More Than Love

I slowly approached the shaking girl, not wanting to scare her any more than I already had. I had mindlessly killed tons of people, but this was the first time I felt guilty. I felt like a monster, probably because I was a monster.

The little girl was in tears. She couldn’t have been more than five or six, she was tiny.

I kneeled down beside her and wrapped my arms around her, she cried harder, probably thinking I was going to kill her.

“It’s okay, I’m not gonna hurt you I promise.” I reassured the frightened girl. I stood up, bringing her with me so she was resting on my hip before I took off. I ran home, through the back door, to be more inconspicuous, and up to Mikey and I’s room. Just as I expected, he was sitting on the bed. His elbows were rested on his knees and his head was in his hands. When I entered the room his head snapped up, eyes as big as dinner plates.

“You can’t keep running off like that Emma! Do you know how worried I was? You could have been killed, or raped, or kidnapped. This is Jersey, and contrary to popular belief, you are not indestructible. There are people and vampires that would hurt you without second thought or remorse. I know my dad isn’t the easiest person in the world to get along with, probably the hardest actually, but- what is that?” He stopped his rant when he noticed the little girl.

“I-I… it’s a… little girl?” I didn’t know what to tell him. I didn’t know her name, and I didn’t want to tell him what I had done.

“I know that, but what is she doing here, in a house full of vampires?”

“I don’t know. I couldn’t leave her."

"Oh my god my fucking dad is gonna kill me!!" He said running his hands fearfully through his hair

"Grow a pair Mikey." I said as I stepped into our bathroom

I set the young girl on the counter and grabbed a cloth, proceeding to clean her beautiful face.

"What's your name?" I asked sweetly

I thought that maybe if I was nice to her she might warm up to me.

She cowered a little bit before replying, "Charlie."

I chuckled at the thought of naming a girl Charlie.

My chuckle must have came sounding like a hiss because she flinched and tears sprung to her eyes.

"No! No I'm not gonna hurt you... I promise!" I said lifting my hand to her face.

She flinched when my hand touched her face but then relaxed, letting me clean her face again.

"She can't stay Emma." I heard Mikey from the doorway

"She's not leaving." I stated simply as I finished her up. Getting a comb out of the drawer I brushed her long golden hair and pulled it back into a comfortable braid.

"My dad will--"

"End of discussion!!" I snapped.

I went to my closet and got one of my band t-shirts. I shooed Mikey out of the bathroom and changed Charlie's clothes. I tied the shirt in one big knot so that it fit her just right.

Before I knew it, she was clean and had fallen asleep in my arms.

I carried her to our bed and tucked her in tightly. I sat on an armchair that was diagonal to the bed and just stared at her.

With the way she fell asleep she probably was exhausted from what happened…I couldn't blame her.
I ruined her family, I wasn't expecting her to be alright anytime soon.

"I feel like I have to take care of her Mikey." I said quietly.

I couldn't help it. The guilt was just too overwhelming…

“You think you have to take care of her…your emotions are just off the charts right now!” he laid his hands lightly on my shoulders

I continued to stare at her in wonder, I felt this sort of connection with her but I didn't know what it was.

"Emma....there's really isn't anything that you can do either my dad's gonna handle her or we can drop her off at a foster home or police station."

Two words out of that phrase snapped me back into reality.

“A foster home?!” I whispered yelled

Taking his arm tightly I drug him into the bathroom and shut the door behind us.

“Do you know what will be waiting for her at a foster home Mikey?!…Abuse and neglect!! Daily beatings and torture!!! I got lucky…a great dude took me away and married me and treated me like I was a queen but that isn't always gonna fucking happen!! I am not putting her through the shit that I went through!!!” I could feel the hot tears welling up in my eyes

Mikey sighed and ran his hands through his hair. He shifted from one foot to the other and looked between me and the door.

“Dammit Mikey say something!” I snapped

When he didn't say anything I walked back into our room and took my place in my original seat: across from where Charlie slept.

I could hear her mumbling in her sleep.

“Mommy? I…can't…” she yelled quietly

She was having a nightmare. I ran over to the bed to tell her that everything was okay but thought better of it.

The sound of my voice would only make things worse.

So as she laid there beginning to toss and turn, I rested my cold hand against her cheek and stroked her face with my thumb.

She sighed and went quiet again.

“She must really mean alot to you…we’ll have to talk to my father about this. Maybe theres something he could do.”

"Where's your father?" I asked getting back to the chair

"Out of town....he'll be back in two days."

“Then we wait…until he gets back.” I yawned

I stood up and let Mikey slide under me. I curled up in his lap and muzzled my face into his neck.

“I love you.” I whispered lightly as my eyelids drooped closed

Mikey's lips against my forehead was the last thing I felt before falling asleep.

********************************************************

Charlie's scream woke me up that next morning… human ears heard it as a scream but to me it sounded like a million nails on a million chalkboards.

I flew from my place on Mikey's lap to the kitchen where Frank and Gerard stood in front of her with their fangs barred and a murderous look in their eye.

They hissed and growled inching closer and closer.

“STOP!!!!!!!” I yelled standing defensively in front of her.

Frank flew at me fast and low.

Taking his arm I swung him around and into the fridge. A loud growl filled the air as Gerard came next.

He grabbed me by my throat and slammed my head into the sharp edge of the counter. A stabbing pain entered my head but I ignored it when I saw them going for Charlie.

During the boys’ and my's altercation she had crawled into one of the kitchen cabinets.

Gerard tore the door off the hinges…as Charlie tried to crawl to the next cabinet space, he grabbed her foot and pulled.

I sped over to the and football-tackled them both to the ground.

I kicked Frank in his head and threw Gerard into the living room, just missing the tv.

“What the hell--” Lyn-Z came into the room but stopped…when she smelled Charlie.

“Aw shit not you too!!!” I yelled as the blood lust consumed her face.

She was way fast than I expected as she darted toward the cabinet.

I grabbed her by her ponytail and pulled her backward.

“Mikey!!! Help!!” I yelled as she wrapped her slim fingers around my throat.

Her nails dug viciously into the back of my neck as a small scream erupted from my throat. She lifted her knee and slammed it into my midsection.

Then she brought my face down and slammed her knee into my nose and face.

In all of five seconds, I felt my nose and chin break and heal itself.

Pain rippled through me but I did my best to ignore it.

Suddenly out of nowhere Christa appeared.

“You've…got to be…fucking kidding me!!” I managed to choke out

I lifted my elbow and slammed it into her open arm, causing her to release me. I twisted her arm behind her back an kicked her into Christa with my foot.

She caught her and looked at me shocked, “it's okay!! I heard you scream and I came to help.”

“Thanks.” I said watching her drag Gerard and Lyn-Z away

“Emma?!” called Mikey popping into the kitchen

“Well I'll be damned!! You're right on time…” I gave him the evil eye

I heard Frank growl as he came running towards me. Mikey was there, catching whatever he planned to do.

I watched as Frank lifted my husband and threw him into the living room window. Rather than shatter all the window did was shake and become still again.

“Emma get Charlie!” coughed Mikey

I pulled Charlie from the cabinet and into my arms and flew out side into the spacious backyard.

She was crying so hard that she had entered a coughing fit.

I sat down on the cool grass and was trying to calm her down. The sun was just setting behind the hill in our backyard.

She continued to cry and cough then a familiar smelling substance dripped from her mouth and nose straight into my hands.

Blood.