Okay, guys. Here it is. I really need your opinion on it. Does it seem too plain without Damian in there? I mean of course the story is going to many more places, but I need to know how you feel about it. Thanks so much!
Jessica
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Nothing has ever been normal for me. Not in the general term of the word, anyway. My name is Amelia Knight. I spent all of my school days keeping secrets and telling lies. I never allow anyone to get too close to my heart, yet I long with every bone in my body to be allowed to just be a regular teenage girl. I am a born vampire and that has made growing up especially hard for me. I am always moving and never given permission to keep in touch with the few friends that I did find. It's not that I don't appreciate my close-knit coven; I can always count on them. They have always had my back and made sure I avoided trouble. Though part of keeping me safe meant not letting me communicate with any humans unless it was deemed necessary. I have since graduated, and have no excuse to put myself around humans.
I was riding in the very back of the beaten up red van that Malacai had chosen to move us in. Malacai acted as the leader of the coven because he was the oldest and wisest of all five of us. He almost acted as our father, but knew if it came down to something important, the rest of us wouldn't care what he had to say. He might be our Elder, but he knew not to push any buttons.
“Amelia,” Malacai said in a pleading voice. “You’re going to love the new place! It’s secluded, with woods everywhere! It’s perfect for us. No shortage of food, that’s for sure.”
“I know, Cai! I’m just sick of moving every six months. Will we ever find a permanent home? I mean, how many times do I have to give up the people I’ve finally begun to trust?” I never understood the hatred he had for humans, but he was old and set in his ways.
Malacai glared at me through the rear-view mirror. “Trust. Trust? You must be joking, because even at your young age, you surely know better.”
“Must we go through this again, Malacai?” Cheyenne said, sharply.
Cheyenne is another member of the “Knight” Coven. I consider her my sister and best friend. She has been showing me the ropes in surviving such a cruel world as far back as I can remember. I've never asked her age, but from the way she talks sometimes, she has to be getting up there.
“Not everyone hates humans as much as you do. Some of us still have some sense of compassion left,” she continued.
“I would really appreciate it if we could all enjoy the rest of this ride in peace. I’m tired of going through this same argument every single day,” I snapped as I continued to watch the trees and mountains flow past as we continued on our way. It was amazing how many times the subject of humans could come up, and how many huge arguments it eventually caused.
After what seemed like days, I was suddenly aware of the van slowing and finally coming to a stop. I looked around and saw that Anna and Joel, the last two members of the Knight Coven, were asleep on the seat in front of me. I slipped quietly by them and followed Cheyenne out of the vehicle.
As soon as I stepped out, I saw it. The most exquisite home I had ever seen. It was three levels high and completely white. “This can’t be the place!” I exclaimed as I gawked, in complete awe of the house. The windows were trimmed in midnight blue shutters with a matching front door. It had an amazingly large porch and gorgeous Japanese Cherry Blossoms covered the massive yard.
“I knew you'd love it,” Malacai responded with a satisfied smirk on his face.
I was at a loss for words. Malacai had never chosen such a beautiful home before because we never stayed in one place for very long. I could only wonder what Malacai was up to. I interlocked my fingers with Cheyenne’s and we walked excitedly up the driveway.
“Can you believe this, Chey? What do you think this is all about?” I whispered as I tried to read the expression on Malacai's face.
“I'm not sure, but I know it's got to be something. Maybe he’s finally found a place where we won’t have to leave,” Cheyenne replied in a hopeful tone.
Cheyenne was absolutely gorgeous; she had to be the most elegant woman I have ever met. She wore her hair in long, silky braids, and she was very curvy. Her skin was the shade of honey, and she was very confident. That was part of what made her so amazing. She walked with her head high, and never let anyone bring her down.
“You just gonna stand out here all night? Let me show you the rest of the house!” Malacai said, as he ran excitedly up the steps.
Cheyenne and I waited while Anna and Joel finally stepped out of the van. They both looked half dazed and irritated as I watched them in the moonlight.
Anna and Joel were as different as day and night, but somehow they had ended up together. Anna was very uptight, and always acting as the “mother” of the group. She tried to make sure that no one attempted to make friends or alliances outside of our coven. Joel, on the other end of the spectrum, had at least a few friends in almost every state. Some were human, others were witches. He also associated with a couple of werewolves and various covens of vampires. Somehow, the two of them had managed to look past each others differences and they had fallen madly in love. I didn’t even attempt to understand them.
Joel put his arm around Anna and we began to walk into our new home. When I walked in the front door, I was again amazed by the beauty of the house. It was fully furnished already, the ceiling was vaulted high above my head, and the view out of the back window showed the inviting forest that grew unimaginably tall behind the house. Inside the house were as many awe-inspiring things as outside. The living-room suit consisted of a couch, love-seat, and a recliner. All were a light shade of tan and held a huge array of pillows. It seemed as if you could just fall into them and keep going.
We all walked in different directions to look through the bottom floor. I continued to find things in front of my eyes that I couldn't believe. I walked into the kitchen, which was brightly lit, and found Cheyenne looking through the empty cabinets.
“I wonder why there's so much cabinet space? We don't need it!” Cheyenne giggled and walked off to explore.
I followed but instead of going into the living-room with Cheyenne, I looked into the study. It was located off of the dining-room which was decorated with a contrast of burgundy and white. The study contained everything from bookcases to computers. It was very spacious and I could already imagine being in this room quite a bit in the near future.
“Okay everybody,” Malacai announced. “Have a seat. We have a lot to discuss.” Everyone rolled their eyes but moved towards the elegant furniture in the living room. Cheyenne and I shared the loveseat and Joel sat with Anna on the couch. Malacai sat in front of us in a large recliner. I realized he probably set the furniture up this way on purpose. He always wanted to be the center of attention.
After we were all comfortably seated, Malacai began his speech that I knew he must have been reciting in his head the whole trip there.
“Okay, I know you are all tired and hungry from the trip, but if you’ll just give me a few minutes, you will not be disappointed,” Malacai began, as the others exchanged confused glances. “I realize that we move more than anyone should ever have to, but when we do, your safety is my main concern. I understand how hard it has been, and I appreciate all of you for sticking by me in these tough decisions. That is why, for the last three months, I have been scanning the country for the perfect place where we can be free and have no reason to leave. I know I kept details small when we made this move, but it was necessary to ensure that we wouldn’t have any problems. To make a long story short, I want to make this our permanent home, as long as you all are happy with it, of course.” Malacai finished with a look of sincerity on his face. For one tense moment we all sat quietly, exchanging quick glances once again.
“We don’t have to move again? You mean we can stay here and live normal lives?” I questioned. I wasn’t sure yet if I could believe the words coming from his mouth.
“Yes, Amelia. I know this has been the hardest on you, being as young as you are. I am truly sorry for all of it, but as I said, I did it all for the safety of our coven; our family.”
“Then, my vote is yes,” I replied. If this meant not ever having to pack another box, and never having to say goodbye to another friend, I was in.
“You haven’t even seen your room yet!” Cheyenne said, laughing.
I simply smiled and said, “As long as I’m with you guys, I’m happy.”
The meeting came to an end, and we all dispersed into our own areas. I think everyone needed time to think everything over. I sat on the well-cushioned sofa staring into the fireplace, trying to ensure that I wasn't dreaming. I was so excited, I didn't know what to do first. I couldn't wait to acquaint myself with the inviting forest, but I also wanted to see my new bedroom. Malacai had stayed behind with me, seeming to be waiting for me to say something. For a moment, I sat staring at him. I had never simply sat back and studied him before.
Malacai happened to be a very attractive man. He was very dark skinned with chocolate eyes, and looked to be around the age of thirty. He was tall and had muscles so big you could see them through his shirt. I always wondered why I had not seen him try to date or even talk to women. I knew he had the personality and looks for it, but I was sure there were some deeper issues going on with my father-figure.
“Are you okay, Amelia? I know this is a lot to take in, but I'm positive you will grow to love it,” Malacai said when he finally caught my eye.
“I'm okay. I'm just so happy that I don't know what to do with myself. I guess I'm trying to take it all in for the moment,” I replied, with a dreamy expression on my face. I stared off into the distance, wondering what I could achieve with my life, now that I didn't have to worry about where we might be going next. “Where are we anyway? All you told us was that we were going further east. I'm assuming we're somewhere near Tennessee.”
“Well, you're close. We're in Virginia and this is a small town called Kinderfeld. We are about fifteen minutes from town if we drive, but this house is pretty much out on its own. That's what I loved about it, the privacy and quiet.” He said, glancing out the window.
“Virginia, huh? Never expected to live in such a small town. I do love it though. I've never been anywhere that felt this right before,” I said. I, too, continued to daydream while looking out of the window. I couldn't have been happier than I was at that moment. I felt that it was where I belonged and I planned on making the best of it.
After a few minutes, Malacai got up and walked into the study. I began to feel rather weak and realized I hadn't eaten in hours. I wondered if anyone else was ready to go hunting yet. I walked up the stairs to the second floor where I found Cheyenne in a rather large room that had an elegant bedroom suit. It consisted of a king size bed, a dresser, and a night stand. It was made from cherry colored wood and seemed to be made specifically for Cheyenne. I saw her lying across the bed reading a book, and I knew Chey was where she wanted to be.
I walked into the room quietly and jumped beside Cheyenne on the bed. “Whatcha doing?” I said, smiling as innocently as I could.
“Jesus, Amelia! You might want to give somebody some notice before you sneak into their room, next time!” Cheyenne replied, as she playfully pushed me away.
“You ready to eat yet? I am, and I want you to come explore with me,” I said as I took Cheyenne's book to read the summary.
“Okay, just give me a minute to tie up my hair and we can go. Meet you downstairs?” Cheyenne asked as she got up to go to her mirror.
“Sounds good, I need to go see what kind of room I have, anyway. See you in a few,” I replied and walked out the door into the hallway.
I didn't have to travel far, because I saw a small white piece of paper taped to a door down the hall that simply read, “Amelia.” I snatched the paper down and turned the knob. As soon as I walked into the room I fell in love. There was a large bed in the corner and it was covered with a midnight blue comforter. It was full of soft pillows, all different shades of dark blue. On the wall beside it, a large fairy had been painted. It sat on a lovely flower and had a playful smile. I grinned from ear to ear as I walked to the other side of the room, looking into the walk-in closet that already contained all of my clothing. Malacai must have had all of our things shipped here before they arrived. One thing about him, he was always a step ahead.
I glanced into the bathroom on the other side of the room. It undoubtedly connected me to Cheyenne's room with an adjoining door on the other side. I took one more glance of my room at the doorway and walked out into the hall and down the stairs to meet my best friend. When I reached the bottom floor, I found Anna standing with Joel. Cheyenne apparently had not made it downstairs yet.
“Hey guys!” I said cheerfully as I as I arrived at their side by the front door.
“Hello,” Anna snapped back.
I hardly ever spoke to Anna anymore because I never knew what kind of mood she might be in. For three months prior to that, it seemed like she couldn't control her emotions. Therefore, I tried to avoid any confrontation as much as possible.
“Hey, Amelia. How do you like your room?” Joel asked, trying to overshadow Anna's short response.
“I love it! When I get back, I'm going to start organizing,” I replied excitedly.
“Where are you going?” Anna questioned, with a grimace on her face, as I opened the front door to peek outside.
I smiled at her, ignoring her tone, and said, “Cheyenne and I are going to explore the forest and we're both famished. You wanna come?”
“That sounds gr-“ Joel started, when Anna cut him off.
“No, we're going to go on our own a little later, thanks. she said.
“Hey guys! You ready to go, Amelia?” Cheyenne said, bouncing down the stairs. She had changed into a light gray and pink jogging suit, and had pulled her long braided hair into a pony-tail.
“Yeah, let's get out of here,” I said, as calmly as I could.
We began to walk towards the door and exited before Anna could make any more snide remarks. Once we were on the lawn, we cut across the yard to enter the forest from behind the house.
“How did you like your room?” Cheyenne asked, as we forced our way past trees that had grown close together, blocking the entrance into the forest.
“It was simply amazing! I can't wait to get started unpacking,” I replied, imagining the many things I wanted to do to my new home.
Cheyenne laughed and grabbed my hand and we whisked our way through the forest.
I had never felt so free. Most of the places we had lived were in larger cities, and it was quite difficult to find a real wooded area to run through. The wind felt so good on my face as we sprinted through the trees. I could hear all of the creatures crawling around in the dark. Lucky for me, I have incredible night vision and extra-sensitive hearing, so I never had any problem locating my prey. All I had to do then was listen; and I would be feeding in no time.
I began to slow down at the same time as Cheyenne, obviously hearing the same sound I had heard. We paused and went completely silent as to assess where the rustling had come from. I lowered her body and got ready to run.
“This one is yours,” Cheyenne said quietly.
I waited a few more moments, needing to figure out exactly which direction to go, and finally saw the glowing red eyes shining in the darkness. I took off and headed straight for it, a large rabbit trying to reach safety. I smelled the life flowing from it and couldn't wait to quench my thirst. I pounced and held it down for a moment.
“I won't hurt you,” I whispered as my canines extended. I might be drinking from an animal, but I would never take one's life. I sank my fangs deep into the rabbit's throat and began to drink.
For me, there was nothing like the thirst. Once it started, anyone could turn into a killer if they didn't quench it as soon as possible. I had only drunk human blood once in my entire life, but after that day I vowed never to do it again. I felt like I was tarnishing a spotless life. I couldn't bare to see that fear in someone's eyes again. I spent my young life trying to figure out other ways of keeping my cravings in check. Once Cheyenne and I became close, we did everything in their power to ensure that we would never have to feed on a human again. We found that if we fed on animals, we had to drink more often, but we never had to completely kill anything or anyone.
Once I felt the rabbit's heartbeat slowing, I retracted my fangs and let the rabbit run free. I started looking around, my senses even sharper than they were prior to my meal. Cheyenne was kneeling down about one hundred feet from me, preparing to release the squirrel she had managed to find.
Once the small animal was released, I rejoined Cheyenne and we began to sprint again through the forest. Even though we were steadily running, I felt like we weren't going anywhere. Everything looked exactly the same, yet I enjoyed every moment of it.
“I smell water!” I said, raising my voice over the sound of the wind. Water being in the form of a river or lake in the middle of a dark forest was one of my greatest weaknesses. I loved the smell of the fresh water and felt completely cleansed after a short dip with the fish.
As we began to navigate towards the water, Cheyenne slowed down her pace and I decreased mine as well.
“What's wrong?” I asked, wondering about the sudden urge Cheyenne had to walk. Of course, it never hurt to walk, but we usually ran. It was much quicker, seeing as how we could move at about eighty miles per hour.
“Oh, nothing. I just get tired of passing everything by all the time. I wanted to walk and enjoy the sight while I can,” she replied, letting her voice trail off.
We ambled through the dark for a few more moments and finally arrived at a large, sparkling lake. I was in love. I immediately removed my cell phone from my pocket and jumped into the inviting water. I dove into what felt like warm bath water. I stayed under for a few minutes, observing the wildlife in the lake; it was breath-taking. I resurfaced, shoving water in Cheyenne's direction.
“Get in! It's so nice!” I said, hoping Cheyenne would join me.
“You know I can't get my hair wet, I just got it done!” Cheyenne replied, fiddling with a braid that had fallen into her face during the run.
I giggled at her and shot back under the water. I could see myself doing this every day; it was the best way for me to cleanse my heart and soul. If ever I had any stress, all I had to do was come to the lake, and it would all be washed away. I took a quick peek at Cheyenne and saw her lounging on the bank, gazing at the star-filled sky. She looked so happy and at ease. I knew this was the beginning of the rest of our lives; the new chapter in which we had all started together.
I lingered in the water for another few minutes and reluctantly stepped out onto the bank. I helped Cheyenne up off of the grass, grasped her hand, and we walked towards our new home together.
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