Meeting with a Vampire

I inhaled the tangy aroma of sweat, tinged with worry. A feeling of uneasiness hung heavy in the air as I looked at the Vampire standing before me.

I could sense, rather than see Kyle's presence behind me. Even without seeing him, I knew what his stance would be. Muscles bunched together, tightened and ready to uncoil at the slightest provocation. Brow furrowed, his eyes would be flicking across his opponent, systematically looking for weaknesses, anything that would give him an edge.

My own body was tensed, preparing to flee. I felt the adrenaline surge through my limbs, making my legs stronger and capable of attaining even greater speeds than my normal Olympic smashing velocity. My nostrils flared, searching for the Vampire's scent, but the air was pristine, save a subtle undertone of blood.

"My name is Claire." The Vampire said in a voice that spoke of a babbling brook on a warm and sunlit day. "And this is Eric." She continued, gesturing to a companion who seemed to have materialized beside her. "We are friends of October. Is she here?"

Her eyes captivated me with their emerald luminosity. They reminded me of a dewdrop caught at the edge of a blade of grass, reflecting mostly green, but housing a vast array of colors beneath its sparkling depths. Her irises were ringed in a yellow so pure it would make the sun jealous. I tore myself away from her gaze, only to be trapped within that of her companion. I noted with curiosity that his eyes were the same shade of yellow perfection.

"October?" I panted, still enthralled by the beauty of their liquid eyes. "Oh, October!" I said, shaking out of my daze.

"She's not here." Kyle growled from behind me.

"Do you know when she'll be back? I've got something important to tell her." Her eyes flicked to Kyle and her perfect lips broke out into a smile of amusement. "Don't worry Kyle, I'm not going to eat you."

"Do I know you?" Kyle asked gruffly, and I knew from his tone that he was still holding his rigid stance.

Claire pouted. "You mean you don't remember me? You camped out on our couch for a full week. Such a damned inconvenience, always watching those irritating poker tournaments." She paused and tapped a finger to her lips, pondering. "Then again, Del didn't seem to mind much. She thought you were 'hot stuff' if I remember correctly."

"Claire?! Claire Peters?!" He asked in utter amazement.

She lifted her left hand and fluttered her fingers. The diamond on her ring finger threw colorful reflections on the wall. "Not for long," she grinned.

"Come in, come in." Kyle said, pulling the door open and forcing me to take a step back.

Claire and Eric walked inside, leaving me to close the door behind them.

"Let me just give October a call. She's gonna have a cow when she sees this." Kyle picked up the phone and dialed quickly. "Hey, this is Kyle, can I speak to October?" There was a pause as the phone was handed off. "Ber, there's a Vampire here who says she wants to talk to you." Kyle paused, listening to October's response. "Kay, see you in a few."

He dropped the phone back into the cradle and turned to the Vampiric couple. "She'll be here soon."

"Kyle, why didn't you tell her it was me?" Claire asked.

Kyle shrugged his shoulders and grinned. "It's not often I get to make her sweat a little.

I coughed to show my disapproval and Kyle frowned at me. October had never been anything but kind to me, and I didn't think it fair to make her the brunt of a joke.

"I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name." Claire said, turning in my direction. Eric's gaze followed her own, and I seemed to melt under their stares.

"I'm Acacia." My voice cracked on the second word and I quietly cleared my throat, feeling a blush burn at my cheeks.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Acacia." Eric said and I jumped a little at the sound of his voice. If Claire's had been a babbling brook, his was a swift river; calm on top but with deadly undercurrents churning beneath. I felt a thrill rush through me and thought vaguely that the stories of Vampires being alluring must certainly be true. Even from across the room, I could feel his pull.

"Would you care for anything to eat or drink?" Kyle asked, plopping himself onto the easy chair. Claire and Eric floated to the loveseat where they sat, legs touching.

Claire looked Kyle up and down for a moment before responding. "No, I think you'd give me indigestion."

"Indigestion!" Kyle snorted, "yeah right!" Claire grinned as Eric smiled adoringly at her.

"When's the wedding?" Kyle asked, now genuinely pleased to have Vampires in his living room. He was such a simple creature.

Thank you for reading and please comment ;)

-Myself