Bite me

Chapter 11

An almost cry shivered from my chest at the form perched awkwardly in the arm chair beside the bed. 

I lifted into a sitting position, bringing the sheets with me. We stared for some time, fear and an odd curiosity that mirrored her own swirling around our heads.

She looked maybe in her late teens, early 20's, I couldn't tell. But as I studied the eyes that were narrowed on me, I couldn't help but think surely, she was a lot older, for her eyes held an age not unlike the withering walls. I felt myself shrink back slightly.

She lifted her chin and sniffed the air slowly. "You smell funny."

I lowered my face to try and cover my heated cheeks with my hair. "Thanks." I muttered sarcastically.

"You're not like them. You know that right?" 

I furrowed my brow. "Who?"

"Is that your natural hair colour?"

I grabbed the end of my tangled locks and studied them for a few seconds. "Yes. But, what did you mean by-"

"Humans always talk too much." She said, swaying in the seat. He purple shoulder length hair flopped over her forehead. "And you're all so slow."

I opened my mouth. Closed it again. Then shook my head in bafflement. 

"There's some food there." She pointed a quick finger to the bedside table, before lowering it back into her lap and clasping the other. 

I looked over to the plate of food and was surprised that I hadn't already smelled it. "Thanks." I muttered, but my mind was anywhere but focused on the food. "What's your name?" I asked timidly. She was like a firecracker, and I was just waiting for her to explode. 

She snapped her head back to me which had been scanning the room, tilted it, and smiled. It was a toothy grin like she was glad I had asked. "Verity." She said proudly. Suddenly, the thought of her looking much older than she presented was like a myth. Like that, she reminded me of a young child. Or a puppy. "And you're Coral. Born and raised in Indianapolis with your mom Stephanie, your dad Michael and your little sister Bethany."

My mouth must have dropped to the floor. "How do you-"

"Oh, look at that." She studied her bear wrist. "Time to go. Better get dressed." Like a flash, she was right in front of me before I had time to stumble back. 

"What the h-" She ripped the covers from me, and grabbed onto my arm, lifting me with a kind of force you wouldn't expect for a girl of her size. 

"Dress time." She grinned, like she didn't realise the pain she was causing my upper arm. 

"What am I doing?" I tugged on my arm until she finally let go. 

"We're having some fun."

"Fun?" I wasn't sure that existed anymore. 

"Yeah. Fun. Training." Her eyes lit up as she clasped her hands in front of her like just the idea had her ecstatic. 

"Training?" I echoed, and she nodded adamantly. "For what?"

"Oh, just in case one of the vamps try to kill you and me or Hades aren't around."

She said it airily with a wave of her arm with an expression that said you know, just killing. 

"What?!" I almost cried. "Why would someone attack me?"

Verity shrugged and skipped past me. she began humming something as she opened one of the two doors, revealing a wardrobe almost the size of my old bedroom. If things had never changed, I would have danced for joy at the sight.