Chapter 2

The warm night air was nearly quiet other than the faint background noises of traffic from afar and the loud clicking of Kierann’s heels on the pavement as she approached Xander who was still diligently working on her car. The beaming red beauty that rested stationary in the driveway before her was her pride and joy. It was a gift from one of Kierann’s boy toys many years ago, back when she used every power she had, both physically and mentally, to get what she wanted, but all that was in the past now and Kierann had moved on from such tumultuous behavior.

“Is she done yet?” Kierann said clearing her throat –making her presence known. Xander pulled himself out from beneath the car, wiping his greasy hands across his clothes and propping himself against the car.

“I think I have the problem all figured out now…want to fire her up and take her for a drive?” Xander asked resting his hands on his knees and looking up at Kierann, who had looked always looked so exquisite in the moonlight that had casted perfectly upon her –tonight was no different.

“Well it’s about damn time.” She replied as she shifted her weight to her right leg, placing her left hand on her hip and flashing him a brash smile.

“But don’t think for a moment you are getting in my car in those dirty clothes.” She added.

“Alright then, give me a moment to wash up and change and be right out.” He replied, getting up from the cold hard concrete –brushing himself off before retiring to his apartment.

They drove along the brightly lit but desolate streets of Los Aniegos, heading out of the city and to the country back roads.

“Don’t you think we should stop and get gas…tanks almost empty and the last thing I want you to do is get stranded on some back road in the middle of the night.” Xander said clearly pointing out the needle on the gas gauge that was hovering just slightly above empty.

“Awww Xander, are you still afraid of the dark, afraid that some big bad man is out there somewhere waiting for you to be stranded, so he can tie you up and put you in the trunk and drive to some undisclosed location, where he will end up hacking you to pieces one limb at a time?” Kierann said letting out devious laugh.

“Hey it could happen…I am just looking out for you.” Xander said swallowing hard.

“Xander, you watch entirely too many cheesy horror flicks, besides if you haven’t noticed, I am more than capable of taking care of myself thank you very much.” Kierann said breathing in the warm breeze of the night as it blew through the loose strands of her hair. She gently patted the outside of her door. It’s been far too long…she thought as she pressed her foot harder on the gas pedal.

They sputtered into a gas station miles outside of the city, in a small rundown desert town. The gas light had come on nearly ten minutes ago and they were now on E. Kierann flashed him a smile as she put the car in park.

“See I got us to a gas station.” She said sarcastically as she flung open her door, her heels clanking on the concrete below her. Xander watched her legs stretch out as she stood herself up, watching her slowly lifting her right leg and placing it on the door of the car pushing backwards…

“Just barely.” He replied snapping out of it as the door slammed shut. He rested his arms along the curves of his door and smiled at Kierann as she walked around the back of the car and approached the gas pump.

“Just for the record, I am NOT afraid of the dark, and I am certainly NOT afraid of what may be lurking in the shadows.” He said trying to convince Kierann that he wasn’t the chicken shit that she thought he was, though they both knew differently.

“Uh-Huh” She replied pulling the nozzle from the pump and inserting it into the opening of the gas tank.

**************

There was a light tap on the on door, an almost nervous tap.  She could almost smell the fear that had stood on the other side of the door.

“Enter…” Her voice rang out through the library that held hundreds of years of history on all the kindred that still –and had once, walked the grounds of this earth. A library so rich with kindred history, that it could only belong to the strongest and most intelligent of their species.

“Please have a seat.” She said extending her hand and motioning him to sit.

“And to what do I owe this visit Mr. Ulrich?” She said as she leaned back in her chair biting down lightly on the end of her felt tip pen.

“Please call me Nash…” He said nervously as he sat in the velvet chair before her desk.

“Mr. Ulrich…” She said emphasizing her words, letting it be known that she was the one to call the shots.

“I assume you are here to see me for a reason, so let’s not waste my time with useless banter and get down to the business at hand.” She said looking up at him from the tops of her eyelids.

“Y….e…sss Mirri.” He replied.

“Where is the girl…I assume you have found her by now?” Mirri said in a stern and cold voice as she shifted her weight in her seat.

“Well…not exactly…” He said. In an instant he could see the anger filling Mirri’s eyes and he could feel them burning through his flesh.

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN NOT EXACTLY…EITHER YOU HAVE HER OR YOU DON’T!” Mirri bellowed. Her voice was no longer sweet and charming as it had been when he entered her quarters. The words rattled and echoed loudly through the room, Nash could feel them nearly vibrating in his bones.

“I haven’t run into her since that night ten years ago…I have searched for her…but it is almost as if she just…disappeared.” He replied swallowing hard –his legs shaking nervously.

“Vampires don’t just disappear, Mr. Ulrich…can I ask you again why it is you didn’t finish her off the night you bit her?” Mirri said as she drew a file from her desk, walked around the desk and lifted herself onto it, and thumbed through it.

“I…I…” Nash tried to speak but the words didn’t seem to leave the tip of his tongue.

“I see…you were searching for your sister…Amara…and instead stumbled across this young Kierann?” She said as she read from the file.

“You should really learn some more self-control Mr. Ulrich…or learn to finish the job…no one is to become one of us without my knowledge or permission…NO ONE.” She said glaring at Nash.

Mirri hopped off the desk, throwing Kierann’s file into Nash’s lap and crouching before him. He looked down at the file which held everything on Kierann since the day she had become one of them.

“I have had to clean up one too many of this girl messes, you had better find her Mr. Ulrich…and you had better find her soon…I cannot have rebel vampires roaming the streets changing anyone at will and breaking all the rules that have been set and enforced for thousands of years because they cannot practice a little self-control.” She hissed at him.

“Do we have an understanding Mr. Ulrich?” She said as she glared at him.

“Yes Mirri…but…” He began to say.

“NO BUT’S! YOU BRING HER TO ME MR. ULRICH…I HAVE LITTLE PATIENCE FOR YOUR INCOMPETENCE.” Mirri yelled as she grew more irritated with Nash.

“Yes Mirri, we have an understanding.” He replied.

“NOW GET OUT OF MY SIGHT ALLEYCAT! I HAVE MORE PRESSING MATTERS TO DEAL WITH THAN THE LIKES OF YOU!” She hissed.

************

Xander brushed his fingers across the cool soft skin on Kierann’s face, looking into her eyes and smiling.

“Can I come in?” He asked her sweetly.

Kierann gently and politely pulled his hand away from her face and smiled back at him.

“I’m sorry Xander, not tonight…and this time I mean that.” She said looking to him.

“Are you sure…I can’t change your mind?” He said as he inched closer to her.

“Not tonight.” She said once again.

“Goodnight Xander and thank you again for fixing my car.” She added as she turned and entered her apartment. Before she could even have the time to take of her shoes there was a light tap at the door. Kierann let out a sigh before turning and opening the door.

“Xander I said not to…”

She stopped mid-sentence when she noticed that it wasn’t Xander standing on the other side of the door. It was a young woman, a kindred, with beautiful and bright, long flowing red locks and a smooth pale complexion.

“I’m not sure if I have the right place…” She spoke. Her voice was sweet and soft almost heavenly. Kierann studied her for a moment –perplexed, she felt as if she had seen her before, or someone like her, she thought hard but only drew a blank.

“Hi I’m Kierann, may I ask who it is you are looking for?” She said extending her hand to the beautiful stranger before her.

“It seems I have found who I am looking for…my name is Amara may I come in…we have much to discuss.” The stranger said, flashing her a nervous smile.

“Uh…sure…” Kierann said reluctantly holding the door open for her to enter.

Amara quickly slipped into the apartment, Kierann shutting the door behind her. She turned and looked at Amara and just as she was about to speak…

Everything went black –complete darkness.