This is my fourth installment in the NaStyRomo 2012 chain. Also check out: thewriteaholicblog.wordpress.com/nastyromo-2012.

#4.

“What?”

“I’m a vampire,” Alexios repeated looking intently in my eyes, his hazel eyes flickering. “I was turned in 1931, when I was thirty years old.” He stopped, waiting for me to take it all in. I didn’t know what to say. What does one say at this? I was shocked and speechless, for once in my life.

“That, Elysia, is my secret.”

“How did it happen?” I managed to ask.

“I was involved with this woman named Daphne, she was beautiful, but deadly. I’m ashamed to admit, that I was obsessed with her. We became lovers and soon enough I found out that she was a vampire. I wasn’t scared, I was intrigued. I wanted to be just like her; together till eternity. In my head, being immortal was the answer to all the problems I faced. She willingly turned me and while we were together we were content. It lasted for ten years, up until the moment we were hunted. You see, there are vampire hunters out there who track us and kill us. She was stalked by one of them, his name was Athanasios, ‘the immortal.’ She had a long history with him, which I won’t get into now. He staked her.” Alexios paused and was taken back to that painful moment for a few seconds. Then he looked at me waiting.

“I’m finding this all hard to believe.”

“I know it sounds crazy, but this what I am.” He stared at me after some silence he continued, “If you never want to see me again, I’ll understand.”

“I don’t know what to think…” I mumbled.

“Ask my anything, Elysia.”

“What do you eat?”

“Animal blood. I hunt at night in the forest…mostly rabbits and small animals of that sort,” he looked away embarrassed, “I was doing just that before I came here. I had just eaten and I was full of energy. Am I scaring you?”

“No, I’m actually glad to hear it’s not another woman,” I joked, trying to hide my true horror at all this insane talk.

“Elysia, there is definitely no other woman in my life. I do feel deep love for you.” He got up and sat closer to me on the couch. “I know this is a lot to take in, but if I didn’t love you I would have walked out that door and you would have never seen me again. This is who I am.”

It was a lot to handle and I tried to put up a good front, but honestly I wanted to go running out of my house…I was scared out of my wits. Time passed and I realized that I couldn’t have a normal relationship with Alexios.

Over the past eight years the on-going question has remained constant: What is a normal relationship anyway??

Feb. 7, 2012

Dearest Elysia,

It’s a full moon and I’m a little out of my skin. I received your letter this morning and I am responding immediately. I can’t get you out of my mind.

The day I told you the truth, I thought for sure you would never accept me as I am. I have been listening to The Airborne Toxic Event, it’s all the rage in Russia, and it has made me uneasy, lost and thoughful. I’ll blame it on them that I miss you more than you can imagine. You write that you can’t promise me anything and I don’t expect anything. After all these years, I’m not so sure how I will react when I see you. All I can say is that I’m grateful you are looking forward to seeing me. I thought perhaps you weren’t even receiving my letters. It felt good mailing out your letters and believing you were reading them. I must admit I have always held back a little. I hoped you received every letter and I was right. 

I wanted to hear from you: I’ve read your letter several times and you can be sure that I will bring you something special from here. 

I haven’t decided on a date yet. I have to finish up some work here.

I’ll surprise you.

Love,

Alexios

P.S. All at Once is the name of the album All for a Woman is the track that haunts me. I am Half of Something Else pushed me closer to you.

I went straight on YouTube and listened to both songs. I played them over and over till I couldn’t take the pain anymore and I stormed out to buy a pack of smokes to calm my nerves (or make them worse).

Just when I thought I was going on with my life (I really wasn’t), Alexios had to  shake my path again with his songs, letters and the notion that there are no promises, when all the while, I knew the truth. Promises, promises is all that lies ahead.

So with a smoke in my head and replay button on the songs, I knew that even though he was a vampire and I was a mere human (who could run pretty fast), he was my soul mate and his half was my half.