Chapter Text
In the rolling hills of the tranquil town of Oakland, I, Bella, lead a life deeply rooted in the simplicity of farming. My days are filled with tending to the world's most awful crop—artichokes.
They are crops made of pure spite, with spiky leaves and thorny tips that threaten to tear the hands of anyone who dared to harvest them.
To make matters worse, artichokes grow at different rates, and each one needed to be harvested at precisely the right time to ensure that they were not overripe or underripe.
I would've abandoned the horrible crop years ago if it hadn't been for my father, Charlie, insisting on its continued existence on our farm. We are the only farmers of this produce for miles, which made us an invaluable supplier of those awful little devils.
We care for robust livestock that dot the green landscape under the ever-watchful eye of the benevolent sun.
As spring turned into summer, the newborn piglets grew to be the size of small hounds. They ran around the farm, chasing each other and squealing with delight. It was a joy to watch them grow and thrive.
However, as dusk fell and the horizon melted into shades of orange and pink, my world shifted into the realm of the supernatural.
You see, amidst this pastoral serenity lies a secret that courses like a silent stream beneath the surface of my ordinary human existence.
My beloved, Alice, with whom I share an unbreakable bond with, harbors a truth as ancient as the night itself—she was a vampire.
In the cloak of night, our taboo love story unfolds.
As the days pass, I begin to notice a change in Alice. Her now amber eyes seemed more distant, lost in her own thoughts.
"Alice, is everything okay? You seem a little off lately," I asked her as she emerged from the shadows of my bedroom.
Alice looked at me with a conflicted expression on her achingly beautiful face. "I'm sorry, Bella. I'm just thinking about the unwelcome vampires in the area lately."
"I don't believe you. Your father said you folks reached an agreement." I crossed my arms and stared at her.
The town of Oakland was usually a peaceful place where supernatural creatures like werewolves and vampires coexisted without any issues. However, things had changed recently when a group of new vampires arrived in the area. They were not welcomed by the local vampires and werewolves. As it turned out, the new vampires had been driven out of their home by a group of spell casters and were seeking refuge.
After much debate, the local supernatural community reached an agreement that the new vampires could stay in Oakland as long as they didn't harm any of the locals.
"You can talk to me, you know," I said, reaching for her hand. Her cool skin set my human skin ablaze with longing. "Tell me what's really going on."
"It's nothing bad, my love," she sighed, a slight smile tugging at her lips. "I was just trying to plan something special for your birthday."
My eyebrows knitted together in confusion and suspicion. "Plan what, Alice? I don't celebrate." I pressed. She knew I hated celebrating my birthday.
She bit her lip, hesitating. Then, with a gentle firmness in her voice, she said, "Bella, please. Don't spoil the surprise. Just let it be a mystery for now, okay?"
I crossed my arms even tighter. "But what about what I want?"
Her small smile disappeared and sank into a frown. "And what is it you would like to do?"
"Same as always," I insisted. "I want to go about my day as usual."
Her face sank in disappointment, her expression devastatingly sad, and my heart ached to give in to her desires. Charm was one of Alice's superpowers—she had an overwhelming ability to persuade things in her favor. I knew she wasn't using it on me on purpose, but she couldn't help it.
"But it's our first birthday as a couple. I really wanted to do something for you. You don't want to do something special with me?"
Her plea, laced with a vulnerability that I wasn’t sure was real, made me pause. This small and slender woman with perfect curves and a voice smooth like honey was a force that was hard to deny. She was a goddess in human form. Her stunning amber eyes disarmed me, and slowly, I nodded, letting out a breath I didn't realize I'd been holding. "Okay," I conceded, though curiosity still gnawed at me. "But nothing big or ornate."
Alice's light and relieved laugh filled the room as she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around me.
"Trust me," she whispered, her warm breath against my ear making me shiver, "it's something you'll never forget."
But, even as I relished in her company, something in the pit of my stomach told me I would regret it.