FullBlood

Chapter 8: Rules And Procedures

It had been at least an hour since Zane and Benjamin had left the family room to talk. I suspected they had their discussion far off into the woods to keep all of our overly sensitive ears from hearing them. Since then, I had memorized everybody's name and face, and had a strange sense of familiarity and knowing of everyone around me. Morgan explained to me that the sire bond that tied my mind with Zane, also had tied my mind with theirs. She said we all were connected through Zane, and could feel each others emotions and pain, and said we were pretty much brothers and sisters, if not, something close to family.

I was sort of comforted by the idea of having a vampire family. It was nice to know that I was a part of something. Something that I was accepted into before anyone had even known my name, or known what I had looked like. It made me feel even better to know that I wasn't the only new vampire in the house either. The oldest vampire in the house(aside from Zane and Benjamin)Carter, was only two months old. Everyone else had been turned maybe three or four weeks ago. Everyone here still had trouble restraining from human blood. It was a relief to know I wasn't struggling with this new life on my own. Others, like Morgan, Jane, and Gabriella were trying to develop their mental powers they had acquired after being changed.

Jane had explained that some of them had names for the super power they had. For instance, Evelyn had an enhanced ability to run, much faster than the average vampire(but not a full blood), so she was called a cobra because, like the snake, she had the quick reflexes. Morgan, who had the ability to plant images in your head, was referred to as an illusionist. Jane herself was a seeker, because she could find a specific person anywhere in the world by just being in an area the person had previously been in. Others didn't have powers that could be easily named. Like Gabriella, who could change matter in an object by touching it, causing it to break. A few of them had demonstrated their powers for me, and I was really amazed at how well they were already conquering them. It made me wonder if I had a super power or not.

"So when did you find out that you had a super power?" I had asked Jane.

"Well, I had first used it the day I had fully transformed. I was somewhere in a lake right beside a dock and uh...had just killed three guys fishing. I was standing in their boat and was about to search for another filling, when I had gotten a strange flash of a man. I saw him, like I was right beside him and I just knew where he was at that point. I set off to find him at the exact location I saw in the image. I found him...and killed him. It happened a couple other times. I didn't know what had gotten into me, I was becoming afraid and I felt lonely, until Zane had appeared and explained everything to me. He was actually the one to convince me of my super power. I guess the images I saw he could also see...you know, sire bond, and all." She explained.

Picturing her story in my head, I felt sick at the image of her devouring the fishermen. Then I recalled something she had mentioned in the story that had me curious.

"Jane, you said you first used your super power the day you fully transformed." I said.

She nodded.

"What exactly do you mean by fully transformed?" I wondered.

"Well, I thought that you would have known. When Zane had bitten me to turn me into a vampire, it took two days for my blood to be fully transformed into venom identical to Zane's. It was a brutal experience. I was paralyzed and my heart beat was fast. Every time it pounded, it felt like lightning shooting through my veins. The worst part of the process was towards the end when the last of my blood was being evaporated by the venom. It felt like my heart and veins had swollen twice their size and a burst of heat washed over me like I had been enveloped in flames. Soon, the heat gradually cooled down, and my heart studded to a stop." She explained.

I was shocked at her experience in transforming. I hadn't felt a thing! I wasn't too appreciative at the thought of being changed without my consent, but I had to at least be grateful for my blissful metamorphism.

"Wow...the only pain I remember was when Zane had bitten me. Other than that, I had woken up peacefully on the forest floor." I said.

"Lucky you." Jane replied.

The sound of dress shoes tapping against the marble floors announced Zane and Benjamin's return. Everyone had gone frozen as the two walked into the room. The sudden tension caused me to freeze too. I hadn't registered until my throat began to prickle that Benjamin was holding twelve jars of blood. Lust, determination, and eagerness rippled through me as the emotions of my fellow progeny channeled through my brain. Suddenly a wave of calm washed over me and I knew it was coming from Zane himself. I relaxed a little as Benjamin placed the jars on the coffee table, but I refused to breathe in the precious aroma. Though, I was baffled at why they felt it was okay to bring such a substance in the presence of newborn vampires. Zane spoke first,

"I don't mean to cause a frenzy, but you all know this is essential for your lesson in suppressing your craving for blood. As usual, each one of you will have a jar of blood in your room that is to be untouched for the duration of the week. The supply has doubled in amount, because I expect that you all should now be able to handle 8oz of blood."

I tensed up again, maybe everyone else could handle 8 oz, but certainly not me! Zane had sensed my alarm, and turned towards me.

"Of course, Annalisse, you'll be spared. You'll only have to endure 2oz of blood, since you've recently been turned." Zane said.

I guess I kind of relaxed at that, but I was doubtful of my inner strength wouldn't be enough to contain me from any amount of blood. Benjamin spoke next,

"If perhaps someone chooses to taste even the smallest, most infinitesimal drop of blood from their jar they will immediately be sent to the Chrysanthemum dungeon for a week of isolation."

He began passing out the jars to every newborn in the room. When I received mine, the smallest out of the jars, I asked,

"Aren't Chrysanthemums flowers that the Italians believe to be flowers of death?"

"That is correct," Zane replied, "Chrysanthemums do bring death, upon vampires that is. The Malcotriaz tricked the Italians into believing that Chrysanthemums brought death upon humans to keep them from obtaining them in their homes. Chrysanthemums is a vampire's Kryptonite. A small amount weakens you a wide degree, but if a large amount is injected into the heart, you're bound to be annihilated in seconds."

"Oh." I replied.

That'd momentarily curbed my appetite for the blood in my jar. I had no intentions of visiting the Chrysanthemum dungeon. After everyone had gotten their jars, Zane sent us to our rooms to place them next to our beds on a small table. I quickly rushed out of my room before the jar had barely brushed the surface of the table. With everyone back downstairs, Zane and Benjamin had explained our routine for the week. It appeared since everyone had entered the house earlier than me, they were ahead in training. It was clear I'd have to wait at least two weeks until I could start mine, so tomorrow at noon I'd sit and watch everyone else fight Benjamin and Zane while I endured the scent of fresh blood in the house.

At the end of the week, the people who'd kept their hands off of their jar of blood would be rewarded with 2 quarts of blood. Zane had stated once everyone had obtained from 12 oz of blood, we'd all have to learn how to hunt on our own. Whether it be humans or animals, was our choice. I was anxious, excited, and curious for my new life to begin in this home. I wanted to experience the joys and advantages of being a vampire, especially at being a Fullblood, but I also yearned to go back to my old life. I felt empty without the normality of my human friends, my human mother, and even school. So all my dreams that night had been immersed with images of...living.