Kitty Maxwell: Thank you so very much for taking the time to read this
story. It's my first so I can't tell you how much I appreciate it!
Here's chapter two. It took longer then I thought it would but it's finally up!
***********
Chapter Two: Bump in the Dark
Kiki pulled into her driveway with a sigh of relief. One of these days she was going to have a long talk with her Aunt Sally about the practicality of living out in the middle of nowhere. Not that she minded when it wasn't dark out, and she knew that she wasn't going to be the only one home for some time. But when those circumstances aligned, as they seemed to do quite often, she hated living so far away from the rest of humanity.
Kiki resolutely forced her mind to think of something else. After a couple of tries her mind finally settled on the Fall Festival. Not that that was very surprising. At this time of year around Rushing Meadows and surrounding areas, the Fall Festival was on every teenage mind. Schools from all over came to be apart of the festivities, and it was a matter of great pride that she, Kiki Masion, was the president of the Festival Committee this year, the committee that planned the whole thing.
With thoughts of all the things she could do with the festival running through her mind, it was no shock that the sound of the porch swing moving scared her as much as it did. Instantly all of her thoughts about the disadvantages of living this far away from anyone filled her head rapidly followed by new ones, the contribution of her overactive imagination.
As she turned toward the swing she couldn't help but remember the last horror movie she'd seen. The heroine, a young woman, had come home thinking she had finally defeated the evil witch. As she went toward the front door she had heard a noise. Slowly she turned to look.
Kiki looked over at the porch swing to see a dark shadowy shape stretched out across it. She took a deep breath, counted to ten, and when that didn't help screamed bloody murder. The shape sat up abruptly with a mild curse, obviously startled. Kiki began to inch backwards as quietly and slowly as you could under the circumstances; she had once read that in situations like this not to make any sudden movements. Of course, she could have also heard that on the Discovery channel.
The Girl in the movie had backed up slowly too, a nasty little voice whispered in the back of her mind. And we all know what happened to her, now don't we? She died. Very very painfully in fact. The shape turned toward her, and seemed to be studying her in some confusion. With that one look, Kiki found that she couldn't move another step. She was going to die and it was going to be all her own fault.
"Geez, Kiki," The shadowy form said as it stood up and moved into the light. "What does a person have to do to get some sleep around here?" Kiki blinked.
"Is that you Kat?"
"Of course it's me, you spaz." The threatening shape quickly evolved itself into a young girl of sixteen with blackish hair and dark brown eyes. Those eyes right now looked confused with a hint of contempt. "I forgot my house key again. This said you know I always doze off on the porch. What is your problem? I've never heard you scream like that in all the time we've lived together. As Shakespeare once said."
True
Kiki forced her muscles to relax as she absently tuned her sister out. Katherine Masion may be the leper of Julius High, but there was no reason to actually fear her. A mental picture of the guy who she had met flashed across her mind. Nervously she glanced around at the surrounding forest. A movement in the trees caught her attention.
"Hey Kat? Where's Darkmoon?" Kiki said interrupting her sister's quoting spree. Darkmoon was an over-sized wolf that was considered the family pet. He often wondered around in the forest during the night, Kiki reminded herself. There was no reason to jump to yet another conclusion. She was ashamed enough as it was reacting that way toward Kat.
"No clue." Kat said shrugging. "He ran off before I started to doze. He'll come in eventually." Kiki gave a sigh of relief. It had probably been Darkmoon. "Hey, are you ever going to open that door, or are we going to have to wait for Aunt Sally to come home?" The touch of annoyance running through her voice finally snapped Kiki out of her thoughts.
"Of course." Kiki pulled out her keys and after one or two false starts she managed to open the door. All she needed was a good night's sleep to restore her serenity. She would not allow the insanity of this day be repeated. She just couldn't.
* * *
Sapphire smiled as he watched his current target go into the old house that was apparently her home. This job was going to be so easy, and it paid so very well. His smile turned savage. Poor little vermin didn't know what was good for her.
One more day and he was confidant that he could bring her to heel. Then one little trip, and this job was over. Maybe he'd play with her a little before he turned her over. After all, his employer had never said that the vermin had to be in her right mind.
Briefly he wondered why his employer was actually paying so much for only one little human, but just as quickly as the thought had come it left. It was really none of his concern as long as he got paid.
"Good night, little vermin. I want you at your best for the next time we meet." He spoke in a normal voice never fearing for a second that he would be overheard. "I do want something of a challenge out of this." He turned around and started back through the forest to where he had parked his car.
Humans were such stupid creatures. He had even warned her that he was there. For a moment she had looked straight at him, but her poor pathetic mind would not allow her to believe for even a second that what she had sensed was real.
This was just going to be too easy.
Ring
Sapphire paused in mid-step. What the?!
Ring
No. He searched his pockets until his hands finally came in contact with his cell phone. It couldn't be! Only someone who had a death wish would call this number. He only kept the damn thing for when he needed to contact someone, not the other way around.
He snapped it open with a practiced gesture, and angrily turned it on.
"Who the heck it this?! And how in the nine hells did you get this number?!"
"Do not take that tone with me, little vampire." A smooth female voice answered on the other end. Sapphire felt the color drain from his face.
"Sorry, My Lady." He stuttered nervously. "I didn't know that you knew this number. I mean...I wasn't expecting you to call."
"I know everything, Sapphire, and you would do all to remember that. Now tell me what has happened." He heard the faintly the sound of someone laughing in the background on the other end of the phone. He shuttered. The things that entertained his employer and her friends were enough to scare him out of his mind. Especially since they were known for making people who had failed them suffer as much as possible for entertainment as well.
"I've made initial contact with the target. I see no reason to believe that there should be any resistance."
"Did you keep your thoughts clean when you were around her, did she ever make contact with any of your clothing?" The sharpness in her voice confused Sapphire. Why would she find something as silly as that important?
"I kept up the usual surface thoughts, and no she didn't make physical contact. I also made sure to confuse her mind enough that she wasn't suspicious."
"Good job." The voice purred seductively. "I knew you were the right person for this job. Just keep your thoughts to yourself, and avoid any active contact with her sisters. It's her I want, not them." The click of the phone being turned off informed Sapphire that the conversation was obviously over.
"I do know my job, bitch." Sapphire hissed in frustration slamming his fist into the truck of a nearby tree. Trying hard to regain his lost calm he put his cell phone back into his pocket. He didn't have to like his employers to work for them, which was one of the first rules that he had ever learned. As long as their money was good, personal preference had no place in a business deal.
That thought didn't help much.
Sapphire continued through the forest. He needed to get some sleep. Tomorrow was going to be a very long day.
* * *
A faint flash of gold was the only hint that he had been, and was still, laying among the bushes. The vampire hadn't thought for even a moment that anyone would overhear him, and he had been right to a point. But in his arrogance he hadn't thought of the wildlife that had made this forest their home.
He stood up and walked softly out into the open, his black fur gleaming gently in the moonlight. His mouth opened in silent laughter as he watched the vampire storm off through the trees. Superior race his paw.
He stopped laughing quickly though as the thought of the conversation he had overheard sobered him up. Who was his "target"? And what the heck was he going to do with them when he caught them?
He turned and trotted toward the Masion family's house. His eyes flashed once more as he watched the lights in the old house flicker out one at a time. When they were all out he turned and left.
Here's chapter two. It took longer then I thought it would but it's finally up!
***********
Chapter Two: Bump in the Dark
Kiki pulled into her driveway with a sigh of relief. One of these days she was going to have a long talk with her Aunt Sally about the practicality of living out in the middle of nowhere. Not that she minded when it wasn't dark out, and she knew that she wasn't going to be the only one home for some time. But when those circumstances aligned, as they seemed to do quite often, she hated living so far away from the rest of humanity.
Kiki resolutely forced her mind to think of something else. After a couple of tries her mind finally settled on the Fall Festival. Not that that was very surprising. At this time of year around Rushing Meadows and surrounding areas, the Fall Festival was on every teenage mind. Schools from all over came to be apart of the festivities, and it was a matter of great pride that she, Kiki Masion, was the president of the Festival Committee this year, the committee that planned the whole thing.
With thoughts of all the things she could do with the festival running through her mind, it was no shock that the sound of the porch swing moving scared her as much as it did. Instantly all of her thoughts about the disadvantages of living this far away from anyone filled her head rapidly followed by new ones, the contribution of her overactive imagination.
As she turned toward the swing she couldn't help but remember the last horror movie she'd seen. The heroine, a young woman, had come home thinking she had finally defeated the evil witch. As she went toward the front door she had heard a noise. Slowly she turned to look.
Kiki looked over at the porch swing to see a dark shadowy shape stretched out across it. She took a deep breath, counted to ten, and when that didn't help screamed bloody murder. The shape sat up abruptly with a mild curse, obviously startled. Kiki began to inch backwards as quietly and slowly as you could under the circumstances; she had once read that in situations like this not to make any sudden movements. Of course, she could have also heard that on the Discovery channel.
The Girl in the movie had backed up slowly too, a nasty little voice whispered in the back of her mind. And we all know what happened to her, now don't we? She died. Very very painfully in fact. The shape turned toward her, and seemed to be studying her in some confusion. With that one look, Kiki found that she couldn't move another step. She was going to die and it was going to be all her own fault.
"Geez, Kiki," The shadowy form said as it stood up and moved into the light. "What does a person have to do to get some sleep around here?" Kiki blinked.
"Is that you Kat?"
"Of course it's me, you spaz." The threatening shape quickly evolved itself into a young girl of sixteen with blackish hair and dark brown eyes. Those eyes right now looked confused with a hint of contempt. "I forgot my house key again. This said you know I always doze off on the porch. What is your problem? I've never heard you scream like that in all the time we've lived together. As Shakespeare once said."
True
Kiki forced her muscles to relax as she absently tuned her sister out. Katherine Masion may be the leper of Julius High, but there was no reason to actually fear her. A mental picture of the guy who she had met flashed across her mind. Nervously she glanced around at the surrounding forest. A movement in the trees caught her attention.
"Hey Kat? Where's Darkmoon?" Kiki said interrupting her sister's quoting spree. Darkmoon was an over-sized wolf that was considered the family pet. He often wondered around in the forest during the night, Kiki reminded herself. There was no reason to jump to yet another conclusion. She was ashamed enough as it was reacting that way toward Kat.
"No clue." Kat said shrugging. "He ran off before I started to doze. He'll come in eventually." Kiki gave a sigh of relief. It had probably been Darkmoon. "Hey, are you ever going to open that door, or are we going to have to wait for Aunt Sally to come home?" The touch of annoyance running through her voice finally snapped Kiki out of her thoughts.
"Of course." Kiki pulled out her keys and after one or two false starts she managed to open the door. All she needed was a good night's sleep to restore her serenity. She would not allow the insanity of this day be repeated. She just couldn't.
* * *
Sapphire smiled as he watched his current target go into the old house that was apparently her home. This job was going to be so easy, and it paid so very well. His smile turned savage. Poor little vermin didn't know what was good for her.
One more day and he was confidant that he could bring her to heel. Then one little trip, and this job was over. Maybe he'd play with her a little before he turned her over. After all, his employer had never said that the vermin had to be in her right mind.
Briefly he wondered why his employer was actually paying so much for only one little human, but just as quickly as the thought had come it left. It was really none of his concern as long as he got paid.
"Good night, little vermin. I want you at your best for the next time we meet." He spoke in a normal voice never fearing for a second that he would be overheard. "I do want something of a challenge out of this." He turned around and started back through the forest to where he had parked his car.
Humans were such stupid creatures. He had even warned her that he was there. For a moment she had looked straight at him, but her poor pathetic mind would not allow her to believe for even a second that what she had sensed was real.
This was just going to be too easy.
Ring
Sapphire paused in mid-step. What the?!
Ring
No. He searched his pockets until his hands finally came in contact with his cell phone. It couldn't be! Only someone who had a death wish would call this number. He only kept the damn thing for when he needed to contact someone, not the other way around.
He snapped it open with a practiced gesture, and angrily turned it on.
"Who the heck it this?! And how in the nine hells did you get this number?!"
"Do not take that tone with me, little vampire." A smooth female voice answered on the other end. Sapphire felt the color drain from his face.
"Sorry, My Lady." He stuttered nervously. "I didn't know that you knew this number. I mean...I wasn't expecting you to call."
"I know everything, Sapphire, and you would do all to remember that. Now tell me what has happened." He heard the faintly the sound of someone laughing in the background on the other end of the phone. He shuttered. The things that entertained his employer and her friends were enough to scare him out of his mind. Especially since they were known for making people who had failed them suffer as much as possible for entertainment as well.
"I've made initial contact with the target. I see no reason to believe that there should be any resistance."
"Did you keep your thoughts clean when you were around her, did she ever make contact with any of your clothing?" The sharpness in her voice confused Sapphire. Why would she find something as silly as that important?
"I kept up the usual surface thoughts, and no she didn't make physical contact. I also made sure to confuse her mind enough that she wasn't suspicious."
"Good job." The voice purred seductively. "I knew you were the right person for this job. Just keep your thoughts to yourself, and avoid any active contact with her sisters. It's her I want, not them." The click of the phone being turned off informed Sapphire that the conversation was obviously over.
"I do know my job, bitch." Sapphire hissed in frustration slamming his fist into the truck of a nearby tree. Trying hard to regain his lost calm he put his cell phone back into his pocket. He didn't have to like his employers to work for them, which was one of the first rules that he had ever learned. As long as their money was good, personal preference had no place in a business deal.
That thought didn't help much.
Sapphire continued through the forest. He needed to get some sleep. Tomorrow was going to be a very long day.
* * *
A faint flash of gold was the only hint that he had been, and was still, laying among the bushes. The vampire hadn't thought for even a moment that anyone would overhear him, and he had been right to a point. But in his arrogance he hadn't thought of the wildlife that had made this forest their home.
He stood up and walked softly out into the open, his black fur gleaming gently in the moonlight. His mouth opened in silent laughter as he watched the vampire storm off through the trees. Superior race his paw.
He stopped laughing quickly though as the thought of the conversation he had overheard sobered him up. Who was his "target"? And what the heck was he going to do with them when he caught them?
He turned and trotted toward the Masion family's house. His eyes flashed once more as he watched the lights in the old house flicker out one at a time. When they were all out he turned and left.