For What You Are

Jayne pulled heard her phone vibrate in her jacket pocket. Jumping across her room, she rummaged through the pockets before pulling out her professional phone and throwing it to the side when she realised it was the wrong one. Searching still, she eventually found her personal phone. Opening the text, she saw a message from Hailey telling her that Kale had decided to change the dress at the last second.

“Black and white,” she muttered to herself. “I haven’t worn white in two hundred years…”

And in a house full of vampires, she wasn’t about to start.

Looking through one of her suitcases which was yet to be unpacked, she found her all time favourite dress. Quickly, she pulled it out and hung it on her door. It took her a long time to find the mask that went with it but eventually she did. Pulling it from the base of the suitcase, Jayne took time to just stare at the delicate paintwork in black and silver before smiling.

It was rare that Jayne ever took a day off. And really, tonight would be no different as she was still trying to determine who was trying to kill her. Hailey had told her that every vampire going to the party was a member of the alliance trying to keep themselves hidden, but lying wasn’t unheard of. Especially in a group of vampires that large.

“Alliances,” she scoffed as she began to curl her straight, black hair. “They never last.”

Darkening her eyes with eye make-up and painting her lips with silver lip-stick – a very rare find – Jayne finally applied a light blush and looked at herself in the mirror. A pang of regret hit her as she stared at her own face. The make-up could not hide the scar that marred her face.

Picking up the mask, she placed it against her face and tied it behind her head arranging her hair over the tie. Standing up, she pulled her dress over her head, remembering the last time she wore it – over 100 years ago.

...
21ST MARCH 1908 - ENGLAND

There was going to be an attack, so Jayne was going to a ball.

Jayne stood in front of her floor length mirror, staring at herself with a smile. Hearing the front door bell ring, she walked excitedly towards it and opened the door. A tall, dark haired young man stood there with a smile. A mask covered his face that was almost as intricate as her own.

“Miss. Perrin,” he said, bowing from the waist and holding out his arm. Jayne closed the door and hooked her arm into his, a glowing smile upon his face.

“Thank you for accompanying me Nathaniel,” she whispered as they walked along the cobbled street together.

“It is an honour,” Nathaniel responded, smiling back at her.

“Your presence will make this night much more enjoyable,” Jayne replied as they began to ascend the stairs of the hall.

The people at the door welcomed us and they continued inside. “The one thing I love about masquerade balls,” she said. “You can’t tell who anybody is.”

“I know who you are,” Nathaniel replied.

“And I know who you are,” Jayne smiled. “But who else can you see?”

“A great many happy people,” he responded, taking Jayne’s hand. “And an incredibly beautiful, mysterious woman.”

Jayne felt a happy flutter as Nathaniel led her into the centre of the room where couples danced. As they danced anonymously through a series of steps. Jayne felt her worries of an attack fade away as her and Nathaniel finally stopped dancing. A servant found them and offered them drinks which they took gladly. Chatting in their corner, Jayne found herself oblivious to the other guests. That was…until Kara arrived.

It was hard to mistake her. A pure white dress and delicate mask surrounded by her white-blond curls that made her seem like an anonymous angel. Every man turned to look at her, wishing they were escorting her. And every woman stared at her, wishing they could be her. Jayne was used to the reaction, but what she wasn’t expecting was the look on Nathaniel’s face. And her heart dropped when he put his glass down on the table and whispered, “Excuse me,” before walking towards Kara.

Kara’s face lit up upon seeing him and Nathaniel seemed incapable of leaving her side for the rest of the night. All Jayne could do was stand on the sidelines looking for vampires and attempting to ignore Nathaniel and Kara’s speechless attraction.

Again, was all she could think, it’s always Kara.

Removing herself from the people around her, she travelled swiftly towards the front door, needing to get out of the stuffy hall.

“Hello Slayer,” a voice came from behind her.

Jumping, Jayne turned around a stake in her hand, prepared to face whoever was there.

“Hailey,” Jayne breathed in relief, sliding the stake back into the hole in her skirt where it became invisible to onlookers. “You aren’t wearing a mask?”

“It itches,” Hailey shrugged. “Have you had any luck finding the rampant vampire?”

“Not yet,” Jayne replied wearily, “But you’d think with a gathering this big he would be around here somewhere.”

“There’s the problem with people throwing masquerade parties. You can’t tell who any anyone is.”

“That’s what I love about them,” Jayne responded. “The anonymity. Nobody in there knows who I am.”

“Except of course, Nathaniel,” Hailey stated.

Turning around angrily, Jayne’s expression turned to one of harshness, “Do not mention him again.”

A moment’s silence passed before Hailey whispered, “He did the same thing as all the others. Didn’t he?”

“Kara,” Jayne muttered hopelessly. “They always choose Kara.”

They stared at the stars until people started to come outside. Two people that Jayne knew. But at the moment it was a dangerous time to be near her – anger was fuelling her fighting nature. She knew she couldn’t harm Kara however much she wanted to, but Nathaniel was another story.

Jayne shot forward as Hailey cried out, “NO!”

Jayne didn’t realise it, but Hailey had seen something that she hadn’t. Blinded by rage, Jayne had missed the very obvious fact that she had trained her whole life to notice.

Nathaniel was a vampire.

Pushing Kara out of the way, Nathaniel had already turned and awaited Jayne’s attack. She had her stake in her hand and pushed towards him.

“Jayne?” he asked in confusion, pushing her right arm away from his torso. “No…you can’t be.”

“My thoughts exactly,” she responded, regret shooting at her heart within her. “You should’ve told me. We could’ve saved the town this spectacle.”

“There was nothing to tell,” he grunted pushing Jayne away. “I’m a vampire – so what?”

“You’ve been murdering the people of this town!” she yelled, plunging forward again.

“That wasn’t me!” Nathaniel exclaimed desperately. “I would never kill anyone!”

“You would say that,” Jayne responded. “You don’t want to die.”

“And it’s the truth,” he replied. Jayne’s movements slowed to a stop as she stared at him, hearing the truth in his voice. Her stake dropped to the ground and she slumped. “Why did you choose Kara?” she asked finally.

“Because I love her,” he replied honestly. “You can’t help who you fall in love with.”

“No,” Jayne replied looking up into his eyes. “You can’t.”

Nathaniel turned to where Kara had fallen and took her by the hand. Her white dress had been cut by the brambles, but she didn’t seem to care. About her dress – or the fact that Nathaniel was a vampire.

“You told her?” Jayne asked in horror. Kara was never supposed to know. “How-”

“She figured it out,” Nathaniel replied. “I was teaching her history one day and she asked me why we never had lessons outside. I couldn’t give her a reason…so she researched – and found answers.”

“Then I found a witch,” Kara continued, speaking up. “And she made him a ring so that he can go out in sunlight.”

“Well lucky you,” Jayne responded to Nathaniel sarcastically.

“Don’t be like this Jayne,” Nathaniel pleaded.

“Just leave,” she said finally. “Or I will kill you.”

Nathaniel didn’t hesitate a moment longer and walked off with Kara towards her house.

“Jayne,” Hailey sighed, running down to meet her in less than a second. “It’s just going to hurt more now.”

“No,” Jayne replied. “It won’t hurt anymore. I don’t expect anything else. I have to accept that if it’s a choice between me and Kara, they will always choose her.”

“Jayne,” Hailey responded sympathetically. “I’m so-”

“Enough stalling,” Jayne said picking her stake up off the floor. “We’ve got a vampire to catch.”

“No need,” Hailey replied quickly, closing her eyes and listening intently. “He’s on Scarbrook Road.”

Jayne looked at Hailey in shock before running without a moment’s delay. “Are you sure?”

“I know vampires Jayne,” Hailey responded as they ran. “I’m positive.”

Kara’s door was broken down and muffled screams came from upstairs. Jayne sped up to where she saw a vampire with his jaw clamped upon Kara’s neck. She jumped him but he caught her. Jayne couldn’t help but sigh with relief as she saw Kara crawl away even though she felt like strangling her over Nathaniel.

Jayne was pushed against the wall by the male vampire. “Slayer,” he hissed. “I’ve been expecting you.”

“Bet you weren’t expecting this,” she muttered, attempting to swing the stake into his back – but he blocked it with his other hand. This was going to be a challenge.

Bending her arm back to her face, the vampire smiled cruelly and Jayne grew afraid. Scars from cuts made by her stake never faded – and it was coming dangerously close to her face.
She cried out as the stake sliced through the skin of her cheek and travelled upwards lifting her mask off her face. Jayne managed to push her arm away from her eye, but it still throbbed as the vampire finally relinquished his grip on her arm to knock the stake across the room.

“Now you know how we feel,” he hissed. “Goodbye Slayer.”

His face moved out of her view towards her neck and she shook in fear. Jayne was going to die. And it wasn’t even an honourable death. Death by vampire…

But his grip faltered just before his fangs pierced her skin. Looking around, Jayne looked for what had just happened, but she couldn’t see anything. The vampire’s body fell to the ground before her – her wooden stake protruding from his back.

She followed the direction it came from to where Nathaniel lay, staring at the man contentedly. Kara was with Hailey in the doorway and she said to her, “Get Kara out of here. I have to wipe her memory in the morning.”

Hailey nodded before walking out with her arm around Kara. Jayne knelt down next to Nathaniel and stroked his ripped apart face – noticing another wooden stake in his heart. She felt a tear welling in her eye even though this man had caused her so much grief.

“You should be dead by now,” she muttered.

“I had to say goodbye,” he coughed. “Look after her.”

“It’s what I do,” Jayne said simply. “Goodbye Nathaniel.”

“Goodbye Jayne.”

He closed his eyes and his skin turned grey and cracked. She bit her lip and held back her tears, but before leaving, took the charmed ring from his finger.

“I love you,” Jayne whispered before walking from the room in her ripped dress and beautiful mask into the cold night.

…
PRESENT

Jayne had altered hers and Kara’s dresses after that night, but she refused to keep Kara’s because of the painful sight of her Nathaniel together. If the theme was Black and White, she dearly hoped that Kara wasn’t wearing hers.

Sliding her modern, charmed, silver stake into the space in the skirt, she walked out the door and tucked the ring she wore on her necklace into her dress. Staring up at the stars outside, she sighed and walked down the road towards Kale’s house.