The Week I Was A Vampire (9 page)

             
“Which I have every intention of doing,” Jude said, “because I don’t want to be a vampire.  I want to be human.”

             
“I know,” said Grigori, “but I need you to understand something.  You died with vampire blood in your system, which means you’re already transitioning into one, whereas, had you died naturally, you’d of been stuck in this limbo state of sorts until you made your decision.  I bet you’re already craving blood.  Can you imagine how hard it would be to resist that craving for a whole week?”

             
“Is that it?” Daniel said.  “Is that how she transitions back into a human?  She doesn’t consume human blood for a week and then she’s back to being one?”

             
“In theory,” said Grigori, gesturing to the book on the table.  “Feel free to read it for yourself, but most of what you’re going to find are failed attempts.  It simply can’t be done.”

             
“Of course it can,” Lux said, leaning against a bookshelf.  “Jude died on a Monday, so she just has to make it through Sunday without drinking blood and she’ll be human again.  Sounds simple enough.  We’ll just have to make a Costco run for more bacon.”

             
“He’s right though,” Daniel said, “it can’t be done.  The cravings will only grow stronger and if Jude goes any longer without feeding from a human, she risks killing someone.  It’s too risky.”

             
“Maybe your self-control isn’t all that great,” Lux said, “which might be a genetic thing you can’t help because I know your sister’s impulse control sucks, but this is Jude we’re talking about.  I’ve dragged her to every barbecue cook-off in the county trying to get her to reform her vegetarian ways, but it never worked.  She has an iron will when she wants.”

             
“This isn’t barbecue,” Daniel said.  “This is human blood, which she needs to survive because she’s a vampire.”

             
“But she’s not a vampire!” Lux said.  “She’s just in transition.  There’s still time for her to go back to being human.”

             
The argument faded into a low hum as Jude tuned out Daniel and Lux, her eyes riveted to Grigori’s calm expression.  His hazel eyes were focused on her as well, devoid of any emotion, yet she had the distinct feeling he was taunting her, daring her, challenging her to prove the theory in his book.  To prove that a human could survive a transition and come out the other side still human.  Her eyes traveled down to the visible veins weaving their way around his frail neck.  She didn’t even have to try to see the blood pumping through those veins that were protruding from his skin in an almost grotesque way.

             
Daniel and Lux’s argument was disrupted by a deep, throaty laugh and they turned to see Grigori staring at Jude.

             
“You won’t make it,” he said.  “You’re already too far gone.”

             
The arguing pair looked in time to see something fierce flare up inside Jude’s eyes before her face went stony.

             
“Just watch me,” she said before storming out of the room. 

             
Daniel hesitated only a second before following after her, leaving Lux alone in the room with Grigori.

             
“You’ve got magic in you,” Grigori said and Lux nodded.

             
“I’m Luciana’s great-granddaughter.”

             
“I know,” he said.  “You look like her.”

             
“You knew her?” Lux said, looking at the old man with a careful eye, wondering just how old he really was.

             
He grinned, as if reading her thoughts, and shrugged.

             
“I’m older than I look,” he said.  “Most witches and wizards are.”

             
“I believe it,” Lux said.

             
“If you ever want to learn what you can do,” Grigori said, “you come back here anytime.  I’d be honored to tutor a descendent of Lucy’s.”

             
“Thank you,” Lux said and headed for the door, but Grigori called her back.

             
“You should stay away from Miss Carstairs until this is over.  She won’t make it through the week and I’d hate for you to get caught in the crossfire when she does feed.”

             
Lux looked back at the wizard seated upon his red throne and watched as the glamour fell away, leaving only a decrepit old man in a tattered chair.  She wasn’t impressed.

             
“Don’t doubt my friend,” she said before turning away.  “You don’t know what she’s capable of.”

•§•

Daniel drove the girls home, dropping Lux off at her house before parking in front of Jude’s home.

             
“My parents are going to be home on Saturday night,” she said as she procrastinated on getting out of the car.  “What if I lose control and kill one of them?”

             
Daniel reached out and took her hand, tugging on it until she slid across the bench seat of his car and sat beside him.  He wrapped an arm around her and held her close.

             
“I won’t let that happen,” he said.  “None of us will let that happen.  You’re going to make it through this, Jude, and you’re going to be human again.  I know it.”

             
Jude rested her head against his chest and sighed, taking an unnecessary breath and inhaling Daniel’s spicy scent.

             
“Do you ever wish you could be human again?” Jude asked, tilting her head up to look at Daniel.  He stared down at her, a strange expression on his face as he brushed his fingertips lightly over her cheek.

             
“Sometimes,” he said.  “Always, in the beginning.  But eventually I realized wishing wouldn’t change a thing.”  He looked out the window towards Jude’s house.

             
“You should go inside,” he said.  “I think your brother is trying to cook.”

             
Jude frowned, turning to look at her house before glancing back at Daniel.

             
“You can hear that?” she said, her awe plain on her face and Daniel grinned.

             
“It’s possible you can too,” he said, “if you focus.  If not, you’ll be able to if you change your mind and decide to complete the transition.”

             
Jude shook her head and slid back to her side of the car, opening the door.  Before she stepped out though, she looked back at Daniel with a sad look on her face.

             
“If I do fail,” she said, “please don’t let me kill anyone.  I couldn’t live with myself.”

             
“I’ll keep you safe,” Daniel promised and Jude had a feeling his words were infinite; that, no matter what road she chose, he’d always be there to watch over her.

             
“Goodnight, Daniel,” she said and slipped from the car, shutting the door and walking towards her house.  She waved when she reached the door and then stepped inside.

             
He listened for a moment, hearing her yell to her brother that she was home before Simon asked for assistance in making pasta and mentioning something about not burning himself with scalding water.  Daniel drove away with the sound of laughter in his ears as he silently vowed to help Jude succeed in becoming human again, even if he wanted nothing more than to keep her with him forever.

Wednesday Afternoon

Date Night

Before going to sleep the night before, Jude had received a call from Mafe.  Apparently, now that Jude knew there was a possible cure, it was time she upheld her end of the bargain by letting Mafe and her family show her what it was like to be a vampire.  Every night until she made her final decision, Jude would spend the evening with one vampire and learn from them a new side of vampirism.  Mafe had chosen herself as Jude’s “date” for the first evening, which is why Jude now stood knee deep in a pile of clothing, trying to find something appropriate to wear for her evening with the ancient vampire.

              “I take it she’s not a leather kind of girl,” Lux said from where she was lounging diagonally across the bed, looking rather amused by Jude’s flustered search for the perfect outfit.

             
“I don’t think any of them are into that,” Jude said, “except possibly Jemima, but I haven’t seen her since the incident, so I wouldn’t know.”

             
Lux shrugged before rolling onto her stomach and propping her chin on her hands.

             
“So do they not go in the sun?” Lux said and Jude nodded.

             
“I don’t know if they burst into flames or anything,” she said, “but even in my transition period, I prefer to stay out of the sun.  Especially afternoon sun.”

             
“I’ve noticed,” Lux said, pointing to the blanket still hanging over the curtain rod.  “Really, you guys just need a healthy layer of sunblock and you’ll be fine.”

             
Jude looked over her shoulder and smiled at Lux, holding up a dress that her friend considered boring and not nearly impressive enough for a date with a vampiress.

             
“I’m not trying to impress anyone,” Jude said.

             
“You can at least hold your own,” said Lux.  “I mean, they’ve been around for a while, which means they’ve probably cultivated a great sense of personal style.  Coupled with their glamour, I’m sure any family reunion of theirs would put a supermodel convention to shame.”

             
Jude paused in her perusal of her closet to lean against the wall and look at Lux who was wearing toxic green leggings and a yellow plaid shirt.  She sported a teal kneepad on her left knee; she’d be going to dance class later that evening.  Nothing about her style was cohesive; it was like she intentionally wanted to clash with the decor wherever she went.  Maybe it wasn’t the most chic style, but it was certainly her own and Jude couldn’t help thinking her best friend would be better cut out for this whole vampire thing than her, which of course, was a thought that inevitably lead her to wishing it had been Lux who’d been attacked and not herself.

             
“Do I have a very strong glamour?” Jude said, dashing away her previous train of thought as Lux carefully regarded her.

             
“Not strong,” Lux said, “if what Daniel said is true.  I don’t feel myself being lured in, but then again, I am your friend.  Maybe you would lure in a stranger.  As for appearance, yeah, you do look somehow... heightened in your physical features, but if I concentrate, I can see through that, but not for very long.”

             
Jude nodded her head before turning back to her closet and pulled out a green silk dress.

             
“I know it’s not something I’d normally wear,” Jude said, holding the low-cut, but still tasteful dress up to her body, “but I guess I don’t know who I am at the moment.  Maybe vampire me would wear this.”

             
“Well,” Lux said, sliding off the bed, “then I’d have to applaud vampire you’s taste in clothing, because I bought that dress for you years ago, and it’s about time you wore it.  Seriously, what’s your deal with dresses?”

             
“Not dresses,” Jude said as she shucked her jeans and t-shirt and pulled the dress on, “just this one.  There’s too much cleavage.”

             
“Oh good grief,” Lux said.  “You’re eighteen; a little boob isn’t going to hurt anyone.  I’d tell you to flaunt it while you’ve got it, but if this immortality thing works out, you’ll always have it.  And why are you getting dressed already?”

             
“The sun’s going down,” Jude said and watched as Lux peeked around the blanket hanging up in the window to verify her statement.

             
“How can you tell that without looking?” Lux said as she zipped up the back of Jude’s dress.

             
Jude shrugged and readjusted one of the dress straps when it slipped down her shoulder.  Vampire Jude had less body fat than Human Jude, which was a nice perk, she supposed.

             
“I can feel it,” she said.  “When the sun goes down, I feel stronger.”

             
“So if you ever try to nibble on me,” Lux said, “I just throw your butt out into the sunlight and call it good.  Okay.”

             
Jude watched her best friend hunt for the perfect accessories, having to move a pile of clothing to uncover a pair of shoes Jude had accidentally buried.

             
“Hey Lux?” Jude said, wanting to confess about trying to attack her, but when Lux looked up at her, she found the words got caught in her throat.  “I really appreciate all your support,” she said instead.  “It means a lot that you’re here, helping me through this.”

             
“Of course,” Lux said, face solemn for a moment before it split into her trademark smirk.  “It’s not every week my best friend turns into a vampire.  I’m living vicariously through you, even though you’re kind of dead.”

             
Lux laughed and Jude forced herself to laugh along as she slipped on a pair of heels and pulled on a black blazer.

             
“I’m jealous of your perfect hair,” Lux said, playfully flicking an immaculate curl.  “It really isn’t fair.”

             
“Lux,” Jude said, “you have purple hair.  I don’t think you can complain about my hair being a natural and beautiful color.”

             
“I was not talking about the color and you know it,” Lux said as she followed Jude out into the hall and down the stairs.  Halfway down, they encountered Caleb who’d made himself scarce ever since Jude had woken up as a potentially undead creature.  At the sight of his person, he hissed and scurried away, which caused Jude to frown as she watched her cherished pet run off.

             
“If I don’t make it through,” she said, turning to face Lux, “please find someone to take care of Caleb, will you?  I don’t think I could explain it to my parents, but if you found a little girl or something who wanted a cat-”

             
“I’ll figure something out,” Lux assured and patted Jude’s shoulder before continuing down the stairs and into the foyer.

             
Jude picked up her keys and took one last look at herself in the mirror.  She tentatively touched her face, brushing her fingers along her cheek before threading them through her hair.

             
“Of all the things,” Jude said, “I think I’ll miss the glamour the most.  I like being beautiful.”

             
Lux smiled at her in the mirror.

             
“You’ve always been beautiful, Judith,” she said.  “You’ve just never noticed until now.”

             
“As my friend,” Jude said, checking for any lint on her clothes, “you’re obligated to say that.”

             
With a huff, Lux leaned against the wall beside the mirror.

             
“Drop the glamor,” she said.

             
“What?”

             
Lux jutted her thumb at the mirror and repeated her command.

             
“Drop the glamor and take a look in the mirror.”

             
It took a moment and a serious degree of concentration, but Jude could feel her skin tingling in a way that reminded her of one of Lux’s homemade mud masks, only instead of applying a mask, she was stripping one away.

             
“Now what?” she said and Lux stood beside her and pointed to the mirror.

             
“Say mirror, mirror-”

             
“On the wall,” Jude interrupted.

             
Lux nodded for her to continue and she did so with a sigh.

             
“Who’s the fairest of them all?”  Her reflection didn’t change, which surprised her as she had thought, for a moment, it might.  But no, there she was, frizzy hair and uneven skin.  Human.

             
“See?”  Lux was smug, but in a kind way.

             
“Thanks,” Jude said and smiled at her friend in the mirror as her glamour covered her features once more.  “I don’t know what I’d do without your support.”

             
“My support is unparalleled,” Lux said, stepping out of Jude’s way so she could get to the door.  “Much like a pushup bra.”

             
The girls forewent their usual parting hug and settled for a wave instead.  Jude stepped out of her house and headed to her car, panicking slightly when she remembered the last time she’d been in this car had been the night she’d been attacked by Jemima.  She hoped she wouldn’t have to spend an evening with the blonde vampire, even if she was a member of Mafe’s family.

             
“Even in the afterlife,” Jude mused as she drove towards the Ward house, “you don’t get to pick your family.”