Blood on Roses [COMPLETED]

Seventeen: Transformation

"I burst into his room, taking note that it was even colder than usual. He wasn't there. All I saw were his pure white roses that weren't so purely white anymore. There was only one thing in my sight. Blood on roses."

~ Hazel Dawson

SEVENTEEN

I was so worried that Arthur could recognize Zach, I forgot Zach might remember Arthur!

"A vampire hunter raised you. You must've told him about us. Are you acting as a spy?"

Zach had acted hostile toward me before, but this time, it was practically an interrogation. I said that I only found out that he was a hunter a week or so ago. I doubt he'd believe me, but I didn't leak anything.

"Now I really need to keep a close eye on you." Zach tilted his head. "I'm hesitating to allow you to go to school."

I rolled my eyes. "Please, if I wanted to rat you out, I would've done so long ago."

"How am I supposed to know your intentions? I don't even understand you."

"I don't understand you, either. I think we've already established that."

He clicked his tongue and stood back up straight, pushing his hair back. "I can't believe Arthur Carrington is your guardian."

"You know him?"

"Yeah, he killed two of our members in mere minutes. Impressive man," Zach replied in a detached tone. He didn't even emphasize the fact that Arthur annihilated two vampires belonging to The Ones.

I suppose I should stop getting surprised by his heartless side.

~ ~ ~

I promised that I'd let Zach read my memory by the end of the day to prove my innocence so he'd stop bothering me. He said this morning that he'd visit some bookstores while I went to school.

"Jeremy passed," Kaydence whispered to me as soon as I sat down beside her. She quietly sobbed, and I patted her on the back.

My heart clenched when I recalled Jeremy slowly closing his eyes right in front of me. Why did he look so peaceful? My eyebrows tugged inward. He didn't let that vampire get him on purpose, did he?

Because of those thoughts, I went through the rest of the day while trying to make myself as small as possible. I avoided making eye contact with people in the halls so I wouldn't have to greet them and act chirpy.

Zach was an astounding cook, so I didn't mind him when he crashed on the couch for hours while reading the new books he got. Most of them were mystery novels that I hadn't even heard of before.

On Tuesday night, I bawled my eyes out for ten minutes straight. Chocolate jam tasted like glue on my tongue, and coke tasted like expired water if that were even possible. I could smell the steaming omurice in front of me, but the taste was no longer identifiable by my tongue.

Zach sat across from me and watched me while he held his head up. He mumbled, "Is it that great of a loss?"

"Of course, it is."

"Tell me, how does chocolate taste? What about pasta or sushi? Humans seem to enjoy them a lot," he asked rhetorically with a placid face. I swallowed and wiped my face. I tossed him a glare, and he shrugged.

"Quit being a baby. In exchange for different taste buds, you can outrun the fastest animal on earth, and you can lift a truck with one hand."

"Why would I ever need that kind of power?"