Bright Lights and Dark Blood (On Hold)

Chapter 11

Did she just tried to rip Olivia’s heart out? She thought to herself. Ella puts her hand through her tangled hair. She just flipped out and just got vamp drunk. Hugging her bare knees, she tried to steady herself. If Henry was here they would talk and she would cry until her eyes would burn. Every time she dreamt of Phillip, her mom, dad and how it used to be. Nightmares aren’t her thing. They aren’t anyone’s thing but vampires have the most vivid of them all.

“Hey” Libby gave a weak smile and stood at the doorframe. Her feet ready to sprint out if needed.

“Olivia, i-I’m so. . . “ She saw Libby stepped back as she rolled out of bed. She was scared of her. The fear in her eyes and in the air was undeniable and it was for a good reason. “I know you’re scared of me, Lib. I’m so sorry. I just blacked out and maybe it’s in my genes or something but I really am sorry. I’m not gonna kill you” Ella stared at her toying fingers in utter shame. “I know you won’t, El”—Libby broke the odd silence— “but you really scared the shit out of me and you seriously messed up my favorite PJs”.

Ella saw the smile on her face saying that everything’s forgiven. She flashed and gave her friend a tight hug that would break any human’s ribcage. “Ok, ok. Killing me again” Libby choked out.

The minions already cleaned up the mess and the house was cleaner than before. “Isn’t it convenient to have baby vampires scrabbling to have abilities?” Ella said through her cup of coffee as they turned on the television.

Five people killed after riot in a vacant lot near the city. Authorities identified the victims as beggars regular on the city streets. Police believe it was a drug sell gone wrong.

The serious faced anchor switched to other news. “Very smart baby vampires” Libby commented with an impressed look.

It was strange to Ella when Libby sat in front of her and gave a heavy look. “What?” she raised an eyebrow “Did you have a nightmare?. . . About Phillip” Libby prepared for a violent reaction from Ella but she just looked at her coffee mug and rubbed its rim. “I see you talked to Henry” her eyes still on the swirling brown liquid. Only Henry would know that. “When is he coming back?” she saw Libby change from one expression to another. Its clear that she doesn’t know or she does and won’t tell her, Ella thought.

“I don’t know. Please answer me El” Libby furrowed her brows. Ella took a heavy breath “Yes and my father was there too. So it’s a double whammy” she curled her lip. She shifted her position and puts one hand behind her head. “Remember when Phillip showed me his drawing, you helped me snuck out and when everything was perfect. My father came because Henry told him?” her face went cold.

“Oh that” Libby remembered, on that day everything changed drastically. The room fell silent. “Henry is very sorry for what he did. You know that right?” she searched Ella’s face for a reaction. “I know, but sometimes I just wonder how things would’ve been if my father didn’t know. If we did ran away and settled down in an obscure town. . . “ her voice trailed off and she smiled “Got married, started a family, have those bickers married people have. Grow old” she teared up.

Libby realized she was lucky that she didn’t have a Phillip before she was turned and have to feel stuff like that. Ella took another sip and her face grew angry in a thought in her head. “Instead, I have to watch him have everything I wanted us to have with someone else because. . . ” she puts the mug on the table. “It’s time you move on El. I know that Phillip’s your great human love but all this time? For one guy? When the whole world wants a piece of you. Not when. . .”

“Henry’s a heartbeat away? I know, believe me I tried. Italy is my witness” she looked back at her failed attempt to move on and using Henry as a rebound. “but after all the centuries I’ve learned that you don’t plan falling in love otherwise it’s called suicide” she looked up at Libby’s guilty face. She knows her loyalty is with Henry despite her claims that it’s for no one.

Libby cleared her throat. “Well you have a date tomorrow! with that. . . “ she tried to remember the sandy blonde actor’s name. “Nicholas” Ella smiled and suddenly enjoyed a little inside joke. Libby raised an eyebrow thinking the five homeless guys he drained made her coocoo.

“They have the exact same eyes you know” shaking her head. She finally said it out loud. “Who?” Libby was confused with all the inside laughter.

Ella just realized that after her dream. “Nicholas has Phillip’s eyes. Exactly the same ones” she stands up and she could feel Libby rolling her eyes. “Found a forget-all-about-Phillip guy huh?” Libby teased. “naaah. . .more of a temporary-forget-about-Phillip-while-Henry’s-AWOL guy” She swinged her arms “besides I do enjoy that infectious accent of his and those dimples and those ummm. . .  what was I talking about?” she joked.

The girls laughed and all traces of that dawn became a faraway nightmare.

“You have a shoot later at 2PM” Libby switched to assistant mode in a snap noticing the time. “Wanna come with? Let’s go shopping after” she shaked her eyebrows at Libby. “Oh you will take me shopping!” — she points a finger—“You owe me a cute Pajama top and a pair of shoes and throw a cute dress for squeezing my heart in my chest”

“Fine! And we’re good right?” Ella said in mock anger.

“Were good” Libby grinned.