"Mama! Mama! When is William coming home?" asked Emily. "I don't feel safe without him here since Daddy's gone."
"Oh, he'll be along, Dear. Any minute, I'm sure." Her mother assured her.
"I hope so!" the young girl brightened. "Maybe he'll play my game with me!"
The door flew open and there William stood eerily, silent for several minutes before finally speaking. When he did, his voice sounded strained and scary.
"I'll be leaving directly-there are only a few things I need to take care of."
"W-W-William?" his little sister questioned timidly.
"Why, yes. It is indeed me-and yet it's not."
"William..." his mother began, standing, tossing her knitting in her chair and taking a hesitant step toward him. "Did something happen? Are you all right?"
He laughed, his mood seeming to lighten somewhat.
"You worry too much, Mother. I'm perfectly fine...In fact, I've never been better." He answered nonchalantly. Emily tugged on her big brother's sleeve.
"William, do you wanna play a game with me?" He grinned somewhat wickedly.
"Why, sure, Princess! What are we playing?" he inquired.
"Hide and seek!" she yelled excitedly.
"Emily, dear, I'm sure William doesn't want to play right now," their mother broke in.
"No, really! I want to play with you! I'll go hide outside and then you can come find me. Okay?"
"Yeah!" Emily screeched. She ran to the corner to count and William silently left the room while their mother went back to her knitting, shaking her head.
*****
A few moments later, Emily was running out the door happily to go and look for her big brother.
"William?! William?! William?! Where are you?!" she called.
William sniggered along with the trio of vampires he stood with as they watched her wander around the yard, searching.
"This is fun, but why didn't you do it already?" wondered Dru.
"Maybe he just hasn't turned cruel enough yet. Perhaps he just can't hack it as a vampire." Muttered Angelus spitefully.
"Is that what you think, then?" asked William angrily. He picked up a stick as he spoke and cracked it over his knee while giving them an evil glare. His little sister, hearing it, spun around giggling.
"I heard you, William!" she squealed happily. "I'm coming to get you!" As she ran toward him, he tossed the stick in the bushes a few feet away. She would've went right past him, but he snatched her up and put his hand over her mouth, effectively silencing her.
"We're going to play a new game now, Princess." He grinned wickedly.