The sun was shining through the windows of the office when I woke up the next day. I could not comprehend that I had just had sex with the most beautiful and frightening man I had ever met.
It was hard to believe that just a few days ago I was his captive.
It was a little past two o'clock, and I went into the bathroom to find a sky blue sundress folded neatly on the counter. After I took a shower, I threw on the dress and came out to find Ginger across the room smiling at me.
"Hi!" she said cheerily. "Do you need anything?"
"No thanks," I replied, studying the fading fang marks on her neck.
"Okey dokey, then. I'll see ya later!" She walked out, to go tend to the bar, I thought.
She was nice, but I was glad she was gone. I needed some time alone with my thoughts. I remembered Eric's reassuring words about protecting me from the vampires, but I still continued to worry. I walked back to Eric's office and looked around the floor.
I saw my silver necklace in the corner of the office. I picked it up and fastened it around my neck. It saved my life once, who's to say it can't again? And besides it would be against young vampires. Eric would protect me, wouldn't he?
Ok, I suppose thinking isn't really what I need to be doing at the moment. I opened the door to the bar. I had never been in the actual bar area before, but it was a little corny and very stereotypical.
Black and red were the main colors, and there were vampire movie posters hanging on the walls. There were tables, of course, but what distracted me was what I saw on a raised platform.
There were three chairs, but the one in the middle could have best been described as a throne, and I pretty strong feeling that I knew who usually occupied it. I laughed to myself.
Ginger was behind the bar, cleaning and organizing. I figured I could something to occupy me. "Hey", I walked over to the bar, "want some help?"
"Oh, that so sweet of you, sure, it'll be nice to have someone to talk to!" She smiled giddily.
"So", she said, "I heard you and Eric are like a thing now… Is it true?"
I had to think about that for a minute. Sure, we had sex but he could come in today wanting nothing to do to me. I frowned. "I'm not really sure," I told her in a way so that she knew I didn't want to talk about it.
Time was flying by. We were just talking while cleaning glasses and putting bottles back where they belonged. It was a lot of fun having another girl to talk to again. I didn't even realize how late it was.
There was a bottle on one of the top shelves that had fallen onto its side. I was reached up to get it, but it was way too high for me. So I did what any short girl does when she can't reach something. I stood on my tip toes, and I jumped awkwardly. I heard a low laugh from behind me. I felt him walk up behind me and saw him pull the bottle with ease, and then set it upright.
I turned to look at him and gave him playful glare. He then bent down to my height and gave me a soft kiss on the cheek. His cold lips made me shiver. He then took my hand and was leading me out of the bar area and to the back.
"Where are we going?" I asked, and then noticed that I had a huge smile plastered on my face.
"My office," he replied, looking back at me smirking. My grin only got larger.
We walked into the office, and after I was safely in, he shut the door behind him. He walked to his desk and I turned to look at him, surprised by how serious and grim his expression was. He gestured for me to sit, and I did, though I was nervous at what he was going to tell me.
"Lily", he said, "You no doubt remember what I told you about those young vampires and it is my responsibility to let you in on the situation. You see, as I had figured, they knew you were not dead, and they were furious. I can try and keep them in check, as I am their sheriff and they are all almost eight hundred years younger than I am, but they are willing to die in order to avenge their maker. That will make them very dangerous. As I have told you before, I will protect you, but there is a chance of them getting past me, since I have never met any of them. If that happens, I will do anything to get you back."
I stared at him in awe for a few minutes. I swallowed hard and whispered, "If they know I'm not dead, where do they think I am?"
"We have spoken with them, and I told them that you managed to escape by taking silver to me," he said with a solemn smile, "But they know your scent from the alley in which you were attacked, so I would not be surprised if they come back here, but I urge you not to worry in spite of what I have just shared with you."
I knew that my face was horror struck. Eric walked over to my side and knelt down and kissed me passionately and lovingly. I returned it, but I felt tears start to stream down my face. He pulled away from my lips and stroked my face, wiping away the tears I hadn't realized had fallen. "As long as you are with me, you are safe. I would do everything I my power to end them if they so much as tried to lay a finger on you."
"Will I be safe here?" I sniffled.
"Safer here than anywhere else," He held my hand in his, and even though it was cold, it emitted warmth.
I walked over to the couch and lied down. He came over and crouched next to my head and stroked my hair like he did the night before. I smiled with my eyes closed.
"Eric, can I ask you something? " I inquired.
"Anything", he replied.
"Do you think that two people who barely know each other can love one another unconditionally?" I lifted my head of the couch a bit so that I could read his expression.
"Yes", he knew that was all he needed to say. I was in love with him, and he with me.
"What are you going to do tomorrow?" he asked me. He was truly interested.
"Well, I'm hoping I can do things in the bar again. It was really fun and made time go by fast." He looked at me quizzically.
"Fun?" he said, "Really? You have fun cleaning up a bar all day? You are very curious." He nudged me playfully.
"What can I say? I'm one of a kind." He raised his eyebrows at me, and I laughed at how he looked at me.
"You are one of a kind," he said lightly, "perfectly unique."
I giggled and he joined me. "I want to take you somewhere tomorrow," I looked up at him, curious at his words.
"Where?" I asked.
"It's a surprise, but I promise you will love it."
I smiled again, and closed my eyes. They didn't open again for the rest of the night.
I woke up at eight o'clock, ready to start the day. I went out into the bar, not surprised I was alone, and began picking up things, and making the bar spotless. A few hours went by before Ginger came in. She looked happy to see me, but I could tell she was happier about me cleaning up, even though I wasn't quite done yet.
"How was your night?" she asked.
"It was good, but I need to find another place to sleep that isn't a couch." We laughed at that. Ginger went into the back room to go do some organizing or something, so I was left alone again, but I didn't mind.
I heard a knock at the front door that made me jump. Ginger was still in the back, so I looked out one of the windows and saw a delivery truck parked out front. I went to the door because I assumed it was a package of supplies for the bar.
I opened the door and saw that the man was holding a bouquet of beautifully arranged flowers. The delivery man looked shaken up and nervous. Having a rough day, I supposed. I smiled brightly at him.
"Lily Brand?" he asked very politely. He looked very pale.
"That's me," I answered surprised. This must be part of Eric's big day for me, I though excitedly.
The flowers were long stemmed red roses and white lilies and were hand-tied in a red ribbon. The arrangement looked gorgeous and probably smelled just as great. The only downside was that they made me think of my sister, Rose. I wondered what she was doing with her new husband. I wondered if she was worried about where I was. She loved me, despite the fact that she was very self centered.
"Thank you so much! Do I own you anything?" I asked with out thinking. What was I going to pay him with?
"Nope, you're covered." He said smiling. I looked out to his van and saw the passenger side door open but the driver's seat was empty. The man still hadn't left and was looking at the flowers expectantly. Now that my attention was on the flowers I leaned in to smell them.
I closed my eyes, expecting to receive a pleasant smell, but was surprised by the burning sensation of my nose and my eyes began to water. I opened my eyes and felt my head spinning so I turned around to sit down in the bar. I then saw that another man had grabbed Ginger and she was struggling in his grasp.
"What the…" I dropped the flowers and looked back at the man in front of me with terror. He made his way for me and before I had a chance to scream my knees gave from under me and everything went black.
