Snow Dyed Red

Chapter Five

Chapter Five

When I get to school the next morning my eyes are bloodshot. I almost managed an hour of sleep last night but not much more. I didn't help that I was worried about Amelia for the possibility of her being targeted, Nicollo for his saddened mood that I have no explanation of, and myself and Ryan for being potential sacrifices.

I drag myself into another English class where the teacher drones on about Romeo and Juliet's fated balcony scene, the tragedy of it all, these fictional characters who don't exist.

Amir hasn't come to class yet. In fact the only time I saw him was on the first day. Waiting for him now won't help me much, but as far as I'm concerned it's the thing I can do. All my other problems are out of my reach, and I can't do a thing to stop them. If I don't catch Amir now, then I'll have to do in during his vampire class, and I don't plan on putting myself in that kind of danger again. Maybe if I can catch him when he's going in or right after it ends, but what are the chances of that working out?

I sit there twirling my pencil careful not to fling it across the room. Five minutes left and class is over. I wonder if I'll fall asleep before that will happen. I don't doubt it.

The door swings open, "What a present surprise. I didn't think you'd be joining us Mr. Van Aller." The teacher says with a smile on her face though she clearly isn't happy about all his missed days. Then again she can't do anything about it, as a mere spirit she's powerless against him.

Amir sits down in the seat across from mine. "Can I ask you a favor?" I whisper to him loud enough for the teacher to her but quiet enough so that she can pretend she didn't.

A wicked smile spreads across his face, "Do you need someone killed?"

A shiver runs down my spine. "Not killed protected, at least for a little while." He says nothing but continues to look at me with interest, "Her name is Amelia, she's a seer, and I think I've just put her in danger," my hands start to shake. To keep them steady I crumble a forgotten worksheet of literary devise in my hand. Needless the say, I've written nothing on it, and I don't plan to.

"What kind of danger?" he asks, making no effort to lower his volume.

"I don't know," my voice trembles. I shouldn't be so nervous. I have no reason to be. Once Amelia is safe then I can just leave this matter be. It has nothing to do with me. She's probable mistaken about the sacrifices, they must be animals. It's still wrong, but at least it's not humans. I squeeze my eyes shut. Don't worry about it. It has nothing to do with you. Don't worry about it. It has nothing to do with you. I repeat in my head until this feeling of fear goes away. Don't worry about it. It has nothing to do with you.

"What will I get in return for this favor?" Amir asks pulling me away from my silent mantra.

"What do you want?" I can't be worse than condemning Amelia to death.

"Your blood," he says as he reaches out to caress my neck. "It's been so long since I've tasted the blood of a human. Honestly supernatural blood just isn't the same," his eyes turn red as he leans in closer to me. His head pressed against the crook between my head and shoulder. His teeth graze against my skin, but not enough to break it. "How does that sound?" He whispers with a deep voice into my ear. Out of the corner of my eye I can see the teacher seething. The one who had been sickly kind the first day, push to her limits within the first week. The other students don't acknowledge us, their eyes glued on the board, as if their afraid to look anywhere else.

"I'm free period six, I'll be in the library," I say to him and pull away from his touch, my skin still cold from it.

I sit in the back corner of the library, where the reference books are kept. No one comes her. It's evident by the layers of dust covering the giant books.

I press my hand against my neck searching for the pulse. Will it still be there after today? Surly Amir won't kill me. That would be murder, treason, even he can't escape that, besides, it's not like were strangers. We've gotten to know each other a little. That has to mean something.

"While I do wonder what has reduced my strong girl to tears, I am so very happy it has come to this point," Amir appears, his young appearance contrasting with the setting but his age fitting in.

"If I had another option, believe me you wouldn't be here." I throw back at him, with energy I didn't have moments before.

He smiles, "but you are, and that's all that matters," he stands in front of me with his fangs out, and his hand holding my head back. My heart races, isn't he going to say something first, ask me if I'm ready or if I want to back out. He does nothing of the sort.

I relax my body and rest my arm over his shoulder. If he isn't gentile I'll be sure to leave him with a scratch from my nail by the time this is over.

"You better not kill me," I say waiting for the pain to come.

"I'm not the cruel monster you think me to be," he say and sinks his fangs into me. The nerves similar to getting a shot at the doctor, the fear equal to standing in front of a moving train, and the pain of tiny pins and needles being stuck all over your body. They start at the neck, but spread out quickly and before I know it I can't feel my toes.

"Stop," I cry out and tighten my grip on his shoulder. He draws away from me and licks my new wound so that blood no longer flows out of it. The world starts to spin and blur until the books on the shelf across from me start to blur. "I thought you said you weren't going to kill me," I said my voice only strong enough to let it out as a whisper.

"I didn't," he whisper back to me and shuts my eyes before I fall asleep in his arms.

Everything's dark, the sky is black, not a single star is twinkling, and the snow covered ground can't be seen. I take a step forward unsure if it will be safe or not. My foot sinks nee deep. I shiver and rub my arms. The cold surrounds me, my thin uniform unable to keep it out. I put my hand down in order to pull my knee out but it too sinks into the snow. My feet go cold and as I try to warm them with my hands I find that I can no longer feel them.

A Street light goes on in the distance, and with minimal lighting I can now see. I stand still careful not to move and fall into the ground any deeper. Chains soaked in blood lay on the ground all around me. They have been carefully arranged in a pattern, a circle where I lay in the center. I grab at the chain to make it go away, but as I reach for one I am shocked with an electrical current and thrown back. The chain sizzles glowing blue where I touched it but the blood is still there and the patter lays perfectly.

I am jolted awake by a loud ringing. The classes are changing. I get up to find a thin blanket has been laid over me and the fang marks on my neck have been bandaged. Amir is nowhere to be found, but I'm not dead. Now it's his turn to keep his promise. Whatever that dream was about I have to forget about it before I drive myself crazy with worry.