The Collection

I walk into the basement and freeze at the door to my right side - the one that just yesterday had a living, breathing person begging for their life. My first but likely not last murder victim. I can’t even believe that merely a week ago I was a student studying for my latest test. And now-

I turn to the left and pass through a different door. The room I enter is cold and houses many large fridges and freezers. I was instructed that the first two freezers were the ones that housed the valuable pure vampire blood while the other fridges were collections of regular animal blood. I learned that our target was a pure vampire. Apparently the goal of this morning’s task was to end him and collect his blood for long-term, secure storage but the mission was compromised. The pure vampire blood is not meant for regular consumption and makes me wonder why it's being collected.

I open the first freezer and see many vials and packages of blood samples covering many shelves. They're a dark red colour and labelled meticulously with names, dates, and volumes. I recognize the handwriting as Frost's. I sigh as I am burdened with the task of moving them into a portable cases for our move. 

After about fifteen minutes I hear footsteps. I turn around and am greeted by Eden and James’ faces. Eden makes eye contact with me, “I heard about this morning,” he says. “How are you doing?”

“It’s fine,” I say. 

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.” I sigh. “I’m just trying to figure out how to be useful and stop making these mistakes so that I’m not on the top of Vicky’s kill list.”

“You don’t even crack the top ten. Trust me.”

Eden and James help me move the items from the fridges and freezers into the portable cases. We don’t say much at first but a thought has been burning through my head since this morning. 

“What was that pin that Vicky seemed so interested about this morning?” I ask. 

“Can you describe it?” Eden says. 

I describe the pin to the two of them. Eden seems unfazed but I can tell by James' failed attempt to seem nonchalant that it must be something of significance. 

“That’s the symbol of Vicky’s father’s gang,”  Eden says. “The ‘F’ is for Feyer, which is his name.”

“That must be why we’re moving so suddenly,” James says, touching Eden’s arm. 

“Most likely. It's also a chance for Jade and I to stay under the radar since we have former classmates in this town that might recognize us,” Eden says. 

“But wait- what’s Vicky’s father’s gang?" I ask. "Why are we moving because of them?”

“It’s a lot to explain,” Eden says. “Vicky and Selene were once part of that gang before they escaped. But they don’t talk about it much.” Eden faces James and asks, “The gang usually kidnaps light angels or something?”

“Something like that,” James says. “They kidnapped Vicky’s and Selene’s mother before they were born. Vicky’s mother was killed shortly after she was born while Selene’s mother is apparently still alive but detained.”

“That’s awful,” I say.

“It is.”

“Did Vicky mention anything about what Feyer’s gang might be up to?” Eden asks. 

“I haven’t talked to Vicky since this morning,” James says. “I also haven’t heard her mention anything recently. That encounter with Feyer’s henchmen must’ve really caught her off guard.”

“Maybe she’ll mention something before you both go to sleep. I’m sure she’s already got Frost researching.”

“I don’t think she’ll visit me tonight after everything that’s happened today.”

“I disagree. I think she’ll be more inclined to not be alone tonight.”

James shrugs and smiles subtly. I can’t help but share a slight hint of a smile. “Am I missing something here?” I ask.

I look into James’ eyes and his cheeks turn a shade of pink. He waves his arms. “No!” James says. “It’s not whatever you’re thinking.”

“Oh?” I nudge James' arm.

“Vicky doesn’t like sleeping alone at night. She has trouble sleeping unless there’s someone else sleeping next to her. According to Selene, she’s had that habit since she was little.”

I gasp and nearly drop a blood pouch. “What?” I say. “That’s so adorable. I never would’ve imagined someone like Vicky-” I don't finish.

"She's not as scary as you think," James says. "Well she is, but she can be cute in small ways."

"So you think she's cute."

James shoves my right arm and I giggle. "Stop," James says.

“She also likes to hug the person until they fall asleep,” Eden says. 

“Awww,” I say. “Wait how do you know that, Eden?”

"I've been her victim more than once," Eden says. "But she mostly does it with Selene and James.”

“Still seems so strange,” I say. “The murderous adult woman Vicky having trouble sleeping without cuddles at night.”

“Adult?” Eden says. “She’s only seventeen.”

“What?! She's younger than me!"

"She's the youngest of all of us," James says.

"How old is Selene?"

"Twenty-one."

I recall that Eden is two years younger than me at eighteen years old and that James is nineteen. Pepper and Frost are my age. I'm not sure what age I assumed Vicky was but she definitely carries herself more maturely than a typical seventeen year old would.

“Anyways, James, if she says anything keep us updated," Eden says. "I’m going to ask Frost later if he’s found any intel on Feyer's group.”

***

There's shouting coming from James' bedroom followed by a loud bang. Then silence.

My eyes fling open. I hear much of this commotion since the room is just to the right of mine. The walls are relatively thick though so I am unable to hear much more. Carefully I find myself creeping out into the hallway, curiosity persuading me. 

The door to James' room is slightly ajar. I have a decent view of the inside and do my best to not be seen.

James grabs the small blade from Vicky's hand and tosses five feet away from the two of them. Vicky is hyperventilating. "Hey hey," James says, grabbing hold of Vicky's wrists. "Look at me. It's okay. You're okay."

Vicky is visibly shaking and staring into James' eyes. James pulls her in for a hug, wrapping his arms around her. She doesn't hug back, letting her arms hang by her side but she does allow James to hold her tightly. Vicky's eyes are blank and expression is still. James' chin rests so comfortably on Vicky's left shoulder.

Staring back down at Vicky's arms I notice something else. There's a few red drops spotting her wrists. It's not enough blood to run down her hands and drop onto the floor but I can see the fresh new cuts on her wrists. Approximately five cm in length adding to her collection of several older ones.

James eventually pulls away, has Vicky sit down on a chair, and walks away. When he comes back he's holding a wet rage and several tissues. He wipes her wrists and the two of the remain silent throughout this.

I walk away and sneak back into my bedroom.