Eternal Thirst

"Not all secrets are hidden.."

Lyra's head rested on Zach's chest while she studied his face. Zach glanced at her through squinted eyes, "stop staring."

Lyra smiled, "i'm gazing."

"It's creepy."

"It's romantic."

Zach glanced at her again before taking the pillow out from under him and covering his face. Lyra laughed, tugging the pillow away from his face. "Hey!"
Zach rolled over on top of her, their lips moving in slow, sleepy movements. Zach moved from her lips, to her jaw, and then down to her neck while Lyra sighed.

"This is bad of us."

"Yes, yes it is." Zach mumbled against her skin.

Lyra sighed, pushing on Zach so that he was beside her. "I have to go get in the shower."

Zach pursed his lips, nodding. "Love it, let's go." He winked at her and she giggled.

"No, just me. I told Skylinn we would all meet up for a movie night tonight, at her place."

"Am I the only one who finds it weird that she's been home a week and we've hardly seen her? She hasn't even gone to school."

Lyra shrugged, "she just got out of the hospital and almost died. And her dad didn't even come home from Japan, she's having a hard time."

Zach frowned, "I can't believe her dad didn't even come home. What kind of father does that?"

Lyra shook her head, "I don't know. But anyways, everyone is going over their tonight. Which means we are in charge of the chicken wings and dip."

Zach groaned, "we always are in charge of the wings!"

Lyra slapped his arm playfully, "oh stop whining. Now are you coming or not?"

Zach raised an eyebrow at her and Lyra rolled her eyes, throwing off her blanket and walking over towards her bathroom door, opening it with a playful smile.
Zach's eyes grew wide and he tossed the blankets off of him quickly. "Coming!"

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

Emma laid across Micheal's bed, a pillow on her face. She heard the bathroom door open but she didn't move as Michael walked into the room with just a pair of blue jeans on. "What's with you?"

Emma groaned, grabbing the pillow and pulling it off of her face. "I'm not sure. I feel like, like, like there's something wrong. I just can't put my finger on it, it's a feeling." Emma' eyes trailed down Micheal's toned chest, snapping back up to his face when he spoke. "What kinda feeling?"

Emma shook her head quickly, "I-I don't know. A bad one. I don't think I'm the only vampire in town anymore."

Michael pulled a white t-shirt over his head, "well I figured because of what happened at the get back. And with all those deaths outside of town."

Emma rolled her eyes, falling back onto the bed. "Do you think Zach is still mad at me?"

Michael raised an eyebrow at her, "why would he be mad at you?"

Emma shrugged her shoulders, "I don't know, for what I did at the hospital."

Michael sat down beside her on his bed, "you saved Skylinn's life. If he is mad about that then I'm going to punch him."

Emma laughed, "you're right."

Michael playfully pushed her, "i'm always right." He stood up, walking over towards his dresser and shoving his wallet into his pocket. "Are you coming to movie night tonight?"

Emma shook her head, "i'm going to try and figure out where that horrible noise came from. In all my years I have never heard anything like that."

Michael chuckled, "you act like you're a thousand years old."

Emma pushed herself to her feet, walking over towards his bedroom door and opening it. She paused in the doorway, turning around and hugging Michael around the neck. Michael froze for a moment before he returned her hug. Emma turned again, pausing in the doorway. "I'm not a thousand, just seventy-seven." And with that she turned, leaving Michael rolling his eyes behind her.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

Skylinn sat in a far corner of dark room, her palms pressed against her temples. She could hear everything, from the housekeeper cleaning the living room to the car that had just honked its horn in town. She whined loudly as she heard the housekeeper start to whistle in the far room, her ears ringing with the noise.

"Will you shut it!" She screamed, and the whistling stopped short. She groaned when she heard the footsteps coming towards her, a low knocking on her door.

"Mrs. Walker?"

Skylinn whined as she heard the door creak open, pulling her knees up to her chest, burying her face in the corner of the wall. Their housekeeper Mindy, a small older Spanish lady, slowly stepped into the room. Mindy placed a hand on her hip, "Mrs. Walker, what're you doin over there? You need to get out of this dark, stuffy room. Get some air." And with that she walked over towards Skylinn's huge window, placing a hand on the dark purple curtains that where covering it.

"No, don't!" Skylinn yelled but she was to late. Mindy through back the curtains, filling the room with the soft, yellow light of the setting sun.

"There isn't that better-" Mindy turned only to find Skylinn had moved from her corner to the edge of her doorway, her body pressed up against the wall. Skylinn trembled, "close it, please..."

Mindy folded her arms across her chest, "now Mrs. Walker I don't think-"

"Close it." Skylinn hissed, her voice so stern it caused Mindy to jump. Mindy rushed over towards the curtains, pulling them closed quickly. Skylinn let out a deep breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding, her shoulders relaxing as her room once more was covered in darkness. Skylinn pushed herself off the wall, walking till was she in front of Mindy. She offered her a small smile, "i'm sorry I frightened you, Mindy. You can go home, take the rest of the week off."

Mindy's face broke out in a huge smile, and much to Skylinn's surprise she hugged her. "Oh, thank you, Mrs. Walker!"

Skylinn felt her nostrils flare as she turned her head beside Mindy's neck. She could hear the blood pulsating through her veins, running like a red river through her entire body. Skylinn took in a deep breath, trying to control herself but she felt her fangs already extending from her gums. She sighed, running her nose across Mindy's neck, "I'm so sorry."

Skylinn's fangs fully extended and she bit into Mindy's neck, blood filling her mouth causing her eyes to roll back into her head out of sheer pleasure. At first Mindy let out a cry of pain, but after a moment she left out a soft sigh, as if she was falling asleep. Skylinn had learned that being bitten hurt her victims at first but after the initial bite they seems to fall into some kind of pleasure, sleepy trance. After a moment Skylinn pulled away, breathing rapidly. Mindy would come out of her trance soon, and Skylinn had to make sure she was bandaged up before she did.

With a groan Skylinn led a swaying Mindy towards the hallway bathroom, opening up the closet and pulling out a first-aid kit. Carefully, Skylinn cleaned and bandaged Mindy up, finishing up just as Mindy was coming out of her trance. Mindy started to hyperventilate, reaching up and touching her bandaged neck, her eyes going wide. Skylinn placed her hands on both of Mindy's shoulders' looking straight into her chocolate brown eyes with her blue ones.

"Calm down." Skylinn whispered, her voice steady.

Mindy's breathing slowed, "I am calm."

"Good, now you're going to forget that I ever bit you. The injury on your neck was caused by your cat scratching you. Understand?"

Mindy nodded slowly, "I understand."

Skylinn sighed, letting go of Mindy's shoulders. "Go home, Mindy."

Mindy nodded and hurried past Skylinn and towards the stairs. Skylinn heard the front door open and Mindy let out a happy cry. "Oh, Sam! How nice of you to come by!"

Skylinn took in a deep breath, walking out of the bathroom and towards the stairs. Sam was standing in the living room, wearing a simple grey cardigan over a white t-shirt and some torn up blue jeans. Mindy stood in front of him, a huge smile on her face. "Mrs. Walker will be happy to see you!"

Sam chuckled, "Thanks Mindy, What happened to your neck?"

Mindy ran a hand over her bandaged neck and Skylinn held her breath. "Oh it's nothing, my old cat Mister mittens scratched me in my sleep last night. Nothing to worry about, but thanks. I'm off, you two have fun!"

Sam watched her go, closing the front door behind her. He turned to see Skylinn walking off the last steps, wearing some yoga pants a light blue tank top. "Hey stranger."

Sam smiled, almost running forward and giving Skylinn a tight hug. Skylinn hugged him back, taking in a deep breath as she felt the smell of his blood enter her nose, causing her heart beat to race. Luckily for her Sam pulled away quickly, reaching forward and whipping away some blood that had dripped out of the side of Skylinn' mouth. "What's that?"

Skylinn whipped her mouth quickly, "um, nothing. I was just eating some cherries earlier."

Sam raised an eyebrow at her, "but you hate cherries."

Skylinn rocked back on her feet nervously, "you don't know my life, Sam. Anyways did you bring the movies?"

Sam studied her face for a moment, before slinging his bag over his shoulder, reaching into it and pulling out three DVD cases. "The first three resident evil movies as requested. Do you know when the others are getting here?"

Skylinn shook her head, "nope. I think Lyra and them are still getting the wings. But c'mon then let's go set everything up in the movie room."

The two of them spent the next half hour dragging in blankets and pillows from every room, tossing them on the huge mattress made floor of Skylinn's movie room. Sam dropped a huge blanket on the floor, falling backwards till he fell onto the soft, mattress flooring. "I freakin love this room. This is the best room in your entire house, besides your bedroom." He looked up and winked at her, causing Skylinn to roll her eyes. She heard the front door open and she jumped over Sam and ran down the hall to the living room where Lyra, Zach and Michael where waiting, their arms full with bags of food.

"We come bearing gifts!" Michael announced, walking into the kitchen and dumping the wings onto the counter, turning and giving Skylinn a tight hug. Sam followed him, not noticing as Zach slipped a small clear vial into Lyra's hands. Lyra looked confused at first but then she understood and nodded, slipping behind him as she dumped a small amount into each milkshake and into Skylinn's smoothie, knowing she was a vegan. After she had finished Lyra slipped the vial into the back of Zach's pocket, walking out from behind him and holding the drink holder up high.

"And I come bearing milkshakes and smoothies!" Lyra smiled as she handed Sam and Michael their milkshakes. Skylinn skipped over to her, giving her a small hug before grabbed her smoothie out of the cup holder. "Thank god, i've been dying for a smoothie!"

Skylinn brought the straw to her lips, taking a huge sip. Almost instantly Skylinn spit it out, steam rising from the inside of her mouth as she let out a pained scream. Everyone jumped as Skylinn cried out again, her smoothie falling towards the ground as she fell back against the wall, a harsh aching pain filling her throat and mouth.

"What's wrong?” Sam asked, kneeling beside Skylinn as she coughed and sputtered quickly.

"I-I-I don't know, burning, my mouth...it's burning." Skylinn mumbled in a breathy voice.

Michael handed her a cup of water and she drained it quickly, tossing the cup to the side with surprising force, causing it to shatter on the opposite wall. "What was in that smoothie?!"

Lyra sputtered a reply, "nothing! just fruit, ice and-"

"Vervain." Zach mumbled, his eyes falling. Lyra suddenly seemed to realize what was going on and her hands flew to her mouth in shock, she eyes watering with tears. "No, no it can't be."

Skylinn ran a hand through her hair, trying to control her breathing, her throat and mouth still stinging. "What? What's vervain?"

Lyra's eyes where full of tears as she leaned down in front of her best friend, "the hospital. It actually happened, I can't believe it, we where so careful."

"What happened?” Skylinn asked, starting to become nervous at the way everyone was now staring at her.

"This is Emma's fault." Zach mumbled, his face stern but his eyes where glossy. "She did this, she turned her into this."

Sam seemed to realize what they where saying and he let out a choked cry, stumbling backwards away from Skylinn so fast he tripped, landing hard on the kitchen floor. Skylinn felt her eyes start to water and she covered her face in her hands, knowing there was no point in hiding it now.

Lyra wrapped her arms around her best friend as they both cried, Skylinn sticking her face out from her arm and looking up at Zach. "What's wrong with me?" Her voice was broken and that seemed to send Stefan over the edge as the tears started to fall from his eyes.

Zach stared at Skylinn, his face like stone. "You're a vampire, Skylinn. A monster. Everything is wrong with you."