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"Ya' know, it wouldn't hurt to speak."
What's that sound?
"So, I'm just gonna have to do the speaking for both of us?"
Who's talking right now?
"Listen, pal, you don't gotta look so... Uhm, emo? Yeah! Emo! You look just like that phase I went through!"
Emo?
"Jeez? Not even a smile, my gods what was Annie thinkin' pairing the two of us together?"
Annie???? Who's Annie???
"Oh my gods! A reaction! So why did you look at me murderously right now? Is it because I called her majesty, Annie?"
"Fine, ignore me then, I don't care. Just know that when Annie comes back I'm telling her how much of a poop butt you are."
Poop butt? The fuck? What's happening right now? Why can't I see anything?
"Oh wow! So mature of you! Just disappear into the shadows then, looking at your emo face was making me bored anyways!"
"Ugh, Damien! Come back! I'm so bored."
I stir awake from my slumber and a familiar face comes into view as I blink away the haze. Her coiled hair styled like a ball of voluminous fluff, her glowy chocolate skin, those vibrant purple eyes, and a huge bag of cheese puffs are the first thing I see.
Maisie lounges on a sofa that's a few feet away from me, crunching down on the cheesy snack as she stares at the ceiling. She has her legs sprawled out over the edge of the sofa and her head hanging upside down over one of the arms. She doesn't seem to notice that I woke up.
Wait. Woke up? Was I asleep?
I rise from the extremely comfortable bed, taking in my strange surroundings. I don't recognize the room, but I do acknowledge how lavish it is. Cream-colored walls with intricate swirls of gold vines painted across every nook, shining marble floors, its color matching the walls, expensive-looking furniture that corresponds to the room's color scheme, and even a fireplace with an intriguing artwork hanging above it. It's like a picture-perfect depiction of what I imagined the room of a princess to look like.
Holy shit are those french doors? Does that lead to a fucking balcony?
Where the hell am I? How long have I been asleep? How the hell did I get here?
The last thing I remember was Skylar slicing my hand with a pocket knife. Oh shit, my hand! I lift the hand he cut, but there are no signs of injury. That's impossible. How could my hand heal so fast and not leave a scar? Was I just dreaming about it? Did it even happen? Before I can focus on the impossibility of my hand the rest of my memories begin to come back in flashes. I clutch my head as they return, way too soon for me to grasp.
I remember Skylar making a scene about Alastair being a—vampire? Then he cut my hand open and two... creatures tried to attack me. Serina saved me from the first one—where is she? Then, the second one came and Alastair flung it across the ballroom like it was nothing. What was with that? How could he be so strong? And then, then, there was pain.
I squeeze my eyes shut, a strangled cry catches in my throat at the pounding sensation in my head. I let a few seconds pass, the sensation subsiding, before opening my eyes again, and just as I do, Maisie's head snaps in my direction. I watch as her cheese puffs fall to the ground and she looks at me with wide eyes and her mouth agape with a puff stuck to her lips, "Oh. My. Gods."
She flops off the sofa and lands on the floor with an "oomph". I wince at the sight. That had to have hurt. The floor doesn't look soft by any means, and I'm assuming it must be extra hard since it has that marble shine.
I go to ask if she's alright but the words get stuck in my throat. My vocal cords feel raw and rusty like I haven't spoken in months. How long have I been asleep?
Maisie jumps from off the floor unphased and rushes to my bedside, standing over me with happy eyes and a bright smile, "Roselynn! You're awake!"
Why is she yelling? It feels like my head is going to burst if her voice gets any louder.
Her excitement is quickly replaced with stress, "Oh shit. You're awake. Alastair is going to flip out knowing he wasn't here to be the first person you see! He was basically glued to your side the entire time!"
She paces around the room, "Great. Now he's going to scold me and take his anger out on me. Why do I always have to be the witchy-punching bag?"
Maisie rambles on, her hands making exaggerated motions to express her worry, "I should have never guaranteed him you wouldn't wake up. Why did you have to wake up in the thirty minutes he decides to finally eat something? I'm screwed, he's going to find a way to blame me for this and then Annie is going to-
An irritated, masculine, voice interrupts her, "Oh for fucks sake, be quiet!"
I peer at the stranger with wide eyes, startled by the sudden appearance of another person. Had he been here this whole time and I just didn't see him? Was he hiding under the bed or something?
I notice the glass of water he has in his hands and reach for it eagerly. I'm too thirsty to care if it was for me or not and way too thirsty to even care that I interacted with the dude instead of steering clear. "Stranger Danger," doesn't matter when your throat is on fire.
I gulp down the cold liquid like my life depends on it and manage to finish the glass in seconds. I need more. I look at the man, he doesn't happen to have another glass of water behind his back, does he? If he can just appear out of nowhere then maybe he does. Shit. Who knows anymore, this guy could be a vampire for all I know.
Wait. Does this mean I believe Skylar?
The pounding returns, causing my mind to develop another searing migraine. Okay, maybe I shouldn't think so hard for a little bit.
I clear my throat, "Uhm. Sorry." I apologize for stealing the man's water and set the empty glass on the nightstand to my right.
He shakes his head, "It was for you."
"Oh, thanks," I reply.
He nods. Not the talkative type I guess. Good. My head is killing me.
Maisie looks at the man and then at me and then back to the man, "Fascinating. Damien will talk to you but not me. I-
"Maisie," the man, who I'm guessing is named Damien, interrupts whatever tangent she was about to go on, "She's in pain. Medicine?"
Maisie's violet eyes go wide, "Oh gods! Right! You just woke up so you must be having a terrible headache right now. Let me grab you some aspirin."
She snaps her fingers and a bottle of aspirin appears in her hand. I blink, dumbfounded. What the fuck did I just see? A magic trick? Am I still sleeping?
She opens the bottle and hands me two pills, "Here ya go. Sorry."
I blink, stunned, "Uh, thank you."
"Water," Damien says.
Maisie smacks her forehead, "Oh right!" She snaps her fingers again and the glass that I just gulped down faster than a chicken lays an egg fills with water, again.
I watch as it goes from empty to half full, with no need for a faucet, a water bottle-nothing. So, where the hell did it come from? Am I imagining things? Have I gone crazy?
She hands me the glass, smiling like nothing's weird about it at all, "Here!"
I blink, way too shocked to even begin to understand what the hell is happening, "Thanks."
I swallow down the pills with little issue and set the glass back on the nightstand. I keep my gaze on the magical cup for much longer than typical, amazed by it and also spooked. I shift my gaze to the two people that stand over me, one someone I sort of know and the other a complete stranger.
I push myself to sit up further, leaning my back against the cool wooden headboard, "What happened? How long have I been asleep?"
Maisie purses her lips and looks around the room nervously, a forced laugh coming from her throat, "Well, you've been in a magic-induced coma for seven days."
My eyes nearly fall out of their sockets as what she said registers. Seven days?! I've been asleep for seven days?!
A strangled noise of disbelief makes its way out of my throat, my voice high-pitched and croaky, "I've been asleep for one week?!"
I don't even question the fact she said, "magic-induced". Whatever the hell that means. Just one more bizarre thing to add to this never-ending list.
She nods, "Yes."
Fuck. Shit. Fuck. Bitch.
I have to get back to work, that is if I still have a job. Hold up, why am I thinking about work right now? I just found out the guy I've been crushing on might be a blood-sucking immortal creature, and here I am worried about my job. I should be worried about my life!
Aren't vampires supposed to be fictional? If they aren't then what exactly is a vampire? Do I assume that Alastair is just like the vampires from pop culture? What exactly is a vampire? Should I be terrified? Should I throw this glass in Maisie's face and make a run for the exit?
Where the hell is Serina? Where the hell am I? Where's Alastair? Why do I care about where he is?
It's getting harder to breathe as my lungs hyperventilate, the panic sinking in. There's so much going on inside my mind and I can't handle it all at once.
Maisie's eyes go wide as they watch me clutch my chest, desperate for air. Her eyes dart to the door, frantic, searching for something. She holds her hands out in front of her, gesturing for me to calm down, "Okay, it's okay. Let's just breathe, yeah?"
She inhales, "Deep breath in," she exhales, "And out."
I try to follow her instruction but it doesn't work. Panic only rises with every short intake of oxygen I can manage. I feel my eyes prick with tears, stinging my vision to a blur. Maisie continues taking breaths, her muffled voice drifting into my ringing ears. A line of sweat forms at my hairline, my body feels hot, my throat feels tight, and my chest tightens with every beat of my rapid heart.
I blink away my tears and watch as Maisie runs her hands into her hair and pulls down on it, mumbling to herself, "Fuck. Alastair better be on his way back."
I force my eyes shut, the pain in my chest spreading throughout my whole body, a pulsing ache that reminds me how out of control I am. I listen to the door slam open and feel a whoosh of wind at my side before a freezing hand rests on my cheek.
His soothing voice washes over me, lessening the pain, "Roselynn. Breathe. Please, breathe."
The panic washes away at the sound of his enchanting voice, reducing the contraction of my heart and allowing me to breathe again. His gentle touch on my cheek pulls me back from ceaseless hysteria. I pry open my eyes and lock in with his obsidian irises. I feel relaxed, his gaze grounding me but, that feeling of calm is soon replaced with a mix of confusing emotions.
I flinch away from his touch, my voice full of anger and a slight hint of fear, "Get away from me!"
Alastair shrinks back at my words, his lips in a tight line as he jerks his hand away from my cheek as if I burned him. He moves away immediately per my request and stands next to the sofa Maisie sat on.
"Are you alright?" He asks.
How can he ask if I'm alright after I just snapped at him? Why does he have to look at me with those kind eyes? It makes me feel conflicted. Is he not a monster? I push the thought away. Of course he's a monster. He lied to me and sucks people's blood for a living. Or does he?
I ignore his question, asking one of my own, "Are you a vampire?"
Silence, one of my least as well as most favorite things, possesses the room. In this case, I can't decide whether or not the silence is good or so painfully bad. I wish he would answer me already.
Maisie snorts a laugh, "Oh welp, looks like Annie needs me. See ya later alligator!"
She vanishes into thin air, waving goodbye with an awkward smile. I stare at her empty place with furrowed brows, "Do you think I'm prepared to hear that answer, now?"
Alastair sighs, his hands brushing back his unkempt hair, "If you are willing to listen I will answer any question you have."
"Are you a vampire?" I repeat.
If he's truly a monster then he could kill me in seconds. But, why do I not feel afraid when I should be? Why are my natural instincts failing me at a time like this? And why the fuck does a part of me think he won't hurt me?
We hardly know each other. I must remind myself that I've only known him for three days but, a lot can happen in three days.
He nods, his jaw clenched, "Yes."
I was desperately hoping he would say no, and explain that is all just one big misunderstanding and that the things I witnessed can all be explained logically, or that it was just a prank. For him to confirm it makes everything ten times more real, and terrifying.
What the hell am I going to do?
"Are you going to kill me?" I blurt out.
Alastair looks at me, appalled by my question. I thought it was a pretty logical question to ask, I mean death is certain when you're speaking with a monster right? Shit, I don't know. This whole situation is something you read about in a fantasy novel or some shit.
He reforms his appalled expression, shaking his head, "Roselynn, I may be a monster but I would never harm you in any way. Please believe that at the very least."
I want to. I want to believe him, to give him my trust. Why do I want to do that? Is something wrong with me? Did I hit my head or something?
I stare down at my hands, hesitant to hold his honest gaze, "Then why am I here? If you aren't planning on killing me."
It's quiet for a moment until I hear Alastair shuffle to the end of the bed and take a seat near my feet. I search for the urge that tells me to draw away from him, that I must distance myself as much as possible but, the urge is nowhere to be found. It appears we have enough distance as is I guess.
He draws in a deep breath, collecting himself, "I will tell you the truth. All of the truth. No half-truths and diversions. Alright?"
"Do you promise to hear me out before running away?" He asks.
I nod.
"Roselynn, promise me."
I tilt my head up and meet his attentive stare, "I promise."
He offers me a small smile before revealing the truth to me, "Vampires have this... connection of sorts, commonly referred to as a mate bond. Humans have this too, but their regard to the bond is nowhere near as strong as ours."
"This bond is paramount to us as it stimulates within us, this profound affinity to the other half of our soul."
Half of your soul? What?
He pauses, thinking, "To put it in simpler terms, the bond links us to our mate, a person that is predestined for you. Essentially, the bond restores the torn soul of the ones who share it, and once complete the pair is mated for eternity."
Alastair peeks at me before he continues, "Once a vampire meets their mate for the first time, their entire world shifts. Suddenly you only wish to be near that person and to give them all they desire. If they desire friendship, if they wish to be more, or if they wish to have nothing to do with you. Even if it would bring a vampire pain, they would do anything their mate wishes and they would never intentionally harm their mate in any way, ever."
"At least, that's how the bond is for me. I only know of two others who found their mate, it's extremely rare for vampires of my kind."
"Vampires of your kind? There are different types?" I ask.
He nods, "Yes. There are Royals, like me, and then the Elders, then the Old Ones, and lastly Newborns."
"What makes them different?"
He smiles at my question, "Many things." Alastair's smile turns sad, "I could explain in better detail later if you wish to ever see me again."
I don't answer him. I don't allow myself to. I can't be swayed by my curiosity, I must think of my survival first. Although, the topic is pretty interesting. First-hand information on a monster you hear about in scary stories and see on television? I mean it is pretty tempting.
Alastair moves closer to me, his voice soft and full of emotion, "You are my mate Roselynn."
My brows scrunch in thought, I figured he was going to tell me this given his explanation on the topic and how I've been referred to as such by his hot sister. Yet, hearing him say it adds so much intensity, so much realness to something I believed only existed in fairytales.
To know there's someone out there in the world that's destined for you, to fit you perfectly like a missing puzzle piece? Come on, that kind of fate can't be real.
Or is it?
He continues, filling the silence my response was meant to, "I know this is all very sudden, and you may think me delusional, or this is all only some sick game, but it's not. I swear it to you. I'm telling you the truth."
Alastair observes me with sincerity for my reaction, his eyes reflecting every spot on my face.
Hearing him explain only left me with more questions and my stupid curiosity is overpowering my want to flee and get as far away as possible. Why the hell did I have to be born this way? I'm blaming the fact my father was a detective. I got this awful trait from him. Damn him and his strong genetics!
Even though I'm filled with boundless curiosity, I'm not curious enough to risk my life. Or maybe I am. Fuck.
Upon curiosity, I also feel somewhat saddened by this idea of mates. It sounds like the bond between souls is a bitter one. To give yourself away with little regard to how it affects you only for a stranger's happiness, doesn't that seem a bit wild? It's a hard pill to swallow, but maybe it's because I'm human. He did say humans don't have much of an understanding of the bond.
I don't know. What I do know is that I find myself wondering how he feels. Is he suffering because of this bond between us? If humans don't necessarily feel the bond the way a vampire does, then just how strong is this fated thing between us?
"Do you regret being bonded to me?" I ask him, my fear and anger toward him completely thrown out of the window.
He shakes his head, "I would never regret you."
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shits bout to get interesting guys heheheheheheh, you excited?
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1-27-23
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bet ya weren't expecting me to update so quick hehehe ;)
this chapter got a LOT longer then before, it was at like 1k and now its 3k OOPSIE
anyways, did ya like the new and improved? damien made yet another appearance, and this time with water! so wholesome.
soooo i might post another chapter sunday, who knows!!
till next time, MWUAH
-v