Beginnings (The Trifectus Series - Book One) Read Online Free PDF Page A

just hospital blood?  There had been dozens of thefts in the country over the past few years of blood from hospitals and blood banks. 
    “Do you want to make the cut, or do you want me to?” he asked.
    “You can, I can’t deal with cutting something open,” I said.
    “Most people can’t,” he said, smiling.
    Why was he doing this?  He knew I knew what he was, and it was almost like he was trying to make me uncomfortable.  He wanted to scare me, and it was working.  I was, however, still wanting more.  I wanted more of his strong arms wrapping across me.  My head nuzzled softly into his chest.  My soul dancing with his in perfect harmony.
    “We have to find the liver,” he said.
    “I’m not sure where that is,” I said shyly.
    “Here,” he said while grabbing my hand.
    He guided my hand into the lifeless frog.  His cold, pale hand was wrapped around my warm, girlish hand.
    “Do you feel it?” he asked.
    “Yeah.  It feels hard,” I said.
    “See, it isn’t so bad,” he said, smiling.
    His smile melted me inside and out.  I became weak and powerless whenever I would see his pearly white teeth shine.  His smile always had that effect on me.  It made me see him differently.  All the media ever said was that vampires were soulless and bland.  They didn’t show emotion, and they especially weren’t happy creatures.  Was this all a lie?  Propaganda spread by a tireless government to scare the uneducated citizens into compliance?  His smile whenever he saw me started to change my mind.  There was no way he was an emotionless zombie like everyone made them out to be.  He was a kind, caring person who was no different than everybody else.
    I had to confront him.  I had to make sure he was what I thought he was.  What if he wasn’t a vampire?  What if he was just a normal guy and I was over-thinking things?  He couldn’t be a vampire, I thought.  Vampires are supposed to not show emotion, and he definitely does.  But, I thought, what if he is?  I could never bring him home to my parents.  If they found out that I was talking to or even seeing a vampire, they would have me shipped off far away from here.  I couldn’t tell anyone.  I had to try to keep my love for him a secret. 
    “All right, class, start cleaning up,” Mr. Johnson said.
    “Looks like our time together is over,” James said.
    “I know. I can’t wait to feel your liver again.  I mean, the frog’s liver.  I mean, I hope we can be partners again,” I said while my face was beet red.
    Did I really just say that?  Did I really just tell him I couldn’t wait to feel his liver again?  What was I thinking?  He probably thinks I’m an idiot now.
    “I hope we can be partners again too,” he said, chuckling.
    He was amazing.  Even when I made a total fool of myself, he didn’t laugh at me or think I was weird.  He played along and made me feel safe: safe being myself. 
    As I walked out of the classroom, Ariel stopped me.
    “So, I see you and James are getting pretty cozy,” she said, smiling.
    “Yeah, I’m starting to really like him,” I said, smiling.
    Just as I said this, I noticed something.  It was Cara; she was staring at me right as I said it.  Did she know something?  Did she know what he was?  No, I thought.  It is just a coincidence.  Maybe she was looking at something behind me and I am just overreacting again.
    The end of the school day was an embarrassing one.  As other kids were walking home or taking the bus, I got a nice military convoy.  As if being the new kid isn’t hard enough, now I have to have everybody watching armed guards come and whisk me away as if I have an important world crisis situation to attend to.
    When I got home, my father was standing there looking confused and angry.
    “What’s wrong?” I asked.
    “It appears that someone at that attack last night saw a girl there,” he said.
    “Oh really?” I said as my heart started beating faster.
    “Yes,” he