Chapter 22

My eyes were glued on the house in front of me. It was a newer home, with the ever present singles and white trim that seemed the staple of the houses nowadays in Middletown RI. My hands grabbed the steering wheel tight, making the leather crack.

'Relax Nina, it's not like they are the boogie man like you.' Jerry says next to me in the Maserati. I could always count on him to make a joke. It had been so long since I had seen someone of my family, in fact some two hundred years. I had exiled myself from my family, watching from the shadows, never interfering and now here I sat, staring at the home of my family line. They had done well for themselves, though not as wealthy as I, which would be expected. I had had centuries to accrue my wealth, though I now felt like a pauper about to ask a wealthy person for bread.

'So we going up or what?'

That's when I see the man walk out and feel my breath leave me. Tears prickled in my eyes and Jerry just stares at me before whispering to me, 'What's wrong Nina?'

'He looks just like my father.'

Jerry looks back, squinting and asks, 'How can you tell?' Looks at me and murmurs, 'Nevermind, vampire vision right?'

I just nod and he asks, 'When was the last time you spoke to him?'

'I never have.'

Jerry just stares at me in shock. I suddenly feel a jerk of hunger which makes my stomach turn. Closing my eyes I let out a breath and Jerry asks, 'Nina? What's wrong?'

Shaking my head, I say softly, 'We will continue the plan as we spoke of last night.'

Putting the car in drive, I turn away and he asks, 'So all that sneaking you out was for nothing?'

Shaking my head, I say, 'We are going somewhere else.'

'Where?'

'To meet an old friend.'

Jerry frowns, but doesn't question this. He must realize just how naive he was in coming, how little he understood. His world had just increased by half, knowing that those Bram Stoker stories had a hint of truth to them. I could feel his eyes on me as I drive towards Easton Bay.

Finally I ask, 'What is it Jerry?'

'How long can you go without blood?'

'My record is two months,' I say without going into detail.

'Are Purebloods the only ones who can't go out in daylight?'

'No.'

He frowns and asks, 'So... I'm confused...you can do it, and he calls you a bitten and clanless, which I'm confused on as well... Then how is he special and what about you? Are you one of maybe a few who can walk in daylight?'

Sighing, I change lanes, going around a suburban and say, 'As far as I know I'm the only vampire that can walk in the sun.'

'And he doesn't know?' Jerry says in shock.

'No, I'd like to keep it that way for as long as possible. My mentor told me to keep it hidden or I would likely be eaten or experimented on by my kind.'

Jerry nods, understanding my situation. Then asks, 'So what's up with your nicknames?'

'They aren't nicknames, they are insults.'

'Why?'

'Simply put, I was... Bitten in order to become a vampire. Meaning my blood is closer to that of a human and thus not pure in the eyes of the born vampire. We are subservient and used more as disposable pawns in their wars. Clanless is another insult. But I don't think of it as so. I told you yesterday about the five royal Clans, but what I didn't tell you is that I am not among them.'

'Right, so not covens but clans?'

I nod as I take my exit and move through the more industrial side of Rhode island, away from the multi-million dollar homes. He rubs at his face and says, 'God! I have a lot to learn. So can you be killed with a stake?'

'No.'

'Holy water?'

'No.'

'Then how can you die?'

'Only by another vampire and only if they are stronger. As we age we become...refined, or more powerful if you'd like. Bitten like me, a C rank usually don't live past five hundred years.'

'Why?'

I look over at him, sigh, and then look back at the rode, 'We are expendable.'

'So, you are the pawns and that Russian bear Nick is the king.'

I nod and he whistles. Shakes his head and says sarcastically, 'I'd love to hear the story how you two met and why he's following you.'

'Maybe at another time, we are here,' I say and pull into an old, garbage yard warehouse parking lot. Jerry looks around and frowns asking, 'Here?!'

I park and undo my seatbelt. Jery goes for his and I put my hand on his, stopping him as I say, 'Stay here.'

'Nina, come on!'

Shaking my head stiffly, I say firmly, 'Stay here, you are safer here than where I'm going.'

'What to talk to some hobo?! Come on Nina! I'm more likely to be drooled on then harmed.'

But I slowly let out my pheremones of warning and say, 'Jerry this isn't a place for humans. If you come with me, you are liable to be eaten. Do yiu understand?'

His face blanches of color and nods. I open my door saying, 'Lock it.'

He did a nanosecond later. If only he knew how close he was to death, he wouldn't have come with me. The underworld of the phantom is more frightening than even the Black market of the human race. I had lived my life gliding on the razor edge. So today would be hard, but there was someone I knew who could tell me what was happening in detail. I hadn't spoken to her in years, but I would today. Her fingers were everywhere.

Opening an old rusted door, I step into a warehouse. I glance back towards the car and worried face, but then shut the door in This would be intense, even more so than I wanted at this time in my life. It was time to see JR.