The Crying Wolf Chronicles: Forbidden (Book 1)

Colleen: New Sister

(Phyllis in the photo)

Colleen: New Sister

"Mom, do I have to give Phyllis my old room?" I leaned against the wall in the kitchen.

"Yes, my dear. It is mandatory. She's your sister now." Mom took a sip of her mug.

"She's not legally my sister yet." I mumbled.

Mom rolled her eyes. "When your father comes home, she will be."

"He's not gonna brainwash her parents into giving up their rights is he?"

"You know he will. That is the only way we can adopt her. After that, legally, she will become a Grimaldi."

"Whatever." I rolled my eyes.

"Why don't you find something useful to do while we wait for him." She flipped a page in her Fingerhut catalog and took another sip of what I guessed was blood.

I rolled my eyes and huffed. "What do you want me to now? Paint the walls?"

"No. Pick up Phyllis from school."

My eyes widened. "What? The girl isn't even in here two days good and you want me to pick her up from school?"

Mom closed the book softly and looked at me with her piercing baby blues. "She still has to go to school. Nothing has changed. You still went to school right?"

"Yeah, but mom, why me?"

"I have to go find curtains in pink, and your father is with her parents."

"Seriously?" I folded my arms tight against my chest.

"Yes, seriously. Please honey."

I sighed. Does she really want me to do this? Phyllis isn't even my sister. Man, I wish I was an only child again.

"Okay. Okay. Whatever. I'll do it. Just don't expect me to chaperone her little dates."

Mom smiled and reopened her catalog again. "Thanks, honey."

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The gray clouds covered the sky in a gloomy blanket. The scent of mud and water filled the afternoon air. I knew that once I drove up to her school, my teenage instincts would be kicking in again. I remember the gossiping, the parties, the drinking, the boys, living life without a care in the world. Ah, good days.

Phyllis's school was a hop, skip and a jump away from my mom's house. I could see teens walking with bulky, sagging backpacks and the latest IPhone in hand. God, I hate those phones. They're everywhere.

I parked at the main enterance and cut the engine. Everyone came out and no sign of Phyllis. I waited. So many heartbeats, So many scents. Chocolate, Peach, freshly cut grass, sweet pea. Wow, and I thought an immortal's scent was intoxicating. I rolled up the window to try and block them out. I could barely breathe.

I tapped my finger against my knee and stared out the window at the entrance. Phyllis finally emerged from the entrance with a group of her friends. All rosy with curly brown hair. They all looked the same as Phyllis. Clones of her. Out of all of them, Phyllis stood out as the most beautiful. She waved to them as they walked down the pathway toward the student parking lot, and ran to the car. She hopped in and slammed the car door.

"Hey, easy on the truck!" I rubbed its dashboard. "This is my baby."

She rolled her eyes and threw her satchel into the back seat. "Whatever. Where are we going?"

"Home." I choked down the word.

"What, no food?" she smiled. It was hard to believe she was a vampire.

"Wait til you get home. I can't have you running around. Smart girl."

She whipped her head in my direction and raised a perfectly arched brow. "What?"

"Contacts. You're wearing brown contacts."

"Oh yeah, I forgot I had these on." She took out the lens case and began removing the lens. She looked at me with her indigo eyes. They remind me so much of JT.

"What?" Phyllis stared at me.

"Nothing." I revied the engine and drove out of the parking lot.

Mom was in my old room putting up the curtains. She turned and faced both of us.

"Hi girls. How was school Phyllis?"

Phyllis sighed and threw her bag on my old white metal bed. "It sucked."

Mom raised a brow and stepped down from the ladder. "What do you mean?"

"Stacy Madison. I hate that girl."

"What happened dear?" Mom asked.

"She told the whole school that I slept with one of the soccer players at school."

"Did you?" I asked.

She stared at me. "Yes, but that's besides the point. She shouldn't be telling everyone."

I barked up a laughed and walked away into the kitchen. Teenage girls. I remember when I really was one. I fixed myself a glass of blood and began reading mom's catalog.

"Colleen?" Phyllis's voice entered the kitchen.

I lifted my head from the book to the sight of her standing at the kitchen counter. Uh-oh. The sisterly talk.

"Yeah, what's up?"

She took a seat across from me. "Do you miss your family?"

"I never knew my family. Maggie and David are the only parents I know. My parents are dead now."

"Do you ever think about them?"

"Sometimes. Sometimes I wonder what they were like."

"Do you like Maggie and David as parents?"

"They have their moments." I felt myself smile.

"Yeah, they are pretty cool."

"Are your cravings okay?" Oh gosh, sister moment.

She shrugged. "They seem okay to me. No massive craving for blood yet."

"That's good. Once they come, we'll be ready."

"How bad would my cravings be?"

"I don't know. It differs from all the other vamps. Mine was smooth, unravenous. Maybe because I drank blood before I was turned."

"Great." she lengthed the word.

"You'll be fine though. You wont go completely insane."

"How did JT handle his?"

"I taught him. He was crazy with blood until I trained him. Did Steph train you well?"

"She's great. She's tough."

"Of course, she's a werewolf." I laughed.

"Who was that guy standing next to Stephanie last night?"

"Her boyfriend." I chuckled.

"What's so funny?"

"The fact that she has a boyfriend now."

"It's normal."

"Yeah, I guess."

Dad finally came home with the news that Phyllis is legally my sister. Somewhere deep inside me wished it wasn't true. Wished that I didn't have to be the older sister. It was fine though. As long as she stayed out of my way.

"So you mean my parents completely gave me up to you?" Phyllis's mouth dropped. I found my mouth hanging open too. He actually did it. He brainwashed her parents.

Dad sighed and lowered his head. "Yes, Phyllis. I'm afraid so."

"Congrats, lil sis. You're a Grimaldi now." I wrapped my arm around her shoulder.