Chapter 36 — Injected
Vanessa’s POV:
Vanessa’s mouth went dry. She looked up at Malik, not recognizing the monster behind his eyes. “Malik…please. What are you doing?”
“I’m going to reinvent you.” Malik snarled as he bore his fangs and lunged at her. With Vanessa’s newfound strength, she was able to push him off and run for the door. He grabbed her by the hair, she screamed out as the sharp, electric pain surged through her and she was thrown back against the wall, crashing to the floor, landing on her stomach. Malik went up to her, pulled her up, and from behind, he sank his teeth into the throbbing vein of her neck.
The teeth felt like sharp razors going in, and her blood, none was being drank. No…Something was going into her veins, so cold it burned. She felt the sensation go all the way to her heart. Then the teeth were ripped from her neck. She wanted to scream but she couldn’t project anything. She faintly heard growling and crashing in the background. Her vision was blurring, and she swore she saw two Malik’s fighting one another. One began to turn blonde and white, and as the venom hit her arteries, she passed out from pain. The last thing she felt was a strong pair of arms scoop her up and carry her away.
She wasn’t sure how much time passed. Hours? Days? Was she even alive? Did she want to be? She slowly opened her eyes and a warm, friendly face. “Rylie…”
“Welcome back V!” Rylie grinned.
“How long was I out now?” Vanessa asked as she rubbed her head.
“Just a few hours.”
“How did I get out of there?”
Rylie gave her a water bottle and plopped down on the bed beside her, “I was on my way. But Malik…he beat me there. The Malik you met last night…”
“Wasn’t him…” Vanessa sighed as she ran a hand through her hair. “Where is he now?”
“The imposter or the love of your life?”
Vanessa shot her a glare, “Both.”
“The imposter was Alec. Malik came in and fought him. He brought you back here, but he figured you wouldn’t want to see him so…he left.”
Vanessa didn’t bother hiding the disappointment on her face. Malik…her Malik came for her last night. Without so much as knowing where she was or what she was doing. Things were still too far unclear. How was there an imposter when she was sure she spoke to her Malik on the phone? If there was one thing last night taught her, it was that to save both, she had to trust her gut.
“If it helps, he kissed your forehead.”
Vanessa placed a hand on her forehead and sighed. Oh, how she missed him. But she needed to be sure of things. She needed to save Byron, save him, and kill Alec and Alfred. “Rylie…Malik…or Alec…bit me last night.”
“I know, Malik came in and pulled him away from you.”
Vanessa shook her head, “No Rylie, he wasn’t feeding from me. Malik once explained to me there’s a difference between biting to feed and biting to inject. I felt something go through my veins last night. It was in my heart by the time Malik pulled him away.”
Rylie looked confused and visibly shaken, “You’re in transition then.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means you’re becoming a vampire.”
Vanessa shook her head vigorously, “No…we have to make it stop! How do we make it stop?!”
“I don’t think we can Vanessa. I honestly don’t know what to do. I’ve never heard of a hunter being turned into a vampire. I don’t know what that entails. You weren’t human when they bit you because hunters are supernatural too.”
Vanessa’s eyes started moving as the wheels in her head began turning. “If I was supernatural, maybe I won’t be a vampire…”
Rylie shrugged and looked at her with guilt in her eyes that she couldn’t help her. “Well, it’s been hours and the venom was in your heart. How are you feeling?”
Vanessa shrugged, “I feel…normal I guess.”
“How does a bottle of water sound?”
“Amazing.”
“That’s a good sign, your bottle is right there. Try some and see how you feel.”
Vanessa looked over at the water bottle and opened it, taking a long swig. Maybe she was just that thirsty, but it was the most refreshing thing in the world at the moment. Vampires didn’t drink water, did they?
Rylie watched her guzzle the water and sighed with relief, “Well, you definitely enjoyed that.”
Vanessa nodded, “Yes, I did. Now I could use some breakfast.”
“How does a bacon gouda sandwich from the coffee shop across the street sound?”
“Let me get changed and let’s go get it.”
Rylie nodded as Vanessa raided her closet once more, “We are going to have to go clothes shopping you know.”
“Or do laundry.” Vanessa teased.
“Yeah…you up for washing my clothes constantly?”
“Alright, alright.” Vanessa laughed and pulled a tee shirt from the closet. “So, what do we do about my getting bitten?”
Rylie shrugged, “Honestly V, all we can do is watch and observe.”
“I don’t want to be a vampire. At least not by Alec or Alfred’s doing.”
Rylie arched a brow, “So you would consider it?”
Vanessa shrugged out of the red dress and threw it in the trash, “Hey, we paid good money for that.” Rylie protested.
“And I wore it on one of the shittiest nights of my life and I got bitten and have to endure the anxiety of mystery side effects until I know what’s going to happen. This dress is garbage.”
“Okay, fair enough. Now back to this vampire thing.”
“Look I…thought about it. How maybe it would just make things easier if I was one.”
“What makes you want to be one?”
Vanessa tugged a pair of jean shorts on, “Well, Byron is one…and…”
“Malik is one?”
“Well, you know, being around immortal beings sort of makes you question your existence. If I stay human, what am I really going to do with my life? The second I got on that plane; a normal life was left behind. I can’t be normal anymore. I can’t go on, get married, and have kids. Not while Byron’s a vampire, he wouldn’t be able to have a relationship with my kids. And Malik…”
“You keep stopping at Malik.”
“I love him, okay? I am in love with Malik Cromwell, but right now I’m in do or die mode.”
Rylie nodded, “I get it. Here’s my question to you. Are you heartbroken that you can’t have a normal life after meeting Malik?”
Vanessa looked at her and shook her head, “No…”