30: Penultimate
Good Thing - Sam Smith best song ever.
Actress for Chelsea is - Margot Robbie :) pic at the side or top or whatever lol
Note at the end!
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I was pooing myself.
To be honest, so was Amy. We didn't know what to expect, we didn't know whether she'd go on a rampage or hate us or kill us even. Chelsea could very well not believe us but that wouldn't last long anyway.
"Stop shaking your leg," Amy murmured.
"Stop cracking your knuckles." I countered.
Her eyes narrowed as she blushed. "Well, you stop biting your lip."
From the corner of my eye I could see Christian rolling his eyes. "You both need to calm yourselves."
It's been two magical days of recovering since the demise of Florence and this is the quietest I've seen John's house since... Hell, I don't even know. The streets were almost clean, but there were still a few stragglers that were making a run for it. The U.S are no longer getting involved in the Vancouver killings according to the news thank goodness for that but they did say they'd wait it out a week. My wounds were practically gone excluding the bite from that stupid vampire that bit my forearm.
The only people here were me, Amy, Christian and little Amelia in my arms. She looked so much like Amy already but with John's hazel eyes. She clutched onto my finger as she yawned and for a minute I lost myself in her beautiful bright eyes. John and Michael had disappeared this morning claiming to have errands to run.
"Christian how much longer, I'm getting so anxious." I groaned.
"Well you didn't want to see her so you could be pleasantly surprised; you'll have to wait another three minutes and you can go up."
Amy exhaled sharply and held her arms out for her baby. "I can hear her heart going into overtime up there, is she okay?"
"She's fine. It happened to you as well, Amy. Last few minutes happens to all of us. We should go up actually, just in case she comes to."
Right. Here we go.
I didn't know what to expect to be honest. Amy's transformation from human to vampire was astounding I could only imagine what Chelsea's would be like. She was naturally gorgeous already. The added effects of becoming a vampire will make her... gosh, I can't even think of an appropriate word. Stunning wasn't enough, neither was striking or dazzling. But I'd have to just wait and see.
Walking up the stairs was like walking to a test I wasn't prepared to take. Pooing was an understatement. Beside me Amy's face was the picture of fear. I understood it completely. Who knew what her reaction would be once we explained what happened.
Amy walked in first and her gasp should have been warning enough. I glanced at Christian beside me before inhaling a breath and walking in.
My eyes widened at the woman lying peacefully asleep on the king sized bed. The sight of her literally took my breath away. She... she's...
"Beautiful." Amy whispered beside me.
Her long wavy blonde, almost white hair waved along the pillow all the way over her chest just above her ribcage. It framed her now angular face that could more than likely cut glass. As I stepped toward her sleeping figure, I noticed the subtle rise and fall of her chest. My eye skimmed over her features; her top lip used to have the smallest bow but it's like it popped upwards into a fuller, pink, soft line. Her dark lashes kissed just beneath her eyes, and her cheek bones - gracious - they were perfect. Even her brows, it's like someone came in, in the middle of the night and grew and plucked them.
She was angelic. Now Pamela, she was beautiful with her platinum blonde hair and stunning looks but Chelsea... she was divine. Even her skin was smooth, a little pale but smooth. I wanted to see her eyes. I wanted to see her smile... but I'm damn sure it'll be a while before she genuinely smiles.
Christian moved snapping both Amy and I out of our dazes. He stared at her immobile form before nodding to himself. "She's waking up."
God help us.
He moved from view to the opposite corner of the room. He'll be there if we needed him. He promised not to interfere which I was thankful for. He told us that she'd be a bit hazy at first. She won't remember much, but it'll come back to her gradually maybe even as fast as it did for Amy. We couldn't begin to guess how out of it she'll be or how up and down her emotions would be. All we could do was wait and see whether I well, get bitten or something.
My heart flipped when I saw her stir, her eyes moved behind her eyelids, her arm lifted slowly toward her head. And then she groaned.
"Ah, God." She whispered rubbing her hand over her face. "What happened...?"
Her voice. A little huskier but one hundred times more alluring.
She groaned and used both of her hands to cover her face. Amy and I exchanged a look before taking the two seats at her bedside. Her eyes finally fluttered open and I smiled at the frosty blue of her gaze. It was completely unfocussed as she squinted up toward the ceiling, her lips parted in a heavy breath.
And then her head turned slowly toward us. The tension was thick as her vigilant new eyes darted over Amy's face and then mine. Amy's hand took mine from my lap and she squeezed. What if she doesn't remember us?
But that thought flew out the window when she croaked, "Did we get drunk last night?"
Amy's hand slacked as she giggled and I chuckled answering, "Not exactly."
"Then why do I feel hung-over? And my neck is absolutely killing me."
The irony wasn't lost. We gave Chelsea a minute to adjust; her eyes, her pupils specifically, were focusing one minute and expanding in the next. The curtains were currently closed, her new silver pendant sitting comfortably on the bedside table.
How do you explain to someone they've died? Better yet, how do you explain they died and became a vampire? Well, you don't usually but in this case, the world I live in, you do.
"Chelsea, how do you feel?" I asked, bringing her attention back to me.
She sat up against the head board, her velvet like hair sitting on her shoulders. She shrugged. "I feel... really weird."
"Can you describe it?" Amy added.
"Well... I just feel.... weird, I don't know. My eyes hurt a little... why?" She breathed but then smiled. I took a second to register that to my mind because lord knows when she'll smile like that at us again. "How bad was last night? We couldn't have been that bad. Although I don't remember much, if anything."
I shifted in my seat. "What do you remember?"
"I remember having breakfast, walking outside and now here I am. Did we go out? Wait, what time is it, have I missed my flight?"
From the corner of my eye, Amy grimaced. To be honest, I'd completely forgotten about her flight as well. Didn't even call to reschedule or even make it an open return if they still do those.
I shifted forward and hesitantly took her hand. It was still warm but barely; she'd need to feed soon to finish the transformation. "Yes, you've missed your flight. Something happened the other day."
She frowned. "The other day? I don't understand."
"You've been unconscious for a few days, Chels." I squeezed her hand. "That's why your neck hurts. Remember I told you we had some things going on that we couldn't really explain? That things were extremely complicated?"
Her nod was delayed but she nodded either way. I was surprised by her silence, usually she'd be chatting up a storm of questions. She wasn't one to show fear, hell she was the instigator in adrenaline related activities. But right now there was a sparkle in her eye, just a small sparkle, of fear.
"I don't know where to start." I said turning a little to Amy. Behind Chelsea, Christian nodded his head. Chelsea still had yet to notice her maker and for now that would be okay. "You won't believe any of this Chels but it's all true. It'll literally explain so much."
"Tell me." She whispered.
I inhaled and exhaled a shaky breath. "Okay. Keep an open mind."
I didn't know where to start so I started right at the beginning. The beginning being when I was eighteen years old fresh out of high school just moving into Canada. I told her about the murder's that happened every year in Vancouver and Burnaby, I told her how I got the scar on my hairline from the car accident just outside of Michael's house, I told her about Florence - omitting the word vampire - I told her about Nate being told to follow me, I told her everything from Nate saving me on that cliff when the two of them visited at Christmas three years ago. And then I started on the scar on my neck, the one Florence gave me.
I told her they were vampires, all of them.
Her face didn't change, not even as I continued and went on to explain what really happened in the cabin and what Michael really was. Then Amy went on to explain her story, how she had no idea about any of this until she moved here for her work experience. How she fell in love with John and found out how he also was a vampire. She explained what Lewis did to her and to us. And then we both stumbled over each other as we explained our most recent of 'adventures.' She was still staring at us, no emotion passing over her face even when I told her how we met Christian who we pointed at. Chelsea barely even spared him a glance. We overlooked telling her Ames was a vampire for now.
And then we started on the last week and a half. Ana's funeral, her arrival and then what happened:
"Florence... she wasn't happy with what I did, with how I brought Christian into the situation. And... and she took it out on someone I loved." I said rubbing a thumb over her knuckles. "She took it out on... on you, Chels." Just say it. "Your neck hurts because she broke it. You died."
We were met with complete and utter silence. Her gaze darted over me then to Amy and back again.
Then she laughed.
Which of course we expected because who in their right mind would believe the crock of shit we just spurted out in the last fifteen minutes.
"You two are joking right?" She laughed. "Because no way no how that could be true. Any of it."
Amy leaned forward on her chair with a pitying frown. "Why would we sit here for fifteen minutes making up such an in detail excuse for the truth?"
"Because... because that's what we do!" She threw her hands up in the air slipping it from my grasp and I saw Christian tense beside me. She was getting worked up and he didn't need to be sitting beside her to know it. "Vampires? Witches? Me dying? If I was dead, how am I sat here right now? Talking and moving and seeing and smelling?" Her nose twitched and I swallowed when her gaze ran over my neck. It was a blatantly unconscious movement because in the next minute she was looking back to Amy. "How am I here then, Ames?"
"Because you were turned into a vampire." I flinched at Amy's blunt words but then I thought how else could we say it without it sounding blunt?
Chelsea didn't even entertain the idea. She just shook her head and chuckled. "Nah."
"You don't believe us at all do you?" Amy's jaw clenched and I grimaced at her cracking her knuckles. Two new vampires in a room together... I didn't exactly think it would be much of a problem. Then again both of their emotions were a bit left, right and centre. "Not even a little bit."
"Ames, come on why would I?" She said, sitting up to cross her legs. "You just said I died and became a vampire, who would believe that? Name someone that would believe..."
But before I could even volunteer someone I watched as Amy's eyes blackened. Her black veins rose all the way up her neck and beneath her eyes and over her nose. She tilted her head back slightly as she lifted her top lip to expose her elongating fangs. Even I was a little surprised. I hadn't seen Amy's vampire face. Her forehead creased downward into a fierce scowl and I heard Chelsea gasp.
Christian pushed from the wall and caught Chelsea as she flew from the bed onto the floor. Her eyes looked to the man holding her by her shoulders then to her best friend and then to me.
"You're joking, please. You are." She shook her head but her eyes were still on Amy as she returned her face to normal. "Come on, Twilight and True Blood and-"
"They're books, movies, TV shows." I rolled my eyes. "This is real life. Amy turned a few weeks ago because she gave birth to Amelia - a half human half vampire child. And you turned because Katherine saw just in time that you were going to die and Christian behind you gave you his blood. He is what you call a Maker. He's your maker."
Christian released her shoulders and she turned around to meet his eye. She scrutinised his tall stature - her nose reached his chin - and frowned again. "Maker?"
"He's who turned you."
"Turned me? Maker?" She stepped back from Christian and she raised a brow at his new vampire. "Seriously?"
"Yes, seriously." I said guiltily turning my gaze to Amy's sad gaze. "I'm so sorry, Chels. I know it's a lot to take in. I think it'd be best if you see yourself in the mirror and Amy, Christian and I will leave you to just-"
"No, none of you leave." She said firmly sitting on the other side of the bed to face us. "Not just yet. Explain it all to me again, everything. And Amy do that face thing again."
Face thing again. I tried not to crack a smile but we did as she wanted, but this time explaining most of everything in more detail. She sat through it nodding her head this time and acknowledging the fact she actually may have died by the hand of a mad woman thankfully gone from this world.
Once we finished this time she huffed a heavy sigh and ran a hand through her hair. But then she paused and brought the ends up to her face. "This is weird..."
"You've changed, Chels look. Chris, can you get the mirror in my room. A small one on the vanity."
Christian disappeared and reappeared within the time span of a blink of an eye and held the mirror out to her. She didn't look surprised by his speed as I expected. And oddly enough she wasn't cursing us to the depths of hell for what we'd done. But she did look extremely surprised at her reflection.
And then suddenly, her scent drifted up my nostrils. I blinked a little at the ginger and honey swirling around my head. Ginger and honey, huh. Matched her completely.
"Evie," Christian suddenly said stepping beside me. "Chelsea will need to feed now. Or she will feed from you and I'm sure you don't want that."
"What, oh God really?" Her head snapped up. "How do I know this is definitely not a dream or a joke?"
I pursed my lips and Christian sighed restlessly. "Alright, come here."
She narrowed her eyes at him before standing and approaching him. But he surprised us all by grabbing her wrist and opening a sliver of the curtain. Enough to shine a beautiful ray of sunlight on her hand.
She grunted and squealed in pain and he shut it. Then I stood up, smacked and punched his arm and yelled. "You idiot what's wrong with you?"
"She wanted proof and she clearly wasn't believing you, Evangeline."
Chelsea glared at her hand and then him, her pupils enlarging a little. "If you're my 'maker' then I'm praying I can swap for a new one."
"Oh?" He crossed his arms over his chest. "Why's that?"
"Because you're a goddamn asshole that's why! God, it hurts."
"It'll heal stop being a wimp."
"Christian!" Amy scolded, standing now. "She's-"
"Being a wimp." He smiled at her and Chelsea scowled dangerously. At first I was surprised she wasn't falling for his devilish good looks but he botched it right up when he burnt her. "You'll have later to think about it properly, but right now you'll need to feed before you start to get thirsty."
"Feed as in on people. Blood."
"Yes, blood. People or animals. This," He strode to the table and lifted the necklace. "Will let you walk around during the day without that happening. Take it off, you burn. Not sparkle, burn. So turn around."
Her lip curled and I couldn't help but smile. Still same old Chelsea with just a few changes. Like the flash of a fang and the veins around her eyes.
Amy stood slightly closer to me, you know just in case, but all Christian did was laugh. "You can growl at me all you want little one but you're going to have to realise that I am older and stronger than you." He said as she reluctantly turned and allowed him to clasp the necklace around her neck.
Once he finished, she stepped away. "And what does the job of my 'maker' entail? Because I'm not doing anything I don't want to."
"All will be explained. Come, we go. We have to complete the process and I will explain everything. But once you feed you won't have long around Evie or any humans because I'll have to teach you how to restrain yourself."
We all followed Christian like little puppies - because that's the effect he has on anyone and everyone he meets - but Ames and I stopped at the window beside the back door to watch them.
"At the beginning, aren't maker's and their protégé's supposed to be like lovey toward each other?" Amy asked.
"That's what I thought." I said chuckling a little. "She's taking it well though."
"No, she's not." Amy shook her head watching as Chelsea trailed behind Christian with a permanent scowl pasted to her face. "At this stage her focus is currently on this, on what she has to do right now. When she's alone later, she'll think about it. We're going to have to see her this evening, Red."
I stared at Amy as she watched out friend and realised that she was speaking from experience. "Was that how you felt?"
She didn't even hesitate to nod. "At the beginning everything happened so fast with the baby, John greeting me with a smile and a kiss and then I had to go out and feed, learn how to restrain my hunger around Amelia. And then when I was alone I thought about it. I'll out live my family, my sister, my cousin, my mom and dad. It'll be worse for Chels, I just know it, Evie."
Slowly, I lay my head on her shoulder and wrapped an arm around her waist in comfort. "We'll be there for her."
**
**
That evening, Michael met me at John's. He looked so much healthier since Florence died, his skin was glowing, his eyes were brighter and he was a lot livelier at night if you catch what I'm saying.
"How is she?" He asked stepping into the kitchen with John behind him, Amelia cooing in his arms.
"Well, she went for her first feed with Christian earlier and they came back a few hours ago. He's been teaching her a few things but we won't know how she's really feeling until me and Ames go up to talk to her."
"Think it's a good idea to go up there?" Mike frowned. "She's literally brand new."
"She'll be fine, she's full and Amy will be in there." John said. "How's everyone today?"
"Pretty good." Christian said from the living room.
John rolled his eyes and Mike sighed.
"Amy and I are okay," I chuckled. "We're going up. And get used to Christian being around."
The two of them grumbled beneath their breath as we left them for the spare bedroom. She'd been alone for an hour now and I was completely unsure of what to expect. And when we walked in I didn't know whether it was what I expected.
She wasn't crying, but she wasn't exactly smiling or looking at us when we walked in. The lamp was on, illuminating only half of her sat at the edge of the bed. Her eyes were trained to the mirror sitting upright on the dresser. Her mood was impossible to predict.
Both of us approached the side of the bed with hesitant steps. The guilt was eating at my insides. Would she have wanted to live? Or die given the choice?
"Chelsea." I murmured. "Are you okay?"
Her chest rose and fell slowly but her eyes didn't leave her reflection. "I spent today drinking blood from a thirty year old man. And I liked it."
I raised a brow.
"But... it just makes me... a vampire. A real vampire. I graduate in a month, my birthday was barely two weeks ago and now I'm twenty-one forever. My family... I can't see them properly for at least a year. I can barely sit here smelling even you, Evie. I'm literally holding myself back and yet I know I'm full and I know I shouldn't want anymore but I do."
"Chels-"
"I think about what you said. About your friend Katherine seeing me die and Christian taking it upon himself to give me his blood. I know I wasn't ready to die, I know that for a fact. I wanted to travel the world, get a job, and do what I love." Her eyes met mine and then Amy's. "And I will do that. I still will. I'll get the chance to now. Ames, Evie come here."
Amy strode and sat beside her and I hesitantly sat on the other side of her. "I know you're both beating yourself up, especially you Evie. I can see it." She took my hand in hers. It was a lot warmer than earlier. "But don't. Don't beat yourself up, you didn't purposefully get me involved. I can forgive you because I love you so much. It wasn't your idea to turn me."
"It wasn't Christian's either." I reminded. "Don't cast him out, he can be a nice guy and he'll be there to help you."
"He is the biggest dick head I've ever had the misfortune to meet." She spluttered angrily. "Who did you say he was again? That crazy vampire's maker?"
Amy and I laughed. Well, Christian didn't even try to redeem himself. "Yeah but he wasn't crazy. She messed with his emotions." I said. "He's actually great, Chels. Bit on the passive side when he wants to be but he's great, he'll teach you everything."
"He can teach me whatever he wants as long as he doesn't continue being an ass."
"So are you... okay?"
Chelsea took both of our hands and released a heavy breath. "No, I'm not but I will be. I just need to adjust. But Evie, you're going to have to go because I don't know how much longer I can sit here."
I nodded, giving her a small smile. She gave me a wobbly one back and shocked me by giving me a brief hug and pushing me back holding her breath. "I love you both."
"We love you too." Ames said giving her a longer hug.
Walking outside of the bedroom, I felt a little bit better but she was right. She needed to adjust to this new life she'll be living and who knows how long it'll take. She seems to have accepted it which is definitely more than we could ask for. Christian needed to stop being stupid but then again, with her focus on him being an ass, she isn't left thinking about her new life. So all I could do really was ask him.
But I knew for a fact that he wouldn't ease up. It's his nature.
From the back window, I noticed Michael standing on the manmade path looking toward the moon. I grabbed my denim jacket from the couch and descended the outdoor steps to meet him. "Mike?"
He turned sideways and cast me a beautiful smile. "Been a while since we've been outside at night without much of a worry."
"Any worries, you mean."
"That's true actually." He said, taking my hand. "Come I want to tell you something."
I let Michael lead me along the dark path lit by only the moonlight. The moon was large tonight, large and full. I stared at it wistfully, thinking about what the future would bring. About our future.
"So," Michael said. "This weekend, John is proposing to Amy."
I gasped and spun toward him halting all our movements. "No way!"
"Yes way." He grinned. "That's what we were doing today, getting a ring."
"Oh, wow." I breathed. "I'm so happy for them. I was wondering when he would."
"Really?" He tugged on my hand, bringing my body flush against his. "Wondering about John proposing?"
"Of course I was, they have a kid for crying out loud."
"We could have a kid." He said running his lips along my neck.
My heart jumped against my ribcage at his words - and his lips. "What're you saying, Michael?"
He didn't say anything, he just continued showering kisses along my neck, along my jaw and then to my lips. He kissed me hard. Passionately.
And then leaned back. And presented an open blue velvet box with a ring - sweet lord, the ring - with a beautiful amethyst stone in the middle with diamonds encrusted around it. It wasn't knock-you-out big and it wasn't understated. I loved it. Hell, I was shedding tears before he was on his knee.
"I didn't want to make a big deal, I didn't want to have an audience; I just wanted it to be me and you. I made you a promise at nineteen that I wouldn't propose until you were ready. And you weren't I knew that. But with everything that's happened this year, the fact you're still here with me despite knowing what I am, just proves you are ready. And with the Florence thing over and done with and the many scenarios we've been in that was a hairs breath away from death... it's all just made me realise I love you too damn much not to do anything about it. I just kept thinking, shit why didn't I just propose when I wanted to."
I sunk down to my knees in front of him laughing a little but sniffing as the tears continued to flow.
"I love you Evangeline. You're the soul attached to the other end of mine, if I still have one-"
"You do." I interrupted.
"Only because of you, Evie. You brought me back when you entered my life. Marry me, Evie. Spend eternity with me."
"Yes, of course Mike duh!" I sniffed throwing my arms around his neck. "I love you too."
He squeezed me and I leaned back so he could push the ring onto my finger. "Perfect." He murmured.
And everything really was. At that moment I knew it was. No one was popping out from behind a tree to kill us. From this point on everything should be, no... will be perfect.
It will be.
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ONE MORE SHORT CHAPTER AND AN EPILOGUE. HOWEVER. Barcelona tomorrow (6.9.14) I return in a week lol. Then I move to uni on the 13th!!
LEMME KNOW WOT U GUYS THINK ABOUT THIS CHAP, WITH CHELS AND EVIE AND MIKE AND JUST EVERYTHING.
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