Diary Of A Vampeen Part 31

"What are you talking about?" I questioned cautiously, though anger still filled my tone.

"I think we should take this somewhere private," he said motioning towards the door.

I hesitated, scanning the room. After careful weight, I decided to go. Everyone, including Mel was distracted, but should I lose control, I'd rather it be in private. He guided me out with a firm hand on the small of my back. He carried himself with an egotistical, annoying, nose-up grin. Out in the hall he grabbed my hand but I jerked away heading down away from the ears of any attendants.

"Now what are you talking about?" I demanded.

"Does the name Keira ring a bell?" I didn't reply, didn't move or give any indication of recognition. "Ok, how about the word vampire?" he pressed arrogantly.

"I'm not a vampire Mike," I defended with technicality. I corrected myself mentally. I'm a vampeen. I felt the serum rise with my sudden panic of apprehension and anger. Keira got to him, but how?

"That's what your little friend said. After I left your house, she followed me and spilled you and Kellan's secret. Now, if you don't want to cooperate with me I'll call her right now and hand you over to her. Of course, I'd rather not do that. You really are very s.e.xy now. I would like to touch you a few more times before you're destroyed," he smirked running his hands up and down my arms, repeating the motion with his eyes on my body.

I pulled back. "Mike, you have no proof of this obscenity. You've lost it. You're crazy."

"Then explain this!" he yelled holding up a photo. I scanned it quickly. It was a picture of Kellan, obviously taken from afar, perched over a man gulp! - teeth barred and inches from the man's neck.

"That could easily be faked with a photo editing software. No one will believe it's real," I argued. I was proud for thinking so quickly on my feet. It was true though. I didn't believe people would take it at face value.

"I don't take threats quite as mild as your ex-girlfriend."

My head flew up to see Kellan and his father standing twenty feet down the deserted corridor.

"Ha! You can't touch me!" Mike whipped out his necklace - a silver cross. Kellan, his father, and I burst into unified laughter. This angered him. "What's so funny blood suckers?!" he yelled.

"Those are myths. Vampires can enter churches, say G.o.d's name, and even wear crosses," Al stated displaying his own gold cross around his neck.

Mike stood flabbergasted, unexpectant of the response he received. "I'm still going to tell everyone. You can't stop me," he announced with a satanic edge in his voice. "Isn't that right Keira?"

"I already prepared the announcement to post to their networking sites which were quite easy to hack I must say," the girl beamed, startling me in her surprise presence from around the back corner. Where the heck was my supersonic hearing when I needed it?!

Caught between Mike and Keira, I made a quick bolt towards Kellan but was apprehended before I could escape. Keira's cold hand clenched my upper arm.

"What a pity it would be to die the night you announce your true self to the world," she teased in sarcastic pity. My fury having been initiated by Mike now boiled with Keira.

"You either release her or I will be forced to take her. Either way you've broken the law in telling a human. You will be punished by death," Al insisted.

"You have to catch me first," she laughed an evil cackle that sent chills down my spine. Her grip tightened around my arm; had I still been human, it would have snapped in half by now.

"You better let go of me," I hissed. "You better start running."

"Or what? I'm not afraid of you or your so-called friends. In fact, Kellan and I share a past, don't we sweetie? He wouldn't lay a finger on me."

My rage overflowed with her remarks. I hit my breaking point. Everything drew to my surface. My past embarra.s.sment and torment over my size and affiliations faced as the beginning to my overflow. The animosity I felt towards the popular crowd mingling within my party now spiced it up. My internal battle over my life being ripped from me to be a vampeen produced relentless resentment within me. The agitation I felt with my parents for holding out on my fate scratched deeper into the surfaces. Losing my remaining childhood bridged to the forefront of my mind, but losing Gran to a vampire just like Keira filled me with a hatred only the devil himself could hold. Being forced to consume human blood for survival produced a slight animosity within me. Mike's stunts from earlier, his random threats and disrespect of me all infuriated me, pushed me towards the edge little by little.

Keira's insult smeared in by Mike's egotistical presence was what demolished my apprehension. It all flowed together, meshed, pushed, pressed into me over time, yet her snide remark was what propelled me over the edge. I knew only bits of who Kellan was before because I saw it in his mind, but I loved who he was now. Just as my past didn't matter, his didn't reflect in my feelings towards him. "I don't care if you HAD something! We HAVE something and I'll be d.a.m.ned if you're going to mess it up! I'm tired of your c.r.a.p and his c.r.a.p and AHH!" I yelled breaking free and attacking Keira at a speed I could barely keep up with.

We tossed and turned at the speed of light; no human eye would have been able to keep up with our commotion. I didn't let up though. I was relentless in my pursuit of her. She was the culmination of all the things I disliked and sought to destroy.

Her long nails scratched at me, clawing my dress as she attempted to launch me, but failed with my final, powerful pin. She hissed, growling with barred teeth below me. I can't explain what came over me; a rush of harsh adrenaline curdled in my blood. I punched her repeatedly, was crushing her bones with quick knee jabs, and had bit her wrist when she flung her hands with the purpose of shredding me.

Al was at my side in seconds with a steel blade engraved with symbols. With one swift move Keira's throat was cut, blood pouring onto the floor. Though she still fought me, she weakened slightly with the acknowledgement of defeat. She could never win against both Al and me.

He rested his hand on my shoulder as Keira began to silence below me. "Lexi. That's enough. I'll take it from here."

I froze staring down. She was still jolting, though I felt no flinch of resistance. After a moment of hesitation, I gracefully dismounted myself. I stood backing myself into Kellan who had moved beside his father as backup. Looking around, I realized the hotel was empty of activity in this area because we were in the housekeeping section of the hotel.

Kellan placed his hand on my shoulder. "Lexi, are you okay?" he asked cautiously.

I watched silently as Al dragged Keira out the back exit like the criminal she was. A wave of emotions overwhelmed me, shock setting in. I didn't know what came over me. I felt like I erupted into a monster all of a sudden. Now I know why people snap; they can only take so much. But I almost killed someone. I tried to kill someone. How could I ever bring peace like this?

Granted Keira was evil. She murdered many of my kind, but I will encounter many more replicas of her in the vampire world; they're filled with the same hatred. If I attacked them all as I did her, I would be no better than them. Worse. I would be one of them.

Taking this into account now, could Dr. Zhan have been wrong? A vengeant vampeen paired with an impatient, withdrawn vampire did not equal tranquility amongst hostility. The opposite would transpire in our actions - amplified war.

"Lexi?" Kellan spoke again softly.

He gently tugged me back towards him. I spun around. Looking into his usual bright green eyes, I saw a flare of surprise, of weariness in them. Staring at his expression of guarded concern, I realized he was leery of me, almost frightened. It slammed the realization into my mind: I really did transform into a monster.

"Are you okay?" he pushed again.

"I'm sorry," I gasped clutching my arms around him, officially ruining his outfit with blood as tears welled in my eyes.

"It's ok Lexi. You didn't do anything wrong," he reasoned.

"But I attacked her."

"You defended yourself. She attacked you first," he argued.

"I... I don't know what came over me. I... I just lost control..." I did my best to retain the water threatening to overflow.

"Listen to me Lexi," Kellan stated firmly pressing my shoulders back so he could look into my eyes. "My heart stopped when you pounced her. I was scared for you. But you took down a two-hundred year old vampire in one blow. She couldn't even defend herself. I've never seen a vampeen overpower a vampire like that. I need to train you more in fighting, but you did a d.a.m.n good job without me. I'm impressed. You should be proud of yourself. I know I am."

"Really?" I blubbered losing the fight to hold back the waterworks.

"Yes, really," he kissed my forehead wiping my tears away simultaneously. The salty tears burned along my cheeks as he swept them away from the new wounds Keira inflicted on my face with her nails.

"Thanks," I muttered. I looked down to see my arms scratched and b.l.o.o.d.y but beginning to scab and heal already. My dress on the other hand was ruined.

"Oh no. My aunt is going to kill me," I whined stepping back to peer down at the ripped lace and frayed bow. There was a long gash across the entire front of the dress baring my thigh below.

"You still look gorgeous. I had to keep myself from pouncing you when I saw you. No one has looked more beautiful than you tonight."

"Thanks, but she's still going to kill me."

"Your shoes are fine," he smiled.

I still heard blaring music behind the closed doors down the hall; buzz still hummed loudly in the background. Looking around the halls, I realized Mike wasn't there.

"Where's Mike?"

"He ran off."

"And you let him?" I pressed baffled.

"I saw his face. He was scared s.h.i.tless when you attacked Keira. He threw the picture at me and took off. Coward," Kellan scoffed with amused disgust.

"I guess I did look pretty scary. I even shocked myself," I acknowledged.

"Scary? No. s.e.xy? Absolutely," he grinned, displaying his dimple and melting my heart in unison. Something about his trademark was irresistible.

"Lexi?" my mother called stepping out into the hall searching for me. "Lexi! What happened?!" she yelled at my side in half a second despite me being a minimum ten yards away.

"I'm fine, Mom. Keira showed up with Mike. I sort of attacked her and Mike ran off," I explained.

"Attacked her? Lexi, you could have been killed!" she freaked.

"No, Sharon, I don't believe she would have been," Al stated strolling casually in the same door he exited.

"What do you mean?" she pressed.

"Sharon is everything okay?" my aunt called rushing over with Beth and my dad when they caught sight of me.

"Lexi, what happened?!" my dad exclaimed. He got down on his knees and began examining me as he did when I got hurt as a child.

"Lexi attacked and single-handedly took down the vampire radical," Al announced.

I grew nervous with the new awed, wide-eyed glares I received from everyone in unison. I began fidgeting with my hands.

"Um, Lexi, why don't I take you to clean up a bit so your parents can talk to Al," Aunt Claire prompted.

I nodded in agreement. Kellan kissed my forehead, "I'll see you in a little bit."

I smiled slightly and followed my aunt back to the lobby where the elevators stood. She pushed the b.u.t.ton as the front desk attendants stared on in horror, no doubt attempting to guess my shaken fate. I didn't even want to guess the terrors sprawled out in their minds.

Once inside the elevator, Aunt Claire pulled me in and squeezed me with all her might. She didn't say anything probably realizing that I needed comfort, rea.s.surance without words in this moment. And I was grateful for that moment.

Chapter 25.

"Well, we can't salvage the dress, but I do have a backup I bought just in case of a blood shed emergency," she smiled encouragingly.

Inside the closet of her suite, Aunt Claire retrieved a red mini-dress. It was a strapless dress that fell mid-thigh on me. The bust was overlaid with matching red lace and ended empire with a coordinating red ribbon lining it, below the ribbon, a layered chiffon type material merely grazed my skin to my hips where it fell into the perfect A-line design.

Luckily Ryan had made an appearance at the party and fixed my hair and make-up. Oddly he didn't ask a single question regarding the event that lead to my disheveled mess of cuts, tears and dress destruction.

Once I was all cleaned up, my wounds healed, revamped to return to the party, I was finally able to return the smile my aunt lovingly projected.

Mike was gone, I'd killed Keira and Al dispensed of her, Jason's jaw dropped over me, Jenny turned green with envy, Mel still loved me as her best friend, my dad was beginning to accept the new me, I was learning to love my previously absent aunt and, best of all, I had a boy no, scratch that a man named Kellan whom, though he lied about Keira, clearly cared about me in a way no one ever had, and I was anxious to return to him now all tidied up.

"Let's go Miss Fierce," Ryan called. "You look like a s.e.xy cougar in this dress. I'm loving it, and I'm guessing everyone else will too."

As I re-entered the party, Mel ran up to me exclaiming, "There you are! I've been looking everywhere for you! You had me scared to death that something happened to you!"

"I'm good. Just a little blood... I mean a drink mishap," I caught myself just in time.

"Well I love the new dress. It's hot!"

"No you did not just pull a Paris! I'm definitely fining you for that one."

"Yea, yea. Put it on my tab." We broke into unified laughter.

Glancing around, I realized no one missed me in the time I was gone. I was thankful for Caleb's presence; Mel certainly would have been aware of my absence sooner had he not been distracting her.

"Lexi, do you mind if I have a word with you?" I was surprised to see Al there requesting my presence.

"I'll meet you on the dance floor in a bit," I told Mel turning back to him. Suddenly nerves flooded my stomach.

"I know Kellan told you about me, and I don't want to take you away from your party, but I would like to talk to you about a position within the ranks of the vamp army. We could use a fierce offense like you, especially with the proper training. And I believe your nasal restraint may be an a.s.set in the position as well. I wanted to mention it now so you can consider your options, but they'll be actively pursuing you soon," he stated.

"What options?"

"This is a full time job, a career that you can't put down on a whim. You must agree to a minimum ten years of service and are bound to serve on any battlefront you are called to in any continent," he answered. "College, a regular life, will not be easy to maintain. I offer you this position because I see you as a great strength. No inexperienced vampeen has ever defeated a vampire in one mighty strike. I was impressed, and that does not come easy with my years on earth."

"Thanks Al. I'll definitely think about it."

"You did good Lexi. You should be proud. All of us are."

I smiled and nodded. I didn't know what else to say. The vamp army, the recruitment only team, wanted me. They saw potential in me I'd yet to acknowledge within myself. This was an honor I didn't want to decline, but I knew it was far greater a commitment than I was able to accept without apprehension, if I could truly at all.

How would this affect me further? I was lucky I didn't lose more than I did with my transformation alone, but a move like this would withdraw me from the human world completely on many occasions. Being submerged as I was currently, I wasn't sure how I could explain frequent absences ongoing, yet it was still an honor, an opportunity I had to consider for the chance alone.

I moved to the dance floor, locating Mel quickly grinding unashamed against Caleb. I began swaying to the music near them and was abruptly pulled against someone. I was startled to turn and see Jason.

"Great party," he yelled over the music; little did he know he didn't need to.

"Thanks," I replied dancing with him. Mel shot me an 'oh my G.o.d' look.

"I like this dress more," he winked placing his hands on my hips.

I just grinned. I bit my tongue against the obscenities rising, begging to be screamed at him. 'You're a pompous, s.e.xist jerk' was one of them. But I wouldn't stoop to his level. I was as pretty as the girls in his league of followers, his social clique of prepsters now, but I didn't want to be compared, a.s.sociated with, or deduced to any of them.