I know that I didn’t hit my head in a kitchen. Kai attacked me in the woods when I cut my wrist. I had stitches to prove it. I picked up both my wrist and gasped. There were absolutely no stitches in either wrist. Maybe I did just imagine it. Hunter walked over to my table so I shoved the paper from Logan into my desk. I would tell him later and ask Logan if this really happened. I turned to Hunter and smiled. He raised one eyebrow and grabbed the paper from in my desk. I groaned and he laughed then walked off with the paper. There went my chances. The bell rang and we all took our seats. Mr. David came in happier then usual.
“Class I have a special announcement. We get the chance to be detectives today. We are taking a fieldtrip to a real murder scene downtown. You are to be paired into partners now lets go out to the bus.”
There was a loud moan from the class and we all dragged our feet to the door one after the other. Hunter grabbed my hand and took me to the front of the line. When we got on the bus he sat by me and Miki gave him a dirty look.
“Hey Claire want to be my partner?”
“Sure if I can have my note back.”
“Sure thing Ms. Claire.”
He dug into his pocket and put the paper in my hand. The bus jerked and then we were on our way to some foreign murder scene. I could see that Hunter was trying to force himself to talk to me so I decided to start off the conversation.
“Do you think there will be blood I can’t stand blood it makes me dizzy.”
He turned to look at me then turned his whole body to face me.
“Maybe the case was a shooting in the house. We get to go in and everything!”
“You seem really excited about this. I’m sure Kai would have loved this.”
Hunter rolled his eyes.
“He would love this wouldn’t he. Too bad he is sick today.”
“Yah I guess.” I could hear the sudden disappointment in my voice.
Hunter looked down and played with his fingers probably trying to change the subject away from Kai.
“Do you know what that note was about? I know I didn’t hit my head in a kitchen.”
He laughed and looked up.
“You probably didn’t do anything to your head. She just needed some excuse to write a note that made no sense.”
“Does she do that often?”
“Yah pretty much. A lot lately. She has some things she needs to get used to.”
The bus came to a stop in front of a house that had to be a couple hundred years old at the least. The roof looked like it had collided into the second story and the attic. Why would they let a bunch of high school kids in this torn down place? There were cop cars parked in front of the house but there was just enough room for us to go into. We all got out of the bus and Hunter grabbed my hand. His skin was blazing hot. I pulled my hand out of his and rubbed it. Mr. David organized the groups and stood in the front.
“You are to explore this house and meet me back in a half hour. Please be careful and get some clues! Have fun!”
Everyone rushed into the cold dark house holding hands. I heard some girls squeal and giggle at how dark it was. I felt Hunter’s warm hand in mine and him pulling me to the broken staircase.
“I know where the body is -do you want to see it?”
“I guess.”
My voice was shaky and I heard Hunter laughing to himself. We walked up the staircase and into a bedroom. I screamed. On the floor there was a gun and blood everywhere. There was a girl about twenty lying on the floor with her hands sprawled out. Hunter let go of my hand and knelt beside the body. He twisted her fingers together then walked back to me wiping his hands on his pants.
“She killed herself. Her neighbor came in because he heard a gunshot. Someone called the cops and they saw her neighbor looking at the gun. They suspected that he killed her and now he is in court.”
I felt my chin drop. “How do you know that?!”
He smiled and laughed. “My grandpa was a cop. He taught me how to figure this stuff out. Let’s go back and tell Mr. David.”
He grabbed my arm with the hand he didn’t touch the body with. As we walked out of the room I heard him say ‘I thought he was learning to control himself’ under his breath. When we got back out to Mr. David he was talking to a couple of cops and pointing to the roof. Hunter tapped Mr. David’s shoulder.
“We know everything that happened.” He sounded so official. I felt a pang of jealousy.
“Do you now?” Mr. David said surprised.
Hunter explained the whole thing and y now all the cops were gathered around us. They nodded their heads and clapped when he was finished. We got to sit on the hood of the police car until the other kids were finished. I guess I could make the best out of this moment.
“Hey Hunter what is everyone talking about when they say ‘Logan has some things to get used to‘?”
“I’ll tell you sometime I promise.”
He didn’t sound that convincing. “Fine but you have to.”
“Sure thing. And I have some suggestions for you.”
“What?”
“Don’t where a stomach shirt to school.”
“Why? I’m not fat or anything! That’s just offensive Hunter!”
“Just not when your around Kai or his brothers. His sisters are fine.”
“Why are you telling me this?”
“Precautions. It’s necessary.”
“They are perfectly nice. Except for the time when I was in the woods but I don’t even know if that was real or not.”
“You were alone with the Pattinsons!”
I swear I heard fear in his voice. “What is your problem?”
“When did you get a chance to be alone with them.”
“It was just Kai. And it was the morning after the night I tried to kill you. You were there remember. My wrist was bleeding and everything.”
“No I don’t remember.” He was shaking.
“You have to! I know it happened! I know it did!”
I felt tears in my eyes and I tried to blink them away.
“Get a hold of yourself Claire your acting like a child!”
“I know it happened but know on will believe me! It happened and you know it!” The tears were coming down faster now.
“If I say I believe you will you stop crying?”
I shook my head no and put my face in my knees. I heard a few whispers and a warm hand on my head.
“Stop it Hunter.” My voice was just a mumble from in between my knees. I heard a musical laugh and felt my hair being tossed around.
“I warned you about the crazy fantasies.”
I looked up and saw Logan beside me on the wide hood of the car. She wiped my tears away and held my face in her hands.
“You hit your head really hard.”
“Why won’t you believe me, I didn’t hit my head! I was attacked in the woods!” My voice was dry and crackly from crying.
“Nothing happened in the woods, Claire. You hit your head.”
“Kai attacked me in the woods when I cut my wrist!” I was getting angrier every second.
“Kai doesn’t like you that much he wouldn’t be anywhere near you.”
“He stayed the night in my room and the following morning attacked me! You, James, and Hunter were all there in the clearing. And why are you even here? Leave me alone!”
I dropped my head back on my knees and pulled my hair down like a curtain. I heard Mr. David’s voice and I walked over to the bus. Logan sat down next to me and Hunter sat by Miki. I pulled my curtain back down and looked out the window. Logan stroked my hair the whole ride back to school. When we got back it was time for lunch. I sat next to Miki and Catherine who pounded me with questions. I looked over at the Pattinson table seeing that they were all gone except for Clide, Will, and Logan. They were all staring at me and as usual not eating a thing. I felt my cheeks getting warm and pulled my hair down for a curtain. The bell rang and they all left out the front door. The rest of the class went by slowly and as always I was over joyed to be home. I fell asleep and went to school the next morning. None of the Pattinsons were there. It followed for the whole week and it worried me. Even though I knew nothing about them I felt connected to them, especially Kai. Sadness flooded me the whole week they were gone. I thought I would kill myself if I couldn’t see their faces one more time. I sighed with relief when I saw the black Mustang in it’s rightful spot gleaming over everyone else’s. They all got out of the car like angels. I almost fell out of my car trying to get a better look. Paige glared at me and Kai just rubbed her arm. I walked into the building slower than usual and I could feel their eyes on my back while walking in. I walked into Mr. David’s class with Kai in his seat next to mine. I sat down and felt that something was different. I looked over at him. He wasn’t sitting up like usual but leaning as far away as possible from me that the table would allow him. He was gripping the table with one hand and the other was in his pocket. He occasionally glanced at me from the corner of his eyes. But would instantly look back down at the worksheet passed out and would grip the table harder. When class was over he was out of the room before I grabbed my bag. When I walked out of the classroom he was at his locker staring at me with thunderous eyes. I blushed scarlet for no reason and went to my locker. He walked over to me and grabbed my arm. He dragged me out of the school and outside. I looked around confused but he never stopped walking. When we got to a dry river bed he jumped in and dragged me in too. There were rocks and trees everywhere.
“Lay down on the floor.” Kai was talking through his teeth.
“What?!”
“Do it now, Claire.”
I laid down on the floor.
“Now close your eyes.”
I didn’t want to get yelled at again so I did as he said. I heard him walk off and I opened my eyes again. He was dragging rocks over to where I was laying. He picked me up and set me on the biggest one picking up my arms and looking at them, then my legs, then face.
“This will be easier than I thought.”
He smiled to himself and before I could comment grabbed my arm and flipped me into another rock. There were voices in my head saying it would be fine and I would live and possible things I could do to escape but I was too stunned to make any sense out of it. Kai grabbed my arm again and pulled me to a tree in the middle of the dry bed. He grabbed my neck and slammed me into the tree. I heard snaps but I couldn’t tell if it was from me or the tree. He grabbed my legs and I fell onto the dirt floor crying and screaming. He traced my wrist with his fingers and crushed it in his fist. I couldn’t build up a scream so I just cried more and more. He knelt down onto the floor beside me and traced my neck and collarbone shaking his head. He put his mouth on my collarbone and their was a sharp pain. I looked around the dry bed hoping to see Hunter, Logan, and James like in the woods but know one was in sight. The tears blurred my sight and the pain in my neck got worst. I took one last look at the dry bed wondering why I had let Kai drag me out here to hurt me. I looked slowly and saw Paige kneeling beside a rock. She looked over at me and ran down the slope. She was in the river bed and pulling Kai off me faster than I thought was possible.
“Are you ok? Like I should care- but are you?” I could tell she had a problem with being nice to me.
It took me a while to find my voice. “I don’t know but this isn’t the first time this has happened. Just this time was a lot more painful.”
“How did he get you here?”
“I was at my locker and he grabbed my arm and pulled me out here.”
“And why didn’t you scream?”
“Because I was too stunned”
“Well your safer now at least until Kai finds you again.”
I looked around trying to see where he was. I tried to get to my feet tired of laying down but I couldn’t. Paige picked me up and walked off towards school.
“Your going to take me back to the school!?”
“Yes I am going to get Logan and Hunter to take you to the hospital.”
“Fine.”
I didn’t say anything while Paige got Logan and Hunter to take me to the hospital. Hunter picked me up and put me in the car while Logan got in the driver’s seat. We were at the hospital in five minutes with Logan’s insane driving. I had a broken wrist, leg, and arm. I had to get stitches in my neck too. They let me go home though. At least I wouldn’t be at school even if I did have to explain this to Debbie. I went back to school the following week and just told everyone I got hit by a car. I got occasional support from Hunter on this. When I got back to my house I went into my room. I turned the lights on and screamed. Kai was lying on my bed reading a book. He dropped it and covered my mouth with his hands.
“Why are you in my room?” I was shaking now.
“I thought you would want me here.”
“You tried to kill me Kai! Why would I want you here after that?”
“Look I’m sorry about that.”
“You almost killed me!”
He grabbed my arm and walked me to the bed.
“I hate you get away from me!”
“Calm down, Claire!”
He gabbed my neck and hit me against the wall then dropped me back on the bed.
“I’m sorry, Claire.”
“Get out of my house!”
“No, I have to tell you something.”
“Then tell me already and don’t touch me!”
He rolled his eyes. “You know I’m not normal right?”
“Yes.”
“Well I want you to know what I am but I can’t tell you so you have to guess.”
“Fine but I want hints.”
“No hints.”
“How am I supposed to guess then?”
“You’re smart you’ll find a way.”
“Can I ask one question?”
“Sure”
“How did you get in here?”
“The window.”
I looked at the window that was locked. It was wide open with the wind flaring in from it. I shook not realizing before how cold it was. I got under the blankets still shaking from the cold.
“Can I ask one question?” It was hard to understand myself under the heavy winter blankets.
“Sure but just one.”
“Ok, so how are you so strong?” I reached out my hand to stroke his arm but he pulled back fast. Unnaturally fast.
“It’s just natural now no more questions.”
“One more?”
“Fine.”
“Why don’t you like water?”
“Well….We do like water it’s just not really swimming that we adore.”
“Don’t lie to me.”
“When you figure me out I will tell you why.”
“I’m going to figure it out now then.”
I grabbed my blue laptop from off the bed table and put it in my shaking lap. I flipped it on and turned on the internet. I didn’t notice Kai come back and sit next to me but he was there.
“What are you doing?”
“Figuring out what you are.”
“You can’t use the computer you have to be creative.”
“Well I’m using it anyways.”
“Guess first.”
“Fine are you…..a spy?”
“A spy?! Really is that the only thing you could think of!”
“You didn’t tell me good or bad.”
“Well in your recent condition I thought you would of figured it out.”
“Bad then?”
“Yes, I’m bad.”
“Are you….the joker?”
“I said be creative! The joker is not that creative!”
“Can I please use the internet?”
“If it will help you get more creative.”
I typed in everything I knew about Kai but that wasn’t much. Clicked enter and waited for results. When it finally went through there were absolutely no results. I changed some of the words and got three results. Monsters dictionary, Monsters of the Past, and just plain Monsters. I looked back up at Kai.
“You’re a monster?”
“Yes, I’m a monster you should of figured that out without the computer though.”
I frowned and clicked on the first link. I read every single monster on the page but no one fit Kai. I clicked the second and then the third but nothing fit him. I was about to give up when I remembered the woods and how he attacked me. I added that to the search bar too and clicked enter. I got another three results. Demons, Devils, and Myths About Monsters. I looked at Kai and clicked the first link. There was a drop down list of demons but none fit Kai either. I clicked on the next but it was just a lot of long and confusing stories. The third had to be it. I slowly clicked it and there was another drop down list. I went through all of them but only three fit him. I was getting tired of the threes. They were werewolves, vampires, and devils. I read each one slowly and gasped at what I thought may be right. I turned to look at Kai and I backed up hitting my head on the wall.
“You’re a vampire?! That can’t be possible!”
“Yes it is.”
“No…no.. .it’s… not.” I stuttered