Crimson {COMPLETED}

CHAPTER I

EMILY'S POV

OCTOBER 8
1:38 a.m

THERES A knock on my window in the dead of the night. I roll over, attempting to ignore it. It's probably Christos wanting to go on a date or something. As his fiancé he's been trying to get to know me better. Seeing as it's an arranged marriage in a way, at least he's trying.

But Christos wouldn't continue to knock if I didn't answer the first time. He would assume I'm asleep and wouldn't want to bother me. He was at least raised with good manners, as a prince would have I guess. But this person knocks again.

"Emily, I know you're awake. It's Jackson. Not Christos, don't worry."

There's something calming and annoying at the sound of his voice in my head. Calming because it's Jackson and he's real sweet but also annoying because it means he was probably reading my thoughts.

Jackson is a close friend of Christos. His best man in fact. Christos introduced me to him early on, seeing as he's around quite a bit.

I still remember the way he smiled at me when Christos introduced me. Christos said he hadn't seen him smile like that in a while.

And boy, is Jackson one hell of a beautiful man.

I throw my legs over the side of my bed and walk over to the window, my blanket draped over me. I open the window and the nights cool air flies in, giving me goosebumps.

Jackson is more tan than most vampires that look sickly pale. He looks human even. That is until he opens his mouth and you get a glimpse of his fangs. His dark brown hair is tied up in a loose knot as usual and he looks like he could really use a shave.

"Can I come in?" He leans against the window pane. Christos and Jackson are always climbing through my window.

I had to lie to Dad and tell him I busted my screen killing a fly that landed on the window. Luckily, that was enough for him.

Actually no, I'm pretty sure he thinks I'm sneaking boys into my room, for different reasons of course.

Even though I'm an adult I try to stay in his good graces because he's letting me stay here while I finish up college.

"Yeah, and hurry up it's cold as hell." I wrap my blanket tighter. Even if I was hot I'd have it wrapped around me because I'm only really wearing a oversized shirt as pajamas.

And Christos would kill Jackson if he figured out that he was visiting me late in the night while I'm half dressed.

"Sorry, I know it's kinda late, but I wanted to go out and see a movie or something." He shrugs.

"It is past midnight, and I know you're not familiar with this realm, but the theater is closed. Has been for hours. Go home."

"It's not closed in my realm." He pipes up as I turn to climb back into bed. "And I know, that you would kill for an Icee right about now."

"They have Icees in a realm of bloodsuckers?"I raise an eyebrow.

"Sure they do. I mean, they aren't exactly the same but it's the general concept." He sits down in my desk chair, his eyes looking like flashlights in the dark room.

I lie down in bed, rolling over so I don't face him. "Go home."

There's a long pause.

"You know, you didn't seem too happy at the idea of Christos being at the window. Strange, him being your fiancé and all."

"Goodnight Jackson." I don't even open my eyes.

"Do you even want to marry him?" He fiddles with the pens on my desk.

"No. Now will you leave me alone?"

"Why?"

"Because I wanna go to sleep."

"No, no I meant why do you not want to marry Christos?"

I only ended up being engaged to him because of Alice. My younger sister. A girl with too much curiosity to contain and a fascination with the strange and abnormal. Her crazy theories landed her face to face with actual vampires. Actual vampires.

From what Christos has told me, when he and his family got news of Alice having discovered vampirism, his parents suggested just making her into a little servant girl, either for them or some other wealthy vampire.

But Christos suggested instead that she could be spared all that and would instead get the luxury of being his blushing bride. He says having a spouse will make him look good to his parents because they've been desperately waiting for him or his older sister to be wed.

And with that being his reason for sparing Alice the life of some kind of slave, I asked if I could simply take her place instead. Since he hadn't even so much as seen Alice, he obliged.

The wedding is approaching quickly now despite us getting engaged just a little bit ago.

"Because I don't love him. Hell, don't even really like him." I shift in bed. "It's an arranged marriage. What do you expect?"

I'm not excited about my marriage to the fairytale prince. He's using me, I know that. Even if he wasn't, I still find him utterly disgusting.

"Right sorry. So is the movie thing completely off the table because I could really go for some popcorn right now but it wouldn't be as fun by myself-"

"Jackson."

"Yes?"

"Out. Please."

"Alright, sorry." He stands up and heads back to the window. I can't see him but I hear the window slide open and feel the cold air once more.

"Jackson wait." I suck in my breath.

"Yeah?"

"Maybe we could see a movie after I wake up? I think there's this one movie that came out last weekend that I was looking forward to making fun of." I chime.

Every so often, we like to go to the movies and buy a popcorn, candy and Icees. We sit in the back of the theater and crack jokes the whole time, eating until our stomachs hurt. It's an event I save up my money for so I can splurge on snacks. I look forward to these times.

He chuckles. "Sounds like a plan Em."

I hear the window snap shut and glance behind me, almost as if I'm hoping he's still there. He's not.

I get up and close my curtains,

I roll back over and press my face into the pillow, thinking of all the Mike & Ike's I'm gonna eat at the theater.
                           __________

A/N
I'm in the middle of editing this and I can already tell this is gonna be a RIDE AND A HALF