Bloodlust-Chapter 1

Chapter 1: The Painful Transformation
It was afterschool on a Friday when it happened. To Cat, out of all people.

The clouds covered the sky unusually, wrapping it into a smooth, gray blanket. Rain fell lightly to the earth when Cat left Tori's house that afternoon. It was unusual to her; the weather was always nice and sunny when she left her best friend's house. But not today.

She wouldn't let the rain get her happy mood down. She smiled as she looked up at the sky, the rain showering her face with fresh water. It felt soothing against her skin. Almost as soothing as the sun...

So she walked, and occasionally skipped, the way home. It wasn't that far a walk.

The rain poured harder as Tori's house disappeared in the distance. Cat kept her thoughts light, unlike the sky-which seemed to get darker. Oddly, she didn't pay much attention as she crossed the empty lot that lead to her own house, which was only five blocks away. She didn't care; walking was always so fun!

But then...

Something had hit her; like a shove, almost. Cat stumbled and fell to the ground on her hands and knees. She looked around in confusion before looking down at her now scabbed knees. Beeds of blood slithered down and onto the ground.

"Ow..." She whimpered, then looked around again. "Who's there?"

There was no answer, or hint of anyone. She felt alone. She should be alone...right?

Maybe it's just my imagination... She thought, standing up hesitantly. Think happy thoughts, happy thoughts...

She walked a little faster, looking around as she did so.

''This is too weird. Like that time when I swallowed too much cake when I started laughing...''

The same force from before hit her again, but this time she didn't fall. Stumbling a little, yes, she looked down and saw a crescent-sized bite mark on her wrist. And it was bleeding. Before she could comprehend, the soreness she felt was replaced by a sudden burning-as if her hand was on fire.

That was when Cat screamed. And she fell, once again, to the ground, holding her wrist.

"HELP!" She yelled breathlessly. "SOMEONE! HELP ME!"

No one was in sight. No one could hear her as the burning started to travel throughout her entire body.

"HELP!"

But as she started to grow unconscious, she heard voices. Voiced that sounded quite familiar...

"How long do you think she'll be?"

"Not long now. I've seen the change before. Whoever bit her just left her there. It's been a few days."

"She should wake up now."

Those voices again...Cat thought. Her whole body felt numb, yet the fire inside her wouldn't burn out.

"What do we do with her?"

"What do you mean what do we do with her?"

"Should we kill her?"

"No! She'll have to be properly trained. Andre, give me that pillow."

Cat, subconsciously, recognized the voices.

The first three belonged to Robbie, Beck, and Andre. The last two belonged to Trina and Tori.

She felt her head being lifted slightly before it rested back down.

Cat's eyes snapped open. And then she was screaming. She screamed and writhed, and it made the pain even worse.

The first two people she saw were Tori and Trina. Tori, who was the nearest to her, was holding down her arms in an unbreakable hold.

"Cat, Cat, listen to me!" She said, loud enough over Cat's screams. "You're going to be alright!"

Cat didn't listen. She just kept on screaming.

"Jade!" Tori called, almost roughly.

Cat then felt another pair of cold hands on her neck and face.

"The change is almost over." Said Jade.

"WHAT CHANGE?" Cat managed to scream. "WHAT'S HAPPENING TO ME?"

"You're changing, Cat." Said Trina. "Now calm down-"

"SOMEONE STOP THE BURNING!"

"The burning's gonna stop, just hold on." Said Tori, oddly soothingly.

"WHEN?"

Cat saw Beck and Andre looking over her carefully. Even Robbie lingered close by, his dark eyes piercing.

"WHAT'S HAPPENING TO ME?" Cat repeated.

"We should tell her before she's completely turned." Said Andre to Tori so fast it almost sounded like a blur.

Tori nodded as he put a hand on her shoulder. She looked down at Cat, tightening her grip on her.

"Someone hold her legs down!" She yelled at someone.

Cat felt a pari of warm hands on her ankles. She knew them to be Trina's.

"Cat, listen to me!" Tori nearly yelled at her.

Cat felt the burning go, slowly, straight to her heart. She gritted her teeth to keep herself from screaming, though it didn't stop her from whimpering and panting-yet no sign of persperation.

"Robbie found you the minute you were left unconscious. He carried you back here to my house. Trina helped me hide you while our parents were home but it didn't stop you from screaming." Tori explained in almost a rush. But, surprisingly, Cat's hearing became clearer and clearer. "So we convinced them to go to Florida for a vacation while we stay here. Some of us didn't go to school in order to look after you. Robbie, Beck, and Andre looked after you one day, while Trina, Jade, and I looked after you the next day. We took a lot of caution because you were changing at a fast rate, but with only one bite. We don't know who bit you, but they must've had a lot of venom in their system.

"In a few minutes, Cat, you'll be dead. Just like the rest of us."

"Except for me." Trina interjected.

"Exactly." Tori rolled her eyes briefly before meeting Cat's frightened eyes. "Cat, you'll be one of us now. While Trina is running around as a werewolf, you'll be a vampire."

"Vampire?" Cat gasped. The burning grew even hotter, then she felt her heart slow down. Her heart and the fire battled for another endless minute before one won. Her heart stopped, then the burning died away. Tori, Jade, and Trina had let her go and were feet away from her in the same second.

Cat then knew she was dead.