A Hundred Lifetimes

Seven

I dashed out of the mansion, yelling a brief, “Sorry, I have to go!” when I passed by a confused Clarissa in the main hall. Thankfully, she had the foresight to open the gate for me from inside the house, while I was running towards it. I had gone out of the room, saying a dry, “No, thanks,” to Dorian before fleeing. Once I was out of the gate, I looked around for a cab, and instantly regretted not asking Mary for a lift. With her wild driving, I would have been home in no time.

It had already gotten dark outside. The sun had set and with Cherry Lane being a residential area, there weren’t much people outside. I was about to walk, when I felt strange all of a sudden. It was the same feeling I had last night, when I was running on my way from the mansion—like I was being watched. My instincts turned out to be correct this time, for there, just on the other side of the street, stood a man under a lamppost. He wore a long, gray coat, and an amused expression on his face. He was very clearly looking at me, and he didn’t even turn away when he saw me catch his stare. It was like he didn’t care that I knew I was being watched.

Does he recognize me? I wondered; but I didn’t have time for that. I had to get back to the house, get my things, and look for a new place to live. I knew the landlady well enough to know that she really wouldn’t hesitate to call the cops, and it wasn’t as if I could return to being good old Mrs. Dorothy. Trust me, I’ve tried.

So, without hesitation, I ran and caught the next bus to Oak Lane. By the time I reached the bus stop, I had already booked a hotel situated in the neighboring city. With my legs weak from all the running—god, this Clara lady needed a workout!—I walked fast-paced down the street to my house. It wasn’t until I reached an alleyway that I felt someone walk closely behind me.

Before I could turn around to see who it was, the man stepped in front of me, halting me to a stop.

“Hello there, young lady. It’s a bit late to be walking outside alone, isn’t it?” he said with an obviously feigned concern. I staggered backwards, but he took a hand out of the pocket of his gray coat and held me by the arm.

There was no mistaking it. He was the same man standing across the Murder Mansion. How he managed to catch up to me without a hint of tiredness in his face, I didn’t know. It was also the least of my priorities when the grip he had on my arm tightened—so much so, that it hurt.

“Let go!” I fought back, trying to pull away from him as he effortlessly dragged me into the darkness of the alley.

“Come now, Clara. Is this the way to treat someone trying to be friendly?’ he said with a baleful smile on his pale-colored face. Even in the night, his light blue eyes glared down at me menacingly. Friendly was not how I would describe his actions.

Not this again, was the first thought that came to mind. What is it with this Clara woman and all the men in her life?

“I’m not Clara,” I said through gritted teeth, unsuccessfully trying to get out of his hold.

“Darling, even a hundred years can’t make me forget your face.” He tucked away a few stray hairs behind my ear. The audacity of this 40-year-old-looking creep!

I slapped his hand away with my free hand. “I don’t know what game you’re playing, mister, but you have the wrong girl.”

His grip on my arm didn’t loosen, and I could feel my hand start to tingle with the lack of blood flow.

“You just came from Dorian's mansion, I’m sure I have the right girl. There’s no use denying it,” he said, cornering me and moving his hold to my wrist to pin it against the wall beside me.

“What do you want from me?”

His eyes landed on my neck, then as if he was confused, he pulled the collar of my jacket out of the way to get a better look at it. “Curious,” he muttered to himself. “I wonder which part of your body was marked. There’s no easier way than the jugular. Dorian must’ve been a kinky bastard, no?” he lightly chuckled.

“I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about, so let. Me. Go.” I moved my other hand to pull my collar back up, but he grabbed it and placed it behind my back. He was standing so close to me now, that I could feel his breath on my forehead.

“Don’t worry, Clara, I’m not planning to hurt you,” he whispered. “Well, I must admit, this would hurt for a bit at the start, but then you’d feel relaxed before it kills you. I just need to get a message across to your boyfriend.” He slowly leaned his head down towards my neck, very much like how Dorian did so when he was out of his wits. He smiled at me as he did so, and just then, I saw his unusually long and sharp canines and his glowing blue eyes.

“What are you—” but before I could finish, I felt something sharp pierce the skin on the side of my neck. He bit me, I realized. He bit me and I could feel him sucking out my blood. After the initial shock was gone, horror kicked in. I screamed and tried to move away, but he held me steady as he continued.

I soon began to feel lightheaded, and just as I was about to give in, he was pulled away from me and thrown against the dumpster a few feet away. With shaking hands, I touched the skin where his mouth was then looked at my hands. Blood. He really was sucking out my blood.

“Are you okay?” Dorian asked as he frantically ripped the lower half of his sleeve and pressed it against my neck. I stared up at him, even more terrified as I saw his brown eyes glow, much like how Callahan’s did. His eyes were staring at my neck, and I could see his jaw tighten as thirst and anger brimmed in his eyes. He was trying to hold back.

Who—no, what are they?

“Is this the way to treat someone who saved your life? You owe me, Dorian,” Callahan said, but Dorian didn’t answer. My body felt cold, and my knees were about to give out. “Wait here a second,” he gently whispered before turning away, glaring at the other man.

“What the hell are you doing?” Dorian snarled as he strode towards Callahan, who was standing back up without a hint of pain.

Callahan laughed, “I was just going to give you a present—”

Without a word, Dorian grabbed a fistful of Callahan's clothes and proceeded to throw him so hard that he skidded for a few feet until his back hit the wall. There was no way a man could throw another person like that, no matter how fit Dorian’s body seemed to be. It was just not humanly possible to have that much strength. “She isn’t part of this, she’s not Clara,” he said.

If I was doubtful before, I knew then for sure: they weren’t human.

“Oh, trust me, I know,” Callahan smirked, grunting as he got up to his feet. “That girl with your lover’s face, I don’t even think she’s human. She’s piqued my interest, this one.”

My heart beat in fear. How could he have known?

Just then, tires screeched and frantic footsteps followed. I watched in fear, unable to move, as Dorian walked back towards me and picked me up in his arms. “Keep pressing on your neck,” he whispered before walking away from a smiling Callahan.

“Going already, Master Dorian?” he asked mockingly. “Haven’t you been searching for me all these years?”

“We’re done for now, Callahan,” Dorian said, glaring at him, “but rest assured, I will find you again.”

Mary opened the car doors and Dorian gently settled me into the backseat.

“Oh fun! But do I at least get to know the name of the fair lady?” Callahan teased, not moving from his spot. Dorian didn’t bother to respond, and only got into the car beside me. I looked out the window as Mary drove us away. The last thing I saw was Callahan’s glowing blue eyes and menacing smile before I passed out.

“Is she alive?” a familiar voice said. A man. He sounded worried.

“Yes, the shock and the loss of blood just got the best of her. She will be fine in a few days. I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to stay here, given the state of her.”

My eyelids felt heavy and there was a ringing in my head. It felt like I was in between a dream and reality.

“I can take it. I won’t hurt her.”

“What have you gotten yourself into? Look at you, dragging this poor girl into your mess.” It was the first time I’ve ever heard Clarissa sound… well, anything but polite.

“You think I wanted this? It was Callahan's doing. It was a good thing I sensed his presence when Cla—when Shay left.”

“Callahan?” the fear in Clarissa's voice was apparent. “Wasn’t he the one who—”

“Yes.” Dorian’s voice was grim. I felt cold fingertips lightly brush my cheek. “He thought she was Clara and wanted to take revenge. He wants to toy with me, and now it seems he’s become fascinated with her.”

“Oh dear. This is dangerous. What are you planning to do?”

There was a few seconds of silence. “I’m not sure.”

I didn’t know how much time had passed when I finally awoke. It felt like just a few seconds of rest, really. Once I was able to open my eyes, I found myself staring at a dim, unfamiliar ceiling. It was quiet. Probably still nighttime. Where was I? What happened? There was a reason I was running from the mansion in a hurry…

The landlady! I struggled to sit up, and immediately, I felt a pang on my neck and my muscles ache.

“My things, my house!” I panicked.

“Mary's taken care of it.” I turned to look at Dorian, who was standing at a corner with a book in his hand. His eyes were filled with worry as he walked towards me.

“What does that mean—"

His eyes. They seemed normal now, but they were glowing before. I suddenly recalled how I ended up here—why my neck hurt, and how the man in front of me was able to throw someone so easily—and panic rose within me.

“Get away!” I screamed in fear, scrambling to back away until my back hit the headboard.

Dorian didn’t listen. Instead, he gently said, “Calm down, Shay. You’re in the mansion and you’re wounded. Your energy needs to replenish,” as he sat beside me on the bed. “You should eat some—"

“You,” I said, my voice shaking, “your eyes—what are you?”

“Shay, don’t move so carelessly—” He raised a hand to my neck, but I slapped it away.

“Don’t touch me!” I moved as far as I could in the bed, trembling. I would’ve stood up and ran, if only my entire body didn’t feel so weak. He looked at me with hurt in his eyes.

“Very well,” he said, standing up and sitting on the chair a few feet away. “I’m not going to hurt you, Shay. You’re safe here. Mary took your things from your house and moved them here.”

I shook my head. That wasn’t what I wanted to know. “Who are you? What are you?” I pressed on. “You owe me an explanation.”

“Would you believe me if I told you?”

I held his stare, and he continued. “A vampire,” he said in all seriousness. As absurd as that sounded, and as much as I wanted to ask him if he was out of his mind, I didn’t say anything. I was, after all, also not ordinary. Not as ridiculously impossible as a mythical creature, but with the events that recently transpired, it wouldn’t be the craziest thing. Although I couldn’t help but wonder how I’ve never ran into a creature like him before, given how long I’ve lived. Then again, there’s always a first; and this seemed to be mine.

My silence must’ve been quite long, since he raised his eyebrow and asked, “Shay?” with concern.

“Continue,” was all I replied.

“The other night, when you first came here, I had been abstaining from blood for weeks. So, when I smelled blood in the house, regrettably, I attacked you.” I shuddered, remembering how hungry his eyes looked, how… monstrous he was.

I took a deep breath, trying to look unfazed. “So what Clarissa fed you that night—the red liquid…”

“Blood,” he said

“Clarissa and Mary?” I asked in an even tone.

“They’re completely normal. Their line has been working for me since I was a child.”

I must have looked confused, because he added, “Yes, I was human once. But on my 26th year,” he stood up and walked towards the windows, facing away from me. “Some unfortunate events happened and Callahan turned me into this… this monster that I am.” His voice was quieter, but I could feel the hatred the lied within his words. He isn’t lying, I realized.

“I’m sorry to hear that,” I said, “but why did that man—that Callahan attack me?”

Dorian turned his head to look at me, his face hardened. “He’s playing with me. It seems he’s been in hiding for all these years, waiting for the best opportunity to hurt me. Seeing your face, thinking you were Clara… he knew that was the best way to get to me.”

I couldn’t say anything after that. There was so much questions in my head, I didn’t know which one to put out first.

Dorian cleared his throat and straightened his vest. “Anyhow, you should stay here for the meantime. At least until I drag Callahan out from the shadows.”

“Live here?” I asked incredulously. Was that what he meant by Mary taking care of my things? “Under the same roof as you?” I didn’t mean to make it sound like I was disgusted, but it was how it came out. I immediately regretted it.

He walked back to the chair to retrieve his book. “It’s your only option. Callahan is an unpredictable and very dangerous man. He would not hesitate to kill you.”

I touched my neck without knowing, remembering the feeling of his sharp teeth piercing through it.

“The mansion will keep you safe. No vampire can step foot inside without being invited in. Clarissa and Mary will take care of your needs,” he said, avoiding my eyes as he walked towards the door. “I assure you that no harm will come to you, and seeing how I’ve frightened you, I’ll make sure to keep out of your way.” He turned the knob and opened the door. “I will be spending my time in the right wing, so I’d appreciate it if you’d avoid it. Be well, Miss Shay.”