Starry night wc 764

Starry Night
The night held the humidity from the day, and the perspiration crept down my back. Mansel and I sat silently on the levee looking up at the pitch black night. The vastness of the night made me feel small and insignificant to the world. I broke the silence by asking, “Mansel, do you prefer the day or the night.”
“The day”, he answered automatically, “In the night, darkness hides evils of men and women.”
“Oh, that’s when you got bitten?”
“No, it was at dawn, but I was seduced at night. I didn’t see the evil until the morning.”
We sat there quiet for a long time. I knew it wasn’t his best memory of his time as an immortal, and I hated myself for bringing it up.
This time Mansel broke the silence, “What do you prefer?”
I hesitated to answer, but it was enough of an answer for him.
“Figured, having the genes of a vampire, you would like the night.”
“Wait! It’s not like that!” I protested.
“It’s alright, it’s you, I understand.”
“No, I like the stars in the sky. They are ethereal beauty. My favorite painting is Starry Night.”
“Van Gogh, huh?”
“It is an amazing painting, it reminds me of New Orleans.”
“Well, he was a lunatic, wasn’t he?”
“Not that, it has a cypress tree on the left side, and he painted it from memory.” I felt like a teacher again, so I stopped.
“Memory? Was it a good or bad memory?” Mansel smirked
I hesitated, and then I said, “It was the memory of the view from the insane asylum in Rhone. But I think he painted it to show his strength, with the cypress tree being a tree that can withstand all weathers. And the fact he was able to paint the sky as a memory showed his hope that he would get better. The stars in the painting are incredible.”
Mansel took my hand as he asked,” What makes the painting important to you?”
I watched his fingers make circles around my fingers, and I studied our hands entwined as I said, “I guess it is comforting to know that in the darkest hours, there are still lights like stars. I have had lots of dark nights, but now I see a light to guide me to a safe place in my life where I can share happiness.”
Soon his face was next to mine, and I felt his shoulders against my knee. I met his lips in a kiss, his teeth brush against my lip chafing it. The power in his kiss sent a chill through me, and I wondered if I should fear him. He pulled away first, perhaps he felt the chill. Mansel asked, “Do you feel safe now?”
I glanced up, and his fangs peaked through his smile. I was alone at night with a vampire, but his eyes assured me that I had nothing to fear. They were black and the blue flecks in them sparkled with anticipation for an answer to his question.
When I didn’t answer right away, Mansel asked, “Well, are you happy?”
“I’m very happy,” I said immediately, “But-“
“But I’m a vampire. Well, don’t you carry the gene?” Mansel spit the words out at me, like a curse.
I was silent, I had not accepted this fact, as of yet. The dark sky made me feel insignificant to the world, but Mansel’s statement made me feel worse, like I was insignificant to him.
I finally said, “Yes, I do and it is hard to believe.”
“You go on about the dark and the light in the night, which do you prefer? What am I to you the dark or the light?” Mansel had pulled back in his corner, his mouth shut tight.
My heart beat faster, and I could feel anger building at how he threw everything I had just shared in my face. I took a deep breath, and said, “You are my star, my guide to safety, but you forget, I said I prefer the night. So, maybe there is a part of the darkness in you I like, even though I need you as a light.”
“You can’t see me as both, Selina. You have to choose.” Masnel folded his arm, he was on the verge of a fit.
“No, Mansel, I don’t. I want it all!” I pouted and looked him straight in his eyes.
“You are like a spoiled child!”
“Maybe I am, but it’s your choice if you want to put up with me or not!”