by Donna Altman
It was daylight, so I couldn’t move like an immortal. There were people all around. I walked as fast as I could. My mind remained on Ellie. We were finally able to stay in the same room with each other, and now she was gone again. Holding her last night was like a dream. Had she teased me and manipulated me? Was she trying to drive me insane?
Once I was inside her building, I made my way down the hall to her dorm room, but before I could make it to her door, I heard a voice.
“Hi Daught.” I recognized this voice as Trish’s. I turned to acknowledge her and saw her expression changed when she looked my face. She knew Ellie and I had been together.
“Hello Trish, have you seen Ellie.” I asked as I looked toward the room.
“She was in her room a few minutes ago.” She looked strangely at me and asked. “Are you two seeing each other now?”
“Kind of, I guess. We’re old friends, and we’ve been hanging out. Why do you ask?” I confronted her. She looked at me with a strange glare.
“She was gone all night, and then this morning I heard her in her room. I heard sounds like things were breaking. When I knocked on her door, she told me to go away. She kinda yelled at me.” She continued. “Did you two have a fight or something?”
“Something like that, but I just need to talk to her.” I started toward the door again, but before I could get away from Trish. Her next statement made me cringe.
“Well if you two don't work things out, ummm, I’m free.” She called in my direction. I heard the excitement in her voice. She wanted Ellie and me not to work things out. She watched me as I made it to her door. The gleam on her face showed her eagerness to gain my attention. I knocked on the door remembering what Trish said. I don’t think that would ever happen. I was totally in love with Ellie, and we would work things out. Besides a human would never understand the life of a vampire, much less would they want to live with the walking dead.
I knocked again on her door, but she didn’t answer. I reached for the knob and realized it was unlocked. I pushed the door, and it opened. Ellie wasn’t there. She had moved everything out. I looked around the room and saw that nothing of hers remained. The room was white again with nothing but a mattress left. Her stuff was gone as was she. I tried to find her thoughts, but they were nowhere near. They were far away and out of my minds reach. I looked out the same window she had stared out of the night she invited me to her room. Where are you Ellie?
When I turned to leave and saw a note on the back of the door. It was hanging on the door with a dagger stuck through it. Just like the dagger that was in my nonexistent heart. It was from Ellie. My non-beating heart jumped up into my throat. My worst fear was happening. Ellie had left me once again. I wanted to turn and walk out of the door. I didn’t want this to be happening. I knew after seeing her I could no longer walk this earth without her. If Ellie wasn’t in my life, and she couldn’t remember me then I would find a way to end my existence. There had to be away to end it, but I knew she would have to do it.
My physical form wanted to run, but I had to read Ellie’s letter. My legs moved toward the door, and I reached up to pull the dagger out of the door allowing the note to fall in my hand. I turned and leaned against the door and read the note.
Daught,
I hope I haven’t hurt you, but you must understand. I’m not the Ellie you crave. I don’t feel the love you speak of. I’m sure it’s hard on you when you see me, so I’m leaving. There’s no need to search for me. I’m going back to my sister’s home. I don’t understand this thing you call love. I don’t understand your feelings for the Ellie you say loves you. I hope you find what you are looking for one day. I’m sorry to say it’s not me at least not this Ellie. Stay safe Daught, for if you are my product, I hope your creation will never be known by any of the witchyres. I couldn’t destroy such a kind and gentle being.
I wish I could be the Ellie you hoped to find, but I can't. You’ll always be on my mind.
Eleanor
She was gone, and it was entirely my fault. I found her after so many decades of waiting for her return, and now I have pushed her away from me. Why did I let last night happen? My mind was racing. I knew I must go after her. I had to find her because I couldn’t live without her. I wouldn’t exist without her.
I went back to my dorm trying to ignore Trish’s questions as I left Ellie's room. Trish was a pretty girl, but I had no interest in a human female. Humans would never be able to understand my kind. I had to search for clues as to where Ellie’s family would be. There are many ways to find a lair of a vampire as well as a witchyre, but humans don’t believe in us, so the clues go unbeknownst to their inspection of these words.
I opened the laptop Ellie had wondered about last night. Ellie may have made fun of my Googling, but I would find her, even if it kills me. The thought of my annihilation was closer than I actually wanted to admit. If I found her with her sisters, I knew they would kill me before the moon's phase turned blue.
I searched through many sites before I found Dee's lair. These sites, to most mortals, are mythical tales that have no vitality. Some of them had tales of vampires that burn at the first ray of sunlight or of crucifixes that keep us away. Others told of wooden stakes that if pierced through our hearts would kill us. I laughed at these ridicules stories because I don’t have a heart, at least one that beats, so a stake of any kind wouldn’t hurt me. The funniest tale I found was the garlic one, again I laughed. I prefer to nourish myself with blood, but I had occasionally enjoyed the taste of garlic when I lived in Italy.
I continued to look for Dee’s lair. Yes, here it was Vancouver, Canada. I focused on the author’s words and with my mind; I photographed each line of the article called ‘The Fore Told Mysteries of the Living Dead’. This author was naive. He didn’t realize how close he was to the truth.
There was one thing I had to do before leaving. I went to the lecture hall where Ellie and I first made contact. Mr. Dundford was sitting in his office as he graded papers. I could hear his thoughts. He had so much hatred for the students he taught. In his mind, they had no care for the history of their government much less, any respect for the past leaders of the world. Their carefree attitudes disgraced him. He continued to have violent fantasies of killing each of them while they sat frozen with fear in his class. He pictured murdering the brunette male that had once had vile thoughts of what he wanted to do to Ellie. This was one death that if he needed help I would gladly assist him.
For a human, this was an extremely mentally ill man. I thought back at the thoughts Ellie had before she left. She thought I was mentally ill. I was remarkably normal in comparison to this person. He was full of hatred and evil thoughts of acts that he wanted to do, but had no guts to commit. He was a ticking time bomb waiting to go off at any minute.
“Excuse me, sir.” I acknowledged my presence after I knocked on the half-opened door. I peeked in to see Mr. Dundford sitting behind his messy desk.
“Yes, Mr. McRyne, please come in.” He invited me as he stood and offered me a chair.
I could hear his thoughts. He wondered what lie I would tell him about why I didn't want to do the research paper he had assigned. I entered the room and sat in the chair directly in front of his desk. I looked over his desk to see the look in his eyes. His eyes again told the story of a depressed, crazed man. I tried to ignore the thoughts he had as well as tried to remember the reason I was in his office this morning.
“I need to have a few days away from class, sir.” I told him. He looked at me over the thin, narrow glasses that perched upon his nose. I could see he was doubtful and wondered what I was doing.
“Are you ill, son?” he asked.
“No sir, Miss. Valeness, the other student you assigned to do the paper with me and I wanted to go to Washington, DC, to do some research for the assignment. We would need to be away from class for a few days, but I assure you our paper will reflect the time we put into it, sir.” I was convincing.
He smiled
as if he finally had a student interested in his teaching. His violent thoughts disappeared and prideful ones of his being an influence on a couple of his students replaced them.
“Sir, is there a problem with our requests?” I asked knowingly using his pride. I looked him directly in the eyes.
“No, son, there is no problem. I have never had this kind of interest in a research project. I’m shocked.” He admitted. He pushed his glasses back up on his nose and got up from his desk. He walked around the desk and sat on the edge in front of where I sat.
“Sir, I, as well as Ellie, take this class very seriously. We are very interested in this project. We feel that going to Washington would help us understand our forefathers better.” I poured it on.
“Yes that's a great idea, but son, our school doesn't pay for field research for our students. You would have to be responsible for this yourself.” He confided. The thoughts he had were that I would back out of the trip. He thought I was just trying to get a free trip to Washington to have a love fest with Ellie.
“Yes sir, I understand. Ellie is waiting for me to get permission, so she could go to the airport to get the tickets. We’ll pay all of our expenses. We’re very serious in completing this research and learning more about our forefathers.” I might have been getting a little thick, but I needed to make sure he was convinced.
He got up from the edge of the desk and moved toward me. I stood up not sure what his intentions were. He put his arm around my shoulder as he walked me to the door. I could hear the pride in his thoughts. As we got to the door, he spoke.
“This other student is Miss. Valeness, correct.” He inquired with a perverted smile.
“Yes sir.” I replied as I tried to hold my anger. I felt the venom in my mouth thicken.
“I’ll excuse you and Miss. Valeness for the next two weeks. I hope you enjoy your research. I expect your report to be full of valuable information.” He called to me as I was leaving. I heard the thoughts he had of wanting to have sex with Ellie as he thought I was going to do while we were on this trip. I wanted to kill him for his mind of filth, but I turned and left because I didn’t want my cover up of going to Washington while being out of class to become my alibi for the death of this hideous man.
I was on my way to find Ellie. I had to make her come back with me. We would wait for the moon to be right. I would convince her regardless of the spell's outcome, that I would love her no matter what. However, I knew Ellie was a fierce being, and she wouldn’t be easily convinced just as she wasn’t easily convinced that she was my maker.
I arrived in Canada in just a few hours. I should have rented a car because during the daytime hours it was hard to hide my fast pace. Of course, Ellie would think that was so mortal of me, but I didn’t have the ability of popping in and out of places.
I had to find Dee’s home. I looked back in the memories of my mind from reading the article on the Internet. I had to go north of Vancouver to the mountains. Ellie was going to be so shocked to see me. Her sisters were going to be just as shocked. I knew I was taking a chance of dying, but I had to find Ellie. I had to convince her I didn’t care if she ever returned to the way she uses to be. All I wanted was Ellie, then or now, I didn’t care.
Chapter Sixteen
THE SISTERS
ELLIE:
I knew I had to leave. He had to understand I wasn’t the one he fell in love with so many decades ago. I wished I could be the Ellie he loved. The night we made love was like nothing I had ever felt. I lied to him when I said it was just sex. It was so much more than just sex. I felt warm and secure in his arms. I had never felt this secure in my existence, well not that I could remember. When I left, I had to hurt him so much that he wouldn’t follow me. I couldn't tell him that I had felt an attraction to him since the first time I saw him. I had to make him think I didn’t like being with him. I felt terrible about hurting him, and I hoped one day that he would understand my leaving. God, I was the one that was crazy now. I couldn’t get him out of my mind. Why did Dee have to tell me the truth about him? I found myself honestly missing him.
When I arrived at Dee’s lair a few days ago, she already knew what had happened. She told me there was no spell that was more powerful than that of this thing called love. This must be true because I had never felt this awful about hurting someone in my entire existence. This was so new to me. I never cared if I hurt anyone before. I was a witchyre, and we didn’t have these feelings. This was so new to me, and I don’t like feeling this confused. I wasn’t use to anything other than destruction. Daught was different from others like us. How could he love me? I was like the others. I killed and hurt people. This was my way. I wasn’t the Ellie he remembered or had made up in his mind. I couldn’t be her for him or anyone else including myself. I had to get him out of my mind. These thoughts were going to drive me mad. I already felt senseless.
He would have to understand that it would be impossible for a witchyre and a vampire to be together. Our races hated each other, and we refused to associate together. If Suzi found out Daught still existed the Lords would make me destroy him, and they would punish me severely not to mention what they would do to Dee. How could this be wrong when it felt, so damn right? I knew nothing of this love, so how could I feel this way? Were the memories of him trying to peer thought my subconscious?
If only the blue moon came sooner than three months from now, but it doesn’t. I couldn’t stay with him. If I stayed, his attraction to me would increase as mine to him. I couldn’t take that chance. If the spell didn’t work, he would be disappointed and would possibly leave me. I couldn’t nor would I accept rejection. This wasn’t something a true witchyre could handle. However, a witchyre didn’t feel the feelings that I felt now. What was wrong with me? Did I truly feel this thing called love?
My sister, unknowing to me, entered the garden where I sat. My mind was focused so deeply on Daught that I hadn’t realized she had entered. I don’t even know how long she had been standing there watching me.
The garden was a beautiful place set with the backdrop of the vast snow topped mountains of Canada. The snow on top of the giants looked like a painting of one of the talented artists that lived and died during our existence. It held a feeling of comfort. This was where I grew up as a child after my mother left. I was deep in thought when Dee sat beside me. She read my thoughts and feeling.
“Ellie, you must go back to this vampire as much as I hate to say it. He has a hold on you that will have to be broken for you to be free.” She said as she stared me in the eyes. I saw the convictions in her thoughts.
“But, what if I don’t want it to be broken?” I asked. I knew then I was in love with him. I didn’t want to be free from him.
“Then it will have to stand the test of time, and you will have to accept the outcome.” She bowed her head. Dee turned from me. I knew she worried what the outcome would be.
“Dee, what if Suzi finds out I’m with him?” I asked. I had always been scared of her. Dee knew this feeling because she feared her as well.
“She will know soon enough dear sister. They find out all things. Therefore, you must find a way to move the moon before she can act. This will make your combined strength unmatchable, and,” she stopped. Dee turned away from me.
“And what?” I needed to know. I got up and walked in her direction. I touched her arm. She in turn touched my hand.
“Once you bring our grandmother back, you’ll never be accepted as a witchyre again. You’ll always be an outcast as our grandparents were. If you’re unable to stop the Lords and Suzi, they will have this grandmother of ours that we were never to speak of as well as you and your creation extinguished.” She felt sad with her conclusions. “You know I will not be able to side against Suzi. Please, I hope you can forgive me for that my dear sister. You must understand why I can't go against her.” She turned to me and wrapped her arms around me. She squeezed me tight. I knew she felt bad for not being able to stand beside me, but I also knew
she feared Suzi.
“I do understand Dee, but what if I can’t bring her back, and what if the spell doesn't work?’ I asked. I pulled away from her. She saw the concern in my eyes.
“You have to believe, Ellie. You have to believe in yourself.” She smiled and kissed my forehead.
“I’ll come back for you when it’s safe. I promise, and you will never have to live under their reign again.” I was hopeful. We embraced, but we both knew this might not happen. We knew this could be the last time we saw each other.
“We'll see, but don’t forget how powerful they are dear.” She sighed as she pushed my hair from my eyes. She was more of a mother figure to me. I felt like a small child when I was with her. I looked into my dear sister's eyes, but I didn’t understand the sadness they held. She was a witchyre that showed no sorrow or feelings of caring. She read my thoughts once again.
“Ellie, many years ago when we were young ones before our grandparents extinguishing, I saw them kiss. They were in this precise garden embracing. I saw her eyes, but at the time, I didn’t understand. I didn't understand their feelings for each other until your birth. Suzi hated you from the beginning. She tried to hurt you many times. I knew our parents didn’t share these feelings of love. The night I saw them kiss, I knew what this thing called love looked like, and I knew I loved you. I protected you from Suzi. I took care of you so your cries didn’t bother our parents. They cared for nothing, but vengeance against our grandparents. That was when they turned them over to the vampires. The last night I saw our grandmother she told me that I as well as you would know the feeling of love, but I must tell no one of this because she feared what would happen to us. She kissed my forehead and then caressed your cheek right before they came and took her away from us forever. I never saw her again nor was I able to speak of her again.” She looked away as she finished this story.