Trapped in a Vile World

We wound through the many halls of their must be mansion until we came to a battered door. I stopped, surprised. Brian turned around when he felt my hesitance to proceed. He cocked an eyebrow at me.

“I pictured your front door to be more like the rest of our place.” He still looked confused. “Brian,” I stated as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “Your house is extravagant.” The knowing light clicked behind his eyes, and I chuckled. He grabbed my hand and pulled me out the door. As he closed it, I realized why it was the way it was. The door blended in with the dingy alleyway, and no one questioned us. We emerged onto a busy street, the strong beams of light radiating from a bright sun. My smile reached from ear to ear as I breathed in the fresh air. It was the first time I’d been outside in awhile, and I was so happy.

Brian and I strolled down the semi-busy street, stopping every now and then at a vendor to buy some fresh food. By the time we made it to the market, Brian’s arms were already weighed down with numerous bags. I giggled as I reached the door.

“I can go in their by myself,” I said as he threw the bags on a bench and sat next to them, a little tired. “And aren’t you supposed to be incredibly strong?” I jested, smiling.

“Well, excuse me little missy. I don’t have everlasting strength. And, I don’t know. It’s not safe out here, Tera.” His eyes screamed how concerned he was. I smiled reassuringly.

“I only have to grab a few things. I’ll be out in a jiff!” I bent down and pecked him on the check, entering the small market. I asked the butcher for some meat, and waited patiently as he entered the back room to get my expensive order. I noticed a man lurking a few feet away from me. Brian’s words rang in my head: it’s not safe out here, Tera. His sharp eyes looked up at mine. I smiled nervously.

“Hello,” I said pleasantly, hoping he wasn’t one of those Brian had warned me about. He said nothing back, just stared at me. His hair was dark and matted, and he had almost black eyes that contrasted with his pasty skin. He wore a trench coat so large that I couldn’t really see more of him. He inched closer. I called out for the butcher, and he returned with my order, apologizing for taking so long. I nodded gracious, accepting my order and walking to the front to pay. Did I mention my vampire friends are also completely loaded? I don’t know how, but they don’t seem to care much about spending money. I stepped outside smiling into the sunshine after I paid. Brian stood up anxiously and opened his mouth to speak, but I cut him off.

“I’m fine, Brian. Although there was guy in there who gave me the creeps.” His eyes darted to the front windows of the shop, and mine followed. The man in the trench coat was standing by the window. I heard a low growl come from Brian as he wound his arms around me, baring his teeth at the window. The man in the trench coat nodded, and disappeared. Brian let me go. “What the hell was that?” He looked at me incredulously.

“You really couldn’t tell? After all this time being around us, you couldn’t pick out another vampire in public?” My eyes widened.

“You mean,” I whispered. “You mean he was a vampire too?” Brian nodded as if it was obvious. I narrowed my eyes a little. “Well how was I supposed to know that?!” He laughed.

“You live in a house full of us, Tera.” I crossed my arms over my chest and stuck my tongue out at him. I didn’t care if I look like I was three years old, he deserved it. It was suddenly silent, and I opened one eye. Brian pounced, tickling me and hugging me at the same time. Try as I might, I couldn’t squirm out of his grasp.

“Brian,” I gasped. “Stop. This. Right. Now!” Every word was on a breath of it’s own, because I couldn’t catch my breath. He finally let me go, laughing, and I hit his chest lightly with my fists. “That is so not okay!” he laughed.

“C’mon, missy. Let’s get back home,” he said as he scooped up the bags and we began to walk back down the street. The sun was starting it’s decent in the sky, and light was casting long shadows. We walked down the now almost deserted street, laden with groceries.

“So why did we need to get all of this fancy stuff?” I asked him casually.

“You didn’t know? It’s Jimmy’s birthday.” I gasped loudly, dropping what was in my hands. Thank god for vampire reflexes.

“Tera, what the hell?!” I looked down, just now realizing what had happened.

“I just,” I mumbled quietly. “I just didn’t know.” Brian looked at me, confusion etched into his sharp features. “I guess it just caught me off guard, you know?” He nodded, still a little confused. How is it I didn’t even know it was Jimmy’s birthday? What a horrible sister I am. We turned down the now darkening alleyway to get back to our house. Their house, I corrected myself. We had almost reached the door when a shadowy figure jumped down from a roof, extending his claw of a hand for mine. I immediately froze, and I heard Brian snarl behind me. He jumped between the figure and me, crouched in a protective stance.

“She’s ours,” he snarled at the cloaked figure. I heard a dark chuckle from the shadow underneath the hood, his raised hand never wavering. “She belongs to the Sullivan’s!” The figure immediately dropped its hand and tilted its head back to look at me. I saw skin pale as snow, and fangs that protruded from his lips more readily than all of the vampires I’d met. I caught a flash of icy blue eyes in the dim light, and I visibly shivered. Brian reached back and squeezed my hand reassuringly. The cloaked man’s lip curled over his fangs in a sneer.

“And why does he keep her?” A cold, deep voice asked.

“Entertainment,” Brian answered without a second thought. I hid my face behind him so that the stranger didn’t see my heartbreak. Entertainment? Is that what they kept me around for?

“Fine.” The cold voice spat, then disappeared as suddenly as he had come. Brian grabbed the bags with one hand and my wrist with the other, dragging me towards the door.

“C’mon,” he urged me. I found my own feet and matched his pace. “We need to go talk to Jimmy.”