In the dead of night

chapter 2

How did he know my name? no one has ever known my true identity, i knew i'd have to confront him about this later but for now, i better focous on horse riding or Mrs Clark might have something else to yell at me about. The first day back was a chosen subject, we got to do it all day and i've already wasted enough time on fixing my girl up.

I had just finished tightening the saddle on Midnights back when I heard a shout coming from outside the stall house. It was one of the students, Kimberly I think her name was. She was a loud bubbly person with big blue eyes and a mound of white blond curls. But right now those eyes were huge and were filled with…fear?, no it looked more like terror.

"Kimberly what’s wrong" cried Miss Clark, "Its….its the n-new kid a-and j-j-Jessa-bell Th-they d-d-d-disappeared on one of the trails" she sobbed. I could barely understand her babbling. 

"What, how did this happen" Miss Clark sounded shocked and a little sad. She started to race around gathering the other students together and shouting madly into her mobile. But I knew that it was a waste of time. By the time that the proper people got here they could be dead. 

"Violet!! What are you doing, were are you going" everyone around me screamed. But none of them tried to stop me.

 "I’m going to do something instead of sitting here!!!" I shouted back. I galloped away from everyone and started for the advanced 1 trail, were James and Jessa-Bell had last been seen. I knew I had to find them before the sun went down or they could die of the cold and, god knows theres alot of dangerouse things in these woods of a night. 

**

It was so quiet in the trail, not even the birds were making a sound; it seemed to be me and my horse.

And somewhere James and Jessa-Bell.

 "Oh the poor girl" I thought to myself. Jessa-bell was a sweet American girl with a Jamaican decent; she had caramel coloured skin with equally soft brown eyes, Jessa-Bell was also a year younger than me. I didn’t know her very well apart from talking to her a few times in art and biology; all in all she was a really nice girl.

And then there was James. I didn’t know him to well but… there was something about him that... I don’t really know, but he…… well makes me feel something and I sort of trust him. And that’s pretty strange coming from me because, well I have never trusted anyone in my life. Not after what happened-.

No I will NOT go into that now I have to focus on finding James and poor Jessa-Bell.

I came up to the fork in the road. But which way do I go? Left or right?. I looked up and was surprised to see the moon out that meant I’d been riding for at least a few hours or so. I grabbed the black heart that hung around my neck.

 I didn’t accually know who gave it to me, I just found it hanging on my stable door last semester before we left for vacation along with a note

Remember this it was yours once a lifetime.

I thought it was just a weird joke or something but it was beautiful, it looked hand carved and I could tell it was black diamond; a very rare gem. But why someone would leave it there with all the teenagers around was beyond me. The weird thing was that i sort of felt that this wasn't the first time i'd seen it, i knew i hadn't seen it in the shops or anything but still...

 I took a deep breath in to calm myself.

 "Left" I breathed out loud. I steered my horse down the winding path of the trail being careful as I got deeper and deeper into the forest that surrounded theschool. 

I was thanking myself for wearing black jeans; black boots a singlet and a short sleeved leather jacket instead of the Green hazel dress that I was going to wear-.

 Crack

 I stopped Midnight the second I heard that twig snap. I jumped off her not even making a sound and reached for the dagger that I kept concealed in the side of my knee high boots. Pulling it out of its sheath I kept crouched low to the ground, keeping the blade against my fore arm, and crept silently towards the clearing were I heard the twig snap. I tried to peer out of the bushes that were so thickly surrounding the small clearing and that were so painfully brushing against my nose tempting it to sneeze.

When I finally made past the shrubs and into the thinner bushes that were around the very fringe of the clearing, I looked out very careful not to be seen by anything or anyone that was on the other side.

Two silhouettes that were about 5 meters away from my hiding spot. One was taller that the other, the tall one was sort of bent over the smaller one. Judging from the build of the taller one id say he was male and the smaller one looked female. But what was he doing to her? I wondered to myself.

 Suddenly I heard a moan coming from the smaller figure.

By then I was certain it was a girl from the pitch of her voice. I crept back a little and started my way very slowly around the perimeter of the clearing trying to see them clearer. Twigs and leaves were scratching my face but I still kept going, my head low to the ground. I was moving in a sort of crouch so if one of them jumped me I would be ready.

 "Ok now a little closer" I thought to myself. I was so close that if I moved even slightly they would see me if they were looking in my direction.

CRACK!

 The boys head snapped up and started to scan the clearing. I held my breath hoping that he wouldn’t notice me. At that moment the moon decided to come out. I didn't realise i was holding my breath until i felt a small pain in my chest.

 "Shit, please don’t see me" I pleaded in my head. But it was to late, I turned my eyes back to the boy and swore, he was staring straight at me, because of the moon I could see some of his features…oh no..

Black hair that fell slightly over his eyes.... And his eyes, they were a blood red. And the worse bit is that he had spotted me so there was no point hiding now. I leapt from my hiding place and charged at the figure. He dropped the girl on the floor and met my attack.

 I swung the dagger out and just slightly grazed his skin. I heard a snarl of rage as he threw me (literally) 6 feet into a solid oak tree. I leapt straight back up and steadied myself. Just as he came at me again but this time he grabbed me and threw me down, pinning me with his whole body weight.

I struggled and tried to shove him off me but it was no use, he was a vampire, a creature i had sworn to kill. Far more stronger than me, he opened his mouth and let out a bone chilling snarl. And that’s when I noticed his fangs were down, sharp and pointed, like a cats. I remembered that night and suddenly got a burst of adrenallin.

 And that was what did it. I got my elbow up and nailed him in the face. He lost his balance, I rolled out from under him, sprang to my feet and before he could react I had already jumped on top of him and had my dagger hovering over his heart.

He stopped moving all together.

"This rose has thorns" I whispered a tear silently falling down my cheek, as i remembered what these beasts in human form did to my family.

 Suddenly I heard a gasp and it wasn’t from me.

 "Violet?" the creature said. My eyes refused to focuse, blinded by rage. 

 "How do you know my name?" I demanded, shock splintering through me.

 "It’s……me….James".