Empire of Vampires ✔️

Chapter Forty

They were on the train to the crater, gradually making their way down the mountain. Andrew and James were sitting directly opposite Marie, and Danyel; the latter seeming irritatingly pleased to have their companionship. He beamed over at them in delight and James glared back, having still not forgiven him for his past acts. He was incredibly concerned about the couple sitting across from them, although he had pretended not to agree with Andrew's concerns the night before. He shot them another disapproving look as they giggled together and ignored him.

James could tell that Andrew was still furious with him for telling him to stay out of it. The boy was staring daggers at him, his arms crossed over his chest in a temper. James glanced at him and rolled his eyes, angering Andrew only further. He hadn't really meant to be rude earlier, but it had rubbed him up the wrong way when the human had protested that his sister was making a bad decision. He clearly felt very strongly about which decisions she should take.

Andrew's tanned face was turning red in rage and his cheeks puffed out like a cute blowfish. Not that blowfish were cute... and not that Andrew was cute. His messy hair stuck up around his face like how it always did, the black curls falling over his eyes now and then with him irritably blowing it away with his pouting mouth.

Both of them stewed silently until they switched trains again, one level lower on their way down the mountain. They sat in the same positions as earlier, Marie and Danyel still chatting amicably between themselves while Andrew stared out the window in an attempt to ignore the other boy.

This particular train was unusually packed. An elderly lady was sitting in the booth beside them, staring at them with great interest. She sat with her grandson and granddaughter who had been chatting with her, but now they glanced over too to see what piqued her interest.

She was about 80 years of age; her face lined generously with wrinkles and laugh lines. Her grey hair still sat in curls around her face, reaching to a point just below her chin. Her ankle-length dress was loose and flowy; it rested comfortably on her round shoulders.

Out of the corner of his eye, Andrew saw her slowly getting up and coming over to their booth.

'It's youuu...' She pointed a bony finger at James, her face a mixture of shock and confusion.

'Sorry, do I know you?' James politely asked, equally confused as her grandchildren rushed over to apologize.

'I'd remember that face anywhere. James.'

James's eyes grew wide and his heart almost stopped. He recognized her voice now.

'Granny what are you talking about, who is this?' The boy looked at him curiously.

'Why it's... my high school sweetheart! Oh James, you haven't aged a day.' She reached out her frail hand and cupped his young face, turning it this way and that.

'I'm so sorry,' the girl apologized profusely, 'Granny come sit down, you're just confused again.'

'NO!' the old lady was adamant now, 'It's HIM, it's James! I know it!'

The other passengers on the train were all staring at them now, openly interested in the scene that she was creating.

James was speechless as he felt all eyes on him, Andrew's included, they bore a hole into his head. The old lady was grasping his arm tightly now, insisting that he knew her.

'James, you just left! You were there one day and the next you were GONE!' She was almost shrieking now, her voice carrying throughout the entire cabin.

Her grandkids were trying to calm her down to no avail. Her hands were shaking violently as she persisted in her accusations.

'Granny, look at him.. he wasn't even born when you were in high school,' they pleaded with her, finally getting her to take a seat.

The rest of the cabin went back to their own conversations eventually, but she still shot looks at him for the rest of the journey. They were all relieved when they arrived at the station and had to change trains again.

James was clearly very upset as he sat beside Andrew in the next train. He had his elbows on the table and his head in his hands, his fingers tightly gripping his wavy dark hair.

'James,' Andrew murmured hesitantly; his ire was long forgotten now that James was a picture of misery, '...Who was that?'

'Jenna,' James's voice was barely audible as he choked out the name, 'We were together about sixty years ago but... she never turned; she was growing older while I stayed the same age.'

Andrew patted his thigh awkwardly, not knowing what to say.

'Did you... love her?' he finally asked, unsure as to whether he actually wanted an answer to it.

'I... tried to fall in love with her, yes,' he paused, 'But I knew she wasn't my soulmate, I had to leave eventually.'

His fingers unconsciously laced with Andrew's on his thigh, 'I'm sorry for what I said earlier,' he said suddenly, 'I should not have insisted that this had no reason to bother you.'

He nodded towards Marie and Danyel who were too engrossed in their own conversation to notice they were talking about them.

'No- no you were right, it's none of my business anyway. I don't know why I said anything,' Andrew replied, 'Don't worry about it.' He tightened his grasp around his fingers. He couldn't even imagine now why he had been so annoyed with James, and he really couldn't remember what had caused it.

'I believe I understand why it would bother you; you think she'd be better off with you than him, and you're right,' James added, his tone slightly resentful, 'Truth be told, I don't like him much either.'

'Wait, what? No, it has nothing to do with that!' Andrew drew his hand back, aggrieved at the other boy's assumption, 'I mean... that's not what I meant by it!' Why would he just presume?

'There's no reason to get defensive.' James narrowed his eyes. 'It's really fine, and it is completely natural to feel that way.'

'I'm not getting defensive!' Andrew said loudly, an indignant flush spreading to his cheeks. James had suggested it so casually; as if it were something so predictable and bound to happen at some point. He had said it was just... completely natural.

'Clearly,' James replied, sarcastically lifting a single eyebrow.

Andrews huffed with withheld anger at his patronizing tone. He felt like he was literally seeing red. It was amazing how James always managed to provoke him so much- with just a few simple words spoken in a truly vexing tone. He was just sooo... Condescending! UGH!

Andrew fell back against the seat and tried to take a few deep breaths to calm himself down. He tried to reason with himself but his emotions confused him just as much as his hot temper. It irritated him that James accused him of being defensive when he was clearly NOT being as such.

Andrew closed his eyes and tried to imagine the ocean to compose himself, but all he could call to mind were James's turquoise blue eyes. They were crashing like a stormy sea, and simultaneously sparkling. Like rippling waves at the moment the twin suns hit their crests.

They had replaced the ocean entirely.