The Week I Was A Vampire (5 page)

             
“Forget it, Lux,” Jude said and quickly disappeared from sight or rather, walked her way out of the kitchen up to her room, which probably looked like a sprint from the viewpoint of Lux and Simon.

             
It wasn’t long before Lux appeared in her room, just in time to see Caleb shriek at Jude before barreling out into the hall and down the stairs.

             
“Did I ever mention cats hate vampires?” Lux said as she closed the bedroom door behind her.

             
Jude sat on the floor beside her bed, arms curled around her knees as she sobbed.  Completely dry eyed, it was more like she was gasping for breath than crying.

             
“Jude?” Lux said and stepped closer, only to have her best friend snarl at her.

             
“Stay away from me!” she said.  “I can hear your heart beating and mine isn’t.  My heart isn’t beating.”

             
Throwing caution to the wind, Lux dropped to the floor beside Jude and pulled her into her arms, running a hand through Jude’s thick and curly hair as she tried to soothe the girl.

             
“Let’s go for a walk,” Lux suggested.  “Maybe the sunlight will do you good.”

             
“I thought vampires couldn’t go out in the sun,” Jude said, but nonetheless allowed Lux to pull her to her feet.  She could feel the feebleness of her friend’s strength and wanted to laugh.  Finally, she was stronger than Lux, but at what cost?

             
“Who knows,” said Lux, “maybe you’ll sparkle.”

•§•

Jude had to admit Lux had been right.  The fresh air and sunlight was making her feel better, even if the warmth of the sun couldn’t actually warm her.  It was an odd sensation, being aware of hot and cold, but feeling neither.  Beside her, Lux was bundled up agains the chill, while Jude was wearing only a light jacket.  Lux had convinced her to put on a hat and scarf, just for the sake of appearance as the girls meandered through the neighborhood.

             
“We’ll figure this out,” Lux assured her.  “We’ll get ahold of Daniel somehow and he’ll help you.  Everything is going to be fine.”

             
“And if it’s not?” Jude said, feeling equal parts furious and despairing.  “What if I’m stuck this way?  What if I never age and have to eat people?”

             
“You won’t eat people,” Lux said.  “You’ll have to get over your vegetarian thing, but you won’t eat people.  I won’t let you.”

             
“You’re people,” Jude said.  “I’m acutely aware of your heart beating, the blood in your veins, and how infinitely stronger than you I am.  I don’t like having this knowledge, Lux.  I could hurt you at any moment and it scares me.”

             
Lux stopped abruptly and grabbed Jude, who allowed her friend to manhandle her into position.

             
“Look at me,” Lux said sharply and Jude looked up at her friend to see a pair of pale blue eyes were glaring at her sharply.

             
“If you were going to hurt me or anyone else,” Lux said, “you wouldn’t be thinking like this.  You wouldn’t be thinking about how much this power scares you and how desperately you don’t want to hurt someone.  Nothing can take away your goodness or your heart.   It doesn’t matter what you may become, Judith Carstairs, because you will always be you.  You will always be my friend.”

             
Jude reached out to accept Lux’s hug, but pulled away at the last minute as a shard of sunlight struck her in the eyes.  Suddenly, she felt dreadfully weak and swayed on her feet.

             
“Take me home, Lux,” she said.  “I don’t think a walk was a good idea after all.”

             
Lux did as asked, keeping a tight grip on Jude’s arm as she lead the way back to the Carstairs house.  Jude was reminded of last night, when Lux’s grip was almost crushing and how now, it was barely there.  If only she’d listened to her friend, if only she’d believed in vampires and hadn’t left by herself, maybe she wouldn’t be in this position. 

             
Silently, Jude vowed to never doubt her friend again.

Monday Night

The Wards

After consuming the triple batch of cupcakes Lux had baked her for her birthday, Jude was feeling sufficiently buzzed with the amount of sugar in her body.  Buzzed to the point Lux was able to sit next to her on her bed without Jude wanting to take a bite out of her friend.  They were actually curled up watching a movie on Jude’s laptop, Lux’s feet draped over Jude’s legs. 

              Devoid of her usual combat boots, Jude had laughed at Lux’s bat covered socks that were the same purple as her hair.  There was even purple accents on Lux’s leather bustier, which she wore underneath an indigo duster.  Let it be known Lux had a sense of style she didn’t compromise for anyone.

             
“What’s this movie genre called again?” Jude asked as a goggled woman flashed across screen being chased by mechanical humans.

             
“Steampunk,” Lux said.

             
Jude smiled.

             
“Your outfit is only missing the goggles,” Jude said and Lux jabbed her in the side with her elbow, commenting disdainfully on Jude’s daily jeans and nondescript shirt getup.

             
“I like to be comfortable,” Jude protested, but Lux waved her off as she slipped off the bed, making a beeline for Jude’s closet.

             
“You’re just lazy,” she said, “and now that you’re a smoking hot vampiress, I really think you need to dress the part.”  She snapped her fingers and gestured for Jude to join her by the closet, which Jude did begrudgingly.

             
“I like the green,” Lux said, gesturing to Jude’s blouse, “but you’re eighteen and undead, so it’s not like showing a little cleavage would kill you.”  To prove her point, Lux pulled a deep green silk top from the far depths of Jude’s closet and thrust it at the girl.

             
“I love how you never wear the presents I give you,” Lux said before demanding Jude put the shirt on.  She did so without complaint, but protested when Lux slipped off her leather pants and threw them in her face.

             
“You do realize these won’t fit me, right?” Jude said, but Lux ignored her.

             
“I want to see if your new vamp genes make you look good in leather.  If so, we’re going shopping.  If not, forget about it.”

             
Jude grumbled as she pulled on the pants, practically swimming in them as she waited for Lux’s deliberation.  It took mere seconds for the girl to frown and shake her head.

             
“I have a feeling you and undead fashion are not going to get along,” Lux said and Jude laughed as she pulled her own pants on.

             
“And you’re an expert in undead fashion, how?” Jude said and ducked just as a pair of black slacks were thrown at her.  Without asking for direction, she traded her jeans for the slacks and slipped into the pair of heeled boots Lux had dug out from her closet.

             
“I read romance novels,” Lux said.  “Of the supernatural variety, of course.  Everyone is all gothic and steampunk.  You, my dear, look better in a business suit, which I attribute to your parents being realtors.”

             
“And you look good as a steampunk goth,” Jude said, “because your mother was a witch.”

             
Lux snapped her fingers and pointed at Jude.

             
“Right you are, my friend,” she said.  “Come on, time to accessorize.”

             
Jude followed Lux over to her dresser where her jewelry box was stationed.  She watched Lux paw through her assortment of necklaces before finally producing a simple silver chain from which hung a wolf pendant.

             
“I enjoy the irony of a vampire wearing a wolf pendant,” Lux said, “so please, indulge me.”

             
Jude complied by holding her mass of hair out of the way so Lux could fasten the necklace around her neck.  The second the pendant came in contact with her skin, though, Jude shrieked and pulled away, the chain snapping and falling to the ground as Lux dropped it in her fright.

             
If Jude looked in the mirror above her dresser, she’d know her eyes had turned black, but didn’t feel the need to look and confirm as a familiar sensation washed over her.  All her senses zeroed in on Lux’s neck and her erratic pulse, and while an almost blinding pain shot through Jude’s gums, nothing could break through the bloodlust that was taking over her mind.

             
“Jude,” Lux said and Jude felt a thrill go through her at the sound of fear in her friend’s voice.  “Jude, think about this.  You don’t want to hurt me.”

             
“Hungry,” Jude growled and slowly stalked forward, delighted when Lux stepped back.  It was nice to feel powerful for a change, to intimidate those who’d made her feel inferior.  A feral growl rumbled through her body and she felt her tongue catch on her newly elongated canines.

             
“Jude,” Lux said, reaching up and fiddling with the cross hanging around her neck.

             
Jude laughed, a dark, hollow sound before reaching out a hand and snatching the necklace away, merely hissing as the silver burned her skin.

             
“What now, Lux,” she taunted.  “Got a stake up your sleeve?”

             
“Jude!” Lux screamed as her best friend lunged towards her.

             
Jude felt airborne for a moment before a heavy force crashed into her, knocking her against the wall and holding her there.  Looking up, she was met by a pair of familiar brown eyes that looked down on her calmly.

             
“Jude,” Daniel said, “enough.” 

             
Something about his voice felt like a warm blanket being wrapped around her, or a hot drink filling her up.  The bloodlust faded and Jude took a steadying breath as her head swam for a moment.  Looking around Daniel, she felt her undead heart drop as she took in the sight of a terrified Lux, backed against the wall as though she wished she could become a part of it.

             
“Lux,” Jude said and watched with dismay as her friend cowered at the sound of her voice.

             
Daniel turned to face Lux, but kept a tight hold on Jude just in case.  The young girl didn’t miss that and felt ashamed of her actions.

             
“Lux,” Daniel said and as if compelled to, Lux looked at him.  “I can help Jude, but she has to come with me.  You should go home before your parents start to worry.”

             
As if in a daze, Lux nodded and walked out of the room, not once looking back at her friend.  A sort of agony rose up inside Jude and she bit back a sob, knowing no tears would come.

             
“I was going to kill her,” she whispered, but even the softest of sounds were like roars to her sensitive ears.  She flinched when Daniel’s hands came up to cradle her head, but relaxed when he smiled at her.

             
“I’m going to help you,” he said, “but you need to trust me.  Do you think you can do that?”

             
Jude wasn’t sure what it was: his voice, her new status as a vampire, or the flurry of emotions she was feeling from almost killing her best friend, but Jude found herself agreeing.

            
 
I’m already dead
,
she thought as he escorted her to his car.
 
What else could possibly happen to me?

•§•

Daniel pulled to a stop outside a gated home that looked eerie in the moonlight.  After punching a code into a keypad, the iron gate swung open and he continued up the drive, coming to a halt by the front steps.  He was out of the car and holding Jude’s door open by the time she’d managed to get her seatbelt off.  She smiled as she took his hand, allowing him to help her from the car.  No longer was his skin cool to the touch, but a sort of warmth spread through her as he lead her inside.

             
“Who lives here?” she asked as they stepped into a massive foyer.  “Dracula’s daughter?”

             
Daniel laughed and slipped off his coat, hanging it on a hook before taking her coat from her.

             
“Something like that,” he said.  “Follow me and I’ll introduce you to her.”

             
Jude was horrified he was serious, but then she saw his playful expression and relaxed.  Following him towards a grand, curving staircase, Jude looked around at the antiquated decor and wondered if all vampires decorated their homes like they were living in the past.

            
 
Then again
,
she thought
,
it’s probably a sentimental thing.

             
Right you are
,
a calm voice said and when Daniel continued up the stairs without pausing, Jude realized that voice had been inside her mind.  Distinctly female, it couldn’t have been Daniel, and when Jude stopped to look around, she noticed a tall figure leaning against one of the picture windows.  She was illuminated by the moonlight outside that leant a gloomy glow to the foyer.  Something about the figure’s presence was familiar, but Jude couldn’t place it until she looked closer, something about her eyesight shifting until she could clearly see pale honey skin and long dark hair.  It all came together as she locked on to a pair of familiar blue eyes.

             
“Jude?”

             
She whipped around to look up at Daniel who was standing at the top of the stairs looking down at her.  She raced up the stairs to join him before pointing back towards the window where the woman had stood, only to see she’d vanished.

             
“There was a woman standing there,” Jude said.  “I remember seeing her when...”  She trailed off, not sure how to continue in a way that wouldn’t offend Daniel and he seemed to understand.

             
“When we rescued you,” Daniel said.  “It’s alright, you don’t have to worry about offending anyone here.  Jemima has already been dealt with and she won’t be bothering anyone else while we’re here.  As for the woman you saw, that would be Tess.”

             
“Tess?” Jude said, frowning at the horribly plain name as she followed after Daniel.  “Is she a vampire too?”

             
“No one is sure what Tess is,” Daniel said.  “She took in an orphaned werewolf a while ago and got him situated with a pack in the city.  They come out here to run during the week of the full moon and Tess always come to keep an eye on her charge.  She stays here with Mafe while she’s in town.”

             
“Mafe?” Jude said, focusing on not tripping over her own feet as she tried to take in all the paintings hanging in the hallway.  She quickly realized, though, that tripping was almost an impossibility as grace seemed innate now.

             
“Dracula’s daughter,” Daniel teased.  “Her and Tess have been friends for a long time.  Tess, by the way, saw you out walking with your friend today and knew you were in transition.  She’s the reason I was able to find you.”

             
“But how did Tess know?” Jude said before coming to a halt beside Daniel, who stood in front of a pair of large wooden doors.

             
“How Tess knows a lot of things is a mystery,” Daniel said before raising his hand to knock.

             
Jude caught him before he did and he looked down at her with a frown on his face.

             
“I don’t want to be a vampire,” she confessed in a small voice.  A strange sorrow filled Daniel’s dark eyes just before the doors swung open and Jude found herself standing face to face with a girl who couldn’t have been much older than herself.

             
Her eyes were the same dark brown as Daniel’s and were framed perfectly by a high brow and candy apple cheeks.  Rose colored lips were turned up politely in a smile that accentuated the slight dimple in her chin.  Long, dark blonde hair fell in careful waves over her sweater clad shoulders.  All in all, the girl before her seemed positively ordinary.  If it weren’t for that fact she knew this girl was a vampire, she’d have thought her human.

            
 
Supernatural creatures recognize other supernatural creatures
,
Lux had said.

             
“Don’t worry,” the blonde girl said, “being a vampire isn’t all that bad, with the proper training of course.”  Her voice had a charming lilt to it and she held out a hand that Jude hesitantly took.

             
“I’m Jude,” she said and the girl nodded.