Chapter Five

Chapter Five

The Call

Karen was wrong about Klaus. He did not stalk her at all. In fact she couldn't even feel his presence there beside her or in some shadow. They had ridden past his tree where Mary lay crying. Karen closed her eyes and remembered it very clearly.

"YOU!" Mary shrieked.

"What is it Mary? Are you ok?" Karen asked.

"You went off riding with demon and you left me here all ALONE!" Mary yelled.

"Mary I'm sorry. Please the Horseman assured your safety!" Karen pleaded.

"You all ways promised me you wouldn't leave me." Mary cried in her sister's lap now.

"I know and I'm sorry." Karen said softly.

"I hear the your search party. I shall leave you two now." Klaus said.

He galloped off into the forest where nobody could see him.

"Don't ever leave me alone again sissy." Mary cried.

"I promise." Karen said.

"Even over him?" Mary asked.

"What ever I have to do to keep you safe." Karen said hugging her tightly.

Karen sighed as the memory faded as she heard Mary knock on the door. She didn't know what she had to do to keep her family safe. She had the feeling that Gray wasn't gone just quite yet.

"Come on sissy. We have to enroll you in your classes." Mary said grabbing Karen's hand.

"And I was all most done with the painting too." Karen sighed.

"You can finish it later! Lets go! Don't forget, you promised me ice cream and a walk in the park." Mary said running down the stairs.

"Right. The park." Karen said as she closed the front door.

Some where in Hell

"Hey bar tender. I'm looking for Lady Van Tassel." Gray said.

"Yeah look in Ye Old Victorian Bar." The large bar tender said pointing to anther bar across the street.

"Thanks." Gray said slamming down a Damned Fang.

Gray crossed the road and looked at a skeleton that looked like he wanted to cross the road. He approached.

"Hey man why won't you cross the road." Gray asked.

"I don't have the guts." It said.

"Right…any ways is this the Ye Old Victorian Bar?" Gray asked.

"Sure is buddy. Oh yeah Lady Van Tassel is "performing" tonight. Maybe I'll stick around for that." The skeleton said laughing.

"Whatever and thanks." Gray said as he waved while walking to the door.

"Heya Bub!" The bar tender said.

"Yes hello. I'm looking for a Lady Van Tassel. I have to speak to her now." Gray said sliding five Cobra Scales on the counter.

"In the back. Her room is left open." The bar tender said raking the scales.

Gray made his way through the crowd and to the back room. He found the dressing room with out a door. He walked in to see a blonde haired woman with one hand.

"What can I do for you young man?" Said Mrs. Van Tassel eyeing him in her mirror.

"Are you aware of the spook called the Headless Horseman or the Hessian?" Gray asked eyeing her as well.

"Yes that damned soul only left me with one hand." Mrs. Van Tassel said throwing down her lipstick.

"I can see that. I am Gray and I'm here to make a deal with you." He said as he offered his hand. She took it and shook it.

"I'm listening to your offer Mr. Gray." Mrs. Van Tassel said with an evil smirk.

"If you help me get my girl in any way necessary I promise to grant you one wish." He said picking up a corset.

"My wish? Granted? Tell me Gray did Katrina Van Tassel get married to that wretched Crane?" She asked coming up behind him.

"Yes." Gray gulped.

"And, did she produce a heir? And did that heir produce a heir and such on?" She asked tracing his shoulder.

"Yes." He said.

"It's a deal then. But I'll need to return and claim something." She said waving the stub arm in his face.

"So let it be done just do your job." He said leading her out and beyond.

Back at Sleepy Hollow, Collage enrollment center

"Ok dear, sign here and here." The old lady pointed out the X's to Karen.

"Ok." Karen said signing.

"Ok and we're all done here. We'll see you October 14th when classes start up." The old lady said showing her the way out of the office. Mary sat on the bench next to the door.

"Are we done here yet?" She asked tapping her foot.

"Yeah. Lets go get that ice cream." Karen laughed as she pulled out her wallet.

They walked down to an old ice cream parlor shop. Mary ordered vanilla ice cream with a caramel filling in the center. Karen ordered homemade wild berry forest. Once the ice cream had been bought they walked to the park where they sat and licked. They often stole licks off each other's ice cream.

"I noticed your panting was of him." Mary said watching a drop of her ice cream hit the sidewalk.

"Your ice cream is melting." Karen said franticly licking at hers to get off of the subject.

"What do you see him? He's a demon. His teeth are pointed. He's a killer. I just don't understand." Mary said shaking her brown hair.

"Then don't." Karen said rather coldly.

"Did you say it?" Mary asked.

"Say what? Karen asked looking at her sister.

"Did you say you felt sorry for him?" Mary asked.

"Yeah I did." Karen said looking off to the geese that were fighting over crumbs of bread.

"Have you seen him lately?" Mary asked now turning her attention back to her ice cream.

"No. I fact the only place I see him in are my dreams." Karen said getting up to throw away her napkin.

"Oh. Well do you wish he would reappear?" Mary asked deciding she was done with her dessert as well.

"Yeah I wish he would." Karen said with a tingle down her spine as she pulled her jacket closer to her.