The mere thought of the state of the house sent a chill down my spine... knowing him, it would already be in ruins and he wouldn't even notice... typicall coming from him. It was already morning, and I was reading one of those interesting but old books from Velmira's library... even so, the image of the house under my father's care still haunted me.
"Perhaps a quick look at its condition wouldn't be so bad..." I murmured with a sigh as I closed the book and placed it on the nearest shelf.
As I did so, I could felt a gaze fixed on my back. I ignored it, knowing it was probably Velmira watching me... the vampire was far more protective than I had expected from a millenium seemly cold being like her. So I adjusted my coat and grabbed my bag.
"Where are you going?" just as expected, Velmira asked as soon as she saw me getting ready to leave.
I glanced at her, and a faint smile crept into the corner of my lips before I could stop it. I let out a nervous giggle, which caused a clear look of confusion on the vampire's face. I shook my head and looked at her again; she looked so cute like that, all worried, almost like a little puppy.
"What's so funny?" she murmured with a slight frown and a snort.
That only made my smile widen as I approached her and shook my head, letting her know I wasn't teasing.
"Nothing, I just thought your expressions were hilarious," I said with a soft chuckle. I watched with a smile as Velmira's normally pale cheeks slowly turned red, and she frowned before she gasped at my comment.
She open her mouth, fangs on sight, but no words came out of it, she seem to be lost of words, how cute. I watch as she crossed her arms aiming and trying to compose herself, without success of course.
"And answering your question, I would pay a visit to my father", I said, explaining and finally answering her incognite.
"Whas that so difficult to say on first place?" she mumble with a scoff and I only laugh.
Once I'd explained that, I saw Velmira's body slowly relax, now that she knew where I would go. To be honest, I found it rather endearing.
Anyway, I grabbed my bag and, with a slight smile, left. However, the vampire wouldn't let me go, at least not alone. Velmira huffed, but followed me the whole way even if only under the trees' shadows; she'd also helped me when I got lost without a map.
"Here, you're as forgetful as ever," she said, handing me a map and pointing with her fingernail to where we were.
"...Aaaah!" I murmured, finally realizing where I was.
"You'd lose your head if it weren't glued to your neck," she added with a playful, but not malicious, tone. Actually, there was no real bite behind those words.
Now that I had a map, I could finally reach my village. In the last few weeks, nothing had changed: the houses were the same, people were coming and going. I smiled slightly at this. I looked at Velmira then; her gaze met mine, and she nodded before humming.
"You'd better come back..." she murmured, with a mixture of hope and also a little fear that I might break my promise, just like that man had also break her trust centuries ago.
"I will... I'll only stay a few days, it's a promise," I replied without hesitation as I looked at her.
She nodded and smiled slightly before suddenly I softly grab her sleeve. She looked at me, confused and curious in equal measure, no annoyance in her gaze at all, it seem she didn't mind it. I looked away before tugging it lightly, forcing her to lean toward me.
I then gave her a soft kiss on the cheek and looked away, unable to keep direct eye contact.
Velmira froze before a blush spread across her cheeks. She looked away and snorted, then leaned forward and gave me a soft kiss on the forehead. With that, she turned around, crossing her arms.
"Now we're even..." she murmured before smile and wink at me, making my cheeks get a red huge in a quick rate. I swear I could now compete with a tomato in a competition of redness and I would won either way.
I watch as Velmira turn and leave back through the shadows of the trees. A smile was still in my face.
I walk down the street, but the further I walk, the more I notice the strange silence. Normally, there would be children running around, ladies gossiping here and there, but right now, there's an eerie silence—no horses, no bicycles, no cars, nothing.
After a while, I arrived home. It was just as I remembered it; the light brown walls were still as sturdy as ever. I took my keys out of my pocket and unlocked the door. However, as soon as I did, I gasp as a hand grabbed my arm from inside and pulled me back in. It was my father.
He closed the door behind me and locked it before looking at me, his expression one of relief.
"Aira..." he murmured, his hands gently resting on my shoulders as his gaze meet mine with a deep sigh of relief. "You have no idea how worried I was. Where have you been?"
His question caught me off guard. Since my mother's death, my father had never noticed me coming home late or being gone for a couple of days.
My surprise grew when I saw how disheveled he looked. It was true it usually wouldn't be anything new coming from him, but this time he was worse: his beard was unkempt and his brown hair was duller than usual. His hands trembled as they rest on my shoulders.
"I was at... a friend's house... why?" I excused my behavior. I wasn't going to tell him I'd been at a vampire's castle; I'd only reappeared after a few days, and if I told him, he'd surely think I'd lost my mind.
"You haven't answered my messages," he murmured, looking up.
He was inspecting me with his tired eyes, seeing if I had any wound at all, I tugg my sleeve down, hiding the small cut in my wrist made by the knife when I had give blood to Velmira.
And taking my phone out of my pocket, the messages started buzzing nonstop. It made sense... I had no signal in the old castle... besides, my phone was almost dead, with only 1% battery left.
"Sorry, it seems I didn't have any signal," I said with a slight smile.
My father nodded at my excuse. He was about 5 feet tall and had a fairly muscular build from his construction work. Even so, I could see a few sweat stains on his white sleeveless shirt.
Looking around, I found the house in its usual disarray. There were beer bottles everywhere: on the floor, on the sofa, and even on the table... This had been my father's refuge these past few years. Still, I won't complain about it; I know it helps him relax and sleep without nightmares.
The walls were dirty; he'd probably bumped into them. He was a good man, but he'd never really gotten over my mother's death. My father noticed my gaze and how I was also lost in thought; he looked away with a mixture of regret and embarrassment.
"I tried to clean it up... but well... you can see for yourself..." he murmured with a sigh. I nodded silently, surveying the mess. "...I was worried too..." he sighed.
"Why?... It's not the first time I've gone away for a couple of days," I asked, curious to know the origin of his new found worriness.
He just shrug and went to the refrigerator, he open the door as usual, took out another beer, and opened it before leaning on the table while drinking it. He paused for a second and stared at the liquid before he looked back at me.
"There have been a lot of people going missing lately.", he said with a frown in his face.
That make me pause for a moment, my gaze raise and I look at him in the eyes... missing people? a small hitch appeared in my throat as I know who may be behind it.
"Since... when...?" I mumble, almost fearing the answer I would get.
"A couple of days, maybe more", my father answer while he finish his beer with a sight. "The villagers are more and more on edge, so I am" he said and lean on the table before look at the ceiling.
"They say that a demon had been roaming around the forest", added with a deep sip of his beer
I get pale... weeks and a demon... that... that actually make sense with Talren's "visit" for call it in a way... it probably was one of his ways of provoke Velmira.
"Is... probably just a rumor... demons doesn't exist" My words sound loud in the silent room, but even I myself was so sure... a week ago I would have said the same about vampires and well, I found myself in this situation.
"Maybe you are right" That was the answer of my father as in another glup he finish his bear and look at me before hum. "Still, it doesn't take away the fact that people is getting missing."
His words ring on my mind, they were far more true than I would want to admitt. I didn't continue that conversation as I simply excuse myself and head to my room. The sound of my footsteps inthe alley was the only thing heard in the now silent residence.
I finally stop in front of the wearry but steady wood door, my hand grab the knob and I take a deep breath, before turn it. The silence and the smell of books cover the insides of that room, its content haven't be move or switch of place in the last days. The half read novel open in my bed was a testament of such.
My steps get me to next my bed, where I eventually leave my bag, my gaze then stop of my nightstand where my phone charger was, I connect my cellphone before it really die and huffed for then let myself fall over my bed and next the open novel.
My hands travel to grab it and I look at the cover, I found almost ironic its tematic... 'Love and Fangs', a vampire novel and a cruel joke after what I had know this last week. The memory of turning the pages is now nothing more than a shameful recollection, not because of the book itself, but because of its contents.
With a deep sight and now red cheeks, I read the page where I had leave it open and my embarrassment only grew as I look away immediately, I felt my face burn red. It was a quite... 'adult novel' for don't mention its specific content, a love story between a vampire and a human, both woman.
My hands travel to grab it and I look at the cover, I found almost ironic its tematic... 'Love and Fangs', a vampire novel and a cruel joke after what I had know this last week. The memory of turning the pages is now nothing more than a shameful recollection, not because of the book itself, but because of its contents.
With a deep sight and now red cheeks, I read the page where I had leave it open and my embarrassment only grew as I look away immediately, I felt my face burn red. It was a quite... 'adult novel' for don't mention its specific content, a love story between a vampire and a human, both woman.
I swear... this would be the last time I'd ever hear a book recommendation from Iris... she was the librarian in my town and a writer, and even though she was my age, she was always looking for inspiration for her GL books... Come to think of it, I should have expected something like this from her.
At the worst possible moment, a memory of Velmira flashed through my mind, and I swear I could have been as hot as an oven. I groaned and slammed the novel shut, letting out a moan of embarrassment. However, I was forced to immediately hide it in my backpack when I heard my bedroom door open. The last thing I wanted was for my father to find out what I'd been reading.
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