Read Online Fledgling (The Vampire Manifesto, Book Two) by Rashaad Bell - Free Book Online

grew wide. “You what?”
    “Never mind that, when I was inside this condo, it kinda felt like what happened here, but it wasn’t that intense.”
    “How long were you in there?”
    I thought for a moment. “I don’t know. Two, maybe three seconds tops.”
    “Well there’s nothing preventing you from entering uninvited, it’s the staying that causes problems. You just weren’t in there long enough for the pain to take ahold of you. But if you had stayed…”
    “Madison!” Abigail was rushing over. “Connor explained everything. Are you okay?”
    “Yeah, everything is fine.” I lied. “What do you know about my parents, Abby?”
    We headed towards the living room. Aiden was sitting on the couch, just staring at the floor, counting the patterns on the tile. I haven’t seen him do that since we were eleven.
    “I’ve been dealing with all the particulars.” Abigail stated. “Your brother…” She glanced over at him. “…he just hasn’t been able to handle everything.”
    In the distance, I heard the bathroom door close and Ethan walked in. “Madison.”
    “Ethan.” His name was like honey on my tongue. I turned back to Abigail, but she was just staring at me, trance like.
    “Abigail.” I said softly. “What happened?”
    “I...uh…” She appeared rattled, confused and she backed away suddenly. If I didn’t know any better, it was as if she was frightened of me, but a split second later, she was fine. “Well…the police are saying that it was a drunk driver. There was a high speed chase, they were pursuing him...”
    She hesitated, looking back at Aiden. He wasn’t counting anymore; he was staring directly at us.
    “The drunk driver, he uh, well, he lost control and… he was speeding through an intersection and he hit…” She couldn’t finish, tears welling up in her eyes.
    “Oh...” It was all I could manage.
    Abigail wiped the tears from her eyes quickly. “So, I’ve talked to your cousin.”
    “Cousin Frankie?” I asked.
    “Yeah, I explained to him what happened. He’s on his way up here now. Should be here sometime late tonight or early tomorrow morning.” She clarified.
    Everyone was watching me, staring, waiting on me to tell them what to do, how they should act. Specifically Aiden, sitting there on the couch, eyes swollen red with tears, contemplating what’s going to happen next. Connor and Girard were both in the kitchen, while Ethan, my beautiful Ethan Blackwood was leaning up against the wall and all of them, every single one of them all looking at me, like I’m supposed to know what to do next, like I have all the answers, when the only thing I do know is that I wanted to kill every single one of them and drink their blood.
    Oh God, I have to get out of here.
    “I’m…I’m going to…I’ve got to get out of these clothes.” I stammered. “Take a shower.”
    I hustled off immediately, not wanting to witness any accusatory glares at my apparent lack of emotion. I flew up the steps, taking them three at a time, much more then I typically do, but I didn’t care, I just needed to get the hell out of the living room. I reached my room and slammed the door a little too hard, a piece of the wood frame splintering off.
    I sat on the bed, my hands quivering. Their scents were so robust, even in here; it was hard for me to think of anything else. Arduous for me to even concentrate, let alone muster up emotions to parade in front of an audience, emotions that I don’t even think I have anymore.
    Connor was right. I wouldn’t listen to him, but he was right. He told me not to come home, regardless of my parents death because I just wasn’t ready to be around all the people I love, that I was already blood drunk of off Dakota and that…was…oh…Dakota…I’d…forgotten about her, forgotten how soft she felt in my arms, forgotten what her skin tasted like on my…
    Fuck!
    I need to concentrate. I’m losing it. I’m losing control. He told me not to come here and