Bitten

Chapter One

I stared out the plane window.
A week ago mum had married Tom and now mum and I are on our way to New York to live with him and his son.
At the moment I'm mad at mum. Why couldn't she leave me back in Australia with all my friends? I've consoled myself by ignoring her the entire flight.
Mum has been trying to talk to me the whole flight, which is about 11 hours long, so I've sat in silence for around half a day.
"Ladies and gentleman, we are about to land in New York. Please stow any luggage into the overhead compartments and tighten your seat belt." A crackly voice said over the loudspeaker.
I sighed in relief. Although I was in business class, the flight had been torture. Apparently nothing stops turbulence.
I glanced at my mum and sighed again. She really wanted me to see this move as and adventure and try to be happy. I know it kills her inside when I'm unhappy. I decide to stop ignoring her and try to make the best if my new life.

"Honey, I know you didn't want to move, but please try and make the best of it." Mum said.
"Fine." I said.

As we landed, I thought about all I left behind. My friends. My family. My neighbours. The Australian beaches. The outback. I push away all those thoughts. I never know, I might like my new life.
"Hurry up Amy, everyone's getting off." Mum said, shaking me.
I stand up and walk off the plane with her. I let her pull me toward the baggage claim and collect the bags.
"Mum, why don't you see if Tom is here yet?" I suggest, tired of her pulling me around.
"Great idea, sweetie." She said as she hurried away.

As soon as she had gone, I pulled out my phone and texted my BFF Jessie.
'R u asleep?' I texted.
'I was until 1 minute ago.'
'U wanna chat?'
'Totes.' Jessie texted.
'We just got off the plane and mum has gone to find Tom.'
'Soz Ames, gtg. Mum caught me and is v. v. angry.'
'KK. Text u soon.'

As I switched off my phone, a quite good looking boy walked up to me.
"What's a pretty girl like you doing alone?" He asked me.
I studied him. He had blue eyes the colour of the Australian water, sandy blond hair, and was probably around my age, 16.
"My mum has gone to see if her husband has arrived." I explained.
"Don't you mean your dad?"
"No. He's my step dad. My dad died when I was three."
"I'm so sorry." He says.
"It's ok." I shrug. "I don't remember him much. Do you live here?"
"Yeah. I'm here with my buddy Daniel. He has to pick up his new step sister."
"I just realised," I say, "we never introduced ourselves. I'm Amy Moore."
"I'm Edmund Bloodmoore. You know, you look a lot like the girl Daniel described to me."
I laughed. "That's probably because it is me."
Just then, I see mum and Daniel walking towards us.
"I see that you two have already met." Daniel says as a way of greeting.
"Don't you ever say, Hi how are you? It's so nice to see you again?"
"Not if I can help it." He retorts.
"Amy, Daniel, really, why do you have to be rude to each other all the time? For once, can we all just behave nicely?" Mum intervenes.
"I apologise for Daniel's behaviour, Mrs Moore. He's not always like this." Edmund says, looking pointedly at Daniel.
"Well, at least someone has nice manners." Mum sniffed. "I think that it's time to go back to Tom's house."
"It was so nice to meet all of you, but I'm afraid I have to leave. I'm cooking tonight." Edmund says.
Then he bends down to whisper in Daniel's ear. I gasp as I see what look like fangs in his mouth.
I shake my head. 'This is going to be a long life.' I think as we walk toward the car.