Chapter 13: Target

A week to the play, Zeke was panicking and he whiffed the magician's cloak in place for a vampire's cloak, he took it off and dumped it on the floor angry that Emma made him wear it.

"Robin's not a vampire and you don't even go here!"

"Hey Zeke"

The bully called from his bench and his friends hissed showing fake teeth laughing, he rolled his eyes and put his hand on his chin, eating only the diced carrots. He groaned at Frieda opting for a book with a grotesque slasher novel.

"Laura's coming"

We turned to her as she sauntered through the benches their way, she was dressed like a hipster and her face was glowing, Zeke frowned when she tapped his shoulder.

"What do you want?"

"We have to practice"

He snorted taking a piece of apple "It's Thursday"

"Wouldn't it be better if we go the extra mile to at least get it in our system?"

"I have brussel sprouts in my system, I don't want any more"

We sat at the nosebleed watching like eager fans, just me. Frieda was reading the script and her eyes skipped the line

"This is where Vendetta loses her willpower after a showdown with Draco, it's going to be interpretative dance since none of them have the skills to do stunts"

"Now you're interested"

"The tale could use more pizazz"

"This is just the rehearsals, it's not going to have pizazz until the play starts"

I felt a chill and Shadow lurked under the seat in front of me, soon there was a loud whack and screaming next. The director had slumped dragging the curtains with him and it dropped.

"Stop, cut!"

The actors stepped away while the people in charge of the visuals checked him and found bite marks on his neck. They urged him to lie down to take a break

"He's okay, tell us what happened?"

"This is crazy, I was watching from the set and I feel weak the next"

"That doesn't explain why there are bite marks on his neck"

"Maybe a bat got loose"

***

Jet scoffed "You don't get sired by a vampire seductress, you get Ebola virus"

"This is serious Jet," I said following him while he carried a centrifuge to the worktop and he leaned on the edge crossing his legs.

"Did you see her, it?"

"No"

"Okay then, it's just your imagination spurring with intrigue. I think you should follow up till you're satisfied, you earned it."

I showed him the marks that almost went viral at school today and he laughed.

"Better call the Warrens for this, am I right?"

...

We got a second report that mister Takimoto was attacked again and the doctor confirmed that he lost five pints of blood. The other staff were quitting after the second victim had a more life-threatening case.

Evan was dropping the part, my heart skipped a beat watching from the ceiling while they rehearsed, "Luna" was about to feed off the unfortunate victim number 2 and the small crowd that had taken an interest in this play because of the rumors gasped when Number 2 fell off the stage and didn't wake up.

"Miley, stay back"

"He's a little bloated"

"The kid has to be two hundred pounds"

"He's not moving"

"Boomer? Can you hear us?"

His pupils moved from side to side and the staff groaned

"He's paralyzed"

I watched as they carried him headfirst out of the auditorium, I didn't see a thing, Miley paled when they interrogated her

"Do you have any weapons on you?"

"No?"

"Empty your pockets"

Necks craned and tongues rolled as she took out a napkin and the police had a bloodhound sniff it, the hound rolled over whimpering and covering its snout.

"What is that?"

"I don't know how it got there in the first place" She whimpered crying when the cops took her arms leaving.

"Alright, we're shutting this place down_"

"No, this could be the peak of my career and these fresh talents could use a platform" Danny hobbled to them.

The crowd protested as the cops cleared the room out, I flipped over the frame of the roof and slid down the ropes with a sandbag.

Jet walked to the stage casually with a detector and nothing clicked.

"You see, there are no signs of paranormal activity, it's just you and your...self," He said scanning Shadow, the detector blinked red instead of green and he paused when the lights started to blink sporadically and he groaned when something dragged him off the stage.

"Jet!"

I watched in horror as the invisible force hauled him away, he was clawing at the floor

"Darcy!"

I held out my fist and projected energy, it lingered on the figure screeching as it burned, Jet dropped pushing himself away as the force zoomed past him to me hauling him on the chairs

"It's not invisible, just too fast"

***

She teleported behind it and kicked it down, it rolled over and locked its legs around hers and craftily put her in a four-figure leg lock. Darcy groaned at the pain and set the figure ablaze.

It let go and started to retreat, she leaped and grabbed it on the neck, holding on as long as she could screaming as it flew around ramming her against the curtain rail, she hung with one arm and shot at it in the air, the fire was starting to wear off, soon it would be imperceptible.

The blast got half of it ablaze and it dropped on the set of chairs. Jet coughed at the fumes and closed in shakily holding a rod, with wild eyes, he poked at the kid in the crater and his head dropped to the side.

Darcy moved through the space and appeared in front of the crater

"You're the vampire?"

***