I coughed up the last bite of cereal I had taken and suddenly all eyes were on me.
“Woah, you okay, dude?” Bill asked with concern.
Oh, no. Not now. Not here.
“Yeah, I think I’m just hungover. Where’s your bathroom?” I said with urgency.
George pointed to the staircase. His gaze narrowed, but I had no time to analyze him.
I broke free from Greyson and shot up from my chair. I clutched my stomach as a wave a nausea hit me. When I reached the bathroom, I slammed the door shut and locked myself inside. My throat began to burn as breakfast and last night’s dinner was making its way back up my esophagus.
"It’s just a hangover, Maddy. Normal people get them all the time." I spat what was left of my bile into the toilet and flushed.
Crap. I needed to call Dee. I couldn’t take any chances. I patted my pockets to try and find my phone, only to remember that George had taken it away from me last night.
I heard the doorknob jiggle and head twisted behind me.
"Hey Maddy, it's Bill are you alright? You’ve been in there for quite a while."
A while? It couldn’t have been more than five minutes.
Unless… No, this wasn’t good. I was already starting to space out. I had to get them out of here.
Before I could muster up an excuse there was loud scuffling from behind the door followed by loud banging.
"Move it Bill. Maddy it’s me please open the door." Greyson knocked gently on the door.
"Watch it Vasiliev, don't shove Bill again." I heard George growl.
"George, as surprising as it is to hear you care for someone other than yourself, I don’t need you trying to protect me."
"I'm fine." I said failing to keep my voice stable. All their worrying and bickering was not helping my situation. I needed them to leave. "It must’ve been something I ate. I'll be out soon. I have to go to work soon anyways, so you guys don’t need to stick around."
Hopefully I could convince them to leave and then they would be safe. I turned away from the toilet and pressed my back against the shower door. My vision started to dull, but I did my best to stay focused. It was just a hangover, after all.
"We're not leaving until we know you're okay." Bill stated. Crap, Bill, why are you such a nice guy.
I pressed my knees into my chest and grabbed my scalp. The pain in my head was getting worse. I need help. What do I do? What do I do?
"Maddy just open the door." Greyson sounded anxious.
“Maddy!” Greyson called again, only this time it was filled with more urgency.
I blinked a few times and wiped the back of my hand against my lips. When did I start drooling? Panic started to rise in my chest. This time there was no denying it. Time had passed and I wasn’t aware of it.
Phase one had begun.
I needed Dee. I needed help.
“Help me,” I squeezed my eyes shut.
“Get up, and find a way out.”
My eyes snapped open. There was no one else in the room and the voice didn’t belong to the boys outside the room.
“Get up, no one else is going to help you, but yourself.” The voice was strong and assertive.
I tried to stand up, but kept stumbling. My hand grabbed onto the sink and I barely managed to keep my legs from buckling under me.
I smiled when I saw a sunlight streak through the shower door. There was a small window just barely big enough to fit my body. It was weird trying to climb through the opening. I knew I was the one doing, but it felt like I wasn't really in control of my body.
I growled.
Phase two: Losing control
I needed to hurry up and leave before things got any worse.
"Screw it, Maddy I'm coming in!" I heard a simple click and the door swung open.
Luckily for me, I was already out the window. My back pressed hard against the wall of the condo. Greyson popped his head out and the first thing I noticed was his scent.
“If you can smell him, he can smell you.” The voice was back. I wanted to believe I was just hearing things, that he was just part of the break down, but he was telling the truth.
Greyson took one sniff of the air and looked down at me. My breathing got heavier and my once hazy vision became clear once more. When I looked up at Greyson, I no longer saw him as that weird guy I made out with a few hours ago, but as a threat.
With the last of my will I started running. And boy, did it feel good to run!
Phase three: Adrenaline rush
"Maddy!" I heard Greyson shout from behind me.
His long legs made it easier for him to run, but I wasn’t about to let him catch up to me. I cut through yards, jumped over fences, and dodged cars on the street, yet even that didn’t slow him down. Eventually, the name he was calling didn't sound like my own and that only meant I was approaching the final phase.
I made up the phases as warning to myself, to get somewhere safe and isolated so, nobody else could get hurt. Dee always knew the best places to take me, like an abandon building or a toolshed. Yet, she wasn’t here and if I didn’t find a safe spot soon, I would be endangering everyone. I found myself in the woods of someone’s back yard. I could see the backs of other houses through the trees, it would have to do.
I closed my eyes.
There is a moment before all chaos would ensue, where I feel completely relaxed. Like all the problems I had ever bottled up were released and I was free. I took a deep breath, letting the darkness inside me take control.
Phase four: The monster.
My moment of freedom never arrived.
I was suddenly thrashed to the side and tackled to the ground. Shit, I was so focus on my final thoughts that I forgot about Greyson. He grabbed my hands and placed them over my head before straddling me.
"What the hell Maddy!?"
"Get off of me!" I yelled, struggling beneath him. I managed to get one of my hands free and scratch him across the face.
Blood trailed my fingertips and I looked up at Greyson. Three gashes streaked down his cheek. For some strange reason, my heart felt like it was being ripped in half and I wanted to lick his wound.
Greyson grabbed his cheek and seethed in pain.
I kicked him off of me and I growled.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it." I scooched away from him until my back hit a tree. "You should just stay away from me."
I stood up and pulled off my shirt. My body was getting hot and my shirt felt scratchy on my skin. I tried running away from him, but Greyson's arms snaked around from behind me.
"Not getting away from me this time you little mutt." Greyson squeezed my body like a tube of tooth paste. I shoved him into a tree and his back slid down the bark. However, he never released his grip so, I was forced to sit down as well.
"Let go of me! Let go of me!" I shouted thrashing my legs.
Greyson just held on tighter causing me to be crushed against his chest.
"Would you calm down. You're just having a tantrum." I couldn’t calm down. Greyson was going to die in a matter of minutes because of me.
"Seriously you don't understand! I don't have much time left." My breathing had gone back to normal and I felt like the calm before the storm.
"Seriously, I do." Greyson nuzzled his face in the crook between my head and shoulders. "You’re going to be okay."
He was trying to make relax. But that was the problem, I was relaxed, too relaxed.
I could feel my troubles slipping away from me and fear bubbled inside me. I bit Greyson as hard as I could on his arm. He let out a grunt, but didn't let go. I felt the flesh between my teeth break and blood pooled into my mouth.
My eyes shot open as Greyson’s incredible scent turned into a liquid. I hadn't really processed the fact that I was drinking his blood, like he was juice box. I stopped thrashing all together.
"What the hell Maddy! Stop feeding off of me!" Greyson banged his chin on top of my head, but I wouldn't budge.
"No!" I growled.
"Are you kidding me?" Greyson said as he shifted our positions. He put me in a head lock before throwing me face down in the dirt and straddling me once more.
I started to kick and hit him again.
I hate him he should let me drink more!
"Okay either you shift completely, or you turn back into old Maddy, I don't like the in between version of you."
"No!" I tried to bite him, but he managed to dodge me.
"No, what?"
"I -I don't know, I've never stalled for this long!” I said having a moment of clarity. “Some of the things I'm doing and saying are out of my control!"
"Then shift already!"
"Why do you keep saying shift?! Why are you not afraid of me?" I huffed.
"After your little tantrum is over, I'll explain the whole thing. For now, just focus on shifting." Greyson sighed.
"But, I'm scared!"
"Scared of what? You've done it before I assume."
"I'm scared of hurting you!" I froze.
I couldn't control it any longer.
“Hmm,” Greyson let a breath out through his nose and smiled. “You really know how to make a guy feel special,”
I felt Greyson’s chest vibrate as he chuckled and it helped lull me into the darkness.
~*~
When I awoke, the sun was just about to set and a cool breeze ran down my bare back.
I quickly realized Greyson was no longer on top of me. I sat up and yawned rubbing the sleep of my eyes. I started to push myself off the ground, but when I looked down, I let out a small gasp.
Blood stained both my hands and there was a red trail that my eyes couldn't help following. I let out gruesome scream as I saw Greyson's lifeless body crumpled in the dirt.
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