85ADRIA’S POVThe wind carried my hair along with it, not letting it drop, or touch my shoulders for a second, and it also found a way into my clothes, ruffling them, and making me feel lighter than I’d felt in years.My legs bounced across the forest effortlessly, and although I put my best into it, I was never able to catch Derek, not even when he slowed down for me.We played tag with our superhuman speed, and when he was to catch me, he caught me effortlessly, which made me scream, and giggle.But when it was my turn to catch him, I never caught him, he was simply too fast—too fast for me.After running around for hours, we sat on the rock, breathing hard.“It was fun.” Derek said with a chuckle, as he threw a stone at a bunch of grapes on a tree.“I haven’t had fun like that in years. It was epic.” I replied to him, getting up to pick the grapes which had fallen on the ground. “They look fresh.” I replied, turning them over in my hands.We began to munch on the soft, and juicy g
86ADRIA’S POV.The sweet scent traveled all the way into my nostrils, and filled my head. It felt like I had inhaled drugs, and it had succeeded in getting me intoxicated.I wanted to keep on sniffing, and sniffing. I knew it was blood, but it smelled so sweet at that moment, that I didn’t even feel a bit nauseated.Not only that, but I could suddenly feel an ache in my teeth, and my breathing pace increased, as I felt the urge to grab the tumbler, and pour the contents down my throat.But instead, with immense efforts, I turned my head aside, and pushed the tumbler away.No, I couldn’t…“There’s no harm in it.” Derek smirked, raising the tumbler to his lips.My fingers were shaking. It was so terrifying that I actually wanted to drink the blood. That I wanted a taste of it, even if it was a drop.I clenched my teeth, closed my eyes, and took in deep breaths.“I… like I said, I’m not ready.” I insisted, although it wasn’t strong.“It seems to me you’re ready. You just don’t want to a
87ADRIA’S POV.I wasn’t even trying to suck. The blood just came freely, pouring into my mouth, and down my throat, filling every corner of my body, feeding my desires sweetly.I continued to gulp more blood down my throat, and the cow let out pained groans. How had I been running from blood all that while?Why had I not accepted my nature? Who knew blood could be sweeter than honey? At that moment, all I wanted was to drink. Derek was totally forgotten, so was everything else around me.I gasped as the blood refreshed me, like I was taking in sweet fruit juice. In moments, everything around me seemed to clear, and I couldn’t hear a single thing, not even the cow’s cries.A hand alighted on my shoulder, and squeezed lightly, but I didn’t stop. Derek had made me drink, and so I was going to keep drinking, and drinking. He had gotten a full cow anyway, so I was very sure I would have some left after drinking to my fill.Finally, after some time, I released the cow, and realized we both
88ADRIA’S POV.The urge was more than I could take, and already my fangs were out fully.“Are you okay?” Stacy asked in concern, turning me to her, but I couldn’t reply unless she would scream after seeing my horrible teeth. “Adria?” She called, and the guys turned to us, noticing Stacy’s worried tone.“Is there something you’re eating in your mouth? Something you don’t want us to see?” Tommy asked. “Well, we’re going to see it!” He suddenly added, dashing for me, and just then, Lucien and I locked eyes once more.Seeing him stare like that made me feel cornered. I couldn’t help feeling scared he’d hate me more, if he realized I was changing to my vampire self, all because I saw cows passing by.So, I pushed Stacy’s hands off my shoulders, and ran.“Oh my God. She’s so… fast.” I heard Daniel say, and I tried to slow myself down. At least, to athlete speed.I knew it wouldn’t be obvious that my fangs were down with my mouth closed.Because in the movies, the vampire teeth never affecte
89ADRIA’S POV.“Adria. Is there something you have to tell me?” My mum asked immediately, turning to face me, and I stuffed my toast into my mouth, trying to act casual.“Adria.” She called again, and I tried to munch as fast as I could, so I could reply to her.I swallowed, settling into a sofa, and opened my mouth to speak.“Something I have to tell you? I don’t understand.” I replied, still acting innocent.“You’ve been returning home really late at night, and this morning, your room smelled nauseating. It smelt like blood.” She attacked, turning off the television.“So, you think I ate all those cows, or something?” I asked, dropping my toast on the center table.“Adria. Let’s be truthful…”“I’ve been so miserable, mum. Being a vampire isn’t what I wanted. I tried to see if I’d heal, or die, last night, so I cut myself repeatedly. The blood dried, I healed, but the smell stuck to my body, and I was too tired, and depressed to wash up.”When I had become such a good liar, I wasn’t
90LUCIEN’S POV.I sat back, and gave it a good thought. She had suddenly started acting all happy. I should have known that something was wrong. She was also looking a little healthier.When we had stopped at the same stall to buy snacks, cows had stopped by, and shortly she had run off.She wasn’t an experienced vampire, so it made sense she saw the cows, and tried to satisfy herself with them when she got the urge.But could she really be responsible for the missing people?Would Adria really kill people? What was she doing? I was barely trying to stay on my own, and avoid her. Why was she doing something else that would definitely catch my attention in a bad way?One more missing person, and I was going to have to warn her. I couldn’t bear watching the humans go amiss when the killer might possibly be in my hands.One more human missing would prove a lot because the guilt on her face would show immediately I asked her about it.I was disappointed in her. She knew how much havoc th
91ADRIA’S POV“It’s… it’s not blood.” I stuttered, and made the mistake of pretending to dust it off.“Look at it!” She exclaimed, grabbing my wrist, and pointing at my palm.“I said it’s not blood!” I shouted, a little too harshly, jerking my wrist out of hers.“Then what is it? It looks pretty much like blood to me, and smells like it too. What have you been up to, Adria? These days, you’ve just been acting really weird, you know that? Tell me what’s going on! Why does it feel like we’re not close anymore?”“You’re the only one thinking that, Stacy. I try everyday so you can feel happy, so our friendship can be what you want, but you just keep complaining, and complaining!”“That’s the problem, Adria! The Adria I knew, never tried! Because she truly cared about me, about the boys, about all of us! It came out naturally to her. She didn’t have to try, or force it. Her love came out freely. Do you know how many times we’ve asked you to hang out, in just this week alone? You always ha
92ADRIA’S POVI moistened my lips, and wiped my sweaty palms on my jean shorts before closing the door, and walking towards him.He sat without being asked, and crossed his legs, and I suddenly had the feeling that he was there as an Alpha, and not as the Lucien that had been in love with Adria.I sat opposite him on the next sofa, and grabbed my crackers, not because I wanted to eat them, but because I needed something to make me seem like I wasn’t fretting.My hands reached out for the remote controller, and I turned it off immediately.“Adria.” He called, and I badly wanted to crumble, and ask him all my questions, but I held myself up pretty well.“Yes?” I answered in a confident voice, as I threw a cracker into my mouth.“I will need you to stop.” He said, looking at me with steely eyes, and I raised a brow because he was asking me for something I couldn’t give.“You need to elaborate on what you want because I don’t understand what it is that I need to stop.” I retorted coolly,