Chapter Eight

  Kaeo sat on her bed with a large textbook in her arms. For the last two hours, she had been researching newborns and imprinting. Zachary had given her the book, telling her to keep it hidden, from his library. She was grateful for his guidance and quickly started to read the book's contents.

  It was written in the language that covered their skin, a black light in her hand to see all of the text. She guessed it was this way to keep out any unwanted readers from taking an interest in its decisive information. The book detailed eyewitness accounts of possession which always led to a traumatic transformation. Each more gruesome than the next in its description and imagery.

  'A newborn will imprint on the first person they see after their full transformation. After the imprint happens they have to stay near one another for several years. If not, the imprint will break and cause mental health issues for the newborn. This may lead to a desire to enter a relationship with this person or worse, an obsession. This always brings up the question of whether or not the power imbalance is appropriate for young members of our kind.'

  'In the centuries we've existed, there have been a few crucial cases where newborns were being abused. Sexual slavery was extremely common from the late 1700s to the 1900s. Only when these newborns began to revolt in mass causing humans to notice did this come to a stop. Our kind relies on primal desires such as sex and pleasure, but our survival matters more than these desires. If newborns alerted humans of their true identity, it was appropriate to end their suffering.'

  'It is sad to acknowledge, but in the past, we now realize our kind didn't know how to properly care for a newborn. Much like actual infants they stumbled without proper guidance and got into trouble. This led to more incidents of slavery in the form of forced prostitution or worse, breeding to help strengthen each clan's bloodline. Eventually, we had to change our ways for our livelihood. This is a stain on our history that has started to mend itself in the mid-1930s to 1940s with movements started by humans, but for everyone.'

  'Once you've properly gotten a newborn imprinted, you are their caregiver. They are to be regarded as your child first, property second. As your property, you are free to use them as you see fit. They can become your mate, your weapon, your pseudo parental figure. But as your child, you have to weigh the consequences of your actions for both of your futures. They can protest only as much as you allow them until they break and others have to step in.'

  She took a quick picture of the section of the book before closing it. It was a lot to take in and she hadn't even gotten to the modern parts. The fifteen-year-old was overwhelmed with the possibility of being allowed to abuse someone without protest. It made her sick but she knew it wasn't much better than what her kind did now. That's why she needed to prepare properly for Lea's future with her for the next few years.

  If Lea imprinted on someone else, she could lose herself to lust. Kaeo struggled with the urges to feed every day, it haunted her whenever she neared a human. But she had her mother and father to guide her for fifteen years. And Lea would have no one but Kaeo and possibly Zachary if he was kind enough to help. She didn't regret her decision to save the other teen, but she was worried she'd fail and Lea would become a mindless killer.

  'I have to learn everything I can to save her.' It felt odd to want to save the girl so badly, they barely knew one another. But Kaeo knew for a fact that Lea would have been her close friend in another life.

  If she has been born human and not just in a human body, they would hang out nonstop. They wouldn't have to worry about someone eating the other. Or Kaeo changing out of her human form to feed on an unlucky stranger. She wanted to befriend the girl genuinely, but that just wasn't her nature. It was impossible with the current situation they both had been thrust into. She had to gain her trust and betray it for the sake of the humanity of the other.

  In another life, where her kind didn't corrupt others and steal their bodies, she would confess her plan. She'd tell Lea everything and apologize for making such a rash decision. They would scheme away together in her imagination ways to outwit the process of possession. There would be some loophole Kaeo could access and use to become a hero, a good person.

  "She'll forgive me." Her chest tightened at the future. They wouldn't be friends or even family but master and pet. "I need to do this for her."

  People's lives were on the line. A family mauled to death in suburbia wouldn't be easy to hide. Police and media would get involved, especially if Lea disappeared afterward. When she came to her senses, she'd have to live with the fact she ate her mother. That she had torn her little brothers into shreds like a savage monstrosity. And Kaeo would be forced to acknowledge the fact she did nothing to stop it out of cowardice.

  The only person who had treated her with genuine care in months would hate her. She was a selfish being made to harm others, but she cried at the thought of actually doing it. It was murder. Even if she didn't eat the human family herself, she would be an accomplice. The child envisioned the taunts Momo would give about her only friend abandoning her. How weak she'd be by sitting there and taking it like she always did. Even if she felt her heart crumble it ash from the gravity of it all.

  Speaking of Momo, her older cousin had been acting weird. Whatever punishment she received from auntie had made the older woman unhinged. Kaeo didn't doubt she would try to kill her if she found out. They barely talked and when they did Momo was trying to intimidate ate her. And every time she tried it worked because Kaeo couldn't handle the pressure. She didn't want to fight Momo because she would lose. The woman was raised differently with better tactics and instincts miles ahead of her own.

  If they almost fought, she made sure to back down. Run far away and pretend she was totally fine with getting threatened daily. The fifteen-year-old was scared enough so nearly getting attacked after an argument was the icing on the came. She hoped that Zachary was telling the truth about their arrangement, she needed safety. Even if it was temporary it was better than nothing.

  'Momo should be partying so I'll just leave the house now.' She had come up with a plan hours ago but she wanted to make sure the coast was clear.

  Her cousin was incredibly nosy and would squeeze the truth out of her if they were face to face. She got on her things and hid the textbook under her bed beneath some school books. It would be too risky to bring it with her and she didn't want to risk losing it either. The walk wouldn't be too long, her phone gave easy directions to the location. And she wouldn't be going into the house exactly. More like hiding behind a bush to watch the family interact with one another.

  She felt insane but she had to try. If she was going to be scheming to save Lea's life, she had to go all the way. So while she hated the idea of stalking her friend she needed something. If her condition had deteriorated more than she theorized that meant they had less time. And having less time meant she'd have to act fast with getting the imprint to happen.

  The worst-case scenario would be the transformation has already occurred. Kaeo was terrified of the possibility she'd witness a crime scene unfold. Her body wasn't strong enough to fight and subdue a newborn. They'd end up using more harm if she got into the middle of it. And if anyone else got involved Lea would just attack and devour them before they blinked an eye. Leaving Kaeo to watch as her chance slipped right through her fingers to her horror.

  The door to her room closed silently as she walked down the hallway to the entrance of the house. It was freezing with how late it was, besides the candles lighting her way it was pitch black. She was incredibly thankful for the rare time her nonhuman existence. It was a tad bit easier to see where she was going as she walked at a quick pace. Her vision was somewhat better than a human and if she had eaten that day it would be even better.

  For now, it would do. No maids or guards were near as everyone was resting for the night. This was out of the ordinary as everyone tended to be on guard twenty-four seven. But for this week auntie allowed them to have a break and spend some quality time with her. Zachary was included so the man couldn't come with her on this journey. She saw it as a blessing in disguise, that way he wouldn't touch her for what felt like eternity again.

  Slipping out the door was easier than she expected as she ran down the driveway and hit a wall. She came to a stop, knowing that she'd have to climb the gate to avoid causing too much noise pushing it open. It wasn't too high but the fall would be a nasty one.

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  Carefully, she pulled herself up onto one of its horizontal poles before climbing upward. Her grip was strong with each move she made, her focus solely on reaching the other side. Fingers wrapped around the cold metal when she dropped onto the ground. She wore running shoes for this exact moment, her hoodie zipped up tight to avoid getting caught.

  With a small slap from her feet hitting the ground, she landed without injury. The visit would have to be brief so she could climb back without any close calls. Kaeo swallowed her nerves and looked down at her phone. The directions said that the house was a few miles away and didn't have any security in the neighborhood that would bother to question her. She knew that this was risky and stupid but she needed to see Lea for herself.

  It wasn't too hard to find where exactly the older teen lived. On Lea's social media account she had her location turned on. It was an easy mistake to make, especially on such an active account. So after some looking, she decided to just look up where the street on the account was. A cozy place with the whole backyard and picket fence setup you'd see in movies. Knowing that within a few weeks Lea would never see it again made the house look somber. Still, she tried to become confident with her choice.

  'Her parents would hate me.' Kaeo had also taken the time to look at any photos Lea posted. A good portion of them included her family.

  They looked like they loved each other. Would they look for Lea for years? What if they looked until they died of old age? What if they even looked beyond that? Kaeo hoped they didn't, she knew she would have to come up with something to explain their daughter's absence. She couldn't just stage a scene that made it look like Lea ran away, her life seemed too nice for that to happen.

  A small part of her thought of asking Zachary to influence them. Have their minds simply gloss over Lea being missing until the two got away from the town. But then others would notice and she had no other ideas to come up with. And when Lea found out she had asked him to do that to her family, she would hate her for eternity.

  So, for now, she'd go back to the drawing board on that part of the plan. The house came into her view along with the rest of the neighborhood. The fifteen-year-old took a breath, readying herself for the feet she was about to attempt. She didn't use her natural-born abilities too much due to being raised near humans for so long. But when she did it used too much energy and she would have to eat within the next hour to avoid collapsing.

  'This isn't about me.' She silenced her fears and closed her eyes, honing in her senses. If she wanted to make it to the house in the next couple of minutes she'd have to be fast. Fast wasn't an issue, but the landing was. Their house was near a cluster of trees she could land on and then use to slip into Lea's bedroom no problem. But, if she landed too far she'd crash through the window and injure herself.

  This could easily be solved by breaking out of her human form but she liked having clothes to wear. So, she would just have to risk it and launch herself at the home full throttle.

***

  The manor was silent as Momo entered its west wing and went into the dining room. The nineteen-year-old had been out for what felt days, gathering information and a late-night snack. There wasn't that big of a community of nonhumans in the small town, but the group she did find was feral. She fit in somewhat but she kept them at bay disliking their habits. Times like these made her sneer at the sight of humans but she held her tongue for her sake.

  At the manor, she had stripped down from her more formal wear to something casual. She had a glass of wine mixed with human blood in her hand, sipping a bit as she walked around. They had eaten without her though it wasn't like she'd join in the first place. The whole perfect family charade was irritating her, especially with the staff acting as if she was their blood. The woman wasn't interested in their relationship with her aunt but she didn't like it shoved down her throat either.

  "This fucking family." She scoffed at the word. It was hard to see them as anything like that, even if they were all blood-related.

  Her personality clashed with the others. She didn't like to follow directions, to obey her elders, and showing affection was annoying. Her childhood was a necessary one and she was thankful for how she was raised. Still, it was rather old-fashioned causing conflict with her relatives.

  Kneeling to humans and their traditions sickened her. They were made to devour them, it was their nature to cull the weak and challenge the strong. Having to assimilate felt wrong. It made her skin crawl when she had to attend their schools, eat their tasteless food and listen to their annoying voices. To be forced to act like they were on her level was disgusting.

  'They're nothing but scum under my shoe,' The wine tasted bitter with the addition of blood. It filled her mouth with one final gulp before she set the glass down. 'I could crush them.'

  Unstable. That's what her cousins saw her as whenever they met eye to eye. Kaeo hid from her whenever she was near which was amusing. Their other cousin never bothered to come to visit. And when he did the teenager tried to lay his hands on her one way or another. She loved to fight, to get her knuckles bruised and bloody so she welcomed it. And knowing that Kaeo finally realized her standing next to the woman, gave her a rush of adrenaline.

  When they were younger, she would pin the girl to a wall. She would look at her frightened eyes and whisper about sweet nothings in her ear. At the time she didn't have the resources, but she acted as if she did. Each word promised actions so unspeakable once her aunt and uncle heard they gave her a label. A bitch, a devil child, an unstable little brat. Momo had heard it all and over the years she got used to it.

  This world was killed or be killed. She had too much pride to allow herself to show mercy. Squeezing her younger cousin's throats at age nine was the start. Infants and a toddler can't fight back against her animalistic rage. Her parents began to struggle with her anger. It was hard to contain her needs and she was pissed off she even had to. Every year it became worse to live with, to contain.

  Eating someone wasn't as easy as it sounded. It was an intimate act that she became engrossed in. You had to properly prep your meal and savor it. She learned this through a slow climb of trial and error. At age five she realized she could snap a neck by being too rough with her cat. At age ten she pushed a classmate too hard and dislocated her shoulder. At fifteen she was kicked out for the first time after taking a bite out of her father's leg.

  A smile came onto her face as she began to make herself dinner. A gallbladder tasted weird to her at first but she grew to enjoy the treat. It was even sweeter to eat when you took it out yourself. Licking the blood off of a person's face before sinking your forked tongue into their eye was exhilarating. You had to position your body perfectly above theirs to suck it out perfectly.

  Her smile stayed on her face smelling the meat. It was fresh, free of disease hopefully, and served on a platter just for her. She'd have to thank the maids later for leaving it out for her. She hated having to walk to the kitchen for a simple meal. A meal was to be worshipped momentarily when you feasted on it. You should explore every sensation, every feeling, every texture it brings to you.

  She grabbed a knife, a small kitchen knife perfect for carving meat. Each sliver of flesh would melt like butter when it touched the metal. It would feel amazing to slowly, effortlessly cut into the platter set before her. The handle of the knife sat in against her palm comfortably as she smiled. A rush went through her as she envisioned the plump meat going down her throat. She was excited, near shaking as she walked closer to the feast.

  "We need to talk."

  Growling, she stabbed the knife into her meal ignoring the muffled cry it made. Turning around, she was met with a familiar face. The man stood near the room's entrance, towering over her from afar. His gaze was dark and hard to read but she knew deep down what he wanted. They were both predators prowling in the wild, licking at their wounds before awaiting their next battle.

  Zachary was someone she didn't particularly like or enjoy being near. She found him to be predatory in various ways and incredibly manipulative. He acted as if he hated her guts which maybe he did. However, there was more to his standoffish behavior towards her and she was interested in finding it out. She licked some blood off of her hand, rolling her eyes at his coldness.

  "Momo."

  "Yes?" She raised an eyebrow at him, tracking his movements from where she stood.

  Zachary looked down at her meal, disdain clear at the mess she made stabbing it. "Your behavior has escalated recently. Your aunt has found it to be a concern."

  "There's nothing to be concerned about, Uncle," Inwardly she smirked at the discomfort he shows from the label. "I'm just having a little fun while doing what you asked of me."

  "That fun has caused trouble for the family, Momo. You aren't a child anymore, your actions have consequences so you need to think them through." He looked her dead in the eye.

  "I'll think about my behavior some more if it bothers you that much." Momo groaned, waving dismissively at the older man. It pissed her off that he would try to tell her what to do.

  "You need to fix it now."

  Her gaze became hot as she heard his threatening tone. He came closer but she stopped him with what she said next. "And how are you going to make me fix it?"

  Hearing the way he tried to force her to obey him was sickening. She resisted the urge to spit on his hardened face and wrapped her hand around the knife's hilt. If she was angry enough, she could yank the knife out of her meal's skull and slash at him. Everything told her to do so but she wavered knowing how the others would react. From an outside point of view, her reaction appeared overwhelmingly out of place.

  But she knew Zachary and she could tell what he wanted to do. If needed, she would swing at him and face the consequences. But for now, the older man backed down, his demeanor softening momentarily at her reaction. He stepped away from her, watching the woman begin to tighten her grip on the knife. Her teeth were bared in a snarl, daring him to come forward once again.

  "Momo–"

  "Oh, fuck off Zachary." She hissed not wanting to deal with the man any longer.

  He looked away, sighing at the way she acted. "I won't be asking you to behave again, Momo. Take this as a warning."

  Before she was able to bite back, he left with a swift turn of heel out of the dining room. The interaction left her exhausted and irritated, her stomach growling loudly. She didn't have the energy to sit and eat after being threatened so openly. Growling again she stamped her feet, struggling not to run after the man. She needed to wipe the look off of his face one way or another.

  "That bastard," Momo punched the table, causing the glasses on it to topple over and break. "Fuck."