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Sucks 2BU: Author's April #3

(This was when I was watching True Blood as well as Twilight ages ago. I wrote this as my take on the vampire genre, and I am horribly embarrassed by it now. It's bad, in terms of execution and the send up to the vampire genre. It was my first foray in writing adult stuff, so take it for what it is I suppose. Enjoy, or don't. Read with caution, I dare you.)

Chapter One: 3 Annes

The sun was setting on the twenty-four hour diner on the highway. Inside the staff was moving around listlessly. The only customers inside was a sobering drunk with his pissed-as-hell wife sitting in the back corner booth. And three seemingly young girls, one brunette, one honey blonde, and one darker brunette. All sitting in a tiny booth along the wall beside the kitchen. The sun was coming in heavily through the shutters along the back corner but the girls were nicely shaded by advertisement posters and a crane machine game.

Joanne, who preferred to be called Jo, sat by herself on one side of the table pretending to read the newspaper. Jo was the kind of brunette media loved to portray, intelligent, snarky, witty and with an understated beauty. She was short and had the sort of Marilyn Monroe hour glass figure that would of made a Playboy centerfold back in the day. Her hair was the color of a melted chocolate bar and was cut in shaggy layers around her head and parted far to the left. Peering out from behind this mop-top was a set of eyes so steely blue and off putting people nearly always avoided looking directly at her.

Sitting across from her Didi, actually Dianne, was running her fingers through her long toffee colored hair, not exactly red and not exactly blonde it was the product of research and finding the perfect salon to make the color pop just right. Her bangs were sheered in a straight line across her forehead just above her eyebrows which were a shady blonde. Her wide eyes were a sort of bluish-green that switched back and forth depending on what she was wearing, today they were blue to match her sky-blue sun-dress. She was top heavy with a surmountable bosom and square shoulders. The rest of her was thin and long, especially her legs which made up the most of her.

Then there was Anne, really just Anne, who was a remarkably beautiful girl with creamy milky skin and long, dark curly hair. She had sparkling green eyes surrounded by lush eyelashes. She had a perfectly proportioned body, even if she did appear to be a shade too thin. Her hair was a thick mess of perfectly disheveled curls and waves that made her look like both a model and a wild bohemian pixie. But it was her smile that spoke the most about her. It was the smile of a mad woman, a trouble maker and drama queen who would show you the time of your life. Her smile never lied.

Well, Did and Anne jabbered on and giggled over their hash browns and gravy. Jo picked at the two little chicken strips she had gotten along with her hash browns not feeling like actually chewing food today. She glanced out the window from behind the newspaper, studying the blonde man in the parking lot.

“Okay, so,” Didi spoke up suddenly then giggled without warning. “Okay seriously, guys, I know we’ve been friends for a while now and I don’t know if you’ve figured it out but-”

Here it comes, Jo thought and popped a chicken strip into her mouth and shook the paper.

“I’m a vampire!” Didi blurted.

“No way!” Anne belted, her wide green eyes bugged and she stared slack jaw for a moment.

Once more with feeling, Jo thought again as she chewed.

“Me too!” Anne and Didi squealed happily together. They then looked over at Jo expectantly and were utterly floored by her completely blank expression as her icey blue eyes peered at them from over the top of the paper.

“What?” Jo asked.

“Well?” Anne asked, her and Didi sharing a worried and somewhat fearful expression.

Jo closed the paper and folded it and sat it on the bench beside her. “I already knew.” She replied and reached for her bag.

“She’s getting a gun! Duck!” Didi squealed and fell down under the table.

Jo stared in disbelief at Didi’s empty seat as she produced her wallet. “No, I’m one too. Now get the hell off the floor its covered in gravy and grease.”

Didi popped her head up from underneath the table to peek at Jo. “Really?”

Jo placed a dollar bill on the table then snapped the latch on her wallet shut. “Yes. Really. My gawd you two are dimwitted.”

“Then tell us how you knew, oh almighty and all knowing one.”

Jo tapped the tip of Anne’s nose. “Exactly.”

Anne scoffed in disbelief. “You’re literally all knowing?”

Jo shrugged as she placed her wallet back into her purse. “Kinda sorta.” She made a sideways glance to see if the blonde was still in the parking lot. “It isn’t like you two don’t have your special little abilities.”

Didi and Anne looked at each other with bugged eyes then leaned across the table as if to pull Jo from her seat and shake the tiny bits and pieces of knowledge of Jo’s head.

“You know?” Didi gawked.

Anne pinched Jo‘s cheek and pulled. “Okay, why the fuck haven’t you said anything to either of us?”

“Ya’ll didn’t ask so I didn’t tell. Besides, I don’t use my power to help Didi find her keys so why would I use it to divulge information you guys weren’t going to tell me anyways?”

Didi and Anne sat back down, but Anne kept a tight hold on Jo’s cheek. Anne sighed first, “I’m like the Hulk or Superman or something. Strong, invulnerable. You get the picture.”

Jo smirked and covered her mouth. “So like what? You’re idiot strong or something?”

Anne glared at Jo, boring a hole into her forehead. “You want me to show you then? Huh?”

Didi quickly jumped into the conversation, hoping to change the subject. “I can turn invisible. And kinda climb walls.”

“Like a spider?” Anne asked.

“Like a spider.” Didi replied.

Jo pushed her sideways bangs off her face and pursed her lips. “Mind reading and the like.”

“So you have like mind powers?” Anne suddenly pointed to the salt shaker. “Can you move this from one side of the table to the other?”

Jo arched a beaten brow and raised her hand from under the table, plucked up the slat shaker, and set it back in its holder on the other end of the table.

Anne scowled, “that’s not what I meant, smart ass!”

Jo threw her hands in the air. “That’s not my power, bitch!”

Didi suddenly cleared her throat and Jo and Anne turned their fierce stares to her, which made her jump. “Um uh…not that’s any of my business but uh…how old are you?”

“Twenty-one.” Jo smarted.

“You,” Anne sneered at Jo. “Well,” she placed her palm flat on her chest, “I can’t really mention numbers but I will say that Marie Antoinette was an amazing hostess. Ah! The parties she used to throw! If only the lady knew how to keep her head.”

Didi looked at Jo, “Jo?”

“Pass.”

“Well…” Didi blushed. “I was born in 1903 and then I was changed sometime in the mid-twenties.”

“Ah! A flapper huh?” Anne laughed.

Didi shrugged. “The first time I actually got the nerves up to actually go out and do that sort of the thing was well…take a wild guess.” She looked over at Jo along with Anne. “Well?”

“Pass.”

“You can’t pass again!” Anne yelped. “You already passed once.”

Jo put her hand over her chest daintily. “I think its very rude to ask a lady her age and weight.”

“1435,” Anne blurted.

Jo’s brow furrowed upon Anne and she rolled her eyes. “Can we go yet or are we going to confess anything else?”

Anne sighed, “I guess we should go.”

“So you really won’t tell us?” Didi asked as they all got up from the booth to pay their bill and leave.

Jo smirked. “I like to leave a little mystery in my relationships.”

“Caveman!” Anne blurted for a second time. “I bet you were a caveman.”

Jo snickered. “What?”

“It makes so much sense! How you know everything about anything, how you’re just so…just so…just so you! It all makes perfect, logical sense.”

“Are you saying I have a protruding brow, and under bite, and thick forearms?” Jo prodded as she left money for the waitress.

Anne’s mouth hung open. “Well…maybe just the forearms.”

Jo rolled her eyes and went out the door. Her eyes suddenly darted to where the blonde had been standing and she frowned.

“What’s up?” Didi asked as she unlocked the car.

“Nothing.” Jo went into the backseat. “Just thought I saw someone I knew.”

Anne looked over the front seat. “C’mon, why won’t you tell us how old you are?”

Jo leaned closer to Anne and smirked, “tell me the answer to this, Anne.” She cupped her hand around Anne’s ear and began whispering. Didi tried to listen in but Jo used such a low inaudible voice it was impossible. Anne’s face contorted and she slammed back into her seat.

“Just go!”

Jo smiled smugly as she snuggled into the backseat and took one last look into the parking lot. Still nothing. Damn, Jo thought, I know it was him. I heard him. Clear as day. What the fuck is he doing here?

The heavy purple skyline of night was creeping up over the mountains as the girls pulled into the parking lot outside Fanger Banger. It was small vampire bar which attracted more vampire fans, known as Bleeders, than it did actual vampires. It was one of Anne’s favorite spots and she had become something of a tourist attraction amongst the bars’ clientele. Like the world’s biggest ball of yarn or the grand canyon. If you were here you simply had to go and see it. This was Anne.

The bar out front was nothing more than bricks with a huge red neon sign tacked up in an arch around the door with the bar’s title ‘Fanger Banger’ in large curly font. Inside the bar was painted red with a wide white stripe going all away around the center. The floor was checker boarded tiles in old Fifties joints. The bar was all white with large white stools and glowing lamps dotted all across the ceiling to make it look like an oasis of angels amongst the demonic vampires and Bleeders. The staff dress was bright red t-shirts with Fanger Banger printed on the front in white and their names on the back. The women wore tiny white shorty-shorts which left them a lot of creativity with underwear. The men wore white jeans, some of them were creative with underwear as well. There were booths all along the left side of the bar. Big black blocks with red leather seats and big white tables. To the right there were small white tables for private dates. The rest of the bar was for dancing and finding that special vamp.

In the bar a woman came up to Didi and smiled. “Ba’al, Moloch, or Belial?” She asked with a smoky voice.

“Belial,” Didi replied, referencing the breed of vampire she was. The woman frowned and walked off. Didi could instantly tell the woman was a Ba’al simply because she was clean and had all her hair. Most Moloch’s she had met were gross and balding. She had no taste for Molochs. Ba’als either really but she could at least tolerate them for a while. This one didn’t seem to like Belial very much.

Jo was waiting for Didi in their regular booth. She looked unassuming and misplaced almost like she was over crowded in that empty booth. In all honesty, Jo would admit vampires weren’t the normal company she used to keep. In her heyday she roamed with the werewolf pack of her town. She had plans of becoming a werewolf too and becoming the mate of the pack’s alpha male. But that all went to shit when she was attacked by the blonde.

Anne was gone. She was somewhere in the crowd feeding off the life the party created, living in the music, making some Bleeder a very happy person. Didi was off in a world of her own as she found herself in a place of the music and let a handsome young man take her in for a dance. Once the black lights kicked on you could find a vampire much easier. All vampires glowed under black lights.

Jo sat alone in that booth. She couldn’t out grow her old anxieties about crowds, which was a side-effect of being a Belial breed of vampire. Belial’s keep their old emotions and fears, or at least the ghosts of them. But Jo enjoyed watching the crowd sway and she closed her mind’s ear off to the constant chatter and roar going on in people’s heads. She looked for the blonde and listened for his southern accent and deep laugh. He was still here, she could feel it. A voice then broke through and she held her breath.

“You okay?”

Jo jumped and looked up at Didi. “Um…just thinking.” She clutched the side of her head and forced a smile. “I think I’m gonna go outside and get some fresh air.” She stood and headed to the back door where patrons went out to smoke.

“Jo, I hope you know you can talk to me,” Didi replied. “I mean, I don’t know everything about your power but I’m sure it has you hearing some rather odd things.”

Jo smiled again and shook her head. “I’m used to it. After all this time I’ve learned tricks.”

Didi smiled knowingly and giggled. “Can I take a crack at how long?”

Jo shrugged. “You’re wrong.” She tapped the side of her head then dipped her chin and laughed. “Wrong again.”

Didi rolled her eyes and watched as Jo stepped out the back door.

“Where’d the smartass go?” Anne threw herself around Didi’s waist and danced from her waist down.

“Outside.” Didi glanced down at Anne and furrowed her brow. “Are you drunk?”

Anne pinched her thumb and forefinger together. “Maybe little.”

Didi rolled her eyes again and sat Anne down in the booth. “You fed on someone? What the hell Anne? In the middle of all these people?”

“They don’t call ‘em Bleeders for no shit.” Anne giggled, covering her pink mouth. “Oh c’mon, Didi!”

“But a drunk person?” Didi scoffed.

“Fun,” Anne shrugged.

Outside the air had turned brisk and would of required a human to wear a jacket. But Jo stepped out and remembered how even as a human she would of loved to run in this weather with just a thin shirt on. Winter was coming and Jo hated how much she missed the cold. That was her weakness. She was unable to let go of things she held dear as a human. This probably explained her reason for not growing an attachment to anything as a vampire and why she was planning on leaving town now that Anne and Didi had let go their little secret.

It was then that same voice came back to knock the wind right out of her. “Holy shit,” she whispered and turned. Maybe leaving now wouldn’t be such a bad idea, Jo thought.

Back inside Anne was looking across the room when she saw the woman who had talked to Didi earlier. She sat up right and cursed loud enough almost everyone turned to stare at her. The woman laughed and brought a finger to her lips and motioned for Anne to remain quiet.

“Fuck no!” Anne shouted and headed for the back door. The woman’s laughter reverberated and clinked like ice in a glass just behind her.

Didi remained unaware as she sat at the bar waiting on the bartender to bring her a glass of water and several wedges of lemon. She looked over to the booth and when she saw that Anne was gone she groaned and placed her head in her palms.

“Something wrong, hun?”

Didi looked up and grimaced. “Emile…” she groaned. “What the-”

Emile grinned softly. “Nothing bad. It was just time for a check up is all. So,” he leaned closer to her, twirling her hazel hair between his fingers. “How have you been?”

“Virtually alive, was that how you used to put it?”

Emile pulled back and Didi assessed how much he had changed since she last saw the vampire who changed her. His hair was still dark, thick and curly like storm clouds but it was longer and he had grown a heavy, furry shadow on his jaw to match it.

“I don’t need to have tabs kept on me anymore, Emile.” Didi spat softly. “I don’t need a babysitter or someone using me for my power.”

“That’s exactly why I’m here.” Emile let go of her hair. “I liked you better blonde by the way.”

“Don’t care,” she snipped. “Now, what the fuck are you talking about?”

“Your two new little roommates and you, you have more in common than you think. Do you think it was a coincidence all three of you had powers none of the rest of your kind have? Or were you to wrapped up in the girly fun to even notice.”

Didi opened her mouth to argue but she knew she couldn’t argue or lie to Emile. She shut her mouth and pouted instead. “So?”

Emile chuckled. “Same old Dianne.”

Outside Jo had dashed off and hid herself just before Anne had burst out cursing and screaming and beating up a poor defenseless trashcan. Jo shuddered at how violent Anne was and how violent she really wanted to be in her mind. She turned off Anne’s extremely vulgar, violent and disturbing images to focus back on the voice coming from the shadows of the street that had her holding her breath for the past ten minuets. She had two directions to run. Toward and away.

Decisions, decisions, Jo thought shoving her hands into the deep pockets of her pants. I feel as if the music from Jaws should be playing, she murmured to her mind as she shifted listlessly on the sidewalk. What should I do? What the fucking cat screaming of hell should I do?

Another voice came in. The blonde. Jo turned to face the direction the voice echoed from and she groaned. Her options had become two completely different things. She could go towards the blonde or towards the other voice, the overly familiar voice she wasn’t planning on hearing ever again.

“Shit,” Jo cursed as she went away from the blonde’s voice and towards the other.

Didi could recall her first encounter with Emile as being one of unexpected glory and romance. Growing up reading Jane Austin had made her heart soft and dreamy. And Emile fit the perfect description of a Jane Austin hero, or at least Didi’s idea of a hero. He was tall, dark, extremely handsome and had a smile that lit up the early morning. Her family would never approve of him, what with his skin the color of coffee thick with cream. But his eyes, those dark beads of topaz, made her heart beat rapidly and her cheek flush.

Emile came into her family’s bakery and bought a loaf of fresh bread. Tipping his hat to her he gave Didi a card and invited her to his jazz club, Artimes. With the help of her best friend Didi went out and bought her first flapper dress. The long fringe and slinky red silk felt so good and the breeze against her legs was another exciting element.

At the club she handed the man at the door her card and she and her friend tiptoed in and looked around the room drunk on the excitement and romance of it all. Emile arrived an hour after Didi did and when he saw her sitting across the room Didi was almost positive it was love. Emile took her by the arm and they danced together and he whispered sweet nothings into her ear. He then led her to a booth in the shadows of the club and moment after Didi received what she would recall thinking was a divine kiss of true love, like in fairy tales, Emile bit into her neck.

Didi woke a week later far from her home and with Emile, a vampire and her new master.

Now, more than eighty years later, she was sitting next to Emile again and she tried her hardest to suppress her old feelings. It wasn’t going to happen ever again. Fool me once, shame on you, Didi thought crossing her arms. Fool me five or more times, shame on me.

“Listen Didi, I know I don’t have the authority anymore, but you were always my favorite so I worry about you.”

“You didn’t think that way back then,” Didi muttered. “But go on, tell me what trouble I’m in now.”

Emile’s smile was on of nostalgia. “I never turned you…because I wanted to.”

Didi frowned.

“I was told to.”

Didi balked, “told? Who the hell would want me to be a vampire?”

“My master, Franz.”

Didi eased back down. She had heard stories about Franz. Emile had told her many stories during the days they spent together. He was this extremely powerful and old vampire who was the right hand man of the Belial father.

“I’m in something bad aren’t I?”

“You,” Emile sighed and rubbed his heavy brow. “You and your new little friends I’m afraid.”

Jo was unaware of all of this as she raced down the road following that voice. She wondered if he knew she was there, if she was coming to meet him. Or was he simply just wandering around. She stopped, realizing the voice was leading her to the little house she shared with Didi and Anne.

Jo walked up the driveway and into the cobblestone pathway that led to the front porch. She sat down on the stairs and waited. She watched the woods and placed her chin in the cup of her hands. The woods shushed then parted and he emerged looking virtually the same as he did the day they last spoke goodbye. Jo could see he had aged some, enough to make him look rugged and brow beaten. He looked up from the trail he had carved for him and his eyes flashed in the shadows, catching what little light was in the sky.

Jo barely moved, even though she knew he was coming she was still so stunned to see him. She suddenly jumped to her feet and dipped her chin to her chest.

“Jo,” he muttered.

She pushed her hair behind her ear, “hey, Teak.” She muttered and swallowed. “I uh,” she finally pulled herself together and stiffened her back and shoulders and pulled her hands from her pockets. “I thought I told you I didn’t want you looking for me!” She cupped her hand around her face.

“I’m not leaving until you come home.”

“I can’t go home, gawd, why the hell do you think I left?” She stepped off the stairs. “Because I had to sow my wild oats? Because I needed to seek my fortune?” She got closer to him. “Have you not noticed how I haven’t changed? I’m still the short, fat bookworm I was before.” She threw her hands at her sides and looked up at Teak with vicious eyes. “I left home to protect them, Teak.”

“Well now you’re just being selfish,” Teak murmured as he looked down at her.

“Home is a werewolf town, Teak. You’re the alpha male you know that. I can’t go home.”

“You’re wrong.”

She saw the answers in his head. “Fuck.” She spat.

“I’m not the alpha anymore.” He grabbed Jo as she turned to look sharply at him with disbelief. “I was knocked down. I need you back, Jo. I need you to-”

Jo pulled back. “I know! Just don’t even bother, Teak.” She looked over her shoulder and grunted. “Charlie’s here.”

“The one who-”

“Yes, the one who mother fucking turned me.” Jo gave Teak a warning look. “Just go. Please.” But she knew as she went back down the road Teak would be waiting for her on the porch. At least, she thought, this annoyance will help me in dealing with the blonde.

Outside Fanger Banger Anne was still pitching her little temper tantrum, happily ripping and shredding garbage cans like they were paper and strewing the trash inside around on the ground. She was headed for the chain link fence when she heard the all too familiar giggle echo behind her.

“What?” Anne muttered as she turned around hesitantly. There stood Haydee with her halo of overly curly red hair her impish looks and face smeared with freckles. During the days of Versailles and of Marie Antoinette’s favor Haydee would have to use as much powder as possible to cover up those freckles and that garish red hair. Nowadays she wore no makeup at all.

Haydee made a pout and folded her hands before her. “What? I thought you would be happy to see me, Kitten.”

Anne rolled her eyes. “Don’t call me Kitten. I hate that name.”

Haydee strolled forward, kicking chunks of metal garbage can out of her way. “Well, like it or not I’m here to give you a warning.”

Anne scowled and took a couple of steps aside.

“There are some people coming after you and that lovely little power of yours.” Haydee’s thin fingers caressed Anne’s cheek and she stood beside Anne facing her. “We need you to come back home where you’ll be safe and from the Moloch and Ba’al.”

“I told you last time I’m not going to be kept up like a bird in a cage,” Anne hissed. “I’m not going to keep pretending Versailles is still alive. Its dead just like the rest of us.”

Haydee smirked. “You’re sober.”

Anne grimaced. “Unfortunately I am.” She turned to face Haydee now and she pointed a finger into her freckled face. “Tell me,” she barked, “does this little warning also include Jo and Didi?”

Haydee shook her curls. “Well yes. Their powers are just as rare and magnificent as yours. Everyone wants them.”

“Oh hell, and here I thought they wanted us for our damn personalities.” Anne sneered with a sarcastic grin.

Haydee sighed, “you used to be so much fun, Anne. What the hell happened to you?”

Anne laughed, “I’m still fun. It was you who got boring.”

“Versailles isn’t dead, Anne. We’ve kept it alive. We kept her alive.”

“Tell her she can rot in hell with the rest of you,” Anne turned away to begin her over dramatic exit. “I’m going to try to live again.” She leapt up over the building and landed out front. There she saw Didi standing at the entrance chewing at her nails with a sour look on her face.

“What’s up?” Anne asked, brushing her hair over her shoulder.

Didi looked up and tried to hide her sour look. “Nothing.” She pulled her hair back and started putting it up into a ponytail. “Have you seen Jo? I can‘t seem to find her.”

Anne shook her head then shrugged. “Nope.”

“You look like you’re in a bad mood too.” Didi replied.

“Its all bullshit. Nothing I really care about anyways.” Anne huffed as she walked on to get to the car.

“My old…creator was here.” Didi admitted.

Anne cut her eyes up at Didi. “Ditto.”

“Then maybe Jo…” she hesitated as if expecting Jo to magically appear just then to shed some light on the situation. But no. Jo was off dealing with her own problems and waiting for the light to shine on her.

“I want you back,” was all Charlie said when he was in sight.

Jo shrugged her shoulders up around her neck and swayed to the side as she waited for Charlie’s punch line, his excuse, and his apology. That’s how it always was back when she was first created. All Charlie wanted from Jo was her power and he used it to all his advantage and all his cons. Jo stayed with Charlie because she had nowhere else to turn.

“What? Ya got nuthin’ to say to me?” Charlie asked, his southern drawl all to familiar to Jo. It was a voice she couldn’t get out of her head no matter where she went and how far she went to get there.

“I have plenty to say to you,” Jo hissed.

Charlie smiled, “so ya already know then. Ya can hear me as clear as day.”

“Why the hell would I want to be kept locked up even if it were for my safety? I ain’t ever used this power for anybody I sure as hell ain’t gonna use it for them.”

Charlie shrugged, “good, bad, it doesn’t matter to you does it? You only care about yourself.”

“Learned it from you.”

Charlie threw his head back and laughed, “I missed yer wacky sense of humor.”

Jo arched her eyebrow, surprised the voice he spoke with matched the one in his head. He was genuinely sincere. “Any other arguments Charlie before I turn back home and leave for good?”

Charlie sighed, “be careful, Jo. You are my finest piece of work.”

Jo turned, “fuck off.”

Chapter Two: Baby Come Back

“I’ll make us some coffee,” Jo muttered as she unlocked the front door. Teak stood up and followed behind her.

“What happened?”

“Nothing to worry your pretty little head over?” Jo huffed as she busied herself with the coffee pot.

“You look worried,” Teak replied as he leaned around the corner.

Jo rolled her eyes and poured water. “You’re here. Why wouldn’t I be worried?” She asked and snapped her attention back to the coffee grounds. “Do you really wanna kill me that badly, Teak?” Her voice no louder than a whisper.

Teak jumped, “what? No! You’re a Belial we don’t-”

“You hate vampires, Teak. It doesn’t matter if I’m Belial or not. You said so yourself.”

“I never thought you’d be one.”

Jo spilt coffee grounds all over the counter, “fuck.”

Teak came up from behind Jo and looped his arm around her waist. Jo’s eyes got wide and he turned to look up at him.

“I know what you’re thinking,” Jo muttered. “If its taken you this long I don’t think I want it.”

Teak remained silent and pushed the hair from Jo’s face.

“My friends are at the door.”

“Who cares?” Teak breathed. “Its taken me thirty years.”

“Teak,” Jo’s breath shuddered, “I can’t.”

Teak’s lips were on Jo’s cheek then fluttered across her chin. Jo dipped her head slightly and met him. The door banged open and Jo could hear Anne’s huffish threats to the doormat that never seemed to want to work with her.

“Oh look at that! We get stalked and she gets lucky!”

Jo snapped out of Teak’s arms and cleared her throat, “no. He’s an old friend from…” She looked up sideways at him then back at Didi and Anne’s prying eyes. “He’s an old friend from out of town.”

Anne scoffed and kicked off her shoes. “What’s this old friend’s name?”

Teak looked down distastefully at Didi and Anne. “It’s Teak,” he growled lowly.

Jo slapped his hand, “they’re my friends. You could at least be a little civil, werewolf or not.”

“Werewolf?” Didi gasped.

Anne pursed her lips, crossed her arms, and rolled her big green eyes sarcastically. All of her posturing as dramatic as usual. “Of course you would be buddies with a werewolf!” She then clicked on her grin. “Or should I say you could only get action with a werewolf. Can I get a howl?”

Teak stared her down and pulled Jo aside. “Can we go somewhere private.”

Jo pushed him back, “no, Teak. I am not some thirty year old booty call, alright? So you can either be civil or leave now.”

Teak turned and looked Didi and Anne up and down before he sat down at the kitchen table.

“What’s going on?” Didi whispered over to Jo.

“Nothing you need to worry about,” Jo’s already pensive look sharpened and deepened so that her brow caused wrinkles to fluctuate up her forehead. “You two were visited by your creators too?”

“How the hell did you know that?” Anne snapped. Didi nudged she and suddenly she remembered. “Oh right, mind reading thing.”

“You too?” Didi asked Jo.

“Yeah. So basically-” Jo stopped and turned to Teak and she licked her lips. She slowly returned back to Anne and Didi and whispered. “We’ll talk about this tomorrow when he finally decides to vamoose.”

“So what’s up with him?” Anne whispered. “You two used to mate or something? I mean, I know that’s common with Belial, but that seems really weird to me.”

Jo rolled her eyes. “Teak and I are old friends. That’s all.”

“He seems really hostile,” Didi murmured, glancing sideways at Teak glowering at them from the table. “Should we worry?”

“You’re Belial right?” Jo huffed. “He hates vampires but he’s not going to hurt us so don’t worry.”

“I don’t like werewolves,” Anne snarled, glaring back into Teak’s eyes. “Never have, never will. Too shifty.”

“You say the same thing about cats,” Didi replied.

Anne scoffed, “yeah. But cats are really weird.”

Jo rolled her eyes and sighed. “I need to go deal with him,” she replied and turned just as Teak stood up from his seat and she led him to her room. “Wait,” she gasped suddenly.

Teak stared down at her and put his hand to the side of her head. “Jo? Jo, what’s wrong?”

Jo cupped her hands over her face and dragged them down, tugging at her skin, making it droop then pop back into place. “Who is Emile?” She called out the kitchen.

Didi sat up from wiping up coffee grounds and cocked her head to the side. “He’s my creator. Why? Is something wrong?”

“And Haydee?”

Anne’s lip curled up over her teeth. “She’s a bitch but yeah, she made me.”

Jo shook her head and let go of Teak’s hand. “We need to go back into the town,” she growled irritably.

“What?” Didi followed close behind her. “Jo, what’s going on with Emile?”

“Shit, that’s what,” Jo snapped as they started taking off through the woods. They came out onto the road before Jo started talking again. “Charlie, my maker, and this Haydee chick have been making plans together to get us to go with them. Violent plans. And Emile is fighting them, insisting on more proper means to keep us safe. Haydee and Charlie are getting violent with Emile now.”

Anne huffed, “I thought Haydee seemed different. She’s a Ba’al now.”

“Charlie too, almost. He’s not exactly Belial and not exactly Ba’al.” Jo licked her lips and tasted the air. Teak whizzed by her, surpassing the girls with his agile wolf speed.

“Teak, stop!” Jo bounded off after him, a close second but just out of reach enough to where Jo couldn’t grab him.

They turned into the alley beside Camp Rogue just as Haydee’s bladed hand went through Emile’s shoulder. Emile roared out as Didi tumbled in and screamed for them to stop. Haydee ripped her hand back out and Charlie released the bleeding vampire. Teak rushed at Charlie, going for his throat with a mouth full of jagged teeth. Anne and Jo lunged at Haydee while Didi dove in to pull Emile from the ensuing brouhaha.

“Dianne?” Emile croaked, touching Didi’s cheek.

“You’re going to fine. You’re going to be fine.” Didi repeated breathlessly. She briefly uncovered the hole in his chest, but he was already disintegrating. Haydee had gotten his heart.

Emile smiled weakly. “I know better than that, kid. Listen, you can’t let yourself give into them. Alright? Promise me you won’t give in.” His face started to perforate and crumble.

Didi drive heaved, it was as close to crying as she could get. “Unh-huh,” she whimpered.

“You and that Anne…if they get you they’ll control you.” His eyes closed and quickly covered his mouth to keep the spray of blood from coating Didi. “Joanne…she,” he rasped and cupped his hand over his mouth again. “They’ll kill her.”

“But-”

Emile smiled. “I never wanted to hurt you, Dianne. I’m sorry.” His hand grazed her cheek then turned to dust.

“No!” Didi screamed.

At that moment Teak tore out Charlie’s neck and pulled his head back to rip it completely off. Jo stopped cold in her tracks, a move that allowed Haydee to knock her sideways, escape Anne’s clutches, and tear a hole in Teak’s side as she escaped.

Anne cursed at the top of her lungs and moved to follow but Jo grabbed a hold of her and held her back. “Don’t,” Jo ordered. “If you do that’ll be the last we see of you. We need to go now!”

“Go?” Anne barked.

Jo grabbed Didi’s wrist and pulled. “C’mon, now!”

“No!” Didi shouted. “No, I won’t leave him here like this!”

“We don’t have a choice! Please just get up and trust me!” He rushed over to Teak who was crouched on the ground holding his gored side. “Are you alright?”

Teak coughed, “not really. Its healing but…its slow,” he wheezed.

Jo slipped her hand under his against his wound and felt around. “Anne, go find a car and hijack it,” she commanded loudly.

“What?”

Jo looked up from the wound and snarled, “you can hotwire right? Get Didi outta here and go!”

Anne frowned but did as she was told. She grabbed up Didi from the from the ground, Emile slipped from her hands and before he could even touch the ground and dispersed into a million tiny pieces that scattered through the air. Jo turned her attention back to Teak and continued poking inside his wound.

“What’s going on Jo?” Teak murmured.

She met his eyes briefly. “A lot of bad shit, Teak. A lot of people are out for us.”

“They got powers like yours too?”

Jo half smiled at him and pulled her hand out along with a shard of Haydee’s fingernail. “Found the problem.” She hefted Teak onto her back. “Once you’re healed I want you outta my life again. Got it?”

“I can’t do that.”

“Don’t argue with me! I know what’s going on and I can pretty much guess what will happen to you if you stick around.” She ran out front where Anne was pulling around with an old Ford Mustang. Jo tossed Teak into the back and pushed Anne out of the drivers seat.

Anne looked up and beamed, “this car had keys in it and it was unlocked! People! Ha,” She snorted gleefully.

Didi looked over at her from the passenger’s seat. “Where are we going?”

“Away.” Jo pulled the car into reverse and squealed out of the parking lot and drove like a madman onto the road. She drove until the road became a four lane and on and on until the town was a small glowing globe at the tip of the horizon.

“We passed our house,” Anne murmured, looking out the back window.

Jo pulled the car onto the curb and stepped out. “Good.”

Didi raised her nose to the wind. “I smell smoke.”

“I smell our house,” Anne huffed, pulling her hair. “This is bullshit.”

“Charlie is back too. They must of reattached his head.” Jo stomped her foot. “I knew I should of burned that mother fucker.”

Didi took a deep breath. “Who is they?”

“Who do you think?” Jo snipped. “Haydee and that new Versailles coven and then Charlie and all his new lackeys.”

“This is bullshit.” Anne jumped out of the car and grabbed the metal curb wall and ripped it out of the ground and flung it into the woods cursing loudly all the while.

“No sense in getting mad now,” Jo dipped back into the car. “We need to go. They won’t expect us to be going in a car.”

Anne flung herself into the backseat and snarled viciously under her breath. She then pointed to Teak who had fallen asleep. “What about him?”

“We’ll drop him off in the next town,” Jo murmured as she put the car into drive and pulled back onto the road. “We’ll get a few things there and then we’ll just keep going.”

Chapter Three: Antiquing

Anne shoved a cheeseburger down her throat then downed it with raspberry flavored vitamin enriched blood supplement. Didi poked at her turkey club and Jo licked the hot sauce from her fingers as she tossed a bare chicken bone into a bowl with similar remains inside.

“C’mon, you need to eat something,” Jo said, pushing Didi’s supplemental smoothie at her. Didi took it, discarding the turkey club.

“You sure you’re okay with leaving your buddy behind like that?” Anne wiped ketchup off the side of her mouth, inadvertently wiping mustard just below her eye.

“Its what’s best at this point. We can’t take any risks.” Jo looked up and around the restaurant. This town was used to vampires like them. Because no one was staring at the girls who ordered only from the menu featuring vampire friendly meals.

“Where are they at now?” Didi asked. “I mean…your maker and Anne’s?”

Jo rubbed her nose. “Charlie is pretty weak so he hasn’t moved far yet. Haydee went back to the New Versailles but I’m positive she’s got several lackeys out and about.”

“Do you think they’ll have hunters out for us too?” Anne asked. “I mean, I know they want us alive but-”

“They want you two alive,” Jo quickly corrected. “They want me dead.”

“Why would they want you dead?” Anne scoffed. “Your power seems pretty much cooler than mine or Didi’s. In order of coolest to least it goes you, Didi, me.”

“They want me dead because they won’t be able to control me,” Jo answered grimly. “With you two they have to chance to sway you and turn you towards their side. With me that couldn’t happen because I know what they really want. I know what they’d be using me for. That leads me to rebellion and more trouble than I’m worth. So-”

“So you’re better dead than alive. I get it,” Anne sighed. “That sucks.”

Jo nodded and finished off her wings. “It does.” She pushed and poked at the somewhat soggy steak fries she had been served alongside her hot wings and looked out across the restaurant watching and listening. She was pleased with the music that was playing so she was able to get herself lost for a moment.

Didi looked over at her then across the table at Anne. “She’s probably used to all this,” she grumbled to herself.

Anne pursed her lips and nodded. “I wonder though, why now all of a sudden? I mean…certainly when we were first created they would of done something to try and control us then and there. Why now?”

“Maybe the planets are aligning,” Didi mused. “Something to do with stars or Mayan calendars maybe.”

“It’s the Fathers,” Jo suddenly replied, breaking her own forced silence. “They have something to do with it.”

Didi stared bug eyed. “The Fathers? Who is that?”

Anne turned and cocked a sarcastic eyebrow at Didi. “You don’t know who the Fathers are?” She scoffed. “Even I know who they are.”

“Yeah, even Anne knows who they are,” Jo snickered.

Anne glared sideways at her. “Shut it.”

“The Fathers are, if not the first the most powerful of the bloodlines. There’s our Father, Anubis. The Moloch Father Seth. And the Father of the Ba’al, who is actually a Mother, Aphrodite.”

“How come I’ve never heard of them?” Didi asked.

“Its not surprising that you do. Not a lot of people know about them,” Jo replied sipping up the rest of her blood supplement. “Charlie used to talk about his master, Franz and how he’s like Anubis’ go to guy.”

Anne nodded along. “Haydee used to talk a lot about him too. Franz was the one who started up the vampires of Versailles so I got to meet him once or twice and all he talks about is Anubis and his master plan and yakkity yak -yak.”

“I’ve heard of Franz,” Didi murmured. “He was Emile’s master.”

Jo took a quick breath and cocked her head around to look at the door. “Shh,” she hissed.

“What?” Anne whispered.

Jo ducked back down into her seat. “Let me listen. Give me a minuet to think.”

The door flew open and Teak came in. “Jo!”

Jo ducked down further, nearly kneeling on the floor. She groaned, “shit.”

“It’s Teak,” Didi exclaimed.

Jo pulled Didi down, “don’t look! I know its Teak. Get down.”

“He’s no idiot,” Anne chuckled. “He obviously followed us all the way here so you hiding in a booth isn’t gonna make a difference.” She looked up, smiled and waved.

Jo snarled just as Teak put his hand behind her on the back of the booth and leaned over. “Loose something?” He huffed.

“Sonova…” Jo gripped onto her temple. “I told you Teak, it was for your own good!”

“You can’t instantly claim you know what’s good for me, not anymore. Not since you ran away. It took me thirty years to find you and I am not backing off no matter what trouble has found you now.”

Didi hurriedly stood up and scooted in next Anne while Teak took her place beside Jo. “You can say it was right to leave me on the side of road and say it was for my own good. But for me what is right is keeping your ass outta of the fire and protecting you like a man.”

“I don’t want a man!” Jo suddenly barked. “I don’t want a werewolf,” she laughed forcefully. “I don’t even want these two! But I have to stick with them because we’re in the same boat. A boat, I might add, has all three sides coming at us at once wanting us for powers we could care less about! I don’t want you to get all up in my face about how its your masculine duty to protect a girl you may have had feelings for thirty years ago. It was thirty years ago Teak,” she waited to see if that hit the spot. “Thirty years you could have been spending leading your pack or finding a proper mate. But no. You spent thirty years looking for a girl who doesn’t exist anymore.” Jo stood up on her seat, climbed over the back and left.

“Wow…” Anne uttered, breaking the thick silence that had surrounded them like a horrible wool sweater. Anne looked over at Teak who was staring at the table as if he wished it to turn into a monkey. “Dude,” Anne cleared her throat.

Didi looked upon him sympathetically. “What was-” Teak jumped up before she could continue.

“Excuse me,” he coughed and went back out the way he came, in a huff and full of gusto.

“Dude,” Anne repeated as she sideways glanced at Didi. “Did you hear what she said?”

Didi sighed, “clearly.”

“What does she mean she doesn’t want us?” Anne scoffed.

Didi rubbed her temple. “Yes. Yes that was the whole point of what she was saying, Anne. I’m glad you got it.”

“Who made her the Moe to our Larry and Curly?” Anne suddenly snapped.

Didi looked up at her and shrugged, “she does have a point to that though. Jo doesn’t mean any harm, in fact that’s what she’s trying to keep us away from.”

Anne pouted, “I know. I know.”

“Nyuk, nyuk, nyuk,” Didi clucked pitifully and lacking the enthusiasm needed, which made Anne giggle.

Didi and Anne paid for the meal then left the restaurant in hopes of finding Jo, or vice versa.

Didi shaded her eyes as she looked up at the slowly setting sun. It was dark enough for them to be out, but still light enough to cause them some nausea. “She wouldn’t of left us,” Didi reassured herself.

Anne pursed her lips. “I hope not, she had the keys to Doris.”

Didi stopped in her tracks. “Who?”

“Doris, our new car.”

Didi furrowed her brow. “You named a Mustang, Doris?”

“Why?” Anne shrugged. “What would you of named her?”

Didi flopped her arms exasperatedly. “Something like Electra or Hell’s Kitten, nothing as demur and grandmotherly as Doris!”

Anne turned her head to the side for a moment thinking. “Well she’s green we could call her Pickle.”

Didi shook her head, “never mind! We need to find Jo.”

Anne hummed the theme to G.I.JOE then mumbled, “body massage.” And she skipped off after Didi.

Jo, feeling fatigue from the sun that refused to set, had taken to hiding in a cool basement store filled to the gills with antiques. She ducked under the low hanging trinkets that were attached to the ceiling and maneuvered around close fitting shelves and displays.

The little old lady who sat up front when she entered was now dusting shelves within her sitting range. There was a nagging feeling in the back of Jo’s mind about that old lady. But it was something that happened to her all the time. It was amazing how many people looked like someone else, especially over the decades. And the old especially worried Jo. Who knows who was still alive?

Meanwhile a white cat slinked its way around breakables as if it were a gentle breeze, all the while keeping its eyes tight on Jo.

“Anne was right,” Jo murmured to herself as she cut her eyes at the cat who instantly turned its nose up and rubbed against a rather old looking vase. “Cats are creepy.” She turned on her inner ear to listen for Anne and Didi who she discovered were flitting around the new town looking for her. But they were getting close and any moment now they’d sense her. Teak now was a different story. Jo couldn’t hear him and this worried her.

“You finding everything alright Miss?”

Jo jumped at the sudden voice popping up in front of her. She was so focused on her party she didn’t even notice the man who was standing in back placing a large painting on the wall.

“Um, just browsing,” Jo cleared her throat. “I’m waiting on some friends.” She studied the man as he smiled. His round, pointed jaw, accented by his trimmed facial hair than wisped up into his dark curly hair. His eyes were a dirty green, almost hazel but too green to be classified just that. He stepped down off the ladder and wiped his hands down the front of his dirty white shirt. Jo looked up at the painting then.

“Is this a print?” She asked.

“No, it’s the real deal.” The man patted the frame tenderly, placing it straight along the wall.

“Anyone we know?” Jo asked, pointing at the woman in the painting.

“No. I doubt anyone famous did this painting,” he chuckled.

Jo hadn’t meant the artist but she didn’t try to correct herself. “What about the woman?”

The man shrugged then reached up and rubbed his beard. “Who knows? There isn’t any sort of markings on this painting to say who or what made it. Probably just something from a private gallery.”

“How much is it?” Jo asked.

He laughed, “you’re not serious right?”

“No,” Jo shook her head. “But I would like to know.”

He looked back up at the painting. “Few hundred.”

“Few. Is that before or after five?”

He laughed then turned and held his hand out to Jo. “I’m Robert.”

Jo took his hand and shook it gently. “I’m Jo.”

Robert’s hand squeezed down on hers. “Ah! Like in Little Women?”

“Not really,” Jo looked up into his eyes, “it’s short for Joanne.” She went to pull her hand away but his grip came down tighter and as she tried to fight the white cat jumped down on her. The silver tag on its collar jabbed her in the neck and send a white hot pain throughout her body. If there was one weakness Jo had it was for pure silver.

It didn’t surprise Jo that this Robert fellow had some how outwitted her. She hadn’t been paying attention to him, she didn’t see a need to. She was too busy keeping an ear out for New Versailles, Charlie, Teak, Didi, Anne, and countless other voices who might be coming for her. So when this Robert suddenly attacks her and uses a familiar laced with silver charms she felt like laughing. And when she finally did manage to burp out a sound similar to a laugh it made Robert take a quick breath.

The combination of the silver and sunlight was too much and Jo finally folded to the ground and the cat slipped off her shoulder and curled around Robert’s leg. It’s big pink nose twitched, which was probably because of Jo’s singeing flesh. The room stopped smelling like dusty relics and like bad chicken baking.

Jo became suddenly aware of the scent of human flesh. Her throat was dry and tongue swollen. He looked up weakly at Robert and inhaled. He reached down and grabbed her up by the neck as if she was the only cat in the room. The blood supplement wasn’t doing its job, Jo couldn’t help but think.

Robert pulled Jo into a small dark room at the back of the store and tossed her inside. The white cat followed inside and Robert closed the door behind it.

“Keep an eye on her Karen,” Robert called from behind the closed door as he locked it.

That’s a ridiculous name for a cat, Jo thought as she laid her head on the cold concrete floor.

The cat inched closer towards her and she flinched back. The cat there, smiling smugly under it’s emotionless face. In the dark Jo could just barely make out four silver charms on the cat’s neck. She laid her cheek back onto the ground and took deep breaths to calm herself. She was too weak and too thirsty to really concentrate on anyone except the cat and Robert. So she took her chances.

“You, hey you,” Jo mumbled.

The cat shook its head then scratched at its ear.

“If you don’t let me go I’m gonna do something about it,” Jo licked at her lips with her dry tongue. “You gonna just ignore me? I know you can hear me.” She sighed and closed her eyes. She could see through his eyes, see him going towards the old woman then turn his head away slightly and stare at the mirror on the wall. His eyes were no longer that pretty green but a bright blue.

“See there? Now be a nice fella and let a helpless little girl go.” His eyes turned to the door Jo was behind and she saw it inlaid with silver with a bottle of sea water on the frame. “Hunter huh? Tough work, dude.” He turned back to the old woman and began talking to her. She was his aunt apparently and his only living relative. Well, his only relative that wasn’t a ghoul like Jo was.

“Robert please,” Jo pleaded. “They want me dead because of my power not because I’ve done anything wrong. I’m on your side, vampires are nasty customers. Please just take some pity on me. I’m not even a very old vampire! You should know that since you’re so accomplished.” But Robert just kept ignoring her and talking to his aunt.

“Well,” Jo sighed. “If that’s how its going to be.” She took a deep breath and exhaled. Robert’s vision blurred and he swooned. The cat jumped and started screaming.

“I can make it stop,” Jo murmured to him. “Or would you rather I spread it to your Aunt?”

“No!” Robert growled.

The cat yowled and hissed and rubbed itself against the door. Jo lashed out and grabbed the cat, making sure to grab it by its front legs so as to avoid claws and silver.

The door clanged open and the bottle of sea water dropped to the ground and shattered. Jo released the cat that went out squealing and squalling, knocking over its share of glass. Robert came down onto all fours and pulled Jo up by her hair.

“I can tell you’re a good hunter,” Jo giggled. She reached out slowly and touched taut muscles of his neck. “Now what do ya want with a little ol’ girl like me?”

“The Guild has a hit out on your head. Dead or alive,” he studied her face seeming to question why that would be.

“Just me?” Jo asked.

His face switched from one state of confusion to the other. “What does that mean?”

Jo held her breath and gulped the answer down. “Figured my old man would be on the hit with me.”

Robert let go of her but her hand continued to press onto the side of his neck. “Stop it,” he hissed warningly but Jo kept lifting herself until she was parallel to his face. Robert slammed his fist into her slightly open mouth, knocking her back a spell, just long enough for him to fall backwards out the door and lock it back.

Jo sat up and threw herself at the door, avoiding the silver framing. “Didn’t your mother ever tell you not to hit a girl? In my day that shit wouldn’t fly!” She huffed and sat back down on the concrete. She smoothed her hand through the sea water and felt a cool relief go through her. Water was supposed to be harmful to vampires but to Jo it was like childhood again when her parents would take her to the cliff in their backyard and they’d dive from it into the cool crisp water below. Jo had been a swimmer all her life and she had gotten to where she could swim great distances without loosing wind and even hold her breath for extended periods of time. But because of her thick hourglass shape she wasn’t considered to be a good swimmer at all.

The sea water on the floor gave her some small relief but nothing like diving into the real thing. She stood back up and gave the door a look over before she resigned herself to falling asleep to regain some strength so that hopefully by morning she could contact someone outside her cage. It also gave her some relief to know the car keys were in her pocket.

Chapter Four: WTF

Anne and Didi passed by the antique store briefly stopping to watch as Robert came out and fill a bucket of water from a tap beside the door. Anne looked inside the window, peering at all the dusty furniture and faded revelries of the years she had actually lived through. She pointed and laughed, “I had that exact couch!”

Didi flapped her arms exasperatedly, “I could of sworn,” she muttered under her breath. She looked up at the sky, relieved the low sun was now getting covered by even darker clouds she noted looked like a beaver with its tail in its mouth. She turned to watch as Robert pulled a rag from his back pocket and dip it into the cold water and start cleaning the wide windows.

“Excuse me,” she beckoned, coming to his side.

He looked at her and smiled charmingly, “can I help you?”

Didi smiled in a flirty sort of way and cleared her throat daintily. “Oh, well, I was wondering if a friend of ours came this way. She’s short, kind of grumpy looking, brown hair, curvy…” she trailed off, seeing the confused look in his eyes that came with trying a picture a girl he had never known existed. “Never mind,” she laughed.

Anne was sniffing the air around Robert at this point and she was heading towards his hand swaddled in what looked like another window washing rag used to wash a secret bloody window. Robert retracted it and stuffed it into his pocket.

“She may have had this big guy with her,” Anne added. “Muscular and shaggy red hair, kind of Thor looking otherwise. Oh and he smells like wet dog.”

Robert shook his head, “sorry.”

Anne’s mouth was watering but she had just eaten so she figured she had better act like the dainty lady she was and whisk herself off into the store.

“Your friend,” Robert said to the dallying Didi, “she do this a lot?”

“Oh,” Didi started shaking her head, “no, Jo is normally very peculiar about things like these. Her name is Jo by the way.”

“Ah,” Robert laughed. The scent of his hand was now wafting up to Didi. She turned away some what reluctantly then looked back at Robert. “I’m Didi.”

He nodded, smiling, “Robert, its nice to meet you.”

Didi’s smile turned girly and whimsical, “you too.”

Inside the store Anne ignored the old lady behind the counter because the elderly gave her shivers and bypassed her to study the old couch in the corner she had had an exactly replica of years ago. She sat down on it and draped her arms across the faded green velvet. She tilted her head to the side and smelled up the arm, pondering if this was her old sofa and if her scent still lingered somewhere in its memory.

A low growl brought Anne to her senses and she looked up above her to see a pristine white cat growling ferociously at her. Anne sneered, “cat’s are so fucking creepy.” The cat yowled and moved to pounce on her. Anne yelped and fell backwards off the arm of the couch, just missing the cats kamikaze claws as it shredded down the back of the sofa.

Anne leapt up, much to the alarm of the older woman and snarled, “your fucking cat nearly ripped my face off!”

“Karen is normally such a docile thing.” The old woman cooed as she moved to try and fetch the mentally perturbed cat.

“That’s a stupid name for a cat,” Anne scoffed. That’s when she noticed the cat’s collar and the pure silver charms dangling around its neck. That wasn’t even the beginning of what Anne had noticed. Being two-hundred and fifty years old made what most of her kind would consider legal, the twenty-one of vampires. Anne knew instantly Robert was no ordinary pretty-boy, he was something that recognized her even if she was playing the naïve waif, which was her specialty.

Anne enjoyed more than anything fooling humans and even more her own kind. No one would ever guess dotty little Anne was actually anything powerful and dangerous. And that was the exact game Robert was playing. Anne inhaled deeply, smelling first the old lady and her Aqua Net and Windsong and then the cat with it’s dry food laced breath, it’s fur tainted with the same old lady smell and then finally she noticed, oddly enough, hot sauce.

Anne jerked her head up suddenly and she jerked it around to look this way and that. “Ma’am, excuse me but has anyone been in here today?”

“There’s always someone here,” the woman grunted, setting the cat back on the top shelf where it glowered down at Anne like a gargoyle.

“Specifically a short, mean brunette.”

The woman shook her head, “couldn’t say, doll.”

Anne moved away from the old woman and the cat and went to the back of the store where her eyes passed over the door and then up to an old painting hanging on the wall that had not a hint of dust on it. It was new to the store. Anne looked it over, smiling at the old frame then looked up at the picture and her jaw went slack. The woman lounging in the picture held an apple in one hand, but she knew that apple was supposed to be a rather heavy bottle of wine. The dress was pulled up higher on the thigh than she remembered and the dark look to the eyes was the same but she didn’t like it even back then, especially not now. She plucked the painting off the wall, which would have been far to heavy for a normal girl her size. It had been over a hundred years since she had last since this picture and its painter but here it was.

“Timur…” she whispered, feeling an oddly human lump rise up in her throat. She placed the painting back on the wall and took several steps back. She would give anything to know where this painting had come from. Anything.

“Finding everything?” Robert called from behind.

Anne pointed up to the painting. “Where did you get this?” She turned to him and found herself angry was following close beside him like a puppy. She straightened herself and put back on the waif mask. “Who did you obtain this from?”

Robert half smiled. “I am rather proud of this piece. It is lovely isn’t it? Especially the model.”

Anne wanted to jump out shout ta-da and confess she was the erogenous model within but that would mean taking off her mask. “Yeah. She is pretty hot.” Anne turned to look at Didi then she thought, awe to hell with it. “Timur,” she said with the correcting tone of an old schoolmarm. “The vampire Timur painted this. He painted me!” She slapped her palm to her chest.

Didi’s eyes got wide, “that’s you? Really?”

“Timur was wanted some years ago and he’s been missing for some odd more,” Anne snarled, her teeth glinting in the dim light. “Now this painting magically appears, a painting he told me meant more than all the gold in the world. Am I to believe you came upon this painting at some art trade or that some poor slob sold it for cash?”

Robert turned his nose up. “As a matter fact,” he said with aplomb.

Anne frowned, “you’re lying about Jo.”

“I swear to you I’m not,” Robert replied, acting so innocent Anne nearly believed him. But Anne could see under his mask to what lay beneath. “You’re a hunter. I can smell it on you like some cheap dollar store cologne. It’s disgusting and I’m getting sick being in your presence.”

Didi’s eyes got wider and she took a step away from Robert who was walking closer to Anne. “You’re not what you seem either,” he laughed. “If you are the model in this painting then you’ve got to be what?” He studied her closely, mainly watching her wild green eyes. He grinned. “At least over two hundred. Maybe more.”

“Two hundred and fifty,” Anne snapped. “I was part of the first Versailles but not the new one.”

Robert grinned then looked as Didi came around and stood beside Anne. She was finally beginning to recognize the signs Robert was throwing out. She whipped out her arm quicker than Robert had expected and she grabbed his hand. She pulled it up and inhaled. The faint scent of hot wings lingered there along with the faint scent of Jo’s shampoo. She dropped with hand with a heavy shove and brought her lips up over her teeth.

“Get him!” Anne giggled and she jumped first. Didi followed, swishing behind him to catch him as he fell backwards under Anne. Anne sat down on his chest while Didi pinned his shoulders to the ground.

“Where’s Jo?” Didi barked, finding him extremely attractive on his back.

“Like I’d tell you,” Robert sniffed.

Anne hovered her face above Robert’s and started hocking, pulling saliva to the back of her throat. She puffed up her cheeks and pursed her lips.

“Oh Anne, please,” Didi groaned. “You’re two-hundred and fifty for God’s sake! Act your age.”

A pearl of spit formed in the center of her lips then slowly started to drip downwards towards Robert’s rather stunned face.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” Robert barked.

“Where’s Jo,” Didi watched the spit bubble with unwavering disgust, waiting for the car crash and the mangled bodies. “What do the hunters want with her?”

“Let me go!”

Anne looked up to see the old woman standing behind them. She shook her head then pointed to the door Anne had otherwise figured led to the dumpster out back. Anne motioned for Didi who was instantly at the door. She reached for the knob then grimaced.

“Its silver.”

Anne sucked up the spit and picked Robert up as if he were a doll and forced him to the door. “Open it like a good little gentleman.”

“You better, Robbie.” The old woman barked.

Robert didn’t hesitate when his old aunt commanded him and the door cranked open. Didi dove in first while Anne held Robert hostage at the entrance. “Is she alright?” Anne asked.

“She’s got some really bad silver burns,” Didi answered. “Poor thing, I’ve never seen anyone this allergic before.”

Anne threw Robert back on the ground and pinned him down. She held up his arm and chomped down onto his wrist. He cursed out loud and writhed under her grip. Didi moved Jo over and pulled her mouth open. Anne removed her mouth from his wrist then pulled Jo’s head up and put her lips to Jo’s. She pushed the warm, thick liquid into Jo’s mouth and massaged her throat so she’d swallow.

Jo suddenly started coughing and kicking. She jumped up and covered her mouth as she dry heaved. Anne licked her lips and wiped at the corners of her mouth daintily.

“Jo,” Didi coaxed, patting her back. “Jo, its us. Are you alright?”

Jo nodded and continued coughing. She looked at Robert on the floor then but at Anne and her painted lips. “You?”

“You wouldn’t get enough from his wrist just dripping over ya,” she said with a nonchalant shrug. It was obvious Jo wasn’t the first female Anne had kissed.

Jo stood up and licked at her lips. “I appreciate the thought, but next time,” she wiped at her lips, “next time be more tact about it.”

Anne shrugged, “you gotta do what you gotta do.”

Jo knelt down and looked over Robert. “Now talk.”

“Why do I have to tell you anything?” Robert snarled.

“Because I’ll kill the old lady,” Jo said with as much venom in her voice as possible. So spoke so spitefully it shocked even Didi and Anne who both greatly opposed the thought of slaughtering the somewhat innocent woman but they played along, praying Jo was only bluffing.

Robert believed Jo’s poker face. He roared, “don’t you dare!” He started to buck up underneath Anne but she forced him back down onto the concrete.

Jo cocked her head to the side. “You said the guild only had a hit out on me. Were there any other instructions?”

Robert’s eyes grazed from Anne’s to Didi’s before he went back to Jo. “We were told to leave the other two unharmed and alone. The hunters’ only instructions were to capture you and kill you on sight or bring you into guild headquarters. Bringing you to headquarters meant a whole lot of more money.”

Jo looked up Didi and extended the car keys towards her. “Go get the car. When you park out front get in the back seat.”

“Sure,” Didi replied. “But Jo,” she hesitated, “what are you going to do?”

“Anne,” Jo said standing. “Hold him here while I got get his truck. You’ll take his truck while Didi and I take him in the car.”

“We’re kidnapping him?” Anne asked, mischief sparkling brightly in her eyes.

“Jo, what the hell?” Didi snapped.

Jo scoffed. “We need to know what the guild is thinking. Its obvious they want me dead but why wouldn’t they want you two captured and brought to them? We need to stay one step ahead of them and learn what they’re going to throw our way. Now go get the car.”

Didi nodded and reluctantly left the room. As she came out to the entrance she saw the old woman sitting behind the desk petting the cat who growled as she passed.

“You’re taking him, aren’t you?” The old woman croaked.

“Yeah,” Didi murmured. “But don’t worry, we aren’t planning on hurting him. We just need to know what the guild is planning.”

The old woman looked up and smiled. “At least its by a group of pretty girls. Otherwise he might not be so calm about all this.”

Didi crooked her eyebrow up questioningly but quickly shuffled out when she heard Jo coming out of the back room.

Anne was left sitting on Robert’s chest. She picked at her fingernails momentarily before she sighed. “Did you kill Timur?”

“How do you know him?” Robert sniffed.

“I fucked him a couple of times. What does it matter?”

“You have a very faint French accent,” Robert murmured quietly. “And I can tell you’re very old despite how you hide it. That could mean you’re from the first Versailles.”

“Yeah,” Anne grumbled. “So what?”

“Timur is missing,” Robert replied. “A group of hunters invaded his palace in southern France but we couldn’t find him anywhere. So it is highly possible he’s dead but its more than likely he’s made himself invisible.”

Anne took a deep breath and exhaled loudly.

“So that painting really is of you?”

“Yes,” Anne said with a nostalgic smile. “There are many paintings of me but Timur didn’t share them with anyone.”

Robert chuckled, “oh, so they’re those kind of paintings?”

Anne rolled her eyes. “Get your mind out of the gutter.”

Jo came back into the room. “C’mon, its time to go.”

Anne stood, picking up Robert with her and pulling him in front of her. “Hey, what about Teak?” Anne asked.

Jo shook her head and huffed, “found me once, he’ll find me again.” She nodded her head then to the old woman as she exited. “Thank you for letting us borrow your nephew.”

“You keep out of trouble now,” the old woman replied as Anne shoved Robert out the door.

Jo opened up the back seat to their car and Anne shoved him in beside Didi. Jo tossed Anne the keys to Robert’s big red truck then hopped into the front seat of the Mustang.

“Wait!” Anne suddenly called out then dove back into the antique store. She emerged a moment later hauling the painting. She cracked it out of its frame and took the canvas and rolled it up then placed it on the seat beside her in the truck. “Okay,” she hollered. “We can go now!” She tapped the roof of the truck and revved it up.

In the back seat of the Mustang Didi glanced at Robert from her peripheral vision and noticed him inspecting the wound Anne had given him but had neglected to take care of. She turned slightly and extended her hand. “Allow me.”

He did so, showing no sign of reluctance or fear. Didi took his wrist and touched her lips down gently. She first took a quick sample, tasting the salty richness of him, then she lapped her tongue over the wound so it sealed shut. She licked her lips as she raised her head and caught him smiling.

“What?” She asked, handing his back his wrist.

Robert shook his head and laughed, “nothing.”

Jo, in the front seat glowered. The thoughts going through both their minds was enough to make her want to crash the car.

Chapter Five: A Little Night Music

Anne and Jo were gone in Robert’s truck heading to gather supplies so they could feed Robert and themselves with blood supplements.

“I don’t like the idea of leaving those two alone,” Jo whispered to Anne as they hopped into the truck to leave.

“Why?” Anne whispered back, enjoying the secrecy of their conversation.

“They’re attracted to one another,” was all Jo said as they drove off.

Didi stoked the fire then leaned back against the Mustang. She hated camping but in their situation there was no other choice. The only money they had they had taken from Robert and that wasn’t a lot.

“Didi, right?” Robert asked from the other side of the fire where Anne had tied him to the tree.

She looked up and nodded, “unh-huh.”

“That cute for anything?” He asked and Didi cocked her eyebrow inquisitively at him. “Is it a nickname? That’s what my aunt calls nicknames and shorts, cute.”

“Dianne,” she answered.

“Really?” Robert laughed. “Seriously? Anne, Joanne and Dianne?”

“I know,” Didi giggled. “When we first all moved in together I took it as some sort of sign. I thought it was maybe fate we were brought together and that we were meant to do something great,” she hesitated suddenly. “In a way I suppose that’s true.”

“You powerful like them?”

Didi nodded, “I am. Although, through the guild you should have already known that.”

“Just curious was all,” Robert hummed. “You ain’t too old, just guessing and all. Do you mind?”

Didi shrugged. “Shoot.”

“You don’t have an accent so I’m guessing you’re from here. And the way you talk doesn’t show much in terms of change. I’m guessing at least a hundred or so.”

“A hundred and seven,” Didi replied with a smile. “You’re really good.”

“I got Anne too. But its Jo I’m having a hard time placing. She could be only in her fifties or even in the fifty-hundred.”

“She hasn’t even told us her real age,” Didi stood up and walked over to Robert and untied him enough to where his arms were free. “Don’t go slapping or punching me or anything. I’m not as strong as Anne but I can still put the hurt on you just as good.”

“Trust me,” Robert laughed, rubbing his wrist. “I’ve learned not to mess with a woman while tied up.”

Didi looked up at him with a shocked look and he bust out laughing. “I’ll take that with a grain of salt,” she sniffed and sat down beside him.

“Talk to me,” he suddenly said.

Didi looked up at him and swallowed. “About what? What could we have to talk about, really?”

“I dunno. Were you married before you got changed? Any kids? Any family?”

Didi looked back to the fire. “I was betrothed. Some young accountant in my father’s bank. I wasn’t married, so no kids. And I’m sure by now my family is all gone. At least any that would know me.”

“Anyone now?”

Didi shrugged, “my creator, Emile…I loved him but we got into a fight and I realized he didn’t really feel the same way even if he did care a great deal. He just died. That’s why we’re here now. He tried to save us.” She turned and looked at him. “Why are you so interested to know if I’m single or not?” She hiked her leg up over his legs and straddled on his lap. “All you gotta do is ask.”

Robert’s face flushed and his breathing quickened. “Shit, you don’t play any games.”

“I’m a hundred year old girl, Mr. Flowers.” Didi replied with a coy smile. “I’ve learned all the ropes and I know there isn’t any shame in makin’ whoopee every so often when you wanna feel good. Hell, its almost necessary.” She leaned forward and licked the hollow base below his throat then traced his neck and jaw, going over the dark stubble of his chin and nipping at his bottom lip.

His hands reached up and grabbed her arms and ran down till his hands came onto her hips then squeezed onto her tight ass. Didi giggled as she slid her tongue between his teeth and met with his to do battle. Didi grinded against his thighs and she could feel him stiffen up under his khakis. She snapped open the button then pulled down the zipper and reached inside, fighting first with the elastic of cheap boxers and then grabbed him, stroking the length of him.

“Shit,” Robert gasped. He reached out and grabbed Didi’s tits then unbuttoned her shirt with one hand. He pulled the bra up over her buyout breasts and started suckling on the nipples.

Didi removed her panties and guided Robert inside her. Robert groaned with pleasure as Didi let out a small squeal. She started moving and grinding. She touched Robert’s face and licked his skin. She wanted more so she cut the rest of the rope and pulled his dingy t-shit up and over his head. She touched his chest, running her fingers through the curly, dark hair. She sunk her mouth onto his nipple and tasted the soft pink bud. Robert grabbed her up and threw her back onto the ground so that he could pump himself into her. Didi let out a cry. As a vampire she had never made love to a human so she worried she wouldn’t get pleasure from Robert. But she was happily wrong.

“I’ll admit, I was worried about this,” Robert rasped. “You’re my first vampire.”

“You’re my first human,” Didi moaned, writhing under him.

Didi arched, molding herself to his hard frame. She took his hand and guided it down to rub the sensitive button above her sex. She then wrapped her arms around his neck and helped herself to his taut flesh. Her fangs punctured his skin and he let out a low growl but his hips worked harder. She suckled at him, inhaling his blood like air.

“Yes,” Robert exhaled loudly.

Didi let out a cry and she nearly came off the ground. Robert lay on top of her, his hand kneading her breast while she licked at the wounds on his neck. Robert lowered himself down and stuck his head between her legs. Didi moaned with pleasure and touched her breasts, feeling his saliva on her nipples and his blood coursing through her. Now his tongue penetrated her and sent her on a whole new wave of pleasure. She ran her fingers through his thick, brown hair and wrapped her legs around his shoulders.

Was it reckless, she thought, to be screwing their captive? Oh fuck yeah it was reckless, she laughed to herself, but when they sex is this good who gives a fuck? Well, Jo will most definitely care and Anne will only get a little jealous. But right now all that matters is… She suddenly had to take in a breath as she felt his teeth nip at her playfully and then she climaxed. Her thighs tightened around his ears and she sighed.

“Who cares?” She whispered to herself and laid back to accept more of Robert’s affections.

Elsewhere, Jo was coming out of a grocery store, hefting a couple bags of nonperishable food. She had sent Anne to go get the blood supplements. She tossed the bags into the back of the truck and looked around, expecting Anne to have been back before her. She picked at her fingernails momentarily before jumping back up into the truck. Suddenly she heard a thud in back and then Anne was up in the front with her, holding something to her chest and grinning from ear to ear.

“Anne,” Jo snarled. “What did you do?”

“Nothing. Just go. C’mon, lets go!”

Jo eyed her, “did you get the blood supplement?”

Anne bobbed her head excitedly. “Oh, ho yeah! Now c’mon. Lets get!”

Jo cranked up the truck and pulled out of the parking lot and as they drove down the road she saw blue lights flashing in the distance. As they came upon them Jo saw the convenience store she had sent Anne to had a huge hole in the brick wall. She turned sharply to Anne who was watching the whole scene with a huge grin on her face.

“You robbed and defaced the connivance store?” Jo said with a low voice.

“Don’t slow down keep driving.”

“I am so mad I could rip your head off! What the hell were you thinking?” Jo was nearly foaming at the mouth.

Anne pulled her hands away from her chest to reveal the messy wad of green bills stuffed into her shirt. Jo’s eyes got wide and she felt a white hot surge go through her.

“Oh no, Anne,” she growled.

“C’mon, this will save our asses! We need money.”

Jo shook her head and remained silent. She would ream Anne something good when they got back. And when they did get back it didn’t take either one of them very long to realize what had gone on since they had last been there. Anne was the first to notice.

“I smell sex,” Anne said as they pulled up.

“Don’t try and change the subject!” Jo snapped before she could realize that yes, she smelled it too. “For the love of-” she bit her tongue. “Didi!”

“Oh hell you look mad,” Didi shivered. She looked a little disheveled but otherwise normal. Robert on the other hand, who had been tied back up to the tree, looked as if he were on cloud nine.

“Of course! I’m made of hell!” Jo roared and spit, pulling Robert out of his post-sex state. “I come back and you’ve fucked the human and Anne robbed a convenience store!”

Didi gaped, “you did what?” She shrieked at Anne.

Anne‘s lip curled up over her teeth. “What? Like you fucking a guy you just met is any better?”

Didi’s head bobbed. “Yeah, actually, it is! You don’t just rob people out of the mother fucking blue! What the hell were you thinking?”

“She wasn’t! That’s why I didn’t hear her,” Jo growled and she whipped her head towards Robert who shrunk back against the tree. “Get him free. We gotta go now!”

“What?” Anne snapped.

“There are cops every-fucking-where,” Jo hissed. “We can rest once the sun rises. Until then we need to get the hell out of here before someone gets wise to us!” She snapped her head towards Didi who was untying Robert from the tree. “You and Anne ride together in the truck. Fuck buddy, you’re in the Mustang with me.”

“What?” Didi sniffed.

“I don’t want to look at you two for a while. I can’t trust him with either one of you so he’s riding with me.” She gritted her teeth at Robert who was standing, placing his hands on Didi’s back. “Get in the mother fucking car!” Her voice was loud enough to shake the trees and scare some birds out of their sleep. Robert didn’t hesitate to remove his hands from Didi and head for the Mustang. Didi and Anne did their own running. Jo put out the fire then got into the car and took off, pressing her foot so heavily into the gas peddle the speedometer didn’t know what was happening.

“Slow down Steve McQueen,” Robert gasped, breathless.

Jo wanted nothing more than to slam on the breaks and have Robert collide with the windshield but she had to settle with the sudden jarring her slowing down caused.

“Had I known you could get that angry I would of left you alone,” Robert breathed, running his fingers through his sex-splayed hair.

“Exactly,” Jo sneered.

“Did she really rob a convenience store?”

Jo shook her head like a dog just out of water. “That girl just doesn’t think!” She slammed her hands so hard into the steering wheel it became concaved and more like the steering wheel of a fun park car.

“Being from Versailles, I’m not surprised by her voyeurism,” Robert settled back, putting on his safety belt and brushing his fingers through his hair.

Jo took a deep, relaxing breath and reached for the car radio. Turning it on it started in the middle of a Chuck Berry song which relieved her into a more normal state.

“You like this kind of music?”

“Yeah?” Jo sneered. “What, something wrong with it?”

Robert shook his head. “No. I’m still trying to settle on your age.”

Jo snickered. “You’ll never ever guess, dude.” She settled back into her seat and breathed slowly. Her eyes became focused intently on the road ahead and on the music coming from the radio. Elsewhere in her mind her internal radio traced several frequencies. Charlie was nearing better from his werewolf wounds and was aware of the hit the hunter’s guild had put on only Jo’s head. Haydee was back at the new Versailles and was purring over a young virgin sacrifice. Teak was somewhere deep in the woods searching and sniffing and worrying. He had been to the antique store and the old lady hadn’t hid anything from him when he asked.

When she was sure she was calm enough she clicked on over to the Didi and Anne channel and to her horror discovered they had been pulled over by a cop.

“Mother fuckers!” Jo pulled over onto the curb and slammed her head onto the steering wheel.

“What?” Gasped Robert, frightened out of his pants.

“Anne and Didi,” Jo growled as she slowly started turning the car around.

Robert glanced behind him, noticing now headlights. “Where are they?”

“They got pulled over,” Jo grumbled. She suddenly released the wheel and unbuckled herself. “You drive. I’m far too angry I might just kill us both or at least you.”

“Thank you for the thought,” Robert sighed as Jo crawled into the backseat. “Why do you suddenly trust me?” Before he could even finish his thought Jo had her hands around his throat.

“I don’t actually, so you better know where to go and you better get us there.”

He laughed, “yes, ma’am.” Her hands slid off his throat and she disappeared back into the backseat.

Jo scoffed, “and I thought this week couldn’t get an worse.” She closed her eyes and laid her head against the back seat, listening as Anne and Didi were led into a squad car by an Officer Shaun Ivory.

Chapter Six: An Officer and the Undead

“Vampires huh?” The sheriff chuckled as Officer Ivory led in the two girls. “That explains the hole in the wall down at the Kwik Trik,” he rubbed his mustache and smirked. “Put ‘em in cell 2B.”

“I could make a joke, but I won’t,” murmured Anne to Didi.

“Its your fault we’re even here. Isn’t that joke enough?” Didi snarled.

Anne stared. “I don’t get it.”

Officer Ivory tugged on their chains. “C’mon girls, no talking.” It was the first time Anne really looked at Officer Ivory. During their arrest she had tried to keep her face hidden, knowing the surveillance camera in the Kwik Trik had gotten her and in the cop car he had had his broad back turned to her. But now, in the lighted police station, she saw his face and her breath was taken away.

“Timur,” she was breathless. He looked almost exactly like her lover Timur. He had the same curly flaming red hair and scruffy lumberjack beard. Bright clover green eyes peered out from behind arched brows. His face was rectangle shaped with a smooth and chiseled chin. He was wearing the tan police man’s uniform and he had sweat stains under his pits and down his back which led Anne to looking at his firm ass. She giggled and looked up impishly at him.

The young officer’s eyes lingered a little too long on Anne before he turned around to usher then down the long narrow hallway towards the cells. It was apparent cell 2B was strictly for vampires. The bars were made of pure silver and there was a salt water tank just above it and the box window was fitted with a small herb garden.

Anne stayed as far away from the salt water tank as possible while Didi had to cover her nose when a gentle breeze blew in through the window.

“What’re we gonna do?” Didi sighed.

Anne was already studying the cell, noticing the small town quality of it. Unlike most of the big city jails she had been placed in throughout the years this one would be a piece of cake.

“If there’s one thing I know its that we simply need to play the waiting game,” Anne replied.

Didi frowned. “Yeah, but the sheriff was a vampire. Didn’t you notice?”

“Uh…” In all honesty Anne hadn’t. She was too busy inspecting the officer who she was sure could be a clone of her Timur. “Well, that changes things. Then again, I’ve been in a few vampire wards before.”

Didi arched her brow questioningly at Anne then turned back to glance out the window and the sprigs of lavender dancing in a gentle breeze. She gagged and looked back out the silver bars on the steel door. “I wonder if Jo even knows.”

Anne set her jaw stiff and placed her lips in a firm line. “She was pretty pissed at us.” She looked back over at Didi. “So how was he?”

Didi smirked and hid her face behind her hand. “He was my first mortal and-” she giggled.

Anne winked. “Nah, I totally get it. Most of my best times have been spent with human lovers. Its always nice to top off the whole shebang with a little bite.” She grinned from ear to ear, showing her retracted fangs.

It was then Officer Ivory came back up to the bars and slid open the little glass panel so he could look inside. “You ladies need anything? Phone call?”

Anne stood up and slinked over to the door. “I would like to um, use the little girls room.” She smiled, wrinkling her nose. “I need to freshen up a little bit.” She trailed her hand down the slope of her pale chest and onto her small but plump bosom. “I’m a little sticky from this hot country air.”

She wasn’t sure if her advances stuck home or not because Officer Ivory slapped the little window shut. She stood there in disgust for a moment before he opened up the door and placed the shackles back onto her hands.

“This way,” he guided her.

It was remarkable how much he looked like Timur, but their voices were different. Then again, Timur was a centuries old vampire and had the voice of a man with knowledge and years of experience. And this little Officer Shaun Ivory had the voice of a twenty-something boy who was faking the toughness in his voice. He had a cop’s voice. But those eyes, it was unmistakable. She wanted him. But she needed him to look at her and it was obvious all the cops had been taught not to stare directly at a vampire or else they’d be under their spell and in their glamour.

“It’s so hot out tonight isn’t it?” Anne asked in a breathy, husky voice.

“Always is around here,” was all he grunted.

Anne scoffed exasperatedly. She knew he noticed her. She saw his eyes before and how they lingered just the right amount of too long. All she had to do was get him to look a little longer and she’d have him. If Didi could have a little fun in the woods why not her in the women’s bathroom?

“Anne!” Jo’s voice boomed through the hallways. Anne flinched and turned to be greeted by Jo’s ever grumpy face with Robert in tow behind her.

“Holy crap, I didn’t think you’d ever come back for us,” Anne laughed.

Jo rolled her eyes. “I wasn’t planning to show up till tomorrow but this guy,” she elbowed Robert in the gut, “convinced me I should go ahead and show up. So-” she spread out her arms and bowed.

“Okay, you can let me go, my friend is here now,” Anne said up to Officer Ivory.

He scoffed, “you ain’t going anywhere. Not tonight anyways.”

“See?” Jo slapped at Robert’s hand. “I told you.” She turned back to Officer Ivory and folded her arms across her chest. “So when can my friends go Officer…” she waved for him to pronounce his name.

“Ivory,” he cleared his throat. “Officer Shaun Ivory.”

Jo suddenly smiled brightly all the anger inside her melted away and she looked so innocent and sweet as a bucket of icing. She reached out and touched his hands. “I want to thank you for helping my sister.”

“What?” Officer Ivory murmured, looking as if he was suddenly starting to go to sleep.

“Thank you for helping my sister,” Jo repeated, her hand suddenly sliding up to his face and covering his eyes. “Truly, I thank you for helping my sister out of that horrible situation.” She pulled her hand back and Officer Ivory was completely still like a statue. Jo took his keys and unlocked Anne from her handcuffs. She then took the keys and handed them to Robert. “You go get Didi out of-”

“Cell 2B,” Anne finished. “How did you do that?” She asked Jo.

Jo tapped her temple. “Since he wouldn’t look me directly in the eye I had to use my head.”

Anne beamed. “You’re just a whole bundle of magic ain’t you?” She then came around and put her hand on Officer Ivory’s neck.

“Anne,” Jo scolded, “you’re in trouble enough with me. Don’t go doing what you’re thinking.”

“But I like him,” Anne pouted. “Besides? Won’t we be needing more people on our side?”

Jo grimaced, knowing that no matter what she said wouldn’t change Anne’s mind. She was going to glamour Officer Ivory into being her servant and slave, a Renfield as the moniker had been since Bram Stoker. Anne pulled Officer Ivory down and sunk her teeth into his neck. When she had her fill she bit down on her finger and placed it between Officer Ivory’s lips. But as she did so a gunshot rung out through the halls and she was forced to drop him to the ground.

“Thought I recognized you,” Sheriff Thelen laughed.

Jo tensed up, “shit. He’s with the guild.”

“Oh bull-” Anne was cut off as the sheriff shot at them again. They scrambled. Anne fell into the bathroom while Jo scooped up Officer Ivory and ran down the hall. The sheriff went after Jo.

As he passed by the bathroom Anne stuck her head out and scanned around for the bullets. Sure enough she found one and when she picked it up her skin began to itch and turn green. She dropped it and sneered. “Bastard is using silver bullets.”

“Anne,” Didi called as she and Robert came from the cell block. “What’s going on?”

“The sheriff is with the guild,” she scoffed and rolled her eyes. “Of course! Who would trust a vampire sheriff otherwise?”

Didi flinched but huffed. “Well, we need to do something?”

“How are we going to protect her from silver bullets?”

Didi shrugged and dashed down the hallway, evaporating into thin air as she did so. “Invisibility is so cool,” Anne scoffed as she turned to Robert. She tossed her thumb across her shoulder towards the front of the police station. “You and I need to make a few calls.”

Robert arched his brow and stared after Anne suspiciously. “Call who?”

“What?” Anne asked with a catty grin. “I’m two-hundred and fifty, remember? Surely you don’t think I have no one dying to earn my favor?”

Robert hesitated momentarily only to stare down the hallway where Anne and Jo had gone along with the sheriff.

Jo was ducking down in an office with the unconscious Officer Ivory in arms reach slumping in the over stuffed chair. She was scanning, listening to the sheriff who was keeping quiet, save for humming old war songs. He obviously knew what he was doing. Anne was calling her ghouls and followers, finding her worshippers to come to her rescue and earn favor in their master. Didi was stalking the halls a few feet behind the sheriff all the while invisible to even the well trained sheriff.

Jo rubbed at her eyes and sighed. She was looking for Teak now, wondering what had become of the boy since she had blown up in his face. But Teak was still silent which pissed Jo off even more than before. She wanted the sheriff to come she wanted him to see what she was made of.

“Jo,” Didi gasped in her head. “There’s someone here.”

Jo searched the local area but she didn’t hear any new voices. “What are you talking about Didi?” She returned signal. “I don’t hear anyone.”

“I’m looking at him right now!” Didi spat. “I think I know him. But I can’t remember.”

Jo went through Didi’s eyes momentarily to see the man walking gracefully down the hallway as if the sheriff weren’t blowing bullets. But she didn’t have a chance to see his face. The door splintered and shattered. Jo narrowly saved Officer Ivory from being just another part of the fodder. She, unfortunately, got hit by the bullet.

Jo screamed and screamed and screamed. She dropped Officer Ivory and started writhing and dry heaving on the floor. It was like a scene in The Exorcist. Her body contorted in odd angles and she vomited green tinged blood. She tore and ripped at the bullet wound on the back of shoulder but above all else she screamed.

“Got you,” the sheriff chuckled sadistically.

“Bastard!” Didi grabbed him by his temple and twisted his neck until there was a loud pop and he crumpled to the ground. She became visible and raced to Jo’s side. She tried to hold her still but Jo beat violently against her. Suddenly, Jo became focused on Officer Ivory and she went screaming towards him.

“Don’t!” Didi cried out.

“You should listen to your friend,” the mysterious man laughed.

Jo came to a complete halt and she stopped screaming just as suddenly. But her breathing was rapid and sharp.

The man walked into the room and dipped down. He smoothed his hand across the top of Jo’s head and down her back. With the other hand he bit down on the heel of his hand and placed it to Jo’s mouth. Jo fed greedily as he tended to her wound as a doctor would removing a thorn from a child’s hand. He plucked out the bullet as elegantly as a dancer despite the obvious discomfort it caused him to hold it. He tossed the horrible object out the door and eased Jo up into his arms. He smiled at her as she continued to suckle.

“Voracious little thing,” he gleaned over at Didi, “isn’t she?”

Didi was working herself into a fit trying to figure out where she recognized this beautiful man. He had a waning Italian accent, much like Anne and her basically nonexistent French one. He had the most perfect nose and set of dark lips. His dark hair looked as if it had been neat that afternoon, but now it was ragged and dripping into his smooth face. And his eyes, both seductive and steely, penetrated her. Leaving Didi breathless and somewhat aroused just by being in this man’s presence. And lucky little Jo was feeding off him like he was a Happy Meal.

The man looked away from Jo and back at Didi again. He smiled at her and Didi felt like swooning, something she hadn’t done since the twenties. “I’m going to borrow your little one.”

“Go ahead,” Didi giggled and posed while the man waltzed out of the room with Jo anchored in his arms.

It wasn’t until the man was out of sight that Didi suddenly came to her senses. At first she was questioning herself, “did that really just happen? What just happened?” She then jumped to her feet and shouted. “Hey! Hey! Get back here!” As she went to chase him it was only then that she realized he had used his glamour on her. But vampires couldn’t glamour one another, could they? Obviously, this mysterious vampire had a power to glamour his own kind.

“Anne?” Didi snapped as she came up into the lobby where she caught Anne sighing and giggling.

“Huh?” Anne smirked.

“Anne,” Didi grabbed her, “snap out of it!”

“Didi? What?” She blinked. “Did you see that guy?”

“Yeah, he took Jo from us! Where’s Robert?” She turned to see Robert not but a few feet away on the ground, his face deeply rouged. “What happened to him?”

Anne shook her head, dismayed. “He swooned and fainted. I haven’t done that since the twenties.”

Didi picked up Robert and set him on her back. “We need to track that guy. He’s probably with the guild too and we just let him dance out of here with Jo in his arms!”

“I called a couple of my servants too, oh that reminds me!” She dashed off and came back with Officer Ivory in her arms. She sat him on the couch in the lobby and whispered into his ear. “Follow me, protect me, do not let anyone get to me that you can stop with your cop powers.”

“Cop powers?” Didi scoffed.

Anne sneered at Didi before she dipped back down and kissed Officer Ivory on the lips. “I’ll reward you once you catch up.”

“Can we go now?”

Anne stood up and scoffed, “no need to get so huffy Mrs. Huffington!” She flipped her hair back over her shoulder and sighed. “I called a few of my ghouls so if any really bad shit should go down we’ll have them to take the brunt of the work.”

“I really need to get around to making me some ghouls,” Didi sighed as they dove out of the sheriff’s office and into the Mustang.

Anne pointed, “I can smell him, he’s heading what I think might possibly be north.”

“That’s actually east.”

“Just go that fucking way.”

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