Resurrected (18 page)

Closing
the door behind her, she looked around her room, feeling as though
it had been years since she had been there. Nothing had been
touched. Bottles of perfume, creams and body powders cluttered the
top of her dresser and the door to the
armoire
was
still slightly open. The dark red velvet curtains were still drawn
and the sunlight that beat against them lightened the fabric. The
same Victorian floral patterned wallpaper covered the walls. The
sense of familiarity set Mylana at ease.

Dressing
for sleep she slipped the black ankle-length nightgown over her
head. The sensation from the slippery cool silk felt like a dozen
caressing vampiric fingers. A smile crossed her face as she thought
this. But too soon her grin faded. Climbing into bed and slipping
under the sheets, her thoughts turned to a sense of
curiosity.
Who was this
Malachi
?
Vampire
or human
? Mylana had forgotten about
Elijah’s phone conversation with Eme until that moment. Once the
heaviness of sleep started to numb her mind and body, she was no
longer able to fight against the oblivion of
slumber.

♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Staring at the ceiling,
Elijah lay in bed, pondering what the night would bring. Still
dressed in the same clothes from the night before, he finally sat
up. Unable to lie there any longer, he wouldn’t let his thoughts
corrupt him further. Slipping on his shoes, he ran his hands
through his hair and exited the room without his nightly ritual of
opening the curtains to see what the night was like.

The hall was eerily quiet
as Elijah passed by Mylana’s room, then Deirdra’s, listening for
any form of activity, but all was silent. Rounding the corner to
enter the library Elijah found Mylana and Deirdra sitting at the
oversized oval table, facing each other. Mylana’s face was sullen
and serious, while Deirdra’s had an odd expression of malicious
delight.

“Hello lover,” Deirdra
said, her voice tainted with cynicism. Mylana turned to watch as
Elijah walked into the library stopping at the opposite end of the
table from the two women. With his hands grasped firmly to the back
of the chair, he looked between the two.

“Why, don’t you two look
cozy? What are you discussing this eve, or do I even dare ask?”
Elijah asked.

“I have just been telling
Mylana Adam’s plans. You see, as he has probably told you already,
he does not like the choices certain vampires have made in sharing
their immortality. He finds most vampires unworthy of it, unworthy
of being part of his lineage. He needs to know if you are willing
to begin a new family tree, those who walk the night and those who
walk during the day.” Deirdra paused as she saw the confusion in
Elijah’s eyes. A smug grin crossed her face.

“You see,
Adam is able to walk in the sunlight, not like you and I. So,
those
he
chooses
for immortality will be granted the same luxuries. He is our King,
our Lord, and our true master. Those who are unwilling to join and
reign with us are choosing death. Together, our new family will
grow and become powerful in the mortal realm, making humans our
toys, our slaves. We will rule within their high society with
regality, taking positions within their law enforcement and
judicial systems, within their government, healthcare, media… We
will have the ultimate power and placement within their society.
Our existence amongst mortals will never be known, mind
you.”

Elijah
pondered on what Deirdra said about those that walk the night and
the possibility of those that can walk during the day. Realizing
that all those who exist–unknown to him and to his known group of
kindred vampires–they were more so of his lineage than of Adam’s.
For Adam gave them, the first three, only the thirst for human
blood, preternatural strength and immortality. Elijah, Eme and
Ezra,
they
were
the ones that handed down the traits that set them far apart from
Adam. Nonetheless, the idea of having more blood thirsty vampires
that could walk in both daylight and nighttime made him feel
unsettled and apprehensive. He suddenly felt that their existence
was this way for a reason–it was a form of destiny meant for their
race.

“There is nothing wrong
with the way things are now. No one knows about our existence and
what you speak of is only a desire for unnecessary power and
greed,” Mylana blurted out before Deirdra could say anymore. Having
heard Adam’s plan spilling forth from her lips angered Mylana.
Pushing the chair back, Mylana rose to her feet. Elijah was
impressed by the show of strength.

“And if I have to kill Adam
to get you back, I will do so with my bare hands. He has no right
to ruin the lives of countless vampires just because he’s acting
like a spoiled brat!” Mylana declared, her voice resounding
throughout the library. Instantly Deirdra was on her feet, the
chair she had been sitting on was knocked to the floor. Pouncing
onto the table, she cried out profanities. With a swift kick,
Deirdra’s foot connected with Mylana’s chin which sent her flying
against the wall and crashing through the old plaster.

Blood trickled from
Mylana’s nose as she lay motionless, in shock. In a daze she saw
from her peripheral, Deirdra jumping off the table. Mylana
scrambled to get to her feet.

Elijah bellowed out
Deirdra’s name, hoping it would wake her from her insanity.
However, she only gave him a quick glare before in a blur she
forced Mylana back down and tore at her flesh with her fangs.
Mylana cried out in panic, the unusual strength that Deirdra
possessed was something Mylana could not contend with.

“No!” Elijah yelled and
went flying at Deirdra, pulling her off Mylana. Deirdra’s fierce
eyes glowed as Mylana’s blood stained her face. She stood there
motionless. Her eyes locked with his, his anger ready to match
hers.

“Despite
my love and devotion to you, do not mistake my alliance. I
will
kill you–for you are
no longer the Deirdra I met and came to love over a century and a
half ago!” Long moments passed before Deirdra’s face expressed her
realization that Elijah meant what he declared. He truly would kill
her.

With ease, she jumped over
the table. Elijah knew she was fleeing. Standing his ground,
unwavering, he waited for her to exit the library before he would
go to Mylana. Hearing the main door slam shut he was instantly by
her side. With Elijah’s help Mylana stood and leaned against an
undamaged part of the wall. The wound had already begun to heal but
Elijah knew the emotional wound would leave a scar.

“She was so strong!” Mylana
was visibly shaken and she began to weep.

“We will find a way,
Mylana. We will get her back,” Elijah said, his voice almost a
whisper.

“You cannot promise that,”
Mylana said, leaning her forehead against his shoulder. “She may
never be the same again…

Chapter 15

(Stone - December 21,
1999)

“See that
one over there?” Brian began, “she looks like a loner. In fact, her
soul says so! I like to take ones made crazy by their own grief and
angst. They taste bittersweet…” Brian rambled on some more but
Stone’s mind wandered. Ignoring him, all Stone could focus on was
the girl on the dance floor that Brian had pointed out. Her
shoulder length jet-black hair swayed as she swayed. The sexuality
that exuded from her was years beyond what she should know. Marilyn
Manson’s version of
Tainted Love
screamed from the massive speakers, seducing her
to gyrate her small hips to the music. In his mortal life, Stone
would never have watched this fourteen-year-old as he was now with
such desire. Her blood is what enticed him now. As a mortal he
would have spotted her for her cherubic beauty and walk away. But
he couldn’t walk away now; he had to have her and at any
cost.

Feeling a cold stare on his
back, Stone turned around to look at Brian.

“Well?
Are you going to take her or are you just going to gape at her all
night and torture yourself some more?” Brian asked, giving him the
proverbial shove he needed. This was the first night Stone woke as
a vampire, his metamorphosis was complete. His fangs were now fully
present and the hunger was much more intense. Like a marionette
directed by invisible ropes, Stone made his way over to this young
girl and pressed his cool body against hers. Turning around, the
girl looked up at him, her face clearly showing her fear. Her
thoughts howled within his head:
Don’t
touch me! Why are you touching me?
Stone
backed off a step and looked into her gray-blue eyes. Her black
eye-liner and shimmering charcoal eye shadow made her pale skin
appear white. Her eyes not only showed Stone her fear, but he saw
her sorrow, apathy and lack of self-worth. Part of Stone felt sorry
for her, but the greater part of him thought,
this’ll be easy.

“What’ll be easy?” she
asked, her voice almost drowned out by the music. Her fear was now
replaced with confusion and she felt oddly enchanted by him. Her
question threw Stone for a moment before he realized that he had
sent his thoughts to her. A smile crossed his face as he remembered
how he had hated when Mylana would read his mind and talk to him
silently.

“Nothing,” he began, “my
name is Stone.”

“Alyssa,”
she said, a soft smile graced her lips and a slight blush
coloured
her cheeks.

“Would
you like a drink?” Stone asked. As he did, a voice echoed in his
head.
Don’t dilly-dally… take her!
Brian stood fifteen feet away from the dance
floor. Stone’s eyes shifted from the girl to Brian and gave him a
scornful look. Returning his attention to the girl, he caught her
scanning the room, attempting to find who he had given the dirty
look to. However, the still silhouette of Brian had fled to a
different part of the warehouse-like room.

This
place was a teen sanctuary. Glow in the dark stars speckled the
black ceiling and the walls were painted bright
colours. Various
posters from movies and bands covered the walls.
The warehouse had many separate rooms divided by glass-block walls.
A large dance floor was the center focus and the kids could dance,
just talk and sip on pop or play foosball and
pool.

Returning her interest to
Stone, she gave him a playful grin. Turning abruptly on her heels,
she headed to the nearest exit. Stone knew she wanted him to follow
her and he had no issues with doing so. Before he knew it, they
were standing outside the warehouse in the small gap between the
two buildings. The scent of her sweat, perfume and blood teased and
taunted him cruelly, pulling his desires this way and that.
Distracted by his desires, Stone was unaware that she had stopped
and bumped into her.

“Hey!” A cute playful smile
graced her features.

“Why are we out here?”
Stone asked. Now alone with her, it was becoming more difficult to
keep his bloodlust under control as his growing desire pounded in
his chest. Saying nothing, Alyssa pulled out a pack of smokes and
slid out a pre-rolled joint.

“Ah, I see…” All of a
sudden a look of fear covered her face.

“You’re not a cop, are
you?”

“No,” Stone shook his head
and grinned.

“Good!” She put the joint
in her mouth, returned the smokes then lit it. Taking in a long
drag, she held it for a good while before exhaling and offering it
to Stone.

“No thanks.” For a moment
she looked somewhat hurt but quickly recovered shrugging her
shoulders.

“More for me then.” She
paused for a moment as she eyed up Stone. “You know, I usually
don’t do this with strangers, but you’re cute and I needed to take
the edge off, you know?”

Stone
nodded, watching as the drugs began to take effect on her. As the
smoke shrunk with the passage of time, it became more difficult to
keep his patience and self-control in check. Her heartbeat seemed
to ring in his ears, her pulse a secret language telling
him,
now
! As she
rambled on and her actions turned more sexual, Stone took her cue
and leaned in closer.

“You
know, you have something that would take
my
edge off,” Stone whispered,
grazing his lips against her earlobe. He could feel her shiver at
his touch. Flicking the last bit of the joint away, she pulled back
and locked her gaze with Stone’s.

“Oh, really?” Her voice was
low. Stone could sense her apprehension and excitement entwined.
Placing his hands on her shoulders he pressed her against the
wall.

“I can’t promise it won’t
hurt… but it will be an experience that will surpass any drug.”
Stone said as he leaned in. He brushed his lips against hers and
then grazed them past her jaw line and down, finding the pulsating
jugular. His grip on her shoulders firmed, pressing her securely
against the wall. With pure delight he let his fangs penetrate her
flesh. Instantly her warm blood filled his mouth and they moaned as
one. In an instant, Stone was lost in bliss. He had never known
such ecstasy, such exhilaration. Drinking his fill like a glutton,
he lost track of any heartbeat and the sweet taste of Alyssa’s
blood began to turn bitter.