The Vampire's Claim (boyxboy)

Chapter 18: Barbeque on the Patio

I hated it. For one thing, it was way too goddamn bright out that was for sure. Like my eyes were seeing through an enriched chrome filter and the color intensity was surreally amplified. Somehow it was worse than if everything appeared dull. I could feel the color singeing my eyes.

I scowled as I looked over it. I guess the garden should have been considered nice. At one time it might have even been really something, like a painting in an art museum. But like the rest of the house, it had been worn down and left alone far too long to be considered anything but ancient, decaying, and a health hazard.

Which was why it was confusing as hell that Eskil brought me out here. He hadn't said anything, just led me outside and had me sit down on a rustic chair next to him. And then he looked out at the garden and stared. And stared. And stared.

And he was still staring now. It made me curious. What was he seeing? Did he see the overdosed color like I did? Thoughts? Maybe some buried memories? By the state of everything around here, it was easy to forget that this once had been his home. A home he obviously avoided visiting at all costs. Until now.

I wish I could read him. He was too good at the stoic face. I hated it.

"Yes?"

Crap. He'd caught me.

"Um—nothing." My face was on fire as I glanced down at my hands.

He hummed.

Back to silence. Back to staring at nothing.

If I wanted to do that I could go back into my room. I could feel a part of me yearning to do that. Just crawl back and block out the lights and curl into myself again. God, I really wanted to do that.

So I did.

Well, I tried to anyway. The moment I had uncoiled my feet from under me and placed them on the ground, the moment I placed my arms on the armrests and tried to push myself up, was the moment that Eskil's hand shot out and grabbed my wrist.

"Stay." He still didn't look at me.

Not going to lie, his grip kind of hurt. He grasped it icily tight. Actually, it was an odd mix between hot and cold and—

"The hell," I breathed. His hand. How hadn't I noticed it before? It looked like termites had gnawed through it leaving a mess of flesh, bones, and muscles. How was he not withering in pain over it?

He released my hand and folded his back in his lap once he realized I wasn't going anywhere. He didn't even seem to notice what I saw. Maybe he didn't even notice his hand at all.

What the hell was that? My mind flashed back to when Rhys was giving me vampire 101. Not possible. Eskil wouldn't be that careless. He wouldn't. But in all that time locked away in my room, I couldn't remember ever hearing him leave. And from the looks of things I doubted he had any fresh supply hidden around the house.

I dared to look at his face, really, really look at it. It was the exact same.

"Are you an idiot?" I seethed.

My shrieking must have started him since he turned to me, but there was nothing in his eyes. No comprehension, no life, nothing.

"You must be the stupidest vampire that's ever existed," I continued as I quickly yanked off my shirt and covered his head with it. "Between this and street crossing, you must be."

I grabbed his arm and yanked him up and hauled him indoors. Once inside I immediately went to work shutting all the blinds.

When I was done I got in his face. "What the hell was all that?"