The Savior of Souls ✔

Part Eight

The whole time I felt as if Tyler were being extra clingy. He was always at my side, talking to me nonstop. I did my best to hide my annoyance, but failed at one point. After he saw how annoyed I was getting, he said he was sorry, and explained that almost losing me had him freaking out. After that, he didn't do so much as glance in my direction. He was mostly just embarrassed, but something told me it was more. There was something in him I'd never felt in him before, and I was slowly starting to piece those emotions together.

We came to a stop, Shane and Abby told us that we were done for the night, but they wanted to have a little fun before we found our hotel. Anthony gratefully found a corner to sit in, both because he was tired and probably scared. We'd stopped at a sort of club, one where humans were probably being kept for blood. Abby followed, making sure she'd stayed close to Anthony.

Tyler was unsure of what to do. He ultimately decided to follow Abby, where they talked about something, it was probably academic. Tyler had a love for knowledge, much similar Abby's, the difference being Abby had a lot more than he did.

"You want to get a drink?" Shane asked when it was just him and I. "It doesn't have to be alcoholic or anything, just something so we have an excuse to go sit."

"Okay," I replied, following him to a few seats.

"Have you ever considered drinking blood?" Shane asked, as if it were nothing. A waiter came by to ask if we knew what we'd wanted, Shane told him no, but that we'd be ready soon.

"I haven't, to be honest. Have you had it?" I said, looking over a menu. There were very few food items, but I'd be sure to order some for Anthony.

"Well, after ninety years, you get curious. So, yeah, I've had it a few times. It's not as bad as it sounds. I mean, it probably tastes different for humans, but tastes sort of sugary for us," he started explaining. "So, did you want to try?"

"Sure," I replied, asking Tyler through the bond if he'd wanted to try. He thought it sounded disgusting, and added a snarky comment about me needing my space. After that, I decided I wasn't going to try reasoning with him tonight. I let Shane order a drink and got something for Anthony.

The drinks, and small meal, arrived soon after that. "You want to try first?" he asked me. I looked to my drink, seeing a dark brown color, and decided I would consider it like the pop I would drink when I was human. I was thankful that Shane had ordered a mix, and not giving me pure blood on my first try. Just thinking of the oozy red liquid in some other vampire's cups had me feeling dizzy.

"Are you going to watch me try it?" I asked, placing the oddly normal looking drink to the side.

Shane smiled to me, as if he couldn't help it, and said, "I have to. It's your first time. I need to see your reaction."

I hesitated before picking up the drink, pulling it to my mouth as the scent filled my system. It didn't smell like I remembered blood to smell. "When we're human, I'm going to regret doing this," I informed him, procrastinating a little longer.

"You'll regret not not having this harmless fun more than you'd regret having the experience," he replied quickly. I couldn't help but agree with him as I pulled the glass to my lips once again. My eyes widened in shock when I tasted just how good it was. "Was I right?" Shane asked, grinning at my reaction, taking a sip of his own.

"I'm going to feel sick if I drink more of this," I said, and he knew what I'd meant. It was too sweet, it tasted good, don't get me wrong, but it's kind of like chocolate. Good in small portions, but too much of it makes you feel ill. Even given that, I took another sip, savoring the sweetness.

We talked for a while until both of us were done with the drink. I said I didn't want anymore, and he respected my wishes. We looked back to the corner to be sure Anthony wasn't mixed up with the other humans. When we were sure he was okay, Shane suggested we dance. I agreed and went to the crowded dancing area with him.

"Why'd you guys chose to stop here? Anthony is probably going to have a heart attack," I said as we danced to the music I recognized from Lillian Reed's concert. She was really famous in these tunnels.

"It was mostly my idea, sorry," he chuckled. I laughed with him and continued dancing, it wasn't until three songs later that Lillian Reed stopped playing and some other singer's song played. The crowd lost enthusiasm, but we were still having fun.

Our fun was ruined though, when a slower song started to play. People started pairing off, and he looked at me.

"We should sit this one out," I suggested, looking away from his pleading eyes. I was afraid that if I looked at him any longer, standing there, I would mess things up with Tyler.

"Okay," he said after a few more seconds had passed. He put an arm around my shoulder, guiding me to seats across from Tyler and Abby. At my arrival, Anthony joined our little cluster.

When the sun rose, all the energy in the room faded and people had begun to leave. We stayed for a while, looking at each other. Nobody broke the silence, so I started to walk in the opposite direction. Abby and Shane, without words, went ahead of me to lead the way.

When we got to the hotel, the guy in the lobby didn't have a light source for Anthony. He apologized, and we were well on our way to sleep. Anthony had adapted by now to our schedule, and with all the walking, he was more than willing to get the rest.

I had a hard time falling asleep, even with the exhaustion, because of all the thoughts that had begun to emerge. In the events of the night, I started to look at things differently.

The vampires didn't seem so bad. There were only a few that turned people forcefully, or so that's the conclusion I'd come to. Most of them, judging from Lillian Reed's popularity, really just wanted to be happy. I'd be willing to bet that a lot of them wanted the chance to be human again, like Shane had for the longest time.

"Ty, are you awake?" I asked him through the bond. It took a moment for him to reply, he shuffled in the bed.

"Yeah," he said. He turned around in the bed he and Anthony shard, he was now looking at me while we talked silently. "When you call me Ty, everything almost seems normal."

"I'm glad you feel that way," I replied sarcastically, smiling in a way any onlooker would think I was crazy. I guess I was lucky everyone was heading to sleep. "Nothing's normal, but you'll always be Ty to me."

"I'm glad," there was a moment of silence before he continued. "You wouldn't believe how much Abby knows."

"Is that what you were talking about at the club?" I asked, he didn't reply right away, but a check on his emotions confirmed my suspicions.

"How was the blood?" he asked, changing the topic.

"It was too sweet, it would've been cool if you'd joined us," I told him. His emotions varied too quickly for me to really get a read on them. Before he could decide on what to feel, he apologized and turned away from me.

I turned around in return, really starting to feel the effects that the sun had on me, even if I was miles underground.

"Are you okay?" Shane asked, voice clear in my mind.

"Yeah, it's nothing," I replied, fiddling with my hands nervously. I was glad he couldn't see me, but felt bad because he still volunteered to sleep on a couch.

"It didn't feel like nothing," he said, I had momentarily forgotten he was able to feel my emotions too.

"I'm fine, we should sleep," I Told him. He agreed, but said if I ever needed to talk he'd be there to listen. I nodded, but caught myself and said, "okay."

A/N Sorry if this is a mess, I didn't proofread this chapter (oops? I know I know, always proofread. I've learned my lesson after posting the first half of Virtual Reality and having it be a total mess.) but I've been on the computer for a very long time, and I really want to write more of Taken before I get kicked off of the computer.