Author's note: Hello again! Wow, sixteen reviews so far, you guys make me smile like an idiot when I read them, thank you! My phone is unfortunately beyond repair and I'll have to get a new one : ( which sucks because I can't do that until mid-January, and the phone I am stuck with until then won't even let me onto the internet! Bleh! Anyway, this will be my last update of 2013… Which sounds very final when really there are only like two days left of the year. I will try my hardest to update on Thursday, if that doesn't work out it will have to be next week because this weekend will be a bit hectic but I promise to update as soon as I can! So this chapter doesn't have Edgar action, but this is the night Sam and Nikki find out Michael is a vampire, so I had to have Nikki at home with Sam for the day, but hopefully I'll get some action going on in the next few chapters when we see more of Edgar, so here it is and please review!
Lostgirl4eva: Yes I couldn't resist updating so soon after all the terrific reviews! Yes SWOON was the exact reaction to that kiss I was going for ;) haha. It's no problem and I always try to update as soon as I can, especially when such awesome people read the story : ) awww thank you! that means a lot that I'm your favourite offer, you shall be rewarded for that compliment soon enough!
Ciara34: Thank you! I'm glad the story is going down well so far!
Divvagurl: Wow, thanks so much! I'm glad they're cute and yes hopefully they'll make an adorable couple : )
Shelby: Thanks for the tip! I will definitely check that out, I don't believe I have read that one but I definitely will as soon as I get the chance : ) I promise to keep up the good work and thanks for the reviews : )
Gypsygirl: Glad you're loving it! hopefully I can continue to make the chapters good : )
NinaVuelta93: Wow, thank you! I'm glad you think Nikki is a great OC, it means a lot to hear someone likes a character of mine, I have a lot of fun writing her and it's good to see people like her : ) really glad that you favourited and followed the stories and thanks so much for saying I'm an excellent writer, it means so much!
Cookielover: I know and I love every guest review I get, you are all amazing! I'm glad you're liking the story : ) it means a lot!
I carefully opened the front door the next morning and closed it as gently as possible, I had just begun to creep for the stairs when Sam came running in from the kitchen and grabbed me in a rib-breaking hug.
"Thank God, you're alive!" he exclaimed in my ear and I rolled my eyes.
"Of course, if this was heaven, you wouldn't be wearing that God-awful outfit." I grumbled into his shoulder and he let me go to seize my arms and looked over me.
"Are you hurt? Any stab wounds or broken bones?" he said and patted around my arms and face until I batted his hands away.
"What do you think?! I'm fine, cool your little blonde head, Sammy." I said and walked past him towards the kitchen.
"Well excuse me for being worried about my little sister when she doesn't come home!" he exclaimed and I stopped dead to turn and glare at him with one finger raised for emphasis.
"First of all, I am one minute younger, so watch yourself. Second, you can thank our oh-so-caring older brother for leaving me at the freaking boardwalk!" I said and then turned back to go into the kitchen and poured a glass of water before turning back to Sam who was watching with a dumbfounded expression.
"Mike left you? By yourself?" he asked quietly and I nodded.
"Yeah, I looked everywhere and he just disappeared on me! Where the hell is he, anyway?"
"Still asleep." he said and I rolled my eyes.
"Of course. I can't believe him!" I exclaimed furiously.
"Wait, where the hell did you stay last night? On a bench or something?" he asked and I shifted my feet.
"Not exactly." I said and he raised his eyebrows.
"Where did you go?"
"Well, I kind of… Maybe… Might have… Stayed with Edgar and Allan Frog." I said and winced as his jaw practically hit the floor.
"YOU DID WHAT?! Tell me you're joking! Please, Nikki, tell me you did not stay with those two loonies last night." he pleaded.
"Well what was I supposed to do? I couldn't exactly stay at the boardwalk all night or go gallivanting around Santa Carla for the night; they don't call it the murder capital of the world for nothing!"
"Okay, okay, fine. What was the house like?" he asked and I raised my eyebrows.
"Like a house, Sam! With windows and doors and rooms, no stuffed animal carcasses which was quite refreshing! Were you expecting them to live in the Bat Cave or something?" I asked sarcastically.
"A little. So you're alright?" He asked.
"Yes, Sammy, there were no ritual killings or attempts to initiate me into a comic book cult or something. It wasn't too bad, a little awkward getting breakfast and coming back to the boardwalk but once I got there I knew my way back up here. Well, more or less. They're actually not bad guys." I said and he scoffed.
"They must have brainwashed you at some stage." he said and ducked as I threw a dish towel at him.
"Not that I know of. Just out of curiosity, did Mom notice I was gone?" I asked.
"Nope. she went out to work early this morning and I just said you and Michael had gotten in really late last night and you were both in bed and not to be disturbed."
"Good thinking." I said just as the phone rang. Sam picked the phone up and then handed it to me.
"It's Mom, I'm going upstairs to waken Michael, talk to her until he gets on the other line." he said and I nodded.
"Hey Mom." I greeted as brightly as I could.
"Good afternoon, young lady. What were you doing in so late last night?" she asked.
"Uh Michael and I were having such a good time that we completely lost track of time. We got home pretty late, won't happen again."
"Okay, honey. I need to talk to Michael so I'll get talking to you soon?" she said.
"Sure, bye." I said as she hung up. I went over and flopped onto the couch and was on the vergo of drifting off a few minutes later when someone hit me in the back of the head with a cushion. I groaned and raised my head to see Sam grinning at me.
"Hit me with that again and I'll shove it where the sun doesn't shine." I threatened and he chuckled before dropping the cushion onto my lap.
"I believe you, Mom's not coming home till way later on so Michael's babysitting." he said with a roll of his eyes.
"If only she knew his babysitting skills aren't really top-notch lately. Where's Mom going?" I asked.
"To dinner with Max, some guy who owns the video store she got the job at."
"Ah, well good for her. Speaking of dinner, I'm starved. Let's see if we can raid the fridge and make something half decent." I said and got up to go in search of food.
Later that night Grandpa came into the kitchen and started searching the cupboards.
"Hey, anything around here that'll pass for after-shave?" he asked and I looked around from where I had been sitting on the counter.
"How about some Windex, Grandpa?" Sam asked as he picked up the bottle on the windowsill, like he would actually go for that.
"Yeah, lemme try some of that." Grandpa said, I stand corrected.
Grandpa took the bottle and sniffed before putting some on his beard, Sam and I watched in disbelief and I tried to hide my laughter at how bizarre Grandpa could be.
My laughter stopped as Michael came in wearing a pair of sunglasses, it was dark outside, was he high or something?
"You have a big date tonight, Grandpa?" he asked.
"Yeah, I'm just gonna drop off some of my handiwork to the "Widow" Johnson." he said as he picked up what looked like a stuffed dog, lovely.
"What'd you stuff for her? Mr. Johnson?" He asked with a smirk and I stared at him in disbelief, really, Michael?
"I'll… See you kids later." Grandpa said uneasily as he put his hat on and left.
"That wasn't funny, Mike!" Sam scolded.
The next few minutes were silent as I tried to avoid Michael's gaze, waiting for an apology of his own free will and not just because I look like I'm waiting on one. Sam glanced between me and Michael until we could hear Grandpa's car horn as he left.
"I'm gonna make you guys a sandwich." Sam said brightly, Michael took off his glasses and shook his head.
"Don't bother." he said.
"I'm fine Sam, thanks." I said and Sam nodded before turning back to Michael who threw his glasses onto the table.
"Lose the earring, Michael. It's not you, it's definitely not you." he said and I realised I hadn't noticed the earring until now; he must have been with Star last night.
"Piss of." Michael said and I glared at him.
"You know, all you do is give attitude lately. You haven't even apologized to Nikki for leaving her at the boardwalk last night!" Sam accused and Michael's eyes flashed with remorse as he looked at me.
"You alright?" he asked and I rolled my eyes.
"What do you care?" I spat.
"Come on, Nikki. I didn't mean to. How did you get home?" he asked.
"She stayed over with the two guys who run the comic book store." Sam answered before I could.
"You did what?" Michael demanded through clenched teeth and I crossed my arms and squared my shoulders.
"Save the protective brother act, Michael. After last night you have no right whatsoever to get hyped up over anything I do, it was your fault I was left there!" I shouted and Michael was about to reply when the sudden sound of motorbikes erupted in the kitchen. We all stared in disbelief as the magically appearing bikes rode past the windows, their headlights were blinding out of the sudden darkness. Michael went into the living room and Sam and I followed behind, hearing the hoots of the guys outside. Michael headed for the door and I started after him only to be stopped by Sam who resorted to calling him back. Michael opened the door and all of a sudden the noise stopped, the lights were gone. After a few seconds of silence once Michael had closed the door, Sam broke it with the question we'd all love to know the answer to.
"What's going on, Mike?" he asked.
"Go take your bath." Michael said.
Sam and I shared a look of confusion before Sam headed for the stairs and I followed behind.
"Nikki?" Michael's voice said quietly and I turned to him.
"Yeah?"
"I'm sorry about last night, I didn't mean to leave you behind." He said. Maybe it was how sorry and small his voice sounded, the slight slump in his shoulders as if he felt defeated or the scared look in his eyes that convinced me to forgive him.
"It's alright, Mike. I'll talk to you later." I said and with that I walked up stairs, figuring that whatever I missed the night before when I wasn't with him, I should be thankful I didn't witness.
I sat in my room reading the comic book Edgar gave me, I gotta hand it to the guy, this girl is kinda cool. I could vaguely hear music coming from the bathroom where Sam was taking a bath and chuckled as I heard him try and sing along to a high part. I hadn't heard much from Michael since I went upstairs; he probably fell asleep on the couch. That thought didn't last long as I heard a clatter on the stairs a few seconds later.
"What the…" I murmured as I put the comic down and went out onto the landing. I stood in the dark wondering what could have made that noise and Sam joined me soon after in a bathrobe.
"What was that?" he asked me.
"I have no idea." I said quietly.
"Mike? Michael, are you there? Nanook? Michael?" Sam called out as he walked down the stairs with me following closely behind. He reached the bottom and switched on the light where we saw Michael on the floor with a lot of blood on his hand.
"Michael what happened?" Sam asked.
"Nanook…" Michael managed to say.
"What about Nanook? What'd you do to my dog, you asshole?" Sam demanded.
"Nothing! I didn't hurt him! He bit me, this is my blood." Michael said as Nanook came over to Sam looking completely unharmed.
"Why'd he bite you, Michael, huh? What'd you do to him?" Sam asked as Michael stood up.
"He was protecting you." He said quietly.
"What are you-" I began before I saw something behind Michael that made my blood run cold.
"Your reflection in the mirror." Sam said and I watched dumbfounded as Michael walked over to his reflection. Well, his some-what transparent reflection. I struggled for some explanation as Sam brought his hand up behind Michael, I could clearly see his hand behind Michael.
"You're a creature of the night Michael, just like out of a comic book!" Sam exclaimed as he grabbed my arm and pushed me up the stairs in front of him. "You're a vampire, Michael! My own brother a goddamn shit-sucking vampire! Oh you wait till Mom finds out, buddy!" he said as he continued to push me up the stairs with Michael calling after us. Sam pushed me into his room and locked both doors, I stood in the middle of the room frozen as I tried to wrap my head around everything, Michael was a vampire? I turned to see Sam searching through his comic books that were strewn everywhere.
"Now is not the time to read a comic, bro!" I said as he found the one he needed.
"I know that! Edgar and Allan's number is on the back of this, they mentioned something about Santa Carla being filled with vampires, they might know what to do." he said as he dialled the phone number. Okay, we have officially landed right smack in the middle of Crazy Town.
"Hello, Edgar?" Sam asked and I leaned closer to hear the conversation.
"Yeah?" I heard a familiar deep voice on the other end and tried to ignore the slight sensation of butterflies in my stomach.
"It's Sam, I'm here with Nikki and we think our brother Michael might be vampire." Sam explained hurriedly, way to ease him into the situation.
"You did the right thing by calling us. Does your brother sleep a lot?"
"Yeah, all day." Sam answered.
"Does the sunlight freak him out?" A different voice asked and I recognised it as Allan's.
"He wears sunglasses in the house." huh, that makes sense.
"Bad breath? Long fingernails?"
"Yeah, his fingernails are a bit longer; he always had bad breath thought." Sam answered.
"He's not the only one." I complained as I fanned by hand over Sam's mouth at the other side of the receiver, he slapped my hand down and glared at me.
"He's a vampire all right." Allan said, damn I hoped it wasn't true.
"Here's what you do. Get yourself a good sharp stake, and drive it right through his heart." Edgar said and my eyes widened in disbelief.
"I can't do that, he's our brother!" Sam exclaimed.
"Okay, we'll come over and do it for you." Allan decided.
"No!" Sam said and I grabbed the phone.
"Is there any less dramatic way to solve this? We can't kill him, guys." I said.
"Nikki, it's pretty much your only option." Edgar said and my heart sank.
"It can't be, we'll figure something out." I said with as much determination as I could.
"Good luck, and stay safe." Edgar said before the line went dead and I dropped the phone onto the bed before heading for the bathroom door.
"Whoah, where are you going?" Sam asked worriedly.
"To the bathroom, lock the door and I'll go back to my room. I need to lie-down and try and escape this nightmare for a few hours." I said and shut the bathroom door after me, hearing the lock click a second later.
I splashed some water on my face and sat down on the edge of the bath. I took a few deep breaths for a minute and ignored the sound of the phone ringing; I could not manage conversation at this present moment. I was making my way down to my room when I heard noise coming from outside. I ran into my window and opened it to see Michael floating outside Sam's window.
"Oh this is just great!" I said as I ran back towards Sam's room and tried to unlock it, giving up and banging on the door until Sam let me in. he pushed me behind him as we both stared in disbelief as Michael floated outside the window.
"Nikki, help!" Michael pleaded and I pushed my way around Sam to head for the window.
"Nikki, don't! He's a vampire!" Sam shouted.
"I am not!" Michael said.
"I don't think you can deny it any longer, Michael!" I said.
"Then what are you, the flying nun?!"
"I'm your brother, guys, help me!" Michael pleaded.
"Sam, help me get him inside!" I ordered and we opened the window and Michael climbed in. we all sat huddled on the floor.
"We gotta stick together, guys." Michael said.
"What about Mom?" Sam asked.
"She will freak out." I added.
"Just don't tell her anything." Michael answered.
"I don't know Mike, it's not like getting a D in school." Sam said. I heard Mom calling from downstairs.
"What is Mom doing back?" I asked.
"She called and I may have freaked out when I saw Michael outside the window." Sam said and I rolled my eyes.
"Well go down and tell her everything's fine!" I ordered and he ran off, leaving me with Michael.
"Thanks, Nikki." He murmured.
"No problem." I said, "How the hell did this happen, Mike?"
"I don't know, but I think I know someone who does. I'll be back later." He said and got up off the floor and went out the door, I sat on the ground with my head in my hands for a few minutes before finally gaining composure and heading downstairs for a drink of water.
"Where's Mom?" I asked Sam as he searched the cupboards in the kitchen.
"Away to bed, she ran out on her date with Max because of me and now she's a little pissed that I ruined her night."
"if only she knew." I murmured. "What are you looking for?" I asked him after a few seconds.
"Garlic." He answered as he finally found some.
"Why?" I asked suspiciously.
"Can't be too careful with a vampire in the house. You coming to bed?" Sam asked.
"In a while." I said and he nodded before heading upstairs, the smell of garlic sticking around for a few seconds.
Of all the things I expected when we moved to Santa Carla, my brother becoming a vampire was not one of them.
Happy New Year, people!