"I don't see why we gotta wear these things!" I exclaimed, rather loudly, as I clutched my stomach, gasping for air.
"Oh quit whining,…" answered Amber, tightening my corset. Then helping to drop the yards of velvet and crinolines that made my dress, down over my head. "…Besides, the guys love it"
"Oh, ... so I'm pushing up my 'goods', risking breast cancer, to please the opposite sex?" I summed up the situation. Amber nodded.
"Yup. That sounds about right... It's a sacrifice we've all gotta' make to please the men. You got no 'goods' to push up anyways!" Amber took a mouthful of cushion as I launched it towards her head.
"It's not a sacrifice that you 'Have to' make. You Chose to wear this bondage!…by the way, did I thank you for coming with me to this foolish thing?"
After a quick comparison of bust size, to prove Amber's theory false, the pair of us began our last minute preening. I lightly dusted my face, applied a thin stroke of black liner around my eyes, and smothered my lips in colourless shiny gloss. I then tossed these items into my small clip-purse, in case re-application was in order at some point in the evening.
"Ready?" Looking to my best friend, elbow bent, I offered my arm.
"As ready as I'll ever be.", Was her answer, Linking her arm with mine as we exited the house.
"Don't fret, It'll be Fun!"
Tom sat licking his lips, relishing the memory of the sweet blood he had sampled in the store room one night previous. So good, but SO little. He wanted more…. Scratch that! He NEEDED more! He stared out into the night through the narrow opening in the wall.
"What's the deal? Usually your off to 'work' by now." Looking to his brother, Bill sprawled himself out on the hard surface of the couch, propping his head up with his arms. Tom turned to face his brother from the window.
"I'm trying to avoid it tonight. Some stupid Fair that the store is hosting, all employees must attend. No exceptions!"
"No matter how sexy you are?" Bill joked.
"Exactly!" Tom smiled, closing the dark tattered curtains behind him. "Well …" Tom began to walk off towards his room, "…on the up side. I'll get another go at Tarra…" Bill rolled his eyes and sat up, resting his wrists on his knees, dangling his ten ringed digits.
"What's up with this chick? What's she taste like?" Asked Bill.
Tom popped his head out the doorway and pointed a long, slender finger at Bill,
"Okay … first off, you've no idea how wrong that just sounded, and secondly … I was NOT 'tasting' her…"
"Well,…sounds like you did! What do you call 'molesting' her hand with your mouth, then?" Bill laughed out loud, examining his own hand in the dim moonlight. The cuts, now gone, as were the ones from the many nights before. He toyed with the idea of whittling away the skin yet again, to reveal the blood that surged beneath.
Tom appeared back into the main room wearing a distinguished, black on black suit. Complete with patent leather shoes, the jacket slung over one shoulder.
"Auh, so you are going."
"I must have more!" Tom sheathed a tiny dagger and stowed it away in his pocket.
"So, you're going to chase her down with that and expect her to be cooperative?" guessed Bill, twirling an identical dagger in his fingers, "…You'll be throwing her mixed perception of you down the drain. She'll find out for sure! If you want her, why do you not just Take her!? Why play these games?"
Throwing a glace back at his pathetic excuse for a twin, Tom mouthed the words 'I hate you' and hopped up on the window's ledge. His spine arched, his shoulders snapping back with a resounding 'Crack'. Bill felt the breeze on his face, as his brother took flight and disappeared into the darkness.
"Well … so far I've had ten players come to the booth. None of them being girls. Which means I've engaged in no intelligent interactions ALL night," I griped. It figures Penn would put me here, (have I mentioned my dislike for her?) Amber's booth was receiving too many customers, to the point where she had to break, (volunteering for the kissing booth, imagine that). So, she had stopped by my booth to keep me company
"These dresses work miracles!"
"Amber! No matter what you slap on, the guys are gunna flock to you." I point I thought to be obvious. Amber was wearing a similar dress to mine. She filled it out much better than I could though. A fact that I was quite jealous of.
"Come with me? I'm going to get my palm read!" cried Amber, tugging on my arm.
"You know I don't believe in that superstitious crap! Find someone else to go with you…" I plucked an excuse from my mind, "…Besides, I gotta 'man' my booth!" 'Hmm ya, that's believable. Let's go with that.' Amber pulled me out from behind the tiny cart where I was seated.
"5 minutes! It'll give you time to scope out that Tom-boy you're always staring at, at work."
"I Do Not!" Well, maybe I do, but not for the reasons she thinks, honest. Before I could retract another excuse from my list, I was dragged off.
Amber led me into a small dark tent. I could barely see an inch from
my face. A sudden flicker of light appeared and I could just make out the faint outline of an old, decrypted woman on the other side of the flame. She motioned us towards her where chairs were set up, '1,2… great! Just enough! Now I'm stuck here.' I stepped cautiously to avoid bumping into anything.
A lot of work was put into making this look authentic, I'm sure, but most of the effort is lost in the darkness. I was trying to maneuver around the miscellaneous items strewn around the tent, but I ended up bumping something regardless.
"Hey, Watch it! I was here first!" a girls voice rang out. Okay, I take that back,' 'something bumped me!' In the low glimmer of the false torch light I could make out her face. I recognized her from 'Mini-Mart', a fellow cashier, Sarah Suhman. Her shift ended just as mine began.
Only knowing her in passing really, but it was enough to hate her almost as much as I hated Penn. She was perfect! She had the looks and not to mention .. The guys, (not actually 'perfect', she had personality flaws galore).
O.k., I supposed it was more like jealousy than hatred, but I wasn't going to admit it.
Sarah took her pick of the chairs, leaving me and Amber to share the remaining. I sat back patiently for a few minutes, (with one butt cheek anyway) allowing myself to take in the 'garbage' that was being jammed in my eardrums as Sarah's future was foretold. Soon I had to get up and stretch my sore legs. I turned my back to the trio and stared out the curtain flap, that was slightly billowing with the breeze.
"…treat every day like your most valuable possessions. You never know what may happen, and which day, may be, your final one … alive…" the old woman spoke soft but forcefully. Sarah's face was all crumpled and held an angry expression.
"Is that a threat? Are you threatening me, you old hag?" Sarah, I'm sure, was hoping to hear about a handsome stranger she would soon meet, or of future riches. Instead she received an earful of foreboding, and what she took as threats. She stood abruptly, and stormed off, nearly knocking me to the ground.
I watched as the curtain flew up as she left. She stopped just outside of the tent. I could still see her bright red pumps underneath the skirt of the tent which hovered ½ a foot above the grass. The red pumps were joined seconds after pair of shiny black shoes, men's shoes.
My first assumption was her boyfriend, ( tall, strapping young man. Very handsome. The 'perfect' couple) but that changed the moment I heard the man's voice. 'Tom!' No doubt about it! My stomach was feeling uneasy, my nerves were rising. Not sure why, but he always had this effect on me. Other then that first night, (if that even happened, jury still out on that one) Tom hadn't really done anything, 'overtly abnormal'… I guess, but still… I looked back at Amber, she was deep into her reading. I stepped to the tent flap and flung it aside. They were gone.
Had Sarah known him? I thought to myself as I walked back to my lonely booth, all the while still hoping to catch a glace of where they might have gone off to. Things had pretty much wrapped up, most everyone had packed up and gone home. It was almost completely dark. I lifted my dress as I stepped over the trash that was littered everywhere! I hate dresses!
As I neared my cart, I could see two figures off in the shadows. One appeared to be holding the other against a wall. Repeatedly thrusting her up against it as she weakly protested. I stepped behind the large sign that read, 'Welcome to the 1st Annual Renaissance Fair', to hide. I leaned back against the face of the sign. My breathing hastened, panic was seeping in. I had moved too late, I was spotted. I'm sure of it! I turned, peeking my head back around. The previous scene I had witnessed, was now minus one thing. The figure against the wall, still stood there, paralyzed, not moving. But where was the other?
Complete hysteria hit me. Controlled no longer, I screamed! Something grabbed hold of me from behind. I turned in it's grasp to see a pair of molten, brown eyes fixed on mine. I didn't move. I couldn't move, there was no leeway! I was pinned between the sign and,…and… He moved in closer, his lips finding mine. I tried to pull away, but was unable to bring myself to. I was locked there. He released my trance, and spoke.
"I swear to god, if you tell any one what you've seen, I will slit your pretty little throat!" He pulled me over to where his victim still stood. Proving my assumption correct, it was indeed female. Her face badly bruised and covered in deep scratches. Her breathing, short and strained, more like a pant. Her eyes were all that moved, they pleaded to me. But what was I to do!? I had to look away. I cast my eyes downward. She was warring bright red heels. 'Oh…Oh no…'.
I tried to run, to flee this horrific scene! He gripped my wrists hard, his nails puncturing my skin. Holding both effortlessly in one hand, while he secured Sarah in her place with his other. I shrieked in pain. Someone must hear me! Unfortunately the Fair had come to a close, the whole end containing my booth was completely deserted. Where had everyone one gone so quickly? Were there no other witnesses? Where had Amber gone, had she left me! I stopped screaming when I realized that the more I did so, the deeper his talons carved into my flesh. Sarah on the other hand, did the opposite. The deeper his claws went, the louder she screeched. Someone was bound to hear.
"Move, and your life is over" He threatened, and knocked me to the ground. The cap and band that usually bound his blond locks was not present this evening. His hair tumbled over his neck, caressing his back with each movement. Believing he'd make good on his promise, I stayed put. He dragged Sarah to a darkened corner. I watched helplessly from the ground, unable to move, unable to help her.
Placing a palm on each cheek, he spoke softly,
"Be calm, my sweet. This'll only hurt for a moment … I promise!" There was an almost deafening 'Crack'. Liken to the sound of that first bite of a firm, juicy apple. Blood began to stream from her neck. Her mouth lay open, frozen in a gasp. Her eyes wide. Tom held her this way until he was through. Then casting her aside, her limp body collapsing to the earth, he headed back to Tarra.
I struggled to hold back my dinner, but I didn't succeed. I hurled all over the grass in front of me. I crawled a few feet away from my deposit, certain the fumes would cause me to wretch what remained of my stomach's contents. Keeping my head to the ground, I tried to stabilize myself on all fours. The nausea was dizzying. I hadn't even realized Tom standing over me until a large drop of scarlet liquid dripped to my head, ran down my cheek, and fell to my hand. I looked up.
His stance wide, arms hung down by his sides, his hands glistening with Sarah's blood. Licking a small spill off the stud that pierced his lower lip seductively, as he glared at
me. What was he going to do? Would I suffer the same fate as Sarah? 'Poor Sarah', (my jealousy of her aside, No one deserves that end).
I felt like a mouse, trapped at the foot of a great cat as it cleansed after a meal. Saving me for desert! I rolled over onto my bottom and scanned the perimeter. There was no one there. What about Amber? She had to of noticed I was gone. Would she have started looking for me? Or had she already left, assuming I had gone too? 'Oh, I hope so'. I prayed the later to be true. As much as I wanted to see her, I'd hoped she was far from here, home safe.
What if he had gotten her too? I began thinking the worst. Still, I was alone. No one to help me now.
But wait! There was someone. Through the 'V' of Tom's outstretched legs, there was someone heading this way. I looked back up at Tom. His eyes still on me, prepared for any movement I might be foolish enough to make. He didn't seem to notice the body darting towards him.
Soon the figure was almost right behind him. A look of hope crossed my face, I'm sure it did. Tom smirked and swung around immediately (as if he sensed someone all along) and clutched the man firmly around his neck. No, I can't watch another brutality! But, no... There was something else going on here. There was no fear in the face of this man. Was he here to protect
me? Was he more trouble still? Or was he as Tom was, and I was to be the objective in a 'food fight'? I didn't know, and I wasn't really sure I wanted to. All I knew was I wanted out of here. Tom being occupied I turned and slowly tried to crawl away. 'Please don't notice, please don't notice me'
"William, I'm glad you could make it, my dear, sweet little brother!" I froze. Did he just say what I think he said? 'Brother'? I replayed the scene in my mind over a few times. Oh Good Gawd … There IS another one! The second vastly different from the first. He appeared taller, but I don't believe he truly was, his thin frame gave this impression. His hair, a wild, raven black main, with streaks of silver, his eyes dark. The two challenged each other with their eyes.
Using this golden opportunity to my advantage, I continued to squirm away across grass. My progress stopped abruptly, as my body jerked back. Tom had noticed, and slammed his foot down onto my gown, (Ohh, I 'hate' dresses'!). Tom's stare never leaving his brother's as he began to address me.
"Shall I let you go, or are you going to –" Lunging forward, the dark one, sank a pair of razor sharp fangs into Tom's shoulder. Things happened so fast after that, that before I knew it, I was being carried off in the arms of my savior. Tom's cries of agony could be heard through the night as the distance between us grew.
"If I know my brother, and, I know my brother,… he'll not take that lying down. Returning with a bowl, he sat next to where he had laid me.
"Thanks for … for saving me…'William'?" He spoke to me softly, as he rung out the piece of cloth that had been submerged in the icy water.
"Bill,… you can call me Bill." I managed a slight smile, which quickly faded.
"But isn't this the first place he'd come" Bill nodded and dabbed the cloth over my face.
"Unfortunately, yes… But he will not harm you here. This, I also know. Trust me!" He rinsed the cloth again, rung it out, and brought it back to my cheek. Then down my neck, across my collar bone. I didn't stop him as he tried to wash the traces of this horrific night away. 'Odd, I did trust him', although I was not sure that I should. I didn't understand.
"And what's to stop him?" I asked, Bill's movement ceased, considering his response.
" The year 1085, when we were just boys, our parents were killed by a man by the name of Nicholas S'dtrawsser. He was a human… a hunter. Tom hid us, he sheltered my eyes, but he, … Tom has hated hu - your kind, ever since the day he watched our Mother die." Bill closed his eyes. I understood that these memories, and reliving this terror must be horrible for him.
"Ooh,… it's way more than hatred that I feel! What I feel far surpasses 'hate' alone" Tom was seated in the window, straddling it's cold, stone sill, one leg hanging to each side,
"My father made us promise, no blood will be spilt in this house,… Although he was always too soft. A weakling! Just like Bill, his father's son. I will obey his wishes, it's what Mother would have wanted." Tom jumped down from the ledge, and approached, heading towards us. I cowered behind Bill, fearing for my life. What would he do to me? How long until someone comes looking?
"I see you've stolen my breakfast away from me. There are plenty of them out there, take your pick!" Tom moved closer to where we stood. He plummeted his hand into his pocket and pulled it back out slowly, tightly gripping a small knife.
I eyed his every move as he set it down on the stone table. I was now even more scared than I had ever been. There, wrapped tightly around the bladeless end, was a locket. A dark grey chain, strung through a small looped hole at the top of a, green – emerald stone. Exactly the same as the one Amber had added to her ensemble for the fair.
My mouth was dry and I struggled to gather enough saliva to moistened my lips. Should I say something? Or remain silent. I didn't want to draw anymore attention to my presence here, but I was extremely thirsty.
"Could I, possibly get something to… to drink?" I asked quietly. Tom looked up at me. He held out his arm to reveal the still fresh holes where Bill's teeth had been, "You're welcome to it," he said. Blood began to trickle down from the wounds, he licked it clean with his long tongue.
"Hmm Oh… that's right. That's not how you roll …" he stared back down at his lap. "Bill … take her out to the lake. Don't let her out of your sight …" Bill inched forward to move on Tom's command. "On second thought. I'll take her,"
I saw what he did to Sarah. What would she do to me? I spoke out against this quickly.
"No. Never mind. I'm not thirsty anymore," Tom smirked at me and grabbed my arm, leading me towards the door.
"Nonsense! We cant have you dehydrated now can we?"
A gust of harsh cold wind hit me hard, knocking me back a few steps. It was a long walk to the lake. Tom never let go of me once for fear that I would run off. Even if he did slip up and loosen his grip, I wouldn't dare to escape. I valued my life and I didn't want to see the end of it anytime soon.
We stopped abruptly at a small body of water. Tom shove d me to the ground by the bank. I scrambled towards the edge and began to school up the liquid with my cupped hands. I could still see nothing but blackness on all sides.
The cool water streamed down my throat. As I drank, I felt movement next to me. Tom crouched down beside me on the dirt. I looked up at him, whipping the water from my chin.
"What are you going to do with me?" I asked, avoiding eye contact as best as I could. He raised his hand and placed it on my cheek. Just like he did with Sarah, before he cracked her neck. I flinched when I felt the smoothness of his skin.
"My precious, Tarra! Now why would you get the idea that I would harm you?" He caressed my cheek with his thumb. I didn't answer, but my mind wandered to thoughts of Sarah. As if he could read my mind, he answered my unspoken questions.
"She had an unsettled debt to my family and to me. She refused, and I gave her a small taste of the consequences. She's lucky if she lives more than a week." he chuckled to himself at his achievements and then leaned in closer to me.
"So if you aren't going to hurt me … Why keep me here? Let me go!"
"Let you go? And have you tell all you're little friends?? … I know more about you than you think," Tom pushed a strand of my hair from my face.
"I don't have friends. I'm a book grind. I spend my afternoons at a- at the …library! I …"
"Tara, don't lie to me. It'll get you nowhere. What about Bailey? Sound familiar? Shannon? Taylor? Erin? Are they not your friends?" I ignored him. What's so special about me? Why me? I closed my eyes cautiously. Hoping it'll all go away.
It didn't.
I opened my eyes to find Tom inches from my nose. I shivered uncontrollably. I felt a sudden press of his lips on my own. Why was he doing this? What was he kissing me? Unexpectedly I felt a sharp pain in my lower lip and gum line. Ohh .. that's why! He kissed me deeper. I tried to move away but ended up stopping instantaneously. My lip was throbbing. Tom opened his eyes and moved away from me slowly, his fangs ripping from the skin on my lip.
I could taste the warmth and saltiness of my blood as I ran my tongue over the tiny pierced marks on my inner lip. He stood up and kissed me on the forehead, then threatened for me to stand.
We began our long walk to the cavern where Bill was awaiting.
I past the familiar round door and deep into the cave. Bill was sitting upright on a small bar-like stool by the counter. He eyed me as Tom drove me forward, deeper into the darkness. I was led down a long, dark hallway. At the end was a door.
I looked up at Tom. He was smiling. He knew something I didn't. This mad me feel queasy once more.
"Don't bother trying to get out. I'll be watching. You'll get me very upset if you leave before 'dinner'!" Tom opened the door and shoved me into the black abyss of the room. "… You don't want me angry with you Tarra!" With those last few words the door was slammed shut. I felt me way around the room and slid down a wall, landing on my butt on the cold dusty surface of the floor. I felt around to better know my surroundings. A box or 2, a jagged object, and … and … hair.
I felt around some more. My fingers fell upon smooth skin. I moved closer then jumped. This person was still alive. It moved and grabbed my hand.
"Tarra!?"