I WAS DOOMED FOR ETERNITY

EVA's POV

I roamed around the forest glad that the silly humans kept out of the forest. So I could move about at my own pace without worrying about shocking someone. I finished running the perimeter of the forest in a few minutes. I wished that I could go further but Emily had strictly forbidden it.

I sat there idly on the rock. Suddenly a tempting smell assaulted me. There was no doubt that it was a human being. What was a human doing in this forest? Did he not fear for his life?

I had to ensure that he never came back to this forest again. I would have fun scaring him to death. I followed the trail and reached behind the human in moments. I intended to push him down but this human was more aware of his surroundings than I thought. He sensed my presence and turned around. I moved away before he could even turn fully but that is not the point.

I let out a gasp when I saw his face. It was Audrey. How was that possible? He had died 500 years ago. Yet this man looked identical to him. I couldn’t resist brushing past him to ensure that he was not my imagination.

He surprised me again by running off. He shouldn’t have been able to feel me brushing past him. I felt frustrated. How could someone look like Audrey? No one had the right to look identical to him.

I pulled apart a few trees in frustration. My emotions were running wild. I rushed home before I did anything foolish.

I was greeted by Emily’s sharp voice as soon as I entered the house.

“ So you are back? What was all that ruckus about?” Of course Emily knew. There was no way I could hide anything from her.

“ I saw him Emily,” I whispered.

Emily was in front of me before I could complete my sentence. She lifted my chin and commanded,” Look at me Eva.”

I was too furious to respond. I continued looking at the floor.

“ Open your eyes and look at me Vanessa!” She repeated in a booming voice. I felt all the fight leave my body. I looked up at her helplessly. I hated the authority she had over me, given that she was my maker.

“ He is not Audrey. Audrey died 500 years ago. He is not going to come back. You will stay away from Alex. Is that clear?’

I reluctantly nodded. Whatever Emily said was true. I would only endanger Alex’s life if I became a part of his life. It would be the best if I steered clear of him.

“ Now sit down. We need to sort out all the details.”

I sighed and sat down on the couch. Emily sat in front of me. Eric came down the stairs and sat next to Emily. He usually stayed away from our arguments.

“ How did you like your new name Vanessa?”

“Couldn’t you have thought of something better?”

“ It just fits Vanessa. Eva seems like a name Emily Dixon and Erick Dixon would keep. Moreover, if we accidentally call you Vanessa, Eva seems a good shortened form ”

“ Both of you are keeping your real names?”

“ Yes, it has been 200 years since we used it.”

“ Okay. Whatever. Do you have the documents ready Erick?”

“ Of course. Polished to bits.”

“ Emily what is our story?”

“ Your grandfather moved to Dever 50 years ago. He married your grandmother and Emily was born. Emily married me and we had you 18years ago. We have come back to El Rosa to lead a peaceful life and expand our business here.’

“ Eva, you would have to get admission in St. Normans”

“ No way! Eric.”

“ What is wrong?”

“ He studies at St. Norman.”

Emily nodded in understanding and said,” Can’t Eva go to another college?”

“ There is no other college nearby that would suit The Dixons. Remember we are posing as someone on par with Royalty.”

“ I don’t think I will be able to tolerate being near him for such a long time.”

Eric explained in an exhausted voice,“ You have to bite the bullet. Think of this as a way to make yourself stronger. You know how important it is to stay undercover. One wrong move and our enemies would end us before we can say ouch! Our brethren vampires detest us since we are against killing human beings. So we would get no help from them. ‘You’ of all people must understand what I am saying.”

I looked at his face laced with exhaustion. I have always thought of immortality as a curse rather than a blessing. The pain and misery is unending. You don’t even forget anything. I always envied the human beings who could just get into a deep slumber and slip into oblivion. Eric has been a vampire for 2000 years. I could understand how fed up he must be of everything. I didn’t want to make existence more difficult for him.

I sighed,” I will go to the college.”

“ Thank you Eva. My dear. You are the best.”

“ But I am not responsible if I do anything foolish later on.”

“ Don’t worry, We will cover up for you,” Eric said relieved that I was not planning on a full-fledged tantrum like the last time.

Emily went to the bar and poured out the liquid from a bottle labeled Exquisite Red Wine. She handed one of the goblets to me and sat down again. “ Drink this, Eva. It will make you feel better.”

“ Are you serious?” I said with scorn. “ You expect me to drink this shit!”

“ I think your encounter with that boy has muddled with your sense of smell, Eva.” Eric countered.

“ Take a whiff.”

I had involuntarily stopped breathing from the time I had seen Audrey’s look alike. So in a sense I had tuned out my sense of smell.

I took a deep breath. Instantly my nostrils flared and my eyes became bloodshot red. I gulped down the contents in a jiffy.

“ That is not very ladylike, Is it?” Emily teased sipping her drink slowly.

“ For how many days have you not drunk any blood, Eva?”

“ A week,” I whispered.

“ You must not test your limits like this. I wonder how you didn’t kill the boy?” Eric reprimanded.

I hissed at that vile thought. I was trying to resist even the donated blood from the blood banks.

“ I know you are doing this because you hate being a monster but eventually it will rebound and you will lose your self-control. While you are amongst humans you must promise to drink every day. That is the only way to keep everybody safe.”

“ I promise Eric. No more trying to be superhuman. Oops! That is not the right usage. No more trying to be a super vampire.” I said and excused myself. I was not at all in the mood for conversation. I went straight to my room. The lavishly decorated room held nothing of interest to me. So I jumped out of the window and went towards the only place that provided me solace.

I was in front of Audrey’s tomb in a flash. I brushed away all the dried leaves with my hand. I zipped through the forest picking the most beautiful flowers from the forest. I decorated the tomb up to the point it looked like a heap of flowers.

This was the only thing I could do. Helplessness and misery hit me with full force. A scream erupted from my throat involuntarily. I tore my hair. My knees buckled and gave way. I landed on the ground with a thud.

I have often heard the words,” Time heals all the Wounds.” But that is true only if you are human. For Vampires Time Magnifies all the Wounds. I have lived with this pain for 500 years and I am doomed for eternity……….