Mom handed me a glass of water, and I downed the capsules in one huge gulp. She patted me on the shoulder.
“There, you’ll be all better in no time,” she said with false cheerfulness. “Go on up to bed. You lost a lot of blood. I suspect it will take longer for you to heal than normal. You need to rest while those blood capsules start working.” She lightly kissed me on the forehead, right near my aching wound. I wrapped my arms around her waist and hugged her, feeling grateful for her support. Her arms hovered in the air a minute, and she returned the embrace.
“Oh, Sadie. I know it’s hard,” she whispered, “but it will all work out in the end.”
I squeezed her in response and got to my feet, exhausted and ready for bed.
“See you in the morning, Mom. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, honey. Sleep well.”
***
Mom let me stay home the next couple of days, giving my body time to rest and heal itself. It was a rare treat, and I took advantage of it, reading my favorite books and watching silly TV shows.
Neither of my parents had been able to get Joshua to talk about it. Even Sophia came up empty. He’d been given a stern punishment, which he seemed to almost welcome.
As soon as the initial shock wore off, I was more forgiving. I knew neither of them had expected this to happen. I’d never been injured like that before, and it was surprising how severely I’d been affected. No other vampire would have bled so much or been so weak afterward.
It was just one more thing that made me different.
Chapter 11 - Firsts
The following week, I returned to school. I was still a little shaky and tiring faster than normal, so Mom and Dad wrote a note asking Jake to excuse me from Maneuvers for a few more days. When he took the note from me, he scanned it quickly.
“What happened, Sadie?”
I had prepared myself for that inevitable question, but I still wasn’t sure what to say. In the end, I left it as vague as possible.
“I just had an accident at home. My body is still recovering.”
He looked like he wanted to question me further, but I didn’t give him the chance.
“Is the note enough, or do I need to get something additional?” I tried to keep the slight panic out of my voice. We’d finished with the ceiling exercises and had moved on to floor work. There was no way I was going to practice my flips and twists in front of everyone while I was still recuperating. On a good day, I was wobbly. Today, the task seemed impossible.
“No, the note is sufficient. Go ahead and use the time to catch up on other classes. I’ll expect you back in class on Thursday.”
I breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you, sir.”
“Just be ready to resume both periods on Thursday, Sadie.”
Nodding, I scooted out of there just as students began filing in. I didn’t want to see anyone right then, so I left through the girls’ locker room and slipped out of the building that way.
I dreaded seeing Ms. Stratha again. Since we sort of left things on a bad note, I had no idea what to expect when I returned to class. Kade would be there, too. Still off balance from his rescue, I wondered why he did it and if he had suffered any repercussions.
But, fortune was smiling down on me. Ms. Stratha was coldly polite and ignored my presence the rest of class. I wondered if that was her choice or if she was told to do it. Either way, I was glad to get a reprieve.
What concerned me more was that Kade wasn’t in class. He didn’t seem like the skipping type, so I assumed something was preventing him from attending. Disappointment and relief warred in my head. I thought I didn’t want to see him, but now that he wasn’t here, he was all I could think about.
When class was dismissed, everyone started packing up their belongings and chattering with each other. I spent that time working up my courage to talk to Ms. Stratha. I had no one to ask about Kade’s absence, and I desperately wanted to know if he was okay. After the last student had filtered out of the room, I stood up and walked to her desk. I stood there awkwardly, unsure of how to start.
“Yes, Ms. Criswel?” She raised her eyes from the paperwork she was reading and aimed an icy-blue stare at me.
“Um. I…” Stuttering, I forced the words out of my mouth before I lost all confidence. “I noticed Kade wasn’t in class today. Do you know if he’s okay?” I ended in a rush.
She raised her eyes slightly. “What makes you believe that I know his whereabouts?”
I fumbled for words, my bravery fleeing.
She gave me a few moments to flounder around before speaking again. “His family needed him home today. He’ll return tomorrow.”
“Thank y—”
She raised her hand in silent dismissal, and I took my cue to leave. When I was out in the hallway, I realized I had goose bumps on my skin. That’s just creepy. Feeling an almost chill coming from the classroom, I hurried down the hall where freedom waited for me.
***
Things took a significant turn the following day. I was behind the gym during lunch hour, lost in Wuthering Heights, when Kade walked around the side of the building and came to stand in front of me. I looked up, surprised to see him. He smiled at me and a tingling sensation traveled down the length of my spine. God, he was gorgeous.
“Mind if I sit down?” he asked.
“Um, sure.” I scooted over on my blanket to make room for him.
“So, this is where you hang out. I’ve been trying to find you during lunch hour for days.”
His confession startled me, and I guess it showed on my face because he chuckled softly.
“You’re surprised that I would seek you out?” His gaze moved over my face and lingered on my forehead. Tiny frown lines creased his brow. “What happened there?”
My hand involuntarily touched the mark the knife had left. “Oh, I… just had a little accident last week.” As soon as I said the words, I knew I’d screwed up. I squeezed my eyes shut for a second, hoping he hadn’t noticed.
“Last week? You were injured last week and you still haven’t fully healed?”
Something in his voice gave me the courage to open my eyes and look at him. I took a deep breath. “Yes.”
I watched him as he took that in. I could almost see his mind taking the information and putting the puzzle pieces together. It just took a moment. When a look of understanding suddenly dawned on his face, I knew he’d figured it out.
“I’ve never seen you drink blood. You freaked out on Nurse Edara when she offered it and that’s why you didn’t want to do the demonstration last week in Moderation. You don’t feed.”
“Speaking of Moderation, I’ve been wanting to ask you… why did you help me, Kade? You didn’t have to. You could have gotten into a lot of trouble for doing that.”
He took his time answering, and when he finally spoke, I heard something in his voice that made my stomach turn to jelly. “I know I didn’t have to. But, it was you. You, Sadie. You were in distress, I could tell. And I couldn’t bear it.” He paused. “You don’t feed, do you?”
Tired of keeping up the ruse, especially in front of him, I gave in. “No.”
We locked eyes, and instead of mockery or even fear, I saw compassion. My heart skipped a little.
Very softly, he asked, “Why don’t you drink blood, Sadie?”
A little sigh escaped my lips. I wanted to tell him everything. All of it.
“You can tell me. I’m not going to hurt you or use it against you. I promise.”
My heart melted. Before I even knew it, words were spilling out of my mouth. “I’ve never been able to feed. It makes me sick. Even as a child, I had to be given blood through an IV. Now I take pills that my Mom makes. I don’t know why I’m like this. I’m a freak. I don’t fit in anywhere.”
He listened as I talked, his eyes never leaving mine. When I finished, I felt soothed, as if a huge weight had been lifted from my shoulders.
“You’re not a freak,” he said firmly. “
Sadie, you are not a freak. You’re unique.”
I rolled my eyes. “Did you even hear what I said? I’m a vampire, just like you, yet I’m not. I can’t drink blood. I’m clumsy as hell. You’ve seen me. Injuries take much, much longer to heal for me. I even look completely different from what I should! How can you say I’m not a freak?”
“Listen to me. The blood thing is weird, yeah, but it’s not like you can’t work around it. You’ve been doing it for sixteen years and it’s been fine. And since that is how you get your blood, you don’t need to be able to do the physical things they’re teaching us here. Frankly, you shouldn’t be doing things like that since you can’t heal quickly.” He paused a moment. “As far as your looks go…” He stopped talking.
“What?” I was scared to hear what he was going to say, but I couldn’t stop myself from prodding him.
But instead of answering me, he leaned in closer, so that we were shoulder to shoulder. I could smell the soap he’d used that morning and the tingling in my back grew stronger. I’d never reacted to anyone like this before.
He whispered in my ear, his breath warm and delicious on my sensitive skin. “You are different from all the other girls here in the best way possible,” he said quietly.
My breath hitched and I floundered around, too intoxicated by his closeness to focus on anything but the feelings that were zinging around my insides. “But I… there… there are a lot of prettier girls than me, and I—”
He cut me off before I could finish, his warm lips hovering over mine, just barely brushing the soft skin with his. Shock waves ricocheted from my scalp down to my toes, and I moaned softly.
“You’re the one who caught my eye. My beautiful Sadie.”
And then his lips were firmly on mine, shattering my senses, and pulling me into a swirling mixture of heavenly sensations. His tongue traced my lips and I parted them slightly, my unspoken invitation clear. He obliged, dipping inside and teasing my tongue with his until they tangled together mercilessly. I could feel his hands fisting in my hair and as the kiss deepened, he pulled me closer into him. Our bodies touching, he invaded my soul with his searing essence, and I lost track of everything: where we were, what day it was, time. I let myself drown in him and wanted more.
Finally, he lessened the pressure on my lips, and we both gulped for air. Deep, dragging breaths. My heart pounded, and I could feel his own pulse racing along with it. Somehow, my legs had become entwined with his, and I was lying down, his body heavy over mine. I stared up into his eyes, the sea green threatening to sweep me away again, and he smiled. With his thumb, he slowly traced my bottom lip and I gently bit it.
“Do you still question if I think you’re attractive?”
I laughed. I couldn’t help it. I’d just experienced my first kiss with the most improbable person in the world, yet we fit. It felt natural, comfortable, and exciting all at the same time. The negative voice inside me was quiet. Even she couldn’t argue with his question.
He smiled at my pleasure. “It’s good to see you laugh. It’s like a sparkling diamond when you do. You should do it more often.”
“Well, there’s something about you that brings it out in me. Guess I’ll just have to take advantage of that,” I teased back.
He pulled my lips to his and gave me a soft kiss.
“Yes, I guess you’ll just have to do that.”
Chapter 12 - Jill
After our kiss, Kade and I were inseparable. Or, at least as much as we possibly could be with a crazy watchdog keeping an eye on us. Lunch quickly became my favorite time of day. We would retreat to our secret spot, secluded from the world, and spend the time talking and kissing.
It had been a few weeks since “the incident,” and I was finally feeling my strength return. I’d just left Persuasion and there was a little bounce in my step as I headed across campus for my rendezvous with Kade. I’d actually made Sarah feel a little uncertain about me, and Mr. Donfrey had seemed somewhat pleased. I grinned and picked up my pace, looking forward to telling Kade all about my small victory.
I was just nearing the large stone statue of Viktor Holstein that stood in the middle of the back lawn when Jill and two of her friends stepped out from behind it. I forced back a yelp and tried to change directions, but one of the girls jumped sideways into my path. It was Julia, an especially mean girl who specialized in intimidation. She was tall and fast, and I skidded to a stop as she stood menacingly over me. I tried not to show my alarm.
“Going somewhere?” she asked, condescension oozing from her tongue.
“J… just making my way across campus.” I hoped she didn’t hear the tremor in my voice.
She looked me up and down, a sneer creasing her beautiful features. “It’s lunch hour. The cafeteria is in the other direction.”
“Julia,” Jill called, “I’m sure she knows where the cafeteria is.” She strolled toward us and completed a slow circle around me. “But that’s not where your interest lies, is it?” She continued to appraise me and goose bumps popped up on my arms as she completed another circuit. Like a deer trapped in the headlights, I was unable to move or decide what to do.
“I’ve been watching you, Sadie,” she continued. “I have eyes on you everywhere you go. Do you know what those spies have been telling me?” Malice dripped from her words and without meaning to, I shivered. She saw it and gave a low, throaty chuckle. “Mmm, yes, you’re afraid. Because you’re hiding something.”
“Jill, I’m n… not that interesting. There’s nothing exciting about me whatsoever. I don’t know what your spies could possibly tell you.” Again, my voice betrayed my nerves and I silently cursed myself.
“Oh, but you are. You’re fascinating.” She made yet another circle. The image of a large cat stalking its prey popped into my head and I shivered again. I was the prey. “First, you show up looking as human as human can be and then you have the nerve to make eyes at my boyfriend.”
“He’s not your boyfriend,” I popped back. Surprised I’d said it out loud, I looked at her with wide eyes.
Her face held a similar expression but it rapidly morphed into rage. In a flash, her fingers wrapped around my neck, digging into the tender flesh and threatening to crush my windpipe. Her pupils were dilated and I stared into the deep black pools with a paralyzing fear. I twisted away, but her grip tightened and I had the terrible realization that she would kill me if I didn’t stop fighting her. Making my decision, I stood stock-still, waiting for what would happen next.
“Good girl,” Jill whispered through clenched teeth. “You finally wizened up.” Her face was inches from mine, and I could see every vein shadow snaking across her skin. She wore a mask of evil and I wondered how many other girls she’d terrorized into submission.
“I know you don’t drink blood. Word gets around and enough people have seen you avoid, one way or another, drinking from the vein or even a blood bag.” She narrowed her eyes. “So, why would a vampire… if you even are a vampire… not drink blood. And how could you possibly survive without it?”
My mind raced. She was getting too close to my secrets, and I could only guess how bad things would get if she figured out that I was allergic to blood and had to rely on pills. But as she continued to restrict my windpipe, my mind was becoming fuzzy and I knew it was only a matter of time before I either passed out or she pried the information she was looking for out of me as I fell into an oxygen-deprived fog.
“So, if you’re not a vampire, or at least not a pedigreed vampire, then what are you?” She hissed, a raspy, edgy sound that immediately made me cringe. “No matter the answer, I’ve told you before to stay away from Kade, and I mean it. If you continue to see him, you will regret it for the rest of your miserable little life.” She raised an eyebrow. “Got it?”
My tongue froze with either fear or her Persuasion, and I had no air left to speak anyway, so I nodded my head. She held her vice-like grip on my throat for a second more before releasing it with a flourish, and I fell t
o my knees gasping for air.
I was eye level with her sexy black boots and I thought about spitting on them. But before I could do anything, she raised a foot. As if it were happening in slow motion, I watched her swing it back and forward, the pointy tip racing toward my face. The last thing I remember before blacking out was an explosion of pain in my right eye followed by the most incredible light show behind my eyelids.
***
I woke up in Kade’s arms. My head throbbed and I couldn’t see anything out of my right eye, but I could feel the warmth of his body as he held me close. I mumbled something and fell back into a welcoming darkness.
***
The next time I opened my eyes, we were laid out on a blanket in our hiding spot. Kade’s warm arms were wrapped around me, his chin resting on top of my hair, and he rocked me slightly back and forth while humming. My face throbbed, but I felt safe, cared for. I relaxed into him, listening to the rustling of the leaves above us.
“Kade?” I whispered, not wanting to speak too loudly and disturb the serenity of the moment.
“Sadie, you’re awake.” His chest was pressed against my back as he exhaled slowly. “What happened? I found you on the ground by the statue. You were out cold.” I could hear worry and an edge of anger in his tone.
“It was Jill and two of her friends. They ambushed me.” My voice sounded hoarse to my own ears. I could still feel the strength of her grip around my throat.
“Tell me everything.”
I filled him in on what happened. I left nothing out. But when I got to the part where she questioned my pedigree, I stumbled over the word. It was the first time someone had ever mentioned the possibility that I wasn’t full vampire, and my mind struggled with that thought.
Was it possible I wasn’t a full-pedigreed vampire?
As soon as the question floated through my mind, I tamped it down. It was ridiculous to even entertain the thought. I was my parents’ child, and they came from a long line of pedigreed vampires. I was no different. At least not in that way. I refused to think otherwise.
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