Fortunately, I had managed to have a reasonable level of control over my bloodlust. Both Milo and I had a stronger grasp of that than most vampires, something that seemed to bewilder Ezra and Mae. Our relationship to vampires and as vampires constantly surprised them, and Ezra in particular thought there was something deeper going on than merely my bond with Peter and Jack. “Hmm.” Ezra eyed me over, debating. “I don’t want you to get tired just yet. We’ll have to wait until you’re on the flight. Do you think you can handle being around people that much on an empty stomach?” “I think so,” I nodded, but I wasn’t as certain as I tried to sound. Since I was still so newly turned, blood still had a very strong effect on me. After eating, I’d feel very similar to someone very happily drunk or incredibly high. It felt amazing, but I’d also be very drowsy and out of it, and usually, I’d just pass out and sleep it off for awhile. Eventually, drinking blood should give me more energy instead of knocking me out, but that was awhile off yet. On top of that, I had very little experience being around people. I found myself attracted to Jack’s blood, and that’s fairly common among vampires, especially when they’re in love, but his pulse was significantly weaker than humans. They’re blood smelled stronger and pounded harder and would be far more enticing. I had shown a lot of self-control so far, but in all honesty, I’d had very little temptation. “Good.” Ezra nodded once, then looked at Mae. “Is everything packed then?” “Yes.” She bit her lip when she met his gaze, and she didn’t want him to go anymore than Jack wanted me to go. Whatever we were doing was life threatening to Peter, which meant that it was dangerous to us too. “Well, then.” He smiled wanly at me. “Are you ready to go?” “Yeah,” I nodded again. He put all the papers in the front pocket of his suitcase, then grabbed it and the duffel bag full of the whip cream containers of blood. Up until that point, I think Milo had half-expected Ezra to tell me that I had to stay behind, but when he saw that we were really serious, he balked loudly. “You can’t really be going!” Milo flared with agitation, and Mae put her hand on his back, rubbing it gently to try and ease him down before he went berserk. “This is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard! You’re going to get her killed!”
“Milo, that’s enough,” Mae murmured softly. “But… but…” Milo stammered and turned to her for help. “You know this is stupid!” “Milo.” Ezra cut him off decisively, and Milo’s face crumpled. “Just hug your sister before we go.” He was crying when he hugged me, which didn’t make things easier. His hug was too tight and too insistent, but I didn’t tell him so. He didn’t want me to go, and he didn’t want to be left behind, but there was very little in the way of options. The one time that he had actually met Peter, it hadn’t gone over well, so he wouldn’t be able to do anything to help the cause of rescuing Peter. Mae kissed Ezra passionately with tears in her eyes, and once again asked him if there was anything that could get him to stay. He didn’t say anything, but that was the answer she had expected. Sniffling, she hugged me tightly and made me promise to be safe, to always run at the first sign of trouble, and to call her constantly, whether anything was wrong or not. When we left, she had her arm wrapped around Milo, and they were standing in the entryway, looking terribly forlorn. Inside, I felt like crying too, but I knew that would only make things worse. Jack hadn’t said anything as we left, and he continued his silence on the car ride to the airport. He took Ezra’s Lexus, and Ezra seemed just content with the silence. He was lost in his own thoughts, trying to figure something out. The Minneapolis airport was a bustle of human activity. The cold October air felt good on my skin as we walked from the parking lot to the airport, but everything was already filled with the warm, tantalizing scent of blood. My heart sped up a little, and Jack took my hand, squeezing it tightly to reassure me. Once inside, the feeling only got worse, and I tried to think of sad things, like dead bunnies, to keep my appetite under wraps. Ezra went to the desk to pick up our tickets while Jack stood with me, waiting in the crowd. We were going to have to separate soon, since baggage claims and everything was beyond where Jack would be allowed to go. He was unusually still, but he was doing that for my benefit. I could feel everything he felt, so he was trying to be calm and soothing so I wouldn’t get agitated or hungry. He wanted me to be safe and have a safe flight. “I’m going to have to go soon,” I said, looking up at him sadly.
“I know.” He squeezed my hand again and used all his might to keep his own anxiety and trepidation from effecting me. I was acutely aware of all the crowds around us pausing to stare. Before, when I had been out with Jack in public, it had driven me insane the way everyone was always fawning all over him. Now, I suddenly had the same power, and I wasn’t exactly used to it or comfortable with it. It was incredibly odd having a private moment in front of an audience. Jack touched my face gently, his hand warming my cheek, and I leaned into it. Above everything around me, I smelled him so perfectly, and I knew there was nothing in the world I wanted more than him. Leaving, even for a short time, would be more painful than I had originally thought, but I knew it was the only thing I could do. I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t do everything I could to help Peter, and Jack knew that, and he knew that I would hate him if he stopped me and something happened. So despite all his reservations, he was going to let me go without protest. Gently, he pressed his lips against mine, and I could feel his luscious heart beat through my skin. He was careful to keep it soft and very PG, because it would be horrendous if I were to get out of control in a crowded airport. Still, there was nothing sweeter in the world than his kisses, and I couldn’t help but want more. “The planes going to board soon,” Ezra interrupted us, not unkindly. “We need to get through baggage claims and security.” Reluctantly, I pulled myself from Jack. His eyes were completely locked on mine, and my heart started screaming. Apparently, it had just finally dawned on me what I was about to do. Separating myself from Jack to sleep was uncomfortable. Being miles and miles away for I don’t even know how long… that sounded unbearable. “I’ll take good care of her,” Ezra promised when Jack seemed unwilling to let me go. Ezra took my hand in his, partially to help coax me away from Jack and partially so he could keep tabs on me. This was not the most ideal place for a new vampire’s first big outing, and everyone knew that. Jack eventually let go of my hand, and as Ezra carefully guided me through the crowds past the first set of metal
detectors, my eyes never left Jack’s. He just stood in the middle of the airport, staring after me, like some tragic music video, and I wondered what exactly I had gotten myself into. 2 The transformation itself had been so incredibly brutal that the English language isn’t fit to describe it. My body died and ate itself. My organs shifted around, feeling as if my intestines had been replaced with living, moving snakes that squirmed inside of me. I spent hours upon hours vomiting. I was in a constant state of fevered delirium. My body ached on a cellular level. Even touching my hair would cause excruciating pain. It wasn’t until I finally drank blood for the first time, cold from a bag, and I felt it sliding down my throat that everything began to take a turn for the better. The pain subsided and was replaced by pleasure. All my senses were heightened, and I couldn’t believe how glorious everything really was. There were more colors and tastes and textures in the spectrum than I ever imagined. Not to mention the way I felt about Jack. I could feel him when he entered the room, and not like before. My heart always seemed to know exactly how far away he was from me, and it didn’t feel right unless he was with me. The way plants strained for the sun, I strained for him. Whether he was in the room or not, my body would automatically tilt itself towards him, like I was compass and he was due north. It was almost magnetic, my love for him. That kind of indiscernible pull that said I had to be with him. On top of all that, I had changed. My skin was smoother, my hair silkier, my eyes brighter, and I had lost weight on every part of my body except my breasts. While I hadn’t exactly been fat before, there was a new elegance to how I looked that hadn’t been there before. The change wasn’t as drastic as it had been with Milo, more like I had simply gone through some kind of make over, but I definitely looked better. And I had shot up from 5’3” to a whopping 5’5” feet tall. Once I was fully conscious, fed, and the pain had gone away, I wanted to fill in the missing gap. The last thing I remembered before surrendering into the transformation was that I had just drank Jack’s blood, and he was basically about to commit suicide in a battle with Peter, over me. Then I passed out, and I heard the sound of all hell breaking loose. But here we were, in Jack’s room, with him by my side, and we both seemed alright.