First Bitten by Samantha Towle Read Free Book Online Page A

moves up the bed putting space between us.
    I watch him with interest as he pushes his hair off his forehead and lets out a light sigh. “I’m sorry I had to wake you but it’s time you fed. You should have fed earlier but I didn’t think it was wise to suggest it with the state you were in, and I know you’re far from great now, obviously, but it’s been far too long and you need to feed.”
    I tilt my head and stare at him confused. “What do you mean, 'I need to feed?'.”
    He frowns for a fleeting moment. “Feed, you know, on blood.”
    A chill runs through me, cutting into my bones. I wrap my arms protectively around myself. “Blood? What are you talking about?” The words practically dribble out of my mouth.
    Nathan mirrors me, folding his arms across his chest. I see the muscles flex in his forearms. “You’re a Vârcolac now, Alex. You’re part vampire, therefore a blood drinker. I thought you would have realised … ” He peters off, and I’m assuming it’s because of the look of absolute horror on my face.
    My mouth forms the words to speak but nothing comes out.
    He unfolds his arms and shakes his head. “You didn’t realise?”
    My brain is failing. I’m half expecting it to start trickling out of my ears.
    “ You need blood,” Nathan says in a careful voice. “Well, you’ll crave it. I’m surprised you’ve lasted this long already without feeling any urges. You can still eat food, Alex, but basically blood is your sustenance, for want of a word.”
    My body’s gone numb. I dig my nails into the skin on my arms, just to try and feel something. Taking in a big gulp of air, I attempt to still my erratic heart. My mouth’s gone dry, and the words are gloopy as they leave my mouth. “You’re saying I need to drink blood to stay alive?”
    He nods. And I feel sick.
    “ That can’t be right,” I stammer, holding back the fast rising bile. “You must be wrong. You’ve gotta be wrong.”
    As I clutch at straws, Nathan shakes his head empathetically. “For your sake I wish I was, but I’m not.”
    Something inside me clicks and then I know what’s happened here. I get it. I almost laugh out loud with relief. I’ve finally cracked and have had a nervous breakdown. With everything I’ve been through over the years it makes sense. I’ve stepped out of reality and into a dream world that I’ve created. That’s it. I’m currently in a dream world, just like Alice in Wonderland, except I’m not in Wonderland, I’m in Horrorland. Actually it’s more like I’m trapped in a Freddie Kruger film. Now all I need to do is find a way to get myself out of this never-ending horror story and back to normal.
    “ If you don’t feed,” Nathans continues, snapping me back to the now, “it’ll make you do things you wouldn’t normally do to satisfy your hunger.”
    The sound of his continuing voice against my ears is abrasive. I feel like nails are been driven into my skull.
    This isn’t real. I don’t want him here. I don’t want to be here anymore. I want him to stop talking. I don’t want to hear any of this anymore.
    I cover my eyes with my hands, thumbs pressing over my ears, blocking out the sound of his voice.
    This isn’t real. This isn’t real.
    It’s just a figment of my over-active imagination. I’ve always had wild thoughts, usually ideas of grandeur, not sick and twisted scenarios like this but ...
    Nathan grabs hold of my arm, yanking my hand away from my face, polluting my ears with his words again. “Have you been listening to a fucking a word I’ve said to you?”
    Anger quickly takes me over. I peel my other hand away from my face. “I heard enough.” I scowl at him.
    “ You haven’t heard the fucking half of it,” he chastises me. “You think I’m telling you this for my health? I’m trying to help you, Alex, and you need to pay attention to every single fucking thing I tell you from now on because I’m telling you these things for your own good, to give