Love Bites

Broken Relationships

Cal sat in the den, the emptiness of his home pressing in on him; the silence mocking him. Papers lay abandoned all around him, sighing he got up and made his way into the kitchen.

"Shit! Marcus!" Cal cursed. "You made me jump. Where did you come from?"

"I thought I'd drop in on you. See how you were." Marcus said but his voice was flat, devoid of emotion.

"I'm fine."

"I wanted to talk to you."

"About what? Cal was getting irritated, the coldness coming off Marcus in waves was beginning to annoy him. What right did he have to be pissed at Cal?

"Everything," Marcus said sitting himself down at the breakfast bar.

"Fine." Cal sighed, it looked like they were doing this now. He lowered himself into the bar stool opposite, steepled his fingers beneath his chin and waited.

"I'm worried," Marcus began. "You're taking an unhealthy interest in that human."

"That human?" Cal repeated.

"Yes, that human Cal, your whole family has fallen apart and you're more interested in her drama. Your fledgling is slowly desiccating and you're more interested in her. It's not natural."

"Not natural? How the hell do you figure that?" Cal said, voice rising.

"She's human!" Marcus matched Cal's pitch. "You're a fucking vampire! She's food and a lay when you want one. Nothing else. She's human trash!"

Cal fought to control the anger that was burning in the pit of his stomach. How dare Marcus talk about Tasha like that, like a piece of meat not worthy of their time or energy. 

"I love her!" Cal blurted. It was out of his mouth before he could stop it.

"What?!" Marcus' eyes dropped to pitch black, his face contorted in anger. "You're a fucking disgrace! I don't even know you anymore. You're a poor excuse for a vampire; you don't even deserve to call yourself vampire. We're done!!" he screamed and he was gone.

Cal stayed sat at the breakfast bar, shaking, his head reeling. Anger, red hot was burning inside him. How dare he? How fucking dare he be so god damn rude about Tasha? After everything they'd been through together, after every time Cal had pulled him back from the edge, he had the audacity to tell Cal he was a disgrace? 

He dragged his hand down over his face. When he opened his eyes he was shocked to find Cassandra stood in the kitchen door.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt you," she said meekly, eyes cast down.

"You heard that?"

She nodded, "I won't say anything. I promise."

Cal's anger left him in a breath and within a heartbeat he felt so, so alone.

Cassandra watched all the fight leave Cal, his shoulders slump and his head drop. "You really love her?" she asked cautiously, hoping her wouldn't bite: literally.

"Yes."

It was nothing more than a whisper but Cassandra knew that it was perhaps the most honest thing to ever leave his mouth.

"If I were you," she began, tentatively taking a step forward "Well, I wouldn't let anything stand in my way." Holding back revulsion she placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.

                                                                                    ***

Warm sunlight stroked her face, waking her gently. The pale purple voile curtains offered no resistance to the sun's rays and that was just the way Tasha liked it. She stretched and went to the bathroom. It was then she smelt the enticing aroma of sizzling bacon entwined with fresh brewed coffee. Were her grandparents back already? Surely not.