Cross Bitten

Into the unknown

I can hear humming, the most beautiful sound ringing through the air around me, calling to me. I open my eyes and sit up. It’s dark, I stand up looking around. Flowers are illuminated amongst the most beautiful trees. Water rushes down a river near by. Thousands of little giggles surround me. I look around, but there is nothing. I start walking, twigs snap under my feet, I move vines, and limbs out of my way. I come to a clearing. Large blue and silver rocks make a circle with glowing red jewels in the middle. I walk closer checking my surroundings as I go, the closer I get the quieter the humming becomes, but something is still calling me closer. I get in the middle of the circle and notice a crimson and gold stone shaped like a heart I reach for it and am instantly consumed by a forceful wind, it lifts me up, at the same time bright white light surrounds me warming me. The stone begins to vibrate sending vibrations up my hands through my arms and down my body. Then I hear it, a deep but calm voice, “Follow them.” What? Follow who?, A females voice begins to speak to me now. “Protect the heart!” I’m so confused maybe they aren’t talking to me. “You must remember!” She says. I suddenly feel disoriented before hearing the male voice one last time, “The choice has always been yours.” Then everything becomes quiet, and my eyes become heavy as I lay down to sleep.

I suddenly wake up startled as I sit up, remembering where I am. I see Pete sitting in the chair watching, studying me. I give him a confused look.

“Wha-what happened?”

“The bonding, you took to it fairly quickly. I’m surprised. I’m curious about your visions but we can discuss that later.”

Now I’m even more confused and lost.

“How do you know about the visions I had!?”

“I don’t know what your visions were, but I know you had them and that your blood is quite....powerful.”

“Powerful?”

“Awe yes we can discuss this later. Let’s head to your friend for now shall we?” As much as I want answers, Olivia is my priority. I get up off the floor I feel weird, different. My senses seem stronger, my vision so crisp. We round the corner and I see a tiny stout beautiful girl with deep purple hair and big beautiful eyes peaking up from the computer. I walk over assuming she’s another secretary and introduce myself reaching my hand out to shake. She rolls her eyes and looks at Pete, “what did you do to her erase her memory?” Pete simply laughs.

“Excuse me!?” She leans back in her chair arms crossed over her chest and looks up at Pete accusingly.

“You didn’t!?”

“Meet our newest employee and associate. Don’t be rude Cynthia!” He replies.

I look at her and then at him

“Just what the hell is going on!?” Pete puts his hand on the small of my back and pushes me along, which earns a glare from the new Cynthia as we walk away.

“So you have two Cynthia’s that work for you?” Pete laughs

“No just the one.”

I furrow my eye brows, “the other Cynthia was taller, slimmer, and a red head.” Again Pete laughs.

“Yes initially she may have appeared so but after being bonded you saw the true Cynthia.”

I feel so confused.

Pete takes us down to the hallway of doors again and, he pushes open the door to the lab.

I look around, at everyone working in the lab as we walk through. To the right I see a very tall slender man with sharp fangs holding two IV bags and carrying them over to a large cooler in the corner of the room. To the left sits the most beautiful women she is green, with rose petal eye lashes, fingernails made of leaves, and hair made of flowers and moss. If I didn’t know any better I would think she’s a nymph of sorts. She sits with her legs crossed as someone in a lab coat studies her before bending down and biting her neck.

“What is that man doing to her!?” Pete turns his attention to the two before turning back to me.

“Often times after we have collected blood from a species, we study the elements of it. Sometimes that blood needs more testing, the kind that can only come from drinking from the source. This stage of testing helps give us an idea of the effects it will have on the receiver.”

“Directly from the source? Aren’t you able to get that from a blood draw?” I ask very confused. Pete raises an eye brow at me.

“Annie you need to learn to keep up darling, this is not the human world. We don’t do as the humans do here.”

I look at him perplexed and he sighs. “Let’s continue walking, and I will explain everything.” I nod in agreement continuing forward. Once we reach the back of the lab we head through a door marked LAByrinth. We enter a void of sorts before coming out to a large maze of doors. They are marked by number or color.

Pete stops me in front of a blue and green striped door as he finishes explaining everything to me.

“So many mythical creatures have lived amongst us for centuries? Why don’t you drink to kill like the stories?” Pete smiles as he takes my hand to help me step through the door.

“Our oldest ancestors did that, but it wasn’t a viable way of living, there final centuries were spent in misery as they died a slow death. Some still drink to kill, but only after many years draining their supplier. We have evolved much like the humans we live amongst. However, all true vampires still have ancient blood, and certain needs do need to be fulfilled or they can slowly start to become the blood thirsty animals we once were.”

So fascinating, I think to myself. We start walking down a dim lit very narrow hallway and then I see it, the clinic door. Pete pushes a button and a mirror appears, I only faintly see my reflection. Pete speaks “she is with me, she’s been through the binding.” The door slowly opens. I look at him for answers. “No one knows about this other then a select few, and for extra security we had the reflection lock put on.” I’m honestly a little exhausted from all I’ve learned and been through today so I don’t probe any further.

I’m led into a large beautiful room, chandeliers hang from the ceilings rose vines climb up the beautiful stone rock walls. We head into the first door we see and inside I see Olivia in a long flowing white gown laying on a stone slab peacefully and quietly. Her arm is marbled where the bite happened and turning grey, flesh beginning to rot. Markus enters from a side door, he looks even more handsome now, his features are more pronounced, his hair is darker, muscles appear larger, and he appears to be a bit taller and more pale.

“Well Markus did you run the tests?”

“I did.”

“And the results?”

Markus sighs,

“They were not clear, if someone put a spell on her it’s a very strong one as there is no trace of her bloodline, if there is no spell and she is not who I think she is, then the process could have dier consequences.” I snap my head between the two of them not liking the sound of any of this.

“What if you just don’t do what ever it is you two plan to do?” I ask panicked.

“Then, she simply becomes one of those creatures and we study her and put her down.” Pete says nonchalantly.

I can’t believe he is talking about her like she’s an animal that could easily just be put down. I glare at him my teeth clenching as I seeth with frustration and anger, everything from today built up comes pouring out and before I know what I’m doing I slap him. Markus let’s out a deep laugh and Pete is on me in a heart beat. Before I can blink he has me against the wall hands pinned above my head. My heart pounding quickly in my chest as he leans close eyes glowing. “Darling save the frustration for the bedroom.” He says calmly causing my cheeks to flush.

Normally a man acting so dominant would infuriate me more, I’m not sure if it’s him being a charming vampire or something else, but I enjoy working him up and receiving the repercussions of my actions. He stares into my eyes and holds me like this out breathing staying in sync until Markus snaps us out of our trance.

“So what are we doing? Are we moving forward or not?”

“We are moving forward, do what you must.”

My heart drops as I look at Pete. He drops my arms and Carreras my cheek.

“You said do what we must, this is the only chance to save her, unfortunately there is no antidote, we must try to override the bite and shift her, hopefully she is strong enough to accept the change.” I look at him in disbelief.

“You’re turning her!?!? What if the bite doesn’t take?”

“Then she dies....and I think you would agree its better to risk that then her to become one of those animals first and having to be killed later.”

I bite my lip, the realization hitting me that this is really the only choice. I shake my head in agreement. Pete nods to Markus who begins setting up candles around the stone. Pete disappears to another room, and reappears with an ancient looking leather bound book. He flips through to a page in the middle and begins to read it.

“situația este îngrozitoare, te rog să te rezolvi, în fața mea, întuneric ca noaptea lasă întunericul să o aducă spre lumină, umple-o, lasă-o să-și ia zborul”

Markus face shifts and he forms two sharp fangs. He leans down toward Olivia’s neck but right before he bites her the door slams open, and Juan walks in “STOP!”