Six
"No. Not now." Misprint hissed, watching her friends face grow pale. "Shade. Not now. Don't do this to me." Shade didn't answer. Misprint leaned back and desperately tried to catch Jack's eye, but he was staring down at the paper, as though it was some sort of mystical puzzle he couldn't figure out. She raised her eyebrows, then, doing the only thing that seemed logical to her, raised her hand.
"Yes, Faith?" she asked. Misprint ignored the aggravating use of her old name.
"I think Shade's having another bout of that flu that struck her over the weekend." She said, loud enough for Jack to hear. Out of her peripheral vision, she could see him look up, and could hear his sharp intake of breath. "I'm going to escort her to the sick room."
"Is she having a seizure?" Mrs. Orrello asked , interested, , leaning towards them. Misprint wrapped an arm around Shade and was able to pry her fingers from the table. Luckily, this bout wasn't very strong.
"No. She's just real sick. We're leaving now." She said hastily. Then she stood Shade up, and the two of them stumbled out of the classroom. Misprint felt the panic rise inside of her like flames, and now, as she stood in the hall with Shade, who's fists were now locked up tightly, and raised to her chin, she really started to have immense misgivings. Misprint knew her friend was about to curl up into a seizure, for which she didn't know how to fight, only knew that the victims had to be held. She needed to get her to the sick room. But it was at the other end of the school.
Jack suddenly appeared beside her.
"What the hell are you doing here?" She asked incredulously. He hastily clapped a hand over her mouth.
"Shh..." Together, the three of them pushed Shade away from the open dorm. "Mrs. Orrello ain't hard to sneak away from. Had her back to the class. Luckily, no one ratted on me..."
"Jack, whadda we do?" Misprint asked desperately.
"Well, let's see how far we can get her before she collapses." he said. Misprint nodded, and felt like sobbing. They both glanced over at Shade, and saw her hug her arms against her and shiver.
"I'm so cold." she whispered. Jack and Misprint both placed their arms around her waist and shoulders, and guided her through the halls.
"Hey." Misprint said softly. "You know when Ms. Orrello was talking about Spot? You think it's the same guy?"
"I don't wanna talk about it." He said firmly. She smirked.
"Whassa matta? What is about Conlon that pisses you off so much?"
"Don't talk to me about Conlon!" He snapped. The strength in his voice made Shade winced, and shake harder.
"Man. He really did something to you, didn't he?" Misprint remarked softly. He turned and gave her the most intimidating glare he could muster, which stopped her dead in her tracks.
"I said don't talk to me about Conlon if you wanna stay in one piece." He snapped. "I've hit girls before, and it doesn't bother me." Misprint was about to reply with something acid, but Shade suddenly moaned in pain and clutched at her head.
"Shit!" He muttered. She was slowly stumbling harder, and he grabbed her shoulders, then sat her down and leaned her against the lockers. "Shade. Hold on."
"It's so warm." she replied vaguely.
"Don't worry. Just hold on." Shade wasn't exactly sure what he was saying. His face was sliding in and out of focus, and his words were as easy to understand as french country music through a static radio. It didn't seem like it was Jack staring at her any more, but a huge looming figure. But it had Nuke. The small red package, and it was twisting off the top. Her heart started beating faster. She wanted the Nuke so badly...but she couldn't. A firmer voice in her head was stopping her. So when it leaned in towards her neck, she pushed it's hands off her shoulders.
"Don't." She said softly. Jack let his hands drop to the ground for three seconds, before putting them on her shoulders again. "Don't!" she said louder, more forcefully. Jack turned around to Misprint.
"A little help here?" He said. She glanced at him blankly, then her gaze returned to Shade. Suddenly, she turned and started walking away. "Misprint?" Jack called. He felt his stomach clench. "Misprint, where are you going?"
"I can't stand to see her like this." she replied over her shoulder. But it didn't sound like Misprint, it sounded like someone was using her voice, speaking through her.
"Misprint, get back here!" He yelled. Shade pressed two hands to the sides of her head, covering her ears.
"Don't do it! Please....don't..." She said, tears forming. "I can't. I shouldn't." Jack glanced at her, before looking up at Misprint. She was walking away, determined. He couldn't go after her, he realised this as he looked back at Shade, who was shaking so hard the locker behind her was rattling. Resigned, he pulled her away and encircled her in his arms, and the both of them watched the spiky haired Misprint walk right passed Mrs. Orrello's classroom.
Misprint walked out into the grey morning, complete with the slight sprinklings of rain and the traffic noises, it was a perfect set up for some kind of horror-filled morning. But Misprint didn't see the bits of sunlight struggling through the clouds, or the icy filtered light. She saw her vision.
"Comon." Spot beckoned to her. He stood in the middle of the cold sidewalks, the rain making his hair damp, and messy. "C'mere Misprint." she shook her head and started backing away. His eyes flashed menacingly.
Misprint blindly took a right and walked out onto the sidewalk, then across the road, her mind filled with images.
"You bit me." She accused, pointing a finger at him. He smirked, his cool eyes losing their caveat, their threat. He seemed almost wronged for a moment.
"But you liked it." He said. Misprint nodded.
Misprint took another turn and walked, the rain soaking through the shoulders of her blouse. She wasn't entirely sure where she was going, but knew that it was the right place, where she would find him.
"So comon. What's wrong with getting a little more?"
"That's doity." she said, not even cracking a smile. Spot leered.
"When you think about it."
"Maybe I think too much." She said softly, staring at the ground.
"Misprint!" A voice called. Misprint turned around to see Dutchy running towards her. But it didn't register. All that registered was the fact that she was almost there...almost...
Dutchy grabbed her wrist and pulled it extremely hard, jarring her backwards.
"Leggo." she mumbled.
"No." He snapped. He grabbed her shoulders and started pushing her back towards the school, despite her struggles. He almost dropped her as she spun around and swung a fist at him, but his slayer instincts made him reach out and catch her fist, and twist her arm behind her back, sending shoots of pain into her shoulder. But it wasn't easy. She fought with amazing strength, like that of a vampire, he realised eerily. Visions.
"Listen." he hissed furiously in her ear. "You are going back to the school and back to the dorm. And if you keep trying to get out, I'm going to lock you in."
"Won't keep me inside." She hissed back.
"Comon." Spot was closer now, his eyes as captivating as nets, or lines, pulling her in. She hesitantly took two steps towards him. "No need ta be afraid."
"You bit me."
"It won't be anythin' like last time. I promise."
"I don't think I trust you."
"Well it ain't about trust now, is it?"
Misprint snatched her arm away, swung around, and kicked the boys shin. The pain ricocheted up his leg. Before he could react, she swung at him again, punching him in the gut. The heavens opened up and let loose a veritable waterfall of rain fell relentlessly on the both of them. Misprint closed her eyes and panted, not knowing what she was doing. Dutchy straightened, his hands on his stomach and stared at the drenched girl. Then he growled and punched her across the face. She hardly hesitated, but attacked him again, leaving a long scar down his temple. The rest of the blows were just a blur for the both of them, trying desperately to knock sense into one another. Misprint yelled and kicked at his stomach, whirled around, and punched his jaw at the same time. Just as she was about to give him another scar with her nails, he grabbed her wrist, then the other, and swung her against a wall, mercilessly. Her head cracked against the brick, and she squeezed her eyes shut, and then opened them. Dutchy held his breath. They were no longer icy blue, but vibrant. Misprint again. She looked at her wrists, tight in his grasp, and groaned as she realised why her head was pounding. Dutchy sighed, then pulled her close to him in a hug.
"Whyd'ya do it, Dutchy?" She said, sounding like she was on the verge of tears. But even though he had only known her for two days, he already knew she never cried. She gulped, then continued, her voice not as cracked. "Why'dya do it? I was almost there." Dutchy said nothing.
+
Jack glanced up and down the halls. He couldn't be found holding Shade, with her moaning "Don't. Don't, I can't." He tried standing her up on her feet, but her legs were unstable, and wouldn't support her weight. He stared in bewilderment. Trust Misprint to leave him in a situation like that.
"Jack!" a voice said. In trepidation, he turned around and saw Dutchy. He was jogging towards him "Was that Misprint that just left?"
"Yeah. What are you doing out of class?" He asked, trying to get Shade to support herself.
"Saw her walk by. She looks real different Jack, her eyes..." He gulped and tried not to show how much the sight of the cold, indifferent irises he had only caught a brief glimpse of disturbed him. "I figured you must have been busy with Shade to let her leave like that." Jack was gratified. He was lucky to be working with Chaos, Dutchy, and Bumlets. They were so observant it was almost uncanny.
"Just bring her back. I don't know what she's doing." He admitted. "But it sure doesn't look good."
"Alright. I'd better hurry. I told the teacher I was going to my locker." He turned around and jogged towards the end of the hall, wrenched the door open, and sprinted out into the rain.
Jack turned back to Shade, who was shaking so hard, she was almost hitting him. He finally looped his arm under both of hers, behind her back, and supported her down the hall. Her legs started working minimally, so it didn't look like he was dragging along a corpse.
He managed to get her back up to the dorm room, then pushed her down onto his bed. He glanced at the clock. He couldn't afford to be too long.
"This'll just make it more interesting." Shade opened her eyes blearily. The figure...again...the nuke was still poised over her neck. It was so tempting, so wonderful looking...she wanted it so badly. She was about to grab it, but suddenly heard Jack's voice.
"Shade? Are you alright?"
"I'm fine Jack...Just get the nuke away..."
"Der ain't any." He whispered.
"It's right there!" she said, louder this time. "Right in front of me!" She opened her eyes, and at the sight of Jack leaning over her, opened her mouth to scream. Jack clamped a hand over her lips
"Shh...Calm down, jus' calm down."
"Don't let 'im get me!" She pleaded through his fingers.
"No. Course not." He whispered.
Hours seemed pass while she stared blankly ahead. Jack shifted uncomfortably. Her seizures yesterday had been violent and loud, but this was eerie, the way she stared completely ahead, not even blinking. He found his thoughts wondering from the girl clenched in his arms to Dutchy and Misprint. It seemed as though the world had closed in on the four people in the last half hour, going from a regular socials class to him clutching a girl having a seizure, and Dutchy chasing down a delusional Misprint in the pouring rain.
And it was all because of Spot. Jack hugged her closer, instinctively, as Spot's leering face appeared in his memory. He and Spot still had a lot to settle between the both of them. A hell of a lot.
+
Stephen was jumpy. It was understandable, being back in New York, where it happened so long ago. And being in the same place that you were sure he still was...every time a pair of light eyes met his, he recoiled inside himself. Every time someone tossed their dark hair, he jumped a mile.
He didn't know why he had made the decision to move back. Life in Washington had been fine. Maybe it was the magical way New York had that pulled at you, tugged at your heart, no matter what had happened.
He went to his classes. He finished his assignments. He handed in his homework on time. But his mind wasn't on anything he did. It was on those eyes...those eyes that had peered at him so intensely, and the smirk. The smirk that he would never, ever forget, even though he was slowly beginning to lose the other details that he thought he'd hold onto forever.
He was on his way to PE when he first saw her, and he could feel it almost immediately. The bond between them that was so connected it was almost impossible. He stared at her, absolutely frozen, and watched the blue eyes. She even looked like Spot. The dark hair and light eyes that were so steady, the tiny remnants of a smirk, even though she had a bruise on the side of her face and her friend had a few scars. She was soaking wet, same as the boy beside her. Suddenly, her eyes met his, and he iced over, as it burned between them. In one look, they both knew. And they both had each others sympathies.
Then the regular rush of the crowd pushed him along, and he lost sight of her.
+
Shade felt like screaming as she lay there, panting, staring up at the ceiling. She could feel the nuke pumping away in her blood and desperately wanted more. Jack had left. He had taken her to his room and left. She was alone in his dorm. She was glad. If he was here, and she told him, he would only, once again, remind her of her will power and how she was fighting this.
The most disturbing thing was that Nuke was in easy reach. It wouldn't take much to find some pusher in a back alley and get what she needed…the idea was plausible. Tempted, she slowly pushed the windows open. Jack wouldn't know…he wouldn't guess…she could already feel the needle at her throat…
"Shade!" A new voice barked. She jerked her head up and it banged against the window sill. A numbing pain shot through her, and she realised she had one leg hanging over the rain-drenched ledge. How had that happened? She felt two hands grab her and heave her back in. She was dizzy with the agony in her brain, so dizzy it took her a moment to realise Dutchy was laying her down on the bed. Little drops of water fell from his hair onto her forehead.
"What the hell were you doing?" He snapped at her, his eyes as angry as snake eyes. She shrugged. "Shade, snap outta it!"
"Where did Jack go?" She asked in a blank voice. Dutchy sighed and, for his and her sake, tried to control his temper. Jack had told him his plans before hand, as soon as socials was over, he was going to cut class and spend time with Amy.
He was greatly opposed to this idea. For one, Jack was crumbling. Before, he was the stickler for rules, he was the one yelling at Chaos for constantly breaking them, training Bumlets, being in total control. Now he was breaking down! They were supposed to remain inconspicuous. Dating was not a good idea. He knew how much girls liked to gossip…especially Amy typed girls…and sighed as he realised how quickly Jack's identity would be spread around the school. It was his problem, though. If he wanted to be Mrs. Perfects boyfriend…well, Dutchy couldn't exactly blame him for being human.
He was about to tell this to Shade, but was suddenly startled by a glint in her eye. And in that tiny fleck of a moment, it was all revealed. She had it for Jack. Man, she really had it for Jack. He sighed and brushed her hair away from her face.
"He had business to attend to." He lied, then glanced up at Misprint. Shade followed his gaze, and saw the drenched girl staring blankly ahead of her. "Get a towel." He instructed her. Misprint blinked, glanced at him, then slowly made her way to the bathroom, and obediently wrapped a white towel around her frail shoulders. Her haunted, vacant eyes were still as eerie as when she first walked in. Shade squinted and made out blotches of bruises around Misprints forehead and eyes. Dutchy had a small, bleeding scar on his forehead.
"What happened to you two?" She found her thoughts contrasting horribly.
"Don't worry about it." He told her firmly, sponging a cool cloth onto her forehead. She groaned. How many times had they tried to wipe her forehead? It didn't help.
Misprint was staring into her own, reflected eyes, and wondered what was going on behind them. She, herself, wasn't exactly sure. She thought back to the conversation that she and Shade had carried a long time ago, talking about how people didn't use 90% of their brain, only 10%. And how great it would be to tap into the rest of it. Was that what it was? Some psycho unknown region of her brain attacking her? Then why did it keep showing her Spot?
She sighed and felt like collapsing. The visions always left her drained. But she knew she was in deep shit anyways. She shouldn't have lied about the things she was seeing. She didn't feel so bad about lying to Jack, he wasn't high on her list of great people. But she felt bad about lying to Dutchy, who was so constantly amused by how screwed things could turn out. She felt bad about lying to Chaos, who, all in all, was still just a child with a stake and a menacing stance. And she felt bad about lying to Bumlets, who was the quiet, naïve newbie that everyone seemed to feel affection for.
And now what? How could she stop the visions? There really was no way, short of finding him and…well, what was she supposed to do then? Ask him to stop? Not likely. She didn't know what he wanted, but was guessing it was something along the lines of her head on a stick simply for his amusement. Shade was rambling on to Dutchy in the next room, and she shut her ears. She stared harder at the blue of her eyes and tried desperately to see past the surface. Then she suddenly squeezed them tight, afraid to delve too deep and find there was nothing there at all.
Shade felt dizzy and pressed a hand to her head. The temperature was slowly fading back to normal, and she knew the worst of it was over. Jack had been lying when he said it was probably going to be three or four days. A month was more like it. She couldn't handle it! Whatever he told her seemed to be a lie. She wasn't strong enough, she didn't have the will. Nuke was the most addictive substance on the planet, and Jack was telling her, a scrawny sixteen year old, she had the will power to overcome its strength.
When Dutchy moved away to grab a towel for his own sopping hair, she felt incredibly lost.
+
"Hey Amy." Jack whispered. She turned around, and smiled prissily when she saw him.
"Hiya Jack." She replied, twirling a lock of brown hair around her finger. It was good he was here, even though he was rather late. She had something to discuss with him. Figuring there was no point beating around the bush, she took his hand and the both of them walked out of the back hallway.
"Who was that girl you were with this morning?" She asked suspiciously, as they cut through another hallway and out the side door, where they leant against the wall under an awning. The rain was falling down in sheets, broken by the small ledge above their heads, keeping them warm and dry and safe from the wet fury. Jack swallowed nervously.
"My friend." He said, trying to ignore the sudden lurch in his stomach. "She's real sick."
"You said you'd have breakfast with me yesterday." She pouted. He smiled and wrapped an arm around her.
"You're real cute, you know that?"
"Jack, be serious." She rolled her eyes. "You keep saying you're going to have lunch with us and you never do! When are you finally going to come over to our table and meet my friends?"
Jack had never wanted to do anything less in his entire life. Amy was already a handful, so her bubbly friends were an entirely different matter. Jack sighed. He hadn't wanted a relationship, just a girl. There was a subtle difference. But Amy seemed to want the whole deal. He sighed and stared into her blue eyes.
"I will, Amy. I promise. You know that I'm crazy about you."
"Really?" She asked sweetly. He felt like rolling his eyes.
"Really." Before she could actually say anything else, he leaned over and kissed her, grimacing at the waxy taste of her Cosmic Cherry lip gloss. He had understood Dutchy's aversion to this whole relationship. Amy wasn't exactly the best conversationalist, and had a hard time thinking about other things than clothes, and shoes, which Jack found strange, considering they were at a Catholic Boarding school, and there was no chance they'd get to wear casual clothes in class anyways. And he knew that slayers weren't supposed to date. But he had been slaying for ten years, without even glancing at girls. He figured he was allowed a little slack.
He felt slightly guilty for leaving Shade alone in the dorm room, but his impatience had finally frizzled. He couldn't afford to draw unnecessary attention to himself, and Shade was giving him trouble with that. Her seizures weren't over, not by a long shot. And he had been taking care of her, holding her, putting up with all the ranting and shaking for three or four days. He figured she was okay on her own for a few minutes, before it was lunch and Dutchy went up to his dorm to figure out what the hell was going on anyways. It wasn't like she was going to climb out a window or something.
Amy twirled a lock of his dirty blonde hair idly. She felt some of the jealousy at Shade ebb away, but still couldn't let go of the image of his arm around her as he helped her up. He said she was just a friend, but she knew the boy probably wasn't above lying. He seemed to be hiding something from her. She pondered, wondering if this had enough merit to warrant a talk session with her girlfriends. Almost anything did.
The two of them linked hands, and he made her squeal in irritation as he pulled her out into the rain. It would ruin her makeup.
+
Shade stopped going to classes. No one really missed her, she and Misprint had been skipping so much in the past ten years there, they were all waiting for it to start up again. The only strange thing was Misprint was still attending classes, but was much less attentive than she usually was. The teachers couldn't care less. They were so caught up in the school of a thousand and fifty kids, who had time for two odd ones? Misprint kept getting the visions during the night time, but fortunately didn't feel they were strong enough to actually get out of bed and try and leave the dorm. She always woke up Shade with her groans, who was forced to stare at her friend in anxiety, thrashing around in her bed, eyes clamped shut, until she fell asleep again.
Jack had gotten a bawling out from Dutchy, who had informed him that Shade had tried to climb out the window and probably find more Nuke while he was out, prancing around with his new girlfriend. Jack had smirked at the irony, and then found Dutchy bawling him out some more for not taking this seriously. He was letting his standards drop, he found. But he didn't really care.
"Ten years." He had snapped. "I've been slaying for ten years, Dutchy. I deserve some slack. And I'm cutting me some." With that, he had turned and stalked away.
Two weeks passed, Shade slipping in and out of oblivion, and Misprint putting on her charade. Her thoughts were always constantly occupied by the blue eyed vampire that had done this to her. She knew Shade thought of him too, but not in longing. In anger. She knew her friend was absolutely furious at him for putting her through this, and Misprint couldn't blame her. When Shade wasn't watching her have the night mares, she was watching Shade shiver and clamp her hands into fists, her body rebelling horribly against her. What was this stuff, so powerful it could make normal people suddenly go psycho?
Misprint was walking back from PE when she saw the bright orange notice clamped to the bulletin board. Her interest was caught, and she elbowed through the group, talking excitedly, that was surrounding it. A cute, smiling pumpkin border framed the words:
OCTOBER 30th, HALLOWEEN DANCE
Usually, a Catholic Boarding school wasn't so quick to have a Halloween dance, but the teachers were perceptive enough to know that the children would rebel if they didn't have some outlet of energy. So the Halloween dance was organised every year, grades eight and up. No need to involve the elementary school kids. They can be corrupted later.
Knowing Shade would like it, she read a bit farther. The letters were in bold. Music. Well, I should hope so, she thought cynically. Drinks. Probably not the kind Shade and I are after. Fun. Great. Go to the Halloween dance, held in the gym, October 30th. Music provided by Anthony Higgins.
Devils night, Misprint thought eerily, thinking back to the movie she and Shade had sneaked out to see once. The Crow. She remembered the image of the city burning, thanks to the arsonists and criminals that had run wild on that very night. Storing the information back in her head, she figured it might be a good excuse for fun, even though it was a high school dance. She and Shade could dress up as gothic as possible, freak out some of the less creative girls and boys. They could dance, drink, sing, probably get suspended for consorting with the devil. Excellent.
She turned and was surprised when she found herself face to face with the blonde boy from that day Dutchy had been forced to beat her up in order to save her. The boy with whom she had shared a connection. She had found his name out long ago, it was Stephen Carter. She had questioned Mr. Kloppman, even though the girls, strictly speaking, weren't allowed to set foot in the boys building.
Once again, she felt the eerie wavelength between them, as though he was reading her mind. She wouldn't be surprised if he wasn't. The telltale, lost look in his eyes matched hers when she had come back that day from the visions. She couldn't stand here like an idiot. She had to talk.
"Uh…" She stalled, trying a small smile. He didn't smile back.
"You going?" He asked, motioning to the sign. She glanced behind her, as though she had already forgotten what it was about. She felt like a moron.
"Yeah. I figure my friend and I might be up for it." She said, raising her eyebrows. "How about you?"
"I ain't going. I don't think you should." He said coolly, his eyes trained on hers. She swallowed.
"Why not?"
"It'll be dark."
Misprint couldn't reply, her mouth felt like it was full of cotton wool. She cleared her throat.
"Pardon?"
"It'll be dark. And he might be there."
"Who?" She asked, already knowing the answer.
"You know."
"I do." They nodded at each other. He knew. She knew. She wasn't able to explain how she perceived all this, it was as though the thoughts had been inserted painlessly into her mind. She breathed in to say something, but he pushed past her, past the rest of the crowd, and went down the hall before she even figured out what she was going to say to him.
Shade was sitting on the bed when Misprint burst dramatically through the door, and tried to be cheerful, for Shade's sake.
"Heya baby." She smirked, sidling over, and raising her eyebrows in imitation of some kind of lady killer. "What's a pretty girl like you doing in a place like this?"
"It's my place." Shade replied, hardly keeping the grin off her face.
"Tell me." Misprint said, sliding next to her and putting her arm around her shoulders. "You doing anything Devil's Night?"
"What is this? Some kinda new club?" Shade asked. Misprint collapsed back on the bed, and grimaced when her head hit a bowl of chips that Shade had been eating.
"Nah." She replied, picking bits of corn chips out of her gelled hair. She swung her rainbow-sock clad legs. She had been reprimanded five times that day and was feeling rather proud. "School dance."
"A school dance?" Shade asked sceptically.
"A school dance."
"That's pathetic." She laughed, before standing up and rooting through a pile of laundry.
"No it ain't! It'll be fun! Maybe not in the night club kind of way, but...." She tilted her head to one side. "Tell me you don't wanna go there and scare off some of the preps. Like Amy."
Shade scowled. Any time anyone mentioned the girls name, she was hit with the memory of seeing her and Jack in the hall, hand in hand. It was painful to think about, which was wretched, she had to admit. Why was this one guy getting her so worked up? She didn't have time for him, and didn't care to make any. She had told herself, repeatedly, to forget about him, but it was hard. Ever since the two of them had gotten involved with the slayers, it seemed like they were stuck there for good.
"Keep talking…" Shade urged her.
"You know. Raise a li'l hell." Misprint rolled her eyes. "And besides. Halloween costumes are fun."
"A'right, fine. But if it sucks as much as a va…" she was about to say Vampire, but from the look on Misprint's face, quickly changed her tactics. "Vacuum cleaner does, then I'm holdin' you responsible."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Misprint rolled her eyes. "Your jus' grumpy. It's the withdrawal."
"I'll have you know that the seizures aren't as bad as they used to be. S'matter of fact, they've nearly stopped all together." Shade said stiffly.
"That's good."
"Tell me about it." Before Misprint could reply, the door burst open, and before them stood none other than Anthony.
"Well, well, well. If it ain't the resident DJ. What's up, dawg?" Misprint smirked.
"Hey! I'm providing the music. Don't mock me." He snapped, grabbing the nearest article of clothing and tossing it at her.
"Whatever you say, homeboy." Misprint replied offhandedly. Shade smiled weakly. Seeing her best friends often cheered her up.
"What are you doing here, Race?" She asked. "This was the girls dorm, last time I checked.."
"But don't you enjoy a visit from me once in a while?" He said, pouting as he collapsed on the nearest bean bag chair that the two of them had stolen from the Rec Room.
"Only if you come bearing sexual favours." Misprint said perkily. Shade laughed, then turned to their visitor, who was looking slightly uncomfortable at this outburst.
"Resident DJ?" She repeated.
"Sure. I'm the only one in this god forsaken school that can use the turn tables." He smirked.
"Promise me you won't do techno." Misprint interjected. Racetrack nodded absently.
"I see it as a lucky break." He replied. "I won't have to be up there dancing like a fool. Like Mush and Blink." He added. Misprint grinned. Mush and Blink had been his previous roommates for the past three years or so, until Dutchy had arrived, and they had agreed that they could spend a year apart. Misprint and Shade were never the best of friends with the two, but it was nice to nod at them in the halls, or call greetings to them over lunch times.
Shade looked mildly interested. "They got dates?"
Racetrack nodded. "Yeah. Girl called Mondie got her paws on Mush, and Gemini Kelly managed to get Blink to ask her out."
"God, they're best friends too." Misprint rolled her eyes. "The only way that this could get any cuter is if they were twins."
There was a slight pause after she said this. Shade sighed, and assumed a pathetically pouting face.
"Doesn't it suck to be single?" She asked rhetorically. Racetrack chortled, but Misprint raised her eyebrows.
"What?" She asked. Shade rolled her eyes.
"That's right. I forgot. You're Ms. Perpetually Virginal…although I dare say you and Race would make a…"
Misprint grabbed a pillow from beside her and tackled Shade, shoving the article up against her face to quell the flow of words. In the teasing banter that followed, she completely forgot to tell Shade about Stephens warning.
+
Rosie took the blow to her jaw, spun around and slammed her fist into Hornet's gut. He shook it off immediately, and did a roundhouse kick, knocking her efficiently in the temple. She fell back, rolled up, and was immediately in fighting stance again. She smiled, showing her fangs, which elongated in the intensity of the moment. Maybe this war wasn't too bar, it gave them the chance to sharpen their talents on someone who could actually fight, and not just scream and thump their fists harmlessly against them. She rolled her eyes. Humans were so weak. Both vampires circled each other warily, their unnatural strength truly amazing to watch.
Hornet lunged forwards, grabbed Rosie's shoulders, and threw her against a small stone wall, which crumbled underneath her. Then he leapt on her, flipped the stake out of his pocket, and swung it downwards. Her soft, brown, doe eyes widened. Then she curled her legs against her chest, placed her feet in the middle of his stomach and pushed as hard as she could.
She kicked herself to a standing position in time to watch him fly backwards and smash against a brick wall. With a grin, she dove towards him, and before he could even straighten, kneed him in the crotch.
He let out a groan of pain, and he weakened slightly, giving her the chance. She grabbed his collar, twisted it, and hoisted him off his feet.
"You know. Any guys…" She threw him to the ground and stepped overtop of him, then pulled out her own stake. She paused in pretence thought. "Vampire or mortal…" She sat down, straddling his stomach, pinning his hands with her knees, and pressing the stake against his chest, point down. "They all got one weak spot."
He opened his mouth to growl at her, but she leaned on the stake, driving it through his chest, and smiling as he exploded into dust.
"One down." She whispered, brushing the ashes from her red leather pants. She picked up the stake and stared at it strangely, a little dazed. She had never actually killed one of her own kind before. It was strange, yet weirdly exciting. And she didn't have to worry about anyone finding the body. With a satisfied smirk, she twirled the stake in her fingers, then jammed it into her belt. She could get used to this.
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'Allo, again, readers. Just a quick note: For some reason, fanfiction.net was taking out the paragraph breaks, making the whole thing just one big segment. I went through (all twenty five chapters. -_-) and put in little "+" signs so there would be no more confusion. And you have my apologies for any befuzzlement that may have been caused before hand. Happy reading!