Chapter Two – Caleb POV

“Caleb, I can’t do this anymore!” Ruby shouted, pacing. “I have it on my conscience. Every single day since I was revived all those years ago, there’s guilt. I just can’t deal with it anymore.” She headed for the door. “I have to go.”

I grabbed her arm. “Ruby, please.”

She faced me. “Darling, I will always love you. You know this to be true. I just can’t be with you anymore. I stole you and Morgyn from Jade. I shouldn’t even be here. I shouldn’t be alive.”

“You had nothing to do with Jade leaving,” I reassured her. “She fell for Marco. Morgyn and I made a mistake and pushed her away. Please, my love. Stay.”

She shook her head with tears in her eyes. “I can’t.”

And with that, she left. I stared at the door, dumbfounded. “No…” my voice was a mere whisper.

Weeks passed and she didn’t come home. I set out to find her. This scenario was all too familiar. She had done the same when Jade left.

I wondered if this was even a good idea, or the right thing to do. Sitting in the center of Forgotten Hollow, I put my head in my hands.

“Hey stranger,” I heard. I lifted my head and saw Inna. But she looked much different. Her eye color and hair changed. Her light brown hair, usually pulled back in a traditional Victorian style with a flower crown, was now shoulder length, curly and auburn. Her once brown eyes shined a beautiful bright blue. I may have been looking for Ruby, but in the meantime, Inna was certainly a sight for sore eyes. 

“Inna.” I stood up and hugged her. “You look great. Not that you don’t usually, of course.”

“Hmm, I’m flattered.” She laughed softly. 

“Your eyes…” I tilted my head. “How?”

“I mean, I could ask you the same. I miss those dreamy brown eyes of yours.”

I grinned. “I prefer gray. It matches the skin tone.”

She giggled. “Okay, you can have that. As for mine, these are just contacts, sadly.”

“Maybe I miss your dreamy brown eyes too.” I crossed my arms.

“Mhm, sure.” She looped her arm around mine. “Come now, let’s talk. I know something is bothering you.”

She still knew me very well, eh? I followed her lead. All of this was familiar. It reminded me of a more complex time. I was trying to move on after Ruby’s passing, and I found comfort in Inna. But, I broke her heart. Then I avoided her. We had been in contact more as of late, but it was digital. I had no idea she had changed her appearance.

I told her everything, effortlessly. Ruby had been bothered for a long time. Years. Since Jade left. I was able to reassure her all this time until she finally had enough. 

“I don’t know if I should be chasing her,” I said quietly. “This is what she wants. I’m being selfish by chasing, but I must reassure her again that there’s nothing wrong with what we have.”

She smiled. “She has too big a heart. She has spent, how many years? Seventeen? Something like that. She’s spent all that time caring about someone who moved on quickly. She won’t let it go. Are you sure this is what you want? If it’s not what she wants?”

I looked away. “You’re right. I’m chasing a memory.”

She rubbed my back. “I wish I had more to say to help. If she wants to continue the relationship, she will come back to you.”

I nodded. “Yeah….”

She stood up. “You know what you need? A party, like the good ol’ days. Lucky for you, I’m having one this weekend, and you’re coming. I won’t take no for an answer.”

I laughed. “Sure, I’ll be here.”

She gave me a day and time, and I left, heading home in better spirits than I was when I got to the Hollow. Wherever Ruby was, she was probably happier than she was living in Jade’s shadow.

I wondered how Jade was doing. I made a pit stop at her apartment before going home.

Marco answered the door, scruffy and looking exhausted.

“Oh it’s you,” he said, a sense of relief in his voice. “Come in.”

“Who else would it be?” I laughed, trying to lighten the mood. 

“No one, I guess. Just my past coming to haunt me, like always.” He sat down on the couch.

I watched him, concerned. “Are you alright? Like, I mean this in the best way possible, but you look horrible.”

“I feel horrible.”

“Want to talk about it?”

“I guess.”

I sat beside him and he sighed, running his hand through his messy hair. “I’ll address the elephant in the room, since I know why you’re here. Jade isn’t here.”

I nodded. “Okay? But I asked how you were.”

“I’d be better if I knew how she was.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Did she leave you?”

He shook his head. “No. Not in the way you’re thinking.” He sighed and put his head in his hands. I noticed one was wrapped in a bandage. It was loose and starting to fall off. His hand was several different shades of purple and he wasn’t moving it. “She hasn’t been taking Orion’s death well at all. Or her loss of power and status. She’s depressed, and revealed to me she was suicidal.”

“Did she-“

“No, no.” He interrupted. “She didn’t hurt herself, but I took her to Newcrest to be treated. She’s in their care. She can’t have her phone or tablet, and their visiting hours are short.”

“I see.” I nodded solemnly. “And you’re not taking that well, I see.” I gestured toward his hand. 

He looked at it, then put it down. “Y-yeah. I…I got angry.”

“Hey, I’m not judging,” I said with a reassuring smile. 

He nodded. “It hurts like a bitch.”

I held out my hand. “May I?”

He placed his hand in mine and I closed my eyes. He grunted in pain, but in a few seconds, his hand was healed.

“You can do that too?” He looked over his hand, taking the bandage off.

I nodded. “Yep. Using vampiric powers for good.”

He smiled. “Thanks.”

“No problem.” I also smiled. “And, for what it’s worth, I know the darkness wasn’t your fault.”

“How are you handling your son’s death?” He looked at me, the dark circles under his eyes more apparent. 

I shrugged. “As bad as it sounds, I’ve accepted that it needed to be done, you know? I miss him dearly, but I miss the old him. The excited little child he was. Not the embodiment of darkness he became.”

He looked at the floor. “You’re right.”

I stood up. “Hey. Get some rest. You look exhausted.”

He also stood up. “Yeah. Thanks again.”

“Any time.” I smiled warmly.

I went back home to my empty house. Morgyn was often gone, monitoring the realm with the other sages, keeping it safe from any more harm.

I looked at a picture of Orion on the bedside table. “Not like there’s going to be any more.” I closed my eyes and rested my hand on the stand next to it. “I miss you, little guy.”

I closed my eyes and fell asleep, replenishing my vampire energy. As I fell asleep, I realized just how much I was looking forward to the weekend.

——————

I arrived at the party, and Inna immediately greeted me at the door.

“Caleb! I didn’t think you’d actually come.”

I gave her a grin. “Why wouldn’t I?”

She shrugged. “Just come in! Plasma Janes are at the ready.”

“Mmm.” I licked my lips. “I can’t wait.”

I stepped into the living room. There were many people I didn’t recognize. Humans. I was surprised. I thought it was a party exclusively for vampires. Not that I was complaining. As a people person, the more the merrier.

Inna came up beside me and handed me a drink. I flashed her a smile as I took it.

“Thank you.”

“Anything for you, handsome.” She winked.

“You know I’m still not single, right?” I laughed softly.

She grinned flirtatiously. “Doesn’t mean I can’t flirt, eh?”

She had a point. What harm could a little flirting do? And I mean, she was fun to flirt with and looked damn good in the short red dress she was wearing.

“You look good in red,” I complimented.

She kept on that flirtatious grin. “Red hot, right?*

I laughed again. “Sure.” I glanced over at the people mingling with each other. “Red hot.”

The night progressed, and we ingested a few more Plasma Janes. I should have known that little harmless flirting thing was a bad idea. As we got more tipsy, we got a tad more handsy, dancing close and subtly teasing each other. After a break from the dancing, I saw her standing alone. I came up behind her with a mischievous smirk. I placed my hands on her waist. “Hey there.”

She jumped, then leaned into me, laughing. “Hey you.” She turned to face me. “Ready to dance again?”

I looked over at the crowd. “You know? I don’t want to disturb the peace, and I’d like to speak to you privately.” I started to head for the door.

“Nah, follow me,” she said heading for the stairs 

I felt a quick blip of butterflies, but I followed her. She led me into her room and sat down. I sat beside her.

“This room hasn’t changed a bit.” I laughed, glancing around. It was all still very Victorian, with gray, flowery wallpaper and antique, but pristine furniture. Nothing had been rearranged. 

“Yeah, I don’t spend much time here. But you wanted a quiet space, so the floor is yours.”

I looked at the floor, ironically. “I want to apologize for the way I treated you. I’m sure you thought I hated you. I just packed up and left without a word.” I looked into her eyes, still captivated by the way she had changed her look. “But it was the opposite. I didn’t hate you at all. I fell in love with you. A part of me fought it, saying I couldn’t do that to Ruby, so I left. Couldn’t think of a good reason why, so I said nothing at all.”

She moved closer and gazed into my eyes now. I felt paralyzed. This hidden desire for her that I had pushed aside and masked was coming to the surface.

“How do you feel now?” Her eyes narrowed flirtatiously.

“I…” I leaned in toward her as well. “I feel like I’m going to regret what I say next.” I caressed her cheek with a smile. “I feel like I want to kiss you.”

We moved closer, our lips touching, and she wrapped her arm around me, then the other. She parted her lips, so I did the same, tilting my head and letting our kisses progress like so long ago. God, what had I gotten myself into? I wanted her. I wanted her more than I ever had. 

Clearly, she felt the same. Her fingers caressed the skin of my neck, trickling downwards until she reached my shirt. She cautiously pushed open my jacket, sliding it off my shoulders, then moved her hand down, slowly pushing up the shirt underneath. 

We moved to the middle of the bed and raised to our knees, kissing each other more intensely as time went on. I began to feel uncomfortable. I wore jeans, fabric that did a pretty good job of constricting me. 

She broke the kiss, moving to my neck. She massaged the side of it with her fingertips, kissing along my jaw on the other side, sending a shiver down my spine as she moved to my neck. She dragged her tongue across it to my ear.

“Let’s see if I can remember everything you love,” she whispered against my skin, her hand moving down my exposed torso and pushing my shirt up further. She lifted it off of me before continuing. 

“Well you’re starting on the right track.” I replied in a strained voice. “Keep going. I love it.”

She slowly ran her hands up my body as he nibbled my neck softly. I bit my lip, tilting my head back as she turned me on mercilessly. I grabbed her hips, slowly pulling up in the red dress I loved so much on her.

After a short while and a little bit of foreplay, our cravings for each other got the best of us, and I entered her, slowly and romantically at first. But neither of us were content with that. We gradually sped up.

I couldn’t believe it. I was lost in her. I had missed her so much, but avoided her so this didn’t happen. Right now? I didn’t care. I had her again and absolutely nothing else mattered.

She seemed to feel the same as we not only shared our bodies, but also our kisses, and maybe even our spirits. I couldn’t help myself. I was loving my time with her and didn’t want it to end. I knew this wouldn’t be our only encounter.

Thus, our affair began.

We laid together, catching our breath. I softly stroked her skin and kissed her forehead as we covered ourselves with the blankets. I didn’t say a word. I had a lot on my mind. I had just cheated on Morgyn. I didn’t have a plan to tell him, and I knew I would do it again. I had a mix of thoughts about it. It was like I just didn’t care anymore, but I did. I really did. Morgyn was everything to me. But Jade had been there, so had Ruby as well. At one point, Inna too. This was a habit. Growing too attached to people, only to break their hearts or to have them break mine. My feelings of apathy grew after my son was killed. Of course, I did know it had to be that way, like I told Marco, but with Morgyn spending most of his time in the realm, Jade getting the help she needed and Ruby just taking off again, I walked away for comfort, rather than communicating. 

“Has Vlad been leaving you guys alone now?” Inna asked softly, stroking my cheek as she gazed into my eyes, concerned. 

I nodded. “Yeah. He got what he wanted. At least mostly. His “son” is alive, and so is he. While Kris wants nothing to do with him, they are neighbors, so at least they see each other.”

I was happy she brought that up. I needed the distraction from my own thoughts, and while I was in town I could make an agreement with Vlad. I could also visit Lilith and Kris.

But not right now.

Inna snuggled under the blankets, closing her eyes. “This is nice,” she said quietly.

“Mhm.” I kissed her shoulder. “Yeah. It is.”

“Will you stay tonight?”

I nodded. “Yes.”

She smiled and faced me. “Here? In my room?”

“If that’s what you want.”

She cuddled close, wrapping her arms around me. “That’s all I want right now. I’ve missed this.” She paused. “But what about Morgyn?”

I sighed. Here we go. I didn’t want to think about those consequences. “Morgyn is staying late again. He often sleeps there when there’s a large workload.” I rested my head on hers. “He won’t know I’m gone.”

“Naughty boy,” she replied with a grin. “Sleeping around, like the Caleb before Ruby.”

“The ‘Caleb before Ruby’ didn’t exactly care about anything other than the pleasure his activities brought him,” I corrected her. “However, right now, I suppose I’m not an improvement “

“Mmm, well if you ask me, I’d say you are.”

I gave her a flirtatious grin. “How so?”

She laughed.  “Did you forget what just happened?” 

I shook my head. “I don’t ever think I will.”

“It was amazing,” we expressed in unison. 

She giggled and pulled me close, playfully kissing me. “Maybe I want more of you.”

“Oh, do you?”

“Maybe I’ll let you be the judge,” she whispered against my lips. Kissing me again, she took my hand and moved it down her body.

And the cycle began again.

Chapter Three (Click here!)