Midnight || OPEN

The day had finally passed. 24 hours were up. Now, the moon hung high in the sky, the crescent larger than the previous night.

The moment River realized that 24 hours had passed, she moved to the bed where Lanya lay, looking at the vampire for a moment before pulling the stake from her chest. She did it quickly, like pulling off a band-aid.

The vampire went limp. Her eyes were half- closed, head falling to one side. She had fallen unconscious.

River kept her hand on Lanya’s arm, kneeling beside the bed to watch her. She bit her lip anxiously, wondering why the Mistress had wanted her to do this, and wondering if she would recover.

Midnight || OPEN

The day had finally passed. 24 hours were up. Now, the moon hung high in the sky, the crescent larger than the previous night.

The moment River realized that 24 hours had passed, she moved to the bed where Lanya lay, looking at the vampire for a moment before pulling the stake from her chest. She did it quickly, like pulling off a band-aid.

Midnight || OPEN

Finally, the long day had passed. The sun sank below the horizon, leaving darkness behind. Burnt paths of the sun’s rays were etched into her skin. Her wrists and ankles had dark lines as well as a black spot on the side of her cheek.

River was relieved to see the sun had gone down, but realized she still had a few more hours after checking her watch. She gently touched an unburned spot on Lanya’s arm for a brief moment before moving away, sitting against the wall and pulling her knees to her chest.

The blind woman noted the touch against her arm. She was exhausted, in pain, and unable to heal due to the stake. Her mind drifted in and out of consciousness.

She tried not to stare at her watch, knowing that would only make the waiting worse, but it was hard not to. She was anxious and worried, constantly fidgeting as the evening wore on. 

Midnight || OPEN

Finally, the long day had passed. The sun sank below the horizon, leaving darkness behind. Burnt paths of the sun’s rays were etched into her skin. Her wrists and ankles had dark lines as well as a black spot on the side of her cheek.

River was relieved to see the sun had gone down, but realized she still had a few more hours after checking her watch. She gently touched an unburned spot on Lanya’s arm for a brief moment before moving away, sitting against the wall and pulling her knees to her chest.

Midnight || OPEN

The spot on her ankle slid across the bed and to the other ankle, burning it just as much as the first. Another ray danced across her shoulder, crossing her torso. The Mistress focused on keeping herself silent, not giving away how much pain she was actually in.

She wanted to put hre hand on her shoulder, to comfort her in some way. But she knew she wouldn’t be able to keep from trying to help if she did that. “I’m so sorry…” Her hearts ached and she just wanted to move her out of the way, to cover her up…something…

As the time passed, one more spot appeared, sliding its way across her cheek. She couldn’t hold back a groan of pain any longer. A long, low growl escaped her. The sun sunk lower, nearly falling below the horizon. Thirty more minutes and the sun would no longer be an issue.

River kept looking at her watch, muttering under her breath about wanting the sun to go down. “Why...Lanya, I’m sorry. I never meant to hurt you, or make you feel helpless. I wish I had known...that I could have told you...that my machine hadn’t broken and sent me back 10 years too late.”

Midnight || OPEN

The spot on her ankle slid across the bed and to the other ankle, burning it just as much as the first. Another ray danced across her shoulder, crossing her torso. The Mistress focused on keeping herself silent, not giving away how much pain she was actually in.

She wanted to put hre hand on her shoulder, to comfort her in some way. But she knew she wouldn’t be able to keep from trying to help if she did that. “I’m so sorry...” Her hearts ached and she just wanted to move her out of the way, to cover her up...something...

Midnight || OPEN

The sun sank, but the vampire, unable to move, couldn’t sleep. Her eyes were open, the grey orbs straining against their immobility. As noon approached, the holes in the ceiling let rays of sunlight shine down. One moved onto the vampire’s hand. The skin started to sizzle.

She saw the skin burn and moved to cover it, to protect her from the harmful light. But then, she remembered Lanya had told her not to help, not to interact…to do nothing for 24 hours. Biting her lip, she stepped back. “I’m sorry….”

As the sun moved across the sky, the ray traced its way across her skin. A deep purple blister was left in its wake. Another ray crossed over the blind woman’s ankle.

She hated this. She hated not being able to help her, but she had promised not to interfere. So she kept pacing, fidgeting with her hands to keep herself from blocking the sunlight or helping Lanya in any other way.

Midnight || OPEN

The sun sank, but the vampire, unable to move, couldn’t sleep. Her eyes were open, the grey orbs straining against their immobility. As noon approached, the holes in the ceiling let rays of sunlight shine down. One moved onto the vampire’s hand. The skin started to sizzle.

She saw the skin burn and moved to cover it, to protect her from the harmful light. But then, she remembered Lanya had told her not to help, not to interact...to do nothing for 24 hours. Biting her lip, she stepped back. “I’m sorry....”

Midnight || OPEN

“You’ll do it.” She replied coldly. The blind woman didn’t want to give in. She could feel the sincerity in River’s words. But she had already made her orders. The Mistress knew she was in for a long day.

Closing her eyes to take a deep, steadying breath, River pushed as hard as she could, shoving the wooden stake into the vampire’s chest. She looked into Lanya’s blank eyes, her vision blurred by tears in her own. “Let…let me get you sat down…” She said, moving to help ease her down.

As the wooden stake plunged into her chest, the vampire’s entire body jolted and became stiff. Her face froze with an expression of pain.

River gently laid her down on the bed, careful not to pull the stake from her chest. Then, she settled in to wait for 24 hours, just as she’d promised Lanya she would. But it was agonizingly slow. She sat by the bed, she laid down on the floor by the bed, she sat against the wall, hugging her knees. But mostly she paced, checking her watch frequently, almost obsessively. She dozed a little but never very long, always waking up with a sharp gasp when she remembered what she did.

Midnight || OPEN

“You’ll do it.” She replied coldly. The blind woman didn’t want to give in. She could feel the sincerity in River’s words. But she had already made her orders. The Mistress knew she was in for a long day.

Closing her eyes to take a deep, steadying breath, River pushed as hard as she could, shoving the wooden stake into the vampire’s chest. She looked into Lanya’s blank eyes, her vision blurred by tears in her own. “Let...let me get you sat down...” She said, moving to help ease her down.

Midnight || OPEN

The vampire spun around. She closed River’s hand around the stake, pressing the tip to her chest and holding them there. “You’re going to find a spot in this room, then stake me. And then you’re going to watch. For 24 hours, you will not touch me, interact, nothing.” The blind woman paused. “Not even save me. You’ll simply watch.”

Her eyes widened in shock, but she couldn’t let go of the stake shoved into her hand. “I’ll do it….I promised I would…but just…tell me why first.”

“Because you need to know… just how helpless I felt.” She whispered. “I never knew if something happened to you. And I never knew if I could’ve saved you.”

Her hearts broke. “If I could change what happen...if I’d known I wouldn’t come back for ten years, I never would have left. I swear, I thought I’d be gone only a few days--a week at most...” She felt the sting of tears in her eyes as she gripped the stake harder, shifted it slightly. “If you still want me to do this, I will...”

Midnight || OPEN

The vampire spun around. She closed River’s hand around the stake, pressing the tip to her chest and holding them there. “You’re going to find a spot in this room, then stake me. And then you’re going to watch. For 24 hours, you will not touch me, interact, nothing.” The blind woman paused. “Not even save me. You’ll simply watch.”

Her eyes widened in shock, but she couldn’t let go of the stake shoved into her hand. “I’ll do it....I promised I would...but just...tell me why first.”

Midnight || OPEN

“A safehouse. Of sorts.” She replied. The vampire kept her back to River. “Close the door.” In her hand, she gripped a wooden stake. She held it flat against her stomach, knowing the other woman wouldn’t like what she was about to demand.

She closed the door, turning back to look toward Lanya. “What is it?” She asked gently, moving carefully toward the vampire in the dim light.

“You said… you would do anything. I’m going to give you instructions. And you are to follow them.” Her hands gripped the stake tighter. “Because you need to know…”

“Lanya, please...just tell me what’s going on...” She placed a gentle hand on the vampire’s shoulder. “You can talk to me.”

Midnight || OPEN

“A safehouse. Of sorts.” She replied. The vampire kept her back to River. “Close the door.” In her hand, she gripped a wooden stake. She held it flat against her stomach, knowing the other woman wouldn’t like what she was about to demand.

She closed the door, turning back to look toward Lanya. “What is it?” She asked gently, moving carefully toward the vampire in the dim light.

Midnight || OPEN

The blind woman knew exactly what she would have the woman do. “1467 west 8th street.” She moved to the water, swimming across to her horse. “Meet me there.” The vampire scooped up her gown, mounted her horse and rode into town.

River watched her leave, waiting, to give her time, and then followed her into town. She chose to walk, not wanting to risk screwing up again. It took her a while but she did eventually make it in, and soon got direction the address the mistress had given her.

Once she made it to the address, the vampire dismissed her horse. She pulled open the garage door and stepped inside. There were a few basic items in the room– a bed, sink, and a sofa. She paced back and forth, hands running through her wet hair. The ceiling had several pinprick holes in it.

After finding the address, River looked at the open garage and slowly stepped in. “Mistress?” She asked softly, seeing the vampire in the small room. “What...what is this place?”

Midnight || OPEN

The blind woman knew exactly what she would have the woman do. “1467 west 8th street.” She moved to the water, swimming across to her horse. “Meet me there.” The vampire scooped up her gown, mounted her horse and rode into town.

River watched her leave, waiting, to give her time, and then followed her into town. She chose to walk, not wanting to risk screwing up again. It took her a while but she did eventually make it in, and soon got direction the address the mistress had given her.

Midnight || OPEN

“But you don’t care. No one cares… not like Kimmy…” She gave a soft whine, torn between the two of them.

“I know it’s impossible to prove that I care, especially after I was gone for so long. If you want me to leave…if that’s really want you want…then I’ll go. But I promise I do care. Much more than I know I should…and I’m worried about you.”

“You can prove it.” She whispered slowly. “If I asked you to… Would you prove it?” The Mistress stumbled back a couple steps, leaning against the boulder.

“What do you want me to do, Mistress?” There was a tone in her soft voice, suggesting her submission to the vampire.