Club Angel's Kiss

I jolted awake in my bed, feeling my heart beat faster in my chest than I thought possible. A sheen of sweat slicked my entire body and my eyes were blurry with tears. Frantically, I pressed a hand to my chest and started screaming.

“Mom!” I screeched, feeling as if my heart might burst. I couldn’t catch my breath. “Mom, come back!”

Just like the passed two nights, I started sobbing and screaming at the top of my lungs, my head pounding. My chest felt tight from the lack of air that my hysterics were causing. I could barely move. I felt paralyzed, trapped, only increasing the terrible feeling that washed over me.

“Mother!” My wails were apparently echoing down the hallways again. I could hear whispers and words spoken so fast that I couldn’t understand.

I sobbed continuously, wanting to have the images from my nightmare to go away.

This was the third time in a row I had the nightmare of my mother being killed and trampled by December, Drakkar, and Draegan. I didn’t know why they were returning to my thoughts. I had completely forgotten about them until the nightmares started.

“My Queen, are you quite alright?”

Synyster and Jett were standing side-by-side at the door, their hands interlocked. It would have been cute if I wouldn’t have been a complete and utter mess.

“Yes,” I answered quietly. But then the picture of Mother, bloody, contorted, injured, curved itself into my mind and my sobs started all over again. “No!”

Jett pulled herself away from Synyster and walked to my bedside. She put her hand on my shaking back.

“My Queen, everything is fine. I promise you,” she reassured.

“She had a nightmare,” Synyster called, joining his vampiric lover at my side.

I had learned a few things in the short time here. I observed and noticed that vampires paired up like Noah’s Ark. Synyster and Jett, Johnny and Inez, the Reverend and Rave. It was strange, but cute as well. I managed to pick up on a few of the other vampire’s names, but it was hard to keep up with them after only seventy-two hours in the place.

Also, the Rev revealed to me that once you’re a vampire, your name has to change. You can no longer be called by your human name. It was quite strange, but it was fun to hear the real names of everyone.

Jett was born as Kym Rainier. Rave was, get this, Iris Honora. Inez’s vampire name was Noire, which explained so much from the night at the store, and Matt’s vampire name was Shadows or King. Synyster was Brian, Johnny was just Johnny, and the Rev was Jimmy. Oh, and my lovely Vengeance? His name was Zackary “Zacky” Baker.

I found myself wanting to call the boys by their human names, just because I liked them better. They said I could, since I was there Queen. So that’s exactly what I started doing.

“My Queen!”

I jolted from my thoughts. “Oh, yeah. What?”

“I’m sorry to interrupt your daydreaming, but was it the same nightmare you’ve been having?” Jett asked. All the coven members were very calm and patient with me. All except Inez.

“Yes,” I answered quickly, throwing the covers back. “Ah, I need to change.”

Jett looked pointedly at Synyster. He raised his hands and walked from the room. She turned back to me.

I stopped once I had jumped out of the bed. “Um…Jett, one problem.”

“Yes?”

“I don’t have any clothes of my own here, except the ones I’ve been wearing,” I said sheepishly. “I need clothes.”

Jett nodded. “Oh. Well, King is downstairs. Would you like to go talk to him?”

“That won’t be necessary.” Matt came walking through the door. “Babylon, my love, I heard you don’t have any clothing.”

Did I mention Babylon was my vampire name, even though I wasn’t technically a vampire? Well, it was. Babylon Innocent, to be exact.

“Yes, that is correct,” I ran my hand through my sweaty hair. God, I needed a shower.

“Would you like to go shopping with Jett?”

“I would much rather have my old clothes,” I confessed, feeling exhausted. I missed my old, worn out pajamas. The ones I had borrowed from Rave were rather uncomfortable because they were much too tight. I liked my pajamas baggy.

Matt sighed deeply. He didn’t speak for several moments.

“Then we have no choice but to take you to your old house and get your clothes. Right?” he asked.

“Yes! Oh, thank you, Matt!” I ran over to him and threw my arms the best I could around him. He lifted my head with his hand cupped under my chin and pressed his lips to mine. I kissed back, the action becoming a mere reflex now.

“I love you, my Queen,” he whispered.

“As I do you, my King. Now when can I go get my clothes?”

Matt glanced at Jett, then called out Johnny’s name.

/-/-/-/

“Why do we have to go under the cover of darkness?” I complained, latching onto the back of Johnny’s shirt. I scanned around the neighborhood. It was covered in complete darkness; the stars were barely twinkling above us as we hurried down the sidewalk without making a single sound.

Johnny shrugged. “I don’t know. Matt is just weird like that.”

I made a face as I stumbled over a sudden crack in the sidewalk. Johnny caught me quickly before I could land face first. I whispered my thanks and we continued our journey to my house.

“I guess it’s so your parents and your brother will be asleep when we arrive. They won’t suspect a thing,” Johnny laughed.

“I wish I could say goodbye,” I whispered.

Johnny hooked his arm through mine, leading me a little slower toward my old home. He seemed to considering on what to say, as he watched the ground where we walked. I inspected his expression; it was pained.

“Am I bothering you?” I whispered.

He shook his head. “No, you’re fine.”

“No, I mean…my smell.”

Johnny shrugged again. “It’s okay. I’ll live through it. You are my queen and I would not dare to try and eat you.”

I cringed. After two days, I still hadn’t gotten used to being around vampires and hearing them say things like that. It also frightened me to no end that my blood was the most wanted thing in the entire coven.

I shuddered, pressing my cast against myself as to keep from completely throwing up or passing out. Johnny held my arm tighter.

Johnny suddenly took a sharp left and I realized we were walking down my driveway. I sighed deeply, having missed the familiar place with all my heart, even in the short time I had been away.

“Hey, the front door is over there,” I whispered, pointing to the front of the house as we passed right by it.

“We’re going straight up to your room,” Johnny explained. He picked me up in a bridal style sort of way and hopped over our back fence, then up onto the balcony outside my bedroom.

“I’ll never get used to that,” I muttered, opening the sliding door that led inside.

Johnny slipped inside first. “Wait right there, my Queen. I need to make sure it’s safe.”

I rolled my eyes. Because it wouldn’t be safe in my own home, yes. Okay, dear guardian of mine.

I heard him shuffling around almost silently, before I heard him take in a quick breath and hold it.

“Johnny,” I whispered. “What’s wrong?”

“There’s someone in your bed,” he called out quietly.

I entered through the doors and found him standing at the end of my bed, his hand over his mouth and nose. I peered carefully over at the person lying under my blankets…

It was my mother.

I covered my own mouth, but to stifle a sob from leaving my lips. I did not want to awaken her. I’m sure it wouldn’t end well.

Johnny appeared at my side and pulled me away.

“Shh,” he whispered against his palm. “Get your things and let’s go, please. It’s hard to be in here.”

I opened my closet slowly, trying not to let it make a sound, and grabbed my duffle bag from the floor. I started shoving things into it. Johnny grabbed it from me and started doing the same, except much faster than I could have.

“Go get anything else you need,” he whispered. He obviously wanted to get out quickly.

I nodded and went to my bathroom. I grabbed my comb, my toothbrush, my toothpaste, and my purse. When I came back into the room, Johnny was shoving my pajamas and underwear into the bag.

This was the first time I was thankful to not have many clothes.

He finally closed the pajama drawer in my dresser and turned to look at me. He waved his hand. “Come,” he muttered.

I moved over to him, he locked his arm around me, and led me to the bed.

“Say goodbye, my Queen. I know you want to.”

I pressed my lips together. I wanted to, yes, but how could I when she was still asleep? Slowly, I bent down and kissed her cheek. She didn’t stir, so I went on.

“Mom, I love you,” I whispered. “I know you’re probably worrying about me, but you shouldn’t. I’m safe. Tell Adam I love him…And Father, too. I’m sorry I’ve left you with all the foster kids as well. I love you.”

By the last word, I was crying.

Johnny pulled me away from the bed and we were out on the sidewalk in the blink of an eye. He had his arm around my waist.

“I’m sorry you had to do that,” he whispered. “It was just as hard for me.”

I looked around at him, shocked. “You had to say goodbye to your family and parents as well?”

“Yes, as well as my girlfriend. It was so many years ago, it’s almost hard to remember it.” He moved his eyes up to the pitch dark sky, as if he were seeing years that had already passed.

“I’m sorry, Johnny,” I murmured.

“It’s not your fault, my Queen.” We were walking very slowly. I enjoyed this time with Johnny; it was the nicest thing that had happened to me since this strange event. That’s not counting the first time I saw Zacky.

“Do you still miss her? Your girlfriend? Even though you have Inez, now?” I looked down at the sidewalk passing beneath our trudging feet.

“Yeah,” he replied. “I think all of us have some terrible memories of our human lives that we have to live through.”

“Really? Even Brian and Jimmy?” I asked.

“Oh, yes. Especially Jimmy. He had a baby on the way with his fiancé, but that was kind of crushed when he was bitten by an enemy vampire. Matt found him a few days later.”

I flexed my fingers nervously. That was terrible. And I felt bad for myself!

“That’s so sad.” I shook my head. “Poor thing. He always seems so happy, though.”

“Yeah,” Johnny patted his hand on my hip. “He’s the best at blocking out his previous memories. He doesn’t remember anything that happened when he was a human…Or he just pretends that he’s okay. But his thoughts really aren’t that bad. It’s really strange.”

“Who’s the worst at blocking out human memories?” I was simply curious; I had no idea what the answer would be.

“Zacky.”

His name struck me like a knife in the stomach. I shook the image of his face from my mind.

“He’s one of the older coven members, but he is so withdrawn and…quiet. I’ve never met another vampire like him. He’s really strange,” Johnny whispered. “But he’s Matt’s best friend and closest Guardian.”

“Hmm.” I had to say something, just to make sure Johnny didn’t notice anything was wrong.

Suddenly, Johnny laughed loudly. “I knew you would act like that.”

I glanced at him, shocked. “Excuse me?” I asked.

“Well, my darling, I have a certain ability that lets me hear other people’s secrets,” he said.

“Oh. Wow. My secrets are no longer secret around you,” I whistled.

“Got that right,” he laughed. “So I know that you feel a little amorous toward Zacky.”

My face immediately warmed up; I knew my cheeks were turning bright red. I would have to keep my secrets to a minimum while I was here. I did not want Johnny to know all of my secrets. That would not be funny in the least bit.

Johnny turned his gaze back to the sidewalk before us. We were still walking at a human pace, which I was very thankful for. I didn’t like being pulled around at the speed of a vampire. It made me kind of sick.

I bit down on my lip and looked at the ground.

It was strange. Did I really feel amorous toward Zacky?

The feelings from the first night I saw him came flooding back, and I could no longer deny it. Though I think amorous was an understatement. The mere thought of Zacky got my hormones raging.

I shivered visibly, and Johnny laughed.

“You probably shouldn’t act that way around Zacky if Matt is watching,” he said. “He won’t like that his Queen is loving someone else.”

I made a face. Of course he wouldn’t like my feelings for Zacky. Matt had claimed me as his own in the short time I had known him and there was no way I would be able to wrench myself from that situation. He honestly had a thing for me. Whether or not I returned those feelings apparently didn’t matter.

I ran my hand through my hair, pained.

But, then again, why did I have to worry? It’s not like Zacky would ever look at me. From what I had gathered, he didn’t even like me. That was just me going on what I’d noticed; how he didn’t look at me, didn’t talk to me, didn’t note that I was alive.

Johnny held me slightly closer. “And, for the record, he doesn’t hate you.”

I turned my gaze up to him, but didn’t say anything else.

Maybe I should find this Zacky character and have a chat with him…

Since I was his Queen.