The window needed a hard push to open. Kirya stuck her head out. The sun was setting, the skies burning red, to purple to dark blue. She sighed, how long had it been since she'd been outside beneath the sky?
She leaned out farther. The roof wasn't very steep, and every meter or so there was a ridge. She reached out and touched one of them. It seemed pretty stern.
Suddenly needing to be outside Kirya jumped up in the windowsill and then carefully went out on the roof. It held her just fine, but she knew it would only take one misstep for her to fall down. She wouldn't survive a 7 storey fall, that was for sure.
She balanced on the ridge, walking a couple of meters before she carefully sat down. She leaned back resting her back against the tiles, looking straight up into the darkening sky. She laid like that for a long time, just breathing in the air, relaxing.
In the end the cold became too much and she crawled back inside, but from then on she often escaped to the roof, when she needed to clear her head.
It seemed that something was happening in the vampire world. Damon often had new vampires visiting, talking muted for hours, pausing their conversation when Kirya was close. Yuki and Bjorn often stayed for days, also attending in the late night meetings. It seemed that the period of euphoria had passed. The only one managing to keep up his usually good moods, was Yuki.
Kirya kept cleaning, cooking, washing clothes and serving all the guests. They'd grown accostumed to her, and the confrontations were scarce.
Sometimes she joined Yuki and Bjorn in cardgames. They still were the only ones who seemed to accept her.
She'd just lost by a mile to Bjorn in poker, and both he and Yuki was joking about her poor abilities in the game.
"Hey, I've only just learned it, you guys have had quite a headstart, remember? Let's have a game of chess one day, and I'll nail both your asses," she laughed, knowing that she would probably lose in her favourite game as well.
"Headstart? nah, just 8 decades or so," Yuki said, trying to keep his face serious. "Don't tell me you're a sore loser, love."
"Me? A sore loser?" she sputtered. "You should have met my dad then, talk about a guy that couldn't deal with loosing."
They were interrupted when the front door was ripped open and slammed shut.
"There goes Katherine," mumbled Bjorn, hiding a grin. Kirya was surprised, she hadn't even known she'd been here. Well, at least she was gone now. In the last weeks, Kirya and Katherine had come up with a silent truce. They both stayed out of each others way.
A moment later Damon entered the living room, bringing that weird tension along with him, the way only vampires could do.
"Girl, get over here." His voice was angry, and he obviously was in no mood for inobedience.
Kirya quickly put down the deck she'd been shuffeling and rose. She hated it when he ordered her around like that, infront of Yuki an Bjorn. It nagged her to be put in her place so obviously.
Before she had even realized what he wanted, his canines sunk into her. It hurt more than usual.
He really must be upset about something; this was the first time he'd ever fed on her with other people around. She clenched her teeth, no way he or any of the others were gonna see how much it hurt. She just stared on a blank spot on the wall, waiting for it to end.
But he kept going, she felt coldness spread through her body, and her legs went numb. She had to fight just to stay standing.
Was this it? Was he gonna finish her off once and for all?
Maybe I should fight, he wouldn't expect that.
But somehow it felt wrong, even now she didn't hate him or fear him.
He will stop in time.
And then just as sudden as it had begun, he stopped.
"We're meeting at Ric's Corner in five," he said to Bjorn and Yuki, before turning around leaving the room.
Kirya just stood were he'd left her, afraid that if she moved her legs would give in.
Please just leave! No way she was gonna let them see her like this, and she wasn't going to be able to keep the masquerade up for much longer.
They got up.
"Are you okay," Bjorns voice was concerned.
"I'm fine. Just go, I'll clean up."
He nodded and left. Yuki on the other hand eyed her suspiciosly.
"You're lying. He took way too much."
She tried to smile, reasuringly.
"No, I'm really okay," but her words sounded hollow and just then her knees buckled and gave away under her, her vision starting to blur as well. She landed on the floor in a heap.
Is this how it feels when you die? she wondered dazed.
Yuki was by her side immediately. He picked her up, carrying her effortlessly to the couch, where he put her down carefully.
"I'm cold," she whispered. He nodded.
"I'll be right back." He left her alone for a minute, then he was back again, carrying a quilt and a can of coke. He covered her up tightly, tugging her in. Then he opened the coke.
"You need to drink this."
"I'm not thirsty," she protested weakly.
"Drink," he said firmly and held the coke to her lips. She did as he ordered, not having any strenght left to protest.
After nearly choking on her first sip, she drank most of the can's contents.
Afterwards she did feel better.
Her eyelids began to drop.
"You'll be just fine, just rest now."
"Thank you, Yuki," she mumbled before sleep engulfed her.
The vampire lingered a moment, watching the sleeping girl. Her face was ashen, and she looked very small and vulnerable. Then he turned around and left.