Vincent closed the door as I turned, noticing the house was filled with flowers and some new furniture. It was so silent, one could hear the crickets singing outside, the wind rustling through the grass.
I sighed as I allowed my body to relax, to absorb the atmosphere around me. I was happy to be home, I was happy to have such silence. I hadn’t noticed the noise from the town was an annoyance, much like not noticing the sun was hurting my eyes. My ears still rang from it.
I felt Vincent’s hand on my lower back as he walked passed me and went into the sitting room, where his piano sat. He smiled, excited to see it, as if he had missed it, as if it were his dear friend. He nearly ran over, slinging off his frock coat over the armchair in the corner and pushing up his blouse sleeves as he sat behind it.
I walked over to one of the armchairs at the opposite end of the room, taking off my hat and setting it down on the back of it. I walked over to the settee, sitting lazily on it, my head resting on the velvet-cushioned arm.
A soft song came from the piano, filling the room, soothing my ears, a lullaby. I looked over to Vincent, his eyes never leaving me as his hands continued along the keys.
My eyes closed sleepily and I saw Deirdre again.
“Why do you think I would harm her?” I didn’t open my eyes. I was enjoying the darkness and Vincent’s soft song as Deirdre’s picture melted away.
“I was once in the same position you are now. I know how you feel, I remember.”
I kept my eyes closed. “Who was it?”
It was obvious to me he had done something he regretted, something I thought wasn’t possible with Vincent, he was so accepting of the world and how things worked. He knew he couldn’t change anything, he was who he was, what he was. He needed to feed and did so on the living.
“Someone I knew from my mortal life, as you do Deirdre. She was there for me while my mother was sick. We were having an affair.”
I opened my eyes when I heard ‘affair’. “So you loved her?” I kept my eyes away from him, looking about the ceiling.
He laughed. “No. It was purely physical. I was at an age where I didn’t need a companion for love. I needed one for sins of the flesh.”
I frowned. “Oh, I see.”
I had never had that kind of instinct, wanting a person purely for physical reasons. I always wanted Vincent because he was Vincent…because I loved him.
“I regret little, though I feel she was an unnecessary casualty. Then again, it is what opened my mind to the prospect of just killing for the sake of killing. I need blood to live, why should I bother with morality?”
I sighed once again, nodding, my eyes closing again. I opened them when I heard the music stop, turning to find Vincent by my side.
“That is another reason why I love you, Annalee. You are ruthless. You do not care about what you have to do to live. You just care about living.”
I smiled, my head falling back against the settee once again. I stopped, thinking about something I had only really thought about once…but, it was something my mind kept going back to in the very few minutes we were in the house.
“Would you do something with me?” I asked, looking to the floor.
He grabbed my hand and kissed it. “Anything.”
“I want to go back to London.”
His brow furrowed, confused. “Why?”
“Sean. I wonder what he tastes like.” My eyes went from the floor up to his face.
“No. We cannot. That is going too far, Annalee. We cannot go back there.”
He stood up, walking towards the foyer.
“Why?” I stood up. “He is the reason why all this happened. He deserves to be struck down and I want to be the one to do it. I nearly vomit from the thought of him living a full life, old age taking him out of this world. He is the one who took me from my world, now I want to do the same.”
I didn’t realize how passionate I was about this thought. I wanted to do it. I wanted to do it more than anything.
He sighed, shaking his head. “Do you not think I have thought of the same things? I have thought about it hundreds of times, doing it myself, all because of what he did to you.”
“Then come with me.” I stepped forward, taking his hands in mine. “Let us go and we will do it together, Vincent!”
He shook his head. “We cannot. Remember? We are starting a new life. We cannot dwell on the past. A new life means forgetting what has been done in the past and moving on. Now, are you coming to bed? The seamstress will be here at ten.” He put out his hand to take mine.
I scowled at him. “I am not tired. You go on without me. I will be up shortly.”
“Annalee.” He put his hands on my shoulders, rubbing them. “I know how angered you are. Please promise me you will not do anything. Promise me you will stay here, you will not venture off.”
I looked into his eyes, those beautiful emeralds that gleamed in the light at me, peering into me. The rest of his face was so smooth and soft, his lips were nearly glowing and his voice was impossibly silky. He was impossible to resist.
I felt more anger build in me. Why are you so charming?
I leaned up and pressed my lips against his softly. He stroked my cheek as he turned towards the foyer. “Do not be long.”
I smiled lightly as I watched him walk to the staircase, not making a sound even when he was ascending.
I turned back into the sitting room, my eyes to the floor.
I will have you, Annalee.
Sean’s voice echoed in my head. I could almost feel his greasy hand making its way up my thigh, a shiver of disgust ripping through me.
This has been a long time coming, Annalee. I will have you as I said I would.
I could see Vincent’s angered face, ripping Sean off of me, his teeth bared, his eyes smoldering. I could feel Vincent’s lips touching my forehead as he assured me he would be back to stay with me in my bedchamber, to make sure I was safe, my father yelling in the hallway at him.
I suddenly felt a pining for my old bedchamber, for being…human. All those human memories flooded back, making me weak at the knees, so much so I had to sit down on the nearest armchair.
I missed my daydreams. I missed my obsession over Vincent and I even missed the charade we needed to put on so Vincent seemed like everyone else. Our days in the sun riding, going through town…it was all taken away from me because Sean couldn’t take no for an answer.
What would life be like if Vincent was human? If we were happy and mortal, would things be as I pictured it in my head? Would things be bright and cheerful? Would I feel safe? Would I like who I was?
It was the first time I really thought about it all. I think it was also the first time I got the feeling I wasn’t actually happy. When I really thought about it, I had no intention at all of asking Vincent to change me into a vampire, at least not so soon. But why had I asked him to promise me such a thing if it was so far from my mind?
Tears welled up in my eyes, the familiar ache of wanting to sit in the middle of the floor and cry flooded back. It was a slight comfort to still have that, something that tied me to who I once was.
I stood from the armchair. I paced a little, shaking my head.
Do not do it, Annalee. You heard Vincent. It is time to move on.
I stopped, licking my lips. I shook my head again, grabbing my cloak, which Vincent had brought in the carriage just in case I felt cold. I put it around my shoulders, fixing the clasp as I made my way silently and swiftly to the door, slithering through it, running out into the night.
It was over half a day by carriage back to London. I planned to run the whole way, taking the back roads and staying close to the forest. I didn’t need someone seeing me, especially when I got close to London. No one would recognize me in Whittley, but the closer I got back to my mortal home, the higher the chance I would be found out.
In reality, Sean won. I was unhappy. I wasn’t where I really wanted to be. I wasn’t going to let Sean win.
&nbs
p; * * * *
The sun was just setting when I arrived, the roads familiar, even passing by Deirdre’s home and Mister Wilks’ furniture shop.
I wished there were a way for us to go back to London, go back to Vincent’s estate, the place I felt so comfortable in. I remembered sitting and having supper with him, making love in his grand bedchamber. Even after I was turned, I was more comfortable in the murky home with barely any windows, the fireplace glowing warmly.
We will come back. We will live here again…somehow.
I smiled to myself, knowing it was true.
I kept to the shadows as best I could. I had my hood of my cloak pulled up, shielding my face. Someone could possibly recognize me and there was only one person I wished to do so.
London was busier, faster, and the streets were brighter. I had never walked alone down them, but I was enjoying it nonetheless. The streets started to quiet as the sun dipped down completely, darkness falling over the town, the night making it easier for me to see.
I stopped as I saw the familiar bridge down the street, Sean’s home to my left. I remembered Vincent feeding off that girl so long ago, how he had first caught my eye. I felt a warm shudder fly through me as I looked up towards Sean’s home, finding the window I knew was Sean’s.
I barely strained my ears as I heard light moaning and a bed creaking. It seemed Sean had found another to seduce. Another woman he could sneak in and out of his home while his parents slept only two doors down the hall from him. He disgusted me on so many levels, I could barely focus.
I leaned against the building, looking out from the hood of my cloak, watching as people slowly became scarce and the heavy breathing stopped from the room above.
I heard two sets of footsteps leave the room and the door close. I scaled the wall of the building, easily pushing open the window and entering the room. My gown got caught on the windowsill, which is when I thought I was not entirely dressed appropriately for the occasion, though it would have to do. It was too late to go back now.
I took off my cloak, folding it over a chair and stood in the darkest corner I could find. I wanted to watch him enter the room and close the door. I wanted him to realize, when he saw me, he had locked himself in.
I stood watching. I didn’t think. I didn’t even react to the light from outside that was flickering off the walls and gleaming off of objects in the darkness, something that used to fascinate me.
I could hear his footsteps making their way up the staircase until he came to the door, walking in and closing it behind him. He felt something in the room. He stopped and looked around. He knew something was different, something wasn’t right.
I smiled, already smelling an inkling of fear resonating off of him. I couldn’t help thinking Vincent felt the same so long ago while he watched me read, while he knew I was aware of something in the room. That cold draft that seemed to follow me…
I wasn’t even aware my voice was coming out of my mouth until after I said the words.
“Hello, Sean.”
He looked around confused, worried, backing up until I slowly stood out of the shadows.
His eyes went wide. “Annalee?”
His heart sped up violently. He wasn’t happy to see me, but he was frightened. More fear reeked off of him, making my nose tingle.
“Yes, Sean,” I said as I walked forward, not taking my eyes off of him.
“But…you are…I saw you…the funeral…you are—”
“Dead? Yes. Yes I am.” I walked directly up to him, putting my hands on his chest, running them along his shoulders, leaning into him, smelling him as I walked around him.
I half expected him to scream in horror, but the pure shock of my walking corpse was far too much. He was silent, unable to utter a word.
He swallowed hard. “What are you doing?”
“You smell delicious, Sean. Is that a new cologne?”
I circled around him again, letting my hands smooth down his bare chest. I walked around him, my hands slowly caressing him until I stood behind him, my arms through his, my hands on his chest.
I felt my anger rise as I pulled my hands through his arms towards myself. “Or is it fear?” I pushed him with all of my strength, sending him crashing on the bed face first. I climbed on top of him and bared my teeth, grabbing a fistful of hair and bringing my lips up next to his ear. “How does it feel? I am going to make sure this is as painful as it can possibly be. I am really going to take my time!”
I turned him over on his back as his hand came up to try and hit me but I easily swatted it away, pushing it down to the bed along with the other. “How does it feel to be held down, Sean? How does it feel to have someone with twice your strength pushing down on your body?” I dug my hips into his.
His heart beat quickly, seeming to make his whole body pulse beneath me.
He struggled under me, his voice beginning to plead. “What are you? What are you going to do?”
I glanced around the room until the rope on the curtain caught my eye, which I quickly grabbed and was back on top of him before he knew I was gone, pulling his body up and securing his hands to the posts of the bed. I smiled to myself. “There. Now I do not have to waste any strength on keeping you restrained.”
“Annalee, I will call for help!”
I looked to his night table where I saw a handkerchief, grabbing it and stuffing it in his mouth. “No, you won’t.”
I smiled as my eyes went down to his bare chest, running my hands down it. I was thinking of what I could possibly do to him. How I could cause enough pain without killing him instantly. I wanted him to feel pain like no other had possibly experienced…and I wanted it to be by my hand.
A sudden wave of memories hit me, all painful. I felt everything over again, that day out in the bright sunlight while Vincent was away, the first time he left. Sean’s sick smile as he lunged towards me, like an animal. I was the animal now.
My eyes glittered as I dug my nail into the center of his chest and dragged it down to his stomach, his skin easily tearing and blood beginning to pool on the wound. I leaned down and licked it up, the hot smell of the blood making my nose tingle as well as making my thighs ache. I made sure to look up to him, the blood dripping off of my lips. I wondered what he could see—all I could feel was his fear.
That was only the beginning. I bit into his wrists, his veins clanging against my fangs painfully, draining a little bit and turning to another body part to drain more. I knew the more places I bit into, the more pain he would feel. He would feel my teeth slowly sinking into his skin, ripping through each layer, followed by that dizzying feeling of blood draining out, that moment of fuzziness in his eyes as he struggled to refocus. I could see the pain on his face, the way his eyes glazed over.
I was having far too much fun, but I couldn’t help but feel it would have been more fun if Vincent had accompanied me.
I looked up at him, his strong, tainted blood soaking my lips and dripping down my chin slowly. It was definitely blood of an evil-doer. “I wish Vincent was here. You should count yourself lucky he did not accompany me…the things he would do to you.” I sat up closer to his ear, leaning into him, whispering. “You know, to tell the truth, I think he would probably have stolen you, kidnapped you, brought you to our estate. Oh, I didn’t tell you. We have a wonderful new home a few towns over. Anyway, he would have taken you there, chained you up. I do not think he would have killed you straight away, after all you did to me. You did not believe me when I said he loved me, did you? But you knew. You knew! You knew what he was, yet you did not say anything…thought your mind was playing tricks on you, eh?” I grabbed his face mercilessly, my nails digging into his chest, into the skin around his heart. “Well I assure you, we are very real.”
“Annalee, stop, please stop!” he pleaded, his fear filling the room, swirling around with the air from the night. The tears welling in his eyes now ran down his face, his body weak, barely struggling like he was near the beginning of our littl
e session. All he had was his voice.
I ignored his pleas, going back to his chest, licking my fangs before I bit in for a fourth time in the area, this time near his clavicle. The blood spurted out as I lapped it up.
When I had my fill of causing pain upon him, I turned his head and sunk my teeth into his neck to take the last of his blood left, and there really wasn’t much.
The sweet sound of his drum slowed, it was even sweeter because it was Sean whose life I was taking. My body ached and shivered as I felt his blood slip down my throat, the warmth running through me, my skin flushing. I looked up, blood slowly making its way down my chin, my head swimming from the heat running throughout my body. I slowly got off of him and stood in the middle of the room in a daze, falling against the nightstand, knocking over a vase. I barely noticed the large crash, the flowers and water spilling all over the floor.
I looked up just as the door swung open to the room. Sean’s mother stood in the doorway, staring at me in horror and let out a deafening scream.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Prelude
I jumped out the window quickly, landing abruptly on the ground.
People were already running to the home, making their way to see what the disturbance was all about. I finally saw my error, though my head was still spinning pleasantly from my deed of the night, Sean’s blood still pumping through me warmly.
I broke out into a run, making my way down the street. I needed a place to hide. Somewhere where I knew I would be safe until I could make my way back to Whittley.
I shivered at the thought of Vincent yelling at me, going off without him. He would be very angry, especially because someone saw me. The room was dark, I’m sure Mrs. Pertrew only saw my figure and her son on the bed. She didn’t see my face…well, I hoped she didn’t.
I ran until I was in a familiar neighborhood, looking around, hearing the entire town disrupted by the circumstance. I looked up, found the first open window and scaled the wall, jumping through it.
My feet softly hit the floor as I realized where I was—it was Deirdre’s estate. She was asleep soundly in her bed in her large pink and gold trimmed bedchamber, grand white furniture scattered around the room.
Out of My Grave Page 28