Forever Indeed
A scraping sound woke her.
Eyes opening, Elizabeth found herself gazing up at a ceiling. The white paint illuminated the room, peculiarly bathing the dark space. Colours flickered, swiftly swaying across the ceiling. A soft sigh escaped her, eyes lazily closing.
That noise.
Lightly frowning, she opened her eyes and stared again. The sound lugged on wood above her. Turning her head, Elizabeth watched the images whirl on a large television. Her heavy arms shifted and her hands firmly gripped the leather arms of the chair she was sprawled out upon. Her hung legs tensed, feet kicking slightly, as she shuffled her bottom. The leather complained. Elizabeth sniffed, a strangled yell escaping her. Uncomfortably, she scratched at the leather arms. Something scratched at the wood on the upper floor as she did so.
A muffled grunting followed.
Dark brows fiercely drawing together, Elizabeth rubbed at her eyes. She looked back at the television, the crashing vehicles burning. She scouted the room for a remote, discovering it atop a tall stout table nearby the chair. Elizabeth swooped over the arm of the chair and snatched the remote from the polished wood. Muting the television, a scuffling thump became more apparent.
Flamboyant tapping strode into her ears and Elizabeth violently shivered. Rapidly, she turned her head and scrutinized him. He rigorously marched down the staircase. Jerry grinned upon finding her awake and suavely wiped at his mouth. Gulping, Elizabeth attempted to escape the smothering chair. The leather shrieked, as she unsteadily rose to her feet.
"You'll enjoy it." He said.
Blinking, Elizabeth's eyes followed his rapacious form. She sniffed again, timidly fumbling away from the chair as he crept closer. Her feet halted.
Jerry's grin broadened. He held out a hand, carefully watching her.
Elizabeth's lashes languidly fluttered. A vibrant scent protruded her senses. It seemed ingrained within his skin. She tasted a thick coating of iron paste along her tongue from the air and licked her teeth, parched. Jerry chanced another step further, reaching out for her.
"It'll be amazing. We will be brilliant together." His hand brushed her right wrist, stroking her arm as he glided it up towards her shoulder. He softly continued, "You have so much potential."
Elizabeth aggressively shook her head, hair flailing. She grimaced, as she inhaled the metallic fragrance. Elizabeth abruptly grabbed his hand. She pulled him to her. He laughed aloud, as her nose journeyed up and along his outstretched arm. Huffing as the shouldered sleeve of his shirt immobilised her expedition, Elizabeth gripped the cotton material and tugged.
Jerry pushed her back, liberating himself of her clutches. He ran his other hand down her cheek. She leaned into his palm, heavily inhaling. Eyes darkening, Elizabeth licked the tips of his fingers. He gruffly laughed.
"Such lust," he murmured, watching her teeth paw at his freshly filled veins, "You've only just awoken and you're already trying to feed."
He pulled away. She whined, reaching out for him. Batting her hands away, he gloated, "You can't consume blood I've already had love, you need something fresh."
Eyes fiercely closing, Elizabeth quietly wailed, "What's happened to me?"
Jerry sighed, "Perhaps I should feed you now."
She opened her eyes, intoxicated, gazing at him, "You smell so… good." Stepping forwards, she stuttered, "I want you."
"I know," Jerry replied, hands holding her in place as she attempted to get closer still. He pressed down on her shoulders and she winced. He sympathised, "You're hungry. I just ate and you can tell by your amplified senses. I'm inadvertently teasing you." He pulled her to him, wrapping his arms round her, "Dinner is upstairs, but you can't have it yet."
Grumbling, she tried to escape his hug. She clawed at his chest and arms, but Jerry merely tightened his grip. He smelt her hair, sighing as he found the sea-salted scent persisted upon her person. "Dinner can't take another just yet. You'll have to wait." He pulled away, holding her at arm's length, seemingly apologetic, "I should have thought of you."
Blackened eyes squinting, Jerry continued, "Young ones don't tend to be so obstinate when first acquainted with their new selves." He stepped away and prowled round her, "You seem quite accommodating Elizabeth; for someone who caused a fuss." He faced her, observing her, "Even that kid wasn't so starved and he was a completely despondent." A sneer sprawled across his handsome visage, "You're a natural, as I suspected."
He leaned in to whisper in her ear, trailing a hand down her spine, "Oh, love, look at you. You're perfect. You'll go so very far."
Shuddering, Elizabeth leaned back into his grasp. Her nose brushed along his jawbone, her lips parting to drag her tongue alongside as well. A guttural groan escaped him and she sighed, as the vibration travelled from his throat to her own. She gulped, harshly mustering, "What have you done to me?"
Gruffly laughing, Jerry pushed her back from himself, "I've brought you to life love, just as I promised."
"Vampire." She whispered, eyes slowly opening. She could not recall closing them. Nor could she recall clinging to his shirt despite his prior shove.
Frowning, Elizabeth spoke more loudly, "Vampire."
Looking round at the room, a brief laugh escaped her. "This place is awful," she said, "It doesn't look like a proper home."
"Home… family," Jerry droned, as he moved towards the kitchen, "You want for so much love." He opened the fridge and, eyes narrowing as the light offended his eyes, he pulled out a bottle of beer. "You should stop longing for those things. I'm all you're ever going to have now."
Elizabeth rushed into the kitchen and stared at him. "You're a monster," she exclaimed, "You've made me one too!"
"Right," Jerry muttered, placing his beer on the kitchen counter, "Well I'm going to put our dinner away. Shouldn't expire for a few more days, so we can have it for a few more days then I'll have to pop out." As he began to trek up the staircase, he twisted to look at her. She exasperatedly stared up at him.
Chuckling, he said, "Don't be so grumpy love, you'll get used to it. You will enjoy it." His fangs glistened in the dim flicking lights from the television, as he broadly grinned at her.
He went upstairs.
"I still hate you," Elizabeth quietly muttered, "I always will."
She tottered back into the living-room and stood by the chair. Elizabeth sullenly watched the television with a slouched posture and crossed arms.
A light blared through cracks in a blackened window. She cringed and backed away under the staircase. Looking through the gap between the steps, Elizabeth eyed the window. The light had since passed, but she remained still, listening. An engine turned off.
Realising it to be a car, she raced to the door. She stood on the tips of her toes. Staring out of the peep hole, Elizabeth watched as a young couple with a child unpacked a car and settled into a house opposite. She counted the doors. The family lived three doors down from Sam's parents.
"Sam," Elizabeth pined, "I want Sam."
Hands reaching for the front door handle, she hesitantly glanced back at the staircase. Not seeing Jerry's imposing figure lumbering down in a fit of rage, Elizabeth opened the door.
She hastily crossed the threshold. Elizabeth raced down the footpath. Crossing the road, she looked back and mentally thanked God for Jerry's necessity to blacken his windows. He could not see her. She could not see him. Slowing, as she approached the Grants' garden, Elizabeth looked up towards the guest bedroom. She did not doubt Sam would still be sleeping.
Softly biting her bottom lip, Elizabeth shoved her hand into her jacket pocket and discovered the spare key she had previously pilfered. Her eyes closed and she sighed with great relief, "I was changed by an idiot, thank God."
Laughing slightly, she unlocked the front door and stepped in.
Having crept up the staircase, Elizabeth turned the knob of the guest bedroom. She imagined her heart fluttering, violently beating her rib cage, and held a hand to her breast. Taking a deep excessive breath, she tiptoed into the room and allowed the door to lightly sway shut with a quiet 'click'.
Staring, Elizabeth's eyes lumbered dizzily over Sam's slumbering figure. He was curled up in the quilt, hugging her pillow.
"Sam," she tenderly whispered.
Her voiced cracked, "I want you." Her nose twitched, lips clumsily stumbling round the words. Hauling in another unnecessary breath, Elizabeth climbed onto the bed.
"Sam," she quietly wailed, "Sam I need you. Please," Rubbing violently at her unmoved eyes, Elizabeth clasped his arm. She pulled him from her pillow and his eyes snapped open. He blindly threw out a hand. Catching it and pushing him down, Elizabeth smiled. Sam's bright eyes wildly stared into her own dim pair.
"Lizzie-beth," he mumbled with wide eyes, "Why are you dressed?"
"I want you," she said, pulling her hand from his arm and tightly clasping his hand in her own.
Frowning, Sam lifted his other hand. His fingers slowly stroked her cheek. She bit her bottom lip, eyes losing as she leaned down to him.
"You're bleeding." He told her.
A crinkle appeared between her brows, as they drew downwards into a scowl. Sam brushed his fingers against her bottom lip, whispering, "I didn't think you could bite your lips that hard Lizzie-beth. Are you alright? What's happened?"
"Nothing," she insisted, raking her nails up his chest.
A raspy moan escaped her. "Sam," Elizabeth gulped, "Your heart."
Pushing her to sit upright, Sam drew her eyes from his chest and averted them to look into his own. "Lizzie-beth, what happened?" he firmly asserted.
"I want you." Elizabeth disregarded, "I want you forever."
Hearing her tone heighten, Sam nipped his lip with worry, "You have me forever Lizzie-beth." He clutched her to him and laid back. She rested contently upon his chest, stroking his skin and listening intently to the rush of his blood. "I'm sorry about that fight – I shouldn't have pushed you." He entangled his fingers into her hair, as his other hand soothingly pawed at her hip, "You know, just because we had a fight doesn't mean we're splitting." He kissed her head, immersing himself in the sea-salt scent of her locks as he stressed, "We will be together forever sweetheart. We'll work at it and it will work no matter what."
"No matter what," she whispered lightly, her breath tickling his chest.
Elizabeth turned her head a little, pecking his chest. Gulping and licking her lips, she felt the resilient pulse beneath her fingertips. She smelt the beats beneath his ribcage. "I want you." Elizabeth steadfastly stated.
Sam chuckled, "Aren't you tired. You certainly look it sweetheart."
Lifting her head, Elizabeth caught his lazy gaze and starkly stared. "I want you."
Sam grimaced as her eyes seemed to darken. Her nails scraped into his skin and blood seeped from his side. "Lizzie-beth," He hastily exclaimed. Choking, Sam grabbed her hand and tried to pry it from his side.
Snarling at him, her teeth blazed. Sam shuddered.
"Elizabeth!"
They both paused, panting.
Elizabeth sat up. Her hair was muddled. Unhearing, Sam asked, "What is it?"
Hoarsely, she stammered, "Jerry."
Sam scowled. "Jerry!" He exclaimed.
They began to hear Sam's parents shuffle about in their own bedroom down the hall.
After a few moments of held, uncomfortable, silence they seemed to quieten once more.
Sam continued his tirade, though more quietly, "Jerry, seriously. Elizabeth.
As she snatched her shirt from the carpet, Elizabeth ignored Sam and sneakily slipped aside one of the strips of the blinds. She peeked out. Across the street stood a shadowed form, the porch light of his home unknowing of his presence.
Cursing, Elizabeth stepped away from the window. Jerry was out there.
She hesitantly snuck another peek.
He remained there and she knew he was not gazing at the stars.
There were none.
A storm was brewing.
Hastily dragging on a shirt, Sam prowled after her.
Elizabeth ran from their room, down the stairs and out the door. As Jerry came into view, her pace slowed to a stuttering patter. She stopped a few feet away, standing in the road.
They blinked at one another. Sam called out from inside the home. He tumbled down the last four steps.
"Come along love," Jerry firmly ordered, "We need to talk."
He turned away from her, walking back into his house. Elizabeth anxiously gulped, watching as his fists clenched and unclenched whilst he strode. Looking back, as Sam slipped on some shoes and ambled from the home with a stark shout, Elizabeth followed after Jerry.
"Elizabeth!" Sam hissed with a rising volume.
Her eyes tightly closed, as she walked. His voice screeched into her sensitive ears. A shaky breath escaped her, as she beat back the urge to run to him. Stronger still, was the desire to have him – consume him.
The door slammed behind her.
"Sam," Charley hoarsely stammered. He did not bother switching his light on, putting on a shirt, pants or even socks, as he hurriedly left his room.
"Sam!" He called out, speedily unlocking the front door and sprinting out to meet the breathless man. Sam desperately banged against Jerry's front door, making various loud demands.
Charley grabbed Sam's arms and forced him away, trying to make sense of the panicked cries that erupted from Sam's mouth.
"Sam!" Charley exclaimed, struggling to get Sam into his back garden. He shoved the man against the wall of his house and slapped him, calling, "Sam, get a-hold of yourself!"
"He took her!" Sam wailed, ignoring the sharp complaints coming from waken neighbours round the front of the house. "He took her Charley. I don't know how, but he did." Tears escaped him and streamed down the wrinkled shirt.
"Right," Charley mumbled, looking towards Jerry's house, "All right." He tugged on Sam's arm, dragging him along, "I'm seeing something tomorrow – someone who can help." He turned to Sam, stopping so he could look him in the eye, "You're coming with me."
Jerry aggressively bit into the green apple. He stood in the kitchen, turned away from her shaking figure. The juice careened over his bottom lip and dribbled down his chin.
Stepping away from the front door, Elizabeth carefully strode towards him.
"You are so hungry Elizabeth," Jerry began. She stopped, watching him. He would not look at her. He continued, taking another bite of the apple, "If I had not called; if I had not noticed… you would have torn him apart."
Finally, he turned to gaze at her, stressing, "What you felt then, for him, was not love Elizabeth." He trod forward. She stepped back, finding herself against the wall nearby the front door. Jerry muttered, "It was bloodlust."
Slowly shaking her head, indignantly pouting, Elizabeth stammered, "I love Sam."
"You know nothing!" Jerry hollered.
It whizzed by her head. She gasped. The apple smashed against the wall. Elizabeth gave a startled shriek.
"You think you could love him still, but that is not so." He continued more calmly, "Wishing to change him, ha." He plucked another apple from a bowl of a batch, "You cannot."
"What?"
"I am a vampire Elizabeth. You are different from me." Jerry laughed, grinning as her nose crinkled up with confusion. "Elizabeth!" he stridently sang, "You are not I – not originally a vampire. You were made, not born. You do not have the power to change others."
As he stalked towards her, Elizabeth's palms thudded against the wall behind her. She attempted to firmly pronounce, "I want Sam."
"I know," Jerry smirked, "You will have him and I'm sure his blood with satisfy you greatly love, but righ-."
"No," She insisted, pulling her palms from the wall and holding them out between them to try and prohibit him from touching her, "I want to be with Sam… not you."
"You are pushing me love." He lowly hissed.
"I'm sorry!" She cried out, cowering as he stepped closer and her hands came to rest on his chest. He fingers curled up. Elizabeth's entire being quivered.
Holding his hand up to her, he demanded, "Hand it over Elizabeth." As she wavered, he jeered, "You have no need for it now love."
"I am not your love, love." She retorted, pulling the engagement ring from her finger and sombrely handing it to him.
Elizabeth mumbled, "You're going to kill Sam."
Lightly kissing her cheek, Jerry ominously replied, "We'll see him soon."