In Blood

X. Cloud of White

Lunch time had come and gone and as always, I had my human lunch first and then the blood bag that the kitchen staff brought out to me.

               Adam was nowhere to be seen; he had not joined me like usual nor had I seen him since breakfast. He had recruited more kitchen staff over the weeks that Theo had been gone. The estate was slowly filling up once again bustling with life, the home no longer echoing with the m******e of my bloodlust.

               I decided to explore the estate, something I never wanted to do. Today was different with Adam nowhere to be and not dictating how I spend my time, or even having me train I was free as a bird or as free as I will ever be in this household.

               I made my way through the estate, away from the dining room and up the grand stairs, slowly my shoes clicking against the marble floor. There were so many floors and so many unopened doors and I only knew what was behind a handful of doors one of them led to Adam's bedroom. I just didn’t know exactly which one and it wouldn’t have taken much to figure it out, but I decided against finding him, leaving him to himself giving him the space he needs as well as giving myself some unsupervised time.

               The world was my oyster, well not really but this mansion sure as hell was. I took turn after turn until I came to a stop. There was nothing special about the door before me, absolutely nothing, it was just like every other door. It was the same, but I was drawn to it unlike any other one. Slowly, I twisted the doorknob, it turned with ease I pushed open the door to reveal one of the most gorgeous room I’ve ever laid eyes on. Unlike every other room in this place this room was something else, out of a different period, stuck in a way that the rest of the mansion that I had come from had seen refurbishment at the turn of the century.

               Light streamed into the room, through the number of windows lined against the wall on my right, it was still cloudy outside however now the sky was filled with dark clouds. Dark paint covered the walls, long white drapes of the window in the far corner of the room billowed as cold air streamed in, slowly replacing the warmth of the room.

               The room was huge, decorated with a three-piece sofa looking out the windows with a coffee table in the centre and a small sitting area away from the rest of the room tucked away in the corner. Decorated with antiques, a room that was a cross between preservation and lived in. The wall across the room was a floor to ceiling bookshelf, covered in books old and new alike, stacked together, and neatly placed with its spine outwards. A ladder ran across the back wall. I crossed the room in a trance like state, slowly drifting through the room, flittering here and there. I paused by the windows looking out into the unruly garden, in the distance I could see a body of water. I scanned the bookshelf, towards the bottom were the newer books, the most recent titles and at the top sat old leather-bound book, worn out that have seen centuries but none of them were covered in a layer of dust. Some held writing of a language so old, a language beyond time. I examine the bookshelf closely, hoping something would pique my interest maybe something to read to pass the time, after all I’ve now got all the time on my side. I stopped, there was something off about this part of the shelf. There was another door. Unnoticeable and tucked away behind all these books. I took a step back examine the place where the door would’ve been, I removed some books off the shelf, revealing a small button matching the colour of the wall, easily concealed and unremarkable and if I weren’t looking for it.

               I pressed the button with a soft click it opened ajar. Slowly I pushed it back, it swung open smoothly, soundlessly revealing old worn out tiled flooring. It looked nothing alike the room or even this side of the mansion. Unsure I stepped out my shoe echoed against the tiled floor. It was dimly lit, cold and out of place. Goose bump raised all over my exposed arms, the hair on the back of my neck raised on edge.

               This part of the house was cold, unwelcoming.

               Shaking the feeling off, I walked further down the corridor. It was like I had taken a step back in time, the doors were arched and old, like they belong in a different era.

               I could hear footsteps coming my way, hurriedly I scrambled to the closest door to my right, pushed it back but it did not move, I moved on across the room, to the hall to the door shoving with all my might, I could hear the footsteps growing closer, the voices getting louder, I shoved  the door harder, I could hear the lock giving way under my weight. The door moved with ease, squeaking as it gave way. My body went ridged at the nose it made, giving my location away. I could hear three voices their conversation coming to a halt at the sound, once the gap was wide enough, quickly I moved into the room. Closing the door firmly shut behind, I stood close by the door listening to the footsteps come to a halt and then carryon. I waited until the footsteps faded away, once I could no longer hear them, I exited the room making my way down the corridor further and further away from the door that led me to this part of the mansion. I was beginning to doubt that this was just a mansion, this part of it wasn’t it was like two time periods came together and had decided to live side by side. This was a throwback to an era longer before my father was born, long before my grandparents were born. A time when, class and social hierarchy were the main focal point of dinner parties.

               The further I delved into this place the better it got, my senses were alert and taking everything in. The sounds, the views, the smells. It was all coming at me from different directions. I could smell something, undoubtably delicious being whipped up. I could hear the commotion down below, beneath was the kitchen.

               Inhaling deeply, I took in the scent. I caught a whiff of roasted potatoes, fresh pepper, vampires and something…tantalizingly mouth-watering.

               My entire being honed onto the scent. I could hear it pulsing through the veins, my eyes closed. I could hear her laughing, the light lilt to her voice made it all better and I just wanted to tear my fangs into her warm flesh.

               My fangs descended puncturing my lower lip, I licked the wound healing my punctured lips. I could almost taste her, this close and yet so far away. I could still hear her, my entire being was focusing on her, the next kill, adrenalin buzzed through me, I could hear minute sounds that I couldn’t before, my body was getting ready for the kill and I knew exactly who my first prey would be and I had a wide range to pick from who could be next. My sense shaper than usual. A high-pitched crash echoed thought the building. The noise ricochet through my head inducing a headache, and with my senses being heightened it made it worse. My eyes rolled to the back of my head as I forced myself to focus, the ringing made it impossible to focus on what I wanted, gathering myself I stood up straight. My teeth retracting forcing me back to reality. My eyes snapped open, the ringing lessened as my body shifted back to normal, the noise level came down and my head wasn’t ringing anymore. I could hear everything still just less focused. I needed to get out of here. I needed to move fast.

               I hurried along, using my newfound speed that I hadn’t had the opportunity to test out much till now, its sporadic burst I moved throughout the building, checking over my shoulder every now and then. One more and I was scot free that was until I rammed my body full blast into a pillar holding an antique vase. I moved away from the pillar as I watched it come down crashing the ground followed by the vase. It was smashed to smithereens, and the pillar left a smoke of white which I was engulfed in.

               There wasn’t a doubt in me that the crash wasn’t heard throughout the place, I could hear the chatter and the movement of footsteps that were following the noise, they moved quickly their footsteps got louder the closer they got I could hear them were coming my way once again.

               I began moving, leaving the mess behind me, covered in a fine powder of white I headed straight towards the non-descript door I came through and up the cold echoing staircase, I could hear them, they split into two groups one investigating the mess I made and the other hot on my trail. I showed the wooden door open leading to the cold hall way, I ran down the dark dingy hallway my feet echoing against the cobbled path, a stitch in my side but I pushed on, it hurt taking in air, somehow the hall way felt never ending than it did when I was here last. I could see it; I was almost there.

               I reached it just as they were around the curve, I could see their shadows I turned back making eye contact with then, they weren’t human. I turned back to the door yanking it open, I slipped in, shutting the door firmly behind me. They were on me. I don’t know what they would do but they sure as hell wouldn’t take kindly to me, something in me told me to protect myself.

               I scanned the room, quickly I was back in the study, and making a mess. I moved quickly, barricading the door.