The Thirst In Me

Forty-Five

"Do unto others as you would have them do to you."

Keisha's POV

"I got you some seawater from the beach today." I heard my mother's voice say. I tried to open my eyes but the lids felt heavy.

I wanted to wake up. I have so many things to ask my mom.

I felt something cool on my chest and I felt as if I was slowly being pulled from the dark place.

A few seconds later I felt the cool liquid on my neck again. I took a deep breath and tried to open my eyes again. Surprisingly, this time they flew open and my mother's face came into view.

Mom rubbed my forehead. "You need to rest my dear. Things will soon be better for us." She said then got up and left.

I didn't want to rest. I wanted to get out of here and go somewhere where I'm less likely to get bitten. What was I thinking anyway? I shouldn't have given Veron my blood. I should have gone and got Malik the moment I saw him on the floor.

"Are you OK K.P?" His voice made me jump.

"W-what are you doing here?" I pulled the sheet over my body and eyed the door nervously. I was a little scared to be around him.

He held up his hands and backed away. "I'm sorry. I won't hurt you. Just wanted to know if you're OK." He sighed. "I never meant to hurt you, you have to understand. I didn't know what I was doing at the moment. I was very hungry and your blood was so enticing......"
He trailed off and his fangs started to extend.

"Can you please get out?" I asked firmly.

He seemed to be taken aback for a while then he realized that his fangs were showing and he quickly left my room.

I never meant to be disrespectful and I found myself missing him already as he closed the door behind him.

A few minutes later, there was a knock on the door and my heartbeat quickened. I knew he couldn't stay away from me for too long.

"Come in," I said and the person outside my door gasped.

Damion pushed the door opened and walked in with Vanessa.

Damion ran over to me and hugged me. "I thought you were dead. Malik said you were. I don't know what I would do without you Doll. I would be so lost. I would be a man without a heart, a man without a reason for living." He was still clinging to me.

I tapped him on the shoulder. "Dude your girlfriend is in the room," I whispered to him and he finally let me go.

Vanessa laughed. "I'm OK with him liking you and I'm glad you're feeling better Keisha." She came over and gave me a short hug.

Something strange happened when she hugged me. It was almost as if I had a vision. I saw Malik holding onto Vanessa's head and staring deep into her eyes. I didn't get to see what happened next because Vanessa had stopped hugging me already.

"Are you OK?" Damion asked as he waved his hand before my face. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

"Nah she has only seen us so I guess we are ghosts," Vanessa said and they both laughed.

Damion smiled at me. "You know what, I'm going to prepare you a hot meal. Vanessa will keep you company while I'm gone." He pinched my cheek playfully and left me alone with his girlfriend.

What were we supposed to do while he was gone? What if she tried to kill me? Maybe I should just pretend to be asleep...

"Have you ever been compelled before?" I found myself asking her before my brain could catch up.

She chuckled. "Well, that's an odd question. I don't know if I've ever been compelled."

"How come?" I inquired.

"Well you see, when you are compelled, whatever you are compelled to do isn't registered in your memory so you won't be able to remember ever doing it."

Wow! So if she was compelled to kill everyone in my village, she wouldn't remember that it happened?

So she wouldn't be the one I should blame. I could only blame the person who compelled her, right?

"Why did you decide to be a vampire anyway?" I asked her.

She shook her head. "I didn't choose to be a vampire. I only remember what Malik told me. He told me I had Ebola two years ago and he had to change me to save my life."

I was silent for a while and she smiled at me. "Any other question?" She asked and I nodded.

"Just one more," I said. "Why did you storm out of the room when Veron announced that I was his girlfriend?"

"I don't know actually." She said. "It's just that I was a bit angry that he didn't tell me about it. I feel connected to him somehow. I just can't explain it."

Does she feel connected to my boyfriend? That statement gave me a weird feeling deep down in my stomach. What could this mean?

"Dinner is served!" Damion said as he walked into the room carrying three plates of food and three glasses of drinks. "I trust you both had fun while I was gone."

"We did." Vanessa smiled at him warmly.

"That's good hon." Damion leaned in to kiss Vanessa and I turned my head away.

"You aren't going to come to our wedding Doll? You need to get used to us being affectionate." Damion laughed.

"Eew! I'm trying to eat." I scowled at him and he laughed even harder.

We chatted while we ate and I was happy that they decided to leave right after we finished eating. I needed to be alone for the rest of the day. I took out Malik's letters and started reading the next one in the series.

August 19, 1841

Dear Malik

I returned home since last week but I didn't get to write. I have been rather sick lately. My stomach has been upset lately and I can't eat anything without throwing up. Mother is taking me to the doctor tomorrow to see what type of virus I might have picked up. I'll write you right after I get home from the doctor's.
Love
Sophia.