Last Kiss
By:
Meghan*
Prologue*As told by Jake
I tapped my pencil on my desk. It had been a horrid day. Now a horrid night. The lightning whipped through the sky. It crashed and made a terrific BOOM! I hate when it rains. I'm always gloomy.
Homework was hard. House was cold. And I was mad. Was it my fault? Was it?
You are probably thinking, what's your fault?
Well, the fact that my homework was overdue and the teacher had given me one more day. I had to finish it now, regardless if it was past my bedtime.
I growled. Stupid to be angry.
I should probably mention something for your benefit: Earth is under attack, by aliens who take over your brain called Yeerks. No, I'm not a nut. Really.
My friends and I turn into animals and fight them. We acquire the animal's DNA pattern and morph. The Yeerks use other hosts to fight us of course. In their natural state they are small, weak and defenseless. They feed of Kandrona rays every three days in their own slug bodies. The host's are caged. The cry out. But no one helps them.
We have to be very careful. I've added some lies, here and there. But the Yeerk stuff is true. It all started one night when we saw Ax's older brother crash in a construction site. He gave us the power to morph then.
How do the Yeerks work? Well, they crawl in the ear canal, and squeeze into your brain. They wrap themselves around your mind, in all the nooks and spaces of your mind. They control you literally. Can't talk. Can't do anything on your own. Your screams echo in your own mind never to be heard by the outside. They read your memories. Like a book. I should know. I was on at one time.
They can die from lack of rays. So that's why I'm not a Controller now.
My brother is one. Marco's mother is one; in fact she's Visser One.
And I lie a lot. Not proud of that. I'm in trouble more than I used to be. Not much time for small things like education.
Now, you know why my homework was late. It was a geography paper I had to write. I could just see that big fat "F". That's an Animorphs life. It's nothing I'm proud of.
Oh! I was really ticked. My mind juts wouldn't work. You know when you try to think of something, and a wall forms from you and the information? That's exactly what I had now. Little noise would break that wall. Needed music. I turned on the radio. Jessica Simpson. She's hot, but I don't like her music.
What about a CD? I put in Eminem, and decided it was too loud.
Back to homework.
Something was the matter. I had something on my mind. Something was wrong. I just couldn't place it.
My room itself was in total disarray. I'm not the tidiest person alive. Ahem. Something was unusual. I'm a very, very, very paranoid person. Especially with Tom. I shuddered.
A clap of thunder rang out and gave a fright that took off a bout six years of my life.
I heard a noise. I'm not the bravest person, mind you, at two a.m. in the morning. I hallucinate. Wicked things, I do. I walked to the door. Nothing. I checked my closet. No.
Then I checked the window. I looked out and screamed in silent horror. Staring back at me was a face, a red-eyed girl with fangs!
I wanted to run to my parent's bedroom like I did when I was little.
Probably another image. Maybe I had schizophrenia. It usually develops in the teen years. I'm a teen.
But I swear she was real. I wasn't so sure until she said, "Watch out, Jake."
After that I screamed like an idiot, pulled the covers over my head, and never, ever, wanted to come out.
*Chapter 1: The Perfection*
As told by Marco
Have you ever had a feeling that someone is watching you? Well, I do. It sends literal chills up my spine. But I'm just paranoid.
Something, I knew was standing outside the door.
The wind outside howled.
Pretty scary. A horror novel.
I crumpled up a wad of paper and tossed it in the wastebasket. The rain pelted against the windows. A clap of thunder nearly scared three years out of me. Okay that was it. I had to find out what it was.
I opened the door to the dark hallway.
Something was standing there!
It was small; it was… it was…
"Euclid?" I said.
Euclid. My stepmother's stupid dog. I growled. Euclid yapped. I shut the door and Euclid squealed.
I rolled my eyes. "Okay! You can come in."
The stupid poodle trotted in.
"I don't suppose you would know anything about math?" Figures. Its owner teaches math, and the stupid dog doesn't know it. Gee, it was creepy out.
Euclid probably had some doggie party to attend. With the neighborhood doggie clique. So I let the mutt out.
"Back to math," I groaned. I rubbed my head. My brain hurt. If my brain were a computer, it would be a system overload.
Maybe if I just rested my head. Just closed my eyes for a second. Yeah.
Brrrrriiiiinggggg!
My alarm clock? What time was it?
"Holy-" I began, but fell out of bed. I had fifteen minutes to get to school!
So I rushed around like a mad man, got dressed, grabbed a Pop-Tart, and booked all the way to school. I knew it wasn't going to be a bad day. After all, every time I start a bad day, the shower runs out of hot water or something.
I didn't even have time for a shower this morning. Oh well.
And my breakfast wasn't burnt, and no girl had called me stupid or anything. So, it was just going to be one of those days.
I slid into first period just as the bell rang. History.
History was boring. So I moved to math, and so on.
I'd forgotten my math. Oh, no. Maybe I could skip second. No… I usually don't skip class.
Third. Fourth.
Lunch.
And by last period, I was ready to go. So when the final bell rang, I was more-than-usually happy.
"So, Marco." I turned around. A boy, taller than me. It was my best friend Jake. Leader of the Animorphs.
"Hey, Jake," I said, "What's up?"
"Oh nothing."
We talked for awhile. And wound up at the mall.
"So we are officially out of quarters," I said. "Wanna go get something to eat?"
"Sure."
So we walked over to the food court.
Tacos, or burgers. I was trying to decide.
"Hey Jake!" It was Rachel, Jake's very hot and blonde cousin.
"Hi Jake," said Cassie. Cassie is just about the same height as me. She's black, and cute and where overalls everyday of her life.
"Hi, Cassie," said Jake, "We were just going to get a taco or something. Wanna join us?"
"Sure."
So the four of us walked over to the food court. All around me were smells of food. I was hungry.
"I'll go order," said Rachel.
So Cassie and Jake and I talked about perfectly normal things. Too normal. Then Rachel returned, and we ate.
But while we were eating, a girl walked over and sat across the food court. She had a notebook, a book bag over her shoulder and a history book- the same history book I use!
She was taller than Jake, and had long, straight, auburn hair. She had a body to kill, and green eyes. She looked twenty-five.
Jake noticed me looking. He glanced in her direction. She gave a flirty little wave and walked over.
Now I was practically drooling.
"Hi," she said. Rachel motioned for her sit down.
"Hi."
"So, you're Rachel, right? And you're Cassie. I have English with both of you. And you're Marco and Jake? I sit behind you in history.
"What history?"
"I'm new here-" She smiled shyly, and winced. "Would any of mind showing me around?"
Jake began to volunteer. Cassie shot him a Look, and said, "Rachel and I will."
I frowned. Well, what about me? She winked at me! It was love at first sight! Well, I guess I could always find another love.
"What about-" I began.
April laughed and tapped her left temple. "ESP. If you so badly want to show me around, why not make it formal?"
"I like the way you think."
"Er, April," Rachel butted in, "Do you want me to show you a little bit of the town right now?"
"Sure." She got up.
"Bye, Marco and Jake."
I sighed. "My people will call your people."
She laughed as she walked off.
That Friday, I took April to the movies.
"What should we see?" she asked after we got there.
Ahhh. Imagine this scene: I, in a coat because it was sorta chilly, and April in her tight tank and mini, standing outside the theater trying to decide what to see.
"Oooh, that one looks good. I read about it in a magazine," I offered.
"Nahh," said April. "My brother saw it."
"Brother?"
"Yeah. He said it wasn't very good. Besides it's R rated, and I hate that comedian."
"Yeah, so do I." I was truthful. I didn't like the guy. Don't think it was because April had said it. It was that at all. No.
"Well, how about that one?" I pointed to an action movie expecting an "Ewww!" But instead April agreed.
"Great! I lo-o-ve action flicks!"
"Whew. I thought you might want to see that one about those girls or something."
She wrinkled her nose. "Chick flicks. Hate those."
Well. We had more in common than I thought.
* * *
"Oh, now that was a movie," said April, as soon as the movie had let out. "Let's go grab a bite to eat."
"Okay, so… Burger King? McDonalds? Wendy's?"
"Burger King. I'm in the mood for a big burger."
So I got home all tired and such. But left with a great feeling. The same I'd had with a lot of other girls. But my luck is always horrible. Something always goes wrong. Like Marian to name one. I'm sure you know. Everyone does now.
I turned to switch off the lights.
And I swear, I heard some one whisper, "Marco."
"Who's there?" I asked. Being paranoid, I thought.
No one answered. As much as I hated Euclid I wanted the dog in here with me right now. Actually anybody in here with me. Even Rachel. Oh, especially Rachel.
Then April popped in my mind. Why April? I have no idea. But I couldn't stop thinking of the girl.
But I switched off the light, and fell asleep….
"John, we've gone far enough," she cried. It was April. She was in an old-fashioned, simple, black dress.
"Gena, they are looking for you!" John cried. Gena?
What was weird was it was like I was reliving someone else's memories.
"John, best let them kill me!" she cried.
"Gena, no, I love you!" he cried.
"No, we will never make it!"
"But we must."
"Okay, if you insist. But there is something I must do first."
"I know, in the line of love."
"You will become one of us."
I woke up. My bed was drenched in sweat.
I got up and walked into the bathroom. I splashed some cold water on my face. What a nightmare! She was going to bite him! What could this crazy dream mean? This was out of control. She controlled my dreams too. And what "John" had called April. Gena was what he called her. Odd. There was nothing wrong with her though. It was all with me. I was going insane.
Wait. I looked up in the mirror. I am insane! My life is insane!
I calmly walked back to my bed. Scared silly but tired. Now I wanted someone more than ever. But not April, certainly not April.
"I had the most frightening dream of my whole entire life," I announced as I slid into the seat next to Jake at lunch the next day. After the dream, I hadn't gotten much sleep. Today's special was tacos, but I had no appetite. Maybe it was the dream; maybe it was the notation that the meat was probably tainted.
He lowered his voice. "A morph?"
"No. April." I dug into my applesauce. "I had a dream, and in which April was named Gena, and a mob of angry towns folk were after her and her lover named John, in nineteenth century Ireland."
Jake laughed out loud. "Really?"
"No, Jake. It was like one of those promotion things. I was actually reliving someone's memory." Then I started laughing. My dream was really stupid.
Jake stopped laughing. "You know now, it's not really that funny."
"Yeah. Is there raisins in your cake?"
"Marco, stop trying to change the subject."
I drew in a deep breath. Then I laughed. "That was pretty stupid."
It was! Gena? John? I had watched too much TV. I laughed some more.
"Marco, I think there is something wrong with April. She seems strange."
I narrowed my eyes. "How?"
"She juts… does."
"Wow. Real detailed. And please Jake, don't talk about April like that."
"Hey, you brought it up. Okay? All I'm saying is April is not some one you should be messing with."
"If you feel that way…" I picked up my tray and went to another table.
I sat in my science class and tried to look at the board. But my eyes kept darting toward April. She sat in front of me. And half of the male population in the class was looking at her too.
She sat in the center of the room. All the guys behind her, including me watched her and all the guys in front of her tried to get switched to the back.
"Wow, she is hot!" whispered a kid named Christopher whispered to his friend Matthew. Matthew groaned.
"But I heard she was seeing Marco."
"Aw, man! All the cute girls end up with dorks."
Dork? I'd show him dork. If he wasn't bigger and really stronger than me.
His girlfriend Jennifer shot him a poisonous look.
"I gotta girl though," said Matthew. "Jennifer."
"If your staring at April," said Jennifer, "I read in a magazine that that's healthy for girlfriends and boyfriends. I'll just watch the male swim team this afternoon."
That was it. For the remainder of the class, Matthew stared intently at the board. And actually took notes. Wow. The female power of persuasion.
I stared at the board too. We had a big quiz coming up. But every so often my eyes wandered.
And guess which way they stared?
Yep.
They always strayed in April's direction.
The unworldly goddess of beauty had me under her spell.
Under her spell. For some odd reason or another, I loved the sound of it
.*Chapter 2:bewitchment of April*
As told by Marco
"April, is something, isn't she?" I asked.
"Yeah," replied Jake.
"She so beautiful." We were sitting in our history class. It was Monday. Oh, please. I hate Mondays.
April smiled at me. Her smile and face were so perfect, it made me want to cry.
"So, did you have fun last Friday?" asked Jake. I totally didn't care about learning about some war in 1812 or something. Jake on the other hand was trying to study,
The teacher looked up. "Whoever is talking, be quiet. No talking in class."
"Yeah, I did. She likes action films."
"Really?" he said, as if he cared.
"Yeah, and Whoppers."
"So do I. Marco, I'm trying at least to study. Please."
"And she likes Skittles, like me."
"Who's talking? Please be quiet!"
"You are going to get me into trouble!" he hissed.
I rambled on for a little while.
"Shut please," said Jake.
"Okay," said the teacher, "Someone needs to be quiet. Now, who is talking?"
Jake shot me a pained glance. He begged with his eyes for me to keep my mouth shut. So I did. For the rest for of class, of course.
Finally when school was over, I walked out very happy to be alive. Jake was ready to kill me.
"Is that all you talk about?" grumbled Jake.
"Uh, uh, uh! Do I detect jealousy?"
"Oh, what?"
"April."
"April?"
"Yes," I said with a smile.
"Right," he said.
"Oh, yes you do," I teased.
"No, I don't."
"Yes, you do," I laughed.
"No! Marco, I don't!" he yelled.
"What is your problem?"
"I've told you. April isn't your type. She's the "take advantage' type."
"No, not me," I said, "She'd never take advantage of me."
"Don't be so sure." He walked off.
"I will be sure."
Wouldn't I?
She gave a teasing smile and kissed him on his head. He laughed and gave April a little shove. She laughed and smiled. She had smiled many a time at him. But this time her canines seemed a little large.
But, I once knew someone with canines that were unnaturally large. He went for dental work and he was fine.
But these were sharp.
She began to kiss him…
I sat straight up. It was anther one of those April/Gena dreams. This time his name was Daniel. Which was odd because I thought she loved someone named John.
I was really in love with her I guess. She was only so beautiful. Why couldn't I stop dreaming of her?
I decided to ask Cassie the next day.
"So, let me get this straight you're having dreams of this April girl and she's always with another guy?"
I nodded. It was the next day. We were outside in the field mid-afternoon break. We were sitting in the grass, Rachel and Cassie and I. I have absolutely no idea where Jake was.
"Oh," said Rachel. "I see."
She and Cassie exchanged amused glances.
"Have you noticed the way all the guys look at her?" asked Cassie.
"Yes," I said.
"Well, maybe you… I don't know are sub-consciously jealous that all the guys are looking at her?"
"No way!"
Rachel coughed. "Maybe you are just too protective of April. And whenever you dream, you think of how another guy might get with her."
"Oh, so know you are both psychologists?" I asked.
Cassie giggled. "Amateur psychologists."
"Uh-huh."
Rachel went back to her book. It was about the show Xena: Warrior Princess.
"So, Xena, doing some reading about your hero?"
"No," she said defensively, and tried to cover the book, "I just wanted to check out if she is really like me."
Cassie shook her head. And went back to a magazine.
"Cassie?" I asked. Her head snapped up.
"Hmm?"
"Do you think that is really the case?"
She smiled warmly, which made you want to like her. "Sure, Marco."
I pulled my book bag up and did some homework. Boring.
Right as I was on problem number twelve, Jake came running up.
"Guys," he said, "I found out something about April."
"I hate to gossip," said Cassie, not really caring.
"No, it's about something different."
"She a Controller?" I whispered.
"No, but did you see the size of her teeth?"
I groaned. "Don't start naming her flaws."
"No, they are sharp. And I was flying around doing some checking on April and-"
Cassie frowned. "Window peeping?"
"No, but she looked out her window and her eyes they glowed."
"Glowed?" asked Rachel.
"Yeah, bright red."
We looked at each other for a moment. Then began to snicker. And soon we all, except Jake, shrieked with laughter.
"Tobias saw it too."
Rachel stopped laughing. "He did?"
"And he is really freaked out."
"Really?" asked Cassie.
"And she was chanting this strange curse. In tongues."
"Strange curse?" I said, skeptically.
"Ax saw it and he said it wasn't like anything he'd ever seen."
"Jake, your crazy. Get some medication."
Rachel felt Jake's forehead.
Jake rolled his eyes. "I'm not running a fever. And I'm not delusional."
"Sounds like it."
"Well, I know what I saw," he snapped and walked off.
Rachel turned to Cassie. "What was that all about?" She mouthed.
And you know I was wondering the same thing.
Which is stronger friendship of love? Jake lately had been acting weird. I've known Jake since we were really little, and I said I wouldn't let any girl come between us.
But things change.
He was starting to dislike April more and more. So were Cassie and Rachel. They told me she was "bad news". Well I resented them calling her that. She wasn't bad news. They were just jealous.
Right? Or were they right? No, April was the sweetest girl I know.
On the contrary to my friends weird beliefs.
*Chapter 3: The Revelation*
As told by Jake
"This is very odd," I said, as my friends gathered in the barn. All except Marco. He was POed at me.
"Jake, we asked Erek to come," said Cassie.
"Yeah," I said, nonchalantly.
Hi, guys, said Tobias. He flew in and perched on a rafter above Rachel's head.
"Hi, Tobias," said Rachel, "Did you see that weird eye thing Jake keeps talking about?"
Oh, you mean where April was yelling something and cursing at the full moon in vampire code?
"Er, yeah."
It was very frightening to see a human look like that, said Ax.
"You saw it too?" asked Cassie.
Yes.
"She could be something from beyond this world," I said. "I mean not like aliens. Whenever I get near her I feel something evil and dark."
Rachel shivered.
"Hi, guys." Erek walked into the barn. Well, not Erek himself. A holographic projection of Erek, underneath was a steely white dog. He is from a race called the Chee. They are super strong androids.
And they are long-lived. Very long-lived.
"Hi, Erek," I said.
So basically what you're saying is that April's dark or something? asked Tobias.
"April?" asked Erek.
"April is new at school and Marco is in love with her. But something weird is going on."
" I see," he said, like he was thinking.
"This is like a really weird mystery," piped up Rachel.
"Oh," I said, "And one other thing: He said he had a dream in which she was named Gena."
"Gena?" asked Erek. His voice shook.
I nodded.
"Oh my…" Erek sat down. He just sat suddenly on a hay bale.
"You know Gena?" I asked.
"I know Gena," he said sincerely.
"So she's a vampire?" asked Rachel.
"Yeah," said Erek. After he had given us a long after due talk about her.
"Marco doesn't know this," said Cassie.
"He won't believe us," I said.
Well, what is going on with her and Marco? asked Tobias. Why him?
"That was what I was just about to say," said Erek. "Two hundred years ago, Gena fell in love with a young man. The townsfolk found out she was a vampire. She was banished by a medicine man of a Native American tribe to the underworld. She couldn't walk Earth until now. And exactly two hundred years has passed and the only way April can stay on Earth is if she finds a boy. And it had to be true love. She has two weeks. Tomorrow is a full moon and her last day to find love."
"That isn't so bad," said Rachel. "But why must she find true love?"
"Because," said Erek. "The only way to stay is to find a mate and make him into a vampire. Like I said, she has two weeks, and she has to find a boy with true love for her."
A vampire? asked Ax. They are not real.
"Really?" I asked. "Sounds real to me."
"What happens if she doesn't?" asked Cassie.
"She will have to leave for another two hundred years."
"We can't stop her," said Rachel. "No way."
"We can," he said. "And we will."
"Who did she finally choose?" asked Cassie.
"One boy," I said. "And that boy is Marco."
"Rachel?" I asked.
"What?" she snapped.
"What's the matter?" I asked. "You seem tense."
"Maybe, I am."
"Why?"
"Marco never listens. He grinds my nerves. And now because he didn't, he got himself in this mess. He makes me so mad."
"Me too."
"Do you know where April lives?" she asked.
"Yeah," I said. "She's not going to be there though. If she's smart."
"I don't know where she could be."
I had walked over to Rachel's. I was in her room. Doing "history homework". Or as we told our parents.
"Well, I gotta go. Dinner. After your bedtime, sneak out and come to Cassie's."
She nodded.
We might have to bird morph, said Tobias. We were in the barn. Lucky Tobias and Ax could come any time. When you're on your own, you pick your own bedtime.
"Do you know the whereabouts of her house?" asked Cassie.
I know. Ax stepped in.
"So do I."
Erek came to. He wanted to give us the low down on April/Gena.
"Well, where ever, the little moron is, we'll get her."
"She might be at Marco's, already."
"No, that's tomorrow. We have to get to Marco tomorrow during the day."
"Get where?" chimed a voice. I knew that voice. April! She was in the hayloft!
"Well, look who's here," said Rachel.
"Hello, my little Animorphs."
"Hello," we all said back coldly.
Vampire, Ax asked.
"I'm not the only strange person here." She grinned.
"Okay Gena or whatever," I said, "What's with you and Marco."
"Well, Jakey, Marco's mine now."
"Is that right?"
"Yes, yes it is little Mr. Jake. Marco loves me now."
"Marco isn't that stupid," said Rachel. "Stupid, yeah. Not dumb though."
"Yes, I know," said April.
"Well, all that is about to change."
She laughed wickedly. "Oh, look it's Darien, my old boyfriend."
Erek stiffened. "The names Erek, wench."
"Oh, that's a new one. Wench. You've called me just about every other name under the sun like-"
"Let's keep it at a PG rating please."
"Well, the fist mistake you made android, was liking me, I can't make a vampire out of a machine."
"Well, April, Hannah, or Gena, whatever you go by, you are officially closed for business."
"You know, pretty boy Marco was a stooge to win over."
"Just leave him alone."
"Oh…" She jumped down. "I'm leaving tomorrow. So he'll just have to do."
"Just leave. Go home!" shouted Rachel.
"O violent one, I cannot. You see, the hex on me is too great. I can't go back without a boy. Or man."
What if you're gay? asked Tobias.
She looked at Tobias. "Birds. Then a girl or woman."
I'm stalling, said Tobias in private thought speech. I tried not to nod.
"Well, I'm not going to stop you."
"Try it."
"I'm going to tell you something. Do you honestly believe a beauty such as myself would be stopped by wee little kids who can turn into animals?"
"Yes," said Rachel matter-of-factly.
"I'm not going to stop you like a common comic book villain. I'm going to give you just enough rope to hang yourself with."
"Well, vampire girl, he will believe us, and you will not have another vampire, is that clear?"
"Just bear this little pearl in mind, who do you think he's going to believe, me or you?"
She spun and walked away. Laughing,
Her laughter echoed in my mind. I looked at the roof. Weren't the Yeerks enough?
"Marco?" I asked. I set my tray of beef tips and noodles next to him.
He stared up at Cassie Rachel and me.
"Well, if it isn't the April hate club?"
"We need to talk," said Cassie, sweetly.
"Well, that was an understatement," I muttered.
"Yeah. Marco, April's the undead. She's a walking corpse. A vampire. And she wants your body," blurted Rachel, but in a low voice. "And that's tonight."
Marco laughed. "Right."
"Marco look me in the eye," I instructed. He did more or less. "She is bad news. And we are serious."
"Okay, where did you get this mess?" he asked.
"From her own mouth," said Cassie.
"Marco you're my best friend. And I don't want anything to happen to you. I know you better than anyone. And I wouldn't make up anything this drastic, unless it would benefit you. But I am telling the truth. Believe me or not, I am. And I know I'm not lying," I said.
"Well, I guess that's all we wanted to say," said Rachel.
"I can't believe you'd do this. Well, I am going to say one thing: I'm going to dinner tonight."
"April is more, more trouble than the girl's worth."
"Say it again, cousin," sighed Rachel, "Say it again.
*Chapter 4: The Manhunt*
As told by Jake
She walked over to Marco's. We, the Animorphs in owl morph, followed her.
She rang the doorbell. "Hello- hey April!"
"Hi, Marco." She flipped her hair. I rolled my owl eyes.
He and April walked off together. We flew some more.
"So, Marco we're going to dinner? Right?"
"Yeah, April why?"
Okay so we were eavesdropping. Sue us.
"Because, can we change our plans?"
"Hey, I just asked for an advance on my allowance for this!"
"No, you'll get to use that allowance. But I wanted to go to the beach."
"The beach? April, it's night time."
"So we can be all alone."
"S-sure. Okay, A-April."
The walked to the beach. She found a nice spot, and sat. She ushered for him to sit to.
Marco was nervous. The lady charmer nervous? Ha! I'd rub it in his face if he wasn't in serious trouble and we needed to bail him out.
She drew a heart in the sand.
Marco erased it.
"So, April what is this a-" She kissed him. Marco pulled away.
"April. I didn't know you were that kind of girl, because, well-" She kissed him again.
"Now cut that out!"
"Marco, don't you like me?"
"Oh, it's not that. I just wanted a quiet evening."
"Well…"
"Oh, what the hey!"
They kissed.
Gag. When is she going to do her vampire thing? asked Rachel.
She has to lure him first. Hook, line, and sinker.
She just reeling her catch in.
Prey and predator, added Ax.
We flew to the ground and began to demorph.
We watched.
"Marco, I want to ask you to do something."
"What?"
"I want you to tell me something."
We all drew in a breath. It was coming. Rachel morphed to grizzly and Ax and Tobias stayed normal. I morphed to tiger and Cassie as a wolf.
We were prepared. She might give us some big trouble.
Rachel looked about ready to go kill someone.
Cool it. We need to wait.
"What is it?"
"Tell me you love me."
Marco bolted upright.
"What?"
"You heard me. Say, "I love you"."
"No way!"
"Yes, way! Tell me!" she demanded.
"Why?"
"Because you're manly, gorgeous, everything my heart desires, and I'm an insecure female wanting you to console me. When you say you love me it comforts me. You beautiful thing."
She said everything Marco wanted to hear.
"I love you! You're a goddess in mortal clothing."
"Oh."
They both looked at the ocean.
April leaned on Marco's shoulder. Closer to his vulnerable neck.
"I feel like heaven."
"Me too."
Puh-leeze.
"This is so wonderful. The two of us. The starry sky. The beach."
Her green eyes became hazel.
She smiled.
Her eyes became brown. Then reddish. The red.
"Wow, April, you are special."
They glowed. She kept her head on his shoulder, turned.
"More than you'll ever know."
Her teeth protruded from her gums. Ever seen a sped up video? That what it looked like.
They glinted in the moonlight.
She ran her tongue over them.
She kissed the back of his neck.
"Ooooh, lady that tickles."
"You'll feel a slight prick-"
Marco! I cried.
"What?"
Look out!
She leaned her head back.
"Yaaaahhhh!"
He scrambled up.
"Don't you love me?" she asked. Her voice had changed. It was loud. Like when someone speaks directly into a microphone. It blows up. It was gritty and deep.
Marco was till screaming. I think he wet his pants.
"No! I don't!"
Marco this way! I cried.
He ran.
"Come baaaaack!" She stood up. Her fingernails were long before, but now they were claws. Huge claws!
He ran into the bushes.
April stood there for a moment. Then she jumped into the air. All the way up! Into the trees. Maybe she had passed on.
I couldn't see her anymore.
I was almost finished morphing. As soon as I had a mouth, I said, "Believe us now?"
He nodded. He was shaking.
Rachel stayed in morph, just in case.
"I'm listening to you from now on," he said.
We turned and walked away.
We heard a twig snap.
April walked up to Marco. She walked up behind him. She stroked his chin, with her long, purple fingernails.
Marco screamed.
April giggled. "Days not over."
Marco ran. April ran after him.
"I'm not going back! Without you!"
Rachel slapped her with one swift move. She fell to the ground like a rag doll. But she lifted herself up. Her chin was bleeding. She licked it. Her tongue was long and scaly. She hit her chin with it.
"Yum."
"Wait."
"What?" she asked.
"It's 11:58," I said.
"Well, I'll just bite you!"
"Has to be your mate!"
"No, that's a personal fulfillment."
She lunged for me!
"11:59!" I yelled running away.
"No!"
"Ten, nine…" We chanted.
Five, said Rachel.
Four, said Ax.
Three, said Tobias.
"Two," said Cassie.
"One," said Marco.
"Twelve o clock on the dot," I said.
Light came form her body. "Nooooo!"
"Yes!"
"Help meee!"
Marco smiled.
Cassie looked grim.
Rachel looked contented. And Ax and Tobias had no expression.
My expression was probably, well, joy.
Die.
"Don't you… love me?"
"No."
"Help me Marco!"
"NO!"
"Please?" She held out her hand. And for a moment was dear, sweet, April.
She looked him in the eye. They flashed.
"Yes April."
"Fight it Marco!"
"MAR-cooooo!"
Rachel lumbered over and touched him. He didn't fall, just stumbled.
"No," said April.
Her body seemed to melt.
"Help…"
She began to disappear.
And I heard her last scream.
"Noooooooo!"
And poof. She was gone.
Marco grinned. "'Scuse me." From a behind the bushes, I heard gagging.
He wiped puke on his sleeve.
"What time?" he wailed.
"Um… oh no!"
"What?" demanded Rachel, now more or less human.
"It's twelve!"
"We'll be in trouble for sure!"
Then all of us booked and went straight home.
I snuck into the house. Ever notice whenever you try to sneak in, everything makes noise? Now it did. Since my folks didn't know I was gone, getting in bed was a snap.
And you know what was crazy? We had just single-handed beat a vampire and we were worried about getting grounded.
*Epilogue*
As told by Marco
We walked to the beach the six of us. It was the next day after the incident. I sighed.
"Did you get in too much trouble?" asked Rachel.
"No, my dad thought I was home or something. Anyway… do you know what? I think that thing last night was the coolest."
"Oh, at one point?" teased Rachel. "The part where you were peeing on yourself, or screaming "mommy"!
Jake and Cassie snorted. Tobias was trying very hard not to laugh. Rachel was already howling.
Then they all looked at each other. They burst out laughing.
"Okay," I said sounding hurt, "Blame the Marco!" Which made them laugh harder.
Even Ax joined in which made them laugh harder. And made me join. We got the giggles.
"Let's go get a hot dog," I said.
Soon we all were sitting with a hot dog (two for Ax) and a Coke in each of our hands. We all began pigging out. Except me. I had no appetite. I was a little depressed.
"What's the matter Marc?" asked Jake.
"Don't call me that, Jacob."
We all giggled again.
"Nothing. Except the April thing."
"Oh, pretty bummed huh?"
I sniffed. "Yes."
Rachel sprayed hot dog bun from her mouth. Cassie spit out her Coke. And they nearly fell of the table with laughter.
"What?"
Rachel made an imitation of me.
"I guess I did sound stupid."
"Still do."
"But seriously, I'm am a little down."
"I don't see why," said Ax, "she was evil."
"I know…"
"I get your point," said Tobias.
"It's just that every girl I date, something happens. They are either really bad, or something. Can't I just have a girl?"
"Maybe someday Marco," said Rachel.
"Hey I saw you flirting," yelled Tobias.
"As if!"
We began to joke and laugh again.
But deep down inside, well, I was still very sad. I guess I'd always be alone. That was just my luck. Little, short Marco luck. But for that short time, I had a girlfriend. Someone who loved me other than my family and friends. Yes, I had my first real girl.
And she turned out to be a vampire.