Falling for the Predator

Chapter 5- The Mall

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Emily POV:

"NOOOOO! STOOOP!" I shouted, squirming around on the floor, trying to shake off my relentless attacker. Yet the onslaught never let up, the arms still grabbing at my stomach and neck, forcing their way in uninvited.

"AHAHAHAHAHAHA", I giggled manically, unable to stop myself. The woman laughed herself, a perfect tinkle sound playing affectionately on my ears, and finally stopped, her arms probably tired from all the tickling she just did. Daddy said Mummy got tired easily. Still panting slightly, the 5''7 human figure rose off the floor, giggling a little herself, her long auburn hair glistening in the sun as it shone through the great open windows of the landing, her soft brown eyes shining as she stared lovingly at my 7 year old self, a lopsided grin on her face as I still writhed and giggled on the floor. Christina. My mother.

With a half-smile still on her face, she semi-scolded, "NOW will you go get dressed? We have to be at Lucy's soon." I eagerly nodded, how could I forget about Lucy's? Lucy was my best friend! I bounded up the stairs to my room, and closing the door behind me, slipped on my favourite pink t-shirt and jeans in record time. Mummy would be so proud! I couldn't use my powers because Daddy said they don't work until I turn I'm a teenager, and whatever that is, it's really far away...

My thoughts were interrupted with a loud bang, a flurry of voices, and several screams, one of which belonged to my Mummy. I went to go back downstairs, to see what was happening, but before I made it down the stairs, my mummy came bounding towards them, looking behind her. Fear in her eyes, and a large welt on the side of her face. I just stood in shock, staring at my Mummy's.....transformation into a terrified, defenceless human. She panted, trying to catch her breath, before touching her hand to my cheek and whispering, "Emily, darling, mummy loves you very much, you know that yes?" I nodded, and she continued, fresh tears in her eyes. "You go hide under the bed now, you hear? You go hide, and you don't come out unless me or Daddy comes to get you. Ok?" I nodded and hurried to go hide, but she grabbed my arm, and added, "These are bad men Emily, don't let them catch you, and..." she broke down, her voice cracking. "I love you."

Somehow I knew, even as my 7 year old self, that this was it, I would never see her again. I looked up to say thank you, sorry, you're welcome, goodbye....

But she was gone.

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I jolted upright in bed, panting, although I didn't need to breathe. I glanced at my alarm clock and saw it was just past 7. Well there was no point going back to bed, I'd oversleep, besides, I don't think I could get back to sleep without seeing my mother again.

I shifted my legs and got out of bed. I was all sweaty from my nightmare, so I grabbed some clothes and underwear and headed into my en-suite bathroom, to have a shower. I let the warm soapy water caress my skin, soothing away the raw pain my memories brang each and every night. The air was filled with the sweet aroma of my strawberry shampoo....her favourite fruit was strawber-No. Stop it. I shook my head, as if that would somehow shake the thoughts away.

After what seemed like 2 seconds but was actually 20 minutes, I got out of the shower. It was never long enough, was it?

Drying myself down, I slipped on my clothes, a pair of skinny jeans and a white tank top, the only remotely human clothes I had besides the hundreds of formal dresses that I could never wear in public, let alone a human school. Woopdeedoo, the JOYS of being a royal vampire.

It was Saturday morning, and I was meeting my best friend Lucy to go clothes shopping for my Monday start at a human university. My father said I was to study Economics, although I've been 'alive' for such a long time (I was born in 1689) that I was actually around to meet the 'legendary economist' Adam Smith that these teachers go on about. Hell, I preceded him by centuries! Please, he wasn't that special.