I Arranged Myself a Marriage with a Vampire …. By Mistake

“ C`mon!” , I dragged Greta with me through the corridors of the castle
“ But if Dominic finds us..” she tried to protested
I sighed and stopped to explain her slowly again.
“ You just said you know a secret passage which leads out of the castle. There`s no way Dominic to see us! And we have more 5 minutes left before he comes to take us.”
“Um…okay.” She murmured
I rolled my eyes. Her indecision could kill all the enthusiasm in me.
“Then lead me, please.” I told her
She took a deep breath, perhaps scared she was doing something as bad as a crime.
We entered in a wide dusky corridor full of huge paintings. I took a closer look. These paintings were actually portraits. I recognize Magrat`s one, although he seemed a little bit different. He wore clothes typical for the Middle Ages.
Greta went to the portrait hanged on the left.
“ “This is Magrat`s wife. She was murdered in 1756 .” , said she
I looked the woman in the picture. She had beautiful dark hair just like Athen`s , but her eyes were brown. Her skin was in the normal flesh color.
“ Was she human?”, I asked still staring at her
Greta stood beside me.
“ No, she was a vampire. Noah told me once she wanted to be painted as a human. Weird, huh?”
“Yes.” , I dropped my eyes
All of sudden she pushed the portrait aside, but instead of wall I saw a dark tunnel.
“Here”, she showed it, “ Noah said it`s some kind of emergency exit. And if something happen I must use it to escape.”
I wondered whether Athen could someday show some concern like Noah, and tell me how to save myself in case of danger. Yes, continue dreaming, Amber!
I hurried to step in the tunnel. Jeez, I couldn`t see anything! I hoped that there was nothing dangerous, creepy or hungry inside the tunnel .
The last thing I felt was Greta`s touch. She caught my hand and began to lead me trough the darkness. For first time in my life I understood what kind of life had lived the phantom of the opera. Poor phantom…

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I stumbled over something and lost my balance. Unfortunately I had caught Greta`s hand ,so she fell with me. I began to roll, until I didn`t fall on something soft. Grass. Green, fresh, soft grass. The bright sun was shining directly in my eyes. But after a second Greta landed on me and hid the sun.
“Oh,my, it hurts.” She moaned and moved a little, so she can lie on the grass too
I closed my eyes to feel the warmth. I had mud on my face and a few bruises, but I felt the happiest person in the world.
I was alive, I was free and most important, away from that castle. I stretched my arms and my legs to feel sun all over my body. Just now I realized how much I miss my previous life. Then I had my own free will, which now was taken.
Someone`s shadow towered over me and the sun disappeared again. I opened my eyes annoyed.
“What ,Greta?” , I asked the “shadow”
“ I think we better go further. We are still near the castle.”
She seemed worried that the vampires can find us. I knew she usually was too cautious, but this time I decided it`s better to listen to her.

We entered the woods. She still was scared, but maybe because of the wild nature around us which actually wasn`t that scary. At least as I knew trees couldn`t hurt people.
We reached to a small, silver stream. Greta cried out and immediately took off her shoes.
She sat on a big stone and plopped her feet into the water.
“Oh,it`s cold!” , screamed she
“I know” , I said while was brushing my face , “ Next time try to suppress you emotions a little bit.”
“ Sorry, I didn`t mean to make you wet.”
“ No problem.”
I sat near her and joined her in watching the sky. She seemed happy, but not as much as I. It was a different kind of happiness. I was happy, because all I wanted in my short stupid life was freedom, but she was rather like she was watching an album with photos of her childhood – something beautiful but left forever in the past.
“Hey, Greta, don`t you think you`ll miss all that when you become a vampire?” , I couldn`t help but ask
She looked me in surprise.
“Well, it`s not like I can`t go out and see the sun. Noah said to me it`s possible for vampires to walk in daytime, but they are weaker because of the sun. “ , answered she finally
Then I understood anything. She didn`t care about her human life. It was worthless to her. Her all world was only Noah, Noah and Noah. But the things were different to me.
I stood up.
“ Greta, I want to pick up some flowers.” , I said, “ Could you wait me for a little bit?”
She nodded and I hurried up to walk away. Once I lost her of sight I began to run. I ran until I didn`t reach a nice meadow full of flowers. But not the flowers were the reason I came here.
I pull out of my sleeve my cell phone and switched it on. I had received thousands of messages and missed calls. All of Leila and Matt. I checked Leila`s first. She asked if I am alright, is it interesting on the course and stuff. Her last messages showed that she freaks out without receiving an answer. I felt horrible. She probably was thinking the worst like I don`t want to be friends anymore or for some reason I don`t want to talk to her.
I hurried up to text her. I wrote that the we have no time and we are quite busy and of course the cell phones are forbidden. I also wrote her I`m quite lonely without her and I want to see her so bad, but it`s impossible now.
It was harder with Matt`s messages. I felt huge guilt ,knowing that he waits for me and he keep hoping I`ll come back. That made me hate this marriage even more.
His messages were whole poems. I actually didn`t know he could write. He heart literally sunk, while I was reading them. But the hardest part was the answer. What should I text him back? I couldn`t be rude, but in the same time I couldn`t give him hope.
I wrote only “Thank you”. One simple stupid “thank you” as if he had made me some kind of favor.
I was about to switch off the phone, when it began to ring. My jaw dropped when I saw Matt`s ID .
For a moment I thought not to pick up, but it was going to be really stupid. With shaking hands I picked up.
“Hello?”
“ Amber!Is that you?” , a familiar voice stopped my breath
“Yes, why?” I tried to speak normally
“I don`t know, you just sound so different.” Explained he
I knew my voice was kind of husky right now. But a lot of feelings were fighting in me and I couldn`t really calm down.
“ I wanted to hear your voice.” I heard him laughing , “ It`s not the same here without you.”
I gulped.
“ You have no idea how much I want to see you .”, my voice broke on the last word , “ But … that won`t happen.”
“ Hey,don`t say that. Actually I called to tell you that I and the boys will have a concert in Liqueur in Friday. I was wondering if you can escape for a little and come and see us.”
“I`m not sure if I can…”
Oh, I was sure I couldn`t. Nobody would allow me.
“Please…” , his voice sent trills in my spin

While I was wondering what to do , I heard someone shouts my name. I recognized Greta ,but she wasn`t alone. There was a man with her too. It was going to be really awkward if they caught me here speaking on the phone.

“I`ll try to come, I promise! I call you back some other time! Love you.Bye!”
I spat all that in a second and switched off the phone. I hid it just in time before Greta and Dominic appear from the woods.
Man, he was dressed pretty weird. Dominic wore black mackintosh and a hat with huge brim. And then I remembered what Great said to me about the weakness and the sun. Poor vampire, I felt sorry for him.
“Oh, here you are!” , said with relief Greta
“Um, yeah.” , I bit my lip , “ I think I got lost …a little.”
She hugged me tight for a few seconds and when she released me, I could breathe again.
“ I think it`s better to go back to the castle. Master Athen is very angry.” Said Dominic, he looked upset
Just perfect! I rolled my eyes and sighed. Master Athen was angry.

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I opened the door quietly. I heard no sound. Maybe I could head to my bed and pretend to be asleep. Athen wasn`t in his coffin. I was about to crawl in bed again, but I felt someone watching me. I turned to face Athen. Very very furious Athen. I took a step backwards.
“What were you thinking you were doing!?” , he shouted in my face
“Nothing”, I answered in quiet voice
“ Really? Then why did you escape and convinced Greta to escape too???”
Convinced Greta? Okay, it wasn`t a crime to convince a person, right? And he was yelling at me as if had killed a man.
“Hey,hey I didn`t force her!”
Athen looked almost ready to hit me, but his hand clenched as fist didn`t move.
“Do you have any idea how dangerous is to go out without protection?” hissed he
It seemed that the East Clan was around or something or he just wanted to make me stay here.
“What`s so dangerous?”, I hissed back, hopping he`ll say something important
“Everything could be dangerous for a stupid mortal like you!”
Okay if he wanted to offend me, he succeeded. I bit my lip, trying not to cry.
“Like you care if I die. Today you just missed your chance!”
I pushed him away from my way and I rushed in the closet. I heard him calling my name, but I didn`t answer. I hugged one green dress and pressed my face against it. Since weeks ago I used it as a giant handkerchief. It also muted the sound of my crying.
“Amber, open the door!”, he sounded irritated as I heard him walking towards the door
“Go away and leave the stupid mortal alone!!!” I shouted from the top of my lungs
Silence. I thought he was gone. But I was wrong. He was still there.
“Could you open the door?”, this time he was calm
“ NO, I can`t!”
Silence again. I sobbed twice . How long was he planning to stay there!?
I even didn`t know why I was crying. I supposed to get used to his insults already. I guess crying had become my hobby or something.
“ Amber, I`m going to open the door. “ , I heard him
“ Don`t you dare!”
But it was too late. I buried my face deeper in the cloth. Not that he didn`t know I was crying, but I didn`t want to be seen.
He sat on the floor next to me.
“Why do you act like that?” asked he
Unbelievable, his voice was almost gentle! I didn`t answer.
“You should listen to me when I say you can`t go out alone, okay?” , he continued
I felt his hand on my shoulder. Although it was cold, some kind of heat rose in me.
“ Just leave.” , I said with husky voice
“Listen…” , Athen began again
“ I don`t want to talk to you now.” , I interrupted him
He growled.
“ As you wish!”
The last thing I heard was the shutting door.
I finally removed the dress of my face. At least I didn`t cry anymore.

That night I stayed in the closet. I tried to sort out my feelings. I needed to decide what to do. At first I thought it`s not good to go back home. To meet Matt and Leila again could be very dangerous, especially for themselves. But otherwise I could be careful and nothing could happen.
I needed to see them. And I have never seen before Matt playing guitar. He and some friends of his were formed a band, but they never played in public. And my only chance to see them was in the local club Liqueur. I had to think up something.

Two hours later I already had a plan.