by T.M. Mendes
"Anya? While you're out, can you order some new furniture for the far sitting room?... Yes, he is... I know, and thank you. Love you too, baby doll." Hanging up, he waited patiently for him to finish.
After a few more shattered end tables, Vincent sat on a couch that crumbled beneath him, but he didn't seem to notice. "What am I going to do? She's lost what little trust she had in me. I made her cry."
Darcy rolled his eyes and walked up to Vincent and took him by the collar to help him up. "Stop it! This is not the Vincent I know. You are one of the strongest vampires ever created! Suck it up and let her throw her little hissy fit. She'll get used to the idea of being a vamp."
Vincent seemed to straighten his back and realized Darcy was semi right. "You're right. I'm acting pathetic, aren't I?"
Darcy nodded sadly and clapped Vince on the shoulder. "Yes, you need to be a little firm with her. However, I would give her space for the next couple of days. Let her digest what will be going on with her, and set the ground rules. She may get pissed but she'll get over it."
Vincent growled and looked out the window. "I can't just give her a couple of days! She'll be in pain by tomorrow night!"
Darcy then lost his cool and threw his hands up in the air in frustration. "What the hell do you want me to say?! You're like my brother, damn it! Because you created me I can feel a fraction of what you feel, and I hate to see you this down about yourself! So deal with it!" he yelled and stormed out. Being in close proximity with his sire made him mirror Vincent's feelings more. So now he was angry, and upset.
"No good, stupid bond, making me feel like a sissy," Darcy grumbled under his breath and decided to hunt to let out his anger. A good drink will alleviate some of this emotion that he has no business feeling. Slamming the door behind him, he fled into the night stalking his next victim.
Vincent walked out of the room with slow precise steps. Only a vampire would be able to hear him walking. He came close to Wendy's door and heard her even breathing. Opening the door, he saw she had fallen asleep, but with closer inspection he saw her pillow wet with tears. 'She cried herself to sleep,' he thought with a grim expression. Sitting down quietly so as not to disturb her, he watched her. "I'm not being very good to you, am I? First night together alone, and I already made things more complicated," he spoke softly and tucked some hair behind her ear. She sighed contently and curled herself more towards him, making him smile slightly.
"Your body knows it belongs to me as I you, but you fight with me so. Although I love your spirit, Firefly, I worry with all this internal fighting you're doing. It will kill that light I treasure so much." Vincent bent over and kissed her cheek with such a feather light touch it didn't wake Wendy for a moment. Getting up silently, he went back out into the living room and decided to try the blood bag while he has nothing else to do. Opening the fridge he picked one up and opened the valve to taste. Sucking up the thick red liquid, he began to cough when the bitterness of it reached his tongue.
"This is awful!" he said with shock, wondering how his friend could stomach it. He could taste the plastic that made up the bag and the coldness to it just added to the factor. It was bitter, vile and he vowed to only have this in emergency cases. He heard the front door open as he threw away the still filled blood bag. Anya stepped in and his eyebrows shot up. "Why would you color your hair?" he asked. It took a moment to filter through what Darcy showed him to understand how she could do that. Her hair was no longer the blonde white color, now it was a lighter brown.
She looked away and shrugged a little too innocently, "Just wanted a change, that's all."
Vincent sat back and thought about it for a moment. Even he knew a woman wouldn't just 'change' her look for no reason. There was always a reason. "Wait. You went out after you talked to Wendy when she woke up. What did she say?" he questioned.
She now looked a little nervous and fiddled with her fingers. This surprised him since Darcy made her sound so sure of herself. "Nothing! Just asked how she was and then decided to do this while I was out." Her excuse was pitiful and he dug further into his memory of what he has witnessed in the last two days. He smirked slightly, which made her look alarmed. "You like him. No, you love him, and you can't stand the fact you look like his daughter." He said it so sure that she faltered and stepped back as if she was being threatened.
"I-I don't know what you're talking about-"
He cut her off. "Did Wendy tell you to do this?" he asked with an inquisitive face.
She straightened her spine and looked elsewhere but him. "Maybe, but I did not do this so Darcy would look at me differently, okay? I'm just tired of living in a ghost's shadow."
He understood that but still knew she did this so in hopes Darcy might see past her likeness to Olivia. She now looked completely different so she had a good shot. However, Darcy might be angry with the change since that was why he saved her in the first place. He stood up ready to try this 'computer' thing he saw in Darcy's head a while ago when he looked down at her.
"I wish you luck. You're going to need it for a stubborn man like Darcy." His voice rang with nothing but the truth, making Anya nod with a determined expression.
"Not that I need luck for what you're insinuating, because that's not the case, but... thank you." She turned away from him and walked away. Vincent chuckled to himself and couldn't wait to see the shock on dear old Darcy's face. Not a lot can shock a vampire but he was betting this will.
*****
Words failed her as Wendy stared at the wall from where she stood frozen. She didn't want to believe what Vincent had told her but even now she could feel her body give her a pin prickling sensation all over. As if her body had dulled into a white noise. Her neck ached, not because he bit there, but because she wanted his bite again. Gritting her teeth in frustration, she plopped down on the comforter and let out an angry growl. "This isn't fair!" she spoke suddenly in frustration. Flinging herself backward, she lay down to look at the ceiling. She never asked for this. She was sure there were girls out there eager to take her place, so why her? Ripping off her glasses, she cleaned them out of habit with her shirt. She was getting more antsy by the minute and even her clothes began to feel uncomfortable. Like she had a fever.
"This is ridiculous. I am in charge of my body, I can control it," she spoke firmly to herself. She tried to take her mind off of the situation by thinking of something else. Her mind went to Anya when she walked in earlier. Wendy can't believe the young woman listened to her when she suggested that she change her appearance! Nobody has ever really listened to her opinion before. Not even her parents or her best friend Jamie. She shot up, when she remembered that she indeed had a best friend, one that she hasn't called in a couple of days. Groaning inwardly at herself for being a bad friend, she fished through her belongings until she found her phone. Turning it on she saw she had quite a few missed calls.
Heaving a sigh, she pushed the call back icon and waited. After a few rings, she wondered if it was too late to call but saw it was only past nine. She really didn't sleep that long and she felt it. Wendy was ready to hang up and try again tomorrow when Jamie answered.
"Oh, so you do remember me? I was beginning to think you were a part of my imagination." Her curt reply made Wendy roll her eyes. She's been dealing with a lot of crap lately and she wasn't about to feel sorry for not talking with her friend for a few days. This new attitude stunned her. Before, she would start apologizing the second Jamie had stopped talking. Now she felt like she couldn't care less.
Not that her friend was a bad one. Jamie was just always the one who spoke her mind without thinking twice. "I've had a lot on my mind lately," was all that Wendy said, refusing to show her normal submissive self.
Jamie didn't say anything for a minute before she blew out a large breath. "Okay whose ass do I need to kick?"
That reply made Wendy give out a much needed laugh. She realized talking with her longtime friend proved to be a perfect distraction. "No, it's fine. I'm staying
over at a friend’s house in Vancouver so I can see Markus off before his surgery." Wendy bit her lip as she waited for Jamie to stop sputtering in shock.
"Two things! One, Markus is getting the surgery and you didn't tell me?! And two, since when do you have other friends?!" That last question made Wendy frown. Was it really so hard to believe she had other friends in her life? Once again she felt the bitter sting from the mouth of her best friend. Jamie never meant to hurt her, but it was inevitable with the loose lips she was always sporting. At Wendy's silence Jamie sighed.
"Sorry, but I haven't talked to you in days! Last I saw you, you were sick and then I heard from the grapevine that you skipped? Do you know how worried I was? This is you we're talking about here. The one time I suggested we skip last year and you nearly had a panic attack!"
Shuffling on the bed, Wendy played with her blonde hair as she tucked her feet to the side. "Yes, I know. I just had my mind too preoccupied with everything." Wendy felt bad for leaving out the main reason but she wasn't lying. She just wasn't telling the entire truth.
"Well, that's what I'm here for. I'll lend a listening ear when you need it. How's Markus doing?" Jamie asked with some emotion in her voice. Wendy had to smile at her friend’s 'innocent' question. She knew Jamie had a thing for her older brother, but Markus was completely clueless. Her brother was more into sports than girls, which always seemed funny to her since he was so 'good looking,' as many other girls have put it. He's had girlfriends in the past but he usually dumped them and went single for football season when he used to play.
"He's excited but I think also scared for the surgery tomorrow. If all goes well, he'll live to see one hundred."
Wendy and Jamie continued to talk for the next hour. Joking, laughing, and a few nasty comments about Denise gave Wendy a much needed break. Wendy yawned and noted how exhausted she was, but her mind was too alert. When she said her goodbyes, she realized why. All she could think about was Vincent. Him and his fangs.
"This is so not going to work," she muttered as she tossed and turned. Nothing felt comfortable. Her own skin felt tight and itchy as she tried her best to fall asleep. Although she could feel herself start to drift, she couldn't quite get there. Her mind wouldn't let her. Sitting upright, she threw angry curse words at Vincent who was somewhere in this underground house. She stood up and walked to the door, feeling fatigue wash over her and a feeling of being pissed off. She wanted sleep and it just wasn't coming to her.
Wrenching the door open, she made her way to the living room thinking he would be there. She saw Anya and her new hair, giving her a momentary peaceful minute of distraction. "You look good."
And it was true. Anya’s darker hair made her alabaster skin glow and her eyes stand out more. She looked more dangerous instead of angelic. If it wasn't for her eyes, Wendy wouldn't have recognized her. Anya smiled in turn but went back to flipping through channels. "Do you think he'll like it?" she asked after a moment, not daring to look away from the television. Wendy nodded and had to give a small smile for how young Anya sounded.
Wendy knew Anya wasn't that much older than her, but the Russian often spoke with an air of maturity that greatly outmatched her own. Wendy always thought of herself as the most mature out of her class, and maybe that was true but, compared to the cool and calm of the used-to-be blonde, she looked like a regular high-school girl. Now though, Wendy could see the woman's insecurities and it was endearing. "I think he might be put off by the change since Darcy doesn't look like the person who enjoys change all too much, but he'll get used to it." Wendy hoped her intuition wouldn't fail her.
She had a feeling that Darcy would change his outlook on Anya if given time to the new look. "He's going to hate it," was her reply before they both heard the door opening. Anya now looked panicked as she stood up and straightened her clothes and put on an impressive passive face.
"Anya? Can you-" Darcy's voice died out as he walked into the room. His eyes trained solely on Anya.
She played it cool though. "Can I…?" She gestured for him to continue. Wendy quietly stepped back since it looked like Darcy was getting more agitated by the minute.
"What did you do to your hair?" His voice was low but Wendy gulped as she heard the simmering anger laced behind it.
Suddenly Vincent was by her side. "Stand behind me," he instructed, making Wendy's fear grow. She felt extremely guilty for suggesting it and now Anya was paying for it. However, when she peeked out from behind to look at the woman, she was surprised to see no fear or regret on her face. In fact, she looked a little spiteful!
"Do you like it? I think it's a much needed change." Her voice was even and sounded so sure. If it wasn't for the ever slight shake in her voice, Wendy wouldn't have seen the anger within her as well.
"I want it changed back!" he yelled out, losing his cool.
Anya squared her shoulders and stuck out her chin defiantly. "No. I like the new look, so I'm keeping it!"
Wendy watched with trepidation as Darcy shook with seething rage. "You are going to change it back and that's final!"
Wendy gasped to herself when Anya had the gall to smirk and walk closer to him. "Why? So I can go back to looking like your dead daughter?!" As soon as the words were out of her mouth, he slapped her. Wendy could tell he was holding back but only just. Being the mouse she was, Wendy cowered further in Vincent's back, hating the violence. She vowed to never give her opinion again if this was the result.
"Please help her," she asked Vincent in a small voice.
He tried to soothe her by wrapping his arm around her but still blocking her from harm's way. "I will step in if it gets too out of hand. You don't see it but Darcy is restraining himself quite a bit." His voice was quick, smooth, and quiet enough to only reach her ears.
She shook her head. "But he hit her!" she hissed, knowing full well Darcy could probably hear her, yet he was otherwise preoccupied.
"Yes he did. I will reprimand him for it later, but right now they both need this."
Wendy couldn't understand but stayed silent anyway if only to be sure Anya wouldn't be further hurt.
"I will not be a replacement any longer! My name is Anya, not Olivia. I am completely different from her. I have no blood ties to you! Stop looking at me as your daughter when I'm not! Until you can see that, I'm going to go on hiatus. I already have a bag packed."
Once again Anya managed to stun Darcy. He stood there with an open mouth. "B-But, you can't just leave!" he sputtered.
Anya jutted out her chin and flounced around him to the door where a small carry-on bag lay, and picked it up. "I can and I am!" With those parting words she opened the door and slammed it shut behind her.
It was quiet for a few moments before Darcy let out an angry roar. Wendy cringed into Vincent's back. "Darcy, calm down," Vincent instructed, making Darcy look at him in anger.
"No! I-"
Vincent cut him off by yelling at him. "Calm down now!" Wendy was shocked to see Darcy breathed out a breath before plopping himself onto a chair.
"Using the sire bond isn't fair, brother," he muttered before placing his face in his hands. "She can't just leave me." His voice sounded far away to Wendy, making her step out behind Vincent and want to say something. Vincent placed a cautionary hand on her upper arm.
"She did, because you used her. She's in love with you, and yet you look at her like you do just because she resembles your daughter. Which is why she changed her look. Maybe you should re-evaluate your feelings; otherwise you might lose her for good." Wendy was shocked she even had the courage to say it, and she would've laughed at Darcy's shocked face if the close proximity of Vincent behind her wasn't affecting her body.
"Is something wrong, Firefly?" he asked her. The tone of his voice told her he knew exactly what was going on.
She spun around and gave him a sarcastic smile, which made her briefly surprised by her boldness. "No, nothing at all. If you'll excuse me, I need to take a bath or something." Her resistance was waning
quickly and she knew she needed to get out of the same room as him or she'll make a fool of herself. The knowing glint in his eyes said he found her abruptness funny. Huffing to herself, she all but ran out of the room. Once she made it to the room she slept in, she let out a squeak when she was turned around and pushed up against the door.
The fire that consumed her body made her know it was Vincent. "What are you doing?" she asked in a breathless whisper. She wanted to stay angry at him! But the stupid bond couldn't let her when he was this close. She felt his sweet breath wash over her face, making it known how close he was. It was too dark in the room for her to see since her eyes hadn't adjusted yet.
"Do you want me to leave?" he asked her with a low timber to his voice. It made her shiver and although her mind was screaming at her to tell him to leave, a sigh filled 'no' left her mouth.
It was like she was in a trance. She couldn't get her arms to cooperate and push him away. It almost felt like a dream to her with how out of body she felt. Her body was starting to ache even more, wanting to have him bite her. It was now borderline painful. "It hurts," she whimpered and tried to get closer to him.
His eyebrows dipped. "That's a lot quicker than usual," he muttered before swooping down and placing a gentle kiss on the column of her throat. She shivered in anticipation. "I'm sorry for causing you pain, Love, but this should help you feel better."
'No, no, no,' her mind chanted over and over again, while her arms pulled him closer. She could feel the scrape of his teeth against her skin and it nearly made her knees buckle. 'No!' her arms shot out and pushed him away. Not expecting it, he stumbled back in surprise.
"N-No," she stuttered.
He looked at her in disappointment. "It's only going to get worse, Love. But if you want to prolong your pain, then who am I to stop you." He flitted out of the room within a blink of an eye, making her sag against the wall in relief, and wanting. She flicked on the lights and dragged her worn out body to bed.