To Love A Tribrid

Blood and Shadows

He was a tribrid, Anastacia was not sure how but she knew but she knew this nonetheless . She watched; her body frozen as his lips traced the nape of her neck his cool breath sending chills through her body. His teeth grazed lightly before he sunk them into her. She tried opening her mouth to scream yet nothing came out not even a gasp. She tried fighting against the unconsciousness. She didn't want to die not like this.

"Anastacia, do you not hear me." Anastacias eyes flutter open as the banging on her door becomes louder. She instantly reach up to her neck feeling, searching for a bruise and feels nothing. Her door opens and her mom is staring at her with a look of annoyance and worry on her face.

"I've been calling you for over five minutes. You're going to miss the bus ...again" She touches her neck again confused...how did I get home? She's sure the last place she was...she... she can't remember. Frustrated she throws her legs over the bed placing her head in her hands.

"I give you the option to set your own bedtime and continuously for the past few days you've failed to awake on time!" Her mother continues her rant as she walks into the room picking up her dirty clothes as she rants. Anastacia glances at the clock and sigh. Her mother was right, lately it seems as if she's here but she's not. Maybe I should lay off the fantasy books, she thinks

Her name is Anastacia which she was sure the whole block knows now.

"I'm sorry- " her mother cuts her off midway through her apology.

"No anastacia no more apologies. That's what you've been saying this whole week with no change! 10pm sharp every night you'll be in bed. No phone no tv nothing! You're 17 and still I have to treat you like you're 12." She picks up the rest of her clothes throwing them in the hamper. I probably should've at least cleaned.

Anastacia slowly slides on her uniform her mind blank but filled with so many questions at the same time. Did she not go out last night. As if her mother, Annabella , can read her mind she she starts again "you were holed up in this room all night but couldn't even clean up? "She drags her hand across her face in frustration as she walks out Anastacias dirty clothes in tow with her.

Holed up? So, I never left? She grabs her phone off the nightstand, over thirty unread messages look back at her. She clicks the first one and she's met with confusion. The number shows unknown, how?

"Until we meet again." She tries clicking call and as suspected a call can't be made to an unknown number. She attempts texting back a question mark which reads back undelivered. She feels along her neck again...it felt so real. His face sculpted so perfect and his red eyes the way they gleamed with anticipation. She scrolls through the rest of my messages which confirmed what her mom said. She had to be here, because there were numerous messages asking where was she was and why did she miss the party. Party? Frustration creeps in for she remember nothing. She tosses the phone on the bed closing her eyes. His face fills her head his smile dripping with her blood as he pushes a strand of her hair back.

"You're mines Ana!" She jump up her eyes darting around the room. What in the entire fuck was that. I'm losing it she thinks. No one is here but her, but she heard it..him as if he was sitting right there.

Anastacia finishes getting ready as she hears her mom again telling her to hurry. I'm already late she thinks what's a few more minutes? Grabbing her book bag something shiny drops to the floor with a hard thud. A dark crystal? She picks it up and instantly everything goes black.

"Anaaaaa...my sweet girl. Your whole being is mine. Now isn't the time wake up."

"Anastacia please baby wake up!" Her eyes open and her mom and paramedics are standing over her. Okay something is definitely up.

"She's coming around guys give her some space." A paramedic instructs as he slowly raises her into a sitting position.

"Gave your mom a shock there" he softly laughs as he wraps a percussion wrap around her arm to check vitals. Annabella, her mom, looks down at  her, eyes filled with concern as she runs her hand through her hair. How long was I out?

"Vitals are stable nothing out of the ordinary. Do you remember what happened?" The paramedic questions as he wraps up his equipment. Anastacia shakes her head no as her mom helps her to the bed. They step out to talk leaving her alone with her thoughts once again. The crystal! She raises up her eyes frantically darting around her room. She throw her legs over the bed checking under it. Sure enough the black crystal lies there. She snaps a picture learning her lesson the first time she refuses to touch it again. Her mom walks back in a soft smile on her face. She sits on the edge of the bed placing Anastacias legs above hers.

" I'm thinking maybe you should stay home today ...maybe catch up on some rest." She says but it sounds more like a question. Anastacia nods in agreement her mind elsewhere. She plants a small kiss on her forehead sighing again.

"Call me if you need anything, I have to go in." By in she means work. She's one of the top doctors at St. Josephines hospital. Her name and work have been mentioned more than once on their local news station. When she leaves, she pulls up google image search and places the photo of the crystal. Nothing. She tries searching black crystal and images flood the screen none of them resembling what she found.

"Is anyone here?" She ask in almost a whisper feeling silly for even feeling like she'd get a response.

"Always."

She almost jumps out of her skin.

"Who are you? Where are you?" She sits all the way up her eyes wide as she looks around the room. Her eyes settle on her mirror. Why is it shimmering? She walks up to it and lightly touches it.

There he is, staring back at her, his red eyes glistening. He's just as she remembers, a beautifully but cruel constructed face his black hair flows down to his shoulders. This can't be real. She rubs her eyes taking a deep breath and looks again. He's still there.

"I'm real." He says a smirk crossing his face.

"Who are you?" She stammers leaning closer to the mirror. She can only see him from the waist up she tries peering over the mirror wondering if she'd see his other half.

"Who I am doesn't really matter. What you are to me does Anna." When he speaks her name the hairs on her arm stand.

"What does that mean? And how are you even doing this." She reaches to touch the mirror again and stop...not because she wanted to but it was as if something stopped her.

"In due time my dear." He responds his eyes piercing through me.

"For now tell me what you remember of last night."

"I..remember almost nothing." She say in frustration. "I remember you...and blood..you smiling." She rambles still in disbelief.

"You're...you're a tribrid." She say this without thinking and his eyes widen.

"Who did you hear that from?!" He responds in a raised voice. She takes a step back trembling. Unable to hold it together she darts from her room and run towards the front door , running right into him. She falls back putting her hands out to soften the blow to the floor. Her breath catches in her throat. He looks down at her his eyes a deep red now.

"You can't escape me." He leans down his face inches from hers.

"I asked you a question and I expect an answer. WHO told you that?"

"No..no one I...I just know...my mind told me." She feel her eyes watering. She buries her face in her hands as the tears start flowing. He yanks her up by her wrist causing her to squeal in pain.

"Please...you're hurting me."

"Not yet." He responds menacingly. He pushes her against the wall his lips inches away from her face.

"Bring back memories?" He laughs as he traces her jaw line with his finger. "You're so perfect for me Anna." He presses his lips against her neck softly kissing it.

"I'd never actually hurt you," he murmurs sliding his hand along her lower back.

"W.. what do you want?" Anastacia ask feeling as if she was one of the people in a horror movie. They always ask this question on the brink of death.

"Isn't that part obvious? I want you Anna...every inch of you. Every breath you take I want to own."