The Start Of Something New.

09.

"No fucking way." Bryce gasped staring in shock at Emberly who looked at us, then at the sky before smirking now.
"Gonna let me in, Lex? It looks like its fixing to storm again." She pointed out.
Trying to find the will to speak, I stepped aside.
"Y-Yeah, come in." I invited her in as she stepped inside.
In seconds, my arms were wrapping around her.
"Holy shit." I cried as she hugged me back, but tighter.
Tears actually burned my eyes as I took this moment in.

"Who's at the door?" I heard Monty's voice, him and Sage came into view and stood there confused looking at the stranger I refused to let go of.
"Lexi, I kind of want to breathe."Emberly told me now.
Blushing I stepped back as I grinned.
"Sorry, holy shit its really you." I said at last.

Bryce stepped up next and hugged her as well, not as long but the embrace was just as deep.
"Where have you been?" He asked her now.
"HELLO?" Sage questioned louder, catching our attention as we looked to her now.
"What?" I asked.
Sage frowned.
"Who's the stranger?" She asked.

Bryce looked to her then to Emberly.
"Guys, this is Emberly Stone. She was our childhood friend, way before you two showed up in Crossroads." He explained.
Sage arched a brow.
"And the reason Lexi looks like she's going to have a emotional break down, is because?" She questioned.
I cleared my throat.
"Emberly was like family to us." I looked to Bryce who nodded in agreement.

"But because of money problems, about what? We're sixteen now so, seven years ago? Emberly's dad fell into some major-"
"Okay, lets not tell them everything, Bryce." I told him now.
Emberly smirked.
"The only thing you cute kittens need to know is, these two?" She draped her arms over mine and Bryce's shoulders.
"Are my bitches." She grinned deviously.

"Yup, don't call me that, Em." Bryce told her.
Emberly grinned.
"Right right, they're my blood siblings is what I meant to say." She said lifting her hand up, to reveal a scar on her palm.
Immediately, I felt mine itch.

Monty stepped up now.
"Is there a specific reason, you decided to drop by as the sun went down?" He asked her now.
Emberly looked at him.
"I caught a late cab, coming here. Did I show up at the wrong time?" Her eyes fell on me and Bryce before they lit up.
"Wait, wait wait. Don't tell me, you and Bryce finally got together and you invited these cuties over and you four are going to have a orgy?" She questioned now.

"No one is having a orgy in my house." I heard my dads voice behind us now.
And I swear to god, he nearly dropped the ice cream at the sight of Emberly.
She waved at him as he shoved the ice cream in Noah's direction who took it.

"My god, kid. Look at how much you've grown." He said walking over and hugging the other.
Emberly smiled.
"Its nice to see you, Mr.Grimes. How's the family?" She asked him.
Dad glanced to me then smiled at her.
"They're still standing, and yours?" He asked.
Emberly shrugged.
"Kinda ran away, so I don't know." She confessed.

My eyes grew wide.
"You ran away?" I questioned.
Emberly looked to me.
"Lex, its a long and complicated story. But you guys were the first people I wanted to see, starting tomorrow. I'll have to find a place to stay a-"
"You can stay here." Dad told her now.

I looked to him in shock as Emberly blinked.
"Oh, Mr.Grimes. That's okay, I really shouldn't-"
"Nonsense, you were practically family growing up, until you and your family moved. Its not a problem with you staying here." He told her.

Emberly looked to me now.
"Is that okay with you, Lex?" She asked now.
I smirked.
"We're blood sisters, of course its fine." I said hugging her now.
----
"So where did you run away from?" Monty asked her in the family room.
Emberly sat in the middle of me and Bryce, her hand locked with both of ours.
"Davenport." She told him.
Bryce looked to her.
"That's four towns from here, Em. What made you run?" He asked her.
Emberly's brows furrowed.
"You guys wouldn't believe me, if I told you." She said.

I squeezed her hand as she smiled softly.
"Tell us, Em." I pushed.
She frowned.
"Okay.. Well, at first I didn't want to believe it--"

"Why did we have to move to Davenport, what was wrong with Crossroads?" Emberly asked her parents in the kitchen.
Her dad turned to her.
"More bad people are coming to that town, and the last thing I want is to involve my family with them." He told her.
"But Lexi and Bryce are there!" She cried now.
"And their parents know where your mother and I stood, Emberly. They don't believe what we saw." He said.

Emberly frowned.
"Vampires killed that man, that's what you said you saw."
"It is what I saw, and if vampires are back in that town. It means nothing good will come from it, you'll just have to make new friends here." He told her frowning.
Emberly glared.
"I don't want to new friends! I want my old ones!"
"Well get over it, because its not happening!" He snapped.

Emberly's eyes burned with tears.
"I hate you, I hope you die!" She cried running off to her room, slamming and locking the door.

Emberly looked down at her lap frowning.
"Those were my last words to him, before our house was broken into and those things killed him." She explained.
My eyes grew wide.
"Emberly, I'm so sorry." I told her.
Bryce squeezed her hand.
"So you ran as soon as it happened?" He asked her.
She frowned.
"What else could I of done? If they had found me as well, they could of killed me too.. I had no choice but to run." She told us.

Sage crossed her arms.
"For someone who just lost her dad, you seem pretty okay." She said now.
"Sage!" I cried in disbelief.
Emberly smiled.
"No, no. She's actually right, I wasn't exactly phased when he got killed." She shrugged as she lifted up her shirt to reveal her stomach, then rolled her sleeves up.
Cigarette burns were all over her upper body.

Monty inhaled sharply then held his breath, before slowly exhaling.
Emberly put her shirt back down, frowning now.
"Bryce and Lexi both knew my dad was far from kind, when it came to me. So as heartless as it is for me to say, I think those blood suckers did me a favor by taking him out." She said now.

I brought the other into a hug.
"Well you're safe here." I told her.
She smiled softly.
"That's good." She sighed with relief.
----
"You like horror movies now?" Emberly questioned as Bryce put it on The Conjuring.
I shrunk next to her as Monty paused the movie from the floor, looking at us.
"Lexi used to not like horror movies?" He asked.
Sage grinned at news like that.
Bryce smirked.
"Emberly came here ready to give your life hell, Lex." He said.

I rolled my eyes as Emberly cracked her fingers.
"Lexi over here, used to avoid them at all costs. Especially in October, she was scared of a lot of things. Including her bedroom door or the closet open, she also had to hold either mine or Bryce's hand walking around at night, especially to the bathroom." She grinned.

I groaned.
"Yes, yes. I was a scared little girl growing up, but I've changed." I said defending myself.
Sage looked to me.
"So what made you start liking them?" She asked me.
I shrugged.
"I grew up I guess." I told her.

"You called them your blood siblings earlier." Monty said now, looking to Emberly.
"What made the three of you become that in the first place?" He asked us.

The three of us exchanged looks now.
Emberly smiled softly.
"When you grow up together and one or two of us have to leave, you kind of want that bond to keep growing so when we see each other again. So we agreed to become blood siblings, of course Lexi's mom beat the living hell out of us, after calling our parents."

"I couldn't sit for a few hours." Bryce complained.
I grinned.
"I don't think any of us could." I said now.
"Do you guys remember her rushing us to the hospital?" Emberly grinned.
Bryce groaned.
"Yes, and then my mom busted into that room, thinking I was dying." He sighed.
I ran a hand through my hair.
"It was a great time." I said.

Emberly grinned at that.
"Did you grow up with ugly scars?" She asked us.
Both Bryce and I looked at our palms.
"Nah, mines pretty sexy." Bryce said revealing his palm to her.
Emberly rolled her eyes.
"Only you'd say that." She smirked.
I smiled softly.
"How about your scar, Em?" I asked.

She revealed hers.
"Its still there, I mean. We did kind of cut pretty deep." She said.
"Oh yeah, we had to get stitches." I remembered.
"Yeah, Lex. That was why your mom beat us." Bryce reminded me.
"Right." I nodded now.

"So are you going to be attending West Bridge High, with us?" Sage asked.
Emberly nodded.
"Yeah, I mean I know I ran away from Davenport, but I'd still like to continue my education." She explained.
"See, I'd be the type to try and get a job or something. Screw school." Monty said now.
Emberly grinned at him.
"You don't like school?" She asked.
Monty looked to her.
"Not really no, kids cause drama." He told her.

"Work will cause drama." We all said in unison, well except Emberly who just smiled at him.
Monty raised his hands in defense.
"So even when we graduate, I'm screwed." He decided.
I smiled softly.
"High school isn't that bad Monty." I told him.
Monty looked to me.
"You only feel that way because you're the schools butterfly." He stated.

Emberly looked to me amused.
"Schools butterfly? This is also news."
"Em, I swear to god." I laugh.
"People do change, we don't need to keep bringing up my childhood." I told her.
Sage smirked.
"I like to hear about your past, its amusing." She shrugged.

Bryce grinned.
"Emberly has so much dirt on both of us, from up until we turned nine." He said now.
Emberly grinned wickedly.
"You bet your sweet ass I do." She winked.
I shook my head with a grin.
"You're the devil reincarnated, but as a female." I told her.
She grinned.
"That's a compliment in my opinion, so thank you." She said kissing my cheek.

Monty moved forward.
"So, are you gay or bisexual? Major mixed messages here." He said now.
Emberly looked to him.
"Neither, I just like cute things and these two beside me are very cute. Especially now." She smirked.

I rolled my eyes.
"She's always been the affectionate type." I told him.
"So, she just kisses who she finds cute?" He asked.
Emberly blinked.
"I can kiss or touch,its really whatever the other person is willing to let happen." She answered.

Monty's face fell.
"So," his eyes fell on Bryce.
"You're okay with her kissing and feeling you up?" He asked.
Bryce looked at him.
"It's not sexual unless you make it out to be, like Lexi said. She's just affectionate, and has no problem expressing that." He told him.

Emberly nodded in agreement.
Monty looked to Sage.
"See, if I did that to a girl. She'd scream and slap me." He said.
Sage looked at him.
"Have you not seen yourself? I scream when I see you too." She told him.
"Okay, bye." He said getting off the floor and walked into the kitchen.

Emberly bit her lip.
"He's cute." She said now.
Bryce looked to her.
"He's also fragile, so I'd rather not." He told her.
Emberly looked to him.
"That makes boys even more cute to me, but why's he fragile?" She asked.

I frowned now.
"His little brother committed suicide, two years ago." I told her.
She frowned now.
"Wow, poor guy." She brought her knees to her chest, humming for a moment then sighed.
"Yup. I can't." She got up.
"Where are you going?" I asked her.
She smirked.
"I'm going to talk to the cinnamon roll in the kitchen." She said.

Bryce frowned now.
"What is it?" I asked him.
"Cinnamon rolls sound fucking good." He told us.

Emberly walked into the kitchen where Monty was, he turned to her as she smiled shyly at him.
"I wanted to come check on you, you seemed like you needed it." She said now.
Monty scoffed.
"Its pretty odd when a girl I just met, is the first person who wants to check in on me." He said turning to her now.
Emberly shrugged.
"I like to get to know others and understand them better, Lexi filled me in on your brother. I'm sorry for your loss." She said now.

Monty gave a soft smile.
"He was a good kid, but words never really got through to him. I feel like I failed as his brother." He confessed now, but it was almost like a whisper.
Emberly made a face stepping up now.
"Look, Monty. I don't know you very well, but I do know you didn't fail your brother, there are things that are simply out of our reach. It doesn't need to fall into your hands, or that will eat you alive and destroy you in the end." She told him.

Monty looked at her.
"Do you have any siblings?" He asked her.
She smiled softly.
"I have two, they're right in there." She said as her attention fell towards the family room.
She looked back at him.
"And if either of them, for some reason. Killed themselves, they would not want to hold me responsible. Especially if we had nothing but good memories together," she walked up to him now taking his hand.
"I'm telling you, your younger brother is at peace with himself and with you and your family. I understand you're hurting and a loss like that will be something you can never really get over." She squeezed his hand.

He looked at her.
"You lost someone too, didn't you?" He asked her.
Emberly smiled at him.
"Its in the past, locked tight in a box and behind me." She smiled softly.
"So, Monty? I want you to imagine a box." She told him.
He blinked but nodding closing his eyes.
She smiled.
"And I want you to think about your brother, smiling and loving you like he did when he was alive." She caressed the others face, gently staring at his closed eyes.
"Once you think of him, I want you to put him in the biggest box you can imagine with an impossible lock to unlock." She removed her hand.

"And once he's in that box, lock it and put it on the highest shelf you can think of." She told him.
When Monty's eyes opened, the tears he had been trying to hold back.
Fell easily in front of her.
She smiled, brushing the tears away.
"You're going to be alright, Monty." She told him.

He stood there, looking at her for the longest time.
She smiled softly.
"How do you feel?" She asked.
He shrugged.
"Better than earlier, I guess." He told her.
She nodded.
----
"You two were gone for a while, were you making out?" Bryce joked.
Emberly smirked at him.
"Just helping him feel better." She said taking her seat back.
I looked to Monty who actually seemed a bit better than earlier.

"So.. because no one thought about bringing this up, you mentioned that the things that killed your dad. Was vampires, I'm sorry but those don't exist." Sage said now.
Emberly looked to her.
"Actually they do." She told her.
Sage arched a brow.
"Did you actually see the things attack your dad?" She asked her.
Emberly frowned.
"You want the graphic description? Fine, Tuesday night. Last week, I was working on my homework when I heard grunting and groans. At first I thought it was him and my step mom, but instead no. I did the foolish thing by spying, and then I saw the two men. Once was making a meal out of my step moms neck, and the other was finishing my dad off. Is that proof enough for you?" She asked.

We all fell silent.
"So.. vampires actually exist?" Bryce looked to me and I frowned deeply.
Emberly caught onto our expressions.
"What is it?" She asked.
Bryce looked to her.
"Pretty sure Lexi's partner in class, is one." He told her.
Emberly's eyes grew wide.
"We don't know that for sure!" I hissed bitterly.

Emberly looked at me.
"Does he avoid questions and situations, get squeamish at the sight of blood and have light blue veins under his eyes when he can smell it?" She asked.
I swallowed hard at the questions that fit him perfectly.
" I, um.."
"He does." Monty answered for me.
I looked at him with shock.
Monty looked to Emberly.
"He runs as soon as her friends show up, or his does. At first I thought it was just him being an ass, but the description is adding up.. not to mention, he did get squeamish when you cut yourself last night." He pointed out.

Emberly sat there looking at me.
"Lexi talk to me." She said.
I looked at her.
"What am I supposed to say? I'm not going to call him out on being a vampire, and if he is. He hasn't hurt anyone." I told them now.
"He killed people!" Bryce snapped now.
"We don't know if it was him!" I yelled back.
"Oh, so you're defending him now?" Bryce demanded.

"Well when you kiss someone and have a moment, you kind of get defensive for that person!" I blurted out.

The room fell silent.
Bryce looked at me.
"You kissed him?" He asked me.
I looked at him.
"Why does it matter if we kissed? Yes, Bryce. Me and Carter kissed!" I stood up, running a hand through my hair as I stood in front of the four of them.

"I'm not going to accuse Carter of being a vampire, because we don't have the actual proof he is. Guys get shy, that's why they run and the blood thing? Its normal to get squeamish at the sight of it. And I won't apologize for kissing Carter, Bryce." I looked at him as he glared at me.
"Because in that moment, I seriously liked him and I knew he liked me, so if you can't accept that. Then I'm sorry." I stormed off to my room, slamming the door then locked it.

I slid down the door, crying.
Carter was not a vampire.
It wasn't possible.
I mean, Emberly proved that they were in fact real.
But there was no way, Carter was a vampire.
It was something I didn't want to believe.
What if he was?
Why would he keep that a secret?

Sniffling, I got to my feet as I turned my desk top on.

["Signs a person is a vampire."

1.)They avoid confrontation.
2.)They try to fit in with humans.
3.) They get squeamish around blood.
4.) They vanish fast.
5.) They don't like the smell of berberis thunbergii.
6.)They prefer to be alone.
7.)Their eyes turn black when they feed or angry.
8.)They're attracted to the vulnerable.
9.)They travel in small groups.
10.) They're heartless monsters.]

I sat there, staring at the screen, tears slipping.
When I mentioned the idea of using the berberis thunbergii as our flower for the project, Carter didn't like that idea and voted on roses.
Everything was adding up to him being one.
But my the burning question in my head, was why?
Why couldn't he just tell me.

Especially after we kissed..
Tears burned my eyes as I shut the laptop.
It also dawned on me, that it was a little weird someone knew exactly about the vampires life style.
Was it possible that one actually wrote that information down?
So humans could find out, and use it against them?
Regardless of that.
I needed to talk to him.
I had to know.

But if he confirms he is a vampire.
What then?
Will I run or stay?

Vampires killed Emberly's dad and step mom.
If Carter found out that I knew.
Would he kill me for knowing his secret?
Fear shot through me as I frowned deeply.

I ran a hand through my hair as I finally left my room, to only hear the others all talking in the family room.
Rolling my eyes, I walked into the bathroom to shower.
I locked the door as I undressed, turning the shower head on as the cold water poured out.
Stepping inside, I hissed at the feeling but relaxed soon after.

So many thoughts were pouring in my head, and I had no idea where to even begin.
If vampires did exist.
How were they able to walk in the sunlight?
And last night, Carter ate two slices of pizza which had garlic.
So why didn't he freak out?
Were vampires not like how they were described in the books?
Have times really changed so much, that they could be walking right beside us in the halls at school?

I poured the shampoo in my hair.
Were the vampires trying to fit in with humans, so we could live together with no problem?
If so, who was killing those other people?
And who attacked Gabriel?
Carter didn't seem like the attacking or killing type.

Even though he had no problem fighting Parker or Mason, during practice on the football field.

Turning the water off, I dried off then brushed my teeth.
I didn't want to believe he was a vampire.
Because what if vampires came for us next?
What if that was why, Emberly's parents were killed?
Because her dad saw one, and the vampires killed them before word could get out.

I shivered at the thought.

I walked out of the bathroom then into the kitchen.
I stopped in my tracks.
Vampires had to be invited in.
I invited Carter into my home, where my family was.
What if he got angry and killed them?
What if we date and break up, and he comes here angry?
So many negative thoughts were pouring in, and I wished they'd go away.
I didn't want to see Carter as the bad guy.

He wasn't the bad guy.

I opened the fridge for some left over pizza, popping two slices in the microwave as I waited.
I frowned as Bryce walked in with his glass empty.
"Lexi, I-"
"I'm sorry." I cut him off with a frown.
He looked confused.
"I don't know if Carter is the cause of the murders, or if hes actually a vampire.. I don't have any proof to really defend my argument, towards the fact that he might be one.. I got flustered, because after we kissed. I saw nothing but good from him, like he wouldn't harm anyone if he was a vampire. But with your black blood towards him, its hard to even talk about it." I told him.

He sighed walking over to the fridge, pouring himself a glass of tea.
"Its part of my job as your friend to watch out for you, Lexi. That's all I want, but when he came into our school last year and beat both Parker and Mason to bloody pulps. Its hard to see the good in someone after that, especially when neither of them did anything for him to react how he did." He explained to me.

"But, if he can manage to give those two an apology. I might be willing to slowly accept him, especially if you think you like him." He told me now.
I blinked with surprise.
"You actually mean that, Bryce?" I asked him.
He smirked.
"Don't make me think about it, just accept that I'm willing to try. For your sake." He told me.
I walked over, hugging the other as the microwave beeped.
"Thank you." I said.
----
When Monday rolled around, my mom had to come up to the school to enroll Emberly.
The process was much shorter than we thought it'd take.
But because Em didn't have any supplies or anything of the sort.
Her first day, would be tomorrow.
So my mom could take her shopping for school stuff.

"Did you enjoy the rain?" Came Carter's voice behind me.
I looked over to him.
"Uh, no not really.. It kind of ruined our outdoor plans." I told him.
He nodded.
"Yeah it got pretty bad at my house, we lost power." He said.
I frowned with a nod.
"Are you okay?" He asked.
I looked back at him.
"Yeah I'm fine, sorry.. Its just been a rocky weekend, and a old friend of mine moved in two days ago. She'll be starting school with us, tomorrow." I told him.

He nodded as the bell rang.
"Well, I'll see you in bio." He said heading off to his homeroom.

I watched the other walk away as I headed towards algebra.
Mrs.Pearson stood outside of the class, holding the door open as she smiled at me.
"Good morning, Ms.Grimes. Did you have a good weekend?" She asked, her eyes were following Carter before they fell back on me.
I bit my lip.
"It was alright." I said walking past her into the room.

I took my seat next to Monty as Mrs.Pearson began to teach the class.
I kept spacing out from thought.
Maybe I should drop by Carter's after school.
He did tell me where he lived.
I needed him to tell me, he was a vampire.
So I could try to feel some kind of relief.
Would it even be relief?
I didn't even know.
I was honestly scared to be told yes.
But still.
I needed to know.
Despite how the results may turn out.

"You don't have to bring me home today." I told Monty as homeroom ended.
Monty arched a brow as he stuffed his books in his bag.
"Is Bryce bringing you home?" He asked me.
I shook my head.
"No, I'm going to go by Carter's after school." I told him.
His brows furrowed.
"Are you sure that's smart, Lex?" He asked.

I looked to him with a shrug.
"I don't know Mon, but I can't get the question out of my head." I said.
"Why can't you ask him here?" He asked me.
I frowned.
"Because this is a public place, and without knowing who is actually killing people. I don't want to find out that it's him, I'd rather confront him at his house." I stated.
"Oh yeah because that's the perfect place to confront someone, what if he hurts you?" He asked worried.
"He won't." I tried to sound sure, but I really wasn't.
I had no idea how this would turn out.
And with me going to his house to confront him.
It could end bad.
On my part.

"Let me bring you there." Monty said walking out of class now.
I looked to him.
"Bring me?" I asked.
He nodded.
"Yeah, I'd feel better if you had someone there. I won't get out of the truck, but I'd be there if things turned out bad." He told me.
I bit my lip but nodded.
"Alright, that's fine." I agreed now.

"You don't want to work on our project today?" Carter questioned confused in biology.
I looked to him.
"I checked on the rose this morning before I left, its growth is doing fine and I already wrote the results down as well." I explained.
He frowned but nodded.
"Alright." He said writing down the notes.
"Will you be home after school?" I asked him now.

He looked to me.
"Well considering I don't have to drop by your place now, yeah. I'll be home." He told me.
I frowned nodding.
"Alright." I said returning to my notes.

"You're going to get yourself killed." Bryce said lowly outside during lunch.
I looked at him.
"I'm just going to stop by, and be like are you a vampire? And leave after he gives me his answer, I won't get myself killed. Plus, Monty will be there."
"Oh, because that makes me feel so much better." He said bitterly.
I crossed my arms.
"I'll be quick about it, I promise." I told him.

Bryce rolled his eyes.
"I swear," he pointed at me looking dead serious.
"If that guy even tries to hurt you, I'll kill him myself." He warned.
I arched a brow.
"You're going to try and kill a vampire?" I asked.
"There won't be any trying, I will. Lexi I'm serious." He took my wrist frowning.
"I don't want you to get hurt." He frowned.
I smiled.
"I'll be fine." I reassured him.

Honestly I had no idea where this was going to go.
So many thoughts screamed at me, that this would be a terrible idea.
That I wouldn't like the results.
But I had to know.

Throughout school today, I had kept spacing.
I zoned out completely in History, and couldn't even focus in gym.
I was trying to encourage myself that I could do this, that I couldn't back down.
The worst thing he can tell me.
Is to screw off and to forget all about him.
Or that I was a crazy person, who was falling into the folklore tales people used to share.
To scare people.

But I wouldn't lose focus.

I stood outside as kids got on the bus and kids ran to their cars.
All excited to be going home.
Except for me, I was nervous and waiting for Monty to show up.

"So, do you want me to drop by tomorrow?" Carter questioned as he stood next to me.
I frowned.
"Yeah, that's fine with me. Sorry, I've been kind of out of it today." I told him.
He arched a brow.
"No kidding, I thought Mrs.Lee was going to kill you for spacing off during her lecture." He told me now.
I smiled softly.
"Its just been one of those days, I guess." I shrugged.

He nodded as Jace and Amy came into view.
"Well, I'll see you later." He said heading off.
As if on cue, Monty's truck pulled up.

"I still feel like this is a bad idea." He said driving up the curvy road.
I frowned softly.
"You don't think I've felt that all day? My heart feels like its going to pop out of my mouth." I told him.
He made a face.
"Well swallow your heart back down, this was your plan. Lexi." He pointed out.
I nodded with a groan.
"I know, my nerves are just hating me right now." I told him.

We drove up to the old saw mill, and a large house came into view.
"Wow." Monty whistled.
"Definitely a house you'd imagine in a horror film, kinda like that movie.. um, Texas Chainsaw Massacre!" He snapped.
I rolled my eyes with a grin.
"You're insane."
"Can you not feel those kind of vibes? If your boy Carter, is a vampire and that house has more like him in it. Then this is the perfect home for them to live in." He told me.
I suddenly felt sick.

"Okay, remember. Stay in the truck, and if things go wrong. We'll leave as soon as I get inside, okay?" I questioned.
Monty nodded, killing the truck as I got out.
All of my confidence.
Vanishing.

I walked down the small trail, the grass to my ankles as I walked up to the door.
I felt like I was going to pass out from actual fear.
What happens if someone answers and they don't like how I'm dressed?
Or how I smell?
What if they kill me for even bothering them?

I somehow managed to knock, which made it feel like it wasn't loud enough due to the fact the door was insanely thick.
I waited as I felt my heart pounding.

Soon enough the door was pulled open.
And even though I felt relieved.
I wasn't.

Jace stood there, with this suspicious look on his face.
"If you're trying to sell girl scout cookies, we're not interested." He said going to close the door.
"What? No, I need to talk to Carter." I told him.
Jace studied me for a moment.
"Carter doesn't live here, wrong house. Now go." He ordered.
I frowned softly.
"Jace, Carter told me he lived here. So please-"

"Are you deaf, or just stupid?" He growled now.
"Jace." I frowned when Carter came into view now, but he looked more confused seeing me as Jace glared harshly at him.
"I told you being around her was a fucking mistake." He spat storming back inside.

Carter stepped out, closing the door behind him with knitted brows.
"Lexi, what are you doing here?" He asked me.
I frowned deeply.
"I need to know, because its been on my mind for a while now.." I looked at him.
"I want you to tell me what you are." I told him.
He blinked but then smiled.
"I'm human? What else could I possibly be?" He asked me.

I shook my head frowning at his answer.
"No, Carter. Don't lie to me, what are you?" I demanded now.
He studied me for a moment.
"You shouldn't of came here, Lexi." He told me now.
"Carter, please. Just tell me. What you are!" I yelled.

"A vampire!" He spat now, glaring at me.
I felt my blood run cold as he stood there, then scoffed from my expression.
"What? You come here making demands, and now you're scared of the answer?" He asked me.
I looked at him.
"Why didn't you just tell me?" I asked.
Carter's jaw ticked.
"Not every person we come in contact with, has a right to know what we are. Too many of us get killed, when the truth gets spilled. You tell the wrong person everything, and next thing you know. Half of your family is getting slaughtered. I didn't tell you because I didn't know how you'd even take the news, is that why you didn't want me to come by today?" He asked me now.

I stood there with knitted brows.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"You told me I didn't have to come by today, why? So you could come here and confront me by asking what I was?" He asked.
I frowned deeply.
"I just needed to know."
"But why?" He demanded now.
Flinching he frowned softly.

"I had to hear it from you." I told him.
He studied me for a moment.
"And now that you know the truth about me, are you going to go run your mouth? Watch more of us get burned and staked?" He asked me.
I frowned.
"I wasn't going to tell anyone." I said softly.
"I find that hard to believe, especially with the people you hang around with." He said now.

"Do you want me to tell the world, that vampires are living in Crossroads?" I asked him confused.
He glared at that.
"I never should of tried to open up to you, I knew things would turn out like this." He said opening the door to his house.
"So what? You won't even give me a chance to adjust to the fact, you're a vampire?" I asked him.
Carter slammed the door as he stormed up to me.
"What chance do you even deserve? Coming here, terrified out of your damn mind. You don't want a chance to get to know me. You're terrified of me, Lexi." He spat now.

I stood there.
"Why is it that, the truth comes out and you're suddenly the bad guy?" I asked him softly.
He looked confused for a moment, but frowned.
"Because you humans, have given us enough reason already to be. We just want to exist, like everyone else. But even that is too much to ask, humans find out and they all start screaming with their heads cut off. Even with the killings that's happened-"

"Those killings, were they because of you?" I asked cutting the other off.
The door swung open and Jace stepped out, his blue eyes black as dark blue veins appeared under his eyes.
"No, that was because of me. Do us both a favor, little human and run along home and hope to your so called god, you don't see our bad sides anytime soon." He stepped up to me as he smirked bitterly.

"I'd hate for that cute guy in that truck waiting for you, to become my next meal. Because trust me, I've been dying to know what his blood tastes like." He grinned.

Carter didn't say anything to make him stop, he just stood there in silence.
"Tomorrow, I will tell Mrs.Lee I will work on my project alone, and you can keep that rose. But this whole thing," he pointed at both himself and then me.
"Ends here, my family will always come first before you ever will." He told me.

Jace walked inside first looking smug with a smirk plastered on his face, Carter turned to me at the door frowning.

"Goodbye, Alexis." He said closing the door.
-----




//HELLO MY LOVELY READERS.
I attempted to make chapter 09 long for one reason, and one reason only.
Tomorrow I will not be updating.
Mainly because.
It is my Birthday and I turn a year older than I was today.

But chapter 10 will be up, sometime Friday.
It may not be as long as this chapter (wrist hurts now)
But it'll still be as long as the others have been.
This chapter was long, to pretty much make up for my absence tomorrow.

So I will leave you guys with the burning questions.
Is it truly the end for Lexi and Carter?
Will Jace end up crossing paths with his interest, Monty?
And what secret is Emberly hiding from everyone?
Including her two childhood friends?

Until then you guys!!
~CkR.