In the kitchen is where I found peace and quiet, which I was more than happy to get with all the tension that was high within the meeting room not long ago. Leaning back against the tall counters and a tall wine bottle filled to the rim with collected blood sat next to me. Lifting the glass I held to my lips, letting myself indulge in the mixed taste of the bite of alcohol and the sweetness of blood running down my throat.
Bringing the glass away, I let my tongue slide over my lips, not wanting any of the liquid to escape from me. In stressful times like these, I always found myself in this same position. I found comfort within the walls of the kitchen and within the mixed drink. Most of the time I think it’s merely the alcohol that is the comforting factor, but then again I’ve never known a single vampire to be affected the same way that a human does from the intoxicant. So maybe it was the thought of my human conscious within me with the taste of the booze awakening.
A heavy breath left as I turned to face the counter, lifted the bottle and poured a large about of the crimson drink into the glass. Corking the bottle I placed it back in the wine rack within the refrigerator to keep it good. Turning back, I froze as Seth was standing on the opposite side of the counter, smile on his face as he lifted the glass that I just filled and brought it to his lips. Watching him bring the glass back down to the surface of the counter, the small noise that was created by the contact echoed in my ears. My hands clenched into tight fists.
“Calm down.” His voice was low, a slight hint of challenging within it despite his words. Straightening himself, he shoved his hands into his pockets and rounded the counter, placing himself before me and leaned against the counter. “I just came to talk.” The look in his eyes and his smile suggested otherwise, but I forced myself to relax nonetheless.
Not breaking his gaze, I licked at my lips, which felt dry at that moment. “Oh?” I was uneasy, it was easy to see, I was sure. I hated how he could be so calm, so composed no matter what the situation seemed to be. “About what?” I took a deep breath, wanting to look more collected, which he certainly didn’t feel.
It had always been this way around Seth, there was a tension between us that would never seem to go away. And the fact that I had an interest in his girl was only a part of it. From the very moment we made eye contact I knew that I didn’t like him. There was just something about him that disturbed me. There was something that I kept seeing in his eyes, that I still see, that I’ve been unable to decode. All of us had a past that we didn’t take much pride in… I could be considered a full out slave owner. Iris killed her very family. Zander’s brother had turned him who he had killed not too long after. Emmy was a complete mystery; she refused to talk about it.
Seth though… He never spoke of his past but whenever he was asked about it a grin spread wide across his face and there would be a spark in his eyes that showed whatever it was he had taken much pleasure in it. The thought always bothered me. I wanted to know what his past held…
Seth shrugged his shoulders as he brought his arms to cross over his chest, keeping his blue gaze held with mine. “Nothing much, just wanting to crush any dreams you have getting with Em.” Should’ve known… I had been waiting for this conversation for so long.
“I didn’t think you noticed.” I played oblivious, but a tone within my voice gave away my amusement to his topic choice. By now, I was finally able to relax enough to move, rather stiffly, but it was still movement, which I felt that I needed. And distance from that gaze. Making my way around the counter, I lifted the glass that was now half gone due to Seth and took a drink.
Without turning, he continued. “Anything you do, say or even think will never get her to come to you for anything.” I could hear the smile in his voice. He really did come to ruin any hope that she would leave Seth and run to him instead. “I’m the only one she tells her secrets to. Her stories, thoughts, inner most feelings.” He turned to him then, smile wider than ever, obviously taking joy in the silence he caused within me. It had been a long time that I had hoped she would come to me for something, anything. “Even if she needed help with tying her shoe… She wouldn’t come to you.” He sneered.
I was silent as I drained the remainder of the drink, knowing every word he spoke was true, but there was still the part of me that didn’t want to give up hope. “She can change her mind.”
Laughter erupted from him at those words, which caused me to glare. “100 years.” He spoke, leaning against the counter, elbows supporting him. “That’s a long time to be committed and turn away.” He was making his point crystal clear. And I was getting the picture.
“So what do you want me to do? I’m sorry if me staring bothers you.” I didn’t meet his eyes, I felt like my chances of ever having someone to be with in this never ending life were over. There was no one left, leaving a hole within me that I didn’t know was filled to the brim with hope. Right now I was just trying to get this conversation over with.
Seth shrugged and then smiled widely at me. “Naw, by all means stare. Stare with want if you like. I find enjoyment in watching your face twist with jealousy for something that was never yours in the first place. And never will be.”
“’Something’?” I quoted. “After 100 years I figured she’d be more than a possession to you…” His words bothered me. I hated to think of woman as mere possessions. To me, they were the other half of a man. Each woman was the missing puzzle piece to every man. Finding the correct piece was the hard part.
Seth laughed at this and straightened himself. “Someone’s touchy…” He mocked as he began to make his way out of the kitchen. His fun was over; he got me to think exact like he wanted me to.
After he was gone, I strode over to the fridge, taking out the bottle that I put away and drank straight from it. Even though I knew that the alcohol would do nothing for me, but I needed to feel like it was numbing me.
“Josh?” That voice caught me by surprise. I turned around to find Emmy in the doorway of the kitchen. Remaining still for a long moment, this was the last thing I was expecting after the discussion I had just had with Seth. Lifting my hand, I whipped at my lips with the back of it, just waiting for her speak again, just to make sure that she was indeed the one that had called out to me.
She was quiet for a long time as well before she finally spoke. Her eyes held something within them, like she wanted to get something out… but not to me… I knew that. “Do you know where Seth is?” She asked, hugging herself as her hazel gaze fell to the ground. “I need to talk with him.” Her voice broke slightly, which she blushed slightly at. She didn’t like to show weakness, not in front of me anyway…
Quiet for a short while, I looked away from her to grab the glass and pour the remained of the wine bottles contents into it. “He just left the room…” I didn’t bother to hide any annoyance from my voice. My eyes flicked to her when I saw her turn and called out, causing her to stop, but not look back. “Why only trust in him?” There was no need for a name, it was obvious who I spoke of.
She pulled her hair over her shoulder and brushed her fingers through it. I wanted to see her facial expression that went with her silence, but didn’t move from my spot, nor did I ask her to turn around and she didn’t. “Because he was always there.” She answered simply; the lack of detail bothered me.
“You have new friends that will always be there too…” I mainly spoke about myself, but I knew that Iris had always wanted the other girl to confide in her as well. “We’ll all be there for you Em; you don’t have to depend on a single person.”
Finally she turned back to me, the expression on her face unreadable. I hated not knowing her past… I wanted to know what ate at her, to know why her full trust was so limited. But only Seth knew… And only Seth would know… “You wouldn’t understand.” And with that she left.
I sighed and looked down into the liquid within my glass, watching its stillness. “Of course not… you won’t let me…” I spoke quietly to myself before taking down the last of the crimson contents. I wanted to go after her, to let her know that she could tell me everything and that wouldn’t change the person that she was to me or the way that I saw her. But then what Seth said returned to my head… “Anything you do, say or even think will never get her to come to you for anything.”
He was right… Every word he spoke was true. Never would she come to confide in me, nor would she come to me in help in anything, no matter how small the task may be. It would always be Seth…
He was everything to her that I wished I could be. He was her temple, her protection and everything else, there was no way around. I had to face it head on. There was no hope for me when it came to her…
I groaned, walking out of the kitchen, grabbed my coat and headed out of the house. Right now that place made me feel claustrophobic. I needed the open night sky above me. I needed the loneliness to set in for the final time. To know that there was no one out there that would get rid of that feeling that I had within. Man, was I wallowing in self-pity… The thought disturbed me.
“No!” The scream startled me from any thoughts that were on my own depressing life. It sounded close, but then again with the vampire’s sharp senses, anything could sound close. My pace picked up and I began to hear faint noises of a struggle, sprinting now, I turned down a small ally, eyes sweeping the area. For a moment, I felt I turned down the wrong side street, but another cry made me think otherwise. It wasn’t too long after that I saw it. A vampire looming over a terrified girl, her pale blue eyes were filled with tears and I instantly sprang into action, slamming myself into the body of the unknown vampire.
With the way the vampire stumbled, I figured they didn’t have much fighting experience or they were running on impulse, which could lead to disaster in a situation like this. It was difficult to see the face of my opponent for they wore a heavy hood, but by the body shape of them, it was easy to see that it was a woman.
She hissed, raising her hands, showing off her sharp nails. She reminded me of an ally cat, I felt no real threat coming from her, but I wasn’t about to lower my guard. She was still as I waited patiently; my blood always began to boil when about to spring into full combat. My glare was heavy on her, just waiting for her to come at me. There was a large part of me that wanted to rouse the monster that I built up over the years of training. But she backed away, slowly before turning and running from the ally, sure enough to find an easier pray…
“Guess I found the killer…” I muttered as I turned to the girl who remained on the ground, her eyes still holding the fear from the moment before. Conducting a quick scan of her body quickly as to check for any wounds that she may have received. Finding none, I felt satisfied. I bent down beside her and gave her a soft smile to show that I was no threat to her. “Are you okay?” I asked quietly, not wanting to startle her by speaking louder.
Eye rising to me, she looked shocked to be saved and slowly nodded her head, but no sound left her lips.
“Where do you live? I can walk you home.” I didn’t want to leave her alone until I knew she was safe. That loose vampire might come back to finish the job if this girl was left vulnerable.
She merely shook her head.
My brows furrowed, not understanding if she didn’t want a stranger helping her or if she was still afraid. “I don’t want to leave you alone yet. Now where do you live?”
Her eyes drifted away from him to across the ally way and slowly her hand raised to point across the way. I followed the line her finger made. Leading my gaze straight to a make shift box with a bundle of blankets inside and then it clicked… She was home…
“What’s your name?” I asked, eyes coming back to her and she looked up at me once again.
“Aurora…” It was the only thing that she was able to get out before her eyes closed and she fell unconscious. Slightly surprised, but more surprised that she didn’t pass out sooner; I reached to support her limp body. My lips formed a straight line, coming to the conclusion that I couldn’t leave her there; I lifted her into my arms.
Taking the back streets as to not cause alarm that I was carrying a girl that was comatose, I brought her back home. I couldn’t wait for the uproar…

The Eclectic Pen » All Stories by Emmy A. (emmytastic)

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The Eclectic Pen - The Hunted (Part 2)

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