My Precious Nightmare

Chapter 34: The Parasite of Parasites

Aster was so caught up in standing vigil at Sky's side that it was midnight before he noticed who was missing.

Careful to not jostle the sleeping girl on his lap, he leaned across the small pile of empty plastic blood bags to reach his cell phone on the nightstand. Even that little movement made his head spin and his stomach turn. His body wasn't taking too kindly to having his blood drained one too many times, and was unhappily doing its best to work with the cold blood he'd stuffed down his throat.

He fell back on the pillows to stop the spinning and put the phone to his ear.

Lane picked up after the second ring.

"You seen Husani yet?" his little brother asked.

"Just calling to ask."

"You don't sound good. Haven't you gotten her to take the bags yet?"

"She tried and threw it back up." He could still smell the wasted blood sinking into the carpet.

"Threw it back up? How is that even possible? When I sucked your blood as a vampire, that's what made me throw up. Tasted like rotten fruit, worms included."

Aster grunted. He hadn't bothered to try vampiric blood, but it had never sounded appetizing for some reason.

"Something's weird with her," he said. "You call him?"

"Well, yeah, but it's his house number. He hasn't picked up. I don't think he even owns a cell phone."

"Do you know what he was planning on doing tonight?"

Lane snorted. "Like I'd even think to ask, it's not like we talk much. As long as he gives you what you want, he could jump off a cliff, for all I care."

Not that Aster felt much different. Still, his brother's jaded, nasty tone made Aster miss the days when his brother had been cute and little and not this angsty teenager. Is this how parents felt?

"Hey, how about I take a turn with Sky?"

Aster stiffened. "No."

"How 'bout yes? You sound awful, and the last time I saw you, you looked ready to throw up yourself. This can't be good for you. Your body needs to, I don't know, have time to absorb the nutrients or something."

"Note taken."

"...don't make me hit low, Aster."

"I'd like to see you try, brat. I'm not letting you risk yourself."

"It's hardly a risk. She's starting to stabilize. Besides, I'm a vampire. I can't die just because of a little blood loss. Final warning."

"No." Aster's first instinct was to hang up, but half of him was curious to see what his little brother thought of as a low blow.

"Alright then. You only have yourself to blame." On the other end of the line he heard a long, dramatic sigh. "I took pictures of you and Sky when you both fell asleep. Holding her in your arms. Nuzzling into her hair. Whole nine yards—"

His insides stiffened, which aggravated his stomach. "I can't control what I do when I'm asleep."

"Oh, but she's not going to think of it that way. I mean, teenage girls and love and all that—"

"That isn't funny."

"Then I could take these pictures to someone other than Sky. Say—"

"Don't you dare."

"Oh, but I dare."

He couldn't believe what he was hearing, but at the same time, he did, and even felt a weary sort of pride, too tired to muscle up any real fury. He did feel sick. And last night had been hell. He'd nearly lost himself to the beast two times. The second time he'd nearly crashed through the bedroom window with Sky still wrapped about his throat like a giant leech.