One of my longer chapters. Enjoy!

Chapter 8

Andrew led me to the car and got into the drivers seat. I was silent for a moment as he drove, but too many questions were on the tip of my tongue.

"Andrew… can I ask you some questions?"

"Sure. Fire away."

"Well… How did you and Jaiden turn out so different?"

Andrew kept his eyes on the road but I saw his smile falter a little.

"Well, when you go thru the things we went thru together, I guess it's not surprising. Were identical twins but exact opposites in personality."

"Is it too private to ask?"

Andrew's smile was gone and I almost regretted asking him.

"No, but don't tell him we talked about this, ok?"

I nodded and listened intently.

Andrew looked towards the road with a distant look.

"Me and Jaiden were both soldiers in World War One. We were only twenty years old. It had ended and we went home to our parents. We arrived at the house in time to see it destroyed and our parents slaughtered."

I held a hand to my mouth.

Andrew gave me a side look. "And I'll bet you can guess who let the attack."

I shuddered. "Vampires."

"You got it. And the Dark King himself killed our parents."

"But…but why?"

Andrew winced. "We had a younger sister. Even back then he was looking for the 'Destined Queen' and he thought she was it. He tried to change her then and there, but a regular human woman could never survive the transition. He took his rage out on my family."

I started shaking again.

"Me and Jaiden attacked, but naturally we got stomped on. They left us for dead after attempting to drain us dry. But after the others left, HE came back and fed us some to his blood."

"So you changed…"

"Naturally. It's how he gains his followers. Normally, our sire has complete control over us, but for some reason we were strong enough to fight his call. We went onto hiding for a while, feeding on random people. Never killing, of course. But theirs nothing worse than being a new vampire all alone with no one to guide you. After more traveling, we met Christian. He took us in and helped us train and control our anger. He also taught us about our new enemy and his goals. We made the pack then and there to stop him at all costs."

I was silent for several moments, soaking in his words. I almost cried at such a sad story.

I shook the tears away. "But Andrew, how did you end up so… kind hearted while Jaiden ended up so… cold?"

Andrew grew colder and I shivered.

"It was about twenty years into our campaign against the Dark King. We were still only a few in numbers but our cause was growing. We were changing locations while we were attacked. Most of us escaped. Jaiden didn't. He was captured and taken to an underground sewer where he was tortured for information. He didn't say a word."

I kept my hand to my mouth in horror.

"I found him two weeks later nearly dead. We barley escaped again with our lives. I wont go into details for his sake about what they did to him, but after that he changed. Ever since, he became obsessed with finding the son of a bitch and taking him down personally. Jaiden had been cold ever since."

I sat in silence again. It explained everything. Why Jaiden was so obsessed with killing him himself, why he was so cold… and why he let me see my parents for the last time.

"So…" I said, trying to change the subject. "If your sire controls you, then does that mean I'm strong enough to stay away from him as well?"

He shrugged and I felt the air around us get a little lighter.

"Or because you aren't just a normal vampire."

"Oh… I like my idea better."

Andrew smiled and chuckled. "You know something, you're not half bad, kid."

I smiled back at him. "Thanks."

We stayed silent for the rest of the ride home.

…..

We reached the mansion a short time later. The moment we walked in thru the front door, I noticed Kristin pacing in the hall while Mary was comforting her.

"They will be back soon! I promise you nothing happened!"

Kristin ignored her and kept pacing.

As we took a few steps in, Kristin jumped and turned towards us. As soon as she realized who we were, she slumped her shoulders.

"Oh… where are the others?"

"Sorry. There chasing some grunts down. I take it as he didn't tell you where he was going again?"

I saw fire flash in her eyes.

"Yes! And I'm gonna kill the prick this time! This is the third time he's done this!"

Andrew smirked. "That's because every time he tells you, you freak out."

"Shut up!" She snapped and began pacing again.

Andrew laughed lightly and patted me on the shoulder.

"You should get some rest. You look tired."

I nodded and thanked him.

Andrew left the room and I watched for a moment as Kristin continued to pace and Mary shook her head, exasperated.

"So… Anybody up for a movie?"

Kristin kept pacing and Mary sighed.

"Sorry… my distractions suck…"

Mary laughed and I saw Kristin crack a smile.

Before I could say anything else, a sharp pain bolted into my chest and I gasped. Mary and Kristin both stopped in their tracks to stare at me.

I fell to my knees in pain and both of them jumped to my side.

"What's wrong?" Mary asked.

I wheezed. "My chest… pain…"

Kristin looked to Mary. "When did she last feed?"

Mary slammed her open palm to her forehead.

"Damn! She hasn't yet!"

Kristin and Mary took either arm and lifted me up and helped me down the hall.

"How could you forget?" Kristin asked Mary.

"I'm not exactly use to talking to women about it!" Mary said, a slight panic in her voice.

By this time, I felt a slow pain in my mouth start to grow. Primarily on my upper jaw.

Kristin pushed a door open and it was the kitchen. Mary helped me sit while Kristin went over to one of the two refrigerators and grabbed a bag of blood. I watched, suddenly feeling hungry.

As I watched, I let my tongue slowly trail my upper teeth where the pain had stopped. I felt very sharp canines sticking out.

I would probably check them out if I weren't in so much pain.

Kristin cut a corner of the bag and put it in a glass. As soon as she was done, she handed it to me.

"Drink. You have to."

I practically snatched the glass and started chugging.

The blood as a human tasted sick and bitter. As a vampire, it tasted sweet and metallic.

In seconds, the glass was empty.

"Thanks." I said, putting the glass down.

"You need to feed at least every two days to start. After a while, you can go longer. But as soon as you feel the need, grab a bag." Kristin explained, sitting across from Mary and me.

I nodded. "Alright. How long can the others wait to feed?"

"Depends on how old they are. Daniel is a young vampire so he's still feeding like every three days." I noticed she blushed as she said this. "I'm not sure about the others."

"Christian has to feed at least once every four or five days." Mary said, also blushing.

I looked from Mary to Kristin, who were both still blushing.

"Uhh… I take it as feeding can be kinda… personal?"

"You can say that again…" Kristin muttered.

"So they feed off of you, right?"

Kristin nodded, the blush fading.

"But I don't see any bite marks on your neck."

Kristin turned completely red. "There not always on your neck."

Mary also turned red and I couldn't help but laugh.

Kristin shot a look at me.

"You just wait till you're in a relationship when this mess is over! Then we'll be the ones laughing at you!"

I giggled. "Sorry, but the looks on your face were awesome!'

Kristin and Mary laughed with me now.

"So I gotta ask, Kristin, how old are you?"

"I'm 26."

I raised my eyebrows. "That's it?"

"Yup. I told you Daniel was a young vampire."

"Like, how young?"

"He's thirty-six in vampire years. He was turned at the age of eighteen."

"Ok… would you mind if I asked how you two met?"

Kristin got a distant look in her eyes and smiled slightly.

"I was in high school. He was posing as a senior as an undercover agent trying to figure out some disappearances of high school students."

"Do I even need to guess who?"

"Nope. Long story short, he saved me from his grunts and I saw his 'batty-little-problem', as he called it. Jaiden ordered him to wipe my memory."

I raised an eyebrow. "How do you do that?"

"Some vampires get special powers later in the change." Mary explained. "Daniel is great at changing and taking memories. It's why he's a big undercover agent in the human world."

I looked back to Kristin, listening.

"Yeah, so Daniel kind of ignored that order. He let me keep my memories and we just kind of… clicked. We bonded together a few years later, when Daniel and me went away for a while. He took a job somewhere else and I took the opportunity to go with him and have a serious relationship, without Jaiden barking at him about how we should never be involved with each other."

I felt some respect for Jaiden drain away slightly.

"Don't judge Jaiden so quickly!" Mary interjected. "He meant well. He just didn't want to put anyone in danger! I mean think about it, the Dark King would do anything to get information about us or would do anything to destroy this organization. Jaiden didn't want anyone else at risk. Especially women who don't stand a chance against them."

Kristin looked thoughtful. "I know, Mary, but Jaiden isn't the one who should make those decisions. That was between me and Daniel alone."

Mary shuddered. "Just remember what happened to poor Marco."

Kristin paled a little and I looked at her, confused.

"Who's Marco?"

"He was a member. He was the second in command next to Jaiden. He and his bride Krista were nearly inseparable. There were the best example of true love. One night, the Dark King found our base while the men were away. They attacked and she was the only one home at the time. I wont go into details, but she was killed."

I paled.

"When we bond, we know immediately when something happens to our other half. The men… have it the worse. They can't survive the death of their bride. Marco went insane. He tore off into the night trying to find the men who killed her."

Mary looked down while Kristin looked away, wiping her eyes.

"The men had to hunt him down and put him out of his misery, before he did something horrible. Like slaughtering the local humans."

The room was silent for a moment as I sunk in the words and fought tears at such a sad story.

"So… how do vampires bind with each other?'

The girls jumped at the opportunity to change the subject.

"Well, after dating, courting or whatever, the vampire drinks her blood, then gives her his blood in exchange. She then becomes immortal and the bond is formed."

"Sounds really… simple."

Mary shrugged. "That's how it's done. It's very sacred to vampires. Although, I still insisted on a real wedding." She finished with a smile.

"Me to." Kristin said, flashing her hand with rind on it. "I told Daniel if we were gonna be married in his way, we were gonna be married in mine."

I giggled. "Why does it feel as though you have the pants in the relationship?"

She shrugged and smiled. "Maybe because I do."

We all laughed when he heard a distant door open.

Kristin stood with a large smile on her face.

"And allow me to show you why."

Kristin left the kitchen. Me and Mary stood intending to follow when a booming voice echoed thru the room.

"DANIEL! I'M GONNA KILL YOU!"

Mary laughed.

"She isn't really gonna kill him, is she?"

"No but she has a great skill for pulling out the guilt in him."

We laughed as we left to go back into the hall.

In the main hall, Kristin and Daniel were already walking down the hall with Kristin still yelling and Daniel trying to calm her down. Andrew, Christian and Jaiden were all talking. As soon as we approached, they stopped talking.

Mary hugged Christian while I took in the sight of them. No one looked hurt.

"Did you get them?" I asked.

"We got one. The other escaped while his partner lost his head."

Andrew gave me a small smile. "Looks like he can pass on your message, Bre."

Jaiden cast him a glare. "Could you take this a little more seriously, Andrew? We still have a bit of a problem."

"What's wrong?" Mary asked, concerned.

"We have to assume they think were in this area. We need to consider the possibility of moving."

"Again? We just settled here!" Mary exclaimed.

"Sorry, but we need to start looking for another place and soon."

Jaiden looked me over then turned to walk down the hall. Everyone else followed suit, while Mary and Christian disappeared into a room.

My feet seemed to think for themselves as I followed Jaiden.

"Hey, Jaiden."

He turned and looked at me.

I couldn't keep the blush from coming.

"I… I wanted to thank you again. You know, for what you did."

He looked to the ground, and I could have sworn he flushed.

"No problem…"

We stood there in an awkward silence.

"Well… goodnight." He said and turned away. He disappeared in a room before I could open my mouth.

….

Later that night, another dream came to me…

I opened my eyes and sat up. I was lying on a black, old -fashioned couch. I also noticed I was wearing a very form, fitting dress. A lot of my cleavage showed and a slit went all the way up to my thigh. I hugged myself, feeling vulnerable and exposed.

I stood and saw nothing else but darkness. I felt a sudden chill go down my spine.

"I know your there… come out!" I called bravely.

A small chuckle echoed in the darkness.

"I knew you were special. The moment I set eyes on you, I knew you were the one…"

In front of me, a large figure stepped out of the darkness.

He gave me an evil smile.

"I've been waiting a very long time for you… my Queen."

….

HA! CLIFFY! Won't know what happens next till I get those reviews! SO START WRITING PEOPLE! HAHAHAHAHAAAAAA! ^_^

(yay for me! Two updates within a couple if days! YAAAYY! ok, i'm off to play Chrono Trigger!)