Fang Ranch

In Another Life

I wake up in my bed and blink. Why am I breathing so hard? Had I been having a nightmare? I don't remember anything. I check the calendar and grin, concert at nine. My first performance, my phone rings and I answer when I see Angel's face.

"Hello, Angel," I walk down to the kitchen. "Nervous about tonight?" I smirk and see dad with mom. Kyle must still be in bed, probably moping over Jade and Dante or figuring out if he likes Maria or not. Angel sighs.

"Not really," I get some coffee and toast, listening to her. "Worried the media will notice our little love triangle on stage?Because I'm going to be very distracted by two asses which are too good to be good," Maybe I should tell her she's on speaker. "I mean, your asses are-" I need to stop her.

"Dude, you're on speaker," She chokes and my parents walk out. "They kinda ran away after saying how good my ass is," I need to tell I decided. "Angel, I've decided about who I want to be with," She knows my answer but I have to say it. "I choose Damien, I'm sorry." Angel sighs.

"Well, I was actually going to tell you I have a boyfriend," Interesting. "His name's John Xavier, he's british and blond," Why has every guy she's ever been with been blond? "What's up with me and blond guys? Anyway, he's coming tonight and I think we should play I'm Not Good Enough. John loves the song and I want to dedicate it." I want to say yes but it has to be a group decision like everything we do or we could break up.

"Angel, we have to ask everyone in the band," She hangs up and I look up to see Kyle. "Still moping or finally figured out how you feel?" He looks different, younger and more mopey. "Kyle?" He walks forward and I notice the leather jacket, he doesn't have one. He looks me in the eyes.

"Wake up, we need you or Hanzi Spenser wins," The room starts to crumble and I remember, vampires, being a monster. "I'm sorry for ruining this for you," I open my eyes and smile at Kyle. "Hey." I sit up and hug him. Why is he so tall? He hugs me back and I smile at Fai who's looking awkward.

"Winter, I tried to wake you up but I couldn't," He gestures at Kyle. "Turns out only someone you have a deep connection with can wake you up and that's not me," I stop hugging Kyle  and reach for Fai who stands up. "I lied, there's no new location. Cary had my sister, I'm sorry," He's crying. "You would've done the same, right? It's okay? It's not okay, you've saved my life so many times, even before the vampires and I almost got you killed." Dante stops him and I stand up, touching his shoulder. He flinches but I keep my hand there.

"If it had been Kyle, yeah, I would've but," He turns around. "You just gave me a glimpse of the life I could've had, you didn't almost kill me." Fai hugs me and I hug him back, trying not to show my shock. Dante coughs and looks like he's going to say something but Kyle stops him.

"Don't," Kyle checks the time. "Shit. We need to go now or they're killing a guy called Damien." I'm running as fast as I can and I arrive in time to see a knife go into Damien's back. Dad/Uncle James taps the guy who stabbed Damien and points at me. The guy turns and I know he's Hanzi Spenser. He's pale with red eyes and black slicked back hair. I run to Damien and heal him. Damien smiles when he sees me.

"Hey Winter," I give him a look and then he hugs me. "It's nice to hug you in real life." The others arrive and Fai runs to Damien.

"You okay?" Damien gives him a look that says 'I just got stabbed and you ask if I'm fucking okay?' "That was a stupid question." Dante looks at Hanzi, confused.

"The other head vampires would have said something to make them want to kill you by now," Dante pretends to check the time. "Are you waiting to shock them about how cruel you are?" Kyle tackles him in time for the knife to miss and Dante blinks a couple of times. "I have been too much time with Jake." Hanzi laughs and smiles at me.

"Hello Winter," I bare my fangs and his smile widens. "Feisty. Guards," Some heavily cloaked guards grab us and Hanzi studies us carefully. "Put them with the person they would never hurt on purpose," He leans close to the guard's ear but I can still hear him. "Do not feed any of them, not even with blood." They drag us inside and we're split up. Damien, Fai and Kyle are with me until there's three rooms. Kyle is pushed into one with a girl who looks like Dante, Fai is put with Colbie who looks like she needs blood. Me and Damien are pushed into the last room, I double over from the smell, it's very rotten. Damien touches my back.

"Winter, what is it?" I feel so hungry and I can hear the blood rushing through Damien's veins so I push him away before running to the other side of the room. "Winter, you wouldn't hurt me on purpose, just tell me what's wrong." He steps closer but I raise my hands to ward him off.

"There's a smell and it's making me so hungry," He keeps stepping closer. "Please stay away, I don't want to hurt you and-" He kisses me and I can only feel the blood so I pull away. "I ripped Cary's heart out," I hold up my hands to show the blood and he looks indifferent. "I killed a guy just because he tried to unbutton my jeans and I was hungry," A tear goes down my face. "I can't hurt you or I'll be the monster Angel thinks I am, hell the monster I think I am." He offers me his wrist and I'm drooling.

"I want you to drink and if you drink too much, I'll hit you with the chair," I take his wrist but hesitate when that guy's face pops into my head. "Winter, you need to drink or your plan won't work." I look him in the eye and see the concern in his eyes. I bite his wrist and blood explodes in my mouth.