Diary of a Newborn Vampire (BOOK #1)

What Is This Feeling?

William 

Kira was right.

The thought plagued my mind as Ava spoke. As she described her life, her childhood, how people kept on leaving. How she thought herself unable to pick up the pieces afterward.

We're all just broken dolls.

I tried my hand at hating her. I tried pushing her far enough away so she wouldn't ask any questions. But she didn't ask anyway, not in our time together. She knew nothing about my role in her becoming a vampire. I had little effect on her.

Little effect on her.

My fear of the blood bond seemed to be irrelevant. At least on her part.

But somehow she came here of all places. It couldn't be a coincidence. Coincidences didn't just happen. But she didn't act like most vampires did under the influence of a blood bond. She acted like a girl strong enough to say no, but afraid enough to hold back.

However the moment I looked at her, I felt something deep in my chest. Something raging and internal that I couldn't quite control. Something that I tried so hard to push down just as I tried to push her away.

There was every chance, every possibility of my worst fear coming true. All it took was the giving of one's blood to the victim during transition. I had made the worst of mistakes, but at the same time my guilt muddled with optimism over the fact that I had saved her all while I damned her to this life.

"William?"

I jumped at the abrupt sound of my name.

Angelina stood in my doorway, leaning against the frame, donned in her usual ridiculous attire. Her dark brows creased together with immediate concern, an expression I was far used to, but hadn't received since Ava's arrival.

"Geez," she commented. "For a vampire, you are awfully jumpy."
"Sorry," I said. "You just surprised me. What do you want?"

"Oh, what a nice way to treat your favorite." She rolled her eyes. "I just wanted to come in here and check up on you."
"Did Jacqueline put you up to this?" I asked her, pulling on a sweater that had been sitting in a pile on the floor.

"No," she said, shaking her head. "It's just me, if that alright with you. I've been worried about you lately."

"Really?" I raised an eyebrow. Honestly, I thought I'd been behaving fairly decent lately. Especially considering the bizarre circumstances. I hadn't had a drink since the night Ava arrived. I kept my mouth shut. Didn't even bother bickering with Jane or anyone else in the house. "Personally, I thought I was doing pretty well."

"Yeah," she nodded. "I agree."

I crossed my arms, trying to understand just where she was going with this, especially when it came to that knowing glimmer in her eye. "And that's a problem?"

Her lips quirked to the side, the way they always did when she was up to something. "You and Ava..." she started. "Is there—I don't know—something going on there?"

I swallowed. "'Something' as in?"
She waved her hands around wildly, in very much Angelina manner. "It's confusing, Will. When she first arrived, you all but killed her. I thought that was odd enough. I've lived with you for decades, and I have never seen you like that. Then all of a sudden you're...okay? You have become more than tolerable of her presence. You don't have a single problem with her. I heard you two talking the other night outside. It's as if you're a new person."