Through Amber Eyes

Loose Ends

Friday

I was shocked that nearly a week had gone by and I hadn't gotten bored from talking to this girl. I saw her last Sunday and we'd been texting ever since. She never tries to play it cool by answering hours later. She answers as soon as she reads it and if not, at least a few minutes later. I admire that.

Monday we talked about the general facts about ourselves. Tuesday we didn't talk a lot but when we did it was dumb shit to pass the time. Wednesday we talked about our favorite things, how she hates dark sodas cause the fizz burns her throat. Thursday we talked about her shitty boss and his bitchy daughter. We also talked about my trip to Italy (leaving out the intimate details) and why I love traveling, where all I have been. And today, well today was non-stop flirting until she left for work. I could talk to her for hours, I'd give anything to hear her voice again.

Now that I think about it...

I haven't hooked up with Valerie since Tuesday. As nice as it would be to stay clean for Eleanor, a vampire has needs and we aren't dating so I don't have to lock it down. A vampire has needs that have to be fulfilled. If I limit my excursions, Eleanor will never find out and never be hurt by it.

Not that I care or anything.  I mean Eleanor seems like a nice girl, she's a breath of fresh air for sure. A girl that can keep up a conversation but also know when to let it die down once the topic gets boring. She doesn't hassle me for answers or begs me to come to see her. She just lets me be me on my own time by my means. 

And even though Valerie is a catch of her own, she didn't quite measure up to Nor. And when we are laying together, I'd get sidetracked and start thing about her instead. What would Eleanor feel like? What would she sound like? Would she crack one of those awful dad jokes she does when things get quiet? ... 

I've been glued to my couch, clasping my phone like a thirteen-year-old boy texting his crush in the movies. Eleanor hasn't seen my last text, so she must be at work still.

"Hey, boss man." Joel sang from the hall.

"Hey trouble, what have you done this time?" I sighed. 

"I have the three in the basement. They're ready now."

"Already? Did you play with the food again?" I replied sluggishly getting out of my cocoon of blankets on the couch.

"What better way to get their blood flowing boss?" He bragged, "Who am I to say no to three beautiful girls begging me to-"

"Enough little charmer. I wasn't praising your behavior. Last time this sort of thing happened; you over drank. Don't let it happen again." I said teleporting in front of him.

"Yes, Atticus. It won't happen again I swear!"

"Good, because I'm getting tired of playing daddy and cleaning up your messes. We NEVER turn them without speaking to Lilianna first." I angrily concluded the conversation.

We then teleported to the basement, where three writhing girls lay sprawled on the loveseats. Joel stands in the doorway just waiting.

"What are you waiting for?" I ask.

He scans the room looking for the answer.

"They're your catches, you drain them," I demanded. My patience begins to falter as he self-consciously takes his time walking over, "Fine, I'll do it." 

With great speed, I ran over to the first girl. Grabbing her wrist, I drain the blood from her, but I chose not to make it painless. The girl begins waking from her ecstasy and starts begging for Joel to come and help her. Finely she faints. The other girls are still so deep under Joel's spell that they don't yet realize what is going on. Quickly I do the same to each of them, draining them of life but leaving just enough for them to survive.  They screamed for Joel to come to their rescue.

I then wipe the blood from my mouth as I walk over to him with growing irritation.

"You feel guilty now? After the mess, you brought them into in the first place?" I asked rhetorically.

"Atticus I'm sorry, I just wasn't ready yet." He mumbled.

"No, you're a coward who doesn't want to accept what he is. You see the amount of pain they were in?" 

"You mean the pain you caused?" He snarled back.

I huffed in amusement, "Take it as a lesson because if you would have left them in that ecstasy spell for much longer they would have died from it. They'd be so high they'd forget how to breathe, suffocating waiting for you to come and man the hell up. You have to drain them right away. Amazing that you're so against drinking from these girls but you can easily have sex with them and not bat an eye. I did them and you a favor, next time I won't."

"I never asked to be a monster! I never asked for this!" He yelled back at me.

"And they never asked to nearly die at your hand because you're a scared little child. Like it or not this is how our people survive. Wolves hunt, Humans hunt, we hunt. Like all animals do, you influence whether the outcome is cruel. And your cowardice will make all the difference." I hated being so harsh with him, I remember what it was like to be so... disgusted with my actions but Joel isn't new to this. Just Lazy.

The battle of who was more alpha began to subside as his bravery faltered.

*bzzz bzzz*

I quickly shuffle through my pockets to find my phone, " Hello?"

"Hi, dude."

"Eleanor? I wasn't expecting a call." I replied blissfully.

"Yeah, I felt bad that I couldn't respond to your text right away. My boss's daughter was on my ass all day."

"Am I interrupting something? I can go upstairs" Joel laughs obnoxiously.

I punch him in the gut and push past him to go back upstairs.

"Oh, if you're busy with some friends I can text you later tonight."

"No, no I wasn't-" I was then cut off by a nuisance.

" Actually yeah he's kinda busy right now sweetheart," Joel yells from behind me.

"Will you shut the fuck up?!?" I whisper-yell at him, covering the phone with my hand.

"Ok no problem Atticus, you go ahead and tie up some loose ends. I'll see you Saturday!"

"Wait El I was actually--" Annnnnnnnnd she hung already.

I plop back down on the sofa. "Fuck."

"Wow, you suck at this whole talking to women thing for being a total fuckboy ya know. I guess both of our nights are ruined now" Joel laughed while grabbing my television remote.

I snatch the remote back, "Well if you don't want to see how I turn my bad nights around, I suggest you leave."