Sentinel

Every night, it’s just the two of us. She is not aware that I’m here. To her I’m just a man that appears regularly in her dreams- nonexistent. Oh my beloved, how wrong you are.

It is a full moon tonight; the loving goddess gently bathes my love in a silvery robe. Marble-like skin glows almost ethereal—she’s the dream, rather than I. Decadent chocolate ringlets tousled and mussed from her tossing and turning. Her active sleeping often gives me chuckles. Her small, thin lips—one of her least favorite attributes to which I heartily disagree- were parted in a whisper. They tempted me, rousing the urge to kiss her with all the passion in my being, but the glint of the moon ray’s upon the glass window reminded me to restrain myself. My gaze traveled up to her petite nose that curled up slightly then to her eyelids which fluttered as she dreamed.

“Soon,” I whispered,”Soon, it’ll be me you see.”

Reluctantly, I pulled away from the window, summoning my leathery bat-like wings in the process. With a great stroke, I lifted into the air and flew away. Dawn was approaching fast, and if I were to enter her dreams before then, I would have to return home now. When I reached my humble abode, a cottage set high up in the peaks of a snowing mountain, where I was safe from prying eyes or inquisitive humans.

It was my sanctuary. Quietly I stepped inside and approached a small vintage rug, underneath lay a trap door. I pulled the rug away and lifted the door, dropping inside and closed it behind me. I was down the tunnels to my chambers, where no sunlight could ever hope to reach. I lifted the lid of my sleek black coffin and slipped inside. Closing my eyes I fell into a deep trance, similar to sleep.

My mind outreached to my beloved’s mind and I soon found myself entering her dreams. It was a vineyard, somewhere in Europe I assumed. The sky was painted in a spectrum of oranges and there was not a cloud in the sky. The grape vine leaves gently swayed in a soft wind. I glanced ahead and smiled. There she was, in all her pure, innocent glory. She walked slowly, her head hung and wore a simple white dress that billowed in the breeze. Taking quiet, but great strides I closed the distance between us.

Once I was close enough, I wrapped my arms around her waist and leaned towards her ear and whispered softly, “Hello, my love.” I heard her gasp quietly, but her body relaxed in my arms and her arms rose to rest upon mine. “Hi,” She replied. “I believe it was your birthday today, no?” I slightly leaned closer to her ear, “Happy eighteenth birthday.”

“Thank you.” She whispered, but I sensed an underlying tone of unhappiness and questioned her about it. She sighed, “I really wished you were there.” She laughed bitterly, “But you’re a figment of my imagination.” She turned in my arms and buried her face in my chest, her hands gripped tightly on my shirt. “Oh why can’t you be real?”

My heart ached at her sad words. I am real my darling. You have met me before, you just don’t recall it. Oh, if you only you did, but you were too young then I suppose.

I was searching for a meal that night. Parks were always the best place to search—plenty of choices in food and hiding places. I sat on a lone bench and silently waited. My gaze searched all around me, my senses outreaching for potential prey, but there was nothing. Only empty paths and lighted lamps, but I waited. I knew that someone would pass by eventually. How right I was, only it wasn’t what I expected.

The length of time that I waited escapes me, but I remember the soft patter of approaching feet. Smirking to myself, I prepared my aura to lure and trap my prey, and when I turned to see it. I was surprised.

It was a little girl, perhaps of three or four, a chubby face and wide innocent honey eyes, her brown ringlets in cute pigtails. Covering the lower half of her face was a large multi-colored lollipop. She wore a simple pink dress and black dress shoes with frilly pink socks. There were stared at each other for some time, until she said, “Hi mester.”

She took two steps towards me. My trance was broken and I asked her in a soft voice hiding my slight irritation, “Why are you in the park at night, and all alone? Is your mother nearby? Didn’t she teach you not to talk to strangers?”

The little girl shrugged and seated herself beside me on the bench, “Me and mommah walk in here b’cuz it’s on our way home.” She moved the lollipop away from her face as a sad expression soon replaced her curious one. “I dunno where mommah is.”

Soon, fat tears began to creep down her face and loud sobs began to wrack her form. I sat there, unsure of what to do. Awkwardly, I patted her back. In a matter of moments, she flew into my chest and cried even harder. My arms slowly wrapped around her, and I was boggled as to what I should do. Then I felt something inside me well up, an urge to protect this lost child. I pulled her closer to me and slowly rocked her. I whispered to her, in hopes to calm her down. Slowly, she did, the sobs died and after so did the tears—but she never pulled away from my arms.

Suddenly she jabbed the lollipop in my face. “Do you wanna’lick?” She asked, sniffling a bit.

I smiled warmly, the first in too many years. I politely declined her offer and then said, “We should try to find your mother. I’m sure she’s very worried about you.” I wiped her excess tears with my thumb and stared into her expressive eyes, “Don’t cry, okay? We’ll find her.”

The little girl nodded, and plopped off my lap. I rose from the bench and felt a tiny hand grab the tips of my fingers. I glanced down and saw her peering up at me shyly. I smiled again and her and closed my hand around hers.

We walked around for awhile, and finally found a flustered woman, crying heavily. They ran towards each other, the mother was inconsolable while her daughter tried to comfort her.

“Thank you,” The mother sobbed, “Thank you so much for bringing me my baby.”

The mother gave her child a scolding, thanked me again and walked away, hand-in-hand with her daughter. Silently, I watched them disappear into the darkness. I completely forgot my purpose in being in the park. I had a distant thought of following them and drink from the mother, but the girl’s crying face appeared before me and the thought was immediately dismissed. I could never do that to her. Ever.

But I did follow them; I was intrigued by that little girl. I watched her sleep so peacefully that night, with the cutest grin on her face. I still see that grin every now and then and I always remember how I met my beloved. Unbeknownst to me, her curiosity and innocence drew me in ironically. I was usually the one who lured, but instead it was I that was enchanted. I don’t mind in the least, I’m eternally grateful that I have met this woman.

After that night, I kept returning. In the day, I would follow her as a shadow in the back of her mind, and watch her life pass through her eyes. I silently warded away insolent boys who tried to woo her. Fools, she is mine. None but I can have her. That, I have always made sure. I was fortunate that she has not yet fallen for any human boy she has come across, not even a small crush. No, her devotion was all directed to me. She had fallen in love, but it was for me. Remembering this fact always overflows my still heart with unbearable happiness. Her friends often worry for her, but she easy quells them.

I sighed, remembering her wish for my existence, to appease the both of us, “My love, you will see me in the future. This I swear. One day we will always be together.”

She pushed herself from a chest a bit, and her gaze bearing into mine, “You mean it?” She asked hopefully, “When? Where? How?” She shook her head, “How can you possibly be real?”

I chuckled, my hand lifted to caress her check, she closed her eyes and leaned against it. “Once you have lived out your life to the fullest. And experienced all that you can, I will come for you.”

She opened her mouth to say something, but she disappeared from my sight. I sighed sadly, she woke up. I left her mind and fell into a deeper trance; I would need to prepare for her. A cottage in the mountains was not suitable for a queen of mine—no she deserved much grander.

I continued to enter dreams and visit her window every night. I watched as she grew into a beautiful adult, who attracted every man’s gaze but paid them little heed. She only set her sights on me, the thought made me grin uncontrollably. I watched as she grew older and older, until she was lying on her death bed, the reaper coming to take her soul away. She had no regrets in life; she lived her life to the fullest. She created an international multi-million dollar business dedicated to revolutionary bio-technology and robotics. Although she never married, she experienced all that she could. She traveled to many countries, sampled anything and everything.

I came to her then. I approached her bed, although she was no longer the beauty was then, she still was the most enchanting creature I had ever be held. Slowly she opened her eyes and turned to them, her brown eyes shined underneath the moonlight. “You came.” Her voice cracked.

I nodded, “Yes my love. Now you and I can be together forever.”

“How?” She coughed, “I’m dying.” I smiled then, “Become what I am. Immortal.” She sighed and nodded, “Anything.”

I crouched next to her and leaned towards her neck. Opening my mouth, my incisors lengthened, “This may hurt a little.” She nodded.

Delicately as I could I bit her neck, a gasp of pain erupted from her, my venom entered her veins and I licked the wound close. “You will die, but only for a little while. The venom will bring you back to life, as an immortal. Then we will be together—always.”

She nodded again, I kissed her softly on her lips for the first time. Her eyes closed, I could hear her heart stop beating. I smiled, the process was about to begin. I left her home and waited until after the funeral day. I knew by then she would awake. Air was not a necessity for her, she would be fine. I crept in the shadows of the morgue and sneaked inside. I used my powers to hide myself from view, invisible if you would. I walked along the walls of plaques of names until I finally came across hers.

Slowly, with my inhuman strength, pulled it open and lifted the coffin. Inside she slept, her old body was now replaced with her vivacious twenty-year old one. One of the benefits of being what I am. I quickly pulled her out and closed the lid and pushed the box back in. I left the morgue as I carried her in my arms, I shielded her from view of the cameras. No one would ever know.

I brought my love to my new home, a palace in Ireland. A palace suitable for my queen. I laid her across our bed, she would awake soon. I brushed my hands across her hand, and played with her luscious hair, the sensation brought me great pleasure. I heard a groan emit from her lips, and slowly her eyes opened, those beautiful brown eyes that have haunted me for so long. She smiled, she smiled such a beautiful smile. “Hello my love.” I whispered to her.

“Hi.” I chuckled softly, and leaned down to kiss her. Now we would be together. Forever. Immortal royalty.

I could never be happier.

Hope you enjoyed it! Reviews are always nice! ;)