Chapter 45Where She Asks a Boy

I moved between them, looking at Khuna and noticing her eyes wide with fright, surprise and anger. I had no idea what was going on. Isabel had been with us all that time, unless it was before we headed over to her after the pub. I wondered.

"A-Amy?" Khuna finally spoke a bit more relaxed.

"I'm here, what happened?" I didn't dare sit on the ground with all this glass here but I knelt down as closely as I could. "Khuna, tell me what happened." I tried to sound as calm as I could.

"You know... last night, when I walked away from you to think I walked to my old neighborhood. I just wanted peace of mind and tried to find it in those places from my youth." She talked calmly for now, as if traveling back to that moment. "It did calm me down, despite that everything was lost. The playgrounds not what they used to be, the trees gone, the houses different. Yet it felt safe enough."

She paused, taking a deep breath.

"Kryss found me there, alone and he wanted to talk to me. Because of... you know... I didn't make any moves but allowed him to talk. He apologized for hurting me, kind of, and asked me if I would walk with him. But I didn't really trust him nor wished to follow him." A small twinkle of resistance appeared in her eyes. "So I said no. I didn't want to come with him. He started to take my arm and pull me but I wanted to run away. I was glad he was on his own though, his lackeys or whatever nowhere in sight"

She took a deep breath and smiled grimly. "I gave him a good kick to distract him, running away as fast as I could. But I couldn't go anywhere. I used one of our old safe-houses to sleep but they were waiting for me. I wanted to go out but they grabbed me as soon as I left the house. Managing to get away from them, I ran to the busiest street nearby and let myself almost be hit by a van." She winced as she said that. "I clung to the roof and he turned into this street. I think a cat or something wanted to cross the road, he swerved very suddenly, throwing me off into the window."

"Being weak because I hadn't fed and losing more blood with all my cuts, I fainted." She looked around. "And you just woke me up."

I thought for a moment. "Okay, but what does she have to do with it?" Nodding to Isabel and looking back to Khuna.

"When I was being hurled through the air I saw her, standing where she stands now, on the curb. I flew right through her as I crashed into the window. She was the last thing I saw before I became unconscious." She shivered a little. "I mean... I thought she was a ghost or something, standing there, looking at me. She looked as real as she does now."

I smiled a little, having a distinct feeling of deja-vu. "It's alright. Her name is Isabel, we met her yesterday and she showed us some interesting things. We'll tell you but first we need to get you some blood in you."

Sounding all brave was good and well. What I was feeling however wasn't that fun. I mean, I still considered us to be monsters, needing blood. But I didn't want my friend to die. And she wouldn't have to kill or anything. So it was alright... sort of.

Valerie helped Khuna up and spoke soft appraisals. "Come on girl, you can do it. Just stand here. That's right, just take it easy."

With a little help from Valerie she was soon standing, leaning on her shoulder as she still felt weak. We walked outside and hoped no one had called the cops. We were very lucky, considering our delays, that they didn't show already. We walked along the corner and into a busier street. Still a lot of cheap places, simple pubs, clubs and 24/7 stores. A simple but busy club had a lot of kids standing outside. Just near our age, younger a bit but still old enough. I guess it made it easier to just lure a boy along and let Khuna bite him.

I kind of wanted Valerie to do it, because I wasn't sure I'd even be up to it. But I looked at Valerie supporting Khuna and she nodded, giving me the 'you can do it' signal. I swallowed and moved over to a larger group.

I saw a few guys standing in a small group, only four of them. One of them looked decent enough and I guessed he thought himself important enough to go for this.

"Hi, my friend wants to kiss someone and you look like you could help her." I tried sounding as brave as I could. Probably failing miserably.

"Oh really? Did Trish put you up with this?"

"No, we're just standing over there." I leaned in closer. "But she's had a bit too much too drink, she wouldn't even dare kiss a guy otherwise." I hoped my blush wouldn't be too clear to him.

"Alright then." He said, his friends cheering things like 'Go Jake!, 'Give her a good one' I tried to keep my composure as we walked back to the girls. The guy seemed momentarily surprised about Isabel, as she was way too young to be out. But he just shrugged and went to Khuna, who was (barely) standing on her own.

She looked at him as sweetly as possible, even pulling off the innocence act a little. Her slight swaying and her soft breathing really made her look like she was drunk. I pushed the guy to her playfully and noted. "Be careful with her, I mean she is quite drunk." Smiling to Khuna.

She heard me and smiled to him as if she was. Stepping toward him and touching his cheek gently. "oooh, he's a pretty boy. Is he for me?" She asked innocently.

The guy looked prouder and prouder of himself and moved in to kiss her. She allowed a kiss on her lips but then moved to his neck, hardly giving him any time to relax and drinking from him immediately. I could see how it filled her, this close I could even hear both their heartbeats matching up a little. Each beat of his heart pumping the blood through her, giving her a little glow of warmth.

She drank him as much as she dared without him being unable to walk back to his friends. Giving him a another kiss on his lips. "Time to go back."

I guess he was so dazed he did as she asked, walking back to his friends as a zombie with a big grin on his face. He was happy, of sorts. Not that I felt that made anything better. Or was that the point?

I was glad Khuna felt better, and glad the guy didn't think anything bad of her. But he drained his life. Part of his life, without his knowledge, without him ever knowing. I've seen people doing things much worse than that.

I simply didn't know anymore...

Is it wrong what I am?

Khuna interrupted my thoughts by giving me a kiss on my cheeks. "Thanks for helping me."

I blinked. "Oh... eh... my pleasure."

Valerie smiled as she came closer. "Amy bring her home, I'll bring Isabel to the safe-house and come as well."

I nodded. It was definitely time to go home, for some much needed and well earned rest.