ADRIA’S POV
The 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 grapes, and as the liquid burst into my mouth, filling my tongue with its sweet liquid, I closed my eyes.
“I didn’t know vampires ate stuff apart from blood.” I murmured, opening my eyes.
“Other things don’t fill us. And they’re not that sweet, either. Blood has all the essential nutrients we need, and nothing beats its taste.” He replied, munching on a couple of them.
I and Derek, talked for a little while longer before I decided it was time I went home.
I raced through the bushes with my newfound speed, and screamed as I went. In little time, I had arrived at the edge of the forest. Thinking back on when I had been going to the forest, hours ago, my lips spread in a broad grin.
Then, I had been so slow, and had gotten tired easily, but at that moment, I was starting to forget what that word felt like.
I walked briskly to my home, noticing the streets were deserted already, and when I pushed the door open, I met my mum sitting on the sofa.
“Adria.” She called immediately, getting to her feet.
“Good evening, mum.”
“Check the damn time, for heaven’s sake! You’re returning at three in the morning, just where the hell have you been?” She asked, looking at me with anger.
I couldn’t possibly tell her I had met a vampire because she was definitely going to freak. She was the one who had said they would come for me, so she would never believe Derek was actually good.
“I’m sorry. I just got sad, and sat in the forest, not knowing hours had passed.” I lied, entangling my fingers with each other.
“Why didn’t you pick your calls!? You have a damn phone! I called, and called.” She continued, shaking her phone at me.
“Gosh, you called?” I asked, dipping my hand into the pockets of my shorts. I brought out my phone, and realized it had been placed on silent mode. “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize.” I apologized, feeling genuinely sorry that I had made her worry.
She stared at me for a while, still fuming, but gradually, her breathing slowed.
“If you’re interested in dinner, I made Gumbo.” She said flatly, and left for the stairs.
I didn’t even wish to eat at the moment because I was thrilled—so happy that I couldn’t concentrate.
~
For days on end, Derek and I practiced running, and I was constantly thrilled with myself. Whenever I fell, it was always hard, but he made sure he picked me up, and treated me with leaves. I had wounds, but he told me, as long as I had my first drink, my healing powers would be activated.
But…
“I’m just not ready.” That was always my response.
Truly, I wasn’t ready. I didn’t know what blood would taste like, even though he had explained to me that it was sweeter than nectar. I didn’t even know if I’d be nauseated by it.
Thinking of drinking blood made me feel like I had really become a monster, and I just wasn’t ready yet.
“Hey.” I called when I approached Derek on a particular night.
“Hey, Adria.” He replied, turning around.
We both sat on our rock, which was bathed in moonlight as usual, and I breathed in the scent of the forest I was already getting used to.
“Are you sure you would rather not have your first drink yet? When are you planning on having it exactly?” He asked, leaning backwards on the rock.
“Uh… I… I don’t know exactly when I’m going to try it, or if I am.” I replied, and he let his mouth fall.
“What? You’re never going to try having blood?” He asked, pushing back my shoulder, so I could look at him.
“I don’t know. I’m just not ready yet. Like, it’s a kind of daunting task to me. I don’t even know how to extract my teeth yet.” I explained, with large eyes.
“When it’s time for your first drink, your teeth will naturally protract, and you will drink even better than you think you can. Blood is very sweet for vampires, and I tell you, you will enjoy it.” He tried convincing me, as he threw rocks onto the ground.
“There’s nothing holding me back from drinking, but I just can’t. You have to understand that until about a week ago, I was a human, and humans don’t take blood. It’s very nauseating.” I continued, wondering if he’d understand how I felt because I wasn’t sure if he had ever been a human.
“But you’re no longer a human. If you don’t try it, how would you know?” He asked, reaching inside his bag, for a tumbler of water, and he opened it.
“Well, I…”
It all happened suddenly! I felt heat rise within me, and I was rooted to my position as my eyes widened.
Derek had stuffed the tumbler under my nose, and the smell of blood rushed through my nostrils as fast as lightning.