Chapter 12

Nate woke up the next morning snuggled up against Amelia’s naked body. He sensed someone approaching their door looking very angry. They pounded on the door like they were the cops.

“Open up!”

Amelia woke up and yawned deeply stretching her whole body out like a cat. The person outside continued banging on the door. Amelia stood up and threw some clothes on.

“Some people just don’t have any manners.” Nate remarked.

“Un-refined assholes.” Amelia agreed.

She opened the door to a furious young man. “You are Luke’s right hand man, head of security right? Why’re you banging on our door this early in the morning?”

“Someone stole my phone.” The man said with a growl.

Nate gulped unintentionally. Luckily the man didn’t see nor hear. “So why’re you here?” She repeated.

“I need to search this room.”

“There’s like a hundred rooms in this mansion and you want to search this one?! Get the hell out!” Amelia said annoyed. The man said something but it was muffled as the door was slammed on his face.

“Can you believe that guy?” She scoffed.

“Yeah…” Nate chuckled wryly. The phone was underneath the bed.

“Come back to bed.” Nate lie back down beckoning Amelia towards him. Amelia snuggled in with him. Nate focused, he imagined an ethereal arm moving down to the phone and slowly began to move it from underneath the bed.

Banging came from the door. “Is this guy serious!” Amelia said angrily but Nate restrained her.

“I think it’s coming from the door opposite us.” He said. When the security guard started banging on the other door Nate used that distraction to slide the phone into the other room, the room opposite theirs.

They listened as the door was opened and the man started yelling. Someone else yelled back and the two went back and forth. Nate watched all this and tried to contain himself but when he heard the occupant of the other room yell at the security guard telling him to just “Call the dam phone!” he couldn’t hold it in anymore, he burst out laughing. The man in the other room was Charlie from the hotel, the vampire who kept hassling him for being human. This only made him laugh even harder.

“What’s so funny?” Amelia asked.

Charlie and the security guy seemed to hear the laughing coming from the room. They walked over and started banging on the door. Amelia walked over with a confused expression on her face. She opened the door and found the security guard along with another vampire standing there glaring.

“Did you do this?!” Charlie was furious.

Nate bit his cheeks to keep from laughing but it only put a weird, smirking smile on his face. “You think this is funny?!” Charlie yelled looking at Nate.

Amelia looked at Nate’s weird expression and burst out laughing. “What the hell is with that face you look like your constipated!” She roared.

Nate couldn’t contain it anymore he joined in as well. “Fucking human!” Charlie roared as he flashed across the room grabbing Nate by the throat and pinning him against the bed post.

Amelia flashed as well barreling into Charlie sending him crashing against the wall. “Don’t you fucking touch him!” She snarled.

The security guard got in-between them both. “You’d take a human’s side over one of your own?!” Charlie spat.

“That’s enough. Let’s just end this here.” The security guard said.

Charlie glared at Amelia then looked at Nate with a glance that promised death. “If anything happens to him I’ll come for you. This I promise.” Amelia threatened after noticing his glance.

Charlie scoffed but didn’t reply. The security guard followed him out the room and Amelia slammed the door locking it shut. She walked over to Nate and lie down against him. “You need to be careful from now on. Charlie’s a vindictive little shit.”

Nate leaned against the bedpost with one hand wrapped around Amelia. “Why?” He asked.

“Why is he vindictive? I don’t know, small penis I guess.” She laughed.

“No. Why are you so protective of me? Why do you love me?” Nate knew he sounded insecure but the way Amelia protected him and how she was so comfortable around him as if they knew each other for years was freaking him out.

Amelia was quiet for a minute. Just when Nate thought she wouldn’t answer she spoke. “If I tell you, promise me you won’t be mad?”

“I promise.” Nate was intrigued.

“We vampires often drink blood from containers. Drinking directly from a humans comes with complications. It doesn’t always happen, in fact we can close ourselves off and simply drink from humans but if we open ourselves up then it makes for a pleasant exchange. You remember that feeling, that night I drank from you?”

“Yeah.” Nate remembered that night, it was the best night of his life.

“Well you weren’t the only one feeling that high. Usually I keep emotion out of it but the quality of your blood caught me off guard, I’d never tasted anything like it so I kind of lost control.”

“Thanks?”

“It’s hard to explain it but that night was like we established a bond, even if it was only for less than an hour. If you search your heart, you’ll see you care for me deeply as well.”

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Nate did feel that way but he thought it was some sort of vampire charm. “Are these my real feelings?”

Amelia looked up staring into his eyes deeply. “I hope so.” There was so much longing and fear of rejection in that one glance exchanged.

“What’s the date today?” Nate felt uncomfortable so he changed the subject.

Amelia looked sad but she didn’t push for an answer. “The 21st, why?”

“Yesterday was my birthday…”

“Hey, congratulations. How old are you?”

“18. Hey is there a Humane Society moving into the Asylum?” He asked.

“Yeah, they’re moving in today actually. How’d you know?” Amelia face suddenly lit up. “It was you! Oh my god Nate you’re so bad!” She burst out in laughter.

“Shhh! Keep it down.” He chuckled.

…

An hour later Nate was washed and in a fresh outfit provided by Amelia. He went downstairs and into the dining room table. The long table was completely filled up with young beautiful people. Nate discovered this was the tell-tale signs of vampires. He guessed the pretty young ones were vampires and the rough brutish ones were werewolves in human form, it was just speculation but it was pretty accurate.

They looked up at him then went back to their cups filled with red liquid. “Over here sheep! I need my glass refilled.” An annoying voice suddenly spoke up.

Nate looked over and saw Charlie glaring at him while holding up an empty glass. The room went quiet. Some of the vampires laughed at the spectacle while others looked at Nate with pity. “There’s plenty of bagged blood Charlie, why cause trouble?” One of the vampires.

“All of you seem to be forgetting what it was like outside these walls!” Charlie stood up abruptly, sending his chair falling back.

“Did you forget how we would hide in alleyways drinking from whatever disease-ridden drunk stumbled by? Or how the humans would discover what we are hunt us down and burn us? If the tables were turned this bastard would’ve been at the forefront hunting us down. Now get your ass over here you fucking sheep!” Charlie roared.

Gritting his teeth Nate turned around to say something but before he could Aidan spoke. “You don’t have to listen to him Nate. I got your back.” He stood in front of Nate protectively.

Several vampires saw Aidan and their eyes widened in surprise. “Ah, the loyal mutt… here to protect your owner are you?” Charlie said mockingly.

Aidan growled a low deep growl like a wolf would. Hair grew on his forearms and the sounds of bones breaking resounded throughout the whole dining room. Everyone at the table stood up in alert.

“That’s enough.” A steady voice said from the entrance.

Everyone turned and saw Anza entering, followed by Luke and Amelia. “This is why we’ve built this place, to protect ourselves from those who would hurt us. I understand your anger but if you cause trouble in my Asylum then I’ll have you out on your ass. I don’t give a shit what clan you come from. You understand?”

“Tch!” Charlie spat at Nate’s feet and walked away.

“DO YOU UNDERSTAND?!” Anza shouted making everyone freeze as their hearts beat rapidly.

“I understand.” Charlie said through gritted teeth.

One by one the other vampires excused themselves and left the dining hall. Amelia approached Nate with a smile on her face. “You just can’t seem to stay out of trouble, can you?”

“Wasn’t my fault.”

Amelia rolled her eyes. “No seriously it wasn’t my fault.” Nate repeated.

“Fine. Still you’re going to need a bodyguard now that you’ve angered Charlie to this extent. I’ll gladly fill that position.” She smiled.

“Mhmm, and what’ll it cost me?”

“Nothing! Except maybe a few liters of blood…” Amelia stuck her bottom lip out giving Nate a devilish grin.

“Mmm yeah, I don’t think so.” Nate replied even though he knew full well his resolve would crumble when it actually came down to it. The feeling of the vampire bite was pure nirvana and easy to get addicted to.

Nate and Aidan ate a hearty meal of eggs and bacon while Amelia, Luke, and Anza drank blood from a chalice. They finished first but remained at the table as Aidan and Nate ate their meal.

“So you’re half vampire and half werewolf. How does that happen?” Nate asked as he set aside his empty plate.

“You overstep your boundaries, human.” Luke warned.

“Bah!” Nate waved his hand dismissively. “You vampires and your disdain for humanity is getting old.”

“Amelia, your food is talking.” Anza said coldly.

“Superior attitude much?”

“Nate, just relax. It’s not that serious.” Amelia complained.

“Well apparently it is. She just said this Asylum belonged to her. That means that wretched ‘Hunt’ game is something her Asylum created. And you expect me to just sit and remain silent?”

“You have no ground to stand on! You humans are the ones killing each other. Do you know how much those humans pay us to get the chance to hunt down their fellow man? Humans are truly the worse.” Anza scooted out of her chair and stood up. “I’ll leave before I end up squashing your play-thing.” Anza said to Amelia as she walked out of the dining hall.

“That was nice.” Nate chuckled.

“Why’d you do that? Why’d you provoke her?!” Amelia shouted.

Nate scooted back and got up. “This isn’t going to work out.”

Amelia looked shocked. Her shock slowly turned to a cold expression. “You’re right. Seems like I underestimate how childish you are.”

Nate shrugged unconcerned and began heading towards the exit. Aidan stood up and followed after him. As they exited the grounds they saw several vampires glaring at them evilly. Nate gave all of them a blank stare as if their glares didn’t mean anything.

Inside he was feeling rotten for ending things with Amelia so abruptly. It seemed she truly harbored authentic emotions towards him, and he towards her. But he knew it wouldn’t work out, the vampires viewed all human like walking food, any real relationship they might have would mean surrounding himself with vampires with that kind of mentality. He’d rather do without.

Outside the mansion there was a forest that expanded for several miles and to the east he could see the camouflaged walls of the Wilderness. Nate and Aidan were barely half way through the forest when Nate felt someone approaching them rapidly. Infusing mental energy into his limbs he got into a battle position.

A figure flashed out of the woods and tried striking his head off with a shining metal sword. Nate ducked under it and turned around. Charlie stood there with a gleaming sword in hand. “She said I shouldn’t cause trouble but seeing as how you’re no longer under her protection…” He grinned widely.

Aidan began transforming when Nate put a hand on his shoulder. Aidan looked at him surprised. “It’s alright. Trust me.”

“Ha! This is rich, the food has suddenly found—“

Nate flashed forward hardening his fist with mental energy along the way. Charlie’s eyes widened in surprise briefly before adopting a warrior’s stance ready to receive Nate’s attack.

Just before they clashed Nate wrapped a giant ethereal hand around Charlie. Charlie was left with no way to defend, or counterattack as he suddenly felt himself bound by some invisible force. The blow from Nate sent him flying up and into the air.

Nate focused on the ethereal arm still binding Charlie and brought the hand down hard and fast. Charlie crashed against the ground sending cracks spreading on the floor. Nate was about to do it again but with a loud roar Charlie flexed open his arms and shattered the ethereal hand grabbing onto him.

“I underestim— “

Nate didn’t let him finish as he attacked again. Charlie rushed him this time meeting him halfway. Nate tried binding Charlie again but it all it managed to do was briefly hold him in place before being shattered. Sword met fist as the two collided.

Both were sent flying backwards as the force of the collision blew them apart. Sending out multiple ethereal hands Nate levitated several rocks and sent them hurling towards Charlie. Charlie dodged the first rock, the rock flew past and crashed into a tree blowing a clean hole through it.

One of those hits me and I’m done for. Charlie gulped. He now realized just how gravely he was mistaken, to think Nate was a simple human. One thing he couldn’t figure out was how Nate managed to keep himself hidden for so long. Even the best of mages weren’t able to hide what they were from him.

Nate suddenly paused in place and dropped the rocks that were levitating around him. He turned his back on Charlie and began walking away as several figures appeared. “There a problem?” the head of security along with several other vampires showed up.

“No.” Charlie stared at Nate’s back as he walked away.