The Creation (Book III)

(1) Present: 2024

“Mother fu—“ I began to curse when my foot slipped on the ice just outside of the apartment.

“A lady shouldn’t use such language,” said a familiar voice.

I straightened up and spun around, coming face-to-chest with a British vampire I knew well. “You know how I feel about being told what to do or say,” I replied flatly as I began walking away from the apartment and towards the park located a few blocks from here. “Came to check up on me, hmm?”

He cast me a smile with his full lips and smoothed out his short, dark hair. He always dressed so proper, with a pocket watch in his fitted suit. Maybe it’s his generation or something? It seems a lot of vampires from before the 1800’s preferred the finer things now. Liam’s story is a complicated one. My creator’s creator, Elizabeth, created Liam before my creator. Like my creator, Liam was tortured, but freed managed to free himself from her grasp. He would visit her still, only to maintain peace between them, which was when he met my creator. Elizabeth had kept my creator down in a basement, torturing him for decades, and Liam did nothing about it. Although I’m still incredibly furious with him over something that happened over two hundred years ago, before my time, I have learned to look past that.

Although Liam came across as this snobby jerk with revenge on his mind for my creator killing the love of his life years ago, I’ve been seeing a different side to him. The night when the love of my life was killed by a curse which brought the ghosts of our past to kill us, Liam came in and saved me from the fire and the ghosts. It wasn’t until more recently when I finally thanked him for it. At the time, I despised him for not letting me die. Him and I have been through a lot together in the past decade, and he never misses his monthly visit to see how I’m doing. Joanna still hates him for some things he’s done to us though, so he only visits when she’s not around.

Liam matched my stride and stuffed his hands deep into his black pea coat pockets. “You shouldn’t be out here alone, pet. You’ve heard of the recent vampire killings?”

I shivered, though it had nothing to do with the icy weather. I did know of the killings. Humans have begun to hunt us, even though it’s technically illegal.

Back in 2016 there was a war between the humans and vampires. It was gruesome and all led by the great and powerful Matthew Foster, Joanna’s husband who she currently is hiding from, again. Over a century ago, Matthew had the idea to form an army against the humans in order for the vampires to quit hiding and become the higher power. He recruited Axel, who had been my creator’s best friend before 1937, when he was killed by my creator for helping me run away from him and for me kissing Axel. But Axel wasn’t the only warrior who had been invited to this battle. Liam was also a part of this, and he actually did fight in the war. My creator, whose name I refused to think of because it was agonizing, was planned to be in this war as well. Matthew had great plans for my creator, even going as far to achieve those plans by trying to get me out of the picture in order to obtain him. But my creator didn’t live to see the war.

The thought of him made my body cold and stiff, as if I were a walking corpse. Well, I guess I am a walking corpse, but I’ve never felt so dead before. I don’t think I’ve been alive in twelve years. Maybe that’s why I’ve made a lot of crappy and reckless decisions in the past decade, ones he wouldn’t have approved of if he were here. But my biggest act of recklessness involved the War of the Dead.

I, Lucile Moore, fought in the war.

It was during my darkest years, back when I did things just to get my mind off of losing someone I deeply loved. So when I heard of the army Matthew had formed against the humans, I joined, despite Joanna’s and Liam’s protest for me not to. Liam was also a part of this battle, and saved my life during it. If it weren’t for Joanna, who wasn’t supposed to be there, I would have died on a street in Boston, where the battle took place. But, despite our strength and advantages as vampires, we lost the war.

How could an army of undead people lose against an army of blood bags?

They were prepared. Far more prepared than we could have ever imagined.

After the war there was a peace treaty signed and about a hundred laws placed for the vampires and even the humans. Matthew was the leader of the vampires and thus spent months negotiating for our kind. Even though we were considered on “good terms” with humans, people still found us a major threat. Lately, it seems, people have been hunting us. If they’re caught killing one of our kind, they’re sentenced to ten or twenty years in prison. If we’re caught killing their kind, we’re sentenced to death. Sound fair? If we’re caught feeding on a human, we’re sentenced to twenty years and will only be fed what they give us. If we’re caught feeding off a human more than once, we’re sentenced to death. Most of our crimes are a million times harsher.  

“I see you’ve cut your hair again,” Liam commented when I hadn’t spoken in ten or so minutes.

I ran my fingers through what little was left of my crimson hair as if I didn’t know it was gone. It’d grow back, of course. Vampires are quick healers, and that makes other things grow just as quickly. But my hair was the shortest I’ve ever had it, a pixie cut. “I did it a few weeks ago.”

“It’s nice, although I do miss your long hair.”

I cut my hair for several reasons, but my main reason involved a meltdown I had several years ago when I grabbed a pair of scissors and cut it all to my shoulder. My recent haircut was done because I needed a change. I guess you can just call me instable.

“Would you like to go out for a drink? Maybe we can catch up?” Liam suggested as Leon hiked his leg up against a tree.

“I can’t. I have to work.”

He nodded, not too hurt over my rejection. “Another time, maybe?”

“Sure.”

“Would you like me to walk you back?”

Although the vampire kills didn’t worry me much, I still accepted his offer. Liam has been a good friend to me and I already rejected his offer for drinks. The walk didn’t take long, and Leon was eager to get inside the warm apartment.

“I’ll see you later, Lucy,” Liam said, taking my hand in his and pressing his lips to the back of it.

This was awkward. Our relationship was awkward. Although we were friends, I knew Liam has been hoping for something…more? “See you later,” I replied and briskly turned to go inside.

Instead of going inside my apartment, I sat down in the stairwell and buried my face in my hands. Why can’t I just let him go? It’s been twelve years. I should be moving on now to be happy. That’s what my creator would have wanted.

I let out a bark of laughter.

My love would not have ever wanted me to move on.

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I couldn't resist. I had to post. I think I get just about as excited as you all when I do. :) As you can see, this is practically a whole different world than the others. And, if you can tell by the chapter name, it's going to be a lot like the 1st book and switch from past to present. You never know how far the "Past" chapters might go ;)

For those who are currently keeping up with Joanna's story: Are you excited to see her in here? What do you think of her situation? Are you more curious about her and Matthew's relationship now?

What do you think of Lucy? Do you think she's doing OK or barely keeping it together? What about the "War of the Dead" between the vampires and humans?

SO much stuff to write for this. SO much stuff to write for Joanna's books. Lots of twists and turns up ahead. Don't forget to wear your seatbelt ;)

Vomment!

-C

p.s. Dark Paradise by Lana Del Rey (hopefully able to post on the right) is absolutely perfect for Lucy right now.