The Vampire's Requiem [malexmale]

Chapter Three

Chapter Three (Newell)

The second time I ran into Vladimir Van Gothica was a year after our first meeting.

It was the Samhain celebration for our people, and my father decided to host it as he'd bought us a new home. A large white plantation house with two stories, long white columns leading up to the roof and a huge drive way that led up between rows and rows of big green trees. I used to enjoy weaving around them, looking up at how tall they were. I liked watching the leaves fade in color and fall to the earth.

I loved the house. It was my favorite home so far, and I was happy my father had decided to let us stay.

That year, the Samhain celebration was going to be huge. A bonfire was being prepared and fountains set up in the backyard to be filled with plenty of fresh, sweet blood wine. I had also heard Vladimir was to come.

At the time, I had been excited. Vladimir and I had only spoken once, the year before at the Yule party, but this time we were going to spend more time together as the Samhain celebration was to be two days long. It was the new year for our people, a harvest holiday.

"Sweetheart, will you quit fidgeting?" Aurora asked me for the hundredth time. I couldn't stand still. I wanted to go downstairs and find Vladimir. I didn't say that, though. Just forced myself to obey as my mother straightened my black dress pants and the black vest over my white dress shirt, tying my tie and tucking it into my vest.

"Come along, sweetie, daddy's going to get impatient." She added, frowning as she brushed her long hair over her shoulder before she reached down and took my hand. I followed her out of my room and down the hallway. Edward was just coming out of his room, straightening his tie and giving the lapels of his black jacket a tug before he glanced toward us. As soon as his eyes fell on me, I remembered the cold chill that went through me.

He was angry. At the time, I didn't understand why. Had I done something wrong? Did he not like the outfit my mother had chosen for me?

"We're wasting time. The Gothicas have already arrived." He spoke to my mother as if it were her fault we were late for our own party. My mother just dropped her eyes, but followed my father obediently as he led the way down the large staircase to the main lobby where guests were gathered.

Such guests included the Gothicas, dressed in clothing that was quite fashionable back in the 30s, along with glasses of blood wine that glinted in the lights of the chandeliers.

The same thing happened here as did with the Yule party. After speaking to Vladimir, I had learned that my father faked his smiles very often. I didn't understand it then. It took me years to catch onto the fact that everyone was my father's enemy, by choice. He saw everyone around him as a threat, including his own family, my mother and myself included.

Vladimir had grown taller since our first meeting. I remembered being incredibly envious. He looked more mature and he wasn't smiling or joking around as he did back when we first met. It had concerned me. I waited until our parents had left before I spoke.

"What's wrong?" I asked. Vladimir looked away from our parents to me, his expression bored.

"I'm betrothed." He answered. I blinked. Betrothed? But he was so young. Even I wasn't betrothed yet. It was a rather old custom as well. I hadn't particularly thought of it before.

"To whom?" I asked. Vladimir's eyes drifted away from me and I followed his gaze to see him staring across the room at a pretty blonde girl, who obediently stood by her parents' sides. She was a lovely thing, definitely older than Vladimir. She was about twelve then. Her chest was already swelling into breasts, but her velvet black dress still wasn't as low cut as her mother's. The collar swept just below her collarbone. However, despite how pretty she was, she didn't look friendly. She wore the stern hard face that her mother wore.