**Dedicated to the above person for all the wonderful support I received
I was a quivering mess in my room. The light overhead was switched off, but Alexander made sure that the lampshade on my nightstand was switched on. I was sitting across Alexander’s lap and crying into his shirt.
The ordeals of the night all just threw themselves at me mercilessly and rendered me useless. I felt pathetic and weak and completely upset. I was disappointed. I gulped, wiped my puffy eyes with the back off my hand and pushed my head off Alexander’s firm chest. I took a deep breath and faced him.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered.
He frowned, and I knew I looked terrible. For some reason, I felt ashamed that he had to see me look so terrible, but at that moment, I couldn’t care. All I wanted and needed was love and affection. I needed attention.
“Liv, there is nothing to be sorry for. If anything, I am sorry,” he said apologetically.
What baffled me was why he felt terrible. He had no reason to feel bad.
“I do have reason, I haven’t watched you tonight and because of my negligence, that idiot tore your dress down the front,” he said with a disgusted tone. I reached up and felt my top half. And indeed, it was torn right down to my belly button. Why hadn’t I noticed that? Possibly, because Alexander threw his jacket over me.
I blushed. “I am sorry I ruined the dress,” I said.
He lifted my chin with a slim finger. “No, princess, there is no reason to be sad. I will get you a thousand more of it, as long as you weren’t harmed. I need to know, are you unharmed?”
I smiled; glad that he avoided the usual ‘Are you okay?’ question, because I don’t think I was okay. “Yes, I think I am mostly unharmed. He just slapped me a few times,” I said offhandedly.
However, that response didn’t sit too well with Alex. I saw his blue eyes darken considerably and his jaw tighten. He wasn’t happy. And that wasn’t a good sign. “I am going to murder him!” he muttered softly, but I still heard it.
“Liv, I need to check something downstairs. I want you to shower and rest. Do not worry about anything else, okay?” he said quickly and kindly as he lifted me and placed me next to him.
I nodded, but then words poured out of my mouth with no control. “Will you please come back for me?” I asked softly as he began walking away.
He stopped and stared at me. I felt the blush rise as he looked dumbfounded, shocked and maybe just a little repulsed. “I …uh, never –” I was cut off as he walked back and kissed the top of my head.
“Of course,” he smiled and walked away after shutting my door.
I walked to my bathroom and took a long and scalding hot shower. I wanted to rid myself of all the horrors that happened tonight, but I also wanted to get rid of all the filth of that vile monster that dared to touch me.
Nearly an hour later, the knocking on my door, caused me to rush out of the shower and dress haphazardly into my pajamas. They were long cotton pants and a short sleeved cotton t-shirt that matched. I walked out, combing my hair and opened the door to find and angry looking Alexander on my doorstep. “Alex, are you okay?” I asked in a soft voice.
He looked at me and stared at me with a hard expression for a few seconds before he realized who I was. “Yes…no, I don’t know!” he growled and walked into the room combing his fingers through his hair.
He sat on the corner of my bed and patted the space next to him for me to sit. “I am sorry; I knew that Sebastian was busy. I should have been more vigil,” he said softy. It felt like he spoke more to himself than me, but I was glad to have him sit there and talk. It felt like old times.
I tied my short hair in a hairband and then walked to my side of the bed, near the window and curled underneath the warm blankets. “It is alright. I am sorry that I didn’t put up more of a fight. I mean I spent so many years training against Henry. I should have had my guard up,” I said angrier with myself than anything else.
At that, Alex twisted around and crawled to me and hugged my body to his bigger and more muscular body. “I warned you about carrying weapons on you when I had parties, didn’t I?” he asked softly.
I nodded.
“Then how do you expect yourself to be blamed?”
I scoffed. “I do what I want,” I said. “I should have known better.”
“No, you do what you want when it concerns everyone else, but not me. You always do as I say,” he said with a smile.
I frowned knowing that he spoke the truth, but the problem was that I wished he never noticed that. “Well, maybe it because I have a lot debt to you than anyone else,” I said saucily.
He chuckled and smoothed my hair. “Okay, let’s not argue anymore okay? How about you tell me why you were cursing me in your head?”
I bit the corner of my lip and drew blood. Alex smelled it and looked at me in a funny manner. For some reason, his eyes seemed darker and he looked wild. But somehow, I wasn’t scared.
He looked at my eyes then he bent down a bit and looked at my lip. He repeated this for a few times until he leaned down and ran his tongue across my lip, sucking up the blood that oozed out. I stilled in his arms and pulled back. That behavior was uncharacteristic of him and it had me worried. What if he was drunk?
“I’m sorry,” he murmured sound truly apologetic, but also remorseful.
“I-it’s fine,” I stuttered.
“It is just that I love the taste of your blood,” he said and wiped a hand over his face. “So, tell me why you were cursing me?” he changed the topic quickly.
I tried to think of it again, trying to figure a way to describe it. “Well, you know what today was to me, right?” I said in a shaky breath.
He nodded.
“Well, today I saw my parents’ murderers,” I said shooting every word out like it was poison.
He hugged me to his body and kept his grip firm. I loved it, I felt secure and safe. “Who?” he asked softly.
“Those three,” I whispered.
“The ones you brought to me?” he asked in a tight voice.
I nodded, feeling the familiar sting of tears.
“Oh my, princess, I am so sorry,” he said rocking me gently. “No wonder you are so upset!”
I sniffled and pulled away from him and went to lie back into the bed. “It was just tough what with Camille, then those killers and then my almost rape. I’m sorry for being so whiny,” I said and closed my eyes.
He huffed as if I was being stupid. “I don’t blame you,” he said angrily and stood up to leave.
I began panicking. I knew they wouldn’t come after me, but I couldn’t help my fears. I just felt so targeted that I couldn’t even think straight. “Al-Alex, please don’t leave me. Please sleep with m-me,” I said allowing the fear to creep in.
He nodded and slowly stripped off his shoes and shirt, crawling back into bed and taking the space next to me. He curled up near me then pulled me closer so that my back was against his chest and his hand over my waist as we spooned. He took the heaviest blanket and pulled it over us and slowly I drifted off to sleep.
I woke up much later than I usually would and was pleasantly surprised to find Alex still in bed with me. He was leaning on his elbow and looking down at me with a smile. “Morning,” he smirked.
“Hi,” I squeaked back. I sat up and pulled my hands through my hair trying to gain some control over it. He laughed and sank back against the pillows.
“Happy birthday, Liv,” he smiled and handed me a thin, nearly flat box.
“Thank you,” I said shyly, and ran my hands over the smooth box.
“You’re welcome,” he said pushing the blankets and duvet off him as he walked out of my room. I turned my gaze away from his muscular back as soon as he got out of bed, because by God he had a wonderful body.
I sighed and got up. I needed a shower and I needed to be outside with my roses before I could become agitated and annoyed with what happened last night. The last thing I need was my reflection on the occurrences and then for me to lose focus. I couldn’t even allow the fragile part of me to overthink about the request I made to Alex last night. I let out a frustrated sigh and let the water beat down my body.
When I walked out, I changed into a black skinny jeans and a dark red old t-shirt. I couldn’t care less about my appearance on my eighteenth birthday. I walked downstairs into the kitchen and like every year before, a cake sat in the center of the table. The place was littered with balloons and the flowers of the party still decorated the area, giving off a natural floral smell. All in all, it was beautiful, but I felt like a princess that will never have a prince. I shook my head and plastered on a fake smile.
“HAPPY BIRTHDAY!” the room roared with their yells, the human workers and the four vampires I have lived with for the past nine years.
“Thank you,” I blushed and walked to the table where my breakfast was laid out for me. I sat and ate quietly, watching Sebastian and Cathy with love struck faces. I smiled happy for them, but gave my full attention to my food.
I ate silently, then slipped out of the kitchen and walked to my rose bushes. The roses were in full bloom and looking happy and healthy. Once they began growing, they were enchanted and grew throughout the year. As long as I was the only one who tended to it. I cleaned around the area of the bush and sat on my knees, admiring the beauty of it all.
“I didn’t think I would find you here today,” Alexander said, surprising me.
I huffed. “I didn’t think you or anyone would notice my absence, but then again…” I shut my mouth as I realized how rude it would sound.
He raised an eyebrow. “You didn’t realize what?”
“Nothing,” I muttered and turned my face away.
“You didn’t think I cared for you?” he asked incredulously.
I frowned. How did he know?
“I caught the trail in your thoughts,” he said calmly. I glared. “But I won’t answer that question for you.”
“Well, thanks,” I said sarcastically. I picked up the garden shears and cut myself a rose.
“You know, I am wondering if I perhaps misunderstood what people said about the garden and the roses,” he muttered to himself and walked away leaving me in complete confusion.
Ignored his comments and tried to enjoy my tranquility; however, I couldn’t and decided to go and train. I spent most of my day training and when I was done, I went in to clean Alexander’s floor. When bed time rolled around, I slid quietly into my room, showered and went to sleep.
A rough shaking woke me up the next morning. Sebastian and an upset looking Cathy stood around my bed. “Why did you avoid your party last night?” Cathy asked in a hurt tone.
I sat up, unconcerned about bedhead or my pajamas or anything. I considered whether to tell them about the ‘visitors’ I escorted last night, or if I should just shut my trap. However, Sebastian made that decision for me. “How about you tell us the truth and not think of a lie?” he asked and crossed his arms over his chest in a threatening manner.
I sighed. “Fine,” I said and pushed my loose strands of hair away from my face. “At the party I saw my parents’ murderers. They spoke to me and none of you were around to help me,” I said, trying to remain neutral and detached as I spoke. “Then I was still coming to terms with my almost rape.”
They paled and blinked, totally lost as to what to say. “I am sorry. We arrived late at the…scene, I promised I would look after you yet I left you alone,” Sebastian said with self-loathe.
I smiled up at him. “You were more concerned with someone else,” I said letting him know I wasn’t angry with him.
He petted my hair and I gave him a glare. “Tell me what happened with that guy that tried to touch me?” I asked in an attempt to get rid of the tension. I belatedly realized that that was the wrong thing to ask. Sebastian looked livid and Cathy’s dainty fists balled up.
“Master dealt with that monster himself. He just asked Sebastian to lock him up, but further than that no one knows what really happened,” Cathy said in a tight voice.
“Thank you,” I smiled acting calm, while on the inside I was frozen with fear. What did Alex really do to the man? Was he still locked up? I had to go find out, I decided and started sliding across to get to the side.
“Don’t even think about it,” Sebastian warned me.
I shot him an innocent look “What do you mean?”
He rolled his eyes. “I know what you wanna do. If you ask him to let that …dog go, he will just beat up more, or worse, make him disappear completely. And trust me, as King, that won’t even be abusing his powers because no one has the right to assault anyone else’s property.”
I scoffed. “So now I’m property?”
I was beyond furious at this point. So, the guy that assaulted me was locked up and due for more beatings? And the only reason Alex is doing this is because it was an insult to him? It was an insult because it looked as if he couldn’t control people inside his house.
Sebastian’s face fell as he realized what he said and how I interpreted it. “No, of course that isn’t what I meant Livvy,” he said helplessly. “He…he did it because…ugh!” he said in frustration as the words couldn’t come to him.
I gave him a pointed look. “See, there is my point!”
“I can’t tell you why! He has to be the one to do it, but he cares about you and he would have done it for any one. He wouldn’t allow a girl to be raped when he could help it,” Sebastian said and combed his fingers through his hair.
So, I wasn’t special, I thought. Then frowned, why should I be thinking such stuff? What would it matter? I had no future after my vow was fulfilled. I let out a frustrated sigh.
“You’re wrong, whatever you’re thinking, you’re wrong.” Sebastian walked out and left me with that repeated phrase.
“What have I done wrong?” I asked Cathy.
She shrugged and walked over to me. “I am not sure, but trust Sebastian, he is almost always right. I got a feeling that he knows more than he is letting on, but he has a reason for it,” Cathy said sagely.
“But why must I be kept in the dark?”
Cathy hugged me and said nothing. “Have you spoken to Master again?” she asked.
“Must you still call him master? I mean he is practically your brother in law,” I said offhandedly.
She shot me a look. “Don’t avoid the question.”
“We spoke, but not about me leaving. Well, I asked him before and you know how that turned out. But now that I know all three murderers are alive, I have to do something,” I said and stood up to pace.
She sighed and hugged me to her in a sign of comfort. “I will support you in every way I can,” she whispered to me.
“Thanks,” I said and pulled away. “I have to get ready for the day.”
She pulled back and let me go.
I showered and walked out to my usual: bed made and clothes taken out for me. Damn, if Cathy left, I was so screwed. I wouldn’t be so spoiled.
I went out to train, then watered my rose bush then moved on to have breakfast. Soon thereafter, I slipped into my routine of cleaning and helping around wherever I could, before I found time to slip into the library and pick out a book to read.
Hours later, I walked out and bumped into Alex. He looked dazed and tired, and for a vampire, he had faint lines beneath his eyes. “Sorry,” I murmured. I moved to walk on, but he grabbed my hand, threw me up and into his arms bridal style and carried me to his room. I almost made a protest sound but it was cut off by his lips brushing across my ear. “Squeak and I won’t tell you what I know,” he threatened.
Throughout my life, I was told curiosity killed the cat, but I still never got that idea. That just seemed like a foreign concept to me. Like the zombie apocalypse, who would believe that it would happen? Then again, who would believe vampires existed?
Which reminded me…
“Alex, do zombies exist?” I asked.
He looked at me almost as if he thought I was joking. “You’re seriously asking me that?” he inquired incredulously.
“What? Okay, I wouldn’t have believed vampires existed either. Then I came across three that ended my humanity, but saved by two who looked after me valiantly,” I said nonchalantly.
A ghost smile crossed his face and then he put me down after shutting his door. “I’m taking that as a no, then,” I said.
He laughed and began pacing his room. I sat quietly on a stool near the window; I didn’t trust what he might have done on the bed. I still hadn’t come up to change the bedding. After a few minutes, I got bored. So I stripped the bedding and threw it in a neat pile on the floor. I walked around the room and opened the window to allow the early morning air to breeze through.
“Shut it before you go,” Alex said absent-mindedly.
“Why am I here?” I asked, ignoring his request.
He scoffed. “I see you have taken well to my advice.”
His comment baffled me for a few seconds, and then I caught on. “I guess, the feistiness was easy to suppress when you have every sort of insult thrown at you,” I said indifferently. “But to bring it back is easier, until you doubt yourself and your actions.”
I walked to his linen cupboard and pulled out black silk sheets and matching covers. I started putting on and waited for his reply.
“Are you happy here?”
I stopped and raised an eyebrow at him. “Is this a trick question?”
“No, my answer is still the same, either way.”
“So why ask?”
He rolled his eyes at me. “I guess I am curious. All these years, I have done what I wanted without much consideration from anyone else,” he said and sighed as he sat on the newly made bed.
I was confused, but decided to ignore his explanation. While I was glad he actually answered it, it just made me doubt myself.
“I guess I am happy. But how can we truly define happiness? Is it freedom to do what you please? Is it the joy of knowing that your life and your decisions are your own to make? Or is happiness defined by the amount of materialistic objects you own? What is happiness truly? Is it that feeling you get of being accepted by someone you love and who, in return loves you unconditionally, flaws and all? Or is happiness just the warm feeling you get from making someone else’s wishes come true? Either way, I would say that I am content, but not satisfied,” I shrugged and straightened the pillows on his bed.
I glanced at him nervously. He had a weak smirk. “That is the most you spoke to me in over eight years,” he said smiling.
I bit my lip, holding in the remarks I had.
“I know what you’re thinking,” he said and the smirk grew wider. “I know that I ignored you and avoided you, but it was for your safety,” he said.
I scoffed. “That’s what everyone says and then things just go wrong after that.” Satisfied with the end result of the bed, I sat back on the chair and looked at Alex. “Why am I really here?”
He bit the corner of his lip and thought it over for a moment. “I wanted to know how you were? And well, tell you that …” he paused and looked at me straight in the eye. “Liv, know that for me to say this isn’t that easy.”
I nodded, indirectly prompting him to continue.
“Well, those three men are now staying in your family home,” he said spitting each word as if it were poisonous.
I blanched, not expecting him to say that. “How? How do you know that?”
He glanced around the room nervously. “They approached me with something, and I called them up to casually inquire about them and the business and then I asked,” he said.
I let out a sigh and scraped my hair away from my face. “Thank you,” I said without much thought. Unknowingly, Alex fed me just enough information to start my own digging.
The weeks flew by insanely fast. During that time, a lot of changes were made. Cathy moved out and into Sebastian’s house, Alex was always busy with some or other thing and I was training my butt off, while in the hidden hours of sunlight, I conducted my own little research.
I was studying methods of killing a vampire painfully, slowly and torturously. My aim wasn’t to become a sadist –no, all I wanted was a way to make those three vampires to go through a fraction of the pain I went through.
I learnt about three definite ways, but also found two other things to make sure they don’t return to ‘life’. The three ways are, decapitate the head, drive a stake –preferably silver –through the heart and lastly to burn them in the fire. The additions to be done were to bury the ashes with garlic or place it in a coffin with a silver cross on top, or the other option was to scatter the ashes in different places.
I felt giddy and sick at the same time. Some were cruel, but isn’t that deserving for monsters?
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Please comment and tell me how shit this chapter was? I know it was truly terrible. sorry