Infatuated (Unedited)

Chapter 11

My hunger now taken care of, I managed to finally get dressed in a pair of dark blue jeans and my favorite long black sweater that falls off one shoulder. It still shocks me that they brought all of my stuff here and even added to it with new clothes, shoes, and furniture. As I look around the room again like I had the first time I'd seen it, I feel my guard slowly lowering more. He has gone out of his way to do a lot for me even though it may have been the wrong way to do it but for that I at least owe him a 'thank you'.

Like before, I entered the hall, looking down it first before I made a move. Going down the stairs I could hear male voices and then a female, instantly assigning each to Armand, Roland, and Claudia. There voices were muffled by the wall that separated the stairs from the living room and as soon as I stepped off the last step, they stopped. They all seemed to look at me with somber expressions before diverting their eyes. Roland got up without looking at me and disappeared through the front door.

Strange...

A few seconds later Armand did the same; stood grabbing Claudia by the hand and pulled her toward the stairs behind me without looking my way. I'm used to him now and understand the way he feels about me but Claudia? This doesn't feel right. I get the sense she's upset about something. My suspicion is confirmed when the usually chatty woman walks by me and also avoids my gaze.

"Claud?" Immediately she froze but didn't turn to face me. Had I caused this? When I ran, was that in some way rejecting the unspoken friendship that was forming between us? Before that incident she was talking and acting like we'd be best friends forever and now she's in a hurry to get away from me? When she finally turned my way still holding her husband's hand she didn't look at me for longer than a few seconds. Being that she's a vampire, a creature of the night that could probably rip me apart without even trying it strikes me as odd that she seems so timid and cautious right now. Then it hits me. A heavy sigh pushed through my nose, "How much did you hear?"

That made her look up again, this time maintaining eye contact with me. Her brows lowered over her eyes with the obvious sadness that overtook them. "Everything. And we're sorry we tried to keep you here. All of us."

With that she turned and continued up the stairs leaving me there alone feeling like shit. This is why I never told people what happened. I don't want sympathy, I don't need it! I got out and moved on with my life without allowing Dalton and the abuse to alter me. Before they made it out of view Armand turned back and looked at me with the same sadness. Something in the way he did that broke me. Turning toward a random door I pushed through it and found myself standing out on a deck looking over a very large field surrounded by trees with a decent size building not too far ahead. I wanted to scream just one good time like it would somehow erase the looks on Armand, Claudia, and Roland's faces but the beauty of this field wouldn't allow me to.

The day was late with the sun coloring the sky with orange, and pink hues casting a beautiful glow over the grass. There is a feeling of deja vu that I can't explain and without even thinking, I stepped off the deck and started walking toward the building. The wind blowing around me, the scent in the air all seems so familiar with every step I took. Not even halfway to the building something tells me that what I'm looking at is a horse stable. It looks like a mini house but with less windows and double doors. When I finally reached the building I placed my hand on the latch and again got a weird feeling. It caused me to still for a moment with my eyes closed, trying to figure out why. It almost feels like I've been here before but at the same time it seems so new to me. Shaking my head to hopefully rid myself of that feeling, I let myself in and stopped when I locked eyes with beautiful black stallion. I have never been this close to a horse before so I'm unsure of their behaviors. I don't know what it means when a horse is standing stock still and staring back at you. I don't know what signs indicate if their friendly or not. Despite having all that in mind I'm overcome with this need to touch the horse and find myself moving toward it. Still, the horse is as still as a statue. I know with dogs that if they're that still it's probably not a good idea to approach them but I can't seem to help myself.