Nightmare

I sat at the kitchen bar staring at the granite counter top, watching the random pattern of white specks against the black, letting my mind wander in all different directions, not even noticing Johnny, who had just entered.

“Oh, my, Starry-eyed surprise,” Johnny sang out rather loudly, making an entrance for me.

“Hey Johnny,” I mumbled, not even look up from where I was sitting.

Johnny noticed the fact that I wasn’t as perky as normal, coming to my side, sliding into the vacant chair. “What’s up babe?”

I just shrugged, not answering him, just continuing to stare at the granite tabletop. I saw Johnny frowning in the corner of my eye, thinking.

Can you tell me now? His voice sounded in my head.

I smiled lightly—I’m just being stupid, Johnny. Don’t worry; I’ll get over it in about ten minutes.

Starr, babe, what happened? What’s wrong?

Zacky—I said

Zacky? What do you mean? What happened? What’d he do?

Not him, me—I licked my lips, turning to face him—I kissed him last night. I knew I shouldn’t have, but I still did. I couldn’t help myself. But then he kissed me back. So I kissed him back, and that was what you heard… but then he just left. He looked at me like he did something so wrong, like he didn’t even know me, then just left.

I shrugged—I guess I just feel kinda stupid right now. I let my mind get carried away with thoughts that aren’t really true. Zacky’s not interested in me. I don’t know why I let myself think that he was.

Johnny then did the last thing I expected him to do. He stared laughing. He literally just burst out laughing like that was the funniest thing he had ever herd. I stared at him like he was on crack, but even then he didn’t stop.

“I-I’m so-sorry!” He laughed hysterically. “It’s-it’s not you-I just- I need-”

He didn’t finish, due to his laughing. I sighed, knowing it was only a matter of time until he would stop. Johnny coughed a few times before pulling himself together, shaking his head.

“Okay, sorry,” he said. “I didn’t mean to, it was just way too funny.”

“I’m glad that my disappointments bring you so much laughter,” I said a bit coldly.

Johnny’s face fell instantly. “Oh, Starr, I didn’t mean it like that,” he apologized instantly. “It’s just… damn, Starr, you really don’t know a whole lot about vampires, how we are, and… you really have the wrong idea of Zack.”

“Really now,” I said a bit flatly. “Then why don’t you enlighten me.”

Johnny bit his lip. You do know that Zacky would do anything in this world for you, right?

I shrugged—Yeah, he told me that last night, but…

But you don’t believe him?

How the hell am I supposed to believe him?—I shouted in my mind—He kisses me like there’s no tomorrow, then just leaves without saying anything!

Johnny looked at me so confused. Isn’t Brian teaching you all of this?

Uhm… no? Is he supposed to be?—I asked.

Yes! Johnny yelled. Yes he is supposed to be teaching you how the different kinds of people and beings act! What the hell has he been talking to you about?

Government—I said—He’s been teaching me about he government and the economics of the underworld.

Government? Economics? Johnny echoed. You should have studied that for five days, one week tops. What have you guys been doing all this time?

Well, recently, we’ve been coming up with ideas on how to prank Matt.

No! Johnny yelled. That is not how all this works! Where is Brian…

“Brian!” Johnny yelled loudly, so his voice was echoing around the room.

A few moments later, Brian walked in the room with a big smile on his face. “Yeah Johnny boy? Oh, hey Starr. What’s up?”

Johnny glared at him. “What the hell have you been doing for the past week with Starr?”

Brian suddenly got real defensive, holding his hands up. “Dude, I don’t know what you’re talking about. Okay? I haven’t touched her— ”

“Not that,” Johnny cut him off. “You guys are planning on ways to prank Matt?”

“Starr!” Brian looked at me, complaining. “You weren’t supposed to tell!”

“And that’s my fault?” I asked. “Johnny wanted to know! I had to tell him!”

Brian groaned, running his hands over his face. “Dude, Johnny, what do you want me to do? Zacky…” he quickly dropped his voice much lower, almost so I couldn’t hear. “Zacky told me not to teach her about that.”

“How can you not teach her about vampires, Brian?” Johnny asked. “She is living in a house full of them, and she is going to marry one! She needs to know about how we are, how we function—that’s common sense!”

“Sorry,” Brian mumbled. “I just didn’t want Zacky beating me to a bloody pulp over it. Just because he’s a little bitch about all this, it doesn’t mean I’m willing to give up this gorgeous face…” He glanced over at me. “Am I right, Starr?”

I nodded, not really caring one way or another. “Yeah, Bri, of course.”

Brian smiled a bit smugly at Johnny. “See? She understands.”

Johnny rolled his eyes in annoyance. “Do I have to do everything on my own?” He quickly grabbed my arm, pulling me up. “Come on, Starr.”

I followed Johnny, giving Brian a questioning look. He only shrugged in response before going over to the fridge. Johnny led my down the halls to the library, tossing me onto the sofa before disappearing behind a bookshelf.

“Uhm… Johnny?” I called out to him.

“Yeah, babe?” He yelled back.

“What are you doing?” I asked.

“Well, since that idiot is so worried about what Zacky’s gonna do, I figured it’s up to me to teach you about vampires,” Johnny reemerged with another big book. “If Zack threatens me, which I doubt he will, he’ll just have to deal with me and these guns.”

Johnny flexed his muscles, making me giggle.

“Johnny, if I wasn’t so crazy about Zacky, I really think I’d be in love with you,” I told him in all honesty.

Johnny smiled. “That’s sweet, Starr, really. But there’s no way that you would ever choose me over Zacky, I know that. You two are drawn together like a magnet and steel… besides, I already have my blood mate.”

I tilted my head in confusion at that. “Blood mate?”

He nodded again, sitting next to me. “Yeah, it’s… well, how do I explain it, really? Hmmm…” he thought for a moment. “Well, I guess it’s kinda like how humans say they have this quote-unquote soul mate.”

“A soul mate?” I started laughing. “That stuff isn’t real. There is no such thing as that.”

Johnny nodded. “Yeah, I agree, but with vampires, it’s different. We have blood mates. With that, uhm, okay, let’s take me for example. I’m a vampire, right?”

“I would hope so,” I giggled. “Otherwise, everything that I’ve been told is a lie.”

“Okay, well, me being a vampire, I’m assigned a blood mate; this is someone who is perfect for me in every way possible, that I will love with everything that I have, but I have no control over who this girl is.

“I will search for her from the moment I become a vampire, because she’s gonna be the one that like… completes me, I guess you could say. And she’s gonna love me too. The moment that she sees me, she’s gonna know that I’m her soul mate, just like the moment I see her, I’ll know she’s my soul mate.”

“Okay, so there’s someone out there that is perfect for you, and they will love you just like you love them, ‘cause you’re meant for each other. I get that,” I nodded. “I actually this that’s kinda sweet. I mean, it’s like, you know there is someone out there that will love you no matter what, just like you love them. You won’t have to worry about getting your heart broken.”

Johnny shrugged. “I guess… if you wanna look at it that way.”

“But Zacky told me that vampires really don’t love… that they only really care about themselves.”

Johnny nodded. “Yeah, Zack was telling the truth. We vampires area bunch of self-centered bastards, honestly. We really don’t care about anything but ourselves. As long as we’re happy, we’re good. We want blood, we want sex, we want fun; we get that, we’re good.

“We tend to be self-centered only because we have to ensure our own survival. Like, my blood mate, for example… I love her with everything that I have, but I would never stick my neck out for her. I would never risk my life to save her.”

My mouth hung open in shock, unable to believe that. This was supposed to be the love of his life, and he’s telling me he wouldn’t risk his life to save her?

“Don’t look so shocked, Starr,” he laughed. “It’s not she like would do it, either. She loves me, yeah, just like I love her, but vampires don’t work that way; remember? We don’t have this undying love like humans do.”

“Wow…” I mumbled.

“Now don’t get me wrong, we do care about some things,” he said. “We’re not completely heartless. For one, we’re very dedicated. I mean, if we set out to do something, we won’t stop until it’s achieved. Like in your case, all of us will stop at nothing to make sure that you’re safe.”

“But that makes no sense,” I said. “You wouldn’t risk your life for your girl, but you’ll stop at nothing to make sure I’m safe?”

“Well, there’s a big difference between you and my girl,” Johnny explained. “My girl is… well, just my girl. You, on the other hand, are the future queen of the underworld, not to mention our Necromancer. Everyone in the underworld would bend over backwards for you, Starr. If you go ask my girlfriend, she’d tell you that your life is much more important than mine.”

“Just because I’m the all powerful Necromancer, I’m more important?” I asked, still not able to believe it.

Johnny nodded. “Yeah,” he said simply. “You are the most important thing in the underworld, Starr. You’ve gotta understand that, too.”

I sighed. “Okay… okay, I get it. Vampires have blood mates, who are people who are destined to be with them, and will love them just as much as the other loves them. But vampires are also self-centered bastards, who would never risk their lives for their blood mate, but they would do anything for me, their Necromancer, future queen on the underworld.”

“Exactly,” he said with a nod. “You got it.”

“But what does that have to do with Zacky and me?” I asked.

Johnny slowly closed his mouth, looking as if he were choosing his next words wisely.
“Starr, haven’t you… learned anything about vampires and how we are? Like, that you could apply to… Zacky, perhaps?”

I stared at Johnny like he was on crack. “Uhm, no? Dude, what do expect me to think? Zacky is still just a guy, okay? He’s a guy. Just like the other ones I’ve dated in the past.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” He interrupted me. “Zacky is no where near being like any of those losers you dated! Zacky’s…” He tried to find the right words again, seeing the acidity in my voice. “Zacky’s just in a sticky situation, if you will, right now, Starr. But he’s trying to work it out, honest… Starr, you really are the most important thing to Zacky.”

That caught my attention rather quickly, making me chew lightly on my lip. Even when I didn’t want it to, my heart gave a little flutter, quickening its beating pace. The thought of that actually being true was the sweetest thing anyone could have ever told me. And the thing is, I wanted it to be true.

I wanted to be important to Zacky, just as he was important to me.

“Johnny…” I suddenly remembered something. “What’s Zacky’s gift?”

Johnny looked surprised that I would ask him that. “Uhm, Zacky doesn’t have a gift yet, Starr.”

“What?” I asked confused. “But Zacky told me that his gift was... compassion, or something.”

“Oh, that,” Johnny nodded. “Well, Zacky considers that his gift, but in actuality, he hasn’t received it yet.”

“What do you mean?”

“Vampires don’t automatically get their gifts,” Johnny explained yet again. “It’s not like they’re installed with them the moment they open their eyes as part of the undead. It’s only the vampire that either they serve, meaning the king, or the one that turned them that gives them their ability.

“Now, in Zacky’s case, his creator is also the one he serves, meaning Tristan. Prince Tristan is the one who determines Zacky’s gift, as well as when he receives it. And Tristan had made a deal with Zack, where he will get his gift if, and only if, you are handed over to him, in order to be his bride.”

“So it’s kinda like blackmail,” I said and Johnny nodded. “Zacky only gets his ability if he hands me over. So if something were to happen, like Vega taking me instead, Zacky wouldn’t get his gift.”

“Yeah, but Zacky doesn’t really think that he’s gonna get his gift either way.”

“Why not?” I asked.

Johnny shrugged. “Not for me to say. But he doesn’t think he’s gonna get this ‘gift’, so he calls the compassion his gift. But it is actually a bit strange, though. No other vampire has that; he’s the only one. His human emotions never left him, so I guess that’s kinda like a gift… or a curse.”

“What do you mean a curse?” I asked, not understanding.

“Well, vampires don’t really care, as I said before. I mean, we love our blood mates, but that doesn’t mean that we won’t go have fun with other people.”

“Meaning…?”

“Meaning we’ll sleep with other vampires.”

My mouth hung open in shock. “But… I thought you loved your blood mate!”

“Yeah, we love our blood mate,” Johnny agreed. “But that doesn’t stop us from wanting someone else. I guess humans would call it cheating, but for us vampires, it’s perfectly normal.”

“So you cheat on your girl?” I asked appalled.

“Hey, don’t make me look like the bad guy,” He held his hands up in defense. “Zofie has had way more sex with other guys than I have had with other girls… come to think of it, Zofie gets around…”

“Johnny!” I gasped, not able to believe that someone would speak of his or her girlfriend in that manner.

“What?” He asked. “It’s normal for vampires. And It’s not like we have STDs like humans... it doesn’t matter with us. It’s just sex… but Zacky’s different. He actually loves… like, how humans love someone? Like that. He’s like the big squishy romantic one here. It’s a bit strange.”

“So Zacky wouldn’t cheat?”

Johnny shook his head. “Hell no. Well, he used to be like us, but then the moment that he found you, he completely changed.”

“What do you mean?” I swear, this was becoming my favorite line.

“ I mean that he was just like us before. Sleep with whoever, didn’t really matter, acting like a normal vampire, just like the rest of us… but the moment that he found you, he completely changed. I actually remember the night, ‘cause I was with him.

“It was a winter night in Pennsylvania, your hometown. It was a few days after you had been born, apparently, ‘cause the apartment you were in still had the whole welcome home from the hospital thing.

“Me and Zack were just walking down the snowy streets of the town, looking for someone to spend the night with, when Zacky just stopped. He froze, and wouldn’t move for like… five minutes, not talking.

“But when he finally did open his mouth, snapping out of it, he said that he needed to go somewhere. Naturally, I followed; amused that he was acting so strangely. And he led us to your apartment. Your dad was taking a shower, and you were lying on the mattress in the bedroom, and I swear, Zacky just flipped the moment he saw you.

“He just stood outside the window staring at you, not even able to think clearly. But then you started crying a little, and Zacky lost it. He got so mad, going inside the apartment with no troubles. The typical needing to be invited in didn’t apply to him at that point.

“So he went over to you and picked you up, rocking you back and forth, and you quieted down the moment you saw his eyes. I swear, I have never seen anything like that before. All Zacky did was stare at you, and you just stared right back.

“That was the first time that he ever laid eyes on you, but it surely wasn’t the last. From that point, Zacky began to follow you, watching over you, and from that moment on, it seems like he was changed forever. He always wanted to be around you.”

I listened to Johnny’s story, amazed by it. I had no idea that Zacky didn’t act like a normal vampire anymore, thanks to me. But it didn’t make any sense. How could I have changed Zacky’s entire mind frame a complete one-eighty just as an infant, a few days old?

“Starr, believe me when I tell you this,” Johnny looked me directly in the eyes, his tone completely serious. “You are the most important thing in Zacky’s life.”