LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 1: Skipping Stones – Part 1.
Warm to her naturally cold fingers, the vampire felt the life-giving blood just below the surface of the woman’s tanned hand. One single comforting touch. A vague recollection of speaking, a polite gesture then silence. Blurry wavy lines like that of a hot scorching desert obscured the vampire's third eye for a few moments as the crimson iris managed to focus on the details of the unfolding vision.
Autumn leaves lay on the surface floating in small circles around the various smaller islands that dotted a lake of soothing blue. Faded and light yellow-green lilypads poked up from the shallows and bounced when the water pushed back from the rocky shoreline. Small clouds of steam rose and spread out across the expanse, leaving an angelic look that at times would curl and tuck into images of wings that threatened to take off high into the air. Fading flowers covered the landscape in the center, with masses of yellow and orange butterflies desperately trying to drink from the nectar before their own heat faded and could no longer fly. Adding to the serenity of the moment, Fish and frogs stayed below the water and even through their playful antics didn’t cause any ripples.
Settling on a lonely branch hovering close to the lake, the blue jay vampire landed and poked its head around to gather more information. Spotting a deep blue and gray motorcycle materialize out of the white fog, the moon eyes of the jay watched the lady rider switch off the engine, pocket the keys and flip the stand down. Once the woman removed her helmet, the bird knew who she was watching. Blue-gray streaked short hair that matched the ‘Indian’ bike tumbled free as Sylvie watched herself walk to the edge and stand with her hands in the twin pockets of her leather jacket.
Intense feelings of love and confusion flowed from the vampiric form of herself and into the bird. Kneeling, Sylvie picked up a rock and with a flick of her wrist set the small stone skipping across the lake, ending the tranquility and ripples scattered in all directions – all without a sound. Matching the cue of the rock splashes, a light rain began to fall and soon its crystalline drops started to make certain parts of the scene sparkle for the bird. When a droplet fell from the precious flowers that were open, it was as though fireflies streaked through the air before disappearing into the ground.
Biker-Sylvie looked up to the cloudy sky, as if searching for her best friend – the moon. The bird in the tree felt the frustration and understood the meaning.
-Everything is just out of my reach.-
Having its fill of the melancholy vision, the bird spread its wings to lift off.
Golden, buttery light came from the bird’s peripheral vision halting the intention to leave. Folding its wings back Sylvie hopped on her bird feet and followed the image she’d seen two times before. A vampire woman, with her visage hidden in her rain slicker. While the hood might have been pulled up, it still allowed the bird to see the locks of copper-strawberry with hints of blonde that the light wind had exposed.
Excitement flooded the little vampire bird because this vision was more complete than the other two. The first one didn’t include the second vampire, and the second one didn’t include the light pulsing from the inside of the hood.
When the light imbued woman came up behind Sylvie’s rain slicked form, the woman placed one hand on her shoulder, and stood there as if the scene had frozen completely.
Twitching her bird head around frantically Sylvie searched for meaning, anything. The one thing she needed to confirm the vision as true and time was running out. She could feel the third eye getting tired and knew the heat lines would return then afterward nothing but darkness and loneliness.
Freezing in place, Sylvie as her blue jay saw it. Shock and relief coursed through her dead body.
-There it is. Was it there the whole time?-
Light behind shadow. Woman behind woman. Sun to moon.
-The Eclipse.-
Meditation and its practice was foreign to many of Sylvie’s brethren. Deep contemplation, breathing control, and even kindness or compassion were not abilities or concepts on the list of a typical vampire. Laughed at by quite a few of the more ‘alpha’ type fledglings, they’d often make comments about Sylvie being the only vampire with stress and anxiety. Truth was, they didn’t quite know how she worked. Practicing the human art form allowed Sylvie two significant benefits. First was how it dampened and at some times removed the burning intensity in her throat for blood, allowing her more time to figure out when and how to procure her nourishment without feeling the desperation of hunger. Second, it allowed the opportunity to watch and monitor the way her third eye worked or even at times predict when it would open and show her a vision.
Although wholly focused on that inner eye, Sylvie didn’t know the vision she’d just witnessed was coming until her blood reserve dipped and the fuzzy eyelid opened from a long sleep. No matter who or what the vision was linked to, Sylvie knew that this time the vision was complete and very likely to come true at some point. When the first one hit her nine months ago, it was preceded by the young lady named Casey Rivers grabbing her hand and squeezing. Unlike the slow opening she witnessed moments ago, the vision back then was quick, intense and made Sylvie freeze in place until the lake scene had run its course.
-You chased down that lead, Sylvie. Nothing came of it. You and her saved each other. Had a few good times before…Casey left.-
Unable to maintain the focus of her meditation any longer due to the light sting of the thought, Sylvie mildly groaned before sitting up in the bed she’d been lying in. Once the sheet dropped and exposed Sylvie’s nude body to the air, she looked around the room for her clothing.
-Crumpled on the floor, lovely.-
Sylvie had been with the woman to her immediate right for about a month and while light moving in the bed didn’t really disturb the sleeping woman, the shift in weight to stand woke her up every time. Opting to get the inevitable out of the way, Sylvie placed her hand on Rose’s shoulder and gently shook her awake.
“Rose.” Sylvie’s Virginia southern accent floated in the air between them, “Wake up darl’n.” Drawing in a shallow breath, Sylvie leaned over and picked up her black bra first and snapped it in place over her near-oversized chest. “We have a wee little bit to discuss, before I leave.”
Yawning and pulling herself up against the pile of pillows she’d been sleeping on, the strawberry-brunette haired woman scrubbed the sleep from her eyes and smiled at her companion. “I get the feeling I am not going to like this conversation, Luna.” Rose half smiled and crossed her arms over her bare chest.
Shaking her head slowly, Sylvie confirmed Rose’s statement. “You don’t know how much I wish the outcome was different.” Slipping from the bed, Sylvie picked up her panties and shoved them in her jeans pocket before pulling the denim over her slender thighs before latching the button. “Rose.” She sighed, “Rose. You’ve seen bits and pieces of how I can see things, right?”
Tears forming in her eyes, Rose shook her head without speaking.
“Have I explained the one thing that tells me that what I see is true?” Sylvie offered
Nodding almost imperceivably, Rose managed to eke out a solitary word. “Eclipse.” Wrapping the white sheet around her nude form, Rose scooted on her knees to the edge of the bed. “You…you said my hair.” Rose pulled on her reddish brown hair, “That was what brought us together.”
“The eclipse, Rose.” Sylvie confirmed the truth, “I saw the eclipse tonight, it was subtle but it was there.” Sylvie reached out and squeezed Rose’s hand. “Moment of truth.” Sylvie took a longing breath and smiled. “As much as I wish I could leave you with the memories, in the long run they would destroy any hope of another life for you.”
Slouching and crying as though she’d had a hole form in her chest, Rose shook her head and pleaded with Sylvie once more. “I know…I know we..can…” She slobbered and kept crying, “...can love one another.”
Once her white Malibu rum tee had been stretched over her frame, Sylvie stepped to the side of the bed. “No doubt, my Rose.” Sylvie allowed herself to enjoy Rose’s silky hair as it flowed over her fingers a final time. “We would be lovely for a time. Picture perfect, to be honest.” Sylvie drew in a deep breath and smiled. “You know without even trying it will come true.” Sylvie sighed, “Imagine waking up ten years from now and being lost, confused how you got so much older? Your friends are offering you sympathy over a woman you don’t recall.” She paused, “All because in the night, the vision came to pass.” Sylvie raised her long eyebrows, “I can’t do that to you.”
Rose shook her head defiantly.
Calling to her vampire blood, Sylvie breathed slow and soft and created a sweet breeze for Rose to breathe in. Within moments of the enchantment taking effect, Sylvie knew that the woman had been placed in a powerfully deep charm where the vampire could plant events that would mask Sylvie’s presence. “Rose, lovely sweet Rose. It will be like you slept for a month, dreams so vivid you swear they might even have been true. Anything out of place will be déjà vu. You’ll be rejuvenated and eager to live life to the fullest and remember the dream as a fond moment.” Sylvie breathed one more time to set the glamor in place.
Jumping into her calf length heavy boots, Sylvie raced around Rose’s apartment and removed any trace that she’d been there and escaped in gaseous form through the base of the door.
-I hate doing that.-