Charity Li trudged up the stairs towards her little apartment after another long and boring day of tech support. The Russian couple across the hall were going at it again, screaming at each other in Russian and throwing objects across the apartment, how they afforded to replace all that stuff after each fight amazed Charity, apparently they made better money than she expected. Charity fumbled with her keys and unlocked her flimsy apartment door with the broken 3 that was missing the bottom. Charity walked in, her roommate was already gone, very strange for him to be gone so early, must have gotten a good offer. Charity kicked her shoes off and walked into the kitchen for her dinner of ramen and beer. Charity opened the refrigerator and scowled, of course he drank all the beer. Charity sighed and put her shoes back on and started for the liquor store down the block. She left her apartment and passed a strange man in the hallway, he wasn't anybody she recognized but he was probably the new guy on the second floor, but there was something really odd about him, Charity couldn't put her finger on it but it was just a strange little tingly in her brain. Then again this is LA Charity reminded herself, and you aren't the model of normalcy anyways.

Ophelia woke up hearing a knock on her front door, she stumbled out of bed feeling twice as bad she did when she went to bed, being beaten up by vampires would take some getting use to. She made her way to the door and opened it. " Hey stranger" came a familiar and welcome voice.
Ophelia opened the door wide and smiled, " Hey Chris" she said, " come on in."
Christie Marsh walked into Ophelia's apartment, " So how is med school?" asked Christie.
" I ditched that" said Ophelia, " poor girl like me couldn't get enough financial aid, so how bout you?"
" Me, no after you left I really hated it so I quit and opened my own spiritual harmony store" said Christie, " it is called Amethyst Springs it is on Burbank just past the Hollywood Freeway."
" Doing well?" asked Ophelia.
" Just hired my second employee" said Christie, " at least I'm not working 18 hours a day anymore. So what are you up to these days? This place is a lot nicer than your old studio apartment at school."
" Well I got myself a real sweet job at UCLA Medical Center as an administrative assistant, it is hospital work without the twelve more years of school" said Ophelia.
" Well in that case you can take me out to lunch" said Christie.
" Sure" said Ophelia with a big smile.

Jack parked his car and got out whistling. He happily strolled down the quiet Santa Monica street, every day off felt like an entire summer vacation when he was a kid. He rounded the corner and passed the Korean Sea, a horrible Chinese restaurant that proudly sported a C- from the health department, then the Used Record store that sold more 'water' pipes rather than used records and finally his destination. Jack opened the door to the Doorway, Curiosities and Oddities and walked in. The store was dimly lit, mainly from the fact that the entire story was crammed from floor to ceiling with shelves that displayed a variety of bizarre and macabre artifacts from across the world, human or animal parts floating in jars of yellow liquid, weapons from ancient battles, gods from long forgotten religions and a vast library of books filled with arcane spells, or long forgotten lore. He carefully snuck up to the counter and peeked over the side. He could see the girl behind the counter kneeling over a box that she busy addressing. Her low cut black jeans exposed her black thong and tattoo of an Asian dragon across the small of her back. Jack carefully leaned over and playfully tugged on her thong.
Beth Palmer leapt to her feet ready for another drunk with sticky fingers, but instead was presented with a dozen red roses and Jack's smiling face. " You" giggled Beth taking the roses, " they finally give you a day off?"
" All day" said Jack, " I've been a good boy."
" Somehow I doubt that" said Beth.
" So what are we addressing?" asked Jack sliding over the counter.
" A book of sexual spells and potion recipes" said Beth, " being sent to a famous somebody who paid a rather large sum for it."
Jack leaned over and whistled at the name on the box, " I guess money can buy everything" he said, " who would have thought she would need to resort to spells to get off."
Beth wrapped her arms around Jack and kissed his neck. " How bout I hang the closed signed and we go upstairs?" suggested Beth.
" Sounds good to me" said Jack.
Beth gracefully leapt over counter and sauntered over to the door. The pair had met in Jamaica almost five years before. At 18 most teenagers are getting low paying entry level jobs or going to college, for Beth she was breaking into the tomb of a powerful voodoo shaman when she was caught by 19 year old Jack, who was trying for the same artifact that was wrapped around the shaman's neck. After initially fighting each other the pair was confronted by a nasty zombie that disliked being awakened. Together they defeated the zombie and eluded the Jamaican authorities to make it back to LA where Jack gave her the amulet in exchange for Beth's eternal gratitude.
She turned the sign to say 'Closed' and turned around. She took her t-shirt off and playfully tossed it at Jack. She sprinted across the store and leapt back over the counter into Jack's arms. " Take me upstairs Jack" she said before kissing him.
Jack carried her up the back stairway to the apartment she lived that was above her store.

Scott Larkin loaded the last box into the warehouse, the woman with beautiful black hair that hired him was sitting on the back of the delivery truck swinging her perfectly sculpted legs and smiling. Oh he really scored great this time, she was so beautiful, especially those green eyes. " Anything else" he asked, a big smile across his face.
" No other than your payment" she purred smiling like a sexy cat.
She hopped off the truck lifting her dress up enough for Scott to see she wasn't wearing panties. Scott's smile only got larger, he wasn't much of a hit with the ladies in high school and his life as delivery truck driver wasn't improving his luck, until now that is. She sauntered into the warehouse and raised her arm and beckoned him in. Scott smiled and followed.
The warehouse was dark and cool inside, Scott was unable to see in the dark warehouse after being outside for so long. He felt hands on his neck and then he felt no more.
The woman snapped Scott's neck with a swift single stroke; men are far too easy to sucker into traps like this. She slowly extended her fangs and buried them deep in his neck. She drank until he was dry, now the transformation would begin. She dropped him on the concrete with a thud before walked into the office to wait. He couldn't have lived after seeing what he saw, now to make sure no one would know the roommate must die. She heard the phone ring she knew who it was immediately, god what a control freak. She picked it up, " Cassandra" said Lord Dante, " is it done?"
" Not yet" said Cassandra, twirling the phone cord around her finger, " he is almost ready to transform."
" I want the farm ready tomorrow" said Dante, " I dislike failure, do think that because we share a bed on occasion you aren't subject to the same expectations."
Dante hung up, " Oh lick me you fuck" said Cassandra to the receiver, " oh wait I have twist your arm to do that already."
Cassandra heard Scott's painful screams, welcome back to the world of the living Scott. Cassandra walked out Scott was writhing on the floor, the rebirth was painful for vampires, it was absolute hell for Revenants. Scott's head rolled about, foam oozing from his mouth. Cassandra took out a cigarette, and lit up. She paced about the warehouse waiting for the screaming to stop, god he was shrill. Finally he became silent; Cassandra turned and saw Scott standing up. " Scott" she said.
" Mistress" he mumbled.
" What can you tell me about the girl you live with?" asked Cassandra.
" Charity, computer nerd" mumbled Scott, spit dripping from his slack lips, " she thinks she hacker."
" She is a hacker" corrected Cassandra, Revenants weren't all that smart, " do you know if she has been hacking any place lately?"
" Dunno, she work days, I work nights" said Scott.
No matter, " Scott, to please your mistress you must kill Charity" said Cassandra, " kill her and you will receive a reward."
Scott nodded, left the warehouse and climbed into his delivery truck. Cassandra tossed her cigarette into a puddle as he drove away, that little hacker was caught snooping around in the computer system of one of Dante's blood banks, paranoid freak blew a gasket when he heard. He wanted to use Alonzo to kill everyone in the apartment building until her and Devlin talked him out of it. Cassandra figured to use her roommate, a delivery truck driver to transport the goods to the warehouse and then make him kill her before he died himself. It would be much easier and so much cleaner. Cassandra believed she should be the ruler of LA, her bloodline was so much older and purer than Dante's but he controlled Alonzo and he controlled the most of the nasty killers around. Cassandra knew her time would come; patience was a true vampire's best trait.

Charity was laying on the couch, a solid beer buzz in full control. She was watching the local cult fav, Dr Nightmare's Midnight Movie, a show that brought campy horror movies to TV for the viewing pleasure of the Los Angelinos. Charity was about to open another beer when she heard a knock on the door. Charity got up and burped before giggling at herself. She walked across the old creaky floor, this was weird, nobody ever went up those stairs without making half the steps creak, Charity thought she was drunker than she thought. She leaned over to the peephole and saw Scott. " Scott?" she asked, " you lose your keys?"
A fist burst through the flimsy door, slamming into Charity's face. Charity lost her balance and crashed into the little end table next to the door. Charity watched as the door was kicked in, the door hitting her across the shins, sending burst of pain through her. " Scott!" she screamed.
Scott tore her sweaty pants off with a sick smile on his face. Charity kicked him hard in the head and saw to her horror that his head rolled back at an impossible angle. Charity tried to run for it but Scott simply tossed her into the cocktail table. Charity was filled with fear, Scott was never this strong. Scott wrapped his hands around Charity's neck and leaned in to bite her neck, his saliva dripping from his teeth onto Charity's neck. Charity grabbed two bottles and smashed them over Scott's head; the glass embedded in his head but didn't stop him. Charity smashed another into his eyes, this staggered him, glass slicing through his eyes. Charity jammed the cocktail table at his legs knocking him to the ground. Charity just ran, out the door and down the stairs, she had to escape.

Ophelia was walking out the Vault, a techno club, very hot and sweaty. She had decided to go celebrating and so she and Christie went out clubbing. Christie always having better luck with guys took off with some hot Latin stud two clubs back. Ophelia looked at her watch; it was time to call it quits tonight. Ophelia started for her car when an Asian girl slammed into her. " Help!" she said, " my roommate is possessed, what I don't how what the hell is wrong with him."
Ophelia looked at the girl dressed in a black tank top and pink floral panties. " Huh?" asked Ophelia.
" My fucking roommate is a vampire or something" said the girl.
" Where is he?" asked Ophelia.
" I think I ditched him two blocks back" said the girl, " call the cops."
" I think I might be a little more skilled at this" said Ophelia.
Ophelia started the way the girl came, to her surprise the girl was following. " Stay with my car" said Ophelia.
" Bullshit" said the girl, " my roommate is some freaking monster now, you'll need my help."
Ophelia wasn't going to argue time was not on her side. " Okay" said Ophelia.
Ophelia turned around and was punched hard in the face. Ophelia spun on her heels and drew one of her throwing daggers from her pants pocket. With grace the knife flew from her fingers and longed into the eye of the attacker. He simply punched Ophelia again. Ophelia stumbled backwards and was caught by the girl. Ophelia looked at him, he was a Revenant, just great why didn't I pack a howitzer thought Ophelia. Ophelia started to channel a blast, but the Revenant was closing to fast. The girl grabbed a trash can and threw it at him catching him in the legs. Can and Revenant both crashed into the alley floor giving Ophelia enough time to let an energy blast go. The Revenant was cut in half, his rotting guts splattering out on the alley floor. Ophelia watched in shock as the Revenant kept coming, dragging his torso along with his arms. This wasn't made by some half-ass vamp, this fucker was an elder. Ophelia channeled another blast and blew the Revenant's head clean off. Ophelia dropped to her knees exhausted; she wasn't in good enough condition yet to expend so much energy. " Hey!" shouted the girl, " you okay?"
" I'm fine" said Ophelia, " are you okay?"
" Ask me when I'm twenty minutes when the adrenaline wears off" said the girl, " what the fuck was wrong with him?"
" Just forget about it" said Ophelia, " this was all a bad dream."
" Bad dream my ass" said the girl, " this isn't a bad fucking dream or some booze induced hallucination, this is fucking real and I want to fucking know."
" Okay, your friend there was a Revenant" said Ophelia really not in the mood to argue, " he was killed by a vampire and then drained of blood so that he would be reborn as a mindless slave. What did you do to piss a vampire off?"
" Well... ah... it is kinda silly... but I hacked in a blood bank on Wiltshire and possibly diverted some of their funds to pay the rent and for my cable" said the girl.
" Can you tell me where?" asked Ophelia.
" Yah, it is Angels' Mercy, that blood bank by the In and Out" said the girl.
Ophelia got up and shook the girl's hands, " You have guts" she said, " guess you're place is trashed huh."
" Have a whole the size of my head in the door, neighbors probably looted it by now" said girl.
" Well I have a comfy couch, and I can promise you that it is vampire free" said Ophelia, " my name is Ophelia Morgan."
" Charity Li" she said, " I always believe this kind of shit existed, but man it really is a kick in the ass to meet it face to face."
" World seems a lot different doesn't it" said Ophelia, " it was the same for me when I learned that I was gifted with my powers."
" You need a computer girl?" asked Charity, " I don't think I can ever go back to my old life, sorta sick but this is like a horror junkie's best and worst dream."
" I think we could use a girl like you" said Ophelia, " I have to run it by the others first."
" So like what you are part of the Vampire Slayers version of the Justice League?" joked Charity.
" Something like that, just less spandex and goofy names" said Ophelia.
" This will prove to be a lot better than my old job, pay good?" asked Charity.
" Ain't bad" said Ophelia as they walked back to her car, " won't have to have a roommate on our pay."
" That is good" said Charity, " don't think I want to live anybody for awhile, just in case the next turns into a werewolf or a crazy witch... oops, no offense intended."
" None taken" said Ophelia, " I like being a witch."
They got into the car, and Charity started to cry. Ophelia put her arm around the girl as she started for her apartment; poor thing had a hell of a night, but she survived, many never had that luxury. They got back to Ophelia's apartment building and Charity helped Ophelia through the side gate into the courtyard then up her stairs to her apartment, number 13. Ophelia unlocked the door and they both almost collapsed through the open door. Ophelia gave Charity's a pair of loose pajama pants to wear and went into her bedroom. She dialed Malcolm's number and listened to it ring, and ring, and ring. Ophelia started to worry he wasn't there until she heard a groggy voice grumbled, " Huh?"
" Mal, its Ophelia" she said, " I think I might have some good information on vamp goings on."
" Shoot" said Malcolm.
" I just pulled a girl out a scrap with a Revenant that she says was once her roommate, she had hacked into the Angels' Mercy Blood Bank on Wiltshire" said Ophelia.
" Yah, I know that is one of Dante's banks" said Malcolm, " we let them keep those as incentive to start picking up the bottle."
" Oh, well I have her here now, and I was thinking she seems to know this computer stuff and she has no place else to go?" said Ophelia.
" No problem" said Malcolm, " if she wants to join, bring her by the store tomorrow and we can introduce her."
" Great, sorry to wake you" said Ophelia.
" No problem, I had fallen asleep on the porch again anyways" said Malcolm.
" There is something else" said Ophelia, rubbing her sore jaw, " this Rev was a tough prick, I blew him in half and he keep coming."
" Elder" said Malcolm, " now that is strange, Dante doesn't use subtly when dispatching justice among norms, lets bring her in tomorrow and see what rates one of the town elders to send a killer after her, you did good O."
" Thanks" said Ophelia blushing, he has such a sexy voice, " see you tomorrow."
Ophelia hung up and smiled, he called me, I like that especially from him. Ophelia stuck her head out of her bedroom door and saw that Charity was already fast asleep on the couch. Ophelia smiled, I did good tonight. She picked up Jinx out of her panty drawer and climbed into bed where she promptly fell into a deep sleep.