Chapter 11

Emery's P.O.V.

Oh no! I've exposed my family, the whole vampire race. I'm as good as dead now. They will find me and kill me.

Wait, maybe he didn't see. I started to walk slowly towards Mark. His face was blank, so maybe he didn't see anything.

"Mark? What are you doing out here?"

He didn't speak, instead, he walked towards me. That kind of freaked me. No human would be sane after just witnessing a brutal vampire attack.

After about three strides, he then ran with incredible speed till he was two feet in front of me. The whole time I stood there, just staring in bewilderment.

Was Mark a vampire?

Mark just stared at me, but now instead of the blank expression, his face was now contorted into fury.

I didn't know how to react, I was too shocked.

"Why? How?" he stuttered out through his anger.

"what?" I asked, finding my voice but still completely confused.

"All this time, I'm thinking I am the only one. I've gone crazy thinking that I am the only Vampire around, and then you just show up, and take the girl I love but can never be with," he growled out, practically foaming at the mouth.

"what are you talking about?" I asked, trying to play coy. But the next thing I knew, I was pinned against the wall of the theatre by my neck.

I coughed trying to get down. Mark growled at me and held me tighter. "Don't play stupid, I can read your thoughts, and your heartbeat tells me your lying. So don't lie!"

I was running out of breath, he obviously was a Half-blood with some Full blood abilities to be able to bind me this way. But after a moment I was dropped to the ground. I immediately began choking on air.

"what do you mean, Full blood, half-blood? What do you know?" he said looking at me. The boy I thought was just an innocent goth boy, was now a dangerous killer.

After I finished coughing, I stood back up. Looking at him once more. Now I guess I had been very naïve, I could see it in him now. His pale skin, the way his whole exterior made me feel comfortable to be around. The perfect set of teeth.

"Well, tell me what you know?" he said, a bit calmer now.

I sighed, I guess he wasn't much of a threat, it seemed that he didn't know anything about us vampires.

"You're a Half-Blood vampire. There are two different kinds of vampires, Full blood's, which are bitten. And Half-Bloods which are born, with one parent as a vampire and the other a human. Half-bloods gain an inheritance from their Full blooded parent making them only half a vampire, they get certain abilities, not all but some have more Full Blood in them than others. But depends on how gifted the parents are." I said.

Mark looked at the ground for a moment, his face looked contorted between anger and sadness. "I was born. I don't know who my parents are, I was adopted at birth. They told me my parents disappeared." tears brimmed at the sides of his eyes.

I didn't know whether to comfort him or not, I mean only a moment ago he was trying to kill me.

He shook his head. "I'm sorry Emery. I just ..... I was mad because I thought I was all alone in this. I've never met other vampires. I wasn't sure how to point them out. But back there when I came to find you, and I saw you lure that couple away, I knew you were one."

"It's ok. But you could've just been like, 'Hey you're a vampire!' but yea, there are more of us. My brothers and my mother are. My Mother is full blood, while I and my brothers are half. I know two other half-bloods as well."

Mark's face lit up. "Really?"

I nodded, "yea, man I never would've noticed you were one. You hide your heartbeat and power well."

He raised his eyebrow. "power?"

"Yea. All vampires have power. Like an aura that glows a specific colour, your essence. And we all have specific gifts. Like, for example, telepathy. And metamorphosis. Stuff like that." I said. He must know nothing.

But then as I looked at his wondrous filled face. A thought came to my head. "Wait, what about your sun amulet? How are you able to walk in the sun?"

He looked back at me, confusion once again on his face. This time, I sighed and cautiously walked to him, but he had no amulet.

I looked back at him. "All vampires, Half or full, must carry an amulet to protect them from the sun. otherwise, it will kill us."

He looked slightly confused. "I always thought that was a myth."

I shook my head. "Nope. Ok, do you wear any kind of jewellery all the time?"

He then stiffened and looked down at his hand. On his middle finger at a red jewel encrusted ring. It was antique looking.

"My adoptive parents said that this was all my parents left me. I've always worn it."

I nodded. "that looks exactly like an amulet. See mine?" I reached into my shirt and withdrew my Sun amulet. The purple crystals glowed.

Mark's eyes became big, "how did you do that, make it glow?"

I smiled. "I don't know. Its always done that when I'm in high emotion. Like really angry or sad, or excited."

He smiled. "I wonder if I can do it?" he looked down at his ring, concentrating.

After a few moments, the red jewels began to glow slightly. He looked back up at me and smiled.

I smiled back.

Then Mark looked slightly panicked. "the others are probably going crazy. We should get back."

I nodded, but before we could walk back, Mark grabbed my arm.

He looked at me seriously. "Promise me that you will help me understand about vampires?"

I thought for a moment, but I didn't really see any harm in it. I nodded, Mark smiled brilliantly.

After going back to the others, we both were bombarded by questions as to where we had gone. Knox had been worried about me. She practically squeezed me to death.

We all went to eat at the restaurant in the theatre. The food was pretty good, though not as good as the warm blood I just had. I was high on energy, and I was able to withstand the bloodlust.

It seemed I would need to feed a lot more if I wanted to continue my relationship with Knox. As I sit beside her, watching her laugh at Dev eating at least three plates of chicken, I knew that I felt something for her.

But I still felt slightly incomplete, wrong. I don't know why I felt this way, but I did.

Once I was home, I was on a high rampage of confusion, my mother wasn't home, she was working. My brothers were out with their new friends. So I had the house to myself. I was free to walk around with my dark purple aura alight. I couldn't fathom how I hadn't known Mark was a vampire. I was slightly angry at myself for being so unobservant, and how I could be so carefree around these humans.

All this time, I had been hanging around them with my guard down. Not even aware there was another vampire among them. I could have easily been killed.

I sighed, I needed to calm down. My nails had been pinching into the skin of my palms from being so angry.

I went upstairs to my room. Not bothering to turn on the light, I flung myself face down on my bed. I groaned into the black comforter, trying to force away all my thoughts.

I needed to forget, it was all too much to think about. I was so tensed from tonight.

I turned my head to the side to gaze out my window at the moonless night. I always felt weaker during the new moon. It gave even more evidence to prove Daniel's theory about me being a moon child.

I slowed my breathing and listened to the empty house. The house creaked slightly with the soft breeze outside. I heard the refrigerator hum softly in the kitchen downstairs. The neighbour's dog barked at a passing car outside, and somewhere in town, a police siren went off. My strong ears could even hear a train pass through the edge of town.

Suddenly, I heard a short and soft knock on the door downstairs. I picked my head up slightly and listened. After a couple seconds, another soft knock sounded up to me.

Wondering who it was, I stood up and walked down the steps. I went over the front door, cautiously, I opened it.

"Trinetta?" I asked in disbelief.

There, standing on my front porch, was Trinetta. She was wearing a pair of faded blue jeans and a light blue sweatshirt with flowers printed going up the side. Her hair was tucked softly behind her ears, her face was slightly puffy. She looked like she had been crying.

"Emery, I....." she sniffled, trying to finish what she was going to say, but before she could even get it out, she began to sob into her hands.

I stared at her slightly dumbfounded for a moment but then regained my composure. I was unable to be angry at her, even though I knew I should have been, I couldn't be angry at her while she was so upset. I sighed and opened up the door wide, stepping to the side to let her in.

She smiled her thanks and slowly walked past me into the living room. I shut the door behind me and walked into the living room, turning on the lights that I had failed to turn on earlier.

Trinetta sat down on the large white sofa, wiping her tear-streaked face on her sweatshirt sleeve. She looked around at the living room while I went around, turning on the rest of the lights. Even with all the small lights we have, my house is still pretty dark. Its how we like it though.

"Your house is very beautiful," she said in a soft voice as I sat down on the sofa, though not too close to her. I smiled halfheartedly, I was still burning to know why she was here and more importantly, why she was so upset.

She looked at me, our eyes immediately locked onto one another's. I felt a power surge in myself, my whole body lit up like a live wire. I gasped internally as I was unable to move. My heart seemed to pound out of time, and Trinetta was the only thing I could see, feel and breath.

It was beyond intense, but after what seemed like hours, I heard the grandfather clock go off in the corner, and our connection was lost. Trinetta looked away and blinked a few times.

I sighed. I decided I needed to get this over with. "Trinetta, why are you here?" I tried not to sound harsh, although I'm sure I did a bad job of it.

She looked down at her crisp white tennis shoes, a tear slipped from her eye and rolled down her cheek. At first, it looked like she wasn't planning to answer my question anytime soon, but then she opened her mouth to speak.

"I needed to tell you the truth. It's been eating me up inside for so long, but after what happened in class the other day, I just couldn't take it. I couldn't stand that you were angry with me." she said in a soft but strained voice.

I watched her clench and unclench her hands. Keeping her head down, she licked her lips and began to speak once more.

"when it happened, I didn't know what to do, I felt so bad for never doing anything. But I couldn't disappoint my parents. every time I look at Knox I just feel so guilty. I try not to think about it, but I do. It eats me to pieces, the guilt."

More tears slipped from her eyes, she leaned forward into her knees. It had become too much for me to handle, I had to comfort her, whether I was burning to know or not. With an internal sigh, I moved closer to her, placing my arm softly around her small frame and pulled her gently to me. She came with no hesitation, laying her head on my shoulder.

Her sobs had become a little louder now, and she had begun to tremble slightly. I hugged her against me and rubbed soothing circles with my palms on her sides. I couldn't speak, I didn't know what to say. I had never been good with words. Unless they were to hurt someone. But not when it came to calming. So I just sat there, holding her while she cried.

It was maybe an hour before she had calmed down, her sobs subsided but she didn't loosen her tight hold on me. Her arms had found there way around my neck, and her small body now rested on my lap. Her hands clutched at my oversized t-shirt and her head rested in the crook of my neck. My own arms were wrapped securely around her waist, my hands rubbing her sides softly.

I was very lucky my mother and brothers weren't home. If my mother was to walk in on me at this very moment, she would most likely skin me alive for being so close to a human like this. If my brother walked in on me, well, I would never hear the taunting end. Well, mostly on Vince's part.

Trinetta's breathing had become slow, and her hold on my shirt had become loosened. She had fallen asleep. I looked at her face, she seemed to finally be at peace in her sleeping form. Her face was tear-stained and her eyes were pink and puffy. Her soft breathing tickled my neck, I couldn't help but smile.

I looked over at the clock, my mother would be home soon. And I knew Trinetta needed to be home. But I couldn't bear to wake her, not after her breakdown.

So instead I carefully lifted her in my arms and ascended up the stairs and into my darkened room. The neon lights were the only light in my black room.

I laid her down gently on my black sheets, pulling the comforter over her. She needed sleep. I would wake her in an hour. And I guess that if it were a friend in need, my mother wouldn't have anything to argue over.

I stayed there with her, sitting at the end of my bed, watching her sleep. In a way, it was far more compelling then any television show could be. I became slightly more anxious to know what she was going to tell me before she broke down. It was about Knox, and what had happened between them. Knox had told me not to believe a word she says, but maybe it was time I heard her side of the story in this.

I let Trinetta sleep until it was close to ten. My mother and brothers hadn't come home yet, I worried about them slightly.

I felt my pocket vibrate and a loud metal song began to play. I walked quickly out of my room, taking the phone from my pocket. I looked at the screen. It was my mother.

"Hey, mom. Where are you?" I said when I answered the phone.

"Oh Emery, I'm so sorry I haven't called. The salon has had a very busy day and we are just closing up. But I need to stay after a little longer to help clean up. It will take me an hour but I should be home before midnight. The boys have gone to a party, but I warned them that they better be home before I am or it will mean trouble."

I sighed a sigh of relief. "That's fine mom. I'm just watching some TV and about to take a shower."

I heard a vacuum in the background. "oh ok. Well just watch for your brothers. Make sure they get home. If they aren't home in an hour, call them. Ok?" she said, sounding tired.

"Ok, mom," I said, wanting to get off the phone.

"Love you, honey," she said, then hung up.

I shut the phone, sighing. At least I had some time. I walked downstairs, going into the kitchen and getting myself some water. I never realized how thirsty I was. I downed the water and then slipped the cup into the dishwasher. I turned, leaning on the counter and pushing my hair out of my eyes. The earlier feeding's effects were fading and I was becoming tired. And the day was starting to get to me. I closed my eyes and let the darkness calm mine overworked mind.

"Emery?" Trinetta's soft voice drifted down to me. I lifted myself from the counter and walked back up the steps. Trinetta was sitting up in my bed. She looked slightly confused, but tired.

"Hey," I said, going over and sitting across from her on the bed.

She looked down at the sheets, seeming to remember why she was here. Taking a deep breath, she began to speak.

"Freshman year, I was so happy to be going into high school. It was going to be the beginning of a new life for me. I had a really hard time with middle school. I was so pressured to be perfect by my parents. But this year, I was going to be the best, and I wouldn't disappoint them. It started out really great. I made the best grades out of the whole freshman class, and people seemed to really like me."

I listened intently. Trinetta took my hand into hers, linking her fingers with mine. It was slightly strange to look at. My hand was maybe a little bigger then hers, my black fingernail polish clashed with her light pink manicured hand. My pale skin seems to stand out like a sore thumb against her beautiful tan skin.

"It was maybe a few days after winter break ended, I was called to the office to be a mentor for a new student. The moment I met Knox I knew we would be great friends. And that we had become in no less than a day. We shared everything together, we even had our own annual sleepover night." she paused, looking like she may cry again. I tightened my hold on her hand, she smiled a small smile at me gratefully.

"It was close to summer, Knox was over at my place. We had become such great friends, my other friends were slightly jealous that I never spent much time with them. But I didn't mind, I really liked being around Knox. She was just such a light and friendly person, it made you want to be there with her all the time."

I smiled. I knew this of Knox myself. She always kept me smiling when there was no danger involved.

"But something was off with her that night. She seemed to be troubled, and I knew it immediately. We had learned to know when the other was unhappy or sad. So I asked her if she was ok."

Trinetta seemed to be holding in the tears. But she didn't let them out, instead, she continued with a gruff voice.

"She told me of her feelings for me, of course, I had known that Knox wasn't completely straight for a while but I never thought anything of it. But when she told of that, I kind of panicked. I have never really given any thought to being with a girl before, and it was something that was never accepted by my family. But I didn't want to hurt my best friend." Trinetta breathed out, gulping back her tears and then continuing again. "But Knox told me she didn't expect me to feel the same, but she just needed to get it off her chest. I was relieved to know that. But I was still kind of freaked out. I wanted to tell someone, anyone. Just so they could give me some advice on what to do, on how to react."

Finally, a tear made its way from the corner of her eye, and down her cheek.

"I regret what I did more than anything I have ever done in my life. I told Danielle. She wanted to make a joke out of it, suspecting that I was grossed out and didn't want to be Knox's friend any longer, but I begged her not to. But she threatened that if I didn't ditch Knox and keep my mouth shut, that she would tell my parents that I was dating Knox. Danielle knows how my parents are, they would take everything from me. They would never let me see Knox again. Or have any friends again."

The tears came thicker now, Trinetta looked so tortured, it was practically tearing my heart. I reached forward with my hand that wasn't holding hers and wiped at the tear with my fingers. She caught my hand with her other and pulled herself back into my arms like she had earlier.

She didn't cry as much as she had earlier, she calmed down more quickly once I had pulled my blanket around her and was smoothing out her hair gently with my hand. Her head rested on my shoulder, from the corner of my eye, I could see her watching my face.

I looked down at her, smiling slightly. "what?"

"How can you even look at me. I hurt my best friend because she told me she liked me and I didn't know how to act. But yet you seem to not be phased at all." she said softly, looking up at me with her strange but mesmerizing green eyes.

"Well, because none of this is really your fault. It's understandable that you were afraid. Its ok to want to talk to someone about it. But what Danielle did, was way out of line." I almost wanted to growl. But I composed myself. "See, when Knox told me, I thought you did that all intentionally. But now, it makes sense. Danielle White, I'd really love to-" Trinetta cut me off.

"Just forget it, Emery, I have already told her that I don't want anything to do with her. And that I will never trust her again. Of course, I will be civil. But I will never come to her with my problems again. She isn't worth your energy." she said, lifting her head to look at me.

I sighed, calming slightly. "I could though."

Trinetta giggled. "I know you could. From the first time I met you I knew you were tough. I just didn't understand how much till that day when you were so angry with me. You looked like you wanted to kill me." she laughed. "I was even so scared, I think I hallucinated that you were glowing purple."

I froze. She saw my aura pulse. Oh shit!

She didn't see my face as she chuckled lightly, laying her head back on my shoulder. "I think I'm just going nuts. I blame my parents."

I sighed, relieved. I looked back down at her. "Yeah, what's the deal with them anyway? Why are they so hard on you?"

She was quiet.

"You don't have to tell me. I just wondered, because of that first day in Musical Arts, you got so quiet after I asked about your home life."

She opened her eyes and looked up at me. "Well, my father is a lawyer, and he has always expected me to become one with him. He has always pushed me to be like him, and when I'm not good enough he gets angry. And that's not a good thing. My mother can't control him, so I have to deal with it on my own."

"Sounds harsh," I said.

She nodded. "It gets pretty bad sometimes. He never wants me to go anywhere or do anything even remotely fun. I always stay at home and study. Making sure my work is perfect. Everything always has to be perfect with my father." she looked angry as she spoke. "I'm not even allowed to have friends over unless he gives me the ok. It makes me so angry. Like tonight."

"what did he do?" I asked.

"I told him I had to see a friend. He didn't want me to go, I needed to stay home and rewrite an essay I had written five times. It was perfect, the right amount of words, on topic, perfect handwriting. I didn't know what did wrong. And he didn't either. So I left."

I gasped lightly. "He won't be angry about you being out late will he?"

She didn't say anything.

"Trinetta, I don't want you in trouble," I said. Unsure of why I was so worried. I just felt the need to worry about her.

She sighed. "I know, but I had to see you, and clear this up. I didn't want you to think I was a horrible person who hated bi and lesbians. I have many friends who are bi." she looked down. "I just was stupid and caught off guard."

I placed my hand under her chin and brought her up to look at me. "It wasn't your fault. Ok?"

She nodded, staring into my eyes. The connection seemed to spark up right away. But it hadn't even lasted a few seconds before I heard the door open downstairs.

Both I and Trinetta jumped up and off my bed at the noise.

I sighed once I heard the two sets of familiar footfalls coming up the steps.

"Its ok, it's just my dumbass older brothers."

Trinetta smiled lightly. I walked over to the bedroom door, opening it and staring out as my brothers walked into their rooms without so much as a word to me. I raised my eyebrows, but then just shrugged and turned back to Trinetta.

"Its pretty late, I'll drive you home if you like?" I asked her. She smiled and nodded. I grabbed my keys and a black and red Slipknot sweatshirt from my desk chair and walked out my bedroom.

I didn't even bother telling my brothers where I was going, I could already hear their snoring. So I walked out the front door.

Just as I walked down the steps, my mother's truck pulled in. she got out, walking around the car and up the sidewalk, once her eyes landed on me and who was behind me she stopped.

"Emery, where are you going?" she asked eyeing Trinetta.

"Hey mom, uh. This is Trinetta" I said, stepping to the side, Trinetta smiled lightly and waved. "and I was just about to take her home."

"oh ok, well don't be gone too long," she said, still suspicious, but more along the lines of fighting away her thirst. I could see that she hadn't fed in a while. She had been working so much, and being around humans makes it much worse.

I reached behind me, taking Trinetta's hand in my and pulling her carefully around my mother as she passed to go into the house.

I opened the passenger door for her, then walked to my side once she was in. I started my car and backed out.

"That was kind of weird," she said carefully, making sure not to offend me.

I laughed. "Eh, my whole family is weird. Or didn't you notice that when you met me?"

She chuckled. "well yeah, but really I thought you were more interesting than weird."

I looked to her questionably as I entered the main highway. "How is that?"

She smiled. "Well, you're really mysterious. Rebellious, don't really care what you do or say to people. You seem so different. You seem really strong, even for a seventeen-year-old girl."

I smiled. She was very clever. "Well, I am me. Everything I do and say is me. To me, everyone should always be their selves. Never let others tell you who to be."

She didn't speak. Instead, she looked out her window. Staring off into the lights of the city.

I looked between her and the road, then I remembered I didn't even know where she lived. "Hey, where do you live anyways?"

She gave me the address and helped me with the directions. Soon I had pulled in front of a humongous mansion. My jaw was on the ground.

She smiled, "Thanks for the ride, and for believing me. It makes me feel better to have you know the truth."

I closed my mouth and smiled lightly. "Welcome. Just don't be hard on yourself."

She nodded, though I could see that she was not going to follow that advice.

"You know, maybe if Knox knew the truth, she would forgive you. You guys could be friends again."

Trinetta looked at me thoughtfully. "I don't know."

"I know she would, Knox is a kind girl. She would forgive you if she knew the real story. I could talk to her if you-"

"Emery, please don't tell her. I want to tell her myself, but I'm not ready to yet." she cried frantically. I smiled and grabbed her hands that had clenched to my shirt.

"Calm down! I promise I won't say anything." I laughed.

She gave me a pleading look. But then her looks softened when she saw that I was sincere, she reached forward and hugged me tightly.

"Please promise that you will still talk to me after tonight. I don't know why, but I don't think I can handle it if I don't see you again," she said, her voice muffled against my shoulder.

"I promise. I don't think I could either." I spoke truthfully.

She leaned back and smiled. "I promise not to cause problems with Knox. I won't talk to you while she is around. Just after school, I need to get away from here" she said looking back at the overly large house.

I nodded. "I have band practices some days, but they only last an hour and a half."

She looked back at me. "That's ok. I just need as much time as I can get away from here. If I don't, I think I might actually go insane."

I smiled. It was quiet for a few moments, Trinetta's hands still were in mine. Her fingers felt warm in mine, and if I concentrated enough, I could hear her heartbeat. It sounded so beautiful. But I didn't know if that was my actual thought or if it was my stomach calling for seconds.

Trinetta finally pulled her fingers from mine gently and glanced at her house. "I better go. But I'll see you tomorrow?"

I nodded. We exchanged numbers before she hugged me once more, then pulling away and getting out of the car. I watched her go through the gates and up the steps into her house. Then I pulled away, driving almost idly.

What in the hell just happened?