CHAPTER 14

Adam stared down at what remained of Jay and felt a momentary twinge of guilt. He looked into the mirror and frowned. "That won't do." He said to himself, grabbing a moist towelette from a pack inside his duffel bag. Humming he began wiping the blood off his face.

When he finished he looked at the body again, wondering what to do with it. "Well… at least he's not recognizable." He murmured. Then to be on the safe side, he began stomping on Jay's face, crushing his teeth to fine powder.

Adam looked around the room then smiled, spotting a roll of the industrial sized trash bags resting on top of the lockers. He walked towards them, beginning to whistle.

***

"I'm sorry Isis." Jeff said after awhile, pulling away from her.

"Don't be." Isis bent over, dipping her hands in the cold stream and then wiping away the blood on her throat. She also cleaned Jeff's face. "You have every right to grieve darlin'."

Jeff sighed, drawing his knees to his chest and resting his head on them. "Thank you."

Isis nodded, sitting besides him, resting her head on his shoulder. "How do you think Mark and Jaden are doin?"

"Hopefully good." Jeff then laid down, pulling her with him. "Look at that sky."

Isis lay with her head on his arm, smiling. "Don't see skies like that in the city."

"Maybe after all this is over we could talk them into a long vacation in the country?"

"We could try." She started chuckling softly. "But it's a vacation to the countryside that got Mark and Glenn in trouble to begin with."

"Tell me about it."

***

Glenn halted when he smelled blood, overwhelmed by it. Curiously he approached the door the scent was coming from and walked in. He crossed his arms, arching an eyebrow when he seen Adam hunched over someone's remains, apparently in the middle of stuffing the body in a garbage bag.

Adam froze, looking at Glenn fearfully. "This isn't what it looks like."

Glenn shut the door behind him. "Really? What is it then?"

"Um…" Adam nudged Jay's limp hand into the bag with his foot. "Well…"

Glenn took a step towards him. "It looks like murder to me." He said softly. "That or you just had a quick meal and was a very messy boy about it."

Adam hissed slightly.

"Who made you?" Glenn demanded, reaching out with lightening speed and grabbing Adam about the neck, raising him a few feet off the ground. "Who. Made. You." He demanded again, tightening his grip with each word.

Adam gasped out a name.

***

Jaden only looked into the mirror once, that was all she needed. She could feel her face mending but it sickened her to see it.

Mark was studying her thoughtfully. "Maybe we should call it a night." He said finally.

"Why?"

"I think one attack is enough." He gestured to her face. "It's obvious they don't care who sees what. Maybe we should take Isis' advice and just let them do whatever. If Glenn really wants us dead, he'll hunt us down and we can handle him then."

Jaden was silent. Since she had become involved in this skirmish, nothing but pain and danger had been heaped on her. She had endured it all at first because she felt she owed something to Jeff and Isis. Now she loved Jeff and had befriend Isis and Mark, they were her family.

***

Jeff stared at Isis when she finished telling him about Gabriel and Damia. "So your grandma Obsidian… was actually a vampire named Damia?" He asked, trying to see if he got it right.

"Yeah." Isis sighed. "Don't ask me to explain it cause it's confuses the hell outta me."

"That's messed up. So technically Mark is weaker than you and Glenn?"

She nodded. "Mark was made by me and Glenn, we just kinda jumped him one night. I was made by Gabriel over time while Glenn was made by Damia in one night, we've never tested out who was stronger of us."

"Think it'll come down to that?"

"I hope not."

"How do you know all this? I mean, how ya'all are stronger and what not?"

"Just something we know." Isis shrugged. She rolled onto her side, staring at him thoughtfully. "It's like one big family tree. There's Gabriel and Damia at the top, me and Glenn come next then Mark. Off on Glenn's side there is you and Shannon, under you comes Jaden. See what I mean?"

"So basically, you and Glenn are siblings, Mark is your child. Shannon and I are siblings and Glenn's our parent and Jaden is my kid?"

"Something like that yes." Isis smiled, looking amused. "And each vampire that is made, receives strength from the one who made him or her as well as what they had to begin with. It dilutes itself as it goes."

"Now tell me again, how do you know all this?"

"I just do darlin'."

***

Glenn stared at Adam for a minute longer, not loosening his grip on the guy's throat. "You're lying." He said finally. "Tell me your lying and I might make this painless."

"I'm not lying!" Adam protested, kicking feebly.

"We'll see."

***

"Yeah, you're right, let's go home." Jaden said finally, glancing in the mirror to find her face now look pockmarked. "Lovely."

"It's healing." Mark said, quietly stuffing his things into the duffel bag.

"I look like shit."

"You look gorgeous girl, now lets get the hell out of here."

***

Shannon looked up from fastening her boots when the door was tossed open. She gasped when Adam was tossed at her feet, followed by an extremely pissed off Glenn.

He slammed the door behind him before kicking Adam in the ribs. "What the hell were you thinking?" He demanded angrily.

Shannon could only mouth.

"You made this pansy bitch into a vampire without even saying anything to me!" Glenn roared, kicking Adam again. "What the fuck were you thinking?"

"Glenn, I…"

"Wasn't think I know. That much was obvious." He snarled, bending down and grabbing a handful of Adam's thick hair, jerking him to his feet. "The question is, what do I do with you?"

"Don't kill me!" Adam managed to squeak out.

"Don't kill you? I oughta. You're nothing but trouble boy." Glenn glared at Shannon. "He fucking killed Jay and was putting the body in a garbage bag, great choice."

Shannon could only stare at Adam, fear in her eyes.

***

"Come on…" Jeff got to his feet, grabbing Isis by the hand and pulling her up with him. "Let's walk some more."

Isis groaned. "Trying to kill me for the second time?"

"No. I just miss being out in the country." Jeff led the way through the woods, everything looking as clear as if it were daylight. "I was thinking about heading home but I don't want to endanger anyone there you know?"

"Hmm… I wouldn't mind headin' home myself." Isis murmured, her eyes half closed as she imagined the havoc she'd wreak on the townspeople.

"What's that look for?"

"What look?"

"You look like you're contemplating murder."

"I am."

Jeff started laughing.

Growling Isis shoved him into a tree.

"Ouch!" Jeff bounced off it, holding his nose. "That hurt!" He looked to find her snickering. "It's on!"

Giggling madly, Isis began running.

Jeff glanced at the moon once before chasing her.

***