CharlieThe pitch black room doesn’t make my escape any easier. After prying Maxwell’s arm off me, I slip out of bed in search for the door. I contemplate opening the curtains, allowing me to see where the exit is without bumping into furniture, but I decide it would be best to have Maxwell continue sleeping. So, with my eyes open as wide as possible, which is useless, and my arms outstretched before me to guide the way, I start the treacherous walk.I hold my breath with each tiptoe across the floor. The fact that I probably look like Frankenstein crosses my mind. The rattling of something on top of what I believe to be the dresser echoes throughout the room as I walk face first into it. The point of my hands protecting me from that very outcome proves worthless as I underestimate the fact that my brain doesn’t register objects until it’s too late. My body goes rigid until the rattling object becomes silent again. Wishful thinking of if Maxwell does wake up he won’t be able to see me
MaxwellI don’t waste time after Charlie leaves to phone Eugene. If anyone is aware of a vampire seeking revenge on Charlie, he would know, especially if it involved Benjamin. However, if he does know of Benjamin’s plans, the outcome would be the same as if he didn’t know. Eugene might be a council member and be treated with high respect, but no one can put Benjamin in his place alone. All council members would have to be on board and for that to happen they would all have to be conscious of Benjamin’s plan.After requesting to speak with Eugene to his assistant, I’m forced to wait through a series of more rings. Finally, his voice greets me. “Maxwell, what an unexpected surprise. What can I do for you? I assume everything is going well with Charlie?”“Well, that’s what I’m calling you about, Charlie’s well being. Someone attacked her friend the other night after showing up at her house requesting to speak with her. He claimed to be friends with Benjamin and myself. Didn’t bother to l
CharlieEveryone in the room is speechless. Juliet’s eyes move from me to Maxwell just as my eyes move from Maxwell to her.The sound of Juliet’s dry throat clearing fills the room. “You brought your secret boyfriend.” Obviously no one can beat the sarcasm out of her.“Yes. No.” I can feel a blush creeping up my neck to pool in my cheeks.I look over her scrapes and bruises, her cast and IVs. This was a message and the message has been received. The tension in the room is thick, too thick for my liking. “You know what, I’m going to get some coffee and a snack from the vending machines downstairs. Do you want anything?” I look at both of them only to be polite as I take a few steps toward the door. Maxwell follows my lead. “You can stay here and get some juicy dirt on me from my bestie,” I say to him, holding up my hand, stopping him in his tracks. “I know she wants the dish on you.”“Twizzlers,” Juliet demands before I finally depart the room.I look one last time at Maxwell; his expr
Maxwell“You are taking me home and not to your place, right?” Charlie questions me as we get onto more populated streets.“I would prefer it if you stayed with me. You saw him Charlie, he’s waiting for the perfect moment. And you’re giving him the perfect moment.”“I can’t stay with you forever, Maxwell,” she claims, completely irritated by my mentioning the idea of staying with me.“That’s not exactly true.” Unwillingly, I abide by her unspoken words and drive to her house. The radio is the only noise that fills the car all the way there. I can tell she’s nervous and uneasy, but she remains quiet, battling her thoughts herself.We reach her house sooner than I would have liked. “At least stay in the car while I check the house over,” I tell her. Her hand lingers on the door handle while I talk, but eventually falls back into her lap.An exhale of her breath ruffles her hair that falls in her eyes.“Stay put,” I tell her before I finally exit the car. The door quietly shuts as she st
CharlieNumber one thing I like about mornings in my own home, no Maxwell. The sun shines on my face as I walk to the mailbox to gather my mail. Already clothed for work I sit at the kitchen table to enjoy some breakfast as I look at the letters I received. A wide smile forms on my face as I see a letter from Robert and Justin, my flower experts. Eagerly, I tear into the envelope to read what other than an invitation to their engagement party. A tiny bit of disappointment seeps into my good mood because I thought they wanted me to help them with their wedding. I haven’t had a chance to check my emails in forever, so for all I know there’s an email from them waiting for me to reply to. To my surprise, a corner of a second piece of paper that is still wedged inside the envelope peaks out. A small laugh fills the silent room as I read a message that Justin wrote. You better have this date available.After finishing my breakfast, I gather my purse and keys to make my way to work, double
MaxwellBefore we get to the hotel Charlie falls asleep. As gently as I can, I gather her in my arms without letting her limbs bob around too much. Her head rolls back over my forearm only to prop itself in the groove of my shoulder. It gets tricky when opening the doors, but within minutes I manage to get safely inside my suite. Propping one knee on the mattress, I lay her in the center of the bed. The sound of her heartbeat is calm and steady. With her deep in sleep there’s nothing for me to do besides let her rest.Instead of sitting in here and watching her sleep, I go to the living room. There’s nothing to do here, but it’s better than hovering over her. Before I sit down, I gather a small box I have hidden. I fiddle with it between my fingers. She’s hell-bent on human traditions and this little box will only connect those human traditions to her future vampire life.It seems all too soon that the pressure of the rising sun bears down on me. I need to call in reinforcements.“Hel
CharlieFive minutes to four o clock my cell phone rings. “Hello?”“Put your papers away and get those rubber gloves on, because I’m out. Well, not until you pick me up. I’ll be waiting for you in my room,” Juliet chimes. She sounds like she’s back to her old self again and I can’t be any happier.Goodbyes are exchanged and I do what I was told. I gather all the scrambled papers on my desk into a neat pile and head out.“Leaving already?” Morgan asks me when I come into view. “I love all these different scarves you’re always wearing, by the way,” she adds as she leans over the front desk.I adjust the pink plaid scarf tighter around my neck. It’s becoming
MaxwellI’m more than ready to barge in there and grab Charlie, demanding that she leaves, but I wait until she exits the house on her own. The presence of Dave makes the little blood I have left in my body boil. Hovering in one of the shadows across the street, watching her finally head to her car, relief begins to flood through me. Except when I see Dave chasing after her, I become more than agitated. I listened to him seduce her with a song and now I’m forced to listen to him stumbling over his words.Balling my hands into fists with anger, I draw that blood out. My vision gets blurry with rage as I see her with her mouth on his. Although, when her sweet mouth starts swearing I feel a little better.“Maxwell. Maxwell.” A soft whisper of my name sounds from behind me.
MaxwellThe moment I arrive at Benjamin’s, along with everyone else, I want to rush to Charlie’s room, but I stop myself. I can keep myself in check just a bit longer.“Maxwell.” Stella’s voice purrs behind me. She loops her arm around mine. “Will you sit with me?”“No.” I shake her loose.“Oh, do you think it’ll make you look bad. Poor Charlie dead and you’ve already moved on.”I twist around to face her so fast that I catch a flinch flash across her face. “I’ve not moved on and if I ever were it wouldn’t be with you.” I look her up and down, eyes narrowed, “I don’t remember you being so miserably clingy or so stupid and naive, scrambling to pick up peieces of a life that no long exists.”I leave her standing there to search for my seat. Grace claimed she marked one for me right in front. It’s not exactly where I want to be, front and center to the council’s probing eyes, but once Charlie comes out, front and center will be exactly where I want to be.Benjamin does his theartics like
CharlieThree firm taps rap against the door. I’m starting to despise these knocks. “Charlie.” A familiar voice calls.I rush to that stupid wooden door as if it were a lifeline. “Grace.” Her name comes out on my exhale of breath.The excitement from her arrival is short lived. “It’s almost time.” She makes the briefest of eye contact with me before looking down the hall. Left then right and left again. “Slyvester will get you when the halls are clear.” Before she leaves she squeezes my arm. “We’ll see you soon.”It feels like eternity waiting for Slyvester to come get me. Are there that many people? Or do they not care for being on time? I remember those that showed up late to parties or clients that didn’t stick to the timeline. Would the council allow such a thing?The knocks that finally bang on the door are heavier than the others. I open it to reveal the doorman. He lingers in the hallway quietly waiting for me. “Follow me,” is all he says before retreating down the hall.I’m no
MaxwellToday’s the day. The day that all of this ends. The day that Charlie and I can put everything behind us and move forward. Revenge for revenge, victory to be won. I know better than anyone that Charlie won’t be able to grow as a vampire with Daisy still lurking about, with Duke still on his high horse.It ends today.Someone barges into the room once again. It only takes a second or two to figure out that it’s Grace. This time she doesn’t catch me in an awful situation. Instead of an awful situation, she catches me in an awful mood. All the hateful thoughts, all the ways I could kill Daisy float around inside my head. My decades of loathing that have piled up towards Duke. It brings out a viscous side of me. I don’t even lift my head to meet her stare.“We have a problem.” The panic in her voice sends a jolt through my body.“Charlie?” I leap from the couch, my killer mood intensifies. “What did he do?”“Benjamin did nothing more than he already did, but this is...about Duke.”
CharlieI would love to sit and wallow in the room all day until it was time to leave and a small part of me believes that I could. But as the rest of the day goes by and the sun sets, the longer I’m left alone the more my mind races. Why is he leaving me alone for so long? Benjamin didn’t seem like the type to give anyone space especially after making them extremely uncomfortable.Against my better judgment, I decide to leave the confines of the room. Sneaking around the halls of the house is an excitable danger that I shouldn’t dabble with. Danger wasn’t something to toy with, especially when that danger involved Benjamin.Every corner I turn I expect to run into him, his glare and slick words that will take this as some sort of enjoyability, an invitation to include me, socialize with me, which is the last thing I want. There’s a darkness in him and it resides in someone else, it’s the same darkness that Maxwell had in his past and little bits are still in him today. It makes me sh
MaxwellThe knock on the door is a lifeline that I didn’t know I needed. Just the thought of Charlie alone with Benjamin this long eats away at me. How many hours has it been? How many more are left?I immediately answer it thinking it’s Grace coming back to offer dinner or lunch or whatever meal it would be or to tell she’s going to see Charlie...maybe to tell she’s come back from seeing Charlie, but it’s not Grace. “Stella.”She leans against the doorframe, blocking the threshold, blocking the door from being slammed shut in her face. I knew this would happen, I was just naive enough to hope it wouldn’t.“Are you going to invite me in?” She asks as she pushes her way inside the room.“No. I’m not.”“That’s fine. I invited myself in. You’re obviously depressed and lethargic, so I’m here to take care of you. I knew full well that I wouldn’t be taking no for an answer. You should know full well that I wouldn’t be turned away.” She prances into the space as if she owns it. “The Maxwell
CharlieBeing alone here is like playing house with an enemy. If you’re not watching your every move, someone is. There is no safe place. Benjamin may appear to be on our side, my side, but he only does things to benefit himself. I wonder what benefit he’ll be getting from this.Hours go by with me pacing the floor after Maxwell leaves. Sitting down feels like defeat or compliance and I’m far from complying. What was Maxwell thinking? What were either of them thinking?I debate about sending meaningless texts to Maxwell, but what use would that be. He won’t be coming back. It gets darker and before I know it starts to gradually get lighter. The rising sun brings an ache to my bones, a restlessness that only Maxwell can get rid of.A knock lightly taps at the door snapping me out of my fog. “Charlie.” Benjamin calls from out in the hall.I stay silent for a second, but I reluctantly let him in in the end, because where else would I be besides trapped in the room he picked for me.“I wo
Charlie As the sun rises so do I. It takes a great deal of effort to get my restless limbs to calm down. Maxwell’s arm pins me down trapping me in bed with him keeping me close, but I need to walk, I need to stretch my limbs. Slipping out from underneath him is a hard task and I wake him in the process. “Where are you going?” He moans, his hand groping for me. “To do some work. Calm my mind, work my legs.” I reply before leaning over to place a kiss on his mouth. “There’s always work to do.” I tease as I leave him sprawled on the bed. Being on my feet helps rid me of my restlessness and by time I drop down onto my office chair I have a newfound energy. An energy that lasts hours. It isn’t hunger or stiff joints that get me out of my chair it’s the tiny little beep of a text message. Grace: see ya tomorrow what? I reply back. Maxwell didnt tell you? youre leaving tonight when she doesn’t receive a reply back as quickly as before she sends another one oops I don’t reply back, I g
Second half of Chapter One!Maxwell While Charlie’s at work, I find myself bored. A useless human emotion. I laugh at the thought. I can hear her now, ‘like a lost little puppy.’ The thought brings a smile to my face. And then an abrupt, way too loud ring that fills the room wipes it away. My phone lights up on the coffeetable. I can see Grace’s number on the screen. I answer it after the sixth ring. “What’s so important that it can't wait Grace?” “What are you doing that’s so important? I thought Charlie was going back to work today?” “Nothing, she is at work, but I’m starting to despise your call, because you never seem to have anything good to say.” “That hurts, really...and it’s true.” She says thoughtfully, “because” she draws out the word and takes an extremely lengthy pause, “there’s a change in plans.” “How big of a change?” Was this really necessary? What the hell is going over there? Silence. “Grace.” I shout at her. The words quickly tumble from her mouth and at firs
Chapter One, Part One:CharlieIt’s been three weeks since Maxwell has let me leave the house. It’s been three weeks of trying to act normal. That odd, bizarre feeling of not feeling hungry, quicker reflexes, the inability to feel warm or cold. It’s still unbearable. Even in a room packed with people I still feel...different.Weaving through strangers whose heartbeats I can hear, feel the heat from their bodies and smell every single scent in the large open room. It takes nearly all my energy to come to stand beside Morgan. “I’m here.” I pant. She squeals with joy before throwing herself at me. “Out into the world at last. How’s Maxwell holding up? Like a lost super cute puppy?” I struggle to keep a smirk off my face, but I lose and it only gets wider and wider. He is lost. “He’s fine. Bored, but fine.” I lie. The couple of honor dance in the middle of the makeshift dance floor, friends and family surrounding them. Their slightly wrinkled skin and salt and pepper hair show their age