Chapter 2 — Acceptance
” v… v… v… Vampire?” Holly squeaked. Her throat felt tight. She could hardly speak. Her mind was stuck on the murder she just witnessed. She felt her whole world crumbling down around her. Vampires arnt real.
But what she witnessed, the blood, the sick loud cracking, David’s body, it was all very real. She saw it all. His white sharp fangs digging into his neck was just as visible as how easily Aidan lifted him into the air.
She looked into the street. A clear shot down. Less people were out now. She could try to run for it. Her knees were weak, and she was trembling. What she saw she would never be able to explain to anyone willing to hear it. With how fast he moved upon David she knew she couldn’t outrun him. All she could do was face it. This monster.
Holly stepped back against the wall petrified. “are… Are… you going to kill me?” she said. Her heart pounding from her chest. She was beginning to sweat, and her mouth was desert dry.
“please…” she said. It was all she could manage to say. She had never felt like she had to beg for her life before. Aidan stepped forward. His eyes apologetic. He didn’t look at her the way he had looked at David. He was looking much softer… Kind even. Like a child. But he was no child. Far from it.
“I’m sorry you had to see that. It wasn’t my intention miss… Holly…” He corrected himself. He kept his distance. His head was down like a dog who was busted doing something wrong.
“I would… Could never hurt you Holly” he said. Holly didn’t move. She was frozen. She was thinking of what to say but nothing came out except for short labored breaths.
Just then the unthinkable happened. The predator submitted to the prey. Aidan lowered his shoulders, and dropped on his knees at Holly’s feet with his head looking up at her. His eyes turned from vicious onyx to soft saddened black eyes.
“please don’t be mad miss. I’ll never do it again in front of you If you forgive me.” his child like voice Rang out in soft tones. He lowered his head at her feet and waited patiently. “if you don’t then I will leave you alone forever if you wish.”
Holly stopped shaking some but was still frozen with fright. She had no idea what to do. Just moments ago this monster… This violent strong vampire was just killing a guy easily. Now he’s practically begging for her forgiveness at her feet.
But why? Why was he doing this? She was even weaker than David was, and he tossed him aside like unwanted garbage. He could kill her in a moments notice. But he hadn’t. No. Instead he was awaiting an answer of approval she didn’t know how to give.
“it’s either be strong, or run” she thought. It was all she could do. She thought about running, and never looking back. She wanted to even. Every bone, every instinct told her to do so. She glanced down the road now dark and empty. She knows that road well. She also knows that if she chooses to run then she’ll never know anything else about the mysterious vampire named Aidan who was silently waiting at her feet.
She’d go her whole life possibly wondering what if. The fact vampires exist tugging at her mind and nobody would believe her. It would drive her crazy. The alternative just as bad, dangerous even. She wants to know more. So has to. So she decides to stay.
Holly swallows hard and speaks. “look at me.” she weakly says. Aidan complies. His eyes meet hers. “please get up”. He complies again. Aidan stands up, and backs up giving her space. His eyes still apologetic, Still soft with regret.
“do you want me to go miss?” Aidan says.
“why do you keep calling me miss?”
“because it’s what I’m supposed to do. It’s polite.” Aidan says. “I know you said not to but it’s hard to call you by you’re name.”
“You can then if you really want to.” Holly says. “it’s weird though.”
The blood on his face was thickening. It was hard to look at. Aidan sensed this.
“please excuse me” he vanished behind the alley for a moment, and returned. His face was mostly clean. His shirt though was still stained red.
“so you’re really a vampire?” Holly said. Already knowing the answer.
“yes miss I am.”
“how long have you been like this?”
“a very long time. Way before you were born.”
“wait, then how are you so young?” Holly asked puzzled.
“in human years I’m Only 19. My world’s equivalent is 566 miss” Aidan said.
“years?!” Holly barked. Aidan didn’t answer. He just glared at her softly as she tried to take all of this in.
“that’s impossible. This is all impossible. I’m obviously dreaming. I need to wake up. David isn’t dead, and you… You arent real” Holly said. She walked over slowly and reached out her hand to touch his pale face. Aidan didn’t move. She poked his cheek, and immediately pulled her hand back.
“oh my god, you’re real! And you’re so cold, why are you so cold?” Holly asked.
“I’m cold to you because my blood is much colder than yours miss. My core body temperature is sixty degrees.” Aidan explained.
Holly has confusion painted across her face. Clearly dumfounded. “sixty degrees?” she thinks to herself. “this is insane. I’m going nuts. Did David spike my drink?” it’s the only thing that makes sense.
“OK.. Um… Let me see them then… your fangs. If this is real then show me them.” Holly says gaining more courage from her new found curiosity.
Once again Aidan complies. He steps forward. He opens his mouth slightly letting his long white k9 teeth project enough for her to see.
Holly reaches out, and touches the tip of his fang. “it’s so sharp” she says.
“yes miss they are.”
“then this is real. This is actually happening. That means David.” Holly looks over to see David’s body still mangled against the dumpster. Her blood goes cold.
“Aidan you can’t just kill people. It’s wrong. David was a jerk but he has a family. He has a mom, and a dad who love him, care about him.”
“I understand you’re value for human life miss, but David was unclean.” Aidan said.
“what do you mean by unclean.” Holly says confused.
“his blood miss. His blood was dirty. David either killed, or will kill someone in his lifetime.”
“You can sense that?”
“yes miss. It’s how we feed.”
“vampires you mean. Plural, as in more than one?” Holly says.
“yes miss. More than one. I come from a world much like yours, inhabited by others like me. Older and younger miss. We come here to feed, and to imprint with humans.”
“a whole world full of vampires?” Holly says bewildered.
“yes miss. There are many vampires with different abilities.”
“You have abilities, like powers?” holly asks.
“yes miss.”
“What kind of abilities? ”
Aidan looks towards the night sky. He knows he’ll soon need to leave. He looks back over at holly who now is so riddled with questions she’s forgotten about her fear. Aidan extends his hand to her.
“if you will miss… Take my hand, and I’ll just show you.”