Vampire Kisses fanfiction
PLASTIC PROMISES
Claude Sterling/OC: Madeline Torrent

Chapter 14.

Claude lowered himself into his coffin as dawn began to approach. For one week straight he'd been gone for the night, away from his friends to stalk Maddie. Ever since the night he'd kept her in the dance studio, his longing to be with her only grew even more wild. He always saw her face flash before his eyes. Her large, dark blue orbs sparkled with life and light. Claude wanted to hold her, to caress her, to kiss her, to love her.

He'd given up on the part of him that told him he should be disgusted with falling in love with a human, but he was always reminded of Tripp's words the night of the soccer game.

"She's a pretty girl, but she's human. You know how it is, Claude."

He did know how it was, but how did he know he couldn't make it work? Alexander had been dating his human girlfriend for well over a year now, and they didn't have any problems. They'd worked out the kinks perfectly. If his cousin could have a mortal girlfriend, then why couldn't Claude?

Of course, there was the part where he had to tell his friends, first. He couldn't keep a secret girlfriend from them. He could already see their reactions: mocking, puzzled, and telling him to think otherwise. Maddie was supposed to be his prey, and she had been, but just like a sappy young adult novel, he'd fallen for her. The lion fell in love with the lamb.

He mentally scolded himself for the damn Twilight analogy and fluffed his black satin pillow. As he began to lay down, three shadows loomed over him from behind his coffin lid.

"Alright Claude. Don't think you're going to get away with this any longer," scolded Kat, her fists on her hips. She, Rocco, and Tripp were all dressed in their pajamas, as if they were ready to go to bed. However, according to Claude, it didn't seem they were ready to hit the sack just yet.

"What are you talking about?" snapped Claude, rolling his eyes.

"Dude, you've been gone every night this week, only to come back to sleep, and then you're off again," said Rocco. "What's going on? Where do you have to be this entire time?" Kat was nodding her head according to everything her boyfriend said.

"I'm just feeding," Claude merely said with a shrug. "Jeez. You don't need to gang up on me and badger me about it."

"Fine. Don't tell us, but I thought we were your friends. Apparently this big secret is more important than us," snarled Kat as she glared at him, now folding her thin arms over her Alice Cooper tee. She turned on her heel and Rocco followed after her, heading towards their coffins not too far from Claude's. Tripp remained, his earphones plugged in his ears. He peered down at Claude through narrow eyes, one eyebrow arched.

"You're never going to tell them?" he inquired.

"I'm surprised you haven't," Claude admitted. "I thought you'd get sick of me leaving and want to fill them in. Oh you're right. It's not fair to leave them in the dark. I'm just afraid of what they'll say." He ran a hand through his artificial blonde hair, his black roots apparent and streaking through the color.

"They're your friends. They'll say what's good for you. So perhaps they don't like the idea about you falling for a mortal. I know it's not the smartest move"—Claude glared at him and looked away stubbornly—"but no one can control your feelings. They'll get used to the idea, just as I have. We care about you, Claude, and we're there for you. That's why we're your friends. Don't forget it."

Tripp turned away from Claude and walked back to his own coffin. Claude sighed. Tripp was right. He had to trust his friends, and that meant telling them everything. He looked up and noticed both Kat's and Rocco's coffins closed. He turned back to the east and noticed the sun rising. It was not bright enough to harm him, but in a matter of minutes it would be. Sighing again, Claude slipped back into his coffin and closed the lid above him, thinking about how he was going to break it to his closest friends that he was in love with a human.

Night approached them and the four vampires rose from their coffins, refreshed from slumber. They readied themselves for the night in earnest, just as they did every night, except for Claude, who was still contemplating on how he would admit his disappearing.

"Not in a rush to leave this time, are you Claude?" chimed Kat in a mocking tone. She was combing her short brunette hair that was streaked with black, smoothing her hand along it to flatten it. Rocco smirked as he pulled a black knit cap with skull on the front of it over his untamable black hair. Tripp seemingly ignored them altogether, but Claude had the faintest feeling that he was listening even through his blasted techno.

"No, not tonight," sighed Claude. Kat harrumphed and narrowed her eyes, turning back to her accessories to continue getting ready. Claude hesitated before continuing. After all, he had the perfect opportunity to say it now, and it wouldn't sound completely random either. Kat had created an entrance for him, bringing up the topic. He took a deep breath before he continued. "Actually, about that, me leaving for the past nights, I wanted to tell you the truth."

Kat, Rocco, and Tripp all turned to Claude. Interest sparked Tripp's expression, and curiosity crawled across Kat's and Rocco's face as they both crossed their arms over their chests. They were silent as they waited for him to continue.

"That girl, Maddie, the one who I met near the alley and claimed as my own prey; the girl who we saw at the soccer game … it's about her," he said slowly, followed by a gulp. Kat's eyebrows narrowed.

"You have feelings for her, don't you?" she asked in a whisper, her tone disapproving.

"You could say that," Claude nervously chuckled with a shrug. A small grin appeared on Tripp's lips, straightening his posture with pride. He was glad Claude was finally admitting it. It was rare for Claude to admit to any of his faults, so witnessing this was practically a once in a lifetime experience, however Tripp wasn't grinning because of that, but because Claude was trusting his friends again with something as important as this.

"That's why we went to the soccer game? To see her, huh?" Rocco asked. Claude shook his head.

"That was actually an accident. I wasn't expecting to see her there. In fact, the reason why I wanted to head to Dullsville was because I wanted to get away from her. The night after I first saw her, I went back to the alley and stalked her until she found me. I attempted to drain her, but I couldn't. Something about her eyes stopped me, so I let her go." Kat's eyes widened with shock. "After that, I couldn't get her face out of my mind. I was unwillingly obsessed with her. It then gradually turned into a willing desire, and now … well, now I just think I love her. I feel connected to her, somehow. I always want to be with her." Claude's fists clenched together as he punched a grave marker, leaving his fist print in the stone. He was overcome with anger now, his puzzlement irritating him. He hated it when he couldn't understand something.

"So these past nights you've been with her?" asked Rocco.

"I've been spying on her," Claude muttered.

"Well, does she know?" Kat asked.

"Know what?"

"Know that you love her … and what you are," she replied. Claude sighed and leaned against the marker.

"She knows what I am. I barricaded her in a dance studio and she noticed my reflection was gone. I clarified for her that I was a vampire."

"Claude, do you realize how incredibly stupid that was?" Kat snapped. He glared at her.

"She isn't going to tell. Besides, if she did, no one would take her seriously. There are thousands of people down here who dress and look like us and claim they're vampires. We blend right in, so we have nothing to worry about."

"You better hope so," she hissed.

"Well, what about the part about if she knows you love her or not?" piped Tripp, shifting the subject back to what it was. Claude shrugged.

"I don't really know. Maybe she got a hint, maybe she didn't. I didn't flat out tell her that I loved her because I didn't really want to believe it myself, but I told her I thought she was beautiful," he replied, his voice drifting into a soft tone. He sighed and thought about her image. She was completely beyond beautiful, and Claude had known that since the first day he'd seen her. And she was a beautiful dancer. He longed to see her perform again.

"Well, what can I say?" Kat said, snapping Claude out of his fantasy. "I guess it was kind of obvious that you had feelings for her, considering you couldn't even drink from her."

"You should have told us sooner, dude. The thought's weird, but I get you. Besides, you can't control your feelings. So you love a mortal, big whoop."

"Yeah, big whoop," scoffed Kat. She narrowed her eyes at Claude, sporting a frown, but a few seconds later it curled into a nice grin. "But we're your friends, so it's our duty to support you with no matter what crazy thing you do."

Claude was taken aback by Kat's and Rocco's reaction. It was nothing like he'd thought, and he'd prepared himself for something much worse. All of that worrying for nothing.

He looked Tripp's way, who sported a coy grin that could have literally said, I told you so, and sighed, grateful that he had the friends he did.