Death's Cold Embrace

The perplexing numbers danced and writhed in my mind like leaves turning in an autumn breeze. It was pure agony. Numbers always seemed to baffle me one way or another; math was never my strong point. But then again, who needs to know how to do an equation when you’re immortal? Ha! I thought, wriggling my toes in frustration as I sat on the edge of my bed. I didn’t need to study. Naw. I was just waiting for my next tutor.1

I twirled my crimson hair with my pencil impatiently. Ahh this was too much pressure. My head ached and my body throbbed like a giant heart ready to explode into a million pieces. Either I needed a hot bath or maybe a cold shower. .maybe it was just a lack of blood. All together, I just needed a break from this agitating studying. I rolled on my bed.. Left right left right.. Hrm… God I was bored but studying for this test.. I knew I had to do that but the boredom was just too overwhelming. I looked at my paper and started drawing pictures of vampires and the words were flying off the paper as I drew. God so bored I was just so entirely bored.. I got up off the bed.. looking at the comforter the flowers always seemed to dance right out of it when I left. 2

Darkness caressed the stores and restaurants that settled on the strip. I needed to get away from my boredom and studies. Needed to drift away from all this wretched turmoil caught in my mind. One store in particular seemed to process through my hollow eyes and enter my eruptive mind. Visage…The name of that restaurant glared at me. Piercing a hole through my body itself. Something about it.. maybe it was the name of the restaurant but it seemed to urge me to come into it. The large maple door swung open and I was in. Smells…they were everywhere no wonder I wanted to come in. A waiter sat me down. She had a slim, pale face. Wavy brunette hair lied on her shoulders. Her lips were lavished in red lipstick and her eyes were covered in black mascara. She had brown eyes. Overall her figure was slim and she wore a red dress to suit it. She herself looked as if she were dead.. Probably trying copy the “dead” look. She handed me a menu and said she would be back shortly. Upon waiting I spotted a couple things I wouldn’t mind sinking my teeth into myself. Instead of looking at my real meal I decided to flip open the hard cold leather menu. I flipped through it and saw sushi. Sadly restaurants didn’t sell blood so some fish would have to do. The “dead” woman came back I silently whispered to her that I would like pink salmon and crab. Off she went.. Behind her I spotted vampires trailing in her merciful shadow. It was a sorrowful feeling for me, knowing I wouldn’t see her scornful face again. 3

4

5

It was a good thirty minutes after midnight when the vampire appeared beside my table. 6

"Hey, Babes. Whacha doin?" he asked, flexing the muscles in his chest like a cat waiting to pounce. 7

I shot him a dirty glare and chewed my bottom lip in frustration. "What's it look like I'm doin?" 8

He grinned, flashing his long, bleached teeth, the fangs peeking out from the upper lip. "Sittin there all bored and lax."9

My nerves were about to break. "Get the *bunny* away."10

He laughed, a low, rumbling chuckle, one a tiger might make when playing with its cubs. "Feisty, aren't we?"11

He leaned in closer, so close I could feel his power roll over me like a hot, scalding lava. It raised bumps on my bare flesh. I growled in warning.12

He touched my shoulder roughly with his nails and traced them along my skin, a crimson line following obediately. In one quick moment, I stood up, grabbed his arm, and thrust him across the room. 13

He crashed into the wall, the cracking of bones filling the eerie silence that followed. Everyone glanced at me. I put on my best fake smile and they resumed what-ever-the-hell they were doing.14

"Your food." a soft voice said quietly beside me. I nearly jumped out of my seat. The waitress, a new waitress, set my perfectly wrapped sushi down onto the table in front of me and smiled, then left.15

Hrm.. I thought. Gently, I snatched my chopsticks and started on the dazzling pink fillets before me. The taste of vinager from the sushi always reminded me of my past-life. The smooth texture of the rice bouncing on my tounge, my teeth slowly piercing through the tender flesh of the pink salmon.16

When I was finished, I wiped my hands on a napkin, pushed my chair in, and strode over to the fallen vampire. He was laying in a messy heap upon the shining floor, a wretched dark-red fluid leaking out beneath him.17

"Hey, Babes." I whispered into his ear. My hands wrapped around his shirt-collar, then tightened, and brought him up into the air. I lowered my mouth to his bloody face. "What a pathetic excuse for an Abesecus." I licked the blood from his cheek, felt him tremble beneath my touch. It thrilled me. His fear was so delicious as well. The decadent, salty taste of his cold blood on my lips. That ocean-water taste that differed from the warm, sweet blood of mortals.18

I dropped him onto the floor and turned to face the apalled people. "Clean this mess up." I motioned to the bloody vampire. "Make sure he's in his coffin by morning."19

Someone called out, "Who are you to order us around?"20

I snarled, "Do you want what happened to him," I pointed a finger at the vampire, "to happen to you?"21

The crowd fell silent. I turned and walked to the door, the sound of people shuffling about filling the room. 22

I felt a weak presence behind me, and swirled around to see a human male gazing at me through hazel-eyes. "What do you want?" I asked.23

"Do you want me to walk you home?" he implied, grinning like a satisfied wolf.24

"Sure, Hun." I responded. "I could use a little more fun tonight."25

He slowly wrapped his muscular arm around my fragile skin. The cold-ice feeling of his skin sank through mine and went to my core. It was a relaxing feeling for a hectic day.26

"Your name?" I asked.27

His eyes lit up like dragonflies. "Ladie's first."28

I giggled. "Lithe." I replied. "My name is Lithe."29

30

31

32