Diary Of A Vampeen Part 10

"You are definitely colder than a human but not freezing. And you don't feel like marble, which is what I expected. Your skin is soft and feels kind of like a baby's bottom, only cooler. You would be just right on a summer day and a winter night," I described stroking his face. He locked eyes with me. It was dark out now, aside from the street lights along the pier. His eyes glistened as the bulbs reflected off his gaze onto me. It was a sweet moment. I felt all previous barriers disappear. I knew in that moment that he trusted me the same way I mysteriously trusted him.

"I should get you home," he spoke gently.

"Oh... yea." I dropped my hand suddenly nervous.

He secured my hand in his and walked me back towards the sand. The beach was empty in the darkness; the only noise was the waves. I deliberated asking him some more questions, but decided against it. I didn't want to ruin a good thing.

It took twice as long to get back to his car. I didn't realize just how far we had gone. He kept pace with me hand in hand the entire way.

"Are you hungry?" he asked looking at his watch.

"Kind of," I answered sheepishly. "What time is it?"

"Almost eight," he answered closing the door behind me. He got in and we drove off back towards I-26 West. He took the long, scenic route this time through downtown, which looked alive despite the time. He stopped at Arby's along the way.

"What do you want?" he asked pulling up to the order screen.

"I'll be ok until I get home," I insisted.

"Either you pick something or I'll pick for you and I can't guarantee that you'll like it, but I will make you eat all of it," he swore firmly.

"You can be very pushy sometimes," I frowned. I settled for a jamocha shake. It's not a meal, but it's definitely filling. He raised a brow and stared at me for a bit before ordering the largest possible and insisting he pay.

I sipped my drink slowly and sporadically on the drive. Once on the interstate he got me home in ten minutes when it should have taken twenty-five. He parked in the driveway and was promptly at my door opening it for me no longer hiding his speed.

"Thank you," I mumbled stepping out. He walked me to the door. "Are you going to come in for a bit?" I asked.

"Sure," he shrugged.

"I'm home!" I yelled walking towards the family room where I heard the sounds of the TV.

"Hi sweetie. Hi Kellan," my mother greeted us.

Given all I'd learned today, I stared at my mother for a minute before replying, "Hey." My dad did a half wave of his arm but his eyes never left the TV screen.

My mother locked eyes with Kellan having observed my hesitation. "You didn't?!"

"Only me," he countered.

My father finally peered over at the two of them taking everything in. I stood frozen between the family room and the kitchen suddenly panicked. The gleam in their eyes when they were locked was ferocious, as if they were debating attack.

"That's still enough," my mother angrily bit out.

"How long were you planning to wait?" Kellan demanded.

"I don't see where that is any of your business," she roared.

"I didn't tell her about you; I told her about me."

"So you broke the rules then?!" she exclaimed.

I decided it was time to jump in. "Mom, I guessed. He didn't tell me, I guessed."

"Is this true?" my dad demanded.

Kellan nodded confirming.

I looked at my parents. "Mom, Dad, I want to know the truth. I'm ready to know the truth."

Chapter 8.

My dad responded by turning off the television. My mother patted the sofa and requested that I sit next to her. I looked up at Kellan for rea.s.surance. He smiled in an adoring way that would melt even the coldest of hearts. I grabbed his hand and pulled him to sit on the other side of me, which didn't feel odd or inappropriate in this moment. Any hesitation I held prior over approaching Kellan in this manner was squashed by our intimate conversation just an hour ago.

My mother looked at Kellan briefly before moving her attention to me. "Honey, I know Kellan has told you, or you guessed, what he is, and well, you are going to become like me very soon. I am a vampeen, which is a cross breed of a human and a vampire."

She studied my expression momentarily before continuing, probably determining my stress level. "The first of our kind dates back to the 1200s in Basque Country, Spain. The language Euskara is a vampeenic tongue we introduced to the area, though most who speak it today don't know its true origin. Our kind is different from a vampire. For instance both human food and blood can sustain us. While vampires don't need sleep, us still being half or mostly human, we need a couple hours to replenish our energy. The largest difference between a vampire and a vampeen is a vampire is created with a bite, but a vampeen is genetically manifested after approximately sixteen years as a human. You will live as a normal human until the vampiric dna cells replicate enough times to out-number your human ones, which takes sixteen years from the day you are born."

"What happens when they take over?" I was thankful for Kellan; thankful that he softened the blow. I don't think I could have handled this information had he not introduced me to the idea of him beforehand.

"You won't feel anything, if that is what you're referring to," she explained. "You will sleep from midnight to midnight; a full twenty-four hours on your birthday while your body changes."

"How will I change or what part of me will change?" I asked surprisingly calm. I didn't feel the true impact of the concept quite yet.

"Many changes will take place. They are all physical. Your senses will heighten; you can hear and smell over long distances. Your temperature will drop to an average eighty-eight point six since you are seventy-five percent human. Your heart will beat slower; it will beat forty times less per minute. Your skin has already begun to clear up; you'll end up with a perfect, silky complexion. The most dramatic change though will be your figure."

"How so?" I was cautious, still absorbing everything. I don't know what I was worried about; it wasn't like my figure could get much worse. It already resembled the Pillsbury dough boy, or at least that's how I felt.

"You will, well, you will look like me size-wise," she stated. I was stunned. Did she just say what I think she said?

"Seriously?" I pressed. I couldn't believe it. This was the best news ever! I would have a perfect figure without sacrificing to get it. No sweat sessions at the gym six days a week or eating lettuce and celery for breakfast, lunch, and dinner? I would have it all at the cost of nothing? This was too good to be true. There had to be a catch. You don't get everything at the cost of nothing.

...and then it came.

"There is one catch to this lifestyle," my mother warned. "You must choose."

"Choose between what?" I inquired, my heart beating a little quicker. Apparently I had spoken too soon.

"Between a human or a vampire." Her words hung for a minute, suspended in mid-air before she continued. "Once you have been... intimate with one kind, you cannot cross back over. The connection initiates something similar to a defense system within you that prevents future experiences with the other species from being possible. It somehow alters your genes in a way to make you more like the one you choose. I obviously chose your father, whom is human, but not until I was one-hundred percent sure. You must be confident in your choice Alexa; you cannot change what you regret later with our kind." Her tone was serious, ringing with finality. And the idea scared me a bit. I'd never heard of such a thing. No book or movie ever prepared me for this aspect.

But, taking into account the fact that I only knew one vampire, who was still twenty-five percent human and had no interest in me, this didn't seem like much of a choice. But I was still contemplating the information heavily. Was I wrong? Was I on the verge of having to make a choice?

I exhaled deeply realizing that I was already torn between Mike, the lovable human, and Kellan, the gorgeous vampire. Though the chance of Kellan being possible was slim to none, I still felt like I had to consider him in my decision. At least now I knew the truth, though I was confused on how all of it was even possible.

"So I'm twenty-five percent vampire, which makes me a vampeen, and Kellan is seventy-five percent vampire so he's a vampire?" I wanted to ensure I understood the basics.

"Anything over fifty-one percent vampire is categorized as that, a vampire, and less, like fifty-fifty, is considered a vampeen," Kellan explained.

"You said I can eat human food or drink their blood" I shuttered at the thought "but which one will I prefer?"

"I can't answer that because I'm not sure," she replied, running her fingers through my hair. She was contemplative. I felt her stirring beneath her calm surface. "I personally prefer human food. I survive on things like raw steak saturated in animal blood. That's why I never eat around you. But both Gran and Paps were vampeens; I am an even fifty-fifty. You are seventy-five-twenty-five; it will probably be the same for you, but I can't guarantee that."

"Will I want to... kill... my friends?" I asked hesitantly. For me, this was the all-important question.

She smiled at me warmly. "I don't think that will be a problem since you are dominantly human, but, should their blood be spilled accidentally, the vampire within may surface."

I sat frozen for a moment. Could I, would I, ever hurt them impulsively? Especially Mel or Mike, I would rather die. Wait. I was going to change. They would definitely notice if I lost a bunch of weight overnight. But I wasn't allowed to tell them, to reveal this inner part of me.

"How do I explain the change to my friends?" I was praying for a good response.

"Your father and I have discussed this and feel it would be best to take you out of school for the remainder of the year. I can home-school you or we can send you to a boarding school if you wish."

"You have to be joking! A year?! And boarding school?! I'd rather stay out a week and say I had extensive plastic surgery, liposuction or whatever it's called!" I exclaimed. Something triggered within me. To have everything I'd known for all my life changed overnight and to then rip me away from the final bit of stability I had was too much.

"Calm down sweetie. We won't enforce anything longer than two weeks, but that is the minimum," she stated firmly looking at my father for rea.s.surance. "After all, you are the one who has to face them and answer their questions. Just remember that you're not able to share your secret with them, regardless of the circ.u.mstances."

"I'll help you Lexi," Kellan promised with a light squeeze of my palm.

It was. .h.i.tting me all at once, just collapsing down on me. After Thursday, or Friday technically, at midnight my life would never be the same. I would never look the same. I felt like... like I couldn't breathe, like the walls of life were closing in on me. I felt like my heart was going to escape my chest. I felt...

"Lexi! Lexi!" I heard Kellan gasping anxiously.

"Lexi, sweetie, can you hear me?" my mother's voice sung through the crowd calmly.

"Lexi, it's Dad, can you hear us?" he attempted to state, but stuttered in fear.

I blinked quickly a few times trying to refocus my vision. I saw the three of them standing over me.

"Are you ok, Lex?" my dad pressed, still frightened and dismayed. Worry lines crowded his forehead as he stared down at me.

"I... I.. think so," I whispered softly. "What happened?"

"You fainted sweetie, nearly gave your dad a heart attack."

"Oh. Sorry," I mumbled. I tried to sit up but fell back when my head whirled with dizziness. It suddenly weighed a thousand pounds as a ma.s.sive headache set in.

"Just stay here sweetie. Don't move for a bit," my mother advised. She was always the level-headed one in the middle of a crisis. She never lost her cool or became dis...o...b..bulated as most people did in a panic.

"I really just want to go lay down in bed," I insisted. I was more affected by the situation than I realized. It was overwhelming, but I a.s.sumed I could handle it. I handled Kellan's news without a problem. I should have known that when it's personal, it's much more difficult to swallow.

"I can carry her up," Kellan offered, looking at my parents for permission.

"Are you serious?!" I croaked in the loudest whisper I could produce. "I'll break you!"

He laughed looking at me still sprawled on the couch. "Strong enough to incapacitate a lion, remember? You'll be like lifting air."

My parents exchanged glances before agreeing. Kellan bent down slightly and lifted me without hesitation. I wrapped my arms around his neck just to be sure I didn't fall abruptly. He laughed again staring at my frightened expression. Somehow I always amused him.

"Do you want to be more frightened?" A satanic grin spread across his face.

"I don't think that's possible right now."

"Yes it is." He suddenly tripled his speed. I felt a gust of wind slap the side of my face; but it was gone as quickly as it came. I was in my bed already. My eyes bugged out in shock and Kellan was smirking in c.o.c.kiness clearly pleased with his rash decision.

"Headache, remember?" I grumbled pointing at my head.

He let out a quick chuckle. "Sorry, didn't know if I would ever get the chance to do that again. It won't be the same after Friday," he frowned.

"Yea," I whispered. "I'm going to be really different aren't I?"

Kellan smiled one of his melting expressions but didn't answer my worry. "I should probably get going."

"I know this is going to sound strange, but do you think you can stay? You know, just for a little bit." I stumbled, hoping he would oblige. I was already embarra.s.sed by my blackout downstairs and knowing he could deny me here was a major risk. It paid off though.

"Umm, sure," he said as he hopped into the bed next to me.

Truth is, I really didn't want to be alone and Kellan, though he was dominantly a dark loner, was oddly comforting to have around given everything I was trying to process. Plus he had opened up to me in a way obscure to my cla.s.smates and friends which exposed his shared comfort around me. And for me, seeing him let me know that everything would be fine; he was proof of that.

"Will you do me a favor?" I asked sheepishly.

"Aren't I doing you one already?"

"Umm.. well, will you tell me about your transformation?"

He sighed quietly. At first I didn't think he was going to tell me and I was prepared to let it go, but then he began to speak.

"Well, since I'm twenty-five percent human, I had the same sixteen years to marinate like you. My parents told me two weeks before my birthday. I didn't believe them at first since they put on such a convincing human charade. My dad actually took me on a hunting trip to prove my heritage. I was shocked. The way he pounced the guy..." he s.h.i.+vered in reflection of the human memory. "Well, needless to say I believed them at that point. It made it easier that my best friend, Craig, had gone through the change a week earlier. He's like you though and is more human." He paused and looked down at his feet appearing caught up in the design details of his shoes. It took me a minute before I realized he was trying to control an emotional reaction.

"Do you miss him?" I asked softly. I'd never seen Kellan so sensitive.

"It's just different without him. We were the guy version of you and Mel."

"I'm sorry," was all I knew to say, yet it wasn't nearly enough.

"Back to the story," he prompted himself. "So my family flew back to Spain for our 'Family Reunion'." He lifted his fingers to create quotation marks as he spoke. "I left Seattle human and returned a vampire."

"What did you look like as a human?"

He reached in his back pocket and retrieved his wallet. Tucked deep inside the back slot, he pulled out a warn photo and handed it to me. He looked almost exactly the same only a bit more rough despite his baby face. He had only minor enhancements to him now, nothing a round of plastic surgery, skin treatments and general aging couldn't have done for a human.