Part 22
Now what?" Sincerity was annoyed. Some jerk had been following her. Yet again a car was pacing her as she walked. This time it was a white sedan with darkened windows so she couldn't see who was inside. She had decided this tie she didn't want to know who the driver was, and was not going to speak to them. The last time she had done something foolish like that she had wound up becoming a werewolf.
"So where were you? What happened?" Kitty was beside her, the two girls were on their way to Sincerity's house.
Sincerity had left the Black Iris some time ago, deciding she needed to take care of some damage control. While Ginger and her Daybreak friends may be able to fool teachers and her parents, Sincerity knew her own friends would not be so easily fooled. They, like Kitty, were full of questions.
"I told you already, I hooked up with this guy and we went to his place for a few days in the city," Sincerity said, smiling smugly at her cover story.
The only one who could contradict her was Meegan, and she knew her sister wouldn't do that, wouldn't take the risk of exposing her own secret. Marlon had been oddly absent since the whole werewolf incident, and Sincerity got the impression he was gone for good now.
"What guy? Are you going to see him again?"
Sincerity shrugged. "I don't know, I gave him my number and he promised he would contact me in a few days." She pushed open the front door to her house, glancing back as Kitty bounded inside before her.
The white sedan was still there, still driving slowly, blocking the driveway. Kitty paused, following Sincerity's gaze, looking from her to the car. "Someone you know?"
Sincerity shook her head. "I don't think so. Come on." She took her friend's arm and tugged her into the house, closing the door firmly behind her. Passing through the mansion on their way to the kitchen Sincerity heard noises in one of the living rooms.
"Hey, check that out. Since when were Meegan and the new guy a couple?"
Sincerity turned to see where Kitty was pointing. Sure enough, sat on the couch were Meegan and Sam Barlow, who Sincerity recognised as one of the Daybreakers. Meegan was wearing the most hideous lime green jump suit, and sat close to Sam, his arm was around her shoulders.
The Daybreakers were the good guys, and Meegan was supposed to be one of the bad guys. It made no sense.
"I never understand what she does anymore," she sighed.
Kitty didn't wait with Sincerity while she made a sandwich. Kitty bounded into the living room and began to bombard Meegan and Sam with questions. Sincerity smiled, and found herself thinking of the white sedan outside her house. Was it still there? Curiosity had almost gotten her killed before.
Now though - she was stronger, more powerful. She could handle anything the world throw at her with her new Night World powers. "I have to just go check something," Sincerity called to Kitty. "I'll be with you in a sec."
She hurried back through the house and out the front door. The car was still there, still blocking the driveway. She walked over to it and tapped on the tinted window. The window slid down, revealing a raven haired girl she didn't recognise inside the car. Vampire Sincerity thought, using her new powers to sense the species of the girl.
"What do you want with me?" Sincerity asked the girl.
The girl smiled. "You've got new power and you want to explore it. I can help you there."
Sincerity laughed dryly. "How generous of you." She was amazed at the change in herself. Two days ago she would have been the one offering help, and so grateful to receive anything given to her. Now though, suspicion had wormed its way in. "Who are you."
"My name's Shadow Branch," the girl answered. She waited.
Sincerity shrugged. "Never heard of you."
Shadow shrugged. "Doesn't matter. You want that power or not? If you do, go to your bedroom and you'll find the first step there waiting for you."
"What - " Before she could complete the question Shadow had rolled the window up and was driving off, leaving Sincerity staring after her. How did this girl know about her? Who the hell was she, anyway?
Sincerity went back inside the house. She heard Kitty's voice from the living room. From the sound of it she and Meegan were arguing over the remote control for the TV. Sincerity hesitated a moment, then went upstairs to her bedroom.
She stood just inside the door, looking around, though wasn't really sure what she was looking for. What her could help her gain power? A cold breeze from the window made her shiver. She moved to close it.
She didn't see the club coming until it knocked her out.
Now what?" Sincerity was annoyed. Some jerk had been following her. Yet again a car was pacing her as she walked. This time it was a white sedan with darkened windows so she couldn't see who was inside. She had decided this tie she didn't want to know who the driver was, and was not going to speak to them. The last time she had done something foolish like that she had wound up becoming a werewolf.
"So where were you? What happened?" Kitty was beside her, the two girls were on their way to Sincerity's house.
Sincerity had left the Black Iris some time ago, deciding she needed to take care of some damage control. While Ginger and her Daybreak friends may be able to fool teachers and her parents, Sincerity knew her own friends would not be so easily fooled. They, like Kitty, were full of questions.
"I told you already, I hooked up with this guy and we went to his place for a few days in the city," Sincerity said, smiling smugly at her cover story.
The only one who could contradict her was Meegan, and she knew her sister wouldn't do that, wouldn't take the risk of exposing her own secret. Marlon had been oddly absent since the whole werewolf incident, and Sincerity got the impression he was gone for good now.
"What guy? Are you going to see him again?"
Sincerity shrugged. "I don't know, I gave him my number and he promised he would contact me in a few days." She pushed open the front door to her house, glancing back as Kitty bounded inside before her.
The white sedan was still there, still driving slowly, blocking the driveway. Kitty paused, following Sincerity's gaze, looking from her to the car. "Someone you know?"
Sincerity shook her head. "I don't think so. Come on." She took her friend's arm and tugged her into the house, closing the door firmly behind her. Passing through the mansion on their way to the kitchen Sincerity heard noises in one of the living rooms.
"Hey, check that out. Since when were Meegan and the new guy a couple?"
Sincerity turned to see where Kitty was pointing. Sure enough, sat on the couch were Meegan and Sam Barlow, who Sincerity recognised as one of the Daybreakers. Meegan was wearing the most hideous lime green jump suit, and sat close to Sam, his arm was around her shoulders.
The Daybreakers were the good guys, and Meegan was supposed to be one of the bad guys. It made no sense.
"I never understand what she does anymore," she sighed.
Kitty didn't wait with Sincerity while she made a sandwich. Kitty bounded into the living room and began to bombard Meegan and Sam with questions. Sincerity smiled, and found herself thinking of the white sedan outside her house. Was it still there? Curiosity had almost gotten her killed before.
Now though - she was stronger, more powerful. She could handle anything the world throw at her with her new Night World powers. "I have to just go check something," Sincerity called to Kitty. "I'll be with you in a sec."
She hurried back through the house and out the front door. The car was still there, still blocking the driveway. She walked over to it and tapped on the tinted window. The window slid down, revealing a raven haired girl she didn't recognise inside the car. Vampire Sincerity thought, using her new powers to sense the species of the girl.
"What do you want with me?" Sincerity asked the girl.
The girl smiled. "You've got new power and you want to explore it. I can help you there."
Sincerity laughed dryly. "How generous of you." She was amazed at the change in herself. Two days ago she would have been the one offering help, and so grateful to receive anything given to her. Now though, suspicion had wormed its way in. "Who are you."
"My name's Shadow Branch," the girl answered. She waited.
Sincerity shrugged. "Never heard of you."
Shadow shrugged. "Doesn't matter. You want that power or not? If you do, go to your bedroom and you'll find the first step there waiting for you."
"What - " Before she could complete the question Shadow had rolled the window up and was driving off, leaving Sincerity staring after her. How did this girl know about her? Who the hell was she, anyway?
Sincerity went back inside the house. She heard Kitty's voice from the living room. From the sound of it she and Meegan were arguing over the remote control for the TV. Sincerity hesitated a moment, then went upstairs to her bedroom.
She stood just inside the door, looking around, though wasn't really sure what she was looking for. What her could help her gain power? A cold breeze from the window made her shiver. She moved to close it.
She didn't see the club coming until it knocked her out.