by Anna Santos
Meanwhile, I used my time to discover more about my family. My relatives had always had a special magic in their blood. My mother was a powerful enchantress, and I would have followed in her steps if Ewan hadn’t found me and changed my destiny with fake love and concern.
The love I had for him was replaced with blind hate. His betrayal with Anastasia destroyed my heart. The registries I’d found about Ewan’s life before me made me see that he had used women to seduce and win him money ever since he’d been turned. He loved no one. He used them, and then he killed and abandoned them. Thousands of women. Thousands of lies.
My enemies all had the same face: Ewan. And I had only one idea in mind: become strong enough to kill him and his double-faced whore, Anastasia. They wanted me dead, but they were the ones to be killed.
I spent my days hunting in bars and clubs, killing newborns who had no respect for human lives. Most of them didn’t even know their creator. They were turned with the wish of becoming immortal and free from rules. The new movies and books didn’t help in keeping our kind undercover.
Something hasn’t changed, though. I still use men to satisfy my financial needs and my lust. Otherwise, I spend my days hunting and practicing. Galvin has become my new master. He taught me how to control my new magical powers, and he was there for me during the painful days in which I had to endure the blood treatments. He often calls me on our mind-link to give me instructions and check on me. He is more than my master; he is a good friend, even if he can be extremely annoying and controlling.
I know that what I do isn’t enough to purge all my past sins. However, I try as hard as I can to redeem myself. The other night, there were three rogue vampires in a bar downtown. They had been killing homeless people and some strippers, tearing their bodies into pieces. They had to be stopped, so I cut off their heads. No regrets about it. I’m one of the few that can protect humans from them. So my life is reduced to work, work, and work.
Not everything is so gloomy about my new life though; I have a boyfriend named Paul. He is young, rich, and completely in love with me. We met in college, and he serves my purpose of having an undercover identity to conceal my true job, and of giving me the financial and emotional support I need. I don’t love him, though. How can I? There was no heart left in me after Ewan’s betrayal.
Being a student is an excellent cover, no one suspects me, and I have plenty of free time during the night to hunt. Besides, most newborns appear at colleges. The ones that are evil are killed or put away by the Secret Society, and the others are cured and made to forget about us. Still, what keeps me going is the promise of killing Ewan and Anastasia, even if Galvin keeps postponing it.
6
Somewhere IN EUROPE, 2010
I RECEIVED NEWS that Ewan had been spotted in Europe. My new identity was ready, and I wanted to take my place as a human in the city that he had chosen as his hunting place. Anastasia was there also, as cruel as ever. I've only seen a few pictures of them, but each time they had been very close. On her hand had been a big, round solitaire ring, and she had a proud face, like she owned Ewan. I had tried to control my anger, but old feelings came rushing back, and I smashed something. They had had a whole century to live together and prey on unaware victims, but their happiness would end once my plan was set in motion.
I’m completely human, or at least that is what he will think. I smell human, I have a normal heartbeat and a new identity. I will be a ghost haunting his new life, tormenting him, until he finds me; and even then, he will think that I’m not Violet, only someone that looks like her. Galvin swears that Ewan won’t be capable of ignoring me. I’m the image of Ebony, and he will try to gain my trust and seduce me. I’ll have my chance to kill him when he least expects it, him and the petulant Anastasia. I will rip her heart out and cut her head off with a single blow.
For days, I couldn’t stop remembering the pictures of the two of them together. Ewan seemed sad while Anastasia looked arrogant and happy on his lap, caressing his now short, blond hair. I couldn't chase away the fact that he looked sad and lonely—every time I looked at the pictures I would see it. Good! I wanted him miserable so my revenge would seem sweeter.
After finding their lair, a suite in a five-star hotel, my plan was set in motion. I projected my image to appear in the penthouse using astral projection, and for the next few days, he glimpsed flashes of my former self calling to him, whispering his name, in a voice laced with grief and pain. After a few weeks, all peace between Ewan and Anastasia was gone. They spent their time arguing. He went days without sleeping, probably believing his past sins had come back to haunt him. I wondered if he regretted the decision of delivering me to the hunters, relying on them to kill me. I wasn’t even sure if he would reminisce about the life he had with me. I wasn’t as important to him as I had thought. Apparently, Ebony was his only true love. Whether he thought that it was me or Ebony, I was making sure my face haunted him and reminded him of his betrayal.
On a cold winter afternoon, my human form appeared to him. I sat on the terrace of a small café, drinking hot chocolate while reading a romantic book about vampires. I had memorized his routine. I knew he liked to walk down that street, looking at the old buildings and chapels. He always walked alone. I just had to stay there, pretending to read, while focusing my hearing and smell on his scent. It was easy to spot a vampire in a street filled with humans. It was a lot harder for him to spot a girl reading a book. I had to rely on his obsession with Ebony and hope he would want to start a conversation with me. In any case, I had time, so I could stay there, pretending to read until the afternoon that he would finally notice me.
It only took four tries for him to pay attention to my presence. The first time, he received a phone call and had to leave before passing by me. The second time, he became distracted by a flyer about an art exposition. I pondered following and bumping into him to provoke a situation in which he would be forced to look at me. But I feared that it would look too rehearsed. I wanted him to notice me as if it were a stroke of luck, destiny, and not a planned thing. The third time, I saw him leave the hotel, I had rushed to the terrace of the small café, but he didn’t show up. He must have gone somewhere else. The fourth time, I decided to let things take their natural course. I disconnected myself from my surroundings, forgot all about his existence, and focused on reading the book while drinking a cup of coffee. It was a nice book, written to make women smile and want to meet guys as romantic and sexy as the heroes of the stories. I let the story enthrall me and enclose me in its world, away from the busy plaza and the noisy, happy Italian people.
I had read an entire chapter when I dropped my book on the table and brought the cup to my lips. It was then I noticed him by my side, eyeing me. I was startled by his proximity. “Oh my God!” I said, almost dropping the cup, and spilling the liquid over my book and clothes. He grabbed the cup, putting his hand under mine. Our eyes met, and my heart stopped beating after almost coming out of my mouth.
Objective achieved, Ewan was aware of my existence. By how close he was to me, he was making sure I was human and not a vampire.
“Do I know you?” I asked, pretending to be annoyed, and placing the cup on the table, so he would take his hand from mine.
The amount of times he blinked made me believe he wasn’t trusting his eyes. Maybe he thought he was hallucinating again. He straightened up and smiled, apparently amused. It was an odd grin.
“I’m sorry. I didn't mean to scare you,” he apologized.
I looked up at his tall figure. It was my time to blink, flustered for finding him even more handsome than I remembered, now that I was face to face with him. Ewan had cut his blond, wavy hair into a more modern look, which favored him more. Blood rushed to my face and butterflies took over my stomach, but he just kept smiling.
“So...do you like vampires?” He asked, looking at the cover of my book.
“Yes. I find them...alluring.” I answered, putting my book against my chest in a defen
sive posture. “Who are you?” I asked again, with a grumpy voice, to prove that I didn’t want to be disturbed by a stranger.
“What part of the States are you from?” he asked. My American accent was giving me away, and he was ignoring my question.
“What part of Britain are you from?”
Asking a question was a way to deflect his own.
“I’ve been living in Italy for a long time now. I’m more Italian than British. But I have never seen you here before, and…I was just curious.”
Before I could say anything else, he spoke again. “Can I sit down?”
I raised my eyebrows, confused and a bit lost. I had planned a careful speech, but he was ruining all my plans with his eagerness in finding out everything about me.
“There are plenty of other empty tables for you,” I said, playing hard to get. I didn’t want to look eager. If there was something that Ewan liked, it was a challenge.
“I guess I’m interrupting your reading time,” he said, sitting down before my incredulous eyes. “Are you visiting for long?”
“I’m an Erasmus student,” I explained to him.
“I’m Vincent,” he said casually.
“I’m Sarah.”
He smiled, eyes on my face, not even pretending that he wasn’t ogling me. An uncomfortable silence fell between us. I moved my eyes to my book, and then I looked for my purse.
“I was leaving,” I told him.
I was becoming anxious because my defensive walls began to shatter. I had missed his eyes, his smile, and the sound of his voice. I probably had a dreamy stare upon my face, and I felt like crushing the book and storming away from there. But I had prepared myself for that, and I was not going to crumble and let Galvin be right about me being unprepared for my revenge. I would prove everybody wrong. I was ready, more than ready.
“Do you believe in love at first sight?” Ewan asked, making me stare at him with a serious face.
I was almost exploding with rage. It was a lame pickup line. I had to remind myself that sometimes he was cheesy like that when it concerned sweeping women off their feet.
“You must believe or you wouldn't be reading those novels.”
“Seriously?” I was suddenly bored by his presence and his words. “Is that the best line you could find to start a conversation with me? I have to say, it’s rather cheesy and idiotic.”
He laughed out loud, clearly amused by my words while I got up, annoyed. He was going to need to try harder.
“I wasn’t trying to act cheesy. It just intrigued me, your choice of book. But, then again, vampires are popular these days, aren't they?”
“I guess.” I shrugged and closed the book. “But I read them out of curiosity. I’m doing research for a college paper.” I explained, shouldering my purse.
“Really?” He asked, not convinced. He frowned and I glanced away, folding my arms and moving my foot impatiently.
“Yes,” I insisted. “It’s about myths and urban legends.”
“Those are not the most reliable sources.”
“They are if I’m studying the influences of those myths in modern literature.”
“That’s truly interesting,” he declared, leaning back in the chair and staring at my face.
“I thought so, too.” I cheekily smiled at him, and he seemed to look rather intrigued and fascinated.
“It was not my intention to seem judgmental about your poor choice of books,” he explained, and I frowned, upset at his words. The prick!
“Yes, I see. You’re just charming like that,” I retorted and checked my watch. “It’s been an appalling experience,” I declared, staring back at him. “And I have to go. I’m late,” I said, moving forward to leave him there.
“Wait,” he said, holding onto my wrist before I could go. I shivered at the cold touch and stopped moving. “Give me your phone number.”
“Why should I?” I asked, confusion in my eyes.
“Why shouldn't you?”
“You mocked my choice of books,” I reminded him, looking at his hand on my warm skin.
“You don’t need to be afraid, Sarah,” he whispered, freeing my wrist. My heart was pounding fast, no doubt about it.
“Goodbye, Vincent,” I said, walking away.
Ewan didn't try to stop me. He just stood there watching me leave. And for a moment, I thought that my plan wouldn't work. Maybe he was just intrigued and couldn't care less about his former lover. Suddenly, I had to control myself to not run away from there. I tried to control the nerves that were making me tremble and give it all away. He believed I feared him. Maybe I was since I've never thought I could be so affected by seeing him again face to face. All the hate, all the plans for vengeance, were small next to the attraction I still felt for him. Could I go on with my plan? I should just leave it all behind and run. Run as fast as I could and forget all about him before I broke down and cried.
When I reached the corner, I ran as if I had the devil chasing me. He had my scent; he would eventually find me again if he wanted. I didn't know if I wanted that. I was feeling vulnerable, and I hated myself for that.
7
SEDUCTION
GALVIN WAS CONSTANTLY INVADING my mind, wanting to know what had happened. I had locked my thoughts from him. I didn’t want him to understand how seeing Ewan had affected me, or he would say I wasn’t ready to face the creep. Galvin would put an end to my plans if he thought it was the best way to protect me. He could be overprotective. Therefore, it wasn't surprising for me to hear him knocking on my door because I wasn't replying to his questions on our mind-link.
“Why don’t you leave me alone? I’m feeling nauseous.” I opened the door and pretended to be sick. He didn't buy it because he was staring at me with analyzing eyes. “I had to eat human food, and I’m still getting used to it.”
Galvin entered and closed the door. “How did it go?” He asked, crossing his arms and not falling for my excuse.
I stared at his imposing figure and sighed deeply. His blue eyes were clouded with concern. He could pretend as long as he wished, but he had a soft spot for me, and he would freak out every time I got hurt, or I was annoyed and grumpy. He could be a bit overwhelming sometimes.
“Fine. He fell for it,” I answered with a reassuring smile, trying to inspire confidence. I was not feeling it, though. “He’ll be at my feet soon enough.”
“And are you sure that you want that?” He asked.
His voice was laced with concern, and something else that I couldn’t quite understand. These last weeks, he was being more controlling than usual, and he was always tense. I just wanted him to lighten up and give me a break. I wasn’t going to jump into Ewan’s arms and spill the beans about the plan, or about what I’d been doing for the past one hundred years. I had waited too long for that moment. It was not a revenge served cold, but frozen!
“We have talked about this,” I reminded him, not in the mood to listen to him say one more time that I wasn't ready.
“Ewan has a way of getting women to fall at his feet and not the other way around. He can get mesmerized by you, but don’t mistake lust and yearning for love.”
“I won’t,” I muttered, folding my arms and glaring at him. The lack of trust was upsetting me. I wasn't the same fool that fell for Ewan's charm in the past. "Can you stop putting me down every time?"
Galvin put his hands over my arms in an attempt to calm me. He is rather tall, and it was a bit intimidating to understand that the big bad sorcerer was worried about me and not falling for my grumpy mood.
“You just need to say it, and we will leave,” he whispered and I sighed, escaping from his hands and the unwanted closeness. I was in no mood to cry on his shoulder and act like a coward. I wanted and needed my revenge. Why couldn’t he just understand and respect that?
“It would be super if I could just forgive and forget, but we both know that what kept me going all this time was my wish for revenge.”
“You are too special to�
�keep suffering,” he said.
I rolled my eyes at his words, trying to ignore the fact that things were getting strange between us. He was acting weird since we’d arrived in town, and since he knew I was going to be close to Ewan once again. Lately, he crowded me like a shadow. It was becoming intolerable, the amount of times he said I couldn’t do it.
“Are you jealous?” I asked, unable to conceal my doubts and wanting to understand his motives.
“Don’t be silly, Violet,” he replied, straightening up. His face became solemn and his lips pursed in a straight line for a moment. I waited for him to say something else because I was too baffled by the emotion I could see flickering in his eyes. “I just don’t want you to fall for his charm again. He’s your weakness. We both know that well enough, don’t we?”
“It’s been more than a century, Galvin!”
“And you still have feelings for him!”
“I just hate him,” I declared, outraged by his accusations.
“Then prove it,” he said, holding me by my shoulders and staring deeply into my eyes. His voice trembled when he spoke next. “Kill him and let’s just leave.”
“I want him to suffer.”
“You are suffering more than he is.”
“You said you would let me do this,” I growled, pushing him back.
He looked hurt by my actions, and I looked away, folding my arms. I didn’t mean to push him so hard.
“They are nothing. You are so special, Violet. Why do you waste your time with them?”
“You know why.”
“I’d hoped you would move on, and you would be more enlightened with time. I wanted you to be one of us, and forget all about your past. I wanted you to…be able to forgive yourself all the wrong you have done.”
“Well, sorry to disappoint you then.”
“You don’t disappoint me, Violet. You just…hurt me,” he whispered, and I turned my head to look at him. “You hurt me because you are so much more than you think and I’ve…failed to save you from yourself. I’ve failed to show you love, didn’t I?”