The Ambrose Clique - now published on Amazon

18 - Walk of Shame

- updated - 

This time, when I woke up in her room, she was here. Sunlight highlighted her cheekbones and danced on her eyelashes. She rolled over and mumbled some nonsense before pulling me closer to her. I was struck by the reminder that it was Monday morning and we would need to get ready soon. The clock said seven, so I'd have enough time.

But I wouldn't if Aurel kept me in her vice-tight grip. I prised her hands off my arms and muttered soothingly as I released myself from her. She rolled over to face the wall again and burrowed deeper under the covers.

I'd need to get some clothes from my dorm. Luckily, I didn't encounter anyone on the way to my room; in the crumpled jeans I'd shoved on from last night, I looked like I was doing the walk of shame. Daisy must've gone to breakfast already, mental note – apologise to her as soon as possible.

I quickly showered and threw on some comfy clothes, a jumper and leggings. I picked up my pace, eager to get back to Aurel's room.

"Where're you off to?" an unfortunately familiar voice called.

I turned to smile sweetly to Cal, who grimaced in return. He was stood behind me, leaned back with his hands shoved in his pockets as if he ruled the world. Shadow was ever-present, a literal shadow at his master's side. A bruise was forming over his right eye and his lip was swollen and split in the middle.

"Back to Aurel's. I just came home to get changed. I spent the night there, you see." I knew I was being childish, but I really wanted to get under his skin.

In a flash, using the speed only a vampire could, he pinned me up against the wall. One arm was against my throat, the other playing with the hem of my jumper. He grinned at me, exposing sharp canines. "Walk of shame, eh?"

"Still bitter?" I mocked.

"Still human?" he taunted back. "Perhaps I can change that." His hand inched up my jumper and I cringed at his sleaziness, until I felt the cold metal touch my stomach.

"Now, should I kill you or turn you? Aurel probably hasn't told you about me."

I could feel heat from his wretched dog's breath on my legs.

"Go on then, tell me." The knife against my stomach told me to buy time.

"She went off on her own for a bit. Came back to Fallyn without the rest. We met and dated for a while; she stole me from my girlfriend but she was never fully into me. One day she got a little too bored. And now I'm immortal."

"She's gay, Cal. Didn't you consider that? Maybe it's your fault for leaving your girlfriend." I spoke through gritted teeth. He lightly scraped my stomach with the tip of the blade, teasing me. Shadow barked deeply, encouraging him further.

"Why should I make you immortal? If I kill you, she doesn't get you."

"Stop stalling and do it then," I spat.

"Or maybe," he continued. "I could turn you and sire you! You take my blood and we're bonded. But I won't take yours, just like she didn't take mine. I'll leave this as an unrequited obsession, like she left me."

"I'd rather not become your dog."

The tip dug into my stomach with more pressure. A sharp pain burst in my stomach and my eyes watered in response.

"Are you crying? That's pathetic. You don't deserve to be a vampire if you're crying now! Aurel can't save you, I made sure of that before I ran into you." He grinned at me, flashing those knife sharp teeth. The knife dug even further and pierced my skin. I felt warm liquid drip down my stomach. My stomach throbbed as blood trickled down my skin. Despite the pain, I tried to keep my thoughts steady.

"What have you done to her?"

He laughed cruelly, a noise completely devoid of humour. "Her throat. She won't die, she'll just be knocked out long enough to stop her from helping you."

"Asshole," I gasped.

"You're awfully confident for someone who's pinned against the wall with a major wound."

"Do what you want, I don't care. It won't make her love you." I took satisfaction in every word, though I'd probably regret them.

He smiled and leaned in towards my exposed throat, which I now realised was positioned so he could easily access my flesh. I squeezed my eyes tight and focused everything I had on the immense satisfaction I'd get from hurting him.

Just as Cal's teeth snagged the skin on my neck, enough to draw blood, he jumped backwards. He crouched into the foetal position on the floor, both hands glued jammed to his temples as if to soothe a headache. Shadow barked furiously. Cal rocked back and forth, whimpering to himself. Past him, Skye and Jaspar stood staring at us. Their faces shared the same horrified mask.

"Cal, what the hell do you think you're doing?" Jaspar's voice was hard, nothing like the boyish charm I'd gotten used to. He walked over to his best friend and pulled him up, dragging him like a rag doll. Skye ran over to me, gasping when she saw the blood dripping from my jumper.

"Thanks," I mumbled faintly.

"For what?"

"Stopping Cal."

"I didn't do that, I thought you did," she replied slowly whilst examining my wound. I began to slowly slide down the wall, hit by the shock and pain.

"I'm gonna take you back to my dorm." With my arm around her shoulder, she supported my weight back to her dorm.

Aurel was lying on her bed, holding a towel to her throat. She looked how I felt, her eyes were half open and her face was contorted with pain.

"You need to share blood," Skye announced. "Aurel needs human blood to heal her wounds and her vampire blood has amazing healing properties."

"We can't. I can't turn her," Aurel protested.

"You don't need to, you just have to heal. Considering he used witchhazel on his knife, that wound won't heal anytime soon. And she's human, so..."

Neither of us could protest any further, instead we settled for leaning against each other. I didn't understand what was happening at all, but I wanted to fix the gaping wound on my stomach.

"Shall we do it at the same time?" Aurel actually sounded scared.

"Just hold your arms out, we're doing this cleanly." Skye pulled out a small pocket knife and we obediently offered our arms. She ran a neat line down each wrist, and droplets of blood started to pool as the sharp pain set in.

"Now drink."

We hesitantly took each other's arm. It was unsurprisingly awkward drinking someone's blood for the first time. And disgusting. I couldn't imagine how Aurel felt, after being on bags for so long; surely it must be different drinking from the vein to drinking bagged blood. But the embarrassment faded as quickly as it came. My mind became light and I felt like I was floating. My head was warm, my body weightless. I closed my eyes and fireworks erupted behind my eyelids, the same patterns that appear when you rub your eyes. I no longer tasted the iron taint of blood, it was something else entirely. Something unnameable. We were both lost in the moment, probably drinking more than necessary.

"Well," a new voice interrupted us. "This wasn't what I was expecting to see."