A Mother's Love...

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Ryan paced restlessly in front of his apartment door, glancing up at the dark wooden barrier that stood between him and Lily. Lydia was no help, stretching her lithe body in the same armchair Hope had sat in only two nights before. It felt like this whole ordeal began years ago. Ryan shook his head and ran a long fingered hand through his short dark hair worriedly. The bites had long since stopped bleeding and thanks to the advanced healing abilities of vampires, they were only tender pink scars on his hard muscled flesh. They would be gone by morning. The only marks visible through his dark tight fitting t-shirt were the two identical pairs on his arms. They were parallel to each other, one pair at the wrists, the other just above the crook of his arm. They looked like eyes, red and menacing, glaring up at Ryan, telling him to go out and look for Lily.
‘No,’ He told himself, ‘She’ll come back if she wants.’ Hardly assured, Ryan kept his pace, with Lydia watching in amazement and envy.
‘Lily has it made with him,’ Lydia thought, ‘ She can do whatever she wants and still get some when she gets home. Lucky bitch. But, I might as well use this a little bit to my advantage.’ Grinning, she stood at walked over to the anxious male, wrapping her arms around his waist possessively, stopping his incessant pacing. Ryan tensed, his already tough body tougher and stiffer.
“Don’t.” Ryan muttered, “Lily…”
Lydia stopped him with a hard squeeze.
“Lily doesn’t care. She told me.” The lie rolled off of her tongue like honey. She had told worse before. Ryan twisted out of her grasp to look down at her skeptically, a sneer twisting his perfect mouth. Appalled but hiding her hurt feelings swiftly, she approached him with an honest looking smile.
“It’s true. Would I lie to you?” Ryan laughed and nodded, the action not surprising Lydia.
“Lyd, stop. So many things are wrong here.” Lydia smiled slyly and replied, “ That didn’t stop you before.” Ryan’s face paled. He was flustered and angry, and it turned Lydia on. Licking her lips, Lydia watched Ryan’s face change from shock to confusion, to undecided, to finally rest on sexy, attractive, and so addicting. He took Lydia in a soft embrace, eyes smoldering. Thrilled by his drastic change of heart, Lydia leaned into the hug deeply, smiling seductively. Ryan lowered his head to rest his lips on her ear, exciting Lydia.
“Things have changed.” He whispered coldly. Before Lydia could respond, Ryan pulled away fiercely, all softness in his face disappearing. Angry and vicious, he glared at Lydia with intense eyes.
“There are so many things that have changed, dammit!” Do you not understand that we have already done so much for you?! That I have already done so much for you?!”
“No I guess I don’t.” Lydia snapped. Ryan’s already narrowed eyes became narrower.
“When Lily gets back I’ll….”
“You’ll what? What will you do that needs Lily here?” It was her turn now to be angry.
“What is your problem Ryan?! You were so different in the old days! You didn’t need her around when we went out, when we killed, when we drank.’
“And don’t tell me that you don’t remember. Your memory was never a problem before. You have turned into a spineless dog. And that bitch, Lily, has you whipped, you stupid dumbass. ” She threw her hands up in the air angrily, her light colored eyes burning into Ryan’s with a fierce intensity. Ryan stood his ground stubbornly, but the harsh words had broken a piece of him. Lydia seemed to notice and advanced on him, a snarl on her lips.
“You know, don’t you? You know what she has done to you and you hate it. You are acting like a damn human! We are hunters dammit and we should act like it! But you go and act like a puppy! What would your mother think?” Ryan dark glare suddenly burned and he threw his fist back, punching her in the face. Shocked and angry, Lydia’s hand flew up to her already bruising face, soft fingers barely brushing the wound. Immediately Ryan’s first instinct was to comfort her and apologize, but he quickly corrected himself, just lowering his arm and glaring at Lydia with a hard expression in his face.
“You…” She managed, a look of shock still on her face.
“Yeah, me.” He replied, turning away from her and walking to the window, looking out of it with a pained expression on his face, glad that Lydia couldn’t see it.
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FLASHBACK 1324, Northern Ireland
Ryan Greenleaf sauntered into Pig’s Head tavern, throwing his musket over his shoulder. He looked around at the faces of the men he had grown up with, each with a shameful look plastered in their eyes. Taking no notice, Ryan strode up to the bar and ordered a beer, taking a swig out of the large mug heartily. He turned once more towards the men, who were chatting quietly amongst themselves. It was not a common occurrence to be able to hear your own thoughts in the usually loud and noisy tavern. Only slightly disgruntled, Ryan smiled widely and called out to all of the men,
“Ay boys! Where am me mother? I’ve been lookin’ for her all day!” The downcast eyes told Ryan that something was wrong.
“Where is she?” He called, softer the second time. Ceallach Seamus, a good friend of the Greenleafs’, stood up, a sad look on his red -bearded face.
“Your mum, she, well, when you were gone, she hads a a-accident. She didn’t make it. I’m sorry Ryan.” The mug full of beer fell out of his hand, crashing to the floor with noise.
“Ryan?” Ceallach asked, concern in his light green eyes. The tall young man shook his head, disbelieving.
“You lie. She’s waiting at home. I have to go see her.” He ran out of the tavern with fear and rage in his eyes.
Waiting for Ryan when he got home was an empty house. He searched through the small cottage in vain. Determined to find his mother, he ran outside to the sheep pastures, yelling to the missing woman, only to receive his echo yelling back at him. He searched for hours along the grassy plains with no avail. Night finally came and Ryan was forced to return home in defeat. He dragged himself to the dark, empty house, throwing his musket and sweaty coat onto the floor. He walked into his room with undeniable sadness, falling to his knees with heavy sobs. A quiet voice behind him made Ryan stop and stand, shock and awe on his face instead of sadness.
“Ryan, darlin’. What’re you doin’ on th’ floor? Get up off of there.” Ana Greenleaf muttered softly, standing in the doorway casually.
“Mum, you’re, you’re, alive. All the men at the Pig’s Head told me that-”
“That what Ryan? That I was dead?” Ana snorted loudly.
“They lied. What would I be doin’ here if I was dead?” Ryan shook his head, his long dark locks flopping over his face.
“That’s right sweetheart. Now, how’s about you fix me a cup o’ tea?” Ryan walked warily out of the room, side stepping past his mother cautiously. He fixed her the tea and they sat at the small wooden table in the middle of the cozy kitchen. They sipped it silently, Ryan watching his mother intently. She seemed normal, except for the fact that she looked a little bit paler than usual and her eyes had dark rings under them.
“Mum, are you ok? You don’ seem yerself.” Ryan asked, concerned. Ana looked up from her tea and stared at her son with her intense green eyes.
“Yes Ryan boyo, I am fine. Right as rain you could say.” She turned thoughtful, “You could say too that I am a changed woman. All for the best, remind you.”
“What do you mean Mum?” Ryan asked, confused.
“What I mean is that I’m changed boyo! I am different! I am not a human anymore. I’m a vampire, Ryan!” Ana laughed joyously, the noise almost hysterical. Ryan set his tea on the table and stood up from his chair, backing away from the woman in terror.
“You are crazy Mum, what’s wrong with you?” Ana leapt from her seat, the tea in her hands flying across the room, a hunk of tin that used to be a mug rolled to Ryan’s feet.
“Nothin’s wrong with me Ryan!” Ana swirled around gaily, her skirt flowing around her.
“I am a vampire! I will never age and I’ll stay the same forever!” She opened her mouth and two sharp fangs were poking out of her gums. Ryan screamed, his hands thrown to his face in anguish. The vampires were a legend. An old folk tale that the elders would tell the children around the campfire to scare them. No one believed they were real though and now a true vampire was in front of Ryan Greenleaf. He looked at her in pain, unbelieving and confused.
“This isn’t true.” Ryan murmured, “There are no such things as-”
“Vampires? Yes there are. And one of ‘em is right in front of ye.” Ana looked thoughtful, her face looking soft in the dim light.
“I want to change ye Ryan. Into a vampire. Ye can live forever with me, an’ we can be a team together. Just ye an’ me.”
“Why?”
“I was dyin’ Ryan. I didn’ want to go just yet. And staying this way forever isn’t too bad!” She twirled in a circle, her long cream colored skirt flowing out around her like a child’s.
“Ryan, love. I’m an immortal being now. I’ll ne’er age! Don’t you see the possibilities?” “No. No I don’t mum.” Ryan shook his head, still disbelieving. Ana frowned and murmured, “Then love, I’ll make you see.” She suddenly leapt over the table at Ryan, the small woman tackling him down as if he weighed nothing. She pinned him down easily, snapping her fangs in his face threateningly. Ana Greenleaf was no longer human. She wasn’t Ryan’s mother anymore. But when she bit him, she became his best friend.