Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Chapter Fifteen: Busted


A week later, Amelia goes down to check their mailbox when she sees Romeo come through the apartment complex's doors. "Amelia! Just the person I needed to see."

"Hey Romeo. What can I do for you?"

"Actually I have some news. As you can see, I'm getting older and I'm going to probably retire in the next couple of days. I'm retiring from everything, Amelia. Even The Night Hunters."

Amelia feels sad that she won't be seeing him everyday anymore. He's been her best friend for years. "What is the team going to do without you?"



"You'll all be fine. I turned the team over to Vlad and he can take it from here."

"You did WHAT!? Are you crazy? You gave a vampire hunting team over to a vampire. Romeo what were you thinking?" Amelia said, angry at the thought of having to answer to Vlad.

Romeo sighed. "Amelia, he's the best we've got. Hell he should have been in charge the entire time. We hunt down rouges, not all vampires. He will ensure the safety of the team and keep everyone in tip top shape."

"Unbelievable. I don't care if we are hunting fairies, I don't want to work for him. Why didn't you ask me or Donovan to take over?"

Romeo shifts uncomfortably. "You don't have the experience. Donovan, well he just joined the team again after so long plus his grudge against vampires would get in the way. Yours too for that matter."

"I don't have a grudge! I just don't like them. There's a difference. I know Vlad is the logically choice, Romeo but he's not the right one. I hope you don't regret what you've done." Amelia walks over to the doors, pushing them open and rushes outside to have some alone time to think.



Romeo shakes his head. He knew she would take this badly but hopefully she will get over it. He walks into the elevator to go up to Amelia's apartment to tell Donovan. This is the one he was dreading all along. If Amelia reacted like that, I can only imagine how Donovan will be. He walks in to find him searching a bookcase in the living room. "Donovan, do you got a second?"

"Oh hey man. Yeah, what do you need?"

"I'm retiring from The Night Hunters and I put Vlad in charge." Romeo blurts out, ready to get this over with.




Donovan was very quiet for a moment. "Well, I hate to see you go. It's been a pleasure working with you again." he says as he holds his hand out.

Romeo grabs his hand and shakes it. "You aren't mad?"

"Mad? Why would I be mad? You can't fight forever."

"No, about Vlad being in charge."

"I'm not thrilled about it but I know why you choose him. He'll be a hard ass on us and make sure we're the best we can be so we don't get killed."

"Now if only Amelia could see that."

"She didn't take it so well?"

"No, not at all. She's pissed off. I know they bicker like siblings but I'm hoping eventually she will see the choice I made was a good one."

"I'm sure she will see that once she calms down. Don't expect that anytime soon though." Donovan laughs.

"Yeah, I know. Well listen, I've got to get back home to Marisol. We've got a new baby at home."

"What? I didn't know you had a baby? Wait...wasn't your wife's named Marina?"

"That was my first wife. That ended before it started. This thing with Marisol is the real deal."

Donovan shakes his head. "We've been so busy with everything, it's been forever since we have just hung out as friends. We didn't even ask you how things were going at home."

"Nah, it's okay. We have all been busy with our loved ones. Plus you know me, everything happens so fast."

"That's true. What's your son's name?"

"Trevor. Maybe sometime I'll bring him over once Amelia calms down."

"I'm sure she'd like that. Just give her a little space."

"Alright then, I guess I'll be seeing you around. Call me when Amelia mellows out." Romeo says as he walks towards the door.

"Well do."



The rest of the day went on as normal. Emmalina was becoming impatient when her parents didn't go to bed early. She'd been planning her trip back to Plasma 501 for a week. This time she would take the fire escape outside her window. As soon as she was sure her parents were asleep, she climbed out her window and went down the fire escape as quietly as she could. She walked the two blocks to the club and stepped into the elevator. As she was looking at the buttons she noticed a button labeled B1. Why would a club have a basement? To stock supplies? Or for something else....this is a vampire club after all. I wonder if there are bottles of blood down there! With the hope of finding some proof this wasn't just a club with humans dressed as vampires, that this was an actual vampire club, she pressed the button and waited for the elevator to reach her destination.



As the doors parted she stepped out. Huh. Not exactly what I was expecting. She thought as she looked around. She walked around the room and noticed a door. She hesitated for a second. What if THIS is the real vampire's club and I walk in to find a bunch of vampires munching on people? What then? Run screaming? I doubt anyone would hear me down here. She shakes her head and mentally reassures herself. Come on Emmalina, don't back out now. Just open the door and walk in. You can do this.



She opens the door very slowly, holding on to every little bit of courage she has. She walks into the dim room with her eyes half closed. The first thing she notices was that she was alone. Oh thank God! She thought and breathed a sigh of relief. She looked around until her eyes stopped on a box that looked eerily like a coffin. She walks up to it and rubs her hand across it. It's stone! Definitely not a prop. What if someone is in there!? What should I do? Knock? She raises a fist and knocks lightly on the coffin. Nothing. She did it again, this time a little harder, "Hello?" Nothing. Hmm, no one must be home. She continues to explore the room and finds nothing else. She decides it's time to head to the bar.



She sat down at the bar. She was the only one there. Must be a slow night? She flashed her fake ID to the bartender and ordered a drink. "So..." she said as she sipped her drink. "Tell me about the vampires that come in here."

"Excuse me? You mean the people dressed up with fake fangs and makeup?" The bartender replied.

"Nope. Not those vampires. the real ones."

"Lady, you're crazy. There is no such things as vampires. You've been watching too many movies."

"Listen, I've been down to the basement of this place. I KNOW."



The bartender puts his hands on the bar and looks around. "Look, I'm not trying to get killed or my mind erased, I'm just trying to make a living making drinks. I don't want any trouble."

"I don't want to get you in trouble. I just want the truth. Is that really too much to ask?"

He sighed. "Dammit. Fine, yes they are real. I've seen several in here throughout my years of working here. The only thing I know is they can read your mind and control you. I've seen them do it."

"They can...what?" Emmalina gasps in surprise. That was not in the movies!

"Yeah, so you need to be careful. If you ever meet one, try not to think about what they are."

"How will I know?"

"Oh, you'll know. The eyes say it all."

"What does that mean?"

"They....glow."

"Oh my God! The beautiful glowing eyes? The genetic disorder?" Genetic disorder my ass! Oh God, this means I've already met two! The one long ago from my birthday party. No wonder his parents pulled him out of school. He might have tried to drink our blood in class one day. And the man. The man with the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen. I think this makes it even worse that I've been fantasizing about him ever since I saw him. I've been seeing liquid pools of hot silver in my dreams for weeks. Oh man, he was a vampire. This is bad, this is really bad.

"What genetic disorder?"

"Nevermind. What else do you know?"

"That's it. I try not to get mixed up in vampires. If you were smart you would do the same."




Emmalina finished her drink and decided it was time to head home since the bartender didn't know anything else. She went down the stairs and walked towards the door. She didn't even notice the vampire hidden in the shadows watching her like a hawk.



When she took the elevator down to the ground floor and walked off, she nearly walked into someone she's known her entire life, her Mother's partner from work. Oh SHIT! "Emmalina? What in the hell are you doing here at one o'clock in the morning!?




"I was just...I was.." She looks down at the floor. I am so dead.

"You shouldn't be here. Go home. And I'm sorry but I'm going to have to call your father and tell him."

"Oh please don't do that Uncle Romeo. I'll never do it again, I SWEAR!" she pleaded.

"I'm sorry Emmalina. I have no choice." He got out his cell phone and started punching in numbers.

"You're calling him NOW!?"

"Yes. Did you think I'd wait until tomorrow so you could get a story together?"

"Wait five minutes. At least let me get home first. God, I'd hate it if he came here and dragged me out. How embarrassing!"

"Alright fine. I'll give you 3 minutes. You'd better hurry."



Sebastian watches his mate run down the street towards her home. He was surprised to see her there. She should have been home, safe in her bed. When I went by earlier she was there. Yet there she was coming down the stairs and walking out of the club. What was she doing there?
He watched her walk up to her building where a man was waiting for her. Sebastian almost started towards them but he heard a thought from the man that made him stop. So that would be her father. He is angry with her, as he should be. Her little outing this late at night could have gone in a different direction. But she's safe, now to find out what she was doing there in the first place. Sebastian leaves his mate with her father and heads back to Plasma 501.



Emmalina sees her father waiting for her as she walks up the apartment complex. Oh man, so dead. He looks like he is about to explode!

"What in the hell were you thinking Emmalina? You decided you would just sneak out and have a little fun? You could have been killed! Do you have any idea what would have happened if me or your Mom woke up to find you missing out of your bed? Do you know how terrified we would have been? She would have had the entire police force out looking for you. "

"Dad wait, calm down. Just let me explain.."

"Explain what? That you went to a club that you have no business going to? Emmalina you have no idea what is out there."

"What...you mean I don't know about the vampires?"



Donovan's anger is now replaced by worry, fear and guilt. He covers his mouth was his hand as he tries to figure out how to handle this situation. "Emmalina, what have you done? Why would you go looking for vampires? How do you even know about them?"

"I heard you and Mom talking one morning. I almost thought you guys knew I was there and you were joking but it didn't sound that way. I did some research on the computer and went to check out the club to see if there were real vampires there."

"You shouldn't have done that!"

"You shouldn't have lied to me! I know you weren't at a concert!" She says angrily as she storms off towards the doors.



"Emmalina, wait." He says as he catches up with her. "I know you think we shouldn't have lied to you but we were only trying to protect you. This is too dangerous for you."

"I'm not a little girl anymore Dad. I'm about to graduate. Soon I'll be off in the world all on my own. Shouldn't you have at least prepared me for what's out there?"

Donovan sighs. He knows she's made a valid point but he still wanted to protect her from this. "We tried as much as we could to prepare you somewhat. Why do you think we asked you to build up your intelligence so much? One reason was so you would do well in school but the main one is so you could never be controlled by them."

"I can't be controlled?" Emmalina asked with a little relief.

"I'm not sure. Have you still been reading those books and studying?"

"Yes. I've remembered everything I've learned in my honors classes."

"Then you should be okay. The stronger your mind is the less likely you are at being susceptible to mind control."

"I'll keep studying the books until I know as much as possible. I don't want someone to have control over my mind."

"No you definitely don't. They can make you do anything. They could make you kill our entire family and you wouldn't know what happened until it was done."

"Oh my God! What else do I need to worry about?"

"You need to be careful of your thoughts if you ever encounter a vampire. They will be able to read your mind. If they know you know what they are then they are a little more daring and they show their true colors."

"Okay. When I was listening to the both of you talking, you said something about rogues and The Night Hunters. What are those?"

Donovan shakes his head. "You were listening hard weren't you?"

"Yes, I wanted to know what was going on but you all seemed to think I was an idiot or to fragile to handle it."

"No we didn't but we hoped you would have been gullible enough to believe us. Alright first I'll start with the rouges. They are the vampires that go mad with blood lust and ignore their laws and start killing innocent people just for fun."

"Laws? Vampires have to follow our laws?"

"Not ours. They have there own. One of the rules is that they have to drink blood from blood banks now that it's available. They aren't supposed to kill any humans or drink from them unless it's special circumstances."

"Those sound like good laws to me."

"They are. It helps keep them hidden from the general public and it keeps us safe from vampires who don't know when to stop drinking. But some vampires go mad for different reasons or some are just evil. They kill men, women, children. They don't care, as long as they are bring pain and death, they'll take anyone. Which brings me to The Night Hunters. It's a team of vampires hunters who hunt down and kills these rouges."

"And you and Mom are on this team?"

"Yes. I just joined it again recently. When I was younger I was on it but I quit after things....got bad. Romeo was the head of it but he's retiring."

"This is a lot to handle. It's different to think it's true, then to actually find out it is."




Donovan puts his hand on her shoulder. "I know it is. I know you're strong enough to handle it but I never wanted you to."

"I know but once I started digging I couldn't stop. I had to know. Should I put a wooden stake in my purse or something? Just in case.."

"What? No. You can't kill a vampire with that."

"How do you kill them?"

He hesitated. "If I tell you, you're not going to try and kill one are you?"

"No of course not. I'm not suicidal. Geez, give me some credit."

"Alright, you have to stab them in the heart with a silver knife and twist it. That's the general way. Sunlight and fire can kill them but it takes to long to work. You'd be dead before they burned. Cutting off their head is the last way but it's too hard to pull off. They're not going to stand there while you try and saw it off."

"How is it even possible that you can kill them? Aren't they supposed to be incredibly strong and fast?"

"Recently, scientists who work for our team developed a drug that temporarily gives us the same speed and strength as they have. Before that we had special weapons with bullets designed to explode when it hit a target."

"How does it feel? To be that strong? To be almost invincible?"

"Honestly? Incredible. You feel unstoppable."

"Then why don't you just turn into a vampire? So you would feel that way all the time?"

"No. I would never do that. I refuse to become what I hate. I couldn't live with that. Plus I'd have to watch all of you die. I couldn't live with that for eternity. Being an immortal is not all what it appears. It's a lonely existence."

"Well, couldn't you just turn us all?"

"No. There are laws about turning as well. You can only turn a person into a vampire every one hundred years. By then you would all be dead. If I did it anyways, the council would probably find out and kill me and all the extras I created. Which would be you and Mason."

"Does Mason know about all of this?"

"No of course not. Emmalina you can't tell him. Or anyone for that matter. Vampires don't take to kindly to humans who run their mouth about them."

"Are all vampires evil?" she said as she thought about the silver eyed vampire from her dreams.

"I might not be the one to ask that because my answer is yes. One way or another they all seem to turn bad. I tolerate the last remaining one on the team because I don't have a choice. I couldn't let your mother do this alone so if I have to deal with him to protect her, so be it."

"I still don't think I can imagine Mom fighting vampires. It's too weird."

Donovan laughs. "She's very surprising. Listen, it's almost three o'clock in the morning. Let's head up and go to bed and we will talk more about this in the morning while Mason is at school. Your Mom will help explain all the other questions that I'm sure you have."

"Oh yeah, I have a thousand."

"I figured. Come on."

"Am I still in trouble?" She asks as they get into the elevator.

"Most definitely....and Emmalina?"

"Yes?"

"Stay away from vampires. They are nothing but trouble and it will do nothing but get you killed."



Back at Plasma 501, Sebastian sits down at the bar, having found no one that she could have talked to. He orders a drink and throws it back. He notices the bartender twitching very nervously and slips into his mind. BINGO! "You're the one who talked to her."

"Please don't kill me! I didn't say much. She was asking a lot of questions and I tried to tell her you didn't exist but she didn't buy it. " the bartender was frantically trying to defend himself.

"Relax. I am not going to kill you. What questions did she have?"

"She asked me about vampires. She saw the coffins in the basement and wanted to know about the vampires that came to the club."

Sebastian read his mind to make sure he was telling the truth. He saw Emmalina in the bartender's mind asking exactly what he claimed. When the bartender mentioned the other worldly glow of a vampire's eyes, she seemed almost shocked. Then her face twisted into what looked like recognition. Was it me she was thinking about? Did she just realize she'd already met a vampire in here weeks earlier? He liked the thought of his mate thinking about him. He turned his thoughts back to the bartender. "How did she seem to take the information you gave her?"

"She...actually she didn't seem too out of sorts. She seemed more shocked than anything. You have to admit it's a big shock. She left right after that. Hey you're not going to hurt her are you? She's harmless. I would have never told her if I knew a vampire would be asking about her. I don't want the poor girl to die!"

"Of course I'm not going to hurt her. But you just did me a favor and for that I thank you." He put a hundred dollar bill into the tip jar and headed out of the club leaving a very confused bartender. He walked over to his favorite bench that was across the street from Emmalina's bedroom window and listened. He could barely hear and had to strain to listen from so far away but he could hear a heartbeat and knew it was hers. He heard light ruffling, saw her light cut off and assumed she was tucked safely once again in her bed. Now my mate knows what I am. Will she accept me? Or will she run screaming in the opposite direction? Has her father filled her with hate for my kind? He lets out a sigh and hopes the latter isn't true. The time has almost come, my Emmalina. He thought as he got up from the bench. Daylight would soon break so he walked home alone, mentally counting the days until he could finally have her.


_________________________________________________________________________________
NOTES:

Alright, Romeo is a mess you guys. He got married and had a kid all within a week! I didn't even realize he divorced his first wife! What am I going to do with him? Lol. Well, Emmalina finally knows that vampires exist! Also please ignore the fact that the bartender is younger when Sebastian goes to talk to him. Right after Emmalina finished talking to him he died! So I had to go back to another save and have him talk to him. That save is older so he was still an adult. As for my challenge notes, the generation goal has been completed. Amelia is at level 7 of the police career and Donovan is on Political of his job hopper careers. Emmalina I think in this chapter is maybe 4 days from aging up. FINALLY! Hope you guys enjoyed it!

11 comments:

  1. The secret is finally out! It went pretty well, actually, I'm glad it didn't totally destroy Emmalina's relationship with her parents.
    Looking forward to Emmalina's generation starting!

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    1. Yeah, lets just hope a certain sexy vampire doesn't mess it up. O_O Lol.

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  2. Awesome chapter <3
    I really love your story!

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  3. I'm amazed at how well Donovan handled finding out Emmalina knew about vampires!

    I hope she and Sebastian can get together ok but I definitely see problems ahead for them

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    1. I know. I hope I didn't stray from his character in this chapter. =/

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  4. I think you handled both Donovan and Emmalina's reactions very well. (Especially the part about her still being in trouble xD)

    Can't wait for Emmalina's generation to take over! And I especially can't wait to see more and more of Sebastian. I <3 him)

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  5. Me three!

    Glad it's out in the open, more or less!

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  6. Yes, everything is hunky dory, but what's going to happen when Emma becomes "of age"? Hmm? That's when things are going to get interesting!! =)

    And sorry, I laughed when you said the bartender died after talking to Emma. Sounds like the vamps took him out! =)

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