Serum

-Five-

There was a soft knock at the door.

“Adrian?” Conner’s voice. “Are you all right? Lana says that you’re probably really weak right now and could use something to feed on. Anyway, we’re in the kitchen, it’s on the other side of the living room, if you should need us or anything.” It was silent on the other side of the door, and slowly Conner’s heart and blood sounds faded away. He must have realized I was not intending on answering. I took a long time brushing my new hair, it was nearly down to the middle of my back, longer than I had ever worn it. I couldn’t stop staring at the person in the mirror who was and wasn’t me. There were similarities there, the general structure of my face, but it was thinner, slightly elongated, cheekbones prominent now, my eyes were larger, the colors all darker. Even my lips, which had always been dark enough to pass without wearing lipstick, were a deeper shade, fuller a bit rounder. Gently I braided my hair and twisted it into a knot. My scalp felt tender and a little sore, so I was careful with the hair bands. It would take some getting used to before I could wear my hair long. Hunger suddenly clawed at my belly, but I was determined to ignore what the hunger was asking for. Blood, blood from that which I used to be: Human. I just didn’t think I could do that. Taking a deep breath, I placed the hairbrush on the sink, trying desperately to calm myself and steel my nerves. Quietly, I made my way from the bathroom to the kitchen, dreading what I might see. A thousand awful scenes floated through my mind, dead carcasses in the freezer, hearts in jars, people unsuspectingly lured inside for a “bite to eat”. Just thinking of biting made the hunger increase. Disgusted, I clenched my teeth, noting again my strange new teeth which were now bared in a feral snarl. I dropped the look, embarrassed, closing my lips to hide the teeth as I left the hallway.

Conner and Lana were sitting at the kitchen table in the next room. A pitcher sat between the two of them in the direct center of the table. Conner looked wan, his shoulders were slumped ever so slightly, his posture shouting of weakness. He sat up straighter as I entered the room, giving a smile that was more of a grimace. Concern emanated through me. I had been worried about only myself for too long.

“Are you ok?” I asked Conner carefully as I sat at the table, purposefully ignoring the jar. I was trying to tone the slur down a bit. From the smell emanating from the jar, I could tell there was fresh delightful blood in it. Delightful?!? I berated myself for being too vampiric.

“Oh, he’s just fine, we both just gave a little blood to feed you with, and it seems to have taken more out of him than usual. After all the stunts he’s pulled today it’s no wonder. Don’t worry though, we’ll give him some time to recover and then go hunting this evening.” Lana said; chipper as if nothing had happened.

“See, we can’t take you just yet, because you don’t know how to feed without killing. You’ll have to be taught what most of us learned before we were five.” Conner said weakly. “Now drink.” The idea revolted me, or at least the human side of me. Yet hunger rose up, and I began wrestling it down.

“C’mon, just drink. You know you need it, and you don’t have any choice, food won’t work. After all, I gave quite a bit of my blood to help you out here, so you’re making me feel like you think I have an incurable disease or something.” Conner joked weakly. “Besides, if you don’t, then before too long, you’ll go mad and attack everyone in sight to drink, or fall unconscious and make us force-feed it to you, or worse yet die…”

“All right!!” I yelled. “I get the point, I just don’t feel quite comfortable with it yet.” I closed my eyes. The vampire part of me, which consisted mainly of my body, and an unruly part of my mind, was all for it, but the human part of me shied away. I was afraid to give in to the vampire part, for fear I may never be able to come back. But on the other hand, if I didn’t drink, like Conner said, I’d be in a whole lot of trouble. I heard a gentle splashing and a glass was pushed into my hands. My rebellious mouth began to water as the smell reached my nostrils, and before I knew it my hand had dumped half the glass in my mouth, and I was swallowing greedily. The human part of me was repulsed, but the vampire part rejoiced as it was being appeased. I drank two more glasses before the feeding sensation was quelled, and then Lana poured the rest for Conner.

“To keep your strength up until we hunt later.” Lana said with a grim smile. Conner drank gratefully. “You’re going to have it hard Adrian, you’re going to have to learn in a few days what most vampires have been learning since they were born. How to hunt, to strike but not kill, to feed with restraint, how often to feed, how much you may need, what takes the most strength out of you, how to use your skills, and dozens of other inconsequential things that will be terribly important to you now. Conner and I will help you, but you’re going to have to learn to shove your human feelings aside, because you are vampire now, and your body will require what a vampire needs, even if your mind is against it. And you can’t tell me that there isn’t a great portion of your mind that isn't vampire as well.” I shrugged weakly. I was loathe to admit she was right, but as more time was passing I felt less and less like a human. The vampire serum was taking its toll. Suddenly I felt completely exhausted. I swayed in my chair. Heaving a great sigh, I could feel my body leaning forward on the table, I propped my head up in my hands, eyes beginning to close as Lana continued to talk. In the background, I heard Conner interrupt.

“Um, Lana…” Conner began, but apparently she noticed.

“Come on, Adrian, that can’t be terribly comfortable.” I hear Lana’s voice say. Then gentle hands lifted me to my feet. I recognized Conner’s scent, as I softly collapsed in his arms, stronger now through my vampiric nose. I was half-walked, half-carried into the living area, and laid gently on a couch. Sighing again, I curled up, barely awake enough to mumble my thanks.

I cat-napped on the couch most of the rest of the day. I felt exhausted from everything that had happened, and once I overheard Conner asking Lana in a worried voice if that was normal.

“Well, the serum does take a toll on the body, imagine having to replace all your skin, hair, and teeth, not to mention fine-tuning about every other organ and part that your body’s never used before. So yes, I’d say that her sleeping so much is normal.” Lana replied. My once vivid dreams and nightmares began to fade while I slept. By late evening when Conner woke me I had stopped dreaming completely.

“Must be because I’m what my nightmares used to be about. There’s nothing left to fear.” I mumbled, sleep still claiming my brain.

“What? Oh never mind. Lana and I are going out. Stay here, don’t leave the house, Lana says you should be fine and won’t need anything else for at least several hours, especially if you don’t do too much. We’ll be back as soon as possible. If something happens and you get desperately hungry, there’s spare blood in the fridge. Lana nips it from her work at the lab before they toss out the unused portions. Of course she won’t let anyone touch it unless it’s a dire emergency.” Conner told me quickly. Fearfully I sat up, they were going to leave me here alone? My expression must have shown my dismay.

“Don’t worry, you’ll be all right, just try to keep calm, Lana says you’re past the danger point of the serum back-firing.” Conner soothed.

“Back-firing!?!?! Is that supposed to be comforting?!?!” I yelled, making Conner wince. I noted dimly that the sound was loud, but in my fit of hysterics, I didn’t really care.

“Trust me, all right, I really need to go, and I’m not sure that I can do much good without Lana’s help this evening.” Conner said urgently. Humbled, I apologized. He had done very well by me, even if his original plan to protect me from his sister had backfired.

“Ok.” I assented worriedly. I was still terrified of being left alone, especially with my new unknown body.

 “You’ll be all right,” Conner said as he headed out the door, on the other side I heard him mumbling ominously “And if you’re not, I’ll kill my sister.” With a shudder, I believed him. The door snapped closed with a loud snick.