Chapter 4
Juliet awoke to the beeping of her small, digital clock. She dressed for school and wandered downstairs. Juliet was unusually groggy. She was surprised to see Edwin's chair empty; he sat in his chair every morning, drinking his tea.
How peculiar, Juliet thought to herself, Edwin never leaves without warning. Juliet brushed it off and assumed he had a fair reason for leaving so suddenly.
Juliet arrived at school only to be greeted by a rather ill looking Luca. Luca coughed twice. He leaned against Juliet's locker. "Excuse me." Juliet hissed, her words were like venom.
"Why do you hate me? Am I that repulsive?"
"I don't associate with Dark Ones." Juliet sneered.
"Oh, is that what Edwin's calling us now? He was always so bitter, I never understood why, considering he is one."
Juliet narrowed her eyes, "You're lying."
"Oh, Juliet, I am many things, but I am not a liar."
Juliet noticed a few students staring blankly at her and Luca. She realized how loudly they were talking. Luca whispered roughly in her ear, "I will explain everything tonight. I'll be at your house at six o'clock to take you to dinner. Please, I'm not going to hurt you."
Juliet's curiosity got the better of her and she agreed hesitantly.
Around five o'clock Juliet began to get dressed for her night with Luca. He was attractive, undoubtedly. She shucked off her jeans and sweater and put on a short, flowing skirt and a long sleeved shirt. She ran a brush through her hair and applied a tiny bit of makeup, hoping to look as though she didn't care too much about tonight. Juliet was supposed to hate Luca anyways.
Juliet sat on the sofa, impatiently watching the clock. Why was she so anxious for this night? At exactly six o'clock she heard a knock on the door. Juliet opened the door and there stood Luca. His hair was styled and he wore his leather jacket over a dark button down shirt with equally as dark dress pants. He looked much healthier than he did earlier.
Luca's eyes trailed down her body. He smirked at her exposed legs, "Nice."
Juliet felt her cheeks flushed scarlet. Luca held out his hand and she took it cautiously. They walked to his small, black corvette.
Luca pulled up to a rundown restaurant in the middle of nowhere. Juliet tugged on the hem of her skirt and followed Luca inside.
"Hey! Luca!" The host shouted, Felix smiled and hugged him. "I haven't seen you since Maria-" The host stopped talking, noticing that Juliet was standing next to Luca. Luca laughed,
"Where's Antonio?"
"He's not working tonight." Luca nodded. Luca and Juliet walked to the back booth and sat down across from each other. There was no one else in the restaurant.
"Take all your first dates here?" Juliet felt the word "date" escape her lips and instantly regretted it.
"No of course not, love, only you."
Juliet buried her nose in the menu, glancing up to study Luca's face periodically.
They ate in silence for most of the night.
Juliet nervously shifted in her seat. They left the restaurant and drove back to her house.
They pulled up to her house. Juliet eyed Luca carefully and Luca followed her to the door.
"Going to invite me in?" Luca asked.
Juliet spoke with a sigh, "Would you like to come inside?" Luca smiled in a way that made her stomach lurch into her throat.
"I want to know about my parents." Juliet stated.
"Why? They're dead." Luca responded.
"Your kind killed my parents; I think I deserve an explanation."
"You don't even remember your parents; you were barely two years old."
"So? They were killed by your father."
"Ha! Is that what Edwin told you? Edwin killed them. Edwin kidnapped you. And Edwin is a bloodsucker."
"You're lying!"
"Why would I lie?"
Juliet said nothing. Luca was right; he had no reason to lie.
"Exactly, you can't think of a single reason. I have no reason to lie. I don't need your trust." Luca muttered. "But, you're right. We are savage beasts, hungry for blood. I could kill you without a second thought."
"Then do it." Juliet spat.
"I can't, my dearest father wants you alive."
"What does he want with me?"
"You're the Imborn."
Juliet stared at Luca in disbelief. There was no way she was half bloodsucker.
"Please, you didn't actually think those were your real parents? Sugar, you look nothing like them."
Juliet cringed at the use of a pet name.
"Your real mother's name was Clara. She fell in love with a bloodsucker. He went by the name Atticus, but you know him as Edwin. Eventually she became pregnant; she hid from Atticus and once you were born gave you to Mary and Louis. Atticus heard of your birth through a servant that was sent to find Clara. He killed Mary and Louis; it was the only way that he could have you. Mary would never give you to Atticus."
"Why not, if he was my father, why would that be so bad?"
"Edwin is not a good man, Juliet. Right after he found out about your birth he hunted Clara down and turned her. She was furious and set on revenge. She has been tracking you ever since Mary and Louis were killed. She wants to kill Edwin, and Edwin has been training you so when she comes you can kill her."
Juliet let out a small gasp. "Why does your father need me?"
"To find Clara; Edwin wasn't the only one who fell in love with her. She was deceiving and wanted nothing but power. She seduced my father, turned him and then left just as quickly as she came."
"She's your mother too?"
"No, my mother died in child birth. My father turned me when I turned eighteen."
"How long have you been eighteen?"
"Fifteen years."
"So Clara turned your father right after she was turned?"
Luca nodded.
"Why does your father think I can find Clara?"
"You're an Imborn, a natural born tracker. You can use your instincts to find anyone."
"You're a tracker too. I can feel it in your aura."
"Not like an Imborn tracker. I need a picture or a belonging of a person or creature to find them. You need nothing but their name."
Juliet stared in awe, "I don't think I can. I don't even know how."
"Juliet, I can teach you, but I need you to trust me."
Juliet nodded briefly.
"We'll start small, someone you've met. How about the girl Alicia at your school? You know the blonde Barbie-like one." Luca said with a smile. Juliet laughed and agreed. "Okay, close your eyes and think about her. You don't need to picture her face, just think about her name. Let your senses guide you to her."
Juliet shut her eyes and repeated Alicia's name over and over again. She felt a small pull eastward and took off running, Luca close behind. She ended up at a quite large home.
"I knew you could do it."
"How do we even know this is Alicia Flynn's house?" Juliet inquired.
"I can smell her, like sugary roses." Luca replied, making a face of disgust.
"Who next?" Juliet said, excitedly.
Luca laughed, "How about my friend, Axel?"
Juliet nodded and closed her eyes. She thought about his name, repeatedly. She took off running and arrived at an old apartment building that appeared vacant. "It didn't work. No one lives here."
"Axel?" Luca called, knocking on the front door, "It's me, Luca."
A large, muscular man opened the door. "Ay Luca! What are you doing 'round these parts?"
Luca motioned towards Juliet who had her fists clenched tightly by her sides. He smelled of fresh blood and Juliet knew he was a bloodsucker too. Just because she could trust Luca didn't mean she trusted all of them. "Juliet, this is Axel. He won't hurt you. Come over here." Luca stated. Juliet slowly walked towards Axel and Luca, keeping her fists clenched tightly. Axel stuck out his hand and Juliet just stared at it.
"Come on, sweetheart, I won't bite."
Juliet shook his hand tentatively.
"Wow, Luca, you weren't kidding; she's quite easy on the eyes." Axel muttered. Juliet's cheeks flushed red. Axel opened the front door, "Come on in guys." Luca nodded, reassuring Juliet. She followed Luca and Axel into the front of the apartment building. Inside it reeked of blood and bloodsucker. Juliet came to the realization that the apartment building was a bloodsucker hideout. A few corpses were strewn around the floor, their bodies drained of blood. Juliet noticed all the windows were covered with thick, black curtains. Juliet presumed that the bloodsuckers in the building must not be immune to sunlight yet.
Juliet wandered into another room while Axel and Luca talked. She nudged open an old apartment door and saw more dead corpses. Juliet pulled her shirt over her nose and mouth to mask the smell of rotting flesh. She saw a bloodsucker hunched in the corner, feeding off a fresh body. Juliet gasped at the sight and the bloodsucker whipped her head around to look at Juliet. The bloodsucker sped over to her and shoved her against the wall. The bloodsucker bared her teeth at Juliet and shoved Juliet's head to the side, exposing the flesh of the side of her neck. The bloodsucker sank her fangs into Juliet's flesh. Juliet grabbed the blanket that covered the window beside her and yanked it off. The sunlight poured in and burned the bloodsucker. The bloodsucker screamed, covering her face and curling into a fetal position on the ground. "Please," the bloodsucker croaked, "turn off the light!"
Juliet ran from the room and bumped into Luca. "I heard screaming. Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. As for the bloodsucker that attacked me, I'm not so sure." Juliet replied. Her neck throbbed painfully. She brushed her fingers over the puncture wounds. Luca yanked her hand away from the wound.
"You're not okay; you were bitten."
"It's fine. She was only able to bite me for half a second; I yanked the curtain off the window."
"She broke skin, Juliet." Luca responded. He had fear in his eyes. He knew what could happen; even a tiny bit of bloodsucker venom and she would turn into bloodsucker. "My father is going to kill me." He muttered under his breath. He glanced up at Juliet, he tried to inspect the wound but it was already gone.
"I heal quickly." Juliet stated with a shrug. Luca sighed with relief, the bloodsucker in her fought off the venom.
"We need to get to my father before another incident like this happens."
Juliet nodded, "I can get us there." She used her tracking ability to guide them to Luca's father.
"Ah, Luca, I see you brought the girl." Jeremiah said with a smile. "I'm Jeremiah, Luca's father, it's a pleasure to finally meet you."
"I'm Juliet." Juliet muttered in response.
"I know. Luca could you please give us a moment to talk."
Luca left the room without another word. "I hear you want me to find Clara." Juliet stated.
"Yes, has my son told you everything?"
"Yes."
"Even about your real parents?"
"Yes." Juliet immediately thought about Edwin. Was he worried about her? Was he looking for her? She brushed off the thoughts, she didn't care what Edwin thought or did anymore. Juliet felt nothing but raw anger towards him. "I want to help you find Clara." Juliet muttered without a second thought.
"Great," Jeremiah said with a smile, "We'll start searching tomorrow."
