Chapter 17

A Talk With The Mother About Their Lives

The next day when I woke up, my body felt amazingly rejuvenated. My limbs felt light and my eyesight was clear. I could hear footsteps past my room towards the bathroom, and I hesitated, but then smelled the air.

It was Alec who was walking by to the bathroom. How I knew that? I have no clue. My senses were all right-on. Was this the side-effects of vampire blood? If so, this was amazing.

I sat up, and then remembered everything on the news last night. My good mood vanished and I groaned. My dad had escaped jail, and now, at nighttime every night, he'll be on the search for blood and…most likely me. Revenge? Who knows?

The only thing I knew about it was that there were now two nightwalkers on the run at night. Maybe even more, since they can be changed. That left a dark brooding cloud over my head. I would have to kill my own father.

I waited until Alec finished in the shower, before climbing in and then getting ready for school. Nobody said a word to me as we left the house in Brent's car. Claude had already left for work, and Cassy was lazing around watching TV and drinking out of a blood packet. Gross.

I didn't get the middle of the backseat this time; instead, I said in the passengers seat next to Brent, with the three other boys in the back. "How are you feeling?" Brent finally asked me after ten minutes of driving in silence.

"Like I could run a thousand miles." I muttered. It was the truth and all, but my mood just wasn't up for being excited anymore.

"You know, I finally fixed the damages you did to my car." Lukas said to me. I smiled sheepishly at him. He leaned forward so he could say to my ear, "I was thinking of letting you off with a few kisses and such, but you'll have to make-up for the damage tonight, when you drink from me."

I was pretty sure his voice echoed in the car despite his whispering. The reason I was sure? That was easy; the car went completely silent. Brent drove without batting an eye, but his face didn't seem concentrated, more disturbed.

I shot Lukas a glare and he smiled brightly.

"Actually, she's drinking from me tonight. Father's orders." Alec interrupted the silence. I felt a part of me sigh in relief, but another part of me scream silently, Oh my God, no!

Lukas turned to him with a sneer on his face. "Father never told me that. Besides, we have some catching up to do, Ava and I."

I watched as an unnamed expression crossed Alec's' features, but it quickly disappeared and Alec retorted, "Take it up with him then. I'm sure he doesn't want you raping the house maid." Then Alec turned to me. "By the way, you have to make up for all of the things you haven't cleaned, starting today."

My eyes widened. "What?!"

Brent sighed. "Would you all just shut up and leave her alone?" he asked, irritated.

I smiled my thanks to him. We finally arrived at the school, and I was the first one out. I quickly waved bye to them as I ran to the principal's office. Becca greeted me with a bone-crushing hug and a smooch on the cheek. Then I sat across from her.

"So did you hear about my father?" I asked. Her face immediately fell.

"Oh, dear. I wish you wouldn't have seen that. You won't have to worry about him though, because you're surrounded by powerful beings, darling." she said, giving me a weak smile. She didn't sound so sure herself.

I frowned. The bell to first period rang, and she nodded for me to go. I stood and went to my classes.

Lunch was a disaster. Firstly, all the periods before that I had with the boys went by in boredom, considering the teachers talked non-stop. Lunch, however, was boring and annoying all at the same time.

Elly sat next to Alec, and the first look she gave him was a sly smile. She was back to the Alec Obsess. So much for getting her back.

Max sat on my right, and Lukas sat to my left. Rylan and Brent were across from us, with Rylan reading a book, and Brent speaking to someone at a table next to ours; some pretty blonde girl who seemed more interested in Brent then the conversation.

The concept here was Lukas and Max. Lukas kept touching my hand or putting a strand of hair behind my ear, and Max was forking at his food and pouting. Or, at least, that's what it looked like. He kept shooting Lukas glares.

Suddenly Elly squealed, and I looked up just in time to see the milk drop from her hands and splatter over the table. It sprayed me, Lukas, Alec and Elly the most. I growled in irritation. The loud noises of the cafeteria stinging my sensitive ears was bad enough, but now that I had milk all over my jacket, my day had just become worse… if that was possible.

"Ohh, jeez. I'm such a klutz." Elly giggled. Alec chuckled, and I suddenly felt sick to my stomach when he licked a drop of milk off of her face. She squinted her eyes to Max then. "Maxxy, can you be a doll and get your sissy some napkins?"

"Me too." Alec added.

"Yeah, same." Lukas said, taking off his jacket. Well, at least he wasn't touching me any longer.

Max glared at them all. "Get it yourselves." he hissed. By now, Brent and Rylan were watching, including the couple tables nearest to us.

Alec's eyes darkened. "Just fetch us some napkins, dog."

Sickness from my stomach turned into coiled anger, getting ready to spring any minute. Max gritted his teeth angrily and stood up, then left the table to get some napkins. I shot my worst glare possible to Alec. "Would you stop being a dick to him?!" I demanded. He ignored me. Ugh. I swear, one day, I was going to wipe that cocky look off of his handsome, sexy face.

Max returned with a small handful of napkins, and gently handed them to me. With a shock, I realized there was only enough for me. I looked up at him in surprise, and a small smile graced his cute, boyish features. I felt my heart sink.

"What the hell? I thought we said for all of us!" Alec hissed. I spun and stood up at the same time.

"Shut the fuck up, Alec!" I barked, my voice echoing through our entire section of the cafeteria. Alec looked astonished. Elly stared at me with her mouth hanging open. I didn't care about what anybody thought. Alec narrowed his eyes.

"You're going to protect your mutt? Even with Lukas beside you?!"

That blew it all. I felt a strange feeling pulsate throughout me, and for a split second, out of the corner of my eye, Rylan's eyes widened. I shot across the table, causing Elly's and Max's trays of food to go flying. Alec tipped backwards in his seat just in time to avoid my fist, but it didn't stop me from jumping into his lap and wrapping my hands around his neck.

Elly screamed and shot up in her seat. Alec's' chair fell back and he snarled at me. It sounded so inhuman, but it excited my anger, and I shoved him hard against the floor. He grabbed my shoulders and dug his fingers deep into my tender skin until I felt his short nails prick into my skin. Any harder and he could break both my arms.

The pain didn't even register as I glared furiously down at him and shook him as I choked him. It didn't seem to faze him. His own hands circled my neck, and just before he could start choking me, I was yanked off of him.

"Let me go!" I yelled, struggling in the arms of Rylan. Brent grabbed a hold of Alec to keep him from getting to me. His eyes went from dilated to normal and he looked shocked.

"Calm down." Rylan told me, shaking me a bit. I took a deep breath and let it out shakily. My body was trembling. For some reason, Rylan's voice soothed me. It must have something to do with sharing his blood with me.

"What in God's name happened here?" Becca's voice asked shrilly. We looked over at her, and her eyes fell on me.

"Just a small fight. It's over now." Brent reassured her. She looked from me to Alec, and then sighed.

"Alright. Keep it on the low please." she warned, and left the cafeteria. Almost immediately, Elly appeared by Alec's side and asked if he was okay. He shrugged her off and glared at me.

"It's nothing a vamp like me can't handle." he told her quietly, though I could hear it perfectly. Rylan still hadn't released me. His hands held me gently, but I made no move to run away.

Elly turned on me with a scowl on her face. "What the hell were you thinking?! Attacking my boyfriend like that?!" she hissed, striding toward me. I growled warningly to her, and Rylan held me tighter.

"Your boyfriend continues to insult your brother, and you don't do anything about it!" I retorted, struggling in Rylan's arms once more. If I could just connect my fist with both hers and Alec's' jaw…

Smack.

My head slanted to the side, my eyes widened in shock. A gasp recollected through a few people. Elly had just slapped me. I felt tears prickle in my eyes. God, wasn't I just a hypocrite?

With the last of my physical strength, I ripped out of Rylan's arms and stared at the ground the whole way I ran to the bathroom. Once there, I hid myself in one of the stalls and let out a loud, annoyed growl. Fiercely I bit back my tears and slammed a fist against the metal.

Then I sighed and leaned my forehead against it. Who the hell cared about germs?

I glanced at my iPod's time and left the bathroom. I could just head to class a few minutes early, after all. I paused when I left the bathroom. Rylan was waiting across the hall for me. When the squeak of the door opened, he looked up expressionlessly at me.

"Would you like to go home? Becca excused you." he said. I blinked several times to prevent tears. Then I nodded.

"Please." I begged.

"Brent allowed me to use his car. The others can get a ride from Tiffany." he said.

"Tiffany?" I asked as I followed him out of the school.

"A girl Brent has found an interest in."

Ah, that must have been the pretty girl he had been talking to. We climbed into the car, and Rylan started it. It was silent halfway through the drive, because obviously he wasn't a big talker. Then I realized something.

"Is Cassy going to be there?"

"Most likely." he answered. After another eerie moment of silence and the rumble of the car, he asked, "Why did you attack him?"

"He was being an asshole to Max, why else?"

Rylan shook his head. "No, I know you. You would never act like that in a room full of people. Was it my blood?"

I looked out the window and decided it best not to answer. Rylan pulled into the driveway of the large Darquecaster house and pulled the car into a stop in front of the garage. When he made no move to get out, I looked over at him.

"Before you attacked him, not only could I read your mind clearly, but I could feel your anger inside of me."

My eyes widened. That was why he had looked so shocked before I did what I did. Obviously sharing his blood with me meant more than heightening my senses. That thought made me shiver.

"Come to my room with me. I wish to draw you again." he suddenly said, opening his door. He shut it before I could shake my head or say no. With a heavy sigh and a hope he wouldn't mind-rape me again, I got out of the car and followed him into the house.

Cassy was where she was from before, sitting and watching TV. She looked up at us and frowned when we walked in. "School doesn't get out for another couple of hours. What are you two doing?"

"There was an incident between Alec and Ava. Elly overreacted and I decided to bring Ava home." Rylan answered as he moved through the living room to the staircase. Cassy stood up.

"Great timing then, I need to speak to her." She looked over at me as she spoke anyway. Then she looked back to her son.

I felt uneasy. Rylan lifted his head to stare her in the eyes as he paused at the bottom step. Their green eyes seemed to deflect each others words. Rylan turned then. "As long as you've had your drink for the day, then go ahead. Ava, meet me in my room when you're ready."

I took a deep breath of oxygen when he left us alone. Cassy turned to me with a dissatisfied face. "Take a seat, then." She motioned to the couch across from her. I carefully sat down, watching her with narrowed, suspicious eyes. My hands were shaking. Was this going to be the whole, You're a human and I don't want you near my sons, kind of talk?

Cassy sat back down and stared at me for the longest time. I felt a lump form in my throat as I tried to stare back at her without averting my eyes.

"I'm sure," Her talking startled me, and I jumped, "that you and I are both aware that I don't appreciate you being here."

Her words made my heart leap into my throat. Shit, shit, shit! This was when I wish Claude was here. "Y-yes, I'm highly aware." I managed to say, my voice cracking a bit. Cassy frowned.

"And I really don't appreciate the fact my sons have to give you their blood. The thought of you putting your lips among them makes me shudder in disgust." she said, her face unchanging.

I clasped my hands together to keep myself from choking whatever vampire life she had inside of her. She continued on.

"But unfortunately, because I love Claude so much, I have to deal with you for the rest of your human life."

My heart dropped and my body tensed. "Wait, what?" I wasn't sure what I was asking her to explain; the dealing with me part or the fact she said the rest of my life. What could that mean?!

Cassy leaned forward and grabbed the cup half-filled with blood on the table. I watched her take a sip of it and it was all I could do to keep myself from shuddering in disgust. Although, I guess I couldn't do much, considering vampire blood was delicious.

"Claude's sons have taken a liking to you. Especially Brent and Lukas. I now realize Rylan is loosening up. I don't think I've ever heard him talk so much in years. With him, it was three to five words a day. I've talked to Brent and Lukas as well. Brent believes you are what could stabilize Rylan and Alec. He thinks of you like a sister." She said it in slight disgust, and it only got worse when she spoke of Lukas. "And Lukas, well, he's too into you. It's almost like an obsession. I really don't understand why. There's," she paused, and looked me over, "nothing to obsess over."

I swallowed the angry lump in my throat and pushed down that familiar spring of anger. "Where's your main point in all of this?" I demanded, surprised to find my voice working with me finally.

Cassy set down her cup. "I guess my point is that, despite the men's' likings for you, one wrong move on your part, and I'll see to it that you're gone. Not only does Claude have to deal with a human slut, but now he has to kill two nightwalkers. You've caused us so much trouble. I don't want you ruining our once perfect life."