Trapped between two lifes

Chapter 6

''Stupid soulless creatures!'', I heard Ethen yell from downstairs and I wondered what was going on.

I figured that his comment was directed to all vampires, including me.

I was saddened by his words. He only sees the monster in me.

I got out of my room and I waited in the corridor, so that I could listen better to what they were saying.

''Calm down Ethen and tell us what's going on.'', I heard Ronan say.

''How can I? They don't want to make a new agreement after what happened yesterday. We have to earn their trust again. We should have never brought Layla here. She's only caused us problems, like I had predicted.''

''It's not her fault. Even if nothing had happened, they'd still refuse to give us our rights back.'', defended me Kate.

''Yeah, but things would have been easier for us without her.'', countered Cora.

''You don't have the right to talk. We still don't know if you were responsible for the incident.'', said Vincent.

''I told you before. I didn't do anything. You trust Ian and Isla, but not me?'', answered him Cora.

''Stop it! This conversation is over.'', said Ethen.

I heard him go up the stairs at that moment, but I didn't react fast enough and he saw me and the tears I had in my eyes.

I run into my room, but he followed me.

''How are you? Have you recovered from yesterday's attack?''

''Why? Do you care? You just pointed out that I'm an obstacle for you.''

''I've got a lot in my head lately. I didn't mean what I said.''

''Maybe, but that doesn't justify it.''

''Put yourself in my shoes for a bit. All these years we've been in the minority and the vampires do what they want with us. This has been going on for 50 years, when the vampires won the battle against the werewolves. Now we're trying to get our rightful rights back and all I've been getting are more problems.''

''Meaning me?''

''What made things worse is what happened yesterday. But it's not your fault. I'm sorry for what I said about you. We have to find out who's guilty, to continue the negotiations.'', he said and stroked my hair, something he does often lately.

No matter how much I try, I cannot stay mad at him for too long. Either way I know that myself that I turned everything upside down from the moment I got here. Ethen is just trying to protect his pack. I wish I could do something to help him.

''Tell me something, so that I can forget about everything that's been going on.'', begged me Ethen. ''Tell me about you. You've been here for so long and I barely know you.''

I was glad that he changed the subject and I was even happier that he asked me to tell him about me.

''I was born in Baiersbronn, in Schwarzwald. I'm an only child, even though I always wanted to have a little sister. My favorite color is blue and my favorite food is Schnitzel with mushrooms. I also enjoy running.''

''Interesting. Are you going to university and if yes then what are you studying?''

''I don't know. I can only remember that I had a part-time job at the library. I loved it there because I felt calm and I liked flipping through the pages of the books. Enough about me. It's your turn now.''

He sat next to me on the bed and asked me:

''What do you want to know about me?''

''Tell me about your hobbies, family and relationship with Vincent.''

''Hobbies? Aside from the pack? Hmm.. when I'm tired or stressed out, I run in the woods to calm my nerves. I feel free and I love that. I haven't seen my family in years, like I already told you. I come from a generation of werewolves, but my parents weren't. I inherited the gene from my granddad, just like Ronan. I was the first to be part of the pack and my brother followed after a while. The truth is that we bonded more through that. It might not seem like that, but we get along really well. Sometimes I have to be hard on him because I can't make any discriminations as a leader. Me and Vincent have been friends since we were little kids. We got in the pack at almost the same time. He was the one to introduce me to our former leader. We became inseparable. No matter how many times I fight with Vincent, he's always there for me.''

It was getting darker and we were still talking about random things, like all sorts of myths that exist and we also talked about personal things, like memories we have from our childhood.

''It's late. I should probably go. Goodnight. '', he said and got up to leave.

''Wait.'', I stopped him and continued:

''Can you please stay with me here, until I fall asleep?''

''Do you think that's wise?''

''After everything we said I believe that we've come closer. Let's pretend that we are just Layla and Ethen and not a vampire and a werewolf.''

At first he hesitated, but he eventually laid beside me on the bed and took me in his arms. We looked each other in the eyes, he kissed me on the forehead and whispered to me:

''I wish things were different, so that we could be together.''

I did not answer him. I just slipped deeper into his arms and I started imagining what a life with him would be like. Having these sweet thoughts, I fell asleep.