The Bonded Vampire's Willing Pet

2. Darra

Movement from the corner of my eyes drew my attention from the papers and pictures strewn across the table. I turned to see my best friend standing by the door. I wasn't surprised to see her here. The past three weeks have been a whirlwind of confusion and craziness.

According to Lila, I was found passed out on the ground, with my things scattered around me. I had opened my eyes to see faces peering down curiously at me, some none too pleased about the situation. It certainly didn't help my case when I started spewing tales of vampire attacks and unusual events that led to my unconsciousness. Lila was horrified. Blake was outright laughing and calling me Cukoo from having one too many pills, while the staff, including the manager of the club, looked on with a displeased expression. I had been so insistent on my story that to settle the whole thing, the manager agreed to show me the CCTV footage from the alley. I didn't think there were cameras there, but was intensely grateful for the suggestion¬that is, until I saw the footage.

Where there should have been two people and maybe footage of an assault, there was none. The awful device only proved to serve the point of Blake's comment about delusions and insanity due to drugs. He had laughed uproariously along with the others when I went limp, my back against the wall and my head limping to one side, all the while still standing. I would have been embarrassed, had it not been for the awful realization that finding 'him' would not be easy.

I know what I saw. I know the feeling I had when his fangs sank into my skin. A simple camera feed was not going to deter me. My instincts have saved me from a lot of messy situations and from that moment, my proverbial hackles were raised high into the air. The whole event had left me shaky, and it certainly did not help when Blake kept on insisting he get a fix of what I'd taken. Done with our antics, the manager then asked for our IDs, which Blake was still just as drunk as when I had seen him, happily handing them over and proudly announcing that I had them done. After that, we were promptly kicked out of the club with our names and faces permanently blacklisted from the club.

Lila had stormed off in mortification with Blake trailing after her, mumbling nonsense about finding a joint to smoke. I had stood stone still in front of the club, my thoughts churning in different directions. I must have been there for a long time because, after a while, the manager had come outside, threatening that he would call the police if I stayed there any longer. In hindsight, the night had been an unforgettable disaster. Ironic, that I wanted to feel the rush of adrenaline, and after I got it, I could not help the feeling that I bit more than I could chew.

I followed up with my own personal investigation. I was not one to give up easily. In the nights that followed, I had stalked almost all the nightclubs in California, driven by the obsession to prove myself right and something else simmering in my veins. The face that I barely made out plagued my waking dreams, haunting my days with thoughts of that night. This creature of the night became my obsession and, before I knew it, the days turned to weeks, the weeks turned to months. But exactly, two months and fourteen days later, I was still coming up short with information.

Sighing in frustration, I ran my fingers through my messy hair. A quick flash of lighting drew my attention to the window a few seconds before a booming clap of thunder announced its arrival. It'd been more than a few hours since the rain started and, from the looks of things, it had little desire to stop anytime soon. I didn't mind the despondent nature the gloomy weather cast over the house or how quiet it got other than the sound of the pattering rain, it soothed my emotions just fine. My stomach growled an angry sound, protesting my hunger. I could not remember the last time I'd eaten properly.

"So we are just pretending like I am not here".

I sighed. "Hi Lil".

"Hi Lil!" She scoffed. "That's all you have to say." Darra, we've barely shared more than a few words in months and that is all you've got to say."

I sighed again, an action that seemed to be my favorite pastime as of late. I turned, giving her my full attention. She stood like she was contemplating bolting back the way she came. Her small round face was splotchy with outrage, her blonde bob cupping her face in an endearing manner. Lila and I have been friends since kindergarten. Our friendship started off with stilted words and little to say on my part, until she brought me out of my shell. Our dynamic had changed as we grew into adults, I being the one leading her into danger, and she tried to keep me from dying or getting into too much trouble. In all the years of being friends, there was one thing about us that did not change. Her beauty. When we were younger, she was the cute-faced, chubby kid that drew everyone's attention. Now, as a teenager and new adult, she is now a blonde-haired pixie with alluring curves and a cute button nose. Compared to my straight figure, pale complexion and thick untamed brown curls, we are two opposite beings. Our friendship had bloomed into something tight, and we'd never had a moment of stilted conversation between us. To say this was awkward would be an understatement. Huffing, she gave in and stepped into the room, her eyes raking over the recent decor. My mother had an ostentatious taste in everything, so it wasn't unusual for her to get up one day and change everything, down to our wardrobe. Lucile rarely went into my own wing of the house. In fact, I would say she downright avoided it, only deeming it necessary when she was in one of her moods. Lil looked over the space with faint irritation. She'd long since quit asking me to change my taste and, as usual, the decor was decked out in my normal green, this time a deep emerald color that offset the white walls that made up the space. Stepping closer, her eyes perused the marks, pictures and paper covering the table, her gaze locking on mine with dawning realization.

"Tell me you're joking". She gasped, eyes widening in disbelief.

I looked her dead in the eye, and she must have gotten the answer in my unwavering gaze because she gasped, the small sound doing a good job of describing her horror.

"What has come over you?" She said, eyes imploring. "At first, I thought you were up to your silly thrill-chasing antics that will fade with time, but this Darra, this has gotten out of hand".

"You don't understand". I replied beyond exhausted. I'd barely slept a wink the night before, out on another stake-out mission.

"Yes. That is exactly my point". She snapped, her face flushing once more. "Nobody gets this..." She trailed off, eyeing my attire with disgust before she continued. "This interest of yours".

I bristled, hating how condescending her words sounded. "Am not asking you to believe me, Lila, but don't speak to me like I am stupid". I snapped, my temper getting the better of me.

"With the way you've been acting. I doubt that".

"Okay hold up. What has gotten into you?". I queried.

"Girl, have you seen yourself in the mirror lately? You've let this whole thing consume you. Your hair is frazzled, you have dirt smudged on your cheeks. By the looks of it, you are long overdue for a shower and, for the past few weeks, you've been on a 'hunt'". She said, making air quotes at the word "...for a mythological being. You are not yourself and you know".

She swept her hand over the evidence of my perceived instability. "And if this is to be believed, you have been visiting club after club, chasing ghosts".

I turned away from her scrutinizing gaze to gather the pile of paper on the desk. "It's more complicated than you think. I just¬I just need time. I will sort it out and everything will be back to normal".

"How much?"

"What?"

"How much time are we talking here? Because I'm telling you, your mum intends to have you committed."

"The only reason they haven't come for you yet, is because they are trying to keep everything under wraps, and I am telling you Darra," she warned, voice grave. "You had better get your s**t together, because between me and you, we both know that if your mum succeeds, you will never be out again".

Unfortunately, I knew exactly what she meant. There is no love lost between Lucile and me. In our purposeful evasion of the other, how she found out about me was not hard to guess. The staff probably let her know. They were all loyal to her. I had to get my act together, ending up in a psych ward would give me no answers to my question. The first order of business: a bath. Lil was right, I smelled from my escapade last night. My investigations were majorly centered around clubs and shady areas based on my knowledge of vampires from stories. I was assuming that, just like in stories, they would prefer the night to be themselves, but just like I'd said, everything was around presumptions and not actual facts. I was grateful to have something to work with, even if it may not likely be true. A loud munching from my side deterred me from my whirling thoughts. Apparently, Lila helped herself to my snack collection now that she was done with her tirade. I quirked one eyebrow in question, as if to say 'really'.

My best friend shrugged unrepentant. I shook my head, making my way to the bathroom, my lids heavy with exhaustion. First a bath, then sleep and then, I will continue my research, this time with the knowledge that I was running out of time.