Star, Starland Vamp Series, Book 1 (36 page)

Rick shrugged, then asked, “What about now? Do you believe it now?”

“Oh, yes,” John replied. “I believe.” He waited for a few moments then asked, “My throat is burning. Will that ever go away?”

“Not completely,” Rick replied, then added. “But you can control it with a regular diet of blood.”

“Human blood?” John asked, then winced from a sharp pain.

Rick looked at me across the room and laughed. “Human blood is good, but you can survive on animal blood, too. But you have to learn how to control your urge to kill. It’s wrong to kill humans. I use blood bags and hunt animals when needed. You can do the same.”

Then I added from across the room, “I hunt animals and drink animal blood, and do human from blood bags when animals aren’t around. Human blood will make you stronger, though, but you can be pretty strong on animal blood, too.”

“What about human food?” John asked, then laughed. “I used to love cheeseburgers.”

Annie laughed, then replied, “You can survive on human food for a bit, but you’ll also need a healthy diet of blood, too.” Then she looked at me and laughed, then added, “Star loves Mountain Dew.”

“Really?” John asked, looking in my direction.

“You have no idea,” I replied with a smile, closing my eyes, remembering the soothing taste of the luscious golden liquid. “It tastes great, but sooths the burn, too.”

John forced a smile. “I’ll have to remember that.”

Zac yelled out again and squeezed my hand. He was becoming stronger. “It’ll be okay, Zac. I’m here. I love you, Zac.”

Zac nodded, but was unable to speak. It continued in this way until Rick came to my side and placed a hand on my shoulder. “I’ll sit with him, Abigail. Go get some blood. Take a break.”

“I’m fine,” I replied. I could feel the burn in my throat, but it was manageable. I didn’t want to leave Zac’s side.

“I’ll sit with him, Abbey,” Rick gently cooed, rubbing my back. “He’ll be fine. Go get some blood.”

I relented, nodding, then crossed the room to the small refrigerator, took out a blood bag and shoved a straw into it, poking a hole in the side. Leaning against the counter, I took a long pull from the blood bag, watching Zac. True to his word, Rick sat by his side and held his hand, gently telling him the ins and outs of being a good vampire. I smiled, remembering my own transformation. Rick never left my side through it all. Looking back, I’m sure he must have needed blood himself, but he never showed it. I quickly downed the blood as it quenched the burn, but not completely. Never completely. 

Soon, I tapped Rick on the shoulder and he relented, and went to check on John, who was now sitting on the edge of the table.

“How do you feel?” Rick asked, his eyebrows pulling together in concern.

“Strong,” John said with a smile. “If they could only see me now back at school.” At least he hadn’t lost his sense of humor.

Rick laughed, then asked, “Is that what you were doing? Were you in high school?”

John nodded, then frowned and looked down. “I guess that’s all over now.”

Rick patted his shoulder. “Maybe for a while, but it doesn’t have to be forever. Eventually, when you can handle it, you can go back and finish if you want.”

John nodded, stretching his muscles.

“Are you thirsty?” Annie asked, concerned, already reaching for a blood bag. 

“My throat’s burning, if that’s what you mean,” John replied, then put a hand to his throat.

“Here,” Annie said, then shoved a hard plastic straw in the side of a blood bag for him. “This will help the burn. It won’t take the burn completely away, but it’ll make it manageable.”

John nodded, taking the blood bag, promising relief for the burn.

Zac yelled out and I quickly turned my attention back to him. “I’m here, Zac. I’m here.”

“I don’t want you to see me like this, Abbey!” Zac yelled through the pain.

“I won’t leave you, Zac,” I replied, squeezing his hand. “It’ll be over soon. Just hang in there.”

“Abbey, I don’t want you to see me like this!” Zac repeated, yelling between screams.

“I’m not leaving you, Zac,” I replied. “Shush ... try to calm down.”

“Abbey, get away from me!” Zac yelled as a look of pain contorted his features.

“I’m not leaving you, Zac!”

In a flash, Rick’s hand was on my shoulder, “Abbey, I got this. Go get some more blood.”

“I don’t want more blood!”

“Abbey,” Rick continued calmly, gently squeezing my arm. “Take a break, Hun. I got this.”

I nodded, then Rick took my place as I went to stand on the wall, out of Zac’s view as tears slid slowly down my cheeks. I understood what he was doing. In his mind, he was protecting me, but it still hurt.

In a flash, Annie crossed the room, taking me into her arms, letting me cry on her shoulder. “It’ll be okay, Abigail. Zac will be okay, I promise.”

“I know, Annie,” I replied. “Thanks. It’s just hard. I know what he’s going through. And I know he’s trying to protect me from it, but him pushing me away feels too much like a rejection. I just hope he still wants me after he’s a vamp.”

“What?” Annie smiled, pulling me back to look into my eyes, incredulous. “Please tell me you didn’t say that, Star! For someone so smart, you sure can think the dumbest things!”

“Thanks a lot, Annie,” I replied, pushing away from her, crossing my arms. “A lot of help you are.”

“Abbey,” Annie said, placing a gentle hand on my shoulder. “He loves you. He will love you just as much if not more when he’s a vamp. Trust me.” She looked deeply into my eyes, forcing me to look at her. “He’s just hurting right now and he doesn’t want you to see him that way. He’s trying to protect you. Respect his wishes.”

I nodded, then replied, “I know. It’s just hard.”

“I know,” Annie soothed, then turned her attention back to John, who was up and walking around. He was of medium height, about the same height as Rick despite his youth, and was well built, probably the result of vampirism. His hair was a sandy blonde, and his eyes were a bright green. Sensing I was watching him, his eyes instantly met mine.

“How do you feel?” I asked him in a normal tone, sure he could hear me even though he was across the room.

“Better,” John replied, then crossed the room and leaned on the counter beside me, then he turned his attention to Zac. “Will I ever be able to go back?”

I shook my head without looking at him, knowing he was talking about his life. “No. Not to the life you’ve known.”

He nodded, then lowered his head as tears came to his eyes. He looked so very young at that moment. It wasn’t fair that Drake had stolen his life from him.

“Do you have a family?” I asked, still watching Zac, who was openly screaming on the table now. Rick held his hand, never leaving his side.

John nodded, wiping the tears from his eyes. “I have a mother and father, and two sisters and a brother, too. I can’t believe I’ll never see them again.”

I nodded, understanding. “Maybe you can see them again … one day.” Then I turned my attention back to Zac. “How did Drake find you?”

John laughed without humor. “I was walking home from school one day and a white van suddenly stopped beside me. Four men jumped out and grabbed me. Now I know they were vampires.”

I shook my head, then turned to look him directly in the eye. “It’ll all work out. It’ll be fine.” And as I said the words, I hoped they were true.

John nodded, wiping the last of the tears from his cheeks.

“Abbey?” Zac finally called to me, no longer screaming. “Abbey?”

In a flash I was at his side, looking deeply into his eyes. “I’m here, Zachary. I’m here.”

“Abbey,” Zac replied, looking deeply into my eyes. “I’m sorry, Abbey. Please forgive me. I just didn’t want you to see me that way.”

“Shush …” I replied, taking his hand into my own, kissing his fingers. “I understand. It’s okay.” Then I stroked the hair once again from his eyes. “How do you feel? Is the pain gone?”

“Not yet, but it’s manageable now. It’s going away,” Zac replied, then closed his eyes. Suddenly, he opened them and said, his voice stronger than ever, “I love you, Abbey.”

One corner of my lips lifted into a half smile. “I love you, too.”

Zac laid on his burning bed until the pain finally dissipated. Then he raised a hand to his throat. “Abbey, I’m thirsty.”

I smiled and within a second, Annie was handing me a blood bag with a straw already in it, ready. “Here you go,” I said, handing it to Zac. “This will make you feel better. It won’t take the burn completely away, but it will make it manageable.”

Zac nodded, then sat up, his muscles rippling. He was beautiful before, but now he took my breath away. He finished the blood bag and I handed him another. He downed that one, closing his eyes in ecstasy, then stood. He was a bit taller than he was before, and his already defined muscles were now rippling, and I could tell he would be extremely strong, probably stronger than me. I couldn’t take my eyes off him, he was so gorgeous, but that’s not what had always attracted him to me. It was his spirit, and, luckily, that was still intact. He was still Zac, my Zac.

Carefully, he reached out to me and pulled me into his chest, wrapping his powerful arms around me. Then he took a breath and pulled me back to look into my eyes. “Well, what do you think? Do you still like me?”

“Nah,” I said with a smile as his faded. “I love you. I think I’ll keep you. For a while, anyway.”

Zac laughed and the sound was music to my ears.

Suddenly, the doors opened, and Zac pulled me behind him. Quickly, I stepped out from behind him, knowing we were going to have a talk about that. But, for the moment, it felt good to have someone who wanted to protect me. It’d been years.

And as I stepped out from behind Zac, Drake stood in the doorway, flanked by the brunette vamp with curly hair from the gates, and Verus. Drake smiled. I tensed, ready for a fight, wondering what would happen next.

What the hell are you doing, Drake?” I asked, standing beside Zac. Everyone in the room tensed, ready for what was coming. “You know you can’t win.”

Drake laughed menacingly. “Oh, yes, I can and I will.” Then he took a step closer to me, his eyes never leaving mine. “After all, I’m not the one locked behind there inches of steel with no way out.”

I laughed as my lips curled into a sneer as everyone in the room laughed, as well. “Three inches? Is that all?” Then I took a step closer to him. “You’re going to have to do better than that.” I stepped even closer, my eyes never wavering from his. “And when you do, you’d better bring more than just steel and two guards.”

Drake’s smile faded into a scowl, then he turned his attention toward Zac. “How are you feeling, boy?” Then he took a step toward him, looking him up and down. “Vampirism becomes you,” Drake said, walking slowly around him, as if appraising a horse. “Do you feel any sudden urges? Maybe a shimmer moving along your spine?” Then Drake stopped behind Zac and whispered into his ear as I tensed, “Do you feel a quiver moving down your arm?” Then Drake’s hand traveled along Zac’s arm as I stepped closer. The brunette guard and Verus took a step toward me, stopping me in my tracks. Drake laughed, then whispered into Zac’s ear, “Does your body feel the urge to explode?”

Then Zac turned to face him and looked him square in the eye. “The only urge I feel is to kill you.” And with that, Zac thrust his hand into Drake’s chest, but before he could rip out his heart, the brunette vamp pulled Zac off and threw him across the room, as I stepped between them. In the flutter of a butterfly’s wing, the brunette vamp aimed his Uzi at my chest, as Drake pulled himself from the ground, recovering.

In a flash, Zac was on his feet. His eyes hard as steel, he stepped purposefully toward Drake when the brunette vamp pulled the trigger on the Uzi, and it was pointed at Zac.

“No!” I screamed as I dove in front of him, but Rick was quicker, stepping in front of me. Rick’s body writhed and jerked as the bullets penetrated his body, his blood spurting onto the wall, as Annie moved toward the brunette vamp. But before the brunette vamp could turn his Uzi on Annie, Verus placed a hand on the brunette’s vamp’s Uzi and shook his head.

Drake recovered himself as he pulled himself from the floor with a hand clutching his chest. “Burn it! Burn them all! Then I’ll be the only shape shifter left! I don’t need you anyway!” Drake raged on, stepping toward the door, when Verus pulled a lighter from his pocket and lit it.

“No! Don’t do it!” I yelled as Rick writhed in pain on the floor, slowly losing consciousness, bringing back so many memories of my father dying so very long ago. “No!”

A demonic smile lifted the corner of Drake’s lips.

“Do it!” Drake bellowed angrily at Verus, with a hand still on his chest. “Burn them all!”

“No,” Verus said, smiling, looking at us, then turned his attention toward Drake. “I’d rather burn you!” and in a flash, he threw the lighter at Drake, but Drake quickly pulled the brunette vamp in front of him. The lighter hit the brunette vamp and in a second, his body was engulfed in flames as he screamed and yelled in pain. Drake stepped away, clear of the flames, picking up the brunette vamp’s Uzi before it hit the floor as the burning vamp’s screams cut off abruptly, leaving only a pile of ash behind.