My Vampire Companion

Chapter 4

Bruce narrating:

— Focus on me, Bruce. — Sophia said, once again drawing my attention. — You can do this. Just stop breathing and lean as far away from her as possible.

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. I wasn’t breathing already. I wasn’t stupid. I would have killed her the moment she walked into the classroom if I had been breathing.

I did as Sophia said, however, leaning against the wall, keeping as much distance as possible between us. I risked a glance at the girl sitting next to me and instantly a scowl covered my face.

Why did her scent have to be so tempting?

I tried to focus on her thoughts to gain a little more insight into her. It always helped save their lives. I couldn’t kill someone whose wants, desires, and worries I understood. It made them more... human. I couldn’t take a life of a person who was caring for her elderly father or a young girl who was about to get married in a few days. That was just cruel.

It was silent, utterly silent. I couldn’t hear anything going on in her head. This had never happened to me before. Sure, I had encountered people who were hard to read—Chief James Cooper being one such example—but still, I picked up some random thoughts here and there. This kind of silence was frightening and unsettling. I had never found anyone whose mind I couldn’t penetrate. I tried again and again, but it was as if a wall had been built up before her thoughts, and no matter how hard I tried to break that brick wall, it refused to give.

The scowl on my face intensified. I had read several thoughts since morning; I glanced briefly at myself before returning to her notebook. She then covered her face with her hair, and her fresh freesia scent spread through the air, flooding my mind and throat once again.

I clenched my fists.

I didn’t want to do this. I was trying so hard. Why was she trying to test me without knowing?

— She has family, Bruce. Her father loves her. She likes to read and cook. — Sophia spoke in my mind, softly.

— I’m trying here, Sophia. — I whispered uselessly to her. She was irritating me now. I just wanted this class to end. I couldn’t stay here anymore. I had to get out of here… and possibly leave the state. I would kill Nina even if she were anywhere in the same state as mine. I would come back for her if I wasn’t leaving as fast as possible.

I counted the seconds until class ended, and as soon as the bell rang, I rushed out. Outside, Sophia was waiting for me.

— She’s a child, Bruce. — She said gently, leading me away from those people.

— You think I don’t know that? — I shouted back at her.

She sighed, rubbing her temples.

— How about this; you change your schedule. You don’t have to share any class with her, and avoiding her during lunch wouldn’t be too hard. We sit at the corner table anyway, away from any human.

— Sophia, you’ve been near your singer. You know it’s not that easy. — I replied in a frustrated tone.

— Please don’t leave us and go away. — She pleaded. — It will hurt Crystal. If anyone can do it among us, it’s you. After Anton, you have the best control of the family.

I sighed, putting my head in my hands.

— Fine. I’ll try, but if it doesn’t work, I’m out of here.

She gave me a small smile and a quick nod. For the sake of my family’s happiness, I would try this too.

Mrs. Smith's office was my next destination. I needed to know the outcome of that conversation before taking my next step. Leaving Sin City would be my best bet to save the human’s life, but I couldn’t hurt my parents in the process. I was sure that if I left Sin City and possibly went to another town, I wouldn’t come back at least until she, Nina Cooper, finished high school and left this town once again. I wouldn’t bear the temptation of living in the same city as her. But I also trusted Sophia. If she said I could still live in Sin City and let the human live, I trusted her enough to follow through.

I had just shared a class with the said human, and that was my only main priority at that moment. I just had to convince Mrs. Smith to let me change that period.

Talking to Mrs. Smith was like banging my head against a wall. She kept flirting with me; her thoughts were filled with all sorts of things, I saw what she wanted to do with me, and frankly, it was just giving me a headache. After fifteen minutes of enduring her terrible attempts at flirting and trying to convince her that I just needed to change the schedule for my only class, I felt like I had finally made some progress. She was leaning in to check the schedules now. I could see it in her thoughts. She was about to give in to my wishes when I smelled… the most appetizing blood there is.

I turned to look at my victim. She was standing in the doorway. My ravenous black eyes gazed into her chocolate brown ones. She took a step back in fear, and I resisted the urge to snarl at her. She wasn’t going anywhere. She was mine. Her blood called to me. It promised to let me bathe in its pure and delightful paradise.

That was when I set aside my human side. The monster had won. My vampire instincts celebrated this judgment. It was a victory, they claimed.

Now, I just had to take down this goddess alone. I couldn't leave any witnesses.

I ran out of there as fast as I could, however. I needed a solid plan, and in that solid plan, my first course of action was to let my brothers go home without me.

I was a selfish bastard. They would definitely stop me if they knew what I was planning.

My brothers were waiting for me when I reached my Volvo. We always went to school together.

— I’m sorry, Bruce. — Sophia said worriedly — Mrs. Smith should agree to this, Nina… she should arrive after you leave the office.

I shook my head indifferently. I wasn’t going to give up on my plan. My decision was made, and I would stick to it.

— That's fine. — I said in the same casual tone.

Luke raised an eyebrow at me but said nothing in response.

— I just need to take a long trip. You know how it helps clear my mind. — I laid on my thick lie — I’ll also hunt along the way. If I want to let the human live, I’ll need to hunt regularly.

Sophia just nodded in understanding. Rose scoffed, but that was her general response to almost every situation. Luke wasn’t convinced. He knew I was partly lying but didn’t want to criticize me. Liam was in favor of anything that saved an innocent life.

— Okay, Bruce. — Sophia said — I’ll be watching and making sure nothing goes wrong.

I know dear sister, I know… And that’s one of my biggest problems.

I gave them a small smile and watched as they walked toward the trees surrounding us, leaving the car behind.

Now I had to return to the plan that lay before me. Avoiding Sophia's vision was difficult but not impossible, and after so many years of life, I simply knew the ins and outs. Our vampiric minds were capable of processing a hundred times more than the human mind. We could focus on many things at once and were excellent at multitasking. We could also make several decisions simultaneously, and even if one of those decisions weren't in our minds, Sophia wouldn’t be able to see it. Her ability to see the future picked up the most likely and strongest decision that was in our heads. She couldn’t see the smaller decisions, not so important to us. I just had to maintain the long game and hunt down strong later decisions in my mind, and Sophia wouldn’t notice all the other smaller decisions being made.

She couldn’t see the chosen outcome. She only saw the decision made, and people talked and did completely different things all the time, and most importantly, I would have to be as spontaneous as possible. I couldn’t lose my concentration and risk Sophia catching me in a moment of weakness. As I said before, avoiding Sophia’s visions was possible, it was just a bit more difficult, and you had to know exactly what you were doing and thinking, and thankfully for me I knew exactly what to do and think to avoid her sight, and also most importantly, I would have to be as spontaneous as possible. I couldn’t lose my concentration and risk Sophia catching me in a moment of weakness.

With that done, I began to work on my next step in the plan - sabotaging the piece of junk she called a car. I had years of experience with cars and car parts. I graduated in automotive engineering, for God’s sake. This was a piece of cake for me. Less than five minutes later, my work was done, and after making sure no stupid teenager had seen or noticed the blur I had caused when I worked at my vampire speed, I hid in the shadows. My target soon arrived and unknowingly fell straight into my trap.

I followed her through the woods as she left the school parking lot in that Beetle of hers. I couldn’t take my eyes off her. I needed to keep an eye on her constantly. Her blood was far too tempting to be left alone. I couldn’t risk losing that sweet nectar. A huge satisfied smile covered my face when her Beetle finally gave out and stopped in the middle of nowhere. That was perfect, too perfect. I couldn’t have planned it better. I then ran back to where my car was and pretended to be the helpful person I could be.

She was hesitant to accept my help; at least she had some survival instincts in her, but a bit of dazzle and the temptation to get home on time went a long way, and she finally agreed to let me accompany her home through the shortcut in the woods.

I felt bad for her. I honestly did. It was a shame she had changed. It was regrettable that she had opened the cage for the monster I kept locked up in my mind for the last seventy decades. This was the first time the monster in me walked freely since my rebellious period, and it was delighted to be out.

She was so confident... so young... so beautiful. It was truly a shame.

I turned to look at her when she was finally where I needed her to be... away from any unsuspecting gaze.

— I’m sorry, Nina. I’m not a monster. It’s just that your blood... it’s like the finest chocolate... the juiciest fruit. I can’t resist. I’ve tried so hard. — I groaned in pain, apologizing.

I felt she deserved this final apology. It was the least I could offer her.

She shivered in fear in response. Even though she didn’t know exactly what was about to happen to her, she knew it was bad. She could feel it in the air. I just wished I could read her mind. I wanted to know what she was thinking in that moment. I wanted to know if she was remembering her parents or if she was praying to God. I wanted to know what she was feeling and how worried she was. I wanted to hear her thoughts and the misery they would hold.

I was probably really a monster...

— Bruce. — she whispered as a prayer on the tip of her tongue.

— I’m sorry, Nina. I wish I didn’t have to do this. I wish I had more control.

I apologized one last time, and with a swift movement, I was standing beside her, my mouth on her neck. I couldn’t wait any longer. I had to have her.

I opened my mouth and let my sharp teeth do their work slicing through her soft, easily penetrable skin.

Oooo..... this was paradise on earth. It was sweeter than anything I had ever tasted. I couldn’t escape. I couldn’t pull back. All rational thought left my mind. It was all her. I didn’t care if Sophia saw me doing this. I didn’t care if even a human saw me like this. I just had to drain her. I needed to put all that liquid inside me. I couldn’t resist even letting a drop of it fall. I groaned loudly for the whole world to hear and see.

I fell to the ground taking her with me. She wasn’t going anywhere.... at least not until I was done with her. She was growing weaker. I could feel it. I had just taken another long gulp of my h****n when I heard.

— Oh Bruce, I’m so sorry. I saw this so late. I wish I had seen it before.

I opened my eyes as shock and fear set in, making me stumble on my feet. My monster that existed in me returned to its cage and my rational human side came back - the rational side that lived by Anton’s principles.

What have I done?

How could I have lost all control over myself?

I pushed the corpse away from me with shame, anger, and shock.

I couldn’t believe I had done this. It was like an out-of-body experience. I wish I could plead innocence, but I knew I had no excuses. I was guilty. I had taken the life of a human.

Sophia came and stood by my side. The pity she was feeling was clear on her face. I wanted to tell her I didn’t deserve that pity. I wasn’t worthy of it. I wanted to take responsibility for my actions, but I was a coward. I was a coward who couldn’t face the shame on my family’s face. I couldn’t bear to see the guilt and remorse in my parents’ eyes. I couldn’t stand that they would hate me.

— I slipped up. — I lied. — I was passing by and saw her standing next to the Beetle. I lost control.

Sophia nodded in understanding.

— I know. I saw you biting her. I just wish I had seen it before it happened.

— Anton. — I whispered in question.

She nodded again.

— Everyone knows. They understand. They don’t blame you. Crystal and Liam are tidying up the house. We decided to move to Alaska for a while. It’s not safe for us to stay here with you with red eyes.

Red eyes... I had forgotten about that.

— Anton went to the hospital and Rose is in a bad mood. She didn’t want to move so soon. You know how she is.

She shrugged.

I shook my head, my eyes returning to the girl who lay still beside me. Her mind was silent, a mystery that would never be solved. She lay still like a corpse. Her brown hair floated around her as her eyes were closed. It was truly a shame.

The monster in me had won this round, but I would make sure he would never win again.

— Let’s get out of here. — I said.

I couldn’t stand to be here anymore. I had to leave.

What was done was done. I had no choice but to accept and move on. I was sure of one thing, however, I would never let my family know that this death was not accidental. I didn’t slip. It was planned and I was guilty.

I was a wolf in sheep's clothing.