Of course. Had Amber not noticed all the obvious signs? This woman was powerful- mentally and physically. And now, she had Amber looking like a fool as she hung there. Luna was right. Had Amber really thought she would get away?
"I see..." Amber finally mumbled.
She felt Luna chuckle against her earlobe. "You can't run from a demon, Amber," she said, still right up against Amber's skin.
"What...what else can you do?"
Amber felt Luna look down for a moment before her lips were once more on her ear. "Many, many things."
Amber actually believed her words this time. She was about to respond, but Luna cut her off. Her aunt leaned away from her as she said in a louder and sterner tone, "Which is why you should never doubt me. You never should have." The woman was now standing before her again, and her black hair was pulled to the side. Her lips were so red and her skin was so pale. It reminded Amber of a pool of blood in snow.
"Amber, I know more about your family and history than you do. Or...might I say our family."
Amber glared at her. "You're not in my family," she hissed bravely.
Luna let out a bitter laugh. "We are related by blood, dear. I know it's quite awful, but it is unfortunately true."
"Where is my father?" Amber asked, thinking now might be a good time to bring up the question. She had been told he was in this state, but where was he being kept? Was he alright?
"He left you," Luna spat. "Why do you care?"
Amber let her head fall so she could gaze at the ground below her dangling hair. She was right. Why did she still give a shit about him? He was probably enjoying his life somewhere without her.
Amber lifted her head back up to look at Luna. "Okay, let me ask this this..."
Luna raised her eyebrows and Amber continued. "How did you become a demon if the rest of us are only vampires?"
Luna unexpectedly smiled and she began to stroll around Amber. "Well, I went through massive amounts of training and practicing. Some of it is natural, but I had to work to make myself this powerful. You see," she went on as she continued to pace around the dangling Amber, "my mother was the demon, and my father was the vampire. I was born from different parents than Joel and your father. I am the eldest and they are only half brothers of mine. After my parents had me, they got a divorce. They-"
"Hold on!" Amber exclaimed as she thought of something. "You're like me then..." She quietly said, although Luna was behind her. The woman must have stopped walking.
"Excuse me?"
"You're half and half...just like me. So why was it a big deal that I was made like this, but it was nothing for you?!" None of this added up. It made no sense to Amber.
Luna chuckled from behind her. "That's not how it is at all, child."
"It is, though!"
Amber gasped as Luna's hand was around her thigh. She spun Amber so she was facing her again. Her ankle was throbbing, and she felt like puking or fainting. She had been held upside for way too long. She did not understand why Luna couldn't just let her down.
"I am a half demon and half vampire, I'm not like you."
"What's the difference?" Amber asked.
"My circumstance isn't against the law! You see, Amber, when you were born, it was illegal for a human to have a child with a vampire and vise versa. When your parents had you, we were still royalty. But when your parents broke their own law, the town went mad. Nobody had imagined a half vampire before. For a year, everyone had intercourse with the opposite kind, which created so many half vampires. Meanwhile, we were fighting for our right to keep the throne. We lost, and the government kicked us off. Afterwards, they collected all the half vampires and imprisoned them. They spared you, as you were technically still a princess. But, Eva, for example, didn't get so lucky. They waited until she was seven years old, and they sold her as a slave along with the other half vampires. Joel bought her, and she has been his ever since. She suffers because of you and your idiotic parents! Don't you see now what you have done?"
Amber had lost all sources of air. Was this true? It had to be...it made sense now. She honestly had fucked absolutely everything up just by being born. But why was Luna blaming it on her? It was her parents who had really caused the issue.
Luna must have noticed how speechless she had become, so she continued.
"Our family tore apart. You know how large vampire families are. After you were born, many of them fled; probably out of embarrassment or fear they themselves would be punished. But that wasn't like me. I don't run away from my problems. I grew furious, and hated you instantly. Your parents were terrified of me, since they knew I was strong. Joel was the only one who stopped me from killing your mother or father. I promised them, though, that I would take you one day. I told them they would pay. So I took my revenge out on your mother, before I took it out on you and your father by taking you away. He expected me on your eighteenth birthday, because that is when I swore I'd come. But Joel brought you earlier, hoping to stop anyone from dying or being killed."
Amber was glaring furiously at Luna. How could someone be so evil? Amber knew her parents didn't intend to create problems; they only fell in love. And what had she done to her mother exactly? She knew she had to be responsible for part of what had happened, but she didn't even know the truth of what had happened to her mom. "So basically you're just a selfish little witch!"
She had more to say, but did not get to as at last the branches let her go. She would have been relieved, but she fell directly on her face. She yelped in pain as her head collided with the cold ground. Amber was too angry to sit there and feel bad for herself, so she sat up and narrowed her eyes once more at Luna, who stood over her looking just as angry.
"All you care about is power and royalty! You don't give two shits about love and new ideas and children! You are evil and wicked!" Amber ranted before standing on her feet. The ankle in which the tree had been holding onto was dead numb, but the frustration took over the pain. "You have me now, okay?!" She screamed at the top of her lungs. She threw her arms in the air as a sign she was all hers.
She slowly refocused her brain as she got no response from Luna. She was going insane, and she herself knew it. But this was so much. How could her life be this traumatic? And how could people be so horrible?!
Luna had her arms folded in front of her, and her eyes closed for a long second before opening back up at Amber.
Amber waddled on her numb foot as she took a few steps closer to Luna. Her arms were still raised in submission, but she raised them higher now. "You have me," she repeated in a whisper. "What do you want?"
Luna looked away from her, and Amber saw something she had never thought she would. She witnessed as a single, glowing tear escaped Luna's eye. Amber watched in awe as the tear slowly made its way down her cheek, and to her chin. It sat on the edge of her chin before it finally let go and fell to join the grass beneath them.
Why was she crying? Was she feeling bad now? Amber began to think she had hit a nerve in Luna. She might have finally made her realized how over dramatic she was being with all this.
Luna slowly turned her head back to look at Amber, whose arms were still held up high. She began to walk her way, and Amber stood still in hopes to hide her fear. She was unsure of what Luna was doing, but as she stepped closer, her eyes appeared glassy. Amber could see the tears sitting in Luna's eyes, just begging to be set free.
Luna leaned her head close to Amber, although she was still confused as to what she was doing. Her hands might have been freezing, but her head was warm as it nuzzled its way into the crook of her neck. She expected to feel the warmth of Luna's tongue and lips against her skin, but instead felt sharp teeth.
It was too late to stop her, as the fangs were instantly pushed inside of her skin. Amber heard her own scream and she let her hands fall to her sides. Luna continued to feed from her as Amber panted wildly.
She was feeling so weak, and her mind was loosing all focus. She tried to force her eyes to stay open, but they proceeded to droop and fall to cover her blurry vision. She felt Luna grasping onto her tightly, and Amber clutched back so she wouldn't fall to the ground.
Luna seemed to be drinking from her for a good hour. Amber didn't know when or if she was going to stop. Was she trying to kill her?!
"Luna..." Amber whispered into the cool air before falling into complete darkness.
****************************
This had to be hell. Amber had died and gone to hell, hadn't she?!
She gasped loudly and forced her muscles to move. Amber shot open her eyes and found herself to be in her room. She was sitting up on the bed and she was drenched with sweat. Had she had a bad dream? What was this?!
She then recalled all that had happened. The way those trees had moved and grabbed her, everything that Luna had said, and the biting. Either she had dreamed all of it, or she has fainted as she was bitten.
It had to have been a nightmare. Trees don't do that. Seeing as there was only one way to find out, Amber lifted her head to feel her neck.
Shit, it was real. She felt the two small holes which sat comfortably on the side of her neck.
She shivered at the sudden feeling of cold air, and she glanced out the window to see if it was snowing. It for sure was, and some of the snow was flooding her room as one of the windows was still broken. Glass pieces surrounded it, and the large hole allowed cool air to enter her room.
What was she suppose to do now? Think over all the things Luna had told her? No way, she would become depressed.
Just as she decided she should take a nap, her bedroom door opened. She thought it was Luna, but was happy when she saw it to be Eva.
"Oh, Amber, you're awake," she said softly with an even softer smile.
Amber nodded and returned the smile. She immediately thought of what Luna had said; how she was responsible for Eva becoming a slave. The poor girl had no future now because of her and her parents.
Eva sat down on the bed, next to Amber's waist. She held a styrofoam cup in hand, and Amber was going to ask about it, when Eva spoke up.
"So you tried to run away," she reminded her with a sad smile.
Amber sighed. "Yeah."
Eva rubbed her leg although it was covered in the bed sheets. Amber then wondered who had returned the sheets to their rightful place.
"I talked to Miss Luna once she returned with you. She told me she told you practically everything. She also admitted to me what she did to your chest."
Amber chewed on her bottom lip and looked down. She didn't want Eva ever finding out what Luna had done, but it was too late now.
"Amber, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything you've been through. And you shouldn't have done that for me, you didn't deserve it."
Amber snapped her head back up to her and ignored the tears which were now flooding her eyes. "No, Eva. I'm sorry! I'm the reason you're a slave now. I took your life away from you, and I apologize."
Eva frowned and shook her head. "Luna has shoved that nonsense into your head. It was my own parents fault. They followed your parents' ways, and they weren't even married. Your parents were in love, and they ignored tradition. They tried to break the hatred between the humans and vampires, that's all."
Amber didn't exactly know what to say, so she stared at her hands in silence. How was Eva so kind? Amber had put her life through a living hell, yet she didn't hate her.
"You've been here for nine years," Amber whispered. She looked up to find Eva staring at her.
"Yes I have," she gently confirmed.
"How? I haven't been here for a year, but I practically want to die!" Amber exclaimed.
Eva sighed softly. "Here, Amber," she said as she handed the cup she held to Amber. "Drink this."
Amber could already sense the blood which sat in the cup. She didn't know whose it was, and she didn't get where they always had these random cups of blood. But it just smelt amazing.
Without questioning, Amber took it and placed the straw between her lips. She smiled as the rich liquid flooded her mouth. She grew extremely disappointed when Eva tugged the cup away.
"Luna said to let you drink little at a time," Eva said to explain her action.
"Where is Luna?"
"She's out with Samuel somewhere," Eva said as she set the cup on the bedside table.
There was a long moment of silence, and Amber's mind was crowded with everything that had occurred. She had learned so much from Luna, but could she be certain it was all true? She looked to Eva, who sat with her hands folded on her lap. Her emerald eyes were laying on one of the windows and her bright hair was curled and ran down her small back. What Luna had said had to be true, because Eva had known what Amber had been told.
Her thoughts were pulled away when Eva shivered. The girl's cheeks turned a light pink as she made eye contact with Amber. Amber was probably freaking her out by the way she was staring at her, which she hadn't realized she was doing until Eva let out a soft laugh.
She watched the girl follow the laugh by rubbing her bare arms. "It's a bit chilly in here with that window broken."
Amber scooted over in the bed and patted the free room she had just made to invite Eva to join her under the covers. The girl smiled softly and crawled under them with Amber. The two sat in her bed and Amber felt bad for not realizing how cold she must have been.
"Hailey called," Eva said quietly once comfortable.
"What? When?" Amber knew Hailey would be upset and worried, but never thought she would call.
"The other day. She called asking for you, and we got lucky that I'm the one who picked up the phone," Eva said before chuckling.
Amber would have chuckled along with her at their luck, but something she said confused her. "Wait...when exactly did she call?"
"Yesterday, but you were still knocked out cold, so I couldn't give you the phone to talk to her yourself. She was worried sick, but I explained to her everything that had happened." Eva then made a face. "Although that didn't help much..."
Amber blinked. She had ran away Monday, and had gotten caught Tuesday. "What is today, Eva?" She slowly asked, confused as hell.
"Today? Today is Thursday."
Amber gaped at her friend. "Thursday?!" She re-counted the days in her head to see if she had been mistaken about when she had left and returned.
"Oh...I forgot to mention you've been out for a day and a half," Eva said with a worried and fearful looking expression.
Amber would have wondered what Eva was making that face for, but she was too shocked. She had passed out almost two days ago and was just now awake?! "What...why?"
"Luna drank too much from you," Eva told her. "She almost killed you, Amber."
Amber remembered how Luna wouldn't stop drinking. How she just continued to suck her blood out of her. She recalled how the bite hadn't been like the other experiences. She had felt horribly weak and drained. She always felt that way when she was fed from, but never to the extreme like the other day.
"Did she purposely do that? Was she trying to kill me?!"
"I don't know, Amber."
Amber's heart was racing. She had almost died...
"Back to Hailey?" Eva softly suggested.
Amber swallowed down a lump in her throat and nodded. "Is she okay?"
Eva slowly nodded. "Yeah, she's fine. It's you she's worried about. You should call her back while Luna is still out."
Amber could feel her face lighten up. "Can I?! What time is it?" She asked, but didn't need an answer as she leaned around Eva to catch the time on the digital clock. "It's five o'clock and school is over!" Amber was eager now to speak with her. She wanted to give her proof she was alright, and she wanted to talk to her in general as well.
Eva laughed as she slid out of the bed. "Okay, I'll be right back."
Eva left the room and Amber was so excited she couldn't stand herself. Eva was probably the sweetest person she knew.
The girl returned back in less than a minute with the house phone in hand.
"So if you press redial, it'll call Hailey's cell since she was the last person to call. Do you want privacy?"
Amber took the phone from Eva. "Yeah, if you don't mind."
Eva smiled and nodded at her. "I'll be sure to come in if Luna arrives."
"Thanks so much," Amber said.
"It's my pleasure," she responded before leaving the room again and shutting the door behind her.
Amber took a breath before punching the key to redial Hailey's number. She held it up to her ear and prayed Hailey would answer as the phone began to ring.
Her prayers were answered, since after the second ringing, she heard Hailey's smooth voice through the speaker.
"Hello?"
"Hailey...it's Amber," she said as her voice cracked.
"Amber?! Oh God, are you alright?!"
Amber chuckled into the phone and she felt herself blushing. "Yes. The real question is, are you?"
Hailey sighed. "I'm fine."
Amber then frowned as if Hailey could see her. "That's a lie."
"No, really. I mean...I am now that I know you are. Why would you run away?"
"I don't know. I had to take the risk, Hailey."
"Did you think Luna wasn't going to chase you? And where did you plan on going?" Hailey quizzed.
Amber felt like she was being accused, and she wasn't liking the way Hailey was addressing her. But she knew she hadn't planned anything out well, so she supposed she deserved some reprimanding.
"I didn't plan anything really. Are you mad at me?"
There was a long pause, and Amber was beginning to think that was Hailey's way of saying yes, when she at last spoke up.
"No, babe. You just had me real worried, that's all. Especially after you didn't show up Tuesday. Or the day after that..."
"I'm sorry, Hailey," Amber apologized as she held back tears. She hated hurting people, yet that seemed to be all she ever did.
"I want to kiss you right now," Hailey randomly confessed.
Amber felt her cheeks flush and she giggled. "I want to kiss you too."
"You need to promise me right now you'll kiss me right when you see me tomorrow. That is, if you're coming to school."
"I shall, Ms. Deprey. And I probably am. I haven't spoken to Luna yet, so I'm not-"
She was cut off when her door swung open to reveal Eva. "Luna's back!" She exclaimed.
"Dammit, I have to go," Amber quickly said into the phone. She felt like her and Hailey hadn't gotten much time at all to talk.
"Okay, okay. I love you, Amber."
"I love you, too," she told her before ending the call.
Eva darted over and took the phone from her in an outrageous rush. "Go to sleep," she whispered before running out of the room.
Amber stared at the closed door for a moment before laying her head against the pillow. She wondered if Luna planned on coming inside of her room, but she hoped she didn't. She did not want to see her, not now. The only person she wanted to see was Hailey.
She attempted to do as Eva had told her and closed her eyes. She popped them open once, though, to glance down at the ring Hailey had given her which still sat around her finger. She wondered if Luna had noticed it, but figured she hadn't since she didn't call her out for it.
She heard Luna's voice from somewhere nearby, but tried to ignore it as she forced her body to go to sleep. Eventually her body obeyed her and took her into a deep state of sleep.