In Love With A Vampire
Page 19
Kalista sighed as she realized that this wasn’t going to end, because Rellie seemed intent on hurting Lipton, and wouldn’t leave the scene until she did.
In that flicker of moment, Kalista recalled what had happened earlier. Once Lipton had flown off to investigate the screaming that had mysteriously erupted, Kalista was left alone in the nest, her head swamped with thoughts. Her heart had screamed at her, telling her to leave the nest and go help Lipton. But because she’d promised Lipton that she would stay in the nest as she was told to, she couldn’t break that promise. Betraying Lipton’s trust would hurt her and shatter her like glass. So Kalista decided to stay put in the nest, wallowing in her thoughts.
Moments later, she heard a noise below the tree. Curious, she peeped out of the nest and glanced down, trying to figure out what that sound was. Far below the tree, she saw the figure of a woman wandering around, as if she was lost. From that distance, she couldn’t really see her face, but Kalista knew that it was a woman, who seemed to pass off as a damsel in distress. Thinking that she might be lost in the woods, Kalista decided to descend the tree and help her. But first, she had to get the attention of the woman first. The woman was roaming aimlessly down there, looking completely disoriented and lost.
Kalista cupped her mouth with her hands and screamed, “Hello there! Are you lost?”
Instantly, the woman looked up at her, and stood frozen there as she stared at Kalista, without a single response.
Kalista thought that it was weird that she didn’t seem to talk at all, but she wasn’t going to leave the poor woman down there to fend for herself. She clearly looked like she needed help.
“Stay there, OK?” Kalista cried out again. “I’m coming down for you.”
She was going to figure out a way to descend the tall tree without plummeting to the ground. Kalista saw the wooden pathway which weaved around the branches, and realized that it was her way to get down. She slowly climbed out of the nest, and stepped her foot on the pathway, clinging onto the branches to keep herself steady so she wouldn’t fall.
Then, with her hands holding onto the branches, she slowly crept along the pathway, which wound all the way downwards. The pathway ended at the upper level of the trunk, but there were dents in the lower trunk which she could use as a foothold to make the rest of her way down.
She began her slow descend, carefully treading down the pathway.
As she was about to take another step, the pathway suddenly throbbed and wobbled, causing the leaves to rustle ominously. Before Kalista could fathom what was going on, a figure emerged all of a sudden in front of her, startling her and causing Kalista to almost lose her balance and fall. Luckily, she clasped the branches tightly, keeping her from falling.
What she saw in front of her made Kalista let out a terrified scream. It was the same woman she’d seen wandering around below the tree. Earlier, Kalista wasn’t able to see the woman’s features clearly due to the distance, but she recognized the same dress which she wore.
How did she get up here so fast?
But what shocked Kalista the most was the fact that the woman who was now standing in front of her was a woman she knew. It was none other than Rellie Edwards, who was now standing there facing her with a creepy look. Rellie stared at her with her mouth half opened, looking disoriented as she tilted her head around at sickening angles like a mentally ill patient, while her eyes glinted ominously.
Kalista gasped when she realized that Rellie had been turned into a vampire. That explained how she ascended the tree at record speed, meeting Kalista before she had the chance to get down and meet her herself.
“Rellie?” Kalista repeated Rellie’s name in disbelief.
But Rellie just stood there staring at her, studying Kalista’s face intensely, her forehead creasing with deep lines as though she was studying some kind of a specimen.
For a moment there, Kalista thought that she saw a look of recognition flash across Rellie’s eyes, as if Rellie knew who she was. But that look disappeared fast, and Rellie’s face twisted in frustration as she wiggled her head, trying hard to figure who Kalista.
Kalista realized that Rellie was jogging her memory to remember who she was, but she seemed to have a difficult time doing so. From her general knowledge, Kalista knew that once humans were turned into vampires, they would still be able to recognize their families and friends when they were still human, and were able to retain their former memories. But in some rare cases, some newborn vampires would completely lost their former human memories, and wouldn’t be able to recognize their families and friends anymore, as if they had suffered amnesia.
Did that happen to Rellie? Did the transformation go wrong and somehow affected Rellie’s memory? Because Rellie looked like she was having a hard time to figure out who Kalista was.
And Rellie had that newborn hunger look in her eyes, as if she could sink her fangs into human flesh at any moment. But for some strange reason, Rellie had been withholding that lust, and miraculously, she didn’t even attempt a bite. Was it because somewhere deep in her subconsciousness, Rellie knew who Kalista was, and didn’t have the heart to hurt her own friend?
“Rellie, I’m Kalista … remember?” Kalista tried to jog Rellie’s memory.
In response, Rellie shut her eyes tight as if the pain of trying to recall was too much to bear, and she let out a long-suffering howl. Suddenly, without a warning, as if possessed, Rellie sprang forward and held Kalista in a deathly grip, almost crushing Kalista’s bones and eliciting shrieks of pain from her.
Rellie pushed her fangs forward at Kalista’s neck, but she didn’t let them pierce into her flesh yet. It was as if Rellie was trying to decide whether to feed on Kalista … or not.
“Rellie, please!” Kalista cried, writhing in Rellie’s grip, begging for mercy. “Please don’t feed on me.”
Kalista could feel the tip of Rellie’s fangs touching the surface of her neck, stinging her and sending waves of panic across Kalista’s body. Kalista knew that sooner or later, Rellie was bound to sink those fangs into her. After all, she was a vampire who had needs. And Kalista’s Urukan blood was flowing in her veins, tempting Rellie and driving her crazy at the same time.
The rising fear overwhelmed Kalista, causing her body to involuntarily convulse. Rellie seemed to be a little startled by Kalista’s unexpected trembling, and loosened her grip. Kalista used this to her advantage and without another thought, she shoved Rellie aside with all the might she could muster.
In the process, Kalista lost her footing and stumbled off the pathway, and her sickening scream echoed through the woods as gravity accelerated her fall. Lipton’s face flickered on and off in her mind as Kalista plummeted to the ground, screaming as death swiftly approached. Kalista knew that her fate was sealed … she was going to die no matter what. Nobody was going to save her … not even Lipton.
Kalista closed her eyes tight, waiting for the impact to crush her and snuff the life out of her. Suddenly, instead of hitting solid ground, she felt a force grab her from out of nowhere, breaking her fall, catching her like a net. She tumbled onto the ground with less impact than she’d expected, rolling as the dead leaves coiled around her. She finally halted, her head almost hitting a rock just a feet away from her.
Kalista grunted as the impact throbbed through her body in waves of stabbing pain. Lying on her back, she tilted her head sideways and saw Rellie standing a few feet away from her, her face twisted with a torturous expression, as if she still couldn’t decide whether she had done the right thing by saving Kalista.
Kalista picked up the bits and pieces, and figured out how Rellie had actually broken her fall. When she had plunged all the way down from the tree, she thought she had seen something wait for at the the foot of the tree. She couldn’t make out what it was, as it all looked like a blur to her during that speedy fall. But now Kalista realized that it had actually been Rellie, who had zoomed all the way down there to help break Kalista’s fall.
Kali
sta figured that Rellie had stretched her arms out to retrieve her, but because of the speed Kalista was falling at, Kalista crashed right into Rellie’s arms and and was flung across the ground with less harmful impact and injuries as Rellie had acted as a buffer to break her fall.
Kalista watched as Rellie’s bruises gradually healed, and she reckoned that the bruises must have come from the trying to catch Kalista when she landed right on top of Rellie. That was the good thing about being a vampire. He or she could heal from almost any injuries, no matter how bad they were.
If it weren’t for Rellie, Kalista would have died from the impact. So she somehow felt grateful for Rellie’s unexpected intervention, even though Rellie had looked like she wanted to bite Kalista at every chance she got.
Aching with pain, Kalista slowly got up to her feet, watching warily as Rellie stared at her, tilting her head sideways in confusion, the way a mentally-ill patient would.
Kalista wanted to mouth thank you, but she decided not to utter a single word. She wasn’t sure what state of mind Rellie was in at the moment, and she didn’t want to provoke her by saying anything at all, even though it might seem harmless.
Kalista's first instinct was to flee from the place, and look for Lipton. But she was afraid that if she tried to run, Rellie would react by chasing after her, and maybe that act of provocation would compel Rellie to feed on her. Kalista could still see the hunger burning in Rellie’s eyes, but Rellie was resisting for some strange reason.
When the moment of silence was too much to bear, Kalista finally spoke. “Rellie, thank you for saving my life earlier …” Kalista trailed off, studying Rellie’s expression, but she still looked confused, disoriented, continually jerking her head sideways. “What really happened to you, Rellie? Please … talk to me.”
But Rellie didn’t respond at all. It looked as though she didn’t have the ability to communicate. Did something tragic really happened to her to cause her to be in such a state? Kalista recognized the face, but she didn’t recognize the Rellie she once knew. It was as though Rellie had become a completely different person.
Maybe she should let Lipton deal with Rellie. He would know what to do. Kalista decided that the best course of action now was to find Lipton and bring him back to Rellie, and then they would both figure out what to do with her.
“I’ll be back soon, Rellie, OK?” Kalista whispered gently. “I’ll try to get some help. You stay here.” Kalista gave Rellie one last look before she pivoted on her heel and started to head in the opposite direction.
Her heart beating furiously, Kalista hoped that Rellie would remain where she was, and wouldn’t come after her. She was afraid that Rellie might tail her and decide to feed on her in the spur of the moment. The twigs beneath Kalista’s feet creaked ominously as Kalista weaved her way through the forest, using her arms to shove the branches that were getting in her face.
Kalista tried not to look behind her, even though she was tempted to take a quick glance. She knew that Rellie was behind her, but their distance stretched further as Kalista continued trudging, her body still throbbing with pain from the fall.
She didn’t even know where to begin now, where to look for Lipton. Lipton could be anywhere in this dense forest, and looking for him would be like looking for a needle in a haystack.
Maybe she should just turn around and head back to the tree top. Lipton was bound to return to the same spot sooner or later, where he’d asked her to stay put. But the rising fear within Kalista propelled her to walk deeper into the forest, as far as she could from Rellie. The truth was … she was terrified of Relie. She didn’t want to spend another second being near Rellie. Rellie looked so intimidating, and there was not telling what kind of unpredictable thing she could do if Kalista stayed with her longer. She looked like time bomb, ready to detonate at any moment. And Kalista didn’t want to be there when that happened.
Kalista had the urge to scream for Lipton’s name, hoping that he would hear her call and come for her. But making a loud noise in the forest would attract unnecessary attention, and the imminent danger in the woods. There might be other vampires lurking around, so Kalista decided to keep as quiet as possible.
Several moments later, Kalista quickened her pace, pounding through the thickets as the rustling leaves grazed her. Then, she broke into a run, making large strides, hoping to catch a glimpse of Lipton, who could be hovering nearby.
One of the sharp branches sliced Kalista, causing her to groan in pain. Blood oozed from her arm, dripping like shower drips as she dashed through the woods. Straining against the pain, Kalista ran and ran, focused only on finding Lipton, the image of his face glued to her mind, motivating her in her times of distress and fear.
Fear gripped Kalista, causing her to pant breathlessly, when she realized that she was making herself an easy bait in the forest due to her bleeding. If there were any vampires roaming nearby, she would be an easy target for them. The scent of her blood would spur them and drive them wild, attracting them to her and making them thirst for her blood.
Fresh tears streamed down Kalista’s face as the realization of her extreme vulnerability sank in. She was like a dead duck in the woods, waiting to be preyed on. She didn’t even know where the exit of the forest was, and it would probably take her days to locate it. Her best bet was to find Lipton, and then let him take care of the rest.
The thought of Lipton spurred her on, filling her heart with a ray of hope, and giving her the strength she needed to endure all of this.
All of a sudden, she tripped on a rock, which was concealed by dead leaves, and she stumbled onto the pebble-covered ground, stabbing her with more pain. She had scraped her knees, and to make matters worse, there were a few lacerations on her body, laced with fresh blood.
Kalista cursed out loud, angry at the fact that she’d now make herself more vulnerable to the threat of lurking vampires. Her body convulsed as she broke into sobs. The hope she had clung on slow faded away, replaced by overwhelming fear and agony.
Kalista writhed around on the ground, as the pain coursed through her body, physically and mentally torturing her. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the narrow trunk of a small tree sitting next to her. Using her arms, she groped for the trunk and grabbed it tightly for support, as she strained to get back up to her feet. Once she was up on her feet, she stood there frozen for a moment, panting for air and slowly restoring her drained energy.
Before she could think of the next course of action, all of a sudden, something … or someone … grabbed her from behind, causing her to collapse on the ground again. She felt strong arms pin her to the ground, and screamed in terror as pain racked her body. During her struggle, she cast a glance at her attacker. It was a male vampire, whom she’d never seen before. He must be one of those random vampires who roamed the woods, preying for innocent human victims. Kalista’s blood must have set him off, sending him in her direction. The random vampire howled hysterically as his fangs protruded out, gleaming in a deadly shimmer in the filtered ray of the sun.
Kalista erupted in a petrified scream, trying to push the vampire away but he was too strong for her.
Then, the vampire sank his fangs into her neck, feeding on her with hysterical madness. The vampire titled his head upward for a brief second, and uttered, “That’s the most tastiest blood I’ve ever tasted.” Then, he jerked his head downwards, and continued feeding in a wild frenzy. Kalista’s tasty Urukan blood had driven the vampire wild, making him suck harder with such an intensity that it made Kalista’s whole body tremble violently.
All of a sudden, the vampire stopped feeding on Kalista. Kalista felt as though a heavy burden had been lifted off her body like weights when the sucking suddenly stopped. Why did the vampire stop drinking her blood? She thought that her Urukan blood would drive any vampire crazy, making him or her drink the blood to the very last drop.
In her physically drained state, Kalista was overcome with drowsiness, and everything around her turned int
o a soft blur when she slowly opened her eyes and looked up. Instead of staring into the face of the vampire who had attacked her moments ago, she was looking at the blurry view of the overhead canopies, silhouetted against the blue sky. The vampire was gone. Where was he? Minutes ago, he’d indulged in her blood, feasting with unadulterated thirst. And now, he had vanished, as though he was never here before. Had Kalista been hallucinating?
Gripped by drowsiness and exhaustion, Kalista closed her eyes again, trying to give her body some rest. In that flicker of moment, Kalista tried to recall what had happened. She’d tripped over some stupid rock and fallen, and when she was trying to get back up again, some vampire had attacked her from nowhere, and fed on her.
She couldn’t have been hallucinating about the vampire. It was because of his feeding that Kalista had been physically weakened, and she felt like she could black out at any moment from now.
“Kalista.” She heard someone call her name. Instantly, the image of Lipton flashed across her mind. But as quickly as the image had emerged in her mind, it suddenly vanished when Kalista realized that it sounded like a woman. It couldn’t be Lipton.
Kalista's eyes flitted open, and the blurry sight of a familiar face came into view. Kalista couldn’t make out the face clearly as her vision was still shrouded with hints of cotton white due to the drowsiness she was experiencing. The drowsiness which was cause by the lack of blood in her body due to the feeding.
“Drink my blood,” the woman said, and Kalista could see something that looked like a finger shoved in the direction of her face. Before Kalista knew it, she was sipping on the finger, which was dripping with blood. With every drop Kalista sipped, she felt her energy gradually return, as though the blood had some kind of energy restoration magic.
Energy returned to Kalista’s body life like fresh dew, and moments later, Kalista sprang up, the blurriness in her vision fading away, and everything around her became vivid and crisp. Kalista ran her eyes down her body, and realized that all signs of her injuries were completely gone. She gasped at the miraculous recovery. What had actually happened to her?