Chapter Nine

"Those two freaks are calling me again. And I'm pretty sure I saw the purple eyed one, what's her name?"

16 year old Spike Kostan has dropped over from Los Angeles after hearing from Elliott that Collie had some groupie problems. "Ell said that one is called Kara. The English one is Heather. Hey, did you know she was related to a Monty Python?"

Glaring at him, Collie St. John says, "As I was saying, I'm pretty sure I saw Kara from my window last night."

"Oh, yeah. What was she doing? That bowing thing again?"

"Worse. This time she was prostrating herself on the ground and talking in some kind of weird language. Ancient Egyptian, I guess. Spike, what's it gonna take to get rid of them? I mean, I have school tomorrow. Will they follow me there, too? What do they want from me?"

For a little over a week since her "black out", she's stayed indoors and just tried to figure out the meaning of what she now saw as something more than a dream.

She had gotten notes, flowers and other trinkets from Heather and Kara and all were sent back. But still they wouldn't give up. Geesh, who knew Emos were so persistent?

Elliott had reluctantly gone back to Oxford but he called her nightly and told her he could be back every weekend if she wanted. Ell was so worried about her he had even called Spike. She hadn't expected him to come to France after being so miffed at her for saving his dumb ass in London. But here he was and lo and behold, he was being really sweet about it.

"Have you spoken to your Uncle Lance about protection?"

She snorts. "His idea of protecting me is to just to have them for dinner. Ah, literally. But you and I are modern vamps. We don't automatically solve dilemmas by feeding them gone. Although after that last creepy gift, what was it called?"

"Oh, the head of Osirus? That sounded cool. You should have kept that."

"You know, Spike, this is not helping. Maybe you should go back home."

Oh, here comes the hurt feelings, Collie thought. But he caught himself just in time and jeepers, I guess we're growing up these days, because he didn't take offense. Instead he smiled. One of these days that smile's going to get me into a world of trouble. Huh, as if I needed more.

"I did a little research on the Foundation's supercomputer. Ell said these girls were dressed like the 1990's Emos, right? Black hair, clothes, lipstick, Dashboard Confessional and all that kind of music that your Mom likes and your dad hates?"

"So? And what does that have to do with Egypt and my being thought of by them as this reincarnated Goddess?" She was trying to keep her voice sulky but just couldn't help the rising note of excitement within her. "Spiked One, oh, please, tell me what you've found out!"

"Or what?" Spike was starting to enjoy himself again. She had sure taken her sweet time getting back to the old Collie. He had tried to talk her out of the whole school thing anyway. Whoops, she had him down on the ground and almost had him in a hammer hold before he knew it.

"Or I'll …"

"Colleen Elizabeth. Get off of Charles right now."

"But Mom, he's withholding information."