Part 2
Vega just couldn't believe it. Her fury boiled, making her insides hot with rage. She stood staring over the body in disbelief. She had thought cutting through the cemetery would be the quick way, but...
Now this. One of her own Night People so brutally slaughtered. Juliet was going to *pay* for this, like she would pay for what happened to Morticia.
She stood there, looking at it in disgust, it was still oozing where the heart and eyes had been gouged out. She couldn't believe it.
Her eyes darted around the cemetery. The sun was high in the sky, shadows of tombstones stretching out all around her. It was eerily quiet, hardly any birds or anything screeching.
Not that Vega really cared for stuff like that, she was more concerned about the idea of being watched and laughed at from the shadows. She scowled in fury.
When she finally got to school she smiled a little, watching people get out of her way as they saw her coming. She spotted the little bitch heading into her locker, head hanging, face covered by a curtain of gold hair.
Vega stormed over, grabbed a handful of that hair and slammed the girl's head against the nearest locker. "Now I have some questions to ask, and you'd better answer, or you're going to be very, very sorry."
* * *
Before Juliet knew what was happening a very pissed of Vega was slamming her head against a locker, demanding answers. Juliet looked at her rather disdainfully, wondering what her problem was. But was smart enough not to make that retort.
"You did it, didn't you," Vega hissed, threateningly close.
"Did what?" Juliet asked, trying to pull away. Vega scared her, and it was taking all her self control not to show that fear. She knew from experience that the bad guy always enjoyed fear.
Vega hit her, hard. "You killed Selene last night. Took her eyes and heart, you can't get that monster of a soulmate of yours so you're imitating him."
A small crowd of on lookers had started together, wondering what was going on. Vega turned round, one glare sent them all scattering. The bell rang and a few seconds later the hallway was empty.
Juliet shook her head. "No! Why would I? I hated Jakob! I didn't ask to be his soulmate."
"Drop it Vega."
Juliet felt relief wash over her to see Sirena, Athena and Dellon had showed up. Maybe they would realise now that she had nothing to do with whoever was taking these eyes and hearts.
"What are you talking about, anyway?" Dellon asked, frowning.
Juliet felt a wave of relief when Vega let go of her and turned to glare at the others.
"I was walking through the cemetery and I found Selene, heart and eyes gouged out," Vega snapped, throwing a glare in Juliet's direction.
"I didn't do it," Juliet said emphatically. "You were the one who put the things in my locker to make me think I was going crazy, but I'm not and have nothing to do with this!"
Athena glared at Vega. "Go away Vega, if anyone's insane, then it's *you*."
Vega looked Juliet directly in the eye. "This isn't over," she hissed before stalking away.
"Someone want to tell me what all this is about?" Dellon asked.
Juliet sighed. "It's a long story."
* * *
Athena sighed heavily, bored out her brains. She sat in a local Black Iris with Sirena and Dellon. They had invited Juliet, but she had declined. After a long discussion on Juliet's past they had learned the entire true story of Jakob Redfern.
Athena couldn't help feeling sorry for Juliet. Who would want to be stuck with a psychopath for a soulmate? But what was still slightly unclear was the whole thing with Vega, and why Vega hated Juliet so much.
As far as Athena could figure out, Jakob must have killed someone close to Vega, and because she knew Juliet and Jakob had been soulmates she thought Juliet would pay for what her monstrous soulmate had done.
Which was ludicrous, really. Especially considering anyone who knew Juliet. Juliet despised Jakob, she was terrified of him. But no one could talk any sense into Vega.
Vega and her friends were still lurid over the recent murder, and a second body had been discovered earlier that evening, killed in the same way.
Which brought the question as to who was doing this. If not Vega and her cronies, then who?
Beside her, Sirena drew in a sharp breath. Athena turned to look at her. "What?"
Sirena nodded to a couple who had just come through the door. "Look at that."
Athena studied the couple, head tilting. The girl was Vega...but not quite Vega. Her facial features were the same, she was tall, with Vega's raven hair and marble pale skin. She was dressed in a flowing red velvet dress showing off her slender figure. Her mannerisms were different, she seemed almost...floaty, as if there were a few screws missing in her head.
And the boy...
Athena studied him more closely. She looked at Sirena, shocked.
"Who's the guy Vega's with?" Dellon asked. "And why does he look familiar."
"I don't think that's Vega," Athena said slowly. "But do you really think it's..."
Sirena frowned. "It has to be...but that's impossible...isn't it?"
"Who?" Dellon asked, mildly curious.
"It's Jakob Redfern," Athena said bluntly.
* * *
Vega sighed, twirling the straw around in her cocktail. She didn't know why she'd let Dace and Sylvia talk her into coming out tonight. Maybe it was probably a good thing, she didn't have to sit at home and think about how crappy her revenge plan was turning out to be.
She scowled at the Daybreakers sat at the other side of the bar, heads deep in conversation. She noticed Athena looked as bored as she felt.
She felt a small satisfaction noticing that Juliet wasn't there. Maybe something was going well, at least. She had the feeling if she saw the girl she might not be able to control herself.
Her fists clenched in anger, scrunching up the napkin in her hand into a tight ball. She would have wished that it was someone's head, or she would have someone to beat up, a good way to let out her frustrations...
"Hey Vega, did you multiply, or am I just really drunk?" Dace's voice said in her ear.
Vega pushed him away from her, wrinkling her nose at the smell of alcohol on his breath. "You're drunk," she sneered.
Dace reached out and turned her to look at a couple who had just walked through the door. Vega stood up, not sure she was really seeing this. She blinked several times, wondering how it could be possible.
How could...but Morticia was *dead*. Very dead. She had...
And with her was...
No. No.
Before she knew what she was doing Vega stood up and was moving over to her dead twin. She was so sure it was just an illusion. She reached out, but before she could say anything Morticia turned and saw her, her face lighting up, her midnight eyes sparkling.
"Look at me!" she said cheerfully. "I sort of..." Her head tilted to one side as if she didn't understand what was going on. "I'm in two places at once? That's very strange."
Vega just stared at her, a lump forming in her throat. So Morticia had never found her missing sanity screw. "Don't you remember me?"
"Should we?"
Vega turned and glared at Jakob Redfern, feeling more like herself. She jerked back her fist and slugged him hard in the face, shattering his nose. "You bastard!" she hissed.
Jakob just stared at her, blood running down his face. He simply smiled. "Why do lots of people do that to me?" he mused.
"Maybe cause you're an asshole and you deserve it?" Vega sneered at him, trying to control her rage. "What the hell are you *doing* here? You're *dead*."
"Not any more," Morticia said cheerfully, wrapping her arm through Jakob's. "I brought him back."
Vega stared at her. "For God's sake, why?" she sneered with disgust.
Morticia sighed dreamily. "We're in love," she said, as if it should be the most obvious thing in the world.
"And we have to be going now," Jakob added, and dragged her away. Morticia waved, and disappeared in the crowd of people.
Vega stood where she was, still unable to believe what had just happened. She was *so* going to enjoy killing Jakob when she got her hands on him.
* * *
Jakob looked at the sleeping figure of Morticia beside him. The sun was up now, blazing away outside. He smiled in the darkness of their bedroom. How he hated the day time. You couldn't do anything worth while in the day without the risk of being caught at it.
Night was the best time. The cover that the dark provided. Morticia was something fun to play with...but she wasn't his soulmate. A dreamy look crossed his face as he remembered the girl who had been.
Juliet. Such a pretty little thing, like gold and spun glass. So fragile and delicate, Just the type of thing you'd like to warp and corrupt to your own...he searched for a word...evilness, he finally came up with.
He knew she was here, in this town, right now.
He could still sense her presence, after all these years. The only problem was, she was just...too good. She would never agree to come to him willingly.
He pouted a little, annoyed by the thought of how others had convinced her what a bad boy he was. That thought made him smile, well, considering...he was a bad boy.
But if he could make Juliet a bad girl...then imagine the fun he and Morticia could have!
He wondered how Morticia would feel about sharing him. Well, the more the merrier, as they said.
He was always looking for something fun to do at night, so it looked like kidnapping was on the menu this time round. And maybe torture too!
He was almost too excited to sleep. But, as he figured out, the sooner he went to sleep, the sooner he would wake up and it would be night.
Seemed like a plan to him.
* * *
Something was wrong. Juliet wasn't sure how she could tell that, but she knew something was. An uncomfortable prickling feeling was running over her skin and all the fine hairs on her arms were standing up.
She glanced over her shoulder, not happy about the huge woods on either side of her as she made her way home. It was already dark, and a breeze was blowing. The tree tops swayed in the gathering darkness.
She felt as if someone was watching her from the trees. But she told herself she was just being paranoid. Every time she looked around no one was there.
Of course there wasn't anyone there, she told herself. All day at school people had been acting weird around her. Everyone seemed to have forgotten about the heart and eyes in the locker thing. Old news now.
But it was something between Athena and co. They kept looking at her as if they knew something but weren't sure if they should tell her or not.
Juliet wondered what it was, but hadn't asked, deciding if they wanted to tell her, they would tell her, but she didn't want to pry.
A branch snapping behind her sounded as loud as a gun shot, making her jump. Juliet spun around.
Something hit her on top of her head and everything went black.
* * *
Juliet groaned, her head throbbing in agony. She blinked several times, trying to focus on her surrounding, all she could see was different shades of darkness.
"Juliet?"
She focused on the voice, and her head and mind cleared of confusion. Only to have the confusion replaced by fear.
"Jakob," she whispered, staring at the monster of a soulmate in front of her. He was still as gorgeous as she could remember, but it only hid how cruel he was underneath it all.
She tried to move, but something was stopping her. She gathered herself together enough to realise what was going on. She was tied to a pole of some sort, locked away with the monster she had been trying to escape.
~Don't panic, don't panic, don't panic,~ she told herself. She made herself look at him calmly. "But you're dead."
Jakob just gave her a stunning smile. "Very."
"I brought him back."
Juliet blinked, looking at the black haired girl who'd danced up behind Jakob and rested her chin on his shoulders, her hair spilling like a dark waterfall around her shoulders. Her skin was marble pale, her mouth blood red.
Jakob smiled faintly. "You haven't met Morticia, have you?"
Juliet was confused. Then remembered why Vega hated her so much, something to do with Jakob supposedly killing her sister..."You're Vega's sister?" she asked, pleased her voice was so steady.
Morticia just smiled enigmatically. Something about her vacant expression told Juliet this girl might have a missing sanity chip. "Vega's my living moving mirror," she said cheerfully. "When I look at her, I see myself." She moved away from Jakob in a flowing movement, dancing around the basement.
~Oh great,~ Juliet thought. ~I'm trapped with *two* psychos.~
"What are you going to do?" she asked finally. She wondered if she really wanted to know.
Jakob smiled at her. Juliet hated him for being so sexy. "You're my soulmate," he said simply. "We belong together."
Anger gave Juliet strength. "I want nothing to do with you!" she snapped at him.
Jakob just looked at her, something dark and unnerving flashing in his eyes. "I know," he answered. "But it doesn't matter. Cause Tish over there," he nodded over at Morticia who was still dancing around the basement singing to herself, "is a very good little witch. She's going to do spell that will bind us all together."
Juliet's head sank back against the pole she was tied to. She didn't want any connection to either one of them, but it didn't look like she got a choice.
With any luck, someone would come and rescue her, wouldn't they?
* * *
Sirena noticed Juliet wasn't in her set in class the following morning. She had never known Juliet to miss a day or even a single class before. She frowned, hoping it wasn't something to be worried about.
She knew Juliet thought of high school as a sort of sanctuary, something for her to enjoy and forget the harsh realities of life. Sirena wouldn't have thought of school that way herself, but considering Juliet's life, it was kind of understandable.
She wasn't in the cafeteria either when lunch came. Athena and Dellon were there. Vega was scowling at them from the other side of the room. No Juliet.
"Have you guys seen Juliet today?" she asked, taking her seat.
Athena shook her head. "Not to day." She was scanning the crowded room too, but could clearly see no sign of their friend.
Sirena suddenly felt cold, remembering who they had seen the other night. "You don't think..."
Dellon looked alarmed. "The psycho of a soulmate got her?"
From the look on Athena's face, clearly, Athena did think. "What are we going to do?" she asked. "We should have warned her, or something..."
"Well, we'll just go to her house," Athena decided, standing up and abandoning her lunch.
They left the cafeteria and the school, ignoring the looks of the curious students. The teachers didn't even try to stop them. Wonderful powers of brainwashing, Sirena thought vaguely.
She realised how guilty she felt about not warning Juliet that that monster Jakob was alive and back. With Vega's psychotic twin as well. Not a fun combination. Vega was probably pissed about that. But that was Vega's problem.
Athena banged on the door to Juliet's apartment. No one answered. Dellon knocked harder, slamming the palm of his hands against the door. "Juliet? Juliet? It's us." He reached out and turned the door handle, breaking it in his hands.
"That was clever," Athena snorted. Sirena ignored her as she and Dellon hurried into the apartment. There was no sign of Juliet.
"Let's face it," Athena said. "She's not here."
"Then where the hell is she, and how do we get her back?" Dellon demanded angrily.
"That," Sirena said dryly, "is the question."
* * *
Vega wasn't really interested in anything anymore. She had given up on her revenge plan. She had lost interest in it ever since she had seen Morticia and Jakob together. It had become obvious that Juliet had had nothing to do with how Jakob had turned out.
No one had seen her for the last few days anything. Morticia had only talked to her a few times. She didn't make much sense anymore. She had never really made much sense anyway, but now the sanity chip was completely fucked.
Vega wandered down the halls, not sure what was happening to her. She used to be so - bad. Now she just moved robot like through her daily routine of going to classes and going home. Even killing people didn't seem to have that thrill that it used to.
She had seen some of the other Night People giving her very strange looks. She had heard them whispering about her, but didn't care anymore. Why bother?
Morticia had been whining recently that Jakob was trying to turn Juliet evil like him and her. Vega didn't really see what Morticia was doing whining to her about it. She hated Jakob. She sighed heavily. Why was this happening to her? What had she done to deserve it?
She was surprised when she reached her locker to find the Daybreakers waiting there for her. They were all scowling, none of them looked pleased to see her.
"What do you want?" she demanded.
"We want to know what you've done with Juliet," Dellon said bluntly.
Vega glared at him. "I haven't done anything," she snapped. "Get out of the way." She shoved them to one side so she could get to her locker.
"Oh come off it, Vega," Sirena snorted. "You've been trying to destroy Juliet ever since she got here. Her house is deserted. What did you do?"
Vega stared back at them, unimpressed. They weren't doing much of a job of trying to get information out of her. "For the second time, I didn't do anything. Why bother?" She opened the locker and shoved her books inside, then slammed it shut.
"Then what did Jakob and Morticia do to her?" Athena asked. "If you didn't do anything, then they must have. They'd tell you, wouldn't they?" Athena blocked Vega's exit, her arms folded.
Vega was getting irritated. She was getting ready to punch her way through them when an idea sparked in her mind. What would be worse for Jakob than being hunted down and killed by the Daybreakers again?
She sighed heavily, giving the impression of finally giving in. "Fine," she snapped. "I'll take you to them." And she shoved through them, starting to lead the way. It looked like she would get her revenge after all.
* * *
Juliet strained against her bonds but it was useless. No matter how hard she tugged and struggled she could work her way out of them. And to make matters worse, she was starting to get hungry herself.
It had been almost two days since she'd last fed properly, and it wasn't helping things now. She watched with dismay as Morticia pranced about the basement making preparations for whatever spell she and Jakob were planning on doing.
Jakob was sitting on the basement steps, playing with the eyes from his latest victim. A pair of blue eyes. His head was tilted to one side, studying the eyes, then lifting to look at Juliet.
"Not quite as nice as yours," he said critically.
Juliet shuddered. "You're crazy," she muttered sourly.
Jakob laughed, the sound harsh and grating. "Like I've never heard *that* before. How you doing over there, Tish?"
Morticia looked up from whatever she was doing, smiling radiantly. "The party is nearly ready," she announced cheerfully.
Juliet's head fell back against the pole. She didn't even notice the pain it should have caused. She would be as mindless as the two of them before long. She would be just as out of it, make her own insane little sentences like Morticia.
She didn't want to be like that. She valued her mind, her sanity. She had had the promise of a new lie, new friends...Why weren't they coming to rescue her?
If she could just hold on a little longer...
The basement door slammed open. Juliet's eyes opened and she looked up. Vega was walking down the steps, her face blank and expressionless. She was hiding something behind her back.
"The mirror's back!" Morticia said brightly, clapping her hands. Her head tilted to one side, dark hair spilling over her shoulders like a silken waterfall. "But she looks different."
Jakob stood up and moved over to Morticia, almost as if he were going to protect her from Vega. Vega didn't even glance at Juliet.
Juliet, for her part, was confused. What was Vega doing there? She didn't look as if she wanted to join Morticia and Jakob, she didn't look as if she wanted to help Juliet.
"What are you doing?" Jakob asked. "What have you got there?"
Vega smiled. "You want to see?" she asked mysteriously.
Jakob studied her. "If you've got something to show us, show us, or go away, unless you want to have no eyes or heart."
"She doesn't have a heart anyway," Juliet snorted. No one glanced her way. They seemed to have forgotten about her.
Vega continued to smile. "Well, if you really want to see."
Juliet strained, trying to see herself Vega was playing at. In a movement faster than the blink of an eye Vega pulled out something long, wooden and sharp, plunging it into Jakob then Morticia.
As Juliet watched the two insane vampires began to collapse, their shocked shrieks were cut off, their skin turned leathery and yellow, withering away from their bones until there was almost nothing left.
Vega spat on the corpses, turned and walked away.
Juliet remained where she was, not sure how she was supposed to feel. Part of her was relieved that Jakob and Morticia were dead, but the other part was pissed off at Vega for just leaving her there.
Before she could shout and call her back, she heard the sound of footsteps. Relief flooded her as she watched the Daybreakers hurry down the steps.
Dellon hurried over to her and untied her. "Are you okay?" he asked, supporting her.
Juliet nodded. "Just about."
"What happened to those two?" Athena asked, pointing at the two bodies.
Juliet smiled faintly. "Vega happened. She came in, staked them, then left."
Sirena's eyebrows raised. "Charming," she muttered. "Well, at least they're dead."
Juliet nodded. She didn't really care about whatever happened to Vega. She knew Vega wouldn't bother her anymore.
"Let's go *home*," Dellon said.
They took Juliet home.
* * *
She was asleep, she looked so peaceful, so beautiful. Jakob sighed, wishing he really didn't have to this. He wanted things to have been different. Juliet had been his soulmate. It was such a shame she was so different from him.
He sat on the bed beside her, stroking her soft golden hair gently. He bent down and kissed her forehead. She sat up suddenly, stunned to see him.
"But you died," she whispered. "I saw."
Jakob smiled. "What you saw was an illusion. Sorry sweetheart, but I don't like to loose." And with those words, he plunged his hand into her chest and ripped out her heart. She slumped back against the pillows, her eyes wide open in shock.
He put the heart in a golden box Morticia had given him. He took her eyes carefully. So pretty.
He left the corpse where it was and slipped out the window. Morticia was waiting for him outside. The night was dark, stars shimmered in the sky.
Morticia was looking sadly at the dead body of Vega, lying on the floor. "The mirror's broken," she said. "That means seven years bad luck."
Jakob handed her the golden box. She took it looking at him, large dark eyes vague and distant. "I think we've had all the bad luck we're gonna get," he said sourly. "But we can start again somewhere else."
Morticia smiled at that. "A new party in a new place."
And with those words he took her hand and they walked off together into the night.
THE END,
Vega just couldn't believe it. Her fury boiled, making her insides hot with rage. She stood staring over the body in disbelief. She had thought cutting through the cemetery would be the quick way, but...
Now this. One of her own Night People so brutally slaughtered. Juliet was going to *pay* for this, like she would pay for what happened to Morticia.
She stood there, looking at it in disgust, it was still oozing where the heart and eyes had been gouged out. She couldn't believe it.
Her eyes darted around the cemetery. The sun was high in the sky, shadows of tombstones stretching out all around her. It was eerily quiet, hardly any birds or anything screeching.
Not that Vega really cared for stuff like that, she was more concerned about the idea of being watched and laughed at from the shadows. She scowled in fury.
When she finally got to school she smiled a little, watching people get out of her way as they saw her coming. She spotted the little bitch heading into her locker, head hanging, face covered by a curtain of gold hair.
Vega stormed over, grabbed a handful of that hair and slammed the girl's head against the nearest locker. "Now I have some questions to ask, and you'd better answer, or you're going to be very, very sorry."
* * *
Before Juliet knew what was happening a very pissed of Vega was slamming her head against a locker, demanding answers. Juliet looked at her rather disdainfully, wondering what her problem was. But was smart enough not to make that retort.
"You did it, didn't you," Vega hissed, threateningly close.
"Did what?" Juliet asked, trying to pull away. Vega scared her, and it was taking all her self control not to show that fear. She knew from experience that the bad guy always enjoyed fear.
Vega hit her, hard. "You killed Selene last night. Took her eyes and heart, you can't get that monster of a soulmate of yours so you're imitating him."
A small crowd of on lookers had started together, wondering what was going on. Vega turned round, one glare sent them all scattering. The bell rang and a few seconds later the hallway was empty.
Juliet shook her head. "No! Why would I? I hated Jakob! I didn't ask to be his soulmate."
"Drop it Vega."
Juliet felt relief wash over her to see Sirena, Athena and Dellon had showed up. Maybe they would realise now that she had nothing to do with whoever was taking these eyes and hearts.
"What are you talking about, anyway?" Dellon asked, frowning.
Juliet felt a wave of relief when Vega let go of her and turned to glare at the others.
"I was walking through the cemetery and I found Selene, heart and eyes gouged out," Vega snapped, throwing a glare in Juliet's direction.
"I didn't do it," Juliet said emphatically. "You were the one who put the things in my locker to make me think I was going crazy, but I'm not and have nothing to do with this!"
Athena glared at Vega. "Go away Vega, if anyone's insane, then it's *you*."
Vega looked Juliet directly in the eye. "This isn't over," she hissed before stalking away.
"Someone want to tell me what all this is about?" Dellon asked.
Juliet sighed. "It's a long story."
* * *
Athena sighed heavily, bored out her brains. She sat in a local Black Iris with Sirena and Dellon. They had invited Juliet, but she had declined. After a long discussion on Juliet's past they had learned the entire true story of Jakob Redfern.
Athena couldn't help feeling sorry for Juliet. Who would want to be stuck with a psychopath for a soulmate? But what was still slightly unclear was the whole thing with Vega, and why Vega hated Juliet so much.
As far as Athena could figure out, Jakob must have killed someone close to Vega, and because she knew Juliet and Jakob had been soulmates she thought Juliet would pay for what her monstrous soulmate had done.
Which was ludicrous, really. Especially considering anyone who knew Juliet. Juliet despised Jakob, she was terrified of him. But no one could talk any sense into Vega.
Vega and her friends were still lurid over the recent murder, and a second body had been discovered earlier that evening, killed in the same way.
Which brought the question as to who was doing this. If not Vega and her cronies, then who?
Beside her, Sirena drew in a sharp breath. Athena turned to look at her. "What?"
Sirena nodded to a couple who had just come through the door. "Look at that."
Athena studied the couple, head tilting. The girl was Vega...but not quite Vega. Her facial features were the same, she was tall, with Vega's raven hair and marble pale skin. She was dressed in a flowing red velvet dress showing off her slender figure. Her mannerisms were different, she seemed almost...floaty, as if there were a few screws missing in her head.
And the boy...
Athena studied him more closely. She looked at Sirena, shocked.
"Who's the guy Vega's with?" Dellon asked. "And why does he look familiar."
"I don't think that's Vega," Athena said slowly. "But do you really think it's..."
Sirena frowned. "It has to be...but that's impossible...isn't it?"
"Who?" Dellon asked, mildly curious.
"It's Jakob Redfern," Athena said bluntly.
* * *
Vega sighed, twirling the straw around in her cocktail. She didn't know why she'd let Dace and Sylvia talk her into coming out tonight. Maybe it was probably a good thing, she didn't have to sit at home and think about how crappy her revenge plan was turning out to be.
She scowled at the Daybreakers sat at the other side of the bar, heads deep in conversation. She noticed Athena looked as bored as she felt.
She felt a small satisfaction noticing that Juliet wasn't there. Maybe something was going well, at least. She had the feeling if she saw the girl she might not be able to control herself.
Her fists clenched in anger, scrunching up the napkin in her hand into a tight ball. She would have wished that it was someone's head, or she would have someone to beat up, a good way to let out her frustrations...
"Hey Vega, did you multiply, or am I just really drunk?" Dace's voice said in her ear.
Vega pushed him away from her, wrinkling her nose at the smell of alcohol on his breath. "You're drunk," she sneered.
Dace reached out and turned her to look at a couple who had just walked through the door. Vega stood up, not sure she was really seeing this. She blinked several times, wondering how it could be possible.
How could...but Morticia was *dead*. Very dead. She had...
And with her was...
No. No.
Before she knew what she was doing Vega stood up and was moving over to her dead twin. She was so sure it was just an illusion. She reached out, but before she could say anything Morticia turned and saw her, her face lighting up, her midnight eyes sparkling.
"Look at me!" she said cheerfully. "I sort of..." Her head tilted to one side as if she didn't understand what was going on. "I'm in two places at once? That's very strange."
Vega just stared at her, a lump forming in her throat. So Morticia had never found her missing sanity screw. "Don't you remember me?"
"Should we?"
Vega turned and glared at Jakob Redfern, feeling more like herself. She jerked back her fist and slugged him hard in the face, shattering his nose. "You bastard!" she hissed.
Jakob just stared at her, blood running down his face. He simply smiled. "Why do lots of people do that to me?" he mused.
"Maybe cause you're an asshole and you deserve it?" Vega sneered at him, trying to control her rage. "What the hell are you *doing* here? You're *dead*."
"Not any more," Morticia said cheerfully, wrapping her arm through Jakob's. "I brought him back."
Vega stared at her. "For God's sake, why?" she sneered with disgust.
Morticia sighed dreamily. "We're in love," she said, as if it should be the most obvious thing in the world.
"And we have to be going now," Jakob added, and dragged her away. Morticia waved, and disappeared in the crowd of people.
Vega stood where she was, still unable to believe what had just happened. She was *so* going to enjoy killing Jakob when she got her hands on him.
* * *
Jakob looked at the sleeping figure of Morticia beside him. The sun was up now, blazing away outside. He smiled in the darkness of their bedroom. How he hated the day time. You couldn't do anything worth while in the day without the risk of being caught at it.
Night was the best time. The cover that the dark provided. Morticia was something fun to play with...but she wasn't his soulmate. A dreamy look crossed his face as he remembered the girl who had been.
Juliet. Such a pretty little thing, like gold and spun glass. So fragile and delicate, Just the type of thing you'd like to warp and corrupt to your own...he searched for a word...evilness, he finally came up with.
He knew she was here, in this town, right now.
He could still sense her presence, after all these years. The only problem was, she was just...too good. She would never agree to come to him willingly.
He pouted a little, annoyed by the thought of how others had convinced her what a bad boy he was. That thought made him smile, well, considering...he was a bad boy.
But if he could make Juliet a bad girl...then imagine the fun he and Morticia could have!
He wondered how Morticia would feel about sharing him. Well, the more the merrier, as they said.
He was always looking for something fun to do at night, so it looked like kidnapping was on the menu this time round. And maybe torture too!
He was almost too excited to sleep. But, as he figured out, the sooner he went to sleep, the sooner he would wake up and it would be night.
Seemed like a plan to him.
* * *
Something was wrong. Juliet wasn't sure how she could tell that, but she knew something was. An uncomfortable prickling feeling was running over her skin and all the fine hairs on her arms were standing up.
She glanced over her shoulder, not happy about the huge woods on either side of her as she made her way home. It was already dark, and a breeze was blowing. The tree tops swayed in the gathering darkness.
She felt as if someone was watching her from the trees. But she told herself she was just being paranoid. Every time she looked around no one was there.
Of course there wasn't anyone there, she told herself. All day at school people had been acting weird around her. Everyone seemed to have forgotten about the heart and eyes in the locker thing. Old news now.
But it was something between Athena and co. They kept looking at her as if they knew something but weren't sure if they should tell her or not.
Juliet wondered what it was, but hadn't asked, deciding if they wanted to tell her, they would tell her, but she didn't want to pry.
A branch snapping behind her sounded as loud as a gun shot, making her jump. Juliet spun around.
Something hit her on top of her head and everything went black.
* * *
Juliet groaned, her head throbbing in agony. She blinked several times, trying to focus on her surrounding, all she could see was different shades of darkness.
"Juliet?"
She focused on the voice, and her head and mind cleared of confusion. Only to have the confusion replaced by fear.
"Jakob," she whispered, staring at the monster of a soulmate in front of her. He was still as gorgeous as she could remember, but it only hid how cruel he was underneath it all.
She tried to move, but something was stopping her. She gathered herself together enough to realise what was going on. She was tied to a pole of some sort, locked away with the monster she had been trying to escape.
~Don't panic, don't panic, don't panic,~ she told herself. She made herself look at him calmly. "But you're dead."
Jakob just gave her a stunning smile. "Very."
"I brought him back."
Juliet blinked, looking at the black haired girl who'd danced up behind Jakob and rested her chin on his shoulders, her hair spilling like a dark waterfall around her shoulders. Her skin was marble pale, her mouth blood red.
Jakob smiled faintly. "You haven't met Morticia, have you?"
Juliet was confused. Then remembered why Vega hated her so much, something to do with Jakob supposedly killing her sister..."You're Vega's sister?" she asked, pleased her voice was so steady.
Morticia just smiled enigmatically. Something about her vacant expression told Juliet this girl might have a missing sanity chip. "Vega's my living moving mirror," she said cheerfully. "When I look at her, I see myself." She moved away from Jakob in a flowing movement, dancing around the basement.
~Oh great,~ Juliet thought. ~I'm trapped with *two* psychos.~
"What are you going to do?" she asked finally. She wondered if she really wanted to know.
Jakob smiled at her. Juliet hated him for being so sexy. "You're my soulmate," he said simply. "We belong together."
Anger gave Juliet strength. "I want nothing to do with you!" she snapped at him.
Jakob just looked at her, something dark and unnerving flashing in his eyes. "I know," he answered. "But it doesn't matter. Cause Tish over there," he nodded over at Morticia who was still dancing around the basement singing to herself, "is a very good little witch. She's going to do spell that will bind us all together."
Juliet's head sank back against the pole she was tied to. She didn't want any connection to either one of them, but it didn't look like she got a choice.
With any luck, someone would come and rescue her, wouldn't they?
* * *
Sirena noticed Juliet wasn't in her set in class the following morning. She had never known Juliet to miss a day or even a single class before. She frowned, hoping it wasn't something to be worried about.
She knew Juliet thought of high school as a sort of sanctuary, something for her to enjoy and forget the harsh realities of life. Sirena wouldn't have thought of school that way herself, but considering Juliet's life, it was kind of understandable.
She wasn't in the cafeteria either when lunch came. Athena and Dellon were there. Vega was scowling at them from the other side of the room. No Juliet.
"Have you guys seen Juliet today?" she asked, taking her seat.
Athena shook her head. "Not to day." She was scanning the crowded room too, but could clearly see no sign of their friend.
Sirena suddenly felt cold, remembering who they had seen the other night. "You don't think..."
Dellon looked alarmed. "The psycho of a soulmate got her?"
From the look on Athena's face, clearly, Athena did think. "What are we going to do?" she asked. "We should have warned her, or something..."
"Well, we'll just go to her house," Athena decided, standing up and abandoning her lunch.
They left the cafeteria and the school, ignoring the looks of the curious students. The teachers didn't even try to stop them. Wonderful powers of brainwashing, Sirena thought vaguely.
She realised how guilty she felt about not warning Juliet that that monster Jakob was alive and back. With Vega's psychotic twin as well. Not a fun combination. Vega was probably pissed about that. But that was Vega's problem.
Athena banged on the door to Juliet's apartment. No one answered. Dellon knocked harder, slamming the palm of his hands against the door. "Juliet? Juliet? It's us." He reached out and turned the door handle, breaking it in his hands.
"That was clever," Athena snorted. Sirena ignored her as she and Dellon hurried into the apartment. There was no sign of Juliet.
"Let's face it," Athena said. "She's not here."
"Then where the hell is she, and how do we get her back?" Dellon demanded angrily.
"That," Sirena said dryly, "is the question."
* * *
Vega wasn't really interested in anything anymore. She had given up on her revenge plan. She had lost interest in it ever since she had seen Morticia and Jakob together. It had become obvious that Juliet had had nothing to do with how Jakob had turned out.
No one had seen her for the last few days anything. Morticia had only talked to her a few times. She didn't make much sense anymore. She had never really made much sense anyway, but now the sanity chip was completely fucked.
Vega wandered down the halls, not sure what was happening to her. She used to be so - bad. Now she just moved robot like through her daily routine of going to classes and going home. Even killing people didn't seem to have that thrill that it used to.
She had seen some of the other Night People giving her very strange looks. She had heard them whispering about her, but didn't care anymore. Why bother?
Morticia had been whining recently that Jakob was trying to turn Juliet evil like him and her. Vega didn't really see what Morticia was doing whining to her about it. She hated Jakob. She sighed heavily. Why was this happening to her? What had she done to deserve it?
She was surprised when she reached her locker to find the Daybreakers waiting there for her. They were all scowling, none of them looked pleased to see her.
"What do you want?" she demanded.
"We want to know what you've done with Juliet," Dellon said bluntly.
Vega glared at him. "I haven't done anything," she snapped. "Get out of the way." She shoved them to one side so she could get to her locker.
"Oh come off it, Vega," Sirena snorted. "You've been trying to destroy Juliet ever since she got here. Her house is deserted. What did you do?"
Vega stared back at them, unimpressed. They weren't doing much of a job of trying to get information out of her. "For the second time, I didn't do anything. Why bother?" She opened the locker and shoved her books inside, then slammed it shut.
"Then what did Jakob and Morticia do to her?" Athena asked. "If you didn't do anything, then they must have. They'd tell you, wouldn't they?" Athena blocked Vega's exit, her arms folded.
Vega was getting irritated. She was getting ready to punch her way through them when an idea sparked in her mind. What would be worse for Jakob than being hunted down and killed by the Daybreakers again?
She sighed heavily, giving the impression of finally giving in. "Fine," she snapped. "I'll take you to them." And she shoved through them, starting to lead the way. It looked like she would get her revenge after all.
* * *
Juliet strained against her bonds but it was useless. No matter how hard she tugged and struggled she could work her way out of them. And to make matters worse, she was starting to get hungry herself.
It had been almost two days since she'd last fed properly, and it wasn't helping things now. She watched with dismay as Morticia pranced about the basement making preparations for whatever spell she and Jakob were planning on doing.
Jakob was sitting on the basement steps, playing with the eyes from his latest victim. A pair of blue eyes. His head was tilted to one side, studying the eyes, then lifting to look at Juliet.
"Not quite as nice as yours," he said critically.
Juliet shuddered. "You're crazy," she muttered sourly.
Jakob laughed, the sound harsh and grating. "Like I've never heard *that* before. How you doing over there, Tish?"
Morticia looked up from whatever she was doing, smiling radiantly. "The party is nearly ready," she announced cheerfully.
Juliet's head fell back against the pole. She didn't even notice the pain it should have caused. She would be as mindless as the two of them before long. She would be just as out of it, make her own insane little sentences like Morticia.
She didn't want to be like that. She valued her mind, her sanity. She had had the promise of a new lie, new friends...Why weren't they coming to rescue her?
If she could just hold on a little longer...
The basement door slammed open. Juliet's eyes opened and she looked up. Vega was walking down the steps, her face blank and expressionless. She was hiding something behind her back.
"The mirror's back!" Morticia said brightly, clapping her hands. Her head tilted to one side, dark hair spilling over her shoulders like a silken waterfall. "But she looks different."
Jakob stood up and moved over to Morticia, almost as if he were going to protect her from Vega. Vega didn't even glance at Juliet.
Juliet, for her part, was confused. What was Vega doing there? She didn't look as if she wanted to join Morticia and Jakob, she didn't look as if she wanted to help Juliet.
"What are you doing?" Jakob asked. "What have you got there?"
Vega smiled. "You want to see?" she asked mysteriously.
Jakob studied her. "If you've got something to show us, show us, or go away, unless you want to have no eyes or heart."
"She doesn't have a heart anyway," Juliet snorted. No one glanced her way. They seemed to have forgotten about her.
Vega continued to smile. "Well, if you really want to see."
Juliet strained, trying to see herself Vega was playing at. In a movement faster than the blink of an eye Vega pulled out something long, wooden and sharp, plunging it into Jakob then Morticia.
As Juliet watched the two insane vampires began to collapse, their shocked shrieks were cut off, their skin turned leathery and yellow, withering away from their bones until there was almost nothing left.
Vega spat on the corpses, turned and walked away.
Juliet remained where she was, not sure how she was supposed to feel. Part of her was relieved that Jakob and Morticia were dead, but the other part was pissed off at Vega for just leaving her there.
Before she could shout and call her back, she heard the sound of footsteps. Relief flooded her as she watched the Daybreakers hurry down the steps.
Dellon hurried over to her and untied her. "Are you okay?" he asked, supporting her.
Juliet nodded. "Just about."
"What happened to those two?" Athena asked, pointing at the two bodies.
Juliet smiled faintly. "Vega happened. She came in, staked them, then left."
Sirena's eyebrows raised. "Charming," she muttered. "Well, at least they're dead."
Juliet nodded. She didn't really care about whatever happened to Vega. She knew Vega wouldn't bother her anymore.
"Let's go *home*," Dellon said.
They took Juliet home.
* * *
She was asleep, she looked so peaceful, so beautiful. Jakob sighed, wishing he really didn't have to this. He wanted things to have been different. Juliet had been his soulmate. It was such a shame she was so different from him.
He sat on the bed beside her, stroking her soft golden hair gently. He bent down and kissed her forehead. She sat up suddenly, stunned to see him.
"But you died," she whispered. "I saw."
Jakob smiled. "What you saw was an illusion. Sorry sweetheart, but I don't like to loose." And with those words, he plunged his hand into her chest and ripped out her heart. She slumped back against the pillows, her eyes wide open in shock.
He put the heart in a golden box Morticia had given him. He took her eyes carefully. So pretty.
He left the corpse where it was and slipped out the window. Morticia was waiting for him outside. The night was dark, stars shimmered in the sky.
Morticia was looking sadly at the dead body of Vega, lying on the floor. "The mirror's broken," she said. "That means seven years bad luck."
Jakob handed her the golden box. She took it looking at him, large dark eyes vague and distant. "I think we've had all the bad luck we're gonna get," he said sourly. "But we can start again somewhere else."
Morticia smiled at that. "A new party in a new place."
And with those words he took her hand and they walked off together into the night.
THE END,