Chapter 8: A painful goodbye
1052 Words
POV: Sierra
***
I hate myself for how tempted I am to say yes.
I can taste the word on my tongue.
'She wants me!' is the only thought singing in my head, overriding all logic. She wants me in her home.
Thoughts of her bed, with her splayed out on it fill my mind no matter how hard I try to stop them. A harsh growl leaves my throat.
"Is that a yes, then?"
Her breath is scorching, followed by her tongue tracing the shell of my ear.
I have to stop now. Or I don't know if I'll be able to.
Gently, I set her down and put some distance between us.
Her face goes hard as she looks at me. My heart breaks to see the pain in her eyes, and anger simmering below it, but I don't have a choice.
She pulls her dress down as far as it will go and wipes a hand across her mouth. Hurt flares in me at her wiping away the evidence I was there.
"Right." She spits out. "Good enough when we're hidden out of site but nothing noticeable, is that it? God, I can't believe I fell for that again."
"May, that's not-"
"No, I'm talking. Shut it."
It shouldn't be that hot, the way she puts me in my place. I know she's mad at me but I can't help the way I react to her.
"You're just like the rest. I'm so stupid to think someone like you might be interested in me. Just leave me alone and go find some other w***e, since that's all you're after."
The venom in her words makes me flinch. This part is always the hardest, but knowing that things will be left sour is a deeper kind of pain.
She turns to leave but I'm faster. Much faster.
Before she's taken a single step, I'm in front of her, holding her arms tightly to her side.
"What? Let me go!"
She glares at me and I take my chance.
This was a skill that had taken me a long time to get used to but it came in very good handy.
"Stop struggling." I whisper, my eyes locked onto hers. My words are threaded through with ancient magic, a unique vampiric ability - Mesmerise.
May goes slack in my grip, her eyes briefly flashing the same yellow as my own.
I hate myself for putting her under. I promised years ago that I would never force her to do anything, but here I am.
Gently, I scoop her into my arms. Her breathing is unnatural even, her skin cooling with the air.
I will stop doing this to her.
Maybe one day I'll believe myself.
Leaving the party is easy. The humans inside are weak-minded and gullible. A wave of my hand as I'm walking out and they'll never remember I was here.
Mesmerise is the one thing I practice most. Most vampires need to make direct eye contact for it to work, and with stronger people, so do I.
But I've trained myself to be able to use it on those who are prone to manipulation. Groups can sometimes still be a struggle, but it's worth spending hours every week refining it if it means I can see May.
Her flat is a couple of floors up but this time of night, the hallway is empty.
I fish through her handbag for the keys and let myself in, taking care not to knock her against the doorframe.
I place her down on the bed, unsettled by the absence in her eyes.
First things first, I need to text her friend and make sure she doesn't worry. The last thing I want is someone showing up in a panic.
May has used the same password for years, a simple swipe gesture that I memorised easily.
I scroll through her contact pictures to find the blonde girl from earlier.
Kat. The name is familiar, now I hear it. May's probably mentioned her before.
I quickly text her, 'Gone home early. Feeling rough.'
It's vague enough to not be questioned, hopefully.
Turning my attention back to May, I prepare myself for the hardest part - wiping her memory.
Nothing about it ever gets easier but she can't remember me. Knowing that I'm doing it to protect her is the only thing that keeps me going through with it.
I sit next to her on the bed, brushing one hand over her cheek.
"Go to sleep."
Her eyes fall shut. I can't bare for her to watch me do this.
I place my hands on both sides of her head. The connection that I have with her means that erasing our time together is much harder and more complicated.
I breath deeply, pushing my mind to meet hers.
Images from tonight flicker quickly behind my eyes. May getting dressed. Meeting Kat by the car. First drink of the night. Me talking to her. A dark alley. Lips. Teeth. Heat.
I grit my teeth in concentration, losing control over my form. My nails morph into claws and my fangs are fully out.
Each image that has myself in it is carefully removed and I picture them burning, vanished from existence. The empty gaps in her mind are filled with fabricated memories.
She was at the party. Kat left her. She had some biscuits. She was bored. She went home.
At last, the version of events line up with what I want her to believe. Slipping out of her mind is a delicate process; I'm so entangled, it's hard to know where I end and she begins.
Crash!
I'm yanked harshly back into my own body, whipping around with my fangs bared.
My senses are on high-alert and I pinprick the noise immediately. Some teenagers outside, smashing beer bottles. I can smell their cheap alcohol and even cheaper cologne.
May stirs slightly and worry rises in my chest. She doesn't seem to be in pain and I removed all the memories, but I need to keep a close eye on her. If she's been hurt by the unexpected separation, there'll be hell to pay.
For now, I lean my forehead against hers.
"I'll let you rest. No harm will come to you. Goodbye for now, May."
- Writer
