Ember
The scent of grilled chicken and roasted potatoes woke me up like an alarm clock. I sat up, startled as I took in the unfamiliar surroundings which I found myself in. The room had hard, unpainted walls like an old school castle, yet the setting was contemporary.
The walls were adorned with old, dark wood paneling, but the furniture was sleek and modern. The air was thick with the scent of mahogany and sandalwood, a strange but pleasant aroma that seemed to envelop me. A large mirror was situated just directly opposite where I lay and I gasped at the sight of me. I looked like something straight out of a horror movie.
The scent of food and perfume gave the room a delicious scent yet something was off putting. Something smelled dead, like the rotten carcass of an animal. My ears perked up at the sound of an approaching footstep. I sat up, alert.
"You are awake. Finally!", a male voice boomed throughout the expanse of the room. The owner of the voice came into view, he was tall and had an intense look about him.
At the sight of him, I snarled, baring my fangs. This reaction was visceral, almost as natural as running away at the sight of danger.
"Vampire", I hissed. "I knew I smelled something dead"
He looked me dead in the eye, unamused. "Well, thank you. That's the nicest thing anyone has said to me in a long while", he said. There was no humor in his tone. He approached me and instinctively, I backed away, almost falling off the bed.
"Careful", he sneered, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "You're in no position to make any sudden movements"
I ignored his warning and forcefully climbed down from the bed. A sharp pain shot through my right leg, I winced inwardly. "You're a vampire", I whispered, my heart racing with fear.
He smiled, meeting my eyes. "And you're a werewolf", he replied, his voice low and husky. "Sworn enemies, and yet… here we are"
I was seeing red. He was right. Vampires and werewolves have been enemies right from the dawn of time. There is a whole lore behind the enmity, but I couldn't go there. Not right now.
"If you know that, then why am I here? What did you do to me?", I spat at him. The anger coursing through me was new and strange but I needed it to feel strong in the presence of this equally strange creature.
He set the bowl of grilled chicken, roasted potatoes and salad on the side table. My mouth watered, and I realized how hungry I was but I stood my ground.
"What did you do to me?", I asked him again, this time more fiercely.
He folded his arms around his chest, looking disinterested in the whole discourse. "Except save your life? Well, nothing else"
He saved my life? Why was that hard to believe for some reason?
"You saved my life?", my voice was down an octave but I remained guarded.
He replied, that glint in his eyes like someone had put the whole sky of stars in them "Yeah, whisked you away right before your pack of angry wolves could get to you"
The memories from the night before came flooding in like a broken dam in my head. I winced and clutched my head.
"Easy", his voice came. "You banged up your head pretty bad. I had to stitch you up"
I glanced into the mirror again and sure, there was a stitch running through the side of my head. "How long have I been here?", I asked another wave of panic washing over me.
"Let's see," he replied sardonically. "It's been two days now"
"Two days?". More panic. "I've been here two days? With a vampire?". My fangs made an appearance again. There was just something about vampires that made me generally uneasy.
"Slow your roll there, young wolf. Save that energy for your banged up head and sprained ankle", he chortled. Part of me felt offended. Was I by any means amusing to him?
I watched him with apprehension as he picked up the bowl from where he'd left it and gently placed it on the bed. "Eat", he ordered . His voice was a billow. "You'll need every energy you can muster for you to be on your way"
I looked up at him, stunned. He was indirectly sending me away. I wasn't even fully healed and he was blatantly telling me to leave.
The vampire must have sensed my shock because he leaned against the wall, crossing both his legs and arm in a nonchalant manner. "I mean, you don't expect to stay here with me forever. We both obviously hate each other", he stated.
"I'll leave", I said, plopping down on the bed while stuffing the chicken into my mouth. "As soon as I heal"
He nodded slowly, seemingly considering what I had said. "While we're on the topic", said the vampire. I saw a spark of curiosity in his eyes. "You're a werewolf. You're supposed to have supernatural healing abilities. I'm a bit curious how it's the opposite."
I bit down on the chicken harder, trying to choke myself if that would help me avoid giving an answer to that question.
Noticing my hesitation, he added in that nonchalant tone. "I don't care. Just making conversation"
I turned sharply to him. "We don't have to talk to each other while I heal. There's no need for a conversation"
He raised up his hands in a surrender. "Suit yourself". With that, he strutted out of the room, shutting the door behind him with a loud bang that it reverberated in the silence.
I shrieked a little, acutely aware that I had somehow made him annoyed. He had saved my life and instead of a 'thank you', I had given him the coldest of shoulders.
The food lost taste in my mouth as I recalled the night I had disregarded my pack. I recalled the sheer horror on Pete's face as he slowly realized what was happening. My breath hitched in my throat as tears threatened to burst out from my eyes but I choked them back.
I didn't realize it before, but I was scared. I was alone. I was at loss for what to do. What did this new future hold for me?