# Midnight Indigo. Chapter 3. #
I found my stomach in knots as Todd took his dinner to the living room..we always ate together. I wanted to flee back to my room but the thought of the blonde man being up there didn't sit well with me. I just wanted to get away from the house..maybe I could get to my car fast enough, or maybe he had other psychotic things to do and wasn't even around anymore. I didn't enjoy not feeling safe in my own home..and suddenly I still didn't want to be home. I grabbed my keys and firmly walked down the hallway with my boots thudding the whole way.

"Where are you going?" Todd called but I didn't answer..

Out on the road I finally realized I didn't know where to go..I had left everything behind I would need..my phone, wallet, common sense. I ended up driving back to the high school..it was way past dark now and the whole place was deserted..not a single cricket chirp or bird call. I pulled into my usual parking spot and Todd's accusing eyes kept flashing through my mind.. what was he so angry about? Because I didn't tell him the monsters name? I didn't even know it..

The stillness was starting to make me nervous and I flipped on the headlights to illuminate the front buildings. A poster with Ryan's face was in plain view..he had been coming to see me that night. Maybe he had felt bad about the way things ended..I sure did.

It was midnight by the time I got home and went quietly upstairs to find Todd sound asleep in his bed with the home phone and cell by his side. A sudden pang of guilt hit me as he was probably waiting up for my calls.

I tucked him in and gently smoothed his blonde hair back from his face.

"B?" He muttered, still half asleep.

"Yeah, it's me. Go back to sleep. Mom should be home around three a.m in case you hear her come up." I said quietly.

"Where did you go?"

"School." I said with a laugh and left his room, closing his door completely behind me. I eyed my own closed door down the hall and my heart rate increased. My stomach rumbled also and I guess I should eat. Maybe some hot tea or something..I was still slightly shaking from the cold temperatures outside.

I went back downstairs and made sure every door and window were locked up tight before making a hot cup of herbal tea and a few pieces of buttered toast.

I ate and drank my snack at the table in complete silence. I realized after I ate that I was still so ravenous..the man must have been telling the truth about keeping up. Why didn't he just move on to someone else? Why did the 'next source' have to be me or my family and not some other strangers in town? Anyone should be able to do this for him willing or not.

I suddenly wondered, as I heated up a plate of leftover steak and potatoes, if he could die like anyone else. He obviously proved his difference from normal people..so what the hell was he if he wasn't just a loon? And he wasn't crazy I saw how fast he moved and his eyes changing colors..how cold he was, like he was already dead or something. The whole thought made me shiver and I scarfed the whole plate and more tea down.

I was so full after that I didn't even want to move to go to bed...

(James)

He dropped in front of his prey with a thud. The extreme urge to hunt and feed burned his throat with an intensity he had never come against. The woman gasped and began to run back to her broken down car on the side of the deserted dark street. James pinned her to the cement quickly and with heightened speed yanked her scarf from around her throat in one fluid motion. He then took his hands on either side of her head and looked into her frightened eyes before..snap! She was dead and James went in for the feed..after a few mouthfuls of her life he realized it tasted bland..just like the countless others he had already killed tonight. They all tasted horrible..and none of these victims even touched his thirst. It was that blue haired girls fault..for slicing her hand open. Nothing would ever be the same in comparison now..what did that mean for him? He dropped the womans lifeless body in the road and followed his instincts he seemed to fly back towards town..back to that damned Midnight indigo windowpane.

James paused to sense throughout the home. The brother was upstairs sound asleep..the girl was downstairs and the mother had yet to make it home..

He let himself in her window and ghosted quietly down the stairs to find her lightly snoring at the kitchen table. There was an empty plate next to her and he approved of her appetite. James walked silently around to face her and studied her flushed pink cheeks and porcelain skin. Her thick dark eyelashes seemed graceful somehow and her dark blue hair reminded him of the night sky..

James took her hand and smoothed it out flat before taking out his knife. He cut smoothly and before she could open her eyes and protest..put her palm to his lips. As soon as the first mouthful hit his throat the hunger quieted immediately. Strange...

She had woken and tried to fight against him..he loved it when she fought, it made him want to hunt all the more. He pulled her off of the chair and they went tumbling to the floor in his frenzy for a little more of her blood.

"Stop..you'll wake up, Todd!" She frantically said and he let her take her hand away or else he would have drained her. The only thing on her mind was protecting her little brother..he could respect that, but as they both sat sprawled out on the kitchen floor James realized he was slightly panting from the feed. Some of his hair had come undone and was falling in his face. She was the human but at the moment he felt like the weak one.

(Blythe)

Why does he have to be so gorgeous, I grumbled in my head. We were both still on the floor..me on my knees and him with his back to the wall. He didn't look the same as the first night..he seemed winded as though he had been running a lot and his hair was falling in his face. His reddish black eyes regarded me and I wondered if he was thinking about killing again. I so badly wanted to touch his hair..like he touched mine..

He watched me closely when I scooted closer to him..my hand was still cut and I raised it to slowly push a lock of hair out of his face and behind his ear. I was honestly surprised that he didn't move an inch with his special quickness of his, he just watched me the entire time but he let me do it.

Without a word I offered out my hand again and he gently took hold of my wrist..he only had it for a few seconds to his lips but then he pushed it away rather forcefully. It was obviously hard for him to let me go..a blood fetish or something deeper like an addiction? It honestly terrified me.

Suddenly his blonde head snapped up, alert.

"What is it?" I asked, my voice huskier than I wanted it to be but I was talking to thin air. He had vanished again.

I heard keys jingling in the lock and realized it was three in the morning already..mom was home. She immediately ran in and dropped her things harshly on the floor and I heard her retreat to the downstairs hall bathroom to get sick. I felt terrible for her.. I turned the TV on the news at a lower volume so it wouldn't bother Todd but it would cover my mothers retching.

I ended up quickly wrapping a small towel around my hand so she wouldn't see it. And suddenly I could hear her crying in there and I knew it was because of a deeper sadness and burden she was carrying around.

I tapped lightly on the door.

"Mom?"

There was a moment of silence and a sniff while she blew her nose and flushed the toilet. I heard her washing her hands and rinsing out her mouth and then she stepped out into the hall looking like death.

She was thin and pale and sweaty.

"Hi." Was all she managed to get out before we were both crying and hugging each other.

"Why won't you get treatment?" My voice broke. "I don't understand."

Her eyes suddenly had a fierce spark in them and I recognized where I got it from.

"I refuse to go through that, Blythe." She patted my cheek. "Get some rest." Then she went upstairs and I heard her door close..

I turned back to the kitchen and almost shrieked..almost. Blonde man was back standing somberly in the kitchen and staring at me. While I wiped the tears from my face I snapped at him.

"What? Is my life interesting to you? You feed off of misery, right?" I had to stop talking before my voice broke and he knew it. Suddenly, he was in front of me again in that quick way of his..he reached down and brought my hand to his lips before sealing my wound closed.

"Your mother is right..you should get some rest." He didn't sound friendly but not hostile either. I looked at the stairs and imagined the long trip to my bed..

"I'll sleep on the..," but I didn't even get a word out before I was swept off my feet and blurred up the stairs into my room. He dumped me lightly on the bed and turned off the light in less than three seconds. I was so shocked that my brain was still downstairs for a moment.

"You're so fast." I said and my eyes were already starting to close. He was next to me again now I couldn't see him because I was so tired I couldn't keep my eyes open but I could feel his presence and smell his cologne.

"And you're slow..for a human." He chuckled and the sound of his voice made my heart thud faster..

"Blythe, wake up. Time to get up for school." Todd was shaking me awake a few hours later and I groaned..I was definitely going to bed early tonight. The hot shower woke me up and I got dressed and ready for the day. We both ate breakfast and I made sure Mom was ok before we left.

"Why did you storm off last night? It's not like you." Todd said from the front seat. I guess I felt a little defensive at that..

"You eating dinner without me isn't like you either." I said matter of factly and he didn't say anything else as we pulled into my parking space. I watched him get out and mumble a goodbye before joining his friends back at the cafeteria.

I stayed in my locked car this time with the heat and radio going. I didn't feel like facing my friends yet..I pretty much blew everyone off all weekend and yesterday..I was just too tired..too worn down. Ten minutes later the first bell rang and I dragged myself to class.

The day was going by so slow..it was a nicer day out, the sun broke the clouds around lunchtime and a lot of the students were spending it outside in the rare rays. I didn't mind living somewhere rainy most of the time..I usually liked overcast but sometimes sitting in the sun on a chilly day was also nice. I ate my pizza out on the bench with Angela and Jess who were talking about another adventure this coming weekend.

"Where are you going?" I asked them and they looked a little surprised I spoke at all. I hadn't been antisocial that long..

"Back to the reservation..it's so pretty up there by the cliffs and water." Jess said with a smile.

"I think someone just has a crush on that hunk of a guy, Sam." Angela answered.

"He's so hot." Jess giggled.

"Who is?" I asked.

"Sam Uley. He kind of runs things down there. Even with the police, I heard." Angela answered. Just then the bell rang and we all stood to go..

"I wouldn't mind going with you guys and getting out this weekend. Todd hangs down there a lot anyway." They both looked genuinely pleased by my suddenness to socialize..and I was glad no one asked me about my growing guilt about Ryan.

"How was your day?" I asked as Todd got into the car. He shrugged.

"Tuesday was Tuesday."

"How about taco Tuesday?" I asked with a smile and he returned it.

"Sounds great." After we went to the grocery store and bought all the things to make tacos for dinner I started to make them as soon as we got home. Todd set up his homework at the table and finished it in record time.

"Hey, I'm actually getting picked up in two hours..Trina and I have a project." Todd said from the table.

I nodded and set a steaming plate of tacos in front of him.

"Have fun." I smiled and he blushed while wolfing down his food.

"It's just a project, B."

Trina picked him up two hours later when I finally finished my homework and cleaned the kitchen..and I was alone except for Mom in a deep sleep upstairs. I wanted nothing more than to go up and also shower and sleep. I also needed to keep up with that. I texted Todd to let him know I was crashing early and then I took a quick hot shower before settling under the blankets. I reached for my lamp and clicked off the light.

"Tired tonight?" The mans voice came from beside me all of a sudden and I gasped with my heart in my throat.

"Yes..I am." I said after a few breaths. "Can we please wait until tomorrow?"

He was quiet for a moment and I thought maybe he had vanished again but he spoke closer to me this time..sitting next to me on the edge of my bed. His voice was strained..like he was in pain or something.

"I'm not sure I can." His eyes reflected in the darkness and his freezing hand found mine under the blanket. I sighed heavily and let him nick my skin again for a few sips. That was all he took before closing the wound and giving me my hand back.

"You taste like you're eating." He commented and his voice sounded stronger..more like the first day I met him. I just shrugged in the darkness but he felt it..and I could feel his eyes right on me. Could he see in the dark too?

"James." He said suddenly. My eyes flew back open and I sat up to face him this time.

"What?" I asked in disbelief.

"My name..is James."