Dreams

OK. I had a really strange dream last night. I dreamt that I was adopted by a coyote pup. It followed me around like the most loving and loyal dog. It didn't even attack the cats.

Is this an empathy for an animal being forced from it's habitat due to urban sprawl, is it also the natural progression for the species. Being forced out of their habitat are they going to see dogs and move to being pets? I can't say, it was just a very odd dream.

So enough of my screwed up mind.

And for more from my screwed up mind.

Torn
32

You were beautiful. Your skin was the color of fresh cream, and your hair that of ebony, long and flowing. A fourth generation vampire by birth you were able to tolerate some sunlight, but preferred to experience it only at dusk and dawn. Your favorite color was midnight blue, and it always looked stunning on you.

You were the most beautiful of the females in the community. All of the men wanted to have you as their mate. But you were always aloof, never showing favor to any one.

The entrance to our community was on one edge of the plains. Gently rolling hills met a forest on one side and a crystal clear lake on another. You could often be found out on the plains at sunrise and set, the rays of the sun reflecting off of the blue in your dress.

It was spring, just after the sunset and just before the moonrise. You were in the fields, collecting wildflowers. The stars gave enough light for you to see by.

I think I fell in love with you that night. You were so radiant, and so fragile. You went to pick a flower and were stung by a thorn. You didn’t even know that I was there until I handed you a cloth to wipe the blood off of your finger. Your only thanks was a smile, but it was enough for me. I was always entranced by your smile.

You handed back the cloth, allowing your hand to linger on mine for just a moment. Then you were gone, off to collect more flowers.

I didn’t know it then, of course, but I think that even then you knew what your role was. You strived to enjoy life, in whatever form it was given to you. Little things that many though were silly, you relished.

I could have died happy that night; the image of your smile was fresh in my memory.

Many days passed. Life continued, and that night had become a pleasant memory for me. Then one evening you showed up at the entrance to my chambers.

You wore a gown of rich blue silk that evening. You asked me to come and watch the sunset with you. I was speechless as I followed you to a large rock near the lake.

We watched the last rays of the sun turn the water a vibrant orange. It was as the last sliver of the sun disappeared beneath the horizon that you kissed me for the first time.

I was in utter shock. You, who had always been so aloof, had picked me. Why, I still don’t know.

I had always thought that there would be somebody else that you would prefer to me, and yet there I was.

We spent that first evening just getting to know each other. We sat on that rock all night, talking. It was only when the sun cast its first rays over the horizon behind us that we realized exactly how long we had spent there that night.

***

I was so shy back then.

I was close to a hundred years your senior, but you were the one who was confident. You were the one who made the move. I was so amazed, and so blinded by the fact that you had chosen me that I never thought to ask why.

At first nobody noticed. We were both known for being solitary. We liked our private time, and the community had grown accustomed to it.

Daywalkers are known for unusual habits. Being able to tolerate the sunlight is an amazing thing to most vampires. Our habits are a little different because of that tolerance.

It was only when others started seeing us together that the questions started.

Most thought that it was just a friendship at first. You had always seemed so lonely, and many thought that you had finally found the friend that you needed. Only we knew what the truth was early on.

Soon enough, however, more in the community started to notice the amount of time that we were spending with each other. Rumors started, and soon enough we were forced with the prospect of either keeping our relationship secret, or telling everyone.

The decision was strangely difficult. While we wanted to be open with our feelings, you were worried about telling other people. So we kept quiet, probably longer than we should have.

It was when others close to us started asking questions that we decided to inform the community of our love for each other.

You had been right to have some apprehension about revealing our love.

Remember that I told you how sought after you had been. You had known as well, and from knowing stemmed your apprehension. You knew that there would be those who would be jealous once you decided to announce a potential mate.

Several men left the community upon the announcement of our intentions to mate. Most were just disappointed, some figured it was just time for a change of scenery, a couple left swearing vengeance.

Why do people, I don’t care what species, sometimes think that things have to go exactly as they want?

I don’t know what role those who left played in what happened later, if any. But some were blamed; one was executed under vampire laws.

The community was not horribly surprised by our announcement. Nor was it surprised by those who had chosen to leave. Such is the way of life at times, it was all accepted.

We were in love, that was all that we cared about. We both knew that there was still much to learn about each other, but it didn’t matter. We had each other.