Chapter 2: The Fledgling

Upon reaching town, Shi and Eclipse landed in a nearby bush to change back into their human form. They walked out of the bush, and immediately came across Serenity. Sighing, Shi headed out to her, the others close behind.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, as Serenity turned to her.

"Living. Why?" Serenity asked, crossing her arms.

"Because you aren't supposed to be getting in our way." Shi said.

"I'm not getting in your way. That girl you call a friend tried killing my boyfriend." Serenity said, pointing to Abi.

Jake put a hand on Abi's shoulder as she started to walk forward, and she stopped, looking back at him. Shi shook her head and looked around.

"Serenity, he's not your boyfriend." she said.

"Yes he is!" Serenity yelled.

"He's a fucking fledgling Vampire! He will kill you, if you let him get to close to you! Don't you fucking get it! Abi was saving your life!" Shi yelled.

Serenity looked away, tears in her eyes.

"No. That's what she's telling you to get you against me again." she muttered.

"What!" Abi yelled, her eyes getting wide. "I don't need to lie to them in order to get them against you! You do that well enough!"

"Abi, relax." Jake whispered.

"I can't! Not while that bitch is lying to your faces!" Abi growled.

Shi smiled and looked back at her.

"You really think I'm gonna believe anything that comes out of her mouth?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

Abi paused and looked at Shi, then smiled.

"Well…I guess not." she muttered.

"Shi! I'm your little sister! Why won't you believe me, over her!" Serenity yelled.

"Because, unlike you, Abi has never lied to me about anything!" Shi growled, stepping up to her little sister. "Now, where is the fledgling?"

"I'm not telling you! You're just going to go and kill him, like the heartless bitch that you are!" Serenity said, tears in her eyes, staring back at Shi.

"You didn't…" Abi growled, trying to walk forward again.

"Yes, I guess to you, I would be a heartless bitch…considering I'm such a bad sister." Shi remarked, smiling.

"Its not funny!" Serenity yelled.

"Never said it was." Shi said, shrugging.

"Where is the Vamp?" Eclipse asked.

"I'm not saying!" Serenity yelled.

"That's ok. I know where he is." Shi said, turning and walking away.

"No you don't! You're just trying to trick me into saying!" Serenity yelled, watching her.

"Have you forgotten our little tricks, Serenity?" Shi asked, turning and walking backwards, while looking at her.

"What?" Serenity asked, looking confused.

"Anyone who has Vampire blood racing through their veins, is able to read minds. Surprised you forgot a cool trick like that." Shi smirked, turning and walking forward again.

Serenity's breath caught in her throat, as she watched Shi and the others leave, heading for her 'boyfriend'. Looking around, she tried to think of something that would distract them, or at least slow them down enough for her to get back to the Vamp, and get him out of the way. Spotting a huge billboard sign hanging ahead of them, she had an idea.

"So, Shi…Where is the fledge?" Abi asked, looking around.

"Underground, beneath the gas station across from the mall." Shi replied.

"Underground?" Eclipse asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yea. Apparently there is a small cavern under us, that he is hiding out in. The manholes and sewer tunnels will lead us there." Shi explained.

Jake, who was walking behind the others, heard a cracking and looked up just in time to see the huge billboard wobble and start to fall forward.

"Shi! Look out!" he yelled, racing forward.

Eclipse looked up, and grabbed Abi, who was right beside him, as Jake tackled Shi, both of them rolling out of the way as the billboard slammed into the ground, and shattered. Jake and Shi sat up off the ground and looked at the wreckage, panting. Shi had a few scraps on her shoulder, the healed quickly.

"Thanks a lot." she said, looking at Jake.

"No problem." Jake panted, standing up.

He helped Shi up, and turned to see Abi jumping over pieces of the billboard, and raced to him.

"Are you ok!" she cried, checking him over.

"I'm fine. How bout you?" Jake asked, looking at her.

"I'm ok. Eclipse pulled me out of the way." Abi replied.

Eclipse soon ran to Shi, hugging her tightly, then pulled away and looked her over.

"I'm fine, I'm fine." Shi said, laughing lightly.

"Man, I didn't see Jake. I thought you where gone." Eclipse said, sighing and hugging Shi tight again.

"I'm ok." Shi said, hugging him back.

As she hugged Eclipse, she caught a glimpse of someone on top of the building, where the billboard had been. She focused on the person, and realized it was Serenity staring down at them. She growled deeply, and Eclipse tensed a little.

"What?" he asked, pulling away, and looking at her.

"Serenity. That bitch tried to kill us!" Shi growled, pointing up to the building top.

Abi and Jake looked up at the building, and saw Serenity standing there. Suddenly, she disappeared, flitting towards the gas station.

"Come on!" Shi yelled, flitting after her little sister.

The others followed her, racing Serenity to the manhole that led to the fledgling. They all reached the hole at the same time, but Shi stepped on the cover so Serenity couldn't lift it up.

"Shi! Get off!" Serenity yelled.

Suddenly Abi attacked Serenity, pinning her down by her throat and sitting on top of her, straddling her stomach. Jake skidded to a halt just be side her, and looked down at them.

"You almost killed my love!" Abi yelled.

"I wasn't trying to kill you! I was just trying to slow you down so I could get here first!" Serenity yelled.

"Bullshit!" Abi spat, tightening her grip on Serenity's neck.

"Abi! Don't kill her!" Jake yelled.

"Yes, Abi. Don't kill her. Just take her over there, and make sure she doesn't follow us down." Shi said, pointing to a alley way.

Abi smirked evilly and looked up at Shi.

"What do I do if she tries to get away?" she asked.

Shi laughed at her and stepped up to the manhole, as Eclipse uncovered it.

"What ever you have to." she said, then jumped down into it.

"Ooo….Yay!" Abi said, getting her feet and dragging Serenity up with her.

"Shi!" Serenity screamed.

Jake watched Abi drag Serenity off to the alley, then looked back at the manhole that Eclipse and Shi had already disappeared through.

'Should I go help them….or stay with Abi incase she needs me?" he thought, looking from the manhole, to the alley where Serenity and Abi where.

"Damn it all! Why do I have to get stuck with the hard decisions!" Jake yelled out loud.

Slowly, he made his way over to the alley way, but heard something coming from the manhole, and looked back to see an unknown person climbing out, cut and bloodied up, with bite marks all over his body. He slowly went back over to the man, examining the bite marks all over him.

"Sir, are you ok?" he asked, gently touching the mans shoulder.

"Help me!" the man yelled, making Jake jump.

"What? What's wrong?" Jake asked.

"A monster! I saw it! It bit me! Help me!" the man yelled, clinging to Jake's arms.

"Ok, ok! Its ok now, you're safe now." Jake said, pulling the man out of the manhole.

"You don't understand! He's a Vampire! He hunts at night! And he'll come for you! You have to run and get away from here!" the man yelled, looking Jake in the eye.

"Its ok now. He's not going to come after you or me or anyone else." Jake said, smiling weakly.

"You don't know him! He's ruthless! He's blood thirsty! He's psycho and crazy! He'll hunt and hunt and hunt!" the man yelled.

Jake looked around, wishing someone would come and help him, but no one was around. The man suddenly collapsed on the ground and fell limp. Jake looked at the man, and listened, but didn't hear a heart beat or pulse. Sighing, he pulled the man off to the side, where he was out of site of any passing people, and looked back at the manhole. Slowly he stood up, and paced around the manhole, listening to both the sounds coming from the alley and the sounds coming from the manhole.

Down in the sewers, Shi and Eclipse silently walked along, trying to get their eyes to adjust to the darkness. Eclipse was walking behind Shi, holding her hand so that he would know if something happened to her. They soon saw a very dim light ahead of them, and slowed their pace. As they neared the light, the small tunnel opened up into a small cavern, lit with several candles. Shi and Eclipse stopped at the mouth of the cavern, and looked around the small room. In the middle of the room, sitting with his back to them, was the fledgling Vamp, rocking himself gently and whispering something. Shi and Eclipse glanced at each other, then back out to the fledgling, listening harder to see what he was saying.

"What's happening to me? What's going on?" he was whispering frantically.

Shi looked at Eclipse sadly, gaining a glance back. Slowly, he and Shi walked out into the cavern, trying to be as quiet as possible. But the fledgling heard them, and stood, turning quickly to face them.

"Who are you! And what do you want!" he yelled.

"Relax." Shi breathed, but he heard her. "We're only here to help."

"No one can help me! Its dangerous down here. Leave! Before something bad happens!" the boy yelled.

"We aren't going anywhere." Eclipse said.

"You must! I can't control myself! Leave me!" the boy begged.

"No. We can help because we know what you are." Shi said, her heart starting to race.

"You what?" the boy asked.

"We know why you act like this." Shi replied.

"Why? Tell me!" the boy asked.

"First, tell us your name." Eclipse said.

The boy hesitated for a minute, watching them, then sighed. Shi, watching him, noticed that his hair was a dark brown color, and his eyes were beautiful�crimson orbs. His skin was paler that Eclipse's and his body was well toned. He was a bit taller than Eclipse as well, but not by much, maybe one to two inches more. A silver lip ring glinted in the candle light as he looked at them.

"Ryan…Ryan Trenton Ross." he replied, dropping his head.

"Well, Ryan. I am Shi, and this is Eclipse. We are here to help you, because we know what you are, and how to help you." Shi replied, smiling.

"What am I? And how can you help me?" Ryan asked.

"This may sound crazy, but its true…" Shi muttered, looking at Eclipse. He nodded and she looked back at Ryan. "You've been bitten by a Vamp, and have turned yourself. If you come with us, we can help you get over your cravings."

Ryan thought a minute, then shook his head, and backed away.

"I can't go out there! Every time I do, someone gets hurt! The smell…oh…the smell…it smells so good, and I have to have some!" Ryan growled.

"No! Don't think about it! That makes it all worse!" Eclipse yelled.

"I need blood now!" Ryan yelled, suddenly appearing in front of Shi, making her scream and jump away from him. Eclipse growled and ran in front of Shi, shielding her from Ryan as he attacked, scratching and biting Eclipse.

"Damn it!" Eclipse yelled, shoving Ryan back away from them.

Ryan fell to the floor, but jumped back up instantly, like he was a rubber ball, and took off down the tunnel. Eclipse grabbed Shi's hand and followed Ryan down the tunnel, running as fast as he could with out flitting. Shi was close behind, and if she had been any closer, she would be running on his heals.

"Jake! He's coming!" Eclipse yelled.

Jake, his sensitive ears picking Eclipse's cry up as if he were standing right beside him, looked back at the manhole, just as Ryan jumped out of it. Ryan was only able to take a few steps, before Jake attacked him and pinned him to the ground. Ryan fought against his hold, so Jake tightened his grip, holding him down with most of his strength. Shi and Eclipse climbed up through the hole, and looked at them, panting. Abi, hearing the commotion, pulled Serenity along back to the manhole, where she saw Jake and Ryan on the ground and Shi and Eclipse standing close by.

"Let him go!" Serenity screamed.

"Shut it!" Abi snapped, punching her in the face.

Shi smiled at Abi, and bent over, placing her hands on her knees and trying to catch her breath. Abi gasped when she saw the blood running from Eclipse's neck, from where Ryan had bitten him, and the claw marks running down his chest, starting at his shoulders.

"Eclipse! What the hell happened to you?" she asked, staring wide eyed at him.

Eclipse pointed to Ryan, who was still fighting Jake. Abi looked down at Ryan, still gripping Serenity by the shirt, and shook her head. After a few more minutes, Jake hauled off and punched Ryan in the face, knocking the newly blooded Vamp unconscious. Serenity screamed, and reached for him, but Abi jerked her away, while Jake picked Ryan up and tossed him over his shoulder.

"Lets get him back to Drac, before he wakes up." he said, starting to walk away.

"Good idea." Shi muttered, nodding and following him.

"Abi! Come on!" Jake called, as they headed down the alley way.

"Coming!" Abi called, then knocked Serenity out.

She quickly raced after them, catching up almost instantly. As they reached the side walk, they stopped and looked at each other.

"Ok, now what? We didn't drive here, we flew. And Ryan can't be out in the sunlight, since he's just been blooded." Shi said, looking at them.

Abi looked around at the near by stores, and had an idea.

"Shi, do you have any money on you?" she asked, turning back to Shi.

"Abi, I don't think this is the time for energy drinks." Jake muttered.

"No, silly. I'm only asking because they sell blankets over there." Abi said, pointing to a small store.

Shi looked over and smiled back at Abi.

"Ok, you two wait here. Me and Abi will go over and pick out a blanket to throw over him." she said.

"Ok." Eclipse and Jake said, nodding.

Jake gently set Ryan down on the ground, leaning him back against the concrete wall, and looked back at Eclipse, as the two girls went across the street to the shop.

"What if Serenity comes back around before they come back?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Eclipse looked up at him, and chuckled.

"We'll cross that bridge, when and if we get to it." he said, smiling.

"Ok." Jake said, smiling back and looking towards the store.

Inside the store, Shi and Abi looked around at several different blankets. Abi grabbed a black one and held it up, looking at it.

"Abi, we don't want him to roast on the way back." Shi said, smiling.

"Huh? Oh. Right." Abi said, smiling innocently and putting the blanket back down.

Shi smiled at her, and picked up a white blanket that was thin, but wouldn't attract the heat as much. Abi looked at another blanket, that was a crimson color, then looked back at Shi, smiling. Shi examined the blanket and set down the white one, smiling back.

"Oh alright, lets go." she said, heading for the cashier.

"Yay! And I'm stealing it once we get what's-his-face into the lair." Abi said, following her.

Shi laughed as Abi handed the cashier the blanket. She scanned it, and put it in a bag, and looked at Shi.

"Your total is five o' three." she said blandly.

"Kay. Here's six, and keep the change." Shi replied, grabbing the bag and leaving.

The girl watched after them, shocked that she'd leave so much change behind. She watched the two cross the street to where the two boys where standing, and one was sitting on the ground, and looked to be unconscious. Feeling suspicious, she picked up the phone to call the cops, when a voice popped into her head.

'Put the phone down, and look away.' it said, making her look around. 'Call the cops, and I'll hunt you down.' the voice threatened.

The girl gasped, and dropped the phone down on its cradle and looked around the store. Outside, Eclipse was howling with laughter, making Shi and Abi look at him oddly.

"What the hell is so funny?" Shi asked.

"What I just did." Eclipse laughed.

"And that was?…" Abi asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Threatened that girl, using telepathy." Eclipse said, smiling.

"Why? What did she do?" Jake asked, looking back at the store.

"She was going to call the cops on us." Eclipse said.

"What? Why? We paid for the blanket! Fuck, Shi even left a shit load of change behind!" Abi cried.

"She thought we were going to hurt Ryan." Eclipse replied.

"Oh…I see…Lets go before he wakes up." Abi said, unfolding the blanket.

Jake nodded and picked Ryan back up, and Abi and Shi tossed the blanket over him, making sure none of his skin was showing. They quickly headed back to the woods, where Shadow met them with the wolves, and where the headed to the lair,�in which�Drac was awaiting their arrival.

A/n: well, theres the next chapter. i hope it isnt to boring...if it is, it'll pick up here soon, i promise! So bare with me, ok! Review for me! LaterZ!