I
Am
So
Sorry
Again I have to apologize for being so slow in posting.
I'm kind of creating a new way of writing because what use to feed my muse no longer exist so I have to find something else to feast on and inspire me. I guess it's like I'm changing as a person and as I change so will my art. In a way I'm finding myself because for the first time since I was six I'm allowed to, I don't have to change just to survive in a sense. Of course that does not mean my story will change and become all fluffy and what not ohhhh no you're still stuck with me. But the thought process I have when I do write has changed a bit and I have to get use to it.
Plus let's face it school and all the other activities I do don't help. Lol Drama, newspaper, other clubs and what not plus an AP class and a few honors and, well… I'm not complaining at all it's just I'm busy ya know?
Anyway thanks for the support! Hopefully now I'll be able to review on a quicker basis.
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Chapter 7
Mick pulled his cell out from his pocket and hit the speed dial button, listening as the familiar tones dialed. As he waited for the call to go through his mind wandered back to Jack. He felt terrible that he had basically abandoned her. But feeding from a human was something he hated to watch and something even more impossible for him to teach. He shook his head. This was better left to someone else. And who better else than Josef?
The ringing tone cut out, "Hello?"
Mick's face broke into a smile as it did every time he heard her voice. "Beth."
"Hey Mick you almost here? This place is a mess" Beth's voice rang out.
Mick resisted to chuckle, knowing she would get mad. That's what he loved about Beth, her sheer bluntness. It was probably one of the reasons she hadn't run from him in the beginning, because she didn't dance around the fact that he was a vampire but faced it head on. "Yes Beth I'm nearly there."
"Good. Oh gotta go, more reporters just showed up."
Mick rolled his eyes as the click of the phone signaled Beth had hung up on him. Twenty minutes later he turned onto a street littered with police cars, news vans, and people all focused around a black shell of a building. Pieces of wood and metal were skewered into surrounding structures, puncturing brick like it was butter. Shards of glass were scattered everywhere. News reporters were set up on every possible inch of free space talking into microphones and cameras, giving their version on what had happened and what will happen next. Citizens meandered around the streets and sidewalks, held at bay only by the yellow tape and persistence of the police. The boys in blue themselves stood around the site while CSI picked through the rubble, searching the grounds with gloved hands and nearly useless eyes in the dark.
It was ridiculous to Mick. He could see they had no idea what they were looking for. That was something that irritated him, any evidence he could have scented had been destroyed if not from the bomb then from all the humans walking around and contaminating it. Sometimes even his patience with the humans was worn thin.
Pulling into a makeshift parking lot Mick cut the engine and got out, searching the crowd for Beth. He found her, pressed against the yellow tape as she tried to get information out of someone, anyone, who would talk to her.
Walking up he greeted her, "Hey Beth."
Beth spun around in surprise, eyes wide. She instantly relaxed once she saw it was Mick behind her and not the boogie man.
"Oh hey, you startled me," she breathed. Then her brow furrowed in frustration. "What took you so long? I called you nearly an hour ago!"
Mick's smile faltered. "Something came up at Josef's," he answered.
"Oh." Beth looked thoughtful. "So what now? I mean I thought the cops would be cleaned out by now but something is obviously keeping them here."
Mick studied the sight for a moment before sighing. "I'm not sure. I'll check the perimeter but other than that I'm useless."
Beth looked at him with a strange expression.
"What?" Mick asked puzzled.
"You're never useless," she said softly.
Mick attempted to give her a smile but had the feeling he failed miserably. He hated the way Beth saw him sometimes, she needed to just accept that he was a monster and move on with her life. And yet he couldn't convince her to stay away. That stubborn part of the woman would be her undoing. And maybe by his own hands.
But another side of Mick, a very strong part of his conscious, which pulled and screamed and argued with his good sense said otherwise. It freely admitted he was in love with the human, the little blonde hair human that was young enough to be his granddaughter. And that was wrong, completely wrong. It was just another one of the many reasons Beth and him could never be.
"I'll look around," Mick said. He had to get away from Beth and quickly or he would be able to run away later and inevitably would hurt Beth.
Beth watched him turn away with a frown. His voice had dipped low to that miserable tone she had unfortunately become accustom to. For a while there Beth thought maybe she was getting through to him that he wouldn't consider himself a monster. She knew it was a long shot and apparently a futile one. And for once Beth thinks she might have realized why.
Mick didn't want her.
It made sense the distance, the hesitation, the unwillingness to show compassion. Beth wasn't good enough for him she wasn't enough to erase Mick's prejudices against himself. He had already proven that on the day of Josh's death when he seared the fact into her brain that he would change no one. And that included Beth. Even if her death was imminent, if she was shot and bleeding and cold on the sidewalk it wouldn't be enough for Mick to save her. He would rather lose her forever than keep her forever.
Anger surged through Beth an explosion searing her brain and wits. Who was he to tell what was good for her? Who was he to toy with her, just to leave her hanging and alone?
Her teeth gritted together sending shocks of pain through Beth's bones btu she completely ignored them.
No man had the right to fuck with her heart and definitely not when she trusted him. Beth's independence was something that had always been a part of her personality it was one of the things she cherished. It only now occurred to her how Mick had slowly been chipping that independence away since they met. And maybe that would be okay maybe Beth could have learned to love and rely on someone else for once. No, she knew she would have learned and she would have loved to trust herself to another being. Mick would have been that being if he hadn't gone and broken her heart.
And then agony subdued every raging emotion like a bucket of ice water. Beth's knees shook and she almost collapsed to the ground. She was losing the one person she had always relied on, even if she did so subconsciously her life had been guarded and later one wrapped around the figure that is Mick. Beth was losing the one being who made her heart beat fast her hopes never dim and her bravery never fail. In her entire being she knew her love for Mick was real. It still needed to grow but it was there, blossoming in her heart every day until it clogged her lungs with joy. And yet to Beth's misery her love was being stomped on with every doubt Mick had about himself.
Why did I have to fall so hard? Beth asked herself. Why didn't I notice until it was too late? When did he get such a hold on my life?
A warm stream of liquid streaked down her left cheek. Beth shook her head fiercely at an attempt to dispel the tears but they wouldn't stop leaking from her eyes. Damn Mick for making her cry, damn him for choking her heart, and damn him because her mascara was now probably running and she looked like a mess. If he was going to screw with her emotions he could at least have the courtesy to do it outside of purpose.
Walking towards Greg, the man who had handled the camera tonight, Beth suppressed the urge to growl. He had done nothing but stare at her all night. Just another pig looking to get into someone's pants, she thought.God Beth hated men.
Passing him she snapped, "I'm going home."
"But what about the report?" Greg called after her.
Beth ignored him and continued walking away. She had already done the report buzzwire didn't need another one. If Maurine had a problem with it she could bitch to Beth later.
Without looking back Beth stormed over to her own car, freezing when she noticed a familiar vehicle parked directly behind hers. Her teeth grinding together and she wretched open the driver's door, jamming the keys into the igniting so hard it was a shock they didn't go all the way through the steering wheel. Yanking on the drive gear Beth backed up until she was a few inches from Mick's front bumper. She considered for a moment leaving him a present in the shape of a giant dent but then remembered it would hurt her car also and she really could not afford to pay repairs at the moment.
A sigh escaped Beth as the spite and fury washed out of her again, replaced with a numbing despair sensation that made her flesh crawl. Tears no longer ran from her eyes but her arms felt limp as if the mere action of holding up her hands were too much. In a daze Beth pulled out of her parking spot and onto the main road.
Mick hadn't meant to break Beth's heart she knew that. Heck he hadn't hardly spoken to her. It was realization that had broken the relationship. Beth finally understood just how little she meant to the…vampire.
She cringed at the word.
Never before had the stereo type been associated with Mick, it seemed monstrous to compare him to such a bloodsucking nightmare but now Beth accepted him for what he was. And maybe that was another reason she wasn't good enough. How was a mere human supposed to compare to a vampire? Mick was a higher creature, one that could snap her neck with the twitch of her wrist and one that could probably love more passionately than any normal man.
Lights shined in Beth's eyes. Her eyes snapped to attention and she realized with amazement her own lights were bouncing off of the concrete wall that made her apartment's parking compound.
With amazement dulling the numbness Beth got out and stared at her car for a minute, wondering if it had learned the route itself and taken her home. She shook her head fiercely. Great now she was wondering if her car had suddenly spurted intelligence and taken her home because it knew how distressed she was.
Chocolate and a bath and maybe a good book…and perhaps a drink later that's what Beth needed. God knew she needed it.
Twenty minutes later Beth was wrapped up in a wool blanket on her couch a bag of chocolate nestled in between her lap. She had abandoned the idea of a bath, deciding it was too much work. Reaching over and grabbing the clicker was also too much work. The mental exhausted was overwhelming, drugging Beth until she felt as if she could barely move her limbs and the anger towards Mick was completely gone, replaced by sheer depression. Beth had completely lost him and it was her own damn fault. Maybe if she was more tolerable more patient she could have waited for a little while longer. But Mick's self doubt was beginning to affect her life and if there was one thing she learned from Josh's death it was life was short and could end at any moment while Mick had all of eternity she as hell didn't. Maybe Beth wouldn't be happy with someone other than Mick and maybe she would. But as things were with him now she could never be happy.
So that was it. Beth was finished with Mick St John.
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Jack watched Josef walk towards her. Her eyes and fangs unsheathed and a low rumble sounded in her chest. She was still pissed at Josef for what he had said about Mick and just because her sire told her to play nice didn't mean she had to. Teenagers were suppose to disobey every once in a while.
Josef ignored her growl and continued walk. As he passed the teen he grabbed her arm and hauled Jack to her feet, dragging her backwards and into his mansion. Jack fumbled with each step and snarled as Josef manhandled her. She had been shoved and pushed and yanked on all of her life and she refused to allow it anymore. As soon as Josef released her arm Jack snarled and whipped around, hatred carved onto her face. Josef answered with his own screech, his blue eyes and fangs flashing to life.
"You can kill me if you want," Jack growled. Her body was beginning to shake from the fury, fear, and anguish rolling in her body. "But no one handles me like that anymore."
Jack's words froze Josef and he stared at her in shock. She actually thought he wanted to kill her? That was ridiculous and not just because Mick might actually kill him but because Josef liked the vampire too. She was family to him now. He cared to her.
And then Josef realized the emotions he was filling the air with, emotions of intolerance and the urge to fight Jack into submission. Immediately the vampire retracted his fangs and blue eyes and reigned in his feelings, pissed at himself that once again he forget how sensitive fledglings were to emotions. It had been some years though.
It was only after he could focus on her could Josef notice Jack's shaking frame and how she was nearly gasping for each scrap of air. There were unshed tears that wet her eyes and she shook her head once, averting her gaze to the ground. Had his emotions caused this, Josef wondered. No not like this and Jack had been furious before not...frightened. What had sparked this fear?
"Jack?" he asked cautiously.
At vampire speed Jack's hand darted up to her face, wiping away tears before she finally looked up at Josef. The ancient vampire was surprised to see her eyes as cold as steel, completely devoid of any emotion. And then as if a flip was thrown life returned to Jack's expression and she gave a weak smile.
"Sorry," she apologized. "I guessed I'm a little emotional. I didn't mean to snap Josef." Her smile broadened almost becoming real but Josef was too old and knew people too well to miss the misery in the back of Jack's eyes. She couldn't erase all of the pain even if she wanted to.
"Come on I came to learn how to be a vampire," Jack said with sudden fierceness. "Now are you gonna teach me or not?"
She walked past Josef with lighthearted steps but it was impossible to miss the shudder that ran through her body as his arm brushed against her shoulder. As she disappeared behind a wall Josef whipped his cell phone out and went to press a familiar number. His finger froze a millimeter above the surface, his brow furrowing in consideration. Suddenly Josef snapped his phone shut and jammed it back into his pocket. This time Jack would have to tell him why, why she had acted like that. It was almost as if his touch…
A snarl snapped from Josef's throat. Of course, Jack had said again. He didn't need to ask her now she had unintentionally put all of the pieces in front of him and he had just put them together. Someone had hurt Jack before and Josef had triggered old memories and old emotions she had managed to bury in her mind. Whatever monster had harmed her needed to be put out of their misery. To hurt Jack was inexcusable and to traumatize her like that was unforgivable.
Guilt, the kind he hadn't felt in a long time washed over Josef. He had caused that trauma to revive itself. But then it almost instantly disappeared. How was he supposed to know touching Jack like that would have such a violent reaction?
I know nothing about this girl, Josef realized. And it shocked him. He knew everything about everyone. And if he didn't he found out quickly because it could mean his life and the lives of those he cared for. Too many times had his own stupidity and lack of information led to a death of someone he loved. The only reason Josef could produce for his laziness was that Jack had been with Mick. Stupidly Josef had treated her as if she was an individual that would brush in and then out of their lives when in reality she would be a permanent fixation. He vowed as soon as Jack was back with Mick he would have his people look into her past if for no other reason than to punish the person who hurt her. But for now there was another job Josef had to do.
Following Jack Josef walked into the next room. He saw Jack sitting on the couch, hands clasped together, brow furrowed as she stared at the ground. Her leg was pouncing close to vampire speed a sure sign she was nervous.
"You come here often?" Josef teased sitting next to her.
"Ha ha Josef," Jack said. She didn't look up from the ground though.
Her stomach felt sick and her limbs jittery. At first she had been confident she could do this easily since it was the instinct of her kind but now Jack was terrified. What if she lost control? What if she hurt the human? Or even…killed them? Would Mick want her? She knew if she killed Beth wouldn't, Jack would have murdered one of her kind. Josef might take her in but the real question is, if she killed, would she be able live with herself.
"You'll stop me if…if I get out of control right?" Jack asked, finally looking at Josef.
The ancient vampire smirked. "Trust me the last thing you do will hurt my girls."
Jack shook her head. "I'm afraid that when I taste it I'll just be gone, out of my mind. I've seen it happen before with bloodlust but also with anger and I'm just scared."
Josef nodded. Jack wasn't like many other vampires she truly worried she was going to hurt her food. Most others wouldn't even care if their meal survived. During his own baby years Josef had killed many times without any bite of remorse but he had been raised old fashion and during a very different time.
"You won't hurt any of my girls," Josef promised. "And I'm not saying that just to make you feel better. I care for my girls more than most do and if I could help it no one would ever hurt them."
"Thanks Josef," Jack whispered. She took a deep breath and exhaled through her nose, anxious to just get this over with.
Josef nodded and flipped open his cell phone and began to talk into it. He called over to the house where the girls lived. It was visible from the main house and truthfully each girl live in more space than most in LA. He spoke for a minute with Alexandria a beautiful blond who had a very exquisite very rare B- blood type and a positively unforgiveable body. She also happened to be something of a den mother to the other girls since she seemed to understand the most about vampires' taste and would know who was in and who was out.
"I would recommend Mary," Alexandria suggested. "Before you she had at a couple of other places. Apparently she has this uncanny ability with vampires that have just been turned, kept them calm."
"That's what I had thinking," Josef said.
He had fed from Mary a few times and she radiated serenity. He didn't know if it was her personality or just the way her blood was but something about her was reassuring and Jack needed all of the reassurance she could get.
"She's there correct?"
"Yeah one minute please Josef." Alexandria was silent for a moment before she said. "She's coming. Do you want me to call the others back for a little while?"
Josef smiled. Alexandria sometimes knew more than he would ever give her credit for it was one of the reason she was one of his favorites.
"Yes," he answered. "And Alexandria?"
"Yes Josef?"
"Come up in a half hour." With that Josef hung up and turned back to Jack who was still staring into space her expression almost pained.
Josef sighed and shook his head. If she had been his fledgling Jack never would have been afraid to drink from someone, she would have had it from hour one.
"Calm down," he commanded. "You'll do fine."
Jack took a deep breath and closed her eyes, holding it. She held it for five minutes until a side door opened, revealing a medium height girl with short brown hair and a round face. She was of course beautiful but held a sort of humbleness Josef's other girls didn't have with her minimal makeup and jewelry but beautiful nonetheless. When she walked into the room Jack's eyes snapped open crystal blue and she sucked in a deep breath, letting out a low hiss.
Josef smiled. Good, the hunger was getting to her. Instincts were more rational when it came to blood than a conscious effort if they began to control her convincing Jack to feed live would become much easier.
Josef walked over to Mary and smiled but it wasn't friendly, it was the smile of a hunter.
"I heard there's a newly turned that needed my help," Mary said giving her own smile. She had watched Josef stare at her like this many times it was nothing new. If anything she thought he looked playful. Inside Mary understood there was a predator roaring to come out though and should she ever do Josef wrong he wouldn't be hesitant in releasing it on her.
Josef's smile lightened and he looked over his shoulder to see Jack staring at the two of them hungrily. Her hands were clasped tightly in her lap and she was sitting on the edge of the couch, ready to pounce at any twitch or movement.
"She's not exactly newly turned," Josef told her. "But this is her first time drinking fresh."
Mary's brow furrowed in concern and confusion. All newly turned vampires had to drink fresh or they risked dying or transforming into a feral maniac.
"She's had a bad beginning," Josef told her. And that was all he was going to tell her. His girls were special to him yes but they were only human. Even if Mary was somewhat special it wasn't Josef's story to tell it was Jack's.
Walking back over to Jack he introduced the two before he began to instruct Jack how to feed from a person. The fangs were retracted once they pierced the skin or they just got in the way of the blood flow. The best way to numb the bite was to provide a positive emotion to the human while feeding, most of the time it was the vampire's feeling while they fed. The joy of feeling and tasting good blood was enough to distract the host from the pain.
But a vampire could, of course, invoke feelings of pure lust, love, and joy though those were generally saved for special occasions. But a vampire could also induce emotions of misery, hatred, and fear although it was frowned upon in the society and usually made for bad business. Bars and clubs wanted to keep their girls willing to work and happy because it kept vamps coming back. If there was an individual who was known for hurting a
Josef furthered explained to not gulp the blood down. Take it too fast and the person will pass out and probably be sick: always a party spoiler. Besides you always wanted to take you time to taste the blood.
"Although this time I doubt you will anyways," he snickered.
Jack managed a small smile but she was still worried. Everything Josef was saying was really going in one ear and out the other. Her thoughts were eating away at her conscious and nerves until there was only a thin strand of courage left. It was ridiculous. Something so natural to her species such as drinking blood should not be causing her this much distress. Jack prayed instinct would be enough to get her through this because her conscious wasn't going to cut it.
"Do you understand?"
Jack turned to Josef and blinked. What had he said? "Uhh…y-yeah, sure," she stuttered.
Mary gave a reassuring smile. "Don't be worried I've don't this before."
"I'm glad one of us has," Jack mumbled.
Josef chuckled. "I swear you're as negative as Mick. Mary if you would."
Mary smiled and held her wrist out to Jack who hesitated before taking it in both of her hands and bringing it towards her mouth. She opened her mouth and listened to Josef as he instructed where the best place was to bite. He understood this was a crucial time for the fledgling. If she didn't do this right Jack may never feed from a human, at least not for several decades. The girl had a conscious that rivaled Mick's and in some ways surpassed it.
Steeling what nerves were left Jack obeyed and bit down softly. As her fangs broke the skin and blood rushed into Jack's mouth shock and froze her body. Lights and colors flashed like fireworks strobe lights. Static filled her ears. Her body shook from the pure pleasure as the warm blood slipped down Jack's throat, as her spin tingled like someone was running a feather sensually up and down her skin.
The blood was sweet but salty, liquid velvet as it ran down her throat soothing the burn that seemed to constantly plague the soft flesh. It was so good the best tasting thing substance Jack had ever had the privilege of sliding over her tongue. It didn't burn like the morgue blood and there was no metallic aftertaste. There was just sweet, soft, warm blood.
A force suddenly jerked Jack away from the blood. Instinctively she snapped open her mouth so her fangs wouldn't tear at the flesh of the soft human underneath her grasp, making them bleed more than necessary. She snarled. How dare anyone try steal her food away? She would tear them into pieces and burn their body until nothing but ashes remained! This was her blood!
Whipping around Jack planned to behead the enemy who dared interrupt her when Josef's face flashed into her sight. The half erupted snarl coursing her throat froze. Terror filled her face but her mind went blank as Jack realized what she wanted to do, what she was so close to trying to do.
I was going to kill him, Jack realized in horror. I wanted to kill him.
"Jack," Josef said his voice low and steady. "You need to let go of Mary."
Jack eyes flickered down to her hands and she realized Mary's arm was still clutched in her fingers, the skin bleaching white by Jack's crushing grip. She knew in a few hours purple marks would crisscross the skin in the shape of her fingers. Jack released it instantly.
"Jack."
Josef was watching the fledgling warily. The whole situation had been a disaster. Jack had become so lost in that monster he had expected her to attack him when he touched her. He was waiting for her to snap.
"Jack," Josef whispered.
When the young vampire shook her head without looking at him he lurched towards her, hand outstretched. But for the first time in a very long time Josef was too slow. Jack's coat barely brushed his fingertips as she bolted out of the back door at vampire speed, tears threatening to flood her face.
Josef sighed and rubbed his face before turning his attention back to Mary. The poor human was laying limp across her seat, her chest heaving with each gasping breath she drew and her face as pale as a vampire's. Josef gently picked her up and laid her across the couch so she would be more comfortable. He gently picked up the arm Jack had bitten into, grimacing at the inch long gashes by the wrist her fangs had made. He licked it gently and watched as the wound stopped bleeding.
"Josef," Mary breathed out.
"Shh you'll be fine," Josef assured her softly. His girls were a sensitive spot in the vamp's heart. He was desperate to comfort Jack but at the same time he needed to make it so Mary would be fine alone.
"I saw them Josef," Mary panted. Her face screwed into a tormented expression her eyes squeezing shut. "Her memories little bits and flashes. She's been so hurt."
Josef drew a deep breath his mind whirling. It was impossible, emotions were transferred during a feeding but that was the end of it, nothing more. No vampire had ever been able to have that sort of mental connection no creature could connect to another so much they could transfer images. None that were known at least.
Then again that sort of power wasn't something that an individual wanted broadcasted. And Jack's emotions had been so strong when she bit into Mary even Josef could clearly feel them. The fear, anguish, lust, and even pure joy slammed him hard enough to knock the wind out of his chest. Maybe just maybe she actually could…
Josef shook his. This was not good. If Jack possessed a certain power it would draw attention from certain people.
Josef softly grabbed Mary's face and forced her to stare into his eyes. "Did you actually see actual memories?" he asked trying to keep the desperation out of his voice. "Pictures and views and people?"
"No," Mary croaked. Tears were drawing down her cheeks. Jack had left behind such misery it had lingered in the human's veins. "Well yes. I don't know Josef." A sob escaped her and she buried her face into his hand. "She was so sad and scared before."
No one handles me like that anymore.
What has this child gone through? Josef asked himself. "Will you be alright by yourself for a while?"
Mary nodded but didn't say anything. Josef stood up slowly so as not to startle her but once he was out of her grasp he ran at vampire speed outside. He expected to see Jack leaning against the wall or pacing close to his house. She was always in control enough so that he expected her to stay close.
"Foolish girl," Josef growled as he realized she wasn't in sight. A younger vampire that unstable was ready to turn rogue at any point. Her emotions were raging out of control, completely forcing her body to twist and turn and run as her lungs craved oxygen she couldn't seem to catch and her mind craved sanity she couldn't seem to find. Josef was stupid to think Jack could stand to stay nearby. Every instinct of hers was transforming her into a manic, telling her to run. And she would until she either collapsed from exhaustion or someone caught up with her, held her still, and forcibly calmed her down.
She was stupid, completely demented to run off. Jack would get herself killed if not by a human with a good gun than by another vampire who thought she was rogue. Or she could simply piss someone off enough. Plenty of older vampires were completely intolerable of others unless they had at least a few decades under their belt and wouldn't hesitate to snap the neck of an irritating fledgling. She didn't how vulnerable she was or how important. Not only had Josef taken a liking to her but Mick would be devastated if he lost Jack. The ancient vampire doubted he would ever be able to carve his friend out of the depression that would no doubt cripple his friend at her death. Not even blonde would have a shot in hell of getting him back to normal. What in the name of God had possessed Jack to do so irresponsible?
Realizing screaming in his head was doing no good Josef forced himself to bite down his anger. Ten minutes. Ten minutes and if he didn't have her back he would call Mick. He preferred not to but her was her sire and deserved to know.
Taking a deep breath Josef tasted the air and watched as Jack bolted from his house faster than he thought she could ever run. He could see tears and confusion shaping her expression and sighed.
Josef shook his head. How had this all gone so wrong? Where did things go from being fine to crumbling in his hands?
Josef followed the scent trail far behind his house nearly losing it when Jack had spontaneously taken a sharp turn to the left. Ten minutes later he found himself in the same field he and Mick had first taught Jack to fight when her smell suddenly flooded the air. She had stopped to try and get her bearings before running off again but by doing so Josef had completely lost the trail. Her smell was simply everywhere. He growled in frustration tracking was not his forte it was Mick's.
"Mick," Josef groaned. For once he feared his friend might actually be able to cause him some damage. He'd have to make sure to hide the weapons well, very well. As if the fates were deciding to be cruel Josef's phone rang. He glanced down to see the caller ID flashing the one name he did not want to see at the moment.
"Mick," Josef answered.
The moment he heard Josef's voice Mick knew something had gone wrong. He swallowed the panic down before asking, "What happened?"
"I made an amateur mistake," Josef mumbled. "How far away are you?" He heard the roar of an engine accelerate in the background.
Mick's harsh voice came through the phone, "I'll be there in ten minutes."
"Mick," Josef began, "I need you to drive on the roads around my house."
"Where is she Josef?" Mick growled.
Josef paused before admitting, "I don't know Mick."
The phone line went dead.
She needed to go faster. Jack didn't understand where she was going. She didn't know where she was. But she did know she needed to go faster. If she went faster she would be further away so she would go faster, she would do anything to get away from the blood. The blood was the link. It had crumbled every single wall built in Jack's mind, years of construction had been torn away in less than a second leaving the memories to flood back into her conscious until Jack could no longer see the present.
A gurgling sound rippled through her chest and Jack gripped the sides of her head, freezing on top of a branch. She curled up into a ball and tried to stop the flood of images that had managed to break the temporary barriers desperately formed in the last thirty seconds. Old friends, old enemies, betrayal, parental destruction, drunken nights, bright lights, strobe lights, mistakes, hesitating dilemmas with severe consequences, all were flashing through her eyes highlighting the pure pain and exhaustion. Blood had dredged up every musty emotion and heartache Jack had ever experienced and then shut into a corner of her conscious. She was being forced to relive a childhood that had long since been buried in the attempts to retain a shred of sanity.
A rubber band in Jack's legs snapped and threw her forward into a sprint through the tree tops. Run, run, run, run, that's all she could do was run. Pure panic coursed through veins and skin. If this continued she wouldn't survive Jack would physically tear herself apart before she experienced this amount of pain again. It had nearly killed her before but this time it undoubtedly would. Suddenly Jack's body began shaking so extremely her foot slipped on the wet bark. She didn't even try to grab onto other branches as they flew past in a blur of brown and green. There just wasn't a need to. She looked up into the disappearing canopy with the calmness of a man who had faced his demons and was laying on his deathbed, welcoming the end of his existence with serene joy.
Time seemed to stretch forever in those few seconds between air and ground. Eternity opened its gates as the universe showed itself to the insignificant vampire who only a month ago was a slightly more insignificant human. With the sense of an epitome Jack realized this was the last time she would fall. From here on out she would either rot like a common irrelevance or she could pull her pieces together and attempt to live on and heal. Either way this final slip up was the last time she could survive being reduced to reliving her past as she had for years, this was the last time she could survive after dropping from such a great height. Being turned into a vampire had only sped up an inevitable decision Jack would have to make at some point in her lifetime: either evolve or perish. She was terrified to do either but it was impossible to run anymore, within the next few months or years or maybe decades Jack's will was either going to be strong enough to endure this new life or it was going to snap and she would cease to exist. It was that simple.
Jack's back slammed into the hard ground. She let out a gurgled scream her eyes widened and she sucked in a breath. But it was only the shock of hitting the ground so hard that warranted such a reaction there was no pain only numbness. And now there wasn't a muscle that would twitch on command. Jack body's had before been so willing to move, to run, like there was a monster chasing after her but now it was as still as stone and heavy as lead. As Jack's body refused to move her mind was forced to calm. The panic subsided to the point where she could think somewhat clearly but the ache in her chest to be with someone familiar still ate at her heart like a parasite. Why was she so stupid to run from Josef? He was a friend someone who was going to help her. And familiarity was what Jack was craving right now.
"Jack!"
Jack's eyes widened in shock at the familiar voice and she laughed out loud. She kept laughing and couldn't seem to stop the situation was just too much. Great on top of everything she was becoming hysterical. Maybe she was finally cracking under everything. It would make sense she had been through quite a bit the past couple months.
"Jack!"
The sound of snapping twigs finally snapped Jack out of her hysterics. Laughs turned to tears and she screwed her eyes shut trying not to cry. Mick cleared the line of trees in front of Jack, looking around wildly. His eyes fell on his fledgling, widening in sheer panic as he took in the crater she was laying in.
Jack opened her eyes and sucked in a breath trying to blink back tears. "I fell," she admitted.
Mick was at her side in a second, cradling her in his arms. Jack buried her face in his chest while silent tears streamed down her face. She was so tired and hurt and miserable. Everything had gone so horribly wrong she didn't even want to go on, what was the point of life if everything was so hard?.
Like someone had thrown a light switch sleep began to ebb at Jack's consciousness and before she could understand what was happening she was asleep.
Mick sighed and studied his fledgling with remorse. She was covered in human blood and torn clothing, truly looking no more worse for wear physically but mentally he was terrified Jack had been scarred. The first time drinking blood had become a traumatic experience and now the question was would she drink it again?
Mick's own experiences told him no.
And now his fledgling's fears mimicked his own. That was not something he wanted to happen, it was one of the reason he gave control to Josef this one time because Mick didn't dare to risk imposing his own irrational reservations on drinking fresh. But something had gone terribly wrong and now Jack probably wouldn't ever drink fresh again.
As gently as he could Mick picked Jack up bridal style and began the short walk back to his car. She was sleeping soundly, her breathing even and her face peaceful. He couldn't help but wonder if that was truly how she was feeling or if her body was just so tired it refused to show any emotions.
Taking out his phone Mick called Josef who was undoubtedly still out in the woods somewhere. It wasn't often his friend made a mistake but when Josef did he always personally fixed it.
Mick flinched.
Is that what he considered Jack drinking human blood, a mistake?
"Mick did you find her?" Josef asked. He sounded out of breath. Yep still out in the woods.
Mick grimaced, the state of how he found Jack flashed into his mind. "Yes, about a fifteen minute run into the forest. Every few miles I stopped to see if I could smell her or hear her or something. Luckily she was close enough to the road where at one point I could."
"Is she okay?"
Mick growled. He understood Josef was feeling guilty and for good reason. If he hadn't been so overconfident Jack would have been guarded better and wouldn't have had the opportunity to run off. "She passed out in my arms Josef."
There was a sigh from the other end. "I feel like an idiot."
Mick ran his fingers through his hair and took a deep breath. It wasn't all Josef's fault not at all. If Mick was a decent sire he would have had the gall to teach his own fledgling how to drink fresh, he wouldn't have allowed his own stupid animosities to get in the way of her health. But he did.
Defeated by his own stupidity Mick asked in a deflated voice, "What now?"
"Bring her back I have rooms for both of you."
"Thanks."
Josef snorted. "For what Mick? Screwing up?"
"No for doing something I couldn't do for something I wasn't brave enough to do."
"I don't deserve thanks Mick, I fu—"
Mick cut him off. "Jack never would have had the opportunity if it wasn't for you because you and I both know I'm too much of a coward. And I don't need to hear your self-loathing right now. All I want to do is get Jack in a freezer and some sleep and then maybe get a glass of blood myself. Now shut up. I'll be at your house in ten minutes."
Josef listened in surprise as the phone clicked off. He had never heard Mick so authoritative before especially not towards him. Josef was still wondering how a little girl could cause such a change in one of the most monotonous vampires in all of history when Mick walked through the door, carrying the girl in question. The shock wasn't as bad for him as it was for Mick. Josef had seen the bloodied cloths before and he didn't have to see the sheer desperation in Jack's eyes.
"She's burning up," Mick told him curtly.
Josef walked over and placed his hand on Jack's forehead. He wouldn't go so far as to say she was burning up but there was a slight fever. It was nothing some cold wouldn't fix.
Josef nodded. "Follow me."
Josef led Mick up the stairs and into a bedroom that until a week ago had been a storage room.
"I've never been in here before," Mick commented as he noticed the dark wood bed and dresser.
Josef walked to another door and opened it to reveal a much smaller room painted black. Frost laced the wall thanks to a freezer adorning the middle of the floor.
"It's for Jack," Josef explained. "Since you and blondie seem to be getting pretty close I considered you two might actually do something and I'm sure poor Jack doesn't want to hear that. Not to mention you're a little sadistic when it comes to control and that manages to get onto even my nerves. Can you imagine how berserk a teenager would go? But this isn't the way I wanted to give it to her."
Mick smiled sadly. Sometimes his friend amazed him. Most of the time Josef seemed as cold as ice and heartless but then the ancient vampire would go and do something like this and remind Mick why he was his best friend.
"I'll be downstairs with a glass of blood and you better come down with a story," Josef stated. He walked out of Jack's room, closing the door behind him and feeling like he had just closed off a part of his life. Something had just occurred, he wasn't sure what, but it would change all of them.
As soon as Josef shut the door Mick rushed to get Jack into the freezer. There was just one problem. Tattered as they are Jack was still dressed and she wasn't waking up any time soon to fix that problem. Stiff cloths were horrible to awaken to but still Mick was hesitant to actually undress Jack. She was a young girl for God's sake! It was indecent, abhorrent something morally and ethically wrong in every twisted way.
Mick shook his head.
He wasn't doing this for any reason other than to assure Jack was actually going to get the sleep she desperately needed. Damn his own conscious if it was going to judge him and damn anyone else that would judge him. C0ld was a necessity to vampires. Jack was like his daughter and Mick would take care of her and that meant doing what was necessary.
Trying to preserve her modesty Mick quickly undressed Jack and laid her in the freezer, sealing the lid so she would get as much cold as possible. Her face looked so calm and peaceful but he knew that wasn't how she was feeling. Mick began to wonder if he would still have Jack when she woke up or a shell of the girl he had come to care for.
He was afraid of the answer.
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Review! My muse is dying! Feed her!
Alright what did you think? Don't be harsh give suggestions with constructive criticism don't just murder me please. And I know right now it's a little confusing, this is the first glimpse of Jack's past we've gotten a glimps of but this is a hug part in the story so don't be afraid all will be explained.
And hey question: what is Josef's head security guy's name? Let's see if you guys can come through. I really do need the answer though or I'm going to make up a name and if I do I can't get yelled at because I asked first.
Thanks again!
--FateBreaker7