Over the next few weeks, she did everything she could to teach him everything he needed to know. He retained some things but did his best to fight others. He didn't like the raging bloodlust, so he tried to feed as much as possible. He didn't like seeing and hearing everything. He didn't want to be nocturnal.
They were laying in bed when he heard screaming and moaning coming from next door.
"Do your neighbors ever get off of each other?" he whispered.
"They could say the same thing about us."
She was curled up into his side. He had boxers on. She had his shirt on.
XXXXXXXXXX NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR XXXXXXXXXX
I really hope we all know what happened. If you don't, I'll save your brain and tell you…
THEY HAD SEX! Then stopped and the neighbors started.
That's why she has his shirt on.
Now back to the story.
XXXXXXXXXX
He held her tight to his body. She took a deep breath and then jumped away from him.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"What did you eat?"
"I only ate what you told me to."
She looked at the window.
"Shit…" She whispered.
"What is it?"
"Derek, get up, get dressed and get downstairs. I want you to get in the car and start it. Wait for me, okay?"
"What's going on?"
"Just go!"
He ran from the room. Seconds later the window was broken by a huge rock. She looked out the window to see fire and people. She could hear them screaming out at her.
"Not again."
Derek dressed and ran from the room. She pulled on a pair of jeans. She ran downstairs and into the garage. Derek was in the driver's seat. She opened the passenger door and climbed in. She shut the door then pressed the button on the garage opener.
"Derek, drive now!"
He pulled out of the garage and sped up the street. She looked behind them as their house was set on fire. She turned back around and stared out the windshield. Derek put took her hand in his and kissed it.
"There were some things I never told you about this life. We are some of the most hated creatures in the world. When people, humans, find out what we are, they never forget. They hunt us. We kill them. I've killed quite a few hunters in my 200 plus years. They found me about fifty years back and generation after generation followed me."
"So now they're coming after us?"
"Not us, babe, they're after me."
"Why?"
She looked at him then back out the windshield.
"I'm of technical noble blood. My creator, Alexia, was one of the first. Her parents established a coven here in America. Theirs was the largest in the country so that left them in charge of the other, smaller covens. They became known as Elders. When Alexia's parents give up their place, Alexia is supposed to succeed them. I'm Alexia's second and last fledgling. The first was killed by the hunters a few decades back. When Alexia gives up her position, I am to succeed her."
"But if they kill you, and don't take this the wrong way, but can't I just take your place?"
"The Elder coven is a matriarchal line. I'm the last one eligible for the position. If I am dead, the vampires of America will go back into the shadows where they hid for so many millennia. That's exactly what the humans want. If they manage to kill me, every newborn vampire will be killed. Any vampire before them will be banished and those that refuse to leave will be killed as well."
"So what does that mean?"
"We have to go to New York. That's where the Elders are. The city was large enough that they could have a private building and no one would ask questions. I'll call Alexia then beg her to meet us there. By the way, if she does meet us, don't look her in the eye."
She pulled her cell phone from her pocket and dialed. Alexia didn't answer so she left a voicemail.
"Hey, my house was just burned down by some hunters. Derek and I are on our way to New York. I am begging you to meet us there. I'm going to the coven. I probably won't even get in without you. Call me back."
She closed the phone. The car had stopped. She looked up to see a red light overhead. She looked over to see Derek staring at her.
"What?"
"Why can't I look her in the eye?"
"It has something to do with her power. If you look into her eyes, you will be hypnotized, basically her slave. That's how she got me to let her change me. After she told me what she was, of course I started to think about what life would be like if I did change. I told her I had been thinking about it then she hypnotized me and got me to let her. That was actually the second best day of my life."
"I'm not going to ask about the first."
She looked at him. They were stopped at a red light and she touched his face.
"You're hungry." She smiled.
"Yes, a little."
"There is a forest up ahead. I'm afraid right now you'll need human blood since you're new and all. What's today?"
"Saturday."
"Alright then there are probably some hikers or campers out."
They drove a little further until she told him to stop near a pathway leading into the trees. She got out of the car first and he followed. She stood at the beginning of the path and sniffed the air. He stood behind her and watched her every move.
"There's something you have to understand. I never told you what drinking human blood would do to you. You have to know when to stop." She turned to face him. "Derek, I need you understand that when I tell you to stop you have to. You will find yourself changing, not your body but your mind. There's a group of about six or seven people north of here. We will have to kill them all. Once you are full do not try to feed anymore."
He nodded and she turned away from him again.
"Let's go."
She led the way to the group of people. There were two tents set up. One held an older couple and two small children, all asleep. The other held two teenage girls and a teenage boy. One of the girls was asleep. The other girl and the boy were sitting up talking.
"We'll take the sleeping ones last."
"But small children?"
"Derek, lesson number two, nothing can be personal. You can't feel emotion when it comes to killing humans. You'll see when you smell it."
She picked up a stick and snapped it in half.
"What was that?" the voice belonged to the teenage girl in the tent.
"I don't know." The boy answered.
"Go check it out."
The tent unzipped and the boy stepped out. He wasn't any taller than Derek. His eyes were green, his hair dark.
"There's nothing out here. Come see for yourself."
The girl emerged from the tent door next. Her eyes were blue and her hair was blonde and fell down her back.
"Now?" Derek whispered.
She nodded.
They ran. Derek grabbed the boy and Rienna grabbed the girl. Derek snarled as he tore into the boy's throat. Rienna had already finished the girl off.
"Take the sleeping one."
He heard the blood in her voice. She had become a true predator. His natural instinct was kicking in as he dropped the lifeless body of the boy. He stepped into the tent and ripped the girl up from the ground. She stared at him with an unknown fear in her eyes. She opened her mouth to scream and he put his finger to his lips. He bared his teeth and tore into her throat. Minutes passed before he dropped the girl again. He exited the tent and found and unconscious male on the ground.
"I took care of the kids for you. I should've known you wouldn't be ready. You still have a few lingering human emotions. Sympathy will pass soon. Take him. It's the last."
She pulled a match from her pocket.
"Where did you get that?"
"Found it in the tent. We have to burn the evidence. Finish quickly. We must get where we're going."
Derek pulled the man up from the ground and finished him off. Rienna struck the match and threw it onto the already piled wood. She had obviously added more because the pile expanded a few feet in each direction. She picked up body after body and threw it into the flames. When Derek finished off the man, she snatched the body from him and threw into the flames.
"You'll forget about this soon." She muttered somberly.
"You're sick."
"I told you what you're getting yourself into. I'm a monster. I have been for centuries. You chose this life."
"You never said that I would have to take innocent lives."
"Lesson number three, know your life before you choose it."
She ran past him and back to the car. She climbed into the passenger seat and waited for him. He opened the driver's side door seconds later. He didn't start the car. He just looked at her.
"I'm sorry. I know I chose this. But when I saw you, something changed about you up there."
"I became a predator. My natural instincts kicked in."
"I shouldn't have gotten the way I did."
"It's okay." she reached up to touch his face. "Let's go."
He started the car and they continued toward New York.