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I had been walking for about thirty minutes straight, shivering in my corset and skirt, bare arms dripping with icy rain water. I’d no idea where I was, I’d never been to this part of Hollowton before if I’m totally honest. God it was freezing, I couldn’t stand this much longer. If only... if only I could go home. If there was anywhere I could go then I would, even if it meant walking all the way back to Falleholm. But there wasn’t anywhere I could go, every possibility of a home – temporary or otherwise – had been eluded the minute Jasper came into my life. Why the hell did I have to be so damned stupid? Then again, as Kura had always said... I’d do anything for love. Kura... I’d hit the jackpot. * * * * * * I hoped to god that this would work. I stood out in the rain, shivering as the damp, moss-covered wall connected with my back as I waited for someone to answer the damned door. Then again, at 1 in the morning, I wasn’t expecting there to be much animation within the Endean household at this time but it was worth a go. I hit the door with the butt of my hand twice again, shivering and whimpering as the cold, wet rain begun to react with my frail body. It’s times like this that I wish I was fatter, surely the blubber would hold in some heat. I’m already fat, but not fat enough to survive in this damned weather. I smirked to myself, it reminded me of Russia. “Hello?” A woozy voice called through the speaker hole in the door. “Kura! Please, let me in! It’s Raegan.” The brass door handle turned slowly, and I winced as a bright light shone out like a heavenly glow. A figure stood in the bright light, a shadow to my pained eyes, and although the facial features were a mystery – the vocal tone was obvious. and who else in her house wore Slipknot pyjamas? “Yea... wha... Raegan?!” she pulled me into the light and studied me for a moment, like a museum exhibit or something. “Are you ok? Look, come upstairs.” She dragged me up the spiral staircase to the centre of her house to her second floor bedroom. It was nice to have a change of scenery, there’d not been much of this during my stay at the Redgrave house. Kura had a fairly big room at the front of the house, which had a huge white sash window hung with black curtains. Her room was painted in black, but you wouldn’t notice this unless she told you because of the sheer amount of posters which plastered the walls from floor to ceiling, like double wallpaper. At least it was warm. She sat down on the computer chair, and I sat forward on the scarlet loveseat at the end of her double bed. It always confused me why she never used it; I’d never seen her sit on it in the whole time we’d known each other. “Ok, tell me everything.” “It’s... not an easy story. One that has to be lived to be understood, it’s not so easy to explain... in simple words.” “I have time.” She smiled. I sighed. This wasn’t going to be easy. “Ok. But prepare yourself.” * * * * * * Two hours later, and several rolls of tissue, I’d poured my heart out and told her everything. “So... what you’re saying to me is that you’re a Vampire.” “Fledgling, technically. But yea... I am.” “When was the last time you fed.” She couldn’t look me in the eyes. “About 2 weeks ago.” She went wide eyed. “I thought newborns weren’t supposed to wait more than three days! How the hell have you coped?” “Y’know what Kura?” I sighed, and my hand slipped around the scars on my wrist. Some healed and silvery, some pink and fresh. “I don’t know. I just don’t know.” “You haven’t...” “No.” I said firmly. I knew what she wasn’t going to say. She didn’t have to know. No-one did. “To be honest, I don’t know what to say. It’s so... new. Strange. Though I can’t imagine what it’s like for you.” “Kura, you couldn’t even begin to imagine.” After that, the silence was more than awkward. Maybe five minutes or so later, Kura begun to move and went over to her wardrobe. I’d nothing better to do, so I watched her intently, not saying a word. She was wearing the Slipknot pyjamas Thorn has given her for her birthday – black trousers with red Slipknot logos and an All Hope is Gone t-shirt. She was so thin, they looked fantastic. Kura had always been a force to be reckoned with – she was so strong, a black belt in Karate by thirteen. She had a wondrous natural tan, a mocha shade that reflected the sun like a mirror. Her exotic grandmother’s genes were so apparent in her large black pupils, sparkling like iridescent pearls and her hair... what hair. Curled, jet black (naturally) and hanging at her waist. Though now it wasn’t so obvious as she’d pulled it back into a tight ponytail for bedtime, which I’d managed to interrupt. She was always so careful of her appearance, and made sure she wasn’t seen in the same thing twice. Apart from these ‘jamas, she never seemed to wear anything else at home. “Here.” She threw me what looked like a black band t-shirt and red/black striped baggy trousers. “Put these on, I’m not having you going back there tonight.” “Thanks Kura. I owe you so much.” “Don’t worry about it. Grab a blanket from the cupboard, my beddings in the wash so you’ll have to use those, sorry. You can have the bed, I’ll take the sofa.” “Kura, come on, I can’t do that.” She rolled her eyes, and laughed lightly as she began tiptoeing back down the spiral staircase, leaving me alone behind her almost-closed door. To be honest, I didn’t know what to do now. I feel really awkward sneaking around someone else’s room, but I suppose the curiosity was always there. Kura has always been an extremely private person, and this was the enticing thing about her. She always seemed calm and cool, kept out of stressful situations most of the time and always had a shoulder to cry on. I think the most favourable feature about her though was her kind nature and the fact that your bond with her was so undoubtedly strong that nothing could break it, no matter what. “We’re sharing then.” She muttered as she walked back into the room, holding two bags of blue Doritos, and two silver goblets. One was filled with a grape coloured fizzy liquid, probably vimto or something, and the other was empty. “Kura...” “Shush. Please, I want you to listen to me...” She pulled a switchblade out of her pocket. I hadn’t noticed it before. “You know what I want you to do.” “I can’t!” My expression and tone were a mess of confusion and lust. “You know, I think you can.” And without saying another word, she drew the switchblade down her already marked arm, and pressed her pallid skin to my waiting mouth. The taste was like nothing I’ve ever experienced, and the explosion of awareness in the deepest of my unconscious was amazing. All I could do was dig my nails around her forearm, and my carefully sculpted teeth deep into the hollow of her bared flesh. Eventually, and unfortunately, the flow stopped and I was forced to let go. When the wound met my eyes I closed my eyes, sinking into the cupped hands below my face. “Kura...” “Come on. Please, don’t ruin the moment.” Without looking I could tell that she was staring right at me. “I’m sorry.” “Look, you don’t honestly think that I’d let you do it without prior research? In case you haven’t noticed, someone had to take over the project while you’ve been, ahem, ‘away’.” To be totally honest, I’d no idea what to say next. “Thank you Kura.” “It’s alright Raegan. It’s alright.” * * * * * * I woke up beside her in the black silk-clad bed that so reminded me of home. The only difference was that there was a slight hint of antiseptic cleaner, which I knew she used to clean her various instruments of torture. Of course, these ‘instruments’ were things she never let on to people that she possessed, she was more of a quiet practitioner. I think there was only one or two of us that knew, and no-one said anything. That would just be stupid. I sat up on the edge of the bed and stretched, taking in my surroundings again. To be honest, I don’t even remember getting dressed last night. Everything feels like such a void, nothing feels real anymore. Of course, there was one thing that took away the unreal feelings, and one thing that prayed on my conscience each and every damned day since my transformation. I’d not even allowed the vicious thought to cross my mind, because I knew that what I lived for within such a thing would never be the same again, not since I’d transformed. Sanguine blood is rare and different, a component of human blood if you will. Because the sanguine body no longer takes in oxygen via it’s own lungs – being dead and all, the blood does not carry oxygen anymore. This means that when we crave, and the bloodlust becomes ridiculously apparent, our blood has reduced merely to plasma, because plasma does not carry red blood cells. This also means that because the brain is starved of oxygen, that the sang in question would begin to crave the oxygen-filled human blood. Simple. I knew full well that my blood was going to be pure plasma, because I’d not touched a drop of human blood since... yea. I don’t want to remember to be honest. I’m terrified of trying to do anything, because it wouldn’t be the same, and it wasn’t worth it... even if I did have any human blood within me... to waste it on something so trivial and passive. Maybe I was finally getting over it. I felt a stir in the bed beside me. “M... morning.” She muttered sleepily. Kura wasn’t what you’d call a morning person. “Hi, you want me to make you some breakfast?” “Nah it’s cool. Mum and dad don’t know you’re here, might not be the nicest of surprises for them. Why don’t we go out somewhere?” “That works.” I smiled. “Ok, cool. Give me a minute to get dressed and we can go.” “K.” Whilst she was gone I filtered through her music collection and stuck a CD in the huge player by her window. It was a Bullet CD. I then wandered over to her wardrobe and looked around me carefully before reaching a hand inside the painted oak doors, displaying the contents within to me. Her wardrobe was full of just what I’d expected, rows upon rows of skinnies in rainbow colours, band t-shirts mostly in black but some in red and white and purple. Hoodies with graphic prints, band names and various colour blasts lay on shelves down the side, like a clothing store. All along the bottom were various sizes and colours of Doc Martens, converse all stars and vans. I smiled, they were all organised by height and colour. God, she was so OCD sometimes. Anyway, I hoped she wouldn’t mind but I kind of wanted to borrow an outfit, giving that I hadn’t actually brought anything with me. I didn’t think she’d mind, but maybe it would be best to wait until she came back. Almost on cue she walked back in, dressed in an outfit I hadn’t seen her take out. She was wearing black skinnies, a silver studded belt, Lostprophets t-shirt and a stripy black and red hoodie. “Nice outfit.” I smiled. “Thanks, you want to borrow something? Your things are a tad... stained.” “Sure, thanks.” I grabbed a pair of black skinnies with aqua blue studs down the seams, some 14-hole doc martens, a black and silver studded belt, and a Coheed and Cambria t-shirt. Before I walked away, I remembered cover up and grabbed a random hoodie. I wasn’t really bothered which one. “Where are we going?” “Well...” Kura toyed with her words playfully. “I was going to say we should find your coven house, but that doesn’t seem such a good idea. How about we go get some food then meet up with the others?” “You’re right on the first one.” I gulped. “We could try seeing the others, though I can’t promise you I’ll be able to...” She cut me short. “If you need to go, just give me the nod and we’ll leave. Deal?” I smiled. “Deal.” “Ok, now go get dressed.” She laughed, and sat down by her computer which never seemed to be off. I wandered quietly across the hallway to the bathroom, which was really big surprisingly. I put the clothes down over the laundry box and got to washing the tears off my face. They had dried, and probably weren’t even there but I could feel them still. I could feel them like snakes, they had to go, they had to go. After a little while I stepped back and into the view of the full-length mirror, which I had always teased Kura about being slightly pervy. Why want to watch yourself when you’re in the shower? It did come in useful for looking at yourself at other times though, granted. I studied my figure in the mirror, turning this way and that, pulling my borrowed t-shirt up and tracing along my well-exposed ribs. I felt like the icon of an Ana. Eventually I decided it was time to get dressed, and pulled off my borrowed t-shirt and ‘jama bottoms to expose the rancid, scarred skin beneath. It was almost as if my scars had been starved as well, because they were a mystical shade of asphyxiated purple. They were sort of, kind of, beautiful. The clothes fitted me perfectly, apart from the belt which was naturally too long and hanging down below my hips. The hoodie, I now realised, was a My Chemical Romance one, slightly too big. I smoothed over my hair, which was hanging in strange angel-curls, not quite curly and not quite straight. It was like a slightly cleaner version of Skahlina’s, dare I say. The thought of her in that room shot across my face like a slash wound. Come on Raegan, leave it out. Forget about it. How could I forget about my own sister? Technically, by human biology we weren’t even distantly related but by vampire biology we were more than connected. Maybe this is why I feel so close to her, because we are somehow connected. Man, I don’t know. I had to breath in slowly, I was getting stressed and no-one needs a stress fledgling. God, it’s so degrading but I guess it’s true. The term fledgling is so patronizing, yet regretfully it is more than appropriate. I was a vampire baby, a fledgling, even though I knew a hell of a lot more than most of the fledglings out there, however many there were. God, that sounds like such a holier-than-thou attitude but it’s true! Breathing through my teeth in an attempt to calm down, I shakily stuck a black and red striped bow in t side of my hair, not bothering with makeup today. Yesterday’s eyeliner would do, what was left of it. “Are you ready?” Kura called from her room, presumably. “Yea, just coming out.” I pushed open the bathroom door, which didn’t have a lock, weird. That had always creeped me out. I made my way to her room and she was already stood there, with a Slipknot bag over her shoulder and an MCR one in her hand. “Well, I guessed you’d need something. I know how you don’t like walking around with nothing over your shoulder.” “Thanks, you know me too well.” Or at least you used to. I thought. “Well, come on, we’re going to be late. They’re meeting us at the skate park in ten.” “Ugh, you know how I hate walking.” “You haven’t changed a bit have you Raegan?” She shook her head in amusement whilst my scarlet pupils gyrated inside my eyes. “No Kura, not a bit.” Part Eighteen: Civilization I was shaking nigh on uncontrollably as Kura dragged me, hand-in-hand towards the infamous skate park. I have to admit, I was touched that she was taking such care but honestly, I was ridiculously uncomfortable. Mishka had kept me out of direct sunlight for as long as possible, and I had only been allowed out at night until now. Seeing as I am not actually in that house currently, and I don’t intend to go back, the rules, however important, are pretty insignificant to me right now. “Kura, I’m not so sure about this.” I whispered, feeling almost as vulnerable as little Maya. She stopped, and turned around to face me. “You can do it. I know you can.” “I don’t think...” She looked at me reassuringly. “I know you can. Ok? Come on. You have to come out some time.” For the rest of the way there she held on to my hand, albeit gently, and as if her fingertips were barely touching my palm. I could tell she was there, and the feeling warmed through my very soul. I don’t know what I’d do without her. Of course though, no good thing stays around for very long. That’s when I saw him. Jasper. At first Kura couldn’t understand why I was screaming, then she must have focused in because I was soon drawn back by her defensive arms, away from him. “Leave her the f* alone Jasper!” She spat. “You don’t know anything about me, girl.” He laughed evilly. “Now, come on Raegan, it’s time to come home.” “I’m not coming back.” My teeth chattered as I spoke. Suddenly, it was really cold. Too cold. “Oh I think you are.” He snapped his fingers, and the inevitable happened. Drake and Felix surfaced from the shadows again, but this time they were followed by a new figure, a female one... “You betrayer!” I screamed. “Do as he says, Raegan.” Mishka smiled. “I can’t believe it.” I whispered to myself. “Well you’d better.” She smiled again. I forgot, vampires can hear bloody anything. “Because it’s time.” “No it isn’t!” and with that I grabbed Kura’s hand and dragged her at lightning speed down the alley. It was so long, but I could see the light at the end... just. Come on, we had to do it, we had to break free! “Oh no you don’t.” Jasper grabbed onto the back of my jacket. “You’re not going anywhere little bitch.” “You’re...ch...oking....me...” He pulled on my hood again. “Do I look like I care?” His teeth ground and I felt drops of spittle fall onto the back of my neck. “Raegan!” I heard a pleading cry in the distance. It was Kura. What the hell were they doing with her? “Where’s Kura?” “Your little donor?” He laughed. “She’s long gone.” “Not on my watch.” I felt overcome by a sudden bout of strength and turned around, connecting my knee with an area that you really don’t want to be kicked, trust me. He screamed and let go, screaming Russian curse words as I ran in the opposite direction, to that of Kura’s horrific screaming. “Kura!” I screamed. “Come on girl, where are you?” She came running out of nowhere, out of the darkness, with blood dripping from one eye and down the side of her face. She gripped onto my shoulders, and I had to bite my tongue to refrain from screaming again. “What the hell did they do to you?” I cried. “J...just... get me home.” She shuddered, and collapsed on my shoulder, whimpering as I escorted her back home. * * * * * * “What did they do to you?” It felt like roles had been reversed. I was sat on the computer chair, whereas she was laid foetal style on the bed. She didn’t say anything, she just silently pulled up her striped sleeve, exposing a two-inch wide welt on her wrist, exposing the nerves and veins beneath. It was pouring blood in all directions over her arm. Despite my impending desire and the longing which was obvious in my gyrating irises, the feeling of nausea in my stomach was immense. “Oh my...” “Yea.” She whispered. “They’re f*ing brutal.” “K...” I barely even let the syllable slip past my lips. “I know.” She shakily sat upright, barely balancing on her own body. “Go on.” I knelt in front of her, gripping her shaking, black-polished fingers gently. All it took was a gentle thrust of her arm towards my waiting lips and my mouth locked around the source. The warm red liquid was thick and luxurious, slipping down my throat like red wine down the throat of an alcoholic. With every drop my grip tightened, and the grip of her fingers on the back of my hair tightened in situ. Of course, this should have brought about terrible feelings of remembrance and fear, but between us it didn’t, all it brought was solace and pleasure. I’d never taken such an amount of blood in one sitting, and the built-up feelings of desire and pleasure in my muscles was deep and beautiful, like being in the arms of a long-time lover. I was expecting Kura to be nearing unconsciousness by now, but the poor girl was so used to it that she probably didn’t notice. I could feel the raised violet scars kissing my lips as I drank the surrendering life from her bared veins. “Raegan...” She rasped. I’d never flung myself backwards fast enough. I drew the back of my hand roughly across my blood stained mouth, and studied her for a second, the almost lifeless body of my best friend, passed out on her silk-clad bed. “What the hell have I done.” I whispered, so quietly that not even I could hear the illegible words pass my blood-tinted tongue. * * * * * * I woke up beside her the next morning, without even an interruption from her parents. She had told me, when she’d recovered that is, that her parents were out for the weekend so thankfully they wouldn’t be around. That was lucky, imagine if they’d walked in last night! I’d never be allowed around the place ever again. Nothing was stopping me seeing her, nothing, no matter what anyone said. We’d been through too much together to throw it all away now. Especially for the sake of one stupid incident. ... Like the transformation. I’d have thought that the... ‘T’ would have most certainly blown everything out of the water for good, that she wouldn’t want to know me again. I thought that after this... none of them would want me around. No doubt, after Anya’s ‘visit’ in Hollowton, the whole damned place would know by now, and by extension... Alice’s death wouldn’t be placed upon a strangers’ shoulders. No-one would connect it with Jasper. No-one even knew the troll existed. Yes, troll. “Kura?” I whispered, gripping her shoulder gently. “Kura!” “Y...yea?” She muttered thickly. “I’ve got to go love.” She opened one eye. “Seriously?” “Mm, sorry. I’ll come back if you want.” “Please.” She smiled. “I’d like that.” “I’m sorry for your... erm...” “It’s fine. Go, be safe.” She whispered. “Until we meet again...” I blew a gentle kiss, and was gone down the spiral staircase faster than I’d ever been before. By now, I’d gotten back into my own clothes, the black lace corset and knee length velvet skirt, but Kura had insisted that I keep the MCR hoodie. It did help, I have to admit, even though the cold wasn’t too bad now. The sun was out, which wasn’t too good, but the hood was big enough to go over my head and not look stupid. I felt like a cloaked vampire elder, a Redgrave right-hand if you will. Though... and it’s pointless saying, I’m ashamed to share their name. I hailed a taxi, and jumped into the back of the first one that pulled up, muttering Hollowton Trainhall at the driver. Even though she’d betrayed me, Mishka had told me previously to never leave a legal trail to her house. Now I know why. I used to think it was for newborn security, but now I know it was for her own sick benefits. I did have a couple of things that needed to be done at the house first... before anything. 1. Get my bag of stuff and any etceteras that were lying around of mine. 2. Inform, and attempt to rescue Maya. 3. Get Skahlina’s legal papers. Now I knew the true state of Mishka’s mental health, I wasn’t going to let her have anything to do with that girl. She was going to be my responsibility from now on, whether Mishka liked it or not. That reminded me... it was visiting time. |
