Chapter 68: Frustration

<p>'Why am I not growing more powerful?' I snapped waspishly at my own reflection.<br/>Clear eyes with the pupils tinged in red looked back at me, but gave no response. I pinched the bridge of my nose with two fingers and took a deep breath, feeling my chest expand as I did so. I could feel my restlessness rise as it would soon be time to meet Dave again. <br/>After my outburst, this would be the first time we would be meeting again as he had to receive a call urgently and had been locked in his office since. <br/>I cracked my knuckles and stretched my fingers. For the fifth time, I squatted back on my haunches, crouching just enough so as to give me the momentum required to spring up and reach my hands up to overhead ceiling lamp. <br/>I had seen Dave effortlessly do that previously on one occasion and I wondered why I could not even graze the edge of the lamp. <br/>That day in the sugarcane field I had felt that my speed had greatly increased, but apart from that, there had been no improvements in my physical prowess. For someone who did not know she was a vampire a few days ago, I was for sure becoming quite greedy.<br/>'Why don't you admit it? You're just jealous of Estena and Natacha. And you want to compete with them,' I muttered, trying the jump for a last time.<br/>As expected I missed again and with a last look of regret at the lamp, I spied some beads of sweat on my temple and forehead.<br/>A gentle knock at the door interrupted my musing and it opened to Martha's shining eyes. <br/>'Hey Martha, what's up?' I asked faking some cheer into my voice.<br/>'Dinner is ready. please come down,' she answered with a mysterious smile and she left quickly before I could answer. <br/>Had time really flown so quickly? I couldn't remember the last time I had eaten, but the rumbling of my stomach warned me that it had been a long time already. I looked around myself and briefly recalled that I had come to wash my face and remove the tear streaks, but instead got caught in my thoughts.<br/>I splashed some cold water on my face, feeling a little calmer. Food was what I needed then. The rest would come later.<br/><br/>As soon as I took two steps in the hallway, I couldn't miss a brown box lying in the middle of the sofa on its own. Well x ray vision was a skill I had obviously not acquired so I would have to wait to know what it contained. <br/>I followed the wonderful smell of cooked aubergine to the dining room and shyly greeted Dave who had stapled his fingers on which he rested his chin, with his elbows on the table. He was looking at me intently and knowing that he would be able to read my frustration, I mustered a smile and with a forced smile, greeted him and sat down.<br/>'What's wrong?' was his first response and my shoulders sagged down at his acute astuteness.<br/>Why did I ever feel that I would be able to hide anything from him?<br/>'I just feel so frustrated. Why am I not becoming stronger like other vampires?'<br/>'You've got to give it time Ash. And don't forget that you're half werewolf too. So you can't expect to be like others. In fact, I myself don't know what to expect,' he admitted with a rueful smile.<br/>'You're the first of a kind,' he whispered softly, bending forward so that his breath fanned my cheeks.<br/>'You're unique,' were his next words and my attention was drawn to the way his lips muttered the words. <br/>Before I could enjoy the moment, he leaned back in his chair and nonchalantly said, 'By the way, we are invited to lunch tomorrow. At grandfather's place.'<br/>'We?' I could only repeat foolishly. Why was I part of the invitation? And how did his grandfather know I was here?<br/>'Natacha told him and, of course, he wanted to meet you,' Dave said. <br/>I looked at how he was enjoying the moment and could only grin back at him. Oh, you're enjoying this, are you?<br/>Before I could think it thoroughly, I lifted my right hands and trailed it down his thigh casually, not missing the flare of reaction in his eyes. <br/>But what started as a prank turned serious as the atmosphere became laden with repressed desire and tension. My fingers stilled in their movement until they were merely hovering above his upper thigh.<br/>The shrill ring of his phone took us by surprise.<br/>'Yes,' he answered curtly, before his tone softened.<br/>'Estena, ...Yes...No...Well if you insist...'<br/>It was very frustrating not to hear the other side of the conversation, but I could not do otherwise. The call ended finally.<br/>'Estena has noticed the disappearance of her ring. She insists on coming to look for it herself. Tomorrow morning.'<br/>I looked at Dave in shock, acid churning in my stomach. When I had taken her ring, I hadn't thought that far ahead in my plans...</p>