She woke from what seemed to be a horrible nightmare. The small rays of sunlight peeked through her blinds, making her wince at the warmth that greeted her. The covers of her bed were pulled back to hide her sensitive skin from Apollo's welcome. Sleep... why am I so tired? I used to relish the sunlight in the morning.
Crystal glanced over to her alarm clock. Only ten in the morning…not a typical day. I don't remember what happened last night. The ride to his house, then we talked, and then……… why can't I recall the rest of the night? Crystal's eyes grew heavy, and soon she was asleep again.
When she awoke, her Chihuahua was licking her face. "Eww, cut it out Chi." she scolded. She slinked out of her bed, stiff from fading in and out of consciousness and glanced at the window, realizing that it was night already. She spun around to look at her clock. It flashed just past 7pm. Shit! I am late! I was supposed to meet the crew over three hours ago. Where is my cell phone? I hate this bite-size piece of shit! I can never find the thing when I need it. Huh? I have some messages. She danced around the keypad, entering her voicemail code. Okay, Rob, getting check and heading to the mall. Megan is looking for Rob and me. Damn it, Garan didn't call.
She hurried herself to get ready. Crystal jumped, hearing the melodic tones of 'Heart of Asia' all of a sudden.
"Hello?" she answered.
Hearing what sounded like a locker room after the big game, a reply finally came after a long pause. "Hey! Where the hell are you?"
It was Megan. She sounded like she was very out of place and was looking for comfort.
"I am on my way."
"Okay. Just get here soon. I wanna know what happened."
"Be there in about fifteen minutes."
"Okay."
Why can't I remember what happened last night? And how did I get home? Too many thoughts were running through her already jumbled head. Crystal threw her car into drive and peeled back onto the road.
Cars were mere blurs as she focused on getting to the arcade. Crystal pulled onto the second deck of the parking garage. Realizing that she didn't get enough time to make herself presentable, she grabbed her jacket and brush. As she approached the main entrance she noticed all the guys huddled together. Megan was standing on the sidelines rolling her eyes as each testosterone-laden story was tossed into the air. The latest comment was Jae running into Andy and bouncing off him like a bug on a windshield.
"Hey guys," she said to the crowd.
Everyone paused and gave hugs all around to Crystal. Oddly she didn't find the strength and comfort she always felt. No Garan yet. Just then, Trinity walked up, looking like a fucking idiot, as usual.
"HEY! DON'T RUN!!!" she screamed at the annoying twelve-year olds that wreak havoc in the mall. "Goddamn kids, I hate people. Hey Crystal! So there I was… surrounded by buffalo; in the mists of Fifth Avenue, with four margaritas left, and only one credit card to spare! WHAT DO I DO?!?!"
"Run around to confuse the buffalo, drink the damn margaritas, and buy a few more with the credit card," Crystal answered frankly.
"Oh my God…someone finally answered that."
"Anybody interesting around?" Crystal questioned.
"Ohhhhhh! You mean Garan?" Trinity said with an evil, sadistic grin.
"Why do you think I meant him?"
"I work at the damn mall. I hear all the good gossip. Besides, I'm still hitting on Sassine. I swear, the kid stutters worse than a scratched CD. But I'd still do him!" Trinity laughed hysterically, as if she completely lost all her marbles.
"Oh. So is he here?" Crystal said inquisitively.
"Yup, he's right behind you." Trinity giggled.
Crystal turned around slowly.
"You look like a deer caught in headlights. What's up?" Garan asked with a smile.
"Um, nothing. How are you?"
"Okay, I guess." He looked at her with his puppy eyes. "No hug?"
Crystal held him tightly; his hand lingered on her hip as he pulled away.
"Well, time to go play some video games," Garan said as he walked into the mall.
OH MY GOD! I can't believe that he was right behind me the entire time!
"Crystal, chill. He walked up while I was babbling about Joe. I swear, if I get my way, I'll ask Joe out later," Trinity laughed.
"Um, well, here's your chance. He's been standing behind you the entire time," Crystal said with a ruthless smirk.
Trinity turned around with the same look that Crystal had only a moment before. Crystal walked away from Joe and Trinity as she began to start babbling about the buffalo again. Crystal turned around just in time to see Joe walk away from Trinity, shaking his head.
Crystal strolled into the arcade, just to be bombarded by the perverted token boy Bob. Crystal shot him down, as usual. That was nothing new. Just then, Megan came bounding up to Crystal.
"Guess what?!?!?!?" Megan shrieked. "I'm getting a new car!" she said, "But anyway…where'd Garan go?"
Crystal looked very distant. "He's in the arcade playing video games." she answered. "I need you…" The voice echoed inside her head. All the remaining color drained from her face. What is that?! Am I losing my mind? I swear I just heard Garan's voice…but he is inside…impossible…
Megan waved her hand in front of Crystal's face. "Hello? Anyone home?"
Crystal shook her head, "I'm sorry."
Megan frowned. "I'm really starting to worry about you, you know."
"I'll be fine…" Yes, once I figure out what the hell is going on…
Megan and Crystal headed over to the soda machines. Meg's friend James was standing there. He started speaking in a bad Russian accent. The two girls hopped up on the cement wall and lit up. The three of them were bullshitting when Garan walked out. He came over and poked Megan in the leg. "I'm gonna go play some Tekken Tag." he said as he headed toward the movie theater. Megan looked at Crystal. "Oo..kay" she said. They finished talking and James went to go pick up his buddy George so the girls headed to the movie theater arcade. They stood behind Garan and watched him play Tekken. When am I ever gonna get the nerve to approach this guy?? Crystal wondered. Megan grinned and grabbed Crystal's hairclip off of her bag. She clamped it onto the back of Garan's head. He started cursing, "Get that fucking thing out of my hair!" Before Megan could move, he unclamped it from his hair and flung it backwards. It clocked a passing woman right in the face. Crystal and Megan were shocked.
They felt the woman's eyes staring right through the backs of their heads, but she walked away without a word. Wendell and Jae finally wandered in, both of them rubbing their sore knees.
"Hey all," Jae said with a small wince. "I hit my ass on the crossbar and it is gonna leave a mark."
"It was funny."
"Go fuck off Wen."
"Where is everyone?" asked Meg.
"Around, I think I saw Trinity chasing down the buffalo that stole the last jelly from the diner," said Wendell as he was glancing over to the Dance Dance Revolution machine. Apparently, he was looking to see if any jailbait was lingering around the game. "Excellent," he said while tapping his fingers together.
Jae all of a sudden disappeared again. Garan never noticed he was there. Crystal glanced around the theater lobby. That damn Asian has to stop doing that. Should I ask Garan about last night? I'll wait till the crowd thins out. We went to his house, then we started hooking up and then I don't know after that. Why can't I remember? This is getting more bizarre by the minute.
"Hey, wanna go play a game of Dance Dance Revolution?" Megan asked, snapping Crystal out of her thoughts.
"Sure. Maybe it'll help me clear my head."
They both wandered over to the machine just as Trinity was escorting a guy out of the arcade. The stench coming from his body was so overwhelming that Trinity was gagging. "I just beat Dead End on shuffle! I got a 410! Garan can't even do that!" Evan babbled as he was getting dragged out.
"Shut your stanky hole. Besides, not like you have any style," Trinity scolded as the crowd drew in fresh air to their lungs. "Go take a damn shower for once in your life. Too many customers are complaining about you." She yelled as she pushed him out the main doors.
Crystal and Megan put their tokens in the machine and started to play. This uneasiness is driving me crazy. Where was that voice coming from? "Don't worry, give it time. I will explain everything." Suddenly spooked, she hopped off the machine. Crystal scanned the crowd as she ran outside. Fumbling for her vanilla cigarettes, she saw Jae and Trinity talking by the stairs. A couple of the teenyboppers were playing toss with a pair of twins. Trinity looked aggravated because they were interrupting her smoke break, and Jae was vigorously scratching off lottery tickets.
"Wahoo! I won seventeen bucks!"
"Hey Crystal! Why look so, oh I dunno, stoned?!?!" Trinity said going from annoyed to concerned.
Jae looked up, "What's up? You look like someone just took a walk around your head and left a trail."
"I don't know, I just don't know," she said as she sparked another cig.
"What the hell was that all about?" a voice hooted from behind. It was Megan.
"Oh, sorry, I had to take care of that asshole again. The dumb bastard tried to smack my ass. I hate people. So there I was!" Trinity started to bitch again.
"No, not that, you whore!" Megan yelled, "I was talking about Crystal."
"Oh, sorry," Trinity said as she began to walk away. "I'm gonna go find Sassine. Besides, I think I might have a chance!"
Crystal looked at Megan as her eyes rolled back into her head and she collapsed. Her skirt ended up around her throat as Megan frantically tried to save Crystal's last shred of dignity. Just then Rob and Jae ran to Crystal's side.
"Dude! What the fuck did you do to her?!" Jae screamed at Megan.
"I don't know! She just fell on her ass!" Megan yelled back.
Trinity sprinted away from her post.
"Okay everyone! Give me some room! I am the rent-a-cop," Trinity yelled as she shoved twelve year olds out of her way. A few bounced off the walls as she hip-checked them.
Crystal soon came back to consciousness. She felt her eyes flutter open as her hearing returned.
"Crystal? You okay now? You look a little pale," Trinity said as she helped Crystal to her feet.
"Um, yeah. I think so. I just feel really weak."
Just then, Garan strolled up.
"Hey Crystal. You look wonderful," Garan said as he dusted her back off.
"Thanks," Crystal said as she gave him a sarcastic look.
"Do you want me to take you home?" Garan asked.
"Um, okay. I don't think it would be a good idea for me to drive anyhow," Crystal said.
Crystal and Garan walked to his Pathfinder and got in. Just then, Crystal happened to notice a small insignia on one of Garan's claw-rings. It was of a small rose. Garan noticed her staring at the ring. "It's an old family heirloom." He said.
"It's beautiful…"
He started the car and drove out of the parking garage to Rte. 1, the main road. "So, where to?" he asked. "Ok, you need to take Rte. 1 south to Rte. 9, it will merge into Hwy. 35, eventually you will see Fleur St., turn right onto that road." She explained. Garan followed her directions, and they eventually came upon her townhouse. He parked the car and came around to open her door for her. She smiled at him as she stepped out of the car. Wow, he's such a gentlemen! Not too many like him around nowadays. This one's definitely a keeper. Plus, he's got the cutest face I've ever seen! "So, this is where we part ways." He said, snapping her out of her thoughts.
"I suppose so…Garan?"
"Yes?"
"I know this is gonna sound weird, but I feel like I've loved you forever. I sense…something when I'm around you. Like we are soulmates, like you are my destiny. I'm sorry…I just had to tell you. It was beginning to drive me nuts." He smiled and clutched her tightly to his chest. "I know how you feel, believe me…but I know that if you get too close to me, you will get hurt. Just trust me. I'll be back to pick you up tomorrow night to go get your car. I'd call out of work tomorrow and get some more rest if I were you. Goodnight." He said to her, then promptly turned and walked away to his truck. A single crimson tear slid down his cheek. I can't, I just can't! She was already hurt once being involved with me. "Garan…." Crystal mumbled under her breath. She stared at his Pathfinder as he drove off with a longing in her heart that she felt would never be filled.
She turned and entered her home to be greeted by Chi-Chi jumping up and down excitedly. "At least you still love me right?" she asked the dog as she patted him on the head. She dragged herself over to the bedroom and flopped down on her futon. Ah, the story of my life. The mysterious man who sometimes tells me he cares for me, and other times won't give me the time of day. She drifted off to sleep pondering about Garan.
The alarm went off at 5pm. Crystal rolled over and turned it off. I don't want to get up yet. She pulled the cover over her head and went back to sleep. Two hours later, she awoke to Chi-Chi barking and growling at the door. "What the hell is wrong with you dog?!" she yelled at him. He wouldn't stop growling so she got up to see what he was barking at. She opened the door a crack and peeked out to see Garan standing there on her doorstep with his arms crossed, looking as sexy and stylish as ever. He was wearing khakis, a tight tan ribbed shirt underneath an open long sleeve black button down, and his usual silver ankh necklace. "Hello." he said.
She opened the door for him. "Um, hi! Sorry I overslept, come in." He sauntered in and plopped down on the leather sectional.
"I need to get dressed ok?" she told him. "Sure, I'll watch." He replied with a grin.
"Uh…no. I'm going to my bedroom." She said as she disappeared through the door to his far right. Why am I so attracted to such an arrogant cocky bastard! The way he moves, the way he talks, the way he looks…that's why. Even that arrogance turns me on. She rushed to put on her favorite pair of bellbottom blue jeans, a cute pink tank top, and a pair of black Skechers sneakers, then quickly checked her hair in the mirror on the way out.
"I'm ready to go." She told Garan.
He stared at her for a minute, mesmerized. "You look gorgeous, as you always do." She smiled. "Shall we be on our way?" They walked out to his truck together and he held the door open for her to get in, then walked around and got in himself, and they were on their way.
They eventually arrived back at Menlo Mall; he parked next to her Porsche and turned to her. "Crystal, I do care about you, but I think it's best for us not to see each other, at least until I straighten some things out. I'm sorry."
"But why? You won't tell me anything, you toy with my emotions, yet you say you care about me?" Her eyes began to water as she said this. "If I live to be a thousand, I will never understand you." She hopped out of the car, fumbling through her purse for her keys. "You want me out of your life? Fine."
"No wait!" Garan motioned, reaching out to her. She jumped into her car and sped out of the parking garage. Crystal flew down Rte 1 crying, the other cars and her safety now irrelevant to her. Garan sat in his car, head bowed, still deeply torn. Why must things be this way? He suddenly heard a pelting sound upon the roof of the parking garage and looked up to see that it had begun pouring.
The rain came down so hard it was blinding, but Crystal paid no attention. She whipped the car around a bend and blew through a merge where she should have yielded. She didn't see the 18-wheeler rumbling down the already slick road. The massive truck tried to brake but the roads were too wet. It impacted the Porsche in the rear, the loud sound of metal crunching was horrid as the car spun three times and finally stopped when it hit a guardrail on the side of the road about 200 feet away from the truck. A tall man jumped out of the truck and started yelling, "Oh my God! Someone call 911!" A thin female figure jumped up behind him and swiftly knocked him out. The woman ran over to Crystal's car and pried the door open. She was unconscious and bleeding profusely from her head, growing weaker with each raspy breath. "This doesn't look good." Garan, I need you to get here immediately. Something terrible has happened to Crystal.
Garan heard the voice calling for him and drove to them as quickly as he could. He was devastated by what he saw when he arrived. Crystal was nearing death; she had sustained heavy damage to her head and neck. Her body lay lifelessly in the seat of the car. The woman grabbed him by the shoulders. "I think you have to do it, now you have no choice. You can't let her die on us!"
"I can't do this to her…" Remorsefully, he gently lifted Crystal's head and bit down hard on his tongue, bringing up blood; then bent over and kissed her with tears running down his face. At first it seemed that she was dead, but she started to awaken slowly, pulling his tongue deeper down her throat. Eventually she pulled away and fell back into the car, writhing and moaning. "We'd better get her out of here before the police get here, take her back to your place Garan. I will take care of this mess." The woman said. He laid Crystal down on the backseat in his car and turned around. "Thank you Danielle."
He quickly got into his car and took off. Once they arrived at his home in Edison, he rushed her inside and put her on his bed. She lay there sleeping while he sat and watched over her. The wounds she had sustained were quickly healing themselves. She awoke about an hour later and gave him a puzzled expression.
"Do you remember?" he asked.
"No, I'm so confused right now. I remember driving, and I was in an accident…and I blacked out."
"You are like me now. You knew what I was long before you met me. I can show you things that you'll only remember if I awaken them," Garan said.
"Wha…" Crystal began to speak, but just then, a wave of darkness fell over her.
When Crystal awoke, she was in a stone room. There were heavy cerulean drapes hung around large stained glass windows. Crystal looked up and saw Garan standing before her.
"Good evening, Dreamer. Did you have a nice nap?" Garan said as he helped her up from the soft bed she had been lying on.
"Um, Garan? Where am I?" Crystal asked as she noticed that her mini skirt was now a long, crimson gown accented by scalloped lace covering her bodice.
"Garan, I am no longer, at least not here. Welcome home, Dreamer," Garan said as he bowed low.
"Why do you keep calling me that? And where the hell am I? This is too weird," Crystal said as she hiked up her gown.
"My name is Gareth. And you sweet Dreamer, are not Crystal here. You are Lydian."
Crystal shook her head slowly. "I still don't understand…"
He gently placed his hand on her shoulder. "You will, in due time."
She laid her head back on the soft pillow and drifted off to sleep with Gareth watching over her.
She started to dream almost immediately. "Touching you makes me feel alive." He whispered in her ear. He started kissing her, and then pulled away. "No, we must hurry. I need to get you out of here. Come." He picked Lydian up and took her outside to the black carriage awaiting them. The carriage pulled away swiftly into the night. Lydian cuddled up in the back next to Gareth. He held his beloved close. He looked into her eyes…those piercing blue eyes of his seemed to look right through her very soul. "My lady, I don't want to do this to you. I love you darling. I don't want you to get hurt. I never should have involved you. I never should have fallen in love with you." The carriage came to a sudden halt, the horses cried out in fear. Lydian howled in pain as she was thrown into the side of the carriage. "What is going on?" she cried. All of a sudden a man swung open the door of the carriage and grabbed Lydian. She started screaming at the top of her lungs. Gareth jumped out after them, but this man was powerful. Effortlessly he knocked Gareth aside, right into the carriage. He bounced off and hit the ground. The horses let out a loud-pitched whinny. The vampire disappeared into the woods with Lydian. Gareth heard the voice in his head laughing, mocking him. He heard Lydian's screams echo through the forest and suddenly end. Gareth broke down and started to cry. The river of glistening blood tears left red streaks down his cheeks. He slammed his fist into the side of the carriage and crumpled down to the ground. "NOOOOO!!!!!!!! WHY?!" he screamed. "Why her?! Why didn't you take me? Take me Baldric!!!"
… And she woke up.
"That was some dream." Crystal sighed.
"Did you remember?" Garan asked her.
"Yes…That mortal was me." She looked away, depressed suddenly. He held her close to him and stroked her long hair, running it through his fingers.
He looked into her eyes. "But we have been reunited finally, after centuries; I missed you so…I have been searching for eons. Just to find you. I knew I would see you again. I will not make the same mistake this time."
"So now I am like you…what are we exactly?"
He looked at her and placed his hands on her cheeks. "You know what I am. You were the only mortal who knew, even if you didn't realize it. We are vampires, immortals, kindred, the childer of Caine. I embraced you and you are now like me. I had no choice, I am sorry. But I couldn't watch you die. I hope you can forgive me. I will teach you the ways of the Camarilla, and our clan, the Toreador."
Crystal seemed overwhelmed. He continued, "Will you be with me forever my beautiful flower?"
She hesitated for a moment, and began to cry. Tears, I haven't cried like this in so long.
"What's wrong?" he asked, sounding deeply concerned.
"Nothing, it's just all so much to take in."
He held her tightly against him. "I understand your pain. I was not given a choice when I was embraced. My first reaction was denial. I tried to think of fruits, meats, and wine. But the need for blood was overwhelming. I was utterly enslaved to it. No opium fiend in a Lime house or of a Shanghai den was ever so helplessly, so wretchedly dependent."
She clutched her stomach. "It hurts so much!" she cried.
"You need to feed, you are experiencing your first torment. Unfortunately blood is a necessity, but only take what you need to survive. You do not need to kill. We can dominate human thoughts so they won't remember." Saying this, he took one of his claw rings and sliced his forearm open.
"Oh my god…" Crystal cried in horror.
"Drink." He said as the crimson blood began to trickle down his arm, "It will make the pain go away."
She stared repulsed for a moment, then leaned in and started to feed upon his open wound. He winced for a second. "Ok, enough." As he pulled his arm away the open wound started to close and heal almost instantly.
"It doesn't hurt anymore. But why all this? Why me? How do you know I'm really the reincarnation of Lydian?"
"I've been searching for you for centuries. I could sense that it was you from the moment we met."
Crystal bowed her head. "This is so much to deal with, I don't know if I can handle it."
"Don't worry about it my love. You are much stronger than you believe." He placed his lips over hers and she instantly became relaxed.
Chapter 5 >>>