The Sweetest Kill: A Young Adult Paranormal (28 page)

“Hey, Tyler? What exactly is the conclave?”

“The boss didn’t explain it?”

“Vaguely.”

“What did he say?”

I shrug, “That it was just a group of over privileged vampires appointing themselves as controllers of a whole race.”

Tyler arches a brow at me, “That’s what he said?”

“Well, that’s what I got out of it.”

He laughs and shakes his head before speaking, “In a way, you’re right. The conclave began as a way of stopping massacres among townsfolk and keeping the secret of their existence exactly that, a secret. Vampires may be big, tough, and supernatural. But they do fear angry mobs with torches just like the rest of us.”

“But they aren’t a secret. People know about vampires. There are literally thousands of vampire movies, books, and TV shows out there. Don’t even get me started on the music. There are even fan-fictions about sexy werewolves for God’s sake! You guys are literally everywhere!”

“That was a fairly recent decision. A test, if you will. To see how humans would react to us supernatural beings coming into your everyday life. For the vampires, it made hunting easier. They’ve been romanticized so much that all they have to do is show a pair of fangs and the victims practically come running.”

I grimace at the image, “That’s sick.”

Tyler shrugs, “That’s survival.”

“So you’re saying, the conclave is behind Anne Rice?”

“No, I’m saying the conclave is the reason you’ve ever heard of her at all. Otherwise she’d be just another name on the nightly news. The conclave and all those beneath them have ways of having things go their way.”

I shiver in disgust, “As I said before, sick.”

“And as I said before, survival. Believe me, they used to literally get medieval on those who did them wrong. A blood draining would be a gift.”

“Okay, but besides the media depictions, what else do they do?” I ask, after a few seconds.

“In the old days, it was mostly management of numbers. Never too many, never too few being made, and everyone recorded. Sort of like a big brother state, but it kept everyone accounted for. And since vampires have nasty habits of going on blood soaked rampages, it just makes it easier for everyone.”

“Do Lycan’s have stuff like that?”

Tyler scoffs before giving me a flat look, “Are you kidding? We roam around alone. If anyone tried to put restrictions on us, they wouldn’t get far.”

“Just asking.” I say, before putting my gloved hands up in surrender.

“Yeah, yeah.” He dismisses before eyeing me cautiously, “How you feeling?”

“Tired.”

“Do you want to head back out?” He asks, offering me his arm.

I wrap my arm around his and grimace, “To the ballroom? No thank you. I think I’ve had my fill of the living dead for the evening.”

“What about the boss?”

“If he’s really concerned, I’m sure he’ll find me.” I tell him with a yawn.

Tyler thinks for a second before shrugging. He doesn’t argue and for that I’m thankful. I’d rather have my breakdowns in private and without prying eyes. Closing my eyes, I lay my head against Tyler’s shoulder, ignoring my own hesitance. It’s just Tyler and with him, oddly enough, I feel safe.

Fragmented

After our little discussion, Tyler escorts me back up to the bedroom Tobias and I shared.  It’s silent, cold, and dark when I go inside. Tyler doesn’t object when I close the door behind me. I strip out of the heavy evening gown and leave it strewn on the floor before heading into the bathroom.

Looking at my own reflection, I can’t say I recognize the mess before me. The sweating and dry heaving has made my attempt at wearing makeup a mess. Black trails of mascara mark my cheeks, and most of the concealer on my cheek has been wiped away. My hair is a damp and lifeless mess on top of my head. Digging into it, I pull out the comb and wince when it takes a few chunks of my hair out with it.

Is this really who I am now? I ask myself this question, but the answer isn’t as clear as I’d like it to be. I don’t know if this is the ‘me’ I have always been, or a new version. The one who has found comfort in another, but can’t find it in them to depend completely? Is that who I am now? I frown at my reflection. I don’t think I want to depend on Tobias like that. I don’t think I want to give him that much power over me.

Turning on the faucet, I cup the warm water in my hands and wash off what makeup I can. When I’m done, I feel the heaviness of exhaustion in my bones and leave the bathroom in a haze. Stripping off the black slip, I replace it with a pair of plaid sleep pants and a white lace trimmed tank top.

Looking around the darkness, I shiver. I’m bothered by the strong urge to go back downstairs, to find Tobias and ask him to come up here with me. He’d com willingly, I think. Though, with the vampire brat pack downstairs, I’m not sure he’d be allowed to leave. I sigh and run a hand down my face, as another wave of exhaustion comes over me.

I need to sleep.

Florence’s purring guides me to the bed and through the darkness. I pull back the blankets and slip into the cool, blood red sheets of the bed. Hugging Tobias’ pillow, the one that smells like him, I close my eyes and try to drift into sleep. But instead, my thoughts are stolen by the image of Renshu’s dark, colorless eyes. Tyler was right about him. He does seem to ooze power.

What I don’t understand is his interest in me. Why he seemed so keen to not only step in after Josette’s meltdown, but also address me in front everyone, doesn’t sit well. He could be trying to create rapport with me, to get on Tobias’s good side, but why would he need that? He’s allegedly powerful enough to be the only one Tobias is wary of, so why the dramatics?

I sigh and bury my face farther into the pillow. My body is sore from my panic attack earlier. I sort of smell as well, but I’m too exhausted to worry about that. I’ll shower in the morning or something. My eyes pop open at the horrible idea that these people will still be here at next sundown. How will I avoid them then?

Florence comes over and rubs her head against my face, and I back away enough to pet her with my hand. Her purr fills the room and as she curls against my belly, the sound starts to lull me to sleep. It’s a melancholy feeling, sleeping alone after so long of sleeping with someone by your side. I try to push the feeling away, and try to give into my exhaustion. It doesn’t take long, despite feeling terribly lonely.

When I wake up again, I find myself still alone. Glancing at the large old grandfather clock across the room, I notice it's very close to sunrise. Where's Tobias? I squint at the other side of the bed and notice that it looks untouched. Did he never come up here? Is the party still going on?

Throwing off the covers, I hear Florence let out a small ‘meow’ from her position on my pillow where she is curled into a small grey ball. I pet her head and promise to be back in a moment. That ball of dread, sitting heavily in the bottom of my belly, tells me to make sure Tobias is all right. Maybe he’s just in his daytime hiding place, I assure myself, but I’d rather be safe than sorry.

I walk down the stairs and hear nothing but the series of ticking clocks, as I make my way to his office. If he isn’t in our room, I notice he often drifts in that direction. That or he’s messing around on the piano. I don’t hear any music though, so that seems unlikely.

I shiver at the cool wooden floorboards of the hallways, before I reach the large dark wooden door. The door is ajar and I peek through to see Josette, still in her red silk evening gown, plastered to Tobias’ form. Her hands are in his hair, as her lips are pressed to his in an obvious moment of hurried passion.

I don’t make a noise as I turn away from the study door. I think I may be in shock, or maybe I think this is some nightmare. I don’t know, but running away seems like the most logical course of action. I’m re-entering the emerald room when I come face to face with Josette.

Her makeup is running down her ivory face, and her unusually bright violet eyes seem almost wild as she looks at me. In fact, to be blunt, she looks insane. Her long hair is loose from her previous up do, and I think I see some blood on the corner of her still painted mouth. What happened to her?

“Where do you think you’re going?” She asks with a sneer.

“I… I….”

She steps towards me, her violet eyes turning reflective in the darkness, “He thought you were special, even the master thinks so. Idiots! The both of them! But who am I to question plans, especially when they’ll get me back in the master’s favor?”

“T-The master-r?” Is she talking about Renshu or someone else?

“Stop stuttering!” She hisses, making me jump, “You’re a woman for god’s sake! Show some self-respect!”

I press my lips together, trying not to piss her off right now. Clearing my throat, I try to sound as strong as I can, “Where is he?”

“In his ivory tower as usual.” She says resentfully, “Always willing to give orders, but never one to dirty his hands. I don’t see the resemblance to be honest, but as I said before, who am I to be picky?”

I frown. I don’t think we’re talking about the same person. In fact, I don’t even think we’re even talking about the same thing. Resemblance? I have a resemblance to whom? Is she insane? Is that her issue? My eyes flicker over towards the office door and remember Tobias. Where is he?

“Where is Tobias?”

“Tobias.” She repeats, her eyebrow doing this odd twitching thing, “We were lovers, once, you know. In the early twentieth century. My maker was upset that I would leave his side, seek companionship with another, but it was thrilling for both of us. I didn’t love him mind you. It’d be impossible to try.”

“Why would it be impossible?” I ask, more curious than scared at this point.

“My god, vous êtes stupide.” She mutters lowly before brushing back some hair, primly, from her face, “Because he is soulless. You cannot love something without a soul.”

“Explains why he didn’t love you.” I hiss at her.

I flinch when she laughs, “You’ve got some fire, I see. That’ll make this even more fun. Do me a favor, little human, struggle for me will you?”

“What…”

She doesn’t answer. Instead she starts walking towards me with a smirk on her face. When she gets too close, I start backing up and jump when my back hits the side of the piano. I look around, trying to find an exit, but I know she’d catch me before I even made a move.

I hold very still as she reaches out to touch my neck. It’s not a harsh touch but it does put me on edge. All the hair on the back of my neck stands on end and my stomach churns. It’s my fight or flight response, I realize, and right now it wants me to run for the hills. 

“This should have been mine.” She says more to herself before sighing, “Expected a bit of a fight from you, Shoshanna. I’m disappointed. We have very important people betting on you to be a fighter. I suppose I won’t be the only one disappointed then.”

Nothing about what she’s saying is making sense, but it doesn’t seem to matter when she lashes out and grabs me. Her hands harshly grab a chunk of my hair in the back, and she pulls my head to the side roughly. My neck is now exposed to her, and fear grips my heart tightly. I can’t even get in a full breath to ask her to stop, before a blinding pain wracks through my body. It’s a pain so intense, I can only open my mouth in a silent scream.

I try to get away from the pain, but her stone arms wrap around my body before I can even attempt to move. Tears come to my eyes, and my vision begins to blur. The pain is so overwhelming, and it doesn’t seem to ever stop. I see no end and I think, very faintly, that it’s not supposed to end.

Pulling her fangs from my neck, Josette lets my body fall unceremoniously to the Oriental rug below with a thump. I start to convulse from the aftermath of the pain, and I feel blood pumping from the brutal bite mark over my pulse. My eyes are open, but see nothing as I try to get anything past my numb lips. Tyler said the saliva can give pleasure but right now, all I feel is the pain.

“It’s a pity really.” Josette says wistfully from above me, “I’m sure in another time, we could have been something friendlier. Seems silly to dwell on what could have been though, isn’t it? Of course, they’ll all be feeling a little bit of that when they find you. Then again, maybe the Master will have a change of heart.”

She kneels before me and brushes some hair off my face, and I shift my eyes to look at her. I’m shaking and gasping for air. But with every intake of breath, I feel a stronger round of pain. I can’t really make out her face anymore, but the red of her dress is hard to miss.

“I wasted time, and now it is time that wasted me, I’m afraid.” She says distantly, before getting to her feet again, “Goodbye, Shoshanna.”

And with that, she’s gone.

They say an animal will wander off alone when it’s ready to die, and that’s what it feels like I’m doing, dying. I feel very cold, and from the way my body is shaking, I can imagine that it won’t take much longer. I’ve been this close to death a few times before, and that’s what this feels like but worse. The pain is still in my body, swimming through my veins, and causing me to convulse on occasion.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see my blood spilling out my neck, and staining the oriental carpet below. It wasn’t supposed to be like this, I think. I wasn’t supposed to die in pain. This isn’t how I wanted to go, but I guess that’s the way death works. Sometimes you don’t get to choose how it all ends. All you get to do is experience the agonizing last minutes.

Pain shoots through my body and I try to cry out, but all that comes out is a wet cough. Warm blood pools in my mouth, and I hope I don’t have much longer.  As I close my eyes, my mind starts to wander. I saw Tobias with Josette. Did that mean anything? He hasn’t come to find me yet. Maybe he doesn’t want to. Maybe that was the point of her biting me like this.

She mentioned something about her master thinking I was special. That doesn’t make any sort of sense, but then again, nothing in our long-winded and mostly one-sided conversation made much sense. What does it matter what she meant anyway? I’m going to die and be beyond all this shit. I close my eyes and wonder, what’s taking me so long to bleed out. It’s never taken this long before. Didn’t she bite over an artery?

My mind starts to wander again, and absently, I wonder if he’s okay. The thought is replaced by pain as it wracks through my body again. I start to seizure on the floor again, and just in time to draw attention. I know it’s Tyler from the warmth of his touch. He explained to me once that it was a Lycan thing. He was warmer because he was housing two bodies, instead of one. It didn’t make sense, but I didn’t question it. Though now, in my last moments, I’m more than a little curious.

“Shit!” He curses lowly, “Shoshanna, can you hear me? Where’s Tobias?”

When I don’t answer, Tyler growls lowly before putting his arms under my body and lifting me off the carpet. I don’t know where he’s taking me, but the trip isn’t long. I feel myself being placed down gently somewhere. Where am I? Does it matter? Tyler’s warmth is taken from me and I start to shake again.

“Can’t leave you two alone for five fucking minutes.” I hear Tyler grunt before a sickening and wet sounding crunch reaches my ears.

A sharp gasp fills the room, and I feel a presence in my head. It must be Tobias. It feels like him. I feel waves of murderous rage wash over me, and I feel the urge to smile. Yeah, that’s definitely Tobias.

“Shoshanna!” He calls harshly as he comes over to my side. I know it's him from the faint hum over my skin.

His voice sounds frantic, but I don’t have the strength to assure him. All I can really do is take in as much of him as I can in the time I have left. Inhaling brokenly, I’m enveloped by his scent. It’s wonderfully musky. I never appreciated it before now. Whatever his connection to my death or none at all, I try to move closer to him. He cared for me, enough to try to stop the impossible. That’s enough for me right now.

“She’s losing too much blood.” Tyler informs him in a detached tone.

I recognize the tone. I used it often when I went to visit Charlotte, my little angel sister. I stare at the ceiling and see a mural painting. Has that always been there? Despite my heavy eyelids, I see a small blue star in the night to day sky scene above me. I feel a tear slip from my eyes.

“Charlotte.” I whisper but I don’t think it’s audible.

Charlotte’s middle name was ‘Hoshi’ meaning star. I decide it has to be a sign. Her way of sending a sign that it was going to okay. Maybe it’s the blood loss talking, or pre-death delirium, but the thought is comforting. I think about my parents. How will Tobias tell them? Will they be upset? I never told my mom I loved her.