Bloodlines

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: WHEN YOU'RE GONE

               I saw the horror in Jeremy's eyes. His hands were shaking and he looked angry. Blinking repeatedly, as if he were about to cry. I walked a step closer to him but he took a step back and shook his head. I had no idea what to say in that moment. There was no way out of this. There was no way I could come up with an excuse that could explain what he just saw. I felt the blood dripping down my mouth and drying against it, making me feel like a complete monster.
             "Jeremy..." I whimpered.
             "What the hell is going on?" Jeremy asked with slight anger in his voice.
             "I...she was..."
             "You're one of them."
             "No, baby, it's not like that. I'm not a monster."
             "Look at yourself! You drank off of some lady, then...hypnotized her?"
             "You don't understand, there's things you have to know and understand. Let me explain please."
               Jeremy already began backing away. "Stay the hell away from me."
               I walked closer. "Jeremy, no. Please let me explain."
               Jeremy pulled out a stake. "I don't wanna use this on you, please stay away. It's over."
               Jeremy dropped the stake on the ground and walked away. He kept walking away farther and farther until he was nothing but a dot in the distance. I collapsed to the floor, defeated. I crawled up into a corner and curled up in a ball, crying. I hated every aspect of myself. I hated being a vampire, I hated my shitty luck of being turned into one, I hated...living. I considered grabbing the stake and stabbing it through my heart to save Jeremy the trouble, or take off my ring and stand here until the sun comes up. The five other girls from the car showed up to comfort me, but i still felt like shit.
               "C'mon Lucy, i'll take you home." Chloe said, helping me up to my feet and offering me a napkin.
               The entire car ride home, I just looked out the window. I was stupid to think this would work out. I had previously planned to tell Jeremy I was a vampire, before I learned he was a vampire hunter in training. I just never expected he'd find out like this. The vampire wanted this to happen. He wanted to break me down, destroy every bit of humanity I have left, so that I would become him. Nothing but a monster in the dark. I only wondered what was gonna happen next. Would Jeremy never speak to me again? Would I be left with this hole in my heart for eternity?  Would I have to watch him grow up, get married, have children, grow old, and forget about me? I don't know, I didn't want to know.
             The next day, I stayed in my bed all day, in my pajamas and messy bun. I looked like shit and felt like shit. I kept trying to text Jeremy, but every time I tried to type, my fingers froze. I decided not to bother him. He knew what he saw, it was gonna be hard for him to see that i'm not evil. He may never see me as good again. I heard a knock on my door, it was my mom. I covered myself with my blanket. She opened the door and sat on the side of my bed.
           "Hey sweetie, what's wrong? You haven't gotten out of your bed all day." she asked, placing a hand on my back.
           "Jeremy broke up with me." I said.
           "How come?"
           "Just drama mom, don't worry about it."
           "Sorry, honey." My mom cleared her throat. "Jason and I were gonna go to dinner tonight, i'd ask if you wanna come, but I don't think you'll want to."
           "I'll go, I need to get Jeremy off my mind somehow."
           My mom left the room and I finally got up to go take a shower. I immediately regretted my decision. All I would see when looking at Jason, is Jeremy. Oh God, what if Jeremy comes with him? All I saw in the mirror was a monster. I hated looking at my body. My small, pale, cold, undead body. I kept thinking about Jeremy. The good moments we had. When he would give me cute quick pecks on the nose, or when he would give me surprise hugs from behind, or when he would lift me up and spin me around. I missed him and my heart longed for him, but I had to accept the hard truth: vampire and human relationships don't work out. 
             After my shower, I got ready for dinner. I was doing my makeup when I heard a knock on my window. I glanced over like a dog reacting to a noise. Was it Jeremy? I knew I couldn't face him, but at the same time, I hoped it was him. I walked over to the window and opened the curtains, only to see Freddy on the other side. Not who I was expecting, but I was still happy to see him.
               "Hey." He said.
               I smiled a bit. "Hi."
               "May I come in?"
               "Sure but, why'd you come through the window?"
               Freddy entered through the window. "Your mom said you probably didn't want to see me, and that you needed space, but I just had to make sure you were doing okay...and I wanted to see you."
               "I appreciate it, Fred. i just didn't feel like talking to anyone. The only reason i'm going to this dinner is to get my mind off all this. But now I'm kinda regretting it since you know, Jason is Jeremy's uncle, and that's all I'll think about."
                "How are you dealing with...you know?" 
                "It hurts, a lot." 
                Freddy hugged me. "I'm sorry you feel that way, Luce."
                "Well, he's human. I'm not." 
                "It doesn't mean your feelings should be invalidated." 
                 I shrugged.
                 "Can I confess something to you?" Freddy asked.
                 "Sure, what is it?"
                 "Well...I've always felt jealous of Jeremy."
                 "Why?"
                 "Just look at him. Tall, blond, blue eyes, and overall attractive. He had you, and then he just threw you away."
                 "What are you trying to say?" 
                 Freddy held his breath. "The reason I've always felt a little off when you two were together was because I liked you."  
                 "Wait what?"
                 "I've had feelings for you, since the day we met. I was just always so nervous to tell you. I despised Jeremy because he got the girl. He always does."
                 "But you're the one who convinced me to go out with him." 
                 "I thought I was just being a nice friend. But I wish it was me you loved. I mean, I know you're a vampire. And that still didn't change the way I felt about you." 
                 "But you're a wizard, you've dealt with vampires before. You know the difference between the good and the bad. Jeremy doesn't. He only knows what Jason taught him."
                 "You're right. it's just...i'm in love with you, lucy."
                 I looked at Freddy. "I'm sorry Freddy, but i'm in love with Jeremy. And I've never felt that was about you."
                 Freddy looked down at his lap. "I understand." 
                 I put my hand on Freddy's shoulder. Breaking his heart was the last thing I wanted to do to him. He was right though. Me as a vampire is no different than me as a human. Other than a slight change in confidence, and me being a little more emotional than before, and obviously my abilities and my immortality, I didn't feel that different now than I did just a month ago. that's what Jeremy needs to see. 
                  "Just know you're my best friend and I love you. I'll be here no matter what."
                  I finished getting ready and a couple minutes later, Jason arrived to pick us up. He drove us to a steakhouse that was a bit of a drive to get to. 
                  When we got there, Jason and I ordered a steak, and my mom ordered a salad. As we waited for the food, my mom stood up to go use the bathroom. Now i was here with Jason. I had to admit, it was weird sitting here with Jeremy's uncle, or just Jason in general. I always felt that way about adults I wan't exactly close to. I wondered if he knew him and I were dating, if so, why hasn't he mentioned him? Why is Jason living a double life? 
                 "I didn't think you'd come." Jason said. "Your mom said you were upset about something."
                  "Oh...yeah. I just wanted to get my mind off of it." 
                  "If you don't mind me asking, what happened?"
                   I shook my head. I didn't want to say Jeremy's name, knowing it'd be awkward. "My boyfriend broke up with me, it's nothing." 
                  "Why did you two break up?"
                  "Just drama, I don't really wanna talk about it. It's too painful."
                  "I get that. Back in high school, this one girl broke my heart. I really loved her. But I guess some things just aren't meant to be."
                   It was hard telling Jason why Jeremy broke up with me, considering he's never mentioned him. I don't think he knew we were dating, or that I even knew Jeremy. Whatever, I didn't wanna talk about it anymore. I only had one focus now: to figure out who the vampire is. I had to figure out why he had a vendetta against my dad. I thought maybe instead of waiting for the vampire to drop bodies containing answers, I could ask people who knew my dad really well.
                  "Hey Jason?"
                  "Yes?"
                  "You said you knew my dad right?"
                  "Of course! Why do you ask?" 
                  "What was he like back then?" 
                  "Coolest guy I knew that's for sure. He got along with everyone."
                  "Did he have any enemies? Anyone he didn't get along with?"
                   Jason shook his head. "No. He never picked a fight with anybody. I think that would've been out of character for your dad. Wasn't worth his time. However, he always seemed to be hiding something. I didn't know what exactly."
                   "Well, what about outside of Woodstake."
                   "Your dad's never left Woodstake. He lived here his whole life. He didn't really like to travel.
                   "Oh. Well, what was my mom like?"
                   "She used to be quiet, not that noticed. She and your dad were high school sweethearts.
                   A few moments later, my mom came back from the bathroom and we finally got our food. My mom and Jason were talking, but I was silently eating my steak and daydreaming. If my dad never left Woodstake, and he got along with everybody, then why did the vampire hate him? what did my dad do to him? Did that have to do with the supposed secret he always hid? There has to be something i'm missing, but i can't put my finger on it. I wanted to tell Jason that the vampire killed my dad for a reason, but since he's a hunter, he'd ask me how i knew about vampires, and he'll probably put it together that i am in fact, a vampire. And I didn't know anyone else with Jason's expertise, so I had to figure this out myself.
                  The next day, I decided not to lock myself up in my room being all emo, and went to meet up with the gang at Freddy's house. Indi, Alex, and Raven waited for me by a diner. I haven't talked to or seen them since Friday night. I could tell they didn't know what to say when they saw me. 
                 "You doing okay?" Indi asked in a motherly tone. 
                  I nodded. "I have to be." 
                 The three girls hugged me all at once. We then got something quick to eat and walked to Freddy's house. Sahara, Natalie, and Kaitlynn were also there. Freddy also seemed a little off from last night. 
                "Hey Luce, you okay?" Natalie asked.
                "Yes, i'm fine!" I snapped. "I swear i'm gonna go crazy the next time someone asks if i'm okay." 
                 "Sorry...i just heard and wanted to know if-"
                 "Oh so the whole world knows now? Does Chloe? here's an idea: how about we stop talking about my sad little Teen Nick breakup, and start figuring out who the vampire is, maybe why he hates my dad so much. Oh wait, Kaitlynn, you don't know anyone who didn't get along with my dad right?" -Kaitlynn shook her head- "No! Exactly, the only other person who would know is my dad. But oh wait! he's dead." 
                 Sahara reached her hand to me. "Lucy..." 
                "No! Everything, everything is falling apart. We're not getting closer to figuring out who the vampire is, we're getting farther." I began to break into tears, but I held it together. "My dad's gone, the vampire is still on the loose, and Jeremy thinks i'm a monster." 
                 "I'm sure he doesn't, he's just...confused." Alex said. 
                 "He hasn't texted or called me all weekend."
                 "Maybe he just needs some space, some time to adjust." Indi suggested. "And so do you." 
                "How?" 
                  Indi grinned. "We dye your hair." 
                 "What?"
                 "Yeah! a little red, blue, or maybe even pink or green would look good on you!" Natalie suggested. 
                  I sat down on the desk chair. "Guys, I don't know." 
                  "C'mon, it'll be fun, you'll look really pretty. Jeremy wouldn't even know what he's missing." 
                  I looked at myself in the mirror. I never really felt or thought I looked pretty. I played with my black hair. "Maybe a little bit of pink would be nice. Just don't dye my entire head, a few streaks, that's it."
                  Natalie squealed. she rummaged through her drawer and pulled out several bottles of hair dye. "I also have blue, purple, and green." 
                  "I'll stick to pink, thanks."
                  About an hour later, i looked at myself in the mirror. my hair was still long and black, but with a few strands of pink I liked it. I looked and felt pretty. 
                  "How do you like it?" Natalie asked.
                  "I love it, thanks Nat."
                   Natalie hugged me tightly. 
                  "Welcome to the dyed-hair crew." Indi showed off her blue streaks and hugged Sahara and Natalie. 
                  I smiled at the girls. I was still hurt from Friday, but I appreciated the fact they tried to make me feel better about it. I actually did start to feel a little better about it. I don't know what I would do without them.
                  Kaitlynn cleared her throat. "Would all the vampires in the room like to come with me to the roof?"
                  "Why?" Raven asked. 
                  "Just thought i'd show you guys something." 
                   The four of us followed Kaitlynn to the roof. It was a little chilly outside, and a bit windy.
                   "What're we doing out here?" Alex asked.
                   "I'm gonna teach you guys how to turn into bats."
                   "For real? I've been waiting for this since we got turned!" Indi excitedly stated.
                   "Well, it's fairly simple." Kaitlynn opened her arms wipe and then she dissipated and formed into a bat. Her bat form was different than the vampire's. While the vampire's bat form resembled a brown vampire bat, Kaitlynn's bat form resembled a black flying fox bat. It looked almost, cute. Kaitlynn turned back into her 'human' form.
                   "How do your clothes stay on?" indi asked. 
                    Kaitlynn shrugged. "Magic." 
                    "So, is this gonna be like some superhero training sequence?" Raven asked.
                    "If you wanna put it that way."
                    "So how do we do this?" I asked. 
                    "You just breathe, relax, release, and take control of your body. Picture your arms turning into wings, your ears becoming pointed, and poof."
                    "You make it sound so easy." 
                    "Because it is, allow me to demonstrate." Kaitlynn then ran and did a back-flip off the roof, her body then dissipating and turning into a bat. She flapped her wings in mid air, waiting for us to do the same. 
                    Indi cleared her throat and raised her hand. "I'll go first." She then ran and jumped off the roof, she spread her arms and then almost instantly, she turned into a bat. Same bat form as Kaitlynn's. 
                  "Looks easy enough." Alex shrugged. doing the same as Indi, she successfully turned into her bat form, which also looked like the other two. 
                 I looked at raven, who backed away, gesturing me to go before her. I took a deep breath and walked to the edge of the roof. I turned around and closed my eyes. I let myself fall off the roof. As soon as I spread my arms, I felt myself shrink. It felt like a tickle and it was like I was cracking my knuckles, except it was coming from all over my body. Then I felt a rush of wind sweep over my body. I opened my eyes and the ground below me seemed so far away. The moon looked brighter than ever. I realized I was flapping my wings. From my point of view, it felt like I was on an airplane, only without the airplane. I tried to speak, but all that came from my mouth was a squeak. I could not speak in bat form. Makes sense though, that would be silly. 
                I looked and saw Raven jumping off the roof and turned into a bat. The five of us seemed to all have the same bat form. We then took flight and soared into the night sky. It felt amazing. I felt like the wind was trying to catch up with how fast I was flying. My wings sliced through the air like a knife cutting through butter. 
                 It was at this moment, I forgot about everything. The vampire, my entire sixteen years of living, everything. I felt like I could do nothing but fly, and keep flying. It was paradise. A few minutes later, the five of us flew back down to the front doorstep of Freddy's house. I turned back into my 'human' form. I felt my body expand and my hair dropping to my shoulders, my clothes clothing me again. 
                 I looked at Kaitlynn, who smiled at me. "That was amazing." 
                 She nodded. "I remember the first time I did that, 1984, it was the best feeling ever. I'll never forget it." 
                 "Of course, you never forget your first time." Indi winked, referencing the time she lost her virginity.
                 "Too much information." Raven said, pretending to gag.
                  The five of us went back inside the house, and upstairs to Freddy's room. Freddy, Sahara, and Natalie were sitting there, waiting for us. 
                  Freddy looked at me. "She's smiling again!" 
                 "What were you guys doing?" Natalie asked. 
                 "I taught them how to turn into bats." Kaitlynn revealed.
                  Sahara's eyes widened. "You did? What was it like?" 
                   I smiled. "There's just no words to describe what it felt like." 
                 "Glad we made you feel better." Natalie smiled. 
                 "Guys, let's not forget, we still have bigger fish to fry." Freddy said, referring to the vampire. 
                 "Buzzkill, much?" indi said. 
                 "We should at least get it over with." Freddy said. 
                 "Kaitlynn, you said you can track him down using the whole maker/progeny ordeal right?" Alex asked. 
                 "The sire bond." Freddy clarified.
                 "Yes, but I don't have much control over it then I thought. It feels like he's here, in Woodstake...but he's not." 
                  I suddenly had a moment of epiphany. As I was turning into bat form and back, I had a rush of thoughts and memories. The gut feeling in my stomach told me I must have finally, figured it out. 
                  "Guys..." I started. "I think I know who the vampire is."