Twisted Night Ch. 04

"I know that a lot of what I'm going to tell you tonight is going to sound impossible, but trust me, anything is possible. To start off, I'm much older than I look. I have lived so long, I have forgotten my true age. I wasn't always this thing I am now. I had my whole life ahead of me. I was going to become a lord once my father passed away. I had land to inherit and responsibilities. A vampire took that all away from me. We didn't even know what vampires were. I don't think the word even existed back then. Anyways, back to the point.

I was out late that night; you could almost say I snuck out, but I really didn't. I just failed to tell anyone where I was off to. I was in the woods, walking along the river, trying to clear my head. I had so many thoughts racing through my head. My father was sick, and his last day was coming too fast. I knew how to run the place, I knew all my responsibilities, but I wasn't sure I was ready to make everything official. I needed to find a bride and be ready to have children as soon as possible, but I was a free spirit – I still am. I didn't want to be tied down. I wandered too far into the woods; I knew my way back, but something was keeping me from going back. Before I knew it, a woman literally pounced upon me, knocking me to the ground. I hadn't heard anyone following me, and she knocked the breath out of me. I had no idea what was going on, my mind still groggy from being suddenly knocked down. She didn't explain anything. I was lying on my back and she was straddled on top of me, and that's when she bit me.

I felt my heart beat slow, felt the life being drained out of me. I was powerless to stop it. It was torture to keep my eyes open, so I let them close. I was dying, and all I could think about was ‘I don't want to die this way'. I knew I was close to taking my last breath, and I had accepted my fate, but then something happened. I felt liquid upon my lips. She had cut her wrist and pressed it to my lips. My mouth wrapped around the wound, drinking greedily. I couldn't stop myself. I don't know what made me do it. I'm still not sure I even did it consciously." His eyes are closed and he pauses to take a deep breath. I can't take my eyes off him, can't stop listening. I want him to go on, but it's his story to tell and he needs to tell it at his own pace.

With his eyes still closed, he continues, "The next thing I knew, I was sitting up on my own, life flowing through out my entire body. She didn't kill me, but she did something to me. I was stronger, I could see better. It was as if we were sitting there in the middle of the day. Everything was so clear. It was then she finally spoke to me. She told me of what she was, what her kind were. There were more just like her. I shook my head in disbelief, yet I was living proof.

‘The reason I made you is because I was weary of being lonely all the time. I needed a companion, craved one. I have been watching you. It was your beauty that first attracted me to you, and as I grew to know more about you, I loved you all the more. I needed you with me. I needed you more than my own existence. You are mine now, and we shall share eternity forever.' Her voice had entranced me. She told me of the power I had, more than just my strength. I had received the power to read minds, even to be able to control minds. There were so many ‘gifts' she gave me, but I needed to learn to use them and to control them.

I was confused but fully enthralled in everything. I would never die, never get sick, never grow old. Even after feeding, I would be able to spend a bit of time in the sunlight, and as the years go by, I'd be able to spend even more time tolerating the light. She was very strict with making sure I kept my word not to tell anyone of what I was, but what hurt me the most was the fact that she made me leave my family. I couldn't even be there as my father drew his last breath. I couldn't even say goodbye," the pain in his voice was very clear. "I didn't love this creature, but I figured I could try. Nothing about this situation felt right, and as soon as she taught me everything I needed to know, I left her. She was growing bored of me anyway," he laughs softly.

I finally let out the breath I've been holding. His past explained a lot about what had been happening between us. It all began to slowly make sense. He tells me of the other powers he acquired as time went by, and it all fit in. The feelings of being hypnotized, of his reading my mind, so much just made sense. Inside, I'm terrified, but at the same time, I'm not.

"Vincent, what is the point of telling me all of this? Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful that you feel you can confide all of this to me, but why are you telling me all of this?"

He opens his eyes, and there appears to be shock in them. Was something said that I didn't get? He looks down at his hands, almost as if he's afraid to look at me.

His voice is very soft as he speaks, "I was hoping…I know it's horrible, but I wouldn't be asking you to give up much. Things are so different these days; you wouldn't have to give up everything you loved and cherished, and we'd be together. I need you. I know I sound like the bitch who did this to me, but I know what I feel for you is real. And I can see it in you when you look at me. You're my other half. I share my soul with yours…."

"Wait," I cut him off. It hits me even harder than his past. "You want me to….You want to turn me into….You want to change me….You want me to become a vampire?!" For some reason the words feel odd coming from my lips.

"Taylor, I don't want you to do anything that you don't want to do. I told you, I want you to be happy. I was just letting you know what I wanted. If you decide that you don't want to have anything to do with any of this, I will let it be. If you decide…" his voice trailed off.

"If I decide what, Vincent?"

His voice is almost a whisper now, "If you decide you want nothing more to do with me, I'll leave, and I won't bother you again."

It feels like someone just ripped my heart out of my chest. That is the last thing I want. No matter what I decide, it doesn't change the way I feel about him. I'm still not sure how I feel about all of this. He doesn't really expect me to decide right now, does he? And shouldn't he know all of this already?

"Not to interrupt what you're thinking about, but if you're wondering if I know what you're thinking, I'm not intruding on your thoughts, and I never have. It's just, most of the time, I can read your feelings all over your face. Don't feel like I've been invading your privacy, love."

My eyes grow wide as I wonder how he does it. Okay, so he may not be reading my thoughts, but it sure as hell feels like it. We sit in silence for what feels like forever; I can't even look at him, and I know his eyes aren't on me. I would feel them if they were. He breaks the silence by telling me that he's going for a walk and will be back in less than an hour.

"I know you need time to think, and I also know that it's difficult for you to think about all of this while I'm sitting right next to you. I'll be back in a bit. I love you." Before I can say anything, he's gone.

None of this makes sense. Well, it makes sense with some of the dreams I've had, but looking at it head on, it doesn't make any sense. The shock is finally starting to wear off; I can tell because I'm finally able to think clearly again. Okay, so he thinks he's a vampire. The guy has one hell of an imagination to come up with all of this. What if he really does believe it? What if he's created this whole fantasy world and has been telling himself this is all true for so long, he finally believes it? This is insane, utterly and completely insane. And what if that's it? That he's just insane? I don't know what to think.

Am I supposed to ask him to prove it? What's he going to do? Drink blood in front of me. Yeah, because that would really prove it. People with blood fetishes do that shit all the time. There is something weird about him, something I can't put my finger on, but he can't really expect me to think that this is all true, can he? My heart is telling me to just let it be, to just give into him, but I know I can't. He could just be psychotic and a killer and this is how he explains everything to himself. None of this makes sense, but then again, is it really supposed to?

I wrap my arms around my legs and hug them to myself. Resting my chin on my knees, these thoughts continue going through my head. I just don't know. I suddenly feel exhausted, but not tired. My energy is just drained, and it could just be from all this stress. He's been gone for a while. Is he just going to sneak up on me to kill me? People would notice that I'm missing. Fuck! I finally find a decent guy, one whom I fall in love with and would do anything for, and he turns out to be insane. I have to be the one to fall in love with the freaks. I swear, you would think there was a freak magnet inside me or something.

A sigh escapes my lips, and I hear a noise off to my side. He's back. Has it really been that long? I look at my watch only to discover that a little over an hour has gone by. He sits next to me, and I could see the worry and doubt in his eyes. I wonder if he knows that I don't believe him. A few minutes pass by, and we're both still quiet.

"Taylor?" his voice is still really soft.

I look up at him, not knowing what to say. What am I supposed to say? Should I just blurt out all my thoughts, doubts, and questions? Would it really be fair to bombard him with all of that? No, it wouldn't. So, how am I supposed to handle this?

He doesn't say anything else, but his eyes remain on me. It's now or never. I look up at him.

"I know there's a lot going on in your mind right now, and I'm not trying to push you, but I would like to know what you think about all of this."

Hearing the tone in his voice hurts. He sounds like he's getting ready to have his heart torn out.

I clear my throat, "Vincent," I pause. I'm not sure how to handle all of this. "Do you really expect me to accept all of this at face value? How do I know you're not just insane or living in a fantasy or that you're really a murderer?" As soon as the words escape my lips, I regret them. I can see the pain in his eyes.

He looks down at his hands. "I didn't mean to come off that way. I know it's hard to believe. As I stated before, during my time, we didn't even know such creatures existed. It was difficult for me to handle and believe. You know, I could prove it to you, but I'm afraid of scaring you off. I was hoping I wouldn't have to prove it, but I should have realized you would think logically about all of this." He sighs and still doesn't look at me.

I begin feeling very uncomfortable with this whole situation. I want to tell him to take me home and give me more time to think about all of this, but I know he wants all of this settled tonight. I wish I had taken my car, but I would probably get lost in the woods trying to find my way back. He sits down next to me and take my hand in both of his. I watch as he brings my palm to his mouth and places soft kisses upon it. The next thing I know, there's a sharp pain, and I feel the blood running down my wrist and onto my arm before I see it. My eyes widen as I pull my hand back, clutching it to my chest. He looks up at me, his expression blank.

I jump back as he reaches for my arm again, but he succeeds anyway. Never taking his eyes off me, he again begins to kiss my hand and then places it on my lap. When I look at it again, there are no marks, no trace that I was ever hurt. Still without a word, he stretches out his arm, and with his nail, cuts himself from his wrist to his elbow. Taking my hand again, he smears the blood on my fingers. My eyes are wide with shock as I look at him. A moment later, I look down at his arm and see that it was as if the cut was never there, but the blood is still on my fingers.

"It's just a trick. It's not real. It wasn't real," I whisper.

"Taste it, Taylor. Then you'll know it's real."

I just stare at him, not moving an inch. He leans toward me and kisses me. I taste blood on his lips. I taste my blood on his lips. My heart begins to race. He's not lying. What the fuck am I supposed to do?

He pulls away from me and gets up. Offering me his hand, he helps me up and pulls me into his arms.

"Come with me," he whispers into my ear. "Come stay with me tonight. Please."

I want to go home more than anything, but I'm afraid to deny him. I'm terrified of him because he is a killer. They have to kill to live, don't they? What if I refuse to stay? How badly will he hurt me? Will he hurt me? I sigh softly knowing that I can't lie to myself. I don't really want to leave. I want everything to go back to the it was before he told me all of this. My heart belongs to him, and I do feel like I would do anything for him, but can I do this? Can I really give up the life I have now? I'm happy. I have a great life and great friends. I adore my job. Then again, being with him makes me even happier. And he did say that I wouldn't have to change my life. Why does this feel so weird? It's just way too hard to believe any of it even though he gave me the proof.

"Yeah, Vincent, I'll stay with you, as long as you promise not to hurt me." My voice is coarse.

"You have my word, love." With that, he takes my hand in his and leads me to the cottage. The sun is about to rise as we lay in each other's arms. I'm shaking, and I know he can feel it. I wonder if he thinks by holding me close like he is that he's comforting me. Another sigh escapes my lips as I close my eyes and try to fall asleep.