Blood & Juniper

I jolt slightly at the unexpected sight. There is something about this vampire that stands out from all others in the club. Foreboding and striking, more on par Juniper's intimidating presence. Her appearance alone is unique, skin as pearlescent as her silvery short hair, making the dark eyes all the more piercing behind the veil of swaying cloth.

Another voice farther behind the curtain slithers out a bit higher in pitch, ringing like crystal glass, "Oh, do you see?"

I squint to see the owner of the other voice. It's another woman that looks nearly identical to the one against the see-through dr.a.p.es. The only major difference is her hair, its longer, flowing past her bust. She has a faint looking man slung across her legs. Her black almond eyes are drilling into mine.

The other replies, "Yes, she's in for trouble so it seems!"

I blink wondering if I should leave. I look around for an escape. I'm about five yards from them, do I just walk away?

I gasp with a start as I find the woman with hair straight as a board leaning into my face. The dr.a.p.es don't even sway, it's like she just teleported rather than moved.

"Do you know what lies ahead, child?"

I shake my head vigorously, shocked. My brain fumbles with the options of running or enduring.

Her giggle is as smooth as her silk laden voice, "Look what destiny has wrought!"

Her friend within the room chimes in, "Matilda, bring her here! I want to see."

My face melts into dread. Should I run, can I even outrun her?

"Eighteen holes for the laces of each boot, thirty-six total," she remarks before lifting her blunt gaze to my face, "Fear not, young one. No danger will befall you… with us," she chuckles with a dark undertone, "Come child, come! Don't be shy."

She glides forward as if the floor is moving her and not her own legs. She parts the curtain and waits for me.

I freeze, darting my eyes away then back to her.

Her expression become sly as the words slip out, "Something is coming your way. Aren't you curious to know?"

"I should be going," I inform dryly.

"A man is following you."

I lean back on my heels, flipping my head around. Someone is following me? Sam? I hope it's Sam.

She elaborates, "He's not in the Allure, it's not your companion."

"Not the cute one with choppy hair and green eyes," adds the one in the room.

I stand there with mouth wide. How do they know about Sam?

She holds out a delicate hand to me like a ballerina, "Step through, young one. We will not harm you, only share what we see."

It seems like a bad idea to turn my back on them. I don't really have a choice so I obey, cautiously inching forward.

The woman's irises shine like two black pebbles in a river. Her head swivels to follow as I pass through the curtain, lips curling in delight. I swallow hard and hold my breath.

The one propped against the chaise lounge chair suddenly claps her hands together in excitement, "Look at the potential of this one! She has something beyond!"

"No wonder she was chosen," the one called Matilda slides to the other side of the seat, lifting the limp man over her legs.

I can see now they really are twins, remarkably identical. They both wear the same outfit, a loosely flowing floor length dress, braided spaghetti straps, with a plunge neck. The only difference being the color.

The one with hair cut above her shoulders, Matilda, wears onyx to coordinate with the color of her irises. The one other wears silver, matching her skin and hair. They are extremely lean making them appear tall and alien like, but stunning as fashion models. Sharp cheekbones line their exotic features. I can't tell what race they are or were when they were human.

Both pairs of eyes suddenly widen as if seeing something unbelievable while staring at me.

"She's appears to have made Christina very angry!" Matilda exclaims.

The other leans toward me, "What did you do to upset her so?"

I stutter, "W-who?"

They look to each other. Each lift one eyebrow in sync and continue their confusing chatter,

"She hasn't met her yet, how fateful."

"Perhaps we can help her avoid such confrontation?"

"Perhaps. Though, it may be past the point of alteration."

They turn back to me grinning wide as I shift uncomfortably.

"Would you lend us your hands so we may see more clearly?" they speak in unison, each raising a hand to me like conductors of an orc.h.e.s.tra.

I hesitate eyeing the two of them. Their eyes are glazed, starting to light faintly with color.

The one with long hair continue as if monologuing, "It's dark, it's cold. You're starving, young one."

"Suffering, torturous. How miserable, my child."

"Do you see, sister! Someone has lost their head!"

"Who's the hunk in the robes? He's tall, quiet and handsome," Matilda giggles as the other slaps her shoulder.

"I don't get what you're saying," I furrow my brows, mumbling at the strange pair of women.

"Then lend us your palms."

"So it may become clearer to us."

I stare at their boney yet beautiful hands outstretched. Posed like historical figurine statues, they haven't moved an inch. I stare down at my hands curling them then releasing.

Their irises are no longer black but illuminated like fireflies in jars. Matilda's brighten into a brilliant crimson as her sister's flare purple like full bloom orchids in the light of a midday sky.

Creepy, really creepy twins. 'I guess we're doing this. Here goes nothing.' I stretch out my arms, palm down and slide my fingers into their grip.

All three of us gasp in unison, "Oh!"

I'm abruptly slammed into darkness. This is a lot like that dream I had but also not. It's got the consistency and ungrounded physique, but there's something very wrong, very real… Inescapable.

It's cold. I feel cold stone, I'm laying on it. My sense of touch is not this acute in a dream but I can't seem to control my actions. I'm helpless to just watch myself move. Feeling it, sensing it, but I can only view this behind my own eyes, there's nothing I can feasibly *do* about it.

I'm somewhere very dark. I'm wincing, my body hurts. I'm so hungry, this is an intense hunger, an excruciating hunger. Starving. It's worse than it's ever been.

I try to crawl to my feet but I'm too weak. I look around in the pitch, while lying on the ground. Juniper is slumped against a rock wall.

Familiar words in June's voice speak like Deja vu, "I've made quite a mess dragging you into this. I'm so very sorry."

It's fuzzy like a dream again. Chaotic, I can't hold on to the vision for too long. Time speeds up and crackles in my ears.

There's screaming. It's me, I'm screaming and bawling. I'm in a torch lit a cave-like place. There are people surrounding the area, quiet and still. A headless body is propped by the closest wall, it looks fresh like the beheading was recent, black goo is splooging out of the mangled stump.

Culty robed figures are silently hovering around this dingy place. A woman is laughing maniacally. Her back is to me and bronze waves of long hair shake down her back. Cackling, maddened laughter.

"There's no hiding or running. She'll find you both!" I turn and see I'm no longer in the cave, not laying on the ground.

I stare at a man wearing an antagonistic frown. It's that guy I met at the bar, Miles. We must be in a tunnel, everything starts to shake as if rattled by an earthquake. A train whistle howls in my ears.

It's piecey and jumbled like a fever dream. Things are zooming by so fast I can't comprehend. And then June is ripping into someone, eating them!

It's like a damaged old film reel and I'm trapped inside. Another moment is fast forwarded. Another person is being desecrated by Juniper's claws or what's left of one. There are body parts everywhere like they spontaneously combusted!

I yell at her, "They'll go after him! Stop before it's too late!"

It's my voice, it came out of my throat but it's as if I was preprogrammed to say that. I didn't will it.

I'm running at June. I watch myself go at her without my brain issuing the command. I attempt to throw her off this pile of meat that was once a person, I don't know if they're still alive.

A crack in my stomach. 'Oof!' That's painful, I feel it in my gut. I'm flying backwards one second and then my backside is slamming against a wall. 'Oow!' It rattles my skull, my legs, my arms, my back. That hurts!

Here comes gravity as I come to kiss the ground. Something stabs into my neck instead. Needles dig into my skin and reconnect me with the wall. 'Ahck! Stop!' I spudder and squirm.

Eyes! There are eyes stabbing into my face with more force than the points jabbing into my throat. June's eyes have never looked like that. Her face has never been so ghoulish and twisted up, even at her most insane! Those are killing eyes. Burning blue, bloodthirsty, murder eyes!

I cower, slamming mine shut.

There are flashes behind my lid, I can hear a distorted voice like someone is talking on a phone while it's being held under running water. A woman is yelling, sobbing, hysterical. Who is that? Her voice is so familiar, "They're dead, Ashlen! Dead! There was blood everywhere! They were murdered! Did you hear me? Murder!"

The flashes and screaming voice stops only for a cry of pain to take its place. Sam is struggling against mob, they're attacking him! Hurting him. I can't see what's happening, they're crowding and mauling. What are they doing! Crushing his skull?

I'm held in place as I jerk trying to free myself to get to Sam. The attackers move out of the way revealing Sam on the floor. Blood pooling is around his face.

"Sam!" I wail for him in a fit. He struggles to push himself off the ground, hissing ragged breaths through his teeth. His gasps and grunts of agony are echoey.

Am I dreaming? Is this real? His hair masks his face. Blood pours off it and down his hair like a running faucet.

The voice of a sadist announces "Now lay there and listen to her suffering!"

Pain. I choke, s.u.c.k.i.n.g in a guttural breath as three sharp points plunge into my back and through my c.h.e.s.t. Something searing, large, it's not supposed to be there. Get it out!

It's blurry, I may pass out. I gag trying to push the points out but it the pain amplifies when I move. I groan, it's thick and wet. It hurts, it hurts!

Someone bellows, I hear scrambling and brawling before something large clatters to the floor. The sound of liquid sprinkling and splattering over stone.

It's hot! Fire! Am I burning? I thrash and try to get away but I'm stuck to something. Every pore is screaming. I howl, eyes ripping open to blinding hot white. My eyeballs are boiling! Liquifying! 'Stop! STOP!'

I rip my hands from the grip of the twins stumbling backwards. I pant as my hand latches itself to my face. It's not melting, I'm not hurt, everything is back to normal, or as normal as it can be.

They stare at me in shock. There's silence for a moment as I collect myself.

"She saw," they announce as one. Then look at each other.

Matilda asks, "But how, Dotty? She does not appear to count."

"It's unclear, but did you see her master?"

"Indeed, how unexpected."

"What a mess! Her future is too unclear. I hope Christina doesn't attempt to drag us into her squabbles. How petty!"

"She's too hellbent, it may be her downfall. So dramatic, so intriguing! I want to know more."

"...Oh she looks frightened. Are you stable, young one?" Dotty asks me.

My hand is still pressed into my face as I attempt to come back to earth. I don't ever want to experience something like that again! And after all that they still aren't making any sense to me.

My eyes veer over to see an enthused Matilda at my side, eyes wide, still shining red. These two are seriously freaky!

Matilda remarks with that creepy look, "That wasn't supposed to happen. You're not an Oracle, are you."

I steady my breathing, "What did you do to me?"

"Nothing," says Dotty, suddenly invading my other shoulder, "We only wanted to see clearly, but it seems you saw something as well."

Dotty pouts in concern, "You look faint, would you like to finish the rest of our meal?" she tilts her head and points to the passed out man. Half of his body is on the floor as he slowly slides off the on the chaise lounge.

Matilda's face is closer, she presses, "Do you also have visions of the future? Did you see ours?"

They stare expectantly, vivid eyes gleaming with intrigue. These too, that chaotic vision, I just need to breathe! This is a total mind dump of a confusing mess. Too much is being thrown at me. It was so real, I felt pain, I'm terrified!

Sam, June, and others! What the hell happens to us? I don't know the order of these events. I don't know when or if those things will happen or how to change it!

These two can see my future? I can't see anyone's but my own, as far as I know.

"Mysterious child, show us more."

"Please, let us in again."

They inch closer, circling and grinning like hyenas. I instinctively shuffle back.

Someone grabs my shoulder and I jump, flipping my head around. Sam's hand is on my shoulder. He steps slightly in front, glaring at the two women as they slide away innocently.

I gawk at Sam, he's laser focused on the two women, a cold frown set in place.

He addresses them without emotion, "Delores, Matilda."

They giggle like giddy school girls as they chatter back and forth.

"Oh he's so formal. Too cute!"

"Charmer! Even knows us by name."

"You can call me, Dot, handsome," Delores flirts with a wink.

"That jacket is becoming of you. One hundred eighty-eight teeth on that zipper, I see!"

"No, Tilda! It's One eighty-nine!"

"Oh, quite right, Dotty. I missed one!"

"Come on, let's get out of here," Sam urges me quietly, refusing to take his eyes off the pair.

"Sam," Delores calls like she's up to no good, "Don't you want to know what's ahead?"

"Do you know what tragedy and horrors await?" Matilda holds her hand out to him.

Sam stares at them, unflinching and unblinking. Then he turns to leave, taking my hand without sparing me a glance and leading me out of the room.

"Oh, he's reckless! Perhaps, suicidal!"

"A probable death wish... Oh, an angry boy!"

They cry in sync, "First mid-life crisis!"

I glance back as they cackle like mad women falling over each other.

Sam guilds me in speedy strides, eyes locked straight ahead. They call out to us separately behind the see through fabric, "Come back to us again, sweet child. Don't go dying on us now."

"Don't be so self destructive, handsome. Everyone struggles with their first century."

Sam looks pissed, his lip curls as he stares forward.

Crap, is he mad at me? I didn't mean to get mixed up in that, I hope he knows.

"I thought I told you not to wander off too far," he states keeping his voice level but avoiding my gaze. Still angry about something.

"I didn't mean to. They kind of pulled me in there and I didn't feel like I had a choice. They seemed… dangerous. I didn't want to argue."

He nods, pulling me closer to him, I feel better with him near, "You did the smart thing. It's best not to refuse them. They're former Thorn."

"What!"

"I shouldn't have left you alone. Of course, they'd be around tonight. Everyone and their grandmother is here," he grumbles not slowing his pace.

"Sam, they are psychic! They see stuff. I thought you didn't know anyone who could see the future."

"I don't know them personally. I just know of them."

He leads me into an empty room, parting the loose dr.a.p.es. This one has a large bed. He sits me on it, while looking around suspiciously.

"Sam, what's wrong? Are you angry with me?"

"No," he finally locks his eyes in mine with a troubled look, "Did they do anything to you? Are you hurt?"

I almost laugh, "No, they just wanted to see my future. They're a little wacko, like crazy cat ladies but I don't think they wanted to hurt me."

He snorts, it's good to see him loosen up a little, "They are a thousand times more bonkers than any cat lady."

I chuckle as he sighs a bit more relieved, "You looked scared when I found you."

"Well, I saw something. I don't think I was supposed to see it."

"What do you mean?"

"Like, they wanted a clearer picture so they asked for my hand. But when I touched them I saw something. My future maybe? It was messed up and didn't make sense. It was all over the place. It freaked me out!"

His brows knit, "What did you see?"

I swallow, I don't want to tell him what I saw. Especially the part with him. It was awful, I didn't know blood could pour out of someone like that. I can't let that happen to Sam!

"Ash, you're worrying me. What did you see?"

Tears flood my eyes and I glance up at the ceiling, blinking and wiping them away. I guess it's all setting in now. My voice shakes as the distress hits me hard, "People die! People I care about get hurt, Sam. I don't know what to do! What if it's my fault? I'm... scared! I don't want people suffering because of me!"

"Hey, hey," he says in a soothing tone in an attempt to console. He quickly lowers himself next to me, placing his palms on my upper arms as his eyes crinkle, "It hasn't happened yet. Maybe it won't happen. You said the future can change. How do you know it's your fault?"

I lose my composure thinking about all the blood and bodies, "I don't know! I can't see it! I don't know how to change it!"

"Ash, look at me," he tilts my chin up, I see his lips pressed taunt as sympathy flows from him, "It will be alright. I'll do what I can to keep whatever you saw from happening. It hasn't happened, it may not come true."

I hug him tightly, curling into him. I inhale his wonderful scent and soak in his words as they comfort me.

He wraps me up in a strong embrace. Cradling me into him. His hand slips through my hair and around my back creating a barrier.

He let's me cry until I get it out of my system. I take a shuddering breath and let the last tears fall, slowly put at ease. He makes everything better, doesn't he?

I close my eyes as he exhales, my ear pressed to him catches the breath exiting his lungs but there is no heartbeat to accompany. Perhaps that should be unsettling, the lack of a pulse, but there's something coming from him that exudes more power and warmth than a beating heart. It descends on me like a cloud, I'm nearly melting into him. I can almost feel him as if he's in my skin. Almost.

I could stay in his arms for an eternity and feel complete.

The frightening thing is how desperately I d.e.s.i.r.e that. I'm so irresistibly drawn to him but something is keeping us apart. Like he's on the other side of a glass wall. I can press up against the glass and long for him. Ache for him. But he's barely out of reach.

We both squeeze each other tighter in response. His amazing hands cradle me so possessively. I shudder and fill my lungs with his incredible aroma. He presses his face into my hair as if he will kiss the top of my head. His touch is doing things to me. Does he feel it too?

My whole heart aches for him. But if I truly let him have it, will he break it?

He presses me to his c.h.e.s.t like I'm something invaluable, something precious. I wish that to be true. I'm not a chaser of affection, but damn it! I haven't felt this way before, it's terrifying!

I thought I was independent, but I've never coveted for anyone or anything so intensely.

I don't want to let go. Not ever.