Jasper seemed to be waiting for something after his brief response. Perhaps he was waiting for a reaction from me? His youthful face looked worried, as if I might burst into tears at any moment or, worse, call the police because I didnât understand the situation at once and thought I had been kidnapped. In that moment, I realized my phone was not nearby. But the thought came as quickly as it went; I would deal with that later.
I gave him a slight smile, expectant, trying to urge him with my gaze to answer the remaining questions.
Another moment passed before he spoke again. âYou were bitten by a vampire,â he said. I nodded; I was aware of that, it was the last memory I had before waking up here. âWhen a vampire bites you, his venom spreads through you, and you begin to transform into a vampire yourself.â I froze. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that my reaction caused a noticeable tension in Jasper. But I didnât care about that at that moment. Me, a vampire? That would explain the enhanced vision, the heightened sense of smell, and my hearing, which seemed to extend further than ever before. Would the guys hate me now? Had I become their natural enemy? Would I ever be able to go home again, to the only home I had ever known? A wave of despair washed over me, and a sob rose within me.
A solitary tear rolled down my cheek. I looked away from Jasper, not wanting him to see me cry. My gaze fell on a small mirror that stood in the corner of the room and faced me. I looked at myself. I appeared as I always did, with clear skin and no blemishes, my hair shining a bit more; otherwise, I couldnât see any changes. I hesitated for a moment before looking myself in the eye. I expected to see the red I had seen in the vampire that bit me. But I saw my brown eyes, which felt so familiar. This realization led to a pause, and I let my gaze wander back to Jasper.
He still stood motionless and tense at the door, as if he were a guardian between me and the world. I just wasnât sure if he was protecting me or the world.
âHow long have I been here? Do my parents know?â I repeated my earlier questions. The silence in the room made me nervous, just like the unanswered questions.
âYouâve been here for almost three days. You actually shouldnât be awake yet. A transformation always takes three days or more,â Jasper replied matter-of-factly, with no emotion in his neutral voice. He waited a brief moment before continuing.
âYour parents donât know anything yet. The pack has your phone and is texting them in your name so they wonât worry. This way, they wonât suspect anything until we know how to proceed.â His response sounded calculated, almost like a battle plan he was sharing with me.
As he spoke, the front door opened, and from the sounds, several people seemed to be approaching Jasper and me quickly. Jasper appeared more relaxed than before, which told me that there was no danger.
Just a blink later, a small pixie embraced him. Not a real pixie, of course, even though she had that supernatural beauty and sparkled like Jasper.
I looked at her more closely; she too had golden eyes and short black hair. She smiled at me as she noticed my gaze.
âHello, Mary. Itâs nice to see you awake.â She wanted to come closer to me, but Jasper held her back. After a brief look from her, he let her approach. What an interesting relationship they must have, I thought. He could have prevented her from getting closer if he really wanted to.
âI hope Jasper here has shown you a bit of our hospitality,â she said, giving him a reproachful look with raised eyebrows, as if she knew exactly how Jasper would have reacted. Judging by their looks, she was indeed aware of it. He simply smiled lovingly at her, as if he were unaware of any wrongdoing.
âWell, come on, Iâll introduce you to the others.â The girl took my hand and pulled me toward the door. I was confused; had I ever met her? She seemed to know me, even though she didnât look familiar. How does one ask someone their name when that person seems to know so much about you? It was almost like at school when I couldnât remember the names of people I knew. I always tried to avoid using their names. But with these people, I knew I recognized them; with this pixie-like woman, no memory surfaced.
After she had pulled me past Jasper and down a large staircase, I found myself in a huge living room. It was brightly furnished and also featured large windows facing the forest. Several people were in the room. They all looked at us as we entered. Jasper followed us closely.
The atmosphere was tense yet curious. I felt the gazes fixed on me, as if I were a puzzle to be solved. Who were these people, and why did I feel so lost yet somehow belonging at the same time?