Vetra woke up with her hair in her eyes and tangled as always. She sat up and without caring slipped her Mountain View High School pull over hoodie over her wrinkled yellow tank top. She sat up and tossed the bunny to the corner of her bed. She brought her feet off the bed and kicked away piles of dirty clothes and old wrappers away from the bed.

She pulled on a pair of old, ripped, black jeans and placed her black moccasins over her small feet. An emo feeling lingered in her mind so she decided to wear all black to school today besides the tank top. She shuffled down the hall, half asleep, and was greeted by Dimitri on the couch sipping at a cup of black coffee.

“Uh, what are you doing in my house Dimitri?”

He looked his gaze to Vetra and smiled an all tooth smile, “I didn’t get to give you my present yesterday.” He handed her a small purple box with bats printed on the wrapping paper. “I think you’ll like it, Julius said you would.”

“Okay? Thank you, I like the wrapping paper.”

“Thought you would, open it before I just die.” He spit the sentence out in excitement.

Vetra took her fingernail and slid it under the tap, careful not to destroy the time and effort to wrap the box.

Julius came from the small kitchenette and sat down on the couch next to Dimitri then leaned into his shoulder, “It’s from both of us sis. Don’t think I didn’t forget about you on your “special” day.”

Vetra threw the now crinkled square of paper to the ground and was now working on the cardboard box and the endless amounts of tape, “How much tape is on this thing?”

Dimitri sipped his coffee and smiled devilishly, “Enough to keep you occupied.”

Vetra’s emotions soured, “Is this a joke? If so, I am not in the mood to be participating in a joke.”

Julius spoke up, “It’s not. Can’t you trust me Vetra?”

Vetra broke through the layers of tape and the flaps propped open, “Sometimes sometimes not.”

A layer of tissue paper was below the cardboard box flaps and Vetra tore through and shredded it in no time at all. A small locket in the shape of a crescent moon laid in the bottom of the box. Vetra picked it up and held it in the air, dropping the box. The silver surface flawless and her reflection was spread across the curved surface. She squeezed the clasp and it opened quickly revealing tons of pictures with Vetra and Julius together. They had their arms around Plato in togas. Next to that was a picture of Julius hugging Shakespeare. The one below that was Vetra sitting in the white house oval office chair behind the desk with Abraham Lincoln at her side with his hat off and a litter of papers pilled inside.

Vetra’s eyes stung from tears but she forced them down when she wrapped her arms around her brother. She hugged him with her full strength, the necklace still in her hands. Julius plucked the necklace from her hands and placed it around Vetra’s neck.

She stood up and picked the locket up off her chest and let it sit in her hand, “Thank you so much guys. I love it.”

Julius wrapped an arm around Dimitri and smiled, “Knew it, we should be going. School starts in thirty minutes.”

Vetra face palmed herself, “Damn it. Lets go, were stopping before we go to school, I didn’t eat.”

Julius shacked a bottle full of blood, “Here you go.” He tossed the bottle at Vetra, “Now we need to go.”

Vetra caught it mid air, “Okay.”

The group of vamps walked out of the apartment in a line. They walked down the stairs fast and all hopped in Vetra’s car. They drove to Mountain View in silence except Vetra’s Shinedown CD. She pulled into the student parking lot and parked close to the front as she could.

“Julius a word.”

“Okay,” he kissed Dimitri before he ran to the school, “Yes sis”

Vetra pulled the hood over her head and grabbed Julius’s hand, “I really love the necklace. How did you get the photo of Shakespeare?”

He smiled a cocky smile, “I have my ways.” His eyes gleamed in the morning light, “I’m glad you like the gift. It was Dimitri’s idea.”

Vetra giggled, “That genius, you have one hell of a boyfriend.”

He raked a hand through his hair, “Don’t I know it.” he smiled at his sister and his eyes wandered to the sky, “May I catch up with him? We actually need to work today. You know, after what happened yesterday.”

Vetra ruffled Julius’s hair and brought him into another hug, “Go play, I’ll see you in fourth period.”

Julius patted Vetra on the back and couldn’t help smiling, “You too, bye.”

Vetra nodded as he jogged to the entrance of the school where Dimitri was waiting, “Have fun.”

Vetra hoisted her bag onto her shoulder and strolled into school with the hood over her head. Instantly, she was bomb rushed by people giving her hugs. Carla and Sarah walked casually up to her wearing matching In Fear and Faith T-shirts and classic jean shorts, despite the fall chill.

Carla gave Vetra a one shoulder hug, “Hey. How you been?”

Vetra smiled and let her personality take over her body despite all the stress she had been put in lately. “Fine. You?”

Carla exploded in a monologue, “Good. Dad is getting me a car for my eighteenth birthday can you believe that? And also, he is letting me have alcohol at my party. Ah, can’t wait! Are you-”

Sarah gave Vetra a one shoulder hug also, but she cut off Carla, “Ready for the test in Spanish today?”

Vetra nodded, “I’m going to try.”

Carla pulled on Vetra’s sleeve, “Hey, check out the hottie across the quad. He is looking at you Vetra.”

“Where?” Vetra questioned as she scanned the quad for the so called hottie Carla was talking about.

A tall, thin teenage boy walked across the grass on the other side of the quad with black hair that was long all over and seemed to cover his eyes barely. His olive green eyes seemed to have fireworks of yellow flecks exploding in the middle. His face seemed to be carved from marble as his square chin was set in a grin looking directly at Vetra. His toned arm grasped onto his backpack which was over one of his wide shoulders.

A surge went through Vetra and almost knocked her off her feet. Carla caught her before she hit the ground. The boy turned his gaze away before Vetra could process what happened. A teenage girl, about a sophomore, followed him trying to get his attention.

Her body was hunched forward a little and her size was what a typical teenager should be. The only thing not normal about her was her eyes. They glowed grey as she spoke, directly focused at his.

Vetra, unable to control herself, got out of Carla’s hold and started to walk over to them like a zombie. She reached them and was greeted with a “And who are you?” by the girl.

Vetra faced the boy and stammered out, “I’m Vetra.”

He cocked his head and laughed softly, his voice deep and rich yet not making fun of her. “Vetra, that’s a cool name. I’m Matthew, nice to meet you.”

Vetra almost fainted when he said his name. Vetra couldn’t spit the sentence out fast enough as she shook his hand, “I love the name. You know, Matthew.” She turned to the girl, “And your name is?”

The girl’s eyes dulled and she was reluctant to say her name until Matthew poked her in the shoulder, “Prithi. Nice to meet you Vetra.” Her voice was practically laced in sarcasm.

Vetra focused on Matthew, “I never seen you before around here, are you new?”

Prithi stepped in front of Matthew, “What are you like the school’s welcome committee?”

Matthew turned Prithi towards him and stared her deep in the eyes, “Be nice.” He turned her around again and pulled her against his body. “Sisters, you know how they are.”

Prithi groaned from where she stood, “Hey. Her eyes are up.”

Vetra immediately covered her chest, “Gosh. That‘s not a good thing to do during a first impression.”

Matthew smiled innocently, his front teeth close to his cheek were pointed slightly. “My eyes are locked onto yours. They are stunning. Are they natural, or contacts?”

Vetra blushed heavily, warming her entire body. “Natural. Your teeth, they look cool.”

Matthew stop smiling and shared a look with Prithi, “Thanks, I usually don’t smile much because of them.”

She looked down at Prithi, “Well you should more often. It’s attractive. Is yours like that too?”

Prithi frowned at Vetra and shook her head no as she wrestled her way out from Matthew’s vice like grip, “I don’t know you and I wish you to stop speaking to my brother.”

Matthew’s eyes intensified, “Prithi, have some respect.”

Vetra blushed again, “It’s okay. I was going anyway. Nice to meet you.”

Matthew smiled and grabbed Prithi by the shoulders again, “Nice to meet you too.”

Matthew


Matthew held onto Prithi as strong as he could until she worked her way free again. “What is wrong with you Prithi. You never act like this.”

She frowned and messed with her blue beanie that covered her same shade of black hair as Matthew. “She is different. Did you see her eyes?”

Matthew smiled and swooned a little, “Yeah I saw them, weren’t they just drop dead gorgeous?” His eyes stayed locked onto Vetra as she walked back to the group.

Prithi felt like she was a steaming a boiling pot of water, “Drop dead alright. Something is wrong with that chick.”

Matthew snapped back and started to get angry, “Why is something wrong with her?”

“She pointed out your teeth, and then asked me if I had the same thing with mine? Who does that? Listen to me please.”

Matthew felt his teeth poke the bottom of his mouth when he clenched his teeth, “I will listen to you but you haven’t said anything for me not to do yet. And, she was just probably making conversation since I already pointed out her eyes.”

Prithi sighed and grabbed Matthew’s shirt collar then pulled him close, “Stay away from her until I say otherwise, got me?”

“Prithi let go of me. I’ll stay away from her. Why do you want me to?”

Prithi let go of him, sending him to the ground, “You have to know everything don’t you. Just stay away from her.”

Matthew stood up, “Will do.”

Prithi stamped away towards the Science building as the bell rang. Matthew grabbed his stuff and headed into the language arts building. He looked at his schedule wondering if he had any classes with Vetra. He walked to his first period class room which was L10 on the first floor of the building. He walked down the clustered hall looking for the correct classroom. Across the hall, Vetra walked seemingly in pace with him.

She cut across the hall and darted into the L10 classroom. Matthew stopped in his tracks and stared at the door. Confused, he entered and walked over to the teacher. Vetra didn’t take his eyes off of him the whole time.

Matthew stuttered, “Mrs. Hefley?”

The teacher turned around and smiled at him, her ruby red lips welcoming. “You must be the new student. Matthew Merker, am I correct?”

He nodded slightly, “Yes ma’am, I am Matthew. Where should I sit?”

Mrs. Hefley browsed the rows of seats and her eyes stopped near Vetra. “Sit next to Vetra. Vetra,” she called out enthusiastic, “Raise your hand please. You have a neighbor.”

Matthew rolled his eyes as Vetra caught eye of him and waved her hand over her head excited. Mrs. Hefley looked turned back around as she whispered, “Have fun.”

Matthew turned on his heels and walked as slow as possible over to a two person row of desks with Vetra in one seat and an empty one in the other. Vetra patted the plastic green seat at the desk next to her. Matthew was hesitant but eventually sat down. Vetra watched intensively as he pulled out his supplies.

“Hi again. Lucky you, get to sit next to someone you already know.” Vetra beamed as she waited for Matthew’s response.

He simply muttered into his backpack, “Yeah, lucky me.” he dug through his backpack for a pencil, “Are you going to stare at me all day?”

Vetra snapped into a frown, “No. No, I’m not.” She pouted a little then leaned onto her elbow and removing the hood from her head, her hair still in a messy ponytail.

Matthew felt his teeth sharpening and forced himself to be happier. He found a small pencil in the bottom of his backpack and placed it on the desk, then slammed the backpack to the side of the desk.

Vetra was curious of what was making Matthew so jumpy, “Is anything wrong?”

Matthew growled under his breath, “No. Nothing is wrong. What would make you jump to that conclusion?”

She slumped in the chair and crossed her feet under the desk, “I don’t know why. You just look-”

Matthew mumbled, “Like what?”

“Like your on edge.” She smiled goofily at him.

“Am I wrong?”

Like I should stay away from you before Prithi snaps my neck! He pushed the thought to the back of his mind. “Very.”

Mrs. Hefley clapped from the front of the class and all the students looked up to her smiling except Matthew. “Okay class. Take out a piece of paper for your first assignment. And, as you do so I’ve got some good news. We have a new student. His name is Matthew Merker
he is sitting in the back of the class.”

Students groaned and filled through their binders. Matthew ignored all of them but felt the animal in him coming forward. He tried hard to keep it down as he pulled a piece of paper from the binder he pulled out.

Vetra was writing her name on the paper she had as she whispered in Matthew’s direction, “She always does that. Don’t let it get to you.” She smiled not aware that her teeth were starting to become points.

He scrawled his name then sat up, slouching against the chair. “I’ll try.”

Vetra sat up also, trying to keep her eyes on his. “Is your attitude always like this? You were so calm and cool earlier. Does Prithi have something to do with this?”

His face went pale, “No, no it does not. Leave my sister out of this.”

Her voice went firm and her eyes were flaring with red at the edges, more than normal. “I am a sister so I know how it is when someone accuses something on your sibling. I just saw you two talking after I left and you looked angry.”

Matthew diverted eye contact and looked at her ears. In one on the left she had a bar through the curved cartilage above the three studs in her lobs. The animal inside him was subduing now but he knew it could flair up at any moment.

“My eyes are over here,” She said as she took a finger and placed it under his chin, moving his head so his eyes were locked on hers.

He tried to move his head back, but his anger melted as he sank into his chair happily. His heart beat faster and palms became sweaty. “At least I wasn’t looking at your chest.”

Mrs. Hefley quickly turned off the lights and turned on the overhead projector. The students shut up simultaneously and faced the board where a power point lecture on MLA format was projected. Vetra took her finger off of Matthew and turned to face the board. Matthew could tell in her eyes that she felt the same feelings that he did, so he turned to face the board also. The feelings that something else was behind what they looked like and that they needed to find out what it was.

They both started to copy down the lecture as Mrs. Hefley talked on and on about the formatting errors that most students make in MLA formatting. The whole time Matthew sneaked peaks at Vetra. His heart seemed to beat out of his chest every time she blinked her crazy colored eyes. The way she tugged at her shirt to keep it from hugging her breasts made Matthew sit on the edge of his seat. Sweat peaked out of his forehead by the end of the class period.

Mrs. Hefley was wrapping up class as the bell rang. She dismissed her students and walked back to her desk.

Vetra stood up and gathered up her messenger bag, “I hope to see you around campus. Maybe even have classes together.”

Prithi’s warning to stay away from her replayed in his mind, “Me too. Sorry if I was an ass, I can’t control my anger sometimes.”

Vetra blushed and walked in between the rows of desks to the door, “Don’t I know it. See you around campus?”

He nodded then smiled, forcing down the monster inside of him. “I’ll try.” He opened the door for her with a heavily toned arm, “Have a nice day.”

“You too.”

Vetra hooked a left outside the door and headed to the exit of the building. Matthew looked at his crumpled schedule and saw he had Math next in room M20. He headed to the exit and was intercepted by his friend Samuel.

Samuel was a medium-tall boy with a very lanky build. His hay colored hair was short and choppy. His smile was missing a few teeth but was gleaming and all white. “Hey Matthew, how was your first period?”

He smiled back, not caring around Samuel if his teeth were pointed or if the monster inside of him decided to shadow the human. “Okay I guess. I get to sit next to a pretty girl.”

Samuel blushed and patted Matthew on the shoulder, “Good job.”

He sighed, “But Prithi said to stay away from her. She thinks something is bad in her.”

Samuel laughed, “Damn her and her sensing. Oh well, you can’t help it if you have to sit next to her.”

“True, true. What class do you have next?”

Samuel pulled out a half sheet of yellow paper and looked over it, “Geometry in M20 with Mr. Comer.”

“Me too. Let’s go before we are late.”

Samuel’s teeth were sharpening at the idea of being late, “Good idea.”

The two boys exited the language arts building and walked across the school to the math building. They entered and were surprised how any students were in the small mud room.

Samuel nudged Matthew, “Guess we don’t have to worry about being late.”

“Oh really,” He showed him the map and pointed out where the class room was, “We need to go up the stairs and it’s the last class room on the right.”

“We need to get moving.”

Matthew smiled devilishly, “Race you?”
Samuel was running up the stairs already, weaving in and out of freshmen sitting on the steps. Matthew ran after him fast, feeling the inner him fueling his body. They made it to the classroom in a tie and both walked inside sweaty, not a care in the world what others saw with them.




The final bell rang for the end of the day as students rushed out of the classrooms. Matthew exited his ceramics class with his head low, ear buds in. He walked to the student parking lot, letting the animal in him slowly take over. His canines were sharpened and eyes dulling with every step. He reached the gate and was met by Prithi, Samuel, and two other people in his group of friends known as Neyla and William. William was sitting on the bench with Prithi and Samuel was standing with Neyla.

William’s teal eyes were fiery and his dark brown hair was long and blowing in the slight breeze. Neyla’s sky-blue eyes were energetic and her blonde long braided hair was collected in her hood.

Matthew pulled out his ear buds and turned off his phone, cutting off the hard-rock guitar notes coming out of them. “Hi people. What is going on?” His voice was filled with forced optimism.

Samuel grabbed Neyla’s hand, “Going to take her for some training. You know, to help her control the her form.”

Neyla smiled and her canines were fully sharpened. She stopped smiling when she realized her smile was directed at a group of seniors. “I’m getting better at it, am I not?”

He squeezed her hand hard, “Yes. But not good enough. If you are going to make it, you need to be able to control it fully. Plus, we need to train you for when the full moon comes.”

Neyla started to shake, “Full moon? You guys are that kind?”

Matthew sighed and controlled his anger from taking over completely from her silly comments. She was only turned into one of them three weeks ago, but this behavior could not be tolerated so close to a full moon. “Go on you two. Samuel, you should be the one telling her this.”

Samuel nodded and whispered, “But you’re the Alpha.”

He growled at Samuel, “I know that. You turned her, you teach her. Got me?”

Neyla nodded for him, “He gets you.” She dragged Samuel behind her as they head off to Samuel’s car in the back of the parking lot

Prithi stood from the bench and rolled her eyes at the two teens walking to the car, “What a bunch of suck ups. Matthew,” she stared in his direction, “Did you follow my directions?”

“Yes, I sit next to her in first period and she is in my last period.” He was somewhat happy but sad that the one thing good in school was also the one thing that was bad also.

“Why do you want to sit next to her? She hangs out with the black hole group. She is always so happy. Why would you want to be with that?” She sounded at the edge of her patience.

“Mrs. Hefley placed me next to her. I couldn’t control it. What is wrong with her anyway?”

“She just has a bad soul. That’s all I got from her.”

William growled from the bench, “Talk somewhere where no one can here you. People are starting to pay attention.”

Matthew nodded at him, “Thank you William. Prithi let’s go home and talk there.”

She gave a disgusted look and the anger in her started to shadow her on the outside, “Fine.”

Matthew grabbed Prithi by the shoulder as she grabbed her backpack off the ground. He sneaked a peak back to the school and saw Vetra was walking with a boy to the parking lot.

Pirthi was pulling at his arm, “Stop looking at her! Come on.”

Vetra saw Matthew and waved at him, “Wait up!”

William and Prithi were pulling now at him. He slipped on the asphalt and William and Prithi walked into the parking lot pulling Matthew. They pulled him all the way to the middle where a grey Ford truck was parked. Vetra chased them down to the car. Prithi hefted him into the passenger seat and tossed William the keys. She hopped in the back as William slid into the driver seat. Matthew sat staring out the window, in a lethargic way, looking at Vetra start running after the car with abnormal speed.

William pulled out of the parking lot to the right and headed to the house Matthew and Prithi lived in. Matthew sat up, a few feet from the school, and slipped on the seatbelt. “What was that for? I was fine.”

Prithi mumbled from the backseat, “Did you see how fast she was running after us?” her voice inflexed into worry, “We were doing thirty through the parking lot and she chased us at that speed to the light exiting the lot. Isn’t that a little abnormal?”

Matthew zipped up his jacket, “Yeah it can be considered that she is abnormal by herself.”

“You are falling for a girl you haven’t known for more than a day. What the hell is wrong with you!”

“Shut up Prithi. I am the Alpha and I can handle this for myself. So what if I like a girl that you have a “bad feeling” about? It’s my life let me live it like a want!” barked Matthew.

William slammed on the brakes as a car cut in front of him. “Stop arguing you two. I don’t want to pry two people off each other.”

Matthew and Prithi stopped and realized that the anger was about to envelop them and turn them into animals. Matthew slammed his head into the head rest softly. “Sorry William. I should be more mature. Thank you.”

William tightened his grip on the steering wheel, “Your welcome, Prithi apologize or your walking.”

She bit her lip, “Harsh much, I’m sorry Matthew. She is just bad business.”

Matthew pulled the hood over his head blocking his eyes, “Mom does not need to know about Vetra, got me.”

She nodded as William pulled into a house drive way. A giant field surrounded the house on all sides. The house was a two story country house with nice lawns and clean windows. A tall French style door opened as William parked the truck. An older lady who’s short stature was hidden by a long diagonal dress and high black stilettos. She twitched her way to the driver’s side door and stopped, surprised that Matthew wasn’t in the driver seat.

“Matthew is not driving, is he okay?”

William unbuckled his seat belt and got out, “He is fine, they both are.”

Matthew and Prithi got out of the car silently. The lady rushed over to them and gave them a big hug. “You two are okay, so why was Will driving?”

Prithi was muffled by her dress, “We had a little incident.”

“What?” she was generally surprised.

Matthew worked his way free and headed to the door, “Mom. We are okay. Not that type of incident, no one knows.”

Prithi added, “Yet. No one knows yet Matthew”

William grabbed Prithi and dragged her through the door. He pushed her down onto a light brown couch and Matthew sat down next to her. William sat in a matching recliner across the white living room. The mom came in and stood in front of the teenagers with a look of exhaustion.

“Any one want to tell me what is going on before your dad gets here.”

William raked a hand through his hair and sighed, “Matthew got stuck in anger and didn’t want to go. We had to drag him through the parking lot to the car, so I had to drive Mrs. Merker.”

“Is this the truth Prithi and Matthew?” Her eyes were fixed on them and her body was leaning over letting them know that she meant buisness

They nodded together and she left the room. Matthew let out a exasperated sigh like he had been holding his breath. “I owe you one William. You saved my ass on that.”

“You owe me a lot more than that. How am I going to get home now?”

“I’ll drive you home later.” Matthew tugged at his zipper on his jacket, “How do you think Samuel is doing with Neyla?”

Prithi placed her black Vans covered feet on the couch, “Probably gotten eaten already. Why do you think he turned her anyway?”

Matthew leaned his head back and kicked up the foot rest, “It was a full moon, we all blacked out and did something we regret. His was just a little more-”

Prithi filled the gap, “Permanent.”

William added a comment in the conversation, “No kidding. Matthew, do you have homework to do? We should get your mind off of this since the full moon is just a week away.”

Matthew’s eyes widened, “It’s that close?”

William stood and pulled him up from the chair by his hand. He picked up his backpack for him and dragged him up the winding stair case. Prithi pulled out her phone and placed ear buds in her ears, drowning out the growling that came from the stairs.

Vetra sat on the sidewalk in the parking lot to the apartment complex and stared at the asphalt with her ear buds in. She turned up the volume, drowning out all the noise around her. She held a small compact mirror in her hand, staring at the reflection of her face in it. A small box sat on the curb next to her.

Vetra sliced open the box and two little clear circles with a brown center sat in little dips in the plastic case. She picked on up with the tip of her finger and carefully placed it over her eye. The brown center covered her yellow and red eye color. She did the same with the other and then stared in depth at the reflection.

“I might just pass for normal.” She posed in front of the mirror, “I look fake.” She chucked the mirror into the asphalt. Shards of glass erupted from the thin plastic holder. She placed her head in her hands and started to cry heavily. The contacts itched her eyes as she cried because some of the tears caught under the film.

“No one has to have good vision like me to see that I am a fake.”

Julius came down the steps from the fourth floor, “What’s wrong Vetra?”

Vetra stared up at Julius and grabbed the necklace he had given her and took out a ear bud, “I don’t want to be a vamp anymore.”

His mouth dropped, “Why do you say that? Your awesome at being one. If you weren’t one, I wouldn’t be one.”

“It has nothing to do with you. It is someone else.”

Sadness coated his voice, “Who is it and do they know that you’re a vamp?”

“No. They don’t know I’m a vamp. It’s just that, I don’t want to live forever. In this body, in this world, at all.”

His eyes questioned her, “So your saying that you’d rather be dead than having the life you live. Which is an awesome life I have to say.”

“You have no idea what it is to be me. It is just so hard.” She placed head in her knees and took out the contacts.

“What are those? Are those colored contacts?” His voice wavered and was low.

“Yes. I got them so I could try to feel normal.” Vetra handed him the contacts out of her hands.

He ripped the contacts into tiny, filmy shreds. Vetra reached for them like she would die if she didn’t have them. “You are not normal. I am not normal. Danica, Becca, and Dimitri are not normal. Get used to it. Over three thousand years and this is the first time you have said you have felt “not normal.” What is making this day any more different than the others?”

She sighed into the ground, “You know the guy I chased after in the truck today?”

“Yeah, so. What the hell does he have to do with anything. Vetra, you are making no sense. He is just a random guy.”

Anger took over her, “He is not a normal guy. He is different like us. I can feel it when I am around him. I want to be normal around him so he might actually be more than a friend. He doesn’t like me the way I am,” she grabbed her jeans hard, “So I am going to be who he wants me to be.”

Julius became quite. Thoughts of Dimitri rolled through his mind. “Why do you want a guy to love you for who your not? A true Man should love a woman for who she is, not who other people want her to be.”

She wiped a tear from her eye, “You make it sound easy. You are good at it with Dimitri.”

“So try to have a relationship like that. Just please don’t become a fake like Becca. How did she get into our group anyway?”

Tears started to flow again from Vetra, “I turned her because she was dying. So she could live longer.”

Julius laughed heavily, “You regret it now don’t you?”

Vetra stifled a laugh beneath her crying, “Yes I do.”

“Don’t become fake like her. Please,” he grabbed her and pulled her into his arms, “Don’t become plastic. I don’t need a plastic sister.” The orange in his eyes was turning red.

“What if he doesn’t love me for who I am though? What would happen to me then?”

He gripped her shirt hard, “Don’t think about that. Just try it my way. If it doesn’t work out,” he sighed then tightened his grip, “You can try it your way.”

Vetra sighed and pulled away from Julius, “Okay. I’ll see you inside in a little”

Julius headed up the stairs and stopped halfway, “Okay see you inside.”

Vetra stood and walked over to the broken mirror. She lifted her foot and stepped on a major shard. Her head went down and her fangs came out. She walked to the edge of the apartment complex and lifted her head up so she could see where she was going. Inside of her, she felt nothing. She knew what she had to do. Her bangs were, for once, away from her face. Vetra’s eyes were enveloped red and her fangs were down to her chin. Instinctively her hands flew up to tie up her hair. She took off running down the sidewalk staring down ahead into the darkness.

The moon was a three-fourth full crescent, glowing high in the sky. The street lights were on, masking her expression with shadows. She stopped in front of the school, twenty minutes later, where Matthew’s truck pulled out of the space. She sniffed the air heavily and drank in the smell of cologne, gasoline, and dog.

She walked fast to the exit of the lot, the traffic light. The scent led her there and it drifted to the right. Vetra darted in the direction which led to a house in the country. After ten minutes, she was walking up the driveway to the two story house. The scent was heavy in the air. The scent of a forest and death mixed with Matthew’s scent. Vetra’s eyes wandered up the side of the house to a big window on the second floor where the scent seemed to be coming from.

Vetra grabbed the side of the house and started to climb the wall. She grabbed the bricks with her long fingernails and pulled herself up. She stood on the roof of the first story and stopped to smell again. The scent was getting stronger and her red eyes saw that the window above her was where Matthew was. She continued to climb up the side strongly.

She reached the window sill and crouched on the thin wood beam lightly. Vetra sliced the lock open with her nail and opened the window. The scent was overwhelming for her sensitive nose. She slid into the room like a ninja, feet first landing on the hard wood floor like a feather. She closed the window slowly trying not to wake up Matthew who was sleeping on the small bed next to the window.

Vetra looked around the room surprised it was nothing like she thought. Asking Alexandria, Seether, Escape the Fate, Otep and many more bands that she liked posters were all over the walls. A guitar lay in the corner with an amplifier plugged into it. Band shirts littered the floor and the desk. Albums lined a cookie-cutter bookshelf in the corner.

Matthew stirred under the white blankets. He kicked off the sheets and revealed he was only wearing a black shirt and skull printed boxers. He rolled over onto his stomach and buried his face in the pillows. Vetra smiled with her fangs. I should just do it. If he doesn’t like it, oh well. She walked over to him and stoked a hand through his hair.

“Stay still my boy. This will only hurt for a second, maybe.”

Vetra brought her fangs close to his neck. She could hear his heart beating through his chest and smelt his blood coursing through his jugular vein. She was about to sink her teeth into the thin flesh of his neck but he turned over, taking the main vein away from her mouth.

“Damn it Matthew. Why are you resisting?” She whispered into the thin air even though he couldn’t hear her.

She walked over to the guitar, her small heels clicking ever so softly on the floor. She grabbed the strap and slung it over her shoulder. Vetra pushed the amplifier jack into the guitar to make sure it was plugged in. She turned down the volume on the amp because she only wanted for Matthew to wake up.

She took her nail and plucked a E-cord. The deep tremor shook the room making the posters slip. Matthew jerked up in the bed, his hair in his face. His canines poked out of his mouth. “What the hell? Prithi is this a joke?”

Vetra took off the guitar and set it back down in the corner, “Oh, I’m not Prithi. Just wanted to make sure you didn’t stop me from turning you.”

He turned over in the bed and sat up quick, “Vetra. Is that you?”

She placed a fingernail on her chin, “Good boy. Now, sit still.” She smiled evilly, “This might hurt a little.”

“What the heck are you-”

Vetra lunged at Matthew coming close to his neck. He pushed her away with what seemed like a practiced move. She bared her teeth at him and hissed. Vetra licked her teeth hungrily.

“What is your problem? You don’t want the real me, is that your problem?”

Matthew rubbed his face confused, “What problem with the real you?” his eye sight was becoming less blurry. He noticed the color of her eyes and became pale, “What happened to your eyes? They were so pretty.”

She lunged at him again, landing on his lap. “This is only temporary, your eyes can be that “pretty” if you would just sit still.”

Matthew noticed how long her front two teeth were and started to back into the wall, “Your…Your teeth?”

She smiled and began to move so she could crouch over him. His heart beating faster was music to her ears. “Like them, you could have them also if you want. Tell me, do you want them?”

It hit Matthew in the chest. Hard. His pulse all but stopped as the dots started to connect. “I. . . I don’t know what to say.”

Her eyes shone bright in the dark room. The corners of her thin lips upturned into a small smile, leaving her fangs exposed. “Just say it. Say what I am. Go ahead, do it. I don’t care at all.”

Matthew felt it coming over him. He pushed it back through his body, “I can’t say what you are.” the honesty from her was killing him, “What has gotten into you Vetra?”

Her answer was brutally honest, “I think it was love.”

A knock came from the door, “Honey Matthew, are you okay in there? I think I heard a girl’s voice.”

Matthew slammed his head against the wall on accident, “I’m okay mom.” A grunt escaped his mouth from the hit.

Vetra placed a finger to her mouth and shushed him with a slight hiss. Matthew looked to the door, then back to her but she was gone.

“May I come in Matthew?”

“Yes mom.” his voice was weak and frail. Matthew’s mom entered in a baggy T-shirt and pajama shorts. She smiled at him, even in the late of night her smile was as bright as the sun.

“I heard a girl’s voice so I got worried. And your voice wasn’t as good to hear the tone it was in.”

He laughed at her in a childish way, “Okay mom. Head back to bed, I’m fine.”

She sighed and leaned against the door way, “My little Alpha. I’m going to bed. See you in a few hours.”

“You too mom.”

“Love you.” she said as she exited the room

“Love you too.”

He leaned back against the pillows with a sigh and saw that Vetra was clinging to the roof upside down. Matthew gasped as she fell back down onto the bed. “My little Alpha. What does she mean by,” she air quoted the word, “’Alpha’?”

Matthew pushed down a growl, “She calls me that. So?”

Vetra laughed, “Yeah right! No wonder your always pushing down your anger. Your hiding something.”

Matthew laughed in her face and smiled, “Yeah but your not any more you vampire!”

She smiled, “It’s all out on the plate now, isn’t it? Do you like the true me?”

A fast knock came from the door again, “Who is that Matthew?”

Vetra climbed off the bed fast. She pushed Matthew down under the covers and pulled open the window. Matthew poked his head out from under the sheet scared, “Where are you going?”

Her voice was angry and fast, “You do not say this to anybody or I will kill you. KILL you.”

She slid out of the window as soon as Matthew’s mom entered the room. Matthew’s mom looked angry, “What are you not telling me son? Prithi is starting to get worried.”

Matthew dug himself out from the covers, “No one was in my room. I was listing to an audio book.” He knew it sounded like a dirty lie.

“I don’t believe you Matthew, who was in here?”

Matthew could feel his ears pricking, claws forming, and his fur starting to cover his skin. He willed it to go down but only the fur went away. “No one, why can’t you trust me?”

“Please don’t go into a wolf, not on me.” she sighed and stared at the floor, “Your father is better at this than I am. You want me go get him since he is you know, the one who you get this from.” she laughed under her breath.

“No mom. I’m going to bed. No need to worry about me.” He smiled and brought his knees to his chest.

“Okay, I trust you. Goodnight. Love you.”

He waved at her as she left, “Love you too.”

Vetra slipped back into the room as she left. Her eyes were not as blood red all over as before and her fangs were back under her control. “I am such an idiot!”

“Whisper, I can’t have my mom come back here.” He pleaded in a hoarse whisper.

She nodded and closed the window. She grabbed her shoulder, on the verge of crying. “Why didn’t I just go inside? I am so stupid. I can’t believe I did such a silly thing.” She was pacing back and fourth.

Matthew patted the foot of the bed, “Sit down. I don’t consider it such a stupid thing. I think it’s actually pretty cool.”

She sat down, shaking. “No, it’s not cool. I can be in serious trouble. What will Julius think? Oh my god, I am falling apart.”

He crossed his legs under him, “Calm down. I think it was brave. I was wondering why your eyes were like that.”

She placed her head in her hands, crying. “I blacked out. I haven’t done it in so long. Did I do something stupid?”

He laughed, “More than breaking into my house, you said you wanted to give me eyes and teeth like yours.”

“Oh dear god, I did that? What is wrong with me? I could have seriously hurt you. Why did I let my anger take control of me like that? I am such a failure.” A tear slid down her cheek.

Matthew sighed, guilty that she thought of herself as a looser. He growled at himself and tried to cover up his lower half since he had no shorts on. “Vetra, since everything is out in the open now, I need to tell you something. More like show you something.”

Vetra looked up through blurry eyes. She brushed away her long hair from her eyes. “What? I can’t think of anything worse than what I did just now.”

He rolled his eyes, “You’ll see.” He focused on the wolf within him. It started to come forward through the human he was at heart. His eyelids fluttered as he saw the wolf run across his eyesight.

Matthew’s ears started become furry and pointed. His hands turned into paws, his claws becoming unsheathed. His dark black hair grew rapidly over his body. He forced it to go slower to keep Vetra from running out of the room. His muscles tensed and he relaxed into the wolf.

Vetra’s hands flew to her gaping mouth. Before her lay a actual wolf with dark black fur. The wolf barked at her and padded up to her hips. It rubbed it’s head against her hip bones, then jumped onto her lap. It panted then licked her face. It licked up all the tears off her and then before she could run a hand through it’s fur, Matthew appeared on her lap, smiling.

“So, how’s that for putting it all out on the table?”

She pushed him off of her and stood up, “I need to go”

He crawled to the edge of the bed behind her, “Why? I think we can actually talk about this.”

Vetra shook her head sideways, “I shouldn’t have stayed. I should have left when I had the chance.”

Matthew got off the bed as Vetra was opening the window, “Please don’t leave. Not yet at least.”

“Why shouldn’t I go?” She was at the end of her patience and the sun would be rising in a few hours. She at least needed some sleep.

Matthew grabbed her shoulder and pulled her into him. He gave her a kiss on the lips. His mouth was warm against hers and the little amount of stubble he had on his chin scratched her face. Vetra collapsed into Matthew and kissed back. She didn’t want to leave his warm, brother like hug.

He let go of her, his hand lingering on hers. “If you need to talk to anyone. About anything at all, come to me to talk to it about.” He smiled at her with his pointed teeth, “Now go on and get some sleep vamp.”

She slid out of the window with out a word to him. She landed on the grass heavily then took off running down the lawn to the sidewalk. The last line echoed through her mind the whole time. “-vamp.” She ran past the school in a blur.

She ran to the apartment complex, not caring to be discreet. Vetra soared over the steps, stepping over three at a time. She reached the door panting like how Matthew did when he rubbed against her leg. “No. Stop thinking about it.”

She pounded on the door heavily until Julius came to the door in a rubbish pair of sweatpants and a discolored yoga shirt. “Vetra, where have you been? It’s three in the morning.”

She pushed past him and ran down the hall into her room. She kicked off her small heeled boots and was starting to peel off her socks. Julius appeared in the doorway with his eyes crusted over and hair sticking up wildly at all angles, “You mind telling me what the heck is going on.”

She started to pull down her pants, not caring even if her brother was in viewing distance. “I did some horrible s*** just a little bit ago.”

He rubbed his face and leaned against the door, “What horrible s*** quote unquote.”

She picked up a pair of red pajama pants and slid them onto her legs, “I blacked out. And told him what my true self was.”

“Okay who is this him?”

She pulled off her shirt and threw it into the corner. The in-attraction to women was the only upside to having a gay brother. “You know the truck I chased after yesterday in the parking lot?”

“Yeah, so. Why did you chase after it anyway? Your not a dog.” he pulled at his shirt in nervousness.

But Matthew is. “The guy in the car. His name is Matthew.”

“And, you told him that were vampires.”

She pulled on one of Julius’s shirts that was baggy and oversized. She brushed her hair out of her face then gazed at him in the eyes, “Not directly, I kind of did things that made him think that. Plus, I had my fangs all the way out.”

He sat down next to Vetra, “Oh god Vetra, what did you do? What the hell did you do it! Why did you let the anger get to that point? Why?”

“I didn’t mean to do anything. It was an accident. I cannot express how much how sorry I am! My body just took over.”

“Vetra, you absolutely can not keep that excuse forever. What you did was bad and it is going to affect your life from here on out. I can not keep saving you from your decisions. Remember Leonardo Davenchi and the problem you got yourself into with him?”

She placed her head into her hands, “Don’t remind me. I still hate his guts. I did not want him to paint me. I didn’t want to almost kill him also.”

Julius placed a hand on her back and started to rub it, “Stuff like that is going to get you or maybe even us into trouble. And now, I think that day has come, from you spilling to Matthew that you are a vamp.

Vetra brought her knees to her chest, then swung her feet onto the bed so she could put her head in her brother’s lap. “I don’t know what to do.”

“I know what to do,” he stared at the wall, “You’ll take it one day at a time, we will all take it one day of a time.”

Vetra rolled off of Julius and cuddled into her stuffed rabbit, “Night Julius. I need the sleep.”

He stood up and kissed her on the forehead, “Night. You’ll need it.” Julius left the room after he pulled the heavy blankets over her body. Vetra clutched the stuffed animal until her nails almost ripped through the worn fabric. Her eyes stung as she closed them hard, her breathing shallow and inconstant. After five minutes, her breathing became less constant and not as shallow. Her eyes dried up and she fell asleep.

Matthew was behind the wheel of his truck, driving to school with Prithi in the passenger seat. Her expression was muted and her lips were in a frown, the small points of her canines oking out from her upper lip. Matthew had his grip tightened on the steering wheel as Prithi started to mumble under her breath.

“Speak up Prithi, I want to hear what your saying.” His voice was quite with questioning and curiosity intertwined with the actual question. She had been silent the whole night and when she was quite, there was something on her mind.

Prithi stared out the window with her head against the cold glass from the early morning, “Was that Vetra the one I heard in your room last night?”

“What, Prithi? Why are you being such a freak about this? Let me handle my relationships by myself.”

“Your not even in a relationship with her or anyone, and because I don’t want you getting hurt. She is dangerous, trust me Matthew. Something is really wrong with that chick.”

Don’t I know it. “How would I get hurt? Tell me sis, what you see bad in her.”

She sighed and closed her eyes, all color started to drain from her face. “Her soul is black. I see it all the time, and it scares me to see you hang around her. It seems to attack you when you stand next to her. Happy now?” She banged her head on the glass softly and opened her eyes.

Matthew stared ahead at the road, “Why did it scare you so much to tell me? I try to understand you and sometimes you don’t help your own situation.”

She growled as she rolled down the window, “I need your help today.”

“Okay, with what? And, I’ll try to stay away from her as much as I possibly can. It might be tuff cause I have some classes with her.”

Prithi let her hair blow around in the wind, “Some dicks have been picking on me. I want you to hurt them if they hurt me. I have a feeling that they will hurt me sooner than later. They are really pissing me off, those ass hats.”

Matthew loosened his grip on the steering wheel, “What grade? I’ll kill those mother-”

She interrupted him so he didn’t have to use that word. She hated it when her brother used those words. “Sophomores. They think that they can do that just cause they are one grade older. They were freshmen last year.”

Matthew couldn’t control his growling. His ears were also starting to become pointed, “You have second lunch right?”

She nodded and pulled her head back into the car, rolling up the window. “Yes I do.”

He smiled at her then put his eyes back on the road, “If they or anyone picks on you again, find me and I’ll teach them a lesson not to mess with you.”

Matthew pulled into the student parking lot and hooked a left to the front of the school. He parked as close to the school as he could and got out of the car. Prithi hugged him as soon as he stepped onto the ground, “Thank you.”

He put his arms around her and squeezed her hard, “Welcome. Have a nice day. See you back here after school.”

She let go of him and picked up her bag from the floor of the truck, “See you later.” She ran through the gates into the school. She made a left and headed into the cafeteria with a smile full of new found confidence. Matthew sighed and picked up his bag also, pulling it over his shoulder. He pulled out his ear buds from his jacket pocket and put them in his ears. He turned up the volume on his phone all the way and headed to the school gates.

The loud guitar notes with the inconsistent screaming drowned out the cheerleaders walking past him as he sat down on the bench next to the gate. He pulled up his hood over his head and looked at the ground. He did not want to face the day so eagerly as Prithi did. He stayed on the bench until he knew the bell was about to ring.

After a few minutes, he took out his ear buds and walked into the school. He crossed the small campus to the circle quad. Vetra stood with her back to him. She was smiling a half hearted smile, keeping her teeth from showing. Her plain black T-shirt was wrinkled and dirty and she was wearing grey sweatpants that looked like they were two sizes too big for her thin body.

Matthew forced himself to walk past her and her friends. Prithi would yell at him if he did otherwise. Vetra’s eyes caught a glimpse of his grey jacket as he disappeared into the language arts building. He walked down the practically empty hall to the English room he had first period with Vetra. It was enough of her that he was allowed. Mrs. Hefley was writing on the white board in big letters. She looked up from the board and smiled at him even though his emotions were not as bright as hers.

“How can I help you? You are pretty early for class mister, the bell doesn’t ring for another three minutes. Joking, how can I help you?”

He forced himself to smile even though he wanted to turn into wolf form and run into the forest and never come out. “I need to move seats Mrs. Hefley, I cannot sit next to Vetra anymore.”

“Why not? I think she treated you pretty well yesterday. Is this a personal issue with her? If so, I can arrange a meeting with the counselor for you two.”

“It is a personal issue, but we do not to see a counselor. It would only make things worse between us.”

She frowned, “Oh well, you can sit next to Albert.” She patted a desk right behind her near the projector, “He is a nice kid.” She smiled at her own comment.

“Okay, thank you Mrs. Hefley.” He sat down in the chair behind the desk and got ready for the class. The bell rang not much longer after that and students started to flood in through the door. Vetra walked in the room then stopped in her tracks when Matthew wasn’t in the seat next to hers.

A student behind her pushed her out of the way, down the aisle to her chair. Vetra sat down confused but focused on her school work. A geeky boy walked in the door almost late and sat down next to Matthew. His face was covered in pimples and wore trifocals on his small nose. His pants were pulled up past his waist and his shirt was a flannel plaid shirt with the colors being blue and orange.

He smiled at Matthew, his yellow teeth were wearing orange colored braces. “Names Albert. You are?” He stuck out a pale hand towards him.

He hesitated for a second but thought what the hell, he seemed like a nice kid like Mrs. Hefley said. He stuck a hand out and shook Albert’s hand even though it was colder than ice. “Matthew, nice to meet you.”

Matthew turned to face the board but Albert poked at his shoulder like a child. He let his canines sharpen but kept his mouth closed. If he opened it, he knew a murder would happen. He couldn’t control it that well since he was already on edge. Albert stopped poking at Matthew and turned to face the board also, then started to kick the bottom of his desk.

He grabbed the edge of the desk and squeezed it hard to make it stop moving. “May you stop that? It’s bothering me.”

Albert smiled again and stopped kicking the desk, “You are the only person that would voluntarily sit next to me, do you know that?”

Matthew kept the sarcasm to a minimal level, “You don’t say.” the anger was hidden in the statement but Albert couldn’t notice.

Albert leaned into him and whispered in his ear, his breath stinking up the small amount of breathing air that the class room had. “You are my first real friend.”

Matthew instantly ran out of air and fell forward into his desk. His head smacked against the wood hard, everyone gasped as he pushed himself up. Mrs. Hefley ran up to Matthew in horror. As everyone was gathering around Matthew, a high scream came out from the squad. A loud growl followed then a ear splitting howl that shattered the glass of the class room.

Matthew’s head perked up as the glass fell to the ground. Everyone was under the desks in fear, shaking like it was the end of the world. It might just be. He slid out of the chair and headed to the door on auto pilot. Many other students tried to pull him back, but he simply pulled them off. The language arts building door slammed behind him as he looked around for the source of the scream and the howl he recognized. In the corner of the quad, a teenage boy sat against the wall with a black wolf in front of him growling in his face. The wolf was covered in thick pink slush as it growled in his face.

Matthew stood in place as the wolf turned and howled again. The eyes shone grey with a distinct sparkle only he would know who it was, “Prithi? Oh my god, what have you done?”

He ran across the grass and half way to her she growled at him. Her voice entered his mind and her voice was way past angry, Get your ass over here and help me kill this punk!

“Prithi, stop it. What did he do that made you do this?”

The wolf barked at him then snapped at the boy in the corner. He was shaking so hard, “You know this b****? Help me you Goth freak!”

Matthew was split down the middle, Prithi what did he do? Why are you going to take his life?

Her voice lost some of its edge but still had a tint of anger, He spilt that pink milkshake on me! I had it up to here with his crap.

He sighed and degradingly walked over to the boy, as in defeat, and stood in between him and Prithi. “Stop it. Just stop it. I know I said I’d help you, yet you’ve gone to far.”

Her eyes went back and fourth from Matthew to the boy who was curled into a ball now against the wall, If you won’t help me then I’ll just kill him myself.

She pushed him out of the way with her paw in a swift motion. He hit a brick column and fell to the concrete hard. She turned her attention to the boy. She opened her mouth and let the saliva drip onto his already ripped and bloody shirt. Gashes coated his legs and his shirt was stained with blood and more gash marks. Prithi was about to take a bite of the boy when a flash of black rushed by her, nailing her into the wall with and indentation of a wolf behind Prithi.

The wolf swung at what was the flash of black and the body flew against another column. Black hair hung around the face and purple blood beaded over from claw marks in the black shirt. Matthew sat up against the column and tried to get a message into Prithi’s head, Stop it! Why aren’t you listing to any advice or help?

The message didn’t get into her mind. She started to maul on the boy. He tried to stand but his legs gave out from underneath of him. He stared at his sister wearing a mask of guilt over his face.

A groan came from a few feet over, “Damn that girl can hit.”

Matthew perked up instantly then went back to guilt. That was Vetra talking next to him. She was the flash of black he saw attack Prithi. He crawled over to her in pain from seeing her hurt, “Vetra, are you okay?”

She coughed heavily, blood came out of her mouth in a thing line, “Never been better. You?” The fake happiness in her voice made the mood a little lighter.

He laughed but grabbed his side because of where he hit the brick, “Horrible. Commenting aside, we need to stop her. She has no idea what this can lead to.”

Vetra nodded next to him, flipping her hair behind her head. “Agreed. Does she have a weak spot? Or at least a way to stop her.”

A pain rose in his chest. Did she have a way to be stopped unless she got her way? He pushed the thoughts to the back of his mind fast then came up with an idea, “I’ve got something. The second she makes a clearing in front of the boy, go for him. Get him someplace safe. I’ll take care off Prithi.”

Her eyes widened, “That beast is Prithi! She is a wolf also?”

He stood up, ignoring the pain in his sides, and helped up Vetra, “Kind of self explanatory isn’t it. As soon as she makes a clearing go for it.”

Matthew ran after Prithi despite the growing pain in his ribs. He shifted into wolf form and jumped onto the other black wolf. He sunk his canines into her neck and pulled her to the left. She yelped as they rolled in the grass like a black tumbleweed. Vetra darted fast to the boy. His face was soaked in tears and blood.

“Are you going to hurt me too?”

She shook her head fast knowing that at any second Prithi could attack her, “No. Hold onto my back though.”

She picked him up gingerly by his chest. She grabbed his legs and arms hoisting him into her arms. He wrapped his arms around her neck as she took off running across the quad. She passed Matthew who was on top of Prithi in human form, keeping her down until Vetra got someplace safe.

Matthew barked his orders at Prithi, “Go into human form. I need to take you home. People can’t see us like this. The humans are starting to come out, change damn it!”

She growled, Why didn’t you help me? Why didn’t you do as you promised? You said you would help me with this, where’s the help?

He barred his teeth at her, I will not help with a murder. I will not be a puppet for you.

Prithi growled out from under him but nodded slightly. She turned back into human form from under his knees. Her clothes were dirty and slightly ripped. Matthew sung his legs off of her and helped her up. “You are in trouble, later. I’m helping Vetra with the boy, you go wait in the car.” He commanded her.

She bowed her head, “Fine. If he dies, tell me the good news.”

Matthew swatted her face across her cheek with the back of his hand. She yelped slightly and glared at him, “What the hell was that for?”

He motioned with his chin to the parking lot, “Go. That was talking back to me. You’ve done enough damage already. I’m ashamed of you Prithi, I though as a Beta you would have some more maturity.”
She ran off to the right as Matthew headed over in the direction Vetra was standing. She was bent over him with her arm bleeding from a small slit on her wrist, “Help me hold him down.”

“What are you doing? Do you want your self killed also?”

She shook her head but held up her arm, “He needs to drink my blood. Nonvoluntarily of course but it’s to help him heal. So he doesn’t die on us.”

With out a word Matthew straddled the boy, he used his arms to hold down his head to the concrete. Vetra placed the small hole in her arm where she was bleeding from against his mouth. He struggled a little preventing the warm blood to go down his throat. She pushed harder against his head, making him drink it. He swallowed reluctantly a few gulps. He finally pushed her arm away from the mouth. Vetra licked the wound, closing it with only a small brown scar as the evidence of what happened. Her other wounds were healing already as she and Matthew helped him up. They both supported him as they walked to the office building. It took them a while to reach it because the boy was weak and kept slipping off their arms. The nurse ran out of the big building and grabbed a hold of the boy then Vetra and Matthew ran off to the parking lot, leaving both the nurse and the boy confused.

They stood in front of Matthew’s tuck as they both texted their groups to leave the school right away. A few short minutes later, the groups exited the school campus. Becca had her fangs poking out of her frown and William with Neyla right behind him had a “what the hell” look on their face.

Neyla spoke up, “What happened?”

Prithi got down out of the bed of the truck, “I took action against a bully, which apparently, I shouldn’t have.”

Matthew growled at everyone, “Everyone Vetra has a plan for us to discuss this. Listen to her instructions. William, where’s Samuel? I didn’t see him come out.”

“He is still at home. He said he was tired from training Neyla too late.”

Leadership took over Matthew’s voice, “Call him and tell him too wake up. Get him over to Vetra’s house as quick as you can. We are going to be there a while.”

“Can do.”

Vetra spoke up from Matthew’s side, “The Woodleigh apartment complex in apartment 4B. It’s down the street to the left down the street by a mile. See you there in a few.”

Everyone left without another word to their cars. A few minutes later everyone of those same cars pulled into the Woodleigh apartment complex. They walked up the stairs and were greeted by Vetra and Matthew at the top of the steps. They entered silently into the apartment with their heads hung low.

Vetra sat on the couch with Matthew and Julius next to her. Becca, Danica, and Dimitri sat on the floor on the right side of the living room. Prithi, Neyla, William, and Samuel sat on the left side of the room. They each stared down each other with discontent and anger masking the seriousness behind their meeting.

Matthew growled at Prithi who was looking hungrily at Dimitri, “This is serious. Keep your boy watching to another time.”

Dimitri sat up intensively, “I’m taken sweet heart. My heart belongs to Julius.”

Prithi made a disgusted noise, “Why do they always have to be gay?”

Vetra stomped her foot on the floor, the ground under everyone shook quieting them. “Back to business, I have a feeling that we are not going to be able to go back to school. Me and Matthew.”

Prithi raised a hand, “What about the rest of us? I think were affected by this too.” she pulled down her hand and motioned to everyone sitting on the floor, then pointed a finger to Julius. “I don’t think we can go back. Especially me.”

Matthew wrapped an arm around Vetra as Prithi’s finger fell, “Prithi, William, Neyla, and Samuel will not be going back to school at all until this matter is resolved.”

Vetra pulled away from him, “Their wolfs too?” her eyes widened and she leaned against the arm rest, “How the heck are they were wolfs also?”

Neyla bounced eagerly, “William and Samuel are brothers, Samuel turned me a little bit ago, and Prithi is Matthew’s sister. Did I get that right Matthew?”

He nodded, “None of you though will be returning. Vetra, anyone you don’t want going?”

She relaxed into the couch with her teeth starting to poke out, “Julius, Dimitri, Becca, and Danica will not be going. Becca,” she stared directly at her, “You understand that. Even if you absolutely need to, you still can’t go”

Becca looked at her nails, “Whatever you say boss.”

Danica nudged her in the shoulder, “Be more serious. Your more immature than I am.”

Becca gasped, “Don’t you dare talk to me like that! How bout you go back into your fairy princess bed and just die!”

Vetra lunged off the couch and landed in between them, “Stop it. We, I mean the vamps, will meet back here everyday until I say that we can do other wise. Got me before I make you both bleed to death. I do not need this.”

Matthew pulled his feet under him, “Who’s a vampire besides you Vetra? I am confused about this. In the stories, there is usually only one.”

Vetra climbed back onto the couch, then placed her head onto Matthew’s shoulder. “Ugh, I am so tired of hiding. Since we know that your little group are werewolves, I should tell you who is also what I am.”

He smiled at her, “Please do.”

She sighed and sunk into him, “Alrighty then, Julius is one. So is Dimitri, Becca, and Danica. Julius is my brother. Danica was Julius’s guilty turn and Becca was my guilty turn.” she closed her eyes and breathed hard.

Matthew placed a hand on her shoulder, “Everyone can go home. Be here tomorrow though. That includes my pack. Be here at eight in the morning. We all need our rest.”

Everyone nodded and left except for Dimitri, Matthew, and Julius. Matthew held Vetra’s head in his lap as she breathed hard. Her eyes stayed closed. Guilt took over her body. It seemed to consume her heart and make her breathing a hundred more times difficult. And her head in Matthew’s lap made it more hard to wrap her head around what happened. She felt so comfortable near him and yet so pushed away.

“Are you okay Vetra?” three voices entered her mind, “You need to go to bed.”

Her eyes snapped open and Dimitri and Julius were leaning over her. A soft digging was happening on her leg, she looked up and Matthew was in wolf form pawing at her. The black wolf walked off her legs to the floor then turned back into the human form of Matthew.

“Do you wish for me to help you to bed Vetra?” Matthew stared at her with his puppy dog eyes. He stuck out his lower lip a little bit so he looked like he was about to cry.

She laughed even though it hurt her to laugh, the wounds that were deeper than she expected from Prithi hurt when she moved. “Sure. Be careful of my side though. Your sister got me good.”

Matthew walked over to her, swept her off her feet, and carried her down the hall to the only open room. He placed her on the bed gingerly, “How was that? Careful enough?”

She laughed again and kicked off her shoes, “Perfect. Thank you so much today.”

He smiled and sat next to her on the bed, “No thank you. Without you, me and that kid would be dead.”

She sat against the head board and brought her knees to her chin, “True that. Shouldn’t you be leaving? I need to get some sleep.”

He stared at the door, “I need to ask you a question first. Can I come here before seven on the full moon? I need someplace safe to go so I don’t hurt my mom. Dad is going to be in the basement and I can’t go down there. Too risky. Prithi has someplace but I don’t.”

Vetra laughed at his babbling, “What’s with the full moon? Are you those types of werewolves?”

He lowered his head, “No. I don’t want to go into full wolf and have to worry about my mom. I know what your going to say. Full wolf is what my family calls it. It is when we black out on a full moon. We go into wolf form and we can’t control what we do. You can tell when it happens because our eyes go completely black.”

Vetra went silent, “This is serious isn’t it?”

Matthew looked at her with his gaze cloudy, “Yes it is. I really need your help. I am starting to loose control over my pack. I can not keep up with Samuel’s misdirection. He is going to kill me one day.”

Vetra sat up, “Same here with Becca. I don’t even know why I turned her. I should have just let her die.”
His eyes went back to normal as they widened in shock, “Die? What was wrong with her before you turned her?”
“She was dying from the plague when it was around. Me with my vampire blood prevented me from dying at that time. She was really sick and she kept pestering me to make it so she could live. I couldn’t say no. Then when she got healthy, she became a-”
“A b****. Yeah I know how that is. Prithi can be a real one sometimes.” Matthew finished her sentence for her. His olive eyes were glossing over.
“Why are you going to cry? Oh, your answer, it’s a yes. You can come here during the full moon. Why aren’t you scared that you are going to hurt me?”
He sighed and raised an eyebrow at her, “I couldn’t hurt you. You’re a vamp, remember.”
“Oh right. So now are you going to leave? I mean, you asked me the question.”
He sat up off the bed. His stature suggested that he had something coming but Vetra ignored it. Her heart couldn’t beat any slower when he looked at her. Why hasn’t he left yet, something’s up.
Matthew leaned a knee on the bed, leaning over close to Vetra. He reached a hand towards her chest trying to grab her shirt. She swatted his hand away but he was too fast. He grabbed her shirt and pulled her into his chest. She squealed from under his arms, “Get off of me.” But Matthew didn’t listen to her.
He tilted her head up so her eyes were looking into his. Fear rushed through her veins making her body stiff. Her forehead was starting to sweat from being close to his beating heart. The idea of his blood in her mouth made her shiver. She wanted him to let her drink from him, yet she knew it would be wrong to do so. What if she took to much and he bled out on her floor? She couldn’t let that happen because she would have been found out by the humans.
Matthew looked into her eyes and smiled, “You are the most beautiful girl I have ever seen.” He placed her hand on the back of her head, bringing her face to his. He easily placed his lips on her cheek and kissed it warmly. The flood of emotions was back.

He worked his way down her face her chin, yet she didn’t push back. This is what she wanted, she craved, she needed. Matthew kissed his way down to her lips. He kissed her hard craving the moment to never end. She kissed back gentler and also, craving the attention he was giving her. Vetra placed a hand on his chest, pushing him away so she could get some air. Her brain was screaming at her that she shouldn’t let him do this.
Matthew let go of her and straightened, “What’s wrong? Did I do something?”
She shook her head, “No. I just, I think we should at least have a date first before you decide do go that far. Fair?”

He shook his head up and down eagerly, “I’d like that. So, you want to go out tomorrow, maybe go to the park?”
She couldn’t say it fast enough, “Yes. I’d like that too.”
His eyes began to cloud, “I should go now shouldn’t I? This is getting awkward, isn’t it.”
She laughed on the inside yet her face was plastered with a small forced smile, “Yes it is.”

He smiled slightly, “I’ll see you tomorrow Vetra. At six at the park near here?”

Her brain racked around the idea that they had a date, “Yes Matt. That is correct.”

Matthew stopped mid stride, “I’m gonna let that slide because one, your tired and want me to leave. Second, I am also tired. Three, I like you too much to argue with you.”

He left the room without another comment. She sat on the bed trying to figure out what just happened. The front door closed silently as she heard Matthew starting to head down the stairs. She pulled her pillows up against the wall and grabbed one to bring to her. She squeezed it with her full strength so little pieces of fluff from the inside of the pillow. Her fangs slid out slowly and graced the edges of the pillow. She closed her mouth around the pillow and ripped away, the corner of it stuck out of her mouth as she pulled away.

Vetra spit out the chunk into the corner then laid the pillow back down since her confusion was diminishing quickly. She slammed her head into the pile of pillows and looked up to the ceiling with anger tinting her brain. She knew she shouldn’t go out with Matthew for leadership reasons. Besides that, and which for her was the most important reason why she shouldn’t, was what if she actually fell in love. What if her heart was set on his love and only his love? When he died, she knew she would be emotionally disabled with her having to live on after him.

Her heart ached and so did her head. What if he is the one? She shook her head at the thought. I can’t do this again, I just can’t. I won’t let my heart get the best of me. I promised Joseph I wouldn’t love another. It’s old but, she sighed into the stiff air A promise is a promise. She pulled her blankets up over her body. Vetra’s mind kept floating back to the ideas about Matthew and her falling in love as she fell asleep.

The Dream


Vetra seemed to be floating in the dark surrounding her when her eyes opened. Her eyes were wide and sparkling even though there was no ambient light whatsoever. A loud crack echoed through out the baron environment. She turned around and it seemed like a white light coming directly towards her. The light flashed brightly, blinding Vetra for a moment. When her vision came back to her, the white light became a young man. His hair was a rich coffee color with his eyes seeming to glow like bright green apples. His smile beamed like a light house as he reached out to grab Vetra.

He slipped a hand around her small waist, pulling her body close to his. His eyes seemed to dance across her face, looking for an imperfection that wasn’t there. “I missed you so much Vetra, I couldn’t wait to see you again.”

She seemed to melt into him under his stare, “I don’t want you to wait for me. I’m sorry for what I did that led to you having to pass. I couldn’t stop Julius from doing what he did.”

He kissed her on the cheek softly, his long hair caressing her face as he pulled his face away. “That doesn’t matter to me. Your mine and you will always be forever.” His words bounced off the emptiness, making Vetra seem to feel even more uncomfortable with the echo.
Her voice had a disgusted tone to it, “But forever has ended for you. I keep you in my memory everyday. I still have,” a chill ran up her spine, “Forever to live. Be happy for me. I think I found a guy who will probably love me as much as you did.”

Joseph’s facial expression hardened, he twirled a strand of glowing hair around a finger. “I thought you promised me that you would only love me. Only me, you sound like you broke the promise.” His gaze stayed down at the floor.

She wrapped her arms around her self, mad that she couldn’t control her verbal defecation. “I probably did. But, he is a freak just like me. He knows how hard it is to hide a secret as big as this. And, he likes me too. That’s all you could really ask for, right?”

He turned his attention back to Vetra and sighed heavily at her, “Is he a vampire also? Does he know that you and me were a thing, that I was your only real partner?”

She cringed at his statement. She forgot that they were once supposed to be fiancé’s to each other a long while ago. She reached to grab out for him, but her hand skimmed right through his. “I will never forget you and what we had. I just need to move on with my life and so do you. I need to help my group and so does he with his pack.”

He raised a finger at her, “Did you just say what I think you said? Pack,” he clenched his hand into a fist, “What does he have to do with a pack?”

She gasped at herself because of her horrible decisions, “I am not going to tell you about this since you are dead. You don’t need to still worry about me. Just worry about the maggots that are crawling through your decaying body.”

A hand laced around Vetra’s waist, pulling her into a hard chest. She recognized the heavy breathing instantly as a warm kiss was planted on her cheek, “Who are you talking to Vetra? I don’t recognize those normal eyes.”

Joseph glared at the person behind her, “Is this the guy who is in a pack? He is a loner, isn’t he?” His gaze was flooded in jealousy.

Vetra closed her eyes, “This is Matthew, and yes he is the one who is in a pack. He is a werewolf and the one who I say who can possibly love me just as much as you did.”

Matthew nuzzled her neck softly, “I already do. Wait, you liked someone else besides me? Are you really that old?”

Joseph laughed loudly into the darkness, “Yes she is my jolly old mutt. And yes, she loved me before you. I was her first. Get used to being second.”

She wiggled out of Matthew‘s arms and stepped closer to Joseph, “Stop it you two!”

Matthew walked closer to Vetra then pushed her out of the way gently, “No one is going to say I am second to anything. She is mine so get lost.”

Joseph smirked at him, “No.”

Matthew lunged at Joseph, turning into a black wolf in mid air. He landed on him, pinning him underneath. Matthew growled in Joseph’s face, baring his teeth. He then took a big bite at Joseph, taking a chunk of flesh from his muscles. Joseph pushed back and attacked at him. They wrestled at each other until a loud male’s voice filled the tense and thickining air.

Vetra was shaking and covered in sweat when she woke up. An ice pack was on her head and Julius sat by her, stroking her hair and humming under his breath. She felt her fangs against her chin as she tried to sit up. She fell back to the bed as a stream of morning light peaked out from the window into her eyes.

Julius whispered slowly and calmly, “It’s okay Vetra. Everything is going to be alright.”

Her voice was shaky, “What day and time is it?”

He looked at the alarm clock on the bedside table and smiled, “Eight in the morning on Wednesday. The whole night you were screaming in your sleep, so I stayed awake to make sure you were alright.”

She took a deep breath, “I had the worst nightmare. Joseph and Matthew were in it, fighting over me.”

Julius tucked her hair behind her ears, “I cannot tell you how sorry I am still about what I did to Joseph.”

Vetra rolled her eyes, “I know that.” she rolled her head into his lap, “I am just worried about everything.”

He grabbed the ice pack off her head, “Get ready for your date tonight. That should ease the pain. Yes, I know about you and Matthew going out tonight.”
“That son of a b****,” whispered Vetra under her breath.

Julius was at the doorway leaving, “I heard that.”

She pulled herself out of the bed, dreading ever letting Matthew and his group come into her apartment. She got undressed and got into the shower in a melancholy mood. The water was hot on her body like Matthew had been the night before. Stop thinking about him! That was the only thing she could think about the whole day.

She left the house at five thirty to head to the park. She needed the time alone to think before he bombarded her with himself. Her blue tank top flowed in the breeze along with her hair that she curled just to be a little more girly for the date. The only thing that didn’t change was her three studs in each ear. She decided to wear a blowy skirt just because it was her first date since Joseph.

When she reached the park, Matthew ran up to her from a bench where he had been sitting. In his hands he had a dozen black velvet flowers with little orange poppies mixed in with them. He handed her the flowers with his cheeks a bright red.

“I thought you might like these. You know, with your style.” he stared at her with anticipation, “You look cute tonight, I really like your hair like that.”

Her mouth hung open as she tried to force herself to breath again, “I love them and thank you. It took me a while to get it done. Do you want to take a walk?”

Like a obedient puppy he nodded, “I’d love to.” She clung to his side as they strolled through the big park. Matthew tried his hardest to keep his emotions tucked into his chest as Vetra’s emotional walls seemed to deteriorate more every second that they talked. They reached a big open field with trees scattered about. A large twig sat in front of Vetra as they reached the end of the sidewalk. She picked it up and looked around. No one seemed to care at all about the two. Matthew got onto the grass and shifted into wolf form. She threw the stick to the other end of the field and Matthew chased after it. They played fetch for an hour then headed back to the front of the park.

Vetra let Matthew wrap his arm around her as she smiled, “I had a great time with you. You could chase that stick forever couldn’t you?”

He blushed, “Yes I could. I had a good time tonight also. Do you need someone to walk you home, cause I’d be willing to volunteer for that monumental task.”

Her instincts were screaming at her to run and never see him again. She shoved them down into her soul and kept a steady smile on the outside, “I’m good. Are you and your group doing okay, cause yesterday Prithi was pretty upset.”

He shifted his weight so he could have Vetra closer to him, “Yeah they are doing fine. Prithi chilled down after Dad and Mom yelled at her. You should have seen his face. His wolf was taking over him so rapidly, I was surprised he didn’t turn on her.”

She giggled and flicked her hair behind her shoulders. She didn’t mean for it to be taken as flirting, but she enjoyed having his attention on her. “Me too. When’s the full moon? You didn’t tell me that last night.”

His gaze went tough as a group of gangsters stared at Vetra, “It’s on Saturday in three days, maybe even less than that.” he squeezed her into his hip, “Those guys are looking at you. Are you going to do anything about it?”

She gritted her teeth knowing that her fangs were almost slipping out, “No I’m not. You know why, because I know if someone messes with me you’ll the first to f*** them up.”

His eyes dilated like a cat’s to thin slivers, “You are hardcore. Even if you look like a complete cheerleader right now.”

Matthew sat down on a bench and patted next to him, sending Vetra a signal to sit next to him. Before she sat down, a sharp smack filled her backside. Her eyes stopped still and she stood back up, angry as hell. A black man stood behind her with his pants down to his knees and a shirt that was four times the size it needed it to be covering his body. The smell of marijuana wafted from him and stung at Vetra’s nose. She could feel the fangs slipping out as if they were coated in butter.

The guys behind him were laughing and one guy muttered, “Nice ass.”

Vetra clenched her hands into fists, “You think this is funny? Grabbing some random girls ass just to piss off someone,” Her anger was consuming her voice.

The guy who grabbed her butt kept his gangster act together, “F*** yes you little b****. Isn’t that why it’s there in the first place?”

Vetra grabbed Matthew, pulling him up. “You sir are a worthless human being. I hope you die in hell.”

Without another word, Vetra dragged Matthew to the parking lot where his truck was parked. Once they were at the truck, Vetra slowed down and relaxed. Matthew could feel her tension, letting it also take over him. He wrapped a hand around hers and squeezed. She tried to let the gesture warm her up, but it wasn’t working.

Vetra sighed, “I’ll see you on the full moon. I need to think about this. Thanks for the flowers again.”

He pulled her into a quick hug, “I will see you then.”

She ran out of the hug down the street towards her home. Vetra tore down the sidewalk in a blind fury. She conquered the stairs four at a time and burst through the front door of her apartment in tears, Julius sat on the couch looking at her with confusion masking his cherub like demeanor. “What happened sis?”

She shrugged off his comment and barreled down the hallway to her room. She sat down on the bed angry and started unlacing her boots fast. Julius entered the room with a frown on his face, “Seriously what the hell happened?”

She threw a boot at the closet, “I absolutely hate today’s generation! I absolutely freaking hate every single one.”

“I’m guessing that the date didn’t go well?” he leaned against the doorway in his Old Navy sweats.

Anger fueled her to chuck the other boot at the closet also, “No. It was going well until some ghetto s*** slapped my ass.”

Julius strolled over to Vetra and sat next to her. He pulled her into his body in a brotherly hug, “They don’t mean s*** to you V. You are better than them and will always be.” He tilted her head so her eyes locked with his which were dead serious, “Now go to bed, tomorrow me and you are going to go out with Dimitri. I love you sis and I will always.”

Vetra melted into him, “God you know all the right things to say.”

He stood up, “Remember I’ll always support you in any decisions that you make. Good night Vetra.” He waved and left the room going back down the hall to the living room. He entered a few minutes later with a bottle of blood. He handed it to her then left again. Vetra chugged the bottle and tossed to the side of her bed as she crawled under the covers. She grasped the necklace of the crescent moon and clutched it close to her chest. A single tear crept out the corner of her eye, and as it fell it ran over the curvature of the locket. She fell asleep holding the necklace with her pain disappearing along with the tear on it.

Saturday came faster than expected. For Vetra it came in a blur because her days were spent on the couch, watching reruns of lame shows she had seen a million times before. When she woke up in the morning, her excitement was already taking over. She was happy that he trusted her to handle him during the full moon and that she could see what he was so worried about.

Around six O’clock Matthew knocked on the door. She ran as fast as she could to answer it. She opened the door full of excitement, yet Matthew’s emotion was grim.

Vetra frowned at him, “Why are you sad?”

He scowled at her, “Of today. What if I hurt you? I could never live knowing that I hurt someone.”

She grabbed him by the shirt, bringing his face close to hers. “Get your ass in here. You will not hurt me, I can promise you that.”

Matthew didn’t respond so she pulled him into the apartment. She let go of him and went to the fridge. She crouched in front of the fridge digging through it, looking for a bottle of blood. Only one was in the back of the fridge. She grabbed it angrily and slammed the door. Julius walked in to the room with a surprised look.

“Why did you slam the fridge?” his eyes seemed to dance across her. “Everyone is ready to help you with Matthew if needed.”

Matthew closed the front door and then looked at him with anger fueling his voice, “You have others here?” his voice raised into high pitched, “I did not say you could do this Vetra. What if I hurt one of them?”

Her grip tightened around the bottle, “This wasn’t my idea.” her gaze turned to Julius, “This is the last one. We need to go ’shopping’ soon.” she air quoted the word shopping.

He nodded then headed back down the hall. Matthew sat down on the couch confused, “What do you mean by shopping? If you answer my question, they can stay.” He started to dread saying that as soon as it left his mouth.

She sighed because she knew if she told him, he might rat her out to the police. “Are you going to rat us out to the police? If you are, you cannot know.”

He smiled at her, “You didn’t tell on Prithi who did probably worse than what you do. Why would I tell on you? I am not that bad of a guy.”

Her eyes went down to the floor, “Okay.” She walked over to the couch and sat down. Her voice went serious because she knew this was their life source they were talking about, “You know blood banks, we go to them and take what we need each month. Before they were around we killed people for it. Only people that wouldn’t be missed in the world like bums and hookers.”

Matthew leaned against the arm rest, “That’s it? I thought you’d go on like rampages through the town doing genocide.”

She made a disgusted noise then turned away from him. Her heart stopped racing as tears poked out of her eyes. “I thought you’d take this more seriously. We have some respect for humans.”

Matthew reached for her, “I’m sorry. I didn’t know. It just came out.”

She stood up blindly, “Yeah right. Tell me when you feel like you are going to black out, if it’s like that.”

Sadness took over his voice and body, “Please don’t be mad at me. Vetra, forgive me. It was just from the books and the movies, I really had no idea.”

She shook her head and crossed her arms over her chest, “Just stop. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

Vetra didn’t wait for a response from him. She walked down the hall to Julius’s room. She entered and was greeted by a lot of hugs from her group. The only one that didn’t welcome her was Becca who stayed on the bed with her fingers flying across her phone keyboard.

They gave her some space, returning to their spots on the floor and bed. Danica smiled lively at her, “When are we going to get more blood? I want to go so badly this time.”

Vetra sat down on the floor next to the door incase Matthew needed her. She hated how Matthew didn’t take it seriously but yet he trusted her so much that it eclipsed her anger at him. “Danica, you will not be going again. I believe that your skills at being stealthy are not fully developed still.”

She pouted at her, “I have been a vamp for over five hundred years, I think I can handle it.”

She glared at her as Julius crawled over to Dimitri and wrapped an arm around him, “The squirrel incident. I rest my case.”

Danica frowned, “Okay but when are you guys going anyway. Me and Dimitri only have two bottles left anyway.”

Becca looked up from her phone for only a quick second, her voice still had her always present bitchy tone to it. “Same here at my house.”

Vetra placed a hand over her cheek, “I forgot you and Dimitri lived with each other Danica. Becca, no need to comment. Just remember your part in the operation, distraction for the guards.”

She nodded without looking up. Dimitri spoke up from the corner of the room, “I think we should do it on Monday. Just to do it sooner than later.”

Vetra smiled at him, “Thank you Dimitri for keeping this on track. We’ll do it then since we can’t go to school anyway. Is ten a good time for everyone on Monday night?”

Becca closed her phone and looked at everyone evilly, “I have a date in the evening that day. I can’t come.”

Vetra lost her composer with Becca. She had enough of her “Always about Becca” attitude. “Call it off. You are coming with us no matter what.”

Becca scowled, “No, I am not going. You cannot control me!”

Vetra stood, “Yes you are. Final answer. Be a b**** to me, I will personally end your life so you do not have to deal with me or my instructions anymore.”

She coward underneath her stare, “I’ll be there.”

She sighed and relaxed against the door, “Good.”

A loud growl filled the air. Danica grabbed Becca and clung to her. Vetra straightened with her adrenaline pumping through her, making her stronger and able to face Matthew. She walked down the hall confident. She reached the living room, but stopped when she saw Matthew on the floor.

He had an antagonized look on his face. His eyes were closed and he was curled into a ball on the floor. He was clutching his stomach hard with his face wrenched in agony. She ran up to him and slid across the carpet to his side. Vetra’s mind went blank on what to do, her confidence diminished. He growled again but lower and from his throat. Black fur started to cover his arms. His head lolled back and fourth on the carpet.

Vetra reached for his head but he growled at her through his heavy breathing. “Vetra, leave me alone. This happens all the time.”

She shook her head, “Let me help you. I can’t stand to see anyone in pain.” she bit her lip hard, “Just let me help you.”

His eyes fluttered open, the pupils were huge and the iris was black tinted on the edges. “I go through this every single month. I can handle this once more.”

She grabbed his head and placed it in her lap, “I am right here. I will be through this with you.”

His ears slowly became pointed. His teeth became sharp. His body was covering in hair and his feet and hands were slowly turning into paws. His eyes stayed open without blinking. The iris was fully black now. She felt him shift in her lap so she opened her eyes to find a black wolf laying in her lap.

Fear drove her to push him off of her. She curled her legs under her and pulled away from him. He growled and turned to her. The wolf barred it’s teeth at Vetra with a loud semi-growl coming from deep with in the throat. Vetra barred her fangs at it also. She did it out of being scared and trying to protect herself from him.

He lunged at her with his mouth snapping at her. Vetra lowered her eyes to slits, and swung at him, swatting him across the room. He hit his head on the wall, seeming to knock him unconscious. She stood up and walked over to him then picked up the limp body of the wolf. Her nerves were still on edge as she took the wolf to her room. She placed it on the bed and stretched its limbs out. Then she walked over to the closet and took out a long strand of braided rope. She had it in preparation for the night if anything bad happened. In the back of her mind she knew the next morning he would hate her for it but she took the risk.

The wolf started to shift on the bed so she had to hurry. She tied the rope around his limbs to the posts bed. The wolfs eyes popped open and it started to growl at Vetra again. It struggled against the ropes as Vetra slumped against the side of the bed with her eyes fluttering closed.



She woke up slowly with light flowing in from the windows. Vetra rubbed her eyes as the room started to become less blurry. A pain filled the side of her face when she tried to stand up. Automatically, she reached up to touch it. A warm liquid caressed her fingertips running down the back of her hand. Her instincts drove her to pull her hand away. A stream of thick purple blood ran down her hand. Vetra’s mouth dropped open and only a few gasps came out. Her fingers then flew up to the side of her face and then explored it gingerly.

The side of her face had four long lacerations on her cheek. Her cheek was warm and covered in her own blood. Her muscles were showing through the wide cuts, stinging when her fingertips brushed against them. She closed her mouth forcefully as something shifted behind her body. A loud grunt roared over her. The deep voice muttered something then shifted again. Vetra turned around stared at the bed with intrigue.

Matthew laid on the bed with his hands and feet tied with rope to the bed post, struggling against the ropes.The memories flooded her mind. How she fell asleep leaning on the bed, how Matthew broke free of the ropes that she had initially tied him with. Julius running into the room to find her laying on the floor half dead. Then how he fought Matthew again and tied him up again with somemore rope.

Her eyes went dead, “I am so sorry.”

Matthew let out a low growl, “How the hell did this happen? Can someone help me?”

Vetra stood up and fought to keep her self from crying, “Just give me a few seconds.”

He stopped fighting, also going dead in the eyes. “Your face, what the hell happened to your face!”

Her hand flew to her cheek, “Yeah about that.” she leaned over the bed and started to saw at the rope with her fingernail. “You know how I promised you wouldn’t hurt me?”

He rolled his eyes, “Yeah so? I am more interested in how you got hurt.”

She smiled grimly as the rope strand snapped in half, “Well I guess I was wrong about that.”

His mouth dropped open and his pupils dilated. “What! No, no, no! What the hell did I do?”

The memory flooded her again. The pain stung at her cheek, she could practically feel his claws digging into her cheek like it had just happened. “Hell if I know. I can only remember bits of the night. I remember walking into the living room and seeing you. I stayed until you lunged at me the first time. Then I took you to this room tied you up then fell asleep on accident.”

He bit his lip hard, “God I can’t believe that I did that to you.”

The other piece of rope tied around his right wrist snapped. He sat up and rubbed his rope burned wrists as Vetra got to work on the ropes around his feet. Vetra kept her other hand around covering her cheek, “I am sorry that you have to go through this.”

His wrists were raw from struggling all night, “It’s not your fault Vetra. Wait, if I attacked you then how am I still tied up?”

She bit her lip hard as the memory of Julius fighting him off of her replayed through her mind, “I think Julius got you off of me.”

Julius poked his head into the doorway, “Someone said my name?” he had a black eye over his right eye.

Vetra cut the last rope from around his feet, “There.”

Julius came into the room and made sure Matthew was okay. The whole time Vetra kept her hand covering her face. It was hot against her cold body and the deep scratches felt weird under her fingers. The whole time she had been alive she had not been hurt that bad. It would have healed already if it was something else. Even with the incident with Prithi, the claw marks on her hips had already healed. Why weren’t this starting to heal by now?

Matthew whispered under his breath, “Lets go.”

They both turned around to him. Her hand slid down to her side revealing the claw marks. Julius didn’t notice because his eyes were locked on to Matthew.
Julius muttered, “Everyone left after he turned last night Vetra. They will be here at nine thirty to drive together to the bank on Monday.”

She relaxed in her stance, “Thanks for arranging that. I didn’t have time to put that together.”

He smiled at her, “I could see that last night. He got you good, didn’t he?”

Her gaze went to the floor, her stance straightening again. “You knew? God, I thought you couldn’t remember like me.”

“Well, once he was tied up again you completely gave up. Went unconscious and just sat against the bed with the blood slowly running down your face.”

She looked down to her shirt. The only white shirt she had was stained purple from her blood. “I’ve been bleeding for that long?”

Julius nodded slowly reaching for her shirt, “Yes. I’ll take that from you so it can get washed. Surprised you’re not dead, but I guess that proves that you are really my sister”
Matthew sat on the bed quietly messing with his shirt, “Don’t mind me at all.”

Vetra stuck her tongue out at him like a child, “Grow up.” She peeled off her shirt, glad to have a tank top underneath that didn’t get stained.

Julius left the room with her shirt. Melancholy feeling filled Vetra as she dug through the endless piles of dirty clothes for another shirt. She picked up a plain dark purple shirt and smelled it. Close enough to be considered clean. She slipped it over her body quickly, and then walked out into the hallway. A bottle of blood greeted her in the living room.

She cursed herself in her mind and somberly walked over to the couch. Plopping down into the couch brought back unpleasant memories from the night before. She saw her on the floor cradling Matthew with his face just wrenched in pain. The fur slowly growing over the flesh. The growling filling the air as he blacked out.

She had to force herself to push the thoughts away from her mind even though she could visualize Julius prying Matthew off of her. Fangs poked out of her gums as she grabbed the remote and turned on the T. V. She didn’t watch any shows; she just needed something to drown out her brain tearing apart itself.

Matthew appeared out of the dark hallway, “Do you want me to get you anything for your face?”

She looked up from her comatose like state, “Some Neosporin or gauze so I can keep it clean. It hasn’t started healing so I need to physically keep it healing.”

He took a stride across the room, his sorrow covering his normal happy go lucky personality. “I can do that. Be back in a couple minutes. Going to run up to Rite Aid for you.”

She didn’t reply, just shook her head yes and smiled at him as he left her apartment. She let out her breath as soon as the door clicked shut softly. Then she turned her attention to her face. She got up and walked to the end of the hall where a small door was. Inside was the bathroom where she entered into. A small vanity with a wall mirror decorated the wall that the door opened to.

To the left was a shower and tub and next to that was a small toilet. She closed the door softly and stared into the mirror. Her cheek was worse than she thought. The skin was red around it, the actual marks were swollen with the nerves showing, it stopped bleeding which was the only upside of it.

She traced the lines slowly, trying her hardest not to cry from the pain her fingers were making. A small pocket of yellow puss exploded from her sharp nails. She didn’t panic though knowing that in time it would all heal. Scar her pretty face for the rest of her natural life maybe, but heal.

Around the lines were purple from where her blood was starting to clot. She turned and sat down on the toilet lid. Her long hair slid down her shoulders in front of her eyes, masking the tears that started to form. The fear of telling her group what had happened scared the living s*** out of her. What would Joseph have thought of this?

“No. He is dead and I am alive. The promise died with him.”

And you should have too. She grabbed her side where Prithi had swiped at her that day at the school. She could feel the raised scars on her hip through the thin shirt. Her gut was twisting into knots, the feeling like she was going to puke tugged at the back of her throat. Nothing to throw up, that’s a good thing.

Vetra’s heart was heavy in her chest. She couldn’t hold back the tears from rolling down her face. The life she used to have flickered through her mind. The days when she was just another mortal face in the crowd. When she actually had a family before she was turned. What if I was never turned that day?

She sat up fast, hitting her head against the wall in the process. She grabbed a rubber band off the vanity and tied up her hair. It was the least she could do to feel somewhat normal.

She stood up and left the small bathroom, leaving her little episode back in the room behind her. Julius sat on the couch when she came into the living room. He greeted her with a smile then focused back onto the television. A scream came from the speakers and he just smiled.

Her voice was raised in question, “Whatca watchin?”

He didn’t move his eyes or body. His pumpkin eyes just stared ahead at the screen like a zombie, “Dracula. It’s weird how he portrays our kind. We are nothing like that.”

She snorted, “Isn’t that the truth.” her eyes went to his hands holding a half empty bottle, “What’s that?”

His eyes darted back and fourth, “That. Blood. It’s warm but it’s something to get us through.”

She rolled her eyes because she didn’t want to get into a fight after what happened in the bathroom, “Whatever. Not like I needed that anyway to help me heal.”

No response. She sat down on the couch next to him with her hair bobbing in his face. He swatted it away like a cat and a feather toy, not even paying attention to it for long.

Vetra focused on the movie also. “If you can’t beat them, join them was her motto.” with Julius. They sat in silence for a few minutes until Matthew came through the door with a plastic bag in his hand with the words Rite Aid in red and blue letters printed on it.

“Would you like some help with this Vetra, or should I go?” his eyes and voice were heavy.

Julius stood up and left the room without a word, leaving Vetra alone with Matthew. Her heart started to pound heavily, “Stay. I actually want some company besides Julius.”

He sat down next to her, taking out bottles and rolls of facial wipes out of the bag. “I’m glad I can help anyway I can since I did this to you.” He opened a bottle of hydrogen peroxide that he pulled from the bag and started to clean the scratch marks on her face with some cotton swabs from the bag.

The March air filled Vetra’s lungs as she sucked in the cold seemed to shock her closer to fiction than reality. She leaned into her boyfriend as the cold pricked at her nose. She couldn’t feel it, but she tried to act normal even though it was that way. His arm was wrapped tightly around her waist, letting her move if she wanted to, but also establishing that she was his.

She stared into the olive green eyes that had helped her survive for the last four months full of love, melting into his chest, “Thank you for coming with me to pick up Danica and Dimitri. I don’t think I could have done it alone.”

He kissed her gently on the forehead leaving the skin fighting to keep the warmth, “No problem babe. Plus, I never want to miss any moment that I can be around you.”

Vetra tugged down her hood from her head and pushed her hair back behind her neck, “That’s as close to being a romantic you will ever get sadly. Matthew, I can’t believe you are not cold. Even for a vampire, I am freezing.”

He pulled her closer to him as a group of burnouts walked past them, “I don’t know either. I am just special I guess.”

She laughed, little clouds of white puffing out as she exhaled. “Yeah, special alright.”

Matthew leaned into her and kissed her on the cheek where four raised brown scars sat going diagonal across the cheek towards the chin. “Whatever you say honey.”

Her eyes smoldered as she fell into submission under his stare, “You are the best in the world, I should know.”

Matthew swept Vetra into his arms, “Yes you should now. Don’t let anything else get into your pretty little head.”

She squealed into his chest, “Let me go. I don’t like being tickled.”

He smiled widely, “Then you will hate my guts then.” He tickled her under the chin with his finger tips. She snorted in his face and her fangs started to slip out of her gums. She was laughing so hard that her fangs started to scratch Matthew, who started to nuzzle her with his sharpened canines.

Her fangs scratched his cheek, drawing a small pool of blood. She stopped laughing once the smell hit her nose. “Matthew, set me down.”

His eyes still danced across her with happiness and lust blinding him, “Were almost there. Let me carry you all the way.”

She smacked him lightly in the chest, “Set me down. Now!” The smell became stronger as the blood droplets rolled down his sculpted cheek. “Do it.”

He bent over letting her knee-high Converse covered feet lightly touch the sidewalk. She climbed out of his arms and dug out a napkin from her thick black sweater pocket. “You look like you need this.”

He snatched the napkin from her hands playfully, “What do you say I need it for?”

She grinned glowingly, “I accidentally scratched you and your cheek is bleeding.”

He ran his hand over his cheek, “What are you..” The blood ran onto his fingers, “Oh. Thank you.”

She continued walking down the path, “Welcome.”

Matthew pushed the napkin to his face with one hand and intertwined his other into Vetra’s. “So what are we getting them for? Can’t they drive like normal people. Isn’t that what you try to replicate anyway?”

She looked down to a crack in the path, “Yeah sort of like that. We need to walk with them because the roads are closed from the snow.” She motioned with her chin to the road which was coated in thick piles of snow, “That’s why we need to walk.”

He wrapped an arm around her shoulder, “Lucky for you, you are sort of immune to the cold.” He whispered into the air as a shiver ran through his body, “Unlike me.”

She rested her head into his chest, “Don’t wolves live in places that freeze over and snow? That’s why they have fur.”

He shook his head then kissed her on the forehead, “Yes but I can’t turn now. Can I?”

She laughed as they approached the gate for the housing complex that Danica and Dimitri lived in, “No. Even though no one is out since it is as cold as Alaska out here, we need to keep acting normal.”

He grunted as she input the code for the gate, “Fine. If I get frostbite, I am blaming you. And wasn’t there people waking?”

She giggled and walked into the complex after punching in the code to open the gate. The house was the first one on the left after the gate. They walked up to the house and entered without knocking. Danica sat in a rocking chair wearing a pink bubble jacket and matching fur lined boots with a pair of black sweats over her chicken legs. Her red hair was in a ponytail, tucked into the hood of the jacket, making her look more mature than she was.

“Hi you guys. The cheek looks good Vetra.”

She rolled her eyes at Danica, “You had to bring it up.” Her eyes searched the room for Dimitri, “Where is Dimitri at? He should be ready by now.”

Danica stood up and smoothed out her pants, “Maybe he is still packing his clothes? We are going to be at your house along time.” she picked up an over sized bag from the ground and clutched it to her chest, “I know it took me a while to get packed.”

Matthew sighed from where he was standing, leaning against the door, “Guys don’t take that long to get ready.” he ran a hand through his hair, “Maybe something happened?”

Dimitri appeared at the foot of the stairs with a small drawstring bag on his back. “What happened?”

Danica sighed into herself becoming a few inches shorter, “Lets go before it starts to snow again.”

Vetra nodded then went over to Matthew and wrapped her hand around his, “Good idea Danica. Troops move out.”

The group headed out of the house in a small group just like the military. They walked through the cold in silence until snow started falling half way to Vetra‘s house. A flake landed on Danica’s nose, “Pretty.”

Dimitri rolled his eyes behind his closed eyelids, “Yeah but we still have a bit to go. Are we going to be there soon? It seems much shorter when you are in a car.”

Her voice was filled with glee, “Not that long. We could run there and Matthew can run also as a wolf, that might get us there faster. No one is around anyway, I hope.”

Everyone nodded in the silence as the snow started to fall faster. Matthew shifted into a wolf and everyone prepped for the run. With a simple nod everyone took off into a sprint down the sidewalk. The wind rushing through Vetra’s hair seemed to ignite a spark in her even through the snow. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest. Her breath didn’t heavy at all as they reached the complex as they slowed down.

They climbed up the stairs still in silence. Once inside, they all collapsed and the exhaustion caught up with them. The only ones that were not panting were Matthew and Vetra. Matthew shifted back to human and embraced Vetra in a squeezing hug.

“That was awesome Vetra. I had never felt more alive. The fear someone would just appear and see us, oh what a rush.”

She struggled against him, “Good for you. Now, let me down. I cannot feel my feet on the floor.”

His eyes widened and let her down, “Sorry bout that babe.” he kissed her quickly on the lips, “I want to do that again so bad.”

Dimitri started to head down the hall to Julius‘s room since he stayed home, “Give us a few minutes and you can goof ball. Bye lady and the tramp.”

Vetra and Matthew stopped looking at him strolling down the hall. Vetra forced Matthew’s mouth shut, “Yes he called you the tramp. I really don’t care and you shouldn’t either.”

His eyes mellowed as she let go of his mouth, “I really didn’t care. I was only pretending in case you cared.”

She rolled her eyes and then ran a hand through her hair as a nervous reaction, “Whatever. Do you know what is going on with Julius and Dimitri, Danica? He isn’t talking much around us. Dimitri I mean.”

Danica let go of her bag and it plopped on the floor next to where she sat on the couch, “I really have no idea what you are talking about, Dimitri always is talkative around me. Maybe it’s just you two he doesn’t like.”

Vetra’s gaze locked onto hers, “What has he said to you Danica? Because, I am really worried about those two.”

She bit her lower lip, “You’ll get mad at me if I tell you. And after the last time you blacked out, a bad thing happened.”

A low anger rose inside of Vetra, “That doesn’t matter now, so spill.”

Danica stared at the floor for a long time until Dimitri entered the room again. After he sat next to her she lifted her head and stared at him, “They want to know why you don’t talk around them.”

Dimitri shrunk into the couch, “Vetra I am so sorry. I really don’t want to tell you. It is between me and Julius. I am so sorry.” He drew out the word ‘so’ with guilt tugging at his voice.

As if on cue, Julius stormed through the room with his fangs poking out of his frown.

Vetra and Dimitri reached for him but he was too quick and shook them off. Vetra whimpered, “Where are you going? It’s almost a blizzard out there.”

He was wearing a short sleeved shirt and knee length shorts as he stood before the door, “Anywhere but here.”

He left the apartment with the door slamming on the way out. Dimitri had a mask of worry over his face as he curled up on the couch. Vetra’s patience was at the end of her fuse, “Dimitri what the hell did you do to my brother?” her voice was almost piercing.

He shook under her burning stare, “He doesn’t want me to tell you.”

Vetra cursed under her breath, “Danica, has Julius told you anything?”

She pulled the hood off her head so her frizzy red hair stood up against her head, “No. If he did I would have told you by now.”

Vetra grabbed her head from the headache that started to pound behind her eyes, “God damn it Julius.”

Matthew shifted next to her uneasily as he zipped up his jacket, “You three stay here. I’ll see if I can find him and talk to him.”

He was at the door when Vetra said something, “You saw me when I blacked out, he is actually worse with it than I am.”

He shook her off even though on the inside he was nervous as can be. “I understand babe.” he kissed her on the lips passionately as if it would be the last kiss of his life. “I’ll try to be back. I love you Vetra.”

Her eyes went back and fourth from Matthew to the door as he left the apartment. Her lips still tingled from where he had kissed her as she sat down on the couch in between Danica and Dimitri.

Matthew


Matthew ran down the concrete, following Julius’s scent through the bone chilling air. The scent was practically cloaked in anger and deception. The scent lead him to the park where him and Vetra had their first date just. He could still sense the happiness and fun they had that day.

He walked down the path through the grass in silence to a smalloverhead cover with a few benches underneath. Julius sat on the bench furthest away from him. Julius’s head was hung low and his foot was pounding on the floor. He had something in his hands but Matthew couldn’t tell what it was.

He walked up to him quietly as Julius seemed to be whispering something that even Matthew’s sensitive wolf ears couldn’t pick up. Julius stopped tapping his foot, “What do you want Matthew? I am not in the mood to deal with your childish conversations.”

Matthew made his voice firm, “I am not in the mood for your crap either. I am here only for Vetra.”

Julius raised his head a little and stared at a tree across the way. “What does she want? She shouldn’t be caring about me just like you.”

“Is that what’s this about? That we seem to not care about you, because I know that Vetra cares about you very much. You’re her only family she has left.”

Julius’s voice went hard, “Matthew you mean nothing to me. You are just a flea bitten mutt that just happened to be my sister’s crush. Your just a crush, nothing more, nothing less.”

“Harsh much, Julius.” his morale was dented from the comment but he couldn’t let it get in the way of getting him back to the apartment, “You are just saying those things just to hurt me. I’ll let you know a little something, it isn’t working.”

Julius smiled evilly, “Oh am I just saying it to hurt you. I’m not. I really do hate you. You hurt my sister. Your sister hurt my sister. I don’t want you around my sister anymore.”

Matthew growled, white puffs of smoke escaping from his lips. “She is the only one that can tell me that she can’t see me anymore.”

Julius squeezed the item in his hands, warm liquid flowing down his hands. “You have no idea do you. No idea about how this relationship will end.”

Matthew gave a smirk, “How will it end, Sherlock?”

Matthew’s comment made Julius smile, “She’ll out live you. That’s right I said it. She’ll out live you and then it will all be over. You’ll die in some way and she’ll live on being guilty that she couldn’t turn you into a vampire to still be with her.”

Julius dodging the real reason why he was there made Matthew mad, “Why are you angry at us. Dimitri, Vetra, and me. Why did I have to come after you so you didn’t get yourself killed? At least answer one of my questions.”

Julius threw what was in his hands into a near by bush, which happened to be a small chipmunk. “You really want to know?”

Matthew squeezed his hands into fists ready to knock his smirk and attitude off of him, “Yes I do. I actually care about your sister more than you think.”

Julius stood up and a bunch of little crushed leaves fell off of his lap. Whatever he’s mad about, it must be serious. Matthew had a no duh moment after the though faded through his mind. Vetra’s scared face rolled through his mind. The seriousness of the injury made his ego sink.

Matthew leaned his weight to one side and sighed again as the snow started to come down again, “Just tell me what it is before we get trapped out here.”

“The idea of hurting her. The idea that once a month you could seriously hurt her. Same with your sister. Happy now?” he spat with the white clouds swirling around his face.

Seriously, this is why you are so paranoid around us. Matthew raised an eyebrow even though Julius wasn’t turned around, “That’s it?”

He spun around quickly and clenched his beefy hands around Matthew’s throat, “Yes it is you ungrateful bastard. You hurt her and I’ve hated you with every last bit of my body and soul since.” His eyes were blistering red and seemed to borough through his soul.

Matthew stuttered out the words even though it felt like his lungs were on fire with every word, “I’m sorry. Is that what you wanted to hear? And I mean it with every bit of my life.”

The blood color drained out of his eyes as he plopped down on the bench again, “I can’t do this again.”

The air rushing to his lungs felt orgasmic as he talked, “What do you mean again?”

The cold nipped at Julius as he folded his arms around his chest at Vetra’s silliness. “She hasn’t told you? Gosh, no wonder your so clueless.”

A low growl formed in Matthew as he forced himself not to shift into wolf form and claw the living s*** out of him. “I am not clueless. I may be mislead, but I am defiantly not clueless.”

He rolled his eyes, “Yeah right.” He let a long breath and tugged at his shirt sleeves. He knew he could tolerate the cold but this was starting to get at him from not wearing long sleeves, “So anyway, You might want to sit down for this one.”

Matthew sat down next to Julius without a word as he started, “So back in the late eighteenth century, Vetra met this guy. His name was Joseph. Tall guy, nice looks, nice guy.”

Matthew groaned, “What does that have to do with the situation we are in now. I don’t know about you, but I am going to get hypothermia soon if we don’t hurry it up just a little.”

Matthew’s ignorance was making Julius short tempered, “Fine. We’ll talk while we walk back to the apartment.”

They both got up and started walking slowly. Julius continued to say the edited version of the story, “So, Joseph was on a higher class than us and was planning on marrying Vetra secretly. Then one day, his friends “ambushed” her and hurt her. I went into a furry and killed them all and maybe just a little bit accidentally Joseph got into it and was killed also.”

Matthew could feel his teeth sharpening. All he could think about was how cool he seemed to be when telling the story. “And why does this mean you hate me?”

“Getting to that. After she heard the news he “mysteriously” died, her heart broke. She went into a depression phase for years, she is probably still hurt by it today. When you hurt her,” He shoved his hands into the pockets that he had to prevent him from slapping Matthew or even worse killing him, “It brought back memories of Joseph and his friends. I couldn’t see her hurt again. I don’t want her to be hurt again.”

Matthew raked a stone cold hand through his hair which was mildly wet from snow melting into it. “Then why were you angry at Dimitri? I’m guessing you are since he went straight to your room and that’s were you stormed out of. Correct me if I’m wrong.”

He raised a hand to his face, telling him to stop talking. “Your correct. He likes you guys as a couple. Thinks of it as like a crossover couple where it is cute now but you bet on when it is going to end.”

Matthew was at an end for words so simply muttered a simple “Oh.” His gaze went to the ground. Guilt laid in the back of his heart for him but yet the idea that he couldn’t control his anger, even for his sister made the guilt vanish. “I wonder why she hasn’t told me yet.”

A smug smile tugged at his mouth, “Ditto.”

Matthew shook his head, “Really? Ditto?”

“What’s wrong with that? Does it bug you? Huh bub? I am just going to keep it up just to bug you.”

“Please don’t.” Why did he suddenly go from angry to happy and playful so easily? The idea wracked his brain as they left the park and walked towards the complex as the snow fell down harder.

The two boys entered the apartment covered in snow which melted quickly from the heat in the room. Vetra jumped up instantly and greeted Matthew with a kiss on the lips. The time they were apart seemed to make her more jumpy and her sanity shaky the more they were not together.

Danica grumbled on the floor with her face in a girlie magazine engrossed in an article that had no meaning to Vetra, “Nice to see you too.”

Dimitri sat next to her, almost as intrigued as Danica was. “Julius.”

Julius ran up to Dimitri and pulled him off the floor in a swift movement, bringing his lips to Julius’s. They both seemed to melt into each other before Julius set him down back on the floor. “I am so sorry that I had the argument with you.”

Dmitri was shocked as his eyes searched up and down Julius, making sure it was the same guy, “You know I’m not going to drop my views right? Because I believe-”

Julius kissed him again just to get him to stop rambling, “I really don’t care right now. I just want to be with my friends and boyfriend and just relax. Hopefully.”

Vetra asked sarcastically, surprised, standing under Matthew’s arm by the door, “What is the problem this time?”

He forced a smile at her fakeness, “Nothing my dear sister. Not a problem at all dear lady.”

She laughed in her head but on the outside she was a brick wall, “Don’t you reference that. Not around Matthew.”

Matthew squeezed her into him, “He already told me. I know about Joseph.”

Vetra glared at Julius who had his arms wrapped around Dimitri, “Damn it Julius. Why couldn’t you let it go?”

He shrugged slowly, “Just though I’d put it all out there so he knows what your going through.”

“You didn’t have to though,” she said with fake enthusiasm, “It would have been brought up eventually.”

“When? After Matthew is long dead.”

She let her short temper get a hold of her, “Yes it would be better for him and me if it was that way.”

Matthew took a finger and tilted her head so he could see her eyes, “Who said it would be better for me? I’d like to know what happens with me.”

She pushed her way out from under his arms, “Please, you know I’m going to outlive you and the relationship will die with you.”

His eyes widened as he felt his canines sharpen, “I knew that I just didn’t know you felt so strongly about it.”

Tears started to well in her eyes, “Obviously you don’t pay attention to me as well as I thought you did.”

His hand reached out into dead air towards her, “Don’t lie to yourself. I love you a lot.”

“That doesn’t mean you pay attention to the little things about me.”

“Yes it does.”

Vetra’s voice was piercing, “Prove it.”

A loud slap filled the stiff air as Danica slammed the magazine closed. All eyes were directed at Matthew. “I know that you always feel left out at school, I know that you hate the color of your eyes, you sleep with a old stuffed rabbit that your mom gave you, should I continue?”

Vetra shook her head no then walked melancholy out of the front room down the lushing hall. She turned into her room with her cheeks blistering red and a tear sliding down her face. Matthew walked down after her as the room filled with Ooh’s.

He entered her room with his voice rising, “What was that about? Did I strike a nerve there?”

She sat on the bed and started peeling off her jacket, “No. I didn’t know you knew about the animal. And more than that.”

He sat down next to her taking the jacket out of her hands, “How is that humiliating? I know I sleep with a stuffed animal under my pillows.”

Vetra slapped him in the chest gently even though she was raging, “That doesn’t count.”

Matthew leaned over her and kissed her on the neck and kissed his way up her neck to her face, “You know you’re the most beautiful girl I had ever seen.”

When he kissed her lips she mumbled, “I do now”

She fell out of her rage as Matthew kissed her harder and she started to kiss back. Passion flowed through both their veins. They made out for a few minutes before Matthew started to take off Vetra’s shirt.

“You want to do this?”

She nodded like a puppy with a smile tugging at her lips as she bit her lip, “Ready as I’ll ever be.”

He threw her shirt to the side as she started to unbutton his pants, “Is this your first time?”

She threw his pants to the side as he worked on getting off her pants. The truth hurt her to say, “No. But I don’t mind.”

They were down to being naked quickly as Matthew entered her. Vetra was letting him do this. She knew that it was against the promise that she made to Joseph but the words from her dream came back to her, “The promise died with you.” It felt amazing between the two, especially Vetra.

“That was amazing.”Matthew said in between breathes as he layed next to her on the bed after they were done.

Vetra nodded since she was also out of breath and couldn’t even force herself to talk. She brushed her hair behind her head with her hand as Matthew grabbed her other hand, “I love you Vetra”

She whispered through shallow breathes, “I love you too.”

After a few moments Matthew started to freak out, “What if something happens?”

Vetra rolled over in a daze and stared at him, “Hmm. What’s the matter?”

His eyes searched the room vacantly, “I forgot to wear one.”

“Wear what? Seriously Matthew, you need to be more specific. My brain is jelly after what just happened.” She laughed at her own joke.

Matthew grabbed his head, pulling at his hair. “I cannot believe I didn’t wear one. What if something happens? That is the worst thing that could have happened.”

She grabbed his hand with her eyes full of love as Vetra smiled at him, “Are you worried that someone will find out that we did it? If so, I can promise you that no one will.”

Matthew stared vacantly at the ceiling, “I didn’t wear a condom Vetra, okay! I cannot believe I didn’t think about it before.”

Her face went vacant of all color, all the possibilities of things that could go wrong echoed through her brain. She could barely help her own group stay out of trouble, how was she going to raise a child if she became pregnant? Or even stomach giving the child up for adoption if that was the last option?

Matthew squeezed her hand hard, “You okay? You look like you saw a ghost.”

She raised an eyebrow in question, even though she felt like she was going to throw up, “A ghost, really?” she stared at him willingly, “I was just weighing the possibilities of what could go wrong or what could go right with it. Whatever happens is whatever happens, right?”

He nodded at her then kissed her on her cheek, “That’s right.”

She rolled her feet off the bed, “I don’t think I’d be a good parent if I do get pregnant. I can’t even handle my own group from getting into trouble.”

He also sat up next to her and then wrapped his arms around her, “You’ll do fine. It wasn’t your fault that that we are all in trouble. You have to realize that so stop beating yourself up over something that you had absolutely no control over.”

Vetra leaned into the crook of his shoulder, “I know that. It’s just,” she sighed with a headache stinging behind her eyes, “I am worried.”

Matthew kissed her on the lips with the feeling of guilt pressing down on his chest, “It will all be okay, I can promise you that much. Now, get some sleep. I’ll be in the living room if anything goes wrong.”

She tried mentally to keep Matthew’s arms wrapped around her because it was the only stable thing in her life it seemed and she wanted it to stay that way forever. As Matthew reached the doorway she whispered after him, “Thank you for keeping me on track.”

Vetra scooped her clothes off the floor and started to slip them back on her body. She didn’t care that she was going to sleep in her jeans and day clothes, she just wanted to sleep. Desperate could be the best word to describe her in the state as she tried to stop the thoughts of what could happen from going through her mind. She slipped on the shirt and rolled back under the sheets. Vetra fell into a deep sleep even though her brain pounded hard.

Matthew


Matthew entered the living room and was greeted by the scowl of Becca, Neyla, Samuel, and William. The most degrading smile came from Prithi who sat on the floor near the kitchen area. Her grey eyes were dark and her lips were in a frown with her canines poking out, “What the hell were you doing back there?”

He raised an eyebrow at her with his eyes lowering into a glare, “You guys are still here? And what makes you thing I was doing something? I wasn’t doing anything.”

Becca spoke up from the floor near the couch, “I know that look. I’ve seen it plenty of times with my cheating boyfriends when they get home late. And, plus you have no pants on. Only boxers without a shirt.”

Oh s***! His voice went squeaky with his voice wavering with laughter, “What does that supposed to mean?”

Prithi also glared at him with her voice being stern, “You didn’t? Please do not tell me you just did it.”

Becca smiled with her fangs at a small point, “Prithi, I think he did.”

Neyla giggled from the couch, “He did what? Even from my short time with you guys, I think of him as a good guy. What could he have possibly have done wrong?”

Prithi made a disgusted noise and frowned again, “Matthew, did you screw her. Be honest with me, did you f*** her?”

Samuel giggled at Prithi, “Way to be discreet about this. He already has enough to deal with, especially with you getting us kicked out of school a few months ago. Your still wanted for almost murdering that kid.”

She growled back at him as her response. Matthew inside his head was having a panic attack about this. He couldn’t handle the embarrassment that the truth spilling would come with. He gathered up the little strength he had to speak, “I did not do that. It would be un-leader like if I did.”

Becca made a short laugh, her eyes exploding in sarcasm. “I know, that’s so true. I’m kidding of course, he is lying.”

Matthew cheeks flared red, “I am not lying. I didn’t do anything to Vetra and I never will.” Why is Becca saying I’m lying? It’s true, but she can’t continue with this.

Julius sat up off of Dimitri, “Stop interrogating him. Even if he did, I would be okay with it. She is the leader of our group and she can control her own life. I trust my sister.”

Dimitri giggled from next to him, “When have you ever trusted your sister? Since the incident with Leonardo, you haven’t given her a bit of freedom even with the group.”

He lightly punched Dimitri in the stomach, “Shush about that.”

Matthew raised a hand to them, “What was that, did I hear the name Leonardo in that sentence?”

Becca nodded, “Yes you did. She is really that old. Ancient even.”

Matthew sighed and rubbed a hand down his face, “Damn. Can you explain that Julius. I really want and maybe even need to know.”

“You’ll get mad. Again. She has a really checkered past Matthew. You need to realize that. She is a real commitment.”

Matthew’s tone was edgy, “I get that. Can you just talk?”


He nodded like an obedient puppy, “Sure. So in the renaissance when Leonardo Davenci was alive, the group except Dimitri he wasn’t born yet was living in the central part of Italy. He was going his arts and was looking for a model for his newest painting. Vetra met him in the market one day and tried out to be the model. Are you keeping track of all this?”


All Matthew could do was shake his head, “Sort of.” That was all he could say because he was in astonishment. His brain couldn’t wrap around the thought that history was wrong the way he was taught.


Julius continued with his story constantly stealing a look down the hall. He knew Vetra would kill him if she heard him telling this story. “After the painting was finished, she started to fall head over heels for Leonardo. He on the other hand didn’t want his work to interfere with his personal life.”


Matthew let his mouth hang open, “How does this have to do with me?”


“I’m getting to that. She begged him to explore the idea and he hurt her by saying that he was married and he was just using her for the painting. Her feelings got hurt really badly and she confided in me. I went off on him and let’s just say that was the end of his legacy.”


Becca laughed to herself, “Love that story. Gets me every time.”


Neyla growled at her, “No need for your input. This is about Matthew, not us.”


Matthew snapped at both of them, “Knock it off you two. Okay I understand that she needs the freedom but yet we all need to watch over each other. So that means Neyla and Becca stay off each other. I’ll be back with some clothes on so we can all take me more serious.”


Matthew left the room down the hall to Vetra’s room. Becca giggled as he exited hearing distance, “Knew it. He got some ass.”

Dimitri grunted, “You disgust me Becca. I cannot believe Vetra turned you. Even if she did feel bad for you.”

She showed her fangs at him as Matthew entered the room wearing clothes. He wore a flannel green plaid shirt with a pair of faded jean pants. His expression was muted as he sat down on the carpet in front of the hall. “Better now.”


“Yes, better.” Dimitri sighed then composed himself, “You really didn’t have sex with Vetra?”


He smirked and then resisted the urge to run out of the room, “You want the honest answer?” Matthew wished to take back what he said as soon as it escaped his mouth.


Everyone nodded as he continued to talk, “This is the honest truth. Okay, we did have sex. But I did use a condom and we both wanted to do it. Happy now Becca?”


She grimaced at him then nodded, “At least you’re honest.”


He nodded then turned to Prithi, “How did you guys get here?”


She grabbed her hood and pulling it over her head, “Drove. Why do you ask?”


“I drove but earlier it was snowing hard and we had to walk to get Danica and Dimitri. It seemed as soon as I came out thinking the apartment was empty, you all where here.”


Samuel who had been quiet whispered from near the door, “Magic!”

Prithi ignored his lighting comment, “I’m glad you are having “fun” with Vetra but remember she is a killing and dangerous creature. You need to be aware when you are near her. I still get bad feelings around her.”

Matthew rubbed a hand down his face, “You may think she is dangerous but I think she is not. She is actually the only person that understands what it’s like to be different in society.”

“Do you hear yourself Matthew? You sound like you should be in a Shakespeare play. She is a vampire, a dangerous blood sucker. She could kill you if she wanted to. Don’t let your guard down for an instant.”


“You think she has been just,” he didn’t want the reality to be what it was. He just wanted to go back to before he knew she was a vampire. “Faking it the whole time. Having self control not to kill me for my blood.”


“I don’t think, I know that she has. I’m not paranoid. Her soul tells me. It is as black as black can get.”

“I don’t trust you Prithi. I don’t know why. I just don’t see how see could have that drive to kill. I’m her boyfriend; she wouldn’t want to harm me, would she?”

Becca shifted on the floor, “She wouldn’t care if she hurt you, if you hurt her first. I don’t know how this works since you’re a werewolf, but she could kill you if she wanted. I just don’t know about if she wanted to turn you.”

Julius and Dimitri nodded at Becca’s comment. Matthew sighed and placed his head in his palms. “God, thank you for those delightful comments.” He got up and walked towards the couch, “Julius do you mind if I stay here for the night? You know, just to make sure Vetra is okay. She seemed really distraught when I left the room the first time from her room.”

Julius stretched his legs out in front of him with a mask of not caring over his face, “You can stay, I really don’t care just stay out here in the living room. I think after what you two did earlier, she needs the rest.”

He sat down on the middle cushion between Samuel and William. “She is asleep now. Before I went to get some clothes on and came out here the first time, she went to sleep as I left.”

Danica opened up the mini fridge and grabbed a bottle filled with blood, “Anyone want something? I am just trying to lighten the mood.”

Julius, Dimitri, and Becca raised their hands and Danica threw bottles to them. Everyone said their thanks and started to drink in silence. With everyone in silence Becca started texting then just hopped up and left. The vampires and werewolves were dropping like flies then around seven O’clock, the last person left and the apartment became a cricket chirping silence. Julius headed to his room and Matthew fell asleep on the couch.

Chapter Fourteen

As Vetra woke up, her head pounded from her dream that left her laying in sweat as her eyes opened. She sat up in her bed, grasping her head with her forehead in her palm. Her face was hot and wet. The curtains were slid apart and the blinds were cracked open letting the morning sun flood through the slits and coat Vetra’s face in light.
The last bit of her dream replayed over and over in her brain. The stress of having a child, the crying, the diapers, all the constant irritation which having a kid brings. She sighed into the air as a knock came from her doorway.
Matthew stood in the doorway with his canines sharpened and in his clothes that he was wearing yesterday. “Morning beautiful.”
Her words slurred together from just waking up, “Morning to you too.”
He leaned against the doorway, “You look like you had a rough night. What happened?”
She brushed her hair behind her face, “I had a nightmare. That doesn’t matter now; I need to talk to you. Like right now.”
He walked over to the bed and sat down next to her, wrapping his arm around her. “Sure what do you need to talk about?”
She sighed and leaned into him, the comfort taking over her. “The nightmare was about what happened yesterday. It was about if we came parents.” the tears stung behind her eyes, “I couldn’t handle if you passed and the child would be left to live as an immortal without their father.”
He tightened his grip around her, “Don’t stress. If you do get pregnant, we will deal with it just like any other crap that was handed our way. Even if the child would be immortal, you would be such a good mother, even after I’m gone.”
A tear slid down Vetra’s face, “I can’t even keep my group out of trouble. How would I support an infant? I don’t think I can do it.”
He placed a hand on her head and brought her closer to his chest, “Stop thinking so hard about this. You are over reacting. I cannot believe that you are beating yourself up.”
The tears started to come out faster, “Thank you for being so supportive.”
“Your welcome. And, to calm your nerves I made an appointment to make sure you are or are not pregnant. It’s the least I can do.”
“You’re the best Matthew.” she leaned into him even more forcing herself to stop crying.


Three weeks passed by and the day that Vetra had been waiting for had arrived. They were walking into the hospital for the appointment to see if what she had been worrying about for the last three weeks about. As she walked into the ultrasound room, her nerves were on edge all over her body. Even with Matthew’s arm around her waist, her brain was all over the place.
The doctor ushered them into the room. “So let’s get started if you want to lay down on the table with your shirt up, which would be great.”
Matthew let go of Vetra and sat down in a small chair next to the table, “Thank you Dr. Martinez.”
The doctor smiled at them with her pastel pink lips, “It’s no problem. It’s my job.”
Vetra laid on the bed and raised the hem of her favorite Seether shirt up to the bottom of her breasts revealing her tight stomach. The doctor was silent as she put the gel on her stomach and rubbed it around with the ultrasound machine.
After a few minutes of mind numbing silence, the doctor started to speak. “Okay, we got a heartbeat. It is too early to tell what sex it is but I can defiantly tell you that you are pregnant. Congratulations you two.” she took a towel and rubbed the gel of her stomach then left with a smile and a wave as she turned on the lights also.
As soon as the lights flickered on, Matthew grabbed Vetra’s hand as the other hand pulled down her shirt. “So what are we going to do now?”
She put her free hand behind her head and stared vacantly at the ceiling. What are we going to do? “I have absolutely no freaking idea. I am just in shock about that it is actually happening.”
He squeezed her hand hard then placed his other hand on top of hers, “Don’t be so freaked out. This is a good thing that has happened. A happy little accident if you would go that far to call it that.”
She took her hand from behind her head and crossed it over her stomach, “Yeah a happy freaking little accident. What would Julius think? What would Joseph think?”
“It doesn’t matter what they think Vetra. All that matters now is that you and that little child are safe and healthy.”
He held her hand as she pulled herself into an upright position. They walked out of the Kaiser hospital hand in hand with muted expressions masking their faces. As they reached the car Matthew finally spoke, “I think you’ll be a great mother.”
Vetra didn’t say a response until she got in the car after he closed the door and her tone was sick and sarcastic, “Great to know.”
The car ride was silent until they reached the apartment complex. Vetra tore up the steps running as fast her legs would take her. She reached the apartment in no time flat and she ran straight to her room, not caring about Julius or Dimitri in the living room. When Vetra entered her room, she locked the door on impulse and flopped down on the bed on her back. She kicked off her jeans and curled under the blankets closing her eyes trying to forget what just happened.
The tears stung her eyes as they rolled down her cheeks. Her cheeks were burning from the run and her hair was cloaking her face also. She kept her knees close to her chest as she prayed that when she woke up, she would be with her mom and dad and not be a vampire. For everything just to be normal. She didn’t want to have not go to school. She didn’t want to live in an apartment. She didn’t even have to worry about being pregnant. Vetra didn’t even care if she was with Matthew anymore. All she wanted was for it all to end.
The memories flooded her mind of what being an immortal brought to her. Exploring Europe, being a famous painting, helping write Romeo and Juliet, meeting Matthew. All of them just hurt Vetra’s heart even more. The memories were as painful as what was happening in the present. She was shaking when a pounding came from the door.
“What happened Vetra?” Julius asked from behind her locked door.
“Go away.” her voice cracked and she threw a pillow at the door for good measure.
“V, I really want to know what’s going on. And I only ask because I want to help you out.”
Vetra’s voice was spiked with annoyance, “I don’t want to talk.”
Julius murmured something that she couldn’t understand then the door just burst open and he walked in, “Now it’s not an option.”
She pulled her head under the blankets, “I just want to be alone.” How is that possible if I’m pregnant? She shook the thought away and brushed her hair out of her eyes, “It’s fine. I’ll get over it sooner or later.”
“Oh it will be sooner than later.” he pulled the covers off her body, “Get up.”
She uncurled and sat up; dreading what he might think of her if she told him what was going on. “Fine Mr. Salty Pants. I’ll get up but I am only telling you when I’m ready.”
He raised his eye brows then lowered them into a glare, “You are telling me this now. I can’t see you suffer like this again.”
Give it nine months. “I am not suffering. Just in shock I guess.”
He continued to ask prodding questions, “About what? Gosh Vetra, you are so stubborn about this whatever it is.”
Vetra was getting on her last nerves, “I’ll tell you just give me a few- hours to gather myself.”
Julius wasn’t buying it, “Just tell me and I’ll go. It’s that simple.”
“No it’s not that simple!” her own anger surprised her, “Just go. You’ve done enough harm here.”
He left the room muttering under his breath, “You’re the one causing the harm.” She cursed at him under her breath and laid back down on the bed. Why was this so hard for her? As soon as she closed her eyes to think of how she was going to approach telling them all, Matthew entered the room.
“You okay babe? You just ran off and it scared me to death.” he leaned against the doorway, “Julius left here seeming angry. Did you tell him the good news?”
She jerked her head up, “Good news? How is this good news? Just leave, everyone will know soon enough. After um nine weeks I’ll tell them all or at least I can see a sign.”
He shook his head, “Why are you condemning this? It’s my fault this happened to you. Just let nature run its course. We’ll be great parents. I can promise you that much. You handled life so well from all the stories you and Julius have told me. This is just one more obstacle that we both need to conquer. Even after I’m gone, you’ll do awesome as a parent.”
She leaned against the wall with her head hanging low and the tears stinging again, “But what if-”
His voice was stern as he came over to the bed, “No what ifs or buts. I am telling you something and you need to listen to me. I am responsible for this and now I am trying to help. If you don’t want my help I guess I’ll just-”
“No!” her voice squeaked, “I mean I want your help. It’s just, I am scared.”
He sat down on the bed next to her, “That’s understandable. If it is a mix of werewolf and vamp wouldn’t that be the coolest. If that happens, maybe there is a possibility that I could be turned.”
Her eyes stared up at his with the tears rolling, “You really think so?”
Matthew didn’t answer her for a moment then with his voice full of uncertainty he said, “Maybe. We just need to deal with these things as they happen.”


The next day everyone was gathered at Matthew’s house in the basement since Matthew’s parents were out of town for the week. There was a few folding chairs popped up and a few old recliners and an old love seat where Matthew and Vetra sat. Vetra was filled with nervousness even though Matthew held her hand firmly.
“Okay we got something to tell you all then you can go back to your lives.” Matthew said with dominance in his voice.”
Everyone stopped whispering and Vetra gathered all her courage to just out right say what she had had on her mind and that was torturing her nonstop. “I’m just going to upright say it, I’m pregnant.”
Everyone’s mouth dropped to the floor. The only one that didn’t have a surprised reaction was Becca who scowled at them, “I’m ashamed. You said you used protection Matthew. How dare you?”
Neyla after being shocked ran up and hugged Vetra, “Congrats! How far along are you? Do you know the gender yet?”
“Neyla, I really don’t know. I didn’t ask.”
“Oh sorry.” she whispered as she slunk back to her folding chair. William and Samuel also said their meek congrats and then were silent. The only one that hasn’t spoken and was glaring directly at Matthew was Prithi. Her lips were in a frown and her grey eyes were dark with her frocked bangs falling in front of her eyes.
Matthew noticed Prithi and growled, Can’t you just be happy for one day only? One day!
Her voice was laced in anger, Why can’t you keep your hands and your other areas to yourself? You’re the dad aren’t you?
Matthew did a quick look around to see if anyone was paying attention to them and since no one seemed to be looking he nodded. Prithi immediately she turned away from his gaze and replied to his nod, You disgust me.
“Prithi please don’t hate me. It’s natural for this type of stuff to happen.”
She stood up, “That doesn’t mean you can go around f*ing everything that can kill you.”
He also stood up letting the anger consume him, “She wouldn’t kill me. She never would and I would never hurt her.”
“Looks like you broke that vow a few times already didn’t you. Shall we count the times?”
He sharpened his canines and growled at her, “Get your attitude in line Prithi! I know you think she is a skank and I also should stay away from her but yet how can I do that when this is my child!”
Everyone gasped in the room including Becca. All eyes were directed at Matthew and Prithi. Prithi shook off his statements, “Yes, you can stay away from her still. You are becoming the person you said you never would be!” tears starting to form in her eyes, “You are just doing this to hurt me!”
She ran up the stairs with her face in her palms crying. Matthew sat down back on the love seat and kept his gaze at the stairs. Vetra grasped his hand hard, “Why does she hate me? ’Cause I don’t think I’m a skank, am I?”
Matthew started to tap his foot, “You are not that. She just sees you for what you really are”
Her eyes widened, “What is that supposed to mean, what I really am?”
His eyes also widened, “I am so sorry. I didn’t mean for that to come out. I mean when I say that you uh,”
She shook her head, “Why haven’t you told me any of this? Especially now!”
He just gaped at her, “I-I- I don’t know why Vetra. Stress maybe? Look the point is that she doesn’t want me around you but I don’t listen to her because I love you that much.”
She stood up quickly with fury coating her eyes, “I’ve heard that a million times before. This child when it is born, you won’t be able to see it since you think just since I’m a vampire I will kill anything just since I have blood lust. Good bye Matthew. See me when you actually have respect for me again.”
Vetra ran up the stairs and out of the house as fast as a cheetah. She ran to her car without a pause. She got in and just sat there for a few seconds letting the scene that just happened replay over and over in her mind.
“How can she tell him to stay away from me? Why would she do that? Am I really that bad?”
Vetra placed a hand on her stomach and leaned back into the chair. Her brain rattled from all the stress that has been placed on her. Like the weight of the world was resting on her shoulders. The only thing that stuck out more than the others was that Prithi wanted Matthew to stay away from her.
“I don’t need him in my life if he is just going to drag someone like her into my life. Yeah that’s it, plus my child doesn’t need to be around someone like him.”
“What was that about with you and Matthew?”
She jerked up, almost hitting her head on the roof. “Julius what are you doing here?”
He rolled his pumpkin colored eyes, “I need a ride home.” he walked around to the passenger side door and slid into the seat, “On a different note, what happened? You guys seemed so in to the whole idea then as soon as Prithi said anything, you just went off on the poor guy.”
She raised her eye brows at him with her eyes screaming that she was done with everything that had to do with him, “Poor guy? He is the one keeping secrets from me about whether or not he can even be with me before he knocked me up.”
“He is just trying to save your heart from a lot of hurt that doesn’t need to happen. I talked to him and he regrets it all. Matthew is really warming up to me and I think you should also apologize to him. He is the father and he needs to be there to take care of his son slash daughter.”
She lowered her head and stared out the window up the driveway to the house where Matthew sat on the porch with his gaze at the dirt, “I don’t know.”
He nudged her across the console playfully, “Just do it. You both need to take responsibility for this child.”
She opened up the door and ran up to the house. She whispered an apology in Matthew’s ear and ran back to the car, then drove away from the house as quick as she could.

Vetra laid on the hospital with her face staring up at the ceiling as a contraction waved through her. The day finally came and Julius was the only one in the room. She desperately wanted Matthew to be here quicker than he was because since the fight at his house, they haven’t spoken since and she wanted him to be there for the birth of his child.

The contraction passed and she relaxed into the pillow with her face coated in sweat, “Do you know when Matthew will be here?”

Julius looked up from a cell phone that he cradled in his hands, “He said he’ll be here in fifteen minutes since he got caught up in traffic.”

She sighed and placed her hands on the big bump she had over where her once tight stomach was. Another contraction rolled through her, the pain searing and felt like she was going to rip in half. She squeezed her eyes shut hard and bit her lip hard trying to get through it without the pain medication. Even though she had a strong tolerance for pain and it helped that it was muted a little bit from being a vampire, child birth hurt like hell and no amount of vampire strength could change that. She wanted it to be an all natural birth since it was her first and probably last child so she wanted it to be a memorable experience.

Julius’s face lightened up as his phone vibrated, “It’s from Matthew. He says he is here.”

“Tell him to hurry up because I feel like I have a bomb going off inside of me.”

“Can do that.” he said as his fingers flew across the keyboard typing.

A nurse entered the room with a cheery face and way to made up eyes, “How are we doing in here?”

Vetra during a resting point before another contraction had to control herself with her reply, “You want to know my real answer?”

She walked over to her still bright eyed and way too cheery, “I’m just going to check you dear then we’ll make plans from there.”

“Great.”

She checked her quickly and called for the doctor, “You are ten centimeters dilated and ready to have this baby.”

As soon as the last word was said Matthew burst through the door out of breath, “Am I too late?”

“No you’re not.” Vetra said through pain as it felt like she was dying.

The nurse seemed annoyed as the doctor came into the room, “And who are you?”

The words slurred out of his mouth, “The father of this child.”

The doctor called out from the bottom of the bed, “I can see hair. Get ready Bernice. You the father come here and get ready to cut the cord. If that is what you wish to do?”

He nodded and walked over to the doctor. It only took a few pushes and the child was born and Matthew cut the cord. The crying erupted and Vetra started to cry as the baby was taken away to another part of the room to be measured and weighed.

She reached out after the nurses, “What gender is it?”

One of the nurses waved off her question and the response was muffled through the mask covering their mouth, “We’ll tell you in a few moments after we know the child is healthy and mature.”

Matthew sat down in a chair next to Julius who beamed with joy as he sipped from a Starbucks cup. “It’s going to be okay Vetra. From what I saw even though what I saw was disgusting, the baby looked as perfect as a child could be.”

It seemed like her mouth was sowed shut because her words were slurred like crazy and the room was spinning, “Great.”

Vomit tugged at the back of Vetra’s throat as the room started to spin in the other direction, making her even more disoriented in the semi-large hospital room. She tried to take her hand behind her head but it was heavy and tingled with pain. Black spider web like strings enclosed the edges of her sight as her eye lids fluttered closed suddenly and then was enveloped in black feeling like she was floating.



Her head hurt like a firecracker was set off right next to her head. Her eye lids felt heavy and sticky, impossible to open on her own will. Many different voices buzzed through her ears as her eyesight slowly came back to a hazy Technicolor.

Nurses leaned over her and from the corner of the lines of vision a loud crying echoed throughout the room. Many of the nurses kept saying things like are you okay and had this ever happened before.

“What the hell happened and where can I get some freaking aspirin?”

One nurse stopped leaning over her, “We will get you some aspirin and you fainted. It’s normal for first time mothers to faint since your body just did a major physical duty and it just gives out. You should be fine in a few minutes.”

The nurses left the room as Matthew came into view, holding a baby wrapped in fuzzy pink blankets and a small pink beanie on its head. He was standing in the corner trying to get the baby to stop crying, rocking back and forth on his heels.

“What sex is it Matthew?” her voice was thin and weak and cracking.

His smile was a full teeth smile as he lifted up the baby’s head so she could see it better, “It’s a little girl. I’ve always wanted a daughter of my own.” his voice was full of domestic bliss as if everything for them was as if they were just two mortals who were new parents.

Her smile was weak and it felt like it took all her effort just to smile, “I always wanted one too. What should we call her?”

“I like the name Elian. A not normal for our not normal child.”

She directed her gaze to the sheets that draped her bed deep in thought, “I like Jessie. I like the ton-boy names, or Shawn could work too.”

They both said it at the exact same time, “Iselin!”

Vetra melted into her pillows from exhaustion, “Iselin is a pretty name. That would be a good name. It’s not your child Julius, but do you like the name Iselin?”

He leaned against the wall and brushed his bangs away from his eyes, “I like it but in the end it is your child.”

Matthew and Vetra nodded at each other then went back to being quiet. Vetra was quiet because she was just plain tired from giving birth and Matthew was holding Iselin in his arms in a relaxed state because she finally quite crying.

Prithi and Dimitri were the only ones to come to visit because frankly Dimitri was the only one that Vetra wanted to see from her group. Danica just seemed to disappear from the group after the incident at Matthew’s house. She did text Vetra once or twice in the time span but other than that, she didn’t hear from her that often.

Matthew growled at Prithi as she stood near the door after it closed, “What are you doing here Prithi? I said I don’t want you around this child, and you get onto me for not following rules.”

She rolled her eyes casually, “Just came to check in on Vetra. Yeah, and plus I wanted to know if the child was part werewolf.”

His face drained of color, “She hasn’t opened her eyes yet so we don’t know yet.”

Vetra shifted in the bed, “She probably is part vampire, part werewolf because of her parents.” she motioned her finger from her to Matthew, “Once she opens her eyes we’ll know.”

Dimitri sat next to Julius, “What’s it’s name and or gender?”

Matthew said a quick reply so Vetra can rest, “It’s a girl and her name is Iselin. We thought it was a unique name and we stuck with it.”

He nodded then leaned into Julius as he shifted, “Cute name.”

Prithi kicked the tip of her shoe into the tile floor, “Iselin. Are you trying to get her bullied? That is an ancient name from like the renaissance days.”

Vetra bit her lip from making a rude comment, “Prithi may you please not be you today? I am so tired. For me?”

She rolled her eyes, “Fine. For you since you asked nicely.”

Matthew smiled at Prithi, “Thank you. Vetra you want to hold Iselin?”

“Yes I would.” Matthew handed her Iselin carefully. Vetra cradled her in her arms and let the flood of emotions take over her. The tears stung at her eyes and love filled her body. The weight of Iselin in her arms sent chills through her spine, her emotions were colliding taking over her mental stability.

Iselin’s eyelids slowly opened and everyone in the room was on the edge of their seats when they saw the color of her eyes. Near the pupil was a bright yellow then faded into a dark rich soil brown with strips of green and yellow dotting the iris. Vetra muttered a comment, “I guess she is a vampire?”

Everyone agreed and stood looking over Iselin. Her ears poked out from under the beanie and were pointed at the tips like a wolfs. Vetra’s mouth hung open when she realized what Iselin was.

“I think she is a hybrid. This is so cool.” Vetra smiled like a dork holding her daughter.

Iselin’s ears completely fell out of the beanie and were rounded like normal. Vetra’s glee deflated as she tucked Iselin’s ears back under the hat so she could stay warm. Besides Iselin, Vetra was really happy for her daughter then something hit her.

“Matthew?” she whispered because she didn’t want anyone else to hear what she had to say.

Matthew sat on what little room was left on the bed after Vetra slid over a little, “Yeah what is it?”

She shushed him then leaned into his ear and whispered, “I don’t think Iselin is werewolf at all. Maybe she is maybe she isn’t, I can know for sure that she is a vamp like me.”

Matthew’s voice was rushed because of heavy stares from Prithi, “It really doesn’t matter to me as long as she is safe.”

He stood up and walked over to Prithi then whispered something that was inaudible for Vetra to hear. After a few short seconds and a few nods, they left the room without saying good bye.

Julius mumbled, “What was that about?”

Vetra shrugged then directed her wandering eyes down at Iselin, “I really have no idea. At least he was here to see her enter this world.” she started tickling Iselin’s stomach, “Who’s my cutie pie? You are, you are Iselin.”

“Look like someone is happy to be a mom. Then why were you freaking out about having her?” Julius was series about this subject.

Vetra’s eyes stayed on her daughter, “That was the past. Here and now is all that matters.”

“You usually care about what happened. That is the past. You hang on to what happened trying to get it to stay the same. Don’t tell me that all that matters is the present.”

“You are really going to argue with me?”

He nodded with his eyes locked on hers even though she was still looking at Iselin, “Until you explain why you are all over the place with your emotions I am going to argue with you. We are family and that is why I want and need to know. I only want to help you and you are making it harder than it needs to be.”

Her voice was raising into anger, “I’ll tell you when Dimitri is not here. I can’t talk about this around him.”

“Yes you can Vetra, I really don’t mind since it can actually help.”

She cursed him out inside her head, “I really have no idea why my emotions are all over the place.” she sighed then finally looked up, “Maybe it’s because my true love is not going to live forever and my child is going to be without a dad when he is gone.” She was on the verge of tears and her voice wavered on the last few words.

“I completely understand that. At least try to turn him. If it works good for you, if it doesn’t we remember the good times we had with him”

“It’s not that easy! He is already werewolf so he can’t be both.” Vetra felt like screaming her lungs out at him, but Iselin sleeping stopped her.

“Or can he? You thought Iselin was both, so why couldn’t he?”

A glimmer of hope passed through her then faded when reality hit her hard, “She was born a vampire so that could not be fixed. That is why I thought she was. I can’t handle anymore of this.”

“Anything is possible Vetra. Let’s look of it this way, you ended up with Matthew.”

Her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open, “Let’s not use that example. I have no idea how that is relevant.”

“It is relevant because before you went stalker on him and you told him you’re a vampire, you never would have ended up with him.”

His words felt like a hot blade through Vetra’s heart, “I would have gotten him for myself if time was on my side. You are saying that because your jealous.”

Dimitri got up quickly and gently took Iselin out of Vetra’s hands, “Cautionary measures. You may continue.”

Julius smirked at her, “How am I jealous of your boy toy? Hmm, that is the best come back that you can do now that I think about it.”

She could feel her eyes slowly turning blood red, “You better watch your mouth before it gets you into serious trouble.”

His words were sharp against her, “Who will damn well stop me?”

“Don’t go back to my house ever. I don’t want you around Iselin, so leave, now!”

“I’m so scared. What are you going to do to me? That threat doesn’t scare me one bit Vetra.”

Her anger was about to bubble over, “You can’t come back to the apartment ’cause you pushed it too far. Get your stuff then get the hell out of my life!”

Julius stood up fast out of his chair making it slide out from under him and hit the wall hard, “Fine I don’t need any of your s*** of a life in mine either!”

Julius stormed out of the room, knocking over a table in the process. Dimitri started to rock on his heels when Iselin started to cry again. Vetra sunk into her bed with her anger inclosing over her sanity. She closed her warm eyelids and stared into darkness for a bit until the crying stopped.

“Is she okay Dimitri?” she asked into the darkness since she still had her eyes closed.

“Yeah she is okay.” he whispered, “Her eyes are really gorgeous. Why did Prithi and Matthew leave so abruptly? You don’t have to answer if you don’t know.”

“I didn’t want Prithi around Iselin ’cause of her bad attitude.” she opened her eyes and Dimitri sat at the foot of the bed cradling the baby in his arms.

Dimitri bounced his knee up and down, “But she said she wouldn’t have an attitude around Iselin.”

“Sarcasm. All sarcasm. That- can’t say it because of a child in the room. You know what I mean by what she is.”

He nodded slowly then moved his eyes slowly to Vetra, “Maybe she cried since she was hungry?”

Vetra took her daughter carefully then relaxed again into the bed still tired, “I’m going to see if she’ll nurse. Can you leave? I’ll feel more comfortable.”

“Vetra, I don’t think I’ll care.”

Vetra’s voice went dark, “Please leave.”

Dimitri left without a word. As silence filled the room, Vetra pulled down the hem of her hospital gown down so a breast popped out so she could try to see if Iselin would nurse. She tried and tried but it didn’t work so she covered herself up again and let Dimitri in again after frantic knocking.

“Did it work? Is she somewhat normal?”

Vetra shook her head, “Didn’t work. I guess she takes after her mother. I guess that is a good thing.”

“How is that a good thing?”

Vetra raised a single eyebrow at him, “Serious you don’t know.”

“Oh I get it know. That is a good thing since Julius is probably not going to ever apologize for that.”

“He will. I know my own brother more than any other person on the planet.”

His eyebrows lowered, “You sure about that? He told me every problem he had and one of them was you being with Matthew, hence the fight that happened. He just doesn’t want you to get hurt.”

“Then what is he doing, fighting me about my daughter? I told Matthew that he didn’t have to be responsible for her and in the end, I chose to keep her.”

“Then why didn’t you tell him that? Vetra, this is real. You brought this upon yourself when you snuck into his house. It is time to stop living as a teenager and grow up like your real age.”

Matthew entered the room and sat down on a chair, “What did I miss?”

“Nothing.” Vetra said harshly, “Why did you come back? I said you didn’t have to be a father if you didn’t want to. And partially, I don’t want you to because of what you would bring around her.”

“What happened to the Vetra I fell in love with? She has gone all stiff and cold hearted.”

“It is called responsibility. You should try it some time and grow up.” She covered up Iselin’s ears, “You are so immature and a lazy ass. Please go away and don’t ever see me again. I’m going to say this once, this is only for the sake of my daughter’s well being since she is what is important right now.”

“So what your saying is that I am not important?”

She nodded with her anger tugging at her soul for her just to scream at him, “Yes I am. Finally you seem to understand freaking English.”

He growled, “Fine. Deal with that little sack of crap we call children. Enjoy the teenage years.” He laughed evilly as he left the room.

Vetra moved her hands and couldn’t help feel that Matthew’s words were true. Tears stung her eyes yet she forced them to go away. She was better than him. She was the bigger person in the relationship.

Dimitri rubbed a hand down his face, “If you ever need help with you know supplies for her just give me a call and I will help you. No matter what it is.”

Vetra reached for Dimitri’s hand and gave it a squeeze, “ You’re the best friend a girl could ever have.”

“I knew that already. Bye get some rest.”

Dimitri walked out of the room with a smile on his face. Vetra immediately was overwhelmed by her mind and how much it was rushing with stress. She needed something to get her mind off of the stress so she pulled off Iselin’s beanie. Little dark black hairs coated her head. Iselin’s eyes popped open and Vetra was in astonishment from her eyes which were sparkling with all the colors. Vetra laid in the bed and fell asleep with Iselin still in her arms.


Two days rolled by without a word from Dimitri. That was the least bit on Vetra’s mind as she got ready to be wheeled out to her car so she could finally go home with Iselin. Happiness was the only emotion in Vetra since she forgot about what happened with Julius and Matthew.

A male nurse walked in through the open door, rolling a black wheel chair in front of him. “Ready to go Ms. Marks?”

She nodded and shifted Iselin who was asleep in her carrier which was hooked in Vetra’s arm, “Ready.”

She sat in the wheelchair with a smile on her face and Iselin on her lap. The wheeled her to the front door in silence then with an somber wave went back inside. She found her car quickly and walked fast to it. All she wanted to do was get home with Iselin and just relax. The constant questions from the nurses kept Vetra on edge and now that she was free to go home, the relief was refreshing.
Vetra placed Iselin in the car seat and realized something, “I am a single parent. What did I do to myself?” Vetra was trying to keep her composer as she slid into the driver’s seat but yet was unable to stop some tears from streaming down her face as she thought about Matthew. “Iselin, I know you may not know what I mean, but I am sorry.”

She started the car and drove home in silence. She tried a few times to listen to her music to keep the buzzing in the silent air from driving her insane, yet all the songs made her think more about Matthew.

When she parked in her normal parking space, she was drumming her nails on the steering wheel. With every hit of her nails, a dent was made in the leather covering. She got out of the seat and took Iselin out of her seat quickly in case anyone was watching her because she felt her fangs slipping out fast..

She sped walked up the stairs to her apartment and was greeted by a surprise in front of her door. A big pile of diaper boxes were stacked up in a pile with bags of clothes on top of them. An ice chest full of baby bottles with blood in them was in the front of all the supplies with a small envelope on top. Vetra picked up the pale yellow envelope and sliced open the flap with her nail. A card was inside and she took it out with the envelope falling to the floor.

On the front of the card it read Congrats on becoming a new mother! with little baby clothes and girls on the front. On the inside it said Best wishes! a typical card. The only difference was that on the left side pen handwriting was scrawled across. It said I knew you might need some help even without calling me first. So, I got you this. Inside one of the bags is a check for $500. I hope you have a great time being a great mother. Love Dimitri!

Vetra’s eyes welled with tears knowing that even through her fight with Julius, Dimitri was still on her side. She unlocked the door and pushed all the gifts into the living room with her foot. After she locked the door, she sat Iselin in the carrier on the couch and sat down next to her. She clutched the card in her hand, reading Dimitri’s note over and over again with it still having the same heartwarming affect on her.

Since Iselin was still asleep, she fished her cell phone from her jean pocket. She scrolled down her contacts and called him and he picked up after the first ring with a melancholy hello.

Her voice was high pitched and wavering between happy and awe struck, “You are the best freaking person ever!”

“What are you talking about?” Dimitri sounded groggy like he had just woken up.

“The baby stuff, are you kidding me that you don’t know.”

“Oh that stuff, yeah I thought since Julius and Matthew aren’t going to help be a parent you might need all of it.”

“Where did you get all of that stuff? That is like one thousand dollars worth of stuff.”

“The same way we get the blood that we need.”

“You stole all that? If you did it that way, I didn’t need any of that then. I don’t need the police on me with Iselin around.”

“Stop babbling Vetra.” He laughed through the phone with then the sound like movement echoing through the buzzing, “I did not steal all that stuff. Even if I did I would never get caught and you know that. I bought that stuff with my savings.”

“Thank god, you scared me there for a moment. You want to come over and see her?”

A loud muffled scream rolled through the background static, “Can’t.. I have to handle someone here.”

The scream returned and it sounded like Danica, “Is that Danica? Why haven’t I seen her?”

He yelled inaudible which sounded like he covered the speaker, “Sorry. Yeah that is Danica. She has not been out because she couldn’t handle all the stress with Becca.”

“Oh. Well, tell her I said hi.”

Another yell echoed throughout the background that sounded like Julius, “Will do.”

“Was that Julius?”

“I got to go. I’ll come over tomorrow and I’ll bring over Becca if that is okay with you?”

“Yeah that’s fine. Do you need any help over there? Because I’m willing to help you.”

“Bye.” He hung up without another word leaving Vetra worried about him. She ended the call and then sunk into the backing of the couch. Her eyes gazed at Iselin. She was sleeping in her carrier so she moved her into Vetra’s room into the crib that was decked out in stuffed animals and rainbows that is typical for infant décor.

Vetra sat down on her bed with her Dr. Martins clad feet hanging off the edge. She leaned back onto the bed and kicked her feet in the air trying to kill time until Iselin needed something. Boredom was closing in on her as she closed her eyes trying to not think about Matthew, yet that seemed impossible.

All Vetra could think about was how time seemed to last forever without anyone around to talk to her. The way that that is all she did since the Prithi incident was hang out with her group and Matthew everyday. Why did I even go to school in the first place? The freedom to do whatever she wanted to made her feel relieved.

Yet, the thought of never going to high school meant she never would have met Matthew. She never would have fallen for him. She never would have had Iselin. She sighed into the quietness and opened her eyes. She let her fangs come out and scratch her lips even though it annoyed her.

Iselin started crying from the crib so Vetra excitedly got up and picked up Iselin out of the bid. Vetra cradled her in her arms and rocked Iselin back and fourth. She cried loud and didn’t stop. Vetra carried her into the living room and dug through the ice chest picking out a small baby bottle full of blood.

“Are you hungry sweetie?”

Iselin continued to cry and scream so Vetra placed the tip of the bottle in her mouth. Iselin stopped crying and stared sucking on the bottle hungrily. Vetra couldn’t help smiling full of glee as Iselin finished the bottle in a few moments. She placed the now empty bottle on the coffee table then sat down on the couch with Iselin in her arms.

“You drank that pretty fast didn’t you? Let’s slow it down for know.”

She patted Iselin on the back then smiled again when she burped. Then Vetra stood up again and took Iselin to her crib so she could sleep if she wanted to. Instantly when Iselin laid on the small mattress, her eyes fluttered closed and she fell asleep. Vetra then walked to the front room with worry eating away at her.

She was worried that Iselin would wonder who her dad was and that when she was old enough, she would hate her for not letting Matthew actually be a parent to her. She tried to shake off all the bad things surrounding her yet easier said then done. All she wanted to do was to keep all the bad influences that came with him away.

As she sat down on the couch she sighed heavily into the air and traced her fingers along the scars that raced diagonal across her cheek. The slight raised bump from the claw marks sent chills up her spine. They felt so familiar yet so separate from her self. She could still feel the shock and pain from when she first found out that she had been scratched by someone who she thought would never hurt her.

She picked her feet up onto the couch, then slouched into the arm rest letting her hair drape off the couch. A weight pressed against her skin under her violet shirt. Her hand ran to it quickly and the curvature of the crescent moon necklace ran against her fingers smoothly. Vetra’s fingers worked on the clasp quickly trying to unlock it. It popped open with a small clink. She pulled it out from under her shirt and the pictures of old times glistened in the dim lit room.

Julius’s smile seemed to glow like a million watt light bulb as he had his arm around Shakespeare in one of the photos. The picture sent a warm rush trough Vetra then chilled her to the bone knowing what time had done to her once sweet younger brother. She closed the locket at the thought that her brother had seemed to become a monster.

Her brain was in denial at how the last bit of family she had left had turned on her just because she didn’t want a corrupting person around her child. Her gaze went down the empty hall to Julius’s empty room, which made her even more depressed. With Julius out of her life temporarily, she needed to make the most with Iselin. Vetra somberly walked to her room with her hair in front of her face then crawled into bed with Iselin safely in her crib.

Vetra turned in her bed so her eyes opened to slits with light flooding her vision. She kicked off the comforters and realized she went to bed with her shoes on. A loud crying filled her ears as she stood up with a zombie like hunch and walked over to Iselin’s crib.

Iselin’s eyes were squinted and her voice was shrill as she cried and kicked her sheets. Vetra tried to shush her into being calm as she picked her up into her arms. She continued to cry even when Vetra patted Iselin on the back. Iselin started to cough with her body tensing with every hack.

“Iselin what’s wrong babe? You usually calm down by now.”

She continued to cry as Vetra walked into the living room. Even with Iselin downing the blood, she continued to shrill into Vetra’s ears. Vetra changed her diaper, bathed her, even burped her yet she wouldn’t stop crying.

Vetra placed Iselin in her carrier, rocking her back in forth trying to get her to stop crying. Iselin’s face started to turn red from crying. Vetra filled with worry as Iselin coughed again, but harder as the skin around her eyes started to tint blue.

Vetra started to pace back and fourth when she stopped coughing and laid there motionless in the carrier. She was still breathing barely as Vetra picked Iselin up trying to figure out what was happening.

Her mind was rushing was she dialed Dimitri’s number. The phone seemed to ring forever, “Hurry up. Hurry up. Why is this taking so long?”

Dimitri answered on the last ring, “Hello. What’s up?”

“Get over here as soon as you can. I’m freaking out. Iselin, she-she is coughing hard and can’t stop crying..” Iselin screamed again and her voice was wavering with her being on the edge of tears. “Please hurry.”

Dimitri sounded panicked, “I’m on my way Vetra. Was she fine earlier?”

“When I woke up she was red in the face and crying really bad.” she wiped a tear from her eye and stroked Iselin’s head as she coughed again. “It is really scaring me.”

Dimitri’s end of the line went dead as it sounded like a car engine started up in the background. She hung up also as Iselin started to cry again. Vetra hoisted her over her shoulder and rested her hand on her back rubbing slowly as she felt Iselin relax. She moved her back so she could see her face and her eyes were glossy.

Vetra started to shake when Iselin didn’t blink as Vetra waved her hand in front of her face. The fear drove Vetra to shake Iselin in the air. No matter what she did Iselin wouldn’t wake up. The tears flowed again as Vetra clutched Iselin to her chest. Her breathing stopped and she couldn’t feel her heartbeat against hers. She heaved her breaths hard as if it would bring her back.

A loud banging came from the front door. Vetra didn’t hear it over her loud breathing and crying. The door flew open and Dimitri ran in closing the door with a slam. His grip tightened on the door handle as he saw Vetra on the couch crying her eyes out. With a melancholy expression he walked over to her and sat down on the couch next to Vetra and placed a hand on her back.

“What happened? Was I too late?”

Vetra opened her eyes which stung from the tears. She couldn’t make the words form so her mouth just moved without anything coming out. Her grip tightened around Iselin’s limp body as she could feel the tears forming again.

“Vetra you need to speak to me, I need you to be able to participate with me.”

Her voice was squeaky as she forced herself to speak even though it killed her to, “She-she didn’t make it. I have no-no idea why.”

“I am sorry Vetra. I really am. How long ago did she-you know-pass?”

She was fighting back the urge to grab a hold of his shirt and yell in his face, “Just a few moments ago.”

His voice went deep, “She was amazing with what little time she had on this earth. Things happen in life.”

Her fangs slipped out to her chin, “She was a vampire. How can she die when she is an immortal?”

“Maybe she wasn’t a vampire? Maybe something got jacked up in the genetics and she turned out to be a mortal.”

“But how is that possible? How could something have happened so quickly?” she hunched over into herself and placed her head in her palms.

“Again things happen. All we can do is try our hardest to deal with what is handed our way.”

“No. we don’t just have to deal with things. Something happened to my child and I will not just deal with it. Either help me or get out of my way.”

“I am trying to help you and you keep shooting me down saying that it isn’t possible.”

Vetra pointed her finger at the door, “Out. You are just making this even more heart breaking.”

He raised an eyebrow, “You serious? Just because I tell the truth you want me to leave?”

“Out!” her voice was raised to such a high pitch that it would shatter glass is any was around.

He stood up and left without another word since he believed it is better to quit while your ahead. Vetra sat on the couch clutching Iselin’s body to her chest as the door shut softly behind Dimitri. Her heart felt heavy in her chest as the tears started to come out again.

Her limbs seemed heavy as concrete as she let go of Iselin and set her body over on the other couch cushion. She had everything that she could have ever dreamed of and one simple mistake ruined it all. All she could think about as she curled her feet into her was how could she be so ignorant as to believe that one thing was the most importat thing in the world.

With tears in her eyes and the desperate need of “human” comfort taking over, she reached over for her phone and dialed Matthew’s number. The phone rang three times then he answered.

“What do you want Vetra? I thought you said you didn’t want me in your life anymore.”

“I did say that. That isn’t why I called.” her sadness glimpsed over, “I called because something happened with Iselin.”

“What happened, did she do something that I am supposed to be in awe over?” sarcasm laced his voice with laughter also.

“No,” she sighed at his inability to understand what was going on, “Not that. Worse actually. Way worse.”

“Spit it out already. God, if it is that bad you would have said it already.”

“She passed away just a bit ago in my arms.” she started to cry again with the emptiness filling her, “She is no longer with us.”

Silence filled the air for a bit then on the other end it sounded like he was moving, “What! This is horrible! She was supposed to- I mean she has to be alive- gosh Vetra I don’t know what to say.”

“No need to say anything. Bye Matthew, I didn’t mean to bug you.” she hung up before he went on a emotional rampage. She unlaced her boots and threw them into the corner with her vision blurred by tears. She peeled off her socks and also threw them. Vetra stood up and placed Iselin’s body in the carrier so she could get herself together before dealing with it. She laid back on the couch with her knees into her chest, crying herself to sleep with her tears making her face numb as well as her heart numb.


She woke up the next morning with her face hot and wet. Her eyes stung from all the crying as she pulled herself off the couch. She kept her eyes closed as she dragged her self to the fridge and pulled out a full sized bottle of blood. She walked zombie like over to the couch then laid back down. Vetra held the bottle in her and tightly and stretched out so her feet hung off the other end of the couch.

She grudgingly opened her eyes because she knew she had to at least seem normal. Her eyes opened to see the big pile of supplies that Dimitri had given to her as a surprise two days ago. The boxes were still stacked up the way they were when she walked up to her home except one was opened from where she had tried to help Iselin.

Her eyes widened and she jerked up to a sitting position where her eyes darted across the room to look at Iselin’s body which laid in the carrier. Vetra stood up without thinking and picked up Iselin’s body. She tucked her face in to her chest so no one noticed that she had passed.

Vetra ran out of the house and tore down the stairs. As she ran, her eyes wandered the complex making sure that no one was watching her. As she reached the last step, she made a sharp right to the lawn. She collapsed onto the green grass and started ripping through the earth with her fingers tearing into the soft dirt. Vetra dug out a small hole then placed Iselin’s body in it. Her green toned eyes glassed over made Vetra start to cry again.

Her voice was thin and raspy, “I’m sorry it had to end this way. I really do love you.”

She took the dirt that had pilled up next to her from the dig and slowly scooped it up over Iselin. Once all the dirt was on top and she couldn’t see her body anymore, Vetra flattened the dirt and stood blowing a kiss at the spot where she just buried her child. She let her tears mask her face on the slow and laborious climb up to her home.
When she entered her apartment, she flopped down on the couch then placed her head in her hands for which seemed like the millionth time since she had Iselin. The thought of having her child not with her anymore scared her and made her shake. Her long hair blacked out her vision when it fell in front of her eyes.

Vetra gathered what little courage she had an left the living room. She walked into the bathroom at the end of the hall. In the shower all she could think of Iselin. Even though she only had her for a few days, her heart was ripped out of her chest when she had to bury her. The water coming out of the tiny shower head beat down on her head which was hurting from all the stuff that had happened in the last couple days.

When the hot water ran cold, she got out of the shower and wrapped herself in a fluffy blue towel. Vetra walked with her mind empty to her room. The crib being empty greeted her when she entered her room. Her mind was so fuzzy that it didn’t register with her as she sat down on the bed.

She dug through her clothes with her fingers numb from clutching her shoulders in the shower. A small red corner poked through the mountain of black. She pulled it out and it was exactly what she was looking for. Her fuzzy red pajama pants covered with little water lilies. Underneath the pants in the pile was a pale pink shirt in the same print. Vetra slipped the warm fluffy clothes on then crawled under the covers on her bed. She dug under her pillows and her fingers brushed against smoothed faux fur. She pulled out the small stuffed bunny out from under her pillows.

The rabbit with its fur discolored with brown was clutched in her hands as she slid down the mattress so her head was under the blanket. One hand escaped from around the bunny and flew up to her neck wrapping around the crescent moon charm that hung off the pale blue chain. Vetra dug her nails into the smooth material and yanked hard away from her neck, the small looped chains breaking and falling limp in her hands.

Using all her strength, she chucked the charm and trailing chain through the hall into Julius’s empty room. It hit the far wall with a thump and shattered into small pieces. One of the pictures inside the moon fluttered slowly to the floor and landed in a small sliver of light from the cracked open blinds. The picture was the one with her and Julius in Italy with Shakespeare.

She closed her eyes before her anger consumed her and her grip tightened around the stuffed animal. She let her fangs slip out and traced her fingers along the pointed tips. Her heart sunk in her chest when the feel of Matthew’s arm wrapped around her came back. She fought away the temptation to call him again and made herself fall asleep. Forced herself to try to forget all that happened and was happening.

With the new term starting for school, she decided to go back since she was alone in the world so the only one that could contradict her was herself. Vetra parked her car in the student parking lot and hopped out walking up to the office. The buzz from last time she was here still tingled through the air as the thoughts of the fight with Prithi rippled through her.
She entered the office, gathered her class schedule, then headed out to the circle quad. All the students were gathered in their groups and cliques making her feel even more alone than what she was already feeling. Vetra sighed and took a deep breath before venturing out into the mass groups of students. She had to force herself to walk right past her old group of friends.
Sarah and Carla glanced over at her and started walking after her. She started to fast walk as she got closer to the building where her first class was. The fear was coursing though her as she didn’t want to explain the scars on her cheek. A hand grabbed her shoulder and pulled her back as she was just about to grab a hold of the door to the english building.
The hand turned her around and it was Carla that grabbed her. She pulled Vetra into a hug and squeezed her hard, “Vetra! I was so worried that something horrible happened.”
“Yeah, nice to see you too. Nothing happened, just-” she had to concentrate hard to think of what could save her, “Family issues. I had to travel out of state for a aunt’s funeral.”
Sarah pouted a frown, “How sad.” she raised an eyebrow at her and flipped her hair behind her shoulder, “What the heck happened to your cheek? Looks like you got mauled by a raccoon.”
Something worse than that. Her mind went blank as what to say to save her ass. Her mouth hung open as her mouth worked to push words out but nothing came out. Carla pushed her bottom lip up, “Your going to catch flies with your mouth hanging open like that. If you don’t want to tell us, you don’t have to. At least you are back. That is all that matters.”
“Yeah that’s it. Thanks for not torturing me with questions. Bye you guys. I have to go.”
Sarah pulled up the hem of her tank top which was decked out in lace print, “You always have to leave right as soon as you come. Fine, whatever. Meet us up for lunch?”
She nodded quickly then almost ran towards the building. She walked fast to the class with her head down. All her mind could think about was how she almost had to explain herself. Almost to her class, someone or something bumped into her. Vetra looked up at what she had bumped into and all too familiar olive green eyes met hers.
Matthew’s voice was as smooth as wine, “Well hello to you too.”
Her eyes went back to the floor and brushed her bangs in front of her eyes with her fingertips, “What the hell are you doing here? I thought you never wanted to come back after the Prithi incident.”
His eyes searched her vacant face, “Why are you acting like you have a stick up your ass? What happened to the girl I fell in love with which then ripped my heart out when she didn’t want me around her and my daughter?”
She could feel her fangs slipping out from him proding her with question, “Will you quit it? I told you what happened to her. I don’t know why you still are bugging me about how you can’t see her.”
“It is the idea that you didn’t even want me to be around her and be a father to her. That is why I keep bugging you. I just wanted to be the father she deserved.”
His statement hit her then hardest, “You didn’t know what she deserved and I know she didn’t deserve you as a dad.”
Matthew grabbed her on the shoulder and made it so she had to look him in the eyes, “I am responsible for my child. We both helped create her so I think we both needed to be her parents.”
She let her fangs come all the way out not caring if anyone saw, “I didn’t want your influence around her and I didn’t need you to be around her.”
“Maybe I could have helped prevent her from dying. Ever thought of that Vetra, I can’t believe how selfish you are being about this.”
She pushed his hands off her with her voice raising from anger, “You’re the one being a selfish little b****!”
He didn’t respond because he was aware that the crowds of students were watching them. He rolled his eyes and walked away into the building. Vetra stood there with her arms crossed over her chest feeling like his words were a burning stake through the heart.
She stomped down the hall to her science class, which was her first class, with her face wrenched in anger. When she got to the class she sat down in the seat that the teacher said was her assigned to her. She really didn’t care, all she wanted to do was make it through the day feeling like a normal mortal teenager going to school and only having to worry about boy troubles.
The bell rang and the students started flowing into the class room some in groups, some alone. Everything was good until one student walked through the door. She could feel Prithi’s grey eyes locked onto her as she stared down at all the carvings in the desk. Okay, I can handle this. It’s not so bad. The happiness only lasted a moment until the teacher motioned for Prithi to sit next to Vetra.
Vetra clenched her hands around the edge of the desk as Prithi flopped down on the plastic green chair with her bag hitting the floor loudly. The hour class period seemed to last forever until the bell ringed over the intercom. Vetra plucked up her messenger bag off the floor over her shoulder then hauled ass out of the class.

The school day went by slow as Vetra walked fast to the student parking lot. She exited the school gates and was close to her car when a masculine hand grabbed her by the shoulder. She turned around so whoever it was didn’t hurt her like Matthew had done earlier.
She turned around and guess who it was, Matthew no surprise. His once comforting eyes were smoldering and his other hand was clenched in a fist. He was hunched over to look at her and he was breathing heavily. “That conversation wasn’t over from earlier. Why didn’t want me around Iselin?”
She gazed at him with a smirk on her lips as she wanted him to have a no duh moment, “I didn’t want you around her because of who you hang around. I thought the corrupting influence over a long period of time would be bad for her.”
“That is not needed now anymore, is it? Now that she’s gone.”
“Shut up!” the anger in her voice surprised her, “What happened is what happened. I still don’t like Prithi and I don’t want her around me.”
“Now that Iselin is gone and the corrupting influence is gone, what can I do so we can get back together. I miss you.”
The statement surprised her. She smiled because it sounded like he really loved her. “I don’t know Matthew. I still feel miserable that she’s gone.”
“We can be miserable together. You know, I may not show it on the outside, but I hate that she had to die this early in life.”
“Again I really have no idea. I’d hate to get into this again then make the same mistakes again. I don’t think my heart can handle it again.”
He tightened his grip on her shoulder and unclenched the hand that was in a fist, “Can we deal with this once thing at a time? I really do miss you and completely love you. I want you in my life forever. Do you think you can take me back just as a friend, for now?”
She bit her lip so she didn’t automatically say yes. Her mind racked with all the possibilities that saying no would bring. Yet what if she said yes? How would her life be affected if she said yes. “I don’t know just give me a few moments.”
“Take as long as you need. I have all the time in the world that you need.”
Not really. He let her shoulder go and shoved his hands in his baggy pockets. Vetra lowered her head so he couldn’t see her face as she tried to think of what she should say. As she thought, she heard soft thuds behind Matthew. She looked up and Prithi stood behind him.
She stopped whispering as she saw that Vetra was gazing at her. Vetra stopped thinking and stopped biting her lip. She knew what her answer was. The reasoning behind it, uncertain but just a little just to make Prithi raging.
“Matthew, I know my answer. I say yes, and for it to be more than friends.”
Prithi’s jaw dropped, “What is she talking about Matthew? I can not believe that you are talking to her again.”
“Prithi not now.” his gaze wandered from Prithi to Vetra. “Thank you so much.”
Matthew ignored Prithi and hugged Vetra hard. Matthew even went as far as kissing her on the cheek. Matthew caught himself in the act and straightened his posture as he could practically feel steam rising off of Prithi from anger.
“Matthew, what have I said about her, so stop looking at her with googly eyes. Matthew!”
He lowered his eyes to slits and looked at Prithi who was stamping her foot on the ground, “What?” sarcasm soaked his voice.
“Stay away from her. Remember me saying that at all? She is evil and you need to snap out of your teenage-boy mind set. She is a killing, blood sucking creature, and will drink your blood whenever she has the chance.”
Vetra felt her fangs coming out as she turned around fast and wrapped her hands around Prithi’s throat. “What the hell do you think you are trying to get out by making me seem like something worse than what I am?”
Matthew placed a hand on her shoulder and pulled her away from almost killing his sister, “Prithi, we are also like that. We kill, so why are we putting her down for something we also do?”
Prithi placed her hand around her throat and felt the little divots Vetra’s nails had made, “Because she is doing bad things to your head. She is tearing you away from your family. Your friends. Your life.”
“I cannot believe how selfish you are being Prithi.” Matthew growled with his canines poking out, “I have been nothing but hanging out with everyone. I get the feeling that something is not right, so spill it. Tell the truth why you don’t want me with her.”
Vetra was clenching her hands into fists, “Yeah tell us the truth. I am getting sick and tired of you. You were there when Iselin was just born, did that have anything to do with it?”
“You two are treating me like children!” she dug through her pocket and brought out a small piece of paper, “I just didn’t want you to end up like Ethan.”
Their avoiding the real answer made her furious yet curious, “Who is Ethan?”
Matthew tugged at his hair, “Prithi I said never to bring him up, ever!”
Prithi handed him the picture making sure the picture printed on the scrap wasn’t able to be seen by Vetra, “You asked why and I told you why. I didn’t want you to end up like him ‘cause I care about you too much.”
Anger tugged at her voice, “Can someone explain to me who Ethan is?”
“Ethan is our older brother.” Prithi smirked, “Matthew still gets worked up by what happened to him.”
Matthew almost was at his breaking point as he grabbed Vetra around the waist and pulled her closer to his body, “No I don’t. She doesn’t need to hear about this. She has too much to worry about anyway.”
“If she wants to know, she will get know. Vetra, do you want to know who Ethan is? It is actually a good story if I may say so myself.”
She worked a hand out from under Matthew’s masculine arm and rubbed her hand through her hair, “I do.”
Matthew growled low in his throat and it shook Vetra as she clung to his side in case he tried to go after Prithi. Prithi leaned on the car across from Vetra’s, “So Ethan was about my age, which is fifteen, when his life started to go downhill. He was getting bullied and then he started doing drugs. You keeping up with all of this, it’s going to get bumpy.”
Vetra nodded slowly trying to keep up since Prithi talked fast. Prithi looked down at her nails as she talked like she told the story a million times before, “So once he started injecting heroin, he starting failing in school. Mom made him get a tutor-”
She held a hand up, “Whoa, heroin?”
“Yeah, he was a pretty messed up kid. Anyway, even though he was mad he got a tutor. The tutor was this girl with ice blue eyes and her name was Erin. After a couple of sessions they started dating and then one day he didn’t come home from one of their dates.”
“So this random girl helps him, starts to date him, then one night he just out of the blue disappears?”
“That’s right. I haven’t gotten to the best part yet. She was a vampire just like you Vetra. Now that you know that, get away from my brother. Okay?”
Vetra tightened her grip on Matthew trying not to jump onto Prithi and strangle her, “How do you know she was a vampire? Maybe he committed suicide?”
She shook her head and snatched back the picture that Matthew was clinging onto in his hands, “She told us the day after he went missing that she was one. Then she left town and committed suicide. Correct thing wrong person. She showed us everything that told us she was one.”
The urge to claw out her eyes raised in Vetra, “Just because one person is like that doesn’t mean we all are like that.”
“It goes the same for your type.” Prithi rose her eyes so they locked onto Vetra’s with anger filling her. “You think of all us mortals all the same. Weak, pathetic, and worst of all meaningless.”
“Again, not all people are alike.” She let go of Matthew and walked back over to her car, “I am not like that. I treat everybody as they deserve to be treated.”
“Then why do you steal from the blood banks? Hmm, that isn’t treating people how they deserve to be treated is that? People could be dying and you take the blood for your own selfish reasons.”
Vetra froze. Prithi was getting on her last nerve and she was about to snap. “Everyone needs to survive somehow. One way or the other.”
“Yet you prevent others from living when you do that.”
Kill her already, she is just another human. You’ve done it plenty of times before. The thought was ripping at her insides repeating through her even though her heart was saying to just leave so you can still have Matthew. She grabbed the door handle and clenched tightly as Prithi continued to talk again.
“Silence. Does that mean you give up and I’m right?”
Her voice went as cold as ice and as sharp as a razor blade, “No, it means I am better than you and that I am the bigger person.”
“Cool. You done bitching yet. Cause I need to go home and do homework with my single brother.”
That was the last straw for Vetra. She ran over to Prithi fast and wrapped her hands around her neck, again. “I have had it with you! He will do whatever the f*ing hell he wants to do. It is his life not yours. You are his younger sibling and will respect what he does with all the care in the world even if it is faked. Go, before I end your life.”
Vetra shoved Prithi onto the ground with her fangs scratching her chin. The heavy weight of other eyes staring at her pressed down onto her shoulders as she went back to her car and slid in fast. She started the car with the adrenaline winding down as other students crowded her car. She left the school grounds fast and drove straight home.
As she entered her apartment and sat down on the couch, the scene replayed in her mind over and over again and she knew that she shouldn’t have let her get to her like that. She pulled her feet onto the couch and fiddled with the little strings coming out from the holes in her jeans to try to keep her mind off of what just happened. Prithi’s comments kept poking their way through her wall of blockage. The way she condemned her for stealing from the blood banks over time. Why was she just condemning her? Dimitri, Julius, Becca, and Danica also participated in those events so why was she not criticizing them? All the different questions racking her brain hurt her head as she turned a small earring that was one of the three in her ear.
She knew in her mind that it was a horrible idea to go back to school even if she had done it over a hundred times before. Yet the one question that kept making its way through her mind was what drove her to go back anyway. What made her think that going back would make her life better, make it livable again.
Vetra closed her burning eyes and leaned into the arm rest with her hair falling back over the rest, hanging in the thick air. The darkness that came from her closing her eyes comforted her. Small dots of light scattered across the dark. Dashes of color darted across her vision as pain filled her neck. She forced her eyes open yet they wouldn’t open. A tall man darted across the dark to the corner of her vision. Fangs hung out of his mouth as a low hiss came belting out of the man’s mouth.
A teenage girl coward in the corner of the darkness with the man looming over her, his shadow coating her scared expression. The scent of warm, fresh blood filled Vetra’s nose as she watched the vacant faced man attack the girl. After a few seconds, crimson red started to run down the girl’s arm and drip slowly into the darkness where they seemed to be floating.
The man turned away from facing the girl and seemed to stare directly at Vetra with his blank eyes. The man took a long, broken nail and slid it across his wrist, thick purple blood bubbling along the thin line that he made. He forced his slit wrist to the girls mouth. Fear filled Vetra as the girl struggled not to swallow the blood. The man took his hand and stroked her cheek as she tried to push her body away from the mans.
The man’s voice echoed against the emptiness, “It will all be okay my little one. Drink, it will save you. Be like I am.”
The girl mumbled from his wrist still being in her mouth. He continued to rub the girl’s hair down her back as her face started to drain of color. Her crimson blood started to pool around her. The girl swallowed hard and the man smiled as she started to swallow his blood. The man continued to stroke her head as she fell still. The girl’s face came into focus after the setting came to. Vetra recognized the girl’s hair and face and chills went up her spine since she couldn’t do anything to help the girl.
The scene faded away as her eyes fluttered open and stared at the ceiling. She shook and was cold, yet her face was covered in sweat. Vetra’s head was throbbing as she sat up. Why did the scene scare her so much? Why didn’t the girl fight back against the monster? Why didn’t she when it was her that day?
She fiddled with her phone to get it out of her pants pocket and dialed Dimitri’s number. She knew he was the only one that would talk to her, even after she treated him like crap when he came over. Would he talk to her after what she did? The phone rang four times before he answered.
“Hello, who is this?” His voice was low and he seemed out of breath.
Her voice was shallow and shaky just like her body, “Can you come here? I need someone to talk to?”
“ Vetra, I thought you didn’t want me to talk to you after the Iselin incident, did you change your mind?”
“When did my innocent brother from another mother with the sweet personality gay friend go evil?” Vetra was surprised by the anger her voice had taken on.
“As soon as you did. Does that answer your question?”
She stifled a laugh with her mouth away from the phone, “You serious? When did I become evil?”
“Vetra, I love you a lot and you know that, it is just that when you met Matthew something inside of you snapped. You became always on edge and snapped at everything everyone said.”
His words felt like a hot blade through her heart, “ I was that way cause it seemed that everything everyone said was against me. Anyways, can you just come over? I really need someone else here. I saw the day I got turned again. I really need you!”
A loud crash racked through the background noise, “I can’t. I’m sorry Vetra, you are on your own.”
“What!” Her voice was shrill, “I need you! I need you all.”
“Bye Vetra.”
The phone clicked off from Dimitri’s end. Vetra hit the end call button and tossed the small cell phone onto the couch. She collapsed into herself and let the tears run loose. All she wanted was this life to end. She just wanted her friends back, Matthew’s arm wrapped around her again.
She didn’t even care to lock her apartment as she ran down the stairs to her car. She drove to Matthew’s house with her grip on the steering wheel clawing into the leather cover. She parked the car in the street in front of the house and walked up the long walkway with her breathing turning into shallow breaths. She knocked on the door hard and Matthew opened the tall door with a mutual expression on his face.“Vetra, what do you want? Prithi is giving a whole lot of crap since that incident in the parking lot earlier. Do you even know what time it is?”
“That doesn’t matter right now.”
He held up the hand that wasn’t holding the door open, “It does. It is one in the freaking morning, I think it does matter for some people.”
She looked up to the sky. Stars coated the black sky. Her need and anger must have distracted her from the scenery. What overshadowed her mixed feelings was that it was only four when she closed her eyes. Was she really comatose that long?
Matthew made a low growl, “What do you need Vetra?”
She turned her gaze to Matthew who was standing in the wide doorway in grey sweats and a faded black T-shirt with his hair in a mess. She took a deep breath and the cold air stung her lungs, “I need you to come outside.”
Behind Matthew from up the stairs came a low voice, “Hurry up Matthew. It is too early for this!”
“I need to go.”
She reached out to grab his hand, “Please I need to talk to you.”
He sighed with his breath coming out in little white wisps, “Can’t this wait ‘till the morning? Some people actually need sleep.”
Vetra’s hand clenched onto his arm hard, “This is more important than that. Plus, I also need sleep.” She pulled him away from the door with her nails digging into his skin, “I can not play this game any more.”
“What the hell do you think your doing?” Matthew spat at her.
She dragged Matthew down the long driveway to her car, the whole way he was fighting her. Vetra stopped in front of the drivers side, letting go of Matthew’s arm with purple bruises rising where she had grabbed him. “This is how important it is that I talk to you.”
Matthew’s hand went to him harm with his fingers gracing the bruises rising on his arm, “It was so important that you were going to possibly hurt me and make me bleed?” His voice raised on the last two words.
Her hand went to her cheek immediately with the four raised scars bumping her fingertips, “I call bullshit. I can’t make you bleed and yet you did this to my face and it will never, ever go away.” She shook her head and placed her hand back to her side, “Not my point. My point is that I was willing to hurt the best person I have in my life because it was that important.”
He sighed and ran a hand through his already messed up hair, “Okay. What was so important? And, did I just hear you say that I was the best person in your life?”
She spat the words out fast. “Yes I did. That doesn’t change why I’m here. I do not care what Prithi says, I need you back in my life. To be with me as more than friends, cause you make my vision not come back.”
He raised a hand at her with his dark rings lining his eyes from little sleep. “Vision? You are not making any sense Vetra. Make it so someone outside your world can understand you.”
“Vision of the day I got turned. Turned into a vampire, I mean. I close my eyes and it’s there. I cannot live the rest of my life seeing it whenever I close my eyes.” She was on the brink if tears on the last words.
Matthew’s eyes stayed on the ground in front of him, “I’m sorry about that Vetra. I can’t do anything about it though, and plus, you don’t want me around you anymore like you said a lot.”
She bit her lower lip to keep herself from ripping his head off in anger, “I know what I said. Listen to what I’m saying now please.”
Matthew’s canines were starting to poke out of his mouth, “What changed you all of a sudden? You are changing your mind of what you want so many times that it is hard to know what it is that you truly want.”
“I want you to be with me again. I want everything to be the way it was when we first were together. For our groups to be together again without arguments, for everything to make sense again.”
“When did it ever make sense, Vetra?”
Her mind was reeling with all the snappy comebacks she could say to him. Yet, she kept her mouth shut so she didn’t lose him again. “I don’t know.”
“Seems to make sense before you met me.”
Vetra clenched her hands into fists, about to snap. She felt her fangs slip out of her mouth. One thing stuck out in her mind as the craziest idea which she knew was the only thing left to do. She lunged at Matthew grabbing him by his shirt. She pulled him into her chest and pressed her lips to his.
Matthew struggled against her for a second then melted into her, kissing her back. Vetra’s heart was pounding in her chest hard and she was breathless as he kissed her hard. Chills ran down her spine because the reunion kiss was just as how she remembered his kisses to be like and even maybe a little better.
She let go of him and tried to pull away so he could go since she said what needed to be said and yet something kept her to Matthew’s body. Matthew’s breathing echoed in her she felt his hand rubbing the bend in her back. She tried to push away from him, yet he kept his arms around her body tightly.
Vetra pushed against him into his chest, “Let go of me.”
Matthew pulled his hand from her back, “Sorry. I missed doing that.”
Heat rose in her cheeks as her bangs fell in front of her eyes. “I do too but I need to go get my other friends back to being my friends before we are more than friends again.”
“Why does there have to always be conditions?” he whined as he tugged at his shirt to keep it down.
Vetra punched Matthew in the shoulder gently before she opened her car door and climbed into the cab. “Do you want for me to be your girlfriend again?”
“Yes.” He dragged the word out.
“Then, leave it be.” She leaned up into Matthew, grabbing him by the shirt and pulled him into her. She kissed him fast then let go of Matthew’s shirt as she closed the door to her car with the heat in her cheeks intensifying. “Bye.”
Matthew waved at her slowly as she pulled out of the driveway with her eyes locked onto the road so she didn’t have the urge to go right back up to him and start stripping him right then and there. In the rearview mirror she saw Matthew walk back up to the house slowly with a small skip in his step.
She focused back on the road with her head filling with a buzzing noise as she thought about how well it went. The only thing that was bad she thought was that it wouldn’t be this easy with Dimitri, Julius, and all her other friends that she needed to get back.

Vetra plopped down onto her bed with her cell phone clutched in her hand. Her head pounded from Julius’s screaming at her. She wanted to throw the phone at the wall so badly even though she couldn’t in case Matthew wanted to call her.

Her eyes wandered to the alarm clock that glowed dimly from the nightstand next to her bed. The thin lines glowed into the numbers five o’clock in the morning as she slid the phone onto the stand and kicked off her slip on Vans. Why did Julius want to fight her before he finally just gave in? That didn’t matter to her because Dimitri and everyone else gave into her begging.

Her stomach growled loudly, sending her back to reality. She stood up off the bed and walked slowly to the kitchen and as she reached the mini fridge, she fell to her knees from being tired. “Note to self, don’t go days without sleep and blood.” She whispered into the empty air as she reached into the fridge and pulled out a water bottle full of blood.

Vetra slinked over to the couch and sat down as she chugged the blood with her fangs scratching her chin as she finished the blood. The sweet taste danced on her tongue from her not drinking for a while. Don’t lie to yourself.

“Not now brain.” She muttered to herself. Your just on edge. “Yeah, that must be it.”

Why do you think you need him? Vetra ran a hand down her face as nervousness took over her. “I do need him, brain.”

He is nothing to you.. “I can’t believe I am going to do this, but it is for Iselin.”

She reached for her neck, trying to feel for the locket that Julius gave her for her birthday a while ago. Oh crap! “I don’t need to see this again.” She pushed out without breath. A chill ran down her spine as the cold, dead, eyes formed on the wall. Then, a hand reached out from the wall grabbing Vetra on the shoulder and pulling her towards the eyes where a mouth was starting to form.

“Not you again!” she screamed with her voice shrilling into the empty air.

A deep voice took over her mind, “You will not resist me. You never will and never had.”

The deep voice sent comfort through her yet scared her at the same time as she practically forced the words out. “I will resist if it is the last thing I shall do.”

“You would never do that to your daughter would you?” A loud shrill crying echoed throughout the white noise. “Such a shame really, Iselin would have made a great vampire. Sadly, her mother wasn’t one at all.”

Heat rose in Vetra’s cheeks as she reached for the disembodied hand at her shoulder, “Iselin! Don’t you dare talk about her like that!”

“So sad, you defend the child and not yourself. What have I raised you to be?”

“I thought you wanted me to be a respectful child, not a monster like you.”

“Such a shame, you took it that way. I can’t believe how defiant your being.”

Vetra was filling with anger as her fangs slipped out. She could feel the blood color filling her yellow eyes as she snarled at the creature that was holding her and pulling her, “You will never be who I thought you were ever again. I am done with you. I know you tried to save me but you only made me worse off. I wish you would have just let them kill me that day.”

“As you wish, it shall be.” The creature smiled at Vetra and dug it’s long nails from its hand into her skin, allowing little droplets of her purple blood to come free. It held her in its hand hard until she was only a few inches from its long fangs and mouth, “Vetra, I am ashamed of you.”

“You will never be my father.” She pushed out as the creature threw her into its mouth.

Vetra forced open her eyes as fear made her blood run cold. She rubbed a hand down her face. The leather couch was cold against her and her tank top that she was wearing was scratching her. She wasn’t wearing this when she sat down so why was she wearing this now?

A high pitched male voice shrilled from next to her, “You scared me when you were asleep, I am so glad you are awake now.”

Instincts forced her to jam her elbow into whoever was next to her. A loud gasp came from next to her as she sat up, her head swimming. She held a hand to her head as she sat up. Dimitri leaned into his stomach in pain, “What was that for?”

She snarled at him and his stupidity, “Never sneak up on me like that. You know what happens when you do that.”

His eyes wandered to hers, “Came over and you were passed out on the couch, kicking and screaming at stuff that wasn’t there.”

The eyes burned into her mind. “I was?”

He stopped holding his stomach where she had elbowed him. “Yes you were. Saying stuff like ‘Dad I don’t want to be a vampire.’ And s*** like that.”

Vetra’s cheeks flushed with color. He wasn’t supposed to know that the person who turned her was her own father. That when he was bitten he was turned into a monster, that he wanted her to be one also. She shook her head with her hair sticking to her back from her sweating so much. “That is none of your business. Now answer my question, what are you doing here?”

He rolled his purple-blue eyes at her then smiled, “Came over to hang out. It’s been about a day since you called so I thought it would be good timing.”

“A day?” The words slipped out of her mouth on accident. She was going to be insane if the visions kept coming. “Did anyone come with you?”

Another high pitched voice wafted from behind her, “I came with him if that doesn’t bother you. For one reason, it is partially my house.”

Julius! She had to resist smacking him in the face as he stepped from the hallway into the living room and sat down next to Dimitri. His orange eyes glowed with happiness making Vetra think he was maybe Bipolar. “Anyone else want to just appear out of nowhere?” she said out of anger.

Maybe her statement was a little too straight forward because Matthew, Prithi, and Becca barged through the door all with smiles on their faces except Prithi. Her lips were bent into a frown.

“Prithi, nice to see you.” Vetra said with as much sarcasm as she could manage with her head pounding as much as it was.

Prithi just sat down by the mini fridge without a word. Matthew growled at Prithi then sat down next to Vetra and wrapped an arm around her. “How you feeling babe?”

“Like crap. I had another nightmare and I don’t want to see it again. It was worse this time and I don’t need to see it again.”

“What happened this time? Did you faint and need a prince to awaken you from your deep sleep?” his smile was too friendly for her to take him seriously.

“No, not that. I need a moment.”

Prithi growled from her spot with her ears perking up into points, “Family issues again.”

How the hell would she know that? “What do you mean by that?” she tried to say with as much fake sweetness as she could without sounding fake.

“Family issues, how would you get that mixed up with anything else?” Prithi’s voice wasalso laced with fake sweetness.

Vetra forced her fangs to go back into her mouth as she clenched her hands into fists, trying not to hurt Prithi. “Matthew,” She cooed.

“Yes babe?” Matthew replied without skipping a beat like an obedient puppy.

“Can you tell your sister to not go there? It is a sensitive spot for me.”

“Prithi, don’t go there. For me?

She rolled her eyes then moved her head so her hair went in front of her already vacant grey eyes. That was the last straw for Vetra. Even if Prithi didn’t know, she was tired of her s*** and everything that she did. Even when her brother asked her to do something, she ignored it completely.

Vetra lunged off the couch and landed across the room with her legs straddled over Prithi’s chest. Her fangs were out and her breathing was heavy and shallow onto Prithi’s face.

“I hope you had a good life, because it is about to end.”

Prithi smiled as her grey eyes quickly eclipsed into dark, empty holes. Prithi’s body shifted under Vetra as fur coated her and she shifted into wolf form. Behind her, a low growl came into the already tense air.

Her eyes wandered to the side and a black haired wolf came into sight. In fear, Vetra’s eyes rolled down to Prithi who was laying under her with canines sharpened and snapping at her. She rolled off her and stood up, ready to fight.

A low voice came into her head, “Hurt my sister and I will hurt you.”

His anger shocked Vetra as her lips came into a frown and tears started to form behind her eyes which she prayed to seem emotionless on the outside. “Why are you going to hurt me? I thought you loved me?”

“I thought I did too.”

Vetra’s hand flew to her chest as it started to hurt. His words felt a large wooden stake through her heart. He really hadn’t loved her? Then the last year of her life was wasted. He got her pregnant then now was saying he didn’t love her. Fucking asshole.

She clenched her hands into fists with her nails digging into her palms, “How could you do this to me? You get me knocked up then just leave? What a man you turned out to be.”

A higher growl entered her mind, “He is more a man than you’ll ever now.”

“I don’t believe this! I can’t believe how selfish you are being. I gave you my heart and now you are just going to rip it out in front of me and tear it apart.”

“Why do you have to go that far with this? I just am done with the relationship, that’s all. It was one sided anyway.”

“How in god’s name was it one sided?”

A hand rested on Vetra’s shoulder and familiar pumpkin colored eyes locked onto hers, “He doesn’t matter, let it go. I knew he was going to do this to you before you even said you liked him.”

Vetra’s eyes wandered from Julius to Matthew again. Matthew was growling with his hackles raised running along his back. The thing that caught her attention the most, besides that he looked like he wanted to kill her, was that his eyes were black. Pitch black and empty like a dark hole. She bit her lip hard with her anger nagging at her.

The way you can tell is that our eyes go completely black. He was going through the full moon stage. She looked through the window and a full moon hung in the sky with a dim glow. Now it all made sense to her. He wasn’t really not in love with her. The wolf was coming through him strongly and the wolf are solitary animals. Then, why was he standing up for Prithi?

“I have had enough of this, do you love me or do you not?”

“I hate you with all I can manage. You made me into a little b****. You made me weak.” Matthew’s voice rang in her head.

The anger rose a fire in Vetra. Her side hurt bad and she felt the blood running down her side just like when Prithi had hurt her that day in the school yard. Then her cheek sent blistering chills into her brain. She could feel Matthew’s claws digging into her cheek and the raw sensation rising in her neck from when she was first turned. The dead eyes glowed from the corner of the room.

It was all too much for her. She lunged off of Prithi onto Matthew with her fangs bared as she clawed at his face. Her nails, being sharper than normal from being a vampire, dug into the black fur leaving five thin red lines on his muzzle.

The eyes moved from the corner of the room closer to her, slowly forming a black cloud under them. Julius let his fangs slide out and went for Prithi who was slowly trying to stand up and go after Vetra. He jumped onto her, pinning her down so she wouldn’t hurt Vetra.

Vetra was full of anger. Some of it was pent up from the centuries of regret and despair from everything that had happened. The rest was at Matthew who was writhing under her. She sank her fangs into his fur covered neck, the blood running into her mouth. Her eyes dilated immediately as the warm feeling ran down her throat and hit her empty stomach. She forced herself to control her urge to drink until he died.

The black cloud that was still forming floated through Julius and sent a deathly chill over the room with a deep voice tickling at the air, “What have a raised you to be Vetra? Kill him, kill him now!”

Her ears perked up as she moved her gaze to the floating cloud. The emptiness was shaping into a black cloaked body, slightly taller than Vetra. Long fangs poked out of the cloud which was turning into smoke as limbs were formed. When the cloud was all smoke, a man stepped out of the black. His eyes were pure blood red with fire dancing the middle.

“He doesn’t deserve to be alive after what he has done to you,” the man spat while little black wisps came out, “Let him bleed to death. He deserves that.”

Vetra bit her lower lip hard and it split from the pressure, “Go away. You-you are just my imagination.”

The man placed a hand on Vetra’s shoulder which was covered in thick leather fingerless gloves, “Am I? My god you have grown. Tall wise not with anything else, your still the same pathetic child you were back then.”

“Who the heck is that?” Matthew’s voice wandered into her head as a slow growl came from next to her. The warm blood was running down his black fur, sending chills down her spine. She wanted him to realize what he had done, but she didn’t want him to die in her arms just like Iselin did.

The man lifted his hand from Vetra’s shoulder and faced Julius, his eyes smoldering and his hand in a position that looked like he was going to hit something. “How dare you let her get this way. You are just like your mother, weak and can’t do anything.”

Julius’s orange eyes started to fill with the same blood color as the man’s around the edges of his irises. “You don’t know anything about her, mom, or anyone.”

Prithi’s voice entered Vetra’s mind, “What is going on Vetra? Who is this guy and why is he so angry?”

She wanted to smack Prithi hard. She clenched her fists together and kept biting her lip. The man traced his finger along Julius’s shoulder, cutting a line into the thick thermal shirt he was wearing with little droplets of purple peeking out. “I think I know about you all. Besides, I am the one who made you into what you are today.”

Vetra couldn’t hold it in any longer. If she was a tea kettle, she would have been steaming by now. She was sure that she had steam coming out of her with her being so angry already. She dove into the man, but landed into a whirl of smoke instead. Her head banged against the floor as she was picked up by her shirt from behind, “Poor child, what a shame. I thought I taught you better than that.”

Matthew’s voice entered her mind again, tinged with annoyance, “That is your dad!”

Heat rose in her cheeks as she was turned around in the air. The man was holding onto her with only a finger. “Too bad he won’t be able to be with you as you live on and on.” He spun his hand around, “My turn to indulge.”

Vetra landed on her chest next to Matthew as her father took his nail and slashed a hole in Matthew’ throat. Blood poured out as he attached his mouth onto the line. She reached her hand out in terror, trying to pry her father off of him.

Julius stood up and flung himself at his father, gripping his nails into the cloak that covered the man. It was an attempt that was not good, a cloud of thick black smoke blew into his face and surrounded the man. As Julius fell to the ground and wiped the little black wisps from his face, the man had disappeared from his spot. Matthew slipped back and fourth from human and wolf form, staying on human form with a gaping hole in his neck with the blood starting to stain the dark blue shirt he was wearing.

Vetra felt her body being picked up again, this time sharp nails were digging into her shoulder. Warm liquid dropped down her skin and she instantly knew that it was blood. The heat returned into her cheek where her scars were. Hot air was blew onto the back of her neck, making the little hairs rise.

“I thought you wanted him to die,” her father whispered into her ear making shivers run down her back.


The blood smell hit her nose, mixed in with Matthew’s scent also. She focused hard to keep her mind from wandering and to not fall into Matthew’s scent. “I thought you died when you turned me? Why are you here?”

Prithi’s voice wandered into her head, sounding irritated. “He turned you!”

The man let go of Vetra and she fell on top of Matthew. A loud breath came out of her as she whimpered a little. The smell of Matthew’s blood hit her nose hard. The sweet smell sent her eyes to go to full blood color. The man leaned over her and caressed her cheek with the scars on it.

“I thought I died too, I was wrong of course.” He pushed his nail into her cheek hard, letting some of her purple blood to come out. “I just gave you enough blood for me to pass out. A little later I woke up and everything was good again.”

She squinted as his nail dug deeper into the scar, bringing up the emotions she felt the day he had hurt her. The anger turned into sadness as Matthew coughed roughly, spitting up some blood. “But, why do you want us to be evil and why didn’t you say you were still alive?”

A smile rose on his face as he reached down and picked up Julius by his arm, “That would be too easy. I wanted to see how you two would grow up on your own.”

The locket that Julius had gave her burned into Vetra’s mind. Isn’t that what all parents wanted their children to grow up to be, happy? The word alone echoed through her mind. What did he mean by the word alone? “What did you do to mom?” The words slipped out before she could stop.

The smile on their father’s face grew bigger as he flung Julius onto the couch and started eyeing Dimitri who was cowering in the corner. “She lasted me a few feedings. Always thought it was her fault that I acted like that. She was misguided.”

Vetra stared at the man as her side started to hurt where Prithi had hurt her. Her father picked up Julius and Prithi with his fangs bared. In a quick move, he twisted their heads to the side. Loud cracks came from their bodies as he let go of them, letting them hit drop to the floor.

A loud gasp came out of Vetra as she forced herself to stand up. As she got to her feet, Matthew groaned loudly and shifted, holding his hand to the gash in his neck. Vetra’s face and side ached and her shoulder was throbbing as she tried to regain her balance on the floor. Her head was swimming with thoughts of Julius running rampant through her mind.

Regret was the major emotion that she was feeling. Regret that she destroyed the locket that he gave her. That she took her feelings out on him, driving him away. Regret that she let her own father ruin her life in more ways than one.

Vetra looked at her father, with anger fueling her. He stood there in the middle of the living room with a huge evil grin on his face. His cloak was stained with her brothers and boyfriends blood, the same with his leather gloves. His fire in his eyes danced with hatred as he cracked his knuckles and smiled even bigger at Vetra.

Vetra walked over to him slowly with her feet making subtle sounds from the carpet, which was stained red in some areas. The man’s fists clenched as if ready to strike her. The move didn’t scare her, she knew just what she had to do.

From behind her, a small groan came from Matthew. She looked back at him, almost on the brink of tears, and stared mindlessly at him. She clenched her fists and turned back to face the man who was tugging at his leather gloves.

She snarled at him full of anger, “Why would you do this to me, to your own son?” Her last word came out with a little puff of breath.

The man’s smile stayed put, “You two aren’t my children anymore.” He ran a hand down his arm, as if he was trying to clean the blood off, “You were never my children.”

“How can you say that, you never were around to witness it all in the first place!” The anger hidden in her voice even surprised herself.

The fangs started to shorten in his mouth, “I should have been around haven’t I, so you didn’t turn into what you did. Maybe you wouldn’t be back talking to me if I had stuck around.”

“I am not back talking to you! How would you feel if you had the two most important people in the world just ripped away from you in an instant? Have what you have been looking for your whole life taken away because someone isn’t happy?” The tears started to come out of Vetra’s eyes.

His expression didn’t waver. His dead looking eyes were as dark as his hair that was the same color as Vetra’s. “I have no feelings that can be broken. You shouldn’t either.”

She unclenched her fists, Matthew’s groaning was beginning to get heavier and more shallow. “You have ruined my life. I will not let you kill my future.”

“How would I kill your future, I am creating it.”

The statement seemed to be like a sword through Vetra. Something inside her snapped. Vetra lunged at the man with her fangs bared and her nails out. The man winked slightly then vanished into a pile of black and grey smoke. Her face hit the carpet next to where Julius and Prithi lay with their eyes open, locked in horror. She looked around the room and the cloaked man was no where in her sight. She sighed into the air with a fake sense of relief before she was hoisted into the air once again, but this time by her hair.

“You don’t learn, do you?” He laughed from deep in his throat and clenched his hand tighter around her hair. “You will never win, you will never grow, you will never do anything great with your life.”

Vetra wanted to scream but her fear was choking her. She closed her eyes tightly, hoping it was all a dream. More tears washed down her face, making her shirt wet. Her hands were tight by her sides in the prayer position, as she mouthed words with a faint whisper.

The man took one of his nails and dragged it down one of the scars running down her cheek, “Praying wont help you. I’m sure that nothing will help you.”

Her face burned like the sun as she forced open her eyes, “If you kill me, someone will find me. Someone will put the pieces together and you will be in a lot of trouble. You will pay for this.”

“Yeah, I wont get in trouble. I haven’t for this long, I wont for that much longer.”

The words came out in a shallow breath as pain started covering her head like her hair was going to be ripped out of her head. “I hate you and I will always hate you.”

He picked her up higher and brought his fangs close to her face, “I’m fine with that.”

Her heart was beating faster than it had ever done before. The fear and adrenaline rushed through her. The urge to win was the only thing that kept her going. From behind them, a small grunt echoed throughout the small room. A shifting noise bounced off the couch and the carpet shuffled as if someone was standing up. The man turned around quickly, dropping Vetra onto the floor.

His dead eyes froze onto the corner of the room, “Who are you?”

Vetra lifted her eyes up from the carpet to the corner. Dimitri was standing in the corner with his purplish-blue eyes locked onto her father. “Leave her alone.”

Vetra’s father leaned his head to the side, “What is going to stop me? Some little punk with an attitude problem.”

Dimitri’s fangs slid out fast with his eyes slowly filling with blood red, “I am more than just a punk. You killed my boyfriend and now you will pay for that.”

A laugh erupted from the father as he pointed back and fourth between Dimitri and Julius’s body. “You and my son, together? You make me laugh little guy. Now seriously, how are you going to stop me?’

Dimitri brought his hand down to the post of the couch that holds it up and wrapped his hands around it, “No one messes with my Julius!” With a swift pull, the leg of the couch ripped off into a sharp end. Dimitri stomped close to the man in a flash and placed the sharp end of the wood across his neck, “I hope your happy with what you have done.”

“Very happy actually.” The smile on the man’s face rose again.

Dimitri pressed harder against the neck making a small line of black rise from the skin, “You better start making sense, and soon!”

Vetra took an arm and pushed herself up to a sitting position, “Dimitri? You’re going to exclude me from the fun?”

Vetra’s father started to move under Dimitri’s hold. Vetra stood up quickly and looped her arm around his throat.

The man laughed again, “You guys can’t beat me. No one can. Vetra, come on, you wouldn’t kill your old man would you?”

This time it was Vetra who smiled, “Yes I would.” She twisted his head with her full strength to the right. A loud crack came from his neck as his eyes stared upward to the ceiling. His chest was still rising and falling so Dimitri moved the makeshift stake and plunged it into where the heart would be, black scum coating the stake. The rising and falling stopped immediately.

“Thanks Dimitri, you’re the best.”

A loud shuffling noise filled the air. Both their eyes wandered back to Matthew, which was still laying on the floor. His body was shaking and have covered in fur as if he had gotten stuck between wolf and human form. Vetra scurried over on the floor to Matthew’s body. She took a finger and tilted his head up. His olive eyes were rolled up into the back of his head.

Vetra’s body started to shake as she looked at the gash in his neck. It was deeper than she thought it was and the floor around him was covered in a pool of crimson. Her eyes closed as she put her ear to his chest. The smell of his blood wafted to her nose, teasing her to finish the job her father had started. His chest was still rising and falling but not as fast as normal breathing would have been.

On instinct, Vetra started to press hard on his chest to try to get him to breath. After a few moments slowly ticked by, Matthew stopped shaking. Instead, he started to cough up some more blood.

“Hold on Matthew, Dimitri is calling for help.” She whispered lower than Dimitri’s noise of dialing the numbers on the cell phone.

In between coughs, he muttered slowly, “Thank you.”

Dimitri muttered into the phone, “Yeah, he is hurt real bad. Hole in the neck-”

Vetra placed a hand on Matthew’s neck, just below the gash. “I’m sorry. I could have stopped him. It’s all my fault.”

His voice was low and in a hoarse whisper, “No it’s all my fault.” He coughed again with even more blood coming out. “I should have not been a stupid teenage boy.”

The tears were returning to Vetra’s eyes as Dimitri was rattling off numbers to the operator on the other end. “You were not a stupid teenage boy. You were just confused.”

Dimitri covered the phone with a hand, “We are going to get exposed with all this blood on the floor.”

Vetra’s head started to pound again. “S***!”

Matthew started to close his eyes again, “You’ll be fine without me.”

She looked over to Matthew with the tears flowing from her eyes, “No I wont, I need you here. Please, just hold on for a few more minutes.”

He reached up to her with a shaky hand and placed a finger tip on her cheek that was burning hot, “You have lived without me for a very long time, I think you can do it again.”

The mix of emotions was flooding her. She wanted to smack, hug, and turn away from him all at the same time. The tears were making her vision blurry. She reached for the back of Matthew’s head and pulled him closer to her. Ignoring his grunts from his body moving, she brought his head to hers. Staring into his eyes, she melted into him with a kiss that was passionate as if it was the last kiss that they ever would share. Matthew kissed back weakly as the coughing returned. She wiped the tears away with a finger as she rested his head in her lap. She winced as her cheeks were blushing, irritating the cut from her father.

The sound of sirens echoed throughout the air. Many screams came from outside the apartment from the neighbors who had no idea what was going on. She bent her head down with her eyes closed, stroking Matthew’s dark hair as his chest took its last raise in breath. More tears broke free of her eyes as Dimitri left her side to go to Julius. The door cracked open as the paramedics and firefighters came into the room with a stretcher. Vetra forced her fangs to come in as the paramedic lifted Matthew’s limp body onto a stretcher, not knowing that it was too late. Her side ached as she walked to the door with a paramedic and looked at the wasted loss of life that her father had caused. She closed the door behind her for the last time before police placed caution tape on the door.