First floor: Marshmallow vampire

Claire 

The cool droplets fell on my face and I opened my eyes. My head was pounding and I groaned from the pain.

"Easy, girl, easy."

The voice was soothing but familiar. As in cue the pair of violet-red eyes appeared above me and a pair of hands held me down pressing on my shoulders. "You!" I snarled and thrashed trying to get up.

"Hey, we saved you from the willow bitch, now shut it and calm down." The man spoke again, still pushing me to the couch.

"Okay." I croaked trying to keep calm. "Now if you don't want to make me pâté, I suggest you to let me get up."

He scowled. "You will not go running again, right?"

I nodded and he pulled me up, helping me sit straight. We were at the living room and rain had started to fall outside. Close to the double doors, which were leading to the pool, Fred was standing his massive stone arms crossed around his chest, his lion head tilted to the side.

"Don't be afraid." He spoke softly and for a reason his voice was gentler than his scary form. "Fred is harmless. Well, piss him off and then you'll be screwed."

"Todd, don't frighten our doorkeeper." The gargoyle spoke and his voice too, sounded too human for his strange body.

Wait, why was I trying to find logic in the mess? I stared at the man with the freaky eyes then at the statue. "You're a vampire," I pointed at the man named Todd "and you're a gargoyle?"

"Good," Todd slapped my shoulder "you catch up quickly."

I glared at him. "I've been calling you for almost the whole day! Why didn't you show up?" I stood up and paced around the table. I was surely that I looked like a lunatic to them. "And why Mrs. Jinx didn't say anything about you?"

Todd frowned. "Did you expect her to say: 'Hey sweetie how about working for the supernatural?' Yeah, I am sure that this would get your attention!"

Unfortunately he had a point. I stopped pacing and turned to Fred. "Mrs. Jinx said that I am the doorkeeper. What exactly am I going to do if the house is full of vampires?!"

"Hey, why aren't you asking me that?" Todd spoke from behind and I flipped him off.

"For start, Mr. Molas is the only vampire in the residence. He occupies the first floor and he likes to come down at night."

I gaped at him. "The whole first floor?"

His lion head moved as if he was nodding. "The same goes for the two other residents. They live at the rest floors and if you noticed there was a plate with their initials written on it."

I remembered the plate with the letters and then I turned to the vampire.

"T.M. You are Todd Molas?"

He made a bow, which was quite sarcastic on its own way. "At your service. And you are?"

"Claire."

"Just Claire?"

"Just Claire."

Todd chuckled and cocked an eyebrow. "Well, then 'just' Claire, do you have any idea, what your job is?"

I pulled the string with the keys and I held it on my palm. I couldn't miss the sharp intake of breath from both creatures. Strangely one of the three silver keys felt warm in my palm. I looked at Todd and then at the key. "I am not exactly your doorkeeper, aren't I?"

The vampire sat on the couch and placed his long feet on the table. He pulled a hair band and tied his long multi colored hair on a loose ponytail. "More like our warden. But we stopped using the term the past three hundred years."

I stared at him for a moment. Then I turned to Fred. "Are you a prisoner here too?"

Fred walked slowly keeping his long bat wings shut. It was a little comical watching a statue with the body of a man, the head of a lion and the wings of a bat, trying to sit on the couch. I took the armchair and sat Indian style eyeing them both.

"I used to be human but a sorcerer's work trapped me in this body. I found my way on this residence around 1700's and the guys kind of adopted me. I am trying to find a way to release myself but so far it is pointless."

"The keys you hold can open everything to the house. And at the same time can command us to return to our quarters too." Todd spoke with irritation as if he had explained everything countless times. Judging by Mrs. Jinx I had started to believe that this was true.

The keys suddenly felt heavy. I wasn't made for this kind of responsibility and I didn't want it. I never expected to found myself locked in here and suddenly I couldn't breathe. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

"Here."

I opened my eyes and looked at the glass of water. Without questioning how Todd had brought it to me, he was a vampire after all, I mumbled a 'thanks' and drank it quickly.

"How long do I have to stay here?"

"Until our curse is broken."

"How can your curse be broken?"

Todd sighed. "One of the conditions of our curse was that the human responsible for our care was to be the one to find the way of breaking it. So far, no matter how hard everyone has tried nothing has worked."

Fred snorted and his fangs showed. "No wonder, if they are given the money."

"Or the wishes." Todd concluded.

So there was the temptation of money and wishes. Too bad I knew where both could lead. Aladdin was one example and he was the other.

"So I am to take care of you, but I can't leave?"

"You can but only to buy us things." Todd smiled with mischief and then I remembered the shopping bags.

"Wait, the porn magazines were for you?" You made an old woman buy porn?"

"Isn't it low Ms. Claire?" Fred spoke and I nodded. I had started to like the gargoyle.

"Hey, I have needs!"

"Then find a woman, blood donor, anything!"

Todd's eyes flashed red and violet. "No one can enter. Blood bags come via a contact I have made with the outer world. Luckily, even in my exile, I have some friends on the society."

"There are more vampires?"

Todd gave me a 'duh' look. I swore and looked at the empty cup. "Do you have alcohol?"

They stared at me as if I was nuts. "How old are you?"

"Seventeen."

"The only alcoholic drink you can have will be fruit punch." Todd remarked while Fred went to the bar section of the living room, probably to lock the bottles in.

"Oh come on!" I snapped and the vampire flashed the canines. They were shiny by the way.

"Haven't your parents ever taught you manners?"

My blood ran cold and I looked blankly at him. I saw him flinch and I hoped my look was scary enough. I had a long way to go with this one. I stood and tighten my hold on the keys. "Fred, you can awake only at night?"

"Um, yes?"

"Good, I'll ask you about the crazy tree tomorrow night."

I turned at Todd. "You keep your fangs in, if you don't wish to find your curtains open and me standing above you, checking if you glitter or not under the sun." I walked near him and headed to my room at the base of the stairs. "And for your information, my family is dead to me."

I banged the door close and fell on the bed curling into a fetal position. I willed the tears not to fall, but soon I felt the sheets becoming wet, even with my eyes closed. Wishing for all this to be just a dream I fell asleep, hearing the rain hitting the glass of my double doors.

The next morning I crept out from the room after having changed into yoga pants, flip flops and a short sleeved shirt. For more safety I had used one of the few brown belt I had securing the keys on my waist. While I didn't want to be a warden, the way the keys dangled as I walked suggested the opposite. I looked outside from the kitchen window. Even after the rain, the sky was cloudy and I was sure that it would be really cold.

The window looked at the one side of the garden where the freaky tree was; its branches moved softly with the wind, nothing betraying the woman who, after thinking it for a while, was also cursed into staying in this house.

After eating breakfast, and I had to admit that the cupboards were full with food, I pulled on a jacket and got out. Fred was on his usual place, crouched and eyeing at the direction of the gates, his wings slightly open above his lion head.

"Morning Fred." I mumbled and patted his stone mane. I could understand why Mrs. Jinx had the urge to do so.

Where would that old woman be now? Would she have used her wishes? Or would she have just retired after a life sentence in here? I sighed and went back in, already rubbing my arms from the cold. Passing one of the mirrors of the hall I caught a sight of my face and stopped. My hair was short, pixie cut, and blond while my eyes, dark brown, almost black, had circles under them. Too bad I hadn't slept well last night.

If I could find information about the house and the residents, wouldn't I have a start? I wasn't planning to spend my life in here, taking care of the 'babies'. With that thought I strolled to the common room and headed to the double doors at the other side of the TV. Pulling out the key string I fumbled with the keys, trying to find out the one which could open them.

After a few tries, the doors swung open and I stopped at the entrance. A gigantic library stood before me, with rows and rows of shelves, neatly placed on the four walls of the room. At the center a wide study was placed with three computers on it. Walking closely I peered at them and sat on the first on the right. It was Todd's; the idiot had placed bat stickers on the screen.

And he had placed a code. Too bad I was really good at hacking. Grinning with the thrilling of using the keyboard it took me five minutes to log in and search the vampire's files. Geez, he had a taste for anything that showed fangs, from 'Twilight' to 'True Blood'. Another file contained logistic papers; I didn't need to touch these, while another held some type of journal.

The journal was categorized per year and when I turned to the shelves, I noticed that the books held the same dates as the files. So they were saving their stories. Strolling down I noticed that many documents were dated back to tenth century. Clicking on one, the document named 1348, and began reading it.

Vienna, 1348,

The plague has reached even these cities. Whenever I stroll out at night, my eyes fall upon bodies, women, men and children, pilled on the streets. No one cares to burn them or even offer a last litany for their souls.

There were times when I had to finish those who suffered and for a moment as I had hovered above their black, from the Black Death, bodies, their eyes had lighten probably believing that I was Death himself.

My people are restless. They speak of a new land far away from Europe at the other side of Atlantic. Honestly I am not sure if a relocation could succeeded. The risks are too great and the Ottomans are very observant on their borders. Some of the Councilors have spoke of our Asian brothers. They said that they thrive at the underworld over there, using the powers of the local wizards.

Only time can show and luckily I have plenty.

Tobias Molason, Head Councilor.

I sat back, eyeing the screen. So Todd was not an ordinary vamp, he used to have a position of power. Sighing, I closed his computer and got up. The books would be easier to search, using the dates as a reference. After a small look I realized that a part of the library belonged to Todd, while the other books had different initials written on them. The books under the letters of J.N. were the fewest.

Pulling down three of the tomes from Todd's history, I read stories of war, political strives, even gossip. Apparently, one of the Popes was lucky to invest his business on the vamps. Quite ironic on my opinion. But when I reached the beginnings of 15th century the entries stopped there and then they began again on a later date, around 1610. A century was missing and I could bet my left hand that this was the time frame where Todd was sentenced in here.

I closed the books, put them back and got out from the library. The house was awfully quiet and I turned on the radio, catching a flashy station. Turning the volume up, I decided to clean and then make lunch. Oddly, I felt out of my skin doing house chores. After a year on the run, I believed that I wouldn't be able to live into a house again. My life so far was a fine example of exploit and devastation.

The scent of grilled meat and spaghetti made my mouth water and quickly I set the table at the kitchen not wanting to use the big dining table at the living room. When I checked the clock I noticed that it was already afternoon and that meant that the sun had already set.

A tap at the window caught my attention and when I turned Fred waved at me. I got up and opened the kitchen door and the gargoyle made his way in. It was still strange having a living statue walking around.

"Good evening Claire." His amber eyes twitched as if smiling.

"Hey, Fred. Do you want to join me?" I pointed at the table.

"I can't eat, but thank you for the offer. Can I use the TV?"

"Sure."

He walked down to the living room and soon sound filled the other room. I sat down and ate quickly. Thank God I could still cook. The OJ was sweet and when I finished, I rinsed the dishes and placed them back at the cup board. As I was pulling a taper ware for the remaining food, a soft knock was heard behind me.

Todd stood, his hands behind him, dressed on faded jeans and a red shirt, which apparently was doing a good job showing off his muscles. His hair was again tied on with few strands falling on his temples. "I come in peace."

I scoffed. "Really? Where is your spaceship?"

He smiled and scratched his jaw. "I wanted to apologize for yesterday. Sometimes I forget how hard it's to lose your life, thrust into somewhere you never wanted to be."

Well that was a change. "Okay. Bit I want some answers about the place, starting with the willow."

He nodded and gestured me to follow him. We passed the living room, turned at the other side of the stairs and Todd opened a wooden door. It was a study with red armchairs and a fireplace in front of them. Lush carpets covered the floor and the warmth emitted from the place was so relaxing, I wanted to find a blanket and curl up in front of the fire. Todd sat on the armchair and I took the other, pulling my knees on my chest.

"First of all I would like to inform you that of the three, well four with Fred, residents in here, I am the most...civil."

I snorted. "Let me be the judge on that but thanks for the warning."

He smirked. "Now, the willow on the garden works as a guardian of the place. While Fred covers the sky, Lethinia protects the grounds."

"Lethinia is her name?"

"Yes, and she very jealous of other women."

I frowned. "You speak as if she was a human."

"Well, Lethinia was never human, exactly more like...another kind of being."

I groaned. "Please don't tell me that fairies and witches exist too."

He shrugged.

"No shit." I gaped at him. "Really?"

Todd settled back and watched the flames for a moment. "To be honest never anyone asked me about the dealings of our world." He turned at me. "Since you will be staying here for a while, I can tell you the basics."

"Go on." I urged him and Todd smiled, flashing the pearlies.

"There are four kinds of supernatural. They have evolved among with the human race, just to answer your question of our origin."

"So while we were still climbing trees, you...what? Were building the pyramids?"

He laughed. "Not in that way! But Imhotep did help the Egyptians built them. He had fifty sons and daughters the last time I saw him."

I stared at him. From the few attention I paid at History Imhotep lived at Egypt. Around 27th century BC.

Holy crap.

"Anyway," Todd continued, "except from vampires, there are werewolves, fairies and the Ws."

"Ws?"

"Meaning witches and warlocks. Their children have proven to be quite strong politicians among the human history. Since they are the only ones who can pass as humans."

"And why haven't we, humans, noticed you? I mean you are discreet, that's a fact, but there's no way you have slipped by all this time."

Todd shook his head. "There are some facts in human history which have been based on acts of the four races. Witch hunting, Black Death, the first expedition to America, even the first novel of vampires, all these were done by some very charismatic people of the races."

I held up my hand, unable to comprehend what I heard. "Hold up. Bram Stoker was a vampire?"

"He is one. And here I thought that you would think more highly of a vampire author rather than the fact that Christopher Columbus was a fairy."

"Please stop. I am going under cultural shock."

"Understandable."

"Alright. If Lethinia is now a tree, she used to be a...fairy?"

"Well done Claire." He smiled, pleased with my answer. "I believe that you are smarter than you look."

"I'll take that as a compliment." I stated dryly.

"She used to be a fairy and that brings us to one of my roomies. I spoke with him, before getting down. Leafy will come to join us at some point." Todd said and got up. "I am starving. Did you make dinner?"

"Ah, I thought you drink only blood."

"Kid, I can eat too. I think there is still some ice cream."

And just like that the vamp ate almost all the ice cream after devouring my steak and spaghetti. Fred had looked at the food with longing and I could only offer him an apologetic smile.

As night rolled in and fog covered the outside, Todd brought two cups to the living room. Fred had already left, checking the perimeter, while I had put a movie on. Todd offered the one to me; it was hot chocolate but I gagged when I saw his. It was blood, hot blood and in he had...

"Are these marshmallows?" I asked horrified.

"Hey, they make it sweet! I would give my left nut to taste chocolate."

"You can't eat chocolate?"

Todd sat beside me and shook his head. "There are two weaknesses kid on a vamp. Sun and chocolate. Make sure to remember."

"Why are you telling me this? I could use it against you, if I wanted." I asked trying to understand his behavior.

Todd's eyes shined as he turned and a mocking grin was plastered on his face. "And I would have you skinned alive in three seconds. But you are cute," he took a sip from his mug and I held my breath "and I am already feeling bad for yesterday. I know how it feels to lose your family."

His voice was sad and when he lowered his head, staring at the mug in his hands I got the impression that the missing century on his diary was truly a part of his life he didn't even want to see on paper.

I sighed and looked at the screen, too lost on my thoughts to pay attention. After finishing my drink, I pulled the small blanket from the couch and covered my feet. Tood was sitting at the other side of the couch, still sipping on his bloody drink, turning around the pages of a book. He looked so engrossed on it, I didn't even notice the faint tilt of his lips.

"What are you reading?" I asked.

His eyes lit up, as if I had told him that he could be free. He closed the book, after snapping the page on the edge and showed it to me. The cover had a man sitting on a throne; it was very intimidating.

"It's about a brotherhood of vamps! It's so cool. And sexy and hilarious. I wish I could drink from the author!"

"Ew, seriously?"

"Hey! In our circles being chosen as a blood donor is quite a honor."

"I'll pass. I never liked fangs anyway."

Todd laughed and the whole room echoed his voice. "Then I can't wait to see what you'll say when you meet him!"

"Who?"

Todd smiled and moved his index finger left and right. "It's a secret." He chimed and went back to reading.

When the movie ended, Todd escorted me back to my room, mostly out of formality. It seemed that I had to discuss the rules of etiquette in this house. We were passing the stairs when the smoke appeared. Todd swore and pulled me back and in a flash he had a wet towel around my face.

"Don't breathe the smoke!" he shouted as if I couldn't hear him and nodded.

Heavy steps sounded and I looked around Todd. A man, dressed in loose pants and shirt, with the symbol of peace around his neck appeared. His hair was shiny and green, cut short but what was astonishing were his ears. They were pointy, like an Elf's and his skin was glowing white.

He was a fairy.

And he was smoking the green stuff.

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AUTHOR'S NOTE

Check for Todd on your right! ^_^