Black Sunday

Part 2- Darkest Dreams and Fantasies

Chapter 14- All Hallows Eve

Although he hadn't been there in months, Spot's apartment was still the only place to be on a Friday night, especially on a night like this. Loud techno music made the floors tremble, and human, mage, and vampire alike mingled together to that wild and crazy beat. All the usual suspects were there, Dutchy, Specs, Kid Blink; even Crutchy had put in an appearance. It was Mischief Night, a big party night at Spot's place, whether or not he was there.

Les stood quietly in the corner, Aura at his side. The girl's green eyes darted this way and that, amazed at all the vampires. After a few months, Les deemed her worthy to walk among more of her kind. She never thought that there could be this many, and Les chuckled to himself. This barely scratched the surface.

Specs wished that his master were there, it was strange, being in his house without him. He pushed his glasses up his nose, he felt a little woozy, but that was expected. Dutchy stood next to him, wiping the blood off his chin.

Kid Blink seethed to himself, he always had to play host while Spot was off playing. He was sick of just being Spot's right hand man. It was enough, Kid Blink wanted more of a say in the politics going around, he didn't want to agree with every decision Spot made.

The door slammed open, an olive skinned boy stood in the doorway, his hair a bunch of black ringlets tumbling over his forehead. Close behind him was a freckled girl with light brown hair, she held herself in a graceful way, a product of bygone times. They both wore black suits, like they were part of the mafia. A few of the older vampires there knew that if you looked close enough, there was a silver cross on their lapel, not touching skin, of course. Only the oldest vampires would know what this meant.

A few people glanced at Blink, who was just as surprised as they were.

"We're looking for Spot Conlon," The freckle faced girl said, her Southern accent even managed to sound cold. "We were told that this was his place."

"You're at the right place," Blink said. "But I'm watching it for a while; Spot hasn't been around here for months."

The two vampires exchanged looks. The girl looked around, before her eyes rested on Dutchy. She gestured towards him, narrowing her ice blue eyes.

"Don't!" Crutchy cried. He knew what was going to happen, he could feel it.

Dutchy began to choke, what looked to be a sweat broke out on his forehead, the girl walked closer to him, her hand still held out. Her hand began to drip. A cold wind blew, and the temperature of the place started lowering.

"How can she do that?" Aura whispered to Crutchy. He shook his head in awe and horror.

"Mage before she was turned, they keep their powers you know." He appraised her work. "Water mage, she's drownin' him from the inside...I think. Lowerin' the temperature to make ice." Aura grimaced.
"It's taboo to make a mage a vampire, usually the vampire mage and its sire is killed...there's only one group of vampires that not only tolerate it...they think that these mage vampires are superior." Crutchy looked at the two vampires. "And I hope that this isn't them."

"Here's a message, courtesy of Black Sunday," the boy announced to the party as though he were a ring leader at a rather twisted circus.

"Oh God..." Crutchy whispered in horror. The vampires around him gave him a strange look. Crutchy had never looked so scared. He backed away as though he were afraid of catching some horrible disease the girl had.

"We're coming, all of us."

Specs ran forward, trying to get to Dutchy's side, and the boy turned on him, sending a piercing glare his way. Specs tripped, not over something, but a vine had burst from the floor, wrapping around his ankle.

"Water...earth..." The girl's hand stopped dripping, and what looked to be a perfect dagger of ice had formed in her hand. With a simple flick of her wrist, she threw the knife with deadly accuracy and speed, it hit Dutchy's chest with a thud, and went right through his heart.

"They're part of the Four..." Crutchy said. "They have to be!"

"You'll all be next if you don't submit to our demands." The girl watched as Dutchy fell to the ground, as lifeless as a rag doll. Those ice blue eyes scanned the room again, looking for someone.

"Jack Kelly, where is Jack Kelly?"

"Two of 'em, definitely from Black Sunday!"

"Crutchy, are you sure?"

"As sure as I can be!" Crutchy nervously twisted his hat in his hands. Jack kicked at the poor dead vampire, amazed that he hadn't crumbled to ash yet. Spot's place was completely empty, Kid Blink stood nervously outside the door. Spot would kill him if he ever found out. All the other vampires agreed that it would be a good idea to call the oldest among them, the one who knew the most about mages and things. Jack stared down at the corpse, feeling for all the world like some supernatural FBI agent. Gee was kneeling next to the fully dead Dutchy, she whistled in amazement.

"Frozen completely solid." Her voice sounded amazed. "If you didn't tell me they were vampires, I would say that this was the work of a water mage..."

"It is," Jack said.

"But-" He put a hand on her shoulder, quieting her. Cat leaned against the wall, amazed that she wasn't cold. Everyone in the room, including her, could see their breath, she just felt so warm, all the time. Racetrack pulled his jacket tighter around him.

"Black Sunday, eh? Sounds like some two-bit punk rock band tah me."

"Were you always this ignorant Race, or was this something you picked up over the years?" Jack sneered. "Black Sunday, a group of vampires that think they're superior to everyone else because they used to be mages."

"So? When their bodies die, their powers die with them, right?" Gee asked. "That's like vampires thinking they're better because they were once asthmatic."

Jack smiled and patted Gee's shoulder condescendingly. "And I thought you knew everything about vampires."

Gee raised her eyebrow. "I never said that, but I always thought that magic clings to life."

"It does, but isn't vampirism a sort of magic?"

"I guess."

"So if there is already magic in the person being turned, it just stays, trust me, it's possible." He turned back the Crutchy. "Tell me about the attackers."

"One was a plant mage, dark curly haired boy-"

"Bumlets, go on."

"And the other was the water mage-"

"Girl with long brown hair, freckles, light blue eyes?'

Crutchy looked up at Jack, startled.

"Yeah, how did ya know that?"

"Sickle..." He let his voice drift, the name still on his lips. Gee couldn't read the expression on his face.

"Were there any others with them? Another girl with curly blond hair?"

"No... they were alone."

"True...they wouldn't need to bring Emmeline, if she's still around. They wanted a fancy death, not something as cut and dry as fire."

"Jack, what's going on? Who are these people?"

"In Black Sunday, there's a group of people known as The Four, in ancient times, there were thought to be only four elements, Earth, Air, Fire, and Water, so Black Sunday picks four people to be sort of like...messenger body guards, four vampire mages with powers representing each element."

"So, are they like the leaders?" Cat asked. This subject seemed interesting.

"No, the leader is usually never seen."
"How do you know so much about them?" Gee asked.

"They were some people I used to know, okay?" He looked at Crutchy. "What did they say?"

"That this would happen if we didn't submit to their demands..."

"Worse will happen if we do," Jack said.

"The goil was lookin' around for ya," Crutchy added. Jack raised an eyebrow.

"Sickle was looking for me? Unlike her to actually seek me out."

"How do you know her?" Gee asked, she could feel a weird feeling of jealousy rise in her stomach.

"She was just this girl I used to know, that's all...we should get going, it's past your bedtime you two." He walked past the four of them without a second glance at Dutchy's dead body.

"I wonder how Jack knew this Sickle girl," Cat said, kicking a soda can idly down the street. Racetrack walked in silence, thoughtfully looking up at the stars.

"Beats me, I've nevah hoid-a dah goil in mah life." They rounded the corner, their footsteps keeping each other's beat. They didn't notice, but they kept the same pace.

"Things are going to get worse, I can feel it." Cat bit her lip and looked up at the stars as well. "It's hard to explain, but it feels as though we're all careening wildly towards some terrible conclusion. Maybe I'm just nuts..."

"Nah, jus' a little pessimistic." They were quite for a while.

"What a strange double date..."

"Double date!?"

"Oh come on Race, Jack and Gee are a couple, remember their little announcement?" About a month ago, Jack and Gee had announced that they were now boyfriend and girlfriend. Cat was shocked, but Racetrack could see it coming a mile away.

"Well, yeah, but you said double."

"Well..." She stopped, and Racetrack stopped next to her. "My father said that you were the one I choose.."

"Huh?"

"Oh! Heh, never mind, that came out wrong."

"Yeah..." He didn't like thinking about Cat's father. He could still remember his last night, the way his eyes flew open in horror as Racetrack drained his wrist. He had gone too far, way too far. Those same eyes looked at him right now, not filled with fear, but with something else. Those same eyes closed as Cat kissed him underneath the street light. Wasn't this what he wanted? His arms slipped around her pulling her closer. Yeah, this was what he wanted, ever since he saw her, dressed all in black at her father's funeral, ever since he saw the blood drip down her arms, standing over sink filled with broken glass and spilled alcohol. He wanted to see those eyes; those violet black eyes fill with love instead of fear or hate.

Hate. She said she had never wanted to see him again, and he couldn't blame her, he had killed her father after all, he had made her his blood slave. What had made her change her mind? He couldn't seem to think straight as she pushed him against the wall of a building, the light from the street lamp gone now, replaced by shadows. The only sound they could hear was the sound of her breath, growing faster and faster, he didn't need to breathe. Her skin felt like it was burning, and wasn't it? With the new powers she possessed, she always felt like she was running a fever. His hands slid underneath her shirt, rubbing circles on her back. He was lost in the feel of her, until a little voice spoke up in the back of his mind.

"This isn't real."

Huh?

"The way she's feeling, it's not real, remember Maddy's deal?"

He pushed her away, listening to her gasp for breath. He wanted her, no doubt about that. She looked at him, confused, slightly disappointed, she wanted him too, or did she?

"What's wrong?"

"I though you nevah wanted tah see me again!" He said. "What evah happened tah dat!?"

"I rethought things over..."

"No you didn't! Someone rethought for you! How could ah evah know...dat any-a dis was real."

She went over to his, slipping her arms around his neck, pressing her lips to his cheek.

"Can't you just feel it? This is what I want, I swear to you."

"Ah'll nevah know if what you're feelin' is real, and dat makes it fake..." He pushed her away. "Ah'm sorry. But dis can't happen." Disappointment flooded her eyes, making them shiny with almost-but-not-quite tears.

"I'm sorry you feel that way Racetrack."

Racetrack wasn't the only one who watched her walk away. Another stealthy pair of eyes watched her retreat with a self satisfied air.

"I wonder how Racetrack and Cat are doing right now," Gee mused, laying her head on Jack's chest. He gently stroked her shoulder, staring up at the stars.

"I bet they're fine," he replied. They were on a nice little knoll in Central Park, listening to the sound of the city, and watching the stars...as best they could in New York.

"Cat really likes him, more than I think she knows."

"Playing matchmaker?"

"Nah, just pointing out the obvious."

"I don't know, because of Spot, I don't think she'll ever be able to trust him again."

"We'll never know, right?"

"Right." They kissed under the stars as though it was the first time, and Gee half expected the music to swell like it did in cheap romance movies, she had found her happy ending.

But who was this Sickle person? And how did Jack know her? She broke the kiss.

"What's wrong?"

"Who's Sickle?"

"I told you, this girl I knew." Gee raised an eyebrow.

"Friend of the family?"

"No! She's..."

Gee kissed his temple softly. "Tell me, you know you can trust me."

Jack's hazel eyes looked into Gee's light blue. He brushed a dark blue strand out of her eye. She was so beautiful, how could he be so lucky? With an inward roll of his eyes, he banished such a mushy and sappy thought from his mind. She was trustworthy, but it wasn't a secret that he felt needed guarding.

"She's my sire."

"That's it? I thought it was something much more serious."

Relief flooded Jack's heart, if she knew what that meant; it was far more serious than she thought. Luckily, she would leave him alone.

"I'm glad I told you," he said. She snuggled closer in his arms, closing her eyes. She was crazy to fall asleep in Central Park, but with Jack there, she felt safe enough to do it.

The loud techno music and dank, dark surroundings reminded Kitai of the good parts of Hell. She slouched on the bar, nursing her fifth Jack Daniels and coke. She wasn't even partially drunk, one of the good parts of being a demon. It was Mischief Night so all the fun people were out, having a good time.

Maddy was in the middle of the dance floor, wearing the sluttiest outfit she could find in her closet, a short skirt and a tank top. She had given herself a makeover that morning, cutting her hair in short, uneven layers, straightening it, and dying it a cherry red color. She looked like a different person, and she was glad. The old, walk all over Maddy was gone, replaced by a tough as nails slut bitch Maddy who took nothing from no one.

"Oh Maddy! We didn't see you there..."

"Sorry to...d-d-disturb you g-g-g-guys..."

Seeing the two of them together made her sick. And all she could do was try and forget them, and this was how she did it.

Kitai watched her dance with a satisfied smile on her face. All going according to plan, poor Maddy's broken heart...it's easy for her to try to get with someone else.

"Is that her?" Spot asked, suddenly appearing at Kitai's side. She nodded.

"Yes, the red haired one with the triangle under her right eye." Spot gave her an appraising look.

"Pretty hot, so that was David's gift..." He gave Kitai's shoulder a friendly pat before he waded into the dance floor, making his way towards the dancing Earth mage. His arm slid around her waist, quickly matching her pace.

"Hey there, I'm Patrick, who are you?"

"Madeline," Maddy replied, looking him up and down. Wow, he was cute, there was some strange dark feeling about him, but Maddy liked that.

"Well Madeline, do you mind if I dance with you?"

"Go ahead, I'm always open."

You better be, Spot thought. Or else later on tonight will be no fun at all. He shot a glance over to Kitai, still leaning at the bar. With a snakelike grin curling her lips, she raised her drink to him. If she was stuck with these obnoxious teenagers, the least she could do was have a little fun. Maddy wanted Jack, Spot wanted Gee, it was a perfect partnership between them, Kitai couldn't do better herself.

And if it backfired and the girl's life was ruined? So what? It teaches that tart Gremory a lesson, Kitai had never liked her anyway.

Halloween, a wonderful holiday where spooks and ghouls came out to play, Sickle hated it. It was so improper, running around dressed like something you weren't, it wasn't practical. She dipped her pen into the inkwell again, writing in her graceful script. She was on page two of her letter, a little voice in the back of her head warned that she was dragging on too much, but she hadn't spoken to Jack Kelly in ages, and this seemed to be a good icebreaker.

A girl looking to be about seventeen sat in a chair next to the desk where Sickle was writing. Well, she wasn't exactly sitting per se, more as she was sitting upside down, her long blond curly hair swinging free over the seat of the chair. She was wearing a black harlequin mask, peering through the holes with laughing green eyes.

"Emmeline, do sit properly, that's most unbecoming of a lady."

"I want to go trick or treating tonight Lisbeth! We never had that in the old days!" She laughed gaily, with that touch of Southern warmth that Sickle was missing. "Where's Bumlets?"

"Around," Sickle replied. It was tough putting up with Emmeline's childish ways, but she was a valuable member of the team, at least that's what Sickle kept telling herself.

"I wonder if he'll go trick or treating with me..." She wiggled uncomfortably, suddenly loosing whatever balance she had and sent herself squealing to the floor. Sickle ignored her, continuing her letter.

"Where's Boots?" Emmeline spoke from her spot on the floor.

"Probably wherever Bumlets is." She laid her pen down for a moment, turning in her seat to look down at the laughing girl on the floor. "Why don't you go and find them?" Emmeline adjusted her mask, hugging her knees. She didn't notice, but she was rocking back and forth slightly.

"But I wanna stay here with you!" Her tone took on a wheedling edge, and Sickle squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block it out.

"Fine, you can do me a favor." She ignored Emmeline's childish cheers of joy and turned back to her letter, signing it with a flourish. She folded it, and then handed a small cylinder of wax to Emmeline. She held it in her hands for a moment, before handing it back quickly. Sickle dripped the now melted wax over the letter, before pressing her ring into the wax.

"You can deliver this to Jack Kelly." Emmeline's eyes grew wide.

"Jack! But how do I know where he is?"

"It's Halloween," Sickle told her, taking on that big sister quality she did when she wanted to manipulate the poor vampire. "Where do all the vampires go on Halloween?"

Emmeline stared up at Sickle blankly. She could see the gears turning in the poor girl's head, but she was coming to no conclusions. Sickle reached out and thwacked her hard.

"Spot's place! Now, do you know where that is?"

"You went there yesterday."

"Yes, I did, now hopefully, Jack'll be there. If he isn't...well, I'm sure you can ask nicely and people will tell you where he is." She held the letter out to Emmeline. "I'm sure you won't fail me."

With wild determination, she seized the letter and shoved it in her back pocket. "I can wear my costume!" She cried joyfully.

"Of course you can! Now go! It's evening, so I bet the party's just getting started!"

"Here we are, the only party you ever really want to be at this Halloween, vampire, mage, or wereanimal alike!"

"Jack, you're crazy, first of all, you're dragging Cat back to Spot's place, second of all, there was just an attack that killed a vampire yesterday, and third of all, you come up with the most ridiculous costume ideas ever."

Jack grinned, adjusting his hat for a more dynamic look. "If I remember well, you loved the idea of us going as Bonnie and Clyde." He put his arm around her shoulder. "Happy 1 month anniversary!" He kissed her cheek.

Cat rolled her eyes at the two of them. Have they really been seeing each other for a month? It seemed crazy. Gee had changed from the crazy vampire hating Giles-esque fact spewing psycho. Was she becoming more...normal? Cat didn't think that would ever happen. She ran her fingers through her hair, why the hell did she allow Gee to dye her hair dark purple? So what if it wasn't permanent? Wigs would have been just fine for her costume, which she had thrown together semi-last minute over the week, claiming to be "Atropos", the Fate from Greek mythology that cut the thread of the living. She was dressed in all purples and blacks, with a large pair of black and purple butterfly wings strapped to her back. Basically, the only thing that she could really say had anything to do with who she claimed to be was the black spool of thread she carried around and the large, scary looking scissors she kept tucked in her belt. Racetrack sulked behind, he never really liked Halloween, and the fact that the others had forced him to dress up didn't please him at all. He was dressed in a pinstripe suit with a long, droopy bowtie. If anyone asked, he was Jack Skellington.

Mush happily danced out of the massive crowd, not wearing any costume that Gee could see. He grinned broadly, showing off the plastic white vampire teeth in his mouth. Jack smiled and nodded in his direction. Gee was glad to see Mush up and about, sure it was about four months since the whole incident at David's, but the poor guy spent two of those months healing.

"Well, fancy meeting you all here," a voice with a familiar English accent snickered behind them. They didn't need to turn around, because Kitai appeared before them, dressed like a French maid.

"Funny, I thought she'd go as a nun," Gee murmured under her breath.

"Cheerio!" Kitai merrily chirped. "Happy All Hallows Eve to all!"

"Shouldn't you be out dancing under the full moon?" Jack asked her. Gee elbowed him in the ribs.

"No full moon tonight," she whispered to him.

"Oh yeah, right."

"Like I would miss a fancy dress party like this? Party of the century!"

"I'm sure," Cat broke in. "Have you seen Maddy around? She left so early yesterday morning, I haven't seen her since..."

Kitai gave a look around. "Oh, I do believe she's around here somewhere." With an enigmatic Mona Lisa smile, she disappeared.

"Demons," Kid Blink said from his spot at the mini-bar not too far away. "They act as though they own the place, only seen two of them in my lifetime, not counting our little female Hugh Grant." He walked over to Racetrack, a red plastic cup in his hand. Not surprisingly, he was dressed as a pirate, Racetrack felt badly for him, it probably wasn't his idea.

"You look awfully relaxed ta-day Blink," Racetrack noticed. "Spot leavin' yah in charge of such-a big party, usually you're off dah wall."

"Well, I would be," Kid Blink paused to sip from his cup. "If Spot had left me in charge." He gestured with his cup holding hand over to a group of people where a familiar figure dressed all in black talked animatedly. He had a red haired girl dressed all in white on his arm, a pair of white angel wings on her back. They were clearly going for the angel/devil couple theme; Cat could swear that she had never seen that girl in her life. She didn't really care at the moment; her eyes never left the dark cyan eyed vampire. Her palms ached, and it was only then that she realized that she had clenched her fists so tightly that her nails had dug bloody crescents into each palm.

"I have a feeling that bringing the Necromancer was a bad idea," Kid Blink remarked, taking note of her reaction. No one bothered to correct him.

"You have no idea," Gee breathed, watching the two of them carry on, obviously a couple.

"That girl looks familiar..." Jack said.

"The plot thickens a bit! I love this part!" Kitai had appeared out of nowhere, watching everything unfolding excitedly.

Spot tore his attention away from the girl for a moment, fixing his eyes directly on Cat. His lips curled in a sultry grin, as he coyly blew a kiss her way. Racetrack grabbed her shoulders just in time to stop her from leaping forward, intent on killing him. Tiny flames started crawling up her arms, burning little holes in her long sleeved black shirt, her palms healed. Racetrack quickly let her go, hissing in pain.

"Cat no!' Gee couldn't get to her to stop her in time, and the slightly flaming spirit mage pushed her way through the crowd.

"This is only gunna end badly!" Racetrack cried, trying to push his way after her. Gee followed close behind him. Jack just stayed behind, a vaguely interested look on his face. Kitai made her wings appear and leapt into the air, yelping as she hit the ceiling. Skimming the heads of the people below, she only knocked a few people over to get to a spot she preferred. She definitely wanted to see this. Cat ripped the pair of scissors from her belt and prepared to stab, when the red haired girl grabbed her wrist.

"This isn't your fight sweetheart, not get out of here before I-"

"Before you what, Cat?" The familiarity of the voice startled Cat, and her eyes settled on something on the girl's cheek, a black upside down triangle with a dot underneath...a demon's mark, she only knew one person with that mark...

"Maddy!?" The earth mage grinned nastily.

"Madeline, you know this girl?" Spot asked.

"I've seen her around," Maddy replied. "You know her?"

Spot moved towards Cat, his sleepy cyan eyes looking her up and down. She hugged herself, it made her feel so dirty...

"Intimately," he said, grinning.

"Cat! Wait!" Racetrack and Gee finally made it to Cat's side. Gee recognized Maddy first and gasped.

"Maddy!?" The girl ignored Gee, looking away. Spot looked at Gee like a wolf looked at prey, catching Kitai's eye, he grinned. Showing off her pointed teeth, Kitai returned the sentiment.

"Well, this is a touching reunion, don'tcha think so Race?" Spot said, looking Racetrack right in the eye. Racetrack bristled with rage, and Gee had to put a reassuring hand on his shoulder, in an attempt to calm him down. Cat's wrist was still in Maddy's grip, and the girl showed no signs of letting go.

"Maddy, what ah yah doin'?" Racetrack asked. Maddy smirked, allowing Spot to put a possessive arm around her waist.

"Whatever I want."

"This is bad," Gee mumbled to herself.

"I know," Kitai replied to her. "Isn't it great?" Gee shot her a glare.

"You're not helping anything."

"I'm not, am I?" Kitai said, a steely edge of rage seeping into her voice. "I actually think I am, just not on your side."

"How could you do this?" Cat asked Maddy, tears filling her eyes. "How could you be with...him?"

"Because I show her a good time," Spot said. Jack had finally come onto the scene, upon seeing that Gee couldn't handle it herself. He sprung forward and grabbed Cat before she could spring forward again.

"You're a monster!" She screamed at him. "A monster!'

"You should be talking, miss two notches in her belt." He leaned over and took her wrist, in defense, more flames began to dance up her arms. "Who did you have to kill to earn that neat little trick?"

Maddy let go of Cat's wrist, for the girl had gotten to hot to hold onto.

"Careful Cataluna!" Kitai called from her spot in the crowd. Everyone ignored her.

"Guys, let's not ruin the party, alright!?" Jack said, desperately trying to keep the peace. Kitai tried again.

"Sudden change in body temperature can hurt the baby Cataluna!"

Everyone took that moment to fall quiet. Cat stood there, completely surprised. The scissors clattered to the ground as she curled her arms around her abdomen, slightly bulging out, but not very noticeable. Her eyes filled with tears, she looked heartbroken.

Kitai stood there with a self-satisfied look on her face. Gee took a step towards her friend, putting her hand on Cat's shoulder.

"Cat, is this...true?" Cat jerked away.

"What are you, my mother!?" She snapped, but her voice cracked, and she broke down into tears. Racetrack opened his mouth to say something, but he couldn't find the words. Jack didn't look surprised. Maddy's eyes widened, and she stepped away from the girl, Spot took her hand.

Gee pulled her close, comforting her as she cried.

"I didn't want to tell you!" She said between sobs. "I didn't want you to know...I don't know what I'm doing."

"Do you know who dah fatha is?" Racetrack finally said. Cat looked at him, her eyes filled with want and love, feelings that Racetrack knew were false.

"I've only ever been with one person...raped by one person."

Once again the entire place filled with silence. Everyone's eyes turned to Spot. He looked as guilty as someone caught red handed. Maddy looked up at him in horror.

"Spot...? What did you...?" He didn't say anything, but he looked down at Cat's abdomen, warring emotions scarring his eyes.

Racetrack wanted more than anything to take Cat in his arms and comfort her, but what could he say? Heck, it was so rare for vampires to impregnate humans, he was amazed that it happened the first time. Vampires dead for longer than 300 years were unable to do it, but Spot was barely 100, so...it was possible.

"Hello?" The silence was broken by a small voice from the front door. Everyone turned as one and saw a small curly blond haired girl. She stood there, dressed as Marie Antoinette, minus the big wig. A few of the boys caught their breath, she was stunning. Clenched in her hand was a letter. She stood on her tiptoes, looking over the crowd. Her eyes rested on Jack and they widened.

"Jack!" Emmeline pushed her way through the crowd, coming to an excited stop right in front of him. She threw her arms around his neck and gave him a big hug, kissing him on the cheek. Gee raised an eyebrow.

"Hey...Emmeline, it's nice to see you again!" The girl giggled a little and clenched the letter tighter. Something caught her eye.

"Oh!" She rushed over to Cat, pushing Gee out of the way. She touched her arm, ignoring the tiny flames still burning there. Cat looked down at her hand, noticing the flames spread to the girl's hand; she pulled it away looking at the fire in her palm.

"You're like me!" She cried. The girl was cute, bubbly, ridiculously nice, and Cat couldn't wait to get the hell away from her. She drew the flames back into herself, would that really hurt the baby? It worried her. She had been pregnant for four month, one month she spent possessing these crazy fire powers that made her feel as though she had a fever all the time.

"Um...Emmeline sweetheart?" The girl whipped around to face Jack again, grinning like a fool.

"Yes Jack? I missed you so much Jack, me an' Bumlets an'-"

"What'cha got there?' He pointed to the letter she was clutching. She looked down at it as though she had just seen it for the first time, and then held it out to him.

"Lis- Sickle wrote this for you!" With a glance at Gee, Jack took it and stuck it in his suit jacket pocket.

"Thanks Emmeline."

The girl looked at all the faced, most of them stone cold, or shocked. She giggled.

"This isn't much of a party, Jack, I heard that this is the place to be on Halloween!" Jack looked back at Spot, who stood there, looking the most shocked of all.

"Well, it was."

Author's note: Wow, this was long, and ended rather...meh. I toyed with the idea of knocking Cat up and decided...sure, why the hell not? I heart Kitai, she's one of my oldest characters ever...but this is the first incarnation of her being British, weird huh? There's soooo much more to be revealed in Chapter 15! Woot!