Within the Cards (6 page)

He sat up straight in his seat. He portrayed an image of being sure of himself. I knew, he too, was inedible a weak form that showed his insecurities by working to make his body what his mind would not allow him to be. These human males were pathetic worms. They strive to hide their fears of insecurity behind bulging pieces of flesh that would riot after I finished with them. Hmmm, of course, I was sure his muscles were all that bulged on this mortal man. How could these poor perishable females put up with such misconceptions?

I watched as these mortal females looked at these piles of puke as if they were exactly what they made themselves up to be in their little pathetic minds. These human females were weak enough to overlook the truth that their male mates were nothing but scum in a pretty package. These humans irritated me with their emotions and their fragile egos. Their blood was all I crave to know about them.

“She’s beautiful. I would never have a chance with her.” The thoughts of a small framed, dirty blonde male in front of the room peeking over thick-rimmed glasses were barely audible.

He fidgeted in his seat holding his head downward as his thick glasses slide down his nose. He was a merger, debilitated, little creature, but still a leech nonetheless. Of course, if I paid him some attention, it would teach these other ego trips a lesson. Just because they looked buff didn't give them the right to think they could get any girl they wanted, especially me. On the other hand, maybe I should kill this little, unimportant male and take him out of his misery. Oh crap, I can’t do that. I would have to wait to kill the little worm. These others would be more fun to kill, but I can’t do that either. Dee would ring my neck, damn it.

I continued down the aisle as I listened to the thoughts of all in the class. They were ridiculous, these parasites. Their needs to the physical form were superficial. They needed to reassure one another in such a stupid, pathetic way. Their insecurities in their abilities of fulfillment along with their need of knowing that they were more than what they could produce were ridiculous. These idiots made me sick. I thought I was going to vomit, but then the females would just think I created another male. These people were so arrogant and simple-minded.

“What are they looking at? She doesn’t look better than me. Does she?” The thoughts of the girl with long blonde hair that sat with three other females in the middle of the room echoed in my head. The four of them kept their eyes on me. They smirked with disapproval.

The blonde-haired girl's insecurities reeked out of her as she rolled her eyes in my direction. Each of the three other females had similar thoughts of insecurity. Awe, the golden haired girl's name was Trish this would be useful later. It was so much fun knowing their names when I decided to kill them. I enjoyed playing with my food a little before I drank its blood. Adrenalin does something tasty to their vital fluids.

I continued my descent to the front of the class. The smell was stronger. It reached its magnitude when I reached the middle of the room, and I glanced to the right as the smell radiated from the center of the row. Where had I encountered that scent before? He looked familiar, but I could not remember where I had seen him. How had I forgotten someone that looked like that? Hmmm, although he was a vamp, he was somewhat cute for a rat.

His hair was black and shinny. It was so dark it would have stood out against a wall of coal. He wore it shoulder length with a slight messy razor look. His pale skin made his light green eyes pierce through me with one glace as a sword hitting its intended mark. I knew he was tall from the height he sat in his seat, and his body was thin but muscular. I saw the definition each muscle made under his black shirt. What century had I ran into him before? I should remember him. He stared back at me. How dare he look at me like that. I hissed to warn him that he was not alone, and I knew he was an immortal. I warned him I was a witchyre, and I was superior to his mongrel race.

I sat a few rows in front of him. My mind was still trying to remember where I knew him. His scent was so familiar and appealing. Yuck, a euphonious vampire, something had to be wrong with my nose. There was no way a vampire could be sweet. I concentrated and removed the other’s thoughts. I had to see what he was thinking. How did he know so much about me? Awe, he thought I saw him as a threat. That would be the day, the day he wished his maker had killed him instead of turning him into a rodent. What was he saying, me his maker? He must have hit his head at some time. That was a sin and wasn't allowed. I would never do something so ridicules.

“Why are you looking at me Vamp, and why do you assume to know me?” I yelled back at him through my thoughts.

Oh yeah, I forgot he was a mere hybrid. They couldn’t read minds. Only my immortal race could do that. He was the weaker of the immortals, a simple vampire.

“You don’t remember me at all do you?” His thoughts wilted as I read them.

I saw him slightly slump in his chair as if the breath of a human left him. The little cry baby, at least now he got the picture. Stupid vamp didn't realize I could read his thoughts. Apparently, he was mentally challenged, and he doesn't remember Witchyres could do this. Oh great a stupid, arrogant vampire, this was just my luck.

“If you had slithered through my thoughts in the past, I would have remembered the smell.” I snapped. I rolled my eye in discuss that this vamp thought he had some right to look at me. Stupid vampires made me sick. Their breed was repulsive.

“Awe, but I have my dear many times, even in your bed.” His thoughts were gloating.

What was this? He read my mind. He could read minds as well as I could. That was strange for a hybrid vampire. They didn’t have unusual powers. I had never heard of such. They’re just blood sucking night crawlers. He read my thoughts. I had to find out more information about this rodent.

“I would never lower myself to you. I am above the lines in which you crawl.” I returned with a hiss.

Oh my god, I was ready to puke. If I were human, I would already be running to the door to find the nearest bathroom to blow my breakfast. Thank the Gods I wasn't a pathetic human worm. Why was I stuck here with a bunch of worms and a rat?

“Oh my dear, what little you have remembered. I can thank your family for that.” His thoughts were loud as he glared at me with his eyes.

I knew the heat of his body increased because his scent became stronger. What did he know about my family? I dare him to have that attitude with me. I would have to show him that I was the superior immortal around here. Why did he think I had forgotten something? The more he sent his thoughts to me, I felt the anger boil inside of me. My family? What was he talking about ‘thanking’ my family? I felt the heat rise in my body. This vamp was pissing me off.

The professor cleared his throat to communicate he was ready to start the class. This distracted me, and I again heard the thoughts of the others in the class. These thought made me laugh to myself, which was a good thing for this vamp. It gave me a chance to cool off, before I ripped his head off.

The thoughts of the females that sat near this rodent sang out louder than the others. I was in disagreement with the thoughts of the brunette girl as she slumped down in her seat, crossing her arms over her chest.

“This is going to be one boring class,” she thought.

This was not going to be a boring class, not with a witchyre and a vampire in it. This dark haired girl sat next to the blonde known as Trish. I knew I didn’t like her with her arrogant attitude. Trish was an insecure girl that worried those idiots attraction to me was greater than their attraction to her. She tried to hide her insecurities by acting confidently, but I could see through her act. This stupid human female, why wouldn’t they be more interested in me? I looked damn tasty. Little did she know I wanted the dark haired male to try to “hit this”, that would be the last hit he ever made. I smiled to myself, proud to know I made these humans uncomfortable.

Again, the brunette female’s thoughts were in my mind. However, she was right this time with her perception of this professor. He was a “mousey little man”. Maybe I should take him out of his miserable life before the vamp got a chance at this slug of a man. Was I the only one that realized this little dweeb had thoughts of killing every student in the class? Hmmm, of course not, damn mind reading vamp.

Maybe being in the class with the rat was not the only reason this was going to be an interesting class. Watching this professor go over the edge on the rest of the students might be quite fun, not to mention the food it would leave me. I dare that damn vamp to step in my way of the crimson bliss that would be splattered all over the place. The mouse interrupted my thoughts.

“Valeness, Eleanor.” He called from the desk where he sat as he veered over his glasses.

“Yes” I returned to him. He looked at me as if he wanted to kill me. The vamp was already irritating me now this man was increasing my agitation.

“Ms Valeness,” he addressed me “are you named after the great Eleanor Roosevelt?”

That damn vamp was starting to get on my nerves. How dare he smirk at my expense. He had to be demented or just downright stupid. He was crazy because not even a half-witted vampire was fearless enough to take a chance of pissing off a witchyre. I had to let him know I was a witchyre, and I would make him sorry he was an immortal. Of course, I was talking about a race of rodents.

“No!” I replied with a short, impatient answer.

“Do you go by Eleanor or Ellie? He asked.

This professor was not going to make it to the end of the class period. Much less, would he make it to the end of this semester if he kept asking me stupid questions. Maybe, I should go ahead and persuade him to start his killing spree. No, I had to find out more about this vamp before additional attention pulled itself toward this class. I wouldn’t know how to explain that the vamp and I were the only ones that survived.

His name was Daughtry McRyne. I did not remember this name. Where had I seen him before? Daught? Hmmm, I couldn’t help but smile and forced my thoughts toward him. This would push the vamp. He would not be able to take my defamations, and he would react so I could get him out of the way.

“Daught, is it? You look more like a scared vermin rat to me.” I lashed my thoughts at him.

“Ellie, you never had trouble calling my name before.” Again, his thoughts were gloating, and he had a smirk in the voice of his thoughts.

I snarled at him. I gave him a glace of my razor sharp fangs, which I was not afraid to use. He was getting even closer to the realization that I may not be his maker, but I would make him wish he had been in another place at the time of his creation. I could not believe this vamp hadn’t reacted to my insult. He had to be stupid.

As the class continued, I couldn’t help but try to make myself remember where I had crossed paths with this vamp. Why did this bother me so much? I encountered many vampires in my existence and none of them made me feel the way this one did. What was wrong with me? I sniffed the air again as I hoped the scent had changed to the rat smell I expected from a vamp. Still a sweet smell, damn it, my nose failed me once more. Why was I letting him get the best of me? I had to get him out of my head.

Finally, the class period ended, and the many pieces of food started to leave the room. He wasn’t moving. I sat in my seat and waited for his next move. Was he ready for a confrontation? Vampires were usually a little smarter than this one. They knew they could not win against a witchyre. What was his problem? Has he had some vampire mental breakdown? He moved from his seat. I prepared myself for his meager assault, but he turned toward the exit. It was about time he admitted defeat. He would never be able to withstand an assault by me. Hmmm, he did have a cute butt. I rose from my seat and followed behind him as his thoughts continued in my head.

“Why do you insist I know you, vamp, and why do you insist I have forgotten you?” I snarled at him from behind. He did not turn to face me. He closed his eyes and lowered his head. I tried to concentrate on the sound of his voice, but I still didn’t know where we had crossed paths.

“Because you do and you have, if you could only remember what your family took away from you, you would remember our life together. Ellie, I love you and somewhere deep inside of you, you love me too.” He insisted.

I knew there was no other explanation other than living among these humans had caused this vamp to lose his flipping mind. He declared his love for me. There was no other explanation. He was insane. He had become a certified nut case.

“Love a vamp; never. Stay out of my way, and we will get along fine in this class, but if you cross me, I will make you sorry your maker ever found you,” my thoughts lashed out at him.

I moved quickly around him. I did not want to listen to him anymore. He was driving me insane. Why was he so insistent that I knew him? Where did I know him? Just before I reached the door, I looked around to see if any of these pieces of food were standing near, but they had all gone to their next class. I snapped my fingers, and I vanished to the safety of my dorm room.

Relieved to have that vamps thoughts out of my head; I leaned against the door to my room. The room was still the ugly white it was this morning, so I made some changes. A quick snap here and there, awe yes, it was easy to make it home seeing my sister insisted I come here. When I finished redecorating, the walls were a faux finish of red with a black glaze over them to deepen the crimson color. It was the same color of blood. This color made me thirsty. Hmmm, I was getting hungry.

The windows accented with curtains of black lace broke up the crimson on the walls. I lay on my bed of black silk, and the thoughts of this vamp were in my mind again. Where did I know him? This was going to drive me to the padded cell next to him. That wasn’t what I needed. I would rather face annihilation than spend eternity next to a vamp that thought he was in love with me.