The Thirst In Me

Fifty-Eight

"When the world says GIVE UP. Hope whispers TRY IT ONE MORE TIME."

Veron's POV

She is my sister? How is that even possible? I stared at Vanessa as she did the same. I glanced at the photo she was holding. Is this some kind of prank my uncle decided to play? 

"So...." Damion spoke up. "I think we should give you two a minute to....catch up with each other?" He gestured to Keisha and they both left.

The air suddenly felt both intense and awkward and I didn't know if I was supposed to hug her or give her a handshake.

"So." We both said simultaneously then laughed nervously.

"You go first," I suggested and she nodded.

Vanessa took a deep breath. "So you are my brother....and I'm your sister." She stated.

"I guess we are." I pursed my lips. I hate being in awkward situations.

She looked at me with worry in her eyes. "Are you disappointed?" She asked and I smiled.

"In some sense...yes, I am disappointed." I answered truthfully. "I wish I had known sooner. There are so many things I would have taught you."

"I already know almost everything about vampires smarty pants." She folded her arms across her small chest.

"Well, first I would teach you some manners," I told her. "And I'm not talking about vampires, I'm talking about life as a whole. Like what boys to date and what losers you need to stay clear of."

"So you think Damion isn't good for me?"

I sighed and walked across the room. "We need to sit down and talk about this one day, but not today," I suggested. "First we need to figure out how to take down Uncle Malik."

She nodded in agreement. "No problem. I'm too angry right now to be emotional anyway."

I laughed at her as I walked over to the door to let the others in. I swing the door opened and Damion and Keisha almost fell to the floor. They seemed to be eavesdropping on Vanessa's and I conversation. I shook my head disapprovingly at them both and Damion was the first to speak.

"We weren't listening!" He held up both hands as if I had a gun pointed at him.

"Guys! Stop fooling around. We need to get this done." Vanessa commanded and they all filed into the room once again.

"We need to write things down," Keisha said. "We'll each say what we know, I'll write it down then we can connect the dots and figure this thing out." She left to go get a book and we waited in silence each of us engrossed in our own thoughts. 

Keisha returned, clutching a red diary and a blue pen. She spun to the back page and scribbled something.

"Ok, Vanessa you go first. Tell us what you know and I'll write." She said and Vanessa nodded.

I smiled to myself. I felt as if I was in rehab or some alcoholic anonymous session.

Vanessa sighed heavily. "Well, we all know I was compelled to kill Keisha's family then had my memory erased. I also know that Malik is drafting persons for December 10 and I know that he is scared of something. I'm not sure what."

Keisha gasped. "Oh my God. He's really going to build an army." She covered her wide open mouth.

"An army?" I was intrigued. It seems everyone has more knowledge than I do.

"When Akeem's mother came to collect him she told me that Malik was turning humans into vampires to build an army," Keisha said and I instantly remembered that Don was still alive. Should I tell her?

"Anyway." Vanessa continued. "He drafted vampires for war as well. They will be compelled to do whatever he wants them to do."

I had to take a minute to digest this new information.

"Veron. It's your turn." Keisha piped up and I shook my head.

"Uhmm.....I know that my ex-girlfriend Abby isn't dead, I know that Mellisa has a lot of power but I don't know if she is working with Uncle Malik. I also know that Keisha's Mom is helping Malik to make sure the human being turned into vampires."

"Hold your horses." Keisha stopped me, her rosy lips a little paler than normal. "You don't know what you are talking about. My mother would never take part in something so disgusting." She looked at me with scornful eyes.

"I saw her Keisha," I said to her, my voice barely a whisper. "I was there when she reported back to Malik."

Keisha still did not look convinced and I wanted her to believe me. I needed her to trust me. "Look, Keisha." I tried one more time. "When Don took the humans that were in the basement, your mom-"

"Wait. What?!" Keisha was looking at me with wide eyes and that is when I realized my mistake.

"What Don are you talking about man?" Damion asked adding heat to the already hot situation. "Is it the same Don that kidnapped Doll? I thought he was dead."

Just shut up Damion! You're making this a lot harder for me.

Damion stopped talking and I turned to Keisha again. "K.P listen-"

"How long have you known that he was still alive?" She asked, cutting me off mid-sentence.

I hung my head. "A few days," I answered quietly.

Keisha didn't say anything. She just nodded silently then got up to leave. "I thought we were closer than this." She said and I felt as if my heart was being broken into millions of tiny pieces. 

Keisha angrily slammed the door behind her and everyone turned to look at me.

"You guys will be fine.....I hope." Vanessa said as she squeezed my shoulder.

I shrugged her hand off of me. "You don't mean that! You've never been fond of our relationship anyway. Why? Why do you hate that we're together?!"

Vanessa was shocked and my outburst but she quickly hid her emotion. "From the first time I met you I could feel a connection. At first, I thought that it was intimate love but then I realized that I couldn't think of you that way. I thought it was weird and for weeks I tried to figure it out and thanks to your girlfriend I now know that I felt connected to you because we came from the same womb. So no, I don't hate that you are with Keisha. I'm actually happy that you've met someone who can make you admit when you are wrong, brother."

I sighed and ran my hand through my hair. "I'm sorry Becca. I never meant to shout at you. I'm just so frustrated."

She came over and hugged me. "I understand." She whispered. "Now use the rest of the night to think about how you're going to make it up to Keisha."

She left with Damion and I was left alone with my thoughts. Vanessa is right. How am I going to make it up to K.P.?