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CHAPTER FIVE
The back road we took to Rebecca’s old coven was rocky and many vampires took to the trees once we were out of sight of the town, swinging lazily from above like monkeys in the amazon. I decided to stay grounded, picking my way through the deep crevices, most of them obviously dug by ATV’s in the summer, mercilessly digging deeper and deeper into the earth with each passing year. The snow covered most of them, making it mildly startling every time I sunk up to my knees in snow whenever I hit one of the deeper crevices hidden beneath the white powder.
Nate passed overhead, laughing like a child, knotted hair blowing wildly in the wind. I couldn’t help but smile. Nate was only a few years older than I was but still acted like a Newborn, which sometimes could be dangerous for him. However, he was loved most dearly by many for his youthful outlook on everything and known throughout the coven for never having a frown soil his lips.
Through the thick undergrowth, my eyes were drawn to a corpulent cottage with drooping eaves, the building standing four storeys tall. It was massive, and looked like it was well taken care of, a small metal fence circling the property as we descended upon the driveway. The pointed roof and wooden walls seemed centuries old, the heavy snow piling higher and higher around it.
That’s when I spotted a figure on the stairs into the home. He was old, that much I was sure of. Much older than Philip, who was born a hundred years before the Wars. I almost mistook him for an Ancient until I looked closer at his face.
Ancients were weathered, their skin leathery with age. It was said that if any vampire ever lived to the age of the Ancients, with is over ten centuries old, you would also appear the same way. Normally, if you lived past this ten century mark, you would start to reflect your old age. I remembered to when I had been changed and Philip had told me that long ago, vampires had lived forever, never to cease to exist. Now, though, vampires only lived to a mere three hundred, maybe less due to the change in our blood, which supposedly had lost its mortally power.
The male’s face on the steps was fresh and clean, signally that he was just an Elder, as Philip was. An Elder was a vampire who was able to live past three hundred years old. Philip was nearing his four hundredth birthday this upcoming year, but the male on the steps looked closer to six, already lines of age forming around his eyes.
At the sight of Philip, the male outstretched his arms, his face splitting into a smile of salutation. Philip returned the gesture and they embraced. Then the Elder spotted Rebecca, his eyes softening at the sight of her. I saw them exchange formalities before the Elder turned and motioned through the open door with his hand.
A woman, another Elder, younger than the first, guided four vampires down the steps, carrying a table and chairs, many others following suit. In mere seconds, the grounds were filled with tables and chairs and we were motioned to sit.
I took a table near the outskirts, not wanting to socialize at the present time. I would rather be alone, my resentment towards this whole move building. I just didn’t understand it. Philip had never really given the coven a reason, saying only that we needed a change.
Michael joined me, along with Dover and Nate. Randy was called to sit at the table with Philip, and I knew that it was because Philip wanted to brag. Randy was known far and wide for his abilities and success in the Wars and it irked me slightly to think of Philip doing this to my friend. Randy didn’t seem bothered with it at all and bowed respectfully to the Elder male and female that had welcomed us.
A vampire from Walter’s coven was assigned to each table. The one that came to ours was a petite female with blonde, almost white hair that fell in waves down her back and a dancer’s figure. Her face was clear of any blemishes and she had large gray eyes that shone like the moon. It was obvious that she was one of the Blessed.
The boys appraised her as she drew nearer and received her with sly grins. I rolled my eyes, cupping my chin in my hand, as I turned away to gaze into the depths of the forest. I heard them introduce each other and my name was spoken from Dover’s lips. I twisted, looking the female up and down before generating a smile and turning away again. She didn’t seem offended at all, however at my cold demeanor. She just introduced herself as Elena and chatted actively with the boys.
I kept my eyes lost in the foliage, reaching up with one hand to stroke the branch of a near-by tree. It didn’t feel like the forest back in Bock neither did is smell like it. This was a foreign land that Philip had shoved us into and I couldn’t help it when my hackles rose slightly as the female, Elena, placed her hand on Michael’s arm, laughing softly. I had never been one to welcome newcomers. I was usually reserved and kept to myself. I didn’t like change; I didn’t adjust well to differences in my daily life.
And this was the biggest conversion I had ever encountered and I feared that I wouldn’t deal well with it.
* * * *
Hours later, as darkness fell upon the land, the male Elder, whose name I later found out was Walter, and his Blood Mate, Anita, stood and urged everyone indoors to sleep. I arose automatically, my eyelids already drooping with fatigue. I knew what my problem was; I hadn’t fed in days and my body was weakening. I just prayed that Philip would take us out tomorrow—if I could last that long.
Inside the home, a roaring fire in the cavernous hall warmed its surroundings; the cottage was even larger when viewed from within. Anita guided our coven up the stairs to the top levels. I heard as I walked some interesting things about Walter’s coven as the vampires near me conversed quietly.
The coven was small, nearing only twenty vampires while mine had fifty members and still growing. Walter’s was made up of select few vampires, ranging from across the world. Most had escaped from their countries in the Wars and had no other place to go. Walter hadn’t had a Newborn since the Wars ended centuries ago.
I found this fact odd. Newborns came every year for my coven. It was a natural balance of new and old. Though, the change of this, again, wasn’t very convivial for me.
My attention was drawn away from my thoughts when Anita presented us with a wing of our own. I picked the first door to my right, not caring, my only thought on rest. My eyes quickly took in the room—red painted walls, silk curtains, plush mahogany carpeting—before my feet guided me to the single bed closest to the door. I free fell upon the mattress, burying my face into the lavish down-filled pillows. It was obvious they had wealth and stability, versus my own who were always struggling to keep up with the increasing masses.
Yawning, I smelled the trivial scent of rose water before my eyes slipped closed.
* * * *
I woke in an alien room, one I didn’t immediately recognize. It took me moments to fully regain my eyesight, wiping the sleep from my eyes, before I took in my environs. Then it registered when I spotted a mound in the bed next to the window, the curtains pulled closed to block out the morning sunlight.
Shifting under the covers, the mound moved and I jolted when I saw the face of Elena facing me, her white-blonde hair spilling out of it’s bun at the base of her neck. Her mouth was slightly a-gap and I watched her chest rise and fall with each breath she took in, her eyelids fluttering as she slept on. Raising my fingers to my temples, I closed my eyes and willed it all to be a bad dream. I wasn’t here, that was really Nora in that bed, I wasn’t in Duluth, I hadn’t moved.
My eyes took in my backpack and garbage bag at the base of my bed and I moaned softly. This was happening; I really was here.
Tumbling from the bed, I pulled my hair into a haphazard pony, grabbed my backpack, and left the room. I needed a hot shower, I needed space to think, I needed to find the nearest bathroom. Looking from left to right, all I saw was doors. Closing my eyes and reopening them, I chose the left.
Luckily, the bathroom was at the end of the hall, the walls a seafoam green with white splatters of paint that looked like an attempt at sophistication but only seemed messy. Throwing my backpack on the floor, I closed the door behind me, locking it with a click.
Leaning over the sink, I sighed softly, squeezing my eyes shut. I didn’t want to be here. I wanted to be in the manor hearing the soft melody of the local birds, smelling the pine forests, watching as the sun refracted off of the ice-covered lake.
Peering up into the mirror, I saw my reflection and growled.
I looked like hell.
Dark black half-moons rimmed my eyes, the iris’s a dreary gray-green—reflecting my demeaning mood and making my appearance all the more dowdy. My lips were full over fluorescent-white teeth that glimmered in the artificial light. My canines were long, signifying that I still needed to feed. My dark, ebony-black hair framed my slightly oval-shaped face, the strands reaching to the middle of my back. My frame was small, my shoulder blades protruding oddly from my back and my fingers resembled white spiders the bluish-black veins lining the knuckles as I flexed them.
No longer able to look at myself, I spun around to turn the knob to the shower, flicking it on high before closing the curtain. Slowly removing my clothes, I stepped inside the tub, my toes tingling as the balmy water pooled around them. The torrent from the showerhead hit my body with scorching heat, the droplets hissing as they landed on my chilled skin. The steam increased as I grabbed the shampoo bottle and scrubbing my hair with liniment that smelled like blueberries.
Yuck.
After a while, I just leaned against the tiled wall, closing my eyes and letting the vapor swirl around me, making my cold body temperature rise. I tried to control my thoughts, knowing that if I walked out of this bathroom, pissed and detached, Philip would have my head. I knew that my only option was to at least fake resolve and hopefully get some blood in my system before I really went insane.
Turning off the shower, I dried myself quickly before throwing on a pair of wrinkled slacks and a blue sweatshirt, settling on letting my hair air-dry. Shoving my dirty clothes back into my backpack, I made my way back to the bedroom I had slept in.
Upon walking in, I saw Elena awake, perched on the edge of her bed, tying up the laces on her tennis shoes. She smiled benevolently at me and stood. She didn’t seem so bad now, her hair messy, her skin slightly off-colored in the morning light.
“You’re Sophia, right?” she asked, her voice soft. I nodded in confirmation and dropped my bag on the ground. “Care to go for a run?” I started at her offer. What person would welcome a new vampire so readily into their home? She’s just being nice, I scolded myself, giving myself a mental shake. If I turned her down, news would reach Philip’s ears and I didn’t feel like being yelled at today. Glancing out the window, I smelled the freshness of the outdoors and smiled, for real that time.
“A run sounds lovely.”
I really try to work on that.
