The Thirst In Me

Thirty-One

"The brave may not live long but the cautious don't live at all."

Veron's POV

I was awoken by a throbbing pain at the back of my head. I rubbed it as I sat up and tried to remember how I ended up on the floor. My memory was a little foggy but I remember playing a game of 'never have I ever'.

Keisha!

She was sleeping. I glanced at my bed but she wasn't there. She must have left and gone back to her room. I got up deciding that I was going to check if she was feeling any better.

I walked unsteadily toward my bedroom door. My head was spinning as if it was on its axis. I leaned on the frame of the door trying to regain my balance.

"Veron?" I heard Vanessa's voice. "Are you OK?"

I couldn't see her. My eyelids were feeling too heavy for me to keep them up.

"Malik!" I heard her shout as I felt myself sliding to the ground.

I heard footsteps around me but I couldn't open my eyes to see what was happening.

"He needs blood." I heard Uncle Malik say. "But not just any kind. Get one from my personal stash. Hurry!" His commanding voice boomed and someone ran off. 

A few seconds later, I felt the warm, sweet blood on my lips and I opened my mouth to give it entrance.

I drank slowly and I felt my muscles regaining strength. Then all the memories of what happened came back to me. Keisha. The man from last night took me!

My eyes fluttered open and I stood up hastily.

"Where's Keisha?" I asked and they all looked at me quizzically.

Damion had the worst look of all. "You-you you blood drink." He stuttered, trying to form a complete sentence as he pointed at me and gasped for air.

"If you haven't guessed it already I'm a vampire!" I shouted at him as anger spread through my body.

"W-hat? Why how? Oh my God. I'm gonna be so sick." He said before he fainted.

Vanessa rushed to his side but I didn't pay them any mind.

"Where is Keisha?" I asked again.

"She's probably in her room or the kitchen. Where else would she be? She's not allowed to leave the house anyway." Malik answered.

I rushed to her room and didn't even knock before pushing her door open. I searched the room frantically but she wasn't there.

"What's wrong with you?" Malik asked staring at me as if I was a lunatic.

"Keisha was taken! Where the hell were you? How did he even get in here!"

Malik's brow furrowed. "Wait  a minute what man are you talking about?"

You've got to be kidding me!

I walked over to her dresser and took up a book and a pencil. The pencil worked quickly on the paper as I sketched the man that bit Keisha last night.

"Here!" I shoved the paper at Uncle Malik. "He has Keisha!"

Malik looked at the sketch and then looked at me. "He was in here?" He asked and I nodded.

"And you say he has Keisha?" He asked again.

Is he purposely trying to irritate me?!

"Yes!" I shouted. "Isn't that what I told you!?" I was getting hoarse from all the shouting.

Still clutching the sketch with a shaky hand, Malik walked over to Keisha's bed and sat down. He rubbed one hand over his head and sighed.

"This is not good. So not good." He muttered to himself.

"Do you know this man?" I questioned and he nodded, still staring at the picture.

"This is Don." He said after a few beats. "And if he has Keisha, we have no way of finding her."

I shook my head. I won't let this vampire kill my Keisha. I will rescue her!

"Come on Uncle Malik! There's two of us and one of him. We can find him and rip his head off!" I shouted angrily but uncle Malik just kept shaking his head in silence.

"It's much more complicated than you think Veron." He told me calmly. "Don can take the form of any person or object he wants. He could be here right now and we wouldn't even know."

Wait! What?!

My knees felt weak and I slid to the floor slowly. This is all too surreal. I need to wake up from this awful dream.

"How is any of that possible?" I asked in disbelief.

Malik sighed. "Anything is possible Veron. Anything at all."

"So it's a possibility that we can help her then. We have to help her Uncle Malik. I- I like her." The last part came out as a whisper. I didn't even realize that I like her and now I probably won't ever get to see her again.

Malik got up from the bed. "If we are going to rescue her, we are going to need everyone in this house to help. Gather everyone in the kitchen in two minutes." He snapped his fingers at me and walked out of the room.

Once everyone was gathered in the kitchen, Malik started talking. "As most of you know by now, Don is back and he has taken our beloved Keisha."

There were a few gasps around the room and most of the vampires looked at each other with fear in their eyes. It looks like I am the only one who hasn't heard about this Don character.

Uncle Malik continued. "I'm not saying you have to but I would appreciate it if you would all join this fight for Keisha. Any volunteers?"

The room was silent.

Seriously how bad could this one guy be that everyone is so afraid of him?

"I'll go alone Uncle if none of these cowards will!" My voice echoed around the quiet room. A few vampires crunched down ready to pounce at me for calling them, cowards.

"Stop!" Uncle Malik shouted. "This is not where the way is." He turned to the other vampires. "And yes you are cowards. If you are not willing to help you can all go back to your rooms."

No one moved at first and then one by one they started to disperse. Only one person remained along with me and Uncle Malik.

"You've got to be kidding me." I sighed in disappointment. "You can't come with us."