Chapter Three

Chapter Three
“THEN LEAVE DAMMIT! GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!” my mom screamed that evening.
“Maybe I will, Carla! I can’t wait to get out of this shithole! I’m taking the kid too!” he threw back.
I huddled in my room, sobbing, with my hands over my ears trying to drown out the screaming.
“WE’LL SEE HOW WELL YOU CAN SUPPORT YOURSELF, NEVERTHELESS YOUR DAUGHTER, WITHOUT A JOB, HENRY!”
“Shut up you stupid bitch! I don’t even know why I married you!”
I opened my window. I was prepared to run away even if the drop was 20 feet to jump out the window. I heard footsteps coming towards my door. Without thinking rationally, I jumped. I held back a scream as I saw my face racing towards Earth. But I didn’t hit the ground. My body smacked into something cold and hard; it felt like stone. My vision began to fade as I realized that it felt like I was flying.
My eyes fluttered open. I was someone’s house…not my own, though. I sat up abruptly but was immediately pushed back down. I looked around. There were three faces staring down on me, one of which, I recognized.
“What am I doing here?” I asked the recognizable face.
“You were about to die and your parents would have beaten you into a pulp had I not come.” Gabriel answered me.
“How do you know that?”
He glanced to the two strangers anxiously and then said, “You jumped out your window, Jade. It was kind of a far drop. You would have died. How I know isn’t important right now, Jade.”
The way he said my name sent shudders through my spine. It was silky smooth and it made me feel alive.
“These are my brothers by the way.” He pointed to the one to his left. He was tall and had the same pasty skin as Gabriel but his eyes were a shade darker than Gabriel’s. His hair was blonde and hung in casual wisps over his eyes. “This is Jagger.” He pointed to the other brother who again, had the same white skin but his eyes were almost coal black. He had auburn hair that was cut short, almost a buzz cut. “And this is Alexander.”
I nodded at them both; they just stared, their faces a blank slate.
“Maybe I should go home, now. Erm-thanks for saving me.” I mumbled, sitting up again.
“No, just lie down and relax for a bit.” Gabriel told me, pushing my shoulders back again. I was shocked at the temperature of his skin. I could feel it through my shirt fabric. It was like someone put ice down my shirt.
I shivered and said, “Your skin is freezing!”
Gabriel’s expression changed from concern to defensive in less than a millisecond. “Yeah, so?”
My eyes widened at his tone. “Nothing. It’s just weird, I guess. Sorry.” When he didn’t respond, I added, “Why are they so cold?”
“I’m a coldblooded reptile. Now, would you just rest and stop asking so many questions?” His brothers snickered. I glared at them and they glared back.
I couldn’t help myself from asking so many questions. Gabriel was so different from all the other men out there. I was curious. What could I say, he fascinated me.
When I woke up the next morning, Gabriel was beside me reading the latest newspaper. I glanced at the headline.
“Mass Killings Have Gone On Too Far: Police Taking Action!” I read.
Mass killings? I hadn’t ever heard of any mass killings, but then again, I rarely paid attention to anything but myself. Gabriel’s face looked troubled. I sat up and immediately felt awkward. Here I was in the most gorgeous human’s home and without really knowing him; I’m sitting on his couch beside him. No doubt he had been watching me sleep only moments before I had awoken. It gave me a new satisfaction because I felt as if he was finally falling for my good looks, but it also made me uncomfortable because I barely knew him. When I looked back onto his glorious face, he was smirking.
“What’s so amusing?” I asked.
“Nothing.” He replied automatically but I knew that was a lie. He had been snooping in my thoughts again. I stopped myself. How ridiculous was I getting?
“So, are we going to school?”
He raised an eyebrow at me, without looking away from the paper. “Do YOU want to go today?”
“I don’t see any reason not to go. Why don’t you want to go?”
Gabriel was biting back laughter. I could read it on his face.
“What is so damn funny, Gabriel?” I demanded.
Alexander and Jagger made their presence known and came in, flopping onto the couch across from Gabriel and me. I hadn’t noticed it last night when I was so disoriented, but Gabriel’s brothers were just as striking as Gabriel. It took all of my effort to look away from them.
“It’s Saturday, you filthy human.” Jagger muttered under his breath.
“Excuse me?” I responded, too shocked to acknowledge the embarrassment of wanting to go to school on a Saturday.
“Jagger, keep it closed if you will.” Gabriel growled, finally putting down the paper.
“I’m just saying. You hardly ever bring home pets and I’m pretty thirsty so—“
“JAGGER! ENOUGH!”
Jagger rolled his eyes and settled into the couch, arms crossed.
“What did he mean by that?” I whispered, noticing the glare from Jagger and Alexander.
“Don’t worry about it.” Gabriel began reading again.
I clenched my fists in fury. SOMETHING was off about Gabriel and his family and I wanted to find out about it.
“Gabriel, I want to know what’s going on.” I demanded.
“Sweet girl you picked up there, Gabe.” Alexander said, smirking.
“Would you two beat it?!”
Jagger and Alexander left leaving Gabriel fuming.
“Look, it’s nothing personal, but you can’t stay here much longer. When do you think you can go back home?”
I can never go back home, Gabriel. I thought helplessly.
“It’d be stupid ask why but you can’t stay here. It’s dangerous. My brothers are not exactly friendly.” He answered my thoughts.
I sprung up off the couch and pointed my index finger at him. “I knew it! You are some sort of mind reading freak!” I exclaimed.
“What are you talking about, Jade? Sit down before you hurt yourself.”
“No! I did not say that thought out loud! You answered it as if I had! What is going on here?”
I crossed my arms and waited for an answer. Gabriel couldn’t lie to me now; I would see right through it.
He sighed, hopefully realizing that I would not accept anything but the truth. “You caught me, Jade. I’m not a normal human being. I’m not a human at all. I’m a vampire.” He said simply.
My jaw dropped. “You are sick! This is so not the time for joking!”
“You just accused me of mind reading and now you can’t accept the fact that I’m a vampire? I think you are the one who is sick!”
“Mind reading…people claim to…You are not a vampire! You are disgusting!”
“Do you want me to prove it to you?” Gabriel challenged.
“No! You are probably just part of that freaky cult that acts like vampires! You are so messed up, Gabriel! Seek some help!”
I started to storm out but Gabriel clutched my shoulders shooting icy chills down my spine once again. He whirled me around to where I was facing him. “How do you explain my cold skin, Jade? Or my mind reading? Or Jagger’s comments? Or the way I was at your house the other night appearing as a monster? Jade, stop living in your perfect world and wake up. I’m a vampire. I’m one of the undead.”
I refused to believe him. He was so full of shit. I wanted to spit on him and kick him where it really hurts. It was the stupidest and craziest thing I had ever heard.
“Go to an insane asylum, you jerk!” I said through my teeth.
Gabriel finally let me go and I stormed home. He thought I was THAT gullible? He had another thing coming; that was for damn sure.