Acacia Gold

Chapter 4

4

I knocked lightly, nothing. As I raised my fist to knock again, I heard the latch being removed and the locks twisting in their grooves. The door swung inwards revealing a petite vampirette. Her long flowing hair was so pale it was almost white; the texture looked nearly as silken as Myckah’s. She had a pretty pointed face and cute pixie like features. I was betting she hated that. She gave off a vibe of power.

She held out a dainty hand, “My name is Christa”.

Although she looked fragile, her tone was strict and authoritive. Without thinking, I shook her hand. Her power just seemed to force me.

“Come Acacia, I will take you to Myckah, as he so wishes”.

I hurried after her short but quick steps. She didn’t seem happy to be given the job of escorting the new human. Some one had to do it. She obviously didn’t think it should be her. Neither did I in all honesty.

We walked briskly and in awkward silence. I don’t think it was awkward for her; I was just another pain in the butt useless human.

We walked through endless halls, when finally Christa came to a halt in front of a gigantic two-door entrance.

Upon turning the corner, I found it was a chapel. There were little pews down both sides and an isle. At the foot of the isle knelt Myckah.

“Myckah is waiting” Christa reminded as if in a hurry to be elsewhere, doing something else, or maybe biting someone else. Maybe that was the reason for her crankiness; a lack of breakfast of the bloody kind.

“Go on” Christa gave my elbow a gentle push them turned on her heel and marched out. 

“Don’t mind Christa,” I gasped looking up into Myckah’s eyes. I hadn’t even heard him move. Jeez.

“She has trouble taking orders”, he added “even from me”. 

Myckah’s intensity shocked me a little and he smiled. 

He held out a hand. This time I took it, feeling a little safer of Myckah, but less sure of my surroundings. He led me up the isle to the front of the chapel. 

“Beautiful isn’t it,” he commented rather than asked as if there were no other answer.

“Ah-yes” I drew my hand away.

He turned taking his gaze away from the ceiling and replacing it one me.

“I had it moved from Pathos in Cyprus many centuries ago. I grew up there as a boy. Nothing but this chapel remained, so in a desperate attempt to salvage my boyhood and my more innocent days, I uprooted it and had it shipped here”.

“Wow, just like that?”

“It is surprising what you can do with just a little money and power” he caught my gaze “and of course a little force”.

I managed to pull my gaze away. “Why do you want a chapel? I thought vampires were atheist. You know, living beyond death and all that.”

“Technically it is wrong to believe in Christ, since we are undead and in a manner of speaking that is incorrect. But I grew up in a very religious community. I still hold it dear even if it does not quite mean the same thing. I like to believe god has a plan for us all; even for the soulless and the sinners”. 

Myckah turned to me. “Are you a believer?”

I leaned against a pew and studied my surroundings.

“I guess. It’s hard, because what god allows murder and r**e? But I was brought up as a Catholic and I stand by that” I replied.

“Do you wear a crucifix?”

“Yeah”, I fumbled in my shirt to hold the cross up, but he held a hand out.

“Please, do not”.

I looked up and frowned at my own idiocy. “Duh! Yeah, I’m sorry”.

“It’s quite alright. I do ask that if you wear it here; to keep it hidden at all times. I must look out for the safety of mine as well as yours,” Myckah requested

“Sure” I mumbled still feeling silly.

Myckah rested his palms on a pew and looked up at me. “Have you ever seen it work?”

“Have I ever seen what work?” I asked

“Your cross. Has it ever blazed to protect you?”

My gaze dropped to my shoes, so my blonde hair covered my face. The memory still brought guilt and embarrassment even after five years.

“Once, when I was sixteen” I answered

“What happened?”

I guess Myckah wanted to know and he probably wouldn’t let it drop. I hated retelling the nightmare.

“I was going through my rebellious phase. My best friend Carmen and I, we heard of this vampire club and thought it would be cool to get in. The bouncers were corrupt; obviously paid to supply free blood donors. It didn’t take long for two guys to approach us”. I stopped. I hated the last part

“Acacia?” He breathed my name so softly I felt an urge to reveal all my darkest, deepest secrets.

I sucked in air. “Well of course they wanted blood. They took us to a back alley. One went for Carmen, the other for me. The vamp…his chest pressed against my cross and it started to burn. His shrieks…I can still hear them. He let me go and I ran. I was so scared and I never looked back. I just left Carmen there. God” 

Maybe Myckah could hear the emotion in my voice, because he turned me to him. He rubbed a hand down my shoulder.

“We were all young and foolish once. It was not your fault” he comforted me.

“I know that, but I could’ve saved her. It should’ve been me”

“Why?”

“I don’t know. It’s just always that way. The survivor lives with the pain and memories. I remember being at her funeral; her mother started screaming at me…that it was my entire fault. I felt that way for years”

“Yes, I know of it well”. Myckah looked into mid air, sorrow apparent on his delicate features.

“What happened to you?” I asked. It was only fair I got to know something from him and as long as we were sharing stories-

Myckah rubbed his face and sat down on the steps at the front of the chapel. I followed suit, interested.

“Before I was turned, I was engaged, I was wealthy, and I had power. Unfortunately I was stupid. The night before my wedding, an exotic woman took an interest in me. Being like most men, I was flattered. She took me to where she was staying and we had a night of passion” Myckah paused, glancing at me, as if to see my reaction. 

“What I didn’t count on was that she would turn me. Foolish as I was, I didn’t realize. I married Elise and on the eve of our wedding…I killed her”.

He sunk his head all the breath seeping out of him and every muscle froze; painful memories will do that to you.

“That’s…Awful” I settled for that, and it was lame, but I didn’t know what else to say. I didn’t have any comforting words for him. I’d never grasped the knack of consolation.

“It doesn’t matter now, it was many years ago”

He brushed the memories away. Clearly it did matter. This one event had haunted him for centuries and it would clearly haunt him until his last days. So I pushed him to carry on.

“What happened after you…you know?”

“Took her life?”

I nodded

“The villagers came to my door with stakes and torches. My own father gave me up. I went crazy. The woman who turned me; she took me in and offered shelter and protection. I took it and in time I learned to control my emotions and block out the tragedy of my evil deed. I never forgave her though, I have never forgiven myself” 

“You should. I’ve heard what the change can do. Your senses are jumbled for a while. You can’t hold yourself responsible for something you did in the wrong mind”

“In truth you are correct, but I cannot. God knows I have paid for my sins, but what I did to the poor girl. It was nothing short of a slaughter and I’ve never wanted to be a vicious animal”.

“What do you want?” I asked

He gave a shrug. “What most men want; a wife, a family, an heir”.

I gave a little dry laugh, “clearly you have not seen the men these days”.

He frowned at me.

“You have to gag and bind them and force them to commit. God forbid there was anything more terrible”

Myckah gave a little chuckle at that.

“How times change; indeed”

We sat in silence for a few moments. I took the opportunity to stare at him. He was possibly the most handsome man I had ever set eyes on. I had half a mind to reach out and stroke his cinnamon streaked hair, but I restrained myself. I made a little bet with myself that it smelled just as sweet.

His eyes were the glorious color of jade stones and were rimmed with thick lashes that most women would envy. He had a slight exotic look, as if he were from somewhere further east. Up-tilted eyes do that.

His nose was strong and straight, giving his beautiful face the masculinity it so needed. The nose lead to plump and wide lips, the color of rose´ wine, from a freshly opened bottle. And his cheekbones; they were the stuff of Aztec gods, high and sculpted.

The sound of air forced out brought me back. My cheeks flushed realizing I’d been staring at him, but he had not noticed. 

Myckah stood wiping at his slacks. I was guessing a habit.

“We should retire,” he said.

“But I’ve been asleep the whole day” I grumbled

He raised and eyebrow the way a parent would to a difficult child.

“I have not slept in a number of days. You don’t have to sleep; you can do whatever you like just so long as it is in your room. I will not leave you unattended”. The strictness I so noticed from my father in my younger years tainted Myckah’s tone.

“What do you think I am going to do?” I demanded

“I suspect you will find a way to get into trouble. Better safe than sorry no?”

I stood; mouth gaped in a little ‘o’. He was treating me like a naughty child. Jesus, I was twenty!

“Come along Acacia, I do not wish to force you, but I can”. There was a little threat to his voice and his stance was ready. Sighing, I followed him. What could I do, I was unarmed and apart from being larger than me, he was a vampire. I didn’t like the odds, so I shut up and did as I was told. My mother would’ve been so proud.