Four
I NEVER FELT SUCH EMOTION RUSH over me. This place felt strange but also gave me a sense of belonging. Everything was just so confusing. What waited for me inside this room before me? What answers would I find? Sitting outside another door, in a glass hall (yes, glass), I could see the fish swimming below my feet, and there were white lilies in vases all around. It was my favorite flower, the same I had had at my engagement party.
I wondered what was so important about this woman I had met so briefly the night before. What could she possibly tell me? My thoughts were interrupted by Beth. She was shorter than the other women in the … well, I didn’t know what this place was, but she was gawky and her crazy, untamable, curly, auburn hair was pulled away from her face. She looked at me with a cold stare. Whatever I had done to her that made her stare at me like that was beyond me. I just glared back at her.
"Mrs. Bazile is ready now. This way."
I stood up and walked through the open door she held for me. Her icy grey eyes lingered on me a bit longer than I felt comfortable with.
The room was lit dully, the windows that showed the real outside had a UV ray resistant glass. Or at least it appeared that way. I almost wanted to go to the window and feel the warmth on my face and see the outside.
The floor in this room also was glass with swimming fish. It was quite beautiful. White sofas and lounge chairs were scattered over the room in clusters. Flowers were painted on the walls, lilies to be exact, and there was a large desk off to the side. The woman I noticed was putting her book down on her desk as I entered. Standing, she gracefully walked towards me.
"Aimee." She placed a shaky hand on my shoulder. It took every ounce not to brush her hand off; my pulse was racing. Her hands were pale white, her hazel eyes soft and confident, her greying hair in an intricate braid.
"Please come and sit with me."
Moving toward the couch, taking a seat close to her, I felt comfortable. I couldn’t explain why. I wasn't as afraid of Rosemarie as I thought I would be.
She was watching me. "I know you have many questions to ask me, Aimee, about who we are and why you’re here. But, I must know first, what is the oldest memory you have that you can think of?"
She studied me for a moment longer and I turned my head to stare at the wall. Why did these people always ask me that question? I wanted to tell her to leave me alone, but she hadn’t shown me any reason to be rude.
Thinking about it, I wondered, what did I actually remember?
"Well, I remember waking up in a room; it was the hospital. A woman told me they didn't know who I was. They just knew my name, because the bracelet I wore had my name engraved on it. She said I had serious head trauma from an accident. My mother had died in the crash. I didn't stay there long."
I had met Derek soon after Elizabeth took me in. Rosemarie’s hands lay gracefully in her lap. She nodded to herself; I guessed at something she was thinking.
“Do you know where you are now, as we speak?” she asked.
“I don’t,” I said, wondering if she would actually tell me.
“Good. Unfortunately, we cannot tell you this location. The things that have happened to this community—I can’t risk it.”
I didn’t know what she was talking about; I sat quietly trying to be respectful, even though I was surging with anger and confusion that was boiling my inner core. I didn’t want to unleash the angry Aimee, even though I had every right to be mad.
“I tell you this for your protection and the protection of the community.”
“What happened to this community?” I asked.
“A long while ago, this community was broken into by a race that threatens our very existence, in order to ensure the survival of their race. By the time I realized that the community had been breached, my daughter was gone. Everyone else was otherwise unharmed and all were accounted for. They came, just for her. It was planned, and I don’t know how they were able to get in undetected."
She spoke with such sadness. Her eyes looked past me.
I felt my arm hairs prickle up; that seemed to happen a lot being around these people. "What does this have to do with me?” I asked. My voice was raspy.
“It has everything to do with you....” Rosemarie’s eyes rested on me. “I wish there were an easier way to tell you this, Aimee, after everything you have been through over the last six years. I can’t even imagine, but I cannot put it off. I must tell you.” Rosemarie paused a moment. “You’re my daughter.” Her voice was strong, yet had a gentle demeanor.
Shock, anger, and confusion, washed over me, but mostly shock. This couldn’t be the truth; wouldn’t I feel a connection to my so-called mother? During the last six years I had tried to deal with the fact that my mother was dead and that Derek’s family was my family, maybe because he had been telling me that since I met him. Why, Lord? Looking back into the eyes of my “mother,” I inhaled deeply.
“I’m from Florida! My mother is dead! None of this makes any sense," I said, trying to reassure myself.
“For six years, yes, I suppose you spent those days in Florida. It was a lie they told you. I’m your mother. For the earlier years of your life, you spent your days here with me and with your father. That was up until the Rogues captured you. I’m amazed you did not turn—grateful, actually. Do you know who the Rogues are? The ones who took you, by any chance?"
“I don't have any idea what you are talking about! Rogues? Turned into what? And how would I end up in Florida?" My voice went up an octave and my collected self began to unravel.
"I’m not sure how you ended in up in Florida. I assume the Rogues lost you along the way; to start the turning process they erase the memory of your previous life, so you can start new with their twisted ideas. That’s what they did to you. You weren’t in an accident. Rogues are what we call wild werewolves. They are cruel, killing out of lust to take lives!"
Werewolves? Was this woman on crack? There is no such thing. I was sure my face showed my exact feeling, as it always does Suddenly, like a light bulb, I understood—blood, pale skin, all of them having the same grey eyes. Of course, all the signs were right in front of me; I knew what these people were. If I asked, though, would she tell me? I wondered. Did I want to know? Could I believe it? I was grasping the cushion that I placed in my lap. I wanted to scream; I was terrified beyond comprehension.
"What are you exactly?" I asked. I needed to hear it. I needed to make sure I wasn’t going crazy, not that I could believe this nonsense anyway.
“I think you already know ... I can see it on your face," she said, smiling.
Could I say what I was thinking without screaming? If she was my mother, how come I wasn't one of them? How did everything get so twisted in two days? I was really reconsidering my jumping off the yacht now, but which was worse, a murdering fiancé or these creatures? The word was at the tip of my tongue.
"Vampires." The word came out of my lips softly and had a sour taste. I think sickness had truly come over me. Feeling a bit woozy, I glanced at the ground. Then I looked into her face.
Rose’s face wasn’t shocked. Instead, she sat there, peaceful, while I wanted to get as far away from this place as I could.
"Yes, the new age likes to think of us as the keepers of night. But, more or less, we are vampires."
My mouth hung open and I pointed a finger at my so called vampire mother. “If I am your daughter, why am I not one of you, then?"
“We never awakened you. We were born with the genes of our ancestors. We were raised in communities, like this one, with the already awakened vampires. When we mature to a certain age, we make the choice to be awakened as a vampire, or we can stay as we are. Humans cannot be awakened unless they possess the genes of vampires. In the communities, it is unlikely to meet a human, since we are all vampires here."
“Are you immortal?" I asked, still not believing what she was explaining.
“We do live longer than humans; we age
more slowly, but eventually we die of old age. We are mortal. Just with a few more perks. We aren’t easily killed."
My brain became overloaded. I couldn’t process what Rosemarie was telling me; I didn’t want to. Everything that I believed conflicted with what she was telling me. Alec and Iva, both were vampires. Luckily, in some twisted way, I wasn’t. My so-called vampire mother was watching me; most likely she was waiting to see if I would combust, which wouldn’t be a bad thing at this point. It would save me from this nightmare. I was on the brink of jumping out of my seat.
“Why are you telling me this? Why couldn’t you let me be?” I asked.
“Because I’m not one for waiting long. Six years is a long time to be away from your daughter, Aimee, too long. You needed to know the truth no matter what state your mind is currently in. Everything you were told was a lie.”
“I don’t know if I believe it, any of it! I never even met these so-called Rogues. I don’t even know what one would look like.” Had Derek lied to me all these years? Did he let me believe I was alone and needed his family? The room became blurry; everything around me felt as though it were speeding up. My breath was uneven; the fire in my chest was heating up. That’s one thing that had never changed, the burning flame, which I always felt in me, warming my fingers.
"Rogues, or if you prefer the term werewolf, look like normal people. When they change form, that’s when you know their true identity. That, and their eyes, they change color.” She touched my hand; I lifted my eyes to her. “I know this is a lot of information to digest. It must be scary and you must think of me as a monster. I won’t harm you. And you have choices to make. I hope you stay. I have missed you so.”
I was skeptical still. I couldn’t believe the things I was being told, or maybe I just didn’t want to believe them. It was utterly ridiculous. I wasn’t even sure if I was mad still or just numb.
"I do believe things happen for a reason, which is why I think you’re back. It's been six years since I saw you last. I hope I don’t lose you again."
The door opened and the mass of curly, auburn tied-back hair stood quietly at the door. Rosemarie acknowledged Beth was back in the room and nodded at her.
“Your highness, the council has arrived from Spain," Beth said.
Highness? Was she royalty? Am I royalty?
Rosemarie stood, glancing down at me. "We shall speak again soon. Beth will show you the way back to Alec."
I nodded to her. Rising from the couch gave me a feeling of floating. My mind was spinning as I began to leave. I was almost at the door.
"Aimee?" Rosemarie said.
"Yes?" I said as I turned toward her.
“I am truly happy you are back home." With that said, Beth led me back to the entrance. I could see Alec standing, still waiting for my return.
I kept my eyes down as I approached him. How could this be real? Why couldn’t I be ignorant to all this? What’s worse was that my life for the last six years could have been a lie. Surely Derek didn’t know any of this. And what about Elizabeth? I wanted to drown out these emotions. I didn’t know if I wanted to cry or scream in rage. Maybe both. I nearly forgot Alec was standing next to me. I turned my unfocused gaze toward him.
"Aimee?"
I wasn’t sure what I looked like to him at that moment. I could only imagine my shocked face was most likely green.
"Aimee, are you all right? Do you need to lie down?" Alec asked as he touched my shoulder. I jumped slightly from the touch. He was after all, a vampire. That is, if Rosemarie was telling me the truth.
"I’m not sure, Alec.”
He gasped when I spoke his name for the first time aloud. I looked at him, puzzled, as I continued to speak. "I don't know where I belong or if this is just a bad dream and I can't wake up. All I know is two days ago my life was planned out for me. I thought I knew everything only to find out now that my mother isn’t dead. Instead, she is a vampire, and I could be one as well. What exactly am I?" I said, still unsure I believed these shenanigans.
“Before you awaken, you are called a Yurnling. Meaning, as children we yearn to be vampires. The age of Awakening is 18. It’s part of the graduation ceremony," Alec said. I still was caught up with his Italian accent. He could be cursing at me and I still would’ve listened to him speak. I shook my head as if I could clear everything out of it.
"Oh. Well, what am I supposed to do now? Why didn't you just let Derek's family find me?"
"You don't have to do anything at the moment. Your mind has been through a lot, and you need to rest.” Pausing, he tried to either steady me or comfort me. “As for leaving you to Derek, I couldn’t do that. Knowing who you truly are, I couldn’t walk away from you.”
Alec’s eyes were full of such warmth as his eyes bore deep into mine; I couldn’t help but smile.
Changing the subject, my mind was running a million miles an hour, and I thought of how food was beyond me. Actually, it wasn’t so far out of my mind, because I loved food.
“Do you eat food?" It was a question that didn’t surprise him; it was also a concern I felt. I was horrified, and yet, here I stood, talking to a vampire.
"I can eat food, but I survive off blood. Most of the people here have never seen a real human; all they know is this...." He pointed around the court. “We have a blood bank.”
“Blood bank? And who exactly donates?” I asked.
Alec smiled, trying to conceal his laughter. “We have fake blood mobiles that go around, quite a few, actually.”
“And who are the drivers? Vampires?”
“Not vampires, werewolves,” Alec said.
“Right, werewolves. That makes total sense. I’m assuming they’re the good werewolves?” I asked sarcastically. “And people just donate blood?”
He cocked his head to the side as he took hold of my face, which sent chills through my body. I could have sworn my heart skipped a beat. Every fiber of my being told me to be afraid, to panic, run away. Yet I trusted him. He hadn’t harmed me. Everything I learned was unreal, but my body wanted to know the truth.
“Yes, the humans donate.”
“And the werewolves?” I asked.
“Yes, the good ones,” Alec said giving me a crooked smile.
"Were we friends before I got kidnapped?" I asked, still not one hundred percent believing the story. However, I was intrigued with what Alec’s role was in everything.
"Yes. You could say that," He smiled, but the smile quickly faded. “You and Iva used to be very close."
That thought wasn’t so farfetched. There was something about her that I felt so connected to even though she was a bit uptight. She and Krissy seemed a lot alike. That thought made me really sad. My mood quickly became dark.
"I wish I could remember something, anything." I said.
"For now, I think you should rest; I will get you for dinner later."
Could I really eat with all these feelings and emotions flowing through me? Thinking hard about it, the answer was yes. Food and I were pretty close. That was a surprise to most considering my figure never changed. It was always toned.
"What do I wear?"
"Anything," Alec said, not taking his eyes off me; we made our way to my room in silence.
Everything was a blur to me; I couldn’t focus on anything in particular. I wished I couldn’t feel anything at all. I was so confused with the overload of information I received. Before I knew it, we were standing in front of my door. Alec motioned to leave, but I saw him hesitate.
“Will you be okay if I leave for a while?” he asked, as his fingers lightly caressed a wild strand of hair and tucked it behind my ear a little uneasily; his hand was shaking. My heart nearly jumped out of my chest. His fingers were so close to my face. He was, after all, a vampire, yet deep down I knew I could trust him. My attraction to Alec seemed to grow.
"As well as I can be.” I said.
He turned on his heels gracefully with
one last smoldering look.
“Wait, I have one more question."
Glancing over his shoulder, he said, "Yes, Aimee?"
"Can you go out into the sunlight?" It was a dumb question, but I was known for not thinking before I spoke.
His smile grew, showing me his teeth for the first time. And there they were. Fangs. They weren’t as scary as I’d imagined, though.
"Can’t you tell by our tans?"
"Tans? You’re pale." Realization dawned on me. Duh. "So that’s a no."
"It’s a no." Amused once more on my behalf, Alec reached out, almost brushing his fingers against my cheek. He stopped abruptly, pulling back. My body, standing so close to him, became alive. I wanted him to touch me. I braced myself, but the touch never happened. I felt a little disappointed, and my breathing faltered.
"See you soon," was all he said, and he was gone.