Slowly, I lifted my hand, reaching out to her. “Jenny, it’s me.” She blinked several times and shook her head. Working out the cobwebs, I hoped. “That’s right,” I said, wanting her to gain control. “It’s Rhiannon. You’re safe. I promise.”
My heart sank when her eyes narrowed. Her lips pulled back, and she revealed her fangs. Two beats of my heart later and she had my arms in her hands, forcing me against the wall. She was strong—unbelievably strong. More powerful than I thought a newly turned vampire would be. I cried out when she whipped me around and trapped me against the bars of the cell, my shoulder a raging ball of fire as the joint nearly came out of the socket.
“So thirsty,” Jenny hissed and took a deep breath at my throat, nostrils flaring. “Smells so good.”
She lifted her head, meeting my eyes, and I knew Disco was telling the truth. My sister was no longer there. Once hazel irises were now glowing gold, a predatory beast revealed from within. Not just insane, she was an animal now. One who would exist only to eat, sleep, and survive.
Something inside me broke, a permanent scar in my soul.
I howled at the injustice of it. I thought Jenny had been given back to me only to have her taken away. It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t right. Yet it was the tragedy that was my life.
Anger and distress gave me strength. Even though Jenny was a vampire, she didn’t know how to fight. That gave me the advantage when I looped a foot around her ankle, put both hands against her chest and shoved. She didn’t fall but she did stagger, swaying on her feet. As she stared at me, she hissed—a deranged, awful sound I never wanted to hear again. Then she ran in my direction.
I avoided her by stepping to the side, out of her range.
I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t fight her. I couldn’t harm her. And I could only avoid her for so long. I considered doing as Disco instructed, trapping her inside the cell. But was that fair? Did I really want to leave her behind in this hellhole? And if I didn’t, what alternatives did I have? She was psychotic as a human and a lunatic as a vampire. There was no place for her, no hospital capable of keeping her sedated and under control.
Someone, please help me. I can’t do this alone, I screamed silently, begging once for an easy way out, admitting I wasn’t as strong as I wanted everyone to believe. In truth I was as weak, cowardly, afraid. I’d just managed to do a damn fine job of hiding it.
From the world.
From the friends I kept at a distance.
From myself.
It wasn’t a good time to rehash memories, but I found myself doing it just the same. Each time she came at me, I remembered the good times—of us laughing, sharing secrets, and pretending our lives were different. We’d brush each other’s hair, making up stories of how it would be when we were adults and could make our own choices. Jennifer had wanted to be a counselor, to help children in the same situation we were in. I thought it was a perfect idea, a way for her to reach out to others as she healed herself.
Her clenched fist made solid contact with the side of my head, knocking me off balance. I tried to veer to the side but stumbled over my feet. That gave Jenny just the opportunity she needed. Down we went—her on top and me on bottom. Now different memories arose, of the night when she’d shoved our foster father’s body off me, revealed a knife, and stabbed me repeatedly in the abdomen to end my “suffering.” Then one thing was painfully evident.
She’d had no qualms about killing me then. She had no qualms about killing me now.
As she lowered her face I planted my fist in her nose, the power of the blow limited by my range of motion but enough to keep her fangs away from my throat. Thus began a struggle—my hands at her chin to keep my jugular clear of danger, her fingers clawing at my eyes and cheeks. She snapped at me, a vicious animal determined to break through my defenses. Her irises were becoming red, showing me the beast inside. This couldn’t go on forever. Eventually I’d lose my strength. When that happened, Jenny would win because I didn’t have the heart to end her life.
I couldn’t kill my own sister.