Just a Sip

Armand was still tangled up in my arms when I woke up. I didn't move, didn't make a sound. It seemed as if I had been sleeping only a few minutes, Armand's hair was plastered to my face. I looked down to him, barely making out the outline of his head. He had an arm wrapped around me like a paperweight. I rubbed my skull trying to formulate how I fell asleep. But I couldn't. No dreams. No tea. No sex. I just went to sleep, I guess it was as simple as that. 

Vampires were scary when they were asleep. They stayed in the same position they rested in and were cold as ice...kinda like a corpse. I tried to wriggle away from him, but he didn't budge. My lip still ached from when I bit it, I could actually taste blood. I hoped that Armand wouldn't awaken to that smell and mistake me for dinner.

Just when I thought of that, he stirred, sighing heavily. 

"You think too much. Your brain is processing things more quickly than I can receive them." I set my jaw.

"Well sorry, I tend to act like a human sometimes." I said as I tried to wiggle away from him again. He still didn't move.

"Why are you trying to get away. I won't bite, I promise." Armand teased, it didn't make the situation any lighter though. I was still frightened and wanted to get to the bathroom to clean my lip.

"I have to pee." I lied yet again to him. He had me sitting up in one swift motion, though I couldn't see him, I could feel his eyes examining me.

"You smell, delicious." he said with cool breath raising the hairs on my neck.

"So do you. We should talk about this a bit more AFTER I use the little humans room." I said inching a toe off of the bed. Armand wrestled me on my back. I tucked my lip under my top one.

Armand let go of my wrists and sat on his knees. I didn't dare move.

"Of course you don't trust me. Look, I'm sorry about this morning. I don't know what came over me." Armand said wearily. I froze, contemplating what to say.

"Armand. You've got to control yourself. I'm not like you, I break easily." I reminded him in a shaky voice. Armand laid down next to me and put a hand over my heart.

"Sometimes I forget. But I can hear your heartbeat anywhere. In a crowd, in a different building, anywhere, and that's what's keeping me from seriously ravaging you. You're too delicate." 

I could almost picture him pondering this. "Armand I-."

"I want to turn you." 

My blood ran cold. "What? No. I thought I was your HUMAN." I sputtered, sitting up. I wasn't done being human yet. No WAY was this happening. My heart mustve been beating a hundred times a minute because Armand pressed harder.

"Not now of course. But soon. Miu, I want to be with you for eternity."

Yet he didn't love me. I thought miserably. What more did I have to live for? A small voice at the back of my head asked. But my motives shone through again. I wouldn't have to be turned if I did what I had to do.

"When do you want to turn me?" I asked, my heartrate slowing. Armand got off of the bed. 

"Tomorrow night." he said ominously. I almost laughed I was so delirious. Well...DAMN!! Don't rush into anything! I thought sarcastically. Armand got out of bed and stretched turning on the light. I covered my head and moped.

"You need to get up so that I can get you ready for the launch party tonight. The tea is going global tomorrow morning." Armand said nonchalantly. My stomah dropped. So the fate of humanity is in my hands...and I waited till the VERY last minute to do something. I kept my plan hidden in my head, so deep that Armand couldn't get to it and began to get out of bed. I followed Armand to the bathroom and stood by him in front of the mirror as he began to take his clothes off. I hopped back.

"What are you doing??" I shrieked. He rolled his eyes.

"Taking a shower. Do you have a problem with it? Or do you want to join?" I put my hands on my hips and scoffed as he slowly made a move for me. I began to take another step but he was too quick for me. Soon he had what form of clothes I WAS wearing on the ground. He pointed at the shower, 

"Get in." I obeyed getting in and letting water run over my head. It was hot but felt good, and soon I was calm enough to look at Armand. He smiled at me, an ACTUAL smile and poured shampoo on my head. I was quiet as he scrubbed my hair with intense concentration. I rinsed my hair off and looked at him with eyes blurred from the torrents of water on my head.

Funny, when I'm squinting, I can almost pretend like he's normal. Like we're just two lovesick people in the shower, but we're not. 

"Done." Armand says kissing my head. I impulsively wrapped my arms around him, squeezing him like I couldn't let him go. Could I let him go? I thought as he awkwardly put his hands on my back and then relaxed.

"See? A hug isn't that hard." I said against his hard chest. He felt warm in the shower, a humanlike warmth. Not saying anything, we stood like that and I debated asking him if he loved me yet. But that was too risky. I was better off never knowing. 

Armand looked me in the eyes and laughed.

"I really want to bite you right now." he said as I shook my head. He may have laughed, but there was some truth behind his words and soon he had me pinned against the shower wall.

"Armand are you smoking crack?! I'm not a water fountain."

"Can i just have a sip?" he asked as if he planned this. I ground my teeth.

"Noooooo. You may NOT!" I said defiantly. Armand shrugged.

"I was just ASKING, I can do it if I want to WITHOUT your permission." 

My jaw hung. "But you wouldn't because you respect me right?" 

Armand stared at my lip where it had been bitten, his eyes glassy. He lowered his face to mine and kissed me, his mouth prying my mouth open. I was stuck between two feelings, one was fear and the other was a feeling of desperateness. I had to cling on to my last moments with him, I decided putting my hands on his back and holding him so tight that my fingers were digging into it.

I felt his cool and smooth fangs on the inside of my mouth now as he sunk them into my tongue. It hurt but at the same time, I didn't care I just wanted to be with Armand. I thought opening my eyes a bit and seeing blood mixing with water and swirling down the drain.

8:20 PM- The Launch Party parking lot.

     "Are we fashionably late?" I asked trying to joke. My tongue still felt funny even after Armand had given me some of his blood to heal it. I hoped I wasn't slurring my words. Armand had the car turned off and was now tapping his fingers on the steering wheel.

"You could say that." he said. After we had gotten out of the shower, Armand dressed me up in a blood red cocktail dress that was formfitting and matched my lipstick. Armand wore all black, his hair perfectly sculpted. 

"Can we just go in and get this over with so we can go back to the States?" I asked hearing the distincet howl of a dog in the distance. Armand looked at me.

"There's still so much to do, we have to get back to the house I bought over there and test some new products that the humans will just DIE for." Armand said, his eyeteeth shining as he opened the door to the car. My heart slammed in my chest as I remembered what I had to do. My purse felt like I was carrying a ton in it when all it had was lipstick...and a stake.

Armand got our and came over to my side, opening the door and letting me out.

"Why so pale my lovely?" he asked shutting the door behind me. My fingertips were cold as ice.

"Just nervous to meet a bunch of vampires that's all." I said letting him take my arms and lead me to the hall. We walked in and it was surprisingly normal, humans were scattered around sipping wine and speaking amiably and naively with vampires. 

"Where's the tea?" I whispered to Armand as he nodded to his guests who stared in awe.

"In the wine of course." he said shaking a human mans hand robustly. I screwed up my face.

"What!? Do they know theyre drinking it?" I hissed. Armand nodded and grabbed a glass off of a waiters tray.

"Care for a sip?" he asked. I snorted.

"HA! you're not going to get me hooked up on that again. I'm just now am able to get to sleep without it, and even then, I need you with me." I blurted that last part out and wished I could stuff it right back into my mouth. Armand put the glass down and folded his arms, smirking. He wrapped an arm around my waist and drew me in for a kiss, just as Radu passed by. When he let go, I was stunned. I felt like everyone was watching. My face burned as I put my hands on his face and kissed him again. 

I need to let him go. I thought as he whisked me off to the dance floor.

10:14 PM- The Ladies Room

I was having a panic attack.

Curled up by the toilet with misery and fear coiled in my belly, I dry heaved into the toilet and shook. I can't do this. I repeated in my head a hundred times. After it had gotten later, humans were drowsy, stumbling around, giggling and moaning about how tired they were. It was sickening. 

I thought about it all over again and clutched my stomach. It felt tight against my dress even though I hadn't even ate yet. I felt too sick. There was a knock on the stall door and I jumped. 

"Wh-who is it?" I asked feeling green. 

"Evora." I heard the voice say in a thick accent. I hit the back of my head against the wall. Could tonight get any more worse?! "Can I come in?" she asked. I pulled the door open figuring that I was already in deep shit anyway. With slippery fingers clasped on the toiletbowl, I watched as my brothers girlfriend slid into the stall wearing a shimmery gold Grecian-like dress. 

She looked at me with sympathy in her chocolate eyes. "I saw you disappear into here and Armand asked me to check up on you." I turned to the porcelain throne again and heaved, great, now they were buddies again. Evora held my hair with golden claws and let go as I leaned against the back of the stall again.

"I'm fine. It mustve been something I ate." I said trying to move my face away from her, I was ashamed, and her perfume was suffocating me. She primly knelt down beside me.

"Look we got off on the wrong foot..."

"You're damn right we did." I said wiping my mouth with the back of my hand. Evora was quiet as she toyed with the gold charm on her bracelet. 

"I never wanted all of this." she said, regret heavy in her voice. Her scent was making me lightheaded and I just wanted to throw up again. 

"Are you okay?" I heard her ask, I felt like I was listening through a tube, or a tunnel. 

"Your perfume...too strong." I said heavily. Evora looked at me oddly.

"I'm not wearing perfume." 

"I can smell it!" I moaned. Evora was silent as she processed something in her head.

"Miu...you're not okay." Evora said strangely. I shot her a dirty look. What the hell was she talking about? I thought.

"Have you had sex with Armand?" she asked urgently. My head was swimming. She snapped in my face. "hello?? Answer please?" she asked. I nodded. Evora cursed as I regained a bit of strength and began to stand up. 

"Miu...you might be pregnant." 

My breathing quickened as I looked at the toilet then back to her. "Uh, this isn't exactly MORNING sickness." I said rubbing my stomach.

"I've only seen what you're going through once in my life, and it was a human woman who mated with a vampire. Trust me, the impossible is possible."

11:15 PM- Back at The Party

After Evora's observation, I could hardly breath. How is that even possible. ARMAND IS DEAD. 

I had the shivers as Evora led me back to the great hall where I saw some vampires already feeding off of people in the corners or sneaking off to the balconies. We spotted Armand talking to a group of vampires about the after effects of the tea.

"...And then BAM! They're out like lamps. Armand bragged as everyone laughed jovially. 

"Brilliant!" one woman draped in pearls gasped, her fangs glowing bright as diamonds. Evora patted my arm, beginning to walk away after she saw that I was fine, I'd have to catch up with her later and find out how I can truly know if I'm pregnant.

I did a small wave to Armand and he spotted me.

"Ah my lovely bride to be, Miu!" he said grandly as everyone turned. I wanted to sink into a hole where no one could see me. My hair was a mess, my nose was as red as my dress and I felt pale. Whatever was growing inside of me was eating all of the energy I had. I smiled weakly as Armand made his way to me. 

"I was just thinking about you. Where did you disappear off to?" I felt like hurling again as Armand pressed his lips to my head.

"I just got a little sick that's all." I said, my throat burning.

Armand took my hand. "Come, let's go to the garden and talk, it's getting congested in here." I followed, leaving behind a trail of fear.

11:50- The Garden

Armand led me down a tree lined path that favoured something out of Sleepy Hollow. The night was dark and alive with life that I couldn't see. We strolled around, past bushes of winter roses that were growing early, and owls that peered at us with eyes like golden coins. 

I constantly thought about what Evora said. It's impossible. I repeated.

"What's impossible?" Armand asked leaning against a tree like he had done so many nights ago back home. 

"I don't know, I'm just thinking about random stuff." I said as he pulled me to his chest.

"I do love the nights out and the lavish parties, but some of the best times I've spent on this wretched earth have been with you." 

My cheek was pressed against his breastbone and I sighed reluctantly. He rested his chin on my head.

"Just think, soon we shall own the night together. Nothing will be able to stop us." I bit my lip and thought about my growing stomach. Could Armand hear it's heartbeat? Did it have a heartbeat? I had to stay alive and find out. I thought desperately as Armand stroked my hair. "Forever Magdalene. Forever." 

Tears sprung to my eyes as my heart broke in half. 

"Armand, I'm not Magdalene. I'll never be her." I said pulling away from him forcefully. Armand seemed to slide away from another world.

"What?" he asked dazedly. He was sick. I couldn't fix him. He didn't want to be fixed. Anger clouded on his brow. "You'll be whoever I want you to be! I made you this way! I gave you everything! We went to places you'll never go again without me! What I say GOES." he said defiantly as a spoiled little boy. I shook my head, tears streaming down my face.

"You haven't given me what I wanted yet." I said thickly, my hands shaking as I reached into my bag. I couldn't bring myself to do it. I loved him. I loved him with all of my heart. But he had to be stopped. I thought roughly brushing my tears away with my balled fist.

"What could you possibly want?!" Armand roared starting for me. His eyes read murder, his voice emanated fury. What happened next will stay in my mind forever, like a picture etched in stone. 

I pulled the stake from my bag and pointed it at him, my palm so tight around the wood that I could already feel it bleed. 

Armand froze. His face a mixture of confusion, anger, and defeat. Crickets sang their tune and the moon disappeared behind the trees.

"You want revenge." Armand said, standing perfectly still. I shook my head, praying that I didn't drop the stake and submit myself to an awful and bloody death. 

"I want you to stop hurting people. To stop hurting me." I debated bringing up the issue of the creature that we had created, but I didn't, I wouldn't give him the luxury of knowing he had won and left a piece of himself behind. Armand had a look of hatred in his eye.

"You're betraying me. I knew it. You filthy, low down-" 

"I'M THE ONE HOLDING THE STAKE HERE SO SHUT UP!" I screamed, so blind from my tears that I could barely see. Armand stood his ground and put his hands up.

"Fine. Kill me." he said, no remorse in his voice. "I've lived a long life, I've done so much wrong, Hurt so many people." 

I was really torn now, but I couldn't back down. He had to die, or this would never end.

"JUST KILL ME!" he howled, a flock of birds erupted from a tree above and disappeared into the night sky. "Or ill do it myself." he said, his eyes now rimmed red from his bloody tears. I had never seen a vampire cry before and it made ME want to cry. Thin lines of blood trailed down from his eyes and nose as he squeezed his eyelids shut. He muttered something to himself that I couldn't hear. I hesitated and then I started for him when he had opened his eyes. Telling myself that it was the right thing to do, I plunged the stake over where his heart was and watched as my lovers eyes lost their light and died out. He had a look of sorrow on his face as he clutched me, dragging me to the ground with him. 

I wailed, my sobs dying into his hair as I laid my face on it. 

"I..." Armand began. But the words never left his mouth. I'd never know what he was trying to say. The pathetic scene of a girl holding her vampire like a last memory was a cliffhanger. Like a movie fading to black. He crumpled in my arms, his mouth going slack.

Long live the king.

6:15 AM-Heathrow International Airport

"Your tickets have been confirmed miss. Do you have any carry on luggage?" the balding man behind the counter asked kindly. I was still wearing the dress from the party and had managed to get all of Armand's blood off of my face and hands. I shook my head.

I was taking nothing. I said by to no one. The only thing I carried now was my determination and my dignity. I had saved the human race, for now. I thought as I dragged myself through the security line and to my gate.

I slumped in my chair and held my hands over my face, trying to erase the memory of Armand losing the flame in his eyes. The memory of meeting my brother for the first time. The memory of being told I was pregnant with a baby that was undoubtedly Armand's.

I took my hands off of my face and looked up at a small girl who stared at me, her pigtails swinging as she licked a lollipop. I was overcome with emotion.

This girl will not be led to seduction by a vampire. This girl will not be drugged by a vampire. This girl will not fall in love with a vampire, at least not on my watch. I had a new purpose in life, and it was to not let what happened to me, happen to anyone else.

And with this notion in my head, I decided that if I had to do what I did over again, I would. 

•     •      •     
Centuries before-Romania

Magdalene stood by the washing bin, soaping up a plate and scrubbing it. Her sinuous body swayed to a tune only she could hear, and her waist length hair floated in the light of early morning. The baby cooed from the corner as Armand walked by, his arms laden with work supplies and tools.

"Where are you going so early?" Magdalene asked mischievously, although she knew good and well he was going to work. He stopped by the baby, planted a kiss on his head and ran a hand through his hair. Tan and muscular, it was apparent that no matter how old he would get, he would still be handsome.

"Stop your teasing woman!" He laughed coming over to her and kissing her lightly on the lips. Magdalene smile softly.

"I shall see you at supper." she said as Armand began to walk out. Armand left the grand house and started down the walkway towards town. Magdelene bit her lip and smiled, forgetting something and running to the window, peeking her heart shaped face out.

"Armand! I almost forgot!" Armand stopped and turned, shielding the glare of the sun away from his eyes. "Do you love me?" she asked shyly as he smirked.

"...Goodbye Magdelene." he said turning on his heel and continuing down the dirt path. 

And soon, he was gone.

                                The End?