Chapter 1:

The Beginning (JOSH)

"I just don't understand why I can't go to school," I told my brother, Adam.

Adam raised his eyebrows and retorted, "You know why." I just stared at him with my green eyes. Well actually since I haven't hunted in about a week, my usual green eyes were probably mostly gray. Whenever a vampire's eyes start to get gray spots, it means he's hungry. Whenever eyes get mostly gray, it means the vampire is starving. I'm surprised he hasn't said anything about my eyes though. He normally watches me while I feed to make sure I don't get too much or too little. Did he not remember the last time he watched me?

When it was obvious he wasn't going to say anything, I said, "Oh, come on. I haven't been to school in seventy years! I can understand why you wouldn't want me to go after the incident, but—"

"You're just lucky I'm not ordering you to stay home, Josh."

I closed my eyes and sighed. I could not have him order me; if he did, that would mean no leaving the house today. In case you don't know, you have to obey whoever changed you. You have no choice but to do as they say and since Adam is the one who changed me, I have to obey his direct orders. He doesn't like doing it, but sometimes I can be a bit of a nuisance.

I don't even know why I want to go to school. I'm a 140 year old vampire who looks like a seventeen year old human. Even though being immortal has its benefits, it definitely has its deprivations. It's hard getting close to someone because after a few decades, everyone you know is dead. I don't remember the last time I got close to someone. I want to feel again; I want to feel human again. I want to feel human emotions and experience love. I've never been in love before. How sad is that? I've been on this earth for 157 years and I have never been in love.

Ugh. I sound like a girl.

Anyways, Adam is a 150 year old vampire who looks like a twenty six year old human. He works as a personal trainer. He hunts neither humans nor animals. He has a vampire-friend who works at the local morgue. He supplies us with blood each week. That is only what Adam drinks. He only lets me drink it once a week; he doesn't want me getting addicted to human blood. The other times, he takes me hunting.

There's no getting stuff passed Adam. One time, I got a second helping of the human stuff while he was at work. He somehow found out, and I wasn't allowed to have human blood for a month. It drove me crazy. I told him I was going to die of thirst, but he just asked nonchalantly, "Do you feel pain?" I told him my mouth was burning and every time I thought of human blood, my fangs came out (every time our fangs come out it feels like hell). He then replied calmly, "Good. Pain reminds you how easy it is to follow rules."

I snapped back into the present and said, "How about this? If I lose control at school, I won't even ask to go back."

He took this into consideration. After a couple of seconds he said reluctantly, "Fine. Go ahead and go to school, but listen to me." He looked me straight in the eyes. "Go straight to school and once it is over, come straight home."

I smiled. "Absolutely. Thanks, Adam."

I walked into the cold, rainy outside with full confidence. Sure, I hadn't hunted in a week, but I think I can control—

As soon as I took my first breath, my hunting instincts overwhelmed my body. There was a scent just west of my house that was something I've never smelled before. Before I knew it, my throat became dry, my muscles tightened, and my fangs were coming in. My thoughts became incoherent as I tried to resist the need to kill whatever smelled so delicious. I crouched down, preparing to hunt, as someone tackled me. Whoever it was, pinned me to the wet grass just before they broke three ribs of mine. I screamed in pain and snapped back into reality. My throat became salivated, my muscles relaxed as much as they could with three broken ribs, and my fangs were going away.

Slowly but surely, my hunting instincts went away. Once my vision became somewhat clear, I saw that the person who broke my ribs was Adam. He carried me back into the house and dropped my on our black leather couch.

He stared at me for what seemed like five hours. Could the disappointment be so obvious?

"Thanks," I said quietly with my head down.

"Thanks? You almost hunted a human," his voice became louder and louder, "and all you say is 'thanks'?"

My head was still down in shame. "I'm sorry."

"Oh, you're sorry! Well that's just fantastic! That doesn't make the fact that you almost became a killer again go away, Joshua! I mean after—wait a second." He paused. "Look at me."

I raised my head and looked him in the eye. He scoffed and shook his head.

I had to say something before he ordered me to stay here. "Listen, I can explain why—"

"How long has it been?" he demanded.

"A little over a week, but—"

His eyebrows pulled together. "A little over a week? What's wrong with you? I would have taken you hunting."

I stood up with anger, but he pushed me back down. "Exactly. I would've had animal blood, not human. I don't understand why I can't have human blood, Adam. It's not like I'm actually killing the human, because guess what? They're already dead!"

We both started to get angry. "Don't be a smartass, Josh, if it weren't for me then you'd be just like Lucy. Both of you are the same when it comes to human blood!"

"Don't bring Lucy into this! She hasn't done anything!"

"Are you really that naïve? Have you really not figured it out yet?" I looked at him, confused. "Lucy is—for lack of a better word—a monster."

"What are you talking about?"

Adam stormed off. I started to follow, but he ordered from another room, "Stay there!"

Two minutes later, he came back with an old shoebox. When I say old, I mean old. He blew dust off of the lid and shooed away a couple of spider webs. I didn't even notice that the box was labeled Letters.

When he opened it, I saw that it was all filled with folded up pieces of parchment. He looked up to see my reaction and wasn't surprised to see that I was dumbfounded. He carefully pulled out the very last piece from the bottom. "Read this," he said as he handed me the letter.

I recognized that particular piece of parchment. It used to be our family stationary in the 1800s. Was it a letter from Mom or Dad?

The letter read:

Dear Adam,

I recognized the handwriting immediately. It belonged to my older sister, Lucy. The one I haven't heard from in a century. I continued reading with inquisitiveness.

Hello, little brother. As you well know, Mother and Father turned me. I have heard that you are also turned—most likely by them as well. I have heard their lectures about not hunting the mortal. I have also heard other's lectures about hunting the mortal. At first, I was determined to only hunt animals. Then one night on my way home from Edward's, someone forced me to kill a human. I was first disgusted with myself, but then I let myself enjoy their taste. I have no idea if you have had the pleasure, but let me tell you that it is magnificent. It not only gives you strength and power, but it also is like wine. Human blood is my new wine, Adam. I shall not forget the sensation anytime soon. I must say though that you have to go hunting with me. Now before you hesitate, I only hunt those who are already close to death. I mainly go to the sick or the homeless; I never hunt children.

I almost forgot! I have also turned someone. It is so wonderful that I can control what they do and don't do. They are like my own slave. You must turn someone! In fact, you just visit me in my new home. I am staying with the Williams'—indeed; I was just as surprised as you were to find out they are immortal. I am sure they will be happy to see you. Hurry soon though, we are moving East for more hunting. You are, of course, welcome to join. Give my best to little Joshua. I assume that he has been changed as well? If not, then I would be delighted to. Give me best to Mother and Father also. I have a feeling they will not be around much longer.

Love,

Lucy

I finished reading and was appalled. She wanted to change me? Why, so I would be her slave? What happened to the sweet, innocent, never-harm-a-fly Lucy?

"Surprised?" Adam asked me.

I nodded my head. "Why didn't you give me this sooner? How many letters do you have?"

"I wanted you to think of Lucy as your sister and not as….well, not the vampire version. As for the number of letters, we wrote back and forth up until 1900. I kept all of them in case you ever figured out what she became and wanted questions answered."

I closed my eyes and drew in a long, deep breath. "What did you mean by Lucy and I having the same taste for human blood? It sounds to me that she is a bloodholic, do you really think I could become that way?"

He raised his eyebrows and exhaled. "Well, you both had similar qualities growing up. You both got into some trouble, you both had the same tastes, and you both disliked the same things." He walked over and sat by me on the couch. "When Lucy had her first taste of human blood, she could no longer come back to animal blood. Me? I drink human blood all the time and I don't change. You, on the other hand, do change."

"What do you mean?"

"What day of the week do I let you have a small amount of human blood?"

"Friday at three 'o clock."

"That's my point. If you don't have it on Friday at exactly three 'o clock, you start craving it. It's like your body needs it. Lately, I've noticed that you want more. I don't want you to go back to your old habits." My body tensed up. I figured he noticed it because he said, "I know that was a long time ago, but you haven't killed somebody since and I have been so, so proud of you. Today, you were about to change all of that."

"I know and I'm sorry."

"It's okay, but if I didn't stop you then you wouldn't have stopped yourself. I want you to start—"

"Wait," I interrupted. "How did you know I was about to hunt."

He started laughing. "I've trained myself to sense when your fangs come in and when your hunting instincts take over. When I watch you feed, I listen."

"Umm, that's sort of peculiar, but then again, you're Adam. You would think I would be used to it by now."

He laughed again, but then got serious. "I can't let you go to school until I can trust your need for blood." He shrugged his shoulders. "I'm sorry, Josh."

I found a loophole in his order. I started smiling. "It's okay. It's probably for the best."

He looked somewhat skeptical. "Why are you smiling?"

I let my smiled drop. "I'm just happy I get to stay home. It's going to be so exciting."

He grabbed my face as I started to turn, and looked me in the eyes and said, "Tell me the truth."

Within moments, I was in a trance. I said in a monotone voice, "I found loophole in your order."

"What is it?"

"I was going to the school courtyard. It technically isn't school, so I wouldn't be breaking any of your commands."

He let me go and I was back to normal. Damn it. I hated it when he ordered me or compelled me to tell him things. He did that all the time; I have absolutely no secrets from him and I hate it.

"You know what I think?" he asked happily. "I think it's bring your brother to work day."

I exhaled dramatically. "Adam, I'll just stay home."

He started walking towards his room. "Get dressed, you're coming with me."

There was no getting out of this. I might as well comply before he punishes me. I went to my room discontented and still trying to find a loophole.