LOUNGING AGAINST THE COUCH, I read over my notes from class earlier today.
‘Come on,’ Lucy says, moving to the end of the couch and leaning forward, placing her hands on my shins.
Lucy is all legs. Dark skin, raven black hair, and glittery silver eyes. She was a model before she turned, and she loves to remind every single person she ever meets of that fact. She tightens her hold on my legs, digging her nails in to get my attention.
Scowling, I shake my head, feeling the muscle in my jaw twitching in anger. No one can make me angry as quickly as Theo and his girlfriend. I don’t know what it is about them that makes me so tense, like I’m wound up as tight as I can go, locking up every part of my body until I can barely see or breathe. ‘For the fifth time, no.’
‘He’s in a mood,’ Theo says, strolling out of his room. ‘He doesn’t like it when I go to his school.’
Lucy rolls her eyes and smiles playfully over her shoulder at Theo. He winks at her as he wanders around the room, shirtless, picking up the first item of clothing that he can find and inspecting it. He is a slob to live with. Something that hasn’t altered since before or after his transition.
‘Why?’ she asks, tilting her head, eyes shimmering with curiosity.
She loves to pry into my life. I fascinate her, or so I have overheard from her hushed whispers to Theo when she thinks I can’t hear her. She has met a lot of vampires, and yet, she cannot figure me out, or compare me to another, which only makes her think about it more. The fact that I am not normal. A normal vampire is power-hungry, cruel, cunning, always wanting to test the boundaries. They love the thrill of being the most powerful person in the room, but I feel like I’m the opposite.
Sighing, I massage my temples. I just want to be left alone. By every person. Anywhere. All the time.
I hate that I can’t sit in the living room in peace. I always lock myself away in my room, so I don’t know why I risked sitting out here.
‘He doesn’t want people to know he is different,’ Theo coos, pouting at me. His face may be playful, but those dark eyes are as sharp as blades. Constantly assessing me, evaluating my moods, studying me. ‘Or for me to meet his pretty little human friend he lends pens to.’
Groaning, I slam my notebook onto my lap, the distinct clap of the pages echoing around the room. ‘You are both annoying as fuck. I don’t want to go out tonight.’
‘You never want to go out,’ she huffs, turning her nose up at me. ‘I have never met a more boring vampire than you.’
I ignore her, like usual. It’s easy enough to do, and I admittedly garner a little amusement in the knowledge that it pisses her off.
‘Hush now,’ Theo says, moving behind her, planting a kiss on the side of her head. His hands curl around her hips possessively, dragging her close so that her back hits his chest. ‘He will grow bored of it and join us soon enough. You’ll see.’
Tossing my notes onto the cushions, I push to my feet. Making a beeline for the fridge, I pull out a blood bag and slam the door shut. My patience is wearing thin, and the hunger gnawing at me is intensifying with each passing moment.
‘Go on!’ Theo shouts at my back, as I make my way to the door. ‘Go for your moody boy walk. We’ll be out having fun, thinking of you!’
I stick up my middle finger in response.
Zooming through the trees, I place a healthy distance between myself and them. I land softly on a tree branch and sit down, dangling my legs off it. I rip open the blood bag, immediately intoxicated by the scent as I take a long sip. The hunger that has screamed at me all day finally eases and the tenseness in my muscles ebbs away.
Leaning my head back against the bark, I watch as the cars drive by below. Soft, murmuring voices, laughter, heavy footsteps. I listen to it all as I watch and drink, trying to keep calm and relaxed. I don’t know what it is about Theo that riles me up so much. Him and Lucy both do a good job of pissing me off. It’s like sport to them. But then, most things are.
A part of me wants to pack my things and move on. Somewhere where no one knows me. Where I can truly blend in – or at least try to. Theo would hate me for it, he thinks I owe him my life now that he has given me this curse. Gift, he calls it, which is exactly what my brother always says.
But I know he would come after me and drag my ass back here. He was clingy before and it’s even worse now. He is insistent I stay here. Honestly, I can’t for the life of me figure out why he is so fixated with the place. The world is his oyster, and he loves to proclaim that. Yet, he sticks to this small, little-heard-of part of the world. It makes no sense.
Exhaling heavily, I drain the bag, and close my eyes. A heart-shaped face and emerald eyes flash through my mind. I startle at the image of Raya. I open my eyes and blink, wondering where the hell that came from as I give myself a mental shake.
I’ve been lonely for a while, that much I know. It’s a hollow feeling that burns inside my chest. That must be it. It’s the first time I’ve interacted with a human for a while, outside of situations of needing to be fed. That’s all it is. I don’t care for her, or for anyone. It’s nothing.
Withdrawing my phone from my jacket pocket, I pull up the security cameras that are connected to an app I have installed. A breath of relief escapes me when I do a headcount of my family. They are living incognito. I need to protect them from him. Kian, my brother, who became a vampire. The worst human to have been given that kind of power. He is psychotic, off-the-rails, and has totally lost touch with reality. I’m positive he would slaughter them in spite of me. Compelling them into a new life was the only way they will remain safe. I like to check in on them most days, and I always feel relieved when I see them all come into view, going about their ordinary lives.
Kian and I have never gotten along. It started from the moment we were born, I’m sure of it. He hated that I existed, because in his eyes, I could do no wrong. I had the better grades, loyal friends, girls who threw themselves at me. He claims I had everything handed to me on a silver platter while he had to work hard for all that he has. Like I didn’t work hard to get good grades, or for anything else for that matter. At times, our family did treat me more favourably, but that was because he never did himself any favours. Narcissists only care about one thing.
Slowly, I make my way back to the house. It’s quiet. Theo and Lucy must have left already and knowing them, they won’t be back for hours.
Good.
Kicking off my shoes, I go to my room. After showering, I collapse onto the bed, finally able to breathe a little more freely now that I’m alone.
Lucy’s words whirl around inside my mind. I have never met a more boring vampire than you.
I know I’m different from most other vampires. Hell, I’ve never come across one like me. Sometimes I wonder if it was the severe depression I often dealt with as a human which was heightened when I turned, morphing me into this dull state of not quite vampire, but not human either. It’s a weird feeling. Not feeling anything. It’s like a part of my body is numb. Or maybe, I just hate what I am, and I’m lonely.
With a sigh, I close my eyes. Eventually I drift off.
Long, dark dreams invade my mind.