-Chapter 10-
I woke up and put my head on the kitchen table. It was one in the afternoon, and I had the day off. I didn't want to face Jason or Pierre today. Stupid Garren got me to say what was on my mind, not even my diary could do that. I stared at the fridge imagining it falling over and crushing my heart so I could not use it any more.
"Good afternoon." Garren said, taking juice from the fridge interrupting my stare. "How are you feeling?" he sounded too chipper.
"I want to crawl in a hole and die." I replied.
Garren smiled a bit. "Oh don't take it that hard. It's not like they dumped you or anything. Or even have called a duel over you."
I had to laugh at that.
"Hi..." Pierre said, after we stopped talking.
I smiled, remembering his sais. "I want to see your sais after... brunch." I said to Pierre as he got himself orange juice.
"Kay." he said, obviously not quite awake.
--
Pierre and I were parrying. I had his sais and he had his sword. I got poked twice, and was apologized to many times. I really had the most fun locking his sword in the sais trying not to let him slide it out of my grip. He sighed after like ten minutes, stopped and took the sais away from me. I had to pout, they were so cool.
"I'm going to have to teach you how to use them. You use them as daggers not something to trap a sword." he said.
I felt sheepish, but I said what I was thinking. "I know that, but it was fun, cause you can use them to trap stuff in."
He was trying not to show that he thought I was dumb. "Yes I know, but are you wanting to use them, like in a fight?"
"Oh could I, please, please!" This was one of the coolest things ever, I thought to myself ever since I found them in his locker.
He looked at me, then at his weapons. "Fine, just let me teach you how to use them."
"Okay!" I said, not caring that Angelica's trainer had already told us about them, including their origins and stuff. Man that was a boring class.
By the end of the lesson I admit I learned things I did not know about. But it was so awesome because I get to take them along next hunt, this time I will try not to use my powers. I ran up to Scott and Garren to show them what I learned.
"Pierre can do that." Scott said obviously.
"Yeah, I know. I couldn't do that until he taught me." I said, taking turns spinning them in each hand.
"Oh. That's cool." Scott said.
I smiled and ran off, to practice some more.
"If I knew those things would make her that happy, I would have bought them like weeks ago." Scott said in disbelief.
"Yeah, buy the girl weapons instead of roses." Garren said, going to his computer.
"I like roses too!" I yelled from the hall.
--
Tonight was my turn to wake Jason up again. Which was odd, because I did it just the other day. Maybe my name was put into a hat or something, I laughed. Walking to Jason's room, I noticed that the Priest guy was in the house again. I smiled at him, and walked quickly away, it was like the third time I saw him around. Was he like trying to purify the house or what? Coming back to the living area I flipped down the hall in a happy way, passing the priest again. I dismounted off the couch and landed on the ground on my butt. I scowled and got up, Scott snickering from a chair.
"Aren't we graceful today." Garren said, walking to his desk.
I mocked him in a high pitched voice and sat on the couch with a flop, rubbing my backside. Pierre walked in the front door, and handed me a bag. I looked up at him.
"It's for you."
I opened the bag to a brown paper box, which I opened too. I looked at the shinny weapons with red leather handles.
"I'd like mine back." he said. "I thought about it, and you lose stuff too easily. So go ahead and lose your own."
Garren and Scott leaned over me and looked at my new sais. I was just smiling, I now own the sweetest weapons ever! I jumped up, grabbed Pierre hugged him tight before kissing him.
"Thank-you, thank-you, thank-you!" I repeated. I grabbed the box and ran to my room to trade off his for my new weapons. I came running back and he was in the same position he was when I hugged him. I handed his Sais back to him and I went back to admiring mine.
Jason walked in, the Priest no where in sight.
"Look what Pierre got me!" I smiled holding up my new sais.
"That's nice." Jason said, not paying attention.
"Can I use them tonight?" I asked.
"We ARE going hunting." he replied. I smiled and hugged my new weapons.
"Do we want Kali to do that thing she did last night?" Scott asked. I looked up, and Jason looked at Scott like he was insane.
"I said I wouldn't." I answered.
Jason nodded.
"Why not, that was cool." Scott said.
"In case something bad happens." I said.
"Don't you have like control?" Scott asks.
I shrug. "It's just in case."
--
I baited myself for the Skinheads. Hoping against hope that the guys were here to back me up this time, because I didn't have my weapons on me. We agreed to me having weapons once they charge at me. It was nerve wrecking waiting and walking, trying to be innocent, especially when I could see all the vampires slowly closing in on me.
"Mm, fresh meat." I heard a voice behind me.
I rolled my eyes, and turned around trying to look terrified.
"Oh don't be scared, what I'm about to do won't hurt," He said coming out from the shadows, smiling. "much.
I sarcastically gasp "Oh no."
Three more vampires started to close in on me.
I screamed, shortly after my mouth was closed by a hand. My green energy burst out, wrapping around the vamp who was holding me tight. The guys ran out and started to fight. I kick the vampire in the shin and punched him into a dumpster.
Pierre quickly threw my Sais at me, and I stabbed a vampire quickly. Once the fight started the Police surrounded the area. They came out with their clubs and bared sharp teeth.
I tapped Jason on the shoulder as he held a skinhead above his head.
"The police are vampires?" I asked, watching the gang member fly far into the distance. He looked at the policemen coming toward us.
"Shit." he spat.
I looked at the others. "Do we kill them?" I asked very confused.
"What do you think?" he looked at me.
"Can I PLEASE just dust them, so no one will notice?" I asked, the police were closing in with their eerie grey auras.
"You think you can without pulling a stunt like last night?" he asked me.
"Yep." I smiled, twirling my sais.
"Fine, do it." He said and ran off, to get the others.
I stopped a club from coming down on my head with my weapons. I stabbed the man with my left hand. I focused all my energy into all true vampires and I quickly pushed out my arms. They all went flying in different directions, not all of them were dusted.
I heard many foot steps coming toward us, Jason and I looked up from killing any unconscious vamps.
"My that was impressive." Collin came out from the shadows with more than twenty Dandy vampires. "I applaud your great performance. I really would not have thought you were capable of doing such a feat."
I threw a sai at him, only for him to catch it inches from his face.
"Yet, that was not." he mused, dropping my weapon to the ground.
"Great, a party." Garren smiled.
A vampire hissed at him.
"So have you made a choice yet?" he asked.
"Who are you talking to?" Pierre asked, readying his sword.
"Kali of course." He looked at me. "She is half mortal and vampire now. I'm giving her a choice."
I looked around, "Where is that Darren guy? Didn't he tell you my answer awhile ago?"
"Yeah and I killed him for that. So what is your answer?"
Everyone was looking at me.
"Do I have to answer now?" I asked, feeling small from the stares I was getting.
"Yes." Jason and Collin said together.
I smiled. "I choose... The Hunters."
"Bad choice." Collin said, taking off a glove.
"I don't think that was a bad choice." I said, readying my weapons.
He dropped the glove and all the vampires swarmed us. It wasn't long until we were over powered. The only reason I was not using my power was because I was waiting for Jason to give me the 'okay' again. Which in my opinion was stupid, but I had that good ducky feeling and I had to wait for instructions. Seven and counting vampires were dusted in my wake. I didn't look around to see anyone else's progress.
"Kali!" Garren yelled.
"What!" I screamed over the fighting and yelling.
"Help!" he yelled.
"Am I the secret weapon or what!" I yelled, pushing down a vampire. I looked around at all the auras, but before I could think of my next move someone had my throat in their grasp. Closing off my air supply, fast. I was gasping trying to remove the hand around my neck.
"Not how I wanted you to end up. But it's well enough." Collin's voice said into my ear.
I could see my aura fading as I dangled in his grasp. I fell from his grasp as he hissed out in pain. I was gasping, and looked up to see a sword stuck through his knee.
"Could he have aimed higher?" I gasped out loud. I got up, just as Collin was pulling the sword out of his knee. I quickly punched out my energy making him fly.
"Jason!" I screamed, and he turned around just being missed by a vampire. "Go kill him." I smile down at the vampire leader. I walked up to him just as he was getting up, I kicked in the sword so it stuck in the ground still attached to his knee. "I wonder if you can do the disappearing act now?"
Jason quickly came up and stabbed a stake into the Dandy leader's heart. He fell apart like ash.
I pushed out my energy out like tenticals and made all the Dandies fly. They were soon all dusted. I was panting still trying to get the thought of his hands around my neck out of my head. We looked around at the damage, finally noticing Garren unconscious. I ran to him, and understood he had the same problem I had. He was bleeding from the neck, obviously more than just a bite. As Jason got to Garren, I got up and swiftly ripped off one of Scott's shirt sleeves, and tied it around Garren's neck tightly.
"So, do you think he'll be alright?" I asked, looking at his pale face.
Jason sat him up. "I dunno. Take his feet." he ordered me.
We walked to the car. The whole ride, all I could smell was his blood and it was making my stomach churn.
"I'd just like to say, you could have asked for my shirt." Scott said to me from the front.
I rolled my eyes, but concentrated on how slow Garren's heart was beating.
"His breathing." Jason warned me.
I checked the tightness of the sleeve, hearing his soft breathing sounds too. Pierre was looking worried, trying to read my face.
"Garren?" I said.
"Wake up dude." Pierre said, trying to keep him up right.
"Was I this bad, or should we take him to the hospital?" I asked, his heart slowing down even more.
"And you don't think the hospital is run by vamps?" Jason said.
I looked up. "I see..."
"Just keep an eye on him." Jason said, accelerating the car.
"Remember, you weren't out." Pierre said, looking at me.
"Right." I said, trying not to choke up on the smell that was over taking me. I ripped off a sleeve from my sweater, and pressed it to his neck; Scott's sleeve was not holding the blood back.
"Uh.. he's cold." Pierre said sharply.
I put the rest of my sweater on him, rubbing his arms.
"Why the fuck do we have to live so far away from things!" I cursed, as I barely could hear him breath.
Everything was quiet until Jason swore really loudly.
"What!" we screamed.
"Kali, cut yourself."
"What!" Scott and Pierre yelled.
I just stared.
"You are half. Just do it." he yelled quickly looking back at me.
I stared between, Garren, Jason, and my wrist. I held my breath, tears full of fear burned at my eyes. I took my dagger and sliced my wrist open, despite the horror Pierre had on his face. I opened Garren's mouth and my blood dribbled into it. The throat reflex started and my blood went down his gullet.
We dragged him onto the couch, his breath slowly got stronger, as we waited.
Jason grudgingly left so he could escape the sun but Pierre, Scott, and I stayed and watched him.
"Maybe we should put him in his room..." Pierre said, furrowing his eye brows. "Remember how Jason took it?" he looked at Scott who cringed.
"But, but, he wasn't dead, and I am a half. Maybe he won't turn..." I said, noticing his skin colour wasn't going back to normal.
Scott looked back at Pierre, "Let's hope."
I bit my lip, and chewed on it nervously before I ran to the bathroom to get the first aid kit. I took out the goss and anti-septic wipes. His breathing was getting better when I came back to clean his wound. My eyes burst into seeing auras, Garren was barely glowing at all, and the others' auras were shinning extremely bright blue.
Waiting impatiently until one in the afternoon was extremely hard. Scott was already snoozing on a chair, I was sitting on the floor, and Pierre was sitting at the kitchen table. Garren's aura was getting brighter each hour, but his facial colour was not improving. I was totally beating myself up inwardly for not reacting faster to everything. Not that any of this was my fault, but now I had a soul on my shoulders. It was burning a hole into my conscience.
I began thinking if this was how Jason felt. Can't be that much difference, besides that Garren and I were just friends, and Jason and I were... training buddies? Ooh, I thought to myself, Jason likes me; I like Pierre; I think Pierre likes me; I hope Garren does not get into this mix. This is so confusing, and stressful--
I heard a groan and I got up and looked over the couch. Garren was making a face.
"Garren?" I called. His breathing got heavier, his face was turning red and contorting. Then he screamed. Scott fell out of his chair and Pierre slid to a stop in front of the couch.
"Garren!" I said, pushing him a bit. He calmed down, just as fast as he flipped out.
"He sounds just like Jason had..." Scott said.
I dropped my head, life had just became complicated.
"Okay, you two rest, while I watch." Scott said.
"I can stay up." I said defensively, Pierre nodded with me.
"But like what if he gets up and wants to feed?" Scott asked.
"What if not?" I asked.
"Well if you are tired then you'll have more trouble keeping him down." Scott said.
"I don't tire, especially if I don't eat. Plus he's small, he'll be easy to keep down." I replied.
"Not if he's a vampire." Scott said.
I jumped up and took Scott down. "I'm good." I said holding him in a head lock. He grunted trying to get out. I let him go.
Eight o'clock rolled around, I didn't bother to eat. I heard rustling I looked over the couch and Garren was wiggling. I perched on the arm rest nearest his feet and watched him. He was breathing hard and now flailing his arms. I cocked my head to the side, wondering if I had done that too.
He gave a short scream before bolting up into the sitting position, panting. He was drenched in sweat and his eyes with tiny pupils were staring directly at me.
"Pierre! Scott!" I called behind me, as they had left for a bathroom break.
I waved a hand in front of Garren. "Hi?" I said, trying not to be creeped out by his eyes.
He calmed down, and laid back down.
"Hey, Garren?" I called. "Are you asleep?" I got off the arm rest and walked around, to see him staring at the ceiling without blinking. "Dude?" I snapped my fingers in front of his face. His pupils returned back to normal, before he finally blinked.
"Wow, that was --" He started then looked up at me.
"You okay?" I asked, as Pierre and Scott jogged up.
He was silent, but blinking. "My neck hurts like a bitch!" he cried out, grabbing his wound.
"Smile!" me and Pierre said together, looking at his teeth.
"Do you want to eat anything?" Scott asks.
"No..." Garren said.
"Does this mean he is fine?" I asked.
He looked between us. "I got bit didn't I?" he groaned.
"Yep." I said. "And I had to sire you. So now we are waiting."
He stared at me unblinkingly again, which was extremely creepy.
Scott gasped, "This is like resident evil!"
I stared at him. "This is vampire hood, not zombies. And that movie is a lot creepier than what we are dealing with."
"We should make a movie." Scott joked.
"That wouldn't be a bad idea, " Pierre agreed. "Once we get all the vampires all done and over with."
"As long as I'm not killed, I have no problem." I said.
"You what now?" Garren finally said something.
"Gave you my blood." I replied. "I don't know how it works. I don't have fangs, and you don't have fangs but you are here... when you were dieing." I looked at Pierre. "I may have to ask Jason how that the no fangs differential still makes me a vamp."
"Yeah..." Scott said.
"Hey, hee, we're making our own race!" I giggled, getting what Scott was trying to say.
"I think I'm going to be sick." Garren paled more.
"I wasn't this slow... was I?" I asked them, ignoring Garren.
"Nope, loopy and fast." Pierre said.
"Wait before you get sick..." I said, I handed him my cross on my chain.
"It's warm..." Garren said, holding it in his palm.
"Yep he's fine." I said. "Want me to wake up Jason?" I volunteered.
"It's okay, I got it." Scott said, and walked out.
"I dibs training him!" I said, raising my hand.
Garren gave me a sideways glance, and groaned.
"I personally think he's untrainable." Pierre said, laughing to himself.
Garren mocked him, before glaring. I quickly looked at him, looking at his aura. Bright blue with light grey streaks, like mine, I smiled.
Scott and Jason walked in. Jason went straight to Garren.
"Smile." he said, looking at his teeth. "Good news I guess."
"So now that Garren is fine... what are we doing?" I asked, wondering to myself if we were after like EVERY vampire in the city tonight.
"Garren is staying, while the rest of us are going to check out where everything is." Jason said, more directing the command to Garren.
"Hey but I'm not bleeding." Garren said.
"Precaution." Jason explained.
Garren sat on the couch angrily.
"Don't worry, it's not that bad." I said smiling. "Though I had someone to keep me company."
"Kali, you might as well stay too." Jason added.
I gapped. "Fine." I grumbled and sat beside Garren who giggled.
"Have fun!" Scott said, leaving with the others.
"Well this is a change." I said to Garren, staring at the blank Tv screen.
"Tell me about it." he groaned. "Why me!"
I looked at him, "Oh don't take pity on yourself. You've been bitten how many times now? I think it was your turn to change."
"This just sucks." He groaned again.
"It doesn't suck once you get your super strength and stuff. It does suck when you get energy bursts and you have trouble figuring them out." I said. "But now you can help the others, and be the gadget person." I added.
He sighed. "I guess."
"And you have a longer life." I guessed.
He just stared at the wall.
"Are you going to be a depressed Vampire?" I asked him.
He sighed.
"But be happy it was me and not an actual vampire. Because then you would be dead, and have a master. Instead of me, who is a friend, and won't tell you to get me a cup and crumpits." I said, giggling.
"So I was not dead?" Garren looked at me.
"No you were not dead, you were breathing, bleeding, and just very unconscious. But almost dead, because you were bleeding a lot." I said. "Oh and I must warn you, blood smells disgusting... to me anyways. I don't know if you'll take a liking to it."
He wrinkled his nose. "So I'm a half?"
"I guess... or is it a quarter... because I am a half? I guess you are a half... like Jason!" I smiled. "Just without the fangs, like me."
"What do you mean Jason is half?" Garren asked, turning to me.
"Well, he has human aura. All vampires have all grey, but Jason, you, and I have streaks of colour."
"Really?" Garren said, and mused to himself.
"Because of this, I think there is a cure." I added.
Garren jumped up and went to his computer, and started to type madly. I walked up behind him and began reading what was being typed. It really made no sense to me, until he began pulling up web sites about auras and myths.
"Is this where you came up with your concoction for Jason?" I asked, scanning a few sites.
"Kind of..." he admitted.
"I see." I said.
By the time Pierre, Jason and Scott came back Garren and I had like seven recipes for a new curing concoction. They were all really doubtful, but at the same time hopeful. We just had to find the stuff.