Midnighters

I stood on the corner against the west wall of a convenience store. Waiting. I kicked my sneaker on the concrete and focused on the thud of my heart. It fell into a rhythm. I closed my eyes and like it always did my heart stopped and my breathing flowed in delayed breaths. I saw him standing just a few feet away turning into an alley between a thrift store and an adult book store. I made my way to the mouth of the alley and heard his footsteps moving away from me. Stepping forward I readied myself. I sprinted after him barely making a sound. He barely let out a whimper when my hand closed around his neck and my mouth fell on his jugular. Nessy's words rang in my head. A reminder of the creed. "Take only what you need, we do not hunt to kill. We hunt to survive." I released my the man and he fell in a heap, barely able to stop his own fall. I placed my hand on his forehead and did what I'd been taught. I pushes gently into his mind and fabricated a memory of him tripping in the alley to cover up my little withdrawal from his blood supply. I didn't choose this life. No one does but what happens, well it happens. I walked out of the alley and north towards the apartment complex where Shane lived. No doubt he would be able to tell what I'd just done. I felt the difference in me. I actually felt warm for a change. It was an improvement from the clammy feel my skin took when I didn't feed. Man this life sucked but I can't change it. I started to run. I was going to be late to the support group, nothing could change that. I at least wanted to put up an argument.

I arrived just as everyone was taking a seat around the oak table in the center of the living room. Five sets if eyes settle on me as I made my way to my seat.

"How nice of you to join us Dawson" Shane said annoyed as always.

"Nice to be here" I shot back. I slouched in my seat and stared at the scarred oak in front of me.

"Anyways, tonight we have a new comer joining us" Shane motioned to the blond boy sitting with his head down sitting at the corner of the table. He looked up in surprise. Like he didn't know he was going to be introduced.

"Elias, would you care to tell us a little bit about yourself?" Shane asked. Of course he would make the guy introduce himself. He did to everyone.

"W-well what d-do you wanna k-know?" Elias stuttered out. Shane always made it a point to make it known when he was thinking. Now wasn't any different as he stroked his goatee.

"How about how long you've been turned?" Shane said in a tone that was both pushy and genuinely curious.

"Um about a year now, I was with a friend up until recently" Elias spoke the last part in a sad tone. Most people usually sound morose when talking about their turning. Some snap at anyone who asks. Others just don't respond. Elias didn't seem like either. He seemed almost lost in himself.

"Have you ever been with a group like ours before?" Shane asked lowering his hand to the table. His ruby thumb ring caught the light and gleamed.

"No, this is my first group..." Elias trailed off.

"Well that's just fine, most of us were the same until we met Shane" Eleanor spoke in her usual cheery voice. Her brown curls bouncing as she turned and beamed a smile at Shane and Elias.

"He's the one who formed this group to begin with."

I don't know what it is about Eleanor but she always gets this nervous energy when things are tense. Aside from me and Jamie who was in the middle of a very detailed shark drawing on his hand, everyone here has been a bloodsucker for six plus years. I understood why the others kept quite. New norms were dangerous during their first four years of new life. Elias though, he seemed under control. I wasn't about to throw my two cents in until I knew this wasn't an explosion waiting to happen.