Chapter Eight: Cut

After walking out of the Elites' house, I wandered around in the near by forest. I felt pretty hot from all the anger I've been giving off so I whipped off my sweatshirt, left it on the front porch of the house and walked away with just a t-shirt on.

The hunger that settled in my stomach was instantly replaced by fear. The sky was getting dark, turning an evil shade of purple that I've grown to hate so much. It reminded me of those times when I would wander the streets in the dark, looking for my parents, knowing they were never going to come back. It was unsettling.

The other scary thing was that I had no destination. I didn't know where I wanted to go. I was just walking, taking turns here and there when ever I deemed it appropriate.

I didn't hear anyone coming after me. No footsteps, no breathing, just me and my lonely thoughts. I was hoping Greyson would come after me, but I was so mad at him my hope just disappeared.

I can't believe he thought I was stubborn, throwing my trust around. But I have to admit, he might be right.

When I saw him in the cemetery, I didn't even try to run away. I believed every single word he told me. I believed that he was a vampire. I believed everything the vampires told me. It's sad to admit that he's right and I'm wrong, but what he doesn't know won't kill him.

I always felt that phrase was wrong. I mean, what if someone poisoned my drink and I didn't know, and then I drank it. Wouldn't I die? But if I did know there was poison in my drink, wouldn't I have not drunken it and then stayed alive?

I walked through the cold grass and leaves silently as my inner dialogue carried on. I liked smelling the wintry air, even though the wind was blowing right through my weather inappropriate clothing. I didn't mind, it kind of helped numb the pain. Greyson had really hurt me. I don't take accusations lightly.

Suddenly, I realized I had wandered next to a lake. The sky was now completely black and a million stars decorated the deep canvas. The moon was glowing eerily ahead, turning the lake an unnatural shade of silver. I had never seen a sky this clear before. It was breathtaking.

I let out a sigh and I could see my breath in the chilly air.

Spotting a log lying next to the lake, I walked over to it and sat down. The cold log shocked me through my pants and I let out a little yelp.

Out of nowhere, I heard a deep laughing. I whipped around, my heart beating like a drum. If it were a vampire, I'm screwed. I bet it could hear my heart from miles away.

I desperately pleaded for my heart to be quiet, but for all I know, it could be screaming 'I'm over here!' to the vampire.

Or maybe it was just an ordinary human. I don't really know if I had wandered out of House of Night territory or not. I could have walked for miles without knowing.

But to be cautious, I asked the dark shadows who was there.

There was no answer for a few moments, but then I heard light footsteps crunching the frozen ground.

From the shadows, I saw a dark figure emerge. I couldn't make out who it was, but I noticed that their skin glowed white in the moonlight. It was a vampire. I'm going to die.

My breaths quickened as the figure walked closer to me but I couldn't move. It was as if I was frozen to the log, and honestly, that could have happened.

I just stared stupidly as the figure got closer and closer. How can I just accept death like this?

"Marcella Carlucci," the figure said with a smile. His voice was deep and smooth, more mature than Greyson's but younger than my dad's. I noticed each tooth was glistening white and the fangs were sticking out. I let out a small gasp. He had short cropped dark hair and deep eyes that might have been the color of blood. My human eyesight could only let me see so much.

"Who are you?" I asked shakily. The man was now standing a few inches away from the log, my only protection, as I got up and walked to the other side of it. It was not just me, the log between us, and the stranger on the other side.

"I'm Lucifer. Don't you recognize my name?" The man crooned in a sultry voice.

Lucifer, where have I heard that before? I think Helena or someone might have mentioned it when I first arrived at the House of Night.

"No, I don't know who you are," I replied, taking a step back, resulting in him taking a step closer.

"Now surely your little Greyson must have told you all about me," Lucifer said.

I gasped louder this time. "How do you know about us?"

Lucifer laughed. "I am a vampire. Do not underestimate me. I can snap your thin little neck before you can even say 'help'."

Unconsciously, my hand rose to my neck, trying to hold it together.

I tried to come up with something to defend myself. "You're in House of Night territory. If you don't belong here, you can't be here. Someone will come and execute you."

"Now don't be so sure. You have wandered just outside of the border, where the evil vampires roam," Lucifer laughed. "Your little friends won't be able to protect you when your bloody screams echo in the night."

My hands began to shake as I swallowed nervously.

"They're vampires. They can hear me from miles away," I responded with absolutely no confidence.

"They can't hear you when you're outside of the borders. You must have roamed pretty far because the borders stretch on for miles. You must be lost," Lucifer said, taking another step closer to me.

That was when I decided to do something.

I turned around and ran as fast as I could in the direction I came from. I heard Lucifer let out a loud, evil laugh, but I didn't hear him pursuing me. I didn't even bother to turn around; I just ran.

I ran through the woods and branches scratched small cuts on my face and bare arms. I could barely see anything in front of my, but I kept running. Being blind was better than being dead.

I was running so fast that I ran out of breath just a few minutes away from the lake. It was scary; I didn't realize I was so out of shape. I used to run cross country, play volleyball and tennis but that was before both my parents died. I mean, I have an athletic body, strong arms and legs and a toned stomach but I don't think running is my thing anymore.

I ran until I felt for sure that my lungs were going to burst. But I couldn't stop; my life was on the line. I heard an occasional rustle behind me but other than that, the forest was quiet. Suddenly, I tripped on a log and scraped my arm on a near by branch. I felt my hot blood ooze out slowly from my arm and I cursed silently. Way to be smart, Marcy. There's a vampire on your trail and you just had to cut yourself. I grimaced and looked around frantically for any signs of Lucifer. There was none. Gratefully, I wiped my stinging but on my pants and started to get up.

"Where do you think you're going?" Lucifer's cold voice permeated the air. I screamed and tried to find him but his voice was appearing out of thin air.

"Wiping the blood won't do anything, silly Marcy. I can still smell you, and you sure do smell delicious. Now I get why that Greyson boy is so fond of you. Your blood is irresistible," Lucifer sneered.

I was still out of breath from my running. "Shut the fuck up! You don't know anything," I screamed, crouching helplessly closer to the ground, holding my hurt arm.

Lucifer let out a shivering laugh. "I know everything, girl. I am more than a century old than you. You have no right to assume anything."

I shivered. The cold air was whipping at my exposed arms and my thinly protected back. "Go ahead, kill me. But you'll regret it," I snarled in my bravest voice.

Lucifer walked closer to me and the air suddenly dropped ten degrees. I was either going to die from murder or hypothermia. Neither solution was better than the other.

"Silly little bitch," Lucifer chuckled. "Daddy isn't going to be able to come get you. You're out in the forest, by yourself. And trust me; there are more vampires here than you can see. But I'm lucky. I get to drink from you first."

I looked up into his dark, evil eyes and spat him in the face. He growled and lunged towards me, stopping just a few centimeters from my face. I felt his cool breath on my skin. I screamed loudly, praying that Greyson would come and find me.

"No! Leave me alone!" I shouted.

"We can't let you turn into a vampire. That wouldn't be good for our cause," Lucifer said with a snarl in his voice.

Cause… his cause. Oh my god, he was a rogue. That's why his name sounded so familiar. They've been waiting to kill me the moment my dad turned into a vampire. They're afraid I'll destroy them, so they have to destroy me first.

"You're cause is a pile of shit. Vampires will never be able to rule the world; you leeches can't even walk in the sun."

"Now that's where you're wrong. We Rogues have turned some of the top scientists in the world. Once we get our hands on the Elixir, we can alter it so that every vampire can walk in the sun, not just the ones that have powers."

I growled. "That's never going to happen! My dad will never allow it!"

"Your dad will do anything once his little daughter's in our hands. He'll do absolutely anything to get her back," Lucifer laughed.

I shook my head. "You can't force me to do anything!"

Suddenly, his eyes turned red. So red I could see then in the darkness of the night.

He forcefully grabbed my head, cracking my neck and exposing it. I winced at the pain and all of a sudden I realized he bared his fangs. My eyes grew big and wide. Suddenly, he bit me.

I screamed like there was no tomorrow. The birds flew from the trees and the forest animals ran for their lives.

I felt his sharp teeth tear through my flesh as if it were butter. The contrast between his cold lips and my hot skin was extremely painful. The sound of my bones crunching under his grasp was disgusting. He was going to break me. And the guilt afterward could be shut off like a button and he was just going to continue living like a monster. I was just a rock he needed to kick out of the way.

The blood that was flowing in my body suddenly felt as if it were on fire. I felt if rushing to his mouth as Lucifer greedily gulped it down. His sharp teeth was piercing my skin over and over again, causing me to groan in pain every time they came in contact with me.

Soon, I felt light headed and dizzy. I was blacking out for a few seconds sporadically. My hands and feet went numb and I felt like all the blood was drained from my body.

Lucifer pulled away, satisfied. "That's better," he sighed.

I cried silently, applying pressure to the bite on my neck. The blood was flowing freely. My neck hurt so badly. It's probably broken.

"W-why?" I stuttered hoarsely, unable to produce any humane noise.

He smiled, flashing his blood stained teeth. His fangs were still showing and his mouth was smeared with my blood. I could smell it in the air.

"You were just too good to resist," Lucifer said. "That will teach you not to talk back to me. I am so much smarter and more powerful than you, dumb human."

I cried, the pain in my neck intensifying.

He placed a finger on my chin and lifted my head up so that our eyes were level with each other. My neck ached and groaned in protest.

"You will obey me and only me. Everyone else is your enemy," Lucifer said in a trance-like voice.

A stabbing pain suddenly shot through my brain, immediately forcing me to forget about my neck. It was as if it were trying to work against me. Staring into Lucifer's eyes, I wanted to do everything he was telling me. But I had to fight back, remember what was mine, and remember what was really happening.

I thought about Greyson and about how much I needed him here. I needed him to take me back into safety. I pleaded and begged for someone to come find me and take me away, but as hard as I worked against my brain, Lucifer was winning. I was beginning to forget about everyone except the man that was in front of me, telling me I was his and only his. I only belonged to him. He was the only one for me. Everyone else is bad, everyone else is evil.

Remember, Marcy, my inner voice thought, but it was so weak. I just wanted to give in, take the easy way out.

Lucifer was looking so deeply into my eyes I swore I could see into his soul. But it was more likely that he could see into mine instead.

Greyson, Greyson, Greyson, I begged one last time before I finally collapsed.

"Marcy? What's going on?" A new voice asked. It wasn't Lucifer… it was someone else. Someone I've been hoping for.

Lucifer inhaled sharply. "How the fuck…"

Suddenly, snarling ripped through the forest and someone was thrown against a tree. I heard the trunk snap and groan in protest.

"What the hell did you do to her?" Greyson growled.

I looked up. Lucifer was crouched at the base of a giant tree, ready to pounce on Greyson.

"You did not just do that to me, you amateur! I am older and therefore I am stronger," Lucifer howled.

"If you are so strong, how did I manage to throw you into a tree?" Greyson taunted, standing protectively in front of me.

Lucifer launched himself at Greyson and they both flew over me. I screamed in utter terror.

"Stop!" I yelled, but my voice was carried away in the growling and snarling and shouting.

Suddenly, I heard a loud crash followed by a horrific scream. I panicked.

"Greyson, oh no! Not Greyson," I cried and ran towards the direction of the crash. My broken neck was suddenly forgotten. I was running so fast I ran straight into a body, which caused me to scream again. But this person wrapped their arms around me and rested their chin on top of my head.

"It is okay, Marcy. I've got you," Greyson comforted. "Shhh, it is okay."

I sobbed into his chest. "What… happened?"

"I've taken care of it. He won't be back for a while," he murmured into my hair.

"It hurts," I whispered weakly.

Greyson pulled back and looked at my neck. Suddenly, his face contorted into such hatred and anger, I have never seen it before.

"That son of a bitch! He did this to you?" He shouted.

I couldn't even nod.

"We have to get you back to the house," he said furiously, scooping me up in his arms. Soon, we were flying through the forest at impossible speed. In no time, we were back at the house.

Right as Greyson and I entered the door, he set me down and murmured something about getting Cody to come take a look. I nodded, unable to comprehend what he said.

My head hurt like hell and my neck felt as if it were ripped from my shoulders and then reattached.

The room started spinning wildly. My legs gave out. Everything went black.

-x-

"Marcy, you awake?"

I opened my eyes groggily. Greyson was standing next to me, frown lines creasing his forehead. I listened carefully. There was rhythmic beeping. Oh shit, I was in the hospital wing again. But this time, there was something itchy and stiff wrapped around my neck. I sat up straighter and felt around the area I was bitten, only to feel a hard, scratchy material.

"What the fuck…" I questioned.

Greyson sighed. "Marcy, you've been out for three days. Lucifer broke your neck." He paused, it looked as if there was something else he wanted to say, but he shook it off and smiled at me. "I'm glad you're finally awake."

"Well, shit, Greyson. Three days is a long time," I smiled. "I see you guys have been feeding me? My stomach isn't empty anymore."

"We only woke you a few times to give you some food. I don't think you remember it though, you were so out of it."

"Food is good. I like food."

He smiled a little wider but it didn't reach his golden eyes. I frowned and motioned for him to come closer.

"What's wrong," I asked, placing a hand on Greyson's cool cheek. He closed his eyes and breathed in deeply.

"There isn't anything wrong," he replied.

I smoothed down his bronze hair. "Tell me. You can tell me anything."

Greyson shook his head. "I don't know if you'll want to hear it…"

I cocked my head to the side and winced in pain. Damn you, broken neck. Greyson noticed immediately.

"You okay?" He asked.

I waved him off. "I'm fine. A broken neck only lets me move my head so far. I'll get over it. So tell me what's gnawing at your insides."

Greyson sighed. "I would, but now is not a good time…"

"Why?" I furrowed my eyebrows.

He smiled. "Because you have company."

Right on cue, Lucy, Helena, Taryn, Cody and Logan walked into my hospital room. Lucy and Helena were carrying a giant vase of flowers. Taryn was holding an overstuffed 'Get Well Soon' teddy bear. She looked like she'd rather be somewhere else. Logan and Cody just stood back, smiling at me. I smiled at everyone, even Taryn, except Logan. When my eyes met his, I frowned and looked away.

"Thanks guys, it's so nice of you to come here!" I laughed. Helena and Lucy giggled, pulling me into a back breaking hug. I groaned and they quickly pulled away.

"Sorry," Lucy smiled. "Got a little carried away."

I shook my head. "It's totally fine."

Helena set the giant vase down on a nearby table. "So how is it that you're not even a vampire yet and you have more enemies than us?" She joked playfully.

"Maybe she's the daughter of the king," Taryn snapped. Everyone eyed her angrily, but I shook it off. Now was not a good time to be angry.

I sighed. "Every damn vampire is after me now that my daddy is their ruler. I find it quite exhilarating, though, being stalked by all these vampires. Maybe one of them will finally turn me."

"You're not ready," Greyson and Logan responded at the same time. They looked at each other awkwardly.

"Oh I think I am," I said, sitting up straighter. "I need to be able to protect myself from what's out there."

Lucy nodded. "It's true. The birds have been talking to me and even they can sense something evil coming. It's not going to be pretty."

Taryn scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Please, animal girl, like the birds really know anything."

Lucy glared at Taryn and looked as if she was going to rip her throat out. Taryn looked at Lucy as if she was going to inflict pain on her. Cody pulled Lucy back and soothingly rubbed her arms.

"Calm down, Lucy. Taryn was just kidding, weren't you, Taryn?" Cody said.

Taryn flipped her hair like a little bitch. "You bet."

"Guys," I said, holding up my hands. "Now isn't a really good time for fighting. I think it's time to discuss who will be changing me."

Logan and Greyson both stepped forward at the same time. They glared at each other. Logan cleared his throat as he stepped back under Greyson's intimidating stare.

"Of course I will," Greyson responded, still shaken by Logan. I turned to look at Logan, but his eyes were focused intently on something outside the window.

"I think you guys should do it as soon as possible. Marcy is in grave danger and she needs to protect herself," Lucy added, earning approving nods from everyone.

"So, when will be a good time?" Taryn asked with annoyance in her voice.

I looked at her from the corner of my eye and spotted an emotion on her beautiful face… was it jealousy? Was she jealous that Greyson was paying so much attention to me? Well you deserve it, bitch. I smiled to myself.

"Today would be nice, you know, to get it over with. Plus, wouldn't it heal my neck quicker? I really hate this damn brace thing," I chimed in.

Suddenly, Greyson was next to me, his cool hands pushing my messy hair from my face and cupping it gently. "I don't want to force you to do anything," he said, looking at me deeply from behind his dark lashes. I sighed.

"Greyson, it's my choice, you aren't hurting or forcing me to do anything," I said, almost with impatience.

Suddenly, Logan spoke up. "Marcy, being turned into a vampire is a very painful and sometimes extremely lengthy process. It will hurt, a lot. You might want to kill yourself. But once you're a vampire, there is no going back. I would make my decision wisely if I were you."

I gasped at his rudeness. "I'm not here to be your food bank, am I? Greyson didn't find me in the forest just so you guys could kill me and drink my blood, did he? If he wanted me dead, why am I still here? I just want to get this damn thing over with. The only reason I am here is to get turned into a vampire. You have no right to tell me what to do. It's my body, I can endure the pain."

Logan shook his head slowly and walked out of the room.

Helena pointed after him. "What's up with that?"

I shook my head, holding my tongue. I didn't really want to talk about it.

Greyson caught on with my sudden tiredness and shooed everybody out. I smiled gratefully at him. "Thanks."

He smiled. "No need, you need your rest and we vampires just don't get enough company. They're a little obsessive over you."

"No really, thanks. Thank you for saving my life."

Greyson's eyes grew serious. "Marcy, what else would I have done? Watched as Lucifer sucked the life out of you?"

I shrugged. "Is feeding supposed to hurt so much?" I moaned as I rubbed my neck through the brace. It still hurt extremely and I winced.

Greyson's eyebrows came together. "I don't think it's supposed to hurt that much. But he did break your neck, too, which probably adds to the pain."

"You say that like you've never fed before."

"No, I say it like I've never been fed on," he chuckled.

I smiled back in response and gazed out the window. The sky was a brilliant blue. I missed it.

"Will the sky look even more beautiful when I'm a vampire?" I asked.

Greyson took a few steps closer to me and took my hand. "Everything looks more beautiful once you're a vampire. But there's a price to pay. You get to be impossibly strong, fast, beautiful and smart when you're a vampire. You can see things miles away and hear things nothing else can hear. But everyday you wake up and you carry the need to feed, the need to kill with you everywhere you go. You can't pass a human without tensing, without wanting to suck the life out of them."

I glanced up at Greyson and back down at our joined hands. "Do you every feel that way? Like a murderer?"

The corners of Greyson's mouth rose slightly. "Marcy, I skipped straight from murderer and went to vampire. I kill because I need to kill, I have to kill. I don't do it just because I want to. It's a whole different thing." He sighed.

I slowly rubbed my thumb back and forth across the back of his cool, smooth hand. "Do you ever feel the need to kill me?" My voice was almost a squeak.

"Marcy, I want to kill you everyday. It takes a lot of patience and control to even be in the same room as you. It's not safe for any human to hang around here."

I pulled my hand away from his. "Then change me."

Greyson stiffened. "You're sure?"

"Yes I am."

"I don't know…"

"Just do it."

"There's no going back."

"I wouldn't even if I could."

Greyson smiled and placed a small kiss on my forehead. His hand found its way back into mine. "Whenever you're ready."

I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply. "I'm ready."

Greyson nodded seriously. He gently tore the neck brace from my neck, exposing it to the cool air of the room. I gasped in shock as he placed light kissed along my jaw and down my neck, murmuring soothing words the whole time.

I closed my eyes and waited for the pain.

"1…2…3…" Greyson counted. Suddenly, I felt the familiar sensation of sharp teeth cutting into me. But this time, I didn't feel like my blood was being sucked up. It felt like he was injecting something in my body.

Soon, Greyson pulled away. "It's going to hurt a lot."

I smiled weakly, still numb from his bite. "I don't feel anything yet." But I spoke to soon. My veins suddenly began burning and it felt as if my blood was being burned dry. I thrashed around violently, trying to shake the feeling. I couldn't get my scream out fast enough.

My back arched up from the table as the heat intensified.

My eyes turned wildly as I tried to focus on Greyson. His face was tense with pain, his eyes averted from mine. He just stood there, silent as a statue.

But all the while, our hands were still connected.