Bad Taste (Part II) // Colby Brock

245 - Rebecca

I would have loved to go for a run, to test how far and fast I could go, but there were a few things I wanted to test out first, and most of them meant I had to stick around. Besides, I'd have all the time I needed to go running with Tara. We'd probably end up in other countries knowing her new sporadic view on day trips.

"Actually," I said, and Tara pouted knowing what was coming, "I'd rather not test myself in case I catch a scent while I'm out. I've already made one mistake."

"But you weren't sane then," Tara argued.

I shook my head. "I'm as stubborn as ever, you won't change my mind. Okay?"

She sighed, "Okay, whatever. What else are we gonna do, then?"

"I am going to go and talk to my family, you guys do whatever." I waved a hand at Tara as though I were shooing her away, then walked toward my father and sister with Colby's hand tightly clutched in mine. He followed me knowing I'd need him if the thirst became too much, but I could tell he wasn't really sure this was a good idea.

Dad and Ang moved across the couch until there was enough space for all of us and Colby sat in the middle as a buffer. I leaned against the arm hoping it would help at all, though the scents of my family were already burying themselves in my nose and throat. I had to breathe slowly, to filter out the need to bite them right then and there.

"Did you want to talk to us for a reason?" Dad asked as I adjusted to the effort it took to be around them.

I shrugged. "I want to get used to humans. I figure you guys are the last people I'd hurt, especially with Colby around as he's up your ass."

Colby glared at me. "Baby, will you stop that?" I just smiled innocently at him then looked back at my father.

"Well, I suppose it can't hurt you, can it? It doesn't hurt..."

"No, it doesn't," I promised him. The hunger and thirst I felt was much more like an itch, something that was annoying but could be put to the back of my mind. I knew this was mostly because I had consumed some blood tonight, but still, it was easy to pretend nothing was happening to me.

"We could talk about something," Colby suggested, "I want to hear about that friend of yours."

"The scientist?"

"Yeah. You said he's been doing experiments?"

My dad's expression turned excited, like he'd been waiting for this his entire life. I was taken aback by the sheer joy on his face, and couldn't help but exchange a surprised glance with Colby. "He started doing it because I told him about vampires and about me. He's been obsessed with them ever since, mostly with finding out what makes them so much better than us and why normal people can be infected by this disease."

I flinched.

"The most successful test he did was with vervaine, as he discovered that it weakens vampires because of the toxins in it. They sort of attack the toxins in you, making you weaker and weaker the longer you're around it or breathing it in. It takes so many different forms because it is a flower—more of a plant. It's capable of harnessing its toxicity no matter what shape.

"He also figured out the reason some vampires are less affected. It's got nothing to do with strength, as you may have noticed. I'm sure you've come across vampires who can barely throw a punch but are somehow almost immune to vervaine. Well, it's simply the idea of how strong the vampire toxins in your blood are. It's completely random for everybody, sort of like how one reacts to a vaccine."

"How did your friend conduct these tests and find all this out?" Colby asked incredulously, lost in my father's rambles. I noticed Angela looking bored, which amused me more than it should have.