Chapter 11

Darkness surrounded the street; there was no room for shadows or light of any kind; the darkness was so thick and complete. Only the muffled sound of shoes scuffing the pavement interrupted the silence. Her watch read ten thirty eight, but the house was close in sight. Not that it mattered, specifically.

            Mael would be awake, probably still unpacking. Crossing the lawn, she reached the huge oak doors and pushed them open. The lights were all on, and she hung her coat on a small hook. Just as she had predicted, Mael passed by with a large box in her hands, her hair tied up in a loose bun. She put it down and brushed a hand through Sam’s own short hair. “Hey hon. Nan’s just put some rolls in the oven; they’ll be ready in a little while.”

“Thanks Mael,” Sam said to her aunt. She started up the winding staircase.

            “Your choice of rooms,” Mael yelled after her. Turning around to reply, Sam bumped into someone.

“I didn’t know you were here,” Sam said, frowning.

“Why the long face?” Kei teased, messing her hair up.

“Hey!”

“I thought I was your favorite cousin?” Kei asked.

“You’re my only cousin. Is Aunt Meg here too?”

“Yeah. This place is huge, so we’re bunking with you until we find our own headquarters.”

            Sam grabbed his huge eighteen year old head.

“Ow! What the hell are you doing?!”

“Is that blond streak still there?” She asked, examining his hair. The Blackroots were all brunettes; no matter how small your familial connection might be.

            “It is! And it’s gotten bigger!” Sam exclaimed. Kei pushed her off. “Shutup.” He mumbled and puttered off. She knew that the streak annoyed him, and Kei hated being noticed for it. Pushing the thought back in her mind, Sam walked off to wander aimlessly for awhile.

            Eventually she came to a room she thought was half decent; the walls were stone and a small alcove stood opposite to her. A small desk and bed were set up at each side of the room. Sam let herself fall lazily onto the bed, staring up at the dark ceiling. Sighing, she muttered something to herself and closed her eyes, falling asleep.

*

Rose lay on her back, looking up at the faintly lit sky. Her seven pages of homework were finally finished; shoved gracefully into her backpack. It had taken Rose over four hours to complete them. Stretching out slowly, she was dimly aware of her parents’ presence in the house beneath her. Rose remained still, listening instead to the slight murmur of the wind.  

            When she had got home that afternoon, Rose had cleaned up what little evidence there was that she had been there. Then she had grabbed her bag and her knives and hoisted herself up onto the roof. She couldn’t really explain it, but she wasn’t ready to talk to her parents just yet. Maybe it was just nerves. The entire school knew about everything already, plus the whole deal with that weird hunter girl Sam. Rose rolled over and scratched the feathers on her back lazily. The roof was hard but she didn’t care. Folding her arms under her cheek, Rose let her eyes drift close.

            She rolled over, fixing the smooth white blankets. There was a light tug of resistance and she looked over to see Cal’s fingers entangled in her long blonde hair. She smile; comforted. He turned to face her, but his face was different. Unfamiliar. His legs stretched longer beside her. Her eyes widened. Fingers entangled in long blond hair… her hair wasn’t blond, it was-

            Black.

Rose jerked awake with a muffled scream and was nearly blinded in the morning light. She curled up immediately and covered her face, groaning. Her hand crawled over the hot shingles, searching for her bag. Grabbing it, Rose ducked under it.

            Shade. Perfection.

Rose scuttled quick over to the ledge, snatching her blades up, and swung herself through the open window of her room.

            She strapped her daggers on quickly. The bandaged on her hand had come undone, and Rose saw that it was now a scab, almost healed. She threw the bandage into a corner of her room and swung her backpack over her shoulder. It didn’t matter if she looked like crap, she was already dead and right now she didn’t care. Scratching at the cut on her neck, Rose jogged down the stairs and into the kitchen.

            She so was absorbed in her thoughts that she barely managed to screech to a stop just before she crashed into her mother.

Oh crap.

            Her father’s head jerked up as he heard Janet’s mug of tea fall on the floor and break. The newspaper in his hands slid through his fingers for a moment before he composed himself again to catch it just before it fluttered to the ground. Janet’s eyes were bugging out of her head.

            Not a good sign, Rose thought.  

“Where the hell have you been?!” Her mother yelled, nearly roaring.

Rose’s legs itched to run.

            “Honey wait,” Robert said quickly, trying to avoid a potential blowup. “Let her at least try to explain-“

“EXPLAIN WHAT?”

            Too late.

“WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?” Janet yelled.

Rose felt a shudder of fear pass through her.

            Then it was stopped, suddenly, as something exploded from her mouth angrily.

“Where have you been!” Rose yelled right back.

“What?” Her mother said quietly, her voice going from a hysterical scream to something that sounded little, so little and hurt.

            Rose wasn’t having it though.

“Where have you been, all the times I’ve needed you, all the times I’ve felt alone and couldn’t do anything about it? All the times I’ve pretended to be fine, and let you guys have your own life? I come home every day to an empty house, do my homework, then go to bed! Then, the one time I’m gone, I come back to –you guessed it- an empty house! So much for you guys worrying about me! You don’t even know anything about me anymore! You don’t – you don’t –“   Rose was shaking now, her face wet.

            “Rose we-“

She turned her back on them and ran, slamming the door. Distantly she heard her father say something about reading an article about this….

            Sure dad, she thought, you’ve read tons of articles about having a bloodsucking vampire for a daughter. Running by the corner, she shoved past Cal, hearing him yelp in surprise. No, she thought, don’t follow me; I don’t want you to see me like this, not again. Feet thudded after her, and Rose ran faster, not seeing where she was going, tripping and pushing things out of her way. She fell, scraping her knee and ripping her pant leg, and collapsed to the ground, crying.

Her parents held her hands, swinging her up and down as they walked to the ice cream parlor. Rose giggled delightedly.

“Rosie, Mommy’s going to go to work more often now; so she can see daddy and get nicer things for you.”

“Okay,” Rose said, not really paying attention, her mind on the treat ahead. Her parents smiled and swung her again, and Rose watched her legs lift off the ground, higher, higher……

            Strong hands held her close, reassuringly, and she sobbed. It had been so long since some one had held her this way…..Rose closed her eyes and let Cal hold her, relishing in this feeling, something she needed so desperately. Hiccups began to break the silence, pathetically; Rose thought, as she calmed slowly.

            “Shall we skip school today?” Cal asked quietly. She shook her head. Opening her eyes, she saw that they were in the cemetery. The white statue of Mary looked down at them dramatically, the names of dead soldiers adorning the stone she stood on.

            Rose tensed and got up quickly, feeling embarrassed.

“I’m sorry,” She said in a rush. “I keep massing up and you keep having to-“

“Don’t be.” Cal interrupted. Rose looked up at him and saw him smiling at her, eyes kind.

“O-okay,” She stuttered. A hiccup escaped her lips, and Cal laughed gently.

            “Come on, I’ll show you how to get to school the fast way.”

*

            “Cal Jacobs. Also going by the name of J. Calvin, J.M Daeg, or other small variations of the original name that connects to his family tree.  In the last twenty years he has gone by Cal Jacobs, though he is expected to change it soon. His activity is minimum; only killing two people in the last two years.

            He rarely associates with other vampires, save a small handful of select few. Other relations include a sister, Marisa, though it has been over twenty five years since we last heard anything of her. Maker unknown.”

“The update please?”

“Cal Jacobs has created a fledgling, his first, and is living in the area. His reasons are unknown.”

“When?” Mael asked sharply. Sam bit her lip, but her grandmother barked another question before she could answer.

            “What do you know about the status of this fledgling? How old is it and how strong?”

Sam jumped to the answer, hoping Mael would forget her own question.

“Her name is Rose Robertson, and I don’t think she’s any more than six months made vampire. Her powers seem to be at average level for her age, though I can’t say for sure. Her height is somewhere between five foot, five foot and a half; judging from a distance. Normal build, somewhat slim, long dark black hair, pretty features.”

“Beautiful features, Samantha,” Her grandmother murmured quietly, correcting her. “They are all beautiful.” Mael glanced towards her mother and popped another question.

“How old is she in mortal years, hon?” 

            Sam remembered looking over the school records. Robertson, Rose, class 3B, grade nine, age fourteen.

“Fourteen,” She answered.

            “What?” Mael asked. “Are you sure?”  Sam frowned.

“Well yeah, I studied her school records.”

“Still in school! Why would Jacobs turn a kid?” Kei asked, who had been silent the whole time. Sam stuck her tongue out at him.

“That’s how old I am, and I’m definitely not a child.”

“For someone who claims not to be a child, you definitely act like one.”

“Don’t you call me a child! It’s not like your much better!”

“I’m eighteen! An adult!”

“Oh yeah right-“

            “Enough!” Mael shushed them. “Sit down, the both of you.” Kei and Sam went back to their seats guiltily, glaring at each other.

            “Sam that was an excellent first report.” Sam breathed an inner sigh of relief. No one had found out about her blunder the other day - hopefully it would stay that way.

“As for the fledgling,” Mael continued, “I want to find out more information about her, and why Cal changed her. Can you do that for me hon?”

            Sam nodded obediently.

“A vampire like Cal should know better than to change one so young, even if it his first time. And Sam, I do agree with you, you are not a child, partly because of your personality, but mostly because of the family you grew up in.  We raised you to be mature for age; because that is what our profession requires. I just can’t imagine what that girl is going through now.”

            Kei pouted. “Probably something more exciting than unpacking.” Mael nudged her nephew playfully. “Don’t be such a sour puss,” She teased, getting up and brushing her jeans off. She brushed her sweatpants up and smiled.

“Come on, let’s go tackle those boxes.”

*

            Rose swung her legs as she sat on the window sill, waiting for Cal to arrive. The nights were getting colder, and no normal person would venture out without a jacket and pants on. Rose however, wasn’t a normal person. At least, not anymore.

            Her loose shirt floated around her stomach in the icy breeze. Her sword lay in its sheath on the bed, and she wore both daggers in her belt. She was not worried that her parents would find her, or more accurately, not find her, since it was two thirty A.M and they were without a doubt tucked into their beds fast asleep. They were such morning people.  

            Her senses prickled and Rose knew Cal was near. Two minutes later she could just make out the gleaming white teeth of his grin staring up at her through the darkness. Focusing for a moment, Rose sent him a message; one sec.

That was a bit garbled. Rose heard in her head as she retrieved her sword from its spot on the bed.

Sorry, she replied.

That’s better.

            Rose threw her sword down and jumped after it. She had dismissed the idea of a rope or ladder, and instead had taught herself how to land a two story jump. She landed on her toes lightly, no sound coming from her feet as they hit the ground.

You’re going to ruin your sword doing that, Cal commented.

“Oh stop nagging,” Rose said as she strapped the blade on. Cal laughed. “Are we going to the forest again?”

“I don’t know. I just felt like getting out to tell the truth.” He looked up at the night sky, sighing softly. “I’m trying to locate different spots so we can alternate our pattern a bit, but I can’t seem to find anything. The clearing won’t be so secretive in the winter time without any cover of foliage anyway.”

            Rose racked her brain for a moment. “I don’t really know anywhere else we can go besides here. There used to be more woods but they got cut down for land development and subdivisions. I guess the only place we could look is in the city.”

            Cal ran a hand through his hair, and Rose recognized this little gesture as a sign of stress.

            “What’s the matter?” She asked. Cal looked over to her, surprised by the question.

“Nothing really, just a little….I don’t know.” He watched her for a moment, as if considering something.

            “Do you want to go for a run?”