Behind A Pale Mask

Behind a Pale Mask

         Class had just let out as Sophie left the building.  She had been attending night school for the past few months trying to earn a BA in law.  All she wanted was to make it big, become a high priced attorney, fast car, nice house, and here she was working a dead end hours in a smoke filled shit-hole diner barely making ends-meat and having just enough to pay her way through school.  She’d go home, study for a bit, have a beer and fall asleep and the whole boring routine would begin again tomorrow.  Tonight was interesting though.  A new student came, a very handsome guy by the name of Marcus, he was dressed in an all black suit…..
*          *          *
         “God! I swear if Professor Horelend starts hitting on me one more time I am going to file for sexual harassment!” Sophie stormed out the main doors, books in hand and a pissed off expression to compliment her exhausted features. Now one thing should be known about Sophie, she had a rough life.  Her father was an abusive drunk, her mother committed suicide when she was 14 and she was left with no other family.  Her father would leave her with deep bruises and she still had the cigarette scars on her arm to further her traumatic childhood.  Child services finally intervened when she was 15 and her father has been in jail ever since.  Moving from foster family to foster family, Sophie never could gain happiness in these fake homes.  When she turned 18 she disappeared and moved to the Boston area.  Living by herself for the past four years, she’s made quite a name for herself, with a dynamite personality and looks that could cause everyone to pass a glance, working at the diner has been interesting.  But let’s not steer away from the story; the interesting stuff is just about to unfold.
         “All I want to do is go home, have a smoke and go to sleep!”  Sophie hurried down the main walk shivering, it was late autumn and the winds were bitter cold.
         “Can I offer you a light?”  Sophie turned around to find the new student behind her.  He’s really pale….still he’s kinda cute, and what an enchanting voice.  Wait! I gotta go home, besides the last time a stranger offered me a cigarette he ended up propositioning me.
         “That’s nice of you to offer, but I have to get going, maybe tomorrow night?”
         “Well, at least let me walk you to your car, what kind of gentlemen would I be if I let such a beautiful woman walk alone, and so late at night.”  Marcus extended his hand, and as Sophie extended hers to shake, he quickly placed a kiss, “So how about it?”          “Well…” Sophie blushed slightly, He’s so cute and such a gentlemen.  His hands are so cold.  Ok Sophie, you can let him walk you to your car but that’s it! You hear me! No one night stands or anything.  “Sure that’d be nice.”  The two began walking down the path as he placed his jacket over her shoulders.
         The walk was brief, but in the short time they talked it seemed like an eternity.  “Well thanks…”
         “Marcus.”
         “Thank you Marcus, that was very sweet of you.”  She handed him his jacket back and got in her car.
         “So perhaps, maybe we could have dinner sometime?”
         “Yeah, I’d like that.”
*          *          *
         The two had dinner the next night and the night after, and coffee the next.  Within a few weeks they had become a little more acquainted and the two were inseperable.  No they weren’t a couple, the thought did cross Sophie’s mind though, but not until one special night.  This night has been heavenly, he’s been so sweet to me I think I’m falling for him.  Wait.  He’s looking at me, his eyes….they look so….black.  That’s strange, they never appeared this way before, but it’s like I’m hypnotized.  Wait, he’s leaning in closer! He’s going to kiss me!  Oh…this is amazing, but his lips.  They’re like ice….
*          *          *
         “Last night was incredible Lauren!”  Sophie was putting her coat on and preparing to leave.  Work seemed to last three minutes the whole day her head was swimming.  Lauren her close friend was packing up as well.  “I have never felt so happy!”  A huge grin grew over her face.
         “I’m happy for you, I really am,”  Lauren opened the door and the both began to head out, “How long have you two been dating?”
         “Three weeks, why?”
         “Well, don’t you find it kind of odd that all you do is hang out at night.  He’s never offered to take you out to lunch, or go shopping, or that he always has to leave, he’s never bothered to stay with you.  I just find that kind of odd that’s all.”  They both slowly walked to their cars, when Sophie stopped.
         “You’re right! I’m gonna talk to him about this tonight.”
*          *          *
         Class had just let out and Marcus was slowly leading Sophie to her car, a typical ritual.  “Marcus, why don’t we do something tomorrow afternoon?  I could call in sick to work or something an you and me could go shopping.  How ’bout it?”
         Marcus slowly stopped and released his hand from hers, “Sophie I can’t.  Look, if you wanna do something tonight,” he gave her a slight nudge and a grin, “that’s fine, but I just can’t do anything in the afternoon.”
         “Why not?  It’s not like you have to work everyday.”  She said crossing her arms.
         “I…I just can’t.  It’s nothing personal, I just can’t.  Let’s go see a movie tonight, how’s that?”  His expression turned stern as he glared down.
         “Ok, fine.”  She said quickly changing her expression.
*          *          *
         “So did you two do anything yesterday afternoon?”  Lauren said, as she pulled out a cigarette.
         “No…and to top it off last night as we were laying there, he took off when I told him it was almost 4.  Just for once, I want to wake up and see him there with me.”
         “I know what you mean.  Hey, I found something interesting yesterday as I was looking over my books.”  Lauren brought out a thick law book, the pages were bent showing a slight discoloration, and writing filled the margins.  “Here look at this.”  She flipped to a page; it showed a group of lawyers.  They all stood there with straight faces, the case was not important but the man on the right was…
         “That’s Marcus!”  Sophie yelled as she backed up, “It has to be.  What’s the date on that photo?”  She looked down and read the caption and quietly uttered, “1892...what the hell?”
*          *          *
         The night was early, and the two slowly walked down the boardwalk.  The sea breeze swayed in, the boardwalk was alive with neon lights and the sights and sounds of the port nearby gave the area an eerie aura.  Sophie clung to Marcus’ arm, she’d heard the stories about women who had been raped and killed.  “Marcus, why are we here?  I hate to say this but I’m scared.”
         “Because I’ve always liked the sea, everything about it fascinates me. Besides, I thought you wanted to know more about me, well I’m telling you things, aren’t I?”  The two stopped outside a small warehouse, “There’s no reason to be scared, I know it may sound sappy, but trust me I can protect you.”  With what seemed to be on cue, two guys stepped out from the shadows.  Both were dressed in dark raggedy clothes and one pulled out a switchblade and grew a sadistic grin.
         “Now there’s no reason to be alarmed, we’re just gonna take your stuff, rings, watches, money and the you to can go back to whatever.”  Gee, now who doesn’t think this is taken out of some cheesy movie, but like I said before, here’s the interesting part.
         Marcus stepped up, “Look, unless you want to get hurt, I suggest that you two leave.”  Our mugger was in no hurry to listen to our neatly dressed well-mannered friend here. 
         God Marcus, don’t get yourself killed, please God don’t do this.  I couldn’t bare to see you hurt.  The mugger leaned forward and plunged the knife directly into Marcus’ stomach.
         “Oh my God! Marcus!”  Sophie screamed.  But Marcus just stood there, no signs of pain or anything; the blood slowly began to flow down his suit, as he stood there, smiling!
         “What the hell are you?!?”  The mugger yelled plunging the knife deeper, but Marcus showed no signs of pain.  Marcus took hold of the mugger’s hand and pulled the knife out.  Bending his hand in half he plunged the knife into our assailant’s chest.
*          *          *
         Gently laying Sophie down on his couch, Marcus tapped her awake.  Sophie’s eyes shot open.  What the hell is going on?  What is Marcus?  The blood, how can he be alive?  “Where am I? Let me go!  You can’t keep me here!”  Sophie shot up trying to leave but Marcus put one hand out and held her back.  His strength, it’s incredible.
         “Sophie, look at this.”  Marcus unbuttoned his shirt to reveal his wound, but all that was a smear of blood.  “See, I’m fine.”
         “How is that possible?”
         “Sophie what I am about to tell you next is something that I have only shared with a select few, and I am going to give you a choice afterwards.  Sophie, I am not human, or at least not anymore.  I am something that can only be described as a monster; I have lived the past fourteen-hundred years.  I have seen many people I know live and die, and here I live wishing for someone to live eternity with.  Yet through those years I have lived with a terrible curse.  Sophie, what I am about to tell you may bewilder you, but know that it is true and what you have seen tonight can only justify it.”  Marcus cleared his throat and sat next to her on the couch, “Sophie look into my eyes while I say this…I am a vampire.”
         “That’s not…”  That’s impossible…how could he be?  The cold skin, pale face, the picture, NEVR going in the sunlight, and now healing.  Jesus what is happening?
         “Possible?  But you know it’s true.  Sophie I have been alive these past year off the blood of others, never once seeing the sunlight and forever feeling cold and alone.  Most of what you’ve heard of our kind is true.  Sunlight will kill us, and even though I can eat regular food, it won’t nourish me.  A stake to the hear will paralyze me, I can walk into a church without a problem, and silver?  Don’t make me laugh.  Sophie, I have told you all this because I love you.  From the moment I met you, I wanted to spend eternity with you.  Now, I am going to give you a choice.  Live with me forever and be my dearly beloved, or I kill you tonight.  It sounds unbearable, but I could not let you live knowing what you do now.  So, I beg of you, stay with me.  You are the most beautiful person I have ever met and I have been around for a very long time.  So I ask of you now, what do you choose?”
         “I…I love you Marcus, you know I do…but…I’m scared.”
         “…You should be.