Change of Heart by Rina Pattinson (book club recommendations TXT) 📕

“I thought the ability to turn only came at full moon?” Will asked, confused.

Adrian laughed. “That’s the disadvantage of being a newborn my friend. You don’t know the tricks yet so you’re required to stick to the pathetic rules.” His now lengthened fingernails grazed into Will’s face bursting his veins allowing blood to scatter out of them. He was positive he was going to rip Will apart. That was until Will’s eyes mimicked his, the glistening yellow consuming his once grey pupils.

“You have your tricks, I have mine.” Will smiled, just before he jabbed the sword down, aiming for Adrian’s heart but Adrian shifted below in an attempt to move causing the weapon to plunge through his stomach instead. Even though that wound wasn’t fatal also, it affected him greatly. The sword went right through his body, the end of it grazing the concrete below him. Will was stronger than him; he knew that from the start. He believed he was going to die now. He was unable to breathe as blood clogged his throat, choking him. He struggled beneath Will still trying to grab on to whatever life he might have left, but he couldn’t budge. The only thing his dying body did was cough and cough as a result of choking. The last time he coughed the blood from his mouth splattered onto Will, some of it getting into his mouth.

“No, no!” Will shouted, spitting onto the floor, gagging and trying to get the substance out of his mouth. He let go of his grip on the sword which was just what Adrian needed. Will dropped to the floor trying a hundred tactics to bring back up the blood that he already swallowed. But why? It was just blood, Adrian wondered, as he quietly removed the sword from inside of him, his wound healing immediately. Will was aware that Adrian was free but he didn’t care. He was too busy trying to get the blood out of his system. His eyes were no longer yellow, Adrian noticed but grey as they were before.

“Dude, It’s just blood. Why the hell are you−

Adrian was cut off when Will started to scream out in what appeared to be a series of horrible pain. He tried to raise up off the ground but every time he did he fell right back down, smashing his face and head into the concrete as he fell. The intense screaming and crying out in pain continued for a while before it was all over. Lying on the ground, looking helpless he turned over staring at Adrian.

“What the hell just happened?” Adrian asked, confused.

“It’s true.” Will said, still gasping for air.

“What? What’s true?” Adrian shouted shaking Will.

“I can’t say.” Will said sounding quite weak.

“I said tell me!” He shouted banging Will’s head into the ground.

“I thought it was a myth, but it’s not.” Will said his eyes shutting. “It was true.”

“Tell me!” Adrian yelled at Will, but it was too late. Will’s heart had already given up.

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“What the hell is wrong with you?” I asked pissed off.

“I’m so incredibly attractive that not even science is able to explain why.”

I looked at him in disbelief. “I am not joking, Ian.”

“Wow, you called me Ian; just Ian. Does that mean we’re on a friendlier level now?”

“Stop playing games and answer me. What is your problem?”

“Well right now, your fingernails digging into my shoulders might be a problem; it’s hot and everything but not for this situation.”

I removed my hands, quite unaware of the damage I was doing. “Explain.”

“You see situations where that might be‒

“Ian I‒ Ian Winters, I am talking about the incident which occurred yesterday. The one where a member of my pack was supposed to be assassinated.”

“And that right there is my problem, Jennifer Grey. See I don’t like the word ‘supposed’. Adrian should have been killed yesterday; however, he killed a member of my pack instead. That could be a problem.” He stroked his chin with both the thumb and index finger of his right hand.

“We made a deal. You are not to touch any member of my pack until the day we agree on.”

“Yes we made a deal but no, we did not make any terms or conditions.”

“I am making them now. Do not touch them!” I was stern.

“I will give you my word, Jennifer. I won’t hurt any member of your pack yet, except for Adrian. The kid is powerful. More than you could imagine.” He said softly to me. “His honor belongs to you therefore he will never join me. As a result, I must kill him before he becomes more of a problem; and trust me when I say that I will stop at nothing to have his blood spill helplessly out of his corpse whether you permit it or not.” He whispered closer to me spitting out the words with pure evil and hatred. “Have a nice day.” He smiled, tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear, then closed his locker and disappeared as he entered the crowd.

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The house in which we all lived has provided us with a home for over one hundred and ninety years. Sticking together as a pack is so important that we even need to be sleeping under the same roof. Even though this house was built in the early eighteen hundreds, it still mirrored a modern house with the help of a few additions and adjustments over the years. We were located at close proximity to the woods which was quite beneficial being what we were. Built on twenty acres of land and consisting of over twenty five bedrooms, this habitat provided each member of my pack with the sufficient space and privacy they all desired.

“What do you mean I can’t leave?”

“It’s not that you can’t leave it’s just, I don’t want you to.” I tried to explain.

“I can take care of myself, Jen. I did it yesterday.”

“I know you did Adrian but I don’t wanna take that chance. This guy is out to get you for some reason that I don’t know about and clearly you don’t either.”

“I told you what it is.” He sighed.

“Yea but I don’t want to continue believing that you are a guardian angel sent from the high chambers of heaven by the almighty god himself to destroy all evil with your blood.”

“That’s what happened. My blood destroyed that guy.”

“Or maybe, according to your story, it was the extraordinary beating you put down on him.” Cal commented.

“Shut up Cal. What you don’t believe that I destroyed him with my awesome fighting skills?” Adrian sounded angry. “Well I didn’t. It was my blood.”

“Hey man, I believe you.” Aiden, our archer said to Adrian.

“You do?” Adrian asked.

“Sure. Out of all the weird stories you come up with, this one seems the least crazy.”

“Guys, quit making fun of him. I believe him, but I think there’s another explanation.” I said.

“Well that makes one person. Thank you, Jennifer.” Adrian said, and then turned to face Cal and Aiden. “Screw you guys.” He said with slight annoyance. As he walked out of the living room he spotted Kai on her way out. She saw him and smiled.

“Hey.” She smiled again.

“Hi, um Kai I have to tell you something I,” He paused and looked at her. “Nice outfit. A little too nice for an ordinary Saturday don’t you think?” He questioned, paying attention to the beautiful sky blue sequence which was sewed onto the upper front of her dress.

“I bought this a while ago. It was meant for a dinner date or something like that. I guess I finally got that chance tonight.”

He was caught off guard. “Oh, you’re um, you’re going on a date tonight?”

“Yes. Roger asked me out. He finally did. I hate the concept of stalling. It sucks.”

“Yea it does.” He mumbled more to himself. The disappointment consuming his insides.

“Are you doing anything tonight?” She asked, fixing her lip-gloss in a mirror nearby.

“Um, no. I’m sort of on lockdown. For now, I guess.”

“That’s too bad.” She sighed, a hand on his shoulder.

“I’d rather be bored here than dead out there.”

She smiled. “By the way, what were you gonna tell me?”

“Just, uh, enjoy your night out.” He smiled faintly.

“Thank you. I’ll see you later.”

“Yea.”

“Oh and Adrian?” She called walking back to him. “About what happened yesterday, I’m just really happy you’re ok.” She said hugging him briefly. He didn’t reply. He just simply returned her hug, holding her for as long as he could.

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Sunday morning was here in what seemed to be in the blink of an eye. It was as though the days were against us. They flashed by passing the speed of lightning in cunning attempts to end our lives faster, even though the date of our death had not yet been set. What Ian Winters was waiting for, he alone knew.Maybe he didn’t want to provide us with the opportunity of preparedness. Nevertheless, if we had an entire decade to prepare, the incredible strength of his pack might’ve yet still destroyed each and every one of us. Our days were numbered, and Ian Winters sure loved to count. It was almost eight in the morning when Roger came. As his job instructed, he distributed mail to everyone except that one person he couldn’t find.

“Hey Adrian.” He greeted him as he walked out of his bedroom into the kitchen.

“What do you want?” Adrian asked with no attempts at being polite at all.

“Have you seen Kai? I have some stuff for her.” Roger asked looking in his bag, digging out her mail.

Adrian scoffed. “Didn’t you see her enough last night?”

“What?”

“Don’t ask clueless, Roger.”

“Dude what are you talking about?”

“Look I know you two went out for dinner last night. No big deal.” Adrian said snatching Kai’s mail from Roger.

“I didn’t take Kai out last night. I wasn’t even in the city. I went to visit my mother and why am I explaining myself to you?”

Adrian gave him a hard look. “You didn’t see Kai last night?”

“No.”

“Well maybe I should ask Kai herself. Wait here. I’ll be back.” Adrian said confused going back upstairs. He went straight to her room and nocked the door twice. “Kai?” He called but there was no answer. Without bothering about her rules of privacy he turned the knob of her door which surprisingly was unlocked.

“Kai? Are you in here?” He was now walking through her room which was obviously empty of any signs of her. She wasn’t here so where was she? Looking on a nearby desk he noticed that there were a number of papers scattered about its surface. He wasn’t the type to pry but this was serious. Unfolding a sheet of paper, he took in the words and instantly his anger returned. In no time he was downstairs again. “You son of a bitch!” He shouted walking up to Roger.

“What now?” Roger asked.

“You lied. You took her out last night. I found the note. Where is she?”

“What note?”

“The one where you invited her.Where you asked her out!” He shouted.

“Hey, I talk to Kai almost every day. I have no trouble talking to her at all. If I wanted to ask her out, I think I would do that in person. Not via note. That’s just stupid.” Roger explained himself.

“Then what the hell is this about? Huh?” Adrian yelled holding up the note. I heard the drama and was outside in a couple of minutes.

“Adrian, can I see that note?” I asked. Still pissed, he passed it to me. It read:

Kai,

I wanted to ask you something from the first day we met but I just didn’t know how to actually come out with it. I really like you Kai and I would love to take you out. If you feel the same way, meet me at the Benton restaurant at 8