High Chaos

Broken Lampposts

Rose

Most nights when asleep, her mind collides with mine and I live her nightmares. Now more than ever I'm grateful for the distraction of my own nightmares. With that thought in mind, I scramble out of bed with my hair looking like a birds nest and rushed the few feet to where Lissa lay, thrashing and screaming.

"Liss. Lissa. Wake up." I tried whispering, not to wake our housemates, but knowing it took more than words to wake her up, I gave her a slight push.

"Oh God, Andre." A sob tore from her throat as tears streamed down her pale cheeks. I held her until her breathing steadied and continue to comfort her for a while after.

It had been a month since the anniversary her family died. We were all in the car, Lissa's mother, father, brother and the two of us.

We were the only survivors.

"It's just a dream. It's okay, you're okay." I stroked her platinum-blond hair, that became sweaty and messy from tossing and turning through the night.

She puled away once she fully calmed down while I turned the bedside lamp on. Her features illuminated by the light showed tear streaks. 

I grabbed the glass of water beside the lamp and passed it to her. She held the glass under her chin with an appreciate smile. "Thank you."

"Hey, what are friends are for?" I smiled but it didn't quite reach my eyes.

"You had that dream again." She said, already knowing. My brows scrunched. "There's a look in your eyes, Rose. They look... haunted." I didn't ignore her words, per say, I just didn't want to talk about it.

"They're not really dreams, are they? More like nightmares."

She shrugged her shoulder. "I suppose." 

Planting both feet on the ground, she went to stand up but fell back onto the bed. "Woah, Liss. When was the last time we did a feeding?" I asked, but with a look at her pale features, I knew it had been a couple days. "Why didn't you say anything?"

Sensing she was uncomfortable, Oscar, the cat we found injured in an alleyway that Lissa couldn't help but keep, jumped on the bed to comfort her. Animals don't like Dhampirs, so he stayed away from me, moving closer to Lissa and hissing at me in the process.

She made a sound of dislike. "You know I don't like feeding off you, Rose."

"How am I supposed to keep my best friend safe and alive if you don't use me as a feedbag?" She made another sound of protest, but after a pointed stare and a glimpse at my wrist, she gave in.

Unlike Strigoi- the bad vampires, Moroi- the good vampires, had rules when it came to feeding. Humans volunteered to become a feeder after signing a one year contract. We couldn't risk going to a feeders as we'd be caught and we couldn't risk using a random human as guardians, or worse Strigoi, linked them to us. So the only option was for Lissa to feed off me.

If we were forced back to the academy and someone found out Lissa used me as a feedbag, shit would get complicated. I'd be called a bloodwhore and Moroi guys would try to make a move on me because they'd think I'm cheap and easy. Moroi women would shame me and be disgusted, even if it was to keep my best friend alive. I know most Dhampir would also be ashamed of me, but some would understand... hopefully. I hope they'd understand what it took to guard and keep our Moroi alive.

Oscar, not liking me any closer, moved onto the windowsill.

Lissa's fangs pierced the skin on my wrist. It was an easier place to hide, with all the feedings we had done over the last two years, a permanent scar had formed. Sometimes we changed the places, like my neck or the other wrist, but after a while one scar was easier to conceal and lie about than three or four.