Vampire Experiment: Book One of the Vamp Virus Series

✧✦ Chapter Fifteen ✦✧

Odette sat in a large chair in the library, listening to all the noise that came from the room next door. From the attached study, shouts, growls, banging and crashing could be heard. She cringed as something heavy hit the wall, causing the books to shake.

She stood up and walked over, picking up the books that fell from the shelves. Silently Odette put them back where she thought they belonged, hoping that Jasper and Lestat's argument would be over soon. All of her emotions were in a whirl and it had been making her feel sick. The more recent battle between fear and courage meshed with her daily feelings of happiness, depression, confusion and irritability. She had thought that by now she would be getting used to being a vampire, but every day something would remind her that she wasn't human anymore and that her whole life was very different.

As she placed the last book back in its spot, another crash caused books to fall further down the shelves. Sighing, she went and picked those up as well. All of a sudden the study went silent, neither man saying a thing. She glanced at the door, waiting to see what would happen.

After a few minutes Lestat came from the room, slamming the door behind him and stalking into the library. His hair and clothes were askew and it looked like it had been an intense fight. When he noticed Odette watching him, her arms full of books, he grinned slightly.

"Running off with my library, are you?" He stood in front of her and she bowed her head.

"No, they uh... fell off the shelves." She stuttered, and glanced up at him. "I was just putting them back."

"That is not necessary." He took the books from her and smiled politely, "Though I thank you for such efforts."

There was a short silence before Odette looked up at him and smiled. "Thank you for taking care of me. I don't remember meeting you, but I do remember Jasper bringing me here and I know that you helped me a lot. Also, I know you didn't have to do anything, but it means a lot to me that you did." Her smile faltered as she looked off to the side, her voice going quiet. "I have been such an... inconvenience to so many people, like you and Jasper. Even people I don't know and don't remember. I feel like, even if I say sorry for all of this, nothing will be enough."

Lestat paused as he put the last book on the shelf. He had expected her to flounce around like Jasper and pretty much ignore all the help she was getting. This acceptance of such responsibility made him smile down at her sincerely.

"Dear girl, it's alright. Even though you have been a pain, it is not your fault. I have been through a lot, seen a lot and realized lately that maybe I shouldn't be so hard on you." A laugh escaped his lips. Odette watched as Arkhain disappeared from the room Lestat had been in. Arkhain looked over at Odette before hurrying away. Odette felt a small twinge of irritation as she remembered that Lestat had said there was only room for two in his office.

"Leave her alone." Jasper grumbled from the study doorway, in the same state of disarray as Lestat. He walked toward them and stood between the two.

"Oh relax, will you?" Lestat rolled his eyes and stepped back. "I do not require your little minx for anything. We were only talking."

"It's true Jasper." Odette looked up at him. "We were talking."

"Then you won't mind if we leave." He walked up and grabbed Odette's arm, pulling her away from Lestat.

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Odette had shouted a thank you to Lestat as Jasper pulled her from the building. She didn't know what was going on, but knew she was going to find out. After speeding away from Lestat's property, she looked up at Jasper.