This chapter has been re-uploaded with spelling and grammar errors fixed.
Chapter Two
Rowena was sitting on her bed; the white canopy curtains were all open as she was working on some math homework. She always saved the hardest for last; the easy work just felt like busy work that she knew she wouldn't do if she did it after the long homework, like math.
Her day had been normal; she acted like nothing was out of the ordinary because to her, she felt that nothing was out of the ordinary. Yes she did help a real life vampire last night, but she didn't feel it was a big deal. She would have bet a million dollars that he wouldn't come back. So she just went about her normal routine.
She was working on a graph when she heard a thump on her balcony. Looking up she saw Rudolph standing there looking in the room at her bright room light. Well, it was a good thing she didn't make that bet.
Rowena jumped out of bed and turned the light off and turned here small desk lamp on, providing a dim light for the room. He smiled and walked into the room and looked around.
"I really didn't think you'd come back," she admitted honestly standing by her desk. Yes, she had one, but she never did homework at it, didn't like to.
"I said I would, did I not? And I always keep my word," he said turning his head to look at her while his body was faced towards her wardrobe that he was just looking at.
"An honest person, very rare quality," she said nodding as if to say she approved.
"Let's see if you are an honest person. May I ask my question now?" he asked turning to face her fully. She shrugged and went and sat down on her bed. Rudolph followed and sat down on the chair that he had first sat down on just the previous night.
"Go ahead," she said looking at him. He looked down at his hands then back up at her.
"Why did you dress so strangely last night?" he asked, then added, "not that I should be talking." She laughed and looked down at her knees, she was wearing navy shorts, black tights, and a white button up shirt: another warm night.
"I have this really weird illness," she said playing with her fingers, "I can't go in the sun because then my skin starts to blister, and it really hurts. So if I do go in the sun or I don't know how long I will be out,I dress in a crazy amount of layers."
"That is interesting," Rudolph replied now fully curious about this human girl.
"Yea, not many people have it, but… I guess you should kind of know what it's like, being a vampire and all," she said looking up at him.
"Yes, I guess I do. That is why you are up so late…or early, either way it gives me company," he said.
"Don't you have other vampire friends?" asked Rowena now moving to sit cross legged.
"Well I'm part of a clan, but we only get together for one event. Other then that I stay with my family," he explained.
"What even is it that you get together?"
"I don't know if I can say. My father is very strict about human interaction; he wouldn't even like the fact that you helped me last night."
"Harsh, is that why you go out at night and do things on your own a bit? I mean, you must have been alone last night or else you would have gone to your family when you were injured."
"You are correct. We often go off alone, except my sister, she stays with my mum; she's too young. And my father has his reasons; we have always been hunted by vampire hunters, so we have to be careful. Have you ever seen a large red truck with a bunch of lights on it?"
"Yes, once, it was very bizarre."
"That's Rookery, he was the one that caused my injuries last night. He has been trying to hunt down my family and clan for a while now."
"Oh. This is all really fascinating. Does your father ever know where you are?" she asked looking around and kind of worried for her new friend.
"No, he is far too busy," said Rudolph shifting in the chair.
"Oh, so where does your family live?" she asked trying to think of all the places a vampire family could live.
"In a cemetery just down the road. Actually we use to live in a castle but once we were turned we had to find a new place to live and the cemetery was the closest thing," said Rudolph.
"And how many are in your family? You said you have a sister, mother, and father," said Rowena who had been keeping count in her head.
"That's correct, I also have an older brother, my sister is younger," he said.
"Ah the middle child, fun."
"And what about your family? Do you all live here?"
"No, this is a special school for kids with weird illnesses or problems that if we were in a normal school we would be made fun of. My mum and father live just down the road; I'm an only child, which I'm happy with."
"It must have gotten lonely though."
"Not really. At a young age I found a way to entertain myself."
"That is good," said Rudolph before glancing out of the window and then at the clock on Rowena's wall, "I must leave now, but it has been nice to talk to you."
"Yes, it was nice. You are welcome to come back, and that offer to suck Vanessa Miller's blood still stands," said Rowena getting up and following Rudolph onto her balcony.
"Thanks, I'll keep that in mind," he said with a small chuckle. She nodded and he took off, changing into a bat in mid-air. She watched him fly off before going back into her room and finishing her math homework.
Rudolph managed to fly back to the cemetery without Rookery finding him. He landed lightly on the ground and headed for the opening to the tunnels when he saw Anna up ahead.
"Anna!" he called out to her. She turned around and smiled. Rudolph caught up to her and together the headed for the opening.
"Where have you been?" she asked as she twirled a flower that she had picked in a garden while she was out.
"Searching," said Rudolph, "where are mother and father?"
"Already in the tunnels. They let me come out here and wait for you or Gregory, but I got bored," she said.
"Do you know anything about human's blistering in the sun?" asked Rudolph as they ducked under a tree.
"A sunburn?" she asked giving her brother an odd look.
"No, worse. A human that reacted, just like we do in the sun," he explained further.
"What would you know about that?" asked a voice from behind them. They turned around and saw Gregory sitting crouched in a tree.
"I was just curious," said Rudolph. Gregory sneered and jumped down from the tree landing in front of them.
"Well maybe you shouldn't be so curious and go back to just looking for the amulet," He said and brushed past his siblings and into the tunnels.
"Well, brother, I think that a human having to suffer the same thing would be quite awful, but I'm sure there is no such thing, it would be too weird," said Anna patting her brother's shoulder and then skipping into the tunnels. Rudolph turned to look at the lightening sky, before heading into the tunnels.
"Anything?" asked his father once the entire family had gathered.
"Nothing," said Gregory, his arms were crossed and he was leaning on the back wall.
"I couldn't find anything," said Rudolph sadly.
"Because you were too busy worrying about humans," said Gregory pushing off of the wall with his foot.
"Well why not, isn't that what we are trying to become?" asked Rudolph looking at his brother.
"You were with humans?" asked his father moving towards Rudolph.
"No, just one," sighed Rudolph looking down at his feet.
"Ha, see," said Gregory which earned him a look from his mother. Anna had been thinking and finally joined the conversation.
"Wait, does this human react in the sun like we do, is that why you were asking me?" asked Anna moving to stand next to her brother.
"Yes," said Rudolph looking at his sister.
"This human has an illness?" asked their mother in a gentle voice.
"Yes, she didn't tell me what it was called, but when she goes in the sun, she reacts just like we do," explained Rudolph almost pleading to his father to let him to continue to be friends with Rowena.
"Oh the poor thing," said Anna, more to herself.
"Illness or not, she is still a human and I will not tolerate this. You are suppose to be looking for any traces of the amulet, the comet will be here in a month. We are running out of time and we need all the eyes we can get, so you will go back to searching for the amulet tomorrow night," said his father with a strict voice, "do you understand?"
"What if I ask her to help? You just said we could use all the eyes we can get," said Rudolph, not answering the question.
"Do you understand?" asked his father glaring at his son. Rudolph looked to the ground and nodded.
"Yes father," he said.
"Good, now everyone get some rest," ordered their father and Gregory smirked at his brother before he followed his parents to get some sleep.
"What's her name?" asked Anna who was left with Rudolph.
"Rowena," he said looking up at his sister.
"That's a pretty name, from our time period too," said Anna.
"Anna, what should I do? I have a feeling I'm her only friend, and she's nice," said Rudolph almost begging his sister.
"I think you should listen to father," she said and Rudolph's face fell before Anna lifted his head up to look at her, "and you should also still see her. Just stop by and see her at the beginning of the night, and then go search for the amulet."
"Anna you're a genius!" he exclaimed and hugged his sister before they joined their family.
A/n: this is slowly moving from a one shot, to a short story, to an actual long story. I don't know how long it will be, but I'm going to still try and shoot for a short story. Thank for reading, and reviews are welcome.
-Charlotte
