Estrella Cruzó

Chapter 1

It was as if ice was coursing through my veins. The pain was nearly unbearable, until with a final stab of agony it had overcome me. The Santa Sangre had raged through my body, erasing the person I was and turning me into something changed.

8888888888

18 Months Later

"How many times do we have to have this fucking conversation?" Richie remarked calmly, leaning back in his chair as if he were discussing the weather.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Listed you little prick," barked Seth. "We have an operation set up here, and your little feeding frenzies are putting that at risk. If you don't stop and get yourself in check, then I swear to god that I will stake you myself."

Richie stopped Scott, who looked as if he was about to argue, with a sharp shake of his head. "Get out."

Scott shot both brothers an insolent glare before heading back upstairs.

"That little prick is going to cause us more problems then he already has," Seth said, watching as the doors closed behind the young culebra. "Maybe we should tell him."

"No. Absolutely not," exclaimed Richie. "We don't know for sure what happened to her body, and telling him before we know anything will only make matters worse. He needs to move on, and giving him false expectations will only prolong that."

"I think its safe to say that he isn't moving on anytime soon. Especially given the fact that he visits her grave daily. Or at least what we've been calling her grave" Seth stated sarcastically.

"Cristobal is still looking into it. As soon as we have some fucking answers, we'll tell him," Richie stated angrily.

The silence was defining and heavy, as both brothers were lost in their own thought. Thinking about the girl who had inadvertently torn her way inside their hearts.

8888888888

2 Weeks Later

Seth and Richie were reviewing distribution earnings from Jed's when Cristobal came rushing into the office. "Boss!"

"Yes?" Richie and Seth responded simultaneously, immediately drawing an irritated look from the other.

Cristobal took a deep breath and considered his next works carefully. "I found her."

Seth's head jolted up in incredulity, his face exhibiting shock and disbelief. Richie, who hadn't moved since this admission, began shuffling through his papers again. "Thank you Cris."

Seth, whose head was just now recovering from the force of jerking up the first time, whipped to the side as he glared at his brother in disbelief, stunned and angry at how cold those three words sounded coming from his mouth.

Before he could utter a word, Richie continued, "Now we can tell Scott the truth, and hopefully we can all try and move on."

"Pardon me boss, but…" Cristobal began, but was silenced with an angry look from Seth.

"Richie" Seth began, "I know you feel guilty, but we're both responsible for what happened to Kate. If we hadn't of taken that stupid motorhome she's probably be eating apple pie and singing fucking church chants as we speak."

"Hymns," Richie retorted.

"What?" Seth countered.

"They're called hymns, not chants. She wasn't in a goddamned cult."

"What the hell does it matter?" replied Seth.

Richie, who still hadn't looked up from his paperwork, sighed in exasperation. "It matters because using the word cult makes her sound like an obsessive freak. She's a Christian who believed in god and sang hymns, not chants. Got it?"

"I don't give a shit what they're called, the point I'm trying to make is that we both had a hand in…"

"Boss?" Cristobal interjected

"I know!" Richie shouted. "We brought her to Mexico and to the Twister. We're the reason her father is dead and Scott is a culebra. We're the reason she's dead. Nothing we do is going to change that. Talking about the things we can't change isn't going to do anything but piss us both off, so lets change the goddamned topic."

Seth looked as if he would continue to argue until he noticed Cristobal standing awkwardly in the middle of the room. "What are you still doing here? Go get her body and bring it here."

Cristobal, who looked exceedingly confused, continued to stand uncomfortable before the brother.

"Well?" Seth shouted.

"Apologies jefe, but I think you misunderstood me."

Richie finally looked up, the first time since the beginning of the conversation. "What the hell are you talking about?" he asked, sounding furious and violent.

"What I mean is, I did not find a body. I found Miss Kate alive and well."

"What?" they shouted in unison.

8888888888

The intensity of the music produced a pounding and pulsating effect that was visible throughout the club. The dancers were so tightly packed that it wasn't apparent where a person's body began and ended. This was particularly beneficial to Kate, as it made catching her meal relatively easy and required little to no effort.

Within minutes she had narrowed in on her target, slithering up close and wrapping her arms around the dancer. The second the music grew louder she struck, piercing his neck with a single bite. The sensation of the blood sliding down her throat was extraordinary, as if all the moments in her life had led up to this single instant in time when she gets to relish the aphrodisiac that is this boys lifeblood.

"Kitten," a voice calls, "Make sure you save some for me."

Kate looks up into the eyes of her companion and smiles before wiping any excess blood from her mouth. She passes the limp body of the dancer over to the individual and says, "Have at it," before stalking off further onto the dance floor.

8888888888

Note from Ellie: I really hope that all of you enjoyed my story so far. Reviews are always welcome and appreciated.