Chapter 8

After that Rachel and I hugged exchanging a few more tears and said goodbyes with the promise to keep in touch. I didn’t want to go home and face Michael and Anna, but I did have to pack. Now I found myself standing at a terminal hugging a crying Anna. I was surprised that the weekend had passed by so quickly, but I was even more surprised by the tear streaks that stained my cheeks. They would be announcing my departure in few minutes. So, Anna finally let me go and wiped away the few tears still lingering on my cheeks.

            “You are going to grow up to be such a beautiful young woman.”

            “Goodness Anna, you’re talking like we are never going to see her again. We are going to come up there and see her in a little over a month. They are having that family banquet remember?” Michael was trying to make a joke out of my leaving but I could tell that he was just as sad as Anna, but it was in his character to cover up his emotions with humor. That’s one of the things I love most about him.

            “Come here kiddo.” Michael swept me off my feet and swung me around like he used to when I was seven. He set me down and stared at me.

            “Man, I’m going to miss waking up to those dark brown eyes of yours over my morning coffee.” He leans down to kiss my forehead.

            “Flight two sixteen is now boarding at gate four.” Says a voice on the intercom.

            “Well that’s me.” I sigh.

            “We both love you so much and remember to call us when your plane lands.” Anna says breaking into a fit of sobs. I give them both one last hug and turn to leave.

            “Make us proud.” Michael yells after me. I turn around to see pride fill his eyes.

            “I will. I love you.” I yell back and wave. I turn around and smile as I head down the gate. My new life was just starting and by tomorrow morning I will be walking down the halls of my new school. I was sad that I was leaving but excited that I was going to finally get a chance to be independent and make my own choices.

            After seven and a half hours my plane finally touched down in Augusta, Maine. My flight was delayed an hour in New York so my plane didn’t land till eleven thirty. I was looking around for someone who resembled a teacher or someone who least looked like they were suppose to be picking up a teenage girl when a voice behind me made me jump and turn around.

            “Are you Alexandra Stewart?” Facing me was a tall boy around my age. He had golden blond hair and kind baby blue eyes. He was wearing khaki shorts and a turquoise polo on that made his eyes stand out.

            “Alex.” I said automatically. I’ve never liked being called by my whole name, but when he said my name it sounded as though angels were singing it. He laughed which only furthered my angel interpretation.

            “Well Alex, I’m Blake Mathews. Firestone sent me to pick you up and take you to the academy.” I guess I had a funny look on my face because he asked.

            “What?”

            “You don’t look like a teacher.”

            “Is it really that obvious? I’m a student. None of the teachers could get away from their busy lesson planning to pick up the new girl.”

            “Well I didn’t mean to be a burden.” I joked.

            “Oh not at all. Believe me. I don’t mind missing a few classes to leave school and pick someone up.” I laugh confused.

            “Why would you be having classes at twelve o’clock at night?” I ask checking my watch.

            “Well at Firestone we run on a nocturnal schedule.” He grabs my suitcase and we start to walk outside. “We sleep during the day and have all our classes at night.”

            “Why?”

            “Well that answers my question.”

            “What question?”

            “If you’ve changed yet. You obviously haven’t yet. See, when you become a vampire over time all your senses are gradually strengthened. So light bothers you more. We can still go out in it, but it makes us weak.” I had gotten a little used to the idea of vampires, but I still winced when he mentioned them. We were now in his truck heading towards Firestone Academy. Seeing Blake’s truck made me miss mine back at home but Michael and Anna promised she would stay sitting in our garage waiting for me when I came home. These thoughts made me a little home sick but I quickly waved them off and fixed my attention on Blake.

            “Speaking of change, when will I change?”

            “It all depends. Some people it takes only a couple of days, others a couple of weeks. The closer you get to changing the more heightened your senses will become and then it will just hit you. It’s one of those things you can’t explain. You have to actually experience it.” I had so many more questions but that didn’t stop me from yawning.

            “You should get some sleep. We will get there in about an hour.” I nodded toward him gratefully and fell asleep the instant my head touched the glass.

            That night I dreamt of Blake Mathews.

Chapter 7

     My eyes flash open and I sit up breathing heavily. I let out a sigh of relief. I'm in Rachel's room. I turn over and see that the alarm clock reads 4:13 A.M. I throw myself back against the pillow. What is up with all these crazy dreams I keep having;they are totally screwing up my sleep patterns. Tears start to fill my eyes. I have so many questions and no answers. Why do I have to go to a new school? Why did Michael and Anna enroll me into a new school without talking to me first? Why do I have to be what I am? Why can't I be like a normal girl who only worries about clothes, and hair, and boys? I try to hold back the tears. Why did my parents have to die? I would trade the answers to all these other questions for the answer to my parents deaths. I love Michael and Anna, but they could never replace my real mom and dad. I cover my head with my blanket and cry myself to sleep.
   I was woken up by someone ferociously shaking my shoulders. I sit up and rub my eyes which are still sore from last nights breakdown.
  "God, I thought you were never going to get up!"Rachel exclaimed.
  "I'm sorry."I yawn,"I woke up in the middle of the night."
  "It's ok."She pauses and looks around nervously.
  "Whats wrong?"I ask.
  "Anna called." I sigh and throw myself back down on my pile of blankets and cover my head with my pillow.
  "What did she say?"I mumble. I had a pretty good idea why she had called and I didn't want to talk about that.
  "She wants you to come home. She's worried."
  "I don't want to talk to her."
  "I know you don't, but I think it's a good idea."I sit up.
  "Why would that be a good idea? She's the one who did this to me. She and Michael enrolled me without even talking to me first. I probably wouldn't even know about it unless that lady had come to talk to me at school!" I yelled.
  "What lady?" Rachel asks confused. I just look at her and bite my lip. In my rage I had forgotten that I hadn't told Rachel about Mrs. Pyre. Rachel stared at me for several moments looking as though I had slapped her. Then a look of realization crossed her face which was even worse.
  "That's why you left school." She had pieced it all together."You were never sick. After that lady told you about your new school you left."I didn't know what to say so I just continue to stand there taking it all in. Finally I got the courage to speak up.
  "Yes Rachel' a lady did come to talk to me at school yesterday. Yes I lied to you earlier by telling you that I was sick. Yes I did leave school early because I was in shock. I was yelling again but she still didn't say anything so I continued.
  "Don't you think this is a little harder for me Rachel. Its not like you have to change schools and say goodbye to all you friends." Tears were now brimming on the edges of my eyes threatening to overflow in a salty waterfall. She came over and hugged me and giving up let me cry on her shoulder.
  "No, I don't have to leave all my friends, but I do have to say goodbye to my best one."

Chapter 6

        I wake up and jolt upright. A sharp pain sears through my head and I fall back to the floor. I try to put my hand to my head but my hands are bound behind my back. I try to take in my surroundings. The only light is a small flickering light bulb hanging from the ceiling. Despite the dimness I can see perfectly clear. I am laying on a cold damp cement floor. I try to sit up and realize that my feet are bound also. Though I struggle a little I manage to sit up and see that there are no windows and the only way out is a door on the far wall. My whole body is aching from head to toe. I know that if I don't get out soon I will surly die. That's how they work. They capture you, interrogate you, torture you, usually by depriving you of blood, and kill you. They show no mercy.They can't. They feel no emotion. That's what it does to you. Blood. Human blood. From the first time it touches your lips. You can't stop. Its like a drug. You become so addicted and crazed that you just kill without thinking. You could run into an old friend or someone that used to be in your family. You wouldn't know though. It blinds you. All you think about is the blood pulsing through their veins. My mouth begins to water. When was the last time I fed I wonder. I hear loud foot steps coming down the hall followed by the jingle of keys and loud creak of the door. I look up and freeze in astonishment. Standing before me is the beautiful blond haired boy with blue eyes. But once again like in the alleyway his eyes turn blood red.

Chapter 5

       I burst out laughing. I thought it was all just a big joke. Then I realized that no one else was sharing in my amusement.
      "I'm sorry."I was still trying to calm myself down.
      "It's alright. I didn't expect you to believe me at first anyway."
      "Oh wait your serious."I was mocking her and she new it.
      " Are you done Miss Stewart or should I just leave?Believe me you wont want to be here when you start to change."
      "What do you mean change?"
      "When a person becomes a vampire they do not get their powers right away. Sometimes it could take a few days or a few weeks. It really depends on the vampire who changed you."
      "I still don't understand. Don't you have to be bitten by a vampire to become one?"I pause."Thats what I read."She sighs.
     "No, vampires can not be made by simply biting someone."
     "Ok, how are they made?"
     "There are two ways. Either a vampire drains a humans blood almost entirely and allows that person to drink of them or a human willingly kills another human by entirely draining and consuming their blood. The latter makes them a part of the Shadows though."
     "Whats the Shadows?"
     "Something you will learn of later when you are taking classes at my school.Do not worry about that though."
     "Alright well I didn't drink a vampires blood and I defiantly didn't kill a human so you must be mistaken. I'm not a vampire."I was feeling a little sick. As though she could read my mind she said.
     "Maybe we should stop talking about the details. You will have plenty of time to learn about that later."
     "That sounds like a good idea."I swallow."Can you at least tell me how this happened to me?"
     "You were attacked late Wednesday night. You would have been killed. I was down here on a business trip and found you. I fought off the vampire that was feeding off you. I was going to let you die peacefully. I figured you would not want to live this life. But then I recognized who you were,so I saved you."
      "How did you recognize me?"
      "I knew your mother and father."

    I tried to get her to tell me more about my parents but she would not say anything else about them. She said in time, when I was ready, she would talk to me about them.I was still a little shocked about the vampire thing and about me changing schools so Mrs. Pyre talked to the principal and I was allowed to go home early.
   When I pulled into my driveway my house looked dark and lonely. It looked like I felt. Ever since Mrs. Pyre mentioned my parents I haven't been able to stop thinking about them. I thought I had been able to heal the wound concerning my parents deaths, but apparently it was deeper than I had previously thought.  I shake my head back and forth trying to clear my head. I didn't want to think about them right now. I go inside and busy myself with making lunch. I'm starving since I didn't have time to eat breakfast this morning. I eat and go upstairs to my room.Even though I don't have to do my homework, I do it anyways. I'm trying to keep things as normal as possible until they have to get weird. In a few hours Anna will be home.
   Later, I hear the door open and close downstairs. I walk into to kitchen to find Anna preparing to cook dinner.
   "Hey Anna."
   "Hello sweetheart. How was school today."
   "It was ok. I got called into the office."
   "Really."She said in a knowing tone.
   "Yeah. I was told I would be transferring schools. Someone named Mrs.Pyre said she already talked to you and Michael."
   "She did this morning."
   "What did she say?"
   "That you were recognized for your academic achievements and you got a scholarship to a top boarding school. Oh sweetheart, I am so proud of you. This is going to be such a great opportunity for you." I pause not knowing what to say. I knew that Mrs. Pyre wouldn't tell Michael and Anna the real reason for my getting into this new school,but I hadn't realized how little she would tell them.
     "How could you send me to a new school in an entirely different state without even talking to me about it first. I was mad that Michael and Anna would agree to send me somewhere they knew nothing about.
   "Oh I'm sorry Alex. I know you will miss your friends here, but you will make new friends. And you can always call and keep in touch with your friends here."
   "Anna, this isn't even about my friends; this is about the fact that you didn't even stop to think of talking to me about this first before you made this decision."
   "Well Michael and I talked about it and decided that this was important for your future. If you go to a good high school it will insure that you get into a good college. We are just thinking about whats best for you." I felt a little bad. Anna didn't know the whole situation. Mrs. Pyre had told me that for the protection of Michael and Anna I couldn't tell them the real reason for my transferring schools. I was still upset but I didn't want to be here when I started to change. I was just mad that Michael and Anna had enrolled me without talking to me first and that I was going to have to leave all my friends.
    "Oh Alex, Mrs. Pyre left a brochure with all the school and housing information. If you want you can look at it. It's sitting on the counter over there."
    I grab it and sit down at the breakfast bar. On the front cover is a picture of the campus. I read:
                              At Firestone Academy we are proud to offer our highly
                              motivated students placement in our quality educational
                              institution through our Private High School Boarding
                              Program. Students are personally selected for their
                              outstanding achievements and academic records by our
                              board of education. Our top priority is that we not only
                              offer a great education but also the best possible environment
                              and atmosphere for student comfort.  
     I flip the brochure over and see that is it. No information about the classes or about housing. I read it again to see if there is anything I missed. No, I had defiantly read the whole thing. It didn't even have any contact information. Now that I think about it the brochure didn't give any important information at all. I was about to start to bring this up to Anna when Michael sets his keys down on the table by the door and walks into the kitchen.
     "Mmm, What smells so good?"
     "Anna's cooking." I say laughing. Anna cooks dinner every day and every day Michael asks what smells so good when he walks into the kitchen.
    "How was school today?"Michael asks.
    "It was fine."
    "Oh just fine?" he raises his eyebrows.
    "Ok, it was lovely and we rode ponies and painted pictures in class today!"I joke.
    "Well that's just wonderful."
    "Oh just wonderful?" I try to mimic Michael's eyebrow trick and fail miserably which makes him laugh.
   "Lets eat."Anna yells over our laughter and we all walk into the dining room with our spirits lightened. We serve our food and say grace.
   "So today I bought your ticket to Maine. You will be leaving Sunday at 4:00. Sadly that means you will be arriving in Portland, Maine around 10:30 or 11:00. So I called the school and arranged for them to send a teacher to pick you up."
    "Thank you Michael."I push my food around my plate.
    "Aren't you hungry?"Anna asks concerned.
    "No, not really. I actually just want to go to Rachel's house."
    "I don't think that's such a good idea."Anna says."In fact you should probably go upstairs to pack."
    "I can do that tomorrow."
    "No, you can do it now."
    "Anna, I'm going to be leaving to go to a whole other school in a whole other state in two days. I should be allowed to go to my friends house one more time before I do. And besides Rachel and I had this planned way before all this new school stuff happened."I race upstairs before she can tell me no again and slam my door. I throw some clothes in a bag and run back down the stairs.
    "I'm leaving."I call out.
    "Wait Alex."Anna runs into the entryway."I feel bad leaving things the way we did."I had my hand resting on the door knob. I sigh and let go. Calmly I say.
    "If I'm going to this new school then I at least have to say good bye to Rachel. I will be back tomorrow and I can pack then. I promise.
     "Alright, bye sweetheart."

     I left quickly and drove to Rachel's house.When I got there I didn't knock or ring the door bell; I just let myself in knowing Rachel's mom wouldn't be home and search the lower rooms. She wasn't down there so I went to look in her room upstairs. When I opened the door Rachel came running out of her closet holding a baseball bat above her head. She screamed when she saw me, lowered the bat, and put a hand over her heart like she was going to have a heart attack.
    "Oh my God Alex, don't you ever scare me like that again. I thought you were a robber or something."
    "Oh sorry." I pull out the chair from her desk and sit in it backwards with my arms resting on the back.
    "Are you ok."She asks sitting down on her bed.
    "Um ya I'm fine..."I pause."Actually no I'm not fine."
    "Whats wrong?"
    I didn't know what to say. I can't tell her about the vampire thing and if I tell her about my new school it would ruin the night. So I decide to lie.
    "Oh it's nothing. I'm just feeling a little sick."
    "Is that why you left school?" I had completely forgotten about that. I pause and just nod.
    "Well it is Friday. If your up to it we can watch a movie."
    "That sounds like a great idea."
    We watch some horror movie which ironically was about a group of vampires killing off a whole town. I ate a huge bowl of popcorn and drank about ten gallons of coke partly because I was starving and partly because the movie was making me feel sick. I ended up going in the kitchen for a new drink every time one of the killing scenes came on because it was making me feel nauseous. When the movie was over we stayed up all night giving each other manicures,pedicures, and facials. We talked about the latest gossip, who was dating who and about all the great parties that were coming up. We talked about all the crazy teachers we hated and how much homework they gave us. And the whole time all I could think about was the fact that I wouldn't be there to see any of it.
    "...and Samantha told me that next Friday..."
    "Rachel."
    "...her parents are going to be out of town..."
    "Rachel."
    "... and she's having a pool party and inviting all the cute football..."
    "Rachel!" I shout interrupting her.
    "What? Don't worry I got her to invite you too."
    "No, I don't care about the party. I need to tell you something important."
    "Ok what?"She laughs.
    "I'm leaving."
    "What?"she looks over at the alarm clock."Its three o'clock in the morning."
    "No, I mean I'm moving."
    "What do you mean? Michael and Anna..."
    "Aren't coming."I finish for her."I'm transferring to a new school in Maine. A boarding school."
    "What?Why?"
    "I wish I could tell you but even I don't fully know."She looks down not looking at me.
    "When will you be leaving?"she asks slowly.
    "I leave on Sunday and start school there on Monday."Oh is all she says.
    "Hey I'm really sorry Rachel. I didn't even know about it till today."
    "I know Alex. It's just I'm going to miss you that's all. I don't mean to sound like a bitch."
    "Oh no. You don't sound like that at all."
    "Well you better call me!"
    "I will. I promise."
    "Ok, well I'm tired. Lets go to bed."
    "Ya...sounds good."

Chapter 4

     "Miss Stewart, would you please go down to the front office. The principal would like to have a word with you." I was jolted back to reality by the sound of Mrs. Peterson's scratchy voice.

      "Wh-What?"

      "The front office. The principal wants to speak to you."

I walk to the front of the classroom to get my pass to the office. As I walk down the hall I try to think of all the things I've done that could of gotten me sent to the principal's office. Earlier in the week I slammed that kid Anthony's locker when I was walking down the hall, but I made sure that no teachers saw me. Thats hardly the thing that would get me sent to the principal's office though.

      I take my time walking down the hall. There's probably a line and I don't want to talk to the principal anyway. 

      Sadly there's no line when I get there. Great somehow I'm in trouble with the principal and now she will be able to add takes forever to walk down the hall to her list of things to yell at me about. I walk into the office.

       "Hello Miss Stewart, we've been expecting you. You may go in." The lady at the front desk says smiling.

       "Um...thank you."

       I walk into the principal's office. There is a simple metal desk in the middle of the room and the back wall is lined with filing cabinets. There is a picture of the principal with her family on the desk along with a stapler, hole punch, and stacks of papers that are lining the edge of the desk.There is also a water disperser in the corner of the room. I had been in this room before and it looked like the same old office I had been in. Then I noticed the woman sitting in the principal's chair.

     "Hello Miss Stewart."

     "You're not the principal." I look around confused.

     "That would be correct."She laughs.

     "I thought I was here to speak to the principal."

     "No, actually you are here to speak with me. My name is Mrs. Pyre. I am the head mistress at Firestone Academy,an elite boarding school in Maine."

     "What do you need to talk to me about?"

     "Well first off may I call you Alex?"I nod.

     "Well Alex, why don't you sit down."I sit

     " I am here to informe you that you will be transferring to Firestone Academy. You will be arriving there on Monday and will be starting classes the following day.You will need..."

     "Wait a minute! I can't transfer schools right now. Have you even talked to Michael and Anna about this?"

     "Your step parents? Yes, I spoke with them earlier today."She pauses."Your step parents did not hesitate to agree when I spoke with them."

     "Wait they were happy about this?"

     "Well it's a great opportunity."

     "I can't believe this!"I sit back in my chair loudly.

     "You will be taking classes that specialize in your area of need."That made me sit up.

     "Hold on, your talking like I have some mental disability or something."

     "Actually it's quite the contrary. You have more power than you can  imagine."

     "I don't understand."

     "You are a vampire.

Chapter 3

         I've never been that into school. I'm the girl with the low profile. I sit in the back of the class with my eyes on the clock. Everyone ignores me,I ignore them, and thats just the way I like it. I haven't always been this way though.I used to be the perfect daughter. the perfect little brownie in girl scouts. Teachers pet. Then my parents died. I was five. I was young, but I still remember her. My mother. She used to take me to the park and push me on the swings while my dad set out the picnic we brought on a big red blanket. That was before the sun stopped shining.
          One night my parents left. They told Nana, the house keeper, to watch over me. That night my mom and dad did not come home, and the next morning a man came to the front door to tell me that momie and dadie wouldn't be coming home at all because they had died in a car crash. Nana took care of me for about a month after that. I loved my Nana. She would sing to me every night before I went to sleep. She said it was to keep the chupacabras away. The evil spirits. Sometimes I would wake up in the middle of the night to find Nana sitting in my room, looking out the window. Since my parents had died she never left my side. Even while I slept.
         Then one day Nana made me a big plate of cookies. She told me that my parents had told her that she was to do whatever it takes to keep me out of harms way. She told me that it was no longer safe for me to live with her.
         That day I was taken to a new home. A new family. I was introduced to Michael and Anna. They showed me around their home and my new room. I showed Nana all the new toys I had gotten. She just smiled and tried to hide her tear streaked face. I still saw though and I didn't understand. Why would Nana be so upset? When it was time to go Nana came over to me and gave me a big hug and told me to be a big girl. I told her that I wanted to stay with her,but she would not let me and this only made her cry more.
         "Now remember what I told you. Your mom and dad told me to always keep you safe. I have to go now . Be good and stay strong. Te quiero. I love you!" At that she gave me one last hug and walked out of my life forever.

Chapter 2 continued

I walk down the hall with long quick strides hoping to get to Rachel before she leaves to go to her next class.
"Hey Rachel,"I say when I see her. She turns around.
"Oh, hey Alex. Did you fall asleep on me last night?"
"Oh ya sorry about that. I was really tired."
"It's ok I was tired too."She laughs.
"I had the weirdest dream last night."
"Why was I in it?" She jokes raising one eyebrow. I laugh.
"No, I was being chased by these creatures. They were really fast and strong.They even had red eyes. Then this really hot guy shows up, and I thought he was going to help me but then..."
"Hey I'm really sorry I need to get to class, but tell me about it tonight ok."She interrupts.
"What's tonight."I ask.
"Sleepover at my house remember."
"Oh, oh yeah... I'll be there."She slams her locker.
"See you there."She yells over her shoulder and walks away.

Chapter 2

I wake up in a cold sweat. I had been up all night texting Rachel and must have fallen asleep on my phone for it is buzzing loudly by my ear. I look over at my alarm, which failed to go off. It reads 6:53. I try to untangle my legs from my sheet and only manage to fall off my bed onto the floor. I'm going to be so late. Finally, getting my legs untangled, I run into my bathroom to take a quick shower. I am dressed and ready in ten minutes. I run down the stairs,grab my backpack, and dash out to my car while Anna yells something about having a good day and to drive safely.
“Man I really hope there are no cops today,” I mutter to myself as I jam the keys into the ignition and back out the driveway.
 When I hit the school zone I ignore the twenty miles per hour sign and drive at a solid forty.  I swerve into the school parking lot and run for the door. I grab a hold of it just as the tardy bell rings. Anna's going to kill me. I swing the door open and march into hell.

I had just barely gotten in the door of my first class when Mrs. Smith says,” Oh welcome Miss Stewart, glad you could join us,” and starts filling out my d-hall slip. I look at it.
” Two hours after school on Monday!” I start to protest, but she stops me with a flick of her hand in a stop-now-or-I-will-also-make-you-scrape-the-gum-off-the-bottom-of-my-desks sort of way. I walk to the back of the class and slump into my desk with a big thump.
For the next fifty minutes I zone in and out of consciousness. I can't get that stupid dream out of my head. And those eyes. I was in mid-thought when the bell rang and I race out the door hoping Rachel is at her locker.

Chapter 1

Her legs seemed to move faster and faster with every step, but the perpetrators only got closer and closer. Their silhouettes in the deep darkness got bigger and bigger as they closed in.  Her heart rate accelerated and when she finally thought she might get away, one jumped up at an impossible height, towering overhead and landed right in front of her, blocking her way to safety. She wanted to scream out but she knew there was no hope.  For all she knew, she and these two fines were the only sinchant beings around for miles.

Just when all hope was lost, she glimpsed a small alleyway to her right. She dashed towards the dark opening. She saw a figure sitting in the middle of the alley covered by a dark cloak. The cloaked figure stood up and threw down the cloak revealing a beautiful blond haired boy. He was finely dressed in a dark expensive looking suit. He had blue eyes and a smile plastered to his face.A feeling of relief washed over her, but her relief was short lived. As she gazed into his blue eyes they turned the color of fresh blood. At this she screamed, but no one would hear her for she was already drowning in her own blood.

Hi my name is Elizabeth

I am starting a blog for my first book!  This is a rough draft manuscript. I am posting as I write sections of my book, follow along and post comments about what you like or don't like.

Thanks