Created (Book 1 of the Created) (17 page)

She sighed and read me the riot act in a very an understated
way. "Suddenly you think you are man enough to give it to them? This is
not the place for a fight, plus there are three of them and you are still
fresh, untested. Getting your ass kicked at school may not be the best way to
stay low key and stay in the program."

In my heart I knew she was right on all accounts, and had
resigned myself to letting the issue drop. Sitting back down at the table, I
was ready to talk until the sound of a very audible slap reverberated
throughout the student population. The room grew silent and still as everyone
waited to see what happened.

Without the din of the chatter of students and clanking of
plastic trays, two voices were distinct, though I did not know either.

A female voice spat out, "You deserved that and if you
put your hands on me again, I can promise that a slap is the least of your
worries."

The male voice was filled with anger, "Little girl, you
don't know who you are messing with. I allowed you that much because I enjoy
it, but no more. I will put my hands on you whenever and however I
choose."

Several people had risen from their seats and were blocking
my view. Even the few remaining teachers had risen, but none attempted to
diffuse the situation that was erupting before their eyes.

The fire in the girl's voice was crumbling into fear as she
attempted to back away from the standoff. "You are a jerk! You come near
me again and you...you...will regret it..."

I could see who had been on the receiving end of her ire:
John.

A lump leapt into my throat as I decided something had to be
done to prevent this from becoming much worse.

Darby issued a soft comment under her breath, "Let's go
before we get involved and blow our cover."

Again she tugged at my shirt, but this time with the force
of a vampire and not the teen she appeared to be outwardly.

My shirt tail was torn as I pulled away without thought to
the ramifications.

John erupted as he took three large steps in order to cut
off her retreat as the other two member of his groups stood guard nearby,
"Such insolence from you. I wanted you before, but now I just want to
prove my point. Know your place woman!"

He seized her roughly by the arm.

Darting past his companions, but trying to remain as close
to humanly fast as I could, I grabbed his arm, wrenching his wrist before he
could react. There was a crunch of bone breaking as I rotated it completely around
until he let go her wrist. The pain drove him to one knee. The girl stumbled
hard, knocking a garbage can over on herself. She appeared to be ok for the
most part.

I had other problems to worry about. Approaching fast were
his constant companions. Whirling him around by his broken wrist, I kept
twisting as my other hand squeezed the elbow hard. Using the pain to steer him
in the direction I needed, his body became a shield. Both circled John and I
looking for an opportunity to strike. This ballet lasted only seconds as the
school resource officers arrived before the altercation became one of claws and
teeth.

John knew he had to maintain some cover discipline or this
could become worse than it was, so he relented to being taken into custody. He
motioned for his friends to scatter, which they did without hesitation. On his
way out, Tristan pegged me with a hotdog, coating my shirt in ketchup as he
disappeared out a rear entrance with another group of students.

The officers wanted to detain me, but Mrs. Patterson intervened
on my behalf and explained the series of events. She then pointed skyward at
the rotating black discs in the ceilings. They knew she was right; the camera
never lies.

Before she walked away, she pulled my close as if to hug me.
It was not a hug but a stern warning disguised as a smile, “The government did
not bring you here boy to be a damn hero, so you better mind your place or I
will make sure you are taken care of, even if I have to do it myself."

Stunned, I watched the hefty, older woman wander out into
the hallway, then begin yelling at some students before she too was gone.

In all the events that unfolded, no one had thought to help
the girl up from the trash. Offering my hand, she brushed off several pieces of
lettuce, a couple of croutons and a half eaten hot dog bun. After she made sure
she was partially presentable, she accepted my hand. Helping her from the
floor, I got my first real glance of the lady whose honor I was defending. We
had met the previous day during another floor episode. This was the same young
lady who had refused my apology.

In the blur of yesterday and added embarrassment of knocking
her down, I had failed to notice how magnificently gorgeous the young blonde
had been. Her name escaped me at the moment. Studying her as she brushed
herself clean, I could see why John had been smitten with her.

Her hair was a combination of pumped-up, textured tresses
with resplendent brown eyes framed in the smoky eye shadow that was so popular
with the girls in the school. Clothing was eclectic, but reasonably more
fashionable than even the girls that tried the hardest to be trendy. The outfit
she wore was as close to the edge of allowable fashion as it would get within
this small town, and she had an appearance that did not bespeak of her current
circumstance.

As she inspected herself I took the opportunity to strike up
a conversation as I ran my hand nervously through my hair. "It is funny
how we have met the last two days. Somehow it always seems that when we meet I
always finish on top of you."

The girl gave me a queer sideways glance as she picked off
an errant tomato fragment from her pants.

As we both stood there, the comment I had just completed
bounced around in my head. What a dumb ass I must be.

Wiping a small amount of ketchup from my own shirt I tried
again. "That didn't come out right just a second ago. I meant it seems
like I am always bumping into you at the worst times. By the way, I am
Ethan."

Her hand shot to her hips. "Ethan, I had everything
under control until you got involved, now look at me."

I was conflicted between wanting to fire back at her and
understanding that the spectacle had to be a hot topic across the school by now
and would only grow as it spread. To make matters worse, she was going to have
to spend the day covered in used food stains.
     

Standing my ground, I replied sternly, "Well, it sure
did look like it was under your control. That animal would have killed you if
he got his hands on you and may still. John is not the most agreeable ape I
have ever seen."

Her voice was still harsh and judgmental. "So you know
him? That figures. I am sure you must be the best of friends."

The comment lacked bite. She was angry, but it was obvious
it was not at me.

She needed to vent, and I decided I could fill that role for
the moment. "If you are going to be pissed at me then at least do me the
decency of allowing me to know your name!"

She cracked a grin and a softer stance after hearing my
heated, but innocent response. "My name is
Sunnie
.
And thank you."

Returning the friendly tone, I spoke in a more peaceful
resonance than my previous statement. "Nice to meet you too and you are
welcome."

We both laughed and walked out of the lunchroom together
before we parted to go our separate ways.

The fallout was not as bad as I expected, though it was bad
enough.

Veronica was friendly during the rest of the block on a
level par with the other few days that I had known her.

When the bell rang, she disappeared.

I dwelled on the abrupt departure as I made my way to my
locker.

Darby smiled timidly at me a couple times as we met at our
lockers. Unfortunately for one of us, the lockers happened to be side by side.
Whatever Veronica had said to her must have sunk in because she was the same,
but different.

I briefly mulled over whether I missed being unwanted by her
or receiving the attention she wanted to provide as she proceeded to ramble on
and on. The rambling was about how absurd the teachers all seemed to act and
how she didn't know whether are not she should shoot for the honor roll or
hover around in the good solid average student land.

"Average student," I mumbled, before sliding it
the blob of students scooting to class.

"Bye. See you on the bus," Darby hollered.

I waved over my head at her and moved on down the hall to
last block.
 

Veronica wasn't there beside me. Where could she have gone,
I wondered? I knew it must have been an issue regarding the screw up in her life
- me.

The class went smoothly enough as the teacher showed us a
film about his trip to Spain to round out the day. This was after a mind
numbing thirty eight minute, nineteen second
dissertation
about why he loved to learn new languages. The bell could not have sounded soon
enough.

I swept my book off the desk, and sauntered out the
door.
 
In the hall, I bumped into Liam
and Logan.

"What's up guys?" I queried, in low key fashion.

Both smiled warmly as Liam pulled me into him with one of
his gigantic arms.

I thought for an instant I was about to be crushed by his
brute force.

He laughed and smiled as he ribbed at me with phantom
punches to the ribs. "Next time don't pick out the biggest wolf in school
to go head to head with before getting some back up."

Logan chimed in as Liam squeezed me tighter. "You may
be in hot water with V, but you are okay in our book. Isn’t that right,
Liam?"

"Kid you got some balls, and if you ever need help we
have got your back all the way except with Ronnie. She is major league pissed
at you for endangering our mission. Veronica even got called to a meeting where
the base sent a private car to carry her home," Logan stated.

"But it is cool Bro. If anybody can talk you out of
this it is her. She will take care of the problem so don't sweat it,"
Logan added.

If it hadn't been for Liam holding me up I might have
collapsed. "I know Veronica will, but I am not sure she will want to since
she warned me to keep all of our troubles to the Farm. I let her down."

The other guys got quiet as we all arrived at our lockers.

Darby was blocking mine, but of course. "Don't forget
we need to talk after the feeding tonight. You are coming right?"

I looked to the guys for help and they were nodding in
unison at the guys. "Yes, you know I will."

Logan walked up to us. "Tonight is going to be killer!
I can't wait for a taste of fresh. It has been so long."

Liam muscled in on us as he threw his arm around me again.
"It’s going to be sweet! We get to see our baby boy, Ethan, here sink his
fangs into some strange."

They all laughed.

He and Logan issued weird imaginary high fives.

I wasn't sure about how I was supposed to feel about all of
this feeding business, but since they were so enthused I decided to let it
spread to me. A sheepish grin fixed across my face as we began to head to the
bus a different group than this morning. Unfortunately, trouble arrived in the
form of Chloe.

Chloe made sure the campus was mostly deserted before
attacking. She had waited until we cleared the school doors to pounce. Chloe
sprung with the assuredness of a jungle cat. Strong and fluidly she divided our
group by knocking down Darby and Logan, who was on either side, forcing me into
a nearby fountain with her momentum. She held me down as I struggled to get up.
The forceful vampire pushed and pushed down on my head. Closer to the water I
became as I struggled.

Liam snatched her up by her hair from behind allowing me
time to get my feet under me.

The bus door opened as he placed her under one arm and
proceeded to jog onto our vessel. Both Darby and Logan helped me to my feet and
my date with one pissed off vampire.

Stepping onto the bus, I was greeted with Chloe sitting in
Liam's lap in the back of the bus, mouth covered as he held her still.

Approaching the two cautiously as the bus departed from the
school, I contemplated what do next. Without Veronica to hold us together, this
situation was capable of becoming more than two individuals having a
disagreement. Ultimately, I was afraid it could become a blood bath, but if I
continued to allow Chloe to push me around, then the group could possibly lose
any new found respect that I had earned.

"Let her go," I said.

Liam turned her loose before the words were completely from
my mouth.

The low ceiling of the bus kept her in check as she half
leapt and half ran at me. Chloe was fully turned. Her eyes were a soulless
black, fang filled mouth agape with her nails ripping through the tops of the
seat as she neared.

Two seconds were all I had to determine how to react.
Steadying myself with my back against the edge of the seat corner, I waited.
When she was on top of me I turned giving her a smaller target. Chloe's
calculations had been based on me not moving, but when I did at the last
second, she flew past, clawing at my face as she did.

Using her momentum as my ally, I pushed her airborne legs
hard enough sending her somersaulting into both sides of the bus. Her legs
became trapped on one side as her torso was a row forward on the other side.

The whole group watched for movement. Turning to the others
for help, I checked their reactions to see what my next move should be.

Logan motioned and mouthed, "Go check on her."

He was right. Sliding forward, I peered over the row where
her upper body had been wedged when she had suddenly stopped. Tentatively, I
inched close enough to determine she was still alive. Her face was awash in
blood from a couple of parallel, horizontal cuts that started at her eye and
finished near her mouth. From the appearance of the wound and the flesh under
her nails, she must have accidentally clawed herself. Chloe looked to be in a
peaceful slumber. I wasn't sure if we could be knocked fully unconscious, but
Chloe seemed to be out.