• Chapter 2



    "I want to help Mama with her cooking. I’m sorry to leave you with Gramma,” she whispered, “I’ll be back soon. Gramma’s a witchie so be careful.” Lucius looked at me confused as his eyebrows knitted together. I shrugged slightly and turned to see her grandmother 3 inches from my face. She was a large woman, covered from head to her waist in wavy, gray hair. She had dull brown eyes that looked over every feature of my face. Her long, blue dress hung loosely on her shoulders as she bent over to look at me. I felt like breathing would be a huge mistake at this moment. Her eyes darted from left to right then top to bottom every few seconds. As she studied my mouth, I felt my lungs were about to burst. I prayed for her to look away soon. I slowly looked over at Lucius, who was looking positively horrified, the horribly white lights highlighting his fear with perfect detail. He seemed to stop breathing as well as she lowered her head to my chest. I shut my eyes tight and waited for her to get up. This wasn't my cup of tea, I can tell you that much. She stood up straight and stared at me again.
    “Well aren’t you going to introduce yourself?” She asked kind of rudely. Lucius stood there straight-faced.

    “Um…” I hesitated. “I’m Nich..Nicholai.”

    “What kind of name be that?” My face sunk and Lucius remained straight-faced. This woman was...there are no words for her. Just then Juniper came bounding into the room with a smile. I took her hand and lead her out to the upstairs balcony, happy to get away from Gramma.



    We sat on the wicker bench and watch the moon highlight the grass below. Juniper was fascinated with the crickets and every chance she could, she’d get up and look for one in the plants. She reminded me of Michelle, only not so mean. Michelle was my second fledgling, but she was my first child fledgling. She was about Juniper's age when I had given her the Dark Gift. She was a sweet, innocent little girl, until she convinced Lucius to push me out into the sunlight. The last thing I remember of her was seeing her in the arms of a vampire (whose name I don't care to repeat), slowly having the life I'd given her sucked out sip by sip.
    I already knew I'd come to love Juniper, just as I'd come to love Michelle. Juniper was the sweetest girl I'd met, and ever will meet, perhaps. I wanted so much to take her in my arms and slowly drink her blood.... The aroma of her sweet blood wafted with the breeze and over to my direction. I held myself down, desperately trying to forget the smell. She was my little pal and I loved her so. I loved to watch her bound from stair to stair, from plant to plant, watching her hair flow carelessly behind her and blowing into a cute tangled mess when the wind blew too hard. I stretched my neck up to see where she was. She was bouncing down the stairs to find crickets and try unsuccessfully to catch them, or pick flowers. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw something big and dark moving out of the house. It was Gramma. I stood up suddenly and saw her with a stick. She stared up at me and grinned. My eyes narrowed as I saw her cut her wrist. The blood flowed freely from her wrist as I saw Lucius walk outside. He stopped in his tracks as he saw her blood hit the ground.


    “Lucius!” I called loud enough to make Juniper stop abruptly. Lucius bared his fangs and Gramma yelled out, “this one’s got sharp fangs!” I flew down the stairs but it was too late to stop Lucius. He was clutching her wrist as she took out her stick. She chanted some incoherent words that I could not quickly translate. Out of her well-polished, long stick, bright red beams shot out of it, some sort of laser, I supposed. One grazed my shoulder, and made me jump. I pulled Lucius off of the old woman quickly and grabbed Juniper with my free hand, swinging her harshly against
    “Run bloodsucker,run!” Gramma yelled as she aimed her stick. Juniper jumped down and started to run at my speed. She stopped suddenly and jumped onto the ground behind the bushes.

    “C’mon Nicholai!” She called quietly. I threw Lucius next to her and dove behind the bushes myself, covering my head with both hands. She stroked my hair and whispered in my ear that I was safe now. Lucius was staring at the cars going by, looking at the drivers that stared back.

    “Nicholai, I think we should get out of there. It’s not safe anymore,” Luciuss suggested quietly as I sat up. I nodded and Juniper climbed into my lap.

    “I think you need to ask her something,” Lucius hinted. I had a feeling that he meant if she wanted to be with us, even though he didn't seem too partial to it.

    “Junie, I need to ask you somethin',” I said gently. She looked up at me, wide eyes bright and sparkling, and smiled, silently telling me to ask.

    “I need to know, do you want to go with Lucius and I as we leave? It isn't safe for us here anymore," I said to her absentmindedly. For the moment, I even thought about her becoming a vampire. But I quickly dismissed the idea, seeing how my other vampire child met her untimely and undeserved fate.

    “When are we going to go?” She asked in her squeaky voice. I smiled, figuring the answer was yes, sensing her eagerness. I knew this was wrong, taking away a six year old from her parents.

    “As soon as you go get packed up. Can’t just have you running around in the same clothes all the time can we?” She giggled and stood up. Even standing she was short.

    “Stay here guys I’ll go get my stuff,” she smiled as she ran back to the house, sneaking in the back door. I could hear Gramma yelling to herself and shooting into the trees, no doubt knowing we could fly.... I felt it, and Lucius did too, guilt in our guts for tempting a little girl away from her parents. This was kidnapping, I knew this was how it went. I absolutely hated the thought of us being kidnappers. It made me angry.

    “I’m sorry Nicholai,” Lucius said in a quiet voice. I looked over at him and he said: “I don’t know what came over me. If I hadn’t..you know..we could still stay in her house and we wouldn’t be wandering again.”

    “I would’ve made us leave anyway,” I said eloquently, “I couldn’t take her Gramma’s inspections. I don’t have that kind of energy.” Lucius laughed silently as he peaked from behind the bushes.

    “Juniper on her way back.” Lucius sighed. “She reminds me so much of Michelle.” I still felt guilt for not doing anything to save her. I was still angry at the time for her trying to kill me.

    “I know Lucius....I would’ve helped her if I could....” He nodded as he watched Juniper bound back. She plopped down in my lap and Lucius grabbed her suitcase. I stood up holding her to my chest and started to walk down the alleyway we came from yesterday. I turned around and saw Lucius still sitting there with Juniper’s suitcase.

    “Lucius!” I called as my voice boomed across the alley. He stood up and quickly ran over to us.

    “Where are we going to sleep, Nicholai?” Juniper asked as I started to walk again.

    “We could get a hotel. Or sleep in a basement. Whatever we can find for now.” I said absentmindedly. Junie buried her head in my shoulder and started to doze.