Blood and Apples

A Good Night Kiss

       I woke at one am, unable to sleep anymore. I had just emerged from a horrible.  nightmare. There were chains and blood. Lots of it. I could still hear the high pitched screaming ringing in my ears. I shudder and rub my eyes. Right, it's decided, I'm going for a stroll. Perhaps I could become tired again after I stretched my legs a bit. I slid on jeans and a hoodie. Stuffing my hands in my pockets, I left the stuffy, empty room. I padded downstairs and my bare feet hit the cold marble. I heard quiet singing coming from the basement. I couldn't quite make out the words as I headed that way. All thoughts in my head shouted at me to stop. I felt like as if I were a horror movie, the dumb blonde who got killed first. But this wasn't it, at least I had a stroppy vampire to keep me company although I didn't know where she was at the moment.

         "Hello?" I softly called out.

     "Mason. Follow me." A willowy voice answered.

    My feet moved on their own as I followed the voice. The stairs creaked and groaned under my weight. Cobwebs latched onto my hair as I desperately shoved them away from my face. My eyes adjusted to the darkness and I picked out a lone figure dressed in white. I watched as they spin to a stop, facing me. There is something strange in the silent air. It feels dangerous down here. I swallow quickly and turn quickly back to the stairs. But the figure is faster and soon I'm pinned to a wall, slender hands wrapped around my throat. The hands squeeze ever so slightly and I wheeze,

    "Elinor?!" 

      The figure gives a high breathy laugh,

     "No, silly. It's Joan." 

    Oh, peachy perfect. I was going to be a midnight snack for her. Where on earth was Elinor?! She was probably wandering the moors like Cathy did in Wuthering Heights. Except she was most likely chasing some poor bastard to his death.Joan loosened her grip, sliding her ice cold hands over my neck. 

     "Such a perfect specimen." She purred.

She kissed me softly as I remained unmovable. My heart thudded in my ears and suddenly she bit down. Roughly. I felt sure she had bitten down to the bone. It hurt like hell and I let out a small whimper. Her tongue grazed the ragged edges of my torn flesh. I pushed her shoulders, trying to remove the leech from my neck.

    "Get off." I groan.

       Joan ignored me until something tore her from me, making her crash into a wall on the other side of the basement. I heard Joan's growl of anger as she desperately tried to get up.

     "Stupid, stupid, idiotic man! Once she gets going, she doesn't stop until her victims die!" Elinor roared.

    I hadn't realized my eyes had been closed because once I open them, I flinched in the bright light. Elinor stood there, shaking in anger and her dress was stained in coppery colored liquid. She grabbed the front of my hoodie, making me choke. I watched as her fangs shot down, cutting her bottom lip. Elinor was furious and I was now terrified of her. This five foot and four inches high girl scared the pants off me. 

     "Don't do that again." She seethed through gritted teeth.

      "I promise. Could you..." I gestured to her hands.

           She gave a grim smile and released me. Then she slapped me, it was like being slapped with a brick. Man, I really pissed her off. I rubbed and rotated my jaw.

     "Honestly, I leave you alone and what do you do? Flirt with a vampire and almost became a corpse." She hissed.

     "I didn't flirt with her!" I protested.

         "You, Mr James, are staying by my side until we find Rhys. Got that or I'll..." She punched her fist into her palm.

      I gulped, kind of nervous.

     "Yes." Squeaked.

       She gave a wicked smile and beckoned me to follow her. I obliged, not wanting to make her more angry. She took me to the first floor bathroom. She made me sit on the tub while she assembled bandages and a washcloth soaked in medical alcohol and water. She gave a disapproving sniff as she approached me.

     "Damn it. She got her scent all over you." She scowled.

      I wondered what she meant as I could smell nothing.

     She was not at all gentle as she cleaned the bite marks. I winced as she rubbed too hard.

      "Wimp." She chuckled.

           She slapped a bandage over the wound and sent me back to bed. I saw her as stood guard outside of my room. True to my word, I stayed there until morning. Little did I know that we would both have plans that day.