Chapter 3

"You got a flashlight?" Roman asked, taking a lazy drag on his cigarette, eyes drifting between Peter and Kaia, who refused to say a word to him since he got to the trailer, she could smell him and that seemed to be enough to make her keep her distance. Not that he cared. The people around town did it to him all the time, every chance they got. In their eyes, he was a spoiled little brat, druggie, asshole, whathaveyou, and he could promise to you right now he wasn't.

But Kaia couldn't be told otherwise. She believed wholeheartedly that he was a worthless piece of shit. And that might be because the Godfreys built on her grandmother's land, giving hefty compensation. She didn't like that. She didn't like that the Godfreys thought they could do anything and get anything they wanted if they wanted it, because they wanted it. And their behaviors disgusted her. Thus her attitude towards Roman. Just as well, he didn't like her anyway.

But she at least took care of his sister.

"Yeah," Peter replied, thin-lipped and mildly empty, almost disappointed. He pulled on his leather jacket and pushed himself off of the hood of Roman's car, giving Kaia a quick peck as he passed and hopped down the zig-zagging stairs leading back to the trailer. She watched him go, arms crossed tightly over her chest in mild irritation, and shook her head. She really didn't want to be around Roman.

He snapped his fingers. "Hey." But she ignored him, watching Peter disappear past the trees and far left end of the trailer.

Roman steadily became frustrated by her and took to yelling at her. "Hey!" And her head snapped around, brown curls flying over her shoulders and green eyes like daggers, wide and narrow. Maybe it'd be best not to stir up conversation.

But this was Roman Godfrey. He always got what he wanted.

"What?" she snapped, her voice almost a growl.

"Shee-it. What's your problem anyway?"

Kaia turned away from him and leaned against the wooden fence, glaring into the green of the trees and shrubbery. She drew in an irritated breath, frowning at the thought of the Godfrey boy trying to talk to her. There was just something about him that made her skin crawl, aside from what his family did to her grandmother. He was too pale, you could see heavy bags under his eyes and his veins run blue under his skin, and his lips were too thick. He looked like he'd popped out of Twilight with extra lip plumper. She leaned her head into her palm, her hair caught between her fingers, and breathed slowly. His behavior seemed to be a testament to his looks. He always smelled of alcohol or smoke, it always hung on his breath, and he kept sniffling like a child. If Kaia didn't know better, she'd think he had a cold. But she knew better. The kid was a drug addict. Though, that wasn't quite the reason he made her skin crawl.

"Hey, I'm talkin' to you."

"I'm not fucking deaf," she snapped.

Kaia frowned and leaned heavily into her palm as she stood against the wood fencing, brooding. She couldn't place Roman. She couldn't figure where to put him in her broad spectrum of judgements and annoyances. What was he? 'Cos he sure as hell wasn't human, no matter how you look at him.

Then she remembered something Peter had said: 'He's an Upir.' And then he compared it: 'Y'know, like a vampire.' It clicked, but she couldn't believe it. It made too much sense, like it was too obvious an explanation. He couldn't be a vampire, right? She pictured him with sharp teeth... She shuttered. Yeah, too much sense. Way too much.

"Well, princess? Spit it out." Sarcastic prick.

"You make my skin crawl," she growled, shooting him an irritated glare. "I don't like you. You're a spoiled piece of shit. And, let's not forget, your fucking family is a bunch of inconsiderate, psychotic little freaks!"

Hit him where it hurts.

Kaia watched his face twist in anger and she even chuckled, reveling in the feelings she just shit on. It was only fair.

"Someone's feelings versus someone's welfare, which is most important? Oh, that's right! The Godfreys wouldn't know," she said bitterly, not even trying to hide her disgust.

In the midst of her bitter rantings, Roman got too close. His face was in hers and his legs between her own, his hand sliding slowly up to her neck.

"Do it. You don't have the nerve to do any-goddamn-thing else." She dared him. Peter would have his fucking head. And then he caught her throat in his hands, squeezing and squeezing and squeezing.

She couldn't breathe, but fuck her. How dare she disrespect him, disrespect his family! Roman squeezed harder, watching her face change colors this way and that, her eyes glaring him down, not even putting up a fight.

"Hey!" howled a male voice from below. Peter. Fuck. "What the fuck are you doing?!"

Roman let go and stepped away from Kaia. She spluttered and coughed, catching her breath and steadily regaining the life he'd just tried to choke out of her. Her heart pounded in her ears, but she smiled to herself through the pain in her chest and the pain in her throat. Chuckles escaped past every gasp she let out, twisted grin not far behind. She heard heavy and quick steps come closer and closer between her heart beats, a headache forming in the front of her skull.

"Kaia! Are you okay?" Peter asked, tightly wrapping his arms around her, pulling away, checking for bruises. Feeling her throat and hugging her tighter. He stroked her hair, nuzzling the top of her head. He felt her nod to answer his question and he let her go, hands on her shoulders. She looked at him and he looked at her, a sigh escaping them both.

"I'm all right," she said raspily.

Peter nodded and spun around to face Roman. "What the fuck, Roman?"

"She provoked me."

"I don't give a shit! What the fuck were you thinking? How could you possibly think it would be okay to strangle a woman, MY woman? Are you insane?" Peter snapped, his hand finding Kaia's.

Roman didn't say anything, but he shot the girl a glare.

"Holy fuck, Roman!"

Peter ran his fingers through his hair and frowned deeply, anger all over his face. He wasn't the violent type, Kaia respected that, even though he wanted to beat the bloody shit out of Roman.

"... You got the flashlight?"

A sigh. "Yeah." Peter pat the leather bag slung over his shoulder - something they all seemed not to notice. Kaia could see his discomfort and rested her head on his shoulder, playing with his fingers.

"Where are you going?" she asked softly, voice still raspy.

"Cemetery."

"Can I go?"

"No." - "Yes."

The fact the boys gave their answer so quick, even at the same time, made Kaia sh