"Oh my god! Vanny! Here's someone in our van!"

Elyss screams rack my hearing system when she jerks up from her half-sleeping position on the couch after I trip over something and fall down.

Of course. I forget to take people's reaction into consideration.

I keep lying down on my back making no attempts to get up. I have later realised that my left ankle is twisted and there is an exceptionally large gash on the side of my neck. My whole body is both numb and throbbing with pain at the same time. The lower part of my body is practically paralyzed until my spine sets back.

I roll my eyes before glaring at the laundry basket over which I tripped. "Don't be an ass... who the hell kept this thing right in front of the door?!" Blood from my still open wounds trickle down the skin and drip onto the floor below. It will take a hell lot of bleach to eradicate the smell.

I hear her breath hitch in her throat as she looks me over. The smell of my blood fills the room. "That's not important right now, is it?" she asks cautiously.

She gets down on her hand and inspect me more closely, crouching by me. As her eyes take in my injuries, I see her wince at the neck gash, shudder at my broken nose and turn right away from the sight of my twisted forearm.

"Do you need help setting it back?" I shake my head. She'll probably twist it further, or severe it completely. Elyss can be totally blind with her hands sometimes for a vampire. She takes in a deep breath.

Cue verbal fountain.

"What happened to you? Mara, who did this? Are there bears here? Oh my God, this place is entirely covered with trees. Of course there will be wild animals. We must keep the kids off exploring. Why will people build towns in beast-infested jungles is beyond me! Don't their children get snatched of quite so often? I'm not staying here for a bloody month if I so much as see a bear. Wait, can bears actually live in such humid conditions?"

I roll my eyes. "You're the one taking classes. You figure out."
Elyss is determined to complete high school somehow.

A few seconds pass before I reply, "I didn't see any bears. I didn't see any beasts."

She scoffs. "Right, you just decided to get mauled by dangerous air. Just for fun. I don't e--"

"I'll tell you later, okay?"

Her eyes widen. "But-- oh yes you will.. but---"

"Elyss, come here," I hear Vanessa's voice from the front of the car. Elyss still remains for a few seconds, too afraid to touch in case I snap at her. I don't blame her, for I snap at her quite often.

Elyss vanishes from my sight and after a quick 'handle the car' order to her, Vanessa appears and assumes Elyss's position. Fear is visibly clear in her eyes. She's thinking how brutal whoever attacked me must be to leave a vampire, a technically invincible creature in this state.

"Did you get attacked by a rabid animal or what?" she asks, taking in my dishevelled state. Always the one to hide her fear. "Do you have rabies? I don't know, the vaccine must be expensive. You better live with rabies then, because I'm not buying it."

I glance softly at her, trying to make the situation light. She is smart enough to know that animals don't attack so precisely.

The air gets caught in my lungs as the muscles in my back start straining, trying to pull back the broken bones together. I grit my teeth as the tearing feeling gets stronger. It's going to be over soon... spine injuries are the hardest to heal....

"Ow!" I cry out as the bone sets back , sending waves of pain, down to my toes.

"That doesn't sound like an animal's doing, does it? No one bit me... so no rabies. You know, I'd like it if it would have been a little bit Twilight-ish over here, where vampires can't feel pain."

"What if it comes with being sparkly?" she asks, raising an eyebrow, smiling slightly. If I can joke, then my mental health is quite okay.

"Then I'm better this way."

"Obviously," she says and runs a finger over my right arm. "What exactly happened? You have lost a lot of blood, and... "

She pauses as she pulls away her hand. There is blood on her finger. She gives me a meaningful look.

"... it isn't dry yet. You're still bleeding. Just staying in Phoenix can't do this to you. You look as if you've been through a fucking grater. Did you go hunting?"

Phoenix is my trailer.

I sigh. "Yeah" and hold up my hands when she opens her mouth to speak. "Later please. You can interrogate me as much as you want but later. Let me at least have a bath. I'm feeling wretched."

"I've got to set your arm back first."

"Oh no no, it will set back on its own," I chuckle nervously.

Vanessa scoffs. "This is the third time this month that you've returned looking like an extra from the zombie apocalypse. Fine, have it that way and I'll break it again if it sets wrong."

I widen my eyes at the memory. Last month, I broke my leg, quite innocently, if you may ask. I fell down from the top of my trailer while fixing the air conditioner. At first, I waved it aside, thinking it will heal. It did heal. But when Vanny saw how much knock- kneed I was looking, she broke it right again and had me lying on the bed for two hours straight.

"Okay do it now," I say. "It'll be less painful now."

She smirks. "Good" and without warning, grabs the bone and yanks it back into place, holding it till the first crack has started filling up.

I yell out loud before bringing up my other hand and biting hard in it, to stop screaming. I don't notice my fangs are out until they pierce right through the skin. I draw back just as quickly, cursing.

Tasting your own blood is never nice.

Satisfied with the position of the bone, she at last leaves my hand alone.

"I think you need to feed. You're not healing."

I throw my head back to look at her upside down. "I just did. I'm fine I guess. Nothing a bit of rest can't heal. Besides, did you?"

Right, she looks hesitant. Of course.

"Not yet," Elyss replies from the front of the car. "We'll catch some before the show."

"And hell no. You're not making my couch bloody again. Go rest somewhere else."

Vanessa smiles at our youngest sister. "Of course you'll be thinking of the couch. Then she turns to me. "Sorry. I was getting hyper. Clean your hair. I'll grab some clothes for you in the mean time." Then she vanishes from sight.

"Don't let Enos see you," I call out, sure that she can still hear me and go towards the bathroom.

Vanessa and Elyss's Winnebago is the only trailer to have a bathroom. Not actually a room, just a space at the back of the car, separated by a ply wall, containing a bathtub. The tank overhead offers a maximum of five baths per day. We try to use it as less as possible, because it is cumbersome cleaning the dirty water in the mornings, but still, in times like this, it's the most useful.

"Mara, your fire's alright?" Elyss asks.

"Yeah," I say, tossing the torn fabrics into the bin and rubbing the shampoo on my head, while the tub gets filled. My hair is absolutely matted. It will take a lot of time to clean the dried blood and to get the knots out. I keep up my work of trying to get the knots out while not pulling out any hair. The man-handling must have pulled out a fair amount already. I don't want to go bald early.

I think back to how the flame has erupted from me when the other vampire attacked me. It was almost behaving like a separate entity. Like it had a mind of its own. Could it be because I'm losing control? Shivers run down my spine at the thought. Ma's stern voice comes into my mind when she had told me never to lose control over the power within me. I have first-hand experience at how dangerous that can be.

I'll surely train the first thing tomorrow.

"Try not to spill water," Elyss calls out.

I make a face at her from behind the ply before trying not to spill. Which is difficult in a moving car.

By the time I wrap the towel around me and collapse on the sofa, I was totally exhausted. You know, the type of tiredness you feel when it takes every bit of yourself to leave the warm water.

"Don't tell me that bathing tired you," retorts Vanny as she hands me a tank top and shorts.

"Sort of," I reply and change quickly. She walks over to Elyss and places a hand on her shoulder.

I pull up my shorts while they swap. Looking down at the dirty towel, I contemplate what to do. That man probably had some germs that could be contagious. I shrug and burn it, letting the ashes fall into the waste basket and return to lie down of the couch.

Elyss groans before slopping beside. "Why are you always burning and terminating my things?" She moans. "Ever heard of recycle, reuse and whatever the other one is?"

"Reduce," I mutter.

"Yeah that one."

"I'm reducing your things. Be grateful." I smirk. She huffs but remains silent. "You should go to sleep."

"I already did, before you barged in."

"Kay, I'm then--ow! What the hell!?" I rub the back of my head as a book from the shelf falls down.

"Drive nicely," I shout.

"What can I do?" Vanessa yells back. "I can't go about turning the car every now and then just for your comfort!"

"Don't even try then," I mutter. Turning back, I see Elyss staring at me.

"What?"

She shrugs. "Just that you're are appearing a bit too calm. As if nothing had happened. When you came in, you looked like someone had attempted a murder ---"

"Bingo."

Her eyes grow wide. "What?!" Both Elyss and Vanessa exclaim at the same time.

"Later," I mutter and lie down. "Wake me up when we reach Sargate." It gets quiet for a moment, except the sound of tires on leaves and gravel, when Vanessa speaks again.

"Mara," I peek open an eye. "You're not getting mixed up with those nutcases again, right?"

"Hmm," I reply.

Vanessa raises her voice. "Hmm what?"

I grit my teeth and pull down on the back of the sofa to sit up. Elyss leans forward to support me, but I wave her off. "Calm down. And drive nicely."

"Calm down? Calm down?! How can I, Mara? I may not have been here at that time but I've heard. Every one here knows. This is what we all have been dreading about! Every one here Mara! All of us are worried about travelling so far South because of you!"

"Me? Why?" I exclaim drily. "You all should realize that I have a few functioning brain cells still left. You guys make me feel so ashamed of myself."

"So you're clean?" The hope in her voice is heartbreaking.

I shrug emotionlessly and lie down again. "As I said, wake me up when we reach."

The most irritating thing about being a vampire is that you can't sleep quite enough, even if you want to. Four hours at the most, and then you just wake up. No amount of tossing, turning, yawning, etc etc. will help you. So that's what I never seem to be able to give up trying to do after waking up, feeling exceptionally grumpy on thinking about this wonderful blessing that humans have, when my dear Vanny takes a sharp turn, and I grasp the cover just in time, a collection of books still burying me deep.

I groan and kick those right off me. Don't get me wrong, books are nice and all, but that's when they don't disturb my beauty sleep. I turn on my side, only to realize that I can't sleep.

Elyss bends down to grasp all the books and places them back where they originally were.

The cupboard has to be repaired. Once, in a hissy fit, one of us had punched right through the wood of the door. Its beyond the scope of patchup carpentry that anyone can do. Probably the lack of money prevents the mending. Carpenters charge a high rate. Wood is costly. And no one willingly helps a crowd of  'freaks'.

I hope everyone earns enough here. All of us are running low.

"You need to get up anyway," Elyss informs me. "Apparently, we've reached an edge-of-the-forest clearing where Akos wants to place the tents."

I sigh and sit up, pulling up my legs and wrapping my arms around them. Running my hands up my skin, I realize there are no cuts. I have healed completely during the night.

Vanessa proceeds to turn, probably trying to find a good place to park. Elyss walks over to her, telling her to park in shadows. I watch them, two people from completely different origins, so well accustomed to each other. Neither knew each other in their human lives, but look at them now; hardly can one live a day in the others' absense. They are brought together by the similarity in thoughts they share, and loneliness of us undead species. But I must admit, Vanessa and Elyss fit together in a way that I have never been able to with anyone. Not even with Enos.

Enos is just that, a companion. He lives in the present, just like any other human. He reminds me how I can live a normal life, only if I forget who I am. He is attracted to me I know, a lot if I'm correct,  but even he knows that he is not the one. He can never make me feel that I belong. Many a times, when I realize the boundless times that I have ahead of me, and the short life he has, I rush back to my sisters, who share the same curse as me.

Especially nowadays, Enos's renewed fascination about my being irritates me more than I like to admit. Perhaps, in this circus, the only people I care the most about are these two girls. So what makes me hold back from them?

Vanessa cuts off the engine when I speak up. "Havelfort was a pretty good place, lots of customers. But I asked Akos to leave as there were a lot of werewolves."

Both of them turn towards me immediately, blank faces utterly confused and all. They are probably wondering what the problem is with me. I don't blame them. I would have smacked myself upside down on the head. To them, all I say is utter gibberish.

"I'm telling you how I got hurt," I retort. "Sit down if you want to listen."

That gets their attention. In a flash, both of them are seated cross-legged on the floor before me. "So? How did you get hurt?"

"Werewolves." I look closely at their reactions.

Vanessa furrows her brows, while Elyss's mouth drops open. While the former continues thinking, Elyss regains control of her jaw and speaks up, "hold it, is it even possible? They are not supposed to exist!"

She believes it??!!

I blink at her. "You believe me so easily?"

"Of course," it's Vanessa who speaks up now. "I don't think I'll live to see the day you'll make a joke. But leave it. Why don't we know that werewolves exist?"

"Humans don't know that we exist. I didn't know that other vampires existed until I met you both. It's the same thing."

"Other vampires meaning?" Elyss squeaks up.

I proceed to tell them everything about yesterday, leaving out the part where my fire got out of control. That will prepare them for the bomb I'm about to drop.

"Hmm," Vanessa muses when I finish. "He's much stronger than you means that we will not stand a chance against him."

"I can imagine that," I grin.

"Why did you go and fight the wolves-- rogues you say-- in the first place? Did they attack first? Why were we not called?"

"I don't think you will stand against chance against them," I tell her. "No they didn't attack me, but I had to, to protect the family."

"Why?"

"Rogues behave like wild wolves. And no wild animal turns down an easy hunt."

"That I get, but why do you have to protect or whatever us?"

I sigh. "Akos believes it's the best use of my strength. He thinks that the protection I offer is worth the risk of letting a vampire stay amidst humans."

"So he is willing to sacrifice you of the rest of ours safety?" Elyss gaps at me. It's unbelievable to the sweet girl. I nod in reply.

"What!"

"It's always been this way, calm d--"

"No I will not," she hisses standing up. "What sort of barbarism is this! I don't care if I'm going to commit a murder but-"

"Oh yes you do," I snap at her. "Do you think we will be allowed to stay here it others find out? We will be left without a home,  without an identity, without any means but to live on the run. Sit down."

She grumbles but listens to me. "Why are you telling this to us now?" Vanessa asks as Elyss slides down.

I grin, knowing that what I'll say will make them jump right up. "Because I think it's time you assist me."

Stunned silence. I roll my eyes. What a dramatic effect.

What I didn't expect was for them to jump up and hug me.

I freeze as both of them squeeze the air out of me. When they finally let me go, big smiles adorn their faces. I raise my eye. "We are happy to help you in any way," Elyss chirps. "Even ready to die. Thank you for allowing us."

"I'm just glad that you're not visiting those people again," Vanessa smiles.

I can't help but smile back. "And I never will. Don't worry."

"Are we really rogues?" Elyss asks. I turn towards her and frown.

"Theoretically yes. Because we are not bonded to a coven. But rogues are actually mad vampires who do not get accepted by any coven. On my account, none of us are mad. So I feel it's bullshit."

"Well we might not be rogues even theoretically." This time both of us turn bewildered towards a Vanessa who is deep in thought.

"How?"

"If we were to be a coven ourselves."

Elyss and I blink for a moment and then burst out laughing.

"What?" She snaps.

"Oh baby," I joke. "I also don't know how covers are formed but all I do know is that it doesn't consist of vampires who just decide to stick together. There are a lot more dynamics involved. For all I know, we can decide to leave each other any day, but I don't think it is possible in a coven."

She seems to see the point, and huffs and walks towards the curtain of beads that separates the bedroom she shares with Elyss from the rest of the van.

"And Vanny--" she turns "-- call me after you've finished hibernating" I smirk. She just clanks together the beads and disappeares beyond it.

"Are we trespassing?"

"Maybe." Now I will have to deal with all of Elyss's curiosity all by myself. "I'm not so sure of it myself. I have never met any vampire besides you guys before. Most of what I told you is the knowledge I got from Ma. She knew so much about us, beside not being a vampire herself. How the hell did she know, I don't know."

"Perhaps your father--"

"Please don't Liz."

"Sorry," she murmurs and rubs my hand sympathetically. I move it away and looked down. It is one of the things that I hate. I hate sympathy. The past has already been created, sympathy cannot change it. I don't know who my father is. I have no means to know. It is just his genes that I have in my body, nothing else, Ma wouldn't say anything about him.

I get up abruptly. I'm thinking to much.

"Where are you going?" Elyss asks when I walk towards the door. "To Enos."

She grins. "Have fun" and wriggles her fingers childishly. I roll my eyes and slam the door behind me.

And then I get the surprise of my life.

Akos, that stupid son of a--

What the fuck had he been thinking??!!

We are literally at the heart of a forest. I wonder how we even managed to pull up here. The forest is within twelve feet of my reach. I must have been unconscious for a pretty long time-- to think that I actually slept though all that bumps.

I sigh and walk slowly towards my trailer opening the door cautiously. Enos is there, leaning back against the driver's seat with his eyes closed, pretending to be asleep. I smile and walk up towards him. He must have seen me walking or he would have never been able to sense me. I look down at his face, so relaxed and vulnerable. If any supernatural being suddenly attacks him, would he be able to save himself? Perhaps he would have been better off without me. He would have remained in oblivion about creatures other than humans and I doubt his brother would have told him.

I lean forward and plant a kiss on his forehead, and am about to pull back when he reachs out to wrap an arm around my waist and pulls me back on his lap. I laugh and circle my arms around his neck.

"Horribly planned, wasn't it," he asks nuzzling into my neck.

"Absolutely."

"I always seem to forget you're one hell of a a vampire, Mara."

See, this is what I mean. If I tell you that I forget you're human, how will you feel?

"Except for what happened today," I say placing my forehead against his. Even though he survived without a scratch, I csn't empty the guilt in my being.

"Look here," he says placing a finger under my chin and tilting my head up. "I'm not a ghost right now. Isn't that enough? And if it still isn't, then let me remind you that you're still young and might die if you keep denying yourself blood!"

I chuckle and he places a kiss on my lips. I kiss him back but pull away before if can get heated. I need answers. He groans.

"Mara, can't I at least get a good kiss?"

"Why do you want me to bite you?" I ask blankly.

He colours a faint pink. "Um.. not exactly..."

"Did you just blush?"

"Oh shut it," he exclaims, rolling his eyes. "Stupid vampire eyesight."

"Do you want to become like me?" I asks slowly.

He doesn't reply.

I sigh. "Enos..." He looks up at me. "Your brother said something to me once."

" 'You know about the wild animals and their babies', he had said. 'If you take a baby away from its mother, away from its kind, and never let it see its family again, the baby will not grow to be like it's kind. It will be like the creatures which took care of it. It will be the most helpless living being ever.' "

Enos cups my face as I revive the sharp words of long back. "Akos had pitied me then," I continue. "I was like that baby, the cursed one who never saw its kind. That most unfortunate one. And I don't want anyone else to be like me ever. I try to provide Vanessa and Elyss whatever support I can. I treat them like my sisters, who have never seen their families. We can never have families. The only thing we can do is continue living."

He dips his head and places his forehead on mine. I look up in his green catlike eyes. They look so much like his brother's, except that they are not so bright and hold more warmth. I can spend the day looking at his eyes.

That's what I am feeling. Rather, I used to feel. But now, nothing is feeling right. There is no bliss with his arms around my waist, no excitement as his lips inches closer to me. Nothing feels right, and in fact all seems to be a horrible crime. I can distinctly feel smooth touches like the breeze brushing against my thighs, though there is no rustling of wind amongst the leaves outside. Something is desperately pulling me apart from Enos, though there is no one touching me except himself.

I tangle my fingers in his hair and pull him closer, deepening the kiss.

So...

What just happened here??😞

I updated!!!!!!😆😆😆

Sorry, that was stupid. I'm deep into my studies and couldn't even find the time to type.😢😢

It feels very bad.😠😠😡😢😢😢

Anyway, how was the chapter? Honestly, I didn't want to to turn out the way it did in the end. 😜😜But it just did. So... I guess... put up with it.😜😜

Please don't forget the usual!!!!😀😀

Vote, Share and Comment.😙

#edited

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