Born without an expiration date

Forty-three

Six months later

ETNA

We had heard nothing of Achille since the night Demitri had stolen me back from them, and when everyone went back to the complex a couple of nights later, apparently the place was abandoned.

We didn't think he'd give up that easily, so we were always prepared. Keeping an eye out.

That wasn't really my top priority though. Adjusting to the change was difficult. There was some cool parts, like my senses were heightened. I could see, hear and smell better. I could also run a lot faster. Then there was the hard parts.

The hunger for one, I couldn't be anywhere near a human in the beginning. I couldn't control myself. Quinn was ever so nice about it, and he went off on his own for the first couple of months that I was home.  When he came back, he used himself as a guinea pig, to slowly bring my tolerance up and test my self control.

The strength was an issue as well as well. How Leanda put up with me breaking her stuff, I'll never know. Every time I picked up my glass too roughly and it smashed, she'd just smile and someone would come clear it up for me. It was embarrassing more than anything.

Training was a lot more fun now though. Apparently new vampires are the strongest. So I was enjoying taking on Demitri and Leanda together. It was fun, a lot of people who had stuck around wanted to train with me, the extra challenge was great. I was learning to use my strength to my advantage and training for when my strength would calm down a little.

We had moved three times so far. Leanda determined not to stay in one place for too long. The place at the moment was a house that belonged to For and More. They had been travelling with us the whole time, said they wanted to see how I turned out. Which didn't make me feel like a freakshow at all..... A couple of others that had been at the first meeting had changed too, but no one seemed to care as much. They were nearly thirty years old.

We were having dinner one night when Quinn walked in, late.

"Where have you been? You nearly missed dinner completely," asked Leanda affectionately scolding him.

"Fire messages my love. I have news, but we shall discuss it after dinner. I am starving." Quinn sat down and began to tuck into his food.

"That'll be from all the training earlier," said More.

"You should go easy on the human," said For to me in a stage whisper. We all laughed.

"He gives as good as be gets," I commented, and Quinn nodded to me in thanks.