Blood & Juniper

I study her vigorously, I can't tell if she's being honest. I don't think I want her near me when I eat, but will she give me a choice?

"I'm alright, I already drank," I gulp, failing to be firm and convincing.

"From how many did you feed?"

"I drank enough."

"How... Many?" she enunciates the words individually.

I hesitate, scrunching up my face, knowing she won't accept my answer, "...One."

"Not enough," she declares, "knowing how you like to leave unfinished meals, one is not enough."

"How much should I have then?"

"There's no reason to deprive yourself in a place of abundance. I'd say at least two or three, since you're so young."

"What? You can't be serious!"

I hear my sneakers make contact with cement. I look around, taking notice as we enter another small neighborhood. I barely hear June's feet against the payment like she's padding the ground with cat paws instead of her heavy rubber soles.

"Why neglect your needs when you have the means? Being well fed will keep your body strong and your senses sharp."

"You say that like I'm at risk of-"

Two hands abruptly clasp upon my shoulders, digging into the flesh.

I'm swept into a spin, lifted off the ground as my feet dangle. My nails thicken, clawing into their arms.

I flail in mad bicycle kicks, the air whoshes past. Nothing, every kick is a flub!

My back slams into something hard and metal. I hear glass split like a giant egg shell rupturing. I inhale sharp, taken by surprise. I'm pinned! 'Shit! I'm going to die! Shit!'

I scream, raking my nails against fabric and flesh, rocking my body like a seizure to wriggle free. Kicking like crazy but only hitting the solid object at my heels. My eyes squeeze closed as I flip my head to the side in anticipation of oncoming pain.

Nothing, no pain. I'm just hanging against a cold surface by two unnaturally still arms.

I calm my hyperventilating breaths and wild movement as it didn't seem to help get me loose. I peek at my surroundings. It's a car I'm pushed against, I busted the taillight.

The harsh light of a street lamp circles us in a muddy yellow. I blink up at it before cautiously turning my head. My jaw drops at the sight of my attacker.

Juniper's eyes are illuminated their icy blue beneath the shadowed crescent of her hood. Her demeanor is mild and motionless like a statue. Lips slightly curled up, just a hint. Her tiny arms are completely still as they suspend my entire body against the back of the bulky van.

"Juniper! What the Fu-!"

My feet make contact with the curb as she sets me down. She does it with such ease you'd think I weighed 20 pounds. I stare into her, downright baffled. Then I feel my face crunch into hot anger.

"You didn't need to throw me into a damn van to make your point! What the hell is wrong with you!"

Her lips twitch, I think she enjoyed doing that. What a psycho!

I stomp away from her. Who just does that! Does she think it's funny?

"My apologies, petite. Don't be angry with me," she's floating at my side, she doesn't sound sorry at all.

"Get away from me! I don't want to be near you right now!"

She gets in front of me. Her mellow eyes make me so irate, I want to rip her face off. I bark, "Move!"

Her lips split revealing her glistening, semi pointed teeth, "Or what?"

A breath flitters between my gritted teeth as I feel them alter. I scowl seeing red. She's pissing me off!

"I said… Move," each word is spit like acid corroding the ground.

Her smile widens and her body sways in a childish manner, "Make me."

I can't think straight, blinded by rage. I take a swipe at her with clawed fingers. She avoids it, scarcely moving at all. This isn't sensible, should I really be this upset? I can't calm down, I'm boiling over!

I roar, lunging at her. She side steps onto an overgrown lawn. I follow the blue streaks from her eyes as she whisks herself away. I pursue it like a house cat to a laser pointer, a swing and a miss.

I chase her down watching her long hair twirl like a horse's mane from her scalp. I play dirty reaching for the strands to get a fist full.

My fingers sink through her raven hair and I close my fist into it. I'm stunned when she spins around knocking my fist with a fierce open back hand, jostling my grip.

I cradle my hand in the other to coddle the sting, more furious than before.

"I didn't expect foul play from you, Ashlen. With all that morality talk."

"Grraaahh!"

I scramble in the unkempt grass like a rabid animal after her. I want to see her bleed!

I anticipate her path launching myself to cut her off and catch her by the wrist. Her blue eyes spark to life, ripping the wrist out of my hold as the other palm shoves my shoulder away with the force of a swinging club.

I can't stop, I'm in some kind of berserker rage. I lunge at her again and keep swiping. The air whistles as if sharp knives are dicing it. I continue clawing and charging, making her back up and sway from side to side.

I'm practically frothing at the mouth, grunting and huffing as I swing fast and strong in every direction. There's a tree coming up on her right she'll have to dodge left soon. My left hand jabs forward, anticipating her next move. My nails rip through flesh and blood as three fingers slice skin from bone.

I gasp, freezing up. Thick wetness coats my tips, I grazed her. There are three horizontal lines along the bridge of June's nose. 'What am I doing? Who am I... this isn't me!'

I blink in horror, the wounds start to bead and leak, deep red rolls down her nose and cheek in thin drips. I began to shake. My vision zooms out, taking in June as a whole. Is she going to murder me?

She is… Smiling? A full blown jagged grin. She looks perfectly enthused.

Her fingers slowly rise to prod the slashes along her bridge.

She touches the fresh bursting cuts and delicately drags downward. The dark goo smears like paint. She takes her fingers away, hovering about six inches from her gaze. She stares at the hand with admiration, simply delighted. It's kind of scaring me.

I'm tempted to lick her blood from my own fingertips, disgusting. This is wrong on so many levels. I'm not violent, I'm not blood thirsty! I wasn't like this...

"That's good, that's very good," Juniper grin slides wider with narrowed eyes.

A tear falls, rolling down my cheek and I immediately wipe it away. I don't know what it's caused by. Anger, fear, sadness, disgust, all of the above? I don't know what to feel. I lower my head.

My lips quiver, my constitution thoroughly shaken as I stare into space, "Why are you doing this to me?"

Her smile vanishes but she doesn't frown either. She examines me thoughtfully.

She's at my side like a shadow growing from a rotating spotlight. Her neck cranes forward to look upon my face with tenderness, "Your expressions and emotions are so genuine."

She reaches forward to stroke my cheek with her graceful hand but I jerk away. I stare at her coldly. She's right, I wear my emotions on my sleeve and I'm not happy with her, at all.

June's emotional state is quiet and mostly hidden from me. She smiles softly, "I find myself growing quite fond of you."

"You have a funny way of showing it."

I scowl, "Thanks for that. It wasn't enough to throw yourself at me and then provoke me, you can't resist calling me stupid, too."

"On the contrary, I find you bright. Which is why I'm sharing this with you," she stares directly into my glowering eyes. I'm extremely agitated with her but I'll hear her out for curiosity's sake, "It is said that fools learn from experience, while the wise learn from the experience of others. In the supernatural world the fool's way is often miserable, even fatal."

She sighs stepping away from me now. She looks far off in the direction of the coast, her countences dims into something somber as she utters, "Take it from a fool. Be cautious as this world is so unforgiving."

My eyebrows dip with conflicting feelings. Are all immortals so horrible at expressing themselves? I don't know what to make of June. She is so naturally repelling. I've had chances to run, to get away from her, but I'm always wandering back.

She's probably right, I am a fool.

I sigh in frustration, "You know, you could have just talked to me about your concerns rather than flinging yourself at me like a psychopath."

"You weren't listening and physical messages rarely fail to sink in."

"Even if that's true, I also find myself hating you a bit more than I did earlier. Is that what you want, do you want me to be scared? Do you want me to run away!"

We stare at each other on the massive neglected lawn. A wind blows through our wet hair and the leaves make slapping sounds, heavy and damp. The water resting on the road crackles and bubbles as it recedes into the growing splits and unfilled cracks.

She breaks contact first, turning her head away. It's like watching an inanimate object move on its own. Uncanny, like it's not supposed to happen.

She whispers, "Perhaps you should run, it may be the wise thing to do."

I shut my eyes. I already know… I won't do that. I won't leave her.

I feel like I need to stay with her, I care too damn much.

"Well, you already said I'm not that smart."

"No, I expressed concerns about your tendencies."

"Whatever, same difference. It's sugar coating that I'm an idiot," I sigh heavily, "Let's go, so I can suck someone's blood and then we'll call it a night."

She looks upon me, eyes soft like candlelight, "Certainly, petite," she chuckles silently, "As promised, there will be no interference from me. Continue along your path and I'll be but a shadow. A voice in your consciousness."

What a speech, it's a mystery to me how Juniper manages to blend into this Era. Like hell she does. She sticks out like a sore thumb.

"Yeah about that… I don't really know my way around so well. I was hoping maybe you could lead the way?"

She's at my side as if she poofed there. The marks I made on her nose have already healed, only dried brown blood outlines my assault. She's obviously a force to be reckoned with, she was definitely going easy on me.

"Sweet Ashlen, it's a wonder how you walked among the living for so long," she pushes a strand of hair out of my face as I frown at her. I'm still not completely recovered from our tiff, or my one way tiff.

She prance to the sidewalk, movements so smooth and leisurely you wonder how she manages it with such speed.

"About a week before it's full," she utters, I follow her gaze to the moon peeking through dense gray clouds, "A majestic sight indeed."

*****