Kathryn

5

My eyes sprang open and I sat up, pulling air into my lungs.

There was no gentle stirring, no blurry vision and yawns as my body came awake. I wasn't even sleepy.

I simply sat up and restarted.

And that more than anything told me Bastien hadn't been lying. I wasn't a morning person and if I didn't get my naps throughout the day, I was a sheer terror. God help you if you tried to talk to me before I had coffee either.

But I had no urge to seek out coffee or even the need to pee.

I was up and alert.

There was one urge, though.

I was thirsty. It burned worse than yesterday because I knew what could quench this awful thirst. I craved it. I could smell it today.

Somewhere in this house there was blood.

Fresh blood.

Live blood.

And my nose sought it out without my even being aware of it. I found myself pressed up against the bars, my arms outstretched.

I heard hissing.

Then I realized it was me doing the hissing.

Closing my eyes, I heard the steady thump, thump, thump of the heartbeats above my head. They were up there walking around while I was here starving.

I needed to eat.

But I couldn't get out.

I listened to the sound of the force of the blood rushing through their veins and I called out to them, begged them to come to me, to help me.

The door opened and a boy of about sixteen came in. He had a flashlight in one hand and he looked around woodenly. I saw the vein pulsing along his neck, heard the rush of the blood, felt its heat and I reached for him.

Come, I thought. Come closer.

He took a few steps toward me and I smiled, nodding to him.

That's right, just a little closer.

His steps brought him to within touching distance.

"Kathryn, no!"

My fingers had just brushed the tips of his collar when a loud rush of wind hit him, rolling him backwards toward the door and I screamed in rage. No. He was mine!

Bastien shoved the boy out the door and turned to face me, a look of fear and pride mixing in his expression.

I didn't care.

I was hungry and he'd stolen my meal!

"Easy, Katheryn." He walked over to my cell and I grabbed for him, intent on hurting him, but he was just out of reach.

He smirked and I snarled, unable to form words to let him know how angry I was. The only thing that came out of my mouth were noises that sounded more animal than human.

"You shouldn't be awake for another hour yet."

That was my fault?

He shook his head and went through the room the woman disappeared through last night and when he returned, he carried three blood bags with him.

"If you want these, you'll back away from the bars."

I was still pressed so tight against the bars I would probably have a bruise later. The sight of the bags had me all torn up. I needed what was in those clear little plastic bags.