The Feed of the Fledgling

 

My back slammed into the wall, knocking the breath out of me. I’d been running for my life for the past 40 minutes. The only respite came from when either Nek or Tory ran out of bullets and had to reload.

I struggled to get my breath back, almost fumbling all the way to the ground. In the last 10 minutes, targets started springing from the ground at neck break speeds. I’d been trying to dodge every shot and lost sight of the ground, so I didn’t see the last one. It shot up and knocked me into one of the obstacles, luckily.

The time was still weirdly slowed down, but the longer the onslaught went on, the more the world seemed to speed back up to normal. I could tell I couldn’t go on much longer.

Hands on my knees and sucking up air, I heard a high pitch whirl and began to sprint. Everytime I stayed still for too long behind a pillar, turrets from well above would target me. So far, that had been the worst thing to happen and I’d found out early on.

Around 5 minutes in, I thought I could wait it out because I doubted the two would try to walk through the course when they could end up accidentally hitting each other in the crossfire. My plan had worked for a whole 10 seconds before the first turret destroyed the pillar with a high caliber shot. I didn’t want to experience that again.

Tory had reloaded and was firing to one side of me, Nek shooting the other. I bent down putting as much force as I could into my hips and dove to the next pillar.

SHNK!

I landed on my back and saw the gaping hole in the old obstacle where my head was. I got up and dashed to the corner.

At the start, everything felt easy. My instincts were overloading my ability to think. Whatever power I had was saving me. The bullets looked like they were flowing with the air. The whole thing reminded me of the Flash or something. That changed as it went on.

At 10 minutes nothing was quite as slow. At 20, things sped up. At 30, it happened again. Now, everything was almost normal.

I could feel my lungs burning.The side of my stomach started flaring in pain. I glanced down to see if I’d been shot. Fear coursed through me. Looking away was highly detrimental.

I couldn’t see the rope spin towards me at the top. It flung right into my neck, choking the air out of me. My feet kept moving forward, but my head didn’t. I wheezed out of shock, then tumbled down into a heap.

My head knocked into the solid ground, cracking the cement into a small crater. Sweat poured off of me. I closed my eyes.

Pain.

It erupted everywhere.

My eyes shot open. Two icy blue streaks shot into my forehead then bounced off. I screamed out as everything went silent.

“Not bad,” Tory’s voice shook me from my pain riddled sleep. I rolled over, yelping at all the stinging on my left side, then relaxed back onto the floor. I could hear two sets of footsteps approaching me.

“Quite impressive to see a Turned last that long,” Nek this time. I felt a tube on my lips. The smell of blood invaded my senses and I slurped everything down. Instantly, the pain was swept away by pure bliss.

“No really Belle, you did great!” Tory was sitting me up as I drank. Their voices meant little to me. I didn’t notice I was done until the bag began to inflate with my slow breaths.

I opened my eyes to Tory kneeling down next to me and Nek standing with the gun over his shoulder.

“I–” a breath shuddered out of me, “I–I never want to do that again.”

A booming laugh echoed around the space. “Sorry kid, but that’s what training is about,” Nek said through his laugh. “Just wait until we get to one on one combat,” a sick smile coated his face, “that’s when I really have fun.”

My face reacted before I could even think, disgust filled my expression.

“Hey,” Tory rubbed my back softly, “don’t worry about him. Almost anyone who needs to train goes through him and he’s always a hard ass.” She glared at Nek.

“Results override my desire to coddle any of you bastards.” He spat on the ground next to Tory. “Good shootin’, now get the fuck out of here while I reset the course. Next time,” he turned to me, “come alone. We need some time to really have fun.” His eyes were almost manic.

A shiver ran down my spine. I wanted to leave.

“Come on Belle.” Tory helped me up and we both walked out. I swear I could almost feel a familiar feeling of ice on my neck as we left.

 

***

 

We made a quick stop at the changing rooms for Tory to change back into regular street clothes. Lucky for me, the rubber bullets didn’t do any real damage to me.

So grateful that they left that part out until after I got shot!

My sarcastic quip felt good in my head especially as I perfected my death stare towards Tory.

“Oh lighten up, sour puss.” She finished putting on her sweater. “I was gonna get you ice cream on the way back, but I won’t if you keep staring at me like you’re gonna rip my throat out.”

I sighed and my face slightly relaxed. “I just don’t understand. One minute we’re super chill, then the next you’re all scary and it seems like you hate me.” I frowned. “Can’t there just be some normalcy?”

She paused as she put on her shoes. “Look Belle,” she scooted towards me and shifted my body to look at her, “this life isn’t all roses and good times. Sometimes it’s pure hell.” She looked down, saddened. “It can have its ups and downs like any normal human life, but the downs are so much worse than you could imagine.” I went to speak but she put a finger up to silence me. “I know. You’ve experienced some shitty situations already. But unfortunately, there’s likely worse times ahead.” 

I stared at her trying to process it. I knew things might get worse before they got better, but I felt like everything was slightly becoming routine at least. Well, however routine drinking blood to live can get.

“I physically can’t tell you some of it, but,” she paused, tearing up, “a lot of what Chels and other vamps do, especially Pures, is normal to them. They’re cruel caricatures of human evil in a way. I’ve been alive a lot longer than you and neither of us are Chels’ first Turned. Think about the way she talks about it. What do the two of us have in common?” She looked at me, almost pleading.

My eyes shot open in surprise. The blood bond.

She could tell I found the answer and continued. “We’re slightly special in a way. That leads people to notice you more. Nek, being one of them. There’s a certain way we’re expected to act, be, and exist. The stronger we are, the more we can be controlled.” Her big eyes gave way to clear pain. “Try to just fit in and you can be ignored again ok? Just try.”

I could tell she wanted to say more but something was preventing her. It looked like even dancing around her points still hurt her. I slowly nodded.

“Ok, good. I hope all that made sense.” She plastered a smile on her face, then finished dressing. I didn’t say anything else until we got to the car.

 

***

 

The door shut behind me, as the driver went to get in. I tried to ignore the stress from the threat of the blood bond and abilities that I already knew was there, but that Tory had just amplified.

I breathed out in exasperation.

“Ok, where to now? You mentioned ice cream?” I asked.

“Oh yeah! Chels mentioned this place that served some ‘special’ ice cream,” she winked, “that you two went to before. So I figured, why not go back?”

My stress levels went up again. Hazel. She worked there.

“Um, um, su–sure. Didn’t want to go somewhere new?” I hoped she would take the hint without having me explain.

Her eyes narrowed. “Well now that I know something went down there, now I definitely want to go,” she smiled and laughed.

The car started to move.

“Don’t worry honey, I won’t try to weasel any secret out of you,” she giggled, “I just want some ice cream!” She waved her hands in a big gesture as if it was something amazing.

I looked down in shame and just resigned myself to seeing Hazel again.

 

***

 

The bell rang as we walked in. I looked hastily toward the counter. There she was. Hazel. Unlike last time, she couldn’t still her face quick enough. A look of pure annoyance took it over. It felt like a bowling ball had settled in my gut after seeing that.

Tory looked between us rapidly, then a soft smile settled on her face before she pushed me forward.

“H–Hi there, cookiedoughplease.” The words fell out of my mouth.

“Ok, cone or bowl?” Hazel looked like she could care less.

“Bowl,” I continued to try and look anywhere but at her.

“Don’t forget the special topping!” Tory could see I was fumbling and took over. Hazel looked just as annoyed to see her. “I’ll have vanilla in a bowl, please.” Tory finished with her order, fished out a card, then paid with the other worker.

“What are you and her doing here?” Hazel hissed, as she made the orders.

I kinda just stared at her in shock. I didn’t think she would acknowledge me let alone talk to me after our spat over the phone.

“Sorry, it was Tory’s idea,” I whispered back.

“Well ever since you left and we had that argument, there’s been three Hudsons following me. Know anything about that miss princess?” My face paled. I remembered Chelsea’s disgust towards smelling a James’ in this place.

“They haven’t done anything to you have they?”

“No, not–Here you are.” She handed me a cone then reached out to hand the bowl over to Tory who just appeared at my side.

“Thank you!” Tory said happily. Tory leaned down into my ear, “You can continue talking to her, but for the love of anything, don’t tell me a word.” She turned her back, “I’m gonna go find us a seat, then go to the bathroom. Be right back, Belle.”

She moved quickly then was in the bathroom.

“What the hell was that?” Hazel just stared at me.

“Um, I think she’s fine? I don’t know. She said to continue talking to you and that I shouldn’t tell her anything we talk about.” I was a little rattled and just explained it to her.

Hazel looked toward the bathroom and a peculiar response rested on her, respect. “Well, I didn’t think the attack dog of ol’ C Hudson would be fine with me.”

“Attack dog?”

She looked at me confused as if I’d asked a stupid question. “What? You don’t know anything about her? She’s like the best known killer for the Hudson leader. Her nickname is ‘Pink Fang.’ She looks like a valley girl popped up in the northeast, but will rip anyones throat out if C sics her on them.”

“What?” I was shocked. I felt a knot turn in my stomach.

“Nevermind that. As much as I’m annoyed at you,” her glare didn’t drop but she did look less angry, “I do want to apologize about asking you to do a covert mission when you’re a vampire infant.”

Her apology was unexpected. I just stared at her. “Really? I thought you’d hate me. I wasn’t exactly in the right either.” I shuffled my feet around and looked down.

“Good enough apology. I accept.” She smiled this time and stuck her hand out. “Bygones?”

I just stared at it. Distrust gnawed at the back of me. I pushed it down and shook the hand of my closest and oldest friend.

“Bygones.”

“Cool. Look, we’ve known each other before all this for long enough that we need each other. I mean need in the sense that I miss you and some connection to my old life. This new one just feels like I use everyone around me.” This time she looked disappointed and it was certainly in herself more than anything. “I just miss you and I want to actually get to know this you, rather than some half projected image. Deal?”

I smiled. Having even a sense of the old normalcy of my life was too good to pass up. “Deal. But you should know, I’m not really allowed to leave the house without permission since our last meetup.” I smiled sheepishly.

“I counted on that. Every vamp usually wants to feed on a living human at least like once a week, it varies. So I doubt big C is gonna restrict you to the bags and being indoors forever. I assume she’s already taken you on a hunt before?”

I nodded, remembering that night and the fear caused me to shudder. The near murder it had been.

“Well, from that look, I’m gonna assume it went about as normal. Almost murder someone?”

I felt like I was gonna cry, but slowly nodded.

“Hey,” she said softly, “it happens, but you didn’t and that’s all that matters. Usually after a close call, the vamps will take it easier on you, but you’ll likely feel an urge to hunt soon. When you do your second hunt, they leave you on the outside for a bit to make sure you can get home normally after a blood high. So when she leaves, I’ll wait for you and walk you back most of the way. That way we can talk a bit more and in less of a hostile situation. Sound good?”

“What about the people following you? And what if she sees you? We’ll probably be in Hudson territory?”

“Don’t worry about that. I have a plan.” Her toothy grin was beautiful. It caused her glasses and hair to fall slightly out of place. And she took a moment to put them back.

Wow, she's so gorgeous.

I felt my heart rate increase slightly to a slow human speed.

“Ok, sounds fine then. I’ll see you then!”

“Sweet!”

“Wait, one more question.” She turned back around to me. I paused for a second just to take her in. “Why do you have glasses? You weren’t wearing them the first time I saw you.”

She laughed. “You’re so perceptive.” She took them off and waved them a little bit. “Human disguise.”

“What are you? Clark Kent?” I chuckled at my own joke.

“I have no idea what you mean Lois?” She smiled back.

My body felt warm for the first time in a long time. Hopefully, Hazel and I could become as close as we used to, even if its been a long time. I felt my face fall slightly.

“We’re good. It’ll be good,” I said more to myself than anyone.

She just nodded her head then pointed towards Tory, who’d clearly gotten bored waiting in the restroom.

I made a slow walk towards her to join back with her.

“All done?”

I nodded happily.

“Good, let's finish these, get some perfume on and head out. Chels might go stir crazy if she’s back before we’re home.”

We both dug into our ice creams.