Bliss and Bloodlust

The birds are too loud. The light is too bright. I thought this as I opened my eyes and tried to focus my stare at the window. I sat up in the bed and had to squint my eyes. It was if the earth had moved closer to the sun. Things looked, sounded and felt slightly different, more defined, with more clarity.

"What the..." I spoke out loud. Even my voice sound different to my own ears.

I got out of bed, feeling the stiffness in my limbs that comes with not having moved in a long time. I was remembering the strange dream I had last night about a vampire who saved my life.

I thought about it as I walked over to the mirror. After my eyes adjusted to the brightness I looked at my body. I didn't look the same.

My five foot three stature looked taller today. My golden honey coloured skin glowed slightly. My black hair looked shiny and healthy, as did my brown eyes that looked clearer than ever. My curves even looked sexy, not a word I ever used to describe my less than ideal body.

My mom's black and my dad's Asian and Irish. I had my dad's slanted eyes and freckles and my moms full lips and complexion. I look myself... but enhanced. I also looked well rested, despite my stiffness.

Beautiful. I've never though of myself as beautiful before.

I checked my neck and wrist. No bite marks. I laugh to myself. Then I lifted up my shirt and examined my stomach. There was a tiny pink scar to the right of my navel.

I ran my fingers across it. “That's impossible” I whispered.

So it wasn't just a crazy dream then? But how could it be real? I tried to remember everything that passed last night, but none of it made any sense.

My clock read 5:37.

PM?

I went to the window and looked out to the backyard. Well it couldn't be anywhere near dawn. Had I actually slept for that long? The last time I remember looking at the clock it was four am. How could I have slept all that time?

I went downstairs to the kitchen after realizing I was starving. I looked around for my cell, then remembered it was still in my pickup. After a quick bite I headed outside. I have several dozen text and missed calls. Nearly all from Jayson.

Then it all hit me like a freight train. The woods, the argument with him, the gun, the bullet, being saved by a man claiming to be something other worldly, drinking his blood, lying in my bed, him nursing me back to health.

I had to put a hand on my pickup to keep upright. Then I suddenly felt cold. I ran into the house as fast as my feet would carry me. Once inside I began to gather my thoughts. Why had Jayson called me so much if he thought I was dead?

The messages and missed called was mostly from this morning. I figured he called and sent the text so that when and if he reported me missing he could say he had tried to call me all day and I didn't answer. He'd say he hadn't seen me since early yesterday. Last night he hadn't park his car near my house so no one could say whether he had been here or not. The only flaw in his plan was that I was still very much alive. I wondered if he'd come by to search the woods or if he'd wait till the police come looking.

I laughed out loud at the look that would be on his face when he saw me again. Then I sobered up. He had tried to kill me and he could do it again. I went back upstairs and walked pass my aunt Brenda's room.

I had been living with my aunt since I was a teen. When my parents got divorced and both decided to move to opposite ends of the country while in the middle of the school year, I didn't want to choose which parent to go with and I didn't want to leave the home I loved. This had been grandparents, my fathers parents, home then my parents before their divorce and now it was ours and I was so grateful she had left me stay.

She was away on business, she worked for an ad agency and would be back later in the upcoming week. She had called too, and I was going to call her back but decided against it. Until I sorted out what I was going to do about Jayson I'd lay low. For now. It was the weekend but come Tuesday I'd be expected at work.

After taking a long hot shower, trying to wash away the memory of the last twenty four hours, I walked down the hallway.

"Hello.” a voice said softly as I turned into my room.

My heart nearly jumped out of my chest and onto the floor.

"Bloody hell!" I shrieked as I held on to the door frame and my bathrobe, staring as if I was seeing a ghost and not the man who saved my life. Scratch that, the vampire who saved my life. There was a difference... I suppose.

Daniel was leaning against the window as if he belonged there, wearing aviators and holding an apple in one hand. He removed the glasses and smiled a faint smile, with a glint in his bright blue eyes as he apologized for startling me.

"What are you doing here?" I asked after a long pause.

"I just wanted to see you, I mean see if you were okay." I finally walked into the room and sat on the same chair on the other side of the room that he had occupied last night. "So you are okay, aren't you?" I nodded slowly.

"How did you get in?"

“The window of course.”

Yes, obviously, because people always entered through windows, silly me.

“Why did you really come back?” I asked.

“I just want to see you, and make sure he hadn't return.”

“No... Well, not that I'm aware of. I only just got up.”

“Well you needed your rest, didn't you?”

“Why did I sleep so long and why do I feel so funny? I mean my eyesight, my hearing, it's all so... strange.” I said for lack of a better word.

“It's the vampire blood, it enhances the senses. I think you took a bit too much.”

“What?” I exclaimed. Now I was freaking out.

“Relax. It won't harm you. You won't become like me. But it will be in your system for a few more days at least then it'll burn out.” I relaxed. “But be warned it makes you stronger too. Some people have gotten themselves in trouble after having our blood. They think they're Superman. Silly humans. Just don't do anything you normally wouldn't do physically. All right?”

“Gotcha.” We're silent for a while longer.

He stood up and handed me the apple he'd been holding. "It's for you. I picked it on the way over here." I took it and looked at it as if it were a foreign object.

"Uh... Thank you, Daniel?"

"You are very welcome, Tourie. Taste the apple, won't you. I would hate it if it wasn't sweet enough." This is weird, I thought but bit the apple all the same and chewed slowly.

Shit. What if it was poisoned like the apple in Snow White. Wait? That makes no sense, that's a fairy tale people don't poison apples. Then again there's a vampire in my bedroom, so anything's possible.

He was right, the apple was very ripe, very sweet. I gave him an approving nod to which he looked relieved. Yes, this just gets stranger and stranger. Why would he care about the ripeness of an apple.

“So have you decided what to do about you ex?” he asked.

I sat the apple down on the bed and shook my head. He suddenly snapped his head forward.

"Car." he said and I listened for a moment and sure enough there was the sound of a car stopping on gravel around front. The sound was louder than it should have been. Then I remembered the reason why.

I didn't dare look out the window. We both hold our breath not daring to make a sound. We both knew who it was.

Then Daniel spoke. “Does he have a key?” I shook my head.

Since I lived with my aunt I never felt comfortable with him being able to run in and out as he pleased. A decision I'm happy about now.

“I'll be right back.” Daniel said and with that he flew out the room lightening fast and soundlessly. I was worried but a minute later he was back.

“What does he look like?” he asked.

I described him and he nodded. “Why is he here?” I asked in a meek voice.

He didn't answer but I knew he was thinking.

“Is he alone?” I whispered. He nodded.

A minute or two later the car drove away.

“Listen. Do not leave this house, no matter what.” Daniel said. “Do not answer the phone. Nothing. He'll try to kill you again. Do you understand?”

I nodded. I hadn't been planning on leaving anyway, not until this is sorted out anyway. “What are you going to do?”

“I intend to talk to him.”

“Talk? You're going to talk to him?”

“I'm just going to ask him some questions.” He smiled a fang toothed smile that made me catch my breath.

Was talk code for harm, maim, or kill? For a moment I was frightened at thinking about what Daniel might do to Jayson then I came to my senses. The bastard tried to kill me. Whatever happened was his own doing. No, I didn't want him to die, just suffer a little.

“Okay. Could you try not to kill him.” He gave me a look I could only describe as pissed off so I added, “At least for the time being.”

“Sure. I promise not to kill the man who put a bullet in your gut.”

I shut my eyes. Ouch. That was cold, true, but cold all the same.

”I'll be nightfall soon. I'll come back later.” Daniel told me. “If you'll have me again.”

For a brief moment a look of not only sadness but loneliness appeared on his beautiful face only to be replaced by a unreadable stoic one. I nodded to him before he suddenly jumping out of the window.

I ran over to look out and see if he was harmed. He look up at the exact moment I looked down. Then in the blink of an eye he was gone.



I was trying to read, trying to doing anything I could to get my mind off of what was going on around me. It was a few hours past midnight and the house was dark save for the reading light I held. I had got all paranoid thinking Jayson might come by and see the lights on in the house and know I was here. I shut the curtains like it was a World War II blackout and any light would catch the enemies eye.

I was waiting on Daniel to return but because I had slept for so long I wasn't really tired. I was just worried and anxious. Every noise from outside was amplified by my semi vamp hearing making the night seem even more sinister. I gave up on reading, turned off the light, opened the curtains and stared at the ceiling. The trees made weird shadows on my walls as they swayed. I closed my eyes for a moment trying to hold back the tears that were threatening to fall when I felt something beside me.

“It's just me.” Daniel said softly, sensing my fear. “I'll try to make more noise next time.” He was lying on his side facing me. He had a smile on his face that I could see even in the darkness. “I saw your ex. He's not doing so well.”

“What did you do?” I asked in alarm. I turned over to face him.

“We had a talk, that's all.“

“You didn't kill him, did you?” I ask sitting up now.

“No, but I don't see why it should matter. He nearly killed you, if I hadn't come along you'd be a rotting corpse waiting to be found. That is if an animal didn't get you first.”

Ouch. He had away of making a lady feel good.

“Look it matters because despite everything I love him. And an eye for an eye doesn't sit well with me.”

“You still love him even though he shot you and is fucking your friend?”

“Well, when you put it that way... Yes I still do.”

“Ugh. You humans. So blindly in love you that you look past someones flaws- ”

“Hey!” I exclaimed, “I didn't say that I wanted him back or that I forgave him just that my feelings hadn't change. It's just that love doesn't fade overnight. I don't forgive him, and I won't forget. My love for him is still there okay. So stop judging me.”

“Sorry.” he said after a minute of silence.

“And just because you solve your problems by draining them dry doesn't mean I'll be as ruthless.” I said, still pissed off.

“You should be.”

“Well, I can't.” He didn't respond, he just stared at me. Even in the moonlight I could see his face perfectly. But it was unreadable.

“So,” I said wiping the tears from my eyes. “what did you two talk about?”

He sat up. “You, of course.”

“What did he say?”

“Do you really want to know?”

I paused. “Yes.”

“You're not going to like it.” When I didn't speak he continued. “Simply put, he wanted you to suffer but you already knew that. He was hellbent on it. Also he said he's been wanting to fuck that girl for a long time and when he saw an opportunity he took it. He was hoping to convince you to join them and have a ménage à trois.”

”What!” Ew. I was shocked.

“Hey don't shot the messenger.” He said holding his hands up in defense. “He wanted to have his cake and eat it too. Pun intended.” he winked and then laughed out loud. “He doesn't love you you know.” He said seriously after he stopped his laughter. “That ship sailed long ago. He said that even though the love was gone he couldn't stand the idea of you being with someone else. He wanted you dead because of his silly possessiveness.”

“No.” I said in disbelief.

“Yes, silly girl.” He sat up then. “You really believe he loves you, don't you? If you want we can go and ask him all about it.” He grabbed my arm and pulled me off the bed and out the door into the hall. “I'm sure he'd be pleased to see you.”

“Stop, okay. Just stop.” I said, yanking my arm free.

I was full on crying now. No, not just crying, sobbing, breaking down.

I sank to the floor with my hands covering my face. Daniel didn't try to comfort me which was good. I don't think I would have let him anyway.

After a few minutes I pulled myself together and stood up, walking pass Daniel to go to the bathroom. When I returned to my room he was gone.