Whoa! I am so sorry! My internet has been down for ages and I haven't been able to upload a chapter! How long has it been? Weeks? Months yet? No probably not. I know I didn't get as many reviews as I asked but I did say I didn't care, I just like to smile when I see them. Please enjoy this chapter (and all the others but since I am writing I thought I should mention it). I will try to upload again by the end of next week but it might be a while after that, I have real life to attend to! Enjoy!

I've never been the kind to ever let my feelings show
and I thought that bein' strong meant never losin' your self-control
Tonight I Wanna Cry – Keith Urban

Chapter 7

I stood by the basin, considering his words. Where they actually genuine? Did he really care that I wasn't feeding, that I was normal again, or was he just glad that I was strong enough to fight now in a battle and could train others without getting too hurt?

I leaned forward to take a look at my eyes and why they bothered him. They looked fine to me. They weren't black anymore, but a nice pale red colour. Wait, pale red? They were supposed to be blood red. I touched my eyelids with my finger tips. It must have been the animal. It must affect me differently. If I was to continue feeding on animals, would it keep changing my eyes? How could I stop it without killing someone else?

I ran my hands over my face and through my hair in frustration. The Major noticed within seconds, not something I could easily conceal. I hope he just thought that they were still changing from my recent feed but he must know something was up. I sighed before looking at the mirror again.

Maybe I could just will my eyes to turn red again! I thought, sarcastically. I almost laughed at myself until I looked at my eyes again. They were blood red.

I gasped. What the hell just happened! Could I seriously just want something to happen and it will. I want my eye colour to turn….emerald green. Nothing happened.

I looked down at the basin and huffed. I turned to the mirror to inspect my eyes again, but what I saw surprised me.

They were green!

Was this some sort of trick? I looked around to see if anyone was messing with me but I was alone. I could hear that the closest person was in a barn at least twenty metres away and was concentrating far too much to be playing with me. What the hell was happening?

I concentrated again on the mirror, leaning forward so I was just inches from the surface. I concentrated my thoughts on my eyes, seeing how far I could push this.

I stared into my own eyes, never blinking not wanting to miss this. Seconds after I thought it, my eyes turned pink, then blue, green again, yellow, crimson, purple, violet, orange, gold, bronze, brown and back to blood red again. This is so weird. This must be my power! What a stupid power. Changing eye colour? Maybe I could do more?

I took a step back from the mirror and concentrated again, my eyebrows furrowed as I thought. I had almost given up on the idea when my hair, naturally chocolate brown, had streaks of blonde coursing through it from my skull until the tips of each hair. I looked completely different with blonde hair. This is so weird. Can I change any part of my appearance?

It didn't take long for me to get used to the changes. By the end of the night I could successfully change anything about me, my weight and size, height, eyes, nose, mouth, hair colour, length and style and how my face appeared. I could change my body parts so drastically I could become a man if I wanted to. That thought sent a shudder through me.

I took a quick glance in the mirror, checking everything had returned to normal, except for my eyes, they were to remain the deepest of reds, like blood, to make sure that no one came asking questions. I straightened my top which had somehow managed to remain intact through all my training, which I was pleased. I didn't plan on having to wear one of those horrible white dresses again.

I left, satisfied with my appearance and headed off to one of the barns where I will find the Major and receive my, very strict instructions I am sure.

I walked over and was greeted by about ten vampires all looking clueless and unskilled in any defence or attack work. The Major stood by them keeping watch and making sure they didn't start ripping each others throats out. No matter how little training a vampire has, they still have their instincts and they are always the strongest weapon.

He spun when be heard my arrival, relief passed his face so quickly I wasn't sure if it was ever there. "Good. You will train these newborns. Do not hesitate to snap their necks if they decide to…" he glared at one of the men, "misbehave." He turned to walk out the opposite door. "Have fun." And he was gone.

I looked around at what I was given. They all looked so awkward. Either too young or old, or never seen a fight before in their life. They were all men. Maria was serious when she said she wanted proper fighters.

"Alright listen up," I began to walked around them, taking in every detail of them, looking for strengths and weaknesses. Advantages each of them have and how to use them. "I case you don't know, which I am sure most of you do, you will probably all die in the battle we are about to fight. None of you have done anything in concern to your training and it will reflect during the fighting.

"However, I do not wish for you to die, I am not like Maria, I will try to teach you how to keep your lives and how to do it so that you end a few that deserve it. I will not, however, tolerate any sort of nonsense from you as I don't actually have to do this." I looked around and picked a small boy, hiding behind the rest.

"You," I pointed to him, "come here." I turned and walked to the middle of the barn. I looked to see the boy hadn't yet moved.

"I will not say it again, come here!" I shout. He immediately walks quickly over to me, standing a good distance away.

"Look at this boy, he seems little, too weak to defend himself. He will be easy pickings for anyone on the opposing side." I say to the men. I look back at the boy I chose. "No offence." I smiled briefly, he still seems terrified.

"I will make sure, however, that this boy will kill someone in the days to come. He may not seem like much, but with the right knowledge, he can do something to contribute to whatever we are fighting for. And heck, you may even survive. But not without my help."

I looked him up and down and could tell he was self-conscious, absolutely terrified but had a small glimmer of hope deep within him.

"I can help you," I walked close to him; close enough so he can feel my breath on his face. "If you just let me."

He nodded, as did the rest. They weren't sure what to make of me. I nodded in return. "This boy is small in all meanings of the word. Short, skinny and young. You may doubt this but you can use it to your advantage. Slip through your enemies fingers. Use your speed, not your strength. That can come later, when you are close enough to reach out and snap their necks."

I walked over to the biggest man. "Same for you. They will expect you to use brute force to defeat your opponents. Be unpredictable. Do the unexpected, it will confuse them and give you the advantage.

"Pair up! I want to see how you fight!"

For the next few hours I spent time in groups and individually, working on their techniques of blows and sparring. They were slowly improving which was a good sign. The original boy I chose seemed to make the most progress. They had learned to use their other skills, their speed, incredible sight and hearing to defeat their opponents by outsmarting them, only bringing in strength when it was time for the kill.

As night fell I did not allow them to leave, we still needed to work on large numbers. They could hold their own against one or two other vampires but if they were ambushed they were in trouble. It required a whole new style of fighting. I tried to demonstrate first but it was difficult for them to understand.

"When it comes to ambushes, use your strength more than before. Use the opponent you had just knocked down to kill another one. Remember to use your senses to tell where they are around you and to predict their moves. If they pounce, move at the last second, fling your arm out in their way and snap their neck that way, rip their heads off if you need too. Use their momentum to disarm another."

It took several more hours before seven of them were able to fight a group for a few minutes and gain the upper hand. The others were going to die in the first wave of fighters anyway, although it seemed heartless, I wasn't as concerned with them.

"Okay, take a break. Go hunting if you need to. Meet me back here in twelve hours. I expect you all to be ready to go." Some of them left straight away, some nodding before they left but the boy came to me and said, "Thankyou," before departing.

I waited in the barn for them all to leave. I knew he was there before he made his presence known. He had been watching in secret for most of the second half of training, I knew he was debating coming in and interrupting.

So of course I wasn't at all surprised when he decided to take this moment of silence to pounce.

As usual I was ready, flipping over him as he nearly collided with the opposite wall but stopping just in time. He doubled back, aiming straight for the neck and it was just as he was closing that I felt another's presence. I managed to duck just in time as my first attacker narrowly missed my neck and a second fighter almost flew in from my left.

The next few minutes consisted of only blows and sparring of our limbs. I ducked as someone's arm flung out near my head, bringing out my leg to kick my other opponent. I grabbed someone's shoulders and threw them at the other just as I was attacked from behind again.

A third person was grasping my neck, squeezing, but not long enough to kill me as I ripped off their arms and head-butted their face sending them flying backwards. The others had recovered and were charging again from different sides.

Instead of panicking and admitting defeat like most vampires I jumped and grabbed onto the roof and listened to the sound like thunder as they collided. I rolled my eyes and jumped back down, taking a look at my attackers.

I noticed Charlotte first; retrieving her arms and helping her put them back on.

"Wow, Izzy, there is no way that anyone will ever get their hands on you." We shared grins.

"Good, that is the general idea."

"Yes, even I have to admit that was brilliant. Taking on a group of newborns is one thing, but three fully trained soldiers? That's a feat even I am proud of." Peter stood up and brushed the dirt from his pants before reaching out to shake my hand. We shook, a little too rough for my taste but I couldn't help returning the grin he was giving me.

"Yes, quite an achievement." The Major was off the ground, not bothering to dust himself off. "I'd say that your training is complete."

"Yes yes it was absolutely fantastic," A very sarcastic voice met my ears. I turned to see Maria, flanked by Lucy and Nettie like usual, looking unimpressed. "I would hope that you live up to this, Isabella." She turned and left again, Lucy giving a salute to me before following. Nettie looked angry as she gestured with her hands, first pointing at me then running across her neck. I wasn't allowed to screw this up. Otherwise I will really die. I tried not to shudder as they retreated.

"Well that was dramatic." Charlotte was the first to break the silence. Peter let out a laugh.

"The only way she knows how. Want to hunt with me?" He asked Charlotte.

"Sure! See you later, Izzy." They left the barn again, I could tell that hunting was an excuse to be alone together but I would never point that out.

"You're a good trainer." I looked at the Major, who I had almost forgotten.

"Sorry?"

You're good. They listen to you, trust you. They actually might survive half the battle if you train them."

"Umm…thanks?"

His eyes flashed to mine. "No problem." He turned to walk away but stopped. "One day, when this is all over, you need to teach me how to do it."

I frowned. "Do what?"

"Fight like that. I haven't seen anything like it. Its like you know what's going to happen before it does, you know exactly what to do to avoid getting hurt and how do win your battles."

"Oh…" I wasn't sure what to say. "When this is all over, I'll try. But only when it's over." I looked him in the eye.

"When it's all over," He walked to me, held out his hand for me to shake. I nodded, reaching for his grasp, shaking his hand but instead feeling a jolt of energy flow through me. I let go quickly, trying not to show weakness or surprise. His eyes widened slightly, but only for a millisecond, hiding his reaction.

"When it's all over, I will teach you. When it's all over, you will know." We nodded before walking away, each towards a different door, both our separate ways.

The following afternoon I was waiting in the barn for the newborns I was training to show up when I heard it; a loud piercing screech that made my toes curl and sent a shiver down my spine. I turned towards the door of the barn and dashed to it. I peered around and saw a small girl, on the ground, clutching the sides of her head in pain, screaming at the top of her lungs. I recognised her from our camp. One of the slave girls I noticed Maria yelling at every now again, mostly to get her something to drain.

Her suffering was eating at me. I walked out of the barn and joined the crowd that had formed around her. When I passed them, standing on the inside of the half circle, was when I noticed him. Eyes piercing into everybody who had gathered, his fangs were bared, blood dripping down his chin onto the ground. His left hand on the girls shoulder, his grip was strong, fingers curved around her skin. He seemed to enjoy her pain too much.

"STOP!"

I spun to see who had spoken. The crowd next to me parted, like magic, as Maria walked through them, looking mad. Angrier than I thought I'd ever seen anyone.

"Stop," she came to a halt a few feet from the girl on the ground. Lucy and Nettie followed her and stopped on either side of her, both looking just as mad.

"Or what? I will crush you like insects!" He spat in her face.

Maria let out an evil, mocking laugh. "Oh really? I seriously doubt that." She turned to her newborns. "Attack them!" she yelled.

The newborns jumped up and ran in the direction of the trees. It took me a few moments before I realised that another army of newborns were running out of them. The fighting began right away, the clashes and body parts flying everywhere.

"What did I miss? So much for a few days, huh," I turned to see Charlotte, who had just got back from hunting, see the fight and grin. "Well? What are you waiting for?" She laughed as she ran towards the mess of a fight and joined in.

"Whoa, go Char!" Peter ran past me as well, only stopping to send me a wink.

I looked around and saw most of both sides had died, the ones left were duelling, one on one mostly, the occasional two on one. We had the upper hand but I could tell we weren't going to last long at the rate we were going.

I saw Maria in a very intense fight with the man who tortured the girl. She lay lifeless on the ground, her neck snapped and was paralysed. She wasn't going to recover any time soon and was already counted among the dead. I managed to locate each of the newborns I had trained. Unfortunately six of the ten were dead. I was grateful the small boy was among the living, using his size to his advantage. I couldn't help but feel proud. As I searched, there was one face missing; one face that I never thought would miss a fight like this.

Where the hell was the Major?

And it was like instincts again. I felt it, something off. Something was definitely wrong. I took off running, letting my body carry me to where I needed to go. It took me through the trees, around the fight, avoiding all vampires and limbs lying still on the ground. I ran through the trees, but not fast. My destination wasn't too far away.

I stopped at the edge of a clearing. I peered through a thick bush, ducking behind it out of sight. I crept as close as possible before stopping and concentrating my thoughts on my hearing. I cupped my hand around my ear so it would know the direction I wanted to know more about.

"…you're not leaving until you tell me. Do you think that I would come here if I didn't think I would win? You will tell me how to kill her, and then I will kill you, and your girl." Then there were yells and shouts. The voice was deep, definitely male but I didn't know who it was. The yells however sounded too much like the Major but I couldn't be certain. It was rare I heard him speak let alone yell like that. It was evident he was in pain, apart of some wicked torture.

I decided although it wasn't much, it was enough and I was going to intervene. No one deserved that kind of pain. I pushed through the bushes to announce myself and was almost stunned at what I saw.

The Major was tied to a tree, which didn't seem too bad until I saw that his legs and arms were tied around trees of there own. He was swimming in his clothes that had somehow managed to stay intact. A man was standing over one of his legs, hold a lighter, the flame hovering under his toes, not enough to burn or permanently damage him but enough to make it seriously painful. Vampires are weird; even if the body part wasn't connected to its owner, you could still feel it which was just another painful reason why we don't die easily.

But like I said, I was almost stunned at what I saw.

Neither man had noticed me yet. The Major was in to much pain and the other man was enjoying his pain far too much. I looked down at my body and thought back to my experiments with my 'gift.' I closed my eyes and concentrated on what I wanted. I opened them and looked at my body again and grinned. It actually worked. I slowly crept up on the man until I was standing sideways to them. I made sure I had a clear shot before I kicked him.

My foot connected with his hand and it sent the lighter flying across the clearing, hitting a tree. The man spun around confused, instinctively grabbing at whatever interfered with him. He stopped and looked around confused. He saw nothing. I snuck around the back of him, careful not to step on a twig or a particularly crunchy leaf. I started untying the Major body parts and brought them over to him. The man was looking at the floating body parts in the air in a stunned silence. I first attached his arms so he could untie himself and put on his own legs. I turned around to the man who was slowly backing away.

"Oh no, you don't," I muttered under my breath and forgot about creeping around. I ran full out towards him and punched him in the face. He flew back into a tree but was more prepared this time. He looked towards the ground and followed the dust patterns I was making and the sounds of my breathing to fight. Of course, it was like fighting with a blind man. I stood there rolling my eyes before reaching my arms around his neck, pulling him towards me. I felt my fangs sharpen as I pierced him neck and watched his head roll onto the ground.

I ran over to where the lighted had fallen to and set the man on fire quickly, making sure it was all burning before turning back towards the Major. I took a quick look at myself first and turned back into me.

"Are you okay?" I crouched on my knees beside the Major who was having trouble processing what had just happened.

"Where you just…did you just…how did you…" He was fumbling for words; I had never seen him look so confused. I helped him out of the rope and made sure his limbs were connected properly before helping him up.

"…invisible?" he finished finally. He gave me a blank expression. I felt like laughing at him but tired to restrain myself.

"It's not funny! What the hell just happened here?" He asked me. Damn, I forgot he could read my emotions.

"It's just. I've been working on it for a while but I wasn't sure how far I could go." I tried to explain. I couldn't think how to put it in words, because I didn't even now what I was capable of yet. "I think I have a gift or power, whatever. I just, I'm still experimenting, and that's all."

He gave me a funny look before replying. "I thought your gift was weirdly good instincts, but this? Never in my existence," He shook his head, pacing away from me, frustrated.

"You wait till Maria still hears about this! She'll flip! We've never had anyone who could turn invisible and we have had a huge number of gifted people here."

I walked up behind in and spun him around, almost fearful. "You can't tell her!" I whispered harshly; the terror evident in my wide eyes.

He seemed to ignore my obvious distaste. "Well of course we have to tell her! She will be thrilled, you could be the greatest edition to this army you know." He seemed giddy over his idea. I just stood there, staring. Was he serious that stupid?

"You are not telling her!" I yelled in his face, giving him a strong shove. "She will never find out about this! And do you know why I know this? Because I just saved your goddamn life, that's why!" He looked a little scared now, just a little. I shoved him again and he fell too the ground. I got to my knees and leant down over him, almost straddling his chest, slightly off him. "And if she does find out, I will make sure that what almost happened here today, will happen, but in a more painful way. Want to imagine that?" He looked terrified, remembering the pain and tried to push me off. I gripped his wrist and pushed them to the ground, pinning him to the ground. He kicked at me and tried to roll us over but I kept us rolling until I was on top again. "You won't tell anyone, is that clear enough for you!?"

I released his wrist and climbed off him, brushing the dirt off my knees and back.

"We should get back, see who won or if Maria is even alive." I turned back in the direction I came in.

"Wait," his voice stopped me. I turned to look at him. He looked a little sad, almost grateful but ashamed at the same time. It was quite a weird facial expression. "Thankyou for saving me," he spoke quietly. I almost needed to strain my ears to hear him. "But can we change the story a little bit. Can I save you instead?" He looked up a little hopeful. I couldn't help it. This time I laughed.

"Oh dear, you want to keep your pride? Its fine, tell them whatever you want, as long as you don't tell them how I actually managed to do it."

He nodded and started walking towards me. "Let's get back to camp shall we? I need to know if I can kill any vampires today."