Hey,

I see people are reading.

Not bad.
So, here's another chapter.
Feedback is totally welcome. Any kind of criticism or what not.
Sam
x

Chapter Five

Considering this is an abandoned sewage system, it doesn't look all that bad. Lights, carpet, heating, a kitchen, two sofas. Two sofas that were both occupied.
"Honey, I'm home!" Dougie exclaimed, throwing his jacket across the four teenagers who had paused mid conversation, staring at me.

None looked all that welcoming. Two lads. One fair haired, white blonde with dark brown eyes. The other was a complete contrast. His dark brown hair was styled, gelled in to a half hearted attempt at a Mohican. And piercing icy blue eyes, staring, questioning my presence. On the opposite sofa sat two girls. And before I even had time to register them, I was thrown in to the middle of an argument.

"Who said you could bring someone new?" One of the girls snarled.
"Excuse me?" Dougie raised an eyebrow, obviously not surprised by the confrontation she offered.
"You've brought a complete stranger here!" She snapped.
"Sheena!" Danny hissed as she stood up, walking over slowly, looking me up and down, as if inspecting me.
"Shut your mouth, Jones!" The dark haired girl glared at him. "I suppose you both thought you could get away with this without asking our opinions first."
"Back off, Sheena!" One of the lads on the sofa stood up, stepping in front of the irate girl, who looked just about ready to punch me for existing. He turned to me, and then to Dougie. "Well?"
"This is Claire." Danny spoke up when Dougie remained silent, "She's one of us. She's part of the clan."
"I don't care who she is." Sheena barked. "You should have-"
"Shut the fck up you silly cow!" The blonde boy on the sofa sighed, sounding rather tired and fed up.
"Here, here!" Laughed the other girl, sweeping her long blonde hair out of her face as she tapped on the glass she held in her hands, placing it to her lips.

I made no sound as the tall boy in front of me seemed to study me. I looked to the floor when he tried to meet my gaze.
There's something about him.
Why does he seem so familiar?

I finally look up and find my voice, at the same time trying to find courage to speak. I mumble something inaudible. Not even I know what it is that I just said. Damn nerves.
"Do I know you?! I cough a little as I choke on my words. "You seem…"
"Familiar." He finished off my sentence for me. He seems a little hesitant about what he wants to say next.
Out with it already!

"Are you from Peachings?"

"Harry, how do you know that?" Dougie demanded. I'd still made no answer. I wasn't expecting that question. The entire room was silent. All apart from Sheena who was now walking over to the kitchen area muttering away to herself.
"Were there any other girls like you?" Harry asked me, ignoring Dougie completely.
"I err… What?" Why does he want to know that anyway? And why girls? Why not others in general?
"Haz, mate, she's already confused as it is." Danny remarked. "You're scaring her."
"No he's not!" I retorted, before answering the question I had initially been asked. "I was the only one…"
"Right…" Harry looked to the floor. "And your birthday is on the seventh of may?"
"Yes, that's-" Wait. "How did you-"
"I need to… Can I talk with you. Alone?" He smiles a little, looking somewhat nervous all of a sudden.
"I don't think this is a good idea." Dougie spoke up. "She barely knows anything about herself, never mind-"
"Then I'll tell her." Harry's tone startled me slightly, low, as if growling.

Danny held his hands up, retreating to the bar, giving Sheena company, and an ear to listen to her not so quiet bitching. Dougie, however, remained standing beside me, his fists clenches, his knuckles turning white quickly.

"You don't want to challenge me, Doug." Harry spoke calmly, seeming hardly bothered by Dougie's hostile manner.
"No, I don't." he sighed. "But give it a day or two. She only arrived yesterday, and she's pretty much clueless."

The taller boy was silent, taking in what had just been said. He glanced at me, his gaze flickering between Dougie and myself, before letting out a long debated sigh. He ran a hand through his hair, cursing himself when he momentarily forgot there was some sort of product in it.

"I can wait." He finally said, solely as if he was choosing his words with great care and consideration. "She can know when she prefers."
"Stop talking about me like I'm not here!" I exclaimed, my voice louder than I had intended it to be. Both boys turned to face me. In fact, everyone in the room had heard me. "I want to know. Everything." I stated, trying to be firm. A hard task when my bottom lip is quivering, and my voice is wavering.

"Right now?" Harry asked.
"Right now." I confirmed, a little light headed.

I should feed soon.

"What do you think you're doing?" I asked, noticing Dougie was following on as Harry led me in to another room within the tunnel.
"Umm.." He began to answer.
"Please stop mothering me one minute and being bstardish the next." I stated in nothing more than a mumble. "Now go."
"But-"
"Leave me alone!"
"Fine." With that he skulked away, head bowed low, hands in pockets.
"He means well." Harry said. I nodded and followed him in to the room, sitting on one of the four armchairs inside. The room was circular like the other, but smaller, and a lot more basic.
"What do you need to tell me?" I squeak.
"Well, what do you already know?" Harry asked. "About yourself. Anything."
"I'm a vampire." I laughed. "That sounds so ridiculous."
"Down here, it's not all that strange." Harry shrugged. "There may only be ten of us but we're not ridiculous."

There's more?
People like me?
Ten others?

"We're the last of our clan." He sighed, obviously not really enjoying what he was saying. "We were left to carry it on. We all have different stories, they all arrive at the same place though."
"I don't understand." I frowned, crossing one leg over the other. "And how did you know all of that stuff about me?"
"All of our parents placed us in to the care of others. In the past three decades the rise in hunters has increased rapidly. We were merely being protected for later." Harry explained, choosing to sit opposite me. He obviously thought this answer was sufficient when he remained silent.
"You didn't explain how you know me." I whispered. He shifted in his seat a little, now looking awfully uncomfortable.
"When my mother died in childbirth, my dad didn't know what to do. I was two at the time. I never understood what was going on." He breathed deeply before continuing. "Someone in the hospital had tipped a hunter off. Dad did what he thought was best. I was placed in to a care system in Essex. And my day old sister was left at Peachings."
"Oh." Came the only thing I could manage vocally. "W…what happened to him?" I asked quietly. "Your dad…"
"Dead. I guess." Harry's expression never changed, his tone monotonous, speaking without a distinct emotion.
"Oh" That seemed to be how far my vocabulary would now reach.
"I'm sorry." He said sincerely. "I should have waited." He got up. I followed suit.
"How do you know all of that?" I stammered.
"Dad left me a letter. Figured I'd look for my sister when I was ready to." Hew replied. "I didn't count on you being Dougie's bird."
"Excuse me?" I exclaimed. "I am so not-" I didn't want to get in to this conversation. Not now. Reality had just given me a hard smack in the face. I'd known for the past five minutes that he'd been talking about me. But now he'd said that… This… all of it.. it seemed a lot more real.

I have a brother.

"Wow." I breathed. There wasn't much else I could say. No words were available. Nothing could clearly describe what was running through my thoughts. I let out a small giggle, chuckling almost hysterically.
"What?" Harry raised an eyebrow at me, obviously somewhat confused at the sudden outburst of laughter.
"I thought I was abandoned for being a freak." I snorted, noticing now that my giggles had rapidly changed in to a similar sound. Loud sobs. Harry stood, staring at me, functionless, and obviously with no clue as to what to do with a crying girl.
"I'll get Dougie." He mumbled, leaving the room before I had acknowledged what he'd said, let alone time to protest.

Why in God's name would I want Dougie? Honestly! Why is he going to be any help? For all I know, he might be in his 'I don't give a toss, yeah, hard man.' Mood… I'd rather not be dealing with that at the moment. I sit down on the carpeted floor, bringing my knees up to my chest. Feeling drained, I rest my head on them, snivelling through my tears.

"Claire?" Exhausted, I look up. Dougie's stood in front of me. Where did he come from? He sat down opposite me, crossed legs, never breaking eye contact. "Whatever Harry said to make you cry, I'm sure he didn't mean it."

The prat hasn't even been told what was said.
Oh, hilarious.

"Which Dougie is this?" I frown. "Is this another side to you as well?"
"I'm just trying to help you." He snapped.
"Yeah. When you feel like it." I retorted.
"Well if you're going to be like that…" he left the sentence hanging as he got up, ready to walk away. "I mean, what's wrong with you?"
"He's my brother." I whispered. The first time saying it out loud numbed me. I was neither overjoyed or disappointed at the prospect. "Harry is my brother. My mum died giving birth to me, and my dad's probably dead." I gushed hoarsely. "This time yesterday I was in a car with Patricia quite happily minding my own business and contemplating my own misfortune, hoping to finally land on my feet." The lump in my throat fast appears again as I strive to continue. "Instead, I'm told that I'm in fact a mythical creature that can't die. And I don't fall on my feet, I fall down a sewer where I meet my brother, who by the way, never came to look for me when he knew where I was all along. That is what's wrong with me, Dougie. I don't just get this way. This is me. I'm a self loathing, satirical, bitter and sarcastic mess." I spat.

Silent once more, I get up, moving past Dougie who seemed to be at a loss as far as my speech was concerned. Faces turned to look at me as I walked out in to the main room.
"I… I'm going." I mumble, more to myself than anyone else.
"Good. Glad you enjoyed your stay." Sheena sneered.
"And you," I pointed at her. "Can Fck off."
"I like her." I head the other girl say as I walk away.

Now, where's the exit?

I stood, looking up at the way I had come in to the sewer, now realizing that there was still no kind of rail or ladder. Well, I'd really thought this escape route out well, hadn't I?

Bollocks.

"If you follow the tunnel round, it eventually leads out to a field. You can't get out through the entrance." I jumped a little, hearing a female voice I didn't recognize behind me. I turned, the light from the hole above revealing a fair haired girl, perhaps a little tanned. It was too dark to say for sure.
"Oh… Thank you." My lips barely moved, suddenly frozen, as was the rest of me, still a little startled at her sudden appearance. I glanced down the tunnel that I hadn't ventured down before.

Completely pitch black.

"I'll walk you if you like." She spoke with a humble smile. "I heard about you from Danny."
"Sure." I shrugged, secretly grateful for the company she offered me. I doubt I'd have gone far on my own.
"I'm Gabrielle." She rubbed the palm of her hand on her jeans before sticking it out. I shook it feebly, letting my hand drop to my side again, limp. "Danny's my brother. I think he has a crush on you. Jealous cause you're with Dougie."
I snorted at that remark. We began to walk, neither quick, nor slow.
"I'm not with Dougie." I stated bluntly.

Jesus Christ!
I've known him barely a day. I mean, what if everyone thinks this? I have a reputation already, and I've not yet been here a full twenty four hours. And I've had so much fun as well….

"Gabz! Sheena want's you." Danny called from behind us. We both turned, just about seeing his outline against the damp walls.
"Why does she need me?" Gabrielle asked, obviously resenting the name spoken.
"She doesn't, but I want to walk Claire home." I could almost hear him grinning as he edged a little bit closer.
"I told you." Gabrielle whispered. "He's crushing on you."

Interesting.
Very. Interesting.

I watched as she walked away, lightly punching her brother in the arm as she passed him. Danny, in return, gave her a small shove in to the wall. She giggle, the echo remaining even when she was out of site, returned to the others.

"So, you want to go straight home?" Danny asked, grabbing hold of my hand.
"Well…"