[Anthology] The Paranormal 13- now With a Bonus 14th Novel!

by Dima Zales

"Not at all?" I asked. "It's going to be challenging to live with mortals and not be able to talk about this."

  "Obviously, none of us are in your shoes," Cliff said. "There have been other vampires raised by mortals, but when this information gets into the wrong hands, it can get ugly."

  "Ugly?" I asked.

  "Vampires have been locked away in prison and mental facilities," Cliff said. "Others have been hunted and killed. People react differently, and society's response varies through the ages. It can get really bad."

  "Think of how you would've reacted if someone told you that they were a vampire a couple of weeks ago."

  "Oh," I said, feeling let down. "So how long will this transformation take? When can I meet my real parents?"

  "It could take more than a year to complete," Cliff said. "Typically, it takes a few months, but it took me over a year. You'll have even more gifts and powers than I do since you're the Sonnast, so it could be even longer."

  "I might have to deal with this for more than a year?" I exclaimed.

  "We're all here for you," Brooke said. "Cliff's going to live here as long as he needs to. Steve and my parents and I are here too."

  "Did you two have a long transformation too?" I asked Brooke and Steve. "Since you're Cliff's cousin, aren't you royalty too?"

  Brooke and Steve looked at each before Brooke spoke. "Cliff isn't really our cousin. That's a story for the humans."

  I looked at them in confusion.

  "Our family is actually a very trusted servant family to the royals, going back many generations," Steve said.

  "They have high ranking, and their family has been around for a very long time, which is why they are trusted and why they were sent to watch over you," Cliff said. "Your parents would only send a family that they trusted completely."

  "Also, servants in the vampire world are not like servants in the mortal world," Steve said defensively. "Servants are high ranking. We're not lowly or anything like that. Just so you know."

  "Got it," I said.

  "Let's go see your new clothes," Brooke said, obviously changing the subject. "I can't wait to see your reaction."

  "That sounds like fun," I said, glad for a new topic.

  "We'll clean up this food," Cliff said. "Right, Steve?"

  Brooke grabbed my hand and nearly dragged me into the house.

  "Did you make all of these?" I asked, breathless. The room was covered in clothes.

  She smiled proudly. "Of course. Do you like them? They're all Alexis Ferguson Originals."

  "Don't you mean Marguerite?" I asked.

  She looked at me surprised. "You remember your birth name?"

  "I remember a lot. It's actually strange how much I'm able to remember, especially since I was so young when I was taken."

  "We vampires have exceptionally good memories. It doesn't surprise me much," she said.

  I giggled. "A vampire never forgets."

  She laughed. "We're not elephants. Let me show you the clothes." She walked to one outfit and picked it up for me to look at more closely.

  I couldn't believe that she had found the time to make all of those clothes. They were all exceptional in their own way. She seemed very pleased by my reaction to each one.

  "This is enough to get you through the week and the weekend," she said. "Be sure to wear the gold one when you go on a date with Cliff," she said and winked at me. "By the weekend I'll have more clothes ready for you for next week."

  "More?" I asked in disbelief. "You really are going to give me a new wardrobe."

  The next day at lunch, I ducked into a small study room to get away from all of the attention. I was worn out from all of the interaction, and I actually missed being invisible.

  Tanner was sitting at one of the two tables studying.

  "Alexis," he said, surprised. "I didn't think that you were into studying anymore."

  I almost smiled. "Believe me, Tanner. I have no intention of letting my grades drop. It wasn't my idea to have all of this attention thrown upon me."

  He looked me up and down, and with half of his mouth in a smile. "You don't seem to be resisting it much."

  "The clothes were a gift."

  "I bet they were. You're going to pass your sister on the popularity ladder soon," he said. "How do you think that she's going to like that?"

  "I'm not competing with Natalie," I told him. "What's it to you, anyway?"

  "I pay close attention to things, that's all," he said.

  I raised an eyebrow. "What's that supposed to mean?"

  He looked me directly in the eyes. "I know what you are, Alexis."

  The blood drained from my face. "What is it that you think that I am?"

  "You're a vampire," he said. "You can and probably will keep that hidden from everyone else, but not me. I know things that most people don't."

  I started laughing. "You're kidding, right? It's time to stop watching those movies. Are you Team Edward?"

  He laughed. "I don't watch those. I know a real vampire. She's let me in on a lot of secrets, so I can spot one pretty easily."

  I looked into his eyes. "Well, your senses are off this time, because I assure you that I am no vampire." I wasn't lying because I had barely begun the transformation process. I wouldn't be a vampire for at least a year.

  "Look Alexis," he said. "I saw the way that you ran the other day. You were a blur until you stopped. No human can run like that."

  "Tanner, I don't know what kind of drugs you're taking, but you should quit." I opened the door to leave.

  "Go for now, but soon you'll be coming to me," he said.

  I stopped. "For what, exactly?"

  "I can tell you things about vampire life that your friends never will," he said.

  I went through the doorway and slammed it. How did he know? What vampire did he know? Would my friends really keep information from me? Was Tanner a vampire?

  "Alexis, there you are."

  I looked up and saw Amanda and Emma. "Oh, hi guys," I said, still deep in thought.

  "You okay?" asked Amanda. "You look like you saw a ghost."

  I shook my head to clear it. "No, I'm fine. I'm just exhausted from all of the attention. It's a shock to go from being invisible to being the center of attention."

  "Has Hailey done anything else to you besides egging your car?" Emma asked.

  I didn't realize that they knew about that. "Sorry that I didn't tell you guys. I've been so busy."

  Emma scowled. "We've noticed. We haven't even seen you since the dance. Are you too popular for us now?"

  "No," I said. "I've been so distracted with Cliff and with figuring out if I'm adopted and everything. You two are still my best friends." I burst into tears. Dang those transition emotions.

  "Oh," Emma and Amanda said in unison and they wrapped me in a group hug.

  "I told you not to be hard on her," Amanda hissed.

  "We just miss you," Emma said.

  "You guys should come over after school so I can show you my new clothes. And we can catch up."

  "Don't you have to work?" Amanda asked.

  "I dropped my hours after my parents took over my insurance and gas payments," I said.

  Emma pouted. "You never told us that."

  "Emma." Amanda glared at her.

  "It's okay," I said with quivering lips. "I know I haven't been a very good friend since the dance."

  "I've never seen you so teary," Amanda said. "Sure you're okay? Is something else bothering you, besides snubbing us?"

  I burst into tears again and buried my face in my hands. Brooke and those guys weren't kidding about the emotions.

  "Sorry," Amanda said sheepishly. "Bad choice of words."

  I took a deep breath, trying to regain control. "I think the bell is about to ring. Why don't we meet at my house after school?"

  Emma grinned. "That's the spirit. I can't wait to hear all about Cliff. I heard a rumor that you two went out to another fancy restaurant the night after the dance."


  My cheeks burned.

  Emma clapped her hands together. "Look at you blush. This is going to be good."

  After school, we were all in my room. "It's so good to hang out again," I told them. "I've really missed you. I know it's been less than a week, but it feels much longer."

  "We haven't even seen you at lunch," Amanda said.

  "Watch out, or I'll start crying again," I said, feeling it coming on again.

  "I can't believe that Brooke made all of these clothes for you," Emma said, browsing through my closet. She hadn't stopped looking at my clothes since I showed them fifteen minutes earlier.

  "I know. I was so shocked," I replied.

  "Is it like an early birthday present or something?" Amanda asked.

  I'd forgotten that my birthday was almost there. "Yeah, that's it," I lied, not wanting to explain that I was going to be a vampire princess.

  "Why's she doing all of this?" Emma asked suspiciously. "It's been like two years since you two even saw each other. She shows up and suddenly gives you all of this nice stuff."

  "She didn't just give them to me," I said. "She made them. It costs a lot less to make things than to pay for the labels. Besides, she gets credit for a design class that she's in."

  "It just doesn't make any sense," Emma said. "She could make clothes for anybody. Why all of these for you?"

  "She said that she'd always seen my beauty, and she wanted to help me see it too," I said defensively.

  Emma folded her arms. "Something's up. Either she's hiding something from you or you're hiding something from us."

  "Oh, stop being jealous," I exclaimed. "If you only want friends who have less than you, go and replace me. Otherwise, try to be happy for someone else for a change."

  She stared at me. "Is that really how you feel?"

  "Of course it is," I snapped. "Amanda's the shy one and I'm the invisible brain. Compared to the two of us, you're a shining ray of popularity."

  "I can't believe this. After what a great friend I've been to you."

  "What have you done for me?" I demanded. "Graced me with your presence?"

  "You better watch yourself Alexis," she warned me. "You can end up with two enemies. You think that Hailey can do damage, but I've been listening to your secrets for years."

  I stood up. "Are you threatening me?"

  "What if I am?" She glared at me.

  "Stop it, you two," Amanda begged. "Would you listen to yourselves? We're friends."

  "She's jealous because suddenly I'm popular," I told Amanda.

  "I can't believe you," Emma shrieked. "I know that popularity changes people, but this is totally ridiculous."

  "Maybe it's not me that has changed. You're just seething with jealousy."

  "Unbelievable." She stomped her foot. "I'm outta here. You with me, Amanda, or is she going to give you a ride home?"

  "Guys, please don't do this," Amanda pleaded.

  "Face it Amanda," Emma said, "you're going to end up having to choose between us and you know she's going to leave you in the dust. This is the first time that she's even bothered to talk to us since she was crowned Princess. That's only because we ran into her at lunch."

  "I'm not going to make you pick," I told Amanda. "You can be friends with us both, even if Emma decides not to be my friend."

  Amanda looked like she was going to cry.

  I can't wait to tell Hailey about this, Emma thought.

  I did my best not to respond to that, and thought of a way to use it to find out what was going on. "Emma, let's just get along okay? I don't want to make Amanda cry."

  "You think we can just kiss and make up?" Emma exclaimed. "You've really changed, and not for the better."

  "The only thing that's changed is that Hailey now hates me," I said, trying to provoke a response.

  "What does Hailey have to do with any of this?" Emma asked.

  I glared at her. "You tell me."

  "What?" she asked. "I…I…. How would Hailey have anything to do with this?"

  "I saw you talking with Hailey, Emma," I lied. I intended to find out what she was hiding.

  "What?" Amanda asked. "You were talking to Hailey?"

  How is it possible that she saw us? Emma thought. She wasn't at that party. Maybe I was too drunk to notice. "It's not like I'm dating her," Emma exclaimed. "I was just talking to her."

  "I thought she was your sworn enemy," Amanda said. "What's going on?"

  "So you didn't tell Amanda about the party that you went to?" I asked, continuing to provoke her.

  "Party? What party?" Amanda asked, looking confused.

  Natalie. She must have told Alexis. What a snitch. Emma thought. "Forget it, Amanda. It's nothing."

  "Going to your enemy's party is nothing?" I asked with fake innocence.

  "Emma, what's going on," Amanda demanded.

  "I said it's nothing." Emma shot her a nasty look.

  "It doesn't sound like nothing," Amanda said, getting in Emma's face. "Alexis and I are supposed to be your best friends. What is going on?"

  "Isn't it obvious?" I asked. "She wants to be popular at any expense. She's trying to cover her bases. If I'm not her ticket, then Hailey will be."

  Amanda turned to Emma. "Is that true?"

  She stared at Amanda without saying anything. I can't believe she figured it out.

  "Maybe you shouldn't have underestimated the smart one," I told her.

  She looked confused and then I realized that I'd just answered her thoughts. I'd need to be more careful.

  "It looks like you're speechless," I said. "I didn't even think that was possible."

  "I can't believe you, Emma," Amanda said, looking disgusted. "We've been through thick and thin. You'd turn on us just to be popular?"

  "We only go to high school once," Emma said. "I'm tired of being a nobody. I want people to like me and to want to be me."

  "I don't care about popularity," Amanda said. "Want to know why? People don't really care about the popular people. They only like them because they are popular. The friends that I have are true friends. At least that's what I thought. Popularity only counts in school. Statistically, popular people don't do as well in the real world. I'd rather have my success where it counts."

  "I don't care about life after high school," Emma exclaimed. "That's like a year and a half away. That's practically forever. I want to be popular, and I want it bad enough to do whatever it takes to get there. There, I said it."

  "Make your choice, Emma," Amanda said. "You do realize that you could become popular with Alexis. She's the most popular person right now because she won Hailey's crown. Everyone's talking about her and to her. That's why she hasn't spent any time with us. I've seen her trying to, but people won't let her. They're practically begging for her autograph."

  "Alexis is popular for the moment," Emma told Amanda. "People might get tired of her and she could go back to being invisible. Hailey, on the other hand, has been popular for a long time and isn't going down." Without a fight.

  I clenched my fists but kept my mouth shut.

  "So who is it, Emma?" Amanda asked. "Us or Hailey? You can't have it both ways."

  "Amanda, don't do this," Emma said. "I'll be your friend no matter what."

  "Us or her," Amanda said glaring at Emma.

  "I'm sorry, Amanda," Emma said and stormed out of my room.

  9

  It was dark, and I was back in the field where I'd been trying to explode light bulbs. I didn't have any light bulbs with me this time, and I wasn't entirely sure what I was going to do. I just felt the need to get out of the house, and I figured that I would know what to do when I got there.

  I stood in the middle of the field ready to train for something, but I didn't know what. All that I knew was that I was ready.

  Running sounded good, and as soon as I had decided it, I was all the way across the field and back. I loved the adrenaline rush so I ran again, this time around the edge of the field. I went around the entire field three
times in less than five seconds.

  I went back and stood in the middle of the field, and this time I felt amazing. I felt strong and confident. I could handle whatever Hailey, Emma, Tanner or anyone else dished out. I could handle it, and them too.

  A tree at the edge of the field caught my eye. It was tall and sturdy. I got the idea of climbing to the top to see if I could hide, and before I had even decided to try it I had already run to the base of the tree. I looked up at it, jumped ten feet to the first branch, and quickly made my way to the top. I nestled into the branches and looked at everything from a whole new angle.

  It was exhilarating, and I was thrilled with the accomplishment. I was in awe that I could learn so quickly and without anyone helping me. At first, things were happening on their own, but now I was starting to learn things at the mere thought of them. What could be next?

  I started to climb down the tree branches, but when I was about halfway down, I heard footsteps and voices in the field. I moved a branch out of my way to see who was in the field. It was Natalie and a senior boy. What were they doing there?

  They sat down at the bottom of the tree. I decided to try to control my supersonic hearing and just like with the running all I had to do was think about using the power, and it began working. That exact moment, I was able to hear Natalie and the boy as if I were sitting with them.

  "When can we tell people that we're boyfriend and girlfriend?" Natalie asked.

  He sighed. "Not yet. You know that I like keeping it secret. It's more special that way."

  "Why does it have to be a secret?" she asked. "I want to shout it out for everyone to hear. Don't you?"

  "It's more exciting this way. Let's not ruin this with a fight."

  My nose tickled as some smoke rose to me. It didn't smell like tobacco smoke. I wanted to see what else was going on 20 feet below me and hoped that I had heightened sight too.

  "As long as we can tell people soon," Natalie said, sighing.

  "Here have some of this," he said. I wanted to climb down to get a look at what he was giving her, but I didn't dare. This was my first time climbing like this. I didn't want to slip or make noise.

  As they focused on whatever it was that he gave her, I became antsy to get out of the tree. If I couldn't practice my new skills, then I'd rather go home and study. My grades were going to suffer if I didn't focus on them again.