DemetriusTwo things happen simultaneously, both catch me off guard. But it’s the minutes prior that replay in my mind as I attempt to get a grasp of the reality ahead of me. Xenia knew something was off. Of course she did. She’s extremely intelligent and well-versed in reading situations. I should have caught on sooner, consulted her even. But in my overly confident stupidity, I ignored the warnings, instead allowing anger and the territorial side of my beast to overpower me. Now it’s obvious it had all been intentional. These vampires taunted me, and like a brainless fish, I took the bait. Since she regained her memory, there were a few things we could have handled differently.We probably should have skipped out on the mind-blowing quickie, but it was one for the books.We should have avoided conflict and looked for an exit. But knowing the one who attempted to unceremoniously take her blood was before me… well, I simply could not allow him to continue to breathe the same
Xenia“Ouch!” I catch myself before swearing realizing as of late, curse words have become a frequent part of my vocabulary.My elbow hit a hard surface. Where am I? What happened?The room is dark and small, but there’s a sliver of light flooding through a partially opened door. The last thing I remember is taking Andreas’ blood, then calling upon the odd purple power -- something I came up with for lack of a better name -- and feeling extremely satisfied watching him fly across the room uncontrollably. The look on his face was pure gold.It’s annoying he’s been blessed with such handsome features. His personality sucks. He doesn’t deserve them.And then everything went black.Oh, my God. Demetrius. Where is he!?I jump up in a panic wondering how much time has passed. I have to make sure he’s okay somehow.Why am I in this room? It’s like I was hidden, and the fact I’m clueless as to my position is a bit of an impediment to my plan of finding Demetrius. It doesn’t stop me
AndreasMy mistakes and arrogance have finally cost me. How quickly things can take a turn for the worse. One moment you feel like you’re on top of the world, the next you’re falling hard.They say when you are at the bottom, there’s only one way to go. I suppose the same holds true for the opposite situation as well. It was foolish of me to leave the two of them alone. Thinking she’d be safe with my guards. Thinking he’d remain confined within his cell. Thinking there was no way the two of them would find their way back to one another after everything I’d done to ensure that didn’t happen. Yet it did.The connection they had, I wanted it for myself. I envied that.Damn him!I slam my fist against the steering wheel while racing through the streets at dangerous speeds, intent on ending things with finality this time. Taunting him was fun while it lasted, but he cannot be allowed to live any longer. His prolonged interference had already set me back. Because somehow even though I co
XeniaDemetrius kneels over Andreas, asserting his authority, gripping the hilt of the blade that’s protruding from his chest tightly in his fingers until they turn pale.“Didn’t I say I would be the one to end you?” His question lingers causing my thoughts to wander. War begins to rage in my mind. Uncertainties cloud my judgment.Vampire laws are different than my own. Tiberius is here, Yuno and Hendrix too, as well as many others that are unknown. Lucius, the king, and Andreas’ father is also among those present. The authority and power he exudes is intimidating, yet he stands there silently even though his body language says he’s not on board with what’s about to happen. Will no one intervene? The situation makes me uneasy. It almost seems wrong.Then what is the right thing? And right for whom? The line between right and wrong can be thin. It’s not always so clear. Sometimes it’s subjective…I understand Demetrius’ point. It’s just…Then something comes over me. A divine interve
XeniaA month has passed since that night and so many things have changed. I’m learning about the vampire world and how to be a part of it while still embracing my humanity. That’s something I refuse to give up no matter what happens.Humans live our lives day to day, concerned with finances, work, and relationships. Our priorities are based around materialism and the projection that we have a perfect lifestyle, but there’s so much more to it than that. For the most part, we are ignorant of what takes place right under our noses. That’s probably a good thing, because the reality is like a parallel universe. Straight out of a scary movie, when the sun sets and the moon rises, evil lurks around every corner. What I’ve recently learned and what’s even more disturbing is vampires aren’t the only threat. Sometimes it can all be a bit overwhelming. My brain struggles to grasp the influx of information.Thankfully, Demetrius has been right there beside me, helping me every step of t
XeniaHis cool body somehow provides me comfort and warmth as he tugs me closer. Being in his arms draws away all my uncertainties and fears.The room is dark and moody. Lit candles dance in the space and there’s a heavenly scent flowing around us. We’re laying on the softest couch I’ve ever felt. It must be made of clouds. Any snack you could think of has been provided, and a TV the size of a wall displays a movie that normally would have my attention, if my mind wasn’t so preoccupied by the gorgeous man beside me.Both my stomach and heart are completely full.Thinking about us has my emotions all over the place. My hand goes under his shirt instinctually, searching for that skin-to-skin contact. He shifts beside me under my touch, and I wonder if he feels the same about me.But I know he does. He tells me often. Not only with words, but body language and actions.No longer do I compare my past relationships with him, because he’s ridden me of all my uncertainties and qual
In a dark, forgotten chamber, cobwebs and dust have taken over. Water drips through the cracks of the stone walls and dirt above. The smell of mold and death fills the air. Light and life have been missing from this place for hundreds of years.A distant memory. A final resting place. A desolate tomb. Abandoned and never to be accessed again.That was the objective when the mother of all vampires laid down in her coffin for what was to be the last time.She fell into an everlasting slumber of her own doing, incapable of accepting what had become of her life, but disinclined to choose true death, as that would not have been punishment enough.Unable to face the consequences of her actions and ashamed of her creations, there was nothing left to live for.So, she slept, and she dreamed about her mistakes.To save her children, she became a monster requiring blood from the living in order to survive, but that wasn’t the intention. It’s not what she wanted. The Mother wished to protect
Demetrius I kick a pebble and watch as it skips along the dark cobbled street. My hands are stuffed tightly in my pockets like they are searching for something. I’m in a real mood tonight. Another night in this meaningless life. Restlessness has taken over, guiding me to this place for reasons unknown. I drown out the noise and voices around me, not wanting to deal with the petty issues of humanity. Their problems seem so feeble and unimportant in the grand scheme of things.Why had I decided to come here at this hour when it was so very clear I shouldn’t be around anyone, especially any humans? Disgusting things. But I did know why. I was searching for something, anything different than what I was accustomed to. Maybe I can get into some trouble, maybe I will find a woman, or maybe I will do both. Vampire women are so boring and I’ve already had my share. Even though I didn’t like humans in general, taking one to bed every now and then at least allowed me some reprieve from my thoug
In a dark, forgotten chamber, cobwebs and dust have taken over. Water drips through the cracks of the stone walls and dirt above. The smell of mold and death fills the air. Light and life have been missing from this place for hundreds of years.A distant memory. A final resting place. A desolate tomb. Abandoned and never to be accessed again.That was the objective when the mother of all vampires laid down in her coffin for what was to be the last time.She fell into an everlasting slumber of her own doing, incapable of accepting what had become of her life, but disinclined to choose true death, as that would not have been punishment enough.Unable to face the consequences of her actions and ashamed of her creations, there was nothing left to live for.So, she slept, and she dreamed about her mistakes.To save her children, she became a monster requiring blood from the living in order to survive, but that wasn’t the intention. It’s not what she wanted. The Mother wished to protect
XeniaHis cool body somehow provides me comfort and warmth as he tugs me closer. Being in his arms draws away all my uncertainties and fears.The room is dark and moody. Lit candles dance in the space and there’s a heavenly scent flowing around us. We’re laying on the softest couch I’ve ever felt. It must be made of clouds. Any snack you could think of has been provided, and a TV the size of a wall displays a movie that normally would have my attention, if my mind wasn’t so preoccupied by the gorgeous man beside me.Both my stomach and heart are completely full.Thinking about us has my emotions all over the place. My hand goes under his shirt instinctually, searching for that skin-to-skin contact. He shifts beside me under my touch, and I wonder if he feels the same about me.But I know he does. He tells me often. Not only with words, but body language and actions.No longer do I compare my past relationships with him, because he’s ridden me of all my uncertainties and qual
XeniaA month has passed since that night and so many things have changed. I’m learning about the vampire world and how to be a part of it while still embracing my humanity. That’s something I refuse to give up no matter what happens.Humans live our lives day to day, concerned with finances, work, and relationships. Our priorities are based around materialism and the projection that we have a perfect lifestyle, but there’s so much more to it than that. For the most part, we are ignorant of what takes place right under our noses. That’s probably a good thing, because the reality is like a parallel universe. Straight out of a scary movie, when the sun sets and the moon rises, evil lurks around every corner. What I’ve recently learned and what’s even more disturbing is vampires aren’t the only threat. Sometimes it can all be a bit overwhelming. My brain struggles to grasp the influx of information.Thankfully, Demetrius has been right there beside me, helping me every step of t
XeniaDemetrius kneels over Andreas, asserting his authority, gripping the hilt of the blade that’s protruding from his chest tightly in his fingers until they turn pale.“Didn’t I say I would be the one to end you?” His question lingers causing my thoughts to wander. War begins to rage in my mind. Uncertainties cloud my judgment.Vampire laws are different than my own. Tiberius is here, Yuno and Hendrix too, as well as many others that are unknown. Lucius, the king, and Andreas’ father is also among those present. The authority and power he exudes is intimidating, yet he stands there silently even though his body language says he’s not on board with what’s about to happen. Will no one intervene? The situation makes me uneasy. It almost seems wrong.Then what is the right thing? And right for whom? The line between right and wrong can be thin. It’s not always so clear. Sometimes it’s subjective…I understand Demetrius’ point. It’s just…Then something comes over me. A divine interve
AndreasMy mistakes and arrogance have finally cost me. How quickly things can take a turn for the worse. One moment you feel like you’re on top of the world, the next you’re falling hard.They say when you are at the bottom, there’s only one way to go. I suppose the same holds true for the opposite situation as well. It was foolish of me to leave the two of them alone. Thinking she’d be safe with my guards. Thinking he’d remain confined within his cell. Thinking there was no way the two of them would find their way back to one another after everything I’d done to ensure that didn’t happen. Yet it did.The connection they had, I wanted it for myself. I envied that.Damn him!I slam my fist against the steering wheel while racing through the streets at dangerous speeds, intent on ending things with finality this time. Taunting him was fun while it lasted, but he cannot be allowed to live any longer. His prolonged interference had already set me back. Because somehow even though I co
Xenia“Ouch!” I catch myself before swearing realizing as of late, curse words have become a frequent part of my vocabulary.My elbow hit a hard surface. Where am I? What happened?The room is dark and small, but there’s a sliver of light flooding through a partially opened door. The last thing I remember is taking Andreas’ blood, then calling upon the odd purple power -- something I came up with for lack of a better name -- and feeling extremely satisfied watching him fly across the room uncontrollably. The look on his face was pure gold.It’s annoying he’s been blessed with such handsome features. His personality sucks. He doesn’t deserve them.And then everything went black.Oh, my God. Demetrius. Where is he!?I jump up in a panic wondering how much time has passed. I have to make sure he’s okay somehow.Why am I in this room? It’s like I was hidden, and the fact I’m clueless as to my position is a bit of an impediment to my plan of finding Demetrius. It doesn’t stop me
DemetriusTwo things happen simultaneously, both catch me off guard. But it’s the minutes prior that replay in my mind as I attempt to get a grasp of the reality ahead of me. Xenia knew something was off. Of course she did. She’s extremely intelligent and well-versed in reading situations. I should have caught on sooner, consulted her even. But in my overly confident stupidity, I ignored the warnings, instead allowing anger and the territorial side of my beast to overpower me. Now it’s obvious it had all been intentional. These vampires taunted me, and like a brainless fish, I took the bait. Since she regained her memory, there were a few things we could have handled differently.We probably should have skipped out on the mind-blowing quickie, but it was one for the books.We should have avoided conflict and looked for an exit. But knowing the one who attempted to unceremoniously take her blood was before me… well, I simply could not allow him to continue to breathe the same
XeniaThe remaining vampires eye us warily after that display, spreading out to block our path. It’s weird they didn’t seem to bat an eye after their friend was just killed right in front of them. Friend is a strong word. Maybe they were just coworkers. Not all coworkers are treated equally. And if I’m being honest, there are a few in my past who I wouldn’t mind…I mentally slap myself for getting carried away. Now is not the time to get distracted by my thoughts or psychoanalyze the situation.Demetrius doesn’t waver. He remains in front of me like a shield and somehow, against the odds before us, I feel safe and protected. It’s telling they don’t just attack us on sight. That leads me to a few conclusions. Either they’ve been instructed not to. Or they know who they’re up against and are apprehensive to press us without a plan.Perhaps it is the time to psychoanalyze.Demetrius notices this too. I know, because it becomes obvious when his shoulders relax, and he rolls his neck from
Xenia“Andreas will undoubtedly return soon. In fact, I find it odd he even left you behind in the first place. There must have been something important for him to do.”Demetrius seemed to be speaking more to himself than me as he continued to tug me along like a dog walker.“I need to get to a phone, call on some back up. At this moment, we are severely outnumbered.”“My phone is missing along with my purse and gun. And I use the term ‘missing’ loosely, because I’m pretty sure Andreas just took it from me.” I whisper to him, silently applauding myself for remembering that vampires have sensitive hearing. The thought reminds me it’s a wonder none of them have caught us by now. Just before we reach the top of the stairs, he halts suddenly, pressing his fingers to his lips. Everything’s extremely quiet. Eerily quiet, and I’m wondering how long it’s been since my fight with the other vampire. An hour or so? Where is everyone? It seems like forever ago at this point. Can he r