GINGER PHOENIX a novel by M. Cairol Yakup

Chapter 9

CHRISTOPHER & ZAFIRA

Azzim woke up in the afternoon the next day. But he hadn't forgotten what happened last night with Ginger and Azzim. The moment that he got off the bed, he was already thinking about he was going to do now. Avery was giving up on defending his territory. If Avery ever got himself killed, he knew that he would be killed too.

He was marked by Avery and was originally chosen to be the vampire's protégé. He wasn't surprised why the vampire wanted him to leave town. The newborn vampires were increasing by number and Avery couldn't do everything at once. Protecting him and taking care some innocent newborn vampire. Azzim felt wrong for pushing Avery when he obviously knew that he was a liability.

Maybe Ginger could help. Azzim was not a big fan after seeing she killed a vampire last night, but she could offer him protection. After all, she was stronger and faster. Would she agree to do so? But she told him last night not to put hopes on her. Did she really mean it? Why would she want to help Azzim? 'Shit, screw Ginger, she doesn't give a damn about me, that's stupid,' he said to himself.

Azzim didn't really know the fuss she was making on Avery's attention to him. Why would she be so curious about it? Didn't she see how much Avery was like him? Azzim liked him too, as a friend. He didn't see anything else beyond that. Avery cared for him and that was all that mattered.

Avery was not around in Azzim's house. He had probably gone since last night. Azzim didn't care. Maybe the vampire was mad at him. He opened all the windows in the house. It had been awhile since the last time he did that. He couldn't do that if Avery in the house.

He tried not to worry so much about he was dealing at the moment. He went out to do so some grocery. This was the first time Azzim felt the sun was burning his skin since a month ago. He was getting as pale as Avery these days.

He didn't know if it was a coincidence that he met Ginger at the supermarket, but she was the last person he would want to see right now. She greeted him but he didn't even say hi to her.

"Ooh... Nice gesture!" She said seeing his cold respond.

"What do you want?" Azzim said without even looking at her.

Ginger was tailing him. How Azzim wished that she didn't follow him like that. He was not in the mood of talking right now.

"You'd change your mind with the information I have for you," she continued.

As much as he didn't want to talk to her, he couldn't help himself from wanting to know what she wanted to say. He couldn't read her mind like what he did last night. That was strange. He was so attached to her last night, but he didn't feel that right now.

"Yeah, me too!" She said. "I like it better this way."

She read his mind. That was really annoying but he acted like he didn't care. If she wanted to tell him something, he was not going to ask. She was the one who came after him.

"This is about your friend, Chris."

Azzim turned his head to Ginger once the name was mentioned. Ginger nodded her head and smiled.

"What about him?" He had forgotten being angry with at once.

"He's no longer human," she replied.

"WHAT?" Azzim didn't care that people were staring at him in the supermarket.

"Ben had turned him into a newborn last night!"

"How did you know that?"

"I went to his place and saw what he did to your friend," she said as she picked some lettuce for herself.