Club Angel's Kiss

“Leave her alone! She has finally fallen asleep! Do not disturb her, Johnny!”

“I have to tell her. Won’t she be upset if I don’t let her talk to her brother? He called for a good reason, you know.”

Footfalls started on the staircase. They were barely audible, telling me it was in fact those of either Johnny or Chalice, so I had no reason to worry about a possible attack on the children and myself.

But what did Johnny mean? What was he talking about? Adam called, I understood, but what did he say or want? I needed to know, but my first attempt at forcing my eyes opened failed miserably. They opened a tiny slit, enough for me to see Daniel’s shiny hair and nothing more.

I rubbed my eyes with the palms of my hands. The room around me sat silent. Chalice and Johnny’s yells, shouts, and harsh words filled the dark quiet everywhere.

“Amber! Amber!” Johnny pounded his fist into the nursery door.

Daniel stirred. Joel made a whining noise.

The severity of the matter hit home. My eyes popped open. I flung the covers off and scrambled from the bed, careful not to rattle Daniel too much. Rushing, I grabbed the doorknob, twisted, and yanked.

Johnny’s clueless looking face met mine. Chalice stepped up behind him.

I glared angrily at Johnny. “Babies are asleep in here,” I hissed. My hand curled tighter around the knob, my knuckles cracking. “They need to stay asleep until the others come home. I, for one, can’t handle explaining what might happen if everyone dies…again.”

Johnny seemed unfazed by my firm, suddenly nasty attitude. He extended his hand out, revealing the glowing screen of my cell phone.

I snatched it away. “What?” I demanded, pressing the object to my ear.

“Hey, Amber. It’s Adam again.” His voice barely came out above a whisper.

I stepped out into the hallway. Johnny sidestepped, allowing me room while Chalice stood her ground, leaning against the wall. Her gaze didn’t leave my face.

The door clicked closed.

“Hey, Adam. Are you alright?”

“Hardly.”

Pain stabbed through my heart. Slowly, I leaned my back against the door.

“Why? Did something happen?” I knew damn well what was happening. But why was Adam bothered by it?

“Your coven attacked the slaughter house,” Adam sighed. “But that’s not why I called.”

“Then why?”

Chalice cocked her head to the side.

“Right before your vampires showed up, Mom went through some kind of breakdown. She was about to feed, and the girl December got for her made Mom think of you.” Shuffling filled the receiver. Soon, I heard a weird gurgling sound reminiscent of someone choking.

With a heave of nausea, I realized I was listening to either Mom or the human girl dying.

“She freaked, sis. Starting screaming and thrashing, telling Drakkar and December she refused to eat and wanted her baby girl back. She felt guilty for almost killing you.” The shuffling commenced. The gurgling grew louder.

I glanced at Johnny and Chalice. Both were looking at each other, obviously listening to the conversation and just as confused as I was.

Adam breathed deeply. “You’ll be okay. Help should be coming soon.”

Help? Who would…help…them…

The point of why Adam called me dawned on my weak mind. He expected us to help the dying girl! Had he lost the little sanity he had left? Or did he honestly believe we would be able to help the poor, tortured girl?

“Adam, what the hell happened?” I ordered, beginning to feel dread pile in my stomach.

“December killed Mom after her freak out. And, while she was pissed, she ripped a section of this girls’ neck out. Not enough to kill her. I thought you and your coven could help. Please, Amber. I don’t want her to die.”

Someone coughed. The sound was wet and stomach churning. I felt sick just listening. Directly following in the couch, something splattered.

I pressed my hand to my forehead.

“Shit! Kat, hang on! Everything’s going to be fine!” Adam shouted.

“Ad-A-a-Ad-Adam. I l-l-l-lo-love--”

“Stop talking, Kat!”

That was all I needed to hear. ?Her words convinced me she did not need to be saved, for Adam’s sake.

I looked to Chalice. She nodded and turned to Johnny, saying something quickly.

“Adam, where are you?”

“December locked Kat and me in a meat locker at the back of the slaughter house. Why? Are you going to help?” His voice dripped with hope.

“Chalice, how can we help her?”

Chalice hesitated on saying anything. She was the nurse of our group! She of all people should know what to do for someone dying.

“He’ll have to bite her. It’s as simple as that.” Chalice shrugged.

“Is that the only way?” Adam questioned. “I have to…bit her and make her a vampire?”

Chalice nodded. “If you love her.”

I bit my lip.

The next moments of tense silence dragged on forever. Though only seconds passed, my head told me it felt like hours.

“Fine. I’ll do it, but you have to come get us. We’re stuck in this place and can’t get out.” Adam sucked in a deep breath. “Are you coming?”

“Of course. I love you, Adam. See you as soon as possible.”

“Bye.”

/ - / - / - /

The slaughter house looked much different than I remembered. Years had passed since the last time I passed by it, though, so I couldn’t say I was particularly shocked that the front of the once steel enforced building was dilapidated and pieces of the roof were missing from years of neglect.

Two wide front steps were gone, leaving a wide gap from the cement walk to the front door. Just as I stepped up on the steps that still existed, Johnny laid a hand on my shoulder and pulled me back.

I shrank away from his grip and twisted. “What?”

“The fight is happening in the front room. I can hear it.” He took my wrist in his hand and let me to the side of the building. He peered around. “There’s another door over here. We’ll try there.”

We ran alongside the metal wall, ducking whenever we passed the occasional window. The further we walked, the darker it became. The dim streetlights on the sidewalk didn’t reach as far as we were headed.

Johnny halted.

I gazed at him. “Wh--”

“Shh. Do not talk.”

I obeyed and shut my mouth. Johnny reclaimed my wrist. We continued through the darkness until we reached the two stairs leading up to the side door.

Johnny creaked it open a slit.

“Coast is clear,” he muttered. He pulled me into the cold building, but left the door wide open.

The inside was even darker. Not a single light could be seen anywhere in our area, and the curiosity was getting the better of me. I desperately wanted to know who Kat was and why she loved Adam.

And why Adam liked her enough to try and keep her alive, which was out of character for him. He didn’t even attempt to keep his various goldfish alive over the years.

My foot caught on something, sending me sprawling on the hard floor. My knees and elbows took the brunt of the fall, and I cried out in pain.

Johnny grabbed me off the floor. He yanked me into his arms.

“Sorry,” I breathed. “I can’t see anything.”

“It’s okay. Now, be quiet.”

Again, I obeyed.

He did the rest of the navigating, sticking to the walls and away from doors and windows. He turned several corners and walked down what seemed to be narrow hallways or corridors.

Every few feet, he stopped and listened.

I listened as well, but could only hear the silent.

We passed around another corner. Light flooded from a huge bulb hanging in the corner. Johnny set me on the ground.

I looked all around me. No more hallways were visible, but there was a large, heavy duty looking door located beside the light.

Johnny sprinted over to it.

I spotted a small window. While Johnny pressed his ear to the door, I peered inside, cupping my hands on the glass.

I gasped.

Adam sat in the middle of the room. Blood covered almost every inch of his gray shirt and pants. In his lap was a girl, whom I presumed to be Kat. She looked relatively pretty, with the same style and color of hair as myself.

She wore nothing but a small shirt.

The entire left side of her thin body glistened with a substantial amount of blood. And it was easy to see why. An inch or so above her collarbone was a gaping hole in her neck. All the internal ligaments and veins were visible, but blood was no longer gushing out.

My hand slapped over my mouth.

The gurgling, the coughing, Adam’s worry made sense now.

“Are they inside?” Johnny asked, breaking me from my horror.

Adam snapped his head up.

“They’re inside,” I responded.

Johnny nodded. He gripped the large lever striking across the door with both hands. He forced down, the opposite way it was designed to.

I watched on in amazement.

The metal started bending. Johnny continued pushing down until it snapped at the breaking point. He tossed the bent piece of his shoulder and kicked the door in, the hinges snapping like rubber bands.

I launched myself inside first.

A grin erupted on Adam’s features.

“Amber!” Shifting Kat over to she laid on the floor, he hopped up and rushed to my side, gathering me up in his arms. He held me like a doll, like my one hundred plus pounds didn’t even exist. “How fucking long has it been?”

“Over six months.” I made a whining sound. “I’m still human! I need to breathe.”

He loosed his grip slightly, then held me at arm’s length. His eyes roved up and down my body. “Really, Amber. Your coven has been kind to you! You look great.”

“You look great, too.” Although I could hardly compare myself to him, Mr. Tall-Dark-And-Handsome like the rest of the male vampires.

Being undead made you beautiful.

It was official.

From the corner of my eye, I caught sight of Johnny crouching down by Kat.

So did Adam.

Adam whipped around, a feral growl ripping from his throat. He lunged toward my coven member, and I leapt into action.

“Johnny, corner of the room,” I ordered. “Adam, halt.”

Johnny crashed into the corner. Coolers toppled all around him. Adam stopped immediately where he stood.

“How the hell did you do that?” he muttered.

“I’m the Queen, honey. You better get used to taking orders from me.” I grinned. “Now, we’re here. What do you want us to do, Adam? Besides help your save your new human mate.”

Adam smiled sheepishly. “I couldn’t figure out how to get the door unlocked.

“You’re a vampire. Break it the fuck in,” Johnny sneered.

Adam very slowly turned.

“Pardon me?”

“You heard me, newbie.”

“Stop!” I yelled. “You two are grown men, and we need to get home soon. I have a baby at home whom could wake up at any moment.”

“Baby?!” Adam cried. “When did this happen?”

I waved my hand around, dismissing his shock. He would realize what I meant when we arrived home safe and sound. In fact, he would probably be thrilled to have the little piece of home with us.

Adam scooped Kat from the ground.

Johnny threw me on his back.

/ - / - / - /

“How did you meet her?”

Adam glanced at me. He stood by the bed in Chalice’s room, holding Kat’s hand. She still had yet to awaken, but Chalice said it was due to the vampire venom invading her bodily organs, veins, and immune system.

In a few days, she would be fine.

“December and Drakkar lured her in for dinner, but I convinced them to save her for last because I found her beautiful. We fell in love soon after.”

“Sounds like how Zacky and I fell in love.”

Adam smiled. “I can’t wait to meet this Zack that I keep hearing about. He must be amazing to steal your heart, of all people.”

I settled down on the mattress.

“He will be home in the morning.”

“Good.”

I very gently touched the wide band aid covering the wound on Kat’s neck. No blood had seeped through, and she had been cleaned completely of the bodily fluids and wore new pajamas.

Her skin held the strangest white color…

My eyes suddenly blurred over. I stifled a yawn with my hand.

“Hey, you should go to bed, Amber. You look awful.” Adam dropped his lover’s hand and grabbed mine. He ushered me out the door. “Go sleep. I’ll tell you the whole story in the morning, and I will also be talking to your boyfriend.”

“Mate,” I corrected, digging my heels into the floor. “Okay, okay! I can walk to my room myself. I’m a big girl.”

Adam stopped.

I turned quickly. So many things were left unsaid between us. So many things were still wandering around in my head, waiting to be asked. “By the way…I’ve missed you more than life.”

“I missed you, too.” He brought me to his chest.

I wrapped my arms around him. His hugs were just as I remembered. Just as loving, but slightly colder and stronger. His freezing cold breath tickled across my ear. My body felt numb.

In three months, I never thought I would be hugging my beloved, caring brother again. The thought of ever seeing him had seemed so distant, impossible. His gave in our backyard made me throw up and become hysterical for those reasons exactly.

I missed him.

And I would have missed him for eternity had he not called me two days ago to let his life be known once more.

I drew in a shaky breath. “I thought our entire family was dead. Do you know how badly it hurt to think about every day?”

“Probably as much as it hurt to think about the possibility of never getting to see you again, sis. Now those were thoughts that made a vampire want to die on a daily basis. I knew you were alive, but I never had a chance to call or visit you. My coven would eat me for breakfast!” He laughed. “And then Kat convinced me to finally call you.”

I pulled away from the embrace looking up at his dark eyes. I couldn’t keep a smile off my face. Everything, my dream life, was falling back into place. My coven were the only missing pieces, and if --no, when-- they came home, perfection would reign.

Finally. The way I wanted it!

Adam ruffled my already messy hair. “Go to bed. I’ll see you in the morning.”

I nodded before moving quickly up the stairs. Using my hip, I pushed the door open and slipped inside. I wanted to find a widow walk to wait for Zacky on, but neither window in my room looked out on the front yard.

Only the dismal, dark back. And I didn’t feel like looking at the cemetery.

I marched to my bed, threw the covers back, and buried myself underneath them. I smashed my head into the pillow, sighing.

My eyelids drooped.

Sun, sun. Rise with such good news.

/ - / - / - /

The sun filled the morning sky. Bright rays of all shades of yellows and oranges scattered themselves all around my bedroom, streaming over the left side of my body.

My eyes burnt. Sleep had not come easily the entire night. Mostly, I spent my time staring at the window, waiting for the sunrise to light up the outside.

I drifted for a few hours or so, until the warm heat of the sun started falling over my bed and I chose to stay awake until Zacky and the coven returned.

Which they still hadn’t.

Or I hadn’t heard them, at least.

I took a deep breath. The air was hot, stuffy, uncomfortable.

I shifted, turning myself onto my side and pushing the covers off my body. Sweat covered my legs, stomach, and chest. The sheets stuck to my skin.

I took another breath.

My throat tingled.

Water. I needed liquids immediately. But I didn’t want to get up, and I wanted to wait. I wanted Zacky to wake me up!

“Dammit,” I whined, raking my hand across my forehead.

I kept my eyes closed, but continued to whine and curse and thrash about the bed. My arm smacked into the base of the headboard as I did a three sixty.

I stopped, pain searing through the left side of my body.

“Amber, you’re a complete idiot,” I muttered. “Just get up and get some water. Douse your face in it. You’ll feel a million times better.”

Or I could wait.

But I didn’t want to wait.

Something touched my stomach; something freezing. It made the heat feel so much better, almost heaven sent.

I sighed.

Another cold object landed on my forehead.

“Hmph.” I raised my hands to touch whatever was on my forehead. To my surprise, my fingers circled around a hand…a cold, strong hand.

My eyes flew open and I shot upright, my head snapping from side to side in search of the hand’s owner.

Zacky grinned as he sat on the bed beside me. He withdrew his hands from me.

“Hi,” he whispered.

I threw myself at him. My arms wound around his neck. I smashed my lips into his.

Zacky grabbed my hips, kissing me back for only a few seconds before pulling away. He was still grinning.

“We’re back,” he laughed. “But I think you see that.”

“I see that!” I pressed my lips together. “You made it back! Oh, I’ve never been this thankful for anything in my entire life, Zack!”

Surprisingly, tears had yet to form.

“But…wait…” I pulled away from our embrace. “Is everyone else okay? Did anyone…not…come home?”

Zacky shook his head swiftly. “Everyone made it home. And it’s over. The war is over. We even burnt the slaughter house down, for good measure.”

I glanced down at my lap.

So, it was over.

All over.

No more attacks. No more paranoia.

No more…anything.

Without thinking, I kissed my mate again, and again, and again.