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chapter 4 -The Feedings

It took until 3am for Tasmin to fall asleep. I waited until she stopped tossing and turning, mumbling in her slumber. Her hair, spread over the pillow, arm hanging over the side of the bed like usual. I held onto the shielding glamour as I crept over to her bed, ensuring it won't slip away as I fed.

Carefully moving her hair away from the nape of her neck, I bend down to feed.

"I'm sorry Tasmin." I whisper as I drink in the essence of her, replacing it with mine. I see her frown as she pulls the covers closer to her in her sleep.

Feeding gives Tasmin nightmares, terrible ones too. She sees the dark inner workings of my condemned soul within her dreams, a demon growing stronger with every feed.

Sometimes I feel sorry for her, she doesn't know any better. Trusting me as her friend, her loyal ally, when all I do is drain her like a walking feeding bag.

"Poor naive Tasmin." I mutter as I slink off to the bathroom.

The nightly feedings must be taking some effect by now, under a low light, I observe my features in front of the bathroom mirror.

My once pale grey eyes like dirty snow are now a bright, sea green. I spin around, noticing how my bony, hunched body stood tall and filled out.

Tasmin's clothes should fit me much better now, and hang on her like drapes.

I yawn, feeling more human and more exhausted. It's been a long time since I've had this sensation. Strange.

Gliding out of the bedroom, I glance over at Tasmin to make sure she was still asleep. Peacefully, she hugs her pillow, her body rising and falling with each slow breath.

I tiptoe through the house, turning the handle of the front door.

"I hope this place doesn't have alarms."

I make my way to the lake, drinking in the moonlight as I wade knee deep in.

Like a sigh, I release the thing that plagues me, letting the shield of glamour drop. My true form that is both me, and completely separate to my very being is exposed. My legs become muscular, hands and feet are clawed, my face a picture of death. I become a monster bred to drain and kill.

Sometimes the thing talks to me within my head. Always hungry, always wanting more.

The lake stifles it, the thing hates water. I torture it by laying down in the lake. lowering my head underwater as I gaze up at the setting crescent moon, its shape distorted through the gentle ripples of the water surface. I sigh, feeling a peaceful silence wash over me as the thing stops nagging, stops tugging at my thoughts for more feedings. It softly whimpers in pain as the cool water bites at its skin -my skin.

In the lake, I am no longer a slave to its needs.

Muffled voices interrupt my clouded thoughts. Casting my shielding glamour, I return to my human form. I slowly lift my head so my eyes just peep over the water. It was too dark to see anything or anyone. The voices grow louder, I recognize them as Tasmin's parents, arguing in the shadows.

"Derek I'm tired of this, look at you, you're a mess."

Mr woods staggers onto the front lawn, Mrs woods following closely behind dressed in a pink dressing gown with rollers in her hair. I swim quietly over to the jetty so I'm not visible in the early morning dawn.

Mr woods starts looking wobbly on his feet, denying his drunkenness blatantly as if it wasn't obvious he was intoxicated.

"I'm fiiiiine Carla."

He proceeds to belch then stumble on the lawn while holding a bottle of jack daniels. Mrs Woods tries to take the bottle out his hand, shaking her head as tears trek down her cheeks.

"You need help, alcohol makes you become someone else, I don't like it."

Taking a swig out of the almost empty bottle, Mr Woods shrugs her off.

"I don't need any goddamn help." He throws the bottle, splinters of glass flying everywhere as it smashes against the side of the house.

Shrugging off his jacket, Mr Woods storms off inside the house. I hear the screech of tires as he hastily leaves the property.

The sun is rising fast, Tasmin will be awake soon and see me not there. I can't leave with Mrs Woods sobbing on the lawn in front of me.

Flicking back my hair, I stroll out of the water, taking Mrs Woods by surprise.

"Hey Mrs Woods, just taking an early morning swim."

She raises an eyebrow as she dries her tears.

"You went for a swim in you pajamas?"

I quickly think of something to take the heat off me.

"Are you ok? You seem upset."

She shakes her head, rubbing the grass stains on her bathrobe.

"I'm just having a bad day, or should I say morning" she sadly laughs. "Let's get you back inside with a towel."

I let the breath I was holding go as we make our way into the living room.

.......Tasmin's POV.........

I clutch the bathroom sink, swaying a little. I feel weary and washed out. Was I sick?

My normally olive skin is now pasty and dull. Even my eyes look different. Dark circles and prominent cheekbones make me look ghostly as shadows cast angles on my face I had never seen before.

I reach to touch the x shaped bruise on my neck, lifting my hair, I turn around to stare at it.

Over the past few days I've gotten used to it being there, today it looked different.

The throbbing, red center of the x had sprouted spindly, purple veins that spread from my neck, down to my back like roots of a tree.

Maybe I should see a doctor.

My eyes start blurring at the edges as the mirror in front of me distorts. A face flashes before me like the one in my nightmares, a pair of silver eyes and a slimy black lipped grin staring back as I gape at the mirror. I squeeze my eyes shut, ridding the awful creature.

I'm just seeing things.

I'm just seeing things.

I'm just seeing things.

I cover my face with my hands, peeping through my fingers as I open my eyes.

My pale, angular face stared back. I breathe a sigh of relief.

I'm not crazy, just hallucinating a little. I need to sleep more.

The bathroom door violently swings open.

Harriet rushes in, Her face looks hurried and panicked as she grabs my arm, nails biting into my skin.

"Hey I need privacy, what's your problem?" I question Harriet as she tries to pull me out of my room.

"We need to leave now."She commands as we head for the stairs.

I abruptly stop still, and hang on to the stair rail. "I'm not moving until you tell me whats going on."

She whirls around, face grave and sullen.

"There has been a car crash." She said quietly.

"It's your father."

~Authors Note~

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Hey guys did you like the chapter? I hope so because I had a lot of fun writing it:) If you want to, I would really appreciate it if you could share your support by clicking the little vote button at the top right hand corner. It really motivates me to write knowing people like you, are enjoying the story.

Thank you! (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧