Music Recommendation: Aftermath- Nathan Barr

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  When Julie was getting her wrist inked, the only second thought she had was the pain the needle left on her skin. She had turned her head in the other direction while her eyebrows were furrowed.

  "Did you stop breathing?" asked the man who was inking her hand, and she heard his words over the sound of the equipment.

  "I am trying to concentrate to not concentrate on the pain," replied Julie, and she stared at the designs displayed on the walls. Roman had left her for a few minutes while letting her have her time here.

  She doubted she would ever get another tattoo on her body, and this was the first and last one. She knew inking someone's name on the body was usually a bad idea. There had been many cases where people regretted inking their partners names who had turned into ex's. But the name she was getting wasn't someone ordinary, and spending time with Roman was enough to let her know that she would never be with someone else ever again.

  This wasn't something she had thought on a spur, but she had given some thought before deciding to do it.

  "There you go. It's all done now," said the tattoo artist, pausing the equipment, and the room fell silent except for a few voices that came from people who were in the shop outside the room.

  Julie took a deep breath and exhaled. Finally, it was over, and she turned to look at her wrist, bringing it in front of her face.

  The skin looked tender, but the black ink stood out, which was written as 'ROME'. The ink was too big and glaringly obvious, but it was there if one's eyes fell on her wrist. She was glad that the tattoo artist hadn't used the entire length of the scar and made it look as if it was part of the design.

  A quick smile appeared on her lips, "Thank you for this. It looks good," she thanked the man.

  The person gave her a nod, "No problem. It is what I do."

  Julie nodded her head, and she stepped out of the room, and she saw Roman sitting outside with crossed legs with a magazine in his hand.

  As if sensing her presence, he looked up and closed the magazine in his hand. He stood, walking to where she was. Excited and a little shy, Julie stretched her hand to show it to him.

  "It looks decent," remarked Roman, and he ran his thumb over the name. "Does it hurt?"

  "Not anymore," replied Julie, and Roman gave her a nod. Once they paid for the tattoo, both of them stepped out of the parlour, walking to where the motorcycle was placed. "How did you get your tattoos made? I thought scars or markings like tattoo's don't stay on a vampire's skin."

  "It normally doesn't. The ink disappears and it makes it useless. One needs to make use of high heat, more like burning the skin for it to stay," replied Roman, and he picked up the helmet that he had let to hang earlier.

  "That must hurt like hell," said Julie, and Roman faintly smiled.

  "A vampire can always opt out to not get a tattoo to avoid the pain," he stated, and he got on the motorcycle before removing the stand and waited for her to sit behind him.

  "Are you telling that, you don't mind the pain?"

  "In some of us, pain is infused and it becomes one with us that you will barely feel anything. Especially for a vampire, because of the higher tolerance than a human, some of us crave to feel things," Roman's words were calm as he said those to her. Julie stared into his black eyes that had a shine in them. "You look worried. Don't think too much about what I said, I feel a lot of things, and anger has been something that has been constant, before you came to me."

  "Is it something that, you held on to? To feel human?" asked Julie.

  Roman caught hold of Julie's wrist, pulling her towards him, and he brought his hand to place it on the back of her neck. He guided her lips to him, kissing her, and he pulled back, "I don't regret being a vampire, Winters. Truthfully, there hasn't been much difference and I guess that's because I always had the vampire gene. I have always been a vampire before my mother even gave birth to me. But if there is something that has changed, it is your presence in my life. You should know that already."

  Julie felt Roman caress the side of her neck, where he let it go.

  "I am happy that I got to meet and know you," she said to him.

  "The feelings are mutual, Winters."

  Roman jerked his head towards the back of the motorcycle, and Julie wore the helmet before taking a seat behind him. "I wonder if I will find a meal around. You don't mind paying a visit to the hospital, do you?"

  "Do you plan to steal blood bags from there?" asked Julie, her eyebrows slightly raising. She placed her hands on his shoulders.

  "I was hoping to sink my teeth into some patients, but I will keep that for some other time," deadpanned Roman, and Julie wondered how much of it was the truth that he wanted to do something like this. "I know some people in some of the hospitals. Let me see if I can borrow some blood bags, that wouldn't be stealing, would it?"

  Since Julie had met Roman, the lines of right and wrong had been blurred. She shrugged her shoulders, "I guess." If he wasn't going to hurt anyone, that was more than good enough for her.

  While Roman and Julie headed towards the closest hospital available so that Roman could quench his thirst before the ripper side would make an appearance, in the town of Greasy Corner, Melanie and Conner were taking a walk on the streets.

  "How's your project coming along?" asked Melanie, as she hadn't seen him for two days straight. "I thought you fell sick."

  "I was planning the sketch in my dorm. I needed some time to come up with a good idea," replied Conner, and he pushed his curly hair to one side. "I finally know what to work on and present."

  "That's great to hear, Conner. I am glad you found what you want to do," smiled Melanie, and she looked at the footpath they were walking, where the trees offered them shade.

  "Yeah, Simon said he would help me with it," and hearing the name of the person had Melanie frown.

  "Simon? He isn't an art student," stated Melanie, and Conner nodded his head.

  "Strangely, his ideas are quite impressive and he helped in designing what I wanted," laughed Conner, and Melanie didn't know what to say. "He'll be coming over in the evening."

  Melanie raised her eyebrows, turning to look at Conner, "But we have the family together."

  "Yeah, not for that. I let him know about it, and he said he was going to be around to meet someone. So it should be alright," said Conner as if it was not a big deal. "How is your project coming along? I now wish I had chosen the same stream as you."

  "But you are more interested in art. Science would bore you," smiled Melanie, walking next to Conner. She noticed two boys walking in the other direction, laughing about something as they spoke to each other.

  Conner gave a short nod but said, "But you are there, I would have a partner and wouldn't have to worry about anything. You have always been diligent with your notes. I know I could always rely on you."

  Melanie stared at her friend for two seconds before she cleared her throat. She looked ahead of them and said, "Yeah, that would have been nice. We are best friends, of course I would help you."

  "You are right," Conner looked at Melanie, watching her eyes that were trained in front of them. He noticed how her hair was tied into a ponytail while some pieces of her hair had been left at the sides without being tied.

  Melanie had always been someone who understood him, and she was someone he could always go to, and it was the same with her. At least that was what he thought, but now that he thought about it, he realized how his best friend didn't come to him as much as she did in the past. Was it because she was now speaking to Julie, and it was easier to speak to?

  "What happened?" asked Melanie, who caught Conner staring at her.

  "Nothing," Conner shook his head, wondering if his best friend was always this pretty.

  When the two boys were passing by Conner and Melanie, one came straight at Melanie for the shoulders to hit each other.

  "Watch where you're walking," commented the one who crashed into Melanie, and she frowned.

  "I moved to the side and you were the one who still decided to take the whole place without bothering to move to the side," retorted Melanie.

  "You crashed into me purposely," huffed the boy.

  "Maybe you need to go get your eyes checked to be able to see things because you obviously cannot see," replied Melanie, coming to stand face to face with the person.

  "For a shortie you sure have a lot to speak and accuse," said the boy, and Conner came between to pull Melanie towards him so that she wouldn't get into a possible fight.

  "Why don't we all calm down and let it go and go back to our lives," suggested Conner, offering peace.

  "At least someone knows it is your fault," said the rude boy before starting to walk with his friend, and Melanie glared at them.

  "Come on, Mel. We have to get back home," Conner pulled Melanie's arm.

  "Let me pick up a stone to fix his vision," said Melanie, looking at the ground, and Conner laughed.

  "Your parents won't be pleased if they found out that you are in a fight and neither would mine," said Conner, while Melanie glared at the two boys, where one of them turned to smirk.

  "I wouldn't have minded," muttered Melanie, and at the same time, to ruin her mood further, the red-headed senior appeared from behind.

  "Good afternoon, children," said Simon, and they turned to look at him. "Conner and Mel."

  "Melanie," Melanie corrected him, not interested in being buddy-buddy with him.

  Simon offered a bright smile as if he didn't care about her opinion and said, "What's going on?"

  Conner being a blabbermouth, said, "Oh, just Mel about to get into fights with some strangers." Melanie glared at her best friend.

  "You saw it wasn't my fault."

  "Yes, yes, it wasn't. But why not ignore them, they aren't even worth our time," said Conner and Melanie shook her head. "What happened?"

  Simon leaned his head to the side, watching the two boys who disappeared on one of the corners before his eyes shifted to look at Melanie, where the human continued to look annoyed. He said to Conner,

  "I reached the town sooner and instead of wasting time I thought to come see you. I am glad I caught you here. When do you think we can start breaking down the bricks for your project?"

  Melanie said to Conner, "I will head home, see you in the evening gathering."

  "Sure, see you there," agreed Conner.

  "Go home safe, Mel," Simon wished her, and Melanie sent a small glare at him.

  She had shown her obvious disinterest to be acquainted with the senior. She didn't know why he made sure to press her buttons.

  When Melanie and her friends were invited for the first time to join the famous five seniors at the bonfire, she picked the correct categories of the good, bad and evil. And when she had placed Simon in the category of evil, she had seen the smile on his face subtly widen. While the group was far away from being normal, this one gave her a red alert.

  When Melanie left Conner and Simon, Conner said, "Don't mind her, Mel is just in a bad mood."

  "Oh, I don't," smiled Simon and said, "How about we get the work started."

  Melanie reached her home, and she stepped inside, noticing her mother in the kitchen with Conner's mother. They were cooking for the evening gathering.

  "Oh, good, Mel. You are back. Come help us with this crepe," said her mother, and Melanie nodded her head, making her way into the kitchen. "Where is Conner?"

  "He has some uni work," replied Melanie.

  "Seriously, I told him he needs to be free in the evening. I hope he doesn't coop himself in his room again. Today it is important that you are present with us," said Conner's mother with a smile on her lips.

  "What's there today?" asked Melanie, and her mother laughed.

  "You will find out tonight, dear. It is about family work," replied her mother.

  "I don't think I am interested in anything else but being a doctor right now," said Melanie.

  "Of course, you will work on whatever you want. Consider this more like a part time work," the way her mother phrased it.

  Melanie looked back and forth between the two people in the kitchen and said, "I don't know what's going on."

  "I think we should leave her father to explain about it and wait for the evening," chuckled Conner's mother before adding, "You're going to enjoy it."

  Hours passed, and evening approached, where families were gathered in one of the houses of the Greasy Corner. Melanie and Conner were made to sit in one of the rooms, where the adults were present. But they weren't all. The two boys she had and Conner had met earlier outside the house were also present, and she gritted her teeth.

  "Look who is here. I would have never known that we would come to meet like this," smiled the boy while looking at Melanie.

  "I guess God gives everyone a chance to beat up a person," replied Melanie, staring at the person.

  "You wish," laughed the guy, and Melanie looked for the closest object, which was the side lamp.

  "Mel!" her mother lightly scolded on seeing her behaviour.

  "That's alright Mrs. Davis," said the boy with a polite smile, "I think it will be more fun working with her."

  Melanie leaned towards Conner and asked, "Do you know what's going on?"

  "No clue at all," murmured Conner. "Feels like some sort of cult."

  "Yeah, I feel the same," replied Melanie, while sending a small glare at the boy, who had tried to irk her.

  Soon the room's door was locked, and the adults took their seats, and so did some of the youngsters who were slightly older than Melanie or Conner. Melanie watched her father walk towards the front of the room, and slowly the room turned quieter.

  "Welcome to this months monthly meeting," Mr. Davis welcomed the people in the large room. "Before we go to the important topics, let us welcome some of the youngsters who are officially going to join us from now."

  Melanie noticed how some of the people in the room nodded their heads, smiling at them.

  "You must be wondering why you are here, in this closed secret meeting that we hold every month. I want you to keep an open mind, and know that what we speak here is only for the people in this room and people who are like us," informed Mr. Davis, meeting every person's eyes who were present in the room. "You shall not discuss this with anyone, and maintain a complete secrecy of what we speak. And these are only for your ears. We'll need you to sign the agreement."

  Soon papers were passed around the room to the new joiners.

  "What are these?" asked Conner, a little wary about the current situation.

  "Do not worry, Conner. This is only an agreement to keep things in this room. As you are family, it is important," said one of the men in the room.

  "Isn't trust not enough?" Conner took hold of the document.

  "This is a little different and you will understand soon. Do not worry, we are here only to make you aware of certain things and mean no harm to you," assured Mr. Davis.

  "What is exactly going on?" asked Melanie, a little worried about the way everyone was behaving. She loved her family, but that didn't mean she was interested in being part of the cult.

  Mr. Davis raised his chin before he started to explain, "Decades ago, our forefathers found people who were drained out of blood. Murdered coldly by creatures whom most of us believe that they exist only as myths. To make sure these creatures didn't kill and knew that we humans were not going to let them free, we retaliated with hunting them down. We are a family of hunters, who hunt and kill things that are not humans."

  "Did people smoke something?" Melanie whispered in a low voice, and Conner pursed his lips. He asked,

  "Are you speaking about vampires?"

  "Yes," confirmed his father. "Conner, we, our families are from the line of hunters who have been trying to rid these creatures. It's a legacy that has been passed down from one generation to another."

  "And you have seen these vampires?" asked Conner.

  His father nodded, "I have not just seen, but I have also killed them. It is what we do, our responsibility and we want you to be part of it. To save human lives."

  Melanie looked slightly stumped because the conversation that had appeared this week came to flash in her mind. Conner had mentioned seeing a vampire, but he behaved as if that hadn't happened right now.

  "It's a little absurd for us to believe, father," Conner gave an awkward smile.

  "You don't have to believe it right away. We'll take you to one of the hunts and you will see it with your own eyes on what the truth is," stated his father. "But we want you to know that this world has more dangerous than you know of. It is why we have been providing your vitamins."

  "Vitamins?" asked one of the boys in the room.

  Mr. Davis replied to this, "My dear wife, she has been the one making the vitamins and candies that you have been consuming. They hold a substance called Silverwater, which avoids a human from being compelled or being under a vampire's influence. Of course, this isn't easily obtainable and we try to give it to the youngsters to keep them from harm."

  Melanie stared at her father, who stared back at her. Her parents and the people in this room weren't pulling some sort of prank on them, were they? Vampires didn't exist. It wasn't possible, she thought in her mind.

  "As this is something that is passed down in the family, you will be taught on how to use weapons and how to kill these creatures who have been causing an imbalance," said Mr. Davis, his posture proud. The orientation wasn't supposed to happen this soon, but we have had recent missing humans or too many bodies being drained out of blood. It is why we believe it is time to introduce you to this rightful life."

  By the end of the gathering, Melanie stepped out of the room with Conner, and heard her best friend whisper to her, "Is it just me or do you think something is wrong with our families? Like any moment I will wake up from this absurd dream."

  Melanie's face was serious, and she didn't comment on Conner's words. Once they stepped out of the house and were about to part ways, "Conner," she called him.

  "Yeah, Mel?"

  "Do you remember that vampire that you spoke of that day?" asked Melanie.

  Conner nodded his head, "I do. I was just imagining it. The person was cosplaying dracula and it was a mistake on my part. I am sorry I made you walk around with me that day. I will see you tomorrow?"

  "Yeah," replied Melanie, and before he could leave, Conner surprised her by putting his arms around her for a hug.

  "I am glad you are with me, Mel. I sometimes don't know what I would do without you," she heard Conner say to her. The embrace felt warm and Melanie turned slightly red at it. He pulled back and then smiled, "Have a goodnight, Mel."

  "Goodnight, Conner," she wished him back.

  Outside the house where the hunters meeting had taken place, Simon stood with his back leaning against the wall, watching them. He was here to observe the hunters on what they were doing.

  Melanie then went back to her home, while being accompanied by her parents. Her parents behaved as if they hadn't mentioned vampires, and to think that she came from a family of hunters, she found it even stranger.

  Thinking back on the day when Conner had come running to find her, it didn't look like he had seen a cosplay. That day, panic was written all over his face.

  So what changed?

  Why did he think that the person he had encountered was not a vampire anymore? Melanie questioned herself, while getting into her room and she closed the door.