Moonlight | Lucien Castle

Chapter 31

The sun was too bright.

Amaris's head ached. There was an annoying buzzing in her ears, and she could hardly open her eyes without feeling like everything burned. Freya was at her side, and quickly helped her sit up, offering her the second vial of blood.

She took it, and drank it quickly. Instantly, all the discomfort faded.

But everything was still different. She felt as though she could hear the rustling of dust on the floor. She could smell the food in the dining room, which she usually couldn't do when her door was closed. All the colors seemed to be brighter, and it seemed like a regular blue had many different shades mixed in— shades she could now pinpoint. Even the fabric had more detail than before.

"And now, this," said Freya, offering her a blood bag. "There are more bags of different types in the fridge downstairs. If this isn't your favorite, sample a few until you find one you like."

"Thank you," she said. Her voice sounded different. So did Freya's. She popped the bag open and started to drink, feeling the veins bulging beneath her eyes. She could feel her fangs were emerging, and at first it was uncomfortable, but she quickly adjusted.

"You ought to shower," said Freya. "You were dead for the night. Later, Klaus and Hayley will take you into the Bayou. How to be a Hybrid, for Beginners, I assume."

Amaris smiled slightly. "Not a beginner. I've seen Klaus go through it, and Hayley told me a lot about her experience. I just need a tiny bit of practice. I can already turn in seconds. I just need to get used to... vampirism. Compulsion, heightened emotions, more speed, strength, agility, and stamina than I've ever had before..."

She found herself thinking of Lucien. Even just imagining him made her heart flutter more than it ever did. And it made her aware that she could now hear Freya's heart very clearly, pumping steadily in her chest.

"I'll get to showering," said Amaris. "Thank you for the blood."

Once the water was running and she heard Freya leave, she called Lucien.

"Hey," she said, quietly, because she had to readjust to what a 'normal' volume for her voice should sound like. "How are you?"

"You sound troubled," he said. "What's wrong?"

"I'm... a hybrid now."

"Are you serious?"

"Yes. I turned... was dead through the night... woke up and transitioned. I didn't get a chance to tell you because I just needed to get it done soon. I almost died yesterday. Aurora shot me. The bullet got stuck, and it was just causing all these problems... so once I got home, I made sure I wouldn't be that weak anymore. It'll be a few days before I get my abilities fully under control. Everything feels really strange. But I'll get used to it, I know it."

"I want to see you. Please, love, you shouldn't go through this alone."

She smiled. "I'm not alone. Klaus and Hayley are going to train me today. Which is basically going to be the same as what I went through when I first triggered my curse, except it'll be like moving on to the next level. The only new things, honestly, are compulsion and the whole 'snatch, eat, erase' thing. Kol already promised he'll teach me about dream manipulation and going into people's heads... he doesn't want them teaching me that because then they'll see everything."

Lucien sighed. "If that's what you want, love, then... I will accept it. I just miss you. I didn't get to see you much yesterday and waiting a few days sounds like torment."

"We'll survive it. Both of us. How about you make a list of more recipes for me to try? Keep yourself occupied."

"Hang on. You said Aurora shot you. Is she dead?"