What Makes a Monster

♱Forty-Five♱

Third Person P.O.V.

Soran drops.

With his back against the door and eyes closed, he listens to the drumming of his own heart. Then there's the soft clicking of a lock, signaling Wallie has made it into the first room.

There's a tremor in Soran's hands, one that he examines while clenching and unclenching said hands in his lap.

It has been a long time since anyone new has entered the closed off rooms. Every worker that has ever made it through those doors had been at the estate for over a decade. Soran never trusted anyone that didn't already prove they could handle themselves. If anyone ever broke or stained something in the rooms, Soran would have gone ballistic.

But the only way Wallie may come to truly understand the predicament he's now in is to see the contents of the off limit rooms. As Soran said, they do not hold all the answers to his past, but Wallie is intelligent. He will hopefully come to see what Soran is saying, what Wallie is risking by staying there.

Perhaps Soran should tell him though? In a twisted way, he wants to. He wants to sit Wallie down and tell him every horrendous act that has been done to him or committed by him; watch the way Wallie's face falls into the same disgust and disdain that others have shown before him. Because it's almost sad how Wallie views Soran, how he sees him as anything other than a monster.

There's a reason everyone fears Soran. In all honesty, he fears himself too, what he is, what he can be. Somehow Wallie doesn't, and that's even more terrifying.

"It's fine. He'll see," whispers Soran after he finally stands.

He makes his way back to bed; a bed that will not grant him sleep, especially after what had transpired.

A confession and a kiss.

Soran has read tales of love, but that's all they've ever been; stories. Sometimes he read similar tales to the children, about princes and/or princess' or knights battling dragons to save their lover. Kissing and marriage and happily ever after have always only been stories. Admittedly, as a child, Soran wondered what love was like, wanted that storybook happy ending for himself, but no one ever looked at Soran in the way Wallie does. It's why he can't wrap his head around what happened.

"Because I like you, damn it!"

"Yes. I like you, Soran."

"I know my feelings for you will only continue to grow should I stay."

Feelings. His feelings...for Soran. How? Why? There's almost a feeling of guilt and, of course, pity. It's simply unfathomable. There hasn't been good feelings towards Soran in a long time, and there's certainly never been someone to claim with actual sincerity that they viewed him in a romantic light. It would be a lie to say no one has ever said it. There have been a few individuals that were simply trying to get what they wanted; money, power, immortality.

But not Wallie. Someway, somehow, his feelings are sincere.

Soran's heart jumps at the thought. He presses a hand to his chest.

However, in the back of his mind, he still doesn't believe it. There's a voice, something nagging at his thoughts, a negativity that refuses to accept Wallie's words. After all, how could anyone like Soran? A monster is not worthy of affection.

Soran lays in bed with a scowl. He twists his fingers into the blankets until they rip. Then he sits up.

Wallie's heavy footsteps stop outside the door. Soran passes a lingering glance towards the door, watching Wallie's shadow linger in the hall.

He doesn't knock, only walks away after grabbing his things. Soran wonders what Wallie put together and what he will say come tomorrow, if he is even still here tomorrow.

So that night Soran lay awake listening intently for any sign of Wallie stepping out the front door. But there's nothing. The door doesn't open nor is there anyone in the halls.

There's no denying that Soran is relieved yet troubled all at once. He doesn't know what he wants. On the one hand, Wallie staying at his side makes his heart soar. On the other, it scares him more than anything.

If Wallie chooses to stay, can Soran keep him safe? If he goes, Soran can certainly find a way to keep him out of the grasp of any that will do him harm. However, that means they will never see each other again. Such a thought puts a scowl on his face.

If Wallie stays, will he regret it? Will the day inevitably come that he learns all of Soran's secrets and realizes the truth? Is that something Soran can handle? Or is that something Soran should already be considering doing? Telling the truth, at least Wallie will hear it from him.

Soran can't help but feel he is running in circles. He doesn't know what to do, only what he desperately wants. For Wallie to stay, for them to have some semblance of normalcy. To have the chance to be happy like everyone else.

Is that too much to ask?

It seems so because, only moments later, Soran is reminded once more of how different their worlds are. How there are even more enemies than Wallie likely imagines.

"Good evening, Soran," calls a woman's voice that always holds a cold tone of amusement.

Soran raises his gaze to find eyes as red as his own peering at him through the dark. There's the silhouette of a tall woman barely seen standing in the center of his room. She fades in and out like a mirage but the eyes remain, a brilliant red fixated on Soran.

"Karsissia, I've been expecting to hear from you, although I admit you're far later than expected," says Soran, already dreading what the woman has to say.

"And I admit that even now I'm shocked you help the humans so easily. Haven't you learned your lesson yet?" Karsissia snorts, lifting her hand to rest her fingers beneath her chin. "You always disappoint me, Soran."

"You're incredibly difficult to please so I rather not waste my energy."

Karsissia laughs at that, although the sound is as terrifying as a horrified scream. Even Soran feels his nerves kick up a notch. Karsissia is someone he only mildly annoys since he would never risk actually pissing her off.

"I imagine you are sending this message for a reason?" asks Soran. "You wouldn't waste your time with this vision otherwise."

"Obviously. It's time to have a little chat, face to face. Quelen has already arrived. We expect to see you here by tomorrow night."

"I fear I can't do that."

"Then you best go out and feed until you are strong enough to do so. Otherwise I will come fetch you myself, and I can't promise that I won't make you watch as I drain every useless rat on your estate." Karsissia's eyes flash with clear excitement at the mere idea of such chaos.

"Tomorrow then."

Karsissia smiles. The growl in her voice is replaced with immediate glee, "Excellent! We so look forward to seeing you."

The vision vanishes as quickly as it appeared but the dread lingers.

Soran falls back into the bed with a heavy sigh. Why is it that he could never catch a break?

♱♱♱

A look into how Soran is handling this situation! Poor guy, he's really troubled =/ And he thinks so little of himself, are you surprised by this? What kind of horrendous acts do you think he's referring to from his past? Will he ever tell Wallie and, of course, are you ready to meet the other vampires? ;) Finally, they're going to make an appearance!