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"You want me to what?" Shelby took a step back. Avid asked to meet her all the way out here, to be turned? The same Avid who cried at the thought of vampires, the same Avid who tried to banish Scott under mere suspicion, the same Avid who begged Shelby to consider her options and come back to the town?
She could almost laugh at the irony.
"Shelby, I know this is crazy, especially coming from me. But I'm sick. Very sick. And I fear-" The mans voice started to crack under the severity of the situation. "-I fear if I don't get turned into a vampire, I'll turn into something worse."
Shubble stared at him. Avid continued on about a backstory, but the only thing they could think about was how they had to kill Avid. Faced with the choice of going against everything they stood for to help her friend, she was going to help him. She could already imagine the sensation of his warm blood dripping on the side of her mouth, as her ears started to pump with every heartbeat his current alive body was producing. It was sickening, being near a human now. They've suppressed her urge to drink from one of them for so long, and now this is the perfect chance to finally taste the sweet, pure, metallic taste of human blood.
So why did they hate the thought so much?
"-So, Shelby. Please, just do it. As painless as you could." She blinked back into reality as Avid was practically face to face with her. He looked like a sad puppy how he was begging her to help him. With a sigh, they grabbed the others shoulders.
"Just, look away for me, okay?"
With a turn Shelby bit down onto his neck. The sweet smell of his blood almost made her push for more- to completely drain him. She pushed down those thoughts, licking the wound as the venom starts to enter his bloodstream. She takes her claws with three swift slashes-and a lot of screaming-Avid was a vampire. She stared down at her bloodied claws, the blood still dripping down her chin as much as she tried to be swift about it.
She got lost in it all, the same way Pyro got lost with her.
The duo had no time to process as a bat flew in, transforming to Apo- no, a very mad Apo.
"YOU LET HER TURN YOU?" She yelled to the new fledgeling. Shubbles thoughts were filled with confusion, and all the noise triggered their fight or flight. With no time to humor this situation, they turned into a bat and rushed over to the castle.
Her breath was tantalizing as the wind grazed against her fur. Being a bat always felt so much more freeing, but all she felt right now was trapped.
Am I a "true" vampire now? Am I his "sire" now?
And one blaring thought consumed her the most.
Am I unable to be cured now?
Landing at the door entrance, she could see no one was home yet. She barged her way into the castle, completely uncharacteristic from the previously kind, well-mannered girl she just was. Her footsteps echoed throughout the castle as the clicking from her heels imitated the lack of heartbeat she had. Even with being dead, she could feel blood rush to her head-most likely blood not her own.
Shelby led herself towards the nearest window she could find. The moonlight reflected off of it, yet no reflection of the current vampire stood. She stood and stared at the window, waiting for any sign of her existence.
Nothing greeted her.
Maybe it was the stress of the situation crumbling her, or the fact finally dawning on her that she made the final step into becoming a true vampire, but Shubble let out a laugh. Whether it be sadness or pure fear, she laughed. The blood curdling sound filled the halls of the empty castle as she was brought to tears under what she just did. Worst of all, she enjoyed it. She loved how human blood tasted- cursing Owen for being right. She truly didn't mind turning Avid as he fully consented, and the thought of the ever so small Shelby now holding some sort of "power" over another being made her feel strong. She had been phase three for a while now, but this was a whole new experience.
Still laughing, they felt the weight of their body become too much as they collapsed to their knees, tears streaming down their eyes. They licked the sides of their lips for any last drop of blood left over, finally brought to silence. They looked down back at their claws, the blood dried up and practically gone. Shelby sat there for who knows how long, looking up at the moonlights shine, wondering how a small, powerless girl became such a monster.
.
.
.
.
"So, I heard someone turned Avid. You wouldn't have any idea what that's about, right?" She snapped back and stumbled up at the sight of Owen leaning against the doorframe. He obviously caught her at a bad time, but she honestly would rather him than face Scott over-Holy shit I broke the promise.
Shelby tried to muster up a smile, "Wow whatttt? That's... that's crazy! Who would do that? That's-wow." Their rambles fell on deaf ears.
"Shelby, don't lie to me." His words shook them to the core. They grabbed the sides of their dress to balance themself, but the tears were already coming up.
Owen slid by her, not quite knowing how to comfort but also not the type to just leave her crying. He was ticked off by the lying of the new fledgelings, but Shelby had never been one to pull tricks. Even with the cure, she at least had the decency to be honest about wanting an option.
"He- Avid he asked me to turn him. He said he had some.. sickness. It was going to make him into a monster worse than a vampire." She wiped her face clean of tears, trying to seem like she was in control. Grasping onto any reality she had left. "He said he would rather be in control of what he would become."
"So he turned to cure a sickness? Never heard that one." Owen sighed as he placed one hand onto Shelby's shoulder. "Listen... I don't know much about this whole turning business but, look at it this way! You've finally grown into your wings." Shelby looked up to face her elder, realizing that Owen hasn't actually turned anyone from all their weeks being here.
"Wait wait wait- so this means, I'm a sire before you?" Shelby giggled, an honest one for the situation they were on. This caused Owen to step back-almost offended.
"Hey, that doesn't mean anything. Technically you all are still under Scott. But me? I have full control over myself." He crossed his arms watching the fledgeling fail to control her giggles. If it were anyone else mocking him, they would be dead in a heartbeat. But Shelby was always an exception to his anger. Even Scott held her to a different standard. It was almost impossible to believe that this kind geek of a girl just took away someones humanity.
She got it all out of her, and looked up to the other with a smile. "Thank you, Owen. For just- being here. You're less of a tough guy than you try to put up."
"Oh, please. Don't get too used to it. You still have to face Scott after breaking his rules. I'll be off now!" And with a turn, Owen walked away.
Shit.
Shelby knew she couldn't just run. For starters, she didn't want to leave the coven. They accepted her and welcomed her warmly, and she wasn't about to give that up so easily. Second of all, where would she even go? The towns people hate her (judging from that stake left outside), and she would never truly feel welcome there. So, she sat and waited. She sat at the dinner table, waiting for everyone else to come home. So, when one after one, each core vampire floods in, she was prepared for the scolding of a lifetime. Faced with staring at Pyro across her seat as Scott gestures for everyone to take a seat, she shivers knowing she had to be honest.
Shelby opened her mouth to speak, but got roughly cut off by Scott. "So, which one of you turned Avid?"
Pyro looked around, confused. Scott stared at each of the coven, one by one. Owen looked annoyed as he glanced at Shelby. And Shelby herself, sunk into her seat. The fledgeling buried her head into her hands, letting out a small whimper.
"Oh my gosh." Pyro's mouth came agape as the room all switched to look at Shelby. She could feel the shame and embarrassment of it all, but she knew she had to be honest.
She lifted her head up to face them all, blood eyes intimidating and striking fear into her undead heart. "It was supposed to be a secret. He came to me asking to be turned, and I was trying to be a good friend." She turned to face Scott with deep regret in her eyes, "I'm so so so sorry! I know you asked not to turn Avid, but he looked so scared! I'll take any punishment you have."
The elder vampire processed it all, before sighing and softening his gaze. "Ah, well nothing we can do now. Thank you for being honest Shelby, but from now on we cannot afford to turn anyone else." Relief washed over her as she held her hands to her heart.
"If I may add," Owen started to speak up, attention shifted towards him, "-I have no interest in giving this gift to those who think of it as a last option. I'm not so keen on helping these... 'people' as they harm us and expect us to offer them help when they're stuck in a pickle." Agreeing nods filled the room.
"Well then," Scott regained control of the conversation. He always seemed so in control of everything, Shelby wonders how he did it.. "-It seems we all are in agreement. I expect better behavior from you two." He gave a sharp look towards his fledgelings, which earned a duo of shy looks and shame.
Shelby ended their night back in the forest. They hoped no one was out at this time, but one could never be so sure with the audacity the humans have been gaining.
You've finally grown into your wings
The words echoed through their mind. This is who they were now, and they finally, at last, didn't have a smidge of regret.
They looked onwards at the town, remembering the threats and violence brought on against the other members of the coven.
They will all suffer for the pain they've caused.