The Living Game

(6) Hunger Pangs

There was a knock on the door. “Have fun, okay, baby?” Jace nodded and gave me a hug before getting up and running to the door.

I heard him open it but I didn’t have enough energy to get up with him. A minute later, Kiera and Jace walked into the kitchen, Jace with a look of excitement and Kiera with a look of concern.

“Jace, go and get your jacket incase it rans.” Kiera told him, smiling. Once he was gone, she hoisted me up and helped me up the stairs. “You really aught to feed.”

I laughed once. “Not even if I was able.”

She sighed. “You should try and sleep, I’ll take Jace to the zoo and then we can go and eat lunch. Maybe we’ll catch a movie after lunch.”

“You better keep your hands off Jace.” I glared at her as best as I could. “I don’t care how hungry you get, you feed off him or hurt him at all, or even scare him, and I’ll make your life hell if it’s the last thing I do.”

She just laughed. “Don’t worry, Genesis, some of us can actually control ourselves.” Her tone implied I was uncontrolled, which made me mad. I’d been very careful so far and I hadn’t slipped up. This chick barely knew me, who did she think she was?

“I’ve been doing good. I haven’t fed once!” I argued.

She chuckled. “Exactly my point.”

I was uncomfortable with her carrying me. I easily could have walked up the stairs...it just may have taken a little longer.

When we reached my room, she deposited me on my bed. “Get some rest, I’ll bring Jace back tonight. You might want to try eating some human food. It won’t put you up to our levels but it might give you as much energy as a human has. For an hour or two, at least.”

She turned to walk out. "Hey, Kiera?" I called.

"Yes?" She asked, turning and smiling politely at me.

"Why are you doing this for me?"

She turned thoughtful for a moment. "Mostly because Theo asked me to and I owe him. But also because Jace is a good kid, and until you feed you're risking his life. If I can help him be safe, I will." She smiled and left.

I ground my teeth. I was not risking his life.

Jace came into my room, gave me one last hug and then left, too. I rolled myself onto my back, covering up with my comforter. My room seemed to get colder by the second. I let my eyes drift closed, listening as the front door opened and shut. I had to strain my ears to pick up on it.

~

Over the next few hours, I dosed in and out of consciousness. I’d just get to sleep before I’d start coughing and wake myself back up. I wasn’t sure if I was catching a cold or if there was something wrong with my chest, but every time I coughed my chest seized up, like someone was squeezing it. I tried very hard not to move, as even the slightest movements triggered nausea in the pit of my stomach.

Who knew vampires could get sick. Or cold. Or tired.

I was about ready to pull my hair out. Being a vampire was turning out to be harder than it was worth. And I hadn’t even asked for it!

Several times, I considered going downstairs to get something from the fridge but my stomach rolled at the thought of moving and of eating food, so I just stayed where I was and tried to ignore my hunger pangs that we no where near my stomach.

My throat hurt. Like someone was shoving knives down it. Imagine waking up with an extreme cold, having had to breathe through your mouth for the past three days and then drinking scorchingly hot coffee and burning your throat more. Now multiply that by 3. I’m not awesome at math but that seems about accurate to what I felt like.