Sorry for taking so long to update. I've been busy with school and such, so I haven't had much time for anything else. At least graduation is at the end of next month. :D
Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter.
"Do you even know how much that wasn't okay?"
Paul let out a loud laugh at her choice of words when they left the theater. They decided to hang around the outside street so they could maybe talk to the people in the act. She knew that she wanted her hat back, but deep down, she was frightened of the man who took it with the spider. When they finally came out, Paul and Alice seemed to be the first people they spotted. A few smiled and continued on their way, but a few stayed back.
"Do you wish to have your hat back?" The man stopped and smiled, holding the gray hat.
"As long as it doesn't have her in it." She hesitated.
"I assure you, she is fast asleep in her cage." His smile formed more of a smirk. "Would you like to see her?"
"Yeah!" Paul grinned, causing Alice to sigh and cross her arms.
He moved out of the way for a few more of his acquaintances to pass by and then held the cage up. There she was, sleeping peacefully. Paul went to say something, but Alice whacked him...a little lower than expected. He groaned and stumbled. The man chuckled and she puffed out her cheeks a bit, a habit that she had. It only happened when she was nervous or embarrassed. This time, it was both.
"I knew what you were going to say." Alice said after letting the breath go, her cheeks still flamingo pink. "So, I hope that hurt."
"What was he going to say?" The man seemed slightly intrigued.
"Something along the lines of, 'I want to hold it'." She glanced back at Paul, who nodded his confirmation.
"I would say you could," The man sighed roughly and placed the drape over Madam Octa's cage again. "But the last time I did, quite a few things happened between myself and my assistant."
"Understandable." She nodded, grabbing Paul's wrist and turning around. "Well, thank you for the incredible show, sir."
"You are welcome, Alice."
A rapid chill raced up her spine and her eyes widened. Both her and Paul whipped around, but he was gone. No trace remained. Had he maybe heard Paul say her name before the show? Truthfully, it didn't matter, for they high-tailed it out of there and made it halfway to their houses before slowing down. Reluctantly, they split off and she watched as he headed home, deeper and deeper into the darkness of night. She ignored the feeling of nausea working its way into her abdomen. She had to get home.
Although, her stomach didn't decide to wait to react to the food from earlier than evening. It came up and out of her stomach, dripping down idly from her jaw. She froze when she realized that it wasn't actually vomit. Over ninety percent of it was blood, the rest, bile. She vomited again, clutching her stomach painfully. She stumbled back and hit the sidewalk.
The pain was immense. It quickly faded away from her stomach and moved upward. It was her chest and soon, her jaw. She felt something stretching inside her mouth and she finally let out a noise. It was a cry of weakness. A sign of pain, a sign of needing help from anyone who was willing. She breathed in soft and shaky pants. She glanced up to see someone standing under a street lamp.
"I knew you could not have been a normal girl."
"I know you're not a normal man."
Her response was so weary compared to his bold accusation. She looked away from him for only a second, and then when she went to look back, she found him standing in front of her. He offered her a hand to get up. She took it and heaved herself onto her feet. However, she wobbled and stumbled into him. For a brief minute she caught the scent of cedar and pennies.
"How long have you been ill?" He rolled his wrists and steadied her.
"Almost a month now." She replied, leaning away from him instinctively.
"You have taken medication, you foolish child." His laugh was not at all humorous. "I would have thought they would have put a girl such as yourself in a better place, or at least better care than your mother."
"What do you mean?" Finally, she managed to take a full step away without stumbling or hurting herself. "And my mother does a fine job, thank you very much."
"Obviously not, if you're dying." He drew something from his pocket and stuck it out to her. "Take this."
"What is it?" She took the vial gently, feeling the heat that came from it.
"Do not ask, just drink." His voice was stern and his look matched it perfectly.
"How can I trust you?" Her own voice was quiet and unsure, her eyes locked onto his stiff figure.
"Trust is all you have in such a shallow world, Alice." The man seemed to soften with his own words, body relaxing noticeably.
For a moment, she looked down at the vial and listened to his words echo in her skull. Something about that seemed reassuring to her, so with little hesitation, she unscrewed the tiny cap and tipped the vial against her lips. She felt the liquid slip down her throat and almost gagged at the realization that it was blood, and it was very, very fresh. However, her body seemed to love it. Crave it, even. She made sure every last drop was in her throat before handing the vial back to him. She didn't meet his gaze for a little while.
"What has she been hiding from me?" Her question was truthfully made all up of the oxygen she hadn't been breathing in the past hour.
"Let us find out, shall we?" He almost sounded excited and he looked at her. "Oh, pretend to be in major pain."
"What?"
Suddenly, she was swooped into his arms bridal style. After a moment of yelping and blushing furiously, she finally decided to just agree with him. She thought back to the pain she felt with her illness. After a few minutes, she managed to screw up her face in a look of severe agony and even let out a few groans when appropriate. She felt him chuckling, her head tucked into the crook of his neck in a slightly hunched over fashion. It seemed to be easier for him to carry her that way and she wouldn't admit it, but she didn't entirely hate it.
The sound her mother made when she saw her daughter was absolutely heartbreaking. However, the sound at seeing the man was one of utter hate and severe distaste. She barely opened her eyes and began to breathe through her mouth. She really wanted to walk around. The blood had given her what seemed like limitless energy. She felt herself being laid on her bed and heard the footsteps of them leaving. When she heard their voices downstairs, she opened her eyes and sat upright. Their voices were hushed, so she slipped out to the top of the stairs and sat down to listen to them.
"I gave birth to her."
"You did, but in this current state of war, kin and parents mean nothing."
"There is no war."
"She is the war, Darlene."
"No."
"If I do not give her guidance, she is at risk of being stolen or killed by someone dangerous."
"You are that someone. You've done nothing but cause problems!"
"I cause problems? You almost killed her!"
"I do not see how."
"Those human pain relievers? They've poisoned her heart! You should have seen how healthy she became when I gave her a sip of what she needed! It was instantaneous!"
"You let her drink blood? How could you?!"
"She was dying, you ungrateful wench!"
"Leave my house, you bastard!"
Alice let out a breath she wasn't aware she was holding. She couldn't tell who was good and who was bad anymore. Finally, she got to her feet and hurried down the stairs. She saw him heading toward the door and she shrieked. He froze and turned to look at her. Her mother was pallid with fear.
"Do not come forward." His voice was like a parent teaching a child.
"Don't go near him." Her mother seemed to agree.
"I want an explanation." Alice's eyes went wide when her mother reached out to touch her. "Don't touch me!"
"Alice..." She whispered.
"No, Alice!" The teenage girl resembled a deer in headlights, with her wide brown eyes and heavy breathing. "No trying to make this seem like a giant misunderstanding! No trying to cover this up like when my father left!"
"What?" Her mother suddenly looked afraid.
"I remember everything, mother." Alice looked like she was going to kill someone if they made a wrong move. "I want an explanation, and I believe it's damn well time I get one."
"It is." The man seemed unbelievably calm, but his eyes glittered with something that looked like amusement and malice mixed into one. "Although, I can't give you one yet."
"Yet?" The girl narrowed her eyes.
"There is so much for you to learn," He chided. "You do not realize how much you have influenced your fate by turning into the full version of what you were half of."
"You keep quiet!" Her mother snapped to the man and then looked at her daughter with a sickly sweet smile she would have melted from. "Alice, sweetie, why don't you run upstairs and go to your room? You're tired, sick, and irritable."
"Rest will not solve this problem." The man was quickly loosing his patience. "Reuniting her with people she can familiarize with will."
"Mother," Alice tried her best to sound calm, but her voice was incredibly shaky. "What if he's right? What if the solution to the problem is just me being united with people I can feel comfortable around?"
"You don't even know what's wrong with you!" Her mother seemed to be rather irritable.
"She's a vampire, Darlene," The man glanced to her mother for only a second before making eye contact with Alice. "There's not much to find out."
"A what?" The teenage girl stammered, her face going pale and her eyes wide.
"Yes." Her mother crossed her arms and sighed, not meeting the doubtful eyes of her child. "You were born a half vampire, but it seems the blood of your father has finally taken over."
"That is a lie." The man shot her mother a hateful glance. "You are a vampire just the same."
There was silence between the three of them and it wasn't comfortable. The blonde girl only made one move, and that was to brush a fallen strand of dirty gold hair behind her ear. She couldn't bring herself to look at the face of her furious mother or into the jade eyes of the man who brought the truth to light. She couldn't even tell who to be angry with. Her mother, for keeping what she was and who she was hidden from her own child. Her father, for leaving his daughter alone with someone who kept everything in a terribly peaceful facade, and the man standing before them both for making the situation arise.
"I need some time." Her rough voice finally broke the silence. "At least give me an hour to sort myself out."
"Alright, sweetheart." Her mother's response was soft, but still had an edge of something that was obviously frustration.
The second the teenager got to her room, she broke down sobbing. Her hands shook and she looked down at them. Her nails were noticeably longer and sharper. With a gasp, she rushed to her mirror. Her skin had faded to a soft ivory, and the bags under her eyes had faded to a grayish tone. After a minute of looking into her own chocolate eyes, she swung her fist out and smashed the mirror with the single blow. At the moment, she wasn't took keen on looking herself in the eye. She hurried to grab one of her bags and fill it with some clothes.
She kicked off her sneakers with a ragged sigh. She withdrew a pair of black boots from her closet and slipped them on, swiftly lacing them up. Her decision would not impress her mother, but she truly didn't look to impress anyone anymore. She wanted to get away from everything. Before leaving the room, she grabbed the golden tulip that Paul had given to her. When she came down the stairs, she stood at a painful stand-still in front of her mother.
"This is it, then." Her mother tried to smile, but it miserably failed.
"I guess it has to be." Alice replied and turned to the man. "Let's go."
They left in silence, again, a very uncomfortable one. She kept her eyes on the neighborhood she knew she'd never see again. Then, she stopped.
"Can we make one stop?" Her suggestion was soft, but true.
"Hurry up." He nodded. "I wish to get at least half of the way there before dawn."
She dashed down a street, knowing each house by heart. Her eyes finally spotted the one she was looking for. She ran up and knocked on the door. She was very glad that he answered the door.
"Alice?" Paul seemed confused. "It's almost midnight! What's up?"
"I've got some...um, bad news." She shuffled her feet, trying to think up a very quick lie.
"What is it?"
"I'm going to be living with my uncle for a while." She forced the lie through her teeth. "Mom says that he has the cure to my sickness. He's going to be here soon."
"No joke?" The smallest strand of sadness glittered in his eyes. "Well, shit."
"Yeah, right?" She managed a chuckle and then offered the rose to him. "I can't accept this, by the way."
He let out a blubbery laugh, tears already falling onto his cheeks. She flung her arms around him and tried not to listen to the pulse of his jugular vein. She forced tears back at the sight of him so distressed. He pulled away and held up a finger, reaching into his pocket and pulling out his Ipod. She was slightly confused when he handed it to her.
"You know about the solar battery I told you about?" He smiled when she nodded. "Well, I got it to work. Just take the back off when it dies and lay it in the light."
"I still don't get it, Paul." She tilted her head.
"It's got every single picture of us I could find." Paul turned a very light pink.
"Seriously?" She managed a smile and wrapped her arms around him once more. "God. This is why I like you, Paul. Thank you."
"No problem, Al." He chuckled, an anguished sound.
"Well," She sniffled and looked at him, the words burning on her tongue. "I have to go."
"Will we see each other again?" Paul asked gently.
"I'll make sure of it, you cheesy dork." She reached up and ruffled his hair, then stuck her pinkie out.
"Promise?" He stopped with his own pinkie out.
"Promise."
After tightly locking pinkies, she turned away from him and walked to the other side of the street. The second Paul shut the door, the man came around the corner with a rather bored look.
"You and him are very close." He didn't look at her directly. "What is he to you?"
"A friend." She replied curtly.
"He seemed like more than that, Alice." His voice was a very dry sort of amusement. "And what was with the rose you gave him? Was he enough of an idiot to realize it was fake?"
"Shut up!" She exploded suddenly, her hands tightening into fists painfully. "I understand yelling at my mother, I understand making me drink blood, but you never insult my friend!"
She swung her fist only to have it grabbed with minimal effort. Her eyes widened at the sight of his eyes narrowed in a way of dominance. She tried to pull away but was held still by his grip. A pained gasp escaped her lips when he squeezed it.
"Stop it!" She exclaimed.
"When you relax your hand," His voice was very calm. "I will let you go."
"Please." She felt new tears prick at her eyes, this time formed by extreme pain. "I can't do anything when you're holding me."
"I am not holding you that tight." He seemed mildly amused again.
"Let go!" She tried to pull, then growled at the pain.
"Alice," His voice was firm, causing her to look up with curious and teary eyes. "This is your first true lesson. When the opponent has you in a hold, relax yourself."
"I-I can't!"
Her words seemed to make him relax, instead of herself. He noticed she was doing the same thing as she did earlier. Her best impression of a deer in headlights was turning into a more obvious sign of something else. He narrowed his eyes further when she began to yell, causing him to let go and cover her mouth.
"Hush." He scolded and removed his hand. "If someone heard us, we would be found and you'd be sent home. We don't want that, do we?"
"No." She said quietly, glaring at him and rubbing her wrist.
"Tell me," He started to walk and she followed him like a lost animal. "Did your mother ever become involved with another man after your father mysteriously left?"
"Why should that matter?" She quickly got louder and defensive.
"I was only curious, Alice," He chuckled slightly. "No need to get testy."
"Okay, what's your name?" The teenage girl asked him, quickly changing the topic. "It's kinda creepy that I don't even know your name but you know mine."
"You will address me as Mr. Crepsley." His voice went back to the stern and curt tone.
"Fine, Mr. Crepsley." She sighed. "Where are we going?"
"Pennsylvania." He replied and put his hands in his coat pockets. "Cirque Du Freak are currently residing there, and they will be pleased to hear you are going to join."
"I'm going to what?"