Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Crystal ❯ Chapter 31
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: Silly1 
Miscellaneous: Original Stories Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Supernatural / Romance / Mystery / Horror / Drama | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 12.24.2010 | Pages: 2 | Words: 2.4K | Visits: 218 | Status: Work In Progress
Miscellaneous: Original Stories Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Supernatural / Romance / Mystery / Horror / Drama | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 12.24.2010 | Pages: 2 | Words: 2.4K | Visits: 218 | Status: Work In Progress
Crystal, Chapter 31:
Dinner was a celebration of our life up to this point, and a personal trial for me. I watched Johnny take a few bites of ice-cream for dessert. So did Paul, his eyes wide. My mother expected me to enjoy the treat, too, as a last hurrah while I was still human enough to want it. Johnny’s performance was a message to me, as well. I could do this.
I couldn’t. I felt sweat gather on my forehead as the ice-cream melted in the bowl in front of me. My stomach churned, but I gave my mother a faint smile and dipped my spoon into the sticky mess, then brought it slowly up to my lips. I gagged. “I’m sorry, excuse me,” I mumbled, dropping the spoon. I ran out of the kitchen for the bathroom and dry-heaved until I no longer felt the urge. I leaned, shaking, against the sink, and ignored the knock on the bathroom door until the handle turned. Johnny poked his head inside. “It was locked for a reason,” I said mildly, too tired to even be irritated.
“How do you feel?” he asked, bringing his whole body into the bathroom and locking the door again behind him.
“Sick.” I sat back down on the toilet seat and put my head in my hands. “I can’t--is my mother upset?”
Johnny grinned and shrugged. “She’d be more upset if you went for her throat during the meal,” he commented. “I think she’ll get over it.”
Went for her throat? I glanced at Johnny, puzzled.
“What do you want right now?” he asked me, arms folded across his chest, waiting for me to figure something out.
“Blood,” I said immediately. Then I realized. “You think Grandfather’s blood is wearing off?”
He nodded. “It’s almost the Equinox. Your body is nearly the same as mine now. His blood must be just about gone from your system. You either have to take in more blood—a lot more—or go under the water. Think you can make it one more day?”
As soon as Johnny started talking about blood I felt a pounding begin behind my ears. I still felt sweaty and shaky, like I had felt when Johnny had taken so much blood from me in Scotland. It was going to get worse before it got better. “Can we get blood?” I asked, thinking that might hold me over.
“Who would you suggest?” Johnny raised his eyebrows. “Your mother? Kenny? The boys? Family blood is going to be the strongest. Oh,” he snapped his fingers. “I know. How about Paul? He’s always good for a few pints.” He stuck his head back out of the bathroom door. “PAUL!” he shouted down the hallway.
I didn’t want to look in case my parents were still sitting, frozen in shock, at the kitchen table. They had to have guessed why Johnny was yelling for Paul. A few seconds later, not only Paul, but also Kenny showed up. “Is she all right?” Kenny asked, pushing his way into the bathroom. With the four of us crowded in there, there was no room to stand, let alone move. I stepped into the empty bathtub.
“No,” said Johnny succinctly.
Paul rolled up his sleeve, and sat on the edge of the tub. “Take what you need,” he said. “Blood of my blood.”
“Johnny, don’t let me take too much,” I said, remembering the first time this level of need had hit me. Paul had offered then, too, and I nearly killed him. He said I wouldn’t have, because we had made the blood promise, but I wasn’t too sure. I still wasn’t sure how much control I would have.
“He won’t,” Kenny promised, kneeling beside Paul. “I’m here, too. We’ll take care of you, honey.”
“Me first.” Johnny elbowed both men aside and climbed into the bathtub with me. He settled me on his lap with my head resting on his chest, and put his wrist to my mouth. Johnny’s blood was the best, next to Grandfather’s. I sighed as I bit down, and decided to trust them all not to let me lose control.
Too soon Johnny pulled his arm away, although he still held me in his lap like a baby. I whimpered from the loss, but before I could protest, Paul gave me his wrist, and again the blood flowed sweetly down my throat. I tried to lean forward, to get a better grip, but Johnny’s arms tightened around me. “Enough,” he said, when it wasn’t nearly enough yet. But Paul pulled away, and I ripped his wrist a little trying to hold on. Paul winced, and grabbed his injured wrist with the good one.
Kenny slid into Paul’s spot, and again I drank sweet blood, unmistakably family. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Johnny motion to Paul, who gave Johnny his torn wrist. Johnny tasted, briefly, and Paul’s wrist healed, fading to a slight redness. Good, I thought. Thank you, Johnny.
The craving, which I hadn’t even realized I had until Johnny named it for me, settled down to a bearable ache. I pushed against his arms again, and this time he let me up. “I’m okay,” I said. All three of them smiled with relief. “Mom must be freaking.”
“I’m not freaking,” came a muffled voice from the outside of the door.
Oh, damn! How much had she heard? I scrambled out of the tub and squeezed past Paul and Kenny so I could open the door. My mom stood there, blessedly alone. I heard sounds from the television in the other room. She must have put on a video for the kids. “I’m okay, Mom,” I said weakly. “I just got—sick—from the ice-cream. I guess my stomach’s not used to regular food anymore.”
“Uh-huh.” My mother wasn’t stupid. She knew I drank blood. She knew what I was going to become tomorrow night, and she now guessed that I was nearly all the way there. I hadn’t wanted to scare her with how strong my cravings had become, and how out of control I could be. “Do you need more blood?”
She knew. She had as long a history with Johnny as I had. I owed her my honesty, at least. “No, I’m all right now,” I said. “It’s just that the need for blood gets stronger the longer I stay away from the water. I’ll be all right for a little while.” I glanced back at the three men in the doorway. “They took good care of me.”
“And we always will,” said Kenny firmly. He put his arm around my mother’s waist, and Johnny put his around me. Paul stood awkwardly to the side.
“Crystal!” Kevin jumped up when we walked back into the living room. “Do you want some of my blood?”
I wasn’t fooling anybody. Smiling, I shook my head. “I have enough,” I told him. “I’m full now.” I bounced down on the couch next to him, tickling him and Ian, who had to get in the middle of the action. For once, I was the center of attention, and not the boys.
Paul tapped Johnny to follow him outside. They both left quietly, while my parents went back into the kitchen to clear away the supper dishes. I really ought to have helped, but just the thought of the food smell made me ill. I stayed and watched TV with my little brothers, with half an ear tuned to the other room. Maybe it was my developing vampire skills, but I was able to pick up bits and pieces of Paul and Johnny’s conversation.
What’s your problem?
No problem.
Yes, there is a problem. Every time I get near Crystal you act like a—
Like a what?
Like you think I would take her from you, like you think I could take her from you.
Johnny laughed. That will never happen.
You’re right. It won’t ever happen, so stop acting like it will. I only want to help.
Their conversation faded, or maybe they moved farther away as they realized their voices had been getting louder and louder. Darn. Gently, I moved Ian off my lap and set him in my spot. He and Kevin were again glued to the TV screen, and they barely noticed when I left. I crept down the hall, trying to be stealthy, but Johnny and Paul were so involved in their own argument that they never even saw me.
Why don’t you just kill me now if that’s the way you feel!
All right.
I ran. Johnny had sounded far too eager, and Paul was beyond caring what he said. I gasped when I reached them. Paul lay on the ground, bleeding from several places on his arms and neck. Johnny stood a few feet away, glaring and panting heavily. God help me, I felt a burning desire for Paul’s blood as soon as I saw it. Johnny had deliberately left the wounds unhealed.
“He asked,” Johnny said before I could say anything. “But I didn’t kill him.”
“I see,” I said dryly, kneeling down beside Paul. I fought the urge to drink from the open wound on his throat. “But I think it was a figure of speech.”
“I know that.” Johnny knelt down too. “We’re good now.”
I just looked at him. He grinned, then went to seal each cut he had made. He ripped his own wrist, and held it to Paul’s lips for just a moment. “Blood of my blood,” Johnny murmured, even though Paul couldn’t hear him. I sighed. Johnny was right. They were good now. I only hoped Paul would see it that way, too.
Paul sat up groggily and rubbed his head. “What happened?” he asked.
“Johnny.”
“Ah.” Enough said. Paul pushed to his feet. “Are we clear?” he asked Johnny.
“We are,” Johnny said. “Blood of my blood.” He said that last part in the old language.
“Friends?”
“Sure, why not?” It was as close to an apology as Johnny was going to make. Paul took it.
Paul knelt down. “Blood of my blood,” he repeated solemnly, looking straight at Johnny. Paul had always been mine, and Johnny had claimed him as his the day he had attacked him for trying to kidnap my brothers. Even though Paul had said the words before to Johnny, I don’t think he really meant them until just this minute. What was it about Johnny that had people falling all over him only after he just about killed them?
“Good.” Kenny stepped out from the side of the house where he had been listening shamelessly. “If we’re all friends now, how about going fishing for a couple of hours?”
I never did get what was so attractive about sitting in a rowboat on an absolutely still lake for hours on end waiting for fish to bite. And then, when they did bite, they got thrown back in anyway! What was the point? “I think I’ll go visit Ellie,” I said.
Immediately, Johnny came to me. “Are you sure you’re up to it?” he asked.
“I feel fine,” I said. I hadn’t attacked Paul, had I? I should be able to handle a few hours without needing more blood. “You boys go do your bonding thing or whatever.”
“Bonding thing?” Kenny was mock-insulted. “There’s no ‘bonding thing.’ There’s just fishing. No talk. Fishing.”
“O—kay. Just fishing. I’m going to call Ellie now.” I gave Johnny a quick kiss on the cheek to reassure him that I really was all right. I knew that after tomorrow night, nothing major would change. I would still be able to see Ellie, I’d still take my senior courses and hopefully graduate with my class in June. But, in some ways, it was the last night of my human life, and I felt the urge to do human things one last time, just in case. “Go—go!” I said, shooing Johnny away. “I’m fine.”
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Dinner was a celebration of our life up to this point, and a personal trial for me. I watched Johnny take a few bites of ice-cream for dessert. So did Paul, his eyes wide. My mother expected me to enjoy the treat, too, as a last hurrah while I was still human enough to want it. Johnny’s performance was a message to me, as well. I could do this.
I couldn’t. I felt sweat gather on my forehead as the ice-cream melted in the bowl in front of me. My stomach churned, but I gave my mother a faint smile and dipped my spoon into the sticky mess, then brought it slowly up to my lips. I gagged. “I’m sorry, excuse me,” I mumbled, dropping the spoon. I ran out of the kitchen for the bathroom and dry-heaved until I no longer felt the urge. I leaned, shaking, against the sink, and ignored the knock on the bathroom door until the handle turned. Johnny poked his head inside. “It was locked for a reason,” I said mildly, too tired to even be irritated.
“How do you feel?” he asked, bringing his whole body into the bathroom and locking the door again behind him.
“Sick.” I sat back down on the toilet seat and put my head in my hands. “I can’t--is my mother upset?”
Johnny grinned and shrugged. “She’d be more upset if you went for her throat during the meal,” he commented. “I think she’ll get over it.”
Went for her throat? I glanced at Johnny, puzzled.
“What do you want right now?” he asked me, arms folded across his chest, waiting for me to figure something out.
“Blood,” I said immediately. Then I realized. “You think Grandfather’s blood is wearing off?”
He nodded. “It’s almost the Equinox. Your body is nearly the same as mine now. His blood must be just about gone from your system. You either have to take in more blood—a lot more—or go under the water. Think you can make it one more day?”
As soon as Johnny started talking about blood I felt a pounding begin behind my ears. I still felt sweaty and shaky, like I had felt when Johnny had taken so much blood from me in Scotland. It was going to get worse before it got better. “Can we get blood?” I asked, thinking that might hold me over.
“Who would you suggest?” Johnny raised his eyebrows. “Your mother? Kenny? The boys? Family blood is going to be the strongest. Oh,” he snapped his fingers. “I know. How about Paul? He’s always good for a few pints.” He stuck his head back out of the bathroom door. “PAUL!” he shouted down the hallway.
I didn’t want to look in case my parents were still sitting, frozen in shock, at the kitchen table. They had to have guessed why Johnny was yelling for Paul. A few seconds later, not only Paul, but also Kenny showed up. “Is she all right?” Kenny asked, pushing his way into the bathroom. With the four of us crowded in there, there was no room to stand, let alone move. I stepped into the empty bathtub.
“No,” said Johnny succinctly.
Paul rolled up his sleeve, and sat on the edge of the tub. “Take what you need,” he said. “Blood of my blood.”
“Johnny, don’t let me take too much,” I said, remembering the first time this level of need had hit me. Paul had offered then, too, and I nearly killed him. He said I wouldn’t have, because we had made the blood promise, but I wasn’t too sure. I still wasn’t sure how much control I would have.
“He won’t,” Kenny promised, kneeling beside Paul. “I’m here, too. We’ll take care of you, honey.”
“Me first.” Johnny elbowed both men aside and climbed into the bathtub with me. He settled me on his lap with my head resting on his chest, and put his wrist to my mouth. Johnny’s blood was the best, next to Grandfather’s. I sighed as I bit down, and decided to trust them all not to let me lose control.
Too soon Johnny pulled his arm away, although he still held me in his lap like a baby. I whimpered from the loss, but before I could protest, Paul gave me his wrist, and again the blood flowed sweetly down my throat. I tried to lean forward, to get a better grip, but Johnny’s arms tightened around me. “Enough,” he said, when it wasn’t nearly enough yet. But Paul pulled away, and I ripped his wrist a little trying to hold on. Paul winced, and grabbed his injured wrist with the good one.
Kenny slid into Paul’s spot, and again I drank sweet blood, unmistakably family. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Johnny motion to Paul, who gave Johnny his torn wrist. Johnny tasted, briefly, and Paul’s wrist healed, fading to a slight redness. Good, I thought. Thank you, Johnny.
The craving, which I hadn’t even realized I had until Johnny named it for me, settled down to a bearable ache. I pushed against his arms again, and this time he let me up. “I’m okay,” I said. All three of them smiled with relief. “Mom must be freaking.”
“I’m not freaking,” came a muffled voice from the outside of the door.
Oh, damn! How much had she heard? I scrambled out of the tub and squeezed past Paul and Kenny so I could open the door. My mom stood there, blessedly alone. I heard sounds from the television in the other room. She must have put on a video for the kids. “I’m okay, Mom,” I said weakly. “I just got—sick—from the ice-cream. I guess my stomach’s not used to regular food anymore.”
“Uh-huh.” My mother wasn’t stupid. She knew I drank blood. She knew what I was going to become tomorrow night, and she now guessed that I was nearly all the way there. I hadn’t wanted to scare her with how strong my cravings had become, and how out of control I could be. “Do you need more blood?”
She knew. She had as long a history with Johnny as I had. I owed her my honesty, at least. “No, I’m all right now,” I said. “It’s just that the need for blood gets stronger the longer I stay away from the water. I’ll be all right for a little while.” I glanced back at the three men in the doorway. “They took good care of me.”
“And we always will,” said Kenny firmly. He put his arm around my mother’s waist, and Johnny put his around me. Paul stood awkwardly to the side.
“Crystal!” Kevin jumped up when we walked back into the living room. “Do you want some of my blood?”
I wasn’t fooling anybody. Smiling, I shook my head. “I have enough,” I told him. “I’m full now.” I bounced down on the couch next to him, tickling him and Ian, who had to get in the middle of the action. For once, I was the center of attention, and not the boys.
Paul tapped Johnny to follow him outside. They both left quietly, while my parents went back into the kitchen to clear away the supper dishes. I really ought to have helped, but just the thought of the food smell made me ill. I stayed and watched TV with my little brothers, with half an ear tuned to the other room. Maybe it was my developing vampire skills, but I was able to pick up bits and pieces of Paul and Johnny’s conversation.
What’s your problem?
No problem.
Yes, there is a problem. Every time I get near Crystal you act like a—
Like a what?
Like you think I would take her from you, like you think I could take her from you.
Johnny laughed. That will never happen.
You’re right. It won’t ever happen, so stop acting like it will. I only want to help.
Their conversation faded, or maybe they moved farther away as they realized their voices had been getting louder and louder. Darn. Gently, I moved Ian off my lap and set him in my spot. He and Kevin were again glued to the TV screen, and they barely noticed when I left. I crept down the hall, trying to be stealthy, but Johnny and Paul were so involved in their own argument that they never even saw me.
Why don’t you just kill me now if that’s the way you feel!
All right.
I ran. Johnny had sounded far too eager, and Paul was beyond caring what he said. I gasped when I reached them. Paul lay on the ground, bleeding from several places on his arms and neck. Johnny stood a few feet away, glaring and panting heavily. God help me, I felt a burning desire for Paul’s blood as soon as I saw it. Johnny had deliberately left the wounds unhealed.
“He asked,” Johnny said before I could say anything. “But I didn’t kill him.”
“I see,” I said dryly, kneeling down beside Paul. I fought the urge to drink from the open wound on his throat. “But I think it was a figure of speech.”
“I know that.” Johnny knelt down too. “We’re good now.”
I just looked at him. He grinned, then went to seal each cut he had made. He ripped his own wrist, and held it to Paul’s lips for just a moment. “Blood of my blood,” Johnny murmured, even though Paul couldn’t hear him. I sighed. Johnny was right. They were good now. I only hoped Paul would see it that way, too.
Paul sat up groggily and rubbed his head. “What happened?” he asked.
“Johnny.”
“Ah.” Enough said. Paul pushed to his feet. “Are we clear?” he asked Johnny.
“We are,” Johnny said. “Blood of my blood.” He said that last part in the old language.
“Friends?”
“Sure, why not?” It was as close to an apology as Johnny was going to make. Paul took it.
Paul knelt down. “Blood of my blood,” he repeated solemnly, looking straight at Johnny. Paul had always been mine, and Johnny had claimed him as his the day he had attacked him for trying to kidnap my brothers. Even though Paul had said the words before to Johnny, I don’t think he really meant them until just this minute. What was it about Johnny that had people falling all over him only after he just about killed them?
“Good.” Kenny stepped out from the side of the house where he had been listening shamelessly. “If we’re all friends now, how about going fishing for a couple of hours?”
I never did get what was so attractive about sitting in a rowboat on an absolutely still lake for hours on end waiting for fish to bite. And then, when they did bite, they got thrown back in anyway! What was the point? “I think I’ll go visit Ellie,” I said.
Immediately, Johnny came to me. “Are you sure you’re up to it?” he asked.
“I feel fine,” I said. I hadn’t attacked Paul, had I? I should be able to handle a few hours without needing more blood. “You boys go do your bonding thing or whatever.”
“Bonding thing?” Kenny was mock-insulted. “There’s no ‘bonding thing.’ There’s just fishing. No talk. Fishing.”
“O—kay. Just fishing. I’m going to call Ellie now.” I gave Johnny a quick kiss on the cheek to reassure him that I really was all right. I knew that after tomorrow night, nothing major would change. I would still be able to see Ellie, I’d still take my senior courses and hopefully graduate with my class in June. But, in some ways, it was the last night of my human life, and I felt the urge to do human things one last time, just in case. “Go—go!” I said, shooing Johnny away. “I’m fine.”
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