14
Joel? Joel? Where are you?” I called, meandering mindlessly through the labyrinth of hallways in the Rutherford manor. “This isn’t funny anymore!”
The only sounds that could be heard were my own footfalls as I continued to search for the vampire who was supposed to be showing me around the place. Ten minutes prior he’d up and disappeared while leading me to the pool was. While I’d been in shock about finding out they owned an indoor pool, he’d somehow slipped away from me. A scowl crossed my face. He was probably watching me inconspicuouslyand laughing.
“Joel!”
No answer.
Sighing in frustration, I twisted to the right, marching down the next hallway. My eyes grew wide when I realized somehow I’d managed to make it to the hallway where my room was located. I made a beeline for it. Even though Sebastian didn’t want me in my room all day, it was better than making my feet sore by wandering around lost for hours on end. With a small sigh, I pushed open the door to my room. Maybe I could take a nap…
“Vivi! Vivi! How do I look?”
I froze, staring at the scene that met my eyes. A young man with shockingly white hair stood before me, wearing a lacy black bra and a white and black plaid shirt. A gasp left my lips when I realized they were mine. My mind raced. How in the world had he gotten a hold of things I left at home? The only clothing I had here were the-very dirty- ones on my back! Suddenly the white haired man’s eyes snapped to mine, an amused grin playing across his face.
“You must be Emily,” he started, holding out a hand and walking towards me. “I’m Samuel.” He stopped about a foot away, towering a good foot over me.
For a second I was unable to respond- partly because he was wearing my bra, and partly because his eyes were a shiny silver color. Just by that I could tell he was a vampire. When he realized I wasn’t going to shake his hand, he took the initiative and grabbed my hand from my side, shaking it roughly.
“I hope you don’t mind me trying on your clothing,” he said, still violently joggling my hand. “Sebastian told me to put your stuff in your room and I was merely curious as to what he meant and then I found this fancy … Vivi told me I should try it on-”
“I did not.”
My gaze shot past Samuel to where Vincent was, leaning against the wall casually with his arms crossed. “What are you doing in my room?” I demanded.
“Dropping off some your things,” he responded simply. “You do want them, don’t you? I’m sure if you don’t, Samuel does.”
I flushed as Samuel cupped his chest with a wink. “I think it suits me.”
“Take it off!” I cried, not sure how more embarrassing the situation could be. “How’d you even get that?”
“Sebastian brought it here,” Samuel responded, a frown slipping onto his face. “Do I really have to take it off?”
I nodded my head vigorously. “He only brought a bra and shirt?”
“No, stupid. He brought what you supposedly took on vacation with you,” Vincent interjected, gesturing towards my bed where my traveling case was, lying open.
After throwing an annoyed look at Vincent, I headed for the bed. Samuel appeared beside me dropping my bra and shirt back into it. I peered into the bag, feeling relieved at the sight of my clothing. Now I wouldn’t have to walk around in dirty clothes anymore. Along with my clothes were my toothbrush (how did he know that one was mine?), my hairbrush, my laptop, my iPod, a few books, and my only other pair of shoes. All the things I would take to my aunt’s if I went. Sebastian did a good job.
.
.
“Samuel, put on a shirt.”
“I would, Vivi, but I don’t know where it is…”
Vincent sighed. “You’re a moron.”
I gave Samuel a pitying look. It was kind of nice to know Vincent didn’t only make fun of me. My gaze then dropped to his bare chest. Immediately I looked away. I guess vampires being well defined isn’t a myth…
“It’s under the bed,” Vincent continued, unfolding his arms. “Put it on and let’s go.”
“Where are you going?” I asked curiously.
“None of your business.”
I scowled at him. Samuel spoke up. “We’re going to put the cars in the garage,” he informed me. “It’s going to rain.” His head turned towards the large window in my room. I followed, noticing the dark grey sky. It was only four in the afternoon.
“Although I can’t see why the menservants can’t do it…” Samuel continued as an after thought. “I don’t want to waste my time.”
“They don’t know how to drive,” Vincent responded in a belittling tone.
I stared at him. “Wait, you do have maids?”
“And menservants,” Samuel added.
“You told me you didn’t!”
Vincent rolled his eyes. “No, I never said we didn’t. My mom just doesn’t let us get away with having them do everything for us. During the morning we have to clean up after ourselves. After that the maids will do everything.”
“I haven’t seen a maid.”
“You haven’t left you room much.”
“Surely I would have seen-”
Vincent cut me off. “Let’s go, Samuel. I don’t want to be caught in the rain.”
Samuel nodded, following him to the door. After a moment of staring after them I hastened after them. “Wait!”
“What?”
“Can I come?”
Samuel raised an eyebrow while Vincent shook his head. “I’m planning on going to the store,” he told me. “You’re not allowed to leave the premises.”
“Why not?” I complained. “I’m bored. Joel ditched me and I don’t know where he is. I won’t try to run away!”
Samuel offered me a smile. “It wouldn’t be good in Vivi got in trouble with his parents…”
“Don’t call me that,” Vincent hissed, punching his friend in the shoulder. “And I don’t care if I get in trouble with my parents.”
“You know you’d never take Emily out without their permission,” Samuel replied, smirking. “You’d be too scared.”
Vincent glared at him. “No I wouldn’t.”
“Well the opportunity has arose…”
I stared at Vincent determinedly as he contemplated the idea, a scowl appearing on his face. After a few more minutes a smug expression appeared. “Okay, fine, Emily you can come,” he announced.
“Really?”
“Do you want me to change my mind?”Content © provided by NôvelDrama.Org.
I quickly shook my head. “No!”
“Then get on a coat,” he ordered. “It’s cold.”
“Okay!” I responded cheerfully, turning towards my bag. Vincent could be surprisingly considerate sometimes. After a few moments of pawing through my clothes I found my peacoat, snatching it up, and throwing it on. “Ready.”
.
.
Samuel pressed his lips together. “You sure you want to come, greasy hair?”
My gaze dropped to my hair and I almost gagged when I noticed how clumped together and greasy it was. It was to be expected though because I hadn’t showered in about three days. “Actually… Can I take a shower?”
Vincent gave me an impatient look. “Are you kidding?”
“Come on Vince, she’s a girl. Let her do her thing. We can move our cars and Fiona’s too while we wait,” Samuel suggested, wrapping an arm around his shoulder.
Vincent immediately shoved him off. “Put a shirt on before you do that. And stop gawking and get in the shower, stupid.”
My lip twitched in annoyance and I bit back my response. “Fine,” I muttered, twisting on my heel and heading towards the bathroom attached to my room. “Don’t leave without me!”
“We’ll see.”
I slammed the bathroom door behind me, not bothering to respond with words. There was no way I was going to let them leave without me. I at least needed to go outside for a few moments. Being cooped up in a mansion was incredibly suffocating. Especially when you were with a bunch of vampires who could snap and kill you at any second.
I kept my shower short, speedily washing my hair and body. When I was done I stepped out and searched for a towel in the bathroom for a few moments, locating one in the closet by the door, and swiftly drying myself off. After I finished dressing I stepped out of the bathroom just in time to see Vincent returning. He took in my dripping hair with an annoyed expression.
“You do realize you’ll catch a cold if you go out with your hair like that, right?”
“Are you going to wait for it to dry?”
He snorted.
I rolled my eyes. “That’s what I thought. Let me just slip my shoes on and then we can go…”
“We’re going out the back way,” he informed me. “My mom is in the living room by the front door so it’s too risky to go that way. Now hurry up.”
For a second I rethought the idea of leaving with them. What if the queen did find out? Would she be angry with me? Or with Vincent? Would it really matter if I left if I came back? It wasn’t like I could go home; my parents thought I was all the way across the country.