Chapter 5

Finding Alex Blooddragon

"Aww, no Anne today?" I asked as Stella reached the porch.

"Nope." Her voice was full of that feeling I heard last night when her friend was here. What is wrong with her? She looked like she was having fun last night in till Anne announced her mom was allowing her to stay over. "ERIC!"

"Whoa, what?"

"You're spacing out."

"Oh, oops."

"Hey, um, did you hear me talking in my sleep last night?"

"No, why?"

"Just asking." Relief flowing into her words like a flood. Okay she is acting really weird. "Shall we go then?" I asked, deciding to interrogate her some other time. "Yep." We walked down the same dark street we did the other night, but this time I was extra careful not to look at her and to keep far away from poles. Stupid poles! We walked up the steps to the library and she took out the same rusted key. "Where did you get the key?"

"I thought you said you weren't gonna ask! But if you must know, I got it from my mom. She used to work here."

"Oh." Stella told me about her mothers' death and knew it was a sensitive subject, so I decided it would be best to drop it. We went on the famous Google and found tons of articles about Alex Blooddragon. "There isn't anything here about Alex before the announcement of the companies joining." Stella whispered next t me a few minutes later. "So he just popped out of the blue."

"Likely."

"Then he must have been the one who led to my death."

"Or did it."

"Anything on his wife?"

"Nada. Just him. Hey look at this! It says Alex is staying at 14409 Peace Road!"

"And that is good because."

"Because that's the street I live on!"

"Well let's go invade some private space!"

"Hold on, cowboy."

"What?"

"We can't just barge in on guy who knows a vampire or may even be a vampire!"

"True." The sense of her logic filled me with disappointment, but at least we knew where this ass was.

"I'll just print some of these articles and then we can go home and you can hunt."

"That sounds like a plan." Stella was just about to print when a loud noise came from behind us. "Whose there!" I shouted into the darkness. "I could ask you the same thing. Eric." A sharp voice replied. A moment later, the body the voice belonged t emerged from the shadows and into the light. "Who are-," I started in till the recognition hit me, "Poco?"

"Yep, nice to see you not dead!"

"Oh my god, Poco!" I walked to the waiting figure and embraced him. "Uhhem." I let go of Poco and turned to see Stella standing where I left her, expecting on her face. "Oh, right, sorry. Poco this is Stella. Stella this is Poco, my best friend from when I was still alive."

"Pleased to meet you." Poco said with his 'charming' voice.

"Likewise." Stella responded with a flirting voice. Wait, flirting? Iwatched Pocostride toward Stella, take her hand and kiss it.Anger flared in my chest and my hands started shaking. Control, Eric, control! "So, Poco, what are you doing here?" I struggled to ask and praying that anger did not show. "I was walking by on my way home when I saw you. I couldn't believe what I saw, but I had to check it out. When I came in, I heard your voice and went to check up on the strange light and, well, bumped into a file cabinet. Henceforth the noise."

"Oh my god! Are you alright?" Stella asked, her eyes wide. "Heh, yeah I'm good, just a bruise." Strike two! No stop it! Control! Why did I feel like this? I mean it's been only four days with her. "Um, well Poco it's been nice seeing you again, but its late and Stella has school tomorrow."

"School? But it's still summer!" Poco exclaimed just like I did.

"Yeah, long story. But Eric is right, I need to sleep."

"See you around then?"

"Sure!" Oh god why can I not stand this?

After we left the library, Stella did the interrogating instead.

"So, was it just me or did I sense some jealousy?" Jealousy? Was that the feeling?

"No idea what you are talking about."

"Don't try to hide it, Eric."

"Well what about you last night with your friend?"

"Ugh. I was not jealous! I was just annoyed at the physical connection is all." Whoa, dose Stella have feelings for me? "Uhhuh, sure."

"UGH! You don't understand anything!" Stella screamed at me and stormed up the stairs and into the house. Great, just ruin the night why don't I? After standing where Stella left me for a couple of minutes, I walked into the forest, but not really looking out for food, just deep in thought. What would happen if I am falling for her? Would I hurt her? Would she be in trouble because of me? What if she doesn't feel the same? Would I just embarrass myself? Wouldn't it get awkward between us if I did something stupid like kiss her? I stopped in mid step and thought after thinking about kissing her. Her soft pink lips against mine, her beautiful and perfect face so close- what the hell was that smell? I stood still, opening my mouth just a bit to catch all of it. It smelt of fire, maybe burning flesh? And old, rotting meat. I followed the scent, almost as if in a trance. I turned at a yarrow bush and there, lying on the ground, was a corpse. I staggered back, holding my arm in front of my mouth and nose. The corpse looked as if it was weeks old, defiantly human. I walked behind it and saw another one. I moved closer and found it way less charcoaled, almost as if it had the sense to stop drop and roll before it died. I moved the head so I could see the face and nearly gagged. There in front of me, was my mother.