Note: A quick note before I begin the chapter I know you all will hate me for, but I will make up for next chapter. Read carefully, it'll be nice story telling...and then I'm going to throw a bomb in there. And then push my characters off a cliff. So watch out.
I have started a new story. "Sweet Claudia, Return to Me." Check it out. I will not update on it until I am close to finishing this story, however, so do not worry. I'm going to try to finish this story before school starts again but I don't see that happening because my friends and my life outside if these internet walls miss me. But who knows, we'll see.
Chapter 14 – The story of Courtney and how she became Vengeance, the vampire Taylor, and the vampire Lucas.
Part Two.
When I awoke, I grasped a better picture of my surroundings. The sun was up and spilling into the room through half open, black drapes over the bed I was resting in, also covered in black satin sheets. I was hugging one of the many heavenly pillows that were arranged nicely on the bed before I was lay there and ruined the decoration.
I sat up and squinted my eyes against the rays of sun that had attacked my face. Still morning, I groaned into a pillow when remembering how Luke forced me to go to sleep earlier in the day. Damn him procrastinating that story more so! Perhaps he was doing that because he wanted to prolong my stay, and Taylor said he would take me after Luke told me everything, and Luke had not told me everything yet. And Luke had made it clear he'd protect me... I didn't know Luke's reasons and I didn't dwell further.
I finally arose from those divine satin sheets around noon time, many hours before the sun was supposed to set, because I was hungry. All I had yesterday for dinner was scotch, so my stomach growled with an agonizing appetite. I wondered if Luke had any food in that gigantic kitchen... I walked out of the room and figured I was somewhere on the second floor from the height above the ground when glancing outside through windows. Eventually I found my way to the stairs and forgot about Luke's warning to not even look at his door... I couldn't help it and I looked over at the first door I had went inside when I walked into his mansion.
Luke was... many things. Polite, cunning, protective, aggressive, quick-tempered, attractive, and then ruthless; he was just confusing to try and sum up, that's all. I smiled and directed my eyes away and continued to the stairs. My hand touched the railing of the staircase and a rather childish idea popped into my head.
I sat my bottom on the stair rail and slid down. Almost lost my balance once, but when catching myself and jumping from the rail I simply laughed and ran through the living room to the kitchen with a giant amount of enthusiasm. I was suddenly excited! How could I not be, I was free to do anything I wanted in this giant mansion of a vampire who had good taste, I must admit. To be honest, I felt like I was at home again! The architecture of his mansion and furniture and wallpapers and arrangements all felt like my royal home back in Europe that I remembered growing up in.
I think I started singing some random tune as I slid into the kitchen to look for something to eat. There was only canned food in one cabinet, most of it outdated, and a few dining plates and bowls and silverware hidden in the drawers and cupboards. I took out a soup that wasn't too outdated...only by three months. I was too hungry to care and stuck it in the microwave I thanked Luke for having. One and a half minutes to wait and I found myself walking towards the back doors leading unto the terrace. It was a beautiful stone platform with a stone wall around it where little flowers were planted and ivy hung down the side, then rock steps declined into the yard. The sun was high in the sky and I opened the glass doors and went out to admire the architecture of the terrace more; I'd bet it was ten times more romantic at night under the moonlight.
The timer on the microwave signaled my food was ready. I traveled back indoors and devoured the canned soup and was satisfied even though it tasted rather awful. It would be enough to tie me over until I made a trip to the deli before the daylight hours were over. Still bouncing with energy, I kicked off my shoes and slid across the hardwood flooring in the living room and ended up flipping over the back of a couch and landing face-first on the cushions. I giggled and lay myself upside down with my head touching the floor and admired the high-ceiling room from a different angle.
Ah, I felt like a child again! The young girl I was, doing these things in my royal home and getting scolded each time. Sliding from the railings on spiral staircases, chasing the pure white hounds our family raised until the servants locked the canines away from me, dropping objects from the second story down on people walking around the first, catching butterflies out in the garden and maze on the grounds in the springtime...
Luke didn't understand just how homesick his mansion made me. I sighed and crawled across the floor over to the bear-skin in front of the fireplace, where a mound of ashes lay inside. I leaned my head on the brick before the fireplace and sighed. I felt relieved to reminisce in all of those memories, glad I hadn't forgotten a single one of them, but then I would remember I was still in America and my true home country lay thousands of miles across an ocean.
I shook the unhappiness out of my head and traveled around the hallways of the first floor. It was so dark, but I suppose it's what to be expected from a vampire home... I opened up every drape I could find to let light flow through the halls. Ah, much better on the eyes, of a mortal anyway. There were suits of armors, paintings, china and rugs from all over the world decorating nearly every part of the hallway and other rooms as I wandered through... I found the door to the study again and stepped inside with an enthusiastic interest.
So many books! I didn't even want to read them, just be excited by the titles and the quantity. Half of them were in languages I didn't know anyway, like Latin, so I suppose it didn't matter. I found a old desk in one corner of the room with parchment and a quill and ink bottles inside. I took these out and thought about a witty message I could leave, if Luke would appreciate me wasting his stationary on such a silly thing. 'Allison Mary Lockett' I wrote simply in a very beautiful cursive style I had once practiced. I tapped my fingers on the paper as my sapphire eyes slid over the words. When would I build up the courage to tell my friends who I really was?
I put the quill and ink away and turned away from the desk; my eyes rested on a rug that hung on the wall opposite of where I sat. How could I have not noticed it before? I gasped as my eyes slid over my family crest, very intricate in detail, hand stitched and made in my home country on that rug. I stood, came closer and took in every design and color; my hand reached out to touch the soft material.
No, Luke understood perfectly that his home reminded me of my homeland. He never once called me Ally, Ms. Lovett once just to spite me, but he'd always called be by my true name and what for? He wanted me to accept who I was and where I came from. Damn him, life was so easy and miserable before I met Lucas Hawthorn. Now it was just complicated and difficult and interesting, like him. His very presence was forcing me to face the music, meet my fate...
I looked upon my family crest and then looked away and walked out of the room. I traveled slowly into the living room and my eyes lay upon the three wilted flowers that littered the hardwood. I took in a breath and looked over his mansion's interior and thought about my royal estate. One day I knew I'd return home... Should that day be soon?
But I wanted to break the Lockett curse before I went back. I needed Luke's help to do that. I could quit my job and tell my friends I where I was going easily enough, but she was the catch to this plan.
Was I even ready to face my nation once again?
Perhaps I was overreacting. Homesick on top of stressed and contained. Finding out who was behind my family curse and being threatened into betraying an ally and having an entire new world of darkness thrust upon me was quite overwhelming. Luke and I couldn't continue our conversation until tonight anyway... What better to relieve stress than quitting my job and taking my blonde angel on a shopping spree? I needed to get out of his mansion, just for a little while. Yes, keep avoiding your fate. My inner voice said. I shook it from me looked around for my suitcase and a bathroom so I could shower and prepare myself to go out.
One of the bedrooms downstairs had a giant bathtub and a separate shower inside glass walls; the bathroom itself was big enough to have a party in! Though the bathtub and all its bath salts and oils were tempting, I settled for a shower, quick but I washed by body over twice, especially on the wound made my the fiend Taylor. I didn't both wrapping my creamy skin in a towel afterward and walked over to the mirror over the sink to look at the bruising on my back; it had turned a lovely purple color compared to yesterday, same with the ones on my arm. Brilliant, I'd need long sleeves on this beautiful sunny day. I dried myself with one of the hundreds of towels in one of the walk-in closets and skipped over to my suitcase.
I looked for the perfect outfit to wear on this day, a day where I was going to quit my job and I needed to express "Hey! I am a strong and capable woman and I do not need to waste my time here any longer." I found an acceptable length black skirt and spaghetti strap top, and to go over the revealing top, a violet deep v-neck shirt with long billowy sleeves, dazzling designs printed on them. Billowy sleeves always gave a woman that smooth and goddess-like appearance. Am I wrong?
And to work this outfit with the edge I wanted to present today... I silently thanks Lucy for buying me those tall black leather boots with the two inch heels on my last birthday. She claimed they'd be for my bad-ass-chick phase she was convinced I'd have one day. Again, my angel was right, even if for a few hours.
After brushing my long wheat and russet hair out and perhaps putting a hint of gloss on to give the pink of my lips a shine, I grabbed a tiny handbag to hold my cell phone and wallet, full of my fake-named ID the credit cards I'd use to go celebratory shopping with... I glanced at my watch, which read 2 pm. I had plenty of time.
The sound of the heels clicking on the hardwood and stone floors of Luke's home gave the inner Allison all the confidence she needed to emerge fully, just for the day. Luke was a smart and strong man, after all. He would find me if I were late, which I doubted I'd be. He'd definitely like what he'd see.
Lucy would be proud if she saw me, all prettied up and high-maintenance all by myself. I left Luke's mansion, hailed a cab and decided to call Lucy on my cell phone. She answered in seconds. "Ally! The boss is so angry with you right now. Where are you?"
"Do you want to go shopping with me in about... thirty minutes?" I asked her.
She sounded confused. "Shopping? Ally, it's not your day off, you're about to get fired and you want me to go shopping with you?"
I glanced at my watch again. "You get off in about thirty minutes, right? I can make it forty-five if you need time..."
"Uhm, no, thirty is fine. I'd love to go shopping with you." she sounded resolute now. Usually it was her talking to me like this and I was the worried one.
"Great! I'll meet you outside the agency, after I speak to the boss."
We hung up and instead of going straight to the office, I made a little detour to the bank. I planned on shopping until these heels killed my feet, so I needed to make sure I had enough money for something like a shopping spree... I knew I did, but I didn't know an exact amount.
--
I looked at my bank statement the man behind the desk at the bank slid toward me. My eyes widened.
"Is this amount correct, sir?" I asked in an astonishing tone.
The man looked over the statement and then glanced at his computer screen. "Yes, madam. You have one-hundred-forty-nine-thousand-six-hundred-fifty-two dollars and forty-two cents in your account.
I might have been hyperventilating a little bit at this point. "T-thank you, sir." I turned and walked away.
I took in deep and even breaths. I knew I'd been saving every cent I didn't need to spend over the past three years, just money on rent, food, clothes, cell phone, electric and water; no car, no extras, really. But that much had accumulated plus interest? I smiled to myself and knew I didn't have to worry about money. I could cross that off my list; now I just had to quit my job and make my identity known to the people who deserved to know over a celebratory spending phase. Sounded dandy..
--
I was beaming as I strode into the office and went straight past my desk and toward my boss' office. He was shouting at one of the accountants and tell her how she got the numbers wrong again. "Double check and get it right or don't come back!"
Man, this was the same guy I'd been working for the past three years? Just the other day when he called, he added in a little bit about worrying about my safety and to make sure I take a cab. Then yesterday he'd decided to humiliate me in front of my co workers, and today, as he set his eyes upon me, his tan face burned to a red plum color. I'd always eaten dirt and did exactly what I was told over the years of employment here. Now I see this man's true colors when I'm not doing exactly what he wants me to. Red plum, I thought, and I smiled since it was fairly humorous.
"Do you think it's funny that this is the second day you've walked into this establishment late, Ms. Lovett?" he snapped at me. "And why are you not getting caught up with the pile of paperwork I sat on your desk this morning?"
I walked in slowly, still smiling, and my hands swung around my hips as I walked over in front of his desk. The heels thudded lightly on the carpeted floor, my hair hung loosely around my shoulders. "Not really, Mr. Gay. The funniest part right now is your name and the way it describes you and your favorite male models strolling in and out of here when there is no appointment." I had no idea if that statement of true, but the sharp tease in my voice made him very angry. I sat gracefully in one of the chairs across from his desk and kicked my boots up to rest on the edge of his desk. Like any man of low standards, his eyes flickered downward and when I laughed he shot them back up at me. Man, I hope someone records this! "And the reason I'm not doing any work right now is because... well, I don't want to."
He seemed stunned. His left eyebrow twitched, I heard a murmur of whispers behind me and one gasp, I knew that gasp was Daniel's. A small amount of people had stopped near the office and were peering in.
He rose, very angry still, over me and glared down at my thin form. "You don't want to do your work, Lovett?" he said warningly.
I kicked my feet off his desk and stood as well, my hands touching the edge. "Not particularly. The only reason I took more time out of my life to walk into your office today was to tell you that I quit. Your money is no longer required and I don't think I need to waste another minute here, taking pictures, filing a few papers and pissing on cue so that you can get your promotions." My tone was steady, even. I felt so calm. It was unnatural I wasn't shaking by now. "Not that I haven't enjoyed working with and meeting new people," I called back to the small crowd that had formed at the office door. Daniel gave me a thumbs up and the rest of them jumped back on what they were doing beforehand. "Good day, sir."
A trick from Daniel, I tipped my invisible hat to him, turned around and walked out.
The boss exploded when I had exited. "You're fired!" I heard him shout. Daniel came to my side with his jaw dropped, but he still managed to smile. His hazel eyes were lit up like a Christmas tree.
"Bloody hell, Ally! That was brilliant! I was wondering when you were finally going to snap under that old bloke's demands. I'm glad I work in make-up and not under him... Aha, but now you don't either!" He was ecstatic. I felt the adrenaline at last. We both walked to the front of the building with Daniel quoting my performance the entire time.
I let out a long sigh. "That felt, good." I said to him. Lucy should be somewhere around here by now...
"I bet it did. Are you going to celebrate? But, what are you going to do about money? Do you already have a new job lined up?"
I shook my head. "I don't need another job for a little while. I just found out I have a ton of money I didn't know about. I'm going shopping with Luce to celebrate."
Right as I said her name, she approached us. Blonde, beautiful, innocent; surprised to see me dressed as I was, wearing the heel boots I said I never would. "Did you talk to the boss, Ally?" she asked me after greeting us.
Daniel interrupted before I could get a word in; "Like hell she did. Ally told that prat exactly what she meant. "I came here to tell you I quit!"" He made me sound more riddiculous than actual and he added silly gestures. "I'm not even on break right now, I just happened to be walking by. I have to get back to work..." he added.
Lucy laughed at Daniel but she didn't seem too enthused about me quitting. I smiled nervously, "Right, so, let's go."
Daniel nodded and let us walk our separate ways. "Make sure she doesn't spend all your money, Ally. She's expensive." he winked, because he was kidding, but he was still punched in the arm by Lucy and then given a kiss.
"You're lucky you're cute, Brit boy." she shot at him. He grinned nervously and held his arm and watched us walk away.
--
I had told Lucy not to worry about money when we sat down at the food court in the north side mall. Food, delicious food... I explained to her that I had a ton amount of money stashed away and that I'd get her anything she so pleased while we were out today. The occasion? Well, just look at me. She tried questioning me about why I had quit, if there was anything I needed to say or let out, if I was doing okay after the drive in movie incident... I thriftily avoided answering these questions as our shopping experience continued.
Finally, Lucy became fed up and cornered me in a department store. "Ally, I don't want you to think I'm not grateful or that I don't like this new...approach with everything in your life, but is everything okay?"
Genuine concern. Expectant curiosity. Demanding acknowledgment. I stopped what I was doing and set my bags on the floor. I knew how this looked, it looked like I had lost my mind, or I had finally cracked. I had quit my job, gave my look and personality an edge suddenly and wanted to excessively spend my money all in one day. I turned around and tucked a few strands of hair behind my ear before looking up into Lucy's eyes. They were sparkling, but not exactly with happiness. I touched her arm and led her around a corner to a less occupied section of the store.
"I'm going to tell you straight out."
She nodded, ready.
"I'm not Ally Lovett."
"Your real name is Allison Lockett, isn't it? I knew it when I read those newspaper articles in your apartment-" I cut her off by setting my hand over her mouth. She blushed and quieted.
"You're very smart, Luce. Yeah, I'm the lost heir, Allison Lockett. I've lived in America for twelve years and avoided returning to my country until I felt...ready. I guess you could say I've been hiding, and I'm sorry I had to lie to you and Danny..."
"Oh, no, I completely understand! You had to keep a secret identity! Will your government come and take you back if they find you here?" she asked in a whisper, vividly interested, feeling as if this were some sort of secret agent movie and she had just become a part of it.
I laughed. "No. Well, I'm not sure what action they'd take, that's why I've remained hidden. I'm not done." I added before she could open her mouth again. "And I want to tell you now, though it's a little off subject... That gorgeous blonde model Luke and I have been seeing each other after the blind date you set up. We went out to a club just last night, which is why I was late to work this morning, and I just quit because I've been meaning too lately, and the only thing I will miss from there is you and Daniel."
Lucy didn't have anything to ask or say at first. She only grinned widely at me and her aqua eyes sparkled. "Oh, Ally! Or, Allison! I'm so proud! I always knew there was some assertive, strong-willed side to you that you were keeping hidden." The next part was in a whisper. "I just never suspected it was that of a queen!"
I blushed, but my lips tugged upward into a smile. Yeah, I guess... Allison Lockett was the strong-willed one...like her daddy. She was shining through all day today.
"You have to promise me something, though."
Lucy nodded. "Anything, your majesty." she play-mocked with a smile. I rolled my eyes and sighed. She just had to get it out of her system...
"Don't tell Daniel. I want to be the one to tell him and now is not the time. Have you guys gotten together again yet?" I asked as I went to pick up my abandoned shopping bags.
"I won't. And not yet, we were both busy last night. We are tonight, though..."
And the conversation and shopping continued from there. It was better not to mention anything about vampires right now. Another time, if a time ever presented itself. I didn't want Lucy and Daniel to get involved with vampires and Courtney if they didn't need to be. Not knowing would keep them safe, and I wanted them safe.
--
Dusk had come. Lucy and I were winding down, but I knew I wasn't going to make it back to Luke's mansion before nightfall. I could already see his angry white face, and I recalled his warning about being back when he woke up. Was he worried Taylor might snatch me? Hell, I was getting worried about that, but I wanted to make sure Lucy got home safe with all her bags, without harm from mysterious 'wolf' slaughterings the city was still making a huge fuss about, and wish her good luck with Daniel tonight... Then I rode the cab straight from her house to his.
Being out by myself during night dressed like I was was not the greatest move to pull, even if vampires were not involved. I payed the cab driver and stepped out on the sidewalk in front of the black iron gate, holding all of my shopping bags. The night was cool, relaxing. And the moon was a only half full now, shrinking with each passing day until the cycle restarted.
He stood at the door to his estate, waiting, watching patiently. He could be infuriated, amazed, or simply brooding with his arms crossed over his chest and head tilted away from the light. I opened the gate and walked in, we met halfway, my billowy shirt sleeves streaming and the heels digging their way into the gravel of the walkway. The tight gray shirt and blue jeans he changed into on this night were very inviting again... His expression was completely blank as he stood over me and said nothing, his eyes traveled over my appearance and I believe he tried reviewing all of what I'd done during the day up to why I was a tad late. I misdirected his thoughts by thinking of many things from the night before.
"I'd be happy to tell you what I've done today if you had simply asked." I told him with a certain... mischievous implication.
That was enough for him to take my bags and we walked inside together. He directed me towards the living room again and I almost ran into his backside when he suddenly stopped. His next action made me jump. It was a normal action for a human, the kind of thing people say "Bless you," afterwards. Luke sneezed, and when his body tensed and he bent over and his face tightened to perform this action, I was honestly surprised. "I didn't know vampires could sneeze."
"Normally we don't," he started in a grumble as he rubbed his white nose. "Actually, I'm the only vampire who does that because I sneezed under the sun when I was mortal. But the sun and me don't mix obviously, so when you open all of the drapes and let sunlight into my house, it's the equivalent of "allergy season," in your modern terms, for me right after sunset because the heat of the rays are still fresh inside the walls."
I pressed my lips together and tried not to laugh. Luke seemed like he was going to sneeze again but he held his breath and waited for that awful building feeling to pass. He shot a glare at me when a giggle did slip through. "My fault." I said as he set my bags down by the couch.
I thought about the beginning of my day and allowed him to see the events in my head; I woke up, ran around the house, found something to eat and explored until I left to go check my money and quit my job, then spend my money and confess to Lucy and get her home.
"Basically, I had a busy day." I finished with words as I sat down on a couch in the living room and pulled off the heel boots. They were killers on the feet, I groaned a rubbed my foot. It seemed the more outspoken part of myself had withered and under the darkness I just wanted to relax and get on with the story of Courtney.
"I didn't think you were serious about quitting your job..." he started as he sat on the floor in front of me. I smiled sheepishly and shrugged. He thought over the rest of what I showed him of this day while he slept. "And you came out."
"Excuse me?" I remarked quickly.
"About your true name. I'm proud as long as you don't tell that girl anything else...anything about vampires or Courtney." His tone dropped to a low warning again.
"Her name is Lucy." I told him. "And I don't plan on telling her anything of vampires..." Yet. "I don't want her to get involved as far as I have." I glanced at the wound on my arm. Luke reached over and gently handled my limb, a kiss was placed on the wound and it felt rather nice to have something cold soothe the skin there. I drew my arm back without a word and a soft pink was painted on my cheeks.
Luke seemed distracted again as he sat on the floor and watched as I did this and said that. I couldn't tell if the expression on his face was amusement or amazement. As I watched him watch me, he looked up and then started digging through the dozens of bags he'd carried in for me.
I tried to stop him from going through my items but he shifted his body so his back pinned my legs into the couch and I couldn't move anything below my torso. I groaned and could only watch as he pulled everything out of the bags and made a bigger mess in his living room than there already was from the night before. I could feel the vibrations within him against my legs as he laughed, either at my reaction to him or the things he was discovering.
Shirts, most useless that I'd never wear, some sexy lingerie-looking items Lucy insisted I had to buy, a pair of ankle strapies I'd never be caught in and would probably break my leg if I did wear, a dress too nice and too skimpy for me to ever put on, several jeans I planned on wearing in the future, a 30 Days of Night comic book. Luke laughed at and put to the side. "I'm taking that." he told me. I argued, what right did he have to just take something I just bought? He ignored me and still wasn't done... there was a nice pair of sunglasses for men I'd never wear but I liked, an assortment of small trinkets such as statues of a dragon holding a crystal ball or a glass fairy sitting on a flower that Luke was more careful with when taking out of the box to look at. There were scents and lotions from Bath and Body Works that Luke approved of, ("Like I need your approval."), movies I'd never seen that Lucy insisted I had to watch or I was "missing out on life," CD's of artists I secretly liked but hadn't really cared for music in my lifestyle, a few bracelets and ear rings that caught my attention. And finally the last item, which Luke held up and genuinely laughed over, a pair of underwear with "Majesty"on the butt in sparkle letters that Lucy forced me to buy. I snatched them away and elbowed his ear.
"It's not funny." I said darkly to him. He only laughed further. Finally he stopped putting pressure on my legs and I sat differently the couch. Luke's eyes found my body again and I shifted uncomfortably... damn this skirt Allison had to put on and flaunt all day. Luke mused with a small smile on his face.
"So we're "seeing each other," huh?" he asked teasingly in reference to my confession to Lucy.
"Well, yeah. I'm looking at you and you're gawking at me..."
"Not what I meant, Allison." He was sharper now, in an aggressive way. His smile grew to a grin and his hands came to each side of my legs as he stood on his knees and turned to face me. His eyes demanded me. "And I'm not "gawking," I'm admiring. I never thought skirts would be in your modest dress code." His cold fingers latched underneath my knees and I became rather alarmed at the intimacy of his touch.
I blushed and pushed his hands away. He was trying to close in on me, I stood up to break that chance. "I'm going to change into something more comfortable, and when I come back, you're going to continue the story right where you left off this morning." I said absolutely. My tone, body and blood commanded it, then I strode away to find my suitcase somewhere on the first floor... Inside it would be a nice pair of jeans and a soft shirt.
I respected Luke in the sense he was not a peeping tom, but taking in the factors of his abilities it was perfectly possible for him to get away with such an act.
When I walked back into the main of the home, it was dark. The lights were off and moonlight cast into the mansion through the open drapes and a breeze caught my hair as I pulled it from the neck of my shirt. Wait, breeze? I turned to the terrace in the back, the glass doors were open, and a candle in a glass ball waited on a circular table outside. Luke sat in a chair opposite of that candle and to a bottle of wine and a glass. He faced his palm up to invite me to sit when I took slow steps into the night, wondering just why Luke chose the settings he did, when he did.
The flickering candle gave us light but the dancing stars and the half moon did too. Earlier in the day I was thinking about how stunning and romantic this terrace outside would look at night, and Luke had just given me the beauty of it. A firefly or two flickered around me, more were in the yard amongst the trees, I was captivated by their simplicity. Running water was heard below me, I looked down over the terrace wall filled with ivy to see my reflection in a fountain. Luke joined my side a moment later and his reflection joined mine in the choppy water below! "You have a reflection?!" I half asked, half rejoiced. He smiled at me and almost laughed.
"Too many horror movies, Allison. You shouldn't believe everything you see on television." I wanted him to explain a little more of what vampires could and couldn't do, but as I made my way to the seat opposite of Luke, he had dropped the subject. "Another time." he said to me. Good, because I wanted to finish Courtney's story on top of everything else. The night was cool, but not too cool for me to be uncomfortable when I sat down.
My eyes traveled from the nature to him. Luke's calm face was pale and handsome with hints of firelight on his cheeks, his hands folded nicely behind his head. He was watching me intriguingly, like he as expecting something of me, or he wasn't expecting anything at all and had received. My sight had finally taken in the wine, a fine and perfectly aged bottle of Merlot. My warm hand stretched out to handle the bottle but Luke was quicker and had the cork pulled out with a set of claws that had suddenly grew on his fingernails. I cocked a brow and waited patiently for the red of the wine to fall into the glass by his hand. He was looking to me the entire time, blue eyes teaming behind the short blond curls falling over his head.
I didn't quite understand him. I had figured out he played a romantic game, but why with me? Why, had he gone to the trouble to protect me, to warn me of certain dooms, to take time away from his eternity to keep me around and then make all of these romantic scenes from nothing? "Luke, why are doing all of this for me?" The question just slipped from my lips before I could censor myself. Luke folded his hands in front of him after the wine was poured.
"Because I want to." he answered as I took the glass gracefully in my hand. Even though I wondered these things, I trusted him. "I like you, Allison. Is it alright if I want to give you the world on a golden plate?"
I blushed and put the glass to my mouth so my facial expressions would be hidden. The wine touched my tongue and god! It was phenomenal. So good, I left the question alone. I already knew Luke felt something for me and he knew I felt something for him, it was just a matter of who else was dining from that "golden plate."
The purpose of the wine? Luke had mentioned alcohol would make it easier on me with the visions, and I held him in good thoughts for having such good taste in drinks. "You aren't thirsty, are you?" I teased and tilted the glass toward him. He smirked and shook his head.
"I can handle myself. Older vampires don't have to feed every night, the newer ones have a harder time controlling the blood lust."
Blood lust, the moment in a vampire when the thirst becomes too much and the only action that makes sense is to hunt for blood. I sipped the incredible wine again and looked over at the flowers and ivy growing on the stone wall beside us. The breeze caught their petals just as easily as my hair, I closed my eyes to dwell in the feeling.
"So where were we?" Luke insisted as he reclined in his seat.
"Courtney was willing to "defy God" to gain immortality." I answered quickly.
"Right. After Helena's third birthday, Courtney was determined to find a way to eternal life. She sent crews of explorers across the world, throughout Europe, to Asia cultures, to the New England colonies, and she payed them to look for whatever trace and legend of immortality there was, and then find whatever form immortality came in and bring it to her. Of course, all of these missions were kept secret from her husband." I nearly dropped my glass as the visions began suddenly. I should have been expecting but I wasn't. Courtney spoke to a messenger who had come from one of the crews she's set out in northern Europe. They came back empty handed, she payed them what little she said she would for the expedition and awaited the next crew. A week later, from Asia Minor. Nothing, again. The next one from China, they found old legends of immortality surviving in dragon blood but such a beast did not exist any longer. She became more troubled as the failures began to add up. She crossed her thin arms across her lace-covered chest and sat down, pouting about her unhappiness when she lived such a grand life but didn't care for it if her beauty was fading. She was more maturely beautiful than the last vision, where she was barely seventeen. Now she was a fully grown adult and was at the peak of her bloom. Gorgeous blonde hair, defeated blue eyes, soft skin, rich structure... These were emotions not invoked from myself, but from the envisioned. I couldn't blame Luke for these thoughts, though. She was more beautiful than anyone I'd ever seen and the only person who did not see it was herself.
"But Stephan wasn't as blind to her obsession as she thought he was. He found out about her madness in finding the answer to eternal life, how she'd been using his money to send men to search for it. She had does these things right under her King's nose and when he found out he was furious. Partly because it was not what he had instructed her to do, partly because he had become a very greedy and deranged man since Courtney's handicap and wanted the immortality for himself. This quarrel went on and there were many nights where the King and Queen did not speak, and when they did, it ended in assaults on Stephan's part."
I couldn't contain myself with the thousands of questions that roamed through my head. "How do you know all this?"
"I was a castle guard at the time." he replied smoothly.
"What about those visions of Taylor and Rebecca, and Courtney before she was a vampire? You couldn't have been there to witness them all..."
"I can pull memories from other people's minds. I usually do when I meet a new vampire, or a human of interest." He looked directly at me and implied the second part.
I felt warmth on my cheeks and redirected the subject. "You've been a castle guard, a model... Not a smooth transition."
"I've had many occupations over the centuries. Modeling is just more recent. And it's not a career I can stay in very long, I do it more just to see how long I can fool humans and... free meals come with adoring fans just as they did with the drunks that wondered around the castles when I guarded them. I don't always have a career, though, just when I'm bored or want to earn the money without stealing. I have enough money to last me a few more decades without having any source of income."
I didn't know what to think when he said he took fans for food. It made sense, take that the world gives you for free, but his entire tone of speaking of taking life was just too free for a mortal of myself to understand. I had to remember he was a vampire older than four centuries and not just a man I was sitting on a beautiful terrace with. I thought about the income. "Me too, I think. I don't need a source of income for awhile." I leaned in so he could hear my whisper, though I knew he could without my gesture, "I checked my back account today and I have close to 150,000 dollars stashed away there, and that is without my family riches."
"That's from income since you lived in America?"
I felt enthralled when he seemed so interested. All along I'd been asking all of the questions; it felt strange to answer one. "That's income from since I took that job at the agency and saved every penny I didn't need to use. I can literally do anything I want now that I'm not tied down with a job." I smiled when thinking of the spectacular performance I pulled off in my boss' office today. Luke saw this and chuckled.
"You'd make one hell of an actress." he told me straightforward. I made a face of modesty and shook my head. "No, I'm serious. You easily fool others with your performance and your personality has many aspects to it that could allow you to express emotions freely and on cue..."
"You know all this because... you were an actor in the past?"
"Hollywood and Broadway are two very different places, I'll assure you." he replied.
"Okay, finish the story. I'm sorry I got us off track, again."
He smirked. "Of course, with the queen so desperate to find a way to immortality, vampires lurking near could not resist offering her what gift they had to give." His words paused as his icy eyes looked up at me. I didn't notice he was staring so intently at me until I exchanged the glance.
"The offer of immortality, turning her into a vampire?" He nodded.
More visions within the castle walls. Courtney paced slowly outside on one of the balconies of the palace, it was very cold but she didn't seem to mind as she wanted to clear her head so she would not be troubled by her failure to find the answer to immortality, or by Stephan's latest beating. When thinking of him she became very angry, the sweet and beautiful woman from before had a darkness in her blue eyes that turned her into something not quite human. Suddenly a two figures appeared behind her in the shadows. "It's rather cold tonight, your majesty, wouldn't you like to go inside?" One asked. Male. The other was male as well. "Yes, your majesty, or are you waiting for someone?" Courtney seemed genuinely startled and she leaned against the balcony wall to brace herself. She was ready to call out for help in case these two where assassins or enemies of the royal family, but then they both stepped into the light, dressed in fine clothes and she knew immediately by their pale skin and handsome faces, they were immortal beings. The first one smirked as she realized this. "Would you like to become like us, your majesty? I hear you are looking for the fountain of youth..." The second one continued, "Yes, and we have exactly what you want..." She was interested, and she stepped forward. Suddenly a third figure appeared behind the two handsome men and she stopped. "Blaine, Keane... leave before I decide to tell The Grand Council that you are here." The voice, it was Luke's. The two vampires left in a scowl as Luke stepped forward. Icy blue eyes, short blond hair... He was just as evenly stunning dressed in the old fashions than the new. Courtney seemed confused, but she looked upon Luke and knew he too, held what she wanted. "So you can turn me immortal?" she asked sweetly and seductively, all in one tone. Luke was captivated. And he had me captivated to a point I felt I needed him to continue.
He expression was almost grave now, but it was difficult to see clearly in the darkness. "I was the vampire to court her with the offer, telling her if she so desired, I could give her the gift of immortality. Vampirism would not give back fertility, however. But she would remain beautiful forever under the stars. I explained this to her and she understood." He paused again as the wind finally reached inside the glass ball and extinguished the candle. "Let's go in." Luke voiced a moment later. I abandoned the wine and stood to do so. I was too stunned at this point. Luke was implying that he...
Luke smiled softly and seated us both on the couch in the living room. "I wanted her as a companion and I knew I couldn't have her if she were a human." My breath felt nervous as he smiled at me and tilted his face closer to mine. "There's nothing worse in this world than to be alone for all of eternity. Even with a companion, most vampires go mad with the concept of living forever, never changing as the world around them. It sounds so tempting in the word 'immortality,' but by the time a few centuries have passed, one can see the curse in the blessing."
Again he paused, staring so intently at me. The silence was very awkward when the tale was just coming to the rising action; I had to make him go on. "So...You loved her?" My heart skipped a beat as I asked this.
His smirk did not falter but I saw a flicker of some unknown emotion in his eyes. "In a sense." he replied, lips falling to a frown. "I only judged my emotions on beauty, because she was so beautiful... and I thought I was." His face drew away from mine but his eyes held to my body.
The silence was deafening. He stared at me for such a long time, so strongly under the eyes I couldn't resist, and he took a piece of my hair and began to twirl the lock carefully in between his cold fingers.
"I mistook you for her the first time I saw you, the first time you saw me." he admitted to me, looking down at the tip of my hair.
Another deafening silence was slapped between us. I didn't know what to say or feel about that statement. Offended or flattered? She was beautiful, but she was a murderer, a monster.
His fingers ceased twirling my hair and he looked back into my eyes. "I changed Courtney into a vampire." I went completely still as he said this. I knew it was coming but... but... I blinked once and he went on. "She humored my lust for her and she took a liking to me for my "generous" offer, otherwise I was nothing to her. I staged her death and then she came away with me, but only three months after she'd come with me did Stephan court another woman in hopes he would have a son.
"Courtney could see her reflection for those three months, she frequently looked upon herself, but when she heard Stephan planned on wedding another woman, she became bitten with the jealously and malice that was already inside of her. It happened to be a full moon that night, that she went to the castle to take out her rage. I'm not sure exactly what caused it, possible mutation from the suns light reflected off the moon combined with the uncontrollable rage she'd built and twisted inside of herself and released on Stephan that night, but she transformed into a murderous wolf and Stephan and his betrothed were brutally killed. The guards managed to stab her a few times, but they did little damage compared to the blood I gave her and many of them died in her attempt to escape. Every day since that transformation, she could not see her reflection in any reflective surface, and whenever the moon is more full than a gibbous and shines upon her, she is forced to become the beast.
"She blamed Stephan in his death for this, and she cursed him for everything he'd done to her and how he hadn't even mourned for her when she 'died,' and declared herself as the curse on the Lockett family, that every generation's male would suffer only after leaving a child, so that her fury could continue for centuries, so that Stephan might reincarnate and she might have her revenge again and again."
I was still awestruck. So Courtney, in a sense, was like a werewolf, transforming only when the moon was mostly full. And Luke changed her into a vampire... All along I'd thought she was created by someone else and he just fell for her... "And their child, Helena?"
"Went on to marry Adrian Willows, he took her last name and they continued the line with the first royal son. Adrian died a year after their child was born by falling and breaking his neck while horse riding one day, or at least, that's how it looked."
That realization had only just set in. I thought perhaps Stephan went onto marry a different woman and our line was continued from that woman, not Courtney, like the legend I knew told. But no, if Luke was telling the truth, and there was not reason for him to not...
"S-so... I'm related to that... that monster?" I'm not sure what my facial expression was at this point, but I was feeling rather faint. One part of myself told me not to believe him, the more reasonable side said that there was no reason for him to lie.
He didn't respond directly to the comment, only leaned closer. "The Lockett family beauty comes from her." he whispered. Cold lips pressed against my forehead. I tightened my brows and jerked away.
"You made her what she was and for all of these years and you haven't taken responsibility for her?" Even more disbelief was in my voice. He didn't speak a word, only stood like a statue again while staring at me with his alluring eyes as I went on. Before, when I was angry when I figured he'd done nothing to stop her, I had forgiven that because I understood that she was not his responsibility. But now, that he'd admitted to creating her... That changed everything. It wasn't that he didn't need to stop her, he chose to let her kill and kill again. He and I and Taylor, for that matter, all knew he had the strength to put an end to her, and he knew where to find her since he'd made her and knew her better than anyone else... I understood now why Taylor disliked him so much. I understood exactly why Luke didn't help with the hunts for her death. I understood why Luke was the "Courtney expert."
I didn't want an answer from him. I was beyond anger, and hate, and revenge in this moment. I simply blinked at him with nothing, absolutely nothing in my eyes. We didn't want a recap of what happened last night. I recalled the white tulip and how Luke wanted forgiveness from me. He would have it, because I could not bring myself to actually loath him.
But he wasn't finished. "Go on." I audited to him.
His features were just as grave as mine, he swallowed an unneeded gulp. "After she killed Stephan and his betrothed, she had completely succumbed to insanity. She was uncontrollable, and believe me, I tried to control her in the beginning so that she would remain with me, but it couldn't be done and she got away from me time and time again. Taylor has never been able to catch her and I..." he paused. His eyes closed and fumbled his brows in frustration and set his head in his hands. "I couldn't destroy her every time I had the chance too. I never had a good enough reason to bring myself to destroy something so beautiful and powerful. Not until..." he paused again and looked to me. I was still looking at him with blank eyes.
He rose from his seat and knelled before me. His cold touches connected with my warm hands and I flinched, finally a motion coming to my face. "Allison." I blinked as I heard my name from him. I loved it when he said it, I didn't even know why...
But I wouldn't have it. He loved her, I was convinced of that. And he wanted to confess his mixed feelings for me? He couldn't have both, he knew that. I stood and held my head high, as if trying to remain dignified while I was being told such things. I had my back turned to Luke and tried to find reason in my hopeless thoughts. I didn't understand this man, and that made me so angry! One moment we were drinking in a happy harmony of a date and the next he confessed how he could not destroy an abomination because she had a pretty little face. What was I supposed to think?
I stood with my back to him in silence for several minutes. "Why? Why won't you help the other vampires bring her down?" I demanded quietly. His silence was what hurt me; he didn't have the decency to say one goddamn thing to me, not even a lie. I looked into his eyes for a truth, for some phrase of unspoken words but those icy blue miracles filled me with hurt as well. I knew exactly what he wanted to say. He still loved her and that's why he couldn't pull the trigger on her. I turned away and stumbled over to the fireplace so the flames would warm the cold that was stung into my heart.
I felt like a used fool. All of the desire he had me believe we had for each other. All of the stalking and the manipulation of events, protecting, breaking and entering he'd gone through and made it look all so romantic... All of the kisses and the attraction, last night and the night before where we couldn't keep away from each other... It was all just a charade for him to get what he lusted after. Me, the physical incarnation of his failed love.
"Then what is this, Luke?" I turned around and made a motion to him across the room and then to myself. "Am I just the replacement for what went wrong with her?" I didn't want the answer, so I kept going. "You said it yourself, I am Courtney's spitting image, I hold her blood," Was I overreacting? I didn't think so. "But I am not her."
He let out a very long, and very hostile sigh. Silence from him again! Did that mean everything I said was true?
"What you feel for me is just the echo of what you did for her."
"That isn't true." he muttered darkly.
I shook my head. "Yes! It is. The only difference you see between us is that I return the lust you feel, which is the only reason you've wanted to keep me alive for this long."
I waited for a reaction, I received the explosion. "THAT IS NOT TRUE!" he shouted and came at me. The table separating us was flipped out of his way and I backed myself against the wall behind me. I gasped as he slid forward and set both of his palms on the wall on each side of my head and his body trapped mine. My hands clasped the material of his shirt in desperate fear. He was absolutely terrifying and I was breathing harshly as his cold breath washed over my forehead. "Don't you ever, ever put words in my mouth." his tone was sharper and more intense than I'd ever heard him speak to me before; the burning in his eyes was so strong and I couldn't tell if it was loathing or fervor. I was shaking and my lips quivered when I mouthed an apology.
The seconds ticked by at an aching slow pace; my fear grew as I realized he could have killed me ten times over by now, a hundred times over in all of our meetings, including the first. It would have been child's play to knock me out of the sunlight and devour me in the shadows of his crypt room; but he hadn't. Then, as I realized he could have done so many horrible things to me by now but hadn't, my fear began to subside but not slowly enough. I was still trembling when his gaze softened and he drew his hand lovingly down my arm to my hand on his chest, which he tangled my fingers into his. I shivered under his touch and held my breath when his head dipped down to eye level. I turned my neck to the left to avoid his lips, but he just kissed the corner of my jaw and continued along that line and gently over my neck until I whimpered. Was he still angry and setting my nerves up, or was he trying to prove something...? I couldn't tell and I whimpered again. He withdrew his contact from my skin and locked his piercing eyes with mine.
"I was out of line-" I tried to say, but he quieted me by pressing his lips to the center of my forehead. My eyes fluttered shut and his grip tightened on my fingers.
"You are nothing like her, Allison. Absolutely nothing." he whispered.
"I shouldn't have said-"
"You're stronger in will than she ever could be. You were born to defeat her, to lead your country into a new shining age."
I shuttered with admiration and dread. Was he being true?
"When you showed me that Taylor had taken blood from you... I was overcome with anger, toward him. I didn't act on the anger and all I've wanted to do since then is comfort you, and ease you. If I ever let your blood spill again, by accident or more ignorant mistakes, it would stain my hands for the rest of eternity. And I don't know if I could deal with that."
And just like that, the mood had changed from disbelief to dangerous to passionate. I swallowed and opened my eyes again, and then I knew he wasn't just saying what I wanted to hear. He was telling me exactly what he felt and I could see the truth of it in his eyes. "But it's hard for me to comfort you if you hate me, Allison." My fear melted into a buttery flutter of affection and I shifted my fingers to mold more comfortably into his hand and I kissed his lips while my other hand touched his cheek fondly.
"I don't hate you." How could I? To hate him for not taking responsibility would be silly and a resolution would never be reached. It was pointless to hate him for that reason alone.
Luke heard me and returned the kiss gently; his arm circled around my waist and his body totally pressed mine against the wall. A wave of nervous and eager pleasure was sent down my spine and I made a tiny sound. His touches were tender but protective, like he didn't want anything to happen to me but at the same time have me for all his own. He broke the kiss off and set his forehead against mine. His eyes penetrated my own as a small smile came to his lips. "Your eyes. I could never think of you as her because of the look in your eyes. You live for your people and the ones you care about, that deep blue is overflowing with love for them. She lived for herself, and died for herself. Her eyes reflected and still reflect death, even when she lived. And love is so much more beautiful and meaningful than death, Allison." I smiled as his lips reattached to mine with more force than before.
Well thought-out compliments didn't make me quite as bashful; actually, it more so turned me on. "I knew you would think that about me, that this was just a replacement. I don't want you to ever think that again." His words were spaced between separation of lips, and it was a beautiful phrase for me to breath against. As my hand on his cheek crawled into his gorgeous hair and my head tilted upward to let his tongue caress in the inside of my mouth, I no longer believed that his feelings for me were just some hollow shadow of another woman.
God, I'd never wanted him more before than I did in these moments. It felt like this intimate interaction had been delayed each time we were together after the way Luke put himself on me at the "blind" date. Desiring a vampire was definitely a sin. A very delicious, dangerous, satisfying sin; and I was fine with that. What else did he need to prove to me? Nothing for the moment.
I could only concentrate on what his tongue was doing. After awhile a tugging came from my shoulder. I glanced at what it was; Luke was ripping my jacket from my body. Finally, removal of clothes, the desire-filled part of my mind thought. I quickly shrugged the article from my shoulders and his hands quickly darted up my shirt to hold my bare waist. My body shivered in delight at the cold touches; it was a shock like somebody setting a cold can of soda against your body; but my body responded in a sensual way. His mouth removed from my lips and allowed me breathe but didn't allow my nerves to settle as his teeth traced lightly down my neck. Would he take blood from me? The idea scared me just as much as excited me.
The puncture of flesh didn't happen however, not yet at least; I doubt it would after Taylor and the fear posed there. His hands slowly, so painfully slowly, drew my shirt over my head. And those lips never stopped taking over every bit of flesh from my neck, to collarbone, to breast through the lacy material he was trying to rip off of me to fully expose my torso to him. I was moaning with pleasure, impatience; my hands gripped and tugged and caressed his body as I tried to rip his own shirt off. Yes, was the only word my mind could comprehend.
Until the reality of the world rushed back to me.
My cell phone loudly rang in my back pants pocket.
My first instinct was to answer the call, but Luke heard the ring and decided to grab my attention by doing something else. He gave up on ripping my bra off and knelled down on his knees in front of my sensitives; he grinned darkly up at me, and my heart skipped a beat as I understood what he was planning to do as he undid the button of my pants with his teeth. Where did he learn that trick? I should really answer that call!
My breath hitched as his cold hands tugged on my jeans and he only grinned wider as he saw the conflict of it in my eyes. No, the desire of my mind ordered, you've gone without sex for a long time. Don't answer that call! Luke's hands caressed along my thighs, drawing anticipating shivers from within me. It might be important! The other side of my mind argued. Logically, only Lucy and Daniel had my number, and what both of them had to say for calling this late was important, whatever it was. I made a very tough decision.
How insane was I to ignore passion for a phone call. He's a vampire. He has time to kill, the logical side to me said as I pushed Luke's head down and pulled my pants up, before he had a chance to distract me. I stepped over him and answered the call.
All of the yearning heat in my body died when I heard despair in the voice of Lucy speaking frantically into the phone.
"Al-l-ly! Daniel said he would be at my apartment in ten minutes over an hour ago! I've called his phone, and all of the bars and work and everything, he won't answer and no one has seen him! I just wanted to check if he was with you." Her worry was overwhelming.
"Lucy! Calm down, I haven't seen him but I'll help you look for him." A groan from Lucas behind me, "Are you sure he's not just taking his sweet time to get over there?"
"No. I was making him all hot over the phone and he hung up saying he'd be here in ten minutes from across town so we could-"
"Too much." I cut in. "I understand, he definitely would have been there by now... Meet me at my apartment and we'll see if he shows up somewhere."
"Okay. Wait, you're not at home?"
A small pause. I glanced at Luke; he was staring at my bra-and-half-ripped-pants anatomy. "I'm out right now. But I'll be back soon." Another groan from Luke.
"Alright. I meet you there. I really hope nothing happened to him, what if something did? I have a bad feeling about this, Ally!" The worry wouldn't subside.
"Just, don't worry. Knowing him he's probably getting hit on by another gay guy or something weird." She laughed, just what I was going for to calm her down. "See you there. Bye."
Right as I turned around to grab my shirt and jacket, Luke blocked my path and I rammed right into him. He had every intention to stop me and take me anyway, damn some other less important mortals to him.
"This has to wait. I have to check on something." I told him firmly.
He didn't look satisfied. Hell, I wasn't either. But I had to prioritize. Daniel's whereabouts, if his girlfriend was worried sick, was more important than the best sex of all time with my own special person. Okay, not really, but, if Lucy had a hunch about something awful, I wasn't going to ignore it. I stepped around him and redressed before rushing out of the door.
"I'll come right back!" I promised when I glanced back and saw him in the doorway. He was aching for me, I could feel it when I looked at him and his masculine shirtless body, thanks to me. But I continued on, and it was probably one of the hardest things I'd ever done.
I was suddenly very angry with Daniel. If that idiot was doing something stupid, causing all of this worry for nothing... I called his phone just to see if he'd pick up. He didn't. I cursed and hurried to my apartment to see if he was there, since Lucy said he was no where else he usually was. And if he wasn't there, I was meeting Lucy so we could look for him.
Something I couldn't miss when I turned unto the street that my apartment faced: Daniel's red truck halfway on the sidewalk and the steel grill had demolished part of a bench from collision. I ran over to look inside; his keys were still in the ignition and the car was still in drive but the engine was shut off and he wasn't inside. Nobody else seemed to be interested in his car sitting there, and the hood above the engine was still warm so there was no way the ambulance and police would have come and went already if he had crashed. Had he run to my apartment to get my help? He could be up there now and I'm not there! I thought of all this as I ran up the flights of stairs to my floor. The first thing I noticed was blood on the handle of the barely open door.
My eyes widened and my face drained of all color. Lucy said she had a bad feeling, Lucy's hunches were always right. Please, please don't let it be his blood... I thought over and over. It could just be he was bleeding on the hand when he entered my apartment to find me, but I locked the door, didn't I? The only person I knew who had broken into my apartment before was a vampire. I reached for the handle. Could the danger, if any, still be inside? Absolutely. I opened the door anyway.
I stepped inside, but I didn't have to look around to see the damage. It was right in front of my eyes, there was no way I could have missed it. Every paper I had taken time to stack neatly on my coffee table was thrown all over the room. All of the books from my bookshelf were torn to ribbons and joined the mess. Furniture was broken and all of the walls and papers were stained with blood. I saw the red message on the ceiling before I saw the body. His mangled body. "Go home and die alone. Stay and die with your loved ones. This would have never happened if you didn't run. I will put an end to it with you and I will have my Vengeance."
I covered my scream with my hand. My breaths hyperventilated as I looked upon the symbolism of Daniel's execution; he was literally crucified on the wall, nails and barb wire held his body in the symbol of the cross that the Christian messiah Jesus Christ was put to death on. Nails through the hands and feet; the barb wire was added and pierced every limb in the most painful sort of way, drawing blood that stained his tanned skin and chocolate hair. At the top the wire was crafted into a circle against his skull to represent the thorn crown upon Christ's head. Was bringing religion into this some sick joke to her? I didn't even believe! Why was the symbolism affecting me so much? Blood ran from his temple and drizzled from his mouth over his chest, the shirt was ripped off and his torso was covered with fang marks that spelled that inevitable word, the word I'd come to despise but I was seeking for my own reasons. "Vengeance." I muttered shakily. And his eyes weren't even closed! They were wide with fear and reflected the endless dark horrors of the underworld. Death, death was a much simpler word.
My shock ended quick as I heard Lucy's voice behind me from the stairwell. "Ally! I saw his truck, is Danny okay?" Without thought I turned and ran and tackled the woman out of the doorway before she could see. She shouted and cried out in pain toward my actions when we collided with the floor near the stairs. She sat back up, holding her head. I grabbed her body and buried her face into my jacket. She couldn't see it, she wouldn't be able to handle it...
"Don't look." I whispered harshly through shaking teeth. She gasped and tried to fight me when she understood I meant something terrible had indeed befallen Daniel. She wanted to see what had happened, she wanted to see what had happened to Daniel...
"No! You can't see..." my voice died and I easily overpowered the girl's strength. Luke, the police, somebody help. Somebody... I wasn't going to move until someone came and took my angel Lucy away from that horrible phantasm. I needed to protect her from it; my grip tightened on her neck and arm the more she fought.
All of Lucy and Daniel's words they shared with me about each other the days before echoed through my head; he had loved her and I knew she had loved him. So there was no way I was going to let the horror of that scene haunt her like it would me. She stopped struggling against me and pleaded for me to let go of her, she was shaking with the desperate need. I refused and she began to cry. "Don't." I said again, but this time cradled her body.
The police and investigators arrived within the hour.
A/N: You fuckers better be crying right now! If one of you laugh, I swear... I worked very hard to make you readers fall in love, or at least LIKE Daniel to a point of being sad when I killed him. Review for Daniel!