Home Is in Her Arms

“Here we are,” Gerard whispered as he stopped the car outside of a huge castle that I would now call my home. I swallowed hard as I slowly opened my door. I stood up and stared up at the highest point of the castle. It was made of pure brick and it had green weathered vines growing on the sides. It didn’t have a mot or anything, I had small courtyard in front of the main door. My eyes scan my surroundings and noticed how beautiful it was. There were very old oak trees spread about the property and many colorful flowers were staring to bloom. But this place also gave me weird vibes, almost like there was more to this family then meets thy eye. I heard approaching footsteps and I turned around to come face to face to Gerard, “You ready?”

I nodded as I looked at him nervously. He smiled lightly and reached for my hand. I looked down at it for a minute and decided whether or not I could do this. If I could live my life with a man I hardly knew. I bite my lower lip as I slowly extended my hand and placed it in his. His smile grew wider as he started to lead me towards the front door. Once he opened the door, my jaw dropped in amazement. It was gorgeous inside. Beautiful French portraits hung on the walls and handmade china rugs lead on the floor. There was amazing woodworking within each piece of furniture in foyer and in the living room, “So what do you think?” I heard Gerard whisper lightly in my ear.

“Its beautiful, it’s so amazing,” I said and just stared at every wall, taking in every detail. From the way the stones looked and how everything was laid out. it was relaxing and had some sort of a homing feeling to it. No one would have guessed they would feel this once they stepped foot inside this house. I looked up at the ceiling and it had a mural that was so life like and attracting. I squeezed Gerard’s hand tightly as I looked around amazed by everything. I could feel his eyes staring at me and that’s when I looked up into his cold dark eyes. They looked lifeless and alone. There was something about him that I didn’t know, something that was life changing. He smiled weakly at me and I smiled back.

“Gerard,” we heard his father say behind us, “Why don’t you take Analisa up to your room. See that she gets in alright and then come to the library, I have things I must discuss with you,” he explained and Gerard nodded. He led me up a grand stair case that seemed to go up for miles. We had reached the third floor and down a very long hallway.

“Alright, this is our room,” he told me as he opened the door and ushered me in. I looked around the room and I knew that it was going to be one of my favorite rooms. The walls were a pale baby blue with dark trim. The dressers were black along with the desk that was filled with mountains of paper. The carpet was a soft blue that matched the walls and the bed had a black comfortable with the pale blue sheets. There were two doors in the room and they were also black, “What do you think? Is it too masculine for you?”

“No, no. It’s fine. I really like it,” I smiled up at him. He smiled back and took a step towards me. For some odd reason I wanted him to hug me and welcome me into his life. But a part of me wanted him to go away. I sighed a sign of relief when I heard someone knock on the door.

“Your bags miss,” A fat, bladed man was standing in the doorway holding all my bags. I smiled warmly at him and was about to help him when I felt a small tug on my arm.

“Thank you Stan, please just set them over there,” Gerard pointed at an empty stop next to the dresser. The man named Stan placed the bag right where Gerard told him and he silently left the room, “How about you unpack while I talked to my father. There is a lot of closet space in that door,” he pointed to the door closest to us, “And that dresser over there,” he pointed to it from across the room, “is yours. So why don’t you make yourself at home.”

I nodded slowly as I looked from the closet to my dresser. I finally looked up at Gerard and he was staring at me. I smiled slowly and he kissed my forehead. I felt myself blush as he kissed my cheek, “I promise be back soon sugar.”

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I closed our bedroom door and it felt weird calling it ours now. I never had anyone to share things with. It was always me, just me. I breathe deeply as I made my way down the hallway and down a few flight of stairs. I walked down a few more hallways until I finally stood in front of two dark oak doors that I have walked through so many times before, but this time seemed different. Like once I stepped into that room, something I didn’t like was going to come out of it. I opened one of the doors and I was suddenly surrounded with bookcases that reached the ceiling. There were old leather couches in the center of the room and a old wooden desk sitting in front of the fire place that was on the other side of the room. There was also this dark figure standing before the fireplace, staring down at it, and I knew it was my father. I held my head up high as I slowly walked towards the desk.

“You wanted to see me father,” I said as I stood before his desk. I saw his shoulders straight and he held his head up high. He slowly turned around and I could see his serious face forming, and that I knew was not a good sign.

“Ah, yes Gerard. I have something that I have to inform you of,” he said and motioned for me to sit down. I nodded as I sat in of the seats that sat in front of his desk and he sat down in his own seat, “It deals with Analisa.”

“And what about her?” I asked him cautiously and sat on the edge of my seat.

“You are going to have to turn her, make her one of us,” he said slowly and the words had to sink in for a few minutes before I realized what he was telling me.

“No, I can’t do that to her. I can’t make her a vampire if she doesn’t want to. She doesn’t even know we are vampires for Satan’s sake,” I half yelled and stood up quickly.

“Gerard, calm down this instant. A prince does not display this type of behavior,” my father growled and stood up. I was breathing heavily and glaring at him.

“What if I don’t want to be a prince father?” I said through my teeth.

“It is not your choice son. You were the first born, which makes you first to the throne,” he explained to me like so many times before. I slammed my fist down and growled.

“I’m still not turning her. If she wants to be, fine I will do it. But I am not going to do it against her own free will,” I explained to him. I knew deep down that there was no stopping my father’s wishes, even if he has to carry them out his self.

“We both know that she will be a vampire. It is said that the prince is suppose to take a bride. What you didn’t know that the bride needs to be a full blooded human, one that has no ancestors of our vampire clan. I knew her father for years now and I’ve seen their family history and saw no history of vampires. She was perfect,” he explained but I continued to glare at him knowing his was not done yet, “With a human bride, she is to be turned on the wedding night, when the clock strikes twelve.”

“What? Father I am not turning her. We have finally become civil and actually talking to each other. I am not going to throw that away father. I am not going to have her angry at me for ruining her wedding night,” I said angrily and started towards the door. I was about to storm out when I heard my father’s voice.

“Son, if you will not do it. Then I will have to someone else do it for me and I don’t think you want that, now do you?” he said with a grin. He knew he had won, that there was no way out of this. I turn my head a little and glared at him.

“Go to hell father,” I whispered angrily and stormed out of the library. I kept cursing myself as I walked down the dreaded hallway. How was I going to tell Analisa? How was I going to tell her I am a blood sucking monster and I have to make you one too? I slammed my fist against the wall and groan loudly. She will never accept me or my kind. She will only fear me and want to get far away. She will never talk to me or want to see me. I wouldn’t be able to live like that. For some reason deep down inside of me, I felt like I needed her. I needed her more then I needed anything in this world.

I slowly climbed the stairs and walked down the quiet hallway. Many of the members within household were still at different summer homes, enjoying their holidays. I past many doors and finally stood in front of mine. I knew this news was going to break her heart and most likely her spirit. I opened the door and there she was. Standing beside the bed, looking through a suitcase she had brought. She heard the door open as her head popped up and her lively eyes just stared into my dead lifeless ones. As I looked at her, I knew she deserved better. She needed someone that was ten times better then me and could give her anything she wanted. I sighed and smiled lightly.

“I trust that you are adjusting well?” I asked and walked towards her.

“Yes, it’s really nice in here. Very laid back,” she smiled a bright smile and it broke me inside. I had no idea a girl like this could have this affect on me. She was like an angel to me, an untouchable angel.

“I’m glad, would you like a tour of the house?” I asked her knowing she was going to have to memorize the layout if she ever wanted to go somewhere alone. She put down a blouse she was holding and nodded with a smile. I held out my hand hoping that once again she would take it, and just like last time she placed her hand in mine. I smiled warmly at her and she walked closer to me. I lead her out of the bedroom and started to show her the various rooms within the dark mansion.

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“Wow, the house doesn’t look this big from the outside,” I heard Analisa gasp as she held my hand tight as I lead her around the mansion. She was in such awe as we continue to pass more and more rooms and walk down endless hallways. We had made it through every floor and now we were on the main floor. I showed her the grand living room, the den, the dining room and now it was time for the library. I pushed open the huge oak doors and ushered her in. she stood in the doorway and took everything. She took in the leather book smell, the heat from the fire and the vibe that it was sending, “Oh my, Gerard it’s amazing.”

“I know,” I started to say as I walked along the wall of books; “I use to come here when I was a boy. I would lock myself in this room and just go into my own fantasies. I would keep myself away for hours at a time. Once I was lost within the books, there was no turning back for me,” I explained to her and she just searched through various books titles.

“You have almost every book imaginable. You have both first additions from the American and British Classics. From Sylvia Plath to J.D. Salinger along with Kurt Vonnegut and Ernest Hemingway, some of the world greatest writers. The list goes on and on,” she said. I smiled at her and knew she was a heavy book reader. No one could name one book written by those authors, but she was staring at them like she was star struck. I walked closer to her and her eyes lit up when she saw a book that I had read many times before, Paradise Lost by John Milton, “Wow, I’ve read this book so many times. Every since my junior English class, its one of my all time favorites.”

“You actually liked the book?” I asked hoping she would not change her answer.

“I loved it. I loved the irony of it and the concepts we still have today. We lie to each other still and trick people into doing things. We still struggle for independence and we also fall after a losing battle,” she explained to me and I right then and there I knew that I could live a life of happiness with this woman. I smiled at her warmly and looked down at the book.

“Keep it,” I whispered lightly.

“What? No I couldn’t. It’s a first addition, I just couldn’t,” she said as she was about to put the book back onto the self.

“No, I insist. Think of it as a house warming gift,” I grabbed the book from the shelf and placed it in her hands. I felt a strange vibe go through my veins as I stared down at this mortal goddess. It was almost like Aphrodite was standing there right in front of me. She was so beautiful that I knew with just a tear, she could bring me to my knees. Then an unwanted voice popped into my head.

You have to tell her son. Tell her the truth…

I sighed as I looked down at our hands and knew I was about to ruin the most perfect moment that we would mostly ever share with each other. I knew she would never forgive me and never want to see me. But she had the right to know that things were not going to be easy for her, hear on out.

“Analisa, I have to tell you something important, something that you might not understand and might not like,” I whisper and I saw the happiness in her eyes died and horror appear. I felt her slightly shake under my touch and I could sense her heart rate was racing. Her pulse as heavy and fast, and I could smell the iron pouring from her. It took everything I had to control my hunger and not devour her. I let go of her hands and just stared at her.

“What are you talking about Gerard?” she asked sweetly as she stepped closer to me. I put up my hands and held her at bay. This was the moment I had been dreading.

“Analisa, I’m not what you think,” I start to say but stopped. I stared once more at her face and knew it was now or never, it was time I told her, “Analisa, I am a creature of the night. I am a vampire…”