EMBER IN DARKNESS Chapter 7 (Rude)

“What about Dr. Burke?!.” I rushed to the payphone beside the counter and dialed Dr. Burke’s home phone number.
“He will be alright. It’s you they’re after.”
“Ugh. This is so impossible.”
After four rings, he picked up.
“Hello? Dr. Burke here.”
“Hi. It’s Lily.”
“Why are you calling from Geneve’s Restaurant?”
His phone must have a built-in Directory. “It’s a long story. Listen, we were invited over to my friend’s house. It was just supposed to be me, but River had a crush on this girl, pleeeeaase let us stay…it’s just one night.”
“Well…“
“I’ll make sure he doesn’t kiss anyone. I promise”
Dr. Burke chuckled “Okay, I can get you guys in the morning.”
“Don’t. We’re fine. Just stay safe okay?”
“Sure, honey. Bye.”
“Thanks. Bye.”
“What excuse was that?”
I tossed my hair and sat. “That was an expert excuse. If he asks us tomorrow, I’ll just make stuff up.”
“Don’t go too far.” His tone held a warning.
“Just to be safe, River.”
A dark line on his chest drew my attention. “Your tattoo…”
“Don’t.” River buttoned his top as if I was peeping at his cleavage.
“I was looking at your tattoo, not your chest.” Though I wish I could.
“I said, don’t.” he barked.
“Why are you so rude?! You weren’t like that before.” I drizzled cherry syrup on the half-melted dessert. “You sound soooo pissed off…you should have used your negativity to get rid of Neon before he almost killed you.”
“I can’t. He’ll die.”
“Vampires are already dead. You kill them by forcing a stake through their hearts or spraying them with holy water, giving them garlic, bathing them in the sun…as far as I’ve read-and you can also drink their blood to gain immortality, stay hot and stuff but that’s gross.” Blame it on the comic books. “I’m not saying that I believe you-I‘m just taking things into consideration.”
“Stop reading comic books. The only true part is that they kill people.” His cold gaze sent shivers down my spine.
“Are you a vampire?” I looked at his lips, just in case a fang shoots out.
“No. I’m…something else.”
“A werewolf?”
The annoyed glint in his eyes sent my back straight up. Did I say something wrong?
“There are no such things as werewolves. Stop inserting fairytales into our discussion.”
“Stop talking to me like I’m some kid.”
“You are a kid, and, you’re not three years younger than I am. You are actually four years younger than I am.”
“You’re old.” I scrunched my nose. He’s as old as Spade.
“That’s what Justin estimated as my age, based on my teeth.” He looked down on the purple velvet table cloth.
“Why, don’t you remember your birthday?” Feeling a little sorry, I did my own estimation of his age. I think Dr. Burke’s right he looks like he’s 21 years old.
“I don’t remember anything.”
“You had amnesia?”
“No; it’s just that…I…have no memories.”
“How-“ “The only memory I have, is about you.”
“I’m confused. Your memory started when you met me?” The tall glass of ice cream has already melted. Still a little hungry, I grabbed the big plate in front me containing an odd-looking dish. It smelled good anyway, so I took half of its contents and chewed on a small piece.
“When you gained vision while you were still a baby-it was the first thing you saw.”
“Which was?” is he seriously thinking that I’m falling for it?
“You wouldn’t remember it.”
“Oh, yeah.” I scoffed. “So, what are we going to do now?”
For a moment, he looked around, then, grabbed my hand. “Follow me.”
“I’m still eating!” I complained, in an impossible attempt to free my hand from his grasp until we reached another building.
“Gardens Hotel, room for two?” the front desk lady asked, the moment she spotted us.
“Why are we in a hotel?” I demanded, but he ignored me and continued talking with the lady. She took one glance at me and made a phone call.
After that, she handed a set of keys to River. “Are you sure you don’t want a room for two?” she called.
“What is the lady talking bout?”
“If you want to sleep outside, then go.” River scowled, releasing my hand.
“You are really annoying me!” unsure of what could happen to me without him around, I followed, stomping all the way to the hotel room, restraining myself from kicking his butt with my sandals, and oh! the heels should have also contributed to the pain.
“Get inside.” He insisted, standing beside the door.
“What am I, a captive?” I mumbled.
Once inside, I turned to him. “I’m still hungry.”
“Take your clothes off.”
My eyes bulged at his statement…“No way! I’m not stripping, not in front of you, not in front of anyone!”
He rolled his eyes and opened a door, shoving me inside. “Clean yourself and wear those clothes on the counter.”
“NO!” I yelled inside and sat on the toilet seat. He can’t keep ordering me around.
“It’s either you take a bath or I make you.” The door knob started to turn.
“Okay, okay!” I hastily grabbed the latch and locked the darn door.
Fifteen minutes of self-heard complaints passed by, and I came out of the bathroom fully cleaned and still smelling of soap so that he won’t make me take a bath again. Seriously, he’s the most despicable dominatrix I’ve ever encountered.
“Tell me why I’m wearing pajamas and a shirt. IT’S FRIGGIN’ HOT!” I squealed in utter frustration.
“Not a problem.” He stood up in half-naked glory (only with his pants on) and adjusted the room temperature. “I got you some food, they’re on the table.” River walked behind the curtain, and peeked outside while I prepared the table, collecting all the words I’m going to hurl at him.
“If I let you sleep in that dress, I might not be able to control myself.”
A little surprised at his confession, I almost poured the tea pot’s contents on the serving bowl.
“Uhm…Sit here. You haven’t eaten anything yet.” (I ate his share…well, just because he wasn’t touching it.)
The sound of heavy rain started to fill the room; good thing there’s soup-the perfect dish for rainy days.
“It’s only a quarter before eight. What are we going to do now?”
He sighed and looked away.
Both of us remained quiet for the next ten minutes and finished our dinner.
“Why do you act weird when I read your tattoos?” I asked while he squatted on the floor and turned the TV on; I sat at the foot of the bed.
“They’re not tattoos; just don’t read anything on my body. It’s uncomfortable…”
“Whiner.” I read the other inscription on his arm. “Vortis mur…OUCH!” he pounced on me-again!
“I told you not to.” His voice sounded totally different.
“You’re crushing me.”I moaned. He practically sat on my waist and stooped down on me like an animal. “Eyes like ice….”
“Since when where you able to see my eyes change?...Since when Lily?!” River grabbed my shoulders and shook me hard, forcing the answer out. The heat from his body gave off steam, as if he’s on fire; the only thing is that there are no flames.
I stared at the dark-red bloodspots on his clear iris, feeling more scared than ever.
“I could sense your fear.” He stated. His voice sounds deeper.
My breathing went faster and so did my heart, skipping more and more beats. The short gasps from me are the only sounds heard in the room.
“You’re shaking.” River’s hot breath swept over my skin.
What now? What happens now? Vampires…He’s not one, but still, he’s not human. Even his eyes show it, River is something else.
“Something else…y-you-y-you’re…s-som…” I stammered.
There’s nothing I can do. If I run or hide, he’ll only come after me, or attack me. He’s stronger than I could ever be. I can’t run away from him.
“Stop shaking.” He looked away and finally got off me.
I scrambled to the headboard and grabbed the covers to shake off fear.
“Go to sleep and don’t read anything on my skin.” River warned again.
I should’ve listened to him.
While closing my eyes, I heard him crush a piece of glass.
Well, he has a reason to be upset. I was being too nosy.
“I’m sorry, River. I promise I won’t read your tattoos again.”
“They’re not tattoos.” He called out.
“Yes, they are.” I opened my eyes and watched him fix his bed, which is the couch.
“You were terrified. I can’t let it happen again.”
“Uhm…thanks.” He really is thoughtful and sweet, human or not human. “Listen, can you just sleep here, beside me?”
“Why?”
“I saw too much, and when you said that Neon’s after us, I wouldn’t want to wake up with his fangs on my neck.”
“You don’t understand. I’m worse…much worse than he is.”
“I don’t care. You can be all that, but you’re the only one I trust right now.” besides Dr. Burke, of course.
“Aren’t you afraid?”
I can’t explain how much safer I feel, now that his eyes are back to the friendly, human-like, bright blue spheres.
“I am… but I will be able to go to sleep with you nearer, like…this near.” I grabbed a pillow and propped it beside me, adding a few inches distance for the sake of privacy.
River didn’t say anything. He just grabbed the pillow and spread his back in its place.
“Thank you.” I want to kiss him goodnight, but that would be a little awkward now, won’t it?
After a long night’s sleep, River and I went home at four in the morning.
“Why can’t he know about you being able to talk?” I asked him, on the way.
“I don’t trust him.” He replied, looking out the window.
“Whatever.”
My eyes did a little damage check while we were outside the gate. “I think Neon changed his mind about coming here.”
“He knew you weren’t here.”
“How?”
“Your scent-when he smelled your hair.”
He took money from his pocket, handed it to the driver and got out of the car to open my side of the cab.
What can I say? He’s a total gentleman.
“Oh my God!” I exclaimed when the driver’s head spun 180 degrees to face me!
“River!”
His fingernails suddenly stretched out into bloody talons; face twisted into this gruesome, mutated ugly form that I went over the top of my lungs, wailing and dodging his swipes.
“Get me out of here!”
River is nowhere in sight!
I kicked him off as much as I could, but it won’t hold him for long; I can’t even feel for the stupid lock on the door.
“RIVER!!!!!”
THUD. I watched in fear as his head tilted to the side and blankly stared at me. Blood rolled from a hole on his head.
I traced the long, round tube of metal, which was speared to the middle of his forehead.
A dead creature in a car, with me…
“AHHHHHHH!!!!!!!”
My scream stopped when the side door I was squeezing myself into burst open and allowed me to fall on my back.
“It’s alright. It’s dead.” River whispered behind me, pulling me up.
“Leave me alone.” I pushed him away and rubbed my arms, rushing inside. “I’m taking a shower.”
­­­­­ The shower didn’t do anything; I could still feel his fingers brushing against my legs.
“How was the night?” Dr. Burke asked while we were having breakfast.
I glared up at River. “River was dumped. He’s not Charisse’s type.” There goes my cover-up.
“Charisse? You mean to say Charisse Wells? That poor girl with acne and halitosis problems?”
I winced. “Yeah. How sad.”
“I’m sorry you got dumped, River….Charisse has a serious lice infestation, just so you kids know.”
“Oh gross. River sat beside her the whole night!”
River’s eyes reflected an ardent desire to kill me.
I cleared my throat. “Well, here’s the good thing: if Charisse changes her mind, River can help her pull’em out one by one.” I giggled; obviously, River didn’t find it funny. “Aw, don’t feel bad, River. Some things just aren’t meant to be. Now, if you excuse me, I’m going to make him some hot chocolate. It’ll make him feel better. You want some Dr. Burke?”
“Nah, I’m fine, thanks.”
“Okay.” I winked at River and disappeared into the kitchen, dying from internal laughter. He should’ve seen himself! True to my word, I made him hot chocolate.
“I didn’t know Charisse had lice infestation…” I muttered to myself.
A long, loud sigh surprised me-and I turned around, only to find River towering before me.
I blinked once…twice…and handed the mug. He took it, narrowing his eyes before he walked away.
Once he had his back at me, I stuck out my tongue and turned to my things which I left on the counter.
“Don’t stick your tongue at my back.” River whispered behind me.
I froze. Does he have eyes on his back?
“Lily?” Dr. Burke called from the living room.
“Yes?” I jogged towards him with my bag and book in hand.
“Somebody left you a message.”
“Really? Who was it?” I rushed to the answering machine and pressed on play.
Hi Lily, you weren’t home last night, so I…just left a message. I will see you at school.
A strong pulse of nervousness took over me.
River and I exchanged glances.
“Neon called.” I informed him.