I looked up at Duke, terrified.
He sighed and rubbed his temples before turning back to the boys.
"How did it happen?" Duke demanded, staring at them.
Apparently during Ryde's discovery of my blood's ability, he'd managed to sneak a hand from the steel chains just before he turned back to himself. When out of sight from Seth and Riley he'd disappeared from the basements window. I was now in danger, life or death danger.
"We're leaving" Duke told me
"Can't we just stay here? I mean, Nobody is going to have the guts to come here and take me, especially with you and these two hanging around" I tried.
I didn't want to leave. I had just gotten used to being here. It was too much for me to deal with.
"They will have the guts. There are three of us, and by the time Ryde gets word out, there could be hundreds of them. It's a fight we can't win" He paced, thinking deeply
Riley then tried with Duke
"What if Ryde only tells a minute few. Think about it, he will want her all to himself, he's far too greedy to share"
"So we should be fine then? You can take Ryde and a couple others? Can't you?" I sounded desperate. And I suppose I was. A bunch of vampires now wanted to kill me.
Duke shook his head. "If we stay the danger is higher, they know where to find us, Ryde knows the house"
"But they won't expect us to even be here. Won't they expect you guys to move me? They'll think exactly what you are. They'll know you're going to stash me away" I interrupted
"She's right Duke. They know what you're like" Seth agreed, making me feel a little more confident.
Duke sighed and stopped pacing as he turned to face us
"Fine, but you're going to have to deal with being babysat. Someone will have to be with you at all times. Even when you sleep"
He was trying to psych me out of my idea
I narrowed my eyes, "Fine"
I wasn't giving up that easy.
"We are going to have to sort a schedule out" Duke spoke, this time towards the boys, who nodded.
Riley looked all too pleased.
"If I wasn't a vampire, and didn't have inhuman needs, I'd volunteer to do it 24/7" Riley winked
"Enough Riley" Duke snapped, seeming not so pleased with his remark.
It was decided that I was not allowed to be alone. Under any circumstance.
Ryde apparently had connections, connections which consisted of bad-guy vampires with extraordinary powers and abilities.
Duke seemed to think that they could sneak in and out without even being noticed within seconds. He had even set up more guards around his home, just in case.
I heavily sighed and threw myself on a living room sofa. Seth and Riley took off to run errands for Duke, so I was stuck here with him as he sat in his study on the other side of the room, his ear attached to a mobile phone.
His father, I assumed.
I wasn't sure what was supposed to happen from here on out.
Ryde would never stop trying to capture me, so what was I supposed to do? Stay here my entire life? Be afraid of leaving the house? I'd become a prisoner in Duke's home.
I sighed again, and rolled onto my side, facing the large fireplace on the main wall.
The home was probably the most beautiful I'd ever seen, it was perfect, and every room seemed to have its own personality.
I rolled back over onto my back, and rubbed my eyes. It was getting frustrating.
I closed my eyes and shifted uncomfortably. My fingers lightly traced the bandage over my neck. Surely it'd be healed by now. I kept my eyes closed and slowly began to peel the tape from the edges of my bandage, wincing at every pull.
Eventually, I peeled the last edge of tape off, pulling the bandage free from my skin. It didn't seem to hurt, and it hadn't for a good two days now, thankfully.
With my eyes still closed Inlet my fingers lightly run over the wound.
I could feel two small puncture holes, but that was it. It was smooth, and free from scabs or blood. It was healing.
It seemed almost as if I'd simply been bitten by a snake or large spider.
"Seems to have healed pretty well" Duke's voice spoke from close by, as my eyes shot up, my body jolting to my elbows.
I took a deep breath, "Don't... Don't scare me like that" I breathed, as I noticed Duke was sitting on the very edge of the sofa I was lying on, automatically becoming aware of just how close he was to me.
"Sorry" He smiled weakly as he looked from my face to my neck, where my fingers re-traced
"Here" Duke offered holding his long ivory fingers out for the bandage that one of my hands still grasped. I handed it to him, careful not to touch his skin. He lifted himself up and disappeared for a minute before quickly returning to where he had sat.
"Thanks" I smiled, letting my hand fall back to my side. I stretched my neck out testing just how healed I was. It didn't hurt.
"Look... I'm sorry you got dragged into all of this Rosie" He looked anywhere but my eyes.
I assumed he feared exactly what always happened, the steel vice like lock that our eyes seemed to create.
I sighed, and rolled my eyes, "Not like it's your fault"
"I should have watched Ryde more carefully. I knew he wasn't stable. It was only a matter of time..." He seemed disappointed in himself
"Don't worry about it. Honestly. It's too late for all that now anyway" I reassured him
He smiled in return, his eyes searching my face from where he sat.
"I'm still trying to figure out why you aren't as frightened as you should be"
If only he knew how my mind thought.
"I am scared. But, I mean, what happens, happens right? If I die, I die. To be honest, I don't have a whole lot to lose, so I guess that's why I don't seem to be as fraidy-cat as any other normal person"
"You don't value your life because of what you don't have?" He asked, narrowing his eyes
"It's not what I don't have. It's what I've lost. I just... I always think..." I trailed off, looking down at my hands.
I shouldn't have said what I thought. It was silly, but it was what I looked forward to about death.
"Go on" He urged, this time meeting my gaze when I looked up.
"If I die, I get to see my dad again" I confessed smiling weakly at the thought.
I missed my dad like crazy. He was everything to me. When I'd found out he had passed away, mt world crumbles.
We were inseparable, and at the fragile age of ten I couldn't think of anything else worse that could possibly happen to me. Even this didn't seem to compare.
Duke just nodded, and smiled at me in return.
"I'd like to see my mother again. But reality is I probably never will. Not while I'm like this" He gestured towards himself before locking with my gaze
"If you took my life, and took my blood, I can see my dad, and you can see your mother" I half joked, realizing just what I'd said.
It was twisted.
His face was serious, not at all amused.
"I'll see her one day. And when I do, it'll have nothing to do with you and your blood" He mumbled as he watched me carefully.
I debated asking him what he meant exactly. Was he going to kill himself? How exactly could you kill a vampire? But now wasn't the time or place.
"Riley will be on watch with you tonight" Duke spoke, slicing through more silent seconds as he changed the subject.
"Tonight, so what, Riley has to watch me sleep?" I asked
He stifled a laugh, "Yes. Sounds creepy, doesn't it?"
Another heart melting smile grew.
"Does actually" I nodded with a smile
"Don't get too cosy with the idea" He warned, his face turning stern
"I already told you, nothing was going to-"
"Happen. I know. You already said that" He continued my sentence for me.
I swear I could have seen his eyes roll, but I wasn't sure.
"You may have been messing with him, but he was intent about the idea of you being so close" He continued
"What do you mean? How do you know that?" My eyes narrowed
"My gift..." He trailed off
"Your gift?" I repeated
He nodded.
"I can feel, emotions" He confessed almost as if he was confessing to a triple homicide
"Oh"
I now got it.
He could feel what Riley was feeling. Begging for the next question
"What was he feeling exactly?"
A small smile traced on his lips, as his eyes met mine
"If he had a heart, I'm sure it would have exploded in his chest" His smile faded as if his words were pins in his face
I smiled at the thought. Least I'd gotten him Riley'd up.
Duke watched me, confused as to my strange episodes of smiling attacks.
He probably thought I was into Riley, and proud of myself for causing the reaction I had.
I was, but for other reasons.
After all, the reason I'd even done it was so he would tell me more about Duke's secrets.
"Anyway, Riley should be back soon. If you're hungry, just go to the kitchen, i'm sure our cook will make you something" He stood.
His relaxed, calm persona was gone.
I thought about how he used the word cook, instead of Anna.
"Oh. Okay, thanks" I stumbled, a little disappointed he'd returned to his stiff, rigid, wet mop personality.
And with that, he turned on his heel and headed back to his small study.
I rolled my eyes, sighed, and flung my body back outstretched onto the sofa.
-
When nightfall came, I planned to take the piss out of Riley. I now knew just what he had felt, and there was no way I was going to let him live it down.
I'd eaten a belly full of beef casserole, while Riley and Seth bickered about a football match I had no idea about. I wasn't into sports. Except running, I seemed to be good at that, just not around vampires.
Afterwards, Seth disappeared, like always, so Riley and I made our way up to my room.
We had planned on watching a few horror movies, which were our favourite, then I was to sleep, and of course, Riley was to sit around and babysit.
"Which one first, personally, I like those vampire one's that portray us as sparkly beauty queens" Riley smiled as he threw himself on my red couch.
He battered his eyelashes, and spoke like a pre-pubescent teenage girl.
"Well, personally, I like the vampire one's where the vampire's actually eat people" I shot back, leaning against the lounge he was on, just like I always had in his room.
"You know, neither of them are even close to reality" He smiled as he pulled out 30 days of night and put it in the DVD player.
"Oh, yeah because humans are suppose to automatically know exactly what you're like. How do you even keep yourselves a secret so well anyway?"
He gave me a 'duh' expression as he settled back onto the couch. "Ever seen the series True Blood?"
"A couple of times" I replied.
I remembered watching a few of the first episodes when my mother was normal, just after dad had passed. It was gruesome and lovey-dovey all at the same time. I'd lost interest quickly, only because I disliked being home so much after my mother took her turn.
"Seen the parts where the vampires 'glamour' their human prey"
I nodded.
"Well... That's what we do, except it's not called glamouring. It's more or less called, 'making them forget'. We don't have flashy names for those kinds of things." He explained.
My eyebrows creased, "So how come nobody has tried that on me yet?" I asked, confused
"Trust me. We have. You just didn't realize it because of all the commotion, the night Ryde got a hold of you" He tilted his head sideways, and lifted an eyebrow
"You did?" I trailed off, shaking my head "What did you say when you tried to make me forget?" I asked, now curious
The movie title began to play, flashing red with the play and scene selection options while violent angry music played.
"Well" He swished saliva around his mouth
The simple action brought all the memories flooding back. I remembered the darkness of the parking lot as Riley knelled beside me, "Relax, dear girl, relax" He soothed as one of his hands lightly brushed against my head
"Oh" I whispered, snapping from the horrific memory
"Mh-mh" He hummed as he pressed play on the movie selection.
I found myself unable to relax and focus one hundred percent on the film. The thought of Ryde, and the look in his vicious eyes, and death grip he had on me that night, repeated in my head.
I shuttered. He was out there somewhere, planning to kill me, and drain me.
After the first movie, I knew Riley must have noticed the way I was acting when a vampire would chomp down on its prey. I had said I'd rather watch those sorts than a twilight similarity, but right now, with the thought of Ryde stuck in my head, I couldn't do it.
I guess reality had finally settled in
"How about we watch something else?" Riley spoke as the credits rolled from the first bloodbath movie.
I just nodded.
"How about... this one, I found it in Seth's collection" He smiled wildly as he held up a movie titled, 'the lovely bones'.
"To me, it looks like a chick flick, make you cry movie, typical of Seth. But no vampires" He went ahead and put the movie on after I'd nodded
The movie was slow at first, but it was something that seemed to actually catch my attention and take my mind off of Ryde. It was fascinating, and went for a good 3 hours, perfect for my ideal bedtime of midnight.
When the credits finally rolled I realized I'd actually shed a tear or two during the end of the movie. Riley rolled his eyes and sighed.
"Boooring" He dragged out as I stood up and stretched outright.
"You going to bed now, can I join?" Riley started, winking at me.
He stood up and poked me gently in the stomach as I stretched my arms out wide.
"Oh, yeah, that reminds me. Duke and I had a little talk today..." I trailed off, watching his reactions carefully
"Oh yeah, that's awesome, what about?" The first part of his sentence was heavily sarcastic. The last part was curiosity.
"He told me about his gift, and why he stormed into the room so quickly when I was hovering over you into telling me information" I smiled wildly as I walked towards the bed and sat on the edge smugly.
His body froze for a moment before he stood straight up and narrowed his eyes at me.
"Yeah... and why is that?"
He knew exactly why it was. I'm pretty sure he was just hoping Duke had another idea beside's his actual reactions.
"Let's just put it this way... If you had a heart, it would have exploded in your chest" I teased, my grin spreading from ear to ear as I repeated what Duke had said.
I noticed the corners of his mouth twist up as he looked towards me and tilted his head.
"Oh, is that so, is it?" He smiled, bearing his perfect pearly whites
"Mh-mh, it is" I smiled, my cheekbones hurting.
Riley began to take slow long strides towards me before stopping directly in front of me from where I sat.
"Interesting, and why are you telling me this exactly... is there any more information you are seeking Rosie, or are you actually flirting with me?" He edged cheekily as he drew his face down towards mine
I was definitely not flirting. Was I? I never thought of Riley as anything other than a friend, or a brother, but that was it.
"You wish" I sneered back, stuck in the moment. It did sound awfully close to flirting.
"Oh, I do. All the time" He whispered, his face taking another slow move towards mine as I consciously moved backwards
"Be careful now. Don't want Duke barging in again. I bet he could kick your ass" I egged on, continuing the teasing. There was no way I was going to let him win.
No way.
"Probably could. But I say it's just because he's jealous..." Riley shrugged as he continued moving.
My back fell onto the bed but I kept my head up in his view.
He pushed his hands on either side of my body as he leaned over me.
"Jealous, of you... Ha! I think you have it mixed around"
"And why would that be? Is there something going on that you aren't telling me? Are you interested in him? Is that why I should be jealous of him?" He smiled as he stopped moving forward.
"I don't think so. I think you're jealous because Duke has the power to tell you what you can and can't do. You can't make a move, because he says no" I shot back, staring at him.
In one quick flash of movement, Riley pushed himself towards me, crashing his cold lips against mine for a second, before pulling back and stepping a good two meters away from me.
I stared in disbelief.
Just as expected Duke came storming in, the door almost flying off its hinges.
This time, he didn't grab Riley violently as before, he simply stood at the door. I imagined the steam coming from his ears.
I looked back at Riley who was grinning wildly, he licked his lips.
"Can't make a move, you say?" He mocked, looking at me smugly
"Out" Duke's voice growled from above our staring contest, shooting his eyes to Riley.
His face was angry and stern, as usual.
"You and I are going to have a talk later" Duke warned as Riley passed beside him and out the door, still grinning.
"Sure. But hey, she's as guilty as I am" He held his hands up in defence taking one last glance at me, then he was gone.
As soon as Riley was out of sight, Duke slammed the door back closed and walked towards me, his arms crossed over his chest.
He stopped at the foot of my bed where I stood.
"Go to sleep" He shot before retreating back to the door, swiftly flicking the lights off. He then sat in a one seater chair near the television set.
I watched in confusion as all but the outside glimmer of the moon danced in through my windows to light up parts of the room.
"You aren't going to criticize me?" I wondered out loud, barely audible.
I was surprised he'd even hear me.
"Do you want me too?" He asked.
I could just make out the shape of his face in the darkness.
"I guess not" I sighed before I crawled into bed
"Are you just going to sit there all night?" I asked, snuggling against the fabric of the pillows.
"Someone has to make sure you don't die. And obviously Riley can't assure that" His voice was ice cold, above all, it frightened me the most.