Roman (The Clutch 1)

“Do you hear that?” I ask Selene, breaking our silence.

“Hear what?” she asks.

“The sound of nothing.” I turn my gaze back up to the sky and notice the wind picking up.

Selene also looks up, shaking her head from whatever her thoughts were, and she glances back at me, appearing surprised. “I didn’t realize it until you pointed it out. The power is out in the city.” She pauses before another revelation hit her. “The humans will surely begin losing their shit at any moment. You know how they panic when they have no control over the elements.” My thoughts immediately shift to Fiona. I need to get to her.

“I need to go.”

“What if the Sisters come back?” she asks.

“Then text me to come back, but I need to go. I need to make sure Fiona is okay.”

Selene rolls her eyes. “That human is going to get you in trouble, Roman. You need to check yourself. I know you think you love her – I can see it in your eyes, so don’t even bother trying to deny it. But you are setting yourself up for everlasting heartache if you let this get any deeper. She will die. And you will be alone. Don’t you see that?” She is almost pleading with me, but I just don’t care. Fiona’s lifetime is enough for me to have eternal love. Selene will find hers someday, but you can’t explain that, and it’s not the time. I need to go.

“Selene, someday you will understand. I promise you. But the Sisters have left, and I need to go. There’s no reason to stay for any of us. We were essentially dismissed while they go find the vampire who was foolish enough not to check in.”

Pursing her lips, she shrugs her shoulders. “I suppose you’re right. But for the love of all that is sacred, be fucking careful. I have a bad feeling about things that I can’t shake. I don’t like it, and I think you’d be safer with your kind right now.”

I appreciate her loyalty and her unwavering friendship. While she may be right, I need to go to Fiona. Leaning in toward her, I pull her in for a hug, her very least favorite human interaction. “Thank you, Selene.”

“Ugh, unhand me.” She pushes me away with a grin. “You’re too human. It’s so annoying. Just go.” I know she is teasing me, but there’s also some truth to it. I’ve adapted to living an immortal mortal life. A concept foreign to many vampires, I truly live the vast majority of my time outside the supernatural other than for sustenance.

I move less quickly than usual as I go to Fiona’s, taking in the scene around me. What appears to be an electrical storm has descended upon the city, but I know it’s the Sisters. Clutch didn’t experience the power outage that I see all around, and the humans who are out, are scattering like bugs. I can sense their heightened anxiety. As I hone in on Fiona, I can discern her anguish, and I pick up the pace.

As I approach her building, I feel her upset more. Once I’m inside, I find her immediately, lifting her off the floor into my arms.

“Fiona,” I whisper into her hair, holding her tightly. Expecting her to be relieved, I’m shocked when she pushes me away.

“What the fuck, Roman?” I can see that she’s been crying, but she also looks like she wants to punch me.

“Fiona, I couldn’t talk. I’m sorry you’re upset, but it’s imperative that you stay out of these matters.”

“You couldn’t have told me that before you took off? I have been worried sick about you! You know that I thought something terrible may have happened!?”

Her concern is evident, and I can see that I should have sent her a message of some kind assuring her that things would be okay. The monster inside me doesn’t always think of these things. “Fiona, we are bonded. You would feel it if something happened to me.”

“Are you sure everything is okay? Lydia told me the Sisters have come.”

“You went to see Lydia? Fiona, I am sorry that I did not inform you of the visit. It is an unusual circumstance, and it’s best to keep you as far removed from them as possible. But know this. You are mine. And I am yours. You need to understand that the life of a vampire can become complicated at times, and you will not always get the answers that you desire. This has to be acceptable to you Fiona, or we will not work.” I don’t mean for it to sound like an ultimatum because it’s not. But, if Fiona cannot respect the Covenant in which I must abide by, she will lead a life of misery and could put us both in danger.

“You need to explain mo

re to me, Roman. I’ve been wandering the streets looking for you. I need you to communicate with me.” I understand her needs, and I want to compromise with her, explain our history and how we became who, or rather what, we are.

I realize that we are still standing in the lobby, and I don’t understand why she’s not safely upstairs in her home. “Why are you down here? You should be upstairs.”

She waves her hand at the building dramatically. “Everything here is run on electric, so the doors and the elevator are locked because there’s no power. So, I’m stuck down here.”

“Come. We are going to my place.” I take her by the hand and pull her behind me.

In light of the storm, and the high anxiety of the city, I make the decision that we will walk the short distance to my place without using supernatural speed. I do not want to draw any undue attention to us, and while I’m pretty sure that the vampires are free to leave Clutch, I don’t see any others out and about at the moment. When emotions are running high, it is then, that humans who pretended to be supportive of those unlike them tend to show their true colors, and I’ve seen first hand how poorly that can end for vampires.

We arrive at my home, where the power is out as well, but we are able to get into the building without issue. When we get inside, I sit Fiona on the couch and cover her with a warm blanket. Her skin is ice cold, almost as cold as mine.

I watch her snuggle into the blanket, and then I settle in next to her. “Fiona, I’m going to explain to you how vampires are created, and who the Sisters are. They made us, and gave us the mark of the Fates as it’s referred to.”

“Okay,” she replies quietly, seeming somewhat uneasy.