“I…I…” he was stumbling his words together and fury began to take over me. I knew he knew something, and I wanted answers. I didn’t care anymore if he knew I heard them talking.
“I heard you and Bristol talking earlier Parker and I want to know what is going on. Why were y’all sent to protect me? And to protect me from what? Why are people looking for it?”
Just when he was about to talk, the front door slammed, and Bristol called out, “Hey guys I got pizza. Hope that’s cool.”
“Lilith, I will explain everything. I promise you, but not here. Not now. Wait until we are alone and I will tell you anything you want to know.”
Without another word we went downstairs and met Bristol in the kitchen. The pizza smelled wonderful but the questions I had kept playing over and over in my head causing me to lose my appetite. But after losing an argument with Bristol about me eating I absentmindedly ate a couple of slices just to appease her. We sat in the living room eating our pizza and began to watch the scary movie from where we left off.
Chapter Fifteen
After another dream about the man on the bridge, I was jolted awake covered in sweat. I sat myself up in the bed to check my arms for any signs of an attack. The dream felt so real. And the dreams were always the same. It is the same man dressed in black, me running to the bridge, the man catching me, and then feeling the most horrible pain in my life; yet I don’t even know what causes the pain. I still had pain in my chest from running in the cold. My legs even felt tired from the running. After realizing it was just a dream, I pulled myself from the comfort of my bed and headed straight for the shower.
After my shower I quickly got dressed and headed out the door, running a little late for school. Parker was standing next to my car when I stepped out into the driveway. “Hope you don’t mind, but I got Bristol to drop me off, so I could ride to school with you.”
“No, it’s fine. You could have come inside and waited for me. You didn’t have to wait out here.”
“I don’t mind. I actually like to be outside.”
When we got in the car I turned the music up a little louder than normal. I didn’t want to leave room for Parker to start a conversation. I wasn’t feeling really sociable this morning. As the music played I noticed Parker playing drums on my dash with two pencils. Trying to ignore him I noticed he stopped playing drums and was now playing air guitar.
I looked over and stared at him. Him sensing my staring he looked back at me. Our eyes locked for a moment until I had to look back at the road. I suddenly became nervous and the palms of my hands become sweaty. What was wrong with me? I couldn’t have feelings for Parker when I was in love with another guy who I recently was head over heels for. I could tell the feelings I felt for Parker were getting stronger, although muffled and my feelings for Odin were becoming suppressed as well. It felt like someone took my feelings for both guys and put them in a bottle, but the cap was trying to bust open against the pressure. I wiped my hands on my jeans then turned the music up a little louder to try and ignore the mess of feelings I had swimming around inside of me.
As we were walking to class, I couldn’t help but wonder what his story was. He seemed like he had a lot of secrets. Hopefully some of those secrets would answer some of the questions I had. Lost in my thoughts I found myself walking a little slower behind him until I noticed a girl run up to him and throw her arms around his neck. I felt a little surge of jealousy rush through my body. “Where did that come from?” I whispered to myself out loud. How could I be jealous? I barely know him, and I am in a relationship.
Parkers laughing snapped me back into the moment. With jealousy still rearing its ugly little head I couldn’t help but wonder what she said that was so funny. I was about to excuse myself when Parker and I made eye contact again. For some reason when our eyes locked on each other it was very hard for either of us to look away. I was losing myself to thoughts of kissing his soft, pale pink lips and running my fingers through his golden hair. I longed to know what he tasted like.
“Geez. Get a room already,” the girl said, making us break eye contact.
I was ready to defend the girls comment, but the tardy bell rang reminding us we were about to be late. Parker said his goodbyes to the girl then we quietly walked to our class. Bristol was already in the classroom holding our seats for us.
“Good morning Lilith. Why are you two late?”
When Parker didn’t answer I decided to, “Some girl stopped us in the hall. She seemed to know Parker.”
“What girl?”
“I don’t know. I have never seen her before. And Parker didn’t introduce me,” I said, with a little more jealousy than I meant.
Bristol looked away from me and turned to face Parker. She stared at him with a questioning, yet accusing look before saying, “Tell me she is not here?”
“Not now Bristol. This is not the time nor the place for such a conversation.” Sometimes Parker sounded a lot older than eighteen.
“Ok you know what, I have had enough with the secrets. Who is she and why can’t she be here?” Cutting me off, the final bell rang letting us know class was about to start. I still expected answers even though the bell rang, but the teacher came in and immediately started his lecture. After listening to the teacher rant on about Shakespeare for ten minutes he split us up into groups of three to read over Macbeth. I had no intentions of reading. I was going to get some answers.
Once we scooted our desk near each other, I said, “Now tell me what is going on.”
“I will tell you Lilith; but not now, not here,” Parker said.
“Parker, you know you can’t tell her,” Bristol furiously shot out.
“Well, it seems as if we don’t have much of a choice.”
“No, you don’t have a choice. You either tell me or I walk away from the both of you. And from what I heard yesterday, you can’t really let that happen. We can meet at my house after school. No one will be there.” We sat in silence for the remainder of the class reading to ourselves instead of each other. I was relieved when the bell rang, I needed to get away from them even if it was only for a few minutes.
To my dismay, when we exited the classroom that new girl was standing there waiting for Parker. I was starting to get very annoyed with her. I couldn’t help but wonder if she was an ex-girlfriend. Bristol obviously doesn’t like her, but Parker doesn’t seem to mind that she is here. I was very jealous that she was so close to Parker.
Observing her I couldn’t picture someone as elegant looking as Parker being with someone so crude. She was dressed in all black. She had on a purple and black long-sleeved shirt, a black tulle mini skirt, and black fishnet stockings with black combat boots. Her hair was noticeably died black with purple highlights. Compared to everyone else at this school she stuck out like a sore thumb. I guess she could feel me staring at her because she introduced herself. “Hi. I’m Tuls.”
“I’m Lilith.” Feeling a little uncomfortable I walked away heading to my next class leaving Parker and Bristol behind. What was my problem? I barely know Parker, yet I keep finding myself getting jealous. I can’t help but think of him and the way our eyes lock on each other, causing us to not be able to break away. It’s like something is pushing us together.
The thoughts of Parker made thoughts of Odin surface. Just then I realized I haven’t seen him since I watched him pull into his driveway yesterday. Where was he? I found it odd that just last week I couldn’t stop thinking about Odin and now I can’t stop thinking about Parker. How does a person change like that overnight? I was heartbroken for Odin and very ashamed at myself for treating him this way. I wish things could go back to the way they used to be between us.
I was so lost in my thoughts I hadn’t heard the bell ring for class to start. I didn’t even notice the teacher had come in and started teaching. I spent the rest of my day kind of spaced out and lost in my own thoughts. I seemed to just float on autopilot for the rest of the day
. I couldn’t focus on anything and I didn’t pay attention in the rest of my classes. And finally, after a long day, the dismissal bell rung, and I was finally about to get some answers.
****
I sat very impatiently waiting on Parker and Bristol to show up. When the doorbell finally rung it nearly startled me. Opening the door, I was shocked at who was on the other side, “Odin? What are you doing here?”
“What? I can’t come see MY girlfriend?” he asked in a bitter tone.
“What is wrong with you?” I asked, shocked at myself for trying to put the blame on him when I know too well that he is hurting.
“I see the two of you together Lilith. You think I don’t, but I do.”
“You see who?”
“Don’t play stupid with me. You and Parker. I see how you stare at him. It’s the same way you used to stare at me. And I see how he stares at you with so much want. He wants you, but he doesn’t want to follow the rules like everyone else. He doesn’t want to fall in line like the rest. He doesn’t like being told who he ends up with. Yet, he is glad it is you. He wants you Lilith, but he can’t have you. He vowed he wouldn’t.”
“What are you talking about Odin? You aren’t making any sense.”
“Lilith, I need to know where I stand with you. Am I still your boyfriend or do you choose Parker?”
“I have no clue what you are talking about. Parker and I are just friends.”
“You won’t be for long. Lilith you must choose. You are the only one who can,” he said, with such hurt in his eyes. I suddenly felt guilt rising up in me as I looked at him. How could I do this to him? How could I be this person to cause so much hurt in someone else? He started to walk off but turned to say, “Remember Lilith you are the only one who can choose.”
“Odin please tell me what you are talking about. You aren’t making any sense and it is starting to scare me.”
He walked over to me and pulled me into him for a kiss. The heat wanted to rise to the surface but was muffled by something else. I wanted to want him, but I just couldn’t. Letting go of me he said, “They are here I will see myself out.” I heard a knock on the front door as Odin slipped out the back. I stood there confused for a moment. I tried to process what Odin had said to me, but it didn’t make sense. It seemed like a riddle I couldn’t solve. I heard a second knock before yelling for them to enter.
Yelling from the kitchen as they entered I asked if they wanted something to drink. While I was digging around in the fridge trying to find three sodas, Parker snuck up behind me and startled me causing me to jump up and hit my head on the freezer door when he said, “It’s just me. Bristol didn’t want to come.”
“Well good, because I only have two sodas,” I said through clenched teeth.
“Are you sure you want to do this now?”
“Yes. Why wouldn’t I?”
“You just kind of seem to be in a bad mood.”
“Well, maybe that is because everyone I know is hiding something from me that I am supposedly apart of, yet no one will tell me what that part is.”
“Ok, but if I am going to tell you anything we have to go to your room where I know no one will hear us.” We grabbed the sodas and headed upstairs to my room. I found myself starting to get nervous. I was finally about to know the truth. I was finally about to get the answers to all of my questions. Was I ready? Now that it was here I was scared for the truth. What if the truth isn’t what I want to hear?
As Parker entered the room he cautiously sat on my bed next to me and said, “Lilith what I am about to tell you will change everything. Your life will no longer be the same from this moment out. Are you sure you are ready for that?”
“Not really but what choice do I have?”
“You can leave this place Lilith. You can just leave and not have to deal with any of this.”
“I can’t leave Parker. I am only seventeen. Where would I go? How would I live? I don’t get my money until next week when I turn eighteen.”
“Yes, you do.”
“What? Parker I am so tired of people talking to me in riddles and half sentences. Odin was just here and talking about how I had to choose between you and him and that I am the only one who could choose. Now you? With this? Please Parker, just tell me the truth.”
“Ok. But Lilith I have to ask that you listen to everything I have to say before you start to freak out and trust me, you will freak out. And please keep an open mind.”
“I will try.”
Chapter Sixteen
I sat impatiently waiting for Parker to start telling me the truth. He got up from the bed and started pacing back and forth. I guess him doing so was helping him get his thoughts together, but it was driving me crazy. “Parker! Please stop pacing and just tell me. It can’t be as bad as you are making it out to be.”
“Actually Lilith, it’s worse.”
“Just stop stalling and tell me already.”
He finally stopped pacing and grabbed my computer chair from the desk and rolled it over in front of me. He turned the chair backwards and straddled it making sure to face me. His facial expression looked scared, but a hint of relief flickered in his eyes. “Well, here goes nothing,” he said just barley loud enough for me to hear him. “Ok, well, what do you want to know first? Who you are and where you come from? Or, the part about Odin and me? You may only be able to handle one thing right now and I don’t want to overload you.”
After carefully considering what he had said, I decided I wanted to know who I was. I remember in the letter in the box I got for my birthday and thought about what my parents and Odin had called me. They didn’t specifically say anything, but they did leave me with a lot of unanswered questions. A memory popped in my head from when I was about seven or eight. I remember hearing my parents talking to each other when they didn’t know I was listening. They said that they had to try and hide the other parts, the dark parts, of the world away from me for as long as they could. They said it would be my choice and they would be sending a tool to help me choose. They also spoke in riddles. “Tell me who I am?”
With no hesitation he said, “Well you are a Vampire. I mean you will be.”
After sitting there trying to wrap my head around his words I said, “Wait. So, you're telling me I am a vampire? You can’t be serious.”
“Yes. I am.”
“So, I’m going to start killing people? Like drink their blood and stuff? Vampires aren’t real Parker and if you are just playing games with me, then you can leave now and this friendship is over.”
“I’m not lying Lilith. You are Vampire and so am I. And no, you don’t have to kill anyone.”
“But vampires survive off of blood. Won’t I have to drink it to survive also?”
“Yes. But not all the time. You are actually a Vampire-Witch hybrid. Your mother was a witch and your dad was a Vampire. Because of this mix you only have to drink blood once a month just to survive. If you choose you can drink as much as you want, but like I said, you only have to have it once a month.”
“So, Bristol is a Vampire too, I assume?”
“Yes. So is Odin and that whole group he hangs out with.”
“So Ambi is a Vampire too?”
“Yes.”
“You are serious, aren’t you?”
“Yes, Lilith I am serious. Now please just listen.” After adjusting himself in the chair, he continued. “We are not Vampires like the ones you read about in books or watch in movies. We can be killed just like any other human although, it is much harder because of the self-healing and it takes a lot to be able to kill us. It doesn’t take a wooden stake or a silver bullet to kill us. Holy water doesn’t burn our skin and we can walk into a church. Garlic doesn’t affect us at all so feel free to eat as much as you want. We can see our reflection in the mirror and no, our bodies do not look like we were rolled around in glitter when the sunlight hits us. And sunlight won’t cause us to burst into flames. It only take
s one’s strength to kill us, no special tools or tricks are needed.”
“Ok. So, nothing I have read or seen about vampires is true?”
“I didn’t say that. There are some vampires that some of these things can be used on. But this stuff only works on the ‘Tainted Ones’.”
“Tainted ones?”
“Yes. Tainted. They are called the ‘Tainted Ones’ because they feed off of human blood only. The more people you kill the more tainted you become. Some vampires have become so tainted that they have completely lost themselves. The human part of them that knows right from wrong is gone and lost forever. Some say they have gone mad and because of this madness they are harder to kill. The Tainted Ones do need to be staked in the heart with a wooden stake or any type of weapon to the heart will work. They also can be decapitated to die. And they can’t step into a church and holy water does burn their skin. I’ve heard that once they become tainted they lose their soul and a demon takes over their human shell.”
“Ok. And I’m supposedly a witch too?”
“Yes.”
“What does that mean?”
“You will get powers, but I don’t know which ones. That is for you to figure out.”
“Ok so if I am a Vampire-Witch hybrid why do I feel human?”
“You were born a vampire-witch. But the transformation doesn’t happen until you turn eighteen.
“So, if all of this is true, what will I be able to do?”
“Like any other vampire you will have super strength, speed, agility, heightened senses, immortality, accelerated hearing, mind compulsion, emotional control, and dream manipulation to name a few of the good things about being a vampire. But like all good things there is also downfalls.”
“Wait, dream manipulation? What is that?”
“You can control dreams and a person’s subconscious. You can produce and modify dreams, bestow nightmares, or lucid dreams. You can also cause distortion of reality and cause someone to get trapped inside their dreams.” I couldn’t help but wonder if my nightmares were because of someone using dream manipulation on me. Maybe that is why they keep repeating themselves.
Corruption of the Heart (The Corruption Series Book 1) Page 10