Chapter 5 ∣  Emotional

-Maverick

My forearm rests against the car armrest, leaning my chin against the palm of my hand. Tapping my fingertips against the side of my face, my eyes gaze out at the flying trees around us, the speed at which we are going isn't exactly within the limit it should be. Then again, Orion and Cristela live out further from most of the other vampires, not staying within coven walls. As they were once hunters, turned, they feel they truly won't fit in.

Orion is just like my grandmother...identical even. They are hunters, born with the ability to control blood magic, eventually turned into a vampire, but the reasons behind their turning are still a mystery. Beyond that, I really don't know much about their real lives before becoming vampires, my family hides that secret well from us children.

Why are we even driving?

I've never been driven anywhere before. It isn't something vampires really do that often as if we need to get somewhere, why not just use our inhuman speed to get there? Instead, I'm sitting in awkward silence, my eyes glancing to see Orion's pitch-black hair, his dark clothes cladding his body.

Perhaps, driving is a way to hold onto what humanity he used to have before becoming a vampire? Eh, I don't see what the big deal is, why wouldn't someone want to live forever and have all the power that we do?

"Things really got out of hand again, Maverick?" Orion's voice breaks the silence. I roll my eyes and just turn my attention back to the window, seeing everything pass us by like my life seems to be doing so.

I kick the lower part of the passenger seat absentmindedly, thinking about everything my grandfather had spoken to me about Tamsin. Maybe one day I'll understand more...if I'm ever allowed to come home. Maybe Zak and Rainier are right...what if they make me stay with these two? I do like them, they are a nice break from the normal life within the coven walls.

"Maverick?" Orion asks again, this time much firmer.

"What?" I ask, keeping my eyes away from his as they search the back seat through the rear-view mirror.

Orion sighs, "You can't keep fighting with your father."

"I can't help it," my voice trails off, a moment of tears coming to my eyes. I really don't want to cause any conflict, but it appears that each time I try harder to be better, it throws me one giant step in the direction of screwing everything up, "It doesn't help I can't control my actions."

"We'll work on that," Orion states, thinking he's already fixed me. I'm not broken, I don't need fixing, I just need to be shown the right path.

"Are we there yet?" I complain, uncomfortable for sitting too long in such a small confining place, nearly out of the dense forest that had surrounded either side of the road. My answer is returned when I see the sign for Wells B.C., I must have fallen asleep way back when we had crossed into Canada.

I'm a long way from home, just how my father likes it. It's remote towns up as far north as we are, less chance of me ever hurting someone while Orion tries to reign in my abilities. We pass by several houses, people are far and few, mostly hunters by the looks of them and their penetrating white irises that gaze back at the car.

Oh...I feel so very welcome here...

"Orion..." I hesitate, watching a few of the hunters glare at me, knowing a vampire is riding within the car. Yea, they aren't allowed to kill without a just cause, but some, if not all hunters, still have resentment in their blood. One might never admit it, but it's there, I can see it as clear as the full moon hanging in the dark sky.

These hunters must still like Orion...even after he became a vampire a long time ago. Trust is something not bought but earned—it takes years to build and seconds to shatter.

The car comes to a halt and so did my heart, lifting my arm off the armrest and glancing toward the driver's seat, Orion glancing back at me stating, "You're fine here Maverick. No one is going to hurt you."

Out of the corner of my eye, I see a hunter whispering to another and eyes narrowing at me. Oh, sure...why don't you tell them that...I can't see this ending well...ha-ha—Wells—ha-ha...

I nod, Orion opening his door and stepping out of the car, my hand reaching for the door latch, breathing out and then in as I calm my nerves. I open the door, exiting the vehicle reluctantly. Closing it behind me, Orion takes my bags from the car trunk, walking past me and asking, "Are you coming? You were so antsy to get out of the car, now you want to stand beside it all night?"

"No..." I grumble, kicking the dirt beneath my feet and quickly following behind Orion as he makes his way up the steps to his home, nearing the door and setting my bags down. While he opens the front door, I glance around me, feeling the cool breeze blow through my hair, my eyes scanning beyond the small town, taking in everything. The trees in the distance provide a secluded shelter, keeping this area away from outsiders' eyes.

"Maverick!" I hear her voice before seeing her bright smile, Cristela standing in the open doorway as Orion is inside the house. She's always so kind and genuine, almost overly nice like she has been hurt. When I run up the stairs, halting in front of her as she states, "You've grown so much, how are you, sweetheart?"

"Swell," I wish I were here on better terms. I feel like I'm just being thrown away and now I'm Orion and Cristela's problem. I don't want to be a burden to them, but once Orion heard about everything, he insisted on allowing me to get away to cool off and continue my training.

Cristela backs away from the doorway, saying, "I made dinner if you're hungry."

"No dinner, not yet," Orion walks back down the stairs from inside the house, motioning me out and onto the front porch. Let down, I was hoping to have some type of relaxing evening after everything that had happened recently.

"Orion, right now?" Cristela asks, confusion on her face, but she closes the door behind her, sitting on the front porch steps as Orion walks off down the pathway with me hot on his heels.

"Yes, Cris, right now. He's emotional, I want to see exactly how he handles his ability with being already unstable," Orion declares, thinking it's a good idea to poke the beast.

Talk about me like I'm not even here...thanks, guys. Hunters gather nearby, Orion turning around and looking down at me. I stare back up at him, waiting for whatever it is he wants me to do.

Orion presses his thumb against his right fang, nicking it and drawing blood. It drips down and onto the ground, Orion's once white irises shifting to a crimson red and I know then, he isn't going to stop until one of us gives up. The blood forms into a type of whip, drawing it back quickly and snapping it in front of my face.

I didn't think he'd hurt me, but the blood slices my cheek, my blood trickling down and off my chin. Glaring back at him, I snarl, "What the hell?!"

I touch the blood that runs down my cheek, Orion pulling back the blood whip and letting it soar through the air again. It strikes the back of my hand, my eyes shifting to a black rose, my fangs elongating, anger shifting as I feel my blood boiling. A spark ignites in the center of my chest, the blood that had been trickling onto the ground stops in midair.

Orion's blood whip strikes against my ribs, tearing my shirt and flesh. My eyes widen, and I lose concentration, the blood I have control over falls to the ground.

"Come on Maverick, if you're too emotional, you can't control anything," Orion narrows his eyes, recoiling the blood whip.

"You're just making me angrier..." I spit back, feeling the connection once again and drawing the blood up into the air, letting it swirl around me, ready to shield his attack.

"And?" Orion challenges, "Your mother killed six coven leaders, two of which were out to kill her at the same time. She faced down death and pushed past letting her emotions get the best of her, controlling her blood magic to work in her favor."

"I'm not my mother..." I retort.

"But you can be. She has the most heart I've ever seen out of a vampire. Her blood flows through your veins," Orion sighs, getting ready to send the blood whip my way once again.

The blood that floats around me comes to a sudden halt, thinning it out and creating a dome shield once the blood whip almost contacts my body. It stops it, using the shield to repel the oncoming attack.

"So, does my father's," I shift the shield into a spear, flicking my wrist and sending it directly at Orion's chest.

When it is about to hit Orion, he throws his free hand up, stopping the spear and keeping it under his control, "Nice try, but not good enough yet."

I'll never be good enough.

My temper flares and the blood splices, exploding and sending shards in separate directions.

"Maverick!" Orion yells, put quickly drops the blood whip, throwing both his hands into the air and closing his eyes. Every drop is under his control, down to the last one that accidentally almost impales one of the hunters nearby. She takes a shaky step back, her eyes shifting back and forth in fear. I breathe in and out, clenching and unclenching my fists, trying to relax, but it is hard to come down after getting so worked up.

Orion lets the blood fall like rain onto the ground, his footsteps growing louder until he is right in front of me. I flinch when he kneels in front of me, meeting my eye level with his.

"Don't let your emotions get the best of you..." Orion whispers, whipping the blood away from my cheek, his eyes reverting back to their piercing white orbs, "...you'll regret it and end up hurting someone you wish you hadn't."

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The Rogue Pureblood Vampire by K. A. Young.

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