A Cruise to Remember

The cruise was going along smoothly. I boarded the cruise ship to find that I had two room mates, Marissa and her twin sister Kelly. Kelly was nice, but that Marissa, she was a stuck up snob, who knew everything and anything.. or so she thought. We shared a 2 bedroom suite on the 3rd deck, I had my own room while the sisters shared the other. As I was unpacking my suitcase, Kelly found one of the books I was reading a paranormal romance about a woman in love with a vampire.

"I love vampires, I wish they were real," she looked over her shoulder at the doorway and whispered," Marissa is a .bitch at times, ok most of the time, half the times I don't pay attention to what she says. Pay her no mind. So do you have a boyfriend?"

I nodded and smiled. I liked her instantly. "I do, His name is Jack. So Kelly, do you believe in vampires?" I inquired curiously.

"I'd like to think they were real," Kelly sighed,"it's so nice to have someone to talk to about this stuff, my family tell me to get my head out of the clouds and snap back into reality.. Marissa and I are totally opposite, she's better than me and she let's me know it all the time. She makes fun of me when I bring up anything that has to do with vampires or anything like that. Ahhh to be immortal, imagine what kind of life you could lead!"

I nodded and smiled, "Oh yes, that I can imagine, very well at that."

After dinner we danced in the nightclub down on the 2nd floor. My roomies were dancing the night away with two guys flirting aimlessly, while I danced by myself in the center of the dance floor thinking about the one who held my heart firmly in His grasp. He was there, I knew it because I could feel His eyes as they watched my every move. After the club closed we went back to our room and dropped into bed.

When we awoke the ship was stranded on a sandbar next to a deserted island. The captain, who didn't wish to alarm his passengers, sent everyone who wished to the island for some fun in the sun. I decided to stay in my room and finish some letters to send home, so Marissa and Kelly went to the island first.

I lazily changed into my swimsuit, checked myself in the mirror then went down to the boat to be taken to the beach. As we lay on the beach, a smaller black ship came around the island and docked next to the large cruise ship. My room mates shrugged it off while I just smiled to myself.

Once we got back to the cruise ship we went straight to our cabin to get ready for dinner. The other two girls were determined to get lucky that night, while I was going to come back to the cabin after dinner, maybe take a midnight swim or walk on the top deck in the moonlight.

As we walked to the dining room Marissa began talking about the group of men following behind us at a distance. I merely ignored her and walked inside and sat down at an empty table. It was so hard to pretend that He wasn't there, but then again, that was the plan.

The black ships occupants were dressed in black, were pale and had the dark goth look about them. The leader wore a worn leather jacket with a shaggy head of long brown hair. He said his name was Jack.

When the meal was over I went back to my room as I intended. I turned some music on and fired up my lap top. He was online. My heart skipped a beat as it usually does when He and I speak, whether it be in person or on the computer, He still makes my heart race with anticipation until we're together again.

Him: Patience love, we'll be together soon...

Me: Is everything ready?

Him: All here and ready to party. Remember to stay inside tonight.. remember this baby, stay inside tonight, so I don't have to worry about you.

Me: I will I promise.

Him: Good girl, I need to go get ready myself.

With that He was gone. He was busy I knew, but my heart ached when He signed off leaving me alone. I was asleep when the girls came in, both drunk and giggling about some party on the island tomorrow night. Kelly was smitten by the one named Turk. I ignored them and fell back into a deep sleep, my dreams drifting back to Him.

The next morning I listened with mild interest as the girls told me about the party that night on the island. As I was sitting at breakfast, the visitors came back and took a table next to us. My back was to them.

"I hear they found a couple dead bodies on the top deck." said the man sitting at the table on the other side of us.

"Wow, wonder what happened?" mumbled his friend with a mouth full of eggs.

"I wonder how it is they are able to be on the ship as much as they are." pondered Kelly as she ate her pancakes.

"No clue," I replied, "maybe they're allowed on because they have been helping to get the ship unstuck?"

Neither girl said anything else for the rest of the meal.

My phone beeped and I smiled. I knew who the message was from. Kelly glanced at the table next to us and giggled. "Hey that Jack guy has his phone out, maybe he's texting you. Wouldn't it be funny if he was your Jack?"

"Yeah right, as if she could be that lucky," snorted Marissa, "I bet that guy she told you about is fake anyway."

"Think what you wish, Marissa." I smiled. In due time she would know the truth about Him.

It was party night and those who were going to the party crossed to the beach. The two room mates and I crossed with a group of giggling single women. The ships captain and some of his crew were on seperate boats, all on their way to the gathering.

A path of lanterns led us all to a clearing where a large bonfire was lit in the center of the clearing. Men and women were coming out of the woods to greet everyone as they entered the clearing. I wandered in alone. I was immediately taken by the hand and led up to the bar. Marissa and Kelly followed behind, Marissa mumbling to Kelly under her breath.

Jack was behind the bar, He poured two glasses of red wine for He and I and two glasses of white for Marissa and Kelly. Then he led us to a small gazebo a few feet away from the clearing. Large pillows were tossed everywhere. I sat down on a large black pillow while the other two girls sat on red and blue ones. Jack sat down on one and leaned back. "My friends and I like to come here for a month or two and party until we get bored of it."

The talk was casual. Neither girl worked, they lived off of their parent's money. I sighed contently and kicked my sandals off then wiggled my black polished toes.

Everyone ate until they were full, the two pig carcasses were picked clean.

Little by little people began to wander back to the cruise ship. In due time the clearing was empty except for a few stray drunks, which Jack's friends helped them back toward the dock. Marissa and Kelly decided to head back to the ship. I sighed and put my shoes back on. Jack winked at me and squeezed my hand, then He escorted us up to the boat dock and we sailed across.

Later that night, screams echoed from around the cruise ship. Marissa and Kelly woke to find my bed empty. They pushed the dresser in front of the door hoping to block whatever was out there out of their room. They were huddled on the bed sobbing hysterically when they heard me banging on the door to be let in. Hurrying they unlocked the door to let me in.

The door opened and they found the two men with whom they had been dancing with on the first night, they both had vampire fangs protruding from their lips.

Jack and I walked in smiling, His fangs were covered with blood. I wiped some of the blood off of His jaw and licked my finger. He pulled me against Him in a firm but gentle kiss. "As you can see Marissa, He's very real."

Kelly burst into tears. I looked at her and smiled. "You were always so nice," I looked to Jack and inquired," can we keep her.. Turk really likes her, don't you, Turk?"

The one named Turk picked Kelly up off the bed, a bloody grin spread across his mouth. "That I do."

"Well then it looks like Turk's got a new lady.. but this one," Jack gestured to Marissa who gave him a hateful glare.

"She's my sister, please don't kill her, yeah she's a bitch, but she's still my sister." said Kelly.

Jack smiled and nodded, "Fine, leave her be.. lock her in the room.. let her listen.."

Marissa was immediately locked in the room.

Turk took Kelly to the island and Jack led me to the top deck where we danced in the moonlight to music only we could hear.

... Two years later ...

"She's crazy, I tell ya all that talk about vampires killing everyone on the cruise ship, she did it herself, no one know's how though," mumbled the orderly as he stood in the hall looking into the room, then proceeded to walk away,"anyways everyone knows vampires aren't real."

A lone woman stood looking into the room. Marissa sat on the floor rocking back and forth, screaming about vampires. "They're real I tell you, they are and they're coming for me..they took my sister.. the screams!"

"Look at me.." the woman whispered.

Marissa looked up and let out a blood curdling scream. "Vampire!!"

"Hello Marissa, how are you dear sister?"