How Dark Is the Night?

Pete drove me back to our house to change. I wore a black tank top that screamed bite me on it and a pair of low rise hip huggers. Pete changed as well and when he saw me rolled his eyes.

“What?” I asked.

“Are you trying to get killed?” He asked.

“I have to look like a victim. I have to lure them out.” I said pulling my hair into a ponytail.
It was a hot October evening here in L.A. Halloween was only a week away. Pete decided to get married after their tour had ended and before him and the boys went into the studio to record another album. I was more than happy for that. I thought our lives were back on track.
But it looks like his music career is put on hold again and so are our lives.

“What are you thinking with that look you are giving me, Amanda?” Pete asked wrapping his arms around me tight and looking at us through the bathroom mirror.

It was wonderful to see his reflection staring back. Pete was so excited after we thought we killed Dracula that he went nuts with my digital camera and so all through the house are pictures of us. I smiled at seeing his reflection for a second but then my thoughts changed. I remembered a song that describes how I was feeling at this moment.

“Softly we tremble tonight; picture perfect fading smiles are all that’s left in site. I said I’d never leave, you’ll never change. I’m not satisfied at where I am in life. Am I supposed to be happy when all I ever wanted it comes at a price. Lost in a simple game of cat and mouse are we the same people as before this came to light?” I said quoting a song by a band called The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus.

“Amanda…” Pete said before I cut him off and turned to face him.

“No, Pete. That song is true that I quoted. Every time I try to be happy there is a price. Someone gets hurt, or killed like my dad and Nick, or we can’t even be happily married for fear of more vampires running around on the street. That is how I am feeling right now.” I said almost breaking down.

“Hey, this isn’t your fault that there are more vampires. Stop blaming yourself. We will find out what is behind this. We are together. We are stronger that way.” He said raising my chin.

“I guess. We should probably go over to Patrick’s now and load up.” I said walking away from Pete.

There was silence in the car ride over to Patrick’s. Pete let us in and I remembered how I used to sneak in to Pete’s old room upstairs when the boys all shared this place. Those were the good ole days before everyone moved out and Patrick now lives here with Sam.

“I love how Patrick never got rid of all this stuff.” I said picking up stakes and pocketing them. “Ooh, my trusty crossbow!” I exclaimed.

“You are cute right now, I have to say.” Pete said laughing.

“Why? What did I do now?” I asked confused.

“You are like a kid in a candy store.” He said grinning.

“Pete, I love you. If anything does happen…” I said before Pete cut me off.

“It won’t.” He said in all seriousness.

“Well let’s go kick some vampire ass.” I said heading out the door.

Pete drove us to some hotspots we used to fight at. He pulled up close to an alley and parked. We got out and walked down a long dark alley that was lit with only a few lights.

“Be careful, Amanda.” Pete said looking out for any signs of vampire activity.

“You too.” I said reaching over and giving him a quick peck on the cheek.

“What do we have here?” I heard a male voice say behind me.

Pete and I turned around to see a male vampire in front of us now. But he was not alone for another one jumped behind Pete who then turned his back against mine to keep guard over him. I had to make sure this was real and so I quickly looked at his mouth to see the vampire in front of me was indeed a vampire as he flashed his fangs.

“Ready?” Pete asked.

“Ready!” I said charging after the vampire in front of me as Pete fought the one in front of him.

“Who are you and where did you come from?” I asked decking the vampire in the right jaw.

“You will pay for that missy.” The vampire sneered slamming me into the brick wall of a building. Ok that was painful. As much as I hated it I definitely miss the slayer strength right now.

“I want answers.” I said pushing him off me and flipping behind him.

“I don’t answer to you!” He sneered.

“Yeah, well I am the slayer and I don’t like vampires. You are supposed to be dead!” I said huffing and puffing. I don’t know how my friends put up with all the fighting.

“That’s funny because last I heard a slayer didn’t tire out over a fight.” He said knocking me down on the ground.

“Look, I killed Dracula. I did my good deed. You all are supposed to went poof and be no more.” I said getting up pretty fast before he could kick me.

“Did you hear that Becker? This one thinks she is the slayer and that by killing Dracula all the vampires went poof!” The vampire said laughing and studying my moves.

Alright that did it. My little rage came out as I looked to see that Pete was getting banged up just as much as me. These dudes were going down; answers or no.

Then he grabbed me by my right arm pulling me close to him and slamming me back into the wall. Why always a wall? Then he pinned me tight against the wall and leaned in to bite me.

“Hey you forgot something!” I said before he could bite me.

“Oh, and what is that?” The vampire said pulling back a bit.

“This!” I said kneeing him in the groin and then staking him watching him turn to dust. “Bye, Bye!” I said looking over to see Pete killing the vampire that was named Becker.

Man, that vampire bruised my ribs, good. I had cuts and bruises all over but nothing that wouldn’t heal in a day or two. I was relieved when I saw Pete walk over to me.

“Are you alright? You are hurt?” He asked concerned when he saw me rubbing my ribs on my left side.

“I will be fine. I think he bruised my ribs a bit when he slammed me against the wall behind me. But I will be ok. How about you?” I asked seeing the concern and love in Pete’s eyes. He will always worry about me which made me remember a journal entry of his at one time about the worry lines on his forehead.

“I will be alright.” He said snapping me back to reality. “Did you get any info out of that vampire?” Pete asked.

“Nothing except for what you heard him yell to Becker the other vampire. You?” I asked in return.

“Nothing. At least it is confirmed we still have vampires running around.” Pete replied.

“We will need to keep a close eye on the girls to find out who bit them then. They could still be at large.” I said looking down.

“Look...” Pete tried to say.

“Yeah I know it isn’t my fault. Quit blaming myself over it, right? Isn’t that what you wanted to repeat into my brain?” I asked.

“Yes.” He said.

“I just can’t right now, Pete. Not until I have answers. How could Nick do this to me? Why would he tell me vampires would be gone if I kill Dracula in that dream I had? This isn’t right.” I said.

“I know.” Pete said pulling me into an embrace. “It is going to be alright. And I still love you, slayer or no.” He said kissing my forehead.

“Pete, look out!” I said pushing him down on the ground and taking a beating from behind.

I just had a feeling to push Pete down hard on the ground and in return I got hit in the back pretty hard. I turned around to see a girl about the age of eighteen or nineteen trying to go after Pete. She didn’t look to be a vampire.

“Vampire!” She said as Pete tried to get up.

“I don’t think so! Back off my husband!” I said kicking her leg and knocking her to the ground.

“I don’t know who you are or how you know about vampires but that is not one of them. He is my husband.” I said in a fighting stance in front of the girl as she got up.

“Why would you think I am a vampire?” Pete asked confused behind me.

“You fit a profile of one I read.” The girl said.

“Come again?” I asked.

“I read this chick’s who was a slayer, journal entries and there was a description of a vampire that looks like him. I came here to meet her.” The girl said.

“Well, Pete is human now again. And I am the chick you are looking for. Now who the hell are you?” I asked pissed off from her trying to attack my husband.

“Wow! It’s really you now that I get a better look at you. You are from my dreams.” The girl began to say. I gave Pete a confused expression.

“I don’t understand.” I said.

“I’m Kat the new slayer, and you are my watcher.” She said leaving me and Pete confused even more than we were.