A vampire's Choice
Chapter 15

As the sun began to set and the warm air turned cool, Lisa finally emerged from the luxurious water. Almost half of them had been spent swimming, and the extra movement took its toll on her. Since she had no towel, her clothes had to do. Pulling the shirt over her shoulders, the material clung to her breasts and stomach, making it a second skin. The pants were a different story, as her wet legs refused to go into the holes. Finally, Lisa gave up with a loud huff, throwing the pants over her shoulders, leaving her in only her panties. Luckily it was getting dark, so hopefully, no one would see her. With regret, she left the pool as she made a silent promise to herself that she will be back. The walk back to the house was slow as she admired the building. The setting sun behind it gave it a glow, making a halo of light burst from the roof. A couple of windows looked out unto the pool and backyard, but none were hers, making her wonder where they led to. Was he able to watch her, and if so, did he?

The muscles in her legs screamed as a small hill lay before her, ending at a new set of doors she did not see before. The backdoor was huge, double the size of the front door, only this one was made from glass, allowing one to glance inside. With the sun's disappearance making the outside darker and illuminating the lights from inside, Lisa could make out some detail while approaching. Behind the glass doors was a big room, lit by a more miniature chandelier hanging from the ceiling. The light cast over the furniture as she noticed the couches first. Three big white ones stood in a square, making the door the fourth wall. A small coffee table made from wood stood in the middle of them. A few feet from the door, the rest of the room became more apparent. Behind the couches was a wine rack, which stretched from one end to the other. Dozens upon dozens of wines littered the holes, not a single empty one. Reaching for the handles, Lisa was glad to realize it was unlocked. Clearly, they are not afraid of people breaking in, Lisa wondered.

Aircon air brushed her still damp skin as she entered, causing her teeth to clatter. It was cold inside, making her regret not having a towel, even though she did not know it was needed. The door slid closed, leaving the last of the sun's heat outside. Being inside allowed her to explore up close and explore she did. A carpet sat beneath her feet, her toes wriggling deep into the soft material. Glancing about the room, she picked up more details. A door stood to the right of the wine rack leading to God knows where. More paintings littered the walls; their quality is evident. Roger must have millions in the bank to afford a lifestyle like this, gaining jealousy of the vampire. Making a mental note to inspect each piece one day, Lisa strode around the room, her hand touching and feeling every surface. Since the attack on the first night, her sense has increased, especially touch, which made her want to explore more. The walls were light for once, complimenting the couches and carpet. A smirk crossed her lips as a thought popped into her head. The room was as pale as Roger, which fit him perfectly.

Suddenly the door opened, the grunt of the heavy object alerting Lisa. Spinning around to face the intruder, she couldn't help but smile. Micheal stood at the entrance, his eyes gleaming with happiness and a smile on his face. Lifting the hand not on the handle, he revealed a blue towel in his grip, making Lisa practically sprint towards him.

"Thank you so much. I needed this." Lisa wasted no time. Grabbing the material, she unfolded it and wrapped it around her body, suddenly aware that she was only in her panties, the wet pants over her shoulder.

"You are welcome." Micheal averted his gaze as Lisa dried herself, noticing the blush on her cheeks.

The wall became interesting as Micheal listened to her bustling around, focusing on the detail. Finally, Lisa noticed and was grateful to him. Very few moments in her life has she received kindness, making Micheal her new favorite person.

"All done," Lisa announced, the towel wrapped around her body and tugged in beneath her armpits. The material lay past her knees as the towel was so big.

"Good. I bet you must have been cold." Micheal said as he turned to face her again.

"Yes, I was." Lisa began, "But not the pool. No, that was great. It was when I entered the house. Why is it so cold in here?"

"Roger prefers it like that. In the beginning, it is hard, but I promise it gets easier. Hell, nowadays, I actually prefer it." Micheal chuckled.

"I don't think I ever can."

"We will see." Micheal moved to the side, making a space for her. Lisa picked up on the queue and left the room, stopping outside as Micheal closed the door.

"I was wondering. Is it possible to show me to my room? This house so big and filled with dozens of hallways, I do not know where to go."

Micheal chuckled louder at her admission, shaking his head. "This way.” Pointing towards the right corridor, he moved as Lisa followed, both remaining silent. The day's physical activity made her tired, her body screaming for rest, while Micheal did not know what to say. Roger had instructed him to wait before telling her about the friend's body.

Their footsteps echoed around them, Lisa's breathing sounding louder to her. Minutes later, they came across a now-familiar door. Opening it for her, Micheal once again stood to the side and guided her inside. Turning around to thank him, Lisa faced a closed door, Micheal moving fast. Shrugging her shoulders at his action, she moved deeper into her room, dropping the towel as her bed came into view. It was made up, the mess from this morning gone. Almost sprinting to the side, Lisa dropped her body on top, marveling at the softness.

"Just going to close my eyes for a second before a shower."

Lisa's eyes fluttered closed as her breathing deepened, asleep in seconds and dreaming of nothing, for once.

Darkness lay beyond the gaping hole, the dried-up blood gone from the wound. Roger looked upon the body of Lisa's friend, her name not coming to mind. He felt terrible for the girl for a split second, imagining what she would have accomplished if she was still alive, but he swept the thoughts away. People die every day, especially in the supernatural world. They are called liabilities, and the dead girl is one of them.

A man stood silent in the corner, his gaze on his hands as he fiddled with them, too afraid to look at the vampire. Not because it can kill him in a split second and drain his blood, or even throw his body across the room without breaking a sweat. No, it was a sign of respect. Stories have been heard about this man, tales told to disobedient children about the boogeyman. Some he believed and others deemed too ridiculous, even in a world filled with vampires, werewolves, and witches. The vampire has been a client of his family for years, their dealings always staying top secret, but today's was different. The man had been hired to clean up a dead body. That was all the information he had received. The job was done, and no questions were asked. Usually, a dead body would involve the police, but no human authority is used in this world. So here he was, a deadly vampire inspecting his handiwork while he stood to the side.

"Good job.” A deep voice spoke, the eerie sound magnified by the stainless steel walls echoing around them.

The man took the speaking as a sign, slowly lifting his head and eyes, meeting the fierce gaze of Roger.

"I...uh... thank you,” the man stammered.

"Payments have been sent to the agreed account.” Roger spoke as he made his way to the man, stopping before him. The sudden sight of the up close vampire pushed the man's back into the cold wall, his reaction unintentional. Usually, Roger would enjoy the effect he held, lavish in it, but the delicate matter laying on the table made it a sober time.

Gulping back the fear, the man asked, "Is there anything else I may assist you with?"

Roger's eyes traveled down the man's form before returning to glare directly at him. He watched as the man's dirty gray eyes grew in size, his heart beating faster as he replied, "No, that is all.” Stepping to the side to give space to the man; instructions were given. "Remember, you tell no one about this transaction or the others from the past."

The man frantically shook his head as the neatly combed dark blond hair swung around his chubby face. "Never, sir. Our family has an agreement with you, one we have honored for a long time and never would break."

Turning to face the dead girl on the table and putting the man on his right side, "You mean to honor the money?" Trust was hard to find nowadays; most humans and creatures only respected cold hard cash.

The ugly truth shook the man and left him speechless. "Noo..."

Roger cut him off. " Never mind. Just leave."

Without waiting for further instructions, the man bolted from the room, not stopping to close the door, so it slammed shut, the loud sound jumping off the walls around Roger. The family's talents came in handy a lot, and with the considerable amount he pays each time, they turn their cheek. Letting out a sigh, Roger stepped closer to the body, his hand resting on the table next to her head. Brown eyes that would usually shine with life, lay dull and open, staring blankly at the wall. Reaching out, Roger closed her eyes, making her seem like she was asleep, except for the hole in her throat. The man had not only cleaned her up but put some makeup on her, giving some color to the pale skin void of blood and a soul. The sheet covering her bare body stopped just below her collarbone and pulling it over her head concealed the wound. Micheal would need to acquire some clothes for her before she would be presented to Lisa. He had no idea what they would do with her body, that was up to Lisa, but Roger would support her decision.

Locking the door behind him, Roger turned off the light, casting the room in darkness before making his way up the stairs and out of the basement. The room was made out of steel, 6 inches thick and robust enough to hold a vampire, especially one filled with bloodlust. It was one requirement needed while he restored this place, a jail to keep him away for when his curse took hold. Years have passed since the last time he had needed it, but he might need it sooner rather than later with the state of things now.

Making his way to his office, Roger passed windows to the outside and noticed the sun had set. He had spent hours watching Lisa swimming in the pool and an urge to join her gnawing at him. He had just about given up and joined her when Micheal had announced that the man he had hired had arrived. So, his attention was taken from one girl to another.

Entering the office, Roger moved to place another log in the fire, watching as the embers flickered about, admiring the colors. He might fear fire, but he still appreciated it.

Knowing that going into the past would hurt him, Roger ignored the voice screaming no as he reached for the book. Taking it out and flipping to the photo, he gently removed it from the pages and placed the book on the mantle, forgotten even before it left his hand. Making his way to his desk, Roger dropped himself down and leaned back, the picture facing down in his hand. She was the devil in his mind and the puppeteer that played his heart. It might have been over 100 years ago, but the pain and betrayal still stung. Turning it around, the first thing that popped up was her eyes—unique eyes for a unique woman.

Not that unique anymore

Roger was still confused as to why and how Lisa was here. That first night they had met, her pleas for help drew him to her, even from across a city. Vampire's senses were strong, but not that much, and how he had zoomed in on her, a girl that looked just like his dead mate, only to be revealed that she was also his mate. This whole situation was mixed up, but it could all be traced back to one: Rebecca. As his eyes traced her smiling face, the grip she held on him pulled the memories forward.

"You are a monster, so stop denying your nature and act upon it." Rebecca sneered; her lips pulled back to reveal her teeth. No longer the sweet and innocent girl, in its place, was the devil, one that asked him to do the unspeakable.

"Why are you doing this?" Roger asked as he struggled with himself. The words hit home as he began to believe them. She might be correct, but that does not mean he has to be like that.

Stepping closer to him, Rebecca ignored the woman bound and gagged as she wriggled on the ground between them. This was supposed to be a gift but felt like a nightmare. Roger's eyes shifted between the pleading woman's and the malicious Rebecca. Ever since they met, she had coerced him into doing small acts, innocent from the outside, but finally put together, it made a puzzle. One he could finally see but was too late to stop.

Soft fingers caressed his shoulders as it glided higher, stopping on his cheek as she cupped his face. "Don't fight it, darling. Do you not see, this is for us. When you do this, we can truly be together. Nothing can stop us."

Rebecca's other hand traveled down his arm, meeting his own hand. Gripped between his fingers was a knife, the blade as dark as the night sky. Grasping him softly, Rebecca guided his hand up, letting go as the tip pointed towards the girl on the ground. Roger tried to stop this, but she had some hold on him; the smile on her face indicated that she knew this. Moving around him, Rebecca stopped behind him, her hands rested on his shoulders. She stood on the tip of her toes to reach his ear and whispered, "You will sacrifice her to Deimos, the only true God."

The name spurt Roger on, making his body step forward, the knife still pointed at the girl. Her eyes grew big as she saw Roger's own scared eyes. The metal binding her down rattled as her efforts increased to escape, but it was no use. Fresh tears burst from her eyes, and a muffled sound pushing past the cloth in her mouth. Roger knew she was screaming, him screaming internally, but it was no use. She was about to die, and by his hands.

Vibration from his pants brought reality back to Roger. Placing the photo gently on the table, he retrieved his phone before answering.

"Yes," he demanded.

"Is this really how you are going to answer the phone, especially to someone who is trying to help you?" Vanessa demanded on the other end.

The sound of her voice calmed him, "Sorry, I was just in the middle of something."

"Excuses, excuses."

"Hahaha.” Roger laughed. "I assume this is not a friendly call, but it can't be about the mate thing since I only asked yesterday."

"Yeah, that is the thing." Vanessa began, "I am going to need you and the girl to fly down to the pack. There is something we need to discuss in person."

"Why? Is the news that bad?" Roger straightened in his chair, all the attention on her.

"No, but remember the night at the castle. Nix appeared again, and this time mentioned you by name. And the girl."

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