Jade’s pov-
I used vampire speed to pack. I ran back down stairs to say good-bye. Mom said, “You might want to clean your mouth.”
I wiped my mouth with the sleeve of my shirt. Mom said, “Here, I mapped out your way from here to Aunt Claire’s.”
“Thank you. Bye Mom. I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
I gave her a hug. I gave Auntie Beth a hug, too, and said, “I’m sorry for what I did, for what I am. I love you.”
I stood back and concentrated. I sensed Mike and Laylah’s minds. I said, Mike! We need to leave. NOW!!! Meet me at the school.
I ran to the school where Mike and Laylah were waiting. I said, “Come on. We have to get out of town.”
“Why?”
“Run now; ask questions later.”
We ran out of town with the four wolves getting closer every second. Mike pulled me to a stop when we were a mile into the next town.
He said, “We’re out of their territory. Tell me why we’re running.”
“I killed.”
“Oh, come on, Jade. Stop whining about killing that deer.”
“It wasn’t a deer.”
“It was the bear I found in the woods.”
“Yes and no.”
“What do you mean?”
“I killed it but that’s not why we’re running.”
“What was it then?”
“It’s not a what, it’s a who.”
“What?”
“No, not a what. A who! Bill!”
“Who’s Bill?”
Laylah said, “Bill is one of the people that interviewed her mom for a job.”
“How did the wolves find out?”
“Buckie was there. If he hadn’t, I would’ve gotten to the rest of them, Jack, Mom, and Auntie Beth.”
I started crying. Mike said, “Right in front of one! That’s worst if they would’ve heard a rumor about it. They have an eye witness, Jade!”
I said between sobs, “Mike. It was. Awful!”
He wrapped his arms around me. I laid my head on his shoulder and cried. I don’t know how long it was and we would’ve been there longer until someone noticed us.
A woman came out and asked, “Who are you kids? Where are your parents?”
She was walking towards us when Mike said, Jade, lose the fangs.
I shrunk them and turned to face the woman. She saw my make up running and said, “Oh my. Why don’t you come inside, dearies.”
She led us into her house and fixed us hot chocolate. It didn’t smell too back.
Laylah said, It won’t hurt us. It just doesn’t have any nutritional value.
I took a sip and it tasted good. I said, “Thanks Miss. This is really good.”
She talked with an accent. She said, “Thank ya, deary. The name’s Mrs. Werthy. Ya can stay at me house tonight. Figure something out tomorrow.”
“Thank you.”
We finished our hot chocolate and she took us to a guest room. She asked, “Can me trust you to do nothin’ bad?”
“Yes.”
I heard her think, How did I get myself into inviting trouble looking, goth kids into my house?
I had to laugh at that. I asked, “Laylah, do we look like trouble making goths?”
“Kinda, yeah.”
I took the map out of my pocket. I didn’t know where we were. I found the lady; I asked, “Mrs. Werthy?”
“Yes, deary?”
“Can you show me where we’re at on this map?”
“Sure.”
She showed me where we were and turned out we were right on track. She said, “If ye follow highlighted line, you end up in middle a nowhere.”
Mellanie’s pov-
She was out of the house and miles away by now. Beth was curled up on the couch. She was mumbling words I couldn’t hear.
Jack was sitting a chair staring at Bill’s body. What have I done? If I would’ve had her keep better control, this wouldn’t happen. But no, I had to give her room to breathe and learn to be her own person because I wasn’t sure how to raise a teenage vampire.
I walked over and sat down by Beth. She said, “Wh-what happened? She… she used to be so sweet.”
“And she still is. She’s the same Jade on the inside.”
“B-but on the outside, a monster.”
“No, just different. She didn’t mean to do what she did. She probably won’t get any sleep tonight because of it.”
“She sleeps?”
“Yes, it was my fault. I should’ve known better to mention Mike or Ash.”
“Who?”
“Her boyfriend and her ex-boyfriend.”
“She could’ve killed me.”
“I know. She won’t be back.”
“How long will she be gone?”
“It depends on how long the werewolves will be here and how long she can put up with Claire and the rest of Allaisha.”
“What?”
“I really can’t tell you. If they found out they’ll take us both. Not as much as a punishment but more of a meal.”
She shivered. “She could’ve killed us, Mellanie.”
“I know. If it hadn’t been for Buckie, she would’ve.”
There was a loud banging on the door. I got up to answer it. When I opened it, there was a man.”
He asked, “Where is he?”
“Who?”
“That little low life excuse for a vampire nephew of mine!”
“Who are you?”
“I’m Mike and Laylah’s Uncle Matt. Don’t test me. I’ll turn all of you over to Council if you don’t tell me where they are, now!”
“I don’t’ know.”
“Don’t lie. He’s been here. I smell him.”
“I don’t know. I haven’t seen him since I banned him from my house.”
“Where’s that little half-breed mutt you call a daughter?”
“She left.”
“Why?”
“None of your business.”
He slammed me against a wall. He growled, “Tell me where she is, now.”
“She’s runnin from the wolves.”
“What could that no good, little thing do? She couldn’t hurt a fly.”
I looked over his shoulder at what used to be Bill. He followed my gaze. He said, “She didn’t do that. She’s too gentle. I don’t think she’s a true vampire. Oh wait, she’s not, she’s a low life, half-breed. Where’d she go?”
“She’s going to Claire’s.”
“That woman should’ve been a witch. She’s gonna murder my two. She probably ain’t over her brother marrying a stupid human and then dying.”
“You’re right. She should’ve been a witch. She’s got the personality. I wasn’t thinking about Mike. Laylah, I don’t have a problem with her, but Mike… I knew he was trouble the second I saw him.”
“You only say that because he causes more of a threat to her than Laylah.”
“She’d been better off to stay with Ash.”
“She would’ve killed him.”
“The wolves will come for you. They’ll demand to know where she is. Those no good, mutts.”
Jade’s pov-
Laylah gave me a hug. She said, “It’ll be okay. We all do it sometime.”
“I feel awful. That man had a family. I just ruined his family.”
She let go of me. Sympathy filled her eyes. I walked over to Mike, who was sitting on the bed. He pulled me down on his lap. I laid my head on his shoulder and closed my eyes.
I fell asleep, crying and on his lap. It wasn’t peaceful sleep either. I had nightmares of blood and killing everyone I knew.
I woke up and looked into Mike’s eyes. I could tell he’d been reading my mind. He said, “I didn’t have dreams like that no matter what I did.”
It just occurred to me that I was curled up in the lap of a killer. There was a killer sleeping in a recliner on the other side of the room. I was a killer.
I said, “I don’t want to be a killer.”
“We can’t go back in time, Jade. Not even witches can.”
“There are witches?”
“Yes. You didn’t know that?”
I shook my head.
“Oh Jade, do you know anything?”
“Uhhh, no.”
“I knew you were deprived of vampire contact but I didn’t know you were clueless, too.”
“Hey! Fine, I admit it, I’m clueless.”
“Jade, why do you have to be so sensitive all the time?”
“I guess I’m still a little mad about that stupid she-wolf.”
“I’m sorry. You’ve got to remember I’m a guy, vampire or not.”
“I know. It disgusted me the way you couldn’t stop staring and drooling at her.”
“Go back to sleep.”
“I don’t know if I can.”
“Try.”
I was asleep in minutes. It was restless, full of nightmares.
Mike’s pov-
It didn’t take long before Jade was asleep again. She was having another nightmare. She’d twitch and mumble. I stayed awake until dawn. Laylah woke up when I was almost asleep. She asked, “Do you want me to hold her?”
“No, she’s finally sleeping peacefullyish.”
I rested my head on the headboard and dozed off. I was awoken when Jade stirred in my lap.
She groaned and stretched. She said, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to fall asleep on your lap.”
“It’s okay.”
“You probably didn’t get any sleep last night.”
“I did.”
“Where’s Laylah?”
“I don’t know. I just woke up.”
I took her in my arms and stood up. I set her down and I took her hand. We walked downstairs. The smell of bacon and steak made it to my nose.
Jade wrinkles her nose. I asked, “What’s wrong?”
“The smell of cooked meat.”
Mrs. Werthy said, “Mornin dearies. Hope ya hungry.”
Jade asked, “Do you have any animals?”
“Yeah, horses in field behind house. Why?”
“It’s just a habit of mine to go out to the field in the morning before breakfast. That’s what I did at home.”
“Oh, okay, go ahead,”
Jade led me out the back door. I asked, “Why animals? There are plenty of people near here.”
“I’m not chancing a repeat of yesterday.”
We picked our horses and fed. When we got back, there was a little girl and still no sign of Laylah.
The girl was saying, “Vampires, Auntie, they’re vampires. I saw them.”
Jade asked, “Who’s this?”
“This is my niece.”
I read her mind. Maybe they are vampires. Good thing I’m a Slayer if they are.
I said, Jade, I think we need to go, she’s a Slayer.
What about Laylah?
I asked, “Have you seen Laylah?”
“Who?”
“The other one of us.”
“Oh, she went to town for me. I needed some things for my special garlic bread and things for supper.”
Does garlic hurt us?
No, that’s just Hollywood.
“Mrs. Werthy, we need to go when she gets back. We’re not trying to be rude, but we really need to go.”
Jade was staring at me. I asked, What?
I didn’t know you could be not rude to anyone but me.
Are you jealous? I’m trying to get on her good side. She’s a Slayer, remember.
I’m not jealous!
“Why dearies?”
“We need to get far away from our home town and we’re on our way to Jade’s aunt.”
“Are you running away?”
“No.”
It wasn’t completely a lie. We weren’t running away by the way she meant it.
“Are ya sure?”
“Yes.”
“Auntie, they’re vampires. They’d lie looking straight into your eyes.”
“Where’d she get that idea? Vampires aren’t real.”
Jade added, “Yeah, they’re not real, sweetheart. They’re just a part of your imagination.”
Jade, we’re not gonna convince her. Not only did she see us, she’s also a young Slayer.
They don’t know we’re trying to convince her from the real thing because we’re the real thing.
What?
Never mind.
“Have some breakfast.”
We sat at the table while she made our plates. The little girl stared us down the entire time.
Jade was so lively. She was smiling and the light was back in her eyes. She was a completely different person from last night. Her cheeks were flushed and her mood made me smile.
She was so beautiful. How’d I end up with someone like her? She looked at me and asked, “Why are you staring at me?”
I blushed and said, “Sorry, you’re just so beautiful.”
She blushed and looked down.
“Does that mean you’re not upset anymore?”
“No, thanks for bringing it up again.”
That light leaving her eyes.
Laylah came through the door carrying two bags of stuff. She set them on the counter. We stood up and Jade said, “Thank you for everything, Mrs. Werthy. We really need to go.”
“Auntie! You’re not going to let them go, are you?”
I said, “That kid needs to stop watching horror movies.”
Mrs. Werthy asked, “Why are you so content on convincing her vampires aren’t real?”
She was onto us. I said, “Because they’re not and I don’t think it’s healthy for little kids to believe they are.”
“Don’t go yet. I need you to help me put these groceries away.”
She gave Jade the bag of meats. One little moment of weakness and our cover would be blown.
I could tell, by the look of concentration on her face that she was fighting for concentration. When she got it under control she smiled triumphantly until she opened the refrigerator. It was full of fresh meats. There was even a heart.
If I would’ve been a human, I would’ve thrown up. The smell was wonderful but the sight was awful.
Mrs. Werthy said, “Did me mention I butcher me own cows and sell the meat?”
Jade was about to lose it. I said, Remember what happened last time you lost it.
She got control again almost immediately. She made a gagging sound and pretended to be disgusted.
Laylah asked, What’s going on?
Mrs. Werthy is a Slayer.
Jade asked, while putting the meat up, What’s the difference between a Hunter and a Slayer?
A Hunter will just pin us up like animals while a Slayer will kill us.
Oh.
Laylah and I put the other groceries away. Laylah said, “Bye Mrs. Werthy.”
“Bye deary, and you two, too.”
Jade’s pov-
I saw a jar of rubber bands. I asked, “Can we use some rubber bands? They’d make cool bracelets. I love colored ones.”
“Sure.”
Mike asked, What are you doing?
Put one on for each life you’ve taken.
I put on one, Mike three, and Laylah five. I put some more in my pocket.
Mike asked, Why extra?
Just in case.
I heard Mrs. Werthy thinking, There’s a very good chance they’re vampires. The map looks like it leads to nowhere for a normal person but to me it looks like it leads to one of the Allaishan cities.
Mrs. Werthy said, “Wait, and let me see your wrists.”
Laylah and Mike didn’t like that and I didn’t understand why. She looked at mine first. Then she looked at Laylah’s.
Mike said, “Run!”
She pulled out a stake and got Laylah. She missed her heart but got her shoulder. She let out a blood curdling scream of pain.
Laylah yanked the stake out and we ran. I was horrified. I’d only seen Laylah cry twice and never seen her scared for herself.
We ran to the other side of town. We stopped to look at the map. We were heading in the right direction.
When we were in another town, we stopped at a park. I asked, “What’s Allaisha? Why’d she look at our wrists?”
“Allaisha is what we call the creature society. It’s like the humans have their world and we have ours that intertwine. Well, not exactly, it’s hard to explain. It’s everywhere and not just one spot. Where we’re going is one of the cities that are human free.
“As for out wrists, vampires are born with a birthmark that’s different and unique. They look like tattoos on our wrists. It’s sort of our name.”
“Why wasn’t I born with it?”
“Probably your human side.”
“Why does Laylah smell human?”
She said, “I don’t like talking about it.”
I wondered why I never saw their tattoos before. I think it’s because Laylah usually wore long sleeved shirts and I could never get past Mike’s face.
Laylah’s mind was heavily guarded. Mike said, “I can give you a tattoo.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, but it’s not the most fun thing in the world.”
“I don’t care.”
He said, “When you changed, did you feel you blood solidifying?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, it isn’t really completely solid. If I give you a tattoo, you have to drink my blood. It isn’t as thin as a human’s but it is still drinkable.”
“Okay.”
“Are you sure?”
I took a deep breath and said, “Yes.”
“We have to exchange blood. Usually that’s how we turn a human but it works with your kind that has no mark.”
“What do you mean, ‘exchange blood’?”
“I mean, I take some of your blood and you take some of mine. Give me your wrist.”
I gave him my wrist. I was worried because he had attacked me, when my heart was still beating, for my blood. I felt his fangs pierce my skin. I flinched a little.
He sensed my fear. He asked, Why are you scared?
I let my fears flow into his mind.
He said, I would never attack you again. You know that, right?
Yes but I can’t help but feel scared, you know?
I know and I’m sorry for that. If I’d never attacked you, you wouldn’t be scared.
I don’t know. Like you said, we can’t go back in time and fix our mistakes.
I felt my blood flow out. He removed his fangs and put his wrist towards me. He said, “Your turn.”
“I don’t know. What if I hurt you?”
“You can’t. I said some of it was still liquid, not all of it.”
“Okay.”
My fangs extended and sank into his skin. His blood was so good. I took as much as I could until I was sucking at nothing. No more blood was flowing into my mouth. I released my grip and saw my wrist starting to faintly glow.
When it stopped glowing there was a tattoo that looked like)_|*~(
“Thank you.”
“Let’s go find a place to sleep.”
“Kay, Laylah, how’s you shoulder?”
“It still hurts. If we find a house to sleep in, make sure it’s not a Slayer’s.”
I asked, “If stakes work on us, why did Mom tell Ash they don’t?”
“Probably because if he thought of using one on you he wouldn’t use one because he was told they don’t work. Either that or your mom didn’t know if they worked or not and she was staying on the safe side and saying they don’t.”
“Oh, let’s go. I’m tired.”
Mike took off his jacket and said, “Here, you should cover that shoulder up.”
“Thanks.”
We left the park. We walked to the nearest house and knocked on the door. A man answered it. He asked, “Can I help you?”
I said, “We need a place to sleep. May we stay here, just for tonight?”
“Come in. Don’t break anything.”
“We won’t.”
His house was full of antiques and other breakables. He came back with a girl.
She asked, “Who’s this?”
“They want a place to spend the night.”
“Well don’t just stand there, let them in! Help me fix them a spot.”
“All right.”