Chapter Three

In the attic of Four Stone Manor, Daryl is still pondering about his predicament. Until events begin to turn more sinister. Also, has Daryl found love?

I cried for what seemed like days, so many questions and so many thoughts were running through my mind. Knowing that my life was going to change forever, knowing that I wouldn’t see my family or friends again made me wish that I could just go back to school tomorrow, and take the beating from Chris.

The rain outside had finally stopped and an eerie fog began to loom over the gardens, swirling around the dead trees and over the water feature. There was no noise, no wind, no mice, no nothing. It was just, silent. I looked around the attic, the moonlight was bouncing off mirrors and other shiny objects, as well as old paintings and so many cardboard boxes.

‘Talk about typical vampires’ I thought to myself whilst looking around the run down attic. I began to smile a little, my own thoughts were cheering me up. I also started to think about what I would do to Chris with my new found ability. I was feeling quite content thinking of happy thoughts until I saw Eve returning from feeding. The black smoke swooped down from the sky and materialised into Eve, the fog was swirling around her legs as she walked towards the house. She stopped half way and swiftly glanced in my direction. I ducked down into a shadow, she knew I was there, I could feel that burning glare against my side. I knew she’d left when the front door slammed shut and the sound of her heels echoed around the house as she walked to her bedroom. I slowly moved back into my place on the window ledge, staring out at the stars.

               

I had no idea what time it was, I must’ve been sat on the ledge for over six hours, my body was going numb from being in the same position for so long. I found a sharp piece of glass and was slowly etching words into the wood of the window frame.

It was nice living in my little dream world in this attic, pretending that life was going brilliantly, that nothing could possibly bring me down. However, I became assertive very quickly of the real world, I heard a noise coming from the other side of the attic. I quickly jolted up and jumped onto the floor, my heart was pounding and I began to feel that same adrenaline rush that I felt the previous day. It’s footstep’s were growing louder and louder as it emerged from the shadows, my heart rate was soaring and my jaw began to hurt. I could feel my eyes expanding and glaring like Eve’s as I tried to focus on the creature that was emerging. The creature ran from the behind the shadows and lunged for me. I ducked down in fear, there was an almighty jaguar’s roar and a thump as the creature hit the floor whimpering.

It took me a while before I gathered up the courage to look up at the aftermath. I slowly began to stand and lower my hood to find a jaguar staring back at me. I couldn’t take my eyes off of it, we stared into each other’s eyes and I had a notion that I knew them from somewhere, but where? My emotion’s where all over the place, I felt scared yet passionate, almost like I fell in love with the eyes of the jaguar. I reached out my hand to touch it and to my surprise it lifted up its paw and placed it gently on my hand.

I could hear footsteps underneath me as the rest of the group were running to see what was going on, the jaguar ran into the shadows and disappeared in black smoke. I looked over at the creature that tried to attack me, it too was cat-like but was whimpering in pain. I know I had changed into a different state, I could feel it, the warm adrenaline filling up my body, my eyes glaring and my jaw hurting. I still felt emotions, the darkness that had taken over my body was being overlooked by compassion for the dying creature. I looked in a piece of broken mirror to see what I have become, I had fangs and my eyes were not the blue I once thought, they were red and twice their normal size. I was still in my vampiric state and I still had my human emotions.

Arcturus, Eve and Tamsin burst through the door to find me over the dying creature stroking its head softly. I didn’t know what to do, I couldn’t put it out of its misery, I didn’t have it in me.

‘What are you doing? Get away from it’ Cried Arcturus from the doorway. Eve had already barged passed both Arcturus and Tamsin and heading my way. She pushed me viciously away from the creature and quickly stabbed it with a dagger through the heart. It’s cry was horrible, it echoed throughout the house and then disappeared into silence. Tamsin rushed over and put her arm around me stroking me gently.

‘Are you ok?’ She said softly

‘Yeah’ I replied. She knew I was lying, my voice was quivering and my whole body was shaking.

‘What was that? That...that creature?’ I asked hoping that they’d tell me straight. Felix had just barged in and ran to the other side of me making sure I was alright.

‘What’s going on? I heard banging and animal cries up here’ Felix was worried, he could tell that I was scared as he put his arms around me also.

‘Drayton’s wolves’ replied Arcturus with a worried tone. The attic fell silent once more. I wanted to ask who and what was Drayton and why his wolves were after me, however the awkward silence told me not to.

‘We all better go and rest’ demanded Tamsin in her usual warm tone.

 

Tamsin lead me to my new room and left me at the door with a gentle kiss on the forehead. My room was strangely nothing like the rest of the house, granted it was still dark and dingy, but the walls were a royal red and it had a carpet with no broken glass to be seen. The huge four-poster bed in the centre loomed over me and was just inviting me to sleep within its red silk sheets.

I washed my face in the basin in my room and glanced into the mirror, I’d turned back to normal, my eyes were a normal size and colour, my fangs had shrunk back to their original size, I felt a lot better.

Lying in my new bed was amazing, it was so comfy. The silk sheets brushed against my naked torso like the wind on a warm day, and my head sunk into the pillows as if they were clouds. I was starting to get to sleep when there was a faint knock on the door. I sat up pulling the sheet up to my neck and leaning against the back-board.

‘Come in’ I said quietly. The door creaked open and Felix’s head appeared from behind the door.

‘Hey, can I come in?’ He questioned, I was tired and really wanted to sleep, but his smile was so warming and I could’ve used some company.

‘Yeah sure, I guess I could do with talking to someone’ I answered trying not to make it sound like I had no choice. Felix slowly moved his body through the door holing a tray. The door slammed and he glared at it. I laughed quietly as he walked over to my bed and sat at the end, placing the tray next to me.

‘Thought you might be hungry, you never ate at dinner’. I took a bite out of the sandwich he’d kindly made me and had a sip of the water. I just wanted to drink the whole glass in one go I was that thirsty.

‘Thank you’ I said wiping the crumbs away from my mouth.

‘Are you feeling okay now?’ He asked looking down at the bed.

‘Yeah’ I replied and nodded.

‘Just a lot to take in, not being able to see my family when I know they’re only two streets away’ I started to cry again. I could feel a tear rolling over my cheek and then a cold finger wiping it away. I lifted my head and Felix gazed into my eyes. That’s it, I recognised the eyes of the jaguar.

‘You...you’re the jaguar’ I was shocked, I didn’t know what to do. Firstly I’d fallen in love with an animal, and now found out that the animal is Felix. I couldn’t stop looking into his eyes, his hand covered mine on the bed. He came closer to me and whispered into my ear.

‘You are my bond, because I bit you and transformed you, I feel your pain and feel your fear’. This was even more to take in. It did explain how he knew I was going to be attacked and why he saved me.

This just added to the confusion, I couldn’t love him could I? I’m not homosexual. But I couldn’t help but feel love for him. He let go of my hand and stood up still gazing into my eyes.

‘I’ll let you get some rest’ he said in a soft voice. He took the empty tray and softly kissed me on the cheek. Felix walked out of the room and I fell back onto my pillow. I couldn’t sleep all night, constant thoughts were flooding my mind. Thoughts of what is happening? Why am I here? What have I become? But the biggest was thoughts of Felix.