Part 6
Bella
took a cautious step forward. “Hey Luke,
its Bella – ya feeling hungry” Ignoring the snarl she kept talking.
Following, Nic was stopped at the door as Bella signalled to him not to move. “It’s the thirst that’s controlling you,
it’s a bitch to begin with but it settles not that it goes away it just becomes
less - intense” she babbled trying
to keep the lad calm till her dad got back. “I
was thinking of getting the Captain America game when it comes out, it looks
cool – shooting and stuff and super powers who doesn’t want that, I thought we
could have a bet, see who’s the best” Luke heard the voice, recognised it
but his body wanted, demanded blood and he was going to have it.
“Look out”
Nic yelled but Bella was already running towards Luke, meeting the boy head on
with such force she slammed him into the wall behind with an almighty thud.
Luke snarled and squirmed as he tried to break free but she held him tight her
strength out matching his. Nic watched as she held him in a vice like grip but
whispered soothing words, her voice low, soft almost singing as she tried to
get through to him. Slowly Luke started to come round. Valan appeared and
seeing everything under control stood with Nic and waited. “What – what happened?” Luke asked as he returned to normal. “Why are you holding me against the wall?”
Bella let out a sigh of relief as she let him go. “Let’s just say you make things interesting”
She
turned to her dad. “Come with me Luke”
Luke looked from his Aunt to his Granddad, was he in trouble? “No trouble son, we need to talk” Valan
led him out the room, Bella sank onto the sofa. “You handled that well” Nic watched the different emotions flit
across her face. “No biggie, just call me
the Vampire whisperer”
“Have you dealt with it before?” Bella shook her head. “My parents told about it but Sayan was
almost through it when I was born - hell I could go a cold one right now”
Bella stated “Pity it would have to be A
negative still a I could pretended it’s beer”
“And yes, to begin with I ate and drank
even got hammered a few times before I was sixteen but the last year I’ve only
been able to handle blood – food just comes back up” Nic asked if it bothered her. “Can’t say it does, I mean I’d rather drink
that and know it’ll stay down than have my head down the toilet” It was her
turn to ask a question. “Nic can’t be
your real name it’s not Italian enough” Nic smiled “My name is Nicodemo Adriano Lombardi but Nic is easier” Bella
laughed “I’ll say” then with a wicked
gleam in her eyes added “I might just
call you Dino”
“Few have tried and suffered” he warned. “And what would be my punishment?” Bella challenged. “I’m sure I could come up with something”
he could think of several punishments all involving her naked.
Valan
sat in the dining room with Luke. “What happened
earlier is called the Thirst” Luke nodded. “It happens in the later stages of the Awakening, the desire for blood
over rules all other thought, emotion” He remembered Sayan’s, it had taken
several years before her turning was complete but Luke’s seemed to be moving
fast – perhaps too fast. He looked at his grandson. “So it will come back?” Luke broke Valan’s thoughts. “Yes, from now on your not to be left alone
with mortals” seeing the panicked look on the boys face he quickly added “One of us will be with you, it’s just a
precaution” If the thirst hit while he was surrounded by mortals it could
become a blood bath. Luke stared at his feet; ok maybe this part of the
Awakening wasn’t so cool.
Katie
sat in the drawing room with Chris while Jen stayed in her room as usual. It
was nice to have the family back together again but she wondered for how long.
The woman was very quiet and hardly left her room, how long has it been since
she saw her son? “How’s Jen doing?”
Chris looked at his wife “She says she’s
fine but….” “But you don’t think it’ll take much to tip her over” Katie
finished for him. “Yes” dear lord he
loved her, wished he could make things better. Luke came in and sat beside his
mum. “I was going to see mum but Granddad
says to check with you first?” Chris looked at his mum “I’ll go with you” she offered.
Sayan
stood on the parapet, watching. Technically there was nothing to watch but that
didn’t matter, Sayan saw plenty. She wished she could join the others, be like
Bella but it didn’t work out that way, she had the sight and boy did she see.
Almost continuously haunted by images, that came in strong, it was like looking
at the TV. She preferred to be here, preferred the solitude. “Hi Bella” sensing her sisters presence.
“Hey Sis, how’s it going?” Sayan
shrugged “Same old” she replied. “Thanks for
the warning” Bella stood beside her, looking out to the horizon. “No problem” They stood in silence for a
while enjoying the peace, the companionship. Finally Sayan asked “What’s with you and Nic?”
Bella
giggled “He’s hot, I mean real hot, those
green eyes of his just will you to jump into the sack with him” Sayan
smiled “He is attracted to you, finds you
intriguing” More like crazy Bella thought. “Yeah well, nothing will come of it” Sayan turned to her sister “Why’d you say that?” Bella shrugged. “I’m a halfbreed, an impure – men like that
only go for pure lines” she smiled at her sister “You being will not have that problem” Sayan wished she was right
but her visions prevented such contact. “Don’t
worry Sis, there someone out there for you” Sayan nodded and went back to
watching. Bella headed down stairs.
Swinging
her legs Bella stared at the water below. Relationships had been few and far
between, ok so never – the incident with the boy had been years ago and an
experiment and she’d only met him the previous night while wandering the town.
She smiled to herself remembering that night, she hadn’t even got his name but
it hadn’t mattered, she only wanted a taste, to experiment. She hoped to find
love one day, real honest earth shattering love, like her mum and dad. Was
there someone out there for her, probably not. She was a half breed, neither
Vampire or mortal, sure she had their speed, strength and all the other shit
that went with it but she had never turned, had never gone through the
Awakening. She drank blood for Christ sake but had never grown fangs, what type
of vampire was that, at least Sayan turned and Chris… well he had remained
human.
Nic
watched from a distance, doing his own checking he had spotted her and had thought
of joining her but his senses told him she wanted to be alone; he could almost
taste her melancholy. He was hit with an urge, a need to take her in his arms. Shielded
so as not to reveal his presence he watched the girl with hair like the sun and
eyes like hell itself, a strange combination but beautiful none the less. Nic
shifted to mist and drifted into the air as Bella jumped back onto the bridge
and headed indoors. On the bridge Bella stopped, someone else was near, a
mortal. She turned to search for intruder.
The
silence of the night was broken by a crack, the sound of a rifle.
Part 5 Part 7....soon