“No, wait!” Jace said, holding up his hands. It was too late. The girl dashed through the door. Jace sped through the rows of desks quickly and busted into the hall after her. The halls were more crowded now with students. He frantically searched left and right, but there was no sign of her.
Jace stood there after the bell rang and the halls had already emptied, wondering who the hell that girl was and how would he find her again.
***
Ana
I woke up sprawled out on the floor. My body felt heavy. It was like all my energy was completely drained. I crawled to where my duffle bag was, desperate for some relief. I dug inside, pulling out two bags of blood. My fangs extended instantly, and I ripped the bag open greedily, downing the room-temp liquid. The smooth blood trickled down my throat, immediately restoring my vigor. I could feel my strength rush back, even more so when I gobbled down the second bag. I really wanted more, but I was trying to teach myself control. Besides, I had no clue where the nearest blood bank was.
I stepped on pieces of broken glass as I walked to the bathroom. Last night, when my control slipped, the wave of energy released trashed the room. My powers must be stronger than what I was aware of.
In the dimly lit bathroom, I turned the shower on high. It sputtered a few times before springing to life. Stripping out of the damp gym clothes was a relief. The water pelted against my skin, hard and hot. I relaxed into it.
My mother’s story popped in my head once more. It was still so unbelievable that I was kidnapped. I wondered what my real mother was like. According to Lucy, I just sprang from the earth in blazing glory. Yeah, right. I planned to find this woman she told me about and question her too. Someone must know of the truth. I just couldn't wrap my mind around my mother’s story. If it were true, what would that make me?
I shook my head. It was damn near impossible. Up until two years ago, I lived a normal human life with no indications of a supernatural element.
After my shower, I dressed casually and tied my hair up. Today was going to be a busy one. First, I had to go back to school and find Simon. I was worried that I might have put him in a coma. I should have laid that on him gently, but I was irritated and hungry. It couldn't be helped. He had been overdramatic with the fainting. I’d let that slide but only if he explained why he was friends with Jace.
I sprinted to school and was a little early. Hopefully, Simon stuck to his usual behavior and was early too. I received a few glares and lustful stares as I entered. The glares were mostly from my sister’s crowd of friends. They better back off before they got some of the beating my sister got.
Ignoring them, I walked into the school and went right to Simon’s first class. As soon as I walked in, I wasn’t surprised Simon wasn't there. Even so, something kept me rooted to the floor. Jace’s scent had drool practically dripping from my lips. I stared as he slowly turned his head in my direction. When his eyes met mine, the familiar sensations rippled the air. It was the same as before except it was a little stronger, probably due to my vampirism. I studied his handsome face, mesmerized by every feature: the full lips, strong jaw, and dimples. He looked even better now than before.
His reaction to me was surprising. It was the way his eyes held mine so intensely as if he refused to let go. Emotions were swirling in his depths so fast, it was hard to decipher. I was vaguely aware of his movement towards me. I was too busy reading him.
That was when I saw a flash of one clear emotion: desire.
Why did that flash through him? He couldn't possibly feel that way! The guy who ignored me and stole my best friend was looking at me like I was his.
This was too much, and I didn't have time to deal with it. I stepped back, making my way to the exit. Jace watched me, knowing what was about to happen.
“No, wait!” He shouted as he held up his hands. Taking my chance, I dashed out the door into the deep crowd. Jace could try following, but it would be useless.
I darted out of the school as fast as I could.
Jace’s awe-filled eyes wouldn't get out of my head. He didn't even recognize me, so why was he looking at me like he knew me? Could it be possible that the connection we shared was what he remembered? I forced all thoughts of him to the back of my mind, focusing instead to find Simon.
My sprinting ended with me in his backyard. The large two-story house looked just as perfect as always. Simon’s mom was a bit of a control freak. Even the grass didn't dare lose any of its unreal green color.
I could hear his even heartbeat through the walls. No one else was home. After making sure the coast was clear, I leaped into the tree outside Simon’s window with ease. The white curtains were open, and I could see him lying peacefully on his small bed. Simon was tall, so his feet dangled off a little. I rapped on the glass to wake him. Simon, of course, turned over and ignored it.
Damn it, Sy, I didn't have all day.
I tapped again. Still, there was nothing. Geez, he slept hard. This time, I pounded the glass. Simon’s body jumped up, startled, and tumbled off the bed. A laugh burst from my lips. He was such a dork. Simon shot up, looking around all confused and disheveled. Then, his eyes landed on me.
“Open the window.” I mouthed.
He shook his head no. Was he kidding me right now? I gave him a stern look. Finally, he walked over slowly and popped the lock. I climbed into the window effortlessly. His room was messy but still the same; clothes everywhere and pictures of us on the walls. There were also a few pictures of him and Jace. Great!
“Ana, is that really you?” Simon asked, watching me.
“Yes! Geez, Sy, why’s this so hard to believe?” I asked. Simon’s reaction to me was getting on my nerves.
“You look so different, is all.This is…” He trailed off, reaching his finger out to poke me in the face.
I smacked his hand away.
“What happened to you?” He asked.
I sighed and plopped onto his mattress. This was not something I was ready to get into right now. I mean, he fainted after I announced myself, so who knew what he might do if I told him what my last two years had been like.
“Spit it out,” Simon said, studying me for a minute.
I rolled my eyes.
“There’s not much to tell, Simon.” I lied.
“Not much to tell?!” He scoffed. “Ana, you disappeared for two years! No, you vanished. Poof, gone! The police searched, the school searched, the whole damn town searched and nothing. Not a trace of you was found. Kim started telling everyone you were dead! I didn't believe it, but after a year of no leads, I sort of lost hope. I'm sorry, Ana. It's just that it was hard for me after you left. And now, you just pop back up. It's like seeing a ghost and the ghost got a makeover.” Simon explained then sat on the edge of his bed.
I was such an ass for not thinking of how hard my disappearance was on him. It was not like he had any other friends. I guess, because I knew I wasn’t dead, I assumed nobody was worried. How dumb.
Of course, Kim was the first to say I was dead. It was kind of true but still! Argh! I hate her!
I scoot nexted to my best friend and wrapped my arms around him.
“I'm sorry, Sy. I didn't mean to leave you all alone,” I said in his ear.
Suddenly, Simon latched on to me and hugged me back with all his strength. It felt good and familiar to feel his warmth. I'd missed him so much. Clearly, he felt the same way. We pulled apart and locked eyes. Simon’s glistened.
“Are you crying, Sy-fi?” I teased.
“No!” he said defensively. Simon stood up, giving me his back while he wiped his eyes. I choked my laugh down as I wiped my own tears.
“So, spill it.” He demanded again.
I still wasn't ready to answer.
“What do you think happened?” I asked because I knew he had some theories of his own.
Simon’s eyes lit up, and I knew I was right. He jumped off the bed and practically ran to his dresser, pulling out stacks of paper.
“So
, my theory was it had to be government conspiracy.” He started.
“Government conspiracy?” I chuckled.
“Yes!” He exclaimed, tossing all the papers at my feet. “This research that I found about how the government kidnaps teens and trains them to be elite assassins; like they put them through military training or experiment on them or something. And the way you disappeared implied a government cover-up. I mean, that’s…at least, what Jace and I came up with.”
“Jace?” I snapped.
“Oh, uh, well, we’re friends,” he said sheepishly. He gathered his papers, avoiding eye contact with me. Then, he grabbed a pair of jeans and slipped them over his Harry Potter shorts. Clearly, I could tell they were friends, but what I wanted to know was how that came to be. Jace’s handsome face clouded my sight for a moment before I shook it off.
“There's a party tonight. You want to go?” Simon asked, pulling a green Yoda shirt over his head.
Confusion covered my face. What did he just say?
“A party? Since when do you go to parties?” My shocked state showed in my voice and Simon’s cheeks reddened.
“Oh, uh, we-we go sometimes. Jace likes to have a beer with the guys. It's pretty cool. They’re not mean to me when he's around.” Simon told me, gathering some books from his desk.
“Well, isn't Jace so great?” I muttered to myself.
Simon’s laugh brought my attention back to him.
“Don’t be jealous, Ana. You’ll always be my best friend,” he said in a childish voice as he stuffed his books into his backpack.
Jealous? I was certainly not jealous. Was I? I stood up to pace while I thought. Maybe I was a little jealous, but I had every right to be. Simon was my only friend. Jace had plenty he didn’t need. Now, he wanted to claim mine too?
“So, would you go with me tonight? It’ll give us a chance to hang out and take your mind off whatever it is that’s bugging you,” Simon said as he stood in front of me.
My brow rose. What was he talking about?
Simon folded his arms across his chest. “Come on, Ana. Not everything had changed about you. For one, when something’s on your mind, you blink like a thousand times. It’s kind of funny; like you’re trying to blink it away or something.” Simon said with an amused smile on his face.
Okay, guess he still knew me well enough. Maybe this party wouldn’t be so bad.
“I might stop by this party or whatever,” I said casually, trying not to smile at Simon’s goofy grin. I pushed his shoulder playfully. We fell into an easy banter about his life for the last two years. For the most part, he’d just been trying to get some space from his control freak mother, who would be home soon, so it was time for me to go. I began to walk to the window. If I was going to a party, I felt, maybe, I should change or something.
“Where are you going?” Simon asked.
“To my motel to change and stuff. Plus, I don’t want to run into your mom. I’ll meet you there later.” I told him then pried open the window.
“We have a door, you know,” he said mockingly.
I laughed. “This is more fun.”
I stuck one leg out, but before I could jump out, Simon spoke again.
“Wait! Does anyone else know your back?”
“No. Let’s keep it that way for now,” I said sternly before leaping out of the window. I looked back up and nearly laughed at Simon whose mouth was open at my perfect landing. I winked at him before I took off jogging.
“Government experiment!” He shouted after me.
I laughed. His theory was interesting, and it did the job of getting me out of explaining the truth for now. Surely, he would ask a ton of questions later, but I’d deal with that then. Honestly, my mind was burnt out. It was still spinning from all the stuff my mother told me. As much as I didn’t want to believe it, a small part of me felt that she was telling the truth. This just sucked. And to add more mystery to my situation, there was Jace and his strange reaction to me. Yeah, I think a party was just what I needed; one night to act like a normal teenager again. Well, maybe not normal for me since I’d never been to a party, but it was normal for the normal, I guess. For the last two years, I’d felt three times my actual age, so this may be good for me.
Back at my motel, I saw several maids sweeping the glass. It looked like I shattered the glass in the entire building. Whoops! Luckily, it was during a storm, so no one suspected that a person caused it.
When I got to my room, I downed a bag of blood just to make sure I was nice and full. This party was sure to have Jace and Kim in there. I was not sure how I would deal with them, but I was planning to just avoid them, if possible.
I took off my clothes, leaving on the sports bra and boy shorts to train. I closed my eyes and began the punching and kicking methods Seb taught me. I tried not to think about how much I missed him and Marie. It was hard.
For hours, that was all I did; various training techniques and exercising. By the time I was finished, I was not even winded. These vampire effects still surprised me. After a quick shower, I ruffled through my duffel bag. Of course, all the clothes packed were practical and not for a party. I grabbed a pair of jeans and tore the legs off, creating a pair of shorts. I did the same with the sleeves of a t-shirt and made it a tank. Being a little bold, I tore the cleavage open just to add some sexiness to it. It was my first high school party in a new body, so why not show off some. Finally, I left my long wet hair down in waves. I didn’t have make up or anything, so I was done.
I passed the cracked mirror on my way out and gasped at the sight of myself. I looked like a train wreck. My shorts were ripped uneven, and my top looked like I’d been in a fight and lost. There was nothing sexy about this.
“Well, this won’t do,” I said to myself. There was no way I would go to my first party looking crazy. I couldn’t give my former bullies the satisfaction of having something new to tease me about.
I used my super speed, and in minutes, I was at a fancy department store in the mall. I got a lot of strange looks from the customers, but I ignored it. A tall African-American man approached me from behind at the cosmetics counter. He had full makeup and looked glamorous.
“How can I help you sweetie?” He smiled warmly and his gold eyeshadow and gold lips sparkled with every hit of the light. I had never seen a man look so beautiful in makeup. He wore it with pride, and I couldn’t help but smile at him.
“Well, uh, there’s this party, and uh, I’ve never been to a party, but I know I can’t show up like this.” I gestured at myself.
He pursed his lips, assessed me from head to toe, and smiled.
“Oh, honey, don’t worry. I got you.” He grabbed my hand and pulled me along with him.
The next two hours were spent trying on outfits and shoes and getting my hair done. We finally settled on a black sleeveless chiffon dress with mesh at the top. It was backless and tight at the waist. It flowed freely, ending at my mid-thigh. He paired it with black wedges because, as he said, I did’t want to look like I was trying too hard. He added some loose curls to my hair and pinned half of it up. Finally, he did my makeup.
“Now, since you are already a beautiful girl, we don’t want to put too much on your face.” He explained. “Just some eyeliner, mascara and nice red lips to make it all pop.”
He smeared some lipstick on me. “Voila!” He held a mirror in front of me, and I beamed.
“Wow! You are amazing!” I engulfed him in a hug. He hugged me back.
“I can’t argue with that!” He responded, and we both laughed. I pulled out a wad of money and handed it to him.
He pushed it back. “It’s on me. We got to help each other out when we can.”
His words confused me until he smiled, and this time, fangs erupted from his mouth. In an instant, they were gone.
“You’re a…”
“Yes, just like you, honey. Now get to that party and melt some teenage hearts. If you need anything, you come see me. I’m Ms. Nubian by the way.�
��
“Uh, I’m A-Ana.” I stuttered, still shocked that I ran into another vampire here. He smiled, and I slowly got out of the store. Was that just a coincidence, or should I be worried he might know Marcus.
By the time I got to the party, it was already dark and it was in full swing. Teens were sitting on the front porch of the large house, talking, dancing and laughing with plastic cups in their hands. The music was loud, but I couldn’t understand any of the words. I took a deep breath. Okay, Ana, it was just a party. I was feeling anxious. It was probably because most of the kids in there made my life hell or maybe because I could already smell Jace.
Whatever the reason, I let it go as I slipped from the safety of the trees and walked across the street up to the house. Most people outside stopped what they were doing to stare at me. I tried my best to keep a stern face. These people would not hurt me again. I had made it up the porch steps and was about to enter the house when a warm hand on my arm stopped me.
“Hey, new girl, I didn’t think you would be here.” It was none other than stupid Bobby. Didn’t he learn anything from my punch? I snatched my hand from his grip. He looked disappointed but cleared it with a smile. Okay, this was weird.
“Uh, I’m Bobby. I didn’t catch your name,” he said, offering his hand.
I just looked at it.
“That’s because I never gave it to you. What do you want?” I asked, trying to get to the point.
Pure: A Paranormal Romance Page 17
