A/N: Ralai, Lara F, Ashley, and Valiuch, I thank you for your reviews! :3 I only wish that others would follow your examples and leave a review, especially the ones who have put my story on StoryAlert. It's like going to a restaurant, eating the food, and then leaving without paying for your dinner.

So, what can I do to encourage everyone to review?

I'm not going to do that "I'M NOT GOING TO UPDATE UNTIL I HAVE 5 REVIEWS," thing because I hate when authors do that. It's not fair to the readers who DO review.

BTW, if this chapter seems a little choppy, let me know. I wrote a third of it about two weeks ago, a third a week ago, and the rest today.

Be warned, there is more swearing than usual in this chapter, with mentions of suicide and religion.

After my tear-fest, I tried my best to calm down and think straight, but all I could think of was...

I drank his blood.

I drank a fucking vampire's blood.

What did that make me?

"Vanessa?" Charley called from behind the locked door. I heard the handle jiggle a few times, and I knew he was trying to open the door, "are you alright?"

I'm covered in blood, what the fuck do you think?

"I'm fine, Charley," I murmured loud enough for him to hear, "I..."

There was no excuse I could think of in that moment that would explain being covered in blood.

"What happened?" my cousin continued to ask questions, "do you need to go to the hospital?"

"No," I snapped from my spot on the stairs, "go away."'

Eventually, I heard his footsteps walk away from the basement door, and I felt myself release a soft sigh. I didn't need anyone bothering me. When I looked down at my clothes, I saw the dried blood and distantly wondered how long I had been sitting on the steps. Deciding to take a shower to rinse the filth off me, I grabbed some clean clothes and unlocked the door that led into the kitchen. As I walked through the living-room to go upstairs, I noticed blood on the carpet, and as I glanced back into the kitchen, I realized it was there, too.

I must have dragged the blood into my house when I ran out of his.

I groaned when I realized that I would have to explain why there was so much blood to Jane. That, or clean it up in the few hours before she would be home. I would have to talk Charley into not telling his mom anything. After staring at the mess on the floor, I went upstairs and took a shower. When I was done, I couldn't help but feel so clean. So free of sin.

I knew this was a lie, though, and pushed the dark thoughts away.

By then, it was five o'clock, and my mind kept drifting to the man next door. I knew his secret, and he knew mine. Memories from when I stabbed the pencil through Tom's throat flashed whenever I closed my eyes. Jerry had said I was a bad person, that I had wanted him dead. I believed him then, and I sort of still did. The fact that I didn't regret taking his life was proof enough. He said I was a coward mere hours ago, and my mind raced. Was it true?

I still hadn't called the police yet.

Excuses ran through my mind. They wouldn't believe me. They would think I was nut-job, and send me to a crazy house. Jerry would tell them what I did, and show them the evidence. So many different scenarios went through my head that I had to stop thinking.

You wouldn't have to worry, a voice whispered in my head, if you just kept quiet.

I tried my best to ignore that voice.

Two hours later, I had cleaned any blood stains on the floor and was currently sitting quietly on the couch, watching Charley play his video games. I would have played it with him, but I wasn't in the greatest of moods. I suddenly heard a few knocks on the back door, and I looked at my cousin. I expected him to get up and get it, but it seemed that he was too absorbed into the game to notice the knocking. With a grumble, I got up from the couch and opened the door. I came face to face with the last person I ever wanted to see again.

Jerry fucking Dandridge.

I nearly pissed my pants in fright.

"Hi there, darling," he greeted smoothly, as if he hadn't just ruined my life a few hours ago.

My first reaction was to slam the door in his face and run further inside the house where it was safe, but then I recalled that vampires couldn't get in without invitations. I kept my bitter smile to myself.

"What the hell do you want?" I snapped at him, confident in my knowledge that he couldn't reach me.

"That's no way to treat, well... a blood relative, wouldn't you say?" his lips formed a sly smile.

"I am not related to you in anyway, shape, or fucking form," I hissed, my jaw clenching in anger.

He shook his head at me, like he was amused by something, "we are bound by blood, Vanessa, and nothing will ever change that. The moment you took my blood into your body, it invaded your very soul. Should I ever die, you will remain as you are now, a monster, I suppose, and your soul will be shredded into pieces. Ah, but don't fear, you'll still be alive, but by that point, there would be no point in living."

"I would kill myself if it ever came to that," I stated in a cold voice.

"Don't lie to yourself, Vanessa," Jerry told me, his face serious, "you're too cowardly to kill yourself."

"If there's no point in living," I snarled angrily, "then why would I want to stay alive?"

"Oh, so you think you can just die and that's it?" he questioned bitterly, "do you know what happens to people like us if we happen to die?"

I stared at him, not comprehending what he was getting at.

"We're vampires, Vanessa," he answered his own question when he saw that I wasn't going to, "we go to hell."

"What...?" I whispered slowly, shaking my head, not wanting to hear what he was saying.

Hell, a place of pain and suffering. Was my soul tainted when I took Tom's life, even when he had tried to take my own? Was I damned when Jerry decided to make me into a monster? I shook my head again, this time more violently. I didn't see the fairness it any of it. Why was I paying the price for other people's decisions?

"Why did you do this to me?" I begged, and then I screeched at him, "you could have chosen anyone! ANYONE!"

Jerry didn't have time to answer because the next thing I knew, a hand was pulling me back from the door.

"What's going on?" Charley demanded, finally noticing the talking near the back-door.

"Nothing," Jerry easily denied, "I just came over to ask for a few beers. I'm all out and I have a date later, mind lending a hand?"

My cousin stared at him, obviously not believing a word he said. I saw Charley move away from the door and open the fridge, taking out the six-pack of beer that Jane rarely touched. Jerry only gave something of a smile as my cousin harshly shoved the beers into his chest, which a normal person, a human, would have grunted from the force.

Then Charley shut the door in our neighbor's face, not caring at all if he was being rude. He turned to me, an angry look forming on his facial features, "what the fuck was all that about?"

"What do you mean?" I asked, trying to keep my face from showing both my anger and feelings of helplessness.

"Stop fucking around, Vanessa," my cousin told me, "what was that?"

I was quiet for a very long time. I was amazed that Charley had the patience to wait that long, but he must have seen some sort of distress on my face.

"You won't believe me," I said quietly.

"Try me," was his reply.

I looked Charley in the eyes, and told him slowly, "Jerry is a vampire, Charley."

I saw his eyebrow twitch, and I immediately knew he thought I was joking.

"Jerry, a vampire," he voiced, "that... that is a terrible vampire name."

"Charley!" I yelled at him, shoving his shoulders, "what the fuck!"

My cousin shoved me back, "well, what do you expect me to say? That I believe you?!"

In my frustration at his lack of understanding, I felt my eyes begin to water, and I quickly rubbed them away.

Charley must have noticed because his face turned apologetic, "shit. I'm sorry, Vanessa."

I ignored him momentarily and wandered over into the living-room to sit on the couch. I slumped against the cushions and let a deep sigh, nearly a sob, escape through my lips. Pulling my legs up, I wrapped my arms over them and let my head fall onto the back of the couch.

"Why would I lie to you?" I tiredly asked as Charley sat down next to me, "I have no reason to."

"Well, you have been hanging out with Ed," my cousin commented, "and you know how he is."

I lifted my head up, and glared at him, knowing what he was implying.

"Do you like your father, Charley?" I questioned, seemingly random.

"No, of course not..." my cousin said, probably wondering why I changed the subject.

"And why not?" I continued to ask.

He gave me a bitter look, "you already know why."

"Indulge me, then," I told him, and slowly clenched my fists.

"Why are you bringing this up?" Charley hissed at me, "you already know why! He's a fucking dick that abandoned his wife and kid! I fucking hate him!"

"If you hate him so much, then why did you do the exact same thing to Ed!" I almost yelled, "you're just like your dad, Charley! Leaving people behind when you see something better on the horizon!"

Suddenly the side of my cheek stung, and I realized that my cousin had just slapped me. I oddly didn't feel alot of pain, but then figured there probably wasn't a lot of things that could truly hurt me anymore.

"You're pissed off because you know it's true," I told him, holding my cheek. A moment later, Charley violently stood up from the couch, and I heard him stomp his way up the stairs, shutting the door loudly behind him. I remained on the couch, and once twenty minutes passed, Jane walked in the front door.

"Hi, Vanessa," she greeted with a tired smile, "is Charley at Mark's again?"

"No," I informed her, and then nodded my head to the stairs, "he's in his room."

"Oh, alright," she said, putting her stuff down near the couch, "I know it's a little late, but I'm going to start dinner."

Jane walked into the kitchen and started to pull stuff out of the cabinets and fridge. I decided to stand up, and when I stepped into the kitchen, I noticed she was making pasta. My mouth formed an unnoticeable frown, remembering the last time I ate pasta. I was at Ed's, and I hadn't really eaten anything on the plate his mother had made for me.

Unfortunately, at that time I hadn't known what I was, or what Jerry was turning me into. I knew what I was now, though. What was I supposed to eat? I could eat meat, but then I remembered all those times I had felt a thirst, a hunger, and blood came to mind. I didn't want to drink blood.

"You okay?" my aunt asked, placing her hand on my shoulder. I jumped a little and realized that I must have zoned out.

"Yeah," I voiced, "I'm... fine."

A little while later, Jane was finished making dinner and called my cousin down from his room. As we sat down, we didn't say anything to each other, and most of the talking was left to my aunt. She must have noticed our behavior, though, because she commented on it.

"Are you two alright?"

When I saw that Charley wasn't going to say anything, I spoke, "yeah. We just had a little argument earlier..."

I could see Jane's eyes light up in curiosity, but she wisely decided not to ask what our argument was about, which I was thankful for. After eating, I washed everyone's dishes because my aunt had been working all day and then had made dinner for us. When I was done, my cousin walked up to me.

"I'm sorry for slapping you," he apologized, "I was just... really angry."

"That was a slap?" I smiled in acceptance of his apology, "didn't feel a thing."

He guiltily smiled back, but then it faded away.

"What?" I questioned.

"Turn around," he told me, "Doris just passed by the window."

I had to shift through my thoughts to remember that Jerry said he was having company come over later. Was Doris the company he was speaking of?

A second after thinking this, realization struck me like a brick to the head. Doris would die if she spent the night at Jerry's.

Without hesitation, I sprinted outside the house, intent on getting to Doris before Jerry opened his door to invite her inside.

"Doris!" I called her name when I saw she was waiting on his porch, "Jerry wanted me to tell you tha-"

"What did I want you to tell her?" Jerry questioned as he opened his door, a mocking smile on his face that I knew was meant for me.

Before I could respond, he motioned for Doris to step inside his house, and once she did, my neighbor turned back to face me.

"Nice try, darling," the vampire voiced with a smug look, and then shut the door.

With a sigh, I returned to my own house. I saw that Charley was by the window, and I assumed that he must have been watching what happened.

"Do you believe me now?" I asked, letting out a tired breath as I slumped down onto the couch.

"I don't know," my cousin started off, "Jerry is a guy. Of course he's going to have a girl come over every once in a while..."

I rolled my eyes, and then sat up. I was determined to stay up through the night and lookout for any signs that Doris was in trouble.

"I need to use your room," I said to Charley, and then headed up the stairs.

"To keep an eye on Jerry?" he asked, following me. I could hear a subtle tone of sarcasm in his words.

"Yes, actually," I admitted, opening the door to his room. It was a bit messy, but it wasn't a big deal. I grabbed a chair and set it by the window that was facing Jerry's house.

"What are you expecting to happen?" Charley questioned, and I shrugged my shoulders in response.

"I don't know," I answered, and then noticed that he had also grabbed a chair and set it next to mine, "are you going to stay up with me?"

He nodded, and then we agreed to no talking. If we were going to watch and listen for anything, we couldn't be distracted.

Two hours later, my cousin had fallen asleep, but I was still awake due to my new... disease.

My thoughts and focus began to stray away from the task that I had set for myself. I wasn't completely a vampire, otherwise I would have... what? Burned, turned to ashes, turned into stone when I set foot out in the sun? My mind had trouble grasping the fact that I was a vampire, something that I always thought wasn't real. This fact turned my world upside down. It made me want to question everything I thought was real and unreal.

I would live forever. Years upon years until hundreds of years had passed me by. Everyone I knew would die, and then I would be alone. Could I handle that? I didn't think I could. I then thought about what happens after death. Before all this mess, I didn't know what to think. I was influenced by so many ideas that I didn't know which one was true. I knew the truth now.

In the end, I was going to hell because I was a vampire. Pain and suffering would be all I knew once I died, and it was all because of Jerry. Why did he decide to pick me as the person he would pass on his curse to? I knew it was a horrible thought, but I couldn't help but wish he had picked someone else, anyone else, but me. I was ashamed to think that if I had the opportunity, I would most definitely give the disease to someone else.

That was when I heard the scream.

A/N: REVIEWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW.