the 20th of October, 2010
LAILA
I know I should be more concerned about Fabian and Gabriel being both vampires, but it’s like I always knew things like that were possible. I’ve always been fascinated with Horror stories that spoke of the creatures of the night. Mum would always frown when I would ask her to read them to me as a little girl.
So, reviewing the situation. My neighbor is a vampire. Comparing him to Gabriel, he is also a very young one, with no special powers. On the other hand, Gabriel is powerful and bored. That just can’t be a good combination.
My skin was slightly cold. The wind caressed the free strands of my hair as I was looking into the night. It was as peaceful as a graveyard, I thought and chuckled at my own dark humor.
I felt a jolt of fear and I was suddenly aware that Fabian was there. In that building with such antique architecture, with me hanging out the window and him on the balcony, it would have almost been romantic.
“I’ve been meaning to ask you something” he said, smiling that devilish smile of his. But I could tell he was serious judging by the way his eyes glowed in the dark.
“Go ahead.”
“Don’t you feel...” and he seemed to be searching for a word, “I mean, when you’re around me, don’t you feel...”
“Pissed? Rejected? Frightened? All the above at once?” He blinked at me in surprise. And then he laughed.
“Okay, so I assume it’s some sort of creepy vampire trick. Explain.” I heard the demand in my own tone and was proud of it. You go, girl.
“It’s not a trick, it’s a natural defense. But what I’m really interested in is how it affects you. Normally, with my vampire shield at its full capacity, people stay the hell out of my way.” Now he was acting frustrated. “But you, you act like it’s not even there.”
“You can stop with the glaring already. It does bother me. But most of the time, it’s just a shadow of an emotion.” I paused for a second to lick my lips. “And if I think about it now, I can’t feel anything.”
“I’ve never met a human being capable of – ... ignoring it.” I couldn’t decide if it was admiration or dread I felt in his voice.
“You’re saying it isn’t possible? At all?” He shook his head lightly. I tried thinking how I felt about the whole thing. So I couldn’t sense the vampire alarm. That seemed irresponsible and could be a threat to my well being, but it didn’t make me any less normal. Or so I thought.
“This shield or whatever, is it permanently active?”
“For some, yes. For instance, I can only tune it down a bit.”
“So you can’t just switch it off?”
“You can switch it off, but the requirements are quite high.” Fabian actually managed to look like a teenager who has having the sex-talk with his parents. I let my face show him that I didn’t know what he was talking about. “You’d have to have blood from a living donor. And I guess Gabriel’s getting plenty of that.”
“Oh. Fresh blood, then.”
“Yeah.”
“This is getting just a little bit awkward...”
We both laughed nervously. As awkward is it might have been, it still felt nice. For the first time since I had been forced to leave home, I felt like I belonged there, sharing Fabian’s secret.
the 21st of October, 2010
WILL & EMILY
“Do you think this is it, sis?” The voice belonged to a young man named Will. He was neither small nor tall, yet you could tell he didn’t quite blend in with the ordinary crowd. His face was tanned, framed by short chocolate curls. He also had eyes that matched them perfectly. And all those designer clothes still couldn’t cover up a very well worked-out body.
“Could be. But it is just so... not befitting of her.” The small girl sighed. She was all but her brother’s female version – except her hair was long and her constitution was more fragile.
The two of them were in the hallway of a very modest and old apartment building. As impeccably dressed as they were, the door man even asked them if they had the wrong address.
“No, this is it.” Will had answered visibly disappointed.
LAILA
What gives?? It’s only 10 thirty in the morning. Why would anyone want to wake people up at this hour?
I was dragging my feat to answer the door and...
“Oh, my GOD! Em, it’s really you!” A mass of shinny curls got in my face as I hugged the shorter girl. Someone cleared his throat.
“William!” I tried imitating that thing with the check-pinching that aunts always do on television. “My, my, you’ve grown, haven’t you?”
“Cut the crap.” Will laughed and hugged me too.
“I’m... I’m shocked, that’s right. How, I mean, when... Oh, hell. How come you guys are here? I thought you were taking a break and not applying to the world’s greatest universities so you can travel. And where in God’s name did you learn to speak Romanian?”
“Oh, breathe, would ya?” Will guided me into my own living room. “Having money coming out of our asses gets you pretty excellent tutors.”
“And we did it so we could see you. Of course we told our parents it was all for the sake of education – that’s how we got ourselves started on the language anyway.” Emily took my hand in hers and I smiled.
“Yeah, and besides the money, we’re both diabolical masterminds, forgot? Speaking of which, could we please buy you a new place?”
“What?” I snapped at Will. “Uh-huh. You are most definitely not...”
“But Laila, this place looks like a rat could show up any time in the middle of the room.”
“Em, you cannot be serious.” I omitted telling my friends that an actual rat did appear in my bathroom. “Besides, I like this place the way it is. It’s a place of my own and you coming here like this, offering to buy me a new place, is just insulting.”
“Laila, we didn’t mean it that way and you know it.”
“I know, Will. I’m sorry, I just... you guys came all the way here, of all places...”
“Hey, the rich get bored.”
I laughed and then looked at the only two people who cared enough about me to have done what they had done. “Thank you, but you’re crazy, you know that? And stop laughing when I’m crying!” Of course that only made them laugh harder. Rich bastards.
Someone was at the door again. I say someone, though I knew it was Fabian.
“You skipped class again.” He said in that scolding tone of his.
“I overslept. We talked till late last night and I don’t cope that well without a solid eight-hour sleep.”
I heard a whistle from behind me and had to stifle a laugh at Fabian’s expression.
“Emily, Will, this is Fabian - my neighbor. We’re also at the same University. Fabian, these are the Evil Twins, my friends from NY.”
Emily practically jumped of the couch into the hall. “Now I see why you won’t move.” I gave her a nudge in the ribs and she cried out an exaggerated aww.
“This is... fun, but I have to be somewhere.” Sure you have, I thought. Fabian barely glanced at any of us as he closed the door behind him.
“Great manners.” Will smirked.
“Shut up.” I said.
FABIAN
More humans. Ugh.
At least I can spend some quality time with myself at my apartment. No one there. Yes, sir. Quiet as a morgue. Dark and cozy and... not empty?
GABRIEL
Fabian’s expressions are absolutely delicious. Every time he sees me he has this pained one, like someone just hit him in the parts that don’t see the light of day much.
I must admit, though this entire place lacks taste, this couch is very comfortable. Ups, forgot to take my shoes off. Better take them off, this vampire seems ready to spank me for my disobedience.
“Long time no bite, you cute nerd.” Ah, he flinched. So funny.
“How did you get in here?” Seriously, nerds can be stupid too. I raised one eyebrow. “Never mind. What do you want?”
“Must I really be in need for something? Can’t I just visit an old friend?”
“I knew you were ignorant, but a fraud too? Gabriel, you disappoint me.”
“Now that wasn’t nice, was it?”
FABIAN
Gabriel sat up really, really slow. He’s pretending to be harmless again. Those empty eyes fixated on me. So intently staring at me, what the...
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!
No, I can’t...
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARG!
Burning. I can feel my flesh burning.
GABRIEL
Poor little arrogant Fabian. I’m afraid I must have gone a bit too far with the whole eye-pain-inflicting thing.
I can hear voices and footsteps. Dearest Laila, she must be concerned what all the screaming was about. But she’s not alone. Oh, goodie, more toys.
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