WitchBite

A Backbone

 It was a strange occurrence to see the divide in the threshold so final, so solid, so decisive. One of the rare moments where the sun peeked out from the pillowing clouds, washed over me with the yellow of dandelions, scoring a large cut at an angle over the front door frame of The Vampire Manor. It was a veritable block of shadow, a line that sliced outwards like a blade, from the edge of the wooden door, and upwards along the wall. Only allowing the wood of a greeting table, to edge the soft brown of its surface into the grace of the sun.

I stood there for what felt like a lifetime. Straining my ears for any sound, but all they could hear where the false echoes of Casper's cheerful footsteps as they once charged through and leaving me behind at the door. I'd half hoped he would return with someone, or let someone know that they had a guest waiting. I would see him returning, dragging someone I didn't know, behind him with that goofy grin of his plastered on his face, like convincing me to come home with him was an achievement all in itself.

I then hoped that me knocking loudly would grant me some company. But that too left me alone, the muffled cries of my knuckles being swallowed by the dark expanse of the entry way that lay before me. It was nerve wrecking. The determination and confidence I had before seemed to have packed their things in haste, and left me in the barren apartment of my own mind; where even the sound of my own breathing was a harsh, deafening, critique of my own self worth.

Soon the sun began to tuck itself snugly behind it's blanket of greyed white, and my eyes were able to focus a little better on the interior of the entry way. It was familiar to me of course, I'd been here before. Yet I still didn't find the courage to just enter of my own volition. At the very least it wouldn't be polite.

It was but a moment longer before a figure appeared before me. Heels, yet they made but the softest whisper of clacks against the hard wood floors. If all of modern pop culture was to serve as my guide in this very moment, then what stood before me, was the very image of a Vampire.

Alabaster skin that pinked in faded clouds around her cheeks, slipping into lips of a red so deep, it conjured up phantoms of the taste of blood in my mouth. Her eyes were painted the colour of the blackest of nights, starless, and haunting. Ringlets of hair, tucked neatly behind her, where it spilled until just below exposed shoulders, she wore a black dress that flowed down a deceptively strong frame, and stopped just below the knee, where it gave way to moon-kissed legs that ended in shiny, black heels.

She kept her gloved hands in front of her lap, holding on to one another, as she held the very epitome of indifference in her posture and expression. She inspired my body into war with my mind, as it tore itself to pieces over whether to be in awe or fear, and I understood how such creatures found their prey almost willingly in their jaws.

"I am delighted to meet you, Avery. I am Elizabeth, you can stop staring if it would please you. I would assume you're here to see Aramis?" Her voice was soft with a commanding nasally undertone, that while it was able to hold a welcoming, and cheerful tone well enough, also threatened violence to anyone that would test its owner.

I blushed a little, ripping myself from looking at anything but her, but then I realised that would be rude to not look at least in her direction, and in my frustration with what to do with myself I must've taken too long as I heard Elizabeth giggle. It was a small thing, like silver bells.

"Uh, Yes. Sorry. I am here to see Aramis. I need to know he's okay." I said, eventually coming to my senses and looking upon her like a normal person would. She was smiling gently, and welcomingly, before nodding and turning on her heels.

"Well you best come in then. There are some things you ought to know. Fret not. Aramis is quite alright, or he will be in around ten hours or so. I understand the slight hypocrisy in that statement, but I assure you, he is fine." She spoke, to which I was completely dumbfounded with how to feel, let alone respond. I was heavy, and confused. Was Aramis alright or wasn't he? Does he need help?