**this is in Eric's pov. I was beginning to write another chapter but
something felt wrong. Eric came out of my computer and screamed "tell my
side!" boy, is he bossy or what? Well, I did as he 'asked'. And pow, it was
what I was looking for. Thank all of youz for reviewing! and enjoy!***
I saw the girl. She, unlike all the others, sparked my curiosity. Her wounds and bruises had begun to fade already, which was odd in itself. Of course I had seen her before, about a week ago, but now is much different. Before she had simply been a new slave that Jaguar had taken under his wing, or his paw, depending on how you thought about it. And now, only after a few waking hours in this atmosphere, she had caught the eye of one of the strongest vampires of New Mayhem. How did I know how strong he was? Jaguar had asked for the best to come, and so the female vampire and he came.
Politics never really caught my fancy, considering I never really was introduced into them. Being eleven and thrown into slavery wasn't much of an educational experience, some told me. I believe that it was more educational than the stuff I had been learning.
Midnight taught you how to survive, whether human or not. I will not disagree that vampires are superior to humans. We as humans either go with the flow and have a mutual relationship, as Jaguar and I share, or you fight it and get beaten into servitude. Of course not all humans are as lucky as I. Others had accepted the truth and still had been forced to live a life of slavery.
Nada. That was her name. I remember now. A few hours ago she had given lip to Ash Night, or Jessica. I don't really know which name she prefers. Along with Jager and Adrian. She either must be very strong willed or just very stupid, I concluded after I had left Jager and her presence. I doubt that she is stupid though. A stupid human could not have survived Adrian's beating.
I sat down on my simple bed, questioning myself. It had only been a year since Turquoise had killed Daryl. A few months after she did, she moved back here. Nathaniel still stays away from here, even though he is a kind friend to Turquoise. Ravyn still has Gabriel wrapped around her slender finger, and personally I doubt that Gabriel is even aware. I had to laugh at that.
Nada. Her face swirled in front of my eyes and I can't seem to get her out of my head. She looked so peaceful when she slept.
Jager had been feeding off of her. That caused me to clench my fists, but I had to act as if it didn't bother me. Nada did not belong to me therefore I could not argue what he did to her.
Now that the agreement had been signed, runaway slaves could slip into the hundred mile boundary and not be touched by their former masters. New Mayhem vampires on the other hand still did feed off humans in the area and therefore they would not exactly be completely safe. No one ever really is, I reminded myself. Vampires are everywhere: Middle East, Russia, Africa, and Australia.
I remember Jaguar telling me about a vampire that had come in from somewhere in the Middle East, who had brought his own pair of pets. Like Jeshickah, Flare, the vampire, had trained his pets to lick his boots if he ordered them to. All except for one slave. That one slave had caught Jaguar's eye but said nothing. Jaguar didn't remember the slave's name, and not to his own surprise, neither did Flare. Tanata, Flare had simply called her. I doubt that actually means anything in any language, but the name did suit the slave, or Jaguar told me.
"Eric?" My name made me snap my head up to see Turquoise standing in my doorway. I guess I had left the door open. "Hey kid," she said with a playful smirk. Although I am now almost 16 years old and she only a several years older than I, she still called me kid. I suppose I had become like her little brother when I had spent my small amount of time in my old world, although my company was just like here, at home. Turquoise, the mercenary had let her old human friend come over for dinner occasionally, and Nathaniel had called once and awhile.
"Hi," I answered absently, my mind drifting back to Nada. Although far from stunningly beautiful, she was fairly attractive. And if she spends a few more months here, that extra weight will slide off rather quickly.
"Something is bothering you?" Just like Turquoise, I thought tiredly. Although she had phrased it in a question, it was a statement. Her hunter instincts could probably sense my frustration from down the hall.
"Maybe," I joked as I lay back on my bed.
"Nada is supposed to help you with outside once she wakes up again," she informed me after a few moments of eerie silence. Good, I thought to myself, it was about time. Even after Turquoise had come back, she wouldn't help me out there. Not her style, she told me. I actually agree with her. Just as I could never really see Adrian or Jeshickah picking weeds, I couldn't see Turquoise raking leaves.
"She is in Jager's room, sleeping." I informed her as I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. As I exhaled, I heard Turquoise take a sharp intake of air.
"How did she get there?"
"Jager," I answered as if it was the most obvious answer there was, which it probably wasn't far from it. I heard her slam my door in aggravation, no doubt frustrated at why I was being such a boy. Usually I never acted like a 16 year old, but when I'm in deep thinking or confused, I do.
I vaguely remember how Jager had acted in the hallway with Nada. He was toying with her one moment and threatening the next. That ought to show anyone how volatile a vampire's temper can be. Luckily, neither he nor Nada had seen me. Ash Night had though and she gave me a smirk as I continued down the hall after Jager had left in a rage.
Damn it, I cursed to myself. Why am I thinking about her? There are so many other girl slaves, why was this one so different? Was it because she never listened? I don't know, but I don't like how I'm always thinking about her. I should be thinking about other things, like trimming the rose bushes outside tomorrow, or repainting the west wing next week. Oh boy, I grumbled as I curled up into a ball once I slipped under my covers, THAT ought to be joyful.
I dreamt of my family. My mother, father, I barely remember them anymore. How sunny it always seemed, when you never knew what happened after the sun went down. You felt safe in your bed, not knowing. Ignorance is bliss. The less you know, the better you are off.
I do not miss that world. I belong here in the world of the night, where the shadows of the sun do not cast illusions on this world. Midnight is where I belong.
I saw the girl. She, unlike all the others, sparked my curiosity. Her wounds and bruises had begun to fade already, which was odd in itself. Of course I had seen her before, about a week ago, but now is much different. Before she had simply been a new slave that Jaguar had taken under his wing, or his paw, depending on how you thought about it. And now, only after a few waking hours in this atmosphere, she had caught the eye of one of the strongest vampires of New Mayhem. How did I know how strong he was? Jaguar had asked for the best to come, and so the female vampire and he came.
Politics never really caught my fancy, considering I never really was introduced into them. Being eleven and thrown into slavery wasn't much of an educational experience, some told me. I believe that it was more educational than the stuff I had been learning.
Midnight taught you how to survive, whether human or not. I will not disagree that vampires are superior to humans. We as humans either go with the flow and have a mutual relationship, as Jaguar and I share, or you fight it and get beaten into servitude. Of course not all humans are as lucky as I. Others had accepted the truth and still had been forced to live a life of slavery.
Nada. That was her name. I remember now. A few hours ago she had given lip to Ash Night, or Jessica. I don't really know which name she prefers. Along with Jager and Adrian. She either must be very strong willed or just very stupid, I concluded after I had left Jager and her presence. I doubt that she is stupid though. A stupid human could not have survived Adrian's beating.
I sat down on my simple bed, questioning myself. It had only been a year since Turquoise had killed Daryl. A few months after she did, she moved back here. Nathaniel still stays away from here, even though he is a kind friend to Turquoise. Ravyn still has Gabriel wrapped around her slender finger, and personally I doubt that Gabriel is even aware. I had to laugh at that.
Nada. Her face swirled in front of my eyes and I can't seem to get her out of my head. She looked so peaceful when she slept.
Jager had been feeding off of her. That caused me to clench my fists, but I had to act as if it didn't bother me. Nada did not belong to me therefore I could not argue what he did to her.
Now that the agreement had been signed, runaway slaves could slip into the hundred mile boundary and not be touched by their former masters. New Mayhem vampires on the other hand still did feed off humans in the area and therefore they would not exactly be completely safe. No one ever really is, I reminded myself. Vampires are everywhere: Middle East, Russia, Africa, and Australia.
I remember Jaguar telling me about a vampire that had come in from somewhere in the Middle East, who had brought his own pair of pets. Like Jeshickah, Flare, the vampire, had trained his pets to lick his boots if he ordered them to. All except for one slave. That one slave had caught Jaguar's eye but said nothing. Jaguar didn't remember the slave's name, and not to his own surprise, neither did Flare. Tanata, Flare had simply called her. I doubt that actually means anything in any language, but the name did suit the slave, or Jaguar told me.
"Eric?" My name made me snap my head up to see Turquoise standing in my doorway. I guess I had left the door open. "Hey kid," she said with a playful smirk. Although I am now almost 16 years old and she only a several years older than I, she still called me kid. I suppose I had become like her little brother when I had spent my small amount of time in my old world, although my company was just like here, at home. Turquoise, the mercenary had let her old human friend come over for dinner occasionally, and Nathaniel had called once and awhile.
"Hi," I answered absently, my mind drifting back to Nada. Although far from stunningly beautiful, she was fairly attractive. And if she spends a few more months here, that extra weight will slide off rather quickly.
"Something is bothering you?" Just like Turquoise, I thought tiredly. Although she had phrased it in a question, it was a statement. Her hunter instincts could probably sense my frustration from down the hall.
"Maybe," I joked as I lay back on my bed.
"Nada is supposed to help you with outside once she wakes up again," she informed me after a few moments of eerie silence. Good, I thought to myself, it was about time. Even after Turquoise had come back, she wouldn't help me out there. Not her style, she told me. I actually agree with her. Just as I could never really see Adrian or Jeshickah picking weeds, I couldn't see Turquoise raking leaves.
"She is in Jager's room, sleeping." I informed her as I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. As I exhaled, I heard Turquoise take a sharp intake of air.
"How did she get there?"
"Jager," I answered as if it was the most obvious answer there was, which it probably wasn't far from it. I heard her slam my door in aggravation, no doubt frustrated at why I was being such a boy. Usually I never acted like a 16 year old, but when I'm in deep thinking or confused, I do.
I vaguely remember how Jager had acted in the hallway with Nada. He was toying with her one moment and threatening the next. That ought to show anyone how volatile a vampire's temper can be. Luckily, neither he nor Nada had seen me. Ash Night had though and she gave me a smirk as I continued down the hall after Jager had left in a rage.
Damn it, I cursed to myself. Why am I thinking about her? There are so many other girl slaves, why was this one so different? Was it because she never listened? I don't know, but I don't like how I'm always thinking about her. I should be thinking about other things, like trimming the rose bushes outside tomorrow, or repainting the west wing next week. Oh boy, I grumbled as I curled up into a ball once I slipped under my covers, THAT ought to be joyful.
I dreamt of my family. My mother, father, I barely remember them anymore. How sunny it always seemed, when you never knew what happened after the sun went down. You felt safe in your bed, not knowing. Ignorance is bliss. The less you know, the better you are off.
I do not miss that world. I belong here in the world of the night, where the shadows of the sun do not cast illusions on this world. Midnight is where I belong.