4. Memories

"So where are we going?" he said while looking at me with that same smile that would have given me goosebumps.

"That's for me to know and you to find out when we get there." I said with my dazzling smile. I heard his heart stop for a moment, then regain speed. I was holding back a chuckle. "It's a place where I like to go to be alone. I have to tell you what is happening and why it is happening, but more importantly I need you to know what I am. Not the lie we've told countless others. I can tell you this right now. I'm not fully human." I said as I raced down the highway.

"Do you always drive this fast?" he asked breaking the silence a few minutes later. His head was looking out the window as he said this.

"Sometimes faster, but I thought I should reveal this to you as slowly as I can." I said while laughing. He was so calm and mature about this. I couldn't understand why. Has he faced something worse than this before? I would find out as much about him as I can.

"Oh." He said. Was he upset about something I said? Was he frightened of me?

"Is something wrong?" I asked.

"That depends. Am I ever going home?" his voice croaked at the end. He turned to face my face. He then regretted ever saying that. My face was full of horror. He really thought I was a monster. He thought I was going to take him away from his family. Did this mean he didn't want to be with me?

I looked down, away from his gaze. "I'm more sorry I can tell you for bringing you into this. Sam has her issues with me hanging around with humans, especially the way I described you. She just doesn't seem to understand that me hurting you would never happen." I sighed.

The silence continued again for about a half an hour. I wanted to know what he was thinking, what he was feeling.

"Were here." I said after pulling into a narrow trail way. I made a sharp turn into the dirt and made my way to a tall tree.

"This is where you come to be alone?" he said amazed. His face was taking in the tall oak tree standing before him. Leaves blew from the wind and this air made his scent stronger. I dropped to my knees trying to hold myself back.

"Claire!" Jason yelled with an alarmed voice. He put his hand on my back and starting rubbing it soothingly. It reminded me of my old memory. "Hush, my dear. It will all be over soon." The calm voice said while his hand trailed my back.

"Why are you doing this?" My voice was cracking and it was full of fear.

"Your scent is too strong to resist, Claire. I must have you now." He said in a seductive voice that only made me want him more. I lifted my lips to find his and he grabbed my waist bringing me closer to him. After a few minutes of this most of my clothes were on the ground in strips. He stole my virginity and most of all he stole my humanity. I felt a sharp pain in my neck. I screamed to find his hand still over mine…

"Claire, what's wrong?" Jason asked urgently, shaking me from my memory. I stood up so fast and ran about 20 feet away from him. I heard him intake a breath at my speed. He took a step closer.

"Please just stay where you are for right now, until I regain my strength." I said breathing hard. After about 2 minutes I walked back to him. "I'm sorry. I'm going to tell you everything now; Jason and it would help if you don't interrupt. Do you understand?

He simply nodded.

"If you want me to leave I can. I understand if your afraid of me, but what I'm about to tell you, you might just hate me. Not only for what I am, but for what I have done."

"No! I don't want you to leave, Claire. Just stay with me a little bit longer." He begged.

"I'm not going anywhere if you don't want me to." I said as I smiled. "Get on my back and hold on tight, and if you're afraid of heights you might want to close your eyes." I added.

He hesitated as he took a step forward, but he got on my back and held on very tight for a human. The warmth of his skin was soothing to me, and the voice inside my head welcomed his body being so close just within reach to bite…

I growled and jumped up onto one of the branches. I then began to climb at a fast pace. In 1 minute we reached the top of the massive oak tree.

"Ok you can open your eyes now." I said breaking the short silence. He loosened his strangling grip and I set him down on the nearest branch. He clung to it with his life. I laughed hard. He just looked at me with a sour expression.

"What?" he snapped.

I stopped laughing at once. "I didn't me to upset you. Do you really think that I would let you fall?"

"I don't really know."

My face cringed at his words. It was like he was stabbing my heart with a wooden stake. I put on a fake smile.

"Sorry. I'm just not used to being pulled through such a thing, but you said you would explain everything so go ahead." He encouraged.

I took in one breath and his scent stung my throat, but in a way relieved it. I had to find out what caused his scent to be like this. "Before I tell you how I came into this life I suppose I should tell you what I am. As I have told you I'm not human, I'm something more. Something much more dangerous than you could ever imagine." I paused to look at his face, but he motioned for me to continue with eager eyes. I smiled. "Before I tell you I want you to guess. At least give it a try to what I am." I said. His face was puzzled. I surprised him by my words. "Come on, surely you must have a guess to what I am? I'm surprised that you haven't even had a guess."

"Well your skin is pale, your strong, your eyes are red, you seem strong by the way you fought that wolf thing, and you do have speed from what I have witnessed just a few minutes ago."

"Yes go on." I said getting edgy. He could see my grip on the branch and he was worried what would happen if he guessed right. "It's ok. Please continue." I said as I put my hand over his. There was a burst on intuition in his eyes.

"Your skin is also very cold. I've read in books and there has only been one monster I have read about that fits you characteristics." He smiled as he said this.

I flinched as he said the word monster. I guessed I deserve it. I am what I am.

"Say it, Jason. Say what I am." I looked down with an ashamed expression on my face.

"Your everything that I fell in love with. I don't care what you are, I'll only care about you and your life." He said as he put his soft hand under my chin. He tried to pull my face up, but he couldn't. I laughed and in a moment I was on top of him staring him down with an angry expression now written on my face.

"You don't care if I could kill you? You don't care if I kill your kind? How would you like if I told I have killed part of your family?" I asked. I jumped up to a branch and sat on it, my back facing him.

"What are you talking about?" his voice asked on the edge of tears.

"The moment you told me of your mother I knew at once that it wasn't an animal that killed her. Then after you explained what she looked like and the day of the murder I realized something."

"What? Claire what are you trying to tell me!" he was yelling now. Fighting back tears the whole time. I turned to look at his face. "I realized that I killed your mother. I was thirsty and her scent was appetizing to me. I'm so sorry, Jason." I said.

For once he was speechless. Minutes passed and I was growing anxious. I didn't know if he was in shock or anything. "Jason? Please say something. The silence is killing me." I said. I pulled his face up so he could look at me. For the first time I saw tears in his eyes. Guys rarely cry. I knew that even from my dim human memories.

"So she wasn't killed by an animal then? You killed her? The bite marks? What were they really? I mean what did u do to her?" he asked. His tears made his voice weak, but it still seemed like he was yelling at me.

"It all goes with the story. Do you know what I am or don't you? If not I'll have to tell you. Tell me, tell me what kind of horrible monster I am."

He sucked in a deep breath. "Bite marks." He whispered. "Mom was so pale. They found no blood in her." He was talking to himself and then I saw that he finally got it. "Vampire." It wasn't a question. It was a statement.

I nodded.

"So you just sucked the life from her! How can you be so cruel she was probably in pain the whole time."

"The day I found her she was in such good spirits. You said she was superstitious, did you not?" I questioned.

"I did say that."

"She knew what I was and as soon as she saw my eyes she begged for her life. She told me about you. She said she had an 11-year-old boy at home. That didn't stop me though. My thirst had gone unquenched for much too long. I can see where you get your scent. Your mother had a very floral scent, just like you do.

"I don't want to scare you so I'll tell you why it's safe for me to be near you. You know how a candle smells good, but you know it's not very edible? That's how you are with me. You smell great, but the edge to the smell is too much for me to even think about, well you know." I said. "You asked if she was in pain and for me to assure you that she wasn't I'm gonna tell you how I came to be.

"Remember how you put your hand on my back earlier trying to sooth me? It caused a reaction in me and I hope I didn't scare you." I looked into his deep hazel eyes seeming to get lost in them.

"Not really, but please continue." He told me. I nodded at him.

"Well when I was changed a horrible thing happened to me. I was currently dating a boy named Cody. He was sweet and gentle. His eyes were the strangest shade of violet, but I never asked why.

"One night I was walking with him to a middle of nowhere when he said we could get there faster through an abandoned cemetery. I believed him.

"He led me through the passageway and with a quick sudden movement I was slammed against the ground. His ear was to mine and he sweet breath was all over my face. "Don't worry it will all be over soon." He told me." My voice cracked and suddenly I punched the branch next to me causing the whole tree to shake. "I shouldn't have trusted that evil creature!" I screamed into the air. "That night I lost my virginity, I was raped. He bit me and caused venom into my system and that's how I became who I am today.

"The only reason I went with him that night was because I had a fight with my parents and I had to get out of the house. I had no idea Cody would do that to me. Once he realized what he had done he kept saying "Oh no, Oh no. What have I done to her?" he talked to himself. I felt myself go unconscious and when I "woke" up he was gone and I was a vampire."

I looked down. I was ashamed of myself.

"Oh Claire." He sighed then he wrapped his arms around me. He was comforting me. "I hate to see you suffer like this. I don't despise him as much as you do though." He said with a smile on his face. I could tell; this was how Skylar talked when he was still smiling.

"Why not? He made me into a monster. If he hadn't your mom would still be here and you wouldn't be in danger! How can you not hate him like I do?" I was furious.

"I'll admit I am pissed that you killed my mom, but either way if he hadn't made," he cringed at the word made. "You then you wouldn't be here now and I wouldn't have the girl I have fallen in love with sitting right next to me." I looked at him again. He smiled warmly.

"How can you still love me after what I've told you? Don't you hate me? Don't you want to die? Don't you want me to leave you alone, forever?" I was talking so fast. I didn't know if he even caught a word of that.

"No! How could you ever think that? I love you, Claire. From the first day I met you, I didn't realize it then, but I was in love with you. I didn't know how you felt about me either, but I love you and I want you, Claire. I want you to be mine, forever. I realize you have done some bad things, but nothing could take away the love I have for you. Claire, I love you and I will always love you." he looked at me scared like he had said too much; afraid I was going to decline him.

"Je t'aime, Jason." I said with a grin.

"What does that mean?"

"I told you I grew up in France. It's French. I said 'I love you, Jason'." I said with a wide grin.

"Really?"

"Like you said. I have always loved you. It's just that at first I didn't know it yet. I can't be away from you now." I grabbed his face in both my hands and pulled him closer to me. I could feel his breathe in my breath I was blowing from my mouth. "I love you now and I will always love you. Forever love, Jason. Forever love."

"So tell me one thing. No scratch that I want you to tell me two things. For one what was Sam? She looked like some kind of wolf." He said.

I chuckled at his question. "Sam is something strange to us. She is a shape shifter, although she took the form of a wolf. So to shorten it up we just call her a werewolf." I said.

"I thought werewolves and vampires are supposed to be enemies?" he asked. My mouth dropped open. How is it possible that he knew all of this? He saw my reaction and laughed. "I watch those Underworld movies a lot. They can give you some information. Am I right, though?"

"You're the strangest human I have ever met, Jason Greenfield. Yes you're right. Sam saved my life once and I will be forever thankful to her, but right now she has crossed a line." I clarified. He nodded his head in understanding.

"The second thing I want you to tell me is how do you know that my mom died with no pain?" he asked. His voice seemed strong through the whole question. Though I did cringe he still wanted me to continue.

"There is a lot of things I must explain to you, but it will take days. First I want to tell you how old I am. Do you have any guesses?" I asked. He found a challenge in my voice so he put his finger up to think for a minute.

"Aren't you only 18? I mean you look 18." He stated.

"Yes I am 18, but I'll always be 18. I have been 18 for 4,128 years." That threw him off. He started to lean back and he would have fallen off, if I hadn't of grabbed him. "You ok?" I needed to make sure.

"You're over 4,000 years old!" he exclaimed. "How do you still look like you're a teenager?"

"Vampires never age. Now sometimes when a person is changed into a vampire, things can happen. Sometimes we can get special gifts and my gift is the most repulsive, monstrous gift any vampire has gotten. I can cause things to have death. I can kill people on the spot with no pain or I can make their death excruciating. I don't like to use my gift, but sometimes I have to. I used my gift on your mom and that's how I know there was absolutely no pain inflicted on her."

He looked away. Trying to absorb everything I guess. "Can the rest of your family do special things too?"

"It's a rare thing. Not all vampires get gifts, but my family is the most talented vampire coven in the world. Trust me on that."

"So what can they do?" Jason asked. His face was so lit up and eager for the information. He reminded me of Skylar when I first found him. He was rock climbing and his strap broke. When I found him on the ground there was something in me that wanted him to still have a chance at life, but at that time I was so selfish, I wanted a friend of my own. I changed Skylar into a monster. He was my first companion. "What? Are you going to answer my question?" he asked a little bit more frustrated.

"Sorry. The face you made it just reminded me of Skylar. When I saved him I mean. His face was so innocent that I couldn't just let him die. I forgot to tell you. Not only does my gift cause death, but also I can bring people back to life. To and extent." When I said bring people back to life I knew his thoughts flashed to his mom. "I can't, Jason. I can't repair someone who has been decaying for over 7 years. I'm so very sorry. More than I can tell you."

"Wait a minute. If Skylar fell and he wasn't already dead why didn't you save him with your gift instead of making him into one of you?" his curiosity almost made me laugh, but I held it in my throat.

The wind suddenly blew and his scent crashed into me so hard there wasn't anything I couldn't smell that wasn't Jason.

My hand gripped the branch and my nostrils flared. "No don't do it. Claire you're better than this. Control your thirst." I debated with myself. Jason heard me and decided it was time for him to move. "No! Don't leave. Not yet at least." I begged.

He smiled at my reaction. "I was just giving you some room. I don't want to make this any more difficult on you then it has to be." He replied. Again he was worried about my well fare and how hard it is on me. Was he even shaken about knowing the truth about me? "Are you going to answer the whole Skylar thing?" he asked.

"At that time I didn't know of my gift." I lied. I just wanted a companion for me. I was so lonely. Now Skylar has been my best friend for over 200 years. I knew of my gift after about 100 years of being a monster.

"Oh. I see. Now are you going to tell me what the others gifts are?" he scooted closer to me and his hand touched mine. I flinched from it. "Sorry."

" 'S okay. Now where should I begin? I'll start with the easiest, to me at least. Syd, now she can read peoples mind, to an extent. She's getting better at it. She can read anyone's mind. Up to about a mile or so.

"Taylor is a physical shield. She can block any physical attack about to happen. She is one of the most important to my family.

"Then Skylar he can turn invisible. You should have seen me about 10 years after finding him. He seemed to have disappeared and I was having a panic attack. Then out of nowhere there he was and he scared me so bad I about "hurt" him. It was quite funny to me."

"The last is Angel. She can transport places, but to a limit. She can only go to places she has been. That's one of the many reasons we travel a lot. So Angel can go to different places with ease. She is also starting to be able to track where people are going with her gift. Then about 30 years ago she was strong enough that she can take a few people with her. I learned that the hard way. I was terrified when I was suddenly in a new place and all alone." I chuckled at the thought.

After another short moment of silence he finally spoke again. "That's it?"

"Yep." I replied.

"I have another question."

"You always have another question, Jason." I chided. "Go on." I answered.

"Why are the rest of their eyes like brown and only yours and Syd's eyes are red?" I smiled wide enough to show part of my teeth. His breath took in a gasp then returned to normal.

"It's because I drink human blood." I answered with a hard voice.

"Does Syd drink human's blood too?" he asked amazed.

"No. She is a newborn. That's what we call newly made vampires. She was made about 1 year ago. Sometimes on hunts though I caught her cheating. That's why they haven't returned to the shade of brown you're referring to."

"If you they don't hunt humans what do you hunt?" he asked seeming confused. His face still has a little form of shock remaining on the skin.

"They hunt animals. It's not as satisfying but it keeps they strong enough to resist human blood all around them. It's like a human living on tofu. I can't imagine them eating that stuff though. It's so awful."

I looked toward the shy and I already saw the sun starting to set. How could have time flown so quickly with him? It still feels like I have only been here for a few minutes. "I guess I should take you home." I sighed. I didn't like to leave his side.

"Yah my dad will start to worry." He sighed. And then I laughed. He didn't seem to leave my presence either.

"Trust me?" I asked as I stood up on the branch. He hesitated for a moment, but he was just kidding me.

"I always will." He said. I took his hand and flung him onto my arms, cradled like a baby. I took a step off the branch and plunged into the air. Falling like I was a sinker lure in the water. It was all over soon. I hit the ground with a small thud. He opened his eyes with caution, and then he looked around finding we were already on the ground. "Wow, Claire. That was exhilarating."

I nodded then ran to my car and put him in the seat while then climbing onto my seat. I floored it through the trail and made it to the highway.

I drove in silence until we arrived at his house. I opened his door and helped him out, for he was half-asleep. I walked him to the door and told him my good-byes. I left his doorstep and drove home. Angel was waiting in the living room when I got there. Her face was anxious, but when she saw me it seemed like all her fears vanished.

"Has something happened?" I asked. Her face then went expressionless.

"Nick hasn't called yet and he said he would before the end of the day. I'm worried that something has happened to them." Angel said when she started to pace. I waited in silence until her legs seemed to slow.

"I'll watch him tonight and wait for a call from you if I need to get him out of here." I didn't wait for her to respond. I was already out the door and headed out on a sprint to Jason's house. I knew he wouldn't be asleep it yet-it was a Saturday night.

I found his house by following his scent. It lingered around one house so I guessed it to be his.

"Dad we didn't do anything! She took me out for the day. She said it looked like I needed some fun so I went with her! I'm a senior for crying out loud! Since when is it a sin that I got out for some fun with a friend? You were never this protective when mom was around!" he yelled at his own father. I heard him stomp to his room so I climber up to his window and sat down on his bed before he made it up one step.

He opened the door and turned on the light. When he looked over to his bed I saw that he jumped. "Sorry I didn't mean to scare you. I hope your not starting fights with your dad over me?"

"He doesn't seem to trust me anymore. Ever since my mom died he seemed to take on her role. He thinks that we did something…" he led off. He looked at me wondering if he offended me.

I just laughed. "That's actually kind of funny to me. Me of all people would try to seduce you. I probably wouldn't be able to do that in the first place." I was laughing quietly, afraid his dad might hear me.

He looked down embarrassed. He was rubbing his arm and I knew what he was feeling. He was uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry I shouldn't have said that. It just seems like since now there are no secrets between you and me anymore, so I can, in a way, be myself around you."

"I don't mind." He said a little sad. I couldn't understand why. "You can always be truthful with me. In fact I want you to be. No matter how horrible it might be." He looked down again. Why was he acting like this? I was thinking when it all clicked together. I then understood why he was sad. I understood why he said all those things.

"Jason, come here and sit with me for a second." I told him. He looked up and then went to sit next to me. I took his hand and just looked at it for a second.

Then my phone went buzzing like it was trying to pounce on its prey. I took it out then I saw who was calling. Was something wrong? Why hadn't Angel called? Was she hurt?

"Skylar?" I asked frantic. I didn't understand why he would call me first.

Are you ok? Skylar's voice was strained. Why would he wonder if I was ok? Did something happen?

"What's going on? Why wouldn't I be ok? Tell me now!" it was a half growl.

Well when Nick and me were following them we found a scent from Keith and it was fresh and heading in the direction of Jason's house. Claire calm down! I doubt he would try to challenge you over Jason!

I was growling loud enough that it was possible for Jason's dad to hear. I was so mad at Sam for ripping my family apart. "He wouldn't. He knows what I can do to him if he even tried to touch Jason. I would kill him. I wouldn't like it, but I would."

The thing is their gonna use what they can against you. They know you well enough to possibly harm you. With Syd and Taylor, his voice cracked at her name. And I could understand why. On their side, its pretty even. Your attack wouldn't do much if Taylor was there blocking it.

I hated it when he was right. "Damn it! I hate it! Why couldn't of I seen what was happening and then I might have been able to put a stop to it?" I was so angry with Sam. Why does she have to do this now?

I know you don't like this just as much as I do, but Claire? Again with the buts.

"What?"

What am I going to do about… his voice got the best of him, but I knew whom he was talking about.

"I don't know, Skylar. I do plan to fix this though. I promise you I will do what I can to get a hold of this. Sam won't get away with doing this to our family." The way I used the name our, was to include Jason. He was pert of it now, and I will protect him with my life.

Claire does he know? I mean about us? The real us? He also understood the way I used our.

"Yes. Jason knows almost everything. I've still got some things to tell him.

Ok then. If he's part of this family now, you know I'll protect him. I'll do what I can. Listen I have to go. Tell them both I said it's all going to be ok. Bye, Claire. Miss you.

"I miss you too. Goodbye and good luck." I said as the phone on the other line went dead.

My gut was then in pain. This body can't cry, but it felt like I was going to explode. I wanted everything back to normal. I wanted my family back and it to be the same again, like it used to be. Why did everything have to change now?

I leaned into Jason and took his hand in mine. He rubbed my head and part of my back. I started humming quietly I wrapped my other arm around Jason's waist and pulled him closer to me. I didn't ever want to leave this position, but I had some work to do. Luckily that work all revolved with me being with Jason. I felt his lips touch the top of my hair. I heard him sigh. "Oh, Claire." Just like he had in the tree.

Then I heard something outside and then jumped out of the position and got in my hunting crouch, poised to kill. I hissed quietly, but loud enough for the intruder to hear me.

"Calm down Claire. It's just me. Did you get a call from Skylar too?" I heard the softest voice coming from Jason's window.

"Yeah. I thought something was. He didn't call you first so I was worried that something happened to you." I said while smiling.

"Nope I'm just fine. Like I could get caught." She laughed. Her voice was ringing bells when she laughed like that. "Oops. Does Jason know?" she asked. She thought she had said too much.

"Yeah. He knows what were are and what we can do so don't be worried about saying too much."

"Oh that's good." She sighed. "So what'd you think, Jason? Are we monsters or what?" she teased, laughing.

"Yeah, I'm terrified of you." he returned the joke. I was so happy that he wasn't scared of Angel. Then again it was easy to like her. Her name fits her so well. She is an Angel.

"Listen I need to… take care of things. Can you watch him Angel? I won't be long and he isn't that boring. Of course you have watched him before." I chuckled. "I'll be back." I whispered in Jason's ear. Then I kissed his forehead. His scent was so strange to me. Still had that repulsive glow to it. I need to know why he didn't smell good to me like he should.

I jumped out the window with ease and then I ran outward from the house making sure there was no scent there that shouldn't be. Then I knew it was clear and I went out to hunt. My eyes were getting so dark I was afraid they would go black. I ran a good 5 miles hoping for some luck that there would be a person alone. When I ran I found an appetizing scent that was familiar to me. I couldn't put a name to the person, but I didn't care I was too thirsty to care at this point. I followed the scent into the night.