Initiation (8 page)

She was barely awake and getting sleeper by the second, Christian’s blood like a drug that made her so overcome with pleasure that it overloaded her senses. "Now comes the fun part of an elite’s initiation."

"How can it get better?" Addison was feeling so good her whole body tingled in delight, the large grin on her face a sign of pure pleasure.

"It doesn’t." Shaking his head, Christian laughed, his eyes leaving hers and settling on one of his elites.

"
Ooo
….
kay
." Addison smiled at Nicolette and Victoria as they helped her walk on shaky legs.

They made it halfway to the door before an overwhelming sickness came over Addison, her hands shooting to her stomach. Feeling Addison’s muscles tense up under their fingers, Nicolette and Victoria held onto her tighter to keep her from collapsing to her knees. Addison threw up all over the flawless white carpet in front of her, the dark black vomit thick and staining the carpet.

Once Addison started, she couldn’t stop throwing up, and Nicolette and Victoria quickly dragged her out of the room.

Chapter Four

Starving

Only communicating with her friends and family through texts, Addison didn’t tell them about becoming an elite or where she was. Her only answer to their inquiries was that she was moving in with a guy she met and wouldn’t elaborate on the details.

She spent the day after her initiation in bed and threw up any food she tried to consume. Her body had changed, and Addison needed time to adjust to her new status. Her body was rejecting her normal diet, her only craving now for blood. She was still able to eat, but her stomach could only handle very small amounts and it was no longer was satisfying.

Today she was feeling a little better, weak, but better. She wanted to get out of the room she had been in for the past few days, so she decided to walk around the manor and search for her brother.

Wearing a blanket over her thick sweater, Addison’s hair was done up nicely, but her face was pale and she had dark circles under her eyes. She found the room where Josh was repainting one of the parlors on the east side. Holding onto the doorframe, Addison peered in, "Josh? Are you in here?"

"Addison?" Setting down his paint roller, Josh jogged over to her. "What the hell are you do—" Stopping mid-sentence, his face melted into a concerned frown. "What happened to you?"

"I’m fine." Addison forced a smile, leaning up against the wall as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"You’re a donor, aren’t you?" Josh pushed away some hair falling over her shoulder and searched for a bite wound on her neck. He didn’t find one. "I can tell by your complexion." Taking off his hat, Josh nervously let it bounce against his hip. "So your new boyfriend is keeping you at the manor now, huh?" Sighing, Josh shook his head, his worried gaze checking her over. "You know they kill girls like you. Usually after the second bite they toss you, and I’ve never known them to—"

"Don’t worry." Addison laughed, taking a step forward and putting a calm hand on Josh’s shoulder. "No one’s going to kill me." Moving further into the parlor, she looked around at the half-painted walls, a giant white sheet draped over the floor. "So, what are you doing?"

"Working." Josh walked past her and picked up his roller again. As he dipped it in the paint, coating it, his voice was a little stern. "Isn’t that what you’re supposed to be doing today?"

"No." Making a sour face, Addison approached him. "I’m sick today."

"I can see that." Josh forced a sigh, putting the roller on the wall and making long, sweeping strokes with it. "So…who’s the guy?"

Addison didn’t respond, she just watched Josh paint, her eyes following his roller as it scaled up and down the wall slowly.

"Huh?" Josh looked over at her briefly then back at what he was doing. "Addison? Answer me. Who’s the guy?"

Addison crossed her arms over her chest, the blanket bouncing a little as it draped over her forearms. "Master
Vallore
."

"Ha!" Josh faced her as he coated his roller again, "Then you’re definitely getting the axe on the next round."

"Why do you say that?" Addison dipped her finger in the dark red paint in the pan, turning her finger around as she watched it drip down. The sight made her lick her lips involuntarily, Addison’s attention absorbed until Josh's voice made her turn back to him.

"Because…" Josh’s voice was friendly as he spoke, his back to her as he worked. "He’s the one that makes vampires. If he bites you twice than you become an elite, and he doesn’t want that. Elites happen on purpose, not by accident—and both of us,
Addy
—we aren’t elite material."

"
Really
?" Addison chuckled as she took a towel out of Josh’s pants and wiped the paint off her finger.

Josh spun around, taking the cloth from her and putting it back in his jean pocket. "
Yes
, really." Putting his hands on her shoulders, his face took on a more concerned expression, "Why don’t you pick a safer vampire to mess around with, like a scavenger or something. Someone who won't kill you when they're through with you.

“You've never been mixed up with the elites before. Sure, they're sexy, and all you ladies think it'd be the most romantic thing in the world to be with them, but their lust isn't like Carl's. They don't see drinking blood as a kinky pastime that gets ’
em
off with only a few nips here and there.
Messin
' around with them is serious shit, Addison. Don't do it."

Addison’s lip started to tremble, a strange feeling coming over her now that she was so close to Josh. Addison looked away from him and pressing her lips together firmly, she tried to push it away.

"Hey now." Josh chuckled taking her reaction as similar to other women he had seen that lusted after the elites, not knowing his sister was now one of them. He didn’t know how desperately she was trying not to jump him for a taste of his blood. "You’re my sister. I don’t want you to get hurt." He touched her face and tried to turn it toward him, but Addison’s reaction took him by surprise. "I—"

"Don’t touch me!" Covering her mouth, Addison ripped off his hand, quickly jumping back a few steps.

Addison’s body shook uncontrollably as she fell to her knees. Breathing heavily, she held a shaky hand to her lips and the other tightly to her stomach. Suddenly, the urge to attack her brother was so strong it terrified her, making her feel like a monster. She began to cry, giant sobs escaping her as she tried to fight back the feeling.

"Holy shit!" Taking a step back, Josh’s jaw almost hit the floor, and his hands drew up to his chest quickly in surprise. "You’re not a donor—you’re one of them, aren’t you?" He had seen that look before in a vampire’s eyes. It wasn’t the longing look of a scavenger, but the hungry one of the Master’s bloodthirsty elites. "Addison—are you all right?"

Sliding down when she could no longer support her weight, Addison’s butt hit the white canvas cover, her knees spreading apart as she covered her face.

Nicolette and Brandon appeared behind Addison. Like an over protective father, Brandon stood with his arms folded angrily over his chest as he glared at Josh. Josh took a few steps back, his fearful eyes never breaking from Brandon’s challenging stare. Backing up against the nearby wall, Josh’s back got slathered in paint, but he was too afraid to notice. He looked nervously over at the doorway where Christian and two other vampires were standing.

There was a scowl on the Master’s face as he stood with his arms crossed, his eyes not leaving Addison. He seemed hesitant to go to her, a slight wrinkle in the middle of his lowered brow as he tried to keep up his strong stance. He wasn’t standing out in front of the others like he normally did and seemed to be avoiding her.

"It’s all right. I’m here to help you through this, my dear." Putting her hands under Addison’s arms, Nicolette slowly pulled Addison to her feet. "I know it’s hard…" Looking into Addison’s terrified face, she slowly stroked the side of Addison’s cheek as she tried to calm her down.

She leaned close to Addison, cooing to her in a motherly tone as she looked into Addison’s watery eyes. "And I know you’re hungry, but you must resist it. This is a test to see how well you can withstand the urge."

Addison’s lips were pouted slightly, the wetness from her tears making them shine like a clear lip-gloss. She sniffled and wiped her nose with the back of her hand as Nicolette turned her around and made her look at Josh, Nicolette's hands planted firmly on her shoulders.

Nicolette pressed her cheek against Addison’s, both of them looking at Josh as she spoke softly. "Now go up to him and try to suppress the desire to bite him. Show the Master and the others how strong you can be. You can do this, my dear."

"Will you stop me if I can’t?" Addison’s eyes stared straight ahead, her bottom lip trembling as she looked fearfully at her brother, who was cowering in front of her. "Don’t let me hurt my brother."

"You must be the one to stop yourself. I will not intervene if you can’t hold back the temptation."

"Okay. Let me try it." Addison nodded, Nicolette pulling away from her slowly and walked over to Brandon. Speaking to herself, Addison balled her fists at her sides, a determined look on her face. "Okay. Okay. You can do this, Addison."

Taking a deep breath, she took a few steps closer to Josh, her confidence growing after each shaky one. "Josh." She held her hand out to him, a scared look in her eyes, a sweet smile filling out her tender lips. "I’m sorry. I wasn’t going to hurt you, I promise. This is the first time I’ve been close to a human since my initiation. The hunger took me by surprise, and I got scared. I’m sorry if I scared you. Please forgive me."

"It’s…okay." Josh was trying not to look afraid, even though he was. He looked briefly at Brandon, who was standing next to Nicolette. His towering figure was very intimidating, the hardness in his stare showing his jealousy over Addison’s deep affection for her brother.

"Can I have a hug?" Addison held her hands out to Josh, a fragile smile on her face that looked like it could turn to tears within seconds. "I won’t bite, I promise."

Josh swallowed hard, taking a step toward Addison as he opened his arms. "I’m holding you to that,
Addy
." Chuckling nervously, Josh wrapped his arms around her shoulders, slowly rubbing her back as he held her loosely in his arms. "You okay?" There was a strong bond between the twins, and the soft loving tone in his voice soothed her.

"Yeah." Sniffling, Addison clung to Josh tightly, a few tears falling as she snuggled into his neck. She could feel Josh shake in her arms, the brother who always protected her was now the one needing protecting. "Are you afraid of me, Josh?" Being so close to him was hard, as Addison still had the overpowering urge to bite him. She closed her eyes, her fingers digging into his back as she tried to push back the impulse.

"No."

"Really?" Hearing Josh’s words, Addison opened her eyes as she grinned. Her grip loosened on him, and she found the strength to push away her hunger. "I was really scared, but I’d never hurt you, Josh. Never."

"It’s okay." Still hugging her, Josh pulled away a little, "And damn. I’m so jealous. So you’re a vampire now." Laughing, Josh playfully pinched her cheek, his fear of her subsiding a little. "That’s really cool."

"Yeah…" Addison was uneasy, her hands resting on his shoulders. "But it’s not so fun now, ’cause I feel so sick." Letting out a nervous laugh, she glanced toward the doorway, but Christian and the others were gone. "I—" She looked back at Nicolette, a triumphant smile on her face. "I think I’m all right now. Can I talk to him alone?" She took a step away from Josh, smiling as she motioned toward her brother.

"Some other day." Nicolette held her hand out to Addison, motioning for her to come to her. "You must go back to your room and rest."

Brandon walked over to Addison, placing his hands on her shoulders and speaking softly to her, "You look tired." Behind Addison, Brandon’s evil stare settled on Josh, the malice making Josh look away.

He walked around Addison and stood in front of her, blocking Josh from her view, "I’ll inquire with the Master and see if he will allow you something to eat." Lightly touching her face, he studied her worn out features. Then, he nervously looked toward the empty doorway as he took his hand away, tensing slightly.

Addison nodded, Nicolette came up behind her and led a reluctant Addison out of the room. Nicolette took her back to her bedroom, sitting her down on the bed and making her lay in it.

"Sleep now, my dear." Nicolette pulled the covers over Addison’s legs, treating her like a child. "You’re not well enough to be walking around the manor yet."

"Where’s the Master?" Addison was attempting to protest, pulling off the sheets and trying to get out of the bed.

"Hush now, dear." Nicolette pushed on Addison’s shoulders and forced her to recline. "You need your rest."

"Why hasn’t he come to see me?"

"Never you mind what the Master is up to. You’ll see him soon." Nicolette smiled as she knelt at the bedside, taking one of Addison’s hands and holding it in hers. "Right now, I have some wonderful news to share with you." She ran her hand over the sheet, smoothing out the wrinkles in the soft fabric. "In a few days, we will welcome another member to our family. Her name is Amanda."