Dear Alex A.

Chapter 2

My body felt weak from fatigue, 'Food!' It cried, 'Eat!' When was the last time that I had eaten? They should have food in the kitchen shouldn't they? The thought of it made my stomach turn. Nothing sounded appealing to my taste buds, but my body craved nourishment. My mouth watered uncontrollably and my teeth begged me to allow them to sink into something. 'Eat!' My body pleaded again and again. Grinding my teeth together, I prayed for this feeling to go away. By now, my whole body was beginning to react. My breaths and pulse increased in speed, my nails dug into the carpet.

"Stop." I groaned quietly rolling onto my stomach, my face flat on the floor. This feeling was driving me crazy, I felt out of control, desperate. My fangs slid out from my gums, tingling and aching. "Stop!" My claws tore at the fabric beneath me. I looked up to see a pair of boots standing a few feet away. I smelled Luke, but my mind was focused on something else he had with him. Whatever it was drove my senses wild.

"Look at you, it's so pitiful. You want this?" He lowered the piece of raw meat, dangling it just out of my reach. 'I want it!' My body cried, but my soul refused to accept anything from him. "Why are you fighting it? Go on, take it." Luke all but shoved it in my face. Slapping his hand away, I crawled back and hid behind a pew. My hunger pains that had begun as small cramps got worse so I curled up, trying to ease the constant stabbing.

"I won't." I growled, rocking back and forth. The moonlight shone in through the stained glass windows, a scene of angels flying around. What's going on with me?!

"If you don't eat the pain will only get worse until it really drives you into a corner." Emerald eyes walked up to me and crouched down. "You didn't feed out there did you? Eat this or you'll be forced to hunt and I'll really have to kill you." His eyes alone commanded me.

"Why am I like this?" My tired jaws clenched together in my fight to resist. The question had obviously caught him off guard, but his stone face returned a moment later as he shoved he raw steak into my face. I tried backing away but his free hand pushed my head forward sandwiching me to my meal. 'I can't! I won't! No!' The smell was overwhelming, my stomach punished me for continuing to refuse. 'I can't take this much longer!'

"Fay! Fay! Fay!" The girls' shrieks in my ear were head piercing; they continued giggling excitedly. Their footsteps came quickly but halted a few feet away. "Fay?" Danny's voice was more quiet and soft, but everything still sounded amplified to my ears. My head pounded like a drum that should belong in a heavy metal song and I made the fatal mistake of opening my eyes.

"Gah!" I shielded them as best I could, but in the attempt, I rolled and banged my head against wood.

"Fay!" Mom came running and rolled me over onto my back. I covered my face, blocking any sunlight from burning my eyes again.

"I'm fine." I managed to slip the words through my teeth. "I just have a really bad headache." Another pair of footsteps approached while my mom helped me sit up.

"Would have brought this sooner, but taking care of mutts isn't normally on my to-do list so I guess it just slipped my mind."

"Thank-"Mom began as if she was receiving whatever he brought, but I don't think he gave it to her.

"Open your eyes." Emerald ordered.

"I can't" I growled. First he calls me mutt, then he starts barking orders? Who does he think he is?!

"Open them!" He repeated. They obeyed, blinking several times to adjust to the vivid colors that exploded in my face.

"What happened to you?!" Mom's face was washed with alarm as were my sisters', Luke was just as stone faced as ever. "Were you bleeding last night or something?"