Hollow Repentance

- - - - - Izzy's POV - - - - -

The padlock sat in his hand, alongside the key.

"Impatient, are we? You're such a vandal, child; this new power is too much potential for you. I can't wait until you're back to your predictable human self."

Laughing softly, Torren edged closer until our faces were merely inches away. A lump caught in my throat and my heart leapt as his large, warm hand snaked behind me. Suddenly, the door swung open behind me and I toppled backwards, stumbling on the stonework and flailing my arms desperately.

Moments before I hit the ground, my body acted on some sort of impulse, my legs twisting involuntarily and planting me in a comfortable crouch in the centre of a hexagonal room; the Tower.

"Well, at least it's something that your body can act like one of us when it needs to."

Climbing to my feet, I wandered around the edge of the room, examining unusual newspaper clippings, showing different mythical creatures that I didn't even recognise, facing problems just like what humans faced in everyday life. Further around the circular room, I spotted dusty cabinets and cases, filled with weaponry and armour, a vast array of guns and swords, leather bodies and gloves, and even some sort of advanced utility belt.

Pressed against one wall, halfway between the door and a marble balcony, I spotted a canopied bed, perfectly smoothed and seemingly unused in a long time. Running my hand along the textured patterns on the bedposts, I spotted a vanity table with bottles and vials gathered in the centre, surrounded by random items of make up and even a wig or two. I guess Torren had to dress up sometimes to do his job - a lot of people must have hated him; I could understand why, well, most of the time.

"Stop being so nosey, Izzy; I only brought you up here to show you the view. I thought you might enjoy it since you seem to like your balcony so much."

Twisting around to see Torren pressing the door shut, I rolled my eyes and chuckled, wandering slowly onto the cool marble tiles. Now I could see why he went to so much trouble. The sun had just set behind the mountains, casting a spectacular spectrum of colours across the pale blue sky, and, even from where I stood, I could just to say make out rapids, racing down the mountainside, close to the base of the mountain.

It felt as though my heart had stopped altogether. Leaning on the railing, I watched the beautiful scenery enviously from higher than I had ever been in my life, gazing over the treetops to where Tolpaza lay, the shops and houses gradually coming to life, and the streets flooding with people. Or were they creatures? Who knew, it was too far away for me to see.

"It's breathtaking, isn't it? I always come up here to relax after a tough day, to enjoy the silence and the solitude."

Twisting my back to the rail, I watched silently as Torren joined me in the chill winter air, his dark eyes illuminated by the last refracted rays of sunlight, yet still as colourless and alluring. A small sincere smile curling on my lips, I gratefully took a glass of deep red wine he held out to me. Swirling the liquid around the glass, I glanced up to Torren and watched as he drained his drink in one go. Nothing to it, I suppose. I stared for a few moments longer at the glass until Torren noticed.

"Don't worry, there's no alcohol in it; I don't think I could handle you, of all people, drunk."

Chuckling slightly, I sipped some of the liquid and choked, the glass instantly slipping from my fingers and plummetting over the side of the balcony. I retched at the putrid taste as I swallowed and plunged my upper body against the edge of the balcony, taking raspy deep breaths in an attempt to stop myself throwing up. Not again! Quicker than before, the feeling subsided and I pulled myself back upright, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand.

"What was that?"

"Blood," Torren answered simply, as though there was nothing to it, "I figured you might be able to hold it down if you didn't know what it was."

Contorting my face in disgust, I glared at him and pulled myself closer to him, my teeth clenched. I could feel prominent fangs pricking my bottom lip, but ignored the uncomfortable sensation. Tears formed in my eyes, taking all of my energy to fight them back. For the first time all day, I resented Torren once again, and even hated myself for it.

"That's disgusting, what do you think I am? A vampire or something?!"

Taken aback, I cowered slightly as Torren's expression changed from shock to a sinister smirk. Did I say something wrong? Hastily backing away from him, he responded by taking an even larger step towards me, casting an eerie shadow. My heart caught in my throat; what was going on?

"No, you're not a real vampire, but I am."

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