Ok, here's the next installment. I'm not 100 on this chapter. Is it right for a writer to say they don't really like something they've written? I went through this like a million times, but I couldn't come up with anything else. This chapter and the last one I posted aren't amongst my faves, which is funny cos the next one I really like. So I'm gonna post this one now and then the next one real soon, some time this week, to make up for it.

Thank you to everyone who has reviewed and is sticking with me lol! Here's chapter 14. Tell me what you think!

the real vampire

Not on Speaking Terms

A new morning; an old argument. Hunter arrived at training early and alone. He looked pale and tired, but then he always looked like that now. Gone was the old, cheerful Hunter; his blue eyes, that used to sparkle with mischief, were dull and listless and he hardly said anything to the others as they arrived.

Blake turned up last, and it immediately became clear that the two brothers' were not on speaking terms. An icy silence had descended between the two, and Hunter was pointedly ignoring Blake.

Blake, meanwhile, looked very upset and kept stealing glances at his brother.

xxx

Blake had got home that night to find the kitchen a mess. Food had been thrown around and Hunter was asleep on the couch. There was also the sickly smell of vomit in the air.

"What did you do?" Blake shook Hunter roughly awake.

Hunter groaned and opened his eyes, "You're back."

"What did you do?" Blake repeated.

Hunter looked at him, "Nothing…"

"Don't lie to me Hunter. I'm your brother. Please, don't lie to me."

Hunter jumped up and pushed past Blake, "Well don't question me. Ask no questions, be told no lies… ever heard of that one?"

"Ever heard you're being an ass?" Blake shot back, beginning to lose his temper with his brother. "Where are you going?" he demanded as Hunter headed for the door.

"Out," Hunter snapped, "Or do you want to come along to babysit me?"

"Well you're acting childish so I might as well treat you as one."

"Get off my case would you?" Hunter yelled, shoving Blake away. "I don't need help and I don't need you. Especially when you try to stick your nose in so just leave me alone." With that Hunter turned and marched out.

Blake gave a scream of frustration. Why was his brother so pig-headed?

Hunter didn't arrive back until the early hours and Blake had fallen asleep on the couch. He stared at his brother for a minute before going to bed himself.

When Blake woke the next morning, Hunter was gone, and the betting was he hadn't eaten breakfast…

xxx

Training was awkward and as soon as it had finished, Hunter took off. Shane cornered Blake before he left.

"What happened?"

"Nothing…" Blake tried to push past Shane but Dustin and Tori stepped in as well.

"Come on Blake, something's happened." Tori said gently. "You can tell us."

Blake shook his head, a lump rising in his throat as he thought back to last night's argument. "I don't need help and I don't need you." Those words hurt.

Shane sighed, "Blake, don't be like your brother and try to deal with this by yourself. We're your friends; we want to help. You keep it all bottled inside and you're gonna just explode one day – probably at Hunter. And that could just make things worse."

"Worse? How the hell can things get any worse?" Blake almost yelled. "Hunter's not talking to me, he's not eating and then he's making himself throw up. He hates me for trying to interfere and is probably going to end up killing himself. So please, tell me how things can get worse."

There was a stunned silence. "Blake, we want to help." Tori said in a small voice. "But please, don't shut us out like Hunter is doing. This is affecting us too."

Blake stared at her and realised she was right. He couldn't do this alone – he didn't want to do this alone. The lump rose in his throat and Blake couldn't stop the tears spilling over down his cheeks. Tori said nothing, just held him until he stopped crying. Then, in a small voice, he told them about the argument he and Hunter had had last night.

"He didn't mean it," Shane said confidently as Blake told them what Hunter had said.

"Yeah dude, I mean, you're his bro. He loves you," Dustin added.

"He has a funny way of showing it," Blake sniffed. " I didn't lie to you when I said Hunter's picky about his food. It's true, Hunter usually only eats when he feels like it but this, this is ridiculous."

Sensei shook his head in the background. He didn't know what to make of this latest development. All they could do was wait and see how things progressed…

xxx

When Hunter arrived home, Blake was still out. Feeling thirsty he headed for the fridge to get a cool drink. As he was about to shut the door he paused as he caught sight of the food. He'd been trying to avoid looking at it but as he stared at the chocolate and other stuff Blake had bought in an attempt to get his brother to eat something Hunter was seized by hunger. Without thinking he began pulling food out of the fridge and eating as much as he could.

Five minutes later the reality of what he was doing hit and he stared at the mess of food scattered across the table in horror. He'd done it again. A vision of Phil rose before his eyes; Phil was dead and he, the cause of his death, was stuffing himself.

Disgust and hatred surfaced in him and Hunter ran to the bathroom where, with a little help, he was violently sick. Now feeling empty and shaky, Hunter began to cry. He curled himself up in a ball and huddled in the corner, hating and feeling disgusted with himself more than ever after what he'd just done. What was wrong with him?

xxx

Blake got home later that evening to find the kitchen a tip again and Hunter asleep in a tight ball in the bathroom. There was a horrid smell of vomit in the air and with a sinking heart he realised what Hunter had done.

He managed to drag his brother into his bed. It had been difficult – in his tired and emotional state Hunter had at first refused to uncurl from his protective shell and then had fallen sound asleep again as soon as Blake had manhandled him into his bed.

His brother sorted, Blake set about cleaning up the mess Hunter had made. He finished tidying and was just about to settle down in front of the tv when a blood-curdling scream erupted from Hunter's room. With a sigh he got up from the sofa to comfort his brother.

The screaming died down to sobbing and then Hunter opened his eyes.

"It's ok bro, I'm here," Blake said softly, smiling to reassure his brother.

Hunter gave him a small smile in return, then closed his eyes and drifted back off to sleep.

The smile left Blake's face as he stared down at Hunter's sleeping form and willed himself to believe that everything was going to be ok. It was just a phase – things would get better. But he couldn't help feeling alone and frightened, his brother was hurting and he was useless. Blake sank down on the chair next to his brother's bed and began to cry. But there was no one to comfort him this time.

Things would get better, they had to. They just had to…