Welcome to Gaia! ::

I promise that this is my original work though some people have pointed out similarities to other works (most of which I haven't even read).

Love,
Jessica ♥

When I woke up, I was in the hospital. I was wearing one of those annoying backless patient gowns, and I was tucked tightly into a hospital bed.
It all came back to me in a rush, and it took my breath away. I was about to sob when I stopped myself. I had to be strong, and strong women didn’t cry. Or… maybe they did?
To distract myself, I decided to visually explore my incredibly boring hospital room. The bed was half raised, so I didn’t have to sit up to look around. The bright fluorescents hurt my eyes as I tried to inspect the room, so I blinked a few times, and then looked around all squint eyed.
The room was standardly spick and span; white walls, white bed, white door, white floor, everything was white! Suffocatingly white! Except for a single red rose in a glass vase.
That’s when I smelled it: Vampire.
And then, he spoke.
“Looks like someone’s awake.”
I seemed to jump into a crouch as I whirled in the direction of the voice, preparing to attack this vampire (though I’d probably get my a** kicked, I was definitely new to all of this). I half expected it to be Dimitri, claiming he was my guardian now that my parents were dead. But, when I rounded on the source of the voice, it was not Dimitri.
He had his hands raised in surrender, but I still hissed at him. His eyes widened slightly, “Chill. I’m not gonna hurt you.”
I didn’t respond to him, I just focused on looking him up and down. He was easily six foot, and tan, for a vampire. His eyes were absolutely ice blue, even with the bright red tinge around his pupil. Said eyes were almost covered by his bangs, which were white-tipped. The rest of his hair was black, and neatly disorganized. Overall, he looked about eighteen or nineteen, and he was wearing hospital scrubs.
I could see a sort of aura around him; it was a pink outline around his body, and then it turned to gold as it reached its outer limits. It pulsed around him actively, moving as he did. My lips seemed to slowly relax over my bared teeth, and I cocked my head to the side slightly.
“You’re looking at my aura, aren’t you?” He asked softly, causing me to jump, “Relax, please. I can just tell. You’re an aura reader. That’s a very rare ability.”
I had no idea what he was talking about; his was the first I’d seen….
My eyes widened and I gave a small gasp as I realized that I had seen an aura around Dimitri. It had been pitch black in the center, and blood red at its outer limits.
“So, I’m right?” He asked hesitantly, lowering his hands to his side. “Look, let’s try this again. Hi there; I’m Cray, and you are?”
I blinked at him, trying to find my voice. When I did, it was scratchy with disuse. “My name is Kara.” I cleared my throat, still not moving from my crouch. Though I did trust him a little more (because his aura was the exact opposite of Dimitri’s), I still wasn’t going to let my guard down.
“Well, Kara. Could you please calm yourself before another nurse walks in and calls a priest to exorcize you?” He had a small half-smile on his face.
Did I really look that bad?
I frowned at him, and then jumped off the bed carefully, heading for the bathroom mirror.
I yelped in surprise as I saw myself. I had, currently fading, dark bags under my eyes, and my beautiful dark brown eyes were fading from red to brown, only leaving that bright ring of blood red around my pupil. My short, auburn hair was a tangled mess, and my skin was tan still, but it seemed to be under a sort of milky film. What was even more shocking was my aura; it was a pulsating mixture of silver and yellow. It was absolutely beautiful…
I broke the trance my aura had me in and nervously brushed my hair back, trying to straighten out my bangs. “Christ, what happened to me?!” I asked, not realizing what a stupid question that was until after I’d said it.
“Looks like you had a run in with a not-so-patient vamp lord.” Cray said, staring intently at my back.
My face went even paler, and I looked over my shoulder at him. I had turned my back on him… in a backless gown….. I couldn’t help but notice how his eyes slid down from the small of my back to my a**…
I turned toward him quickly, my face red as a tomato, “Pervert!” I yelled as loudly as I dared.
He began laughing uncontrollably, and I started toward him with sort of forced reproach (What? He’s adorable!), when I sensed someone at the door. I quickly slapped the back of his head and got back in bed, pretending to be unconscious and taking deep breaths. I heard him clear his throat quickly and then I felt him mess with the many monitors around my bed.
“Oh, I didn’t know there was someone else assigned to this patient.” I heard a women say.
I took another deep breath, only to have my nose filled with a delicious odor. My mouth began to water, and I risked a peek at the women. My eyes immediately zeroed in on her throat where her jugular was consistent with blood flow.
Apparently, Cray sensed my craving to go to the women and rip open her throat, because he put a strong hand on my shoulder. I resisted the urge to hiss as he said, “Oh, yes. I was just checking on the poor girl. She’s been out for a couple of days,” A couple of days?! I thought frantically, “and I thought she might have passed. But, I’m happy to say that she hasn’t.” He squeezed my shoulder ever so slightly, as the women murmured an ‘okay’ and left the room. He released my shoulder slowly as the door closed.
“A couple of days?!” I burst out in a violent whisper as I quickly sat up.
“You need to control your blood lust.” He said simply.
“Okay Mr. I-Know-Everything, teach me how! I’m new to this in case you didn’t notice!” I snapped.
He honestly looked surprised at this. “You’re a fledgling?” He asked in a soft whisper.
“Yes!” I said in quiet exasperation.
“I had no idea. Then, why were you marked?” He seemed to be thinking to himself, because he turned his back to me and stared at the boring white wall. I sighed, and he abruptly turned back to me, “When were you changed?” He asked, completely serious.
“The same night I came here because of that thing on my back.” I said, annoyed at the thing scarring the small my back.
He took a sharp intake of breath, and then said, “Mother of God,” in a whisper. His face had gone paler, and his eyes had widened. He was staring at me with badly concealed fear.
“What?” I demanded, getting a bad feeling in my stomach.
“This is… so unusual. Who was it that gave you that Lord’s Mark?” He asked, perfectly serious.
I couldn’t will myself to speak. My mouth opened, but no sound came out. Cray motioned for me to speak, so I tried again. Finally, I got it out, “Di… mi…tri…” I was breathing quickly. Why was it so hard for me to say his name? I said it again, with much more ease, “Dimitri.”
Cray growled lowly. It was a guttural sound of animal ferocity. “I see. I should have known.” He turned away from me, but not before I saw his clear eyes become tainted with red and dark circles form around them. I could still see his aura as he turned away; it was becoming darker and darker by the second.
My stomach clenched and I couldn’t breathe as I watched him. I had begun to understand how to read auras. They showed me feelings, intentions. They showed me a person’s true soul, and right now, Cray’s soul was severely pissed. I was truly afraid for my life.

I stared at him incredulously, and I was about to turn around and head for the bathroom when I realized something: I was still wearing a backless gown.
He seemed to sense my realization, and he grinned at me.
“Oh no, I’m not giving you another peep show.” I said, glaring and trying hard not to laugh as I backed into the bathroom and shut the door. I also locked it, which I hoped he heard loud and clear.
His laughter told me that he did.
I frowned at myself in the mirror, and set to work on my hideous appearance. I unfolded the clothes to find under wear and a bra tucked in them. As I took the gown off, I worried that none of the clothes would fit right. But, when I put them on though, I realized I had no reason to worry; they were the perfect size.
So, the clothes looked good. Check.
I carefully splashed my face with water, glad that I immediately felt a little better.
Onto the hair; which was a complete mess. There were hairs sticking up everywhere, and I could barely see a rat’s nest of hair on the back of my head.
I groaned and dug through the drawers; they were all empty except for a reusable plastic cup and extra toilet paper.
I pursed my lips as my hand hesitated on the doorknob, and then turned it before I could tell myself not to. “Hey, you got a brush or—”
I yelped as a brush hit the door right beside my face.
“Thanks.” I said sarcastically. I picked up the brush and slammed the door, only to hear his insufferable laughter again.
Snorting, I began working on the auburn mess that I used to call hair.
Forever later, Cray began banging on the door. “Would you hurry up?” He asked irritatedly. “I have a key to this door you know!” he threatened lamely.
“Oh shut up! I’m done now!” I yelled back as I brushed my hair one final time. I smiled, looking and feeling like myself again.
I opened the door just as he was knocking, and his fist froze inches from my face. His face was slightly dumbfounded.
“What?” I asked worriedly, “Did I do something wrong? Did I forget something?” I turned to go back to the mirror, but he grabbed my wrist.
“No, you look great.” When I looked at him again, his face was soft, with a warm smile. “I just thought it was amazing that you made yourself look so wonderful with such limited time and resources.” His smile turned cocky, and I rolled my eyes.
“Whatever. Let’s just go so you can start telling me what the hell is going on.” I gently slid my wrist out of his grip and brushed past him, stopping at the door to look back. He hadn’t moved. “Coming?” I prodded. He jumped slightly, and nodded. He stopped next to me, and just stared. “Um… I definitely don’t know where I’m going.” I prodded again, waiting on him to lead the way.
“Oh right.” He said, finally seeming awake. He smiled sheepishly, and opened the door.
I’m not sure what I expected to happen when he opened the door; maybe that there would be a mob of doctor’s with syringes and microscopes waiting to study me.
But, as Cray opened the door, it revealed a very plain and normal hospital hallway that led to a rather deserted reception area.
I was about to step into the hallway when Cray stuck his arm out to stop me. I looked at him curiously, and he whispered, “Let me lead.”
I shrugged and motioned for him to go first.
I didn’t understand his caution until he actually stepped into the hallway and was mobbed by six or seven nurses.
At first I thought something was wrong, but I couldn’t have been farther from the bulls-eye. Once I focused on what the nurses were saying, I had to resist the urge to laugh.
They were all swooning and fanning themselves like dazed school girls; murmuring things like, “Hi Cray” and “You look good, as always Cray”. Cray just smiled at them, nodding every now and then like he was indulging an immature child.
A giggle escaped my lips, and I suddenly found myself being glared at by all of the nurses.
At their glares, I completely lost it. I was cracking up, not to mention I snorted, which made me laugh harder.
I wonder how stupid I looked as a seventeen year old who was giggling and snorting like a kindergartener.
As I wiped my eyes and stopped laughing, I noticed that Cray looked thoroughly amused (the exact opposite of the nurses, I might add).
I took a deep breath, and held up my hands in surrender before turning to go sit on the bed.
“Wait Kara,” I heard Cray say. I turned back to him, unable to help noticing that some of the nurses sighed softly at his voice, and some just looked shocked that he said my name. He continued speaking, “We have to go ladies. I apologize.” He stepped away from the group and towards me, holding out his hand. I smiled and took it.
I could feel seven pairs of glaring eyes on my back as we walked down the hallway.

He parked the car outside a pleasantly quaint home. If I had to guess, I’d say the small, white house had two bedrooms connected by one living room/kitchen, and one bathroom.
“It’s such a cute house.” I said to myself, and heard Cray laugh. I looked at him questioningly.
“It looks like a harmless little house, right? The kind of house that harbors a little old lady, and not a runaway vamp fugitive?” He said it so nonchalantly, that I almost didn’t catch the word ‘fugitive’.
“Wait, what?” I asked abruptly as his words registered.
He grinned at my reaction and replied, “Inside,” before getting out of the car and walking towards the front door. I followed, and reached him just as he unlocked the door.
I released a breathe as the door opened to reveal a perfectly normal home. I had been right about the layout of it. The foreboding feeling wouldn’t stop nagging my gut as I followed him inside.
“You want some sweet tea or something?” His voice startled me, but I still grinned and came up with a witty response.
“Vampire’s like tea?” I asked, looking around the small home curiously.
I heard him snort and say, “Please, this is the south, you know!”
I laughed. Of course, any Georgian you asked would say sweet tea was the state drink. “Sure, give me some diabetes in a cup!”
I heard him get out a couple of glasses and open the fridge as he laughed and asked, “Diabetes in a cup? What’s that about?”
“Oh, just a joke my friends and I came up with. We always said that it was no wonder so many people were getting diabetes ‘cause everybody likes so much sugar in their—”
I cut off abruptly. I’d said my friends; as in, the people I would never get to see again. I sat heavily on a worn but comfy couch as Cray walked in with two glasses full of reddish brown liquid. It didn’t register to me that the color was off until I took a sip and felt a surge of energy that chased away the grief over the loss of my old life.
I gasped, and looked up at Cray, who had been watching me carefully. “What…?” The question died on my lips as I realized what was different about this tea. I sat it down quickly on the small table beside the couch and pulled my hands to my chest like I’d just touched a bunch of spiders or something. “There’s blood in it.” I said simply, my eyes shifting from Cray to the tea, and back to Cray.
He nodded. “You needed it. That’s why your body ached all over. Does it not feel better? Stronger?” He asked worriedly.
I nodded, looking back at the tea and craving more.
“Drink Kara. It’s nothing to be ashamed of. You need to drink blood, it’s a vital part of a vampire’s lifestyle.” I looked at him again, seeing that he had almost downed his entire glass.
I hesitantly reached for my own tea, the cup feeling alien in my hand as I drank more. Before I knew it, I’d chugged all of it. I blinked at the empty glass and sat it down again. My body felt so much better, and there was more color in my skin now; it wasn’t as milky as before.
“Better?” Cray asked softly, having finished his own tea.
I nodded reluctantly.
“Would you like more?”
I nodded again, even more reluctantly.
He smiled and took my glass to get more bloody sweet tea.
I couldn’t believe it. I’d just drunken blood, and liked it. It was like a long lasting sugar rush mixed with drugs; only it was good for you too.
Then Cray returned with only my glass, and I took it hesitantly, giving him a look that asked why he didn’t get more.
“I didn’t want anymore. But you need it, as a fledgling you need to gain strength.” He explained kindly.
I nodded and took a sip, which turned into a gulp, and then into a chug. Why couldn’t I make this stuff last?
I handed Cray the cup and whispered, “No more.”
“Are you sure?” He asked, and I nodded vigorously. I was damn sure. He turned and walked back to the kitchen.
I couldn’t help think about how he got the blood. Did he kill the person? Did that person have a family? Did that person willingly give up their blood?
He sat across from me, and linked his fingers together, biting his lip. I knew then that I was in for a long and emotional explanation.
“Let’s get this over with.” I said quietly, rubbing my temples already.
He smiled for a brief second, and then it faded as spoke, “I guess I’ll start with my freak out at the hospital.”
“Wait. I have a question first. Why was it so hard for me to say his name?” I asked, careful to not actually say it.
His eyes darkened, and then he cleared his throat and explained, “It’s your heightened intuition. It was telling you that you should keep your mouth shut; because, well, if you hadn’t yelled at me, I would have killed you.” His voice portrayed the slightest hint of remorse, but, other than that, he was emotionless.
I sat quietly for a long time, staring at him. Once his eyes had cleared, I said, “Okay, then I guess it was a good thing that I did spas out on you.” At this, he chuckled darkly, and met my gaze. “So, continue with your freak out story.” I prodded, and he closed his eyes.
“I say that I am a fugitive because Dimitri issued an order for my arrest.” I gasped, and he opened his eyes to smile at me warmly. “Let me finish. Anyway, he ordered my arrest because I am the only one who can take away his lordship.”
“You can take it away?! How?!” I exclaimed. He simply stared at me as I covered my mouth with my hands.
“I can take away his lordship because it used to be mine. He tricked me into giving it up.” My mouth was wide open, and he held up a finger to keep me from speaking. “Four hundred years ago, I was Lord Zador Crayton. I was only Lord because I was the only vampire in this area that could be tracked. All the others were rogues who went around killing humans and creating fledglings who would eventually die or become an even worse generation of rogues. Anyway, I’d had a childhood friend who was turned shortly after I was. I had thought that it was a lucky coincidence. But, I was wrong.
“When my friend, Dimitri, was turned, he came to me. He said that we could rule side by side and both be Lords of this area. That he would handle the politics, and I could handle the publicity. I curse myself for being so naïve.” He paused for a long time, head bowed and eyes closed.
“What happened next?” I asked softly. I thought this would be hard on me, but it seemed to be worse on him.
He lifted his head to look at me, but he ended up looking through me as he continued, “He taught me a short speech; a speech that called for a transfer of power. He masked it to look like a speech that called for a sharing of power. I had no way of knowing that it was impossible to share power, but Dimitri did. He had been trained by a more politically inclined rogue, one that wanted to use Dimitri to control the entire southeastern region of the United States. They probably wouldn’t have stopped with that either...”
His voice trailed off, and he continued to stare through me, in a daze. “Cray?” I put a hand on his knee, and he jumped and looked at me for the first time in a long time.
“Sorry,” He murmured, and then continued with his story, “Anyway, I said the speech, without any idea of the impending disaster that would happen shortly thereafter. As I finished, I noticed an odd weariness. I looked at Dimitri for the first time since I’d started reciting; he had been growing more and more powerful. Now he smiled at me slyly, and motioned towards the shadows. A beautiful vampire walked forward. Her hair was long and blond, with streaks of white. She looked to be about twenty; of course, that means nothing to a vampire.
“I could see how easily she tricked Dimitri to do her bidding, she was very attractive. The only indication of her horrid intentions was her eyes. They had the faintest tint of forest green around the very edge, the rest was red. She was definitely a rogue.” He was staring through me again, and I pulled my hand back to my lap, he was obviously four hundred years away.
“She told him that he had to dispose of me, lest word get around of the exchange that was taking place. I actually saw sadness in his eyes. He even asked her if there was another way, but she just shook her head. He turned to me, face withdrawn. She was grinning evilly behind him, glaring at me with bloodthirsty eyes.
“I ran. I ran fast and hard and long. I had always been more athletic than Dimitri, but he was a vampire Lord now, one strengthened by the exchange of power. He caught up to me, and I felt his hand on my shoulder. He told me stop, that he wasn’t going to kill me. I was guarded, but I did stop and face him. He spoke with me, calling the rogue Briar. He said that Briar was brilliant, and that I should join them. I asked him why she’d wanted him to kill me, and yet he was offering me a position in their plan. He said he could never kill me, I was his friend. I told him that, as his friend, I didn’t think he was acting to brightly to be hanging out with someone like that.
“That’s when he changed. He seemed to crack before my eyes. He cursed me, saying that I should never insult Briar. That’s when I knew he was gone, and beyond help. I turned and ran, he called after me that he would kill me the next time he saw me.
“That’s when I changed my name to Cray, and when I saw flyers offering a reward for me, dead or alive.”
“Oh, Cray, that’s awful.” I said, tears rolling down my cheeks. He smiled at me, and this time it was him who placed a comforting hand on my knee.
“It’s fine. I’ve gotten used to living this way. But, what Dimitri has done to you is unforgivable. It’s not the first time he’s done this to an innocent human, I’m sure.” He gritted his teeth.
“What do you mean?” I asked, tears freezing on my cheeks.
“Let me tell you what he told me so long ago. He said that their plan was to use the Lord’s mark to capture people such as yourself, and use them to fulfill Briar’s bloodlust and, also, Dimitri’s need to be loved.”
“What?” I’d meant for it to be an outraged exclamation, but it came as a barely audible whisper. My large brown eyes were wide and tear filled.
Cray smiled sadly. “What that means to me, is that he turns young human girls such as you, and then marks them. He lets the emotional wounds fester for a while, and then comes to them and claims them. By then, they’re so weak and alone that they give in immediately. He then has his way with them, but their blood supposedly belongs to Briar, if she’s still alive.”
“Why wouldn’t she be alive?” I asked quickly.
“Dimitri gets bored very quickly. That’s where Briar came into his plan. Once he’d gotten bored with his toys, he’d give them to Briar. She would bleed them over and over, and then eventually kill them. He supposedly loved her too but, if he got bored with her, he would most likely try to get rid of her.” He said solemnly.
“So… if you hadn’t found me...?” I wasn’t able to finish my question, but he understood my meaning.
“Yes. Dimitri probably would have come to you soon, and tricked you into giving in to him. And eventually you would be bled to death by Briar.” His nonchalance stunned me. He ultimately saved my life, in more than one way.
I sat there, crying and staring at him.
Finally, I asked, “Will he still come to me?”
Cray nodded. “I plan on being there when he does to kick his a**.”
I laughed once, hysterically, and then broke down into sobs.
He sat next to me, and hugged me gently. I cried and sobbed and snotted in his arms. He just kept saying, “I understand. It’s hard. I know.”
“He killed. My parents. My life. Is. Ruined.” I sobbed.
He stroked my hair, and said, “Listen to me, Kara. You feel this pain? This grief that he’s caused you?”
I nodded stiffly, and he continued, “Good. Use it. Do you want him to do that to other girls? Maybe even your best friend, he might target her next.”
I thought about Kacy. She was so nice, there’s no way she’d survive something like this. I had to stop Dimitri and Briar. I had to.
I pulled back from Cray, wiping my eyes roughly. “I have to stop him. I can’t let her end up like this too.”
He nodded, and smiled fiercely. I’d obviously made him proud.
“So, when he comes to you, what are you going to say?” He asked me.
“I’m gonna say ‘go to hell b*****d’, and then I’m going to tear his ‘effing throat out!” I said viciously, feeling the sudden emotional change inside me.
Apparently Cray sensed the change, because he squeezed my shoulders. “Let’s not be so rash about it though.” He said calmly.
I frowned but nodded.
“Now, anything else you have questions about?” He asked, still holding my shoulders.
I thought carefully, and then a thought hit me. “Oh, what about—”
I was cut off as the front door was kicked in and my intuition was saying, ‘told you so’.

WHY HAVEN'T YOU WRITTEN ANYMORE!?!?!

I was frozen; everyone was frozen, Kacy hadn’t even gotten up yet.
Briar had stopped clapping and was walking forward slowly and gracefully. All eyes were on her; she was staring at me. My heart had never beaten so fast in my life; I had never been this ‘on-alert’ before.
She stopped not two feet away from me, and we just stared at each other. Cray kept looking back and forth between us, his anxiety palpable in the air; his aura was dark and agitated.
Briar’s aura was a contradiction, and full of so many layers. The inside was pitch black, and faded to blood red like Dimitri’s. Then the next layer was purple, like Kacy’s. Then it turned to a pale pink, and finally ended in white. I was so confused.
All of a sudden, Briar lashed out at me. I had no warning whatsoever; no change in expression, not even a tensing in the muscles.
I felt sharp nails rake my cheek as she slapped me. I stumbled backwards and put my hand to my cheek, wincing internally at the sting of broken skin.
Instantly, my temper flared.
“Kara, NO!” Cray shouted.
But it was too late; my fist had already swung outward toward Briar’s perfectly sculpted nose.
Not only had it swung out, but it kept going. It never made contact.
I stopped and blinked. Where did she go?
“Kara…” I was Cray. Briar was nowhere to be seen, “Slowly come toward me Kara. I’ll meet you halfway.”
My ego took off. “Why should I? The b***h ran as soon as she saw that I fight back.”
Cray shook his head slowly. “No, just come here. Please Kara.”
Something in his voice was different, and it stood out like a sore thumb. It was something that I had never heard in his voice before:
He was scared.
I sighed, keeping up my oblivious façade, hoping to buy myself some time before Briar reappeared. I hadn’t even taken a step when Kacy started yelling at Dimitri.
“She abandoned us! You said she was some badass rogue and now she’s gone!”
Dimitri opened his mouth to reply, but was cut off by the most sickening crack I had ever heard in my life—It was even worse than when Dimitri had snapped my parent’s necks.
It also came from where Cray had been standing seconds earlier.
My head whipped around so quickly that I was almost dizzy.
Cray was gone.
Briar was there, and standing in a puddle of blood that was not her own.
She looked at Dimitri and said, “Now that’s how you kill a nuisance.” She then looked back at me, and sneered.
I was horrified. There was no way she could mean Cray; that couldn’t be right.
I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out, only a hollow wail of desperation. I immediately fell to my knees and covered my mouth with both hands so I would not continue the blood-curdling sound.
Briar just sneered, Dimitri looked shocked, and Kacy was expressionless.
I couldn’t do anything but stare at nothing in particular.
This wasn’t right; this wasn’t right; this wasn’t right! That was all I could think, and before I knew it, I blacked out.
The last thing my mind showed me before I blacked out was Cray lying in a pool of his own blood, neck broken and bleeding out with Briar licking it up like a wild animal.