Acacia Gold

1 Sometimes I used to wish my life were more meaningful, more exciting. Full of adventure and action like in the books you read or the movies you go to see on a Friday night. Well that wish came true. Too bad you can’t take back wishes.  I would if I could. I am Acacia Gold. I live in Austin, Texas. A couple of hours ago, I worked in a nice normal café. Next thing I knew I was, well, I don’t know where the hell I was. I knew it was dark, cold and smelled vaguely of must. While I sat in the dark I tried to regain some sort of memory. Not an ounce came to me. I just remember napping after work, then darkness, and now, well here I am.   It’s hard to grasp the concept, that only a few hours ago I was serving steaming cups of Joe to disgruntled workers on their lunch breaks. Now, I was vaguely aware that cold metal chains bound my wrists and ankles. My eyes adjusted slightly to the dark. I could make out a very small semi circle of a window near the ceiling. It let very little light in and I could just make out a large dark door shaped gap in the wall. As if the fact I’d just noticed it made it open, a tall dark figure stepped through. I guessed male, because of the sheer size and bulkiness. He made his way down the unyielding stone steps and paused. He turned the look up at the heavy door, like he was waiting. As if on cue another someone appeared. It was hard to tell male or female. This someone was smaller though by no means abnormal.  The light hit the new person square on the face. Male. Definitely male! He was startling in the pool of moonlight. His hair shimmered as if it were toffee colored water. One glance at those perfect eyes and I knew.  Vampire! Too late, he’d caught my gaze and I struggled to break free. I was faintly aware that he moved closer, but I was only interested in how his green eyes swirled ever deeper. Deeper and deeper and… Someone touched me drawing me away. I jerked at the intensity forgetting the chains that bound me. Looking up, it was the vampire who touched me. His elegant hand still held me and I shuddered at his touch. He drew away with a frown and turned to consult the taller man. I now realized they were both vampires. A master and a servant. As I tried to and strain forward I felt dizzy. A noise hummed inside my brain and I felt like I was floating weirdly, in and out of dreams. I tried to be scared, chained in a cellar in the dark with two vampires, one incredibly powerful. I failed. Instead I enjoyed the sensation of floating and waited. In a second the sensation was gone. The toffee haired vampire crouched in front of me. “Can you hear me?” His tone was surprisingly soft, warm, and English. It was lovely. “Yes” I whispered in answer “Good, because you will need to listen carefully. My name is Myckah Von Rheula. I don’t want you to have the wrong impression. You are chained for your own safety. You know of vampires?” “A little” “Good, that makes it easier. There is an old, very strong vampire in town. His name is Icarus and he wants to turn Houston over” “Over to what?” I asked numbly. “To become like us, like him” “Oh!” “Yes. He is doing it systematically. You were next hence the need for this” He motioned gracefully to the chains. “Why me?” I asked “We do not know that much, but we think he is doing it by power, by blood line” “I still don’t understand why I was next”. “Not was, are,” he said forcefully. “Okay, fine, but why?” “I’m not sure you should know. The less you know the better” I laughed abruptly and he overbalanced in shock. I was getting angry and angry was a hell of a lot more preferable to afraid so I seized it. “You feeding me child lines? Don’t bullshit me about knowing less. If my life is in danger I want to know why!” He settled crossing his legs and resting his hands gently upon his knees. He gave a soft nod to no one in particular and answered, “You are wanted because of your blood line” “what does that mean?” “Some centuries back you can be traced to some one of power. A king or queen” “Is that it?” I scoffed. “They’d have to have been a vampire too” “So I’m wanted become some generations back my family was fang happy” “I think that is the main basis” he answered ignoring my sarcasm. He stood bonelessly and brushed down his pants. He walked to the steps. “Wait!” I called Myckah paused and looked over his shoulder questioningly. “You’re just leaving me here?” I asked outraged. “What else do you suggest I do with you?” The way he phrased it, it sounded like he had something intimate in mind. I wondered whether it was better to answer back or give up. “Let me go!” I demanded “Did you hear nothing I said!” he was growing impatient. Good Acacia, I thought, anger the big bad vampire captor. Like I was going to take my own advice. People say I don’t know when to shut up. Yeah right…right? “Yeah, yeah. There’s a big baddy after me; bla, bla, woof, woof. I can take care of myself.” Maybe refusing help wasn’t the best thing I’d ever done. Oh well, too late now. Myckah thought for a few minutes then walked back over to me. “Icaarus is powerful beyond what you could possibly imagine. You are safe here. Out there you will get caught” he motioned with his hand, “turned. Unless that is, of course, what you want”. Put like that… “No.” I answered quickly. “Then you must stay here”. “But...but…what am I supposed to do?” Myckah frowned at me as if I’d spoken a different language. “What do you mean?” “Well, how long am I going to be down here? Do you just expect me to sit here?” I asked. “You will be here until Icaarus either looses patience or moves on,” Myckah explained logically. “And how long will that be?” Myckah blinked at me. “I have no idea, you will just have to sit and wait it out.” “Yeah-right” I laughed, “I have a job and friends. People will be looking for me” “Fine”. For a moment I thought Myckah would let me go but instead he motioned to the other vampire “Atticus, fetch a phone”. Atticus, like a good little servant, hurried off. When he returned and gave the cell phone the Myckah, Myckah handed it to me. “Well?” “Well what?” I asked “Call someone. Let them know you are out of town or something”. “Are we out of town?” I narrowed my eyes at Myckah. “No but it will stop any fuss of where you have disappeared to” he explained. “So you expect me to tell the very people who will look for me, not to look for me?” “Yes” he said plainly. “No way” I refused. “Why will you not do this?” he asked softly “Because I’m not much for being tied up and held captive in some strange cellar with an eccentric vamp!” “Please. You must do this” Myckah pushed the phone into my hand. “Take these chains off and take me somewhere but here and I’ll do it.” Bargaining was my only option and I’d take it! Myckah knelt in front of me. “If I do this do you promise to make the call?” “Promise” I replied eager to be out of the bitter and weighty chains. “Very well.” Myckah slid a chain from inside his shirt and lifted it over his head. I eyed him warily. He showed me what hung on the end. It was thick metal key; the sort that didn’t exist after the medieval times. A replica? Never, I was betting an ancient original. Wow. If I hadn’t been chained up I might have had time to admire it. “I took your safety on personally, but I guess you don’t appreciate that,” Myckah informed me. I waited to cuss him until the cuffs were off. Rubbing at the chains on my wrists, I replied, “I don’t normally appreciate someone kidnapping me”. “Not even for your own well-being?” “I don’t know. It’s never really been an issue before” I answered thoughtfully. He fiddled the key in the lock and the chains broke away from my sore wrists. I massage them annoyed. “We can find some salve if you like” Myckah offered. Not wanting to accept his help I said, “I’m okay thanks”. Myckah touched the cell phone still in my hand.  “I believe it is your turn to uphold the deal”. “Yeah, yeah”, I lifted the phone reluctantly.  What was I supposed to do if Myckah really turned out to be a psycho bloodthirsty loon? No one would come looking. But… I guess I’d rather be free than searched for. I could handle myself okay. My mother made me take Jujitsu when I was young. I guess my mother was right. Ha I never thought I’d say those words. I made the call to my boss Adrien. I was going to be off sick for a while with the flu. Since I was a good worker and had never taken a long vacation, Adrien was very understanding, little s**t. Now he’d never raise the alarm. I also called Maria, my roommate. I told her I’d be away for a while under the scrutiny of Myckah. She mumbled something about rent and to have fun. Maria was out of it most of the time, due to her slacker boyfriend Milton.  Sure I liked him, but sometimes sitting around high just isn’t that fun. I passed the phone back to Myckah, “Happy?” “Very rarely” He retorted “But the calls will do”. He offered a hand to me. I ignored it and stood on my own somewhat stiffly and a little bruised. He sighed, “I only offer you help, Acacia” I looked up into his beautiful eyes, shocked to hear him use my name. “I’m not that trusting” I replied.