I was listening, feeling and watching Eric. His mind was running; heart racing and his words were scrambled. Eric was always so collected and together, it was hard being on this end of the confusion and chaos.
"Eric, I can't take your uncertainty. As you've told me a hundred times, just calm down and spit it out." I grabbed the sides of his face softly and he took a deep breath. It was nice to know I have the same calming effect on him as well. I leaned forward and kissed his lips. "You can't get rid of me now, so please just come out with it so we can move past it.
"Alright, well here it is. Remember, you said you'd let me finish my whole story and then you can freak out on me. Promise me again that you'll just... Promise me you won't leave." Eric wrapped his arms around me and held me tight, saying over and over in his mind that he couldn't lose me, not now, not when he just found me.
"I promise. I promise I won't leave you, now or ever."
Eric took a few deep breaths and started his story. "I'm not who you think I am, or rather what you think I am, but because of what I am I have to find my other half within a certain amount of time or I die.
I was listening to Eric but his story just missed so much detail that it was hard to understand. "Wait, wait, wait. Are you purposely putting all these holes in your story or are you really just trying to keep me in the dark in hopes I won't ask questions?" I didn't want to snap at him but he was going through all this effort to tell me and he may as well just spit it out!
"Dammit, alright. I'm a vampire. When you were dying, I gave you some of my blood so you wouldn't die. It's started the change and since you are my other half, our bonding has started as well."
I looked at Eric but I couldn't feel anything. I looked into his eyes and I wasn't scared or even shocked, which only freaked me out more. I slowly removed myself from his lap and sat down next to him, keeping my leg brushed up against his because I was trying not to freak him out but running away altogether. I needed to think about this rationally.
Since I'd woken up from my accident, I'd felt different, better than I had in years. Eric made me feel safe. Eric brought me happiness; something I didn't think was possible in my life. I think I'd be alright with this as long as I had more information. "Eric, I...”
"Slone, I'll answer any questions you have, ask away." The smile in his voice and on his face was beautiful and laced with relief. Before I could even ask one question, Eric's lips were hungrily seeking mine, making my head spin. He moved to my cheeks and then kissing all over my face, making me laugh.
"I'm sorry; I'll stop and let you ask whatever you need to." He moved back from me slightly, but the distance between us was painful. I pushed him down on the couch and lay on top of his body, making sure I could still see his reactions when I asked my questions.
"Alright, Eric. Time for the tough questions." I cleared my throat, readying myself and he winked at me and took a deep breath.
"Shoot."
"How old are you?"
His eyes closed and he said, "I was hoping you'd skip over that, but seeing as I'm telling the whole truth, I'll be five hundred in just under a week." He opened one eye to look at me. My mouth was hanging open in shock.
"Well, you sure can work it for being an old man." I laughed, causing him to laugh and tried to think of what I wanted to know most.
"You said the bonding process was started. What happens next, do I have a choice, what do I have to do, how will it affect me, will I be me still?" I had to stop to take a breath and Eric started laughing so hard I was bouncing on his chest from his body shaking.
"Slone, stop, stop, stop. I can't answer all of those at once." His laughed slowed, making me watch his face. Now that he said he wasn't normal, I could see certain things that were different about him. His skin was flawless. He was the perfect color of tan and his eyes often changed colors, depending on his mood. His hair was always perfect, even if I ran my hands through it roughly.
"Where do you want me to start? OK firstly, you will always be you. Being a vampire just makes you stronger and you’re uh, diet changes. Nothing about your personality changes unless you allow yourself to become dark. That can happen to any person though. When I gave you my blood, it healed your wounds but you actually died. Because you died with vampire blood in your system, the change has started. In order for you to become an actual vampire, you need to take blood from me as I take blood from you, but more importantly... you have to love me unconditionally." His eyes closed again and I felt his body tense. He started to think something and then he just stopped, shutting off my ability to hear him.
"Hey, you can shut me out? Don't do that. I can't shut you out so you can't shut me out." My rant came out as a whine and Eric leaned forward to kiss my nose, calming me instantly.
"I'm sorry. I just want you to work through all this on your own, without me persuading you one way or the other. There is a down side to you deciding you don't want to be with me though, but I don't want to say until you've made up your mind. I can't change your mind." Eric fake smiled and I knew it was something bad but I wasn't going to push him about it.
"Alrighty then. Well, if I decide to continue with the process, what would happen next to me?" Eric took a deep breath and sat up, keeping me on his lap. I knew this was going to be a touch question when I asked it and I could tell it was making him uncertain how to answer. "I'm not scared, just tell me." His eyes flashed back to mine and he smirked.
"I wouldn't be so sure of that. I'm going to be honest and I'll really think something is wrong with you if you aren't scared. This is a big deal Slone." I shook my head yes, agreeing with him and waited for him to continue. "If you decide you want to become a vampire, consuming each other’s blood is next like I said and then your body will start to change. I'm very strong and I don't need much sleep. I don't eat food, well normal food and I can fly."
I thought my eyes were going to pop right out of my head when he said fly. "You can what? You can fly? Really? That's so, well that's damn weird honestly."
He smiled and wrapped his arms around my waist, keeping me close. "You remember that first day you left down the front elevator and I was already at your car when you got there? I told you I'd taken the back elevator but in reality, I'd just flown off the balcony." Eric's response was like flying was nothing special. He did it all the time and it was no big deal.
"Can all vampires fly?"
"No, you attain powers as you get older. They kind of work with the kind of person you were in life. I was a free spirit, like a bird. I never lived in one place too long, never set down roots or had a family." Eric looked sad for a moment and his eyes were focused on something far away. He was clearly blocking me out, thinking about something he didn't want me to know. His eyes suddenly flashed to mine and he said, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to take off just then. I was thinking about my life before. What's next?"
"Are serious mood swings part of being a vampire? You are happy one second, sad the next and angry another. I don't like it." I frowned at him and he kissed my lips, taking away my worry.
"No, I'm not usually so all over the place. So much is happening right now and it's hard to focus. Please, continue and ask anything you wish."
His statement about everything that was happening now reminded me of Michael. "Who is Michael exactly and what does he want with me?
"Shit. I was hoping you'd forget him. Michael is my uncle, my real blood uncle. He's evil, selfish and dangerous. He can't be killed; or rather we haven't found a way to kill him. You fit into all of that mess as well. He thinks you are part of some long winded, stupid prophecy that says you have to bare pure vampire child that will be the beginning of a new race. Since he's the oldest vampire, he's the strongest and for some reason, he thinks you’re the one to carry out this stupid fantasy."
I couldn't hear any more. I needed a break. I quickly got off Eric lap and started pacing around the room. How was all of this happening? Why me? Why now? I was fine being alone. No I wasn't, I was miserable. I just never expected to be here. Kids? Did I want kids? Would I be a good mother? Well, it didn't matter because I wasn't having kids with Michael.
All of these things flashed into my head and before I knew what was going on, my world went black.
I woke up to this very bright light and the sound of running water. I rubbed my eyes and looked around, not recognizing anything around me. Slowly, I sat up and took in my surroundings.
I came to this place as a child, with my father. This is where all of my abuse first started.
My eyes became huge and I jumped to my feet, looking around for my father. There was no way in hell I was allowing him to hurt me again. I'd stayed away from him for all these years and I was stronger now. He couldn't hurt me.
"Larissa, you've come back." I froze instantly, hearing that voice, hearing him call me by my given name. Slowly, I turned my body around but stepped back from his voice. He was standing there, leaning against a huge tree. He looked exactly as he did the last time I saw him. He was still much taller than me and his dark brown eyes that mirrored my own stared back at me, causing me to shutter. Don't show him fear.
"What am I doing here?" My question came out ugly and full of hate and I was proud of myself for not sounding weak.
"Don't you remember this place? I thought bringing you somewhere familiar would make this easier for you. Larissa, I've missed you so much and if I could just touch you again." He moved towards me suddenly, causing me to turn from him and run.
I ran through the forest as fast as I could. I could hear him not far behind me, calling my name, telling me to stop. Tree branches were smacking against my skin, stinging me and I was running out of air. I just couldn't stop running, like my body was taking over.
"Larissa! Get back here you stupid bitch. I will find you." His statement made me run faster, causing me to lose track of where I was going. Hands shot out and caught me just before I fell to the ground. I looked up to see Michael, holding me carefully in his arms.
"Larissa is it? I learn something new about you daily Lover. Give me the word and I'll kill him for you." His face moved unbelievable fast to mine and before I knew what was happening, his lips were on mine. I tried to push him off but he was far too strong.
"Don't try to get away from me, I will find you in the end...” he said, causing me to open my eyes. I saw my father's face and I screamed.
*
Slone was pacing back and forth, asking herself a million questions I just wanted to answer for her. I knew I shouldn't have said that stuff to her about Michael and the prophecy but I was honestly relieved she knew. It was easier to keep her safe if she knew. She was breathing so fast and I didn't think she realized she was hyperventilating until she suddenly stopped. I saw her knees turn to mush and I rushed to her, just in time to catch her before falling to the floor.
I carried her over to the couch and laid her down. "Slone, can you hear me?" I asked as I touched her cheek with my hand. "Slone, wake up." She wasn't responding and I couldn't get a read on her thoughts. It was like she was blocking me out. She couldn't block me. It had taken me ten years to learn how to do it and she wasn't even a full vampire yet. Then it hit me.
Michael.
"Slone, wake up!" I grabbed her by the arms and shook her, trying to rouse her. I got up quickly and got a glass of water, bringing it back and throwing it on her face. She flinched from the cold but didn't wake up. I had to find another way to get to her.
*
Looking into my father's face with him so close to me, scared me more than I thought it would. He was looking over my face, stroking my cheek with the back if his hand.
"God you’re so beautiful. You look so much like your mother its unreal." He moved forward to kiss me and I pushed on his chest to try and keep him back.
"Don't. Get off me!" I was yelling, thrashing around and all too quickly, I was being pinned down with my arms above my head.
"Now, be a good girl and do as Daddy says." Daddy? Who the hell did he think he was? Blind rage flashed through me and before I could blink again, I pushed his body off mine. I rolled away, quickly standing again and I took one look back in his direction. He was just standing there, watching me run from him.
I turned back around only to run right into a tree and knock myself out.
*
I placed my hands on Slone's head and concentrated as hard as I could. I couldn't let Michael hurt her. It was like I was running around in the dark, trying to look for something, anything but I couldn't. Then out of nowhere, I saw it. It was like tunnel vision with a light at the end. I ran for it, as fast as I could.
After just a moment, I saw her. She was laying there on the ground in front of a tree. She wasn't bleeding or anything but she did have a nasty bruise on her head. I ran to her, picked her up and ran back the way I came. If Michael was around, I wasn't going to give him the chance to make himself known.
As quickly as I'd left, Slone and I were back. I opened my eyes and removed my hands from her head to see her start to stir. "Slone, honey wake up." I touched the side of her face softly and her eyes flashed open. She jumped back from me quickly and pushed herself against the wall on the other side of the room. She was looking around, checking where she was.
"It's just me." I held my hands out to her, showing her I wasn't going to hurt her. I stood up and took a step towards her. She launched herself into my arms and hugged me tightly. "It's OK. You're safe now." I stroked her hair and back, trying to calm her.
"It was awful Eric. My father and Michael were there. My father chased me, trying to make me...” I saw what she was thinking and I became instantly pissed off. How dare Michael do that to her. How dare he pretend to be her father to kiss her and scare her. He really was going to die and I was going to find a way.