Vampire Trouble Chapter Five

Chapter Five
I stayed there longer than I intended. Days went by, turning to weeks. Most of that time was spent with Joe or Mercy and sometimes both.
I didn’t even realize it was the day of the trial till Mr. Hale came in to wake me up and gave me a new outfit to wear to court. I almost couldn’t remember talking to the lawyer.
Mercy went into the judge’s room with only Sam and Mr. Hale. I would have gone, but Mercy requested that I stay out.
I stayed with Joe in the hall when she went in and worried the whole time. It was the first time I ever let Mercy out of my sight and I was scared, irrationally and illogically, but I didn’t want to factor logical and rational thoughts in my mind until Mercy was safe in my arms.
Joe knew about my hearing from the interrogations with him. He took it in stride, but now he pulled me a safe distance away from the room Mercy was in.
“Joe, what do you think Mercy is being asked in there?”
Joe held me in his arms, comforting me. “Probably the abuse and your… you know.” I had told him about my rape. He tried not to upset me about anything, yet he didn’t seem to understand that I didn’t get upset about it anymore. It was in the past and I was mostly over it. It wasn’t like I trusted my father and he broke that trust with rape; I hated that man, so I was happy with where I was now. I had two friends that were dear to me and a little sister who need me.
I was glad I had two more months of summer to get this over with. I didn’t want to start my senior year in high school with this case still hanging over my head. It was hard finishing my junior year especially at a new school.
“She will be fine, right?” I turned my face up to Joe. He was staring at the judge’s door.
“She’ll be fine. She’s a special girl.” He looked down at me and smiled his crooked smile. “Tomorrow, you’ll hear what she has to say. Tomorrow, you’ll get your chance to speak your story with a jury. You’ll get your chance.” The last he said to himself, looking back at the door.
I was in agony, waiting for my sister to some back into my sight. After awhile, she came out holding Sam’s hand. Her eyes searched frantically and when they settled on me, she beamed. Releasing Sam, she ran to me and I scooped her up.
“You’re so brave, my sweet little Mercy.” I cooed. “So brave.”
Her arms wrapped around my neck. “Not as brave as my Roxy. You braver than me.” I pulled her away from me a little. “I love you, Roxy.” Her eyes  were so clear and her face was so angelic, like she finally got a secret off her chest.
Pulling her closer to me again, I replied. “I love you, too, angel. More than you will ever know.”
Mr. Hale came out of the judge’s chamber, smiling wide. “It’s time to go. Are you hungry? My treat.”
We followed Mr. Hale out the door to his black Lexus ES300. That night I first rode in it I noticed it was quiet, but I didn’t know what type of car it was then. The interior was a black leather that smelled strongly of cinnamon.
He pulled into a fancy Italian restaurant I always wanted to go to. I didn’t see the name, I was too involved with watching a mysterious black Cadillac that pulled into the parking lot too. It followed us from the courthouse. I said as much to Mr. Hale.
“I’ve been watching, too.” I heard a double meaning to his words, but I dismissed it for paranoia. “Don’t worry about it, go inside. Joe, Sam, stay. I need to talk to you.”
I obeyed Mr. Hale and took Mercy’s hand. I watched the vehicle, but no one emerged. Constantly looking back at the Hale’s, I continued to walk toward the restaurant.
I got a table for five and waited patiently.
Joe walked in first and took a seat next to me.
“Where’s Mr. Hale and Sam?” I looked back at the door.
He touched my arm to get me to look at him. His voice was pitched really low, so only I could hear him with my super hearing. “They are talking. We aren’t staying.”
I lowered my voice down and leaned toward him. “Why not? Who was following us?”
“Not us… you.”
“What did I do?” I was getting scared. I stood up, but Joe grabbed my arm and pulled me back down.
“Not yet. We have to wait for Richard and Sam. There’re others… in the restaurant… watching you. I think they are trying to get to know you, your habits and people you interact with. Just act normal.”
I was shaking with anger and fear. Mercy was in danger and I couldn’t do anything. I was defenseless.
Mr. Hale walked in, soon after, found Joe with his eyes, and motioned him to come. Joe picked up Mercy and motioned me to come with him.
As soon as I was outside, I demanded to know what was going on.
“When we get home, my child, I trust that place.” Mr. Hale hustled us back into the car. His car hit one-twenty before he got sight of the house and he had to stomp on the brakes to keep from passing it. I was hustled inside and the doors locked before they took me into the dark hallway, the only area of the house without windows.
I yanked my arm out of Mr. Hale’s grip and planted my feet/ “I am not leaving this spot until you tell me what’s going on. I demand it.” Glaring at Sam and Joe, causing their mouths snapped shut.
Mr. Hale looked furious at first, but then resigned under my stubborn, yet serious, glare. “Here’s as good as any.” He looked around and sighed. “I don’t know how to explain something like this to you. I am not even sure I’m allowed.” He ran his fingers through his pale blonde hair in frustration. “There are people out there who have these… let’s call them gifts.”
I had no idea where he was going with this. I shifted my weight to my left foot and looked around for Mercy. She was still in Joe’s arms and he looked anxious.
“Are you sure you want to tell her? I’m not even sure she has anything. Its fuzzy, unlike her sister’s who’s so strong I have to will myself to ignore it. It’s like a drug.” His eyes fluttered. Mercy placed her hand on Joe’s face and he settled.
“Calm, Joseph. I have a feeling that she’s supposed to know. She at least has the blood in her. It won't hurt.”
Sam’s voice broke in heatedly. “That’s just your theory. I don’t want it tested on Mercy and Rox.” She stood in the back with her arms crossed.
I was getting curious. “I want to know, Mr. Hale.”
“These gifted people are special and rare. Joe, Sam and I are rarer. The only place that has more numbers than this is the School. Our kind is not known for living together. I think it was because our powers, even though they are not related,they are meant to harmonize with each other, so it lets us live together. We still  have our fights because we’re different from those other gifted people. Have you ever heard of vampires?”
I laughed. “They’re myths.” Looking at each serious face, I asked, “They are, aren’t they?” I doubted what they could be saying was real.
Sam walked up next to Mr. Hale. “Myths and legends come from truths, but are exaggerated. Most things said about vampires are false, but there are some truths.”
“Including?” I started to freak. My heart pumped erratically and blood froze; my knees shook and tears sprang to my eyes.
Someone took a step toward me, I didnt see who, and placed a hand on my shoulder. I stepped away from it and slammed into the wall.
“We live for a long time, and have super senses. We do drink blood, but can also be sustained on human food. Its difficult to talk about this, Rox.” Sam sounded hurt.
“Do it.” I snapped.
Joe’s voice sounded next to me. “Don’t do this, Roxanne. Its hard on all of us. You’re making it harder.”
“I DON’T CARE! I NEED TO KNOW!” I screamed, my voice quivering in fear.
Mr. Hale finally spoke again. “Only people with gifts can be turned into a vampire.” There was another pause. All I could hear was my heart jumping around, my shourt gasping breaths, three more breaths breathing raggedly and a breath that remained calm who I knew automatically was Mercy. “We are vampires, my dear.” I screamed in rage. “We are still pretty much alive. Our hearts beat and blood flows in our veins, but it’s changed and made us less human. These myths about vampires being undead is wrong. I do admit that we are strangely pale, but it comes with being a vampire.” Another pause. “We do die like humans, but it takes more effort. We don’t die with old age, because we don’t grow old.”
I was so confused along with many other emotions I couldn’t understand. I was in turmoil inside my head. “What does this have…?” I couldn’t finish my question. I couldn’t even think.
Luckily, Mr. Hale knew what I wanted to know. “What does this have to do with you? Well… um… we think you are gifted too. Somehow it’s blocked, or being hidden, by another person. I can't tell, or rather Joe can't tell. He reads powers.”
I took a few deep breaths to calm down. It helped a little, but I still had many emotions in my head, bouncing around. I pushed them aside so I could think. “What are you powers?”
Mr. Hale pointed to Sam. “Sam’s a killer of sorts. She can kill with a touch if her mind deems the person a big enough threat on her life. It doesn’t work for anyone but her. If her friend’s in danger, she can't use her power to help. It’s problematic at times, requiring her to put herself in harm’s way.
Me, though, I’m different. I can read a feel for the future. I can tell if a decision will bring about a good outcome or bad. My choice in bring you home felt like a good thing.” He made me sound like a stray dog. I was stray, he got that right, but I was no animal.
“What’s Mercy’s power?” I didn’t want to know if she was a killer, but I had to know what power she had.
Mr. Hale shrugged. “She’s harmless. She reads past, present and future relationships. Her power’s amazing, but totally harmless.”
Joe came around me. “I think your power has something do to with wind or water. I can't tell. As stated earlier, it’s difficult. I think your power may be a defensive power though. Powers generate on the type of person you are. You, for instance, are purely devoted to defending Mercy.”
I looked at Sam and wondered if she used to be a killer.
She smiled, guessing my thoughts. “I was a very angry person, but not a murderer. I’ve killed only one person in my life, and it was because he came at me with the intention of rape and murder. That’s why I can sympathize with you. When Richard found me, he taught me to control my anger. I am gentler now.” Her smile grew bigger.
I started understanding more, but I still couldn’t factor in the men following me. I asked about it.
Mr. Hale replied. “We needed to tell you because if you saw something, you had to understand. I don’t know when your power will come in, but you had to be prepared, if it did. Sometimes it comes at birth, sometimes much later, maybe not even at all. Mercy’s was at birth, I believe, much like Joe’s and mine. Sam’s aggressive gift came at twelve with that man. Its different with each gift.
“I think someone doesn’t want you to develop your powers. You might be the most powerful seen in centuries.” Mr. Hale sighed. “If it comes in.” It was like he had no faith. I was doomed to be different.