The Portrait

Stella’s journey wasn’t as she expected. People were walking everywhere! She finally decided to take the adventure to the next level and practically walked to the next level, the second floor. Everything was pretty weird up there. A lot of mirrors and sculptures. She finally decided to enter in one of the many rooms. She chose the closest to her. When the door knob turned and opened, her eyes widened when she saw it was another corridor.

“Wow.” She was speechless. The entire room was full of portraits. There was a man with moustache, there was another man with a gay-ish hat and then, in the very front of the wall…there it was. The biggest portrait of a noble with piercing brown eyes and an expressionless face. It almost made Stella flinch. Almost. When her eyes trailed around the painting she couldn’t help staring at one thing in particularity. She went closer to it and trailed her fingers over it. She flinched.

It was a deadly night and everyone could feel it. Around the entire state Arizona, people started dying. In an apartment, there were two men sitting at a table, talking.

“We have to get rid of it. I don’t care what we have to do.” The man who just talked looked strict and calm but it was obvious that the lately events pissed him off. “Bloodsuckers. They’ve been in Firehole and acted innocent.”

“But they did help the city develop. There were just two families: Arche and Blanche, noble and proud. They wouldn’t have done this. They wanted a normal life.” The second man was clearly not as mad as the first. He was also much apprehensive when it came to vampires. “Adding to that…they died.”

“I know! But no one can kill vampires except other vampires! The Blanche children escaped and disappeared! It’s obvious they killed the others! What were their names again?” The second took out a file and read it.

“Stella and Nathan. No one knows what happened with them. Stella was a young and nice woman. She looked about 17 years old while Nathan was a younger version of his father.” The first man narrowed his eyes at the file. There were also two photographs of the two. “Should we look after them? Do you think they did this?” The expressionless man closed his eyes and sighed. He threw the photos away and opened back his eyes. He looked on the window at the moon.

“We won’t succeed but in the future, I will count on my nephew and on his children. Carrington will protect the world. The moon will guide us.”

“Stella?” The girl jumped, scaring the poor guy who was shaking her. She turned around to see Austin. “Are you alright?” The girl nodded and looked closer at the young human male in front. Now, after that flashback, something didn’t seem right with him.

“I just spaced out.” Austin looked weirdly at Stella but didn’t comment. She glanced back at the portrait. “Who’s he?” Austin walked closer to the painting and trailed his eyes over it. It was obvious they were family. Austin had the same eyes, the same facial expression when he was thinking and they both had that calm personality that makes you want to figure out what are they hiding.

“Archibald Carrington. He’s my great-great-great-grandfather. I don’t know much about him but father never spoke much either. From what I know, he lived here in the late 1880’s. Then he moved out but no one really knows why. The craziest stories are that he was a vampire slayer.” Stella glanced from the corner of her eye at Austin. His expression was one of longing, depression, sadness.

“What do you think?” He turned to her and smiled.

“I think these are bullshit. He made this family what it is now and I’m proud to be part of it. If vampires excited then, it means they still do and this is impossible.” Stella inspected Austin closely. Maybe she was getting paranoid but something about his aura has changed.

“Do you think vampires are real?” He chuckled and turned his eyes back to the painting.

“I guess we’ll never know.” Stella nodded.

Back downstairs things were going smoothly like they should. Nate was still at the bar but not drinking anymore. Eric was talking with Roy, his long lost friend, while the bachelors were ready to get on the stage. A microphone interrupted everyone.

“Sorry.” The woman on the stage apologized for the highly disturbing sound. “Ok. We came here for a reason. Before we start I want to thank the city’s bachelors for accepting.” There was a loud round of applauses. “I also want to thank everyone who’s here. It’s such a pleasure to see so many citizens of our dear Firehole, in the same place. Thank you!” another round of applauses. “Now. As you know, we’re not doing this just for the fun of it. We’re getting funds for a noble cause. No, not our city but for the children who doesn’t have school and well, a proper life. That’s a real tragedy. Those children need all the help possible and even if we’re just a small city, we want to contribute.” Yet, another round of applauses. “Now, please all the bachelors come up here!” Nate watched amused as the ten men walked up, looking more than uncomfortable. First one, being his father. “First bachelor’s name is Ronald Montgomery….” The noise was ignored by Nate as Eric came next to him.

“They don’t look too happy. Not even Alex, the womanizer.” Nate chuckled lightly. At first he didn’t know what to think of Eric. He was a very complicated person. But then, he became friends with Stella…again, and things changed…again. Nate could compare Eric with Edward Cullen, seeing how he wanted to stay away from Stella and he was so caught up in his own thoughts but he was far from being an Edward. He’s Eric and he’s fun to be around. It’s also fun to see him and Alex bickering about things, like they’re a married couple. Nate couldn’t stop the chuckle coming from that one simple thought. Eric raised his eyebrow at him but Nate simply shrugged him off.

“Alex accepted this shit just for Stella. I bet he’ll leave his ‘date’.” Eric watched the older vampire and smirked. Nate caught Eric’s eye and smirked too. “I bet 50 bucks that he’ll leave.” Eric nodded.

“I bet 50 bucks he’ll kill his date.” The two shook hands and chuckled. They both turned back to the stage and watched as James was the next victim.

“James Arche. What can you tell about yourself?” He smirked and raised an eyebrow making some women behind the other two vampires melt. Eric smirked. He was proud of his uncle.

“Well…I can tell you what you want to hear but I would be too honest about myself.” The people started laughing. Nate looked weirdly at Eric.

“I thought he’s mature and all that jazz…?” Eric looked surprised at the male vampire. “I guess I was wrong…” Nate said drinking up his glass of…this time, water. Stella does have too much influence over him.

“James is very…complicated. His mood changes drastically. He can be flirty now and evil in the next second.” Nate looked disappointed at the lack of alcohol from his glass. He was actually pouting.

“Isn’t this how vampires usually are?” Eric chuckled and nodded. Seeing the depressing face of his mate he paid for a glass of whisky and put it in front of Nate. The older vampire’s face started shining brightly, like that of a kid unwrapping his Christmas presents. Eric turned back to the stage.

“So what do you do for living?” James smirked, his eyes trailing over every woman there.

“Nothing. I’m rich.” Eric chuckled. James heard his amused nephew and winked at him. Next was Stella’s father. He was quite a nice man. Eric couldn’t figure how this vampire slayer could control two of the most dangerous vampires as they were actually his children.

“Adrian Monroe. The father of two teenagers. Wow, impressive.” He nodded smiling. “How hard it is to keep them under control?” Adrian laughed slightly.

“Very easy. Stella and Nate are one of the nicest kids. They act like adults.” Nate glanced back at his father. He had all the respect for that man. He raised him and his sister like his own children and he didn’t give them up on rough times. No, he took them back to their rightful home.

“Isn’t he such a nice man, girls?” The room almost full of women started applauding making Adrian chuckle. “Are you rich too? You moved into the old Blanche mansion.” Adrian stared for a few seconds at Nate and finally responded.

“No. I’m not rich. I work as a doctor in Firehole’s hospital.” The woman on the stage smiled flirty at him and went on to Alex.

“And the last bachelor is Alexander Smith. He’s the youngest.” The girls started applauding again. “How old are you actually?” He smiled flirty at her, making Chelsea and Natalie groan in the back. Nate chuckled slightly.

“Call me Alex. I’m just 23, ladies.” He winked at the audience making some girls melt or stare at him perversely.

“Oh. We have a heartbreaker here!” He chuckled and got a hand through his hair. Eric and Nate rolled their eyes. Alex smirked contently, seeing how he got them both annoyed. He looked over the audience after Stella but there was no scolding face of a beautiful vampire. “Do you work, Alex?” He chuckled.

“No. I’m a traveler. I like to see new places and meet new people.” He smirked and looked over the two other vampires. Nate wasn’t too fazed and Eric just rolled his eyes.