Kyra tapped out a meaningless rhythm with the edge of her pencil as the computer was reading back her newly developed lesson plan for next week's class back to her. This was the single aspect of her job that she simple despised; she and paperword have never gotten along. She only taught class once a week on Thursdays and the school still demanded a lesson plan for each week even though she had been teaching here for the last three years and the lessons had never changed. But she could understand, with the parents paying as much as they were for their children to attend such a prestigious private elementary school the principal had to make sure that he was getting the most from his teachers. Even from extremely part time elective teachers such as herself.

Satisfied with the lesson plan, she told the computer to e-mail it to the principal before gathering her things into her canvas messenger bag. She stood, wincing when her back snapped and popped in protest. Kyra was carefully sliding from behind the old wooden desk when the door to her classroom opened, briefly allowing the noise from the hallway to filter in. Small, hesitant footsteps shuffled forward a few paces before stalling.

"Um, Ms.- Ms. Dane?" A tiny voice asked from the back of the room. Kyra turned her head towards the voice as she quickly tried to place it; it didn't belong to one of her students. The poor girl sounded as if she was about to break down into tears at the first loud noise she heard. "Yes?" Kyra prompted very gently, leaning back against the front of her desk. She set her bag on the floor and gave the child her full attention.

Petite feet were shuffled nervously as the girl toyed with hem of her crisp white uniform shirt. "Um, you teach my brother, Jo-Joel, how to play the guitar and my mo-momma said that it helped him m-make friends. I was hoping that you'd help me-me learn to so I-I could have some too."

Kyra felt her chest tighten as the small thing stumbled through her request, hearing how close to tears the poor girl was. Any aspect of a child that wasn't deemed normal by its peers was instantly ostracized, she instantly knew how badly this girl must be teased for her slight stutter.

"Your name is Helen, right? Joel talks about you a lot during his lessons. Your brother loves you very much." The girl nodded, her clothes ruffling softly at the slight movement. Kyra moved slowly, the tip of her shoe brushing the leg of a chair in the front row before she sat down. She patted the plastic chair beside her, waiting for Helen to sit. "I want to make sure that you understand something, Helen. Just because you learn to play an instrument doesn't automatically mean that you'll have friends. Playing an instrument gives a person confidence; it gives a sense of pride in themselves. It's that pride and confidence stays with you and people will begin to see you differently but I can't promise that you'll have friends just because you know how to play something. Do you still want to learn?"

Helen nodded more vigorously, "I-I want to."

"Perfect, I can't wait to get started." Kyra said, touching Helen's small hand. "Here's what you need to do for me. I want you to talk to your mom and dad to night at dinner, okay? Have them call me and we'll figure out a time for us to meet. Do you know what you'd like to learn to play?" Helen shook her head. "Okay, well, we'll just spend our first lesson figuring that out. I'm very excited to get started."

The final bell rang out, echoing painfully loud throughout the empty room. Kyra helped Helen to her feet before tentatively stooping to retrieve her bag, having cracked her head against the edge of her desk far too many times. She walked with Helen out into the hall, listening as the girl excitedly promised to speak with her parents, waving good-bye as Helen dashed down the now crowded hall. Kyra couldn't help but smile as she started making her way towards the parking lot, waving and smiling at students who called out to her.

Humid air greeted her once she finally shoved the heavy glass door open. She wrinkled her nose at the weather as she stepped off to the side and pulled out her cell phone to call for a cab. Her roommate, Momo, had picked up a shift at his job and wouldn't be able to pick her up as usual. The call to the cab company was brief, the operator promising her no longer than a ten minute wait. Kyra sank onto one of the stone planters that lined the front walkway.

She enjoyed listening to the small snip-bits of conversations she caught from the students as they walked passed her. Many paused to say good-bye or talk about next week's class before dashing away to meet with their waiting parents, anxious to begin their afternoons. Soon, she was alone with the weak breeze that attempted to quell the late afternoon sun. Her phone chirped, breaking the silence. Kyra answered it quickly, hoping that it was Momo. "Hello?"

"Ky?" Her aunt's shrill voice snapped through the speaker, "Ky, I'm sorry to call you when you just got out of school but I was hoping that you had seen Audrey lately. I've been calling her for days now and I still haven't heard anything back."

Kyra let out a soft sigh, pitching the bridge of her nose. Her cousin had grown out of control and terribly wild not long after Kyra had moved in with her family nearly fifteen years ago. In and out of work and rehab centers, Audrey was constantly making her poor mother worry. "Sorry, Aunt Sarah, but I haven't heard from her in weeks. Not since she got fired from the gas station."

"She hasn't been home in days. I'm really beginning to worry. Can you think of any friends she might be with? Anyone at all?"

"Maybe she got back together with Malcolm."

"Oh, sweet Jesus, I hope not." Her aunt exclaimed sounding terrified at the mere thought. Malcolm had been in the grade above Kyra in high school before dropping out his junior year and had been Audrey's on again-off again boyfriend for years. He was well known for partying and drug dealing and had gotten Audrey arrested a few times because of it. Malcolm had just gotten out of prison a few months ago for being in possession of a massive amount of cocaine and V.

She sighed again as her taxi pulled up. She stood, swiping at the back of her pants with her free hand before making her way towards the car. "I'll swing by Malcolm's house, Aunt Sarah, and see if he has seen her."

"Would you mind? I hate asking that of you."

"It's no trouble." Kyra lied as she slid onto the cracked, uncomfortable back seat. She gave the driver the address to Malcolm's house before returning to the conversation. "I'll give you a call as soon as I find anything out." She had to promise her aunt a call the moment she left and that she would be safe before she was allowed to hang up.

Kyra leaned back against the seat, glaring up at the ceiling. She loved her cousin, she truly did, but there were times that she seriously just wanted to beat some sense into the girl. She and Kyra were extremely close back when they were younger, but, now, it was like she wasn't even sure who Audrey was. Malcolm had waltz into Audrey's life and had completely ruined it. And it caused her aunt nothing but pain and suffering.

Her aunt had taken her in after the death of her parents and Kyra loved the sweet woman like a mother. Aunt Sarah and Audrey had invited her into their home with open arms and she adored them for it. It was just the three of them and everything had been perfect until they had entered high school. There Audrey caught the attention of Malcolm and their happy lives took a devastating turn for the worst and it had stayed that way. But she still loved her cousin fiercely, no matter how many life destroying choices she made.

The cab slowed to a stop, the driver turning in his seat. "You going to be all right, miss? I can stay if you'd like." Kyra flashed him a smile as she fished a twenty out of her wallet. "No, I'm sure I'll end up being here a while, unfortunately. Thank you for your concern though, sir. Are we directly in front of the house?"

He squinted at her as he took the bill. "Yeah, on the right side." She smiled at him again as she scooted out the door. "Keep the change." She shut the door on him, knowing what his next question was going to be.

Kyra listened as the rattling taxi drove off, slowly picking her way up the cracked and broken walk way to the unstable front steps, minding the broken board just in front of the door. She pounded on the clap board door as loudly as she could possible manage, "Malcolm, Malcolm, open up."

She continued to pound her fist against the door until it was yanked open. Audrey stood grumbling in the doorway smelling like body odor and liquor. "For the love of fucking God, Ky, would you shut the fuck up?" Kyra nailed her cousin with a contemptuous glare before shoving past her into the small, dilapidated house, nearly gagging at the smell as her cousin slammed the door shut. It reeked like body fluids, cheap beer, mold, and blood.

Audrey shuffled into the stamp size kitchen, swearing as she dug around in the refrigerator, pulling out a sweating can of beer. "The hell you doing here, Ky?" She asked, taking a deep swig. Kyra crossed her arms, "Are you seriously asking me that, Audi? You're mom called me today freaking out."

"Mom is such a fucking spazz." Audrey complained, leaning back against the chipped plastic counter. Kyra chewed at her lower lip, fighting back the need to slap her cousin. "It's been days since she last heard from you. The last time that happened, the police found you choking on your own vomit in a bus station bathroom. I think she has the right to be concerned, don't you?"

Audrey snorted, taking another drink. "Why do you keep holding that over my head? I told you guys that I would never do that again and I haven't. I have everything under fucking control."

"Do you, Audi?" Kyra scoffed, "Do you really?" Audrey shoved passed her into the living room with a vicious snarl, beer sloshing on to the threadbare, filthy carpet.

"The fuck does that mean?"

"I can smell the drugs, Audi." Kyra stated, waving a hand at the chaotic living room. "The whole house reeks like it. You can't tell me that you have everything under control. Don't you get how freaking scared we are for you. Don't you understand? You almost died! I don't want to you to end up like that again."

"It's not going to be like that again." Audrey promised, the venom leaving her voice. "I ran into Malcolm again a few days ago and one thing ran into another and we ended up back here. I should've called though. Are we good?"

Kyra exhaled heavily before holding her arms out, her cousin instantly pulling her into a brief hug. "I love you, Audi, I really do." She stated when her cousin stepped back. "But I know you're lying to me."

"You and your fucking lie-detector bullshit." Audrey growled. "It seriously fucking pisses me off, Ky."

"All you have to do is tell me the truth. What is actually going on, Audi? You told me last month you were done with Malcolm and now I find you hiding out at his house. Be honest, you've been seeing him this whole time, haven't you? Why do you feel like you have to do nothing but lie to us? We just want to help you." Kyra said, inhaling deeply to try and keep her anger at bay, instantly regretting it when her senses were overwhelmed by the stench of the house. She rubbed roughly at her nose, "Why do I keep smelling blood?"

Audrey went very still, "Charlie cut himself last night."

"You're lying," Kyra stated, sending her cousin a dark look. She wandered into the kitchen, mindful of the random, discarded cluttered that lined the floor of the house. The smell was stronger near the door off to the side of the kitchen which, she assumed, led to the basement. She pulled the door open, wincing as the hinges shrieked in protest. The smell amplified, washing over her until she could taste it. Audrey's hand clamped over her wrist, "Don't go down there."

"Why?" She could feel her cousin's panic beating at her. "Audi, what's down there?" Audrey just shook her head, trying to pull her away from the doorway. "Nothing, the steps are really bad, like all broken and stuff. I don't want you to fall. Just don't go down there."

Kyra almost allowed herself to be pulled away when she heard the clanking of metal and the smell of cooked meat assaulted her. She yanked her hand away, cautiously starting down the steep stairs which groaned and creaked threateningly under her slight weight. Audrey was right after her, pleading for her to go back. She tripped over the broken bottom stair, nearly smashing into the slimy cinderblock wall. The smell of meat and blood was so strong she had to cover her nose, the sound of metal louder. She moved towards the sound, stumbling over piles of festering trash. Her fingers trembled when they brushed against the far wall, lightly traveling over its slick surface until she found a door.

Audrey was nearly sobbing now, tugging on the back of her shirt. "Please just leave it alone, Ky. Please, please just go back up stairs. There's nothing down here. Please, I hate it down here. Let's just go back up stairs. Please? I'll call mom. Please, Ky, just stop. He's going to be so fucking mad. Please, Ky, just leave it alone."

She ignored her cousin's babbling, forcing the door to swing open. Chains rattled, tugging restlessly against wood, and subdued snarl filled the minuscule room barely registering over the hiss of the water heater. It was silent then, expect for the begging sobs of her cousin. Kyra took a step forward, her outstretched hand coming in contact with a roughly hewed, stout wooden chair. Blood roared in her ears when the tips of her fingers brushed a thick linked chain, swallowing her rising terror she allowed her fingers to travel along the splintering wood until they skimmed across marble cool flesh.

The muted roar that suddenly sounded shattered the unnatural silence. The chains rattled as a mighty force was thrown against them, the smell of sizzling flesh exploding, filling the small cell. Kyra screamed, tearing herself away, her back slamming painfully into a metal shelving unit, she wedged herself between it and the wall as the roaring continued and she struggled to breathe.

Her heart was still pounding against her ribs when she finally managed to pull away from the wall a few seconds later, holding a trembling hand to her throat. "Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. Audi, what have you done?" Kyra demanded. "What the hell have you gotten yourself into? What the hell is this?"

"Ky, please-"Audrey started but Kyra wouldn't let her continue. "You knew! You knew that this man was down here. My God, Audi! How long has he been chained down here? What the hell is going on? We have to get him out of here. He needs to be taken to a hospital."

She reached out, finding the chain strapping his arm down. He snarled at her but she continued to look for the end of the chain, trying to pull it from him. "I'm sorry if I'm hurting you. Calm down. I'm going to get you out of here." Kyra cooed softly to him, "I'm going to get you help. Just hold still."

"No!" Audrey cried, shoving her away from him before she could pull the chain off, sending her crashing into the rusted shell of a dryer. "You can't do that."

Kyra tried to force herself back to the man but Audrey kept herself between them, shoving at her shoulders. "Audi, get the hell off of me!"

"No, you can't let him go."

"Get the hell out of my way."

"He's a vampire, Ky!" Audrey yelled, "You can't let him go. He'll kill us if you do."

Kyra stilled, carefully extracting herself from her cousin's hold. "A vampire. He's a vampire. Malcolm has a vampire chained up in his basement." Audrey was nodding wildly when Kyra slapped her as hard as she possible could. "And you knew! You knew that he was down here. Malcolm was torturing and draining him and you freaking knew! What in the name of God is wrong with you?"

"What the fuck is going on down here?" Malcolm thundered, storming into the already cramped room. While Charlie, Brice, and Vance, his cronies, watched with bloodshot eyes. He shoved Audrey towards the door, before crowding her cousin with his beefy form. He glanced over his shoulder to make sure his prize was still restrained while she glared death at him. "What the fuck do you think you're doing in my fucking house, bitch?"

Kyra shoved at his shoulder, trying to move him away from her. "Looking for my cousin, you troglodyte. What the hell is going on here? What the hell have you done to this poor man?"

"None of your fucking business, whore. Get the fuck out of here before you get hurt."

"I'm not leaving until you let him go." Kyra snarled, shoving at him again. "How the hell did you think that this was okay? I'm calling the cops."

Malcolm's backhanded her, sending her flying into vampire, her head bouncing off of the thick wood with a sickening crunch. Dazed, she couldn't fight back when his catcher mitt hand fisted in her shirt, yanking her up. "Go ahead, bitch. Vance's dad is head of police and half of the force is buying what I'm selling. They'll fucking lock you up before they do me." He threw her into Charlie who wrapped his arms around her, pinning her hands to her sides.

"What are you going to do?" She demanded as Malcolm knelt next to the snarling vampire, the stars finally dissipating from her vision. "I'm going to fucking get the rest of his blood and then stake his ass. Do you know how much a vial of this blood is fucking going for? Eight hundred a fucking vial. I'm going to make over a hundred grand off of this fucking vamper."

The vampire snarled as Malcolm inserted the IV into his arm. Kyra tried to shake off her stupor as her mind reeled for a way to stop this. Audrey had gone numbly silent while the other two egged Malcolm on. "Wait," She commanded, "Why kill him when you could get more blood from him if you just kept him down here a little longer?"

Malcolm paused, glaring at her. "What the fuck are you talking about? Everyone knows that you can only fucking drain a fanger once."

"That's-That's because they take too much." Kyra stated, "Bloodletting, it was an ancient practice of taking small amounts of blood from a person to maintain health, balance, and peace. It would cause people to have stronger, cleaner, and richer blood, keeping them from getting illnesses. By taking only small amounts from him at a time you'll be causing the remaining blood in his system to become better.

"I had to take a biology class in college and my professor said that vampires can regenerate their blood but they do it at a much slower rate than humans. The reason that they need to feed is to help this process along. If you make sure that you didn't take too much blood from him and you kept him alive, you'd be able to charge more because his blood will become better and he'll be able to produce more of the pure blood. Which means more money for you. It's in your best interest to keep him alive."

Kyra prayed that he bought her lies; that they were as stupid as she believed them to be. Malcolm was quiet, trying hard to figure out what the right move was. "You did say that Dallas was paying big for good V." Vance reminded him, already imagining all that money. "So we leave this cocksucker alive for a little while longer and rake it the real green."

"Yeah, but he's already starting to fucking smell and he's so fucking loud." It was the only excuse Malcolm could conjure, the idea of more money quickly becoming all he could think about.

She pounced, "I'll take care of him for you. You won't have to deal with him again. I'll do everything; I'll come over every night and make sure that he doesn't bother you, that he stays quiet. I'll make sure that everything is done."

He stood, yanking the needle out, shoving it near her eye. "If this doesn't fucking work and I don't get my fucking money, I will fuck you and stake you out in the swamp for the fucking gators. The blindfold stays fucking on and he doesn't get fed. Not blood, not fucking True Blood. Are we fucking clear, whore?"

Kyra swallowed, "Yes, I understand perfectly." Charlie dropped her as Malcolm shoved passed them. She slowly stood, wiping her shaking hand against her now dirty jeans. Audrey curled herself around her, running her fingers through Kyra's hair, "I hope you know what you're doing, Ky, because if you're lying, I won't be able to stop him from killing you." She softly whispered before turning to follow Malcolm up the stairs. Kyra waited until she heard the basement door shut before she let out the breath she had been holding, feeling as if she had almost been hit by a car.

She slowly made her way back into the tiny, windowless cell; kneeling down next to the vampire, matching sure she didn't actually touch him. "I'm going to do everything that I possibly can to get you out of here. I know it's a lot to ask for but, please, trust me."