Mary Anne laughed a little and looked at Adam and Samuel. Adam looked annoyed but a faint smile touched Samuel’s lips.
Suddenly the other four got up and left the house. We watched as they left and then we looked at each other. “So. What can vampires do?” Adam asked.
“Lots of things,” Samuel replied, standing up. He smiled in sardonic amusement when he saw Adam tense. “We have much greater strength. When you get stronger you can hypnotize and influence mortals.” He smiled. < And you can communicate from mind to mind> he finished silently for all of us to hear.
Adam jerked back and looked stunned and angry. He hissed through his teeth. “You are the most infuriating lothario I have ever met!” he snarled, also standing.
I suddenly grabbed his hand. “Adam, stop it!”
Adam answered without looking at me. “I didn’t start it Julia.”
Matthew leaned back, looking interested. Samuel was still; smiling at nothing in particular. He was very relaxed. I looked at Mary Anne. She rose to her feet and touched his hand. “Samuel, quit antagonizing the young man.”
Samuel looked down at her. They stared at each other but said nothing. Adam stepped away from me and faced them. “Would you just take my word on why I agreed to be a vampire?”
Samuel stared at him. “Why should I? All I know about you is what little Julia has told me.”
Mary Anne glanced towards me. “Men. It doesn’t matter how old they are, whether they are vampires or not, they never change,” she said.
I gave her a weird look, not fully understanding. Samuel glared at her, the expression almost one of warning. Mary Anne sighed and pulled him away.
Matthew smiled. “You all are the best entertainment I’ve had in a long time.”
“Be quiet, Matthew,” Samuel said mildly. He turned back to Mary Anne. “What?”
She lowered her voice when she answered but I still heard part of what she said. “.... Do not be a fool … know very well you cannot compete with soul mates.”
Adam and I stared at each other. “Any idea what she’s talking about, Julia?” Adam asked.
I shook my head. “Not in the faintest,” I replied looking back at Samuel and Mary Anne. Samuel said something to her harshly. Mary Anne shook her head and sat down.
I decided to take charge of the situation. I was hungry, and Samuel and Adam were about to come to blows over something I have yet to understand ...or even truly recognize. I had been without any positive attention for far too long. Indeed, almost this entire incident puzzled me. Naïve, who me?
Before anyone else could speak, I rose to my feet. “I want to take a walk with Adam. Can I do that?” I asked sarcastically, knowing very well I was going to walk out whether they wanted me to or not.
Everyone looked at me. Samuel stared at me intently. “I’m not going to stop you,” he replied in a voice that was a little too calm.
I didn’t stop to ponder it. “Good. I’ll see you all in an hour or two. Come on, Adam,” I said in exasperation, heading for the door. I didn’t bother with a cloak.
After a long second Adam followed me out the door. We both breathed sighs of relief. I began walking and he followed me. “Whoa. So this is how everything looks as a vampire living in the night.”
I looked back at him and smiled. “Aye. More or less.” I reached out and gently took his hand. “Come on, I have to teach you to hunt before you start starving. Especially since it seems no one wants to help.” I sighed, mostly to myself. I didn’t understand the others’ behavior.
Adam suddenly swung me around. “It doesn’t matter, Julia. We do not need them.” He reached up and touched my hair.
I flashed fangs. “Aye. We do need them. There’s lots of things going on that you do not know about yet.” I leaned on tiptoe and kissed him lightly. I then turned and walked into town.
Adam followed me helplessly. I swung around and followed a man down an alley. “Julia!” Adam hissed from behind me, sounding horrified.
I whirled and rose a finger to my lips. < Be quiet for a few minutes, Adam! You have to be silent.> I thought at him and continued to stalk our prey.
Finally, I made my move. I swung him around and grabbed him. Putting my hand over the man’s mouth, I ordered: “Get over here, Adam.”
Adam came to my side and I slowly coached him through the process. It was difficult to teach but I made do. He didn’t kill him – which was good. Adam wiped blood from his mouth and looked up at me. I began to walk again. “Now what are you doing, Julia?”
“Now that you’re satisfied I need to find someone to sate my hunger,” I replied with a faint smile. We moved farther into town and I lost my smile. I was very hungry – changing Adam had sapped my strength more than I had realized. Yet, I refused to double back for Adam’s victim. If I fed from him too he would surely die.
I looked around frantically. The streets seemed strangely more deserted than usual and I was frustrated. People were still usually out at this time. I forced myself to calm down and continue walking. After a long minute I stopped and stood still. I sensed six other vampires but knew instinctively that they weren’t our group. “Damn,” I whispered and turned to face the darkness on my right.
“What’s wrong?”
“I think we have a problem,” I answered without looking at Adam.
“And what problem is that?”
“Other vampires.”
“And that’s a problem?”
I raised my finger to my lips again. I had no time to answer his questions at the moment. I hoped that the other vampires wouldn’t notice us, but considering the group I was a part of, I figured that was probably as likely as jumping over the moon. Finally I nodded. “It could be,” I whispered. I edged to the right, trying to see the six. I saw the one and that’s when another flew at me. The others followed.
I whirled away from the one and parried the stake he was holding. I looked around and saw the other five fast closing in.
Fear raced through me as I struggled to stay calm and remember what I was taught. This had been the first time I had been attacked since I had become a vampire. In seconds, I weighed our situation. We were outnumbered, Adam was new and had no idea how to use any of his powers, and I was weak and inexperienced myself. I hadn’t felt this vulnerable in months ... almost a full year.
A few feet from me Adam tensed. “Not good, is it?”
“Not good,” I agreed, watching the six. They attacked again, three going after Adam, the other three going after me. I had never seen any of them before. I parried my first attacker and dragged him down to the ground. I turned just in time to fight off my second attacker. The third man came at me seconds later. I had barely managed to fight him off when the other two came at me again. After I threw a punch, one of them kicked me in the ribs hard enough to crack a couple. I doubled up cursing. As surprisingly well as I was fighting, I knew I didn’t have the strength left to fight off three of the attackers on my own.
I struck out again, and as I did so, remembered something Samuel had told me the first night I had gone out alone. “If you need help all you have to do is scream out to us with your mind.” I suddenly recalled his words with startling clarity. When we left earlier; he, Mary Anne, and Matthew were still at the house. The other four had gone out, hunting I assumed. Weakly fending off another blow, I screamed out telepathically to my housemates. < Samuel! Christy!> I shouted out a name from both groups not knowing which was closer.
I glanced at Adam, holding up fairly well– or at least as well as one could expect from a newborn vampire, and then refocused on my own fight. As I fought I looked for an escape route as well. I saw several openings but couldn’t get to them.
Presently, one of my attackers pulled out a knife as well. “Wonderful. The insane pointy teeth people have knives as well as stakes,” I grunted to myself. They launched themselves at me in a move I hadn’t expected. Their stab slashed open my arm and I weakened further.
I cradled my hurt
arm against my body and continued to fight. I had no choice. I knocked one of the stakes from the hands of my attackers. I rolled away from another assailant and picked up the stake. I turned and threw it at one of Adam’s attackers. It went right through the heart. “All right,” I whispered. I turned again just to be hit square in the face. I staggered and fell to the ground.
This is great, I thought silently. I become a vampire and now I die. I dragged myself to my knees. I looked up and saw the three men form a tight circle around me. The one directly in front of me held a stake. He spoke for the first time. “Are you Samuel’s fledgling?”
My lips formed a tight line and I didn’t answer. I tried to get to my feet. One of the others kicked me and I collapsed again. “Damnit, woman, answer! Answer like you blasted women should.”
I shook my head and heard Adam scream my name. “Scoundrel,” I muttered under my breath.
The one holding the stake slapped my face. “Answer, woman, or die,” he snarled. “Are you Samuel’s fledgling?”
I winced in pain and then heard a sickening crack. “So what if she is? Who wants to know?” a familiar voice asked. I looked up just in time to see the man drop dead beside me and Samuel do a spin kick to one of the other attackers. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Matthew tackling one of Adam’s two still standing attackers.
I smiled in spite of my condition. Help had finally arrived. Mary Anne arrived next and jumped my third assailant. She broke his arm instantly. “Now there’s something to tell your master,” she snarled at him. The vampire hissed at her. Mary Anne dragged him to the ground and twisted the arm she broke. “All right Michael. We are going to play twenty questions.”
“Now that is always fun,” Matthew replied, snapping his opponent’s neck. He turned and went to help Adam. Working together they succeeded in staking the last assailant.
I got to my feet and looked towards Samuel. He calmly dropped the vampire he had been fighting to the ground with a stake drilled into his heart. He turned towards me and Mary Anne. I shakily walked to Mary Anne’s side. Samuel and the others was there a second later. “Twenty questions time,” Mary Anne said gleefully. “Did Valentino send you?”
The vampire spit at her. He smiled despite his obvious pain. Samuel reached out and snapped his other arm. The man howled in pain and anger. “Answer the damn question, Michael. We greatly dislike people who attack us.”
“Aye, Valentino sent us!” the man blurted out.
Samuel twisted one of his arms. “Why?” he prodded coldly.
“He paid us to go after your Goddamned fledgling Samuel! He thinks you are training her to challenge him!” he cried out.
Samuel smiled thinly. “I guess you didn’t count on dealing with us.”
The vampire shook his head. “Nay. We thought you were out of the area.”
“Guess again, Michael.” Matthew snorted. “We do not leave our new fledglings without protection. Can I break his neck now, Samuel?”
I suddenly felt dizzy and lightheaded. “Samuel?” I asked weakly. I swayed on my feet slightly.
Samuel instantly turned towards me as Adam said, “By all means, go ahead Matthew.” Samuel waved them off and moved to my side.
“Sunshine?” he asked in a worried voice. He tried to steady me with a gentle hand.
“The world keeps moving. I did not get a chance to feed. One of those men slashed my arm ... think it’s still bleeding ... can’t tell ....” I mumbled. I didn’t even have the strength left to finish my sentence. Everything was spinning too fast. My legs gave out and I collapsed against him. I could barely stay awake.
“Samuel?!” Mary Anne said looking at us in alarm. “What shall ...?”
I felt Samuel slowly lower me to the ground. When he spoke his voice seemed to come from far away. “She needs human blood. Mary Anne, take Adam and go find Damien. I’m taking Julia back to the house. Matthew, kill this lackey and then find the other four... make sure they’re all right,” Samuel ordered tartly.
This time no one, not even Adam, argued with him. “All right,” Mary Anne and Matthew said in unison. I heard footsteps start away and distantly felt myself be picked up.
“It’s going to be all right, Julia.” I shut my eyes and didn’t answer. I was too exhausted and hungry.
When I awoke I found that I was lying on Samuel’s bed, covered with a thin blanket. “Samuel?” I asked drowsily.
Samuel suddenly came into view and sat beside me. He looked sick with worry. “I’m here, Julia. What is it?”
“Is Adam here?” I asked, looking at him.
He smoothed back my hair. “Not yet. He’ll be here any minute,” he answered worriedly. “Just try to rest.”
My eyes slipped shut against my will. “I do not think that’s going to be a problem,” I whispered. I struggled to speak again. “Samuel?”
“Aye, Sunshine?” Samuel asked in surprise. He must have thought I had drifted off again.
I spoke with effort. “Thank you for coming ... you probably saved both of our lives ... my life again.”
“No need to thank me, sweetheart. I only wish I had gotten there sooner.” Samuel sighed. He picked up my hand and held it gently.
I couldn’t stay awake any longer. My awareness of the world faded until all I sensed was Samuel holding my hand, and then even that sensation faded as well.
***
Chapter 10
I tasted a warm sweet liquid. It was the first sensation I was aware of in a long time. I began to suck at the liquid, which I realized was blood.
“She’s drinking the blood. That is good, is it not?”
“Aye. You must be very happy to be a blood donor, Damien,” Matthew said quietly.
“It doesn’t bother me. She’s my sister–in–law – alive or undead.” Damien replied.
“You knew about them ... knew Julia was a vampire the entire time?!” Adam muttered in disbelief.
“Aye.” Damien offered no further information.
I stirred groggily and weakly pushed his arm away. I didn’t want to harm him. I felt him move his arm until it was on my lips again. I tried to push it away again. “Julia, stop it! Take a little more, you need it!” Damien snapped.
I gave up and instead resumed drinking. A couple of seconds later I shoved his arm violently from me. “No more,” I whispered hoarsely. “I’ll kill you if I drink anymore ... I won’t be able to stop.”
I opened my eyes a second later. The room slowly came into focus. Adam was sitting on my right, Damien on my left, carefully wrapping his arm. Jeffrey and Robert sat at the table nursing minor wounds. Sharon sat next to them with her head down, her dark blonde hair spread out around her like a fan. Matthew stood behind her, examining a wound on her neck.
Samuel stood in the hall, looking back towards one of the bedrooms. He turned towards us, and his eyes were dark with fury. I had never seen him so angry. Instinctively, I flinched back. Usually if a man is that angry, it is directed towards me. I found myself wondering what I had done wrong.
Damien touched my shoulder and then looked towards Samuel as well. “Matthew, Mary Anne wants to see you,” Samuel said flatly. He really didn’t seem to notice anyone else.
Matthew looked up after murmuring something to Sharon. There was a split second of silence and then he asked, “How’s Christy?”
“Not good,” Samuel replied abruptly. “Mary Anne thinks it’s best if you go in now.”
Matthew jumped up, sprinted past everyone, and disappeared into one of the bedrooms.
I continued to stare at Samuel in confusion and fear. His body was tense and I could sense his rage build through the telepathy. I hadn’t seen any of the vampires this angry before. It frightened me – I didn’t understand what was going on. I whimpered softly without meaning to.
Samuel turned towards me at the sound and the emotion in his eyes changed to embarrassment … maybe even shame. He obviously hadn’t wanted me to see how upset he was. Before I could say anything he murmured
something like an apology and whirled around. Within seconds, he had disappeared out the door.
I looked at Adam and Damien. “What happened?”
Adam was the one who answered. “While Mary Anne and I went to get Damien, Matthew searched for Christy and the other three. He found them a ways outside of London. They had been ambushed … not long before we were; by a few other vampires with no warning. They didn’t even have a chance to call for help or send out an alarm. Christy was badly hurt, more hurt than you.” He touched my shoulder tenderly.
I stared in horror. “Oh no.” Suddenly, I understood why Samuel had seemed so angry. I struggled upright. “I’m going after Samuel.”
“Julia ... are you sure you’re strong enough?” Adam asked worriedly.
“Aye. Help me up Adam,” I answered. “Please.”
Adam nodded. “All right,” he agreed reluctantly. I pulled off the blanket covering me and used Adam and Damien’s support to slowly stand up. Damien then went towards the room Christy and Matthew were in.
“Are you all right so far?” Adam asked in concern.
I nodded and leaned against him for a second until I got my balance. I stepped away and then began to walk towards the door. Adam followed me out with a sigh. I knew he wanted me to rest more but I needed to do something – before I began to feel sorry for myself again. I felt so bad because I had misjudged the reason for Samuel’s anger; I had automatically assumed I had done something wrong, even though I logically knew that wasn’t possible.
Adam and I walked outside. I looked around and saw Samuel a few feet to my right, leaning against a fence we had put up a few months ago. He was facing the direction the sun would rise in a few hours.
“Samuel?” I asked as Adam and I approached. I was still somewhat shaky on my feet but I already felt much better. I can walk at least, I thought with a shrug.
At first there was no response but then he slowly turned towards us. “Julia? What are you doing out here? Shouldn’t you still be in bed?” he asked gently.
I walked over to him. “I came out to check on you. I was worried.”
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