Chapter 2

Blood, vampires, pepper gas.

Those words keep repeating in my head in an inconclusive order. I did not even understand where those words came from, nor what was its function, but it was the first thing I perceived when starting a new day.

My head hurt and I barely opened my eyes. I was confused. Did I have a nightmare?

I looked up in bed, without intentions to get up. I was so tired, all my muscles hurt for some reason, just like my chin. It felt as if you arrived from a long exercise session, even though I did not have the time for it, or the desire.

“Juliet, I will be late,” my younger brother said.

I growled in frustration. I hated that moment in which I had to abandon the love of my life, called a bed, to face the harsh reality.

I looked at my brother’s to analyze how late he was. If he was relaxed, then he had a couple of minutes. He was just fifteen years old. Acne, bad attitude and hormones. All a perfectly represented teenager. His dark hair fell on his forehead, he did not like to have it short. He would be an attractive man when he grew up, but at this moment he was thin and disheveled.

I got up from bed, feeling dizzy. My head throbbed and was sure I would vomit if it continued like this. Justin looked at me with concern. We shared a room, next to the other two kids. They slept in a double bed, all three together, while I slept on the individual. Soon, I would have to look for another place for Justin to sleep since he was growing up and needed his own space.

My younger brother supported me every second, so he deserved something good.

I went to Jake and see that he’s taking a bath while Julia is eating.

Julia was the youngest. She was eight years old and was the tenderness that we were all lacking. Delicate and dear as a princess. She was a little clearer, just like her honey colored eyes. She was so beautiful that she captivated all that who saw her. Also, she was always a very tender girl, so it was simple for her to steal other people’s heart.

Jake was twelve. He was still behaving like a child, but I preferred it to be like that. The longer the innocence of him remained, the better. His hair was equal to Justin, while his eyes were identical to mine. A cheerful noble heart child, that was the best description for him.

I breathed deeply, trying to keep up without expressing all the discomfort I felt. I felt my brother’s gaze on me all the time, attentive.

“I do not feel good,” I whispered.

“Do you want me to call your boss?” he asked me, worried. “You are very pale, Juliet.”

“How did I manage get here?”

I did not remember anything. I had no idea how I had come to my bed. What had happened last night? I did not drink, unless it was sometimes important. Also, I did not do it when I had to work the next day, so that was ruled out. If I had not drunk and I did not remember anything about what happened … Then what happened? What did my body be so bad?

“Juliette …”

“It’s okay.” I deformed a smile. “Do not worry, I’m fine. If I do not feel well, I’ll ask for day off.”

“Well,” he assured me doubtfully.

Justin was the only one who’s aware of the situation in which we were. Maybe because he is already thirteen when everything went to hell.

We’re not wealthy family. Mom was always friendly and loving, while our father is a very enthusiastic man. We were very close and close.

And at that moment mom fell ill.

The doctors did not know what’s the problem. We spend all our savings on medical exams, at all. The clinic only ordered her to stay hospitalized, not to understand that what was happening to her. If left the clinic, she would not last for two days alive, that was the only thing that explained to us.

She bleed everywhere without apparent reason. She had begun with light nasal spills, small and unimportant, but then she began to get worse. If for some reason a wound was made, her skin was not regenerated. In the clinic, they had it monitored, always with serum and gauzes all over the body of it.

Once a week we went to the clinic to visit it. To everyone’s surprise, she was still the affectionate mother that we remembered. Despite being prostrated in a bed, she was looking for a way to stay lively and cheerful.

But Dad did not support the load.

He started drinking, increasingly. He reached the point where it became strange to see him without a beer in his hand. For that reason he lost his job, leaving us without sustenance.

So I, being the eldest, I left my studies and took two jobs. One dedicated only to the medical expenses of my mother and the other for our survival.

In addition, I was in charge of caring for my siblings, watching them doing their task and making sure that they did not get into bad steps.

I loved my siblings, but I certainly did not have a simple role. Justin took care of them while I worked and he was always willing to give me a hand, that’s why I was very grateful to him. He was there every time I felt that I could not anymore.

I took a quick shower. The water was too cold to enjoy it. The money barely enough to provide for us, things like hot water were unnecessary.

“Jake, do not bother Julia,” I said.

At least they were ready and I did not have to run behind them. Justin smiled at me, proud. Surely without him, I would be lost.

“Juliet does not feel good,” Julia pointed out.

Shit, the brat was too intuitive for my taste.

“I must not be having a cold.“ I gave it up.

My siblings looked at me carefully, making me feel uncomfortable. I did not like them to worry about me, but they also knew it was strange that I get sick. Sure, I did not have time for things like colds. Eight hours working in a bookstore and then six hours at the bar. I barely gave myself time to sleep and take care of them, but it was the best I could find.

I looked around for a second to my father’s room. Putting Jake’s attention.

“He’s asleep,” he whispered. “Yesterday he arrived with a guy, someone ugly.”

“Ugly?”

We lived in a dangerous area. If they said that he was someone ugly, then he was not a healthy person, but someone dangerous. Someone who should not have permission to enter the house.

I felt the hassle invade me. If something happened to my siblings …

“It has scars on his face,” Justin explained.

“If you see that guy again, then call me,” I said.” And you know, when he comes with someone …”

“Julia must be out of sight,” Jake and Justin said in unison.

“That’s right.” I smiled.

They were good children, despite the circumstances in which we were. They used to obey without complaining, being intuitive. Of course they did their pranks, but I preferred naughty and cheerful to sad and disconsolate.

So I allowed them to live their childhood for all the possible time.

I left them at school, even though Justin asked to stay with me. I did not feel good and they knew it, however, a day without working was a day without eating. And their well being was more important than mine.

I worked all day in a bookstore. The boss was a friend of my mother, so she agreed to give me work despite the young age.

It was not a complicated job. I just need to attend and advise some people who sought to read, record each purchase, organize the books, make inventory and from time to time attend the social networks of the bookstore. We used to publish photos of the new books and the rebates. Easy and simple.