Odilia.
After getting out of the shower, I left the braids that were in my hair hanging and wrapped them in a towel. I went to the vanity I had and lotioned my body. Looking at my eyes, I noticed that there was a dark ring around my irises. My normally beautiful healthy skin seemed a bit dull.
I grabbed some lotion and poured it in my hands, hoping my skin would get some of its color back; but it stayed the dull shade of caramel brown. It was then I noticed my stomach was growling. Going downstairs to the kitchen, I went into the fridge and pulled out a steak. I felt my nostrils flare at the scent and my pulse began to pound harder.
Taking the meat, I placed it in a skillet on the burner. I cooked it on both sides for a good ten minutes and then pulled it off. Grabbing a fork and knife, I cut into it. Instead of the blood making me gag, it actually made my stomach rumble with more hunger. I cleared my throat and shoved the piece of meat into my mouth. Closing my eyes, I savored the taste of raw meat and it's juices as the blood ran down the inside of my throat.
My eyes flew open as I realized what I was doing. This wasn't normal. Most people didn't eat blood and rare steaks. Setting the fork down, I felt dread fill me. Oh my God! Something was happening to me. I felt sudden despair at the thought.
"It's ok Odilia." A voice stated. My head flew up and I looked around the kitchen, seeing no one there. That's when it hit me that I hadn't even bothered to cut on the light. I could actually see in the dark. Putting my fork down on the table, I yelled, "Stefan what in the hell did you do to me?" My heart was pounding in my cheast and my head began to hurt and I felt as though I could just die right there. I knew that my life would never be the same after this.
Stefan
I was sitting there on the couch thinking for at-least thirty minutes after my sister left, when I heard a voice yell, "Stefan, what the hell did you do to me?"
My eyes opened and again for the third time that night, I acted on instinct. I Imagined myself where ever she was and within a few minutes, I was there in her kitchen. I saw her laying against the east wall, her eyes closed. I went and felt for a pulse. It was faint. I wondered how long it had been since she had had anything to eat. Glancing over at the table, I noticed a steak laying on a plate. She'd been to weak to eat anything and had fallen out, I deduced.
Picking her up, I carried her through the house and up the stairs to her bedroom. Laying her flat on the bed, I grabbed her head, lifted it and placed it on my lap. Taking a finger, I took my nail and dug deeply into my skin until blood spilled. She moaned when I did that. I took my arm and held it toward her. She grasped my arm and pulled it the rest of the way.
Opening her mouth, she took it in her mouth and applied pressure to it. It hurt as she did this. She sucked really hard, her thirst evident in the huge gulps she took. Now I knew what it felt like to have another''s teeth stuck in my own skin and believe me, it it's not as peachy as they say it is in the movies. I waited for a good two minutes before I took my arm away from her, more like pried it out of her grasp, and then laid her head back on the pillow.
She whispered, "Thank you Stefan." I looked around and saw the flimsy curtain she had hanging in her window. Come morning that curtain would do no good to protect her.
Sighing, I got up and went to work, constructing a dark fortress for her. I also went to find any piece of wood I could because I knew without a shadow of a doubt, the day breakers would come. Those would be the vampires who were half human and could be out in the day time. She would be at her weakest during that time, and I wanted to make sure I could handle whom ever it was sent to do battle. I sent a message to my brothers and sister that they were needed. It was time to go to battle over a soul.
When I opened my eyes, I thought for a minute that it must have been a horrible dream, that by some stroke of luck, I hadn't met the most sexy and sweetest man. You can usually tell what a man is like when he makes love, at-least I can. Just by the way he holds, touches and how thorough he is with your body is how dedicated and loving and tender his heart is. I smiled softly and glanced around me. Surely it was a dream. There's no way I had mated, as Stefan calls it, only to end up married and going through the turning of becoming a vampire. I mean, my skin would be the beautiful natural healthy glow it always had and my eyes would have that same shade of rich chocolate that they always held.
I felt giddy just telling myself this. There was no way I could be a vampire because of the simple fact that they did not exist. I felt my body relax.
Stefan:
Van sat there in his usual cold demeanor, which was now backed by a new hatred. When I'd called, he'd come and helped out begrudgingly. He'd then sat down in the darkened fortress, just staring out into the dark. He'd brought with him plenty of hunting knives. He liked to carve things, especially traitorous vampires. Some would be half human, others would be complete. He was absolutely brilliant in in Destreza because he was not only quick but he handled swords and knives like they were second nature. Either way, all vampires who sided with her had been given authority by Lilith during the shadowing to use any measures necessary to either kill or be killed during the first phase of Shadowing. Today was the last day of the first phase and I believe that the reason Odilia hadn't been attacked when she first arrived home is because it took a whole day for her body to begin the first phase.
As soon as she began, she became bait and fortunately, the first and only vampire attack had been done by Marcus and he'd been quickly disposed of.
My other brother Lance sat there gripping the Machete he held in his hands tightly. Lance and I looked alike in the hair and eyes. Where I was tall and thin, he was of medium height with a line backer's build. He was very solid. He always seemed to find humor in a situation but there were times like this when his nerves outdid his humor and he became focused and cautious. He was a great worrier. He had training in Kav Maga, which is an Israeli defense technique, and in Jiu Jitsu, a form of Brazilian martial arts. Although he'd been practicing for some twenty five years, he'd never gotten to use his skills and there for never really been able to put them to use. I only hoped that he proved to be a warrior.
Inhaling sharply, my gaze went to Reina our sister. She had her brown hair in a bob and was shaped similarly to Odilia, except where Odilia was tall, she was a five foot three inches, however, no one would underestimate her stature for her ability. She'd been a vampire the longest out of all of us. Where Lance, Van and I were no longer than seventy years totally, she was one hundred and thirty years old. She was highly skilled in Destreza a spanish style fencing, Lethwei, which is known as kickboxing today, and magic.
Me myself I chose to do Kav Maga and am an expert in that area. I'm also good at sword fighting.
"She's awake." My sister whispered.
I nodded, "Yes, but she is still not ready to face the truth."
Van smirked, "Well, it's not like she has a choice now does she? Today is the last day of phase one, it's not like she can wish it away."
I got up to go upstairs where Odilia was.
"Stefan, there is only one hour left till day light." Reina reminded me. Lance still didn't say anything to her words. He just continued to stare into space.
I took the stairs one at a time, trying to think of something, anything to explain what was going to happen to her and the process in between. Knocking on the door at the end of the hall, where her bed room was, I cleared my throat and waited for her to open the door.
Odilia
As soon as I heard the knock, my reality was brought crashing down around me. Before he even spoke, I knew it was him. Starring in the mirror, I noticed then that it was dark and I should have seen sooner that I hadn't had a dream. Only animals and vampires can see in the dark.
Going to the lamp by my bedside, I turned it on and then turned it down to a shade. Although I didn't need any light, I welcomed the simple normalcy of it.
Going to the door, I opened it. Stefan stood looking at me, his face ashen just as mine was. I couldn't understand why I hadn't noticed it before. He inhaled, "Can we talk?"
I shrugged my shoulders. "May as well. What else is there left to do?"
He came in and took a seat on the chair that went to my computer desk. I sat down on the bed. He glanced at the door and it closed softly. Instead of being fearful I rolled my eyes, show off, my mind spoke.
"It wasn't for show." He stated.
