Hey everybody! Happy Turkey Day!

Last night in the wee hours of the morning (that's me being dramatic) Haha, well last night I had a little bout of inspiration and wrote this. I'm very glad this just came to me because I've been trying to think of this transition for a couple of weeks now. Hope you guys like it! My co-writer and editor loved it, so I think you will too.

Hope you get to read this sometime during your post-turkey induced coma!

Happy Reading and Eating

TG


During the run back to camp all I thought about was the fierce determination in her eyes that made me realize when she said that she was making this necessary, she meant it. I just didn't understand how she couldn't accept this… I mean, we all want to be different but how can she resist who we are? As much as I want her to be happy, I don't want to see her suffer, which she undoubtedly will do. I know her intentions are right though. It seems like she just stumbled upon my life one day and decided to complete change the way I've been taught to think and act. It's so strange that I can trust the girl I've known for a mere few days like I've known her my whole life, but I can't trust Maria or the others as far as…well, I could probably throw them pretty far, so that's not a good analogy

As my thoughts drew to a close, so did the distance. I crossed the border into our territory in mere minutes. I took a deep even breath and prepared myself for what I was about to do. My clothes were already torn, but I took the shirt off completely so nothing would be suspected. Gripping my shoulder with one hand, I scratched down my chest until I had a few deep gashes. This would make me at least look battle-worn, not that that was a problem anyway. I had enough newborn teeth marks on my skin that you wouldn't notice a new one anymore than you'd notice a new freckle on the face of a human child. That was one thing about me that Alice didn't like…

I let the first experience in the meadow fill me with a sense of nostalgia as I stepped through the trees surrounded camp. Another battle drill was being run by Lucy as I entered. I took another deep breath, and that single motion, so calm and different from everything else going on, was enough to get the attention of every pair of glowing red eyes. I let a deeply pained scowl darken my face, and took the anger in the meadow to my advantage. It filled me up, and only added to the feeling of hurt that I was feigning. The trio were in front of me in less than a second. I waited for them speak first.

Of course Maria decided to speak up. "What happened to you? Where's the girl?" I didn't have to pretend to wince when she said those last two words, because her reference to my Alice was vulgar in itself. I ran my hair through one hand as I went over the story in my head.

"There was another vampire—not a newborn, but still young. A-Alice…" I stumbled over her name, when I found it really hurt to say it. "She wasn't next to me at the time. He got to her before I could save her… I tried." It was hard to maintain my hurt and angry façade as I felt a sickeningly pleased attitude wash over me, and for once it wasn't coming from Nettie—It was coming from Nettie and Maria, for obviously different reasons.

"Go." Maria said with a smirk.

"Wha-?" I began to ask, but was interrupted by a piercing whine.

"Aw.. Maria that was just a gentle-vampire's bet right? I mean we didn't even shake on it!" In a flash, Maria took Nettie's hand and flung her 75 yards away.

"There, we shook on it. You lost, you go." Maria crossed her arms over her chest and glared towards Nettie with that authoritative look.

"Aw, man!" As soon as Nettie disappeared behind the trees, the smirk returned and replaced the feigned glare.

"What was that?" Lucy said in a bored tone, and I doubted she really cared at all. She was probably asking for my benefit.

"Remember? I bet Nettie 500 patrol duties that the girl wouldn't last a week; Nettie bet two weeks after Jazz broke her wrist and got all protective." I growled in disgust, but also proved how truly protective I am, even after she… died. "Oh shush, the girl's not even here any more, so she's nothing to worry about." Maria patted my cheek twice, like I was some human child to be consoled. But she was assuring me that my Alice was dead, like that should make me feel better. All that mattered was that I knew very well that she was wrong.

The whole time Lucy and Maria were discussing, anger was filling me up to my core. I was about to explode at them, but they were long past the fact that they bet on how long it would take my Alice to die. "This is perfect!" Maria exclaimed. "They encroached on our territory—it's perfect cause to declare war…" She wandered off diabolically.

I had to stop this before we went to battle for no reason, "Maria, I really don't think he was from another clan. There's no need to-"

"There's plenty need to. Whether he was from a clan or not doesn't matter. I've been looking for a way to secure the Eastern border, but that little clan hasn't done anything to instigate a battle. But this would be enough to declare full out war on them. I mean, they did encroach on our territory and kill one of our newborns! Huh, maybe that petite little pixie did do something for us…" She trailed off again, and I could practically hear the gears in her head turning, and creating a demonic plan.

"You disgust me." I sneered.

"Perhaps, but you'll stay with us anyway because you have no where to go and no one to go with." She smirked and swaggered a little closer to me.

"No." I said, looking down into her evil crimson eyes. "I'm leaving. Now." Maria just smiled, always as calm as ever. I kicked off the grown and practically flew back into the trees, but I heard Maria speak to Lucy one last time before I was out of hearing range.

"He'll be back."