a rabbit's heart | lawrence

Why was he always the one who drew the short straw? Lincoln couldn’t step out into the sunlight and Hannya was apparently 'busy', something which he contested but it fell on deaf ears with Hector. He couldn’t understand how a demon could be busy. The woman had no need for sleep, food or drink. From what he’d observed, she had no friends either.

Lawrence had been instructed to go out into the woods to check on the few bodies he and Hector buried there the week before. Check no one had found them and dug them up. He lingered on the outskirts of the woods, in a huff. With his assignment in hand he trawled through the trees, but realistically he had no idea where these bodies had been buried. He wasn’t paying attention as he slammed the shovel into the dirt, rather he was trying to calm Hector down.

Like a stroppy teenager, he dragged his feet through the leaves, looking out for disturbed ground. It was clear Hector had no idea where they buried the humans either, as he told Lawrence to ‘just look through the woods’, which was a vast area to say the least.

His feathers were still ruffled from the little staff meeting they had at the bar. Hannya blamed Lawrence for the ancient vampires trashing the bar and Lincoln outed Hannya and him on their mid-shift rendezvous. He too got caught up with all and started throwing the blame back to Hannya and Lincoln. The trio were lined up and told off like naughty children. Like when his parents would drag Phoebe and him into the kitchen to ask who’d been eating the chocolate out the cupboard. Except when that happened he didn’t throw his sister to the lions, knowing full well it was her. He would shrug and say he knew nothing, and Phoebe would mirror his actions and words.

The area was silent, bar the birds in the trees above, but there was a familiar smell that lingered faintly in the air. Fresh blood, obviously seeping from a wound of some description, indicating someone somewhere was hurt.

"I'm sorry..."

The voice was accompanied with tears, with a hint of desperation in the tone. He started to follow the scent, as it grew stronger with each step. He moved quickly through the trees as he clenched his teeth slightly, trying to ignore the hunger stirring inside, quickly swallowing the increased saliva in his mouth. In the distance he spotted a girl in the opening, leaning over another person, her hands pressed against his neck.

"David, darling!"

A second female voice that didn’t match the one from before, carrying through the woods from nearby. He darted forward, grabbing the weeping girl by the shoulders, her skin coated in the male’s blood, “Come on… we need to get out of here” He took hold of the female’s wrist, ready to get them both of the woods when a piercing scream came from the left of them. A scream which caused the birds to flee from the trees and Lawrence to jump harshly. As the human started to back away from the pair he dropped the other stranger’s wrist dashed towards the shocked woman. All colour had drained from her face, and the water bottles she had brought lay on the floor.

He grabbed her harshly by the shoulders, jerking her body in front of his, “Calm down…” The human relaxed a little, staring back at him intently, “Go home. Forget you saw us. Forget you went on a walk with David” He instructed the female nodding, clinging onto every word he said. She turned back around and started to leave the woods. Lawrence turned back to the stranger, “Are… are you okay?” He headed back towards her, “It’s not a good idea to feed in the woods. There are hunters out there. Armed with wooden bullets”

LANA CASSWELL

There would have been a time where Lawrence would have ripped out the poor human’s throat because the smell of blood was lingering thick in the air. Would there ever come a point where the red substance didn’t stir a painful hunger in his stomach? He would watch the older vampires in the bar sometimes, wondering whether their eyes grow dark at the scent or whether they truly had control.

The piercing scream was something he’d heard many times before. The sound of someone finding their loved one dead at the hands of another. It was a chilling scream that made a person's blood run cold. Lawrence quickly sent the other human on her way. David’s body would be discovered soon enough and she’d receive that dreadful phone call. A second scream would follow.

Of course, she wasn’t okay. What a stupid question. There was an innocent human dead in the woods because of her. Lawrence’s heart ached as he watched the other vampire going through the same emotions he’d been through before. The shock, followed by crushing remorse and disgust in himself for allowing the hunger to control him so viciously, “I know you didn’t mean it” His voice was low and soft as he spoke. Lawrence truly did believe that. He wanted to reach forward and give her a hug, tell her everything was going to be okay, even if he wasn’t sure of that.

The moment he sank his teeth into his first victim he was overcome by euphoria and no matter how loudly that slowing heart was beating he couldn’t pull back until the human was dead. It wasn’t just a random human he found walking the streets. It was a family friend, who slowed down at the side of the road to give Lawrence a lift back to the coven after seeing the truck crumpled against the tree. He should have known that he didn’t survive the crash. The windshield smashed, his blood smeared across the steering wheel, yet he had no visible injuries. Just an aching body. Next minute he was scrambling to get out of the vehicle as his victim sat in the driver’s seat, eyes glazed over looking forward. No tears seeped from his eyes though. Lawrence was too numb from the shock.

The body was found the following day causing a wave of anger to ripple through the coven under the belief they were under attack. Lawrence didn’t mean to kill the human and that’s what he told his parents. Pleading with them through blurred eyes, but it was a hopeless protest. He was branded a killer. A monster.

He kept his distance from the girl as her eyes scanned their surroundings. She was scared, “Don’t worry, no one is coming… listen” He raised his hand, tapping his right ear gently. The only sound was birds chirping in the distance and the footsteps of the human growing quiet as she left the woods. “And I’m not gonna hurt either” The speed in which they travelled through the woods was an indication, but nonetheless, he allowed the veins to creep slowly down his face as his blue eyes darkened in something more sinister. The last thing some may see before dying, “See. I’m just like you” Quickly the veins faded from his face and his eyes returned to normal, “There’s a few of us in town too so you’re not alone” Those were the only words he wanted to hear after he was turned. A promise he wasn’t alone in a world that seemed so terrifying.

Lawrence slid his rucksack off his shoulder before pulling the zip open. He yanked a sweatshirt out of his bag, “Here. Wipe your face and hands on this” He stepped forward slowly, holding the black sweatshirt out for the female to take, “No need to apologize. Almost every single vampire has been in your shoes at some point and you’ll get through it” It was either that or crumple under the heightened emotions, “I’m Lawrence”

LANA CASSWELL