by Last, K. A.
The yard was alive with activity and I could see Josh’s group lazing on the grass in the far corner. He wasn’t with them. Seth, Ivan and Blake were sprawled on the front steps, annoying anyone who came within reach of their mockery.
“Excuse me, Emma?” a tentative female voice said.
I looked over my shoulder and met the gaze of a strikingly beautiful girl. I hoped I didn’t look as surprised as I felt. Actually, surprised didn’t quite cut it. Shocked, was more like it. She was the girl we’d seen at the property, and the one I plucked from Emma’s thoughts. Up this close she seemed taller, probably because I was sitting on the ground, and she was sleek and indescribably gorgeous.
Don’t, Arch. I felt him stiffen beside me and could see his hostility rising. She’s different.
I don’t care, she’s a vamp.
Just let it go for now, please, I said.
Emma was oblivious to our silent exchange and invited the girl to sit down. She met my stare with her black eyes and I could see the recognition in her face. She went perfectly still. She was so pale out in the sunshine that her skin almost glowed. The grey and navy check skirt of the school uniform fitted in all the right places, and the white button up blouse showed off her near perfect figure. If I was a guy, I’d have drool running down my chin.
“I’m Charlotte Fallon,” she said, as she sat down in one swift, elegant motion.
Oh no. This is not good. I noticed Archer stiffen. This was too weird. Archer gave me a sideways glance, not even attempting to hide his annoyance.
Trust me, I said. Besides, you can’t exactly stake her out in the open.
Archer took another long, hard look at Charlotte.
“I hate being around crowds,” Charlotte said.
“This is the girl I was telling you about this morning, Grace,” Emma said, scowling.
I nudged her foot hoping she’d change her expression. She didn’t like how pretty Charlotte was and couldn’t understand why she’d chosen to sit with us. Archer, despite himself and his prejudices, was on the verge of needing a bucket to catch all the drool, and me, I was freaking out at the fact this vamp was sitting with us, in the sunshine.
“Welcome to Hopetown Valley,” I said in my nice as pie voice. “I’m Grace. This is Archer, my brother.”
“Really? You look nothing alike.”
I could see Charlotte was a little uncomfortable with us. She was thinking she should probably apologise for throwing a stake at me.
“We get that a lot. Are you in the dorm?” I asked, trying to continue the conversation and block out her mental line of thought.
“Yes, room thirteen. You?”
Very fitting, I thought. “Arch and I don’t board. We have a place about ten minutes west of here.” But you already know that.
Emma tried a little unsuccessfully to stop scowling when Charlotte asked her a few questions about dorm living. I took the opportunity to grab my dumb struck brother’s attention.
Arch. Archer, look at me.
He tore his gaze away from Charlotte. Sometimes I wished he could read people the way I could, it would make things so much easier.
Wipe your chin. A minute ago you wanted to kill her, now you’re ogling her?
Huh?
Oh, snap out of it! I looked at him with wide eyes.
Archer was struggling between the urge to kill this girl and ask her out on a date. Give me a break. Boys! Emma was chatting away and Charlotte was responding in all the right places, but she was also watching Archer and me. I snuck into her head and caught a thought. She knew who we were and had been searching for us, looking for protection. It seemed like the three of us had a few things to talk about, and Archer was not going to be happy.
EIGHT
GRACE
Monday Night
Moonlight glinted in Archer’s eyes as he pulled his arm back. He released the stake and it flew past my ear, embedding itself into the tree behind me.
“She has a what?” Archer cried from where he stood in the middle of the clearing. We were getting ready for our nightly hunt. “I don’t even know what that is.”
“I didn’t tell you because I knew you were angry.”
Besides, I didn’t get the chance. We’d had no classes together that afternoon, and I thought it would be safer to talk at home. Not in public with lots of witnesses.
“That’s great, Grace, but in case you’ve forgotten, we’re supposed to kill vampires, not play nice and have lunch with them.”
Even though Charlotte was a vampire she could walk around in the sunlight like any normal person. She went against all vampire lore as we knew it. I was just as ruffled around the edges as Archer, but someone had to be calm. That someone would be me, the protector, and the brains of this outfit.
“You would have staked her right there in the yard, in front of everyone, in front of Emma?”
Archer grunted and jogged over to me. He wrapped his hand around the stake he’d thrown minutes before and pulled it from the tree.
“No … So what do we do?” he asked.
“Charlotte is no ordinary vampire.”
“I think I’ve already noticed that.”
“But you can’t see what I can,” I said. “She’s been looking for us and wants our protection.”
“What?”
“She has what we call a white soul, Arch.”
He stared at me and furrowed his brow. “Again, not really sure what that is.”
I motioned for him to follow me along the path away from the clearing. The moonlight broke through the canopy here and there, casting dappled shadows on the ground. The summer heat hung in the air, and it was warm enough for shorts and a T-shirt even at such a late hour. We were both dressed entirely in black, for obvious reasons.
“All creatures have a soul, even the damned. It’s the colour of your soul that counts.”
“I thought vampires were soulless,” Archer said.
“Most people who know of their existence do think that. Vampires have a soul, it’s just usually so dark it’s as if it isn’t there, and it’s mostly in tatters like there are holes in it. Charlotte is a unique exception. I’ve never met another like her. Take me for instance, if you could see my soul, it would be a pure white, blinding light, because I’m an angel. Then there’s yours. You are almost as white as me, but you’re human so your soul has a nice blue hue.”
“Are you serious?”
“Yes,” I said, chuckling. “No human can have a perfectly white soul, but they can be tainted with darkness. Usually the dark ones end up in Hell.”
We turned off the path and headed deeper into the forest. I hadn’t heard any conspicuous sounds yet, but I was sure they would come. Archer and I usually dusted one or two vamps a night. Sometimes up to ten if they were travelling in big groups. There had been no sign of the three we saw on the weekend though, which made me a little nervous. I wanted to know why they were after Charlotte.
“We can’t kill her, Arch. Regardless of the fact she’s a vampire, she also has a soul almost as pure as mine. Whoever Charlotte was before she was turned, she was good, and she is still good.”
“Then I’ll ask you again, Gracie. What do we do?”
“I say we wait and see how it pans out. Maybe get to know her a bit.”
“And protect her? You’ve got to be kidding.”
“Just have an open mind please. I really don’t think she’s a threat.”
“Ok Sis, if you say so.”
Something rustled and we both froze where we stood. I dropped to a crouch and scooted to a nearby tallowwood, pressing my back against its trunk. Archer did the same.
On your right, I said silently. Three of them, and…
Oh great, Seth was there. What did he want? Before Archer could protest I orbed around to the other side of the tree, landing in front of the four figures. At first I didn’t recognise the three vamps, but soon realised they were the ones we’d seen at the shed. When I picked a few thoughts from their m
inds, I discovered they’d been discussing Charlotte with Seth.
“Fancy meeting you here, Grace.” Seth chuckled and the sound was chilling.
“You know if I could, I’d kill you,” I said. “What do you want?”
“What do I always want? I’m protecting my reason for existing. Annoying you is just a bonus.”
“As long as we’re here we’ll keep killing your reason to exist, even if we can’t kill you,” Archer said.
He whipped a stake from his belt and spun, ready to drive it home. The three vamps spread in a flash and Seth misted, moving to block Archer, sending him flying backwards. Misting was the Dark Angel version of orbing, but not as pretty. Archer landed with a thud against a tree and fell flat on his face. I laughed, it looked pretty funny.
“Tell us what you want with Charlotte,” I said, as Archer picked himself up.
“You can’t make me,” Seth replied.
I shook my head, he could be so childish.
“That’s true, but I can pull it from their heads.” I nodded towards the other three who were snarling and bearing their fangs.
Seth scowled. “Not if I keep you occupied.”
“Oh Seth, don’t you know girls can do more than two things at once?”
I orbed to another section of the path and Seth followed. To the others we would have looked like balls of white light and black mist flying around each other. But he was right, I couldn’t hear anything about Charlotte in the vamp’s heads as they were too preoccupied watching us.
Seth misted again and landed behind me, but he wasn’t quick enough. I spun and orbed at the same time, then thrust my arm out and grabbed him by the throat, putting all my force behind it and knocking him to the ground. Straddling him, I pinned him down—I loved being freakishly strong—and asked him the question again.
“What do you want with Charlotte?”
“Kinky. Do you always play rough with your enemies? I like it rough.”
“You disgust me.” I let go and jumped to my feet.
“Well, you won’t be getting any info from me,” Seth said through clenched teeth.
It was right about then I noticed Archer was in a spot of bother. I’d left him to fight three against one and he was good, but maybe not that good. Seth wasn’t going to give me what I wanted so there was no point wasting the energy. I orbed away from him and came down next to one of the vamps.
“Hey there, good looking,” I said.
He threw a sloppy punch and I ducked before it connected with my face. I swung my leg in an arc, taking his feet out from under him, and he hit the ground with a thud. I pressed my knee hard into his back and pulled his arms around behind him.
“Thanks, Grace,” Archer said. He held one of the other vamps against a tree, ready to stake him.
“Don’t!” I yelled. Archer faltered with his arm drawn back. “We need to find out what they know.”
He let the stake fall to his side but it didn’t stop him from letting the vamp know who was boss. Seth and the third vamp had disappeared.
I asked my captive the question again. “What do you want with Charlotte?”
He trembled underneath me and squeezed his eyes shut, concentrating hard on not letting his thoughts betray him. Seth obviously told them about my ability. I wondered if he’d shared the fact he could do the same. One word floated to the front of the vamp’s mind.
Blood.
“Blood?” I asked. “Well that was easy. I was hoping for a harder fight, you just took the fun out of it.”
“You idiot,” Seth cried. “What have you told her?” He misted and landed between Archer and me, and he didn’t look impressed. He grabbed whatever part of his two cronies he could.
“Arch, let go,” I yelled as I dropped my prisoner.
No sooner had the words left my lips than Seth and his filth disappeared. If we didn’t let go we’d have ended up going with them, and that was something I never wanted to do. It sent shivers down my spine even thinking about it.
“Well,” Archer said with his hands on his hips. “That was fun, let’s do it again sometime.”
I laughed, and shook my head.
“Did you get anything?” he asked.
“My knee in that guy’s back did persuade him to tell me they want Charlotte’s blood.”
Fancy a vampire wanting blood, gee that was new, but as far as I was aware they didn’t usually want the blood of their own kind.
“Yeah, I heard that part. I mean did you get anything else from him?”
“No, Seth has taught them well. All I got from their brains was a whole lot of la la la, la di dah etcetera.”
It was Archer’s turn to laugh.
We ambled back towards the shed inspecting all the superficial cuts and scrapes we’d acquired in the fight. Mine were pretty much healed by the time we reached the clearing, but Archer had one cut on his right forearm that looked a little deep. Usually he was against me healing him, but this time I wasn’t going to take no for an answer. I didn’t want it getting infected. I wrapped my hand around his and channelled my energy into him. My body began to glow, and that glow spread up Archer’s arm to heal it. He was good as new before we even reached the door to go inside.
Why these vamps wanted Charlotte’s blood baffled me. It didn’t seem like that big a deal, but I guessed if they were fighting this hard it had to be for a reason. We were both pretty curious to find out what that reason might be. It also meant that for now Archer wasn’t arguing with me, and Charlotte was safe from a stake through her heart.
NINE
GRACE
Tuesday Lunch Time
The next day Charlotte and I headed off across the school towards the vineyard. Nestled in the far back corner, the vineyard’s entrance was framed by a beautiful rose garden complete with heart shaped arbour. Through the arbour was a cobblestone circle with a stone fountain at its centre. Water cascaded out the top of a low lying urn with three cherubs in the middle. The cobblestones branched out from the circle to run a path in line with the roses. The grape vines themselves where a bit neglected not having borne any fruit for years. I loved the beauty of the roses, such a perfect flower, so I never really noticed the creepy vines, but Charlotte liked them and meandered off down the rows to have a look.
“She’s really something, isn’t she?” a mocking voice asked from behind.
I spun around to see Seth standing under the arbour, the last of his black mist dissipating.
“What do you want, Seth?”
“Oh, nothing much, just thought I’d come and annoy you again,” he replied, walking over and leaning against the edge of the fountain. “Working, is it?”
“Didn’t you get the hint last night?” I asked. “I don’t like you. There is nothing left between us and you don’t scare me. But I am going to find out why you’re after Charlotte.”
“You’re always so sure of yourself, aren’t you?”
I didn’t answer; instead I took the high road and ignored him, hoping he’d go away. Seth was always itching for a fight every time we met, but I saw it as pointless, since we couldn’t actually kill each other. At least with vamps there was the satisfaction of the kill. Fighting Seth the night before was a rare occurrence, and although pointless, I had to admit it felt good.
“Are you still here? Don’t you have some demon friends to go play with?”
“Most of them are hiding this time of day,” he said.
Watching him closely I couldn’t help think, why was he like this?
“What made you fall, Seth? Where is the fun in being evil? I just don’t get it.”
“If you were on this side you would.”
“See, I think you’re wrong, and I also think you’re not as bad as you make yourself out to be. Your soul isn’t completely black.”
“That’s a shame really. I was aiming for a nice shade of ebony.”
“It’s more like a smoky grey. So come on, why the fall?” I asked again.
Seth pause
d as if in thought. “It’s not so much that being evil is fun, it’s more to do with not having to answer to anyone but myself. I mean look at you. You’ve spent your entire existence doing what someone else has told you. That’s not for me. I remember what it was like, and I much prefer this life.” Seth smiled but his eyes darkened. I knew there was something he wasn’t telling me.
“Really? You can honestly say this is better? After…”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about, Grace.”
Then he left, just like that, disappearing behind a thick cloud of his black mist.
What he’d said was definitely food for thought, but I pushed it to the back of my mind. Even though Charlotte was a way off, I was pretty sure she’d been able to hear what we were saying. Not that it really mattered, she knew who and what Seth was. I closed my eyes and rubbed my temples with my fingertips, a moment later Charlotte was standing beside me. She gave me a questioning but kind look as she pulled herself up and sat on the lip of the fountain.
“Seth just likes to stir the pot,” I said, climbing up next to her.
“Yes, I’ve noticed that.”
Because I was still feeling my way with Charlotte, I wasn’t sure how much I could trust her. I’d only met her less than three days ago. She had tried to stake me and she was my sworn enemy, the very thing I had been incarnated on earth to kill.
“I’ve been searching for you for a while you know,” she said. “You and Archer are part of our legend.”
Smiling, I wondered if I should be worried or flattered. I’d been a bit naïve to think no one would know about us. Of course they would, vampires had mouths the same as humans. The thought just never entered my mind.
“I’ve always felt lost,” she continued. “From the day I was made I knew I was different. When I found out how different it was quite a shock, and they have been chasing me ever since.”
We sat in comfortable silence for a while. I watched as the hot February sun shone down on our surroundings. Magpies were swooping through the trees, and the cicadas were humming their monotonous song.
