F.D. (Ch.7)

Lori’s eyes began to flutter, and she slowly rolled over on her back, barely opening them, a small light piercing the darkness she had been accustomed to. The silence finally roused her awake, and she looked around her, trying to spot a living creature. After a few minutes, she realized she was alone. She figured everyone was out hunting, when Queen Andréa burst through the door. Her Queen did not look at her or seem as if she knew Lori was awake, or even in the room. Queen Andréa bent over her desk, pushing her gray hair over her shoulder, smoldering and violently scribbling something down on the blank piece of parchment she had kept out for this specific use. Lori, feeling the pain of her burn as she moved, quietly tumbled out of the bed, making it halfway to the desk where Queen Andréa scribbled and the door to the void.

            “Are you alright?” Lori feebly asked. Queen Andréa ignored her, aware, in that moment, that Lori was awake.

            “Be quiet, Lori. I don’t have time.” Lori was holding onto the bedpost frame, leaning hard upon it so as not to topple over.

            “Why are you so far away from us? What’s going on?” Queen Andréa took the parchment up and stuffed it into her breast pocket. She quickly turned around and looked at Lori, almost feeling compassion, but soon feeling disgust and contempt.

            “Listen, Lori. There are things going on that are very important in my world and the humans. You, my dear, are apart of neither. You are worthless, useless, and practically a disgrace.” Lori felt hot tears run down her sensitive cheeks, the tears stinging her burns.

            “I am not useless!” she whispered. Queen Andréa walked over to her, eyeing her up and down.

            “Whatever is in store for you, I hope you find more agreeable than lying around her being yet another burden for me to carry.” A fierce shutter ran through Lori’s spine.

            “You can’t mean that!” Lori pleaded, wobbling after her as Queen Andréa walked towards the door.

            “I mean every word. You are really very pathetic.” Lori felt like a thousand knives were plunging into her heart, letting the blood she knew she did not have flow out of her, making her light headed and faint. What had happened to her Queen, why the sudden change in respect and love? As Lori tried to walk closer to Queen Andréa, reaching out her hands and pleading with all the hope and love she could muster. She wasn’t sure what exactly happened, but Queen Andréa fell backwards onto a small dresser, knocking into Lori. The door was already slightly open in Queen Andréa’s haste to leave, and Lori fell through, pain surging through every inch of her body. When she hit the hard the ground, she suddenly felt a dark presence surround her. This was not the same field in which she and Jess had been too. Something had happened. It looked the same, but the feeling of safety and security did not.

Josh and Jess were careful where they hunted. They had found an abandoned shed near the edge of Hells grove and sat there, drinking and eating the carcasses of rats and cockroaches. Jess suddenly felt too afraid to venture into the town, knowing that someone might recognize her from the night she had been seen fighting with Chance. Josh sat close to the door; peering out for Jess’ sake, making sure no one came near.

            “Maybe we should get back.” Jess said anxiously. Josh wasn’t full, but he wasn’t starving anymore and he sat back, leaning on a splintering board.

            “I don’t see how we can, Jess. You’ve been calling Queen Andréa for thirty minutes. She hasn’t responded.” Josh was looking out the door. The moon was high in the sky, and he avoided looking at it. He couldn’t afford to go hunting, and he didn’t want to leave Jess alone. The moon’s light flooded in through the cracks in the windows, and Jess sat huddled on the opposite corner of Josh.

            “What do you think is wrong with her? She’s been acting so strange lately.” Her voice was far off, and her eyes were closed.

            “I don’t really know, but the whole world seems to be going through some kind of change.” Josh, now, feeling satisfied that they were not under immediate danger, closed his eyes also and rested his head on his arm.

            “Yeah, I know what you mean.” Jess said sleepily. “I feel like everyone around me is in some kind of secret code, and I don’t know what to do about it.” Josh turned and looked at her, her body slightly drooping to one side.

            “Do you feel that way about me?” Her eyes opened, and for what seemed an eternity they gazed into the light of each other’s existence. As if someone had pushed them together, she was suddenly in his strong arms, grabbing on to his neck and smelling his scent; her scent; their scent. She loved the way he looked, the way he touched her, the way he spoke to her. Her hands were smoothing the crease of his shirt near the neck line, and following the pattern of his skin near his shoulder. His breathing changed, and when she looked up at him, his eyes were closed and his arms were wrapped tightly around her in a loving embrace.

            “I love you.” She whispered in his ear. He opened his eyes and took her chin in his hand. He didn’t have to say a word. The smile he bore was enough for her to explode and feel a thousand times over this great love that she felt. His head bent towards her, and a single kiss they shared. It wasn’t long, it wasn’t fast, and Jess felt so complete. She felt safe. She felt protected. Josh released and held her, her head under his chin. He never wanted to let her go. In all his human years, he had witnessed this kind of love, but never thought it possible for himself. His heart pounded in his chest, and a ridiculous smile covered his face. Jess played with hands, cuddled up in his lap, not wanting anything more but to stay in his arms for the rest of her eternal life. He stroked her arm and they quietly laughed with one another, feeling a stronger love than love itself could imagine. As the night waged on, the two of them sat in the abandoned shed, happy in the company in which they found themselves.

Lori found herself stumbling through a thick layer of decaying brush and soil. Her head was hot and clammy, and she tried desperately to call for Queen Andréa, but from the talk they had had, Lori already knew she was stranded. Up ahead, she could see a large house, lights glowing through the darkened windows, and immediately she recognized it. It was the house where she killed Christan. Where she stood was the place in which she had brought Jess into her hybrid form. A tear fell down her cheek and landed on forgotten ground. Who was she now? What would she do? She felt a sudden urge to walk into that house and leave her coven behind. What good was she to them, and if Queen Andréa was willing to say all those things to her, wasn’t it better if she left them behind? Her hands began to sweat as she boldly limped and whimpered up to the house. When she knocked on the door, a small vampire boy opened the it with a loud shriek and slammed it in her face. Was she that scary? She politely knocked on the door again, and when it opened a second time, a tall man stood before her, his pale skin glistening in the moonlight, his eyes deep and sensuous. Lori looked at him for half a second, and then, against her will, swooned into his sturdy, beautiful arms.