The Vampire's Moon

I went to sleep and woke up early. I felt rested and wanted to leave the house. I dressed quickly, and was out the door by nine with my notebook in hand. I walked to the nearest pantry and ordered breakfast for myself. I had plenty of cash; my foster parents gave it to me so that they wouldn't have to make me any meals. They hadn't been up when I left; they were asleep on the floor in the living room. Probably got drunk the night before and passed out there.
I sighed, and took my coffee and bagel to the nearest park. I sat under a tree and sipped my coffee as I read over all my latest work. I made spelling corrections, changed sentence structures, and added bits and pieces to parts. I was nibbling my bagel when I felt Benjamin's presence. He walked over and sat next to me, looking over my shoulder to see what I was writing. I slammed the book shut.
"I'm not in the mood, Benjamin," I snapped. I was still upset at the fact that I had enjoyed some of last night, and was still feeling guilty that I enjoyed myself. I wasn't supposed to like anything vampire or werewolf, so why did I? Why was I starting to feel at home with myself, too? And why the hell was he able to stir such emotions in me, emotions I wasn't sure I wanted to feel at all.
"Please, just tell me why you were so upset when you left last night," he asked, his face and voice the picture of innocence.
I shook my head.
"Please." He gave me what most people call a 'puppy dog' look. I hate to admit it, but it was fairly convincing on him, and he looked adorable when he pouted like that.
I sighed, and told myself I wasn't giving in, just giving him the benefit of the doubt. It couldn't hurt to tell him a little bit, maybe then he wouldn't continue to bother me about it. "I was angry with myself. I really shouldn't have been there. I hate me, simple enough. Or at least I should hate me. For some reason I don't though. It makes me feel guilty."
He seemed puzzled. "Why should you hate you?"
"That I can't tell you." I took a swig of coffee. "Now why are you really here? You surely didn't come over here just to ask me why I was upset." Even if some secret part of me wished that was the reason, but I quickly snuffed it out.
He grinned. "You're right about that."
"Then what do you want?"
"I was wondering if you'd like to-"
"No." I didn't need to know what he was going to say next, all I knew was I didn't want to go anywhere or do anything with him. Who knew what he'd have me feeling next?
"Let me finish."
"No. Whatever it is, the answer's no. I don't want to go anywhere or do anything with you, plain and simple." I stood up and walked to the nearest garbage can. I threw away the trash and walked back to the tree to get my notebook.
When I reached for it, he took it and stood up.
"Come with me if you ever want to see your notebook again," he said, holding it above his head.
I gawked. "No, now give me the book." I reached for it, and he held it up higher so I couldn't come near it.
"Come with me, and you'll get it back." His tone was teasing.
I narrowed my eyes. There was no way I'd be able to wrestle it from him, he had super vampire strength. I could only get it from him if I was in wolf form, but I couldn't do that even if I wanted to, too many witnesses around. I mean, I was in a park! He waited patiently while I deliberated. There really was nothing I could do. I sighed in defeat.
"Deal," I said reluctantly.
He smiled. "Good."
He had me follow him to a two story house just a few streets from mine, being careful to keep the book out of my reach. The house was blue on the outside, with a big red door and midnight blue drapes covering the windows from the inside. He made me enter first, and I had to admit, they had good taste in furniture. A black leather couch, two leather chairs, nice television, and a cool surround system made up the living room. The walls were dark blue, a nice touch. Ricky was sitting on the couch, and he looked up when I entered. He seemed shocked.
"You actually got her to come? You must be a better flirt than I thought!" he said.
I scowled. "Don't flatter him, he blackmailed me. He's got my book."
Benjamin walked in, probably after locking the door. He still held the book high so I couldn't reach it. He sat on the couch next to Ricky and set the book on his lap.
"You blackmailed her? What happened to, 'She'll come anyway. We'll win'?"
"I had to switch to plan B," Benjamin replied.
I sat in one of the leather chairs across from them, having absolutley no clue what thery were talking about. I could feel my anger at being forced here, and some other emotion-excitement?-beginning to make my fangs grow. I suppressed it, and they went back in.
"Shall we begin?" Ricky asked Benjamin. He turned off the television, which I hadn't noticed was on.
"Sure," he said. Benjamin turned to me. "We know your secret."
I felt shock run through me. My eyes widened. "What?"
"We know you are a werewolf." He stared at me, observing my reaction.
My eyes widened, and I waited for the rest. When nothing came, I prompted them. "And?"
Benjamin's brow furrowed. "And what?"
I guffawed. "You brought me here just to tell me that, when you don't even know the other things?"
They both simultaneously frowned. "There's more?" they said at the same time.
I grinned. "You don't know the half of it."
Ricky raised his eyebrows. "What else could there be?"
Hmmm, let's see, I'm a vampire that doesn't need blood, I have fangs that are one and one-fourth inches long, my mother was a vampire, my father was a werewolf, I can sense when another of either of my species is near, I haven't developed my super strength, I have reflexes that surpass anyone's, I fought off a full grown vampire when I was ten, killed a seven foot werewolf just a few months after that, my mother and father were both killed by their own species, I only need a few hours of sleep, I don't know if I'll ever be immortal, and I'm twelve feet long in wolf form. Take your pick!
"Much, much more," I whispered.
They stared at me. "How could there be much more than that? The only things we don't know is how you were able to be in human form during a full moon, and how you knew what we were so quickly!" said Benjamin, exasperated.
I laughed. "There is much more than that! Those are only two things you don't know!" I laughed harder, sudden hysteria gripping me.
"Like what?"
I stopped laughing and glared. "I'm not going to tell you so easily."
"You will if you want this." He held up my notebook. "Now, why won't you tell us?"
I glared at him, it seemed if I wanted the notebook back I would have to answer his questions- for now. All I knew was that I had to get that notebook back, because in the back- the one place he never looked- there is a story. A story that I had written about my mother. I wrote that story in the back of this huge notebook after she told me a story about her past. That was the story of how my parents fell in love and had me. It was the only thing that I had left of her and I would do anything to get it back.
"I don't want to tell you because I never intended for anyone to know what I truly am," I answered simply, voice bland.
"Why?"
I sighed. "I didn't want anyone to know, and I didn't want to admit it to myself, that I was just like the monsters that..." I stopped. I couldn't finish, I could feel my eyes tearing up. I looked away so they wouldn't see.
"That what?" His voice was soft and gentle, as though he could tell how difficult this was for me.
It was none of his business! Why was he asking these things?! The sudden rage that filled my body was irrepressible. A low growl managed to trickle past my lips before I shoved it back down and had my mouth closed to hide my suddenly growing teeth. The fangs grew into my lip faster than ever, slicing it open and filling my mouth with the sweet, coppery blood again. The pain was sharp and hurt like hell, but I didn't make a sound. The fangs grew downward, so they were going through my lip from top to bottom. If they came out anymore they would start to go into my chin. I turned on them, and I didn't answer.
Benjamin sighed. "I didn't want to do this, but you won't answer otherwise." He handed the notebook to Ricky, and pulled out a lighter, which he also handed to Ricky. Ricky flicked it on and held it under the book.
I was ticked. The rage boiled up even stronger inside me, and I could feel my fangs as they came out in full into my lip, pressing down and going into my chin. I could taste the large amount of sweet blood in my mouth. I lunged for the book, but Benjamin jumped up, grabbed me around the waist, and held me off.
"Are you going to answer now?" he whispered into the hair at the back of my head.
I pulled and thrashed harder, and finally, something happened. The deep pain and emotion I felt in that moment at seeing my most cherished and loved possession being held above a flame that could destroy the only thing my mother left me was enough to tap deep inside myself at power I never knew I had. Just as my mother had said, I finally tapped deep enough to trigger my super strength. There was more though, that which no one had expected. I could feel speed, unrelentless speed. I reached around and grabbed Benjamin so quickly you couldn't see my hand, and I threw him against the wall on the other side of the room.
Ricky was shocked enough that he dropped the book, which I had back in my hand and was in the leather chair in less than a second. Benjamin stood, having any bruises or pains he had already healed. He walked slowly and cautiously so that he sat next to Ricky on the couch; who hadn't moved an inch and was staring at me with shock and awe.
"How did you do that?" Benjamin demanded. "No werewolf is capable of fighting off a vampire's super strength unless in wolf form. How?"
I didn't answer, the blood in my mouth was too great an amount for speech. I felt it slip at the corners of my mouth and drip down my chin.
"Why are you bleeding?" His eyes widened. He walked over and helped me to my feet, though I didn't need it, and let him without a fight. He walked me to the sink in the kitchen, Ricky following behind us.
I had to make a decision now. They already knew too much, and this had set them off onto another one of my secrets. It was either I tell them the whole truth, or I kill them. I realized now that I could easily do it, they had seen my new found strength and speed in there. Even if I let them live now, they would just keep digging until they knew anyway. It was either break it to them now or kill them. I made my decision, I would let them live. I would tell them my secrets. I would choose to trust them. Besides, I didn't want to kill again unless it was necessary, and if they caused me problems or put me in harm's way, I could easily dispose of them.
And for some odd reason, I didn't think I'd be able to kill Benjamin even if I wanted to, my heart wouldn't let me.
Deciding not to dwell on that thought, I leaned over the sink, facing away from them, and spat out the blood. I rinsed my mouth with water, and allowed my fangs to come out to their full length over my bottom lip. They were visible now, and were so long they poked my chin. I turned to face them.
"What the-?!" Ricky shouted.
"How did you get fangs?" Benjamin asked. His eyes were wide as saucers as he stared at them.
I sighed. "I made my decision," I said, voice very matter-of-fact, "It was either I told you my secrets and let you in willingly, or I killed you. I would rather not kill you if you don't mind."
They looked at me in shock.
"So I'm going to tell you my secrets. Please do not interrupt, okay?"
They nodded simultaneously.
"Good. Let's do this in the living room."
I was sitting in the leather chair across from the couch before they even took their first step. They followed after me and sat on the couch, eyes still wide. Nice to know I could shock two creatures who had probably lived for over a hundred years- assuming Ricky was immortal, as I'm beginning to suspect. You don't become nine feet long in wolf form in one lifetime, unless you're me. I don't think he's me.
I took a deep breath and began. "I am the only one of my kind. I am the daughter of a werewolf and a vampire."
Their eyes widened further. They stared at me like a bunch of teenage boys would stare at a shiny object.
"My parents were killed by their own kind, but I won't tell you the story of how just yet. I will tell you that that's where I got my scars." I pulled down the neck of my shirt, and pulled up my sleeve to show them for emphasis. They could hear the rest of the story later. "I have abilities no one else has. I have superior vision and night vision. I have fangs, but do not need blood. I only need two or three hours sleep a night, and I did not have my strength until today, thanks to you. I finally tapped deep into myself enough to trigger it. The speed though, I was not expecting that. That was another of the added bonuses of being unique. I am a werewolf, able to change at will, but I am not forced to change when the moon is full. I also have another added bonus." I tapped my forehead. "I can sense when another of the species is near. I am very unique, and very powerful." I wasn't bragging, merely stating what I knew was true.
I reached inside me for a moment to the place where the speed and strength had lye dormant. I could feel something else there, some other stirrings of power. "I have not tapped into all my powers yet, I know. For I can still feel dormant power deep inside of me. I do not know what this power is, but it is probably great. I would have to feel deeply some emotion, which one I don't know, in order to tap into it. I may never find out what it is." Yes, I was bragging a bit, too, on the whole 'but it is probably great', part. So sue me. Plus, it was a reminder of who they were messing with.
I looked at them, loving their reaction of shock and awe once again. I smiled. "These are all my secrets. I will tell you of my parents' deaths another time."
We sat in silence for so long, I thought the sun would burn out before Benjamin finally spoke. Plenty of time to reflect and absorb all the information they had just had to process. Still, half an hour is still a bit much. Good thing he spoke when he did, I was beginning to get stiff sitting in that same position.
"I never would have guessed," he said slowly. He glanced at me, "You truly are powerful."
I nodded.
"And I, personally, would feel better if you were with us at all times. You do not know how to control your strength and we could help you. You need time to hone your abilities, but you can not do that at your own home. I would feel much better if you stayed with us for a while."
I was shocked, this is what he'd been thinking on for all that time? He was inviting me to live with them! Ricky seemed just as shocked and was about to say something, but Benjamin gave him a look that said, 'later'. I thought for a moment. He said he could help me control my strength, and that I needed a place to hone my skills. He was right about that, I did need a place to practice. He was also right about me not being able to do this at my home. I sighed; my foster parents wouldn't care anyway, what did I have to lose? Besides, that part of my brain that has been unruly in terms of Benjamin lately pointed out, the thought of staying in the same house as Benjamin isn't so bad.
"Okay," I said. "It makes sense. I'll be back in a few minutes."
I stood and walked to the door. I would grab my pillows, blanket, and some personals and be back in a few minutes. This speed thing really would come in handy. I opened the door, and was gone in a flash, with only one thought going through my head as I ran.
How had I come to be trusting, even living with, the other species in less than one day?