4. A Story of a Knight in Shining Armor

Demetrius

“Brother, I’m so glad you came!” Avalon runs towards me and I embrace her small frame. “I can’t believe you left me here.” I look down at her and can see the emotions in her eyes. She’s upset with me, but I can’t blame her. She probably feels like I abandoned her, and in a way, I guess I have. I feel bad about that. She’s the only one who I really care about. The only one deserving of that. A little bit of light to my darkness.

“I’m sorry, little angel.” I say as I rub her head lovingly knowing my words will annoy her. She frowns up at me and pouts.

“Don’t call me that. I’m no angel.” That makes me laugh. I guess she’s right. She can be pretty feisty, but still she has a good heart even when she tries to hide it feeling the need to live up to the vampire name. She hasn’t had to harden it yet, and I hope she never does. As much as I want her to remain pure, I worry for her and her soft heart. I never want to see it get broken as mine has. Because I will crush the head of whomever dares to do her that way. I feel a rage sparkling just thinking about it, but I calm myself quickly. My emotions have been abnormally on edge lately and I need to get them under control.

“So what has been happening here while I have been gone?” I ask her walking into the living area of my father’s mansion, the home that had been mine as well up until a month ago. I look around the room. Not much has changed of course. Nothing has been spared when it comes to décor and high-quality furnishings. Wealth has always been known to me, but it’s yet another thing that bores me. I’m sure the poor would disagree, but when you have everything, it doesn’t hold the same value. If you live life every day as if it is a vacation, does it truly feel like a vacation anymore? If you indulge constantly, that becomes the norm. That’s exactly what I’m feeling. I just want something out of the ordinary. I’m irritating even myself with my whininess sounding like a broken record, but it can’t be helped. I’m the oldest of vampires, but I’m not new either. After living for 127 years and doing the same thing again and again, it becomes monotonous and tiring. I yearn for a change.

“What do you think? The same as when you were here of course. I don’t want to talk about it. I want to hear about your life on the outside. How has it been being free of this shithole?”

“Avalon, mind your tongue,” Father’s warning comes before he exits the room leaving us alone. She looks back to me and rolls her eyes. Yes, not so much of an angel, I muse.

“Well, what do you want to know? To be honest it’s not very exciting. Life outside of the confines of the coven is not much different. Humans are boring and weak.” As I say the words, one human comes to mind that does not seem so boring even though I barely know anything about her.

“Well, you have been on the outside for a month, tell me what it’s like.” She looks at me with sparkling eyes, and it makes me feel bad that she is stuck here and can’t move about freely.

“You probably know all there is to know. There are bars and clubs, movie theaters, restaurants, events, many things to do for entertainment if you can be entertained, but I have no one so I tend to keep to myself.” The resentfulness in my tone is clear. I am forever alone.

She looks disappointed and I contemplate telling her about the meeting with Xenia. Avalon is such a lover and would swoon over the story of her big brother being a knight in shining armor. I decide there’s no real harm. What could really come of it?

“Actually, just the other night I had a bit of an odd encounter with a human woman. Would you like to hear about it?”

“Oh, yes, please! This sounds interesting I shall make us some drinks.” She rushes over to the table and pours me a glass of my favorite cognac while she settles on hot chocolate from the Keurig with marshmallows. At just 16 years old, Avalon is the youngest of siblings, and sometimes I forget how innocent she is. By all accounts she is a baby vampire. She’s still so raw and pure, even if she does have a sharp tongue.

“Thank you,” I smile up at her taking a drink of the room temperature liquid as she jumps onto the couch eager to hear my story.

“So the other night I am walking down the street and I hear this couple arguing. The man has been caught with another, and the woman he is to be with is clearly upset. They are yelling and he is trying to calm her down with useless words, but I can see through his deception. He does not truly care about his woman.”

“What an asshole.”

I chuckle but I’m a bit surprised. “Avalon, Father is right. You should mind your tongue. Where have you picked up this potty mouth of yours?”

She shrugs innocently. “I don’t know. Vampires curse a lot, I think. I’m almost of age. What’s the issue?” I raise a brow to her but continue with my story. We will have a talk about this later.

“Anyways, just as I am about to enter the establishment, the door swings open and out pops this little thing bumping right into me not paying any attention. She starts apologizing immediately and I can tell she has been crying when suddenly she looks up at me in shock.”

She gasps. “Was she pretty? Why was she shocked? Was it because of your handsome face? I’m sure that’s it.” I smirk. Is she going to let me tell this story or not?

“Yes. I think it very well may have been my handsome face, and yes, she was pretty.” Her eyes light up at that and I can see the cogs turning in her mind. She’s something else.

“But then the asshole, as you so eloquently put it, shows up and they begin to argue more. I step back intending to stay out of their business, when he begins to get disrespectful, so I am forced to step in.”

“Yes! Did you break his nose? Please tell me you broke his nose.”

“Avie, no. I could not just simply break his nose like that. Besides, do you not think that would scare the human woman?”

She looks down and I see her cheeks flush from embarrassment at the thought. “Oh, yeah. I guess you’re right.” I laugh. “Any other questions, or would you like me to continue?” I ask sarcastically, hinting at her constant interruption.

“Well, I am sure I will have other questions, but I won’t know until you continue, now, will I?” I suppose she has me there. “Wait. Did you at least show him your vampire face?”

“Patience, dear. So, when I interrupted, he of course turned to me wondering why I was inserting myself into their personal conversation, to my surprise, the woman lies and tells him that I am her friend there to see her home safely. I go along with this story because now I do not like the asshole. His name is Aiden, by the way. And I hate the name.”

“Ugh, me too.”

“Then he does something completely unexpected and grabs her wrist trying to prevent her from leaving. So enters the vampire face. Of course, I don’t let the human woman see this. But I remove his hand from her wrist forcefully and command him to leave, and he does. Then I walk the woman home safely and leave. The end.” I decide to leave the hand kiss part out. She doesn’t need to know every detail.

“The end? So the woman — and you didn’t — this doesn’t sound like the ending I want.” She crosses her arms and seems flustered.

“Well, I’m sorry, angel, but that is what truly happened. It is not just a story. But I am curious, how would you like it to end?”

“Well, I do like that you walked her home safely. But it should have ended with a kiss or something. Or the start of a beautiful relationship and you both falling madly in love.” She has this look in her eyes and I’m beginning to think she has been reading too many fantasy novels.

She is funny, though. I can’t stop smiling around her and I realize how much I’ve missed her company. When I am with her, I do not feel so alone. Even though we are quite different she is a spark to my dullness. Maybe Father will allow her to spend some time away with me. It is the least he can do after his relentless attempts to pressure me and the burden he has placed on my shoulders.

I can’t help but think about what Avalon just said, though. The ending with the kiss, I must admit that doesn’t sound too bad. As much as I enjoyed kissing her hand, her lips would have been a far better alternative. If only I could have a do-over…

No. I shouldn’t be thinking that way. I shouldn’t be thinking about her at all. She is a human, only good for temporary pleasure and nothing else. But yet at that very moment that’s exactly what I am doing, and I can’t stop wondering if she is thinking about me too.