My Precious Nightmare

28: Next Best Teacher: Bouncy Balls

He didn't know how long he sat at the top of Morianton's grand staircase, staring at the door where she had vanished. Without a thought, he had tried to follow her. Blinded by the sunlight, he had to go by her smell, but was stopped by her hands on his arms.

"Get back inside, Husani."

"I'm coming with you—"

"No," and her firmness startled him. She hadn't even sounded so sure when she had been in his apartment, telling him she was going home. "I...I'm not your captive or your slave, and I can't be your friend. There are people who will be hurt or worse if anything happens to me, and that's going to happen if I stay around you any longer."

The trembling, fragile thing that had been born when she ran from his hands to find Sky, cracked.

"Of course you're not—I'm sorry I kept you there, I just—I won't let anything happen to you, I swear. I'll die first. I'll...I'll find you."

"No, you won't."

"You can't control me."

"But I know you have a good heart." Her voice had trembled at that and her hands had turned him around with surprising strength. "I don't want to see you again, vampire. Please. If not for me, then for the protection of my friends and family."

And so he had withdrawn to the top of the steps, where he stared at the door, waiting for night to come. A greater part of him still intended to head off into the night after her, hunting her down by her butterscotch lavender. But once evening bathed the entrance hall in red he still sat there feeling broken, vulnerable, and alone.

The worst part was, he didn't know why.

Am I just upset because my possible chance for a cure left, he thought, or is it because of her? Because of what she brought to me again? Is it because she is gentle and kind and soft? Or is it because I've become that pathetic and lonely that I can't handle my long overdue connection walking out?

Or was it that he had fallen in love with taking care of her? Whatever it was, it couldn't be because he fell in love with the girl herself. Vampires had no sexual attraction and little need for romance. Or, at least, Husani always had. There was just something about waking up and realizing you'd killed your own mother that made a man fearful of connections, with women especially.

Oh yeah...mother...he wasn't supposed to remember that.

It was in this very dark mood that Husani approached Morianton in his dining room, because the fool didn't know how to listen to directions. Blood had already stained the sweats he wore and his recently changed bandages still splotched with red.

His first instinct was to dash forward and tear out the man's heart again, and then his little brother's as well. It would be two monsters out of the world. He could even use the rich bastard's blood supply and other goodies to track down more in the city. It would be a wonderful, blind night of hunting.

Instead, he pulled out the blue bouncy ball from his pocket.

Morianton didn't seem to notice him, having his nose in a laptop, reading something. So Husani took aim for his temple.

His aim was never wrong.

"Ack! DAMN IT!"

"Rule number four," Man, he loved this guy's reactions. "Always be aware of your surroundings."

"I'm sorry, was I supposed to bow when you walked in? I didn't think you craved that much attention—STOP THAT!"

Husani caught the blue ball. Best fifty cents he'd ever spent. "Rule number five, don't waste time talking with your enemy. It's lame and gets you killed."