Vampiric: Chapter Nine, Part 1

Chapter Nine: Rushed

Three months seemed to fly past. We’d had five successful broadcasts—each one widening the fan base according to the activity online—and another one scheduled for the week before Christmas. During the work week, Caroline surfed the web, finding amusement in all the bloggers pretending to be her. She even had fan groups and followings on social networks.

To further spread the word, she bought a new mechanism that would extend the reach of the broadcast by 150 miles, making her total live outreach over a 200 plus mile radius. With the internet bloggers on her side, she was worldwide. And for those people lucky enough to have a system setup to record her broadcasts, her messages were available directly for free replay online. Most of those were viewed well over a million times each. Needless to say, her ideas were spreading and her optimism of a better future was infectious.

Myself? I was swept up in the research, trying to keep everything in some semblance of organization, and attempting to find myself in the chaos along the way. It had been so long since I had lived without him, I wasn’t sure who I was on my own anymore. I doubted I had ever known. But Caroline and Ian insisted the sooner I figured it out, the better I would feel about his decision. Then I could be happy and move on. Unlike how Caroline made it sound, however, it was anything but easy.

Over Thanksgiving, she left for home, saying there were too many family things to discuss, but she’d drag me along for Christmas. Ian invited me to his place for dinner, promising he wouldn’t make me cook too much. He already had most of it started when I reached his loft. It was an open, artsy studio with cement walls and floors, painted in splashes of color as though there had been a paint war at some point in time. But it was homey. I made a mental note that an apartment like this wouldn’t be half bad—when Caroline let me move out, of course.

I had tried a few weeks after my high speed driving experience—I still didn’t know how fast I had driven—and she nearly blew my head off. She insisted I wasn’t emotionally fit to live on my own, and if I even thought about it before she asked, she would start rationing how much of my paycheck was available to me. I was fairly certain that was illegal, but there were worse things in life than having a roommate.

But, back to Thanksgiving; Ian had already started a smoked turkey breast—since a whole turkey didn’t make sense for two—stuffing, and gravy. He allowed me to set the table while he checked to make sure the corn wasn’t overcooking in the oven. When it was done, he opened a bottle of sparkling cider, explaining he didn’t like to drink. I had no problem with it as I hadn’t been drunk in my lifetime and the idea of alcohol was unappealing—considering the last time I had any was in high school on a night I could live without ever remembering.

Neither of us spoke much while we ate; the company was healthy for us but we had never really talked about anything unless Caroline was there to instigate it. After Ian cleared the table and I washed the dishes, we sat down in his living area with more cider.

“Why don’t you go home like Caroline?” Then realizing I might sound ungrateful, I added, “Not that I haven’t enjoyed this; it’s really nice to have someone to spend the holiday with.”

He nodded, grinning slightly at my worried babbling. “I could ask you the same thing;” he sipped from his glass. “The short answer is I don’t know where my family is.”

“What’s the long version?” I asked, curious as to why that statement didn’t cause even a hint of sorrow in his voice. It felt more relaxed now that the silence between us had been broken.

He sighed, shaking his head. “Basically, my parents always moved around a lot when I was younger. I got tired of never being able to meet anyone or do well enough in school not to be considered special needs, so I opted to crash with my grandparents. They passed away a few years ago—within a few months of each other.”

“I’m sorry,” I said instinctively. I winced, knowing it probably sounded more habitual than sincere.

“Don’t be;” he waved it off like a cloud of smoke. “It happens. But, that’s my excuse.”

“I can’t spend it with my mom because it’s not possible. As for my dad and his wife—my other mother—I ran away years ago and haven’t talked to them since. I don’t even know if I’d be welcome anymore.”

“You probably are,” he said, leaning forward on his elbows. “Welcome, that is. They probably miss you.”

Gazing out the huge floor to ceiling windows, I wondered if I would try. If one day I would decide to go home and see them. Would Mother think I was only there for money? Would Dad even talk to me? Or would he be so reclusive that would be impossible? I remembered him saying I was the only reason he could stand missing Mom, and I couldn’t help but think if he was worse off, it was because of me. If I explained, could he forgive me? Or would the only way to fix things be to reunite him and Mom? Was that even possible?

“I don’t know if it would make things easier or more difficult,” I said, trying to toss the thoughts from my mind. Things didn’t need to be more complicated; I needed everything to be simplified. It was the only way I could think of to put my life together enough to be useful to anyone.

“When you’re ready,” he said, sitting back again as though we had been talking about something as simple as taking college courses or moving out.

From there, we talked about Caroline and the next broadcast, as well as random points from her speeches. I discovered he and I actually thought about things in much the same way. If he had been an elemental, I bet he would have been air. Mostly because he put others first and himself second when thinking about the consequences of actions—which seemed to be a trend I’d picked up during my studying. He agreed there needed to be a change, but also that rallying the people into anger wasn’t necessarily the best way—considering how many people become uncontrollable and unpredictable when enraged.

I knew then that if I ever led my own revolution—if that’s what it was supposed to be—I wanted Ian on my side. When I second guessed myself, he would be someone who would see my dilemma and actually work towards helping me solve it in a way with which I was comfortable, versus letting me work it out alone (and possibly screwing everything up) or attempting to convince the only way was something contrary to my beliefs. That was something I knew I would need, especially if I wanted to succeed. And I did.

Elemental: Chapter Twelve, Part 1

Chapter Twelve: Waiting a Lifetime

The final stretch of the trip, we split into minivans and relaxed. At first, the five kids in the back of our van jumped up and down and talked excitedly, thankful for the day of rest. To keep them from distracting Mitchell too much, I gave them ideas of what to talk about and ensured they stayed belted. It wasn’t long before they had all fallen asleep, their usual energy reserve consumed.

The scenery flying past on the small two-lane highway was beautiful, even in late winter while everything was still bare. A light snow blanketed the landscape; I shivered, turning the heat up and focusing a few more vents on myself.

Mitchell smiled as I did this, as if it was some secret society joke I wasn’t in on.

“What?” I asked, wrapping the blanket I had found in the trunk tighter around my shoulders, shifting in my seat to face him.

“Nothing,” he said, the slightly mocking smile still playing across his lips.

I didn’t press him, too exhausted from everything else. Not to mention, I still didn’t know when I should approach Drei. No time ever seemed fitting enough. Part of me was scared there would never be a good time; that Drei was wrong, Valetta was suffering for naught, and I had again ruined everything.

“When should I talk to Drei?” I inquired aloud, half hoping Mitchell would suffer a stroke of genius and give me an answer I could actually use.

Mitchell shook his head, a soft chuckle escaping his lips. “When do you think you should?” I wanted to hit him for being cruel but knew it wouldn’t do any good. He was doing what Valetta was: hoping I’d be smart enough to figure it out. Too bad school couldn’t teach you useful things like this instead of abstract ideas that would rarely apply to anything.

“I’m not sure.”

“The time is right when you are certain it is.”

Quiet swallowed us and I found there was nothing I wanted to think about. It seemed impossible I was finally out of thoughts after months of nothing but that. Then an old, unanswered question came to mind.

“Did Drei give me the necklace? From two Christmases ago?”

His lips upturned in the familiar, riddling smile I seemed to get from everyone lately. Why couldn’t everyone just be straightforward? It would certainly make things a lot less complicated. But it was almost like they were more willing to put up with my disasters than avoiding them in the first place.

“Do you still possess it?” he questioned skeptically, as though I might have pawned it.

My initial reaction to that was to ask where he expected me to pawn it. “Of course,” I said instead. “It’s safe.”

His voice was soft when he answered, almost as though he was afraid he might be overheard revealing a long kept secret; “Then you always knew the answer.”

Elemental: Chapter Eleven, Part 4

“How do you imagine your dream life?” Valetta asked one morning while the children slept. We were sitting together, close enough to see the small bundles of sleeping bags, but not close enough to hear the whimpers and sighs of sleep.

I looked at her, surprised she had asked. True, we had spent most of the last five days discussing different randomness, but we had never hunkered into anything serious. The flow of the conversation had been a comfort, stopping me from missing Nick too much. I still hadn’t asked what had happened to him, afraid Drei might be offended.

Reclining against a tree, I contemplated her question. “I always thought I wanted a huge house in the country, somewhere near a city, but not close enough for all the drama and violence to penetrate. There would be three stories, a library, a ballroom, a huge kitchen with the best staff available, but that was before,” I said softly, the familiar image popping into my mind like one of those virtual tours.

“What is it now?” She reclined against a tree across from me.

“I don’t know.”

“Close your eyes and picture your life in ten years. Talk to me as you envision it.”

My eyes shut against the dull light of the winter morning. I shoved aside the thoughts of sorrow still plaguing my dreams and the worries of if we really had escaped capture, or if there were spies following us. Summoning up the image of a blank page, I blocked the other sounds wanting to penetrate my imagination, focusing on what I wanted to see in ten years.

“It’s twilight,” I started, unsure why I chose that time of day when my favorite had always been dawn. I pried further, trying to see something other than the sky. “There’s a lake, sparkling and clear, nestled into the depths of a forest.” My heart thudded seeing the familiar setting, and my mind questioned to what this was leading. “There’s a house, too,” I continued, forcing myself to push further. “White, two story beach house, with a huge, wooden wrap-around porch. A straight stair leading down to the sandy side of the shore, a spiral staircase winding towards a wooden balcony. It’s off of the master bedroom.”

“Is anyone present?” Valetta asked, and I wondered how long I had stopped talking, waiting on the shore, looking back up at the house.

“Someone’s on the balcony,” I confided. I raced up the shore and the staircases, needing to know who it was. The arms opened to greet me, his smile bright and joyous. “I thought you would never come upstairs,” he said, the voice as kind and comforting as when we first met and his flowery fragrance seeming to pull me closer to him. “Why are you so drawn to your weakness?”

“Who is there?” She broke the dream.

I sat up straighter, ashamed. It wasn’t right to want him, and I had worked a year trying to remember that. “No one,” I said, vowing never to tell her. “What’s your dream life?” I reciprocated, dodging her ensuing inquiry.

She floundered a moment at the question, then she relaxed again. “Before my turning, I had always longed to marry a progressive man of status. I aspired to be the most lady-like, most irresistible woman of my time. There were many long days spent among books to educate myself, priests to find the perfect balance in my eternal soul, and walks to keep my health,” she explained, beaming before her expression soured miserably. “Unfortunately, even progressive men did not desire a woman so well balanced and assured of herself. They preferred trophy wives, women to be seen and unheard.”

“What is it now?” I inquired, hoping the change would cheer her again. She really was stunning when she smiled.  Why Drei liked her was much more apparent then.

“If ever I dream, I always imagine myself with that perfect man, always vampiric, for it would be a waste to love any other,” she reasoned, her dark eyes glancing up at me before darting away again. “We would not have our own home; instead, we would travel, always somewhere new. A backdrop no more permanent than that on the stage. Something new for every time we grew bored.”

“Who is he?”

Valetta turned away from me, gazing back at the dreamers. A thought popped into my mind, suggesting she was jealous of them. “I used to think I knew…I am not as certain currently.”

I crawled over to her, hugging her—because it seemed like the thing to do. “He is the one,” I said, despite the crushing pain in my chest. As much as it hurt, I knew it was what was right. She needed the confirmation, and I needed her friendship more than I needed his love.

Even if I didn’t believe it now, I could try to believe it in time.

Elemental: Chapter Eight, Part 6

Valetta visited again the last day. I had suspected she might and was glad she hadn’t disappointed.

“How goes the solitude?” she questioned, sitting at the foot of my bed.

I sat up, legs crossed Indian style, resting the book I had been reading in my lap. “It’s not long enough,” I replied, wishing she could just tell me the right answer.

“You know Drei is concerned about you.”

“I’m aware of that; received a whole night of arguing about it, actually,” I said, sounding a touch more exasperated than I had meant.

“He is worried your mentality and emotionality are too fragile to make proper decisions concerning yourself or others. His heart is in the right place, even if his mind is slightly outdated,” she conceded gently.

“I know, Valetta,” I insisted, sighing and running a hand through my hair. “I’m not trying to hurt him, but I need someone who isn’t just going to lecture me.”

“And Nick’s heart is in the right place, as well,” she continued, ignoring my outcry. “He wants to support you, not just be around you. Very noble of him.”

“Valetta, stop!” I threw my hands down on either side of me. “It’s not helping. I don’t want to hurt Nick either, but I don’t know what to do. Tell me,” I pleaded. “Tell me what I’m supposed to do.”

“You already know what to do, Abriel. The air element is known for finding the best route to peace.”

“But I don’t even know how to figure that out; it’s not like there’s someone to tell me.”

“I have told you; you already know the answer,” she persisted, folding her hands in her lap. “Sometimes the best route is not the easiest or most convenient…and someone still ends up hurt.”

“That’s not helping,” I said softly, feeling more confused than ever. While she might have thought it was useful, it didn’t simplify the problem any and I was nearly out of time. I needed a solution, not a riddle.

Valetta sighed, shaking her head. “Stop thinking about Drei and how he might react, or Nick and how he might feel afterwards. Drei has always been a bit of a bully when it comes to his opinions, but he has a good heart. He will still respect you if you believe in your decision. As for Nick, he will care for you no matter the outcome. All that matters is what you think needs to happen for your sake.”

Suddenly, it was as though someone had removed a blindfold. Juggling the emotions of three people was impossible. Now I knew what I needed to do. It was simpler than I’d made it out to be—even if it did take her forever to just say it.

I wrapped my arms around her shoulders, a bittersweet happiness filling me. Someone was going to be hurt, but there was no way to avoid some pain. All I could hope to do was minimize it. (And maybe feel rather dumb for taking a week to accept that had been the answer all along.)

Elemental: Chapter Six, Part 5

He regained consciousness around sunset while I was curled in the rocking chair, using the last rays of light to read a used book Mitchell had found for me. The book was a murder mystery set on a cruise in a foreign country. Thus far, it was riveting. I still hadn’t figured it out.

“What’s your name?” his quiet voice questioned from the bed. I looked in his direction, surprised to see him sitting up, wide-awake; I wasn’t even upset he had interrupted me right before they revealed the murderer and how the deed had transpired.

“There’s some food by the bed there,” I said, pointing at the loaded tray. Drei had been very specific not to reveal anything personal until this had been settled. A non-elemental stumbling across the camp was unprecedented. From the sounds of it, anyone stumbling across the camp had been unprecedented. I had caught something about diversions, though I wasn’t sure what that meant.

He smiled and cocked an eyebrow, signaling he was pleased I had mentioned food, but I had not successfully escaped his questioning.

I watched as he inhaled the fare. He was gorgeous, the opposite in every way from Drei. It didn’t seem possible they could be so physically different and still be equally gorgeous. I wondered if he was the same mentally as Drei, or if that was different also.

“How old are you?” I inquired, wondering if my prediction had been anywhere close.

“Eighteen. You?” he returned between mouthfuls.

After judging the question wasn’t dangerous to answer, I had to think what day it was. “Eighteen,” I responded, slightly surprised to realize my birthday had already passed. There had been a Valentine’s party, but I hadn’t really paid attention to it.

Nick polished off the plate, chugging the water as if he couldn’t have enough. When he set aside the glass, he steadied his gaze on me. It felt strange, as though he was seeing more than just me. Like maybe he was seeing inside me to who I really was. Or, perhaps, who I wanted to be. “You’re beautiful, Miss No Name.”

My cheeks flamed as I denied it, blaming it on exhaustion and undernourishment. He waved my protests away, insisting I was being far too modest. Drei entered as Nick was going to request my name again. Following him were Valetta, Martin—a short, sickly figure who may have been albino before his turning—Mitchell, and Lily. Valetta met my eyes for an instant before turning away.

“Why?” I asked Drei; my voice sounded strained, threatening tears. I had known the worst case scenario was also the most likely, but I still felt overcome with despair and anger.

He turned, surprised for an instant before responding, “He does not belong here and therefore poses a threat to us all.”

“He doesn’t have anywhere to go.” My chest tightened as I fought through my mounting emotions. I felt like I was betraying them for their kindness by objecting, but I also felt as though there was a reason Nick was here and throwing him out was an injustice. That was just the more powerful of the two.

“Not my problem,” he replied, the words icy and scathing, his dark amethyst eyes even more so.

“Why can’t you make an exception?” I demanded, standing. I didn’t even reach his shoulders, but I felt I had more of a right to stand up than he did kicking Nick to the curb.

“We do not make exceptions,” he answered coldly, turning to face Nick again.

I whispered, tears edging into my voice, “You did for me.”

Drei turned back to me, speechless, endless strands of conversation flying past his brilliant eyes. I bit my bottom lip, waiting to receive the same boot. It was on the tip of his tongue—it didn’t take a genius to figure it out. But I wouldn’t apologize. I wouldn’t back down. Not like he was hoping I would.

Valetta stepped forward, and I knew those words of banishment were just being postponed; either that, or she was going to deliver them. Though I expected to feel happiness wash from her, it didn’t. I glanced at Nick—still anticipating the worst—unsure if it was worse he was present for this soap worthy display, or if his presence gave me more strength than I knew.

“Let him stay, Drei,” she said softly, her dark eyes serious and stunning. My jaw nearly hit the floor.

“Valetta,” Martin and Mitchell gasped. “That is completely unethical,” Martin added as Mitchell included a list of dangers posed to everyone else.

“We know the government had some hand in that fire; it is the only thing that makes sense. Even the station reports say it was faulty wiring despite the realtor’s claim the wiring had been checked and was in top shape. You know this,” she argued calmly.

“And?” Drei insisted, his unfeeling eyes unleashed on her.

She barely flinched before composing herself more fiercely than before. “Who knows what the government wants with him?” Valetta questioned assertively, determined to convince him he was wrong. “It may be something very similar to what they want with the others. We do not know.”

“Exactly,” Martin piped in, his voice squeaky. “We do not know. He may be some new traitor.”

“No one has mentioned younger hunters; they are still middle-aged men according to our contacts,” Mitchell contributed, tapping his chin thoughtfully.

“Not the point,” Martin hissed through the side of his mouth.

“But if she feels, whole-heartedly, we should let him stay, I think we should listen,” Valetta interrupted before she could be forgotten.

“I second her,” Lily added meekly, shrugging as she threw in her two cents. “It is healthy for her to have someone her own age around. All the books and magazines say so.”

Drei grumbled under his breath, but swiftly took a vote. I watched Nick count those in favor—everyone except Drei and Martin, who was beginning to look very much like a suck-up. As the others exited, the decision final, Drei turned to me. “He is your responsibility.”

Though I felt like cringing from the pure ferocity emanating from his frighteningly stoic form, I crossed my arms over my chest and nodded, watching him leave.

“So,” Nick said when the door slammed, a slight curve to his lips, “what’s your name?”

I smiled weakly at him, emotionally exhausted from fighting Drei and happy I might not be so alone anymore. “Abriel.”