Love Sucks

The rising sun proclaimed the morning of another day. This day was the same as all the rest, it was a sunny day. The leaves of the trees were green and the sky was blue. Everything was as it had been the day before yet after today, at least for Catelynn Minx and her ages, girls who recently turned 16 or those who will be 16 this year, nothing will ever be the same again.

Today was the day of the claiming, a formal way to auction off the newest changelings to the highest bidder. Well, I’d say the world has gone down to the dumps in the last half century. See, about fifty years ago, it came to light that Vhampires and Werewolves exist...

I would prefer the dark above the acting and fans. Every family was so willing to give up their daughters for the sake of money. This year is going to be worse, because the girl I mentioned before has come of age this year, and just to anger me, my brothers have decided to bid on the girls in this year’s auction.

My mood soured at the thought.

“Well? Are you going to go get dressed or are you sitting this one out?” My older brother, Callum smirked.

My family was a honorable one, made up of both races, my brothers were werewolves and I, a Vhampire. The Werewolves needed the new changelings to have children. Basically they were called changelings because they’ve reached puberty, (now that’s a messy subject) and thus they were able to conceive, fifty five percent of them don’t make it through childbirth, but the lucky few are then blessed with the ability to shift into one of them, a wolf.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m coming.”

I made the finishing touches on my bow tie, which I thought looked ridiculous, and made my way to the limo. My parents were royalty and all my brothers were allowed to bid on a girl tonight. I had no intention of doing any such thing. There were some human girls that were never picked and they could live a normal, well the normal before Vhampire and Werewolves were made stars, life with a human boy of their choice.

“Come on, Cedric Flames.”

They hurried me along and with a grudging sigh I went albeit resentfully. As my mother tried to make conversation in the limo, I stared out the window, consumed by my thoughts. The drive took a while since the event was held in a big city, don’t ask me it’s name. When you’ve been alive for four hundred years, places and city names lose their value, and thus the need to remember the names. The ceremony was as it was every year, yet I could feel myself grow anxious, as the minutes ticked by. The hall was decorated with red and blue ribbons, mainly because most wolf pups have blue eyes, and newly turned Vampires have red eyes, but once the whole bloodlust thing fades it takes on another color, the color of your aura. Mine was silver ringed with gold.

“I can’t wait to see the exotic beauties they bring out.”

My brother’s revelation reminded me of my brief and first exchange with the girl named Catelynn.

☁☁☁

I walked up to her in the hall, we were at a charity function, the one my parents hosted. Which incidentally they held every bloody year, and every year they forced me to attend it. Which, mind you I had the intense desire to wear a mouth guard to, just to insure that I did not grind my teeth to dust. And to prevent having conversations that had absolutely no meaningful value to one whose life span nears infinity, an immortal existence. Catelynn wore an exotic dress, made of satin silk, it matched her green eyes perfectly, and her skin was a golden olive, sun kissed by the sun goddess herself.

I saw an arrogant male, as in Elias, my second oldest brother, trying to flirt with her. I mentally rolled my eyes at his boldness. I saw from her facial expression that she was terrified of him, I told the DJ to start a waltz.

“Pardon the intrusion, but would you like to dance?” I addressed the girl, purposely butting in, and standing between her and Elias Flames, who was, amusingly so, steaming from ear to ear, if he had to turn any redder he would either a) have a heart attack which isn’t bound to happen, or b) literally be blowing steam from ear to ear.

“I’d love to,” She answered on a whisper. I gently took her hand and with that we stepped onto the dance floor. That waltz was the first time I’ve ever had a decent conversation with a human girl.

“I’m Catelynn, and thanks, for you know, the save.”

I smiled at her. She looked down, at that moment, I saw her, and she was a fragile flower, in need of protection.

“I’m Cedric, and I’m not going to do anything to hurt you ever. Okay? I’ll look out for you as long as I can.”

With the softest touch of my forefinger, I lifted her chin and stared into her green eyes, my heart raced as I lost myself in her innocent gaze. I might have imagined it but her soul spoke to mine, in the same tone of velvet that caressed her voice.

“Cedric, that’s sweet of you, but I can’t ask that of you, of a stranger, even one as noble as you. I bet you’re one of them... Those monsters.”

My heart leaped and crashed as the dance ended.

“I will keep my promise, Catelynn.”

She nodded slowly before she left with her family.

☁☁☁

That was the best dance of my life. The lights dimmed and the host got up on the stage, I tuned the rest out. Row after row of girls lined up on stage, the last age group to come onto the stage was Catelynn’s age, which meant Cate was next in line. And there she was. My eyes followed her across the stage, as she bravely made her way to the front. The first bid started at 5000, my brother of course had to worsen it and bid 10 000. I closed my eyes as the bids picked up until the other bidders caved in ... she was sold to my brother for 25 000 money pieces.