Scrutiny

Scrutiny

Destanee:
I have been in search of others like myself for a long time .some where they are out there, I wasn’t always like this, not until my twenty fifth  birthday, when I met him, I met my lover, my soul  mate. I was living in Brittany, a small place to some. Some friends and I went out on town to celebrate my birthday That was the night when… Just a simply ask to dance; turn into a night of passions, romance and … a change in life for me. I can remember the things that he showed me, the things he felt was so important for me to have known, I can remember how he smile when I woke from a death to a new life in his bed. He is dead now; I killed him. He changes into one of them.
There are many unknown forces amongst us all. Evil forces, they work with us, walk amongst us. Do you know who your neighbors are? On the other hand, could they be the people that wait on you at the restaurants? Can you tell who they are by the looks in their eyes, or the color of their skin? They are out there, Just a few of them remains like a few of my kind, we are at war. Furthermore they are on a hunt for you if they haven’t already gotten you. They have to be stop before it’s too late. At night when the street is asleep, I can feel my kind out there; I can feel them in search of others like me. I have to find them and I want give up my search until I do. I am on a mission to find them wherever it leads me I do not know. I want stop looking or give up until I find them or just one more like me.                                                                       
                                                  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dakarai:
I came here to New York Long ago, hoping to escape where I was from, hoping to escape who I became. New York seemed like the best place to be. Leaving behind in Cuba is my mother, the man that made me; my father. Two sisters and a brother, those that I left behind is what I no longer consider my family any more. As a child I looked up to my father, until I found out what he had done to me, My family had become something I hated. Something I did not want any parts. But he lives in my veins; I became a hunter of the night. There is only a few of us that still remains, until the night of propagation. New York is a big place, a place where I can fit right in. New York is a place where I can be someone, My senses tells me that someone is looking for me, but who. I stand on top of the Statue Of Liberty at night, I feel the wind blowing across my face, The smell of the water below, and I smell the senses of another, but whom?
                                              ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Destanee:
I arrived at 8th avenue 31st street Train Station in New York. With just a light winter coat, a knitted hat, and by backpack that I carries a few changing things in. My sense tells me I would find others like me here. In addition, I will find them soon. Faces, so many faces, who are all these faces? Where are they all going? When I close my eyes, block out all sounds around me, I can feel my kind amongst the crowd, but where are they? Who are they? I can also sense my enemy is here some where amongst the faces. New York City, the winters can be very cruel, often it can bring extreme cold, heavy snow, ice, sleet, and freezing rain, tonight just so happen to be one of the worst nights yet. I have to find somewhere to stay for the night and tomorrow night I will start my search, I will perhaps start with the local Nightclubs.

                                                          ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Need a cab madam, not too many are out in this kind of weather and if you miss me, you may not get another one tonight.”

A tall slim man dress in a heavy winter’s hat, heavy army jacket, blue jeans and army black boots, stood leading next to a store window outside of the station, hoping to find his last fare for the night. He was eating food from a paper plate with a brown paper bag under it; it was from a fast food restaurant perhaps near by. Being new to New York, The smell of his food and the smell of New York made me sick to my stomach, I felt as if I was going to puke. Seeing I was bent over and was having pains in my stomach, from where I had not eaten in the last two nights, the cab driver toss the remaining of  his food in a waste basket near where he was standing and came to my aide.

“  Hay there now missy, you are looking a bit poorly, come and sit in my cab, perhaps it’s a bit too cold for you”
“Thank You but I’ll be just fine. I don’t have the money for a cab, just enough for a room for tonight.”
“No problem missy, the sit is free, there’s no one out here in this weather tonight but you and I, and perhaps a few that is  trying to find something to do, there are people like that you know, never happy in one spot, got to move about.  Say, where are you from? You no New Yorker, Look at me just running my mouth, where is my manners, I’m Dakarai and you missy are?”
“Destanee “
“Destanee, well now look a here, we have  A Black French woman, Please to meet you Madam”
“And you are, I take are from the islands?”
“Cuba”
“Now isn’t this a blimp, I am half black and half French woman, my Mother American and my father was French.  And you by the way you look, I would say your mother is Cuban and your father a white man, couldn’t get any better then that right?”
Dakarai stood for a second before he answered her wondering how she could have known that precisely unless…

“I guess it is the color of my eyes that gave me away yeah? Now where can I take you French woman? To a friends or a club, perhaps to get something to eat?”
“What time is it?”
“It’s almost three in the morning”
“Three in the morning and all these people are out like it’s ten at night.”
“This is New York”
“I need a room, a good place to stay, nothing to expensive, if you could just point the way and I’ll find it.”
“Nonsense, I’ll be happy to take  you, the fare is on me French woman”

We arrived at this place called Rest Right Inn, it sit between a club and a corner store, a place where you will find hookers and people that just can afford a place to rest for the night, maybe had a few that lived there who knows but what I did know, I didn’t want to stay there.

“Here you go French woman, it’s cheap, warm and has a bed.”
“ What is this, this is the best you can think of, I mean if I wanted to sleep with the rats , I would have  said it, do I look like a hooker to you, come on, a better place then this please.”
“no need to get your panties in a bunch girl, I’ll take you to a place not to far from here, I’m sure they will have a room you would like and it’s not that expensive. It’s Friday night, here in New York, room  are hard to get unless  you got the cash you know “

Snow had been falling all night, and did not look like it was going to stop anytime soon. The radio was playing some Cuba song when the weather report came across the air.

“This is the biggest winter storm in New York City history —there is a Blizzard heading our way people, and its mean. Snow buried the region and much of the Northeast yesterday. Blowing, drifting, thigh-high snows are predictable to crippled transportation and commerce, possibly knocked out power and disrupted lives for millions in 14 states. A total of 26.9 inches predicted to fell in Central Park, please if you do not have to be out in the snow, do not go out in it, and Make no mistake about it: this is a very dangerous big storm heading our way. “
I stared out the passenger’s window watching the heavy snowfalls and the road how hard it was for the cab driver to drive in it as he creep slowly down the road, slid a bit and the takes control again.

“What brought you to New York In this kind of weather Girl? The weathers are getting bad, hard for me to drive in; you know you are lucky I was still there when you got off the train.”

While he was talking, I kept looking out the window thinking about the night my mother passed away and the last words she said to me.
“There are others out there; you are not the last of us. I know you are not, go and find them, you need to be with you own kind.”
She grabs my hand and said…
“Please for give me for what you are, but always remember you are special”
Dropping my hand to the sheet, she died. Snap , snap of his fingers trying to get my attention;

“Look over there, you can hardly see it, but there is a place, nice where you can get a room. It clean for sure, clean beds, and warm rooms, even have a dinning room too”
“Not another place like the last one right?”
“No this one I’m sure you will like, I been here many time myself.”
It was a Hotel but it was hard to see the name of it from the snow, it sat off the main streets.
Because of all the snow on the ground, and what looks to be trash can, I could not see what the place really look like.

“I’ll run in and see if there’s any room available and get you one, this one is on me, let’s just say you owe me.”
“Why are you doing this for me?”
“It’s late, I’m tired and ready to go home, you are not from here, you really do not know where you are going, and I could be driving all night in this snow trying to find you a place to sleep. I want to be sleep before the sunrise, maybe tomorrow if it’s not to bad , I’ll be able to drive my cab, I do have to work you  know and I work at night. So sit tight I’ll be right back.”

I sat there in the cab waiting for this stranger that I just met to get me a room.
Staring out into the cold night, The thoughts of Eduardus ran through my mind. I remember the night he made me his.  When he took me into his arms and filled me with such drunken passion and strength. The magic spell he hold over me, the need I had for him was like nothing I have ever felt before.
I drew a deep, shuddering breath, The feelings from the memory recede, and tears ran down my cheeks.
Tap, tap, tap on the window frighten me, the cab and the driver tapping on the glass letting me Know he gotten me a room.

“ come girl snap out of it, I got you and me a room, you are in room 314 and I’m in 316 come on lets go”

As I was getting out of the cab, I thought I notice something or someone standing on top of the building across the street, I could not tell for sure because of all the snow; however, I saw what looks like a tall man in a long black coat, with a knit black hat on. Just for a few seconds I saw him and then he was gone.
I did not say anything about it to the cab driver; he already thinks I am a bit off.

“Two rooms?”
“Yes two room, Look at it out here, do you think I wants to drive in this mess, not happening. It’s late and I really need some sleep.”
“Thank you, thank you for the cab and the room, some day I will return the favor.”
He handed me my keys, and grab my bag I was carry.
     
Dakarai:
For centuries, I have found the art of living inconspicuously among humans and learned how to camouflage in their world.  Lately I have had this hungry, not for food but for something that I do not understand, it causes me pains and sometimes become almost unbearable. Sometimes at night, I find myself walking alone Central Park in search of this hunger. However, I have not yet found it. Could it be just the hungry for passion, I once had a mate; she was as beautiful as morning rose. She had sparkles In her eyes, a natural swing in her walk, radiate excitement and enthusiasm. I love her; love her enough to lose her to my brother. He won her heart.
Tonight I will sleep and perhaps dream about her once again, her face never stop shoeing up in my dreams, she always there, with a message for me, she tells me that she is in pain, not from being hurt, but hurting for me. Why is she hurting for me?

“Here you are French woman, your room. And her are you bag, you sleep well, and if you need me I’m right next door, check out is tomorrow midnight so you’ll have all day to figure out what you are going to do, or where you are going, I myself may or may not be here when you wake. Here is your key, good night”
“Wait, is there something wrong, I could pay you for the room you know.”
“No I’m cold, and tired it’s almost sunrise, get some sleep.”

Destanee:
He left me standing there in the middle of the hall. The hotel was clean, I could smell possible breakfast cooking sense it was almost five in the morning. When I entered my room, it was very clean, nothing high class but good enough, there was two beds, a round table with two chairs to it. A dressers and a television, flat screen mounted to the wall. A walk in closet, and a large bathroom. Right now a shower and some sleep is all that I need.

                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

7:00pm.
I woke to the sounds of scuffing in the room next to me, not sure what was happening but it sounded like perhaps fighting. Looking at my clock noticing it was seven at night, I couldn’t believe I had slept so long, I had to have been pretty tired. I was not planning on leaving my room until nine. But the sounds I was hearing was Dakarai’s room, I slow walked over to the wall, place my ear to it so I could listen, thinking maybe he left and came back with a woman.
No it don’t sound like he is having a love making session it sounded more like something was wrong. Thinking I should go over and check on him or should I stay in my room, my must to know over rule, I went. Standing there in my gown and bath rob….
Knock, knock……knock, knock. There was no answer, I shook the handle however it was lock. I knock three more times and still no answer; I saw a cleaning woman and ask her for the key to his room.
“I’m sorry to bather you, my boyfriend is in the room sleep, I don’t have my key and … well he is a heavy sleeper, can you open the door for me please?”
The woman looks down at a list that she had on her cleaning cart, with names to all the occupied rooms and asks me for his name.
“Ok we just met last night; I only know his first name. Darakai”
“Ok, I just had to be sure you are who you say you are. It’ seven and he’s still asleep, must been a wild night last night, what you do? put the whip appeal on him”
She laughs as she open the door.
I think god I remember his name, and he used his name or I wouldn’t be able to get in the room.
When I entered his room there in between the bath room and his bed was this naked man laying on the floor , laying on his stomach, he was covered in blood, at first I thought maybe he fell and hit his head, then again it look worst then that.
“Dakarai, what happen to you?”
“What are you doing here”
“I heard noises and thought something was wrong so I got the maid to open the door for me.  Look at you, you are covered in blood, are you hurt? Should I call someone?”
“No I’m not hurt, I just need to be left alone, go back to your room.”
He yelled at me but I just refuse to go. He tried to stand but was too weak as well as he came to my aide when he first met me I was there for him. Kicked off my slippers, took off my rob so it wouldn’t get bloody from the blood and I bent down to help him off the floor, for the first time my hands touch him, that is when I felt it. It was like an electric shock, you know the kind you get when your hands are wet and you get to close to an outlet? Yeah that what I felt.
I couldn’t help him, it couldn’t be, I had to leave him there, and I just had to go.

Dakarai:
I stood there in the shower as the hot water flow down my body removing the blood and it scent.  Thinking about what happen when Destanee tried to help me off the floor, if she had left the hotel, I know she felt what I felt; I saw it in her eyes. What do I do now, she found me. Or should I say I found her. This must have been meant to be, we was suppose to have found each other. I have to stop her from leaving; I need to get to her before she goes.

Destanee:
I pace around my room wondering did he felt what I felt when I touch him? I know this day would come that I would find him or someone like him, What do I do? Should I face him with what happen in his room or should I just leave? I can’t leave right now; it’s not time t o leave.
I need to get to him before it’s too late; he needs to know who I am.

“Damn, I left my rob and slippers in his room, never mind that I need to get dress”
Knock, knock.
“It’s him, what now?”
Knock, Knock...
“Destanee, I know you are in there, I need to talk with you, please open.”
“I know who you are”
“I know who you are so open the door”
I have never in my life felt so nervous of someone in my life this time I was. I didn’t know what to do, should I open it, Mean I’ve been looking for this person for a long time, mother said they was out there, but I had no clue on really what to look for.
“If you don’t open, I well”
Before I could say another word the door open, there he stood in his rob and carrying mines alone with my slippers in his hand, with the maid the same one that open his door for me.
“We need to talk, I know what you felt in my room, I felt it too there is no need for you to be scared of me either.”
He sat on the side of my bed and started talking. “Please have a seat; There is something I have to tell you.  I’m just like you, accept I came to New York to get away from what I am but to hunt or harm, but to be someone other then that I was born of. I new someday I would be found or I would find others and I guess you and I were meant to be. It was supposed to have happen.”
“Now what? What do we do?

At that moment he stood up grab my hands and pulled me to him. He places his face against mines and whispered in my ear.
“Tonight we can do something that is against all rules in which I was born into, I know you was not born into this but someone brought you into it, they wasn’t finish bring you in. we are on the opposite side of the battle field. We don’t have to be.”
He pulled me closer to him, the feeling of his body next to mines, the touch of his hands gliding down my body causing me to shiver uncontrollable. His breath on my neck just almost made me fall into submission.
“Do you want me? Would you let me take you and make you part of my world? I can be everything that you wanted from him, I could love you the way he wanted to love you until you killed him”
“What about my people, I know there are others out there like me, we are enemies”
He pulled me closer as I tried to pull away, we walked over towards the window,
“Look out there, what do you see? Can you feel it here in your stomach, the hungry? I know hoe you feed, the same as I, you are no different then me. We feed the same just the only thing is different is our people thought us to be enemies. Are you my enemy? ”



Dakarai:
I found my hungry, it wasn’t the food, or the life that I wanted so bad, it was Destanee, The woman that I fought for many years ago,  and I was going to make her part of my world, I need her to be part of my world. To night we must join and become one.

Dastanee:
He is so powerful, However I like it. I haven’t felt this way senses my…..
”Wait How did you know I killed my lover? How do you know how much he wanted to love me?”
It was I that chance him, the night in the woods when he came from a fight. I was the one who defeated him, His change into what I am and you killed him by his request. You and I had met once at a club remember? You wouldn’t dance with me, in fact you laugh at my accent. One night you did dance with me, and when I held you in my arms, I didn’t want to let you go. I wanted you so bad from that night on. Do you remember now?”
He places his hands over my eyes and I saw the night he was talking about.
“I remember, Yes I do remember, it was you but I didn’t know you was my enemy”
“There are certain times when one could feel there enemy, when it feeding time or battle time.”
He grabs me again, from behind pressing his body next to mines. The feel of him….. Well I can tell you details of what happen next, but that would open up a whole new chapter.
One a.m. we woke to a bed with sweated sheets and moon light shining through the window.
We joined, we became one. He changed, I changed.

“Come it’s time, I want you to come go out into the night with me.”
“Where will we go?”
“To my favorite place here in New York.”
The snow didn’t come like they said it would, but it was cold and snow where on the ground, he decided to show me Central Park, he says it is his favorite place. Believe it or not as we walked through the cold night, we saw a couple, in fact quite a few couples, so in love like us, so in love they couldn’t feel the cold.

Dakarai:
I had her, she is now part of me fully, and someone I wanted for a long time.
I walk her through the park and as we pass one couple sitting on a bench making out, and not know the dangers of that time of night, the woman says to her man.
“Honey Look at those two dogs, isn’t they cute together.”
“Yeah, cute, they look like wolfs.”
                                    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A man reserves his true and deepest love not for the species of woman in whose company he finds himself electrified and enkindled, but for that one in whose company he may feel tenderly drowsy.
* George Jean Nathan