Nova's Diary

Chapter Fourteen

21st August London, 6:23 pm- I was awakened by Dexter, who was gently patting my cheek until I woke up. I batted at his hand a moment, not quite sure why I was to receive such an obnoxious awakening, but nevertheless I sat up and gave Dexter a look of annoyance. I squinted at him, but he continued to poke at me, he was acting very silly, and it was getting on my nerves.
"May I help you?" I quizzed as he began to gently poke at my breast at a rhythm. He leaned in and buried his face in between my chest, his ears wiggling as he closed his eyes.
"I don't like waking up first...I feel lonely." He said, rubbing my back softly. He was awfully needy and clingy. Was it maybe because of the blood he took from me earlier, or the incident that happened last night? Maybe he was just glad I was okay. I began to stroke his hair, pressing my fingertip against the sharp point of his ear, wiggling it back and forth. He was cute when he got all sweet like this, I found it funny how such a scary non human creature could be so precious. I leaned against the headboard, looking down at him as I twisted a lock of pitch black hair around my finger a few times. I sighed in content, watching his black hair swirl around my finger in a nearly hypnotic motion. I put my hand on the back of his head and rubbed it, pulling him a little closer. I began to think about how cute he was, how silly he was being. It made my heart flutter as I stared down at this cute little monster in my lap. I felt my cheeks redden a little, my mind was getting the best of me.
"Would you like to stay in here all night? We can talk, relax. I had my fill of excitement yesterday." Dexter gave a quick nod, wrapping his arms around me tighter. He seemed content with our current situation.
"I was wondering Dexter, I was told a while back that you had ex's that hurt you as well. Would it be too much of me to ask what happened? I won't pry if it makes you anxious, I am just curious is all." Dexter gave me a thoughtful look, before reaching up and playing with some of my hair.
"I had two girlfriends in my whole life. One of which was a vampire from birth, the other created by me, regretfully." I felt my heart pang with...jealousy? I was jealous, but why? I hadn't a clue. But I did not say anything, and waited for him to continue.
"The first one, the vampire from birth, was named Winter. I met her when I was about 16, we dated for...20 years? She wanted to marry, but I couldn't bring myself to it. She was a lovely looking woman but her insides were more rotten than I can even describe. She was very dominating, separating me from my family and pushing me into solitude, barely even speaking to me unless she was scolding me. When I tried to break up with her the first time she attempted homicide, first on me, then my brother, that was an ordeal. I forced myself to stay awake during the day and took a carriage to my home to escape her. I hid in that house for years until I caught word she'd left town with a lover. I was relieved, and was able to get back out into the world. I was around 43 by the time I managed to actually leave the house. That is when I met Mina. She was a princess, at least, that's what she told me. She had the clothing and servants to keep that appearance. I met her at a ball, and we danced most of the night. We saw each other often, for about 10 years, before she began to try to change me in her own way. I don't think she had any malintent, I think she was just trying to make me better in her own way. She began to try to dress me in a very demeaning way, frilly and nearly girly. She loved I was so thin, and at some point she tried to put a corset on me, to give me a more womanly figure. She wanted a doll to dress, not a mate. The only reason she got turned, was she refused me blood, and continued to throw out the blood in my mansion, essentially starving my me and my family, driving us to hunt instead of being civil. She locked herself in my room and cut her neck, and I was absolutely famished, I had to eat. In the process, I bit my tongue by mistake and that turned her. My blood introduced the vampiric gene and overtook her human blood, and she was a vampire. I couldn't very well abandon her when she was freshly turned, so I trained her, how to turn into a bat, how to bite, how to act human again. It was awful, the whole way she was talking about how we could be together forever. My brother did something I am not praising him for, but I am not mad about it either. He waited until Mina was asleep, nailed her coffin shut, and put her on a random ship. It got lost at sea. I was then suddenly single, I didn't even know what happened to Mina until Draven told me. I regret not having said goodbye, she was kind, but her morals were twisted. I have no idea if she is even around anymore, she could have starved, or been eaten by a shark, I don't know. I had a few flings here and there, but they were mostly for blood." I listened intensely, my mind immediately going to what these women looked like, my jealousy subsiding for the time being as I realised they were both off doing god knows what in their own life.
"That reminds me Dexter, I do not believe I ever caught your age. Your real one anyway." He rubbed the back of his neck, he looked embarrassed. He began to count in his head, furrowing his brow. Had he forgotten? I suppose after a couple hundred birthdays anyone would forget.
"I believe I am around 318? Maybe 320?" I rubbed my chin, doing some math in my head, for my own peace of mind. Dexter was 16 when he met Winter, they dated for 20 years, he would have been 36 when they broke up, and he stayed in the house until he was 43, so that was 7 years of being single, he met Mina soon after, and they dated for 10 years, which was abruptly cut off thanks to Draven. Dexter would have been 53 when they broke up, so before meeting me, not counting the short dates for food, he had been single for 265 years or so. I let out a soft sigh of relief, it was reassuring that he had been single for so long, it showed he was patient at least. I hoped he'd stay that way. Dexter glanced up at me, rubbing my sides slowly. We fell into a soft silence, before there was a knock at the door. Natasha poked her head in.
"Did you guys see the news yet?" Dexter and I shook our heads, Natasha coming over and sitting on the bed, holding up her phone.
"An old boat docked in Brooklyn! There were skeletons and rats and blood everywhere. A teenager was the first to see it, he and his friends were out by the docks, and his friend saw the boat and went inside, but he never came back out. They don't know where the boat came from, but it's hundreds of years old." I stared, this was uncanny. There was no way. I looked to Dexter, his ears lowered as he stared at the screen. I cleared my throat.
"You don't think it's her, do you?" I asked softly. It was impossible, there was no way! Dexter let out a nervous laugh, shaking his head.
"No, that's not possible, her ship was lost, she can't just suddenly pop up! We were just talking about her, it's just our heads making connections." Natasha glanced at us, putting her phone in her pocket.
"You know what they say, speak of the Devil and he shall appear." She mumbled, rather cryptically, before leaving the room and shutting the door quietly. I let out a loud, anxious laugh. It was far too coincidental, there was no way that was the ship Mina was on all those years ago, plus, all the way in Brooklyn? Even if it was, there was no way she'd even remember Dexter, or at least not know where to find him. I let out a small breath, reaching over and rubbing his arm softly. He looked completely frozen, but he soon glanced over to me, leaning on me and nodding a bit.
"It will be fine." He muttered softly, looking up at me. He smiled a bit, reaching over and putting his hand on top of mine, gripping it softly and rubbing the top of it.
"Even if Mina is back on land, she will not remember the mansion, maybe not even me. I have you now, I don't need to seek her out." It was nice, having that comfort. He sat beside me, pulling his book from the nightstand he began to read, and I spent the rest of the night writing and doodling some in my new journal. It was a nice night, I was relaxed and content.
22nd August 7:23 pm, London- Dexter and I were woken up at about the same time, to the sound of rapid knocking. I ushered in the person, and Elizabeth came rushing in, holding a cell phone I didn't know she had. She looked sheepish and nervous, her eyes wide as she scanned over the both of us.
"Master, Mademoiselle, we have a situation." She handed me the phone, and pointed to her ear, someone must have been on the line. I held the phone up to my ear, blinking the sleepiness out of my eyes.
"Hello?" There was a nervous, quiet voice on the other end of the line, breathing softly as if trying to hide.
"Nova, it is me, Draven, there is a problem. I don't know how, but one of Dexter's old lovers is here asking for him, she's NOT leaving, no matter how many times I throw her out, or Constantine tries to kick her out, she keeps coming back. You need to tell Dexter to get back here and tell her to leave NOW!" I jumped, the call abruptly ending. I looked at Dexter, his ears were lowered completely. He glanced up at me rather pitifully, staring at me wide eyed.
"Don't make me do this by myself." He whispered. I gave him a small smile, though I absolutely dreaded where this was going, I would not let him do such a difficult task alone. I rubbed the top of his hand, leaning in and giving him a quick kiss on the lips. Dexter stood up and brushed himself off, looking to me to tell me to get dressed. I got dressed rather hastily, trying to figure out how we would get a flight such short notice. Elizabeth was brushing off her dress, I finally noticed she was wearing something different. It was a lovely velvet red dress, stopping just at her knees, the style was vintage, but very sweet looking on her. She walked over to Dexter, mumbling something. Dexter rubbed his chin slowly, nodding. He turned to me, motioning for me to come closer. I finished putting on my shirt, I was wearing a black turtleneck and black shorts, with the pair of boots Elizabeth had gotten me a while ago. Dexter gave me a smile, nearly a smirk, putting his hand behind my back and grabbing Elizabeth just the same. He told me to hold my breath, to which I, though confused, complied. There was a sudden rush, my body felt like it was melting, reforming, and melting again. With a lurch, the odd feeling stopped, and I inhaled deeply, my eyes wide. I looked around, shocked. We were in front of the mansion. How the hell? I would ask later, for now, there was a problem to deal with. Dexter marched up to the door and opened it, Elizabeth and I close behind. It was quiet, for a second, before a loud, shrill squeaky scream sounded through the halls. A flash of pink darted down the hall, tackling Dexter. I jumped, surprised by the sudden movement. Elizabeth let out a groan, putting her face in her hands. It was obvious that this guest was not welcome. Dexter pushed the girl in pink off of him gently, and I managed to get a better look at her. Her skin tone was about as dark as mine, her hair was bright blonde, her eyes a soft snow blue. She was precious looking, especially in those pink clothes. I gave her a smile when she looked over at me, Dexter quickly stepping in front of me.
"Mina, you need to leave." He said sternly, looking down at the cute Mina. I was surprised at how serious he was being.
"You're silly Dexy! Why would I leave? I just got off my ship! I have to say it was a loooong trip! A lot of things have changed since my little adventure. But you look just the same! So handsome. Still a little too boring in clothing tastes I see." She hugged him again, standing on her tiptoes. She looked like she was leaning in for a kiss. I felt myself immediately look away, I felt a rush of jealousy. I bit my lip and gripped my arms, rubbing them a bit. I glanced back at them, and Dexter had her at about an arms length.
"Mina, we are over. I know it ended abruptly, but it has ended. I am with someone. Please understand." Mina gave him a dead stare, before looking over to me. It must have registered.
"Are you serious? You're going to reject me for someone? I assume her! If you're going to leave me at least leave me for someone better!" I furrowed my brow, Dexter letting out a loud hiss. Mina backed up a bit, tears welling up in her eyes. She clenched her fists, looking from Dexter over to me.
"This is not over." She spat out, flicking her wrist, and in a puff of smoke, she was gone. Dexter exhaled loudly, Elizabeth rubbing her face and growling. The air was tense. I noticed a face peeking from under the stairs, it was Draven. He crawled out slowly, looking at Dexter.
"She took it better than I thought she would." Dexter shook his head slowly, biting his lip.
"She did not take it well. She is furious. I will have to keep by Nova at all times, and her family." Dexter clasped his hands softly, closing his eyes.
"We will be staying with Nova's parents for a while longer, it is the safest place. I will keep in contact. If anything further happens, tell me." Draven nodded, and Dexter grabbed Elizabeth and I once again, and that awful melting feeling began. When we were back in my room, I took a deep breath, shaking my head quickly. I did not like that way of travel. Elizabeth excused herself, leaving the room, maybe to process what happened or something. I looked to Dexter, who pulled me into a tight hug.
"I swear I will always protect you." He mumbled, rubbing my back gently. I blinked, closing my eyes and returning the hug. After we finished, he pulled me onto the bed and wrapped his body around me, burying his face in my chest. It was wonderful. I felt so I safe. We sat in a comfortable silence, before my eyes began to feel heavy. I drifted into a slightly fearful slumber, but the fear was banished by Dexter's loving embrace.