Gores of Grimoire (Editing)

Jason Jones

   Victoria was free. Free from beatings. Free from bruises. Free from bullying, free from everything. She would never have to put up with any more of those bad things in life. She lifted her shirt by the collar and looked down at her chest as well as her sides, and saw no sign of there ever being bruises. She smiled a wide, genuine smile. She hadn't felt this free, this happy since she'd lived with her parents., from what she remembered, at least. Everything seemed good and right. But like all good things, one of two things happened: there was a cost, or they came to an end.
.....

     She looked to the sky and closed her eyes. She felt the breeze around her like she had never felt it before. It grabbed her hair and danced with it like an old, gentle friend. She inhaled largely with happiness and exhaled the same way. All was well. When she opened her eyes, though, worry flooded through her like a sunken ship. The clouds were making way for the sun. If there are three things people think of when they hear "vampire", its blood, immortality, and burning in the sun.

"No," she whispered. Why must these things happen to her? She had no way of protection. She couldn't get in the house without the key (which she wasn't supposed to get until she turned eighteen), and the trees wouldn't fully protect her. It was the afternoon, so no shadows to hide in for complete safety. 

     She backed up as the sunbeams traveled slowly across the roof towards her. What was she going to do when she had nowhere to go and she was cornered? She reached the edge of the roof. She looked around her one last time before-

"Pause," a male voice said. The sunbeam stopped moving towards her. The clouds stopped. The breeze stopped. Everything was very still. She looked around the roof before she saw a boy, not much older than her on the roof as well. She stopped instantly when she noticed a smell lingering in the air. It was unfamiliar, so she was unable to identify it. She looked at him closer using her enhanced sight. His skin was severely pale, a little paler than hers. He had black hair, he wore only black, and he had glowing red eyes. He smiled at her with that kind of smile that could melt solid ice. He was quite attractive, she thought. She looked away instantly. He was a threat. If he could stop all movement in the atmosphere, he could probably do worse things than she can imagine. He noticed this.

   "So, are you going to thank me and throw yourself into my arms for saving your life?" His voice wasn't extremely deep, but it wasn't really that high either. It also had hints of rasp to it.

   "Is that what all females do when they meet you?" Victoria asked. For the first time in a long time, her voice didn't sound sad. He scoffed at her remark.

    "Victoria, you're the only female in my life, really." He told her. She almost fell off the roof. She never told him her name, he's a vampire standing in the sun, he can stop movement, possibly time...who was he, and why was he in "love" with Victoria? Or so it sounded, although it could be true. 

He zoomed to her and caught her before she could fall. That lingering smell was stronger. She knew it was him, but she didn't know how, or what part of him. 

.....

   The first foster home Victoria was ever in was actually a nice family. She was fourteen at the time, and still recovering from seeing her uncle burned alive in front of her. They were the Jones. They were a loving couple who had two children. One child, Jason, was a year older than her. The other child, Bryce, was a year younger than her. They got along as just friends. She wasn't attracted to them at She never really felt attraction to anybody for a long time. She mostly just stayed in her room and read. One day, the parents and Bryce were out of the house, and Jason (the older brother) decided to come into her room. He rapped his knuckles on the white, wooden door three times, then opened it. Se said it was fine for him to come in, so he did. He sat on the bed next to her. He asked her how she was, she said fine. They had small talk mostly until he got up and locked the door.

"What're you doing?" She asked him quietly.

"Victoria, is it just me, or are you hotter in here..alone?" Jason said seductively. She was wearing spandex and a tank top, it was, after all, Summer.

"Jason, I think you should leave." She said.

"Oh, Victoria, I know you think it too. When you're in here alone dressed like that, what do you do? I think you're a really naughty girl, Victoria." He lunged at her. She tried to kick him off, but it was no use. She was only 90 pounds. He was a Lacrosse player. He pinned her arms down and started punching her so she would stop squirming. She defended the only way she knew how, she bit his nose, hard. She clamped her jaw down and didn't let go until he opened up a way to escape. She almost bit his nose off. He yelled in pain and grabbed the bloody mess on his face. She opened the window and jumped out as fast as she could and ran down the street. She hid in the bushes until the rest of the family got home. She left her hiding spot when they entered their home. When she got back in, all her things were stacked by the door.

"Victoria!" The mother yelled. Jason had told them beforehand that Victoria tried coming on to him, and when he refused, she got on top of him. He then said when he refused again, she bit him and ran away to hide from her crime. He said she was a slut.

"That's not what happened!" Victoria pleaded and cried. They believed their son. 

Victoria was sent to another foster home for six to seven months, which is when Miss Jacobs visited for the first time. And ever since Jason Jones, Victoria has been uncomfortable. Especially when a guy is seductive and close.

.....

   "Victoria, I know it sounds weird, but please let me explain," James said. Victoria jumped off the Manor and went under a thick tree.

   "Get away!" Victoria said. Everywhere she went, he followed.
   " Look, I know you're scared because if what happened with Jason, but please give me a chance!" He pleaded.

  " How do you know about Jason?" She asked cautiously.

   "I know a lot of things. Your parents asked me to watch over you, but it had to be after long lapses of time, otherwise," he explained, "you'd learn the truth about yourself when the time wasn't right." James said. They were standing across from each other, and she listened. 

  "I'll listen, but don't try anything funny." She threatened.