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  “I think Octavius was your maker to be honest.” I nodded as I had heard that rumor many times in my lifetime. I couldn’t say that it was the truth; it would be lying. Why else would Octavius be locked within his house during the day?

  “Well if that’s what you want to believe…” I followed into the car as I looked across from him to see Chloe sitting silently.

  “I drank from her so you wouldn’t pick up her scent.” Ah, the reason for the stained lips. It wasn’t like him to be sloppy with his hunt. I nodded as I crossed my arms.

  “I wanted to see you,” she said in a low voice.

  “It’s over, Chloe.” She shook her head quickly as I saw the tears welling in her eyes,

  “No, we’re meant for each other. The other night you felt it too. I saw it in your eyes you still love me. You don’t love her. I’ve seen you with her.”

  “When?” I thought hard and could not muster up when we had been outside the house together. Briefly when I took her to Octavius’ home when she first arrived.

  “I followed you and I watched you both through the window. You argue all the time. She pushes you away. She still loves her dead husband.” It was the figurative nail in coffin. I looked out the window and thought about how my peaceful morning had started to unravel.

  “It’s ridiculous that you’re even stalking me in my own house.”

  “I had to! I wanted to see what was so special about her. And you know what – I didn’t see anything but a really confused girl. I pity her.” She sat silent as I reached for the car door. She couldn’t follow me into the light, I looked back at the darkened backseat before shutting the door quickly. I cursed as I headed for my roadster. I wanted to be home again. I wanted to be with Aerin and forget I had been near Chloe again.

  It wasn’t fair to lie to Aerin when she caught the scent of Chloe in the air around me. She refused to look at me when I undressed and lay beside her. She was lying on her stomach as I reached for her. She turned away from me when I attempted to kiss her.

  “I’m tired,” she said into her pillow. I knew she had been awake before I walked in. I held her against me as I pushed her hair away from her neck. I felt her grow tense as I pushed her gown up and felt between her legs. Already I was biting into her flesh, her body moved against me as I pressed against her. I let her go as I turned her around and watched the wounds heal. She touched my face as I leaned in to kiss her. She turned her face away but allowed me to continue to press my body closer. She let out a sigh as climbed onto her.

  “Tell me you love me,” she whispered into my chest. I backed away as I stared down into her face. I pulled her up off the bed as I cradled her against me,

  “I love you, Aerin.” I could feel her tears against my chest as I lay her back onto the bed and followed with a deep kiss. I felt her hands pulling me against her, I looked down to see she was guiding me inside. I looked up as I shut my eyes. If I had any second thoughts about how I felt, it was too late. I was completely and whole heartedly in love with her. I only hoped that if it ended badly, neither of us would be too scarred.

  I awoke near dark feeling like it had all been a dream. I looked over to her lying on her stomach. Her blonde hair spread across the pillow, I touched her shoulder as she turned to face me.

  “That was more than I expected,” she said with a grin. I managed a laugh as I pulled her close.

  “You’re being kind.” She shook her head as she replied,

  “No really it was great…do you not get complimented?” I shook my head as I ran my hands through her hair,

  “No normally, I’m looking at an empty bed or reading a note with a phone number. This is shocking to see you still lying here.” She frowned as she looked away,

  “Do you always tell them you love them?”

  “You were the first to actually say it. I mostly get a lot of “oh baby” or “do it already,” which is a little rude if you ask me.” She was laughing as she leaned over and kissed me.

  “Hm…well what’s taking you so long? Do it already.” I laughed as I kissed her and whispered against her skin,

  “I’d love to but I fear we have to get you fed. I must hunt now.” I pulled away from her as I moved off the bed to pull on my pants. I headed for the bathroom as she pouted.

  “Tell me you love me? How original is that?” I looked to see Octavius sitting on the tombs beside me. I got to my feet as I walked toward him and embraced him.

  “It’s been too long.”

  “And I see you have been feeding and fucking again. How I miss those days. I take it the fledgling is being schooled properly.” I shrugged as I looked away,

  “I’ve kept her locked in the house longer than I’d like. Although she has managed to find her way to the hotel where she stayed. I fear it won’t be long until she is running the streets. I do have a few mysteries that I’m trying to unlock within her.” His eyes grew dark as he replied,

  “What sort of mysteries?”

  “It’s nothing really I mean who actually loves their parents in a sitcom sort of way?”

  “Explain,” I had struck a nerve within him, I could see that now. It had been a mistake to bring it up to the most pessimistic person I knew.

  “The first time I drank from her – I couldn’t make out her parents. They were shadows in her memory. I took more tonight.”

  “And?” I shook my head,

  “It still was a fog. Her sister I can see very clearly. She said her mother died when she was young. But her father who was very present in her life until she got married is hidden in shadow.” He crossed his arms ignoring the lone girl wandering the cemetery below,

  “Uh, are you going after that one?” He snorted with disgust,

  “No, she’s infected with some unknown affliction. I think I want to spend time with Aerin. Bring her around the house tonight.”

  “Do you think she might be hiding something big?” He sighed as he nodded,

  “Yes, I do. Have you forgotten that there are people out there that would do us harm? I know it seems like one big party out there but you haven’t seen what I have. I also have come across more boys here in the cemetery. I don’t like the looks of things.” I thought about Samara and the boy she was with, Trevor.

  “Do you have an idea who’s behind this? I mean I know Klaus will not be thrilled with what I did with Aerin…but the other is far more epic.” He nodded as he watched the girl photographing the tombs.

  “Oh for the love of Man Ray – what is she doing? She is using a digital camera…no doubt she’ll post it to her blog. I cannot let her continue to desecrate my tomb.”

  “You don’t have a tomb,” I called as he dropped from where he stood to the ground below.

  “Uh hello! What are you doing?” The girl looked up stunned as she dropped her camera. It shot off as it hit the ground and a flash reverberated across the stone around her. Her voice was low as she held out her hands and made motions around her. I watched Octavius pick up the camera and slam it against the tomb before him. The girl screamed as he bared his fangs then turned away from her. I rolled my eyes as I thought of Aerin. Would he frighten her or amuse her? He strode away from the girl as I shook my head.

  “That damn girl was rude enough to demand I pay her. If she weren’t so diseased I would have drained her on the spot.”

  “Did you tell her she was diseased?”

  “I did! I told her she was not worth killing because her blood was poison. Boy did that make her angry.” I followed him from the cemetery as I heard the girl throwing expletives our way.

  We pulled up to his house the following night. She had pulled her blonde hair away from her face, I watched her as she had chosen a blue dress from her luggage. It was the sort of full skirt I had not seen in sometime. She wore a light cardigan when I reminded her it was cool outside. I took her hand in mine as we headed up the walk to his house. Already it was lit and the door was wide open.

  “I have a very vague image of him in my mind.” I
wanted to remind her that I had done a slight trick on her to forget him. I wanted their meeting to be fresh in her mind.

  “You’ll like him,” I promised as we entered the house. I noticed the foyer had been rearranged to make room for a large entry table. As I inspected it I noticed it had come from my old home on Second.

  “I see he did a little vintage shopping at my old house.” She smiled as she ran her hand across the table then pulled her hand back,

  “Rent, I think someone died on this table.” I looked to the ceiling as I sighed,

  “Yes, this table belonged to someone I loved dearly. She died saving my life.”

  “What was her name? I only saw her lying on the table with a wound in her side.” I turned to look into her face as I shook my head,

  “Now is not the time.”

  “Her name was Yasmine.”

  I looked up to see Chloe standing in the parlor doorway. Her arms crossed, she wore a short black lace dress that stopped at her thighs. Even now she looked pale under the lights. I got the impression she was going for a certain look that made her seem…dead. She smiled at us as she continued,

  “For as long as you live you will be forever in Yasmine’s shadow.”

  “Oh shut it,” I hissed as I pulled Aerin along. She followed us as I sat Aerin in the furthest chair in the room.

  “What was that about?” My glare was on Chloe as she crossed the room and stood alongside Marc. She leaned in as she whispered into his ear. He pulled away and I wondered why she was here. Her friendship with Octavius had ended long ago.

  “Rent,” I looked up as Octavius entered the room. He wore dark pants and a dark shirt that hung open. He revealed his battle scars to Aerin almost immediately as he made his way to her. His long black hair was loose around his shoulders. If he didn’t intimidate her now, I feared he never would.

  “It’s so good to finally meet you,” she said with a smile. I watched as Chloe stalked from the room and knew this was the beginning of an amazing new friendship. Aerin had stood and embraced him immediately,

  “I was worried I forgot you.”

  “Now, that seems very unlikely…I’m rather unforgettable,” he said with a smile. Octavius looked to me as he said,

  “Not even a little glamour can erase me.”

  “Well excuse my stupidity,” I said with a smile as she was back at my side. I put my arm around her waist.

  “Tell me is she always so angry?” We looked to Chloe already walking down to the gate onto the sidewalk. We both looked at one another as we nodded,

  “This is nothing though. There was a time when she completely lost her mind and it was dangerous being around her.” She frowned as she replied,

  “That’s really unfortunate. I would have liked to get to know her.” Octavius scoffed as he shook his head,

  “No, no…she’s not anyone you want to associate with. I don’t even approve of her friendship with my son, Marc.” Aerin looked to Marc who was sitting off in a corner holding onto a glass of red wine. He nodded to us as he took a sip then got up and walked toward us,

  “Yes, my father has issues with Chloe. I just think she’s a good girl with a lot of problems. I hope you won’t hold that against me.” She shook her head quickly as she moved away from me and reached out to take his thin hands in her own.

  “I’m not that kind of person, Marc. I’d like us to spend more time together soon.” He nodded and for the first time I felt comfortable that she was going to fit well amongst my closest friends.

  5.

  It was raining when I awoke. I stared up at the ceiling then reached out for her. The sheets were cold from the night air. I sat up as I looked around the room and I knew she had not slept through the night. I pushed back the covers as I swung my feet onto the cold hardwood floor. I made my way from the bedroom and already the house was losing her scent. I felt that old ache in my stomach that she was not here. Had the dream come to an end? I moved from room to room. I made my way to the front door as I pulled it open and looked down at the newspaper sitting on the porch. It was soaked through from the rain. I kneeled to pick it up and drop it inside the door. I looked up to see a dark sedan parked. It wasn’t unusual for a car to be parked outside my house. On occasion my house was mistaken for a celebrity haunt. I had forgotten one of the last owners to inhabit the house had also been a vaguely talented pop star before the Dumas’ purchased it. I could hear voices out back as I slammed the door shut and headed back toward the kitchen.

  “Oh I’m really fine here…don’t worry about me.” There was laughter from another woman as the sound glasses clinking caught my attention. The air suddenly was thick with the smell of a human that had been soaked in brandy and cigarettes. I stepped past the doors to see Aerin with her legs crossed sitting at the small iron table. Her blonde hair pulled back, she wore a yellow sundress.

  “Rent! Oh good you’re awake. I want you to meet my sister, Cate.” She gestured to the redhead sitting before her and I suddenly stopped in my tracks. She turned to face me and it was like looking into Aerin’s own face.

  “You never said you had a twin,” I said as I extended my hand. Aerin laughed as she took a sip of her mimosa and tossed her hair back,

  “Cate is here on vacation.”

  “That’s fantastic,” I said as I stared into her pale face that seemed rounder than Aerin’s. Her skin not as flawless still held a haunting quality to it. I also noticed they had the same blue eyes. She smoothed the black dress she wore as she looked up at me once again.

  “It’s difficult having blue eyes, everyone knows my secret.” Her voice was deeper than Aerin’s. Already I found it difficult not to stare at her openly. She smiled as she looked to Aerin,

  “You were right, he does wear his emotions on his face.”

  “What was that?” I hadn’t known that I was being spoken of. Aerin grinned as she stared into my face,

  “You are pretty obvious, Rent.” I was being made fun of now. I realised I was still wearing my bed clothes and excused myself. I could hear their laughter as I entered my bedroom once again.

  “I hope its ok but I asked Cate to stay here.” She wrapped her arms around me as I stood before the mirror inspecting the dark suit I wore. I looked back at her as I smiled,

  “And how do you plan on explaining you’re new lifestyle?” Her face grew dark as she shrugged,

  “I hadn’t thought of that. I suppose I could ask her to stay at a hotel but she would suspect something. I wouldn’t want her calling my father.”

  “Actually, I think I would like to meet him.” She shook her head quickly,

  “You don’t want to meet him. I think he’s in Bangkok these days.” It was my turn to frown as I pulled off my jacket and tossed it onto the table holding her accessories. For the short time she had lived in the house she had already acquired many material items. I wondered if she had come across my credit card and an internet connection.

  “Why are you so quick to shoot down any introductions with him?” She turned to leave the closet as she waved me off,

  “Never mind, it was stupid to bring it up. I’ll just have her stay at a hotel.”

  “Aerin, you’re not answering my question.” She ignored me as she headed for the bedroom door. I cursed as I reached for my cell phone. I dialed Octavius’ house as he would no doubt still be indoors until the sun went down.

  “I think we should meet tonight.”

  “Yes, that would be swell…you can tell me what just happened.”

  “What just happened was my girlfriend is being awfully shady about her father. I just met her sister who just happens to be her twin.”

  “That’s a revelation…are you going to turn her too?”

  “No, one Aerin is enough right now. Plus her sister is just a little too odd for me. I suspect she is running from something.”

  “Humans are so complicated,” he said with a yawn.

  “No shit,” I said as I pulled on another jacket and walked out of t
he closet. I stopped as I looked at myself in the mirror one last time.

  It was wrong of me to get worked up about her father. I was angry and I was sitting at Café du Monde again. I hated the need to eat sugar and drink coffee when I was like this. Octavius wanted no part in watching me eat my feelings. He still didn’t understand how I could ingest a meal even after all this time. I still wondered how it was possible. The market was filled with people; it was Saturday. I thought about Samara and her love for her uncle. They had been inseparable,

  “Until you took him away from me,” she would remind me. Ah, yes, her uncle had been a great hunter of my kind. It was late one night when I had followed Samara onto St. Charles. It had been late at night and I couldn’t understand what this very young girl was doing sitting by a tree crying her eyes out. I had watched from a distance as she had caught the attention of a long standing rival of mine,

  “Are you ok? Should I take you home?” She had let out a growl as she launched from her seat and threw her weight against the blonde figure before her.

  “I don’t want your help!” I watched as she held up the wooden stake in her hand and brought it down with such force and the glee that shined in her eyes could be seen for miles around. I had thought of my son watching the event at my side,

  “Who was that?”

  “Carter Vance,” I had whispered under my breath. Carter Vance, the name had been long unspoken. I thought of the rule amongst our kind. The blond haired monster with the angelic face. His grin still haunted me to this day.

  “The only one of us that learned the dark powers from the great one.”

  “I thought I was great,” I had laughed when Octavius told the story. He managed a smile as he continued,

  “I hate to bring up the fact you both may have been cut from the same cloth.” We had run into Carter while living in New York during the last century. He never wanted to play by the rules. He refused to hunt with us all in the dark alleys. He preferred following the elite crowds where someone missing would garner interest. I would watch late at night as he dragged off a pretty socialite by her hair. He would leave them discarded like a deflated balloon from a party.