CHAPTER ELEVEN

It was still night time and Marcus and I were outside standing a few feet apart from each other. The Owls hooted in the distance and crickets chirped in the nearby bushes. "What are we doing?" I asked Marcus, half yelling across the yard to him. He wore a grey jacket over a white shirt and black sweats. 

Marcus gave me a grin before saying, "Honing your skills some before we head in." He positioned himself into a running stance and before I asked him what he meant, I heard a whooshing sound then tap on my shoulder. I turned and saw him standing there with cocky smile. "Over time you will get better at doing this," He directed my attention to the tree line where it met with the forest. "Now you give it a go. Remember to focus and breathe."

"I thought vampires didn't breathe?" I asked. "Or was the all folklore as well." I bent down slightly and focused toward the forest. I heard Marcus give a light chuckle before I dashed off to the trees. I nearly forgot to stop and came to a halt just in front of the tree bark. I heard Marcus laugh again and I turned. "Woah." I grinned as the adrenaline kicked in. 

"There you go," Marcus said as he clapped his hands to congratulate me. "If you keep practicing this, you'll be a pro."

I dashed back to him and knocked him to the ground. A little "oof," came from my lips as I laid on his chest. "Uh," I said slightly embarrassed. "Sorry." I mumbled as I scrambled to to feet. 

"As I said," Marcus said. "Practice."

""Easy for you to say," I mumbled beneath my breath. "How long did it take for you to get the hang of this?" I asked turning the subject over to him. I watched him as he turned toward the lake. I waited as he fought the urge to give me honest answer.

Marcus turned to me, giving me a look that must have meant something. "It took awhile," He put his own hand on my shoulder and continued softly. "Let's continue before it gets any later than it is." Did I miss something? Because if I did the I must be completely dumb. His eyes snapped to me. "Don't ever think that your dumb." My jaw dropped but I could only nod. He turned to go back into the cabin.

"Alright if you say so." I said feeling a pang in my chest. I still had a lot to learn in the aspect of being a vampire. Controlling the urge to eat everything in sight. My speed. Being able to listen to what people say.  Just being able to control everything was my main goal. Even if I don't get it right the first time around is fine. Practice for awhile then go eat. Man what do vampires say when it's time to drink blood?

"Feed." Marcus said as if he still was reading my thoughts. The thought of saying 'Feed' my stomach sort of lurch but I attempted to force the idea in a small corner of my mind but it still echoed. 

"Can you not say that particular word?" I attempted to make sound like a joke but it came out as pure disgust. "I was fine using the term Eat. It sounds normal for me." Marcus gave a look and then shrugged as if he were saying 'if you say so.' mockingly. I felt a blush burn at my cheeks. How can he mock me then make me blush? Before all of this happened, my boyfriend had broken up with me because I was too much of a handful. Well the only thing that I had to say was screw him!

I heard Nora and Blake no that far off from us, I turned and saw Nora grinning like she had seen something that I had not. Blake on the other hand, was not grinning. It looked like something or someone had put him in a bad mood. I used the knowledge that I was given not that long ago, and rushed up to see both of them up close. "Everything alright?" I eyes Blake, a little worried about him but I didn't dare ask him anything else. Blake only shook his head, not saying anything. The wind had picked up some, causing all of our hair to rustle in the wind. "Are you sure? Because the vibes i am picking up from you alone, is saying otherwise"

Blake's gaze snapped to me and he instantly said "I am fine." I brushed passed me and I looked his way as he went to the forest. The silence overturned everything else. The only ones left in the yard was me and Nora.

I turned to face Nora and saw the same expression that I was giving Blake. She only half smiled and said, "Don't mind Blake. He is always like this." I raised my eyebrows but she continued softly, her voice all but a whisper. "Not toward me if that was hat you were thinking."

"I was going to say," I stated in her defense. "If he acts like that toward you, allow me to put him in his place." I raised my hand, balled into a fist and made a punching motion in the air. "Nobody and I mean men, should mistreat woman." I heard Nora giggle but she made no response.

After five minutes of silence, Nora said, "He's normally a really sweet guy but something has gotten him on edge the last few nights and he doesn't want to talk about it." 

"Don't worry," I said as I placed my hand on her shoulder. "He will come around."

"I know that he will." Nora all but mumbled beneath her breath. I could only nod as i thought of something to say to clear the awkward silence that seemed to overcome the both of us.

"It's getting late," I finally said. "How about we go inside." I looked around to find that Marcus was gone. It looks like our lessons of honing my skills were over and I think that in my own way, I was the cause of it. I didn't know why or how but as much as I wanted to dwell on the idea, I didn't want to. 

"Sure," Nora said. "We'll just wait for the boys to get back before it gets any later."

"Sounds good to me." I said as I took hold of her wrist and guided her back to the cabin but I couldn't help but glance back at the forest and noticed a face staring back at me. I turned my head back at the cabin, and ushered her inside. The feeling of danger was still there but I wasn't ready to face the odds just yet. Until then I'd let the big boys handle it.