The Vampire's Requiem [malexmale]

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Seven (Newell)

It was difficult to put into words how I felt.

So I played the piano instead. It was one of the few things I was forced to do and enjoyed thoroughly as a child. My parents insisted that music was apart of being sophisticated. If you couldn't play an instrument, you were a plebian. An uncultured plebian. And that was simply not allowed in the Drakon Clan. I had been trained in multiple instruments, but there was only one that struck me to the core of my soul.

And that was the piano.

There was something about the way it sounded, the way the keys felt beneath my fingers. It was difficult to explain how I connected with the piano. All I knew was that when it came to emotions, I was broken, until I sat at a piano.

It was soothing, even when I was enraged. The piano never snapped back at me, never slapped me, or yelled at me. The piano was obedient for every cold key I struck and a note rang out.

My fingers flew across the keys with an ease I was amazed I had retained considering it'd been far too long since I'd sat at a piano. I didn't have the sheet music, but the music played in my mind, my fingers only mimicking what I saw in my head.

And the entire time I played Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata, I could feel Xed's eyes burning holes into me. With nowhere else to sit, he sat beside me on the bench, eyes following my fingers before drifting to my face as if he were waiting for me to show emotion on my face, but I kept it void.

I only let it flow through my fingers and strike the keys gently, slowly. The melody purred from the grand piano, giving me chills. Even when I missed a note, Xed still seem entranced. He was in child-like awe that sent a bolt of superiority coursing through me. It actually felt wonderful to have someone appreciate this, and classical music no less.

Xed had no idea what the name of the song was. He didn't know that it could be played several times better than I could. He simply enjoyed it.

I expected him to be angry after the way I had treated him a couple days before, but he seemed at peace with it. He wasn't much for conflict and preferred to end things quickly. I could never understand how he managed to put up with me this far. After all the insults, degrading, and orders, he still managed to insist on staying beside me.

Quite literally.

His eyes widened slightly as I hit the much quicker part of the piece. My fingers struck the keys hard and fast, feeling as numb from the amount of activity. I continued, hitting the keys, foot very gently touching the pedal every now and again. I cocked my head, watching my own fingers flee across the keys as they rang out beneath the pressure. I slowed before hitting another crescendo, speeding up once again.

He continued to sit there, fascinated by the music, and probably the way my hands moved. Even I was mildly impressed with myself for being able to move that quickly after all this time.

Xed fascinated me in his own way, though. There was something oddly intriguing about him, something that I obviously would never tell him. I noticed that whenever I said something that pleased him, he got this content smile on his face, like he couldn't be happier. It made my heart tighten and I regretted making him happy.

That wasn't my job. We were partners and nothing more, no matter how many dreams I had where we were entertwined in positions that would give the Kama Sutra a run for its money. There was simply no way for it work between us.

And while I tried hard to blame it on Xed, it always came running back to me. I didn't want a relationship, they were a hindrance. Should someone come for me, they'd strike at Xed first in order to hurt me. If something were to happen to him, I could fall apart. And I would never let that happen. I'd already allowed someone to get the jump on me before and I couldn't risk it happening again. Not to mention, as much good as Xed as done for me, I couldn't bring myself to trust him.