Vampiria: A Gender-Bending Vampire Story

3 - There Are Some Changes That Are Definitely Not "Just Puberty"

I could barely sleep that night. I kept thinking about everything that had happened. Laurel being a vampire, the Valentine Stalker, the imposter doctors, the sudden disappearance of my facial and chest hair. It was all so weird. They felt so disjointed, yet in the back of my mind, I felt they may have all been connected.

Laurel's words kept repeating in my mind. Not only the stuff about the apparent blood transfusion, but about how she wasn't involved in the murders at the school. She made it sound like she had killed before, which I didn't doubt from her heritage. A memory came flashing back to my first year of high school and of the first friend I made.

A boy named Liam Squire. He was a meek boy like myself and got bullied a lot by kids like Chad and Darnell. He was quiet and only really spoke to me, Walt, and Ramone. He didn't hang out with us too often, but I had met him during my induction day at Valentine Academy and we were friends ever since.

He disappeared suddenly after eighth grade, without a trace. Around that same time an unidentifiable corpse was recovered in the city's sewer system, one that oddly fit the stature of a small teenage boy. I was sure it was Liam's body. The following year, Laurel Laurent transferred from an all-girls school in London. I thought nothing of it back then but knowing now that she's a vampire had me rethink the entire situation.

What if she was the one who killed Liam? She appeared right when he disappeared, and Liam had told me he was going to visit family in England.

What if visitors from England found him first?

What if Laurel killed my first friend at Stoker?

I finally drifted off with those thoughts in my head. I dreamt of Liam and my weeks following the case of the corpse, which they never managed to identify. It was a difficult sleep. Not only from the traumatic memories, but my body was in physical pain. My groin area hurt like hell, I could feel it my dream.

Yet, it never woke me. My thoughts were only of Liam Squire, and how much I actually missed him.

I woke up feeling pretty happy, and strangely much lighter on my feet. I felt quicker, healthier in a way. I basically jumped from my bed, striding along the carpet to my full body mirror, flexing to my reflection. I looked better than I had in a while. My body was skinnier, chest a little puffier, legs a little stronger. Everything felt good for some reason.

'Good morning, Aunt Jenny,' I said as I greeted my aunt who was making pancakes.

'You're lively this morning,' she said, serving me a raspberry flapjack. 'Who are you and what have you done with my nephew?'

I laughed and gave her a hug. 'I don't know. I just feel...good! I guess the coma revitalized me a bit.'

She raised an eyebrow but laughed nonetheless.

My trip to school felt fresher. I still walked to the monorail and took it all the way to the city's center where Stoker was. A few girls even looked my way during the trip. I felt confident enough to smile back at them, which resulted in a few blushes (not solely from the girls).

It was the beginning of a great day, I could feel it.

I could FEEL it.

I could feel...

'I can't feel it!' I screamed in the middle of the school hallway. Ramone and Walt looked at me, confused.

'Everything okay?' Walt asked, putting his hand on my shoulder. A tingle went through my whole body when he touched me. Something inside rumbled. Something I had never felt before. I bolted to the toilets and practically sprinted inside a cubicle. My pants were off in record time, and sure enough...IT was gone.