Turned

Chapter Seventy Three

I eventually pulled myself up, grabbing a fresh shirt as I pulled my jeans on, doing up my belt. Nick kissed my neck, making me feel almost weak at the knees. I smiled, throwing my head back as he wrapped his arm around me. It was as if I was in my own world, a world I could settle in, live in, forever. I whispered his name, his hair brushing against my cheek. If he were a vampire, I'd have expected a bite, a sharp pain, like hot needles jabbed into the skin but he wasn't a vampire, he was more human that I could hope to be yet around him, I felt human... truly human.

"How are you?" he asked.

"I'll be fine" I replied, trying to halt the conversation.

"That's not what I asked" he whispered sweetly.

"I'm thirsty but it isn't so bad, I've looked worse, believe me"

He just rested his chin on my shoulder as he looked on. I didn't understand it, yet I'd never felt such... peace, so calm and at ease with someone. He held my hands, locking my fingers with his as he kissed my neck. I could feel his love, I could feel the happiness he brought with him.

"As long as you don't think I'm going to hurt you" I whispered.

"I know you wouldn't" he replied.

We ended the morning with a kiss and a cup of coffee. He left the flat, allowing me to clean while hoping Matt wasn't home. I didn't want to run into him, just in case it or he made things awkward. The last thing I wanted was to have Matt complaining about the noise levels, but I couldn't hear him, thankfully.

I cleaned up the kitchen, washing up for when he got home. I sighed at my luck and timing as the door opened and Matt led a drunken Leo in. I looked at them both, rolling my eyes but I couldn't fault Matt for having a big heart and good nature.

"What happened?" I asked as I looked at Leo, watching him fall asleep on the sofa, his legs dangling off the end.

"I don't know why this time, he came into my workplace, got seriously drunk and got removed by bouncers" Matt explained as he looked down at Leo.

Leo snored like a bear, an angry bear at that. I let it go, not bothered enough to complain as Matt took me to the edge of the bathroom. I looked at him, trying to figure out what was wrong, but he just had a look of worry on his face.

"What is it?" I asked him.

"He said something really weird" Matt warned.

"What's gotten you so worried?" I asked.

Matt took a deep, nervous breath as he began. "He said he was bitten... Jack, you don't think?"

"I don't know" I admitted quickly.

"But... the chances"

"I don't know" I replied hastily.

I knew what he was asking but the problem was how to answer. There was no easy way to know and it wasn't like I could just call Caleb and ask him about it, he'd probably think I was accusing him or something, since it wasn't as if we were friends, yet I worried for Leo, watching the colour drain from his skin, I panicked internally.

He vomited on the floor, making me feel ill. The stench of vodka and oily pizza spun around my nose and the air. I wanted to leave as soon as possible but, I stayed.

Matt grunted with annoyance as it splashed onto his shoes. "Damn it, Leo!"

"I need to see the bite" I replied.

"Can't you just... sense it?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "I don't know how to, I've never actually... learnt how to"

I could see the look of disappointment in Matt's eyes, but I shrugged it off momentarily while I examined Leo for bites, just checking the skin on show, his neck, his wrists. It took me a while, arguably too long before I finally found it, small but visible, a couple of teeth marks in his upper arm.

Even if he was bitten, it didn't mean he'd turn but if he was, things were going to get worse for him and I couldn't just leave him alone with Matt, if he was desperate enough, he'd go for Matt, assuming he 'died' and was 'reborn' a vampire.

"Can you tell yet?" Matt asked in frustration as he hopped around, pulling off a shoe and dumping it on the kitchen top.

"Matt, food is prepared there!" I complained bitterly.

"Can you tell?" he repeated frustratingly.

"He's been bitten but before you get your stake out or argue his case, he might've just been fed on"

"You know, there was a time when this whole thing would've seemed really strange to me... I miss those times" Matt whined.

"I need another vampire here, I can't examine him"

"What? You want to invite another one, into our home?"

"Leo didn't need an invite" I pointed out.

"I carried him inside, I think that's enough of an invite" Matt snapped in a whiny, irritated tone.

"I'm not sure if he's a vampire or not, it's not like I can just... tell"

I looked at him, opening on of his eyes but all I could see was the whites of them. I felt so awful, fighting back the need to run as the smell of vomit, hit my nose. I felt myself gagging as I stared down at his eyes but there was nothing, he looked... normal. I couldn't tell if he was a human, as much as I tried but leaving Matt to be eaten if he was, wasn't an option.

"Matt, I need you to do me a favour" I begged.

"What is it?"

"Do you know of Quicksilver?" I asked.

"Where?" Matt asked.

"A club, I need you to head there, please, ask for Caleb at the door"

I wrote down the address, hoping he'd listen to me. To my surprise, he walked out the door, quickly, faster than I'd seen him before. I heard it open, heard footsteps leave. A huge sigh of relief escaped me, I didn't have to worry about Matt anymore.