Eternal: Chapter Nine, Part 1

Chapter Nine: Reason to Stay

Good news met me upon my return. The commercial was a success. Within the first 24 hours the website had several thousand hits. That turned into several hundred million after a week’s time. Mikael and Xenia added a comments section to the site after the first day; while some people insisted we were crazy, insane, needed to be locked up for life, there were even more who asked what it was like, how did it feel. They believed; even if there was only a hint of belief, it was enough.

Drei, still worried about me—never straying too far, always looking over his shoulder, watching for signs that something was happening again—and wouldn’t let me hold a group meeting to discuss our budding success and the next set of commercials. If he could have, I think he may have swept me away somewhere new to hopefully forget about everything again—likely a better option than fighting himself. Time and second chances weren’t luxuries we had, though; he eventually compromised on individual meetings with my team.

Caroline was first because she had demanded it. I needed to talk to Ian about the next set of commercials, but there wasn’t a point in arguing.

“Missed you at the party,” she said, sitting down across from me in the living room. “What happened?”

“Long story;” I hoped she would drop it. “I’m better now.”

“Well, at least you’re better.” She waited a moment as though vainly hoping the silence would drive me to reveal my secrets. “Anyway, you saw the numbers, right?”

“Most of them,” I said, nodding toward my notebook. “You won’t show me how much you’re paying for everything.”

Smirking, she said, “Good. That’s how I wanted it. And…we’re ahead of schedule;” she crossed her legs and leaned forward on her elbows. “So we only have two more rounds of commercials and two more additions to the website left before we go live.”

“We’re not going live with broadcasts; we’re going live—”

“As in speaking publicly,” she finished, waving a hand to the side. “I remember. More my point was, with a website, we could put together mini broadcasts that people could download for free. That way people who can’t see either of us speak can still know what’s going on.”

“I’ll talk to Mikael and Xenia about it.” I liked the idea; I had already planned to discuss making the commercials available on the site with them, and this tied rather nicely into that. My primary goal with the website was to keep the message accessible, especially as it evolved.

“Also, did you plan on keeping the apartment as your office?”

“I don’t see why not.”

Shrugging, she replied, “Nothing wrong with it. I was just wondering.”

“You didn’t buy something, did you?”

Caroline stood, denying it. I couldn’t help but feel she had, or was looking to, at least. “I’d best be going,” she said, giving me a hug before heading toward the door. “I’ll see if I can find any of my old research and bring it over. You can look through and see if anything’s useful,” she explained over her shoulder. “Take care, Abs.”

“You, too.”

I was surprised Caroline hadn’t thrown a fit, but that might have been because she’d already thrown it to Drei or someone else. She was behaving strangely, though, more secretive than usual; she also didn’t try to make me talk about it like she usually would have. How much did Drei tell everyone, if anything at all? Or was this something else entirely?

Vampiric: Chapter Ten, Part 5

Caroline and I were finishing prepping for the party they had planned for my birthday—lucky 22, Caroline insisted—w hen her cell phone started singing a rock hit.

“I’ll get it,” I said, twisting my hair behind my head so it would be ready for a clip. “Hello?”

“Turn on the news,” Ian said, exhilarated. “Caroline needs to see it, too.”

 Keeping the phone to my ear with the help of my shoulder, I picked up the remote as I asked, “Which one?”

“They’re all playing the same thing.”

“Who is it?” Caroline asked, donning a lacy black choker to go with her simple v-neck dress.

“Ian,” I said, finding a news station and seeing the red letter C hovering over the newscaster’s shoulder in a window.

“Holy crap,” Caroline gasped, standing beside me.

“It seemed last night’s broadcast from the infamous C was not just a prank,” the woman was saying as another window popped up with a frozen image of Caroline’s lips—the only thing anyone outside of our company ever saw. “While most viewers expected nothing to come of it, this afternoon’s mail revealed very much the opposite. Each household in the nation, according to our reports, received one of these crimson letters in her namesake.”

“We did it,” Ian said, startling me. I had forgotten I was still clamping the phone to my ear with my shoulder—which was easy enough to do as I had released my hair and dropped the remote when I had found the station. “The techs, your idea, my technique, her project…it’s really starting.”

The newscaster kept talking about the shock of receiving it, taking time to read through some of the online comments from the day as her image was replaced with photos they had taken of households displaying the sign in their area.

I was speechless. There was nothing to say. Ian had already said it best. We did it. We had officially taken the step from talk to walk and people were responding positively. People really were with us. More than we had thought, even.

“Give me the phone,” Caroline demanded. Her fingers wrapped around it as soon as it was within reach. “We’re brilliant!” She wrapped her free arm around my shoulders. “It’s finally here.”

Vampiric: Chapter Ten, Part 3

Our first broadcast of the year was over, a magnificent success in beginning her call to action, so it provided another excuse for us to celebrate. Even though Ian, Caroline, and I had more work to do mapping out what action we wanted our now four million plus supporters—based on conservative estimates—to take. That was our next problem.

Ian and I waited at the back of the crowd as she made the toast that would commence the fête.

“This is not a celebration of victory,” she began, smiling around at everyone. “We haven’t won anything. This is not a celebration of everyone who has claimed to be one of us and spread our message. This is a celebration of us. Of everything we’ve accomplished over the past year, and everything we will strive for this year. This is to our team members who have left, those who have joined, those who have made sacrifices on our behalf and chose to stay in our company.” Her eyes stayed a moment on mine before moving on with her toast. “To continue on for the sake of people they do not know, but want to help. As we continue on this year, let us remember that out goal isn’t to take over. Our goal is to spread truth and aid the general public in realizing if they want a better life, they’ll have to make it, because our government will not.

“So this is to us! For all we have done, and all we have yet to do.”

“To us!” the crowd cheered, downing their poison of choice.

As music started up and people broke into groups to socialize, Ian and I slipped out, heading for her office. We expected her to be delayed by questions and adoration, possibly even drunken requests for a dance. Who knew? The employees were a wide range of people, all dependable and loyal but occasionally unpredictable. It’s what made them perfect.

“Ian,” I said as we sat in our usual seats, “is there some secret you have that you’d like to share?”

His sapphire eyes darted up momentarily, a flaming eyebrow raised in puzzlement. “Such as what?”

“Such as would explain that kiss on the cheek the night you told me to talk to Caroline.”

“Yes,” he admitted, sitting forward on his elbows. “I’m madly in love with you, love.”

The seriousness in which he said it made me laugh. “Really, though,” I said. “You didn’t move. So as flattering as that would be, it’s an outright fib.”

“If you know, why are you asking?” he asked readjusting his cap of the day—a crocheted cap in a houndstooth print.

Shrugging, I sat further back in my chair. “I want to hear it from you. Just as you wanted to hear it from me.”

“Fair enough,” he conceded, grinning mischievously. “But let’s make this a touch more interesting.”

“What?” That wasn’t part of my plan.

“Entertain me,” he requested, sweeping an open hand out to his side. “I’ll still let you in on my secret, but, what do you think it is?”

“That you’re an elemental, too.”

“Since I’ll be specific, you have to be as well,” he bargained, his smile growing larger. “So which element, love? You have a 25 percent chance of guessing right.”

“Air,” I replied. His personality was just too close to mine, and which else could blow a kiss so accurately?

“Seems you’ve found me out,” he smiled, leaning back again.

“Wasn’t hard when you gave yourself away.”

“I had planned on telling you when you told me,” he confided, seriously. “Then I was called away.”

“Does Caroline know?” I inquired, curious if he had ever shared with her.

“Well, I haven’t told her in so many words, but I’ve left plenty of clues for her. Whether she pieces the puzzle together or not is her choice,” he said, shrugging. I didn’t blame him. Just as she hadn’t directly told me she was fire, and I hadn’t outright told her I was air. We had simply revealed it to our advantage.

Vampiric: Chapter Nine, Part 3

The following morning, she called Ian to let him know he was in charge while racing through traffic to our shopping destination. It had been nicknamed Designer Boulevard for the numerous brand name—expensive, high quality brand name, I might add— clothes and accessories available. Everything from Louis Vuitton to Versace, the up and coming Lollipops accessory brand to Dolce and Gabbana, could be found on the boulevard. I had been to several locations of similar grandeur when I was younger and throughout high school, but had never been to this particular shopping locale.

Unexpectedly, I was actually giddy about it. I guess I hadn’t changed as much as I had thought, and perhaps all I needed was a break from it all before I could remember what I loved most about shopping was mostly trying on clothes that made me feel beautiful, powerful, somehow invincible. I loved the feel of the different fabrics and the look of a well cut dress or pair of pants. Not to mention the shoes, oh my word, the shoes. Shoes to compliment party dresses and shoes in which to run the world; shoes that make you want to dance right there in the store.  So maybe there were many things I missed about shopping.

Later that afternoon, weighted down with what she insisted was only half of my new wardrobe—some of the bags already crammed into her car—we sat down to lunch at a cozy café, comfortably warm inside considering the growing chill outside.

“So, before you ask, this is also most of your Christmas gift,” she said, opening the menu to peruse her options.

I ordered a mixed fruit tea and citrus salad. I was usually appalled by girls who only ate salads, but when I was shopping, it was the only thing I wanted to eat. Weird, yes, but that was me—I just hadn’t seen this side in so long I was surprised she still existed. Caroline ordered a Monte Cristo sandwich with fries and a cherry cola.

“How can you even afford it?”

“Oh, my parents,” she said simply. “They insist if I don’t want to live their lifestyle, I should at least live mine in a decent apartment and designer clothes. I think they want me to spend my inheritance before they’re gone so I regret not spending more time with them. What about you? Ian told me you weren’t sure about going home.”

I shrugged; “It’s complicated.”

“Isn’t everything?” She rested her chin on her interlaced fingers.

“Maybe I’ll explain some other time, or you have my permission to ask Ian about it.”

The waiter delivered our drinks and she took a long draw from the straw. “I already did. I just wanted to know if you would tell me.”

It felt like I was being cornered; it wasn’t so bad I couldn’t tell her. I just didn’t want to ruin the day. But what choice did I have now? She already knew, but now she wanted to hear it from me. And I could understand that perfectly.

“The last time I saw my mother, I told her she didn’t deserve her daughter because she was being a freak about dealing with the changes in my behavior. Instead of asking me about it, she was going to lie and pretend she could bake a cake,” I said, finding the anger formerly surrounding the memory was replaced with indifference. “Turns out she’s not even my real mother. The last time I saw my dad was when he told me the story of my mom—my biological mom. About how they met and how I came into the picture. He also told me I was the only reason he could stand to miss her. That I looked a lot like her. Then I ran away, not even thinking about how they would feel about it. I haven’t seen them since.”

“Did you ever meet your birth mom?” she prodded, sitting back so our waiter, newly appeared, could set her food down.

I glanced up at him, not wanting to speak while he was around—he didn’t need to know about my issues—and noticed he wasn’t half bad so far as looks were concerned. He had a soft voice, but perhaps that was more because he didn’t want to disturb our conversation. His hair was a sandy blonde and styled similarly to how schoolboys were often portrayed in movies. He had sea blue eyes and sharp features. I couldn’t figure out why I was so drawn to him; I didn’t realize he had left and I was just staring into space until Caroline waved her hand in front of my eyes.

“What?” I asked, snapping back to reality.

“You were staring,” she said, sounding almost disinterested. “Do you like him or something?”

I shook my head, certain that wasn’t it. “There’s something funny about him. Something I can’t discern.”

“Elemental? That could be it.”

“Yeah…maybe.”

“But, about your birth mom, did you meet her?”

“In captivity,” I said. “She was my cell mate.”

Her eyes widened. “How was she?”

“Mentally…not all there.”

Wincing, she touched my forearm and sympathized, “I’m sorry, Abs.”

“Don’t be,” I said, not needing another reason for her coddle me. “For as long as she’s been there, she could have been worse.”

A strained silence fell between us for a while before Caroline broke it by querying, “Where do you want to go next?”

Shrugging, I said, “I have no idea.”

“Accessories it is, then.”

When we finished our lunch, we dropped off our bags in her car—fast becoming full—and headed to the many accessory shops on the boulevard. By the end of the day, I literally had a new wardrobe. I kept some of my older clothes—those I loved to death—but most of them Caroline dragged off to donate along with a good deal of her own. Going through my additions, I realized how much I missed shopping and having new clothes. It had gone from being a solid constant in my life to not existing in it at all. It was something that definitely helped my mood. Perhaps this finding myself wasn’t as hard as I was making it.

Vampiric: Chapter Nine, Part 2

Mid-December, Caroline was in the throes of planning again, as were a good many of us. The one before Christmas would be crucial as it would be the last of the year and would help determine how many would await her coming suggestions for action in the new year. It was a lot to have to worry about. Her speech had to uphold her stance on why the revolution was necessary as well as insinuate the coming call to action while making it seem like the viewer’s idea.

One day, while I was working on arranging our information and ideas into an outline for her use in writing her speech, she came into the office and stood in the door. She stood with her hands on her hips and her feet planted slightly apart from each other. “Out.”

I looked up from my laptop; unsure what she meant, I asked, “What?”

“Get out of my office.”

“…Fine,” I said, standing and slowly starting to collect my papers and charger. “I’ll work downstairs.”

“No, you won’t,” Caroline said, her face set in her usual scowl.

I set everything back on her desk, ready to give up her guessing game. If I was fired, I didn’t really see a reason behind it or why she didn’t just come out and say it. It was stupid and childish and I could easily delete the outline. Then she’d have nothing to go off of and be forced to read and sort through her own research. “Then what? Am I fired, then? Is that it?”

She didn’t say anything and that made it worse. Her scowl cracked into a smile just as I was ready to leave and toss her office in a whirlwind.

“There’s no need to work in my office when you have your own,” she said, seeming almost unable to hide her humor.

“Wait, what?” I asked; I shook my head, certain I had misheard. “What do you mean?”

Caroline grabbed my hand and pulled me from behind the desk, out the office, and to a room a few doors down the hall. “I mean you have your own office now.” She handed me a key after opening the door. Inside were a couple of file cabinets, a beautiful oak desk and chair set, and a comfy crimson armchair with matching ottoman.

“Thank you doesn’t seem to cover it,” I said, slowly exploring the space and dragging my hand across the desktop.

“It’s half of your present.” She leaned against the door frame. “Tomorrow we’re skipping work for the second half.”

“There’s so much left to do, though,” I reminded her, certain our current time restraints couldn’t be stretched any further. Not without us pulling an all-nighter—and I doubted she’d agree to that. She was still skeptical about my regular sleeping habits, so forget condoning me to forgo sleep.

“I’m your boss.” Caroline stood upright again, a smile playing across her lips. “If you like your job, you won’t argue.”

Actually needing my job—as it was the only steady, non-human thing in my life—instead of arguing, I asked, “What’s this for?”

She shrugged. “I thought you deserved something for making it to three months.”

“Thank you,” I said for lack of any better way to express the gratitude swelling in my chest. “You and Ian were a big part of those three months.”

“Yeah, I know,” she said, shrugging and grinning as though to say I didn’t need to remind her but she would take any and all praise anyway. “Oh, and you’re coming with me for Christmas. Ian, too. No way both of you are going to mope around instead of going somewhere.”

“You told me your plan, already.”

She grinned at me over her shoulder adding, “I was only reminding you, in case you thought you’d argue that as well.” And with that, she left, leaving me to collect my things from her office and settle into mine. That, and finish up the outline for her speech so she could work on fleshing it out for the rest of the day. 

Vampiric: Chapter Seven, Part 8

Drei dropped his paper on the coffee table, turning his gaze to me. “How was your meeting today?”

I turned my head from where it rested on his shoulder to return his gaze. “Well, I’m her secretary now.”

“That is quite the promotion.”

“Yes, it is. Apparently, it means I’m privileged to more organizing information.”

Pressing his forehead to mine, he asked, “How do you want to celebrate your success?”

For a moment I didn’t say anything, loving the mischievous sparkle in his eyes. I tried to think of something he might enjoy as well, but all I could think about was kissing him. It was such a strong urge, I thought I understood how she must have felt before pushing her out of my thoughts.

“Kiss me,” I murmured. “Like you did a couple nights ago.”

A devilish grin spread across his lips and I realized he had been hoping I would demand as much. “I cannot recall how it went,” he teased.

“Well, this hand was here;” I placed his right hand on my back. “And this hand was here;” I set his other hand over my shoulder in my hair. “My hands were here, and—”

Our lips met, tender and lovingly. It seemed to infused with the adoration and amazement we shared for each other. I felt enveloped by him—protected, trusted, desired. In his arms, his lips to mine, the emotions washing over me were a reminder of how far I had come in the five years we had known each other, and how far we had come together. I would do anything in the world for Drei—including working with Caroline—if it meant these emotions would never fade.

Then there was music. Unexpected, but the soft piano tune fit the moment so perfectly, it took me a moment to realize it wasn’t supposed to be accompaniment; it was Caroline.

“What is it, Abriel?” Drei asked, sounding dazed.

I motioned to him to wait a moment as I flipped open the phone. “Yes?”

“I need to see you,” Caroline’s voice demanded. I was glad she was back to being bossy, despite how pleasant it had been to see a different side of her. “Where are you?”

“At home;” I started to regret agreeing to this, considering what it had interrupted.

“Your apartment, great. Ian will be there in a little bit. Wait outside.”

The line clicked dead before I could argue. I dropped the phone back into my new purse.

“What is it?” Drei appeared behind me, making me jump.

Turning around, I smiled, hoping it was convincing enough. “Caroline,” I said, though I knew that explained nothing at all. “Part of being secretary is when she calls, I go.”

“I see…” His disappointment was far too apparent, considering he usually didn’t wear his heart on his sleeve. It was tearing me apart to leave him; I didn’t want to, but he’d told me to go back to working for her, and that’s what I’d done. We would have to take whatever came because of it.

“I wish I could stay—”

“Then stay,” he said, following me to the door. There was an edge to his voice that I hadn’t heard him use towards me in a long while.

I stopped, midway slipping on my flats, and faced him. “I can’t.” I managed to say though the words felt like bricks on my tongue. Why couldn’t he understand? I needed him to understand, to make this easier.

“Then leave already.”

I stood on my tiptoes to kiss his cheek. “I love you.”

Drei turned away from me, sulking back to the couch. I hated more than anything to leave him like this, but what choice did I have? If I didn’t leave, I was pretty sure that meant I was fired. Without waiting for him to act his usual self and say something to make everything all right—for the time being, at least—I left the apartment, stepping outside just in time to see Ian pull up to the curb.

“Interrupt anything?” he asked, speeding down the half-empty street.

I thought about lying and saying nothing, but I found myself saying, “Yes,” a little more bitterly than I had intended.

He chuckled at me, saying, “You’ll get used to it.”

Even though he’d been doing this a lot longer and ought to know, I doubted him. I couldn’t see how I could ever be accustomed to leaving Drei the way I had. It didn’t seem like a good habit to develop.

Vampiric: Chapter Three, Part 3

“To us!” Caroline shouted over her team, standing on a table, now dressed in a hippie skirt and wrap blouse. We all quieted as the last of the champagne flutes were passed around. The gold in her eyes shined brighter as she gazed around, seeming to compliment everyone’s efforts in turn. “To a successful first broadcast. To everyone here. And to Abs, for getting us out of there before a run-in with the wrong people.”

Drei smiled at me from across the crowded room on the top floor of the warehouse. My cheeks flamed as everyone else turned and smiled, those nearest me giving a friendly pat on the back. I tried shrugging it off as though it were no big deal, but the attention was quickly returning to Caroline, so it didn’t matter.

“Let’s drink to a better tomorrow!” She downed the flute’s contents.

Someone started up some music and more drinks were passed around. While people paired off to dance or grouped to talk about the night and anything else, Caroline made her way towards me, Conan and Ian not far behind her.

“Conan doubled back after everyone cleared out,” she said, barely audible over the music. “Gov goons. If you hadn’t noticed it, we all would have been locked up by now…” She let her voice trail off, but I knew what was coming.

“You don’t owe me anything,” I said before she could say what she wanted. Personally, I didn’t want her to owe me anything. It would make when I left her operation that much easier.

Confusion and then some version of relief crossed her features, followed by her business-like demeanor. “You say that now, but everyone wants something sooner or later. I don’t forget my debts.”

I nodded for lack of something better to do; I wasn’t going to say what I was thinking.

Caroline stepped closer to me so her next words were spoken directly into my ear, her breath warm and unnerving. “I'm glad you signed on. I was wrong about you.”

She walked away. I knew what had prompted the compliment; that was obvious. But it felt like there was something else Caroline had been insinuating. Something I was missing. It worried me it might be something that could make a mess of things, too.

“Congratulations,” Drei praised, appearing beside me and interrupting my thoughts. He had left his flute behind somewhere; I didn't blame him. The moment I found a table, I was ditching mine. Alcohol was not what I needed; my thoughts were jumbled enough as it was.

“Thanks.” We were back to appearing together but not in a relationship, and it wasn't easy. Part of me wanted to let go of all the pretense and kiss him right there.

“I better head back that way,” he said before I could talk myself into anything.

“Okay;” I offered a weak smile. I knew he needed to bond with the other bodyguards if he wanted to be accepted by them, but that didn't mean I wanted him to go. The words “stay with me” were on the tip of my tongue, but I held them back. Part of not being together in public was not giving people an excuse to think you were together. I think that was the hardest part for me. I wanted so badly for us to be whoever we wanted to be, and the kiss yesterday didn't help things any either.

Drei sauntered across the room, gracefully slipping through the crowd as if the room were clear.

“That was amazing how you knew they were coming,” Conan said from behind me. I turned and was greeted by his sea-green eyes studying me curiously. “How did you know?”

“Ask C,” I said, having picked up on the fact she ultimately knew everything. “If she'll divulge that information.”

“Why can't you just tell me?” he flirted, moving to clear hair off my shoulder and brushing my cheek in the process.

Before I was unable to hide my discomfort and disgust, I excused myself and walked away. Conan wasn't a bad guy as far as I could tell, but I didn't enjoy the close proximity he took with me. As far as I knew, I hadn't done anything to suggest I was interested, but who knew? When you couldn't show off your boyfriend—or he you—things became complicated.

There was a table of refreshments I hadn't noticed earlier. That's where I left my champagne flute as I left the room. The hallways on this floor were pleasantly dark and quiet, the noise of the party muffled. Walking to the end, I leaned against the wall by a window, the panes frosted slightly and fogging over upon impact with my breath. I drew a heart in the condensation, remembering when my dad and I used to draw out whole comics on the windows of our rooms during ski trips. Not for the first time, I wondered how he was doing. He seemed to pop up in my thoughts every once in a while and I felt guilty leaving him in the state I had.

After he had shared everything he knew about my mom, he was a mess. The memories were still painful, even after all these years. The next day I left without telling anyone, and I wondered if he was as destroyed by my absence as he was by my mom's supposed death. My real mom, not my adoptive mother who put me through the paces of high society.

I reached out my senses, hearing the ocean roar in the distance. It took me a moment to realize there was another sound that shouldn't be there.

I tried to remember if there was anyone who hadn't showed up for the celebration. Counting the cars parked below, I knew everyone was here. So then why were there cars approaching? This stretch of the dock was pretty much abandoned, and I couldn’t fathom why a caravan of vehicles would be coming out here so late.

I pulled the conversations from the vehicles and found nothing but silence. These definitely weren't party goers. It didn't seem possible the government would have been able to locate the headquarters so quickly. Not after all the precautions they had taken.

Unless they had seen Conan circling back and had someone follow him.