Eternal Darkness - Book One ✔

Chapter Nine Extra

Time seemed to pass agonizingly slow when you were cooped up in a room day in and day out. Sure, Sam spent a lot of time with me, but there were still many hours on end where I would just sit and stare at nothing. I knew more than a week had passed, because from the window where I spent the other half of my time when I wasn't in bed, I had seen the sun rise and set more than seven times. And I had learned as a child that a week consisted of seven whole days.

Despite my imprisonment I did receive almost regular meals three times a day. They weren't big, but still larger than what I would have been able to gather on my own, and in nowhere near the same amount. At first I'd been wary of the food, wondering if it had been laced with poison or some other deadly remedy, but considering how I had scarfed down the first meal Sam had brought me after I'd arrived, I figured King Shax probably didn't plan on killing me through canned food. No, I had a hunch he'd want to kill me much more in person. I'd do my best to not let that happen. Then I wondered if vampires themselves could eat actual food if they wanted to? Who cooked my meals? If vamps didn't eat it, how would they know how to turn a can of beans in tomato sauce to a hot meal with bread? Maybe this was what humans did in return for staying alive, the labor I mean. Working in return for survival and food. It seemed plausible. I made a mental note of asking Sam.

I slowly fell into an everyday routine; breakfast in bed with Sam, sit and stare out the window alone, twiddle my thumbs - alone, lunch and talk with Sam, nap - alone, stare at the wall - also alone, dinner and talk with Sam, sleep.

The days drifted and my heart seemed to be mending itself from the heartache of losing my only two friends in the world. The emptiness I'd been feeling inside was slowly filling up with other things like my current situation as a vampire prisoner and being able to produce blue energy. It was indeed a lot to wrap ones head around, but given all the time I suddenly had by myself, it was hard not to think about every waking moment.

I would sit and think by the window as I watched how the outside world seemed to shift as the days grew shorter and the weather more greyish. Then again it was hard to tell exactly with the weather from the layer of toned color in the window glass. Vampire proof windows. I'd wondered from time to time if all the windows in this building had that protection, or if it was just chosen rooms, like this one, and that I was meant to end up here? Having nothing to do all day except eat and sleep, I thought about these kinds of things often.

My body however was going crazy from the lack of exercise it was getting. Normally I'd be out walking for miles almost every day, but the sudden stop of physical workout was confusing my body. I'd pace the room hours on end, practically putting a small path in the lush carpet as I tried calming my body and give it something to do. I itched to be outside, even just out in the hall where I didn't have to be caged in like an animal, well aware that the real animals were walking freely outside my door.

Nox had visited a couple of times, but never stayed long. Apparently Shax had him running errands all over the city, much to his displeasure, but he did what he was told, like the good servant he was. I hadn't called him that to his face, or thought it when he was here, knowing he'd hear me one way or the other.

Nox was a confusing person to wrap ones head around. It was like he had two different personalities; one was the ruthless vampire leader who didn't care who he hurt in the process of getting what he wanted, like I had seen when I had first met him. But after arriving here in Los Angeles he had shown a different side of himself, an almost kinder one. Which was why it was all so confusing. It was like he regretted finding me that night. Sometimes I would catch him looking at me, when he e I wasn't watching; eyes filled with what could only be described as pity and remorse. It was straight up mind-boggling. I wanted to ask him what the hell was up with him, but I found it hard to get any time alone with him. Because I spent most of my time with his protegé, Sam. Meeting Sam I knew that being a vampire didn't equal being a coldblooded killer. So far I had that title narrowed down to Nox's creepy lackey Chin, the one with Johan's blood flowing in his system, and Shax who quite frankly, scared me half to death.

Lucky for me I hadn't seen Shax since my first day here and I hoped every day that I would never see him again, though that was probably wishful thinking on my part. I knew there must be some greater plan as to why Nox had gone to so much trouble finding me and bringing me here.

What made me antsy was that no one had told me yet why exactly I was here. I knew it had to do with my newly discovered "powers", anything else just wouldn't make sense. I was a nobody.

I had pestered Nox every time I had seen him, asking him over and over what they wanted with me, why they hadn't killed me yet? But all I'd gotten in return was some bull answer about "not ready yet", or "you'll know more when I do". What a load of crap. Nox was hiding something, but it seemed he hadn't even included Sam in the grand plan. Because when I'd asked Sam a few days ago, he said with honesty laced in every word, "I wish I knew Em, I'd tell you if I did, but I really don't." I hadn't asked him since.

For some reason I trusted Sam more than I did anyone else at this place. It must have been from all the time he had spent willingly in the room with me, and it was like he wanted me there almost less than I did. It was a calming thought to say the least. We'd spent the days talking, mostly about things I had wanted to know, like Shax and Nox and this whole place, but also more about him, his past and pretty much what he'd been doing up until my arrival.

All his stories seemed to somehow calm me in such a way that I was slowly accepting him as a person rather than a nocturnal demon, and by doing so, I was slowly coming to terms with what had happened to me. Not that I wouldn't run if I ever got the chance to, but for now, why fight the unbeatable? It seemed that I wasn't going anywhere anytime soon, so I had to try and make the most of it. At least that was what I kept telling myself every day when I woke up at night, drenched in sweat from yet another nightmare. Either about my parents or Dennis and Johan, or even that starved vampire at the school, but in my dreams he tore me apart, feeding on my blood as I screamed my lungs out.

I'd woken up screaming one night, limbs shaking like the leaves on a windy day, gory images of my torn body parts lying on the floor next to me, until Sam had burst through the door, asking me what was wrong. I couldn't form two words from my heavy panting and just sat there gasping for breath, fighting the tears that were threatening to spill. He took one look at me and without thinking went over and sat down on the edge of the mattress, making me take sips of water from the bottle that stood on the nightstand next to the bed. It calmed my shaking body, enough for me to lie back down on the bed. He hadn't left that night, but rather spent it in a chair, watching over me as I went back to sleep. I had still felt tired when I finally woke up hours later, but somehow also rested. Ever since then, whenever I asked him to, Sam would stay with me in my room. I never questioned why I let a vampire stay with me as I slept, I just knew I had to. I never had a nightmare when he was there.

Nox didn't comment on our new sleeping arrangement, but I knew that he knew, and something was telling me he wasn't completely pleased about it. But in all honesty - why would I care what a vampire thought of me? Granted, I let a vampire stay in my room when I was sleeping, but Sam was different, and he had never made any move to hurt me. Not like his maker.

It almost felt like before, whenever Dennis or Johan would keep watch as the rest of us slept. I almost felt the same safety at night. Almost. I could never forget where I was, nor did I want to. I knew it would cloud my judgment and if it eventually came down to it, I had to know I could trust myself to kill Nox or Sam. Especially Sam. But I'd already broken that promise to myself by having him around. Keeping him around was more like it. I almost craved his presence. It was better than being alone.

What are you getting yourself into Emily?