"Hybrids."
"What are hybrids, Aphmau?"
I swallowed and didn't miss the guards exchange glances. Even Cadenza looked up.
"Hybrids are. . . I don't know how to explain it. . ." I trailed off and bit my cheek trying to think. They gave me the time, but definitely gave off an impatient energy in the room. "Dangerous. I didn't know that was still happening." My hand Cadenza hadn't touched yet clenched into a fist and I glared at the sun-lit ground.
Aaron and Garroth exchanged glances and turned back to me, Garroth stiffening.
Aaron searched for words and finally found them. "Didn't know what was still happening?" He spoke slow and hesitant.
I swallowed in rage toward the scientists back -where I grew up. Not home. "Combining DNA from basically everything to try and enhance humans or vampires into soulless machines." I'm pretty sure I was drawing blood from my palm now. Garroth looked sick at my words and mumbled that vampires have no soul anyway. I bit my cheek to stop a remark.
"Who? Who was doing this?" Laurance asked sternly.
I didn't reply and he leaned closer with a glare, trying to be intimidating. I didn't look away from the rug, relishing in the light from the window.
Laurance slammed his hand down. "Who!" It didn't make me mad. He was being a guard. "Laurance!" Cadenza scolded.
I finally looked at him, glaring. I didn't make it too bad, if I did even he would run for the hills.
"What do you think? What was the attack?" I said that last question to Emmalyn and she understood quickly, answering. "Vampires."
"Exactly. Vampires. They're not completely barbarians you know. Yes, they can be sick, twisted, and insane but they have scientists. And in my opinion, mad scientists because hybrids loose all humanity of their former selves." It was true.
"And how would you know?" Garroth spat.
I fixed my glare on him now. "Because I encountered one. I've made it my business to know."
He scrutinized me for a minute as I looked back to my nails and Cadenza and sank back in my seat.
She continued working and handed my a tissue for the blood on my fingernails on my opposite hand she was paying attention to. I took it and pretended to wipe off the blood under the table using my hand and knees. Really, I was waiting for it to heal and once it did, I crumpled the clean tissue into a ball and into my pocket.
I put my hand back on the table, palm out of view and leaned my head back, shutting my eyes and breathing calmly. It was thankfully quiet.
A few minutes later, I felt my upper knee and thigh heat up, so I moved it farther from the sun.
But it was relentless.
I continued to move my legs out of the way of the light until it softened and began to fade. Curious, I looked back down and saw Zoey sitting beside Laurence, acting like she hadn't noticed me.
She paid great attention to my nails and used her body, limbs, and chair to block me from the sun.
I was pulled out of my thoughts when my jaw started to ache a bit, and my internal clock ticked down.
Thankfully, Cadenza had just finished the final nail and was putting stuff away so I carefully eased myself up to not mess up my hands and said: "Hey, Zoey? Where's your bathroom?"
She hummed. "Follow me," and as she dragged me out of the living room, she called back: "We'll be right back Cadenza!"
Once we were to the bathroom, she was about to leave when she noticed I didn't close the door and just sat on the counter.
I covered my closed mouth and my fangs were back in their natural position, not hidden away, my hand mostly concealing the sound. I dropped my hand and noticed the ache in my jaw and head, as well as my fatigue as I slouched into the wall and rested my knee up, elbow on my knee, and head in my hand.
"I never knew vampires could retract them for that long," she said with a slight laugh, but I noticed her curiosity.
"I'm not a normal vampire, Zoey. My record is 32 minutes, but it's completely exhausting. That was 25, about." She closed the door and leaned against it. "By the way, you blocked the sun," she nodded. "Why?"
She shrugged. "It looked like it was bothering you, and you didn't seem like you wanted it obvious. So I just sat."
I nodded. "The sun doesn't effect most vampires, but it effects me. Pretty badly."
She tilted her head. "Why are you so different?"
I smiled just to show her my fang set for a second. "I'm royal. And don't make a big deal out of it, I don't appreciate my lineage." I added hastily.
She clenched her jaw to stop from doing so and turned worried. "About the. . . Hybrids. . ."
"Yeah?"
"Did you ever...?"
My eyes flattened in defeat. "No. Never did, never will. But my mom liked it. It was her order to try it and they did. The bitch." I mumbled.
She nodded and was about to leave, but I stopped her, lifting my head. "Zoey?"
She turned.
"I'm going to need a bit to regain my energy. Just tell them I needed a minute in the fresh air." She nodded.
Back in the other room, I heard her through the mostly closed door. "She went through the back door, just needed some fresh air. She isn't inside much, after all."
I sighed. I was now leaning my head against the wall and my legs hanging off, arms on my lap.
I heard footsteps that slowly stopped by the cracked door. Aaron peeked through and gave me a confused glance.
I slowly grabbed my mask and put it on, trying to look casual. "You peek in on girls in the bathroom all the time, or is it just a hobby?"
His cheek twitched, but he didn't smile. "She said you were outside, I was gunna come talk to you."
I shrugged. "I wanted a minute alone." I sighed and leaned my head back again. "My minds a little busy. Hybrids are a tough subject to bring up."
He came in and leaned on the wall, crossing his arms. He had taken his jacket off some time ago and wore a muscle shirt now. I knew I was blushing at the sight of how muscular he was, but if he noticed he didn't say anything or acknowledge it. "Why?"
I breathed out my nose in a huff and stared at the ceiling. "I said I met one. I didn't say how. This teenage girl had been looking for her boyfriend for months, she had just had a baby. . . When he came back his eyes were black, he was bald, had long nails and hairy arms. And he attacked her. Killed the girl and severely injured the baby, before I could kill him. I don't know how the baby is or was because they blamed it on me for not jumping in soon enough. They made me leave and I did, but even after a few years I still remember it as clear as day." My voice dropped lower and lower and I fiddled my thumbs for the last part.
He sighed. "I think we all would too. . ." He trailed off and I looked down to see him staring at me, at my neck, at my mask.
"I think you lied."
I went silent and stared at him with a poker face while I mentally freaked out.
"I think you like being with other people, you just judge yourself too much. You like groups but you stay away from them out of fear."
I froze, my blood stopping and yet my heart racing ten miles an hour. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"You do. I see it in your face." He pointed to my face with a small smile and he sounded very sure. Damnit.
"You can't even see my face."
He shrugged. "Don't need to."
I looked away from him, at the wall above the bath.
"I think I'm gunna go," I said simply and hopped off the counter. My nails were thankfully dry. Aaron didn't follow me.
I went past the living room and went straight to the mud room, rolling my sleeves back down after I clipped my gloves in place.
Once my cloak was clipped, I peeked into the living room. Garroth and Laurence seemed to be in a serious conversation and the girls were giggling about something.
"I'm going to go. See you all around." Before I could walk through the door, Zoey tapped my arm and I turned to face her, keeping my hand on the open door's knob.
"Thanks for coming." I nodded and left.
I didn't really know what to do so I let my feet carry me, and I ended up at the tree I first sat under when I arrived.
Stretching my hands and removing my gloves, I prepared to climb the beast and once I started, the pounding in my head worsened as I tuned back into the bustling noise of the square.
I got to a relatively high branch, it was pretty stable and it could basically support my weight. If it couldn't, I could just take off my sword or a belt or two to minimize the weight.
I laid down across it with my head higher than my feet, which were resting at the base of the branch: the tree trunk.
(I'm in class. Writing. It's really TRUNK-ing me, and my brain isn't LEAF-ed alone. Just can't find he ROOT of the problem. I'm probably just BARKing up the wrong TREE.) NO REGRETS!
Time passed, not slow but not quick. I think I fell asleep because I woke up when it was dark and only one person was still packing up their stand. I covered my eyes with my arm.
"Ma'am?"
I glanced down and lifted my arm, seeing a guard and rolling my eyes. I returned my arm to my eyes and replied. "Yes?"
"I'm going to have to ask you to step down."
"I'm good."
"Ma'am, it's the law. You can't be out here past 8."
"Still good."
"You need to come down." That was a different voice. Another guard had just joined him.
"No thanks."
"Ma'am you have to get down or we will alert-"
"Alert who? You're the guards."
They went silent and the other guard piped up. "Look, just come on down and we'll take you to the inn safe and sound."
"Nope. I'm good here."
I felt heir glares into my head, and only then did I realize the pounding had gone down to a hum.
"It's the law. You obey it or we take you in for the night, maybe two or until someone gets you."
I went silent.
Finally, I groaned and in one single motion I swing my legs over the side of the branch and jumped down, coming to stand in front of them flawlessly.
"Fine."
They brought me around a few twists and turns, kind of near Zoey's house, and finally, we stood at the bottom of a tall and wide building. It was only two story and looked as if it would house 15 at most. Or at least 15 rooms, plus an attic.
I got a room with their help and thanked them as I started for the stairs.
"I'm Dante, by the way." I turned and saw their helmets off. The one that had spoken had blue hair and sapphire eyes.
The one with white hair and emerald eyes spoke next. "I'm Travis."
"Aphmau." I nodded and walked up to my room.
Once I got in, I took off my hood and mask, all my sashes and pouches, leaving me in my long shirt, pants, and once my boots were off, my socks.
There was a knock at the door and I put on my mask before opening it and peeking out a bit.
I saw Zoey and rolled my eyes, removing my mask as I let her in. It was kinda nice to have someone I could do that with.
"You stayed!" She jumped and squealed, pulling me into a hug I didn't mean to return.
"I didn't exactly have a choice. Again, I'm not here for long but I might as well stay on everyone's good sides. Especially if I'm found out. They made me stay at the in because I fell asleep on the tree in the market. Surprisingly comfortable - or at least I've slept on worse." I shrugged and say crosslegged on the bed, Zoey taking her spot on he chair at a small desk adjacent to the bed.
She sighed. "I don't know why you won't stay. It's great here!"
"It is." I agreed, "But I haven't stayed anywhere even for a long-term-temporary sort of thing since I was 10. Just not me." Or at least what I don't want to show.
"I guess." She bounced her shoulders and still stood up straight as a board. I can't blame her as I did too.
"But can't you just stay for a little while longer! I can show you the best spots, all the nice families. - there's a lot! You could learn some stuff you don't, and you can teach others the stuff you know that they don't! Oh and -"
"Zoey. Really. I'm not here long. You can't offer me anything to make me stay. If I wanted to stay, I would and currently, I don't so that's that." I swallowed and tried to sound calm as I said the next part, not upset that I was kicking her out. "I think you should leave, Zoey. Get some sleep, and I will, too."
Sadness crossed her eyes and face and she nodded, a fake sad smile played on her lips. She stood up and walked to the door, leaving without a word.
Once she was gone, I let out the breath I had been holding and laid back on the bed, rubbing my temples.
I simply laid there for who knows how long, until another knock sounded.
Groaning, I yelled that it was open before rolling onto my face, stomach down on the bed.
Aaron walked in, and I groaned again, turning to the wall away from him so I could talk without my mask. "Who would have known I was so popular," I mumbled into the blankets and continued. "What are you doing here?"
I heard him lean on the wall and as he spoke, I heard a shuffle. Presumably, him crossing his arms. "Shouldn't I be asking you that? Looked like you'd be leaving right then not extending your stay."
"Ugh. I am leaving. In fact," I got up off the bed and put on my mask, following with my sashes and bands and cloak. "I'll be leaving right now. How's that?"
I walked toward the door, fully intent on leaving when he spoke, making me stop in my tracks.
"I know you're a vampire."
My eyes widened as I stared at the hallway outside, really looking at nothing.
What. . . How the hell. . .
I swallowed and kept walking out of the inn.
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тнαтѕ αвσυт 600 ωσя∂ѕ ℓσиgєя тнαи иσямαℓ, нσρє уσυ єиʝσує∂.
Word count: 2585
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