Bleeding Shadows

Chapter 14

I was lonely.

It had only been two days since I saved Audrey from being a drone. I did this by changing her to be one of my Ethereal children, a change she instantly despised and stormed out on me. She hasn't spoken to me since.

I haven't been able to hang around or talk to Leah much either because she's been trying to calm Audrey down.

If you had of told me three months ago that not talking to my best friend and an acquaintance like Audrey was going to cause me such mental anguish, I would have laughed at them.

But here I was, trying to train my martial art techniques with Mia and failing badly. I was simply too distracted. I hate everything I've learnt about Original vampires and Ethereals. Why can't I be happy by being alone until I meet someone to step into my next chapter of life with?

"Gotta think quick!" My thoughts were halted as Mia's knee smashed into my stomach, knocking the wind out of me and making me sink to my knees.

"I'm SO sorry!" Mia said, hastily kneeling down to make sure I was ok. "You seem a little to distracted for training today. How about we finished early and go get lunch?"

I must admit, Mia was trying to be as considerate as possible. Even though she knew what I was going through, she also knew that there was no way for her to understand it. So she simply tried her best to be there for me. I respected that about her.

I looked at her and nodded. I found I was speaking less and less these last two days. I must look so weak, becoming such a mess simply because Audrey and Leah weren't around me.

I sighed, that's another habit I'd picked up over the last couple of days, I wasn't aware of how much I sighed before. I followed Mia out of the training room to have a shower before lunch.

I smelt the delicious aromas of spaghetti bolognese long before I got to the canteen, one of the perks of having a super sensitive sniffer.

The moment I entered I caught sight of Audrey and Leah, tucked away in a corner and deep in conversation. I couldn't help myself and immediately made my way over to them. Abandoning Mia to the lunch line.

Audrey saw me coming, prompting her to get up and walk out of the canteen. There was no longer hatred on her face like before, it seemed to have been replaced by uncertainty.

"Heya," Leah greeted me. "Long time no see. I'm sorry about her, she's still trying to process what happened between you and her as well as what that means. She seems concerned about how to think of you now."

Just hearing my best friends voice brought a smile to my face for the first time in days. I couldn't help but beam. "It's ok." I replied. "I'm sure she'll sort everything out in her head in her own time. How have you been? I've been missing you, really missing you, like a part of me is missing." I couldn't believe I actually admitted that, but it just slipped out.

"Aww, I miss you too Vi. But I really need to go and find Audrey and help her search the library. It seems that she won't believe anything about Ethereals and their children unless she can find a hunters record of it." Leah looked a little defeated from the fruitless searching, but it explained why I couldn't find them these last two days. "I'm also sure that she misses being around you too. Although she would never admit that, even to herself."

That gave me a little hope as Leah got up and prepared to chase after Audrey. I know Audrey needed Leah more than I did at that moment, but it still made me sad to see Leah go.

"Don't worry," Leah informed me. "This will all blow over soon and we can be one big happy family again." She said as she turned and rushed out of the canteen.