Chapter Seven: Doyle and Lauren:

-Lauren-

How long have I been here? I’m starting to get hungry again. My body is screaming at me to run out and hunt something down. But, Doyle told me to stay put. Why am I even listening to him? Could I even trust him? He did have a point of me not really having a choice. I’m tired of letting my hunger rule me.

It didn’t help that I could feel the people walking by. I could see their veins as they walked by. The hunger almost makes me want to vomit. At least, the cops aren’t chasing after me. I haven’t attacked anyone so far. I don’t know how long I can keep this up.

I froze when I felt someone staring at me. I moved my eyes downward. A single cat stared at me. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. What kind of a sick joke is this?

“You don’t want to stay here,” I said. That stupid light brown cat stared at me.

“Seriously, I am really hungry and I could kill you,” I said.

“Meow,” was all that cat said. I could see all of its veins in its little body. I gritted my teeth. What the hell, man? Did this fur ball want to die?

“Look!” I growled. “Beat it! I’m hungry! I don’t want to kill you, but I will if you don’t run away!”

“Meow!” that stupid cat said.

“Get lost! This is your last warning!” I barked.

“Meow!” the little beast said. I gritted my teeth.

“You!” I snapped. I reached forward and grabbed the cat’s neck. But then, a pale hand grabbed onto my wrist. I lifted my head. Two eyes like coal stared back at me.

“Bullying a cat?” a man’s voice asked. “That’s just sad.”

“Who are you?” I asked.

“Aw, Lauren, don’t tell me you forgot already,” he said. I narrowed my eyes as I blinked.

“Doyle?” I asked. The hand slipped from my wrist. A face leaned down to me, lifting my chin higher. His round, pale face made me blush. His teeth were still white from not feeding.

“Nice to meet you,” this man said.

“Ah,” I said. My insides turned in knots. “I’m so hungry!” I felt my body being pulled to my feet. This time, I got a better look at Doyle. All dressed in black, how cliched could this guy get? The only things he was missing was a top hat and a cane.

“What’s with that cloak?” I asked. I quickly closed my mouth as I felt more blood coming out. Doyle looked down at his clothes.

“What’s with those shorts and top?” he asked. My cheeks puffed up as more blood rushed forward.

“If you need to vomit, do it in the bin behind you,” he said. I turned and spat out the blood in the bin. I about choked as I panted. When I turned around, Doyle had his hands up in a shrug.

“I know you have questions, but I think we should get you something to eat,” he said. “And I feel that that cat isn’t going to be enough.” I raised my eyebrow as I tried not to look like I was in pain.

“And where am I supposed to get blood?” I asked. Doyle patted me on the head.

“Come with me,” he said. He grabbed me by the hand and dragged me along with him.

“Where are we going?” I asked.

“You’ll see,” he said.

“Are we going to kill people?”

“Not tonight.”

“Huh?”

“We’re trying to rebuild your skills, remember? Save the killing with you have your hunger under control, okay?”

“Okay… But where are we going?”

“You’ll have to see, okay?” Doyle repeated. His tone did little to calm me down. Oh boy…

We ended up at, surprise, a blood bank. An uncomfortable look came over my face.

“You’re kidding,” I said.

“Hey, you’re hungry, aren’t you?” he asked. “Feast!” I tilted my head.

“But I’ve been all over the news,” I said. “What if they call the cops and have me arrested?”

“Do you know how to turn invisible?” Doyle asked. I blinked wildly at him.

“Huh?” I asked. He pressed his hand against his forehead and sighed.

“Okay, you stay right there,” he said. Before I could say a word, Doyle disappeared in a flash. And before I could process the thought in my head, he returned with eight bags of blood in his hands.

“Here you are,” Doyle said. My pupils shrank as I grabbed onto a bag and ripped it open. I downed each bag one by one. There were not pauses. By the time I finished the last bag, I collapsed onto the ground.

“Better?” Doyle asked. I panted as I looked up at him.

“Yeah,” I said in one breath. He grabbed me and hauled me over his shoulders.

“Good, because we have work to do,” that bastard in black said. He carried me off before I realized what was happening.