Ch 6

“How are you adjusting to life here so far?” Hydie asks Zadie as she takes her vitals.

“It’s different from what I’m used to but in a way the same.” Zadie watches as Hydie runs a thermometer over her forehead.

“Oh, how so?” Hydie makes small talk.

“Not many people talk to me; I’ve tried starting conversations with a couple different people, but they end up leaving the conversation shortly after.”

They sit in a small room where all the walls are glass with a sink to the far left with some medical supplies sitting on the counter beside the sink. Hydie stands near her having Zadie sit on a chair as she does a routine check-up.

“As far as most people know, you are a guest here. No one is sure what you are exactly although, they know you’re different. Humans are naturally scared of something different.” Hydie looks at the tablet as if she's searching for something.

Zadie knows she’s right, although it still hurts. Having spent all her life in a household where she was never around anyone her own age. She was ecstatic to finally be able to make friends. However, no one wants to be friends with someone they don’t understand.

“Listen about the other day. I’m sorry for what I did to you.” Hydie confesses out of nowhere.

Zadie is surprised by her outburst. “Oh, don’t worry about it. You were just doing your job. I get it.”She finishes with a reassuring smile. Hydie smiles back,

“Okay, I know you have super speed and healing blood,” Hydie gets back on track, looking at the tablet. “Do you also have heightened hearing?”

Zadie simply nods in response.

“How about super strength?”

“I actually don’t have that one. I’m an ordinary human when it comes to that.” Zadie attempts to make a joke.

Hydie snickers in response, showing it was a success. “That is quite strange. Would you mind if I took some more blood?”

Zadie holds her arm out with a smile, not minding at all. Hydie goes to the counter, grabbing the tools needed for a blood draw.

“I haven’t seen Blade in a few days. Do you know where he is?” Zadie glances outside the room as people move about.

“He’s most likely on a job; he disappears like that whenever he’s on an important case,” Hydie explains as she ties an elastic band around Zadie’s upper arm.

Zadie realizes she hasn’t seen Cree since she’s gotten to the research lab.

“Where is Cree?” Zadie looks back at Hydie, who gives her a confused look, “The other vampire that was brought in with me.” She explains further.

Hydie puts the needle in Zadie’s arm, she winces from the sudden sting. Light red blood begins to fill the vial.

“He was moved to jail early this morning.” She says casually as she watches the vial.

“What? Why?!” Zadie’s eyes widen as her face pales from her words.

Hydie pulls the vial off the needle, setting it down, before taking the needle out of Zadie’s arm. Then, Hydie begins wrapping her arm up.

“For his crimes, he broke the law on many accounts for drinking from a human without permission and two counts of murder; one human and one outer worlder.”

Zadie is silent, she knew about the blood-drinking, but she never thought Cree would kill a person, let alone two.

“I really know nothing about the people I have lived with my whole life.” So Zadie thinks to herself, feeling more alone than ever now.

Meanwhile….

Blade gazes at the light blue two-story house he was held captive in. Wondering what would have happened if he had been successful in capturing the vampire that night. He would have never met Zadie.

The bright yellow tape covers the white picket fence.

Had he never been captured, Blade would have thought it to be just an ordinary home. Evergreen grass covers the tidy yard, a small flower garden sits in front of the porch filled with various flowers. A single red garden gnome beside it.

Blade slips under the tape heading inside.

Slayers roam the house going through anything they can, trying to get a clue to where the Rogue vampire might be.

Looking to the right after entering the house resides the door with frosted glass is swung open.

Blade had never paid much attention seeing it was padlocked before. Now that the door is open, he takes a peek inside. The setup seems to be an office.

Three slayers currently search the room, one at the desk, one at a bookshelf, and the other at a filing cabinet? “Who keeps those nowadays with our technology?” Blade thinks.

“Anything good?” Blade calls out to them.

“Computer is useless so far, but I’m sure I’ll find something.”

“Just old books about the history of each outer worlder.”

“Just deeds to the house in this drawer.”

The Slayer closes the first drawer opening the next one, skimming through it. Blade believes his name is Dean. He’s seen him around the organization a lot, all through Blade had thought he was more interested in werewolf cases than vampire ones.

Blade looks down the hall to his left of the doorway, seeing another door. He goes to it, opening it, finding a laundry room.

Blade shuts the door heading upstairs. A short red-haired girl walks out of the first room on the left that belonged to the two vampires.

“These yours?” she asks, holding out Blade's phone along with a few weapons that were taken the night he arrived here. Blade takes them from her with a nod of thanks.

“Besides those and some dirty laundry, the room is empty.” The girl tells him then goes down the stairs.

Blade checks the three other doors. One is a bathroom; another appears to be a guest bedroom a Slayer is already going through. The white wooden door on the right is Zades room. Blade opens it; to his surprise, no one is in the room. He steps into the pink-painted room. Atop the white dresser stand stacks of books looking to be fantasy books ranging from children's books to books about Gods, zombie comics. On the cover of one has a picture of a girl with wings.

Blade moves on, noticing a night light plugged into the wall beside the bed. Blade chuckles, kneeling down looking under the bed, nothing but white carpet. A sudden memory of Blade waking up in this room after being tortured by the she-devil vampire surfaces. Blade shakes his head, pushing the memory away. He lifts the pillows on the bed, nothing there.

He’s not entirely sure what he expects to find in this room; nevertheless, he continues searching regardless. Finally, Blade lifts the mattress spotting a small purple book underneath; he grabs it, setting the bed back down.

There’s a small velcro buckle on the front. Blade hesitates, staring at the journal, not sure if he should read it. He comes to a conclusion opening it anyways. The first entry is small, with the handwriting careless like it was written by a child.

Cree gave this to me for my eighth birthday. He told me to hide it and make sure Father doesn’t find it; otherwise, we’d both be in trouble. I’ll cherish this forever. Father only gets me boring stuffed animals. So glad to have big brother Cree. I love him so much!

Blade skips to the last entry written down. The messy handwriting is now replaced with more elegant writing.

I’ve met a human boy! Angie and Cree say he’s a Vampire Slayer. He did try to hurt Cree, but I’m willing to let that go and become friends with him. The Slayer doesn’t seem to like me all that much, probably because I’m part vampire. Despite that, I still want us to be friends. I’ve never had a friend before. I just hope he’s willing to keep an open mind so I can show him not all vampires are the same.

Blade reads the last entry over one more time, making sure he read it correctly. Then, after closing the diary, he stares at it, “Maybe I should give her a chance.” Blade thinks to himself, feeling guilty about how he treated her the other day.

There’s a light knock at the door. Blade looks up to see Amell’s wild blue hair and

long black trench coat.

“Got a minute?” He asks. Blade nods standing up.

Amell walks out the door; Blade follows him after returning the diary to its original spot.

Amell leads Blade down the staircase through the living room and kitchen straight to the basement door.

“Shut the door behind you.” Amell orders Blade as he switches the light on then goes down the stairs. Blade shuts the door feeling a bit wary as to why Amell wants to talk to him in the basement privately. When Blade reaches the last step, Amell is standing by the pillar center of the room. Blade stares at it for a moment as memories flash before his eyes. The only way he kept himself sane in the complete darkness was by listening to the murmurs of Zadie and Mrs. Greenhouse. Blade finally tears his gaze from it, glancing at Amell’s diamond-shaped face, focusing on his blue goatee.

“So, what’s up?” Blade starts the conversation scratching his head.

“This is where you stayed the whole time you were here, correct?” Amell asks as he crosses his arms over his chest.

“Yeah, that’s what I said.”

Blade hasn’t told the whole truth, although some things are better left unsaid.

“Why did I find a pair of ripped-up clothes in a bag along with a couple bloody rags outside in the trash?”

Blade's whole body goes still.

“Don’t try lying, saying the blood isn’t yours; I already ran the DNA.” Amell grins slightly, saying there’s no way out of this one.

Blade exhales, realizing he was holding his breath. He shifts his weight, “Okay, it is my blood. The night before you guys rescued me, the female vampire had me tied to a chair. She ripped my jacket and shirt off, then cut me with a kitchen knife.” Blade stares at the floor, embarrassed.

Amell puts a hand to his chin, “Hmm, why did you have no injuries and clean clothes when we got here?” he demands, wanting the whole story.

Blade rubs his forehead, pursing his lips, not wanting to say. “If I tell you this, you can’t breathe a word of it to anyone.” Blade looks at Amell with a promise of secrecy in his eyes. Amell nods, putting his hands to his sides.

“Zadie healed me.”

Amell raises an eyebrow, “What do you mean?”

“I’m not sure if I’m supposed to be telling anyone this, but she has healing properties in her blood, if…… Ingested it will heal physical wounds.” Blade explains the same way Hydie had explained it before.

Amell laughs loudly, holding his stomach. He wipes a tear from his eye.

Blade glares daggers at him, wondering why he’s even friends with this warlock again.

“Sorry, sorry.” Amell begins to control his laughter, “I just can’t believe you drank the blood from the very creatures you hate.”

Blade regrets that moment of weakness to his very core. “Yeah, well, just don’t say anything to anyone; otherwise, you're dead to me.”

Amell's face falls, “That’s a little harsh. Don’t worry, I won’t say anything….so ah how’d it taste?” A smug smile grows on his face.

“I’m done talking about this.” Blade turns around, heading back upstairs.

“Wait, one more thing,” Amell calls after him.

Blade pauses halfway up the stairs turning around.

“Did you do this carving on the wall over here?” Amell walks over to the right wall pointing near the ground.

Blade goes around Amell, looking to where he’s gesturing.

Four letters are carved into the wall spelling out,

“Sorry.”

“No, that wasn’t me.” Blade looks up at him, not sure where it came from.

Blade notices something besides the word moving a few empty boxes out of the way. Next to the word Sorry are what looks to be 4 tallies. Heavy footsteps hurry down the stairs.

“Blade, I’ve found something,” Dean tells him, clearly out of breath. Blade and Amell look at one another then follow Dean up the stairs.