“Winifred!”
From outside Winnie heard May cry out to her. Everyone heard her and the game was stopped instantly. Reed was at Winnie’s side in the blink of an eye. She didn’t know what was wrong but she knew deep down it was Andrew. She was almost afraid to enter the house. Reed took her hand and walked with her into the house. May was standing in the door way from the kitchen to the living room.
“He came in breathing heavily and then collapsed on the way to the couch.”
Winnie walked into the living room and say Andrew half on the floor and half on the couch. She ran to him and lifted his head up. He was still breathing so her major fears were relieved. She brushed back his hair.
“Andrew.”
Suddenly there was a scream and everyone turned to see Addison standing in the stairway. She stood there with her hand over her mouth. When Winnie turned back to Andrew she saw a tear running down his face.
“Oh my God, Andrew what’s wrong? Please look at me; tell me what happened.”
Andrew opened his eyes but all he saw was Addison standing in the back of the room. Winnie let out a cry when she saw his eyes. She turned and looked at Reed. She couldn’t stand to look into Andrew’s eyes, she knew those red bloodshot eyes too well. She tried to look at him but couldn’t bring herself to do it. She stood up and tried not to run out of the room. Reed went after her. Without thinking Addison moved to take Winnie’s place next to Andrew. He closed his eyes and laid his head back down on the couch.
“Andrew.”
Everyone stood there speechless. First everyone wanted to know what had happened to Andrew and second no one knew why suddenly Addison was…caring. Andrew looked at Addison but said nothing.
“What happened? I understand the dark eyes…” His face looked confused. “I mean we all understand that but what happened?”
The room was silent. Everyone was waiting.
“Ran…smell…”
“Andrew it’s ok. Just tell me what happened.”
Andrew took in a deep breath and looked into Addison’s eyes. He couldn’t help but let a little smile twitch on his face. He set up and leaned back against the couch.
“I went out for a run. You know, to just clear my head.”
He noticed Gabe and Marcus tense.
“I know, I know, I’m not supposed to leave but I did. I was out in the woods when I noticed I wasn’t alone. There were three men out hunting. Once I caught their scent I went after them.”
The room was completely silent. No one even needed to ask what happened next they knew the men were dead.
“When I saw them I thought of a hundred ways I could kill them. Once I cleared my head I couldn’t believe what I was thinking and ran. I just ran back here as fast as I could.”
If possible the room was even quieter than before. Who knows how much time passed before the silence was broken. Reed and Winifred walked back into the living room. It was obvious she had been crying. They both walked over to Andrew. Winnie wrapped her arms around him and hugged him. Reed bent down and put a glass of blood in Andrew’s hand.
“Get that away from me.”
“No Andrew.” Winnie said. “I know it seems gross but trust me you’ll feel so much better once you’ve drunken it.”
Andrew just looked at her.
“It’s not just that it’s ‘gross.’ It goes against everything I’ve ever fought for. It wasn’t that vampires were against the laws of nature and should be dead but that they attacked and killed people, or worse, and use them to feed on. I can’t drink that.”
“Andrew you’ve already done it before.”
He glared up at Reed.
“Not by choice and I would have died.”
“You will die if you don’t continue to drink it.”
“Please, Andrew, I can’t lose you.”
Andrew looked at Winnie and then looked at Addison. He hung his head and sighed.
“I can‘t.”
Once everyone was calm Marcus asked Andrew to explain what happened again. The second time he got the same shocked silence.
“I don’t understand how you were able to stop. Especially being a new vampire you should have had no control over yourself the need for blood would have just taken over.”
Winnie got a chill down her spine when Marcus said this. She remembered a little too well what he meant.
“Maybe it has to do with your years of hunting or the fresh blood you had recently.”
No one could come to a conclusion so they simply accepted it and tried to move on. Relieved that nothing did happen and they were still safe to live there.
There was a knock at Winnie’s bedroom door.
“Come in.”
“I don’t want to bother you.”
“Andrew you could never bother me.”
They smiled at each other and Andrew sat down next to Winnie. They sat in silence for a moment before he finally asked.
“Why did you leave earlier? When you saw me you came rushing to me, but then you left. Why?”
Winnie stared down at her hands.
“Because I hate to admit it but I’m not as strong as you. I didn’t know how to control it. I knew what to expect but just wasn’t strong enough when the time came. When I saw your eyes my fears came rushing back. I was afraid and then ashamed when I heard your story.”
Andrew hugged her tight.
“It’s not your fault. They weren’t protecting you.”
“Please don’t blame them!”
“I’m sorry but why should you be ashamed? You did what every young vampire does. I on the other hand seem to be a freak of nature, even in the vampire world I’m not normal.”
She smiled at his teasing. Then leaned back and looked him in the face.
“So what’s up with you and Addison?”
YOU ARE READING
Reed & Winifred (Completed)
Vampire"So now I've answered your question. Are you going to answer mine?" When she said this he stopped smiling and fought to not look away. She was smiling at herself but when she saw his reaction she instantly wished she hadn't brought it back up. She g...
