Identity

I would like to tell myself that the street we stopped at was actually wrong but I know that this is it, my home.

I heard the car door opened and swiftly closed.

"I want to go inside" I told him.

I heard no reply. I walked to the doorway and stopped, I starred for a second at the rusty doorknob fighting my sob as I turned it and went inside.

The door closed behind silently that was the time when my legs gave up. The sight in front of me was so hard to digest. Where are my parents? My little brother? Is this a joke?

"Mom? Dad? Michael?" I called but the words that left my lips were barely whispers. The moon shone where I sat illuminating the whole room with its gloomy glow as its light seep through the broken windows and the cracks on the floorboards above after it faded again and I was once engulfed in darkness.

A minute passed but there was no answer.

The whole place inside was dusty with many cobwebs hanging on the ceiling, things were thrown to the floor, it looked like the living room had been raided by a typhoon.

There are shattered glasses on the floor. What hurt me more was the tumbler that lay on the floor, mom gave this to me on the day of my 19th birthday, I wept and ran to my room upstairs. The faint light from the moon made it easier for me to see in the dark.

There was nothing there but a medium sized bed. My wooden bed, it was less dustier than the whole place the sheets where white and two pillows where stacked in front of the head board.

What's the meaning of this? I was only away for two days and this is what I would return to? At the back of the bed i saw a dusty broken grand piano a slight pain flashed in my head enough to make me feel sick, I heard something downstairs so I hurriedly went down to check and what surprised me was a large bat-like creature rummaging through the scattered things across the floor as it was looking for something.

I backed away carefully my back towards the door. Without warning the old wooden floor creaked. I stiffened. The bat-like creature shifted it's gaze as to where I am standing.

Compared to the other one I encountered, this creature was much more to be feared, it looks more wilder with its blood stained jagged teeth and huge wings folded at its back. It was crouched with its wrinkled skin sagging and hairless. Its deep ruby eyes stared at me in the dark.

It growled at me. I ran to the stairs but I didn't made it to cross five steps when something yanked my left foot. The long nails digging into my skin made me bite my lower lip, it was then something flashed in my mind.

It was raining ahead, I saw something growling at me. I gasped. I already saw them in my dream. My nightmare was right behind me. I was lucky I was able to grasp the railing with both hands. The monster pulled my leg to release me from my grasp. It made me feel nauseous. My eyesight getting blurry, it was getting hard to breathe. No, I can't faint.

I looked up at the top of the stairs my eyesight blurry, but someone was standing there. With crimson red eyes.

"You dare lay a hand on her" I heard him say, every word emphasized was cold and filled with malice. It made me shudder.

In an instant the creature was thrown to the other side of the room crashing against the window.

He took the creature in one hand by the back of its neck and raised it on the air. It squirmed forcefully at his grip. What I did not anticipate to happen took place in front of me. In an instant, he ripped the creature apart using his bare hands. The gore sight and smell of blood made my ears ring.

>>>>>

I woke up with a start. I was back in the plane. I scanned the room dizzily my vision was out of focus. I saw Regal standing beside the window he turned to me and walked to the bed.

"How do you feel?" He asked looking at me with worried eyes but he kept a safe distance, his arms folded while his back was leaning on the wall. I wondered why while I placed my glasses back to look at him carefully.

"I'm fine" I told him.

He gave me a weary look. When I blinked, he was already at the foot of the bed. Using his index finger he tapped the wound on my leg which was already bandaged.

"Ouch!" I exclaimed.

"See your not fine" he said with a smirk.

"Its a wound of course it would hurt" I said looking at my leg.

"And your burning," he muttered as he placed the back of his hand on my forehead.

"You have a fever," he concluded as he turn to leave the room.

Could you believe this guy? I laid back on the bed starring at the ceiling. He went out of the room I couldn't sense his presence anymore. Ever since I woke up in his house I have always felt his presence whenever he is close by, something really weird to experience but cool at the same time.

After a while a middle aged lady with a white uniform and an apron went inside the room she has a neat bun and a white cap. She greeted me.

"Good morning Miss Alice, "

"Good morning." I replied.

"Master Regal told me to bring you food and medicine" she said as she bowed.

That guy! I'm not that sick. A little dizzy perhaps but I repeat, I'm not that sick.

I nodded at the lady it might seem useless and rude to reject her offer otherwise, I have a feeling Regal would force feed me and give the medicine himself with an added high dose of wordy irritants, you can't mess with this guy I'm telling you, that I can't risk .

The lady was nice and motherly.

Everyone calls her Mrs. Snugg. She was quite talkative but it was fun she told me tons of interesting stories.

I ate all of the food that was served and took my medicine afterwards, she left with a warm smile.

"Thank you Mrs. Snugg" I told her as she pulled the trolley towards the door.

"Of course, rest and sleep dear" she said as she closed the door behind her.

My chest was burning it was hard to breathe. It was like this the moment I went out of my house.

I was having unstopping palpitations since I woke up. I tried to sleep but I can't my chest becomes painful every passing minute. A pain suddenly erupted in my head. My breathing became ragged but I tried to even it with such a failed attempt.

Regal suddenly appeared in the room again. He was talking with someone on the phone.

"Call him and tell him to go to the mansion, I know he would be surprised but I already called him earlier about my return he didn't took it lightly as expected but I told him to keep this a secret for a while, we have less than an hour before landing I'll see you then" he hung up the phone and touched my forehead I heard him tch. I blinked.

"Your burning still, Keeping your pains wouldn't do you any good Alice, to think that Mrs. Snugg already administered some medicines after two hours and your not well" he said anxiously, which surprised me.

Maybe I am probably hallucinating, the way his eyes looked, the way his voice sounds.

"There are things I have in mind, many questions has occurred to me...." I didn't finished what I was saying when he punched the table with his fist.

Causing the plane turbulence for a minute or two.

"Couldn't you think of yourself first? " he said with a cold voice. Restraining himself, I could tell he was in pain as well.

The plane became stable again the lights stopped flickering.

I placed my feet on the floor wearing the bedroom slippers as I went to where he stood, my body ached all over but I managed to reach him hesitatingly, touched his arm with my hand.

"I'm sorry to cause you pain" I told him. "

It slowly came into mind that, it was the scent of my blood that was causing him pain. It is his self control that was preventing him from drinking my blood and all I think about now is the truth and the answers to the questions which has been raised.

His irises were crimson red, the same time when I saw him earlier battling with the winged creature, the same time he saw me bleed. I couldn't stand to see him in pain I didn't know what is his past but it seems like it was filled with fear, hatred and pain. He was alone.

He sighed but he remained silent, slowly he began to calm down. His irises turned into green.

"You must stay in bed" he said and without warning he scooped me into his arms without much effort before I could react he walked me to the bed. He took my glasses away gently and placed it on the bedside table, in silence, he looked at me straight in the eyes for a moment I stared back at him questioningly but he never uttered any word.

My face turned tomato red again. He carefully placed me on the bed. He pulled the sheets to the both of us. That made my face even hotter.

"Hey!" I exclaimed. My head throbbed along with my chest. I closed my eyes. I was aware he was starring at me silently. When the pain lessened a little I opened my eyes to see him staring at me.

He pulled me close to his chest hugging me tightly and muttered under his breath "Just a little more time the pain would soon disappear"

I didn't know but after a while I fell asleep.

>>>>>

I was awakened by a beeping car. I feel very weak.

"Hang on Alice" I heard Regal whisper on my ear, he was carrying me.

I didn't even have the strength to keep my eyes open. I heard a car door open.

"Take us back to the mansion" Regal said.

"Right away sir" a male's voice replied.

>>>>>>

I can't breathe easily, my chest painful, my head felt dizzy, cold sweat running down my forehead. I think anytime soon I would pass out but I hope not to. I was placed on a bed covered with a blanket up to my shoulders.

"Regal" I managed to whisper.

"Everything will be alright, there's a doctor here, he will help you. You'll be fine I promise" he whispered on my ear.

"I'm scared" the words came with a sob I wasn't able to contain. I felt hot drops of liquid from the sides of my eyes.

"Its too painful" I was talking about every bit of me. Every single cell in an excruciating pain I didn't even know where did it come from.

"Hush now, it would disappear in a moment" he whispered to me.

I felt him leave.

"Milady this is Doctor Hughes, I'll be administering a pain reliever....."

>>>>>>

My eyes slowly opened. Touching the bedside table, I took my glasses and wore them, I was back in my room, the sunlight entering through the glass balcony doors shining down, emitting a cheerful light inside the white room, the warm wind was blowing the curtains inwards creating a serene feeling, I can hear birds chirping outside, all the gloom in my room was erased like it has never been there before. Am I dead? I sat and leaned my back on the head board as my breathing evened, I scanned the room.

Regal was suddenly standing at the foot of the large bed. He was back to his passive expression.

"Good morning" I greeted him. He didn't replied. He starred at me for a second and walked languidly to the bed. I noticed his irises turning into red and green, and red and green again, until it stayed red. It made me guarded all of the sudden, I shifted my position.

"Finally, your awake" he uttered as he stopped at the foot of the bed.

Everything that happened afterwards was so fast before I could say another word, my back was already on the bed he was on top of me, his head lying on my stomach his hands embracing my waist he let out a sigh of relief. He was worried, I know he didn't say but his actions speak clearly for themselves. Maybe he was tired too, do vampires get tired? Unconsciously my hand gently caressed his soft hair, which he didn't seem to mind.

We stayed like that for I don't know how long. Without speaking to each other. I never saw him sleeping but I can now do, he laid on his side, the reason why I can watch him sleep quietly, he has a very calm expression with his eyes closed, this handsome features that I would never grow tired of looking at, his long arched eyebrows, his thin lips his perfect nose, his strong jaw. He was now asleep. I could watch him sleep like this the entire day, it was a sight to behold, the coldness vanished away from him.

I don't care if he was always cold and irritating but I know deep inside he was also warm and has a good heart. His past might have brought him the cold empty stares that could make anyone cringe especially when he's serious, I can't help wonder of his past, it made me intrigued.

When he stirred he tightly hugged my waist. I caressed his hair again and shushed him, he was silent again. It made me smile.

"Mom....." Regal uttered half asleep he was dreaming. How cute but, his expression showed pain he called his mother again. I panicked, what do I do? Then an idea came to mind.

"Sleep my love" I whispered to him caressing his back gently after a moment he was sound asleep and didn't stirred anymore. How could I move?

I didn't have a choice but to get back to sleep as well.