Shroud

Alright here is chapter 2! I really liked the idea of this story, so I figure I'll keep writing this one for now but I am still working on A New Spider in Town but the writer's block is still there.

Disclaimer:I do not own victorious. It belongs to Dan Schnider.

Chapter 2: Realization

Jade couldn't take her eyes off the dead body that was lying at her feet, except for when she looked at her now blood stained shirt. She still couldn't wrap her mind around everything that had happened over the course of the night. How could a night that started with just with practicing for a stupid play have led to a dead body laying at her feet with it's blood now in her mouth and all over her shirt. What was it that attacked her? How could this have happened?

"Jade…"

The Goth's attention finally turned from the body to her Latina friend who was standing at the patio door a few feet from her, looking like she was stunned.

"What's happening to me?"

Tori did something that surprised the both of them; she walked over to Jade and just hugged her. "I don't know but I'll help you find out."

The pale girl just looked dumbfounded "Vega…. I just…I just killed someone on your freaking patio," she started tearing up "and you're just…just shrugging it off like… like we're besties or something…"

Tori just held Jade. She knew that Jade put on a tough girl attitude, and while she was tough, she was still emotionally fragile. She had seen the soft side of her on more than one occasion and even though they aren't super close, she was still Jade's friend. She loosened her hug to look Jade directly in the eye "Jade. I'm going to help you."

"Your dad is a cop," She said "How are we going to hide the VERY undeniable fact that I killed your neighbor?!"

"Jade!" The younger Vega yelled to get her friend to focus on her. "I said we'll figure this out and I meant it. It won't be easy and in all honestly, I really don't know how but I will help you."

Touched by Tori's loyalty, Jade finally just started crying on the Latina's shoulder.

"Jade, why don't you come inside and try to get some sleep."

All the pale girl could do was nod. The pair walked into the house and Jade sat down on the couch "I'll stay here." Tori could only nod in response before going upstairs to her room for bed.

Unfortunately for Jade, she didn't sleep at all that night. It was like her body wouldn't let her sleep. She spent every single minute thinking about what she did and what happened. Her alarm that was set to wake her up in the mornings went off. Jade thought about hitting snooze, but didn't see the point. The Goth got up and looked out the patio door and, sure enough, the body was still there. She took a deep breath, stood up, walked to the kitchen, and got a glass of water. She took a sip, just like last night, and felt nothing. After a few minutes, she heard the sound of a shower start up. Jade was starting to find it rather peaceful at Vega's house...that is until the sun started rising. At first, she didn't notice anything, but her instincts told her to avoid the light. She didn't want to listen to her instincts, last time she killed someone and really didn't want a repeat. This was the time she should have. When the light shined through, the parts of her body exposed to the light started smoking; there was a painful burning sensation, Jade shot across the room and up the stairs with extreme speed. The only place she could find with no sunlight was in the hallway.

Jade checked the spots of her body, which now, felt like they were burning. They looked like they were crusted over and charcoaled, "Damn it," she said as she put her hand on it and wrapped her arms around herself also sitting against the wall.

Tori came out of the bathroom dressed in her clothes for the day, her red sleeveless shirt and dark blue jeans, drying her hair. She saw her house guest sitting in the hallway, looking like she was trying to hold herself together. "Jade?" she asked "Why are you sitting in the hallway? Are you okay?"

The pale Goth raised her head to look at the Latina "Well I didn't kill anyone else if that's what you're worried about."

Tori slid down the wall to sit down next her friend "I didn't ask if you killed anyone," She paused for emphasis "I asked if you were okay."

Jade's eyes softened "I was hanging out in the living room when the sunlight started shining through and then…"she moved her hand to show Tori her burn. It looked less severe but it was still crusted.

"OH MY GOD JADE!" the younger Vega shrieked looking at wound on her friend "The sunlight did this?" All Jade did was give a look that said 'I just said that.' "Right."

"Vega…" Jade started. Tori waited patiently for Jade to continue. "I think it's safe to say what's happened to me…"

"Jade…" Tori looked at her "None of this means you're some kind of…..vampire."

"Vega for God's sake I drained you're neighbor dry of blood, I didn't sleep a wink last night after I woke up, and the sun just turned my arm into a sun dried raisin," Jade said matter-of-factly "safe to say I'm a vampire."

Just as the word escaped Jade's mouth there was a knock on the door. At that moment the pair's breath was caught in their throats. What were they going to do about the body? They could try and hide it. No, that wasn't going to work. How were they going to hide the body?

"Tori, Jade!" a familiar voice said from behind the door "It's Sikowitz! Let me in!" Jade got tense. What if Sikowitz saw the body? Would she have to kill him? Could she kill him? He was her favorite teacher and more importantly her friend. Then, she realized the only reasons she wasn't willing to kill him were personal reasons not for guilt, or because it was wrong, "Jade! I know what happened! Let me in and I can explain everything!"

Tori, before anything else, got up from where she was and closed the blinds on the patio door and on the window so Jade didn't have to stay cooped up in that hall way. She didn't move after the light had been cut off but Tori still wanted her to have the option. The Latina then took a deep breath before opening the front door.

"It's good to see you Toro," Sikowitz said upon entering the house, "Where's Jade?"

"She's sitting in the hallway with her arms wrapped around herself," Tori replied clearly worried "She's kind of freaked out. She's even starting to think she's a vampire."

Sikowitz paused before responding "Tori, she IS a vampire."

"No she's not and..."She started but then paused "wait a second how would you know?"

"I had a vision," the teacher replied simply.

Tori raised an eyebrow "You mean like one of your coconut visions?"

He chuckled for a minute "Not exactly." He walked up the stairs and sure enough Jade was still crouching against the wall. "Jade, how are you holding up?"

She scoffed at him "Is that some kind of trick question?"

He lowered himself down so he could look her in the eye "Jade, I know this is a rather extreme change but you need to listen to me."

She glared at him. Completely unaware, her eyes changed to a bright yellow "Listen?" She asked before jumping to her feet faster than either Tori or Sikowitz could see, her fangs in full view "Why the hell should I listen?"

Sikowitz got to his feet to meet her gaze "Because if you don't. You could end up hurting Beck."

Her eyes softened and changed back to her normal blue-green. "What do I need to do?"

Wow that was quite an emotional chapter! I'm having lots of fun writing this one. Who wants to guess how Sikowitz knows?