by Skyla Madi
I thought about those two words for a second ‘I’m fine’—it’s funny how they just come out even when you’re far from being okay. In the past year, those two short words had become my hymn. How could someone be 'fine’ when they’re like me?
I tensed as Eli walked over to me. In his hands he held a bag of blood. After a few moments, he extended it to me, but I couldn’t smell it while he was here. His scent was too over-powering.
“Where’d you get this?”
He smiled sympathetically and I swear my knees weakened. “We took it from your house.”
Thoughts of Camilla and Aunt Jen filled my mind and my heart swelled. I was too absorbed in what was going on with me to even ask if they were okay. I bet they’re worried sick about me.
“Did you see my aunt? What about Camilla? Are they okay?”
“They were asleep and they’re fine. Well, as fine as you can be when a family member goes missing.”
“Gets abducted.” I corrected him, snatching the blood out of his hand.
His tense green eyes flared in amusement and his perfect teeth bit his bottom lip, hiding the smile that hinted at the corners of his mouth. His lips were full, luscious and undoubtedly filled with blood. I ran my tongue slowly across my own bottom lip to moisten it and I forced my stare nervously from his mouth and down to my bag of blood, hoping he didn’t notice me lusting over the plump lips that sat on his face so perfectly.
“A little privacy?” I asked, feeling self-conscious.
I didn’t want Eli to see me drink blood. I didn’t know him, but I knew that I didn’t want him to think even less of me.
“Sorry, Mr Aleksandrov’s orders. I have to make sure you drink it all.”
“Really? You can’t just turn away?”
He placed his hands on his hips still fighting a smile. “You want me to turn my back on a vampire?”
Oh... right. I swallowed thickly as I brought the bag to my mouth. The plastic was warm on my lips. Did he warm it for me? I pierced the bag, concealing as much of my fangs as I could. Eli watched me drink, his face unchanging. If he was disgusted, he sure wasn’t giving anything away. My brain buzzed and my body tingled as the blood entered my system. I became more energized and less hungry, but it still wasn’t enough to quench my hunger for a taste of Eli’s blood.
I squeezed what I could out of the bag before handing it back to him, and then I darted over to the sink to wash my mouth. Even drinking from a bag can be messy sometimes. As I dried my face on a small, white square of cloth, a tall blonde woman entered the room. She placed some clothes and a pair of shoes on the bed.
“Here are some fresh clothes,” she said bitterly and my brows pulled together.
She turned to Eli, flashing him a wide, flirty smile which he returned with a polite nod. I opened my mouth to thank her, but she left before I got the chance.
Rude.
“Get changed and then we’ll go.” He said.
I watched as Eli’s shapely back exited out the door. The privacy I was given in the cell was pointless. The wall was a two-way mirror. I picked up the sneakers and almost fell to my knees. Thank God I didn't have to wear high heels for a second longer. I lifted the clothes I was given off the bed to get a better look—a pair of jeans and a tank top. Not bad.
One. Two. Three. I counted in my mind before I pulled off my dress. I moved as fast as I could so I wasn’t exposed for too long. I kicked off my heels and threw on the pair of baggy denim jeans and the light blue tank top. Surprisingly, they were a perfect fit.
I sighed in relief as my feet slipped perfectly into the level joggers and as I did the laces, Eli appeared in the doorway—a small smile playing upon his lips. I eyed him curiously and a little embarrassed.
“Don't worry.” He said. “I wasn't watching.”
His full lips broke out in a seductive smile as he ran his fingers through his dark hair. If I was able to flush my face would undoubtedly resemble a tomato. He walked over to me and the mobile phone he held in his hand made a slapping noise as he tapped it against the palm of his hand.
“Before we go, I thought maybe you’d want to call your cousin...to let her know that you’re okay.”
I watched him curiously. Why was he being so nice to me? Why did he care if I ever spoke to my cousin and aunty ever again? I glanced at the phone and then at his face. He seemed genuine, but I couldn’t trust it.
“Why?”
His brows furrowed. “I’m offering you my phone so you can to talk to your family. I thought you’d jump at the chance, not question me.”
I wanted to take his phone. I wanted to call Camilla, but I had to look out for myself first.
“I don’t trust you.” I admitted. “You’re not supposed to be nice to me.”
His frown deepened, his green eyes flaring. “Says who?”
I glance down at myself like it was obvious. “I’m a vampire.”
“I’m well aware of that.” He said, crossing his arms tightly over his chest.
“And you want to help me?”
He shrugged. “You deserve a break and I’m giving you one.” Eli extended the phone to me. “Take it before I change my mind.”
I slowly reached out and grabbed the phone from his hand. My thumb brushed against his skin and an electrical current shot to my elbow. He didn’t even flinch at my touch like people usually do and I subtly sunk my teeth into my bottom lip to stop from gasping. His skin was warm—hot even. I pulled my hand back abruptly, taking his phone with me. I moved my eyes from his hand to his face, waiting for a disgusted expression to cross his countenance.
No reaction.
“Most people jump at how cold I am,” I muttered.
He smiled. “Most people haven’t spent a lifetime killing vampires.”
His response drew a smile from me. Here at Sage, they were used to ‘other worldly’ creatures. It was normal. Vampire or not, I still fitted in here.
“Don't tell her where you are, what you’re doing, or when you will be back.” Eli demanded, standing closer to me to listen to the call and I nodded.
I quickly dialed Camilla's number, but hitting the call button took longer than I expected. Millions of questions and doubts buzzed around my brain. On one hand, I wanted to put the phone down and never contact her again, it was safer for her. I was dangerous and I brought nothing but danger to their lives, but on the other hand, she at least deserved to know I was okay—she deserved a proper goodbye.
“Ruby?” Eli prompted me.
I swallowed hard, pushing my doubts aside. Then, I exhaled deeply and hit the call button. It rang four times before she answered.
“Hello?” She asked slowly.
My breath faltered at the sound of her voice and Eli’s gaze flitted everywhere, but at my face. “Camilla, it’s me.”
“Oh my god, Ruby!” She breathed. “Where are you? Are you okay?” Her voice was rushed and panicked.
“I’m fine and I’m safe.” Keeping my voice firm was difficult.
“Where are you? I’ll come get you.”
There it was. The question I was dreading. “I can’t tell you where I am.”
“What? Why?”
I raked my teeth over my bottom lip. “Because I can’t.”
“Tell me where you are!” She demanded, her voice cracking and splintering my heart. “We’ll come and get you and bring you home. Do you know how worried Mum and I—”
Beep.
I hung up on her and squeezed my eyes shut, using every ounce of will not to cry. Eli’s warm hand engulfed my shoulder, squeezing gently. It was comforting and I looked up at him as he dropped his hand back to his side.
“Everything will be okay, eventually.” He claimed, taking his phone back.
After the phone call, I felt depleted of energy. I wanted to curl up on the floor and stay there for a hundred years. “She was so hurt that I couldn’t tell her anything.”
“It’s safer for you and for them if they don't know where you are or
what you’re doing. I know it’s hard, but right now you don’t want your family involved. They’ll get hurt.” I nodded.
“Come on.” He added. “I’ll take you to your new place.”
Eli escorted me past the door and out of the room. On the bench in front of the mirror (which was a two way mirror, like I assumed) was a pillow and a blanket.
“You slept here? I asked, pointing to the little make-shift bed.
“Uh, Yeah, Iva—Mr Aleksandrov gave me orders to. You know, in case you escaped.”
I couldn’t say the thought hadn’t crossed my mind. “You do know the door is lined with silver?”
“You can never be too careful.” Eli chuckled. “Before we go…”
He held up a pair of metal handcuffs and they swung gently from his fingertip. Although Eli looked very, very appealing with a pair of handcuffs hanging from his index finger, I couldn’t let him put them on me. I had to prove I wasn’t going to run from them. I’d stay here forever if meant I’d be back to normal at the end of it.
“I’m not going to run, Eli. This is what I want.”
His deep, green eyes searched mine, no doubt wondering if he could trust me or not. I didn’t take it personally. I was a vampire, after all.
He sighed, throwing the handcuffs onto the bench and abruptly running his fingers through his hair. “Don’t make me regret this.”
I smiled as he gestured for me to walk up the tunnel before him. The ground was soft, uneven and poorly excavated. If I were in my heels, I’d have broken both of my ankles ten times over by now. Eli followed closely behind me and fifty metres ahead the sun peered in, lighting up the exit to the tunnel.
“Wow, you really wanted to make sure I wasn't evil, huh?” I said, breaking the silence.
“We take whatever cautions needed to ensure the safety of our school, students, and faculty members.” Eli replied. His voice was stern and hard, sounding almost robotic.
“How much do you get paid to say ridiculous lines like that?”
He didn’t acknowledge my comment, not even a smirk and it made me smile. I was going to have fun tormenting him. Before we stepped out of the tunnel, my sneaker snagged on a root and I stumbled forward. Eli’s warm hand gripped my arm tightly and he yanked me back to an upright position, holding me close against his chest.
“You alright?” He asked, his warm breath caressing the side of my face.
My head spun and I knew it was from his touch, not the trip. My gums throbbed with uneven pulses at the smell of him and something tingled in the pit of my stomach. I frowned. Now was not the time for my vampire hormones to kick in.
I nodded, stepping away from him and purposefully avoiding his eyes. “Yeah, thanks.”
When we stepped out of the tunnel, I greedily inhaled the fresh air. It was a relief to feel the cooler air against my skin. I hadn’t realised how dense and muggy it had been down in the cell. Occasionally, the breeze blew strands of dark hair across my face, but I made no attempt to swat them away. I was too focused on not tripping again. Eli strode with purpose beside me, his well-shaped arms swinging gently at his sides.
“Eli!” A deep voice called, startling me.
I whirled around on my heels. Behind us, there was a man and he was holding a big gun. I stepped closer to Eli, but not too close. I got the feeling the guy knew how to use his gun. I watched the man closely. He was dressed like Eli—tight, black shirt and black pants. The stranger tugged his cap further down on his head and spat into the grass. Yuck. Eli glanced sideways at me, giving me a reassuring nod.
“She’s meant to be handcuffed.” The stranger said.
“The handcuffs are unnecessary.” Eli replied, unfazed by the guys aggressive tone.
The other man chuckled skeptically. “Unnecessary? She’s a vampire.”
“I am well aware of that fact.”
“So why isn’t she in handcuffs?”
Maybe I should tell him the no handcuff thing was my idea? I’d hate for Eli to get into trouble for something I did. I stepped forward and opened my mouth to speak. In a split second, the guy had his gun positioned and aimed at my head. Eli grabbed me roughly, tucking me behind his back. To keep my balance my hand instinctively shot up, pressing firmly against his back.
“You’re embarrassing yourself, Klein. Lower your gun.”
After a few seconds, I peered around Eli’s wide back and Klein’s gun was no longer pointed in my direction—thank god!
“Mr Aleksandrov no longer needs sentry posts outside of the cells. You can return for normal duties at the school, if you can manage that without shooting anyone.”
Klein narrowed his eyes at the condescending tone in Eli’s voice before disappearing back into the forest. I stepped out from behind Eli and he turned to me.
“That was close.” I sighed, noticing that my hands were shaking.
I entwined my fingers in an attempt to stop them before giving up and stuffing them into my jeans.
“You’ve never seen a gun before?”
I thought about it. I’d seen a gun before—Hank had a rifle. “I’ve seen one, but I’ve never had one pointed at me.”
His lips twitched briefly before he flicked his head. “Come on.”
***
We trudged along the soft forest floor. After Klein’s surprise visit, it was difficult for me to relax. I could have sworn I was seeing people and guns popping out from behind trees and large rocks. I needed a distraction before I drove myself crazy.
“So you’re a guardian angel?”
Eli ducked under a low hanging branch and I followed. “Yes.”
“Where are your wings?” I wondered aloud.
His lips curled slightly. “Let me guess, you expect angel wings to be big, white and feathery?”
“Well…yeah. I’ve read a few books about guardian angels and—”
“We’re not like the guardian angels you read about in books. We’re different. Our wings are connected to our souls, and like the soul, our wings aren't physical. They’re a mass of energy, in the shape of wings, yes, but not physically.”
“Wow, what a rip off.” I muttered.
“I don't see it that way. If I had massive wings, I couldn't fit through doors or drive a car.”
“Who needs to drive when you can fly?” I commented as I climbed over the rotted trunk of a fallen tree. How far was this ‘proper housing’ anyway?
“Humans would have a heart attack if they saw us flying around.” He countered.
I opened my mouth and then clamped it shut. He won. “Touché.”
“So, can you do anything else other than not fly?” I asked, as we trudged through the forest. I wanted to keep myself distracted and talking to Eli seemed to help. Well, there was that and the fact I liked hearing his voice. It was deep and husky—yet smooth and soothing all at the same time.
“I can do a lot of things, but you’ll find out more about that later.”
I couldn’t help but link his comment to a sexual gesture. My eyebrows furrowed. What was wrong with me? Of course that wasn’t what he meant...sadly.
***
After ten minutes of ruthless hiking, I could see a cabin. It was wooden (as cabins usually are) and it had a very pretty rustic color to it. We proceeded up the green, cracked footpath to the front door. Eli pulled a key from the pocket of his dark baggy jeans and unlocked the door. With a loud creak and a slight nudge, it opened. Eli stepped aside to let me in first.
Before I entered, I turned to him. “Do I tip you now?”
His green eyes bore down at me.
No lip twitch.
No smiling eyes.
Nothing.
Perhaps it was too early in our ‘friendship’ (if you can call it that) to share jokes. Fighting my own smile, I entered the cabin. Although it didn’t look like much on the outside, the inside was amazing. It was like a studio apartment— everything was in the one room. The kitchen was right by the lounge and the lounge was by the bed. The bathroom had its o
wn room behind a door—for obvious reasons.
“This was your mother’s. Apparently she stayed here every now and then for research.”
I turned to Eli. He was leaning against the kitchen bench, his leg bent at the knee.
“Research?”
He nodded, not elaborating at all.
I walked around the massive room, touching everything and thinking of my mother. My hands ran over the dark, leather couches and smooth wooden tabletops. Images of her ran through my mind one after the other—long dark hair and pink, heart shaped lips. I smiled. She always did love a good rainforest.
“Why didn’t she do her research inside the school grounds? Being all the way out here is extremely dangerous.”
Eli shrugged s his face pinched into a frown. “She had her guardian angel with her all the time. Michelangelo was his name. Meredith had to do her research outside of the charms because vampires visited regularly.”
I stopped in my tracks, suddenly feeling ill. Who willing had vampire’s come and visit?
“What? Why?”
“Because she was studying them. They were like you, not completely vampires, but not like us either—stuck in the middle. Unfortunately, full vampires came in the night... Michelangelo fought them off so Meredith could retreat to the safety of the school. She made it, but unfortunately Michelangelo was never seen again. Soon after, your mother found out she was pregnant and left to make a better life for you.”
There were more like me? I paced my breathing as I sauntered around the cabin until I reached the bathroom. It was a small bathroom, but the limited space was used well. My eyes scanned over the big, glass walled shower in the corner and then the porcelain toilet before resting on the matching porcelain sink that sat in a beautiful black, wooden bench. Who would have thought the cabin was so beautiful on the inside? It took the whole ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’ meaning to a whole new level... especially since it wasn’t actually a book.
“Amazing, isn't it?”
Jesus! I spun around abruptly, letting out a huge breath of air I didn’t even know I was holding. Mr Aleksandrov’s weathered face smiled at me—his purple irises flaring in amusement.
