21. Shadow
Cody smiled as if my warning sounds encouraged him. His feet stayed in one place as my eyes swept over him.
As usual he was wearing a white T-shirt and blue worn out jeans. His blonde hair was smoothed out into what seemed like a comb over, but he could actually pull it off. His ears were still shaped as perfectly I remember from my dim human memories as well as my vampire ones. His arms were still pale and he had nice biceps, not quite as big as Jason's though. He wore gray converse on his feet that were an inch smaller than Jason's did just by looking at them.
"You would do best to leave." My voice ripped through the growls I sent towards him. His red eyes pierced through mine.
"Now why would I do that?"
"Because no one wants you here."
I was surprised to hear that because it was not my voice that spoke. Jason stepped up and grabbed my hand.
"Jason."
"Leach." Jason spat at him. Cody raised an eyebrow but didn't comment on it.
Only a few seconds passed before I realized no one was moving not even Jason.
I quickly compared Jason to Cody.
As beautiful as Cody was I couldn't even begin to compare his flaws with Jason's perfection. Jason had the most beautiful face I had ever laid eyes on. His blonde hair had brown streaks in it, natural by the way, and to top it off, it had nice curls to give a bounce to his step. His neck was nicely sized, though his blood smelled horrid. His adam's apple was huge! I don't think I had ever noticed that before. Then on to his body. He was slim, but very muscular. He had an 8-pack thank you very much. His calves were huge. His ankles looked like twigs next to his. I bet he's a fast runner, not as fast as me of course, but to humans I'm sure. He was around 5'8 in height I'm sure for he was only a few inches taller than I was.
Only three seconds had passed.
"I thought you said you would leave Claire alone and let her decide." Jason growled as he put his left arm around me.
"My dear boy, I lied." Cody pulled his lips back and let out a fearsome growl, but Jason did not flinch.
"Well just try and take her from me." Jason said proudly and smiled at me. I smiled back, but it was too timid. I was afraid.
Cody's red eyes looked over Jason and the look he gave him made me cringe, but Jason didn't even tremble.
"You listen to me you incapable, idiotic, miserable excuse for a human. Claire is mine. She has always been mine. And she will always be mine. Nothing you can ever do will take her away from me. She won't admit it, but she knows she enjoyed everything about the night she claims she hates. I can read her mind, I have the most connection with her, and I know Claire more than anybody else. I would know." Cody smiled at me, that same dark, alluring smile that made me fall for him. Why in the world did he have to be so damn sexy right now!
Cody smiled as he heard my thoughts once again.
"Stop that!" I snapped. I was furious. No, scratch that. I was beyond furious.
"Tell me you love me." He purred.
"I can't say something that I don't mean."
"Tell me the truth." Cody demanded, but in a softer tone.
"I don't love you." I lied.
Cody then burst into laughter, calling my bluff. His voice echoed through the emptiness of the desert.
Part of me hated him. Part if me wants him to die. Part of me wants myself to kill him. But I can't.
Cody was right.
I loved him. I loved him more than anything did. He was everything I had wanted, but he took it away. He had me from the start, but he lost me in the end. It's his fault. It always has been and it always will be.
"Fine!" I blurted out. "I love you! Now why can't you just leave me alone!"
Jason looked at me sadly, but he knew it was the truth. He knew it from the beginning.
"I told you so." Cody said like a five-year-old child. He was in my face then; his breath covered my face. He pushed Jason on the ground and he couldn't do anything about it.
"Kiss me." He breathed, washing more of his scent all over me. He grabbed my hand, and cupped my face with his. Pulling me close he pressed his lips softly against mine.
I tried to fight it, but something in my mind stopped me. I thrashed against the walls of my brain, but it secured me, locking my control down. I growled, but the sound didn't come out of my mouth. My body was kissing him back, but it wasn't really me. I screamed, but again no sound came from me.
I heard Jason yelling. But I couldn't make out the words. My brain had turned against me, and there was nothing I could do about it.
I hated this feeling. It was the feeling of being trapped. I shied away from it, but I had to keep fighting. I had to keep going or else I would lose myself.
Something hard slammed into Cody. Pushing him into me. His body was ripped away from mine and I had no clue how it was done.
I slowly curled back into my mind, afraid of being trapped again, but I soon gained all of my control back. It was then that I saw whom it was.
Shadow was fighting Cody.
How did he find me? How did he know I was in trouble? Why in the world would he be fighting someone he knows he can't win against?
Jason walked over to me. He didn't look like he was in too much pain, but he could just be faking for my sake.
Cody snarled loudly. He kicked Shadow's head with a large crack. Shadow bounced back quickly, but Cody was too fast.
I looked around frantically, hoping no one heard our commotion. I squeezed Jason's hand tighter and held my breath from his horrid smell.
Though Cody was clearly faster, somehow it seemed like Shadow knew hi move right before Cody had even thought of it himself.
I gasped as it dawned on me.
Shadow must have seen the future and saw what was happening. He must have known I was in trouble because he saw me in it. He also must know that he's going to die trying to save me.
The anguished, yet determined look on his face confirmed that.
Shadow fought back hard. I knew how well he could fight, but I had never seen him like this before. He looked like a threat, even to Cody. Shadow looked so much like a vampire right now. The way he moved, poised and coiled like a snake, was all firm. He knew what he was doing. Silvia must have taught him well. She was a good fighter as well.
Shadow swung his arm square into Cody's wide chest, sending him 15 feet in the air and 25 feet away from us. Shadow made no hesitation while Cody was on his back. As soon as he swung his arm he leaped and pushed Cody's arms to the ground, holding him there. It scared me, the way his eyes were wide with fury, how angry he was, even though that anger was because Cody was hurting me deeply.
The deep growls from both of the vampire's was loud enough to hurt Jason's human ears. He covered them, trying to be sneaky about it. I shot a glance toward him but he was not looking at me like I would normally expect. He was looking at the two fighters, his eyes intense on the battle. I don't how he could follow as fast as they were throwing punches, but it seemed like he didn't miss a thing. Was this a good or bad thing?
Cody reacted faster than Shadow had anticipated so soon it was Shadow being thrown into the air like a sock doll. Shadow did not stay down like Cody did. He swirled out of the headlock quickly and kicked Cody in the place you should never be kicked for a guy.
Vampire or not that would hurt.
Cody fell over gagging. He coughed loudly and stayed down for a second, but that was more than enough for Shadow. He grabbed Cody's head and twisted it around. Another large snap filled the noisy air.
I smiled slightly as I watched Cody still fight in pain from Shadow's fighting style. This was what it truly meant to fight dirty.
I thought the fight was almost over, but again Cody surprised all three of us.
Cody bounced back up and moved so fast I even had trouble seeing him, so I knew Jason couldn't. But when I looked over Jason was wincing at things he could have never heard, so he had to have been watching it still. Good or bad?
Shadow exhaled in a gust from Cody's roundhouse kick to his gut. I heard another hut wrenching snap. Shadow was on the ground, moaning in deep pain, I could feel it.
I felt the glow of his life dimming slowly. Cody was actually draining the life from him.
I pushed with all the strength I had in me, giving him part of my gift. I pushed life into him, the life Cody was sucking out. It took a lot of my energy and my breath came out in a huff as well. This was the most power I had ever used with this. I had never had any reason to use it this much before. I felt my limits come before I felt them. If it were possible my forehead would be covered in sweat already.
Only 30 seconds had passed since the fight started thought it seemed like it could have been hours.
I felt Jason's hand in mine tremble. I thought he was frightened, but I was wrong. His whole figure was shaking violently. Loud growls erupted from his trembling body. His face was ice cold with fury. I saw his pupils shrink like a bright light was in his eyes, but a dark cloud covered the afternoon sun. When his lip curled over his teeth I saw two of his teeth pointed sharp, like what the fake stories of the fake vampires would be like.
The fighting did not pause.
I whirled around to face Jason and shook him roughly. Whatever moment he was in it stopped as soon as I shook him. His eyes went back to normal, his heartbeat went back and his teeth returned to its human like shape.
For the three seconds I was distracted Shadow moaned in serious pain. Focused my mind back on him again since Jason was now under control from whatever just happened.
Cody snarled at me, twisting his perfect features in rage. He looked at me and he was mad as hell. He pushed the draining harder and with that I pushed my strength to its limit. He knew that because he smiled.
I felt him stop and for a brief moment of hope I thought he would leave Shadow alone and come for the one he really wanted: me.
That hope was soon demolished as I saw a jet of flame coming from his mouth. The flames engulfed Shadow.
I heard him shriek in severe pain, but I could do nothing about it. The flames burned his body. I tried pushing more life into him but it was no use. His screams were agonizing to my ears as well as Jason's.
I heard him gasp as he saw what was happening.
Shadow's ear splitting screams soon began to fade away. I knew I had to do something and do it fast if I was going to save his life. I only had minutes left to do it.
"Please!" I begged, yelling over Shadow. I watched him writhe in pain. And for a moment he locked eyes as mine I saw his apology for not being able to destroy Cody.
"I'm…sorry. I've…failed." He croaked. His voice cracked and I realized that was going to be the last thing he was ever going to say.
Cody just glanced in my direction, smiling like he had just won the lottery. He then looked away from me and watched Shadow in his final moments of life.
Then with a burst of fire, the light of Shadow's life vanished. The flames then turned purple as his dead vampire body burned it last part of skin, then the flames vanished as well, leaving nothing but a burnt mark in the sand.
I stared at the empty place where Shadow's body was supposed to, not comprehending what had just taken place even though my mind knew. I just didn't want to believe I guess.
He's gone, I whispered in my mind. Shadow's dead. Shadow's gone. I repeated in my mind over and over again.
The anguish consumed my body. For a moment I fell to the ground in pain. I held my chest together, heaving uncontrollably.
Even though I could not physically cry, this is what it felt like. For a vampire it's more emotional because we have more room for it, but I have never cried like this before in my life. I had never had any need of this kind of pain. I had never lost anyone dear enough to need it.
I didn't feel like this when my parents left because they didn't like Skylar, I didn't feel like this when I changed into a vampire and realized what Cody was, and I know I didn't feel like this when my dad tried to kill me after I made him a vampire too.
Well, maybe I have felt a little like this before when I lost Sierra, but the pain was not this bad. Sure I loved her to death, she was my sister after all. But I had known Shadow much longer than I had known her. We had shared a special connection. Shadow had been my very best friend that wasn't my brother like Skylar is. I lost a friend that always understood me.
The next emotion that overwhelmed me was anger. I don't believe I had ever felt this mad before. I wanted to rip his head off, but something had changed. I wouldn't feel like I had lost something afterwards. I would feel better.
I snapped my head up, glaring at the blonde vampire that hadn't moved since Shadow was burned to ash.
I barred me teeth and snarled like a wild animal. I hissed furiously at him waiting for him to crouch, ready to fight me this time. Ready to lose against me this time. Ready to die in pain like he had murdered Shadow, this time.
But he didn't move.
Cody just looked at where his body was and stood there like a statue. Only his chest moved as he breathed in and out slowly. Some of his blonde hair moved and the wind blew gently through the desert.
"You monster!" I screeched. The sound was like fingernails clawing into a chalkboard. "You killed him! He was only trying to protect me from you and you murdered him!" I continued to rant on. "Why would you do that?" I began to question him. "What possible threat was he to you? Couldn't you have just let him live and deal with me!" I took in a deep breath because I had used up all my air.
Again Cody didn't budge. I began to wonder why he wasn't even trying to defend himself by saying 'he was only doing this because he loved me' blah blah blah.
"Cody?" I said in a slightly softer tone. I stood up straight now and took a step towards him. His fists balled up and I tensed ready for him to spring, but his face relaxed. No. His face wasn't relaxed it was…depressed. He actually looked like he was sorry for what he had just done, but I knew all to well it was just part of his act.
More anger welled up in me again, but I did nothing about it this time. I just let it flow through my limbs. I let the energy surge through my body so I could fight with more power than I thought possible for me
After ten minutes of waiting there ready to fight, I gave up. Cody didn't move so I turned around and walked over to Jason, who was frozen in his place as well.
He looked at me with a sad, understanding expression. He put his warm arm around my waist and pulled me into his chest. There my anger faded away and I leaned into him, taking in his horrid scent, but at that moment it was very comforting. He rubbed my back and kissed my hair.
"I'm sorry." He murmured.
I sighed softly and then unwrapped myself from his loving grip. I scooped him up in my stone arms and ran away from this spot. I ran as fast as I could possibly go, leaving Cody behind. Even though I was moving away from him I still sensed that he hadn't moved a bit.
After running for a few hours I stopped in New York for the night. I put Jason down and he again wrapped his arm around my waist and held me close, afraid to let me go.
We walked into a hotel and after showing our licenses-thank goodness Skylar had made me get one-and getting dirty looks from the female clerk, we went upstairs to our room.
Jason sat down with me on the crappy bed and just held me there while I sobbed tearlessly.
"I'm sorry." I said. "I'm keeping you awake. You should get some sleep. If were lucky we'll be in France tomorrow night."
"Like I could sleep after what I saw." He half moaned. I fake smiled and laid flat on the bed, then propping myself onto my elbow in one fluid motion.
I watched Jason as he stood up and walked to the bathroom. I heard the water turn on as he splashed himself in the face. Then he came back out with a towel in his hand. He wiped off his face, drying it, then threw the towel in the bathroom.
He took off his shirt slowly, watching my face for something that would make him stop but he obviously found none.
I looked at his chest and saw his muscles. He was definitely a white boy who needed some serious sun, though he was no near as pale as me. He was thin, but any fat he had on his body was pure muscle. Jason was very handsome, even with his tiny imperfections that come with being human.
Jason caught me staring at him and he smiled with pain etched in his dark hazel eyes.
He leaned on the bed, put his finger under my chin, pulled my face towards him and kissed me softly. I wrapped my arms around his neck gently, being very careful not to strangle him and kissed him back.
Jason's heart beat quickened at my touch.
His breath was sweet and his fingers traced over my back. He pulled me closer and I did the same with him. I put my hands on his bare chest, loving the feel that belonged to me.
Jason was mine and he would always be. He belonged with me now and forever.
He rolled over me gently, but instead of kissing me like I expected him to, he pulled away and looked at my face.
"How are you feeling?" his breath washed over my face. For a moment I thought he was talking about Shadow, but the way he said his words made me think differently, though I was guessing he was talking about both.
I decided to play dumb, my stomach twisting on the inside. "What do you mean?"
He leaned in and kissed me again, sending a strange but yet familiar urge through my body.
"About that." He stated.
I knew what he was talking about. He was talking about what the female clerk thought we were doing as soon as we opened out hotel room. He meant what about parents think his or her high school child is doing every Saturday night at their boyfriends' house.
"Oh." I said stupidly. I didn't know what I was supposed to say. I wanted Jason, but at the same time I wanted to wait until we got married. But shouldn't I do what Jason wants because I absolutely adore him. It's not like he was pressuring me, of course not.
He waited patiently as I thought all of this though.
And for the first time in my life I didn't know what to do next.
I would just like you to know that the vampire in Sylvia's cousin named Hannah is a real person. She was killed in a tragic car accident with her brother, mom and boyfriend. Like in the story her brother is named Keenan. Keenan is one of my good friends. Right now Hannah is in the LORD God's presence in Heaven. I thought I would just let you guys know about a little fact in this story. Hannah was a dear friend to everyone at the school and she is missed. I hope to see her again one day in Heaven.
Also I'm sorry for not updating in a while. Oh and Rachel before you bite my head off at school for taking so long I just haven't had time. Thanks for taking some time to read this book and I hope to update sooner than this took me. : ]
-Kate