The Vampire's Fated

Chapter 38

LENA

My mind raced, but something took over. It heightened everything in my body, even where I imagined hearing voices. I was willing for my body to let me respond to them all, but nothing happened until it did.

My fingers moved first, tightening around the soft material underneath me and releasing it.

There was nothing else except moving my eyelids, but my eyes flew open. I stared ahead at the ceiling, blinking fast. Something was off. My body felt different somehow.

My mouth felt dry but burning. I was hungry.

Moving slowly up, I looked around, but no one was around. I took in my surroundings. I was still in my room, but it was darker than I remembered. My eyes scan around until they land on the door of the balcony. The curtain was closed, but the light shone over the top and underneath.

I kept my ears open and listened, still hearing the voices that seemed close by, but no one was with me. It sounded like they were right by me. What the hell was going on?

Shaking my head, trying to stop the voices from invading my headspace. I move toward the edge of the bed and dangle my legs off the bed, placing my feet on the ground. I move off the bed slowly but grip the bedside when I lose my balance.

Steadying myself and straightening up, I take a step and then another until I walk over to the balcony slowly. I gripped the curtain and appeared around it, but the sun was too bright, which made me hiss.

Closing the curtain again, I looked around until I was met by someone standing in the doorway. Thinking it was Emmett, I spun around, only to frown when I saw them—Gage.

His eyes were on me.

"You're awake," he whispered.

"Yes," I said, sounding hoarse. My tongue darts and licks over my lips, but they feel more dry.

"Lena," Gage said, making me look at him. He smiled. "It's okay. Everything may feel different and heightened. It's because of the change. You will get used to it."

My eyes widened.

"Changed?" I asked, moving my head to the side. "How am I—"

I stop and close my mouth, only sniffing the air. Something smells delicious. Without thinking, I move toward Gage, but too fast, he catches me and wraps his arms around me. "Lena," he said. "It's okay. It's blood. Whitney is bringing some blood bags up for you. You're starving."

My eyes move to him and frown. "Blood?" I asked, wiggling out of his hold and stepping back. "What do you—"

"You're a vampire," Sasha said, stepping behind him and smiling.

My eyes stay on her, feeling slightly confused.

The voices I heard before came back and louder. I placed my hand over my ears, scrunching up my eyes, and groaned. "Please tell everyone to stop talking," I mumbled. "It's too loud."

I felt Gage place his hands on either side of my arms and push me further into the room. Shaking away the voices, I hear the door close and open my eyes to see Gage smile at me. "Better," he said, looking over at Sasha, who was now standing and leaning on the door with a grin. "We told everyone to be quiet till you get the handle on controlling everything."

I moved my hands away from my ears and sighed. "I'm a vampire," I said. "What happened?"

Sasha looked at me and moved to the side. "You don't remember?" she asked, glancing at Gage. I remembered everything in little detail, including what happened to me, but more importantly, everything with Emmett. I wasn't going to tell them that, not yet.

"Lena," Gage said, making me look at him. "Do you remember—"

"I know what happened," I said, cutting him off. "Emmett came in here. He was different. He was more—" But I stopped myself. Something felt off. I felt guilt run through me at the mere thought of Emmett. How—

"Emmett was affected more than we realized," Gage said. "He—"

"I don't blame him," I blurt out, making Sasha and Gage look at me with wide eyes. I looked between them. "He couldn't help it. He told me that all vampires were affected differently by the red moon. There was no telling what would happen to him."

Gage stared at me for a moment and went to open his mouth, but I cut him off. "Where is Emmett?" I asked, looking between them. "I want to see him. I need to see him."

Something changed between them. Sasha pushed off the door and moved toward me. "Lena, there is something we have to tell you. Emmett—" she said, but she was cut off with the door opening and a squeal coming. "Lena," Whitney called out, moving into the room and barging between Gage and Sasha to get to me. She wrapped me up in a hug.

Whitney pulled back and smiled. Her eyes were scanning over me before she spoke again. "I'm so happy you're awake," she said. "You had everyone worried."

I pulled a face, looking at all three of them. "What the hell is going on?" I asked. "Where's Emmett?"

No one said anything. I pull away from Whitney and hiss. "I want to see him," I shout, making them all stare at me wide-eyed.

Gage looked at me but cleared his throat before he spoke. "Lena," he said. "Emmett left yesterday and hasn't come back."

I stared at him in disbelief. He left? Where did he go? Doubt rippled through me; he left me.

"Lena," Whitney said, pulling me from my wandering thoughts. I looked at her. Whitney's eyes soften. "He'll be back," she murmured. "He was suffering. He blamed himself for letting himself get that far gone. He felt guilty more than anything."

I stared at her.

Sasha moved closer and placed her arm around mine. "Sweetheart," she said. "Don't worry about Emmett; he will come back. For now, you have loads to learn about being a vampire and need to learn how to control your emotions. They are the worst for first-time vampires. We can help, but first, you must have some blood. You must be starving."

I looked at her and gave her a slight nod.

Whitney stepped back and pulled something from behind her. "Already got you covered on that one," she said, pulling out two blood bags. My eyes widened.

My eyes dart to Gage, who seemed to be far away. When he spotted me looking at him, he smiled. "Lena," he said. "How would you feel about me looking for Emmett?"

"Gage—" Sasha said, giving him an odd look, but Gage shook his head. He looked at her, then at me. "Lena, you can learn everything from Sasha and Whitney," he said, looking between them and then back at me with a small smile. "Even the other vampires will help. I can look for Emmett. I have known him longer than most and have a few ideas of where he might have gone. I won't come back until I have him here."

I stared at him for a moment before I gave him a nod. "Bring him back to me," I murmured, making my stomach clench, but I shook the feeling away. I looked at my friends and smiled. "So, I have to drink one of these," I muttered and motioned to the blood bags in Whitney's hand.

Whitney nodded and handed one to me. "We can get more in," she said. "Once we know which one you like."

I said nothing but watched Gage move away and head to the door, but stopped and looked at me. "Lena, I will get him back to you," he said. "He has been waiting too long for all this to fall apart."

My stomach dropped., Knowing what I know from my memories, he has been consistent in my life, even if I didn't know it. I needed him back to help me, but there was more I wanted—I needed him. I was craving him.