“One in each region of the country.” She answers.
“How could you possibly look over all of the prisons in the country? You’re one person. What happens if there’s an emergency in like, New York, while you’re here with me?”
I can tell from the aura leaking off of her that she’s annoyed by my line of questioning.
“I have my ways to get where I need to be, rather quickly.” She shuts me down. “Now, do you know what will happen if you do not get your bloodlust under control?”
“Tyson said that I’ll be exterminated.”
“Incorrect. That is what those who are not imprisoned are led to believe. The truth is that you’ll be tortured until you break, and thenyou’ll be forced into service for the council. Your brain will become so addled that you’ll be a mindless thrall and will serve the council until you inevitably die from a stake to the heart or your head being severed from your body. If not by the council, then while you’re on a mission for them.” She says it in a monotone voice, like she’s speaking about something boring and not at all horrifying.
“Uhhh, wouldn’t Tyson have heard about that though? If that’s actually what happens, I mean?”
“No, the only ones who know are those on the council. After our meeting, you won’t remember meeting me or having this conversation.”
I’m really tired of vampires. They never give clear answers, and I feel like they all have ulterior motives. “Okay…so what’s the point of this conversation then?”
“There are those on the council who wish to see you broken. Someone with a vendetta is working against you and Tyson. They want to see you fail. I’m here to tell you that you shouldn’t fail, at any costs. If you do, you and your friend Tyson will be condemned to a life of servitude for the council, and your human, Charlie, will be killed. No trace of the three of you will remain, as if you never existed at all.”
“Look, lady, I’m not the smartest bulb in the tray but how am I gonna remember not to fail, to work with Tyson, and to protect Charlie, if you erase my memories? And if you’re part of the council, why are you even telling me this in the first place?” My head is beginning to hurt. Why is this my life now?
“You will not remember our conversation, but you will have this overwhelming urge to succeed. You may dislike Tyson right now, but you’ll also be compelled to work with him rather than against him. And your fated bond with Charlie will grow, the tether between you pulling to closer together. This is all you need to know.”
“Fated? I fucking knew it, dude! I knew there was something special between us. I can’t wait to tell him about it…ah…shit, I guess I won’t remember you told me that, huh? You sure you can’t let me remember this?”
I’m met with silence, which I take as a no.
The cloaked woman stands up and strides towards the bars of my cell. “You will forget everything about this conversation.”
“Hold on, can I at least ask a couple of questions about being a vampire? I have no idea what I’m doing dude…” I’m desperate. “Please?”
The cloaked woman sighs. “Fine. You get three questions.” I can practically hear her eye roll.
Ah, shit. I kinda didn’t expect her to actually answer any questions. “Uhhh…oh yeah! Okay, so why did I go into bloodlust over Allie? The first time I fed from Charlie I was able to control myself. I mean, the second time I attacked him, but Tyson said that was because I had just transitioned and my instincts took over.”
She crosses her arms, and even though I can’t see her eyes, I can feel them boring into me. “You weren’t a full vampire when you fed off of Charlie for the first time, so that’s part of it. Also, I believe your fated bond helps you control yourself around him. When you transitioned, you were in a stasis of sorts, and you weren’t really aware you were attacking him. Once you came to, and realized it was him, you were able to pull away.”
“Okay…yeah, that sort of makes sense…” I nod. “So…this fated bond thing…what is it? What does it mean?”
“Are you using two of your questions for this topic?”
Fuck. “No, nope. I have another one related to something else. So I guess, just tell me what it is.”
“Wise choice.” The figure replies. “Fated bonds are super rare. Especially between a vampire and a human. Typically they occur between two supernaturals, and usually it’s between two who were born supernatural, such as witches or shifters. No one really knows how or why they happen. Since I’m a witch, I’m able to see the aura of the bond around you. It’s golden. I happened to go check on Charlie before this, although he wasn’t aware of my presence, and he had the same aura. The bond simply means that you two are destined to be together. You’ll both likely feel an incessant need to be near one another, and to protect each other. That’s about all that’s known about bonds.”
I knew something was different about Charlie. Since my parents died, I’ve stayed away from deep and meaningful relationships, scared of being hurt. I put on a playboy persona, only ever hooking up and never looking for anything deeper. People see me as a happy, carefree dude,but on the inside I’m terrified of getting close to anyone. I know what it’s like to have those you love ripped away from you. I said I’d never put myself in that position again. But then I met Charlie. It’s soon, really fucking soon, but…I can tell I’m already falling for him. If we’re fated, surely that means that he won’t break my heart?
“Wow, this is a lot to take in, cloak lady…” I hum, considering my last question. “Okay, so what about food? I tried to eat a burger and fries, and it didn’t go well. But I was able to drink alcohol and stuff just fine.” It might seem like a stupid thing to waste a question on, but I gotta know.
She nods. “Ah, yes. Vampire bodies are unable to digest solids. The food probably tasted disgusting, and that’s your body’s way of preventing you from getting sick. Drinks are fine, as long as there aren’t any solids. That was your last question. As for those answers, I’ll let you keep that knowledge. Everything else, you will forget.”
“Wait, wait! Before you go, can you at least tell me your name?”
She sighs. I’m getting really tired of people sighing at me too.
“Lisette. Now, Christopher Kohl, I hope you succeed.”
My eyes begin to get heavy, the lids drooping while I start to slump down against the wall. I force my eyes open in time to watch as Lisette’s cape flows out of the door, slamming it shut behind her.
