The Black Limousine

I was standing under the tree in my front yard, debating on whether to just walk in or not. I knew they’d be home. It’s just sort of obvious. That, an the fact they hadn’t heard anything from me in over two weeks. I sigh, walking up the porch steps. The front door swings open, and my mom and dad both hug me. I smile, hugging them both.

“Kristina!! Where have you been?”, my mother says, wiping at her eyes.

“Staying at a friend’s house.”

“For over two weeks?”, dad asks firmly, walking us inside.

“No … I’ve also been at the hospital. Out of town.”

“Oh my gosh! Honey, are you okay?”, my mother says worriedly, examining.

“No. The doctor’s say I only have one week to live, and I just wanted to say goodbye. And I know what you’ve been doing. I just want a few things before I go …”, I say, walking up the steps quickly. I grab a few backpacks and suitcases, immediately seeing Luke and Keith smirking at me.

“Packed most of it. Just grab whatever’s left in your closet.”, Luke says, hoping out my window with Keith. I smile, soon packing up my closet.

“Where are you going?”, my father roars.

“Somewhere,” I sigh, throwing my backpack out the window.

“Kristina! You are staying right here! You’ve been gone for over two weeks!!”, dad roars.

I shake my head, tears pouring out of my eyes. “No, I’m not,” I mutter, climbing out my window and jumping. Keith catches me, and everything goes blurring past us.

“You gonna be okay?”

“Yeah. They’re mad right now. But I can tell they’re happy to get my goodbyes.”

“You planning on going to school?”

“Just to give them one Hell’s Angel performance they’ll never forget. And to go down in history as one of the only girls at the school to go without loosing her virginity.”, I say, snorting.

“And to rub it in Connor’s face that he’ll never have you again?”

“You better believe it!”, I cheer, smiling as we enter their house.

“So … what do you want to do first?”

“I don’t know. I’d like to know more about demons and vampires. Seeing as how I was ‘too logical to even believe.’”, I quote, smirking.

“Hey! We were only trying to keep his parents off your will!”, Keith says, holding his hands up defensively.

“Don’t demons live in hell?”

“Some,” Keith says, shrugging. “But me and Phil weren’t happy there. Then Phil met Anna, and we never went back. I’m just glad Anna wasn’t all that prissy like the girls during that time.”

“Honestly?”

“Anna was an outcast back then, Kristina. From what I knew of. I was trying to pass for a five year old.”, Luke says, smirking. I giggle at that, and Keith rolls his eyes.

“I think that was why he didn’t see girls.”, Keith says teasingly.

“I was busy trying to keep the family together. Trevor did some pretty heavy damage, even before he was born. But, once Anna got pregnant, I start growing a little. I was personally scared of what was going to happen to her.”

“And nothing happened! Our nephew is a little lazy, but Anna’s fine!”, Keith says, smirking.

“What do demons eat?”, I ask, raising an eyebrow.

“Umm, something that would give you nightmares.”, Keith says uncomfortably.

“You’re scaring me already.”, I say, taking a step away.

“But we can go longer than vampires without eating.”, Keith says, shrugging. “But I’m not gonna lie and say we have better control with temptation. It’s just about training.”

“He’s right. Once we dared each other to see who could survive longest on human food, he lost. Trevor won, though.”, Luke grumbles.

“We got beat by our own nephew. And he was frickin’ three!!”, Keith says, rolling his eyes.

“Yeah, that was a good day for me.”, Trevor says, smirking. “But to be honest, Kristina, you should just let Luke bite you. Death is unpredictable. Even with Anna’s psychic ability. Although, she can’t ever see you.”

“Hmm?”, I ask, zoning back.

“You didn’t hear anything I just said.”, Trevor says gravely.

“Nope,” I say smugly. “All I heard was ‘let Luke bite you,’ and I zoned out.”

“The attention span of a rock,” Philander says, smirking at me.

“No, he just started babbling!”, I whine.

“If it weren’t for the fact that I’m older than you, I’d question your age.”, Trevor says, rolling his eyes.

“You’re only older by eighty-six years.”, I grumble. “And compared to your mom and dad it’s nothing!”

“Yeah, but that means, by human laws, I can move out.”

“No. It means your dead.”, I say, rolling my eyes. “If my estimates are correct, in about fifty years, it will be common for someone to be a hundred.”

“How did you get her, uncle Keith?”

“I don’t even know sometimes,” Keith says, shrugging as he sits down next to me.

“And I thought she was the only girl in the world smart enough to ditch Keith.”, Luke mutters.

“Maybe I am,” I say, smirking.

“Well, how long has he gone?”, Philander asks.

“Since we got here,” Luke grumbles.

“Damn! Kristina, what’d you do to him?!”, Philander asks, shocked.

“I didn’t know that I did anything,” I say, smiling as Keith wraps an arm around my shoulders. “But he has gone a long time without a perverted comment.”

“I’ve got an eternity to be as perverted as I used to be.”, Keith says, smirking.

“Hey, do demons have those little devil horns like some people say?”

“Superstition. They don’t. Unless they want ‘em.”, Keith says, smirking.

“Do vampires have fangs?”

“Only when they’re hungry. They’re controllable.”, Luke says, opening his mouth so I could watch his fangs extend. “And I can go up to six months without blood. Although I go crazy by one month.”

“How long can you go, Trevor?”, I ask, looking over at Trevor. He rolls his eyes at me, smirking.

“Up to a year. On both. And I’ll only go crazy by nine months.”, Trevor says smugly.

“Sweet,” I say, smirking.

“The only way for you to become a hybrid is with a blood tie with Luke and then Keith changes you. Or a blood tie with Keith and then Luke changes you.”, Philander says, smirking.

“And blood-tying is basically like marriage.”, Trevor snorts.

“I wasn’t planning on becoming a hybrid.”, I say, rolling my eyes.

“But Keith did lie. He could change you by biting you. But that would most likely kill you …”, Philander says, smirking.

“And only a vampire with self control and venom can change you. Luke has better self control than me. I’d most likely kill you.”, Anna says sadly.

“I’m not really an option. I don’t know how this whole ‘changing’ works.”, Trevor says, shrugging.

“And if you try, you’ll be grounded for three years.”, Anna says sweetly.

“Moooom,” Trevor whines.

“And you thought I was immature.”

“He’s known as the baby of the family. You can see why he wants you in it.”, Keith says, shrugging.

“’Cause then I’m the young one.”, I say, rolling my eyes. “But I bet I’m smarter than him.”

“Oh, you are. I’ve seen his test scores.”, Luke says, smirking.

“Trevor Alexander Blake!!”, Anna scowls.

“Relax, Anna. He didn’t flunk.”, Luke says, rolling his eyes.

“He’s a hundred years old! He should be smarter than a fourteen year old girl!!”

“Who’s been doing college level assignments since sixth grade?”, I say smugly.

“Again I ask, how did you get Kristina?!!”, Trevor asks, gaping.

“I dunno,” Keith says, shrugging.

“Well, I hope I don’t end up with an aunt younger than me.”, Trevor grumbles. Anna hits him on the head, scowling.

“Trevor!! I personally think Kristina’s just what Keith needs. And more importantly, this family. We don’t have any other girls in this entire household!”, Anna says excitedly.

“I’m gonna say this once, and hopefully it gets through your thick vampire head … I. Am. Not. A. Barbie. Doll.”, I say slowly, smirking.

“But we’ll be sisters, basically!!”, Anna says, smiling.

“Is it too late to consider that whole ‘death’ thing?”, I say sarcastically.

“Yes, because you already said no to dying!”, Anna says, smiling at me.

“Oh no,” I say, staring straight at Anna.

“What?”, Keith asks.

“She’s gonna start early.”, I say, jumping over the couch just as Anna tries tackling me.

“Freaky,” Philander comments, as I dodge another attempt.

“Control your frickin’ wife!”, I yell over my shoulder, as I begin running through their house. “Wow!! Someone’s hungry!”, I scream, as Anna tries grabbing me with her fangs. They just cut through my arm, and I felt blood trickling down my arm. “Crap!”, I scream, running back into the living room.

“I smell blood,” Trevor says, sniffing the air.

“Really? I hadn’t noticed, Sherlock!!”, I yell sarcastically. I scream as Anna nearly catches me, ducking straight under her. I go running up the steps, straight toward one of my suitcases, I pull out a wooden stake, shaking my head. “Grandfather, bless you,” I mutter, holding up the wooden stake as Anna breaks through the door. She flinches away from the stake, and I smirk. She hisses at me, jumping for me. I jump over her, sliding down the steps.

“Whoa, where’d you get that?!”, Luke yells.

“This? Oh, family thing.”, I say dismissively, ducking as Anna jumps again. “The professor George H. McPhee, 1642.”, I say, smirking. Anna flinches from the name, her fangs going back to normal teeth.

“I knew that was familiar. You’re a decentant of the famous vampire slayer.”, Anna growls.

“Hmm? He was a mythic slayer. He had a journal. I read it.”, I say, smirking as I set the stake down. “Same with that hollowed out book.”

“Wait, what’s going on?”, Luke asks.

“It was before you were born, Luke. The McPhee’s are famous mythic slayers. Men, women children. All McPhee’s. Looks like Keith and you stumbled on a decent.”, Anna sneers.

“He briefly mentioned an Annabella Rosalind Vane. Said he knew what she was just by hearing her last name.”, I say, smirking. “Vane. As in blood vein.”

“He’s the reason for those Salem Witch Trials.”

“He was a looney with too much beer handy. That’s why he died at twenty.”, I sneer. “Same with Katharine and Mercy and little Eddie J.”

“You do your research.”

“I get bored easily.”, I say, smirking. We stare each other down, until Anna’s gaze shifts toward my arm. It had stopped bleeding, and I could feel it stinging as it healed. “Well, if you excuse me, I’m gonna put this away before someone gets hurt.”, I say, picking up the stake.

“You’re frickin’ keeping that?!”, Luke asks, shocked.

“No! I’m throwing it in the backyard.”, I say, smirking as I throw it out the front door. “I was just testing to see if it was true.”

I skip up the steps, straight toward our room, sitting down on my bed and pulling out Twilight.

“Why are you reading that?”, Luke asks, as him and Keith finally come upstairs.

“Trying to learn some about you and Anna. I don’t know any demon books.”, I say, setting it down. “But it doesn’t seem very realistic. You and Anna don’t like wood, and you all can walk out in sunlight.”

“Yeah, it’s a load of garbage.”, Keith says, rolling his eyes.

“Worst five bucks my mom ever spent.”, I say, throwing it under the bed.

“But the five thing is true. Although, Keith naturally lives in fire.”, Luke says, rolling his eyes.

“It’s true. Me and Philander can live on the sun and not be hurt in the slightest.”, Keith says smugly. “But Trevor would feel a lot of pain. He’s more of … survive on the earth’s core.”

“So, if I were to send you to the sun, you’d be able to bring me back a star?”, I ask, smirking.

“Yeah, pretty much. But Luke and Anna can survive intense cold. They could live on frickin’ Pluto!”

“He’s right,” Luke chuckles. “It’s weird how Philander and Annabella found love.”

“It’s like fire and ice. They balance each other.”, I say, smirking.

“Ahuh,” Keith says, rolling his eyes.

“Seriously. Philander’s a complete idiot, pervert, and probably your twin now that I think about it.”, I say, smiling smugly.

“So, you aren’t as stupid as I thought you became.”, Luke says, smirking.

“Hey!”, Keith says, pouting.

“You know it’s true!”, I say, smirking up at him.

“Yes, but now I’m your pervert.”

“Do you know how wrong that sounded, Keith?”

“But it’s very true.”

“Sadly,” I sigh, rolling my eyes. I reach under my bed, pulling out my grandfather’s journal. “Hey, Keith … this mentions you.”, I say, frowning as I read.

“Huh? What does it say?”

“’I knew by his name, what his fate truly was. Keith Tristan Blake was born to be a demon. One of the most diabolical creatures today. I have to kill him. To protect the village. And my family.’”, I quote, frowning as I read. I then notice the picture, nearly withered to ashes. “Aww! Keith! You were so cute as a baby!”, I say, smiling.

“What? Let me see that book!”, Keith says, grabbing the book straight out of my hands. He studies the picture, soon grabbing my hand and running out the door. “Phil!! Put some frickin’ clothes on and come read this!!!”, Keith yells, knocking on the red door that I knew was Anna’s.

“Keith!! Get away from the door!!”, I hear Philander growl.

“It has to do with our frickin’ family!!”

“Hmm?”, Philander asks, stepping out the door.

“Look,” Keith says, pushing the book in Philander’s face.

“Oh, damn!! He killed us!!”, Philander growls, soon glowering at me. “You’re frickin’ grandfather killed me and Keith!! And he nearly killed Anna!!!”, Philander growls, towering over me.

“Phil!!! That was over five hundred years ago!! Kristina didn’t have anything to do with it!!”, Keith growls, stepping in front of me.

“You read this book!!! It says so right there: I have to kill him. The dude was gonna kill you when you were born.”, Philander growls.

“He was a quack!!”, I yell. “The frickin’ idiot was made to believe that even angels had to be killed!! Look!!”, I say, flipping through the pages. “’I had a dream of a girl with reddish-brown hair. It was glittering in the sunlight. She was reading some nonsense, on a shiny thing that glowed. When I saw those young childred, Lucas Robert Vane and Keith Tristan Blake join her. Her eyes, they were one of a psychic angel. Pale green with silver and golden specks. And her name was —’”, I stop reading, my eyes going wide. “Me.”

“Huh?”, Philander asks.

“’Her name was Kristina Jane McPhee. I knew I had to kill this girl. She was nothing but trouble by the way her eyes looked.’”, I quote, setting the book down. “There’s your frickin’ proof! My own grandfather wanted me dead!!”

And I threw the book, the cursed thing. I ran straight into the bedroom, where Luke still sat at the desk, and just cried into the pillow.

“What happened?”, Luke asks, as I hear Keith enter.

“Turns out her family has a history of psychics. Her grandfather wanted you and me dead because he saw Kristina and us in a vision. The first day we all met and were out on her front yard under the tree. He also wanted Kristina dead.”, Keith sighs, sitting down next to me. “Kristina, it’s okay. He was crazy, probably hunted too many demons.”

“That dude makes me angrier by the second.”, Luke mutters.

“You’re telling me. Did you know he murdered my folks? That’s really why me and Philander died. We wanted to meet up with them. But, of course, not without taking revenge. Just on the wrong people …”, Keith sighs, rubbing my back soothingly. “Kristina, it’s okay.”

“He frickin’ wants me dead!!!”, I sob.

“He never got to meet you. He never found out just how wonderful you are.”, Keith says, rubbing my back.

“That was so cheesy,” I say, lifting my head from my pillow.

“Relax. He’s just trying to get lucky.”, Luke says, smirking. Keith rolls his eyes, laughing as I throw a pillow at Luke’s face. Luke rolls his eyes, throwing the pillow back as Keith catches it.

“Cut me some frickin’ slack, bro! I’ve got an eternity to ‘get lucky.’”, Keith says, winking at me.

“Maybe when I’m fifty.”

“But that’s in thirty-six years!”, Keith whines.

“I was joking!”, I say, smiling.

“Does that mean I’m getting lucky?”, Keith asks, smiling.

“Not this year,” I say, smirking.

“And, please, Keith, keep this conversation for when I’m not in the room.”, Luke says, rolling his eyes.

I yawn, smiling at them. “Well, look, I’m gonna go to bed …”, I mumble, lying my head back down. I hear Keith chuckle, before he kisses my head and heads toward his bunk.

• • •

I slept well that night, and smiled as I looked toward the window. Luke and Keith were still sleeping, but who knew how long it would take them to wake up.

“Never wake up a demon,” Luke says, smirking. “They may set the house on fire.”

“Did you sleep at all last night?”

“Maybe. Vampires can go an eternity without sleep. But we can, in fact, sleep like humans.”

“That’s a creepy thought.”

“You’ll get used to it.”, Luke says, shrugging as he sits up. “Stay away from all windows, and be prepared for fire.”, Luke says sarcastically, climbing up. “KEITH!!!! Kristina’s running around naked!!!”

Keith jerks up, immediately looking over at me as I smirk at him. “Not in this house of pervs.”

“Luke!!”, Keith growls.

“Keith,” Luke says smugly, smirking.

“Kristina,” I say sarcastically.

“C’mon, Keith. Let your girlfriend have some privacy.”

“But we’re dating! Why can’t I help her?!”, Keith whines.

“Again, pervert!”

“And, again, I’m your pervert.”, Keith says, winking before disappearing. I roll my eyes, changing quickly into a red tank-top, and some black mini-shorts. I grab my favorite sneakers, quickly combing through my hair, and packing up my backpack before walking out the door.

“G’morning boys,” I say, sliding down the steps.

“Is it just me, or does she get hotter everyday?”, Keith says, sliding down behind me.

“That’s only because you wanna get in her pants.”, Luke says, rolling his eyes.

“Damn, Keith! How long has he gone?”

“Again, since we got here. And he started early today with perverted comments.”

“Because I’m Kristina’s pervert.”

“That sounds so frickin’ wrong, Keith!”, I say at the bottom of the steps. I fix my hair, slipping the red headband back in.

“Black and red … it works for you.”, Keith says, smirking.

“Stop with the cheesiness, and lets go so I can torture Connor.”, I say, smirking as I skip out the front door and straight into their limo.

“So, what are your plans?”, Keith asks, wrapping an arm around my waist as the limo starts moving.

“Hmm, give a final Hell’s Angel performance, torture Connor Allen, and then torture Cameron and Beth.”, I say, smirking. “And I just thought of something, what will I do when I change? Into what, I still don’t know.”

“We’ll move, let you get used to being ‘whatever’ and find a new place.”, Keith says, smirking. “But we’ll have to look real mournful for a few days.”

“Otherwise people get suspicious. Thinking we’re hiding something. And with either one, we have to return a body.”, Luke says, shrugging. My eyes went wide, making them chuckle. “It takes a few days to become a vampire.”

“Oh,” I say, chewing on my lower lip as I stare out the window. We all walk out, and I could see everyone staring at us. “Why are they staring?”

“We missed a little over two weeks.”, Keith says sheepishly. I roll my eyes, heading straight toward my locker, then straight toward Uncle Jack’s office.

“Principal Affleck?”

“Oh, Kristina! Where were you?”

“At the hospital. Look, I only have one week, and I wanted to do a big final concert.”

“Oh, alright, I’ll see what I can do. You just go set up in the cafeteria?”

I nod, smiling as I head toward the cafeteria. I noticed the piano behind the curtains, and shaking my head, chuckling. I plug in the electric guitar, as everyone starts coming in.

“Y’all ready for one last performance?”, I yell into the microphone, smirking. I start playing “Metamorphosis” by Hilary Duff.
“I've been so wrapped up in my warm cocoon
But something's happening, things are changing soon
I'm pushing the edge, I'm feeling it crack
And once I get out, there's no turning back

“Watching the butterfly go towards the sun
I wonder what I will become

“Metamorphosis
Whatever this is
Whatever I'm going through
Come on and give me a kiss
Come on, I insist
I'll be something new
A metamorphosis

“Things are different now when I walk by
You start to sweat and you don't know why
It gets me nervous but it makes me calm
To see life all around me moving on

“Watching the butterfly go towards the sun
I wonder what I will become

“Metamorphosis
Whatever this is
Whatever I'm going through
Come on and give me a kiss
Come on, I insist
I'll be something new
A metamorphosis

“Every day is a transformation
Every day is a new sensation
Alteration, modification
An incarnation, celebration
Every day is a new equation
Every day is a revelation
Information, Anticipation
Onto another destination

“Metamorphosis
Whatever this is
Whatever I'm going through
Come on and give me a kiss
Come on, I insist
I'll be something new
A metamorphosis,” I sing, smiling at everyone.

“Go Kat! Do a little dance for your fans!!”, Benjamin yells.

“Sorry guys, I wish I could. But I can’t. Only got one week. Maybe less.”, I say, smirking. “But I guess when you got nothing to loose, you do the stupidest stuff.”, I say, doing a couple flips. I jump onto the table, dancing around to tease the boys.

“Back off, she’s mine,” Keith says, standing up. “You’re gonna be passed out in a few minutes.”, Keith whispers in my ear. I nod, taking off the guitar and jumping off the table with Keith. Luke follows us, and we all start toward their limousine. Just as we step outside, I fall to my knees. Keith catches me before I hit the ground, and breathing was becoming labored.

“Keith, she’s dying. C’mon!”, Luke says, already running toward the limo as Keith picks me up and we run into it.

“Luke, bite her!! Bite her now!!”, Keith growls, holding me close.

“What?!”

“Bite her!!!”

And Luke picks up my arm, biting it. Pain engulfed me, and I scream. Luke flinched away, his fangs going back to normal.

“Luke!!”, Keith growls. Luke rolls his eyes, biting me again as everything went fuzzy. “Kristina, calm down,” Keith says soothingly, rubbing my hair. I looked up at him, feeling my screams dying as I stared into his fiery eyes. Everything went black, and I knew I died.