Dark Night

by Stefany Rattles

  "I'm sorry." She said. I gave her a weird look.

  "What for?" I said sniffing.

  "Luc, he told me that Jewel has been trying to get to Cole for a while now. Cole was not pushing her away. Luc said that he told him if things didn't work out with you...well, he was going to try it with Jewel."

  "After what I saw...I'd say they've been trying." I couldn't believe that, Cole was the sweetest guy but I guess I should have seen the signs. "Deidre, I know it's your turn to go raiding... but do you think you could let me take your spot this once?" I said wiping my eyes with a tissue she handed me. I was absorbed by the scene I had witnessed.

  "Of course I had been dying to spend more time with Luc." She said excitedly.

  Luc, Cole, Julissa, and Matt were the first team of raiders that had just got back the night before. Deidre, Johnny, Leo, Pam and Richard, were the second group of raiders. The third were me, Jewel, David, Eliza, and Manuel. The last group whose names I always forgot was a family. In total we had four groups that took turns. Since I didn't want to stay with Cole or Jewel, I would leave this afternoon and be gone for a week or two was the max.

  "Thanks I owe you one." I said wiping my eyes.

  "No you don't. You need to get ready it's eleven already." She said as she was leaving the room. When we went on raids we had certain things we had to wear. Everyone had to dress in black, dressy but casual, if that makes sense. We also had to wear dark contacts, and wear makeup, well foundation to be exact. The creatures were pale maybe too pale white, and our skin had to match theirs. Our hair always had to be down, because of that reason the girls had to let it grow pretty long. I got dressed, I wore the black trousers and jacket that my best friends had given me for my birthday, and a black short sleeve turtle neck I always wore on raids. I couldn't wear high heels, in case I had to run but I wore comfortable, casual shoes. As I looked at myself in the mirror after I was done getting ready, I noticed how much I really looked like them. That's scary, I thought.

  Knock knock.

  Deidre came in the room. "Wow. You look don't look like you ....anyway you guys are leaving any minute now. I guess they want to start early, are you ready?"

  "Yeah, more ready than ever the faster, the better." I said still fighting back more tears.

  "Cole was looking for you, I told him you weren't in the room, so he wouldn't look." We were walking downstairs.

  "Really? Thanks again."

  "No problem," she walked me downstairs and told me "good luck."

  "Tell Julissa I'll see her when I'm back." I called after she was leaving, my aunt was sleeping still. I joined the rest of the group.

  "Where's Deidre?" Pam asked curious. But before I answered Johnny told her I would go in her place, and she smiled at me like she knew and she was pleased by my decision. Pam was a short little girl. "Little" because she was only sixteen, but her hair was long and red and the way she had it made her look older.

  "Does anybody have any questions?" Leo, who was in charge of the group-asked. I wasn't listening, but I knew it was the same guidelines as usual.

  "No." We responded as a group.

  Leo was the mastermind, he made fake ID's for everyone we also had credit cards we used. The girls usually pretended to be business women that had men work for them (which was the guys). We would stay at hotels and go shopping aka raiding. Most of the times it was humans who were in the front desks working or maintenance, and things like that. But the creatures did watch everyone who walked outside, or in from cameras and stuff. We weren't one hundred percent sure about this theory, but that's how we watched humans disappear for a while now. Humans who were oblivious to what was happening, they would be caught and be taken into a room and never come back out. We thought.

  "Let's go." Leo ordered us.

  "Mia!" I turned around when I heard my name. It was Cole, someone I was hoping to avoid but apparently wasn't going to happen.

  "Make it quick." Leo said as he left behind the group.

  "What do you want?" I asked in a cold voice, I didn't even recognize. Not giving him time to speak I kept talking. " I don't have time for this!"

  "What are you doing? It's not your turn and what did I do?"

  "Don't act so innocent now. You think I don't know about Jewel but who doesn't right?" I waited a second. But he didn't say anything so I kept going. "Here is the deal: it's over between you and me. I saw that scene you and that __slut... how could you? I did love you, you broke my heart the first time and now this, I can’t handle that!" I was almost screaming at him now. What was wrong with me? I never acted like that before not ever, usually in situations like this I would stay calm, avoid conflict and move on but I didn't care though, I felt the anger inside me increase.

  I was also sweating because this place was hot, and I was getting worked up.

  "Don't even think about lying to my face." I snapped, "leave me alone and go back in there and screw her again, why won’t you?" I slapped him hard in the face that my hand hurt. Then I turned around and jogged out the door, I heard him calling me. Tears ran down my face as soon as I realized what I had said to him.

  "Mia...wait...Mia.." I got in the black hummer that was waiting for me and shut the door a little harder than intended to. But nobody flinched or said a word, I was crying so hard that I felt my eyes coming out of my sockets (figuratively speaking). But still no one asked a question, that was a good thing. It was quiet, Leo had already pulled off and he had the radio on low volume some rock song playing, probably one of his burned CD's.

  "He's not worth it." Pam said, finally breaking the silence.

  "I know...did you know too?" I asked knowing the answer.

  "Everyone does." Leo answered as he turned the volume lower," but it was not any of our business, you had to open your eyes, sooner or later. And you did." He was right.

  "Thanks."

  CHAPTER 3

  "We're being followed." Leo said an hour later.

  "What? by who?" Johnny asked.

  "Cop." I said without looking back, my instincts were telling me.

  "He's been on us for a while." Leo said worried I met his gaze in the rearview mirror and he was thinking what I was but we didn't say it.

  "Pull in that gas station, we need gas anyway." Pam said from the front passenger seat.

  "Okay." Leo said regretting it the minute he did, because he looked back and the police cruiser was still behind us.

  "He's turning behind us too." Richard pointed out the obvious.

  "Okay, nobody panic. I'll pay, keep it normal." I took my credit card and ID out. The gas station was deserted I don't think even spiders lived there. The building was painted a grayish color that looked washed and faded, the roof was a maroon color and there were only two pumps there, we were on number one. i was walking about half way, when I heard the engine of the hummer roar back to life I knew why that was. The thought of it made me sick to my stomach but I spun around anyway.

  "Mia run!" They were all screaming. Without thinking twice I ran towards them but I didn't make it they took off and hands grabbed me from behind.

  "NO!" I screamed loud, but it was no use the main rule of leaving someone behind applied to everyone, I was no exception and all the screaming in the world couldn't help me now. "Let go!" I kept screaming anyway but it was too late and everything had happened so fast. Then I felt a sting in my neck it was only seconds, I started feeling weak and I couldn't scream anymore. I was fighting it, but it was no use my eyes closed, and I felt someone sweep me off my feet.

  ROBERT

  After that night, five months ago when I had to complete a mission that had been delayed for a while, I was in denial. Denial, because I kept thinking back to the moment I saw that girl and how she looked at me... I just couldn't take her out of my mind. She was... beautiful, although she was not a vampire yet, her true beauty though I could see. Her dark flow of hair around her shoulders, her honey colored eyes, her perfect tanned skin, the way she blushed when I spoke to her,
she was just___

  My cell phone rang. I flipped it opened and sighed.

  I was losing my mind, I had just been thinking of some girl, when my girlfriend was calling me, what a gentleman I was.

  "Hello!" She yelled to the phone.

  "Yes, I'm here." I said in a flat unhappy tone.

  "Robbie, what is taking so long? We had a date tonight, or did you forget?" She said with sarcasm, I frowned.

  "Gene, I cannot make it tonight, I'm sorry. I will make It up to you, promise. We still have... some things to take care of, it will be a.. while___"

  "How much longer? This is driving me nuts! I've been getting ready allll dayyy loonnnggg, and you give me this bull crap!" She paused for a brief second. "Mommy and Daddy won’t be happy to hear this." She changed her tone.

  "Yes, well your mommy and daddy were the ones who ordered this. Now, if you excuse me I have to___" And the line went dead.

  I sighed. Then Mylian walked in the room.

  MIA

  I woke up in a dark room, with only a lamp on. I got up, still dizzy, but slowly I grabbed on to the dresser that was right beside the bed. I walked slowly and I could see the door but before I could touch the door knob I saw my reflection in the mirror. I noticed I wasn't wearing my clothes, I was wearing black jeans, and a black blouse it looked very expensive, but this was more comfortable than what I was wearing before, I could admit that. I wasn't wearing the contacts, and I didn't have all that foundation on my face, it was clear now. My hair looked the same, but when I touched it, it felt silkier.

  "Hey." The voice scared me. “Don't be afraid." He got closer, but it was too dark to see his face and I was afraid to. "Come on, she's waiting."

  "I'm not going anywhere with you." I hissed.

  "You don't have a choice." The man -whose face I refused to look at-said.

  I knew I could escape once I was out there, so I listened to him and followed. He held my wrist, once we were out of the room it wasn't dark, but all the walls were dark colors, there wasn't anybody in this hall. We went down two stories of stairs and went through a couple of doors. I still didn't look at the man that had me by my wrist I was as mad or more than when I was screaming at Cole. We stopped at a large door and he knocked. A lady's voice answered. "Come in."

  When he opened the door to let me in, first I tried to run, but he was too fast and he caught me and pushed me in. I fell on the floor.

  "Ah, dear you must not try to escape, or it will be difficult for us not to hurt you." She paused. This lady was sitting at a desk, it kind of looked like a principal’s office, and she was ugly. "I am goddess Mylian and you are fragile little Mia." She didn't bother letting me talk. "Well, you got away the first time, but we finally caught you." She stood up from her chair behind the desk and walked around it to stand in front of me. I was still on the floor the man who I didn't want to look at was surly standing by the door blocking my only way out. "It is very unlikely to happen again, a ninety nine percent chance... But there is still that one percent which brings me to my next point." She walked back and forth. "Robert will you introduce yourself?" She went to sit back down, while I heard his footsteps approach me, he grabbed my arms and stood me up as if I were light as a feather.

  "I'm Lord Robert Townsend. I will be watching after you, for reasons that you may not understand right now. But I will explain when the time comes... In other words I will be your shadow from now on." I turned around and looked at him straight in the eyes. His eyes were no longer black, they were emerald green. His hair was slightly longer than I remembered, but still just as handsome. But I kept telling myself that he was the enemy.

  "I'm sorry, but just who do you think you are?" I had to ask, I tried to sound annoyed and pissed but It didn't work and I was scared out of my mind.

  Mylian laughed. "You have a lot to learn, first you must know you were chosen to become a vampire, chosen by king and Queen Stuart. That is an honor, and that is what others must earn. You shall do as said, no questions asked." She stood up and slammed her hand on the table for dramatic effect. But she didn't look mad more like it was an act to try to get me to cooperate.

  "Vampire?" I asked. "Do you know how crazy that sounds?" I looked around the room. "You don't honestly expect me to believe...." I was cut off when Robert grabbed my hand and bit into my wrist. At first I was terrified, but I felt all kinds of emotions run through me. I forgot about Mylian for a moment because suddenly I felt like I wanted to bite him too. But before I could do something stupid he pulled away and licked my wrist before he let it go. I stepped back, backing up into a chair as I was holding the wrist he bit close to me. “Get away from me! You monsters!" I cried. Mylian just stood there, taking that. I had known that something was going on, that there was something off about the people that inhabited the earth now, but never would I have guessed that it would’ve been vampires.

  "Mia. Control yourself." Robert said, his tone was firm with a mixture of what sounded like concern.

  "Let me go!" I jumped off the chair and tried to run for the door but he was there in less than a mil a second.

  "We bonded and you felt that, we're real." He was close now, but I stepped back until I fell on the chair..

  "Excuse me?" Mylian asked shocked. I looked up slowly and she had her arms crossed. "You bonded?" She asked Robert who was standing over me, looking away. But when she asked again he was forced to answer.

  "Robert! Did you bond with her?" She raised her voice.

  "I-I didn't mean too. I was just trying to put more V2 into her system she needed it, but... I lost control and well what can I say?" He didn't seem concerned like Mylian, in fact I'd say he was being an ass.

  "Do you know what this means?"

  "It doesn't mean anything! It doesn't have to be that way!" He almost yelled at her, she didn't flinch though but she stood there, unblinking or moving.

  "You were supposed to bond with Princess Genevieve! How dare you! What do you think the King and Queen will do?" She shot back with hands on her hips.

  "I could care less what they do. I'm my own person. And no one will tell me what to do, Mylian I am a Lord do not forget that!" He said loudly. "Mia, let's go!" He ordered.

  "Wait." Mylian didn't relax, but she calmed down when she spoke.

  "This is going to change everything. But perhaps there is something we could do__"

  "We are not doing anything else about this." He cut her off.

  There was a moment of silence before Mylian spoke. "Very well then Mia, you have new clothes and things in your room. You will stay here until you're trusted enough so we can transfer you. Or if your counselor approves Robert will explain everything else you need to know." She was acting like herself again, or at least like she was when I appeared.

  "Whatever." Was all I said as I followed Robert back the way we came from, he was not stupid, he held me by my arm this time. When he touched me It was like I felt a current of electricity run through my veins and I wanted to bite him. I was resisting the urge, bad and I knew he felt it too he loosened his grip a little until we reached the room I pulled away and ran inside. He didn't run, but he followed, I stood in the middle of the room with my arms crossed and looking down.

  "It's all normal," he said in a cold voice. "It's your fault I did what I had to do. Now, I'm stuck with you, I have better things to do but I guess it will all have to wait."

  "What's my fault? You were the one who caught me right? I want to leave! You want to keep me here, are you an idiot? Or do you just like acting like one?" What I said really pissed him off because he grabbed me by my shoulders and held me hard.

  "I was supposed to be with Princess Genevieve. You are not a Princess or anything for that matter. We bonded when I took your blood and now I'm stuck with you." I pushed myself away from him and when I did I felt my head hit the floor hard then I felt dizzy. I couldn't believe what a nightmare this was I couldn't believe what he had just told me. I was his, basically and I had liked when he took my blood, becau
se I wanted his too. This was bad and I didn't know what I was going to do now. I heard him say something I didn't understand and then he was gone. The door opened after a few minutes and someone came in the room.

  ROBERT

  After storming out of the room to get some help, I felt awful for what had happened. It had not been her fault but I blamed her for it anyway, now I was feeling guilty and ashamed of what I had caused. I would have to deal with the consequences but.... that blood it was so sweet, and it watered my mouth just thinking about it. I smacked myself in the face I could not be thinking about that, it was wrong in so many ways.

  I punched the wall out in the hall. Ever since I had been looking for her, I couldn't stop thinking what might of happened, now I knew and that being near her would be dangerous. But I knew I had control, it was just a moment of weakness, and It would not happen again at least that was what I told myself.

  When Mylian had told me that she had arrived, my heart had skipped a beat. I was feeling anxious to see her, but I did not know why, and now I was afraid of what that might mean. I could not allow myself to be weak and let a simple girl like her control me, but that's where I was wrong, she was not just a simple girl. Everyone knew that.

  MIA

  "Oh dear!" I heard a woman say. My vision was a little blurry but from what I saw, she didn't look like a vampire. She looked like Mylian and I wondered if she was a vampire? "Help me." She said to someone who I didn't notice was behind her. It was a guy I had never seen, he picked me up and carried me to the bed.

  I had fallen asleep because I didn't remember what happened after that. When I awoke, I thought I might have been dreaming but I wasn't, the woman was still in the room. "How do you feel?"

  "Fine," I said in a flat voice.

  "I'm Isabelle, a goddess. I can cure injuries. Your head had a long cut it wasn't deep but it was a lot of blood you were losing. It is okay now."

  This woman seemed nice, I decided to be nice to her since she did heal me. "Thank you."