Breaking Dusk

Waking Up

My throat aches from screaming but as soon as the pain dulls down a bit, it hits stronger than the last time.

Then, something changes. The pain starts receding. It starts with my toes and fingertips and continues until all the pain is just in my heart. Then, my heartbeats one last time and it stops. All the pain is gone and I slowly open my eyes. I look around and I can see every little detail and all the colours seem a lot brighter than when I was human. I'm then aware of a presence in the room. I turn toward the door and I see Shawn. I look him up and down, I notice his hand is reaching outwards towards me. I think about going over but as soon as I finish the thought, I'm already over there.

"Kaitlyn, I love you so much," Shawn says. I grab his hand but I jump when it feels warm. "It's okay, we're the same temperature now."

"Shawn," I say and my voice sounds as angelic as his. "I love you too, more than you could ever know." He lowers his face to mine and we kiss. It's electric and I pull him closer but he groans.

"Kaitlyn, you're stronger than I am right now and you're kinda hurting me," he says. Oh, wow. Never thought I'd hear him say that.

"My turn not to break you I guess," I say jokingly and I pull him back, gently this time. I reconnect our lips and then my mind pulls out the memory of my children. "Anastasia and Logan."

"They're amazing," Shawn says.

"Let's go see them."

"You might want to control your thirst first." I'm then aware of a burning in my throat. I swallow and he nods his head. "Let's go hunt love." I walk over to a mirror and get my first look at my new self. My hair colour has been restored, my body isn't skin and bones anymore and my once green eyes are now a deep crimson red. My skin is the same colour as Shawn's. I also see I'm wearing a tight forest green dress that goes halfway down my thighs.

"Yeah, let's go babe," I say and we run out the back door of Lake's makeshift office. I then get to see why Shawn loves speed so much, it really is great. I can't believe I hated when he sped. We run and run and then we stop.

"Okay, close your eyes. Let your senses take control, what do you hear? What do you smell?" I smell a pungent grassy odour and I think it's a deer.

"Deer?" I ask.

"That's right, now what are you going to do?" I instinctively run towards the deer and I hide in a bush near it. I go to pounce but then I smell a scent that makes my mouth water. Human. "Kaitlyn, don't." I shake my head to clear it, and I focus back on the deer. Then I pounce and I sink my teeth into its jugular. It was better than it smelled.

"How was that for my first hunt?" I ask, standing up and walking towards Shawn whose jaw is hanging on the ground.

"You didn't even run after the human! You're amazing!" I would've blushed if I could.

"So what you're saying is, I'm a better vampire than you."

"Definitely," he says nodding his head. I grab his face between my hands and I pull his face down to mine and I kiss him.

"Now, let's go see our children." He nods his head and we race back home. I see Griff walk out of the house. "Hey Griff."

"Wow, you look the same. Except the creepy ass eyes," he says. I wrap my arm around Shawn's waist. "You two are a cute couple."

"Thanks Griff. Now, why are you out here?"

"He wants to see how you handle him before you see the children," Shawn explains.

"Since when do you care?" I ask Griff.

"Just take a sniff." I walk towards him and I inhale deeply.

"I can see what Shawn and Georgie mean. Griff you smell, bad," I say and he laughs. Then we all head into the house. I look over at Georgie and Rachel who are holding them. These can not be the babies I gave birth to! They have full heads of hair, and are the size of 8 month olds.

"Shawn? How long was I out?"

"2 and a half days love." That's impossible, they couldn't have grown that much. Anastasia reaches her little arms out towards me and I go over and I pick her up. She nuzzles into my neck. She's so adorable. She has my light brown hair with Shawn's brown eyes. Then Griff walks over and holds out his arms.

"Alright, I think that's enough for today," he says and I look over at him confused.

"It's fine Griff, she's doing amazing," Shawn says.

"Yeah so back off," I say, growling at him. "Why are you acting like this?"

"Listen Kaitlyn, it's a wolf thing and we have no control over it," he begins explaining.

"What's a wolf thing?!" It better not be what I think it is.

"Kaitlyn, we don't have a choice," Rachel adds. I turn to her and she hands Logan to Georgie.

"Georgie, please take Anastasia," I say. Shawn rubs my back soothingly but it's not working. "Shawn please don't touch me, I don't want to hurt you."

"Oh shit," Griff and Rachel say in unison. I grab them both by their ear and I drag them outside.

"They're just babies!" I snarl at them.

"It's not like that, remember I explained imprinting to you," Griff says.

"I only held my daughter once and I haven't even held my son and you both think you have a stupid claim on them! They're mine!" I then punch Griff and he falls backwards.

"Shawn, shouldn't we stop her?" I hear Georgie ask.

"It's fine," Griff says. He gets up, but I'm still pissed.

"Listen, Kate, do you remember how much it meant when I was with you when you were pregnant? That feelings gone right?"

"Definitely, looong gone!"

"It's because Anna wanted me there."

"Anna?"

"It's his nickname for her," Rachel says.

"Don't think I forgot about you!"

"Kaitlyn leave them alone, they learned their lesson," Shawn says laughing and I walk over to him. I wrap my arms around him and he kisses the top of my head.

"You're so lucky I don't rip your throats out," I hiss under my breath. Shawn rolls his eyes and he walks me back into the house. Logan then holds his arms out and I pick him up.

"Who's mama's boy?" I ask and he squeals. I see Anastasia and I pick her up too.

"They missed you," Shawn says.

"Of course, they are my special babies." Georgie walks over.

"It's dinner time for these two, why don't you show Kaitlyn your new room." I turn to Shawn who grabs my hand and in two seconds we're in front of a door. He opens it and inside is a king sized bed and a fireplace.

"Why is there a bed? Vampires don't sleep." Shawn closes the door.

"It's not meant for sleeping," he says and I feel a shiver down my spine. He walks up behind me and kisses my neck.