Caught in the Act

Everything seemed to blow over as if the brawl in the Forest Breeze Apartment complex two weeks ago never happened. All the tenants were oblivious of the event, which worked out in Amethyst's favor. It was a miracle she was able to keep everything under wrapped for so long. So, she continued her daily routine of going to school than returning home to feed her disobedient and temperamental freeloaders.

One evening a pair of identical twins in their late teens moved into the Forest Breeze Apartment complex. One was a young man with charming facials that was hidden under a low-cut beard and messy hair. The other twin was a female whom was equally beautiful hiding her appearance by wearing clothing that were a size two big to hide her curvy figure. They both had pale skin with hickory brown eyes and cinnamon brown hair. The sister's hair was elbow length with waves, curls and red highlights partly covering the left side of her face. While her brother's messy hair was much shorter, curly and fluffy.

Dressed in a hoodie and a pair of jeans they quickly and silently moved into the apartment building at night to avoided being seen. While they were unpacking the moving van, a few bats were perched on top of the apartment building's roof. Tala the younger of the twins went out onto the balcony outside, curious about why there were so many bats idling around. She felt almost like she was in a horror flick. Then she saw one flew down toward the ground to a group of trees. Shortly after that it flew back up into the sky leaving with something wedged tightly between its claws.

Tala's curiosity grew upon seeing it. 'Messenger bat?' she asked herself. 'I never seen a messenger bat before, so are the other bats messengers too or are they just people watching. The gears in her head where clinking away wondering if they were little spies. Silencing her thoughts, she walked back into the apartment, shutting the sliding door behind her. She walked into her new room to finish unpacking her belongs. A moment later her brother Justin walked into her room with some more boxes.

"Hey, sis, where should I put these at?" asked Justin with a soothing voice.

"Umm...put them over there by the closet," Tala responded then turned around and asked him. "Hey, bro, did you enroll us into that university by the mall yet?"

"No, not yet, I've been so busy trying to make sure no one was able to track our new identities. We need to stay away from those ridiculous people at all cost. I'll go tomorrow once I get off from work to enroll us." Justin responded calmly sitting two boxes down by her closet door.

"Alright, well good night." Tala said preparing a makeshift bed, of sheets and blankets, on an empty part of her bedroom floor.

"Night Tala," Justin replied before walking out the room.

"Hey, bro, wait! Did you see anything out of the ordinary while you were outside unpacking the car?"

"No. Why you ask? Is something wrong? Wait did those bats outside the building freak you out? I told you to stop watching those horror and sci-fi movies."

"No… Nothing wrong. It's just that I saw something odd outside. Forget I asked. Good night brother," she said with a smile.

The next morning was the first day of the weekend and both Tala and Justin had to start their first day of work. They woke up two hours earlier hoping to impress their new bosses. After they got dressed and ate a healthy breakfast, they walked out the apartment, locking the door behind them. As they were on their way down the hallway to their car, they heard a loud commotion coming from inside one of their new neighbors' apartment, a few doors down.

"Tala, let's just go the other way. We should avoid getting involved with others. We need to remain low and unnoticed," Justin suggested turning to turn around.

"You go ahead Justin. What if the noise being caused because of another domestic violence attack? Remember what happened to mother. If it's just a family rough housing around, I'll politely take my leave," Tala said pleading with her brother pouting.

Justin sighed knowing that he would never win any argument as long as there was an innocent involved. "Fine, just be careful. I'll be waiting in the car,"

"Okay."

While Justin took the other way downstairs to the car, Tala took it upon herself to check out what was going on. She walked up to the apartment with the door crack opened, and gently knocked on the door.

"Hello. Is everything okay in there?" she asked in a high but soft voice.

The noise from the inside fell silent. Tala pursued on ignoring the sudden silent by pushing the door open. "Hello again, I'm Tala your new neigh..." she announced before becoming speechless at the scene she was now witnessing.

Realizing she just saw something that she clearly should not have, she froze in a state of panic. She stood there helplessly as her eyes scan the room fixating on a young girl being pinned down on the floor by a boy with sharp teeth and radiant hazel eyes. The girl clothes was pulled down exposing her shoulder that had two pierced holes into her skin and the boy had something red dropping down the side of his mouth. Sitting down in a chair nearby was another boy with sharp teeth and the same glowing hazel eyes. The look in his eyes made her legs felt like jelly. He was sitting there nonchalantly wiping the same red substance from his face with a cloth. Swallowing her spit that lodged itself within her throat she cursed internally.

"Hmmmm….. It seems we have a new guest. Eris…. should we invite her for lunch?" Joel replied sarcastically speaking in a husky tone.

Eris sat up sighing. "Man, it would be ashamed to miss this opportunity. Such a beauty would definitely be more appetizing than this shrimp."

"Hey, I'm right here you idiot! Get off me! There will be no killing in my apartment! You already consume your intake for today, even though you forced me against my will again!" shouted Amethyst in an angry tone at Eris. Then she turned her head looking at the girl in the doorway. "Umm... hello, I'm Amethyst sorry we had to meet under such circumstance. I promise you there's nothing illegal going on here."

"Ah....ha…ha…. ha," Tala laughed nervously at the girl unable to muster out anything else. Her legs buckle causing her to finally fall to the floor unable to fully process what's happening.

Amethyst pushed Eris off her while fixing her shirt as she got up to walk towards the girl. "Don't be afraid they're not actually thinking about eating you. It's a joke most vampires say when they are discovered. I promised…. you are safe. Right Joel!" she plead in a calming voice before switching to a threatening tone as she looked back at Joel.

Joel sighed nodding. "Beauty. If we wanted to eat you, you would already be dead. Plus, we're just receiving our routine injection for our illness. There's nothing for you to worry about. We're not going to harm you," he casually said in an indifferent tone sitting back in the chair.

Amethyst looked at Joel with a displeased expression. 'Why did I even ask for his help! His explanation is not convincing at all with that face and tone.' Annoyed at his response, she turned back to the girl to help her up with a friendly smile, when noticing that she was wearing a work uniform. "You work at Hot Tones?" she asked grabbing this opportunity to change the subject.

Tala nodded as she continued gazing at the two young men noticing that their eyes have changed to a completely new color.

Grabbing the girl's right arm Amethyst gently helped her stand back up on her feet. "Are you on your way to work?" Amethyst questioned her trying to distract her as she gracefully pulled her out the apartment.

Tala was bewildered by the recent encounter that she quietly followed close behind the girl who was now pulling her away as she responded to each of her questions with slight head movements. A navy-blue Malibu was waiting patiently downstairs for them. Upon hearing the car engine running, Tala wanted to break free from this bizarre new neighbor and run as fast as her legs could carry her to the car. Even though the girl seemed harmless she couldn't hold back the uncomfortable feeling the creeped up in her heart.

'This girl and her roommates are not ordinary people. Should I make a run for it and pretend like I didn't see anything. Darn my innate nature for seeking out justice,' she cringed within.

"Is that person waiting for you?" Amethyst asked politely looking towards the Malibu.

Tala nodded trying not to show her uncomfortable awkwardness in her posture and on her face.

Amethyst grabbed both of Tala hands looking at her with a sincere expression. "I am so sorry you had to experience that. I know you have no reason to trust me or even believe a word I say, but can you please keep what you saw a secret. If you agreed to keep this secret, I promise to tell you anything you would like to know?" Amethyst pleaded in an uneasy voice.