by Unknown
“Fine. Just take it easy Wonder Woman,” she cringed.
The engine roared as we flew out of the nearly empty lot. “Call your mom. You’re staying with me tonight,” I ordered.
“You know she won’t go for that,” she replied.
“I’ll make her if I have to,” I warned.
Chapter 5
I pulled into the garage and had us inside less than three seconds after I cut the engine.
“I can walk you know,” Mel griped trying to stabilize herself.
“Sorry, I’m just a little freaked,” I replied pacing the living room.
“Lexi, tell me you didn’t,” my mother stood at the edge of the kitchen in horror. I looked at her face, into her eyes unsure what to say.
“Umm… Mrs. Jackson. I umm… I guessed. I’ve watched too many movies that had similarities. Lex stopped me from saying it out loud. That’s how she said she could protect me. I have an idea but not a title. So I don’t truly know for sure. Please don’t be mad at her though. It’s not that she’s careless or flaunts it, but… well… she’s my best friend and I know her too well. If she breathed a second too long I would pick up on it,” Mel spewed in my defense.
She stood for a solid minute passing between the two of us unsure of what’s appropriate I was assuming. This was the moment I’d dreaded. I knew I couldn’t keep Mel’s knowledge a secret forever, but I assumed I’d have more time. When she finally spoke, I wished she hadn’t.
“They arrested Kellan’s father.”
“What?! Why?!”
“They’re looking for Kellan too,” she added.
I felt my throat close up, the serum swell into my mouth and tears, silent but deadly, filled my eyes. “I don’t suppose you know why, do you?” I choked. My eyes drifted to the floor. I couldn’t imagine what they’d done.
“Beth called. She’s a wreck. Al compromised his position in the army and Kellan assisted.”
“That… this… it doesn’t make any sense!” I screamed.
“I need you to calm down Alexa,” she soothed.
“It’s going to be okay Lex,” Mel said as she pulled me into a hug. Either she’s naïve or just didn’t care because an angry or upset vamp can turn on anyone.
“The night of your party both Kellan and Al allowed your human friend Mike to leave despite the fact that he knows about us. That is a felony in our world Lexi,” she detailed pulling me to sit on the sectional.
“Wait,” I stopped abruptly. “Are they arresting them because Mike is human and knows?”
“Yes,” she sighed.
“But, Mom, Mike is a…” I glanced at Mel for a moment before continuing. “Mom, he’s one of us, an Al, now. That’s why I dashed here with Mel. Kellan and his friend Craig are fighting or doing something with him in the school parking lot. He’s after me.”
“Oh my!” she exclaimed. “I have to call Beth. Oh, and one more thing Lexi.”
“Yeah?”
“I’m not a fan of their request but we must honor it.”
“Honor what with who?” I pressed.
“The High Authorities have requested a meeting with you.”
“With me? What for?”
“I’m not sure sweetie. It’s been set for this Thursday at 11pm. I’ll be accompanying you,” she answered.
“Where at?” I asked hesitantly. I couldn’t think of where they would be located around here. I wasn’t even sure who the High Authorities were truly. I was assuming they were a part of the vamp army or our secret rulers.
“The Underground Station. It’s a secret underground passage in downtown which acts as their camp control office and army headquarters here,” she replied.
“Oh… umm… okay. I guess that makes sense since sunlight weakens them,” I whispered in acknowledgement.
“I’m going to call Beth. Hopefully this will be enough to prompt for a bail option.”
“Sure,” I replied as she walked toward her bedroom, cell phone in hand.
“Lex I know it’s not the best time but I didn’t eat. You know… the whole lunch thing and then Craig was supposed to take me out but that’s down the crapper,” Mel said.
“I’ll order you a pizza. Pepperoni and peppers?” I checked.
“Duh,” she smiled.
I chuckled. “Let’s go upstairs. I’ll order it online.”
“My stomach loves you,” she grinned.
“And mine loves you,” I smirked.
“Don’t remind me. It’s creepy.”
The pizza arrived a few minutes before the guys and my dad. We all crowded on the sectional. Kellan began as Craig and my dad grabbed a slice of pizza.
“You can eat pizza?” Mel asked Craig wrinkling her forehead in confusion.
“She knows?” my dad chimed in with panic.
“No titles or confirmation just skills and abilities,” my mother replied. He nodded and bit into his slice.
“Yes love. Unlike my mate I can eat anything my pitter desires,” Craig answered patting his chest where his heart is. “But enough banter. Tell ‘em the juicy bits mate.”
And Kellan did. From my intuition this morning to the parking lot incident and further to their forty mile chase. “He headed into the Southside Forest which means only one thing,” he concluded.
“The Bladangs changed him,” my mother finished.
“The who? Is that how it sounds? Like a blood gang?” I had never heard the name or word before.
“The Bladangs are sort of the fang bangers of your region,” Craig explained grabbing another slice of pizza.
“Like a gang? Like the Bloods or Cripps; a mafia type thing?” Mel pressed stuffing the last of her third slice in her mouth. She was fully engaged in the story.
“Sort of. They are a solid, strong cult of you-know-whats made up of a lot of humans seeking immortality. They provide immortality free of charge as long as you sign your life away,” Kellan explained.
“And by signing your life away you mean…” I prompted.
“Agreeing to fighting any and all battles the gang warrants. They are a savage group, second strongest in the world due to numbers, who hate your kind and despise the order and composition of the army. Mike got his battle with us approved by their leaders because you’re a…” he looked at Mel before continuing, “well, you and my dad is in the army,” he added.
“So what happens if he catches me?” I was beginning to worry all over again.
“He won’t,” Kellan stated firmly, locking his eyes with mine.
“But… it could,” I insisted.
“Don’t worry about tid bits love,” Craig assured me. It didn’t help though. The insecurity was lying low in the pit of my stomach. Mike was not alone anymore. He’s part of a larger enemy. I wasn’t just running from him, I was running from an entire gang called the Bladangs.
“Please tell me what will happen,” I pleaded, looking deep into Kellan’s green eyes trying to search his soul for some sort of answer.
“He will make you choose between enslavement and death,” Kellan responded between locked teeth and an angry growl.
“Enslavement?” I pushed, swallowing a bout of serum rising.
“Marriage,” my mother stated.
“Marriage is a tiddle different for us love. No divorce and mackers are killed,” Craig explained.
“Mackers?” Mel cut in.
“You know, mackers? Mack daddy’s? The cheaters,” he defined.
I silently sunk. In less than two weeks I’d had a vamp out to kill me and now another out to capture me. Oh, and he’s being supported by a whole gang of fang bangers…whatever those were. I’d have been borderline stroked if I was still human.
“Kellan, I know now is not the best time but are you aware of your father’s situation?” my mother asked delicately.
“Yea. I talked to my mom before I got here. They released him and the High Authorities are meeting with him later. He may lose his job.”
I gasped in shock. Guilt was sur
ging through me. “But… he… he helped me. He…” I struggled to speak, overwhelmed by the entire situation.
“Calm down Lexi. It’s going to be okay,” Kellan said pulling me into his arms. He carefully kissed my forehead like he always did.
“It’s… it’s just not fair,” I whimpered. Al and Kellan were there defending me; there to help me that night. It was Al who finished off Keira for me and Kellan pulled me back together afterwards when my nerves mixed with my adrenaline.
“Umm, I’ll give you guys some time,” Mel interjected. She got up to head upstairs.
“Want to catch a flick love? You do owe me a date,” Craig propositioned.
Mel smiled. “Sure. Do you mind Lex? If you need me I can stay,” she offered.
“No, I’ll be fine. Go have fun,” I replied.
“Yay! Just give me a sec to freshen up,” she squealed. Craig got up as well.
“Craig. Cop a squat!” I commanded.
“Cop a what?” he cracked.
“Sit. I have questions for you,” I ordered sternly.
“Yes ma’am,” he mocked. “Never cross her mate,” he whispered to Kellan.
“I can hear you,” I frowned.
“I know,” he winked. “Now go on love. What tickles your curiosity?”
“How many girls have you been with?”
“Seriously?” he leaned back wearily.
“Mel’s my best friend; actually more like my sister. So if you plan on taking her for a ride, I need to know how many you’ve ridden already and what kind stat,” I exclaimed coming across as an army general on purpose.
“You’re not fiddlin with me, are you?”
One second later he was pinned to the wall with me in his face. “Did it sound like I was fiddling with you Craigy?” He was trying to escape.
My dad and Kellan burst into laughter. To my surprise, I even heard a chuckle from my reserved mother.
“Ugh… matey? Kellan?” Craig stuttered unable to push me off of him.
“For your own safety mate, I suggest you just answer her,” Kellan said, amused by the whole thing.
I grinned my best evil villain expression and gave a final bump of pressure on him.
“I’ve sucked a lot of bells but done the bed brawl with one, a vampeen,” he spewed.
I released him and beamed approvingly. “See, that wasn’t so hard,” I teased.
“Damn mate, you’re doll has an iron grip and bullocks the size of Russia,” Craig commented.
“Or maybe you’re just a wimp Blair,” Kellan burst into laughter again.
“I’m ready,” Mel announced as she skipped down the stairs. She had changed into her dark skinny jeans, a pair of Uggs and a light pink hoodie. She always seemed to have a backup outfit with her.
“You look cute… and cozy,” I smiled.
“Definitely. Don’t wait up,” she joked. Craig scurried towards her.
“Craig!” I called as they headed for the front door.
“Yes master?”
“Guard her with your life or else you’ll lose yours,” I warned.
“You’re sexy when you’re bossy,” Kellan smirked leaning in to kiss me.
“She is not sexy! Lips off vuh… mister!” my dad demanded, almost slipping while Mel was still able to hear.
“Dad,” I whined. I know every father hates to hear their daughter called certain things but sexy is not on the bad side of the list.
“Lexi, why don’t you and Kellan go upstairs or for a walk so your father and I can talk,” my mother requested shifting uncomfortably in her seat. I hadn’t seen her like that in a while so I knew it was serious.
“We’ll be in my room,” I replied standing to walk towards the stairs.
“Door open young lady,” Dad added.
“Actually, I’d prefer it closed to add a bit more padding between our conversation and her sensitive ears,” my mother explained to my father. He sighed and nodded.
“Got it.” I said.
Near the top of the stairs Kellan lifted me into his arms and tossed me on my bed. Before I could blink his lips were on mine and his hands exploring over my clothes.
“Hey, hey. Don’t get sassy,” I chuckled between kisses as I lightly smacked his arm.
“There you go getting bossy again. Sexy,” he purred like a cat before sliding to kiss my neck.
“Umm, Kellan?”
He pulled back to look into my eyes. “Yeah?”
“In the parking lot, Mike said that vampires can claim humans and vampeens as their own. How, uh, how do you do that exactly?” I stumbled unsure of how he would react.
He rolled onto the bed beside me. I nuzzled into his arms. “It’s different with vampeens and humans,” he answered.
“With a vampeen, like say me… how does it work?” I fidgeted with my hands.
“You exchange blood. It can be as little as one drop as long as you both take from each other. It changes your scent to complement each other; the perfect his and her fragrance.”
“But how do you tell the difference?” I propped myself up on my elbow to face him.
“Well, you can’t, but every human and vamp has their own unique scent. To a human it’s faint if they can even smell it at all, but to a vamp it’s like everyone is a different bottle of perfume or cologne. A vampire tends to smell musky like the earth; vampeens smell more like a speck of blood on the tip of a rose. So you smell earthlike in floral but with a hint of blood for your humanity. And humans smell entirely of mouthwatering blood. When a vamp claims a human, the human has consumed a few drops of the vamp’s blood without the serum. It changes the human’s pheromones so they smell like the vampire or vampeen that claimed them. They no longer smell entirely of blood; they smell like they’ve been half drained and rolled around the forest.”
“Interesting. And if say… we… were to exchange blood… what would I smell like?” I pondered, gazing into his eyes awaiting my fate.
“Like a field of flowers in the middle of the forest with no enticement of blood. When you drink from a vampire, it uh… well it feeds your vampiric DNA and nearly converts you. You become attuned to each other. It’s even rumored that certain vamps who exchange can hear each other’s thoughts,” he explained, brushing his fingers thoughtfully through my hair.
“Does my dad smell… different?” I asked flipping to face the ceiling.
“Yes,” he stated. That single response took me back down to the conversation my parents were having.
“You’ll be safer to leave Stewart. I’d feel better knowing you’re safe. I’ll need to focus on protecting Lexi,” my mother argued.
“I don’t have time left at work. I’d have to quit,” he replied sounding a bit annoyed.
“Then quit. We have plenty of money in the bank plus my mother’s stock worth much more. Your life is worth more than seventy thousand a year,” she reasoned.
“Damn it Sharon. I’m tired of being a liability to you. Do you know how humiliated I feel to know I can’t protect my family, especially Alexa?” he exclaimed. I could hear him pacing and felt the dreaded silence of my mother’s soul. “That’s all I want is to be a part of this family; to be the man of this family.”
“But you are,” she pressed.
“I’m not able to attend half the vamp meetings because I’m human. I feel like an outcast in that world. And now that Alexa is one, I feel like an outsider in my own family. I can’t go everywhere with you, I can’t do anything close to amazing like you, but, most important, I can’t protect you or Lex should a vamp attack.” He sat down before continuing. “If either of you was hurt or destroyed, I would feel responsible because had I been a vampire I could have possibly prevented it. I stand by my earlier request Sharon. I want to be made into a vampire,” he stated solemnly.
“But we’ll never… I’ll never… we can’t be together intimately if you do Stewart. I’ll be beside you but could never be with you for all of eternity,” my mother broke down. I heard the tears falling
though she tried to be quiet, to hide her desperation.
My heart snapped and lungs collapsed, or so it felt. I let out a light gasp as silent tears began rolling freely down my cheeks. I was frozen in the moment, stuck on the words I’d never imagined my father saying and the concern I’d never pictured my mother having.
Kellan lifted me into his arms and ran downstairs. “She heard,” he whispered to my mother as we flew past. Seconds later we were in the car and Kellan pulled out of the garage and sped down the road.
“You can’t always pull me out of the fire,” I stated staring ahead at the dark road. The sun had set about twenty minutes before.
“Maybe not, but I’ll always try,” he replied taking my hand and entwining our fingers.
I leaned over and kissed his cheek. “I know. That’s why…”
“Why what?” he asked, slightly breathless as if he knew what was coming.
“Umm… that’s why I’m your girlfriend.”
“Oh. Of course,” he said, disappointment clear in his tone. I felt bad, but just couldn’t say those words yet. It was too soon.
Chapter 6
“What a week!” Mel exclaimed as we entered our Thursday night hangout – Barnes & Noble. “I’m so in need of a macchiato!”
“Can I… I mean am I able to drink this stuff?” I whispered to Kellan as we all headed towards the café. Typically this was girl’s night, but due to the week’s events, and my date with the vamp leaders later, the guys tagged along but promised not to hover.
“You can drink anything without sugar and carbonation,” he replied with a chuckle.
“Hey, we’re not bringing that up mate,” Craig chimed in with a quick defensive tone.
“Now pay attention to what I order Craig. This is a life or death memory. Ask Lex, you never want to bring me the wrong drink!”
“Uh, yea. Even now I think she would kick me all the way to Europe if I dared to bring her the wrong sip,” I confirmed. I turned to Kellan who had played the part of the doting boyfriend since the Mike incident. Even Jason backed off. “So… I can drink water, coffee, and tea with no sugar? Ugh.”
“Nothing really tastes the same. I doubt you’ll like anything but water and the red stuff,” he replied running his hands up and down my back.
