Cara
I WAS PRACTICALLY FLYING through the living room trying to tidy up the place. It was almost five o'clock. Ivan was going to be here in a few minutes. He had been coming over at exactly five o'clock for the past week and a half except for the weekend.
I always looked forward to his visits.
I don't know how I had managed to turn the living room upside. Gathering up my strength, I pushed the couch back to where it's supposed to be and dragged the table back to the middle of the room. It's a wonder how the house had become such a mess in the one hour I had been home from school.
Everything seemed fine now.
Just as the hour hand of my father's hideous grandfather clock (I hadn't yet found a way to get rid of it) struck five, there was a knock at the door. Straightening up, I made sure I looked fine and untied my hair and ran my fingers through it a little to forgive it a little bounce. I wanted to look good for Ivan.
I opened the door. There he was. I could not help but smile. It was as if a part of me had feared I would open the door and he would not be there, that he was indeed a phantom of my imagination.
A small smile tugged at his lips."Come in," I invited him inside, realising that we had just been standing there like idiots. I let him in and closed the door.
"Thank you,"he said. I took him to the living room. We usually hung out there or the kitchen. Never upstairs as per the 'no boys upstairs' rule.
"Ummh...so what do you wanna do?"I inquired, taking a seat next to him on the couch.
"Before anything, I have something for you..."
"What do you mean?"I asked.
"I mean I got you something,"he replied. He reached his hand into the pocket of his coat. He pulled out a small wooden box with a small crest carved into it.
There was a necklace inside. The necklace had a slightly large pendant. The pendant was circular with what looked like the head of a wolf at the centre and around the metallic centre was a circle of a glassy dark blue stone. And the circumference of the circle was full metal, the same as the chain. It looked like brass.
Ivan gently took the pendant necklace in his hands and stood. He approached me. I stood up.
"Do you like it?"
"It's beautiful...but I cannot accept it. It's too much..."
"It has been in my family for centuries. I want you to have it." Without waiting for me to say anything he brought it over my head and put it on me. He looked at it as it hung around my neck along with my mother's.
"I doubt anyone can wear it as well as you do, Malen'kiy"
***
"Let's go to the woods,"I said as we were in my plain backyard. It was like I had completely forgotten what happened the last time I was there.
I had convinced him that we should for once hang out outside rather than being cooped up inside like the elderly.
We had not lived there for long so the backyard had nothing at all, no grill, no tree , no swing set, just an empty grassy land where I planned to bury dad's grandfather clock.
"Don't you remember what happened last time you were in the woods? I told you never to go back there. You could get hurt or worse." His tone changed and his eyes darkened from the alluring grey I had grown accustomed to to a darker midnight grey, the blue specks disappearing. Oddly enough, I was not afraid.
He closed his eyes for a second, regaining his composure.
"Come on, Ivan. It's still light out." I crossed my arms over my chest in a more confrontational pose." If you think the woods are so dangerous then why were you there that night? Huh?" He was silent. I had him beat.
"All right then," he yielded. He stepped closer to me, I did not however step back." Understand this, Cara, you are not to ever step foot in that place without me....Do you understand?"I nodded. "Say it. I need to hear you say it."
"I understand...argh! So controlling,". Muttered the last part under my breath. But I didn't really care whether he'd heard it. It was true. He could be a little controlling. Had I not been wearing a sweater, I bet he would have had me put one on before we left.
I matched over to the gate feeling very pleased with myself for beating him and pushed it open.
***
The trees were as beautiful as ever in the dim light of the setting sun. The air was quiet save for the sound of rustling leaves under mine and Ivan's footsteps.
It was fairly bright but it got darker as you ventured deeper into the thick wood, however, I was not afraid. Ivan's presence alone made me feel safe. Ever since we met the air around him had created an ever-growing feeling of safety in me despite his cold aura.
These woods had a dangerous vibe that caused a shiver to rush up my spine but I found it too enchanting here to stay away, I went further and further inside.
"Have you always been this...adventurous- for lack of a better word- ?" Asked Ivan.
"Uh-huh...ever since I was young."I thought back to my younger years. Even when I was small my father had trouble keeping me still. He'd often turn to do one thing and on turning back poof! I was gone. Somehow that spirit of curiosity hadn't gone away as I grew up.
"Which was exactly how long ago?"
"What do you mean 'how long ago'?"
"The concept of youth and age is a little lost on me."
"How can the concept of age be lost on you?" He did not say anything." Well it depends. Youth is relative. When someone is let's say twenty-one, they are young compared to an eighty year old while when someone is eight they are young compared to a twenty-one year old. Get it?"
"I do. Now answer my question."
"I guess I was 'young' when I was still a small child like six years old maybe which was...twelve years ago. Since I'm eighteen." A look of surprise washed over his features -his oh-so handsome features. "You seem surprised?"
He stopped walking and so did I.
"No. You're just so young." Something flashed in his eyes but it went away as I began to speak.
"Is that a problem? I don't think it is, do you?"
"Not at all,Cara. Not at all. " And that was the end of the topic. We kept walking.
Ivan kept close.His gaze was sharp on me.
"Let's play a game,"I suggested trying to loosen him up a bit.
"What do you have in mind?" I could not help but grin mischievously as he spoke. Before he could say anything else I took to my heels.
"Cara! Stop!"
"You'll have to make me. Come on. Catch me."I shouted running faster . I slowed down my pace. He was tall and big, running was probably an issue for him.
He proved me very wrong. He was fast, his strides were large and quick. He was catching up fast.
It was like a hunt, I ;the gazelle, he ;the lion.
Like a wolf hunting its prey, he was tactful and keen not to lose me as I meandered between the trees. I sped up trying to increase the distance between us. He was catching up quickly.
I kept going. The trees started getting more spaced and the forest floor was now covered with purple wildflowers. I had never seen this part of the woods, not even on the night I got lost. Clearly, I was very far from home.
Looking around, I could not see Ivan. It was silent as a graveyard. I could hear my own breaths. I heard a twig break and immediately turned to the direction the sound came from.
"I-Ivan." I called for him then repeated it louder, "Ivan."
God, what if I lost him.
It's his property. He must know it inside out.
Everywhere looked the same. Great, I'm lost...again.
I searched in every direction.
I felt like I was being watched. Studies show that when you feel like you are being watched, you probably are.
Hot breath fanned my neck. Something was behind me, I knew it. But when I turned nothing was there. Turning back, I jumped in shock to see Ivan.
Before my brain could process my next thought, I was on the grass with him hovering over me. I could have sworn I heard him growl. He had me pinned down the same way a lion pins down a gazelle before it devours it mercilessly.
His eyes had darkened again. I dismissed it. I was used to it now. It actually amazed me.
"Alright, you caught me,"I breathe out. "You're better at this game than I thought." I laughed.
He shut his eyes and when he opened them they had gone back to their usual mystery-filled steely grey.
"If that was a game then it looks like I would win." He leaned in a bit. His nearness, the heat around him. It was all so new...but it felt right. It was as if my body was made to be next to his.
And before I could even begin to think again, his lips were on mine.
Xolem Ignim - The fire of the sun.Locum Sacrum - Sacred place.The Old Language is very close to Latin and is actually one of the sources of some Latin words, in the book that is. JasperIvan twisted around. He was fast and graceful both at the same time. Surprise flickered across the young warrior's face as the Alpha's foot connected with his face.I winced at the sound.That must have really hurt.The 'warrior' should have known better than to challenge a beast like Ivan.The impact of the kick sent the young one staggering into a tree. At what point had they left the centre of the field? That's what happens when you try to fight Ivan, at some point you think you're here only to find that you are elsewhere.Lucky enough for the boy, Ivan did not maim him. Usually those who spar with the beast were left in a bad state, taking long to heal. That's how Volk fights, hard, tirelessly and mercilessly. There was no beast as strong as Volk. Thankfully for the rest of us, they had all...die
CaraI boredly tapped my pen against my notebook waiting for the history teacher to arrive. His arrival did not matter. My mind was not there anyway. Yep, Cara's presence in the classroom was merely physical. Her mind was very far away.My thoughts were consumed by what happened just the day before, less than twenty four hours before. The woods. The chase...The kiss.It had happened as suddenly as death. Suddenly his lips were mine and mine were on his. Suddenly he was pressed against me, every inch of my body against his and it felt good.I remembered the warmth of his body, the gentleness of his lips and his hold on me. He had wrapped his arms around my back and pulled me up so that I settled on his thighs as he was in a kneeling position.It had been so spontaneous...so unexpected. That may have been what made it so passionate. It caused me to realise just how much I wanted him, how much I needed him. Because at that moment I didn't want him to ever let me go."Earth to Matthews...
Cara"Thanks for driving me. I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't shown up," I said gratefully. Connor had come to the rescue. When my car broke down I had expected that I would be stuck at school for hours, until my dad picked me up.Thankfully, Connor showed up, accessed the problem with my car and offered me a ride home. I obviously accepted seeing as I had no other option plus he was my neighbour which meant no inconvenience on his part.He averted his eyes from the road and asked me how I was."I am fine. What about you?" It was a bit difficult having a conversation with Connor. I didn't know him much, we barely even spoke. In spite of him being my neighbour and classmate, we lived two completely different lives."Things are...fine," he responded. There was hesitance in his tone but I ignored it. It was not any of my business. I just hoped he'd be alright. "Anyway...I hope you are going for the trip...you know, the one to Rome."The trip. There was a history trip my
CaraNot even the loud sound of the knife hitting against the chopping block could faze me as my mind focussed on one thought alone. Why did Ivan just leave like that?"Careful with that, sweetheart , "warned Dad, staring at the way my hands were speedily chopping the carrots." Show a little mercy on those carrots, this is not the French Revolution .""Haha. Kevin Hart, everybody," I mocked but the joke was on me because he then went on and on about his college days and how he had done a bit of stand up comedy."They had stand up in the sixteen hundreds?" I asked. Of course my father was not that old, no one is, I only liked to make jokes about how aged he was. The jokes did not matter to him, in his opinion he aged like fine wine.My fun with Dad had not ; however, gotten my head off my worries. I had many, one of which was my car but the one that I was thinking about at the moment was Ivan's leaving.He had been angry before he left. He was angry at Connor and for reasons I did not
CaraUndecided, I stared at the envelope in my hand. I had been putting this off for over a week and this was the last chance I would get to read it for the next week. As much as I had wanted to know more about my mom and why she left, now that I had the chance, I was hesitant.If I did -eventually- open the letter, the world where it was just me and my dad and my mom had fallen off the face of the earth would collapse and another world would appear. In this second world my mother would possibly be the bad guy.I had been ignoring this for years and now it was time for me to know the truth but I was afraid of it.Now the truth was in my hands...Was I ready for the truth?Not yet! It can wait...some more.I'll read it when I get back. I convinced myself to let it wait another week. I had waited a decade, what was one more week?Sighing, I threw it on my desk then decided it was too out-in-the-open so I put it back inside the top drawer.Thanks to the school's Student Abroad Travel Prog
CaraI tried to convince myself that he had attended some sort of weird costume party the previous night and the fake fangs had refused to come off but the look in his eyes told me otherwise.His eyes were crimson and dark. I felt almost hypnotised as I stared into crimson orbs. It was as if they were drawing me in like a moth to fire but I knew what was what, this fire burned."Your eyes...your fangs? What are you?""You mean you don't know? I thought you knew, I mean the necklace... " I did not understand what he was saying." I am a vampire...vampyre...whatever you like to call it.”It struck me like a slap in the face, "vam…" I dared not speak that last part for once it was spoken it could not be unspoken and it thus was made the reality."Come on say it, let's have our Twilight moment," he joked letting out a sadistic laugh. However, I was not laughing, not one bit. "I am a vampire. A blood-sucking, titty-loving vampire."My feet were glued in place but I tried and succeeded in br
JasperThe blood was everywhere. It littered the entire hallway, from one end to another. There were even splashes of it on the goddam ceiling, the fucking ceiling. He had made quite a mess. Some of the locker doors were broken and one of the drinking fountains had been disconnected from the wall.I would have applauded if not for the fact that this was a school with children, human children.Slowly, I approached Ivanov. He was knelt on the floor by the dead body...whatever was left of it anyway. The stench of death filled the room but there was something else. There was a taint on the blood, a tincture of sin, though well hidden, it was still there.A vampire, I concluded mentally.I didn't think a vampire could have so much blood. This one was...well fed. By the stench of it, it fed on young blood, fresh too. This was no clan vampire.I heard footsteps approaching. Without bothering to turn my head I knew who it was. The Sallow boy quickly moved towards me -well, as quickly as he co
CaraThe bell gave a small ring as I pushed the glass door open. The place hadn't changed a bit, the same earthy smell -which was probably marijuana- , the same clutter, the same dim light illuminating the same smoky atmosphere. Kogo's shop was exactly the same as the first time I had visited, nothing was out of place.I could have sworn that that was the same glass of water I had seen during my last visit sitting at the table by the candles."Is she expecting us?"I asked Alice. My question was quickly answered but not by her."I am," the voice came from the top of the spiral staircase. There at the top of the metal flight of stairs stood Kogo. In her hand she balanced a tall stack of old looking books.She climbed down, enthusiasm in her voice as she spoke ," I have been expecting you, Cara. When you stepped out of my shop I knew our paths would cross again. You have questions. I know this time you will be more open minded."She was right, I had questions, many of them. When Alice co