Ch 14 A Life So Changed

I sat in the shadows staring at the work of my Jenna as I always did on Thursday evenings. As always, Felix stood with me, even though he was happily with the best friend of the one I loved, I liked him with me. As I watched I heard footsteps, thinking it was only security I took haven in my usual hiding spot. As the footsteps grew closer, I didn't recognize this one, I knew the Thursday night guard and this definitely wasn't him. I stared at the ginger haired man who looked no more than 18 years of age. He stopped in the section we were in; I was impressed by how he got passed the guards.

The boy just stared at Jenna's work, love was in his eyes, but that wasn't uncommon, she was an amazing artist. He walked closer and closer to the frame, reaching out and touching the picture. "Jenny, this is as close as I'll ever get to you anymore."

If I were still human, I would have gasped. "Jenny? Do you by chance mean the girl that goes by Spark?" I asked walking out of the shadows making the boy jump.

"Well yeah, but how do you know her?" He asked as I extended a hand to shake,

"I'm a... friend. The name is Aro by the way." I said trying to act nonchalant.

"George." The man took my hand, good I could see into his past now. He was the one that stole Jenna's heart from me, the one that she told she loved who proposed and made her run. "You're name sounds familiar, have we met?"

"I doubt so, I never stray of Italy." I said softly.

"Wait... You're a vampire, not just a vampire though; you're the one that changed my Jenny almost 400 year ago." He looked furious as I nodded. "If you weren't already dead I would kill you. Why did you hurt her so long ago?"

"Because I wanted to be with her forever, but unfortunately my brothers saw it differently, forcing me to leave her alone as a newborn." I found myself on the ground. If my bones could break, and I could bleed, I might have soaked the floor as his fist hit my face.

George stood above me huffing, obviously debating with him whether or not to punch me again. His anger towards me fumed off him, I didn't even need Jenna to see that he hated me for hurting her.

Taking a few moments to gain ground again, I stood and stared him down. "Who do you think you are? Do you know what I could do to you? I don't even get what she sees in you, you're nowhere near good enough for my Jenna." Oh, I just hit the ground again.

"She's not yours; you ruined that possibility by being selfish and foolish. I should be asking you what in you could ever leave someone like her, she's a perfect angel. To answer your question, I don't deserve her, I am only trying to repair the wings you tore off that angel's back. Yes I love her, and I want to be with her forever, but she won't let me. Even though my brother, who is now dead, told her to. It's your entire fault." He said pointedly his voice filled of anger, yet love at the same time.

That's when Felix came out of nowhere and was pulling him off of me and away from me. "You need to chill son." I smiled gratefully at him and he winked at me. Honestly, that vampire had a bigger sense of humor than any I'd ever seen. I watched as George fought against Felix.

"I wouldn't do that. The fact that he hasn't snapped your neck yet is impressive. He's got a personal thing against your family." I looked at George pointedly, trying to get across my point.

George's eyes got as big as saucers as I watched it click for him. "You're the other one…"

Felix arched an eyebrow. "Other one what?"

"The other man for Elanor. You're the one that El was always missing when she was with my brother…"

Felix nodded. "I am. And Ellie and I were together first. We've always been something. Your brother stole her from me. Though I am sorry he's dead."

"Why; so you could drink his blood yourself?" George practically spit the words out at Felix. I watched as George's ears became flaming red, almost matching the color of his hair. It was obvious that he was getting angry; no not angry, pissed.

Felix laughed. "Sorry. No. I couldn't do that to my Ellie."

"But what, you could do that to Spark?" George snapped again.

Felix shook his head. It always amazed me at how calm and collected he remained. "No. I couldn't. Hurting Spark is hurting Ellie. As is previously stated, I can't do that. Therefore, I can't hurt Spark."

George seemed relieved; like he thought he wasn't going to die.

I arched an eyebrow at George. "Stupid human. " I shook my head. "Just because we won't kill you doesn't mean we can't hurt you."

Fear flashed in his eyes, if only for a brief moment. Then he almost puffed his chest out. "I've faced death before."

"But you've never faced a vampire." I moved forward slowly and Felix tightened his grip. I could see a flash of indecision in his eyes; I knew he was thinking about whether this would hurt El or not. So I did the only thing I could while he was deciding. I lunged forward and knocked the ginger haired boy to the ground. Then I ripped open the top of his shirt and went to my favorite spot to bite a human and suck their blood; right under their left collar bone. I wasn't sure why; but it was always my favorite part.

I began sucking on his blood; oh was it delicious. I wasn't going to stop until I heard faint footfalls; two sets of them. I swore under my breath as Felix grabbed me.

"El…Spark…" he whispered softly.

I nodded, still wanting to go back to my meal. But it would have to wait. Felix and
I moved quickly to the shadows before they could see us.

"NO!" I watched from my silent spot as Spark ran through the gallery.

El was right behind her; I could feel Felix stiffen. I looked at him. "Where do your loyalties lie?"

Felix sighed and turned his back on El, though I could see it was difficult for him. "Let's go then." His tone wasn't casual, but strained.

As we walked away I looked back and saw Jenna caressing that...thing's face and whispering words softly, meant only for his soon to be immortal ears. I even heard the words "I love you" and it made my heart breaking into a million pieces because I knew, in that moment, with those words, that she would never again be my Jenna.

***

I don't know how long I was the way I was. I just know that it felt like someone set me on fire. I felt my heart flutter fast in my chest. It continued like that for what seemed to be forever. And then; I began to develop a new capacity for experiencing it, a new sensitivity to appreciate, separately, each blistering tongue of flame that licked through my veins – I discovered that I could think around it. I could remember what had happened; what this meant. Either I was dead; or I was being changed into a vampire. I could be with my Jenny; Forever. Then all at once the fire changed again. It flew to my heart and made my heart flutter fast and made it feel like it was going to flutter right out of my chest. Then…it stopped.
Wait….

My heart stopped.

Does this mean I'm dead?

I tried to twitch my fingers and found that they moved faster and easier than ever before. I slowly opened my eyes and my head swam; there were so many things around me. I could see dust particles in the air; I could see the spider at the very top of the ceiling.

Wait.

That wasn't the ceiling of the gallery from before. I tilted my head and the first thing I saw was an angel. She had long black hair that was an ebony color with some strands of red and brown in it, and warm amber eyes that were flecked with pure gold. Those eyes also happened to be very full of worry. I felt my features move into a smile faster than I could even register the thought. All at once I was sitting up. I looked at her, at the angel, and gasped, realizing it was Spark.

How many times had I stared at Spark and marveled at her beauty? How many hours – days, weeks – of my life had I spent dreaming about what I then deemed to be perfection? I may as well have been blind. For the first time, with the dimming shadows and limiting weakness of humanity taken off my eyes, I saw her face. I gasped and then struggled with my vocabulary, unable to find the right words. I needed better words.

She was just what I described her to be; an angel. An immortal angel. And I loved her more now than I ever had before. So I did the only thing I could think of; I touched her skin which no longer cold to my touch and no longer hard but soft and gentle, and I brushed my hand across her cheek and then I kissed her softly.
After what felt like an eternity just letting my lips rest against hers, I looked my angel deep in the eyes, which I found were not just amber alone anymore; there were now flecks of hazel in them as well as flecks of pure gold. I assumed the hazel to be her natural color before she was changed, looking deep into her captivating stare I said the only thing I could think of. "Well, Jenny, will you marry me now?"