I can tell you right now I'm going to change this a billion times :) SO make sure to check a lot to see if I did HA. <3
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I stopped in the middle of the path, for the billionth time.
“I…can’t…run,” I said between breaths.
Valentine continued jogging in place, not a hair out of place. Stupid Vampire! Well, he has a hat on so technically his hair isn’t even out. His face doesn’t look pale, or cold at all except for his nose. His nose is slightly pink. “You give up too easily it’s only been two miles,” he said easily, as if he hasn’t been running for the last thirty minutes.
Two miles! That’s it?
I put my hands on my knees, trying to control my breathing. “It’s too…much,” I complained, literally plopped on the ground. Lying back in the middle of the concrete pathway, I closed my eyes. “Just a little…rest…” I trailed, feeling myself fall asleep.
That’s when a giant ball of snow landed right on my face. I let out a yelp, and pawed at the coldness on my face. “Get up.”
“No, I’m too—“
“Get. Up. Now,” he demanded, now standing right over me. “Or I’ll grope that girl over there around your age,” he threatened, pointing at a Barbie girl sitting on the bench.
“What?” I asked angrily, on my elbows. “Why would you—“
“I’ll race you.” He started to sprint towards the girl, and I quickly got up. I followed him at a gallop, not understand what he is doing. Valentine stopped at the bench, and sat next to the blond girl and turned around at me. He leaned against the arm of the bench, crossed his arms over his chest, and dared me to come over.
You’re bluffing. I sent him.
The beanie hat was ripped off from his head, and he fluffed his chestnut hair up. His body turned towards the girl, and she brought her head up like he said something. She started to laugh loudly, and put the cell phone in her hands away.
She’ll never let him sit….
He sat down next to her, and they started to chat like old friends. She leaned in, to whisper something, and I could see his cheek bones raise in a smile. My hands fisted together, this is the last straw.
I searched around the area, to see small stores along the street. Without even looking at him, I sprinted at full speed towards the closest one and stopped at the streets. Cars surprisingly whirled past me on the road, but I weaved in between them stepping onto the other side of the road. My hand felt the handle of the Antique store, and I pulled it open and hurried inside.
Why didn’t I think of this before? Now I can finally leave this place.
“Can I help you?” A man’s voice asked. I turned around; too meet a green gaze, and a beautiful face. For a second I didn’t recognize him with the shorter hair, but now I can see its Dimitri from the Halloween Party.
“Dimitri?” I asked, and his face lit up from his name.
“I remember you…” he trailed, thinking of my name. “Cassie,” he said slowly, as if savoring the word.
“I thought he might have killed you.” I turned towards the window; too see no sign of Valentine.
Where is he?
“Where’s who?” Dimtitri answered, and I realized I spoke out loud. He walked closer to me, and his eyes traveled up and down. “Valentine?”
I smiled at him, and stayed frozen in my place. My gloved hands started to get sweaty, and I took the yellow leather them off. I don’t know how Valentine does it. “N-no one I was just um... do you have a phone?”
“Yes, I can give it to you if you do something for me.”
Oh no.
“I asked you a question.”
“Yes,” I blurted uncontrollably.
“Yes?” I felt a shiver go down my back, as the beautiful black haired man met my gaze. “Tell me, what’s a human doing all alone in this part of town, a bonded human at that?” he asked, his boots coming closer to me.
I stepped back, to into another room. This one has a lot of old dolls, making me shiver some more. “Stay back,” I said shakily.
He opened his mouth for an instant, and huge fangs popped out of his gums, making me jump and stare wide eyed. I noticed venom dripping off of them. Why is there venom? Dimitri tilted his head as Valentine does, and narrowed his gaze. “You and Anna are so similar,” he hissed. “it disgusts me.”
“You have Anna?” I asked suddenly. I put a hand in too my back, feeling a pain.
He chuckled, and the sound felt like nails on a chalk board. “Of course I have Anna I just implied I did.”
I looked up at him, still pressing my back. “Where is she? Why do you have her?” I asked frantically, all the memories of Anna coming back to me. “Why didn’t I remember her?”
“He wiped your memories,” Dimitri said, as if it is the most obvious thing in the world. “I bought her from him a while ago, worth every penny by the way,” he added slyly, with a wink.
“Don’t you touch her or I’ll—I’ll kill you!” I screamed, still keeping my distance. Something about him is off.
“Or you’ll what?” he provoked, stepping closer to me. His tall frame matches Valentines perfectly, as well as his jaw…and his nose. Oh…my….
“We’re Brothers,” he whispered. “I’m just a tad younger than him, and less loved by the family. Except for Emilia and Camelia, because technically they don't even know about me being related to them.”
My mouth popped open, “Why?” I got out quietly.
“Mostly because of my looks. I’m too handsome to handle,” He bragged, completely sounding like someone I know.
“Of course that’s the reason.”
He stepped closer to me, until I met the wall. Then he leaned in, and rubbed his nose against my neck affectionately, and he kissed up my neck. “If you don’t want him anymore, you know where I am,” he whispered. The whole time I felt unable to defend myself. His hand roughly went to my back, and he scratched my mark. A weird feeling started in it, and I let out a small scream making him laugh. “He should be here any moment now,” he stated matter-a -fact like. Dimitri’s face went slack, and his eyes locked on the floor. After a few seconds his gaze picked up to the window. “Come in!” he sang to no one in particular, stepping away from me.
The bells of the Antique shop door echoed the place, and the tattoo on my back lit on fire. “Ow, ow ow!” I whispered harshly, trying to hide the amount of pain I’m in. Furious Valentine stormed in, and locked gazes with Dimitri.
They stared for a long time, until both of their eyes glowed. Dimitri’s are a luminescent green, and hard not to stare at. “Get out of here Cassie,” Valentine growled his attention now on me.
Why isn’t he beating Dimitri up?
“Yeah why aren’t you beating me up?” Dimitri asked for me, still looking at his ‘brother.’
“He can read minds too?” I asked frantically.
Valentine scowled at me, his eyes the brightest blue they’ve ever been, “Come here. Now.”
“I’m not your Pet—“
His face stayed dangerously blank; but I know better. This man is extremely angry at the moment and doesn’t want to show it—probably because his brother is in the room, watching his every move and reaction. I can’t believe he never told me they were brothers! Or that he was definitely alive! Or that Anna was alive! Or that Anna even existed…did he freaking compel me?
“Cassie,” Valentines deep voice growled impatiently. I reluctantly walked to him, and he grabbed me by the back of the neck, and I silently let out a yelp of pain. “Thank you for not harming her,” he mumbled.
“Sure,” Dimitri returned, in the same monotone voice.
Valentine started to tug my out of the room, and I tried to grip his arm from behind. “No!” I screamed, and refused to leave the store. He suddenly stopped, and put his stubble cheek against mine, “Bad,” he scolded.
He opened the door making the bells loudly, and shoved me outside. I stumbled, but turned to face him. The look on his face made me start to run in the other direction. Luckily I got about two feet, when he grabbed my arm firmly. “Let go,” I said sternly, looking at the few people around the town.
“No.”
“Vale—“
He shook me, and held me with both arms. Not caring that people are staring. “I am nothing to you. Don’t call me, don’t speak to me, don’t talk about me. Don’t even think about me.”
“I didn’t do any—“
He reached behind my back, and scratched the tattoo. “Does that ringing any bells? Or maybe this?” his lips kissed up my neck, making me realize how vulnerable I was to Dimitri.
“Maybe if you weren’t with that girl you would of known I left!“
The man ignored what I said, and took his wallet out of his pocket. “I couldn’t sense your location, but I felt everything you felt. I heard everything you said to him, even your thoughts about his looks...his everything. Your body screamed for him to bite you, even after I arrived I saw the way you looked at him.”
“Y-you don’t understand—“
“Y-you don’t understand,” he mocked nastily. He pushed the money against me chest, and it fell to the ground. “Find a Motel. Hopefully a Vampire will pick you off the street,” he spat, and then turned to cross the road. When he reached his car, he stopped for a moment probably feeling my tear-blurred gaze. Valentine still got in the car, and slammed the door shut. The Porsche roared to life, and he peeled out of the parking spot, whirling past me.
I fell against the cold brick wall completely in shock, watching the black vehicle drive away.
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I bent down and picked up the money he threw at me.
After a long time of counting it up in my head, my eyebrows rose. “Three thousand dollars,” I whispered in awe.
My eyes started to get blurry, and a pain started in my chest. He really wasn’t joking; he’s not coming back for me. I wiped at the tears from my eyes, and held the money tight in my shaky hands. I’m all on my own now. My head turned to the Antique shop, and I pressed my face against the window. The room is too dark to see anything. My body robotically went to the door and I pulled it open.
Bells jingled, and I jumped a little at the sound. “Hello?” I asked the store. My feet moved forward, and I walked deeper into the place. My eyes roamed around the old collectables, and interesting wooden pieces. The floors started to creak under my weight. A heavier footing from behind made my heartbeat start to pound. “Dimitri?” I asked the store, and whirled around.
Nobody is behind me. Ok, I think it’s time to go now. I started to make my way to the front door, when my ears picked up a soft voice from an unknown source. I focused on the voice, with my hand still on the door. “She is worthless to me. I’m going to bring her at the Ceremony, and hopefully some dumb bastard will take her,” a deep voice spoke. I found myself walking towards the back of the store again, continuing to listen to the voice.
“Why the hell would I care if she refuses? Tell her I’ll personally drag her out by her feet…again I’m tired of that bitch back talking me.” The closer I got the more I recognized the voice. My body stopped in front of a wooden door, and I knocked. “I have to go.”
The door opened, and Dimitri appeared in front of me. His black hair still looks straight and over his fore head a bit. He has a faded brown shirt on, and dark jeans. The only huge difference from Valen-jerk and this guy is their eyes. Even their body shape is identical. Tall…and very muscular. “He um…he—“I stopped talking when he looked like his thoughts were somewhere else. “What’s wrong with you?
“Nothing,” he said bluntly, furrowing his brows at me. “Just some minor problems to take care of, the usual,” he said casually.
He had to of been talking about Anna before. She’s the only person I know that backtalk’s everyone; worse than me. Oh…crap. I looked up feeling a curious green gaze. “I didn’t mean to ease drop—“
“I don’t want her in my house anymore.”
“Then g-give her to me,” I replied quickly after.
“No.”
I frowned, “Why not?”
“Because Cassie, she won’t be miserable with you. This bitch has been a giant thorn in my side, and nothing is fixing it.”
My mouth popped open at that last part, and he narrowed his eyes. “What have you done to her?” I asked quietly.
He waved a hand in the air,“ She’s breathing.”
“That’s not an answer!” I screamed, getting tired of these blunt answers.
He shrugged, “That’s all I’m telling you, Honey. If Valentine didn’t tell me to keep her alive, she would be very dead by now; extremely dead. Motels two blocks to the right by the way,” he said, dryly.
“You ease dropped?”
“Duh,” he said obviously, and pointing to his ears, “can’t really help it,” he added, and walked back into the room. He came out with a piece of paper with a number on it. “Here’s his number. I have work to do. Just do my favor try not to get yourself killed, or look at anyone in the eyes,” he added, and patted my head. “ I know little one I’m clearly the nicer one in the family. But at least I keep my food on a leash.”
He slammed the door in my face, “Wow how comforting to know my best friend is with him,” I mumbled, and walked towards the front of the place. I pulled it open, and stepped into the freezing—soon to be dark air.
My feet reluctantly moved forward; in their after—jog soreness down the side walk. To my right are many colorful stores, with fancy lettering. This must be a kind of mall. I stopped in front of a clothing store, and peeked inside the window. Oh my god…this place has awesome graphic t-shirts! Is this for real!
I ran into the store, and my face lit up instantly. After about thirty minutes of roaming around the dark place, I picked out about 15 shirts and three pairs of jeans. I also found three pairs of fuzzy socks, three sports bras, and two pairs of yoga pants. When I went to the front of the store, I saw a sign that read buy two get one free for fuzzy boots. I of course bought black ones, and blue ones. “Ok, no more shopping. I’m supposed to be depressed that I’m all alone,” I scolded myself.
After paying for the clothes, I made my way out of the place and back onto the sidewalk. Outside it is now dark, and the street lights are on. I turned right and continued down the long sidewalk. After a few minutes it became difficult trying to ignore people’s passing stares. “Holy…crud,” I mumbled in realization, after seeing the fiftieth person glare at me hungrily.
Is everyone here a Vampire?
I passed by a homeless person, and his head lifted up to me as I walked by. “Food,” he hissed, and got up extremely fast. At first I didn’t know what to do, and kind of just faced him, with my bags in my hands. He leaned down a bit, and growled deeply. My breathing quickened, and I started to run to my destination. Thankfully reaching a sketchy looking Motel, I ran up to the front and opened the door.
“Hey there pretty lady, you looking for a room?” A middle age man at the front desk asked. I stepped closer, trying to hide the bags in my hand. He has clouded eyes, and one is crossed and pointed down to his nose.
I feel bad for him, I really do. But right now I just want a damn room. “Yes please, how much is that going to be for the night?” I asked politely. How much is that going to be forever?
He told me, and I gave him fifty dollars. What a freaking rip off for this dump. “Follow me now, and I’ll show you your special room,” he said, motioning for me to follow. He stepped from behind the desk and walked me down the hallway. We stopped in front of a dark door, and he smiled flashing a set of the dirtiest teeth I’ve ever seen.
I gagged little, but kept my mouth pressed closed. Ugh, I shouldn’t have walked with him. I really just fell for this one. He stepped back, and handed me a set of keys. “Have a good night now little human!” he said cheerfully, giving me chills. I opened the door with his gaze on my hands, and pushed it open. Slamming it closed, I locked it up tight. That guy was creepier than when Valentine was a ginger. Turning the lights on, I took a deep breath in.
But once I turned around to face the bedroom, let’s just say I didn’t breathe a sigh of relief. The bed is pretty big, but has barf green blankets over it. The wall’s paint is peeling off, and the room smells like cleaning chemicals. The green carpet is stained in some areas, and I think I see a faint outline of a body on the floor. The lights are really dim, and flickering. But none of that is what made me hold my breath.
On the bed is a familiar brown suitcase that Valentine gave me, with a note attached to it.