Caught Between Two Second Chance Loves

In the early hours of the morning, Luci woke up. The sky was still dark, stars and moon still shining in the sky. Glancing over at her clock, the time read 4:15am. She groaned softly before stretching and rolling out of bed. She looked over at her roommate, Raven. Still completely passed out. She hated waking her up. Not because Raven would get upset, but because she felt bad for waking her roommate up so early. Raven was a night owl who had most of her classes in the evening. Luci, on the other hand, didn’t care for any time of day. She felt like an exhausted pigeon any time of day. Quietly, Luci grabbed her morning toiletries bag and slipped on her fuzzy blue slippers. Sneaking out, she crept through the dorms hallway and down to the communal female bathrooms. As she opened the door, the sent of Febreze lavender filled the bathroom. Either someone was in here earlier, or the scent had been trapped in all night. None the less, Luci glided in and locked it up behind her. Using the toilet, she blanked in and out of sleep, still somewhat tired. Jolting awake after almost falling off, she then cleaned up and washed her hands in the hot water, letting it run for a bit longer as she plugged up the sink. Looking up in the mirror, her pale skin nearly faded in the old silver mirror. The reflection of herself was nearly gone. She sighed and quickly began her routine, listening carefully for anyone waking up early for the bathroom. The dorms weren’t that old, but whoever decided to have silver mirrors must have been afraid of vampires because it was obnoxious for Luci to get her routine done just before her elixir would wear off. Somedays, the elixir would last longer than 24 hours, allowing her morning walks in the sun and enjoy swimming without catching fire. It would also give her skin more complexion and depth, instead of gaunt and ghastly as her roommate would say. On those days, Luci would come up with an excuse that she was running herself ragged with exams, papers, and just an overload of work. It wasn’t a complete lie. Unlike Luci, Raven was human. The majority of the people in the school were human. After spending a lifetime in hiding, she was able to walk amongst them and actually attend school. However, if someone found out about her, that wasn’t a vampire, she wouldn’t know what to do. The elixir was only to help vampires come off as more human, allowing them to enjoy the sun, have a reflection in mirrors, or even be able to touch silver. It all around made them feel even more invincible than ever. It didn’t last long, but it was cheap and easy. If mixed with blood, it would keep hunger at a bay and last almost an entire week. So long as you drank blood. Luci contemplated for a moment, watching herself slowly fade in the mirror as she was brushing her teeth. Her dark auburn hair was pulled back with a cute cat headband. Her hair was shorter than most, but she liked it that way. A nice dramatic A-line style that actually showed the back of her neck but covered the rest down to her clavicle. She hadn’t drank any blood in a while. She mostly sustained herself on human food when she drank the elixir. But the thought of hurting anyone was too much for her to think about. And there weren’t any farm animals nearby, given they were in the middle of the city. Finishing up, she patted her face dry and rubbed some moisturizer on her face just as her reflection disappeared. Maybe the zoo will be easier to get into this time, she thought. Collecting her things, she reminisced about the last time she went to the zoo for blood. She got chased by a wildebeest and nearly kicked by an ostrich. But it had been months before she had gotten fresh, warm blood. Draining steaks or other already dead and butchered meats were too cold and, most of the time, barely satisfied. It's great for a pick me up, but not sustainable. Luci made it back to her dorm, slipping in as she put her things away and got dressed. It was late fall, nice and cool outside as the air seeped into the slightly open window. She put on her leggings, combat boots, an undershirt, and dark blue flannel, buttoning it up all the way. Glancing at the clock again, it was already 4:45am. The sun would start to peak out soon. The sky was already getting a blend of pink and purple, just where the sun would be coming up. She sighed softly to herself, looking over at her roommate once more. Raven let out a little snore, laying face down on her stomach, a blanket barely covering her. Pulling the blanket up for her gently, Luci then walked out of the dorm and out of the building. She still thought about how she was going to get food to keep her instincts back. It had been years since she had had this much trouble getting food. The blood bank, which did have some vampires working there, was a bit hard to come by. It was a bit more expensive given they tend not to give it to you right there, but also because a lot of very powerful vampires owned the companies. As greedy as they were, they did a lot of distribution to keep their kind hidden and out of trouble. Witches, who created the elixir, could only make imitation blood. It wouldn’t last as long as real blood, and if you drank too much within a small timeframe, it could be harmful, making a vampire sick. It was like glamour for the fae and other non-human like creatures, giving them a fake outlook that lasted only for a bit until all was revealed. Glamour could also make the user sick if used for too long or constantly changing bodies. It physically changed you. “You’re out and about early.” A familiar, accented voice boomed behind Luci, startling her from her thoughts. It was Henry, another vampire. Though, he didn’t hide it in terms of looks. Raven and her friends hung around him. They were goth, and they loved a man who dressed as a Victorian vampire. Oddly enough, non-goth or alternative girls would swoon over him, too. But his charm never worked on Luci. “Honestly, I thought you’d still be asleep. Given that the sun is almost up.” Luci grabbed her backpack straps, staring up at the very tall man. His dark, curly hair draped over his shoulders as he stared down at her. He reached forward, pushing the longer stands of hair from her face, and tried to tuck it behind her ear. Luci didn’t let him, pushing his hand away. “Enough, Henry. I’m not one of your fangirls or playthings.” “I never said you were.” He smirked, giving her chin a soft pinch between his thumb and forefinger. “I miss your beautiful long hair. It never got in the way of your gorgeous face like it does now.” Luci’s eyes never rolled harder. “It was becoming a hassle. Besides, it’s my hair, I can do with it as I please, Cadmus.” Her eyes narrowed, slapping away his hands again. Henry let out a laugh, his teeth showing. They seemed longer than before, but that might just be her imagination. “I love it when you say my last name. Reminds me of the old days.” Centuries back, Luci’s hair flowed to her waist back in the old country. She worked for Henry and his family before she found that they were all vampires. Henry’s father, the Duke, sent Luci to Henry’s room one night on his birthday. What was supposed to be a night of pure bliss for him became Luci’s nightmare. “I hated those days!” Luci growled through gritted teeth. “I was your servant and slave then, but you have no power over me. Now leave me be!” She turned on her heels, storming off. She could feel the heat in her belly as she tried calming herself down. The hungrier a vampire became, the harder it was to control their actions and powers. Feeling faint, she tried shaking it off. She knew her normally honey brown eyes were glowing red with anger, but they slowly cooled down as tears streaked down her face. Henry always got to her, no matter what. Because of him, she lived the cursed life of being a vampire. It wasn’t completely terrible, but it was a struggle when you weren't rich and devilishly handsome like Henry. Glancing back over her shoulder at Henry, standing under the lamplight. His white puffy sleeved shirt tucked into his black pants, outlining his buff physic. His head hanging down as his curls draped over his face. Slowly, he pulled his hair from his face, looking towards Luci; a sullen look in his eyes. Luci had seen him hurt before, but it never changed her feelings. She stopped for a moment, looking back at him. She didn’t entirely hate him, given that she understood and lived through some pretty nasty times herself. They also went through a lot together. She sighed, hating her sweet nature. “Can you walk with me to Wytches Brew?” She called back at him. His face lit up, using his vampiric speed to catch up to her. A dumb grin stretched across his stupidly handsome face. She never could resist him, even if his charms had never worked. She still had a soft spot for him. Sometimes. “I thought you’d never ask, pet.” Instant regret as he placed a hand on the small of her back, motioning with the other one. As they walked, he kept his hand on her back, soon sliding down to her butt. “If you can’t control yourself, keep your hands off.” She said swiftly, feeling his hand return to her back. “Exactly.” The sun was beginning to rise. Their little encounter took longer than she had thought, meaning they didn’t have much time before they both were in danger of bursting into flames. Hurrying their pace, they crossed a few blocks into a cozy side street filled with small shops. Once across the street, they made it to the Wytches Brew just as the sun peaked over the horizon. “Welcome in!” A peppy voice came from behind the counter. It was Cass. Her bright red hair was pulled into a loose bun as her fringe framed her face. She wore a bright pink and white witch costume with a tiny, cute witch hat. The store was a coffee shop with a Halloween vibe. It was very popular amongst both realms. “Vampire Special?” She asked, a smile never leaving her doll like face. Luci nodded as she walked up to the counter, pulling out her wallet. Henry pushed her hand down when she tried to pay, holding out a card to Cass, who took it gently. “I also need Cadmus’ special treats, two, please.” He winked at her. She giggled and swiped his card before returning it. Henry took Luci over to a table, pulling out the seat for her. Giving him a half smile, she sat down and let him tuck her in. “I can pay for my own things, Henry.” Luci said, avoiding eye contact. Knowing he was smiling the whole time. "I know." He smiled before sitting across from her. Henry could be exhausting, but he was kind. At least to her, he was. Centuries later, he still treated her like the first day they met, like a Goddess.