... and here's second chapter to celebrate! WOOT WOOT!

Oh, and this chapter is dedicated to kashiena (she read all 26 chapters of the original Bloodlust in an hour! LOL) and Nova Ride (for her uber-flattering review and because I don't want to pay for her medical bills --shifty eyes-- LOL )

--shifty eyes--

MOOSE!

--runs off again--

-- Lots of love from, CK

Chapter 20

My stomach dropped like lead as the memory flooded back to me.

Oh, Gods … please tell me this is a joke... I wasn't that bad, was I?... WAS I!?

I swore mentally before turning back to Fang.

"You don't think they're connected do you? Me becoming …" I winced and shuddered, "… Barbie and Iggy becoming an airhead?" I asked in horror.

Fang didn't say anything, but I saw confusion swirling in his eyes and the stern line of his mouth.

"I can't say. I don't know much about this bloodlust stuff."

"Well neither do I!" I snapped.

"True, but your Voice does," Fang reminded me. Eyes wide, I nodded in understanding as I quickly turned my attention inwards again.

VOICE! I bellowed. I want to talk to you! NOW! And don't pretend like you don't hear me, you jerk! I know you can! And stop ignoring me when I need your help!

There was nothing but silence inside my head. I waited, hoping that maybe, just maybe -- this one time! -- My stupid, know-it-all, smug Voice would just --

You know, you don't need to shout to gain my attention, Maximum...

I breathed out a sigh of relief.

Good! Now, about Iggy --

His behavior is but a minor nuisance... this 'phase' he is going through will fade in time... I did a double take and stumbled for words.

He… but… How did you know that was what I wanted to ask you about? I could've sworn I heard My Voice chuckle darkly.

I'm in your head, Maximum... I know everything ... came my snarky reply. I tried to glare at My Voice (if that was possible.)

Shut up... anyways, how do you know Iggy will be fine?...

Trust me, I do...

Yeah, but how? ...

Don't be so childish, Maximum --

If you call me, Maximum one more time I'm going to stop coming to you for advice!

You may do so if you wish... but no matter what you do, I will still have your attention, Maximum...

I scowled at nothing and tried to tune my voice out.

.. And besides, you need me... unless of course, you don't want to know about how Itex is involved in all of this?

My ears tuned in to the Voice without my permission.

... Or how Iggy's actions are related to your own when you went through a similar phase? They are both complex locks but they are connected ... you just haven't gotten the key yet...

There was silence in my head as my Voice finished and I processed what I'd just been told. After a long moment, I sighed and pushed up the sleeves on my sweatshirt.

You have my attention... I admitted grudgingly. What exactly do you want me to do? And how is Itex involved?

I suggest you ask your new friend … or Fang's, I should say …

What 'new friend'? I demanded. Max II?

No, Experiment 312041… She paid you a visit I believe… and used the name of Ari Ochili …

My head snapped up.

Ari who?

Ari Ochili…If you're confused about her identity, perhaps you should ask Fang… he seems to know her quite well…

Ok-kay, so this isn't Jeb's son Ari, right?... it's a girl named Ari... So, you're talking about a female experiment named Ari but not like a female Eraser-Ari, right?

In a way, yes… yet in a way, no…I rolled my eyes irritably.

Enough with the riddles! Can't you just tell me a simple 'yes' or 'no'?

There was no reply.

… Great, I didn't think so.

I quickly turned my attention to Fang, watching in mild fascination as Iggy tried to spin across the kitchen like a ballerina. Shaking my head, I turned my attention back to Fang.

"Hey Fang, do you know a girl by the name of Ari Ochili?"

I saw Fang visibly stiffen at the name.

Immediately, all of my instincts went on high alert. (Trust me, if Fang gets tense at something, you know it's bad.) I did a routine 360-sweep just to be sure that there wasn't anything in the room that was causing Fang to stiffen.

"Where did you hear that name?" He asked, whipping around to face me. "From your Voice?"

I was taken aback by how strict he sounded, but I nodded at him.

"Yeah… and how do you know her?"

Fang immediately avoided my gaze. Jealously and realization flared up in me.

"You kissed her didn't you?" I said. "While she was disguised as me, right?"

"… not exactly how I would put it," Fang said.

"You kissed her as Lissa!?" I fumed, feeling my temper flare up suddenly. I was going to strangle that dark-haired – Argh! Fang was such a jerk! And a player! Telling me all that crap about how he despised Lissa when he –

"Hi, Miss-I'm-Obsessed-Over-Lissa?" He retorted, immediately earning a furious glare and a hiss from me. "No, I did not kiss her when she was disguised as Lissa. Geez, I mean, didn't we just have this conversation?"

I felt some if my temper die out to be replaced by embarrassment. Fang eyed me firmly, as though reminding me that my accusations were ridiculous and of what we'd talked about in Lissa's room.

"Oh," I murmured, clearing my throat and trying to keep my composure. "So, you didn't kiss her?"

Fang frowned and made this strange motion with his head before looking me hard in the eye.

"In all honesty, she kissed me," He admitted. "She told me her name was Ari Ochili, but I think now that it's a fake. Anyway, she bumped into me on my way to pick up groceries. She helped pile stuff back into my bags and then just kissed me and ran off."

Her real name is Camille, better known to Itex and the labs as Experiment 312041… but you'd probably know her best as the copycat who jumped out of the upstairs window…

Wait!? Her real name is Camille? She's the chick who broke in, kidnapped Lissa, and pretended to be me!? She works for Itex!?

In a way, yes… yet in a way, no…

Great, more riddles!... I thought irritably.

Suddenly, a hard realization hit me. I froze, swearing mentally and turning to Fang with hope that maybe…just maybe she hadn't…

"Fang," I began. He turned to me as soon as I spoke. "You said this Ari girl kissed you and then ran off right?" He nodded solemnly. I felt my stomach drop and twist sickeningly.

"So she kissed you and ran in the same way she kissed Iggy and ran?" I asked hoarsely, already knowing (and dreading) the answer.

Fang's eyes widened for a split second before he quickly hid the worry I saw in his eyes by turning away from me. He swore to himself and that was all the unfortunate confirmation I needed.

"Yeah, now that you mention it," Fang said, "it was exactly like the way she got Iggy –"

"You don't think that you're going to flip out like Iggy's doing now?" I asked. Fang didn't reply, just starred at me intently. It was all the reply I needed.

"Oh man, this isn't good," I said. "We need to... umm… you need to... no! Since she kissed you both, you and Iggy need to isolate yourselves. I think. Kind-of like the way you did the first time you lost control and …"

I couldn't finish the sentence, but felt the air grow thick with tension as both Fang and I remembered how he had disappeared after hurting me in the School.

"Yeah," Fang said quietly. I saw him shrug as though he could ignore the awkward tension in the room. "It sounds like a good idea. Besides, I refuse to let any of you see me if I turn out like –"

Iggy pressed his cheek up against a cabinet and tapped on it, causing him to laugh.

" – that," Fang finished, eyeing Iggy with embarrassment. His dark gaze quickly turned to me.

"But," Fang stressed, "that still doesn't explain why you went into Barbie-mode. You haven't been kissing around have you?"

"No!" I said defensively. "Please, I've only kissed you and – oh no…" My heart hammered in disbelief.

"You don't think that Camille chick can change into guys do you?" I asked hurriedly. Fang frowned.

"She changed into an old man before she jumped out the window. So, I think that's a yes."

I felt my stomach turn in disgust.

If I kissed Fang, but it wasn't Fang, I would've known, right?… I mean, right!?... RIGHT!?

"But, Max, I don't think you need to worry. The only time we've kissed while down here was that kiss in the alley where we ripped each other's clothes to shred."

I blushed darkly at the memory and quickly pushed it out of my mind.

"So," Fang continued, "Unless you kissed 'me' some other time, you're safe." I quickly went through my memory and breathed out a huge sigh or relief when I realized that what Fang had said was true – I hadn't kissed him apart from then. I was safe from turning into a dumb-blonde-valley-girl-Barbie again.

… or so I hoped.

"But if Ari didn't cause me to become an airhead, what did?" I wondered. I looked to Fang for inspiration, but he just frowned again and shrugged as if to say 'I-don't-know.'

"And how does Ari turn people into airheads?' I continued. "I mean, is she in bloodlust too? Because Iggy sure wasn't before she showed up! And if she's the one who gave you two bloodlust, does that mean she gave it to Lissa and her boyfriend too? I mean, you said it yourself Fang – she can become guys or girls."

"It's possible," Fang said, nodding once at me. "But why would she spread bloodlust to Washington? And to Lissa and her ex-boyfriend?"

I flashed back to what my voice had said.

"She's involved with Itex. I'd bet anything that they're the ones controlling her. Itex is probably picking on Lissa and her boy-toy to get to us!" Fang's head snapped.

"That sounds just like them," Fang agreed, eye narrowing harshly. "Those (Insert-swear-word-of-your-choice-here). If that's true, that means they've been planning this all along!"

I nodded at him.

"And if they're planning this, then who's next? The rest of the Flock? Max II? All of Washington!?"

"The president," Fang said suddenly. I snapped my gaze to him just as his dark eyes met mine. They were bright with unspoken realization and horror.

"Max, remember? Your Voice said that bloodlust kills normal people. It kills humans. Itex wants to destroy the world. If they want to do it subtly, why not send out a mutant with a life-threatening disease that's untraceable and can kill humans within a few weeks?" I stopped breathing and I could've sworn my heart skipped a beat.

… Please, no…

"With a disease like bloodlust, everything looks like an accident and like a work of nature. There would be no questions asked. It would be like a plague – especially if people spread it from one person to another without realizing it."

The room spun sickeningly and I wanted to throw up. My stomach felt like lead and my hands were shaking. I swore softly to my self as the full weight of the situation hit me.

"It would be completely perfect," Fang continued, "Flawless. They could destroy all of the humans except for themselves, and then, the only ones left on the planet would be us. Mutants of their design. Their creations."

Gods, no! No, no, no, no, no! NO!

I felt my heart jump into my throat and the world spun in horrible ways. I couldn't breathe, couldn't speak. I caught Fang's eye and that was the only thing that stopped me from collapsing to my knees. (That and my stubborn pride.)

"We have to find Camille," I said breathlessly. Fang nodded once.

Then, to top it all of, in came my Voice (when I did not want it there!) to taunt me, oh so smugly and oh-so cheerfully in my ear.

It's time to save the world again, Maximum…

Dun dun DUHHHHH!

Will Iggy be cured?

Is the Flock in danger?

Can Max and Fang save the world again while ignoring their own bloodlust?

Find out in the next installment of 'Bloodlust : Queen of Hearts' !!

... hehehe, I've always loved doing that.

:3