Chapter Ten

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Chapter Ten

"So, how was your day?" Patricia asked as we all sat around the dinner table. Jessi had brought a friend round to the house. We'd been given very strict and precise instructions. 'Can you not be cannibals for like three hours?' Cue Snort, followed by a girly bimbo giggle.
I smiled in response, whereas Dougie merely grunted.
"Do anything interesting?" She continued, turning to me. "How' are things with you and Danny? He seemed to have taken a shine to you."
Both Dougie and Jessi watched me intently. Jessi dropping her fork, her friend raising an eyebrow at the sudden silence and halt in movement.
"he's just been really nice. Showing me around a bit." I shrugged.
"He's a real catch, Claire. You need a decent boy. Isn't that right, Dougie?" Patricia beamed obliviously.

Oh the irony.

"I guess." He grumbled. I glanced up, noticing he was merely pushing his food around his plate instead of consuming it. And that's when I happened upon Jessi's gaze, or should I say glare? Dear lord! It looked like she was ready to burn me, shove a pole up my backside and use me as a javelin.

"So, how come Dougie doesn't go to school?" Jessi's friend asked. I really couldn't, for the life of me, remember her name. She may as well have been called Jessi as well. They practically looked identical, and acted the same. You have to question which it the original 'Miss Thing' to be honest.
"Because he's retarded and beyond help." Jessi replied casually.
"People think licking windows is wrong." Dougie spoke.
"Actually," I grinned as I interrupted. "Dougie's knowledge surpasses that of an average sixteen year old. He's too advanced for high school, you see."
"Wow! Jessi, why didn't you tell me! No wonder your grades are so high! He probably writes your stuff!" The prim and proper girl enthused whilst Jessi's glare grew ever more infuriated with me.

I simply smiled in return, coughing a little when I felt Dougie's hand on my leg, fingers tracing small invisible patterns just above my knee. Patricia, I noticed, merely smiled in amusement, clearly showing no intention of setting the record straight at all.

And all is well in the world again.
Hopefully.

Dougie shut his bedroom door behind us, sliding the lock in to place before looking at me, laughing loudly.
"God, I've never seen Jessi that pssed off before." He chuckled.
"She's ready to murder me in my sleep." I remarked, lying down on the bed, hands clasped behind my head.
"She won't hurt you." Dougie stood over me. "She's scared you'll eat her, or something daft." He leant down, pecking me on the lips before climbing over me to lie on the other side of the bed. I moved, shuffling closer and turning on my side to face him.
"You ever get a feeling in your gut that something's about to happen?" I asked. He turned over himself, mimicking my body language, chewing the inside of his mouth, obviously musing on an answer.
"Not really." He replied. "Why?"
"I keep thinking that something's happening or going to happen." I explained, feeling a little dumb for expressing my thoughts. "And it's not a good thing. Or, it is, and I just don't know it. I just feel like, right now, there's something not quite right."
"Irregular bowl movements." He nodded.
"No!" I squirmed. "I'm seriously, Doug. It's nothing to do with my bodily functions."

"So you're not horny then?"
I shot him a glare.
He seemed to get the idea.

"You don't mind if I sleep here, do you?" he asked after a short silence.
"Why wouldn't I?" I frowned, "You've done it before."
"I know. I mean, well cause we're." he paused for thought. "Are we together?"
"How does that make our sleeping arrangements any different?" I raised my eyebrows at him, although I really wouldn't have known what to answer with. "After all, it's only a bed."

"Yes, but…"

He sighed, the pair of us directing our gazes to the flashing mobile phone on the bedside table. I leaned over. There was something ominous about the words 'Harry Calling' at that exact moment. And as Dougie snapped the phone up in his hands and placed it to his ear, I knew.

I just knew.

"The library?" Dougie quizzed in to the receiver. "Why?" he looked at me, comically rolling his eyes. "Of course I take you seriously. You yell if I don't." He smiled. He seemed to get off on winding my brother up. "She's what?"
"It's Tene, isn't it?" I whispered. Dougie nodded, his eyes questioning my knowledge. The information I didn't quite understand how I'd come to acquire. "Tell him to stop panicking."

"Harry, please… Calm the hell down!" I hissed in to the phone. "We're in the library. Now tell me what we're looking for."
"Medical history." He breathed heavily down the line. I repeated what he'd said to me, to Dougie, who simply stared blankly before informing me he had none because vampires aren't susceptible to any known illnesses. Well that was a lot of help.
"We have nothing on that." I mumbled back to Harry.
"That's not good enough when Tene's rejecting everything she just drank." He snapped back at me.
"Right. Umm…" I looked at Doug. Time to take charge I think. "Anything you have on hunter and vampire contact. It's something to do with that hunter, I'm sure."
"How will that help?" Harry snapped.
"Shut up and trust me." I shot back in the same edgy tone of voice. "Tell me all of her symptoms."
"Her temperature's high. She can't keep down the blood. She's so weak." He whispered. "I'm scared, Claire. No one gets ill. We're too… We don't get ill!!"

It was at that moment that Dougie shoved a large book under my nose, it's musty smell leaving my nostrils disturbed and uncomfortable. It took a few moments for my eyes to focus, before I began to read the passage that Dougie tapped his index finger on to repeatedly.

'But being a hunter, comes great responsibilities. Blessed with a second sight, all must be able to identify vampires who they aren't allowed to harm, by law. This agreement was made in 1579 by Alfred Harth (Head of Hunter Affairs 1531 – 1601) and Eliza Maylepeth (Royal female of the Shevayan Clan 1540 – 1622) when twelve pregnant females were slaughtered in cold blood by hunters.

The new law stated that all hunters would not be allowed to harm, in any way, a vampire under mating age, already wounded from a previous attack, or with child. If confrontation is found, a hunter must immediately apologize.'

I looked up at Dougie, mouth open in disbelief. Well I never. I handed the phone to Dougie and continued to read down the page.

'More information on vulnerability, use 'Leading the Vampyric Life' By Edward Cartwright, and 'Blood Red' By Sally Hames'

I got up from the chair and made my way over to the book case, ignoring Dougie calling my name constantly. I picked out the two titles that I needed, placing them on the table, flicking through the book by Cartwright first.
Completely useless.
Sally Hames, however, well, we all know that women are a lot better at explaining information. Especially if it's just what you're looking for.

I motioned for Dougie to give me the phone again. He obeyed, at the same time peering at what I has been reading from. His eyes widened a little, and so he turned the book to face him, now sitting at a chair to read, engrossed in the page.

"Harry, is Tene drinking your blood?" I asked in to the phone.
"Not for a few weeks." He replied. "We get bags from Patricia."
"She needs your blood." I stated bluntly.
"Why? We've always drank like that!" he questioned.
"because the baby needs your blood." I sighed. "Regularly."
"Right." Harry breathed, pausing. "I heard you say that, right?"
"You did." I said. "She'll need to feed soon. The book says it's like a warning sign that things are a bit pear shaped when the sickness starts."
"She's pregnant." I'm not sure whether he's asking me, or just stating the obvious.

"Yes, she is." I yawned.
I wonder what time it is.

"She's pregnant." Harry repeated. This could become quite tiresome. "Are you sure?"
"Harry! Just go and let her feed." I shrieked. "The longer you wait, the more dangerous it is."
"I … er… Okay." He stammered, obviously panicking and not all there. "Thanks Claire." And with that I heard the dialing tone. Well now, how very eventful.

I was silent as I handed Dougie the phone. His finger tips brushed over the palm of my hand gently, sending small shivers to run up my hand and arm, one after the other. He placed the phone down on the table, walking around it and standing in front of me. I looked up at him, noticing his eyes glinting from behind his long blonde fringe. I smile, brushing the hair from his eyes. He caught hold of my hand in his, placing my palm to his cheek, closing his eyes. I stepped, well, shuffled as close as I could before placing my lips to his.

"I don't care that this is wrong." He whispered, murmered as we pulled away a little, noses touching. "It's worth it… You're worth it all."
"What would happen if we were caught?" I asked curiously.
"I'd be put to death." He shrugged, seemingly completely dismissive of this rather large detail he'd never thought important enough to tell me.
I stepped back from him, shaking my head. "No, Doug. That's dumb. I don't want you to risk that." I spoke. "You're being stupid."
"I'm not!" he retorted. "Claire, please…"
"I'm not worth it!" I exclaimed, heading towards the library door to unlock it.
"You are!" He yelled back.
"And how would you know?" I sighed.

"Because I'm falling in love with you."