Chapter One

She knew pretty well that if it weren’t for him, she would have been lying there dead on the bottom of that cliff. She was thankful for that, but she was still upset with him for what he had done. He turned her. He really turned HER. But how could he? Why her of all people? He doesn’t even know her and still he granted her wish… before hers. Her mind was still on Elliot’s betrayal… yes betrayal… he betrayed her by turning Jasmine into a vampire before her. He knew that was her wish. Why did he do it? He knew her since she was a 4-year-old and all she ever asked of him was immortality and friendship. HE knew her every thought and facial expression … all her desires… all her memories… her pain… and still he gave Jasmine the gift she had been craving for.

By the time Alice could realize it, she was already home. She noticed that her roommate wasn’t home yet from work. It was better that way. Without Cyndi home she could be herself… be herself… it seemed so impossible. She has always been living a lie. No one knew about Elliot… not even Cyndi. Her head was hurting and she was furious… she wanted to kill Jasmine for daring to touch Elliot, her one true secret. In her eyes he used to be her most valuable treasure, a work of art created for her eyes only, for her touch only. Now she despised him. She felt disgusted by the memories of them together. She just wanted to be alone for a while to calm down and clear her head before thinking about her real feelings.

Alice went upstairs in her room and threw herself in bed. She couldn’t fall asleep. The image of Elliot’s teeth clenched into Jasmine’s long olive neck was haunting her mind and sent shivers down her spine. She grabbed one of her pillows and hugged it tight and tried singing to herself to kill the monstrous thought. In the end she fell asleep and dreamt of faraway lands and perfect sights with perfect beings. She dreamt of woods and flowers… of butterflies in the moon-light… of Elliot calling out her name in a field of wild-flowers.

‘Alice!’ his voice so calm as always. ‘Come here, Alice.’

She turned around and moved towards her dark prince. As she came closer to him she noticed how bright the sun actually was and how her beloved Elliot was actually burning in the middle of the meadow. She tried to run and save him from death, but no matter how fast she was running she just couldn’t get closer. Elliot finally turned into dust.

‘Eliot!!’ she screamed waking up.

‘I’m here. You don’t have to shout!’ Elliot replied with a smirk on his face. He was already there leaning on the wall acting all cool and in control with his arms crossed.

As she saw him there she noticed the moon was already up… the night had arrived. But it didn’t take her longer than 2 seconds to remember what happened and how she felt about it. She took her pillow and threw it at him with all her strength.

“What are you doing here?” she asked him while getting out of bed and changing into her pajamas. It was not uncommon for her to do that, they had been knowing each other since she was a child and she has walked in her lingerie in front of Elliot lots of times. She has taken showers in front of him as well. Somehow this time it was making him a bit uncomfortable and this feeling was confusing him, but he didn’t hesitate to answer her.

‘What do you mean what am i doing here? What I’ve been doing every night here since we’ve met.’ he answered her with a smirk on his face while checking her out in her lingerie.

Alice changed into her pajamas and headed towards the bathroom, leaving Elliot wandering around through her stuff in her room. ‘Elliot, I’m not into playing games.’

Elliot’s face was full of content. He knew his actions were affecting her and he was enjoying every minute of it. He took one of her shirts and smelled it. ‘My sweet innocent Alice… I have absolutely NO idea what you’re talking about. Did you have a bad dream about games and such?’ he answered her on a calm tone moving around her room as if he owned the place.

‘Stop the mind games, Elliot. I mean it.’ Her voice was not her own anymore. It was hard for her to speak the words. The anger was taking over her body and it was clouding her mind. Elliot sensed her hesitation in her voice and he couldn’t feel more content. He rushed into the bathroom and placed his hand on her neck tightening his grab. ‘Or what, Alice? What WILL you do?’

His eyes were not gentle anymore. They were dark and fierce like those of a starving beast looking straight at his pray. He enjoyed it and she could read it in his eyes. Somehow it still didn’t scare her. ‘I am 10 times stronger than you will ever be! I’m a hunter… a demon… an animal. I’m invincible compared to you. Nothing you do will ever kill me.’ He couldn’t be more satisfied of the situation. But then he read it in her eyes: she wasn’t scared of him. All she felt was anger… no trace of fear. ‘God you’re so boring, Alice’ he said letting go of her throat and moving slowly back to her room.

Alice managed to catch her breath again and moved towards her room. ‘If I’m so boring what the hell are you still doing here?‘ she muttered to herself, as she walked in her room ignoring his presence. She took her iPod off the table, switched off the lights and got into bed.

Elliot was a bit irritated by her ignorance. But he decided to let this one go and got in bed near her.

                                  

She was laying in bad with her eyes closed. ‘What do you think you’re doing?’

‘What I’ve been doing for the past 16 years of my night life. Watching over your sleep as you asked me when you were a child, remember?’ he said on an irritating calm tone looking at the ceiling.

‘Well no need for that anymore. I’m not a child scared of monsters. I’m a woman, Elliot. In case you’ve missed that. You can go play with your new fanged friend.’ She shouted at him pushing him off her bed with her legs.

He smirked. She finally said it. She finally admitted she was upset about the presence of someone else in his life. Someone who can be there with him, forever. He felt powerful… he had her feelings in his hands and he could crush them if he wanted to. ‘So that’s what this is about!’ He crawled back in bed near her.

‘Get out of my bed, Elliot! Get out of my bed, get out of my room, get out of my life! Get the hell out of here! I’m sick of your presence and your games and your face. You disgust me! I can’t stand to look at you anymore. Get out and stay the hell away from me!’ She finally did it. She let her anger come out all at once. She finally shut his mouth up for good.

Elliot’s face was blank at first then he frowned and on a calm voice he asked her “Are you sure this is what you want?”

His question made her doubt her earlier statement, but her ego was too hurt to say no. ‘Did you not hear what I’ve just said?’

He turned around and walked towards the window ‘Fine then’. And he disappeared into thin air. She rushed out of her bed and shut the window. Her mind was guided by anger and disappointment. She looked out the window at the full moon and locked the window shut to make sure he won’t come back in. Alice couldn’t believe he really left… just like that without trying to change her mind. He left her there in the dark. Thinking of this was only getting her angrier and more repulsed by his figure. How could he? How could he give Jasmine the immortality Alice has craved for? What was he thinking? How could he give someone else what was rightfully hers? Better yet, what was he even doing with Jasmine in the first place? He hasn’t talked to any other human other than her since they met. These questions haunted her thoughts all night… it was 2:30 am when she managed to finally fall asleep. Her hand was clenched in her pillow and her eyes were dripping tears during her sleep.

Elliot was angry now. He couldn’t believe she had thrown him out of the house. If it weren’t for him she wouldn’t even be living in that house, better yet she wouldn’t be living. If it weren’t for him her 4-year-old body would have been eaten up by wild beasts at the bottom of that cliff. He was furious with her. He was standing in front of her house looking straight at her window. ‘You’ll regret this, Alice! You’re nothing without me!’ he said clenching his fists. He stood there looking at her window for a few more moments, took a glance at the moon, then left in the blink of an eye.

The next morning Alice overslept. She woke up 30 minutes later than she should have, but in a weird way she just didn’t care anymore. Waking up 5 minutes later then she should have, used to be a crime in her book but today… today she didn’t mind it. She got up and with a relaxed walk she went into the bathroom. Cyndi wasn’t home either so why bother hurrying? No one will notice she got up late, nor that she doesn’t care about it.

‘I’ll call in sick.’ She muttered to herself, then went down stairs to get something to eat. While going down the stairs it struck her: she can’t be like this… this isn’t right… this isn’t her. ‘Life goes on’ . She rushed back upstairs and got ready for school. Sure she was going to be late, but… she was going to be late Alice style. She was way too perfect to be considered an average student…and if Elliot doesn’t want her anymore, others will. She’ll prove Elliot she can do perfectly well without him and that every guy would be flattered to be around her. She was sure of it. And after all she promised one of the teachers she’ll make the preparations for the Costume Party. It was weird. Even she found it weird… and if she did who knows what the others might have been thinking when she accepted to help. She never did that. She hated everything related to school. She hated the idea of helping the school. Why help them when they teach you nothing? Still, out of nowhere, uncontrolled, her mouth answered ‘yes’ to a question whose answer should have been ‘no’. Yesterday was too much and she wanted to not think about it. That’s why she accepted. That would keep her mind busy enough and would throw in the mist all of yesterday’s memories.

When Alice arrived to school classes had already started. She didn’t want to interrupt her teacher so she wandered around the school in search of a quiet place. While walking down the hall she had a weird feeling of being watched but as she turned around a few times and saw no one was there she just assumed she was just being a bit paranoid. In the end she got to a free classroom. She went in there and started thinking about the Costume Party’s preparations and she wrote notes and plans and everything. It was amazing how fast she managed to think it all through. She felt like a robot or a computer finishing so fast. All she needed to do now was to meet up with everyone else after class and discuss it with them.

It was a long day and it was hard for Alice to concentrate on her classes. Her mind was still stuck on yesterday’s events and Jasmine’s being absent from school today, wasn’t making it any easier… it was making it worse actually. She was wondering if Jasmine was with Elliot or weather she had drunk someone’s blood already. Those thoughts were sending shivers down her spine.

At the end of the day she gathered all the Student Council committee in her classroom and discussed over and over again the plans. By sunset everything was settled and everything had to be done by Saturday night.

Alice was gathering all the papers and tucking them in her backpack. She was doing it mechanically though because her mind was far away from earth. She was thinking once more about the dreadful scene of Jasmine’s blood on Elliot’s lips and snow-white fangs. She couldn’t stop thinking about it and it was just making her feel sick. It was making her hate his existence.

Meanwhile the others were discussing in the other side of the room. One of the girls approached Alice. She was a small thing with not too long curly orange-colored hair. She wore a pair of weirdly shaped glasses and had a few freckles spread around her face and shoulders. The girl came smiling towards Alice.

‘Hey…uhm… Alice?’ she asked her with a wide grin on her face.

‘Yes?’ Alice answered staring at the small girl in front of her. She was shorter than Alice with about 7cm.

‘We were wondering if you want to go with us at Sam’s party tonight. His parents are out of town so we are heading there right now.’

‘Uhm sure…’ she liked parties a lot but this time she wasn’t really feeling the party call. Still she knew that there was nothing else she had to do and going home would just remind her of Elliot. So she decided it would do her good to surround herself with people… it would take her mind of Elliot and Jasmine.

‘Great!’ said the girl smiling. Then she turned to face the others ‘Guys! She’s coming with us!’

They didn’t present too much interest, the guys were just complaining and rushing the girls, the girls were just teasing them and taking their time packing their back-packs. The only one that actually smiled at the sound of the words “she’s coming” was David. He was in their class 1.77m tall, messy dark hair, dark eyes. They all knew he was interested in Alice.

‘Let’s go then shall we?’ said one of the guys!

They all gathered their stuff and walked their way towards the school parking lot.

‘I’m riding with Maddie and Jason. Wanna come with us? I’m Christina by the way. I know you don’t know me.’

She was right. Alice had no idea who she was and she didn’t even care either. She never cared about any of the people in school. She never made real friends because she’s always had Elliot there with her.

While walking towards the car Alice thought it wouldn’t be proper for her to go to a party dressed the way she was. It would ruin her reputation. These were school clothes, clothes she had worn an entire day at school and that is not her style.

“Christina, right? Uhm you think you could drop me home to change first? I can’t go at a party dressed like this plus I have to take a shower and drop the notes and plans for the school costume party.”

“Sure, Alice, I mean we all have to do that. I have to talk to my mom about it as well.” Said Christina while cleaning her glasses.

Jason looked a her in the mirror. “Don’t worry, Alice, I’ll drop everyone home and I’ll come pick you up in 40 minutes. Is that enough for you all or do you need more time to prepare girls?” he said laughing while driving his super expensive BMV. Alice didn’t like him much. He wasn’t really attractive and everyone knew that all the girls around him were only in it for the car; everyone except him of course. He was convinced that his big pointy nose and spiky blonde hair and huge muscles were what chicks loved about him and that even without money, he’d still be one of the most wanted and popular guys in school. Alice begged to differ. He was more than just ugly in her eyes, he was disgusting with all his really tight shirts and pointy shoes and expensive perfumes.

“Sure. 40 minutes is enough.” Said Christina. It was clear as water that she was into him. Alice found it stupid to put your emotions on a silver plate in front of someone and also expect not to get hurt especially when you’re not that much of a hotness.

 

After a 10 minutes drive they arrived at Alice’s home. “I’ll come get you in 40 minutes. Hurry!” said Jason throwing her a wink and a pedophile smile.

Entering the house, Alice noticed that Cyndi wasn’t home. The house was empty and quiet. Too quiet. It made her uneasy and somewhat nostalgic. Elliot was usually around when Cyndi was gone and it was dark outside. She noticed a note from Cyndi on the fridge:

“Hey, Al!

You weren’t answering your phone. I’m off at my parents’ for a while. Call you when I get back.

C u soon,

Cyndi”

She started walking up the stairs. “40 minutes is not enough time when you’re a female.” She thought to herself. The house was unusually quiet and that was somehow frightening her. All the things she forgot to fear when she was young, she started fearing now with Elliot gone. As a child she needn’t fear, because Elliot was there to pull the fear out of her, but now, now Elliot was gone forever and she was afraid, of what exactly, she had no idea, but she felt the fear taking over her fragile body and she of all people knew she had reasons to fear the dark.

The floor squeaked under her steps and the sound it made, sent shivers down Alice’s spine. She had never noticed that about the floor; Elliot took care of that the sound of his voice swallowing the sounds the floor evoked.

As she entered her room, she put all her papers and notes on the desk and rushed into the shower. It felt weird showering without him waiting outside the door. She felt like in one of those horror movies when the victim gets killed in the shower. She finished showering pretty fast.

While plugging in her hair-dryer, she heard that annoying sound of the squeaking floor. Alice felt shivers going down her spine and moved slowly and quietly to the door. Her heart was pumping fast and she couldn’t understand why since she was alone and the front door was locked too. Still she tried to calm down and gather some courage and went outside on the hall. There was no one there so she turned around to go back to drying her hair. As she turned around she was facing a tall dark figure.

“Boo!” he said scaring her. She jumped a bit and stumbled almost falling on her back, but in a blink of an eye his arm was around her waist holding her, preventing her from falling. “Careful, Alice! You might hurt yourself.” He said on a slightly worried tone looking around to see if she had any injuries.

“It wouldn’t be my fault, if I did now would it?. YOU scared me. Besides what are you doing here anyway, Alois?” she asked him on a giggling tone while he was helping her stand on her feet. She started then walking slowly towards the bathroom plugging in the hair-dryer.

Alois was Elliot’s identical twin brother. He was the older brother, like 3 minutes older and also the nicest brother. Although they looked the same, Alice knew exactly who is who. She’d never mix them up. He was slightly taller than Elliot, his voice was huskier and he always had a soft look in his eyes. Unlike him, Elliot had a sneaky look in his eyes and a relaxing voice. Elliot always spoke on a calmer tone like he had no care in the world, no problems, no fears and Alice always said that Elliot had the voice, tone and characteristics of a true vampire. Alois had a nervous tone and was always enthusiastic about everything like a child that was always ready to play, but he was always ready to protect Alice from anything.

“Heard you two had a fight and I wanted to hear your part of the story.”

“Yes we did. Hope I’ll never see him again.” She said drying her hair and looking into the mirror studying her reflection, taking care to dry every wet hair.

“Oh come on Alice, don’t be like that. I’m sure you two will make up in no time.” He said looking at her reflection the mirror. Although it was the first time he’d been in her home he wasn’t interested in studying the place around, getting to know more about her. His looks were exactly like Elliot’s but he wasn’t moving the way Elliot would, he looked clumsier and childish. He dressed differently too. He was just staying there in the doorway studying her reflection.

Alice unplugged the hairdryer and put it in the drawer and rushed in her room to find something to wear.

“Out, Alois!” she said without looking at him “and shut the door too”.

“Oh… you’re right” he said shutting the door. Alois leans on the wall waiting for her. He then started looking at the ceiling remembering the past. “E…. Alice, are you really happy you got rid of Elliot?” he couldn’t control the uneasiness and the fear in his voice, as much as he tried to they were still present.

The words surprised her, for getting rid of wasn’t really in her mind. She had never put it that way.

“Are you happier without him?”

Again the words coming out her friend’s mouth made her unable to think, uneasy, confused. But, after a few moments of silence he replied:

“You don’t really want to talk about it… I understand.” he said with small dose of uneasiness in his tone.

He then started talking about his day and his usual blabbering. After putting on some lingerie Alice let him in and he made himself comfortable on her bed.

Alois was still blabbering nonsense but Alice gave up on listening to this voice. All his talk became a background noise in her ear. She remained still like a statue, staring at herself in the mirror. No it wasn’t self-admiration , not anymore at least. Now her mind was clouded by worries, for you see, during her shower, she had discovered a gray hair. That, was one of the disadvantages of her condition and also the moment she had opened her eyes to reality. She was aging and up until now, that wasn’t a bad thing; on the contrary: finding proof of her aging were moments of joy and happiness for her. But what’s changed? Oh yes, she had reached Elliot’s age. So very soon she will be phisically older than. Her only escape would be turning but it was pretty clear that Elliot wouldn’t do it now since he betrayed her.

“Would Alois help?” she wondered.

Alois was still blabbering.

“Alois?”

“What?” he asked her grinning.

“I want you to turn me.” she said looking very calm and serious while walking into her room and choosing clothes from her drawer.

“You know I can’t do that, right?” Alois said watching her closely.

“Hmm… I know you can’t. BUT… what I don’t know is why. So, I guess my question is: Why can’t you?” her expression was still while she was checking out some of her chosen outfits.

“Alice, you belong to my brother. I can’t turn his mortal. That is our twin rule: if he marks you as his I cannot touch you.”

“Sweet, sweet Alois. I’m not marked. He’s never bitten me. I’m a free human. I belong to no one but myself.”

“I didn’t know that… I figured after all these years. Ok, Al. if you wish it, then sure. Now?” he said showing his white fangs.

“Hmm… no. I still have something to do before I 'die'.”

“Like?”

“Nothing you should bother yourself with. Remember, no spill to Elliot about turning.”

“Ok sure no spilling about the turning, but uhm… Al, you do realize that after that you’ll belong to me, right?” he said looking at the ground frowning.

“As long as you don’t order me around too much, I don’t mind.”

He smiled. “Sure. When’s the lucky night?”

“Not sure yet. I’ll let you know when I’ve decided.”

Alice was smirking while she was thinking about it. That would anger Elliot more than anything because it would hurt his ego to see someone else turning her and also deflowering her since she was practically his. He saved her from the cruelest of deaths and raised her since she was just a child. Childhood was a hard subject for Alice since she had no memory of it anymore and every time she tried to remember her head hurt and images of blood and voices of growling hungry animals were the only ones she could recall.

“Remember: no word about this to Elliot or else…” she said on a calm and relaxed tone while getting dressed.

“Or else what? What can you do against me, a creature of the dark?” he said reminding her of his strength and power.

Alice took one of the chopsticks she collected from last week’s Chinese food dinner she had with Elliot and placed it under Alois’s chin threatening him and pinning him to the wall. “Alois, I don’t think I need to demonstrate this. Remember you are not Elliot and that thing you have for me, that will get you killed.” she looks at his surprised face smirking. “Yes, Alois, I know about your feelings for me.”

She let him go and continued dressing. Alois massaged his almost perforated neck and watched her movement confused. He couldn’t understand how she knew about it, where had he gone wrong? He was always careful to be not too cruel not too caring regarding the sneaky brunette.

“Elliot talks, Alois. That’s how I know.”

Alois was still confused. He had solved the mystery but his unanswered questions were now regarding Elliot. Elliot always had a plan and telling her this and not marking her after all these years was not making any sense. Had Elliot decided to give up on his initial plan and set Alice free? But what had changed his mind? Alois knew this wasn’t necessarily a good sign but the fact that he could have Alice was making him so happy as to forget about his brother’s plan.

“So dear future owner of mine, how do I look?” Alice finished dressing up, putting on some basic make-up and was ready to go. She made a child-like pirouette in front of Alois.

“You look stunning, Alice. Uhm are you sure you’ll be ok tonight? Uhm if you need me call me or text me and I’ll be there in literally 3 seconds.” he said studying her every detail carefully.

“I know. Will do. Now off you go cause I have to go too. See ya, Alois.” And she left the room and soon the house.

 

After a 30 minutes drive full of compliments and ignorant thank you’s, Alice and the others arrived to the party. As Alice entered the room all the chattering stopped and the whispering started. All her classmates were there and were surprised about her appearance at the party. Alice never attended any parties nor anything school related but she was the hottest girl in school. She knew she was considered the sexiest girl in class and also in school but she never cared much about it. She always ignored their compliments and flirts.

Alice and the others entered the house greeting everyone nicely. The others spread around looking for drinks, food and friends to chat with. Alice remained behind scanning the place. The house had nothing special. It was a normal home with 2 or 3 bedrooms. The rooms were full of people standing or sitting or moving on the rhythm of the music that was covering the sound of any person’s voice. The noise was getting on Alice’s nerves so she decided to go sit on the couch in the living room. The living room was the only place in the house that was open to guests and where the sound of the music was lower than anywhere else. The door was wide open and had a piece of paper glued on it with the words “Chat Room” written on it. Alice entered the room and sat down on the couch and stared out the window. It was dark outside. The window was revealing the yard with all the kids that were out there talking, laughing or dancing.

She sat there alone for a while staring out the window digesting her plan and the idea of no Elliot in her life. As she was sinking deeper in her thoughts she felt a glare coming from the yard. Curious as she had always she started searching with her eyes for the origin of the glare. Her eyes moved around the yard and stopped when meeting those 2 brown eyes that had been following her for a while now. They belonged to David. As she realized that David was watching her closely she smirked. Her problems regarding her plan with Alois had been solved.

Alice was about to go have a flirt session with David when the two girls she passed by started talking. Usually Alice doesn’t listen to other girls’ conversations but this one was about a subject very delicate and had a lot to do with Alice. The girls didn’t know about that of course. What stopped Alice from making any step forward toward the yard was one word that came out of one of the girls’ mouth “Jasmine”.

“Is that Jasmine? Who’s that with her?” the girls were whispering.

It took Alice a while to realize that the girls weren’t the only ones whispering about that. All the guests stopped from what they were doing and had their eyes directed towards the new comers.

“Jasmine? Why is she here? Is it possible they came together? What is he thinking? What is he doing at a human party?” On Alice’s face one could read both despair and anger. Alice was a weird human though. Even when angry and desperate or scared, Alice was always calm and relaxed. She was scarier that way or so was Alois’s opinion and secretly so did Elliot think too.

Alice didn’t hide but didn’t put herself on the table there. She already knew that Elliot came there with. Jasmine because he knew Alice was joining the party. Elliot spying on her was no surprise to her. But she was curious what his plan was.

“Why is he here? Oh and no lies please.” she asked while taking a sip from her glass of wine.

Alois sighed and came out from behind the tree behind her. “Maaan. What gave me away this time?”

Alice giggled and turned facing him, poking his nose. “Well this time it was your overuse of gingerbread perfume.”

He smiled at her childlike giggle. “Sincerely I have no idea why he’s here. Probably pissed about your decision.”

Alice frowned but also smirked.

“You told him?”

“No, he was there apparently listening to our conversation. He was pretty angry about it and almost hit me after you left. I came here to look out for you. Listen closely Alice. Beware of Jasmine. She is stronger than she looks and she knows about you and Elliot and I don’t know why she started hating you deeply. She can’t even stand to hear your name.”

Hearing those words made Alice laugh and also feel good about herself. Then she Looked into Alois’s eyes and caressing his cheek, answered him: “Don’t worry Alois. Me and Elliot have nothing to talk about anymore so I’ll be fine.”

After saying those words she kissed his cheek and told him to go promising to call him if she needed help. Alice then left the yard and went back inside the house. She sat again in the living room on the couch surrounded by other people smoking a hookah. They asked her to join and without over-thinking it, Alice joined their small party. Half an hour had passed and she had been enjoying herself with the new crowd forgetting all about Elliot and his new created s**t. Her small chat with the hookah-people was interrupted by the red-headed girl that incited her to the party in the first place.

“Hey, Alice! How’s the party? Having fun?” she asked her with a huge grin on her face.

“Yes thanks for the invite.”

She was accompanied by David.

“Alice I wanted to introduce you to someone. Alice this is my older brother, David. He has a huge crush on you.” she said again with that huge and somewhat terrifying grin on her face.

“Shut it! Don’t be such a meddler!” he told her frowning and avoiding eye contact with Alice.

“Don’t bother cleaning up her mess. I know about your feelings for me, David. I’ve known for a while now. I think it’s cute.” Alice was pouring herself a glass of red wine while she was saying these words also trying to hide her smirk from her friends.

David was surprised she knew about his feelings.

They spent a while just talking in the corner of the room. Their conversation was at one time interrupted by Laura who grabbed David for a dance. Laura had a crush on David ever since summer camp last year, when he saved her from drowning when she fell in the lake.

Alice was still sitting in the middle of the room studying Laura and David dancing. All she could think of was how desperate Laura looked with her exaggerated kinky dancing. It was so not on the rhythm of the music and so fake and it was screaming desperate.

While Alice was standing there, suddenly from behind her appears a red rose being held by a pale hand. The rose was beautiful in the color of blood, but after a moment of intense glare her surprise turned into anger. She could recognize that pale skinned hand anywhere.

” What the hell?”

” I see my little dark angel has a new toy.”

“Oh shut it, Elliot! And I’m not your dark angel anymore.”

He couldn’t control his anger anymore. ” What are you doing with him? And why are you asking Alois to turn you? You belong to me! Get it?”

“No I don’t belong to you. You never marked me, bit me, nor did we have sex. So I’m not yours and if Alois wants to I’ll let him do it. You have your new stupid s**t to take care of now.”

Elliot realized she was jealous again so he smirked feeling good about himself and took a lock of her hair between two fingers playing with it gently. He then smelled it deeply smiling. Alice’s cheeks turned pink at the sight of his movements and this fed his ego and made him slip a smirk.

Alice's heart pounded a bit faster but his smirk told her enough: he's playing you. The thought angered her and she stormed away. "Mind your own business, Elliot." As Alice's words left her mouth she walked away furiously, unconsciously still holding his rose in her hand.

The atmosphere was unchanged, teenagers were getting drunk, dancing, having a good time. The music was loud and the rooms were suffocating and crowded, people were knocking things and accidentally breaking them. Apart from Alice of course, the host was the only one not enjoying himself at the party. His house was getting trashed and he was trying to clean up after them, although his attempts were useless, he tried asking people to at least clean after themselves.

David was still kidnapped by Laura on the dance floor and Alice took advantage of the opportunity and walked outside. She needed some air and the backyard was for some reason empty and quiet. It was dark although it wasn’t too late. Probably 10 or 11 pm. It was warmer than you’d expect in the middle of October. Alice sat down on the stairs of the back porch, ignoring the two trashy girls that were making out a few feet away in the darkness. They were clearly drunk since one was a tall chubby goth or maybe punk, while the other one was a smaller slightly geeky redhead. They looked like complete opposites, but who was Alice to judge anyway? She had seen Elliot a complete different way and especially not one to look at things such as Jasmine. Alice's head was hurting and she laid her forehead on her knees and her hands on her head and stood there humming a song, the song, their song.

"Thought you left." She said not moving an inch. Her tone was unreadable: not friendly, but not menacing either.

  He shrugged a bit and widened his eyes as he hadn't expected her to realize he was there before he actually made his presence known. Still, he smiled and replied with a soft voice while sitting down next to her. "And leave you here alone with my brother and Jasmine? Not a change!" He laughed shortly and leaned on the upper steps.

"Guess you're right." She said rising her head looking at him. "Thank you." She smiled.

  "You were humming again. You two had a fight again didn't you? What happened?" He asked slightly worried, acting like he hadn't seen the entire scene from the other side of the room.

Alice swallowed hard and rolled her eyes. "Nothing new. He was just being Elliot."

"How about I get you a drink?" He asked smiling and for some reason very enthusiastic.

That made her giggle a bit. "Sure dumb-a*s. A glass of wine then." She watched him go. He was so much like Elliot in looks, yet so different in personality, it was as if they weren't even related.

As Alice waited for Alois to return a smell of alcohol mixed with blood and cheap perfume reached her nose. It was pretty clear to her that it could only be Jasmine. In less than 10 seconds Jasmine was in front of her.

"You... You filthy little w***e! What do they all see in you? You b***h! Stay away!" She was desperate and for some reason that Alice couldn't understand, she was also crying, her tears smudging the makeup on her face, making her look trashier than before in her way too short skirt and way to huge cleavage. Her gestures were shouting desperate and drunk. Her arms were moving too much causing making her almost lose her balance and fall on her knees, but she was still managing to synchronize her legs’ movements so that she wouldn’t actually fall yet.

Alice got up and twirling a lock of hair around her finger as she looked the girl up and down with disgust and with superior look in her eyes. "To answer that question all you have to do is look in the mirror... and then look at me. You're just a trashy desperate s**t." She said with an evil look in her eyes. The scene was very much enjoyable. This was the opportunity she was waiting for, the opportunity to show Elliot that she can do just fine without him.

Jasmine couldn't believe that Alice would dare to say that to her. Didn't Elliot tell Alice that he had turned her now? Doesn't she realize that she could kill Alice in an instant? "You play them, tease them, use them… you're no more than a b***h either." She continued between sobs and tears.

Alice checked her nails and smirked. "True, very true, but unlike you…” she let her hand down and placed it on her hip, then looked the girl in the eyes and continued tilting her head“… I do it with style."

Now this was it; it was too much. "Elliot is mine! Stay the f**k away!" Jasmine frowned and getting her fangs out she rushed and bit Alice's neck.

For some reason this felt familiar to Alice, the feeling, the pain, she didn't scream. The feeling of blood leaving her body was ticklish on the inside; she felt like clenching her nails in her throat to scratch it away.

Before you could realize it, Elliot knocked Jasmine out and Alois picked Alice up in his arms. It all happened so fast almost hard to follow. I bet even you are asking yourself what Alice was in her own mind. What? When? How? What happened exactly?

"She's alive." Alois told Elliot relieved.

Elliot didn’t say a word. He just started at the rose that slipped out of Alice’s hand as she was laying almost unconscious in Alois’s arms. He then turned towards a knocked out Jasmine "I think it's time for you to go home." He picked her up on his shoulder, gave Alois a look and left without a word.

Alois nodded and watched his brother leave. In his arms was a weak Alice fighting to keep her eyes open. He smiled feeling relieved. "Go to sleep. I'll take you home safe and sound." As he spoke the words Alice gave up fighting to keep her eyes open and just passed out in his arms.

Alois picked up the rose and vampiresped with Alice in his arms and stopped only when he reached Alice's bedroom, where he laid her on the right side of her bed as he stood beside the bed watching her closely. Through the window, the moonlight entering the room was caressing her pale skin, stained with blood in the neck area, her red lips were slightly parted and if you looked very closely, like Alois, they were also slightly moving; she was clearly dreaming. Her long dark brown hair was covering her right shoulder. Alois took her hand in his and sat next to her. "I'm sorry. Please forgive me." A tear rolled down his cheek as he spoke. "It will never happen again." His eyes were pure black and his fangs were out as he was staring at her, feeling pain going through his body, shivering a bit.