Reed & Winifred (Completed)

Part 8

She felt his arms wrapped around her. She opened her eyes to find him still sleeping. She watched him like this for a moment and then started to get up. The instant she moved his eyes flew open.

"Good Morning!"

She turned around to see that he was awake.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to wake you."

"Please, its fine I don't sleep much these days anyway. Plus I'd rather spend my time with you than sleeping."

She smiled and leaned over to kiss him. It was the same deep passionate kiss from the day before. She knew she could get use to this.

"Were you just going to leave me here?"

He gave her a little pout and then smiled at her.

"It's just I couldn't sleep anymore, it's so nosy here I don't understand how anyone can sleep."

Reed just laughed at her. She frowned, she had the feeling that someone wasn't letting her in on the joke.

"What?"

"Nothing, just I guess your senses are starting to develop."

"What do you mean by that?"

"It means, everyone around here isn't loud it's just you can hear a lot more."

She just stared at him. Slowly taking in this new information. She knew the story about vampires: the undead, can smell blood for miles, hate garlic, no reflection, burn in the sun...drink blood. The more she recalled the more worried she got. He saw the change of emotion in her face. He grabbed her and hugged her in his arms. She fought to hold back tears.

"Why me?"

"Winifred, I never wanted this life for you. There is not a moment that passes that I don't regret it."

"I know, but why me? I'm a nobody you found sitting on a bench."

He just stared at her like she was crazy.

"And look at me! I'm nothing compared to you...and now your whole family."

She couldn't hold back the tears any longer. He wiped the tears from her cheeks.

"Come here, I want to show you something."

He put his arm around her and walked her to the other side of the room. There stood a full length mirror, with her reflection now in it. She gasped for air. Partially because she was surprised she had a reflection but mainly because of her appearance in the reflection. Her hair was still the same old black and her eyes were still a beautiful blue, but everything else seemed to be different. Her eyes were dark but the rest of her skin was pale as could be. She was flawless. She was just like them. She couldn't help herself but smile.

"Now that's better."

She didn't want to turn away from the mirror so she just looked at him through it.

"Thank you, but how?"

"I guess you could say it's one of the perks."

He gave her a little smirk. She finally pulled herself away from the mirror, turned around, and wrapped her arms around him.

"That's not what I meant. I mean how is it we have a reflection? I thought vampires didn't have reflections."

He let out a little chuckle.

"You can't believe everything you hear you know."

"What else is there?"

He started to speak but before he could his head flew to the doorway. She turned around to see what was wrong. When she looked at the door Addison was standing there. She noticed a slight blush across her cheeks.

"I'm sorry to interrupt but we heard you two were up and May wants to have a little family meeting."

Addison sneaked a glance at Winnie and then looked back at her brother. From what Winnie had seen of the family last night Addison seemed to be the youngest. She looked to be about the age of sixteen. Then it hit Winnie that this "meeting" was about her and she looked at Reed. He looked at her and studied her expressions. She pleaded with him with her eyes.

"I'll be leaving now."

Addison left, but they didn't seem to notice.

"What's wrong?"

She took in a deep breath and ran out of the room.

"Not again. Winifred stop, please!"

When he knew she was not going to stop he raced after her. Within an instant he was at her side. She slowed down to a brisk walk. She didn't look at him. He didn't say a word either. They walked together like this for a few blocks. She walked across the lawn to a park swing set. She started to swing a little while dragging her toes in the dirt. She hung her head and stared at the ground. Reed just leaned up against a pole.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"About what?"

"Whatever it is that's bothering you and has you running away."

She did not say anything, just continued to look at her feet. Her mind was running a mile a minute and she couldn't think straight. Her stomach ached and her chest felt heavy. Her breathing was quick. She could feel the tears welling up in her eyes. She could not hold it all in any longer. She took in a deep breath and everything fell apart. Tears poured out of her eyes, her whole body shuddered, and she let out a scream.