I sat down on the edge of the bed. I was shaking now. Zero swallowed hard. I think he was shaking too as he reached for me. Jake and Shane stood, turned away in the corner but they were both ready to pounce if something went wrong. He ran his fingers through my hair. My eyes found his. He froze. He was still as stone. Please move...I shut my eyes. A moment passed, but he was finally moving again. He brushed the hair away from my neck.
"I love you so much." He breathed in my ear. I nodded.
"I know you do. I love you too, no matter what." I breathed back.
He was shaking again. Both of us were. He seemed hesitant in his movements now as if he were self-conscious. It wasn't like him at all. I kept my eyes shut. He kissed my forehead, then kissed my neck, then waited a moment.
He had been holding my hand this whole time. He squeezed it tighter. Before I could squeeze back, I felt the sharp prick. My heart was pounding hard in my chest. That familiar pain shot through my body. I bit my lip hard. I couldn't scream. I wasn't going to allow myself to this time.
"Kale!" I cried, despite my efforts. I bit my lip even harder. My teeth broke the skin.
"Zero! Stop!" One of my best friends growled. I didn't know which one. I couldn't pay attention.
I felt him being pulled away from me. My eyes snapped open but everything was blurry. I gripped his hand tighter but it was ripped out of my hand. Someone pushed me back onto the bed. My fingers dug into the mattress at my sides. I couldn't control it anymore. I let out a scream and I hated myself for it.
"Do something!" I think it was Shane who shouted.
"We can't!"
"Stop it! Please!"
"No! I'm not putting her through it again. She wants this." Zero's voice was disgusted.
I was crying now. But I wasn't going to say anything. The pain was like fire. My heart was starting to slow. I felt like I was suffocating and I gasped.
"Oh God! Why are we letting this happen?!" I could almost see someone leaning over me through my blurry, glazing over eyes.
With one last pulse of pain, of the burning, of my beating heart, it stopped. My heart wasn't beating. I wasn't breathing. I couldn't move. Everything was numb. My eyes heavily fell shut.
"Jamie?!" Someone cried out very far away...too far away. They wouldn't hear me if I answered so I didn't.
The numbness didn't last long. The pain was back again, only this time I couldn't move. I couldn't scream. I couldn't hear and my eyes stayed shut. The pain came back and went. Everytime it came back, it was worse. The feeling is much too undescribable. Eventually, finally, everything went completely black. There was no feeling anymore.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I wasn't sleeping, but I was dreaming. I don't know how long I was dreaming for but it seemed like months when my eyes finally opened. Everything was clear and bright. I stared up at what should have been the ceiling of the dark tent. I was still in the tent, of course, but it seemed different.
I moved my hand. I was touching something soft. Oh, it was silky, smooth and warm. I don't think I had ever felt anything like it. I turned my head in a quick movement that I wasn't used to. Those eyes! They were the most bright, icey gems I had ever seen. I sat up, staring at him in awe. It was almost as if he were a completely different person and yet exactly the same.
"Kale--" I began and stopped, not recognizing my voice. It was then that I noticed the look on his face was terrified or maybe he looked shocked?
"What?" I asked, anxiously. Did I look different to him? Did he not like it? He gripped my hand tighter. I looked down. It was his hand that felt like that!
"You should still be..." His voice trailed off. My eyes snapped back to him. His voice! It was like music. And even more distinct then I ever imagined it could be! "It's only been three days." He contiued.
"Only?" I gasped.
"It usually takes a week."
My attention was on the door of the tent.
"When did they come back?" I asked quietly. My jaw fell open. Did I really just sense Jason and his pack? I frowned.
"What does Jacob mean by that?" I hissed, looking at Kale, who still stared at me. He rolled his eyes.
"He thinks he saved your life. So now he believes you owe him something." He glared at the door now.
Jacob said he couldn't wait until I was awake so we get right down to business. There was laughing coming from outside now as Jake let out a groan. Whoa! Was I really hearing all of this?
"What do you mean he saved my life?" I asked. For the first time he looked away from me.
"I almost couldn't stop." He admitted.
He was looking at me again as if he couldn't look away for very long. His eyes still made my head spin and I was actually glad for that.
"Jamie..." He started softly but never finished.
He sprung and met my lips, crushing me against him. That most likely would have killed me three days ago. I think it might have been a little overwhelming for me as he pulled me closer to him and spun me on my back. My arms shot out, pushing him off of me with so much force that he was gone. I sat up as he landed on his feet across the tent.
"Sorry." He gasped. I nodded.
"Me too." I stood.
He must have still been quicker then me. He was in front of me before I could move toward him. He might have even still been stronger then me too. I wasn't sure. He looked at me as if longingly.
"I guess I shouldn't have done that. I couldn't help myself." He continued to apologize. I smiled at him.
"I'm not used to having such strong senses."
His hands balled into fists. I wanted to reach for them but I had a feeling it took everything he had to not grab me. I took a step back, to help him out a little bit. As soon as I did his face changed. It became very sad, almost even lost.
And I felt the worst empty feeling inside of me. Even worse then I felt when he left me for those five months. I moved back to him in an instant. He seemed to lose his inner battle as he pulled me into his arms.
"Is this what you meant about the connection between the one turning and the one being turned?" I asked leaning into him.
"Yes, sweetheart. It is. I knew it was going to be strong but this is even stronger then I imagined."
"I don't want to be that far away from you ever again." And then I laughed, looking up at him. He smiled as if confused.
"Why is that so funny?" He asked. I sighed.
"Because it's true and kind of sad. I was only two feet away from you but everything became suddenly meaningless."
He nodded. "Meaningless doesn't even begin to describe it."
Then we both looked at the opening of the tent. Jacob and Shane came in hesitantly. They both gasped.
"Jamie?" Shane seemed to ask. I smiled at him. His eyes got huge. What exactly did I look like?
"Dante has to see this." Jacob announced. Zero tensed.
"Not yet. He'll show up eventually. I don't want to go looking for him. She's not ready for that." Zero hissed at Jake. Jake opened his mouth to speak but all of us turned to the door again.
"Anabelle." Me, Jacob and Zero groaned at the same time.
Jake shot a glance at me and grinned. We were outside in seonds. I was a little disapointed, Zero had grabbed me by the waist and carried me outside. Like he completely forgot I was just like him now. I wanted so badly to see just how fast I could be!
I already knew I was strong. I was able to throw Zero across the room, there was noway I could have done that three days ago. Anabelle let out a sudden scream. I flinched. She was glowering at me angrily.
"You turned her?!" She wailed. "You did this?!" She was staring wide eyed at Zero now.
"What are you doing here, Anabelle?" Zero sounded bored or as if she was taking up his time.
Her teeth locked and she sneered at us. I felt suddenly threatened. I'd never felt an adreniline quit like this. Zero tightened his grip around my waist, locking me to his side. He pushed my face into his chest with his free hand and stroked my hair. After a moment I realized I actually wanted to kill her. I would have attacked her if he wasn't trying to sooth me.
"She's stronger then you, especially right now Anabelle. Don't provoke her." Zero's voice was beginning to calm me slightly.
"I doubt that." She spat.
And that did it. I let out a growl. My whole body tensed. He grabbed me tighter, holding me in place with effort.
"Damn it." He grunted. Then she was laughing.
"I will let her go, Anabelle!"
I was fighting to break away from him.
"Are you going to use her too and throw her away?!"
I was thrashing in his arms now. I wanted so badly to tear her apart. He was growling now too though. Then I was terrified he was actually going to let me go. I tried my best to calm myself. My human self was definitely still inside of me.
"Don't let go." I begged quietly as he continued to growl. He gripped me even tighter.
"Why the hell are you here?" Jacob growled now.
"You're in our territory, vampire." That was Jason's voice.
"I know!" She snapped. "Dante sent me. He wants you all to know he'll cross the boundaries within the next few days. If a war comes out of it, then so be it." She told everyone. "She's not worth all of this." She muttered.
There were multiple growls now. I didn't have to look to know she disappeared into the forest. Me and Zero relaxed at the same time. He kept his arm around me though. I turned my head. Everyone was staring at me.
Jason, Anya, the whole pack and Zero's whole clan including Jared. My whole body would have heated up by now. Too many eyes were locked on me. Most of them were gawking. Then this bothered me. So they would gawk at me now that I was one of them but I wasn't pretty enough for half of them when I was human? I almost started laughing but that would make me look crazy.
"You do make one hell of a vampire." It was Jared who spoke through the silence. I looked at him. His eyes got wider. "Why are her eyes so bright?" He gasped. Zero shrugged.
"She technically has four days left until she's supposed to be up like this. The hunger won't hit her until then."
He looked down at me. His eyebrows came together as if this was the first time he thought about me feeding. I stared up at him. Blood was my new daily meal. No more of Zero's mac and cheese. I sighed. But it was worth it. He loosened his grip and turned to Jason and Anya.
"I really didn't think you could look any prettier." Anya grinned. I grinned back, glad I couldn't blush anymore.
"Even though you're a vampire now, you'll always be human to us." Jason told me as Anya nodded. I laughed.
"Maybe in a few years I'll take that as a compliment."
"Not meant to be offensive." Jason chuckled.
"I know." I continued to laugh.
"I appreciate all these months you've let Jamie stay but I think it's time we go back to our clan now." Zero interrupted our small conversation. Both Jason and Anya nodded now.
"Maverick wouldn't be too happy about this anyways." Jason pointed to me.
"But despite him, you're always welcome back." Anya told me.
"We'll keep that in mind." Zero actually smiled at them.
Jake and Shane glanced at eachother. The significance of that glance was obvious.
"We don't have rules against werewolves, do we?" I asked, looking up at Zero.
"Well--" He began. He met my gaze and stopped himself short. He gazed back at me for a long moment. "No. If Shane wants to come with us, he can."
He was going to say the exact opposite of that before he looked at me. Having someone love me this much really has it's advantages sometimes. I smiled, looking at Shane. He smiled back. Jake nudged him with his elbow, grinning. It still surprised me how close they had become.
"Don't worry, we'll be back soon." Zero promised.
"You better be." Anya seemed to threated with good humor. Zero nodded.
He was about to take off, carrying me as always. I was quick enough to stop him now.
"Wait," I anchored my feet to the ground. It made it almost impossible for him to lift me. He looked down at me curiously when he struggled for a second to move me. "I want to see how fast I really am."
"I'd like to see that too." Jake agreed. I glanced at him then looked up at Zero again. He sighed.
"I guess I'll have to get used to this." He seemed to pout. I laughed at him.
"Get used to what?"
"I like carrying you." He muttered.
"You're just afraid I'm faster then you." I teased. He was laughing now.
"In your dreams!"
"Oh, well aren't you just cocky."
"I wouldn't be talking."
"Not cocky," I grinned. "Just admitting the truth."
He smiled but I took off before he could get a word in. He was right behind me, along with the others. I knew exactly where I was going! Then he was right beside me. He kept up with me easily. Finally I felt the adreneline I always wanted from running. I wasn't dizzy but only very aware of my surroundings. The trees, the wind, the ground, the animals, everything.
It didn't take long and it ended much too quickly. I was standing in the front of the black house deep in the forest. He was just a second behind me, but still...
"I won!" I gloated. He shrugged, grabbing my waist.
"I love you."
"Oh," I sighed. He leaned toward me. "I still won."
He glared at me playfully.
"I guess I'll take that as 'I love you too.'" He was pouting again.
"That's not going to get you what you want, you know." I continued to tease. He rolled his eyes.
"Well not everyone can get what they want as easily as you, Jamie."
"That's so true." Jacob was agreeing again. We looked at him. The clan was waiting to get in. Zero opened the door.
"I thought we were going back to the caves." Someone muttered behind us.
"The house is fine." Zero spoke boredly once again. He lifted me by the waist, leaving the clan behind.
"I could have gotten up here much quicker." I muttered as he kicked the door shut and threw me on the bed.
Jeez, he was being pretty rough with me now that I was unbreakable.
"Were you holding back when I was human?" I asked as he jumped on the bed, landing on top of me and holding himself up with his arms on either side of my head.
"Definitely." He smirked at me.
Before I could respond he shut me up in the most amazing way. The way he crushed our bodies and lips against eachother, he might even have accidently killed me if I was still human. It's a good thing we waited to do this.
He lost all control he might have had. But then again, so did I. I left little indents in his back from my finger nails. And also a tiny bite mark in his shoulder that obviously wasn't deep enough or big enough to make him feel pain.
"Should this even be possible?" I asked as he layed on his stomach. I poked at the little red indents.
"I'm not sure." Then he laughed. "I can't believe you bit me!"
The indents began to disappear, this made me feel better.
"I can't believe you made a hole in the wall! And with my body none the less!"
He laughed harder and sat up. He brushed my wild hair out of my face.
"I didn't mean to. I'm just glad I didn't hurt you."
"Are you always going to throw me into walls?" I teased.
"Only if you want me to."
"Well, maybe not everytime."
"I'll try not to. It might be difficult. It is your fault."
I was poking at the bite mark now and tracing the edges. I continued to do this but I looked up at him now.
"How?" I frowned at him.
"For some reason you opened your eyes and as soon as mine met yours..." His voice trailed off.
I remembered exactly what had happened. He pretty much lost it as soon as our eyes met.
"Ooops," I let out an embarassed laugh. "I guess it was my fault then."
"Without a doubt!"
"I'll try to remember that next time. I won't look at you."
"Next time as in now?" He smirked.
"Now? Again?!"
"Again?!" He mocked me, teasingly. "Of course again! Over and over again!" He got on his knees, grabbed my arms and pulled me to my knees now. "I want to exhaust you!" He wrapped his arms around my waist.
"Exhaust me? But that will never happen..."
"Exactly!"
He was really hyper. It was the first time I had ever seen him like this and to be honest, I liked it alot.
"And don't be afraid to look at me. I'll just try my best not to destroy you."
I burst out laughing and he pounced. He kissed me so suddenly and so hard we both ended up falling onto the floor. This probably should have hurt me, considering we landed with such force and I was beneath him. Meaning he fell on top of me. Surprisingly I didn't feel anything. Well, maybe it wasn't such a surprise.
That second time he almost ripped out my hair (I'm glad he didn't!), he put two more holes in the wall but with his fists (I'm not even going to get into that), and he bascially destroyed the bed. I sighed, looking around at the damage as he layed happily beside me with his hands behind his head.
"Oh, my clothes." I muttered, seeing the pile of tattered clothing across the room. I looked down at him as he gazed at me. "Oh! I bit you again!" I gasped.
I leaned over him, touching the bottom of his neck just above his shoulder. He shrugged.
"I didn't notice." He sighed.
"Doesn't it hurt, Kale? I thought vampire bites hurt us?"
He sat up. "Dante tore into me with the intention of leaving a wound. You nipped with the intention of making me want you more."
"That wasn't my intention! I didn't even know I did it!"
He grinned. "Intentional or not, it still made me want you."
I let out a sigh. He let out a groan. He was frowning now. He laid back, throwing his hands over his face.
"I bit you too!"
"What? Where?"
He pointed without looking. It was right below my shoulder. It was a small bite mark that looked similiar to the ones on him, only a little bigger. He was muttering angrily at himself.
"Why are you so upset, Kale?" I asked, taking his hands as he sat up again.
"It's one thing for you to bite me, it's another for me to bite you."
"Why?" I frowned at him.
"It brings me back to the torture I caused you." He murmured, not looking at me.
"Torture?" I breathed. "Don't feel that way, Kale." I climbed into his lap as he leaned against the wall. I curled into him. He pulled me tightly against him. "You never tortured me in the way that you think." I informed him in a quiet voice.
"Torturing you in anyway is still terrble."
"Well, it wasn't really torture. I just couldn't stand waiting so long for you to turn me."
"Do you regret it yet?" He asked softly. I looked up at him. Did he never look away from me? Besides when he was ashamed I guess.
"I don't think I will."
"Give it time."
"Okay. I never will." He didn't say anything so I did. "What about you?"
"Only when it was happening. Now that it's over and done with, I only regret it when I think about the pain you were in."
"Then don't think about it. I'm happy, Kale and you're the one that's making me feel this way."
"I want to marry you so bad." He stated.
"Then ask me already." I smiled at him encouragingly. He rolled his eyes at me.
"You do realize we're both naked, right?"
I gasped. "We are?! I better go put my clothes on!"
He laughed, then stopped getting very serious as he ripped the blanket off the broken bed and wrapped it around me. I stared at him in shock. His eyes widened. I'm sure he guessed what I must be thinking.
"Who knows who could bust in here. Not everyone knows how to knock. Your boyfriends might just come in."
I glared at him. "I'll just call them in here if that's what you want."
He sighed.
"We should find you some clothes." Then he looked at me for a long moment. "Maybe after..." His voice trailed off as he grinned.
"You're just a hornball this morning!" I accused. He laughed.
"This is just the first time I've been able to act on my feelings for you. Everytime I've looked at you or been near you from the very begining--"
His voice got cut off because I attacked him. This time there was a knock on the door right in the middle of Kale throwing me back onto the broken bed.
"Go away!" He growled as he grabbed my arms.
"Are you guys OK?" It was Shane's voice.
"Fine!" I tired to keep my voice normal.
Kale suddenly broke the headboard. It made a loud thud and cracking sound. The door was thrown open. Kale whipped the blanket over us. I shut my eyes so I wouldn't burst out laughing.
"What the hell, Shane?!" Kale was trying to sound angry but he almost started laughing.
"Oh shi—S-sorry!" Shane stammered and the door slammed shut.
I bit my lip. One of my eyes opened and that did it. The look on Kale's face made me laugh so hard tears came out of my eyes.
"I didn't think he really would come in." Kale laughed. I shook my head but couldn't speak.
"We probably scarred him." I finally gasped.
I stopped laughing when Kale's lips crushed mine again.