~(*Lavender Rose~(*
Chapter 5
I was at my favorite club again, having been astray for far too long. The sorry replacement in front of me was grinding her backside against me so hard that I knew a mortal would have been in pain. I didn’t care though. My thoughts were far away from the runt in front of me.
When I awoke this evening, I came up with a new plan. I came to the realization that it was almost impossible to avoid Crescentia. Not only did she live in my apartment, but I couldn’t deny that I enjoyed her company. She amused me. So now, I was going to allow myself to see her but only for short periods of time. When I am with her for too long I find it exceedingly difficult to think straight. And that can only lead to problems.
I looked back down at my dance partner and decided to end this dance early. I inclined my head to her neck and drank deeply for a moment. I closed the wound and looked her in the eye to make sure I hadn’t done any damage. Recently I found I am incapable of killing most humans. Even the bums that I had always fed on were proving more difficult for me.
I excused myself from my partner without a second look. I had fed off of several girls tonight and was feeling quite full. I suppose it wouldn’t be too bad if I didn’t kill anymore. It just feels like I’m going soft—which I definitely am not.
I continued walking down the street, deliberately taking my time. I was deliberating whether or not I should go see Crescentia tonight. Ever since I had come up with my new plan, I have wanted to give in to my urges and just spend time with her. It wasn’t because I had feelings for her; it was because she was interesting and amusing. I was sure of it.
I realized that I was only a few blocks away from ‘The Cauldron’, the coffee shop that Crescentia worked at. I quickened my pace slightly, eager to finally be able to see her and talk to her without hating myself for it.
I made it to the front windows of ‘The Cauldron’ and peered in, easily seeing through the foggy glass. It took me a few minutes of searching but I eventually came to the conclusion that she wasn’t working tonight. Slightly dejected, I began walking toward my apartment building again.
I hadn’t seen her at the club she obviously goes to often and she isn’t working. The only other place I would be able to look for her was back at her apartment. With a new sense of urgency, I walked down block after block, toward my apartment.
Without warning, I was walked into by a young man in a business suite. What the hell was with this city? Does no one ever watch where they are walking?
“Excuse me,” the young man said quickly, picking up what he had dropped when we collided. I watched as the young man began straightening out a bouquet of dark red roses wrapped in light purple tissue paper. He wasn’t paying any attention to me anymore; his attention completely absorbed by the flowers in his hands. He looked at them lovingly until they looked perfect once more before walking off.
I stood there in the same position thinking for a while. What would happen if I bought Crescentia flowers? Would she look at them the way that young man just did? How would she take the gift? Would she be pleased with them?
I smiled to myself; well I guess we will just have to find out. I remembered that there was a florist I pass almost every night on the same street as mine.
I quickly found myself in front of ‘Anita’s Flowers’, thankful that they were still open. I pulled the glass door open and heard the tiny brass bells tinkle, signifying my arrival. A small plump woman with light brown skin, messy brown hair, and sharp brown eyes walked around the counter and up to me.
“Hello, is there anything I can help you with, sir?” she asked in a slight accent.
I spotted a section of colorful roses and began to move toward them. “I’m not sure what I’m looking for yet m’am,” I replied.
“Buying flowers for a lady friend?”
I turned around quickly to look her in the eye, her sharp brown eyes, studying me. “What made you think that?” I asked through tight lips.
“Most people wouldn’t look at roses like that if they were only buying them for are relative or friend,” she responded in a knowing tone.
I took a deep breath, “Okay, yes, they are for a ‘lady friend’. I don’t know anything about flowers though. I don’t even know where to begin,” I confessed.
“Well each different flower has a different meaning and some flowers have separate meanings for different colors. Roses for example, each different color is supposed to express a different emotion. Why don’t you tell me what kind of a message you are trying to send and then I might be able to tell you what to get,” she offered.
“I…well what I want is…that is, I…,” I took a deep breath and frowned to myself, “I really don’t know what I want to say to her,” I admitted.
“Ah, okay this is a complicated relationship. That doesn’t matter, why don’t you tell me about her instead?”
I took a deep breath and let the floodgates open, “Her name is Crescentia and she is beautiful, strong, mysterious, lovely, funny, perfect, infuriating, and perfect. Every time I’m around her, it’s as if nothing else matters but me and her. I can’t thing straight. Ever since I met her, I haven’t been able to get her off my mind, I…” I trailed off and looked down at my feet. I definitely didn’t expect all of that to come out.
“Ah, I see,” she said quietly, “I think I know just the thing.”
I looked up to see her picking out light pink roses from the display. After picking out the flowers, she walked over to the front desk and proceeded to add Baby’s Breath and wrap the bouquet in plain white paper.
“There you are, sir. I think she will love these,” she said as she rang up the flowers and handed them over to me.
Still shocked, I handed her the money and turned to leave. When I was only a few feet from the door I turned around, “What is the meaning behind these flowers?”
“Well, there are multiple meanings for the light pink rose. The most fitting in this case is love and admiration. It seems to me that you have a lot of conflicting emotions concerning this young woman that you are not yet ready to admit to. That is why I decided pink roses would be more fitting for you to give to her,” she answered me.
I was about to respond by saying that I do not love Crescentia and that I know my own feelings but thought better of it and simply nodded. Back outside, I took a deep breath of the cool night air and started walking toward my apartment building. It felt like there was a small weight that had been lifted off my shoulders. Don’t get me wrong, there was still a lot resting there, but a small part had vanished. I felt…good.
I began whistling to myself as I walked into my building and over to the elevator. On the ride up, I studied my reflection in the shiny metal doors. I knew I was handsome, there was no doubt about that, but that wasn’t the reason I was looking this time. There was a curious tightening of my face muscles and I realized; I was smiling.
The elevator finally reached my floor and I stepped out, turning toward my apartment. I looked down the hallway to my door and stopped cold in my tracks. my breathing hitched in my throat and I felt anger boiling up inside me. the heat traveled from the pit of my stomach, up to my chest, finally resting at my neck.
Crescentia and Tom were in the middle of the hallway between her door and my own. They were locked in each others arms, Tom with his around her waist, and Crescentia with hers pinned between them on his chest. They were deeply involved in a kiss that made half of my stomach erupt in volcanic anger, and the other half freeze like a glacier. I quickly shoved the bouquet of roses in my coat, crushing the soft petals against my chest.
Without giving them a second look, I opened my door and walked in, locking it behind me. Once inside my apartment, I took out the roses and stared at the now slightly deformed petals. One by one, I took each pink rose out and crushed it in my hand; letting the mangled flower fall when I was satisfied it was destroyed. When I had the last flower in my hand, I walked back to my door and left my apartment.
“Lukas?” I heard Crescentia call from behind me. I didn’t even flinch at the calling of my name. Instead I walked to the elevators; thankfully they were still on my floor. Getting in, I pressed the button for the lobby and just before the doors closed I threw the last pink rose out of the elevator and into the hall, not wanting it anywhere near me anymore.
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I made it to my favorite club in record time. I didn’t even know why I wanted to be here, but I knew I couldn’t stay at my apartment any longer.
The image of Crescentia locked in Tom’s embrace was burned into my mind. I needed a distraction.
I looked around the club, trying to find a girl that fit my style: blond hair, curvy body, preferably intoxicated, and above all, nothing like Crescentia. Finally a decent candidate caught my eye. She had long straight blond hair that fell to the middle of her back and shined in the party lights from above. I could see from here that she had bright blue eyes and soft facial features. From the way she was swaying, I could also tell she had had a few drinks tonight.
I walked up to the girl and placed my hands on her hips before swaying to the music with her. She didn’t seem surprised to have a random guy dancing with her. I felt her hands on top of mine as her she moved closer to me.
The girl spun around and wrapped her arms around my neck. I could see that she found my attractive and smirked as I watched her take in my physique. I leaned in closer and smelled the air around her. This girl had probably had about three drinks, which was perfect. She was not so intoxicated that I would have to carry her home, but had enough in her system to influence her decisions slightly.
I danced with the girl for a few songs, never speaking to her. I wasn’t interested in conversation. Finally I locked my eyes with her, “Do you want to come back to my place?” I asked in a deep silky voice.
I saw the hesitation in her eyes and began to hypnotize her. Before I had the chance to completely break through the wall in her mind, she smiled and said, “Let me just get my coat.” I was surprised, but should have expected it. Women found it hard to resist me after all.
The girl returned and laced her arm through mine before turning and walking toward the exit. Once out on the street, I decided I didn’t want to walk so slowly and risk the possibility of her trying to make conversation. I turned to stand in front of her, making eye contact and breaking through the wall in her mind. I told her that she wanted to take a small nap and that I would carry her.
She immediately obeyed me and I picked her up before running toward my apartment. The run only took me a few minutes but it was enough time for my thoughts to return to Crescentia. I berated myself for still thinking of her and ran faster.
When we were about a half block away from my apartment, I told the girl that she wasn’t tired anymore and placed her on the her feet next to me. She blinked a few times and looked around curiously. “Man, I guess I was tired, huh?” she asked me.
“Es würde so scheinen,” I answered quickly before leading her by the arm to my apartment building.
My fast pace was enough to keep the girl quiet until we reached my apartment. “Wow, this is where you live? This is really nice. Is it expensive? I bet it is. How can you afford such a nice place? What do you do for a living? When did you—,”
“Yes this is where I live, yes it is expensive, I can afford it because I have a good job, and I collect the souls of the damned for a living—the devil pays very handsomely,” I replied after cutting her off.
She looked like she didn’t know whether to laugh or be confused but settled for the former. I lead the giggling moron into my apartment building and over to the elevators which were thankfully, open. We stepped in and rode the elevator to my floor.
Without giving an explanation, I grabbed the girl’s wrist and lead her to the door of my apartment. Once inside, she walked into the living room and looked around. “Don’t have much here do you?”
“No,” I answered.
“Why not?”
“Because I don’t.”
She just shrugged her shoulders and walked into the kitchen. I watched as she reached for the refrigerator door handle. I quickly ran to her side and placed my hand on the door before she could open it. I think it might shock her to see no food, but bags of blood in there.
“Hey, I didn’t even see you walk in here,” she complained.
“Öffnen Sie Ihre Augen,” I explained, putting my hands on her hips.
She smiled up at my and wrapped her arms around my neck. I inclined my head and gently pressed my lips to the girls. The sticky lip gloss that was on her lips were now on mine as well, but I ignored it.
My tongue traced the crease in between her two lips, and she obliged by opening her mouth for me. We kissed like that for a few minutes in the kitchen before I got impatient. I broke off the kiss and lead the girl into my bedroom in the back of the apartment.
Once there, I watched as the girl pulled her shirt up over her head, revealing her bright pink bra underneath. I looked up to see her smiling at the fact that I was looking at her. That annoyed me for some reason and I stepped closer, roughly pushing her onto my bed.
I heard the girl giggle as she watched me unbutton my shirt and throw it across the room. I crawled up to where she was on the bed and began kissing her again. I felt her rub her hands across my strong, pale chest and down to the top of my jeans. She unbuttoned them and pushed them down to around my knees. I pulled my jeans off the rest of the way and did the same to her.
We lay there kissing in nothing but our undergarments. Again, I became restless and reached behind her to undo her bra before I took her panties off. I didn’t even bother to look at her—she didn’t interest me in the least. This was simply to get my mind off of someone else.
At that thought, I tore my own boxers off and positioned myself right above the girl. I could see the lust in her eyes and it just made me madder. This girl didn’t know me, didn’t even bother to get my name before she jumped in my bed. She didn’t care about me any more that I cared about her. That thought made me feel more alone than I have ever felt.
I thrust my hips and heard the girl let out a soft moan at the feeling. I on the other hand felt nothing. I was completely numb. I kept my hips rocking against hers having to hold back from using my full strength. If I were to let loose and completely ravish this girl, I would undoubtedly cause serious damage.
I felt the girl climax, accompanied by a loud moan from underneath me. I wasn’t even close to done. I put my arms around her and leaned back, forcing her on top of me. She complied and we spent a few minutes like that.
After switching positions a few more times, I finally reached my climax with nothing more that a low grunt. This hadn’t been enjoyable for me at all. Simply a means to keep my mind occupied. That of course, was completely impossible, as I found myself thinking of Crescentia many times throughout the night.
I got up and went to the bathroom to shower. When I came back, the girl was wrapped up in my sheets having already fallen asleep. I sighed and crawled in to bed next to her. I turned over so that my back was facing he girl and finally closed my eyes to sleep.
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I was awakened by the sound of someone knocking on my door. I growled under my breath and checked the time. Who the fuck is waking me up at five o’clock?!
The girl in my bed stirred when I got up and walked out of my bedroom. I stormed my way to the front door and opened it quickly. My expression immediately changed from furious to cold and impassive. Standing in the hall was Crescentia.
“What?” I asked petulantly.
“Hi, Lukas…I…um… just wanted to come over and talk to you…” she trailed off.
“What would we have to talk about Crescentia?”
I watched her flinch slightly but press on, “I just wanted to explain about last night. It was nothing I didn’t even—,”
“You have nothing to explain,” I cut her off.
“Yes, I do. Listen Lukas, I…” she trailed off and looked at something just behind me.
I turned to see what could be so damn interesting about my apartment. Standing there in nothing by my dark blue bed sheets was the girl from last night.
Translations:
Es würde so scheinen: It would seem so.
Öffnen Sie Ihre Augen: Open your eyes.
