Dead in the Water

“Look, I want to be honest with you, Elissa before I tell you about who Beckett is. I have never had that ability to know who is good and who is bad as vampires. I do know that Adam at the morgue is good and that is only because I get my blood from him, the same as you.” Pete explained.

“How do you know I go there?” I asked wondering if he asked Adam if he had seen me.

“After I helped you that one night and you pinned me, I realized that if you wanted to have killed me you would have. I saw it in the look you gave me and felt something that kiss you left. It left me thinking that maybe you were not all bad, and I had seen you take on that vampire. I watched you at the club that night.

I saw how you saved that girl and I was curious so I followed you out. I felt that you were a vampire and that was all I felt. Nevertheless, I had to be sure and that is why I attacked you the other night.

Anyway, the only place I go to get blood from is to see Adam. I have known him for a few years actually, well before he became a vampire, honestly. I asked if he had seen a girl around needing blood and he said yes. I think he likes you.” Pete said laughing.

“Right.” I said rolling my eyes.

“He said he likes your charm. Apparently you used your feminine ways on him.” Pete said laughing.

“Well, I had to convince him somehow to help me.” I said folding my arms.

“Anyway, from that I put two and two together. I was hoping to run into you again. Tonight, I did. I am glad you came around or Patrick could have been hurt, not that I am saying that I am glad you got hurt.” Pete said embarrassed.

“It’s ok, Pete. I know what you are saying.” I said laughing a bit.

“Well, based on you helping Patrick I came to the conclusion that you had to be like me but I still had to grill you when you woke up to double check.” Pete said explaining things.

“As for us reading and hearing each others thoughts, as I said I think it is creepy but cool.

However, I do think maybe we have a connection. I think it is in our touch or maybe when we get close. Maybe you came here for a different reason and you just do not know it yet. In addition, as I said I can help you with your Ian problems. I will not let him harm you. Everything happens for a reason, Elissa.” Pete said trying to reassure me.

“If everything happens for a reason then why were you made who you are? Why was I ripped away from my family and friends?” I said looking up at Pete.

“I admit I struggle with what I have become same as you. I have friends who try to help ground me, although I can be a pain in the ass sometimes. Just the other night I went out with the gang to a place that overlooks the city where teenagers go to make out and is a breeding ground for vampires. We were to set a trap to catch some vampires. Well, I lost my temper a bit when the gang started to slack I felt and jumped over the cliff to get clear my head for a while. You do realize we can land on our feet, right?” Pete said going off topic.

“Yes I do. What does this have to do again with me?” I asked.

“What we are now has become apart us but if we let it get to us, it will consume us and destroy us. Do not let the vampire in you win. Yes, you have been taken away from the life you loved, but now you have a life that has a purpose and it is one that can save millions of people. That is the only thing that makes me feel good about what I have become. Who knows; maybe one day all the vampires in this world will cease to exist.” Pete said.

“I do like to kick vampire ass.” I said.

“Ah, am I detecting a slight smile?” Pete said grinning.

“Shut up.” I said playfully punching his arm.

“Hey, that hurt! You are stronger then you look. I like it.” Pete said smiling his wonderful, distracting, grin.

“So, about Beckett…” I said trailing off.

“Give me your hand.” Pete said taking me by surprise.

“What?” I asked.

“Just give me your hand. I have a plan.” Pete said as he was sitting directly in front of me on the bed.

I gave Pete my hand. “Now close your eyes.” He said.

I did relaxing a bit. He took my other hand and then the sparks hit. Just as I had shown him what had happened to me, he showed me who Beckett was.

Beckett had a name before he went by just Beckett. His name was William Beckett and was an old friend of Pete’s. He threw this huge party for all of his friends, which included Pete, and amazingly enough I saw Adam from the morgue in Pete’s memories.

Pete had met up with his friend Brendon, but managed to find himself separated at the party. I then saw a girl had caught Pete’s eye and led him to a room with just a few people in it. The girl started talking to Pete and distracted him from knowing that Beckett was behind him.

Pete showed me that Beckett had bit him and forced him to drink his blood as Ian had done with me. Before Pete had taken his final breath, he saw his friend Brendon walk into the room and realized he had been set up. Somehow, though, in my mind I did not see it that way.

I saw how much anger, hurt, and betrayal Pete went through. His only friends he could count on were the ones I fought alongside earlier. They were the ones who found him and he eventually found Adam who had been helped by one of his friends. For a year, he dedicated himself to training and stopping those in the night.

I realized for the first time I was not alone. I saw that there was a difference between Pete and Micah. Micah was my mentor and taught me how to fuel my anger but he felt differently about things then I did, and became a vampire because he chose to be. Pete and I share that we turned into vampires by someone who was close to us, against our will. Maybe that is why we have a connection.

“Wow!” I said letting go of Pete’s hands.

“Yeah.” He said.

“Well look on the bright side. I am older than you.” I said laughing.

“No you’re not.” Pete said.

“You don’t even know my age.” I said.

“You don’t know mine.” Pete fired back.

“I think you are a few years older then me. Am I right?” I asked.

“If you think that, then how are you older then me?” Pete asked confused.

“I will get to that. How old are you?” I asked.

“I’m 28. How old are you?” Pete asked.

“I am 26 but I was sired a year before you. If you go by vampire age as most vampires do, I am older than you.” I said giggling.

“I thought you wanted to be as normal as possible.” Pete said rolling his eyes.

“I do. I’m just saying that you are only a year old vampire. You are still a baby.” I said.

“Ha!” He said. “Are you feeling any pain?” Pete asked changing the subject.

“No. Why?” I asked confused.

“May I?” Pete asked pointing to my bandage. I nodded as he carefully took off the bandage.

“See, look at that. There is no more wound.” Pete said.

“Thank you, Pete, for catching me and taking care of me.” I said blushing as one of our hands brushed against each other’s.

“That is what friends are for, right?” He asked grinning. I nodded.

“It’s not like I get to save a beautiful damsel in distress all the time you know.” Pete said getting up.

“Me? A damsel in distress? I do not think so. I work alone remember? If you had watched your friends close enough, this wouldn’t have happened to me.” I said being fired up.

“As I recall you owed me anyway for saving your butt last week!” Pete said standing dangerously close to me and I was not complaining. There was more friction going on between us and if there was any more, I do not know how my body is going to react.

I went to say something but Pete cut me off by pulling me into a kiss. We quickly pulled away knowing that this was wrong after a few seconds. It was not a way to start a friendship, yet neither one of us could deny we had chemistry.

“So you want to meet my friends?” Pete asked blushing.