8. Lassitude

Vampires, an overly friendly demon and one really pissed off best friend

I heard a loud sound but couldn't figure out where it was coming from before I felt the pleasure ripped from me. I opened my eyes to find that Damon wasn't there anymore. I raised my hand to my neck and slowly pulled my hand back. It was red. Why was my hand red? I tried to sit up but couldn't and instead rolled over and maneuvered so I could look in the direction of more noises and voices. Everything was so blurry. I shook my head to clear things but it only made me more dizzy and confused. I tried to remember where I was. I was at Damon's house. I was in his room. We kissed. He bit me. Damon bit my neck.
I looked at my hand again and felt the horror. The realization had finally hit me. No. Surely this was a prank. I wasn't actually bleeding. I looked down at myself. Blood was running down my shoulder and arm. I lifted my hand back up to my neck and held it there.
I saw two blurs in the room. They were moving so fast. I heard a familiar voice.
"You're make a mistake, man." I heard Damon say.
"Don't bother. Save it for the courts." I heard another voice.... I knew that voice...
"Teo...." I said. My voice sounded so small.
"I wasn't going to kill her."I heard Damon say.
I heard scuffling and knew they were fighting. My heard was swirling as I tried to stand. I used the bed for support as I got myself on my feet.
"Teo..." I tried again to get their attention. I felt myself getting weaker. I struggled to speak.
"Cori, just sit down." I heard Teo say.
"You can't tell me it wouldn't be satisfying to turn one of them, Teo." Damon said.
"You know we have a treaty with them, you idiot." Teo said. "You'd start a war."
"They already hunt us for sport!" Damon yelled and then I heard more scuffling.
My legs gave up and let me drop to the floor. The world faded away and I was so tired that I let it.
I felt myself floating through the darkness. I felt so cold. It was so cold here. I was falling... until I was being lifted.
"You're going to be ok." I heard Teo say. "Cori.. s**t I'm so sorry I let that happen."
He had so much concern in his voice. I should have been concerned too but instead I giggled.
"Then why did you let it happen?" I sounded so far away in my own ears and I wasn't sure he had heard me until he responded.
"Because then I wouldn't get to be the valiant hero." I know he was trying to make a joke but I could hear the regret in his voice. The worry.
"My noble knight." I said. My eyes were closed but I knew he was watching my face. I smiled.
I faded back into my dark cold dream world and came out of it feeling miserable. My head and muscles were all screaming at me.
I opened my eyes and was startled when I realized this wasn't my room. It was Teo's. I was in his bed with his silky blankets draped over me. I lifted my hand to my neck and felt a bandage there.
"Finally..." I heard a tired voice next to me say. I looked over to see Teo rising from a chair that was by the bed. Guess he's finally investing in more furniture.
"What happened?" I asked. I knew what happened but I needed someone to confirm it. To know that Teo wasn't lying. Damon was a vampire... and so was Teo. At the realization I quickly sat up and moved as far away as I could from him
"Aww, come on. I saved you. I'm not going to hurt you." Teo said as he slowly sat down on the edge of the bed.
He had a point but I wasn't ready to trust someone.. something like him just yet.
"How did that happen?" I covered my face with my hands, feeling embarrassed and ashamed.
"He must have slipped you something. He got this off somehow too." He held out a bundled up towel to me. I looked at him with confusion but he merely urged me to take it. I took it and unwrapped it. My bandanna was in it. My hand instinctually shot up to my neck.
"We can't touch those, Cori." He said gesturing to the cloth. "Not without getting an immediate severe burn."
"That's why you told me to keep it on." I held the little scrap of cloth close to me, grateful that it hadn't been lost.
"Don't blame yourself. Nobody would have believed it if they hadn't seen it." Teo said, gently.
"I'm such an idiot." I muttered, refusing to look at him and let him see the deep pain in my eyes.
"He's not some pup of the streets vampire, Cori. He's a pure blood. He can influence anyone to do anything if he really wants to." Teo said. I know it was meant to make me feel better but it only made me angry.
"Where is he now?" I asked.
"He got away. I was outmatched." Teo looked down at his hands that were folded in his lap.
I took a deep breath and looked him in the eyes.
"If you hadn't been there...." I had to cut myself off. The thought of what could have happened was too much. I don't even know what he would have done.
"But I was. You're safe now.. " He hesitated and looked at me uncertainly. "For now... "
"Will he come after me?" I felt the panic rise in my chest.
"There's a good chance he'll try again. Damon hates the C.H. A group of them raided his home a long time ago and killed off an entire clan he'd built. He's got a grudge. He would have done the worst thing he could think of to get back at them and you were the perfect opportunity. He would have turned you."
I jumped when I heard a knock at the door.
"It's okay," Teo said. "It's just Silo."
"Silo?" I asked.
"Yeah, hes not going to hurt you either." Teo shrugged and said enter to 'Silo'.
The pale, black haired guy from the front desk walked through the door carrying a tray.
"I thought she'd be awake so I did the honor of bringing her something to eat." Silo said.
He sat the tray down and looked me over with his strange red eyes. I pulled the blanket up higher, feeling self conscious.
"Have you asked her to stay yet?" Silo asked Teo.
"I was working up to it but thanks for reminding me." Teo replied with a hint of annoyance.
"My dear little orphan, we have a room already set up for you whenever you're ready." Silo said with excitement.
"Will you just get out?" Teo said with more annoyance dripping from his tone.
"Hush, young Thomas, you're going to frighten the girl away." Silo replied.
"Um.. I'm not..." I tried to say but was cut off.
"You're the one frightening her with your creepy eyes, Captain fancy pants." Teo said to him.
"Uh.. guys.." I tried again. Still ignored.
Silo gasped. "Young Master Thomas! How rude of you! But I suppose it's in your nature to be rude, parasite."
"GUYS!" I yelled making them both look at me in shock. "I'm not staying."
"Cori, I can't let you go. You'd be putting your family at risk by staying there and it's easier to keep you safe if you're here." Teo argued.
"I don't need a babysitter, Teo." I said, raising my voice.
"What if he comes after you and I'm not there?" Teo asked.
"I'd be prepared this time." I tried to argue but I could hear the uncertainty in my own voice.
"Cori, I'm begging you to listen to me this time." Teo sat closer to me, his eyes begging just as much as his voice.
I sighed and leaned back onto the soft pillows thinking about what he was asking me to do. He was right. I wouldn't be able to protect myself let alone my whole family. What about Kit? What about school?
"What am I supposed to tell everyone?" I asked, defeated.
Teo seemed to relax and let out a breath he must have been holding.
"You're a good student, right? Just tell them you got an early admittance into a college. One of my people can forge a letter for you." The relief in his voice made it harder for me to grasp that I was actually considering this.
"What about actual school? What about my best friend?" I asked.
"We'll figure the school thing out as we go. Just tell Kitty the same thing as your parents." Teo said.
"His name is Kit." I replied with a hint of warning in my voice. "I can't lie to him. We promised not to leave each other."
Teo looked away in thought before looking at Silo as if he had completely forgotten he was there. He was just standing there with a pleasant smile on his face.
"Shall I set up a second room?" Silo asked, clearly delighted.
"No, you idiot. Get out." Teo pointed at the door.
"Always so hostile." Silo said, still smiling. "I'll set one up anyways."
Silo left, leaving us alone and a tension filled silence hung in the air.
"How am I supposed to just leave everything?" I asked.
Teo sat a minute longer battling with his thoughts, his brows pulled together as he struggled with whatever was going on in his mind. After what seemed like an eternity in silence he finally sighed.
"I'll see what Cooper says." He looked at me, a hint of uncertainty still lingering in his eyes.
"Who's Cooper?" I asked.
"He runs this place. I hate to break this to you but it's not actually a hotel." Teo smiled. "Coop is a human. Used to be a police officer. We recruited him a few years ago."
"What's up with 'Captain fancy pants'?" I asked.
Teo let out a long laugh and shook his head.
"Silo is like a butler. He's kind of what humans would refer to as a demon. He's harmless." Teo added the last part when he saw me tense at the mention of a demon.
"You have a demon butler?" I asked, the disbelief leaking from my voice.
"He got into some trouble a long time ago and his people sent him to serve us for some reason. He's been here longer than I've been around so I don't know why. Nobody here does. According to him if one of us can guess why hes here he'll grant us one wish... whatever that means. Everyone has made a hundred guesses, all wilder than the last. But no one has gotten it yet." He shrugged.
"He's a little strange." I told him as I shifted, feeling the pain, making me clench my teeth.
"Take it easy." Teo said, touching my arm. "You've been through a lot."
"My parents... crap..." I started searching for my phone as I realized they must be out of their minds with worry.
"It's ok I sent them a text from your phone." Teo pulled my phone from his pocket and handed it to me. "I'm sorry. I hope you don't mind. They really seem to trust you."
I looked at my text messages and saw that he did, indeed, text Meghan.
'Working on a school project with a girl from school. Might pull an all night-er since its not a school night.'
Meghan sent back her typical trusting respond of 'ok have fun! Don't work too hard!'
I set my phone aside and looked at Teo who was watching me.
"Thanks." I smiled at him. "For everything, Teo."
He smiled back and me and the tension seemed to lift from the room. I don't think the reality had really hit me yet. I just thanked a vampire for saving me from another vampire.
"I have so many questions, I don't even know where to start." I told him.
"How about you get some rest and when you able to walk around I'll take you on a tour. You can stay in my room for now." He rose up from the bed and went to grab something from the nightstand by the chair he was sitting in.
"Are you sure? I don't want to put you out." To be honest I wasn't sure I wanted to be alone but I wasn't about to admit that.
"Yeah it's fine. There's plenty of extra rooms in this place." He picked up a holster and a gun I hadn't noticed before and then threw a jacket over his shoulder.
I felt the panic start to rise at the thought of being alone in this place.
"Teo," I said with more urgency than I intended. He paused, waiting for me to continue but it felt like my throat had closed up. I swallowed my pride and looked him in the eyes. "Will you please stay."
He gave me a soft smile and walked back over to the chair, setting his stuff down and getting comfortable in it.
"As long as you need me, I'll be here." He gave me a wink and I smiled at him.
"Thank you." I said, getting comfortable in the bed again.

I must have been more tired than I thought because the next thing I knew I opened my eyes feeling rested and a small drop of drool was making its way down my chin. Quickly wiping it away I looked around, thankful to find Teo still in the chair, his head resting on his knuckle, fast asleep. I flinched at how uncomfortable that must have been but was happy to have him there. I rolled onto my side and watched him sleep, afraid if I fell back asleep I'd wake to find him gone. His breathing was slow and steady. His dark brown hair almost covered his closed eyes.
I picked up my phone and found a text from Kit from five hours ago. It was almost four in the morning. I didn't realize I'd slept that long.
"Teo said you left school sick. He didn't kidnap you did he? SOS?" After that there was another more concerning one.
"Just stopped by your house. Meghan said you were at another girls house? What the hell is going on?"
After that was an even worse one that made my heart hit my stomach.
"I'm officially freaking the f#$k out. I'm going to that creeps hotel."
He sent that one almost a half hour ago. As if on que a knock came at the door making me jump and Teo stir from his sleep. When he looked at my phone and saw my face he tensed.
"What's wrong?" He asked, body rigid.
"Kit..." Was all I got out before the door burst open and in stormed a really mad Kit.
"Terribly sorry, young Thomas but this one seems quite disgruntled and insisted to see the little orphan girl immediately. Silo came in with his perfectly peaceful smile, almost making the situation funny if not for the murder filled eyes of my best friend drilling into Teo.
"S**t.." Teo said through clenched teeth.
Kit looked to where I was laying and for a moment he looked calmly confused. Probably happy just to see me alive. Just as quickly he was filled with anger again and he approached Teo, giving him a shove.
"What the hell did you do to her?" He demanded.
Teo threw his hands up in surrender but Kit kept pushing.
"Calm down, kid. It's not what you think." Teo said calmly.
"Kit, please!" I yelled, trying to get him to stop and listen. He was too far gone. Too angry. I'd never seen him like this. He's never lost his temper.
I tried to crawl toward them over the bed, finding it easier to move this time.
"Why is she in your bed, with a bandage around her neck?" Kit yelled at him.
Teo refused to engage in the fight Kit was trying to start so Kit started it on his own. To my horror, Kit punched Teo and to my great surprise, Teo went down. He fell to the floor with his back against the bed. I pushed myself with all my strength off the bed and threw myself between them, while pretty much falling onto Teo, who put his hands on my arms to steady me.
"Kit, Stop!" I yelled, my eyes filling with tears again.
"Cori..." He gasped.
"It's not what you think. Teo saved my life." I felt myself shaking and I was sure Teo could feel it too.
"Its quite true. Young master is such a gallant brute." Silo said from the doorway.
"Get out!" Teo and I yelled, in unison.
Kit looked between all of us with his fist still raised, ready to strike again, before taking a deep breath and relaxing.
"Cori," Kit said as he examined my neck with his eyes. "What the hell is going on?"
"I think I'd like to know as well." We all turned our heads to the door at a new intruder.
An man, maybe in his mid 30's, with brown hair and a five o' clock shadow stood in the doorway with his arms crossed. He looked worried and kind of like an angry dad, walking in on their kids throwing a secret small party.
"Really, Silo?" Teo said, noticing the butler behind the newcomer, smiling as always.
Teo turned his eyes on the new guy and gave him an awkward wave. "Hey, Cooper."