THE BELL SIGNALING THE end of third period went off, nearly shocking me to my core. Everyone began collecting their things and packing away, some already laughing and talking in their friend groups. I sighed, pulling my book bag from the back of my chair and also putting my things in it.

Someone tapped my shoulder. By the scent, I knew it was Avery. She always had a peculiar smell, and today that smell, which had been lemons and sugar, heightened to be a stronger, finer smell of a fresh bakery. I guess having parents who own a bakery will do that.

"What's up?" I asked, putting on a smile. It felt disgusting; to fake a smile for everyone. If I wanted to live life out of prison, I would need to get used to this. Even if I'm losing some humanity on the way.

"I'm skipping fourth to hang out with Tristen, catch you at lunch." She sent me one of my smiles. I could tell she was worried about me and me keeping quiet is eating her away inside out. I could never fully tell her, it would ruin me—ruin her. She wouldn't ever believe my story. One thing leads to the other and she's calling my mom about psyche wards.

I nodded. "'Kay, see you too." She nodded too and was about to leave ahead of me before I decided to quickly say, "And since when were you and he a thing? What about Vic?" Last I heard, Vic and Avery were still a thing.

Avery sent me a grim smile. "Since Vic dumped me." I didn't even get a chance to say anything or sympathize with her before she put a hand up. She didn't want to talk about it.

"Alrighty then, if he acts up, you bes' tell me." I joked to brighten the mode—well, sort if joked. This newfound vampirism gave me the confidence I never knew I needed and I probably could whoop that 6'4'' teenager. Or, I could at least scare him senselessly to the point where he thinks he's going insane. No one would believe I was a vampire, anyway.

'Some will. There are people that know about us, Genevieve. I need you to remember that. You're never safe.' Seraph said. My mood instantly dropped and I felt a creepy sensation crawl down my spine at her words.

"Gotcha. See ya later, Eve. And you better spill at lunch, 'kay?" She didn't wait for my reply as she bolted out the door. I thought it was time I leave too, so I pulled my bookbag around my shoulders and walked out the door. The hallways were flooded with students, some lingering in the hallways and others walking to their next class. For the slightest second, I saw Avery walking with a boy before turning into a hallway.

So that was Tristen, I hummed within my thoughts. I've heard of him before but never actually seen him until now. Even though it was just his back.

'Looks delicious...' Seraph commented. I could practically hear her salivating. Her hunger pushed on me and caused my stomach to growl. My teeth began to ache again and I had to grit them in order to stop the growth.

Stop doing that, its disgusting. I growled to her telepathically. She laughed at me and made mocking sounds like she was addressing a peasant.

'Stop what? To be hungry is natural, Genevieve. Embrace it already,' her words were honeyed. I imagined her stuck to my back, long black talons gripping my shoulders as she tried to coax me into my animalistic desires.

I tried my best to ignore her as I made my way to fourth period. She kept mocking me, calling my hypocritical for not wanting to kill someone to survive when I've already done just that. I ground my teeth and cast my direction to the floor, my hands gripping the straps of my backpack harder.

She was wrong. I didn't do that; she did. She killed Luca, not me. If it weren't for her then he would still be breathing and kicking.

'Yes, that is true. But, would you?' I chose not to answer. In my heart, I knew the answer to that but I would rather not think of it.

This was crazy. Within a day has my life changed for the worst. I've tried putting my actions this morning behind me like an insane person devoid of humanity. I couldn't, it was impossible when I was surrounded by so many people I care about and who in return care about me. How can I just act like I never murdered Luca—no, not me... It was Seraph. Yeah, it was her. I could never kill someone, anyways.

Seraph laughed at me like she always did, finding my horror and demise delightful. I bit my lip from yelling out loud and shuffled through the crowds. People gave me incredulous looks as I passed them roughly and quickly.

On accident, I ran into the shoulder of some tall guy, knocking me backward but not hard enough to knock me down.

"What the fuck? Watch where you're going—Genny?" I looked up to meet the gaze of the voice. My eyes widened and sheer panic enters me. It was Miles, a.k.a Luca's best friend since they were practically babies. Luca was two years older than Miles, explaining why Miles in my grade and not with Luca. Miles and I used to be good friends actually until Luca and I split. Miles knew what Luca did to me and how trapped I was. Miles knew how fucked up Luca's view of women and relationships was but he never said a word about it. But, as Miles stated, he was just overprotective.

Regaining my composure, I readjusted my backpack and excused myself. "I-I gotta go," I mumbled and darted away. Well, tried to at least. About to pass Miles, he grabbed my backpack and stopped me, causing me to jerk back onto him.

My heart froze. Wait, that still worked? Miles closed the distance between us. I could hear, no, feel his heartbeat. It was so pretty sounding, like a siren calling to me. Since he was so close to me, his heartbeat was as loud a chiming a bell with you inside it. I couldn't help but wonder what his blood would taste like.

"Wait, Genny." I didn't bother looking at him. I was scared he would see a monster and not Genny. "Have you seen Luca? He texted me this morning saying he was skipping lectures with you. Why are you here?" I stiffened. Luca was never planning on taking me to school, after all. I knew he had ulterior motives. That asshole, good riddance he's dead—no, stop that, don't think like that. It was an accident he was dead. One thing led to another, I never intended to kill him.

I cleared my throat. "What? I haven't seen him since he walked me to school. He said he was late or something." I was so thankful for my ability to lie. Living with a strict mother gives you that trait and I wasn't so sure that was a good or bad thing to have in life. Right now, it sure as hell was good. Miles nodded but didn't let go of me, as if he was thinking hard about what I said. Miles was a strong thinker, everything you said was analyzed beneath his analytic eyes. It's said you could never lie to him, but I just did. "Umm," I started, unnerved by this, "can you let me go? I have trig."

Miles gave me a weird look before noticing his hold on me. Quickly, he let me go and blushed furiously. He gave me an apologetic smile. "Sorry 'bout that." I nodded and turned away, not saying goodbye. I was scared my voice would break and expose me of lying.

He didn't live up to his title. How easy was that? Lying to him.

'Look at you, thinking like a criminal. You'll age well,' commented Seraph tremulously. 'He smelt good, didn't he? He likes you, you know. Why don't you ask him out tonight for dinner? The easiest way to lure food is to give those who like you a false sense of security, y'know. He would be the perfect fool.'

He is not food, you monster. He's human, I'm human. I can—

'Hahaha! Oh my God, are you still on that humanity shit? For fucks sake, Genevieve! I'm getting impatient here! Just give in. Eat him! Taunt him until he begs for his life and when he does, you fucking devour him. C'mon, it's so easy.' She giggled maniacally. His laughter was so, so annoying that I grabbed my ears as if that would help the war in my head.

What happened to your rationality, you fucking beast? You really are a monster. Seraph was just commenting on how I need to keep any and all supernatural abilities under wrap this morning and yet here she was, urging me to kill a man not even six hours after the first.

'What happened was hunger, dear host. I'm so hungry I can't stand it, I need food.'

I scoffed, trying to push back the hunger she was making me feel. My stomach growled again. You just... ate. You shouldn't be hungry. When the thought left me, my stomach growled. Seraph laughed at me, mocking me sinisterly. Ignoring her taunts and the constant growling in my stomach, I continued to walk to fourth period.

I listened closely to everything around me in an attempt to drown Seraph's voice. Countless of feet were tapping against the broken tile, some slow and other's running. Voices clashed together like an ungodly sympathy, my ears overwhelmed by female laughter. I saw a few careless groups of people, those who showed up to class late without a care in the world. Could never be me.

The bell rang as soon as I enter Mr.s Neilson's class. I let out a thankful sigh, loosening the grip on my bag as I walked to my seat in the back row. I usually aimed for the back row in any classroom and I always got it. Not because of violence of anything, in the beginning of the year you get to choose what seat you want—you know, early bird gets the worm type of thing. That day, I just made sure to be the first to each of my classes. Even if I waited a while, it was well worth it.

I sighed, taking my favorite mechanical pencil out of my backpack to ready myself fora god-forsaken test. I was, undoubtedly, going to fail. I was never good at math and trig just happened to have it out for me.

'Like Luca did,' I clenched my teeth at Seraph's comment. She just couldn't shut her mouth, could she? What was done is done, there was nothing I could do about that and honestly, if I could fix the past I would choose not to. He had what was coming, even if the guilt consumes me. The sadist in me knew what was right and what needed to be done. I just needed that little push. 'You really were a good choice for my host. You know, I waited for you to show up for three days, right? So interesting...'

I snorted. People next to me looked my way, weirded out. Yeah right, you didn't choose me; it was coincidental. There was no way a flower would have known I would be entering the woods at that time of night.

'Was it really?' Her question alone had me questioning. Just who in the hell was Seraph? Seraph didn't wait for me to answer when she said, 'anyways, we have bigger problems on our hands right now.'

I frowned. Already? I figured this vampire thing wouldn't go down so smoothly, but this many conflicts in one damn day was absurd. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath before releasing in seconds later. Yeah, and what would that be?

I expected her to giggle like the psycho creep she was, but I could hear her sigh. As long as I've known Seraph, her not being a total lunatic was never a good sign. This only meant worse news.

'Trouble. I can't go into detail right now, there could be people listening. We'll talk when we get home. In the meantime...' Instantaneously, a strange scent hit my nose. It foul and mouthwatering at the same time, like spraying dead bodies with perfume. The smell was so strong I had to put my head down on my desk to get rid of suspicious eyes wandering towards my repulsed state. Holy hell, what kind of awful perfume are people putting on now? Whatever it was, it was so strange.

I like the smell, but at the same it, it repulses me.

Hey, Seraph. What is that? I asked her. I felt like she would know the answer to all my new problems. She was the reason I have so many conflicts now, anyways. Seraph was silent. Seraph? Still no answer. The smell slowly and agonizingly grew stronger and stronger as each second passed. That's when I knew it was not just a smell; it was someone.

'Keep to yourself, Genny. Don't talk to anyone you don't know. I won't be able to talk to you for the rest of the day, but I'm here. If anything goes downhill, you'll be fine.' What the hell? I grew anxious in my seat by her sentence. If I wasn't on edge before, I definitely was now. Was she scaring me on purpose?

What? I don't un—

'Don't let them catch us.'