Blood+ Fan Fiction ❯ The Blue Blood ❯ Immortality's Price ( Chapter 2 )

Chapter 2

Aina jerked her head up from the table; her breathing was labored but quick paced. She took in her surroundings; the break room for the hospital staff. She placed her hand over her heart in an attempt to stop its racing pace; taking deep breaths she calmed herself.

She had fallen asleep again and her mind had wandered to the deepest corner of her memories, the scenes she kept locked away behind the barriers in her head. Well, there were no guards against entry when she fell into her deeper sleeps. Aina had rested plenty the night before and she still felt an overwhelming sense of exhaustion. She was drawing near to the time of her deep sleep.

She had wondered when it would come. It had been nearly ten years since the last time she slept. It was an unprecedented amount of time for a Chiropteran Queen to be awake. Aina sensed something very wrong taking place within her body. Her deep sleeps had been progressively becoming shorter and farther apart. She pondered on it; perhaps there would be a day where she would no longer be plagued by the fear of an imminent deep sleep in which her life would stop altogether and then it would have to begin anew, under different circumstances and in a foreign place with people she was not familiar with. True, that now her extended periods of being awake forced her to move every few years, but she found it preferable to sleeping away most of her life.

But now her sleep would take away the most precious life that she had lived. In her ignorance, she had allowed herself something that she had not felt since that fateful meeting between her and Saya.

“Aina,” Her head snapped up from her deep thoughts to see Solomon standing before her. The little light that there was in the room illuminated his white coat and to her, he glowed with all the brightness of the moon against the darkest night. She smiled in reply. “Did you fall asleep again?” she nodded in response. He shook his head, chuckling to himself and sat down in the chair beside her. “Rough night?”

“No, not necessarily, it's just…I've just been increasingly tired as of late.” His hands found their way to hers and he gently held them. His hands felt good on her cool skin. She had forgotten how warm humans were. Now he reminded her daily.

“Your hands are freezing.” He teased her playfully.

“They're always cold.”

“How about the rest of you?” He placed the back of his hand on her forehead to feel. He pulled back after he lightly touched her head. Solomon let out a slight hiss. “Yes, very cold.” She laughed with him for a moment before he moved the back of his hand right in front of her face. “We have to make sure you haven't been frozen to the core.” She huffed and although the air was warm he jerked his hand away once more. “My goodness! You're an ice cube! We should try and warm you up.” She giggled at his attempts.

“And so exactly how would we go about doing this?” She raised an eyebrow questioningly and smiled at him, eager to hear his ludicrous answer. He smiled slyly at her.

“Well we would of course begin with the most vital parts.” She laughed outright and replied.

“Oh is that so? And what would you consider to be the most vital part?” The laughing stopped for a moment as he placed his right hand under her chin and pulled her face in closer to his. The scene had grown serious in a few short seconds and in Aina's mind, all else had seemed to fade away. It was always like this for her.

“Why, the lips of course.” His voice was so smooth, the sound caressed her ears and she melted under the pressure. He brought her lips to his own and they kissed. His lips were soft under hers but she could feel a burning gradually rising within her. She wanted so much to just stay with him like this forever. She wanted him and she could barely control herself. Aina became acutely aware of the warm blood pumping through his veins. Under every inch of his skin that touched her own flowed the sweet nectar that she had denied herself for so long. She could feel an aching in her throat. Their kiss deepened but she could not let this continue much longer, lest she lose control and hurt him.

Aina broke the kiss and they both pulled away gasping for air. He had felt her restlessness too. They stared at each other, unsure of what had just transpired. There was an urgent knock on the door and then another doctor entered the room.

“Dr. Goldsmith, we're going to need you now.” Solomon broke their gaze and looked back at their other doctor with a composed face.

“Yes, I'll be there in a moment.” The doctor left without another word. Aina stood up abruptly and fixed her nurse's uniform. Solomon stood up as well. Her head was down as she tried to adjust her dress; once again he tipped her head towards him. They looked into each other's eyes once more; green melting into blue.

“Duty calls. I'll see you tonight.” His mellifluous voice hypnotized her once more and she fell under his spell, as ironic as it was for her. He kissed her once more, this time was a light peck on the lips but it still had the same effect on her. He departed and she was left there standing with her hand over her lips. She knew this could not last forever, not when she was feeling so sleepy now. The thought began to make her chest ache, her heart was breaking, she could not leave him all alone but she could not force him to enter into her world of monsters. Aina would rather have Solomon stay away from her and be safe than bring him into the Chiropteran world and risk his life. She resolved that he would be much happier here anyway. A tear trickled down her cheek and she let go of the source of happiness
that she had felt in centuries.

 

 

Aina waited for Solomon to exit the hospital from the main entrance. She sat on the steps, crossed her legs and rested her head on her propped up arm as she thought about how she would tell him. She heard his heart beat as he walked out the door and stood up to greet him. He ran down the steps to take her in his arms and kissed her lightly on the lips. She was taken aback, but returned the kiss with much enthusiasm so as to not alert Solomon to her melancholic demeanor, but he could still tell that something troubled her. He looked at her face; those lovely blue eyes that enchanted him seemed darker today.

“Is everything alright, Aina? Is something troubling you?” Her eyes widened but she forced a smile onto her face. He knew her well, but she had had centuries of practice at lying, her acting skills could have fooled anyone. Her smile was tender, as if she was touched by his loving concern.

“No, it's just that…” She looked at his hazel eyes, it hurt her to lie to him but she told herself that it was to save him suffering. “I have a lot on my mind. That's all.” She couldn't bear to tell him now. Why couldn't she just make him her chevalier, then they could live together forever. Aina mentally shook the thought from her mind. She could not endanger him by bringing him into the savage world that she lived in. She could not let the only good thing in her life be tainted by her blood. But as strong as her resolve was, she could not bring herself to tell him today, because that would mean that she would have to leave him. No, she would never tell him, but she could not risk his life by staying with him any longer. But she just wanted one more day of ignorant bliss with him, one more day before their dream together was ruined by the reality that she lived in.

“You sure?” She was caught off guard by his answer; she didn't imagine that he could have sensed the hint of a lie in her voice, but he had. He was definitely too good for her to endanger. She nodded her head and he blindly trusted her judgment. He believed that she would tell him on her own terms if she wanted to.

Solomon wrapped his arm around her waist and they walked through the city towards his apartment as night began to creep up on them.

 

The couple laid out on a picnic blanket that Solomon had placed on the roof of his building so they could gaze at the stars on warm summer nights like this one. They had spent a lovely evening together with a home-cooked meal and a walk in the park. Now they had retired to his house to enjoy each other's company. Solomon lied down with one arm around Aina's shoulders and the other behind his head; she rested her head on his chest and had her left hand on his abdomen.

Her eyes kept drooping and she wanted so badly to just fall asleep. She began drifting in and out of consciousness until her breathing had slowed so much that it alarmed Solomon.

“Aina.” She did not respond. “Aina.” He felt a twinge of concern as he sat up. He readjusted his position so he could cradle her in his arms. She slept peacefully, but he desperately needed to be reassured by the sound of her voice. He knew that his anxiety was unfounded, but that didn't change how he felt. Solomon brushed the hair out of her face and caressed her cheek with his hand. Her eyes slowly began to flutter open. She smiled weakly at him and he returned it, trying to conceal his momentary worry.

“You fell asleep.” Her eyes widened in realization. She could have fallen asleep for good and in his arms no less. Had she let herself succumb to the appealing notion of sleeping, she would have left Solomon with the burden of taking care of her without any answers. Her sleep was fast approaching and she now understood that there was no time left for her to spend with Solomon. As much as it hurt her, she would have to leave him. He would be able to move on with his life and find someone else to love; he could not dwell on her. He could be free of the Chiropteran world, and if she had any say in the matter, he would never know the terrible world that she lived in.

She placed her right hand on his cheek and looked into his eyes pleadingly. “There's something I should tell you.” He was caught off guard, but welcomed the opportunity to share.

“And I as well, but you first.” She sat upright now and her expression conveyed the pain she was feeling. Her face worried Solomon but he did not comment on it.

“Solomon, I love you.” She lowered her head and fixed her gaze on her fidgeting hands.

“And I love you too. Aina, what is this about?” Their eyes met and he could see that tears were beginning to well up in her eyes.

“It's about me.” She paused, trying to collect her thoughts into coherent sentences. “I'm-I'm not the girl you think I am.” Aina could tell that she had confused him, and she knew that he would refuse to believe anything she said, but she had to tell him; had to explain to him why he would never see her again.

“What do you--” She cut him off and held a finger to his lips.

“Please just let me explain. I…I am a part of a dangerous world. A world of monsters and you being with me would only put you at risk. I have to leave and you won't see me again, but this is what I have to do.” She took his hands in her own and pleaded with him. “Please, please just forget about me. Forget my voice, my face, even my name. To dwell on me would just make it harder. Just forget the girl you knew as Aina because soon she will be gone too.” Solomon was at a loss for words. This had come so suddenly and unexpectedly. He never dreamed that she would be saying these words. The small, velvet box in his pocket seemed so heavy now. Its weight was pulling him down into oblivion.

“Aina, you cannot possibly ask this of me. How can I forget the girl I love? How can you ask me to throw away everything we have? How can you?”

“Trust me. It will be better this way.”

“No, it won't! A world without you is not worth living in. A world that is not warmed by your smile and cooled by your breath; a world that has never gazed upon your bright countenance or heard the sweet sound of your voice is hell. Whatever you must do, we can do it together. Aina, I never want to be without you, I--” He pulled the box from his pocket and opened it to reveal a large cut topaz surrounded on both sides by a pair of diamonds placed on a silver band. “I want to live with you forever.”

Aina's eyes widened at the sight of the engagement ring. The tears now flowed freely from her eyes. Solomon could not help but hope that the tears were a sign of her changing her mind, but he knew Aina better than that.

She reached out to touch the beautiful piece of jewelry but she stopped herself, afraid that if she did she might actually change her mind. `This is for the best' she told herself. She curled her fingers back and let her hand fall to her side. Her eyes were pleading with Solomon to put the ring away but he would not listen to her. Aina pondered on his words, `Forever'. She hated that saying with a passion. She tried to force herself to be angry with him for his naiveté; she could not fool herself, but she believed that her act would be enough to deceive Solomon.

“You have no idea just how long forever is. If you did, you wouldn't want to spend it with me. Not if you knew what I am. You wouldn't want to spend more second with me. You would leave anyway.” Her teeth were clenched, but she couldn't help regretting what she had said. Solomon smirked with an understanding smile and shook his head. He put his hands on her waist and pulled her closer to him. He put his lips to her ear and whispered with his sweet, smooth, tranquilizing voice.

“I know exactly what you are.” Her eyes widened, she went rigid with fear for a moment as he continued. “You are the woman that I love; the woman who I can wait for, not because waiting doesn't hurt but because I know that our reunion will only be made sweeter by my waiting.” His sentiments brought tears to her eyes. She knew that she didn't deserve his love, but she couldn't stop herself from wishing she could keep it forever, because despite what she told him, she would no longer hate the thought of immortality if she were by his side. “So if you need to do this, I will wait for you. No matter how long it takes.” Aina realized that there was no dissuading him. She would just have to say goodbye and leave. A clean break. But she could not will herself to leave without one last thing.

Aina brought her hand to Solomon's cheek and placed the other one on the back of his head. She brought her lips lightly up to his but as soon as she could feel his warm breath on cheek and smell the blood coursing within him she passionately kissed him with the force of all the embraces and intimate kisses they would no longer be able to share with one another. He returned it just as eagerly and wrapped his arms around her waist. Her fingers twisted in his curled locks as their lips and bodies moved in sync with one another.

Aina opened her eyes and could feel the blood within her begin to heat up. Her eyes began to glow brightly and she broke their kiss once more. She turned from him and ran to the side of the building; clutching the wall that enclosed the perimeter of the rooftop. She dug her fingers into the brick in frustration; the stone began to crack beneath the pressure of her emotions. She calmed down and pulled her hands from the dented brick. She sighed in regret and turned towards Solomon who had been left standing dumbstruck.

He saw her eyes, glowing against the dark, urban, night sky and was entranced by their beauty; her appearance evoked no feelings of fear within him. The moonlight illuminated her figure as she stepped effortlessly onto the ledge. She stood there for a moment and coldly said her goodbye to Solomon.

“Your wait will be in vain. Don't try to follow me.” With that she lifted her head towards the moon and let gravity pull her backwards off the roof. With arms outstretched, she fell out of Solomon's sight. His eyes widened in surprised and he ran to the wall looking over it to try and see her silhouette plummeting to the street below, but there was no girl to be seen. Aina had vanished from out of thin air and left his life without a trace.

 

 

 

He had been watching the scene between the two lovers from the building rooftop opposite them. Hiding in the shadows, careful not to let his presence be known to the Blue Blood. She stood on the edge of the building, stretched her arms out and fell to the depths below. He knew without looking that she had not fallen to her death, but was on her way to her safe-haven to sleep. He did not bother to pursue her. She was going to wake soon, and would already be well pleased in him for bringing her a gift.

His eyes wandered to the young man clutching the brick wall of the rooftop, desperately trying to find an answer to the events that had just transpired. He saw the confusion in the boy's eyes; he smirked at the sight. He effortlessly and silently leapt to the building, well behind the young man. He emerged from the shadows and with an overwhelming bass voice quietly boomed, “Solomon Goldsmith.”

Solomon whipped around at the sound and uncertain eyes took in the man before him.

“Who,” He gulped, trying to compose himself, “who are you?”

The man smirked in the darkness and with lightning fast speed, crossed the rooftop to stand face to face with him. Solomon was taken aback and bumped into the wall but balanced himself. The man smiled once more and raised his eyebrow with intrigue.

“I am the man that has the answer to all your problems.”

Solomon was skeptical and gave the man a questioningly look. He shook his head of such ideas.

“No, you can't. Get out of here!” He turned back towards the wall desperately searching the streets below.

“I can let you be with her. Forever.” Solomon's eyes grew at the man's enticing offer. He still did not believe it to be true. The man knew he would need to sweeten the deal. “I can show you exactly what she is.” Solomon turned around with his brow furrowed in anger.

“And just what is she?”

“She's a Chiropteran.” Solomon was not expecting such an answer. He was stunned and his argument was shaken.

“A-a what?” The man grinned; he knew that he had caught the boy's attention.

“A creature of the night. She lives off the blood of humans. She is one of our queens. The eldest queen to be exact. She is practically immortal and she has just left to fall into a deep sleep where she will rest for decades.”

Solomon's head was reeling. He didn't understand, and he still wasn't sure that he believed, but what this man was telling him seemed to make sense. It explained why she didn't think he could go with her. The man could see Solomon thinking this through, so he decided to introduce his true proposal.

“I can help you become one as well.” Solomon gave the man a disgusted look, shocked at the very idea of becoming a `chiropteran'. Before Solomon could verbalize his repulsion, the man explained the notion. “Becoming a chiropteran would mean near immortality for you. You could wait for her to wake up, you would never age and your love could stay frozen in time, just as you both will be. Your love will never wither and die. It could last for all eternity. You can live more fully than ever before.”

Solomon pondered on the idea, uncertain of whether or not to trust this stranger. The man held out his hand and raised his eyebrow.

“Do we have a deal?” Solomon brought his hand up, but held it close to him, hesitating. He curled his fingers back into a fist. The man noticed.

“I have something very important to attend to, my time is precious. Now, do we have a deal?” Solomon looked at the man questioningly.

“And what do you get out of this? Why help me?” The man leered. It was an easy question.

“Because She wants you.” The answer only raised more questions in Solomon's mind. “She is the one who will help you become a chiropteran and at this moment She is beginning to stir so one last time, I ask you, do we have a deal?”

Solomon thought for one second longer, then closed his eyes shut and shook the man's hand.

“Yes, sir.”

The man's eyes narrowed and his lips curled into a devilish smile.

“Call me Brother Amshel.”

Amshel's eye glowed red for a moment and Solomon became hypnotized by them. He coldly, unfeelingly said, “Yes, Brother Amshel.”

 

 

(*The following scenes are from Episode 40 of the TV Series Blood+)

(Scenes may contain slight alterations in dialogue to accommodate this fan-fiction's plotline)

 

Amshel and Solomon walked down the stone steps to the cold, dark, dank basement below Amshel's castle. Their way was lit only by candlelight and Solomon was beginning to wonder why he had come, but he shook away the thoughts and replaced them with his visions of the future; an eternity with Aina as immortal beings. He did not realize that Amshel had influenced his mind and clouded his judgment. He did not care either way; he was blinded by his desire to live forever with Aina.

Amshel placed the candle on a stone slab. Solomon saw what appeared to be a large broken cocoon that was attached to the wall opposite him. Amshel continued walking up the steps to the raised platform, but Solomon stopped in his tracks when he saw the silhouette of a woman on the floor. Over his momentary shock, he walked a few steps closer to look at her and gasped.

She was small and her skin was as pale as the moon. Her long raven locks swirled around her body and covered her bare figure. He could not tell if she was alive. She lied still on the cold stone floor, looking completely helpless.

Amshel knelt down beside her and pulled out a dagger that was sheathed in silver with a turquoise gem on the outside. He placed the sheath on the ground and proceeded to slash himself with the blade across the palm. Solomon was concerned; his expression turned worried.

“Brother Amshel.” Amshel simply scoffed and closed his hand into a fist, holding it out to woman. For the first time the girl moved but weakly. She struggled to get up on her elbows but Solomon could tell that she was awakened by the scent of the fresh flowing blood. Her breathing was labored and Solomon could tell that she was very fragile at the moment. She brought her head up and Solomon gazed upon her face.

His jaw dropped as he took in the young woman's countenance. The girl resembled Aina in many ways. Her hair may have been a sleek shade of black, and her skin much paler, but her face reminded him so much of Aina. The girl's eyes illuminated and produced an eerie blue color, just as Aina's had done earlier that night. Now the sight of such eyes terrified him but he would not let himself let go of his desire.

“Well, it looks like she likes you.” Solomon watched in awe and disgust as the girl eagerly lapped up the spilt blood that had pooled in Amshel's hand. “She's my little treasure. She's the most important thing in the entire world. She's the reason I know I'm alive.”

Amshel pulled his hand back but the girl grabbed his wrist in a feeble attempt to keep him from leaving. He took up his dagger once more. The girl's wordless protests begged for more blood. Amshel turned around to face Solomon.

“Are you ready, Solomon?” Solomon's mind began forming doubts, every logical part of him was telling him to run and leave. But his heart wanted something very different. He blinked away the doubts and made his final decision. The girl looked on excitedly at Solomon with her eyes still glowing against the dim light of the cellar.

“Yes.” Amshel began walking down the few stone steps that separated them.

Amshel, in a booming voice, declared, “Solomon Goldsmith in human form, dies here today.” The girl finally put her hand back on the floor and let out a sigh of satisfaction for what was about to transpire. Her eagerness was evident. Amshel continued his advance. “When you receive Diva's blood, you will become my true family by blood. Are you full prepared to take this journey?”

Solomon had already resolved to follow through with this commitment. With every bit of confidence he said, “I am…prepared to become more fully alive than I have ever been.” He closed his eyes and began to think of Aina. The image of her smiling at him with her cool, soothing eyes staring back at him came to his mind. The sun reflecting off her lightly tanned skin and shining on her short, amber hair. She was in the park, lying down on a blanket surrounded by all the splendor of a marvelously sunny and bright day; the scene only complimented her beauty. She was propped up on her elbows, beckoning him to join her. Solomon welcomed the memory.

Amshel shoved the dagger into Solomon's abdomen with vigor. Solomon's eyes opened and he groaned out in pain. He slid to the floor; blood gushed and pooled around his crumbled form.

The candle's flame flickered and Solomon looked up, trying to find the scene with Aina he had just been imagining. But the candle's light had turned the dream into a nightmare. The sun's light turned into the pitiful amount of illumination that only one small candle could offer. The day's warmth turned to a cold sinking feeling. Aina was gone as well, replaced by this creature before him that looked like her but that he now realized was completely different; Diva. Propped up on her elbows, her eyes glowed blue once more as her appetite grew with lust for his blood. He now realized his mistake, but he was dying and there was no time to rectify it; he was trapped.

The candle's flame went out, as did the light in Solomon Goldsmith's eyes.