

Valkyrie

The Vampire Princess

Book 1

Valkyrie – the vampire princess saga

By

PET TORRES

Book one

In the

Valkyrie the Vampire Princess Saga
Copyright © 2013 by Pet Torres books

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This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer's imagination or used fictitiously Have Been and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, or locales is entirely coincidental Organizations

All rights are reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any Manner whatsoever without written permission from the author.

Copyright © 2013 by Pet Torres books

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Title: Valkyrie - The vampire princess

Author: Pet Torres

Original title: Valquíria – a princesa vampira

Translation: (2013) Pet Torres books

Reviser: 16/11/2013

Electronics edition: (2013) Pet Torres books

**Books in this Saga**

Valkyrie - the vampire princess, Book# 1

Valkyrie - the vampire princess 2, Book# 2

Valkyrie - the vampire princess 3, Book#3

Dedicated

_To my parents_

To My sisters

To my nephews

Acknowledgments

To my dear readers

Evanescence band

I got enthusiastic about its melodies.

SYNOPSIS

Valkyrie is a young girl who has been raised only by her mother, who has suffered a lot by getting pregnant without knowing who the real father of her daughter was.

Valkyrie grew up having recurring strange dreams about a man she has never seen in her life.

When she meets Eros, a handsome and attractive boy, mystery becomes part of her everyday life.

Some nights, she sleeps with an owl watching her.

Wondrous revelations come as time wears on, changing her life forever...
CHAPTER 1

  It all started in 1991, when my mother became pregnant. My father had always been an enigma for me.

I never knew about his existence; who he was... how he was similar to me and where he came from.

My mother did not like talking about him. She just said he was a big error in her life. Even so, I did not know exactly why she always said that to me.

I grew up in a narrow world, where my mother constantly imposed all the rules of what I should or should not do. I always asked myself if she was making the right decision by educating me that way, since my colleagues were educated in another way. Even so, I never countered her, as I thought she was the only person I had in my life. She was the most important person to me.

The two of us lived in a house, in a town called...

This does not matter. What does matter is that I moved away from towns time and time again, almost always.

It seemed my mother never wanted to establish roots in any one place. I thought she lived running away from something or somebody. Maybe she was fleeing my father...

However I keep in mind when I was seven, I began to have strange dreams and they were always of the same scenes. There was a man in a dark place. It was an empty hall with several cobwebs on the ceiling and the ground was replete with dust.

That was a dark and unknown place for me. I did not get to see his face, but I could hear his voice calling my name.

"VALKYRIE... VALKYRIE..."

It was a far and tremulous voice. It was as if he was distant from me and he tried to communicate with me by telepathy. Every time I dreamed of him, I awakened with heavy breathing. It seemed so real - everything that I had dreamed of.

Nevertheless, I grew up fearing to those dreams. It made no sense for me to have them.

The following day, I told everything to my mother while she made our breakfast. My mother was accustomed to hear me saying her about my dreams, since I was a little girl.

"I dreamed of him again,'' I took a deep breath and said to her as I took a seat at the table. I was in my nightgown and my hair was fixed by a bun.

She glanced to my face.

"What have you dreamed this time?" my mother asked me, intrigued. She stared at my face as I said her.

"The same as always; he just calls my name," I answered as I took my milk. But I had not tasted my milk like I should. I was thinking about my dream. They looked to want to let me know something significant in my real life.
CHAPTER 2

  We went into the car and drove to another town. It seemed to be less populous. The town center looked very scenic. It was small and empty. I could calculate on my fingers the number of people that walked around the place.

We stopped driving at a gas station to fill up our car. My mother asked the attendant where there might be accommodation to rent at an affordable price. My mother had some savings that would maintain us for a long time. That was the fruit from an inheritance of our family. The attendant indicated to us a residence which took twenty minutes from the town center.

When we arrived at the house, my mother agreed to rent it because there was antique furniture, however quite conserved. There was a fabulous backyard with several trees. I saw fruits that I had never known and I would get to know them.

We entered into the house and we unpacked our suitcases. Then I went into my room and my mother went into hers. My room was comfortable. There was a single bed, a wardrobe, a dressing table with a mirror, bed-carpet and curtain on the window.

Later on I went to speak to my mother in the backyard. Our backyard was amazing. There were several trees in fruit. I felt its pure air into my lungs.

"You need to enroll me at high school." I said my mother as she was with her back to me. Her fingers touched a red fruit on a tree. I could see happiness on my mother's face.

Her eyes flashed back to me. "I'll do that tomorrow." Finally she said without looking back at me.

It was my final year at high school. I was about to complete my school experience.

Even though I kept running from town to town, I never repeated any year at school. On the contrary, I was considered to be the best student in my class.

CHAPTER 3

  I arrived at my new school. I was carrying my new notebook and necessary objects for my first lesson for the day.

I walked through the school courtyard, which was immense. I noticed that every pupil stared at me. They most likely knew I was a freshman. I did not really want to make friends at this point as I wanted to be alone.

As soon as I entered into my classroom, I was introduced to all the students by the school mistress. I was already used to that kind of reception, since I attended several schools in several cities.

My classroom was small and there were only a few pupils. It was better that way. I kept to myself even with many people round me.

At the end of class, I walked slowly to the female toilet. I was menstruating and needed to check myself.

When I arrived at the bathroom door, I saw a girl from my class. She looked at herself in the mirror all the time, as she threw her hair from side to side, trying to look more beautiful.

I stopped looking at her as soon as I noticed she looked at me through the mirror. Then she turned to face me and said, "Hi, my name is Mirta."

"Hi... Mirta." I said in break in proceedings. I had no habit of making friends so rapid at school. Actually took several days to do that.

"What do you think of this school?" she asked me while she looked me over from head to foot. It was as if she thought I was not up to her style and fashion standard.

"... Ok..." I said what came in my mind. But I still looked confused at all. My timidity always made me act like this. I had no opinion why I was so timid in my entire life. I always wanted myself to be sociable with people.

"Let's be friends?" she asked me as she leapt for joy.

"Yes... sure!" Almost immediately I responded robotically. I did not know her well enough for us to be friends so fast. But it would be indelicate on my part, if I did not accept her friend request. Then was sure I should give a 'Yes'.

"Fine!" Mirta gave me a strong embrace, while she commemorated our friendship's beginning. I embraced her too.

"I like you!" In next to no time she confessed looking at my face. So I also looked at her. "You look sincere."

Her lips were so red. I believe she had retouched her lipstick. Mirta looked to take care of her appearance constantly.

"And I am sincere," Lastly I said and looked aside.

Mirta smiled again at me. "Me too, I hate falseness."

We left school together. She talked to me all the time. We had a chat about school and the people in that place, which of our teachers was fine and which was not, what was permitted in our school and who we should trust.

As soon as I came back home, I saw my mother was reading while lying down on the living- room couch as she was waiting for my return.

"How was school?" Presently she asked me with her curious eyes on me. I had hoped this from her. She always wanted to know about my school year.

"Great! There are only a few students in my school," Rapidly I said without complaint even though I confess I had attended some of the best schools.

My mother said as she closed her book and sat up. "It was like I had imagined..."

So I remembered to say her something one moment later. "I met a girl called 'Mirta'. She wants to be my friend."

My mother frowned at my direction. "I want to meet her."

I rolled my eyes as my mother remained looking at me. "Okay, sheriff, I'll bring her here."

For me it was no surprise my mother wanted to know her. She had always taken these precautions with regard to my friendships. She always wanted to be well aware that I was in good company.

Minutes later...

I took a warm bath and put on my comfortable clothes. I remained in my room for hours, writing down in my small diary about my first day in school. I had always been a solitary person. Therefore I had a habit of opening my heart to a piece of paper. I thought that was quite secure. I knew that those words would never go out there, except of course if someone read them.

I wrote about Mirta in my diary. I sensed that our friendship would be special and enduring...
CHAPTER 4

  I arrived late into my classroom. Every student looked at me with reproach. Rarely did that occur between pupils. I took a seat at my place without glancing from side to side even though I was dying of shame.

Reinforcing my timidity before everyone, I was called to attention by my female teacher, she loudly announced that there should not be delays in her classes.

I agreed with her words, as I was just nodding my head at her.

During the break, Mirta and I went to the bathroom. We walked together all the time. Mirta looked like a queen in her costly clothes. She was always well-dressed to attend School. It was not constituent of her everyday going to School in ugly clothes.

"What is up, are you annoyed?" Quickly she asked when she noticed a deep sadness in my gaze while I was leaning against the bathroom wall. I felt safe keeping my back on the wall. It looked my guardian.

"Sometimes I feel I am in the wrong place," Consequently I revealed as I was looking down at the ground. My shoulders moved.

"Are you like this just because you were called to attention by our teacher?" Mirta rolled her eyes and sighed after that. She imagined I should be a silly girl. I shouldn't consider it.

"No... I mention... too..." As a result I responded as I was rubbing my forehead. I was a little confused by everything.

Mirta insisted, trying to make me happier. "Do not worry about that. All of us have a right to make a mistake and you did not make it on purpose. "

After that I raised my head and spoke regaining my composure. "Knowing you, is the best thing that has happened to me in this school,"

In fact, she was the 'second best thing' because the 'first best thing' would be coming up. I just did not know it yet.
CHAPTER 5

  The following day, I arrived in my classroom before everybody else. It was only me, the board and the desks...

I thought that if I arrived early, at least I would not run the risk of being humiliated again.

I opened my notebook to verify my school schedule. I was staring down at the white leaf, when I heard someone's footsteps arriving into the classroom. Automatically, I cast an investigative look at the classroom door to see who was entering. At that instant I thought that this was some teacher.

Raising my head up, I saw a boy, standing, looking for a place to sit down. I remained still, ashamed for being alone with him in that room. I buried my face into my notebook with the intention of not being noticed by him.

He took a seat at the desk furthest to the back very distant from me. I could not see him. I just listened to his impatient movements as he was beating his pen onto his desk over and over and over. It seemed it was tiresome for him to be there.

I felt suffocated and was begging for someone to come into the room and break the tense atmosphere. I did not know why I felt troubled by his presence. It seemed almost as if he was guarding me. I felt something strange, as if he was there to protect me or something like that.

I rubbed my neck on my right side into a nervous crescent. I felt that he observed all my movements. Then I ran my hand down on my notebook and turned over the page as I pretended to be reading in silence.

No less than two minutes later, Mirta arrived in the classroom and she looked beautiful, as usual. Her hair was loose and her make-up enhanced her fair face.

"Upon my soul! You got up early this morning!" Mirta exclaimed while she placed her pink knapsack onto her desk and glanced away.

I just saluted her with a humble smile, avoiding talking as the strange boy would hear my timid voice. I confess I was frightened. That young man was eccentric.

"We have a new schoolmate," Mirta commented into my ear when she saw the young boy seated in the corner of the classroom.

Even so I remained mute. I could not really say anything as I was thinking that there was a stranger in my classroom. His image had made me voiceless. He was like an adhesive tape on my lips. How strange it was! I was shocked at a guy all in black. But it wasn't his clothes that troubled me. There was something further.

"Why are you silent today?" Mirta insisted and I raised my face in her direction.

"I need to go to the bathroom," Courage came over me and I murmured while I rose from my chair and went to my destination in a hurry.

Mirta grimaced at my back and after that she realized she and the boy was alone in the classroom, so she took the initiative to go in his direction and try to start a conversation. This was something I would never have the courage to do.

"Welcome to the classroom!" Mirta saluted him as she put out her hand to him. However, he remained motionless, that is, he was serious and mute and he did not greet her, making her feel uncomfortable.

"Sorry!" In disappointment, she said and her cheeks became red. Then she turned her back to him, walked back to her place and sat down in her chair. She was angry at the boy's indifference.

During that I remained in the bathroom for a long time where I washed my face, numerous times in the hope of alleviating my tension.

The boy's image hammered my neurons. How much I did detest him for that. Damned boy !

He was tall, his skin was pale and his hair was dark and on his face was the presence of deep shadows around his eyes. He was dressed in dark clothes.

As soon as I achieved some sense of calm, I came back to my classroom. The said room was now filled with students. I had no courage to glance at the corner of my classroom.

Trying to look normal, I entered into the room with my gaze down at the ground as I was avoiding seeing anything around me.

Timidity had always been one of my weak points. I hardly leaned my bum against my chair when Mirta came around making complaints about the strange boy's conduct.

"He is ill-mannered!" Mirta whispered low. "I greeted him and he made no move." She turned up the nose.

Soon I stared at her face. "Who are you talking about?" I asked, not knowing exactly who she was referring to. In despite of my mind was on the bizarre boy's image. He still dominated my thoughts.

"Our new schoolmate," she said then and shook her shoulders.

My eyes enlarged. "Have you gone to talk to him?" I asked, dubious as I thought I would never have that courage. I imagined I would always keep myself away from him, all the time.

"Yes, I have. I always seek to make friends," Mirta thought it was something normal and confessed me and I went silent another time. The idea of having him into our friend group was alarming.

At the end of the final class, I was the first person that left my classroom. Not even I understood why I was in a hurry, for at my home I would not have anything interesting to do.

As I walked by the school gangway I slowed my steps, Mirta was at my side and both of us walked in silence.

After a few minutes, I stopped, paralyzed, listening to a different and strange voice trying to talk to me.

"Hey! Wait!"

I turned around, trying to see who the voice's owner was. Mirta had the same reaction to mine, that is, we stopped motionless.

It was the strange boy from my classroom.

"I think you lost this," Calmly he said while he put out his hand to me, trying to give me back my brooch.

It was the brooch that my grandmother gave me when I was child. I always kept that brooch in my things.

Entirely shocked, I held the object as I was amazed at it, avoiding the boy's face. He began to walk on, moving like lightning, eliminating my chances to thank him.

"He talked to you!" Mirta said surprised and rolled her eyes. My friend held back a smile on her lips.

"How does he know that this brooch belongs to me?" Soon I asked looking at my brooch. I was shocked.

"He might have seen it falling out of your purse," she deduced, shaking her shoulders at me.

Glancing away, I confessed as I could not believe what had happened. "That has never happened. I always leave it inside my purse,"

***

Minutes after...

As soon as I arrived home, I noticed that my mother was not there. Her car was not in the garage. Likely she had gone out.

"She might have gone to the supermarket," I murmured to myself as I put my things on the couch in the living room.

After that I went into my room in a hurry and sat down on my bed, looking down at the brooch in my hand. I caressed it with my fingers, fearing I might lose it again.

It crossed my mind that the strange boy had touched it. There were his vestiges on my brooch. Then I thought that if he was not an honest person it is likely he would not have returned my jewel. But he was concerned enough to return it to me without asking anything in exchange, not even my gratitude.

I rose from my bed as I was uneasy. I felt badly at myself all because I had no opportunity to thank him. The word 'THANKS...!' remained lodged in my throat, the whole day and the whole night, interrupting my sleep.

The next day, I went to school in the hope of having an opportunity to thank him and try to take away my aguish. This sensation seemed to feel even worse than if I had really lost my brooch.

In school, I spent all the time trying to imagine a manner of approaching the strange boy and thanking him for everything that he had done for me. It seemed, however, that I had bad luck. Between classes I had no chance to approach him. It all seemed so hard, even though he was just adjacent to me.

Every time I tried to approach, I was prevented by my own fear as I was thinking I was doing the wrong thing. Maybe I was behaving like an idiot.

I broke out in a cold sweat, accompanied by constant pangs inside me. That had been a reflex caused by my nerves.

Before returning home, I had decided to go to the school library to try to look for an interesting book to read.

Reading has always been part of my life. It's all thanks to my mother who always influenced me to read ever since I was a child.

She always said, 'Those who read, speak and write very well.'

The library had several divisions, with enormous bookshelves that were filled up with books. I walked slowly and looked up at every one of them, trying to find something interesting to read, without needing to remove them from their places.

Then I walked to the third corridor and I stopped walking when I saw something unexpected.

He was in front of me. His back was to me, while he was standing and distractedly browsing through a book. I was not able to take a step ahead, but I was able to just say to his back, "Thanks!"

This was the only word I could think of.

He turned to face me, with the book still in his hands. He looked me directly in the eyes.

That was the first time I could see his gaze. It was penetrating and fugacious at the same time. I felt a cold running through my spine and a big frightfulness came over me. My heart inside me thumped hard.

TUM... TUM... TUM...

"Are you talking to me?" Soon he questioned seriously, still gazing into my eyes.

"... I... eheh," I stuttered. "... I tried to tell you this yesterday, but... you were... so fast... I had no time to..."

I did not know how I was able to say those things to him. I looked so stupid before him. At this moment I felt hate at myself. I should be a girl smarter.

"It's nothing." His voice sounded friendly and that caused me to feel relieved.

He turned his back to me and placed the book back in its place. Then he went away thereupon, without saying anything and without even looking at me again. He simply acted as if I did not exist.

I stood, looking at him as he was going away and after that I ran to check the book he had held minutes before. I got confused when I looked at the book title.

'PLANET NEPTUNE'

Before long I decided to take that book home and try to read it soon. I was sure I would have as much time as necessary for it. Even if I had no time for it, I would ensure I would get to it in some way.

My curiosity was intense. My interest in him was immediate. He was like some fuel in favor of curiosity.

As I began to move on, I stepped on something and then lowered my head to better see what it was. I saw a student card. He had lost it there and on it was his name, a pretty name.

'EROS'

CHAPTER 6

  In the school courtyard, I saw my girlfriend Mirta. She was standing, planted like a tree, waiting for me so we could go into our classroom together.

Presently I walked anxiously towards her, with the expectation of telling her about my fascinating discovery.

"I know his name," So I said approaching her. There is trepidation within me. I needed to say her everything.

Mirta smiled at me. "Has he said his name to you?" She asked and opened her eyes wide. I also saw her right hand went in the direction of her lips. Mirta really was surprised at it.

"No, he has not." I glanced down and remained saying her. "I saw it on his student card." My voice sounded kind as I thought of Eros's face in the library.

Almost immediately Mirta raised her hands, asking. "How did you get to see it?"

After that I looked back at her and said her in serious. "He lost it in the school library yesterday."

My friend Mirta smiled and winked at me. "And did you find it?"

"Yes, I did." I frowned at her. I didn't comprehend the why of her happy for knowing that. I thought I should be more contented than her. But I wasn't.

"What is his name?" Mirta asked as she gesticulated anxiously to me. I stared at her face.

"Eros" I pronounced his name suavely on my tongue. His name looked like some sweet.

"Wow, it is a strong name!" she exclaimed enchanted at it and blinked at me.

Moments later, I saw Eros on the gangway. He looked solitary, as always. Some girls looked at him shamelessly, but he did not pay attention to any of them. That had always been his behavior at School. It always seemed he did never need making any friends at School.

In a little while I speed up my pace to meet up with him. I didn't want lose any sight of him. Not even.

"Eros!" I shouted out anxiously, at this moment I felt my body was dormant. It seemed I was going out with him for the first time, albeit I had never gone out with any boy before. Actually I didn't know if my attitude would really be like this.

That had been the first time I called him by his own name.

He interrupted his own steps when he heard my voice. Then he cast his cold glance over my hand still holding his student card. It seemed he already knew that his student card was with me.

However, he didn't stare at my face at any given moment. Eros was really very odd.

"You let it fall in the library," Consequently I said clearing my throat and giving him back his identification. But I tried not to look up at his face at any time. Sometimes his face made me dizzy. His beauty was stunning. Secretly I considered him to be the prettier boy at my School.

"How do you know that this belongs to me?" he asked looking down at it. Rapidly I could analyze his face in full. Soon I felt my legs tremble like a leaf and removed my gaze out of his way.

"You were the one and only who was there yesterday." At this moment I glanced over his Black shirt. He wore Black clothes all the time.

Could it be some promise? − Some sect?

For this reason I shook my head at nothing, trying to break off my judgments.

Eros raised his head and gazed to me. "Now we are even," he said, exultant, but I hadn't seen him smile at any second. "I found your brooch and you found my student card."

Immediately, I agreed with him and gave him a shy smile. My fingers made plane my long hair. I remained gazing to one side as I felt the weight of my books in my arms. From time to time I felt will to throw them out.

"You know my name and I don't know yours," he commented while he put his student card into his dark jeans' left pocket and his eyes shone in my direction.

"VALKYRIE."

My heart ran in a hurry, I tried to pronounce my name so fast that I could barely hear it. I had never said my name that way to anyone, so, timid, nervous and fearful.

"Valkyrie... It is a beautiful name!" at last He confessed me. But his eyes didn't meet mine up till now.

It was strange how Eros and I acted facing each other. I always felt myself tied to something before him. That had constantly stealed my motions.

"Thanks!"

My cheeks turned red but I was happy at his praise at the same time. My happiness seemed like fireworks in the sky. He was so amazing, so handsome and so enigmatic in his black clothes. Soon I left a sigh thinking of him in secret.

"How long have you been studying here?" he asked, staring at me with a sexy smirk. I made a noise in my throat and tried to fix my attention on my answer. I didn't want myself to look like any idiotic girl before him.

"In fact, it has only been four days." I glanced aside. "I just moved here."

"Me too." his eyes met my unquiet fingers, but he continued talking normally and his fingers scratched his chin. "Today is my third day in this school. I came from another town."

"I think we look a little like each other... I mean, in the way of living."

Immediately I sped up my speech to correct what I had said to him. I feared he might not like the comparison. I felt like an idiot every time I was near him.

"Yeah," Eros asserted and nodded his head. "We'll become good friends... That is if you want my friendship, of course." He held back a smile on his perfect lips.

His penetrating gaze inspected my fragile face. I moved backward with his gaze over me. His gaze was something truly strong. So I scratched my forehead with my hand, looking quite giddy.

"Yes, I want your friendship." I didn't hesitate to say to him then. But my silence came over me after that. I didn't know how I should keep our converse in front.

"Well..., see you tomorrow."

Finally he said goodbye, giving me an educated smile. My gaze focused on his white teeth and I thought his teeth were so beautiful like his gaze, his lips and his entire body.

"Bye-bye..." I was not able to take my eyes away from him, while he walked away with his back to me. A force incited me to stay there, as I was admiring him from his back.

In Eros's absence, I went running to tell everything to my only girlfriend Mirta. I was bursting with happiness at my new friendship that had been proposed by Eros.

When I finished saying everything to her, Mirta had a precipitate and absurd conclusion. Soon I listened to her voice.

"Are you in love with him?" she immediately asked me and her eyes shined over me.

"Me? − In love? I don't even know him well." my eyes searched the other direction. I was very confused with Mirta's supposition.

"You don't stop talking about him, and I tell you it is not necessary to know a person well to fall in love with him. You must have fallen in love with him the first time you saw him," she deduced again.

"What a creative mind you have!" I didn't believe the nonsense she said. It was an absurd.

"I fell in love with Christian this way. The first time I saw him in the school courtyard." She confessed smiling. Her gaze looked remote. Mirta should be seeing that such Christian with her mind's eyes.

"Christian?" I asked as I frowned at her, not knowing who she referred to. Actually that name was unfamiliar to me.

"Christian is a boy from the third year. He is considered the most beautiful and coveted boy in this school."

She made a point of projecting his fame and exalting her own ego.

"Does he know you are in love with him?" I wrinkled up my brows at her.

"He doesn't. In fact, I have never had the courage to approach him. He lives encircled by girls and..."

"And...?"

I felt a block in my girlfriend when she talked about that boy.

"I think I have no chance..." she confessed and lowered her head. It seemed Mirta lost her splendor at that moment. That boy had some power to make my friend become nothing in his life. I thought Eros had the same power over me. I also felt like nothing in his life.

"Why not? You are pretty... and intelligent..." I insisted.

"I have many rival girls." she confessed looking back at my face. At the moment she looked less full of life.

I walked Mirta to the sports court. The third year schoolboys were training for a regional basketball championship. Several students were around the court as they were looking at the training.

Mirta was not there to watch the game but who was taking part in the game. She was excited to show me who Christian was, that is, the boy she was in love with.

He really looked very beautiful - tall, athletic physique, his honey hair was thin and his eyes were a luminous chestnut.

Along with his beauty, however, he carried in himself an arrogance which caused me nausea. He looked like a pretentious and spoiled boy, as if he was the owner of the place and also the game at the same time.

I confess he was the best player on the court. He had already scored many times and he was very much applauded by his followers, who screamed his name all the time.

"He's awesome!" Mirta exclaimed, excited.

I kept watching the match, with my ugly-face, dissipating my repulsion for Christian. But for all I knew about games, he wasn't thrilling the crowd with amazing shots, he was someone in the court who wished to attract people's attention.
CHAPTER 7

  I woke up, it was after midnight. I was soaked with sweat, which was not due to high a temperature, because the night was cool. I felt freshness in my bedroom.

My body was wet with sweat as I looked to expel the dream I had minutes before. Then I sat on my bed trying to come back to my normal state. My heart was running a thousand miles an hour, and it didn't want to reduce its beat.

I tried thinking of a good thing to frighten away that strange sensation inside me. My dream's real scenes were stronger than me. They hammered my thoughts impetuously.

Eros followed after me through the entire dream, where he took me to a dark place. It was precisely an enormous room with several closed doors.

He opened one of them and called me just gesturing with his right hand at me, for me to go on with him, and then I awakened before I could make a decision.

It was an idiotic and senseless dream, but I didn't understand why I had become so panic-stricken. I got another fright when an owl rested upon my room's window.

I didn't remember I had left my window open. I always closed it before going to bed. I was in doubt if I had rocked into sleep before I had closed it.

The owl stayed still, staring at me all the time, with its enormous, grey eyes. I didn't know any more what was making me tense - the dream I had before or that animal in front of me.

I rose from my bed as I was trembling from head to foot. I walked to my window, trying to frighten away that terrible animal with my pillow.

The owl flew to a tree outside the house. It was probably where the owl had come from. I closed my window and pulled the curtains, uniting them. I felt secure after all the precaution that I had taken.

I went back to my bed and I took hours to recover and get back to sleep again.

CHAPTER 8

  Chemistry Class had finished. All the students had been released from school. Mirta didn't attend school on that day. I didn't know about her absence's reason.

In next to no time I picked up my notebook and pressed it against my own chest, which was a habit I always had. A mania I acquired since I began to attend school.

Eros and I went down the corridor stairs. In distraction I ended up stumbling over the stairs, where my fall would have been bad if it was not for the rapidity of Eros's hand onto my arm as he caught me in time.

I felt paralyzed by his hand's coldness. How could it be so frozen when the day was excessively hot?

"Take care!" he exclaimed as he put his hand on my left arm. Our eyes met for some seconds. Nervously I blinked at them and turned my face to one side.

"What a frozen hand!" I murmured without thinking. "I mean..." I tried to repair what I had said but I had been interrupted by his sensual voice.

"I suffer from a rare disease."

Our eyes met for a second time.

I sensed he felt ashamed by my thoughtless comment and he soon justified the why of his coldness.

Eros continued saying, keeping his head down. "I avoid touching people for that reason."

Hurriedly I shook my head. "I have never heard about such a disease." I said piously. I was very surprised at his confession. So I left a sigh and remained silent.

"Only one case in one million." Serenely he explained, gazing up at something invisible in the air. "Therefore many people don't know it."

I gave a shrug and admitted then. "I am one of those people."

"It is a torment in my life. I have to live with this." We faced each other and Eros remained saying. "I look like the living- dead."

Our gaze searched each other again. But Eros's Eyes ran to the left. He compressed his gaze in one direction.

"Isn't there any medical treatment?" I asked him as I turned my gaze aside. I needed making this at that moment.

"I have had several treatments and nothing has worked." Eros stared over my face. He looked serene even he talking about his disease.

"Are you always like this..., 'frozen'?" I insisted carefully and bit my lips. Eros kept his gaze away from me. I could note that.

He started saying. "Yes, I am, all the time." His mystic eyes met mine. So I turned my head down.

"Wow!" my voice sounded enraptured. I wanted to say him something could comfort him, but I didn't. I still was quite alarmed at his disease.

"See you tomorrow." He walked ahead, leaving me behind.

"Bye-bye!" I answered discouraged. I thought I shouldn't have commented regarding his cold hand. He could have been offended by me.

On my way back home, I walked very slowly, staring down at the ground, thinking of Eros' hands and how cold they were. How was it possible for a person to be icy all the time even on warm days?

His illness not only bothered him, but also all those who had been touched by him. I was dying to help him and wanted to find a cure or a solution for his problem. I couldn't do anything except feel sorry for him again. I sighed. That made him anomalous.

"He said he suffers from a rare disease," I said crestfallen. At this moment, I talked to my mother about Eros' illness.

"Your father looked like ice, too," For half a second my mother said ingenuously, her forehead creasing over her troubled eyes.

"My father?" immediately I frowned as I was very surprised at my mother's comment. "Did he suffer from that disease too?"

My mother glanced aside. "I do not know. He never said anything about it. In fact I saw him just once."

Her worried eyes met mine.

"Have you and my father never been lovers?" We stared each other for some time.

"No, we have not. I have never said this to you, but I think it's time to let you know everything." Her face looked slightly shocked. Hardly my mother talked about my father. I think she would hate the idea of seeing me near to him.

"Everything?" I asked cautiously. My mother's countenance looked strange. She avoided facing me.

"I had met your father in a nightclub. We left the place together and... how can I say this to you?" she frowned and looked at the floor.

"You slept with him," I affirmed severely. My mother should say me all. I was no child and my mother should see it.

"Yeah, we spent a night together." She sat on the sofa. "One night was enough..." she confessed, sounding repentant at her past.

"And I was born." I stared at her, disgusted. "So that's why you hate him so much!"

"I don't hate your father. I just avoid talking about him. It has been very hard for me, bearing all of this by myself."

I realized she was crying in silence. Her hand covered her lips.

"Being a single mother and not knowing the father of my daughter." She put her fingers on her face and wiped a tear away.

"You should have avoided that situation," I said and my eyes were wide-open and serious.

"If I had, you wouldn't be here in this moment," she said, firmly and her wet eyes met mine. I felt like embracing her at that moment, but I couldn't do it. My revolt took it away from me.

"It would have been better," I said and went to seek refuge in my bedroom. My tears were accumulated in my eyes' corners.

Talking about my father had always been a torment for us. I grew up searching all the true about my father and my mother always denied it to me. I didn't know if she did it, trying to protect me from something all the time.

"Don't say that again, Valkyrie!" She came walking after me. "You are my life," she confessed.

"I didn't say that I am not your life." I sat on my bed and placed a cushion on my lap. "I just think you didn't need to suffer so much... if I hadn't been born," I said and leaned my head to the side.

"I would face anything to have you here with me."

She confessed and hugged me tightly. Her hug expressed her immense love for me.

We remained together for a long time. My mother was everything I had in my life and I was all she had in hers. It became much clearer to me. We depended on each other.

CHAPTER 9

  Some students decided to make a luau at the waterfall. I decided to go since Mirta would be there. She convinced me and I agreed to go with her.

I realized they had excluded Eros from this event.

He didn't get along with anyone. Eros was always isolated from people. That's why he hadn't been invited to the party.

Between classes, I walked to the school courtyard and I saw Eros. He was sitting on a wooden bench under a tree. His face was hidden in a book.

I approached him pretending I didn't want anything and I sat down at his side with my hands leaning on the bench.

"What are you reading?" I asked looking down at his book page. His book looked interesting.

"A book about owls," he answered looking up at my face. His gaze was cold, mysterious and seductive.

I shook my head little by little. "Do you like owls?" I couldn't avoid my surprise.

"They are the 'symbol of wisdom'." His countenance seemed arrogant. His words looked so true.

"I didn't know." I confessed, imagining owls had some power to fascinate him in fact. I sighed easily and happy, after all our conversation was just about owls and not beautiful schoolgirls.

"There are many things you don't know yet," he affirmed looking into my dark eyes. I perceived his eyes had some special brightness.

"An owl came to my bedroom window and I frightened it away," I confessed him and glanced aside.

Discreetly he smiled down at his open book. "It is a bird that does no harm to anyone." His fingers squeezed his book.

"But it is frightening... that animal has large eyes..." I said him, trying to persuade him.

He smiled at me and then he looked back at his book's paragraph. That was a way of telling me that his reading would be more interesting than my words.

We remained voiceless for a time, until I had the courage to break the silence between us again.

"There will be a luau this evening at the waterfall. Do you want to come with us?"

"I don't enjoy that kind of thing." He closed his book and glanced away.

"It'll be cool," I tried to convince him to go with us. I didn't know the why but I needed his presence at the luau.

"Who will I know if I show up?" he said, looking back at my face.

"I'll be waiting for you there." My voice sounded hopeful as I held firmly my knees, controlling silently my nervousness.

"I'm not making any promises."

He got up, walked away leaving me wondering if he would go to the luau or not. I remained seated, with no enthusiasm to face my classroom again.

In the evening, when we arrived at the waterfall, everything was so pleasant - being faced with nature's beauty. I loved it all. I felt the gentle wind biting against my cheeks. I was so excited.

We got out of the cars. The guys were looking for a suitable spot to make a bonfire. Delighted, I watched the blazing twigs for a long time.

The folks served us drinks. We sat on the ground and in front of the bonfire. I refused to drink intoxicating drinks as I remembered my mother's words.

I sipped my soda, while listening to the sound of a guitar. They were singing such a moody melody. I stood up to go for a walk around the waterfall. Mirta was talking to Christian at that moment. She looked at me while I was walking away slowly.

"Excuse me," she told Christian and came after me.

"What's wrong with you? Don't you like it here?" she asked me.

I looked at her worried face. "Yes, I do," I responded a little confused.

"Why are you feeling like that?" She wanted to know more. Mirta wanted me to feel pleasure at everything there.

"He didn't come," I told her, looking down at the floor.

"I can't believe you're here thinking of Eros!" She placed her hands on her waist and looked upset at me.

"I just wanted him to be here with me," I confessed and my eyes were gleaming.

"And you always declare you aren't in love with him." She added, thoughtfully.

"He's my friend," I said, trying to sound indifferent.

"I'm your friend too," she said, looking at my face. Her fingers smoothed out my long hair.

"Finally you and Christian are together," I changed the subject almost immediately. I didn't want talk about Eros anymore.

"Have you noticed that?" She said and smiled, her face looked content.

"I have not only noticed it but I'm very glad to finally see you together." I smiled back.

We lingered quietly for a moment. Then a boy approached us. He looked at me anxiously.

"Hello. My name is Douglas," he said, watching me as his hands went into his jeans' pockets.

I looked up at the sky. I had no interest in knowing his name. "Valkyrie," I said, rudely.

That was completely unnecessary, me there, chatting with him. I didn't want him to be at my side.

Mirta went back to Christian and I was alone with him. I avoided facing him and kept my eyes down all the time.

"I'm trying to talk to you since we arrived here," he said and smiled timidly to the side.

I remained silent. He gazed at me all the time and I was bothered by his gaze.

"Are you always so quiet?" he asked me as his hands went into his jeans' pockets.

"I speak when it's necessary," I answered, in a serious tone. My gaze was fixed to everything away from him.

"Me too, I'm shy too," he shrugged. "Do you like luaus?"

"They're cool." My answers were short and he realized I didn't want to talk to him.

"It seems that your girlfriend is having fun with my friend Christian!" he said, staring at them sitting around the bonfire. They were totally involved in a conversation full of intense glances.

"Let's go back to the party," I said and walked away hastily.

"Wait!" he suddenly said and grabbed my arm. "Let's talk a little bit more."

I looked up into his eyes and remained still. An owl appeared, flying silently and landed on a tree trunk, just a few yards from us.

I glared it and realized it was staring at me with watchful eyes, as if it was observing me. It seemed to be the same owl that showed up at my window.

"I hate that creature!" Douglas shouted when he saw the dark bird. He picked up a piece of firewood and flung it against the owl.

"Go away, omen!" he yelled at it.

I tried to stop him from doing that, so he wouldn't hurt the owl. Then I remembered Eros had told me several good things about the owls.

"Don't do it!" I shouted and ran to him.

The torch hit the bird and it flew away, vanishing into the darkness. I felt awful about that and wished to walk away. I turned back and left them.

"Where are you going?" Mirta cried out loud.

"I'm leaving," I said, walking away. Everything looked stupid facing me. I was well at nothing there.

"Are you going by yourself? She asked, desperately. "It's dangerous!"

"What happened to her? Does she feel like that because of an owl?" Christian asked, mocking me.

Mirta came after me and stood in front of me, trying not to let me go away.

"You can't go back home alone, it's dangerous." She held my hand firmly.

"That wasn't funny... what Douglas did." I was so angry.

"He just wanted to frighten the bird. No one likes owls. They bring death messages," she explained.

"I like owls and that's just a silly superstition!" I frowned, outraged. But it pained me to see how rapidly Christian tried to hurt that owl.

"Alright, Valkyrie, let's go back to the party then!" she said and held my arm firmly. I remained motionless and gazing down for some time.

"Okay," I agreed with her after I raised my head. "I'll go back because you're asking me."

Then we walked back to them.
CHAPTER 10

  The next day, Eros came to school and his left hand was swathed with a bandage. That soon attracted my attention to him, due to the contrast of his dark clothes and that white bandage on his hand. It was inevitable that I would notice him. I was troubled about him and ran into the gangway, trying to talk to him before we entered into our classroom.

"What happened?" It was the first thing I said instead of saying 'Hi'.

He stared at me. "A little accident," he said in a weak voice and looked down at his arm.

"Are you wounded?" I insisted, shaking my head suavely and after that I controlled my expression. Things made no logic next to me.

His voice persisted. "This is a burn."

"How did this happen?" In a serene voice I asked remembering the owl last night, when Douglas threw a lit torch at it.

My thoughts became confused with the luau scenes and I was not able to pay attention to what was happening around me anymore.

"I was frying a steak," Eros answered and I could come back to my normal state as I listened to his voice again, that is, to reality.

"Do you cook?"

"I have to," he answered almost smiling at me. His voice was low and careful. Soon he gazed down.

"Do you live alone?" I turned slowly to face him as I was surprised again. I imagined he lived with his parents.

"Yes, I do." Eros gazed away.

"You need to take more care," Even so I continued troubled about him. I didn't want to see him wounded any more.

"This was nothing. I'll be better soon." His voice sounded carefree. I was more worried about his state than himself.

"I was waiting for you yesterday." I changed the subject almost immediately, my cheeks turning red.

Eros glanced up over my face. "Sorry, but I couldn't be there." He bit his under lip.

So I continued saying. "I think it was good that you didn't go. Douglas threw a flaming torch against an owl that appeared there."

"Why did he do that?" he ruffled his brow in my direction. He met my gaze for a second.

"I do not know. Maybe he had a bad feeling." My shoulders shook automatically.

"If I were there I would have stopped him." His voice showed anger because of the event.

"I tried doing this, but nothing worked. I confess that I was sorry for the bird."

"Are you starting to like owls?" His surprise was inevitable. He wiped his hand severely across his forehead as he remained listening to my soft voice.

"I am trying to get used to them." I smiled and kept talking then. "This is thanks to you who told me those things about them."

He smiled back and after that his countenance became serious.

"There are many things you need to know." He faced me and his eyes stayed focused on my face. "Just the right time has not come yet ..."

We faced each other for an endless moment, so I asked him. "What do I need to know?"

Yeah, I stared at his face with anger. Our conversations always had an incomprehensible air about them.

We stared at each other for a long moment. "Everything has its time ..." He said and walked quickly, leaving me behind. However, I remained puzzled due to his unfinished sentences.

CHAPTER 11

  Before I prepared my bed for sleep, I put on a long nightgown and stopped walking in front of my mirror to tie my hair, since I wasn't able to repose with it remaining free. At the moment I gazed at my image in the mirror, I was stunned because I could barely see myself in it. It was a far and weak apparition. It was as if I didn't exist in fact.

Then I imagined it could be a hallucination on my part.

Again the owl came to my window.

My body trembled due to the impact of my fright, at the same time I saw it there, stagnant and observing me all the time. Seconds later, I walked in its direction and this time I didn't want to frighten it away from there but to protect it.

Eros made me see the owls from a different aspect.

Before, I saw the owl like an awful and foreboding animal. Now I see it like a friend and also a protector that comes to my window to watch my sleep nearly every night.

"I don't want to frighten you," I said and tried to touch it. However, the owl flew to the window corner, preventing me from doing that. "I don't want hurt you."

I think I frightened it even though I didn't have any intention of doing so.

Minutes later, I extended my light body on my soft mattress and made my head comfortable on my pillow. But my eyes were still on the owl, which stayed in the same place for hours, just observing me.

I didn't feel any fear of it, as I remembered Eros all the time and also reminded myself of everything he said to me regarding the owls. His words comforted me in the face of that frightening bird that a large majority of people fear.

Every time I looked at the owl, I felt it was as if Eros was present in my bedroom. Then I sighed deeply while I thought it would be good if he was present there, he could protect me in fact.

After sometime I ended up closing my eyes and fell into a deep sleep in the owl's presence, while this same owl remained inert with its enormous pair of eyes over me.

The first sun rays reached my window soon in the morning and then I awakened with brilliant light over my face and automatically I felt an irritation in my dark eyes.

Then I put my pillow against my face, blocking out the light and I ended up remaining in bed longer than I had intended.
CHAPTER 12

  Every Wednesday after class, there was a basketball game in the school gym. I sat down next to Mirta to watch the match.

The game had not started yet. Christian needed one more player to complete his opposing team. He was annoyed because they couldn't start the game with a missing player.

For the first time Eros appeared unexpectedly to watch the basketball game. He arrived after everyone had taken a seat, then he walked in slow motion and isolated himself from the other supporters.

Since he arrived there, my glance was focused on him. It was amazing the power of enchantment he always exercised over me. Mirta nudged my ribs.

"Look who is coming," she said, leaning her head towards him.

"Err... I've noticed," I admitted, staring at him too.

Eros looked distracted and at that moment he had not seen me yet. But I noticed how beautiful he looked this day as always in his dark clothes.

"Why don't you go there and talk to him?" she asked, glancing at me and smiling joyfully.

"What would I talk to him about?" In discouragement I asked with a serious tone in my voice. I was avoiding showing I was really interested in him.

Mirta agitated her shoulders and her eyes shone at me. "Think of something interesting."

"I'm not so creative," presently I jeered and glanced to one side. My cheeks were going red as I thought of Eros.

Mirta tried to smile. "Ask him if he likes basketball." She shrugged her shoulders and glanced to one side.

"Great idea!" I rolled my eyes. My voice sounded wry, so I folded my arms and stared at her.

After that Christian saw Eros by himself.

"Hey! You there!" Christian asked standing in his place and his gaze was over Eros. "Do you want to complete our team?"

Everyone around heard his invitation. Eros realized that everybody was staring at him, as if he was a celebrity. Soon it brought a blush to his cheeks.

I straightened my neck, alert, trying to listen to his expected answer.

"Are you talking to me?" Eros asked, in a serious tone. His eyes became narrow as his right hand touched his chest.

"Yes, I am," Christian answered, holding the basketball. He looked like the king of the court. In fact he always looked like the king at everything.

"Am I designated to play in your team?" Eros asked and his eyes were cold. The idea was offensive to him.

Christian responded. "No, my team is already complete."

"I agree," Eros said rapidly, dropping his backpack on his seat and then he walked onto the sports court.

The game started. Christian was outstanding on the shots, scoring lots of points. The other players supposed Eros was like a fish out of water. It seemed like he had never seen a basketball before. All of his moves were affecting his team. He was doing everything wrong. He held the ball so clumsily. That was pathetic.

I remained quiet and disturbed watching that game, as well as how his teammates were mad at him.

"He is very bad on court!"Mirta commented and I remained quiet. I was pissed off.

In a matter of time, after his perception about the game, Eros found out the perfect strategy to play. He grabbed the basketball several times. It was amazing how quick he could move his body on the court.

We could only see his shadow running on. No one could stop him from going on, not even the best player... 'Christian.'

The supporters changed their idol. They began shouting aloud the name 'Eros', as opposed to Christian.

Christian was furious with all of them. No one had ever detracted from him on the basketball court.

Mirta sat back next to me. She was upset due to Christian's defeat. Unlike me, I was bursting with joy, watching Eros crushing Christian on the court.

The game finished with the effusive victory of Eros' team.

"That's beginner's luck!" Christian told Eros, when he left the court, leaving the ball going down. Eros noticed he was glowing with indignation.

"I have never seen anyone play like that!" one of Christian's teammates vehemently said.

"Shut up!" Christian shouted at him. His eyes sparking with fury.

I tried to talk to Eros while all the players were leaving the court. He had turned back to get his stuff. He was bent when I approached him.

"How did you do that?" I asked at his back and opened up my eyes in surprise.

He turned to face me as he was arranging his books. His Black shirt was glued to his body. His body was well drafted in his clothes.

"I don't even know," he said and his voice was aloof. So he turned back to me.

"You moved so fast on the court! You dominated the game!" I exclaimed, staring at the court.

"Christian didn't like it," he commented and glanced away.

"He's not used to being defeated," I affirmed and tried to keep my gaze away from his eyes.

"He's a jerk." He finally smiled and soon became serious. So I made good use of watching his attractive face for some instants.

Mirta came to me in silence. She was upset and turned up her nose at something before us. I glanced at Eros and looked back at her.

"I'm leaving...will you stay here?" she asked and acted as if Eros didn't exist in her life.

"I am going home, too..." I told her. But my gaze went back over Eros.

Eros frowned and stared at Mirta, at the way she acted towards him. Being very anxious, she left us behind.

"See you tomorrow," I said him as I was walking on.

"Okay," he agreed and stood still, gazing at our backs.

CHAPTER 13

  The next day, I was astonished. The main topic at school was about just one person, a phenomenal boy called Eros. We heard comments about how amazingly Eros had played.

Everybody was delighted with him, mainly the girls...

As soon as he arrived at school, everyone was staring at him while he came walking slowly and without a friend, only holding his books. He noticed everyone was admiring him. The girls tried to approach him. However, he stepped back, avoiding them and ensuring they couldn't really touch him.

Christian was angry again. Eros was detracting another skill from him. First - Eros was now the 'best player on court'.

Second - The most attractive boy in school.

Eros continued to avoid the girls' approach. That was an open door for Christian to distil his venom on him and make awful jokes.

"I think he doesn't like girls!" Christian mocked and glanced at everyone there.

Eros gazed at him, frostily. His eyes squeezed in the direction of Christian. He bit his own lip, holding back his hate for Christian.

Mirta and I were watching everything from afar. I didn't lose any sight of them, albeit I wanted Christian to go away from Eros's path at that moment.

"What did you say?" Eros asked, staring at him. His gaze looked cold in direction of his opponent.

"I said you don't like girls!" he repeated, looking straight at him with his ugly face.

Even so I realized Christian wanted to pick a fight with Eros and that made me angry. Christian was sordid. Sometimes I asked to myself.

How could Mirta have a high regard for him?

She always left a sigh for him.

"He is completely ridiculous!" I whispered. I hated Christian's behavior. Feeling broke I walked away quickly, and I was sickened due to that stupid tumult.

"I won't take into consideration what you have just said." Eros said as he seemed unconcerned about that situation.

"That's a compliment to you," Christian insisted and chuckled.

Eros went away politely, avoiding trouble. Not even he glanced back at Christian.

The students were disappointed at Eros's attitude. He had been humiliated by Christian before everybody there and Eros had acted like a coward.

The teacher was explaining chemistry to the class. Everyone was too interested in listening to his explanation. That is until Mirta saw a drop of her blood on her notebook. She raised one of her hands and touched her own nose.

Soon she noticed she was actually bleeding.

"My nose is bleeding!" she said, nervously. "Sometimes this happens."

When Eros noticed a fresh blood smell coming from Mirta, he stood up and stepped out of the classroom. I didn't understand his strange reaction in class. I also didn't know why he had stepped out of the classroom so fast.

In that moment I wasn't paying attention to my girlfriend Mirta because I was paying attention only to him. After some time I escorted Mirta to the toilet, trying to help her. As soon as her nose stopping bleeding, we came back to our classroom.

I looked back at Eros's seat and it was empty, that is, he didn't come back to class after that. I noticed he had left his books on his desk.

The class was over and everyone left their places. I realized the classroom was empty. I walked very fast towards Eros's books and took them with me. I decided to give them back to him personally.

I walked slowly down a deserted street. Several houses were shut. There were few people visible in those premises.

I examined every house as I was hoping to find him there. Then I met an old man who was walking on the street. He lived in one of those houses. I had seen he was holding a newspaper.

"Sir, please can you tell me where Eros lives?" I asked him when I stopped walking in front of him.

"No person called Eros lives here," he answered and smiled after that. His eyes remained focused on my puzzled face. I was disillusioned and dissatisfied at the information given by the old man.

Then I asked another woman who was also walking down the street. I asked her the same thing.

"I've never heard this name before," she affirmed and frowned at me.

I wasn't content yet at all. Then I deduced it could be a mistake. Maybe all those people weren't well informed about their new neighbor.

Optimistic, I asked some more people the same question and I received the same answers, not those I wanted to have.

"He doesn't live here."... "I don't know him".

Afterwards, I went back home still carrying his books in my arms, wondering all the time why he had lied to me about where he lived.

"What is wrong with this? About me knowing where he really lives?

Was he ashamed about his origins?

Or was he married? Could he have a wife and children?

I was sorry for the rest of the day. Eros became an enigma to me, a mystery in my life. I knew very little about him, besides his weird way and his icy skin.

At the same time he had been very close to me, it looked as if he was so far away from me as if he were just a hallucination from my imagination. I was angry at myself as I felt silly that I cared about his life. Sometimes I felt he didn't care about me at all.

I was absentminded at dinner. I couldn't take my eyes away from my meal. Discouragement had come over me, over my life.

"You didn't eat anything!" my mother complained to me, noticing that my plate was still full of food.

"I'm not hungry," I said, gazing at nothing, my food was becoming even colder as according to all my courage had gone away from me.

"What happened?" She said as she knew I wasn't totally okay. I raised my head and our eyes met. My mother looked worried about me.

Without alternative I gazed aside. "Nothing has happened." Soon I tried to hide what I was feeling.

"Don't lie to me! I know you." She looked at my face and asked with her diligent voice. "Have you had problems in your new school?"

Rapidly I responded and gazed down. "No."

"Is it a boy?" she insisted, trying to examine my cheerless face.

I pined away. My sad gazing at the dining-table demonstrated I couldn't answer her question.

My omission made my mother notice what was really happening to me. Behind every problem there was a boy, who was the reason for my sorrow.

After all, my mother had also been a teenager at one time.

"In that case... I can't help you."

She stood up to take her plate to the sink.

I had always been reserved about talking to my mother about certain subjects, mostly when they referred to the guys I was interested in. It was a kind of obstacle where I couldn't express what I really felt and what were my objectives concerning them.
CHAPTER 14

  I saw Eros in the reading room. It was an ample room with several tables and chairs for the pupils to set themselves down. He was seated at one of the tables and he seemed to be concentrating on his reading. Then I approached him suddenly.

"Why have you lied to me?" I asked with my eyes over him and my voice booming into his ears.

"Have I told you a lie?" His attitude was arrogant and automatically he frowned at me and after this he bit his lips.

"You don't live at that address! I went there and asked every dweller about you and they answered there has never been an Eros living here. "

"I think it is better you don't know where I really live..."

His gaze became more distant and intriguing. That made me unsafe and more attracted to that involving mystery at the same time. That is, I had an urge to uncover it.

His voice faded into silence and after he interrupted it with his tone of voice. "Why were you looking for me?"

I gazed to his face.

"I just wanted to return this to you," I said and put his books onto the table. The noise seemed to irritate his ears. He made grimaces and remained wordless. "You forgot them in the classroom yesterday."

So he said something. "You didn't need to go after me yesterday."

"I needed to!" My fury grew within me. I felt will to sob. But I needed to show firmness before him. "So I knew you lied to me."

"Do you consider this a lie?" He crossed his arms over his chest and gazed on my face.

"What would you suggest it is then?" I stood, asking stubbornly.

"I suggest this is a misunderstanding."

"It is a misunderstanding..." I swung my head. "Your neighbors don't know they have a neighbor whose name is Eros." I looked at his face and exclaimed. "And you call this a misunderstanding?" All my fury became visible in my voice intonation.

"I've never seen you so furious before." His icy eyes searched mine. My countenance became red in anger.

"I detest lies!" I said facing him too. "Even more when they come from my friends."

Then I lowered my head, avoiding gazing at him again. Eros looked to comprehend my disappointment.

"If I disappointed you, I beg your pardon!"

"A lie doesn't become undone with a pardon," I said back. I turned my back to him and went out of the reading room without glancing back. I decided not to come back and tell him the other barbarities that crossed my mind.

Eros with his lie had destroyed a beautiful sentiment that was growing within me.

I decided I wouldn't stay at school to attend day classes. All I desired ardently at that moment wasn't to see him anymore all day. I was dominated by rage.

'Distance from him' would be the best remedy against what I was feeling at that moment.

CHAPTER 15

  I awaked during the night. Sleep gave place to an extensive insomnia. Due to that I turned from side to side in my bed, trying to fall asleep again after several tentative attempts without success.

I rose from my bed and went to my room's open window. I had the habit of sleeping with it open due to the owl's constant visit. After all, I got accustomed to its visits, watching over my sleep. Every time the owl didn't appear in my room, I felt its absence.

Then I remained in front of the open window and gazed at the orchard out there as I began absorbing a little fresh air. I saw an image in black between two trees, someone walking slowly.

Eros had emerged from nothing and was in my vision. I turned aside my gaze and stared back at the optical illusion, trying to figure out if this was a hallucination.

Then I saw Eros was standing near a mango tree. He made a gesture with his hand in the direction of my window, calling me to him.

Voluntarily, I went out of my bedroom and walked in a hurry to the garden. I was still in my nightgown and barefoot. I didn't want him to go away before he had really talked to me.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, I was enough surprised before him. I didn't anticipate seeing him there.

"I needed to talk to you." His voice was low and cold. His face was closer and so serene at the same time.

I faced him severely. But Eros's eyes tried to make me tranquil. His attractive eyes always had some power over me and my behavior. "How did you discover where I live?"

"I followed you without your permission." His fingers scratched his chin for some instants. But his gaze was fixed to mine.

My cheeks became ruby.

Then we walked to the mango tree and sat down on the ground under it. Silence came over the situation, until he finally spoke.

"You might think I am wacky for walking by the other's home at an hour like this, but I needed so much to talk to you and try to repair that disagreement that occurred between us."

"I am no longer angry at you."

"I don't want to destroy our friendship, and throw out all that I have achieved until now." He gazed at the darkness while I gazed at his face. "You are the coolest person in that school and I don't have anybody except you as my friend."

My voice came out of my lips. I looked at his face. "I don't want you to lie to me again."

"I'll no longer do that," he promised and his voice sounded truthful.

A fussy wind made my skin ruffle. Then I shrank my posture as I felt cold. Eros noticed my necessity to be snuggled up, and then he took out his dark coat and put it onto my back. Then he said to me, "You aren't dressed adequately to be out here."

I was reminded I was in my sleep clothes.

"I think it is better you go inside otherwise you could catch a cold."

Then he got up and held my arm, helping me do the same. Another shudder came over my body and it wasn't due to the wind. It was a different shudder that was provoked by the touch of his frozen hands.

I wished within me that this night could be eternal and he wouldn't go away. He faced me, gazing into my eyes and due to this I could see inside his eyes that another world was waiting for me and through him I would be another creature.

He held my face with his hands and I faced him too, hoping for something more. Seconds later, he had done a silent reading of my aura which was attracted by his fascinating gaze.

He decided to leave my face free, taking his hands away from me.

"Now go in..." that was all he said me.

Once more I obeyed him like a domestic animal.

Then I returned home as I was cautious and happy for those unique moments.

Before I passed over the front door, I looked back at him and saw his departure. He walked slowly and disappeared thereupon.

As if he didn't exist.

I walked up after that and began searching my room with my eyes. Then I rose from my bed, went to the open window and gazed at the orchard. There was no person in it, just a cutting wind that made my window's curtains dance from side to side.

Seconds later, I went back to my bed, stared down at my feet, and I noticed they were dirty with earth and its grains, the same grains of clay from my orchard.
CHAPTER 16

  I had been oversleeping.

Every afternoon, after school, I always came home and went to my room, where I usually slept for twelve hours.

I couldn't understand why I was so sleepy.

All this time my mother had been worried about me. She thought I was sick, maybe I could be anemic.

"I'll take you to see a doctor," she said as she was so worried about me. I rolled my eyes. This news irritated me.

"I'm okay," quickly I said, trying to make her change her mind. I hated the idea of seeing a doctor.

"You sleep too much," she insisted. "Tomorrow, we are going to see a doctor."

The next day, we drove downtown to the doctor's office. While we were in the waiting room, I was looking at a middle-aged man as he was in his white medical coat.

My mother was by my side and described to the doctor my behavior over the last few days.

He started asking questions about how I was feeling. I responded to all his questions, irritated, as I thought everything was just nonsense.

A nurse walked me to the emergency room and lay me down on the stretcher. My mother stayed with me. I looked up at her face and noticed she was nervous, pacing back and forth.

The nurse brought the necessary instruments to collect my blood. I looked to my left when I felt the needle of the syringe move into my left arm. The clock was ticking and she was still trying to collect my blood, but it didn't seem to pump.

After several frustrating attempts, she decided to call the doctor. My mother got even more apprehensive about what was happening to me. She knew there was something wrong with me.

The doctor came in, followed by the nurse as she was telling him all that had happened to me.

"What's going on?" my mother asked the doctor, with a weeping voice.

"There is nothing to worry about. We just couldn't find the blood vessels of your daughter," he said prudently.

After three attempts, they finally managed to find my vein.

My blood was dark and thick.

I noticed that something was unusual. The result of my blood test would come within three days.

My mother and I walked out of the clinic and I looked down at my arm. Then I saw swelling and hematoma on my skin.

"Satisfied now?" I asked my mother when I stepped into our car.

"Not yet. I need to check your blood test," she replied.

"I will never set foot in that damn clinic again! Look what they did to my arm!" Then I slammed the car door as I was outraged.

CHAPTER 17

  The next day, I went to school in a bad mood, all because my arm was still swollen.

Before I entered the classroom, I met Eros in the hall. I tried to turn back and not face him. It was too late. He walked beside me, side by side.

"Are you still angry at me?" he finally asked. His eyes traced over my depressing face.

"No," I answered, looking ahead.

"Why are you avoiding me?" he insisted, standing before me. He perceived I wasn't very well. Something strange had happened to me.

"I'm not avoiding you."

At a faster pace I tried to leave him behind. But he held my wounded arm, obstructing me.

"Ouch!" I screamed out and stared at his face.

"Are you hurt?" He looked down at my right arm. "What's this?"

"This was an unlucky blood test." I looked away awkwardly and bit my lip as Eros remained gazing at my countenance. Maybe he feeling sorry for me or then I was looking like an idiotic girl, trying to hide my alarm.

"Did they collect your blood?" He raised his eyebrows at me as he insisted. I glanced away at some students.

"Yeah." my voice was very weak as I glanced away.

Soon I looked back at Eros's face. His look gave the impression of being so serene and cold. But he looked inquisitive and insisted.

"Are you sick?"

"I've been sleeping too much and my mother is worried about me...she thinks I'm anemic." I tried to give details.

"That's stuff is nonsense..." he said, glancing at me with a slight smile. Soon he became serious.

"Do you think this is nonsense?" "What if I'm really sick?" I asked, disappointed. Eros looked not to believe me in fact.

"That must be a lack of blood," he said, in a serious tone and his look became graver.

"How? Lack of blood?" I asked perplexed at his supposition. That looked like a joke. So I bit my lip again.

"You need red meat," he explained and gazed away.

"I eat red meat every day."

Ingenuously I gave him details of my meals.

"Try to eat only raw meat," he said, staring at my face. He responded those words in grave tone.

"Thank you for this hint!" I said, ironically and rolled my eyes.

Would who eat raw meat? I thought to myself. I imagined Eros was going crazy.

"I'm serious," he said again.

At this moment Eros and I stared at each other in silence. Soon I felt another chill as I stared at him. Then I became confused. He seemed to understand more about my problem than my own doctor.

Hours later I returned to the school library. I was on tiptoe, in several frustrating attempts to pick up a book that was on a shelf. But I didn't get to even touch it.

It was then that I heard a voice that made me stop. That same voice always made me tremble every time I heard it.

"Let me pick it up for you."

Eros didn't need to be on tiptoe to reach the book. He just lifted up his hand and brought the book among his fingers. When he raised his arm, his shirt sleeve went up and I could see a tattoo on his left arm.

"Here it is," he said leaving the book securely in my hand. Our eyes met. But we remained severe.

Then I held the book distractedly, because my thoughts were on the tattoo on his left arm.

"What's this on your arm?"

Curiosity had been more intense than my own silence at that moment. Eros gazed in his own arm.

"This is a 'symbol of Neptune,'" he answered while he lifted up his shirt sleeve and showed me the engraving clearly.

Then I felt a strange sensation as I was gazing at that design. I imagined I had seen it before at some place, but I didn't know precisely where and when. I didn't remember how.

"You surprise me every day. I swore you didn't like these things," I said as I felt a little giddy. If truth be told that symbol was something memorable to me.

"I didn't make it because I wanted it," he gazed into my eyes and his eyebrows furrowed in concentration. "It emerged on my arm."

I gave a shrug. He perceived it and furrowed again. "You always make use of your mood sense to justify all the wrong things you do."

"Do you think this is wrong, someone having a tattoo?"

I turned my gaze aside and answered him. "I think it is wrong - the manner in which they are used."

He ran to say me. "In my case my tattoo makes part of my survival."

"Are you some Mafioso?" I insisted as I tried to keep my look at his handsome face.

So I faced me in grave and asked me. "Do I look like one?"

"Uuuhh, I don't know... sometimes you are so... mysterious," I answered gazing at his face again.

Eros's forehead moved up. "Does this disturb you?" I was faced by his enigmatical gaze.

I confess I almost broke down in my speech with his look. "It does, a little..." I answered and went out of his way. I wasn't able to continue that conversation, much less gaze into his eyes.

CHAPTER 18

  Some days later I hosted a dinner for my two school friends, Mirta and Eros. My mother wanted to get to know them.

Eros was the first one to arrive. I went to my home's front door to welcome him. I cared about doing my hair before opening the door for him.

"Come in!" I told him kindly.

"Thanks." He looked tense and glanced out-of-the-way. But I remained silent for some time.

So we moved to the living room and my mother stood up, observing us.

"Mother, this is Eros," I said, nervously.

They stared at each other.

"Hi," she first said.

"How are you ma'am?" he asked and turned his down. Eros looked apprehensive before her.

My mother looked at Eros. Her eyes seemed as vigilant as always. My mother couldn't hide her surprise at him.

"Sit down," my mother gently prodded.

Eros sat on the sofa and my mother sat on a chair next to the couch. I went again to the front door to receive my girlfriend Mirta. I barely opened the door and she walked in, as if she was my family member.

"Where is your mother?" she asked, looking up at my home's decoration.

"There," I pointed a finger at my mother.

Mirta glanced at Eros, with his back to us while he was sitting on the sofa.

"Why didn't you tell me he would be here? I would have dressed in more appropriate clothes," she whispered into my ear.

I looked at her from top to toe and checked out her clothes. Mirta was wearing a miniskirt, her legs were exposed. Her clothing was like an invitation to any man, including Eros, to travel through them.

We finally went to the living room.

"Ma'am, are you Valkyrie's mother? You're so young!" Mirta said this before I had introduced her to my mother.

"How are you? My daughter speaks very highly of you!" she said and stood up.

"I am fine," she answered and smiled genteelly.

Then she stared at Eros, who was still sitting on the sofa. He seemed not at all happy at her presence.

"Hi, Eros!" she said and smiled at him.

"Hi!" he said, seriously.

I didn't notice him staring at Mirta's legs and that had created a feeling of relief inside me.

We sat on our chairs at the dining table when dinner was finally ready. My mother sat at the head of the table. Mirta sat by my side and Eros took a seat opposite me.

"Who are your parents, Eros?" my mother asked after she placed all the food on the dining-table.

"My parents... don't live in this town," he responded, quietly.

"What about your parents, Mirta?" she continued, looking at Mirta.

"My father is a lawyer and my mother is a housewife," Mirta said proudly.

"Mother, we'd better eat," I said.

We all had dinner quietly. Later my mother brought the dessert.

After dinner, we went back to the living room. We sat on the couch and talked about the town and about school, too.

Unexpectedly, we heard the sound of a horn. Mirta skipped quickly and rose from the couch. Eros' gaze stopped on her legs. I felt afflicted as I was jealous because I knew his eyes were focused on something interesting, that is, a wonderful pair of legs.

"It's my father. He came to fetch me!" she said.

I walked Mirta to the front door after she said to everyone,

"Have a good night."

Then I came back to the living room and Eros was talking to my mother. He had the intention to leave, too. I stood near him.

"Good night!" Eros said, distantly.

My mother touched his cold hand and looked into his eyes. She shivered and got a strange feeling.

"Good night!" she said, stunned.

I walked Eros towards the front yard while we walked side by side. It was so fine. For some instants I wished to have more moments like that beside Eros. However I was red as I imagined Eros could sense my thoughts.

"You are leaving so soon," I said, outraged.

"It is late." He stared at me for a moment and gave a shrug. "I'm going to bed early."

"Did you enjoy having dinner in my home?"

"Yes." He nodded.

"And did you like my mother?"

"I think you should ask her that." His voice was troubled as I didn't look at my face. His look investigated other direction.

"Why? Did she treat you badly?" almost immediately I was preoccupied with this subject now.

"No, but my presence bothered her," he confessed and his gaze searched the darkness. He looked to familiar to it.

"She's like that. My mother always tries to protect me from everything. " I was embarrassed and my hand examined my long Black hair.

The silence lasted for a long moment until he finally said, "Have a good night, Valkyrie."

"I can ask my mother to take you home!"

"Don't worry, I'll go walking," he said and kept walking slowly.

Every time I stared at his back, he seemed further and further away. He was so fast.

I locked the front door and went over to my mother. She was standing in the living room after she leaned her face to the window and saw Eros and me in the front yard.

"Your friends are very interesting!" she said in a low voice and her face was anxious.

"What's wrong?" I asked, staring at her face.

"Mirta's clothes are so short!" My mother insisted. Her voice looked strange. Nothing friendly.

"What's the big deal about that?"

"Your friend Eros..." she grimaced and held back her voice. My mother looked thoughtful. I believe she was thinking of our dinner's scenes.

"What's wrong with him?" I asked, apprehensive and rolled my eyes. I didn't let myself get irritated with our converse.

"He's a weird and distant guy... he has an enigmatic gaze... like..."

She didn't finish her sentence and watched me, intently.

"Like who?" I was so intrigued and stared at the objects as I asked her.

My mother delayed to articulate. "Like a person I met once." She gazed to one side. Her eyes met the wall. After that she looked down.

"Like my father?" I insisted, gazing to her.

My mother stared at me and then her eyes met the floor another time. "How do you know this?"

"I guessed."

"He reminds me of your father; not his physical look but his gaze... his icy hand..." my mother said as she looked puzzled at him.
CHAPTER 19

  I took a seat at the table in the school cafeteria for lunch with Mirta. Christian came in along with his three friends. They sat apart from us.

I noticed that Mirta could barely eat in Christian's presence and I also noticed he was staring at her all the time. I looked at Douglas. He was sitting next to Christian and I realized he was staring back at me. I lowered my head, turning my hair down to hide my face. I didn't look at him anymore.

A few seconds later I withdrew my eyes to my left and I saw Eros sitting at a table in a corner. As always, he was by himself.

I was dying to escape from where I was sitting and go to him. I bit my lip, trying to control my wish. All the time he kept his head down. Everything around him did not attract his attention. That's what I thought about him.

Eros listened to every conversation that came from the students in the cafeteria including the subject Christian was discussing with his friends.

"Go there and talk to her!" Christian advised Douglas.

"Before the other guy invites her to the rock and roll concert," another boy said.

"I think she might decline my invitation," Douglas said. He was embarrassed.

"Do you want me to talk to her?" Christian asked, trying to help him.

"No, I'm going there to talk to her." Douglas took his courage and stood up as he looked at his friends.

"Go on, kiddo!" they said.

Mirta realized he was coming towards our table and then she said discreetly, "He is coming."

I kept my head down, just staring at my food as I was trying to avoid Douglas' presence. Eros carefully listened to everything and he knew Douglas was walking to my table. He also knew what his intention was.

He thought he should do something to stop Douglas before he could come to talk to me. He raised his head and looked up at the lunchroom ceiling. Then he saw a ceiling fan. It was just above Douglas.

Eros stared attentively at that object and narrowed his eyes, exerting efforts to make something happen. At that moment the ceiling fan got loose, hitting Douglas' head. The boy fell down, unconscious. Everyone became frightened because of that accident.

Several people came closer to him. Christian and his friends were the first to aid him. Mirta pulled my arm and we approached him. There were more people around him.

Eros had the opposite reaction to the other students. He stood up and stepped out of the cafeteria without at least checking how the unconscious boy was.

Sitting on a bench in the schoolyards, I was trying to put my books in order. Mirta came closer to me. She was thrilled.

I looked away from my books and paid attention to her. She was all in pink.

"You won't believe what happened!" she exclaimed and her voice was filled with cheer.

"Considering your enthusiasm, it must be something related to Christian," I deduced.

"He invited me to go with him to the rock and roll concert," she told me and her eyes shone in high spirits.

"That's all you always wanted," I said, with a faint voice and turned my down.

I was really happy for her. However, I thought she deserved a cool guy, someone more humble.

"I've waited for this for a long time!" she confessed and smiled.

"Congratulations!" I said, laconically, looking into her face. I confess I tried to enjoy that news. But I desired Mirta to be happy at other guy's side. Mirta was an excellent girl and I couldn't say the same about Christian.

"What about you?" she asked then.

"Me?" I wrinkled my nose.

"Aren't you going to the show?"

"I don't have company," I said and she could sense the distress in my voice.

"That's because you don't want to go," her hand touched my shoulder as she kept her gaze on my face.

"What are you talking about?" I asked firmly as I looked at her face at this moment.

"I heard Douglas wants to invite you to the rock concert," she told me, grinning.

I returned to concentrate on my books, as I was disappointed. Wow, that was all I didn't want to pay attention.

"What do you think of that?" she insisted.

"I could never imagine that - me going to the rock concert with him," I confessed, gazing down at the floor. That converse was depressing.

"He thought of you."

I shook my head. "Do you want me to accept his invitation? Is it just because he is Christian's friend?"

"Of course not!" She sat closer to me. "He must like you."

"So am I compelled to go out with him?" I asked, looking into her face. Mirta noticed I was annoyed.

"You don't understand... he just wishes to invite you to go to the rock and roll show," she answered, calmly.

"I am so sorry... but I won't go to that rock and roll concert with him." My mind was made up.

"And with whom will you go to the rock and roll show? Will you go with your weird friend?" Her voice was weird.

"You're saying this, not me," I said and looked back at my books.

"Did he invite you?" she insisted.

"No." My voice sounded vacillating and I gazed down. My thoughts were on Eros. But I think I shouldn't be thinking about him in that moment. I thought his mind should be in use with other girl.

"So you invite him. If he declines your invitation, you go with another boy."

"I won't do that," I said, harshly as I glanced up.

"So you will stay at home," she said and shrugged her shoulders.

Minutes later, Mirta succeeded in convincing me to talk with Eros. I had seen him standing in the school hallway. He was looking at the notice board.

I had butterflies as I approached him. I didn't have the courage to stare at him. I squeezed my own hands, trying to tell him what I had arranged with Mirta minutes before.

"Have you heard about the rock and roll concert in the town?" I carefully asked him, fixing my glance on the floor.

"It's the topic of the day." His voice sounded sarcastic and gazed away.

"I... want to go...to the rock and roll concert, but I need someone to go with me." My voice was faintish. I was so nervous before him.

He grinned.

"Do you want to go with me?" His voice become soft and his eyes gleamed. Eros looked colder.

My eyes widened. After all, I was surprised at myself for having the courage to invite him.

He noticed my concern as I was waiting for his answer. He bit his lips and glanced aside.

Soon Eros gazed back into my face. "Have you thought of me just because you have no choice?" he asked, in a different tone of voice.

"Well, actually... no." I sighed, nervously. My fingers ran over my head and I fixed my eyes on the ground. "It's that... I... like your... company."

"I don't think I'm a funny person." His voice was earnest. I raised my head and stared at him.

"So... your answer is... 'No'." I concluded, hopeless, closing abruptly my eyes.

After that I turned my back immediately and he was still looking at me. I thought our subject was over. He then pulled my arm, stopping my movements. I stared into his pale face.

"I didn't say that." He removed his hand from my arm and returned to the place he was before. "I don't appreciate it much... having fun... close to many people."

"You don't have to worry. You have the right to say no. " I said and looked in other direction.

"I know..." He was staring at me and analyzed my disappointed face.

"I'm not upset... I'll invite another boy."

I said that and slowly walked away. He made me feel angry. Intrinsically, I knew he would say 'No', but I had insisted because Mirta asked me. She had encouraged me to talk to him.

He was standing away from me, watching me while I walked away. Then he turned his face to the wall and said something I didn't expect.

"I'll go with... you!"
CHAPTER 20

  A forest, with its floor covered up with dry leaves.

The brown color prevailed at that empty and obscure scenario, in which the sound of an angry wind sung a chilling melody.

I found myself lost and frightened. It seemed like I was the only person in that terrible place. I was trying to find my way back home and see my mother again.

I restrained my steps when I realized the wind was blowing much more violently, unleashing all its fury on the trees, which didn't stop shaking. I sat on my haunches and placed my face between my knees, avoiding looking around me.

That was when, in the middle of that agitation, I heard different sounds, as if someone was close. I lifted my head a little and saw that man again, the same man who was always in my dreams, since I was a child.

He was wearing dark clothes.

He stretched his hand so I could walk in his direction. I stood up quietly, looking straight ahead. I stared at him again and his hands grabbed mine. I could feel his frozen fingers on my warm hands.

I looked up into his eyes, trying to find an answer for his frosty hands. I was still looking at him and could see his chest. He had an amulet made of iron around his neck.

There was an engraving on it. I stared at it and then I was taken aback.

It was a 'symbol of Neptune'...

When I opened my eyes, I realized it all had been just a dream. I sat on my bed as I was intrigued about that dream and also about Eros' tattoo. I associated one thing with the other.

"It was in my dreams...I knew I had seen it before!" I said to myself aloud.

I lay down on my bed again, staring up at my ceiling, with my hands touching my head. I was completely puzzled.

"What does Eros have to do with this?"I asked myself, surprised, trying to find an answer. I couldn't understand why.

That strange man was in my dreams almost every night. The amulet made of iron, with the symbol of Neptune on it, was exactly the same as the tattoo on Eros' arm.

Could everything be a great coincidence...?

CHAPTER 21

  I stayed in the school library, making a summary to be delivered the next day. At the library exit I noticed it was already night. The sky was cloudy and hoping for the right moment to rain.

Then I advanced my steps, hoping to arrive home in time, before the rainfall. The street was deserted and silent and I began to hurry to reach my destination, as I felt a constant danger.

Later on, I saw Eros was standing at the end of the street and he looked like he was waiting for me to approach. However, his apparition was strange. He was just waiting. Certainly he perceived I was frightened.

"Eros!" I exclaimed, surprised.

"Come with me! I want to show something to you," he said seriously in a determined voice.

I said nothing. I just went with him, without thinking what it could be. The fact I was in his company made me secure and intrigued by what I was to uncover at the same time.

We walked silently to our destination. I thought the place was far, but his company turned our journey into a pleasant one.

The place was deserted and obscure. It was a hiding place amongst the woods. It was similar to the landscape from the dream I've been having for some time.

It was an antique and dispossessed house for somebody to dwell in. It had no electricity and a minimum of comfort that was claimed by a half-witted person.

We stopped walking in front of a wooden door. Eros pushed it and entered the old house. I remained exactly in the same place. I was really afraid to enter into it.

He remained in silence all the time. His unfriendliness intimidated me. For a moment I thought he would hurt me.

"Are you going to stay outside?" he asked, after having crossed the threshold.

I decided to go ahead, since I had come there. I should take that risk. I thought of my mother and knew she was protecting me, somehow. That feeling encouraged me before I entered the house.

Inside it, there was nothing, just a huge room and a large mirror in the corner of the room. There were also dark curtains on the window.

Eros sat on the floor as if he were meditating, with his back to me. I remained standing and was motionless, just watching him with his back to me.

"Did you want to know where I live?" he asked, with a chilling voice. "So, here is my house."

He remained with his back to me.

All I could do was to stand in silence. All the words fled from my mind. A huge rat ran across the floor and I screamed out at the top of my voice.

"A rat! I want to go back home!"

My hands started to shake. My heart accelerated. I didn't feel safe there. Everything sounded strange next to me. I wanted to run away.

"Not before you see something!"

He said that and stood up quickly. I didn't have any time to get out of that house. He was quicker than I'd imagined and my arms were stuck in his cold hands. He glared at me, with a supernatural stare in his face.

I had never seen any person with such features. His face was pale, with a strange gaze on it. He suddenly changed his expression.

His eyes became gray. Around them there were dark rings. His lips were red and between them there were big, sharp teeth.

I was desperate and didn't have any energy to try to escape from his claws. I closed my eyes, trying to block my tears.

"Now you know what I really am," he said and let my arms go free. He flinched back.

I needed so much to open my eyes at that moment to stare at him. His attitude made me understand what had just happened. He didn't intend to hurt me. He just wanted to reveal what he was, as well as what I was about to become.

Gradually he approached the mirror. I stared at his back as he was in his black clothes.

"Look at this mirror!" His voice sounded very confident.

So I looked down at the mirror and I didn't see his reflection on it. I could only see the opposite wall. He lightly touched his hand on the mirror's wooden frame and images were reflected through it.

That was an exhibition of my entire life.

My mother appeared in those images, almost twenty years ago, in a nightclub that had been the night she'd met my father and conceived me.

My birth...

Then the images showed me when I was seven, when I started dreaming of that strange man.

My adolescence...

On the day I met Eros in the classroom. The mirror showed me how my brooch vanished from my purse.

Eros had planned everything. He had used his vampire powers to remove it out of my purse with only the power of his mind.

When he lost his school ID inside the school library, this was done on purpose. He wanted me to find it.

He did everything because there was a purpose behind his reaction. He wanted to be with me almost all the time.

Mirta's nose bled and Eros left the classroom after that. It was because he couldn't handle the smell of blood.

The last image shown in the mirror was the symbol of Neptune on the amulet and on Eros' arm.

Then, the mirror came back to normal.

"All your life is in this mirror," he said and his voice suddenly became serious.

I was confused after having seen those images in the mirror. They seemed so real... My life in a mirror... It all seemed to be like a dream, or, instead, a nightmare from which I wished to wake up.

"I'm not here by accident," he confessed while he approached me. His supernatural face didn't scare me anymore. Even though, I was attracted to him that was so strange to me. I had desired a monster.

"I came to get you and take you to your father," he claimed, his voice quiet.

I shivered, perplexed. I was wordless.

I should have asked him several things. Nothing came into my mind, just grief after knowing the entire truth about my father and me.

"Your father is our master...our guardian." His voice was mournful.

A storm was formed outside the house. Lightning and thunder emerged, sprung up outside the window.

"You'll be one of us soon." He glared at me and I remained voiceless. "It's in your blood."

He stared at me again.

"You'll be a... vampire..." he said, quietly.

Everything made sense to me at that moment. There was no doubt. I was definitely the daughter of a vampire and soon I would be just like him - I would be of his kind.

"I wish I wasn't born..." That was all I said.

Now I knew everything about the mystery in my dreams, about my past, about my vampire father and also about Eros.

Then I walked in the direction of the front door and stepped out of that house. At the same time I was embarrassed at all that Eros had just told me.

It was raining harder. It didn't matter if my body got wet. I didn't care about anything else.

Everything made no sense to me.

Death would be welcome in my life.

I walked slowly through the streets, barefoot after I had taken off my sandals. Eros followed my steps while he was transformed into a vampire. He could jump at great heights, over the roofs of the houses, so I couldn't see his quick movements.

I stopped walking on a deserted street and opened my arms extensively at the same time as I was inviting death. I saw an intense brightness in the sky and I fell on the floor, totally unconscious.

Eros came down from the roof of one house, through a double jump. He was soon on his feet again, quite close to me. He picked me up in his arms and he was watching my livid face due to the rain.

He stepped inside my bedroom through the open window and held me in his arms like a rag doll. He gently placed me on my bed and noticed that my dress was entirely wet. Then he used his mind's power while his hand was sliding along my cold body. He made all the water evaporate from my dress and also from my body.

When he finished his vampirism process, he seemed exhausted since he had used almost all of his powers trying to ensure I didn't catch a cold.

He stared at me to check if I was really fine. He knew I would only wake up the next morning. Then he jumped out of my window and disappeared into the darkness.

CHAPTER 22

  At breakfast, my mother noticed my glum expression seeing as I gazed down all the time. Though I tried to give the impression of being perfectly fine, my mother knew I wasn't.

She knew me so well and knew all my feelings, even when I was in love with someone. She wanted to know why I was unusually quiet. I couldn't tell her all I knew. I didn't want her to know what I would become.

She had always been naïve and never knew about my father's true origin. Why should she know about everything in those crucial circumstances? That wasn't correct. She didn't need to suffer along with me. I should spare her from suffering.

"Don't worry about me... Everything's good," I said, before getting my stuff and walking away.

I went to school. Eros was the first person to walk in my direction. I looked at his face and he looked satisfied. He was staring at me with a sexy grin. His duty was over. Now I knew the entire truth. I glanced at him furiously.

"Did you sleep well last night?" he asked, sarcastically.

"Yeah, and I slept more than I should," I answered sarcastically too although my face was angry.

"Days for us are usually short... though nights are long..." he said proudly and looked into my eyes.

"You said I'll be a vampire soon." I looked back at him. "When will it be?"

"Soon," he said and stood in front of me. His gaze met mine. "You didn't say anything to anyone, did you?"

"No, I didn't, not even my mother knows," I answered and lowered my head at that time. Eros remained looking at my figure.

"Not even she can know anything," he informed me and glanced away. He looked thoughtful.

"Is there something I could do to avoid this?" I asked, with a decreased hope.

"To avoid what?" he seemed confused at my question. Soon he wrinkled his forehead at me.

My eyes met his. "To avoid becoming a vampire."

"... No..." he looked to the side thoughtfully.

Each time it became more difficult for me to accept my sad fate. It wasn't this luck I had desired for.

After some seconds I asked him curiously, "How did you become a vampire?"

"That's a long story. I have no time to tell you about it. I'm going to history class," he responded and walked forward.

"I'm not in a good mood to do anything. I don't even know why I came to school today."

"Being a vampire is not so bad." He looked at me strangely.

"If it was a good thing, everybody would wish to be a vampire," I said, defiantly.

"Have you taken a look at your back today?" he asked with a modest smile on his face.

I frowned at him as I was puzzled.

Why was he asking me that?

Soon I ran to the school bathroom and took off my blouse. I turned aside and saw the symbol of Neptune reflected in the mirror, towards the left side of my lung.

I still didn't know how that tattoo had been drawn on me. At that moment I remembered Eros' words telling me.

"It appeared on my arm."

I had a feeling that the same thing had happened to me.
CHAPTER 23

  The rock and roll concert was on that day. Hours before the event, I went to Mirta's house. I brought some clothes in my backpack. My mother carefully took me by the hand and led me to our front door. Then she hugged me tightly for a while.

"Don't drink strong drinks, don't smoke and behave yourself," I was well advised.

"You know I don't do these things," I said.

"That's alright, daughter," she said and hugged me again.

That hug was longer. I'd never hugged her that way. I felt a pang of remorse, as if I wouldn't see her anymore.

"I love you, mother," I said, with a tormented voice and feeling a pain that I knew was inside me. I loved my mother so much and this moment I needed to show it to her.

She confessed me. "It's nice to hear this."

I felt she was smiling over my shoulder. My love was all she wanted in her life and she had it forever. Without needing to give me anything in exchange.

"I don't know if I'm the best daughter in the world for you, but you're the best mother in the world for me," I confessed and held her hands firmly.

"If I could have other child, I would like to have another daughter like you," she admitted and we had another embrace... which lingered more than the first one...

Hours later, I arrived at Mirta's house and we went upstairs in the direction of her room. Her house was large, beautiful and comfortable.

Mirta was almost ready and her make-up was finished. She helped me to choose my clothes, after I had gone several times in front of the mirror while I changed again and again.

After we were ready, I made a silent comparison between us. Mirta was dressed to kill, in a short, tight dress and her beautiful thighs exposed. She was a dazzling in gold, with her shoulder-length hair, her skin was delicate and eyes were light brown. The color of her lipstick was redder than her dress.

I took a look at myself. I was dressed totally different from her. I was wearing doll style shoes, a sheath dress and pink high heels, with ribbons on them. My makeup was light, despite the red lipstick on my lips, the same used by Mirta.

I untied my long, black and curly hair. My eyes were almost the same color as my hair. My skin was blushed with a scarlet tone. We went downstairs as soon as we heard the sound of Christian's car horn.

This same night, we arrived at the club. The place was crowded with people. I stopped next to the front doorstep, at the same time as I decided I would wait for Eros there.

"Won't you go in?" Mirta asked me, when she saw me standing in front of the club entrance.

"I'll stay here waiting for him," I answered, looking all around. I really hoped to see Eros there, before me as I had imagined during my last sleepless night.

"He should have already arrived. If he hasn't shown up until now, that's because he won't come," she said firmly.

I was overwhelmed with despair. Mirta was right. He would probably not come. Even so I waited for him for half an hour... and he didn't come.

Then I walked into the club, alone. There was a lot of excitement in there and finding Mirta and Christian would be a tough mission for me. I thought it would have been easier and much less disappointing if I'd stayed home.

I was in that concert for a reason, because of someone who didn't even care about showing up. He didn't deserve what I felt for him. After all, he was a monster... a vampire. He should not have a heart. At least he should not feel anything for me.

It was too late for me to explain this to my own heart, since it was ruled by him. That was very clear. Every time I saw him, my heart palpitated strongly.

I glanced up at the private booth on the second floor. I saw a dark shadow identical to Eros. He was staring at me. It seemed to be him, in his dark clothes.

Even as I was staring at him, he got out of sight and was no longer there where I saw him. My glance was everywhere, looking for him in that club.

At that moment a soft voice came out of the crowd.

Even with all that boisterous noise, I could distinguish his remarkable voice at my back.

"I was looking for you," he said, placing one hand softly on my right shoulder.

Then I turned to face him and saw his face so close to mine, while I stared into his dark gray eyes. It seemed we were the only ones in that place. This sensation made me feel in heaven.

"I thought you wouldn't come," I confessed with a gleam in my eyes and turned my head down for some instants.

"I said I would come." His voice was so persuasive and I gazed back into his face.

He gazed back all around for a long moment and saw everyone around him. He could hear everyone's heart beating. It enticed him as if he'd been invited to drink human blood.

"Let's go," he said and held my hand tighter, leading me through the crowd. We went to the booth, where there were half a dozen people.

When he held my hand, I had the same feeling when he touched me for the first time, avoiding my fall to the ground. His hands were frosty, but the touch of his cold hands on my skin as always made my body catch fire.

Looking down at the stage, I could see the rock and roll bands performing.

I saw Mirta in a corner. She was kissing Christian on his lips. I watched Eros to see his reaction. He was examining that type of behavior of the couple.

Mirta was in her red dress with beautiful bare legs.

She really attracted his attention. Eros stared at Mirta all the time as she was in her red dress. She was so alluring...and seductive. Her neck was the main highlight.

Then he quickly looked away at the stage. On his side, there were humans with blood running through their veins.

In his inner soul, the pulse of those people looked evident for him. He could listen to the beats of human hearts and he was racked with torment.

He was defenseless from his appetite for fresh human blood. I could feel the gentle, soothing touch of his lips on my neck.

That was a way to keep him under control. I had a half-breed blood, half human and half vampire. Through my smell it made him stop wishing for human blood.

I didn't attract his attention in that aspect. But I couldn't avoid his eyes as they changed color, nor his sharp teeth breaking out of his lips.

"Eros, are you all right?" I asked, not understanding his strange reaction. I'd never seen him acting like that, uncontrollable.

"The scent from your blood calms me down," he said. So he set his face against my neck. I felt his icy breath, almost ceasing. That was a different breath from a normal person, from someone who wasn't a vampire.

His face came back to normal.

"Let's get out of here!" he suggested.

Eros snatched my arm and led me into the throng.

We walked through the people, pushing them, with many of them staring at us angrily.

Eros frowned at me, impatiently, and pulled down a group of people in front of us. We walked out of the club within a few minutes. That was much easier than when we entered it.

Then we reached the street, walking side by side on the pavement.

"What's the matter with you?" I asked him as I took a deep breath through my nose. Eros glanced at me.

"I can't stay in the middle of so many people. The blood of some of them enhances my appetite for human blood." Eros looked confused at all.

"Have you bitten many people?" I asked, curious.

"Enough." His voice was aloof as he kept his look away and our converse became silent.

We walked on a deserted street in silence. There were only some cars badly parked. The street looked dark.

After that, we heard a blaring noise of people coming after me.

"She must be there!" That was my doctor's voice.

"We'll catch her," other man said.

I didn't understand why the doctor was after me.

"What does he want from me?"

"Let's run!" Quickly Eros ordered.

We ran and stopped in a different street. I glared at him and he stared at my frightened eyes. There were five men along with the doctor.

They reached us, we were trapped. Eros stopped and looked from side to side, between me and the gun.

The doctor was pointing his gun in my direction.

"What do you want from me?" I cautiously asked.

"We want you to come with us," the doctor replied, and made a friendly gesture in my direction.

"Why?" My voice was frightened.

"You have a rare type of blood. We need to examine you," he stated, gazing in my direction.

"No! I'm not going with you!" I said loudly. I was resolute about my destiny. I glanced up apprehensively. I was very afraid. That doctor looked to make some hurt to me only with his presence.

"Either you come with us, or you will die right here," the doctor said.

I had no choice. After all, I would die sooner or later. But I thought I should die with dignity.

"I prefer to die now," I said, in an outbreak of panic.

Eros stood in front of me, trying to protect me from them. His body remained before mine. I could feel him closer to me. For some seconds I forgot I was in danger.

"You won't get what you want. I won't let anyone hurt her," Eros said and his face was very grave.

Eros fought the six men. He didn't use his vampire powers as he struggled like a human being. For a few moments he dominated the fight, until he was beaten and fell on the ground.

"Run! Go away!" Eros yelled, in panic, looking towards me. My alarmed eyes met his. I desired to hold his arms and run into them that moment.

"I can't leave you alone here with them," I said, fearfully.

"Go way!" Eros vociferated.

I had no choice and did it as he asked. I ran away.

I heard shooting from the doctor's gun. I stared back at them, alarmed, and I saw Eros lying on the floor. His eyes were shut... he was dead.

I tried to go back and die with him. I realized those men were pursuing me and then I ran even faster.

I reached a street with several exits. I moved quickly towards one of them and saw a giant tree. I climbed it and stayed hidden on a branch. They walked from side to side but didn't find me.

Then they walked away.

"We'll catch her," the doctor said aloud.

I listened to everything they said.

I descended the tree hours later, when I was sure that they weren't close to me and I wasn't in danger anymore that night. During my escape I had lost my shoes. My dress was torn to shreds and I was dusty. My hair was untidy. I didn't care about that.

I realized that Eros was really dead when I climbed the roof of a house. I stayed there, sitting and looking straight ahead the darkness in that horrid night.

Eros was dead, that was all I could think of. I remembered again the noise of shooting and Eros's body on the ground.

Before long I cried in a deep despair. First I thought that in my life I just depended on my mother to survive. Now I realized that Eros had become a part of my world too.

What would I do without him?

I figured out I would never see his face again, nor would hear his voice. Wouldn't touch his cold skin, wouldn't feel his gelid touch on my skin.

My thoughts were interrupted when I heard footsteps on the roof. I looked slightly to the side and saw his image, standing in front of me, with three wounds on his chest.

"You're dead! I saw them killing you!" I said and my eyes were wide opened, shocked.

I thought I was talking to a ghost.

"Did you forget I'm immortal?" he asked and leaped over, in a unique, double jump and came quickly in my direction.

I stood up quietly and verified the shooting holes on his chest. I touched his dark T-shirt; pressing my fingers against the three wounds in his dead flesh.

His blood was dark and thick. He didn't bleed like humans. His blood was gummous.

I was sure he wasn't an illusion. He had really survived, he was an immortal. It would be impossible for a human being to escape that ambush.

For the first time I understood that being a vampire had some pros and immortality was one of them.

"In a few hours I'll be totally recovered," he said, while removing the three bullets from his chest with his fingers. He contorted his face in pain after removing the bullets. The bullets fell on the floor, clinking.

When I looked into his dark eyes, they changed color. Now his eyes became light-gray and there were dark rings around them.

His teeth sprung slowly. He needed to show his true nature by doing that.

I faced his light grey eyes without fear. It occurred to me that his supernatural look was even more irresistible than his human face.

How could a creature from the darkness be dreadful and beautiful at the same time?

I interrupted my thoughts after I heard him say something.

"You're in danger!" He was so worried.

"What should I do? They'll certainly come after me, and you're also in danger," I deduced, watching his face.

I hadn't realized that I was very concerned about him, instead of myself. I wouldn't forgive myself if something bad happened to him again.

"You'll have to come with me." He stared into my eyes. "You might behave like a human, but you can't do all they do," Eros warned me, with a harsh voice.

"Where will we go?" I stared at him, confused. Nothing made good judgment to me.

"We will go to the place from where I came," he communicated, looking up at the stars in the night sky.

I watched his gloomy face.

"We will go to our planet," he said and turned to face me.

"Your father is there. I came to Earth to take you to him." His voice seemed almost indifferent. His face looked shady.

"All this scares me," I confessed and closed my eyes, shaking my head. Everything looked so out of the ordinary. I had a vampire father that was on other planet.

"Neptune is our planet. There's no danger for us there. And if you stay here... they'll try to kill you," he said, afflicted and his gaze met mine. Again I turned my head down.

"I can't leave my mother," I said, looking down at the floor and shook my head at times.

"It will be just for a while," he insisted as his gaze was over my image.

"She needs me," I insisted, opening my eyes and staring into his face.

"Your father needs you too." His voice became softer, nearly changing my mind.

"Why didn't he come to see me instead of ordering you?" I asked, and saw his face which was very serious.

"When he figured out about you, it was too late. Your father, by being our master, needs to recover his energy and the only way he managed to do that was to be asleep for a long time."

"Can't he come back to Earth as soon as he wakes up?" I asked.

"He wants you by his side... in 'Neptune,'" he softly said, touching my cheek with his hand. "As long as you're with him, your mother won't be aware of anything, she will be sleeping profoundly."

"What will you do to her?" I was frightened. I panicked, afraid that something crucial could happen to my mother.

"Trust me," he said in a friendly manner.

It was impossible not to trust him.

After a few seconds of silence, his supernatural vampire aspect metamorphosed into an owl and it flew away.

I looked at him, surprised by with his transformation.

Then I realized that it was him all the time, the owl that stood almost every night on my window. That was him protecting me.

Now I could understand why he was fond of owls, reading books about them. I remembered that day in which Douglas tried to burn that owl.

That was him; he was there, not in a human form, but in a bird's aspect. And so he had came back to school, the next day, with his hand bandaged, due to the burn on his hand.

Every time he surprised me more with his mysteries. When everything seemed revealed and clear to me, something unexpected always happened.
CHAPTER 24

  My mother slept with her window open. She never imagined that she would have a visit in her room. Eros entered through the open window as he always did in my room. Then he watched her sleeping. He walked to her bed with the utmost care, avoiding waking her. He put his hands over her face, in a ritual that made her imprisoned in a deep sleep, until my return to Earth.

The owl flew over the town before it returned to the spot where I was standing. When it flew over a street, it saw Christian's car parked in front of Mirta's house.

By that time the rock and roll concert had already ended and he left Mirta at her front door.

He kissed her sweetly on her lips. Then she walked in and he turned back to his car. When he opened his car door, he got scared with the hedgehopping of the owl over his head.

"Creature from hell!" Christian murmured.

Before getting into his car, he saw Eros standing around him, all in black. He didn't know how Eros appeared out of nowhere.

"You, what are you doing here?" Christian asked and his face was sober.

"It's nice to see you again," Eros said and his voice was tremendously sarcastic.

"I don't like boys, my business is girls," he said and got into his car.

Eros dragged him out of the car with the strength of a bull, letting Christian feel frightened and unprotected.

"My business is girls too," Eros said clasping his neck and looking into his eyes.

"What do you want from me?" Christian looked scared.

"You have always bullied me in school." He stared at his eyes again. "Your insults and unfunny jokes made me very angry."

"I was just kidding," he said, trying to defend himself.

"But I was not," Eros said and tightened his throat.

"Do you want to kill me?" Christian asked, coughing a lot because of the choking.

"Not yet," he whispered.

Then Eros strangled Christian hatefully.

"Now you know who you're provoking, and if you keep chasing me, I'll do worse things to you."

He threw him on the floor and assaulted him, kicking his face.

"Stay away from Mirta or be considered a weird dead guy," Eros threatened him gruesomely.

A drop of blood ran down Christian's nose. His blood's smell incited his enemy.

Eros quickly left the place before his predator instinct could command the situation.

He could have murdered Christian right there. Eros wouldn't take the risk of being easily surprised by any person.

Then I was wrapped up into the smoke and vanished.

Even far away, he couldn't control his lust for blood. He was in the mood to go back to suck Christian's blood. He pressed his hands against each other, twisting his whole neck, trying to control his predatory bloodthirsty instinct.

A huge dog, with dark hair, was coming in his direction. Eros threw a cryptic glance at the animal. After it had been mesmerized, it came towards him.

After having sucked all the blood out of his prey, there was nothing left of its body except bones and its head.

CHAPTER 25

  Eros came back to the roof, where I was waiting for him in big anguish. I didn't know the right decision to make.

I could go away with him to Neptune and would leave my mother alone, or I could stay in Earth and I would lose a big chance to meet my father.

That was something I had waited for my entire life...

"Are you ready?" he asked and stared into my eyes again.

I didn't answer him, seeing that I was still disturbed.

Being prepared to go away with him was something I hadn't set in my mind. Both sides of the coin were rough to measure. My choice became very difficult.

Eros reached my hand. I remained still, sitting, frightened by his reaction, watching him with my cautious eyes....

Maybe it was the last time... maybe I wouldn't see him anymore.

"Come", he begged and his voice was soft. Then he came closer, opening his hand slowly.

I stood up and then lifted my hand in his direction.

He held my hand between his, pulled me to face him and hugged me tightly.

For the first time our embrace represented a lot in my life. I was sheltered by his body. All the bad feelings disappeared from inside my bosom.

Subsequently I was doing the right thing by going with him to finally see my father. Even being a monster, he was still my father.

Eros stared up at the sky at the same time as he was waiting for the right time for our departure.

Strong winds emerged around us. When I looked up at the gloomy sky, a "symbol of Neptune" arose in a dark blue color. We were dragged by some invisible force coming out of that symbol.

Eros and I were still embracing and then both of us disappeared into the night sky, with a few scattered stars.

The symbol went out of sight and everything came back to normal. The wind headed towards another route.

Eros was the connection of all that had happened to me.

Soon I would be in Neptune, beside my father...
CHAPTER 26

  Neptune is the last planet in order of distance from the sun.

It was named after the Roman god of the seas. Its symbol is a trident of the Roman god.

It is the fourth largest planet in diameter and its interior is composed of ice and rocks.

It has the strongest winds in relation to other planets in the solar system, due to its great distance from the sun.

Its temperature is about 7000 ° C.

The sky is covered by misty clouds.

The sunlight does not reach its surface...

My journey to the planet Neptune was very long, due to its extensive long distance. I arrived at the strange territory in Eros's arms. However, I was unconscious.

I had no energy, not enough to take my trip from end to end even though I was completely awake. I closed my eyes from the beginning of my travel and I opened them towards the end.

After all, I was still human. A poor human that was about to know the secret world of the vampires. Well I didn't know if it was good or bad for my existence. I was just a girl that had dreamed of meeting her father.

We were in an enormous living-room that could accommodate hundreds of families. That living room was dark. Clarity was possible only through lit torches on the walls. These walls were made of rocks.

Eros walked slowly with me in his arms, as if he was taking a trophy, one which he would deliver to my father. He did not need to make any kind of effort for me to remain in his comfortable arms.

Besides Eros, there were two more people in the hall and they stood, watching Eros approaching them.

They were my father's servants. Their names were Valeska and Bizak.

I had been carefully put on a smooth stone. The stone was dark gray and it looked like an antique marble that made me remind my grandmother's house. I remained there until I had woken up completely.

"You managed!" Valeska said to Eros as she looked at him in surprise. She imagined Eros could fail in his mission.

"She will stay this way for a few hours," Eros said and stared cautiously at my soft face. He perceived I would remain that way for a long occasion. My forces had been consumed during our trip to Neptune. But my forces had been inspired for a good motive.

"She is beautiful!" Bizak confessed as he was enchanted at my beauty as a human girl. His gaze was fixed on my image all the time. He had no speed to remove his eyes from my representation.

Eros stared at Bizak with his narrowed eyes. He thought that was no time for stupidity. Soon he squeezed his lips and looked away. He knew Bizak was a stupid vampire and sometimes he was worthy of being ignored.

"She barely arrived here and you're coveting the girl," Valeska alleged with a twinge of jealousy. Her lips won a horizontal line.

"Well, I think he forgot whose daughter she is," Eros said. His voice was insensitive and then he turned his back to them and stepped out of the living room, leaving me under the curious stares of two eccentric figures.

Soon after that, Eros walked slowly into the huge corridor. He was going toward my father's extensive bedroom. He looked excited to communicate to Vincent about my presence in the interior of his castle and prove to his master he had not failed in his mission.

He stopped walking in front of a huge wooden door and knocked on the door announcing his arrival to his master.

"Come in!" a voice coming from inside the room ordered him.

After that Eros opened the door and entered the room. Slowly he closed the door behind him with his mind's power.

Taking a quick look, he saw Vincent sitting on his armchair. His armchair had been sculptured especially in favor of him. This armchair had been made of stones.

"You're back!" Vincent said as he looked at his loyal servant. Soon his master smiled to him. But his servant remained serious.

So Eros stopped, standing still in the middle of the bedroom, seeing him sitting still on his usual seat.

My father was in his rough-cloth robe, in a wine color. It was huge and when he walked his robe's fabric would drag on the ground.

"I just arrived now," Eros informed his master as his pale hand rubbed his chin. He looked content and tired for having returned to castle.

"My daughter?" Soon Vincent asked inquisitive, still holding Eros's gaze.

"I brought her with me," Eros answered. My father's questions make him so tired.

Immediately Vincent rose from his armchair and he looked vibrant at the news. At last my father was happy, because I was finally in his castle. My father always dreamed of seeing me there, so close to him.

"I always knew you wouldn't disappoint me! It was not by chance I chose you for this. No one would do it as well as you." Vincent praised him as His gaze ran over Eros's picture again.

"She is still unconscious, but soon she will return to herself," Eros supposed, looking useful with his information. Vincent looked to have a high regard for him even more.

"Where did you put her?" his master asked, his voice showed his apprehension. My father wanted to make himself sure I was protected.

Eros sighed and explained with his fatigued voice. "I put her in the great hall. Valeska and Bizak are with her."

"I'll wear appropriate clothing to receive her," Vincent said, walking forward after his glance ran over his own image.

"I'll rest. It has been a long time that I have not done this." Eros gaped and exited his master's bedroom.

Soon my father was only in his big room again. But now he was happier for my arrival there.

The End
Books by Pet TorreS

Valkyrie the Vampire Princess Saga

Valkyrie the Vmapire Princess

Valkyrie the Vmapire Princess 2

Valkyrie the Vmapire Princess 3

Valmont the Vampire Prince Trilogy

Throne of blood

Heir of blood

Reign of blood

The Black Wolf's Mark Series

The Black Wolf's Mark

The Black Wolf's Mark II

The Black Wolf's Mark III

The Black Wolf's Mark IV

Tear of Princess

The Spell

The antidote

Tiger's Obsession Series

Tiger's Obsession

Robbed Virginity

Ardent Affection

Forced Penitence

Renascent Soul

Illusory Love Series

Illusory Love I

Illusory Love II

Illusory Love III

Illusory Love IV

Vampires Adversaries Trilogy

Vampires Adversaries

Andromeda

Omega

Wolf Academy Saga

The Oath

The compassion

The revelation

The sacrifice

The purification

The unification

The rupture

Love or friendship Series

Love or friendship

Love or friendship II

Love or friendship III

Other books

Arranged Marriage

Princes Shadow

Ornella

Illusionism Obscene

Leione's Diary

Blood Moon

Emengarda

Destiny with Blood

Violet

Love Wave

E 2000

