Forced Vampire

Chapter 9

Kai started walking around in his room when Vanessa came in.

"Why are you pacing back and forth?"

"I..."

"The last time I saw you being lost was when you were considering leavi...Are you leaving?"

"I can't live like this anymore, Vanessa. All these rules and titles and punishments and..."

"Hey, calm down. I know I'm strong but I could never take you."

"How can we live like this? How can you choose to live like this?"

"You know I don't have a choice. I had no where to go after I was finished with my training. Those who turned mw killed my entire family."

"You could've started a new life."

"No, I couldn't."

"I can't live like this anymore. I've been here my entire life. Dictated by all of these rules...and...and.."

"Kai, what is this really about? Something must have triggered it."

"Celeste punished me and everything just...seems meaningless."

"She punished you? Why?"

"I talked back to her in front of others. Right, you don't know, I'm back in training again."

"You're back in training?"

"Yeah, only this time they're preparing me to become the Count."

"Count? You? So this is what triggered it."

"No, it's not like this...It's just...I can't go back into training. I was supposed to be done with this."

"We aren't forced to stay her anymore, you know that. You can leave if you want."

"Why are you still here? Why didn't you leave?"

"This is my family now. I know it sounds weird. But they took me in when I didn't have anyone. They gave me a home when I thought my life and they gave me a reason to...live. I understand what you mean about the rules and stuff. But we choose to live here, we don't have to."

"You're happy here?"

"I kind of am. I get to help others the same way, they helped me. And they really did help me. I was in pretty bad shape when i got here..."

"I know...I remeber."

"You did too you know. I wouldn't be where I am today if I didn't have you. That's why Lexa is so lucky."

Lexa...I've thought about her in all of this too. Can I just leave her? I'm the reason she's here, it's my fault.

"Are you going to stay here your whole life?" Kai asked.

"I don't know about my whole. Maybe I'll leave later on in life and get a job and...I don't know. But for now, I'm staying put. I don't think that all of this sudden doubt is coming from you being put back into training. You might not like it and it might suck, and hurt. But they're doing it for you. You have to believe that and deep down I think you do. It's not a punishment being back in training."

"Wouldn't you react like this if they reinstated you as a student?"

"I would be out the door the second they told me."

"See."

"But you are not me. I really hope you'll think about it before making a decision. Right now, you're letting you're feelings get in the way. If you make a decision based on your feelings, you'll regret it later. I have to get going. lexa should be done running now and she wanted to study. Whatever you decide, let me know. Don't leave without saying goodbye."