Man Of My Dreams

Chapter Eight

 I decided to experience the garden in the flesh after breakfast. It was even lovelier in person. It’s all so surreal. Barely a week ago, I thought this place only existed in my mind. Yet, here I am. I never thought I would get to see this place. Or any place outside of that swamp. And even with Kian telling me he’d never even cared to have me here, I was still glad to have left that run-down house. I let myself wonder what Mama was doing. If she’d left by now, she no doubt took the cat and dog. Mama was cruel and cold to me but she always had a soft spot for those two. 

  Maybe I could get a cell phone eventually and try to track her down. I quickly dismissed that thought. She made it very clear to me that when she left our life behind, she left me too. She’s probably halfway across the country by now. If she isn’t dead. How am I supposed to live now? I have no job, a home-schooled education. I didn;t even try to go to college. I knew Mama wouldn’t allow that. It’s not too late for that, though. I guess I could live however I wanted. Despite it all, I am a free woman. 

  I giggled at that thought. Me, free. I never would have imagined this. I heard footsteps nearing the garden. I looked up. “Your new place is ready.” It was Kian. I stood, “Come to get rid of me finally?” I joked but he didn’t seem to find it funny. “I don’t care if you stay here, Wren. It’s you that’s choosing to leave.” I blinked and without missing a beat said, “Well, you aren’t exactly welcoming.” He chuckled. I narrowed my eyes. “Fiery-spirited.” I rolled my eyes. Yeah, I’m definitely leaving. I’m not too keen on the idea of being compared to my nine-times great grandmother. 

  I followed him to the elevator. The ride down was awkward and silent until he said, “I took care of Silas. He won’t touch you again.” I glanced up at him. My eyes widened, “When you say took care…” He laughed, “Well I didn’t kill him, if that’s what you’re asking. I just told him to keep his hands to himself. Unless you ask him not to.” I scoffed. “I wouldn’t ask him to touch me with someone else’s hand.” This time, Kian’s laugh rang my eardrums. “Oh, that’s a good one.” he wiped a tear from his eye, “I can’t wait to tell him you said that.” 

  I rolled my eyes. “Why would he care? He seems like a total jerk.” The elevator door opened and Kian stepped aside so I could walk out. “Oh, he is. And that jerk has rarely ever been told no before. As you have already seen for yourself.” I sucked my teeth, “That I have.” A car was parked on the side of the street waiting for us. Kian stepped to the driver’s side door. “What? No driver?” I asked. He unlocked the doors and we got in. 

  “I have a driver. But I would rather see you there myself. I also was hoping to talk to you about this city first before thrusting you out into it.” I put on my seatbelt. 

  “This is Vrale. My birthplace. There are many cities in this world. None of them are like Vrale. Here, a human has the same rights as any vampire. Humans are protected and not harmed. If a human consents, they are more than welcome to allow a vampire to feed from them. But if no consent is given, forced feeding is punishable by death. You’ll find yourself relatively safe here. I do my best to keep the bad ones out but sometimes they slip through. So, be careful when you’re out.”

  “That’s it? No boundaries or certain places to stay away from?” In the swamp, Mama put up markers around the land indicating not to go past them. “No boundaries. I’m not your keeper. Just… be careful.” I nodded. I was truly a free woman then. The rest of the ride was quiet. I mostly stared out of the car’s windows and took in the sights around me. Tall skyscrapers seemed to nearly touch the sky. The city was bustling with night-life. I suppose weekend partying happened here as well then. 

  Of course, I had never been to a party or a club. Always being hidden away in that swamp. But t.v. and books existed and I knew enough about it all to maybe be able to try out a party or two. Eventually. I don’t think I’m ready for that type of a crowd just yet though. Maybe I’ll focus on trying to get a job. Kian said he would help me with a place to live. I wonder… “Anywhere hiring?” I blurted. 

  He side-eyed me, “You want to work?” I quirked an eyebrow, “Yes, why wouldn’t I?” He turned his left-turn signal on and pulled into a driveway. “Well, you don’t need one. I said expense free. And you spent your whole life in a swamp secluded from the world. I didn’t expect you to get a job.” Well, he’s right. A job might be hard for me. At first. That didn’t mean I didn’t want to try it. I shrugged, “I’ll figure it out.” We pulled up to a gated townhouse. It wasn’t small, by any means. But it wasn’t ginormous like Kian’s mansion on the hill. 

  I didn’t know I was crying until I felt a hand on my shoulder. I wiped my tears, “I’m sorry, it’s just… A week ago, I hadn’t even let myself imagine a life outside of that swamp. I never thought…” My serotonin high was wearing off. Yeah, I was free. But at what cost? How long would it take me to unlearn everything I had ever known? To heal? “Do not ever apologize for your emotions.” His voice was gentle and kind, yet stern. “You got out. And you do not ever have to go back.” He took his hand off my shoulder. 

  He got out and shut his door. He walked around the car and opened mine and held out his hand, “Come on,” he said. I took his hand and followed him to the house. He unlocked the front door and I stepped in. It was nice. A foyer, to the left, a dining room. To the right, a living room. “Two bedrooms and a bath upstairs. One bathroom down here. A library just beyond the living area.” 

  I turned to face him, “It’s perfect. Thank you. You really didn’t have to do this.” He shrugged, “Well, you won’t stay at my house. And I’m not the type to force anything.” I rolled my eyes, “I meant you didn’t have to secure me a house.” He laughed, “Like I said, I owe you.” I walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge. Fully stocked. I didn;t need to open another cabinet. I knew they were all equipped with the necessities. I looked at Kian. He only shrugged. 

  “Everything you need is here. And about that job,” he said, pulling a cigarette from the pack he had in his pocket, “take a couple of weeks learning the city. There’s a journalism place a couple of blocks away that’s in need of a receptionist. I’ll let you know your start date as soon as I find out.” He lit his cigarette and took a long drag and then I remembered.

  “How are you able to smoke?” He looked at me with an incredulous look, “What do you mean how?” I shifted my weight to my other leg, “I just thought you were all… dead. So breathing–” When he was done choking on his laughs he said, “Okay, technically, you’re not wrong. But we can all breathe in the sense that our lungs are functional. It’s more out of habit, though. I was born, so I still breathe because I need to. Blood flows through my veins to keep my heart beating.” He took one more drag from his cigarette and squashed it in his hand, shoving the butt in his pocket. 

  “But you’re immortal, too?” I started opening cabinets looking for a glass. I found one and filled it with water. “I am. As long as there’s not a stake in my chest.” My stomach growled. Which also reminded me… “I’ve never seen you eat before. Since you were born, and you have a fully functional respiratory system, I would assume the digestional one is up to par, as well?” He chuckled, and leaned against the frame of the kitchen’s entrance. 

  “I require very little blood. I feed once a week. On other days, I eat real food.” I nodded. Interesting. “So, consensual feeding then?” He quirked a brow. I was pushing it, but that small pang of jealousy was insistent upon my prying. “Always consensual.” I thought about asking him who that woman was again, but I decided he’s done enough for me in one day. I’ll let it go. For now. 

  “I’ll leave you to it, then.” he said. I nodded, suddenly a little nervous to be all alone. Not because I was scared, but because I had never slept alone in a house before. I gotta suck it up. I’m free now. “Thank you, Kian.” I said once more. He only smiled softly and said, “Goodnight, Wren.” And then he turned and left. And I wondered if he would see me in his dreams tonight. I shivered at the thought. An us problem, he said. 

  I gave myself a small tour of the house. I went to the library first. It wasn’t a small room by my standards. And of course, fully stocked. The living room was cozy and came equipped with a t.v.. Upstairs, I found the master bedroom first. I noticed the walls first. A light lavender, much like my favorite room at Kian’s. Same white, silk bed sheets. White comforter. I looked up, the night sky stared back at me. How did he know? 

  I found the bathroom next. A large clawfoot tub sat in the middle of it. I didn’t even bother finishing my tour. I stripped right where I was and turned the water on. I’ve never had a bubble bath before. Tonight, that changes.