Stricken

The sick laughter. Their twisted faces. Long fangs. Yellow eyes. Everything rampaged painfully through Zara's mind. Her body pitched and swayed uneasily.

David's monstrous face flew at her. "ZARA!"

A scream tore from her throat as Zara shot up, clawing at her face. Her body shook with aches. She scrambled blindly and fell from the couch.

"Zara!"

Zara was shaking so badly she could only lift her head, the blurry image of her little sister stood over her.

"Zara! Zara, what's wrong?"

Her hand shooting out to grab Emily's wrist, Zara pulled her sister down to almost eye level.

"W-what happened?" she stuttered.

Emily was staring at her fearfully. "I-I don't know..."

Zara let her go and dropped her head onto the floor, fatigue overtaking her trembling limbs. Her eyes drooped. A wave of sleep was about to overtake her.

Emily screamed.

Zara jolted awake again and looked around wildly. She froze. Standing in the door way of the living room was David. He looked normal again, but the air around him seemed to shiver with negativity. Anger rolled from his body.

Emily was on the floor, staring up at him wildly, glued to the spot. David advanced on Zara and she stepped back, afraid of the strong, negative energy that was radiating from him.

"David...what's wrong?" she asked. The sun was still out, but barely. Still, she was surprised he'd ventured out this early.

Emily slunk behind David before running into the kitchen. Zara heard the door slam.

David's nostrils flared and he looked almost as terrifying as he did the night she had seen what he really was.

"They...killed him."

"Who?" Zara asked.

"Marco. Michael and Sam...They killed Marco."

"No...No, they wouldn't--"

"They did." His eyes grew colder than ever. "We're going to avenge him."

"No! You can't!"

"Zara, they killed our brother!"

Zara opened her mouth to argue, but one part made her shut it. He was right. Marco was her brother. But Michael and Sam were her friends...

"Don't ask me to go with you," she pleaded, looking up at him.

His eyes narrowed, but he nodded before his lips found her's and she was swept into his cold arms. Head spinning, breath hitched, Zara slowly pulled away. His arms were no longer around her body and when she opened her eyes...he was gone.

|

Emily ran up the steps of Michael and Sam's house, burst through the door, and came to a screeching halt almost hitting Edgar.

"Whoa, what the hell are you doing here?" Edgar asked.

"Its Zara! She's...there's this...There's this guy and he scares me!"

"Not our problem. We got bigger fish to fry," Edgar said. "You better get home before things start getting nasty."

"But--"

"Emily?" Sam said as he came thundering down the stairs.

"Sam! You gotta believe me! Zara's creepy boyfriend showed up again and this time he was really scary. I don't know what to do! I left--"

"Whoa. Zara's 'creepy boyfriend'. What's he look like?"

"Light blonde hair, blue eyes, really pale..."

"Does he wear a lot of black?" Allan asked.

Emily nodded eagerly. "He wears black gloves and was always wearing a long black coat."

"Jesus Christ..." Edgar whispered and looked at Allan. "We employed a vampire lover and didn't even know it!"

Allan nodded solemnly.

Emily looked at them dubiously. "I'm just worried about Zara. Ever since she started going out with him...she changed--"

"We know," Michael said quietly coming down the stairs. He skin was ashen, dark circles were under his eyes. He looked at the three boys. "She's a..." He threw a glance down at Emily. "...she's like me."

Sam and the Frog brothers stared at him, jaws hanging open.

"Christ!" Edgar exclaimed. "How did we not see that?"

"I was wondering the same thing," Sam retorted. "So what? What's gonna happen to Zara?"

"Nothing, as long as she stays out of our business," Allan said and Edgar nodded in agreement.

"What are you guys even doing?" Emily asked.

"None of your business, half-pint. You better get home."

"There isn't time," Michael said as he peeked out the window. "If she's anywhere near here...they'll find her."

"What do you--"

"Come on." Edgar picked up the littler girl by her waist and escorted her to the back of the house. He set her in the closet. "Wait here until one of us comes to get you." He shut the door on her confused face and slid the desk in front of it.

He ran back to the kitchen where the other's were assembling. "We ready?"

"As ready as we'll ever be..." Sam said as the last rays of sun began to disappear behind the horizon.

The vampires were coming.