Bitten

Chapter One

"Tom, no!"

A thin body tackles Thomas to the side, nocking him away from the boundary line between the werewolf territory and the vampire territory.

Thomas shrieks in surprise and fights to break himself free of the thin wiry arms wrapped around him. He hisses in warning and can feel his vision sharpen and darken as his eyes turn black. It's something new to get used to, but only happens when a vampire feels threatened or is hunting.

"Tom- just- calm down!" Thomas' sister screams at him from behind.

"I'll calm down when you let go of me, corpse!" Thomas seethes out. Yes, he does love his sister but she can be really, really annoying. Honestly, it's not like he was going to cross over into werewolf territory!

His sister gasps in offense and shoves his head into the ground as she backs away. Spitting dirt out of his mouth, Thomas sits up and crosses his arms like a child.

"Oh stop pouting, you lunatic," Teresa says to Thomas, shaking her head. "And we're the same species - twins, even! It's like insulting yourself when you insult me!"

Thomas grumbles and looks away, back towards the werewolf boundary line.

Thomas has been interested in werewolves - or more specifically, the werewolf pack that lives in a cold peace next to them - and has always loved just sitting a couple trees away from the boundary line that separates the territories. The difference between the two places is so sudden and beautiful it's enchanting and trance-like just to look at it. It's almost as if Thomas is lookin through a portal that contexts two completely different worlds.

Thomas hears Teresa sigh deeply and drop herself down next to him with a heavy plop. He almost feels bad for her, before he remembers she unceremoniously tackled him without precaution.

He feels her long fingers settle on his head and massages him the way their father used to before he disappeared along with their brother. For anyone else with a painful reminder of a lost past, they would have winced and turned away. But Thomas knew Teresa was only tryin to help make him feel better and leaned into her touch.

"Listen, Tom," Teresa started quietly. "I'm sorry about that but- you have to know when enough is enough."

Thomas knows it to be true - he has snuck away from school everyday, skipping vital lessons that he might one day need, just to sit here in peace and watch the woods.

Thomas finally glanced away from the woods and into Teresa's eyes. He takes her hand off of his head and holds it, massaging it the way their mother massages patients who are beyond saving and need comfort before they die. It's like his and Teresa's own little language no one else can speak.

Thomas shakes his head. "I'm sorry too," he starts reluctantly. "I was getting a little close there that time."

Teresa nods in understanding. She puts er head on his shoulder and they both sit there for minutes, maybe hours, watching the boundary line.

"I just-" Thomas doesn't quite know how to put into words what he's trying to communicate. Teresa glances up at him. "I've always felt some sort of connection here. Like-"

"-like somethings waiting for you to just, cross over the line and say: here I am," Teresa finishes. "Come find me."

Thomas looks at his sister in surprise. Yes - that's exactly how he feels. Though Thomas knows he shouldn't be surprised; he and his sister have too much in common for him to be surprised.