Chapter 1 - Haunted Passed

Resting my head on Gavin’s stomach I sighed, eyes skyward watching the clouds. His hand draped across my stomach. I let it be. He was the only one I would let put an arm around my waist. Don’t ask me why, I never really thought about it. If I did think about it the reason seemed bizarre. Everyone else just seemed evil and I didn’t want them touching me. How stupid was that?

His fingers started to play at the edge of my shirt, running along my exposed stomach. I smacked him, letting my own arm cover his. I felt him chuckle and shift. We did this everyday, came out to the tree at lunch and leaned on each other. People probably thought we were an ‘item’. We weren’t, just close friends. He kept shifting and fidgeting. It was driving me nuts.

“You want me to move or what?”

“No your fine.” He said grunting.

There was an edge to his voice that sounded like fear. My eyes flicked away from the cloud shaped like a dragon. Craning my neck I looked up at his face. His messy brown hair was in his eyes, shadowing them. He was hiding something from me. Twisting I sat up on my left hip, hand pressed to his chest.

“What’s wrong?”

“What do you mean?”

My eyes narrowed. “Don’t play stupid, that doesn’t work with me Gavin. What’s wrong.” I pushed on his chest, repeating the question as a statement.

Sighing he shifted again, dragging himself up off the grass to lean against the tree. My hand dropped off his chest and I turned as well, sitting Indian style beside him. Cocking my head to the side I waited for him to speak. It never happened.

“Don’t make me drag it out of you.” I warned.

"Alright, alright, its just my sister,” he rubbed the back of his head, eyes avoiding mine,” she’s back in town and,” the hand dropped, face pulling up in a scowl,” damn there’s no way around it.” He grumbled to himself,” She wants to meet you because she has it in her head were dating.”

I just blinked at him, face blank. I knew for a fact that his sister was still across the country in Russia. Hell I just got a text from her less then three minutes ago. Unless she could teleport he was lying to my face. That pissed me off. Narrowing my eyes, ever so slightly, I punched his arm making him cock his head to the side in confusion. He didn’t know why I hit him, great.

“I can’t believe you tired to lie to my face.” My voice was even, a small hint of anger in it,” And that was such a horribly lie to begin with, I’m insulted you though I was stupid enough to believe it.”

“Sky-“

“No,” I cut him off pointing a finger at him like I was scolding a child,” don’t even try it. Either you tell me what is bothering you or I will never talk to you again.”

This time his face went blank and he punched my arm, lightly of course. If we ever actually hit each other he would be bruised for a week and I would be in a cast. He just out classed me that much, not that it bothered me. Ok it did. I hated to feel week and helpless but with Gavin it was hard not to.

He was nothing but lean well toned muscle. Not too bulky but not a stick either. He was perfectly sculpted. And to make things worse he weight lifted every day. Over achiever much.

He smiled at me. “Now who’s lying. You couldn’t go a day without talking to me.”
I humped, crossing my arms. “Mm-hum keep telling yourself that.” The smile that had pulled at my lips faded. “Seriously Gavin I know something’s bothering you. What is it? Please?”

Maybe it was the fact that I had said please that made his shoulders slacken. Maybe he just knew I wouldn’t let it go, either way he was about to tell me. Slumping forward he rested his arms across his knees, legs bent in the air slightly. Tilting his head back he watched the sky, blue eyes haunted in the sunlight.

“Gavin…” My voice was just a whisper but it felt like I was choking on a sob.

I had never seen him look so broken. Maybe I should have let it go. Maybe not. If it bothered him this badly I wanted him to tell me so I could comfort him. Didn’t I? Something in my gut was screaming at me to run, this side of him was dangerous. It didn’t make sense why I though he was dangerous. Sweet lovable Gavin a threat to me? Never.

“Sky.”

I jerked like he had slapped me. “Yeah?”

“Do you believe in the boogeyman?”

I blinked. Did I what? Was he serious? He wasn’t looking at me but his eyes flicked to me every now and then like he was waiting. He was serious.

“No, not since I was five.” I finally said.

I hadn’t thought about that in years. When I was little I swore there was a monster in my closet. That kid with glowing red eyes peeking at me through my closet door haunted me for months. It had scared the bajesus out of me as a kid. But when I meet Gavin the kid kind of just went away, my fear along with it. How odd.

“What about vampires?”

This was beginning to get ridiculous. I was about to accuse him of avoiding the subject but stopped. His eyes, god his eyes, they were so broken and scared it hurt to even look at him. Staring at me he waited, still as a statue. Was he even breathing? My stomach knotted, cold sweat creeping down my back. He was scaring me, actually scaring me, by doing nothing but staring.

Staring like that little boy.

I jerked back standing like I had been bitten by something. Grabbing my arm I sucked in a breath. I didn’t even notice I had stopped breathing. Gavin didn’t say anything he just looked away, eyes dimming like I had hurt him by backing down from his gaze. I couldn’t help it, that look was just too haunting for me to take.

“So is that a yes or a no?”

“What?” I said like a moron.

“Vampires, do you believe in them?”

I didn’t say anything. What could I say? No I don’t believe in them but deep down I know I was stalked by one as a child? Yeah I don’t think so. Then again I had my secrets, not just ghost of the past, but secrets that made his question every bit as threatening as it felt.

“Are they real?”

“Yes.” My eyes went wide. Shit, I had said it out loud.

“Then you believe.”

“No I don’t.” I said trying to back track. Maybe he wouldn’t notice. But of course he did.

“You know you sound crazy, yes there real, but no I don’t believe. Which is it yes or no?”
“Why does it matter!” I shouted.

He flinched back like I had slapped him. I frowned shoulders slackening. I didn’t mean to snap at him, the subject was just sensitive for me. I rubbed my right arm, feeling for something that wasn’t there, not yet anyway. How did I answer him, truth or just switch the subject? I had said yes and no for a reason and that reason was as complicated as the day was long.

Yes they were real, I was hunted and hurt by one. No I don’t believe, because then my nightmares were real and that one thing I was so terrified of would come back and finish what it started thirteen years ago. But if I didn’t believe then they would just disappear like a nightmare and leave me alone. Right? I sounded like a lunatic.

“What does this have to do with what’s bothering you anyway?” I asked opting for a subject change.

“Everything, it has everything to do with what’s bothering me.” He sighed, the sound long and frustrated. “Would you believe me if I said I knew they were real, and that,” he paused, eyes on me again,” I know about the mark.”

My body went cold. That word, mark, it had only one meaning. He knew about the scar on my arm in the crook of my right elbow. No one knew about the mark except me. No one knew because it only showed up when true dark covered the city and the monsters came out to play.

Chapter 2 - Stranger in the Dark

Sitting in my room I slammed my physics book shut, forehead smacking it as I collapsed on the bed. I groaned frustrated with my mind. It kept roving back to Gavin and the fact that he knew about my scar. Just thinking about it made my arm itch. At that time he asked if I believed in vampires I was scared, scared he was going to jump at me and rip my throat out.

As if he were one of them. I raised my head and smacked my forehead down on the book. I was an idiot; Gavin wasn’t a vampire, no way in hell. But that look. Rolling out of bed I cracked my door open. Light washed into my room like a tiny tower on my floor. The living room light was shining down the hall; dad would be up watching TV still.

Kicking my feet into the fuzzy slippers I kept by my bed I shrugged into a sweat jacket that hid my camisole. I needed some daddy daughter time to make the monsters in my mind go away. I know it sounded childish but I wanted to, almost needed to. I felt like I was going to loose him soon, just something else to scare me. Seemed like that was all today was, one fright after the other.

“Sky?”

“Can I sit with you?”

He blinked at me, brown eyes like black pools of comfort. “Of course baby girl.”
Sweeping popcorn crumbs off his plaid blanket he scooted over, dropping his feet from the abused coffee table. I sunk into the softness of the simple cream sofa. Pulling my knees up to my chest I slid the jacket over them, hugging my self under the tent I made. He sent me a few concerned stares, rubbing his short prickly beard. He finally got up the courage to ask.

“What’s troubling you baby girl?”

He always called me that, baby girl. I guaranteed he tagged it on the end of every sentence like some promise. I would always be his baby girl no matter what and he was here for me. He waited patiently as I mulled it over in my head. He knew I always thought out my answer; probably saw the gears turning in my head.

I couldn’t tell him about Gavin scaring me, that would only get Gavin shot or banded from seeing me, dad was old fashioned that way. But then if I didn’t tell him about Gavin I would have to mention the vampires. And that mess I wasn’t dragging him into. I had enough counseling on that subject to last a life time. Monsters of the imagination are only that, of the imagination.

Besides he didn’t need to know they existed like I didn’t want to believe it. Sighing I leaned into his side. I couldn’t tell him diddaly squat. His pepper colored beard rubbed across my head as he pulled me into a hug, strong arms holding me like I would break.

“Alright you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to. Just stay safe baby girl.”

It was almost like he knew. “I will dad.”

Next thing I knew I was waking up to the sound of soft snoring. Rubbing my eyes I sat up, pulling the legs of my shorts down. Seemed no matter how I slept they rode up during the night and bunched between my legs uncomfortably. I was still on the couch, dad snoring away on the far end. I had taken the one closest the hall and fell asleep. Guess I was tired.

Sliding off the sofa I pulled dads plaid blanket off. Draping it over him I clicked the TV off, flicked the over head light to dim so he wouldn’t break a leg when he did go to bed, and padded down the hall to my own bedroom. My back was stiff, shoulders tense. While the couch was comfortable it wasn’t made for sleeping, not the way I had at least. Turning the knob of my door I stepped in.

It was almost pitch black the way I liked it. Were it not for the moon light shinning in through the window I probably would have tripped over my pillow laying on the floor. My brow furrowed. I hadn’t dropped it there, not tonight. I was a wrestles sleeper, pillows and blankets alike never stayed on long. Picking up my favorite pillow I humped throwing it back on the bed. I saw him then, standing in the corner watching.

My immediate reaction was to freeze. My chest constricted, muscles tingling as a wave of fear pounded through me. I couldn’t breath, my heart beat was in my throat. The eyes, damn it, the eyes were red. Finally my body cooled and I took action. Dropping to the floor I pressed my back against the door, drawing my knees up to my chest incase I had to shove him off.

My heart was still pounding as I reached under the ripped carpet and pulled out a special silver coated knife. I was ready, ready to slay the vampire in my room. Only he wasn’t moving. My muscles burned as the adrenalin caught up to my mind. I had trained my reactions to be quicker then my bodies’ natural defenses. If you hesitated you were dead, I learned that one the hard way.

My right arm itched again, the memory nagging the back of my mind. I was lucky tonight, my hesitation hadn’t cost me. Not physically at least, but mentally I was terrified. The eyes, always the eyes, reminded me of the little boy who nearly killed me thirteen years ago. Shoving the fear from my mind I tensed. If the vampire wasn’t going to come for me, then I would go for the vampire.

Sweeping my legs under me I lunged forward, knife held with both hands at my hip. I held it this way so he couldn’t slap my only weapon away and so it had the most power behind the thrust. To kill you stab the heart, clean and simple. A cloud drifted across the moon casting my room in complete darkness. I was blind and only inches away. I pivoted striking out in the last place I saw him.

Air, nothing but air, I had missed and now I was defenseless. Backing up I spun around keeping a wall behind me so I wouldn’t be snuck up on. Pressing against my bathroom door I sucked in a jagged breath. Nature was not on my side, the cloud still cast a shadow in my room. Sliding the knife behind my back between the wall I waited. I would not be disarmed unless my blade was stuck in his throat or chest. And I would not move until I saw him first.

Something shifted on the far side of my small room. The familiar sound of my sheet being dragged off my bed alarmed me. He was only two feet away at the most, I could reach out and touch him if I wanted. Dropping the knife I pressed the blade between my index finger and thumb. I couldn’t risk a blind stab and loose my weapon. Right arm tense I slid my left across the wall to my dresser where I pulled out yet another knife.

The vampire shifted again and I threw. The knife thudded against the far wall, a miss, but not a complete waste. I had heard the cloth of his shirt rip. It gave me the basic location and position. Right in front of me, turned slightly to the left. Griping the cold hilt of my second knife I stabbed out meeting resistance. It was the wrong kind. The blade was ripped from my hands, body shoved back into the wall forcefully.

I flinched head cracking into the door behind me. My heart pounded in my ears, I was going to die. Finally the cloud moved from across the moon, slowly re-illuminating my room. His eyes were trained on me from the dark half of the room. Why wasn’t he coming? As if reading my mind he moved forward to reveal himself.

Guess it was better knowing who was going to kill me, then again maybe not. One blue shoe stepped into the light followed by a leg covered in faded jeans, a tan hand balled into a fist, a chest with form fitting black tee, and finally a face that was more terrifying then the eyes themselves.

“Gavin?!”

Chapter 3 - Returning Ghosts

He stared at me, red eyes void of emotion. Was he really going to kill me? Better yet, he was a vampire? How could I not tell, I hunted them for god sakes. Yes my dirty little secret. I was a vampire hunter, a very bad one. My best friend was a vampire and I never noticed until now. My legs gave out and I fell to the floor, tears streaming down my face. I couldn’t believe it, Gavin was a vampire.

My best friend since childhood was a vampire and he was here to kill me. My chest crumbled, raw emotion tightening my throat. I felt so betrayed, so helpless, so lost. He was the one solid thing in my life other then my father. The one thing I actually cared for and loved. And he was a monster, a blood sucking, human killing monster.

“Sky.”

I screamed and his hands clamed down over my mouth silencing me. I swallowed hard, desperately trying not to shake as the fear ran up my spine in sharp prickles. He was still that off warm that seemed cold. My eyes fell shut. Would he just get it over with already? An arm snaked around my waist and I jerked, swatting at it.

“Look at me Sky.” I wouldn’t I just kept swatting his hand away. “Please Sky.”

I froze, heart hammering. His voice was broken and scared again. This had been what he was worried about? This was why he asked about vampires? He was worried about how I would react to him being one? Utter shock that’s what I felt. Staring at the window I wished suddenly that I was back in my room thirteen years ago. Wished that in the fire the boy would have died and not my mother. That way none of this would have to happen.

We wouldn’t have moved across the country back to dad’s hometown to get away from the grief of loosing my mom. I would never have enrolled in high school and meet Gavin. I wished it all away because I didn’t want to face reality. Gavin was vampire. My eyes jerked there way to his dark face. Tears had stopped streaming from my eyes and started drying to my face like crusty paint.

“I’m not here to hurt you, I want to save you.”

I didn’t under stand him. His eyes were red, crimson with starving hunger, but he wasn’t here to hurt me? Did he want to turn me then? Make me a vampire like him? I shoved against his chest, nails digging into the skin under the shirt. He didn’t flinch but he let me struggle some. I would never become a vampire; they took my mother from me and cursed me.
I would rather die. I wanted to shout that at him but his hand was still covering my mouth. Growling I turned my head loosening his grip. Tilting my head back I bit down sinking my teeth into his hand. This time he reacted. Jerking he pulled back falling to the ground. Muscles tight I spun, bunching my knees to my chest. His eyes went wide and I kicked, one foot stomping his chest, the other sliding up his face.

I heard bone crack as his neck craned back at a weird angel. I gasped scrambling to my knees as he fell limply on the floor. Oh God. My heart constricted. Oh God. His eyes were closed, body limp, head kind of tilted back. I broke his neck. My hands flew to my mouth, covering it before I screamed like a banshee. I was shaking, my whole body cold like I had been sitting in ice.

I never meant to hurt him. Fuck I never meant to. He could do anything, bite me, hurt me, kill me, turn me, and I would never want to hurt him like this. It was messed up logic but Gavin was special to me, even when he was a monster he was Gavin. I just wanted him to stop scaring me and be my Gavin again. I wanted this whole thing to make sense and my emotions to stop going crazy.

I stared at him, eyes shaking violently. He looked normal, asleep even. Biting my lip I leaned over, heart stopping as I held my breath. Gently I pressed a hand to his chest. No heart beat, no breathing. A sob hitched in my chest. He was so weak from lack of blood I killed him.

“Ga-Gavin?” Yeah calling his name would wake him. “Gavin?” I sounded like a little sheep lost in the woods, waiting for the wolf to gobble her up.

I started crying loud heavy sobs of grief. Why did it have to be this way? Why Gavin? My gut twisted and I doubled over. Hands pressing to his chest I cried over his body like some maiden who lost her prince. Vampire or not he was my friend, why didn’t I see that five seconds sooner? A floor board behind me creaked and I whirled coming face to face with him.

The blood drained from my face, all movement and feeling just stopping like someone flipped a switch. The only thing I did was stare, stare at the pair of red eyes staring at me, and stare at the boy of my nightmares in the middle of my room.

“Nice to see you’re still alive, Sky.”

I couldn’t react to his voice. No if I did it meant he was real and so was Gavin’s cold body. A sinister smile played at the edges of his lips making him look like a possessed china doll. His head tipped to the side, eyes of horror looking passed me. My chest started to burn from lack of oxygen but I couldn’t breath I just couldn’t, I was too afraid.

Locks of perfect golden blonde hair fell to the side revealing a net work of interlocking tattoos on his forehead. It was like some kind of marking, it was familiar too. My eyes started shaking then just from the pure terror of seeing him. He was like a pale prince of darkness come to rip out my soul and consume my heart. Hell he probably was, so much for living passed eighteen.

“Seems Gavin was too slow to save you this time.”

What did he mean by this time? His eyes slid back to me slowly. He took a step forward a cape of black feather wings billowing out behind him. I gasped jerking back ever so slightly. It felt like my bones had shattered I was so tense. He smiled again, this time playfully. It seemed scarier then when he was being evil. I noticed the vaguest hint of dimples on his pale lifeless cheeks. He couldn’t be much older then five still.

The wings rustled and he lifted off the ground a couple inches. Great he could fly, like I wasn’t terrified enough of him before. Without blinking he floated over, the hem of his nightgown blowing in some invisible wind that surrounded only him. His head tiled to the side again revealing that lace work on his forehead. My heart finally started pumping again but I wished it hadn’t, it seemed to draw his attention.

Mouth opening slightly he licked his lips. The motion sent shivers down my spine. He was here to kill and feed on me I had no doubt in my mind. Suddenly a pair of arms wrapped around me pulling me back into someone. I started to scream but the sensation was familiar, like I had been hugged by these arms a thousand times before. Gavin. A deep territorial snarl erupted in the room.

The boys face snapped back in to that evil glare, lips pulling back over his teeth like some dog. “You traitorous day walker,” He hissed, eyes fixed on the one holding me,” I will slay you myself next time Gavin!”

My eyes went wide, heart leaping when he said Gavin. The joy was replaced by terror as the boy flung his arms out and started floating over to us. I couldn’t help it I screamed. Gavin’s arms tightened around me, muscles tensing in his legs. He jumped back just as the boy touched his arm protecting my waist. I felt the bone crush, three long bloody gouges poured over his forearm.

We blasted away from the boy and out the window; glass shattered but never touched me. Whirling the boy roared at us, face twisted into a darker version of the haunting eyes from my passed. He was truly evil. Rushing forward the boy swatted what remained of my south wall. It collapsed easily. Closing my eyes I screamed again, his face imprinted into the back of my eyes forever.

“She will never be yours.” It was Gavin shouting at the boy as we hovered in the sky.

“She already is.”

My eyes flew open again. He was right there in front of me. Eyes going wide my body felt like a jolt of electricity as the fear sparked back to life. It was too much I couldn’t take it any more. The world tunneled, the face of a very pissed off vampire child the last thing I saw. Gavin shouted at him again but the kid’s response was lost in the wind around us. I did how ever hear Gavin, he sounded as pissed as the boy.

“You’ll never have her Liam, I swear it!”

Chapter 4 - Heart Broken Tears

Rolling onto my side I groaned, my head was pounding. All the fear and adrenaline from seeing the boy had played hell with my body. A floor board creaked to my left. My eyes flew open suddenly, heart pounding like a freight train. Balling my hands I swung out blindly.

“Sky easy, it’s me Emma.”

A pair of small hands wrapped around my wrists. Blinking my eyes slowly refocused in the dim light. This wasn’t my bed room, I could tell that, but it was someone’s bedroom. The girl who addressed herself as Emma smiled at me revealing perfect glistening white teeth. Curls of russet red auburn fell around her framing that angular cat like face. Familiar hazel eyes smiled at me, that phantom green that ringed them making my heart slow.

“Emma?” I questioned like a moron.

“Yes Sky it’s me. You want to stop trying to beat my face in?” I blinked then looked down at my fists trapped in her hands. I let them relax. “There you go. Want some water or honey milk?”

I nodded. The motion seemed to make it feel like my brain was nothing but jello. Releasing my hands Emma kissed my forehead gently before she disappeared. She made me feel like a child; considering I was in shock it didn’t really bother me to much. Rubbing my arm absentmindedly I stared at the blankets covering my legs.

I felt stiff and numb like everything inside of me had been ripped out with my emotions. I just didn’t know what to do. Bowing my head I pressed my hands to my ears. I felt like I was going to explode. That face was burned into my mind; I would never get rid of it now. My breath hitched. I was starting to hyperventilate. The events from last night were starting to catch up to me.

Shaking I started to rock back and forth like I had lost my mind. Maybe I had. That boy, he was going to come back. He was going to try and kill me again. And he wouldn’t rest until he did. Then there was Gavin, my best and only friend Gavin, the vampire, who I had killed in my room. But then he rescued me at the last second taking me away from the one thing I feared.

Images flashed through my mind. The boys face from my passed, my burning house, being left on the floor covered in blood, Gavin’s body on the floor, the return of the boy, his wings beating and chasing after us. Something touched my shoulder gently and I screamed, jerking back into the head board of the bed.

“Sky it’s only me.”

My scream cut off like some strangled cat. Watery eyes worked hard to focus on the tall shadow leaning over me. The world fell out from under me as a pair of deep ocean blue eyes stared at me from behind a couple stray locks of brown hair. Shaking I reached out to touch him. He was solid, chest rising and falling in a normal rhythm.

“Gavin!” I screamed finally, throwing my self at him.

I think I caught him by surprise. Staggering back he struggled to right himself as I sobbed into his black shirt. Clawing at his chest I cried like a blubbering idiot. I wasn’t sure what had come over me but all that mattered was that he was alive. Shifting my face I pressed it into his shoulder, eyes staring at his neck. His heart was beating loudly in his chest; skin that off warm that felt cold.

My eyes drifted shut. “Don’t do that to me you ass.” I choked out around a sob.

“What do you mean?”

He sounded distance and his arms were limp at his side. He was still afraid of my reaction to him. Grabbing a hand full of his shirt I looked up at him, eyes still watery. I felt more like myself with him around, but he was making me angry. We had been so close and he never once told me he was a vampire until I almost killed him.

“You snuck into my room and become a vampire. You didn’t even tell me.” My head fell back into his shoulder, tears running freely again. “I thought I killed you,” I hiccupped,” you are such a jerk, I hate you.”

“Sky,” finally his arms wrapped round me. It was what I had been waiting for, “I didn’t want to tell you because I knew you would hate me.”

I frowned, pushing back to look at his face. His arms loosened but never let go of me. His eyes were distance and glazed over. Sniffling I did the only thing I could in such a position. I slapped him. He blinked shaking himself back from what ever dark place he had went. Pressing a hand to his cheek he blinked again like he couldn’t believe I just slapped him.

“You fucking idiotic jerk.” He was totally lost.

Both arms let go of me as I slid off the bed to stand in front of him. Amazing how much good a cry can do. He took one step back, head dropping to hide his face. Was he waiting for me to hit him again? He was such a boy, never understanding how I felt.

“I don’t hate you like that. I hate you because,” I pushed his chest, angry hurt tears falling down my face. His head lifted so I could see his eyes,” you didn’t trust me enough to tell me you were a vampire.”

“That’s what bothers you?” Each word was slow and confused.

I glared through the tears, I don’t think I cried so much before in my life. I sighed letting my forehead fall against his chest. My blonde hair fell like a curtain, hiding me from the world. He wasn’t going to get it. Hell I didn’t either. I should hate him, I should want to kill him. But I didn’t because he was Gavin. Maybe if I just spoke my mind he would understand.

“Yes, your Gavin, my Gavin, I could careless what you were just so long as you don’t leave me.”

My face twisted. I sounded like I was in love with him. Hell maybe I was, I didn’t know, I was just so lost. His chin pressed down on my head, arms slowly folding around me so I was engulfed by his warmth. I closed my eyes. It was the safest I had felt all night. We stood there like that for a couple minutes, just him and me like if we were at school.
He was the first to break the silence.

“Sky.”

I looked up, tucking my hair behind my ear. His voice sounded even for once and not scared. Brown bangs fell over his eyes making them smolder in the brightening light of early morning. My chest and stomach knotted. I didn’t know why but I felt like he was going to kiss me. Gavin kiss me? That was, I wasn’t sure what it was but it was something that made my heart ache.

His lips parted and I felt a bold of electricity shoot through me. Would he do it? I couldn’t move I was so nervous. I was very aware of his hand at the small of my back, and the other one on my collarbone like he was going to cup my face with it but couldn’t drag it up that far. His face tilted more and he licked his lips, a flicker of unease flying across his eyes. Did I look frightened?

Hell I was frightened but for what reason? I fanned my hand out on his chest waiting. It was his choice. I could never do it, I wasn’t gutsy enough. Chest moving unevenly under my hand he leaned in, eyes falling shut. God he was going to do it. The door slammed open and I jumped, shoving him away before the gap was closed between us. Heart pounding I looked around wild eyed as Emma strode in with a tray.

She stopped took one look at me and smiled wickedly. “I leave for five minutes,” she looked over to Gavin. I did too, fidgeting when he flicked a bright excited glance my way,” and you’re all over each other like two cats in heat.”

“It’s not like that!” We both shouted. My face went beat red.

Chapter 5 - Elephants

Sitting on a chair in the bright kitchen I fidgeted. Emma didn’t believe us when we told her we were just friends. Honestly we were, until we almost stepped over that invisible line ten minutes ago. I slid Gavin a nervous glance. He was just as jittery as me. Right knee closet to me bouncing he leaned back crossing his arms over his damp tee shirt.

I had been such a mess when I saw him I cried on him till his shirt was soaked. It was like a downpour of tears. Turning back to the table I sipped at my honey milk. It was warm and sweet just the way I liked it. I looked up at Emma and waited. She was the one who called us out here so I assumed she wanted to talk. Only she wasn’t. I knew Gavin wasn’t going to say a word about yesterday or last night.

Seemed I was the one who had to break the awkward tension. I sipped at my drink again. How did I even start? There was the obvious Gavin being a vampire issue to address. Not that I wanted to get into that again, yet. That could be saved for later when we were alone and I knew he would open up.

That left the boy, I wasn’t even going to think about the almost kiss around Emma, that was suicide. Something occurred to me then as the milk warmed my mind up. I had blacked out when he was at my house and my dad was sleeping less then ten foot away. I vaulted out of my chair nearly tipping it. Gavin jumped crashing to the floor.

“What’s wrong?” Emma asked alarmed.

“Dad, where’s my dad?” Neither of them looked at me. Seriously bad sign. “Gavin where is he?”


I turned on him, staring pleadingly at the six foot tall vampire on the floor. He looked away rubbing his head. I felt like I was going to faint. Dropping down into the wooden chair I turned to Emma. I felt pale, I wasn’t breathing and I didn’t think my heart was beating. I didn’t even say her name and she looked away from me. Shit.

“Garthview Hospital ICU.” She said quietly.

My heart beat once. He wasn’t dead but there was more to it then just critical care. I swallowed hard keeping my gaze as steady as possible on her. Her head dipped down like she was trying to hide from me. Why didn’t she answer me? What were they hiding from me?
The chair beside me thudded on the floor as Gavin righted it and himself from off the hard wood floor. I turned back to him, eyes desperate. I could see him fight the expressions on his face to go blank, fighting the urge to look away. I wrapped my arms around myself waiting.

“Sky your dad, he’s,” Gavin looked away like he couldn’t bare the weight of the words,” Comatose. There waiting for the word to pull the plug. They don’t think hell ever wake up.”

I went numb, there was no way to describe it, I was just numb. It was so much worse, he wasn’t dead but waiting to die. Stuck there in some hospital alone, unaware of anything and waiting. Waiting for me to tell them to pull the plug and stop his suffering. My head dropped, waves of cold washing over me. I didn’t think I could cry anymore, my tears were dried up.


A hand brushed my arm, rubbing it to warm me. Glancing up I stared blankly at Gavin. He was frowning at me clearly hating telling me the news. I covered his hand with my fingers making he stop. His hand dropped away. While I always loved hugging or leaning on him I didn’t want to be touched right now. Not now. Because it was my fault yet another member of my family was dead.

“Sky?” I looked over at Emma. My eyes were dead. She flinched back. “I’m sorry but there was nothing I could do when I got there. He was…” She stopped.

Somehow I knew what she was going to say. I nodded. He was left for dead after he had been fed on. I knew. That was the boys MO, leave them to die after he got what he wanted. That was the whole reason I was alive. That and my mother sacrificed herself for me. The awkward silence stretched on, neither of them knew what to say or do and I was just numb.

“So much on my mind,” I jumped, heart beating in my throat. It had been so quite when my phone went off I almost jump up on the table and screamed, “stay with me, please don’t go.”

Shoving my hand in the pocket of my shorts I jabbed the phone into silence. Flinging it on the table I drew my knees up to my chest. Emma and Gavin didn’t say a word. The small shock had jolted me back to reality. I could think again, though all I really wanted to do was crawl up in a dark corner and die.

There was nothing I could do for my dad. I would have to go to the hospital later and make the hardest decision of my life, but that would be hours from now. All I could do was wait, wait and get answers. I took in a deep breath, letting it out slowly. I just had to get through it until I was alone, then I could break down all I wanted.

My eyes drifted over to Emma who was playing with a stir stick in her coffee. She looked nothing like Gavin and she was his older sister. Surely they would have one common trait. But no nothing about them said blood relation. That could mean a few things, one of them was adopted. Or both were vampires.

“Emma are you…” I paused. I didn’t want to insult her. Then again I wasn’t sure if it was alright to speak the word aloud. She nodded urging me on, “ a vampire?” I said.

“Thank you, I was wondering when that elephant would disappear.” She smiled at me straightening in her chair. She got the hint, we were to forget about my father until the time came. “Yes I am a vampire,” Her eyes went to him then flicked back to me, “just like Gavin.”

A shoe scooted across the floor. Gavin didn’t like being drug into the conversation. I ignored him. “So like, how did that happen?” I sounded unsure.

“It’s ok to ask questions Sky, it’s normal to be curious. Besides how else do we clear the room of the annoying elephants?”

I blinked at her. She was making a joke of the old saying, elephants in the room. She was right though; there were a lot of elephants in the room. Most of them small questions that nagged me only a few were truly annoying. Leaning forward I let one leg drop off the chair and stretch out.


Wrapping my hands around the still steaming mug of honey milk I waited. She smiled sweetly at me, leaning over the table as well. It was Like Gavin had disappeared and it was just two girls reminiscing over passed lovers.

Chapter 6 - The Story of Emma Stone

“The story is actually rather short. I was a street bum back when New York was first constructed; I know that was ages ago.” She smiled at me knowingly. Without missing a beat she went on so I wouldn’t dwell on her age.

“I don’t remember how I ended up so far away from the warehouse but I had stumbled across the water ways on the southern edge of Manhattan. It was nothing like it is now of course. But I walked my way through the small shipping yard and onto one of the storage barges.”

“I had no idea where I was but I didn’t care. I had no home, I wondered everyday trying to stay warm and alive, what was another cold damp corner?” I frowned at her but she went on.
“The weather took a turn for the worst and I walked into the ship. Deeper and deeper I went just stumbling along in the dim lighting. I don’t think I knew what I was walking into, just that it was dry and quiet. Walking I began to realize I wasn’t alone. Something, or someone, was with me.”

My eyes went wide and she back tracked for a second. “Not like following me but ahead, in the very heart of the ship something was waiting, and it was noisy.” She paused suddenly like she was self conscious. “Maybe I’ll leave some parts out.”

I frowned at her. Her eyes flicked to Gavin. I had forgotten he was there. I had forgotten where I even was. Props to Emma for being a good story teller. I was glad I had brought up her birth, creation? What ever it was called it got my mind off Dad. Turning my head I blinked at Gavin. He was utterly still, eyes trained on me. He wasn’t breathing again. What had him so edgy now?

“I guess not.” I turned back to Emma again. I was confused, did they just exchange some secret conversation? “Like I was saying there was a thing.” Her eyes went to Gavin when she said thing. Was that such a bad word? “I guess I was stupid as a hobo because I kept going, walking right for it.”

“As I closed in on it I realized that the sounds I was hearing wasn’t wet paint being stirred but.” She stopped again.

“Emma?” I asked, confused.

“I don’t know if I should continue, Gavin?” She was looking at him again.
Turning I looked, blue eyes still trained on me. What was going on? He frowned, brow furrowing like he was pained. Looking away from me he stood, shoving balled hands in his jeans pockets. Why was he mad? Should I not have asked Emma such a personal question? And why was it so personal to him? Standing with his back to us he nodded.

“Ok. Sky.” I glanced back at Emma. She was holding her coffee cup between both hands. “This part might be hard to hear. It involves Gavin, and what he use to be.” My eyes flicked back to Gavin’s broad back.

He was stiff. More fear of my reaction to him. My face softened and I slid out of the chair. Taking three steps I stood behind him, watching his shoulders tense. Gently I pressed my hand to his shoulder. He stilled again, damn he was good at that. Head dropping he started to pull away from me.

“I’m not afraid,” He stopped,” tell me Emma, what happened next?”

Turning his head one dark blue eye peeked out from under his hair. His face was shadowed and blank. I left my hand on his shoulder while we stared at each other. Emma’s voice carried over to us quietly.

“The sound was thick and slightly sickening. It was the sound of blood being sucked from a human.” I waited. “I came around a crate and saw him, this teenager. He was tall and muscular, hair almost glistening in the sunlight from the port holes. It was like he was in a spotlight and everything around him was dark, afraid of him.”

“I must have kicked something because he jerked, dropping what ever he had been eating. The thing I saw was inhuman, a monster. Eyes bright as suns and red as fire stared at me like I was his next meal. Blood covered his mouth and drenched the white shirt he wore.”
“The glistening hair I had first seen was actually covered in blood that had sprayed him when he tore open the chest of his victim. The victim that lay behind him in a pile of torn cloth, a massive pool of blood, and its own body parts that had been ripped open. At the time I didn’t know but later I learned his name.”

Gavin’s eye looked away from me but he didn’t try to flee. Instead he just tensed and waited for her to utter the words he dreaded.

“Gavin Roshechure De’ Lafayette.”

“I don’t care.” I whispered. His head lifted and he stared at me with both eyes. “What did you do when he saw you?”

I could hear the approving smile in her voice. “At first I fled, thought obviously that was useless. When he tackled me to the ground and broke my arm I tried to fight. I was foolish, I didn’t stand a chance, but I fought. I fought the monster chewing on my neck. In the end I lost. Or so I thought.”

“Yes he had drunk my blood but I fought to the very end, even when he was dragging me deeper into the ship where I would die, I fought. In some sick way it appealed to him. Before he finished me off, or even tore me to shreds, he offered me something, immortality in exchange for friendship.”

“Sounds crazy right? But I was crazy. I took the offer without a second thought, I just wanted to live. I didn’t care how just that I did. He didn’t argue or ask if I was sure he just did it. He turned me into what he was, a vampire.”

She fell silent knowing that Gavin would be struggling with his emotions over me knowing. His face was blank but a war was going on behind his eyes. He wanted to run but he also wanted acceptance, from me. I bowed my head, smiling to myself. I was right, he could do anything and I would never hate him because he was Gavin.

“I told you I don’t care.” He jerked slightly.

My hand slid down his shirt and I grabbed the hem, balling it in my hand so he would run away on me. Closing my eyes I lifted my head. I could almost see the scene Emma had described of him in the ship feeding on some lost soul.

“Yeah you slaughtered humans once upon a time. So what, you are a vampire they do that.” My eyes opened, the image leaving with it. He was staring at me, half broken.
“What ever you once were is in the passed, Emma said it. It’s who you once were not who you are.” I was starting to ramble but I needed to tell him something.

I pulled on the shirt. My chest was starting to tighten, my face burning with embarrassment. I couldn’t believe I was going to say it again. But he needed to hear it. So he knew without a doubt I didn’t care about his vampirism.

“All you’ll ever be to me is Gavin. And that’s all I need. Just Gavin.” I said his name slowly, carefully.

He sucked in air, shoulders going slack. I let my hand drop from his back. He would be ok now, never again question if I would hate him or not. Emma cleared her throat bursting our touching moment. The second I realized she was still in the room I went beat red. Damn it, she would never let it go now.

Chapter 7 - The Rules of Honey Milk

We had returned to our seats much to Emma’s joy. I rubbed my face as she smiled at me. It was like she was trying to make me crack and blurt out my undying love for him. It wasn’t happening. I took a huge gulp of my honey milk finishing it off. There wasn’t much honey to it because I let it set too long.

The milk had cooled and the honey settled to the bottom. I frowned at it. Too try and lick it or not to try and lick it? I tipped the mug slightly waiting for the honey to creep down to licking distance. I could just hear Gavin trying not to laugh beside me. I shot him a glare. He knew what I was doing.

“Want a refill?” Emma questioned clearly wondering what the hell I was doing with it in the middle of the air.

“Please.”

No better solution for awkward tension then honey in the bottom of a cup. She started to stand but Gavin beat her to it. He snatched the mug from me stocking off into the kitchen. I glared at his shaking shoulders, apparently he was feeling better or just plain hiding his emotions. Either way he was having a ball with my honey addiction. Yes I was addicted to honey. Give it to me and I will eat every last drop.

Even make a fool of myself to do it. Like say, hold a mug upside down for twenty minutes while it runs into my mouth. Of course it was my little secret, honey milk, my mom called it. Then Gavin had to mysteriously pop up at my house and find me on the couch waiting for the honey to finish creeping into my mouth.

He never let it go. But then again he did now officially offer me honey milk every time I came over. So I guess it wasn’t so bad. He could stop laughing at me when I finished a mug though, that was embarrassing. He walked back in with my mug and a coffee pot, face smug. Dropping into his chair he sat the pot in the middle of the table.

I glared at him until he smiled, sliding my honey milk over on the table. I snatched it away from him possessively. The white mug was toasty warm but he had that look in his eyes, like he had tampered with it again.

“Just warm milk, you don’t have to kill me with your eyes.”

“Good boy.” I murmured taking a sip.

He laughed out loud. Emma looked at him like he was diseased. Clearly she didn’t get the memo not to mess with the honey milk. It was my addiction and my child. More importantly it was the only thing I had of my mother. The thing she made for me when I had a nightmare, or when the boy haunted my closet.

It was the only thing I could take anywhere with me and know, this was from my mother just for me. Once the honey settled in the bottom you poured more hot milk in it and stirred. It was a rule, just like licking it out of the bottom was. Of course Gavin, being the jokester he was, didn’t oblige by those rules.

The one time he put more honey in it I clawed the hell out of his arm. Like I said, don’t mess with the honey milk. I smiled to myself, half laughing at the memory.

“Some one want to tell me what is so damn funny?”

“Nothing, he’s an idiot.” I murmured still drinking.

Sitting back in my chair I smiled at Emma who was glaring at me. She could sense the inside joke between me and him, she wanted it. It wasn’t happening. Stretching my legs out I sighed. The smell was deliciously mouth watering, the warmth relaxing. Many a time I had a cup o’ honey milk to calm myself. Usually it was to keep nightmares away when I was small. But recently it was to relax after a hunt.

Yeah a hunt, I had almost forgotten. My eyes landed on my phone for a second. That interruption before was a texted address. It was the location of a vampire nest. The vampires I hunted were different from Gavin and Emma. They were true monsters, like Gavin had been, vampires who slaughtered just for the hell of it, vampires who ripped their victims apart to feed on them.

I gulped at the honey milk, eyes wondering to Gavin. I wondered if I had been alive when he was young, would I slay him too, or see some good in him and spare his life? I didn’t know. The cup was half empty before I knew it. My thoughts were to stressful I had gulped and not sipped it. Another rule of honey milk, you sip it slowly.

It gives the best taste when slowly consumed, and leaves enough honey behind for my after addiction rush. Gavin stirred in the seat next to me, meeting my gaze. I buried my face in the mug. Not to long ago I snapped at him for hiding the fact he was a vampire from me. When I thought about it I was guilty of the same thing. Only my secret involved killing vampires.

Frowning in the mug I wondered if I should tell them. Oh by the way I’m a vampire slayer, just thought I’d drop that bombshell. I didn’t think so. This was something that was even more important to keep hush, hush. Now that Gavin was a vampire I didn’t want him involved at all. Who knows what that would do to him. Killing didn’t suite him let alone murdering his own kind.

I lowered the mug, only a small amount of honey was left in the bottom. I tilted it. Gavin smiled at me, acting like he wasn’t laughing though it played in his eyes. Emma cleared her throat glaring daggers at Gavin while she chugged her coffee. It was really messing with her that she wasn’t in on some secret.

Rule four of honey milk. You can not be sad when drinking it. Totally defeats the warm sweet joy of it if you’re sad. I pushed the thoughts of Gavin being a killer or me killing him aside. I would never let it get to that point. Holding my finger under the glistening honey drop I smiled to myself. Oozing onto my finger the literal last drop sat. Holding it up to my face I smiled mischievously at Gavin.

He snorted, a laugh clearing fighting its way out. Turning to Emma I gave her the same look. She raised an eyebrow. My tongue flicked out and I licked it up, making a sucking sound as I did it. Gavin couldn’t contain himself. He was rocking back in the chair holding his sides. Emma gave me a psycho look but laughed despite herself.

It was the final rule. You can’t help but feel happy and make others around your laugh. It was why I loved honey milk; it made you happy and chased the bad things away for awhile. But that only worked when you had a cup of honey milk. Mine was officially empty. I sat it on the table smiling at my vampire friends sadly. Time to face reality.

Chapter 8 - Gavin's Betrayal

I had things to take care of, my dad being the most important. But one elephant was bothering me still. My eyes flicked to Gavin sitting in the chair, knee bouncing again. Twisting in the chair I leaned an elbow on the table. His eyes flicked over to me, a small smile playing on his lips. If I was eighteen then Gavin was nineteen, supposedly.

“So Sky, I’ve heard some things about you.”

I frowned at Emma. I had no clue what she was talking about. Gavin scooted his feet across the floor again, it was one of his nervous tells, the knee, the feet shifting when he sat, and arm crossing aggressively. He was doing all of them. I was in deep shit. But I had to ask my question first, before I got caught up in Emma’s conversation and forgot.

“Wait a second Emma,” I held up a finger,” I want to ask Gavin something.”

A loud squeal from a rubber shoe soul sliding across the wood floor cut through the pause. Yeah buddy I have a question for you.

“Gavin, how old are you?”

Emma gave me a rough idea of her age when she said she lived in New York during the early construction days of the booming city. But that meant nothing for Gavin because he was already a vampire when they meet. So just how old was he? His face twisted, arms crossing over his chest again like he was uncomfortable. Queue the nervous shifting.

“Is it that important?”

“Yes.” I growled eyes narrowing at him.

It probably wasn’t but I was having a Bella Swan moment, I wanted to know. Momentarily I wondered if Gavin had gone on a vegetarian diet like Edward did after he rebelled and feed on people. I shook my head dislodging the silly thought. He grumbled rubbing his head. He had to think about it? Great.

“I’d say about eight hundred and thirty five? Give or take. I remember being alive for King Henry the third but I was just a boy then.”

My jaw dropped. “You’re almost a century old? Does that like make you one of the oldest?” I couldn’t help the question; it was just one of those you had to ask.

“No, no where near it, Liam is much older then me.” His eyes went wide, he had messed up.

I went cold. Liam was what he called the boy, I remembered him screaming it at the devil child. That meant one thing. He knew the boy who attacked me. If he knew how old he was did that mean he knew him before I was attacked? I dug my nails into my palm to keep myself from trembling. Blinking rapidly I forced the image of his face out of my mind.
Emma stood suddenly and walked out of the kitchen. She didn’t even look back or say good bye. I was glad she left because it was about to get personal, very personal. Focusing all my attention on Gavin I glared at him.

“Just how old is Liam?”

He opened and shut his mouth. So he knew but wouldn’t tell me. I slid to the edge of my chair, hand pressing to his knee to stop it from jumping. His eyes looked from it to me and back. All that emotion I suspected he had been hiding showed. He was still nervous and confused about me.

I was whole heartedly accepting him but there was still a fear in his eyes, a nervousness and a want I had never noticed before. He reached out to take my hand and I pulled back. Not because I was afraid but because he wasn’t answering me. If he wanted to hold my hand or whatever he was going to have to answer first.

A rush of tense air blew out his nose. “I don’t know, he doesn’t know, they didn’t keep records well where he was born. I guess at least three maybe, four centuries.”

“And you know this because your friends with him.” I stated it in a very pissed off tone.
I didn’t really feel that angry, I thought.

Hell I was starting to get mad. I was accusing him without evidence, but it made sense. There little conversation hinted at a prior meeting. His answer told me they had talked, how else would Gavin know Liam didn’t know his own age. Now I wanted to know if they were friends. And if they were, then what?

Did I ask if he helped Liam attack me as a kid? Maybe. Gavin’s head fell, arms falling away from his chest in defeat. I had hit home. My hands balled and I stood. He didn’t look at me.

“Your buddy, buddy with that monster! I suppose you helped him murder my mother twelve years ago.” Her jerked but wouldn’t look up. I went on, screaming at him. “Do you get some weird kick by being my friend? I mean Liam left me for dead and I bet you helped!”

“NO!” This time he jumped to his feet and yelled in my face.

I flinched away from him. As much as I wanted to accept the fact he had been a vampire this while time, I couldn’t accept his friendship with Liam. If he had anything to do with my attack I would stab him. Well maybe not stab him, but I felt mad enough to. Heat pulsing through my body I watched him.

“Then what, you’re his friend why not help him destroy some stupid girls life?”
He flinched again, head dropping. His shoulders tensed and he looked up at me. Eyes blank but broken he grabbed my arm. I beat his hand off with a fist.

“It’s not like that Sky,” he let the hand drop,” I didn’t help him hurt you or your mother. I felt guilty.” He just stopped. Stopped talking, stopped breathing, stopped everything.

A statue once again.

“So you didn’t have anything to do with it?” He nodded slightly, “Then why are you guilty? It’s not like you handed me over to him.”

“I might as well have.” Eyes lifting from under his hair he stared at me, the only thing moving was his mouth. “Liam was old when we meet. He had his own coven he had made that followed him everywhere like dogs. But he always said he felt alone.”

Was he really going to tell me Liam’s story? “As far as I knew he was the only child vampire in existence. That made him unique and depressed. He longed for a companion, not a friend, but a lover. Only he wanted someone his own age.” Yes he was.

“I don’t care about poor little Liam, I want him dead.” I snarled the word like just speaking it would make it happen.

“Listen Sky.” It was an order.

I went dead silent. Something dark had washed over Gavin. It was like he was another person all together. A real vampire. Heart pounding slowly in my chest I watched his eyes darken with every word he spoke. It was like he was reliving his passed and it was turning him back into that monster Emma had talked about in the ship. This was who Gavin use to be and it scared me.

“He was the only child vampire in existence for a reason. It is hard to turn someone so young and only one person was able to do it. That person died turning Liam because Liam killed him. Children have a horrible time adjusting to the blood lust, they go on killing sprees. But Liam was different, more intellectual then the others.”

“This made Liam special and strong. He killed off the elders before they killed him. He made his own coven to surround himself with people he could control. But he would never truly be content with this. He needed an eternal princess at his side. He told me to find him one, created me for this reason.”

I went cold. Not only did Gavin sound harsh and heartless he was admitting that he had handed me over to Liam. Liam, the one who made him.

“I did this; I looked for someone who could please my master. The ones I found were worthless to him. They all had weak will and succumbed to the venom or bloodlust. I thought I would never find the one he wanted. Then I found you.”

I stepped away from him. His eyes were red again. “I gave him your location so he could watch you and decide. He attacked you to test your will to live. He marked you because you survived the venom and met his high expectations. You’re his eternal princess.” I shook my head, voice caught in my throat.

“Were it not for your mother he would have turned you that very night.” His arm brushed mine. I hadn’t realized he had come closer. “I heard your screams from across the street when the poison paralyzed you and he fed. It tore me apart to hear you in such pain. This girl I didn’t know was being tortured because of me and I felt guilty.”

His hands held my shoulders. My heart was in my throat hammering away. I couldn’t believe what he was saying. It was his fault. I was almost killed because of him, not Liam but Gavin. Gavin had killed my mother.

“Disobeying Liam’s orders almost got me killed but I went. I tore him off your unconscious body and fought him as the house burned around us.”

His hand stroked my cheek making me shiver. I didn’t want him touching me. I stepped back but he held me in place. This wasn’t Gavin, he was to sinister feeling. Red eyes watching me like a piece of meat he ran a hand along my neck. Shit, he was hungry.

“Liam banded me from feeding so I left. But his command still stands, though I am not linked to him anymore. I’m so hungry Sky I need something. And I can only have one person’s blood. I need blood.”

My neck was already pulled back waiting for him to bite. Eyes wide I struggled against his hold on my shoulder and head. He was beyond my reach now. I had no idea he was so tortured. Pushing on his face my hand slipped leaving behind a streak of blood. Fuck. My hand, I had drew blood when I dug my nails in. I had sent him over the deep end. His teeth pressed into my neck.

“Gavin!” I screamed as he started to bite.

Chapter 9 - Awaken Vengeance

I wasn’t sure how but I was standing in front of my house. A cold drizzle had settled over the neighborhood and I stood out in the middle of the street letting the rain soak me. My face felt pale, eyes wide in terror. Gavin had tried to feed off me, he would have killed me, but I survived. I beat him off with a coffee pot and a broken chair leg.

Then Emma came charging in and stabbed him in the leg. She told me to run and I did. I never looked back I just ran. This is where I ended up, in front of my house soaking wet. Head dropping I walked up to the little yellow trailer. The door was busted down, a window shattered, and the lamp bent over the porch. That was just the outside that I could see.

Stepping over the broken glass I went in. No one would be here, not police or neighbors. We lived beside a river surrounded by trees. No one cared about a trailer in the middle of nowhere, not when it looked abandoned now. I stopped in what use to be the front room. The roof was collapsed, blood pooled on and around the sofa where I had last seen dad.

My legs buckled and I fell to my knees. Chest constricting I wrapped my arms around myself. It was my fault mom was dead, now dad. I was as abandoned as the house, no one left to care for me and it was my fault. Tears started falling down my face. Gavin wasn’t even safe to be around, I caused him pain. Anger rose in me then as I thought of Gavin.

He caused me pain, he lead Liam right to me, sacrificed me to his master. Hands balling I punched the floor, sniffling as I cried. It was his fault, it was my fault. If I just died back then no one would suffer and Liam wouldn’t get his way. Liam. Truly it was his fault. He was the one who was so desperate.

He made Gavin and ordered him to search for a bride. He tried killing me to test my worth. He was going to die, by my hands. Glaring through the tears I swallowed back a sob. I wouldn’t cry over my own helplessness because I wasn’t helpless. I could kill him and end this nightmare, for my dad, for my mom, maybe even for Gavin.

But I had something to do first. Before my revenge I had to let go of everything dear to me. If I had anything left to hold me back it would get in the way. When you kill a vampire you stab the heart, clean and simple, courage and strength are your weapons. When you went on a revenge kill you destroyed who you were, heartlessness and anger, those where your tools.

To do that I had to go see my father in the hospital. Standing I wiped the tears from my face before they dried. Feeling like a black hole with nothing to suck into its void I went to my room. The entire south wall was gone, half the roof, and most of my things. What was left behind was wet from the rain or bloody.

Throwing the broken door of my closet in a corner I sifted through the mostly intact objects. Pulling a backpack and a duffle bag out I walked away. The black backpack had my weapons in it, the blue duffle bag would hold my clothes and few belongings I could salvage. I knew I would never return to this place. Not this town and not this house.
So I would take my things and leave. Forcing arm full’s of clothes in the bag I emptied out my dresser and closet. Jerking the knife I had thrown out of the wall I slid it into my knives case in the black bag. As far as possessions went I had three.

The picture of my family at the park in Minnesota where we lived, a stuffed white tiger mom bought me after we went to the zoo, and my pillow. I just couldn’t sleep without it. Picking up the bent frame of the photo I smashed it against the nightstand. Pulling the picture out of the ruined frame carefully I folded it into fourths.

Stuffing it in my jacket I went to the foot of my bed that where my trunk was. Stepping up on the bed I kicked at the fallen beam blocking the trunk. It groaned and rolled out of the way bringing another section of ceiling down with it. Coughing as the fine drywall dust settled I waved the cloud of particles away.

Maybe that wasn’t such a good idea. Jumping down off the bed I walked across the fallen ceiling. Lifting the slightly dented trunk I pulled out a jar and a white tiger doll. Stuffing the doll in my jacket quickly I went back to the bag. Transferring the tiger I zipped my duffle bag shut. Looking at the glass jar that once held grape jelly I smiled.
There was at least five hundred, maybe six, dollars in it. Hunting down the boogeyman wasn’t without its perks. Dropping the jar in my black bag I zipped and shouldered it. Grabbing my duffle bag I slung it over my right shoulder. Glancing down at my pillow I drug it out from under the bloody sheet.

There were a few stains on the pillow case and the pillow itself was sopping wet but considering what had happened I was just glad it survived. Tucking it under my arm I went to the kitchen for a garbage bag to put it in. Dropping my bags at the door way I fought my way to the fridge where I slumped against the counter.

It was like the entire roof had been blown up and landed in small clusters around the house. I started to picture the roof being blown up and shook my head. Vampires didn’t have magic powers but considering Liam’s age I wasn’t sure what he could do. He was the oldest one I’d ever met, that I knew of. For all I knew he could conjure up flames and phantom winds that blew stuff up.

Tugging a white trash bag out of a drawer I wormed my way passed the fallen beams back to my bags and soggy pillow. Re-shouldering the bags and throwing the poor pillow, now bagged, over one shoulder I walked out the front door. Following the small gravel path next to the house I stopped to look back. As abused as it was I would miss it.

Saying a silent goodbye I stepped into the garage. Dad didn’t know about this but I had a thing for motorcycles, and one in a hidden garage. Dropping the bags I flicked on the light. There sitting in the middle of the tiny tin garage was a sleek blood red, black chromed, Harley Davidson soft tail. It was called the Blood Hunter and her name was elegantly scripted across the tank in gold leaf.

I had won her as a gift for completing my first mission as a freelance hunter. Needless to say I fell in love with it. Grabbing the homemade racks off the wall of the garage I bolted them on. There was one for each side, both had a spiked front, side, and back panels that stood up three inches from the base.

I had first made them to carry my bag of weapons around but then converted it into a type of rack for hauling heads with. I didn’t get paid unless I had the head of my target sent in a box to my commissioner’s address. Sick but useful. Dropping the bags on the rack I tied them down with some straps.

Zipping up my jacket I threw my hood up over my head. If I was going to ride to the hospital I was going to do it as dry as possible. Kicking off my ruined slippers I mounted the Harley. Barefoot in the rain was better then getting a designating slipper stuck in the belt and flipping the bike on a highway.

Pulling my black helmet over my head I started the bike up. Revving the engine I gunned it out of the shed and onto the road. It was time to say goodbye to dad.

Chapter 10 - Rogue’s and Allies

Parking my bike outside the hospital I kicked the kick stand out leaning my bike over into a resting position. Pulling my helmet off I shook out my blonde hair letting it fall in neat, cascading, ringlets around my shoulders. The rain had stopped hours ago when I was back in Evansville, at least five towns ago. Dismounting my precious bike I closed my eyes.

This was going to be difficult, I wasn’t entirely sure I could do it alone. Eyes fluttering open I fought back tears. I didn’t have anyone to call for support. Mom was dead, I was an only child, Emma was dealing with Gavin, Gavin was just too dangerous to be around, and I had no friends. I was in this alone weather I liked it or not.

My cell phone sang to life in the pocket of my blue jeans I had changed into at a gas station in Evansville. Pulling it out I flicked the screen over to the text message. Another address, no the same address. I frowned at it. 95 West Columbine Drive Rochester, Benjamin Dwight. The address was so familiar to me but the name threw me off. Why send a name?

My chest tightened when I realized that 95 West Columbine Drive was the address for the hospital. I had to get in there before one of them attacked my father. But if I went in hunting this Benjamin Dwight I couldn’t look after my father. Damn vampires to hell for their crappy timing. One option, call back up. I couldn’t guarantee any of the other hunters were around close by but I had to try. Swallowing hard I speed texted the address back adding AGKAW to the end.

It stood for Ass Getting Kicked Assistance Wanted. Not a very good code name for help but I liked it. Shoving the phone in my back pocket I threw my helmet onto the rack, peeling out of my still wet jacket. Popping the tie down strap loose I grabbed the black book bag. I couldn’t wait for someone who might not show up.

Shrugging into the shoulder straps I clicked the thin plastic clasp together across my chest. I was going to fight my way to him alone if I had to. The straps felt cold and wet against my bare shoulders, the bag itself making my red tank top stick to my back. Tapping my tennis shoes on the asphalt parking lot I took in one last relaxing breath. Into the devils den I go.

Jogging casually up to the entrance I felt like I was going to explode from the tension. I felt like breaking down and crying over dad, then I wanted to rush in guns a blazing and save him like I was a total badass. Neither was going to happen. I wouldn’t cry and I wasn’t a badass. I didn’t even know how to shoot a gun, knives, arrows, swords, holey water, those where my weapons.

Stepping up to the second door of the hospital entrance I felt a hot, sticky, wall of heat slap me. The air conditioning was off and it was like a bonfire in there. I waited for the doors to whoosh open but they didn’t. Were they manual? I glanced down, no handles. Something was wrong. The first set had the handles on them, I thought nothing of them not whooshing open for me.

Hands at the mouth of my bag I pulled out four knives, there handles sitting nicely in special pockets so I could just reach and throw if necessary. Nothing jumped out at me, a nurse never walked by to yell at me about having weapons; I didn’t even see pedestrians who would be here for appointments. Bad sign. Transferring two over to my left hand I dug around for the wrist sheaths in the bottom.

Pulling out two identical sheaths I strapped the left one on first, a knife in my mouth, three in my left hand so I could. The silver plated throwing dagger slid in the sheath nicely. Eyes flickering up to the dead glass door I shifted the knives to my right hand, repeating the process. I slid another one into the sheath leaving me with two out. Kneeling I shoved the last knife in my empty ankle sheath.

I was glad I had forgotten to take it off after the Liam incident, not that I ever carried a knife in it. Pulling the thin chain of my cross bracelet out I clasped it on my right arm. Yes crosses scared them but that was about it, unless you had holey water to purify the silver with then it was like acid in a solid form, just throw and burn.

Holding my final dagger in my left hand I tensed my shoulders, ready. Wedging the knife between the door and the frame I forced it open enough to get a foot in. The door was unwilling but I finally managed to force it open enough to slid through into the hot, muggy, mess of the hospital. Holding the knife close to my chest I pressed the blade against my arm like it was a kunai knife and not a throwing dagger.

I had to keep my weapons protected so I didn’t loose them. I was only alive because Gavin had been the first one in my room and not Liam. I couldn’t handle Liam yet but I would with time. My eyes narrowed as I snuck my way down the main hall that led into the hospital. I couldn’t believe no one was around; it was like walking into a dark cave. It was silent and empty but you could feel something staring at you from somewhere deeper inside.

I wondered if this was how Emma felt when she walked in on Gavin. I hoped I wouldn’t walk in on a vampire ripping someone apart. Then again they were all probably dead already if this was a rogue pack. I only hunted lone rogue vampires but the name was starting to mean something to me. Benjamin Dwight was a wanted vampire. He had a huge reward for his head. Only problem was, he had a rogue pack at his beck and call that followed him.

Pressing my back against a wall I swallowed my pulse. There was something walking down the hall towards me. I needed to get to my dad. Only question, where was he? I stopped as I came up on a blind corner. The sound came from down the corridor. It was soft, hushed, and almost undetectable. Something no human could pull off unless barefoot.

They weren’t bare foot. I could hear the faint hollow thud of a thick soled shoe echo with the hushed silence. Switching my hold on the knife I readied to throw the blade into the chest of what ever vampire may have been lurking on the other side.

Taking in a deep breath I tensed and turned the corner, arm cocked back to throw, left foot out so I could put my whole body into it. The stronger the throw the deeper the blade goes in for a kill.

“Wait don’t throw it!”

Jerking to a stop I closed my hand around the knife to keep it from flying. I hobbled down the hall a couple steps, off balanced by the sudden change. Eyes wide I blinked at the medium built teenager in the hall way. His hair was long, silky smooth, and black like a raven’s wing tied back at the nape of his neck.

His eyes were near the same color, there brown pools so dark they were black. I knew him.
“Jasper?” I whispered harshly.

“You sent out an emergency text, who did you expect to come?” He whispered stocking down the hall to my side.

I opened my mouth and shut it. I wasn’t really sure who I thought would come, but it sure as hell wasn’t him. Not only was he our designated desk jockey who sent out the addresses but Jasper was- His hand shot forward suddenly, cutting off my thoughts. I dropped to the floor turning to look over my shoulder in one clumsy motion.

Without having to see or think about it I stabbed out. The tip of my blade plunged into the chest of a rogue vampire. He shrieked, shuttering before slumping over my blade dead. Panting I swallowed my heart back down. It hadn’t been my blade that killed him; I was an inch to low to have struck the heart.

Eyes drifting up I stared at Jaspers hand. It was embedded in the vampire’s throat, blood pouring down the wound, spine half way ripped out of the body. I pulled my knife out and Jasper dropped the body. Standing I hung my head shamefully, being rescued by him was embarrassing. My eyes drifted to his hand that was covered in blood.

Five perfectly curved, invisible, blood soaked, claws glistened in the white light. It was slightly unnerving even though I trusted him with my life, obviously. But Jasper wasn’t just the leader of our little vampire hunting group. He was a vampire himself.

“You are distracted tonight. Normally you would have taken care of it before it got close. What’s wrong Sky?”

I looked up at his black eyes. Where he any other vampire I would have killed him on sight. Where he any other man I’d have told them to buzz off. He wasn’t another vampire or another man he was my teacher, the one who taught me to kill vampires.

“My dad, he’s in here, dying.” I choked out.

Something like sympathy washed over his blank pooling eyes. “You want to find him before the hunt?” I nodded silently. Just mentioning the thought of dad dying was choking me up. “I’ll go with you; you need someone to watch your back until your emotions are under control.”

He wasn’t asking he was telling me. I nodded again, a few tears escaping. Without thinking about it he reached up and wiped them away. My body went cold and stiff. I felt his unstained claws glide over the soft skin of my eyes. He never drew blood, he didn’t want to.

“Let’s go before the rest come to investigate.”

Turning away from him I swallowed the tightness in my chest. Jasper never sounded so human, it was like he was breaking apart as much as I was over my fathers loose. I didn’t understand it. Repositioning my grip on the knife I walked forward to the ICU wing of the hospital, further into the nest of rogue vampires with one at my back as my partner.

Impressum

Texte: context all original
Bildmaterialien: image from google
Tag der Veröffentlichung: 12.08.2012

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