Bleeding Tears, Crying Blood

Alfie remained silent after the first night of watching. That comforted me a little. It meant Leroy remained safe after he got home. But it didn't help my interest in him. I was normally a patient person and it surprised me at how impatient I felt at finding out what was causing Leroy's distress. Because of this I decided to not go down to Norman's shop. Instead I sat with Wolfram for most of the day, quietly sewing in the study or reading some of the few novels he owned. As late afternoon drifted in, I was still in the study.

I shifted my weight and placed my hand on my stomach, trying my hardest not to glance at White, who was pottering about the room, reading the spines of each book he could find. I had this strange queasy sensation stirring in the pit of my stomach ever since I asked Alfie to watch Leroy. This horrible sensation had intensified considerably when White woke up. Constantly, guilt twisted in my gut. I felt I was going behind his back, betraying him, to keep Leroy safe. I knew he would be angry with me when he found out and I wasn't looking forward to that at all.

The sewing helped. As it needed my full attention, it pushed away all thought of the sick feeling became ignorable. That was until White spoke to me or grabbed my attention. When my eyes clapped onto his small rabbit face, the nausea washed over me rapidly. He noticed this but said nothing. That was until Wolfram left the room.

Wolfram stretched then sighed heavily. After a glance at me and checking I was content in my corner of his study, he stood and left with his huge mug, no doubt to go top up his coffee. He lived off the stuff and I decided that was how he managed to work for hours on end without breaks. But at Wolfram's departure, he had left me alone and open to White's questions.

White glanced at the door after it shut and listened to Wolfram's heavy footsteps fade away into the depth of the house. As soon as he felt he was a fair distance away, White turned his gaze onto me, unintentionally making me flinch. I forced myself to stare blankly as I worked, concentrating solely on the weaving of the needle. It was hard. My sensitive ears could hear him pattering across the floor towards me and then I felt him clamber up my dress so he could sit beside me.

"Alma. Something is bothering you. Whenever you look at me, you become nervous."

"It is nothing, White." I said softly and continued to sew.

White didn't like my answer. He knew I had lied to him. He also didn't like the fact I was practically ignoring him. He grew irritated. Rapidly his essence thickened, creating an ominous cloud that filled study. The scent of winter drifted in the air while the temperature cooled slightly. Then I felt him reach out to me. I froze at his touch and my heart was thudding against my chest as invisible fingers stroked my cheek. My face grew hotter when I felt a warm mouth press against my forehead and hands cup my face. The pads of his thumbs swept over my skin softly,

"Alma. Don't lie to me." White ordered.

I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to ignore White's real baritone voice that emanated from the toy and the sensation of his ghostly hands. It was difficult keeping my defences up against this kind of attack. I felt my will crumbling.

Without warning, White's presence fled. In a flurry, he retreated from the room, leaving me sitting stiffly, clutching my sewing and blushing a dark shade of red. I hadn't realised Wolfram had entered the room until he spoke from the doorway.

"What was that?" He asked sharply.

I opened my eyes and noticed he was alert with his hand covering something that looked like a holster. I had never realised he carried a gun.

"Alma?" His tone had become worried when seeing me so flustered and animated. He stepped forward. "Are you okay? Did anything come in?"

I shook my head, letting my hair fall in front of my face as a shield. "Everything is fine, Wolfram. Nothing hurt me."

He didn't look very convinced but he returned to work, not bothering to go get his coffee. He remained twitchy. Constantly he was glancing about the room and his hand touched the holster carefully concealed from sight. I grew a little concerned when he would look at White, who was brooding on the other end of the sofa. I hoped he wouldn't think of White as a threat now. White never liked me telling people who he was so I wouldn't be able to defend him well.

Evening came much too slowly. White continued to sulk at the fact I had lied to him. I continued to feel guilty at the fact I had lied to White. Wolfram continued to work uneasily. It was quite tense compared to how it was earlier. When darkness came and White declared he had to leave, I breathed a sigh of relief. I put my sewing aside and gathered the now limp White to my chest, kissing the top of his head apologetically.

"I will be outside." I told to Wolfram as I stood.

He hesitated and gave me a long stare. "I am not sure if that's a good idea. I'd rather you stay here." He said.

"I wasn't in danger earlier. If I was, I wouldn't think about leaving the house."

Wolfram thought for a moment before he grudgingly gave in. "Come in if you sense anything."

I promised I would then wandered outside. It was warm this evening and bright. The moon was full and gave the world a grey, silvery appearance. I stepped lightly down the steps and sat beside the grimy fountain. I cradled White and gently swayed, humming to myself as I waited for Leroy to appear.

While I was pleased White had gone and could no longer try and pry information from me, I wasn't pleased I was going to have to do this on my own. With time running out rapidly, I had no choice but to try and introduce Leroy to the Old World. I wasn't confident that I would succeed at all.

A little under an hour passed before Leroy appeared. He was grouchy, as I had predicted, and obviously still moody from yesterday. I ignored and trailed after him as he made his way to the area he wanted to work in. I watched him garden silently. Normally I would be content in doing this, observing the recovery the neglected gardens, but today I was very nervous. Constantly I was shifting my weight and letting my thumbs brush over White's head for comfort. I didn't know how to start the needed conversation but apparently it wasn't necessary when Leroy eventually noticed my discomfort.

"What's up?" He asked when stopped in his work and turned to face me.

I fidgeted. I didn't know how to say it without sounding mad. I didn't know if there was. So I just blurted out what came to mind.

"I am not normal." I said.

Leroy stared blankly, looking thoroughly confused by my statement. "I know you're not. You stalk people."

I sighed and stepped forward, letting my pale hand grasp his filthy one. "No I mean I am not human."

He continued to stare and his confusion grew. "What do you mean you're not human?"

"I am a vampire." I stated bluntly.

He laughed quite hard at first. Until he noticed the serious edge to my blank expression anyway. As soon as he saw that, his laughter faded and he looked confused once again. There was even a hunt of wariness in his eyes.

"And what makes you say you're a vampire?"

"Because I was born one." I said and squeezed his hand. "You were born one also."

A weak humourless smile spread over his mouth. "No, Alma. I'm human. You're human. Vampires don't exist."

"They do and you're part of my kind."

He pulled his hand from mine sharply and took a few steps back. "No I'm not. Whatever cult you're in, I am not going to be involved in it."

I blinked slowly at him, sensing his pain. What I was telling him was hurting him.

"It is not a cult, Leroy, and you are a part of it." I pressed firmly, just about keeping panic from taking flight. I was losing him. I knew it was too early to speak about this.

"No!" He said firmly. "I don't want any part of this."

And then he left.

I stood quietly beside the new flowers he had planted. He wasn't coming back. I knew he wasn't. He felt I had betrayed him, that I was befriending him so I could convince him to be a member of a cult. I frowned a little at the ring of truth in it. I had been befriending him because I felt he should be shown the other world he was a part of. But I was also befriending him because I enjoyed the company. It didn't change the fact I had failed. Another line of vampire blood was now to be destroyed by time. But there was nothing I could do. My time was almost out and I doubted I could do anything to patch our friendship together.

I sat down by the flowerbed for a long time with my eyes closed and White pressed against my cheek. I nearly fell asleep outside in the warm air until Wolfram tapped my head, startling me a little.

"It's time to come inside now." He said firmly.

I didn't argue, just simply stood up and made to follow him. I froze however when I felt someone approaching me. I looked back and saw Alfie coming out of the darkness. His expression was grim.

"We have trouble."

Wolfram stiffened. "What kind?"

"The boy. He's in danger."

My eyes widened and my hands clutched White. He might not believe me now but that didn't mean I should abandon him. Leroy was still my friend and ally, even if it was only one sided.

"Take me to him."