The Room by trubluboy

An Indoor Trip

Traci Kenworth

 

 

            The door was locked, or at least, guarded. Blame the school, my parents, my cousin, Walter, for that matter. I hadn’t been out to do anything wrong—even remotely but one whispered word to Natalie and somehow Walter had found out and turned my world upside down. Man, it sucked to be seventeen and starving for affection. Things weren’t supposed to be like this, this prison I existed in.

            I was allowed out for school, homework, and family visits. Otherwise, I was confined to this tomb of a room. My nail raked the wooden board of the bed. I pinched my lower lip as I frowned at the ruined manicure. All the time I put into these cuticles, wasted. A tap at my window made me glance up. Tall, dark, and gorgeous stood waiting, a smile bright. I hurried over then paused to listen to the inner distractions of home life. Everyone was busy elsewhere.

            Clay grinned down at me.

            I put a hand to the glass and my eyes misted at the depth that separated us.

            “I love you,” he mouthed.

            “Please tell me you can get me out,” I said.

            He shook his head. “I’ll do better. I can get in.”

            I frowned. “Why would you want to? It’s much more exciting out there. And then there’s—” My mouth dropped open.

            He was gone.

            Seconds later, he stepped through my bedroom door.

            “How? How did you do that?” I whispered.

            “Good, old-fashioned longing. All on your part.” His lips quirked then spread wide. “Plus, a little magic on mine.” He winked. “My secrets can never be revealed, of course.”

            I glanced past him. “Shh, they might hear you—wherever they’ve gone.”

            He shook his head. “They’re all sleeping. See for yourself.”

            Creeping to the door, I peered out to see my whole family snoring away.

            “What the?” I said, hearing the question beat against the silence and cringing in expectation of awakening everyone.

            He shrugged. “My presence overwhelmed them.” Leaning closer, he dropped a kiss on my cheek. “They were helpless before my nobility just as you are.”

            I feigned a curtsy and batted my eyelashes. “Why whatever do you mean?”

            His arm found mine. “Just—this.” He brought me nearer and traced my neck with his finger.

I caught a glimpse of teeth, elongated, and shivered. Taking a step backwards, I said, “You shouldn’t have come.”

He laughed. “You’re fear will vanish in seconds, dear Natalie. Just one bite and eternity will be ours.” He pulled me into a hug and then re-traced the path of his finger on my neck with the tip of his fangs,

I gazed at him, unable to move, to step away from what fate had set about. “Please,” I whispered. “Go. Before it’s too late.”

He chuckled. “It already is.” His mouth opened and closed over the base of my throat, drinking in the blood—and its poison.

I tried to push him away, to severe the link somehow, but I couldn’t. Destiny had brought us to this. Well, that and my family. Long had I waited in this room for creatures such as this, always pleading with my loves to find the exit before their indoor trip turned ugly but to no avail. He was what he was, and I am what I am. Romeo and Juliet couldn’t have played their parts better. His flesh turned a charcoal black as I watched and he fell to a husk on the floor. At his death, my family awakened, jubilant. I remained in my room, long after the mess had been cleared away, my skin as radiant as a new rose. My breath smelling a bit cloying still. I observed the night in my tomb, awaiting yet another day and the promise of a new love that would be, if only for a night.

©Copyright 2010, Sept. 24, tlc.

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