Forced Affection

I suppose you want to know a bit about our country that unfortunately Leo and I share; Aelorti. Well I’m very patriotic, which is why I think it is one of the most beautiful countries in the world. It is situated in Europe, and like other countries currently, it is protected by a force field that keeps out everything from normal people, to downworlders and even some of our own. Aelorti is much like the Shadow Hunters country of Nephilim, I have been lucky enough to travel to their capital city of Idris, known as the City of Glass. That city is most definitely one of the most beautiful in the world with the glass towers, especially in the evening when the sun is setting, the glass towers that keep downworlders out light up everything in wonderful pinks, oranges and purple as all the colours of the rainbow refract.
With the world in turmoil and the craving of power stronger than ever before, many countries have protected themselves with such force fields that reject everyone with the exception to citizens and people that have been invited or cleared. After World War III that almost ended society this became the only way, any country felt as though we could entirely protect ourselves. World War III changed many things, the protection of nations, treaties, and most of the entire world. Places that had once been hidden like Aelorti (for vampires and slayers), Nephilim (where shadow hunters lived), Cryptopia (faeries country), Mauaji (warlocks hideout) and Darretch (werewolves forest and safety) and had existed for generations but in full secrecy now became the brink of a Utopia and the way the world would become. After the break out of WWIII because of espionage, terrorism and nuclear warfare trust was broken the most, America fell from being the best, the United Nations crumbled and many of the Governments all around the world especially dictatorships crashed and burned. The world changed over a matter of a decade in a way no one had ever expected. By the end of the 21st century, the world wasn’t even recognizable. Now early into the 25th century the world had began to evolve again and become more understanding and more scared than ever before.
Now the idea of nuclear warfare being the worst that could happen had been entirely lost, the truth was out. All around the world, everyone knew about downworlders, demons, faeries, warlocks, witches, werewolves, shadow hunters, vampires and slayers. The truth had finally emerged and people changed, we began to accept the different and we became more frightened than ever before. Countries that evolved and moved on where the ones that accepted that there were other ‘things’ out there, and chose to use the knowledge and power to get ahead. Countries that had been considered third world nations and neutral thrived on this new chance to even out the world. However, the change meant that what once made the globe what it was with humanity and naivety and well the right thing altered as well. The good faith had been lost, no one could trust and all together knowledge got to the best of us.
It wasn’t just society that changed; it was our beliefs, technology, medicine, theology, and even national borders. We became equally scared and confused as each other. Slowly through the centuries we integrated and mingled, only now had we began to move forward and the chance of the Prince of Darkness erupting and changing the world again was something I knew we couldn’t handle. Humanity wouldn’t survive such a drastic change again.
Aelorti continued as it always had, protected by force fields and we kept to our own kind. This knowledge to humanity didn’t change us, but now we had a chance to thrive on power and get above what was now considered the ‘old world’. Aelorti when located was situated in between the ‘old world’s’ Spain and France. They were one of the luckier countries though to remain with their original borders, bigger countries such as America and Russia had been divided into smaller countries and are still fighting civilly.
Even though everything of the ‘old world’ had changed, Aelorti still thrived and kept the pace we had always maintained, fast and up to date with the greatest. Still broken into six states we were considered a bigger size country and yet we were once considered a small one. Change I guess could be described as good in that way.
The six states remained as they always had. Terralucis in the North East on the border of France stood for ‘Land of Light’ in Latin. It was where I was born, lived and trained; it was in the port of Costa Estralia that the hope was brought to the world, especially to the Aelortians. Nevertheless, this isn’t the major city of Terralucis no that is San Lorenzo. Terralucis is mostly Slayers and families, it isn’t often a vampire is found in Terralucis as it is home to the hope and faith. We never lived in the big city of San Lorenzo, it was too expected and dangerous that was why my parents decided to move to Costa Estralia. Due South and on the east side of Aelorti was the state of Aurelia with Fort Razuk, the place most well known for hospitality. The food was divine as was the drink, which is where most visitors ended and more often than not realised they, couldn’t keep up with the Aelortians. Below Aurelia was Illyria, with the capital of Avalon the two states go hand in hand. Illyria most well now for the recreational needs, the partying of the country always began there and the celebrations never really stopped either. Of course, Avalon therefore was the most well kept city of them all right on the border of Spain. Voltar was the state in the centre of our beautiful country and well it also help our capital city-Sarilik. As much as I love Aelorti, Sarilik was a bad place. It was where the strategies, military and politics evolved. It is where our civil wars broke out, and believe me there has been many and it is where our Government tries to pretend they have power. We no though that there is two monarchs that have to most power and with them almost ready to unite Aelorti will change again, hopefully for the better, and not produce any more civilly pushed struggles for power. Covia is our most pretentious state, known for the environment and scenery it shows what Aelorti is really made of, ranging from valleys, to mountains and the rolling hills hiding the volcanoes that have left devastation and created more beauty than ever known. Alteus, home of our god’s lies at the mouth of our river Barum that runs through every state starting in one side and ending in the other. As Covia takes up most of the French border it is the biggest state and one that is often missed when travelling to Aelorti even though it should never be over looked. The last state is Svardia, which is controlled by the Vampires and their biggest city is Xalan. As Terralucis is the state of light, Svardia is the state of Darkness, technically, it isn’t dark, but rather it is what it stands for, as it is the vampires hollow so to speak. I always wondered how Svardia and Terralucis could be the part of a same country and yet it was, I suppose that is why so many civil wars had began and well normally ended quickly after feeling vulnerable to other countries possibility to attack, after all it is easier to take over a country when it was divided.
‘Well will I be safe?’ I questioned Leo again as we pull up at a small restaurant right on the bay. Fort Razuk was another scenic stop with great food that could keep people for weeks, even though I had only ever been lucky enough to visit it a couple of times.
‘Cortez I don’t really care, but do you honestly think I would take you somewhere that wasn’t safe and endanger my own life. Remember I’m the selfish one’ Leo snapped as he rubbed his forehead and killed the engine.
‘Honestly I don’t trust you at all, even sharing your life feels like a mistake’ I snapped getting out of the car and slamming the door shut so hard the window rattled and the door almost buckled. I must also point out that materials have also gotten much stronger. Titanium and steel once were the toughest but with creatures like ourselves companies only survived if they kept up with the change in society and therefore made things appropriate for the stronger, faster, and smarter and well over all more superior than usual humanity.
‘Hurt the car and you will regret it’ Leo snarled getting out of the car and locking it.
‘Is that a threat?’ I questioned back at almost a snarl as well.
‘This way and try not to draw much attention. I don’t want anyone thinking I’m a traitor because I’m with a slayer’ Leo snapped as he grabbed the upper part of my arm and pulled me into the front door of the small cafe. He didn’t even bother waiting to be seated, he immediately made his way to the back of the cafe to a small part that was covered in a clearly meant for ‘special’ guests.
‘News flash Parker people are going to find out. After all this is practically the new Gray treaty’ I snapped sitting down across from him in the small booth. For you that don’t know the Gray treaty was a treaty made with the Shadow Hunters hundreds of years ago as an alliance to deal with downworlders and try to protect humanity. Unfortunately, we couldn’t protect humanity from themselves.
‘Yeah well until it is all official and there has been a press conference I want to keep it quit. Plus others might not know who I am and just sense that I’m with a slayer and therefore assume I’m a traitor’ Leo responded not even letting me feel smug with my come back for a single second.
‘Well I’m sure most people know exactly who you are considering what a man whoring player you are. After all, I think you have made headlines all around the world. So I’m sorry but I think the cat has been let out of the bag’ I replied knowing I had won this round.
‘As opposed to the prude you are that has never made the headlines except for good things?’ Leo responded. Wow I’ve never had an argument like this before; where they other person actually thinks of a comeback.
‘Please I have respect for myself and therefore wouldn’t want to be labelled a whore’ I said sighing as I leant back in the booth just wanting sleep to come and over power me.
‘Every chick wants to be a whore, or at least wish they could do the same as me and be labelled a hero and not a slut’ Leo responded rubbing his neck.
‘Wrong. “Chicks” might want to be whores, woman want to be powerful and through sex we get it, as males can’t handle not having it’ I responded leaning in again I have never had such a pointless argument last this long.
‘You’re not a woman so you wouldn’t know’ Leo responded before I had even finished my last word.
‘Wow first I’m not human, just filth and now I’m not a woman. So all wise Parker what am I?’ I snapped.
‘Besides a bitch?’ Leo questioned.
‘Wow childish name calling. I guess I am surprised this pointless argument lasted this long anyway’ I snapped again grabbing the side of the booth and gripping the wood so hard my hand imprint began to get left in it. I had forgotten the strength I had gained after last night.
‘As opposed to your smug tone that you constantly use to be little people?’ Leo replied as he leant his head on his hands on the table. I knew something was wrong and I didn’t want to hurt him more but couldn’t bring myself to stop after the previous comment he had just made. I’m not smug, well maybe a little but that is only because of his bored tone.
‘My smug tone? What about your bored “I don’t give a crap” tone you always use? The only other tone that exists towards me is the furious, “I hate you” tone’ I snapped back.
‘Cortez, please shut up. For five minutes that’s all. We will address this stimulating conversation later. Just please stop’ Leo gritted through his clenched teeth with his hands still gripping his head as hardly as I was gripping the wood. I fell silent. I wasn’t sure what was wrong and deep down I think I wanted to help but I couldn’t, I didn’t want to reach out to him again and be rejected especially not after the kiss.
It didn’t matter any way a waitress came in to take our orders and Leo put on his fake smile and pretended everything was normal even though for the first time ever I could still read him like an open book. He was in so much pain even I was beginning to worry.
‘What can I get you?’ she asked sweetly battering her eyelids at Leo and glaring at me. I guess this was the part where I was supposed to be jealous and yet I couldn’t care less, by all means I would swap with this waitress in a blink of an eye just to get out of this stupid marriage.
‘Two large cheeseburgers sided with fries’ Leo answered for me as I continued to look at him surprised I could read his emotions so easily at this moment.
‘Drinks?’ the waitress asked still looking at Leo and writing down the order.
‘The usual for me, and?’ Leo asked me for the first time.
‘Water will be fine’ I asked still not letting go of the wood on the side of the booth or glancing away from Leo.
‘Anything else?’ the waitress tried again.
‘Ha not this time. Maybe some other time’ Leo winked at the waitress as she went beetroot red, and left our enclosed area.
‘Cortez, let go of the wood. I think you have left your imprint. If you want we can go back to arguing again, just let the wood go’ Leo ordered me.
‘Oh I didn’t realise I still had it. What was the anything else?’ I asked as I let go of the wood and placed my hands one in the other on my lap.
‘She thought about going out to the back room and doing naughty things. Get it, yeah?’ Leo mocked as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Of course, after all he could read minds.
‘Oh. Well sorry for ruining all your fun. Maybe I should just go?’ I snapped.
‘Was that jealously? And no I would much rather you stay. That way I don’t have to bother searching for you later, once you had gotten yourself lost or kidnapped. Plus she isn’t my type-so I wouldn’t have anyway’ Leo replied putting his head back in his hands.
‘It wasn’t jealousy. It was disgust. I thought you would know the difference’ I muttered, but he understood he was suppose to hear it.
‘Please Hallie. Quite’ Leo mumbled closing his eyes as I could make out the anguish all over his face. It was the first time he had ever called me Hallie and it was at that moment I realised that no matter how much I hated him, if he asked I would do it, because when he said my name; it rolled of his tongue naturally like no one else ever has and it melted my heart entirely. I sat there is silence while he cringed and our food arrived. Leo didn’t even bother pretending to play interested or even polite. As soon as the drink was put down and food placed, Leo took a large drink and the waitress left without a word.
As soon as Leo drank I could smell it and sense a relief. I realised Leo had been craving blood. I could smell it. It was carefully disguised in a milkshake cup so it couldn’t be seen.
‘How could I be so stupid?’ I muttered pushing around a few chips but not being able to bring myself to eating now.
‘I’m going to the bathroom’ I muttered getting up and walking away out of the area to find the ladies room. I realised I couldn’t handle it. Not the way I thought I could. I ran into the last toilet and vomited. It felt like the only way I could take control. I hadn’t been to sleep in over 36 hours and the thought of Leo drinking blood in front of me felt so ill. I sat on the floor next to the toilet and just wanted to cry. I couldn’t bring myself to though. I longed to call Alex, or Rae or even mum. I couldn’t handle this. At 19, I couldn’t do this. I wasn’t ready for the role I would have to play in all of this.
I hated most of all was that people lied to me and told me we’d fall in love and be with each other forever like in the movies. I knew they were lying and I knew that wouldn’t happen, but deep down I thought maybe we could tolerate, but apparently two destined enemies can’t, especially not in real life. My life was far from a fairytale, I was never going to know love and I was never going to feel entirely and completely comfortable or even longed for my husband. It was at this moment I began to hate, you fall into hate much easier than love.
I loathed my parents for sending me away, my friends for going to lose contact with me, my extended family for not standing up for me, random strangers for praising me for making the ‘right’ choice, for all those stupid writers who thought interracial love could ever exist and most of all for Leo making me agree on the stupid kiss. Now we’re soul mates and I couldn’t live without him. Had I had another chance to go back there and reject his offer I already know that I would, at least that way it would make it much easier to kill him on his 21st birthday.
Still sitting on the floor the tears began to fall again, I knew I had already been in there longer than necessary and I knew Leo couldn’t care less he was probably using the opportunity to get some action from the waitress. I looked down at my black fingernails, the delicate white gold locket on my small wrist and the massive diamond on my pointing finger that represented the Cortez name. This was on my left hand though; my right hand was plan besides a single bangle with a black heart on it given to me by Leah. It was often mistaken by people to think that it meant I had a black cold heart, especially toward Leo as it was given to me on the announcement of our engagement on my 13th birthday even though I knew about this ‘alliance’ since my first birthday. However, the black heart didn’t stand for that at all, in fact it was almost the opposite. It stood for no matter how black and icy or cold the heart is, it is still a heart, and no matter how pointless it feels I must have faith and try and find the warmth in the black heart.
I knew it was an order by Leah even though she didn’t say it in the exact way-she wanted me to try and fall in love with Leo and hoped to god that changed him. If worst came to worst though it would mean me killing him before his 21st birthday, the plan I liked much better until I became his soul mate, at least this way it would be much easier-I could just kill myself.
I hadn’t even realised how cold the tiles were on my bare legs as I sat on the ground until there was a knock on my door.
‘knock knock. Is everything ok in there honey?’ came a sweet voice through the door. At least I knew it wasn’t Leo. I stood up brushed myself down and straightened up my denim mini shorts and my grey skivvy.
‘Yeah. Everything is fine’ I said opening the door to come face to face with the lady behind the sweet voice. She was short, plump woman with greying hair who I recognised as the lady sitting down in one of the booths when I came in with he who must not be named for my sanity at least.
‘Are you sure? Here have this’ she said handing me a white hanky with a couple of red roses on it.
‘Thank you’ I said whipping my eyes and staring in the mirror at my grey eyes wondering what I was supposed to do now.
‘C’mon sweet heart, wash your face, put on your fake smile and do what every woman does-go back out there and pretend your jerk of a boyfriend didn’t do whatever it was he did. Believe by the time you get to my age you would of held in more pain than you would ever of thought’ she said patting me on the back.
I washed my face and couldn’t help but smile.
‘See there you go, that smile is beautiful. You’ll knock his socks off’ she responded leading me towards the door.
‘Wait. He didn’t send you in did he?’ I asked unsure. This lady knew all the right things to say, Leo must of set it up so I would hurry up and leave.
‘Who honey?’ she questioned puzzled.
‘Leo. The vampire I came in with’ I almost snapped.
‘Oh. You’re Hallie Cortez. Wow, it is such an honour. You resembled her when you walked in but I had no idea. Well in that case go back out there and fight for what you believe in. You put on the best fake smile ever and if he questions one thing you be sure to tell him the Kaye needed your help! The boy needs some limits and I hope to god you help him’ she answered pushing me back out the door and hugging me at the same time.
‘Kaye?’ I question.
‘Yes. This is my restaurant silly. Arianna has been coming here for years, the only reason Leo knows that this is a safe place. I’m a Nephilian honey not to worry’ she answered. Oh, she was from Nephilim, but not a shadow hunter, which was a common thing after all not everyone when into shadow hunting, just like slaying really.
‘Thank you. Again honestly you’re exactly what I needed’ I replied handing her back the hanky and walking back into the enclosed area to Leo.
He didn’t ask any questions, he hadn’t eaten much of his food, only a few bites, and I assume a couple of chips.
‘Feeling better?’ I ask, even though his eyes were still closed and pain was written over his face again. Maybe the craving of blood wasn’t causing the pain after all.
Leo didn’t reply immediately, firstly, he took a deep breath and rubbed his forehead again.
‘No. I’m not. I would like to leave soon. I’m not sure what is wrong but I have a bit of a migraine. So if you have finished could we leave?’ Leo asked very quietly even though I hadn’t even eaten any of my food.
‘Of course’ I answered.