Sire Lines

Chapter 2

"Get away from me, Amelia, I'm not safe," Niklaus told her.

Amelia frowned at his absurd words. Just days ago, he'd follow her around and annoy her with his presence but now, he wanted her to stay away. Because of this, she wanted to know why.

"Just let me see what you're talking about," she urged.

"Mother made us like this," he said, still facing the wall of an abandoned shed. "Father said it was to give us strength for when we take on the beasts."

"You only get strength from sleep or-or a divine intervention."

"Not when your mother's a witch," he said when he turned.

Amelia jumped when he saw his red, almost black, eyes that pumped black veins around his eyes. He was huffing like a wild dog and his teeth were sharper than normal. He took a step forward—many steps— until she didn't have anywhere to go.

"I am so hungry."

"I can make you food," she whispered. She even tried to reach for his face, wondering why he was like this.

"Not that kind of food," he shook his head, pushing her hand away. "Father gave us human blood to drink."

"Oh!" she yelped. "How- bloody hell!"

"It was the only way to complete it, this transformation," he said. "Rebekah was the first one. She drank something, then she was killed, and she drank the blood."

"Whose blood?" Amelia asked. Niklaus kept quiet as he stumbled back. "Who's blood?!"

"Tatia's."

"No," she whispered, a tear forming in her eye. "No!"

"Listen to me, Amelia."

"How could I? After all your family has done? How could I listen to you?" she inquired, thrashing against his chest.

"You have to get far away from here. I don't want to hurt you nor do I want to see you get hurt. Okay, Amelia?" He reached to wipe her tears but she smacked his hand away. Even though she didn't like what was going on, she nodded.

Stepping out of the shed, she went back to her home to put her valuable items in a felted bag. Isaac had walked in and she told him that there were leaving. He didn't ask any questions because she lied that Father had said this.

"What's going on here?" Maxim asked. Her heart sank as she turned to look at him and Isaac was confused as well.

"The beasts are going to attack us, we need to leave," she said.

"Who told you this?" Isaac questioned.

"Niklaus."

"And you believe him?" Maxim asked and she nodded. All he could do was trust his daughter. "Then we go."

"Father," Isaac called but he was ignored as Maxim went to pack.

Once they had finished and Amelia grabbed a day's worth of food, her brother and father took lanterns and they embarked on their journey. They didn't know where to go but away from their former village was a start.

It was the middle of the night, the full moon on its apex, as they trekked through the forest. The tall trees towered over them but that didn't dishearten their hike. Amelia was staying careful so she wouldn't trip or her dress would trip her. She was already making plans for her new life in the next village. The only thing that made her heart weaken was that she wouldn't see Niklaus again.

Her head lifted when she heard a bird chirp. She stopped at the sound of this, confused as to why it was making this call. Isaac, who was a hunter, knew this too. The only bird that would make noise at this hour would be an owl; but, it was an ordinary bird's noise.