Bad Taste (Part I) // Colby Brock

161 - Colby

When I woke up alone, I was pissed. I shouldn't have been because I hadn't doubted that Rebecca would do something stupid, but I still was. I loved waking up to her, talking to her, spending alone time with her before we faced everyone else, so I hated it when she didn't let me do that. I wasn't sure what time she'd left me in bed with my arms outstretched for her, but I did know that she was at the studio in the early afternoon... and then I was doubly pissed.

Hearing Sam and Katrina talking in their room gave me anxiety. Rebecca wasn't with them, which meant she'd left alone. I knew, deep down, that her knowing about her new abilities would cause trouble. I just didn't expect the trouble to happen so soon.

Goddammit, babe, you just gotta make my job difficult, don't you?

Anxious, I zipped out of bed and found out some clothes, dressing just in a pair of sweatpants and a hoodie. It was probably the most casual I'd looked in a while, but I didn't care. I wasn't in the mood to dress up. I was, however, suddenly in the mood to argue with someone.

That must have shown on my face because the moment I got to the red room, I noticed Tara rolling her eyes on Jake's lap. I was surprised they were already awake, but now wasn't the time for me to be pondering their choices.

Whilst Tara rolled her eyes, Devyn steered clear of me and Sam cast nervous glances at me, Elton wasn't so private about his feelings. Seeing me "soft" had given him, Mike and Kevin new confidence, making them think they could say and do whatever they wanted to—they couldn't. But that led now to Elton saying, "What the fuck's wrong with you?"

I wouldn't have answered, but I felt I could get Tara on my side if I told her. "Look at who isn't here," I snapped, my eyes hard.

Jake snorted. "Pouty because your girlfriend left you in bed?"

"Do a headcount, Jake," I growled and his amused expression slipped from his face. Everybody did a headcount, though not all of them were smart enough to figure it out right away. Tara, however, was, and her face turned paler than usual.

"She's alone," she said urgently. I didn't respond. "Why the fuck would she go out alone?! Has she forgotten that she's being stalked?!"

"Julian's never done anything, to be fair," Angela muttered. "It doesn't excuse Becca being an idiot, but he's never touched me or Mom; he just followed us. He won't be the danger."

"Ang, aren't you worried? Rebecca is out there alone right now," Katrina pointed out, her heart pounding in her chest.

"She has the gene, she'll be able to-" Before Angela could finish her sentence, I let out a low pained sound that I didn't mean to make. It felt like someone had suddenly punched me all over my body... and then a mask came over my eyes. I no longer saw the red room; I no longer saw my friends; I no longer saw safety. I came face-to-face with darkness. In flashes, I saw my girl lying on the floor somewhere dark, her eyes closing and gentle groans escaping her throat. In pain. My girl. In pain.

That was all I cared about.

I gasped when I came back to reality. Sam was already stood up as if he knew exactly what I'd seen. I saw the look in his eye and I knew I didn't mistake what was there: determination, loyalty, rage. All of my emotions were reflected in him at that moment, reminding me of the bond we had.

We didn't speak, we just nodded our heads, then we were running through LA together. The others followed except for Devyn, who stayed with Katrina and Angela back at the house. I couldn't care less about any of them, though, because my girl was in pain on the floor somewhere and I needed to find her.

She told me she was at the studio, so that's where I was headed.

"Brother, we've got your back," Sam said as he somehow ran fast enough to be almost beside me. I couldn't slow down for him, I just couldn't. "You go and find her, we'll be there if you need us."

I didn't reply as I leapt across a gap between two buildings, from one rooftop to the other. It was dark enough that nobody would see me—I was running fast enough that even the light wouldn't portray my image to the humans going about with their evenings below.

It was like time was moving slowly, whilst my mind was racing. This was what it was like to feel like I'd lost someone; like I'd lost Rebecca, my love and my entire life. I didn't like this one bit. I needed her. Now more than ever.

What was it that I had said to her before? If there was no her, there would be no change? Yeah, I was feeling that now. Without her, there was no way I could ever smile again; ever laugh again; ever enjoy anything again. She'd swept into my world and completely stolen me, and I wasn't going to deny anything anymore. Everyone knew I loved her. Everyone knew I was in love with her. Everyone knew she was my One. But they didn't know she was my entire world; my entire universe. If she died, they would fucking find out.

The studio seemed so close but so far by the time I'd pledged every bit of myself to Rebecca in my head. All I could think about was what would happen if I found her lying on the floor not breathing. I knew it wouldn't be pretty for anyone.

As soon as I reached the studio, I just followed her scent. I moved so quickly that her employees, who sat at their desks none the wiser, couldn't even feel me pass, let alone see me. I darted down the stairs and to her office, but she wasn't there. So I sniffed until I found her scent leading to a door—one that looked painfully familiar.

I hurried inside. The room was dark but my vampire vision allowed me to see every inch of it.

Rebecca wasn't there.