The Moon's Light

Chapter Five

After a day, a meal, and a tense card game, Katty and Zach started talking about other ways to help Isaac. Apparently, exercise was an important part of mental health as well as physical health. Which prompted them to haul us off to a gym.

Tony distracted Katty as soon as we had gotten there. I hesitated, watching them spar with the rest of my friends. It was fascinating to watch them. They were fluid and composed. Nothing like the feeding frenzy or killing sprees that I had seen. I wondered what an actual fight between them would look like. Would the control and clarity remain, or fade into blood-lust?

I swallowed hard when Katty went into a flying, spinning, flip to dodge Tony and ended up standing right in front of me. She grinned at me as I studied the look in her eyes. She was not only in control but having fun.

Tony jerked her away and their battle continued. They continued to spar while the others started a game of basketball. I needed something else. I was done playing games. I wanted an escape. I wanted to run.

I had seen some treadmills upstairs so I went back up and claimed one. Once I got started, I found it hard to stop. I kept turning up the speed until I was sprinting as fast as I could. My lungs heaved and my blood pumped. Every muscle seemed to be singing with freedom. Despite the fact that I wasn't going anywhere.

I glanced up when Katty wandered over. She seemed mildly curious as she propped her arms on top of the machine. "Who are we running from?"

The inclusive 'we' gave me slight pause. I shook my head, reaching out to turn the speed down. I didn't want to completely stop though, so I left it at a light jog. "Not sure. Just wanted to feel as free as possible." It wasn't quite true. I wanted to escape the Vampires. It just didn't seem like a good idea to tell a Vampire that.

She nodded. "I see. Maybe I should take you down to the river to run then. The scenery is much better."

I glanced at her sharply. "Not afraid I'll escape?"

She smiled. "You can't outrun me." She offered me the rest of her drink and gave me a look when I eyed it suspiciously. "Come on. You need something to replace everything you just burned through." She grinned in satisfaction when I stopped running and took the bottle, draining it in short order.

Katty did indeed take us down to the river. Isaac, Logan and me, anyways. We spent a pleasant afternoon there and then went back to Katty's place. She collected up the mail on our way up to the top of the building and went through it. Something in the stack of mail got her agitated.

The agitation prompted her to start talking to her Vampires, spreading her mild agitation throughout her ranks. But it wasn't until Henri and Zach came over for a visit that I found out what had them all gearing up for a fight. Sophia was coming.

I managed to hold it together until Henri left. Then the mild pheromone deficiency that I had been fighting off for the past three hours was riding on my stress and hitting me hard. I deepened my breathing, trying to stave it off. Katty expected me to ask for a bite, and I didn't want to ask yet.

But I was going to have to.

I followed after Katty as she walked Henri and Zach out, my heart beating fast. I gasped and tugged at my collar, feeling an itch around my neck and a deep desire to be bitten. "I can't stand it anymore. Please. Bite me." She inhaled sharply and backed off a step, cursing. Her reaction reminded me that I was making myself a massive target. It also made me feel a little better that she had retreated rather than going for my throat.

I took in a breath and tried to calm, making myself less desirable. I felt Katty's hands on my waist and my stomach flip flopped. My fingers came up to grasp her wrists. I was losing my grip on reality. I swallowed hard as Katty leaned in towards my neck. "Please...be gentle...with me."