by Night, Ash
Getting out, I took a deep breath and sighed. Coming home was calming despite the memory of Kistel. I had Alex and Mother to thank for that. Both of them had sheltered me from the worst of his cruelty. I made Alex swear up and down that he was truthful in saying that he had been the only one to ever taken beatings for me. I didn’t like that he had, but the thought of being responsible for it happening to Mother had made me ill.
“This is where you spent your childhood? It’s so beautiful here!” Erin exclaimed, standing beside me. “How is it still here, though?”
“Kistel abandoned the house so as soon as my brother could, he forged Kistel’s signature and transferred the house and a few acres of land surrounding to his name. Most people can’t even set foot on the land since it’s marked as private so it stays untouched. He has wards put up every few years to protect it just in case. Thankfully, Kistel was in the percentage of people who could read and write back then so my brother was even able to find the document in the first place. Of course, it isn’t under my brother’s real name. The house has been ‘passed down’ to our great grandchildren’s grandchildren’s grandchildren by now.”
“That’s nice you get to keep a part of your childhood.” Erin replied. “It really is a lovely place.”
Digging for a minute in the garden out back, I unearthed the heavy metal key and unlocked the door. The familiar creak was a sound my mind had had ingrained in it. Alex had had dark purple carpeting installed. It matched everything nicely. Mother would have approved. He’d also gotten someone to clean. It actually looked as if someone lived here now.
“Wow, Aubrey, it’s beautiful.” Erin said, walking around the living room. “It’s like taking a walk though time!”
I smiled. “I’m glad you like it. I only lived here for six years, but my mother made sure both her sons both felt loved here despite Kistel’s actions. I’d never once seen her cry. She always kept on a brave face for us.”
“I can’t wait to meet her,” she said. “I wish I could have known her.”
“She would have adored you and all twenty of our adopted children.” I laughed. “I kid you not. She expected my brother and I to get married to the women of our dreams and give her tons of grandbabies. My mother loved children, especially babies. She was a traditional stay-at-home mom, like all women back in the 17th century. Even before she had my brother, she would help out other wives with their children all the time. First-time mothers would often come to her for advice.”
“She sounds like Superwoman,”
“I’m sure she had her flaws like anyone else, but in my eyes, she was a God. She is my hero.” I said proudly. “My brother feels exactly the same way about her.”
Erin hugged me tight. “I love that look you get in your eyes when you talk about her. It’s so full of love.”
“Would you like to see my room?” I asked. I led Erin to the room Alex and I had shared when we were little. When we weren’t outside, we spent most of our time in this room. The twin beds Mrs. Sarafinia’s husband had made and given my mother as a gift sat against either side of the room just as they always had. Looking at the walls, I saw the drawings we had each done with the oil paints Alex had stolen from class every week. Each drawing we drew told a story, though I could only remember a few clearly.
Armies of stick figure soldiers marched across the walls. Dozens of dragons that Alex had taught me how to draw using books from the library flew across the ceiling. The splatters of paint were still there from the first time I fell off the ladder while trying to paint on the ceiling.
Erin studied them with interest. “Did you draw these?”
“Brother and I did. Our room was our safe space. Kistel never set foot in here so we were free to do what we wanted. Mother didn’t exactly allow us to paint in the walls and especially not the ceiling, but she was proud of the drawings so we weren’t in trouble once she found out. My brother is a much better artist than I am. He taught me a lot.”
“He sounds nice. I would love to meet him one day.”
“Maybe one day,” I muttered. It hurt me to think that if Alex chose to keep up the charade he wouldn’t be a part of my life for a long time. “Would you like me to show you Mother?”
“Yes!” She exclaimed, her eyes shining. That was good. The pills weren’t affecting her mood that badly, at least not yet.
For a while, we walked down a path I’d walked hundreds of times. Taking a right, I held Erin’s hand as we veered off the path and made the long trek through the woods. The stream was a tiny, soft trickle in the background as chipmunks and deer quietly skittered about. I helped Erin find a safe path for her to step as I walked without really thinking.
The thick canopy of trees cast shade like a blanket of shadow. It brought little comfort to my troubled mind. I was afraid of approaching my mother’s grave. It was the second time without my brother and it felt wrong that he wasn’t there.
Finally, we came to a sunny clearing. A small stone cross marked the spot where my mother was buried under an ancient gnarled oak tree. The grass had been mowed here too. I smiled. Sometimes Alex really could be thoughtful. Mother would have appreciated it.
Erin sat down in front of the stone, cross-legged as if she were sitting down to talk with a friend. “Hello, Mrs. Asher. My name is Erin Sapphire. You should be really proud of your son Aubrey. He’s the kindest guy I know and I’m so happy with him. I wish I could actually meet you. Aubrey has told me all about you and you sound like you were a wonderful person.”
I sat beside her, listening as she spoke to my mother’s gravestone effortlessly. It amazed me how comfortable she was talking to a perfect stranger. I was overjoyed she didn’t think it was weird. I was all too used to talking to headstones. Everyone seemed to die sooner or later, human or not.
“...And about your other son, I can’t wait to meet him. If he’s as nice as Aubrey, I’m sure I’ll love him too.”
Mother, I hope you understand Alex’s reasons for doing this. I replied silently, bowing my head. “I love you, Mother.” I said a prayer and sat staring at her gravestone for a little longer. Alex had made that for her before I got back from hunting that day. When I got back, he had told me the news. I remembered falling to the ground, looking at the mound of dirt, and thinking she couldn’t possibly be under there.
“Aubrey, thank you for the wonderful trip. It was truly amazing.” Erin hugged me tightly, jerking me out of that memory.
I held her in my arms for a long time without saying anything. She kissed my cheek. Tears formed in my eyes. Blinking them back, I stood up with her. “I’m glad you had fun.”
“Can we share blood tonight?” she asked.
“If you want, sweetheart. I’ll set up the candles.”
The smile that lit up her face was brighter than any flame.
Chapter Nineteen
Erin
“Can you just tell me where you’re taking me already?” I asked impatiently. We were coasting down the highway around ten at night and Aubrey had a mischievous grin on his face.
“You’ll see when we get there. I figured it’s time I treated you to the good life.”
“You always do,” I said. “That hotel was five stars. And you’ve done all the driving during this trip.”
He shook his head. “That’s just being a good boyfriend. Plus, if you drove, driving from California to Massachusetts would have taken forever. I can get away with breaking the speed limits and driving on the wrong side of the road without crashing thanks to my reflexes and awareness of cops. I mean, taking you out to a fancy dinner.”
“Dinner? Do you really think I should eat…again?” I asked, blushing. “I had so much at breakfast.”
“Erin,” he chuckled. “It took us half an hour to get to our room, you ran down the stairs on the way down, and we trekked through the woods for over an hour to see my mother and than just as long getting back. You’ll be lucky to gain anything from today.”
She kissed my hand. “You alway
s say the best things to make me feel better. That walk was gorgeous. You said she was religious so why didn’t she get buried in a cemetery?”
“My brother felt that wasn’t necessary. The church would have asked too many questions. She was a stay-at-mom, and a seven hundred year old vampire. Back in those days, it was much easier to get away with moving to a new place without having the proper documentation. My mother met Kistel when she was seventeen. She was human originally. Kistel turned her a few days after meeting her, having fallen in love with her instantly. At least that’s how my brother used to tell the story.”
“She was human? I thought humans and vampires can’t have babies. Shouldn’t that make you and your brother human too, or at least half-human?”
“No, Kistel changed her long before we were born. He’s powerful enough to completely change her.” He said, pulling into the parking lot of the restaurant. “Well, milady, shall we?”
I giggled as he opened my door and offered me his hand. We walked in and were seated by a waiter who came back with a fancy bottle before even taking our drink orders and handed us menus before leaving the table.
“Wine?”
“Makes your blood taste all that much sweeter,” he said. “I called ahead and ordered a bottle.”
“Fancy,”
“Only the best for you,”
I blushed. “I have more questions about your mother, if you don’t mind.”
“Fire away,”
“Was your mother Native American?”
“No, she was originally from London. My brother was conceived there. Shortly before he was born, my mother and Kistel relocated to Massachusetts. Of course, it wasn’t officially Massachusetts until 1788 when it became a state. Kistel and my mother moved because of the unrest in England at the time. My mother didn’t want her baby born into that and Kistel was unwilling to leave her. They agreed that the New World sounded much safer to raise a child, where they could start a new life without the threat of war.”
“Have you even been back?” I asked, looking at the menu. I gawked at the prices.
Aubrey chuckled as he poured me a glass of wine. “I told you not to worry about that.”
“Well, I’m just used to it, okay? Most humans don’t have the luxury to just order whatever they want on top of a four hundred dollar bottle of wine!”
He kept laughing. “I am not ‘most humans’.”
“I’ve noticed,”
The waiter came back. “Have the two of you decided on what you’ll be having tonight?”
“Yes,” Aubrey said, handing back our menus. “The lady will have the garlic butter filet mignon, medium, with rosemary roasted potatoes.”
“Great choice,” the waiter said, jotting it down on a notepad. “And for you, sir?”
“I will have the carbonara and bruschetta.”
“Very good,” he said and left the table once again.
“I hope you don’t mind that I ordered for you. I figured it would be easier. I’m sorry. I know it’s an outdated custom.”
I smiled. “It’s fine. I don’t mind. That actually sounds really good. I’ve never had filet mignon before.” I sipped my wine. “This is delicious!”
“See, the good life isn’t so bad, is it?” Aubrey raised his glass of wine to mine. “And, to answer your question, yes. I took a trip to England with Topaz a few years ago. It was lovely. I’ve been all over Europe. It really is an amazing place.”
“It’s on pretty much everyone’s bucket list.” I said. “I’d love to go sometime.”
“Consider it a graduation present,”
After the best meal I had ever had and two glasses of wine, Aubrey brought me to a house. It was a small charming stucco house far away from town. “Whose house is this?”
“Mine,” he replied. “It’s one of my back-ups. Every few decades when I have to move, I buy a new house. Occasionally, if I find one I really like, I keep it for a while. I just change the name on a few documents so it looks like I sold it. I bought this one about thirty years ago.”
“Nice place,” I said, walking in and looking around in the dim light. Aubrey flipped on the lights. I was surprised there was any power connected to the house. The kitchen was tiny, only big enough comfortably for two or three people. It led into a cozy living room. A staircase revealed a second floor. “What’s up there?”
“Two bedrooms and a bathroom,” he said, throwing the bottle of wine in the fridge. “My bedroom is on the right. I’ll meet you up there in a second.”
I smiled and quietly made my way up the stairs. At the top of the stairs, I found a light switch. The floor was polished wood with a oriental carpet running down the middle. The bedroom Aubrey had told me was his was awash in the light of a dozen orange candles. Rose petals, the color of wine, were scattered on the bed.
“Is it too much?”
I shook my head without turning around. “It’s perfect,”
Picking me up, he sat me on the bed and drew my wrist to him. I giggled as he kissed it. “Ready?”
“Yes,” I said. His fangs jutted out from his mouth, a silvery flash in the dim light. Twin fangs sank into my skin and suddenly I felt as if I’d been injected with liquid cotton. He caught me as my whole body fell backward. I was completely relaxed. I wondered if this was what being on drugs felt like.
It is, sweet pea. Why do you think people get so addicted?
“Aubrey, did you say something?” I asked, even though I knew he hadn’t. The voice that had just spoken was smoother, more sultry than Aubrey’s had ever been.
No, honey, I didn’t say anything. I was too busy enjoying your blood. It tastes sweet, like pomegranates, Aubrey replied, his eyes closed as he continued to drink. Tell me when if it gets to be too much, okay? I can stop anytime. Until then, just enjoy the feeling.
“Okay.” I said and let myself drift until I felt like I was in between dreaming and being half-awake.
The feeling might feel funny at first, sweet pea, but don’t worry. You’ll love it.
“I do,” I replied.
Everything okay, Erin? If this feels strange, we can stop. Aubrey started to pull away.
“No, please, I’m fine! It feels wonderful.” I said quickly. I didn’t want to ruin tonight. I just couldn’t shake the weird feeling of deja-vu.
Okay. I love you. He sank his teeth in again and then the world around me exploded.
There was the scent of apple pie. Just a hint. It hung in the room like a long forgotten comfort. I was safe in this room I had never seen before. It looked like a living room. Where was Aubrey? Whose house was I in? Why did I feel safe?
“Where’s Aubrey, Alex?” I asked, but it wasn’t me asking. I mean it was, but it was like looking at a video of myself saying it. Who was Alex and how did he know Aubrey? How did I know his name?
A man came in from the kitchen, holding a glass of whiskey. His features were exactly like Aubrey’s, same strong hands, same nose, same charming smile. His dirty blond hair was perfect in its carelessness. His eyes were striking. I knew those eyes. I may have forgotten who this man was, but I knew, deep in my heart, that I would never forget those eyes. He smirked as if knowing what I was thinking. “Who?”
“Don’t play games with me, Alex! I know you know where he is! You’re his older brother!”
Alex chuckled. The ice in his drink clinked against the glass. “Oh, sweet pea, if I were playing games, you wouldn’t be able to tell.”
That voice. That was the voice I heard earlier. Why was his voice in my head? Why was I in his living room? Was I dreaming? Aubrey had been drinking from me and I’d been so relaxed so maybe I had fallen asleep. That explained only a handful of things.
My heartbeat raced as Alex came closer. Scared, good, I should be scared. Something about Alex set me on edge. I needed to run. But the video recording dream-like version of me wasn’t running. In fact, she didn’t even seem scared at all. She took comfort in Alex. Why? The man gave off the cold vibe of a killer. Som
ething was definitely wrong with him. How could he be Aubrey’s older brother? He was nothing like Aubrey.
“You smell amazing, sweet pea. Does my brother ever tell you that because it’s a shame if he doesn’t. He’s always been too polite when it comes to women. I mean, yes, of course they require a more delicate touch, however my brother often exceeds the limit. Women nowadays are much more…daring.”
His eyes held me captive. Why wasn’t my dream-self running for her life? What did she trust that I didn’t?
My dream-self hesitated. “I-I love Aubrey, Alex.” What was up with the waver in my voice? How could I possibly think I trusted this maniac? Of course I loved Aubrey! I’d never loved anyone else like I’d loved Aubrey.
“I know you do, sweet pea. You could never love me the same way. That you know for sure. You don’t love me the same way. But it doesn’t change the fact that I’m right here and he isn’t.”
“Alex…”
He reached out to me and I took it. His grip felt safe, inviting. No, I needed to run! I watched helplessly as he led me to the couch. His fangs, now fully elongated, dragged lightly across my neck, sending shivers down my spine. Was Alex going to kill me?
“You said I didn’t love you like I loved Aubrey. How can you be so sure if I’m not even sure what I feel?”
He smirked. “Because, Erin, body language tells more about ourselves than words ever could. The way you look at my brother, the way you hold yourself when you’re with him, and even the way your heart beats when you’re around him is vastly different than from when you’re with me. It’s very similar in regards to the way I compare you to Anastasia. There is no comparison. I love Anastasia and I love you, but in completely different ways. With Anastasia, I wanted everything. With you, it’s purely lustful, Erin, my dear. Of course, I value your opinion on some things, but, mainly, I just want to jump your bones, for lack of a better phrase.”
“I think I get it,” I replied. “Actually, that makes a lot of sense.”
“Now, since I can’t do that, can I at least have some blood for my trouble?” He smiled a genuine smile. “You can say no, if you want to. I’ve never dealt with that option before, but first time for everything.”
