Say Your Prayers, You're Really Gonna Need Them.

★ ★ ★ - Indicates point of view change.

★★★

“Lay down.” I told Ruse, once we had made it into my room.

“Thing is Harlan, you need to sleepy to actually fall asleep... I don’t know maybe you’ve forgotten that little fact? And I'm not tired.” She argued, with her arms crossed over her chest.

“Must you always make everything difficult?” I asked flippantly.

“Yes... I like to see you work hard.” She smiled acerbically, before sitting down on the bed’s edge.

I was getting exasperated now, but instead of showing it... I showed her something else... My teeth.

“I am getting you to sleep Ruse, one way or another... your choice.” I growled.

Her face flashed with several emotions all at once, the most obvious being fear and irritation.

“I’m still in my clothes.” She mumbled, looking down at herself.

I nodded quickly, before grabbing a shirt from my closet and handing it to her and turning my back to her simply out of respect.

When she cleared her throat to indicate her being finished, I turned to see her already laid out on the bed, duvet pulled over her.

“Happy?” she mumbled.

“Ecstatic.” I replied, as I began unbuttoning my shirt.

Turning the lights off, I climbed in next to her and waited quietly, my eyes adjusting almost simultaneously to my darkened room.

“You know, I’m really not sleepy.” Ruse mumbled grouchily.

I smiled a little, before pulling her onto her side so that her head was on my chest; she let out a little gasp at the quick motion, causing me to smile even more.

I began slowly tracing patterns on her back, before sending her my strongest thoughts to fall asleep.

The amount I’d fed over the past two days meant that my mind was at its peak along with the ability to control the human psyche.

“Hey... don’t do—” Ruse suddenly whispered, cut off by the overpowering need for rest that I was bestowing to her.

Sensing her fall into a deep sleep, I enlaced my fingers with her own and closed my eyes.
Waiting was the worst part.

-
Looking around, I realized I was just in a very dark room.

Not be able sense anyone else’s presence, certainly not Ruse’s.

There was a single door leading from the room, looking solid, daunting and old.

Heading towards it I took a huge breath... not knowing what I would be facing behind it made me truly worried.

Grasping the doorknob, I turned it slowly and waited for it to swing open.
It seemed to lead to a very large, long hallway... majestic in stature and decor.

Bracing myself I stepped a few paces into it, the door slamming behind me as I did.

Walking down cautiously, I braced myself for a single second to gaze in a mirror, and what I saw stunned me.

My black hair was still the same, but my eyes were different, they had life to them... my cheeks had colour.

I was human.

Frowning, I placed my hand to my face, the skin underneath warm and all-encompassing.

Holding my hands out in front of me, I just stared, stupidly thinking they might hold the key to telling me what was going on, but of course they didn’t.

A noise to my left made me drop my hands and spin to face the direction of the sound, but saw nothing or no one that could indicate where it had originated from.

I began slowly walking towards the end of the vestibule, where it split off into two separate directions.

Once there, I cast a look around. It didn’t make sense, surely with a house this big there would be many people wandering through it?

But there was nothing, only the warm lights and... Music?

It was slow and quiet at first... hard to hear on human ears, but it was there never the less.

Closing my eyes, I began to follow its direction, straining hard to listen and get a general idea of its location.

But when it started growing in volume, I knew I was on the right track, knew I was close.

There was a large open plan room, leading off from the hall... it was dark with seats in the middle and a large fireplace, but I couldn't wait around to admire the view, the music was seeping deep into my whole body, calling me to it.

It was coming from the room off of the one I was situated in, it was unlit and as I stood in the doorway I actually hesitated.

I could hear crying, there was a quiet desperate sobbing tinkling over the music’s melody.
“Hello?” I called out, not wanting to just barge in.

The sobs stifled momentarily and were replaced with a voice, “Harlan?” it whispered.

I instantly recognised it as Ruse’s, it sounded strained and weak.

“Where are you? I can’t see it's too dark.” I asked, irritated that my human eyes were not as versatile as my customary ones.

“There’s... there’s something wrong with me.” She sobbed.

“What is it? Please come out I can’t see you.” I replied, taking a step into the dark.

“DON’T COME IN.” She shouted suddenly, causing me to recoil slightly from the volume and unexpected shock.

“What... why?” I quizzed, but there was no reply other than a gasp.

I waited, frozen in the dark... the music had stopped and I was left alone without any guarantee that Ruse was still actually there.

“Who’s controlling the dream?” I asked.

“I don’t know.” She whined, sounding as though she was in pure agony.

I shuffled around the room, Ruse’s plaintive pain causing me to pour into action.

My hands brushed the side of the walls, looking for a light switch frantically; the only time I paused was when something on the floor caused me to trip.

“Shit.” I muttered, as my fingers brushed the switch causing the room to explode in a bright light.

Looking down, my eyes grew wide; on the floor next to my foot was a dead body... the corpse of a maid, her skin grey and waxy.

Not taking my eyes from the ground, I turned round slowly almost gasping from the sight of bodies, all fresh and colourless.

“I told you there’s something wrong with me.” Ruse sobbed from the huge bed in the middle of the room.

I glanced up to look at her, her dress was covered in blood, blood that was spilt from her lips and down her chin, neck and chest.

But regardless of bloody decor, she was still absolutely astonishing to look at and I instantly felt drawn towards her, I took a step forward.

“Don’t... don’t come closer... please, I can’t bear to hurt you too, but I can’t control it.” She cried; stumbling backwards on the duvet, so her that spine was on the bed stead.

But I couldn't stop, it was almost hypnotizing, she looked like an angel.

“I want to... want you to; I need to know how it feels... What you feel every time.” I mumbled as I came towards the end of the bed.

Ruse was shaking her head, “I can’t handle it like you can, I’ll kill you.” She pleaded.
I walked round the edge of the bed, closer to her, with Ruse’s eyes watching every step I took.

Sitting myself down next to her slowly and carefully, I took hold of her hand, it was cold and wet from the blood, but I couldn't care.

“Please don’t make me do this.” She whispered.

“But I know you want to, I know the way you feel... every single day, its instinct.”

“No—”

“Give into it.”

With that I moved so I was in front of her and watched the war raging itself behind her eyes, I just nodded before her lips kissed my neck, I shuddered; before wrapping my arms around her body; enjoying the feeling of just being close.

“I’m sorry.” She whispered.

“It's what I want.” I replied as her sharp teeth pierced my throat.

I gasped out of the pain; it was peculiar to be on the receiving end of something you do to humans every day.

But there was also something astounding about what was transpiring, because I knew what she was feeling, the pure bliss that would follow when she pulled away.

It was almost a comforting thought, in the midst of the agony.

-

When I opened my eyes, it took me a few moments of accumulation to realize where I was, so unused to dreaming and sleeping that disorientation was most foreign.

Ruse was still sleeping soundly on my chest and not wanting to wake her, I gently moved her sleeping body so that her head was now on a pillow, she never stirred.

Swinging my legs out of the bed, I sat forward... dreaming was intense.

I took a huge gulp of air, before rising to my feet and walking towards the window.

The sky was impeccably stunning tonight, with stars dashing along the velvet, twinkling strong and bright, never faltering and never a second less beautiful.

Turning back to the bed I watched Ruse, as her chest rose and fell, deep within the dream world she created.

Running my hands through my hair, I decided to make a start on getting ready now, it was only half two in the morning, but I needed something to pass the time.

After showering, I pulled on some jeans and began pottering around.

I pulled out a beer from the fridge, before making my way back upstairs and closing myself away in the second of my spare rooms.

I hadn’t been in here since Ruse found the photo of me; my belongings still packed away in the cardboard boxes, concealing my entire life.

Sighing, I sat myself down and opened a box.

It was full of photos, some black and white and some in grainy colour.

My grandmother and myself in the kitchen, I must have only been around seven years old, holding up a toy for the camera and looking positively delighted.

“Where did it all go wrong...?” I whispered to myself as I rooted through, taking another swig of beer.

As the liquid slipped down my throat, I began thinking about what life might have been like if I hadn’t let my grandmother’s death contradict my life.

I’d be old, probably married, with children, grandchildren and maybe even a dog.

Laughing bitterly I chucked the photos back in the box and began debating what to do with them, sometimes wishing that reminders like this weren’t mine to keep, memories were hurtful enough when you had to live forever.

Playing like films, constant reminders of how much a different walk of life I once lived in.

My thoughts were interrupted by a loud knock coming from my front door, frowning I quickly ran down to answer it, not wanting the noise to wake Ruse.

I flung the door open, to be greeted with Danny smiling drunkenly.

“Harlan.” He said, holding his arms up like he hadn’t just seen me yesterday.

“Danny...” I said warily, stepping to the side to allow him access.

“Whoa, who’s on the rag?” he gasped when he walked in.

“Piss off Danny, go and sit down.” I mumbled in reply, pushing him slightly towards the living room.

Stumbling onto the sofa he fixed me with a lazy smile.

“Aren’t you a little old to be getting yourself in such a state?” I ask quizzically, a smirk pulling up the corners of my lips.

“Hey, I only look 21 as far as I'm concerned I'm living the prime of my life... for the rest of my life.” He laughed.

“Hmm,” I sighed, before grabbing a beer for Danny to drink, “So to what do I owe this pleasure?” I asked as I returned with it.

Danny took the bottle from my hands, ripping the cap off with his teeth and taking a long swig.

“Oh you know, just in the neighbourhood, I was going to bring back a snack to share but I got sidetracked.” He shrugged.

“Thanks but I already ate.” I mumbled, sitting down on the arm chair.

“A certain markee?” he grinned.

“Not today.”

“Oh.”

“So where’s Matthew?” I asked, pulling a cigarette off the table and lighting it.

“Haven’t a clue, although my guess is fucking or feeding... or both and chances are my presumptions are correct.” Danny replied in a blasé manner.

“You probably are.” I nodded, taking a long drag of a cigarette.

“Hey, I'm not interrupting anything am I?” Danny asked, gesturing towards my naked top half.
I looked down, before laughing.

“No... No nothing like that.” I replied.

“Oh, so where is she?”

“Upstairs, which is where you will not be disappearing to.”

“I wasn’t even considering it.” Danny grinned, with a wink.

“Liar.”

“Okay... you got me, I was tempted to say hello.” Danny chortled, rubbing his hand over his face.

I shook my head, before stabbing the cigarette out into the ashtray.

“So, did you have any luck with the dream thing?” He asked me in all seriousness.

“No.” I lied.

“Oh right.” Danny replied, before taking a deep breath.

“Cut that out.” I said, fixing him with a look.

“I’m sorry it's just so... distracting! You must have the willpower of a God. I could never have a marked, I’d kill them on the first taste... especially if it was a girl and she was... you know.”

“Yes I know.” I nodded, trying not to breathe whilst I was thinking about it.

“So can I meet her?” he asked, with a small grin.

“Can you behave?” I asked gravely.

“Of course, I bet she’d want to be my best friend within minutes.”

“I'm sure she would... I know how you hunt remember?” I shot back.

Danny had a sure fire way of making prey love him, or at least feel comfortable enough around him to not suspect a thing.

“Oh piss off.” Danny replied, flapping his hand at me.

“Well she’s asleep right now, so if you’re still around when she wakes up, you’re welcome to.”

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world.” He grinned.

“Just keep all body parts to yourself.” I replied.

“You take the fun out of life.”

I shot him a look and he held his hands up.

“I'm kidding.” He shouted.

I just hoped that was the case.