Taste

Tam didn't say anything when I stepped into her car after half four. Either knowing that detention was awful and not wanting to contribute, or seething quietly in anger... I was still somehow grateful.

I'd seen Holly around campus after Vampire History, with white plastic molded onto her nose, but she'd been laughing about it to her posse. It's almost as if her new look was by choice.

That's where I stopped following. She clearly didn't mind that her nose was broken and left to walk around like a dog with a muzzle – yet, I still received death-glares everywhere I went. It didn't make sense.

We stopped at a Co-op and Tam asked me to fill up on the gas as she went in. She didn't move any differently, although the bounce in her step caused a few men (and women) to look over their shoulders as she breezed past.

I stuck the hose in the tank, watching the metre as it filled. Once done, I paid the cashier in the accompanying box. Whilst I was in there, I ransacked the shelves for some decent sweets. Tam would hold out on me, as usual.

Grabbing a Twix and a litre bottle of Coke, I exchanged some quick words with the assistant. Typical that he couldn't stop looking at the top half of my shirt, unbuttoned almost to the cleavage line.

About to reach over and slap him, I stopped when I saw the Newspaper lying under my purchases. Pushing them out of the way, I unfolded it and began reading.

At midnight last night, serial killer The Carver claimed his eleventh victim, Macy Cho, 30, in Chesterfield. Cho's family and friends commented how she had seemed drained and forgetful lately. She takes her place alongside ten other women that The Carver has killed. She was found dead with a cross cut onto her left cheek.

"Hey, this ain't a library, buy it or get out."

Narrowing my eyebrows, a slammed an extra pound coin on to the counter and left with my three things. Tam was already in the car by the time I got there, so I hid the paper between my waistband. I didn't think I could take another scolding today.

By the time we got to the house, Zach was doing his homework on the front steps, not even bothering to look up. She shut off the engine and I prepared to take my leave when I felt her hand on my arm, stalling me.

Meeting the soft stare of my sister, I felt guilty for thinking she'd be angry at me, because all I saw was the exact opposite.

"I know you didn't mean to hit Holly. You've never been a golden kid or baddest bitch on the block, but you're my sister," Her grip grew a little tighter. "And I'd like to think you'd talk to me if we're going to have a problem."

We didn't need to wander our gazes to comprehend what she was referring to.

Instead of reassuring her or even poking fun at the matter, I got out. I unlocked the door and was up the stairs before Zach could grab a milkshake.

Sliding my lock over, I bounced onto my bed with a fever I usually saved for night-time. Laying the paper flat, I scanned the details, taking in the relevance of the whole story. There was more to these murders than just random pickings... what were the motives and relation?

I ransacked my desk, removing my diaries, discovering the clippings beneath them.

For weeks, I'd been cutting out articles that mentioned the murders, storing them where I knew Tam would never think to look. She didn't like me loading my head of the stuff, since she claimed I'd only make myself sick.

I clipped the sheet to the nine others cut. I was only missing the one from two days ago – from the same day that I met my first vampire.

Arden.

Throwing the clippings back where they belong, I shot up and turned to the window, noticing the black sky that was beginning to take over the day. In just a few hours, he'd be outside my window, pleading forgiveness.

I didn't know the creature, not sure I ever wanted to, but I could see he was a righteous man with unfortunate tendencies. He didn't ask for any of this, would it be right to hold a grudge when there were always far more important matters to attend to?

The fact that I could answer that immediately let me know I'd made my mind up.

So, for the next few hours, I watched the world tick by. The seconds bled into minutes, and before I knew it, became hours. The sirens sounded and the neighbourhood civilians sprinted to the warmth and safety of their homes, in the sweet and loving embrace of their families. Nobody could be more foolish than I – yesterday.

He appeared slowly, walking at a pace equal to a human. He wore a long red trench coat with a Gothic black undershirt. It fit him snug, made him appear beautiful although his face was still healing.

I saw him clearly through the firelight, examining me head-to-toe, droplets of rain cascading onto his face, catching his lips as he tried moving them. To speak, to compel, to breathe... all in the name of Emmy Willis.

I didn't remove my eyes as I reached for my blinds lever and closed them shut.