Chapter Seven

Tehrror

As I let my hands move down her figure, I felt as though I were about to faint from mere happiness. It felt so good to have a female form back in my grasp once more. I turned her so that her back was to me and that I could wrap my arms around her comfortably. She obliged to the movement and smiled. She was very pretty, that much I had to agree on. I let my head fall to her shoulder and rested it there. I smelled the hint of flowers on her skin and sighed. It was wonderful.

"What's your name?" I asked her, loud enough for her to hear me, but not too loudly.

She craned her neck so she could look at me. She flashed another smile and appeared to be happy that I was talking to her.

"My name's Christine." she replied.

Christine. I would remember that name forever. I nodded, showing that I had heard her, and she turned her head back around. We danced longer and longer, going through many more songs. I didn't want to stop. I loved dancing with her. In fact, I hadn't danced in quite awhile, I was surprised that I had taken to it so quickly; just like riding a bike.

"What's yours?" she called over the music.

I looked at her, debating on whether I should tell her my name or not. I wasn't quite sure I would see her again. I definitely wouldn't mind seeing her, I just wasn't quite sure. What if she didn't like me, and she was really dancing because she felt sorry for me? No…that couldn't be it. I wouldn't believe that for a second. She seemed too…oh, I didn't know. There was something about her that caught my eye…

"Tehrror…" I replied, "Tehr, for short."

Christine nodded back at me and moved her hands to mine. She held onto them as they rested on her hips. I closed my eyes and rested my head on her shoulder again. This was definitely a female human unlike any other I had met before. She was…incredible…maybe.

My eyes flashed suddenly as hunger overtook me. The thoughts of her had triggered my internal instincts, and I wanted to bite her…hard. The thought of her blood rushing through me made almost lose my balance. I moved my lips closer to her neck and inhaled deeply through my nose. The flowery smell was stronger now, but not to the point where it was overpowering and annoying.

I could smell her blood, as well. It rushed underneath her skin, and I could sense her nervousness…or maybe it was something else. I could almost hear her heartbeat, beating frantically as I moved closer to her. She sighed slightly, but did nothing more. I half expected her to move away when she felt my breath on her neck, but she did nothing of a sort. Instead, Christine leaned back into me and smiled. I didn't see the smile, but I knew she was smiling. I could sense it.

Suddenly, a shot rang out. I jerked my head up to look around, alert now. I was angry that someone had tried to interrupt me during my feeding and now, someone was going to pay! I looked about trying to figure out where the shot had come from. Someone had brought a gun into the club; I already knew that wasn't going to go over well.

I heard the screams of a few people not too far off and suddenly felt alarmed. This definitely couldn't be good. I felt Christine tense up in my grasp and I rubbed her arms comfortingly. Then, I pulled away about to make my way over to the commotion. She grabbed onto my arm and I looked back around to face her.

"Where are you going?!" she demanded.

Her face looked that of a frightened girl and I averted my gaze away from her. More shots rang out and suddenly a whole crowd began running in our direction. I pushed her out of the way and on the side. The music had stopped and nothing filled the air but the sounds of gun shots and more screams. I backed her to a wall, and stayed in front of her as everyone began pushing and shoving passed us.

I craned my head around to see what the cause of the commotion was and I almost fainted when my eyes saw it. A group of humans were making their way into the club, guns of all sizes in their arms and they were taking down vampires like it was nothing. I swore loudly and pressed Christine up against the wall. I glared at her, staring deep into her eyes.

"Stay…I'll get us out of here…"

She looked at me with a small frightened expression, but I managed to tear my eyes away and let go of her. Turning around, I faced the oncoming chaos with little courage. I really wasn't in the mood for a fight tonight. All I had wanted to do was go out and have my own fun, not be the butt of someone else's.

The screams grew louder as another group of female vampires ran passed us. I pressed back, also shielding Christine from the wave and watched. I had no idea which way I was going to go. Everywhere I looked, a hunter and a vampire were going at it. So, this is what Cole had been trying to explain to us…Hunters were really trying to gain back what was theirs…by destroying us erratically.

A girl with long, brown hair, that was tied back looked in our direction. I tensed up instantly when I saw the handgun in her grasp and bared my teeth. She walked towards us slowly, as though she were tempting us to try and run. I looked over her figure, trying to memorize her as best as I could in the dark environment.

She wore tight, black shorts and a black uniformed shirt with a golden patch on her left breast in the shape of a shield. I squinted my eyes only a little so that I could see every detail on the little patch. I was so lucky to be blessed with the greatest sight available to my kind. I noted the lion on the front of it, and the shape of a silver bullet next to the lion. So…these were real hunters from the agency…Cheshire knew what he was doing, apparently.

I refocused my gaze on the girl as a whole and watched her as she stopped only a short distance away from me, now pointing her gun straight at me. I glared at her angrily and continued staying in front of Christine. I guess leaving to find a way out for the both of us had turned into a stupid idea…Now I was stuck here, attempting to defend the both of us. I barely knew this girl, yet with all my being, I wanted to protect her desperately.

"Move it, vampire hunter…This club is no place for someone such as yourself." I spat at her.

All she did was smile at me in a knowing kind of way, and continued keeping her gun trained on me. I moved slightly to the left, and her gun followed me. I was really starting to get sick of this, and quite quickly too. I moved an step closer to her and she put her finger up, waggling it back a forth.

"Na ah…Don't even try it vampire…" she said tauntingly.

She looked passed me then and towards Christine, smiling a gentle smile.

"Come with me!" she called to her, "We're here to save you!"

I looked back for only a moment to see Christine's face. She looked as though she were thoroughly confused and had no idea what to do. Hmmm, go with the girl that was pointing the gun, or stay with the guy that was trying to protect her FROM the girl with the gun? That's what I saw it as. Then, I turned my attention back on the girl and growled.

"Go to hell!" I screamed, "And why not take your little hunter friends with you?!"

I launched forward then, seeing as how I had seen this as my only chance to try and wrestle the gun from her. She twisted out of my way, causing me to fly past her a bit. I swerved around and watched her carefully. She looked as though she were ready to humor me with a little bit of a fight, instead of just going ahead and shooting me.

I waited for her move this time, and she went for it. She avoided my fist when she ran towards me, and twisted around to lay a hook punch in on my jaw. I ducked low and covered my face with my fists. She missed, luckily. When she did so, she twisted back in front of me and aimed to kick my in the chest. This one didn't miss.

I felt the pressure of the kick from her booted foot and cringed. I had to admit, she was a good kicker. I regained my balance, and dodged another side kick. Then, grabbing her foot, I twisted it around so that she was facing away from me and laughed. She struggled against my grasp relentlessly and swore loudly in my direction. All I did was push her foot away, which caused her to almost fall over, if she hadn't caught herself first and flipped upright.

I clenched my fists again and saw her move from side to side. She was a bit angered now, I could tell that much. By noticing this, I couldn't help but let out a small laugh. The hunter heard me and growled angrily.

"Stupid vampire…" she shouted, "Think you're above everyone else, don't you?"

I stopped laughing then and frowned. This girl knew nothing of what I was about…She knew nothing of what I had been through and what I strived to live for. She would regret this moment….

"You know nothing…" I challenged, "Nothing of what we live for and nothing of what we do."

She smirked and launched herself at me again. She threw another hook punch, but I saw it before she even extended. I grabbed her arm and twisted it around, behind her back. She stiffened up and I leaned forward, putting my lips to her ear.

"You think you can best a vampire that hasn't fed in a good three days?" I whispered, "You thought wrong m'lady…"

All she did was stare forward and I waited for her to say something. She seemed to know something I didn't, but I had know idea of what.

"Or did I?" she replied.

I looked at her, quite confused now. What was she talking about? I was the one that had her trapped here, not the other way around. I squeezed her arm even tighter and growled. She would not best me in this mind game. I couldn't let myself lose…I had to get us out of here alive.

At this thought, I looked over at Christine for a small moment and took in her face. She was watching us with horror-filled eyes and shivered. Her body was still pressed up against the wall, as though she were afraid to move in case she got shot. I couldn't help but let myself smile a small smile at her. I wasn't as bad as she thought it was…I wouldn't let it get that way…Id get us out of here just fine. I had to!

Suddenly, another shot rang out and I froze. I looked down at the hunter I had just been fighting and felt as though I were about to die. I still had her arm wrapped behind her back…but the other arm was still free…and had the small handgun pointed right at my side. I suddenly felt myself gasping for air as I let go of her and dropped to my knees. No pain in the world compared to what I was feeling at this particular moment. I gripped my side in agony, and looked up at the vampire hunter. She pointed the silver gun straight at me again and smirked.

"Vampires…they never learn…" she whispered.

I looked up at her loathingly and bared my teeth. She had managed to shoot me, but she hadn't managed to kill me; and it was going to stay that way. I struggled to stand back up straight, but I just couldn't manage to do it. I let out an agonizing scream and fell back to my knees gripping my side. I looked down at it, seeing the bit of blood soaking through my shirt and cursed loudly.

Suddenly, hurried footsteps came towards me and I looked up to see Christine jumping down beside me, her eyes soaked through with tears.

"Tehr! Tehr, please! No!" she pleaded.

I shushed her, trying to reassure her that I was fine. All I had to do was make it back to the house, and Cole would have me fixed up in no time. Though, the loss of blood was starting to make me feel dizzy…and I hated it. I tried to focus on her and only her, but it seemed as though my body though otherwise. My vision began to blur slightly and I tried my best to stay focused on her eyes.

Then, I heard her screaming and looked to see her being hauled upwards to her feet by two other hunters that were accompanying the one that I had only fought moments before. Christine protested loudly and struggled in their grasp. For some reason, all I could do was stay immobilized in that one spot and watch. I tried tiredly to get up and gab her from then, but my body was having no part in it.

I finally managed to push myself up and hit one of the hunters holding her in the face. Then, I charged the other, but all he did was kick me effortlessly in the gut, sending me back to the ground. Christine's screams filled my ears as I opened my eyes and looked up at her from my spot on the floor.

"Take her away." the girl said.

Christine's screams grew in volume as they began dragging her away and out of the club. I groaned slightly, but couldn't get up. I still gripped my side roughly and looked up at the female hunter with hatred in my eyes. Others began to walk over to her, but all I saw was her shaking her head.

"Leave this one as he is…Let him die in agony."

Then, they were gone. I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply. I had to get up and get back to the house. I couldn't stay here like this, and risk bleeding to death. Even though I was a vampire, I still needed the blood that I had to survive. If I lost it all because of a gunshot wound, then it wouldn't go over well at all.

I managed to pull myself up to a sitting position and looked around. The club was destroyed. Speakers from the DJ's area had been smashed and one of them hung dangerously close to the edge of the stage, threatening to fall off. The DJ himself laid sprawled over his stand, dead. Other vampires laid about the large room here and there, making the club look like an extremely horrible haunted house. Glass was smashed across the floor and bits and pieces of decoration were scattered all across the floor.

I pushed myself up from the sitting position I had been in and let out a strained cry. I jolt of pain ripped from my side and throughout my body, but I ignored it. I had to get to the house… I had to. Not only that, but I had to save Christine. There was no telling where they had taken her or what they would do to her. I stumbled across the floor and made my way to the door and outside.

Rylee

I sat on the couch, preoccupied with a very good book I had managed to get into. Cole had excused himself from the room only moments ago and had left Roary and me to ourselves. Roary was on the floor, sitting in front of the fireplace and staring off into space quietly. She looked as though she were having some wonderful daydream that I would never even know of. Suddenly, when she felt my eyes upon her, she looked in my direction.

"What is it?" she asked.

I looked away from her and just shrugged.

"Nothing. I just saw you looking off into space and couldn't help but stare." I said simply.

"I heard her let out a short laugh and looked back down at her. She was looking at me in a challenging way, and for some reason, I didn't like it.

"Sure," she replied, "That's what they all say."

I rolled my eyes at her and just went back to reading my book. Besides, I was just getting to the good part and I didn't feel the need to get intertwined with her childish antics at the current moment.

"Whatcha reading?" she asked, her voice suddenly closer to me than before.

I looked down at the floor again, only to see that she had abandoned that spot. I turned my head and saw her sitting right next to me. I let out a small yelp and almost fell off the couch. She may have been only a fledgling, but she was already starting to develop quite quickly. Her stealth had managed to increase within only two days, and there was no telling what else would happen.

I let out a frustrated growl and picked up my book, which had fallen out of my grasp when she had managed t o surprise me. I opened it back up and began looking for the page I had left off on.

"Something interesting." I replied gruffly.

"What's it called?" she asked again.

I let out another irritated growl and turned back to face her. She had a small, innocent smile on her face and I couldn't help but melt under it. I let out a small sigh and let my anger fly out the window.

"It's called Wuthering Heights." I replied again.

She nodded, and looked at the front of it.

"I've read that," she whispered, "It's sad…"

"Indeed, it is."

"Do you like it so far?"

"I've read it about a dozen times. This will make it about a dozen and one…"

"That doesn't answer my question." she finished.

I looked over at her once more, when she said this and just sighed.

"I think of it as a very depressing book. Though, it also talks about true love and for some reason, I can't help but come back to it every time I get the craving for a well written love story…no matter how depressing it may be…" I replied.

Roary looked at me in an inquiring way and continued.

"Do you believe in true love?" she asked.

I looked straight ahead as I contemplated her question. Did I believe in it? I, myself wasn't even that sure. Of course I had been a part of some great relationships, and of course I had said "I love you" in a lot of them, but had I really been truly in love? I didn't even know for myself.

"I don't know." I whispered, "I guess…I'm just looking for someone to prove to me that it really exists…You hear all of this talk about it almost everywhere you go nowadays and

Yet, everyone still seems to have trouble REALLY finding it…"

She stared at me as I explained this, then nodded again.

"I know…" she whispered.

We sat there in silence for quite awhile. My mind had managed to delve deeply into the topic of true love. Blast Roary for bringing that up! Now I would never leave the topic alone. She stood up then, and I left my thoughts to watch her carefully. Something about her mesmerized me in that moment. Whether it had been the curve of her body when she stretched, or it was just the small look of content on her face, I wasn't sure.

When she turned back around to face me, I just looked back down at my book. She was quiet for a couple of more minutes and I had almost thought that she had left the room until she had said something once more.

"Where has Tehrror gone off to?" she asked.

"I'm not sure." I replied.

I marked the spot in my book and let it fall to the nightstand right next to the couch. It was prominent that I wasn't going to be able to finish it at that time and it annoyed me slightly. Oh well, I'd just finish it later.

"Tehr isn't one to stay in one spot for too long. He's probably out somewhere, getting a meal and whatnot."

I waved my hand dismissively, and stood up. I lifted my hands above my hand and stretched easily, my shirt moving a little up my stomach. I immediately let my hands fall back to my side, pulling my black shirt back down and looked over at her. She had a look of slight annoyance and I looked at her questioningly.

"What?" I asked.

"So…Is that all we are to you…We're meals?!" She asked, her tone changing from curiosity to anger.

I made quick to try and point out the fact that she was also one of us, but she wasn't having any part of it.

"I can't believe that's all you think about humans is that they're meals! You know, they have feelings too! I had feelings!"

"You still do…" I grumbled, now being troubled by the way she was acting.

I could tell that she was still having a bit of trouble adjusting to this life, but she didn't need to be so emotional about it. Sure, being a vampire was just about as uncommon as a penguin being able to speak fluently in about twelve languages; but then again, it could happen to almost anyone. I moved close to her and sighed.

"Roary…It's going to be alright…"

"Not it isn't! Have you heard what's going on because of what you did? Now, I'm on a wanted list and so are you and Tehrror!"

Her words rang in my ears and I swallowed the lump in my throat. I made quick to try and shush her, but she still ignored me.

"Not only that, but I'm going to be stuck at this age forever, and I'm never going to be able to finish high school…" she continued.

I suddenly moved forward and put my hand on her shoulder. I looked down at her and she seemed to calm slightly under my touch.

"You worry too much." I murmured.

"I worry just the right amount…" she argued.

All I could do was chuckle and pull her close to me, and into a tight hug now.

"It's going to be alright." I started.

"Now that we're here, it's all going to be okay. I'm sure Cole will be able to help us in anyway possible and this whole war business will be sorted out. By that time, we'll be off scot-free and able to make our own way in the world."

I had never thought of what it would be like for all of us to stay here up until this point. Now, I couldn't help but imagine what it would be like. I imagine us living a slightly more comfortable life, without the threat of Roary possibly getting killed. I smiled at this and still held her close.

"Are you sure?" she whispered.

"I'm almost positive." I replied.

Though, the thin was, was that I wasn't really all that positive. I was merely hoping and dreaming. And when this thought came about, I couldn't help but make a pact to myself. I wasn't going to let Roary get into anymore danger. I would protect her with my own life, and it was as simple as that.

When I finished this thought, I heard a door slam somewhere and Roary and I jumped apart from each other. She looked at me apologetically, but said nothing more. Instead, I made my way out of the study and into the entrance room. There stood Tehrror and Cilia. Cilia was fussing like a mad woman over him, lecturing him in quite the angered tone.

At first, I didn't understand why. Then, I took in his whole appearance and nearly fell to the ground in a faint. I saw his bloodied side and cringed. Cilia forced his hand away and began inspecting the damage.

"I can't believe you were so stupid!" she yelled, "What were you thinking?! Taking on a vampire hunter without a weapon of your own! I should smack you for even taking on such a dangerous task."

Anyone could tell that Cilia's motherly side had come out and now she was trying her best to keep it up. I moved closer to Tehrror and he flashed me a weak smile, as though to show that he was perfectly fine.

"I should've known she'd go crazy if she was the first one to see me." Tehrror said in a tired tone.

I shook my head at him and took a better look at him and his wound.

"I looks like you go…"

"Shot." he finished for me, "Yeah…vampire hunters raided the club I was at. Lemme tell you, that was no fun…"

He seemed to have a hurt expression on his face, as though he had lost more than a mere bit of blood, but he didn't say anything else. I, myself, felt that he was too tired to answer anymore questions than he already had. So, I put my hand on his shoulder and looked down at him comfortingly. He'd be fine as long as Cilia took care of him, but I would have to figure out what really happened later. Something else had gone down, and it seemed to be doing quite the number on him. Even his hurt expression was enough to explain that.