A/N: The next installment is UP! For some strange reason I feel like I
should be begging for forgiveness for holding you in suspense for so long,
but that would just be ridiculous, seeing as I've been working on snippets
of some upcoming chappies and falling in and out of plot limbo. Anyway,
people might take issue with seeing me groveling before a computer screen.
So please enjoy to the best of your abilities. And as always, please
review to a) tell me what you think, b) pet my ego, c) ask me stuff, or d)
make me cry like a baby. Or else. Cheers.
DISCLAIMER: No, Linwe, I am not Amelia. I just borrow her stuff, fiddle around with it, and run from the lawyers. ::Looks around and laughs nervously::
(===================================================================)
*Will hurt Mr. Burke. Will hurt very, VERY badly.*
A faintly sadistic grin passed over Teri's otherwise dead face as she walked through the doors of her new high school . After a brief but productive lesson in what could only be called teleportation, she had come home drained. Upon her return, she had wanted nothing more than to pass out on her bed. Or the couch, if she was unable to get to her room before fatigue overcame her. But no, she had to write that stupid essay for an English teacher who seemed to enjoy torturing her.
Thinking of pleasant ways in which she could harm her instructor bodily, Teri walked up the stairs to her locker. Her sadistic good mood crumbled instantly at the sight of the person standing by the half-deserted area where her locker was located: James Rice, resident vampire and scumbag extrordinaire. This was the eighth floor, and he was a senior; there was no way he was just passing through.
"Ah, Teri. Just the girl I was looking for." He smiled at her, although she couldn't help but notice the malice in his eyes. It was unnerving, but she refused to let herself show the fear that was slowly turning her spine into a long, thin icicle. Instead of responding verbally, she used a little trick that Alex had taught her the night before. Concentrating on the energy she was becoming more and more aware of, Teri let her aura flare. It wasn't a lot, just enough to make him think twice about attacking her. It worked pretty well, as evidenced by the look of barely concealed shock which James now had plastered on his face.
"Was there something you wanted to discuss, James?" She sounded innocent. Much too innocent. James looked as though he was considering bullshitting her for a moment, but decided against it.
"Who are you and why are you here?" Teri wasn't sure if the question should worry her. *At least he got to the point.*
"I am an ordinary," James snorted, "fourteen year old girl who happens to be some sort of superhuman immortal. You on the other hand are one of two things, judging by your aura. Either you were only recently changed and have little experience, or you're just WEAK." It was plain from the hatred now apparent in his eyes that she had gone a bit too far. *Note to self: insulting strength of vampires bad for health.*
With the grace of a predator James walked over to Teri, grabbed her around the throat, and slammed her against the wall. For one agonizing moment, she felt her skull crack. Red spots danced in front of her eyes, although she managed to make out a satisfied smirk on James' face. Teri was contemplating what passing administrators would think of the situation, or tried to. She still felt like there was a jackhammer inside her head, but the pain was dulling rapidly. Too rapidly.
Her vision slowly cleared, and Teri soon found she was able to form coherent thoughts without getting them pushed aside by the construction crews. "Well, that was certainly uncalled for."
"I think not, my dear and hopefully soon departed friend. This is only a taste of what I can do. You would do well to fear me." Teri was beginning to assume that convincing death glares came with the immortality package; James and Alex had certainly developed stares to freeze the marrow.
Teri smirked. "Bite me. Oh wait, I forgot. You can't." James snarled and threw her against the wall. After making sure that she would need to heal at least one broken limb, he stalked off.
Teri groaned as her body healed itself. "Definitely need to see Alex about those self defense lessons."
(--------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------)
Teri waited on a bench in the park for Alex. She had talked to him about the self defense training, and he had agreed to at least teach her some basics before the day was out. She wasn't exactly in the best of shape, though. How she would be able to fend off any would be attackers would present something of a problem.
"Good, you're here," came a voice in her ear.
"GYAAAH!" Teri nearly jumped out of her skin. Turning around, she saw Alex standing behind the bench, hands in his pockets.
"I'm surprised, Teri. I would have thought you'd be more alert." He affected an innocent expression, but his eyes were twinkling.
"Holy. NEVER do that to me again." Pausing for a moment to collect the scattered remains of her wits, Teri tried to glare at her mentor as convincingly as she could.
"I should never be able to. You need to be constantly aware of your surroundings. Never forget that from now on, you are a hunter." He walked around to the front of the bench and sat down beside her.
"Except this prey bites back."
"Not in our case. Once they know you're a Triste, they'll do their damndest to kill you."
"Was that supposed to cheer me up?"
"Hardly. It was supposed to impress upon you the danger of your situation. Now, are we going to try training you a bit or not?"
"Yeah, I don't really think I want to go through that whole powerless thing again." The bones had healed in less than a minute, but it had been painful all the same.
"Good. I'm going to send you an image. Go there when you're ready."
Almost at once, Teri found a picture of a gym in her mind. Concentrating on the image, she closed her eyes and willed herself into the scene. A second later she opened her eyes and found that she was in the room. The walls were mirrored, except for one which was occupied by a case holding a vast array of knives, daggers, swords, and whips. She briefly noted the weights, but the weapons fascinated her.
"Not until you can fight without them." Always the voice of reason, Alex had come up behind her once again. Teri turned to face him and was about to start venting, but was cut off with a look. "Before we begin, you will change into something more comfortable. There are locker rooms through the door on the right, there should be some spare things there."
"Aye, cap'n." Teri did a little mock salute and goose-stepped over to the locker room, pausing to glance wistfully at the sharp objects she would eventually be allowed to use. The locker room was nice, complete with a sauna and everything. As for the "spare things", they turned out to be freshly laundered. Tying her shoulder length brown hair in a crude bun, Teri exited the room. She heard somebody shout, "Catch," and was knocked over by something very, very heavy before she had time to turn around.
"Don't tell me you couldn't lift that." Alex sounded, if anything, disappointed.
"How the hell much did that thing weigh?" Teri was in agony from being told to catch what had felt to her like a ton of solid metal.
"Only one hundred pounds."
"Only? I've never been able to lift that much in my life." Her incredulous tone of voice wasn't having the desired effect. Instead of softening, Alex's expression grew exasperated. "What? It's the truth, I swear!"
"Do you really think any hunter would have much of a chance in a prolonged fight with a vampire if they didn't have at least a fraction of their strength?"
"What was it you told me about that? Ah, yes, 'Either the vampire is killed at the outset, or the human dies.'"
"Teri, technically speaking, we're not."
"Excuse me?"
"Do humans live until mortally wounded? Is mortal blood poisonous to vampires? You may look and act human, but the fact of the matter is that you aren't." Alexander was annoyed, and didn't bother to watch the tone of his voice. He sounded impatient, as though it should have been obvious. Only as the last word passed his lips did he realize his mistake. Teri had turned from a dignified, audacious teenager into a frightened child. The older Triste mentally chastised himself. *Alexander, you idiot. Did you have to bring that up again? She was unstable yesterday, God only knows how she'll react to this.*
Teri was trying to keep her expression calm. Unfortunately, her lower lip seemed to have a mind of its own and was trembling uncontrollably, for all that she was beginning to taste blood from biting on it. She sank to the floor, hugging her legs to her chest. *I'm not going to lose it. There is NO way I'm going to break down. D'you hear me, brain? NO WAY.*
"Teri, I -"
"You WHAT?" She snapped. A hint of a tear appeared at the corner of her eyes. *DAMN, I'm losing it.* "I've been trying not to think to much about it. I don't know why I'm even doing this, really. I mean, I've got all these demons chasing after me, and sometimes I." She trailed off, unable to get the words out. Alexander sat down beside the rapidly collapsing girl, putting an arm around her shoulder.
"It's okay, just let it out."
Teri threw her arms around her mentor's neck and began to sob against his chest. Alexander felt slightly awkward; he had never been in this position before, comforting somebody who felt so scared and confused, so helplessly alone. The three centuries of blood that was his life had left little time to care about anyone. The only person he had ever felt a real connection to was long since dead. Or undead as the case would have it. Alexander began to feel almost paternal toward the girl.
Teri was beginning to calm down, although her breathing was still ragged. "I've just been thinking. why not just let them get me?" Alexander suppressed a shudder at the thought. "I don't want to die. not now. But if the price of life is eternal fighting. to lose everybody I'm close to. I don't know if I can go through with it." She regained some of her composure and looked her mentor square in the eye. "I'm still not sure if I want to do this; I've got too many doubts. But I can't get out of it, so I guess I'll just have to make do, right?" She smiled feebly, before breaking down once again.
Alexander gathered the sobbing girl in his arms. She was so fragile - sometimes it seemed possible to shatter her with a touch of the hand. Maybe that was why she had become so good at blocking people out. Still, there was something wonderful in her, and Alexander considered himself lucky for having found it. It reminded him of Rachael before the two of them had been drawn into this world of the undead. But he wouldn't let this girl be corrupted or abused by anybody or anything, not if he could help it.
"Welcome to life as an almost immortal, Teri. It's not easy, but I'll try to be there for you for as long as I can." She looked up and smiled at him. It was the first time he had ever seen her really happy. He bent down, kissing her lightly on the forehead. Teri snuggled against him.
"Thanks. For everything." Her voice was shaky, but Teri was finally calm. It was an immense relief. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "D'you happen to have any tissues?"
"There should be some in the locker rooms."
"Good, bring the whole box."
Alexander got up and, chuckling, went of in search of the promised tissues. Teri felt better than she had in weeks. Finally, she had somebody to confide in. She had been nearly over the edge, but she was back. All thanks to somebody she had only just met a few days ago. A small smile found its way to her lips as she though of what the next few weeks would bring. She stood up and mentally dusted herself off. Yes, things would be much, much better.
(===================================================================)
A/N2: Sorry if it's short, but I had to cut this down. Otherwise it would take too long to finish. Will continue from where it left off. Soon. Be afraid. Be VERY afraid.
DISCLAIMER: No, Linwe, I am not Amelia. I just borrow her stuff, fiddle around with it, and run from the lawyers. ::Looks around and laughs nervously::
(===================================================================)
*Will hurt Mr. Burke. Will hurt very, VERY badly.*
A faintly sadistic grin passed over Teri's otherwise dead face as she walked through the doors of her new high school . After a brief but productive lesson in what could only be called teleportation, she had come home drained. Upon her return, she had wanted nothing more than to pass out on her bed. Or the couch, if she was unable to get to her room before fatigue overcame her. But no, she had to write that stupid essay for an English teacher who seemed to enjoy torturing her.
Thinking of pleasant ways in which she could harm her instructor bodily, Teri walked up the stairs to her locker. Her sadistic good mood crumbled instantly at the sight of the person standing by the half-deserted area where her locker was located: James Rice, resident vampire and scumbag extrordinaire. This was the eighth floor, and he was a senior; there was no way he was just passing through.
"Ah, Teri. Just the girl I was looking for." He smiled at her, although she couldn't help but notice the malice in his eyes. It was unnerving, but she refused to let herself show the fear that was slowly turning her spine into a long, thin icicle. Instead of responding verbally, she used a little trick that Alex had taught her the night before. Concentrating on the energy she was becoming more and more aware of, Teri let her aura flare. It wasn't a lot, just enough to make him think twice about attacking her. It worked pretty well, as evidenced by the look of barely concealed shock which James now had plastered on his face.
"Was there something you wanted to discuss, James?" She sounded innocent. Much too innocent. James looked as though he was considering bullshitting her for a moment, but decided against it.
"Who are you and why are you here?" Teri wasn't sure if the question should worry her. *At least he got to the point.*
"I am an ordinary," James snorted, "fourteen year old girl who happens to be some sort of superhuman immortal. You on the other hand are one of two things, judging by your aura. Either you were only recently changed and have little experience, or you're just WEAK." It was plain from the hatred now apparent in his eyes that she had gone a bit too far. *Note to self: insulting strength of vampires bad for health.*
With the grace of a predator James walked over to Teri, grabbed her around the throat, and slammed her against the wall. For one agonizing moment, she felt her skull crack. Red spots danced in front of her eyes, although she managed to make out a satisfied smirk on James' face. Teri was contemplating what passing administrators would think of the situation, or tried to. She still felt like there was a jackhammer inside her head, but the pain was dulling rapidly. Too rapidly.
Her vision slowly cleared, and Teri soon found she was able to form coherent thoughts without getting them pushed aside by the construction crews. "Well, that was certainly uncalled for."
"I think not, my dear and hopefully soon departed friend. This is only a taste of what I can do. You would do well to fear me." Teri was beginning to assume that convincing death glares came with the immortality package; James and Alex had certainly developed stares to freeze the marrow.
Teri smirked. "Bite me. Oh wait, I forgot. You can't." James snarled and threw her against the wall. After making sure that she would need to heal at least one broken limb, he stalked off.
Teri groaned as her body healed itself. "Definitely need to see Alex about those self defense lessons."
(--------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------)
Teri waited on a bench in the park for Alex. She had talked to him about the self defense training, and he had agreed to at least teach her some basics before the day was out. She wasn't exactly in the best of shape, though. How she would be able to fend off any would be attackers would present something of a problem.
"Good, you're here," came a voice in her ear.
"GYAAAH!" Teri nearly jumped out of her skin. Turning around, she saw Alex standing behind the bench, hands in his pockets.
"I'm surprised, Teri. I would have thought you'd be more alert." He affected an innocent expression, but his eyes were twinkling.
"Holy. NEVER do that to me again." Pausing for a moment to collect the scattered remains of her wits, Teri tried to glare at her mentor as convincingly as she could.
"I should never be able to. You need to be constantly aware of your surroundings. Never forget that from now on, you are a hunter." He walked around to the front of the bench and sat down beside her.
"Except this prey bites back."
"Not in our case. Once they know you're a Triste, they'll do their damndest to kill you."
"Was that supposed to cheer me up?"
"Hardly. It was supposed to impress upon you the danger of your situation. Now, are we going to try training you a bit or not?"
"Yeah, I don't really think I want to go through that whole powerless thing again." The bones had healed in less than a minute, but it had been painful all the same.
"Good. I'm going to send you an image. Go there when you're ready."
Almost at once, Teri found a picture of a gym in her mind. Concentrating on the image, she closed her eyes and willed herself into the scene. A second later she opened her eyes and found that she was in the room. The walls were mirrored, except for one which was occupied by a case holding a vast array of knives, daggers, swords, and whips. She briefly noted the weights, but the weapons fascinated her.
"Not until you can fight without them." Always the voice of reason, Alex had come up behind her once again. Teri turned to face him and was about to start venting, but was cut off with a look. "Before we begin, you will change into something more comfortable. There are locker rooms through the door on the right, there should be some spare things there."
"Aye, cap'n." Teri did a little mock salute and goose-stepped over to the locker room, pausing to glance wistfully at the sharp objects she would eventually be allowed to use. The locker room was nice, complete with a sauna and everything. As for the "spare things", they turned out to be freshly laundered. Tying her shoulder length brown hair in a crude bun, Teri exited the room. She heard somebody shout, "Catch," and was knocked over by something very, very heavy before she had time to turn around.
"Don't tell me you couldn't lift that." Alex sounded, if anything, disappointed.
"How the hell much did that thing weigh?" Teri was in agony from being told to catch what had felt to her like a ton of solid metal.
"Only one hundred pounds."
"Only? I've never been able to lift that much in my life." Her incredulous tone of voice wasn't having the desired effect. Instead of softening, Alex's expression grew exasperated. "What? It's the truth, I swear!"
"Do you really think any hunter would have much of a chance in a prolonged fight with a vampire if they didn't have at least a fraction of their strength?"
"What was it you told me about that? Ah, yes, 'Either the vampire is killed at the outset, or the human dies.'"
"Teri, technically speaking, we're not."
"Excuse me?"
"Do humans live until mortally wounded? Is mortal blood poisonous to vampires? You may look and act human, but the fact of the matter is that you aren't." Alexander was annoyed, and didn't bother to watch the tone of his voice. He sounded impatient, as though it should have been obvious. Only as the last word passed his lips did he realize his mistake. Teri had turned from a dignified, audacious teenager into a frightened child. The older Triste mentally chastised himself. *Alexander, you idiot. Did you have to bring that up again? She was unstable yesterday, God only knows how she'll react to this.*
Teri was trying to keep her expression calm. Unfortunately, her lower lip seemed to have a mind of its own and was trembling uncontrollably, for all that she was beginning to taste blood from biting on it. She sank to the floor, hugging her legs to her chest. *I'm not going to lose it. There is NO way I'm going to break down. D'you hear me, brain? NO WAY.*
"Teri, I -"
"You WHAT?" She snapped. A hint of a tear appeared at the corner of her eyes. *DAMN, I'm losing it.* "I've been trying not to think to much about it. I don't know why I'm even doing this, really. I mean, I've got all these demons chasing after me, and sometimes I." She trailed off, unable to get the words out. Alexander sat down beside the rapidly collapsing girl, putting an arm around her shoulder.
"It's okay, just let it out."
Teri threw her arms around her mentor's neck and began to sob against his chest. Alexander felt slightly awkward; he had never been in this position before, comforting somebody who felt so scared and confused, so helplessly alone. The three centuries of blood that was his life had left little time to care about anyone. The only person he had ever felt a real connection to was long since dead. Or undead as the case would have it. Alexander began to feel almost paternal toward the girl.
Teri was beginning to calm down, although her breathing was still ragged. "I've just been thinking. why not just let them get me?" Alexander suppressed a shudder at the thought. "I don't want to die. not now. But if the price of life is eternal fighting. to lose everybody I'm close to. I don't know if I can go through with it." She regained some of her composure and looked her mentor square in the eye. "I'm still not sure if I want to do this; I've got too many doubts. But I can't get out of it, so I guess I'll just have to make do, right?" She smiled feebly, before breaking down once again.
Alexander gathered the sobbing girl in his arms. She was so fragile - sometimes it seemed possible to shatter her with a touch of the hand. Maybe that was why she had become so good at blocking people out. Still, there was something wonderful in her, and Alexander considered himself lucky for having found it. It reminded him of Rachael before the two of them had been drawn into this world of the undead. But he wouldn't let this girl be corrupted or abused by anybody or anything, not if he could help it.
"Welcome to life as an almost immortal, Teri. It's not easy, but I'll try to be there for you for as long as I can." She looked up and smiled at him. It was the first time he had ever seen her really happy. He bent down, kissing her lightly on the forehead. Teri snuggled against him.
"Thanks. For everything." Her voice was shaky, but Teri was finally calm. It was an immense relief. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "D'you happen to have any tissues?"
"There should be some in the locker rooms."
"Good, bring the whole box."
Alexander got up and, chuckling, went of in search of the promised tissues. Teri felt better than she had in weeks. Finally, she had somebody to confide in. She had been nearly over the edge, but she was back. All thanks to somebody she had only just met a few days ago. A small smile found its way to her lips as she though of what the next few weeks would bring. She stood up and mentally dusted herself off. Yes, things would be much, much better.
(===================================================================)
A/N2: Sorry if it's short, but I had to cut this down. Otherwise it would take too long to finish. Will continue from where it left off. Soon. Be afraid. Be VERY afraid.