“Oh this one is my favorite. If you’re not already hooked, you will be at the end of this one.”
“I doubt it. It’s mindless drivel designed to make the masses stupid and lazy.”
“Or it’s just a way to relax and have a good time while the world around us burns to a crisp.”
“That’s a new perspective, I guess. Hard to say how much relaxing one needs from prison, though.”
“You’re big ball of positive energy, aren’t you.”
Aaron and I had been sharing the same “apartment” for the last few days. I was as much a prisoner as him now. And for what? Over the deaths of a few disgusting vampires. Oh, the irony. If I’d known the consequence would be sharing a cell with one, maybe I would have thought out my plan better.
Sarah was so pissed when I confirmed it was me who did it. I thought she’d be pleased. Apparently, she was worried it would cause the vampires we are planning on executing at Samhain to flee before their death day. I just felt like I was slipping, and I wanted to do something to reclaim my role by her side. All it did was put me in lockdown with a sitcom obsessed vampire.
“I know what you need,” Aaron was now saying beside me on the couch where I’d resigned my fate for the time being.
“And what’s that since you are now the expert on me?” I responded with an eyeroll.
“A pet.”
“Of all the things I thought you might say that one didn’t even come close to entering my head. A pet? Really? That’s your big revelation?”
“You need a purpose. A cute little puppy, or cat if you want to really dive into witch stereotypes, will give you some. I’m not going to tell you to have a child because well I think you’d be a scary mother.”
“Thanks.” I’m going to go crazy before Sarah let’s me out of here.
“No, seriously. A pet will help you think about something other than yourself and pour all of your affection into. Best of all, it will return the favor. I’m guessing you don’t get a lot of that from your cult leader.”
“I am not in a cult. Anyway, if Sarah is so bad, why did you basically give her your daughter?”
For most of our shared time together, Aaron had appeared like nothing fazed him, but after that comment he genuinely looked sad. “It’s a long story,” was all he said before returning his attention to his current TV obsession.
“Well, we have nothing but time. I’ll share mine if you share yours. Besides, it’s bound to be way more entertaining than this slapstick garbage you’re forcing me to watch.”
He looked at me for a few moments before sighing and saying, “Yeah, okay. Who knows? It might make me actually like you.”
“Oh, I’m hurt, and here I though we were going to be the bestest of friends.” I waved him on. “Go on. You first.”
~
“This was not a life I sought out,” Aaron started after pouring a hefty serving of whiskey. “I look at my life like a book that has three parts. Part one was the one I shared with my wife and my baby girl. Part two was after I turned and had to leave them both. I watched them from the shadows and did my best to take care of them. Felicity and I even tried to make it work for a while. I wouldn’t be around Trembley, though, it was too dangerous. Felicity was grown and chose to put herself in that path. I probably should have stayed away. It would have made things easier for them, but I was too selfish. The only good it did was prepare Trembley for life with me in part three. This was and still is the worst chapter. Felicity died. Of all the ways she could have gone, none of us saw breast cancer coming.”
While he seemed lost in the past, I took the opportunity to interject with questions. “But if you were turned after Trembley was born, how is she a half breed. Sarah and the vampires all say she is part vampire part human.”
“Ah, that’s where rewriting history comes into play. Did Sarah ever tell you that my beautiful wife was once a part of her elite club? She was a talented witch in her own right, but this life wasn’t for her. She left to be with me, and she returned because of me.”
“She returned?” I had never heard of a Felicity among Sarah’s people. Some do leave, but their stories usually remain as a lesson for the rest of us in either healing or succumbing to that old pain.
“She did. Shortly after I was turned, she went back to Sarah and did the worst thing any of you can ever do. She asked for a favor.” He stopped speaking and looked directly in my eyes. Finally, he said with all seriousness, “Pray to whichever god you believe in that you never have to do that. It won’t be a happy ending.”
“What did she ask?” But I already knew. It explained everything. Trembley was the product of magic, and I could only imagine what Felicity sacrificed for such a spell. It might have even played a role in her demise.
“The look on your face tells me I don’t have to answer.” Then, we were both quiet for a while. An entire episode of whatever inane show Aaron had on played through in its entirety before he spoke again.
“As you can imagine, I never wanted this life for my daughter, but Felicity didn’t want me to be alone. She knew one day I would be. In some weird way, I think she believed Trembley would be safer in this world than the boring one where humans don’t believe in vampires or witches. We’d never known that place, so I guess in a way it seemed scarier to leave our baby girl alone there than here with us.
“I miss her everyday, and I love her still. But I hate her for what she did to our daughter. Trembley was too young to remember when the spell was cast. She believes she was born the way she is. I wouldn’t have it any other way. I don’t want her to hate her mother.
“The last couple years of Felicity’s life already took a dark hold over her. She emancipated herself at the age of 16 and has taken on the self appointed role of supernatural vigilante. I can’t tell you the last time I had a decent sleep because I stay worried about where she is and what she’s doing.
“And all my fears finally manifested when Sarah called in her favor. Of course, Trembley answered the call to kill some vampires. She blames them for what happened to me, and besides me, I don’t think she has ever taken the time to get to know the creatures she hunts. She, and you, would feel very differently about them if y’all did.”
“Maybe,” I whispered.
Aaron took another large swig from his drink before facing me, “Deals a deal. Your turn.”
“Well, I’m not really sure how to follow that. My story isn’t as revelatory as yours or as dramatic.”
“Yeah, probably not, but it’s still your story. I think I’d like to know more about how you fell into this world Rebecca.”
“I wasn’t born from a magical or supernatural family. No, we were pretty much run of the mill average. My mother and father loved me and wanted the best life for me. They worked hard all their lives just to be murdered by vampires. That’s how I fell into this world. One day, vampires decided to frequent my parents’ restaurant and decided they’d rather eat the cooks than anything else on the menu. I was the one who found them, and then Sarah found me.”
“That’s not inconsequential. I can understand your immediate hatred, and not to underplay what happened, but I do need to point out that just like humans there is good and bad among our kind. But explain the last part to me. How did Sarah find you?”
“My rage called out to her she said.” I could still remember the pain like yesterday. The cut had scarred over, but sometimes its presence left an ache that was still too much to bear. “I was 19, a sophomore in college, and I had my whole life to look forward to. But it ended that night. I’ve been with Sarah ever since. Is she perfect, no. But do I think she wants the best for all of us, absolutely.”
“Maybe,” was all he said.
I already know this is one of the chapters that will probably get fleshed out more during the next draft. Both of these characters have more to tell each other about who they are and where they've been. Rebecca may also be growing on me.
As always, thank you for reading. If you are enjoying this story and would like to support its growth, please consider becoming a subscriber at my BuyYouaCoffee page. All subscribers are notified of new chapters the moment they are published and receive deals on shop items from time to time. <3
