9
“Well, good morning sleeping beauty. I didn’t expect to see you this early” Mum laughed as I stumbled into the kitchen.
I checked my watch “Its eleven thirty.”
“It’s still early for you on a Saturday morning.”
“Well, I didn’t want to waste the entire day sleeping and hung over” I mocked with my hands across my chest, doing my best impression of Mum.
“No hangover this morning?” she laughed.
I held my hands to my temples “Manageable.”
“What are your plans for today?’
“I don’t know. What about you?”
“I’m on night shift tonight, so I will be the one sleeping the afternoon away.”
The sound of a car pulling into the driveway made me wake from my almost slumber, as I lazed on the lounge and watched the ending of an epic mid afternoon movie on television. My heart skipped a beat as I peered through the lounge room window and saw a familiar black Masarati. I ran my fingers quickly through my tangled hair as I skipped to the front door. Vaughan stood in the doorway; the pale glow of the porch light behind gave him an ethereal beauty and made him look like an angel. I smiled trying to hide my excitement “Hi.”
He smiled and he looked even more beautiful, my knees buckled slightly “I hope you don’t mind me coming here unannounced.”
“That’s ok” I gushed and stood aside “Come in.”
“Thank you” he replied as he stepped through the front door.
“I hope I didn’t get you into too much trouble last night with Ivan.”
“Ivan will come around. He understands better than anyone my point of view.”
“You’ve known Ivan a long time?” I asked as we sat on the lounge.
Vaughan laughed to himself “Too long. Pretty much my whole existence.”
“Whole existence” I murmured to myself. “How long have you been” I stumbled over the question “I mean, how long has that been?” the words seemed to get stuck in my throat.
Vaughan seemed amused by my awkwardness “65 years.”
I repeated the words softly to myself and Vaughan took in my expression “Are you ok?” he asked after a few moments.
I nodded trying to convince myself.
“You have other questions you want to ask?” he guessed, tilting his head to the side as he looked at me. His eyes were soft and gentle.
“Oh, only about a million of them, but I won’t ask them yet.”
He ran his hand slowly through my hair and I closed my eyes, savoring the feel of his touch and the gentle pull on my scalp. “Don’t be afraid to ask me anything.” His voice was so smooth and comforting; I could easily fall asleep listening to him speak.
“I’m not afraid. I’m just not sure if I want to know all the answers just yet.”
He nodded his head in understanding “I don’t want to expose my world to you if you’re not ready Nicola. We’re both taking a massive risk and I won’t rush you.”
I looked into his deep eyes “This is new for me, dating a… vampire.” My voice faltered on the last word.
“Well, it’s a new experience for us both then. I’ve never dated a human before.”
“Never?”
“Not like this.” He gestured to himself and laughed.
“You haven’t dated in 65 years?”
He smiled cockily “I didn’t say I hadn’t dated, just not a human.”
My face flushed with a mixture of embarrassment and excitement. Vaughan’s hand traced slowly down my arm, his attention was drawn to the scar on my arm. His cool fingers brushed across the angry looking red mark on the inside of my right elbow. A feeling of ice shot through my veins and I drew my arm back protectively.
“Did I hurt you?” he asked, fear in his voice.
“No, you didn’t hurt me, but my scar felt ice cold when you touched it.”
His eyes darkened “How did it happen?” his voice had a sharp edge to it.
I shook my head “I can’t remember. I think I fell on a glass and cut my arm.”
“Are you sure it was glass?”
“Mum stitched it up. She told me there was a piece of glass in my arm.”
He thought through what I had said “Why don’t you remember what happened?”
“I was drunk!” I was starting to resent the way he seemed to be interrogating me and I held my hand over the scar.
He smiled trying to calm me, but it didn’t touch his eyes “How long ago did it happen?”
“A few months. Why?”
“Before the bar was open?”
“Why?” I repeated, more firmly this time.
“No reason, just curious” he tried to make his voice light and conversational, but I could tell there was more too it, more he wasn’t going to let on. Vaughan checked his watch and seemed to concede defeat “I should go” he said as he stood to leave.
“Why the curiosity with my scar?” I asked standing.
He shook his head and didn’t answer, his face was hard. Vaughan leaned forward and kissed me on the cheek “I will see you tomorrow” his voice was a whisper as he left.
The following evening there was a knock at the door, as I rounded the hallway I could hear mum speaking to someone “Yes, I’ll get her for you.” Mum turned “There you are. I was just going to come and look for you.” She gave me one of those is there something you should have mentioned looks.
“Mum, this is Vaughan” My heart stammered as I looked at him in the doorway. “Vaughan this is my mum.”
Vaughan held out his hand and mum shook it “Please, call me Julia. So, Vaughan” mum started as she gestured us all into the lounge room “How did you two meet?” I let out a long oh mum please do not embarrass me sigh which Vaughan pretended not to notice.
“I work at Ivory with Cassie.”
Mum shot an amused glance at me “So you work in a bar. It’s no surprise you ran into my daughter then” she said laughing.
“Mum! Don’t embarrass me” I gritted through my teeth. Vaughan seemed a bit confused by the banter from my mother. We didn’t have your typical mother daughter relationship.
“I’m kidding. Vaughan, would you like to stay for dinner? You are more than welcome.”
“Actually mum, we were on our way out.”
Mum nodded “It was nice to meet you.”
“It was nice to meet you too Julia” Vaughan said politely.
I took his hand and guided him to the front door, closing it behind me. “I’m so sorry. I completely forgot to tell my mum about you.”
“That’s ok. I’m glad I got to meet her, she seems very…friendly.”
“Yeah, she can be a little too friendly sometimes.” I laughed.
Vaughan held the car door open for me and he asked as he slipped into the driver’s seat “When can I meet you Father?”
I snorted “When you can find him.”
“He’s not involved in your life?” Vaughan asked, seeming confused as he pulled out of my driveway.
I let out a long sigh and put my head back onto the car seat; looking at the ceiling “I haven’t seen or heard from my father for 14 years” I said bitterly “Not even a card on my birthday. He left my mum for a younger woman when I was four.”
“That must have been hard for you.”
I shrugged “It wasn’t hard for me. I know it was hard on mum, raising two kids on her own and putting herself through university so she could provide a better life for us.”
“You have a sibling?”
I nodded “Mark, my older brother. He’s an engineer for a mining company in Queensland.” I looked across to Vaughan.
“How often do you see him?”
“We only get to see him twice a year. We’re not that close anymore. Not like I am with mum” I let out a long sigh “Anyway that’s enough about my boring, messed up family. Where are you taking me?”
“I don’t think your families boring or messed up. I want to k
now as much about you as possible.” His faced looked perplexed. “I’m taking you to my place” he hesitated “If that’s ok with you?”
I smiled “That’s more than fine.”
We drove along Cannon Drive following the smooth curves of the beach front of Belles Cove and pulled into the driveway of a high rise building overlooking the harbour. A metal gate opened and we descended into the dark underground car park. The original appearance gave it a cave like feel, but at the bottom of the ramp, lights flooded the area, cars lined the rows of parking spaces under the building and Vaughan took his place with his neighbors, his Masarati not looking out of place here. The elevator ride to Vaughan’s apartment on the penthouse floor made me feel nervous and claustrophobic. I hadn’t thought about what to expect. What type of place would a vampire live in? Did he have a coffin instead of a bed like in the movies? Was there a secret chamber? Vaughan stopped at the front door and took my hand “You’re shaking.”
All the blood seemed to run from my face and I started to sway “Just cold” I tried to dismiss it as nothing, but Vaughan didn’t seem fooled.
“We can go somewhere else if you think this is too much.”
I shook my head and smiled weakly “No, I’m fine really.”
Vaughan opened the door and let me through before him. As I stepped inside I couldn’t help but take a sharp inward breath. It opened into a spacious apartment. The walls were painted white and highlighted with black and stainless steel furnishings. The kitchen bench tops were black marble and the dining room table was made from glass, with an intricately patterned black iron frame. The floor to ceiling curtains which covered the length of the adjacent wall were rich black velvet. Such contrast should make a room like this seem sterile or baron, but it seemed to have an opulent spaciousness about it. I spun around slowly, taking it all in. The adjoining lounge room was furnished with a black leather lounge on one side and a television mounted to the wall on the other. Vaughan opened the curtains along the wall. A glass door opened the apartment further out onto a balcony which overlooked the harbour and I stepped out. The lights from the bobbing boats made it all seem like a dream, the view was surreal. The lighthouse blinked and the trees that lined the coastline danced in slow motion to the cool sea breeze. I took a deep breath, taking in the pine and saltiness of the surroundings. My mouth gaped open at the beauty of it all. I felt like a princess in a fairytale, the view was spectacular. Vaughan was now next to me, his arm slowly moved around my shoulder and I rested my head on his “This is where you live?” I asked in awe.
“Do you like it?”
“It’s beautiful; I can’t believe you wake up to this each morning. You must see the most amazing sunrises and sunsets.”
Vaughan’s arm stiffened around me and he was quiet for a moment. I looked up at his face, his eyebrows were pulled together and his lips pursed. He cleared his throat before speaking “Nicola” He said slowly “I don’t get to see any of that. Sunlight…” and he shrugged unable to finish.
It dawned on me and I felt embarrassed by the stupidity of what I had said. It seemed like such a magnificent waste, not to be able to see the sun, feel the warm rays on your skin. “I’m sorry. I didn’t even think.”
“It’s ok” he brushed it off before I could embarrass myself any further.
Vaughan looked toward the door, a few moments later there was a knock. Vaughan whispered Ivan. Quietly I moved into the lounge room as Vaughan went to the door. I could hear the voices in the distance “Ivan, what are you doing here?”
“Don’t play coy with me. I know she’s here. I can hear her heartbeat from the hallway.”
I let out the breath I was holding and Ivan was now beside me, he smiled politely “How are you this evening Nicola?”
“Fine. How are you?” I could not help but feel nervous at Ivan’s politeness.
“I’m well, thank you for asking. I’m glad you’re here, you are the reason for my visit this evening.”
My eyes glanced from Vaughan and back to Ivan “Me?” I took a cautious step back.
“Yes, you” he gestured for me to sit on the lounge “Please.”
My eyes strayed back to Vaughan who gave an encouraging nod. I moved toward the lounge and sat down, Ivan taking the seat beside me “Vaughan told me about your scar. I haven’t been able to get it out of my head to be honest. Do you mind if I see it?” Everything about Ivan seemed too polite and formal; it was hard to refuse but almost made me uneasy.
“My scar! There’s nothing to see, it’s just a scar” I looked to Vaughan for support; he was standing behind the lounge, looking at Ivan with a burning fury.
“It’s ok. I won’t touch it. I understand its cold to our touch” Ivan held out his hand “Please Nicola. May I see it?”
“Vaughan, what’s going on?” I pleaded.
He broke his glare on Ivan and looked at me. Ivan looked up from the lounge to Vaughan “You haven’t told her?” he asked surprised.
“Told me what?” I demanded. “It’s just a scar. I got it when I was drunk, I don’t know what all the fuss is about.”
Vaughan moved into the lounge room and crouched in front of me. He took my hand consoling me “Nicola. I don’t think your scar was from broken glass.”
The blood drained from my face at his words “I think it was done by a vampire.”
“I would remember being bitten by a vampire” my voice was a lot weaker that I hoped it would be.
“Not necessarily. You may have been compelled to forget.”
“I don’t understand.”
“It’s an illusion, a mind trick. Vampires can make you forget something and replace that memory with something else.” Vaughan’s eyes were tight as he explained.
“Have you ever done that to me?” my voice broke as I pulled my hand away from his.
“No. I would never do that to you Nicola. I promise” I looked into his dark, pure eyes and knew he spoke the truth.
“Why do you think it was a… vampire?” The word was still difficult to say.
“There are two puncture marks in the scar that are so small your eyes can’t see.”
“But yours can” I surmised.
He nodded.
I turned to Ivan and held my arm out for him to assess. He slowly looked at the scar, without touching it; his face did not alter in expression. After a few moments he nodded to Vaughan then looked to me gratefully “Thank you Nicola” he said.
“Is it?” I asked.
“Yes, it appears so” Ivan answered.
“Who did it?” I knew this was a hopeless question to ask.
“That I do not know.”
“But when I find who did this to you, who hurt you. I will kill them myself” Vaughan vowed.
Ivan stood to leave, his work here was apparently done, as he turned to make his exit I stopped him “Ivan, can I ask you a question?”
He turned to face me “Yes.”
“Does Cassie know what you are?”
His face didn’t alter, but his eyes betrayed the sadness he harboured “No, she does not. Nor do I intend on telling her, so I trust you will do the same.”
“Do you love her?”
He turned to Vaughan “You’re certainly right. She is very bold. I can see why that appeals to you Vaughan” he turned back to me “Yes, I do love Cassidy, but sometimes love is not enough.”
This answer made no sense, what more did you need than love?
He sensed my confusion and clarified “When you live an existence like ours” he gestured to himself and then Vaughan “terms like spending the rest of your life together means more than, to the end of your mortal life. Also, I would be denying Cassidy the desires of her existence, marriage, children, and grandchildren. All I could offer her is her mortal life with me, where she would grow older and I would not, then eventually she would die. For me, on the other hand, giving her happiness for the next, let’s say 60 maybe 70 years is a small sacrifice compared to t
he eternity that I will inhabit this earth.”
“Unless she becomes like you” I pointed out.
A small hiss escaped Vaughan’s lips and my attention was turned to him, Ivan seemed to be ignoring Vaughan’s outburst “Well that is a request Cassidy would have to make herself. I would neither encourage nor dissuade her.”
“Enough!” Vaughan growled.
Ivan turned his attention to Vaughan. “You mean to say you have no intention of turning Nicola! Then what is the point of your relationship?”
Vaughan faced Ivan; his eyes were midnight black. He looked menacing “No! I have no intention of turning Nicola, and neither will anyone else. She is to stay human. There is more to this relationship than a meal; if that is the insinuation you are making Ivan!”
“I made no such claim” Ivan was starting to lose his composure, his eyes becoming darker, but still controlled. His mouth drew into a tight line.
The two vampires were now standing face to face, so close they were almost touching each other, nose to nose. I could feel the tension in the air. They seemed to forget I was even in the room.
“Isn’t my mortality a decision I get to make?” I pointed out.
They both turned to look at me, Ivan smirking in agreement and Vaughan pained and distressed. Ivan broke the silence “I believe that is my queue to leave. I will look into what you have asked me. Good evening. I will show myself out” Vaughan didn’t move until he heard the click of the door closing “Is that what you want?” he whispered, his face and expression did not alter.
“No. I didn’t say that’s what I wanted. The point I was making was that, my life is my decision. If I want to stay human that is my choice and if I want to be like you so I can spend eternity with you, then that is also my choice.”
“I won’t change you Nicola.”
“I’m not asking you to.”
“This is not a life I would encourage anyone to lead. I hate that I’m a monster, at what I have to do in order to survive, that I will never grow older, or die. What do I have to look forward to? If I could change back to a human, I would do it without hesitation.”
Carefully I rose from the lounge and moved towards Vaughan, my arms encircled his neck and I pulled him to me, holding him to me as tightly as I could. I felt his arms around my waist and his head buried into my neck. I kissed the top of his head and whispered into his ear “I don’t want to be a vampire” the words seemed to come without hesitation.
He slowly raised his head and faced me “Really?”
“Yes. I want to stay human and I also want to be with you.”
“Do you realise the sacrifice you are making? You heard Ivan; I would be denying you everything.”
“It’s a sacrifice worth making.”
Vaughan studied my face, an expression of peace fell across his heavenly features “I’m glad you want to stay human. I love the sound of your heart beating. It’s like music, its singing just for me.”
I leaned in and kissed Vaughan, a wave of emotions washed over me and I felt myself letting go. His eyes were now the deep ocean blue I loved so much.
“If you work in a nightclub filled with people, why is it so hard for you to be alone with me?”
Vaughan pursed his lips “I don’t want to scare you.”
“You won’t.”
After a few moments deliberation, he answered, choosing his words carefully “It’s harder, because there are more consequences in a room full of people, then there are with just one person.”
My conscience was telling me how dangerous this was and that I should get out now, my heart had me rooted to the spot. “It would be easier to kill me, here, where no one will see and no one will know.”
Vaughan nodded in agreement.
“Do I tempt you?”
Vaughan moved away, a look of sheer horror on his face. It was a few moments before he spoke “When you put it that bluntly, yes, it would be easier to kill you here than in a crowded room. But to answer your question, do you tempt me? Yes and No. You play to every one of my senses Nicola, the way you smell, the way you look, the way your heart beats when you’re excited, your body temperature rising. It makes every fibre of my being ache to kill you, but the thought of spilling one drop of your blood repulses me. I could never hurt you, as easy as it would be for me to do. Emotionally, I couldn’t do it. Your heart beats like the most beautiful orchestra to me. Do you understand?”
“Yes” I whispered, shame was consuming me.
His hand hovered towards the scar on the inside of the elbow “How will you find out who did this?” I touched the raised red mark on my arm.
“I don’t know, but I meant what I said. When I find them, I will kill them” his eyes focused on the scar.
“Is that really necessary?”
Vaughan looked at me and I couldn’t read his expression “Yes, it is” he answered frankly “How many other people could they have done this to? They have to be stopped Nicola. Why do you always defend the bad guy?”
“I’m not saying they shouldn’t be punished. I’m sickened by the thought of having this done to me and I can’t remember, what else have they done to me that I can’t remember, Vaughan. Can you tell me that?” I fell back into the lounge with a feeling of hopelessness.
He stared at me, looking defeated “No, I can’t tell you, and it sickens me too.”
“It sickens you that someone has drunk my blood. Yet that’s how you survive, by drinking blood. Do you see how contradictory that sounds?” I couldn’t look at Vaughan when I said this. Not wanting to see the hurt I knew my words had caused.
“Yes, I suppose it does sound that way.”
“Is it only human blood that you drink?” I asked, wiping a tear that trickled down my cheek.
Vaughan half smiled and lifted his eyebrows “Do you mean can I live off the blood of animals? Hollywood has a lot to answer for” he mumbled the last part to himself.
I nodded “Blood’s, blood isn’t it?”
“Animal blood isn’t nourishing like human blood, I could drink it if I absolutely had to but I could not survive on it.”
“And you can feed from someone without killing them. How do you… choose? No wait, don’t answer that, I don’t want to know” my hands were covering my face trying to push the question from my mind. “Would it leave a mark like this?” I pointed to my crescent shaped scar.
Vaughan looked at it and I could see the sadness in his eyes again “No, it wouldn’t leave a mark like that. There would be only two small puncture marks that to you would look like a mosquito bite, which would disappear.”
“That only you can see?”
“Yes.”
I remembered what Mum said about Brad and Matt when they came into the hospital, about the leech bites on them. Who had fed from them? I didn’t want to think about it and pushed the thought from my mind.