A/N: Here it is my next chapter! I wonder if I did not make myself clear in
my last chapter? I absolutely will NOT post unless I get reviews perhaps I
should put it like this. Reviews= me posting sooner. No Reviews+ me not
posting until I feel like it. Neway I'm dedicating this chap to
Snowgoose1070 for saying this was the best fic she'd ever read and for
being my only reviewer (aka the only reason this chapter is being posted
now rather than say three weeks from now).
Disclaimer: Many of the characters ideas and such like that are in this story belong to Amelia Atwater-Rhodes. I have no intentions of making money off this. I own the following: Azure, Taber, and the plot. If you attempt to use what I own in your own stories and claim it for your own I will sue you. Really I need the money.
I opened my eyes half expecting Taber to be sitting on the edge of my bed but relieved when he was not. I was debating taking a couple more painkillers and going back to sleep when my stomach rumbled. I slowly sat up and swung my legs over the side of my bed. I clenched my jaw against the pain in my chest. I pulled some clothes out of my dresser and pulled them on liking the feel of the clean clothes against my skin. I walked slowly across my room to the kitchenette. I opened my freezer and pulled out some kind of frozen soup stuff. I opened my microwave to find the ruined remains of what I had put in the microwave before Taber had...hurt me. I took it out and dropped it in the trash indifferently. I put the frozen soup in and set the timer. I swallowed a couple more painkillers then wandered over to the T.V. and sat in the damnable swivel chair. I picked up a game at random and put it in the game machine. I pressed the 'on' button picked up the controller and waited for the screen to flicker to life. I watched the intro and realized I'd popped in the adventure. I paused the game as a shrill 'beeeeeep' pierced the air. I ate my soup swiftly as I disliked the taste of fish but took my mothers advice.
* * *
Flash Back
* * *
"I know you don't like fish dear but it's very good for you."
"But it's just so disgusting. I'm not eating it." I turned up my nose at the bowl of fish soup.
"If you don't eat it you're not going to feel better." I made a face at her. At this point she went into 'mom' mode and spewed out some stuff she'd read somewhere about how fish was good for you. I started eating it right then. I'd been a big science buff at the time and had instantly believed her.
* * *
I squeezed my eyes shut to hold back the tears. I worried about my family. Where were they? Did they think me dead? Why couldn't I remember? I searched back through my memories of the last week or so. I remember everything about being here in this room. I remembered a couple of days of being at the place full of cells. I remembered a flash of fire, sudden darkness. A baby crying. Being dirty really, really dirty completely covered in dirt and some one picking me up, my head against their chest my legs hanging over their arm the persons other arm around my shoulders being cradled against the persons chest like they cared for me, loved me. I couldn't remember anything else. I tossed the container angrily in the trash and went back to my game. I really liked the game. I fought evil creatures and helped people and figured out puzzles. I got out my frustration of being trapped here by telling my bruised body that these were the things I would do to Taber one day. I paused the game quite a while later to get a drink. I got up to quickly and I was forced to sit out the pain.
"What are you playing?" Taber asked surprising me as he rested his chin on my shoulder. I went ridged. I wondered briefly if he noticed I was forcing myself not to flinch away every time he touched me.
"A game." I answered as though he was stupid.
"Feeling better?" He asked in a friendly manner. I could have pretended too...if it hadn't been for the fact that he was the person who'd caused the pain in the first place.
"A bit." I said. I didn't really feel physically better, but emotionally I felt loads better.
"That's good." He said.
"O.K. Now," I said matter-of-factly. "I know that you don't come here to make polite conversation-so what do-"I cut myself off and corrected that error before I could make it again. "-Err...Why are you here?"
"As much as you might amuse me or Jaguar or some of the others like us, most of the Vampires would kill you for much less than you've been saying to me." He said quietly.
"I fail to see your point."
"My point? Azure, surely you realize I am a Trainer and have absolutely no intentions of keeping you?" He asked then continued with out waiting for my answer. "I'm gong to sell you and before I do you either need to become smart enough to curb your tongue or I'll be forced to do it for you." He said his warm breath on my neck raising goose bumps. I shivered slightly.
"No." I said firmly. I had no intentions of becoming an obedient unthinking pet for one of these monsters. I felt the muscles in his jaw tighten against my shoulder as he tried to reason with me.
"Yes." He said his voice cold leaving no room for argument. "You have a choice here, Azure, you can be smart enough to be obedient or I'm going to sell you and you'll have it beaten into your hide."
"Didn't we already have this conversation?" I asked my humor dry. "I thought I made it clear I have no intentions of becoming a pet."
"No. I believe your exact words were; 'I would never let you or any one else make me into a monster like you.'" He said his words tinged with remembered anger. "You said nothing about becoming the opposite."
"Well, excusé moi. I guess I was too confused to say what I meant. I meant to say that I wanted nothing to do with people like you." I said stressing my words carefully to show him I did not think his kind was human.
"It's to late for that."
"I realize this. So I'll have to settle for second best; I leave, I grow up, I come back, I kill you, I leave go through massive amounts of therapy convince myself that this never happened, and get on with the life you disrupted." He stood up slowly and ran his fingers through my dyed- black hair. I swallowed nervously as he didn't answer for a long time.
"There are other options."
"Not ones that I'll like."
"You could learn to like them." He suggested.
"I doubt it."
"You would dismiss your best options before you even know what they are?" He asked me caustically. I sighed and forced myself to be reasonable.
"All right, what are they then?"
"You could be smart enough to be obedient. Though I doubt you have that kind of mindset. I could sell you to Jaguar or keep you but both of those options would make people think...things. And my personal favorite of course; I could give you a little bite and make you mine...or I could give you some of my blood and make you...like me."
"You want to make me a Vampire?" I asked warily grateful that my voice hadn't shaken. I couldn't see him but he seemed suddenly...different. I brought myself to my feet and calmly walked over to the nearest wall turned and lounged against it as casually as I could.
"You would be very strong." He said stepping towards me. His voice held no emotion and his face was a blank slate.
"And what did you mean by," I licked my suddenly dry lips and continued. "'I could give you a little bite and make you mine?'"
"I meant of course blood-bonding you to myself."
"What does that mean?" He smiled-not one of the ones I had come to hate but a different kind of smile one that was more...sincere I guess.
"It means that as long as I live you will not age a day. You'll...belong to me, but not the way you do now. You'll still be alive, but you'll be somewhat like a Vampire, you'll heal more quickly than a normal human, you'll be stronger, all but your most severe blemishes will disappear. And probably best of all you'll be nobody's prey." I bit my lower lip trying to decide.
"Is that my best option?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"You'll be mostly human." He shrugged. "If I die you'll just start ageing where you left off...and if you ever want to become a Vampire it would be easy enough to arrange." I closed my eyes. The ache in my chest was making my head spin.
"O.K." I opened my eyes to find that Taber was just inches away. "Bite me." Taber put his hands on my shoulders and looked into my eyes.
"You're sure?"
"Yes." He slid one hand over my shoulder to my neck then took hold of my hair. He tugged on my hair and I obliged tilting my head back resting it against the wall. He leaned over and placed his lips on my neck. I closed my eyes again as his fangs pierced my skin. I felt my already weak body getting weaker as he drew my blood. I felt my knees give out and we slowly sunk to the floor Taber still at my throat. He pulled away what seemed a millennia later and drew his knife. Had he lied? Was he going to kill me after all? I was so thirsty and tired that the panic in my mind was a minor annoyance. If I could just have something to drink...then I'd sleep and it would all be better in the morning. He drew his knife across the bass of his own throat. I licked my dry lips as his blood beaded in the cut. I leaned forward and soon his blood was flowing into my mouth. He pushed me away gently. I slumped against the wall as my mind spiraled downward toward blissful unconsciousness. Taber leaned close to me wrapping an arm around my shoulders. He picked me up like a new wife being carried over the threshold of her house. I put my arm around his neck and feeling very sleepy snuggled into his chest as he carried me effortlessly out of the room. That was the last thing I remembered before the world went black.
Nite-Huntress: Most of the chappies are much longer then the last one but since I go day-by-day I can only write about when Angel is awake. I do, as I have already said, have enough chapter to update once a week until well into the summer BUT I want to get reviews so...I'm going to try and update every Wednesday (unless I have a conflict of interest in that case I will post either Tuesday or Thursday) unless you people don't review in that case I might feel 'lazy' and not post for a while. As for you wanting to know what happens next well *smiles* I guess that means I'm doing a good job.
A/N: Have you ever broken a ankle or leg? If not I'm going to tell you how much it sucks! Ironically the ankle I broke is the one part of my body that hurts the least. Funny no? Neway if you Review or Flame...my next chap will come out before I turn 14 (which is September fifth btw) *grins evilly* cuz that's when the next ones commin' out unless I get some Reviews or even some Flames *hint, hint*
Disclaimer: Many of the characters ideas and such like that are in this story belong to Amelia Atwater-Rhodes. I have no intentions of making money off this. I own the following: Azure, Taber, and the plot. If you attempt to use what I own in your own stories and claim it for your own I will sue you. Really I need the money.
I opened my eyes half expecting Taber to be sitting on the edge of my bed but relieved when he was not. I was debating taking a couple more painkillers and going back to sleep when my stomach rumbled. I slowly sat up and swung my legs over the side of my bed. I clenched my jaw against the pain in my chest. I pulled some clothes out of my dresser and pulled them on liking the feel of the clean clothes against my skin. I walked slowly across my room to the kitchenette. I opened my freezer and pulled out some kind of frozen soup stuff. I opened my microwave to find the ruined remains of what I had put in the microwave before Taber had...hurt me. I took it out and dropped it in the trash indifferently. I put the frozen soup in and set the timer. I swallowed a couple more painkillers then wandered over to the T.V. and sat in the damnable swivel chair. I picked up a game at random and put it in the game machine. I pressed the 'on' button picked up the controller and waited for the screen to flicker to life. I watched the intro and realized I'd popped in the adventure. I paused the game as a shrill 'beeeeeep' pierced the air. I ate my soup swiftly as I disliked the taste of fish but took my mothers advice.
* * *
Flash Back
* * *
"I know you don't like fish dear but it's very good for you."
"But it's just so disgusting. I'm not eating it." I turned up my nose at the bowl of fish soup.
"If you don't eat it you're not going to feel better." I made a face at her. At this point she went into 'mom' mode and spewed out some stuff she'd read somewhere about how fish was good for you. I started eating it right then. I'd been a big science buff at the time and had instantly believed her.
* * *
I squeezed my eyes shut to hold back the tears. I worried about my family. Where were they? Did they think me dead? Why couldn't I remember? I searched back through my memories of the last week or so. I remember everything about being here in this room. I remembered a couple of days of being at the place full of cells. I remembered a flash of fire, sudden darkness. A baby crying. Being dirty really, really dirty completely covered in dirt and some one picking me up, my head against their chest my legs hanging over their arm the persons other arm around my shoulders being cradled against the persons chest like they cared for me, loved me. I couldn't remember anything else. I tossed the container angrily in the trash and went back to my game. I really liked the game. I fought evil creatures and helped people and figured out puzzles. I got out my frustration of being trapped here by telling my bruised body that these were the things I would do to Taber one day. I paused the game quite a while later to get a drink. I got up to quickly and I was forced to sit out the pain.
"What are you playing?" Taber asked surprising me as he rested his chin on my shoulder. I went ridged. I wondered briefly if he noticed I was forcing myself not to flinch away every time he touched me.
"A game." I answered as though he was stupid.
"Feeling better?" He asked in a friendly manner. I could have pretended too...if it hadn't been for the fact that he was the person who'd caused the pain in the first place.
"A bit." I said. I didn't really feel physically better, but emotionally I felt loads better.
"That's good." He said.
"O.K. Now," I said matter-of-factly. "I know that you don't come here to make polite conversation-so what do-"I cut myself off and corrected that error before I could make it again. "-Err...Why are you here?"
"As much as you might amuse me or Jaguar or some of the others like us, most of the Vampires would kill you for much less than you've been saying to me." He said quietly.
"I fail to see your point."
"My point? Azure, surely you realize I am a Trainer and have absolutely no intentions of keeping you?" He asked then continued with out waiting for my answer. "I'm gong to sell you and before I do you either need to become smart enough to curb your tongue or I'll be forced to do it for you." He said his warm breath on my neck raising goose bumps. I shivered slightly.
"No." I said firmly. I had no intentions of becoming an obedient unthinking pet for one of these monsters. I felt the muscles in his jaw tighten against my shoulder as he tried to reason with me.
"Yes." He said his voice cold leaving no room for argument. "You have a choice here, Azure, you can be smart enough to be obedient or I'm going to sell you and you'll have it beaten into your hide."
"Didn't we already have this conversation?" I asked my humor dry. "I thought I made it clear I have no intentions of becoming a pet."
"No. I believe your exact words were; 'I would never let you or any one else make me into a monster like you.'" He said his words tinged with remembered anger. "You said nothing about becoming the opposite."
"Well, excusé moi. I guess I was too confused to say what I meant. I meant to say that I wanted nothing to do with people like you." I said stressing my words carefully to show him I did not think his kind was human.
"It's to late for that."
"I realize this. So I'll have to settle for second best; I leave, I grow up, I come back, I kill you, I leave go through massive amounts of therapy convince myself that this never happened, and get on with the life you disrupted." He stood up slowly and ran his fingers through my dyed- black hair. I swallowed nervously as he didn't answer for a long time.
"There are other options."
"Not ones that I'll like."
"You could learn to like them." He suggested.
"I doubt it."
"You would dismiss your best options before you even know what they are?" He asked me caustically. I sighed and forced myself to be reasonable.
"All right, what are they then?"
"You could be smart enough to be obedient. Though I doubt you have that kind of mindset. I could sell you to Jaguar or keep you but both of those options would make people think...things. And my personal favorite of course; I could give you a little bite and make you mine...or I could give you some of my blood and make you...like me."
"You want to make me a Vampire?" I asked warily grateful that my voice hadn't shaken. I couldn't see him but he seemed suddenly...different. I brought myself to my feet and calmly walked over to the nearest wall turned and lounged against it as casually as I could.
"You would be very strong." He said stepping towards me. His voice held no emotion and his face was a blank slate.
"And what did you mean by," I licked my suddenly dry lips and continued. "'I could give you a little bite and make you mine?'"
"I meant of course blood-bonding you to myself."
"What does that mean?" He smiled-not one of the ones I had come to hate but a different kind of smile one that was more...sincere I guess.
"It means that as long as I live you will not age a day. You'll...belong to me, but not the way you do now. You'll still be alive, but you'll be somewhat like a Vampire, you'll heal more quickly than a normal human, you'll be stronger, all but your most severe blemishes will disappear. And probably best of all you'll be nobody's prey." I bit my lower lip trying to decide.
"Is that my best option?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"You'll be mostly human." He shrugged. "If I die you'll just start ageing where you left off...and if you ever want to become a Vampire it would be easy enough to arrange." I closed my eyes. The ache in my chest was making my head spin.
"O.K." I opened my eyes to find that Taber was just inches away. "Bite me." Taber put his hands on my shoulders and looked into my eyes.
"You're sure?"
"Yes." He slid one hand over my shoulder to my neck then took hold of my hair. He tugged on my hair and I obliged tilting my head back resting it against the wall. He leaned over and placed his lips on my neck. I closed my eyes again as his fangs pierced my skin. I felt my already weak body getting weaker as he drew my blood. I felt my knees give out and we slowly sunk to the floor Taber still at my throat. He pulled away what seemed a millennia later and drew his knife. Had he lied? Was he going to kill me after all? I was so thirsty and tired that the panic in my mind was a minor annoyance. If I could just have something to drink...then I'd sleep and it would all be better in the morning. He drew his knife across the bass of his own throat. I licked my dry lips as his blood beaded in the cut. I leaned forward and soon his blood was flowing into my mouth. He pushed me away gently. I slumped against the wall as my mind spiraled downward toward blissful unconsciousness. Taber leaned close to me wrapping an arm around my shoulders. He picked me up like a new wife being carried over the threshold of her house. I put my arm around his neck and feeling very sleepy snuggled into his chest as he carried me effortlessly out of the room. That was the last thing I remembered before the world went black.
Nite-Huntress: Most of the chappies are much longer then the last one but since I go day-by-day I can only write about when Angel is awake. I do, as I have already said, have enough chapter to update once a week until well into the summer BUT I want to get reviews so...I'm going to try and update every Wednesday (unless I have a conflict of interest in that case I will post either Tuesday or Thursday) unless you people don't review in that case I might feel 'lazy' and not post for a while. As for you wanting to know what happens next well *smiles* I guess that means I'm doing a good job.
A/N: Have you ever broken a ankle or leg? If not I'm going to tell you how much it sucks! Ironically the ankle I broke is the one part of my body that hurts the least. Funny no? Neway if you Review or Flame...my next chap will come out before I turn 14 (which is September fifth btw) *grins evilly* cuz that's when the next ones commin' out unless I get some Reviews or even some Flames *hint, hint*