Your Guardian Angel (The Guardian Angel Series Book 1) (3 page)

“I’m so excited!” he declared.

“Me, too, it will be good for you.” I smiled.

Kyle had never been to a big party with other students. He got picked on a lot for his size; he wasn't exactly Mr. Popular.

“Give up, Kyle,” Darren said, interrupting our conversation. "She would never sleep with you. Me? It’s inevitable, no woman can resist this."

Kyle dropped his head to stare at the ground, feeling insecure. Anger rose in my chest and my calm demeanour disappeared as Darren slung an arm around my shoulders.

Usually, I could put up with Darren's childish antics and sexual harassment but today was different; today I wanted to rip Darren to pieces. I shrugged him off and fiercely shoved him backwards. Not hard enough to send him to the other side of the school, but just enough for him to get the hint. The shove was harder than I intended and Darren flew a metre before hitting the ground.

He stood up and brushed the dirt from the cuts on his hand and then shook the dirt from his mousy brown hair.

“If you ever touch me again I will rip your throat out,” I growled.

His eyes met mine. Anger fuelled my relentless stare, but something I hadn't expected spread across his face, a smirk; and not just any smirk, one that had satisfaction written all over it. He narrowed his eyes at me before turning and walking away. Darren didn't panic or cry; he didn't call me a freak or run away screaming. My mind went rampant, maybe I was reading too much into it?

Kyle was staring at me, fear filled his eyes. I grasped each side of his face with my hands and I kept eye contact until his face relaxed and his expression turned dopey.

“Darren never approached us,” I spoke softly.

Kyle nodded slowly and I let go of his face. I stood staring at him nervously, hoping that the lure I used on him worked and the recent memory was successfully erased from his brain.

“The party will be good for you,” I told Kyle, continuing to walk towards the science block.

“Yeah,” mumbled Kyle, still dazed by lure.

Lure was another perk to being a vampire. It works like hypnotism, in a way. Once I have someone’s full attention I can plant thoughts and memories into their brain, whatever I want. In the beginning I only used it to attract prey. Now (since I don’t trap and eat humans) I use it to get out of assignments and any other situation I don’t want to be in.

“Maybe you’ll meet a girl at my party,” I chuckled, hoping Kyle would catch on and add to the conversation.

Some humans have a stronger will than others, which means Lure takes longer to settle in.

“I don’t want to. I have the best standing right next to me.”

“Ha! Please, I’m too pale,” I joked.

“Are you kidding?”

I exhaled a breath of relief, he was back on track.

He stopped walking.

“You’re perfect; do you even know how beautiful you are?”

If I wasn’t dead, blood would have rushed to my cheeks in embarrassment. I glanced around awkwardly, hoping no one else was near enough to hear the speech that was inevitably coming.

“I didn't intend for the conversation to go down this road.” I chuckled, nervously.

“Any guy would die to have you on his arm, you look like…like… like beautiful.”

“That doesn't even make sense.”

“Sorry, did I offend you?”

“No, you didn't offend me, it just doesn't make sense.”

Kyle didn't laugh. Instead, he went all doe eyed.

“And your smile, so innocent; and your eyes, the strangest eyes I have ever seen… dark… it’s like staring down a tunnel…” He leaned forward, like he was going to kiss me.

My body was using lure on him, it does by itself occasionally when it craves human blood from the source. More experienced vampires know how to control it; I don't.

Vampires are the ultimate killers. We don't have to work very hard to get our prey, all we have to do is smile and they follow. Kyle was so caught up in lure right now, I could tell him to burn down the school and he would do it, no questions asked.

“I'll meet you at the science block, Kyle. I need to use the bathroom,” I lied.

I walked away, heading in the direction of the ladies room. I glanced back; Kyle was looking around confused, but then the bell rang and he began walking in the direction of the science block.

I reached the girls’ toilets and sat on the steps before the entrance, breathing easier now. Venom trickled into my mouth rapidly; I inhaled deeply as I picked up a strange scent. A scent so sweet and delicious, it immediately took me back to when I was a child. Every Saturday, Mum would take me to the bakery on the corner, down the road from our house. The smells of the fresh bread and sweet pastries came rushing back to me. I found myself inhaling deeper, trying to absorb as much of it as I could. It was coming from around the corner of the building. I couldn't resist, I stood up and followed the scent.

This is a bad idea
, I thought.

I would have to kill whatever was hiding around this corner. I didn’t have the strength to resist whatever it was. Something so delicious smelling wasn't going to get away from me. I pondered the taste and more venom gushed into my mouth. I neared the corner, and even though instinct in my body told me to ignore it, I turned the corner anyway. I needed to taste it. Every urge in my body had been defeated and I was left alone with the unavoidable appetite to feed, to bite into its body, and drink away at the sweetest blood I had ever had the pleasure of smelling. It was a scent like no other, taking control over every aspect of my thought. I was left with nothing else but to act upon the urge to drink the deliciousness that was flowing through someone’s heated veins.

I put one foot onto the concrete and turned around the corner.

“Ugh!” I grunted.

My head hit the brick wall, hard. A scream pierced my ears; it was mine.

“No!” I yelled, as I thrust my body forward, rebounding off the man’s torso.

“Quiet!” he boomed, wrapping a thick silver chain around my wrists.

My face slammed hard against the wall as he spun me around, pinning my torso against the building. I screamed in pain as the chain seared my skin. It wasn't Hank; this guy was tall and muscular and his skin was too warm to be dead. I fought against the solid body that had me captured but I couldn't. His strength was too great.

“She’s weak.” The man snickered.

My face became wet as blood-filled tears poured from my eyes.

“Let her go!” another man snapped.

I squinted and blinked, turning to move my head around enough to make out their faces, but I couldn’t. The blood that was pouring profusely out of my eyes blurred my vision.

“She’s a vampire, Eli! We can't just let her go,” the man that trapped me growled.

“She’s weak; you said so yourself. Give her the serum and let’s go,” Eli replied.

I flinched as a slight injection was administered into my neck.

What is it? Was it a tracking device or a poison that was going to kill me? My worry jumped up a scale as my vision started coming and going in waves, it must be some kind of sedative… that or I’d just go to sleep and never wake up.

I put all of my strength into my legs but I couldn’t stand. My face met the solidity of the concrete and I blacked out.

I opened my eyes and squinted around a room that was familiar; my room. I was at home, in my own bed. I looked down at my wrists — no burns, not even a scratch. What happened? Normally, a human would first assume it was all a dream. Oh, how I long for simplicity. No brief relief for me; vampires don’t sleep.

I pulled my phone out of my pocket and dialled Camilla's number. Instead of answering the call, she barged through my door, her mother in tow.

“How are you feeling?” they said in unison.

I shrugged my shoulders. How should I be feeling? I was attacked at school by some delicious smelling strangers who may or may not work for the man that slaughtered my mother and turned me into a monster. I feel fantastic.

“School said you fainted; they called me and wanted to send you to the hospital, but I told them it was normal and I brought you home,” Camilla explained. “Did you really faint?”

“Yes, I fainted,” I lied. “Sometimes the sun becomes uncomfortable and too much to handle.”

Camilla's eyes narrowed; she knew I was lying, but Aunt Jen believed the story, thankfully. I felt horrible lying but if Aunt Jen knew what happened, she would kick me out. Camilla was her top priority, and if people were hunting me, it put her in danger.

“Well, as long as you’re okay and have no injuries, then I’ll let you rest up. If you need anything, let me know,” Aunt Jen said, relieved.

She left the room and I relaxed. I didn’t think Aunt Jen would believe that. I mean come on, a vampire fainting? 

“What really happened?” Camilla asked.

I was skeptical about telling Camilla the truth. I knew she would follow me everywhere and try and confront those guys on her own if they showed up again. The last thing I wanted was for her to be involved in my business and get hurt, or worse, killed, but at the same time, I didn’t want to go through this alone.

“I was attacked, near the girls’ toilets,” I explained. “I was trapped with silver.”

“Was there only one?” Camilla asked.

“There was another guy there. I couldn't see their faces really because I had hit my head and then he pinned me against the wall.”

“And you couldn't break free?”

I shook my head. If only she knew how painful it was when that silver touched my skin. It definitely rivaled being bitten. Camilla wrapped her long arms around me.

“I'll let you rest. I'm so glad you’re okay.”

“Cam? Did the school say anything about blood? I cried, and you know how it is when I cry.”

“No. They didn’t say anything.”

She handed me a bag of blood from the fridge. I distinctly remember crying, they must have cleaned the blood from my face. What did they want from me?

“I have to go, but I’ll see you later.” Cam left me alone.

I sucked back my meal and pondered the fact that I was such a shitty vampire. I'm nothing like the others or like you see on TV or in movies. I go out in the sun, I don't have see-through skin, and I’m nowhere near as fast, strong, or as bloodthirsty as the rest of them. I'm weak; I might as well be human.

I couldn't put what happened at school behind me, my mind kept obsessing over it. Could they be working for Hank? No. They couldn't be, the man made it very clear how he felt about vampires. I was at a loss. I sat in my room alone, depressed, and scared for the rest of the day.

I watched from my bay window as the sun rose over the trees, its light sent a glossy gold shine around the room. I hadn’t really moved from this spot all night. I sat obsessively watching the surroundings for any movement.

When the sun was high enough in the sky, I heard noises coming from the kitchen; I changed out of my casual jeans and white tank top from yesterday and into a pretty yellow knee length summer dress. I didn't think it was possible, but somehow it made my skin look even whiter.

Today, I planned to focus on pushing yesterday's events out of my head. I tried hard not to watch over my shoulder or glance nervously out the window. It was easier to do during the day; everything seems so much scarier at night. Forgetting all about yesterday was easier today because it was, after all, my birthday.

“Happy Birthday!” Camilla screamed, bursting through my door.

I didn't spoil her surprise by revealing that I heard her before she even opened the door. She wrapped her arms around me tightly and squeezed.

“There’s nothing like a birthday bear hug.” Aunt Jen chuckled, entering moments after.

The hug was a little awkward; there was no doubt Camilla could feel how cold my skin was, I sure felt her warmth. Venom flooded my mouth and my throat burned. In this moment, my craving for blood was as strong as a dope fiend's yearning intensity for that next hit. My craving consumed my mind; a vast psychic parasite devouring any thought of anything but the steely sweet relief of another's life force. I was due for my morning blood and my body was constantly reminding me, but I didn’t want to rush the moment. Who knew if I was going to get another?

Camilla released me from her embrace and handed me a little red box tied tightly shut with a pretty rose colored bow.

“Open it!” she urged.

I pulled the ribbon open slowly and pulled off the lid.

“Oh my god…”

It was a beautiful gold necklace with a big red heart-shaped pendant. I tried to say something about it but I couldn't. It was so beautiful. I looked up from the gift to Camilla's face; her facial expression told me she was satisfied with my reaction.

“Thank you so much,” I managed to squeeze out after several long seconds.

“You are more than welcome. After everything that has happened in the past year, you deserve something nice. It's a ruby for Ruby!”