The Vampire’s Past

4. Jules

4

Jules

I’m sitting in the kitchen, writing down the dates for exams and deadlines for my college projects for the next weeks on the calendar. I’m fuzzy, but I keep going, not wanting to think about why I’m feeling so fuzzy and a little lightheaded right now.

I just have to keep going. I just have to stay on track and not get distracted by anything. It’s just a couple of months and I’ll be done with all of this. Finally.

After this, I can get a better job and move forward in the world, somewhat at least. I’m really looking forward to just having a job and not having to worry about classes and projects all the time. Finally being done with this hell.

The front door opens loudly and Lance stumbles in. He’s drunk. Again. He looks around, and finds me sitting at the kitchen table. He shakes his head, growling something under his breath, then he barges over to me.

Fuck. What now?

“You’ve been doing it again, haven’t you? You’re seeing some guy behind my back. Don’t try to deny it!” He leans in close, the alcohol flooding off him in waves. “You disgust me. Get out of my sight!” He takes a swing at me, but I catch it, stopping his fist before it can collide with my face.

Not again. Not this again. “I think you’re misunderstanding something. I’m not seeing anyone. Between work and classes, I don’t have time to do anything fun, let alone see someone. Also, we’re not dating. We’ve never dated. So I don’t know where you get this ‘cheating’ idea from.” I clench my jaw, not feeling like fighting over something so trivial right now.

I’m not doing anything wrong, no matter what Lance thinks. “I’m going upstairs, do my homework and go to sleep. I’ll see you in the morning, when you’ve calmed down.” I let his fist go.

If I had thought that staying calm would help at all… Yeah, no. “You slut. You think you can get away with this?” Lance lashes out at me again and I grab his fist again. We’re going to take this to the next level, apparently.

I tighten my hold on his fist. No matter how weak I am right now, I’m still stronger than he is. I can feel the tension in his hand under mine, the way his joints creak, his bones getting close to snapping.

I could break his hand, right now, easy. I could do it, even though I don’t want to. He seems to forget who I am, what I am.

Lance yelps, his whole body recoiling from me, and I finally let him go. The imprints of my fingers are obvious on his hand. He glares at me, but then steps back more, staggering.

“I’m out of here.” I leave the kitchen, going up the stairs.

“If you weren’t with someone you’re trying to hide from me, why didn’t you answer your phone? Eh? Why?” Lance follows me into the hallway, but stops at the bottom of the stairs.

I turn around to him, not able to let this go either, somehow. “Because I was in class. I can’t take a call when I’m in class. And if you ignore my calls when I try to call you back during my break or on my way back home, don’t blame me. You know my class schedule, it’s on the fridge.” I shake my head, finally walking away for real now.

I need to get out of here. I really need to get out of here. This is driving me crazy, and not in a good way. If he keeps doing this, I don’t know how we’re going to end up down the line.

I sit up, suddenly awake, my heart beating like I’ve just sprinted halfway across the world. Something feels off, but as my eyes scan my bedroom, everything appears to be as it should be.

There is a little bit of a breeze coming from the window though, but I don’t remember opening it. Although... I may have. This room is stuffy, so I often open the window a little during the day. I probably forgot to close it before I went to sleep last night.

I stand up, closing the window and then get dressed. No use going back to sleep when my heart is racing like this.

It’s strange, these last weeks I’ve been having the feeling that someone is following me, stalking me. And I have no idea who it is...

I’ve tried catching whoever is following me by surprise a couple of times, but it never led to anything.

It’s probably just my brain playing tricks on me because I haven’t had blood in too long. I’m probably just paranoid because my vampiric instincts are so close to the surface and trying to break free, seeing everything as a danger...

I growl. This needs to change.

It’s still early, too early really, but I grab my bag for work. I’d rather hang out outside than stay in this house any longer. I open the door of my bedroom, listening. The house is quiet, but again, my instincts are low, so I can’t fully trust them.

I walk down the stairs when I hear sounds from the kitchen. I carefully look into the kitchen and Lance is sitting at the kitchen table. He looks like he’s sat there all night. I turn on the kitchen light, and it wakes him.

“Morning.” I don’t know how to do this, not after the fight last night. We’ve never fought like that before.

“Morn,” he grumbles, blinking.

“Have you gone to bed yet?” I go over to the counter, I guess grabbing some coffee isn’t a bad idea.

“No.” Lance’s voice is like gravel, setting me on edge.

I nod. Then I start putting a new filter and coffee grounds into the machine. A sound behind me makes me turn around, like someone spoke, but too quietly. Damned normal human senses… “Sorry?”

“I’m sorry.” Lance’s eyes are serious. “I’m sorry.”

“About what?” I turn to the counter, pouring water into the machine and then turning it on. I take a deep breath before I turn back to Lance. “Sorry about what?” This better be good.

“About last night. About... all the nights before that. I...” He shakes his head, wringing his hands together. “I’ve just not been too well lately.” He glances at me, but then looks at his hands.

He’s trying. Gotta give him that. I go over to the table, sitting on the other side. “What’s going on? What happened?”

“It’s stupid.” Lance shakes his head.

“What is?”

He sighs. “I got demoted. They demoted me at work. Not fired, not laid off, they demoted me.” He growls. “When I’m supposed to be the one keeping this place running... Fuck.”

Oh. “I’m sorry.” But why does he have to take that out on me? “You didn’t have to keep it a secret.”

Lance nods. “I know. It’s just... bad for the ego.” He flashes a little bit of a smile. “I shouldn’t have done all that... I was too wrapped up in my own head. Too much focused on how you were getting ahead in life and I was stuck here.”

I’m not sure I believe him entirely. The idea of me somehow ‘cheating’ on him is too much part of whatever is making him angry. But he’s calm now and I don’t want to ruin that.

“Jules...” Something in his voice makes me look up at him, something soft, caring. Then he pulls his shirt over his head, sliding his chair back. “Go ahead.”

Drinking. Blood. I involuntarily lick my lips. “Are you sure?” I don’t know...

Lance nods. “This is what we are to each other, right? I’m the donor, you’re the vampire.”

“Not all of it.” But I stand up anyway, going over to him. “We’re also friends. You can tell me when things get rough.”

He nods again. “But keeping this from you goes against both of that.” He reaches out, pulling me onto his lap. “Go ahead.”

I move a little, making myself more comfortable on his lap. “Thank you.” My eyes are already locked onto his shoulder, on the veins I know run below the skin. He drank booze last night, but his hangover doesn’t seem too bad, he seems pretty sober, so this should be fine... should be...

But my brain disconnects from my instincts. I need the blood. I need it. Now.

I lean in close, putting my mouth over the side of his neck. His skin under my lips is warm, the veins pumping the blood around.

As I take a breath, my teeth start growing, getting sharper, my body readying itself.

Then I bite down, piercing the skin. Blood pooling into my mouth immediately and I drink greedily. I need this. I need this so badly.

This is good. This is so good. I’m so thirsty.

So thirsty.

With this I can last a week, maybe more. Maybe.

Need. I need.

A car drives up next to me as I walk off the campus grounds towards the bus stop. It stops, honking twice.

I look up, finding Lance glaring at me. Really?

He opens the window on my side. “Get in. I’m taking you home. You’re not going out with someone again.”

What? He’s been drinking, hasn’t he? “I’m going home, I take the bus home.”

“Not tonight.” Lance shakes his head.

Okay... But letting him drive around drunk doesn’t seem like a good idea either. “Only if you let me drive. You’re drunk.”

“Fine.” Lance turns the car off and gets out, handing me the keys. “But I’m keeping my eyes on you.”

I take the keys, not saying anything. It’s not like anything I say makes any difference, it’s not like I can get through to him when he’s like this.

Then I get in the car and drive home.

This is so not happening. Not anymore.

I’m out.

No matter what.

I’m out.

I stand in the doorway to the kitchen, watching Lance stumble around trying to get himself a glass of water.

“I’m moving out.” I swallow hard, my throat closing up a little. I need to do this, and I need to do it now.

Lance spins around, his eyes blazing. “What? To move in with your slut, right? You’ve already got yourself a nice new warm place to move into, right?”

I shake my head. What is it with these delusions of him? “I’m not moving in anywhere. I just can’t keep doing this.”

“Doing what?” Lance comes closer and I keep my hands up, not wanting to get pushed too far.

“Fighting. Fighting with you. Your accusations. I’ve not done anything wrong. I just can’t do it anymore.” Not on top of everything else.

Lance snorts, the sound harsh almost violent. “You can’t keep doing this? What about me? What about what you’re doing to me?” His eyes take on a dangerous glint. He grabs my arms, holding me, pushing me back against the door frame. “Tell me the truth.”

“Lance, let me go.” I don’t want to do this, but it seems like I’ll have to. “Let me go.”

“Or what?” He leans in closer, his alcohol drenched breath hitting my face.

“Or I’ll have to push you away.”

Lance snorts again, shaking his head.

“Let me go.” But all it does is making him tighten his grip on me. I put my hands to his chest. “Last warning.”

But instead of moving away, Lance pushes closer, getting into my space. “Like you can do anything… I’m not scared.”

I push him off me with enough force to make him fly all the way through the kitchen, making him bang against the other wall before he slides to the ground.

My heart is in my throat, I hate using my real strength. I hate how fragile human bodies are and how easily they get hurt. Way too easily.

Lance is a little dazed, but doesn’t seem too badly harmed. “This isn’t over.” He glares at me, not getting up.

“Yes, it is.” I step back, putting more distance between us. “I’m out of here tomorrow morning. I’m grabbing my things tonight and I’ll be out of your hair by tomorrow. I’m sorry it has to be like this.” I turn around, going up the stairs.

I thought I had a safe place to live, but apparently, that didn’t last very long, not long at all.

Fuck.

A loud noise wakes me up, and this time there really is something going on. Before I even blink, a fist connects with the side of my face.

Fuck!

What the hell?

I move, getting off the bed as fast as I can. Why didn’t I wake earlier? What’s going on?

The whole side of my face is throbbing.

Lance is standing in my room, hovering over my bed, a crazed look in his eyes. “So, it just took a little longer for that stuff to start working... Interesting.”

What? What the hell?

Lance lets out a laugh and it makes me feel sick. What did he do? What the f**k did he do? Is that why everything has been so off for the last day?

Fuck.

“Now you’re not so special anymore, vamp-boy. You’re nothing but an insect now.” He comes over, a threatening grin on his face. “Like anyone is going to want you. Who would care for a freak like you? Who?”

I shake my head, not finding the words. What did he do? What the hell did he do to me?

Flashes of something from my past comes up. Flashes of something that weakens vampires. Flashes of a dark room, of blood everywhere, of pain and loss and crying.

Vampire hunters!

Fuck.

What has Lance gotten himself into?

I have to get out of here. Now!

Now!