ADRIA’S POV
I took hasty steps away from her, but my eyes couldn’t tear away from the blood on her shoulder. It was just too much for me to take in.
I gritted my teeth hard, and balled my fingers into fists. No, Adria, you can’t! You can’t!
No!
At that moment, I hated myself for the powerful urge I was resisting to drink from her.
It seemed like something was about to erupt from my belly, something monstrous. I was on the verge of exploding.
“You know you want it. Have it, and stop being a weakling. Whose welfare comes first? Yours, or some random girl you don’t know?” Derek asked, with his hand stretched out in the direction of the girl.
I wanted to tell him to keep his mouth shut, and that he had no right to take a random girl, and ask me such a stupid question.
Of course, she mattered more than I did, at that moment because I couldn’t die, but she could. I was going to survive that night no matter what, but her survival depended on me.
I had decided to join Lucien in saving the humans, so I wasn’t going to be the one to eat them up.
My veins turned big, and black, bulging out on my skin, and it felt like something wanted to tear my jaws apart.
“Adria, drink!” Derek said, storming over to the girl, and pushing her towards me. She fell against me, and I smelled the blood stronger than ever.
“Son of a bitch.” I cursed, through gritted teeth. “Damn you.”
“Take her!” He screamed, picking up the girl, and shoving her in my face, smearing her blood on my lips.
It was agony as the urge to swipe my tongue over my lips was like an enemy, but like a miracle, I managed to wipe it off with my hands, but of course, the stain, and smell remained there. Driving me even more crazy.
In my vision, everything turned red, and Derek’s voice faded away in echoes. All I could see was the girl’s blood, dribbling down her skin slowly.
It was hard.
But just then, Lucien’s voice came floating to me. It became the only distinct voice amidst Derek’s echoes.
Lucien was laughing. And the sound of his laughter was so good that my heart flared up, and started to beat. I saw his face at that moment, smiling at me.
Those moments when I was still human, and there was nothing in the way of our love. I recalled the movie we saw, and our night on the cruise ship. It had been blissful. Those days could come again.
Yes, they could.
If I could manage to get rid of the urge for blood. If I could tame myself, then I’d be close to human. Maybe we’d be even better. We’d race each other, laugh… save humans, and he’d love me because even though I was a vampire, I wouldn’t be a bloodsucker.
And my resolve formed from that very moment. If I wanted to be with Lucien for a very long time, I wasn’t to drink her blood.
I took a look at the girl, and swallowed hard, trying to push down the urge.
“Dammit!” Derek screamed, trying to force my mouth open.
I couldn’t even scream because the moment he forced my jaws open, he pushed the girl’s neck down, but another weird thing happened.
I saw Stacy crying. She screamed, and pushed, wailing.
She was crying so hard, and begging me not to eat her. Was Stacy the girl Derek was pushing through my jaws?
Stacy, who had smiled beautifully earlier, who had jumped when the guys had finally made their first bungee jump. Stacy, who I had discussed a movie with.
Why would I drink her blood if it meant I would never see her smile?
No way. No!
With that, I pushed the girl away, then pushed Derek hard.
I was breathing heavily, and my eyes were everywhere, moving restlessly in their sockets. Derek was on the floor, unable to believe what had just happened.
“Adria, you…” he said, trying to get to his feet, but I was faster. Even in my state of confusion, and breathlessness, I got to the girl first, lifted her in my arms, and ran as fast as I could.
“Adria!” Derek screamed, but I didn’t pay him any heed.
I was going to help the humans as best as I could, and his wrath couldn’t prevent that.
As I ran, I bid goodbye to our friendship, the beautiful companionship we had formed, and had together. Never again could we laugh, and sit on the rock, staring at the moonlight, never again would we suck blood together.
I was not going to take it anymore.
If only he was a good vampire. Then things could probably have been better.
Derek didn’t follow, and I was grateful.
When I had gotten to the edge of the woods, I dropped the girl, and she looked at me with something like gratitude in her eyes.
“Weren’t you hypnotized?” I heard myself ask in shock.
“Thank you.” The girl suddenly said, holding my hands tight. “Thank you.” She said again, and tears began to fall down her eyes.
It was then I realized that Derek’s hypnosis had broken, and she had been the one crying, not Stacy. She had realized what was happening too late, and couldn’t help but forget about screaming after trying once. So, she had begged, and pleaded, and luckily for her, my mind had played her pleas in Stacy’s voice.
She knew I had saved her.
But, would she still be safe? If I erased her memory, and let her go, would she be safe?
“You know about vampires?” I asked, and she nodded vigorously.
“I… I… didn’t… real… I didn’t know they were real… real…” She stuttered.
“We are real. Now, no more late-night walks. No more parties. It doesn’t matter if you don’t answer strangers, they would compel you to follow them. We rarely walk at day because of the sun. Night is better for hunting, and drinking blood, so stop night walks.” I told her, and she nodded vigorously.
“Also, don’t tell anyone, or he will find you. Be very careful. As I have saved your life, try to save it too.” I added. “Now run. Run, don’t look back. Go.” I said, and after looking at me with those grateful eyes for another second, she turned, and ran.
I had saved a life. She lived.
And the feeling… the feeling was bliss.