Post by Dimitri / Meg / mocha / jamie on Jul 29, 2011 20:22:11 GMT -5
Prologue
Darkness...It was how I liked it. I wear all black every day. Black skirt, black shirt, black eye liner and black hair with red highlights. Everything I had was black. It’s been that way ever since the incident. On Christmas Eve on our way home my Mom, Lucinda got into a car crash and it killed her and my Dad, David, but it didn’t kill me. That was only because I’m not like everyone else I wasn’t even like my foster family. I was a vampire, and now I had gained a new skill from that incident.
Once the car was hit and it flipped over it had caught on fire. I didn’t burn instead I embraced it and let the fire wrap its flames around me. Ever since then fire has been my friend and I’m learning to control it. A vampire who can control fire and doesn’t even know where she came from that’s the best description of me. Lucinda and David found me when I was only five and I remember crying on the side of their house saying I was lost and how my neck hurt. They looked to see that I was bitten and then they knew what I was but they still took me in.
They took me in since then and now I’ve been feeling like that little girl again. Helpless, lonely, and hungry. I looked to the shrine I made of my Mom and Dad and said “I’m going to go get something to eat then I’m going to work I’ll be back later mom ok.” I put on my jeans under the skirt I had on, pet little Louie, my cat, on the head and walked out into the darkness. I looked back at the mansion I’ve lived in. The very place that brought me so much happiness, now only brings me pain. I lowered down into a crouch and ran for the upcoming hunt. My name is Thorn Mancina and this is my story.
Chapter 1
I ran past the trees in the direction of where I heard deer, it’s been a while since I’ve hunted so I needed some more practice on sneaking up on my prey. I had already lost two elk at the river and I was mad about it, but I was going to catch those deer. No way was I going to go to work with all those humans around me and be thirsty that was just asking for trouble.
I reached the deer and they were sleeping, I crept silently toward my prey watching out for any tree branches so I wouldn’t step on them like the last time. By the time they smelled my scent it was already to late. I pounced on the biggest of the four and began to drink. I struggled under my grip so I put it out of its misery and snapped its neck, killing it. The dead corpse went limp and I continued to drink. The blood trickled down my throat subduing the burning. When there was no more blood to drink I wiped my mouth, quick and clean.
I popped some mints and a stick of stride gum into my mouth. Going to work with my breath smelling like blood wasn’t really the best idea. I looked at my watch ten thirty, I still had thirty more minutes until work. ‘no harm in being early’ I thought as I began to run back to the house to go get my car. When most people see me they’ve always asked me ‘shouldn’t you be in school?’ and I’ve always said ‘Is that any of their business? because it really isn’t.’
That’s one thing I’ve hated, when complete strangers ask me stuff like that. Now it’s a whole different story if I actually knew the person and if we were really good friends, but I had few friends. The only people that really try to talk to me are the perverts and the drunken people on the streets. I mean the kids at my high school try to talk to me but I just ignored them and acted like I didn’t care. I’m doing them a favor, they didn’t understand how dangerous I am, how easily I could’ve just lost my control and attacked them. There were a few smart people at Stantford High, the ones that said that I'm strange and that I’m dangerous so they stay away. Those are the ones that actually had a brain. I guess I’m just going to have to bear through the last day of senior year tomorrow that should be easy enough.
I finally got to my house and opened the garage door the keys to my custom dark Toyota were on the left and the keys to my jet black BMW were on the right. My parents both got into an argument about what car to get me so they ended up getting me both. I grabbed the keys to my dad’s old Honda. I didn’t like to take my cars out where I worked, it would only end up trying to get stolen and I might lose my temper then that person would be dead. So to avoid the whole situation I always take my Dad’s car to work and my Toyota to school and my BMW just when I don’t feel like running and have a need for speed.
I got in the car and started the engine. I pulled out of the driveway and headed to work which wasn’t that far from the mansion but I didn’t like to run there it might raise suspicion then I’d be on the run and I don’t plan on leaving the home Lucinda and David left me. I’m fortunate to have Lucinda and David put me in their will even though I’m not even really their daughter. But I’ve always thought it was strange. They made a will two days before the crash it’s like they knew something was going to happen.
I didn’t like to think about their death too much so I stepped my foot on the gas faster. I enjoyed the feel of the speed of the car even though it wasn’t as fast as the BMW but it did just fine It got me to where I need to be and that was the purpose. I parked on the side of the curb as usual and turned on the alarm. Frank, the manager and one of the few people that know my secret, opened the door for me “Thanks, Frankie,” I told him “Any time, mind telling me why you’re here so early?” Frank’s one of those really nice guys that worries about his employees even if they are vampires.
“Because I had time on my hands,” I told him setting up the microphone and the other instruments for when the band came. “Did you get to get something to eat before you came,” he asked since the bar wasn’t even open yet. “Yea, I had a big deer, tasty,” he laughed “I think I’ll pass,” Frank was fun to joke around with. It’s been almost a year since the incident and he was there for me when I was looking for a job. He told me I had spunk, and then the next day he found me in the woods when he was on his morning jog go figure right.
“I still don’t get it,” he said pulling the chairs down from the tables, “get what?” I asked “If you’re a vampire how come the sunlight doesn’t hurt you?” Oh My Gosh we went through this like fifty million times. I sighed “I don’t know may be you humans just added that, how am I suppose to know,” “I don’t know it still seems a little weird to me,” I laughed “Everything is strange to you Frankie I mean we work at a bar what do you expect?” “True,” he said “I just didn’t think I’d hire a vampire as a singer at a bar now that is just beyond strange,” We both laughed that time. “Yea but you still keep me here,” I said with a smile.
“Yea ever since you came, business has never had a bad day. I can’t just let my selling ticket item just walk out the door. Plus you might be a vampire but you the only sane person that works here. I’d go insane if you left,” he told me “Yep what would you do without me,” I grinned. I might not have a family but I still have Frankie and the Band which was just coming in thirty minutes late as usual.
“Sorry we’re late,” Bill the guitarist said “Yea, yea, yea just come over here and help me set up this lap top for the effects,” I said struggling with the laptop as usual, I could never understand Bill’s laptop he had too many programs on here. “Alright, alright just don’t hurt yourself R.T.” he laughed. R.T. was the nick name they gave me since I was hired it stood for Rose Thorn, it started out as a joke but it ended up sticking to me.
With the band finally here we started rehearsing for the next two hours of singing and playing we would have to do. I’m just glad my next job after this one is ten times easier, waitressing at a twenty-four hour restaurant that hardly anyone came to across the street. Easy money right? Well just wait until you hear what happened next.
Chapter 2
Our band is nothing that special we barely play any music that is actually our own, like our own lyrics and beats and stuff like that. We play the music other top selling artist play and we do a pretty good job if I must say so myself. So there we were packing up for the night. We played "forever" by the veronicas, "What I've done" by linkin park and a couple others. My favorite song that we play we haven't sung in a while so tomorrow I'll ask and see if we can play it. It's called "Everybody's fool" by evanescence.
Oh my Gosh I love that band so much, it's not even funny. "So how are you doing Thorn?" Mark the drummer asked "I'm surviving, I got to hurry up because I have to get to my next job in another fifteen minutes," "Sounds like fun," Peter said with his British accent. I loved his accent I don't know what it is about it but I think it's so cute. I hurried up and cleaned off the tables that reeked of beer but I was probably the only one to really smell it.
Sometimes being a vampire sucked. I hear everything even if it's forty miles away, I see everything right down to the dust particles in the air, and worst of all I smell every single thing, and man I gotta tell you when some of decided to break wind its not a pleasant smell for a vampire.
"Done," I said as I ringed out the wet cloth and folded it up. "Alright I'll see you tomorrow," Frank said putting the chairs up on top of the tables. "Later Thorn you sang well today keep singing like that and we're going to have to worry about the top producers taking you away from us," Bill said laughing. "Right and Santa Clause is finally going to give me those leprechauns I’ve always wanted next Christmas." I said sarcastically. They all laughed at my sarcasm. I always make joke about stuff like the tooth fairy or leprechauns or any other mythical nonsense I can think of. Me of all people should know that Santa Clause just might end up coming to my house. I mean seriously if there are vampires out there like me who knows if the tooth fairy is real. But I still get a kick out of making jokes about them.
I grabbed my coat even though I really didn’t need it. It could be the dead of winter and I could wear exactly what I was wearing now. A tank top and a skirt with leggings that came down to my knees, I took off my pants after I was done hunting if you were just wondering that. It annoys me to wears pants in the summer. Matter of fact I hate wearing jeans period even during winter. But I have to if I don’t want to be found out. What would it look like if a girl in a tank and a skirt walking through the snow in flip-flops look like to a human? Like I told you before its just asking for trouble.
So there I was walking out the door saying goodbye to everyone and I walked across the street. No one ever comes down this street at night after Martic is closed; Martic is the bar I just got through working at. I walked into Big Chicken and my manager was screaming. Her name is Sally and she was yelling at the new guy she just hired two days ago, Steven. Poor guy he had no idea that she would be this evil.
I was in that position once, but she finally got the hint that I could care less if she screamed at me or even fire me. I honestly just didn’t care, I would’ve just worked at Hooters or at Old Country Buffet they’re sure to hire me. The only reason I was working there was because I felt it would be easier to get money and I wouldn’t have to work as hard because we hardly ever got any customers.
I ignored them and went pass Becky, one of the other employees, who was taking some drunken lady’s order I didn’t really pay much attention to her. I hated Becky, she only talked about three things, boys, clothes, and how she should be famous. She’s the shallowest person I’ve ever met. I know that sounds a little harsh but it’s true.
So anyway I was in the back kitchen where only employees were allowed and I hung up my jacket and checked myself in. I got one of the aprons and tied it around my waist and tucked the top part behind it. I hated those things too. I put the order booklet in the first pocket straws in the second and a pen in the third. I tied my hair up in a pony tail, one thing I’ve learned from working here is never have my hair down while working. Last time I did that my hair almost caught on fire. Lucky I can control fire and stopped it, it was a close call though.
I walked out and sat behind the front desk where people come in and I seat them then serve them. Sally wanted us to act like it was a top notch restaurant, when really that was the last thing it was. I began doodling on the back of the entry form. About thirty minutes passed and I was still doodling and popping my gum bored as I don’t know what. When the door opened I wasn’t really paying much attention I just thought it was Becky coming back in from her smoke break. But surprise surprise not only was it Becky but a guy around my age followed her in, and call me crazy but he looked a lot like me, and not in the girly way.
“Excuse me,” he said nicely. I looked up shocked because I was spacing out. That’s when I got a really good look at him. Pale skin, check, contacts that looked like they were hiding their color, check, beautiful beyond comparison, check. “Table for one?” I asked politely trying to keep my composure the best I could. “Yes,” he said. I got up from my doodles and grabbed a menu “Right this way,” I said professional like. Sally always wanted us to talk professional.
I seated him near a window and left him the menu. “Here you are,” I said nicely. He took a seat and never took his eyes off of me for a second. Could he be thinking what I was that maybe we’re both vampires. I was almost certain of it. “Thanks,” he said “I’ll also be your server, so is there anything you would want to drink or any appetizers,” I asked taking out my little order booklet. “I’ll have water and no appetizers,” he told me “Sure thing,” I quickly walked away, maybe a little to fast but I could still feel his eyes watching me. I went to the back kitchen and quickly got a glass of water.
“Thorn, something wrong?” Steven asked me, “No, nothing’s wrong Steve,” I answered quickly. I left the kitchen; Steven is one of those people who can sense if something is wrong with someone so I couldn’t stay there for too long. He also likes to spread rumors with the few employees we do have. Within the two days he’s been here he already spread about 5 rumors about Becky, me, Sally, our chief, and the owner, who ever came in contact with him he told some type of lie about them. I arrived back at the table and set the water down.
“Anything I can get you?” I asked pulling out the booklet again. I didn’t even look like he did so much as pick up his menu, it as still in the same place I had set it down. “I’ll have the chicken crispers original,” he told me handing me the menu. “Alright,” I said. After that I avoid any type of eye contact and I only talked when I needed to.
To be completely honest I was afraid, I’d never met anyone else like me so it was a little creepy, when ever I passed his table he was always staring at me, and when I was behind the counter or cleaning up tables that were dirty before I got there, there he was still staring at me. His order was finally ready and I got it quickly from the counter. I held it in the palm in my hand and I had a receipt for another table in my other hand.
I quietly set his order on the table. “Anything else?” I asked. He simple shook his head “That’s all I’ll need for a while,” I heard him mutter extremely low. “Excuse me?” I asked pretending not to hear him as clear as I had.
“No, I think I’ll be ok,” he said. I nodded and left to go to my other table. “Here’s your receipt sir,” I said setting it down “How ‘bout you come by my place?” he asked looking at me up and down “Excuse me?” ‘I know this pervert isn’t trying to get me to go with him.’ I thought “A pretty little thing like you should be taken care of, and I can take care of you real good,” Oh dear god, he was. Ugh there was always one or two of these pervs every once in a while but now I really wasn’t in the mood for it, “Sir I’m going to have to ask you to pay and get out,” I said stepping back I was starting to lose my temper and I really needed to keep this job. “Aw come on baby don’t be like that,”
Just then I felt a hand go on my shoulder and it wasn’t hot like a human’s hand it was warm. “She said no,” I heard the boy that looked like me saying. “This isn’t any of your business, boy,” the man stood up and pushed him. That’s when I had enough. “Alright just get out! NOW!” I shouted I could see the tint of my eyes starting to glow red. When the man saw that he ran so fast HE could’ve been a vampire for all I know.
Now I had another problem. My thirst was back. “No,” I whispered as I fell down into a crunch holding my head “Don’t lose control, don’t lose control, don’t lose control,” I repeated to myself “Calm down,” the boy said sweetly putting his hand on my shoulders. “Be calm,” he whispered in my ear. I don’t know how he did it but my eyes went back to normal but the thirst was still there burning in my throat. I had to get out of there before I lost control like I did when I was seven. A lot of kids died that day luckily my parents created a cover for me, but I didn’t have that cover now and there were at least fifteen humans around me.
I took a deep breath and ran to the back kitchen taking off my apron in the process and grabbing my coat and going out the back door. I used very little air and told Becky to sign me out. Once I was out of sight I ran to my car not even thinking about who might be watching I didn’t care I just wanted to get as far away from humans as possible. As soon as I got the car started I looked to the restaurant window and he was still standing there looking at me with apologetic eyes. I stepped on the gas and sped the whole way home. Who was that guy anyway and why he was there I don’t know why but I had a feeling that this wasn’t the last time I would see him. And that scared me.
Chapter 3
As soon as I got home I didn’t even stop to put on any jeans I just automatically bend down to a crouch and hunted. I caught two deer and an elk that night just to be sure. When I was back home it was about four A.M. so I just started working on my algebra homework, but every now and then that guy’s face would pop into my head. Him with his apologetic eyes, he had nice eyes. The suspense was killing me, who he was, what’s his name, where he came from, if he met any others like us. I eventually finished my homework an hour later and I grabbed the phone and called the hospital.
Jane answered as usual. Jane was always the one who answered when I called. She knew my secret too; she gives me blood packets sometimes when I’m running low on them. I use them for when there aren’t a lot of animals in the forest and I noticed that the herds were getting smaller so I figured I’d get some just in case.
“Hello,” Jane answered
“Hey Jane, its Thorn,”
“Oh Thorn how’ve you been honey?”
“Oh I’m doing fine, can you bring my a couple of blood packets I’m running a little low,”
“Sure, sure I’ll bring about forty tomorrow. How are your grades in school dear?”
“Oh they’re fine I still have straight A’s,”
“Well that’s wonderful do you need help paying the tuition?”
Jane was always like that, she acted like my second Mom, so it was nice to talk to her every once and a while. “No, I’m fine I have it under control,” I told her “Oh alright honey. I’ll see you tomorrow after school alright,” “Yea thanks Jane,” “Anytime sweaty,” with that she hung up. After that I was bored out of my mind. Some people think that vampire’s lives are so exciting but that’s a complete lie.
We don’t sleep in coffins, we don’t really need to sleep but if we want to we can and we sleep in beds like every other human on the planet. Sunlight doesn’t affect us in anyway not even as much as a little burn. Yes we are beautiful, and our senses are better than humans, and we have fangs that can retract but that doesn’t make our lives exciting. That’s just another stereotype and I hate that.
I got up and walked around my house for a while occasionally petting Louie. But then I got too bored and went out for a walk, I didn’t bother with getting a coat I just put on my black combat boots and went outside to the hot air. I walked along the forest trail looking at the sights. I did this often; I could see all the small insects going across the floor not moving away from me as I walked passed. They knew no better then the humans. I was dangerous, and shouldn’t be approached. I walked to my old tree house me and my dad built when I was little.
I started climbing up the ladder but then I heard some feet shuffling on the board above me. I lowered back down and tensed. I sprang up and into the tree house and hissed bearing my fangs. And who was hissing right back at me bearing his fangs, the guy from the restaurant. I stopped and took a step back shocked. When he noticed it was me he stopped hissing and stood up straight. “Why are you here?” I asked still a little shocked “I had no where to stay, and I found this tree house and it was in the forest so I thought…” he didn’t finish his thought “This is your tree house isn’t it?” I nodded. “I’m Demetrius, but most people call my Demetri or Demmy” he told me. I stayed silent. “Aren’t you going to tell me your name?” he asked
“Give me one reason why I should,” I retorted, “Because I’m curious,” he said sitting down. Now that was weird, he was letting his guard down around another vampire. I stayed standing, there was no way I was letting my guard down. “Well?” he pressed, man he must have really wanted to know my name. “Thorn,” I told him. “Well then Thorn can I stay in your tree house but, until I can find a place of my own,” he asked. I could let him stay at my house I was a little curious myself to find out more about him. But I had to think of if he was one of the vampires that liked to drink human blood not animals so I had to ask before I answered.
“Humans or animals,” “Animals,” he replied quickly “My family was killed by vampires but they couldn’t stand to see me die because I reminded them so much of their master,” he looked disgusted “After they turned me though I fled and vowed I’d never drink from a human the thought repulses me,” he looked up at me “So can I stay here?” he asked again. “You’re welcome to stay at my house if you want or you can stay here,” I told him. I figured that he was ok and I was just to curious to let him walk off when ever he decided to, then I’ll be driving myself crazy about where he went and stuff like that.
“Where is your house?”
“Not far from here,”
“Why are you helping me all of a sudden?”
“I don’t know to be honest,”
And that was the truth. I wouldn’t do this if it was another stranger but I don’t know there was something about him that seemed weird. Even weirder than him being a vampire. I sighed and scratched my head so that my bangs would cover my eyes a little. I do that when I get nervous, it’s a bad habit I know but I can’t help it. I walked around the old tree house and picked up one of my Dad’s favorite wood figures. His lucky wooden horse that he I made for him in art class. He left it here with some other stuff that he valued. I picked it up and decided that I should put it by the shrine too.
“Ready?” I asked as I turned around as I turned he stood up and walked over to me in one quick step. He was practically three inches away from me and the atmosphere changed. He brushed the hair away from my eyes “You have beautiful eyes for a vampire,” If I had a heart it would probably be going a hundred miles an hour right now. But I still had blood running through my veins so my face did turn pink a little. I looked down and walked around him saying nothing. I grabbed my guitar and put the strap around my shoulder so it was on my back. “Let’s go,” I said in a low voice.
I jumped down from the tree house and began running to my house not even bothering to check and see if he was following me. But I heard his footsteps when he moved the leaves on the ground or broke a twig on the ground. So I knew he was keeping up with me. I began to slow as we got closer to the house then completely stopped and began walking. “Something wrong?” he asked “No, why do you ask?” I put my hands in my pockets.
“Because now you’re walking as if you were human,” he laughed at his own joke. “Well maybe I want to at least act like I'm normal every once in a while is that so wrong,” I mumbled. He didn’t answer to that. He just walked beside me staring at me, again. We finally reached my house and his jaw fell open. “This isn’t a house,” he said. I just shrugged and kept walking to the door. He finally decided to come back to Earth and caught up with me.
“You said house not mansion!” he said walking into my home stunned “Well to me it’s a house,” I told him picking up Louie. Louie didn’t hiss at Demetrius so that was a good sign. Maybe he wasn’t a bad vampire maybe he was actually telling the truth. “Make yourself at home,” I said walking off to the dinning area to where then shrine was.
He followed me the whole way there. I set Louie down and put the wooden horse by my dad’s picture and sat down. I took off my guitar and set it in my lap. I jut sat there are looked at the picture. David was really musical and he was Latino. He might not have been my real Dad but I love him as if he were.
“Who are they?” Demetrius asked. “Those are the ones who raised me. My mom and dad,” I told him. “Oh,” that was all he said then he just sat down next to me and looked from me to the shrine then back to me. I set my guitar next to me and got up to get incense out of the drawer. When I did I came back and I set it by a small saucer and snapped my fingers to make fire come to my finger tip. I lighted the incense and set it on the saucer and blew my finger out.
Demetri was watching me the whole time, mouth wide open. “How did you learn how to do that?!” he asked “I don’t know, there was an accident and ever since the flames have been my friend,” I looked to him, he looked a little confused. I sighed, he couldn’t even understand. No one could. “A freak among freaks go figure,” I said more to myself than him. He said nothing. I said a prayer to Lucinda and David then picked up my guitar and started playing “A la Nanita Nana” David really liked the version from the Cheetah Girls two he used to watch that one part with me over and over. I knew he liked it so when I was little I memorized how to play it and the lyrics even though I didn’t speak Spanish and I sang it for him on his Birthday, I still remember that day.
When I was done singing the song I picked up my guitar and went upstairs. Demetri and Louie of course following me. I went into my music room. I had a cello, piano, two electric guitars, two acoustic, a harp and some laptops with some techno beats that I use when I remake songs and sell them to rave club DJ’s I make some money that way too. I was a musical vampire what can I say. I’ve memorized so many songs in English, Japanese, and Spanish you’d think I’ve been around the whole world. But the truth is that I just have too much time on my hands nothing more, nothing less.
“You sing beautifully,” Demetri told me still by my side. “Thanks, Demetri” I put my guitar up next to the other acoustics “Hey you just called me Demetri,” he said happily “Yea what about it?” He grinned “Are you starting to trust me now,” he flashed his teeth “Now I didn’t say all that,” I said defensively
“Well you did call me Demetri instead of Demetrius,” “Yea so what if I did,” I walked out of the music room and closed the door after he was out too. “Just saying,” he told me. After that we were silent for a while. He finally decided to go rome the house while I just sat on my bed petting Louie, looking out the glass door windows that lead to my balcony. Every now and then I’d hear an ‘Oh wow’ or an ‘Oh my gawd’ but that wasn’t it I’d hear some cars passing on the highway a couple miles off the crickets outside, everything.
I don’t know when but I dosed off after a while when I woke up my alarm was going off, it was practically burning my sensitive ear drums, and Demetri was watching me sleep from my chair by my desk. I yawned and stretched. “You looked…peaceful when you sleep,” he told me as I sat up and turned off my alarm clock. “But your dreams were…” he didn’t finish “I’m sorry,” I didn’t really know what he was talking about “Why are you sorry?” I asked “I saw your dream, I can see people’s dreams when they sleep I don’t know how or why but I always have been able to ever since I’ve been changed,”
“Oh, well I don’t even remember what I was dreaming about so there’s no need to be sorry,” I told him getting out of my bed “You dreamt of your parents…and the accident…” I stopped dead in my tracks and swallowed back a tear that was starting to form. I didn’t answer to that I just took a deep breath and walked to my dresser and pulled out some clothes to wear. I could tell that he wanted to get off the subject as much as I did “Why is everything in you dresser black, red or dark purple?” he asked.
“Because I like it that way,” I told him. “I feel normal in the darkness, even when I was little I always liked dark things I would wear stuff that was light when it was a special occasion or if mom wanted me too, but now…I only wear something light when its one of their birthdays or if it’s Christmas Eve,” I turned to look at him my clothes in my hands “Every day besides those three days I wear black red or dark purple. The colors I feel comfortable in,” with that I walked out the room to the bath room and took my shower.
When I got out I had my combat boots on, my black leggings that came to my knees, a dark purple short sleeved shirt and a sleeveless vest with a hood on. I waked back into my room and put on my fingerless thin black gloves and put on my black eye liner and mascara, and then I brushed my hair. Demetri was watching me intently the whole time. He acted as if I was the most interesting thing in the whole world. When I was done it was around seven thirty and school didn’t start until eight thirty. I could live with being at school an hour early it wouldn’t kill me. So I grabbed my bag and swung it over my shoulder. “Where are you going?” he asked “To school, it’s the last day,” I told him going down stairs to go feed Louie before I left.
“So your just going to leave me in this big house all alone?” he said pretending to be a little kid “Uh, yea I am you look my age so you’re probably old enough to watch after yourself. And as a warning if I come back and I find out that you ate Louie you’re dead,” I told him, I just to make that crystal clear to him. “Sure, sure I don’t want to eat your cat,” he said laughing
I put some cat food in a bowl that said Louie on it. I began walking to the door that led to the garage. “I’ll be back around noon we don’t have a full schedule today,” I told him “Don’t you want me to come with you?” he asked “No I’ll be just fine on why own like every other day,” I said “Like I said I’ll be back around noon and leave my cat alone,” I closed the door and got into my Toyota and started the engine.
The door opened and Demetri waved goody bye to me and it looked like he mouthed the words ‘be safe’ but I was probably only seeing things again. I only knew the guy for a day he shouldn’t be worrying about me like that. But hey I’ve been wrong before. I just hoped that wasn’t one of those times.
Chapter 4
School was a total bore as always, everyone was talking about what they were wearing to the graduation. Some people actually had the guts to ask me what I was wearing to graduation I looked up from behind my hood and simply told them “I’m not going,” and I really wasn’t no matter how many awards I was getting or if I was getting my diploma. I told the principal and my teacher that too, they all said that they would just send it to me in the mail.
When school was finally over, after the long agonizing prep talks from teacher about how we should go make something of ourselves, I walked over to my Toyota to find one of my many stalkers from school who had crush on me ever since I’ve been going there. Michael, he was short, he had nice sense of style though I’ll give him that much. A lot of the girls were crushing hard over him but he wasn’t really my species.
“Hey Michael,” I said nonchalantly. “Ummm… Hi thorn…y-y-you look p-pretty today,” he stuttered. Poor guy he always stuttered around me and when I leave, he always beated himself up over it. “Thanks,” I replied getting into my Toyota. “I-I was sorta wondering I-I-if I c-c-could take you to graduation?” he asked before I shut the door. “Sorry, but I’m not going,” his face turned from excited to sad and glum. “Sorry,” I said again giving him a little smile this time. “No i-i-its ok, I’ll s-s-see you around Thorn,” he told me running off.
I sorta felt sorry for the guy I could still hear him even though he was a good twenty feet away. “Stupid, stupid, stupid, I should’ve known she wasn’t going,” he kept saying. I sighed and started the engine before my other stalker Clark came. He was head of the football team and felt he could have any girl he wanted, but I gave him a shock by turning him down on a date. Man he didn’t like that, the look on his face was priceless. Ever since then it’s been his goal to try and take me on a date, and every single time he asked I turned him down. The dude was physco, he thought just because his name was Clark and he was head of the football team that he was practically Superman. I mean come on give me a break.
I pulled out of my parking space and sure enough there was Clark running to my car trying to catch me yelling my name. I just pretended to ignore him and pulled back my hood and drove off. “Dang I missed her!” he shouted far behind my car. I laughed. “What’s so funny I want to laugh too,” Demetri said popping up from the back seat. I jumped and pulled the car over. “HOW DID YOU GET IN MY CAR!?” I shouted “I followed you scent then just picked the lock duh,” he said as if it was obvious. I sighed and rubbed my temples. I should’ve known he was in here because of his scent but I must’ve been too focused on getting away from Clark and Michael.
“So are you going to tell me what was so funny or not?” he asked again jumping to the passenger’s seat. “No, don’t worry about it,” I said putting the car back into drive. “Where are we going?” he asked shaking his dark brown hair away from his eyes.
“To the mall,”
“Why?”
“Because I need to look for a new job I’m quitting one of my other jobs,”
“What for you’re only eighteen,”
“Why is it any of your business?”
“Just curious,”
“You sure ask a lot of questions,”
He stayed silent after that. Most people in California don’t ask as many questions as he does. Now I knew he wasn’t from around here either, plus I’m curious too but I don’t ask him a million and one questions. “You know, I never really had a family like you did,” he said out of the clear blue sky. He turned and looked at me.
“You’re lucky. You had someone who was there for you and who genuinely cared for you,” I just kept driving and kept my mouth shut. “I wish I had a family like you did,” he mumbled “Never get too close to humans like I have,” I told him “They’re fragile and as soon as you get close to them you lose them, and that pain will live with you forever,” I said to him. And that was the honest truth. He didn’t reply. And it stayed silent the rest of the trip to the mall. Once we were there he stayed close by my side. I looked around the whole mall and decided to stop in the Hot Topic store. I visited there frequently and I knew most of the people that worked there.
“Hey, look who just decided to pay us a little visit after all these weeks,” John said with a grin. John was the one who owned the Hot Topic store in this mall. It was its own individual store. He was tall and buff not like the body builders but he was buff. He always wore this Linkin park hat I never once seen him without it on. And he had on baggy pants and his favorite Disturbed shirt on. I swear if the whole Disturbed band came walking though his store he’d drop dead.
“Hey John, I know I haven’t been here in a while,” I said walking around the store “Who’s he your brother?” he asked referring to Demetri “I’m Demetrius but most people just call me Demetri, and I’m not her brother I’m a friend” he told him. John just nodded. “Is that Thorn?” Chelsea said walking to the front of the store. Chelsea is a good friend she worked here and she never left. Hot Topic is like her second home she was the second darkest person next to me. Only difference is that she tended to over do it sometimes and she didn’t have any rockin highlights like me.
“Hey sister Thorn how you been?” she said giving me a hug. Her skin was always a little too hot for me just like ever other human “And who’s the hottie?” she said referring to Demetri “I’m…” “His name is Demetri,” I told her before he went on the long introduction “Demetri this is Chelsea you guys talk while I go ask John something alright,” I said walking away I quickly found John again “Hey princess what can I go for you?” he asked, he called every girl princess. “I need a job,” I told him getting straight to the point “Is that all?” he asked, I nodded. “I thought this day would never come,” he laughed “Come on we gotta get you the application and stuff,”
When I finished filling out the application, going through the drug test, and taking the interview. John told me to come back in the next three days and if the drug test comes out negative I can start work immediately. I told him thanks and walked out of the back room back to where I left Chelsea and Demetri. And they weren’t there I sighed “Where did those two go?” I mumbled, I felt a breeze behind me. When I turned Demetri was right behind me, his hand in the pockets of his hoodie “Ready?” he asked I nodded and began walking knowing he would follow.
“Awww those two make a good couple. I just wish I’d found him first,” I heard Chelsea say behind us. Demetri didn’t make any reaction but I just shook my head and mumbled to fast for human ears to hear “Good gawd Chelsea get a grip,” when I said that I saw the corner of Demetri’s lip turn up. “One second let me go in this store I’ll be right back out in a second alright,” I told him before I walked into Macy’s, he nodded. And leaned against the side of the wall his hands still in his pockets, I didn’t notice this before but his hair was sorta cut in a way so that his eyes would always be covered unless he didn’t want them to be.
I walked into Macy’s looking to a black bikini for when I wanted to go swimming later on this week. The band and I were all planning this trip and I didn’t have a swimsuit so I needed to get one. Next thing I knew some random guy was putting his hands around my shoulder “Don’t say anything or I’ll shoot.” I dropped the bikini I had in my hands and this is where things really get weird. Demetri was there in the next second coming in between me and the man. “Back off she has nothing to do with this,” he told him. “Get out of my way,” he said in a dark tone. I don’t really know much of what happened next but the man was on the floor and don’t ask me how but I felt something over my mouth and I went unconscious.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When I woke up I was back home and Demetri was yelling at someone I don’t know. “IT’S BEEN A DAY AND SHE STILL HASN’T WAKEN UP YET!!” he screamed “What do you expect me to do the drugs should be out of her system by now,” “WELL CAN’T YOU DO SOMETHING!!!” he was still yelling. “I’m sorry but I can’t all we have to…Ah I see she’s awake,” I groaned and sat up slowly “Thorn,” Demetri said rushing to the bed “Are you alright,”
“What happened, how did we end up here, what happened at Macy’s, who was that guy, and who is he and why is he in my house?” I asked all at once. “Slow down slow down,” Demetri pleaded “First I drove you home after we were attacked, second that guy’s name is Marcus he’s after me and trying to get me to come back to his coven, and third this is Alexander he’s a good friend of mine he’s a vampire and a doctor. I called him because you’ve been sleep ever since the attack and that was yesterday. Last of all I’m not letting you out of my sight after what just happened,”
He stroked the side of my face with his hand. I turned and got out of the bed. “I’m going to go feed Louie,” I said walking past both of them heading down stairs “Hmmm…She’s a rebel isn’t she?” Alexander asked “You might say that,” Demetri replied. In the next second he was right next to me I groaned.
“Do you have to watch me I mean seriously you acting like I'm five,”
“Yes, I do. I just got you involved in something I shouldn’t have,”
“Woopdee flippin do,” I told him putting some more cat food in the bowl.
“I’m serious I can’t let you out of my sight,”
“Alright look, I’m not your property and you shouldn’t be worried about me we’ve only known each other for two days for crying out loud you shouldn’t be attached to me like this,” I said walking back upstairs. “Oh but he has my dear,” Alexander said from the top of my stairwell. I sighed. “I’m taking a bath and you better not follow me in there.” I told him grabbing some random clothes, anything would do. I took my sweet time getting ready.
Apparently I grabbed some shorts a black shirt that had punk rocker on it and the usual undergarments. I heard Demetri pacing outside the bathroom door. “Clam down Demetrius she’s only taking a bath,” Alexander told him. He didn’t reply and just kept pacing. I opened the door and walked right past them back to my room and put on my makeup. Again I felt two pairs of eyes burning onto my back. Then it hit me. I skipped both my jobs last night. “Damn it,” I muttered. “I have to go,” I told them grabbing my purse and the keys to my BMW. “I’m coming with you,” Demetri said. “I’m going home,” Alexander said. Picking up his bag and jumping out the window as if he were wild.
Just when I thought my life would stay uninteresting here he comes brining in the whole vampire world on my doorstep. “One thing though,” I started “Next time we get ambushed give me a warning if someone is behind me so I can at least defend myself,” I said trying to lighten up the mood. He didn’t react to my joke and quickened his pace. “Least you can do is say something,” I mumbled.
Chapter 5
The drive to Frank’s house was silent. Demetri looked at me with intent eyes every once in a while but then looked forward only moments later. We pulled up into the drive way of Frank’s house. It was a small little house and I enjoyed visiting him from time to time. I rang the door bell. “Coming coming,” I heard him say franticly shuffling around papers trying to make he house look semi-neat I suppose. He eventually got to the door and opened it. “THORN!” he said with excitement “Come in come in,” he moved aside so that I could come in but then he noticed that I wasn’t alone when Demetri came in after me.
“Who’s your friend?” he asked, a little defensive I know he probably wanted to say “Who is your vampire friend,” but thought better of it. “This is my friend Demetri, listen Frank I’m sorry I wasn’t at work yesterday something…came up,” I told him. He glanced at Demetri who had put his hand in his pockets. “Everything alright?” he asked concerned “Yea, yea everything is fine,” I lied, what I really wanted to say was “No nothing is going right,” but I couldn’t tell him all that.
“Anything else you needed to tell me,”
“I wanted to know the schedule for the songs I’m suppose to sing next week and my pay check I didn’t get yesterday,” I laughed a little.
“Oh sure thing R.T. one sec,” he said running up the stairs. Demetri stayed silent. I don’t know why but I annoyed me. I wanted to hear his voice, even if it was small talk I didn’t care. No, I couldn’t get infatuated with him. He’s trouble and he’s involved in something that I shouldn’t be so I need to keep my distance. “What are you thinking?” he asked. “Nothing really,” about you is what I wanted to say but I knew he’d like that all too much.
Like the life saver he was Frank came back downstairs with a sheet of paper and my pay check. “Thanks Frankie,” I told him “No prob, Thorn I even put Everybody’s fool on there for you. I know how you been wanting to sing it for a while,” he said smiling. “Thanks so much, I’ll see you tonight then,” I said walking back towards the door “yea see you tonight,” he said watching me and Demetri walk out the door closing it behind us.
“He knows doesn’t he?” he asked as soon as we were in the car “Yes,” Something was wrong, or should I say bothering him. He wasn’t joking like he normally would be. This concerned me, what was it about him. He’s only one vampire he was like me yea but I couldn’t get involved with him. I wouldn’t allow myself to get any more involved than I already was. “Can you please calm down,” he asked out of the clear blue sky.
I turned to look at him and he was looking right back at me. I saw my worried expression in the refection of his eyes. He had nice eyes, a nice body too. No stop I shouldn’t be thinking of him this way. I sharply turn my head back to the road and tried to clam my expression. Again the thought popped into my head, why was he so serious all of a sudden and why wasn’t he speaking his mind? This bothered me the whole way back to my house. As soon as I walk though the door I might as well have ran to the music room.
I picked up my cello and got out the notes for the song “Still Doll” by Kanon Wakeshima this song was one of my mom’s favorites she even had a music box that played the Orgel version of it. I played this song when ever there was something on my mind and now was the perfect time. The whole time I sang and played the song at the same time Demetri began watching me and then closed his eyes and just listened. As I played the last notes he finally opened his eyes. “You have a beautiful voice,” he told me swiftly coming to my side. I didn’t reply, I was thinking about my mom and dad and a tear fell from my eye.
“Are you ok?” he asked. I just shook my head and tried to hold back more tears I just repeated the last lines of the song “Still you do not answer,” and tried to hold back more tears. I couldn’t let him see me break down like this. It’s pathetic I’m weak but I sure wasn’t going to let him see that. And yet he was still at my side, he reached out his hand at first, but then put it back at his side. I stood up and just began running to my room crying.
The only thing I was focused on was getting away from him so I can cry. I hated it what people watched me cry and I wasn’t going to let him see me like this. But being the fool he was, he ran after me and found me in the fatal position on the side of my bed crying. Demetri was by my side again hugging me and rubbing my back in the next two seconds. I bet he didn’t even think about what he was doing before he did it. I just gripped his shirt and began crying even more. He was there for me when I was in pain, when I really needed someone to be here for me.
I didn’t cry when my parents die and I didn’t cry at their funeral. But as I thought of it now, I let it out that small year that I’ve been holding. It in just flooded right out of me. And Demetri was there to comfort me, he picked me up as if I were that small little five year old, years ago and laid me on the bed. He was in the bed with me hugging me again rubbing my back. “Shhh shhh it’s ok,” he kept saying like he knew what was wrong with me. Those small ten minutes of me crying I actually felt…. human. Like I was vulnerable, but I wasn’t I was dangerous. Demetri was dangerous, this nice loving person who had me in his arms stroking my hair was dangerous as well as I was.
And yet I felt safe in his arms, I hugged him tighter. I know this sounds like one of those Disney movies. Meet and talk for a day and fall in love and get married right but I cared for him when I shouldn’t have. I must’ve dosed a little after that because when I woke up it was dark. “Are you ok?” he asked. All I could do is manage was a nod. I sat up and quickly got out of the bed.
“I need to get to work,” I mumbled, reluctant to leave him, but I needed to I was getting too attached to him. “I’m going with you of course,” he said getting up as well. “Do what you want, I don’t care” I told him. Alright now I was putting up a barrier, a thick brick wall barrier. I was not going to be persuaded by his flattering, I was going to be cold to him from now on. He needed to know that I was not looking for a relationship with him. I quickly went to the bathroom to redo my makeup that had just been ruined. When I was out he was there waiting for me. “Come on,” I said coldly as I walked to the garage leaving some cat food on the way for Louie. Demetri of course followed keep his hands in his pockets. I grabbed the keys to my dad’s Honda and Demetri looked at me with questioning eyes. “I’m not going to my job with a BMW or a custom made Toyota that’s just asking for it to be stolen stupid,” I told him, he was shocked that I had called him stupid I could see it on his face.
He quickly caught himself and smoothed out his expression. Keep the barrier up I kept telling myself in my head. This was harder than I thought though. I sighed and got in the car. "Get in unless you want to be left," I told him starting the car; he quickly got in the car and leaned against the door. The drive didn't take long and we were at the bar in no time. Well no time for a vampire that is. "This is where you work?" he asked me questionably. "Yeah I have two jobs remember," He just silently nodded and followed me inside. Frankie wasn't surprised to see him following me still.
The whole band was already there surprisingly "Hey whose you friend?" Bill asked already on his laptop arranging the lighting for the upcoming performance. "His name is Demetri he's going to be watching us play today," I told them. Then all just nodded and kept doing what they were doing before we got in. I turned to Demetri, "Go sit down will ya," I told him. Yea I know it was sorta mean but I have to be mean in order for him to get it. I sighed again. Can my life get any more complicated I mean seriously.
Demetri didn't sit down, he just stood there his eyes closed then they just shot open and next thing I knew he was trying to run at a normal human pace but quickly lost it and dashed out the door. "What's wrong with your friend," Mark asked me. "I don't know, I'm going to go see now," I told him. I went after him and he was in the back alley with some other people. "Why are you here," he asked lowly. "We came to take you back," one of the shrouded figures said.
"Demetri who are they?" I asked like the idiot I was. They all turned to me and Demetri's eyes became shocked and his eyes were yelling "GET OUT GET AWAY NOW!!!" but it was a little too late because I was already trapped again. Only this time my wrists were bound by two tight hands and I couldn't start any fire I don't know why but I suddenly got weak. "DEMETRI!" I shouted "LEAVE HER ALONE SHE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS!" he shouted at them "I'LL GO WITH YOU JUST LEAVE HER ALONE," he pleaded "we knew you'd see it our way eventually," one of them said "Demetri," I said again weakly. "Oh and don't worry about this fine young girl we'll make sure she's well taken care of," another one said licking my cheek.
"If you lay one finger on her I won't do anything for you," he said, "We won't hurt her but she is coming with us just in case you need a little motivation," the one who was holding me snickered. After that I went unconscious. AGAIN man ever since Demetri showed up 'a' I've been going unconscious a lot more lately and 'b' my whole life just got turned upside down.
