A/N:
Released on February 28, 2018

So... It looks like I have successfully followed my schedule for writing and putting chapters up on Wattpad!

I hope you enjoy the chapter!

Word Count: 2326

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Chapter 15: The Things That Change Us

I woke up a few hours later, relieved that I didn't have any strange dreams to analyze.

I sat up in bed carefully, but apparently not careful enough because Zane shot up in bed, glancing around in a panic as if we were under attack.

"Calm down, no one else is here." I whispered to make Zane settle again. It wasn't good for him to be moving so suddenly after being sick earlier.

He leaned back against the headboard and ran a hand through his hair anxiously. I scooted over to sit beside Zane, so he pulled me closer until I was right beside him and I rested my head on his shoulder.

We sat in comfortable silence, lost in our own thoughts of the past and the future. I had no clue what was to come of my telepathy training. I didn't even know if Zane could teach me because he didn't have his telepathy.

I kept my doubts to myself, but Zane had no such reservations that day, unlike usual when he kept his worries locked away in his mind.

"Is Ash skipping out on us because his little story time is over?" Zane asked harshly, surprising me because I didn't think he cared.

"He said he's going to help us." I replied, ignoring the question and defending Ash. "And I thought you didn't like him."

Zane pushed away the blankets and moved to the side of the bed, keeping his gaze on everything but me. "I don't, but I do like you. And I know that when he leaves, it's going to upset you."

Zane stared up at me in worry then, seeing through me just like the other people who had become close to me.

Lucy was the best sister I could ask for, and with our telepathic bond, we were so close that she could always see through the facade I put up to hide my emotions. And even though my dad wasn't the nicest to me, he could strangely tell if something was up too.

I sighed and glanced away from Zane, always getting uncomfortable when people called me out on something I was trying to hide.

"Why do you have to bring that up anyways? Ash hasn't left, and he said he would help." I replied matter of factly.

"How do you know he didn't leave while we were sleeping? And he already helped by bringing us blood. That was the only thing he promised to do." Zane answered, causing me to worry that Ash might take off again because he believed we were safer without him.

"Why don't you get up and ask him yourself about whether or not he'll abandon us?" I snapped at Zane, not wanting to believe that my friend would leave us behind.

Zane pulled his legs back up on the bed to face me, gently putting a hand on my arm with an apologetic expression. "I'm sorry, Alicia, I just don't want you to get hurt. We've been through a lot, and most of the pain you've felt in the past month was because of him. I just want to make sure you know that he's going to leave again."

I put my head in my hands, a rare sign of vulnerability, so that I didn't have to look at Zane. "You're right. I know you're right. And yet, I haven't let myself think about it, and I still would rather not."

I dropped my hands and stared at them in my lap, a pale comparison of what my hands used to look like, back when I was human. Back when things weren't perfect, but they were normal in a sense. "Ash will leave when he leaves. So can we just not talk about it?" I added quietly, trying not to snap at Zane because he'd done nothing wrong.

"Yeah, sure." He replied as if he understood, but wasn't happy with it.

Silence filled the dimly lit, windowless room until I almost felt suffocated. For the first time, I realized that I was slowly breaking inside, unable to keep up my tough act any longer with so much added weight pulling me down.

With my brother Jake missing, Ash feeling guilty about the side of him that he couldn't control, this new and evil telepath that's after us, and Storm keeping Zane's telepathy from him, I had a lot more to worry about. And believe me, I was worrying about it.

Zane's voice almost made me jump at its sudden sound in the dark room. "You know what? After all of this is done, after we get my telepathy and find your brother, I want to take you out on real dates so we can be a real couple."

I gazed at Zane in surprise. Even in the low light I could see his eyes were wide with excitement, his usually dark blue eyes turned a bit brighter. "I want to live near you and your family so that I can go to school with you and meet your parents. I can help make sure your relationship with them gets better and you don't get in trouble as often."

"And I'll be as charming as possible so that your parents approve of us being together." Zane's grin spread across his face with a carefree expression that I rarely saw on him.

I tilted my head and stared at him, really watched him, to gauge his seriousness. I could tell he was sincere, which also showed me how much he had changed from the boy who attacked me in the woods the day after I was turned into a vampire.

Zane had even changed from the guy I made out with at the cabin over a week ago. He was more serious and thoughtful than before. I believed that part of it was the fact that he had to learn to be himself again after pretending to be someone else for Storm for two years. It was probably also because we thought we weren't going to be together after I had to leave.

We both had learned to not be so shut off from the world, or at least let each other see our emotions sometimes. We went from hating talking about our feelings to confiding and consoling each other. And even though we had more problems lately, our relationship showed me that not all changes are bad.

"Alicia," Zane said softly, moving to sit closer to me as I turned to him in response, face to face with each other as he bared his feelings. "Will you officially be my girlfriend?"

"Yes." I answered instantly, seeing no downside to saying yes. "As long as you promise me something first." I added quickly, thinking of something that had been on my mind for awhile.

Zane leaned an inch away in shock, not expecting that answer. But the amusement I saw in his eyes assured me that he wasn't upset in any way. "And what would that be?" He inquired playfully, moving his blonde hair out away from his eyes to clearly stare at me.

My light blue eyes flickered away from his contrasting ones briefly as I gathered my thoughts. "I need you to promise to visit your parents."

"Do I need to remind you that my dad was the one who turned me? And that was the main reason that Storm caught me and tried to make me his personal soldier?" Zane asked in disbelief with raised eyebrows.

"Yes, but you said you were close to your mom." I reasoned with him. When he only looked away from me in answer, I continued my argument. "Look Zane, you went missing over two years ago. I bet your parents are worried sick. Even if you completely hate your dad, you need to go back for your mom."

I swallowed to rid my throat of the lump that had formed, thinking of my family and how I had done what I was telling Zane to do. Although my dad and I didn't get along, I went back home because my mom needed me. I had to make sure my family was okay before going off to look for Jake myself.

"Fine, but only if you come with me." Zane presented his ultimatum after thinking it over, while I was caught up in my own past.

I didn't see a problem with that, so I agreed. "Okay. I think our plan is pretty straightforward now. Get your telepathy, defeat that evil telepath so he can't help Storm find us, bring my brother home, visit your family, then go back to my family and live a normal life."

"That sounds great and all, but what about Storm? Even if we defeat his telepath, who we aren't completely sure is actually one of his guys, Storm will keep coming after us." Zane pointed out, causing my stomach to twist in knots.

"That's another thing I'd rather not talk or think about." I told him with a strained smile.

Zane nodded, knowing that I was still unstable when it came to talking about Storm. But I could tell by the way he stared at the dusty hardwood floor that he thought it was something important that we needed to discuss.

I knew that was true, but I still wasn't ready to take on that burden, of possibly having to come up with a plan to kill Storm.

Zane bit his bottom lip to keep from saying anything more on the subject, although he obviously wanted to say something else.

"How about we go on a date later tonight? Training won't last forever, and we need a distraction." Zane suggested hopefully.

"I'd love that." I agreed, glad that he had felt the need to get away too. He seemingly wanting to shrink away from his problems just as I did.

I shifted on the bed to sit on my knees, leaning forward to close the distance between Zane and I.

The kiss felt like it was sealing our promises to each other, making it official so that we could be together while enacting our crazy plans.

When it ended and I began to lean away from Zane, he pulled me in for another kiss. His hands went to the place they normally did, but only one landed on my waist that time, while the other snaked up into my hair, the strands slipping through his fingers. My arms were around his neck in an instant, keeping us balanced so we wouldn't fall.

When he broke the kiss we were both breathing irregularly and holding on to each other like we never wanted to let go.

Zane pulled me to the side so we could sit against the headboard of the bed like before, but this time he intertwined our fingers together as we stared off, lost in our thoughts.

"We should probably get up now. Ash might already be awake. Plus, we have a lot to do today." I said reluctantly, not wanting to break our moment of peace.

"You're right." Zane sighed, echoing my words from earlier. But we were both in a happier and better place than when I said those words.

"We're going to start your telepathy training today. And by the time we're done, I'll have our date planned." Zane turned his head to grin at me.

I let out a chuckle at that, squeezing his hand in mine, glad to be facing the upcoming challenges together.

"Alright, let's get up now." I said, serious about it this time, as I dragged myself out of bed.

I glanced down at myself and noticed in disgust that I was still in the clothes I left my house in. Zane hadn't put on new clothes yet either, so I didn't feel too bad about it, but I desperately wanted to change into something new.

I left Zane in a hurry to grab my backpack from the main room in the basement.

Ash was nowhere to be seen, so I disappeared into the bathroom to change into clean clothes. I highly doubted that the old abandoned house had any running water, plus I didn't have any towels, so I didn't bother trying the shower.

My eyes adjusted quickly to the darkness, but I was sure to keep my gaze on the ground to avoid looking at any bugs or pests lurking in the dank corners.

When I came out of the bathroom, fully dressed with my brunette hair brushed so that it fell on my shoulders, Zane and Ash were sitting in tense silence on opposite sides of the couch.

They both stood up as I walked up to them, acting restless in a way I hadn't seen them do before. "What's the plan?" I asked no one in particular, looking between the two guys, hoping to relieve the strangeness between all of us.

"We should have breakfast, then get started on training." Ash said as he gestured for us to sit down.

Zane and I obeyed while Ash grabbed a few blood packets for each of us that he had presumably taken from the hospital.

After breakfast, Zane said we needed to go into town for our first training session. "Isn't that kind of dangerous, since we're being looked for?" I asked anxiously, worried about getting caught by Storm, or most likely his followers.

"They don't know that I used to live here. It'll be fine. Just act natural." Ash responded nonchalantly, as if the thought of being held hostage by Storm, once again, wasn't something to worry about.

"What are we going to do out in town anyway?" I questioned, curious about what Zane thinks will help me build up my telepathic strength.

Zane grinned at me in a way that made me a bit uneasy, wondering what he could have in store. "You'll see." He teased as we made our way out of the desecrated house.