CHAPTER TEN JOKES AND ATTEMPTED PERSUASION

Weeks went on with not so much as a problem though our eyes were getting darker by the day. We were also getting mean and restless. One morning, Tony and I sat on the bed just in each others arms thinking, which we had been doing often.

"We have to get up. Layla and I are going internet shopping and we are going hunting at noon remember?" I said breaking the silence. Layla, Daemon, Tony and I had talked the night before about what to do about Emily but not coming up with anything other than the next days plans.

Tony sighed and unwillingly got out of bed. I went into the bathroom and jumped into the shower, as did I with the other bathroom. I took a long shower making sure I lathered all my now permanently black, red and blonde hair well with shampoo and conditioner. I rinsed my hair, wrapped a towel around myself and jumped out, realizing I had no cloths to change into.

"Shit." I muttered. Then a hand reached in and placed a set of cloths on the countertop.

"Idioma chicka language" Melissa scolded and left. I looked at the cloths she had placed on the marble counter top. Before I could reach over and examine them I slipped and fell.

"Ugh. Damn it. Why is it that ever since everyone found out I was a vampire I'm a klutz again, I slip on tile that isn't even wet. What does that say?" I asked no one.

"I'd say 'you're only human' but that wouldn't be the right saying because you're not." Said a voice from the door. Tony entered, in baggy jeans and a blue muscle shirt, showing off his newly sculpted six pack. He lifted me off the ground as if I were as light as a feather and placed me on my feet.

"Klutz." He muttered after setting me down and leaving, closing the door behind him.

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Vampire Note #21

One of the few good things about being a vampire was that you were granted extreme grace… or so I was told. I was a klutz as a human and it followed me into my vampire life, but only around Tony. There were certain human things I could do around Tony that I couldn't do around any other being suck as tripping or blushing. I don't know what this means. Maybe it means we were meant to be together, or maybe it means he has some weird power we don't know about where he can bring our the human side of vampires and the vampire side of humans… yeah maybe not, that's a bit weird (Try picturing a human hunting… it's a bit weird). But then again I am not a normal teenage vampire.

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"I heard that!" I yelled through door. I walked over to the counter slowly, making sure not to fall again and examined the clothing. It was horrible. It was a pink frilly T-shirt with a yellow butterfly on the front, matching tight jean mini skirt with pink rhinestone butterflies on the pockets and butt. The worst part was the set of frilly/lacey pink underwear. Grudgingly and swearing loudly I put the cloths on quickly and walked out of the bathroom. Tony was sitting on the bed facing the wall opposite my bathroom, staring at the ground. I made as much noise as I could and walked across the room and stood right in front of him.

"Kill me." I asked him with as serious face. He lifted his head up and started hysterically laughing.

"Sorry it's to complicated, I think ill just continue to laugh until I die, which I basically can't so yeah" he rambled then began laughing again.

"If you ever want to kiss me again, and I mean not even the slightest peck, you would stop laughing now" I warned. His laughter ceased immediately and he returned to looked at the floor smiling slightly.

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Vampire Note #22

In every boy girl relationship there is the one who is in charge. Males normally say its them to their buddies but know deep down the girlhad the final say in any argument and the females know that they are in charge and don't have to say anything about it. Males feel the need to express their manliness by acting stupid and controlling so getting used to it and telling them have there moment is necessary. I held the keys to the car so-to-speak in Tony and mines relationship, meaning if I said so its law. Now I am not a controlling person but if I say so (to Tony I mean) then it's done. Tony makes up for my rule by acting very controlling about guys around me… at least he did when he was human, I don't know how he feels now but I am assuming it is going to multiply. Looks like I am going to keep an eye out for all the guys at the next school we go to so that he doesn't 'accidentally' punch them and crack there skull.

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"Come on its eight and Layla and I need at least two hours of shopping time for ourselves then we have to shop for you and Daemon which will take an hour and plus we have to find that room again which could take hours alone seeing how big this castle is." I said, grabbed the lap top from the desk on the far side of the room, took his hand and left the room. We attempted to follow our memories of where the room was but being me who forgets everything and had no sense of direction. Tony on the other hand walked the path as if he had done so many times before.

"How do you remember this so well?" I asked him as he pulled me around a corned and down a vaguely familiar dark hallway,

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Vampire Note #23

I was beginning to wonder if Tony had some power he wasn't telling me about or one that he didn't realize. He was also acting a bit strange around me, more… confident in what he was about to do. I guess that's what happens when you become a vampire, its kinda fun.

"It's like I told you yesterday remember, about your sent? Well I can smell Layla and Daemon too and they are this way." He said and pulled me down another hallway like the last and into a familiar doorway. The room was even more gorgeous in the light. The colors were brighter and the room it's self gave a comforting aura. I sat on the couch and sat in a ladylike position, which is very uncomfortable and waited. I was going to kill Melissa for making me wear this it was devastating. As if things couldn't get any worse everyone started laughing.

"Yikes Sirce, that's awful!" Daemon said, now on the floor laughing.

"Where's a camera when you need one?" Craig said doubled over in laughter.

"Up your-"I said before Tony placed his hand over my mouth and smiled. I turned to look at him only to find he was laughing too. I shot him a death glare reminding him of my threat; he immediately shut up and looked at the floor. Layla laughed slightly but not as hysterically was the boys did, and I was grateful for it.

She in fact also had the same outfit on only in a lighter shade of pink. I was suddenly overcome with the urge to laugh, as was anyone else in the room who hadn't been already.

"Stupid empathic!" I laughed. Everyone except Tony looked at me funny.

"Hablo ingles?" Craig said, chopping the syllables up horribly. I laughed at his lack of Spanish because he laughed at me for being slow sometimes. He laughed along with me and whined 'it's not funny'.

"Well yesterday after you all left Jagger and I-" there was a chorus of 'who's' when I said Jagger, "Oh Tony's new name is Jagger and mine is Sirce but lets only call each other by our new names when we are in mixed company, anyway after you left that day when you found out we were vampires I talked to Melissa about your abilities, and she told me it is common for vampires to have an ability or abilities, so mine or one of mine is that I can read the minds of others."

"Oh great no more privacy. Period." Layla joked.

"I always have been you just didn't know. But I won't be listening to anything; I have learned to block the thoughts out of my head." I assured them.

"Ok but that still doesn't explain why you called me an empathic." Craig said now extremely curious.

"It means you can sense and control the emotions of others around you and send out emotions of your choosing, like laughter. You did it by accident but the same yesterday, Emily was mad so you were mad and when you were mad and couldn't control your power you made everyone mad, which I think you did when you were transforming too because I was mad at Melissa one moment and then completely calm the next. This power will probably come in handy the way Emily switches moods. Wait how did you know I changed my name to Raven before I told you?" I asked Layla, Daemon, and Craig.

"Oh yeah well I, I can't explain how, but I zoned out for a minute and saw something I wish I never want to see again and then I saw you and Tony talking about it and your new names." He smiled. If I was human I would be dead with embarrassment by now.

"Well I think you might be able to see the future, but I can't be sure unless you tell me what time you had a vision." I told him.

"It was at like one AM I think." Layla told me.

"Yeah well I am probably right but just check with Melissa later." I told them. Daemon smiled, liking his new power..

"That is so cool! This just keeps getting better and better!" Daemon thought.

"I want to be able to move things with my mind. What do they call those? Telephoyids? Teplsids?" Layla thought. I laughed at her stupidity.

"I think I already know what mine is but I am not going to think it just in case Nikki is listening, I want to surprise her with it. Oh you know it would be cool if I could go into people's brains and tell them what to do, that would be awesome!" Tony thought. I laughed again.

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Vampire Note #24

Tony was such a seventeen year old boy. No brain and a big kid at heart. That's why I loved him. He was the best boyfriend a girl could ask for. Kind, sweet, gentile, romantic, funny, entertaining, unique and just so loveable… well to me anyway. Maybe loveable wasn't the right word because he made teachers somehow hate is guts on the first day and they didn't even know him. It always bothered me but then I realized that teachers have this sense that tells them that certain kids were trouble and didn't do what they were asked and Tony was one of those people… which is probably another reason why I liked him. I was a straight A student. Never did anything bad, never missed a homework, never hesitated to ask a question, the ideal student and Tony brought out the side of me I enjoyed more and I never went back to that side again.

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"Maybe I can get Emily to be reasonable with this power. Hum I got an idea. I am going to try out my power by sending a huge wave of love towards Tony- I mean Jagger- and see what happens." Craig thought. I thought it was sweet of him to try and help Emily first and not toy around with the people's feelings, well other than Tony's that is. As if on cue Tony started kissing my neck and whispering 'I love you' after each one kiss. I smiled at Craig and he smiled back in satisfaction.

"Alright Craig I think you can control it now, so can you get him offa me?" I asked him. I looked at Tony who was now kissing up and down my arm.

"Oh come on you know you like it." he joked. I smiled half-heartedly at him. I went back into Craig's thoughts momentarily.

"Hmm I wonder…HA! He's still going and I stopped using my power! Well I'll let him have his fun but I am getting out of here if he goes any further than what he's already doing." Craig laughed mentally.

"Tony enough, you're not under Craig's control anymore." I said pushing him away.

"I know, I'm under yours" He smiled then picked me up off the couch, held the small of my waist and kissed me deeply. He was leaning over me pressing his hips to mine tightly. Even if I had wanted to move I couldn't have. Then someone cleared there throat and Tony almost dropped me again but caught me inched before I hit the floor.

"Why does it always seem like when I fall it's your fault?" I wondered aloud. Everyone laughed. I noticed a new edition to the room.

"Tia why did you put us in these seriously skimpy and ugly cloths" I asked Melissa.

"Es muy cómico" she laughed.

"Funny to who?" I asked.

"Yo y sus amigos y sus novios." She told me. I scowled and she addressed everyone. "Buenos dias mis amores, good morning my children. How did you sleep?" she joked. Everyone chuckled.

"Ay aren't we missing un nina?" she asked.

"She… She won't listen to me. We had a fight last night, which I am sure you heard, and she won't talk or listen to me. All she did last night was lay in the bed sob, it was depressing and then this morning she wouldn't move no matter how many times I called her name or shook her." Craig sighed. Now I saw the depression he was hiding from us all.

"Well since Layla and I can't shop we'll go talk to her." I suggested.

"Yeah lets." Layla agreed and we left the room. In the room we just left there was someone counting. I realized we didn't know where we were going. I pointed it out to Layla then we went back.

"Make a right at the nearest hallway then its three doors down." Craig stated.

"Thanks fangs." I said. Everyone but Melissa looked confused.

"What did she mean by fang?" I heard Tony ask from the sitting room. I smiled then Melissa answered.

"It's a term old vampires use for young vampires like you all, thought I don't know how she knew that." Melissa said. There was a chorus of 'Oh's that faded as Layla and I ran into Emily and Craig's room.

We entered the room without knocking and were shocked with what we saw. The room was dark but with my vampire sight I saw the room as if it was well lit. It looked like it was hit with a tornado, but was probably tornado Emily. Speaking of which, she was laying on the bed in the room in a fetal position sobbing tearlessly. I looked at Layla, heart-broken and she did the same. I decided to be the first one to speak, starting with a nice understanding approach. I walked over to her bed with Layla at my side and sat down on the corner.

"Emily honey, its okay we understand. We are monsters but we can change that. We can take a different road. We are doing the right thing by hunting animals. Think about it. We could be hunting humans like we were designed to do but we aren't. Remember I have been doing this for almost three years and I know how you feel but you have to get on with your life." I said. She didn't move at all.

"Now get up. You need to hunt. I know you are feeling that itch in the back of your throat and I am sure it is getting annoying. Come on lets go everyone's waiting." Layla tried. She didn't move in the slightest. We waited for five minutes then realized we were getting nowhere

"I don't think there is much else to say." I whispered quickly to Layla. She nodded in agreement and we ran back to the sitting room. Everyone had looks of hope on there faces but the looks died as we entered the room without Emily.

"I think it would be better if we go hunting and then we'll take her later, I am surprised she hasn't gone mad with thirst yet, depression does that to you, it slows you down, even as a vampire." She told us. I nodded in understanding. "Before we go, you all need to know something. You must listen to whatever I tell you to and what I say when we get there okay? It is critical that you do that okay?" She told us. We all agreed but the fangs were slightly worried.

"Could everyone stop worrying? It's driving me crazy! I already have Emily' strong feelings of hatred and I don't need your stupid worries too!" Craig yelled. "I am going to go tell Emily that we're going." He said and ran from the room.

"His power is going to get stronger and it is going to make it worse for him. I know it's hard but try to control your emotions. If Emily doesn't come she is going to be in more pain, but we can't force her to hunt." Melissa said to no one in particular. Craig returned looking as if he would be crying. I felt a pang of guilt for him. There he was alone with no one really close to tell him everything would be alright. I moved Tony's arm from my shoulder and gave Craig a hug. He hugged my lightly back then dropped his hands to his side.

"Let's go, I don't want to leave her alone too long." Craig said.

"I agree lets." Melissa agreed and walked out the room. We all followed. She led us in a different direction this time. She walked quickly and gracefully. She led us out of a large wooden door that looked as if it could be the front door but turned out to be just the side door.

The new sight was amazing. We were walking down one of those open hallways, the ones you see in vampire movies where there is a old castle and they have to cross the bridge to save someone or something like that. I looked over the edge and stared down into a canyon with almost black water at the bottom. It was nearly visible through the thick fog but beautiful none the less. I was beautiful if you liked that sort of thing, and if not it was extremely creepy. Suddenly Melissa stopped and thought for a moment. I tried to read her mind but found nothing. I looked at her curiously.

Vampire Note #25

Bear in mind I do not know my aunt well at all. I am grateful for her having us and helping me but where has she been all these years? Why wasn't she helping me from the start? Why couldn't I read her mind?

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"Melissa how come I can't read your mind?" I asked her. She smiled.

"Not now, it's not the time. Okay now everyone this is going to sound crazy but as I told you before. Starting now I need you to do everything I tell you to, and I am telling you to follow me." She said. We were about to question why she was repeating herself but she walked over to the side of the walkway and dove into the water.

"What the hell?! We've got to do that!" Layla yelled. I shrugged. It's not like we could die from it or anything. So I walked over to the edge, and Tony did the same.

"What are you crazy, that fall will kill you!" Daemon said.

"Actually, it won't." Tony laughed and dove in.

"See you at the bottom." I yelled as I dove in after him. I felt the adrenaline pumping through my veins even though I didn't have blood and I suddenly remembered that I was afraid of heights. We were falling at break neck speed but it didn't feel any different than skydiving. Tony was having so much fun that he started flipping through the air. As he was in the middle of the flip he landed back first into the black water. I laughed then hit the water myself. For getting to take a breath as I went in, so I stopped breathing all together.

It was an odd feeling but it was just as odd as not feeling how cold or warm the water was when I hit it. As I went down I started to wonder if Zaria, Daemon and Craig followed us so I swam up to the surface.

Once I reached the surface I looked around for Melissa and Tony. Melissa stood on the shore, changed from her jeans and T-shirt to a different, dry pair of jeans and a T-shirt smiling slightly.

"Donde esta Tony? And where did you go to change to fast?" I asked her. She shrugged and then I was pulled down by something around my ankle. It pulled me far down and two arms wrapped around my waist. I smiled as a familiar face came into view inched from mine. Tony. He smiled just as widely and leaned down placing his fore head on mine. He was about to kiss me when I smiled devilishly, pushed him down hard and swam up to land as quickly as possible. He followed me but couldn't get me in time to pull me back in. He frowned in defeat and sat on a rock with a pout of his face. I went over to him and sat on his lap. He smiled and wrapped his arms around me tightly.

"There is no way I am going to do that it's crazy!" I heard Craig say from the bridge. I looked at Tony and smiled.

"Should we go help them off the bridge?" I asked him.

"Hold on I have a better idea, watch this." He said then removed me from his lap and got up. He stood feet away from the water then placed his palm out facing up word. I was going to question what he was doing but what I saw amazed me. The gushing rapids that were there moments ago were flattened into calm sea waves. I waited for Tony to do something else. He then in one swift movement flung his hand up and then brought it back down again facing the other way. Then I saw the most amazing sight. There was a giant title wave forming above the bridge behind Craig, Daemon and Layla. I began to laugh as the wave slowly came down on them.

"Why am I getting the feeling we aren't safe?" Craig asked.

"AH!" Daemon yelled. They turned around to see the huge wave crash down on the bridge, sending them flying off the side. Tony and I began laughing hysterically. They fell at the same speed we did, only screaming profanities all the way.

"I hate you." Layla scowled as she walked out of the water.

"We love you too." Tony and I said then laughed again. Daemon and Craig came out of the water and walked over to the rest of the group.

"That is a really cool power Tony. Now as much fun as jumping off that was what was the point of it?" I asked Melissa smiling wildly.

"It was faster than walking or even running all the way down to the garage through the castle. Oh remember when you go shopping to buy a car, you might need it when we go hunting out of the area and for when you eventually go to school." She told us. She sounded a bit funny, like she was lying. But why would she lie about something like that?

"That was so much fun and all, but now incase you didn't notice we are dripping wet!" Daemon exclaimed sarcastically.

"I brought a change of cloths for all of you down earlier, honestly you didn't think the girls were going hunting in that did you?" she asked wide-eyed.

"No I guess not." Daemon spoke softly. I sighed gratefully and waited for instruction.

"You see that bolder over there?" Layla and I nodded, "Well move it and behind it is a hallway, go into the third door on the left, and whatever you do, don't go into any other rooms." She said then addressed the boys. "You three follow them but go into the third door on the right. Be quick, its already one PM."

We ran over to the bolder and went into the rooms she told us to. It was a large but simple bathroom. It had a large open area, a alcove, a counter top with a built in sink, and a toilet. On the counter were two sets of cloths and with notes on top. I opened the note that had my name on it. 'Natalia,' it read ' hope you like these cloths better, go shopping today and remember to buy cloths for your friend and your novio, Melissa' It said. I picked up the cloths and smiled. It wasn't much better than the last outfit. It was a pair of short, orange shorts, and a yellow T-shirt with the words 'summer fun' on it. I smirked at how ironic the shirt was because there was snow all over the mountain tops. I put it on quickly and waited for Layla to put her cloths on too. She again, had the same outfit on only the colors were reversed. We smiled faintly at each other then went back the way we came. When we got outside the boys and Melissa were waiting for us. Before any of them especially Tony could laugh I stopped them.

"Tony don't you even think about it, you remember the deal." The smile that was on his disappeared and a frown was left in its place.

"Same deal goes for you too Daemon." Layla told him. He frowned.

"Just think about why you're not laughing Tony. Think Nikki, Think Nikki. Don't think about how different she looks just think about how much better she would look with out it." A disturbing image popped into his head and I didn't know how he imagined it or to react, so I continued listening to his thoughts. "Good. Now I don't feel the need to laugh, but man by throat hurts more now. We need to get going."

"Yeah we do need to get going, before Tony starts thinking too hard." I said, looking at him. He smiled sheepishly then winked at me and I rolled my eyes.

"Ok we are going to drive most of the way then we are going to get out and run to the spot I want you all to learn at." She said then ran off in the direction of the bathroom. We followed her down the hallway and into the last door in the hallway.