Ch 3

Zadie sits on the floor by the coffee table eating a blueberry bagel watching the newest movie Angie got for her last night as promised. That was M.I.B. Blade perches across from her on the couch, chomping a bagel as well. No one speaks as the movie plays. Zadie watches the film, totally engrossed by it.

Just as the movie ends, Zadie takes the last sip of her light brown coffee. Standing grabbing her mug and the plate used for the bagels that is now empty besides a few crumbs.

“Would you like a drink?” Zadie asks the Slayer.

“Uh...sure.

Zadie moves into the kitchen, placing the dishes in the sink and opening the fridge.

“We have orange juice, sweet tea, lemonade, and milk. What would you like?” A long quietness takes over. Then, finally, he speaks up just before she goes to go check on him.

“I’ll take some Milk.” Zadie grabs the half-gallon of Milk then takes a gray plastic cup from the cupboard that she just manages to reach. The white liquid fills the glass. After placing the milk back in the fridge, she catches a whiff of fresh blood. She races into the living room, finding the Slayer's head bleeding yet again.

“What happened?” She questions him, looking around to find the cause herself.

“I took the bandage off so it could air out, but I guess it just reopened the wound instead.” Zadie follows his gaze to the crumbled band-aid that lays on the table.

“I’ll be back.” Zadie plucks it off the table, heading to the bathroom.

As soon as she leaves the room, Blade smears some of the fresh blood under his shirt on his chest, just where the mark should be. He watches as it lights up for a few seconds, revealing itself. A black circle with the letters SO inside appears seconds later disappearing without a trace.

Comfort floods Blade knowing help will be here soon enough.

Zadie strolls back into the living room, setting the first aid kit and rag atop the table. Blade grabs the rage holding it to his head.

“ Does the smell of blood not bother you?” Blade asks, seeming to be more relaxed now.

“Not at all, it would only bother me if I needed to drink some, but I have a couple more days before that happens.” Zadie retrieves the cup of milk she left on the counter.

After placing it in front of him, the slayer boy gives her a nod in thanks. Then, she takes the movie out of the Blu-ray player that sits on a bookshelf near the fireplace. Zadie returns the film to the bookshelf where the others stay.

“May I know your name now?” Zadie asks him once she’s sitting back down.

He hesitates a moment, “It’s Blade.” He tells her not seeing the harm in it, soon enough, this nightmare will be over, and he can forget about the whole ordeal.

“That’s kind of ironic since you're a Vampire Slayer and all.” She remarks with a witty smile; Blade can’t help but return her smile.

“You have a nice smile. You should do it more often.” Zadie states as she scoots back with her back now resting against the red recliner.

Blade quickly stops smiling, feeling uncomfortable.

Without the curtains drawn back, the room would be pretty dark. However, the lamp and tv give off just enough light allowing Blade's human eyes to see almost perfectly. “You're a vampire, so how are you able to eat human food?”

Blade changes the subject, trying to figure out what this strange, beautiful creature actually is. Her skin is pale like any other bloodsucker. Yet, with her face remaining flawless, apparently dying combined with transforming into a vampire makes you ten times hotter somehow.

“How do you?” She responds, crossing her arms with a humorous expression.

Blade examines her lovely lavender eyes; the vampire’s eyes are always red. Those are a dead giveaway to know when you’re dealing with a vampire, but hers are different. Why? Blade removes the rag, opening the kit, pulling a band-aid out. “I’m human. It only makes sense.”

He clarifies, “Would you care to?” He holds out the band-aid to her. Zadie quickly moves over to him, sitting beside him on the couch, taking the band-aid and opening it.

Blade holds his bangs up, revealing the swollen, inflamed wound. She leans forward, gently laying the band-aid down, “It’s because I am also human.”

“But that’s impossible.” He says with an astonished look.

She shrugs, moving back, “Apparently not; otherwise, I wouldn’t be here.”

Zadie has grown fond of this human. However, she’s uncertain if it’s because he is the first human male she has met or because of his striking good looks. Although Zadie has read plenty of books describing boys like him, she never imagined she'd meet one that catches her attention.

Removing his hand from his hair, fixing his gaze on a small crack on the dark wood table. Blades, unsure what to make of this strange creature beside him, Everyone knows humans and Vampires can’t have children together because a vampire is technically dead. Therefore, no heartbeat equals no children. But, once the organization sees her, they will know what to do. Blade trusts them with his life; he’s confident they can find out the truth.

Zadie recognizes that look on Blades’s face. She's seen it plenty of times on Crees and Angie's faces. Zadie’s untypical in everyone’s eyes. Zadie stands up, going back to her chair. Not wanting to talk anymore, she grabs her book, reading it. Just wanting to disappear from this world for a little while is all she needs to feel better.

Blade lays on the couch, deciding to take a nap. He’s gotten even less sleep than usual since he’s been here, so Blade might as well take advantage of the soft cushioned couch to save the energy he has left for what’s to come.

A few hours later

Blade feels as if he’s being watched, waking him from his deep slumber. Large violet eyes stare down at him. Zadie’s long braided hair skims over his cheek, slightly tickling him.

“Do all humans sleep as much as you?” Zadie stands upright, gestures to the table.

Blade sits up, glancing at the plate of food on the table.

“I had enough time to finish my book, watch another movie and do a 150 piece puzzle while you slept.” She exclaims, amazed by his sleeping powers.

“I’m usually a light sleeper. It must have hit me pretty hard from not getting much sleep in the basement.” He explains, looking at the plate of chicken, mashed potatoes, and green beans. The smell alone makes his stomach rumble with hunger.

Zadie sits in her chair, pressing play on the remote. “You slept right through lunch. No wonder you're so hungry; it’s dinner time.”

The movie Into the Spider Web starts playing. Then, without having to be told twice, Blade starts eating the delicious food.

“I understand not being able to sleep in the basement, so you won’t be getting any more complaints from me,” Zadie can relate from experience.

Blade almost asks what she means but doesn’t want to get any more involved than he already is.

Once Blade’s finished eating, he walks to the front door. His freedom is so close all he’s got to do is reach out and grab it.

“I wouldn’t do it,” Zadie warns him, suddenly leaning against the wall beside the door.

“Why because you’d break my hands with your inhuman strength?” Blade spits with venom in his voice.

“No, because there are wards all over the house, if you touch the doorknob, you will get blown back to last week.”

Blade puts his hands in his pockets, “Why would there be wards up? I only just got here the other night.” He asks her, doubtful, “vamps always lie.”

“They’ve been up since I was twelve. Only Cree, Angie, Mrs.Greenhouse, My father, and the Witch who put them up can leave the house unharmed.” Zadie pushes herself off the wall.

“If you don’t believe me, by all means, go ahead.” Zadie walks back into the living room as the movie continues to play.

Blade studies the door second-guessing himself. Finally, he walks away, not wanting to take the chance in case she is telling the truth. Blade watches the half vamp girl as she continues to stare at the movie he’s seen about a million times before.

Why would they go through so much trouble to keep the wards up? A witch or warlock would have to come by every couple of years to reinforce the wards; that wasn’t cheap. For what purpose would one go through all that trouble for a halfling? Blade shakes his head, ridding his mind of those thoughts. The only thing he needs to be thinking about is how he’s gonna explain to the head of the organization how he got caught by a measly unarmed Vampire.

Before it was time for Cree and Angie to wake, Zadie led Blade back down to the basement, tying his hands again. She was nice enough not to tie him to the pole, even putting a nightlight down there for him so it wouldn’t be so dark. “I know it’s not much, but it beats being in complete darkness,” a shiver goes down Zadie’s spine from the thought.

Blade doesn’t respond. She shrugs, heading back upstairs.

Cree and Angie shortly join Zadie in the living room. “How was he today?” Cree spoke from the couch.

”Fine.” Zadie replies, feeling more tired than usual this evening.

“No escape plays then?” Angie questions as she puts her legs up on the couch beside Cree.

Angie and Cree have had a thing going on since she started living with them. They aren’t together, yet Zadie can till something is going on between them. Angie's real lover was killed by Vampire Slayers, sending her into a panicky rage injuring ten humans she thought to be Slayers. She was punished for that after she had nowhere to go. Zadie's father offered her a home; in exchange. She helped protect Zadie, including keeping her inside, of course. Angie’s been living in the house ever since.

“Nope,” Zadie confirms. Angie’s wine-stained lips smile in relief.

Zadie stays up a bit longer, letting Angie know what she thought about the new movie she had got for her. “It was quite interesting thinking about how there could be other species out there in the universe different from us. It makes you think, that's for sure.”

Angie nods in agreement. As soon as Cree begins to leave the house, Zadie decides to go to bed. She says her goodnites then heads upstairs. Once changed, she gets in bed, shutting her lamp off, causing the night light in her room to glow. Zadie quickly falls asleep to the sound of the wind blowing outside her window.

“ Aaahhhhh!”

Zadie bolts upright in bed. Listening, dead silence answers back. Even though she was sure, she heard someone screaming a moment ago.

“Aaahhh!”

She hears again, realizing it’s in her head. She quickly gets out of bed, her heart thumping faster than average against her chest. Her hand goes to her head, not understanding what's going on.

“End this pain already.” Zadie’s hand moves to her mouth with shock; she knows that voice; it’s Blade's voice.

Zadie uses her vamp speed. Within seconds she’s in the basement. The scene in front of her turns her stomach. Blade sits in a fold-out chair, his chest bare. Hands and feet bound. His chest is covered in blood with deep cuts all over.

“What are you doing to him!?” Blade lifts his head at the sound of Zadie's voice. Angie turns around with a wicked look in her eyes. Once she recognizes Zadie, she drops the blood-soaked kitchen knife; her face goes back to normal.

“This isn’t what you think Zadie, I wasn’t going to kill him, I promise.” Angie walks closer to Zadie with her bloody hands held out.

Zadie notices blood on the corner of her mouth, slowly backing away.

“He deserves it, Zadie. All of his people do, for killing the love of my life!” Angie stops in her tracks, still trying to justify herself.

“I know the boss said we can’t kill him, but he never said anything about having a little fun.” Angie smiles with enjoyment. Behind her, Blade groans in pain.

Without a word, Zadie quickly unites Blade, helping him out of the chair onto the floor, laying his head in her lap.

“What are you doing? Why help him when he kills our kind?” Angie demands, repulsed by her actions.

“Vampires kill humans too, Angie, just get out!” Zadie yells. She slips her fangs out, biting into her own wrist, blood starts to spill out.

Angie shakes her head in disapproval heading upstairs.

Zadie holds her bleeding wrist to Blades’s mouth, Blade jerks his head away.

“I know it’s gross to you, but it will help you. Please just drink some.” Zadie pleads with him. Blade hesitates a moment longer before he swallows her light red blood; to his surprise, it doesn’t taste exactly like regular blood. Instead, there’s a sweetness to it with a hint of copper. Zadie pulls her wrist away, leaving a small stream of her blood trickling down his chin. Blade closes his eyes, blacking out. Zadie witnesses the deep cuts on his torso, beginning to heal one by one until the only thing left is blood. Zadie gives out a sigh of relief, glad it worked as she’d hoped. Zadie gazes down at the sleeping boy. She’s never had someone call out to her in her mind before she’s uncertain how this human, Vampire Slayer did it.

(This is a work of Fiction. Any similarities to persons, groups, or incidents are purely coincidental.)