Free Bag of Blood - Vampire Mystery Romance by J.O. Osbourne Page B

her hips.
    "That does it. What is wrong with you?"
    Lena's eyes focused on her sister's stern face and for the first time that night she seemed to snap back to reality. "What do you mean?"
    "I mean ," the oldest Thresh girl huffed impatiently, "that you're losing it, sis. You don't sleep much. You've stopped doing your chores. You look like a train wreck, and your grades are going down the toilet, or more so than usual anyway. Mom may not have noticed, but I noticed."
    Lena blinked. "So what?" she asked sullenly. Vanessa strode forward, grabbing her sister's shoulders.
    " So ; this family is getting trashed! We need you to get it together. There are four of us, Lena; me, you, mom, and dad. Mom and dad are screwy; we can't afford for you to go nutso as well!"
    For what felt like the millionth time that day, Lena felt tears flood her eyes. Vanessa stopped speaking when she saw them, surprised.
    "Lena, I…"
    With a whimper, Lena leaned forward until she was pressing her face into Vanessa's shoulder. "I'm so scared," she choked out. Obviously confused, her older sister wrapped her arms around her sibling, sitting down on the couch so that she could hold her in her arms. Rocking back and forth slightly, Vanessa whispered.
    "Tell me what's wrong, sweetie; what is it? Boys? Drugs?"
    "No," Lena hiccupped, fully crying now, feeling her tears soak the off-shoulder cusp of Vanessa's pretty outfit. "Dad's dying. Mom is gone. Girls are getting killed. Robert … Elliot…" Lena dissolved for a moment, unable to make any noise but high-pitched sobs.
    "Baby girl," Vanessa hissed desperately. "What are you talking about? Dad's not dying. "
    "Feels like he is," Lena choked, looking upward to meet her sister's gaze. Vanessa smiled gently.
    "Don't be so dramatic; he's getting the best healthcare available; mom's making sure of it. There's no way he's going to die."
    "I saw him barfing in the sink, Ness; he's not good!"
    "Shh!" Vanessa hissed. "Don't wake them up. And I didn't say he was good; I'm saying that he will be good. This surgery will go well. He will get better."
    After a long, sniffling silence, Lena nodded. "Okay." She whispered. She would believe Vanessa, for now.
    "I never see mom," she whispered, as Vanessa settled into the sofa, leaning comfortably against the plush back so that she could still keep an arm around her sister. "I haven't had a conversation with her in weeks. I miss her."
    At this, Vanessa's face turned grave. "I know," she murmured, pushing Lena's dark blonde hair from her eyes. "You're right. But she can't help it; she needs to work. To save dad. I know you understand that."
    Lena agreed. "I do understand. But that doesn't mean that I don't miss her. I want to talk to her, go out to lunch with her, hang out, like we used to!"
    Vanessa paused to think. Still cradling her sister, she made a decision.
    "How about this; you make more of an effort with your grades and chores, and we'll do stuff together. You've gotta show me some good scores or something, and we'll catch a movie or do lunch. It won't be the same as with mom, but it'll be nice, you know, girl-time." At Lena's surprised face, Vanessa shook her head.
    "I miss mom, too, you know," the young adult said sadly. "Do you think you can do that? Try harder?"
    Lena nodded rapidly, unable to speak in fear that she'd start blubbering again.
    "Does it scare you that those girls died?" Vanessa asked gently. Lena nodded again.
    "I talked to Rebekah less than half an hour before she was killed. It could have been anybody. And that lady, Valarie? She was killed so close to our house; Megan and I could actually hear the party she was at; it was so loud, and she was so close. And it's probably somebody I know that's doing the killing, one of the vampires from school…!"
    Vanessa bit her lip, alarm in her eyes. "I had no idea…" she murmured gently. "Lena, do you need to see a counselor or a therapist? Things like that can get in your head, burrow down and make you