Calm is an emotion you feel when you are under the illusion everything is alright
The silky white puffs of elegant cloud that lined the distant horizon sent sparks of the new throughout Eternity. The neighbourhood she resided in was a quiet calm one. No one had a brightly coloured car, no one wore brightly coloured close. It was almost as to appease the environment.
Behind their house was a wood. Thick and dense with dark bark and leaves of such a beautiful green they seemed to dance and play with the wind that rustled through them. The woods themselves stretched onwards unto the far distance, this suburb of the city almost being carved out of the woodland itself with trees everywhere to be seen. Safe enough for the daybreakers.
All the houses were old, the oldest breaching 650 years, the manor of the old town before it had been absorbed by the city. The youngest was not 150years yet the remainder of the houses fitting somewhere in between. All the new estates were built beyond the realms of this quiet city suburb. The old village had not been big enough to acquire any proper non-residential building except a ancient church which was constantly raising money to be rebuilt as it had stood for only twenty years less than the manor.
The best of both worlds resided in this small community spirited neighbourhood. It had been home for Eternity for on and off three years. And of all the places she stayed, this was the place she longed to return to. Wooder's Gardens was, and was always to be, or so she felt, her home.
Her peaceful wonderings within her own mind were interrupted by the bark of a dog. She looked up sharply to see Mrs Cole, their next door neighbour, struggling with their wilful dog. The dog was amply named Wellington, after his now owners found him in a Wellington boot whilst on a walk. He had grown somewhat since then and could now not even fit his nose into the Wellington boot which the sentimental couple had kept.
"Eternity?!!" The shout came from the rather desperate woman who was trying to restrain the wild dog who was evidently slightly excited about the prospect of walking. "Can you take little Welly for a short walk? I know your probably busy," Mrs Cole made a point of looking towards Eternity to emphasise the fact she was sitting doing seemingly nothing, "but it wouldn't take that long. God knows he can practically walk himself these days."
Eternity felt like slaughtering the stupid woman who had immediately assumed as soon as she had met Eternity that Eternity would be her willing slave in any whim and be like the daughter Mrs Cole had so desperately wanted to wait on her. When dear Valerio had died the considerate neighbour had consoled her with "Never mind darling. It's good for you to date someone else anyway. Now how about that charming Cathy? Or is it Carpe? Carth..."
Eternity seeing no plausible grounds she could give the women to denying the question, pulled herself up to full height. Her body was weak from exhaustion and mental depression but that made no difference to the last six months. Shaking a little she walked barefoot down the small lawn to where a small green hedge separated the two abodes. As soon as Wellies saw her his bark echoed throughout the neighbourhood as he pulled at his leash and pawed at the hedge to get throw to greet this new person.
Mrs Cole handed Eternity the leash and smiled in her rouge lipstick before turning back to the house. Wellington tore through the hedge leaving a Wellington shaped hole before diving onto Eternity licking her and barking. She looked up at the house once more before crossing back over the lawn and stalking dragging a inquisitive dog behind her. Nothing stirred in the house and she entered the back garden still searching for any signs of intelligent life.
Wellington went beserk in the back garden, Wellies must have been in there recently. Wellington and Wellies always got on very well. 'Dog thing' was all Wellies would ever say about it. "Come on he's not here." She yanked on the lead but the dog merely took her off her feet as he dashed forward to smell a new plant.
She pulled herself giving the dog a good yank on his lead, which he returned in kind with a happy little bark and another full force yank. She was prepared for it this time though and kept her ground. She dragged him slowly up the garden to the wicket gate which he instantly jumped leaving her to awkwardly scramble over it.
As soon as they reached the woods she let him off the lead, causing her only to see the disappearing behind of a black, brown and white dog as he darted off into the shadows. She deliberated leaving him too it, the neighbourhood would thank her if he never returned, but the sound of running paws stopped her thoughts.
It was like he was invisible, his paws were sounding right next to her on the path yet he was not there. The affect only lasted for a second as Wellington came charging out of the trees and pounced on her. Giving into his adorable smiles and joy of being alive she raced him down the track trying to break all limit of the human body.
He won and darted off into the foliage once again. Taking her maturity and throwing it into the sky Eternity ran into the undergrowth on the other side of the track. Making no noise she settled quietly to wait. A minute later the paws were heard again and the dog's bark echoed through the woods. The sounds of a strong nose sniffing and a dogs curious and slightly annoyed bark came to her behind her tree. She stifled a dizzy giggle before waiting for the dogs next action. He sniffed towards where she was and began to walk off track there his nose pressed to the ground.
Realising it would be a matter of seconds until she was discovered she made a bit for freedom diving in amongst the woods. The sounds of the four paws of pursuit and a bark to the tone of 'she's getting away' confirmed her theory of being chased. The ground dipped and rose as she darted under the trees, laughing as she did so. They reached a shallow stream and she jumped in running up the bank before she stopped turned back to the stream and thought through a cunning dog deciving plan.
Hurriedly she went back into the stream and ran along it to where a low branch overhung it. She used her body strength to haul herself onto it and lay flat along it, just as Wellington reached the stream. He had stopped, obviously sensing no movement. He passed through the stream regaining the scent on the other side until it ran out. He sniffed a little bit further but there was no more scent. He went back to the stream sniffing again.
Wellies had always complained about how annoying it was when people ran through water and you lost their scent. Oldest trick on the collar but there was no prevention against it. She whistled to Wellington just as he was about to give up searching for her, and he came running. He was frustrated to find her up a tree and he bounced about below her in the water enjoying this new challenge before realising jumping up was getting him no where and he retreated off into the woods.
Eternity rolled over and let her eyes shut to the green sky carpet above her. Valerio's face swam pleasantly infront of her, his kind smile touching her very soul on fire. His tipped blonde auburn hair which was always so silky to run hands through. His light blue/green eyes which danced every time he smiled and sang every time it was for her.
In her head she conjured the image of a big field with a stream running through the middle. Valerio and her lying on their backs in the midday sun. The rise in the branch became his arms, the stem his body. She settled into his presence. She imagined his laugh, which she too laughed out loud again to hear, his touch, making her shiver, his voice.
But it changed. It wasn't his voice any more. It was the soft soothing tones of Michael, his arms, his body. But he didn't laugh because Michael Pope didn't laugh. He smiled though.
He changed again and this time his hair was lightening white blonde, long like Michael's but a different colour. It dipped into his strange blue eyes. And his voice his deep harsh emotionless voice. But those eyes.....
She screamed awaking herself from her daydreams. She burned the image of Carthage from her eyes with all the savage energy of one who is born to kill. Wellington came hurrying back to her as she jumped off the branch and landed harshly in the stream. She ignored the sharp pain in her ankle and turned towards the path.
It took a good twenty minutes to get home, Wellington noticing her anger which was covering something far less reputable to be feeling- self horror. She was furious with herself by the time she reached home and the gate was the last straw. She caught her trouser leg on the gate as she climbed it. This sudden stoppage disrupted Wellington's firmly made plans of jumping over the second after she had climbed over.
Consequently he landed on top of her pushing her over the gate, ripping her trousers and letting her fall flat faced in the mud. Wellington pleased with the consequence, it worked out for him just as well as if he'd of made it straight over belted over to where Wellies stood slightly confused looking at the fallen girl.
Carthage however was closer and picked up a long thin stick fallen from one of the elm trees then preceded to poke the girl who moaned and picked herself up. She blinked her muddy eyelashes when she saw Carthage and beyond him Wellies and the merry singing voice of Starkers from the kitchen. She shook her head and blinked a few times before taking a step nearer examining Carthage.
He seemed in perfect shape. His slick hair was wet and he was wearing his normal black attire. There was nothing about him to suggest anything out of the ordinary had happened last night. Wellies however looked tired and had one arm bandaged up. His clothes were rough and torn but his face was grinning in a sarcastic way that suggested he found amusement in this scene.
Eternity brushed the mud from her face before hobbling passed Carthage who was not amused to Wellies who nodded to her, the quiet obedient loyal Wellington sitting by his feet. She trasped up into the kitchen collapsing on one of the harsh wooden chairs. Starkers, who was in full swing with 'R-E-S-P-E-C-T', smiled at her before giving her a double check over. Switching off the music he came and knelt by her knees.
"Now Eternity. There's something you should discuss with your parents but seeing as-well they're not here I suppose I'll have to do it. When a strange man comes up to you in the middle of the night holding a knife and asking to see your boobs you do not stand there and let him cut your top to pieces." Eternity's eyes narrowed as she glanced down at her top. It wasn't that revealing. Starkers was making a whole lot of fuss about nothing.
"It wasn't a man." She mumbled half to herself. But with the wonderful hearing little ole vampys have, even over the loud music and his loud singing he still heard her say something. He stopped the music and looked at her probably wondering weather it was joking. "It wasn't a man." She said only slightly louder and only slightly flustered. "It was a woman." Wellies who had just come in let out a snort of laughter whilst Starkers looked unamused and put the music back on.
Carthage was last to enter from the garden his face depressed and his eyes mutinous. "Eternity what happened last night?" He asked in more than angry soft tones. Eternity looked up at him and thought back to last night.
"I was following Starkers out but we got separated and I had to hide under one of those work surfaces. I stayed there until dawn when I managed to sneak out." Carthage face did not so much as flicker. His eyes were cold as he made a loud exaggerated sniff.
"I can smell your fear," He said in mocking tones. "I can still smell it after six hours have passed. I don't really think any of the many vampires in that warehouse last night would have been able to miss it. You're lying young one." Eternity's eyes fell to the floor and she shuffled uncomfortably. The sound of a lighter and a cigarette came to her ears as the conversation started up again.
"We spent the night in the Daybreak hospital in the next city, south of here. Wellie's was shot in the arm and it cut into his chest. It was a half silver half wood bullet so it will heal quite quickly." Starkers said from his position next to the Hi-Fi. Wellies was stood next to him drinking a steaming mug of something- she caught the flavour of coffee beans. Carthage was the one smoking whilst leaning up on the counter nearest to her. "We took the landrover. I guess you had your sports car."
"Yeah. I was stuck in the warehouse for hours, caught in a gun fight with a old friend of mine. Eventually I ran out of bullets so I escaped down the drainage hole. Came out next to my car and drove off into the night. I recovered," He coughed to show his dislike of this admitted weakness, "in our brother safe house on the other side of the city."
"Where's Ollie? And Holly?" Eternity suddenly asked a sinking feeling coming to her stomach as she remembered where the pair were suppose to go last night and where she ended up last night. She looked up to see Starkers and Carthage looking at her intently. Mind reading...
The front door slammed. "Hello?" A voice called. It was a male voice. A voice Eternity recognised. But it wasn't Ollie's. But the owner of that voice had been dead for six months...
Valerio
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I'm mean. Sue me. Review and ka-boom more chapters will appear. Like magic (magic that takes two and a half hours...)
Practikal Magik: Now I'm hardly going to tell you who her soulmate is am I? You'll find out soon enough. Michael will be forgotten about soon enough....
Thade182: Six months roughly since Valerio was stabbed darling... I have done as you asked.... Thank you for your time.
Bex Drake: time will tell you who Michael is. You'll find out soon enough. Thanks.
Redaura: Dover we'll meet again soon enough. She was with Michael for a couple of hours. I liked that too. But the scary thing for me is I made it up. Sick little mind I have....
Review!