Chapter eight

"lizard!", Jack shouted in class referring to Lissa, trying to frustrate her. Lissa looked at him angrily and yelled back,

"Jaguar!",

Jack and his friend burst into laughter which pissed her off even more.

"lizard! li-li-lizard",he stammered on purpose and winked at her, so sorry Vanessa is not here, I wonder who your prince charming will be li-li-lizard", 

Lissa was so angry that she felt she's going to burst out of annoyance. Lyndia got so pissed off and stood up,

"why can't you just stop being a nuisance?",

"hooo, we've found the prince charming, it is four eyes", Jack insulted. Lyndia felt embarrassed and adjusted her eye glasses

"ain't you ashamed of yourself?", everyone turned to where the voice came from. It was Collins,he stood at the class entrance, looking tall and smart as he dipped his hand into his pocket.

"why should I be ashamed of myself?", he smirked,

"because you are nothing but a coward and a loser",

"Whoooo", everyone expressed and laughed. It was Jack's turn to feel embarrassed,

"what are you?, how dare you call me a coward",

"because that's what you are, a cheap coward who only picks on girls, are you afraid you'll get the beating of your life if you try this trash with your fellow guys?",

"how dare you",he said and made to punch him but Collins was fast enough to dodge it and Jack fell down instead. His nose hit the edge of a table and began to bleed. Jack becomes more embarrassed as everyone in class laughed. He began to feel dizzy. Lissa and Lyndia walked up to him,poked out their tongues at him before leaving the class with Collins.

"thanks, if not for you, that stinking bully will keep on picking on us", Lissa thanked Collins on their way to Paul's house.

"it's nothing,he just needs to be taught some lessons",

They sighted Paul in front of the house, leaning on his car as he receives a call. They looked at one another and looked back at him suspiciously. They wanted to empathized with him before they over heard little part of his conversation,

"oh that's a relief, eventually Vanessa...",

They couldn't hear any other thing as Paul entered the car and drove away. Collins turned to the rest at once

"we have to find Vanessa, as fast as we can, before anyone does",

"that should be more easier since we are a team now",they all supported.

                          ******************

   Convocation were flying in circle, freely in the sky., below them was a thick forest. One of them flew down and across the forest tall trees,then above a lady who was running as fast as she can. Panting heavily. She was running barefooted with a skimpy skirt, dodging the arrows that's being fired at her. Her hair looks so untidy  and unkept,she kept running with all her strength. As if she knew the arrow was being targeted at her leg,she jumped and stunted backward. She landed on firmly but on 'on your track' position. The shooter Bagan to clap, she looked back and smiled. She sighed as she stood up,

"you really did more than my expectations",

"you mean I've learnt everything needed",

"sure,you are now good to go, I wasn't even trained like this and the ones I couldn't do on my own, you did it perfectly well. You've done all the necessary training and even the most important part which is the blind folding fight. And now, you are even stunting, you are such a fast learner", he praised,

"all in all, you are still my master",

"it's like the table is turning, moreover it wasn't really me who trained you, it all thanks to the training book, I only assisted. There was no one to look after me while training, my father is gone, he left and didn't return", James sighed and smiled,"now, you can defend yourself from vampires",

With the expression on her face, one could tell that something is wrong.

"What's wrong?",

"I lied to you",

"about what?",

"almost ten days ago if it's not more than that, that I ran into this forest, yeah I was scared, but not because of vampires, I was scared I would be hated if I can't control my power",

"I don't get you",

"I was crying that night because of how helpless and useless I found myself, not because my family was killed. I later told you to teach me how to fight when I saw you training so that if possible I might be able to control myself through that and saved my beloved ones and I'm also very grateful for taking me in when you thought I was homeless",

Suddenly James pointed a knife to her neck. She looked at him with the corner of her eyes, trying not to move. 

"James?",she called.

He dropped the knife,"I don't care who you are and I don't care to know", he turned and started leaving,

"James wait!", she ran after him," listen,I know you are so angry right now, but I really need to know how to control it",

"I don't want to believe it",

"Please do",

He stopped and looked back at her,"no one can help anyone to control any power if at all you truly have one",

"what?, what did you mean?",

"your emotions, determination, focus, heart and mind, sensibility, are the only thing that can help anyone in controlling his or her power",he said and left,

Vanessa kept on thinking about what he said over and over again. ' so if I can develop all this on my own, I might be a good vampire if I wish'. She thought to herself and smiled. They got to a small cottage in the forest. James began to pack his things,

"Where to?",

"Isn't it time to go home?, I only come here for a week and that's to train but I have to stay longer thanks to someone. I have a part time job to do, I live in the city and not here. So you should also go home now",

"I'm sorry",

"there's nothing to be sorry about, you should go back home and take proper care of yourself, it's been 12 days already", James said and carried his back pack.

"When next will you come here?",

"I can't say",

Vanessa sighed,"thanks, thanks so much for your help",

James stretched out his hand for an handshake which Vanessa gladly took.

"you are welcome, and be very careful, don't trust easily and beware of vampires", he advised,

Vanessa felt guilty, 'i am one', she said in mind. They went out of the cottage and down the hill. Suspiciously, James looks around as he saw the convocation flying into different sides.

"what's wrong?", Vanessa asked

"that's one of the things I told you, sensibility",

Vanessa also looks around, "there's danger, some people are in the forest".

Beth and other vampires stood, looking around the forest,they could scent human blood. Their mouth opened showing off the long canine and their eyes were in red colour. They super speed away with Beth leading.

Collins and others continue searching the forest, each of them with back pack.

"how long are we going to continue looking for her?", John said tiredly as he wiped off his sweat with the back of his hand.

"as long as we can", Lyndia replied.

"what if she's not even in this forest", Lissa said trying to clean off her injured hand.

" my instinct directs my here", Collins replied,

"seriously?, instinct?", Lissa said frustratedly,

"apart from that, I can sense her power", Lyndia added,

"really?", Vero asked trying to confirm again,

"yeah", 

"then let's hasten up, before it gets dark", Max said.

"no let's rest a little bit, I'm so tired ", Lissa said looking so exhausted as she cleaned off the blood from her finger.

"let's get to that big tree and rest", Lyndia persuaded,

They sat under the tree when they got there. Collins brought out a table water from his backpack and quench his thirst.

"is there no other way to see any vision about where she is exactly", Vero asked,

"Why exactly can't you see about her, Collins is powerful but yet you still see about him", John said,

"I don't understand also", Lyndia replied," let me try if I can see it through anyone",

"then please try", Lissa said and stretched her hand. Lyndia touched her and immediately saw a vision, 'vampires, ready to attack them and then the back of Vanessa was seen'.

She dropped Lissa's hand panting slightly.

"did you see anything?", they asked,

She nodded and told them what she saw. 

"that means Vanessa is in this forest", Collins said,

" b..b..but you said, vvampires attacked us", Vero stammered. They all stood up immediately, looked at one another,

"run!!!!",Max shouted and everyone began to run with their backpack flipping from one side to another. They were already panting, suddenly the vampires obstructed their way. They stopped running, looking scared and alerted. This is when they knew the meaning and feeling of when death stares at someone, smiling. Collins was ready to defend his friends,same as the vampires who are ready to attack.

     Just as they made to attack, someone flew and kicked one of the vampires from no where. So quick, she had stabbed two vampires. Beth was so angry but she had to care for her comrades so she made them retreat as they were only two left. They flashed away but not before marking Vanessa's face. Everyone mouth was agaped at how fast and skillful she fought.

"Vanessa!", Lyndia called. She wasn't aware of who she saved, not until Lyndia called her name and she turned back. She was so surprised.

" Oh my goodness", she beamed,

"Vanessa!!!", they called happily and hugged her for some time.

"where have you been?", Collins asked,

"here",

"here?, you mean you've been in this forest all along", Vero asked unbelievably,

"how have you been surviving, you are still even in your party's dress", Lissa said feeling disgusted,

" I'm very sorry, I was just angry at myself",

"no, I think you are angry at me , I'm also sorry", Collins apologize,

"it's all fine",

"can we please leave this forest, it's so creepy and Vanessa really needs a watch up, you are a mess sweetie", Vero said while she chuckled,

"are you ready to come home with use?", Lyndia asked.

"yes", she replied smiling.