Chapter 7

The next evening, Inga and Leila were taken outside. Pure, white snow blanketed the ground in a white sheet, and small snowflakes, lighter than feathers, fell from the sky. The atmosphere was beautiful with the ice glistening on the trees, but at the same time, it was so sad. Leila watched as Inga put on the worn, white sheet that a vampire gave her in silence.
As Inga ran to her favorite column and Leila watched as she climbed to the top and reach for the sky. The scene would have been most comical to those who did not know the situation, but as they would look on, they would see how sadly pathetic the action was. It was nearly sickening, and Leila almost wished she had her gun to put Inga out of her misery.
"Every time," the vampire who watched the two women noted and shook his head. He was standing next to Leila, but at a distance. "She always reaches for those stars, even if she cannot see them, and the worst part is that she knows that she'll never reach them."
"You watch her?" Leila asked curiously. Somehow she was not afraid of this vampire. He seemed different.
The vampire nodded and turned to Leila. "I'm Alexi. Since I'll be your caretaker, if you need anything, just call and I'll see what I can do."
Leila nodded and replied, "I'm Leila."
"Pretty name," Alexi voiced.
"Thank you," Leila replied, nervous from the friendliness. "You don't seem to be like most vampires. You're kind of friendly."
"I didn't use to be," Alexi confessed and turned to watch Inga lean against the column and talk to herself. "I raped her too, just like the rest. I was just as horrible, but when I was ordered to watch her, that is when I changed."
Leila looked at Alexi, yet she was still not afraid, despite his confession. He was quite handsome now that she took a good look at him. He had dark, brown hair and the most lovely green-gray eyes. He was a little taller than her, and his body was the perfect size.
"She's talking to herself again," Alexi complained, but continued to tell his story of how he changed. "That's what really changed me. At first it wasn't so bad, but those conversations she has slowly became more and more complex. I used to think she was completely insane, but now I realize that she knows exactly what's going on."
"Of course she does," Leila responded sadly, and she turned towards Inga as well. "She knows what's happening to D, and she knows that she'll most likely be changed before she can see him. It's her pathetic hope that she'll see him before that moment. I think that's what is keeping her sane, but how long will it last? I'm skeptical about the amount of sanity she has left. How long as she been here?"
"I think about, oh, over sixty years at least," Alexi replied casually, as if it was a small amount of time.
"S. . . si. . . Sixty years a least!" Leila stuttered with wide eyes.
Alexi nodded calmly. "The vampire blood being injected in her helps keep her alive through all the beatings she's given ritually."
"At least sixty years," Leila whispered in disbelief.
"The purest loyalty," Alexi replied as he heard Inga's sobs. "No one alive is worthy of such devotedness. It's a tragedy because he'll probably end up killing her."
Leila turned to Alexi, her blue eyes filled with sadness. He was probably right. D would end up killing her.
"It's time to go in now," Alexi called to Inga as he tore his gaze away from Leila's eyes. She was beautiful to him, but if he showed the vampires any attraction towards her, she would be taken away.
Inga did not move.
"Come on," Alexi called again. "Time to go in."
Inga still did not move, and Alexi sighed before he walked towards her. Leila followed, afraid to be left alone.
When they reached Inga, she was on the ground, leaning against her column. Alexi shook her gently, but she did not stir. She had collapsed from exhaustion.
"She shouldn't cry so much," Alexi told Leila as he picked Inga up. "Those tears take p a lot of her energy. She's especially weak from what Carmen's been doing to her for the past couple months."
Leila watched in silence as Alexi picked up Inga's light body and held it close to is own for warmth.
Without warning, Inga put her arms around Alexi's neck and whispered, "D? Did D come to help me? I'm so happy. Now I don't have to worry about dying now."
Alexi dropped to his knees and held Inga close to him. She had never done that before, and it was too much to bear. Blood tears ran down his cheeks. Inga's arms dropped from around his neck and she became limp once more, her eyes still closed.
"Is she--" Leila began to ask.
"No," Alexi replied quickly. "She's just unconscious. However, if I ever meet this D, I swear I'll give him a good beating for what he's made her go through."
"She wouldn't like that," Leila commented and lowered herself to Alexi's level. "She'd argue that it wasn't his fault."
"I don't give a damn!" Alexi screamed and held Inga closer. After all this time watching her, she had become a good friend, and somewhat his child. "I would take her away myself, but she would never be happy. She's become a friend and child to me, and I feel so helpless that I cannot protect her."
"Alexi," Leila whispered sympathetically. She understood what he was talking about.
Alexi composed himself and rose to his feet and carried Inga's unconscious body to the dungeon. Leila walked beside him, occasionally looking at the frozen, red tears on Inga's face. She looked as if she was dead, but the steam from her breath proved she was alive.
Leila helped Alexi chain Inga back up, and the door to the outside was open. The sun had risen, and Leila saw it come through the open door as it crept closer to Alexi.
"Alexi, the sun!" Leila yelled frantically.
Alexi looked at the sun, put his hand through the light, then shrugged. "I'm a dunpeal as well. It doesn't bother me."
"You're a . . ." Leila began to ask, but she stopped from her shock.
Alexi looked at her and gave her a small smile. "Yes, I'm a dunpeal. I was brought up by vampires, so I'm more like them. Fooled you, didn't I."
"You cry blood tears though."
"From growing up with vampires. She cries them as well, but they aren't true blood tears. They've still got some salt water in them. Well, I better get going now. Rest up, you'll need it."
Alexi took the sheet from Inga's body and shut the door to the outside before he walked out the other one. The door closed silently behind him, and Leila was left in the middle of the room, still in shock.
For someone who grew up with vampires, he was not so bad.