The Unit

         I sifted my fingers through my indigo hair in frustration as I sat alone in my office.  It had been an extremely hectic few months for me.  As founder of the… Unit, (I suppose that would be the appropriate word for it, considering what we truly are.  Coven or Cult sounded so… evil.  Calling it the Unit seemed more peaceful, and it turned less heads) it was absolutely necessary that I keep everything in order for our lifestyle.  That is, if we plan to continue living the way we do--as vampires, I mean.  It was also my duty to make sure that everyone part of the Unit followed specific rules that would keep everyone out of trouble in the real world.  The human world.
         Trouble.  That word didn’t even begin to describe what I was ankle-deep in right now.  It was nothing less than a colossal mess.  An extremely impossible dilemma was what it was.  Just recently, a previous associate of our secret little society decided that it was wrong to keep the Unit a secret.  It would be better to share the knowledge of our existence with humans and invite them to “join” us.  That wasn’t the root of my problems, however.  Many humans are much too simple-minded.  I highly doubt any human would believe something like, “Hey!  I’m part of secret society of vampires!  Would you like to join us?”  That poor fool trying to spread the “good word” is, without a doubt, receiving many awkward looks.
         What I’m worried about is the possibility that the wrong crowd could eavesdrop on the fool’s proposal to join.  The smallest detail, the tiniest hint that could lead that disgusting coven (again, I suppose it would be the appropriate word) to the Unit’s meeting place-- or worse, lead them to me, the Unit’s leader and protector, would mean certain destruction for this perfect haven I have worked so hard to establish.
         They were truly an evil bunch.
         “Sir?” 
         My thoughts had been disturbed by my partner and close friend.  I was so engrossed in my own concern that I didn’t even hear him enter.  He was very finely dressed, as always.  Never to be found in casual “human” clothes, as he called it.  And as he entered, his long, straight, jet-black hair seemed to fly behind him like a dark angel.  His expression was serious, yet concerned as he approached my desk.
         “Oh, Hunter… I didn’t hear you come in.”
         “I know,” he flashed a grin.  “I even knocked a few times and you didn’t do so much as lift your head.  You give the phrase ‘deep in thought’ a whole new meaning.”
         I managed to fake a chuckle, but he saw straight through it.  He was good at reading people like that.
         “Darius,” I looked up as an immediate reaction.  Hearing my own name sometimes startled me, but it was a nice change instead of formalities.  “I know you’re worried about this kid.  Give it a break.  He’s young--a new addition to our family.  He still has some training to go though.  I’ve got our fastest runners out there searching for him and, to tell you the truth, I’m not at all worried.  He won’t get far, trust me.  Besides….” I heard the cockiness in his voice as he trailed off, “Don’t you have your own kid to worry about?”
         “Yes.”  My reply came out as somewhat of a snap.  The way he asked made it seem as though I had forgotten.
         Back when this secret society was still young, I had come across a small human girl, about the age of four or five.  Her hair was the deepest color of crimson and she had the most gorgeous amber eyes I had ever seen.  She wasn’t a very chatty little thing, even when I revealed to her what I was.  It didn’t seem to phase her the slightest.  And when I pressed on about her parents she would throw a tantrum and refuse to say a word about them.  It was quite odd.
         So I adopted her.
         “Let me take care of things with the little brat that ran off,” Hunter insisted.  “Go spend time with Nara.  She needs you.”
         I hesitated at first.  I didn’t want to hand all of this pressure over to my closest ally.
         “Are you-”
         “Seriously, don’t worry about it!”  He snorted a laugh and practically shook me from my chair.  “Not only does she need a father figure, but it’s your turn to baby-sit.  You’re not the only one with work to do around here.  I can’t spend all day being forced to play dress-up in her room, y’know.”
         That time I really laughed.  No faking at all.  Just the thought of what Nara must have been doing to the poor guy, “Thanks for doing that, by the way.  You’re the only one I trust with her.”
         “Bah!”  He shooed me with a clawed hand, “Just go on before I change my mind, will ya?”
         “Sure.”  I held back a laugh, “Oh, and Hunter?”
         “Mmhm?”  He stopped shuffling with random papers on my desk and looked up.
         “It’s an honor having you as my second-in-command,” And with that, I saluted him and left the office.