Promise me Love, To Never Look Back...

That night Alex went to Miaka's room and knocked on her door.

“Come in.” Miaka was lying on her bed with her headphones around her neck. “Hey.”

“Hey.” He lied on the bed next to her and rested his head on her pillow. “I’m sorry. I didn’t want you to see that.”

“It’s ok, Alex. Is Rachel ok?”

“Yeah. She’s asleep.” He studied her face. “Are you alright? You don’t look it?”

“Yeah. It just worries me is all. You know, the way she is. I don’t want to be like that, Alex…if I let you bite me…”

“You wouldn’t be… I wouldn’t let that happen.” Alex put his arms around her. He gave her a slow kiss then rested his chin on top of her head. “It’s because of David that she’s like that. I wouldn’t do that to you… I love you Miaka.”

“Don’t say that.” Miaka sat up. “I’m not ready to hear that yet.”

Alex took her by the hand and pulled her back down next to him. “I’m not taking it back.”

“I don’t expect you to…Alex I want to go to bed now.”

“Yeah I know.” He hesitated to get up. “I wish I could stay with you.”

“Well…you can’t…I’m sorry.”

Alex looked stunned and almost hurt by her words. He kissed her again then went to the door. “Goodnight Miaka.”

Miaka couldn’t sleep after the conversation they had had. She got out of bed and went to see if Rachel was ok. She was asleep and that madder her feel somewhat better. Miaka stood in the hall for a minute. Finally she went upstairs. Alex’s light was on and his door was open. She stood in the doorway until Alex turned and saw her.

“Hey.”

“Hi.”

Miaka stood there for a second. “Miaka don’t stand there. Come inside.”

She tied the strings on her robe then sat down on the corner of his bed. “Alex, I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to upset you.”

He sat next to her. “I know. It’s ok.”

“No… I just… never mind…I don’t know anymore.”

“You didn’t come here just to apologies, did you?”

“Yeah. I did.”

Alex shook his head. “Don’t do that.” He smiled “You don’t need to apologies to me for anything. I should be the one doing that. I’ve dragged you into all this and I’m sorry.”

“Alex it’s-.”

“No, don’t say it. You shouldn’t be here. You should be in bed.”

“But I can’t sleep. I feel bad about what I said.” She sighed.

“Don’t. I understand.”

Miaka put her head on his shoulder. It was completely quiet. “Is Rachel going to be ok? I checked on her and she was asleep…but I’m worried that she wont be tomorrow…after what you told me about her trying to kill herself.”

“Now that David’s dead I don’t think she will. I understand though; why she did it. I wouldn’t have asked for it to happen but I’m glad she’s away from him, even if it meant this.”

“I thought David was you’re friend though.”

Alex shrugged. “David was an ally. If I didn’t befriend him bad things might have happened. David was powerful. That’s why he took the liberty of claiming Rachel.”

Miaka didn’t like the way that sounded. Claiming a person was like loosing your kid in a shopping mall and finding them with an employee. She didn’t want to be claimed as a personal pet or easy access to fresh blood. “So if I decided to stay that would mean you ‘claimed’ me? Is that what you mean?” Miaka didn’t want to sound paranoid or untrusting but she wasn’t doing a very good job.

“No that’s not what I mean.” Alex appeared to be getting frustrated. “I don’t like it when you don’t trust me, Miaka.”

“I’m sorry.”

“No. Don’t apologize. I hate it when you apologize.”

“Well while we’re on the subject; is there anything else you hate that you don’t want me to do? I’d hate to be a bad girlfriend.”

Alex put his head in his hands. “Miaka please. Just stop.”

Miaka stood up to leave but Alex grabbed her wrist. “Let go.”

“Listen to me.”

“No!” Alex let go and she ran out of the room. She wanted to scream at him. She wanted to scream at herself for being so stupid. Miaka knew Alex must have been going through hell with Rachel and David but there was so much he wasn’t telling her. “If he’s not going to tell me everything then why is he rushing me into all of this?” she thought. When she reached her door Jonathan stepped out of his room.

“Hey, what are you doing up still?”

“Nothing.”

Jonathan followed her into her room and sat at her computer. “I think we should leave. Get a different hotel.”

“Why?”

“I don’t want to get involved in some sort of…underground cult…You saw what happened. I’m not sure I feel safe leaving you alone around Alex.”

“How long are we gonna be here? In this town?”

“A couple more days. Three or four.”

“But Alex said it was ok. He even apologized for the whole mess. I don’t want to stay somewhere else. I like it here.”

Jonathan walked over to the bed and sat next where she was lying. “Why don’t you let me take you home after this?”

“Home? You mean for good?”

Jonathan shrugged. “Whatever you want. I know you don’t like to moving from place to place all the time but you can’t stay with me forever.”

“But John…” Miaka was almost in tears.

“You need to go to college once you finish your online courses and maybe someday even have a family. If you stay with me forever you’ll never have a stable life. I don’t want that for you.”

There was no reply for a long time but Jonathan waited patiently. “James is getting married.”

“Yeah I got his email. I wish we could be there for the wedding.”

“Why didn’t you ever get married John?”

Jonathan wasn’t expecting this question. “I guess I’m just too devoted to my job.”

“Is that a good thing?”

“For me it is. I like my job a lot.” He looked at Miaka who was curled up with a pillow in her arms. “I’ll let you get to sleep now.” Jonathan kissed her on the forehead. “Goodnight.”

“Wait. John are we leaving?”

“No, I’ll give it a couple more days.”

“Thanks John. Night.”

In the morning it was storming. The sky was dark and Miaka didn’t want to get up. She really didn’t have a reason to. For all she knew Alex was mad at her and didn’t want to see her, Jonathan was working and there was a suicidal girl in the room next to hers. Miaka turned off her alarm and got up anyway. If she didn’t sleep all day she could at least just stay in her room and hope that Alex didn’t come looking for her.

Miaka didn’t get dressed right away though. She hadn’t gotten much sleep the night before and she needed something to wake her up. Jonathan always had coffee made in the kitchen, so hoping that she was the only one awake, Miaka went quietly downstairs to the kitchen.

Jonathan wasn’t awake at the time but he had already gotten up to make the coffee and went back to sleep. Miaka jumped from foot to foot as she got a mug. The floor was freezing and she hadn’t remembered to put on slippers or her robe. She started to pour the coffee while scanning the room for a spoon. She didn’t see one or even any sugar. Then she remembered that she needed to hurry before someone woke up. Miaka put the pot back then turned around.

“Good-.” Miaka hit someone and coffee spilled on the floor. “Good morning Miaka.”

“I’m so sorry.” She looked up to see that it wasn’t Jonathan that that she had run into. It was Alex and was now holding her cup of coffee. “Oh. Hey,” she said uncomfortably. “I’ll clean that up. Sorry.”

“Just leave it I’ll take care of it.” He handed her the coffee and went to a cabinet. He took out a towel and threw it over the spill.

Miaka dried off the cup and refilled it.

“You usually aren’t up this early. You're not leaving yet are you?”

Miaka shook her head then walked toward the door. She was in a hurry to get back to her room and she felt kind of stupid and embarrassed in her short nightgown. But before she could clear the room Alex caught her by the arm.

“You ok? You’re so quiet.”

“Just tired,” she said then left and went upstairs as fast as possible. In her room she shut the door with her foot and went to the desk. Alex didn’t seem mad but he didn’t follow her out of the room and that was good. But she figured that it wouldn’t be long before he did. Miaka decided that if he knocked she would yell something about getting in the shower. Then again there was the possibility that he wouldn’t knock at all and just walk in and attack her in anger or passion. Either way she didn’t like the thought so she locked her door. Miaka turned on her music and lied on the bed. She thought that Alex wouldn’t come so she didn’t get dressed.

Half an hour later there was a knock at her door. She had almost fallen asleep on her bed having forgotten to drink her coffee and it took a minute for her to heat the knocking. “Who is it?” she called.

“Jonathan.”

“Ok.”

Jonathan unlocked the door, came in, and jumped on the bed. “Whasha doing?”

“I should slap you for asking that. No I’m not doing anything. Why?”

“Just thought I’d say good morning. I heard your music. Kinda early don’t ya think?”

“Never too early.”

“Well Alex explained the situation to me.”

“What situation??” Miaka asked worried that Alex had told Jonathan what was going on between them.

“Don’t tell me you forgot.”

“Oh. Ok. Yeah. Explained it to me to.”

“K. Good. Well I’ll let you get back to whatever it is you’re doing. So…later. I’ll be working.” He went to the door.

“Later.”

“Later.” Jonathan shut the door and Miaka reburied her face in her pillow and fell asleep.

When Miaka woke up she looked at the clock. It was ten a.m. Despite her determination to stay away from everyone, she couldn’t stand to stay in her room anymore.

She waited around for a coupled of hours then got dressed and went into the hall. Before she could turn to go downstairs she heard voices from the next room over. It sounded like Alex talking to Rachel. Miaka wanted to hear what was said but the door to the room was open and the risk of being seen was good. She kept walking. Conversation in the room stopped but she didn’t pay attention to it. For all she cared, at the moment, Alex could do whatever he wanted. She didn’t care if he was mad at her or hated her. Even if he decided to marry Rachel she didn’t really care at the time. Thinking about it more though she didn’t like the thought of Alex being with someone else. Maybe he did care about her. Maybe he wasn’t just desperate to find a girlfriend. But there was still a chance that he was. Part of her didn’t want to take that chance but part of her was dying to find out. It all depended on whether or not he still wanted her. ‘I’m just gonna let things play themselves out.’ She thought to herself. ‘There’s really nothing I can do about it except wait for him to say something. If he hates for me to apologize so much then he’s going to have to talk to me.’

Miaka was planning to lie in the couch and listen to music but as she reached the last step someone stood up. He looked at Miaka for a moment then smiled suspiciously.

Miaka stared for a minute. “Alex, what are you doing?”

She nodded. “We need to have a serious talk Miaka.”

“Really?” She tilted her head questioningly. “Why? What’s going on?” Miaka tried to play the oblivious card, pretending that she hadn’t known that he had been upstairs less than a minute ago.

“Don’t play stupid. You know damn well what’s going on.” Alex grabbed her roughly by the arm and she struggled to keep her footing as he dragged her up the stairs. Jonathan met them at the top of the steps.

“Jonathan-!”

“Let go of her!” he lunged at Alex.

Alex laughed and with a flick of his wrist, sent Jonathan down the steps. The landing stopped his fall and he lie grasping the steps in pain. Alex stood looking over his shoulder for a moment. “I have no quarrel with your brother. Tell him to stay out of this.” He didn’t give Miaka a chance to though. He immediately turned and continued walking. His grip was painfully strong, turning her hand white.

“Jonathan!” she fought him to get to her brother but he pulled her hard and she stumbled. Her knees hit the floor and Alex pulled her up again. Miaka was shoved into a room and the door was slammed. She could hear Jonathan’s footsteps running in the hall.

“Miaka!” Jonathan screamed and beat on the door.

“I didn’t want to do it this way Miaka.” Alex knelt by her. “You could have gone willingly…but these games you play with me…” he touched her neck. His hand shook as if he were holding back the need to strangle her. Alex gripped her throat and brought her to her feet. Her back hit the wall.

Her eyes pleaded with him and though his actions showed no mercy his gaze revealed pain.

Alex released her, submitting to the painful clawing at his arm. He staggered to the center of the room as Miaka fell to the floor.

Jonathan beat on the door until his fists were bloody. He yelled until his voice was hoarse.

Alex cried out in anguish. “Miaka!” he sank to the floor. He coughed and blood streamed from his lips. He caught it in his hand. No more spilled to the floor though he continued to cough violently. “Miaka! I can no longer handle your games, your rejection!” The stress in his voice was painful to hear. “Please Miaka come to me!” His tone was now silky, silky like blood.

Miaka stood. How could she just stand there? How could she not go to him?

“I need you Miaka! Please come to me!” Blood seeped between his fingers. Miaka ran to him.

“Alex!” her voice broke.

His arms were around her; the blood from his hand spilling onto her dress. She felt it down her back and down her arms. Blood shouldn’t be so cold.

Miaka knew she had made a mistake. She screamed a cry of grief and regret. Alex kissed her. She had made a mistake.

His teeth pierced her neck. Pain flooded her and she cried out.

. Jonathan fell, felling Miaka’s pain. Then silence fell throughout the cold, stone halls and all that remained was the echo of a scream; the last he would her of his sister for a very long time.

[End of part one]