The Only Exception

It was all too cliché to be real, that’s what I believed. Opening my eyes to find myself curled up in a corner, but luckily, I wasn’t tied up. All I could remember were those eyes, his voice, and what he’d called me.

It disgusted me, this place that I must have been locked in. It reeked of something far too spoiled, and there was an intense odor of a copper substance, and when my eye landed on a small puddle of it only mere inches away from me, I knew what it was. Blood. And I was in no doubt afraid of where I was, the place had only made it creepier. When I pulled my head up, I winced at the soreness and light-headedness that I had gotten. Feeling the back of my head, I felt a bump and something liquid. When I pulled my hand back, my eyes went wide at the sight of the dark crimson red that was sticking to my fingers.

“Ahh, you’re finally awake!” A deep voice disrupted my thoughts and I gasped and back further into the corner. This man looked so familiar, but my mind could wrap around where I’d seen him before. It instantly got me frustrated. He was from my dreams – more like nightmares.

Letting out a shaky breath a whispered, “Who are you?” I stuttered, “Why have I seen you in my –“ It was all too easy for him, apparently. Again, this was all so cliché and melodramatic. I couldn’t say that I wasn’t scared either, because I was obviously.

The man chuckled lightly and smiled down at me. I couldn’t help but notice that he was beautiful, his skin was pale white and his voice, though deemed to seem scary, was such a beautiful sound that even I couldn’t help but wonder about.

“My gift is what got you to see me through your dreams, mano meilie,” He sighed, and with those words I knew exactly who he was and where I had seen him. “I am Zane, the one and only meaning of life for Anna Kennedy.” He said this just as I was pushing myself far enough to stand up. But he ruined it and I stumbled back, all because through his lips, came out my mother’s name.

“H-how did you know her?” I asked shamelessly, but my heart was beating way to fast to be a normal pace.

Sighing, Zane found himself a spot on the chair adjacent from my falling frail body. “Oh, well that’s right, she never told you about this, did she?” He chuckled and shook his head, as if this could be some game.

I seethed and shot him a glare, “How did you know my mother?”

Zane tsk’d and shook his head, as if I’d done something wrong, “I wouldn’t go and build attitude around a vampire – now did your mother ever tell you that?” Again, he chuckled in a heartless tone, and it hurt. I kept calm as he studied and observed every part of me. I could feel his eyes travel down my small body the was now back into the corner.

“Seriously, I don’t know what –“

Zane’s eyes went into slits, “I know, I know, darling, you’re scared and helpless and you’re most definitely questioning my relationship with your mother.” I sucked in a sharp breath, I didn’t understand it, what did he mean a relationship with my mother? I chewed on my bottom lip and kept my mouth shut, all thanks to his warn. Zane stood up from his chair and walked over to me before sticking out his hand. Zane chuckled, “Go ahead and take my hand, I won’t bite…much.” I winced at his dark laugh, but took his hand anyway.

After helping me to my feet, Zane pulled me over to a dusty old couch in the middle of a room, the couch was facing a tamed fireplace which lit up the whole room. Taking a seat, I pushed myself all the way to the opposite end of the couch, my whole body was stuff.

“Now, are you certain you’d like to hear this story?” He began, before letting out a deep evil laugh, “Of course you do! Now, where do I start?”

“I don’t know, from the beginning?” I said with a hint of sarcasm. And before I could adjust to what I’d let slip out of my mouth, he was standing right over me with one of his cold pale hands grasping at my jaw. I whimpered in pain as he squeezed.

“I don’t think you heard me clearly when I said that giving such attitude would not be a wise decision for you to make.” Zane hissed before letting go of my jaw roughly. “Now, as I was about to say before I lost control…” He trailed as he put a finger on his chin, as if he was actually thinking. I chewed on my bottom lip with such nervousness and fear as I watched him pace slowly .back and forth.

“Well, I believe it was when you were fourteen when I started seeing your mother,” He began and I instantly felt my stomach turn. “Yes, that was it. Well, as I was saying, your mother had the slightest fascination with vampires and the supernatural. It wasn’t something so over the top, per say. It was more so of a fascination forme.” The vampire laughed again before giving me a meaningless smile. “I guess you could say that we fell in love. But I never liked that term, so I ignored it and moved on quite quickly. Your mother, well she would run off whenever she got the chance to – I’m guessing she –“

“Said she was working late…” I answered for him quietly. I felt a tear prick my eye and threaten to fall down my cheek.

Zane huffed before continuing, “Anyways, as I have said, we were in love, and everything was perfect for the 2 years that we had been together. Oh, and yes she did know about me, she figured it out nicely, and wasn’t bothered by it. Her mind was just as twisted as my own.” A low grumble ruptured through his throat before he sighed and said, “But then she began to fade away and I deemed she was changing her mind, and oh, she was. And surely I was disgusted that she’d use me for what ever purpose. When she said she wanted to leave me, I wouldn’t take that as any sort of answer. So I threatened her with yours and your father’s lives.” Zane laughed as he said this, like it was all some joke to him, and a sick one it was. He sighed before he bothered to continue whatever part of his story he had left. “She disagreed to that, of course. She said she’d rather be dead that have me take away your innocent lives. So I told her that she had a week to do it herself, or I’d make her life as painful as possible. And yes, she knew what I meant; I would turn her.”

Sucking in another breath of air I whispered, “How would she have known?”

Zane smiled, “You are just too curious now aren’t you? Well I believe that you know when two people love each other they – well you know. And when I have such a relationship as that one, I couldn’t help myself but to take one small bite. Venom had begun to course through her veins and before she could fully transform I sucked the venom out of her. She hated the feeling, and she wouldn’t even talk to me after that.” Sighing, Zane sat down next to me on the couch.

I was confused, and so then I had my chance to ask, “Then now that she is gone… why do you want me?”

He let out another round of laughter, and I thought to myself, this man didn’t have the slightest knowledge over what was truly funny and what wasn’t. “I wanted revenge, of course. I didn’t actually think that she would kill herself. I mean, honestly who would want to waste their life being human when you could be this marvelous creature, as what I am?” Letting out a shaky breath I scoot closer to the edge of the couch, I was preparing to get to the door that was only possibly ten feet away from me. “And so, you are my exact revenge, mano meile.”

I sighed quietly, “How did you, I mean, how –“

“Shh,” He whispered as he place a finger against my lips. “It is quite an easier and less confusing story to tell. I’m pretty sure you could have guessed that this woman Victoria was behind all of this, this war, right?” I nodded. “Well I met her and the boy, Riley, and they agreed to let me come along, after all, nothing is better than few extra vampires in a vampire war.” Chuckling again, Zane’s hand moved to my shoulder. “They had told me all of their plans about this human named Becka, I believe.”

“Bella,” I absentmindedly corrected.

“Yes, Bonnie, whatever the name, it is not important. Anyways, I had it all planned out after they’d told me what they were to do. I knew where you were and Victoria had explained a vampire in the nearest coven was a seer, so I thought to myself, she would be able to see me coming for Braylin, and so I guess you could say that I hid behind Riley and Victoria and let them do as they please. See/ that was easily stated am I right?’

Nodding again I shifted so his hand was off of my shoulder. “What do you even want with me?” I asked, shocked that I even had the least bit of courage to speak to a bloody-thirsty monster.

It’s then when I regretted to even ask such a question. All that I could remember was a cold hand snatching my neck and then I was being thrown into a cold stone wall.