Evergreen

The sun was setting over the horizon, shrinking into a small ball of scorching orange fire. It glazed the tree's leafy canopies, streaking it with golden ribbons of light.
I remained untouched by the star's fiery light, seating myself comfortably on an oak's limbs. My crimson orbs gazed downwards, locking onto a pair of bright gray.

"What are you doing here?" Nicolas asked, going straight to the point.
A small laugh rolled off my tongue as I replied, "You know, brother, the polite thing to do is greet your younger brother after all these years. Don’t you miss me at all?"
He failed to offer further response, gawking at my overall being. Moments crawled on in pure stillness until my brother finally spoke, reiterating his question once more.

"What are you doing here, Matthew?" My lips curled in amusement as I leaned my back on the cold tree trunk, pondering his inquiry. Glancing over to him, I replied, "Is it so wrong for a person to see his own brother once in awhile? I don’t think I deserve to be interrogated so crudely."Again, he failed to humor me, his gray eyes answering my question.

"Alright... Fine. I will cut to the chase. You were never one for games, huh, brother?" I shrugged my shoulders, my smile melting from my lips. "I just wanted to talk to you."

His eyebrow cocked upwards. "Oh? Whatever about?"
The air suddenly fell stagnant. My demeanor grew solemn, my crimson eyes capturing my brother's gaze. "I... I don't think I can take much more of this. I've reached my limit." Interest flickered in his eyes, goading me to continue. "I just... can't take anymore of this... Thing I've become. I've done nothing more than lust for blood, hurting everyone I've come in contact with. Brother, I think I need help."

My gaze remained on his figure, observing his reaction. His taut shoulders relaxed. Shock slowly softened his features. He stood motionlessly in his place, gaping at me.
Only for a few moments did he remain speechless.... Only a few moments until a laughter deluged out from my throat. "You are so easy to fool! I really did make you believe all that, did I? Silly brother..."My arms wrapped over my stomach, aching as my hilarity over subject increased.My brother's fists visibly clenched, barking, "You were right about one thing. I hate games. Stop kidding around. Why are you here?"With a crooked smile crossing my mouth, I leapt off the bark to solid ground. "Well if it makes you feel better, I was speaking the truth when I just wanted to talk to you."

"But you have not yet stated what you wished to talk about, brother," he pointed out eloquently."As I said before, I just wanted a chat. Must everything have an ulterior motive?" I leaned back, resting against the cool oak tree and crossing my arms over my chest.

"When you are involved? Yes. After all you did say you were ‘never setting foot in this house ever again’."

“Yes, I did and never will. Look where we are right now. We are outside of the house. Completely different in my opinion.” Exhaling a breath of air when he failed to respond, I casually mentioned, "Just heard you came from a hunting. What exactly did you dine on, may I ask?"

“That is none of your business,” he growled, narrowing his eyes into two even slits.

“I was just projecting a simple inquiry. I can’t help, but wonder if the blood you had was as good as the mortals I tasted, especially since you hunted with that witch, Viola. Good god! I’m just miserable just thinking about it! How can you tolerate her?” I said, mocking horror at the very thought. As his fists clenched even tighter, his eyes glaring dagger at my person, another thought rolled into my mind. “Oh, sorry about that, bro. I wasn’t here to badmouth that woman. I should try to ne nicer to me future sister-in-law, shouldn’t I? I mostly wanted to tell you about this delectable treat I met earlier today!”

Suddenly Nicolas’s face grew pale, wondering whomever I was talking about. Such an expression enticed me to offer further elaboration. “Yep, you heard me, brother. Dear god did she smell fantastic. She didn’t have a very bad face either. Of course, why am I even wasting my time telling you all this? A picture is worth a thousand words, is it not?”
His gray orbs widened into two silvery plates as images flowed into his head, easily penetrating through his subconscious. I closed my eyes, making sure that the image was as vivid as possible. There she stood in the forest, her green eyes staring innocently out into space, blinking away a tendril of curly golden brown. A bronze hand smoothed down her white dress while her other hand played with the small string of pearls on her neck.
I peeked an eye open, watching in curious fascination as my sibling’s complexion blanched, speechless. He seemed far too shocked to even try to ignore and push these images from his own head.

Such a reaction failed to amuse me. Where was the horror? The rage? Something? But there was nothing. Nicolas insisted on standing there and stare blankly out into space.
How boring…So I pushed another image into his head, one I made up on the spot. This innocent creature stood completely defenseless, unaware as I crept up from behind, slowly plunging my teeth into her flesh…

“No!” A smile curled my lips as I felt Nicolas react, tugging on my shirt collar. “You did not touch that human, did you?” The images slowly faded into a black abyss as I opened my eyes. His reaction was surely not one I expected. Of course, Nicolas has always been upset about my indulgences, but never this angry. His gray orbs seemed to darken into a black abyss; it swirled with such fury I never knew he was capable of having. I failed to respond, enjoying the annoyance that flickered over my brother’s visage.
“Answer me!”

Instead of speaking a lie that would most deliciously annoy the heck out of him, I decided to offer the truth, “Not a single hair on her pretty little head. Surprisingly I was able to restrain myself enough to let her live. Now may I ask why do you care so much, brother?” He dared not answer, continue to only glare at me. “I mean if this human is for your own greedy indulgence, then by all means, you can have her… for now.”

“Just stay away from her!”
“Oh? Did I strike a nerve? Do you actually know this girl?” I interrogated as he pushed me further into the tree trunk. Seeing he did not respond, I asked, “Is this girl actually precious to you, brother?” Nicolas admitted, “Nonsense! I don’t even know who she is, but you just stay away from her!”

“Hmm… even protective, I see? Such actions could make Viola quite jealous. I bet she thinks Samantha is enough competition for your attention.” Nicolas finally cracked. In an angry haze, Nicolas threw me into the tree. The proud oak’s trunk cracked, threatening to collapse over my being. I speedily dashed out of the way, watching the tree crash with a resounding thud.

“Phew! That was a close one, wouldn’t you think? That could have seriously hurt me,” I said. A dark snigger escaped my throat as I turned my attention to my brother. “Or, maybe not. After all… I am faster than you.” I dashed forward in a speed so blinding I doubted my feet even touched the ground. I easily stopped right behind my brother, lifting his torso with ease. “And I am even stronger than you!”

His body flew across the air, ungracefully crashing into the leafy debris. He groggily lifted his unscathed person from the foliage. Once he recollected his composure, he dashed forward, attempting to punch me right in the face. I evaded his assault with ease.
I continued evading every pitiful, rage filled punch he blindly threw at me. “Face it, bro. You are weak. I doubt you could do any better than that.”Suddenly, I flinched, clutching my aching cranium with my hands. My sharp teeth bit down on my tongue, leaving a rather unpleasant taste in my mouth. The pain proliferated, increasing in intensity until I was finally able to dismiss it from my mind. I shook my head, gently massaging my pounding temples.

“Yeah, you’re right. I can do better than that,” Nicolas said, a triumphant smile spreading over his lips over my cockiness.How could I forget about my own brother’s gift… Curse him. Lucky for him because I finally got serious. My amusement fled me. My eyes gazed at his figure, no longer regarding him as a fun little toy. He suddenly became a toy that I wanted to smash into tiny pieces.

“Okay, enough with the games. Why don’t we settle this now? We both know we’ve been waiting for this very moment, haven’t we?” I suggested. “What do you say, brother?

“I couldn’t agree anymore,” he said, settling himself in an offensive stance.

“How I’ve always dreamed of smashing that skull of yours into oblivion!” I mused aloud, cracking my knuckles. “It seems I finally got my wish.”Just before we both could lunge at each other, maul the opposition until only their molecules remained, an irritating, female voice sounded.

“Matthew! Nicolas!” Nicolas paused in his place, staring at a person that stood behind me. My shoulders shrugged, and my lids slid over my irises. How I hoped that the woman behind me was not who I thought it was…As I turned around, a low groan escaped my lips, my red orbs staring straight into her cold, empty soul. “Ah, Viola! Don’t you look…” A compliment failed to materialize in my head so I reiterated once again, “Viola!”

“I see you still are as rude as ever,” the dark-haired woman asserted, her dark eyes sneering at me.

“And I see you are even more annoying! Never knew that was possible.” I stated exuberantly, irking her even further.

“I suggest you leave the premises at once,” she growled.

“Your presence has cost us too much trouble,” another female voice chirped up.

“And look who it is. Samantha, how nice to see you. How is the whole ‘struggling artist’ thing going for you? Not well it seems?”

“Look, if you don’t go, we’ll make you leave!” Samantha yelled, stomping her diminutive self towards me.

“Ooh! I’m so scared! The gnome is threatening me,” I mocked, watching as rage burned deeper in her brown eyes.

“Yeah, you are definitely in for it now!” She yelled.

“Calm down, Samantha.” Nicolas’s voice rang out, forcing the irate female to halt in her place, crossing her arms roughly over her chest.

“Yeah, just chill, Sammy. I was just going to leave. Four’s a crowd,” I said, walking away from them. “Until we meet again, brother, gnome… creature.”Just moments before I could hear the wicked witch whirl into a heated harangue, I quickly dashed away, disappearing into the forest.

‘That visit certainly did not end up the way I planned it…’ I thought, sighing dismally at the very thought. ’Oh well!’After all, I had found yet another toy to play with, maybe even far more amusing than my own brother could be…