What is love? (Austin Mahone - Complete) (Rewriting)

Chapter 8 - The Pendulum

That night I couldn't sleep, as I laid down on my bed, my left arm by my head and my right on my torso, I stared up at the ceiling, counting the stars. I thought counting the stars would help my brain from racing to unanswered questions and shut down for the night, but counting the stars made me more anxious and wanted to talk about it. After a few minutes, I had enough and sat up. I pulled the blankets off of me and got up walking to the velvet couch, picking up a fancy see-through dark red robe that had fuzz at the bottom of the selves and the bottom of the robe itself. I put it on slowly and opened the bedroom door, seeing the hallway lights still dimmed. I walked down the hall and started walking on the first few white stairs before I heard the synced piano music coming from the glass room. The lights, on their lowest setting throughout the house, didn't make the music at all sinister, it was pleasing hearing it. It wasn't loud either from where I was at, but as I walked down more stairs, the music becomes powerful and filled with emotion, making me almost cry. Whoever the player was, was letting out his emotions through playing the sweet lullaby. I had one hand over the robe and the other on the rail, making it to the last step and slowly walking to the glass room. I stopped in the door frame, seeing Robert's back towards me as he continued to play, his eyes closed as his fingers moved from one side of the keyboard to the other, his head going up and down as he was putting his soul into the music he created. 

After a few seconds of me standing there, Robert's song had come to an end. He played one last note and looked at me with a small smile. "Did I wake you?" 

"Oh, no," I said, "I couldn't sleep." 

Robert nodded and moved over on the bench, creating a place for me to sit. I slowly walked over to him and saw down. 

"Never seen anyone wearing the clothes made for this place," he said, starting another song, but quieter this time as we talked.

"I never even seen clothes like these," I said, looking down to the robe and the silk nightgown that I found in the closet. 

"They look nice on you," he said

I grinned, "Thank you," 

"Of course," he said as he continued to play. 

I knew that that moment would be the most perfect time where I could ask him questions. Robert wasn't really the type to judge, not even in school. He would make small conversation but he was nice about it and didn't make fun of what I shared with him. There was even the time when I just wanted to sit down next to him and pour my heart out because I knew he would listen with no comeback remarks or anything means. I hesitated for a bit, for I didn't want to make him feel that I was gonna use him for information, but he wouldn't see it that way...Would he?

"Do you mind," I started, him looking at me, his fingers still moving, "if I ask you some things?" 

He smiled and turned back to face the keyboard, "Austin wasn't supposed to tell you things until Mr. Black came back," 

"Why?" 

"Just something he was told to do," he shrugged, "but I'm not Austin, you may ask away." 

I never heard this kind of language and manners coming from Robert, even though I've only had small conversations with him. "Is it bad...That Austin engraved on me?"

Then, Robert's beautiful song stopped as his fingers lifted off the keyboard. He was quiet for a moment, then started, "A vampire isn't supposed to engrave on a human or any creature that isn't his own. Years and years have gone by without the rule being put into place, and the record shows that vampires normally kill the human or creature they engraved on."

Flashbacks of my vision came back to me as I shook my head to stop the memories from coming back. 

"Vampires are nice at first to humans they engrave on, but after a while, they find it frustrating to have to deal with the needs of a human and decide to kill them." Robert went on.

"They can't turn them?" I asked

Robert looked at me, "Only the leader of the pack can...Only Mr. Black can start the process," 

I nodded and looked away, I feel ashamed asking him that. 

"I mean, it can happen, but never did a vampire try to turn their love into a vampire, human blood is too strong for vampires to handle," Robert said, replacing some of his fingers on the keyboard, playing again. "But, it's bad in this situation because vampires aren't supposed to engrave on their mission." 

"And I'm assuming they're not supposed to show love to their engraved?" I asked

"It's weakness really," Robert said, "It can lead to distraction from their mission and make the vampire weak."

Austin disappeared that night because he couldn't help but show his attraction to me. Spending too much time in my room with us alone wanted him to come onto me, to give me his love, but he knew it couldn't, for mine and his purpose. Robert got up and walked to the nearest bookshelf, running his fingers along the covers of books as he found the one he was looking for and pulled it out. He held it in his hands, looking down at it before he sat back down next to me, still keeping his eyes on the book. He looked at me and sighed, holding the book out for me. 

"The Pendulum," he said as I grabbed the book, "It's basically the handbook for new vampires once they turned and went through the Turning," 

I looked at the book in awe as  I ran my fingers over the cover, in big letters craved in the brown leather book was the words "The Pendulum". Under was a craving of a man on a horse, his sword to the sky as the sun was above him. Very odd cover for a book about vampires. 

"It talks about everything, really; the history of vampires, the Turning, symptoms, Imprints, all special abilities you might receive," he said, "Only vampires can read it." 

"If only vampires can read it, why did you give it to me?" I asked, looking back at him.

He looked at me, "I don't believe your human, I believe you are meant to be one of us. You're showing symptoms of before the Turning." 

It really all started to make sense now; Austin getting me, werewolves coming after me, me learning knowledge out of the blue and the vision I had. 

"Once you read it, no vampire can ever forget, our minds are just programmed that way," he said and looked at the doorway. I turned around and saw Austin leaning in the doorway, his arms folded behind his back. There were still so many unanswered questions that I had, but I didn't know if asking in front of Austin would help.

"Go on," Austin said, "Your mind is filled with wonder," 

"What all is true that humans make you guys to be?" I asked

Robert chuckled and Austin gave his small smile, I turned back to Robert. 

"When vampires smell human blood, not sleeping, feeding for the first time, being invited into someone house," Robert said

"No garlic?" I asked, joking around

"Vampires can heat garlic, but I can't, I'm allergic," Robert said and smiled as I smiled back at him, "It's getting late, why don't you go and get some rest?" 

I nodded and stood up, holding the book to my chest, feeling Austin's cold hand rest on my back. I looked at him, seeing him with his small smile, we began walking to the door before Robert spoke up.

"Tell me how the reading goes," Robert said as we stopped and looked at him.

"I will," I said before we continued walking out of the glass room and up the stairs, hearing Robert's piano playing fade away as we made it up on the second floor.