Kissing Skulls *Revised*

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Maryne?  I didn’t know what it meant.

Was it a curse or a spell of some kind?  Could vampires even use spells?

Whatever it was, saying it made the girl vampire’s mouth curl slowly into a breathtaking smile. 

“Maryne,” she said again on a shaky laugh. 

Then, she ripped me from the boy’s grip and engulfed me in her white arms.  I waited for the sound of my ribs cracking—any form of physical violence—but I must have been totally delirious, because it was almost like she was…hugging me. 

“My God, Maryne!”  Her voice was as light and cheery as someone reconnecting with an old friend.  “I thought you were dead.  We didn’t know what happened to you—Demitri said that you’d disappeared and we thought the worst—All those horrible rumors!”

She spoke too quickly for me to follow, so I didn’t try.  Instead, I craned my head to glance at Misty and silently urged her to run.

Too bad I wasn’t telepathic. 

“What on earth is she doing here?”  I heard Alexi mutter behind me. 

I couldn’t turn to see his expression, because Serenity seemed quite determined to break me in half.

“I’ve missed you so much,” she blubbered.    Her voice hitched, almost as if she were…crying.  Then, Alexi’s words finally seemed to register in her mind.  “But what on earth are you doing here?  …In this rat infested dung hole?”

 She pulled away, holding me at arm’s length, and gave me a critical sweep with that piercing stare.  Whatever she saw, made her bite her bottom lip. 

“Alexi,” she called, voice tight.  “She looks awful.  She needs blood…now.”

            I could only think of one place that ‘blood’ would come from. 

            “No!”  I wrenched away, and Serenity seemed shocked enough to let me go. 

            Shakily, I maneuvered myself into front of Misty, blocking Alexi’s path. 

            “L-listen!” I shrieked.  My voice trembled so badly I could barely understand my own words, but I kept talking—I had to.  “I don’t know who M-Marine is, or whatever—but she isn’t me!”

            It was the wrong thing to say.

            Alexi grimaced and Serenity looked about as horrified as if I’d threatened to cut her perfect blond hair off.  Together they shared a knowing look that made my skin crawl.

            “It’s one of her episodes,” Serenity said quietly.

            Alexi nodded.  “Everyone said it,” he murmured.  “That she just went insane.”  He made a jabbing motion toward his chest with an invisible weapon.   “Staked herself.”

            Serenity glared at him.  “Well obviously, she didn’t.”

            Alexi sighed.  “Well obviously she doesn’t know who the hell she is, now does she?”

            Serenity rolled her eyes exasperatedly in his direction.  Then she turned to me, mouth stretched in a cautious smile.

 “Maryne…dear.”  She took a step toward me.  “We’re going to take you home now…”