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The Secret
by Meg Jones
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"Great show everyone, get some rest!" Rebecca, our manager called.
"Great show my butt! I think even the crowd noticed the difference!" Anna Maria cried, putting her hands on her hips and frowning.
"Oh come off it Anna, we did great." replied Nicole, although she didn't seem to believe it herself.
"Would've been better if bloody Meg would have shown up! When I find her I'm going to take that pale little head of hers and..."
"Anna enough! I'm sure she has a good explanation for missing the concert!" I cut her off with the wave of my hand.
"Yeah Darren, sure, whatever you say. Why do you always stick up for the brat? This time she's gone to far Hayes!" Anna everything but yelled, stomping her foot and crossing her arms. It was worthless to argue with her. I shrugged and helped Daniel pack up his guitar. "You seem disturbed Jonesy, what's up?" I asked, pausing to look at his face. He shook his head.
"Tired I guess." he mumbled, rubbing his eyes. "You work too hard buddy." I replied, slapping him on the back playfully. He just nodded and closed his guitar case. I frowned.
"You can't cheer 'em all up." Lindsay said from behind me. I turned around to look at her. She was leaning in the dressing room doorway, water bottle in hand.
"Shut up Lindsay!" Daniel snapped, squeezing past her.
"What crawled up his butt and died?" she asked, watching him as he walked out onstage to talk to Ben about his guitar solo.
"Well, Meg has that effect on him!" I replied as cheerily as I could.
She nodded sadly. "Poor Meg." she mumbled, taking a short drink from her water bottle.
"What?" I asked, putting my arm around her.
,br>"Nothing." she replied and walked out of the room.
"Come on everyone, to the tour bus." Andy our driver shouted cheerfully. Everyone groaned and began to trudge to the bus. "Darren, have you seen Meg?" Andy asked, walking up to me as I followed the other band members.
"Not since last night." I replied, taking my hat off and wiping my forehead.
"You know, come to think of it, I haven't seen her out in the day time in awhile." he whispered to me.
"Me either." I whispered back, the thought occuring to my busy mind for the first time.
"And have you noticed how deathly pale she's become? And that she doesn't eat her dinner, or drink anything, and that when we see her at night, it's very brief? And she's been wearing those frightening black outfits..." We were falling behind the other members as Andy talked on.
"Look, Andy, it's just a phase I'm sure, don't worry about her, ay mate?" I replied, wanting to close the subject.
"But Darren..." I cut him off with a bright smile that was completely fake. He frowned at me, and then ran to catch up with everyone else. They all filed through the tour bus doors, leaving me outside by myself for a moment. I hesitated to go in. I don't know why, I just lingered there, in front of the open doors for a brief time.
"Come on Darren, we won't bite!" Andy called from the drivers seat. I smiled and climbed up the stairs, and began to walk back to the conference room. Suddenly one of the girls screamed from the back of the bus. I was jerked back from my spacey mind to reality and began to run to the source of the scream. When I reached the back of the bus, out of breath, I saw Anna backed up against a wall, her hands over her pasty looking face.
"Anna what..." I stopped mid sentence as I followed Anna's bewildered stare. Meg was sitting up against the opposite wall, her knees drawn up to her face, her chin resting on her knee. She was staring blankly at Anna. Her white mouth and hands were smeared with dried blood. "Meg! What happened? Did someone punch you?" I shrieked, rushing over to her and inspecting her face for any type of wound.
"What?" she asked, confused. "What happened?" the other band members were coming in through the door. When they saw Meg's face they backed off to where Anna was standing, all scared. Everyone but Lindsay that is. She walked over and sat down beside me, taking Meg's hand into hers and brushing her pale bony fingers across the blood stain on her face. Meg's eyes began to widen. "Are you saying there's blood on my face?" she became near hysterical. Lindsay nodded and stood up, pulling Meg with her. I stood up also.
"Were you punched?" I repeated my question. Meg pondered for a moment, fiddling with the edges of her long black cape. "Yes, I was, ummm and was knocked out." she stammered, looking frantically from me to Lindsay. "Come Meg, let's wash that off." Lindsay soothed her frantic friend, leading Meg to the bathroom and closing the door. The lock clicked into place. I looked at everyone else. They nodded and I walked to the bathroom and pressed my ear up against the door. There was water running and Lindsay was saying something.
"Meg, I told you to be careful, now they're suspicious!" she hissed.
"Don't be silly, they are not." Meg replied calmly.
"Meg! You know what would happen to you if they knew our secret, that you were..."
"Hush Lindsay! Someone is listening!" My heart began to beat noisily in my ears. I backed away from the door, slowly, calmly, as not to draw any suspicion to the watching members. "She got punched." I told them. They sighed and went on about what they were doing before. I didn't say a word to any one else about what I'd actually heard, I was afraid, to afraid as to what harm gossip could do to Meg. What was her secret?
"So why didn't you show up young lady?" Daniel demanded. It was nearly 10 o'clock and we were all dead tired, yet Daniel insisted on getting Meg's reason out of her before she disappeared for the night.
"Daniel, for the last time, we're all tired, let's just go to bed." Lee complained from beside me.
"Yes Dan, indeed. Arguing won't help." I yawned as I finished the sentence. Daniel ignored us. He stood in his pajamas in front of Meg, arms crossed, looking sternly at her. She was in her usual all black evening outfit. Cape, heavy boots, silk shirt, pants, gloves, crimson lipstick, looking as white as a sheet, yet as sweet and delicate as a rose.
"I told you, I lost track of the time." she repeated, folding her hands on her lap.
"And I told you, I don't believe a word you're saying." he shot back, his temper rising. She shook her head.
"Fine, I don't care." she got up to leave, standing almost full height to Daniel. She sure had grown recently. Dan gave up.
"Don't be home too late ok?" he asked, taking her face into his hands and kissing her lips. She grinned, her teeth showing pure white and even.
"Promise." she kissed him lightly on the cheek and walked out the bus door. I wondered where she was going, where she went every night. I was to scared to find out.
"That girl is getting difficult." Daniel interrupted my thoughts, plopping down on the couch beside me and putting his head in his hands.
"Something's wrong with her." Karl said, rubbing his chin and staring at the door Meg had disappeared through.
"Nothing is the matter with her! She's fine!" Daniel snapped, getting very grouchy as the night progressed. Karl looked stunned but said nothing.
"Come Dan, let's go to bed. We have a long drive tomorrow." I said, pulling him up. The others agreed and also stood up, stretching and making their way to the bedroom. Daniel waited until everyone but me and him were left in the room. When he turned to me I could see tears welling up in his amazing green eyes. When he finally spoke, his voice was low and choked.
"I really do think something is the matter with Meg, Darren. What should I do? She's beginning to scare me. I can't talk to her, or get comfortable around her, I can barely look at her!" He sat down on the edge of the couch and pulled a pillow into his lap, hugging it and rocking back and forth, biting his lower lip. All the while he seemed to be concentrating on something.
"Daniel, it's just a phase. She's growing up, trying new things. She'll be ok. Just give her some time." I soothed, sitting down next to him and putting a hand on his shoulder.
"But what about that paleness Darren?" he asked, sniffing and wiping his nose.
"Make up does wonders Dan." I replied, though I knew that no make up could work quite a wonder like that.
"The perfect white teeth?"
"Special toothpaste."
"The blood red lips?"
"Lipstick."
"The sudden tallness. Missing out on pratice. Leaving late and not returning till just before dawn. The cold eyes. The delicate, proper way she talks. The unnoticed-by-her blood on her mouth?" I had no answer for these questions which had often occured to me when I lay in bed at night thinking of her and awaiting the sound of her return. I sighed and rubbed Daniel's back, hoping to comfort him.
"Do you want a sleeping pill?" I asked him, knowing that he hadn't been sleeping much lately. He paused a moment then nodded.
"Better make it two." he whispered, burying his head into the pillow. I nodded and walked to the kitchen and fetched the two sleeping pills and a glass of water for him. But when I returned Daniel was already stretched out on the couch, fast asleep, and snoring lightly. I smiled and left the pills and water on a table near him, should he wake up and need them during the night. Then I turned off the light, walked to the hall closet and got a blanket, walked back to the living room and covered him up.
"Good night buddy." I whispered, patting my best friend on the back. I took one last glance at his peaceful face before walking out of the room, and down the hall to the bedroom. As soon as I changed into my PJs, I snuggled up in my bunk where I quickly passed out.I was deep into a dream that I now cannot recall when I awoke, frightened and sweating. I listened for a few moments to my heart beat, trying to figure out what had made me wake up with such a terrible start. Silence. I pulled back the curtain of my bunk to look into the room. It took a moment for my eyes to adjust to the bright moonlight flowing through the window. They concentrated on a small figure, huddled underneath the window sill. The pale face and hands reflected the moonlight like a mirror, the rest of the body hidden in black engulfing shadows. It had to be Meg. She didn't seem to notice me, or anything else in the room for that matter. I paused for a moment. If I went down there, would she talk to me? I seemed to fear even sitting near her. But that was silly. Without thinking I slid down to the carpet and walked over to her. Her small body seemed to shake all over. She was crying.
"Meg, what's the matter love?" I whispered, sitting down next to her. She looked up and seemed surprised.
"I'm sorry to wake you Darren. I didn't have any other place to go." she whispered back, frightened at my presence.
"No, no you didn't wake me, don't be silly." I replied, touching her fine head of hair. She moved to stand up and I quickly stood with her. I also took note that she was still wearing her night clothes she had went out in.
"Good night." she whispered and walked out of the room, her feet not making a sound as she walked. I followed her. "What is it?" she asked me when we reached the conference room. Daniel was no longer asleep on the couch, but nestled safley back in his own bed.
"Would you like to talk about anything?" I shifted uncomfortably in my standing position. She beckoned for me to sit down on the couch. I did as I was told. Suddenly a candle was lit in the room, providing enough light that I could make out her dim figure. Who lit the candle? "How did you do that?" I asked, my chest tightening with fear.
"Don't be scared Darren, love, I would never harm you, even with the sake of benefit." I found little relief in her words.
"What are you?" I asked without thinking.
She smiled sadly. "I really do not know." she replied.
"Oh, I didn't mean that I..." she nodded understandment. "I know what you're thinking."
"How?"
"Let's just say I can 'read your thoughts'." She smiled again. The little clock on the table in front of us struck 4:00 am. Meg quickly stood up. "I must go to sleep now, I am very tired. Morning will be here soon. Goodnight Darren." She bent down and gave me a quick kiss on the cheek. Before I could move to stop her, she was gone. I looked around stunned. How could she disappear so fast? You're tired Darren, it's just your imagination. Slowly I got up and walked back to my room, feeling stupid and depressed. Why couldn't I have asked her better questions? I climbed into my bunk, just as the drawn blinds began to brighten with the coming dawn. In the morning I would talk to Meg, yes, and ask her about her strange, unhuman behavior. I closed my eyes, and was on the brink of sleep, when I felt a hot breath down my neck.
"You think I am a vampire don't you?" My eyes snapped open.
"Who said that?" I squeaked. Laughter. I couldn't see anybody next to me, or in the room.
"You think right..." the voice trailed off, evil fitting laughter following. For some reason, as if by reflex, I crossed myself and smothered the pillow over my head.
The next morning I wasn't in to good of a mood for two reasons: one, I hadn't been able to go back to sleep at all, so I finally gave up, and two, Meg wasn't anywhere to be seen. I asked all around, looked all over the place, looked around town, and still found no trace of her. My suspicions were growing about her, but I dared not to say anything about her in front of Daniel. It would worry him to much if he knew...if her knew that Meg was a vampire. There I said it, the word I had dreaded to say, was said. This proves it! It just had to! The blood, the paleness, the mind reading, the lightning speed actions, the teeth, the grown-upness about her...the fact that she
wasn't out at daylight. What else could she be? I had decided that tonight, I would stay up and wait for her. Yeah, that's what I would do, talk to her, let her know that I knew her secret. Wait a minute, why wait and talk to Meg? Lindsay obviously knew, why not talk to her? I began to get both excited and nervous. What would her reaction be...I shivered. Good, I hoped. I found her quite easily, sitting in the bedroom, reading 'Taltos'.
"Mind if I sit down?" I asked, standing beside her. She nodded but didn't look up from her book. I sat down. "Good book huh?" I asked. She nodded again. "Can I talk to you about something?" I asked, playing with the threads of the carpet by my foot.
"It's about Meg isn't it?" she mumbled, not really to me, but to herself.
"Yeah, uhhh how did you know?" She set her book aside.
"What is it Darren?" she asked, folding her hands in a rather proper manner on her lap.
"Do you think she's been acting weird lately?" She didn't answer. "I mean, she hasn't eaten, nor drank anything, she's pale as a ghost, her teeth, the way she walks, talks, the blood...need I say more?" She looked up at me.
"Yes, please do say more. What's so wrong with her teeth?"
"They're too perfect!" I cried, throwing my hands up. "Who in the entire world has perfectly straight, white teeth!"
"Meg does." she replied cooly, as if it wasn't an unusual question.
"She never used to." I added, remembering her over bite a few years back.
"Look Darren, if you came here to discuss Meg's teeth, I'd like you to leave."
"Lindsay. what's happening to us? This secret between you and Meg is tearing us apart. Please, just tell me. I wouldn't dream of betraying either one of you!"
"Leave her alone Darren, we have no secret." I looked up to the direction of the voice. Meg was leaning against the door frame, her arms crossed, her face tired. I was beyond shocked, my mouth dropped open in amazment.
"You aren't supposed to be out in daylight!" I gasped, backing away from her and the grinning Lindsay at my side.
"Why not? Most humans do come out in the daytime." she replied, emphasizing the words humans as if the term didn't apply to her. And she was right, it didn't.
"You aren't human though Meg, you're a vampire!" I blurted out, backing up against the window. She stood silent for a moment, and then bursted out into a fit of laughter.
"Is that what you think I am Darren? A vampire?" she laughed again, walking up to me. She got so close to my neck that I began to feel uneasy. My neck began to tingle and I waited for her piercing bite. Yet when she leaned forward, she did nothing but kiss my neck tenderly.
"Smart boy, just not quite on the right track." She laid her head on my chest, and her hand on my stomach. Her favorite blue stoned ring glistened on her pinky finger. I was about to ask another question when Daniel burst into the room.
"Darren! Reporters! Everywhere! Let's move it or lose it people, can't upset the press!" I sighed and began to walk out of the room. Daniel put his arm around Meg and leaned on her the whole way out. He kissed her on that scary pale face just before we walked out the door. And through the picture taking he held her hand and smiled proudly. I began to wonder right there and then, as I tried posing with a fake smile, does he actually know her secret?
"Very very good job you guys! Best show yet!" Again Rebecca was trying to cheer us up. But this time it actually worked.
"Ah yes, this time it was a good show. That is, since I didn't have to do a specific young lady's part for her because she actually decided to show up this time." Anna mused, nodding at Meg.
"Shut up." Meg grumbled, craddeling her head in her hands. Daniel knelt down beside the chair she was sitting in.
"Do you have a headache love?" he asked, feeling for a temperature. She shook her head.
"Not really. I'm thirsty."
"Here, you can have some of my water." Karl offered, thrusting the bottle in her face. She pushed it away gently and shook her head so that her black hair fell down around her charming eyes.
"Not for that." she whispered, licking her lips.
"Oh God Megan what is that from?" Daniel cried, sounding worried. I looked to see what he meant. He was pulling back her shirt from her neck, revealing a single puncture on her neck that was black and blue with purpled edges. It looked as if it had been reopened many times.
"Ewww gross, what is that from?" Nicole asked, bending down to examine Meg's neck.
"Nothing." Meg pulled away from them and got up out of her chair, covering her neck up with one hand.
"Bull Meg, sit back down, let us take a look at it." I said, motioning towards the chair. She was starting to get frightened.
"No I'm ok really. Just leave it alone." she was taking deep breaths, her eyes wide and slightly bloodshot.
"Meg, at least tell us what caused it." Daniel said, getting up to walk by her side. She backed away.
"Nothing, I just got poked with a pen."
"That's one hell of a pen!" Anna shouted, shaking her head. Daniel stopped advancing on her.
"Meg, are you trying to hide something from us? What's wrong? Are you ok?" He was getting very alarmed and upset at this point.
"Just please leave it be. It's nothing!" A tear slid down her cheek.
"Meg, it's alright. It's nothing to cry about. Come here." Daniel held out his arms to her. She backed further away to the door, shaking her head, still covering her neck wound. Everyone in the room had stopped what they were doing and were now watching the scene.
"Oh for crying out loud, don't baby talk her. Just look at it!" Anna cried, getting up and walking to Meg. She reached her in a matter of seconds and began to pry Meg's fingers from her neck. Meg screamed and thrashed.
"NO! STOP!" she shrieked, her voice unnecessarily shrill.
"Meg, we just want to look, stop acting like a baby!" Anna shouted, gripping Meg's wrist firmly.
"Stop it Anna, leave her alone!" That was Lindsay, who was coming up behind Anna. But it was to late, Meg bit Anna's hand so hard she left bleeding tooth marks. Anna screamed and fell back, holding her gushing hand. Lindsay pushed passed her and enveloped Meg in her arms, rubbing her back and comforting the sobbing child.
"Shhh it's ok Meg, she didn't mean any harm." Lindsay whispered. All this time I had stood there, baffled at the scene. Now my legs found movement again and I walked towards Anna to inspect her bite. The wound had two deep gashes in it, as though the flesh had been torn, rather than punctured.
"Geez Anna, that's really bad. But I don't think it will need stitches." Rebecce said, coming up and holding Anna's injury and wrapping it in a gauze. I turned to confront Meg, but noticed something peculiar. She was staring at Anna's bleeding hand over Lindsay shoulder, with a hungry, longing look in her eyes. Her gaze lifted and met mine, and she quickly turned away.
"To the bus everyone, but you Meg, you stay here. You too Anna." Rebecca motioned for everyone else to leave.
"Ahhh Becca why can't we stay?" Lee whined.
"It's none of your buisness Lee, now go, all of yuh!" Everyone grumbled and headed for the bus. Just before I walked through the doors I glanced back at Rebecca, Meg and Anna. Rebecca looked really pissed and was yelling at Meg and pointing to Anna's hand.
"Come along Darren, that isn't a pretty sight to see." Andy called unhappily from the driver's seat. I couldn't help but feel sorry for Meg. I mean, come on, was it really her fault? Later in my room I took out my little journal that I hardly ever wrote in. I opened it up and turned to a clean sheet of paper and picked up a pen. Across the top I wrote: "Signs" and drew a line down the middle of the paper. On the other column I wrote: "Disagreements." I thought for a moment and then guided my hand under the column labeled 'Signs' and began to write: Unnoticed blood on her face, sharp white perfect teeth, was not thirsty for water but "for something else", stared at Anna's animal-like wound hungerly, tallness, properness, paleness, bloodshot eyes (?) never seems to eat, drink, or sleep, disappears at night, unnaturally quick movements...I paused a moment and thought. Nope, nothing else to add to that list.
So I moved on to Disagreements: Only one puncture wound that appears to have been reopened several times, was seen in daylight. I couldn't think of anything else to put in that category. But those were major facts of the vampire world. I sat back in my chair and put my hands on my forehead.
"What are you?" I asked out loud.
"Do you really want to know?" A voice from behind me asked. I was so startled I nearly fell out of my chair.
"Meg...I uh didn't know you were in here." I stammered. In 2 quick steps she was leaning over my shoulders and reading what I had just wrote. I tried to cover it up but was to late. She drew back and looked at me sadly.
"Do you really want me to tell you what I am?" she asked, crossing her arms and shivering, although it wasn't cold in the room. I nodded.
"Yes please I want logic." I replied. She laughed.
"Well, even when I do tell you, logic is definatly the last thing you'll find."
"What do you mean?" I asked, knowing what the answer would be.
"Come Darren, the others want to hear too." She waved her hand towards the door.
"So you finally decided to tell us?" I asked, standing up and flexing my cramped hand. "I have no choice." she replied, shrugging her shoulders. She walked over and took my hand into her icy cold grip and led me to the door.
"You're trembling Darren." she commented, squeezing my hand a little.
"I'm cold." was all I could say. She laughed softly.
"Don't be scared." she whispered into my ear. I tried to say something to deny it but she shook her head and put her finger to my lips. I thought that we would be going to the regular conference room, but instead she led me into the small dressing room in the back where everyone else was gathered on the floor. As I walked in they all looked up at me and smiled nervously. Anna was on my right, sitting on the floor against the wall. She looked tired and slightly frightened, yet tried to act cheerful for everyone's sake. Nicole was sitting right next to her, head leaning back against the wall, eyes half closed against the bright light of the small room. Daniel sat crosslegged in front of the two, arms crossed on his stomach and rocking himself back and forth. Ben was stretched out in front of him, arms folded and his chin resting on his elbow. Karl and Lee sat at both ends of him, Karl at his feet and Lee at his head. All were quiet and anxious as they waited for Meg to talk. I myself took a seat next to Anna and patted her quickly on the shoulder to assure her. She gave a weak smile that faded more quickly than it had come. That's when I noticed that Lindsay wasn't in the group.
"She'll be here in a minute Dazza, I asked her to fetch something for me." I nodded, not taking any note at first that Meg had just read my mind, again. Meg drew up a chair in the middle of the room, facing the back of it towards us and sitting down in it so she could rest her arms on the back.
"Now that everyone's here, where shall I begin?"
"Begin from wherever you like love." Daniel said.
"Ok..."
"Hi! Oh sorry I'm late!" Lindsay burst through the door carrying a small, brown paper bag.
"Ah, just in time, thanks Lindsay." Meg smiled and took the bag from her. Lindsay breathlessly jogged over and thudded down next to me, breathing heavely.
"OK, well I guess I should start from the very beginning, with my 15 times great-grandmother. OK, here it goes. When she was on her way to the hospital to give birth to my 14 times great-grandmother, she was bitten by a vampire." Here Meg paused to observe our startled reactions. And then she continued:
"But for some strange reason the vampire did not drain her to the point of death, and so she survived until a few seconds after giving birth, in which she lost a great amount of blood. She died and the baby was taken into intensive care, where it survived. Little did the doctors know that the poison was already in the baby's blood and that when the child hit puberty she would began to turn from half a vampire, to a full vampire. Fortunately my 14 times great-grandmother was very much into vampires and their history and began to notice the changes right away. She went to a great "witch doctor" in western Europe, a very wise old man, who gave her a serum made up of garlic and silver oxide." Meg stopped for a moment and opened the paper bag. We all leaned forward to see what she drew out. It was a small round tube, about 4 inches long, with a pale red-yellowish liquid in it.
"This" she said, holding it up for all to see. Anna gasped and clung tighter to me. Lindsay took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "It was to be injected through the neck, and stopped the vampire process dead in its tracks, and then began to slowly reverse it." She pointed to the wound on her neck. "She continued to take it for approximately 15 years, and then her body began to reject the serum. This meant that the reversing of the vampire change was complete. She was not in danger now."
"Oh Meg, are you one of these half vampires?" Nicole interrupted, her voice shaking with fear. Meg put her finger to her lips.
"And so when my 14 times great-grandmother had her child, the few vampire chromosomes were passed to her child. Again the child went through the serum treatment. But the vampire change seemed slightly weaker than her mother's, the child had some of the vampires weaknesses as well as strengths. Such as, sensitivity to sunlight for a large part of her life, fine pointed teeth, and the craving for blood, though she never drank it. Her mother had none of these, but had all the vampire strengths and powers. And when this women had a child, again, the chromosomes passed to her baby. This person was a very weak vampire with all the vampiric weaknesses and none of the strengths. It took much longer with the serum treatment for her. When she had a child, the gene was passed on, but did not show up. The next child was perfectly normal and healthy, and never required the treatment. And so this pattern continued, the next child was a strong vampire, the next slightly weaker, with both weaknesses and strengths, the next completely weak, and the next perfectly normal."
She paused here to take a deep breath and look around. No body moved or spoke, we were all so amazed with such knowledge. "And that brings the story to me, the vampire heiress, with all the vampire strengths." Daniel gasped, and nearly collided with me when he tipped back. "Don't worry, I am on the serum treatment. Which, by the way, explains the disgusting wound on my neck. I disappear every night to fetch my serum from a store that receives the imports."
"What about the blood on your mouth? You said you didn't drink it!" I interrupted her. "I was just coming to that. When I first took the serum, the night I missed the concert, I had a terrible reaction to it and it caused a few vessels in my mouth to burst without my knowing it. I was sick from it, and that is why I missed the concert, and am indeed, very sorry for it Anna. I thank you for filling in for me. And I'm sorry about biting you. I got scared." Anna nodded and did her best to smile. "Well, that's my story. Any questions?"
"Do all the vampire heiresses inherit the vampire looks?" Ben asked, sitting up from his laying position. She nodded, swiping her hand over her face to indicate her answer. She was obviously tired of speaking.
"Why didn't we see you in the daylight for some time?" I asked.
"Remember my allergic reaction, which by the way I got over, but do you remember it?" I nodded, how could I forget?
"Well, it made my skin sensitive to sunlight for a few days."
"Oh." was all I could say. This all was so so...overwhelming!
"So you're half vampire?" Nicole asked. Meg nodded.
"For awhile."
"Is the chromosome in you, and will you pass it on?" Daniel asked, regaining his voice. She nodded and smiled sweetly at him.
"Do any of the men in your family know about it?" Karl asked. She shook her head.
"You guys are the first to know, and all of you are the first to know outside of my family."
"Why don't you eat, Meg, tell them that." Lindsay said. Obviously she'd already heard this story.
"I require specific foods while on the treatment, which I buy at the imports store." She paused for any further questions. One last question tugged at my mind.
"Do you sleep in a coffin?" She laughed lightly.
"I'd rather eat a dead rat." No one said anything more so she continued.
"Now, I know all of this is a big burden on you guys and I want to ask, do you still want me in the band? I won't be much trouble from here on out, but it's still your call. I don't want to make you guys uncomfortable. And I know that if any of this were to get out and around, we would be ruined. So I understand if you don't want to take any chances." No one said anything for a moment. Suddenly Daniel got up and walked to Meg's side, put a hand on her shoulder and said,
"I love you no matter what Meg. And I'll be damned if I let you be cast out of this wonderful band." he smiled down on her with all the love and kindness in him. Meg blushed and smiled back, then looked to us.
"Do you guys want me to stay?"
"I do." Anna spoke up. We all looked at her, surprised. She smiled.
"I've always wanted someone like a little sister whom I could be close to. And Meg's just that." Anna looked from Nicole, to me, to Ben, and then to Karl and Lee. They all nodded.
"You stay Meg, whether you like it or not!" Ben cackled, rubbing his hands together and grinning. We all laughed.
"So it's official? I'm still a band member! YAY!" Meg shouted, jumping up out of her seat and falling backwards.
"You little spidermonkey!" Daniel shouted and pounced on top of her, covering her with big sloppy kisses. I smiled, such a wonderful sight to see them back together! Everyone was getting up to leave Daniel and "Spider Monkey" in peace and so I followed. "I love you Darren. I'm sorry." Lindsay whispered in my ear when no one was in the hallway with us. I smiled and gave her a huge hug. "I love you too." I whispered and carried her off to the bedroom so we could talk. And yes, I do mean talk.
******
I smiled and closed one of the many journals of my life. It was now 30 years later and I had been rummaging through my attic when I had found the journal I had kept and updated until I ran out of pages, and then got a new one. I'd been keeping journals, hoping to make a book of them one day, of all my life. I ran my hand over the smooth green cover and set the book carefully back down into the box. Downstairs I could hear my wife of 25 years, Lindsay, my love, in the kitchen. She called my name, telling me that she was home. "I'll go through this later." I muttered and prepared to shut the box. But as I did, something silver, near the bottom of the box, caught my eye. I picked it up and studied it. It was a picture taken that very day, outside the tour bus, in my treasured silver frame. In it, Daniel and Meg were knelt down on their knees in the very front, facing each other, holding hands, and smiling, preparing to kiss. Daniel and Meg were now married, and a very happy couple indeed. They have devoted their life to each other and loved each other and have honored one another to this very day.
God how beautiful Meg had grown up to be. Short black hair, tall and full figured, her natural olive color having returned. And Daniel such a fine gentleman that he always was. Those big green eyes still astonished everyone, that blond hair still as bright as it was in this picture. Meg had done well in the treatment, and two of their daughters, now expecting children of their own, posses the vampiric traits. They are incredibly beautiful, taking after their mother and father with Daniel's tallness, his brilliant green eyes and shyness. They love music and are very strong independent women and have delicate features like Meg.
Meg and Daniel's three sons do not know the family secret, and probably never will. Behind them is me and Lindsay, on our knees, our heads higher than Meg and Dan's, cheeks touching, hands locked, smiles proud and happy. We also, have many kids, 3 girls and 2 boys. The most beautiful children in the world. (In my opinion) The boys resemble me in every way, loud and out going, yet creative and love to write music and stories. The girls are exactly like Lindsay, funny and intelligent and independent since the day they came into our lives. Behind us was Nicole, who had her arm around Anna. They have both married two fine young men and have grown to be the sweetest little old ladies in the world! (ok so their not that old but...) They also have childeren. Meg is still Anna's 'little sister' and the two are the best of friends. (Although Lindsay remains Meg's best friend for life.)
On Anna's left is Karl who married and has talented, rowdy childeren that can be pain in the butts one minute, and the sweetest little angels the next. Beside him is Lee who has married a bright young woman and has one weird ( no I'm kidding :)) child and is expecting another soon. And finally on Nicole's right is Ben, who has married but never really settled down for kids. He's still wild and rambunctious to this very day. Pop starism came and went though it lasted for quite a long time. We went down in pop star history and our songs are still played on the radio to this day. If I died tomorrow I would die a very happy and proud man.
"Darren, what are you doing sweety? Meg wants us to go out with her and Daniel and the kids to eat!"
"Coming my love!" I called back and tucked the photo and journal into my coat pocket to show to Dan later. Yes, life is great, always has been, always will be, and I'll treasure the memories of my wonderful friends forever.
~fin~
other fics to be read
~return~
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