meeting with a vampire

Meeting with a Vampire

Chapter 3

~~~~

Warm strength seemed to wrap itself fully around me like a warm cocoon of protection. That was what my mind acknowledged as I slowly began to waken. There was a musty scent that filled my nostrils, it wasn't overbearing but strong. The smell sparked images through my mind of my dream man, Atrimus. I hadn't realized just how much of him I had remembered, until I had seen him again and everything had come back to me in vivid colors as if he had visited me just last night.

I opened my eyes as I slowly turned around to see Atrimus laying next to me his eyes closed at he slept, one arm wrapped about my waist, which he gently tightened bringing me closer to his body. I looked at his sleeping face contemplating the emotions that ran through me.

Part of me was angry and hurt at him leaving me after having taken me. He had opened my heart, my soul, and my mind to his and then left as if what he saw was not worth his time. Half of me was so relieved to find out that… he was real… despite the many times I had told myself that he wasn't real and to stop trying to look for the impossible.

There had been so many times that my loneliness had torn at my heart that I had considered asking the nearest man out on a date. But at the very last minute I had always pulled back.

Atrimus' eyelids fluttered lightly as his breath came out softly in and out. Without conscious thought my hand found itself at his cheek stroking his warm skin lightly. I paused as I realized something curious. He was a vampire… but why was he… warm? Wasn't he the undead? I had thought that the undead would be cold… and definitely pale. When we had first met I had seen him illuminated by the moonlight, but now with the fire burning brightly in the hearth, I could see his skin. It was lightly tanned, strong looking just like the rest of him.

He still had the same beautiful mouth watering features that he had the night that I had first seen him, but something about him had changed. He looked a little less strong, and I could feel scars on both his body… and his soul, if a vampire could have a soul. I shook my head lightly as none of that made sense.

One thing I knew for certain, my soul was connected to his. I knew that if he wanted to use my body again I wouldn't be able to tell him no, but I wasn't sure if my heart could trust him again. I still wasn't sure he would just find another so called "safe place" for me and drop me off getting me out of his hands so that he could once again be out of my life.

A soft sigh escaped my lips at the thought. I wished to know that if he dropped me off some where else I would be able to get on with my life… and eventually fall in love.

Atrimus' lips softly parted and I heard a soft muffled sound escape his lips.

"what?"

I looked up into his face, seeing his blue eyes peering into my own, "I am not going to leave you again" He said.

I could only blink at him, "You know… you really got to stop reading my mind."

He shrugged his shoulders, his hand moving to gently run through my hair, "You keep so much inside you Silver… it's the only way for me to know what is wrong."

I shivered lightly as he continued to stroke my hair gently; he was taking away my fears though I wanted to continue to cling onto them, "What makes you think I won't just tell you? I don't know you at all Atrimus; I don't exactly go around telling strangers my problems."

A slow smile lighted on his face taking my breath away for a moment, "No… no you don't."

He shifted his body pulling himself up into a sitting position, "Well would you like me to remedy that?"

I lifted an eyebrow at his offer, "how?"

"Well I could always just share my mind with yours..." He suggested.

"NO" I said interrupting him

He stopped looking down at me shocked.

I shook my head again, "I'm sorry but no. I am not going to let you do anything about my brain, If I'm going to learn about your past I would much rather learn about it the old fashioned way, Talking."

He ran his hand through his black sleep tousled hair and let out a frustrated sigh, I had to admit that he was sexy when he did that. "I… don't do well talking Silver"

I nodded, "well then I just won’t know anything about you and we will remain strangers." I refused to give in and let anyone probe around my brain or let me probe around theirs, "And you know. I have a name. You don't have to keep calling me by my nick name."

He blinked again at me, "I thought you liked being called Silver…"

"By my friends, yes, by strangers, no."

Atrimus only looked confused, "but… I'm your lover… Doesn't that…"

I shook my head slightly enjoying the fact that I was giving this vampire a hard time, "No it doesn't, and I didn't exactly give you the right to be my lover, you just took my body and then left. That means you have no rights what so ever."

He looked at me pleadingly, "but… silver…"

I shook my head again, "Nope. I'm not silver to you. To you I am Nittia Griffon Mercer, got it?"

His blue eyes looked a little sad, causing my heart to beat apologetically for the hurt I caused him, "I'm sorry… Nittia… You know I didn't want to leave you…"

I shook my head, "No I don't know. I only know what you keep telling me. That you had no choice because your enemies would chase after me, oh and you didn't want to take me away from the life I knew. Did it ever occur to you that I would want to have a choice in the matter?"

Atrimus pulled himself from the bed with a growl walking to the hearth his fists clutched. I noticed then that he was completely naked… and very angry now. Though if it was at himself or at me… I wasn't sure. Mentally I reminded myself to keep my mouth shut.

"Nittia" he said gruffly.

I blinked sitting up a little taller at his tone, "yes?"

"I'm going out" He turned his blazing blue eyes on me, for a moment I saw them soften before he turned away growing hard all over again, "Don't leave. You'll find you’re not exactly on earth right now"

"What?!" I asked terribly confused. He merely shrugged pulling on pants and a shirt.

"I'll tell you later…" He said gruffly closing the door behind him.

I sighed softly, immediately noticing the absence of his presence in the room.

I felt bad for making him angry, but I was only telling him the truth! He had left me! I sighed softly watching as the fires in the hearth greedily devoured the wood trying to ignore the loss I felt at his absence from the bed… and from the room. I had to make sure that I locked my heart up so that he couldn’t break it so easily like he had before. Before… he had taken me by surprise crawling into my heart as he crawled into my body, took what he needed and then left me empty and broken.

How I could still care enough about him to feel badly about hurting him or to miss him when he was gone… I did not know. Ignoring his last comment to me I slowly stood pulling myself up from the bed. I felt cool air hit my body and glanced down to see a flimsy off white piece of fabric draped over me. He must have made me a random nightgown out of what ever he could find. I smiled softly looking down at it my fingers rubbing the fabric lightly between my thumb and forefinger. He was considerate in some things, I suppose… I sighed softly again and moved off in search of my clothes.

Making my way towards the fireplace I noticed clothes hanging from a line, after a closer inspection I found my clothes, no longer muddy and now hanging dry before the fire. I quickly dressed, pulling my blue jeans on, I smiled softly glad to be wearing clean warm clothes again. I paused to wonder where my suitcase might have gotten of to. I searched the room thoroughly but I found nothing so I made my way towards the door.

My fingers circled the cool doorknob and turned, I heard a distinct click
through not only my ears but my mind as well. With a deep breath I pushed against the door…

~~

Some where in the middle of no where Atrimus passed back and forth angrily. His feet padded angrily against the spiritual floor. It was at times like this that he wished that he was pacing on a physical ground rather than spiritual. Then he could hear the sound of his angry foot steps to help him cool down from his anger.

He had screwed up… he had screwed up big time… It was not something one who lived thousands of years could usually say… but he said it today. His first mistake had been coming near Silvers… Nittia’s home when he had sensed danger. It had actually been her neighbors he had come to investigate, he had felt a large amount of anger and violence welling up and he had needed to discover if perhaps the Aduun had something to do with it.

He had just happened to be outside at the exact same time that her parents had pulled her out of the house and made their way towards the car. Everything inside him had paused at the sight of the babe within her mothers arms. He should have just turned around and gone back to his job but something inside him had said no. He’d just stood there watching her as everything around him had seemed to move in slow motion. He found himself fascinated by this small child and there was no explanation to it.

In his entire existence he had never been curious about children or babies and he had never had any reasons before now. He wondered curiously if he was becoming a disgusting pervert but after another look at the babe he knew that was not the issue. Every cell in his body screamed at him to protect her, to pull her into his arms and bring her close to his body. He wanted to watch her as she grew, watch every smile that came upon her sweet face and peer into her doe like eyes. The need to see her become a woman was also there and all he could do was stare and watch.

He should have just left, he should have known right then that she was his true mate and left her right then before he brought a human into his dark and terrible world. If he had known then what he knew now… he wondered if he would have left. Atrimus ran his hand agitatedly through his black locks growling lowly as he peered out into nothingness.

“I would have watched over her anyways…” he admitted with a growl, “I would have found some excuse or another to stay… and I’d still be in this mess” With another growl he grabbed a stone and hurled it out into the darkness. There was no sound that came forth as he knew the stone would continue to hurl through the spiritual plane for days on end… and when it landed… there would be no sound.

There was nothing else to it… he needed to bring her to Jonick and his people and hope that they would keep her well protected. Fingering the star pendent in his pocket Atrimus traveled through time and space swiftly using the endless possibilities of the spiritual plane and stepped softly onto the stoned floor of a large church. He looked up at the light pouring through the stained glass windows and mentally reminded himself to thank Jonick for the pendant that offered him this one small glance of sun light.

His blue eyes traveled along the pews and he noticed one man sitting along the front, his black tousled hair the only thing he could see of the man, but he heard a distinct tap tapping of fingers upon a keyboard. He smirked slightly as he made his way down the aisle and paused before the man.

“Where is Jonick?” He asked his voice low and dangerous.

The man jumped nearly a mile high his yellowish green eyes peering up from behind the laptops screen widely looking about. He looked up at Atrimus and let out a breath of relief, “Man Atrimus! You scared me! Why do you always gotta do that to me!?” He started cursing at Atrimus, “I don’t know why you got a problem with me being on the computer and all. So what if I’m not strong like Alex and all that but do you really gotta go bothering me all the time with that sneaking up and freaking out thing!?”

Atrimus grinned, “Perhaps if you were not always so attached to your computer and more attuned to things around you, you wouldn’t have to worry about me sneaking up on you Richard.”

Richard waved his hand as if blowing the logic away, “Bah, computers are my life man. And I’ll have you know if it weren’t for me Crublem would be in some deep shit.”

Atrimus lifted his eyebrows, “Like what? A lack of your bad mouth and rudeness?”

Richard puffed out, “NOooo!”

Atrimus laughed softly causing Richard to pause, “Dude… you laughed… you like… never laugh. You and Alex are like twin brothers… other than that you can say more than three words and you’re not as moody.”

He shrugged and glanced up his eyes peering about the church, “Speaking of Alex, where is he, or the rest of the group for that matter?”

Richard shrugged, “They’re out on another mission as usual. I tell ya we need more people. It’s just Alex and Jason out there all the time and I’m telling yah they need a break.”

“I trust that Jonick has asked headquarters for some replacements?”

Richard nodded, “yah… ever since that incident…” He trailed off and both of them paused and nodded softly silently agreeing to end that conversation right there.

“So where might Jonick be at this moment?” Atrimus asked.

Richard pointed up, “He’s in the tower at the moment working on some new gadgets for Richard and Jason. Maybe even hopefully for our new recruitments too. Although if we’re getting them or not he never tells us. Always gotta surprise us… just like you.”

Atrimus shrugged and grinned, “Perhaps everyone just loves to mess with you to see you go off… as you are wont to do.”

“Oh shut up.” Richard grumbled bowing his head to go back to his typing.

Knowing when a conversation was over Atrimus moved his way towards the stairs to the ‘tower’ as Richard put it. As he neared the top he heard a distinct bang and smoke began fuming out of the door at the top of the stair case. He could only shake his head, knowing his old friend Jonick… this was a normal every day occurrence.

A man with frayed white hair tangled and flying about his face came rushing out of the door coughing and waving away at the smoke, “oh bother” he mumbled. The man looked much like another Einstein, only he lacked glasses and was adorning a monks robe.

“Hello Jonick” Atrimus greeted as Jonick worked to wipe his watering eyes and peered down the stairs, “my word… Atrimus? Is that you? I haven’t seen you in ages!” He greeted making his way down the stairs and stumbling on a few steps. Atrimus caught him before he made a dangerous journey down the long winding staircase.

“Some times I really wonder how you manage to stay alive old friend” Atrimus admitted as he helped Jonick back onto his feet.

“Nonsense, I’m a top specimen for a man my age… I’m just a bit clumsy some times.” Jonick admitted.

Deciding to refrain from commenting on the many times Jonick had nearly blown himself up or tumbled down the stairs, lest he hurt his old friends feelings he instead motioned for Jonick to make his way back into his workplace.

“So what brings you here Atrimus?” Jonick asked as he stepped within the slightly destroyed work room and sat down in a chair that always seemed to miraculously pull through everything Jonick put it through.

“Well… I believe you do remember me mentioning a young girl whom I had noticed…” He trailed off looking into Jonick’s warm grey eyes.

Jonick nodded peering up at him, “I do believe so yes… She went something along the lines of her name being Nittia… or Silver… I can never remember names.” He admitted.

Atrimus nodded his head, “Yes… well… She’s grown into a young woman now… and… I discovered… that she’s… the one.” Absently he wondered why he kept seeming to pause and realized that blood had rushed to his cheeks warming them as he blushed.

Jonicks eyes lifted knowingly, “oohhh.” He grinned softly, “I see so you’ve found a girl finally. I was starting to worry about you my friend.” Jonick laughed softly moving towards Atrimus to pat him on the shoulder, “Let me guess the Aduun are beside themselves trying to get at her.”

Atrimus nodded his head with a soft sigh, “yes I’m afraid they are.”

Jonick nodded his head his grey eyes looking solemnly up at Atrimus, “Your not going to turn her are you.” He didn’t ask he merely stated.

Atrimus sighed and nodded, “I just want her safe… I already made a mistake in claiming her once… but if I took her completely then she would never be safe.”

“Well my old friend… you always just keep her with you and keep her safe. It’s not so unusual for a woman to fight with her love.”

Atrimus sighed and shook his head; his blue eyes looked down at the stoned wall his face solemn, sadness radiated from his eyes, “She hates me Jonick…”

“Now that I can’t believe.”

Jonick was cut off with a swift movement of Atrimus’ hand flying up to stop Jonick, “She told me herself… If I had never taken her she would never have been hurt by my leaving her and she would never be in this predicament, I hurt her Jonick… I don’t blame her at all for hating me…”

Jonick patted his old friends shoulder comfortingly, “You could always ask her my friend, and you could always try to fight for her instead of giving up on her so easily. I don’t want to see you fade away like I know many of your kind will do after a time.”

Atrimus shrugged his shoulders, “I have lived a long time my friend, there is nothing wrong with just ceasing to exist. Unlike you I have no soul and so there will be no after life for me… I practically AM a soul and this soul no longer wants to exist.”

“That’s not true either Atrimus, if it were then you would not be here and there wouldn’t be a woman out there that you are trying to protect.”

Atrimus sighed and shrugged his shoulders, “Just promise me you’ll take care of her when I bring her. Please?”

Jonick sighed, “How can I say you nay my friend. Of course I will. Just bring her here and I will make sure to find a good room for her and keep her well protected. The Aduun can never touch her while she’s within here.”

Atrimus smirked softly, “I know… if it wasn’t for your pendant I would not be here either.”

Jonick shrugged his shoulders, “You and the Aduun are distantly related… which is why I still find it odd that God deemed your kind the ones to hunt down the Aduun.”

Atrimus nodded his head as well, “My kind are not exactly pure good either Jonick”

“Yes but you are not evil and feed on death and pain.”

Atrimus shrugged his shoulders as Jonick stood, “Come now let me get you something to drink I’m sure you would love to pace across the stone floors and think more on what you really should do.”

“But I told you I’ve already decided…”

Jonick shook his head, “Have I ever led you astray my friend? No don’t answer that… just go. Think some more on what you should do and then go find her. We’ll get everything sorted out.”

Atrimus sighed and nodded moving away to walk back down the long flight of stairs.