Crave by Melissa Darnell Read Free Book Online Page A

hand free of Nanna’s and flipped the comforter off my legs. “Okay. Um, I…I would really like a shower now.”
    Mom frowned. “Sweetie, don’t you have any questions?”
    â€œWhat’s to ask? Dad’s some funky kind of vampire that’s part demon and drinks blood, and you two do magic. And now you think I will, too, right? Because I’m…what did you say? Changing?”
    The carpet was cold beneath my feet as I stood up on wobbly legs. My weak body demanded I get back in bed. But no way was I staying here in the loony room. I had no idea what kind of joke they were trying to play, or if I was just hallucinating from lack of food. If this was a dream, the shower ought to wake me up pretty quick. On a whim, I pinched my forearm. “Ow!” Huh. That really hurt.
    Dad grabbed my shoulders, his hands ice cold as usual.
    Distracted, I frowned down at his hands. Ice-cold hands…
    â€œSavannah, stop this right now,” he said. “We are trying to have a serious conversation with you. You are not asleep. You are perfectly awake and lucid. And you need to learn what you are, and what you may become, before anyone gets hurt. There are certain…symptoms you will need to watch out for now.”
    The first glimmer of anger flared up in my stomach. Ordinarily I was careful about what I said to him, always trying so hard to be what he wanted, to say the right thing so he wouldbe proud of me, love me. But I was too tired and freaked out right now to try and be perfect. And I’d had more than enough of this family prank.
    â€œDad, you can stop worrying. There’s no way I’m gonna be jumping on anyone or sending things flying Carrie-style at school….” A sudden memory flashed through my mind of that Christmas when Mom sent plates and other objects flying at him. Weird. I couldn’t remember the plates actually leaving her hands now. Goose bumps raced over my skin.
    â€œWell, of course you won’t turn into Carrie.” Mom laughed. “Because we won’t be teaching you magic.”
    â€œIt is the bloodlust we are more concerned about,” Dad said. “And if you do not learn to control it, you very well might end up jumping on people at school.”
    Giving in to the insanity for a second, I huffed out a short sigh. “Okay, fine. I’ve got a question for you. Why now? I mean, let’s pretend y’all are serious, you’re not messing with me here, and I’m not hallucinating. If you’re truly vamps and witches, then why tell me now and not before?”
    â€œBecause we couldn’t wait any longer,” Mom said, rising to her feet and taking my hand. “We wanted you to have a normal life for as long as possible. But when the teas stopped working and we couldn’t prevent your first monthly cycle any longer—”
    â€œOh, ew!” Dad was right there! Then I realized what she’d said and frowned. “Wait. Did you just say you gave me tea to…prevent…that?”
    Nanna nodded. “We gave you a special tea every day that delayed your puberty.”
    â€œUntil I was fifteen? ” Horror made me shriek. All my friends had had their periods since they were twelve and thirteen. All this time I’d been feeling like a freak of naturebecause I was such a late bloomer. “Why would you do that to me?”
    â€œBecause puberty’s done exactly what we feared,” Nanna snapped. “It’s triggered your dormant genes. Now they’re all waking up, and heaven only knows what’s going to happen next. And watch your tone, missy—we’re still your parents.”
    Reaching behind me, I felt for the bed then sank onto the edge of it before my knees could give out.
    â€œHon, I know it’s a lot to absorb all at once,” Mom said. “I swear, if we could have avoided telling you, we would have. We were so hoping you wouldn’t take after