Kuri woke up in her bed, not coughing anymore but still feeling lousy.
She headed to the park to meet with Darren and Steve, as it was a Saturday.
"You look like hell." Steve said. "You still wanna go with us?"
"Yeah, you said you had an awesome surprise!" Kuri said. "I'm not missing it."
Darren showed her the flyer. Kuri read over it, not missing the fact that Larten Crepsley was featured.
"I'm going." Kuri confirmed, handing Steve ticket money. "I know you already bought the tickets. Lets go now and get a good seat."
The three headed to the theater, and Kuri coughed several times as they walked.
"Are you sure you're alright?" Darren said.
"Yes I'm ok." Kuri said, covering her mouth.
They all sat down, and watched the show. It was amazing, and Kuri tried to enjoy it, even though she was feeling delirious.
Finally Larten came on stage, surprising Kuri with his assistant- Rei. She felt Steve stiffen next to her as he looked at Larten, and a sharp intake of breath.
She registered the crescent Mark on Reiko's forehead and darkness suddenly claimed her vision as she went down.
Reiko was a vampyre.
Xxx
It was the night of a new moon. Kiana went outside and lay on her back someplace on the peaceful hill where she had been meeting Kurda. She waited, getting comfortable. She drew three deep, centering breaths. She thought about the perfect guy for her, trying not to picture Kurda. She cleared her mind, letting herself forget Kurda's face for the moment. She focused hard on what it is you truly wanted in another person. She looked up and found five stars, one for each of the elements, nearby each other.
"I wish he would be noble," she said, focusing on the eastern star and Air.
She turned her head, deosil, toward the south star and Fire. "I wish he would be vibrant."
"I wish he would be adaptable," she said, turned now toward the west star and Water.
She turned toward the north star and Earth. "I wish he would be nurturing."
Finally she turned into the middle star and Spirit. "I wish he would be charismatic."
She finished wishing, gazing at her five stars as she took three deep cleansing breaths again, and she stood up.
Kurda stepped from the shadows. "Merry Meet, future Priestess of Nyx."
Kiana sighed. "I wish you wouldn't call me that. How much of that did you hear?"
Kurda smiled. "I have exceptional hearing. And now I have something to live up to."
Kiana flushed like a strawberry and fingered her Dark Daughters necklace. "Maybe you do."
"See you tomorrow."