Rose Blossom - By Renee Travis Page 0,55

fill my eyes and roll down my cheeks, brushing them away my fingers came back tinged pink. I sighed and bit my lip as I remembered that vampires cry blood tears. It was going to be difficult knowing that I couldn't call Mel anymore or ride with her to school. I mean, I'd thought about it since I was diagnosed; what my afterlife would be like without Mel joking with me, the smell of her coconut perfume as we hung out or just her bright smile as she tried to give me reasons why my life didn't suck.

I blanked my mind, I didn't want to cry anymore and I didn't want my mourning her to overshadow the fact that I had a new chance at life. As Grandma had once told me, "make the best out of whatever you've got Pumpkin, don't throw away your chances like Kleenex." I pushed back the covers, eyes going to the collage one more time. I decided I needed to get up out of bed and go downstairs before my melancholy destroyed me. So I slid from my bed, upsetting Nora who was trying to clean herself.

I felt a little embarrassed, I was naked and a little worried about who had undressed me until I remembered Julian had to rescue me from the morgue and usually corpses are naked. Curious about how I looked I wandered over to the closet; its doors were made of mirrors. The girl in the mirror was beautiful. She looked like me but a me I'd never seen before, except in my dreams.

My body had become full and lush, healthy. My skin shimmered white like crystal snow. My hair was the same length but it was more vibrant blue black with more bounce and volume. It was my eyes that were the most shocking, they had become a glowing purple, like amethyst.

In the closet were Julian's clothes mixed with mine. I gave a silent yip, this was my boyfriend's room and I had been sleeping in his bed! I'd never been in a boy's room. Before I could continue to feel immature I reached for a pink princess style skirt and matching black velvet top. A few more minutes and I had located my under clothes, a hair brush and was standing in front of the mirror again. As I stood there staring at myself my stomach rumbled in a fierce way.

I smiled sheepishly and placed my hands over where the noise had come from, I glanced at Nora who was looking at me with her pretty eyes.

"I think I'm hungry," she gave me a very duh stare and began to wash her face. Running my tongue over my top teeth I felt the sharpness of the new additions, knowing I'd better feed, I left the safety of the room.

Following the noise of people talking I hurried downstairs. I got to the second floor landing and the people in the living room stopped what they were doing and turned my way. I hadn't made it down two steps when Julian was there.

"You tried to break our bond." Were his first words. He looked angry and I took a step back.

"I didn't want you to get hurt." I bit my lip. He laughed and it was cold and harsh, almost a bark.

"That mortal hurt me? Please, you wouldn't talk to me, you put yourself in danger." The dark shadow I’d seen before crossed his features. I heard a sharp intake of breath and then he was pulled away from me and I saw Antoinette's hand on his shoulder.

"Julian, rein in your anger, she was doing what she thought was right." Julian looked at his mother and the darkness was gone.

"You're right. I' m sorry." He glanced down at his shoes. She smiled at me and went back down the stairs.

"What was that all about?" I asked, still amazed that he'd gotten angry with me.

"What?" He asked.

"That darkness, the anger..." I was puzzled.

"It's the part of me that is truly a monster, and I was afraid for you." He explained.

"A monster?" I questioned.

"We may be just like people, but we do have the ability to do great harm, we are closer to the dark than humans, but my family controls it quite well. I am sorry." Then he was pulling me into his arms and nothing else mattered. His mouth found mine with more passion than he'd ever given me before. I pushed my hands into his hair without the fear