

#

# Bloody Little Secrets

# Karly Kirkpatrick

Copyright © 2011, 2012 by Karly Kirkpatrick

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either products of the author's imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. All rights reserved. No part of this publication can be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without permission in writing from the author or publisher.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication can be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means: electronic, photocopying, mechanical, or otherwise, without prior permission of the author
Acknowledgements

It takes one person to write a book, but it takes many people to make a book great. I'd like to thank my family, including my daughter Annikka, my husband Richard Johnson, and my parents Mike and Vicki Kirkpatrick, for supporting me and giving me the time to write. Without them, this dream of writing would be impossible. Thanks to the real Vicky Hernandez for being my muse. I hope she enjoys her story!

A huge amount of thanks goes to my DarkSide Publishing girls. This book is amazing thanks to the genius of Megg Jensen, Michelle Sussman, Genevieve Ching, and Angela Carlie. I couldn't have dreamed of a better group of people to work with every day! The preparation for this book also went international for the first time, and I must thank Adrian Hutchinson in Leeds, England for finding all my mistakes (and thanks to my dear friend Liz Hutchinson for giving him time to do so!). Also many thanks to Jon and Mary Kennedy, and Valerie Burleigh who have helped with proofing and are always so helpful and supportive!

And finally, I have to thank all of my friends, fans, readers, and students. Your love and support makes it all worth it. You are the reason I put words on paper!

About the Author

Karly Kirkpatrick is a teacher by day and a writer by night. Her list of titles include her YA novels, Into the Shadows, Darkness Rising, After Dawn, The Green, Bloody Little Secrets, and New Blood, and a selection of short stories. You can found out more about Karly and her writing at http://www.karlykirkpatrick.com.

Chapter 1

I never feared the dark, until I became part of it.

My eyes fluttered open; yet nothing seemed to change. Inky blackness swirled around me. A scream rose in my throat, but I quickly swallowed it. I pressed my eyes closed, hoping that when I opened them again, I'd be able to see something, anything.

Nothing.

I turned my head. My neck moved in slow motion and creaked like a rusty hinge. My hair rustled against some kind of fabric. Beneath my fingers it stretched, silky and soft. I ran my hands out to the side and above me. More fabric. Satin, I guessed. The air was thick and stuffy, making it difficult to breathe. My hands pressed harder and found resistance at every angle.

I was in a coffin.

I banged on the lid that was just a few inches above my nose and screamed for help, my muffled voice bouncing around me. It didn't budge. I had to get out. My breathing became more ragged.

"Relax, Vicky, relax." I rubbed my face.

I started pounding with all my power on the lid. The wood cracked as my fist exploded through it, sending splinters and dirt onto my face. I spit out a few clumps that landed in my mouth. Nasty.

Damp air rushed in through the hole. My arm burned as I pulled it back through, ripping my skin on the jagged pieces. Blood dripped down it, pooling in the crook of my elbow. Tears trickled down my face.

With just a little moonlight coming through the hole, I saw my surroundings. White satin crowded around me. I glanced down, forced to twist my head at an uncomfortable angle, and discovered someone had dressed me in my Homecoming dress. What the hell? Somebody would have some explaining to do.

The burning in my arm had stopped. Maybe it had just gone numb. Whatever. I had to get out of here. I could get it stitched up later.

Two more loud cracks sounded as my fists burst through the lid again, clearing a much larger space. The thick wood pieces offered little resistance as I pushed them to the side. Blood oozed down my arms, both shredded from the splinters. I had enough space now to at least get my head and shoulders through. Reaching out of the coffin, I dragged myself out, sliding across the top. I slipped in the light layer of dirt on the lid.

I was thankful whoever had locked me in there hadn't gone so far as to bury me. I mean, I remember the time my friends had locked a sleeping Pete Stevenson in Jenna Gorski's trunk after Homecoming, but that was a joke, and someone was waiting to let him out. They'd gone too far this time.

Something stabbed me in the knee. The dusty petals of wilted roses littered the top of the coffin. I picked one up and brushed it off. It matched the pink of my dress.

I was at the bottom of a grave, about six feet down. No one had bothered to leave me a rope or anything. Fear melted into anger. My breath hung in the air in front of me, yet I couldn't feel the chill. Time to do some climbing. The same dumbass responsible for this sick joke also had the wise idea of locking me in there in nothing more than a pair of pink high heels. I kicked them off and stood on the lid of the coffin.

The earthen walls were as smooth and hard as stone. My fingers searched the dirt for leverage. There were few options. With one swift motion, I slammed the pink spiked heel into the hard-packed earth. I dug my bare toes into the makeshift ladder. The shoes held my weight and after a minute I was able to pull myself over the edge.

I rolled onto my back and let an exasperated breath out toward the night sky. It was dark here, and the stars were bright. I sat up and my fingers explored the spattered and dirt-streaked fabric. I attempted to brush the same filth from my arms and legs with no success.

"What the heck?" I ran my fingers down my forearms. The deep wounds were gone and the dried blood made my skin feel stiff.

Whoa. This was not normal.

A handmade white wooden cross marked the head of the grave. I crawled over and ran my fingers along the handwritten black letters.

Victoria Ann Hernandez.

It looked like my dad's handwriting. My senior picture was stapled at the intersection of the two pieces of wood. My long, dark hair was straight and expertly placed around my face. Head tilted, I flashed a winning smile at the camera. Straight teeth, dimple in my cheek, my skin dark and smooth. A date ran down the vertical portion of the cross.

June 14, 1993–October 27, 2010.

What?

This wasn't possible.

I was dead.

But I didn't look dead, or at least I didn't think so. My skin, apart from being bloody and dirty, didn't appear to be rotting. I sniffed my arm. It smelled earthy from my surroundings, but not dead. I felt my face, my hair. Same thing. Everything seemed one hundred percent intact.

This had to be a joke.

"Very funny. You can come out now." I scoured the graveyard for any sight or sound that might give my friends away. This was far from funny. It was a shitty thing to do. And when I found out who did it, I was going to show them just how unfunny it was.

A branch snapped in the woods twenty feet in front of me with a loud crack. The dark trunks stood dead quiet and imposing at the edge of the graveyard. I jumped to my feet. My eyes swung across the rows of headstones before me which, despite the faint moonlight, seemed clear as day. I couldn't see anyone, but I heard breathing.

I crept closer to the trees and shrubs that formed a wall around me and jumped from grave to grave. I hid behind the large marble headstones. A blur caught my eye as something ran through the woods in a completely I'm-not-a-prankster-but-a-rapist kind of way. I dropped down behind an ornate headstone of an angel, its white arms raised to the sky. Maybe I had the wrong idea. Why go towards a strange noise in the woods? The smart thing to do would be to run the other way.

Glancing back the way I'd come, I could make out some lights in the distance. A house sat on a hill, maybe a half mile away. I needed to get help. I stepped into the shadows of the trees, opposite the area where I'd heard the noise. The most direct route to the house would take me straight through the forest. I hoped whatever I'd heard wasn't interested in following me.

Sprinting this fast should have been difficult without shoes, but I wove quickly between the trees. A few night creatures roamed as I sped by. A possum rummaged in some bushes and a family of raccoons scurried towards a bubbling stream. They took no notice of me.

Dodging a particularly large tree, I slowed to gauge my distance from the house. It sat just above the tree line. Almost there. The tree branches creaked and something much larger than a raccoon dropped to the ground in front of me.

I shrieked and skidded to a stop.

"There you are. You move pretty fast, you know." He chuckled. His black leather jacket shined in the moonlight.

A shiver slithered down my spine.

"Who are you?" I whispered.

He moved forward much faster than anyone I'd ever seen before and grabbed my arm. "Why so rude? You could at least thank me for digging you up."

I wrenched away, darting back into the woods. His feet trampled right behind me, gaining. I skidded, sliding around a large oak and going in yet another direction. I had no idea where the house was now, but I didn't care. I just had to get away from him. I couldn't hear his footsteps any longer and dove behind the thick trunk of the nearest tree.

I was breathing hard now, more out of fear than from running. I peeked out from behind the tree, taking in the shadows of the trees around me. It was quiet. Too quiet.

From nowhere, I felt arms slide around me. I smelled leather.

"Ha. Gotcha."

On reflex I threw my arms wide and tossed the man off of me. I spun around. He flailed and flew backward across the small clearing. A loud crunch echoed through the air, bouncing off the dark trees. A large tree branch erupted from his chest, bursting through the leather jacket. Blood poured from the wound and pooled at his feet. He gulped air, his eyes wild as they locked on mine. A faint scent of rotting garbage floated from his open chest.

His face, hands, and feet crumpled before me, collapsing into a pile of dust underneath the clothing. I tiptoed over to the pile. The branch stuck through the leather coat right where the man's heart should've been.

I tripped over a tree branch as I backed away and landed hard on the ground. A sob escaped my lips. This wasn't right. People just didn't turn into piles of dust. I had to get away from here before anyone noticed what I'd done. I pulled myself up, straining to see above the tree line to the house on the hill. I'd run a bit out of the way, but because of either the adrenaline or the weirdness of the night, I closed the space quickly.

What was that guy?

I climbed the hill, nearing the house, still glancing behind occasionally. Nothing moved. I breathed a sigh of relief as I hit the driveway. House, driveway, garage. No imploding rapists here. The light was on in the garage, spilling onto the driveway through one of the open doors in a giant yellow square.

I padded on bare feet across the concrete drive towards the open door. Something smelled delicious, like all my favorite meals rolled into one. Pizza, cake, mashed potatoes. My stomach growled and my mouth watered. I spotted a man working at a bench along the back wall of the garage. I crept closer, trying not to make a sound, the smell still driving me crazy. The pieces of a small engine were spread out on the workbench. The man cleaned a metal cylinder with a rag. The scent of oil and grease mingled with the pizza and mashed potatoes smell. I tripped over something metal, which clanged and rang through the still air.

"Damn." I grabbed my toe.

The man jumped and turned around, clutching his chest. He wore blue jean overalls and a white tee shirt. Wisps of gray hair stuck out from under a dirty baseball cap on his head.

"Man, you scared me." His look changed from surprise to concern as his eyes took me in. He wiped his hands on the rag and walked towards me. "Are you okay, darlin'? You have some kinda accident or something?"

"No, I'm okay," I whispered, my brain clouding over. It was hard to hear him over the smell of pizza. It was like he had bathed in it.

"Well, you're all muddy and bloody. Did somebody hurt you?" he asked, taking a step closer.

I felt a sharp pain in my mouth and howled. My teeth were extending, pushing through the gums. This wasn't possible. I threw my hands over my mouth and whimpered.

He rushed over, dropped his rag, and grabbed my arms.

"Hang on, honey, let's get you to the house. We need to call you an ambulance." He caught me around the waist as my knees gave out and caught me before I sank to the floor. My arms snaked around his neck and I laid my head on his shoulder. The smell of food was so strong now I couldn't take it any longer. It was the man. It had to be the man. I just wanted a little taste. I was so hungry.

"Come on, I guess I'll have to carry you." He half-dragged me towards the open garage door.

I took one last whiff of his intoxicating scent and I lurched forward, latching onto his neck. My teeth sunk into his skin, like it was nothing more than a slice of bread. He gasped, caught off-guard by the bite, and attempted to pull away.

"What...what are you doing?" he asked. My arms were locked around his neck of their own volition.

"I'm just really hungry." I pulled my head back from his neck and looked deep into his eyes. "Don't move."

His eyes glazed over.

"Okay," he said, staring off into space.

I sunk my teeth back into his neck, and all of the flavors I had smelled spilled down my throat in one glorious smorgasbord. Every meal my mother had ever made filled my stomach, the warmth of it spread throughout my body. And then it stopped.

The man slumped over in my arms, empty.

Startled, I gently laid him down on the garage floor. What the hell? This was so not good.

"Harold?" A voice yelled from the back door of the house. "Are you all right out there?"

I jumped, hiding myself behind the closed garage door. I looked down again. Harold appeared to be sleeping on the floor, but I knew better. He didn't smell like pizza anymore. On his throat were two bloody puncture wounds.

"Harold!" The woman shouted again and the back door slammed shut.

I held my breath as her footsteps padded across the driveway.

"Harold, I swear, you never listen when I call you. Harold?" She gasped, finally seeing him on the floor of the garage. "Oh my Lord, Harold, what happened? Can you hear me, Harold?"

She knelt down on the ground and slapped his face. Her eyes caught on the puncture marks. "What is this? Harold!"

I stepped out of the shadows, and she jumped, pressing one hand to her heart.

"What did you do to my husband?" She shrieked, still holding his hands. She smelled like freshly-baked muffins. Banana nut.

"I don't know what's happening to me."

The silver streaks in her dark hair glinted in the garage light. Her red and blue plaid flannel pajamas were faded and worn. I took a step closer.

"You...you stay right where you are." Her voice shook. "I'm calling the police." She rose to her feet, trembling, and walked to a phone above the workbench.

In a flash, I was by her side. I grabbed her arm and whipped her around. She screamed and tried to hit me but I stopped her hand with one quick motion.

Her eyes landed on mine and she stopped struggling.

"Your eyes, they're so beautiful," she said.

"Please don't call." I begged with my eyes.

"I won't call," she mumbled.

The smell of muffins washed over me again, causing my mouth to water. No, no, no! Not again. My mouth hurt much less this time when my new, sharp teeth slid down. I found myself drawn to her throat, just as I had been to Harold's. My teeth sank into her neck, the taste of muffins splashing into my mouth. I drank from her until she too collapsed in my arms. The fog in my brain cleared again, and I looked down in horror at the limp woman. I choked back a sob and tears pooled in my eyes, overflowing and spilling down my cheeks.

Had I really killed three people in one night?

Until I figured that out, I needed to get as far away from here as possible. And I needed to avoid people. I didn't want this to happen again. I dragged the woman across the garage and laid her next to Harold. I linked their arms together. I didn't know them, but I thought they might want to be together wherever they were headed. I stepped out of the garage and pulled the door closed, blocking out the macabre scene. I prayed there was no one left in the house.

I remembered I was still wearing the bloodied and torn Homecoming dress. My fingers found clumps of dirt and leaves in my hair from my graveyard and forest exploits. I needed some clothes and a shower, or I'd never make it to wherever I was going. I headed towards the back door. I opened it and sniffed. No people, just a cat.

I padded through the house, feeling like I didn't belong there. There was a teakettle whistling on the stove, which I turned off as I walked by. No need for the house to burn down. I found a staircase and climbed upstairs, stopping by the first bedroom. It must have been their bedroom. I flipped the light switch on and walked around the bed.

A neatly-made bed with one side turned down waited patiently for an owner who wouldn't be coming back. A paperback romance novel with dog-eared pages lay on the nightstand. I ran my fingers over the bedspread as I walked towards the open closet. I rummaged through the old lady clothes until I found something suitable. Sweatpants and a tee-shirt with a college logo on it. A pair of clog-style slippers would have to complete the outfit since my feet were too big to fit in the woman's shoes.

I stepped into a spotless bathroom and stopped to glance at myself in the mirror. My long, dark hair hung in dirty clumps around my face, which, like the rest of my body, was streaked with mud and blood. My eyes glittered in the light. There were so many more facets, like gemstones

I inspected my arms again, finding no evidence that they had been torn to shreds by splintered wood less than an hour earlier. My eyes fell on a razor lying on the edge of the bathtub. I picked it up and gently touched it to my skin but pulled it away before it could cut me. I didn't really want to do it, but I had to see it for myself.

I buried my head in my hands, eyes wet with tears I hadn't noticed. There was only one way to do this. It was like ripping off a Band-Aid, only the exact opposite. With a quick move, I sliced the skin on my arm. I bit my lip, trying not to cry out. The blood trickled out slowly, a few drops plopping onto the white tiles below before the cut started to heal. The skin fused back together, changing from red, to a light purple, the color of an old bruise, and then shifting back to a light brown. It disappeared. No trace, no scar.

My mouth was smeared with dried blood. My hands shook as I gingerly touched my lips, still not fully believing what I had done earlier. I thought about my teeth and how they'd extended at the smell of all that glorious food. I could feel them slide out again and opened my mouth, wanting to see for myself.

Razor sharp fangs replaced my canine teeth. I touched one with my tongue, and it drew blood. My own blood didn't smell like cupcakes; it smelled wrong, off, not unlike the guy in the woods.

No.

This couldn't be possible. I stared again, eyes sparkling, fangs out.

This creature that stood before me was just a myth. A bedtime story or the lead character in a teen romance novel. Not me, not here in the middle of Illinois. I squeezed my eyes shut, hoping that when I opened them I would awaken from this awful dream.

I opened them again. I stood before the mirror—horrible and magnificent.

I was a vampire.

Chapter 2

After a quick shower, I threw on my new clothes and walked into the night, not wanting to hang around this house of horrors any longer. A short walk later, I came upon a clearing in the woods. The small meadow lay next to a stream babbling over the rocks as it passed by. The sound was soothing.

When I left Harold's house, it was about five-thirty in the morning. Sunrise would be coming soon. I sat on the ground in the middle of the field and looked up at the stars again. My head spun trying to grasp just what had happened this evening. I was buried alive, well, not really, because if I was in fact a vampire, I guess I was probably dead at some point. I was attacked by a guy in the woods who dissolved into a heap of dust when he was impaled on a tree branch. So I'm guessing he was also a vampire. As far as I remembered from all the vampire movies I'd seen, a stake to the heart can kill a vampire. And, to be honest, I wasn't too sad that he was gone. But what about Harold? Good old Harold and his old lady. He didn't deserve to die. He seemed like a nice man. He just smelled so good. I had no control.

The cogs turned in my brain. I didn't want to be a monster and walk around killing everyone in sight because they smelled like muffins. I thought of my parents. They definitely would not approve. And I certainly couldn't go back home. They thought I was dead. That alone would cause too many problems. But what were my options besides that? I picked up a stick from the ground. I could just take this and run it through my heart. Poof. Turn into a pile of dust.

I pointed it at my heart. And after a minute I set it back down. Who was I kidding? There was no way I could kill myself. I needed something easier. I thought about what else could kill a vampire.

Sunlight.

I could just sit here as the sun rose and crumble into nothing. I bet it would hurt, but at least I wouldn't be doing it to myself. I would just be letting nature take its course. Another vampire fact: vampires would definitely roast in the sunshine. But in one book I read, they sparkled. So either I would die a horrible death OR sparkle. I really hoped I didn't sparkle.

I decided this was the best option. Passive suicide.

I laid flat on the ground. The sky spread out above me, constellations rotating until I could see Orion, his belt twinkling. It was always my favorite constellation. My dad had been so into them, we'd spend hours in the yard looking through his telescope as he showed us each constellation, the planets, and the Milky Way. God forbid there was a meteor shower, an eclipse, or a comet whizzing by, he'd park himself outside all night. I always had a hard time seeing what he showed me. He was so excited about it, I just pretended that I could. But Orion—Orion was the only one I could find every time, no matter where it was in the sky.

"I miss you, Daddy," I whispered as a tear slid down my cheek. The sky began to lighten. Dawn was on the horizon. This was it. Do or die. Or just die. The sky faded from a deep blue to a light pink as the sun crept up, inching its beauty and warmth into the sky. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, ready to go out in a blaze of glory. Literally. The sun spread over my body. I opened one eye. Shouldn't I at least be smoking by now? I thought it would happen faster than this. Nothing was burning. What the hell?

I sat up, opening both eyes and taking in the bright sunrise. I held my bare arm up to the sun. Nothing. I checked my legs, felt my face. Not even a sunburn. My skin appeared to be its same dark shade. Well, there goes that plan I guess. I looked down at my skin again. At least I wasn't sparkling. I might have had to stake myself if I was.

Clearly it wasn't my time, but now I'd have to come up with a plan B. I jumped to my feet and paced across the clearing. I had two problems. Everyone thought I was dead, so I had to make sure not to run into anyone I knew. My bigger problem was people. After my encounter with Harold and his wife, it was clear I couldn't control my desire for their delicious smelling blood. Ew. It was still kind of gross to think about that. At least it smelled like stuff I liked.

So I could try to control it or kill fluffy animals in the woods. Probably not happening. Or look for a place I could get blood where no one has to get hurt. Maybe some kind of clinic or blood bank. I knew there was one on the other side of town. Rochelle, Illinois, wasn't very big, but the town was a little spread out. Having a car would definitely help.

Finding a road and maybe a gas station or some kind of parking lot would be a great place to start, so I decided it was time to move. I ran through the trees, testing to see how fast I could go. I figured I would stop when I found a road and got my bearings. My feet flew, barely touching the ground, and trees whipped by in a blur. A motion to my right caught my eye and I skidded to a quick stop, peering around a tree to inspect. No more vampires, just a deer this time, I noted with a sigh.

The large buck chewed his food, glancing at me with disinterest. He might want to be a little more afraid. I could eat him if I wanted to. But his blood smelled funky. No thanks.

Another quick run through the woods brought me to a road that I recognized. If I turned right and walked about a mile I'd end up in town. Again, the problem was that too many people in town knew me. If I walked up and asked for their car they'd call my parents and say they'd seen me.

I thought back to the previous night. Both Harold and his wife seemed eager to follow my instructions after I looked them in the eye. I could try that again. Even if I knew them, I could tell them I was someone else.

I wove in and out of the trees on my way into town, concealing myself in the shadows whenever cars drove past. Up ahead I saw the truck stop I remembered. I slowed down and crept to the edge of the trees, looking over the expansive parking lot. Large semis were parked along one side, their drivers most likely loading themselves with greasy food at the diner. At the regular pumps, cars and trucks took turns filling up. I wasn't about to drive off in a semi, so I scoped out a few of the cars. Minivan? No. Old Hyundai? No. Mustang? Yes please. A newer, black Mustang pulled up to a pump and a guy, maybe a little older than me, opened the door and jumped out. With my new extra-good vision, I was able to make out his face, even from this distance. I didn't know him, thank god. I checked out the other patrons. Again, no one I knew. This was my chance.

I left my hiding place and strolled across the parking lot, trying to make it look like it was completely normal for a teen girl to be hanging out at a truck stop in slippers and no coat, despite the cool temps.

"I like your car," I said, as I approached the guy. His hair was spiked out in all directions and he stank of cologne. It was a little early in the morning to reek like that. I couldn't even smell his blood through the awful stench, which was good. I had no desire to eat him. I didn't even want a taste.

"Uh, thanks." He gave me a once-over. He turned away and inserted the nozzle into the tank. He turned around, looking surprised that I was still standing there. "Uh, can I help you with something?"

I moved in a little closer, trying not to wrinkle my nose at his cologne-stink. I batted my eyes and threw him a brilliant smile.

"Can I have your car?" I tossed my long hair.

"Um, yeah, right." He chuckled and turned back to the pump.

I tapped him on the shoulder.

"Look, would you leave me alone?"

I widened my eyes, looking straight into his.

"Your eyes..."

"Yes, yes I know, they're beautiful. Here's what you're gonna do for me. You're gonna give me the car keys. Then you're going to call a friend to pick you up and tell them you sold the car to someone for a lot of money." I held his gaze.

"Here are the keys. Sold the car for a lot of money." His eyes carried the same glazed look as Harold's. He dropped the keys into my hand.

My eyes darted around, to see if anyone noticed our conversation and I realized everyone else had gone. I took out the nozzle and hooked it back into the gas pump. With one last look at Mustang boy, I hopped into the driver's seat and turned the key in the ignition. The engine roared to life. I drove out of the truck stop and turned on to the main road into town. I had two more stops to make before leaving Rochelle.

*

I spotted the sign for the clinic at the next stoplight and hung a left, swinging the Mustang into a parking space near the door. My mouth started to water as I entered the building. There were so many people. Between the waiting patients and the nurses, it was hard to contain myself. My fangs slid out and I clapped a hand over my mouth. I sucked in a deep breath, trying to steady myself. If I played my cards right, no one would get hurt. I glanced down at the calendar on the counter as I approached. November 1. So I'd returned from the dead on October 31st? Really? Ugh, that was so cliché.

"Can I help you?" a middle-aged blond woman in scrubs asked me at the lobby counter.

Keeping my mouth covered, I looked her in the eye.

"I need to speak to you in private," I said quietly. So quiet I wondered how she'd heard it.

"In private."

"In the back," I said. "Let's go."

The woman rose from the desk and led me over to a door where nurses were calling other patients in. We walked down a long corridor past a number of examination rooms until we came upon an empty one.

I followed her in and shut the door. Her scent was intoxicating. Steak, hamburgers, chips. It was hard not to bite her neck then and there, but maybe having the blood in my system from yesterday gave me an ounce of control.

"I need you to take me to the blood. If anyone asks, I'm from the local high school and you're giving me a tour of the place for a project."

"You're on a tour," she murmured.

She opened the door and led me down an adjacent hallway, away from the examination rooms. We stepped into a large storage room full of medications, medical supplies, and giant refrigerators. I closed the door. I noticed a cooler on the floor and hoped there would be something cold to stick in there with the blood. I flung the fridge door open and nearly collapsed at the sight of all that blood. Bags and bags and bags. All for me! I greedily filled up one cooler, and then another, throwing in some ice packs I'd found in there as well. I couldn't fit them all in, but this would keep me full for a couple days.

I thanked the lady and headed back into the hallway. A nurse stepped out of another room, colliding with me.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," she said and then stopped, meeting my eyes.

My heart pounded in my chest. Oh god. She used to play Bunco with my mom.

She gasped and I tried not to focus on how good she smelled. Like apple pie.

"Vicky?" she whispered, and then shook her head. "Oh my, I'm so sorry, it's just that you look like someone I know, I mean, someone I knew."

I caught her eye and looked into them.

"You did not see anyone that looked like Vicky today. You never saw me at all. Now go back to work."

"I never saw you," she muttered and wandered off towards the lobby.

I had to get out of this town.

There was a door to the right that I prayed would lead me out the back. I slipped through it and shut it behind me. I ran for the car and threw the coolers on the passenger seat and the floor next to me. I flipped open the top and grabbed one of the bags. Hmmm, it even came with a handy straw. I pulled the tab open and the scent of pork chops and cheesy potatoes filled the car. I sucked on the straw, which hooked neatly into the bag, as I drove through Rochelle, keeping the bag down on the floor. The lovely goodness spilled down my throat, making it difficult for me to concentrate on driving. I chuckled to myself. I was totally drinking and driving. Although I think the cops would be much more horrified to find out just what I was drinking.

But I had one last stop. One last chance to say goodbye. I drove through town and turned into the first residential subdivision I passed. Crystal Cove. That's what they named the subdivision. So lame. There were no crystals or coves as far as I could tell. And weren't coves on water? Not in the middle of Illinois.

I took the first street on the left. Prescott Drive. I pulled up across the street from the blue house with a large porch. I spent so many days and nights on that porch, usually talking to my friends. I glanced at the clock on the dashboard. It was almost eight on a Saturday morning. My parents should be leaving soon to take Donovan to indoor soccer practice.

I sat watching the house for ten minutes before the garage door went up. My dad walked out to the car, which was parked in the driveway. I slouched down in the seat, not wanting him to see me. His movements were slow, forced—not with his usual bouncy steps. He unlocked the car and opened the door for my mother, who followed behind with my ten-year-old brother, Donovan, in tow. My mother's face was drawn; she'd lost some of her youthfulness in the last week. My eyes filled with tears. I wanted so badly to jump out of the car and run up to them. But the shock alone might kill them. They had buried me. Their little girl was dead. And so she was. This girl, this creature I had become, was not the Vicky Hernandez they had raised.

The doors closed on the car and they backed out of the driveway, heading out of the subdivision. My heart ached as I watched them disappear around the corner. I wished there was some way I could talk to them, some way I could be with them again, but I couldn't think about it anymore.

Tears raced down my cheeks as I revved the engine, peeling out and leaving tire marks on the street as I exited the subdivision. Those would be the last marks I would leave in Rochelle.
Chapter 3

At the interstate, I had a choice. Iowa or Chicago. Like that's a choice. I'd always been in love with Chicago, but going into the city by myself, with all those people around me might just be too tempting. I didn't want to head to Iowa, which was full of small towns. People are too nosey and always trying to get into your business, like in Rochelle. I decided to head towards Chicago, hoping I could handle myself around all those people.

I drove past exits with names I didn't recognize. I had no idea where I was and the gas tank would soon be empty. Stupid V8 engine. My dad always complained they weren't economical because they sucked gas like there was no tomorrow. That's why he always drove Toyotas. Good gas mileage. Way not cool-looking.

I pulled off at the next exit and turned north. I had a car stocked with blood, but I was severely lacking in funds and was still sporting some funky old lady duds. Let's hope my little magic-eye trick could get me everything I needed.

I continued down that road, through countless suburbs, not even paying attention to their names as I passed. After filling up the car with some free gas I stopped at a mall, leaving with bags full of new clothes and shoes, all paid for with my beautiful eyes. I could get used to this.

I kept an eye out, while driving up the road, for any place I might be able to stay. I thought about my home, my parents, and my bed, and tried to shove the thought from my mind as I took a sip from my second blood bag. The more I drank, the less I noticed the scent of food coming from other people. It was there, but definitely not so overwhelming. I had to think of another way to take it in though. Walking around in public sucking on a blood bag was most likely going to get me into some trouble. I couldn't look enough people in the eye to convince them it was normal. Note to self: pick up some kind of non-see-through mug.

A large hotel rose out of the suburban monotony, the silver of the glass shimmering in the sunlight. It was gorgeous. I had to stay there. I pulled the Mustang into the circular drive, gathered my bags and my coolers and headed to the front counter, tossing the keys to the valet. My breath caught in my throat as I entered the hotel. It was more posh than anything I'd ever seen in Rochelle. The pale marble floors gleamed in the bright lights and dark mahogany furniture was scattered around the lobby, some placed comfortably around a fireplace. A bar and restaurant sat to my left.

After a short talk with the concierge on duty, I took the elevator to the top floor of the hotel with a bellhop. With a key card, he opened a set of double doors that led to the penthouse. The expansive living room and kitchen had a full view of the sprawling suburbs before me. Not beautiful, but it might look cool at night. I thanked the bellhop and shut the door behind him, eager to check out my surroundings. I wasn't sure how long I'd be able to stay here, but even for a night, it would be better than sleeping in the Mustang. And at least it was pretty clear I didn't need to sleep in a coffin. Ew. If I even needed to sleep. I still had to figure out how that worked. I hadn't been tired yet.

I stuck the coolers of blood in the full-sized stainless steel refrigerator in the kitchen and lined up all of my shopping bags on the floor of the expansive closet in the luxurious bedroom. This was more like an apartment than a hotel room.

Plush white carpet covered the living room and bedroom floors, and the same shiny marble from the lobby lined the bathroom and kitchen floors. This was definitely way different from our house in Rochelle. There I had a small room across from Donovan and my parents. It was crowded with furniture, so there was little room for anything else. I painted it a light blue last year.

I wondered if my parents would keep my room the way it was when I left. Would they leave everything frozen in time, waiting for me to return? Or would they change it to try to forget the pain of losing a child? Maybe one day I'd drive back and look in the window...

But maybe I didn't want to know.

I turned the TV on and then off, and threw the remote on the couch. I truly had nothing to do. No one expected me anywhere. No one missed me. Well, they were missing me because I was dead, not because I hadn't come home yet. I was all alone and the silence in there was pressing on me, crushing me. It might as well have been a coffin.

I grabbed the key card and headed out the door, letting it slam behind me. I burst out of the lobby and into the parking lot, noticing a row of shops adjacent to the hotel. There were a couple restaurants, a dry cleaner, and a sign that read Urgent Healthcare. Sweet. At least there was somewhere for me to eat.

But I had enough to tide me over until at least tomorrow. Maybe I could just walk over and case the joint. I took a nice, deep breath of the cool air and pulled my new black jacket a little tighter around me, even though I couldn't feel the chill. It's something I would have done before, well, last week anyways.

For some reason, even though I kept trying, I could not remember what happened over the last week. There had to be some way for me to find out. I walked along the sidewalk, passed the dry cleaners, and checked the times on the Urgent Healthcare clinic. Open seven in the morning until ten at night. Easy enough. Peering through the window I saw a lone secretary sitting behind the desk. It wasn't nearly as crowded as the one in Rochelle.

The bright lights of the pizza place and the smell of the cooking pizzas drew me further down the sidewalk. The people inside sat there, enjoying their food. Real food didn't smell as good to me as it did last week. Humans definitely smelled better. It reminded me of Friday nights at home, eating dinner with my parents and a couple of friends before heading out for the evening.

Without thinking, I found myself opening the door. For once I didn't feel the need to force anyone to do anything. The scent of blood in the crowded restaurant wasn't overwhelming. It complemented the scent of the steaming pizzas that were whisked by in hot pans. A hostess led me to an empty table, meant for two. I sat facing the mural of Italy that took up an entire wall. I'd always wanted to go there. Maybe once I could figure out how to get money, I could take a trip to Italy, or anywhere. It's not like I had anything better to do. My table was against the window and I glanced into the dark of the night. The hot girl reflected in the glass—long hair straight and smooth, new designer clothes and shoes—was a long way from the girl I was last week, running around in sweats and a Rochelle High School hoodie.

"Welcome to Lou's," said a warm voice. "What can I get you to drink?"

My eyes flicked up from the menu to take in the most striking eyes, aside from my own, that I had ever seen. They were a light, icy blue, bright and deep. Words escaped me for a moment. If I could have blushed, I would have, but I didn't feel heat moving through my cheeks like I normally would. I blinked and looked away.

"I'll have a Coke, please." I glanced at the menu with fake interest, trying not to stare at him.

"Great, I'll bring that right back for you." I watched him as he headed towards the kitchen. He was tall, with broad shoulders and thick, black hair. I tried to remember what his face looked like, but I was so mesmerized by his eyes, I had forgotten to look.

I glanced at the pizzas on the menu, trying to figure out what to get. I didn't get a manual when I crawled out of the grave, so I wasn't sure if vampires could eat real food. Guess there was only one way to find out. The waiter walked up with a Coke and a straw and handed them to me.

"Thanks." I looked past his eyes and studied his face. High cheekbones, smooth, fair skin. He looked more like an Abercrombie model than a waiter at a pizzeria.

"What would you like to eat?" he asked, pen at the ready.

You.

Oh, but I so couldn't say that. Besides, if I ate him, he'd be dead and then I wouldn't be able to look at him anymore. Now that would be a problem.

"Um, what would you recommend?" I asked with a smile.

"Is this your first time eating here?"

"Yep."

"Oh, are you new around here?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Um, yeah, I guess I am." Boy, would that be a long explanation.

"Well, welcome to Bartlett. I would recommend our deep-dish pizza. We're famous for it." He leaned over me to point at the menu. I couldn't help taking a deep whiff. A hint of cologne mixed with the most glorious scent—chocolate. Mmmm. My mouth started to water.

I jumped in my seat, causing him to stand up.

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"No worries." I kept my face down as my teeth extended in my mouth. "I'll take an individual pepperoni, please."

"Okay, thanks," he said and headed back to the kitchen.

My hand flew up to my face and I rubbed my forehead with both hands, willing the teeth to return to their original position. They surprisingly obliged. I took a few deep breaths through my nose. I'd have to remember that for the future. Big, full, deep breaths. At least I had some control. I'd have to get another blood bag when I got back to my room. So far, I was up to three bags for the day. I'd have to see how many it would take to keep me satisfied.

I picked up the Coke. My first normal beverage. I wondered if it would taste any differently or if I could even drink it. One sip on the straw and I tasted the same Coke I'd always had. I sighed, looking at it. At least some things would feel the same. If I could handle the Coke, the pizza should be fine as well. I smiled as I took in the other people in the room. Happy families, sharing a big pizza, laughing and talking. There were a few tables of couples, leaning closely, sharing food.

I'd had a couple of boyfriends at Rochelle High, but none that really stood out. They were cute, or funny, but it never lasted much longer than a few weeks. I was never good at the girlfriend thing. It got boring, fast.

Lost in my thoughts, I didn't even realize that the waiter had returned.

"You need a refill yet?" He gestured to my Coke that was only half gone.

"No, I'm okay," I answered with a smile.

"So, what brings you to Bartlett? Did you just move here?" He picked up the straw wrapper I had left on the table and crumpled it in his hand.

"Something like that," I said.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to be nosy."

"No, no, you're not. It's just, it was a difficult situation." My brain spun, trying to come up with something to say. "My parents passed away and I've come to town to live with a relative. My, uh, my aunt."

Aw, crap. How the hell was I going to find an aunt in a town I'd never been to?

"Oh, wow, I'm really sorry to hear about your parents, that has to be really difficult," he said. He stuck out his hand. "I'm Drake, by the way."

"I'm Vicky." I took his cool, smooth hand in mine and shook it. "It's okay, really."

"Well, it's nice to meet you Vicky. Are you in school or anything?"

"Um, I hadn't thought about it, I guess."

"Yeah, that has to be tough to think about at a time like this," he said with a sad smile. "I go to Bartlett High School, I'm a senior. Maybe I'll see you there."

"Is it a nice school?" I could've cared less about the school; I just wanted to keep him talking.

"You know, it's high school. Whatever. But it's not bad." He glanced back towards the kitchen. "You know what? I should go and see if your pizza's ready. Be right back."

He returned with a piping hot pan on a tray and set it in front of me, along with a plate, silverware, and a few napkins.

"I hope you like it," he said and walked off to take care of another table.

I did like it, a lot. I managed to eat most of it as well and Drake put the rest in a box for me to take home. Home. To my hotel penthouse. So not my home.

He dropped the check on my table, saying he'd be back when I was ready.

Crap. I looked at the receipt in my hand. $15.47. At least it wasn't a lot. I could just do the whole eye thingy and have his brain convinced that I'd already paid. But for some reason, I didn't want to. If that was the case, there was only one way to solve this.

Drake walked up, clearing the dishes from my table and placing them on his empty tray. "You all ready with that?"

"Um," I started, "here's the thing. It's kind of embarrassing actually, but I just realized that I forgot my wallet." I looked hopefully into his blue eyes.

"It's cool, I got you covered." He took the receipt back.

"I'm really sorry, I'll bring it in tomorrow. Are you working?"

"Yeah, I'll be here, but you don't owe me anything, no worries." He flashed me a heart-melting smile.

I reached out and touched his arm as he started to move away and he turned back to look at me. His glorious chocolate scent wafted into my nostrils again, clouding my brain.

"Really, thank you so much." I gave him a sad smile. He was the first person I'd really talked to since I woke up yesterday that I didn't eat or compel.

I headed back across the parking lot and walked through the quiet lobby. After a quick elevator ride, I found myself back in the silence of the penthouse.

I pulled a chair up in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows that looked out over the suburbs. Stripes of light meandered through the dark land in front of me. In the distance, I could make out the lights of Chicago.

I could stay here and live my little lie. Stay with a relative. I'd just have to find a relative to stay with. I wondered if my little mind powers would be up to it. Was it only a temporary fix, or did the suggestion stay until I told their brains otherwise? There was only one way to find out.

I glanced at the door to the bedroom. Time to figure out if I could sleep or not. I had a lot to do tomorrow. Find a fake relative. Somehow manage to get some money. I grabbed a blood bag from the fridge and headed for the bedroom. One last snack before bed.
Chapter 4

Bright sunlight blazed through the giant windows that I had forgotten to cover the night before. I added that to things I now knew: I could eat, sleep, compel people, and try to control my thirst for blood instead of eating everyone in sight.

I also knew something else. I wanted to go to school. Not because I felt I was missing out on my education, but because I felt like Drake was someone I wanted to get to know better. And not just because he was hot, which did help, but because he was the first one who made me feel normal, and not like the monster that dwelled within.

Maybe carve out a new life for myself. I didn't want to be alone. I really wanted to go home, but that clearly wasn't an option. So this would have to be the next best thing. At least I wasn't so far from Rochelle. It was close enough to check up on my family periodically. But I needed to get things organized here.

First on the list was money. People expected you to have your own money and besides, I owed Drake a dinner. There were a couple of options. One, steal it. Two, get a job. But in reality, I'd probably still need to steal some, because a job wasn't going to pay me right away.

After a bloody breakfast, I headed out to the Mustang and had to let it warm up for a minute. The windows had frosted over the night before. The concierge had been nice enough to give me a little map of downtown Bartlett so I could find a bank.

I pulled into the Bartlett Bank not long after it opened and waited in front of the walk-up ATM. A businessman in a gray suit pulled up alongside me in his Lexus. Bingo.

When he put his card in the ATM, I got out of the car and stood in line behind him. He took no notice of me at first, but turned and nodded while he waited for his money. I had to make sure that I made eye contact before he walked away.

"Excuse me," I said as he turned. He was putting the money into a black leather wallet. He caught my eye and we were in business.

"I seem to need some money."

His eyes glazed over. "You need some money."

"Yeah, how much do you have there?" I motioned to his wallet.

He glanced down and pulled the money back out. "Five hundred dollars."

"Give me two-fifty. Tell your wife you had to pay back a guy at work for some money you spent on a business trip."

"Had to pay a guy back," he said, handing me the bills.

"Thanks!" I stuffed the money into my new purse. That should last me for a couple days.

The confused-looking man got back in his Lexus and headed off. I followed him into the center of town, which was made up of a train station and a row of old buildings on either side of the street. A bakery, a few restaurants and bars, a hardware store, and a craft boutique made for a very tiny downtown. It reminded me of Rochelle, small and quaint, even in the midst of the suburbs of Chicago. I turned around and headed back in the other direction, towards a place on the map that I really wanted to go.

Winding through the tree-lined residential streets, I found the sign I was looking for. The Bartlett Public Library.

I walked in the door and to the circulation desk.

"Excuse me, could you tell me if there are computers I can use to go on the Internet?"

"Sure," answered the middle-aged woman behind the counter. She didn't look like a typical librarian. She had glasses, but they were cool purple ones with rhinestones, not the giant old ones you would normally picture. She wore jeans and a black sweater. She came out from behind the counter and led me into another part of the library.

"Here are our computers. They have full access to the Internet as well as other research resources. Is there anything in particular that I can help you with?"

Yeah, I want to find out how I died.

"Nope, I should be able to find it online just fine." I grinned.

She nodded and walked in the direction of the circulation desk.

I plopped down in the chair and clicked on the Internet and tried to think of where to search first. I knew from the wooden cross that I died on October 27 and from the calendar at the clinic, I knew I had come back on the 31st. On Halloween. Not that it mattered. Nobody would've reported on my return. But it had been a couple of days. Had they found Harold and Mrs. Harold? I'd look that up too. Call it morbid curiosity.

I typed in the address for the Rochelle News-Leader. Such a silly name for a newspaper. But I knew they'd have just what I was looking for. I clicked on the 'Top Stories' button and scrolled down to the bottom of the page. My death most definitely was a top story, especially in a town of under ten thousand residents.

I gasped as I came across my senior picture next to an article titled 'Rochelle High School Senior Dies in Freak Accident' dated October 28. I clicked on the headline and it took me to the full article.

17-year-old Victoria Hernandez, of Rochelle, was killed yesterday after a large tree branch fell on her and a friend while they were in the woods on the Haunted Hike. The friend suffered minor injuries, and was released from Rochelle Central Hospital at 11 P.M. Hernandez, a senior at Rochelle High School, suffered massive head trauma and was pronounced dead at the scene. Park rangers are investigating the accident, but it appears the branch broke off due to natural causes and fell from the tree as the girls walked underneath. The Rochelle Park District, responsible for the Haunted Hike, said that their staff had not touched the tree as they decorated the path.

"She was such a beautiful person," said 18-year-old Delaney Abernathy, a classmate. "She was always willing to help others. She didn't deserve this."

Extra counselors will be available to students at Rochelle High School through the end of the week. A memorial has been planned for Saturday, October 30th in the school's gymnasium. All are welcome.

I stared at the screen. I wanted to scream. I didn't deserve this. A tree branch fell on my head? Who dies that way? I also didn't deserve what happened afterwards. To be transformed into this thing, this killer. To be stalked through the woods by another killer. Why did this happen to me?

I buried my face in my hands, not wanting to look back at the screen. But I had to check one more thing.

I scrolled up a few articles, scanning for one from November 1. Nothing about Harold and Mrs. Harold. Not a word. That was really odd. They should have mentioned how an elderly couple was found dead, together, on the floor of their garage. If and when they do find them, they're going to have a lot of questions. I couldn't imagine anything could lead to me.

Oh god.

I didn't.

But I most definitely did.

I left my bloodied Homecoming dress lying on the floor of Mrs. Harold's spotless bathroom. My heart plunged into my stomach. But what could I do? Go back? It would be so painful for my parents to hear that someone desecrated their daughter's grave and stole her dress. Because that's what it would look like. Someone had to notice that my grave was empty. I hadn't exactly made a clean break from the coffin—it was pretty much demolished. And since no one had bothered to actually finish covering it with dirt, someone had to have seen it.

I had to go back and check. But what would that do for anyone? If it had already made its way back to my parents, it would be too late. But I had to see for myself. I jumped up from the computer desk and walked out of the library. The librarian waved as I ran out the door.

*

Over an hour later, I pulled up to the cemetery. It looked empty, but just to be safe I parked the Mustang a little further down the road and walked through the woods. I kept an eye out for anything. I didn't want to run into any people I knew or any other vampire friends who might be lurking in the woods. Hopefully they took a hint from their dusty friend. I wasn't going to go quietly.

From the trees, I saw the little white wooden cross sticking out of the ground. I crossed the empty graveyard and neared the grave. It was now completely filled in with dirt. Nothing looked out of place. A few fresh pink roses sat underneath the cross. I picked up one of the roses, letting its heavy scent linger in my nose. I decided to take it with me. No one would notice it.

The quickest way to Harold's house was through the woods, the way I had come originally. Now that I knew where I was going, it would be a quick run, and I was enjoying the cold, crisp air. It helped me clear my head. I glanced up at the hill, where the house was perched, and set off. I made it there in just a few minutes, the woods flashing by me in a blur, the cold air blowing through my long hair. It was like riding a motorcycle.

I stopped a few feet from the edge of the woods. It was, after all, the middle of the day, and I couldn't just go waltzing in there without making sure it was empty. I circled the property. There were no cars in the driveway; I assumed they were still in the garage. The garage door was closed, just as it was when I left. I crept closer to the house, peering through the downstairs windows. I didn't see anyone. I sniffed the air. I didn't smell anything other than damp leaves and the wintry forest air.

I walked around to the garage. I could just throw the door open to see if they were still there. It's not like they would be alive. I felt so bad for them. They were just trying to help me. And they did, but I doubt they thought it would cost them their lives. I stood in front of the door, my hand on the handle and closed my eyes. I couldn't do it. I didn't want to see them. I started to walk away and then stopped. No. I'd made this mess. Now it was up to me to see if it needed to be cleaned up so my family wouldn't get hurt any further. I walked back to the door, my hands shaking, and threw it open. It rattled in the tracks as it went up.

Empty.

Other than the cars, and the gadgets on Harold's workbench, the garage was completely devoid of bodies, human or otherwise. I walked closer, inspecting the area where I'd left them laying arm in arm on the cold concrete floor. Nothing. Not even a trace of blood. They'd vanished. I walked towards the workbench, looking near the phone where I'd bitten Mrs. Harold. Again, it was completely clean. So weird. I had one last place I had to check before I left.

The back door was unlocked. That wasn't unusual, most people left their doors unlocked in Rochelle. But if someone had been here, like the police or a relative, it was a little strange to think that they'd left the house wide open. Unless whomever had been here wanted to make it look like no one had been here. I sniffed the air again to check for humans. Nothing. There was faint scent I had trouble identifying at first. It didn't smell good, not like human blood. It was a little off. I remembered when I'd cut my tongue on my new teeth and smelled my own blood. Vampire blood. But it was just a trace, so it had been a couple days.

I crept up the stairs. Everything was as I'd left it. Mrs. Harold's bed was still turned down, her romance novel still on the bedside table. The closet looked a little tidier since I'd finished digging through it. I hadn't been so careful when I was looking for something to wear. I tiptoed back into the hallway. Even though no one was there, I still felt like I was trespassing. I flung the bathroom door open. There were no traces of blood or mud anywhere and my Homecoming dress was gone. It was as if I'd never been there.

Someone else besides my creepy vampire friend in the woods knew I had risen from the grave and for some reason was trying to cover for me.

I had two questions that I certainly couldn't answer.

Who and why?
Chapter 5

"Back again?" Drake asked as he walked up to my table looking pleasantly surprised.

"The pizza was just so good, I had to come back tonight." I smiled shyly. "Besides, I owe you from last night. I remembered my wallet this time."

"I told you, no worries, it's on me." He placed his hand on my shoulder. His chocolaty scent wafted in my direction and made me so glad I stopped at the hotel for a snack before coming here. "So, Coke and a pepperoni again?"

"That sounds great."

"Cool, I'll be back." He ran off to the kitchen and returned with a glass of Coke.

"Here you go. So, are you all settled in at your aunt's house yet?" he asked.

Crap. That was the second thing on my list that I was supposed to do today. "Oh, she's, uh, getting the room ready for me. I'm actually staying at the hotel while she finishes up." I gestured across the parking lot.

"Wow." His eyebrows arched in surprise. "That place is pretty swanky."

"Yeah, it's nice." I tried to think fast. "My family had some money, so I'm able to stay there until my aunt gets her house sorted out. She wasn't expecting me, obviously. And she's a terrible pack rat. So the room she wants to give me is full of her junk."

"How long will you have to stay at the hotel?"

"I'm not sure." I laughed and hoped it wasn't obvious that I was lying. "She's trying to go as fast as she can. She said I could come stay there now, but I don't want to sleep on the couch. Not when I can stay at the hotel."

"I hear ya. Besides, sometimes staying with relatives can be kind of weird. So, when will you start school? I'd be happy to show you around," he said.

"That would be nice. I'm sure it won't be for another week or so. I'll stop in and let you know."

"Well, just in case—" He scribbled on his pad. "Here's my cell phone number. Just call me or text me when you're going to start, if I don't see you here first."

"Okay." I tried to hide a giddy and extremely dorky smile. I just got some digits.

Although now in addition to finding an aunt who lived in town, I also had to get a cell phone. I rubbed my forehead as he walked away. It would be easier just to leave and jump around from place to place, never having to explain anything. But I didn't want that. I didn't want to be on my own. Even with this whole situation.

I may not be able to tell anyone what I had become, but if people could just accept me the way Drake already had, then maybe I could make a home here. I just had to be careful; make sure that I was always full and stocked with blood reserves. I couldn't risk making the same mistake I made with Harold and Mrs. Harold.

*

The next day dawned gray and drizzly. It was almost cold enough, it seemed like it might snow. The clouds just couldn't make up their minds, so a thick, slushy rain slapped against the windshield as I drove aimlessly around Bartlett. I needed some kind of plan to find a new home. Since I'd already mentioned an aunt, there needed to be at least one female involved, and frankly, keeping it to one person would make things simpler and less messy. I was unsure I could control that many minds at once. Besides, if I joined a regular family, there would be too many questions asked by friends and neighbors.

A single female, preferably older, to pass as a sister to one of my parents, would be even better. My first stop was the grocery store. I grabbed a cart and surfed through the aisles, filling it up with food I had no intention of buying. While I could eat food, I had no desire for it at all, so there was no sense in eating in front of others unless it was necessary to keep my secret. Like a total creeper, I scanned all the ladies that were doing their weekly shopping. Unfortunately, most of them were too old. Seriously geriatric. She couldn't be my grandma. Damn, this was going to be way harder than I thought.

I drove through some of the neighborhoods on my map, looking for any opportunity to stop and talk to someone. Maybe find out if there was a lonely, middle-aged lady in the neighborhood, but no one was out in this weather. I didn't blame them.

After making a loop around the town about four times, I found myself back in front of the library. I pulled the Mustang into a spot and got out. It was somewhere I could do a little research. See if anything showed up about Harold and his wife yet.

As I walked in the door, the librarian from the day before noticed me and waved. Aside from a few elderly ladies (weren't they all just at the store?) and a couple of moms with their little kids, the library was dead. I headed back to the computers again, plopping down on one of the seats.

"Have any trouble finding what you're looking for?" asked a voice behind me.

I turned to meet the librarian's friendly face.

"Nope, I found what I was looking for yesterday. Today, I'm just, I don't know. Today I'm just lost." I shook my head. There was no way I could explain that I needed to find some middle-aged lady to pose as my aunt and give me a place to stay because I was a vampire and couldn't go to my own house because my parents thought I was dead. Yeah, right.

I glanced down at her ring finger and noticed it was bare. Wait a minute...maybe I could use this mind-thing to find out some information.

"Well if I can be of any help, just let me know." She started to head back to the front of the library.

"Wait! I think you might be able to help me."

She sat in the chair next to me. "Okay, great."

I turned and looked in her eyes, recognizing the distant look that meant she was listening.

"What's your name?

"Sue Rendall."

"Are you married?"

"No."

"Do you have any kids?"

"No."

"Do you live in Bartlett?"

"Yes."

So far, so good.

"Do you have any siblings?"

"Yes."

"Where do they live?"

"California and Virginia."

I was getting so close. I tried not to get too excited.

"Do they have any kids?"

"Yes."

"Okay, so here's the plan. I'm going to move into your house. I'm your niece and need to come stay with you for a while because I'm not getting along with my parents. We'll tell the schools and anybody but your family that."

"You're my niece, staying with me for awhile." Her voice was monotone.

"When I stop talking, you're going to recognize me as your niece, Vicky Hernandez. I'm seventeen and I'm from out west. I would like to go to school at Bartlett High School."

I stopped talking. Her eyes cleared and she looked at me closely. My hands shook in my lap. I wondered if any of that had stuck.

"Vicky? Is that you? What are you doing here at my work?" she asked, looking confused.

"Aunt Sue! Don't you remember? I'm moving in today. You told me to stop by the library and pick up a key." I laughed, patting her on the shoulder.

"That's right, I totally forgot." She shook her head and chuckled. "Let's head over to my office and see where I put my keys."

We headed back to the circulation desk and I followed her into an office behind it. Stacks of books lay on her desk, along with file folders. There were a few pictures of what I assumed were family and friends. I'd have to have her give me a detailed list when she got home.

"Here's the key. I don't have an extra here, so make sure you're at home later to let me in." She separated a key from her car keys.

"Um, can you give me directions from here?" I asked, grabbing a note pad off her desk.

"Sue?" I heard a voice say from the doorway. "Well, who is this?"

I turned to find another woman, slightly older than Sue and with graying hair, standing expectantly in the doorway.

"This is my niece, Vicky Hernandez," Sue answered naturally.

"But I thought your niece's name was Katelyn?" She looked confused.

Aw, crap. Here we go. I had a feeling I was going to have to do this a lot. I looked up at her, holding her gaze.

"My, you have lovely eyes," she said before the haze came on.

"Thanks. I am Sue's niece, Vicky. I'm sure she's told you about me before." I smiled sweetly for Sue's benefit.

"Sue's niece, Vicky," she murmured and I quit the eye contact. "That's right, Vicky, I remember Sue talking about you. What brings you to Bartlett?"

"Oh, you know, just wanted to try a new school. I needed a change of scenery." I grabbed the key and the directions Sue had written down. "It was nice to see you, I'm sure I'll see you around. Bye Aunt Sue, I'll see you at home I guess."

With a quick wave I ran to the door. This was insane. Was I really just going to move in with some strange librarian I had just met? I rubbed my temples as I got into the Mustang. This was getting out of hand. I needed to keep all these stories straight.

Sue and her friend now think I'm a troubled teen. Drake thinks my parents are dead. And these were only the first three people I'd met in this town. Gah. I slammed my hands against the steering wheel. If I ever found who did this to me, I'd be kicking ass for SO many reasons it wasn't even funny. I just hoped this mind control business didn't wear off. All I needed was Sue to come home and call the cops on me for trespassing.

I had a few stops to make before heading to my new home. I sped back to the hotel to clear out my things and collect my coolers full of bloody snacks. I was surprised at how low my supplies were running. After checking out with the concierge and thanking him for such a pleasant stay, I popped over to the clinic a few doors down from Lou's. I figured Drake wouldn't see me this time of day, he should still be in school. The clinic itself was empty, like the first night I'd scoped it out, so I was able to make quick work of filling up my coolers.

My bloody little secret needed a hiding place. I couldn't just stick all these in Sue's fridge without her asking some serious questions. I caught the giant orange sign of a Home Depot in my sight as I put all my goodies back into the Mustang. Hopefully I could find something there.

*

Twenty minutes and a free mini-fridge later, complete with lock and key, I was driving through the tidy neighborhoods of Bartlett looking for my new home. I followed Sue's directions past a large park and golf course and turned into a tree-lined subdivision of modest, but neat homes. Sycamore, Juniper, Evergreen, Cedar. How lame. Everything was named after trees in this subdivision. I took a left on Cedar and pulled into the drive of number 680. It was a brown and white tri-level home, with a large picture window looking out over the tidy front lawn. Being November, the trees were nearly bare, but it probably looked nice in the summer. One large maple rose over the side of the house and a row of bushes stood at attention under the front window.

I pulled out the key and went to the door. I looked down at it in my hand. Maybe I should just forget about this. Go find a house and mind-trick someone into thinking I've purchased it. Pretend I'm emancipated from my parents and rich or whatever. This key was the key to this woman's life. I didn't even know her. Maybe I wouldn't even like her. I shifted from one foot to the other. But I knew one thing—I didn't want to be alone.

I was so alone right now as it was. I couldn't tell anyone the truth. There is no way a normal human could begin to comprehend what it was like to carry this around. This knowledge that at any moment, I could, and without a second thought, kill someone because they smelled like food. Because they were food. MY food.

I could keep them all safe and stay away, be like the creepy vampires in the movies and live in some secluded house in the woods. Was I really willing to risk this woman's, this stranger's life because I didn't want to be alone?

Yes. Yes I was.

Because I wanted to go back to high school and go to prom and have a boyfriend and do all the normal things I was supposed to do before I died. Before all of it was taken away from me. Maybe this was my second chance to really embrace life, even though I was dead, and live it to its fullest.

I stuck the key in the lock and turned it, throwing open the door to my new home, my new life.
Chapter 6

The house was much smaller than my parents' in Rochelle, but I liked it. It was cozy. Taking a quick walk around to check out the surroundings, I noticed one thing—Sue was clean. Everything was spotless and in its place. But I suppose if you lived alone with no kids and no pets, there'd be no one to mess anything up but you.

I wondered if she liked living alone, and why she did. I lifted up a few framed pictures on a table in the living room. Sue with an elderly couple. I guessed her parents. Sue with a woman who looked just like her, but was a little younger. That must be her sister.

The furniture was plain and clean. The most prominent color in the house was beige, or varying levels of it. I'm sure some were called taupe or khaki. It was all beige to me. The only color was in the pillows on the furniture. Bright, non-matching cushions were neatly places across the surface of the beige couch. So

Maybe Sue was somewhat adventurous, but didn't want to get too carried away. The kitchen was pretty much the same. I glanced in the pantry. It was neatly stocked with low-fat and healthy items. If I still cared about food, I'd end up eating out every night. Blech!

There was a small family room down a few steps from the kitchen, containing a couple of couches, a TV, and a desk with a computer. Back up the steps were three tidy bedrooms, one of which was clearly Sue's. It had pale blue walls and a queen-sized bed with a white coverlet.

The remaining two bedrooms contained small twin beds. One of them was lined with bookshelves. I glanced at the titles as I walked by, dragging my fingers along the book spines. Sue had her own home library, complete with a large selection of romance novels. The curtained window looked out onto the back yard. I liked this room. As long as she didn't mind me sleeping in the same room as her books, I was going to take it. And if she did mind, well, I supposed I could take care of that as well.

Two trips to the car later and I was all moved in. I loaded the fridge with my blood supply and sucked down a bag while I waited for Sue to come home, discreetly hiding the empty in a plastic bag in the closet. I'd have to find a Dumpster to ditch those in later. I made sure the fridge was locked tight and shoved the key in my pocket. I really hoped the compulsion would hold out. I sat on the edge of the bed staring at the four walls. It was so strange being in someone else's house. Here I was, the intruder all over again.

I lay back on the bed and pulled Drake's number out of my pocket. I still had to go get myself a phone. The front door opened and I shot up. I hovered in the doorway, watching the hallway.

"Vicky?" I heard Sue ask from the living room.

"Yes, I'm here." I stepped into the hallway.

"Did you find everything okay? Do you need any help moving things in?" she asked as I made my way down the steps.

"Yes, Aunt Sue, I did. I've already got everything in. Is it okay if I stay in the room with the bookcases?"

"Sure, that's not a problem." She looked at me a little blankly. "Would you like some dinner?

"Um, sure, that sounds nice." I was full, but if it made this insane situation more normal to sit and eat some food I didn't need, so be it. I sniffed the air, picking up key lime pie, mangoes, and broccoli.

Luckily, those were not my favorite foods, so I think I'd have to be starving to even consider having a taste. Okay, was I seriously just thinking about eating my new aunt? I have to remind myself that this situation was too easy to come by and I better not screw it up.

"How about a nice stir-fry?" she asked, throwing open the pantry door.

"Stir-fry would be great! Do you like to cook?" I asked. I had to get to know her a little bit in case people asked me questions.

"I enjoy it, but I wouldn't necessarily say I'm any good at it." She chuckled. "I promise the food won't kill you."

Not much would. Unless she tried to stake me with a head of broccoli. That might do it.

I set the table while I grilled her about family members, names, ages, current locations, drug habits, whatever. I had to know who my troublemakers were going to be. The two siblings, both living out of state on opposite coasts, shouldn't be a problem. She had a bit of an edge to her voice when she mentioned them. It didn't sound like they spent any time here. Something about being too busy with their lives and careers to be concerned about Sue.

They each had a couple of kids, who never came to visit and always forgot to thank Sue for any birthday or Christmas gifts she sent. The only possible obstacle was Sue's parents. She told me they lived one town over and she, being the only child still around, was saddled with the task of being at their beck and call. Lucky for me, they didn't leave the house much, so all I had to do was command Sue not to tell them about me.

After munching through some boring stir-fry that did nothing for my appetite, I cleared the table.

The doorbell rang.

"Hi, Ms. Rendall. My mom asked me to drop off your pan. She said for me to tell you thanks."

That voice was way too familiar.

"Vicky?"

My heart dropped into my stomach. I turned around and found myself looking at Drake, standing in Sue's very doorway. "Um, hi, Drake! How are you?" I stuttered.

"I'm good, just heading out to pick up my check from work. I had no idea Ms. Rendall was your aunt. Small world!"

Sue stood in the doorway. "She's staying with me awhile. I suppose we have to get you signed up for school, right?" She raised her eyebrows at me.

"Yep, Drake was telling me about Bartlett High. Sounds like a nice place. So, uh, Drake, do you live around here?" I asked, not sure I wanted to hear the answer.

"Yeah, just three houses down. How crazy is that?" He shrugged his broad shoulders.

"That is definitely crazy." I tried not to gasp. Three houses away. Too close. Maybe I could be like those vampires from The Lost Boys and float outside his window, and beg him to invite me in. Lucky for me, I didn't need an invite like those other vampires did.

"Where did you two meet?" Sue looked back and forth between us like she was watching a tennis match.

"I met her at work the other day. She came in while she was waiting to move in here." Drake's hand fidgeted with the edge of his pocket.

"Yeah, I owe him a dinner. I'd forgotten my wallet that day and he spotted me the money." I grinned.

"Hey, um, if you're not doing anything, do you want to go with me? I mean, it's not exciting, but if you want to go for a ride." He faltered a little, running his hand through his hair.

Sue waved at us both. "Go on, go hang out, I can clean up the rest."

"Are you sure?" I wasn't confident I could handle being in a car with him. What if his chocolaty goodness overwhelmed my currently under-control cravings? He raised his eyebrows, looking hopeful. How could I say no to that face?

"Sure, let's do it. Let me grab my bag." I ran up the steps, nearly falling flat on my face, and grabbed my purse from the bed. I glanced at the fridge, hoping I had enough in me.

"You've got an awesome car," Drake said, running his finger along the hood. I tried not to giggle at his car. It was not a Mustang. Far from it. It was a tiny little Hyundai. It certainly did not match the driver. He was tall, lean, handsome, striking even. The car was tiny, black, and shaped like a jelly bean. Definitely not a chick magnet.

"Yeah, it's nice. But it does suck down a lot of gas." I climbed into the front seat of the jelly bean.

"This one most certainly does not suck down gas." He laughed as he pulled in his legs and tried to fit in the driver's seat. His head brushed the roof. "My dad calls this the coffin, because if I had an accident, they wouldn't be able to get me out of it, so I'd have to be buried in it."

Buried in it. My eyes widened. I could promise him one thing—the jelly bean was much bigger than a coffin.

"Oh, hey, I'm sorry, I totally forgot about your parents. That was not cool," he said, obviously misunderstanding my silence at his joke.

"Oh, no, no, it's nothing. I was thinking about something else. It's all good." I patted him on the arm in the attempt to make him feel better about it. I looked at him out of the corner of my eye and I wondered if I could ever tell him the truth. Maybe. I'd have a better chance with him than with an adult, I bet. I caught hints of his scent across the car. Chocolate brownies. So far the blood I'd drank earlier seemed to be doing the job because my fangs stayed where they belonged.

"No worries though, I am saving for my own car. I'm hoping to have enough soon." He smiled at me and I melted just slightly.

"What are you going to get?"

"I'm not sure just yet. But something that's not the jelly bean."

I giggled.

"So, I didn't get your last name the other day. What is it? Or are you like Cher and you just go by Drake?"

"No, I do have one. It's Monaghan. It's Irish. My family is all from there."

"Ooo, nice. Ireland always seemed like a cool place to me."

"Oh, it is. Lots of potatoes and lots of rain."

"And how about you? Are you Vicky Rendall?"

"No, actually, I'm Vicky Hernandez. My mom is Sue's sister."

"Oh, that makes sense. Did you get all moved in? I'm guessing the room was ready?" He maneuvered the car through the quiet Bartlett streets. It was only eight in the evening. In that way, it definitely reminded me of Rochelle. After the evening rush, if you could call it that, there was no reason for anyone to be out and about in town. He drove towards Route 59, where the hotel and Lou's was located and traffic did increase a little. This road seemed to connect all the local suburbs, so it had a fair amount of cars on it.

"Yeah, the room is really nice actually. It's got a ton of bookcases, I love it." I smiled in the dark.

"Do you like to read?"

"I enjoy the occasional book. I never had much time for it before." I paused, almost saying before I died. "At my old school, I was involved in a lot of activities or whatever and it kept me pretty busy."

He swung into Lou's parking lot.

"And what were you involved in? Chess club? Math team?" He chuckled.

"Not quite. I was involved in soccer, theater, and student council. We planned all the dances." I thought back to that time like it was a hundred years ago now. I didn't know that girl. Soccer practices after school, decorating the gym for dances. I didn't have any of that anymore. I wasn't sure who I was now.

"Oh, well, I'm a bit of an underachiever compared to that then. I go to school and I work. I play a little guitar, but nothing I would torture anyone with. And on occasion, when I'm in the mood, I can throw down a mean poem." With a quick smile, he opened his car door and I opened mine, meeting him on the sidewalk in front of the pizza place.

"You write poetry?" I stifled a giggle. "I would have never guessed."

"I wouldn't expect you to understand, I'm quite the tortured soul." He teased as we walked in the door. "But if you play your cards right I might just let you read some of it." He raised his eyebrows and tried to make a serious face.

I snorted.

"Hey Becky." He waved at the girl behind the take-out counter. "Got my check?"

A scent hit my nostrils and the hair on the back of my neck instantly stood on end. It was strong, overpowering the scent of pizza and people, a jumbled mix of varying foods that I liked. My brain pushed that aside, focusing only on the one that was out of place. The one that was just like mine.

Becky handed Drake his check and I grabbed his arm.

"Are you ready to go?" He looked concerned, and I wiped my face clean of whatever emotions were plastered all over it.

"Um, yeah," I said. We had to get out of there immediately. "Hey, remember we talked about me getting a cell phone the other day. Do you know anywhere around here that we could get one?"

I dragged him out the door and out to the parking lot.

A tall, dark someone stood next to the car. There were no woods around, meaning no giant stakes to push him through. "Come on, let's go this way," I said, grabbing Drake's arm and leading him around the back of the strip mall.

"Where are we going Vicky? Are you okay?" he asked, dragging his feet a little. This was not a time for slowing down.

"It's nothing, I, uh, I just want to see something."

We rounded the corner into the alley.

"Ah, Vicky, I've found you at last." His voice hissed through the air around us.

I skidded to a stop, a chill vibrating down my spine.

"Whoa, Vicky, do you know that guy?" asked Drake.

"No." I instinctively pushed him behind me. "Go back to the car, Drake."

"What's going on?"

"Yes, Vicky, why don't you tell him?" the vampire asked. My gums vibrated, trying to force my fangs out. Drake could not see this. "Oh, that's right, you don't even know, do you?"

We had no chance of outrunning this guy, if the speed of the last one was any hint. I might alone, but Drake didn't have a shot in hell.

The vampire strolled closer. He wore a black pea coat over dark jeans. His hair was as dark as the first vampire's, but his face was much different. At least, I hoped, they weren't related or anything.

"There's no need to run, I just want to talk to you." His voice and his tense stance betrayed his words.

"I think it's pretty clear she doesn't want to talk to you dude," Drake said from behind me as he struggled against my arms to get around me.

"I think it's pretty clear that you don't have any idea what you're talking about, blood bag," the vampire spat.

"Oh, yeah, that's a good one. Blood bag. Where did you manage to pick up such awesome insults?" He laughed. "Come on Vicky, let's go."

"Your companion irritates me, Vicky. You will come with me. Now. Or maybe your friend won't be walking out of here alive. I could use a snack." He leered at Drake and picked at his front fang.

"Whoa dude, what's with the teeth?" Drake asked, trying to get a closer look.

The vampire made a move. He was so quick I could hardly keep up with him. I grabbed Drake and dragged him with me. He definitely slowed me down, but we were still able to move fast enough to get out of his way.

"How did you do that?" Drake gasped, as I shoved him behind me again. There would be time for explanations later.

"You're much faster than we anticipated," the vampire hissed again.

"Than who anticipated?" I shouted, my heart pounding.

"That's what I'm trying to tell you, if you'd just hold still," he said, eyeing Drake behind me. "Your friend smells delicious." He pause and sniffed the air. "Chocolate brownies, I think."

"What the hell is he talking about, Vicky?" Drake whispered behind me. "We need to get out of here."

"What do you think I'm trying to do here?" I snarled. "Sorry. Just let me figure this out."

"I've had enough of this playing around, Miss Hernandez. Either you come with me now, or I will eat your friend. And I do believe I'll enjoy every last drippity drop."

"Forget it, I'm not going anywhere with you. And if you made me this way, I can promise I've got more than a few problems with you." I stood up a little straighter, my fangs out. At least Drake couldn't see them from behind me.

"My orders were to bring you back in one piece, but I suppose they can always sew things back on." He leapt through the air.

Something in me took over. I ran straight at the spot that I anticipated he would land. I crashed right into his rock-hard body. It slowed me down for a second. Without thinking, I grabbed his hair—a bit of a challenge as he was taller than me—and pulled as hard as I could. A tearing sound punctuated with a loud crack rang through the alley. Warm, foul smelling blood sprayed across my face as his head separated from his neck, my fingers wrapped in his now blood-coated hair. My eyes were glued to the bloodied head that swung from my fingertips. His body collapsed into a pile of dust at my feet, his head took a little longer. It aged rapidly and then the flesh began to rot and fall from the bone. I dropped it in disgust and kicked it. It rolled for a few feet and then collapsed into a second pile of dust.

I closed my eyes, and urged my fangs to return to their resting place. My heartbeat slowed, returning to a more normal state. This was a huge mess. And if this pile-o-dust cost me a friend already, I'd be sure to dump what was left of him in a port-a-potty.
Chapter 7

"Vicky?" Drake's voice quivered a bit. I could hear it echo against the brick wall of the strip mall next to us. "Are you okay?"

I opened one eye, watching him cautiously approach me. The vampire's dust-filled clothing lay at my feet.

"I don't really understand what I just saw there. There was a creepy guy, you made me move so fast everything went blurry, he attacked you, I think you ripped his head off, and now he's lying in a pile, no, make that two piles of dust behind the pizza place I work at."

Tears welled up in my eyes and a lump rose in my throat, forcing the flood gates open.

"I'm so sorry," I sobbed, burying my face in my hands. I realized they were covered in blood, and cried harder.

"It's okay, Vicky. Come on, let's get away from this mess." He gingerly grabbed my arm and led me towards the parking lot, away from the dusty carnage I'd created. "I have to ask you just one question." He paused uncomfortably. The hand that held my arm shook slightly.

I glanced up into his crystal blue eyes, my sobs subsiding.

"You, um, you aren't going to hurt me, are you?" He looked nervously into my eyes. "Because for some really strange reason, I trust you."

I shook my head, shuddering from some remaining sobs.

His body seemed to relax.

"Your eyes are really something. It's like they sparkle. I know that sounds stupid. I thought that the first day I met you, but it seemed like a super corny way to start a conversation."

I laughed through the tears at the ridiculousness of the entire situation. I just got into a fight with and obliterated another vampire, I'm covered in blood, and the boy I think is cute just complimented my eyes.

"I think I need to clean up a little," I said, glancing at my hands.

"Yeah, you're kind of a mess. You're okay, right? He didn't hurt you?" He took my hands, inspecting them, and then touched my chin, looking over my face. "It looks okay, relatively speaking."

He took my arm and led me over to his car and opened the door.

"Why don't you sit down? I'll be right back." He shut the door and headed back into Lou's.

This was so not how I'd seen this going. I was supposed to move into town, undetected, and live a normal life. How was Drake being so calm? If I were him, I'd be freaking out just a little bit. The kid was as cool as a freaking cucumber. I watched him exit Lou's carrying a plastic bag. Maybe he'd just lose it here shortly, he could be in shock or something.

"Here you go," he said, handing me the bag and then sliding into his seat.

I opened it and glanced inside. A pile of napkins and an equally large pile of wet wipes. I pulled out one of the tiny square packets in disbelief.

"What am I supposed to do with this tiny thing?" I asked, glancing at the blood, now dry, on my hands.

"I figured they might ask a few questions if I brought you inside to use the sink in the bathroom. That's our only option at this point. Unless you want me to take you home."

"No."

I tore open the packet and pulled the tiny wet square out and unfolded it. I started scrubbing at my hands. "I have a feeling this is going to take awhile."

He turned the radio on to a local rock station and drove through the streets of Bartlett. I didn't want to say anything to break his deep thinking. He wasn't screaming or trying to get rid of me. He also wasn't running away from me.

I flipped down the visor in front of me and slid open the lighted mirror. My face was something from a horror flick, blood was splattered across it, spots of it even in my hair. I scrubbed with the wet wipes, opening packet after packet, and wiped myself down with the napkins. Aside from the stiff spots of blood in my hair and on my shirt, I cleaned up pretty well.

The car bounced violently as we went over the train tracks in the middle of town. I had no idea where we were going, but I was happy to let him lead the way. A few streets down, he pulled into a gravel strip on the edge of a park. A large white gazebo stood to the right of us, a park with swings and slides for kids right behind it. An old log cabin sat off in the corner. The park was dotted here and there with large maples and evergreens. The lights of the nearby houses framed the park. A few of the houses had Christmas lights outlining roofs and illuminating the trees.

He got out of the car, and I threw my door open and joined him. I walked next to him on the path as he led me to the playground.

"I used to love this place when I was a kid." He plopped onto a swing and I slid into the one next to him.

"It's nice."

A sliver of the moon peeked out from behind a thick cloud. Despite the cool temperature, the air wasn't as chilly as it had been during the day. Not that the cold affected me much, but Drake seemed pretty comfortable. I'd just follow his lead on that.

"So, who was that guy?" He pumped his legs a few times on the swing, rising higher and higher into the air.

"I honestly don't know."

"There's something different about you. Normal people can't...well, they can't do what you did tonight," he said, cautiously avoiding describing what I'd actually done. I was unsure if it was for my sake or his. "Can you tell me about it?"

I hung limp in my swing at his side as he soared higher.

"I could, but I doubt you'd ever believe me." I smiled sourly at the ground.

"After what I saw tonight, I think I might believe whatever you tell me. What's the worst that could happen?"

"Um, let me see, you decide that you hate me, or I disgust you, or something along those lines and then I'm all alone again." I wasn't sure if he could handle this, but deep down, I wanted to tell someone. I had to tell someone. The truth of what I'd become was making me feel like I wanted to explode.

I wanted someone to tell me that everything would be all right, even though I knew it wouldn't, because this could never be all right. I would never be normal or be able to live a normal life again. Not to mention, I had stupid vampires trying to find me and take me somewhere. I wanted to know what they knew about me, but I was terrified at the same time.

The first one must have been trying to collect me as well, which made me feel much better about spiking him on that tree branch. At least I knew I could kill them two ways now: staking and ripping their heads off. Either they'd give up and leave me alone once they realized their messengers weren't returning, or I'd be seeing more of them soon.

Drake skidded to a stop on his swing, gravel flying everywhere. He twisted towards me.

"I want you to tell me. I won't leave you alone. I promise."

I supposed if he couldn't handle it, I could just look him in the eye and convince him none of it had ever happened.

"You want to hear the whole story?" I raised an eyebrow.

"From start to finish, and don't leave anything out."

I sighed.

"Okay, here goes the short version. Five days ago I woke up in a coffin. Judging by the cross on the grave, I had died five days before that. I was chased through the woods by someone, who then ended up getting impaled on a tree branch and turning into a pile of dust. And then I did something horrible."

His eyes were glued to me, his face even more pale in the faint light of the moon. This was it. He was going to hate me in about three seconds. My stomach churned.

"It couldn't possibly be any worse than what happened tonight, could it?" He seemed to be clinging to hope that I couldn't give him.

Tears sprang to my eyes. It was awful enough before when I was the only one who knew about it. But now, now someone else would know the truth. I looked at the ground, kicked at the gravel, and nodded my head.

"What did you do?" he whispered.

"I killed two people."

He was silent. I couldn't even make out the sound of his breath. The swings creaked from the weight of our bodies, but aside from that, the night was silent, as if the life was sucked out of every corner of this park. I listened, trying to pick up the sound of creatures in the trees and got nothing.

"I planned to kill myself afterwards, after I realized that I was..." it was completely ridiculous saying the words aloud to another person, "that I was a vampire."

I looked up at him and saw that he was staring off into the distance, away from me. I'd lost him. I might as well unburden myself of the rest and then make him forget this ever happened. Make him forget I ever happened. Maybe it was best if I left Bartlett and kept going.

"For some reason, I didn't burn when the sun rose, and I was too chicken to run myself through with a tree branch. But I was sure I didn't want to hurt anyone else if I could help it. I stole a car, helped myself to the blood supply at a clinic and drove towards Chicago. I stopped at the hotel and then was checking out the clinic for a refill when I saw Lou's. And then I met you, and, well, you were so nice." My eyes wandered across the thousands of tiny pebbles at my feet, noticing a few glittered in the moonlight.

"You were the first person I'd really talked to, and I realized that if I couldn't be with my parents, I wanted to find a new home. Somewhere I could feel normal and have friends. So I decided to stay here. I met Sue at the library while I was searching for how I died on the Internet. She was so helpful, and I just thought she'd make a great aunt, since I had to come up with one."

"Your parents are still alive?"

"Yep."

"And they don't know that you're still, um, alive?"

"No. How do you have that conversation? Hey Mom and Dad, I know you just buried me and all, but here I am! Except I'm not quite human and, as a double bonus, I like to drink people's blood." I snorted. "Yeah, I could see that working out really well."

He was at least looking at me now.

"Drake, why aren't you freaking out? Shouldn't you be running from me as fast as you can?"

"Honestly? I don't know." His eyes roamed across my face. "When I first met you, I was just drawn to you. You were so pretty, I figured there was no way you'd even give me the time of day. And all of this, it just sounds so insane. I can't for a minute think that you're a killer, even though I saw you rip that dude's head off." He paused and rubbed his face with his hands. "Do you think you'll kill anyone else? Do you want to kill me right now?"

"That's the thing, I didn't want to kill Harold and Mrs. Harold. They were just nice old people trying to help me. They didn't deserve to die. But it was like I couldn't help it. I was ravenously hungry and they smelled like all the best food in the world. I was suddenly starving and couldn't control myself. I didn't realize what I'd done until it was over. After I started drinking the blood bags, it's tolerable. I can totally control it. I have a little fridge in my room at Sue's. I just have to keep it stocked. I'm trying to figure out how much I need to keep me full."

"What do I smell like?"

"Like the richest, most wonderful chocolate you've ever tasted." I tried not to think about it too much. I didn't want any more drama tonight.

"That does sound a little difficult to resist," he said with a sly smile.

I met his eyes for a moment and shifted my gaze to the moon.

"You do have a choice, you know," I said.

"And what choice might that be?"

"I can make you forget all this, forget everything you've seen, everything I've told you." I reached out and my fingers grazed his jacket. "I can even make you forget me, if you like. It will be like none of this ever happened and you can go back to normal, where vampires don't hang out in Bartlett. You just have to say so."

He reached across the void between us and grabbed my hand. My skin tingled where we touched. His hand was soft and warm.

"I would never want to forget you. And besides, this is the coolest thing that has ever happened in this boring little town. Why would I ever want to forget it?"

I laughed and slapped him on the arm with my free hand.

"But I don't think the regular citizens of Bartlett will want to know about this, so it's up to us to keep your little secret."

"You seriously think it's cool?" I stared at him in disbelief.

"So I'm a little twisted. I blame video games and horror movies. As long as you're not a zombie, I'm good. I don't think I'd want to hang out if you ate brains. But vampires are hot."

He pulled out his cell phone, the light bright in the darkness. "It's getting late, I better get home or my parents will be pissed." He let go of my hand and got up from the swing.

I wanted to grab his hand as we walked back to the car, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. I didn't want to seem too clingy.

"So, school tomorrow?" he asked as we buckled our seat belts.

"Yeah, Sue said she'd take me over there."

"Are you going to be able to handle all those people?" He glanced over at me.

"I sure hope so. I'll have to fill up tomorrow before I leave the house. And if I have to leave school, I'll just go. Getting out of the building will not be a problem," I said with a wink.

"So you said you could make me forget. How do you do that?" He turned the car around and headed back through town.

"It's my eyes, they were never like this before. All I have to do is look into your eyes and tell you whatever I want you to know or think." I observed the small downtown as we bumped over the railroad tracks again.

"You haven't done it to me, have you?"

"Nope, you're the only human that I've met that I haven't done it to. Unless you count the hostess at Lou's."

"Why didn't you?"

"I don't know. For some reason I didn't want to. Maybe deep down I knew you'd somehow understand me. Oh god!" I gasped as Drake's chocolaty scent rushed into my nostrils. No. This was not supposed to happen.

"What's wrong?" His eyes darted sideways.

"Get me home as fast as you can, and don't get too close," I whimpered and threw my hands over my mouth. It was watering like Niagara Falls in there, and my fangs slid into place. I kept my eyes focused out the window. I would not feed on him, I don't care how much he smelled like a fine box of chocolates, the ones with all the yummy fillings...no. I stopped my thoughts, trying to count the trees.

"No worries, Vicky. I take it you need a drink?"

I nodded.

"Hold on."

I slammed back in the seat as he mashed the gas pedal, urging the jelly bean forward as fast as it would go. We sped through the neighborhoods and I was focused only on getting to Sue's and getting to that fridge. I hoped I didn't run into her on the way in the house.

I tried to focus my brain on anything other than what it was screaming for—delightful tastes of chocolate. My whole body ached. He pulled into Sue's driveway and like a rocket I was out of the car and standing at Sue's front door. I bent over, taking deep breaths of the cool night air, letting it fill my lungs. My fangs retreated back into my gums.

That was close. Too close. I did not want to hurt Drake or anybody else. Maybe I needed to make sure I had a cooler in the car for a lunch break tomorrow. A meltdown like this in a crowd of hundreds would be disastrous. He backed out of the driveway, waving from the safety of the car. I hoped he could handle the reality. I guessed I'd find out tomorrow, if he actually talked to me again.

I opened the front door and noticed the television was on in the family room. I raced upstairs to my room and shut my door. My hand shook as I unlocked the fridge and grabbed a bag of blood. I slurped the first and then a second. It splashed down my throat with a cacophony of exotic flavors: chicken enchiladas, spicy salsa, a pungent curry. They weren't my favorites, but my body seemed satisfied. My fangs, which had arrived again at the smell of blood, retreated.

I slumped against the wall and buried my face in my hands. I wondered what Drake was thinking. I wished I had gotten a cell phone tonight so I could text him. I'd have to go tomorrow and get one.

I stripped off the blood stained shirt and jacket I had on and shoved them in a plastic bag in the back of the closet. I'd have to make another trip to American Eagle to replace those. After throwing on some sweats and a tee shirt, I headed downstairs to say goodnight to Sue. To Aunt Sue.

"Hey Aunt Sue, I wanted to say goodnight and thanks for letting me stay with you."

"Oh, there you are, I didn't hear you come in. Did you have a nice time with Drake?" She looked up from the TV where a pop-star hopeful screeched on stage.

"Yeah, he's really nice." And more understanding than anyone I'd ever met. Not that I could share that information.

"School tomorrow, right? I'll drive separately so I can go to work after we get you set up. Are you nervous?"

"Yeah." For so many reasons. Would Drake be upset about the ride home? Would I want to eat my classmates because they smelled excruciatingly delicious? Would my vampire stalkers try to kidnap me again?

"Don't worry, you'll be fine. I'm sure everyone will love you," Sue said.

If only she knew.
Chapter 8

I was up well before Sue knocked on my door. I drank four bags of blood before I stopped in the kitchen to eat some unexciting Cheerios. They tasted nothing like the blood. It had so much more flavor, on so many levels—regular food just could not compare.

As I drove to Bartlett High School, following Sue, I tried not to think about Drake's willingness to accept my truth last night. It felt so good to tell him but I didn't want to get too excited. His thoughts may have changed after a night of sleep. I rubbed my temple with my free hand.

Before getting out of the car, I double-checked my cooler, making sure it was not sitting in the sun. I'd be in big trouble if I had to run out to the car for an emergency only to find that my blood had gone bad.

The large brick and stone building overlooked a nature preserve, which at the moment was filled with nothing but bare trees, waving their bony arms in the bitter breeze that stung my face. Students filed in around us, paying no attention to the vampire walking among them with her human aunt. After a few mesmerizing looks to a few of the secretaries, I was officially a Bartlett High School senior.

Sue and I said a quick goodbye, with a promise to see each other at home for dinner and I wandered into the throng, in the direction the secretary had said I would find my first class. I was happy to note that the scent of food, er, blood, was pretty minimal. I could detect it, but it was in no way overwhelming my senses like I knew it could.

"Vicky." A voice shouted from behind me. His voice. So he didn't hate me after all. I smiled and turned around, heading towards the wall of lockers so he could catch up.

"Good morning! And welcome to Bartlett High School." Drake waved his arms with a flourish. Jeans, fitted gray sweater that brought out the blue of his eyes, hair perfectly coiffed. Nice.

"So, is it everything you dreamed of?" He chuckled as I joined him, walking by his side.

Yes indeed.

"What, the school? Yeah, it'll do." I handed him my schedule. "So where am I supposed to go?"

"With me. Looks like we have English together first. Come on, this way." He wove through another hallway. They all looked the same. It was going to take me forever to figure this place out.

"Feeling better today?" he asked and threw me a sideways glance as we steered around a large group of students.

"Much better. Hey, I'm really sorry about last night. Are we cool?" I sported a puppy-dog-pout face, lips stuck out, eyes wide.

"Don't flash those sparklers at me. Jeez, they're really bright in these lights."

I pouted some more, looking down at the floor.

He tapped my shoulder. "I'm just kidding. We're fine. But seriously, you might want to consider wearing sunglasses or something, because everyone is going to notice."

I frowned, frustrated. "Right, like I'm going to be able to get through school everyday wearing sunglasses. I think that'll draw more attention than my eyes."

"You're the boss." He raised his hands in surrender. "Here we are."

He led me through the door and towards a short woman with dark hair at the front of the room.

"Hey, Mrs. Evon, This is Vicky, she's new here."

She turned from the computer to face us. She was young, early thirties maybe, and dressed in black pants and a shiny silver top.

"Welcome to Senior English, Vicky." She reached out to shake my hand.

I hesitated a moment, then grabbed it, giving it a generous shake. "Thanks."

"Why don't you have a seat behind Drake?" She pointed to the back of the class. "We're reading Bram Stoker's Dracula. Here's an extra copy for you. Have you read it before?"

My hand trembled as I reached for the book. Seriously?

"Nope. Thanks."

I hustled to the back of the room and dropped the book on the desk like it was on fire.

"You could have mentioned you guys were reading this," I hissed in his ear.

He tossed a mischievous smile over his shoulder. "I thought you might appreciate it!"

Mrs. Evon shushed the class and began the day's lesson. I tuned her out, my eyes roaming through the classroom. Cinderblock walls were covered with lame inspirational posters. I tried not to snort when I read some of them. Success means always trying your best! A good book is a good friend. So lame.

Scents drifted off of each student, flowing to the back of the room where I sat. Pork chops, fajitas, peanut butter milkshakes, watermelon, apple pie, chicken and dumplings.

I pulled my head out of the fragrance, not wanting to get too caught up in the smell. It was only first hour. I couldn't be running for my reserves just yet.

Mrs. Evon struggled to keep everyone's attention when the clock neared the end of the period. Students gathered their books as she shouted over the din. "Be sure to read through page 105 for tomorrow. I'll be checking your text marking!"

A petite blond in a hot-pink top and dark jeans threw a piece of paper onto Drake's desk. I didn't even have to read it to know what she was thinking. The sly look in her eye was easy to see from across the room.

My heart sank just a little. I'd only known Drake for a few days, but it felt like forever. He was the only one who really knew me at all in this town, in this country, hell, in this entire universe. But he did have a life before a few days ago. It was dumb of me not think that maybe he had someone else, or at least some admirers. What if he got sick of me and my issues? Then I'd really be alone.

"Ooo, got a note, did you?" I purred as we headed to the door. "Who from?"

"Oh, that's just Morgan. Trust me, this isn't the first note she's given me." He laughed and waved it at me. He pulled it open and glanced at it before handing it to me.

Drake,

What's up? Just wanted to see if you'd like to go to Starbucks after school and grab a coffee. I could totally use some help understanding this Dracula book. Call me! 630-555-2734

Morgan

Ugh. I really hoped I had never written anything so dull and desperate when I was alive.

"Not jealous, are you?" He leaned towards me, linked his arm through mine and pulled me close.

"Do I need to be?" I asked, tilting my face towards his and batting my eyelashes.

He searched my eyes for a moment.

"Not in a million years."

*

The rest of the morning passed uneventfully. I'd managed not to eat Drake or anyone else, although I seriously considered sucking a few teachers dry just to spare everyone from the boredom. School seemed so much more exciting when I was alive. I wasn't quite getting the same feeling now. Maybe I was trying too hard to recreate something that had died with me and was still buried in that coffin in Rochelle.

At lunch, I caught Drake's eye and gave him a knowing nod as I headed for the door. Time for a little snack. Then maybe I could come back in and munch on something for show.

The hall monitor guarding the door stopped me.

"Whoa there, I'm going to need to see a pass." The man, easily seventy years old, held up a hand. He wore the most hideous sweater I'd ever seen.

I gazed into his eyes.

"I have my pass right here, you just saw it."

"I saw your pass," he murmured. "Uh, alright, goodbye young lady."

"I'll be right back," I said. I shoved the heavy door open and was slapped in the face by a cold wind. I wove through the cars in the parking lot, finding the Mustang where I'd left it, all the way at the back, under a tree. Hopefully no one would see me having lunch here. Students weren't allowed to leave campus for lunch like they were at my old school. That should make it a little easier.

I slid into the front seat, put my key in the ignition, and turned up the volume on the radio. I pulled the cooler from the floor and put it on the passenger seat and drained two bags of blood, throwing the empties back into the cooler. There were still two bags left in case I needed them for an after school snack.

I turned off the radio and climbed out of the car. The wind whipped my hair around me, and I pulled at the strands, trying to get them to behave so I could see.

"Excuse me young lady," I heard a voice say before I could find the source. A short, plump woman in a poofy down coat waddled up beside me. Her hood was pulled tight around her round face.

"Yes?" I turned to her, hoping she hadn't seen what I was doing in the car.

"That your car over there?" She pointed to the Mustang.

"Yes ma'am." I nodded, trying to keep an innocent look on my face.

"It looked like you were drinking something in there. You got a cooler on the floor, I saw. Why don't we go over and take a look at it, or do I need to call the school police liaison officer?" She waved a school walkie-talkie/cell phone at me with a mittened hand. "I'm going to need to smell your breath."

"Fine," I said and walked closer. Ew, I so didn't want to blow my blood-breath in this lady's face. She honestly thought I was drinking alcohol. I stepped forward and bent down so my mouth was near her nose. I exhaled, confident she would be disappointed and then leave me alone.

"Well, it doesn't smell like alcohol, but you could've taken some drugs, so I'm just going to need you to open that car for me," she said.

I was really getting tired of having to do this all the time, even though it was much more convenient. I'd have to come up with a better way to have a snack than this. It was too annoying.

I leaned in towards her, my eyes piercing her beady brown ones. Her pupils dilated instantly.

"We just had a pleasant conversation and I am now going back in the building. You didn't suspect me of anything. Now run off and have a nice day," I said with a sigh. She nodded and turned on her foot, dutifully marching off through the sea of cars. Disaster averted again.

I picked my way carefully through the parking lot, making sure there were no other monitor-types assessing my every move. I sensed a temperature change as I entered the building and joined the noisy throng of students in the crowded lunchroom. Their scents were much less noticeable. After filling up with a snack, it was easy to ignore the different flavors. Drake waved from across the room and I wove through the tables to where he sat with a group of friends.

"Care to join us? Or do you have somewhere cooler to sit?" He joked and patted a plastic stool next to him.

"Where would be cooler than this?" I beamed and plopped down, setting my purse on the table. For good measure, and to make sure people saw me eat something, I grabbed a fry off his plate and shoved it in my mouth. It didn't taste great, but I didn't expect much more from school cafeteria food. My eyes traveled over the four students seated at Drake's end of the table. It was obvious from the way the students at the other end of the table were sitting that they weren't part of the group. They seemed totally engrossed in their own conversation and hadn't even looked up when I sat down.

At our end of the table sat two girls and two boys.

"Aren't you going to introduce us?" asked a blond boy across from me.

"Oh yeah, sorry!" Drake gestured to each person. "This is Monty, AKA John Montgomery."

Monty nodded and gave a slight bow. His long, blond hair was gathered in a ponytail and he sported a Grateful Dead shirt. He had accessorized with a worn hemp necklace that I was pretty sure he never removed, and a pair of tiny hoop earrings.

"This is Callie, and this is Lauryn," he said, pointing at each of the two girls. Callie was clearly athletic, her tight clothes showed off her muscles. She was cute but strong,it was written across her face. Her blond hair was swept up in a tight knot, with a headband circling it. Lauryn was petite in comparison. Her strawberry-blond curls cascaded around her face. A sprinkling of freckles graced her nose, which brought out the gray of her eyes. She was dressed more conservatively, with a black cardigan over a light blue shirt.

"And last, but not least, this is Ernie."

I shook hands with everyone around the table. Ernie was a little smaller than Drake and Monty, and dressed pretty similar to Drake, in a fitted navy blue polo and jeans.

"It's nice to meet you," I said as their eager eyes combed over me, assessing every detail.

"You have lovely eyes," said Lauryn with a smile. The others nodded in agreement.

"So, Drake was telling us that you just moved here," Callie said, waving a French fry.

"Yeah, I just moved in with my aunt in Bartlett." I shrugged. "I'm hoping to stay the whole year." I glanced at Drake and smiled.

"That's cool. We'll make sure you have a good time here," Monty said around a mouthful of turkey sandwich.

"What are you guys up to tonight? Up for some ice cream?" Drake took a bite of another fry.

"Yeah, I could do that," Ernie responded as Monty and Lauryn nodded in agreement.

"I'm out unless we can go after six. I've got basketball practice," Callie said them.

"Cool, so we'll swing by and pick you guys up around seven."

"Are we all going to fit in the jelly bean?" I stifled a laugh.

"Oh, that'll be kinda tight." Drake nodded. "Don't get too excited, but I might just be able to talk my mom into letting me borrow the minivan."

"Hells yeah. Shaggin' wagon!" Monty snapped his fingers and pumped a fist.

"Just make sure you've had your dinner first." Drake threw me a knowing smile accompanied with a ridiculous wink.

This is what I had wanted. A normal life, date with new friends for ice cream, hanging in the shaggin' wagon. I just hoped we didn't have any uninvited fangy guests.
Chapter 9

Drake managed to help me find me a cell phone after school. He took me to Wal-Mart to pick up one of those pay-as-you-go phones. No records for my vampire friends to find. Besides, it wasn't necessarily easy to get a cell phone contract when you're dead, or rather, dead-ish.

"Hey, have you thought about your parents at all?" Drake asked as he swung the car into Aunt Sue's driveway.

My heart sunk in my chest and pain I had ignored for the last couple of days bubbled up.

"To be honest, with all the commotion I'd kind of put them at the back of my mind. Why?" I fiddled with the shiny new cell phone in my hand.

"I'm just thinking, that since I'm able to handle your situation, that maybe they'd be okay with it." He smiled hopefully.

"Yeah, but here's the difference—you never thought I died. I met you like this, and this is the only way you know me. But they think I'm dead. They have to be trying to move on with their lives, you know?" I tried to fight back the tears that were welling up behind my lashes.

"They're never going to get over you, Vicky. Don't you think they'd just be happy to have you back? No matter what?" He turned towards me and put his hand on my arm.

I stared at the dashboard. My heart ached and the pain radiated through my body. I found myself unable to speak and grabbed onto the door handle to attempt to steady myself.

"I'm sorry, Vick. I didn't mean to upset you, I just want you to think about the possibility," he said quietly, rubbing my arm.

"It's okay," I managed. "I just don't know what to do about it right now. There are so many things I still have to figure out."

*

The house was empty. The silence pressed against me. Sue would be out for the evening, and I had a few hours until the ice cream date. I trudged upstairs, then threw my school bag on the bed. I collapsed on the floor in front of the fridge. My salvation. My curse.

I didn't want to open that door. But then again I did. I wanted it so badly. My mouth watered at the thought, remembering now that lunch was quite a while ago. The fangs slid down into my mouth. I tried to turn away, but my body wouldn't let me. I just wanted to go back a week in time, well, maybe two. Back to my cozy house and my parents and my annoying little brother.

I ran my hand down the front of the fridge and pulled the tiny key from my pocket. There was no avoiding it. I unlocked it and swung the fridge open. Only two bags left. I picked one up, feeling the thick red liquid slosh around in the bag inside my hand. It was heavy. This was life that I was holding. I was taking the opportunity of life from someone else, someone who possibly needed it to survive. But it was better than the alternative—taking it from the source. Besides, I needed it to survive as well. And drinking this, well, it was definitely saving lives.

I sat on the bed and folded my legs. I plugged in the hose-like valve that would attach to a person's I.V. And I sipped the blood bag empty, just like it was a juice box full of fruit punch. My cells rejoiced as the blood shot down my throat. I almost didn't want to taste it. I didn't want to enjoy it. This was wrong. I was wrong. A mutant created to destroy life. And yet, I had no idea who destroyed my life to create me. I leaned against the wall as I drained the second bag, deciding that it did no good to hate myself. I didn't choose this. But when I found the person, the being, the monster that did, they would pay.

*

After a quick trip to the clinic, I restocked the fridge before Drake arrived. I bounced down the stairs when the car horn honked in the driveway. I gave one last glance to the note I left Sue on the kitchen table.

"Hiya, Vicky," Drake said. He pushed the passenger door open for me. The minivan was not much cooler than the jelly bean car, but at least it would fit all of us. It was black as well, with dark, tinted windows. I slid into the front seat and Drake dramatically held up a finger.

"Wait for it..."

With his other hand he hit a button and rope lights activated around the ceiling of the van, casting a soft glow through the passenger area.

"Nice, right? My dad insisted on the mood lighting. Mom hates it, but everyone else thinks it straight up p-i-m-p!"

"That it is." I giggled, taking in the pimp-osity. "There isn't a naked girl painted on the side that I missed or anything, is there?"

"No, my dad is an accountant, so lights in the minivan are about as pimp as he can handle before his logical brain explodes." He backed out of the driveway and wound through the neighborhood. Every ten streets or so, the houses changed. As we moved away from our neighborhood, the houses became newer and bigger. We pulled into the driveway of a tidy two-story with a large front porch.

Two figures burst out the front door and ran to the minivan. Monty and Lauryn piled into the back seat.

"Hey guys," said Lauryn cheerily as she slammed the door shut. "What's going on?"

"Nothing new since school earlier. Oh, Vicky got a new cell phone." Drake pulled the minivan back onto the street.

"Oh, you'll have to give us your number, Vicky." Lauryn tapped my shoulder.

"I saved plenty of room for ice cream tonight." Monty patted his stomach.

"Kitchen Sink?" Drake threw a glance back at Monty as he pulled down another dark street, where the houses looked similar to the one we'd just stopped at, either Monty's or Lauryn's. I'd have to ask later.

"Aw, yeah baby," hooted Monty.

"What is a Kitchen Sink?" I turned around in my seat, looking back at Lauryn and Monty.

"Oh, you'll see." Monty's grin shined in the mood lights. "The Kitchen Sink cannot be explained, it can only be experienced!"

"Oh it's just a big pile of ice cream," Lauryn said. "They give you a bumper sticker if you can eat a whole one yourself. It's gross."

"I have five bumper stickers," Monty said proudly.

"I bet I could eat one," I said, thinking that if I could eat food without reaction and without feeling full, that maybe I could put away a mountain of ice cream. As far as I could remember, I'd never heard anything about vampires getting fat, even after sucking hundreds of people dry.

Drake pulled into another driveway, the house ablaze with lights

"No way." Monty laughed. "There is no way all that ice cream would fit into a tiny girl like you."

The door slid open again and Callie and Ernie climbed in.

"Hey guys, thanks for picking us up." Callie squeezed between Lauryn and Monty and slid into the back seat, Ernie right behind.

"Vicky thinks she can eat a Kitchen Sink." Monty turned in his seat, looking at the new arrivals.

"This I gotta see," said Callie. Drake swung the car back onto the street and made his way through town.

I reveled in their laughter, not wanting to miss a thing. I missed this too. I used to do the same thing with my friends in Rochelle—hang out, drive around town, go out for ice cream. Just be together. I couldn't have that with my old friends ever again. I glanced out the window, willing my eyes to suck up the tears that had snuck in there.

Drake gave me a sideways glance but said nothing. He pulled into the parking lot, a lighted sign indicating that we were arriving at Colonial, Home of the Kitchen Sink. They climbed out of the car and walked toward the entrance. Drake and I straggled behind.

"You okay?" he whispered, though the others probably wouldn't have heard over Monty's loud laughter. He nudged me and I moved closer, feeling his arm slide around my waist and pull me closer.

"I'm okay. Just thinking about things used to be with my own friends. I miss that." My shoulders shuddered as the emotions I struggled with attempted to overwhelm me.

"Aw, it's okay," he said looking down into my face.

I studied his eyes for a moment, wanting to lose myself in those cool blue pools.

"Are you guys coming? I've been holding this door forever." Monty stood in the entry, door held wide.

"Yeah man, come on, it's Sink time!" Drake skipped towards the door, and dragged me with him. I couldn't help but smile.

Twenty minutes later, giant ice cream dishes shaped like kitchen sinks, complete with faucets, sat in front of Monty and me. Drake, Lauryn, Ernie, and Callie were poised to dig into their much smaller ice cream dishes.

"My money is on Vicky." Ernie pointed at me with his spoon.

"Dude, I've already eaten five of these, in case you don't remember," Monty said.

"She's new, I'm just being nice," Ernie said in a mock-stage whisper.

"Oh, okay!" He cheered instantly. "Ready Vick? Let's do this!"

He tossed me a big grin, hoisted his spoon and dug in. We all did the same. Hints of chocolate fudge, rocky road, and cookies and cream slid over my tongue. Six giant scoops of ice cream, topped with hot fudge and a pile of whipped cream, nuts, and a cherry on top. Bite after bite, I matched Monty. The others cleared their sundaes and picked teams. Drake and Lauryn cheered me on, while Ernie and Callie jumped next to Monty.

"Come on girl, you can do it." Lauryn slapped my shoulder. I shoveled down the last few bites, well ahead of Monty.

Monty's arm moved much slower, with one scoop to go. "I so shouldn't have eaten a whole pizza for dinner." He groaned and patted his stomach.

"I thought you said that you'd saved room." Drake laughed.

"Dude, I did. I only ate one pizza, not one and a half like I normally do." He set down the spoon. "I need to rest for a minute. I might be able to finish it up in a few."

"I think we have a new winner." Callie reached across the table and raised my hand. "Vicky has conquered the Kitchen Sink. The first girl in our group to do so." Our little group cheered and Monty let out a moan in an attempt to join in.

"That was impressive, I will admit." Monty reached a hand across the table and shook mine. "You're a worthy opponent, Vicky."

Monty managed to shovel down the rest of his ice cream.

Lauryn spoke up. "Dang, it's already eight forty-five. I told my mom I'd be home by nine because I still have English homework to finish." She glanced at her phone.

After paying our bill at the cashier, we dashed out to the minivan and piled in. I ended up in the back next to Ernie, who proceeded to sing every song on the radio, no matter what it was, and added dance moves to his performance. Monty looked half asleep in the front seat next to Drake, and the girls discussed what movie they planned to see this weekend. Ernie enthusiastically performed a number by a female artist known for wearing meat for clothes.

Drake swung the minivan through the Bartlett neighborhoods, depositing everyone off at home. I climbed up into the front seat after Monty and Lauryn hopped out. They waved and they sprinted across the yard.

"So?" Drake said, an eyebrow raised.

"That was really fun. Your friends are cool." I smiled and leaned back in the seat.

"I think it's safe to say they're your friends too." He pulled out of the driveway and headed back towards Cedar Lane.

"You think?" I glanced at him, wondering if he would put his arm around me again. I took a deep breath, his chocolaty scent wafting by my nostrils. It was sweet and pleasant instead of overwhelming. I was in complete control.

"I think your Kitchen Sink performance won them over. Few can go head-to-head with Monty. And who knew you could eat that much?"

"Yeah, I had no idea. I didn't get the feeling I was full or anything. I could've kept going."

"Okay, so tomorrow we're going to start compiling a list of all the stuff you can do. Eat like a bottomless pit will go on there. That is so hot!" He laughed.

"Now watch, unlike other vampires, I'll gain five pounds just from the Sink."

Drake pulled into Sue's driveway.

"I guess this is my stop." I grabbed the door handle, and decided a hug wouldn't hurt. I reached across the gap between the front seats and threw both arms around Drake's neck. I caught a whiff of his cologne, but his chocolate-scent was SO much better. I was kind of glad I was the only girl at school that could pick up on it. His arms slid around my waist and he pulled me closer. A shot of electricity danced down my spine.

"Thanks for taking me. Thanks for, well, for everything," I whispered, my head over his shoulder. "I don't know how I would have gotten through this on my own." I leaned back. His eyes were dark blue in the faint light of the minivan's mood lights.

His hand rose to my face and brushed my hair back, leaving a trail of tingles in its wake. His mouth moved as if to say something, but no words came out. His face moved closer. His lips finally came to rest squarely on mine. After a tiny initial shock, my hesitation disintegrated and I sunk into his kiss, taking in the softness, the urgency, the utterly perfect taste of chocolate.

Something in the back of my mind flickered a warning sign, but I pushed it away. This was too good to stop and think about. His scent overwhelmed me. Every brush of his hands along my body or press of his lips on mine released another shot of his chocolaty wonderment. It filled my nostrils, my brain turning fuzzy. I could feel the hunger start in the pit of my stomach, rising along with the passion and flooding through my veins.

His tongue glided along my teeth and suddenly he pulled back.

"Your teeth," he whispered breathlessly.

I felt with my own tongue, which drew back from the fangs that had slid into place. I hadn't even noticed this time. My brain was still in a fog and all I could focus on was his neck.

"I just want a taste," I breathed.

"Take it." His voice drifted through my mind.

That sounded wrong. Neither of the other humans had given it willingly.

"But what if I can't stop?" I said as I brushed the collar of his coat aside. My mind may have had questions, but my body seemed pretty sure it only wanted one thing from Drake.

"You will. I trust you." He looked into my eyes and pressed his lips to mine for a moment and then leaned back and exposed his neck to me.

My hands slid up his chest and snaked around his neck. I pulled myself into his lap and nuzzled him, my nose running along the artery that danced under his skin. He shivered and pulled me closer.

I had to have some control. I couldn't go ripping his throat out. I wanted to be able to do this again and again. My body shook as my fangs slid gently into his throat, anticipating what was to come. Drake's body stiffened at the first prick of the fangs, but then relaxed as he let out a moan.

The most glorious flavors I'd ever tasted in my entire life, or afterlife, or just ever danced down my throat. My mind wandered, thinking of giant chocolate cakes, rich, creamy chocolates wrapped in golden boxes, thick chocolate fudge. I could never ever get enough of this. I could feel him start to relax too much and go limp under me. It startled me from my delicious thoughts and I pulled back, licking a few stray drops that oozed from his small wound. His head lolled to the side and the fog instantly cleared.

Oh god, had I killed him?

"Drake, oh my god, Drake! Can you hear me?" I said, having fully returned to my senses. My hands raised his head up.

"What is it, are you okay?" I shouted, wanting him to just say something, anything.

"I'm feeling a little woozy," he murmured, his voice weak.

"Oh god, see! I told you I might not be able to stop!" Tears sprang to my eyes. I slid into the passenger seat and pulled his tall body into my lap. I had to do something. I had to make him feel better. I thought back to my first day, how shredded arms had healed so quickly, and after I cut myself with the razor, it left no marks after only moments. Maybe my blood could do the same for him, or at least I could return some of the blood I took from him.

"Hold on Drake," I said, looking around for something within reach that was sharp before realizing my fangs were still out. I pulled my sleeve back and bit into my own wrist, tearing the flesh so that the blood ran freely. I held it over his mouth. He choked at first, but I pressed my wrist down on his lips.

"Just drink it, it might help." I stroked his hair with my free hand. The feeling of his lips on my wrist was electric. My skin tingled and I nearly moaned aloud. After a few moments his body beneath me felt heavier, stronger. His lips released my wrist.

"Wow, now that's more like it."

My body rejoiced as I heard the strength in his voice. He was okay.

I wiped the tears from my eyes as he sat up, returning to his seat.

"See, I knew you would stop." He brushed his fingers along his neck. The holes had completely healed, leaving a few spots of dried blood behind.

"But I almost killed you," I said, tears running fresh and hot down my cheeks.

"Don't cry Vicky, look—I'm totally fine." He gestured to his body. He leaned towards me again and pulled me into his arms. "I'm better than fine. I feel stronger than I have in my whole life! I guess we'll have to add the healing quality of your blood to that list tomorrow as well."

"What did it feel like? When I bit you, I mean," I whispered.

He searched my eyes. "First there was a little prick, like a needle or something, but then, god, I can barely explain it. It was like everything that could feel good, feel awesome, did. I didn't even think about what you were doing because it just felt so amazing, I didn't want to stop it. What was it like for you?"

"Your blood was the most delicious thing I have ever tasted, ever. You taste like the best chocolate that was ever made." I looked out the window, avoiding his gaze.

"I can understand why it was hard to stop." He chuckled and kissed me on the cheek. "I didn't realize I was so tasty!"

"What did my blood taste like?" I asked, inspecting my wrist over his shoulder. The skin had fused back together and all that remained was an ugly, jagged white scar that was slowly fading.

"Like blood, I guess. Definitely not like chocolate. But it was almost like drinking vodka. Once it started to seep into my body, I could feel it burning through my veins and warming me up. And then it was like a shot of the strongest espresso, pulling me out of the fog that my brain had fallen into."

We were nose to nose again, staring into each other's eyes. I noticed his had a little more sparkle than I remembered.

"That was by far the hottest make-out session I've ever had." He breathed into my ear, tickling it.

"Despite the fact that I almost killed you?" I asked.

"That only makes it hotter in my book." A few stray drops of dried blood lingered on his lips.

"You've got some blood here." I brushed my thumb along his bottom lip.

"So do you," he said and did the same. He pulled me to him again and crushed his lips against mine. The hunger didn't rise in me like it had before. This time the only hunger I had was for him and not his blood.

"I guess I should get home. It is a school night." He pulled back an inch, but didn't release me from his arms.

"I don't want you to go," I whispered.

"I don't either, but you know, we could do this every night if you wanted." He raised his eyebrows.

"You might just end up dead, or a vampire if we're not careful." I giggled.

"Dead might be a problem, but I could live with being a vampire, if it meant being with you." He smiled and planted a kiss on my nose. "Could you do me a huge favor?"

"Anything."

"Could you open the glove box and hand me the Wet Wipes in there? Bob and Judy might have an awful lot of questions if I come home from Colonial covered in dried blood."

I laughed and let him go and turned to the glove box.

"Good point." I handed him the Wet Wipes after taking one for myself and mopped up my wrist and face. No need to cause Sue any concern.

"See you tomorrow, then?" Drake leaned close for one final kiss.

"Of course." I let myself out of the car and floated to the front door.

That was just, wow. My mind raced with images of Drake. This had gone so fast. We'd only known each other a week, but it felt like forever. And after tonight, there was no turning back. He was the only one that truly knew me, knew everything about me, and wanted to be with me anyway. I could only imagine that this is what love at first sight had to feel like. I warmed just thinking about him. Anyone else would think I was a complete idiot. How could I know I loved him already? I don't know how, but I did. And I was pretty sure he felt the same.

Chapter 10

I caught sight of Drake in the hallway the next morning and I couldn't tear my eyes away. I sighed. His face was gorgeous, his dark hair hanging over his eyes, and his blue eyes burning bright. Is it possible he looked more handsome this morning?

"Good morning, sunshine," Drake said. He walked up, sliding his arm around my shoulders. His smile nearly blinded me. The other girls nearby turned to look at the both of us and whispered to each other.

"How are you feeling today?" I glanced up at him.

"Like a million bucks! So, the bad news is, I've got to work tonight. But if you want to come in at the end of my shift, we could have some pizza and start making our little list." He wiggled his eyebrows up and down.

"Ew, don't do that!" I laughed, slapping him in the stomach. He gasped and doubled over.

"God, you hit hard." He gasped for air.

"Sorry, I forgot." I giggled.

"Number one on the list...super strength." He rubbed his stomach.

We headed down the hall to Mrs. Evon's English class. I'd managed to read the required chapters of Dracula the night before, which I rather enjoyed while sipping a few bags of blood. If only Mrs. Evon knew. I almost chuckled to myself just thinking about it.

I joined Drake at his lunch table after sneaking out for a quick snack in my car. I made sure to keep an eye out today and was happily unmolested by the parking lot monitor.

"How's the iron stomach holding up today?" Monty asked as I sat down at the table next to Drake. Drake's arm slid around my waist. Lauryn's and Callie's eyes registered it and they glanced at each other.

"Just fine!" I replied with a smile. "How about yours?"

"Oh, it's all good. I'm totally ready for a rematch whenever you want." He patted his stomach.

"A rematch? Sure, why not. But you'll have to wait until next month. I don't want to start putting on the pounds just to beat you at downing the Kitchen Sink." I laughed and patted my own stomach. I winked at Drake.

"So, what are you guys up to this weekend? Did you hear Morgan is having a big party?" Ernie asked, arriving to the table with a heaping tray. Callie, Monty, Drake, and Lauryn each fished something off of it. Drake offered her half of a snack cake.

"No, I'm good." I waved it away. "Still full from yesterday. So what, Ernie buys everything and you guys eat it all?"

"Naw, we take turns. Then we don't all have to wait forever in the lunch line. We like to think we're being efficient." Drake took a bite of his snack cake. "It's my turn on Monday."

My own stomach flipped a little. Stupid food. I never actually had to use the bathroom unless I ate or drank human food.

"I'll be right back," I said, excusing myself and rising from the table.

"Are you going to the bathroom?" Callie asked.

"Yeah."

"Okay, we'll go with you." She grabbed Lauryn's arm and jumped up from her seat.

"Sure." I added a smile on top of it, but unsure of why they were so eager to join me.

I wove through the tables, listening to them talk about Morgan's party.

"Hey, Vicky, you're coming to the party, right?" Lauryn asked.

"Um, I don't know. I don't really know Morgan." I did kinda know her. She was the one that had sent Drake the note. I'm sure she'd be thrilled if Drake came to the party. Me, not-so-much.

"It doesn't matter, everybody goes, invited or not," Callie said.

We walked into the bathroom and met at the sinks a few moments later.

"Wait, Vicky, we have to ask you something." She chewed on her bottom lip. Her eyes darted towards Callie.

"What's up?" I tried to read their faces.

"What's going on with you and Drake?" Callie asked.

"Oh, uh, I don't know." My mind raced. At least I didn't have to try and explain last night to them. They couldn't have seen anything that had happened in the minivan, could they?

"Well, it seems like he really likes you," Lauryn said, the words rushing out of her mouth. "He won't tell us anything."

"Look, the reason we ask is that the last girl he dated, ahem, the whore, totally ruined him." Callie twisted her hands. "I don't think we could stand to see him so upset again."

"Yeah, after her, the stupid skank, he was in a funk for months. Until you showed up last week. Now he's like himself again," Lauryn said.

"No, I really, really like him. And I would never do anything to hurt him." Maybe just suck his blood, but at least we both seemed to enjoy that. I tried to force the thought out of my mind. This was not a time to get distracted.

"So what did the stupid skank whore, if that's her real name, do to him?" I moved aside as a group of girls entered the bathroom.

"He didn't tell you about her?" Lauryn asked, looking at Callie. Callie nodded.

"Nope. Not a word." I wondered why he hadn't told me, but then again, I could understand why someone might not want to talk about the past. Every time I was forced to think about or talk about my past, it was like ripping open fresh wounds. As much as my blood was able to heal my body and fuse my skin back together, it could do absolutely nothing for my soul.

"Her name is Allison," Lauryn said.

"Whore," Callie added.

"She and Drake were together for the last year. Until he found out that she'd cheated on him—"

"And by cheating, we mean she slept with four other guys," Callie said.

"Yeah, with four guys. Can you believe it?" Lauryn shook her head. "Yuck."

"He found out about it in August, right before school started. Since then he hasn't gone out or done anything. Just school and work and that's it. We were so shocked that he wanted to go out for ice cream the other night. It had been such a long time, we'd almost given up on him." Callie nodded at Lauryn, who nodded back.

"Wow. Does this girl still go here?" I inspected the females around me. Could one of them be the one who caused him so much pain?

"Yeah, she does, but she keeps her distance. To make matters worse, she acts like he doesn't even exist. I think that's why Drake doesn't want to go out. He hasn't wanted to run into her anywhere whoring it up with her new boy toys." Callie walked out of the bathroom. I guessed the conversation was over.

"Thanks for letting me know." I walked along side them through the lunchroom.

"Just don't say anything to him about it," Lauryn said. "We don't want him to know we told you, but we just wanted to make sure you were in it for the right reasons, or we'd have to chase you off." She chuckled, but I didn't take it for humor. These girls were serious. And protective. And it was much better to have them on my side, that's for sure. Good thing I had no intentions of leaving Drake.

As for this Allison super skank whore, she better hope I never run into her in a dark alley. It might just be her last day on this planet.

*

I made my way over to Lou's after I ate dinner with Sue, but not before making a trip to my room to down a few more blood bags. Drake waved me past the hostess and led me to a corner booth.

"I'll be right back. I just have to wrap up my final customers." He squeezed my hand and headed towards a nearby table. I watched him closely, trying not to stare. Even though he was tall, he was smooth, never awkward. He smiled at every customer and everyone seemed to respond to his positive energy. He was such a good soul. I couldn't even begin to imagine what kind of nasty girl would treat him like this Allison girl did.

I'd never met anyone like him at Rochelle High. If I had, leaving would have been a whole lot harder. I would still be there, lurking outside his window and doing everything in my power to be with him.

He disappeared into the kitchen and I studied my hands while I waited. The skin was smooth, even smoother than when I had been alive, or pre-vampire. All scars I once had were gone. It's like my history had been wiped away. The long thin scar that was on my wrist from the chicken wire we'd used in a school play set—gone. The circular scar on my thumb from when Donovan had thrown a toy at me—gone. All smoothed over like polished marble. No one seemed to notice I was different. My eyes stood out the most, but after awhile, no one mentioned that either.

Maybe the human mind just adjusted to what it saw, got used to it. I knew a guy when I was in junior high who had a patch of hair missing on his head; he'd apparently pulled a pot of boiling water down on himself when he was really little. I remember noticing it at first—it was all I could look at when he was around. But the more I got to know him, the smaller and less noticeable the bald patch became. And one day, I forgot all about it. He was one of the more popular boys in school, well liked by the chicks. That patch of missing hair never slowed him down.

Maybe my eyes had the same effect. Alarming at first, but once you get to know me, it's just something I have; it's not everything I am. Look at Drake's friends. They'd let me right in. I just hoped that was the right move for all of us.

Drake walked out of the kitchen balancing a tray on his hand. He'd removed his apron and was just wearing his jeans and Lou's shirt. In his other hand he had a Bartlett High hoodie that he tossed into the booth. He set the tray on the table and slid onto the bench across from me, taking a moment to pull on the hoodie.

"Lou doesn't like us sitting out here if we're dressed in our work shirts."

"Gotcha. What's all this?"

"Dinner. I'm starving." He cut into the deep-dish pizza and used a spatula to remove a gooey piece. "You want some?"

"Sure, I'd feel funny sitting here without food in front of me." I nodded towards the other diners.

"Right. Here you go." He set another piece on a plate and handed it to me.

"How was work?" I asked, cutting into the pizza. I could at least take a few bites, how could I not be in the mood for this pizza?

"Pretty busy. Obviously it's slowed down now, but Friday nights are always crazy."

We were both silent for a moment, chewing. I was happy that the silence didn't feel awkward.

"Oh, I forgot, I brought a notebook." Drake pulled a small, black hardcover notebook from his hoodie pocket. He shifted in his seat to pull a pen out of his pocket and flipped the book open to a clean page.

"Is that where you write your poetry?" I pointed at the book with my fork.

"Maybe it is." He raised an eyebrow and pulled the notebook closer.

"What, now I can't see it?" I pouted.

"Maybe, if you're really good. But we'll see. First things first, we got a list to make here." He wrote Vampire Notes at the top.

"Seriously? You're going to title it that? What if someone finds it?"

"Do you really think anyone in their right mind would believe I'm talking about real vampires? I'll just tell them that I'm writing a story, or that they're notes for English. We are reading Bram Stoker's Dracula."

"True." I nodded.

"Okay, first things first. You have to drink blood." He wrote drink blood on the list. "And you told me it doesn't have to be direct from the source, right?"

I nodded.

"Okay. You can use your eyes for mind control, and you're obviously super strong, which seemed to surprise even that other vampire." He wrote a few more lines on the list between bites of pizza. "You can walk around in the sun. And you clearly don't sparkle. You can eat real food. Anything else?"

"Don't forget to add the quick healing, and blood that was able to heal you," I said while loading up my fork.

"Okay, got that. What about dying? You saw that one vampire die in the forest. Branch through the chest, right?" He paused and studied my face.

"Yeah, so I guess the whole stake-through-the-heart is definitely not a myth. And the second guy, behind Lou's..." I trailed off, not wanting to finish.

"Um, yeah, I'll add removal of head, too." His eyes met mine across the table. "You okay with this?"

"Yeah, no it's fine. It's just weird. I mean, think about it. Never in my life, or whatever I'm calling this time, did I imagine I'd be having this conversation." I set my fork down and folded my hands in my lap. "But I think we should do it."

"Okay, a few more things. Do you sleep?"

"Yes."

"How long did it take you to turn?"

"I think I figured it was five days."

"Okay, I brought a couple of things to try, just because they're part of the myth and all. But I'm really not trying to hurt you. This," he gestured to a platter next to the pizza, "contains cheese balls fried with garlic in their breading. And this," he placed a little vial on the table that he pulled out of his pocket, "is holy water. My mom's Catholic and for some reason keeps it lying around the house."

"The garlic hasn't bothered me yet. You figure this is a pizzeria, there's garlic everywhere." I slid the platter closer and eyed them carefully. I didn't want to scream out or anything and scare the customers, but I was curious. "I'll touch one."

Our eyes met for a moment. Fear shone in his.

"Don't worry, it'll be okay," I said, picking up the cheese ball and instantly dropping it with a hiss. I clamped my opposite hand over my finger. Drake jumped in his seat.

"Oh god are you okay?" He reached across the table.

"Gotcha!" I giggled leaning back in the booth and showing my hands. "I didn't feel anything. But just to be on the safe side, I won't eat it, just in case it could kill me. You might miss me."

"I would for sure miss you." He grasped my hand across the table and inspected my finger. "Looks okay." He leaned back with a relieved sigh.

"So, you still want me to try the holy water?"

"Only if you promise not to scare me like that!" Drake rubbed his hands on the sides of his face.

"I promise." I fluttered my eyelashes.

"You're not going to get off that easy. You owe me! You scared me to death!"

"I'll let you collect later." I added a flirtatious wink. "But it'll have to wait until after you've tried to kill me with holy water."

He handed me the vial.

"How should we do this?" His voice shook.

"Don't worry." I popped the lid of the vial open and poured one drop on the table. I took my finger and touched the edge of the drop lightly. Nothing. I placed the tip of my finger into the drop, awaiting a burn, a sizzle, anything. Nothing.

"Okay, so I think we can count that out. All old wives' tales." Drake let out a sigh, and I realized he'd been holding his breath. "I've got nothing else. We can just add things to the list as they come up, I guess."

"If only we could figure out why those other vampires wanted me to go with them so badly that they would die for it." I poured myself a glass of Coke from the pitcher Drake had brought to the table.

"I honestly couldn't tell you how we're going to figure that one out. I doubt vampires are just listed online or in the yellow pages." He gave me a strange look. "Although we could Google it—you never know what we might come up with."

"True, we can Google it later." I laughed. "God, this just gets weirder by the minute."

"So, speaking of non-vampire related business, do you want to go to a party at Morgan's tomorrow night?" Drake asked before returning to his pizza.

"Isn't that the girl who gave you the note the other day? I think she might be after a little more than homework help." I took a sip of Coke.

"Naw, get outta here. She wasn't interested. Do I sense a little jealousy?" he asked playfully.

"Do I have anything to be jealous about?" I asked, sliding my hand across the table and over his.

"Not a damn thing, girl." He flashed me a goofy smile, flipped his hand over and squeezed mine.

Unfortunately, I was more worried about Morgan. I'm sure she wouldn't say the same.
Chapter 11

Saturday was boring. Dull. Lame. Gah. I had finished all my homework in record time; it seemed to come much easier to me now. Sue was at work all day, but had promised we would go to a movie or something on Sunday when she was off. Whatever. She had proven pretty easy to live with. Her mind hadn't seemed to waver from the info I'd given her the day I'd moved in. She was still fully convinced that I was her niece. No questions asked. It was scary how easy it had been.

Imagine if I'd been a bad vampire—I could've had a good old time; stealing all her stuff, using her as a blood bag. But no, I was a nice vampire and was just happy to have a roof over my head and someone who cared, even if it was easy to convince her I'd turned up on time for curfew despite what the clock may say, with nothing more than a strong glance. I was really lucky.

I took my time getting ready for the party. I combed through my clothes trying to find something suitable and settled on a pair of skinny jeans that would tuck neatly inyo my boots and a tight burgundy sweater. I wrapped a silver scarf around my neck, checked my hair, and was finished. My skin looked flawless; I'd forgotten about the fact that I hadn't used make-up since I'd died. Au naturel was now ten times better than anything I could have done with make-up.

Drake pulled up into the driveway at eight. A quick blast from the Hyundai's horn let me know he was waiting. I'd already had my dinner, but carried my small cooler with me. I'd just leave it in the car in case I needed a quick snack. I opened the door and slid into the passenger seat, placing the cooler at my feet.

"Whatcha got there?" Drake asked, nodding to the floor.

"Snacks for me." I winked.

"Well, now I'm offended." He fake pouted, scooting away from me in his seat, which made it even more funny because there was nowhere for him to go in the tiny car.

"Why is that?" Nothing wrong with playing along, besides, he was cute when he was fake-mad. What was I saying? He was cute ALL the time.

He turned to me and slid his arms around my waist, pulling me close. Far off, I caught a whiff of his scent. Mmm. Delicious.

"It's just that I thought I was your snack on the go." His breath danced on my cheek, dangerously close to my lips.

I giggled before I could stop myself.

"Do you really want me to suck you dry?"

"Mmm, that sounds like an offer I can't refuse." He raised his eyebrows and flashed a naughty grin.

"Don't be dirty, I didn't mean that." I slapped his arm for good measure. "Is that all you think of me as—some kind of slutty vampire?"

"You did give me your blood on the first date," he said with mock shock.

"I almost killed you, I wish you wouldn't make it out to be some kind of joke." I pulled back and folded my arms over my chest. I turned towards the window and looked out at Sue's dark front yard. Light hovered around the fixtures on the garage, barely cutting a swath in the dark night. The clouds were heavy, threatening snow, and they blotted out whatever moonlight there might have been.

"Hey, I'm just kidding." He tried to pull me back towards him, but I resisted. "Come on, Vicky. You saved my life. I think you're the most beautiful, kind, and caring vampire I've ever met. You really try hard not to kill everyone. Look, I'm still alive, so is Sue, so are my friends. I'm sure not every vampire would be as wonderful as you."

I smirked at the ridiculousness of it.

"I'm the only vampire you know." I gave him a quick sideways glance.

"Minor details. According to legends, myths, and all the vampire fiction around, I should be your lunch. But instead I'm, I'm," he stuttered and paused.

"You're what?" I asked, turning to look him in the eyes.

"Well, maybe I'm your boyfriend?" He shrugged his shoulders and grabbed my hand.

"Is that your extremely poor way of asking me to be your girlfriend?" I asked. Energy crackled through me from head to toe.

"I kinda thought the other night sealed the deal, but I figured it was important to be on the same page. I wouldn't want you to think that I was swapping blood with someone else or vice versa."

I looked at him thoughtfully, remembering what the girls had said about Allison Skank Whore or whatever her name was.

"I definitely think we're on the same page." I leaned into him and reached up, pressing my lips against his. He slid his hands around my neck, cradled my head and pulled me even closer.

"That's good," he whispered and kissed me harder.

I was lost in his lips for the next few minutes, unsure of how much time had passed.

"Um, aren't we supposed to be at a party or something? Won't your friends miss us if we don't show?" I gasped, coming up for air.

"I really don't care." Drake traced his thumb along my jaw towards my lips. "I just want to be with you."

I brushed my fingertips along his ear and trailed them down his neck. He shivered at my touch.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" He searched my eyes.

I didn't want to answer. I could somehow see what he was thinking and I wasn't sure I was strong enough to say no. His pulse throbbed under my fingers. It was so close, just right there. I could be more careful this time. Stop earlier. He wouldn't get hurt.

"Don't say it," I said. Maybe if he didn't offer, I could turn away. But my veins had started to burn. The heat coursed through me to the very fingertips that were touching his neck. Only a thin layer of skin separated me from what I wanted.

He unzipped his coat and pushed the collar aside. He kissed my lips once before tilting his head to the side, giving me full access.

I planted kisses along the side of his neck, starting at his ear and making my way down to the spot that called me. My fangs had already slid into place. I hadn't even noticed them this time. With a quick tilt of my head for the right angle I buried my fangs gently into his neck and drew in deeply.

Rich, hot, liquid chocolate burst through my lips and ran down my throat. Every fiber of my body celebrated the arrival of his blood. No bag of blood in the fridge could compare to this. We both moaned, the sound of Drake's voice breaking the spell. This was Drake. I only needed a taste. I didn't want to hurt him.

The fog cleared much faster this time and I withdrew my fangs, running my tongue over the spots to catch any stray drops. His hands ran up and down my body, resting on my hips.

"Oh, that was so good. Why did you stop?" he murmured.

"Um, that whole not-killing-you thing came to mind." I nuzzled his nose with mine.

"Oh yeah, right. That whole chestnut."

"How do you feel?" I pulled back and studied his face. It was hard to tell in the light of the dashboard if he was pale or not. "You're not woozy, are you?"

"No, I'm good. But does that mean I don't get any in return? Because if that's the case, I'm totally dying right now." He raised the back of his hand to his forehead and sank back in his seat.

"Very funny." I smacked his shoulder. "I've got something I think you'll enjoy." I ran my bottom lip across a fang, slicing it open. The blood oozed out and pressed my lips against his for a very wet and bloody kiss.

He ran his tongue over my bottom lip and began to suck on it, occasionally going in for a full kiss. But being that the cut was so small this time, healed and shortly ran dry.

"Aw, no fair!" he whined and kissed me one last time before pulling away.

"No pouting! You got plenty!" I laughed. "Quit being so greedy. I could've kept going too, but I'd have a boyfriend drained of all of his blood, and that isn't good for anybody."

He sat back into his seat but continued to hold my hand.

"I guess it's time to go now, huh?" he asked with a sigh.

"We'll run out of gas if you stay parked here all night," I said. "And don't forget, you still have to drop me off later." I squeezed his hand.

He expertly backed out of the driveway with his free hand.

"Wow, it's amazing, that blood of yours. I feel like a million bucks! Like I could jump over a car or punch a shark. You should bottle and sell this stuff. I can't imagine anyone not wanting to feel like this!" He shook the steering wheel, which made the car jerk back and forth.

"Whoa, are you sure you're okay to drive? I don't think there are any laws against drinking blood and driving, but I'm guessing we still don't want to get pulled over." I steadied myself with the handle mounted on the roof.

"I'm good, sorry." He glanced over at me. "I'll behave myself. It's just, I haven't felt so alive in awhile. And I have you to thank for that."

I waited for him to continue, to tell me something about Allison, but he said nothing.

"That's funny, because I haven't been alive in awhile," I said with a snort as we wove through the Bartlett streets. "Did you say you felt like punching a shark? How on earth would you do that in the middle of Bartlett, Illinois? Not so many sharks around here, I'd guess."

"I don't know, it just popped into my brain. I feel so strong, so full of energy, like I could take on a shark, if I had to."

"You're insane."

"And you're insanely hot." He squeezed my hand. He zipped down another non-descript street and turned into a cul-de-sac. "Here we are." He pulled the car into an open spot on the street and jumped out. I didn't bother to wait for him to open my door—I was a modern girl, after all.

We walked past a few houses to a white two-story, lights blazing through the dark night. The first flakes of snow were beginning to fall, filling the air with tiny specks of white.

"Aw, it's pretty!" I reached out a hand and caught a few flakes in my palm. Drake took my hand as we neared the porch. He stepped up and before he could press the doorbell, the front door flew open.

"Drake! There you are! Monty said you were coming, but you took forever." Morgan flew out onto the porch and threw her arms around his neck, nearly pulling him off his feet. She clearly chose not to notice that I was firmly attached to him at the hand.

"Hi Morgan," he said, trying to get air.

She pulled away, her eyes glued to his, a huge grin on her face. She slowly registered that I was standing there.

"Oh, hi, aren't you in our English class? What's your name again?" she asked, tilting her head.

"Yeah, hi, I'm Vicky." I stuck out my hand for her to shake, which she ignored and turned back towards Drake.

"Come on in." She waved Drake in the front door.

"Okay, do you still want to argue that she doesn't like you?" I whispered to Drake as I followed him down the hallway. Morgan weaved through people and was luckily out of earshot.

"I think you might be right. I'll just stay by you. Hopefully she'll get the hint."

"I don't know about that, she hasn't gotten it yet." I caught sight of Monty and Lauryn sitting in the family room. "Oh, look, at least there are some people who won't pretend I don't exist."

"Why don't you go on over by them, I'll grab us some drinks. Do you, uh, drink?" he asked, looking at me expectantly.

"I haven't done it before. You aren't drinking, are you?"

"Nope, I'm driving. That's not to say I haven't, but no drinking and driving."

"What the hell, bring me something, your choice. I might as well try it. We can see how I react to it. Let's think of it as a scientific experiment." I smiled to myself as I turned towards the family room. It's not like my parents were going to be disappointed. I was, for all intents and purposes, an adult anyways and would easily be able to convince any police officer of that fact.

I walked over to the couch, which was currently inhabited by Monty and Lauryn, both holding a red plastic cups.

"What's your poison?" I plopped down next to Monty and nodded towards his cup.

"I've got beer and she's got vodka cranberry," he answered. "What are you drinking?"

"Not sure, it'll be a surprise. I left it up to Drake. Speak of the devil." I nodded as he headed towards us, carrying two plastic cups.

"Alright, what you've got here is the good old-fashioned screwdriver. Vodka. Orange juice. Shouldn't be too awful for a first timer." He handed me the cup and slid in next to me on the couch. We were now a cozy foursome.

"Cheers!" Lauryn tapped our plastic cups with hers and we responded heartily before taking big sips, or in Monty's case, big gulps, of our drinks. I could faintly taste the orange juice and it seemed to have a slight kick to it, but it still was nowhere near as intoxicating as what ran through the veins of the very hot boy sitting next to me.

"I take it you guys aren't driving?" I gestured towards Lauryn and Monty.

"We had Lauryn's brother drop us off. Drake said he'd give us a ride home." Monty reached behind me and slapped Drake on the back.

"What are we cheering about?" slurred a wobbly Morgan as she teetered across the living room. Funny, she didn't look that drunk when we got her five minutes ago. Either she just drank a fifth of vodka or she was faking.

"Nothing, really," Drake said and shot me a sideways glance.

"I think I need to sit down." Morgan fell right into his lap, knocking my drink and sending orange juice cascading down the leg of my jeans. "Oops!" she said as she looked up at Drake.

I shoved her leg to the side and got up, heading towards the kitchen to look for something to clean my jeans. After a quick wipe down with a wet paper towel, I headed back to the couch to find I had been replaced. Drake had managed to get Morgan off his lap, but now she sat just where I'd been sitting and there was no room for me on the couch. Monty and Lauryn scooted away from her, trying to make some room, but Morgan just seemed to stretch to cover any space they made.

I shot Drake an exasperated look and he met my eyes, rolling his.

"So, I think I need a refill on this Coke. Come with me?" He nodded to me.

"Of course, let's go," I said, but Morgan jumped in just as I finished.

"I've got something better than Coke to put in that cup," she squealed. "Come on, I'll show you." She jumped up off the couch and grabbed Drake's arm, attempting to yank him to his feet.

"Hey, Morgan, it's cool. I'm good. I'm just gonna stick with Coke, if that's okay." He attempted to pry her fingers off his wrist.

"No!" she whined and gripped him harder. "Oh man, I feel so dizzy." Her game suddenly changed from happy drunk to falling-down-drunk as she collapsed into a heap on the floor, nearly pulling Drake down on top of her. "Drake, I'm so glad you're here. Will you help me up please?"

I gave him a dirty look and marched out of the room, through the kitchen, and to the front door. I knew she had a thing for him, and now she was going to ruin the night just to try and get her way. It was her party, her house. What was I going to do, stand there and watch her paw my boyfriend like I wasn't even there? I rubbed my temple with one hand and threw the front door open with the other, the cold air spilling into the room. I had to get away from her before I did something I would regret. Decapitating Morgan at her own party might just cause some problems with the locals.
Chapter 12

The snow had picked up since we'd gone inside. The air around me was full of fat, fluffy flakes. The snow collected on my hair and sweater, sticking to my eyelashes and my cheeks. I made my way towards Drake's car, not really sure where I wanted to go. I could run back to Sue's. I hadn't done any of my speedy vampire running since I'd been back to visit Harold and Mrs. Harold. I jammed my hands in my pockets more out of habit than the cold. It barely registered on my skin.

The cars were already collecting snow, covered in a thick coat. If it kept snowing like this, we might have trouble getting home later. I'm sure Morgan would love it if we had to stay overnight. No thanks. I'd rather sleep in a coffin again.

I got to Drake's car and wished I could get inside and just sit down. I did not want to go back to the party. I was hoping he'd follow me out and bring Lauryn and Monty so we could hang out at one of their houses, but I wasn't sure if they'd be willing to give up the alcohol. Morgan was annoying, but she wasn't annoying them specifically. And I shouldn't be mad, not at him. He was just trying to be nice and not cause any more of a scene than Morgan already was.

I paced next to the car and kept my ears perked for the sound of the front door. The snowflakes flurried around me, muffling noises. I pressed my eyes closed and breathed deeply, taking in the fresh, clean air. Or not. There was a scent I hadn't smelled in a while. Someone was out here, and it wasn't human. Instantly my senses kicked in and my ears strained through the snow to hear something, anything. But there was nothing. I spun around, trying to partly conceal myself behind Drake's car, but I had no idea where it was or which direction it would be coming from.

I heard a rustle from above me and watched in horror as one, two, three bodies dropped out of the maple onto the parkway of the house in front of me. If it hadn't been for the thick snow falling and stupid Morgan clouding my brain, I would have seen them earlier. The tree had no leaves, so only the elements and my own lack of attention had kept them hidden.

I scrambled up on top of the Hyundai, not sure what to do or where to go. At least from this vantage point, I could see their first moves clearly. I weighed my options. I could run and get away, but there were three of them. Two could follow me and one could go ravage the entire house of partygoers that was visible from where we stood. Stupid Morgan and her stupid lights. Way to be inconspicuous. Although I'm sure she didn't expect vampires to come and crash her party.

I hissed at them, preferring not to use a standard greeting. They didn't deserve one.

"Wow, she's like a wild cat. I told you this would spook her, you idiot," a female voice said from the right.

I attempted to assess them through the thick snow, which was not easy. One was a girl, a little taller than me, black with hot pink braids, now almost white with snow. There were two men, one tall and skinny with a shock of floppy, red hair and tight jeans covering his skinny legs. The other was short and stocky, but muscular, with dark hair and dark skin.

This was so not good.

"What the hell do you want?" I folded my arms across my chest, but kept light on my toes. The guys stalked to the two ends of the car, the girl stayed in the middle. I had to be ready to move, but it was going to be really hard to take this group on by myself. I needed to buy time to come up with something. I scanned my surroundings. Aside from the cul-de-sac, there were only houses. Not many places to hide.

"Look, just get down from the car and come with us, if you want to do this the easy way," said the girl as she twisted a pink braid around her finger.

"And what if I don't want to go with you?" I asked, tapping my foot impatiently.

"Unfortunately, that's not an option," said the redhead as he shook his head. "We were ordered to bring you back. Just like the last two were, only they couldn't handle you."

"What makes you think the three of you can?" I forced myself to sound more confident than I felt. I hoped they didn't notice my knees shaking. I balanced on top of the car and tried not to slide off in the thick snow that was piling up around my ankles.

"Well, for starters, there are three of us, and one of you," said the dark-haired guy. He inched closer to the front bumper of the Hyundai.

"You must be the smart one," I said sarcastically, glaring at him through the flakes.

I glanced at the three of them again, trying to judge who would be the weakest and therefore the easiest to take down first.

Redhead. He was tall and skinny, if I went for his knees, I could take him down like a gazelle. Besides, dark hair was making it look like he was going to make the first move, his arms now spread a little wider. Red didn't look ready for a fight. I snarled and leaned towards the dark-haired guy, making him think I was coming there first and then kicked the speed into gear and was off the car and on the redhead before they could blink. I kicked his legs out from under him and we tumbled to the ground. My arm snaked around his neck, my hold like a vise.

"How is she that fast?" the girl hissed, her voice betraying her disbelief.

"That's why we have to bring her back." The dark-haired guy leaped on top of the Hyundai, where I had just been standing.

Red struggled and tried to pull me off, but his strength was no match for mine. I heard him hiss as he tried to bite my arm, so I ran my fingers into his ginger hair and yanked his head back.

"This is going to end just like it did with Jack," he screamed at them. "I told Steve this was a bad idea, but does anyone listen to me? He made her, he should come and get her himself."

"Who's Steve?" I whispered into his ear. "Why did he do this to me?"

"Shut up you idiot, and don't you dare say another word or I'll kill you myself," shrieked the girl, her braids flying.

"If you go away and leave me alone, I'll let the ginger live." I desperately hoped they'd go for it. I really couldn't get used to this whole killing thing, people or vampires.

"Nice try sweetheart, but we don't even like Neil. He's annoying as hell. Go ahead. At least we won't have to keep listening to him whine." The dark-haired vampire sneered.

"Don't listen to them. I can help you," Neil shouted, his voice shaking.

"You lie. You all lie," I screamed. My voice pushed out against the snowy veil around me and echoed back in my ears. "You can't help me. You ruined my life. You killed me."

"Come on now, is your life really that bad? You can do so many more things now that you're a vampire. Life is so much more cool when you're in charge." The girl laughed. "I'd say we did you a favor."

"Shut up!" My mind swirled, images of my parents and my brother popping into my vision. "You didn't do me any favors. So why should I come with you?"

"Because you don't have a choice." The dark-haired vampire snarled and dove at us from the top of the car. Without thinking, I shoved the redhead at him and rolled to the side. I heard a high-pitched scream and tearing sound as I scrambled to my feet in the deepening snow. I slid and almost wiped out, but caught my balance. Something rolled across the cul-de-sac, trailing splatters of dark red against the white. It stopped at my feet, staring up. Although it was coated in pinkish snow, the red hair was unmistakable. It then dried up and crumbled into a heap of gray ash, mixing with the snow under it.

Horrified, I looked up. The remaining vampires approached me slowly, circling.

"You killed your own friend! What's wrong with you?" My voice fell flat.

"Who cares? He wasn't our friend and he couldn't do his job right. Nobody should be incapacitated by a fledgling. You're what, a whole week or two old? Neil was too weak. Come on Bianca, let's finish this now, I'm starting to get annoyed."

Bianca's pink braids were now covered in snow as she slunk towards me, a lioness carefully approaching her prey. "That sounds awesome Vinny. This weather sucks."

With a nod Vinny became a blur. Suddenly there was a hand squeezing my throat. I struggled to breathe, my lungs burning. "Nowhere to go now, Vicky. Let's make this easy."

I reached forward and grabbed his elbow, pulling it downward. With a sickening snap, his grip on my throat loosened and his arm collapsed. He shrieked and took a step back, and I took my chance. I lunged forward, grabbing his hair with one hand and his shoulder with another. I spun him slightly and pulled. With no more pressure than twisting the top off a new jar of jam, I pulled his head clean off. My stomach flip-flopped as I heard the skin rip. I didn't want to look down as his body collapsed at my feet.

"Vicky!" I heard a familiar voice shout from somewhere in the distance. My heart dropped to my knees.

There was a loud crack and I looked up to see Drake running full-force across the cul-de-sac, wielding the giant, jagged branch of a tree. He was rushing straight for Bianca.

"Drake!" I screamed and dropped Vinny's head. I watched in horror as he plunged the branch into Bianca's chest as she turned towards him, missing her heart. With a cackle, she ripped it from her chest, blood spurting, and rammed it straight into Drake's stomach. I raced across to him in half a second, taking in the stunned look on his face. I threw my arm around his shoulder and let his weight rest on me.

"Vicky, I'm sorry, I just wanted to help." He gasped and bright red blood oozed out around the wound, spreading across his blue shirt and dripping giant splotches of red onto the fresh, white snow.

"Shhh, don't say anything right now. Come on, let's get you down, I've got to get this out of you." I sobbed, my tears mixing with snowflakes as they surged down my cheeks.

"Aw, did I hurt your little human?" Bianca sneered. "Serves him right, stabbing me like that."

I could only guess she was giving herself a moment as the wound healed. Unfortunately Drake wouldn't have that same opportunity. As I lay him down in the fluffy snow on the street, it was clear he was fading fast. His breaths were ragged—the smell of chocolate was overwhelming as his blood spilled out. Somehow this time my hunger didn't rise. I knelt at his side, watching his life trickle out of this world, all because of me. I stroked his cheek as he gasped for air.

"I'm so sorry baby." I struggled to get words out between the sobs. Through the fog in my brain, I figured there was one last thing to try. I dragged my nail across my wrist, releasing a fountain of blood and pushed my wrist to his mouth. "Drink some, it worked before."

He could barely move his lips over the wound, most of the blood just ran into his throat and he started to choke. I pulled my wrist away, not wanting to drown him in blood.

"I don't think it worked. It hurts so bad." He looked down, taking in the branch. "I don't think you should take it out right now." He met my eyes. His were already clouding over, the veil of death seeping into them. He struggled to say something. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. "I love you."

My heart shattered into a million pieces. He shuddered and then lay still, his eyes still looking at me, but no longer seeing. I gently pushed his lids closed, my fingers brushing across his cheeks.

"No, no, no, no, no!" I screamed, pulling his head into my lap and trying to ignore the fluffy snowflakes as they piled up on him. He was cold to the touch, so cold. And I could do nothing. Not one thing. I glanced up through my tears, remembering that there was something out there, someone out there that I was supposed to be afraid of, supposed to be running from. But she was gone. I was alone with nothing but the snow to hear my screams.
Chapter 13

It seemed like hours I sat there, staring at Drake in my lap, the jagged branch still protruding from his stomach, but it was really much less. The snow piled up around us though, covering everything—us, the dead vampires, all the blood. My eyes felt dry and ached. I struggled to force my brain back into action. I wanted that awful branch out of him. I wanted him to rest in peace, and he very well couldn't do that with a tree branch sticking out of him. I gently tugged it, somewhat glad that he couldn't feel the pain that I'm sure it would have caused.

"I'm so sorry," I whispered to him before flinging the branch into a nearby yard.

I didn't know what to do next. I couldn't just take him home and drop him off. The hysteria alone that it would cause would be bad for everyone. Maybe I should just put him in the car and drive until I found somewhere pretty and bury him there. His parents would just think he was missing. The least I could do was get us both out of the middle of the cul-de-sac before anyone noticed something was wrong. The bass was still pumping at Morgan's. Lucky for the partiers that they hadn't come outside—I didn't even want to imagine how much more of a bloodbath it could have been.

I reached into Drake's blood-soaked pockets. They were wet and heavy. I pulled out what I had been looking for— the key to the Hyundai. Before getting up, I pointed it at the car and pressed the button on the key fob, the flashing lights indicating that I'd unlocked it. I hoisted him easily into my arms and started to make my way towards the car. A chill spilled down my spine as I heard another familiar voice.

"Drake? Vicky? That you? Let's go, this party's lame." Monty shouted from the front porch. The front door slammed shut and Monty and Lauryn struggled toward me through the deep snow.

"Dang, it snowed a lot while we were inside," Lauryn said.

"What the hell, Vicky?" Monty sputtered as they got closer, taking in my tiny frame easily carrying Drake across the cul-de-sac. "What happened to Drake?"

"I don't know what to say," I said, breaking into a fresh round of sobs. And I didn't. I needed to focus and look them in the eye and send them back into the party. Nothing I could say could possibly make this right in their minds.

Monty ran towards me, struggling to take Drake out of my arms. I held on tight and wouldn't let him go. "No, it's okay, let's just get him in the car."

He slid around in the snow and managed to fling the passenger door. I placed Drake's body in to the seat, reclining it slightly so he wouldn't slump over.

Lauryn started screaming the moment she reached the car. "Ohmygod what happened to him? Look at his stomach! Why is there a hole there! Is he breathing? Why isn't he breathing?" The words tumbled from her lips like a waterfall, her shaking hands rising to her mouth in horror as she struggled to take in what was going on. "Is he dead?" She gasped and started to sob.

My own tears had finally ceased and my brain finally kicked in. I grabbed her arm and looked her in the eyes. I didn't want to screw this up. "Lauryn, listen to me, everything is going to be okay, everything is fine. Drake is fine. I'm just going to take him home. Go back to the party." Her eyes gave me the glazed look that was now so familiar.

"Go back to the party. Everything is fine," she murmured and turned back towards the house. Monty grabbed her hand and pulled her towards him.

"What are you?" he whispered, his voice shaking. His normal jolly demeanor was gone. His cheerful features melted into a mask of fear. "Are you some kind of witch?"

I almost laughed at the suggestion. Everyone knew witches weren't real. But then again, I never thought vampires were real either.

"Monty, I'm definitely not a witch. If I tried to explain it, I doubt in a million years that you'd believe me." I double-checked that Drake was safely in the car and shut the door. I turned to Monty. "If you'll just look at me really quick, you and Lauryn can go back to the party."

"Come on Monty, let's go back into the party, it's cold out here," Lauryn said, oblivious of Monty's fear.

"Lauryn, just shut up for a minute!" He turned to shout at her, but continued to watch my every movement.

"Is he dead?" He glanced back at Lauryn who luckily didn't seem to be paying attention.

I lowered my eyes. "Yes."

"What happened?"

"I was being attacked. Drake tried to help me, but it backfired. Badly." What did it matter? I was just going to make him forget anyway.

"Are you okay?" He looked me up and down.

I glanced down at myself and did a double take. I hadn't realized I was covered in blood as well. Vinny's. Drake's.

"I'm fine, not a scratch." I sighed.

"Who did that to him? That hole is huge." His voice shook as he glanced through the car window.

"A vampire."

Even in the heavy snow, I could still see his skin pale as he stepped back from me, still gripping Lauryn tight.

"And you?" he whispered.

I lowered my chin slowly.

Monty seemed to struggle to find his breath.

"I told you, you'd never believe it. Let me help you forget all about it." I moved towards him, and he flinched.

"What are you going to do with him?" He nodded towards the car.

"I don't know. Find a nice place to bury him, I guess. I'll make it somewhere beautiful." I reached out and touched his hand, surprised he didn't pull away.

"Did he know?"

"Yes. We loved each other Monty, just so you know. I still love him. I know we had only just met, but there was something there, something so special that's gone now and it's all my fault." I tried to focus on his eyes as mine filled with tears yet again.

"Did he ever drink your blood? Did you ever drink his?" He straightened up, losing some of his fearfulness.

"What? What the hell does that matter?" I stopped crying and gave him a funny look.

"If someone dies with vampire blood in their system, they'll return as a vampire," he said, some excitement creeping into his voice. "Or even sometimes if they've been bitten by a vampire. He might come back, Vicky!"

"How do you know that?" I asked, pulling him closer to me.

"It's in Bram Stoker's Dracula. We're reading it in English." He looked me in the eyes. "Don't make me forget Vicky, I want to help."

"What?" My mind still raced from the revelation he'd just delivered. I had given my blood to him earlier, and after he'd been hurt. He had plenty of it tonight. What if he was right? Drake might wake up from this horrible nightmare. I let go of Monty and rubbed my palm on my forehead. He'd wake up from this nightmare and be in mine. But if he was wrong, I mean, Stoker was just some author from a hundred years ago. What did he really know?

"You really think this will work?" I looked back down at Drake's face through the snowy window. He looked like he was sleeping peacefully.

"Well, before today I would've said no, but now that I've met a real vampire, I'm going to go ahead and guess it's a real possibility."

"Are we going to go back inside?" Lauryn asked, giving us both annoyed looks.

"No, we're going to my house." Monty walked around me and opened the back door of the Hyundai. He crawled into the back seat, careful not to disturb Drake.

Lauryn seemed oblivious to Drake in the front seat and said forlornly, "It's just that I really, really wanted to go back to the party."

"No you didn't. That party sucked," said Monty. He reached over her to slam the door shut. I walked around to the driver's side and climbed in. I made sure Drake was buckled in so he wouldn't go sliding around and gently touched his face. I almost expected his long eyelashes to flutter open, but they were still. My fractured heart held out hope that Monty and Bram Stoker had it right and my Drake would rise again. At least he wouldn't awaken alone in a graveyard.

We slid through the quiet Bartlett streets, taking every turn carefully so Drake wouldn't be disturbed, even though he wouldn't notice. The Hyundai struggled to get through the deep snow, which was yet to be plowed. I held my breath at points. There was no way we could do with getting stranded. Luckily it held on and powered through. We pulled up in front of Monty's house. It sat dark and silent.

"Okay, you guys stay here. I've gotta check that the parentals are still out." He leaped out of the car and sprinted through the deep snow to the garage door. It opened after he punched in a code on the garage door keypad and he disappeared into the house. Based on the missing car in the garage, I guessed the parentals were indeed still out on the town.

I glanced down at the clock. It was only ten. It felt like it was five in the morning.

Monty returned and we argued for a moment about how to get Drake into the house. I insisted on carrying him and carefully removed him from the car. Lauryn followed along behind.

"Be sure to bring the cooler in," I said to Monty as I tried not to lose my footing in the snow while carrying Drake in my arms.

"What's his problem? Drunk?" She followed me into the house. Monty moved Drake's car down the street.

I struggled to fit his body through the narrow hallway off the garage and managed to bang his head into the wall twice. I cringed, happy that he wouldn't remember. Lauryn and I trudged into the kitchen. I sat Drake on the floor and leaned him against the wall.

Lauryn glanced down again and her calm demeanor melted away to horror again. "Wait! He's not drunk! What happened to him? Vicky, he's hurt!" She threw a wild gaze at me and looked back to Drake, dropped to his side, and pressed a finger to his neck. "No pulse."

I sank into a chair at the kitchen table. Curious, the suggestion that everything was fine didn't seem to stick. She began to panic again. I felt so tired. My body ached, though I knew it wasn't from any physical injuries. I leaned back, tuning out her voice. The scents started to trickle in. Red, ripe strawberries, juicy apples baked in a pie, fresh lemon ice, its tangy zest stinging my nostrils. My veins began burning in that special way and my eyes popped open. I looked at Lauryn in a whole new light.

Monty flung the door to the garage open and stepped through. My eyes landed on the cooler in his hands. I leaped to my feet and lunged towards him. He shrank backwards, trying to block himself with the cooler, which I ripped from his grip. I popped it open and pulled out a blood bag, one of three I'd packed. I opened the valve with shaky fingers and took a long draw off the tube, letting the flavors run down my throat. This blood tasted of pork chops and bacon. Not quite as refreshing as I imagined Lauryn's blood would've been, but it quenched the thirst.

Lauryn's voice sounded strangled, trapped in her throat as she gaped at me.

"Sorry," I said between sips.

Monty walked carefully around the kitchen table, taking a seat across from me. "You won't, um, eat us, will you?"

I sucked the bag dry and threw it back in the cooler. Monty jumped in his chair at the sound of the lid snapping shut.

"Nope. I'm pretty good at controlling it as long as I have a supply handy. I just have to be prepared. There are two more bags in there, so when Drake, I mean, if Drake wakes up, he'll need them immediately."

Lauryn dropped to a blubbering heap on the floor and Monty turned to look at her. She whimpered like a scared puppy. He got up and crossed over to her side, sliding an arm around her shoulders. "Shhh, it's going to be okay, come on now, that's it." He helped her to her feet and led her over to a chair next to him. She sat down, her eyes on me the whole time, bulging and fearful.

"What did you do to him?" she said, her voice low and raspy. She gripped Monty's arm like it was the railing on the deck of a ship in a roiling sea.

"She didn't do anything Lauryn. Look, girl, you need to calm down. I know everything seems a little, okay, a lot crazy, but if you calm down we can talk you through it." He looked at her with pleading eyes. "You can trust me, right?"

"Yeah." She sighed. Her whole body shuddered and she slumped forward onto the table, burying her head in her arms. A few moments later she sat up and took a few deep breaths. "So what. What can you possibly tell me that will make this whole situation all right? I mean Drake is sitting on your kitchen floor, dead, with a giant gaping hole in his stomach, in case you haven't noticed. How are you both okay with that?"

Monty and I exchanged a glance.

"I would definitely not say we're okay with it at all. I'm not okay, she's not okay, but we're holding on to one teensy bit of hope that this may have a better ending than we're seeing right now." He patted her arm.

"I've seen how this ends in movies, you know. Any time some teenagers are involved with a dead body and they don't call the police, they get arrested or killed or whatever. I just don't see how you think this could possibly get any better." Lauryn's whole body shook along with her voice.

"We think he might come back," I said.

"Come back? What the hell is that supposed to mean? Like some kind of freaking zombie?" She looked slightly horrified at Drake's still body.

"No, no. He'll come back like me, like a vampire."

"You're a wha...?" Her voice trailed off.

I studied her face carefully. Could she handle it? I wasn't sure my magic mind thingy was going to work on her after it faded so quickly this last time. She opened and closed her mouth a few times, resembling a fish, but said nothing. She looked at me, at Drake, back at Monty, and then rested her eyes on me.

"A vampire. Like a blood-sucking, sunlight-avoiding vampire? How is that possible? I've seen you eat food—a whole freaking Kitchen Sink. And I've seen you go outside during the day. I don't get it."

"Neither do I, so don't feel bad." I fidgeted with the cooler. "I can eat food, but I can't make it through the day without drinking a few pints. At school, I keep them in the car."

"So why does that mean anything to Drake. Did he? Did you?" Her lip curled in disgust. "Ew, that's nasty. I read Dracula, I get it now. That's what you're hoping then, that Bram Stoker was right and Drake is just going to rise from the grave as a vampire."

"Maybe not rise from the grave so much as rise from my basement couch?" Monty stood up and headed towards Drake's body, grabbing him under the arms. "We probably should get him downstairs. My ma will have a heart attack if she finds a body in her kitchen. She would definitely think it's not very sanitary."

I rose to my feet and hoisted Drake up, helping by carrying his legs as we maneuvered him down the basement stairs. Lauryn followed behind us, bringing the cooler. Monty covered Drake with a blanket after we lay him on the couch and aside from his chest not rising or falling with breath, he looked asleep.

We sat silently for a moment, glancing at each other and at Drake.

"How long do you think it'll take?" asked Monty. He settled into an armchair.

"I'm not sure. From what I figured, it took me five days to come back." I frowned, trying to think of the logistics. "Think we can keep your mom out of the basement for five days?"

"I bet you could take care of her with your little mind thingy," Monty said with a nod.

"I have to go home." Lauryn was staring off into space, not really looking at anything in particular. Her eyes were wide and her normally fair skin was even more pale than usual. Dark shadows floated under her eyes. She looked more like a vampire than I did. She blinked a few times, breaking her gaze.

"Are you going to be okay?" I asked softly. I hoped she was going to be able to handle this. If she mentioned it to anyone, we'd either be in huge trouble or they'd think Lauryn had completely lost her mind.

"Yeah, I guess. It's a lot to swallow." She rose to her feet. "It's not like I quite know how to deal with that."

"I can understand," I said knowingly.

"It's just that my mom will freak out if I don't come home. I'll come back tomorrow. And do you think we should tell Ernie and Callie?" She gave Monty a look.

"They'll be pissed if we don't," he said, rubbing his face with his hands. "We'll deal with it tomorrow. Go get some sleep."

She disappeared up the steps and left us in silence.

"I should probably text Sue and let her know I'm staying over somewhere. Lauryn's right, we don't need any parents freaking out right now." I grabbed my phone out of my pocket and sent a quick message saying I was staying at Lauryn's.

"Can you check if Drake's phone is in his pocket? I would, but, well, you know." Monty made a face. "I'm sure you don't mind." He raised an eyebrow and I shot him a dirty look. I lifted the blanket and reached into Drake's front pocket. The first one was empty but I found the phone in the second one. It had dried blood on it and I hoped it still worked. I tossed it to Monty and covered Drake back up.

"Dude, gross." He unlocked the phone and did some quick typing. "There, done and done. I sent his ma a message that he was staying over here. At least it wasn't a lie."

"So now what?" He asked.

"Now, we wait."

"Do you like video games?" Monty grabbed the remote and flicked on the TV.

"Not really. But I'll play with you."

"Great, you'll love it. We get to kill zombies!"

I snorted. "You're an idiot. I'd rather not kill anything else tonight if I can help it."
Chapter 14

My eyes fluttered open. The late morning sunshine spilled through the half-sized basement windows. I yawned and stretched, more out of habit than anything. Even though I'd slept on the basement floor, I felt nothing unusual, aside from the stiffness of my clothes due to the dried blood. I could have been sleeping on the best mattress in the world and I'd feel the same way. Well-rested. And hungry. I sat up and peeked at Drake. He still looked sound asleep, but was deathly still.

Monty stirred in the chair across from me. His ponytail had gotten messy while he slept and his hair stuck out in different directions.

"So, what's the verdict? Is a vampire born?"

"Um, not from the look of it." I lifted the blanket. Still a giant gaping wound in his stomach. I dropped the blanket and looked away. His blood no longer smelled of chocolate so intoxicating that I could think of nothing else. He smelled strange, off, but not quite like the vampires. But his scent hadn't disappeared like it had with Harold and Mrs. Harold. The sun beat down on his arm, which I draped over the blanket. I took his hand and lifted it, inspecting for anything to show he was affected by the sun, but there was nothing, no blisters, no burns.

"But look, right there!" Monty said, pointing at Drake's arm. "Pick it up again."

I picked it up and shook it a little. It flopped loosely and I set it back down.

"See, nothing."

"No, that's just it Vicky. When people die they get all stiff. It's called rigor mortis. I saw it on one of those detective shows. They were saying on the one show I saw that after three hours a dead person should be pretty stiff. When you shook his arm just then, it wasn't stiff at all. And don't you remember in Dracula, when they would dig up the bodies days later, they still looked fresh and healthy? So that means Drake is definitely going to wake up."

"Okay, you definitely may have something with the rigor mortis thing, but I think we should quit using Bram Stoker as our all-knowing vampire wonder of the universe. Remember, his book is fiction. Not real. He could have made some of these details up."

"But you're real. I win. You can't argue with that," he said with a grin and leaned back in the chair triumphantly.

I caught a whiff of his scent—oranges, crushed red-pepper hummus, pancakes. Weird, but it kinda fit him. Trying to keep my fangs in check, I grabbed the car keys off the floor.

"I need to run home really quick and change." I gestured to my shirt. "And eat some breakfast."

"Wait a minute, you're just going to leave me here with him? Alone? But, but what if he wakes up? Won't he be hungry too?" His eyes darted nervously between Drake and me.

"Here's his first snack. If he wakes up, don't let him move until he drinks both of those. And call me right away. I'll be back within the hour. If he's anything like me, it's still going to be awhile." I shoved the cooler in his direction and he jumped out of the chair and grabbed it.

I was up the stairs before he could say anything. I caught a whiff of coffee in the air, fresh coffee, meaning someone had to be up. I dashed to the garage and slipped out through a side door before anyone caught me. I wasn't paying attention as I stepped outside and found myself knee-deep in snow. Ugh, I had forgotten about the little blizzard last night. Getting home was going to take a little longer than I thought.

*

I pulled into Sue's driveway a few minutes later, thrilled it was clear of snow. The high walls of snow on either side would also help the Hyundai from being seen from Drake's house down the street. I couldn't remember if Sue was supposed to be home today or not. The library was open every day of the week and I hadn't lived with her long enough to even know if she had a regular schedule. She usually kept her car in the garage, so it was a bit of a gamble. The Mustang sat parked right where I left it, still buried under a foot of snow.

I turned the key in the lock and pushed the door open slowly. A sniffed the air and caught Sue's familiar scent mixed with coffee and bacon. With a sigh, I walked in the door.

"Good morning Vicky," tinkled a cheery voice from the kitchen. "How was Lauryn's?"

"Oh, it was great," I said. "I'm super tired, but I have a ton of homework today." I walked in to find her sitting at the table in her bathrobe, the Sunday paper spread out across the table.

"That's a shame, I was going to see if you still wanted to go to the movies with me." Her face fell slightly, but her smile remained. "No bother, I can still go."

"Wait, you're going to go the movies alone?" I had never done anything alone my whole life until a few weeks ago.

"Yes, Vicky, I do things alone all the time. I go to the movies, go out to eat, whatever. When you're single and older, your friends don't always have time to do things. But with no children, I can do whatever I like. It's nice." She got up and patted my coat as she walked by, heading to the coffee maker with her cup. "Take off your coat and stay awhile."

"Oh, yeah," I said as the hunger hit me again, my nostrils assaulted with her scent. "I'll be right back." I darted up the steps and flew into my room, shutting and locking the door behind me. Pulling the refrigerator key out of my purse, I quickly unlocked it and within seconds had downed three bags of O positive. Yum. I dropped onto my bed, suddenly tired, but knowing I had to get back to Drake and Monty. The two bags of blood might be enough to satisfy Drake for a few minutes, but I drank two whole people the first day. I grabbed the other cooler I had and loaded it up, leaving myself a few bags to last until tomorrow. If I was eating for two, I'd really have to start ramping up my collection. There was no way I could get all I needed from Bartlett's Urgent Care Center without people starting to ask questions. I'd have to find a few more places to go blood shopping.

I stripped off my stiff and stained clothes. Another outfit ruined. I needed to keep a tab to give to this Steve the vampire master guy for all the clothes I kept ruining thanks to his stupid vampire henchmen. I balled them up and shoved them into a plastic bag at the back of my closet.

After a quick shower and a fresh outfit of jeans and a fitted tee shirt, I returned to the kitchen to play niece for a few minutes before running out the door again. I grabbed a bowl out of the cabinet and filled it halfway with Cheerios and headed to the fridge where I pulled out the half gallon of milk and splashed some on top. I slid into a kitchen chair and grabbed the entertainment section from the paper.

"What are you going to see?" I asked, absently flipping through the pages.

"Oh, this new vampire movie that's out." She pointed to the review at the top of the page. "It got great reviews."

I choked on my Cheerios and nearly dropped my spoon. I glanced at her nervously as she took a sip of her coffee.

"That sounds nice," I said, folding the paper to the comics with my free hand.

"Aw, crap, is it already noon? I'm supposed to go to this kid Monty's with Drake so we can work on our English project." I jumped up and dumped the leftover milk in my bowl down the drain before stowing the bowl in the dishwasher.

"Have fun, I'll see you later," she said and grabbed the front page.

After returning to my room to grab my purse and cooler, I threw my copy of Dracula into my purse, hoping it would make me feel somewhat better about always lying to Sue. I hadn't really been the best fake niece since I'd arrived. But what had I really expected? The more I thought about it, I couldn't really stay here forever. Someday I'd have to move on, and with Drake possibly joining me in a new state of being (well, it sounded nicer than death, anyway). I wondered if it was going to be sooner than later.

I backed the car out of the drive and wove carefully through the still slippery streets. I took one corner a little hard and almost put the Hyundai into a snow bank. My phone buzzed in my purse and I fumbled to grab it. The screen flashed with 'New Message' and I clicked a button to open it.

Hurry. We got problems.

It was from Monty. I hit the gas, not caring if I slid around corners, just wanting to get to Monty's as fast as I could. Images sped through my mind. Was Drake awake? Was he having Monty as his first snack? I slid onto Monty's street and pulled up along the curb, or rather, along the giant snow bank that topped the curb.

My hands shook as I rang the doorbell. I tried to compose myself before the door opened and Monty's mom appeared.

"Well hello hon, you must be Vicky. The kids said you'd be coming soon. That must be some English project you're working on. Monty said you kids might be in the basement all day," she said, holding the storm door open for me to enter. She was a smaller, more feminine version of Monty. Shorter, but still stocky like her son, she sported a short, spiky blond hairdo and wore plenty of eye makeup over her obviously fake-tan. Her skin glowed an unnatural orange-brown, disappearing underneath a leopard-print sweater paired with black leggings. Monty clearly didn't get his hippy ways from her. I wrinkled my nose at her scent— liver, cabbage, yuck.

She mentioned kids. Was Lauryn back? I hadn't paid any attention to if there were extra cars outside. But then again, I wouldn't have recognized Lauryn's car anyway.

She led me down the hall through the kitchen and to the basement door. Clearly Monty hadn't mentioned I'd been here last night and knew how to get down there.

"Oh, here are some snacks Monty had asked for." She grabbed a tray off the table with chips and salsa and freshly popped popcorn, along with some cans of pop. "I'll just carry it down."

My eyes widened at the thought of her discovering what lay on the couch in her basement.

"No, that's okay, I'll get that." I grabbed the tray and headed towards the door. "I'm going down anyway. Thanks for the snacks." I started down the steps and heard the door shut behind me. I let out a sigh of relief and tried not to fall down the stairs while balancing the food on the tray. It wasn't heavy; it just required some concentration to keep everything on top. I didn't notice until I'd turned the corner into the basement that it wasn't just Monty and Lauryn waiting for me. I nearly dropped the tray as I realized Ernie and Callie were sitting there as well.

"Uh, oh, hi guys." I stammered. They all stared at me. The room was silent for a moment. I set the tray down on the wooden coffee table with a hollow clunk. Ernie and Callie looked at me in awe. Lauryn and Monty, on the other hand, looked sheepish. "I see they told you what's up?"

A collective sigh went up over the group.

"We were going to wait for you, but they showed up and, well, we just had to tell them." Lauryn twisted her hands in her lap.

"And?" I asked, looking at Callie and Ernie. I noticed Callie's eyes were ringed with pink, as if she'd been crying. Her normally warm skin tone was blanched white. Ernie looked the same as always, just a little more concerned.

"He hasn't moved yet." Ernie gestured to the couch where Drake lay.

"I just can't believe this," murmured Callie, twisting a piece of her blond hair around her finger.

"I couldn't either, but here I am," I said. I threw my purse and coat over a wooden bar stool that stood at the basement bar and then walked over to Drake. I lifted up the blanket and dropped it with a gasp.

"What?" They all said collectively, with Monty and Ernie jumping to their feet.

"Look." I pulled the blanket back, hoping it was true and I wasn't just seeing things. Drake's stomach, once a gaping wound of blood, muscle, and possibly some organ meat was slowly healing. The rough edges of torn skin where the branch had entered were smooth and the hole was half the size it had been after Bianca's attack the night before. A light purple bruise had risen up along the edges but faded as I watched. The skin continued to stretch and heal, first turning pink and then fading to his normal skin tone. The hole grew smaller and smaller, the bruise traveling along the outside and disappearing until the hole began to knit itself together. The skin moved slowly, creating a seam that again turned pink, then white, the color of an old scar, and then faded back to normal.

"I think it's safe to say I was right about him coming back. Who's the big winner? Yeah, that's right." Monty sank back into his chair, grabbing a handful of popcorn and tossed a few kernels high in to the air, catching them in his mouth.

"Seriously?" Callie threw a balled up napkin at him. "This is not the time to be right, idiot."

"Oh no? Because I think the alternative was that Drake dies. I'd much rather be right and he's alive, no matter how it happens." He grabbed another handful of popcorn and a can of Pepsi.

"Do you have a pair of scissors down here? I'd like to get this gross shirt off him. If he wakes up and sees this giant bloody hole, he might freak out." The shirt was stiff to the touch from all the dried blood.

"Oh, like he's not going to freak out that he's now a vampire? How much longer do you think it'll take?" Ernie asked as he headed behind the bar, fishing a pair of scissors out of a drawer and handing them to me.

"Thanks. I don't really know. It could be today, it could be a couple days. The fact that he just healed makes me think it might be sooner." I carefully snipped up the front of the shirt and through the hole, continuing up his chest. The skin underneath was taut over his well-defined abs, devoid of all scars from the attack. I had never seen his unclothed body before, so I wasn't sure if this was how he always was or if the perfection of vampirism was affecting him. I pulled away the shirt to reveal a chiseled chest, muscular, but not gross and bulky. It fit him perfectly and made him that much hotter.

"Oh my god, has he been working out?" Lauryn asked, trying to see around me. "I don't remember him looking so, um, fit over the summer when we were at the pool."

Monty and Ernie got up to inspect.

"What the...no, that's not right. Dude didn't look like that in gym class last week. Just his usual skinny self." Monty looked down over his body. "Is that some kinda vampire thing?" He looked me over. "Were you this hot, um, before?"

"Monty!" Lauryn jumped up from her seat and punched him in the arm. "Who asks that?" She added a slap to the back of his head.

"I don't know. No one that knew me has seen me since I changed. I think I looked pretty much the same, but my skin is better and my eyes are prettier. And I don't think my hair always looked this good before." I absently touched my hair with one hand while I stuffed the bloody shirt to the bottom of a garbage can behind the bar.

"Your hair is really nice," Lauryn said. "But at least now I know why, so I don't have to be jealous."

I covered Drake with the blanket, drawing it up to his neck and plopped down on an ottoman across from the couch.

"Can I just ask how you guys are okay with all of this?" I looked around and shook my head, bewildered at the group that sat in front of me. Four people who knew what I really was and hadn't shunned me. They hadn't lit the torches and chased me out of town. But why? How could they believe any of this when I could barely believe the story myself?

"Because as hard as this is for me to wrap my brain around, it's so much better than the alternative." Callie's eyes filled with sadness. "I'm willing to believe anything as long as it's not that one of my best friends is gone. Dead. So is that what happened to you? Do all your friends think you're dead?" She sniffed.

"Yeah, my family too." I looked away, not wanting to cry in front of them. "At least Drake can continue to live with his parents, go to school, be normal except for this."

My thoughts were broken by a loud gasp, like someone who had been drowning drawing their first breath of fresh air. Drake's body convulsed on the couch and then stopped just as suddenly. His chest continued to move, rising and falling once again.

The room exploded in activity as everyone jumped to their feet and moved back from the couch.

Except for me.

Drake's eyes fluttered and struggled to focus on anything and everything. I sat on the couch next to him, clutching his hand, partly to comfort him and partly to be the first line of defense if he was blinded by hunger and tried to go after someone.

"Drake, Drake, everything is going to be fine. Can you focus? Can you see me?" I kept my voice low and soothing.

His eyes fluttered once more and stayed open, drinking me in.

"You...what happened?" He muttered, his voice scratchy. He looked around in confusion.

"Hey Monty, can you bring me what I left here this morning?" I spun my head and looked at him with wide eyes, hoping to ward off a very bad situation. He ran behind the bar.

"Coming right up."

I could see Drake's face as he struggled to take it all in. It pained me so much to have to share with him what was now going to be his life, but secretly my heart soared, knowing that he was alive, well, alive-ish and I wasn't going to be burying him in a grave somewhere, left alone and cold under the ground as I had been. And now I'd never be alone again.

"Oh my god, what is that smell?" Drake murmured, his eyes looking dreamy as he glanced around the room. "Who's barbecuing?"

"Monty!" I shouted.

"Coming right up!"

I turned to find him next to me, a tall red plastic cup in his hand. "I thought it might be easier in a cup."

He handed it to me and I pushed him gently back, trying to keep him out of Drake's reach.

"Drake, I need you to sit up and drink thi..." I didn't even get a chance to finish my sentence before he shot up into a seated position, clapped his hands over his mouth and cried out. It then faded to a whimper and his eyes met mine, full of fear.

"Lauryn, Cal, take Drake's keys and go out and grab the other cooler I left on the front seat." I motioned to my purse in the corner. I figured I'd spare them and Drake the drama.

"I'll help you," Ernie added, following them up the steps as fast as he could.

"Not me, man. I'm staying here with you." Monty folded his arms over his chest and looked worriedly at Drake. "I'll get another cup ready."

"What's happening to me?" Drake shouted through his hands. I set the cup down and turned to him.

"I was attacked. Do you remember?"

He shook his head and stared at me with wild eyes, the blue now eight shades more brilliant than it had been before. They were a glittering Caribbean sea, cool and crisp, yet inviting. I slid one arm behind his back and one across his tight stomach, making sure my grip was secure. I couldn't have him bolting. "You tried to save me and took a tree branch to the stomach. I almost lost you." My eyes welled up as the realization hit him.

"So I'm, I'm..." His words failed, trapped behind his hands.

"You're like me now," I whispered.

His hands fell away from his face and one traveled to mine, his fingers tracing my cheek and resting on my neck. His eyes softened, taking me in as if seeing me for the first time.

"Like you? Forever?"

"Forever."

I reached back and grabbed the cup, knowing I had to get the blood in him before he couldn't focus on anything but the hunger.

"Your mouth is going to hurt the first few times your teeth come out. After awhile, you won't even notice it." I kept my voice low and soothing. I reached over to the cup and handed it to him. "What does it smell like?"

He wrinkled his nose and looked at the cup, but closed his eyes and took a deep sniff. "Enchiladas, chicken enchiladas to be exact. Rice, steak, oh my god it smells better than anything I've ever smelled.

"Hurry up and drink it." I pushed it towards him. He sipped it lightly first, and then gulped it down greedily.

Monty returned, a filled cup in his hand. My hand shot out to grab it before he could get too close. "Hey man." He paused as Drake paused and took him in, glancing around at the surroundings in confusion.

"Dude, he knows?"

"They all know."
Chapter 15

A look of relief washed over Drake's face. "Well, I'm glad they do. Saves me some major explaining." He sighed and leaned back against the couch, sipping the cup Monty had given him. "How'd they take it?"

"Well, I think I took it the best." Monty jerked a thumb at himself. "The other three, not so much."

"I only had a chance to break it to Monty and Lauryn, and Monty's right, he definitely handled it better. I thought Lauryn was going to take off screaming or collapse into a coma. But after a long conversation, she seemed to accept it. He told the other two."

"They took it a little better than Lauryn. Although Ernie tried to argue with me a hundred ways that it wasn't possible," Monty said.

Drake nodded. "Like he does."

Monty paused, eyebrows raised at Drake. "And Callie cried."

"What?!" Drake's eyes widened. "No! You're lying."

"Why is that such a big deal?" I looked back and forth at both of them.

"Callie never cries," Monty said. "Ever."

"Oh, she's legendary at school for it. She never cries when she breaks up with boyfriends or gets hurt. She once played two whole basketball games on a broken foot and didn't shed a tear. Asked her dad to take her to the hospital when the games were over and the doctors were shocked. It was snapped clean through." Drake nodded.

"I once saw her break a finger when she hit it with a hammer while we were building the sophomore float for homecoming. Not a sniffle. She's bad-ass," Monty said, his voice edged with awe and admiration. "How are you feeling with all this man?"

"I don't know." His mouth was a firm line. "I'm glad I'm not dead. But it's not exactly the most pleasant thing to find out when you wake up, no offense Vicky." He patted my hand.

"At least you woke up with friends and an explanation," I said quietly and looked at the floor.

"Aw, babe, you're right, I'm sorry to say it like that." He grabbed my hand and squeezed it and I tried to force a smile.

The door opened at the top of the stairs with a squeak.

"Everything cool?" Ernie's voice floated down to us.

"Yeah, man, come on down," Monty called up the steps.

I moved so Drake could swing his legs around and put his feet on the floor as they thudded down the stairs.

"Drake!" Lauryn shouted as she ran across the room, prepared to throw her arms around him. She halted suddenly, meeting my eyes as tears streamed down her cheeks. "Is it, I mean, is he okay?"

"I'm fine," Drake answered and raised his arms to her. "And just because I am whatever I am now, I can still hear you just fine. In fact, I can hear better than fine." He pulled Lauryn into a bear hug, patting her on the back.

"When I saw you lying there with that giant hole in your stomach, I just wanted to die myself. It was horrible! I'm so glad you're okay," she said between happy sobs.

"Oh, come on now, group hug," Monty shouted and pulled Ernie and Callie to him and pushing them all onto the couch on top of Lauryn, Drake, and I.

"Mmm, you guys do smell good." Drake took a deep breath. "It's like a buffet."

"What!" squeaked Ernie. "Get up, get up!" he shouted at Monty, trying to hoist himself off the couch.

"Calm down, man I'm just kidding. Too early for the vampire humor?" Drake lifted the corner of his mouth,

"You're an idiot." Callie clipped him playfully in the head as they all rose from the couch and spread back out around the room. Callie dropped into one of the armchairs with Monty sprawled at her feet. Ernie and Lauryn sat in front of the coffee table. Ernie grabbed a can of Pepsi and popped it open.

"So now what?" Callie asked.

"First of all, I need to get ab-man over there a shirt before we all start drooling over his hot bod." Monty rolled over and climbed to his feet. "Be right back."

Drake glanced down as my eyes, along with Lauryn's and Callie's were drawn to his still-naked torso.

"Wow. That's amazing! I've tried for years to get one of these." He rubbed a hand over his washboard abs and I tore my eyes away, not wanting to get caught staring.

Monty returned with a gray Bartlett Hawks tee shirt, and Drake pulled it over his head, his lovely new body disappearing underneath the fabric. The shirt was long enough to cover some, but not all of the bloodstains from the night before. "Um, I might be needing to borrow a pair of pants too, look at these. Jesus! Did I really bleed out that bad?" He stood and inspected the dried rivers of blood that had run down his pant legs.

"Drake, need I remind you," I paused, "you were dead. You had a hole in your stomach from a tree branch."

Drake dropped back onto the couch, reached towards me with one hand, and twined his fingers with mine. With the other he rubbed his forehead. "I'm trying to remember, but it's so fuzzy. What happened there, anyways? The last thing I remember was you bolting after drunk Morgan started mauling me on the couch. Oh, and thanks by the way, for leaving me there with her."

"What? I was this close to ripping her head off. I had to leave! Besides, you weren't doing anything to stop it." I pulled my fingers out of his and folded my arms across my chest.

"I was just trying to be polite, she was hosting the party. I figured we would just leave anyway before you stormed out." Drake grabbed at my hands and tried to disentangle them from my arms.

I reluctantly let him have my hand. "It's for the best we didn't all leave then anyways," I said. "They were waiting for me by the car. We got lucky with you, that you'd had some of my blood. Lauryn and Monty wouldn't have been so lucky." I glanced around, their mood now sober.

"How many?" Drake asked, squeezing my hand.

"Three this time."

"What? Three? This time? What does that mean?" asked Monty, eyes wide as he rolled onto his side and propping his head on his hand.

"Damn," Drake said. "The first time Vicky and I hung out, another vampire followed her to Lou's."

"And when I first woke up, one was waiting for me," I said. "But I got away."

"And the second time?" Ernie asked, eyeing me carefully.

Drake jumped to my aid. "Let's just say it was the first night I realized just what she was."

"So what happened to the three vamps last night?" Callie asked, absently playing with Monty's ponytail.

"I didn't notice them until I got out to the car. They had me surrounded. I ended up attacking one of them, but I was using him as leverage to try and get them to leave. I didn't want them to go into Morgan's house. Anyway, one of them attacked me while I was still holding the hostage and, he..."

"He what?" Ernie's handful of popcorn was frozen mid-air.

"He killed the other vampire just to get to me, and then I killed him." I lowered my eyes, not wanting to look at them. They had to know it's not like I was trying to go out and find people, alive or otherwise, to kill. I looked up, their eyes fixed on mine. "You came out then." I pointed to Drake. "And you lunged at the girl vamp with that huge branch, but she was quicker and stronger, and she put it right into your stomach. You had grabbed a hold of it. I think that's why it didn't go all the way through. And then she ran off, leaving you dying in the snow."

I glanced around the silent room, mouths hung slightly agape, eyes stared, but I could barely hear any of them breathe.

"She better hope I never run into her in a dark alley," Callie said, breaking the silence.

I leaned back into Drake. His arms, stronger and more solid than they had been before, slid around me and I shivered at his touch. "She better hope I don't run into her again either," I said. "I owe her."

"So the big question is, why do they want you? And why haven't you just gone with them?" Ernie gazed at me thoughtfully.

"Let's just say they didn't exactly seem like they wanted to welcome me with open arms, more like they were pissed that I wouldn't come quietly. They mentioned some guy named Steve and it sounded like he wanted me really bad, only he couldn't be bothered to come and get me himself. They said he made me, and they also seemed shocked that I was as strong and fast as I am."

"Duh, don't you get it Vicky? You're special, even as far as vampires are concerned. The most important thing you've got going is being able to walk in the sun. And if you're faster and stronger, you may be like their secret weapon or something." Ernie palmed his forehead.

"So? We don't know they can't do that," I said.

"Have they ever attacked you during the day?" he asked.

"Nope."

"That has to be somewhat convincing evidence, at least." Ernie popped a chip in his mouth.

"I think it's clear we're going to need to defend ourselves." Monty nodded and rubbed his hands together. "Since you two are already able to defend yourselves, Ernie and I will try to come up with some kind of weapons so we aren't caught off guard."

"What are you going to do? Sharpen a few stakes?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Stakes are so Bram Stoker, Vicky. We have modern technology at our disposal. I'm confident in Ernie's brainiac abilities that he'll be able to come up with something far superior. Those vamps don't know who they're messing with, no offense."

"None taken." Drake hugged me tighter. I couldn't have asked to find better friends. I worried that I had put them in danger, but deep down, the little selfish part of me was so happy I'd found them.
Chapter 16

I was worried about Drake from the moment he got into my car. I offered to drive him to school on his first morning as a vampire and made sure to pack extra blood bags, bringing both coolers in the back of the Mustang. I'd had the luxury, if you want to call it that, of adjusting to my new situation before dropping myself into hallways full of warm tasty people. My eyes flitted over to him continuously on our drive to school, even though he seemed cool and in control. I knew better. It wasn't that easy.

"What's wrong with you?" He squeezed my hand as we pulled into the parking lot.

"Nothing." I paused and glanced at him again after parking the car. "I don't know—you seem awful calm about this. You have to walk around people today. Lots of people. How was it at home last night?"

"Weird being that the first thing I noticed about my family was that they smelled like all my favorite foods. Italian beef. Chicago hot dogs. Cheese fries. It was painful, but I was able to keep it together with the extra blood you gave me. I'm already out, I'll need to stock up after school."

I pulled into a parking spot in the back of the lot.

"Already? I guess boy vampires eat more than girl vampires do. Jeez. We'll have to hit up the clinic then. We might want to go to a different town. I don't want people here to start noticing how much blood is missing from the Urgent Care. They may try to catch us. Or the other vamps might get wind if it's in the paper. I don't want them to come after you too. They have to believe you died."

I squeezed his hand, leaning in close to his face. He was so handsome before—he was nearly impossible to take my eyes off of now. Morgan would be unstoppable. Ugh.

"I'm here for you today, any time. Just run out to the car if you have to, lay low, and send me a text. The supply in the back should handle lunch, and be sure to save me a bag or two." I placed my hand on his cheek. "If this is too much, we could just go, blow off the day."

"That is so tempting." He pressed his lips to mine, soft and perfect. His hands slipped around my waist and pulled me closer. I inhaled, still disappointed that the rich, chocolaty smell that had been a part of him since we'd met was gone. He pulled back and I sighed.

"But if I don't show at school and my ma finds out, she'll kill me." He laughed at his own words. "Okay, obviously an overstatement, she'll be really, really pissed. And since she doesn't know her son has acquired immortality and the strength of a superhero, it's best not to make her mad. She might ground me."

I laughed out loud and pulled back from his embrace. "We better get in there before we're late then."

We walked among the students headed towards the main doors and were absorbed in the crowd. A heap of mouth-watering scents washed over us. I looked at him sideways, watching his eyes widen as he was hit with the sensation. I pulled him aside from the flow of the crowd down a side hallway.

"Are you okay?" I stood on my tiptoes and looked into his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, I'll be alright. I'm full, and you told me that helps. I just have to not let it get to me." His voice shook a little as he tried to convince himself. "I can do this."

"Yeah, but if you can't, people could get hurt," I said.

His eyes pleaded with me. "Come on Vick, it'll be alright. Let's just go to class." He pulled me by the hand and we rejoined the throng of students, making our way to English class. As I predicted, Morgan was on him like wallpaper on a wall the minute we walked in the door to English.

"What happened to you on Saturday, Drake?" Morgan cooed. I rolled my eyes. "You missed out on all the fun!"

"Oh, uh, yeah, sorry about that. We had to go. Monty's ma needed him at home. Total bummer." He nodded apologetically.

"After you guys left, we all got really drunk and then ran around outside in the snow. We made snowmen and snow angels and everything. Best blizzard party ever!" Morgan flipped her hair nervously.

"Sounds like it." He took out his copy of Dracula and I copied him, pulling it from my purse.

"Ahem." Mrs. Evon cleared her throat. "Ms. Rakow, let's please refrain from speaking publically about your weekend activities unless you'd like to share the details with the principal's office." She gave her a stern and disapproving look before launching into the lecture on our reading from Dracula.

I observed Morgan with wide eyes. As much as I'd felt like killing her on Saturday night, the reality of her or any other guests at that party walking out into a vampire showdown would have made for a mega disaster. None of them had any idea what kind of monsters lurked in the dark streets of Bartlett, let alone behind them in class.

*

Physics was the ultimate boredom today. I was tempted to give the teacher one of my special looks and head outside. Anything would be better than listening to Mr. Bez drone on about the finer points of Newton's law. My mind was distracted anyways, wandering to thoughts of Drake. Was he okay? We had lunch the following period. I carefully slid my phone from my purse, doing my best to not be seen by Mr. Bez. I nearly jumped out of my seat when the phone came to life in my hands, buzzing urgently. A text popped up on the screen.

Car! Help!

It was from Drake. I threw the phone back in my bag and gathered my things before rushing to the front of the class.

"Excuse me, Mr. Bez," I said and interrupted him midsentence. He turned to look at me, simmering with anger. "May I please go to the nurse?"

"No, I don't think so. I've asked this class many times to please wait for an opportune time to ask me for such things." He glanced at me sternly and turned back to the chalkboard. "Go sit down, Vicky."

A few voices snickered in the back of the room. Now was not the time to mess around. I turned on my heel and stormed out of the room. Mr. Bez turned to follow me, but once I hit the hallway I picked up speed and was at the central staircase just as he was sticking his head out the door. This could be fixed later. I dashed down the wide staircase to the main doors that led out to the parking lot.

"Whoa there, young lady, do you have a pass?" an elderly rotund man with a bright, bald head asked as I reached the door.

I widened my eyes and got close to his face. We were almost nose to nose. I could smell him, the scent of greasy fried food, chicken. And maybe some liver. My stomach turned. I guess there were some things I still wouldn't eat.

"I've shown you my pass and I'm leaving for the day."

His eyes glazed and his body went a bit slack, his aggressive stance relaxing. "You've shown me your pass."

I slammed the door open and tore across the sidewalk and into the parking lot, sprinting for my car, which I had parked in the back, near the trees. I skidded to a stop a few feet from it, nervous that there was no sign of Drake.

"Drake, are you here?" I said, knowing if he was anywhere around, his hearing would pick that up.

He jumped up between cars, a horrified look on his face.

"Vicky, I'm so sorry."

I took the last few feet in a few long strides and came to where he stood, near the trunk of my car. A van was parked next to me, blocking our view of the woods. Drake pointed down to the ground and I could see two bodies slumped next to the Mustang, leaning against the van. A boy and a girl, both deathly pale.

"Oh, Drake, what did you do?" I breathed.

"I swear, I didn't mean it. I came out here to get the blood. It got to be too much. I was sitting in math and all of a sudden my fangs shot out. I ran out here just so no one would see. I got to the car, but before I could get in, this happened." He pointed at the bodies.

"Are they still alive?" I sniffed the air, catching caprese salad, mozzarella, and garlic. "One of them is."

"That's Allison. She and I used to date. The van was rocking as I came up to the Mustang, but I had no idea she was in there. They opened the door as I was trying to get into the car, but that asshole got in my face and I just lost it."

I glanced down, noticing his throat was ripped more violently open than the girl's.

"Allison started screaming at me and I had to shut her up. I didn't know what to do." He slumped to the ground, rubbing his face with his hands. "What did I do?"

"The same thing I did," I said. "Throw him in his van and shut the door. There's nothing we can do for him."

I knelt down next to Allison, taking in her ample chest and blond hair. So this had been my predecessor, the one who had destroyed my Drake. Anger surged through my veins and my instinct wanted to end her, to make her go away. But she was still alive, and keeping her alive would damage Drake much less. I willed my fangs out and bit into my wrist, shoving it into her mouth.

"Drink this, you'll feel better," I whispered as Drake hoisted the boy's body into the van and slammed the door. She was barely conscious but managed to get a few sips. The holes on her neck closed, leaving a smear of blood behind. I pulled some wet wipes out of my purse and cleaned it up as she regained her strength.

"Ow, what happened?" she asked, glancing up and looking at Drake. Her face blanched even whiter. "You," she said, "you killed Tyson, Drake. Why would you do that?"

Drake walked around to the other side of the car. I grabbed Allison's arm and pulled her close. Looking deep into her green eyes I said, "you are fine. You were not attacked by Drake or anyone else. Last time you saw Tyson, he was alive and well. You tell people that he was dealing drugs. And you will stop being such a whore."

She gazed at me with glassy eyes. "I'm fine. Tyson sells drugs. I will stop being a whore," she said.

"Now go back into school and go to class." I pulled her to her feet and pushed her towards the building. Drake sat numbly in the passenger seat as I slid into the driver's seat. I started the car and threw it into reverse, spinning the tires as I tore out of the parking lot.

Drake pulled the blood bags out of the cooler and handed me one.

"Not hungry?" I nodded towards him after taking a deep sip.

"I don't want this, Vicky. I don't want to be this way. I just killed a guy!" A few tears splashed across his cheeks. My heart shattered, seeing him cry, knowing that I made him this way.

"I'm so sorry Drake. We didn't know what would happen with my blood in your system. But even if I could take it back, I wouldn't. I couldn't bear to lose you." I set the blood bag down and wiped away a few of my own tears.

"I know you're really upset right now, but that's what you have to work on, fighting the urge. You didn't kill Allison," I said, hoping that would make him feel somewhat better.

"When I was drinking from her it dawned on me who she was, the anger and hunger had faded a little. I just can't believe it." He buried his face in his hands.

I was silent. What more could I say? He wasn't given the option, just like me. If anyone understood him, it was me.

"You have two options, Drake, and I don't mean this to sound as awful as it will." I reached across the seat and grabbed his hand away from his face. "You can learn to control it. Or kill yourself. These are the only options."

I drove through town, heading to Sue's house. She was at work today. And Drake needed to be away from people.

We trudged into Sue's silent house and plopped down on the couch in front of the TV. I didn't bother turning it on.

"So that's it. Those are my only options?" Drake slouched on the couch.

"I'm afraid so. But if I can do it, so can you. Take a sick day tomorrow. We can go to the mall and practice, if you want."

He leaned into me, his lips finding mine. "I want whatever keeps me with you," he said between kisses. "No matter how hard it is."
Chapter 17

Our lesson the next day took us to Woodfield, one of the largest malls in the world. If he could handle it here, he could handle it everywhere. We decided to try a different tactic until he got used to the new condition.

Our first stop was at Starbucks on our way to the mall, to purchase non-see-through coffee mugs.

After arriving at the mall, we filled each mug with blood and headed into the crowds. Wave after wave of scents washed over us both, almost making me dizzy. I could only imagine how he felt. With his free hand he reached out and grabbed mine.

"Oh my god, it's so much, it smells so good," he said quietly.

"Take a sip from your mug and think about something else. Your family, baseball, whatever. Just take your mind off of it."

"I think my fangs are out," he whispered after taking a sip from the mug.

"Just don't smile or laugh, I doubt anyone will notice." We strolled through the mall hand in hand, sipping blood from our Starbucks mugs. We looked just like any other couple at the mall.

"I don't know how you did this every day, Vicky, it's so hard," he sighed as we turned down a less populated corridor.

"It is, but you have to be prepared." I nodded, sliding my arms around his waist.

"Yeah, but even drinking blood when I'm walking around doesn't seem to quench the thirst."

"Here's my thing—if I didn't figure out how to control it, I would be alone right now. I'd have eaten all my friends and would be left with nothing. Sure, we can run away from Bartlett, out of town, out of state, but you'd have to leave everything behind, be dead to all your family and friends, just like me. I don't know why, even though I had the opportunity to go off, to run away, to be on my own, I couldn't do it. I needed somebody. And I found you and your friends.

He pressed me into his chest and I looked up into his eyes.

"Could you do it? Walk away from your friends, your mom and dad? Or worse, stay and maybe hurt them?"

He tilted his head back, looking at the ceiling.

"You're right Vicky, I have to try, if only for them. I can't leave them. I'm sure you wouldn't have left your family and friends if you'd had the choice."

I pressed my face into his chest and tried to force the images of my parents and Donovan from my mind. I would have gone back to them if I could have. But how can you possibly explain returning from the dead? I was unsure that would ever be possible.

*

We pulled into a parking spot on the street in front of Drake and Monty's favorite Mexican restaurant for some celebratory burritos after our successful day at the mall. A commuter train had pulled in the station and the business people that streamed from the platform surrounded us as we got out of the car. Drake seemed to not even notice them.

We slid into the booth next to Monty and Callie. Lauryn and Ernie sat opposite. They munched on chips and salsa.

"Where were you two today? We missed you at lunch the last two days," Callie said, popping a salsa-laden chip into her mouth.

"We went to the mall so I could practice being around large crowds. I was having trouble at school on Monday." Drake slid me a sideways glance and squeezed my hand under the table.

"How did that go?" Ernie asked.

"Much better now. I should be able to handle going back to school tomorrow." Drake nodded.

"Good, because we're going to the basketball game on Friday night. Just so you know." Lauryn took a sip of her soda. "It's supposed to be a killer game."

"Speaking of killer," Monty said quietly. "Did anyone hear they found that dude Tyson that, um, Allison was dating dead in his van?"

"Yeah," Callie said. "I heard they found him this morning in the parking lot. They aren't sure how long he'd been in there. Said his throat had been cut open."

Drake squeezed my hand so hard my finger broke.

"Ow!" I squealed, pulling it from his grip.

"Are you okay?" he said, slightly panicked. I glanced down and saw my disjointed finger slowly move back into its proper location.

"No, no, it's okay. I'm fine. It's nothing, really." I shook my hand out and grabbed his again.

"What happened?" Lauryn peered over the table, trying to get a glimpse.

"Oh, nothing, I just twisted my hand funny, sorry," I said hurriedly. "So, do they know what happened to this Tyson dude?" A weak attempt to change the subject, but at least it took the focus off us.

"I guess I heard that Allison told the police he'd been dealing drugs. They found a little bit of weed in the car, and some pills, but they figure whoever killed him probably took whatever else there was." Monty played with the corner of the menu.

I realized I hadn't really been breathing and sucked in a big breath.

"Hey," Ernie said, moving in closer. "Do you think it could've been some of your vampire friends? I mean, I know they're looking at local gangs and other drug dealers and whatever, but what if it was one of them? Maybe the dude was just in the wrong place at the wrong time."

I gave Drake a sideways glance, but he didn't meet it, instead he was focused solely on the menu. It was his issue, I wasn't about to out him in front of his friends.

"That could be, Ernie, but I don't know if we'll ever know that answer. Are you guys ready to order?"

Drake seemed nervous the entire meal and we walked quickly to the car afterwards.

"You're not going to tell them, are you?" I put the car into reverse and made my way over the train tracks to the other side of Bartlett.

"I can't. I don't think I ever will. They think they understand, they think they can handle it. When I saw you kill that guy in the parking lot, it wasn't as bad because he was going to kill us and we didn't have an option. And I know you had the incident with those two old people, but it seemed so far removed from my reality. I didn't know them. But this dude was innocent, a normal kid just like them, just like they still see me, even though they know what I am." He looked out the window. "I just can't. You understand, right?"

I sighed. "Of course I understand. I don't want them to be afraid of you, and if we keep on top of this, they won't have to worry at all." I gave him a wistful smile as we drove through the quiet Bartlett streets. I only hoped that was true. I might be able to protect them from Drake, but how long could I protect them from Steve and the rest of his friends?
Chapter 18

"What's going on in the parking lot?" I heard someone ask as they filed in the gym doors. "It's like a SWAT team or something. Somebody done got busted." A boy in a green Bartlett hoodie shook his head as he walked through and disappeared into the crowd.

A SWAT team showing up for a high school basketball game? Bartlett was about as dangerous as kittens in a basket of yarn. Maybe they were looking for Tyson's killer. If so, they'd come to the right spot. I looked around, sweeping the lunchroom in front of the gym entrance, trying to get a glimpse of anyone. Drake had gone to the concession stand with Monty and was in a sea of people out of view. Callie and Lauryn had gone to the bathroom while Ernie held our seats for us. I was surprised he hadn't wanted me to stay and fight off the Bartlett moms from taking our hard earned seats. I had decided against joining the line in the concessions and was just standing by as an extra set of hands in case they couldn't carry everything.

Off in the distance two police officers stood in the main entryway gazing solemnly at a piece of paper in their hands and looking up as people walked by. I strained to hear what they were saying but their voices were washed away in the sound of the throng of people.

I looked back to the crowd, still no luck in finding anyone. There must have been a ton of people in line at the bathroom. I hoped we wouldn't miss the tip-off. I leaned against the wall and sighed.

Glancing back towards the entrance, I noticed the police officers marching towards me, an agenda clearly written on their faces. Men on a mission. I'd have to tell Drake about it when they got back. I stepped to the side, away from the open gymnasium doors to clear out of their way and they abruptly changed direction, heading straight towards me. I gasped and took a few steps backwards. They glanced down at their piece of paper and then at me. They seemed sure of one thing—they had found who they were looking for.

"Hey, you, stop right there," the older officer said. His stomach extended far over his belt, making me wonder if they ever had to chase any perps in Bartlett. I guessed not.

I paused for a minute, unsure of where to go. My eyes shot towards the entrance. It would be an easy escape, but did I really need to be on the run from the cops? It would be better for everyone if I didn't cause a scene. I could convince them that I wasn't who they were looking for and I was completely innocent. People snuck curious looks at the officers as they closed in on me.

I took a deep breath and stepped towards them.

"How can I help you, officers?" I asked sweetly, hoping that turning on the charm would help.

"Are you Victoria Hernandez?" the second, younger officer asked and glanced down at the piece of paper again.

"Yes sir, what can I do for you?" I smiled and tried to look them in the eye.

"Are you the owner of a black 2010 Ford Mustang, license plates K78 457?"

"I am. I'm sorry, did I park it in the wrong spot?" I batted my eyelashes.

They still did not meet my eyes.

"No, it's stolen. Why don't you come outside with us so we can discuss this matter further? You don't want to cause a scene in front of all these nice people, do you?" The younger cop nodded, looking at the floor.

"Um, sure, of course." And when I got outside, I could force them to look me in the eye, clean the car out of my stuff and make a run for it. There would be other cars. I tried to find Drake, my eyes frantically searching the lunchroom but I came up with nothing. The cops followed behind me and on either side, giving me a great opportunity to run forward but not back or to the sides. Well, I could have done it anyways, it's not like they could have really stopped me, but I doubted maiming two cops would allow me to stay in this town with Drake.

Curious eyes darted towards the officers and me from every corner of lunchroom as people nudged their neighbors and attempted to figure out what was going on. All except my friends. They were nowhere to be found.

I trudged out the main entrance and out onto the main courtyard in front of the school. Black vans were lined up along the circular drive, forming a wall around where I stood. I could smell them before I saw them, their scent even more unpleasant in such a large group. I wrinkled my nose and stepped back, bumping into my police escort. They had come to a halt, and I glanced around, knowing if I could have, I might just have thrown up all over my shoes.

Emerging from behind the vans were a couple dozen vampires, sauntering into a smug line in front of me. They sported a wide variety of black leather jackets, some long, some short, some elegant, and some punk rock. Their skin shone in the light of the powerful parking lot lamps, enhanced by the half moon that hung in the cold, crisp air above us. And quite a few were twirling something in their hands—stakes.

My eyes darted nervously around me, looking for any way out. The line was tight and some of them had been waiting along the school's outer wall. They approached us from behind, leaving the two officers and me in the center of one very deadly circle. I stood frozen to my spot. I had no chance against this many. And there were way too many people inside that could get hurt.

Near the center of the line in front of me was a bit of movement as it broke and two figures stepped through. The man was tall and blond, his hair almost white in the light. He wore a pair of black sunglasses that completely shielded his eyes from my view. The girl next to him wore long, pink braids. Bianca.

Anger surged through me, like fire scorching my veins. I wanted to lunge at her and shred her to little tiny pieces. I wanted her to feel the pain I felt when I thought I was going to lose Drake, lose everything I'd tried so hard to build here in Bartlett. My fangs shot out and I could feel my lip lift in a snarl.

"Officers Fash and Johnson, do come here," the tall, blond vampire said, his voice silky smooth. They stepped forward, leaving me standing alone.

"We found her, sir," said the older officer, looking the vampire directly in the eyes. Bianca stared at me, her eyes burning in triumph. I looked away, not wanting to give in to the temptation to tear them out in bloody little hunks.

"So you did. Right. Well, off you go then, we'll take care of the little car thief from here. I'll be sure to inform your superiors of a job well-done." The vampire smirked and waved them away. They wandered vacantly towards the wall of vampires and were let through, disappearing behind the line of vans.

The vampire approached slowly as the circle tightened. Bianca pulled a small wooden stake out of her pocket as they moved closer, the tip sharpened to a wicked point.

"You know, Victoria, you've really been giving my friends such a hard time," he said, searching me up and down from behind his shades. I shivered despite the fact that I couldn't see his eyes. I felt them slide over me, which was almost worse.

I willed myself to speak, to say something clever, but with all of those eyes on me my tongue was frozen. No clever comebacks, nothing, nada.

"From your lack of movement, I take it you're willing to come quietly this time?" He took another step closer and I remained silent. "I promise that we'll go easy on you, even though you've killed some of my best friends. I can't say I really appreciated that, by the way. You can apologize later."

He came to a stop about two feet in front of me and removed his glasses with his leather-gloved hands. His eyes were a brilliant blue, so captivating I couldn't look away. But they weren't like Drake's blue, so deep and refreshing that you just wanted to lose yourself in them. This was a deadly blue, like water that could pull you in and if you didn't freeze, you would surely drown. They were death.

"So it's true then? I succeeded this time. You can walk in the sun?" He held out his gloved hand, I wasn't sure if he expected me to shake it or kiss it, but finally my tongue and my body sprang to life.

"Yeah Steve—that's your name, isn't it? I can walk in the sun. Lay by the pool and get a tan if I want to. Why, do you miss it?" I snarled, heaving the words at him. I stepped back from his outstretched hand.

He pulled his hand back, like he was fearful of touching something filthy.

"I would expect you to be a little more kind regarding this matter, Victoria. I've gifted you with eternal life and cured you of our curse of the sun. You are a very lucky girl."

"Lucky? Lucky? You call this LUCKY?" I screamed, my voice echoing off of the brick school wall that loomed two stories over our heads. "You killed me, ripped me away from my family, and now it's all I can do to keep from killing everyone around me. And I'm supposed to feel lucky?"

"I have to say, this little mess is of your own invention. If you'd just come with Mike from day one, you wouldn't be so concerned with these friends, with this fake life you've built for yourself. You're a superior creature now, Victoria. Superior, I would venture to guess, even to most of us." He waved his hand at the vampires around us. "Well, maybe not superior to me, that's hardly possible." He chuckled to himself.

"And really, you're supposed to kill them and suck them dry of every drop of blood they have in their weak little bodies. We don't play with our food, Victoria. It's unpleasant."

I narrowed my eyes and licked my lips, letting my fangs show. My legs tensed up, my body seeking an escape even if my brain couldn't figure one out.

"I'm quite bored with all these dramatics. I do believe it's time to be going. We've got lots to talk about." He waved to the other vampires and the circle tightened even more.

My legs jumped to action and I raced towards the nearest vampire. I might not be able to take them all on, but I could take one down, get out of the circle and just run and run until I got away. I lunged forward, catching a surprised girl by the throat. Before my arm could complete the action of removing her head, her mouth frozen in a silent scream, I screeched in pain and horror as dozens of stakes were plunged into my skin. They ripped and tore through my muscles and dug into my bones, which shattered under the pressure of a few. My body felt like it was being shredded into a million pieces and my screams suddenly stopped—everything stopped as my vision sped into darkness, the pain disappearing along with all of my other senses as I faded into oblivion.
Chapter 19

I blinked a few times, the bright lights above my face scorched my eyes and I slammed the lids shut again. Big, fat, fluffy clouds clogged my brain and I tried so hard to focus. The only thing that was getting through to me though was the pain. I faintly remembered being stabbed with so many wooden stakes. But they shouldn't hurt anymore. I healed quickly these days.

My eyes fluttered again and I jerked my head sideways to attempt to shield myself from the light, but for some reason, my arms, legs, and body did not respond. I popped my eyes open forcefully this time, needing to know what was holding me down. In the glaring light of a spotlight my eyes struggled to focus on the space around me. An antiseptic smell surged through my nostrils, making my stomach lurch.

God, how long had it been since I'd had some blood? My veins were burning, and that sensation, the one I'd had the night of Harold and Mrs. Harold, was simmering below the surface. I needed blood and I needed it now.

The room I was in appeared to be some kind of hospital room. The spotlight hung from the ceiling above me and swayed lightly over my head. Off to the right a metal table was covered with a white cloth, across which was laid a number of razor sharp instruments, glinting in the light. The rest of the room was gray and shadows clung to the walls. The spotlight was the only light in the room.

Using what little strength I had left, I craned my neck up, looked down at my body and a shriek escaped my lips.

My arms, legs, and stomach were skewered to the table on thick, bloody stakes that had been run through them. I struggled again against the stakes, but the pain rolled over me, smothering me, and I collapsed against the table, the room disappearing from my vision.

*

"Wake up, Victoria," a voice said as it snaked through the fog in my brain. I knew this voice, but something deep inside me screamed of danger, but I couldn't piece together why.

My eyelids fluttered once again and I struggled to focus on the blurry face hanging over me. The bright spotlight shone around it. I didn't feel pain anymore and was only really aware of my head, as if it had been completely detached from my body.

"Ah, there you are. I've been waiting for a while. So inconvenient, really. But at least I was able to get some work done while you slept, were unconscious, whatever you kids are calling it these days." He chuckled to himself and leaned back out of the light. I squinted in the suddenly bright light before he flicked it off. Spots of red swam in front of my eyes, tiny orbs bobbing in my field of vision like little bouncing cherries. They slowly cleared as did the fog in my brain, although my thoughts still felt slow.

Steve.

The tall, blond vampire moved closer to me. The fluorescent lights of the room, now turned on, gleamed off his marble skin.

"What do you want from me?" I gasped, my voice sounded like I'd swallowed a ton of gravel. My tongue felt large and struggled to form words.

"You, Victoria, are my greatest achievement, and that's saying a lot, considering I'm about nine hundred years old." He smiled at me, his frigid blue eyes piercing me like shards of ice. He ran a finger lovingly down the side of my face, a man appraising his most valuable prize. I shuddered at his touch, but my numb body was unable to move away.

"If you'd just come to join me from the beginning, it wouldn't have been like this. We could have been friends. I wouldn't have you staked to the table like a dead butterfly on display. Why didn't you come?" He pondered my face with curious eyes.

"I don't know. He scared me." I whispered, referring to the first vampire. Steve seemed to register the reference.

"Well, Mike was kind of an idiot. It seemed like such an easy assignment. Be there when you woke—bring you back. It wasn't rocket science. But no, he couldn't even manage that."

My eyes struggled to focus on him, my brain desperately wanted to let go and sink back into nothingness.

"Why me?"

"Because you, my lovely girl, had the perfect blood. I had researched bloodlines of the ancients for centuries trying to find just the right combination to recreate one of the Lost Ones. You had their blood, deep in your veins. The blood of the Lost Ones traveled for centuries through continents, hidden in your ancestors. And I was the one who figured it out, not the others. Me."

"I have no idea what you're talking about. Who are the Lost Ones?" I grumbled.

Steve pulled up a chair and sat next to the table I lay on. He stayed level with my head, keeping his eyes on mine.

"The Lost Ones were a special tribe of vampires that resided in the Andes Mountains of South America for millennia. No one can remember when they began or where they came from. But they were the first and only Daywalkers. Until they perished."

"What killed them?" I asked, my mind racing back to earlier today. I couldn't remember if it still was today. I had no idea just how long I'd been in this room with Steve and no clue if Drake and the others had any idea I was gone. They'd never be able to find me. I didn't even know where I was.

"A group of ancient vampires had joined the Conquistadors in their quest of the New World, seeking the untold treasures of an unknown land. The Conquistadors had no idea who their travel companions were, and based on the historical accounts of the discovery, the ancient vampires found these Daywalkers living among humans as gods, and even," he wrinkled his nose in disgust, "shared their blood with them, using it to heal the sick and give soldiers strength during battle. The Lost Ones were not at full strength due to the sharing of their extraordinary blood with those filthy humans."

"So who cares how they lived? Why couldn't they mind their own business?" My voice oozed with sarcasm despite being weakened by my current predicament.

"Why? Because it was disgusting, this sharing of vampire blood. And vampires living in harmony out in the open with people was simply unheard of. The ancient ones decided they must be destroyed. Humans were meant to be used as food or as assistance for getting what one wanted, but held no greater place than a dog. They attacked the Lost Ones' settlement and destroyed them, staking them as they slumbered and ripping their heads clean off their bodies. They dragged the bodies through the streets and burned what remained in a giant bonfire. They killed most of the humans as well, although it is clear some of those filthy animals escaped, or you wouldn't be here right now."

My head spun with Steve's revelations.

"So, now you've made me. What now?"

He rose from his chair and stepped to the table full of gleaming metal. He picked up a large syringe and took a step back towards me.

"This might hurt just a smidge," he said and raised the syringe over my chest. With a move as quick as lightning, he plunged it into my chest straight into my heart. I gasped and screeched as my body collapsed inward, my veins falling flat as he raised the plunger, sucking the blood directly from the font.

My eyes widened as he pulled the plunger up and it filled with my life essence, sucking it from my very core. I stared at Steve, my eyes no longer able to function according to my thoughts. I saw him through a tunnel; suddenly he was so far away. He raised the syringe to his own chest and grimaced, a cry escaping his lips and floating to my ears. He pushed the plunger down and sighed as the liquid disappeared into his own heart.

The tunnel went black.
Chapter 20

Before my eyes even opened, I could tell something had changed. The pain had faded and my body was no longer numb. My eyes fluttered open, taking in my surroundings as I stretched my arms and legs, happy they were free of their previous bindings.

Unpainted cement walls surrounded me, with one side open, well kind of open. Thick metal bars lined it, caging me in like a dangerous animal. I rolled onto my side. A thin mattress cushioned me from the cement slab it lay on. The room was devoid of any other furniture.

The silence filled the room and I closed my eyes, attempting to grab onto any sound or whisper in the air, but could find nothing. I was alone here.

I pushed myself into a sitting position, running my hands down my bare arms and finding them smooth and unscarred. I was dressed in a pair of white cotton pajama pants and a white tee shirt. I pulled up a pant leg and checked out the damage. Nothing. Someone had filled me up with blood, my thirst had subsided and my veins no longer burned. For that, I was thankful.

I got up, sliding off the mattress and onto the floor. Barefoot, I padded to the cell wall, taking in the long, empty corridor that ran in either direction. I attempted to peer down the corridor and raised my hands to the metal bars to hold on for a better view. As my fingers made contact with the metal there was a loud crack. I flew backwards, skidded across the floor, and slammed head first into the cement slab. My head spun and I attempted to remain conscious. My hands were blackened and crackled with energy. They slowly faded back to their normal color, the charring disappeared. My head quickly healed and the world around me came to a halt.

I heard the creak of hinges somewhere beyond the bars and jumped to my feet. Shoes clicked on the cement floor, growing louder as they approached.

"Ah, my prized possession! Feeling better, it seems?" Steve stood before me, dressed in tight-fitting jeans and an equally tight button down shirt, open at the neck. He was relaxed, shoulders back, and he sported a broad smile on his face. I stood a safe distance from the bars and felt my body settle into a defensive position.

I said nothing. My brain flashed images of the evening's earlier events. I may not have been feeling the pain, but I hadn't forgotten. My lip curled and my fangs slid into place.

"Now, now sweetheart, is that any way to treat me? I've done everything I could, within reason, to make you more comfortable. Fresh clothes, fresh blood, a place to sleep, those awful stakes removed from your arms and legs...there are lots of reasons to like me."

I said nothing but hissed, like a lioness held captive.

"Bad manners will get you nowhere, dear Victoria," he said with a tsk tsk. "Someday, if you promise to be a good girl, I might be able to let you out of your electrified cage, to live with me." He raised an eyebrow and his eyes slid over my body.

If I'd had any food in me, I might just have thrown up in my mouth.

"You'll have to kill me first," I said, fists clenched at my side.

"That just hurts me, right here." He patted over his heart, where he had injected my blood. "In just a few hours, I'll be able to test out this blood of yours, see if my experiment is able to create more Daywalkers. Just think, Victoria, thanks to you, I might be able to walk around in the sun for the first time in nine hundred years. I could go to the beach, eat lunch at a sidewalk café in Paris, wear sunglasses for a reason." He clapped his hands, barely able to contain his glee.

"When we're sure it works, we can do it the easy way or the hard way. If you don't want to live with me and enjoy the sumptuous lifestyle which I can promise you," he chuckled, "then you can stay down here in your little electric cave. And every month, after we're confident the blood has been in your system long enough, we'll come down, incapacitate you by any means necessary and withdraw your blood, just like I did earlier tonight."

The horror of those memories washed over me, my knees shaking. Yet I tried to maintain my composure, not wanting to show any signs of weakness. I had to figure out a way out of here. Drake had to be frantic. He had to know I wouldn't just disappear on him.

"It's obvious you have nothing to say," Steve said with a disappointed frown. "Someone will be down later to feed you. If everything works out, I'll be spending the day out somewhere, anywhere. If it doesn't work, well, it could be that I might have to destroy my own creation. I can't bear the thought of you living with such a wonderful gift as this, a gift I gave you, for which you are anything but grateful. I really hoped you would see it my way Victoria." He shrugged, turned on his heel and clomped off down the corridor.

I slid onto the mattress and curled up into a ball, pulling my knees to my chest. I had to get out of here.

*

I dozed for a bit before I was awoken by more footsteps. Bianca's pink braids came into view and I was instantly on my feet, ready to pounce.

"Steve told me to feed you. No need to be alarmed. It's not like I'll be killing your boyfriend any time soon." She snorted. "You might want to warn the next one not to mess with a vampire."

I hissed, trapped behind the electric wall but wanting to reach through and tear her head straight off her body. I think I'd almost like to do it slowly, watch her suffer as her skin separated, muscles detached—until nothing was left but a bloody stump. See the look in her eyes as she saw the end of her life coming, just like Drake did. At least it would wipe that smirk off of her face. And little did she know that Drake could probably rip her head off all by himself now. I suppressed a smile at the thought.

Bianca carried a few blood bags in her hand and flung open a door on the outside wall. She shoved the bags in and slammed it shut. "There's a door on your side, genius. Open it and drink up. I hear I might be next in line for an upgrade, thanks to you and your fabulous blood. The Caribbean is nice this time of year, I might go lay on the beach."

I glared at her and ignored the door, although my senses were so very aware of what was behind it. It called to me, my veins springing to life. I swallowed the thirst, pushed it down as far as I could. I would not drink it if it meant that bitch would benefit. No dice.

"Piss off." I snarled at her and sat back down on the mattress.

"Suit yourself, but if you don't drink that, Steve will probably send some of us back down to force you to do it."

I whipped my most evil look in her direction.

"Whatever, just sayin'. It's your funeral—again." She snickered and her voice trailed behind her as she sauntered down the hall.

I stared at the electric bars. The only way I could get out of here is if they were turned off. Or if someone opened the door. But how could I get someone to open the door? That was the biggest question. If only the gerbils in my brain could run on that wheel a little faster.

I glanced back at the door, the blood in the bags still in there, calling to me. That's it! What was it Bianca said? I better drink it or they'd come back and force me. So let them come. Let them open those bars and see if I don't get out. They'd have to be armed to the teeth this time. I would be ready. And I would take them all out, one by one.
Chapter 21

I lost track of how long I had been sitting, planning on how I could possibly defeat multiple vampires in a small space when I heard a door slam open in the distance and frantic steps running in my direction. I sprang to my feet, crouching in the back corner, the entire cell in front of me. Ready for anything.

Steve jumped into view. Bianca and another vampire I didn't remember seeing before skidded to a stop right behind him. Steve's right arm was scorched, black and crispy from the elbow down, all the muscle and skin had melted into a black mass hugging the bones tightly.

"Steve! You're hurt! We should go to the first aid room and see if we can treat your arm, maybe get you some fresh blood," Bianca pleaded, placing a hand on his good arm.

"Don't tell me I'm hurt, I can see it. And just like any other vampire, I'll heal Bianca. Back off." He added a few curse words for good measure and flung Bianca's arm off. She fell into the wall behind her.

He flipped a switch on the outside wall, then grabbed the metal bars, slid them open with a bang, and charged at me

"You—you...I created you, I made you, but for what? For nothing. Nothing!" His voice rose to a ridiculous strangled hiss as he shook the charred remains of his arm in my face.

"You ruined my life, so I guess we're even," I said.

He swung the blackened stick that was his arm at my head. I reached my hand out so fast he couldn't even blink and grabbed it, wrenching it clean off his body. There was a loud crunch as the bone and meaty bits snapped free. Blood sprayed, covering us both, splashing across my white pajamas pants and shirt. It hung heavy in my hands and without a thought, I swung the arm like a baseball bat, cracking Steve right across his face. He dropped to the ground in a heap, clearly unconscious. I swung the half-charred arm onto my shoulder and glared at the other two.

"Who's next?"

Bianca was frozen and covered in blood, her jaw slightly agape as her friend took two steps back, clearing a path for me to the door of the cell. I bolted through the opening and slammed the cell shut behind me. I glanced to the side and noticed the switch Steve had turned off before and flipped it up, resetting the electric charge on the cell wall.

Bianca watched me in horror as I flung Steve's arm at the wall. Electricity shot through what was left of the arm and the blackened end burst into flames, licking the arm up and down. There was a large flash as a flame surged, I took a few steps back to avoid the heat, and then the arm collapsed into a pile of dust.

"What did you do?" shrieked Bianca as she charged towards me. She stopped short of the wall

"I got even. Almost." I turned and ran down the hallway, not looking back as Bianca's wails and curses bounced off the corridor around me.

*

I crept up the cement stairwell at the end of the hallway. I had no recollection of my location, other than the surgical room from last night and the cell. I had to assume up was the way out, as there was no stairway down. All of my senses were on guard, attempting to pick up the smallest sound or smell, but other than the faded scent of the previous vampires to walk these halls, it was clear.

I inched my way to a door at the next landing and ducked under the window. I wasn't sure if I should exit here, there was no way to tell if I was above ground yet. Glancing down at my clothes, it was quite obvious I'd be fighting my way out. My bloodstained pajamas were hardly inconspicuous. Tiptoeing up the next set of stairs, the whole building suddenly shook from an explosion somewhere above me. I gasped for a moment and pressed myself against the wall.

A door on the landing above slammed open into a concrete wall. I stayed still. They couldn't see where I was standing, but I could see them.

"Where's Steve?" a terrified voice screamed.

"I don't know, Margo! But we've got to find him." Their feet stomped down the steps towards me but skidded to a halt on the landing a few steps up. Another explosion rocked the building.

"You!" The girl screeched. It was the girl I'd almost decapitated in front of Bartlett High when they'd come for me last night. She took a step back. "What have you done with Steve?"

"Nothing he didn't deserve." I kept my voice steady. I stepped away from the wall, blocking their path. I was pretty confident I could take them both on, especially the girl. Her eyes bulged in terror.

The guy with her, Mr. Tall, dark, and slightly handsome, looked at me questioningly. "Right, like you took out Steve all by yourself. He's almost a thousand years old and way stronger than you."

"Whose blood do you think this is?" I raised an eyebrow and pointed at my bloodstained clothing. They exchanged a glance and I tried to read it, but had no luck.

Another explosion rocked the stairwell.

"Then I'm outta here." The guy turned and ran back up the stairs so quickly I could barely make out the blur. I could hear his feet as he climbed higher and higher.

"Wait Todd!" Margo screamed, gave me one last glance, and sprinted behind him.

"So much for loyalty." I snorted. The blood on my pajamas was beginning to dry. I hated the uncomfortable stiffness that came with wearing someone else's blood. It was getting a little old.

A cloud of smoke crept in through the open doorway and the scent of burning wood wafted down the hall. The corridor looked like it belonged in an office building. Closed doors lined the length of the hallway and in the distance were the wavering, flickering lights of the flames. The explosion had to have come from there. But why was someone attacking a vampire den/office building? My mind was as foggy as the dense clouds in front of me. It couldn't be, could it?

"Drake!" I shrieked and ran down the hall. The end of the hall opened to a large reception area. A desk stood near a double set of doors with darkened glass. Flames burst from the desk and black smoke billowed up as the flames licked at the carpet and the walls. The lobby was in disarray, furniture thrown around by the explosions, and the ceiling tiles had crumbled, leaving a mess of powder and panels across the floor. I picked my way carefully through the wreckage. A couple sets of clothing were buried in the rubble, covered with piles of dust. Someone didn't get out alive.

Three hallways branched off from the reception area. Across from me and in front of the burning desk was an odd sound, sort of a fwap fwap fwap and then deafening shrieks. I sprinted in that direction, ignoring the thick smoke.

The hallway was smokier than the last, and I struggled to make out anything in front of me. Fwap fwap fwap and more screams, not far ahead. My heart burst with joy as a familiar voice filled my ears.

"Where is she?" Drake yelled, his voice bouncing around the smoky hallway.

"In the basement," a voice screeched. "He's keeping her in the basement. You'll never make it out of here alive, blood bags."

The smoke cleared and Drake stood in a doorway off the hallway, his back to me. He wore a round light strapped to his back and carried a paintball gun. It wasn't filled with colored paintballs though. They were round, but brown in color.

"Drake!" I shouted.

The gun fwap fwap fwapped one more time before he turned to look at me. The hardened look on his face melted into love and relief as his eyes met mine. He turned toward me and I ran to him, jumping straight into his arms.

"I thought I would never see you again!" he murmured into my hair, his free arm crushing me to his chest. "Oh my god."

I wanted to laugh and cry at the same time. My nerves threatened to break but his words brought me back to reality.

"We've got some business to finish here."

He pointed to a heavy black belt loaded with a variety of stakes and knives. A matching disk of light lay across his chest, resting over a black fitted t-shirt.

I took a deep breath and caught the scent of strawberries.

"Lauryn!" I dove around Drake and hugged her tight. I pulled back and gestured to her all-black outfit. "Jesus, you look like Buffy the Vampire Slayer! What's with the Flavor Flav look?" I pointed to the circles of light.

"Monty came up with these. UV shields. His mom had one, it's supposed to be used as a face tanner. He and Ernie fitted them with battery packs so they last a couple hours and any vampire who gets too close gets burned. Some of them even turned to dust."

"I think that's the younger ones. Apparently they don't stand a chance in the sun. Where are the others?" We stepped into the open doorway where a vampire lay on the long table in front of us, his body riddled with holes that oozed smoke. "What's with this guy?"

Drake raised his gun. "Wooden beads from the craft store loaded into a modified paintball gun. Doesn't kill them unless you get it just right, but definitely slows them down. What should we do with this one? He wasn't exactly friendly."

Lauryn's eyes settled into a hard stare as she turned towards him. "Kill him. He'd have done the same to us if he had the chance." I looked at her, slightly stunned. This was a new Lauryn, far from the girl who'd sat in Monty's kitchen.

Drake pulled a stake out of his belt and stepped forward. "Why don't you ladies wait by the door? Lauryn, keep an eye out and keep that gun ready." Lauryn and I moved to the doorway. I tried to edge in front of her, because even though she had the gun, I still had a better chance if a vampire came along. I couldn't bear any of them getting killed because of me.

I glanced back at Drake just as he jammed the stake down into the still vampire's heart. The body twitched violently and then exploded in a cloud of dust. He stuck the bloodied stake back in his belt. "No use in wasting a good stake." He smiled at me wistfully, but it didn't fully reach his eyes.

I sighed inside. Look at what I'd gotten them all into. This was all my fault. If I'd never come to Bartlett, they'd all be going about their happy high school lives, not racing through a burning office building, saving me and killing vampires. I reached out with one hand and placed it on Lauryn's arm. "Come on, let's get the others and get out of here." It was my job to make sure every last one of them made it out of here alive. If any of them got hurt, I'd never forgive myself.

Drake's hand flew to his pocket and ripped out his phone, slamming it to his ear. "Yeah?"

His eyes widened as he looked at both of us and my heart dropped straight to my feet.

"We're coming. Hang on!" he said and ran towards us, dragging us back towards the flaming lobby.

"What happened?" I pushed Lauryn in between us and we shuffled down the hallway.

"Monty."
Chapter 22

A distant explosion rocked the floor under our feet.

"What is that?" I asked Drake and Lauryn over the noise.

"Molotov Cocktails. Monty figured they'd be effective weapons. We've got to follow that explosion," he shouted and tried to go as fast as he could without dragging Lauryn. I was tempted to pick her up and carry her. Drake rushed to the back hallway that I'd come from.

Fresh smoke billowed down the hallway and Lauryn coughed violently.

"Get down on the floor!" Drake stayed on his feet and we followed as quickly as we could on all fours. A cacophony of voices echoed in the distance. We came to a corner and turned into an open space, the antiseptic smell reaching my nostrils. We were back in the hospital room. A shudder raced down my spine and every inch of my body wanted to flee. But my friends were in there.

I took a deep smoky breath and plunged into the room behind Drake and Lauryn, pushing her protectively between us.

"Drake!" I heard Callie's frantic voice from somewhere across the room. I struggled to see her through the smoke.

"Hold tight Cal, we're here. Is he okay?"

"No, he's not okay blood bag. He's dead." An unknown voice shot through the smoky haze. Drake and Lauryn unleashed a barrage of shots in the direction of the voice. Rage seethed through every vein, every nerve, every pore of my body.

"Go find them and hold tight." I growled, my fangs sliding into place. I waved smoke out of my face and they disappeared to my right. The smoke cleared the further we moved into the room. The vampire leaned up against a door ahead of me and looked lazily in my direction. His jeans and shirt were covered in blood, but his perfectly coiffed dark hair looked like he'd just walked out of the salon. As he took in my face and my clothes, his expression changed.

"You!" he shouted.

"I do have a name, you know. Why does everyone just keep referring to me as 'you'? It's really quite offensive." I skirted to the side, trying to keep him within sprinting distance in case he decided to bolt out the door.

"How did you get out?"

"Why don't you ask Steve? Oh, wait, you haven't seen him in awhile, have you? Did your great leader desert you?" I chuckled, inching closer.

"He would never..."

"No? Well maybe he couldn't help it. I didn't give him much of a choice."

"You'd never stand a chance against Steve."

"No? Then why am I standing in front of you covered in his blood? Your friends Margo and Todd didn't believe me either, at first. But then they took off. And where oh where could they possibly go right now? It's daylight, and as Steve made me quite aware, you're not able to walk in the sun." I glanced to my right. The smoke cleared on this side of the room and Drake's and Lauryn's heads were visible from behind an overturned table. The same table Steve had staked me to so he could take my blood.

"I let your friends live, but sadly, I can't do the same for you. It seems you killed my friend, and I don't take too kindly to vampires killing my friends." I snarled.

"You're a freak. You're not supposed to be friends with humans. They're food. You'll learn one of these days when you accidentally kill one yourself. And then what? Then you're no better than me. You're a vampire. You kill people. It's what you do." He looked at me in a mixture of disgust and fear.

I kicked off with my foot, speeding across the room the fastest I'd ever moved. I was nothing but a blur to everyone, the vampire included. I knocked him to the floor, my knees pinning his shoulders. I pushed my face close, until my nose was nearly touching his, our breath mingling. "Unlucky for you, I'm in the mood to kill vampires today."

His eyes widened in horror as I grabbed his stiff hair and pulled as hard as I could. There was a loud pop as his head shot free with more propulsion than any of the others. I was sprayed across the face with more vampire blood. Veins and strings of muscle swung in front of my face and blood showered from his head onto his newly separated body. I tossed the head to the side and rolled off the body as it shriveled away to nothing. Another pile of dust in designer clothes.

I heard quiet sobbing from the other side of the room and walked over to the overturned table. A distraught Callie sat on the ground, her legs folded, Monty's ashen face resting gently in her lap. His throat was a bloody mangled mess, the artery hanging wide open where the source of his lifeblood had drained out. Much of it was on Callie's pants. Ernie and Lauryn knelt together on the side, looking down painfully at Monty's still form. I could gather their scents, still vivid and tasty, but Monty's was gone. I pushed any thoughts of hunger from my mind as I looked at my friends' distraught faces.

"We've got to get him out of here." Drake said quietly. He stood up and grabbed a metal chair from the corner, heading towards the nearest window of darkened glass. There was a deafening smash as he threw it through. Panes crashed to the floor. He used another chair to clear some of the shards that remained, accidentally slashing into his arm, but not bothering to stop. Daylight spilled into the room and washed over us. The smoke redirected from the hallway and was sucked out the open window.

He returned and stood over us. "Okay, out we go. Everybody goes to the car and then Vicky and I return to finish this. If you guys are in the sunlight, you're safe. I've got Monty. You guys go first and Vicky, step out before me so you can take Monty as I step over the windowsill."

We all nodded and rose to our feet. Callie and Lauryn climbed through the window first, followed by Ernie and then me. Drake handed me Monty's limp body through the window, which I held gently until he could take it from me. We trudged across the parking lot, the sun bright in the cold air, reflecting off the snow on the ground. The minivan stood at the edge of the lot and we loaded Monty onto the bench in the back through the hatch. Everyone else climbed in and Drake grabbed two of four gas cans and handed them to me. He pulled on a backpack and grabbed the other two and we turned silently back to the building, a small cloud of smoke billowing out the window we'd left through.

"So we're torching it, I gather?" I glanced around, taking in our surroundings. The building itself was a small office building, two stories high. It stood at the edge of a large industrial park and backed up to a forest. The buildings were abandoned, faded for-sale signs lining the streets.

"The trick is not to get gas on ourselves, because I doubt we'll be able to survive a fire."

"How many are left in there?" I asked. "Steve wasn't dead. And there were two others with him and more that made it to the upper floor.

"Lauryn and I took out about ten, I think. I don't know how many Monty and the others got before...before..." he trailed off.

"There seemed to be so many last night when they picked me up. But maybe they weren't all here."

"We took care of everyone we saw. No one got away. They were cocky because they thought I was just a blood bag," he said.

"Yeah, how did you manage that?" I asked, curious as I had also noticed that none of them seemed keen to the fact that he was one of them.

"I had smeared human blood on my skin under my clothes. It was so hard, the smell of it all around me, but I made sure I was full before we did it. It was a great disguise." We paused before the main entrance and he looked back to the minivan. "He might live, you know? Well, not live, but still be with us."

"No," I said. My heart lifted, swelling slightly back to life.

Drake turned to look at me. "We knew this could be deadly, so we took every precaution we could. Everybody elected to take a few shots of my blood before we came here. Just in case. But I'm not you. I'm not sure if it'll work. Or if he'll be anything like us." His eyes filled with tears. "I want it to work, but it'll never be the same."

My eyes welled up, matching his. "This is all my fault. I'm so sorry." I sniffed. I wanted to throw the gas cans down, fall into his arms, and just close my eyes. Maybe it could all go away.

"It's not your fault. How could any of us ever know? Let's just hope that he'll come back to us. And we'll make it work." He blinked back his tears and tapped his gas can to mine. "I do believe we have a building to torch."

We turned to the main door which dangled from its hinges.

"Let's light it up," he said.

We sped through the main floor as fast as we could, leaving a trail of gasoline and throwing lit Molotov Cocktails into every stairwell. The building quaked with each explosion, debris falling on us from the ceiling. At the front door, we emptied what was left of the gas cans on the floor in front of us and stepped onto the tile in the entryway. Drake pulled out a book of matches and struck one on the back. He flipped the book of matches open so that all of the matches were exposed and lit them, so the whole pack burned. He dropped them onto the carpet where the flame roared to life and raced down the hallways. We turned and stepped out into the sunshine.

We crossed the parking lot to the car, the fire in the lobby raging behind us. We climbed into the silent minivan and watched the building burn in front of us, flames licking out of the broken window we'd come out of earlier. Nobody, not even Steve, could make it out of there alive. Even if the fire department came and managed to put out the fire, deadly sunshine would be waiting for them out of every window. It was over. Over.

My heart would have been grateful, if only the horror of it all wasn't coming back with us. Now began the waiting, the hoping that Monty would return, that Drake's new young blood could save him.

I bit my lip and looked over at Drake. I didn't have to be a mind reader to know he was thinking the same thing.
Chapter 23

As night fell we found ourselves in a familiar situation. After we left the burning office building we drove to Monty's house and laid him out on the very same couch we'd gathered around the week before to await Drake's transformation. Monty's parents had gone away for the weekend, gambling in Wisconsin, Drake had said.

After changing out of our bloody clothing Callie carefully placed a towel around Monty's neck, covering the gory mess. Aside from his pale skin, he looked like he was sleeping peacefully. Callie sat on the floor next to him, his hand folded in both of hers and she rested her head on his chest, watching, waiting. Drake brought in his large cooler from the minivan and stocked up the bar fridge with bags of blood. We each downed three, starved after the taxing day. We gulped them from cups instead of straight from the bag, though I was very tempted.

Ernie had collapsed into one of the chairs, Lauryn in the other. Ernie dozed off at one point, his soft snores filling the room. We settled onto the floor near Callie, wanting to keep close to Monty, just in case.

"So, I have just one question, how did you find me?" I asked, leaning back into Drake. His arms slid around my waist and pulled me closer.

"We heard people talking about the new girl being hauled outside by some cops. Monty and I ran to the main doors, but they were already loading you into the back of some black van. We ran to the Hyundai and followed the line of black vans two towns over to that industrial park. Once we saw where they hauled you, we went back for the others and made our plan. It killed me to watch them take you into that building, run through with stakes." He squeezed me tightly. "But Monty talked me out of running into the thick of it, insisting it would be suicide. He was right. We had to make a plan, come back after daylight, and bring weapons. We didn't figure you'd be able to get out on your own, that was pretty amazing."

"It was pretty awful." I shook my head, trying to erase the image of Steve and his charred arm. "Ernie was right. He wanted me because I could walk in the sun." My voice dropped to a whisper.

"What did he do?" Lauryn asked, her face so drawn and eyes barely opened I thought she'd been asleep.

"He..." The horrible images resurfaced. I couldn't say it, the words wouldn't work. "He took my blood. He wanted to be a Daywalker." It was the only thing I could manage. Drake rubbed my arm and I shrank further into his embrace. "It didn't work though. He went out into the sun and came back with his arm burnt to a crisp. He was so angry, he came at me, and well, I knocked him out. But I don't think I killed him."

"How did he not die from going into the sun?" Drake asked.

"He said he was over nine hundred years old. I guess the younger ones would have turned to dust."

"It must only work if you make the vampires, Vicky," Callie said. "I hope it works the same way for Monty." She stroked Monty's limp hand.

"Wait, look," I said, jumping out of Drake's embrace and reaching for Monty's hand. I shook it and it jiggled. "Monty did the same thing to Drake. He said if Drake were really dead, he would have rigor mortis and his body would be stiff as a board. But his arm moved, just like this." I shook it again. "He's coming back to us, guys. He's coming back."

*

I was ripped from a dead slumber by a groan and then a shout. I blinked and sat up, Drake frantically trying to free Callie from Monty's grip.

"Monty." She cried and her voice quaked in fear. "It's me, Callie! Please don't do this!"

"Monty, let go!" Drake shouted, trying to pry Monty's fingers from Callie's hair. He had nearly pulled her neck to his mouth, his new fangs shining in his mouth, sharp and deadly. His fingers were entwined in Callie's long, blond hair.

I sprang to action and grabbed one of his arms, snapping his wrist back. Monty screeched in pain and his hand pulled away. His eyes were blank, glazed over, staring at Callie like she was a fine pork roast. I knew the feeling. I grabbed his other wrist and with one twist snapped it as well. Drake was able to pull him back from Callie and I pulled her free.

"Monty!" She sobbed as I put myself between her and Monty.

Ernie blinked his eyes and looked at us from his chair before bolting to his feet. He was groggy and slow to move. Lauryn's eyes fluttered as well.

"Ernie, take them upstairs," I shouted, thrusting Callie into his arms. Lauryn ran ahead and took the steps two at a time. The door slammed of the door, assuring me they were safely out of reach.

I sprinted to the bar and fixed a glass of blood. Drake had managed to wrestle Monty to the couch and was perched on his broad chest.

"Just chill out man!" he growled.

I handed him the cup and he attempted to give it to Monty, but noticed that his wrists were still flopping slightly and bent at an odd angle. We watched as they twisted back into a normal shape, and he was able to move it once again.

Monty hissed and I handed him the cup.

He gulped it down and I promptly refilled it. After five cups of blood, he handed me the cup back and his head sank back into the couch. He blinked his eyes a few times and looked quizzically at Drake.

"Dude, why are you sitting on me?" Monty rumbled.

"Are you okay?" Drake looked down into his face. "Is he okay, Vicky?"

I bent over, looking into his face. "He looks all right, but if he heads for the stairs, tackle him."

"Whoa! A little violent this morning. I see our rescue was successful." He smiled but his eyes widened suddenly. "Wait, the last thing I remember was being in that office building with three bloodsuckers closing in on us. What happened?"

"You died. And then you came back and tried to eat Callie," Drake said, peering down into his face. "And while I'm glad you're back, I'm just a little nervous to let you up."

"I did what?" His face fell. "No, tell me I didn't."

"Yep, you most definitely did." I nodded.

He sighed and sank back into the couch. "Is she okay?"

"Probably more than a little traumatized, but physically I think she's just fine. Vicky broke your wrists though to get her free."

"Yeah, sorry about that." I sat down on the arm of the couch as Drake rose from Monty's chest.

"Are you good man? Let's just have you sit up first," Drake said, moving over to give Monty some room.

"I think I'm good. I honestly don't remember anything until after I gave you the cup."

"That's not good. That means you had no control until after you had five bags of blood. We're going to have to be really careful with you around the others, Monty." I met Drake with worried eyes.

"I need to see Callie. I hope this didn't screw everything up." Monty rubbed his face with both hands. His skin was already smoother and his neck must have healed while we all slept. There was no trace of the mangled mess that the vampire had left except for some smears of dried blood.

"Screw what up?" I looked at Drake as he exchanged an understanding glance with Monty.

"I dig her, always have. But I doubt she'll want to be with me now. I tried to eat her. I'm a monster!" He buried his face in his hands and I heard a sob escape.

"It's okay Monty, I'll go talk to her. We've just got to take everything slow. No worries. Drake still liked me even though I had to try really hard not to eat him," I said with a smile at Drake.

"She was a hot vampire though, that did help." He laughed. "Hey, maybe you're all beefcakeified now that you're like us," Drake added, pulling Monty's arm out. "Jeez, look at those guns, my man!"

Monty wiped his eyes and looked over, flexing his new enormous bicep. He pulled up his shirt to expose rippling abs and a perfectly chiseled chest.

"Now what chick wouldn't want that body?" Drake asked, patting Monty on the back.

I jumped up and headed for the stairs. "We'll be back in a few."

*

"It'll be okay, Callie, I promise." I patted Callie's arm as she sobbed softly into Lauryn's shoulder.

"We knew this could happen, Callie. He wants to see you. He wasn't himself when he woke up," Lauryn said, stroking Callie's head.

"But he tried to kill me!" Callie's voice was barely audible between the sobs.

"It's okay Cal, we won't let him hurt you. He didn't even know it had happened. As long as we keep him full, it'll be fine. We just have to be careful. I would say until we're sure he's got it under control that no one but Drake or me should spend any time alone with him. It's just a precaution."

She sighed and shuddered, her sobs ceasing. "All right," she whispered. "Let's go."

I opened the basement door and shouted down. "Are we good?"

"All clear." Drake's voice floated up to meet me.

I grabbed Callie's hand and led her down the stairs back into the basement. Drake and Monty were standing by the bar. Callie looked at Monty hesitantly and gripped my hand tightly.

"I'm so sorry Cal," Monty whispered, opening his arms to her.

"Monty!" Callie dropped my hand and ran straight to him. She threw her arms around his neck and pressed her lips against his. His body sank into hers like they were made for each other.

"Whoa!" Ernie and Lauryn skidded to a stop at the bottom of the stairs behind me.

"I think everything is going to be okay," I said and threw my arms around Lauryn and Ernie's shoulders.
Chapter 24

The car beeped in the driveway and I shouted a quick goodbye to Sue.

"Drake said it was a surprise, but apparently we'll be gone all day," I said as she walked into the living room.

"That's fine. I've got a date with Donald tonight," Sue said, a sweet smile on her lips.

"That's awesome! I hope you have fun and don't be out too late!" I pulled her into a tight hug. After the whole Steve the Vampire incident a month ago, I had tried very hard to be a good pseudo-niece. I'd helped Sue set up an online profile at LoveMatch.com and she met Donald, who seems perfect for her. Not that she needs a man to be happy, but she was having a great time. I was so happy for her. She'd been so nice to me, even if our relationship was a complete fake. I was lucky to have found such a good aunt.

Speaking of lucky, I tore out the front door, bounding down the walk and jumping in the little black jellybean. I launched myself at Drake and pressed my lips against his, moving on to his chin and his cheeks and making my way back to his lips.

"God, I've missed you."

"It's only been since last night, nerd," I said between hungry kisses.

"If I'm not mistaken, I would say you've missed me too," he said breathlessly.

"I don't see where you're getting that idea." I pulled back for a moment. "You know, we could leave at any time, go anywhere in the world and just be together."

"I know. Once I graduate, I'll be free to do as I please. My parents still think I'm Drake, Bartlett High School senior, not Drake Monaghan, vampire and international man of mystery."

He pressed his lips to mine again and ran his arms from my shoulders and down my back, coming to rest on my hips. "Besides, I do believe we have an eternity, Ms. Hernandez."

"That we do. So, where are we headed on this super secret date today?" I asked, kissing his nose.

"You trust me, right?" He dipped his head forward, gazing into my eyes.

"More than anyone I know," I whispered.

"Good, then you'll put this on." He handed me a red bandana.

"Like on my head?" I attempted to fashion it into a babushka.

"Not quite. Over your eyes, please."

"Okey dokey."

I wrapped the bandana over my eyes and he pulled out of the driveway. I wondered just what he had in store for us. I reached out blindly, searching for his hand. He grabbed mine and squeezed it. Wherever it was, I didn't care as long as it was with him.

*

Roasted chicken. Watermelon. Macaroni and cheese. I breathed deeply, the scent of the fresh blood he'd opened rushing into my nostrils.

"Time for a snack," Drake said, placing a cup in my hand.

"I'd forgotten I was even hungry." The blood danced over my taste buds, filling my veins, my body relaxing into the seat. "How long have we been driving? Are we there yet?" I gulped down the remainder of my cup and shoved it back towards Drake.

"Yep."

The car slowed to a stop and heard Drake shift the car into park. He turned off the engine.

"Please don't be mad at me."

The blindfold was pulled away from my eyes.

I was home.

I scraped my jaw off the floor and stared at Drake, bewildered.

"What are we doing here?" I stuttered.

"We're going to see your parents." His blue eyes sparkled in the bright winter sun that spilled through the windows.

"Nononono." I moaned and backed against the car door. I searched his face frantically. This was some kind of bad joke. The love in his eyes reached across the space, filling it. He grabbed both my hands.

"This isn't going to work, Drake. This is such a bad idea. They're going to freak out. We'll be ripping their hearts out all over again." Tears sprang out of my eyes and rolled down my cheeks. "I can't do this."

"You don't have to at first. I've already talked to your dad on the phone. I'm supposed to go meet with him and your mom right now. I'm going to tell them the truth, but if for some reason they can't take it, they don't want to understand, I'll make them forget. They'll never even remember that we were here."

I slumped down in my seat and gazed up at him through my veil of tears. He had parents who lived in blissful ignorance to what he'd become. His life was almost the same as it had always been. This was more painful than any wound anyone, Steve included, could give me.

"Please trust me, Vicky. You know I'm not doing this to hurt you. But if there is any chance, any chance at all that they could handle it, that you could be part of their lives again, isn't it worth it just to try?" His eyes pleaded with me as much as his voice did.

I nodded silently and looked down at the floor, lost. I raised my head enough to stare at the house, my house. "Go," I whispered.

He leaned across the chasm between us. "Just wait here. I'll be back." He pressed his lips to mine, a bittersweet kiss that mingled my salty tears with the lingering taste of the blood.

He swung the door open and kissed me once more before leaving me alone in the car. His long legs crossed the yard quickly and then he stood at the front door, pressing the bell. In my head I heard it tinkling through the house, just like I remembered.

My dad opened the door and welcomed Drake in. My dad. I caught just a glimpse of him before he shut the door. I sucked in a deep breath, realizing that I hadn't taken one in awhile and shuddered. I needed to know what was going on inside. Without a second thought, I flung open the door and jumped out, shutting it quietly behind me.

Using my speed, I sprinted up to the front porch in a blur and crept towards the nearest front window that looked into my mom's perfect living room. The nice room, as she referred to it. Although I always thought it was stiff and stuffy. Drake sat uncomfortably in one of the burgundy wing-backed chairs. My parents sat perched on the edge of the brightly flowered couch opposite him. The month since I'd died had aged them. Wisps of gray had appeared in Dad's dark hair and Mom's face was more faded and drawn than I'd remembered. I tuned out the outside sounds and tried to focus on what they were saying through the wall.

"What do you mean? What is all this?" my dad asked, his voice tinged with anger.

"What I mean is, what if I had some news about Vicky, even if it didn't make sense, even if it didn't seem possible, wouldn't you want to know? It's completely risk free. If you can't handle it, I'll make sure you forget." Drake's voice was kind and encouraging, trying to break through their obvious resistance.

"I don't understand." I could barely hear my mom; she must have been whispering. "What do you mean you have news of her?"

"What else is there to know? She's dead." My dad patted my mom's hand as she dissolved into sobs. "I'm sorry to say it like that dear, but it's true."

"With all due respect sir, no, it's not. She didn't die that day. There was an event that none of us would have known about or understood before. I know I didn't. But she didn't die. Someone did something to her, changed her, but she is alive."

My parents stared at him in a stunned silence.

"She's here with me."

Drake got up from his chair and moved towards the door. I was there to meet him. He smiled at me encouragingly as he opened the door and let me back into my house, my home. The tidy living room came into view and the smell of Mom's favorite apple candles came rushing back. My knees went weak.

In this moment, nothing had changed. I was home and my parents were just feet away. Drake slid his arm around my waist and led me into my living room. My parents sat, silent as the grave, their wide eyes followed me into the room, reflecting a mixture of surprise and horror.

Dad blinked his eyes a few times and Mom let out a barely audible squeal. They sat frozen on the couch, either unable or unwilling to move. I reached towards my parents, my hand shaking like an earthquake.

Words hung from my lips, but failed me completely.

Dad's hand shot out and grabbed mine tightly. His eyes met mine, the same warm, friendly eyes I'd known since birth, now damp with tears. He rose to his feet and pulled me into his strong, warm arms, squeezing me tightly. A new scent reached my nostrils. Peanuts. Bacon cheeseburgers. Ham sandwiches. My dad.

"Welcome home, baby."

Coming in April, 2014, follow Vicky Hernandez and her friends in the long-awaited sequel of Bloody Little Secrets.

NEW BLOOD

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Enjoy this free sample of Karly Kirkpatrick's **Into the Shadows** , book 1 of the Into the Shadows Trilogy.

Chapter One

Sweet Dreams

Five years ago...

Streams of sunlight shone brightly through the car window as shadows of the passing trees flickered across Paivi Anderson's face. Next to her sat a woman she knew well, but as she glanced around she was slightly confused. Looking over her shoulder into the back seat she was surprised to see that Michaela wasn't in the car. Though they had been friends forever it was rare that Paivi was in the car with Michaela's mother by herself. Mrs. Brown, an older version of her daughter and sporting the same long, dark hair, hummed along with a song on the radio. She seemed unaware of Paivi sitting next to her.

In an instant the car slammed to a violent stop and Paivi pitched forward in her seat. Glass shattered — small pieces rained down on her and she could hear the horrible sound of crunching metal. Mrs. Brown screamed as rivers of blood ran down her face, which had been sliced by the flying glass. An oily smoke filled the car, surging through the vents. Paivi's lungs burned as she gasped for air, choking and sputtering. She looked down to see flames licking at her feet from under the dashboard. She was frozen, unable to move as the scorching heat raced up her legs. A deafening explosion shook them, rocking the car.

Paivi screamed and thrashed in pain, trying to free herself from the flaming wreckage tangled around her. She didn't want to open her eyes, terrified of what she would see. Cool hands grasped her arms and in the distance she heard a familiar voice.

"She's having another dream, John!" Mrs. Anderson's voice was panicked as she wrestled with the tangled mass before her.

Paivi opened an eye and saw her room.

"Help me! No, no, no!" she screamed, fighting against the damp sheet that had woven itself around her limbs and clung to her body. Her pajamas were soaked with sweat and she could still feel the heat from the fire, despite being aware she was no longer in it.

Mrs. Anderson frantically attempted to untangle the sheet from around Paivi's thin frame.

"Sweetheart, what's wrong? Are you okay?"

"No, Mom, I don't know, it's Mrs. Brown." Paivi was rambling — unable collect her thoughts. Finally able to sit up, she gulped hungrily at the air, struggling to find her breath. Mrs. Anderson put her arms around Paivi, and smoothed her sweaty hair back from her forehead. "I saw her in my dream. There was some kind of accident. In the car. But I don't think she's okay. You have to do something!" she pleaded.

Mr. and Mrs. Anderson exchange concerned looks.

This wasn't the first time their young daughter had experienced such a vivid dream. It became difficult for Mr. and Mrs. Anderson to stop Paivi from making connections as she got older. Her 'dreams' came true all too often. She often shared them with her parents, but she had never envisioned such a tragic event. Mostly they were trivial things, such as finding a lost bike or watching herself earn an A on an upcoming test.

Mr. and Mrs. Anderson supported Paivi's visions and never made her feel different. Little did she know it was because they were comforted by the thought that other adults would merely look upon her as a precocious child with an over-active imagination. This would keep her secret safe from the citizens of St. Andrew, Illinois. Besides, Paivi was, in most respects, a normal little girl from a happy family and that's all anyone really needed to know.

Mrs. Anderson spoke softly, "I don't know if there is much we can do."

"What do you mean Mom? Dad, you're a policeman. Please do something! We have to call them! I have to call Michaela!" Paivi screamed hysterically. She fought against her mom's arms with no success. Mrs. Anderson only held her tighter.

"Paivi, I am so sorry," Mr. Anderson said. "Sometimes we see things we wish we couldn't, but there is nothing we can do. When the time is right, your Mom and I will explain this all to you. But right now you need to trust us. You'll need to be there for Michaela. And you have to promise us that you won't tell anyone about your dream tonight."

Mr. Anderson knelt down beside her and took her hand. Paivi was sobbing so hard that she could not respond. Gulps and shudders were now the only sounds she could manage.

"Okay," she whispered.

Paivi sat up crying for a few more hours before falling asleep, exhausted, in her mother's arms.

Mrs. Anderson called her out of school the next day.

"The library books can wait until tomorrow, I'm sure they don't mind," she said as she pulled a tray of Paivi's favorite chocolate chip cookies out of the oven. "Miss Nelson said she hoped you feel better," she offered, referring to the head librarian at the St. Andrew Public Library, where she worked.

Paivi shoved the cookies away, uninterested.

Every thing in the house reminded her of Michaela and Mrs. Brown. Commercials showing a mother and daughter running together in the park and the plot of her mom's soap opera wouldn't allow her to block the thoughts from her mind. She spent most of the day curled up next to her mom on the couch. She shivered as her mom stroked her long, blond hair and held her close, wondering if Michaela would get a chance to do the same with her mom again.

In the afternoon she asked her mom calmly, her green eyes shining with hope, "Mom, are you sure there anything we can do? Can't we call someone?"

"Honey, I promise you, if there was any way to change what you saw, I would do it for you and for Mrs. Brown. But sometimes there are things we can't change. When you're a little older, you'll understand this better." She attempted a bitter half-smile, which was meant more for herself than for Paivi. Dark circles floated under her sky blue eyes. "Not that it makes it any easier. Just know that you are special and we love you very much."

She kissed Paivi on the head.

And so they waited. Paivi's stomach churned as she thought about having to face Michaela. She was able to dodge her phone call after school but she knew there would be no escaping her the next day.

The phone call came that evening, from Mr. Anderson himself. Mrs. Anderson answered, her voice muted. She turned back to Paivi, who sat anxiously at the kitchen table, shredding a paper napkin.

"That was your Daddy. Mrs. Brown had an accident today. She was taken to St. Andrew Medical. She is still alive, but very badly injured," Mrs. Anderson paused, wiping away a tear as it trickled down her cheek, "they're not sure if she'll make it."

This time Paivi did not cry. Mrs. Brown was alive, and for right now that was enough for her.

Despite the best efforts of her doctors and weeks in the hospital, Mrs. Brown wasn't getting any better. She had been badly burned in the explosion and was forced to endure numerous surgeries. Paivi was unable to avoid Michaela for long, as the Andersons had kindly offered to take care of Michaela and her little sister Marissa while Mr. Brown tended to his ailing wife. At first, things were awkward. Paivi worried that Michaela would somehow figure out the truth — that she had known about the accident. She felt like it was written in red letters across her forehead.

"Paivi," Michaela said one night as she and Paivi settled in for their fourth sleepover that week. She twisted in her sleeping bag and turned towards Paivi, trying to keep from waking Marissa who was asleep at her feet. "I'm scared. I mean, Marissa isn't because she's so little, but I've heard my dad talking on the phone. I don't want my mom to die, Paivi."

Paivi could see her wipe away tears in the light of the night-light. She felt her own eyes overflow; tears spilled silently down her cheeks. She reached out and grabbed Michaela's hand.

"I don't want her to die either," she whispered, wishing that her words were enough to change what she knew would happen.

On a beautiful spring day, Mrs. Brown passed away. Guilt oozed out of every pore as Paivi trudged across the graveyard towards the waiting crowd dressed in black. She clasped her mom's hand, hoping that it would be over quickly. She couldn't bear looking at the life, now over, sitting on the dais in front of them. Michaela had taken it better than Paivi, something that she struggled to comprehend. She wondered how her friend could be so strong.

Paivi returned home after Mrs. Brown's funeral, ran straight up the stairs to her room and threw herself down on the bed. Curled up into a ball, she rocked back and forth, holding her knees.

No more dreams, she swore to herself. I don't want to see anything ever again.

She pulled a picture off the wall next to her bed, gazing at her best friend's smiling face. She couldn't imagine what would happen if Michaela ever found out that she had known what would happen to her mother. Losing her best friend was not a risk she was willing to take, if she could help it.

And so she tried. Every night before she went to sleep, she would clear her mind. If she had a dream, she would try to forget it the minute she woke up, drowning the images in everyday things and pushing them into the farthest corners of her mind. Every day she would remember less and less. She was winning the battle.

Sometimes she would be concentrating so hard on chasing the images away, with her eyes scrunched closed and her hands balled up in fists at her sides, that she wouldn't notice the odd things that were happening around her.

It started slowly at first — it was hardly noticeable. Paivi was so focused on getting rid of the dreams that she didn't notice a small horse figurine inch slightly across the top of her dresser. She didn't see the book sliding ever so gently towards the edge of the bookshelf, where it stopped just before falling.

One day, however, as she was concentrating ever so hard on pushing a particularly happy vision from her mind, she couldn't help but notice.

Maybe it wasn't so bad to have visions, she thought to herself as she lay in her bed, staring at the ceiling after a particularly entertaining vision that occurred while she slept.

Sometimes her visions were good, really good. She closed her eyes, trying to remember the face of the boy she was kissing in her dream.

Paivi then thought back to Mrs. Brown's funeral. Trees with budding leaves framed the scene in the cemetery, softening the harsh gray of the gravestones. Bright sunlight reflected off of the pearly casket as it sat over the large hole dug in the fresh earth. The scene was almost beautiful, if it wasn't for the tragedy that lay beneath the mountain of blood-red roses that dripped red rivulets across the white lid.

Paivi felt a surge of anger push through all of her anguish. Her brain was on fire and the heat coursed through her, pulsing through her veins from her fingers to her toes. She clenched her fists and squeezed her eyes shut. She cried out in pain, unable to keep the rush of energy inside her body. It burst out through her fingertips, whipping around her. The sound of a loud crash brought her back into the room. She opened her eyes to see books flying across the room from the shelves and slamming into the wall opposite. They fell to the floor in a heap, open with pages and covers bent. Figurines of horses and unicorns as well as dolls were flying from the top of her dresser and smashing into the walls. Shards of porcelain rained down on the floor.

She stood up, looking around in amazement. It looked like a bomb had gone off. Posters had fallen to the floor and others clung to the wall in tatters. A flying hairbrush had shattered a mirror and the walls were chipped and dented from the force of the collisions. Her parents thundered up the stairs and threw open the door. Mr. and Mrs. Anderson stood in the doorway, stunned, their jaws dropped, chins almost touching their chests. They looked at each other with wide eyes and then at Paivi, bewildered by the destruction that surrounded their little girl and stunned that she stood in the middle of the chaos and was completely unscathed.
