Just a Sip

Armand drove me by my house and we parked out front. I fumbled with my seatbelt, still pissed about him compacting my baby.

"If I had known you were going to invade my perfectly boring life, I would have just started carrying a suitcase around." I grumbled getting out. He followed me. I turned around and stared at him. He looked EXTREMELY sexy in a double breasted grey suit and his hair tousled as if he had just woken up. Oh GOD did he ALWAYS have to look like and Armani model all the time? 

"Why are you following me. I'm just getting my suitcase." he grinned, showing those glowing white eyeteeth.

"I want to speak with your parents. I mean, you're flying off to London...and it's a school night..." he said laughing as I stormed to the front door and let us in. The familiar smell of orange glow floor cleaner greeted me as I saw my parents in the living room, sleepily watching old Family Ties reruns. They looked up.

"Well hey kiddo." my dad said to me looking at Armand surprisedly. "Mr. Servano, very nice to see you. Did you get to save my daughter again?" he joked standing up. He was still wearing his work clothes and stretched out a hand to shake Armand's. Armand shook it.

"Actually, she's pretty capable of saving herself." I stood in the background rolling my eyes as they shared a hearty laughter. My mother joined in. Someone emerged from the kitchen and I couldn't believe my eyes.

"Rodriguo?" I asked wondering if I was in a dream. My mom looked at me as if she had just remembered I was there.

"Oh sweetheart! I completely forgot to tell you he dropped by to see you." Rodriguo looked at Armand who was about a whole two heads taller than him.

"Who's HE?" he asked rudely. My blood boiled. WHY WAS THIS DOUCHEBAG IN MY HOUSE?!??

"That's none of your damned business." I said turning back to my parents. If I was this far deep into this dream business with a tea brewing vampire, I might as well just come out with it.

"Mom, Dad, I'm leaving. So let's cut the chit chat so I can get my suitcase." 

"Actually...you won't need your suitcase remember?" Armand pointed out. I put a hand up.

"Shut it fanger." I was so not in the mood right now and I knew I was going to get it later from Armand, but these were MY parents. My dad stared at me blankly.

"Where are you going?" he asked taking my mothers hand.

"You guys NEVER pay attention to me. You don't even CARE. you're so wrapped up in your own lives that you don't even notice my existence sometimes."

Rodriguo took a bite of the sandwich he was holding.

"It's true." he shrugged giving Armand the evil eye. I gave Rodriguo the finger.

"So I'm leaving. I'm not sure where. But I just thought I'd inform you, instead of just peacing out like my brother did." 

Armand rocked on his heels awkwardly. I wanted to laugh. Haha awkward vampire. My mothers lip trembled.

"What about school dear?" 

"What about me?" Rodriguo asked incredulously. I balled my fists.

"IT'S SUMMER VACATION MOM!!!" I screamed, and I turned to Rodriguo. "And YOU!! I hate your fucking guts." I turned on my heel for the front door. Not even caring that I was leaving this all behind. Armand and I got into the car and I put my head on the dashboard not saying anything.

"That wasn't a dream right?" I asked as he started the car and zoomed out of my driveway.

"Nope. That was ALL you." 
•     •     •

I cried the whole plane ride, sniveling and snotting all over the first class section. Armand tried to ignore me and read, but he couldn't help but hear me crying.

"ENOUGH!" he roared turning on the ovehead light. I looked up at him, my throat feeling thick as I dragged the back of my hand over my nose. "I understand you're sad my pet and this is a human emotion I have yet to understand, BUT, you left that life behind. So get over it. Everyboy's life has sucked...no pun intended. Be QUIET."

He noticed my lip trembling and rolled his eyes. "Please?" 

I nodded and took a deep breath. What I really wanted to do was sit in my bathroom and cut until I had to grow new skin...but that wasnt an option. And blogging about my dreams with Armand was out of the question. I thought looking out of the window into the black night.

"What did you have to do with Rodriguo." Armand asked me.

"He's my ex. He used to abuse me." I said monotonously. Armand was silent. He turned off the overhead light. I was sleepy now and couldn't help but let my head fall onto Armand's stiff shoulder. He put a hand on mine. I needed to dream, to take my mind off of everything. Tea was what I needed.

"No tea for you." Armand said gently, his other now cool hand stroking my neck. "You need real sleep. Human sleep. Now close your eyes." he whispered. And I was out like a lamp.
•     •     •

I woke up and we had just arrived. To my discontent, I found that I could no longer dream without the help of the tea. I felt groggy and disoriented as Armand and I left the plane, empty-handed and damned (him more than I actually). Armand told me that we had a rental car already dropped off and parked out front. I gazed around in awe, I was really in LONDON. 

"Welcome to Heathrow International Airport." a woman on the intercom greeted in a British accent.

There were accents, and flags and security with the big ugly hats! Armand tugged me along.

"Come, no time to gawk." he said amusedly as I inspected a hologram of a flight attendant reviewing safety procedures.

"I heard about new holograms over here! I thought it was bs!" I said sliding into the 2010 Grey Aston Martin Armand had lavishly picked before the trip. People stared as he revved the engine. I was just too much in shock to care.

"Welcome to England." he said tearing out of the kiss and ride.

We looped through streets and sped through alleys for a few minutes, finally stopping in front of a swank hotel. It was a dreary morning and lucky for Armand, the sun had yet to come up. I wasn't sure of the time, or where we were exactly, but I certainly felt like royalty as I was escorted out of the car by a flawless looking bellhop.

"Good morning." he said showing a million dollar grin. He sized me up and I uncomfortably followed Armand into the hotel that looked like something out of a 30's horror film. Guests in furs and pinstriped chatted amiably under the soft glow of houselights. They all sipped on a Sanguine liquid and gazed at me as I tailed Armand. The red velvet floor slipped under my Keds like ice.

I felt out of place with my 10 dollar black sweater and khaki aeropostale slacks. Armand was at the front desk speaking with a man in hushed tones. When I approached, they ceased talking and stared at me. The man behind the counter looked about 30 years old, but his eyes told a different story.

There was something scary about this place, I just couldn't put my finger on it. It was like I was moving in slow motion as Armand boldly put his hand on my waist.

"Mr. Deacon, my human." Mr. Deacon nodded politely, but still had a coldness in his blue eyes. I was so mesmerized, I couldn't even correct him on that 'human' shit.

"How do you do?" he asked handing Armand a set of century old keys. "Have a safe day." he said disappearing behind a door. As we walked away, Armand's hand lingered on my waist. I pushed it off.

"That guy was weird." I said lowly as we were being watched all the way to the elevator. He closed us in the elevator.

"Everyone is weird to you." he said anxiously as we arrived at an extremely high floor. My ears began to pop as the doors slid open. A woman was standing on the other side wearing a floor length champagne colored dress with hair of mahogany the shone in the light of the hall. Her green eyes snapped to me and then rolled to Armand.

"Well. Fancy meeting you here." she said dryly in a thick accent like Armands as she pulled off on of her elbow length gloves and switched with us for place in the elevator. Armand tensed up.

"Evora. Always nice to see you." he said as her gaze lingered on him. I couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy as the doors closed and Armand led me down the endless hallway.

"Who was that?" I asked trying to catch up with him. He shook his head pushing the key into a room labeled in gold, 5780.

"Evora. She's from my past." he said plainly as I followed him into a spacious room that was almost as vintage as the lobby we were just in. I was awestruck, but still angry that we had went through all of this and he still had deep secrets. I still resolved to enter the vision about him and his cousin, I just wasn't sure when. I tried my hardest to guard my thoughts, so that he wouldn't read them, but it was becoming difficult.

I inspected the room which had only light coming from a lamp, there were thick tapestries and dark wood furniture everywhere. What worried me the most was that there was only one bed. I went to the window as Armand sat in a leather armchair. Pulling the curtains open, I realized that there was only a burgundy wallpapered wall behind it. I turned to Armand.

"What is this place?" I asked laughing. Armand smirked.

"To vampires, or humans?" I slapped my hand against my forehead.

"There's MORE of you?!?" I remembered the bellhop, the guests and the man behind the desk. He yawned.

"More than you could ever imagine. This is the hotel Mont Blanc. They cater to vampires, and rake in cash for daywalkers looking for a thrill." 

I jumped on the bed, which was plush and probably the softest thing I had ever felt in my life.

"So that means they must think I'm a snack."

Armand smiled sleepily. "You are a snack, and I'm sure they could smell your blood a mile away. But if you'd just become my human, you wouldn't be bothered." he stood up and began to unbutton his shirt, revealing a planed milky white chest. He looked like a God, everything about him looked surreal. I swallowed watching as he walked to the closet and hung his shirt up. He unzipped his slacks and got out of them. I stood up, alarmed.

"What do you think youre doing?" I asked. He raised an eyebrow, I couldn't help but look at his boxer briefs and to my surprise he was...extremely gifted. Not a lock of hair was out of place on his head and I was embarrassed that I probably looked a mess.

"Going to sleep." He said pushing clothes aside in the closet. I peered in seeing nothing. I supressed a laugh.

"The great vampire Armand is sleeping in the closet? Nice." I said crossing my arms. He smiled a secret smile and pressed on the wall with one hand. A spring released, opening up the wall which led to a warmly lit vertical silk lined bed. I gasped as he climbed in.

"Make sure to get plenty of sleep, we have a lot of important people to meet tonight." he said, and I shrugged.

"No biggie." I said about to close the door.

"And, be waiting for some packages to come in. Some are for you, some are for me." I was curious as to what the pacages were as he finished shutting the door.

"Good morning." he said giving me one last dark look before disappearing behind the wall.