A Midnight Dance: Chapter one

Chapter one


“Wake up kiddo. It’s time to go to school.”

“No mom. Get out!” I drawled as I pulled the blankets back over my head.
“I’m sick and don’t want to go.”

“Well too bad. Come on Jhena, I’m not going to play this game with you this year.” Shake. “You are seventeen years old. Why don’t you start acting like it?” Blankets thrown on floor. “And don’t even think about pulling that ‘I’m-the-heir-to-the-Vac’nolli-vampire-clan-treat-me-with-respect’ routine again. I don’t want to here it.” Pillow yanked out from under head and hit with it.

“Hey, mom!”

“Get dressed because you’re going to school.”

My bedroom door slammed shut. Ah, the first day of school. It is the one thing that is truly wrong with the world today. Living in Jackson Ville, Montana there aren’t many kids my age I can relate with. And those that are my age lack drastically in the style department! The girls around here all were pink this, with short mini that. I mean, you’d think they would at least cover up. I on the other hand prefer black and red. What other color would a young vampire wear? Not to mention princess vampire.

Stretching I retrieve my flung bedding and walked over to the closet.

“What to wear, what to wear.”

My selection of clothing had been cut short due to the lack of income. I guess that is what happens when the man of the house dies and you’re forced to move thousands of miles away from your home land. A tear ran down my cheek. I should know better than to think about Victor. It has been almost ten years and I haven’t really gotten over his death. If we as a species weren’t eternally damned, I think my Dad, Victor would be in heaven right now. Ugh I had to stop thinking about him.

Flipping through the clothes, I selected a black tank-top hoodie and a black and red pin-striped skirt. Pulling them on, I made my way over to the bathroom to access the hair situation. Like all female vampires, my hair is very long. Much to my mother’s dismay, I dyed it black. A princess of the underworld shouldn’t have blond hair. The shower situation was taking care of last night so I brushed through the knots and opted for a ponytail. So cliché.

Make up to me is an art form. Picking up my silver eyeliner, I traced a perfect line along the bottom and top of my eyelids, coming to a rest where they met with a swirl at the corners. Next comes the red lip liner which I run along the silver eyeliner for effect. Happy with the end result I took a step away fro the mirror to examine myself. A chuckle escaped my lips when I thought of Hollywood’s version of vampires: Can’t look in the mirror because they don’t have a soul. Whatever. Of course we have a soul. And what on earth would I do without a mirror? Still laughing I made my way into my room and was about to make my bed when the sound of a dieing rat sounded.

“Jhena Vac’nolli, you had better be dressed and on your way down here or dead.” My mother called from down stairs.

“I’ll be right down” I called in the most enthusiastic voice that I could manage, all the while laughing at my joke.

To complete my ensemble, I added black steel-toe combat boots! Once last glance in the mirror and I started downstairs. As I came around the corner Madissa collided with my shoulder and sent us both tumbling.

“Oh, Jhena I’m so sorry. I can’t believe how clumsy I am. Are you okay your heiress?”

“Oh Madissa, how many times have I told you to stop that ‘your heiress’ crap? You are my best friend. We have been best friends since our fangs were long enough to bite. Please, just knock it off, okay?”

Madissa smiled her cute little smile. Although according to The Council Madissa was my personal servant, I have never treated her that way.

“No problem, Jhen. Now shall we go have breakfast?” she asked in her angelic voice.

Just the word breakfast made my fangs elongate.

“Now that you mention it!” I was on my feet in one smooth move and racing into the kitchen. It wasn’t a very big house but we made due. With four bedrooms upstairs and a Kitchen and living room downstairs our house was nothing compared to the mansion in France.

Ahh, what is with me today? First Victor and now the homeland. What’s next? D.? Shaking my head clear of happy thoughts I took my seat at the breakfast bar and inhaled deeply.

The sweet smell of blood filled the air. My mom must have made a trip to the blood bank again. Being members of the First Family, we have connections, though not to our own clansmen. On the menu this morning was Bloody Mary smoothies, my mom’s specialties.

“Oh Tianna, these are delicious. You have to give me the recipe.” An over-ecstatic voice called as she sipped her breakfast. Madissa’s mom, Ellen always knew the right things to say to the queen.

“Secrets in the sauce.” My mom called back laughing. Abruptly she stopped and turned to her. “Ellen what are you doing way over there? Come join us at the bar. It is not a true Bloody Mary unless you drink it at a bar.”

“Actually mom, it isn’t a true Bloody Mary since it lacks vodka and you added real blood.” Madissa and I both started laughing. Tianna however didn’t think it was so funny.

“You girls better drink up and head off to school. You wouldn’t want to be late to your first day as seniors, would you?” Oh Tianna had a way of making her point clear while making us feel bad at the same time.

“Of course not mother. We’re on our way.” I made my voice sound so innocent I almost gagged. My mother just grinned.

“Off you go then.” Her sly smile penetrated our skulls even after we turned and were heading out the door.

With keys in hand we made our way to my car. Being a vampire princess you’d think we could afford something more than a volts wagon beetle. At least I got a black one. I climbed into the driver’s seat and started up the car. As Madissa got in beside me I noticed that she had forgotten her sunglasses.

“Madissa, what are you doing? Where are your sunglasses?”

“Okay, don’t get mad but I kind of lost them.”

“You lost them!” I screamed back at her. “What if the sunlight hits your eyes? Do you want to die?”

“Of course not, I was doing some errands for my mom and they fell off, okay. Please just stop yelling at me.” She was almost in tears. I hated it when she cried. Not only did it make me want to cry too but it usually ended up staining something.

“Alright, I’m sorry. Just keep your eyes on the floor till we get to school.”

All I could think about as we pulled out of the driveway was Madissa looking into the sunlight and dying a horrible and painful death. Oh great Devil, allow this not to happen, I prayed.

The road to Jackson Ville High School wasn’t very scenic. Being Montana everything around us was desert looking. That could have something to due with the fall weather but I much more enjoyed the complaining. The few green colors we did have were from ugly cactuses that bordered both sides of the road. The rest was dead forests and trees that gave off an eerie feeling when near them. I wished I was back in beautiful France, sipping tea and playing chess with Victor. I really missed-

Madissa jolted my train of thought.

“Can we just skip today? I have a funny feeling something is going to happen to you. It isn’t good either.” Madissa always did have perfect timing. She also used her gift well.

Each vampire in the Vac’nolli clan is given a gift from The Council at birth. Madissa’s gift was very unique. Funny feelings about the future come to her in the most unusual way. One time she had a dream about the barn out back burning. The next night it did. She always notifies me of what is to come. Sometimes she doesn’t have to tell me. My gift is to be able to control and read other vampires minds. I can also read humans, but I can’t control females. It makes hunting them a bit harder but who would want to bit a girl anyway?

Looking deep into her thoughts I could tell she was uneasy about something. But it was the first day of school. What could possibly go wrong?

“No, we aren’t skipping today. I know you don’t feel well about going but I won’t cave in. You wouldn’t want me to disappoint my mommy would you?” I batted my long eye lashes at her.

“Jhena, get out of my head. You know how much I hate that!”

“Sorry. I can’t help it. I don’t want The Council to take away my gift because I am not using it to my advantage. Besides it is always fun to bug you.” I chuckled at the shade of red that Madissa was turning. “Okay, okay I’ll stop. Jeez. You’re so touchy.”

“Thank you.” She said in a childish voice. “Hey pay attention. You’re going to miss the school entrance.”

Without taking my eyes off of Madissa I turned the corner into the school parking lot and parked in the first available space.

“I don’t like it when you do that. What if you lose hold of your senses and hit something, or worse yet, someone?” Madissa looked at me with nothing but seriousness.

“Well then this world would be lighter by one dumb whit.” That got her laughing.

Turning off the ignition we climbed out of the car, set the security alarm, and headed into the school.

The first day of school is something every teenager dreads from the beginning of the summer. It is a haunting reminder of how quickly adults can take away your fun. The older you get the more it seems they enjoy torturing you. Take Mrs. Fisher, my first period teacher, for example. The woman has to be in her eighties but she manages to catch me every time I pass a note or blow a bubble with my gum.

“Jhena, why won’t you learn? You are so strange. It seems with each passing year you get more sinister and lose more respect for your elders.” She said in her low but evil voice. It reminds me of the old green witch from The Wizard of Oz.

“Elders is right. When were you born Mrs. Fisher? Hey wasn’t T-Rex like your neighbor or something?” The whole class laughed. Though I don’t have any friends here, with the exception of Madissa, I have an unusual talent for making the humans around me laugh. Madissa thinks they aren’t my friends because I have this dark urge to make a meal out of them.

Mrs. Fisher turned around and pointed her skin and bone finger at me. “Jhena, go to the office, now!”

What a big surprise that was! I gathered my books and got out of my seat. As I walked to the door I heard a remark that made me do a complete 180 to see who said it. “Thank God she is leaving. I don’t think devil worshipers should be allowed in the presence of Christian virginity. You never know when she’ll attack you and use you as a sacrificial lamb.”

I looked into the hateful eyes of the tiny girl dressed in pastel pink everything. I should have known who would be brave enough to say such a thing about me. Stacy Young had be my nemesis since the forth grade, when she took my vampire Barbie doll and bit the head off. If Madissa hadn’t been there to stop me, little Stacy would have been the cause of me single-handedly exposing vampires everywhere.

I started to say something, but Madissa spoke for me. “If you know what is good for you Stacy, you’ll take that back.” Damn her soul, Madissa always stuck up for me.

“Oh shut up, minion. What are you going to do about it anyway? You sulk around hiding behind her like you’re her freaking servant or something. Why don’t you keep you trap shut before I shut it for you!”

My blood began to boil. It was one thing to harass me but to pick on a lesser Vac’nolli meant serious business. “Stacy, you are so dead!” I shouted as I stormed across the room. I was completely unaware of Mrs. Fisher moving until she was right in front of me.

“Jhena, you get out of my classroom before you get suspended.” Mrs. Fisher always new how to kill a party.

“Fine,” I barked back at her. “I’ll see you after class Stacy. I think you know where.”

“How could I forget? That’s where I kicked your ass the last time!” Stacy’s cold voice cut me like a knife. The class laughed and cheered at the prospect of the upcoming fight.

I rushed out of the room before Mrs. Fisher could get me in trouble with threatening a fellow classmate. I walked to the office as slowly as I could. Vampires are all about speed, but I didn’t want to see Mr. Heckle, the principle, any sooner than I had to.

While I was walking I recalled the fight Stacy was referring to. It happened in the tenth grade. The only human I ever got close to was Billy State. I thought he was the cutest meal ever. One day we were hanging out when Stacy walked right up to him and did the worst thing imaginable. She kissed him! Naturally I was mad. So we made plans to fight it out in the court yard after school. What I didn’t realize was what a sunny day it was.

When the time for the fight came I had to where sunglasses. With the first punch, Stacy knocked the glasses off and I was in instant pain. I doubled over and cried out so loud I thought the guardians of the underworld could hear me. Thank the devil Madissa was there to keep Stacy from hitting me anymore. By the time Tianna got me to the Vac’nolli hospital, my internal bleeding had ceased and I was in the healing process. The Council had a fit about me fighting with a human. I got off with a warning.

Now as I opened the door the Mr. Heckles office, I began to wonder if the fight with Stacy was the best idea. Maybe I wouldn’t get a warning this time. I couldn’t call off the fight because the whole school would think I was a chicken. My mind was made up. As soon as my meeting was up with Mr. Heckle, I was going to beat Stacy within an inch of her miserable life. Thank the Devil it was overcast today.

“Miss Vac’nolli, please come in. It seems like its’ been forever since we last talked. How are you?”

“Oh you know me, Mr. Heckle. I am still just as dark and disrespectful as ever.” Mr. Heckle was the youngest principle it the state of Montana. At just thirty-three years old, he had training in everything from childhood education to child psychology. His sense of humor was off the charts as well.

He chuckled and pointed to the pillow in front of his desk, which was level with the floor. “Have a seat. This shouldn’t take long.”

I closed the door and put my bag down in front of my feet. Sitting down, I took off my shoes and criss-crossed my legs closing my eyes. Mr. Heckle did the same. Ever since his summer trip to a monastery, Mr. Heckle was all about cleansing the atmosphere and getting rid of all bad vibes. This also included sitting uncomfortably and stinking up the room with smelly feet.

“So, what brings you to my office on the first day of your senior year? We’re not going to have any problems this year are we?” Even with his eyes close, I felt his harsh gaze on me.

“No, sir, I just had some problems in Mrs. Fisher’s class. It won’t happen again.” I tried very hard to sound convincing.

He opened his eyes and stared at me. “That is very good. Now, get out of my office before I come up with a punishment for you lying to me just then.”

Snapping my eyes open I started to protest and got no where.

“Just go, Miss Vac’nolli. It was nice talking with you.” He smiled a crooked smile and handed me a pass to my next class.

I left his office and headed for the court yard. It would be second period soon and Stacy would not doubt be prompt. I was standing in the middle of the circle, when the sweetest smell of musk and pine entered my nostrils. It was a smell I had smelled before but I couldn’t remember where. Must be a new kid, I thought. I was about to go find where this devilish scent was coming from when the period bell rang. And just as I suspected, Stacy and her band of goons were walking up to me.

“Are you ready for everyone to watch you fall flat on your face again, Vac’nolli?” Stacy said as she approached.

“Not this time, Young!” I hoped that I sounded tough because all I could think about was The Council’s punishment for me when I got home. “Come on, let’s do this.”

Tianna always taught me to wait for the opponent to swing first. I was so pumped up that I couldn’t wait. I ran towards Stacy with all the speed my legs could give me, slamming strait into her. We both fell to the concrete and started rolling and slapping and kicking together. A crowd had grown around us and they were all chanting “fight” over and over again.

Just as I was about to clobber Stacy in the face a third time, when that sweet smell of musk and pine engulfed me, leaving me felling lightheaded. The next thing I knew, a pair of strong arms had wrapped around me, pulling me from Stacy’s trembling body. I tried to squirm away but they held fast, dragging me away from the whole group. Everyone just stared as the stranger held me close, walking away without a care.

Once around the corner of the court yard and out of sight, the arms let go and I was spun around to face the most gorgeous human I had ever seen. I didn’t know what to do. His blue eyes just borrowed into me leaving me feeling vulnerable, like he could see into my very soul. The fact that I feared for my soul put me even more on guard. A vampire’s soul is something they protect and would die to keep. If a vampire looses his soul there is no possibility for redemption in the after life. I have, however heard of cases where a vampire chooses to give up their soul to save a loved one. If you ask me, no one is that special.

With all the guts I had, I started making a visual sweep of this stranger in front of me.
He was dressed in all black, paired with large combat boots. His shirt hugged his prominent muscular chest and his jeans fit just right. On his left arm I could make out a Celtic tattoo. The symbol looked familiar to me but I couldn’t remember where I had seen it. My gaze met his face again but his stare hadn’t changed. Our eyes locked and something deep down snapped. Then everything went black.

***
I opened my eyes slowly, only to realize I was laying on the ground and the fight boy was starring down at me. Gasping I stood up and righted myself.

"Wow.” I cleared my throat nervously. “What happened to me?" I asked. He said nothing, only stared. Time that stretched on seemed so slow, I swear out of the corner of my eye I saw a snail going about fifty miles per hour!

The silence was killing me so I decided to break the ice.

“So, umm, why did you stop me from kicking her ass back there?” My unsure and quiet voice changed to a furious one. “Wait a minute, who do you think you are? It was none of your business breaking us up.” He remained silent. “Say something!” I yelled.

There was a long pause. I saw in his eyes a flash of hate, and just like that it was gone. "You fainted." He said simply. Did I just see him shrug? I nodded once at him. My face must have been evidence enough that I didn't understand.

He smirked at me and with humor in his voice he said, “And you’re welcome.” Turning this beautiful human walked away, taking with his scent I so loved.

‘You’re welcome?’ who did this guy think he was. He was about ten paces in front of me now. ‘Do not go after him, Jhena. You will get in so much trouble pursuing a human,’ my conscience was telling me. All I could do was watch him walk away. ‘Fifteen paces now,’ I thought. Who cares about the rules? Without thinking I took off after him.

Catching a human is usually no problem for me, but this guy seemed to know the exact moment when I went after him because all of a sudden he was running.

“Hey, wait,” I yelled. “I only want to talk to you. Will you slow down? Hey, I’m talking to you!”

The mystery man turned a sharp corner down a school alley. By the time I reached the corner there was no one there. He had disappeared. The only thing in the alley was a black cat with glowing green eyes. I bared my fangs at it and to my surprise it didn’t recoil. The cat merely jumped up on top of the garbage can and turned to hiss at me. I was about to tear the little things head off when the lunch bell sounded.

“Oh crap, I missed second period. What a tragedy.” I sighed heavily. “You have been damned little kitty. You’re lucky I don’t crave animal blood!” I laughed at my own private joke and skipped off to lunch.