Fated To A Vampire

Chapter 8: Stranger Danger Part 2

The world around me was dull, with my eyes opened underwater and all I could see was long blurry blonde hair that floated onto the stilling water. Water slowly entered into my mouth and nose as I felt coldness surround and envelope my body. I felt out of my own skin as I tried to stay awake. The last thing I saw was a red hue that took me as I slipped into a memory.

~ Around five years ago, a snowy late winter~

The snow blew harshly against the small white Honda. Music played on the radio, a love song devoted to the upcoming holiday. My grandmother sat in the driver's seat humming to the tune, oblivious yet again to her having to rescue me. Father is too busy with big brother Hector since he is 'becoming a man' and needs more time. My mother took Shelly out shopping again, without me. Saying that I was too little to worry about such things, in reality they were just the favorites. Leaving myself a twelve-year-old girl home alone on the outskirts of a big city. Break-ins and kidnappings happened a lot, and my sweet grandmother was the only one that cared. She had seen my mother out and immediately came to get me. I sat looking out the back seat window on the passenger side, the blizzard dumping snow onto the earth as if covering it with a frozen blanket.

"How about some ice cream little bug?" My grandmother's voice rang out to me.

"Isn't it too cold for icecream, grams?" I giggled.

"Oh dear!" She faked being hurt, "You must've forgotten it's never too cold for a sweet treat!" She laughed, her same green eyes meeting mine in the mirror.

"Do I get any size and flavor?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

"Of course, ba-" Her response was cut off by the slamming of metal and squealing of tires. I was thrown to the driver's side and my arm snapped as I tried to brace myself. I should've worn my belt. I didn't register my screaming til the car stopped spinning in circles.

Sobs escaped my panicked chest as I looked around me. The windows were broken, and a semi laid on its side several hundred yards away. My heart beat fast as I dared to look into the seat in front of me. My stomach churned at the sight and the amount of blood. The entire front half of the car was touching the dash. My granny was lying unconscious with her eyes wide open.

I still am not sure how long I sat there for, the sound of metal creaking and strangers pulling me out as I sobbed. The normal week turned into the worst few years of my life. My mother lost herself to depression and blamed me, which eventually made my father numb and cold too. He stole my pain medication from the broken arm I received, and from there it all went down hill.

~CURRENT DAY~

The sound of fighting had me stirring awake. I laid in a puddle on the floor still naked. The bathroom door was open widely and the sound of breaking glass and wood could be heard. Suddenly, four gunshots sounded. Groaning, I push myself to all fours. I refuse to die in anyone else's hands but my own. Crawling to the shower door, I pulled the towel down, pulled it around myself and tucked it in, as I used the wall to stand. Leaning against the wall, I saw a red pump heel and muddy boot prints. Blood droplets led out. The door jamb had blood smeared in the shape of slim fingers trying to escape. Right outside the door, another heeled shoe.

Slowly I steadied myself on my feet and padded slowly and quietly forward. Peaking my head out, my breath sucked hard and deep into my chest as I covered my mouth in horror with my hand. James looked to be eating the blonde girl's neck out... Wait?... I know her. Shelly? She tried to kill me... But how did she know where I was? We haven't spoken in years. Stumbling back, my back hits the door and the door swings back, hitting the wall. My heart stops, James looks sharply at me. His silver eyes now shone as red as the blood that dripped from his chin.

In a blink, he stood in front of me. Stumbling back more into the bathroom, my bare foot stepped on the thin heel behind me and I felt it puncture my foot as I quickly jerked it up and stumbled to fall. Instead of hitting the floor, my butt lands on the bathroom counter with a gush of quick breeze through my hair. Jame's tall figure is towering over me, leaving no room to escape.

"What..what are you?..." My voice came out shaky and misplaced.

"Damn it." His fist hits the mirror behind me and its spiderwebs. Curling my knees into my chest, I try to make myself small. What the hell was happening? Tears welled in my eyes as my heart raced impossibly fast. The thing before me backed away for a moment and paced three paces before coming back towards me and bending down. Opening a cabinet door, he pulled out a first aid kit.

Standing, he looked at me with the small four-inch square kit in hand. "I need to bandage your foot." His eerily calm deep voice spoke again. I shook my head quickly. No, I could do it myself. His face hardened and he looked at me sternly.

"Just let me leave..please.." I looked at him with tear-filled eyes. His hard expression turned into a blank look.

"No." The simple word like a dagger in my heart.

"Why?" I whispered quietly, my arms wrapped at my knees. I could feel the slick blood under my foot as it pooled on the counter.

"I bought you." He smiled at me, and I didn't understand. "You. Are. Mine." His deep voice said slowly, reaching forward, he grabbed my foot and pulled it towards him. I sat still as stone in horror, waiting for the attack and keeping my eyes pinned hard on him. Looking at the cut, his eyes flickered between red and gray. I could see them flash through his longer black hair that barely hung into his eyes, no longer neat after the fight.

"You can't just buy people.." I said, wincing as he rubbed an alcohol pad across the cut.

"Oh, you very much can. And I very much did. I typically just take the real bad ones and drain them." His eyes flashed up to me and I could feel the blood drain from my face. "You are mine though, I just don't know what it is about you, yet, that has me." He paused, his hand gently, but firmly, gripping my ankle. His eyes met mine and I wasn't as scared. He wasn't going to take all my blood.. Right?.. My eyes held his.

"But you won't drain me? Right?..." Im not sure why I even asked, but I had to know if I was doomed to die.

"No." His voice sounded slightly hurt by my accusation towards him.

"Then why did you kill her?" I asked, and his hand paused before slicking the band-aid on and dropping his grip on my foot. Standing up, he looked me over.

"She tried to kill you, and I want you alive. Why does it matter? She was a nobody." His confirmation stung more than he would probably know. I could feel more tears welling to my eyes as I stared at my knees. "Was she somebody to you?" His question followed after moments of silence.

"I suppose not.." I said quietly. Standing up, I held the towel at my breasts. Looking at him, he said nothing. Just stared at me for a moment before turning around.

"I will get you your clothes I bought you, then we will eat on the road." He said his demands, and I knew I had no choice but to follow the clear instructions.