Thank you again for all the great feedback! It really does help motivate me on to the next chapter. Keep telling me what you think. ~Stormy~

1.

As she crossed the city limits into Soquel, the sun was just coming up. She had wondered the boardwalk all night, looking for Marko, worrying about Hayden and trying to understand why she had never bothered to really get to know Marko at all. How was it that she had managed to get close to him and yet never even ask his last name? It was preposterous but she had done it. Maybe she really was a stupid girl who made stupid mistakes and never learned from them.

Her parent's house was on Sully Avenue, a strip of tract homes in varying shades of pastels. Her father repainted the house every few years, and as she pulled up into the empty driveway she was shocked to find the exterior painted a bright robin's egg blue. "Barf," she whispered to herself.

She had arrived at a time when she would be alone in the house. Her parents would both be at work and Sadie was glad for that. She hadn't come there because she needed her parents help or advice. They didn't put up much of a fuss when she left Soquel, and Sadie believed that her leaving might have even been a kind of relief for them. She could remember little from her childhood that involved her father. Back then he had worked nights as a grocery store manager. It wasn't until she left home permanently that he switched to the day shift. When she was a kid her father would sleep all day while she was at school and was heading off to work by the time she got home. In many respects he was a stranger to her. There were times he used to look at her and say, "You're like looking at her ghost," then walk into the kitchen to get a six pack of beer out of the fridge. Sadie would always live in the wake of her sister's shadow, even when Sarah wasn't there to cast it.

She used the key hidden inside a flower pot to gain entrance to the house and as the familiar sights and smells hit her, she was glad she had come. It smelled like chocolate chip cookies and cinnamon candles. The house was immaculate, the carpets so clean you could smell the shampoo still clinging to the fibers. It threw her backward to that time growing up, when she felt like she was the only person living in the house. Her parents worked, bought groceries and did day to day things that everyone else did but they were never truly living. She walked through the family room, trying not to look at Sarah's photo above the mantle.

Sadie went straight for the stairs and took them two at a time until she reached the landing. Her old bedroom was to the right and she knew all of the things she hadn't taken with her to Santa Carla were probably still there. At the end of the hall was her parents bedroom, and then there was Sarah's room. As a little girl, Sadie had spent hours and hours atop Sarah's bed, clutching a pillow to her chest and inhaling the scent Sarah had left behind. It had been years since she had been inside that room. Once she became an adolescent her need to know who Sarah was had turned to anger. Anger that she had left Sadie there to be raised by two zombie parents. Anger that Sarah had never once tried to come back. Slowly she started down the hallway, her hands trembling as she reached the faded yellow door of Sarah's bedroom. It wasn't locked.

Sadie pushed open the door with her palm and reached inside to flip on the light. Everything was just as it had been the day Sarah left. An old flannel robe still hung on a hook next to the closet door. Sarah's artwork and supplies littered the surface of a white desk in the corner. It felt like walking into a dream, the thin sheet of dust that covered everything in the room glittered against the light.

Sadie closed the door behind her and walked directly to the bed, then knelt down next to it. She reached into the dark abyss beneath the mattress and felt around until her fingers brushed the hard edges of a photo album. When she brought it out of its tomb it was covered in thick dust and tiny dead bugs. She used the edge of the blanket to wipe away the debris of so many years in hiding and slowly opened it up. The very first picture was of Sarah holding a newborn Sadie. She smiled into the camera and underneath the photo Sarah had written Proud Big Sis. Sadie could see the similarity between them and it made her stomach hurt. There was a sharp stab of sadness as the reminder of what she was missing hit home. And then the tears were falling. It never made sense to Sadie that she could feel so strongly for someone she couldn't remember, and yet, staring down at her sister's face behind the sheer plastic cover was one of the hardest things she had ever done. The last time she had looked at the photo album was right before she moved to Santa Carla, and it had been just a quick flipping of pages, not allowing any one photograph to stick in her memory to long.

Sadie turned the page. It was Sarah's graduation photo. She wiped at her eyes and sniffed back the next wave of tears, her fingers smearing the fallen liquid across the protective sleeve. Sadie's eyes focused on the necklace hanging around Sarah's neck. It dipped low, the edge of the photo nearly cutting off the silver pendant that hung from the chain. Sadie lifted the clear plastic and plucked the photo from a sticky backing. She squinted, trying to make out the detail.

Finally, she left Sarah's bedroom and went into her old room. She opened dresser drawers, recklessly tossing items of clothing to the carpet until she found the antique magnifying glass her grandmother had given her. She laid Sarah's photo down on the dresser top and took a breath. Then she scrutinized the photo behind a magnified eye. Her heart was beating faster as she examined the pendant hanging around Sarah's neck. It was an ankh, with a red stone in the center. Sadie stepped back with her hand covering her mouth to try and hold in the gasping breaths that were escaping her. She touched the necklace hanging around her own neck. It wasn't possible, not at all. Without thinking she snatched Sarah's picture into her hands and began to tear at it until it was just pieces fluttering to her feet. She had no idea how long she stood there staring down at the shredded remains of Sarah's photo, when the sound of the front door slamming broke her from her daze.

"Sadie?" her mother called from the bottom of the stairs. "You up there?"

Sadie wiped at her eyes and tucked the pendant back into her shirt. "Yeah, Mamma. I'll be right down." She fell to her knees and began scooping up the tattered picture into her hands before dumping them in one of the dresser drawers. It took her several seconds of deep breaths and mental preparation before she felt steady enough to head downstairs. She found her mother in the kitchen, sitting at the table sipping a cup of coffee and reading the paper.

"You could have called," her mother said without looking up from the page. "I would have put some hamburger meat out or something."

"I can't stay," said Sadie. "I have work."

Her mother finally looked at her. "So things are going okay for you then?"

"Yeah. Really good."

"I read about that Kevin and his sister. Were you two still dating?"

Sadie furrowed her brows. "What did you read about Kevin and Keri?"

"They don't have newspapers on the beach?" her mother asked. "Do you and your housemate ever watch anything other then that MTV?"

"I don't watch TV at all, Mamma. When I'm not working I'm at home sleeping."

"Well, I hate to be the one to break it to you," her mother said, though her tone didn't reflect the sentiment. She folded the paper in half then set it on the table with the front page facing up. Sadie picked it up and began to read.

SIBLINGS STILL MISSING AFTER HOME INVASION

Janice Moffitt, 46 of Santa Carla, is refusing to believe that her children, 23 year old Kevin Moffitt and his sister, 16 year old Keri Moffitt, are dead. The two were reported missing by their parents, who found their home ransacked and their children missing after they returned from a vacation in northern California. Moffitt and her husband Larry, 55, say that their children never would have left the home voluntarily.

"Kevin was still living with us because he planned on going back to college. There is no way he would have just taken off. He loved his little sister and I know that he did everything he could to protect her."

Police say that some valuables had been taken and that the house was in disarray. Blood evidence found at the scene strongly indicates that a violent struggle took place. The Moffitt's say that their son and daughter had no enemies and were well liked by the community.

They are not the first missing persons from Santa Carla, but are in fact, part of a disturbing trend of people disappearing and never being seen again. While police will not say that a serial killer might be prowling the city streets, residents of this beach side community believe that someone is killing off citizens one by one.

"Until we have a body, we must work this as a missing persons case until enough time has passed to reasonably assume the individuals are deceased," states Police Chief Carl Shaw. "We are a community that hosts many tourists; there is no way to say whether these disappearances are the work of a local citizen or a passer by."

The Moffitt family is offering a 25,000 dollar reward for any information leading to the whereabouts of Kevin and Keri Moffitt. If you have any information you may contact the Santa Carla Police Department, or the FBI.

Sadie set the paper down and then slowly took a seat in one of the dining room chairs. How had she not known this? It hit her then that she had been so wrapped up in Marko and new beginnings that she had shut out the rest of the world.

"Sadie?"

She looked up in a daze. "What?"

"Were you still dating?"

"No." Sadie said, trying to find her voice. "We broke up a while ago."

"Well how was I supposed to know," her mother huffed. "You don't even call anymore."

Sadie kept staring at the photos of Kevin and Keri on the front page of the paper. Her heart hurt. Sure, Kevin had been a colossal prick the last time she saw him, but that didn't mean she had wanted something bad to happen to him. She heaved a sigh and then remembered what she had found upstairs. "Mamma?"

"What?"

"That necklace Sarah is wearing in her graduation picture. Where did she get it?"

Her mother's brows furrowed as if trying to place the object Sadie was describing. Finally she gave a little laugh and said, "You mean that crazy cross? She had that made at the boardwalk. She tried to tell me it meant eternal life or some such nonsense. She loved that silly thing."

Sadie's heart was beating hard and fast. If it had been made on the boardwalk, then surely it could have been one of hundreds sold at the little vendor stands. "Did it have anything else on it? Like, I don't know, her name?"

"Where are all these questions coming from, Sadie?"

"I don't know," she lied. "I just noticed and I wondered. That's all."

Her mother took a long sip of her coffee then gave a sharp nod of her head. "I think she had her initials engraved into the back of it. Your Daddy thought it was silly. He said it was all witches stuff." She gave a sigh and shook her head. "I know your sister loved it. Never once saw her take it off."

Sadie was on the verge of tears again. She could feel the pendant against her skin, hiding beneath the white and black shirt she was wearing. It was possible Marko had bought the necklace at a pawn shop. Maybe, just maybe, those people would remember the girl who sold it to them. It was possible Sarah had been in Santa Carla all that time. "I gotta go," Sadie mumbled, standing up quickly and nearly knocking the chair over in her haste.

Her mother looked worried. "Sadie Marie, you tell me what's going on right now."

"It's just been a rough few days. I'm tired."

"Well you look awful," her mother said very matter of fact. "Why don't you spend the night tonight? You can see your Daddy when he gets home."

"I can't," Sadie said, already turning to head for the front door. "I'll call soon." She hurried out the front door and threw herself into the car. Her hands were shaking so bad that it took several attempts before she had the keys in the ignition. She saw her mother standing in the doorway, waving her hands at Sadie, but there was no time to stop. She had to see Marko and find out exactly where he had got the necklace.

2.

The boardwalk was clogged with afternoon tourists as Sadie made her way to work. Her lunch date with Marko was clearly not going to happen. And that sinking feeling hit her again that she had no way to get in touch with him. Still, they were headed somewhere good, and maybe she had just been so wrapped up in the idea of moving on, she just moved too fast. There was still plenty of time to make up for all that. She walked in a semi daze through the people taking photos of their children on the merry-go-round, the clouds of cigarette smoke and laughing teenagers. Afternoon sunlight filtered through the clouds in bright patches that made the ocean in the distance shimmer.

Sadie still had an hour to kill before her shift started so she decided to take a chance and sit on an empty bench near the store, hoping that maybe Marko would ride up at any moment. Her eyes fixed on a young couple with their small son. They each had a hand and would lift him off the ground in unison, smiling as his infectious giggle filled the air. She felt herself smiling. Would she ever have that?

Her mind returned to the necklace around her neck and her fingers went for the pendant, clutching it tight, as though it might disappear and take its secrets with it. She knew in her heart that this was Sarah's necklace and that after all this time fate had somehow delivered it to her. Marko had the answer to a question that was burning Sadie up inside. As much as she wanted to see him, she wanted to find out the origin of the necklace more. Sarah was so close. So close to being found that it scared her.

"Sadie?"

Sadie was startled by the sound of her name and looked up to find two boys dressed in camouflage standing in front of her. "Yeah?"

"We're Hayden's cousins. She needs to talk to you."

Sadie looked down at her watch. There was not enough time to go home, deal with the epic fight she and Hayden had, and still get back to the boardwalk in time for her shift. "Well, I don't really have the time right now. But I'll call her from the store." She started to stand up when one of the boys blocked her path.

"She's here," he said, pointing to his right. "She really needs to talk to you."

Sadie looked in the direction he was pointing and saw only the comic book store. She was able to put the pieces together from there. Hayden had talked about her aunt and uncle and their comic book store on the boardwalk but had never taken the initiative for Sadie to meet them. She had failed to mention two cousins who dressed like G.I. Joe rejects. Hayden was her best friend, and the only thing more important to her then finding out where Marko bought her necklace, was fixing things with Hayden.

"Okay," she said.

They didn't say anything else to her as they walked toward the store. When they entered it Sadie saw Hayden standing in a far corner chewing on her fingers. She followed the boys to Hayden who grabbed Sadie into a hug without saying a word.

"We can't talk here," said the boy with the red bandanna tied around his head. "Too many ears.

Hayden clutched Sadie's hand so tight it hurt. She followed the two boys to a back room that was barely able to accommodate the four of them. Sadie eyed the two kids, wondering why they wouldn't leave.

"Sadie," Hayden said, her voice horse and tired. "These are my cousins. Edgar," she pointed to bandanna boy, "and Alan Frog." Alan gave her a curt nod then looked to his brother. The silence was deafening and Sadie was starting to feel that if she didn't start talking no one else would.

"Hay, I'm not mad at you," she said, trying to make her face appear sincere when inside she was still pissed. "But we can have this heart to heart back at the house, okay. I've got to get to work." She gave Hayden a quick hug and turned to the boys. "It was nice to meet you."

"Sadie, please, you have to listen to us," Hayden pleaded, grabbing Sadie's arm and tugging her away from the door.

Puzzled, Sadie looked from the brothers back to Hayden. "Why do I feel like this is some weird intervention?"

"Hayden told us what she saw last night," Edgar said gruffly. "You're both in serious danger."

"You have got to be shitting me," Sadie said. She turned to Hayden with a heated glare. "Are you still fucked up?"

Tears spilled down over Hayden's cheeks. "I'm sorry if I hurt you last night, Sadie. When you left…I was so afraid I would never see you again. I thought they would get you."

"This is insane!" Sadie snapped.

"This is real," Alan said firmly. "Get out now or be prepared to be your boyfriend's dinner."

Edgar stepped forward. "We're trying to help you. She's trying to help you," he said pointing at Hayden. "And you're the one that put her in danger."

Sadie took a deep breath. "Listen, Rambo, I am trying really hard right now not to lose it. You're young, I get it. Your older cousin, someone who is supposed to be a responsible adult," she shot Hayden a narrow eyed glare then looked back at the boys. "They come in here and they tell you there are real vampires and you want to believe them. I get that. But my boyfriend, if you could even call him that, is not Count Dracula. So, I'm leaving now. Hayden, when you get your shit together you can come home. In the mean time I think you should stay with your family."

"Sadie, please believe me. Why would I make this up?"

"I don't know!" Sadie said exasperated. "I've been spending all night trying to understand this. If you're not fucked up on drugs then…" she knew she shouldn't say what was about to come out of her mouth, but she couldn't stop herself. "Then you're just fucked up. I love you, Hay, but I can't do this."

"We didn't bring you here so you could talk to our cousin like that," said Alan. "We brought you here so you would know what you're up against. There's a killer breathing down your neck and you're too stupid to notice."

"Wait," Hayden said, her eyes wide with what looked like sudden understanding. "Maybe he doesn't want to kill her. I mean, he didn't kill her when they were doing it."

Sadie's mouth fell open. "Do you mind?" She held up her hands and tried to reach around Edgar for the door. "That's it. I'm out of here."

Edgar looked her in the eyes with a seriousness that was almost funny. "You've had sex with this vampire?"

Sadie took a deep breath and narrowed her eyes. "Kid, I am having to conjure every ounce of willpower I possess not to put my fist through that smug little mug of yours. If you think I'm going to be held hostage by a pair of pre-teens and forced to discuss my sex life, you are sadly mistaken."

Alan stepped next to his brother to block Sadie's exit. They crossed their arms over their chests and Sadie let out a laugh she couldn't hold in. It wasn't that she found any of this funny; it was that if she didn't laugh she was going to cry. And she would- not – cry.

"Sadie," Hayden said softly. "Just listen to me, just hear me out and then you can leave and I won't ever mention it again."

Sadie turned around to face Hayden and said, "Say it. Just say whatever you have to say and let's please be done with this."

Hayden looked to the Frog brothers and then back at Sadie. "I want you to know that no matter what you say to me, no matter how mad you get, I am not mad at you. I pushed you into getting involved with Marko and I'm sorry. You know, I was jealous when you first told me about him and you. I was. And then when they all came into the restaurant and David…" She took a deep breath and tried to steady the shake in her voice. "I saw them on White Rock Road, Sadie. They were killing this girl right there, and when they saw me, when they looked at me with those eyes I…I couldn't believe it. I could have just come home and pretended none of it happened. But it did happen, Sadie. And I'm scared for you." She reached behind her and grabbed a stack of comics off the shelf. "Edgar and Alan used to tell me that this shit was real and I laughed it off because all we've ever been taught is that these things are fairy tales. And then I saw it with my own two eyes and I couldn't pretend like I didn't." She handed the comics to Sadie who stared at them like they might bite her, but eventually took them from Hayden's hand.

"What do you want me to do with these?"

"Read them. There's a lot of good information in there about how to protect yourself from them."

"Thanks," Sadie said, stuffing the comics in her purse. "Are we done?"

"No," Edgar said behind her. She turned around and raised a brow waiting to hear his thirteen-year-old wisdom in all its glory. "If you're sleeping with this guy and he hasn't tried to even taste your blood, it's possible he doesn't want to kill you at all."

"Oh, good," Sadie said with as much sarcastic sting as she could muster. "Well, now that's cleared up I'll just be going. Hayden, when you come back to reality with the rest of us, I will still be here."

"He wants to turn you," Alan said quickly. "That's the only reason he would keep you around this long."

Sadie turned back to him with a sigh. "Turn me?"

"Into a vampire."

She allowed the full weight of her glare to land on them both. "Well boys, let's hope that's not the case. Because if I do become a vampire the first thing I'm going to do is come back here and kill both of you. Goodnight." She pushed them out of the way and stomped out of the room with angry tears flooding her face.

"Sadie!" Hayden was running after her, and just so she wouldn't make a scene, Sadie stopped and turned to her.

"Why are you doing this to me?" Sadie pleaded. "Why are you doing this now?"

"I'm sorry, Sadie. Look, just take this, please." She handed Sadie a small glass bottle that looked like it was full of water. "Promise me that if Marko ever tries to hurt you, you'll throw it in his fucking face."

Sadie couldn't argue this lunacy anymore. So she just nodded and bowed her head. Hayden grabbed Sadie before she could pull away and held her tight. "Hayden, please stop this," Sadie said, giving in to the emotions over taking her and returning the hug with full force. "Let me take you to a doctor or something. Let me help you."

"Just promise," Hayden said softly. "You'll throw it in their faces." She gave Sadie a quick kiss on the cheek before she let go and ran back toward the store.

Sadie stood there, the sun setting behind her, and the floodgates let loose. She couldn't believe any of this had happened. Kevin and Keri missing, Hayden losing her mind, Sarah's necklace ending up around her neck. It was all too much. She went to her car and as soon as the door was closed, her crying turned to heaving sobs. There was no way she could work her shift and no way she could just sit there waiting for Marko and the others to return. She needed someone who could help her, who would do anything to make it all better. Right now she needed a father. She needed a pair of strong arms to hold her and promise that the big bad world and all of its craziness wasn't going to swallow her down. Right now, she needed Max.