Fight Of Love And Hate

“Mom!” Theo screamed as he ran back downstairs to the living room, while I zipped up my leather jacket and approved of my clothing in the mirror.

“What, Theo?” Mom wondered.

“Ava is leaving without informing me where she is going. As the older brother, I should know where my little sister is going at 11:30 p.m.” I was standing next to my brother within seconds, looking at Mom and Dad, who were staring back at us.

“Ava, princess, where are you going?” Dad asked, and I groaned. “I’m simply going for a walk around town; I’ll be back in an hour.”

“You could have told me that as well,” he whined, stomping his foot on the ground.

“Are you positive you’re a centuries-old vampire? Sometimes I doubt that,” I smirked at him before sprinting out of the home, saying.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be back, don’t wait for me.” I said running out the door.

My stomach felt that familiar rush that night, embracing what I was: a Vampire. Each stride through the trees reminded me of the power and freedom it held. I felt at peace or serene when sprinting as quickly as the wind moved, all sounds going away, and all I could hear was the wind, the air, and nothing else. Except for one sound, police sirens in the distance, which drew my attention.

Police? I came to a halt and checked my watch; it was 11:45. Weird.

I sped up and followed the police car where they were going. I came to a stop as soon as I couldn’t hear the sounds any more. I went to the main road to see what was going on.

The blackness of the street was lighted by red and blue strobe lights, with a murmur of whispered discussions interrupted by the crackling of police radios. A crowd of people had gathered to observe what was going on, their expressions filled with morbid curiosity and terror, hoping to catch a sight of the drama that was hidden from view. A swarm of officers stopped individuals from taking photographs. As soon as the green light turned red, I crossed the street and arrived at my location. I moved gently closer to the point where everyone was crowding and blocking my view. I struggled to focus my eyes as I pushed past the crowd to see what was going on. My heart lurched as my eyes fell on the body, dread pooling into my stomach. The fang marks—vampire—sent another wave of fear, cold as ice, crashing over me. This wasn’t supposed to happen.

There was a dead body of a man in his early twenties lying in a dark alley opposite the New Orleans club. What surprised me the most was the bite mark on his wrist and neck. He was killed by a vampire. I came to my senses when one of the forensic team members covered his corpse with a white cloth.

My mind was racing, as though it were otherwise going to make some kind of sense out of the impossible. This town was supposed to be a sanctuary, a place to live quietly. But those marks on the man’s neck… they said it all. They threatened everything. How is this possible?

I began walking backward, unable to believe what I had just witnessed. But I tripped as my back collided with a body or a human. Everything happened in a matter of seconds, from inhaling the lovely aroma that penetrated my thoughts and left an impression on my mind to hearing her voice.

“Hey there, be careful,” she said as I turned to face her.

My breath hitched as I turned, my gaze fixed on the woman who’d spoken. Her beauty was startling, with jet-black hair falling over her shoulders and framing a powerful but tender face. More than anything, it was her scent—a delicate mix of roses and something uniquely hers—that had me reeling. It felt like it strung something deep inside me, one tug resonating so loudly.

“I-I’m sorry, Miss,” I stammered. “It’s okay,” she said before I could say something when one of the police called her out. “This way, Officer Miller.”

She walked away with a tiny grin and a nod. Damn that lady. She is also a member of the police force. Fuck me.

I began walking back to my house, wondering about the woman I had just met. Woman with black hair and brown almond-shaped eyes. Her scent. The scent of roses made me feel at ease and alive.

................

I unzipped my leather jacket as I entered my house and went into the kitchen to get a glass of water. I sighed, leaning against the counter. It was a stressful walk, from trying to feel peaceful to seeing a dead body killed by a vampire to ending up with meeting a woman I am thinking about.

I called out after hearing some activity on the stairwell.

“What is it now, Theo?” I sighed, and braced myself for the teasing that would ensue. My brother had this frustrating tendency to read me like a book—not that there was much to read anyway. “Have some respect for me Ava, I am your older brother.”

“Oh, a really older brother. What do you need, my Highness?” I stated this while lowering my head.

“Shut up, so what happened?” he said, twitching his brows and smiling creepily.

“Why would something happen?” I wondered as I finished my water and made my way to the sink.

“Then why are you smiling?” I turned around to deliver a classic response, but he beat me to it. “Don’t tell me to fuck off, you despise cleaning dishes yet you’re happy when doing one, who did you meet?” he inquired. Sometimes I despise him so strongly that he can simply read me. I tried not to tell him about this woman but seeing his pouty lips and puppy eyes.

“All right, fine. I met this woman, and she is—” I was at a loss for words to describe her, so I repeated the moment I saw her in my head in slow motion, and just one phrase came to me.“Beautiful, she is very beautiful. Her scent was where I lost it, and even though there are no flowers here, I can still sense her scent.”

“It appears that someone has found their mate,” he remarked.

“Ohh, Fuck off. It was probably simply the moment I had with her. I don’t believe she is my mate.”

“You should, given how you’re talking about her with your dreamy eyes.”

“My eyes are not dreamy.” I shot back knowing it probably was.

“Yes, you do; in any case, I’m going to bed.”

“Goodnight” I muttered.

Is she my mate?