Why Choose? Have Them Both

Dinner Date

7

The smell hit me followed by a fierce hunger. The room was large, a huge, long table big enough to sit 10. Three black candelabra at its centre, lit. I rushed to the table where bread and a bowl of what smelled like beef stew awaited me. I wolfed it down, unable to focus on anything other than my hunger. The food was barely warm, but tasted delicious to my starved tongue.

It was quite some time before I noticed he was there, sitting at the head of the table. I jumped back, startled. He was watching me. I gripped my spoon so tight it hurt, my heart thundering.

"Are you still hungry?" he asked. I said nothing, noting that I was still ravenous. "Thirsty perhaps?" he asked. I noticed a tray supporting a jug of orange liquid and two glasses. I nodded and in an instant he was beside me, tray in hand. How did it not spill? I thought between my thunderous heart and a roarining in my ears. I began to laugh and he frown at me, unsure of the joke. This made me laugh harder as I too was unaware of anything funny. Other than this sudden onset of madness. He placed a glass down as I tried to calm my histerics and then slowly, walked back to his end of the table. No flashing this time. It strangley sobered me and the laughing died out.

I grabbed for the drink and sniffed. It smelled fruity and I gulped it down. My eyes flicked to his face and saw he was facinated by me. Suddenly I felt ill, and placed my drink back down to the table.

"I am Viktor Lazerous," he announced. "S-Sarah ," I said, barely a whisper. "Where am I?" I asked. "My home," he replied, as if that were an answer. I stared at him. "Can I leave?" I asked, dreading his answer. He didn't answer straight away, my heart plummetinng. Tears began to sting my eyes, my heart thrumming unbelievably fast. His glare became intense, his hands digging into table, knuckles white. Red flared in his eyes before he closed them. "Must you beat so loudly?" he asked clearly frustrated. I frowned, confused. Then it dawned on me, what he meant. My heart, he meant my f*****g heartbeat. Terror flooded through me and before I knew it I fled the room.

Even as I ran I knew it was no use against him. I'd seen how fast he was, how strong. Before I reached the staircase, he siezed my arm, spinning me toward him. His devastatingly beautiful, deadly face filled my teary vision, eyes red with hunger and need. His snarl unleashed a terror I'd never known was possible, his grip a vice on my arm. I pulled with desperation, terrified. His eyes found my neck, my pulse flickering and I knew he would devour me. In a flash his face was at my pulse. I screwed my eyes shut, face turned away, knowing it was the end.

A moment passed, but all I felt was the coolness of his body so close to mine. Shivers ran through me, not entirely unpleasant. I opened an eye, heart still thundering, chest heaving. In a flash he was away, eyes no longer red. "Forgive me..." he bagan. I turned and ran back to the room. I saw a key in the door and locked it, tears spilling down my face. I ran to the corner and tucked myself between the wardrobe and the wall, knees tucked to my chest and cried and cried until the shaking and the tears lead to exhaustion and sleep.

It was daylight when I awoke, sore and stiff. I struggled to my feet and saw a blanket drop to the floor. My heart turned to ice...he'd been in here while I slept. My hand went to my neck, it feeling stiff and hot, my eyes flying around the room. I felt no new bite marks and the room was empty. I felt a small relief.

I needed the bathroom, but was too scared to leave this room. Eventually, on the verge of soiling myself, I unlocked and peaked out from the crack in the door. Light flooded the hallway and he was nowhere to be seen. I cracked the door open more and breathed deep as I stepped into the hallway, scurrying towards the restroom, fully aware of how ridiculous trying to evade him would be.

Business dealt with, I skuttle back to my room and close and lock the door. I strip down out of the dress and grab another, lighter one from the wardobe. This one is blue and white, perfect for summer with short sleeves, formfitting and bollowy from the waist and sat to try and make a plan to survive.

I'd been thinking about Viktor a lot, his terrible beauty, his strange red eyes...and the fact he'd bitten me. So he was a...vampire. Apparently they're real now? I shook my head struggling to believe whilst knowing deep down that he was. He moved too quickly. I thought initially that I was concussed or something but thats not it. What did I know about vampires? They didnt like garlic, holy water burned them but nothing was more dangerous than the sun. Stake through the heart kills them too. My neck was hurting more, throbbing again. Vampires needed blood to live. Maybe he wouldn't kill me, at least not straight away. Maybe he just wanted a take away and brought me here...he'd fed me after all. This thought, of being a take home meal chilled me all over again.

I looked out of the window, the sun beaming in the sky. Now was my chance. I would not be food for some monster, living in fear of him draining me until one day he does.

I crept out of the room, down the stairs and to the main door, stopping every few steps expecting the monster to appear. He did not. The door was huge and had many locks. I pulled back chains and turned the key, followed by the deadbolt. I was so scared to make any sound it took an eternity. I pulled at the door but it caught at the top. I looked up and saw another deadbolt. It was high, on my tiptoes I could just about brush the lever. I stretched and strained and pushed the bolt back, cringing when it made a sound in the silent house. I turned the handle once more and opened the door, sunlight streaming over me. I heard a sound behind me at the top of the stair case. Monster. In a blink he dashed to me, hand reached out. Hissing, smoke rose from his hand, bathed in sunlight. He snatched it back as I stumbled towards freedom, falling over my feet. Viktor cradled his burning hand, fangs drawn, face twisted in pain, eyes so red it was terrifying.

Crawling backwards I managed to get to my feet, and fled down the steps on to a path through grass. I ran for my life, past bushes and flowers I paid no heed to. My sole goal, a gate ahead of me, surrounded by a high stone fence that seemed to surround the building.

I flung open the gate, rushing through. I couldn't help but check behind me, making sure he wasn't following. I stumbled again and and landed on my elbow, opening a huge cut. I brought myself to my feet and then heard it. A loud growl tearing through the air. I whipped my head up and saw it. The beast seamed bigger than before, broader and more powerful. Its roar reverberated through me thrilling and terrifying. I paled, and fell to my knees, cowering as it stepped towards me. I could see its legs, fur covered and bulging with muscle, as it bent down towards me. Its breath impossibly hot, steaming over me its clawed hands reaching down towards me as I cowered beneath it.