Second Nature

“So here’s how it’s going to work.” He spoke cockily from behind me, “you’re going to sit next to me, act normally and leave with us and then that cutie won’t get hurt.” He whispered smirking against my ear, grabbing my arm tight enough to feel his knife like nails digging into the soft pale flesh. “You fuck this up and I will not hesitate to have her drained in front of your very eyes,” he snarled “darling.” With that he shoved me forward, his grip still painfully tight on my arm until we got into Anna’s view and he let go, as the redhead shuffled round the table to sit next Anna smiling a dazzling smile. Frank slid in at the side of me, one hand swirling the beer around his bottle, the other high up on my thigh causing that deliciously infuriating shock up my body.
“Oh Blake this is Gerard, the one who bought us the drinks.” Anna smiled after a few minutes of just us all sat looking at each other.
“Hi Gerard,” I tried my best to put on a polite smile, encouraged by the grip on my thigh. “Thanks for the drinks.” I looked away, trying to catch Anna’s attention to tell her she needed to get out, but she was having none of it, just staring at the young redhead at the side of her, him returning the dreamy look.

“They seem happy, maybe the plan needs to change. Maybe I should take her with us.” I felt his soft breath on my neck, causing me to stiffen my muscles. Not just because my human best friend was in an unbelievable amount of danger, but with the shock of his touch and he’d just found my spot on my neck. “Easy girl, easy we don’t want her to get hurt now do we.” He cooed stroking my thigh teasingly, it was as though he was purposely trying to get me to lose control.
“Maybe we should leave, go see that film we was talking about?” I heard this Gerard ask Anna who was one step away from agreeing.
“Anna don’t you remember you have that meeting with Brian tonight?” I looked up at her smiling, “about the designs for his new video?” I tried to speak as normal and natural as I could despite the grip now burning right into my skin.
“No I’m sure that’s tomorrow.” Anna looked at me with a confused smile as she gathered her coat from the back of her.
“No I’m almost certain it’s this evening. In fact I promise you its this evening.” I said an almost pleading tone, but I could tell she was having absolutely none of it.
“I’ll see you at home yeah?” She smiled as she slide out of the booth quickly followed by Gerard who was smirking at me as though he was the cat who got the cream.
“Yeah sure.” I smiled fakely, but enough for Anna in her dazed state to buy it. I watched as they walked past a couple of booths, turning to look at my target who was about to speak just as I threw the rest of Anna’s Red Stag and coke in his face and head butting him, before climbing over him picking up his empty bottle and throwing it at this Gerard, who had just turned round to see what caused his best friend to cry out. I used my power to stop every moving object around me, Anna was two steps in front of Gerard half way through taking her hair from under the collar of her coat. Frank was holding his nose and Gerard was holding his hand up to protect himself from the flying bottle heading right in his direction. “Ok so this is how it’s going to work, that bottle will hit you” I spoke directly to Gerard, who I knew could hear me, “I’m going to take Anna and get us out of here, do not follow.” This time I turned to Frank who was looking up at me, hands still holding his nose. I know I had to move quickly so I ran over to Anna grabbing her hand before the time started again, I set off running with a now fully aware Anna just as we heard the crash of the bottle against Gerard’s head. I dragged her down an alley and flagged a taxi down, quickly realising at any moment they could appear right near us. We got in the taxi and had it head in the same direction as every other yellow taxi of the city.
“Blake what’s going on?” Anna said holding her head as she looked at me.
“Nothing nothings going on, I’m gonna take you to my friends yeah, the apartment manager just rang and told me the flat has been flooded so we’re going to stay with a friend yeah?” I spoke quickly, hoping she wouldn’t question me on any of the bull story I just told her.
“Erm sure ok? Which friend? Have I met them before?” She looked at me slowly.
“Briefly, but he has a spare room for us so you’ll get to know him.” I shrugged looking round as I saw us pulling up outside Zack’s personal house. Just as we were about to walk in I heard her scream and as I turned around there was, Gerard holding her limp body in his arms before he was gone.
“I told you. I told you not to fuck this up and what did you do? Now you’re going to have to watch her die so slowly, she’ll be begging for us to kill her quicker.” He snarled in my face as he grabbed me by neck and vanishing.

I woke up, painfully aware of the pain spanning from my shoulders, back and arms. One thing I’ve never been good with is the hole disappearing thing. Something about it just knocks me completely sick. I looked around and noticed the two from the bar, two humans and table full of all sorts of instruments. The glistening over silver caught my eye though as I quickly remembered the previous job I’d been on, feeling the pain in my tied wrists. I tried to use my senses to feel if Anna was ok, what I was tied to and what with and any other help I may need.
“Finally awake darling.” Frank spoke smirking as he nodded to one of the humans who walked over to me grabbing me by the hair and pulling my hair back painfully as my throat strained. The common myth is that my kind don’t feel pain but let me tell you that that just isn’t true, we don’t feel certain pains like humans do, but there is so many more ways to hurt my kind.
“So here’s how it’s going to work. You’re going to answer my questions or you're going to receive...an incentive to answer them. An incentive my human friend would love to dish out. Got it?” Frank spoke leaning over my coming into my view, glaring down at me. His fangs clear and threatening, his eyes as black as they could be with just glimmers of flashing red in them. He was beyond pissed. “Who sent you?” I spoke as the human let my head fall back forward. I bit my lip look directly at him. When he realised I wasn’t going to answer he nodded to the human who smacked me hard across the face. My head whipping left quickly as I made no noise. I saw him from under my lashes nod again once my head was up right, once again my head whipped left. This happened a few more times before I finally spoke.
“Will you please hit the other side jesus! I’m getting sick of seeing the left side of the floor.” I laughed as I felt the familiar taste of metallic liquid fill my mouth. The human seemed very unsure of what to do and looked up at Frank for guidance. Now I see what's going on, the human was their little pawn, he was probably here repaying a debt he owed to them, maybe they saved his wife, husband or child. I looked up at him and he seemed about a 20 something guy, no sign of a wedding ring. I sniffed up soon sensing who it was. “Your brother huh?” I looked up at him, as his face suddenly turned deathly pale at the mention of his lost relative. I smirked to myself knowing I’d hit a nerve. “Must have been pretty special for you to sacrifice yourself to this life,” I carried on, “I mean why would someone want to sacrifice yourself for someone either way you was never going to see again?” I pondered the question as the throbbing in my cheek intensified. The poor lad began shaking and sweating, his eyes filling up as he looked up at his owner for help to make it stop.
“I don’t know how about we find out?” Frank stepped forward kneeling in front of me, his hand stroking my knee. “Would you sacrifice yourself for your best friend? I mean you pulled a dumb stunt before but I’ve let her live, she’s in one of the chambers but still alive. That can change darling.” He smirked knowing full well what his touch was doing to me. “Would you give yourself up to save her life?” His hand moved to my neck as he ghosted his fingertips over the skin there, “would you give yourself up even if it meant never seeing her again?” He whispered smirking up at me. I was about to answer when I saw movement behind him. It was Gerard who shifted his position uncomfortable, refusing to look up at us both. Gotcha buddy I thought to myself. I just looked away causing him to stand up.
“We’ll try again.” He tapped on the table, “Who. Sent. You.” He paused in between the three words. Once again I didn’t answer, this time it was Gerard who took action.
“Move.” He barked to the young human before ripping my head back and nipping at the flesh on my skin. “You speak now or these” he whispered rubbing the surface of his fangs against the skin, “get to taste what you have to offer, pet.” He spat out. The insult causing more sting then any fangs could.
I opened my mouth to speak, everyone in the room staring at me. “Go fuck yourself.” I whispered back, just as he dug his fangs right into the area of my neck and shoulder bend. I tried to scream out but as I could feel him tearing at the flesh that it was getting increasingly hard not to. He pulled away, my bright red blood dropping from his fangs and covering the bottom of his mouth and jaw, as I whimpered.
“Ready to talk?” He tipped my head to the other side the pressure on my neck doing nothing for the pain.
“How do I taste?” I croaked out, the scream still in the back of my throat that was quickly released as he plunged his fangs into the same spot on the other side. This time more ferocity behind him.
“Enough!” I heard someone shout out as I felt the pain tearing through every aspect of my body. He pulled away quickly ripping more of the flesh as he spat the blood he’d gathered on the floor at the side of me. I looked up to see Frank dragging him away, as my eyes became dramatically heavy. “Get her to a room!” He screamed out as I felt my hands and ankles get untied from the ropes that were holding me in place. I was dragged unceremoniously from the room down a corridor to another as I heard the two vampires arguing.
“You might want to get some rest.” One of the humans spoke as they dumped me on the bed. I waited until they left before stripping off out of my tight black skinny jeans and dabbing my trickling neck with my check shirt, before passing out on the bed.

Notes