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by da_ddq Author IconMail Icon
Rated: 13+ · Campfire Creative · Fiction · Occult · #862925
Kai Umbers was living a beautifully normal life. Until she met Mikhail...
[Introduction]
         Kai Umbers loved her life just the way it was.

Really! She did! She had a caring family that supported her in everything she did, she was doing well in classes that she enjoyed, and she had some of the most caring friends anyone could even hope for. Even her part time job at the bowling alley was enjoyable.

So why was it that, late at night, she would feel these strange...longings?

Why was it that she would randomly get the feeling that something just wasn't right?

And why does she keep having these dreams?....

~*~*~*~*~*~*~


         Mikhail Dhampyr hated his life.

He hated the fact that he had to use others in order to survive. He hated that he was in charge of the lives of so many others. He hated that he had been born never to see the sun.

For centuries, he has lived with the fact that he despises himself and all that he represents. For centuries, he has never allowed himself to hope, to dream. For centuries, he has been a vampire.

So, now, after all these years, why does he have a faint glimmer of hope?

Why does he have this strange urge to protect these frail humans that he has never wasted a second thought on?

And why does he keep having these dreams?....

~*~*~*~*~*~*~


         In a world where nothing is as it seems, and where lies are the truth, how are you supposed to know if anything is real?

A war is coming between the two vampire factions, a war that threatens to completely destroy tyem both. The bloodiest war that this earth has ever seen.

A war that might destroy all of humanity in its wake....

A war for the Lifeblood.












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Mikhail leaned back against the counter, eyes closed behind dark sunglasses, listening to the sound of bowling balls striking down pins. The cracked leather of the stool crunched every time he moved, and the stench of old shoes and grease saturated the place.

All in all, it wasn't that bad.

Mikhail brushed the soft brown hair that was soft to the touch out of his eyes as he studied the bowling alley through dark blue lenses.

Teenagers and old men played in the lanes with varying amounts of skill. The wrinkled old man behind the desk was polishing bowling shoes while an equally wrinkled old woman counted money from the cash register.

Not a vampire in sight. Mikhail closed his eyes, sighed, and relaxed against the counter. He could use a night alone for once.

A cool breeze ruffled his hair as the door opened.

"Sorry I'm late, Mr. Teichner," a voice that sounded like a mixture of wind, water, and fire stated, "I ran out of gas."

Mikhail opened one eye curiously, and abruptly opened them both, his mouth tensing tightly as he absorbed the sight before him.

A laughing girl wearing a pair of jeans with a hole at the knee and studs on the butt. Feathery black hair with maroon highlights that lightly touched the collar of her black denim jacket. Long, coal-like lashes framed dark purple eyes that promised mysteries and passion.

Mikhail swallowed hard.

She was gorgeous.

She was human.

She was walking towards him.

Mikhail quickly swiveled on his stool so that he was facing the counter. He felt the air stir and caught a faint scent of flowers as she passed.

Why was his heart beating so hard? She was just a human. Sure, she was attractive, but he knew many vampires who were much more attractive. Why wasn't he leaving?

"Can I get you something?"

He looked up and watched her full lips pull into a friendly smile as she finished tying on her apron on the other side of the counter.

"We have freshly cooked hot dogs, or nachos if you like," She suggested, although her nose crinkled at the thought.

A seductive smile spread its way across his lips as he slowly lowered his sunglasses. He looked straight into her eyes with his icy blue ones, asking huskily, "What would you like?"

She laughed, a lilting sound that tore through him like a knife, "Nothing here, thanks."

He quirked an eyebrow, refusing to release her eyes, "I guess you don't like much around here, huh?"

Her smile faltered slightly, "What do you mean?"

He leaned forward, placing his arms on the counter, "You aren't meant for a place like this. I can tell." What the hell was he doing?

She shifted away from him, "Right. How much have you had to drink tonight, sir?"

He laughed, a harsh, rusty sound, "Trust me; all the alcohol in the world couldn't tilt my judgement." She was silent, watching him with curious purple eyes as he leaned forward even more.

He studied her eyes. He could have sworn he had seen them before, but where? His eyes closed as he strained his mind, trying to remember.

"Perhaps we'd better wait till the next millenia, no?" Sarcastic voice, and bitter eyes. Bitter eyes that promised mysteries and passion. Bitter purple eyes....

His eyes snapped open, and he grabbed her wrist, pulling her forward. Her eyes widened, and she opened her mouth to scream but he quickly clamped his other hand over her mouth. He studied her eyes closely.

No doubt about it. It was her. The Girl from his dreams.

He released her hand and quickly wiped her mind of what had just happened.

She stood there, dazed for a moment before shaking her head and smiling at him, "Can I get something for you?"

He smiled back at her charmingly, "How about a soda?"

Her grin widened,"Sure thing!" She turned a knelt, pulling a bottle of coke from the small refrigerator. She plopped it down in front of him, "There ya go!"

He gently took it from her, hand sliding over hers as he maintained eye contact, "Thank you..." He faded off, and blinked before smiling at her, "I'm sorry, what is your name?"

She smiled back at him, eyes twinkling, "Kai. Kai Umbers."

He held out a hand, "Mikhail."
Kai chuckled and took Mikhail's outstretched hand. "That's a really cool name. It's...old, I guess. There's some really old meaning behind it that no one pays any attention to any more."

The man nodded and opened the soda, but didn't drink from it. Kai raised an eyebrow, but shrugged it off and smiled at him. "That's a dollar, sir."

"Hmm?" Mikhail looked up. He surely fell into his thoughts quickly enough; but that only added to the seductive aura that surrounded him. Kai licked her lips quickly to rid herself of budding thoughts, and cleared her throat.

"The soda, Mikhail. It's a dollar." Kai pointed at the sign above her head, where the prices were marked. "New friend, or no, I still have to charge ya, bub."

Mikhail laughed, and Kai found herself suddenly heating in the face at its sound. The soft, lilting quality of each peal wafted through the air and to her ears as a melody for one person: her. She smiled at the sound of it, and longed for it to continue when he stopped. "Here you go, Kai." Mikhail held out a dollar, and Kai took it.

"Thank you. Pleasure doin' business with ye, Mick."

Mikhail raised an eyebrow, and twitched, annoyed with the shortening of his name. "Mick? That's a new one."

"Really?" Kai bit her lip. Oh, she didn't want to offend him! And he was so cute! "I'm sorry! Did I offend you?"

"No, not at all. I'm just not used to being called anything other than my full name. You may, however, call me Mick." Mikhail smiled, and Kai found herself heating again. Look at those eyes! Gods, he's so hot!

Suddenly, Mikhail put his sunglasses back on and slipped off his stool. "I'm sorry, Kai, but I must be going. When do you get off?"

"About eleven tonight," Kai replied.

Mikhail smiled again, this time a sensual, mischievous one. "Meet me in the alleyway behind this place when you get off?"

Kai's heartrate increased tenfold. She was sure Mikhail could hear it above even the sound of bowling balls slamming into pins. Nodding, she smiled back at him. "Sure."

"Great. See you then, Kai." Mikhail gave a little wave and walked of, sauntering toward the exit. Kai watched him, biting her lip and smiling in that way only those in lust can smile. At last, a customer broke her out of her reverie.

"Miss?!"

Kai turned to the woman and smiled brightly. "Good afternoon! Can I help you?"

Serving the woman and the customers after her didn't help the time pass any more quickly. Kai couldn't help watching the clock, waiting for minutes to past, yearning for the time that she could see Mikhail again. About ten minutes before she got off, Kai rushed into the bathroom and checked on her appearance. She was a bit ruffled, but a quick hairbrush and reapplication of lip gloss solved that.

"Bye Mr. Teichner! See you on Saturday!" Kai called, punching out her timecard, and walking out of the bowling alley. Heading to the parking lot, which was in fact the alley she had agreed to meet Mikhail in, Kai couldn't help but smile in anticipation.

"Honestly, Kai Umbers...you've seen him for all of twenty minutes at most and you're already lovesick..." she muttered to herself. But no amount of logic could control what she found herself feeling.

"Hello, Kai." Kai jumped and let out a small scream, but stifled it when she saw that Mikhail had been the one to speak. "I'm glad you came."

Kai laughed. "Honestly, I had to come back here to get to my car, anyway! How do you know I came for you?"

Mikhail smiled, but didn't reply. Instead, he raised his hand and tapped one finger to his temple. Kai couldn't help but look straight into his ice blue eyes, which were fully discernable, even in the dark. Gods...why does he have to be so hot?!

Kai shook her head, but smiled and walked over to him. "Alright, I came out to meet you. You win. So sue me."

Again, instead of replying, Mikhail pointed. This time at the sky, but most directly at the moon, which was full that night. "Look at her beauty- the mistress of the night skies. Queen of the Night. But her beauty cannot match the one that I have before me."

Kai melted. She knew it was a line, but it was so romantic. It wasn't sexually perverse, like so many of the guys her age were. It wasn't an intrusion. It was a compliment to her beauty. And coming from a man whose beauty was incomparible, Kai just melted. "Thank you," she whispered.

"Ah, but Kai, there is no need to thank me. No one thanks another for speaking the truth." Mikhail looked into Kai's eyes and smiled sincerely. Again, Kai's heartbeat increased tenfold. Again the sweaty palms. Again the increased breath rate.

"But you do thank people for compliments," she managed to choke out.

Mikhail chuckled. "Like I said, it was the-"

There was a sound in the darkness behind her. Kai spun to look, but could see nothing. "There's something there..." she muttered. "But I can't see it."

Mikhail stepped in front of her. "Yes, there is something there..."

Whatever it was decided to break from the shadows at that moment. Faster than Kai's eyes could focus, a form jumped forward for them. Kai made ready to protect herself from an expected blow, but it never came.

Opening her eyes, Kai saw that Mikhail had grabbed the form by the arm, and gripped tight. But what else she saw, Kai wasn't sure she believed. Mikhail's mouth was open...revealing long, sharp fangs. He growled slightly and glared at the form he held. "Stand off, assassin."

"But, sir, she-" The form tried to speak, baring his own fangs in the process. Dear Gods, I'm with two vampires.

"You would speak against me, James? Your leader? Your Dhampyr?" Mikhail's blue eyes became ice, as James looked from his master, to Kai, and back to Mikhail.

"No sir, but she is mortal..."

"I am well aware of that, James. This is Kai. Kai Umbers."

Kai knew that these two men were vampires. Yet, something within her wouldn't be scared. Couldn't be scares. Something about Mikhail settled her fears, as if she knew he were meant for something. As if she was supposed to meet him. So, she found herself smiling at the Vampire James and waving. "Hello."
The cheerful expression on the mortal girl's face melted away in seconds under the stone-shattering stare James pinned her with. That impertinently waving hand stayed aloft uncertainly, as though she'd forgotten she had it up. James felt an itch to slap it down, but instead carefully extracted his arm from Mikhail's grip and tugged at the lapels of his leather jacket to straighten it.

"Enchante," he said to the girl with withering sarcasm. She shrunk back a little, wrinkling her nose. She was...put off, yes, but no more than if he had been some gawky teenage human making a clumsy pass at her. There was no fear in the girl's eyes. None! "So," James went on to Mikhail, pretending the uppity mortal didn't exist, "Now you haunt...bowling alleys, looking for human women? Whatever could be brewing in that head of yours, Mikhail?" He waved a languid hand at the girl. "It's not like you not to share with me, so she's not a pet or a snack. And I know you're not planning to turn her, after five minutes' acquaintance."

"How remarkable, James, that you know exactly how long I have known Kai," Mikhail said sardonically. "A more suspicious person would think you were spying on me."

"I have only your best interests at heart." That was the simple truth. James had taken a blood oath and did not take it lightly. He would die for Mikhail, if need be. However, he did not consider making the other vampire's life easy or comfortable to be one of his responsibilities. And surely it was in Mikhail's best interests to have his nose rubbed in it if he was going to make a fool of himself with some mortal wench.

"That must be why you tried to kill my new friend," Mikhail said softly. "Suppose you had succeeded before you had a chance to hear that I don't want her harmed?"

"Then," James replied, his voice dripping sincerity, "I would have apologized. But it's a good thing you warned me in time." He nodded slowly to his leige. "Mikhail."

Turning, he paced back into the shadows whence he had come. James Pendragon did not walk; he prowled, with the taut, liquid grace of a wild predator on the hunt. As he left, Kai asked Mikhail,

"What's with him?"

James bared his fangs at the darkness.

"I know," he said so softly that not even Mikhail could hear, "you're not planning to turn her. Just as soon as you move on to a new hobby, Mikhail, that girl and I are going to have a confrontation." Human women were not to his taste--they were so fragile, you could hardly do anything fun with them--but once in a while, he encountered one who needed to have it explained in great detail why vampires were to be feared.

***


Speaking of which...

James was not hungry, so he elected to spend the remainder of the evening dropping into various bars and seedy joints that were known to cater to his kind, and to be great sources of information. He was very interested in the new vampire hunters in town, who according to rumor had arrived that very day, and were no doubt resting before beginning their duties, confident that no one would be aware of them so early in the game.

Zepheniah, the scion of the very irritating Marne family, was a known danger and not to be underestimated. Perhaps he just needed to be softened up a bit before being truly dealt with. He had an apprentice with him, a girl. By all accounts, a pretty one. James smiled, thinking of his ruminations on Kai and human women in general. Zee's young acolyte would surely provide a few hours' entertainment, and then what remained of her would serve as a nice little gift to be left in Marne's hotel room. If James knew hunters--which he did--that would be just the thing to throw the veteran into an emotional whirlwind and take him right off his game. Then he would be easy pickings.

James lounged in the mouthway of an alley for a moment to think. He really didn't enjoy the killing. He enjoyed the hunt; he was a specialist, whom the clan used against hunters, other assassins, and formiddable prey of that sort. It was a challenge, and James loved a challenge. He'd almost regretted at times having to make such a mess of some of his foes, but after all, they were only humans. And loyalty to his duties to Mikhail and their clan was his chief concern.

"Freeze," a voice behind him said shakily. James had heard the mugger trying to sneak up on him a mile away. "I got a gun. Gimme your wallet, man, and you don't get hurt."

Lashing out with one hand, James batted his would-be assailant away like a cat with a ball of yarn, with such force that the human ricocheted off two alley walls before collapsing in a trash heap. Not bothering to check if the human was still alive (he still wasn't hungry), James emerged smoothly from the alley and made his way toward the shabby hotel at which Marne and his apprentice were staying.
Mikhail offered her a half-smile, "He's been in the blood business too long."

Kai raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms, "Was that a joke?"

Mikhail gave her a grin that would melt the polar ice caps, "Not a very good one, it seems."

Fluidly, he moved forward so that he was standing in front of her. Her breath hitched and her eyes widened as she stared at him.

"Mikhail," She breathed, as he leaned closer to her.

"Sh," His lips were a breath away from hers as he slowly urged her up against the wall of the alley, "Listen to me."

She was breathing quickly, although the air was filled with much thicker emotions than fear.

Mikhail gently touched her cheek with the tips of his fingers, "I would never hurt you Kai. I want you to know that. Never."

She laughed, a breathy sound that faded into the darkness.

Ice blue eyes weaving spells into purple ones.

Mikhail leaned a breath closer, and she turned away, bearing her cheek to his lips as she struggled for breath.

His lips brushed her cheek for a moment before he whispered into her ear, "Kai."

"Mick," she breathed back, entranced, slowly turning her head so that she faced him.

He leaned forward again, eyes deep icy pools that swirled with desire. A breath before the kiss, words escaping his lips, "You are the one; I know it." His lips gently began to brush against hers.

Abruptly, a trashcan crashed and a cat ran across the alley. Mikhail's hand reached out and pushed Kai behind him as he bared his fangs, searching the darkness for the intrusion. Silence.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" She pushed at his back hard enough to make him stumble forward.

He whirled around, eyes still dark with desire as he reached for her.

She danced out of his grasp, eyes flaring with anger, "How DARE you try to seduce me in a back alley! Before you even attempt to explain that vampires exist." She heaved a sigh, tossing her head as she glared at him, "Who the hell do you think you are?"

His lip twitched upwards, although his eyes did not seem at all amused. He twisted an arm in an aristocratic bow as he leaned forward, "Mikhail Dhampyr, Vampire extraordinaire."

Kai relaxed slightly, a smile threatening to form as she struggled to keep a straight face, "So, vampires really exist?"

"Yes, we do." Mikhail leaned against the alley wall, propping his arms behind his head as he studied her, "But you already knew that, didn't you?"

Kai narrowed her eyes, "What are you talking about, how could I-"

"You have dreams," Mikhail interrupted, his eyes icy and dangerous, "Dreams you hardly remember and that you can't explain. Dreams that seem so real, yet have to be impossible. Dreams that are like memories, but they are memories you have never lived."

"And feelings. Feelings of longing and despair. A yearning for something you can't quite put your finger on." He smiled at her, a fang dimpling his bottom lip, "A desire for something more."

Kai swallowed, "Everyone has feelings like that."

Mikhail shook his head slowly, "Not like that." He pushed himself off of the alley, and holding out his hand.

Kai stared at it, eyes following his arm up to his face.

He smiled at her, "I can show you what your dreams mean. All you have to do," he reached his hand further, "Is come with me."
Zee looked around the hotel room. He raised an eye brow at the tacky comforter that laid on the beds. He'd seen worse, but only a few times. It was what he expected due to his profession. This was his life and therefore he didn't complain. "Nevin, hurry. You need rest for tomorrow."

"Sorry," Nevin walked out of the bathroom, running a comb through her hair. "I couldn't get the shower to shut off."

Zee laughed and tossed his bag into the open closet and sat down on the bed. "At least that one shut off. Before I aquired you as an apprentice, I was at this one hotel, where it wouldn't shut off and for some reason the drain was plugged, so the tub kept filling up." He signed dramatically. "It's quite funny now that I look back on it. I didn't think so at the time."

"Why can't we stay at a Holiday Inn? I'm afraid to be eaten alive by dog-sized cockroaches while I sleep." She frowned and walked over to her bed.

Zee looked over at her as he laid out on his bed. "We can't afford to go to extremely public places. Word gets around you know. I'm nervous just staying here. A vampire hunter is never safe. That's one thing you're going to have to know, Nevin. You have to have a double set of eyes and be quicker than those around you. Always make sure to never stay at the same place twice or in a row. Have to always be a step ahead. The vampire has more ears than we do and we can't let them use that advantage."

Nevin scrunched her nose. "We need to add a nice can of roach spray to our collection of weapons. This place scares me."

Zee chuckled and closed his eyes. "Sleep young apprentice."

"Zee?"

Opening one eye, Zee looked over towards Nevin. "Yes?"

"How'd you become a vampire hunter?"

"The same as you."

"Oh. I thought—"

"Don't worry so much about me, Nevin. Just think about the hear and the now. It's dangerous to think about the past or even the future. To dream can put you at risk."

"Yes sir."

"Now get yourself some sleep. Remember, keep an eye open in your mind. Never fully sleep."

"Yes sir."

Zee closed his eyes a second time and made sure he was as uncomfortable as he could get, and placed his arms behind his head. It was only seconds before he let part of himself drift away.
Gregori D'Leriz stood on the corner of Walsh and North Brenwood, leaning against a lamppost. In the near darkness, where humans stumbled and took care with where they stepped, he was calm. Cool. In his element.

He looked at his watch. It never worked. The time was stuck on 3 in the afternoon. A time that Gregori had not seen for centuries. Gregori wasn't sure when it had stopped working, but he never replaced it. Time as humans measured it was meaningless. There was only the time of the sun, when his kind were in hiding, and the time of the night. Where he ruled.

His cool, smooth face gave no indication to the so-called 'dark' soul that lay within. If he had a soul anymore. According to the rhetoric of some humans, he didn't. They preached ignorance and intolerance, the same messages today as it had been when Gregori was first turned. Human ideas and creations had changed. Human weaknesses had not.

They did have a point sometimes. Vampires killed. Gregori, however, tried not to kill unless it was necessary. No point in attracting attention. Survival was top priority.

And that idiot Mikhail was not doing a very good job of surviving.

Gregori had been silent witness to the confrontation between Mikhail and James. Poor James. He was just doing his job, and Mikhail -- who was old enough to know better -- was making an ass of himself.

Over a mortal.

Fool. Mikhail was a fool. If one mortal meant so much, why not turn her? But Gregori knew that Mikhail wouldn't do that. He lacked the guts to do that.

Gregori, on the other hand, had turned a girl recently. Just two days ago. He had her holed up in a safe room until she had mastered her new powers. He wasn't cruel like some of the other vampires he'd known. Kindness, he'd found, could build loyalty quicker than fear.

Zoe Brown. The name flickered through his mind, and then it was gone again. Zoe. Brown. A human name. Modern human. Ordinary human. A human that no one would miss.

A human no longer. A vampire, now. Like him.

Gregori took a step away from the lamppost. The shadows did not stick to his body the same way they did with humans. His face was deceptively smooth and young-looking, except for his green eyes. He had 'ancient' eyes. A cliche, he knew, but with more truth to his true nature than the rest of his body gave. He looked like a young professional. Slick at times. Trim, fit, but not overly muscular. If asked, he said he worked in finance. Which seemed to carry the expectation of a boring personality. So most of the time he stayed away from situations where he'd get asked about his work.

Zoe had been one of those. He had been at a bar, amusing himself, when a commotion in the back alley had drawn his attention. He saw her there, blood pooling on the ground, a knife wound in her chest. She would have died that night if Gregori had not come by and given her eternal life.

Time to let that idiot Mikhail alone and check on his newest childe. His light brown hair stayed perfectly flat on his head as he moved again, dark clothing blending with the shadows around him.

Sometimes, he thought, that's all he really was. A shadow.
The bar fixtures exposed shadows, blasting vivacious colors of beer logos upon the wall. She sat waiting; peering out of the etched glass door watching and studying Gregori’s every move. The voices in her mind pounded with every drink she absorbed; with hopeful dreams fading as she knew she wouldn’t awake from this criminal nightmare. There is a smell in the air, known by all her newfound kin. She bit her lip calling the bartender for another of the strongest he could supply.

“Zoe, don’t you think you’ve had enough? You’ve been here way to long girl! Look how pale your skin is, and after your accident… please listen to a friend and go home.” She glared at him with a cast iron, black as coal gaze, making the Bartender think his time was soon to come. Her fangs flared a little until she realized what she was doing, and slammed the glass to the bar, breaking it. The place went silent as she stormed out the back door, only to remember the last time she did this, she was still alive.

The dogs in the alley whined and cried as she swiftly moved towards them. Zoe could feel their anguish and felt her own personal dark thought. When would she die? She flew down upon a doberman, who was making the most of her presence. Foul beast she thought. The beast yipped in a final desperate plea of hopeful bargaining. A clean bite penetrated the animal’s neck, draining the rank blood into her mouth. She paused for a moment and gagged, realizing she is now just a spectacle. “Bah, it was that conniving rat, Gregori again. Why does he keep after me?! I don’t need him or his stinking help.”

Zoe yelled, “What do you want from me! You think you helped me by changing me into this ghastly form! You *cough* bastard!” She breezed behind Gregori and whispered what she really thought he wanted from her, causing Gregori to laugh aloud. He was Amused? She had yet to hear any kind of feeling from this cold uncaring being.

“Zoe, don’t you think we all have gone through this before? Men carve up there own kind with more menace then you would do with a single bite. For night’s sake, at least pull from the human flock all the wretched, and put them down. Why waste your time on the putrid animals, when you can feed from the wicked ruthlessness of man?”

Zoe listened like she was enthralled, and realized what Gregori was doing. She arched her back and screamed a slashing note through the air, as she sprinted far away.


Athena sighed to herself. She had just tried to call her best fried Kai, for the third time, and she still didn’t answer. Was it that difficult to pick up the phone? Had she forgotten about the party at James Masterson’s house? The one that Athena had been specifically invited to because of her ever-climbing popularity at school. It was past midnight, and Athena and Kai should have been there over a half-hour ago. Kai was supposed to drive to her house and then they were going to go together. But there was still no familiar face on her front doorstep.

She called Kai one last time, and when the phone didn’t pick up, she left a message telling Kai that she was going on without her. She swore to herself and left her house. Athena got into her new white Camero and drove, much faster than she should have, to where the party was being held. It was a good thing that she had been ready for the party before hand. Athena straightened her pleated scarlet miniskirt and cream colored corset top, then slipped on a pair of chunky sandals. They accentuated her long legs and full bust and was a perfect outfit. Checking her make-up and upswept hair quickly in the rearview mirror as she arrived, Athena grabbed her purse and went inside.

“Yo Thena!” A tall blonde boy called to her from the doorway of the large tan stucco house. “James and I thought you wouldn’t show.”

“C’mon Eddy, the party never really starts until I arrive.” Athena laughed.

He looked around. “Where’s Kai?”

“No clue. I left her a message in case she forgot, so she might swing by later.”

“Aight. Follow me,” He had to yell as they entered the house because of the blaring music. “I’ll show you to the bar.”

“No alcohol Eddy! You should know that by now.” Athena said, frowning. She hated alcohol and the effect that it had on people. “Just a soda.”

He looked at her, as if trying to figure out how to get her drunk, but then decided against it. “Yea, all right. How’s a Mt. Dew?”

“You’re a doll, thanks.” She smiled and saw a fresh face out of the corner of her eye. “Hey Eddy, who’s that?”

“Who’s who?” He asked then saw who Athena was talking about. “Austin something or another. He’s an exchange student. He hasn‘t talked to anyone tonight. He‘s been in that same spot.”

“Maybe he’s shy.” Athena suggested. She said a quick “see ya” to Eddy and made her way to where Austin was sitting. “Hi.”

“Ohh, hi.”

Not only is he gorgeous... He has a British accent too... “I’m Athena Withers.”

“Austin Shellen.”

“So I hear that you’re an exchange student.”

“You hear correctly.”

“No need to be hostile. I was only trying to be nice.” Athena began to walk away.

“Look I’m sorry. This hasn’t been a good night for me. I don‘t even know why I came to this party.”

“Well you must have been invited for a reason-” Just as she was talking her cell phone buzzed in her purse. “Ohh, hold on a sec.”

“Kai? Where have you been I’ve been trying to reach you all night..... What?... Slow down, you’re not making any sense... Meet you where?.... Okay, I’ll be there. Bye.”

That has to be the weirdest phone call I’ve ever gotten.... Did hear correctly that there was something about a vampire?

“So Austin. You want to get out of here?” Athena wasn’t usually so forward and she didn’t want Austin to get the wrong idea. “My friend wants me to meet her and I think she might be in some sort of trouble. I could use all the help I can get.”

© Copyright 2004 da_ddq, Professor Q, Publius, Bernie, Tenea, Ballybur, Daizy, (known as GROUP).
All rights reserved.
GROUP has granted Writing.Com, its affiliates and its syndicates non-exclusive rights to display this work.
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