Only Human Read online

  By Maria Bradley

  Cover By Kelly Walker

  Copyright © Maria Bradley

  The author or authors assert their moral right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as the author or authors of this work.

  All Rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, copied, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior written consent of the copyright holder, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

  With love for Gemma Bradley, Sam Bradley and Jason Knowles.

  Prologue

  Aecia is a normal teenage girl in every respect, except for the fact that she is burdened with an enormous secret. She is human, and in the year 3012, evolution has ensured that the world is now ruled by Vampires!

  Aecia’s days are our nights, and she stumbles through each one protected only by her disguise, while she acts, eats and lives as a ‘normal’ teenage Vampire girl.

  Her desperate loneliness has caused her to create ‘Amica’ whom she writes to in her diary, and as her life becomes more chaotic and dangerous; Amica becomes as real to her as a living, human, best friend.

  As she matures and her appearance becomes increasingly human, each night is filled with a growing anxiety and desperate fear, with the inevitability of her discovery dominating her life.

  After meeting the mysterious and attractive Garok, she suddenly realises the possibility that she is not alone in her humanity.

  How much longer can she carry the weight of her secret? Are there more people in her condition? If so, could they join ranks and have some small chance of changing the status of the cruel Vampire world forever?

  Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter One

  THE FOREST

  8.02.3012

  It is so cold and wet. The darkness is thick, and overwhelming every fibre of my being with fear as I struggle to remember where I am. I can hear a multitude of disturbing sounds as I am trying to build up the courage to sit up and take in my surroundings. Where are you Amica? Surely you wouldn’t desert me at a moment like this. The forest growls a symphony of guttural sounds; there are weird, thin screams, scrabbling, scratching and howling noises; some close by and others distant, but all instilling me with terror.

  I have managed to sit up despite my body’s persistence in telling me to lie back down. I know who and what live in this place, and my only choice is to keep moving before they find me. At least I think that’s the best thing to do. Despite the inky black of the night, I think I have a rough idea which direction Fire mountain is. If I can manage to get closer to it, maybe I can enter disembodied voice’s mind, and tell him where I think that I am. I know it’s a long shot; he might not be conscious yet, and I might be wrong about where I am, but I have to try. I feel that you are with me Amica and I will put my trust in you.

  There is a familiar pungent smell around the area in which I am sitting. This time it is not from a glass I am unwillingly pouring down my throat, it is inside me and spilling out onto the flaky forest leaves beneath it. The almost metallic, rusty odour of my blood is being absorbed by the hungry forest, and every molecule spilt is like a beacon to the creatures that have injured me. There is not much time left before they will arrive and I don’t want to be the main course for the Sanguis, or any other blood hungry demons that live here. I think that I have been hit by three separate arrows, but there are way too many predators and enemies here for me to guess who was on the other end of them. They all bite and that is all I need to know.

  I’m going to crawl on my stomach as quietly as I can until I get out of the immediate area. That devil of an archer will have expected me to have landed somewhere around this area. I am beginning to feel lightheaded now; I think my earlier optimism is vastly premature! I can see you, and your frazzled expression is agreeing with me Amica. As I am inching my way, half of the forest seems to have attached itself to the sticky liquid from my wounds. I feel so heavy, and every centimetre of progress awakens another area of pain. It’s too much; I can’t do it! My mind is beginning to play tricks on me now. Am I in this dark place waiting to die, or am I at home in my pit room? My head is swimming through grey dots and hazy memories. It is the day I first met you friend. I’m so glad you came into my life.

  Chapter Two

  Amica

  1.01.3012

  Today is my birth-night, and I am fourteen years old. You are my best present, and this is the first time I am writing to you. I don’t want to call you ‘Diary’. No, you will be more to me than that, and God knows I need more. You will be my friend, my only human friend, whom I will share all my secrets with, my thoughts and desires, my whole life. There is a word in Latin which means friend, and so you are `Amica’ the perfect name for a friend. At least I can unburden myself to you and actually be Aecia the human, not Aecia the actress, an unpopular, freaky Vampire girl who drinks blood and whose life is a lie. I feel totally alone most of the time but maybe not so much if I have you. There is a picture in my mind of what you look like; you are a human girl, of course, with yellow, golden hair, bright, sparkling blue eyes, and you wear a stylish printed cotton dress, as you while away your days in the bright sunshine of daylight. You are my first real best-friend.

  As I said, it’s my birth-night and I don’t feel any different at all except for the fact that my fangs were too small and mother gave me some new ones. I got new contact lenses as well, new whitener, and some money which I am saving for…. Well, I don’t exactly know what for yet but maybe it’ll help me get away if anyone finds out about me. That was it for presents from mother and father this year but it’s enough because I know most of father’s wages from the Clone factory go towards keeping me safe.

  I’ll explain more about all that as I write to you Amica. You already know my secret, but you must promise to burst into flames if anyone else ever tries to read you. I mean it! If you don’t, I will surely be executed or drained by the Elders.

  I’ve already told you that I am human!! Wow! It truly is such a buzz being able to tell you that, and knowing that you won’t want to have me for dinner. That’s always a good quality to have in a best friend, and for my part, I will never eat you! Deal? Good, I’ll carry on telling you about my night now.

  I got up to birth-night breakfast with mother and father and baby brother Zak. God, he’s a royal pain in my butt that kid! His fangs are coming through so he’s even worse than usual. He’s biting everything, including my face whenever he gets the chance. Git!! This evening he managed to demolish my birth-night cake before I even got a piece of it, and then hurl his blood at me when I told him off! It’s a good job he’s immortal, or I could surely see death in his future, by my own hand!

  Anyway, after a breakfast of real cake, not blood cake (mum bakes it especially) mum and dad gave me lots of hugs and kisses as usual, and pretended to be happy as usual. They can’t hide the worry in their eyes though; I pretend not to notice for their sakes, and join in the charade that we are a perfectly normal Vampire clan.

  Every night I get older is a night closer to being found out now, and that’s why they are so anxious all the time. I get more human every day; my hair is a shade lighter than black, my eyes without contacts, are bright blue, and my skin is growing more pink
ish than white. Truth be told Amica I’m scared stiff myself most of the time; I know what they do to the Clones for their blood! It just doesn’t bear thinking about.

  I’ll tell you about that another day because I’m getting tired now and I just want to tell you what happened in school. I don’t have any friends at Manor school but it doesn’t hurt as much anymore. I guess I’m used to it, and anyway it’s safer if I’m not too close to people or they might realise I’m different.

  The strange thing was, when I was in the playground, I thought I saw someone outside the gate; he was a few feet away from me but I swear it looked like he had yellow hair! Could he have been an escaped Clone? But Clones don’t have the ability to move; they’re brain dead, aren’t they? At least that’s what father told me; he said they don’t feel anything when they’re drained, and don’t have the intelligence to realise what they are.

  I don’t know, maybe I’m seeing things, but he just didn’t look like a Vampire. After that, Simone, daughter of Eli, pinched my history book and it took ages to find it, so I was distracted. When I looked for him at home time, there was no sign. I’ll look for him again tomorrow Amica and let you know what happens. I’m tired now, so I’m going to bed. See you tomorrow evening pal! X (I just love being able to say that).

  2.01.3012

  I missed you today Amica, I couldn’t wait to get home to tell you about my night. I saw him again! The boy, he was in the same place as yesterday, and at exactly the same time. I honestly think he wanted me to be there to see him. He didn’t speak or anything, but his eyes, they’re not black, and he kept staring and staring at me. I wanted to go over to him, but it’s just too risky. What if he is a Clone? I don’t want to be the reason he’s discovered; the other kids would tear him to shreds in a second if they saw him.

  Maybe I should mention it to mother and father? No, can’t do that, they’d be obligated to tell the Elders, and that would put way too much attention on our clan, particularly me. I’m going to have to deal with this myself. I must admit, the thought of talking to another person with a pulse is so exciting! I wonder what he’s like. I bet his skin is warm and pink like mine; maybe he has bright eyes, and straight, even teeth. I wonder if he has seen daylight. Right, that’s it, I’m going to have to bite the bullet, and speak to him somehow.

  Not much else happened today, except I got a B in history (managed to get my book back from that thieving wench). She also got a B, which isn’t surprising since she copied it all out of my book. She’s the only reason I wish I was a Vampire sometimes; she’d look like a century old, used dartboard, if I were!

  Oh yeah, almost forgot, Monstrous (Zak), finally cut his second fang. Mother and father are thrilled of course, but I am never picking that child up ever again. I might as well just attach a drip and drain myself now. He’s chubby you know, like a Weeble with weapons! God help us all when he decides to walk! Signing off now Amica, see you tomorrow night and thanks for listening to my babble. P.S. These flaming mock fangs are rubbing on my gums and keeping me up! You’re so lucky; you don’t have a single tooth while I’ve got two sets stuffed into one mouth!

  3.01.3012

  YAY!!!! It is Dies Mercurii; triple History!!! Just thought I’d tell you before I go to school. Got to rush, talk to you later. X

  I’m back Amica, I feel really, disgustingly sick. Mother’s gone to get me some normal bread to soak up the blood in my stomach. This happens every so often, but I’ll never get used to it. I shouldn’t be eating so much blood you see, but what else can I do? All the other kids drink every chance they get, and you want to see how many bottles they bring in for just one day! If I don’t drink like them, they’ll know I’m not vamp, and that will be that! I won’t be talking with you anymore; you’ll never see me again. I HATE blood, HATE, HATE and HATE it! I’m sorry; I don’t mean to be miserable, but sometimes I’m just so alone with this. It hurts so badly, and my parents expect me just to carry on. I know they love me, but they’re not proud of me; do you know what I mean? Of course you do, because you’re my bezzie mate!

  I think mother and father view me as deformed and disabled, similar to some Humans hundreds of years ago. Yep, there used to be lots of Humans Amica, greater in numbers than Vampires, so many in fact, that they ruled the world! Vamps had to skulk about in the shadows, eat gerbils and rob hospital blood banks! Some were savage though and killed Humans all the time. They were left in the sun to blister and burn. Ouch! Shouldn’t make fun, right? My own kin are Vamps; it’s just that the ones I have to associate with at school could do with a good roasting!!

  Father said ‘The Great War’ was inevitable; it was natural selection, survival of the fittest, simple evolution. He said it was all done in such a way that Humans felt nothing; they were put to sleep, drained and extracted (D.N.A. for the cloning procedure), and now they no longer exist. CODSWALLOP! I’m not a baby anymore Amica and I don’t believe his fairy tales. He forgets that I’m human, and I know what I feel and don’t feel. If the human’s felt nothing, why is he so scared of me being found out and drained? God, I’m so mixed up; how can I feel so sick, so angry, and so ashamed all at the same time? I love my parents, I do, but they’ve got to start getting real and telling me the truth!

  Oh yeah, I saw Sandy again tonight (you know, the blonde stranger) that’s what I’m calling him, Sandy. What do you think? Yay, you like it, knew you would! Now I feel happy again. What’s that all about? I was upset a minute ago. Oh well, guess I am a bit strange, but what the hell, I know you still like me.

  Get this Amica, Sandy had fangs in!!! Honest! I didn’t see him at break like I normally do, I saw him at 10.00 p.m. when school starts, and with two grown up Vamps (his parents I presume). He didn’t come into class though, but maybe he was getting registered and he’ll be in tomorrow!! That would be AWESOME!! Mother’s coming up the stairs, back in a mo’. X

  Phew! That was tricky; don’t EVER want the parents to read what I tell you. They wouldn’t understand. I’m going to get you a lock, and wear the key on a chain around my neck. If I have to worry about them reading you, I won’t be able to be honest, and tell you what I genuinely feel like. What was I saying; oh yeah, the mysterious Sandy, vamp or not vamp, that is the question? I suppose I could have been mistaken when I first saw him, he was at a distance and I couldn’t see his face properly. You know what, even if he is vamp, he still looks different, kind of lost, like he doesn’t fit in. I know that feeling.

  His hair was black today, not blonde, but he would have died it like I do mine if he’s human, so that tells me nothing. His eyes were black with golden pupils like everyone else’s; again, like mine, they could be contacts. I could sit around all day wondering if he is or isn’t vamp Amica, but I’ve got to get some sleep, so stop keeping me gabbing Mrs!!! See you tomorrow night. X

  4.01.3012

  Hallo Friend! I have had the best night in my whole existence!! There was a new student in my class tonight!! Yes, you’re right, it was Sandy! I talked to him! Wow! Amica, he is fit! I’m so happy!! Right, I’ll tell you the whole story now that I’ve calmed down a bit.

  It was just after registration, and Mrs Greko stood up as the two adults I saw last night came into the classroom. I swear they have the same constipated expression my own parents wear most of the time. You know, on edge, uncomfortable and afraid. Anyway, following behind, was Sandy; he looked so sad, I felt sorry for him.

  Mrs Greko introduced him as Garok, son of Bintar, from the Outer Rim (that’s where most of the Elders come from). I’ll tell you more about that later. There is always a place free next to me at the back of the room because no-one wants to sit near the weirdo. I don’t care; in fact I’m chuffed about that because that is exactly where Greko seated Garok.

  It was Maths, first lesson, which I totally hate! I just can’t do it, and I don’t see why I need to. I can add and subtract, and that should be where it ends. Who’s going to need Isosceles triangle, or Pythagoras rules, when they start going to work? It’s a
waste of time, and it gives me a headache. The point I’m trying to make is that the dreaded Maths didn’t even bother me. I was too excited to be sitting next to Garok. He’s unusually quiet, the strong, silent type in my opinion; he said one word to me, ‘Hello.’ What a delicious word that is, in fact, we are now married! In my head at least! I wish you could see him.

  At lunchtime, Mrs Greko came over to us both, and asked me to give Garok a tour of the school, and help him settle in. She didn’t have to ask me twice! That was the first, and probably only time, I will strut out of that classroom with my head held high. Simone was livid, I think she fancied him for herself, and here I am, the local freak, getting to spend the night with him. There’s a double dose of satisfaction right there!

  Let me explain The Manor school hierarchy to you before I continue. There are three main divisions; the scum of the earth, for weirdoes, geeks and ugly people (this is where I live during school hours); the middle group of sporty, noisy and reasonably attractive kids, and the top rank, super cool, gorgeous people, who share one brain cell between the lot of them. Simone lives here with the other morons, and they pretty much rule the school.

  Here was my dilemma at lunch time. It turns out Garok had earned the right to sit with the cool dudes. Probably because it was his first day and they wanted to evaluate him, to see if he qualified for the honour of hanging around with them. Now, in my current position as head of the losers, I am not welcome at this table, so when they hailed Garok to come over, I didn’t know what to do. Garok did! He looked at me, pointed at a vacant table, and the two of us went over to it and sat down. He didn’t even glance at the kids waving at him, let alone talk to them! The lad is pure class, and I was practically purring!!

  I spent the rest of the night showing him around the school and sorting out his schedule, where to go for certain subjects and so on. He didn’t speak much, just one word answers to the various subject teachers, but I think they assumed he was just shy. I don’t speak much myself at school, but that is purely for self-preservation. One slip of the tongue could cost me my life.