Chapter 9

In the middle of the night, Lisa snuck out of bed without waking Michael. After she got dressed she glanced at the clock, In was one o' clock in the morning. She had plenty of time. Before she left she glanced at Michael who was sleeping peacefully. His blood was flowing smoothly and at moderate speed through his veins. All she had to do was bite his neck and take a little bit of blood. She shook her head and went out the door before she did something that she would regret.

Michael woke up to the sound of the door closing downstairs. Michael got out of bed and looked out the window. He saw Lisa walking down the street. Michael was confused but not at all surprised. He knew Lisa was trying to keep him away from the vampire world. He knew all of her friends--Jake, Dave, LaTasha and Jenny--were vampires. The only thing he didn't� know was what else she was keeping from him. Who were these people who were trying to get them, and what for? Michael thought he understood the vampire's way of life by now. Now he wasn't too sure. There was something about The Night that urged him to go outside and find out. The Night seemed to be the thing that would show him all the answers.

~~~~~~~

"Hey hot shot." Lisa beckoned. There was a man standing at a street corner smoking a cigarette. He wore a T-shirt with a brown leather jacket over it. He was very pale, almost as pale as a typical vampire who has been around for several centuries. But he wasn't a vampire. He was a diseased human. Sick to the point of death.

"Hey what are you doing out here so late?" Lisa asked, approaching him.

The man glared at her and blew smoke in her face.

"Looking for trouble. May I ask you the same?"

Lisa grinned. "We have something in common then."

The man threw the cigarette butt on the ground and stepped on it. "You're a pretty good lookin' young lady." the man said. Lisa could hear a southern accent. She came up to him and kissed him on the lips.

"You like that?" Lisa asked. The man nodded. Lisa kissed him again, but more passionately. The man's breathing became heavy. She kissed his neck.

"You're sick with AIDS aren't you?" Lisa whispered. The man nodded. He kissed her, holding her waist close to his body. He wanted her. She knew the man craved sex. Luckily, she wouldn't be affected by his sickness. Lisa brushed her lips on the skin of his neck and slowly sunk her teeth into his vein.

~~~~~~~

Michael quickly got dressed and went out of the house. Why was he going outside in the middle of the night? He didn't know. He started walking the streets. Then, someone called him. "Hey! Hey Michael!" Michael turned around and saw LaTasha running up to him in tears.

"What is it? What happened?" Michael asked, bewildered.

"They killed him!!! " she screamed hysterically.

"They--" She stopped. "Where's Lisa?"

Michael shrugged.

"Oh God," She sobbed. She grabbed Michael's arm.

"Follow me."

Michael ran, not knowing what was going on. He asked, "Who killed who?"

LaTasha cried harder and didn't answer.

The man's body fell limp in Lisa's arms. She licked the blood off of her lips and she disposed of the corpse. It definitely wasn't the best tasting blood she could get. She started to think about Michael. Her craving just became stronger. Suddenly, she saw Michael and LaTasha run up to her.

What's Michael doing out here? Lisa thought. Wait a minute. What is Michael doing out here with 'Tasha??

As they approached her, Lisa came to realize how beautiful Michael was at night. At night, when immortality awakens, his vampiric beauty shines through so much. He had a dark long jacket that blew in the wind as he ran. His eyes seemed to glow in the darkness. His body, his long hair--it was all powerfully divine and perfect. All vampires are physically 'perfect' in a way, but Michael's aura just awes any human or vampire.

"Hey guys, what's going on?"

LaTasha had tears streaming down her face. Michael only looked confused.

"Someone staked Dave. " LaTasha sobbed. "I mean, with cold wood, right through his chest."

"oh no..." Michael whispered.

"Okay. Let's not panic. Where did this happen?" Lisa asked.

LaTasha started talking fast in between sobs. "Me and Dave went out to feed and we saw....these vampires....they were unbelievable....powerful.....when they got Dave....they did a hit and run....the wanted only Dave and..." She broke down into tears again.

"Okay, okay. Where's his sister?"

"Jenny is with Jake." LaTasha whispered.

"Where is he?" Lisa asked.

"I don't know. Sleeping probably. He doesn't get up until about 3 o'clock to feed."

"It wasn't Richard that did this?" Lisa asked.

LaTasha shook her head. "I don't know who they were."