Hope's Demise

Their heads shot up quickly, super human eyes fixed on the door, keen ears waiting for another sound outside of the apartment. Another knock made their defined muscles tense. They slipped off of each other silently, their bodies in strong predator’s crouches, ready to lunge at the door immediately. The voice on the other side stopped them in their tracks.
“Lily, Ryan, I know you’re in there! It’s Hope!” Surprised but relieved, the two vampires relaxed their tense muscles and walked to the door, opening it with friendly smiles on their faces. As soon as the door swung open, a tall, muscular, but beautiful woman walked in, closing the door behind her and grabbing the two surprised vampires in a tight, but warm, hug. She released them with a grin and looked somewhat seriously at the two.
“I’ve missed you guys! After 160 years you’d think that you would drop me a line? No! I don’t hear anything from you two lovebirds. I thought that maybe after you guys had settled down you would try to find an old pal and at least let me know that you were still alive?!” The two looked sheepishly at one another before looking at Hope with apologetic grins. The newcomer looked at the both of them seriously before bursting into laughter.
“Oh don’t worry about it! It’s hard to call people when you have no idea where they are, isn’t it?” She laughed warmly, “ But something looks wrong? I heard that the dynamic duo was traveling with another vampire. It was strange, but I thought that they were wrong. And I was right!” She laughed again, the loud noise startling Ryan and Lily. Ryan found the voice to speak first.
“Well, umm, actually Hope, we did have someone with us. I turned her a while after you left.” The silence was more startling than Hope’s laughter.
“Hope?” Lily leaned towards her, gently touching her arm. Ryan watched her protectively, muscles twitching slightly, ready to jump around her and shield her from Hope if needed.
“You replaced me?” Hope finally muttered quietly, “I never thought you guys would do it, but boy, was I wrong.”
“We’re sorry Hope. It’s just that Ryan- and we- She was just a mistake, and now she’s gone. No worries. Right?” Lily looked at the troubled woman tenderly, green eyes wide and honest.
“You’re right, no worries, because we actually have bigger problems. I didn’t want to bring you guys into this, but you guys were the only ones I knew I could really trust after all this time.” Hope took a deep breath, her azure gaze flashing between the two other vampires quickly. “This will be a long story, so let’s rest up and I’ll tell you tomorrow night, all right?” Relieved, Ryan and Lily nodded and stood up to say goodbye to Hope, forced smiles on their perfect faces.
“I am staying in a place a couple floors down, so I’ll come up as soon as I wake up.” She walked towards the door, opening it slightly. Just as she put a foot outside of the door, she turned around, her fierce stare burning into the two.
“I don’t want you guys to worry too much, but I think we’re in some deep shit.”
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In 1785, Hope was 22 year old polish barmaid. She had traveled to London in an attempt to make a living for herself. Ryan and Lily found her lying, broken and battered in an alley, soaked and shivering from the cold rain London’s fall produced. She was the victim of rape, a common occurrence in the dark city. Against Lily’s fierce protests, Ryan changed her. In time, Hope was nursed to health and Lily slowly grew closer to her. By 1787, Hope was ready to travel and she joined Ryan and Lily on their move to America. The trio stayed together in New York City for 20 years, until Hope decided to travel out to the west with the pioneers on the Oregon Trail. Ryan and Lily stayed in New York, where the city life pleased them. Disappointed but still eager for adventure, Hope set off alone without her old friends. Ryan took the separation from Hope the hardest. For 20 years, him and Lily stayed with each other in New York, but Ryan was changed, distant and depressed. Finally, Ryan found the solution. A beautiful young blonde caught his eyes and then suddenly, Lydia Wagner became the new Hope.
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The following night, Hope returned. She was grim, but eager to tell her tale. Ryan and Lily had spent hours before considering whether or not they should stick around to hear their old friend’s story, finally deciding to take the chance. The two were restless and Lily had spent the day tossing and turning in her slumber, only to be coaxed to sleep again by Ryan’s gentle tone.
The three vampires sat down in the same places as the previous night. Ryan stood and walked into the large kitchen, returning with 3 wine glasses and an old looking bottle of thick red liquid. Lily gratefully took a glass, but she knew that the small drink was hardly enough to tide off the gnawing hunger in her belly. She had eaten a lot the night before, but with all that had happened, that was barely enough to keep her filled for the few hours that she was active.
Usually an entire body lasted a vampire the entire night and the next, but Lily felt that she was just too hungry for only one person to satiate her. Ryan poured everyone a glass and sat down next to Lily once more, setting the bottle and his glass on the crystal coffee table in the middle of the three. Hope took a sip and smiled peacefully at the two over her glass, suddenly very ready to talk.
“So, who was my new replacement?” She asked, setting her glass down on the table carefully. Lily finished off her glass and looked at Ryan questioningly. He only nodded slightly, expressionless.
“Her name was-is, Lydia. Ryan turned her in New York. We pretty much just partied around with her and long story short, she wanted what she couldn’t have. It was long past time for her to go.” Lily smiled innocently and put her hands on her knees, the clapping noise a signal to get down to business. “But seriously though, what brings you to us after 160 years? Why did you bring your trouble to us?” Hope smiled sheepishly and answered, “Well, umm, actually, the vampire world isn’t very honest and loyal these days and no offense or anything, but you guys are the two most human vampires I know.” After pausing to see the strange looks she received from the two vampires, Hope quickly continued.
“There is a lot going on these days that isn’t good for us vamps. There have been bodies. Vampires. Killed. Nothing has been said in the news, but I know some people and they know that something isn’t right.’
“I think that they have been targeting certain vamps. I’ve been seeing people guys. They were watching me. And seriously, I know they weren’t checking me out.”
“Who are “they”?” Ryan asked, his voice surprising Lily. She had almost forgotten that he was there.
“Good question.” Hope answered, “I don’t know. I just know that I- I mean, we, could be next.” Hope turned her gaze to Lily, eyes sincere.
“If you are still in touch with my little replacement, you better tell her that she’s not safe here. If I were you two, I’d get out of here as soon as possible. Make yourselves invisible for a while. And for the best of our interests, we need to split up. I don’t want to see you guys ever again. Not under these circumstances at least.” Smiling grimly, Hope rose and Ryan and Lily followed suit, not returning the smile.
“Well sweeties, it’s been fun, but I have to gather my junk and disappear.” Hope paused hesitantly, suddenly rushing around the coffee table and gathering them in a fierce hug.
“I love you guys so much!” The words were supposed to be happy, but the sadness in her voice was apparent.
“We love you too.” Lily managed to say from her squished position in Hope’s arms. Finally Hope released the vampires, but put a protective hand on each of their shoulders.
“Be safe. I’ll be praying for the both of you.”
“And the same for you.” Ryan replied, forcing his lips into a small smile. Lily nodded and satisfied, Hope let go of their shoulders and strode to the door, slipping out and vanishing without another glance behind her.
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As soon as Hope closed the door. Ryan and Lily let out a great sigh. Neither of them had realized that they were holding their breaths. Fear clouding her green eyes, Lily looked up at Ryan, who was staring at the door blankly.
“What do we do now?” She asked, slipping herself around him ,not taking her eyes off of his beautiful face.
“I don’t know.” He finally answered, looking down at her somewhat sadly. Lily’s expression turned from afraid and timid to shocked and annoyed.
“That’s all you have to say?!” She unwove herself from him and shoved him away.
“We haven’t seen her in 160 years Ryan! And all of the sudden she shows up and dumps all of this shit on us and ruins our whole- urgh!!”, she laughed almost hysterically, the sound taut with emotion, “But the funny thing about it is that all you can so is stand there with that stupid look on your face! Don’t you have anything to say or am I just going to freak out for the both of us, dammit?!” Angrily she threw herself at him, pounding her delicate, but super-strong fists at his muscled chest. If he was in pain, Ryan didn’t show it. He took the vicious blows silently, wordlessly holding in his emotions. Gradually her blows became softer and her shoulders began to shake up and down. Lily sunk into him wearily, sobs uncontrollably escaping her, tears soaking the man’s strong body. Carefully he moved his cool relaxing hands up her body to rest on her shoulders, rubbing them comfortingly. Several minutes later, Lily stopped crying and lifted her head off of his chest it gaze into his eyes through her drying tears. Trying to be playful, Ryan caught a tear from her cheek on his finger, lapping it off with a small flick of his tongue. Still sniffling, she chuckled half heartedly and rubbed her eyes with a tiny smile.
“I’m really sorry. I don’t know what came over me.” Ryan sighed tenderly and said softly, “Hope needed us. I need you. And you need me. So,” He picked her up wedding style, a wide grin on his face, “ let’s go to bed and we’ll talk some more tomorrow.” Lily nodded with a small smile and rested her head on his sturdy chest.
“Good.” He set her down on the large plush bed gently, planting gentle kisses up and down any visible part of her body. An excited shudder ran through Lily’s body, but pure exhaustion prevented her from doing anything more.
“I love you.” He murmured, settling down next to the tired woman contentedly. In the darkness of the room, a quiet whisper that broke the silence made Ryan shiver excitedly.
“Forever and ever, lover dearest.”
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The following night was slow and romantic. They slept late, drank wine all night, and talked for hours under the moonlit sky. Both seemed happy and blissful, planning out their leave with careful detail. No one brought up Lydia, even though the subject lingered behind every conversation. Finally Ryan broke through the tense subject’s thin barrier, openly expressing his concern for the other female vampire’s safety. The relaxing night had released an older Lily, breaking away the nervous shell to expose a hard, but seductive woman. She showed an open distaste for the backstabbing vampire, but understood Ryan’s unease. She agreed to go and fetch her for him early the next evening, on the condition that Lydia did not travel with them and that Lily was allowed to choose where Lydia would be headed. Hesitantly Ryan agreed, scared for Lydia, but yearning for the chance to travel alone with Lily. It had been so long that they were alone, and it was strange to not have Lydia at his side, but slowly he would learn to adapt to the change.
The rising sun made them move indoors, but the romance did not stop behind closed doors and curtains. Not tired in the slightest, they leapt onto the bed, fully clothed, twisting and turning around each other as they moved through the air, graceful and clumsy all at the same time. The bed they were so eager to get into had been narrowly avoiding them for days. Today however, it was inviting, it’s rich red covers enticing, the large down pillows softer than ever before. The thin beams of light that weaved their way around that thick dark colored curtains created a peaceful atmosphere that was almost the icing on the cake. But the true beauty of the room lie in the two people who wanted that perfect moment to never end.
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The phone rang and rang and rang, it’s cheery ceaseless jingle cutting through Lydia’s already fraying nerves. As she stared at the small cell phone from her perch on the edge of the arm on her couch, her face was the embodiment of pure disgust. She knew that it was Lily, and that made it even worse. The jingle began once more, high pitched and shrill and just as it was singing it’s last few notes, she leapt at it, answering quickly.
“Hello?”
“Lyd?” It was Ryan, strangely enough. Maintaining her composure, she answered swiftly, “Yeah it’s me. What do you want? I thought that you weren’t allowed to have anything to do with me?”
“Things have changed. But that doesn’t matter right now. I want you to be safe, whether it’s by my side or not. You need to get out of town. It’s not safe to be here right now.” Lydia laughed and replied sarcastically, “Sure. And now you’re going to tell me that Lily’s on her way over here right now to convince me that you’re telling the truth?”
“You’re right.” A voice confirmed from behind Lydia. She stood up and whirled around, looking surprised, even though she knew who it was. Lily was standing in the open door way to Lydia’s apartment. Even with the light from the kitchenette’s ceiling shining on her, Lily’s bronze hair looked darker against the black leather she was sporting and her emerald eyes burned fiercely. There was a change in her, Lydia realized. This wasn’t the same Lily. This Lily was a hunter, who knew and controlled her power confidently.
“Well then, come in.” Lydia said, closing the cell phone, cutting off Ryan’s words in mid sentence and slipped the phone into her jeans pocket.
“Glad to.” Lily returned, face expressionless. She strolled into the main room, stopping in the middle. She surveyed the room with one quick turn of her body, looking into Lydia’s sky blue eyes with a calm, but commanding light in her own.
“You need to pack. Only the things you need. Ryan wants us back at his place in 20 minutes. Hurry up.” The new Lily left Lydia standing in her living room. Lydia heard rustling in her bedroom and soon Lily returned with a huge duffel bag full of what Lydia assumed were clothes. Lily slammed the bag in front of Lydia’s feet and continued her way through the apartment, with calm determination, occasionally throwing items at Lydia’s feet.
“Wow, thanks Lily. I’m so glad that you came over to help me make a mess of my apartment.” Lydia grinned sarcastically. Lily didn’t reply but increased her pace. After several more flying objects hit Lydia, Lily was finally satisfied and helped Lydia pack the extra things into the bag. She then walked out of the apartment giving Lydia no warning, calling over her shoulder, “Hurry it up. Grab whatever else you need.” Lily paused, then added sharply, “Quickly.” Impressed, Lydia grabbed her large bag, her purse, and a black pea- coat jacket that rested in a heap on the counter and jogged out after her, closing the door behind her. The 30 pound bag was slung over her shoulder like it weighed only 3.