Mermaids and Vampires

8: House of Nightmares

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~OLIVIA~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It's late when we get to the house. Some ungodly hour when you've stayed up so late you can see the sun beginning to peep around the edge of the earth. Auron leads us up his rundown walkway. His place is in worse shape than ours was. From the outside it looks like an abandoned cottage that hasn't been touched in years. Everything's covered in moss. The wood is beginning to rot. It's a wonder the roof hasn't caved in yet.

He yanks open the beaten up screen door and we step inside. I can already smell a hint of  liquor in the air. There's a forest green couch in the living room that's probably seen better days. Regardless, I plop down on it like a ragdoll, tired after nearly twenty four hours of hiking, hunting, and listening to Auron go on and on about how stupid humans are, particularly the females.

He's abnoxious no doublt, yet I find myself dredding his sister's persence even more than his.

"Let me show you around my humble abode." Auron leads Adam into the kitchen while I remain on the couch, too exhausted to move.

I've sunken into it's plush cushions, feeling more comfortable than I've been in a long time.

Of course the feeling doesn't last long. A door creeks open in the hallway behind me. Light footsteps aproach the livingroom and I know full well who it is.

It's at this point that Adam and Auron return from the kitchen. Auron's sister enters the room and the boys freeze.

"Adam, it's been a long time." Her sugary voice breaks the silence.

I turn around to look at them standing in the area behind the couch.

"These two are staying with us for a while." Auron explains to his sister. 

"Oh, hello Olive." She murmurs, pretending she just noticed me.

"It's Olivia." I correct.

She ignores me, taking a step closer to Adam.

"Hey sunshine, why don't I show you the room you'll be staying in." She says with a sudden change in tone.

She strokes his shoulder, dropping her hand down to take his. Then she leads him into the hall and they dissapear. The sound of her girlish giggles can still be heard as the door to a room closes.

"They're probably gonna do it." Auron says, hopping over the back of the couch to land gracefully beside me.

 "You're disgusting." I hiss.

It's now that I realize I'm alone with him. An unpleasent feeling comes over me.

"Where can I sleep?" I ask.

"This house only has two beds." Auron replies, leaning back in his seat.

"One for Adam and I, the other for you and your sister." I state.

"Please, you and Adam don't sleep together. You wanna know how I know? He hasn't turned you yet. He doesn't want you around. Sure you're his pretty little pet right now, but mark my words, one day soon you'll be lunch just like the others." Auron says smugly.

A fire flares beneath my lungs.

"He's going to change me." I state through clenched teeth.

"Sure he is, honey." Auron mocks.

"If not what's he been keeping me around for? Why tell me his secret? Why help me run away?" I retort.

"The real question is; why hasn't he changed you?" Auron says, a smirk pulling at the side of his mouth.

I sigh.

"I'm going to bed." I say, getting up with my stuff.

"I could do it, you know." Auron murmurs.

I freeze and squint my eyes at him, contemplating the words that just came out of his mouth.

"Are you offering?" I ask.

"Why the hell not? Take a little blood, not enough to kill you. I could get it done." He says.

I pause as I picture it and sudder at the thought.

"You want to kill me." I whisper in sudden realization.

He shakes his head. "Silly human, if I wanted that you'd be dead by now."  

"Fuck off." I march into the hall to try and find a place to sleep.

His chuckle echoes behind me, haunting my thoughts.