The rush of emotions. The thrill and the excitement fading and being replaced by a steadily growing fear, and yet still in the background there was something imperceptible that floated like a dream, just out of reach. But then reality came crashing down!
Anna wasn't quite sure how this had happened. Sure, she hadn't been slaying vampires for very long, but it wasn't exactly rocket science. It required some thought and certainly tactics but mostly it followed the same structure: you get close, then you stab them through the heart with your wooden stake, they burst into dust, and you move on to the next. But something had gone wrong! Anna had moved!
Now she was left grasping the end of a stake that was plunged between ribs, one inch to the left of her heart. Esmeralda herself had coiled inwards expecting the inevitable death and disintegration into ashes ... except she hadn't.
They locked eyes, both shocked and surprised but Esmeralda regained her composure first. Anna edged backwards and made her second mistake. She let go of the stake. Esmeralda took the opportunity and wrapped her slender fingers around the instrument and tugged it slowly out from her own chest. As she did, her vampire healing abilities worked to mend the wound so that even as the tip was extracted one wouldn't have been able to guess she'd been stabbed mere seconds ago. All that was left was one trickle of blood running down her pale skin, framed by the torn fabric of a very expensive, ornate dress. She looked down at herself, bringing a finger to meet the trickle before painstakingly wiping upwards to remove its presence. Locking eyes once more, she put the finger to her lips and tasted the red liquid.
At the taste of blood, her eyes became pin pricks, and her jaw tightened. Fury coursed through her veins! This slayer had made her bleed! Nearly caused her death! She rose up, towering over Anna as the slayer sunk back into the chair, as far as she could go.
"How do you like to be stabbed through the heart?" Esmeralda boomed, voice echoing round the walls. She slapped a hand onto Anna's shoulder and drew the other back with the stake held tight, preparing to plunge it in from a distance.
Anna squeezed her eyes shut, a squeak escaping her lips. Her whole body shook at the expectancy of her own death. She didn't try to run; she didn't even put her hands up to shield herself. Instead, she waited, listening for the sound of wood versus skin, versus muscle, versus organ. She listened for her own scream.
But nothing came.
She waited a few more seconds, hesitant because she could still feel Esmeralda's cold fingers pressing strongly into her shoulder blade, her own skin tingling under the touch. But then she chanced it, slowly opening one eye and then the other and looking up with a silent question on her lips.
The vampire looked back, her brow furrowed and piercing eyes that had their own unspoken question. The stake was slightly lower in her grasp, still threatening, still present, but the anger of a moment ago had drained somewhat.
"You missed?" She questioned. "Was that on purpose or are you just new?" Esmeralda couldn't think of a reason why a slayer would miss. Hundreds had come for her over the years, it was rare that they even made it up the driveway before her hundreds of years of intuition sensed their quickened heart rate and she descended upon them. This one, barely even an adult, had somehow played on that! Completely disguised by playing the victim, she’d gotten past Yebob, though that was hardly a feat! But Esmeralda? She held herself to higher standards! She should've spotted her a mile away ... except she didn't! Instead, she’d untied her restraints and settled ready to listen to stories from prey! Why had she suddenly felt so at ease around this stranger? Why had she lost her hunger in her presence? Something stirred within her, a kind of warmth that her cold skin seldom felt. Perhaps this was all exhaustion from her flight? She had spent several hours flying over Western Europe to return to Transylvania. But the niggling feeling remained, coupled with the knowledge that if one had the opportunity to slay a vampire as powerful and deadly as Esmeralda, one certainly wouldn't miss! After all there were rarely second chances in the slaying business!
"Umm." Anna began but found herself struggling to locate the words.
"Answer me!" Esmeralda roared, her tone firm and dripping with power. She was becoming impatient, which wasn't surprising, vampires seldom practised patience at the best of times and nearly being killed was hardly the best of times!
"Yes!" Anna answered, fear overtaking and not quite perfecting the landing. Her eyes were wide and hopeful with a little of something Esmeralda didn't recognise. Whatever it was, was intriguing and unfamiliar and she would know what it is, even if she had to stop using the quite frankly masterful restraint she was currently showcasing!
"Yes, you're new or yes, you missed on purpose?" Her voice tense, still full of anger.
"Oh sorry ... umm ... I missed on purpose? ... I think ... yes, I missed on purpose!" Anna stammered finding her footing and finally choosing her mound to die on. It was only when she'd finished speaking that she realised such an answer would automatically require a follow-up, which she knew she didn't have. But that imperceptible feeling was still ever present, stirring something inside her, casting out the fear and the worry and replacing it with a soothing warmth.
"You missed on purpose?" The words echoing around the stone castle walls. "No one misses on purpose!"
"I'm sorry?" Anna tried; not sure what else she could say.
Esmeralda lowered the stake to her side; she twisted her head at the helpless slayer and then removed her hand from her shoulder. Stepping to the side, she sank back into the chair that had almost been her final resting place.
Her brow remained tightly pinched, and her eyes were small as they ran over Anna. She was the perfect picture of confusion, choosing to stay silent as she observed every inch of the young woman.
Anna sat there feeling unsettled and way too observed for her liking. But still she couldn't understand why she no longer felt fearful, after all her weapon was in the hands of a killing machine. Even now as her training told her that she should be running for the door, her feet remained firmly planted. Perhaps it was the knowledge that she stood very little chance of making it but still, escaping should be a consideration. There should be an action plan being formulated, something from a worst-case scenario training session or a post-nightmare plan ready to be enacted. But she'd never been caught before. She'd never let herself be caught.
After all it was her fault. In that moment’s hesitation she'd bent the stake too far to the left. One inch to the right and she'd be brushing dust off her favourite plaid waistcoat but no, now she was sitting waiting for her inevitable demise.
"Why?" The question was short and abrupt breaking the silence. There should've been a simple answer behind it but again Anna didn't have the words for it. The feeling gnawed at her, but she didn't have the words to describe that either! What was it? A spark perhaps? Is that why she was left with a tingling sensation where Esmeralda had stroked her cheek, held her chin, grasped her shoulder?
"Umm I ... I don't know?" She tried.
"No that won't do! … Tell me?" Esmeralda's voice had settled becoming patient, almost mothering, as she registered Anna's discomfort. She phrased it as a question when she had every right to demand an answer.
"I ... I ... umm," Anna stammered, glancing at the stake that was held, almost forgotten, in Esmeralda's hand. Her glance drew the vampire to it, and she raised it slightly before crushing it to dust with just one hand.
"There see? Nothing to worry about! I won't stab you!" The words were said with a comforting tone, but the action filled Anna with a renewed rush fear. A vampire hardly needed a stake to kill!
"Tell me please?" She smiled leaning forward and Anna found herself unable to look away. The fear from a moment ago being sucked away at she stared into her eyes, green pools dusted with golden flakes and memorising!
"I felt something ... a spark ... I don't know!" Anna tried desperate for an answer for herself as much as the vampire. "I've never felt that before!"
"A spark?" Esmeralda queried, her face washing with something akin to happiness as warmth within her grew a little.
Anna nodded, her head tilting downwards under the pressure of the vampire's gaze. But a slender finger hooked under her chin, pulling her back up. She followed the direction and found soft lips meeting hers. For a second Anna allowed her eyes to close and leaned into the kiss, her nose tickled by Esmeralda’s fragrant perfume that she was finally close enough to notice.
"Oh!" She pulled back surprised.
Esmeralda sighed gently as she too drifted slowly back, one hand reaching up to cup Anna's cheek.
"I will not kill you or eat you. I make you that promise. In fact, no harm will come to you from my kind." She paused letting the words sink in and her hand drop away before continuing. "I ... I felt something too ... however, I would understand if your actions are through fear."
At this the vampire pulled away completely, leaning back in her chair, her posture displaying the power she held despite her words showcasing her vulnerability. Anna shook her head but received a silent scolding in return.
"If you choose so, my dear, you may return tomorrow night." Anna threw her a puzzled look, but her heart fluttered with the subtle inclusion of a pet name. "If you choose to come back, I shall throw you a banquet!"
"A banquet?" Anna whispered, not quietly enough for Esmeralda's bat hearing to miss.
"That's right, my dear!" She smiled warmly, picking up on Anna's shoulders relaxing with the use of her new nickname. "Seven o'clock sharp!"
Anna smiled, nodding enthusiastically despite herself, but then her face turned sour.
“But that surely doesn’t seem fair, I tried to stake you, and I ruined your dress!”
Esmeralda smiled lovingly at her.
“Don’t you worry! I’ll find a way for you to make it up to me! And as for the dress … I have plenty more! In fact, you’ll see another if you come tomorrow night!”
At that Anna’s face lit up again.
“I’ll be there … Esme!” Anna smiled, biting her lip nervously at her own attempt of a fond nickname. But Esmeralda’s smile simply widened, as she stood and offered a hand to help the young slayer to her feet.
Then they were walking, Anna being led to the door. She felt elated and strangely safe in Esmeralda’s presence regardless of the potential danger the vampire presented to her.
Once at the entranceway, Esmeralda allowed her to step through and walk a few paces before calling out one last note to her.
"Oh, and umm ... if you want a truly exciting night, leave the weapons at home, my dear!"