Cirque Du Freak: Larten Crepsley's Daughter

Chapter 5

I ran to Darren as soon as I saw him after his own trial before the Princes. I couldn't believe what the Princes agreed. If they wanted to do it to the other "kid" blooded, then they should have put me through it. Darren was just sent to his death. There have been fully matured vampires that have died in the trials to become a Vampire Prince. Right then, part of me wishes my own father tried to become a Prince.

"Darren!" I called as the crowds of vampires decided to leave the hall at once. "Darren!"

"Jordan!" Darren's voice called.

I fought against the crowd to see him. Gavner can't keep the babysitter on me now that the trail was dismissed. I nearly tripped to him when the crowd finally let me out. Darren caught me before I did a not-so graceful faceplant onto the all floor.

"Thanks," I said as I stood up and brushed myself off. I made sure it was him before I went further. "Are you alright?"

Darren turned from me before looked back to me with remorseful eyes. "I think so," he said.

"Darren, the trials are not in anyway easy. Unless you are immortal in every way possible. There is a possibility you could die," I said. I tried to hold it back. I tried to, it didn't work. I was worried he wasn't going to survive.

Darren pulled me closer to him. I looked to his eyes. "I know, by the way Aira was talking, I knew it was in no way easy."

"Darren..." I started but my voice faded. Although I wanted to tell him that I was worried I'd lose the only friend that was just like me, I couldn't bring myself to say the words without letting tears fall. "I'm sorry." I writhed from his grip and walked out of the hall, leaving him standing in the hall alone.

I didn't look at anyone when I pushed passed them and went to my secret room. I wanted to be away from everyone, including Darren. I made my way to the balcony and looked out to the window.  The moon was full and the stars twinkled. To me, it only confirmed that Darren was going to die. He was only half-vampire, like me. We are the weaklings even though we could walk in the daylight.

Below me, there was another party taking place. I wondered if Kurda and Gavner were there with Darren. I knew Gavner liked Darren, and it was no surprise when Kurda started hanging out with Darren that he'd taken a liking to him. Somewhere deep inside me, I wanted Darren for myself. As weird as it sounded to me, I didn't want to share Darren. The one person I hated because he was my replacement.

"I was going to find Jordan; she should be celebrating with us," Darren's voice said as it got closer to my door.

"Darren, she did not look in the celebrating mood when I last saw her about a few hours ago," Kurda said. "She avoided her work. She never does. I wonder what's eating at her."

There was a moment's pause before Darren said, "I think I know. I'll go and find her. Don't worry about us."

"Alright, I trust you, Darren. I will see you in the hall, right?"

"Of course, just let me find Jordan and talk to her," Darren said.

Talking to Darren was one of the last things I wanted. Right next to forgiving my father and fighting the Lord of the Vampaneze. I wanted to hide and make it look like I was just missing but I found myself unable to move.

"Jordan?" Darren called quietly as he entered my room.

I stayed where I was. The balcony was my place to think and look at the day I once called night. As much as I didn't want to be found by Darren, I didn't have any objection when he found me and nearly ran to me.

"Have you been here all this time?" he asked as he wrapped his arms around me like I was his younger sister or something.

"Yeah," I said. "I was liking it just fine until people decided they needed to find me."

I didn't mean for that to come out like it did.

"I was worried about you. Kurda said it wasn't like you to skip out on your responsibilities. Besides, you looked like you wanted someone to talk to when you just left me in that hall."

"Chores should be mindless tasks only humans do," I uttered when I turned and looked at something else besides Darren's concerned face.

He doesn't have to care about me. He needs to focus on surviving the trials or I'll never see him again.

When I looked back to him, he was smiling, almost laughing. "That's a good one. I should tell that one to Mr. Crepsley."

Although I couldn't picture it for the life of me, I laughed with him anyway. I wanted to keep his mind off his pending death. I wasn't going to bring it up since everyone else would while he trained. Knowing Arra, she would be one of his trainers. Not to mention his main mentor would be Vanez Blane. He loves a good fight, but he trained me in some combative techniques. He'd be perfect for Darren.

"Darren, you know you won't be able to see me as often once your training starts, right?" Now, it was time for me to be realistic; as much as I hated the thought.

Darren's smile faded as soon as the words were heard. He nodded remorsefully. "Yeah, I know. Which is why I want to make this night our last together before my training begins."

I widened my eyes. "W-What?"

Darren's smile was smooth. It wasn't lazy, and it wasn't cunning. "You heard me, Jordan Crepsley," he said in a low, almost seductive voice.

"Darren?"

Just as I got his name out, he pulled me closer to him. The moonlight was reflected in his eyes. Darren smiled the same smile he just gave me moments before and leaned in closer to me. I leaned closer to him. Before I knew it, I felt Darren's lips on mine. There in the moonlight, Darren kissed me and it felt so right.

"Just remember, Jordan," Darren said as we parted for a brief moment. "I'm going to survive. Don't worry. I will survive just so I can do this again."

"Darren," I said with tears in my eyes, "please don't make promises you can't keep."

A tear escaped and slid down my cheek. Darren wiped it away with his thumb.

"No, Jordan," he said. "I am serious."

"Darren," I said as I buried my head into his shoulder as tears dripped down my eyes. I didn't want to lose him. I couldn't lose him. He was the best thing that's happened to me since I became a damn vampire.

Darren and I stayed there until the sun started coming up and the vampires below us were started to head to their quarters. When I suggested that he get a good day's rest, he looked at me. I could still see the moon reflected in his eyes. He kissed my forehead before walking out of my secret room I shared with him.

As soon as he was gone, I turned to the rising sun. I knew I had to sleep soon but I couldn't leave the sactuary I called my room. Besides, it was mine and Darren's secret and I clung to it. I fell asleep as the sun's rays warmed the cold earth. I closed the large doors and pulled the curtains tight. I slept on the seat, waiting for Darren to return safely.