The Proposal

Shaun felt numb. The news he’d received had not yet fully registered, but never the less its magnitude still weighed heavily within. He had been given months. Not years, not even a full year, but a few months. Hardly enough time to scratch your arse in today’s world yet that’s all he was left with.

He swung his car into the nearest available space, switched off the engine and sat in silence for a moment. He tried contemplating what he could do, what he should do, where he should go and whom he should talk to, but his mind was in no mood to be thinking logically. All he could think of was to go home, go to bed and see if things look differently in the morning. He looked out from his car, into the night, to the run down high-rise building across the street. His place was on the top floor; the penthouse suite of shitsville. Not much but it was his, for a few more months anyway. Shaun gave his head a quick shake, hoping but failing to clear his mind. The news was slowly working its way into his reality; his world had been turned upside down. Again.

Shaun lethargically heaved himself to the top of the stairs and ambled to his door, digging around in his pockets, to retrieve his keys. The lock clicked and the door glided open. There she stood; wearing a smile so confident and seductive it caused Shaun’s stomach to knot instantly. He hadn’t seen Amber in over a year, not since that night, the night she told him what she had become. Of course he didn’t believe a word of it at the time, but the physical demonstration that followed was a little hard to ignore. Her dress sense had changed dramatically from the woman he once knew. The new Amber was certainly not afraid to flaunt her features. She ran a glistening tongue over her blood red lips and her smirk intensified. She looked better than ever.

‘Well hello Shaunie, surprised to see me?’ She asked. Realizing the look of surprise was plastered across his pale face, Shaun tried to gain some form of composure. The last thing he wanted was to seem weak to her. To give the impression he wasn’t in control. He did the best he could to shrug nonchalantly.

‘Not surprised, just disappointed.’ Shaun spat and, after he did, he noticed her air of confidence wane ever so slightly. He’d hit a nerve and he was glad of it. ‘Why are you here?’

‘I think you know why.’ She retaliated immediately, quickly regaining her state of confidence. It was true, Shaun knew exactly why she was here, but how did she find out so quickly?

‘I guess news travels fast with your kind?’ He hissed and strode fully into his apartment, slamming the door behind him. Shaun was careful to keep his distance, not wanting to get to close to her.

‘I’ve been keeping an eye on you Shaunie.’ There was a predatory look in Amber’s eyes, the same look that Shaun had noticed the last time they met, a look that was never there when they were married.

‘Have you now?’

“And I know about you’re condition.’

‘Good for you.’ Shaun was struggling to fight back his bubbling anger. The news he’d received was bad enough, but coupled with her presence here - it was becoming too much. ‘And how do you know about that? I’ve just found out myself.’ The remark caused Amber to chuckle condescendingly.

‘Oh Shaunie, a girl like me has contacts you know. You have now idea how many people want to become what I am. And it’s so very easy to keep those puppets dancing on a string for me. Teachers, lawyers…even doctors.’ She laughed again and Shaun felt himself go red with rage. ‘Silly little thing, I knew about your condition before you did.’

‘And you came here to rub it in?’ He growled through gritted teeth. Amber’s expression grew serious, and there was a hint of something in her eyes. Something Shaun had not seen in a long time.

‘Thirteen months ago I came to you with an offer Shaun. Do you remember?’ It was a stupid question, what happened that day was impossible for him to forget. The day Amber, his wife, revealed to him what she had willingly become. The day he found out she had turned her back on humanity, the day he found out everything he believed in was false, the day he found out his one true love had become a fucking vampire. No, this was not the sort of thing that would slip ones memory.

‘I remember everything I need to about that day, you traitorous bitch.’ There was venom and pain in his voice.

‘You’re still angry I see. That’s fine. But would you care to explain who it was that I betrayed?’

‘Me!’ Shaun yelled, his fists now clenched.

‘I offered to turn you, but you were too small-minded to see what was being given to you. It was you who turned your back on me! I wanted you with me Shaun, to be like me.’

‘To be like you?’ Shaun’s eyes were tearing up, all of his erratic emotions were slowly becoming too much to handle.

‘We’re not monsters Shaun. We do what we need to so we can survive, just like you do, just like any form of life does. And you have no idea how free we are.’ her face broke into a smile and her eyes slowly closed in a dreamy state as she carried on her explanation. ‘How free and how powerful. We live how we want, for as long as we want and no one can stop us.’ Amber’s eyes then opened and locked onto Shaun. ‘Tell me that doesn’t entice you. Surely now, considering your impending death, you can see just how weak, breakable and pathetic you are. I can change that.’

Shaun turned his head and averted his eyes, not wanting to look at this thing before him. The person he once loved now made him sick to his stomach. What was worse was the fact that her offer was so very tempting. His own weakness only served to intensify his anger. He had rejected her offer before, but things were different now. The God he had loved and believed in had decided to remove him from the earth – while creatures like this, who were a stain on his very name were allowed to live on and on.

‘One more chance Shaun.’ She whispered. ‘You can take it or you can stay here and rot.’

Shaun erupted and charged the hateful vixen. It was as if his body was acting on instinct, every molecule of his being wanted to hurt this woman, this monster, hurt her like she’d hurt him. He didn’t get the chance. In an instant Amber changed, revealing the true from of what she had become. Her eyes flashed yellow like a golden flame and animal like fangs bore from her snarling mouth. She grabbed the charging Shaun by the throat and with inhuman strength threw him powerfully to the floor. With blinding speed she was atop him, straddling him and pinning him to the ground. One hand still clenched his throat as he thrashed wildly. Amber increased her iron grip, cutting off his airflow, and clamped her thighs tightly, trapping his arms by his side and rendering him totally at her mercy. Tears began to roll from Shaun’s eyes.

‘Do you see what I mean now?’ She snarled, her grip tightening even more. ‘Do you see how weak you are?’ Shaun’s crying continued as he broke down completely.

‘I’m scared!’ He wailed and Amber’s hold eased. ‘I don’t want to die.’ He continued in a tear-filled plead. The animalistic glare in Amber’s eyes began to fade, revealing remnants of the compassionate person she once was. ‘I just don’t.’ Shaun repeated.

‘You don’t have to Shaun.’ She soothed, almost kindly, and caressed his face. ‘Just let me help you.’ He held his breath, cautious and afraid of what he was submitting to.

‘Okay.’ He said, ‘Help me.’

Amber smiled upon hearing this, a genuine and relieved smile. ‘Thank you.’ She whispered and leaned in. Shaun felt her fangs penetrate the skin on his neck, and then a numb euphoria took hold as she began to drink in his life essence.

The woman he once loved. The woman who had spurned, hurt and broke him. The woman who showed him how weak and vulnerable he really was. The woman who was at this very moment giving him the power that would enable him to inflict the hurt and pain on her that she had inflicted on him. The power to destroyer her. The power of revenge.

Shaun smiled as he slipped from consciousness for the last time as a human being.

Copyright © Lee Mountford 2007