Part 13 (1/2)
”No, I won't be going back in there.” Claire shook her head.
”Why? Because you saw how much your man likes to blood? Because you saw what he - and all of us - really are?”
”Exactly. That's why I am done with him, and all of you.”
”You were okay with us just minutes ago. What happened, Claire? You seemed to be on a road to acceptance.” Hilde's voice, though soft, was also taunting.
Claire tried to answer, but couldn't form the words. Instead, against her will, tears began to brim in her eyes. She turned her head away so the vampire could not see.
But she did. ”Don't cry. There's no need to.”
Sniffing, Claire faced her and said, ”You guys are torturing me.”
”You're torturing yourself. Daniel is giving you quite a good opportunity, and the more you say no, the more the pain comes. All you have to do is say yes and everything will be fine.”
”Why are you doing this to me? What do you get out of it?”
”I want to see my Daniel happy. He's lonely and we're not as close as we used to be. He thinks, and I agree, that you are a worthy companion. It may not last forever, no, but it will last longer than most mortal relations.h.i.+ps. You will always have each other's loyalty. What more could you ask for?”
Claire was afraid to answer her. She sighed heavily twice, trying to clear her mind so Hilde wouldn't read it.
The vampire reached out and took her hand. ”Come. We can't keep them waiting. Calm down.” Claire gritted her teeth to keep the tears from coming out her eyes. When she succeeded, she looked at Hilde who said, ”All right, that's better. Let's go.” She guided her back into the club, where everything was the same as before. The music was still screaming, and the people were still biting each other. Several saw Claire and sneered at her. Hilde warded them off by telling them she was new to the club.
They got back to their group. Carys and Yvette were sitting next to each other, looking amused to see a shaken Claire. Michel and Antonius stopped chatting with a couple of s.h.i.+rtless men, and Daniel was seated across from the two women, arms folded across his chest, looking very annoyed. He unfolded his arms and stood when he saw Hilde and Claire.
”How is she?” he asked.
”She's a bit sick to her stomach, but she'll survive,” Hilde smiled back at Claire before letting go and sitting down beside Carys and Yvette.
Claire and Daniel stood looking at each other. She could feel the eyes of not only the vampires, but the others - the wannabes if that's what they were - heavy on her. It seemed like time rested on one of them making the next move.
Not wanting to cause any more problems, she lowered her head in near defeat. He squeezed her shoulder and kissed the top of her head. He then sat down again, and she alongside of him, resting her head on his shoulder. He patted her leg, right above her knee and left his hand there.
For the rest of the night, people of various ages - though mainly close to Claire's age - came over to offer themselves to the vampires. When Claire wondered silently if those people knew for sure they were giving their blood to actual vampires, Daniel whispered in her ear that they often didn't care. Being bitten and being sucked from was a form of s.e.xual pleasure for these people. No wonder this was an exclusive club. She wondered who exactly owned this club, but Daniel didn't respond.
The other vampires stayed to themselves, leaving Claire alone but chatting with Daniel from time to time. Sometimes they would speak in accented English, other times they would talk in strange tongues, probably the Latin, Greek, or the medieval French that he knew. Claire felt more isolated.
By 3 AM, everyone had had their fill and the crowd was thinning. Daniel had to nudge Claire awake as she had dozed off on his shoulder. She was stunned she had done so. Maybe it was mentally and emotional exhaustion that caused it.
Outside of the club, Daniel kissed everyone good-night. They simply hugged Claire and kissed her cheek, and told her they would see her soon. As if nothing had happened, and everything was natural and normal between them. But when Hilde approached her, Claire was the first to hug, not wanting a kiss from her. That would have meant accepting what happened or what was said this night, and she did not want that.
The vampire simply patted her back and kissed the side of her head. It was not a kind or friendly kiss. There was some snide laughter to it.
As The Black Roses headed for the subway, and Hilde and Michel began to walk home, Daniel hailed another cab. ”We've got to talk,” he told her as he waved down a driver.
The ride to his apartment was quiet, with Claire staring down at her hands and Daniel with his hand on her knee. At least it wasn't heavily across her shoulders, she thought with a hint of optimism.
At his place, Claire immediately sat on his couch, not removing her coat. He locked up, put his jacket on a dining room chair, and sat next to her, his body turned towards her. She took note that his skin was a normal, healthy color. By morning, it would wear off to that albino hue.
”Claire,” he said in his stern tone. She lifted her head, giving him a sideways look.
”You can't go on like this.” When she didn't answer, he continued. ”This is getting ridiculous. What happened tonight was not necessary. I brought you there to get a feel for what life would be like once you agree to follow me. I wanted to show you how fun it is and how it is not as isolating as you think. Perhaps I should've done this earlier.”
She turned her whole body to him at this point and began to speak. ”I would've had the same reaction anyway. What I saw scared me. You drank her blood, Daniel! You almost killed her!”
”Yes, I got carried away, but she wanted it. What's the problem with that?”
”Nothing, just...its just...”
He shook his head. ”You've got to detach yourself from everyday beliefs and see things from my point of view. Then everything would be all right.”
”No, Daniel. No!” she said. ”I don't want to see the world from your eyes. Based on what you've been telling me about your life and your ways, I know I do not want it. You know I do not want it! Why do you keep pressuring me?”
Disgusted, he got up and began to pace. He did it for a minute before turning and telling her, ”Why do you keep refusing?”
”Because I have a right,” she said weakly. She could feel her will break more and more.
”Not to us, you don't,” he spat out. ”What scares you? Huh?”
”Killing people. Not seeing the sunlight ever again. ”
”You would see the sunlight. It may take centuries, but in the meantime, you've got the beautiful starry night. What's wrong with that?”
”And you want to take me away from my friends and family.” She stood up, using whatever strength she had left in her. ”I love them and I want to be able to see them.”
”You love them,” he echoed and went back pacing. ”You can always speak to them on video, have them come into the city during a cloudy day. You won't be parted forever.”
”Yes, I would be. I want to able to see them without fearing the sunlight. Without having to explain my pale skin. And what about years from now? I'll never age! How do I explain that? And I would like to see my niece Ava and whatever brothers and sisters she'll have. I know I don't see much of my family now, but I don't want to see them through videos or photos. I like seeing them every few months for a few days. Dan, can't you understand that?”
He was thinking, though not on what she'd just told him. He narrowed his eyes a bit before widening them with an idea. An idea that made a near cunning light to his face.
”You always speak about your niece. How much you love being an aunt. How much you can't wait till she starts talking so you could talk to her. Oh, Claire, wouldn't you be the good aunt and let her be?”
Claire felt dizzy. She started to shake her head. ”No,” she muttered, then she got louder. ”No! You wouldn't!”
He put his hands up. ”Why not? You say you love her.”
She jumped on top of the coffee table and began hitting Daniel. ”You wouldn't! I won't let you!”
He grabbed her hands so tightly, she fell to the floor. She began heaving tears, knowing what could possibly happen.
He let her sob for a few minutes before squatting down and running his fingers threw her hair. She didn't want to look at him, but knew she had to.
”Perhaps I should show you what life would be like as a slave to the Brothers,” he said calmly.
He took her arm, pulled up the coat sleeve. He flexed his upper lip.