How Dark Is the Night?

“Wait, what did you say? You have to be mistaken. I am not a watcher. I’m still the slayer, well minus the slayer abilities and all. And I do have a name. It’s Amanda.” I said pissed off at this Kat girl. Who does she think she is moving in on my territory and how does she know about slayers and vampires anyway?

“My watcher sent me to find you. I was called after you defeated Dracula.” Kat said.

“But I didn’t die from Dracula. I’m right here, alive and well. So you can run along home now to your mom and dad and forget we are even having this conversation.” I said in the middle of the alleyway. Pete was just letting me handle this. I think he was studying the situation at hand.

“I haven’t been able to read all of your journals so I apologize to your husband…” Kat said staring at Pete.

“It’s Pete.” Pete said finishing her sentence.

“Pete.” She repeated his name. “And I can’t go home. My parents don’t know I am a slayer.
They think I am out seeing the world.” She said.

“You are a little young to be traveling by yourself around the world aren’t you?” I said eying this chick who thinks she can take my place down.

“I’m nineteen. I was called shortly before I turned nineteen so I was eighteen at the time. I always knew I was different. It runs in my blood. It’s the same as you. Your mother was a slayer and family members before her I’m sure. I had family that hid it but were slayers. I found what I could in their journals but nothing really helped as to what was going on now. Then I found your journals online. My watcher said for me to find you. You were to take her place. I’m not making this up. I can so easily take you on right now if you’d like; to show you what I can do.” Kat replied.

“You take me on? Ha! I’d win hands down.” I said a little jealous.

“Excuse us a minute Kat.” Pete said dragging me away from Kat out of her earshot. “Amanda maybe we should move out of the alleyway and to somewhere safe. I understand you are upset but we need to talk to her more. We need to know what she knows. Fighting isn’t an option right now.” Pete said scolding me.

“Look, she barges in and almost tries to kill you and then acts like she is better than me! Yeah, I want to kick her ass and teach her a lesson.” I said upset.

“You are forgetting one problem with that.” Pete said.

“Oh, and what would that be?” I asked a little ticked off.

“You don’t have your slayer abilities any more and besides she might be able to tell us why.” Pete said trying to talk some sense into me.

“I hate it when you are right.” I said upset that I had lost this argument.

As I walked over to Kat it dawned on me that before Chris, my dad had died, he told me that he, Brendon, Nick, and Pete were all my watchers at one time. They were all vampires. I’m not. I’m still alive and kicking. Does this mean I am supposed to become a vampire? That’s not happening if I can help it. And was Kat’s first watcher a vampire? There are so many questions.

“I hate to say this but um can we discuss things over dinner? I’m starving.” Kat said.

“Sure.” Pete said.

“And I know this is really a big inconvenience to you but can I borrow some money for food? I spent the last of my money for a week’s stay at a hotel.” Kat said.

I gave Pete a glance and rolled my eyes. It is one thing for her to invite herself somewhere but for us to foot her bill? She could always call her mommy and daddy. Heck, I would even let her borrow my phone to do so.

“Uh, that’s alright. I will just cover it for you.” Pete said ever so sweet of him.
Why was I feeling so defensive? The one thing I hated being is now the one thing I miss among all this chaos. I miss having all my slayer abilities. And here some young girl is chosen to protect the city from vampires and it is like I have been replaced. Am I really jealous of her?

We took Kat to a diner where she ordered enough food for at least three people. We let her eat not pressing the issue of what is going on. Then we took her back to her hotel room to talk only to find she was staying in a shady motel.

“Amanda.” Pete whispered as Kat led us into her room.

“Yes?” I said looking around the room. Talk about roach motel. The place wasn’t very clean at all. It looked like a dump.

“I think Kat should spend a few nights with us.” Pete said. Ok, granted he has a way of figuring things out sooner than me but no way.

“No! We barely even know her. I do not want her in our home.” I whispered loudly in Pete’s ear.

“Well she can’t stay here. I know this is all weird and confusing but it is our only hope of knowing what is going on and how to help our friends.” Pete said.

“I really hate this. I hate it when you do this to me Pete. You can’t control me anymore so you tug at my heart.” I said throwing my hands up in the air.

“Kat, how would you like to stay with me and Amanda since you said Amanda is your watcher.” Pete said standing in the door of room.

“I am not her watcher! I’m not dead yet!” I said sitting on the bed and it breaking with me sliding off of it.

“Really?” She asked excited. “That would be wonderful!” She said running over to Pete and hugging him.

Great, now I have to watch her around my husband. I get to baby sit. You know Erelin is a year younger than her maybe I can try to be nice. Wait, no. It’s not going to happen.

Pete gave me a look as he broke from Kat’s grasp and I smiled. This was payback for what he is putting me through. If he thinks he is uncomfortable now, oh he should just wait.

We helped gather up Kat’s things and piled them into our car. She fell asleep on the way over to our house. Pete ended up carrying her to our guest bedroom where we decided to let her sleep. Tomorrow was a new day and one she was definitely going to give answers to.

I called Erelin to find out about Sam and Chrissy. I also told her about our new friend and what she had said and done. Erelin had decided to bring Brendon and come on over to my place early tomorrow to find out what is going on. I was hoping she would.

“What kills me Erelin is that she is only a year older than you!” I said on the phone. “I just don’t think of you as a kid you know? With her it’s like I am a babysitter.” I said.

“Well, we did work together and I fell into the Scooby gang. I was in the know about vampires and I couldn’t just sit at home and let innocent people die knowing what I knew. And I met my husband. Who would have thought that I would be a bride at eighteen?” Erelin went on to say.

“Yeah, about Brendon, you might want to keep him on a leash.” I said.

“Why?” Erelin asked confused.

“She was trying to flirt and hang all over Pete, that’s why. She conveniently has no money, food, or a roof over her head so she takes it upon herself to play victim and Pete buys it!” I said getting upset.

“Oh, maybe you are just over reacting.” Erelin said.

“Right, you just wait until she bats her eyes at Brendon. Then who will be over reacting then?” I said to Erelin.

“Well, we will see. Just try and get some rest.” Erelin said before she hung up.

“Amanda, try to be rational about all this. It isn’t easy on all of us.” Pete said sitting down on the couch across from me in the living room.

“I’ve been the slayer for a long time. I can see she is going to be reckless.” I said.

“As I recall you technically turned a slayer when you were eighteen but was only for a day before your memories were erased. You just found out and regained your powers again back in March, remember? I remember you being careless and reckless once too. Go easy on her and hear what she has to say.” Pete said.

“I can’t promise anything but I will try.” I said getting up and heading for bed.

“Promise?” Pete asked following me to bed and making sure I would try.

“Oh, alright, I promise, but only for you.” I said kissing him goodnight. What a way to spend our wedding night. I got up in the middle of the night because I couldn’t sleep. Pete didn’t stir as I got up out of bed. My instinct was to check on Kat.

I went to the guest bedroom and opened the door quietly a bit. I peered in to find Kat asleep still. As I went to pull her door back and go to bed I heard her mumble something in her sleep. I heard a name and then I heard her actually talk in her sleep.

“Nick, are you sure about this? What if she hates me? I must explain…” Kat said in her sleep before drifting into a deeper sleep.

What must she explain? Who is Nick? Wait, could it be my Nick? If it is why is he in her dreams and not mine? I’m the one needing answers.