Hopeful Fear

Staying Behind

Luke's cold expression showed traces of both confusion and interest. Una felt as if his stare tried to reach the very depth of her being and she started squirming in her chair to hide from the intrusion. But there was nowhere to go. 

Madeleine looked very surprised but, at least, her posture wasn't menacing or threatening.

Una was completely at a loss of what will happen next, and although she was an atheist, a silent prayer rushed through her scared mind.

"What you have said now...is very interesting. I would like to have some time to speak with Madeleine alone if you would be so kind?"

The words infuriated her for a moment because they did make her feel like an insect waiting to be dissected and studied. She told them her story and they want to,  judge her? Decide about her destiny?

Well, what did she expect in the end?

She swallowed her pride and just nodded. Without even sparing them a second glance, she left the room.

********

Madeleine stood up and went behind Luke who remained seated. When she reached him, her hand went up to absently touch his strong shoulders which felt like stone under her fingers. Her loneliness and desperation lingered around like a heavy cloud and Luke closed his eyes in an attempt to focus on Una and not Madeleine's pain. But, he did miss the touch of another of his kind so he lifted his hand to hold hers. She hugged him from behind in response, and he leaned his head against her chest. Although the intimacy of the moment was valuable, the unease crept beneath the surface making them tense and very much confused.

"Luke, what the hell is going on?"- she whispered through his hair.

"My dear, I have no bloody idea. But you know what, finally after all these years I smell a challenge."- he responded absently.

"I don't understand a thing. Was it luck that we are the only ones who found her?"

"I am not sure, this is very strange. My gut tells me the girl is hiding something inside of her, something she is not aware of.  And yes, why did she come to us?"-Luke's voice trailed off while he absently stared at the floor. 

"It has to be a vampire, someone like us."

"I felt that, yes,  but why, and who exactly? Was it really Oliver?"- he said and got up so suddenly that he startled her. She felt a stab of disappointment because she already missed his touch.

He, on the other hand, paced around the living room like a caged lion. He hated being kept in a dark, not knowing things, not controlling them. And the girl's presence, the way her body felt under his touch, it all made him insecure and almost uncomfortable. 

"You know what the problem is? She is very afraid of us, not to mention how fragile she feels. If we push this too far she might break, and I have a feeling that would be bad."- he said nervously.

"I don't know. This may, or may not be, something of value. You know, some vampires kept humans like this, giving them a little bit of power just to test how long they can endure by not being true vampires. These creatures would most certainly die..."

"This is not it Maddie. Trust me, I can feel it."- he said. When he turned his head, his glowing stare caught Madeleine by surprise. Although she welcomed his power, she recoiled for a second as if trying to escape.

"And how can you be so sure?"- she asked. His reaction annoyed her for some reason.

"Tell me you didn't feel the energy emanating from her?- he asked. He approached her this time and put his hands on her cold face. Her eyes started glowing as she rested her head against his palm. Their connection seemed like a dance of opposite emotions. One moment they feel attraction, the other they feel anger or even hate. It was a delicate piece for the choreographer.

"I don't know, I felt something I guess." -she whispered. The whole situation was not making her happy either.

"You felt more didn't you?"- he leaned towards her to lay a gentle kiss on her lips. She tried to respond but he moved away again.

"Why are tantalizing me?"- she said with a raised voice.

"Because I felt her influence, Maddie and your presence is not making things easier either."- he said almost angrily. His black jacket was on a nearby chair and he grabbed it with a movement that looked like an old, blurred image.

After he opened the living room door, Maddie saw him storming out to the garden and flying away. 

She thought of following him but gave up the idea. He was older and more powerful than her, and when vampires felt something slipping out of their iron control, they had a tendency to release the inner beast. Its desire was the inhibition of rationality, so other vulnerabilities and needs could finally be set free. The short moment when ones such as themselves decide to truly embrace the darkness was intimate, and she wanted him to enjoy it to the fullest.

No, she will not follow him. She will stay in her empty living room to think about what to do next.