Eclipse

“Certain darkness is needed to see the stars.”-Unknown

Yekaterina Nightstorm

Yekaterina woke with a start. She couldn’t remember having a dream about that night in years. She shivered and looked over at the bed that Nadia occupied. Her twin was still soundly asleep.

Sometimes she envied her sister. Nadia had forgotten. She had shut it out of her mind leaving Kat alone with the memories. Sometimes in private moments, she resented her twin for not remembering their family or the sacred duty that was passed down to them.

Kat shook her head to clear it of these thoughts. That Nadia didn’t remember was a mercy, and the fact that Kat carried on for her family was enough. After checking her clock, she shook her head. It was three in the morning, and she wasn’t sleeping again anytime soon.

She hopped in the shower to rinse off the nightmare. The hot water felt like ecstasy after the cold sweat of her inner demons. Why did she have that dream in particular? Why did that memory come back? Kat was not a woman who believed in coincidences, and a feeling of foreboding settled over her.

She got out of the shower and threw on a pair of black jeans, a belt that concealed her daggers; and a form-fitting black tank top. She pulled her hair up into a functional ponytail and then, with one last glance at her sleeping twin; she stepped through the window and onto the roof.
Kat jumped the distance from the roof to the ground and landed silently on her feet. After a look around to be sure she wasn’t seen she walked away from the orphanage that functioned as her home since that horrible night so long ago. It wouldn’t be home much longer.

She would soon be on her own. Nadia met a man about two years ago and fell in love with him. They were getting married within the year and staying in America, where Nadia’s man lived. They were both grown, and it made sense that Nadia should live her life though Kat would be lying if she said she wouldn’t miss her twin. Ultimately, though, she would support anything that would make her sister happy and safe.

As for herself, Kat already had her cabin, purchased with money from her parent’s estate. She’d been left fairly well off though she’d paid a pittance for the cabin. Her life was the hunt. Kat didn’t need extravagance; she needed a functional, nondescript, and low key home. After all, reveling in being a Slayer was what got her family slaughtered, and she didn’t plan to make the same mistake.

Palmyra Pennsylvania; United States of America.

Joy Parker.

The night she met Derrik Rothvane, her world was turned upside down. He was everything she knew for sure just a few weeks ago that she didn’t want. That was before she'd begun dreaming of blood and fangs.

Derrik was older than she was, that was evident; though it was impossible to tell how much. He was brooding and dark. There was an edge of danger about him; like a bad boy that instead of reforming had only upgraded to a finer edged, less distinct form of trouble.

Derrik was only a couple inches taller than she was but muscular with it. He had long black hair that he had in a ponytail and an air of refined wealth and sophistication that was at odds with the danger seeping from his pores. In fact, he resembled the frightening man in her dreams; the one who’d taken the children to safety, but only just.

He rolled into town in a black BMW, wearing sunglasses. She initially agreed with her fellow gas station clerks that he was probably an asshole. After all, who walked around in tight black, long-sleeved shirts and sunglasses in July? It might be ten pm, but it was still over seventy degrees outside.
Even so, when he walked inside, his presence nearly bowled her over. The sheer force of him stalking through the isles was enough to silence even the loudest mouth. He moved in a very masculine way, as most men do; but instead of being just masculine his walk was something more. Predatory.

He was everything Joy stayed away from when it came to men, but unlike the other ladies behind the counter, she couldn’t look away from him. Reluctantly she turned to stock the cigarette shelf knowing she’d probably never see a specimen like him again. She was wrong.

“Joy. Can you please help me?” She turned and pulled on her most professional smile, using it against Mr. Sunglasses like a shield used to hide her nerves.

“Is there anything wrong?” She asked the girl before her. Carrie got hired a month ago, and occasionally she still had issues using the cash register.

“He’s paying with strange money.”

“Show me?” Carrie handed over the bills and Joy smiled. “This is a Euro. European currency.” She said, gently moving the girl out of the way to take over. “Did you just get into town, sir?”
“Yes, I did.” He responded. His voice was like ice and fire all at once. Luckily for her, she managed to recover quickly from its effect on her.

“Carrie, he probably didn’t have a chance to go to a bank yet. Remind me to show you how to do the exchange when we don’t have customers.” Joy smiled reassuringly, not wanting to embarrass her. The fourteen-year-old was new to the workplace, having just gotten her special permission work visa.

She couldn’t tell for sure, but she could feel his eyes on her while she exchanged his money for him. It was unnerving.

“Here’s your change sir.” She smiled gamely at him.

“Have you been to Europe before?”

“Only in my dreams” She smiled, curiosity getting the better of her. “Where are you from?”

“I often move for business” She noted that it wasn’t a real answer, but she let it go.

“Are you in town for business then?” Why was she pursuing this conversation? This guy was not normal; instinct told her that the moment she’d laid eyes on him.

He took off his sunglasses. Good lord in heaven. The man’s eyes were so light a green they looked yellow and seemed to glow as they took her in. Was he wearing contacts or something? Suddenly she felt frumpy in her yoga pants and her gas station polo shirt; red hair in a messy bun.

“I am Derrik Rothvane, and I assumed you’d have known I was here for you Joy Parker."

Yekaterina Nightstorm

Tonight’s hunt was more about information gathering than it was about actually slaying. Kat did this often. It was as necessary to slaying as being able to fight was. One had to know where to find the vampires to hunt them. Her prey was rarely stupid. They didn’t just hang out in the town square drinking blood from wine glasses as cliché would have them do.

The Grey Childe village was remote in the northern reaches of Russia just north of the city of Magadan bordering the Chersky Mountain Range. It was a cold, hard place but she’d never go anywhere else.

For this remote mountain village, social activity took place in only three locations. The pubs, Mordred’s Hollow, Templar’s rest, and Pub Grey were the places the villagers tended to gather in. There was alcohol, live music, and decent regional food.

The Grey Childe village was a place untouched by time. Stepping into its borders was to take a walk back into history. There many homes here that didn’t have televisions or radios even. The KGB era hadn’t left. Many of the villagers were even more traditional than that, lamenting the Bolshevik party’s victory so long ago and yet so well remembered.

She loved it here. This village was home. This village was the place where her family had bled its life blood into the earth, and it was every bit as much her own as it was any native Russian’s. She smiled in pride at as she stepped into pub Grey.

“Evening.” The bartender greeted her. Kat nodded; her expression cold. The waitress was cute and blond tonight. She recognized her as the usual barkeeper’s daughter.

“I will have Whiskey.” She said. The woman nodded and prepared the drink with shaking hands. Kat watched her carefully. Her eyes, though covered in makeup were swollen and a bit red from crying.
She was wearing black, and her hair was slack and unkempt. The villagers present in the pub were quieter than normal and kept shooting glances at her giving the clear impression something was amiss. When the barmaid came back with the Whiskey Kat, put her hand on the bartenders.
“Where is your father Anna?” She asked. The bartender straightened her back, forcing her expression into one of calm. Kat saw through her, though.

“He was killed miss, by a vampire. We found him this morning.” Kat raised an eyebrow. That wasn’t normal. Vampires disposed of their victims, leaving no traces.

“Are you the one who found him?”

“Yes.”

“Were there puncture marks?”

“Yes. It was horrible. He looked so afraid.” The woman allowed sadness to show through for a moment. Kat nodded, releasing her hand, and turned, taking her drink into a secluded corner to sit. Nursing her Whiskey almost as an afterthought she mused over this information.

Given modern forensics and technology vampires had grown far craftier about hiding their presence. Slayers were not their only enemies anymore. The only way a vampire left their prey out for anyone to find was because they were new and their sire didn’t stick around which she had only ever heard of once before, or it was a message.

She supposed it could have been a human. She’d dispatched her fair share of sick humans too. Not all monsters had fangs after all, and she didn’t take to anyone threatening her village, human or not. Kat sighed, listening to the chatter and not liking what she was hearing.

With her enhanced senses picking up a conversation across the room was not hard for her. She heard everything. The pub was ablaze with rumors of a new Vampire in town. They were saying he was unlike others, that he was more powerful.

Not only had he left a victim behind in plain view, but he’d chosen to let someone see him. That was a rookie mistake that a vampire of actual power could easily avoid if they wanted. That meant he’d elected to be visible. It was like he was taunting her, daring her to hunt him. She didn’t like it. No vampire invited the attentions of a Slayer. Not once. Not ever. She shivered, realizing it had suddenly become cold in the pub. She tensed and looked around. There was a vampire here.

“They lead such small lives no?” She jumped slightly. No one had ever managed to sneak up on her. Ever. The enhanced senses of a Slayer usually prevented that. The voice had been cultured and profound, carrying a tone she recognized. She made her face a mask. She wasn’t ready to face a powerful vampire, which he’d have to be to sneak up on her.

She felt him behind her, and she whirled around, standing in one fluid motion; finding herself face to face with a pair of all black eyes she’d committed to memory seventeen years ago.
The new powerful vampire in town was the one bloodsucker she had vowed never to kill.

Joy Parker

Did He come here for me? She wondered, blinking in confusion and backing up a step

“What are you talking about and how the hell do you know my name?” She demanded. Her body had instantly gone into fight or flight mode, and she was ready to bolt. She wasn’t sure why she was reacting this way. The adrenaline pumping in her system didn’t seem like her own. But she had more important things to ponder.

He seemed to realize how she was taking this and stepped away from the counter, raising his hands to show her he didn’t have a weapon.

“You honestly do not know?” He questioned.

“I know you're shady at the moment, and I can have cops here in seconds.” She kept her voice firm, eyes taking in every detail of the man before her.

“You’re mother’s name is Lana Parker is it not?” He asked. She narrowed her eyes at him, and Carrie poked her head in from the back.

“I called Butch and Connor Joy. They’ll be here in a few seconds” Joy nodded, grateful for the first time that Carrie had a habit of eavesdropping.

“Get out of here Carrie, and take the others with you. I’ll handle this.” Carrie nodded and flitted away without question. A few seconds later she heard the back door click shut. Not the smartest move maybe, but the other clerks were all teenagers, and her priority was their safety, then hers. “How do you know my mother?”

“My name is Derrik Rothvane. Call your mother and tell her I am here. I have a feeling that she will make things clear for you, as she should have long ago.” He said.

Butch and Connor chose that moment to rush in. They were twins; you're average all-American blond haired, blue eyes jocks who also happened to play bouncer for the gas station sometimes.

“You okay baby doll?” Butch asked while Connor glared at Derrik.

“I’m fine. Let’s keep things civil for now and move this outside.”

Both men were glaring at Derrik, who smirked but allowed them to escort him outside. She followed behind, thinking that perhaps if he wanted to, Derrik could take down both of her friends. She pulled out her phone.

“Keep an eye on him, guys.” She moved a little away and dialed her mother’s number.

An hour later and she was crying, her back turned to Derrik whom she couldn’t face yet, trying to pull herself together. Her mother in a matter of forty-five minutes had explained to her that she had was promised at birth to Derrik Rothvane in an arranged marriage which her parents had neglected to mention.

Her mother’s reasoning behind it was that when he’d failed to show on her eighteenth birthday they thought he’d ignore the contract, and she would be free. They hadn’t wanted to cause her undue stress.

Apparently the contract was legal and binding, and now that he was here he could enforce it. When she’d asked why she was not informed before turning eighteen her mother had said they had wanted her to have a normal life. Normal? There was nothing reasonable about an arranged marriage.
Joy would rather have known ahead of time. It was cruel, finding out this way that her life had not been her own to decide. She planned to fight this of course, but right now she was devastated. Butch walked over.

“Hey doll, you okay?” He murmured. She shook her head and whirled around, throwing herself into his arms. Even if they weren’t together now, they dated for a good three years, and he felt safe and familiar and stable. All three things were things she desperately needed right now. His fingers ran up and down her spine. “I’m here sweetie. I won’t let anyone hurt you” His kindness only made her cry harder.

“Damn, what’s up with Joy?” Connor asked Butch.

“I don’t know.” She felt Butch shrug.

“Joy never cries.”

“She doesn’t cry?” Asked Derrik. His voice filled the night like velvet. He sounded nearly sarcastic, and it made Butch angry.

“No. Joy never cries. They named her Joy for a reason you freak. I should know because she was mine for three years.” The possessiveness in his voice made Joy look up at him. “She’s a sweet girl who doesn’t deserve to have her heart broken by whatever bullshit you brought into her life.” She took a deep shuddering breath and stepped away from him, wiping her face on the collar of her shirt.

“I’m sorry Butch; I got your shirt all wet.” She was pleased with how steady she sounded. He smiled at her.

“You know I don’t mind sweetie.”

“You’re a good man.” She whispered smiling. Her smile was sad, and so was his answering one. They’d broken up, but they didn’t love each other any less for it. “You got any smokes on you?” She asked.

“Thought you quit?” He murmured.

“I did. I believe the occasion calls for it, though.” Derrik was utterly focused on her. She lit one up and after a bracing rush of chemicals; she told her friends everything. “And that is why Derrik is here.” She stated, closing on her sad little story.

“You want us to get rid of him?” Connor asked.

“No. he isn’t doing anything wrong. It’s my parents who lied to me about all of this even though it would have been kinder to tell me from the get go instead of letting me think I was free to do as I chose.”

“You aren’t a slave!” Butch growled.

“You need to get a lawyer and fight this,” Connor suggested. Derrik stepped forward.

“You could do so if that will make you feel better. Your boy here is correct that you are no slave. Legally you are my wife and have been since you turned eighteen. I assure you the contract is iron clad and signed by both of your parents. I can also assure you that since you are not technically an American citizen, the American legal system cannot help you.”

“What are you saying? I was born here. I’ve seen my birth certificate!” She stated.

“I promise you it is a forgery,” Derrik crooned. “You did not come to America until after you were three years old.” She turned to Butch.

“Butch?”

“I’ll talk to my dad. He won’t report you if it’s true and he can give you advice.” She nodded.

“Thank you.”

“Of course. We’ll get this all worked out doll. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do. Certainly not with this prick.”

“Let’s keep this civil. This situation is fucked up enough.” She sighed.

“Whoa! Joy cussing? You know things are bad!” Connor exclaimed. The twins both chuckled as she scowled at them, punching Connor playfully and sticking her tongue out at Butch, who swatted her messy bun in gentle retaliation.

“Shut up! I’m allowed to cuss.” She was grinning at them both. Connor sighed though as reality settled back in.

“Do you want us to take you home?”

“No. I need to close, and I want to ask Derrik some things.”

“You sure that’s a good idea?”

“It’s fine. If he wanted to kidnap, he could have.” She said, remembering how he’d backed away and let her have her space earlier. He wasn’t here to hurt her.

“I don’t like it. But fine. If I don’t hear from you in an hour, I call the cops.” She nodded.

“Please do.” The guys left, if reluctantly and she was alone with Derrik. She gestured at him to go in ahead of her, which he did right away. She wasn’t about to let him at her back.

Once inside she waited until he was a good ways ahead of the counter and she went behind it, pulling out her baseball bat, which she perched on the counter right next to her, fingertips on the handle. Her actions seemed to amuse him.

“Have you ever used that?”

“The bat?” He nodded. “Yes. Someone tried to rob me at knife point once. They regretted it.”
“’Such violence.” He mocked.

“If he hadn’t tried to come over the counter at me I’d have just given him the money.” She said. She almost said she wasn’t violent by nature, but then she remembered the dreams she’d been having.
“Do you know how to fight?” He asked.

“That isn’t something I plan to share with you right now.” She sniffed.

“Oh? Why not?”

“If you overestimate me you’re less likely to try anything. If you underestimate me, then that’s to my advantage too.”

“You think like one of us.”

“One of us?” She asked.

“Your parents didn’t even tell you that?”

“Look, before you came in here, I was certain that I was born here in Palmyra Pennsylvania and that the strangest thing about me was that I can eat a whole pizza on my own.” He was studying her with an intensity that was unnerving.

“You were born in Russia; St. Petersburg to be exact, as most of those born to the Society are.”

“Society?”

“That is not a conversation for a public place.”

“Oh my god! Are you in the Russian mob?” She asked. He smiled at her, and it took her breath away.

“No. But as I said, that explanation is for another time.” She frowned a bit but accepted that for now, reaching up to turn off the neon ‘open’ sign. “Are you closing?”

“Yes.” He nodded.

“I will be staying at your home.” She raised an eyebrow at him.

“What?”

“There are many things I need to discuss with your parents. Fist among them being why my wife never knew of me. I wasn’t expecting this. Things will be handled more delicately than I had originally intended. I will see you at your home.” Without further ado, he turned and walked out of the store.

In a state of numb disbelief, Joy went through the motions of closing up the store, cleaning and mopping; counting out the registers. She needed the mundane, familiar activity while her mind tried to cope with what she’d learned. Was there ever a time when her parents hadn’t lied to her?

According to Derrik, she was an undocumented migrant. Furthermore, her family was poor. Could they even afford to fight the contract? Where was this contract? She wanted to read it.
Why had she been promised to Derrik in the first place? Was there some deal, or were their families simply friends and allies in this alleged Society?

She leaned against the wall of the building and started laughing hysterically. This whole situation was insane. What the hell was she supposed to do? She slumped against the wall, sinking to her knees as hysteria took over.