by T.M. Mendes
It heated him up to hear such a tone coming from her lips. Her blood was sweet, but not overly so. It distantly reminded him of freesia with a hint of brown sugar. Every drop that splashed his taste buds gave him almost instantaneous energy and warmth. He knew he needed to stop since Wendy’s whimpers were increasingly becoming louder. Any more in volume and her dad would come in here to see an interesting show. Taking one last lingering draw of her addicting blood, he retracted his fangs and moved away enough to give her breathing room. They were both panting, and her eyes were closed.
“My life is so screwed up right now,” she muttered out of breath.
“How so?” he questioned. Of course he could guess but he loved hearing her voice. She peeked an eye open before snorting not so delicately. It was amusing to the older vampire but he kept that tidbit to himself. “Let’s see… I found out I get sick if I don’t have this really old vampire bite me, then I nearly get shot today, then I get yelled at by said vampire, oh and don’t forget someone got killed right in front of me, which I will never be able to get over, and then I get this blinding rage out of nowhere and almost grabbed a cop’s gun because of it…. and that’s just today.”
Putting it into that perspective, Vincent could see why she was so exhausted. He wished he could make this all easier for her, but it’s what happens when humans get involved with vampires. It’s why it almost never works, with it being so dangerous.
He would protect her with everything he had though. Even if it killed him, he would make sure she was safe. Which was why he wanted to turn her so quickly. Once she became like him, he wouldn’t have to worry quite so much. She’ll be more durable for his world. “It’ll get better… I promise.”
She sighed in response and slowly sat up so they could talk. “I’m guessing the rage I felt earlier was due to this bond?”
He nodded slowly and stood up, needing some sort of breathing room if he was going to think clearly. It was a hard feat with her large eyes staring back at him so closely.
“Yes. I was taking care of the men you didn’t see who were hired to kill you. These two men were the getaway route-”
He was cut off by Wendy. “Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! What do you mean ‘take care of’? Did you… did you kill them?” she asked hesitantly. He knew it might put her off even more but he vowed to tell her the truth unless it endangered her life.
“I was going to… I was so angry….
*****
“Looks like our guests have arrived,” Vincent muttered, hearing the faint sound of feet walking downward toward them. He cracked his knuckles and sent a malicious smirk to Darcy who looked just as ready. He used his hearing to listen to their conversation.
“Play it cool. He’ll never know if she’s alive or dead. We’ll get our pay and go,” one whispered in a pathetic attempt to not be heard. Vincent nodded toward his friend and they both waited. “What the hell? Looks like he killed another two guards.”
They didn’t say anything more before a knock sounded at the door.
When it opened, the two men stepped inside but froze when they saw Vincent standing there. “We’re looking for Ramiro,” the taller one with blonde hair said.
Vincent cocked his head silently. He turned to the side and gestured to the pile of ash. “As you can see he’s indisposed right now. Have a seat, this won’t take too long.”
The underlining threat was clearly heard as the two started to back up, but they bumped into Darcy who just smirked at the two. “Leaving so soon?” He chuckled darkly and took a step toward them.
The two men fumbled as they walked back inside where Vincent still stood standing. “W-What is it that you want?” the blonde asked. Clearly he was the ‘leader’ amongst the two, a poor excuse of one, but one nonetheless.
“Well, it just so happens the target you were sent to kill was My Beloved, so now you’re going to die. Much like that pathetic waste of space on the floor there.”
The two began to try and explain themselves, but the longer they were in Vincent’s presence, the angrier he became. “Please! We didn’t know! We didn’t even kill her! She’s still alive, we swear! W-We promise not to go after her, just please let us go!” His voice was grating on Vincent’s nerves, making his fangs flash downward for them to see. The smell of their blood was repulsive. The cowering mice cringed back when they saw his sneer at them.
Vincent listened in on their thoughts for a moment. ‘Shit, we’re going to die over some stupid blonde! I knew I should’ve done the job, at least that way I could’ve taken the bitch down with me!’ Vincent roared with anger and lunged. The men screamed as he picked up the blonde and tossed him across the room like he weighed nothing at all. Next, he picked up the red head and flung him upward to the ceiling and let him fall back onto the hard, unforgiving floor. His anger surged through him at lightning speeds as he flitted to the blonde and lifted him up by the scruff of his shirt.
“Sorry doesn’t cut it for a disgrace like you!” he roared before punching his face, making him drop to the floor. Both men groaned and coughed up whatever air they were trying to get.
Darcy came up to the red head and picked him up easily. His fangs protruded from his lower lip as he smirked up at him. “I’m suddenly very thirsty.”
The red head screamed in terror, “No! No, please, n-AH!” He cut himself off by screaming loudly when Darcy bit into his neck.
Darcy purposefully bit into the artery so the guy would bleed out. With Darcy taking his fill, the red head eventually stopped screaming with only a gurgle before he died. Throwing the body down, he grinned maliciously at Vincent. “That was fun,” he said simply and gave Vincent more room to deal with the blonde. Said victim was staring wide eyed and completely terrified. His eyes switched to Vincent.
“P-Please!” he begged, but Vincent saw his mind. How many people he’s killed and tormented over the years, and how he enjoyed every one of their screams.
“How does it feel to beg like all your other victims?” Vincent asked, bending down to the scum’s level. He cowered back against the wall with blood trickling down his lower lip. Vincent could see his reflection in the man’s eyes and saw how his eyes were completely black and his fangs were long with the anger he felt. Just when it felt like he couldn’t get any angrier, he heard a soft, sweet voice. ‘Calm down, calm down, calm down.’ Instantly, it was like someone poured cool water over him to calm him down. He knew it was the necklace as he backed away. ‘Why? Why did she have to figure it out now?’ he thought with an aggravated sigh and looked toward Darcy. “The necklace… she’s figured it out. You take care of him. I’ll watch.”
Darcy chuckled at that, knowing Vincent wanted this idiot for himself. He cracked his neck and walked up to them both.
The blonde’s gaze was now on Darcy. “Please! I promise I won’t kill ever again!” He was shaking looking into the merciless eyes of the pale vampire.
Darcy crouched next to him and grabbed him by the neck. “No, you won’t because you’re not going to walk out of here alive.” The cowering man tried in vain to get away from him but it was no use.
“Oh and Darcy?” Vincent interrupted just before he bit into the neck.
Darcy quirked an eyebrow. “Yes?” he answered with a smirk.
“Make it hurt,” was his only words before Darcy nodded and bit into the man’s neck. The guy screamed out in pain and agony, getting a taste of all the pain he’s inflicted on past victims. Darcy pulled back with blood dripping down his mouth and down his neck. The man bled out and his last sight was two smirking vampires before he finally died.
*****
“I don’t know what you want me to say…” Wendy said after a moment of silence.
Vincent stood up and paced the length of her room. “I don’t want you to fear me, but know this…” He trailed off and suddenly got close to her face, taking her breath away. “I will get rid of anyone who stands to harm you in any way.” His breath fanned over her face, making loose tendrils sway.
“You can’t just kill anyone who doesn’t like me, Vincent,” she whispered, half in fear, half still reeling from the bite and wanted to be closer.
“You don’t understand, Firefly. Anyone who doesn’t ‘like’ you in my world, won’t hesitate to try and rid you. Vampires are notoriously emotional. It’s who we are, so we don’t just get angry, we get enraged, we don’t get ‘sad,’ we get depressed, and we love harder than you will ever know.” His last few words were spoken in just above a whisper. He leaned in and captured her lips with his own. She sucked in a startled breath but clung to him as if he was the only thing keeping her grounded. To Vincent, her lips were like the richest and sweetest of wines that he could never resist.
Pushing her body down so she lay beneath him, they were both trying to breathe. When he pulled away only slightly, he heard her whimper in protest, making him growl in approval before swooping back down to kiss her once more. Her small hands wrapped around his neck as his arms ensnared her to him, ensuring she wasn’t going anywhere.
The moment was broken however when the turning of a doorknob could be heard. Quick as lightning, he flitted to her closet, leaving her feeling dazed and confused.
“Wendy? Did you want to come down…why are your glasses fogged up?” her dad asked once he stepped in the room.
A lovely blush bloomed across Wendy’s cheek as Vincent looked between the shutters of her closet. “I-I, uh, was reading under the covers again,” she answered and Vincent could hear the ring of the lie in her voice and prayed her father couldn’t.
Her dad chuckled and shook his head. “Honey, how many times do your mother and I have to tell you, it’s not good for you to read like that. Did you want to come down for dinner?” he asked his original question.
Wendy hastily shook her head and quickly took off her glasses so she could wipe them. “N-No, thank you, dad. I’m not hungry. Goodnight!” She dismissed him, making him frown but nod to himself.
“Okay, you’re going to have to walk to school, since I’m going back up to the hospital early in the morning. Goodnight, kiddo.” Her father shut the door and Wendy quickly looked around the room.
“Vincent? Vincent!” she hissed in the semi darkness. His dark chuckle reached her ears, making her spine straighten. Walking casually out of the closet, he stalked closer to her. Her hands reached out behind her to support herself on the bed when he bent over.
“Are you afraid of me now, Firefly?” he asked her in a quiet voice. He desperately wanted to read her thoughts but held back to give her some form of privacy.
With a loud sigh, she shook her head. “I know I should be. My brain is telling me I’m an idiot, but no, I’m not afraid of you in that way anymore. I blame the stupid bond…” she muttered at the end.
Vincent laughed but stopped when her words fully registered. “In what way then do you fear me?” he asked and cocked his head to the side when another blush heated her face. She was silent though, obviously hoping she wouldn’t have to answer. Deciding to have some fun, Vincent bent his head lowly to her neck and began to pepper small kisses. He could hear her heart beat erratically and it made him smirk against her skin. “Tell me,” he purred and nipped at her.
She stuttered as she shook her head. “N-No.”
Vincent realized he quite liked this game as he pushed her down so he could straddle her. Her eyes were wide as her chest heaved as if she had been running for miles.
Looking down at her, he caged her in with his arms on either side of her head. “Please, Firefly?” he asked against her lips, only having them brush. His eyes were boring into hers. Ice against the ocean as their gazes held and waited.
“I-I’m afraid that you’ll just throw me away when you’re done with me.” Her small voice pierced the atmosphere, breaking whatever spell captured them.
He looked down at her in shock before pulling away, only enough to help them both think. “I will never be done with you, Wendy. Not ever. You are mine as much as I am yours, never forget that or belittle that! I can’t grow tired of you as I can’t grow tired of breathing! You will see and feel what I mean when you’re finally changed.” That last statement brought a fire to her eyes as she pushed him away. Of course she wasn’t physically able to do that, but he got what she was trying to do and moved to stand.
“That’s the thing though! I don’t want to change! I barely know you! I-”
He cut her off by bringing her up to stand chest to chest. “Then get to know me!” he more demanded than asked, startling her into silence.
“What?” she asked hesitantly.
His gaze softened. “Then get to know me. Ask any questions and I will answer them.” He could see her indecision before she finally nodded.
“Okay. This is going to be a long night,” she uttered at the end with a sigh.
Chapter 13
Wendy
Her heart beat like drums with the possibilities that this night could bring. Licking her suddenly dry lips, she sat up straighter on her bed as she looked imploringly at Vincent. “What has the necklace got to do with anything? You never really answered.” She would start with that one, she decided.
Vincent nodded and then sat beside her, taking her hand in his. “It’s a long story, but that necklace controls me in a sense. It controls my heart, because in essence it is my heart.”
Wendy gasped as she picked up the ruby locket and looked at it closer, with it now seeming to weigh more. “H-How?” she asked, still looking at the finely detailed necklace. Vincent sighed and looked to the window. “A witch by the name of Serafine charmed the necklace in hopes that it would force me to love her. This was hundreds of years ago. We met as I was hunting for another feed and I happened to fall upon her. Compulsion doesn’t work on witches, as I quickly found out. The night was dark and cold and I found it odd that a young damsel was out on her own. Not caring since all I wanted was to quench my thirst, I then bit her.” He looked down at Wendy with a faraway look in his eyes.
“She didn’t scream, didn’t move… just stood there and waited for me to finish. It was startling but when I tried to make her forget, it wouldn’t work. She simply started to walk away while I was panicking. I had never crossed a witch before therefore I’ve never had that happen. Deciding it would be probably best to kill her, I was about to when she turned around. ‘Follow me, Vampire…’ Her voice…” Vincent trailed off before shaking his head. Wendy wouldn’t admit it but she was starting to feel the telltale signs of jealousy. “Something about her urged me to follow her, and so I did. No words were spoken during the short journey into the woods. Little did I know I was following a snake.”
Wendy took shameless pleasure knowing he didn’t like the girl from the tone he was using.
“We got to her place and I followed her inside like a lost puppy. Her blood was still coursing through my veins, so I was still feeling this weightless kind of aura around myself. Well after a moment, we, uh, we got intimate-”
Wendy’s face burned as she uttered a small, “Oh.”
Vincent paused and held her face in his hands. “I wish I could take it back-”
This time Wendy cut him off. “No, no, continue. What’s done is done.”
He nodded but didn’t continue until he kissed her forehead. “Afterwards, her blood had all but left my system, making me think more clearly. I wanted out of there and intended to do so quietly until she caught me near the door. She was so angry, screaming about how all of my kinds are the same and that she loved me. You can imagine my surprise at that. We didn’t even know each other and she was declaring her love for me? It was absurd! I told her, I was somehow under the influence of her blood. Otherwise I wouldn’t have bedded her. That set her off even more however. She screamed at me how she’ll get me to love her. Not wanting to stay there another second, I flitted out the door before she could say more, fully intending to stay away.”
Wendy was hanging on every word that spilled from his lips. “And then what?” she encoura
ged with a whisper.
He chuckled darkly and shook his head. “A few nights later I began to feel dizzy. Darcy was aiding me with the horses when I fell ill. For a vampire, that was extremely unusual and it scared us both. I felt like my heart was ripping out of my chest. He ran to get help and the moment he was gone, I got this urge to walk. Like I wasn’t in control. I heard ‘Come to me’ over and over again. For the first time since I was turned, I felt compelled. It was unnerving but there was little I could do about it. I flitted to where the voice was guiding me and to my shock I was at the young witch’s house.”
Wendy could tell he was reliving all of this so for support, she squeezed his hand.
“I’ll never forget when I walked in. Her hair glowed like fire, and her eyes were this bright green that literally glowed! She looked amazingly terrifying. In her hands was that very necklace around her neck. She clasped it around her neck and at once the pain and the feeling of being sick stopped. The second it stopped, I demanded her to tell me what was going on but she merely cackled. She told me, I was hers and now she owned my heart when she gestured to the necklace. I felt so enraged and tried to kill her but she grasped it, making me stop short. My mind went blank after that. I only got small bits of what happened that night. Most of which sickened me to think of. I was her puppet for the next five years.”
Wendy gasped and without her wanting to, she started to tear up at the thought of someone being imprisoned for so long in their own mind.
“What about Darcy? Couldn’t he help?” she asked, trying to somehow rewrite the ending, even if it already happened.
Vincent chuckled humorlessly. “Of course he tried. But he was newly turned and no match for a witch like her. Every time he came at her, she hit him with some detour spell. I never could figure out why she didn’t kill him Hell, maybe she was sweet on him, too, if that woman could have ever been sweet. I eventually got away from her though. One night after using me to kill a woman in town who denied her friendship, she was in a particularly good mood and decided to bathe. She fell asleep in the tub and I took that opportunity to quickly take the necklace off. Of course, she woke up but I still got it off and ran.” Vincent looked down at Wendy with a small smile.
