Ruby Red

Five+

 

© Amber Kalkes 2014

 Picture of Kale----}

+Five+

My mind is fuzzy when it finally starts working again. I can smell the familiar scent of lilac emanating from my sheets but it seems…stronger. I can feel the silk of a nightgown against my sore skin. I can taste the dryness of my tongue in my mouth. I can hear the sound of people talking outside my room.

“Will she be sick anymore?”

It’s mom that asks this.

“No.” a voice I don’t recognize says. “She’ll never be sick again.”

“What about Zack?” Dad asks the man.

Zack?

My eyes popped open looking for Zack. Was he here? I looked down to my hands, which are outside my covers and see my nails lined in red. Red? I bring them to my nose and inhale…. blood. Zack’s blood.

Oh god…Zack.

I am a monster. A murderer.

My parents will hate me forever.

“The boy.”  The man says in a low dangerous tone, “Is dead but in his place your daughter has been revived. Don’t concern yourself with him.”

“His father was under my employment. It’ll point to Ruby.” Dad hisses.

“I took care of it. Ruby’s safety is my first priority.”

Silence.

“She’s awake now.” The man informed my parents.

Oh…crap.

My door swung open and I’m met with the red-rimmed gaze of my mom. Her dark green eyes are bloodshot while her flawless cheeks are stained with tears. She has a handkerchief in her hand, which she brings to her mouth as a sob comes out of her mouth.

I look at my dad who is flicking his blue eyes from mom to me in concern. Is he afraid I’ll kill mom like I did Zack? Probably. I’m a monster.

To my surprise mom launches herself at me and pulls me into an embrace. One I melt into. I look over her shoulder and see another person enter the room.

This last person I don’t recognize. He’s tall, dark and handsome though. His dark hair is tousled perfectly on his head as his black eyes meet mine. His flawless face is pale but not in an unattractive way. He looks like marble. His sinewy body is dressed in dark dress pants and a black button up shirt rolled to his ivory elbows. His hands are in his pants pockets while his head is ducked so he’s looking at me through dark thick eyelashes.

Something in me warms as he looks at me. Butterflies don’t spring in my belly; a tidal wave does crashing into my stomach making me nervously nauseous. My heartbeat, which is already strangely fast, picks up even more and I can feel my cheeks tingle with a blush the longer he looks at me.

I avert my gaze back to my mom who is hugging me hard. Usually I would protest but the fact she’s touching me despite her knowledge of what I did to Zack is amazing. Isn’t she afraid?

“Oh, Ruby.” She sobs. “I thought we lost you.”

“Don’t you---Aren’t you scared of me?” I ask

She pulls back to look at me, her face confused. “Why would I be afraid of you?”

“I…. Zack…”

She dips her head nodding. “Yes, that was unfortunate but it had to be done. I love you, Ruby. You will always come first for your father and I.”

“But—“

“No.” she cuts me off. “This is what was meant to happen. Kale explained it all to us. I understand everything now and this is in your nature. I refuse to let you suffer anymore.”

“S-suffer?”

“Kiddo.” Dad calls gently coming to stand by mom. “we understand this is confusing but you have to trust us when we say we aren’t afraid of you. If anything we want to apologize to you. We made you wallow in misery while we toyed with half-assed solutions.”

I shake my head. This can’t be happening.

“I’m a monster.” I whisper.

“No, your not.” The mystery man says. His voice, I now recognize. He’s the man from the lake, the man who found me with Zack. “This is your nature, our nature, we cannot fight what we were born to be.”

“And what is that?” I ask quietly, not really wanting to know.

“We are Vampire.” 

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A/N: DUN DUN DUN!!!!!

V&C!