Finding Forever
Five
Periodically, Zane would look around, studying the faces of the six who accompanied him and Charlotte to the safe-room. As he did so, one-by-one, they would turn away, only to turn back when he put his head back down. He knew all of them by name, but in the dimly lit hovel, each one of them looked like strangers. Hostility burned through their expressions.
I knew since the day I decided to go out into the human world that they would come. The one thought constantly rang in his head in the hours they had been in the secret room. There was no way to tell tie, but he guessed it to be mid-morning already. If so, they would have to stay until nightfall, even if the hunters were gone. Uncovered windows lined one hall in which they would have to pass through.
Caught up in the nonsense floating around his head, Zane hadn’t noticed someone sit down beside him. So when the man spoke, Zane bared his fangs, and wrapped his arms protectively around Charlotte. “Now brother, I’m not going to hurt her.” The man, Christopher, smiled lightly. “You know, I actually kind of agree with what you want to do.”
Zane’s grip loosened slightly. “You do?” His voice was dry.
“Of course— the coven has remained the same for so long. It’s getting rather boring.” Christopher's gaze scanned the room. "I know some of them agree." His eyes flashed back to Zane. "The few that do will back you up completely. Didn't you hear their whispers?
Zane's gaze lowered as he shook his head. He hadn't. He had been paying attention only to Charlotte; that's why he was startled by Christopher in the first place.
"I thought as much." The man's laugh was light. "She's definitely stunning." Zane found him gaping at Charlotte, causing him to feel uncomfortable. As if sensing it, Christopher looked away. "Sorry, like I said, the coven has gotten rather boring." With that Christopher rose to a standing position and walked away.
Time passed quickly after Christopher left them. Zane allowed his thoughts to wander free for a while. But when one memory came to surface, his mind raced.
It was 1653. I was walking along the dirt path leading to my home in the woods. The air was cold, but it was a warmer November day. Looking around, I noticed how dull and lifeless everything looked. The leaves that once adorned the Maples crunched under my feet, brown and dead. And although the path looked gloomy, the silvery gray arch of the branches looked quite beautiful on such a sunny day.
My mother and father were at home, waiting for me to return with eggs and meat from our neighbor’s farm. Mother will be disappointed to see that I have neither. Father, well… He probably already has the switch ready. Alder branches seem to hurt more this time of year, especially after your ears have gone red from the cold.
At the farm, there was no sign of life anywhere¬— as if they just disappeared without a trace. Cattle were huddled up in the corner of one field, and the hens were still in their coup laying. I could have stolen a basket and a few eggs, at least. But I didn't feel right about it.
I’m sure when I tell Mother and Father of this, they will understand.
I soon realized, I wasn't watching where I was going, when I bumped into someone. A young woman with honey colored hair that fell to the small of her back in knotted waves. “I.. I’m sorry. Are you alright?”
As she turned to face me, a chill ran down my spine; much like the feeling I got at the farm. When she made eye contact, I saw she had a twisted look about her. Sick. Then I saw her lips. A thick, deep red liquid covered them and dripped down her chin and neck. Blood.
Before I could turn to run, she tackled me to the ground. With her lips lightly pressed to my ear, she whispered, “I’m quite alright, a tad hungry, though.”
Charlotte shifted in her sleep as he snapped back from his memory. What have I done? Her life is ruined, because of me. Zane looked down at her. The peaceful look on her sleeping face made his heart sink deeper.
A single ringlet lay against her cheek. Gently, he tucked it behind her ear. Caressing her cheek, he whispered, “I’m sorry.” Zane leaned down, kissed her forehead and held her closer. “I probably ruined any chance at a good future that you may have had. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
“What? Why are you sorry?” Charlotte blinked, still half asleep.
When he found her hand resting against his chest, he held it there “You. You probably had a great life before. Before that night and I took it from you. You have no future now.” He looked down to find her staring at him. They locked gazes, and the emotions portrayed through her eyes showed him that her life wasn’t as great as he thought. “Oh…”
“My father… Well, it’s best that I’m here, rather than back home, as unbelievable as that may be.” Her eyes closed, pushing back tears.
“Oh, Charlotte...” He didn’t know what else to say. She was so happy to be away from the demons she left behind, but, at what price? By changing her, Zane pushed her into an even more dangerous world, a world where she would never belong.
“It’s okay.” She smiled through the tears she fought so hard to stop. “Whatever the future holds for me— for us, I will be by your side. It is, after all, where I belong now.”
Zane gently wiped her tears away. “You’re too beautiful to cry.” He leaned down, kissed her forehead softly, and then whispered, “I will do everything I can to keep you safe.”
I knew since the day I decided to go out into the human world that they would come. The one thought constantly rang in his head in the hours they had been in the secret room. There was no way to tell tie, but he guessed it to be mid-morning already. If so, they would have to stay until nightfall, even if the hunters were gone. Uncovered windows lined one hall in which they would have to pass through.
Caught up in the nonsense floating around his head, Zane hadn’t noticed someone sit down beside him. So when the man spoke, Zane bared his fangs, and wrapped his arms protectively around Charlotte. “Now brother, I’m not going to hurt her.” The man, Christopher, smiled lightly. “You know, I actually kind of agree with what you want to do.”
Zane’s grip loosened slightly. “You do?” His voice was dry.
“Of course— the coven has remained the same for so long. It’s getting rather boring.” Christopher's gaze scanned the room. "I know some of them agree." His eyes flashed back to Zane. "The few that do will back you up completely. Didn't you hear their whispers?
Zane's gaze lowered as he shook his head. He hadn't. He had been paying attention only to Charlotte; that's why he was startled by Christopher in the first place.
"I thought as much." The man's laugh was light. "She's definitely stunning." Zane found him gaping at Charlotte, causing him to feel uncomfortable. As if sensing it, Christopher looked away. "Sorry, like I said, the coven has gotten rather boring." With that Christopher rose to a standing position and walked away.
Time passed quickly after Christopher left them. Zane allowed his thoughts to wander free for a while. But when one memory came to surface, his mind raced.
It was 1653. I was walking along the dirt path leading to my home in the woods. The air was cold, but it was a warmer November day. Looking around, I noticed how dull and lifeless everything looked. The leaves that once adorned the Maples crunched under my feet, brown and dead. And although the path looked gloomy, the silvery gray arch of the branches looked quite beautiful on such a sunny day.
My mother and father were at home, waiting for me to return with eggs and meat from our neighbor’s farm. Mother will be disappointed to see that I have neither. Father, well… He probably already has the switch ready. Alder branches seem to hurt more this time of year, especially after your ears have gone red from the cold.
At the farm, there was no sign of life anywhere¬— as if they just disappeared without a trace. Cattle were huddled up in the corner of one field, and the hens were still in their coup laying. I could have stolen a basket and a few eggs, at least. But I didn't feel right about it.
I’m sure when I tell Mother and Father of this, they will understand.
I soon realized, I wasn't watching where I was going, when I bumped into someone. A young woman with honey colored hair that fell to the small of her back in knotted waves. “I.. I’m sorry. Are you alright?”
As she turned to face me, a chill ran down my spine; much like the feeling I got at the farm. When she made eye contact, I saw she had a twisted look about her. Sick. Then I saw her lips. A thick, deep red liquid covered them and dripped down her chin and neck. Blood.
Before I could turn to run, she tackled me to the ground. With her lips lightly pressed to my ear, she whispered, “I’m quite alright, a tad hungry, though.”
Charlotte shifted in her sleep as he snapped back from his memory. What have I done? Her life is ruined, because of me. Zane looked down at her. The peaceful look on her sleeping face made his heart sink deeper.
A single ringlet lay against her cheek. Gently, he tucked it behind her ear. Caressing her cheek, he whispered, “I’m sorry.” Zane leaned down, kissed her forehead and held her closer. “I probably ruined any chance at a good future that you may have had. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
“What? Why are you sorry?” Charlotte blinked, still half asleep.
When he found her hand resting against his chest, he held it there “You. You probably had a great life before. Before that night and I took it from you. You have no future now.” He looked down to find her staring at him. They locked gazes, and the emotions portrayed through her eyes showed him that her life wasn’t as great as he thought. “Oh…”
“My father… Well, it’s best that I’m here, rather than back home, as unbelievable as that may be.” Her eyes closed, pushing back tears.
“Oh, Charlotte...” He didn’t know what else to say. She was so happy to be away from the demons she left behind, but, at what price? By changing her, Zane pushed her into an even more dangerous world, a world where she would never belong.
“It’s okay.” She smiled through the tears she fought so hard to stop. “Whatever the future holds for me— for us, I will be by your side. It is, after all, where I belong now.”
Zane gently wiped her tears away. “You’re too beautiful to cry.” He leaned down, kissed her forehead softly, and then whispered, “I will do everything I can to keep you safe.”