29 | When Sparks Fly

Seaside, California October 24, 2012

Scott

DESPITE the urge to snap Seana's neck when she appeared out of nowhere, the moment she gave me that look I knew I needed to hear her out.

Something went wrong and now she needed help. How ironic was that?

We walked out of the gymnasium, away from the rambunctious teenagers. I hated dances, and even worse was the growing unrest among the students.

Earlier this evening, to bring some nostalgia from my high school years, I paid the DJ to play nothing but songs from the 70s.

The annoying ones; for the next hour.

I couldn't help but grin with satisfaction whenever Celesta's nose would wrinkle with distaste. She didn't like my tastes in music.

Yet now I was outside with the person I loathed the most. We were behind the gymnasium now, away from being eavesdropped on. Once we were far away enough, I leaned against the brick wall of the building.

"Alright Seana," I sighed. "What did you do now?"

"I did nothing, but I need your help before something does happen," Seana replied, her tone unpleasant.

I narrowed my eyes in suspicion. "What do you mean before something happens?"

"I have tried to make Isabel behave, but things have been very difficult as of late," Seana stressed. "Believe me, I have gone to great lengths to make her see reason."

"Really now?" I added dryly. "I am shocked she hasn't changed her ways over a week, Seana. But just cut to the chase, I don't want to be here with you any longer than I have to."

She just rolled her eyes at me.

"Due to my lack of supervision," Seana snarled, "Isabel turned that impudent boy this morning."

Impudent boy? She didn't mean—

"What?" I gawked. "You mean she turned, Brandon!?"

Who right now was in that gymnasium with Lily? The mere thought of her being in danger sent my blood boiling. All I could think of doing now was getting Lily out of this forsaken school and away from Seana's bullshit. Especially away from a transitioning vampire, what the hell was Brandon even thinking about being near her? Did he even know what was going on?

Seana reacted quickly before I even moved an inch. She gripped me by the arm tightly.

"Get your hands off me," I warned.

"Scott, we need to handle this matter calmly before it draws unnecessary attention," Seana explained. "Help me get Isabel out of here before she fucks up anything else."

"She fucked up the moment she messed with my friends," I reproached.

"Well, I believe my niece fucked up the moment she turned the girl," a voice chimed from behind us.

"Uncle," Seana greeted with distaste. She let me go and faced Orion. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, I am a chaperone for the dance tonight. The only one apparently," Orion mused. "The rest have seemingly scattered. Now I see one of your spawns has caused more problems."

"Do not touch Isabel," Seana seethed.

"Why should I let her live?" Orion queried. "I already know about those men she turned. Now she has turned someone else. You do realize uncontrolled turnings leads to a risk of exposure?"

Seana just glared at him with hatred.

"Do you?!" he thundered out.

Why the hell was I still standing here?

"The boy has already agreed to not transition, so may we settle this quietly?" Seana muttered, unfazed by her uncle's anger.

"Certainly, once I dispose of the boy, we will speak on what to do with your wayward progeny," Orion chortled.

Orion finally glanced my way and made a motion with his head for me to leave.

"Wait—" Seana insisted but her uncle silenced her with a stern look.

"You and I will handle Isabel, let him go," Orion ordered.

He didn't need to tell me twice. I left without another glance and sped back to the gymnasium. One of the songs I had picked was blaring through the speakers throughout the place. Everyone was attempting to dance to the Hustle.

Scanning through the crowd, I saw some familiar faces. Celesta and Zach were dancing with one another. I also noticed Orion and Seana slip in through the back entrance, looking for Isabel.

Now I just needed to figure out how to get Lily away from Brandon without being a total douchebag. Or maybe I should haul Brandon out of here myself before Orion or Seana did anything to him.

I knew he didn't want to transition, so he was aware of what was happening to him. If he knew that, didn't he know he could hurt Lily? Why the hell did he even come to a place full of people?

People he could unintentionally hurt or kill.

I remember waking up that morning years ago when Seana turned me. That burning ache in my throat was almost impossible to ignore and that was right when I woke up. Brandon has been in transition for hours. I just couldn't understand how he had such self-control.

I stopped in the middle of the dance, my mind reeling at the fact that I felt, bitter.

Just because he had the control I lacked back then. I still doubted myself even today.

Finally, just as I got over myself, I caught a glimpse of Brandon with Lily. They were headed over towards the refreshments table.

It was a pain in the ass to maneuver around everyone quickly. But the closer I got to them, the more I could hear what they were saying.

"We've danced enough I think," I heard Lily sigh, her back was turned to me. "Now what did you want to talk about earlier?"

I saw Brandon's face fall. "Oh that," he mumbled. "It's nothing really, let's just enjoy the rest of the night alright?"

"Brandon is something going on?" Lily asked in a worried tone.

I was right behind her now, my sight right on Brandon. He finally noticed me behind her, his eyes widening in confusion.

"Brandon?" Lily asked again then turned to see what he was staring at. When she saw me her expression darkened.

"Hey uh, could I talk to you for a minute?" I interjected. The both of them just glared at me.

"About what?" Lily shot out angrily.

Brandon took a step in front of Lily, his eyes never leaving mine. "Lily stay away from him, he's a—"

He stopped, unable to finish his sentence.

"I'm a what?" I retorted. Could he finally sense that I was like him?

"Do we need to be doing this right now?" Lily remarked, getting in between us.

"You're like them," Brandon spat, "A cold, blood-sucking parasite."

Before I could tell him he was one as well, Lily cut in.

"How do you know about vampires?" Lily gawked, "Did Isabel—"

"It doesn't matter how I know, all I know is you need to stay away from people like him," Brandon seethed.

Lily just started shaking her head.

"No, you got it all wrong. Scott's not like that," Lily explained. Then she smiled and locked eyes with me, "Sure, he has done some confusing things but he is nothing like Seana or Isabel."

I wished things weren't so messed up right now, I would have laughed at that. But I remained stoic.

"I don't care, it doesn't change what he is," Brandon remarked at her.

I just glared at him, my eyes narrowing into slits.

"Fine, then we will leave," Brandon snarled and grabbed onto Lily and started to pull her away, almost to the point where he was dragging her.

"Brandon stop," Lily cried as she tried to release her arm.

I felt my eyes turn black, and just before I was about to kill him in front of everyone, Lily pried her arm free.

She glanced at it, speechless. It was already beat red, tomorrow it would surely be covered with a bruise.

Even in transition, we were stronger than a human. And most often we didn't know how to control that either. Brandon didn't even realize he hurt her.

"Lily I'm serious we need to get away from him, do you get that?" Brandon shouted. He made a move to pull her away again but I blocked his path.

"Touch her again and see what happens," I threatened.

"Scott!" Lily gasped, I turned my head, seeing that she was still holding her arm where Brandon grabbed her.

Brandon darted past me and got beside Lily, glancing at her arm with widening eyes. "I-I didn't mean to do that," he stammered.

He looked horrified now.

"Maybe you should leave," Lily choked out, tears welling up in her eyes.

Nodding silently, Brandon left without another word. I watched him as he vanished into the crowd, I knew I needed to go after him and make sure he didn't accidentally hurt someone else.

"Are you satisfied now?" I heard Lily ask, snapping my attention back to her.

"What?" I gawked.

"You came over here, saying you needed to talk to me then you and Brandon have to go at it, now he is gone," Lily fumed. She kept rubbing her arm.

"Are you—"

"I'm fine; don't change the subject," Lily snapped.

Before I could say anything else, a girl came up to us, holding two drinks.

"You guys want some?" she offered, Lily stared at her awkwardly before taking the drinks from her.

"Uh, thanks?" Lily muttered to the girl.

"No problem!" she chuckled and walked off.

Lily held out one of the drinks for me to take. Reluctantly grabbing it from her, Lily downed her drink in seconds and set it down on the refreshments table.

"Well, the punch actually tasted decent for once!" Lily exclaimed.

I glanced at it warily. I usually would not drink anything other than blood. Or alcohol. Which I could have used a lot tonight dealing with teenage dirtbags.

I took a sip, it didn't taste bad after all. A bit of an odd after-taste though.

"So do you care to explain what that was all about?" Lily asked again, her tone now calm.

I finished the rest of the drink and tossed it into the trash bin near the table. "It's complicated. I don't know how to say this but Brandon—" I began but stopped when Lily kept staring straight ahead at the dancing crowd.

"He's with Isabel," she said in disbelief.

Puzzled, I turned to see what she was staring at. And there he was with Isabel in the crowd, the two of them in a heated conversation. When I heard her mouth open and mention Brandon using Lily to finish his transition, I all about lost my shit right then and there.

"Look, whatever it is you want to say we can just talk it about later," Lily murmured but I didn't respond, all I could see right now was red.

She got in front of me. "Scott, look at me," she whispered.

I still ignored her. All I felt now was rage, something I hadn't felt in a long time. My eyes were no doubt blackless pits, my fangs were slowly starting to slide out of my gums.

I felt her grip both of my hands tightly.

'Please calm down,' a voice cried, a wave of fear knocking into me that was not my own.

A mixture of shock and unease shot through me and I snapped my attention to Lily, her expression full of fear and worry.

I felt my face return to normal, I never wanted to make her feel that way again.

"Are you okay?" she faltered, her voice shaky. I noticed a faint glow at the edge of her irises. It was fading away.

I stared incredulously at her. Did she have any clue what she just did?

"Yes—"

"Good," she blurted out. "I don't think I am."

Then her knees buckled, sending her right towards the floor. But I snatched my arm out and caught her.

"I think I'm going to take you home," I muttered.

And keep an eye on her till all of this shit passes. I wasn't letting her out of my sight.

"No, I just need to sit down for a few minutes," Lily protested as I lifted her in my arms.

"Fine," I replied and carried her over to one of the vacant tables close by. Setting her down on a seat, I took the one beside her.

"I don't know what happened back there but damn I feel like shit," Lily breathed. She held up her arm that Brandon had grabbed, the redness had spread.

That son of a—

"Maybe I should let you kill him," Lily teased.

"Has he ever done that to you before?" I inquired, though Lily just started to shake her head.

"No, he just is acting all weird tonight," she sighed then got up from the table, her balance still off.

"Uh, Lily what are you—"

"I'm not going to let whatever the hell that was back there ruin the night!" she exclaimed. "Do you want to go dance?"

Earlier tonight she didn't want me anywhere near her and now she's acting all giddy. She usually was giddy but for the last week, she has avoided me and our conversations haven't been pleasant.

She waited, expectant for an answer.

"Are you sure? You almost fell, maybe you should sit down for a few more minutes," I insisted.

"I told you I am fine, now stop being so tensed up!" she shrilled.

I raised a brow at her. "You're insane."

"No, I am—"

"Awesome, yes I already know," I finished.

This night wasn't going to end well, because she was going to find out about Brandon sooner or later. I just didn't have the heart to tell her now, not with that look she was giving me now.

I just stared at her, she was holding her hand out now for me to grab onto. Without another word, I got up and grabbed her hand tightly.

Grinning, she led us further into the dancing crowd. A slow song had come on, one made much more recent. She rested both of her hands around my neck as I held her waist.

"This isn't bad, you see?" Lily chuckled. "Though I wonder, was it fun dancing with Elle earlier?"

"It was," I paused. "Very awkward."

Lily just laughed as we swayed around with everyone else. "Did she step on your feet?"

"Yes, several times," I sighed.

She started giggling again. What the hell has made her so happy? I peered down at her beaming face.

"What is it?" she asked.

"You look very beautiful tonight," I murmured.

"Well, you don't look too bad yourself," Lily gushed and looked me up and down. "Very dashing, you look nice in a suit. It is so much better than dark hoodies, jeans, boots—"

"Hey, you don't need to insult my fashion sense alright?" I teased.

Lily pursed her lips together and rolled her eyes. "Well it is not as bad as flannel, that is all Cel and Zach wear I swear!"

A couple had come closer to where we were, it was Zach and Celesta. He was no doubt eavesdropping.

"You guys having fun?" Celesta beamed. She and Zach were smiling like excited children.

"Why, yes we are!" Lily exclaimed.

"Also, flannel shirts are a lot cooler than hoodies okay?" Zach added with a grin.

"Sure, whatever you say," I mocked.

Zach just gave me a wink and whisked away with Celesta, leaving me back alone with Lily.

Another slow dance had come on, and Lily just rested her head against my shoulder without care. Smiling, I wrapped my arms tighter around her and just enjoyed this moment where nothing else mattered.

For a split second, I could just pretend everything around us was peaceful, and it was.

Until a horrible pop song came on right after.

I stopped moving as everyone around us just jumped into the beat of the music suddenly, Lily raised her head up from my shoulder, almost like she got woken up.

She glanced at me, a grin forming on her face. "You don't like this sort of stuff do you?"

"Not particularly," I muttered.

"How old are you again?" she asked, her expression mischievous.

"21—wait no," I chuckled. "I'll be 58 in a week."

"Wow, you are such an old man, all of this horrible music must be exhausting!" she exclaimed sarcastically.

"Not really, I can keep up quite well actually," I whispered, then lifted her up and spun her around.

She started to squeal with excitement as I continued to spin her around. Finally seeing that she had enough, I set her back down.

"Are you dizzy yet?" I asked.

Her head was starting to sway to the side.

"What? Not at all!" Lily lied.

Not even waiting for her to say anything further, I led her back to the table to sit down. Hopefully, now she has had enough fun I could take her home.

Hell, even I started to feel slightly out of it. The noise and the lights around us started to feel like they were fading. All I could focus on was Lily, who was gazing at everyone dancing.

Before I even spoke she snapped her attention to me. "Do you want to get out of here?" she suggested.

"I've been wanting to leave the moment I set foot in here," I muttered.

Lily smiled at me ruefully. "I'm sorry if I was one of those reasons you didn't want to be here."

I just gaped at her. "Lily that is not what I think at all. Better yet, it was you who made it well known you didn't want me anywhere near you tonight."

"That was earlier, now I just—" she stopped and got up from her seat. "I just need you to make up your mind on what you feel for me."

"I've already made up my mind," I murmured.

"Good, then show me," Lily insisted.

I closed the gap between us and leaned in to kiss her. When I pulled away from her, Lily just gazed at me, her face beaming.

"Let's get the hell out of here," she breathed.

I couldn't agree more. The next second with her hand in mine we left the dance.

I didn't know what the hell I was doing at this point. The last few minutes have started to feel like hours. Everything I felt for her was finally coming to the forefront of my mind, no longer being buried under the surface.

In the recesses of my mind, I knew that was dangerous.

Lily was following behind me, her hand tightly gripping mine.

I had started to lead us to my car, but Lily had other plans.

"Wait," Lily whispered, stopping both of us.

I turned around to face her. She started motioning her head in the direction of one of the school buildings.

"You want to do it here at the school?" I gawked.

Has she done it here before?

"Wait you want to do that with me?" Lily squeaked out. "Oh my—"

"No! We don't I just thought—never mind," I stammered.

"I don't think having sex at the school would be uh, fun. Or even allowed. But we can do other things besides that," Lily suggested.

I just grinned at her and led her to the first door I saw. It appeared to be a classroom or an office, I didn't care. All I could see was her.

Locking the door behind us, Lily started tugging me close to her, and finally letting go of my restraint I gave in.

I didn't know how long we had been there in that room before I leaned too close. Minutes or hours could have gone by. But all it took was a second before I traced my lips across her pulsating vein.

The moment my fangs sliced into her throat I felt Lily instantly tighten her grip on me as she jolted. I hadn't had fresh blood in decades, the monster in me was smiling gleefully. While every other part of me was shouting to stop but I couldn't.

I couldn't even hear Lily making a sound like she didn't even know what was happening. But her grip was starting to loosen the longer I fed on her. But whatever had made me just lose all sense of everything around me started to wear away.

The monster in me was coming back as thoughts of Lily started to come to the forefront of my mind. Holding her that night in the woods as she was so close to death's door. Just as she was about to be now if I didn't stop.

I didn't think I could bear to be in this world if I took her out of it.

And that was all it took to snap back to reality. I ripped my fangs out of her neck and spat whatever blood I had in my mouth out, completely disgusted with myself.

I backed away, not realizing I was the only thing supporting Lily from falling over. Before she did I held her and sunk to the floor. Pulling her close all I could still think about was the fact that she was still bleeding from her neck.

I didn't know how much I took from her, but she slowly opened her eyes and stared at me, seemingly unaware of what I had just done.

How the hell did I let this happen?

Why did I let this happen?

Lily said nothing as she brought one of her hands up to her neck; feeling where I bit her. Tracing her fingers across it, she stared at the blood on her fingertips in confusion.

"I don't understand," Lily whispered. Her green eyes stared sadly into my black pitless ones. Her arm dropped lifelessly beside her and before I could say anything she lost consciousness.

"No, no!" I shouted in anguish and put my head against her chest, listening to her fluttering heartbeat. I did end up taking too much from her. I felt my mind wanting to splinter into a million pieces.

I even thought of switching my humanity off again for a split second. But what problem would that fix?

Staring back down at Lily, she was still here. Alive and breathing. Would she remain that way? I wasn't going to find out by waiting any longer.

Before I even tore my wrist open I heard the sound of the door splintering behind me. I turned to see the door completely off its hinges as an enraged Zach stood there in utter disbelief.

"Scott?!" he shouted, his eyes shifting to a glowing blue when he saw Lily hanging lifelessly in my arms. "What the fuck did you do?!"

"I will explain in a minute just let me—"

"No, you are going to get the hell away from Lily before I kill you," Zach snarled.

"Goddammit, Zach! Just let me fucking heal her!" I retorted and tore into my wrist and pressed it against Lily's mouth.

I felt Zach staring me down the entire time, I knew what was coming but all I was worried about was making sure Lily would be alright.

Lily started to wake back up, so I pulled my wrist away. I stared at her, sadness and anger welling up in me. Knowing what I did I don't think I could ever face her again.

"You have five seconds to tell me what happened," Zach growled at me.

But before I spoke, Lily sat up slowly, her expression dazed.

"I-I'm not entirely sure, my head is fuzzy," Lily stuttered.

"Probably because of the son of a bitch next to you," Zach remarked.

I stood up and turned to face Zach, my expression etched in pain. How the fuck could I explain what happened?

He didn't even let me speak. He lunged at me and socketed me right in the face, sending me flying against one of the tables.

Zach went to lunge at me once more but Lily materialized in front of me. But it was too late before Zach ended up knocking her right into me, sending all three of us into a heap on the ground.

God, this was turning into a fucking nightmare.

"Can the two of stop!" Lily shrilled, her breathing ragged.

I shoved Zach away from me angrily as Lily was using the table to pull herself up.

"Uh, what the fuck are you guys doing?" I heard Celesta ask from the doorway.

All three of us snapped our attention to her.

"About to beat the shit out of him," Zach hissed.

"Why?" Celesta questioned, then she looked at Lily. "Oh, my God."

All I knew was that I needed to get Zach out of there and calm him down. As well as myself before I fuck up even more. Not even waiting for anyone to say anything, I grabbed Zach and sped out of the building.

I brought us out to where the football field was, far enough away that I didn't have the scent of blood anywhere near me. I let go of him and started to pace around, thinking what the hell I was going to do about everything.

"You need to say something, Scott!" Zach shouted. "Tell me!"

"I don't know!" I thundered. "We were dancing and having a good time. Next thing  I know we were going somewhere to just do shit and then—"

I felt my eyes watering again as more anger and self-hatred built up in me.

"I lost control. It was like I didn't even know who I was anymore. It almost felt like I was entranced," I murmured.

"I don't even know what to say. I'm just shocked seeing you do that to someone," Zach said in disbelief.

"I know. And I fucking hate myself for it," I hissed.

"I think it would be best if you stay away from her. Go home, leave town, do whatever," Zach suggested. "If you go near her again I will kill you. Or Celesta will without a doubt."

"I know," I sighed. "But I needed to tell her something before all of this shit happened."

"I don't think you will be telling her anything," a voice boomed behind us.

Turning, I saw Orion walking up to us with Brandon lurking behind him, his expression completely distraught.

"I believe you have some explaining to do, given the fact that you have a certain witch's blood coating you," Orion murmured. "And if you make any attempt to run... Well, I will do Lillian a favor by killing you here and now."