Be Careful What You Wish For

Chapter 15

The next few days passed in a blur, or at least that was how it seemed to Cecilia. Tobias and she were mostly alone in his huge house and it should have been uncomfortable, but she had so many things to worry about, that she didn't even notice.

Sometimes, Helen came by to help out and although her techniques were strange and uncomfortable, they did help Cecilia become better at controlling her vampire strength and impulses.

It wasn't a lot but even she could see the improvement which made her feel more confident. It made her feel as if though she could deal with the fact that she was something impossible. Not only was she able to accept what she was but also to learn how to control it which made all the difference.

As days passed, Cecilia stopped being overwhelmed by her problems and could function as a normal human being, well not a human being, a person? A thing? She wasn't sure what she was exactly, but it was clear that she was better at it than before.

That was also when she started noticing things about Tobias. Good things, as well as strange things that made her feel like maybe she shouldn't have trusted him immediately and completely, he was after all a vampire. Besides, he was hiding something from her.

She started noticing that he often snuck out when he thought she wasn't paying attention which made her wonder where he went. He had his own life and friends, but somehow, those disappearances were different.

Usually, he would tell her he was leaving when he was going into town or to hang out with his friends. But the secretive outings worried her. She had no idea what he could do or why she was so worried and angry that he had a secret, but she knew it bothered her more than she would like to admit.

He was entitled to having secrets but Cecilia couldn't get rid of the nagging feeling that his secret had something to do with her. There were no logical reasons for her to think that, but there was a part of her that was telling her she was right.

However, she couldn't very well ask him. He did save her life and he was the reason she had a roof over her head. However, they didn't know each other well. They started to get to know each other by chatting, but they were still not at that level where she could ask him point-blank what he was hiding.

The whole situation was ridiculous, she couldn't fathom why he was helping her and her suspicious mind jumped to the conclusion that he needed something from her. That thought kept running through her head which was the main reason why she was so skeptical about his intentions. Why she was scared of his secrets.

It was such an uncommon feeling for her, but she didn't think it irrational. She was all alone, with a guy she barely knew, and she was a vampire. Nothing in her life was normal, so she couldn't very well expect her reactions to be normal.

"I can't stand it anymore! What is he hiding?" she thought to herself as she saw him sneaking out, again.

Not really thinking about it, she decided to follow him and find out where he went every time he slipped away.

She tried to be subtle about it, but she was never a good spy and wasn't sure if she was pulling it off. Having in mind the heightened senses of vampires, she couldn't judge distance well, that is to say if she put enough distance between them so that he wouldn't sense her. Since he didn't stop or in any way register her presence, she thought she was doing a pretty good job and was very proud of herself. They didn't go far before she could see a cemetery in the distance.

"Is this some strange vampire thing? Does he enjoy gloomy places that reek of death and decay?" She thought to herself, as she kept following him.

Suddenly, he stopped in front of a huge gravestone in the shape of an angel and just stood there. Cecilia was curious to find out what he was doing there, but she had a feeling that if she came any closer, he would feel her there, so she stayed put.

"You can come and take a look! You must be burning with curiosity. Wouldn't it be a shame if you followed me all the way here and you never got to find out what I was doing here?" His bitter voice shattered her illusion of being a stealth vampire.

"How long have you known I was following you?" she asked as she started approaching him.

"From the first step you took. You are terrible at following people, especially a vampire." He said.

He tried to smile but his eyes reflected inner sadness that she never saw before. Its depths were staggering.

"Sorry, I was just curious where you went so secretively. Usually, you just tell me, but I have noticed that you disappear from time to time. It made me nervous, anxious." She apologized not knowing what else to say.

As she approached the gravestone, she noticed that there was a name inscribed on it and an epitaph. The name on the gravestone meant nothing to Cecilia, 'Celeste', it could be anyone. The epitaph said:

"Do not go gentle into that good night,

Old age should burn and rave at close of day;

Rage, rage against the dying of the light. "

As she read the quote Tobias said in a quiet voice: "Dylan Thomas. It was one of her favorite quotes. Ironically, it turned out to be the most appropriate one to describe my feelings the day she died." Tobias said.

"You knew her? How is that even possible? She died a long time ago." She asked unable to curb her curiosity.

"Yes, I did, in another lifetime. You forget that we are vampires. I am much older than I look. I have lived such a long life. Well, maybe life isn't the right word. My existence has been such a long one, and she died so early. She had her whole life ahead of her and she deserved to live it out. Damned it! She deserved to live!" He screamed in pain.

"I am sorry," he said as he saw Cecilia wince in shock at his outburst.

"It just so sad. She truly was an angel, helping everyone and being kind even to the ones who didn't deserve it. Her life should have been a long and happy one but fate had other plans." He said.

That was when he finally broke. All those years of suppressed pain and anger, burst out as he started sobbing. Cecilia hugged him tightly, and they just stood in the middle of the dreary graveyard, giving each other support.