Chapter 55
What can I give her,
what armor, invincible
sword or magic trick,
when that year comes?
- Margaret Atwood
Warnings/Bonuses: Adult themes. Coarse language.
245 Piccadilly Road, Greenhill. December 5, 2005. 11:13 pm
Katia sat down on the sofa opposite Kieran, purposely making as much noise as possible to both disturb him from his reading and to get his attention without her having to say anything. She waited for a while, her bare foot smacking against the timber floor and when that didn't work, she shifted positions several more times and tried clearing her throat, thrumming her fingers on the arm of the couch, coughing and humming to try and get him to look her way, but he continued on with his reading.
She had been impatiently checking the clock this whole time, and after what had been a very long seventeen minutes, she finally burst out, “I thought you were meant to be teaching me things.”
Kieran kept reading while he muttered out his nonchalant reply, “You are more patient than Daniel gives you credit for, he was certain you would begin to pester me after a couple of days.”
Her reply had a distinct irritated lilt, “I've been waiting around doing nothing for a week because you two had some sort of bet. That is just charming. ”
Kieran turned a page, his eyes not lifting from the text, “He also said that you were belligerent, and to that regard he does seem rather accurate.”
“Now I know where he gets the attitude from,” she shot back.
Glancing over to her he said, “If you want to learn how to use your abilities, you have to show some interest in doing just that. To learn you must first try. I cannot simply make someone understand, I can only guide them to finding the answer on their own.”
Katia cocked her head to one side and her lips thinned, “You could have said something before now.”
He closed the book and let it rest in his lap. “You did not ask,” he said pointedly.
She groaned loudly and grumbled under her breath, “Obviously some things really don't improve with age.”
“Your manners are simply appalling. When you are prepared to behave, you know where to find me,” he said, opening his book back up. He read a few lines and then waved her away, “Now shoo.”
245 Piccadilly Road, Greenhill and Fleming Street, Kingston. December 7, 2005. 9:28 pm
Kieran walked into the kitchen holding a phone. Katia was so lost in thought, she hadn't even heard it ring. He held it out to Katia. “She would like to speak with you,” he said.
Katia reached out slowly, not sure if she was ready to take this call. She answered with a quiet, “Hello.”
Sophie croaked into the receiver, “I love you Kat.”
“Where are you?” Katia asked, her voice heavy with worry.
“Around. Close. You could probably search me out me if you wanted too.”
A chill worked its way down Katia's spine and to the tips of her fingers, the thought of being washed into Sophie's emotions made her feel slightly ill. “Not, no. As long as you are ok,” she stammered.
“I'm, just,” Sophie sucked in a breath. She was trying to steady herself against the guilt she was feeling, but it only left an uncomfortable gap in what she was trying to tell Katia. “I wish I could do more. I'm really sorry for everything, all the problems I caused,” she said.
“You make it sound like you are saying goodbye.”
Sophie sighed sadly and replied, “No, just...I don't think things will ever be like they were and I don't want you to remember all the bad stuff when you think of me.”
“Soph, I love you no matter what and that's never going to change,” said Katia.
“I know, but you 're glad I'm not there.”
Katia gulped, half embarrassed with her answer, “You scare me.”
Sophie mumbled quickly, “I should go.”
Katia breathed heavily into the handset, “Stay out of trouble, ok?”
“I promise. And Kat?” Sophie hesitated until she heard a small murmur of acknowledgement from her sister before adding, “Just try, please. For me. Or else I did this for nothing.”
245 Piccadilly Road, Greenhill. December 7, 2005. 9:51 pm
Kieran placed the needle gently down on the record and asked, “Are you here for the reason I think you are?”
“I don't know,” she said, shuffling her way to the lounge. She sat down and asked, “I need to know something first. You can do this...thing too, right?”
His head bounced along with the beat for a few moments before he began to explain, “We pick up on the emotions of those around us, humans I mean, of course. ”
Kieran continued, “It is enough for us to prey on them, to find an individuals weakness and exploit it. To a lesser extent we can read other vampires, but it has greater benefits as a means to know when another of our kind is near. This ability does grow stronger with age, distance also makes a difference as to what can be read, as does the relationship between the two involved, but it does have limitations. We can manipulate, but not force an idea or thought on another or rummage through their emotions.”
She grumbled, “Exploit and manipulate? You make it sound like you're just sleazy salesmen.”
“Please, at least humour me and think of it as providing a service. We free those souls who want their pain to end.”
Katia shivered, “Proprietors of death,” she sneered.
“If you insist. It is the more tolerable of the two choices.”
She glared at him, looking for some hint that he had been joking, but his expression remained blank. She thought of several things to say in return, but fought them down so that she could ask him what she really wanted to know, “So what I can do, its not the same?”
He nodded towards her, “We are but nightmares scavenging on the lost and weary of the world, while you, you are an extraordinary gifted woman.”
to be continued
Note: Sorry for the lateness, I have my nephew staying with me for a bit and its just made it difficult get to everything I normally would. Apart from RL stuff, I'm enjoying the change in dynamics, it's still tense, but for a quite different reason.