Fire

Chapter Two

    Dimitri raised a knife that I had not noticed and sliced a small gash in Sara's arm. I instinctively raised a hand to cover my nose so I wouldn't smell the blood. But it was no use, the thirst carried the scent to me. As soon as the smell hit me, I fell my eyesight sharpen, and when both Sara and Missy shrieked, I knew my irises had turned the color of the very blood dripping from Sara's wound.

    By then I had backed up against the wall, trying to put as much distance between me and the twins as possible.

    "Stop resisting," Dimitri said roughly. "This is who you are now. No vampire of mine will go without blood. Drink it now."

    I could not help taking a step forward. Dimitri was my Creator, therefore he was my master. I had no choice but to obey, because his blood was coursing through my veins. In a trance of unwilling loyalty and blood lust, I moved forward until I was sitting on the bed before the twins.

    "Yes, that's it," Dimitri said, satisfied. "Go on, have a taste of ambrosia."

    Moving forward just enough to wrap my hand around Sara's wrist, I slowly brought it to my lips. Her veins pulsed with fresh blood, and being so close to it, having my teeth graze the skin of her wrist, I was almost able to taste it. I wanted to, but I couldn't. Sara was family to me, she was like a sister, I couldn't drink her blood.

    What if I drink too much? What if she dies? I wondered, horrified. I have never done this before.

    I involuntarily flicked my tongue out and licked her. Missy cried out and yelled at me to get away from Sara. "Stop it, Natalie! What are you doing? Please, please don't do this. You're going to hurt Sara, please stop!"

    Tears streamed down both of their faces, and I wanted so badly to stop, but it was too late. Dimitri had already gained full control of my body.

    Suddenly, Sara, who had been mostly silent during it all, spoke quietly. "If it keeps you alive, Natalie, then you can have my blood," she said, giving me a look of sadness. But she was not afraid of me, she was sympathizing for me. She heard every word that Dimitri spoke, and she understood what I was and what I needed to survive.

    "I- I don't want to."

    "Just do it, Nat. I don't want you to die."

    Tears were suddenly welling up in my eyes and I fought to keep them back. "But, if I do, then there is a chance I'll kill you. I cannot let that happen."

    "What are you doing? Feed from her already, before I do!" Dimitri shouted.

    I stood, my fists clenched by my sides. "Do you really think I would kill someone who means so much to me? That's what you want, right? You want me to unwillingly kill the ones I love, so I can see how much of a monster I've turned into."

    With my hands so tightly closed, I inched to punch him. But Dimitri was a quick, experienced vampire. I had no chance going up against him. As the seconds ticked by, my fury grew and grew, and I wanted to kill him. "I will not destroy innocent lives for my own pleasure," I said through gritted teeth.

    All of a sudden, I felt that strange twitching in my eyes, which told me that my irises had returned to their blood-red state. Then, our of nowhere, the lamp on Jen's bedside table sparked and burst into flames. An electrical outlet in the wall behind Dimitri also spewed sparks.

    He stepped back. "What are you doing?" He asked me.

    I stared at the flames, completely stunned. On a whim, I willed the flames to attack Dimitri, and then I watched as the fire grew and made its way toward him. In a matter of seconds, I had him cornered in the room surrounded by flames.