Hunted

Chapter 9

The rest of the school day passes without incident, except for the occasional whisper. At the end of last period, I go to my room where no one can call me names and treat me like a strange science experiment gone bad.

As soon as I settle myself down on my bed, a knock arrives at the door. I groan and roll out of bed. I check the peephole, but there isn't anyone there. I open the door angrily. If someone is playing ding-dong ditch with me... Right in front of my door is a bottle of blood with a note attached to it.

Dear Miss. Embers,

I am extremely sorry about this morning, but it had to be done. If I didn't, and it slipped out that you were a Vampiress, then they would try to kill you. I really hope no one disturbed your peace today due to that. I hope you will eventually forgive me, even though I deserve your hate.

Sincerely, Ms. Keefe.

Why would she apologize to me? She's the teacher, and teachers don't apologize. They typically tell you to suck it up.

The bottle the blood is in is actually quite fancy. It has swirls along the side and it's encrusted with the name 'Jamestown Original- humanely extracting blood from voluntary humans since 1607.' Ha, I love how they put humanely. So ironic.

I screw the cap off and my fangs automatically snap in. I take a deep swig, the thick, velvety taste of AB+ sliding easily down my throat. I take it to my desk and start writing.

Dear, Ms. Keefe,

I understand your reasoning behind telling the whole student body. They deserve to know. I do have one request though. I obviously can't do The Art of Staking and I really don't think I can do PE since I'm afraid I'll lose control. Also, everyone in my choir class is uncomfortable with me in there, and I don't want to burden them with my presence. If there is anything you can do about a schedule change, I would be most thankful.

Ps: If you would like to send a note back, just tell the cat to stay.

Sincerely, Lizzy.

I start searching for a lost feline throughout the whole school, and when that doesn't work, I start looking through the outer edges of the city, close to where I am.

Suddenly, a knock erupts my concentration, and I smell Tracy. "It's unlocked!" I call and she opens the door.

"Hey, what's up?" She comes and sits on the bed.

"I'm trying to send a note to Ms. Keefe." I go back to concentrating. I finally find a young kitten sleeping in a box in a dirty alley, barely old enough to start eating meat. My heart swells for the poor creature.

Hello there, little guy. I gently pry into his mind. Fear comes out of him and he opens big bright blue eyes. Don't worry, I won't hurt you. I'm a friend. I send it calming thoughts of me when I was younger. In one of the images, I'm nursing a young cat back to health when I was around ten. The kitten relaxes a bit and sits down.

Do you want to come with me? I just need a favor done. I feel the kitten slowly start to give in and he stands up again. Alright, go to this place. I send him a picture of my dorm and a smell of me. The little kitten starts coming my way at a fast run, and I leave his mind.

"Are you alright? Your eyes went all weird." Tracy is leaning forward and into my face. I scoot my head back from hers.

"Yeah. What did they look like?"

"They looked like... Cat eyes." Disbelief comes off of her. "Why?"

"You'll see." I turn back to the desk and put the letter in an envelope. I seal it with Ms. Keefe's name in fancy cursive.