oh," he said as if he was expecting a marvelous question, and looked forward. "Once."
So open. "Oh," I said, automatically filling in the silence.
He looked lost and deep in though. I let him think his own thoughts while I thought mine.
How much of myself was still me, and how much had changed? If I went back to where normal people lived, how would I see them? Would I fall into some kind of loneliness because not one of them has gone through what I have gone through? Did anyone who survived such an ordeal ever fully reintegrate with the rest, and not stand out? Did they end up having some manic gleam? Did they lose all faith in everything?
It made me think of Ayrilyn, once again, Ayrilyn. Despite being with vampires for a day longer, she didn't fall into the temptation. She saw Asher and Friedrich as bloodsuckers first, then as hot guys. I can bet that anyone else, and myself included, thought it vice versa.
Another silent hour passed, and I couldn't walk anymore. I sat down on a root, and said, "I need a break."
"No, you don't," he said, and pulled me up, though standing on the root.
"Again?" I said, tired of walking, but also shy of being carried for the umpteenth time.
He didn't say anything, but kept looking forward.
I get on his back, put my arms around his neck, legs strangling his torso, and head on my arm. After my muscles relaxed painfully, I sigh. "Thank you," I said.
I was kind of falling asleep, and I thought it was about time. I wanted to see if I still had some premonition left in me. I wanted to know if I would be alive to see the smile of my best friend and mother once again.
As I was just about to drift in nothingness, I thought I heard Asher sigh, but I couldn't be sure.
.x.x.x.
I'm dreaming.
Blood spattered everywhere, terror, anger, sorrow fills me. I can't see the dead faces, for which I am grateful; what if I recognize one of them? Instead, I see extended hands, as if they were begging me to help them. I can't see their belongings, just that they were all over the place, as though there was struggle. I count five bodies, three adult, two of children, and the anger overpowers every other feeling.
I have to get out of there. I know I'm dreaming, and I can't fathom see a family dead.
I hurry to get out, and as I near the exit, I hear a teasing laughter, of a man and a woman. I get out, and see two young kids, laughing with a manic gleam in their eyes.
Eyes more horrifying than Asher's. Is that even possible? Yes. It is. They are not vampires. They kill as humans, kill their own, and they are just children.
I get mad. Very mad. I grab the nearest thing that could be used as a weapon, something held by another dead body. I see a rough hand, one you know that did an honest life's work. My anger can no longer be controlled as I strike the boy first.
"Shudder your last breath," I say, feeling good about killing the kid.
(That is not me.)
Instead, he laughs. "So," he said, though struggling to say it at all, "Does this answer your question?"
I grab his neck, strangling him, but pulling him up to me. "Of what?" I say, deadly quiet.
He smiles, though the smile never reaches his eyes. He is close enough to me that he raises his mouth next to my ear. "'Have I changed?'" he mocked me.
I wail a cry, and bash his head on the pavement. I get disgusted that he is still breathing, and I let him go. "Shudder your last breath; if you don't soon, I'll make you do it," I said, as sure of myself as I've never been.
He tries to laugh, mocking me. I strangle him—
(He's a child!)
—and he gurgles a little.
I can feel myself smile, and whisper—thankfully—for the last time, "Shudder your last breath."
I marvel as he shudders his last breath painfully and goes limp in my hands.
I get up, ready to kill the little girl, but as I turn around, she is nowhere to be found. "I'll find you," I said quietly, knowing she will hear me (somehow), and I can just picture her running away from me, scared and angry. I know she can hear my threat, my teasing her. I know I am using the same thing she has used so many times when she has gone in for a kill.
I put the weapon away, and swear to the people who died here that I would avenge them, even if I lose innocence and my humanity to do it…
.x.x.x.
I wake up peacefully, and for a moment, I forgot about my dream.
"You're awake," Asher says. "Hmm," I say, not in the best mood when I wake up.
"Dream about anything?" he asks me.
"Uhh, I don't—" all too soon, the dream comes back to me, in one second flat. I almost hyperventilate, disgusted with myself, and I couldn't figure out how I could think to do such a thing. I mean, yes, my life has been ruined, and yes, I had an extreme hate for someone (or some people) who ruined said life.
"What's wrong?" Asher says, catching my fear easily. He puts me down hastily. In vampire terms too. He keeps his distance.
"Isn't this considered halfway?" I ask bitterly. I didn't want him biting me right now though. I fear my dream might come true far too soon than anything.
He shakes his head. "Halfway of taking you home," he said. "And besides, you're not giving me permission."
"Why the fuck do you need my permission?" I ask, still revering myself from that dream.
"I could easily just kill you right now, and take your blood, but then Karl and Annaliese would kill me," he said, far too calm for his usual self.
"He's your brother," I spit at him, "Why would he kill you over someone who is nothing to him?"
"He is, above all, a vampire hunter. He has been used to the idea that he might have to kill me, or Annaliese, if she ever became a vampire."
"Then why not just kill them both, and be done with it?" I said, stating something, which to me, seemed obvious. He looks at me, perplexed at what I was saying, then wary. I, too, was acting out of norm.
"Are you okay?" he asks me carefully, suspiciously. Why he was acting carefully had me disgusted. He is a vampire. I should be talking carefully to him.
"Answer my question," I tell him, teeth on edge. He looks at me confused, but something else covers his face, though I don't bother to read it.
"He is my brother, and I am a vampire hunter."
"You're wrong," I say, coming up to him. I almost expect him to keep his distance, but he stays his ground, but I still keep going. "You're a vampire. Even if you consider yourself a vampire hunter, you are still a vampire!"
I read fascination in his eyes, and then a smile, and for once, it reached his eyes. "I thought you said you'd stay quiet, scared, and hostile, though not physically," he mused.
"You give me no reason," I said, getting even closer. We begin a staring contest; he was looking at me curiously, and I was looking at him with loathing.
Why are you reacting like that with him? You are the one who killed in that dream. Great. Inner conscious, please shut up.
Say sorry, and maybe, just maybe, he'll let you live. Tell him you'll add a feeding as a bonus. God. Fuck my life.
After a minute of staring, he grabs my forearms. "What the fuck is wrong with you?" he asks, every word a sentence.
My mind blanks, and once again, I lose wit. I collapse for the umpteenth time. I sigh, and tell him, "What do you feel when you kill?"
I surprised him, but he told me, "If it's someone who is giving me shit, it feels good. If it's an innocent person, I feel somewhat guilty, but it passes after a while." He lets go of my arms, but sits and faces me. "Why?"
I try to hold back tears. I can be strong if I want to, right? Wrong.
I cry, and instinctively lean on Asher. I had been through so much, and I know that I have held on to tears for way too long, that I couldn't take it anymore. I feel Asher tense for a second, but he slowly relaxes. Even more slowly, he puts his arms around me, trying to comfort me. I put my arms around him, not ready to let go, afraid of what my hands have done, even if they were only in my dream.
I wanted to say sorry for slowing us down, for making him take me home, for crying, for being weak, for giving him a hard time that first night, for passing out while he was getting his fill, but I was crying too hard…too hard…
He uses one of his hands to stroke my head, rocking me, waiting for me to calm down. After five minutes of that, I start to calm down. "Is this because of a dream?" he tells me in his quiet voice.
I bury my head in his chest, ashamed that I could have killed someone—let alone a kid. I nod, my sobs quieted down to silent tears. He sighs, but holds me tighter. "Want to share? It might make you feel better."
"I saw a family dead, someone dead outside of their house attempting to protect them, and two kids laughing. I killed one…cold blooded. I-I-I—" he could tell I was about to relapse again, and he makes "shh-shh-shh" noises to calm me down again.
"It was just a dream," he said soothingly, "Just a dream. While you're with me, I'll make sure that won't happen, okay?"
I nod again, but this time, I was able to talk. "Thanks," I said, and I sigh, in relief. I drop my arms, but he still holds me close. "You know," I said, filling in the silence, "For a vampire, you're not that bad."
He chuckles. "Vampire hunter." Hmm, vampire hunter turned vampire.
"Since you see yourself as a vampire hunter, and you're a vampire, I'm guessing you can't turn back into a human?"
"What makes you say that?" he asks me, as though there is a way.
"How long have you been a vampire?"
"Too long," he huffed, "Which is why I'm looking for the person who sired me. I kill my sire, drink their blood, and, like magic, I am back to eating food, and not drinking blood."
I try to pull away, but he probably couldn't even feel my pressure, because he didn't let go. Instead, I relax into his arms—
Hey, he is a vampire hunter
—and ask, "You're not shitting me, are you?"
He repeats, "What makes you say that?"
"'Like magic.'"
"Oh. I don't get why the process is to kill and drink the blood of your sire, but I don't care; if that's the way, I'll do it."
"And you'll go back to being a vampire hunter?"
"Well…yea," he said, as though it were obvious.
"What if you're made into a vampire again?"
This time, he reacts bodily. He pulls away, looks at me in the eye, and says, "That won't happen again. Please don't ask me to humor you," he said, dead serious.
"I won't," I say.
Hey, he's a vampire hunter.
"Thank you," he says. He gets up and then helps me up. "You slept for a while. We're five minutes away from the store."
That brings my spirits up; I get to change out of this dress. I clap in excitement, though not as I would have if it was, say, yesterday.
We get in the store and get quite a few stares. I was wearing this weird dress, as well as walking with a guy that could get every girl in this store (aren't I the lucky one?).
We go to the youth section, and I turn to him. "I cried on your shirt. I feel it's only fair if I get you another one."
"Alright," he said amiably. People were within earshot, and you know vampires…
I look at him expectantly, as does he.
"I'm not going anywhere by myself."
My jaw drops in disbelief. "Can't fathom being alone?"
"Can't fathom the girls staring," he corrected. "And it's a kick seeing all the faces fall from the male species when they see me walking with you."
Vampire. He's a vampire. I look at him, trying to see if his face can give away any real motive. Did he think I was going to run away if he left? He knows I would be eternally lost.
"Trust me, you'll want someone around as an excuse." I look at him amused.
"I would have thought you loved the attention," I tell him, my voice playful.
"I'm actually shy," he said coyly.
"Alright then," I say, placating him. I look around the whole teen section, not really liking anything, but finally deciding on a tank top and jeans.
I could feel the temperature going up, even in the store.
"Dude, is it this hot during the winter?" I ask Asher.
He looks at me like I'm crazy. "It's not winter."
"Ayrilyn said—"
"She was wrong. I have no idea where this girl's mind was this whole time. Everything she said was amusing though; you could say we thought of her as an annoying sister."
That you wanted to kill.
"'You could say,'" I said, focusing on his choice of diction.
"Yes. I still need to survive," he said, dismissing it smoothly.
"Well, how long was I there for then?"
Again, the you're-crazy look. "As long as you've been saying: three days."
"So," I said, prolonging the word while I tried to come up with something smart to say, "School hasn't started yet?"
Oh yes, very smart.
He gets exasperated, "No, school has not started yet—at least, not college."
"Hmm," I say, "Well, that changes everything!" I go grab shorts; I am not about to be in suffocating clothes.
I give him the I'm-ready look, but he stays where he is. "Aren't you going to change?"
"I want to take a shower," I tell him indignantly, as though what he said meant I have always been this unhygienic.
"It'll take us longer to get going," he said calmly, as though he were taking into consideration my desire to go home, though I knew he just wanted to get this over with.
"Whatever," he said, and started walking to the men's section. "Are you sure that stuff will fit you?"
I almost burn. "Are you calling me fat?"
He was taken aback. "Uhh—" I can just see him terrified in the position he put himself in. I guess even in his time hinting to a girl that she is fat was taboo. "Uhh…no, definitely not," he said, his sentence choppy.
I look at him murderously. Sure, I don't care what people think of me, but I'm sure that I'm not that bad. I was on the soccer team for six years until I broke my leg, but I still ran once in a while after it healed.
"Come on," he said trying to placate me this time. "You're not fat. I swear."
"Humph," I say, trying to drop the subject. I wish I wasn't a girl; that way, I wouldn't care if someone hinted about my weight.
"Girls," I hear him mutter.
He grabs the first thing he sees: a solid navy blue shirt.
"That's it?" I ask him surprised, forgetting the fat incident already. "Just spot and pick?"
"I'm not a girl," he said, stating the obvious.
"Come on! Get something that matches your jeans," I tell him, trying to encourage him to look around.
"Noooo," he says, dragging me away from the area and towards the cashier registers. Just as we are about to get in line, he says, "We're going to leave and look for a place where we can take a shower like you've been wanting to."
I hear a giggle, and stop dead in my tracks.
Someone heard what he said and took it the wrong way.
Ahahahahaha! Serves you right.
"What's wrong now?" he asks. He looks up to hear the girls giggling a little louder.
Ahaha! They are probably taking his impatience to take you home as his want to shower with you! Hahaha! This is just too good…
He realizes why they are giggling, and he looks at me, eyebrows up, eyes almost conspiratorially.
I look at him; dumb for a second, but then I slap him with my free hand on the arm.
"Just giving you options," he says, humiliating me further.
"You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?"
He just smiles, and says nothing. He lets me go, and I realize I'm forgetting the most important part: a bra and a pair of underwear, and maybe a pair or two of socks.
"I forgot something," I tell him, not really wanting to be specific. I throw him a twenty dollar bill. "Pay for your shirt with this. The line is long enough, I'm sure I'll make it back before your turn though. Save the spot."
He looked at me disbelieving. "How convenient," he tells me, "That at the first sign of uncomfortableness, you wimp out and look for an excuse to get out."
I can feel the girls behind me staring, but I keep going. "I swear, I'll be back in, like, a minute." I get out of the line and go back to the women's section.
I grab the nearest underwear making sure it was not suggestive and a plain bra, once again, making sure it was not suggestive—and that they were my size. I grab any random pair of socks I can find, and I put everything between my jeans and shirt, knowing that he—and the girls—would see them eventually.
I was walking back, taking my time. I turn the corner to the registers and see the girls trying to flirt with him, and him looking at them with a smile on his face, looking amused every once in a while though bored out of his mind.
However, they must have said something he liked, because he looked at them interested.
I was within earshot, and I was curious to know what it was that got his interest.
I hear one of the girls talking animatedly, "Yea, the party is tonight, and we would love it if you could come," he said.
I knew he was aware of me way before they were, so once I was almost behind the girls, he looks at me and says, "Yes, I would love to go," and while I was close enough to see the hope in the girls' eyes he grabs me and pulls me to his side. "Is it okay if I bring her?"
They looked shocked. Shock, humiliation and defeat came into their eyes. "Y-Y-Yea, of course," they say, though not nearly as enthusiastically as when they were inviting him.
"Great. Think we can come with you guys so we can take a shower?" he asks, taking advantage of the situation.
"Uhmm," says one of the girls, "I don't think my family would appreciate if they know two people are taking a shower togeth—"
"We're not going to take a shower together," I tell her, horrified that she would still have that thought when it was clear they probably thought I was his sister in the beginning.
My statement probably brought their hopes up again, because they look slightly relieved. "Oh, then yea, you guys are more than welcome to," she smiles, and our turn is next.
"Should have kept quiet," he said.
"I'm not about to let people think we're going to take a shower together," I hiss under my breath, making sure he was the only one who could hear me.
"You're going to regret it," he said quietly, though in a sing song voice.
Vampire. He's a vampire.
I put his shirt and my stuff on the conveyor belt, and I try to distract him.
"What were you guys talking about?" I say as I face him and maneuver him swiftly to lean on the table to put his back to the conveyor.
"I know you forgot undergarments," he said before answering my question, "So don't bother trying to distract me. But anyway, we talked about how hot it is during this time of the year and how it would be most comfortable with as little on as possible and that pool parties were 'totally in,'" he sighed, trying to list everything in one sentence, "and how it would be nice to get to know each other, and that they were jealous of me because I had siblings, and that—"
"You're so thick," I said, not believing how he didn't really catch all the sexual offers they were giving him. "You couldn't catch what they were implying?"
"Well, I can totally distort what you just said right now," he offered, "If that helps." He grinned. Apparently, he likes to make people uncomfortable with perverse jokes.
Vampire. Vampire. A fucking vampire.
"You know very well what I mean," I say as the cashier rings up the last item.
"That will be $27.72," the cashier says.
"Give me a ten," Asher mutters as he gets closer to me and gets a few of the bills I had in my sweater pocket.
He turns around and the girl does a visible double back. She looks at him admiringly, and then looks beyond him and catches me looking at the development, and I smiled. I raise my eyebrows, as if I understood her—which I did.
The first time I came across Asher was when I was going to "go eat breakfast."
But that time, about four or five other hot guys were there too, so my gaping was probably much more exponentially obvious.
She seemed to understand because she gives Asher his change with a smile, no longer gapingly, but somewhat subtly checking him out.
He puts his arm around my shoulder. "What did you do?" he asks me.
"I understand the feeling of coming across a male vampire for the very first time," I tell him. "She misses out though, because I had five vampires to ogle at."
Such brutal honesty. Very becoming, don't you think?
"Hmm," he says. We sit on a bench for the girls. They come out, looking for the first sign of hotness.
"Did you guys come walking?" the other girl who I hadn't heard talk yet ask.
"Yea," Asher sighed, as though he were walking all day—and was human enough to get winded by the walk.
"Come on," the girl said happily. "We'll be more than happy to give you guys a ride."
The ride to their house was quiet for me. The girls were talking animatedly, though not with each other, but at Asher. I knew he wanted to use me and say we were an item, but I also knew he wanted me to cooperate, and that would only come when a dude refuses to get the idea that I wasn't interested (though, I am very glad that doesn't happen often).
We go to their house and I admire it. It is a nice mansion. I mean, I could probably fit—if I was pushing it—about twenty people here, maybe two per room.
They invite us in, and I shyly enter.
"The shower is in the left hand corner of this hall," the girl—Jenny it turns out—tells us. They look at us expectantly, wondering who was going to take a shower first?
"Go ahead," Asher tells me quietly.
I nod my head, and say, "Excuse me." Hey, I still had manners; I was not about to drop them just because I went through shit these last couple of days.
"Towels are in the cupboard!" Mary yells, not bothering to show me.
I can already hear the stream of questioning they throw at Asher and I feel normal. Normal. Two girls, who are not vampires and whose eyes are not crazily dilated, are downstairs this minute.
From their invitation (to Asher), more normal people are going to be coming.
You'll get bored with them.
God. I will not get bored with humans!
Yes you will. For the last three days, Asher and the rest of the vampires have given you a thrill that you just love to feel.
No, I was scared shitless. I'll enjoy human company, I know that for a fact.
Scared shitless or not, you still felt the thrill. You felt it while running away with Ayrilyn, while they caught up with you, when he made sure you wouldn't leave, when you kissed him, when he bit you, when—
Enough. Enough. Enough. Enough. I will have a good time, and I will have a good time with humans, and for a couple hours, forget that this is freaking Pennsylvania.
I. Will. Have. A. Good. Time.
My shower was ruined by then. I was forcing myself to feel good, and my inner conscious is trying to fuck it up.
I get out, no longer enjoying the cold water, and change into my new clothes. I leave the jeans in the bag; I might have taken a cold shower, but as soon as the cold water's iciness was gone, the heat wanted to suffocate me. I take the bag with me and head back towards the kitchen, where the girls were still interrogating Asher.
He looks relieved when he (or, well, then the girls) sees me, and tells the girls, "Well, I'm off to shower," and quickly goes before they can say anything.
I was still by the hall, so once I am within earshot and they are not, he tells me, "You are not fat and I actually like that shirt more than the dress."
I keep myself from frowning. The girls were looking at him still. "Perv," I mutter under my breath.
Once he closes the door from the bathroom, I look down. "Fucking perv," I mutter again, though, I suppose I was a little glad he didn't think me fat.
Keep telling yourself that is why you're happy girl.
"You're just jealous," I mutter aloud, and the girls managed to catch that I said something, though in my muttery mood, they didn't catch what exactly I said.
"What?" they asked in unison, then grinned at each other for being oh so clever.
"Hmm? Oh, sorry, nothing," I say dully.
My conversation with myself was making me come to the conclusion that I was nearing insanity. I'm sure other people also had conflicting thoughts, but who had such a strong negative side within? And why was it coming out now? Was it because of the vampires? Or is it something soon-to-be college students start to get, except over more trivial things, like bills and homework?
"So, uhmm, what does Asher like?" one of the girls—Jenna—asks.
"Yea, does he like the quiet type, or the daring type?" the other one, Mary, tells me.
I'm guessing their tactics were visibly failing.
"Well, he likes the quiet, scared, and hostile kind," I tell them honestly. Sure, they might try it, but with the way he was forced to act now, the scared act would just be an illusion.
"How long have you two been travelling together?" Jenna asks me, trying to see if I indicated he was mine, or if he was just a sibling.
"About three days? Something like that," I tell them, leaning on the counter, getting myself comfortable, knowing they were going to get out of me as much information as possible.
"Why so long? And walking?" Mary asks disbelievingly. "How did you guys ever manage it?"
Say the truth. You know you want to. Claim him as yours.
Really? I decide to half listen.
"We were kind of going in circles. We were nearby an Amish village. The last two hours he just carried me," I said blandly.
They are boring you. I told you.
They are not. It's their close-mindedness.
You are being close-minded too. What have your thoughts been primarily of?
Home. Home. Home. I want to go home.
"Didn't he get tired?" Jenna asks me.
The fat thing again? Sheesh. Well, it does make sense. Whatever.
"Yup. I admire him for carrying me for so long. He's very strong."
"Oh," they coo. I succeeded in making him more desirable.
This continued for five or so more minutes because the next thing I knew, the girls shut up. I look up, and I see they are staring at something behind me.
I turn around, and almost freeze in my spot. He wasn't wearing a shirt—just jeans.
"You took my shirt with you," he said, then heading towards me, he took the shirt and put it on on the spot. The whole slightly baggy jeans and tee thing really fit him, especially the dark shirt against his pale—
Ahh. He's a vampire. He's a vampire. He's a vampire (hunter). He's a vampire…hunter.
"Sorry about that," I said, not meaning it one hundred percent.
The girls look for an excuse to leave so that they can get a breather, and leave us alone.
"What do you think?" he asked me, meaning about his appearance.
"Well, uh," I gulp, and I smile, my eyes darting to the floor, embarrassed of myself, "I think you look good." I look up to see his reaction, though my head is still dropped.
His grin is extremely sexy, and he gets closer. "For a human," he says, his lips caressing my chin and ear, "You sure know how to appeal to vampires."
This time, my heart does start beating a little faster, and I grab the bottom part of the counter for support.
"Aha, really?" I say weakly, not really knowing if I wanted to get out of this siituation, or if I wanted to keep it going.
"Yes," he says. That one word was stressed, and I could tell he was about to make a move. My heart is about to stop from the thought, but he hears the girls coming in and backs away.
He goes back to looking bored, and I (try to) go back to talking as if I were tired.
I hear them come in with a loud sigh, as though they were cooling themselves down (lucky bitches), and they say a little breathlessly, "Guests will arrive in ten minutes."
Asher just smiles, never reaching his eyes, and says, "Can't wait."
Oh yes. I can't wait either. This new development is not to my liking. I realize I'm still holding on to the counter painfully, but I don't let go. I needed a distraction. Any distraction.
I'm falling for a fucking vampire.
Ay. So, I wanted to reach 30 reviews, just cuzz it has that nice digit 0, but 28 works fine for me :) My favorite number is 8 anyways :D
I want it to go dark! Like, go in a dark direction. I feel sorry for Dre. But, I actually want this story to still have some dark themes, seeing as how I abondoned the whole "Asher is a scary evil vampire." (He's just soooo hot...I can't help myself. Did I tell you a long time ago I foudn the perfect picture of a guy that could very well be Asher? God...I'll stop drooling haha).
MyButterfly364: You've thanked me enough times on Sweet Seduction, but I never thanked you once. Thank you for seeing all those funny images like Asher being curled up in the jail cell, or catching my horribly written sexual tension! I'm glad you find something good in my stories!
Songs From the Heart: Becca! I love how you're back to reading my story! I thougt I lost you! I'm very glad you are back and that you enjoyed my story, and saw the "good" part of the chapter. I am trying to keep a balance, and you and MyButterfly364 are telling me I'm doing a somewhat good job about it :)
Thaís: Thank you for enjoying my story! And reading all the chapters at once! I'm glad you liked it and hope this chapter doesn't disappoint you.
Special shoutout to these wonderful places:
US: you are the best!
Germany: Ich liebe Deutchland! (Please tell me I didn't misspell something. It would be the death of me, and no, I didn't look it up for translation. All in my head ) I swear, Friedrich loves you all more than ever!
Brazil: Thank you for reading my story! I am pretty sure it was one reader who found it, and I love you for reading it till the end! Lots of love for you!
Australia: My dear Aussies, I can't help but love you!
Canada: No matter what those northern Americans say, I love how you say "Aay."
Singapore: I love you!
Sweden: Ugh. Swedish candy is to die for! Thanks you for reading my stories!
Bangladesh: I would never have thought you would spend some of your time reading my story. I thank you SO much :)
UK: I love you!
I love all of you! But enough gushy stuff. I must be in a dark theme mindset.
Ahem, so, tell me what you think. Dark theme visible? Can you spot it a mile away?
