Part 9

Several days have passed. Noah and Aylin are again spending their time deciphering the infinite mysteries hidden within the many musty tomes in Saint Germain's library.

Saint Germain himself is nowhere to be found, so Noah has assumed the responsibility of being Aylin's teacher. He takes his time explaining the details of various plants both poisonous and beneficial to vampires.

Aylin is a fast learner. She ends up memorizing all the names and afflictions much more easily than Noah ever could. He doesn't mind her learning quickly, but if this continues, he wonders if his job as private tutor will end sooner than he would like.

Eventually they migrate into the study.
They sit at the long table in silence. Aylin's attention has started to wane after hours of prolonged exposure to the ancient texts.
She sits, thinking.

"Noah... we've been studying all day. Why don't we go somewhere for the rest of the afternoon?" Aylin suggests.
Noah is hesitant to agree. Saint Germain has told me repeatedly that is it unsafe outside the mansion because of that rogue vampire... he thinks.
He sits, not saying anything. Aylin keeps looking at him waiting for his answer. She seems eager and tries again to convince him to go.
"Wouldn't it be so nice to get some fresh air after all that dust?" she asks, "And it's such a nice spring day today! Please, can't we just go shopping or something? It'll be fun!"

Noah looks at her smiling face. His own starts to redden, as usual, and he quickly looks away, brushing his hair to the side.
She makes it impossible for me to refuse, always... he thinks to himself. I must become more resistant to her charm somehow, if I am to survive this.

"Well...' he sighs, "I suppose it is still early enough in the day that it should be safe," he finally admits, albeit reluctantly. "But if Saint Germain finds out that we've left, he will be displeased with me. Let us return here before dusk."

"Really?" In her excitement Aylin is practically shouting. "Awesome! There's a place I've been wanting to take you, Noah! You're going to love it!" Her hands bounce up and down as she shows her enthusiasm.
"R-really? Well, I would be delighted to see it then, of course." Noah smiles at her, happy that he apparently made her day better. He wonders what this mystery location could possibly be. Surely this will be more enjoyable than studying all day, but Noah has the feeling that leaving the mansion isn't the best idea.
He pushes the concern out of his mind, and they make ready to depart.

Noah looks out at the scenery as they walk into town.
It is beautiful here... he thinks as he admires the picturesque mountains towering high above the buildings.
It is so much different from the city. The air is clean and the water is crystal clear. He wishes he had brought a notepad to take down ideas for poems. The inspiration flows throughout his body and he feels butterflies take flight in his stomach.
He thinks it's inspiration anyway, but being with Aylin almost always gives him a perpetual flutter.

They continue down the winding streets into the main square.
"Let's check the map really quick!" says Aylin, "It's been a while since I've been to this place, but I'm sure it still exists! I was here with my parents a couple summers ago."

Once she figures out where they need to go, Aylin takes the lead, Noah close behind. She is walking fast, clearly excited for him to see the place she has been keeping a secret.
Noah stares at her from behind as she walks. Her stride is short and delicate. He can't help thinking that perhaps he never awoke this morning and all of this is just a beautiful dream.
The excitement and anticipation increases and he tries to keep up.

They stop walking once they reach a small old building in a seemingly forgotten corner of town.

"Well? Isn't it great?" she asks Noah. "I know how much you love books, and they seriously have everything here!"

Noah blushes as he looks at the sign hanging from the building.
It's a small and charming bookshop.
"Thank you, Aylin, I--this really is wonderful," Noah manages to say.
He is touched. Out of all the places she could have brought him, he is astonished that she chose a place that fits him so perfectly.
His heart beats faster as he ponders what that could possibly mean.
"Let's go in!" Aylin says, and she runs towards the door.

They head inside. The shopkeeper greets them with a warm smile and tells them to take their time browsing.
Books of all kinds line the walls. Noah hasn't been inside of a place like this in a long time. When I lived alone, I never had enough money to buy new books, he remembers. Now he doesn't have to worry about money at all. This feeling is foreign, but not unwelcome.

Noah spends most of the time recommending books to Aylin, who is happy to listen. She tells him that her favorite genre is mystery, and he finds that he isn't surprised in the least. He thinks that maybe it isn't just this girl who knows so much about him, but that he also is starting to know her better as well.

They end up not purchasing anything, but window shopping and enjoying each other's company has recharged them after a day long spent in the darkened mansion. Time seems to pass by so fast when they are together.
Noah secretly wishes today would never end.

As the afternoon turns gradually into evening, the two find themselves at the other side of town. Still walking and talking, they are oblivious to the time of day. It is well after six-thirty and their shadows look long on the stone cobbled streets. His previous reservations about being away from the mansion have faded away. Noah hasn't had this much fun in a very long time.

As they turn onto a quiet side street, Aylin falls silent mid-sentence. They stop walking. On her face is a look of concern as she listens to something in the distance, but Noah doesn't hear anything.
"What is it?" he asks.
"I think..." she says, "I thought I heard a scream. From over there, maybe?" Noah looks where her eyes are pointing. A dreadful feeling hits the pit of his stomach.
They decide to investigate.

Darkness creeps over the town as streetlights flicker on one by one.

"Mmm, mm, mmph!"
A young girl's muffled screaming is barely audible in this secluded location.

Aylin and Noah silently sneak into the darkened alleyway. It is littered with trash and filth and is hardly reminiscent of the beauty they'd seen earlier.
They watch as a violent display takes place, powerless to interfere.
They shouldn't even be here.

"MMmm! MmMph!"
The onlookers watch as this unknown monster sinks his fangs deep into the girl's throat, making it impossible for her to cry or scream for help. All she can do is try to pry herself free from his hands but they are like metal clamps, unmoving and cold.

"Mm... Mph..."
The sound of sucking echos against the stones covering the walkway and the high walls of the building. It is sickeningly loud.

Noah and Aylin are struck dumb and can only watch; paralyzed with fear, they witness a life being taken right in front of their eyes.

"Oh... God..." Aylin whispers to herself. Her aura is pulsing out a fine red mist. Noah can feel its tendrils reaching for him, mixing into own body's electric field.
Part of anxiety he feels right now, he realizes, is hers.
They stay perfectly still. If the monster were to see them now, they would surely meet the same end as this young woman.

The vampire takes his time reveling in his fresh kill. He gazes at his victim with a thirst that is for more than just blood. The pleasure he feels is written clearly on his horrific face.

While the monster is turned away and distracted, absorbed in his bloody business, Saint Germain silently moves from out of the shadows, startling Noah and Aylin half to death when he touches them on the shoulders.
They turn to face him.
He looks at them, then back to the monster, then back at them again.
"I will save the scolding for later," he says in a low whisper.

"We are extremely fortunate that he has not noticed us," Saint Germain explains slowly. "It seems as though when he feeds he becomes oblivious to all other stimuli around him. But we must make a swift exit before that comes to an end."

"When I give the word, you will quickly and quietly run straight forward and not look back."

"Go."

The monster lands back on its feet.

It drops to the ground and howls in pain.

The sound that emanates from its bloodstained mouth echos for miles. The horrible shrieking truly sounds as if the gates of Hell are swinging open, letting loose a cacophony of demons from a deep, black abyss.

It drones on and on.

The three do their best to get away. Saint Germain and Aylin are up on their feet, dashing out the back of the alleyway and into the well lit street.
Noah stumbles as the ear piercing shriek blurs his vision and his knees give out.

The monster's shriek turns into a deep roar. It is now standing upright, eyes ablaze, looking straight ahead. Bloody saliva is flung from its mouth from the force of its screams.