The Final Messenger

14. Palisades, Palisades

Turns out, Niryn now has reason to be sleeping next to someone who can sink their teeth into her neck but still scares her less than whatever was on the other side of the glass a few hours ago.

Still, it doesn't make her any less uncomfortable to be so... close to someone. It shouldn't bother her this much, but she can't remember the last time she's slept next to another body. Much less someone outside of her family.

She thought Adria would be awake at this hour, but strangely enough, she still falls prey to habits that dominated her human life. Another funny quirk about her is that even whilst sleeping, her hair is tied in a loose bun. It's as though she cannot be seen with her guard fully down.

Rain was beating against the glass like it had a personal vendetta against the both of them. Even if Niryn didn't receive the threat, she would still be kept wide awake by the violent claps of thunder and lightning outside Adria's window.

She wondered if her assailant was still making their way back home. Hopefully they were caught in the rain. It's strange to think about them as a person, with a bed and place to go back to.

Adria seems to be sound asleep, her body curled up and making little movement. Unlike Niryn, who can't help but toss and turn throughout the night like she's fighting a war with herself.

Is it weird that she's watching her friend sleep? Honestly, yes. But something about how soft and even her breathing is makes Niryn's soul pulsate with calmness. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. The thought passes by so muted and pastel that Niryn doesn't catch it at first, but she could watch Adria's chest peacefully rise up and down forever.

For now, she forgets about the message.

With a small whimper, Adria's body stirs and outstretches her arms. Niryn stamps down on any life-altering thoughts she has and quickly hits her head on the pillow, trying to seem asleep. When a soft cry unwraps from her small, perfect lips, Niryn registers that her friend is having a nightmare. She's dealt with many. Enough to recognise one when she sees it.

Moments later, Adria's hand makes the subtlest of shifts to her neck, as if protecting it. Her first bite, Niryn realises. The room is a rich shade of caramel, making everything look too warm and too sweet and too closed in for her liking. She has to get up.

But when Adria's fingers make the faintest of grazes on her arm, she slows down.

You can't just leave her.

Niryn considers waking her up with a poke to the forehead, but that would be stupid. Instead, she hovers her hand above the girl's face, not knowing what to do. Her own breathing is controlled and soft so as to not disturb the girl. A strand of silvery blonde hair is blocking her eye, so Niryn helps her get it out of the way by tucking it behind an ear.

She looks like a doll. Her eyelashes are nearly invisible against her porcelain flesh, twitching every so often. A moth taking flight. She can see the lightest of hairs on her cheeks, like peach fuzz. Her mouth is the slightest bit ajar, showing the tiniest whites of her fangs. Seeing the tips of them protruding those pink lips of hers unearths a deep, dark, unholy part of her core.

She's never been this close to another girl before. Much less a vampire. It's strange. From every possible angle, they appear no different from a human. If they look human, do they feel human too?

It's tempting, but Niryn withholds from touching her face and instead shakily keeps her hand at her side. Her heartbeat is pumping blood like a train running off a cliff. Without realising, their faces are almost nose-to-nose now. That is, until Adria's eyes flutter wide awake.

If shock could have a colour, it would be Adria's eyes now — pomelo-white and pearlish.

"Sh - shit. I'm sorry! I didn't mean to —" Niryn says, stumbling away.

"It's okay," Adria says while getting up. "What were you doing?"

It's true. Everything is okay. Adria doesn't look mad or freaked out. Just confused, if a little clinical in her query. She's now eyeing Niryn and tilting her head like she's the interesting specimen, not her.

"I was just... I've never been this close to a vampire before."

Or a girl.

Adria nods like she understands and faces the window where the rain keeps battering against the glass.

"You've never told me why you wanted to stay with me in this room."

"Oh." The back of Niryn's neck suddenly feels itchy. "I got a message from someone, written on my window."

Adria turns to look at her, surprised.

"It said, 'I am coming.' I think it was written in blood. Not sure. I didn't feel safe, but I couldn't come to Lydia or Victor about this. So I came to my only friend," Niryn looks down at her shaking hands. "You."

For some reason, a look of guilt passes over Adria's face.

"Do you think someone found out about you? Being The Final Messenger?" Adria asks.

"A human? Like someone's family? I thought about it. But we live on the second floor. No, I think it was someone else who has a stake in this."

Adria pauses, like she's mulling over something very difficult to say.

"I can't tell you who it is, but I... It's time I told you. Yesterday, when you were out, Lydia and Victor pulled me aside for a meeting. They told me they were working with other families in the region for a grand plan. They call it their 'Final Solution.'"

Adria takes a breath, facing away from Niryn as if she didn't deserve to look her in the eyes.

"They said within a few years, they were going to build an army to take over the country. I didn't know anything about this before. That's why I didn't know what to tell you when you brought up the men at the ball. Please, please forgive me. I wanted to tell you but I didn't know what would happen to us if I did. You weren't supposed to know. You're one of the biggest chess pieces in this plan. You're The Final Messenger. You're proof that a human-vampire alliance can work."

That's... a lot. Honestly, Niryn blanked out at some parts because each sentence was a revelation that hit like a ton of bricks to the face with no time to wipe the blood off her jaw before the next one is thrown. More than anything, she knows there's a deep, residual anger inside of her that was just dying to lash out and find a victim.

"Niryn?"

"I think I know who it is. Did they mention any names?"

"... I don't remember."

"There's something I didn't tell you too. My brother is living with the family that owns the basement."

"What? Does your brother know about —"

"No. Not really. I don't know when I'm going to tell him. Fuck this," Niryn gets up from the bed. "I'm going to Lydia."

"Wait, Niryn. They aren't home."

"Then where the hell is she?"

"I... I don't know. I'm sorry."

Niryn's breathing becomes hard and fast, like she's exhaling smoke from a burning pit in her lungs. Adria looks worried, hand trapped in mid-air, but Niryn doesn't care. Everything is blurring and phosphenes are attacking her vision. She hears the muffled sound of legs collapsing on top of one another, a universe caving inward, heat death between her gun-heavy eyes. Distantly, she registers her name being called, but it is too late. Her mind blanks.

Everything returns to black beginning.