Waking up to Hunger

"She's coming to, back up. Stand down and go downstairs at your posts, I'll handle it." I heard footsteps scurrying out of a room and groaned, feeling...different. This was a different feeling than I was used to feeling when I'd wake for the night. Raising my arms above my head to stretch my body out, my back arching as the sheets wound around my body more. I opened my eyes and sat up looking around. I jumped and gasped at the man staring at me. "Who--what---wait, how'd I get here?" I felt so blanked out trying to remember how I got in bed. The last thing I remembered I was on my patio looking at the stars. The blood...the crystals....the numb feeling.



"It's okay Miss Hamby, I work for your maker, Bill Compton. I'm the head of security for the team he sent over for you. Everything is alright."

I rubbed at my forehead and brought the sheets up more on my body, realizing I was still in the silk robe from last night. The hunger hit me like a mack truck, I was starving. I felt parched, I wanted blood so bad my throat almost burned and my stomach ached in protest. "How did I get here, what happened?"

"The sun began to rise. We all thought you'd gone to your chambers. It wasn't until I made my rounds did I see you still on the patio just staring at the sun, you were in some sort of daze. Most of your skin was burnt, do you not remember?"

I looked down at my arms and saw the still healing skin knowing the only cure would be to feed. The images started to come back to me as I remembered what happened. The sun had began to peek in the sky and I smiled, noting how beautiful it looked and relishing in the light. The searing of my skin didn't affect me as I watched the sun rise.

"I--I do." I looked up at him seeing his face and knowing what he must think. "Listen, what you saw...I mean the sun and all...I wasn't...it wasn't like that. You have to know that. I don't need you running off to Bill and...and..." I shook my head sounding a bit panicky at it all. I wasn't trying to kill myself or anything, I really and truly just wanted to see the sun once. It was something that gave me happiness, something I longed for. Being a bit numb to all the pain, physically included just made me more brave to try it.

"You don't have to explain, my work here stays here. You are entitled to your own privacy."

"Well, I'm glad you get that. Who are you anyhow, where is your gear and you guys normally wear masks."

He chuckled. "It was my night off but I felt it my duty to make sure you were okay."

"Well...thanks. I mean thanks for making sure I didn't die or anything. It was probably foolish of me to do what I did, but I had my reasons."

"I get it...I mean I don't since I'm not a vampire but I can see how you'd want to see it just one more time. Dangerous, but I get it."

I smiled and looked down at my hands and felt my fangs drop as my hunger rose.

"Listen I don't know what caused you to be so..."

"So what..."

"You seemed relaxed, content. I haven't seen you like that in a while. Did you get word that your friend was okay?"

When he said friend I immediately thought of Quinn and how he must be doing trying to recover from being addicted to my blood. I rushed out of my bed and felt...strange. "I...listen I'm glad you're thoughtful like that and I understand your concern but if I don't drink something soon I may lose control and hurt you."

He watched me closely and stepped back seeming unarmed and the spike in the way his blood smelled indicated his fear. "I understand Miss Hamby. I'll alert the donors downstairs."

"Donors? Why did you...I mean how..."

"I've worked for your father for a while, I know the routine. Unless you want to bite me?"

I arched a brow at that and something just felt off with this situation. "I think...I think you should leave." My gut was telling me something wasn't right...it was also screaming at me to eat something.

Before I knew it he had a small pistol like gun in his hand with a laser pointing to my chest.

Of course. Just perfect. Wonderful. How did I let this happen, seriously how? I let my guard down and assumed the ones sent here were by Bill only now I wasn't so sure. More and more memories of last night came back to me as I faced down the man who wanted to kill me. I remember being dazed and feeling drunkened by the blood and crystals.

"Let her die in the sun man, it's what the Governor said to do."

"That's too easy. She's a youngun, why not have some fun with her."

I remembered now being carried up to my bed and the whispers.

"Too bad she's dead, she looks like a great fuck. Did you see that dude they hauled from her basement, he was huge. Bet she was screwing him, he looked in bad shape too. What you think she did to him?"

"Who knows, let's get out of here. Tonight when she wakes, I'll make sure it's her last night."

I blinked hard and realized I'd decided to 'take the edge off' on the WRONG very WRONG night. Well if this wasn't just something out of a lifetime movie I don't know what is. I had to fight....if not for myself, for Quinn. I refused to die without knowing that he was okay, that he'd live a happy and normal life without me.

"Pathetic. So I guess you disguised yourself as a guard for how long now? I mean why wait...why not let me fry? Oh wait, you wanted a fight. I don't know whether that's brave of you...or just stupid."

He chuckled and continued to point the laser at me. "I've thought about this moment for weeks. You vampires are such pests, getting rid of you would be doing you a favor."

After he spoke I smiled and quickly ducked, he shot the gun and the wooden bullet went straight through the glass window. Damn I'd really need to fix all these glass windows and soon. I rolled under my bed and out the other side all before he could point the gun at me, knocking him off of his feet as I crashed into him and used my speed to get on top of him and hold his throat.

"Yeah ironic isn't it. I've been fight training with a tiger, yes a tiger. And because I don't want to die, you will. Remember that hunger I spoke about?" I grinned a fanged grin and knocked his arm against the door, making him release the gun, sinking my fangs into his throat as I held tightly on his neck barely allowing him to breathe.

His blood was sweet and definitely hit the spot. I sucked and swallowed his blood confidently and knew that this kill was a good one. It was either me or him and tonight...I was in no mood for games. Taking out my frustration with myself out on him seemed like the way to go. He squirmed and fought against me but something made me stronger, something made me deadlier. I used that newfound strength and before I knew it I'd sucked him dry.

Moving off of his corpse I took the gun in my hand and slowly made my way around the doorway and into the hall, pressing my back against the wall as I crab walked. I couldn't trust any of those guards and if they were innocent then so be it, but they all had to die. My security had been compromised and it was the wrong time to be fucking with me, not when I had this much crap on my mind.

One of the guards came up the stairs and I gave a single shot to the middle of his forehead and continued on my journey. Leaning against the railing I aimed the gun at the last four guards downstairs and shot one, the other three turned and opened fire on me. I ducked just in time and crawled to the dead guard in the hall to get his automatic gun. What pissed me off more was these goons were ruining my house! I grabbed his gun and made sure it was ready to fire. With vampire speed, I rushed down and opened fire killing the remaining guards.

The searing pinch in my side made me look down to see my silk robe seeping with blood. Thankfully, it was just all wooden bullets, take it from me those silver laced bitches hurt like a mo-fo. My insides started to heal and I felt the wood push out from my body and fall to the ground. I was fully healed from the sun and the bullets that hit my leg, arm and stomach area. I shook my head and dropped the gun to the ground, walking over to my landline.

Dialing a number that seemed to be embedded in my memory at how many times I used it, I placed a call to the cleaning service Bill used. They were discreet and thorough. "Yes, it's me again. I'll be needing your services and pronto. Leave the bill when done, I won't be home."

They would be here in an hour or so. Walking over to the kitchen area I noticed the new iphone 5 on the counter and picked it up. Score, my phone had finally been replaced, set up and ready to use. Eventually I'd have to let Vincent, Quinn or Kiara look at it to make sure it wasn't bugged or something. Right now I trusted no one, but could you blame me?

I grinned and went over to pour me a shot glass of the virgin blood I still had, warming it a bit in the microwave as I opened the knife drawer and grabbed a few crystals, popping them into my mouth. Once the ding was heard, I downed the blood like a shot and felt great.

I scrolled through my phone and headed for my couch, contemplating going out or not. There was no where for me to go at the moment, maybe I'd just stay in and watch some movies. Stepping over the corpses, luckily I was fulled sated from blood, I plopped down on my couch and looked through my photo album.

My heart fell as I looked at pictures of Quinn and I kissing, Quinn and I together, pictures he'd taken when I was laughing and trying to take the phone from him. I felt a single tear fall from my eye and roll down my cheek. I missed him so much, more than words could explain. I couldn't stop thinking about him, about his progress. I wanted to call, to text...something but I remembered Vincent's warning. No contact...not until he was better.

Rushing upstairs, I threw my hair up in a ponytail and put on a pair of jeans, shoes and a tank top. Grabbing my keys I rushed out the house having one place in mind.

I pulled up to Merlotte's and parked far off in the shadows, climbing out of my car I locked it and slid my keys in one pocket and my phone in the other. Folding my arms across my chest I headed to our spot, the place we used to sit and talk. The place we met at after he'd moved back to town. Under the large oak I took a seat on the bench and looked out at the waters. The memories here were so clear, I could remember them as if they happened yesterday.

{ https://devotedtowriting.forumotion.com/t848-meet-you-under-the-moon }

"Life can be strange sometime, Jessica. It can be cruel even. But it can also be kind...Sometimes what we want the most is not meant to be....but it can be harder to let those things go than anything...Fate does have a kind streak though. When those things we most want are taken away...there is often a reason....though we might not know it at the time..."

I remembered his words that night. We were just friends but the feelings between us were growing, I didn't understand them at the time. My fingers touched my lips and remembered how he kissed me, so deeply it felt like he was touching my soul. I didn't really think I had a soul anymore considering I was dead. But wow when he kissed me I felt like my heart beat. Maybe it was the sound and feel of his so loudly that gave me the idea that if my heart did beat, it would beat in rhythm with his.

I could hear my own voice in the echos of my memories.

"I'm just a sucker for love I guess. Wondering when I'll find it."

Quinn lifted her chin and kissed her deeply once more, taking his time and enjoying her taste before pulling back to speak...

"I would say that search might be coming to a close, my sweet Jessica."

I closed my eyes and remembered the night I spent in his arms for the first time, smelling his cologne and wild animalistic smell. It was after my parading dance at Fangtasia, when I fell into his arms, literally and he rescued me as I always knew he would. As my eyes remained closed at the memories, I smiled remembering how he tried to keep his own control even when I wore his shirt to bed with very little else.

{ https://devotedtowriting.forumotion.com/t785-in-for-the-night }

Quinn walked over to her, watching her as he moved....

"Jessica....you look....."

He took her by the waist, kissing her deeply, slipping his hands under the shirt, running his hands over her cool skin....so tempting....soft smooth skin...her scent was making his head swim...he knew he shouldn't be....but she was so tempting....

"You look incredible...."

He forced himself to step back, letting his hands fall from her body...

"simply incredible..."

I remembered lying in his arms that night and drinking in his scent, his voice, his touch, everything. Quinn had always been there for me, through everything and here I was worthless at being there for him the one time he needed me. I covered my face and listened to the chirping of the crickets, fighting my own demons within and trying to remember all the good times. Trying to remember that I was good for him like Kiara claimed, trying to find the answers I didn't know I was searching for.

Would love...be enough?