Troublesome

It seemed I fell asleep because when I woke up Nate wasn’t there and I could hear laughter from downstairs.

“What…” I raised myself groggily and got off the bed. I looked around to see a lot of Nate’s things in my room. I chuckled softly and walked out of the room. While still on my way downstairs I could feel annoyance. I chuckled again. In the living room was everyone: adults, sluts and children. Nate was on the couch, Emily of course, flirting with him.

I walked slowly, getting myself ready for what was about to come. Nate flinched when Emily put her hand on his back and looked behind, to me. Help He mouthed. I rolled my eyes but went and sat between him and Emily.

“Nice to see you, cousin Emily.” I fake smiled. She narrowed her eyes for a few seconds and turned back to her originally fake and plastic expression. I glanced at Nate to see him sighing relieved. Thank you He mouthed again. I nodded and turned back to see cousin Emily gone and Ashley’s oldest bitchy daughter looking at me from head to toe. “Is there something you need?” I tried to sound as nice as possible, but it sounded evil and bitter.

“No. You’ve changed from the last time I saw you.” I smiled innocently.

“Of course she did.” Nate responded in my place smirking. “You don’t have any idea of how much she has grown, lately.” He said, his smirk growing wider. I chuckled under my breath and glanced back at her face. It was priceless. Angry but surprised. She glared at both of us and got up. I glanced back to Nate and chuckled while leaning more on him.

“You didn’t have to do this. Now who knows what she may think or tell her siblings, the devils.” Nate laughed lightly and shook his head while getting me in a one sided hug.

“We are the devils.” I laughed too and got up. He grabbed fast my hand and stopped me.

“What do you think you’re doing? Don’t leave me here to die.” I smiled innocently shook his hand off. His face paled while I simply went upstairs, still chuckling.

I entered into my room right on time because my phone started ringing.

“Yep?” The voice on the other side seemed frantic.

“Is this Stella?” I raised an eyebrow and responded.

“Yes. Who’s this?” I heard someone shifting on the other side and the voice came back.

“Take care of you and Alex. He thinks they’re coming for you but they don’t even know you’re alive. I know I’m just a strange voice calling out of nowhere but, please, take care of Alex.” I furrowed my eyebrows together and frowned.

“What?! Who’s this?! Who’s coming?” I couldn’t hear anything except a long beep, meaning the other person hung up. I looked at the phone in my hand, thousands of thoughts going overdrive in my head. I sighed and closed my eyes. I went on the bed and rubbed my temples. While trying to relax and clean my head off those horrible thoughts the phone rang again. I flashed fast and answered it. “Who’s this?”

“Chill girl. It’s me…Tracy. I just wanted to tell you there’s a festival in the city.” I sighed relived. “It’s about dancing and teenagers and how can dance influence someone’s life or something like that. There will be a lot of contestants.” Hopefully she didn’t drag me in. “I signed us up for it.” And she actually did. Damn my luck!

“When is the actual contest?” I said while going back on the bed.

“A month or two but we have to practice until then. I already have a song, you just have to learn the moves.”

“Who else have you dragged in?” She scoffed. I could almost imagine her scolding face on the other side.

“It’s an opportunity. And I didn’t do it for me. I did it for Sam. She had always dreamt to become a choreographer but her parents have other plans. Now, this is for her. She does the choreography and we learn it. Embrace yourself."Unfortunately I didn’t feel any kind of feeling, at least not intense. I guess there was a small amount of pity. “And for your question. There’s me, you and Sami, obviously, Austin, Roy, Mandy, Matt and Randy. Four boys and four girls. So, get ready cause tomorrow it’s the first day of rehearsals. Bye, bye!” I hang up and groaned.

“Great. After I have to deal with my problems, I have to deal with hers too.” I put my head in the pillow and groaned again.

Downstairs, Nate wasn’t too fond of his cousins and he didn’t need bonding time. He flashed upstairs in his sister’s room and saw her sleeping peacefully on the bed. He smiled softly, event that happens rare, and sat on the bed, next to her. It’s unbelievable how such a nice girl can transform in a demon in just a few seconds. His smile stood on his lips while his hand moved the fallen hair behind her hear. She stirred making the male vampire take his hand back.

“What do you want?” She asked groggily.

“I’m going to Eric’s. I’ll spend my time there and maybe sleep over.”She nodded approvingly and rubbed her eyes. She opened her eyes and looked at Nate, who watched her like an older loving brother would.

“What?” Nate’s smile was replaced by a small laugh. Stella furrowed her eyebrows together and watched her brother weirdly.

“You don’t really look like a vampire. I remember you were even softer and baby-ish before.” She stuck her tongue out at him in a childish manner. “Are you coming?” Nate asked Stella while opening the balcony doors. Stella shook her head and fell back on the bed.

Stella's POV

“You go. I’ll come later if I feel too annoyed.” He nodded chuckling and took off. I sighed and closed my eyes back, enjoying the silence. However, it didn’t last long. I heard a big noise, like something just broke, and went downstairs. There were Ashley’s older daughters fighting over something. I seriously didn’t want to know what about but I did have to stop them.

“Troublesome kids.” One of them, Chelsea glared at me and smirked smugly.

“I’m older than you. I’m 20 years old already. You’re still 17.” I rolled my eyes. That’s what she though. I’m so much older than her. However, I didn’t comment.

“What are you fighting for?” Chelsea glared more at me and scoffed.

“I met a guy. Plus, tonight’s this weird party for money. Something about the most wanted men in Firehole. The women pay for some fun.” She smirked. I knew exactly what was she thinking about. “Mom and her sister will be there. Uncle Adrian too. He’s for sale” I rolled my eyes. Wait, the most wanted men…My eyes widened. That means…Alex is too! And so is Eric’s uncle! I glanced at Chelsea curious.

“You met a guy and you’re fighting a 16 years old teenager for him? How old is he?” Both girls glared at me. I raised an eyebrow, still waiting.

“He’s somewhere in his early twenties.” I heard the youngest girl, Natalie, mumbling. Thank God for great hearing. “But he looks younger.” She continued. “He has these blue eyes that simply get you entranced.” I was perplexed. An sixteen years old is crushing on someone who might go for her older sister any time? Humanity has gone on a weird path.

“Wait…” I stopped for a second. “How does he look again?” Chelsea glared at her younger sister and got in a dream state.

“He’s a little taller than Nate. He’s so handsome. He practically yells sex! Those blue orbs of his shine clearly and it simply amazes you. And his charm. And his voice! It’s so deep and sexy. And he’s really funny too! What more can a girl wish?!” My eyes widened again. I breathed out slowly, trying not to get worked out.

“It’s his name Alex, by any chance?” They both nodded and got back in a glaring contest. I sighed and closed my eyes. I could feel my eye twitch. “He really needs help. If I’m going to save his ass, he should at least restrain his habits.” I mumbled rubbing my temples.

Guilt

At lunch, Stella sat with Tracy, Sami, Roy and Austin. The boys were much relaxed than the girls. Tracy still couldn’t believe how many friends died, in just a few days.

“When I woke up this morning I was more than surprised. Ana was such a nice girl. She didn’t worth to die like this.” I bent my head down, my appetite long gone. I tried and searched for Nate but he was nowhere in sight.

“Have you heard how she died?” Austin asked Tracy. She shook her head. “I heard the police might close the case because there aren’t any clues. However, she had a cut on her neck. That’s all. She died just from blood loss.” Tracy started crying again in Sami’s arms while my chest felt heavy. Ok, it didn’t. I felt rather good. I thought I could block these things. Or maybe I couldn’t feel. I’d have to ask Alex more. After Austin calmed Tracy down, they started talking about other things. I searched for Nate again but he wasn’t in the cafeteria. No, but instead, I caught Eric’s eye. He pointed with his head to one side, meaning he wanted to talk. I nodded.

“I’m getting out of here. See you in class.” They nodded, thinking that maybe I needed alone time after what happened. I got out of there and found Eric waiting for me at my locker. He took my hand, which in that moment I felt something inside my head snap.

“Stella!” The girl rolled her eyes and stopped running. The boy finally caught her and they both fell. “Caught you.” He started smirking while Stella started chuckling.

“It wasn’t fair. I stopped.” The boy shrugged. They were still down when the boy that looked like Eric got a hold of her hand. Stella looked down at him and smiled when she saw him taking her hand to his lips and kissing it. “A gentleman like always.” He chuckled and in an instant both vampires were on their feet again, smiling.

I got out of my flashback and looked at Eric. He still had a tight grip on my hand. I took my hand back, making him stop and look at me. He had a hard to tell expression. Sadness with disappointment or something like this. He took me in the school’s library, in the very back.

“What happened?” I gulped and looked at anything but his eyes. Those blue eyes were boring into my head. “Stella…who killed Ana?” I sighed and closed my eyes. I turned around and bent my head down.

“It wasn’t Alex. He tried to help but I told him to go.” Eric nodded.

“I know it wasn’t him. Was it…you?” I kept staring at the floor. He walked closer and hugged me. “I won’t judge you, Stella. You just arrived in Firehole last week and many things happened. I know this is just the beginning.” I narrowed my eyes and shook his hands off.

“It wasn’t me.” He backed off. “I’m afraid for my brother. It seems it’s harder for him.” Eric nodded, like I said the most logical thing.

“Yes. You went through this once. For you it’s easier to control your thirst. We should keep an eye on Nate, though. He might start to awaken the other senses too.” I raised an eyebrow. “I mean, he might start flirting more and even disappearing for days. He will crave for freedom. Much more freedom.” I looked worried at Eric. He’d seen my troubled expression and hugged me again. And again, that hug made me feel much better. We heard someone coughing and let go of each other. There was a girl who eyed me up and down, glared and left. I rolled my eyes.

While Stella was at school, Nate flashed out of it, not seeing what good could get out of it. He would just have to bear the others and he wasn’t in the mood. He didn’t want to go back at the bar, risking to be recognized. He just went to a small café, to clear his head. He stood there, looking at everyone around him, smelling the blood from every human who passed his table. He closed his eyes and put his head between his hands, trying to concentrate on something else.

“Look what I found here.” Nate raised his head to meet clear blue eyes. Alex sat opposite the older vampire and raised an eyebrow, amused. “Your sister is worried about you. You act like the younger sibling.” He said chuckling. Nate shook his head and took a sip from his coffee.

“Did she tell you to come and make me feel worse?” Alex rolled his eyes.

“No. I just didn’t have what to do and thought ‘why not search for Nate and make his life miserable.’” Alex rolled his eyes again. “Kid, you’re older than me, yet here you are wasting your time. You shouldn’t feel bad. That’s your life, you should be proud. A lot of teenagers want to be in your place.” Nate chuckled darkly.

“I don’t think so. They think these creatures exist just in movies. The movies and books make vampires’ life an incredible story. We don’t even have powers.” He hissed. Alex chuckled amused.

“True. We can’t be killed with sticks by humans. We can be killed with sticks by other vampires. Also, we don’t wait a lifetime for our ‘destined love’” He said, pointing the quote signs. “We’re boring, indeed.” He said sarcastically. Nate rolled his eyes. “See the happy part. You have a long, long time ahead for whatever you want to do. You can have any girl, you can party and don’t get drunk, you can be here and in the next second in another place. You can travel anywhere.” Nate shifted in his place. He didn’t thought of it like an opportunity. “You should enjoy it. You already finished school, you already did what a mere human can in its life. Now you can do what a vampire can.” He moved his eyebrows up and down, making Nate chuckle.

“Like getting in jail again?” Alex looked flummoxed at Nate and started laughing.

“Nice one. But I was talking more about traveling. Biting people for blood is not something you should be ashamed of. You killed that pretty girl, and? Pff, big thing! She had to die anyway.” Nate growled at Alex words. The younger vampire didn’t look affected at all. “Vampires can block their ‘emotions’, if there are any. Most of the time the sentiments vampires feel are just in their head. They create them just to feel more humane.” Nate nodded.

“And what should I do? Invent my own?” He shrugged.

“You do feel something for Stella. She’s your sister and you have a strong connection but that’s all. As for the rest, you feel just what you want. You feel disappointed right now because you want to. You’ve been taught to invent emotions that, normally, humans feel when you kill someone, when you love someone, yada yada.” Nate rolled his eyes.

Victim

With Nate things weren’t really good. Ana was in danger, yet there was she, drinking with her crush.

“You seem more relaxed.” He raised an eyebrow at the slightly drunk girl next to him. “You’re usually very…strict, calm, reserved. The only person you’re talking with is Stella.”

“I know. These past few days have been harsh. With moving and things…” She nodded, though Nate wasn’t sure if she understood what he said. He called the bartender and paid for another shot.

“I think that’s enough for me.” Ana said, leaning a little on him. He tensed. He didn’t really know how much he could go with this stupidity. He turned his head on one side and sighed, annoyed, and when he faced her again, he had his trademark smirk. She almost melted on that spot and accepted. After she finished, Nate got up.

“Do you want to walk?” She narrowed her clouded eyes at him. Eventually, she nodded. Nate took Ana through the forest, far from the city.

“This is a walk? It’s freezing here!” In her drunken state, she almost tripped but Nate caught her. He rolled his eyes and dragged her deeper into the woods. “Where are we going, anyway? How are we going to return to the city?” Nate smirked and pushed her into a tree.

“I’ll find my way around.” He bent down and kissed her fully on the lips. She responded in an instant. The kiss grew more passionate, Nate’s body pressing on Ana’s. He lifted her legs, wrapping them around his torso. He broke the kiss and looked down at her. “Do you like me, Ana?” The girl nodded, speechless. “Would you like it if I made your life more interesting?” She nodded again and kissed him. He stopped and leaned in even more, touching her ear with his lips. “I should say I’m sorry” He titled her head on one side. “But I would lie.” His voice was husky and evil. His eyes reddened and sank his fangs in Ana’s neck. She tried to scream but he put his hand over her mouth. He sank his teeth deeper into the flesh. The girl tried to break free but he was stronger. Eventually, the struggling stopped.

Stella was watching TV in the living room with Alex, who was all over the vampire girl, making her eyebrow twitch.

“Get your hands off.” She said while getting his hands off of her. He smiled innocently and sat normally. While watching the movie, something broke. Stella’s eyes widened.

“What did I do now?” Alex asked annoyed. She flinched and got up fast, breathing slowly.

“Alex…it feels weird but…My heart hurts. Something wrong happened.” He raised and walked close to her. “Oh no…Nate.” She flashed in front of his room and knocked. Nothing. She opened the door and again, nothing. Nate wasn’t home. She went back in her room and dressed fast. Alex watched Stella a little worried.

“What happened with Nate?” She finished dressing and looked up at him.

“Me and Nate have a strong bond, as you know. My heart started pumping and I felt excited. This means one thing.” Alex's eyes widened, finally getting her point.

“Blood.” Stella nodded. “Where is Nate, anyway?” Stella stopped midway to the front door and thought. Usually, when he’s mad, sad or just wants to forget about his problems, he goes to…

“The bar.” Alex nodded and they both flashed out the door. During the ride to Fey’s, where Stella was more than sure her brother went, Alex couldn’t stop glancing from time to time to her. She was indeed different than thousands years ago and he was more than sure that she could get more dangerous than the last time.

Stella's POV

When we arrived at the bar, I fastened my pace, worried. Nate had done something stupid and I knew it. I stopped a few feet away from the bartender and glanced at Alex.

“Leave this to me.” He raised his eyebrow at me, curious while I straightened myself. I made my way slowly to the young bartender and smiled flirty. He caught my eye and smirked.

“Hey, there. Haven't seen you around before” I continued smiling.

“Maybe because I'm a good girl." He chuckled lightly." Do you know everyone here?” He nodded and leaned closer. “Would you do me a favor?” His smirked intensified.

“Depends. What would I get instead?” I shrugged innocently.

“I just need to ask you a little, tiny thing.” I said and started doing circles with my finger on his chest. I could feel Alex’s eyes boring into my head, amused.

“Anything for you, as long as I get something before.”

“And what might that be?” He leaned even closer.

“Just a kiss, maybe a date later.” I stopped my actions abruptly. I took a nice grip of his shirt and pulled him closer, our noses touching. My eyes weren’t anymore green, from what his eyes were telling me.

“Let’s stop these games. I want to know if a guy was here. He has brown hair, blue eyes, he drinks a lot.” He didn’t say a word, which annoyed me. I narrowed my red eyes and something clicked in his mind.

“There was a guy who bought a lot of alcohol. There was also a girl. They were chatting. He said something about a walk.” I kept my gaze firm.

“Who’s the girl?” He flinched when my grip tightened.

“Anastasia Whirl.” I pushed him away, making him almost fall, and thought about this name. It sounded familiar. That's when I figured.

“Ana!” I whispered. I glanced back to Alex, my eyes wide and worried. I walked out faster, Alex right next to me.

“So, where are we going?” I stopped and looked around. I sighed.

“I’m not sure. He has to be somewhere in the forest, somewhere dark…I don’t know. Where would you take a girl to suck her blood?” I asked turning to him. He smirked and his blue eyes glistened. He took my hand and flashed into the forest. He took me deep into the woods. It was cold, the wind blowing was harsh and it just felt wrong. I fastened my pace and arrived in a small clearing. There was a body near a tree. I walked there, step after step my heart beating faster and faster. I bent down and turned the girl around, to see her face.

“Ana!” I whispered, shocked. “I can’t believe it.” Alex came behind me and put a hand on my shoulder. I couldn’t believe my eyes. She has been bitten…by Nate! My brother, blood from my blood, have just killed an innocent life. And Ana admired Nate so much. She has been killed by her crush. “She’s dead…” I mumbled.

“Do you want me to get rid of it?” I shook my head, my disappointed look boring into Ana’s body.

“Leave.” It sounded like a mumble which made Alex lean closer. “Leave.” I said, more powerful. He was a little surprised.

“What? Are you sure? I’ve done this before.” I turned my head to face him, red eyes meeting clear blue.

“I said leave.” It was something in my voice that made Alex flinch. He backed off and left. I sighed and simply stood there. I had to make it seem like a crime and I knew with what I would start.