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-Inconcessus- Twenty

ashleylee · 2009-07-03T21:01:16Z

Okay, so this is the rewrite of chapter twenty. Hopefully it captures Isaac's personality better and I decided to hold off the whole 'Sophia saves the world' thing until a later chapter so hopefully that doesn't ruin it. Let me know if this one is better :D Happy Reading! ____________________________ CHAPTER TWENTY Isaac answered the door with such swiftness that it caught me off guard. His smile was wide in his face, his voice clear. “Hello? Can I help—” He cut off quickly, his eyes widening with surprise. I shifted uneasily, immediately regretting my decision. What could I say to him? That I knew what he was? Demand answers? How intimidating could that be… “Wow, I really wasn’t expecting this. After you practically ran screaming from me in the woods, I finally got the drift that you didn’t care for me. But showing up on my doorstep… that changes things.” He was all teasing, no threat. How could he be so at ease with a vampire on his doorstep? I thought, slightly bewildered. “Listen, Isaac, I think we need to talk.” I found my voice at last, steady and straightforward. His face sobered. “Right. Come in.” He stepped aside and I swiftly crossed the threshold, holding my breath as I passed. I still hadn’t fed and I needed to take all the precautions that I could. Inside, my eyes swept across the living space. It was quaint and meticulously clean, the kitchen painted a cheery yellow with an assortment of glass and clay cows decorating an array of shelves. The appliances were surprisingly old-fashioned, the oven a brick block set deep in the wall, the fridge bright white with chipped handles. The table was seated for two, making it clear that it was only Isaac and his mother who lived here. I turned to face him and hadn’t expected him to be right there behind me. We jolted but not before I got a mouth-full of his scent, tainting my senses. Again, I felt that mixture of fear and excitement at the smell of his blood, knowing now what it meant. Commanding myself to focus, I watched him cross the kitchen and pick up a blue mug with a tea bag string dangling over the side. I took a soft whiff of the air and detected the aroma of green tea with pomegranate flavorings. I watched his mouth descend on the cup and he took a small sip, wincing when he found it too hot to taste, before replacing it on the wood countertop. “So?” he asked abruptly. I blinked several times before answering. “Isaac… I think we both know—I mean, what you and me—I guess, well.” I stopped, realizing I was making no sense at all. He was watching my struggle with one raised eyebrow before he saved me from embarrassing myself further. “Slow down, Sophia.” He laughed softly for a moment before continuing. “I’m sorry that I might have freaked you out in the woods today. I think I came on a tad strong.” “Ya’ think?” I snapped, remembering the fear I had felt at him knowing about Jasmine. “Listen, I was just kind of panicked, is all.” “Why were you panicked?” He stopped short, just staring at me. Then, blowing softly on the tea the steam ruffled by his breath, he smiled at me. “I don’t think that’s what you came here to figure out.” His eyes glinted in the dim lighting and I felt my breath catch in my throat. “No, that’s not what I came here for,” I said firmly, blinking several times and looking away to my feet. “Thought not,” he said quietly, finally taking a sip of his tea and this time coming away without wincing. He was still all smiles and mockery-glinted eyes. It was hard to take him seriously and I suddenly felt stupid. What if my assumptions were wrong? What if this was just some kid off the street messing with my mind? And yet, deep down, my vampire senses were telling me a different story. This innocent-looking kid with the handsome cover wasn’t all smirks and teasing. He was something dangerous and it made my stomach twinge with the urge to flee. “Isaac, please. I know what you are and its clear you know what I am. Just tell me what’s going on and then I can leave.” Isaac’s face grew stony. “I’m not the one to tell you anything. It’s not my place.” I felt my body go cold and my frustration rise. This wasn’t going how I had planned. “Then why have you been bugging me for the past few weeks if it’s not your place to tell me why?” I failed at trying to hide my aggravation and I saw the corner of his mouth twitch. But it seemed he was better at hiding his emotions for his face stayed placid. “My role in this was to get information from you. That was all.” “From me? Why me?” He shook his head. “Again, not my place.” Just then, his jaw tensed and I watched him cock his head slightly to the left. I did the same and detected the soft rustle of wings. “Dammit Greg!” Isaac suddenly shouted in rage, and I jumped in fright. He was no longer the seventeen-year-old boy with the dimpled grin. He seemed to grow in stature and suddenly, a golden glint entered his blue eyes, staining them brown. His shoulders became hunched and I saw his legs bend at an odd angle. It was then that I realized what was going on. He was changing! I barely made it out of the kitchen before another kid swooped in front of me, shaved head giving him a menacing appeal in the florescent lighting. It was then that I realized it was the same boy from the woods when I had first encountered Isaac. “Where do you think you’re going girlie?” He grinned at me, flashing teeth pointed and dirty white, reminding me of the time I had seen the exact same teeth present in Isaac’s mouth. I spun away from him and met Isaac head-on, back to his normal self. “Greg, stop it.” I then noticed the commanding tone of Isaac’s voice and glanced up at him, perplexed. I watched Greg waver, thinking about disobeying but then thought better of it. He took a step away from me and I watched as his teeth squared off and became the normal white of humans. “Sorry, Isaac. Some of us don’t have as much control around her type as others do.” Greg’s voice betrayed more than just an apology—it was more like a jab—and Isaac felt it like a physical blow, grimacing at Greg’s words. “I’ll try to remember that next time she comes over.” Isaac’s voice was icy and held a threat that made Greg retreat. But not before flashing another sinister smile my way. And then he was gone before I could blink; the only indicator that he was there being a long black raven’s feather drifting towards the carpet. “Sorry about that, Sophia. Greg knows better than that.” All I could do was nod, shocked into silence, my knees weak. I could barely make it to the kitchen table before collapsing into the closest chair, hands clenched into fists. Isaac watched me over the rim of his mug, eyes penetrating, probing, annoying me into a fit of rage. “Will you stop it already!” I barked, glaring at him from across the kitchen. He just shrugged. “I told you already that I was sorry.” “Oh sure, sorry that a fully-grown Soren almost attacked me in your kitchen while you weren’t even strong enough to control your urge to transform. Oh yeah, I can forgive that.” I noticed then that I was breathing heavily and that my head felt light. I must have given my vampire senses a whirl if they were making me weak. It was then that I heard the laughter, bubbling freely from Isaac’s mouth like lava erupting from a volcano. How dare he laugh at me! I thought in resentment, quickly standing from the table and swiftly making my way towards the door. Before I could touch the door handle Isaac was there, gently touching my upper arm with his hot fingers that felt like silk. I paused and met his gaze. “Sophia, I know you came here to get answers but I can’t give them to you. All I can tell you is that Jasmine knows we’re here. And she knows what we want from her. If you wanna help, try to convince her to contact us. Please.” I stared at him for a moment before shaking my head. “You’re crazy. Do you really think I believe all this?” I stepped out of his touch. “Isaac, I’m sorry, but this all too much. I’m sorry I came here.” And before he could say another word, I was out of his house and into the fresh night air. I didn’t have enough energy to mull over anything. My head was pounding to a rhythm all its own and all I could think of was fresh, human blood. I needed to feed. Now. I quickly made my way back to town and searched frantically for a victim. I zeroed on to a man around the age of forty, trotting home from work, briefcase in hand. I needed him. I felt my desire rising, my incisors growing, and I made my move, stepping into his path. “Oh my,” he started at my sudden appearance, halting in his tracks. He went to speak again but I cut in with my mind. You must come with me. Come with me now. It’s urgent. You will obey. He shook his head, as if under a fog after I released him and then saw me in a new light. His eyes clouded over with submission, dropping his briefcase at his feet. I led him into a dirty alleyway, stray cats mewing pathetically. I didn’t pay them any mind. All that I was consumed with was the hot, delicious blood flowing through the man’s veins. When we were far enough inside, I didn’t wait for formalities. I had waited too long. My thirst was driving me beyond clarity of thought. I dug my fangs deep into his neck, bursting the main artery. Blood rushed forth, filling my mouth, staining my lips. He struggled, let out a small cry, and then was still, the life already gone from him. I laid him on the ground and sated my taste until I felt drugged, heavy with fatigue. I sat beside him and traced the lines in his face with my eyes. He was a family man, a father of two intelligent twin boys. His wife was beautiful in that homemaker way and he had been planning to stop by to buy her flowers from the florist next door. It was her birthday and her sons had planned a surprise party. All that had ended when I had decided to take his life. Yet, what I should feel—guilt, agony, regret, fear—was nonexistent. I had no pain at this man’s death; I had no blame. He had paid his worth by satisfying my needs. He did his job. He was only another human to sate my never-ending quest for fulfillment by means of fresh blood. “Sophia?” I looked up slowly, still drugged from the heavy amount of blood I had consumed. Michael stood in a halo of light at the mouth of the alleyway, eyeing me curiously. His lips were bright red from the blood he had taken and I spotted a hint of lipstick near the collar of his shirt. I stared pointedly at it and Michael shrugged. “I decided to have a little fun before feeding.” He smiled, recalling the moment. I shook my head and stood shakily to my feet. “Let’s go home.”

Night Mistress

Gender

Points 1040

Reviews 250

Fri Jul 31, 2009 1:04 pm

Night Mistress says... · Fri Jul 31, 2009 1:04 pm

Hey Ash,

I am so sorry that it took me forever to review this chapter. I Have been so busy.

Anyways, this flows very nicely. So we find out what Issac is in this chapter, which is a Soren. What's a Soren? Will that be answer in the next chapter?

i still have a feeling that Sophia and Micheal will have a relationship for some odd reason. i can't wait for more Issac and Sophia action.

well, i am off to read the next chapter. Again, I am so sorry for taking sooo long to read and review this chapter.

oh, by the way Chapter nine of Addicting Poison is up.

See ya Around
NM

"I love you," she whispered in his ear, before taking his mouth with her own.

~Elizzabeth Grey of Addicting Posion

Quote

Owning our story can be hard but not nearly as difficult as spending our lives running from it. Embracing our vulnerabilities is risky but not nearly as dangerous as giving up on love and belonging and joy—the experiences that make us the most vulnerable. Only when we are brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of our light.
— Brené Brown

-Inconcessus- Twenty

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