Free First Bite (Darkwood Manor Series) by Khelsey Jackson

Chapter One
Boarding School
    I groan as the blood runs down my throat. My mom couldn't get the blood for almost two weeks now, I am starving.
    “Victoria don’t drink it all now, save some for later,” my mom says, and I roll my eyes. I already drank a full bag, and now I am on my second.
    Pulling the bag away from my lips I frown at her. “Mom, I know but I am so hungry.” I know I sound whinny, but I can't help it.
    “Are you ready to go?” She asks ignoring my sarcasm.
    Starting at a new school today isn’t something I’m looking forward too, much less the boarding school my mom chose. My mother is a doctor and she thinks boarding school will be the best fit for me. She plans on coming every weekend to visit and to bring me blood. You see I am a vampire; I don’t sparkle or drink animal blood. My mother told me once after watching a TV show about vampires that drinking animal blood would kill me, but I don’t drink directly from a human. I never have, and never want to. I still have nightmares from the only time I witnessed my father feeding from a human.
    “Almost,” I answer remembering the question my mother asked.
    She sighs, and shakes her head. “Victoria we are already late, please hurry.” I nod and walk away towards my bedroom. I need to add a few things in my bag, like my MP3 player. Music helps me with my cravings, and since I will be with only a little bit of blood I will need my MP3 player.
    I take one final look at my room and sigh. The bright pink walls have my favorite band's posters plastered all over, and pictures of me and my best friend. Feeling tears threatening to break free, I won't be coming back here until Thanksgiving, and that is only for two days. I grab my small pink with black polka dot bag and walk out of my room, the rest of my bags are already in the car.
    Walking back into the living room, I smile. Nathan is standing there next to the black suede couch; his sandy blonde hair in a ponytail. He is my best friend, and I hate having to leave him. He has been the only one I have trusted to tell about what I am. When his deep sea blue eyes meet mine; we smile at each other.
    “Mom can I have five minutes, please?” I beg her, and she gives me the look that tells me she isn’t happy.
    After she leaves I run to him and he catches me. His strong arms wrap around me and I snuggle into him taking in his familiar scent of sandalwood and roses. Nathan would be the perfect guy for me if he was only into girls. “I am going to miss you so much Tori.” I squeeze him tighter.
    “I don’t want to go, I should be here,” I say, and he tightens his arms around me.
    We haven’t been apart ever. When I went on vacations, he went with me. “I'll come visit, and we can talk all the time on the phone, plus there is Skype.” I know he's right, but I know him better than he thinks.
    I slightly pull away and look up at him. Nathan is trying to hold his tears back. I bring my hand to his cheek. “You better come and visit.” I say, and tap his cheek. “What if I meet someone? I will so need someone to dish with.”
    Nathan laughs, and shakes his head. “Darling no one says dish anymore.” I roll my eyes. “I better hear from you every night, or I will come up there and find you.”
    “I know you will.” Nathan is about six feet tall, his chiseled face looks like something Michelangelo would paint or sculpt. He keeps his sandy blonde hair long and it’s always styled; I always tell him he is the brother I never had.
    “Now about you meeting someone, I think you should just worry about school.” Now it's my turn to laugh, Nathan doesn’t like me to date. He tells me I have bad taste in guys; I tell him I don’t taste them. The last guy I dated was his brother and he broke my heart. “I don’t know what I’m going to do without you; you are the best thing in my life.”
    My tears are now dangerously close to falling; I quickly close my eyes to keep them back. When I cry I cry