Veronica 002
Rush comes forward and stands in front of me, his eyes so pitch dark they turn black. “Kneel,” he commands me, but I just look at him. “Kneel down,” he says more sternly. I just cross my arms and give him an are we done look. “Fuck this shit.” He walks toward Abigail and smirks at her. “Kneel.”
I start to get angry that he would try that shit on my best friend. “Go fuck yourself,” Abigail says, giving him the finger before coming to my side where we both glare at him.
“Holy shit, is she a shield too?” Zeke asks.
“No, she , but as long as she wears her necklace, she’s basically like me.” Abigail has been there for me since I was four years old, even though I only found out what I am when I was fourteen.
Abigail and I were at our childhood park playing on the swings when a group of vampires came over. They were giving orders like Rush tried to do, but I kept telling them no and to go away; I knew what they were when I saw their fangs. They were day walkers, a rare vampire breed.
It was the first time I’d seen them, and I was so scared; I thought we were going to die that day. I held onto Abigail’s hand, wanting her to be close to me if our life was about to be over, but when they tried to come near us, they couldn’t. It was like a safety bubble was around us.
I told my parents what happened, and they found seers to help figure out what I was. Since that day, I’ve researched and trained my power. I even put some of my blood in a little vial and soaked that vial in my blood and used it as a discreet pendant, so no one can remove it apart from me.
It worked; no supernatural being can harm us by using their powers. Unfortunately, if we get shot or stabbed, my blood is useless. Abigail and my family and hers all have their necklaces and have been sworn to never tell a soul what it does.
“Can the necklace come off?” Slate asks, fascinated by it.
“Only by me. You can try if you want, but it might burn your skin.”
“I think I’m good,” he chuckles.
“Can you be bitten?” Rush asks behind me, moving my hair to the side, exposing my neck.
I turn my head facing him. “Want a taste?”
“Hell yeah.” He beams.
“Veronica,” Finn jumps in.
“It’s okay if Rush wants a taste; we are going to be like family, right?”
“Exactly.” He smiles at me. I watch as his eyes turn dark once again and his fangs release. He licks his lips before moving toward my neck. When I feel his lips on my skin, it causes goosebumps, but all too soon, Rush is thrown backward, hitting the wall. I am laughing when he stands back up, rubbing his hands on his jeans. “You tricked me?”
Everyone in the room starts laughing. “Do you honestly think I would let you bite me after you tried to compel my best friend?”
“Marry me?” Zeke goes to his knees. “I will be faithful until the day you die.” He looks up at me in awe.
“Yeah because you are immortal and can enjoy the bachelor life again after.” Abigail laughs at him.
“At least I was faithful in the time I was with her.” He stands back up. “Think about it, petal.” He winks at me.
“Right, now that you haven’t scared off your new PA,” Finn says directly to Rush who seems to be sulking on the couch. “It’s time to bring in the meet and greet people. Please behave.” He points to each band member. “Veronica, make sure they don’t do anything supernatural. Some of the people who come to these things can be a handful, so just do what I told you to.”
I nod. “Oh, can I ask, are you a vampire like they are?” I know the band is and have been alive for over a hundred years.
“Do you really want to know?”
“Of course.”
“I am; I am over five hundred years old.” Wow. He must have been turned when he was in his late thirties.
“You must be rich then if you have been around for a long time, why manage the band?” I ask out of curiosity.
“Who do you think turned them?” He smiles at me and walks out the room, and before I have time to process what he said, the meet and greet people—mostly hot women—enter.
Perfect.
I look over at Rush; it seems that the women coming in have cheered him up. He walks over to a few who fawn all over him, telling him how amazing he is, and he is eating it right up.
The other band members have their own fans adoring them. When I see a little girl, who looks around ten, standing near the door, holding hands with someone I presume is her brother, who looks about fifteen, I walk over.
“Hey kids, you going to come meet the band?”
“My sister loves them, but with them being” —He looks behind me and then leans forward— “Vampires,” he whispers. “I am making sure I keep her safe.” I look at him sticking by her side; it is so adorable. They look so similar with light brown hair and light brown eyes.
“Being the big brother, of course, you do what you need to. If you come with me, I will introduce you to the band and let you get their autographs.”
“Thank you,” the little girl says in a quiet voice.
I smile at her and start heading toward Zeke who has a girl linked to his arm. “Zeke, you have a little fan that wants to meet you,” I tell him, and he smiles at me before seeing the girl and bending down so they are eye level. The girl who had been clinging to him gives me a look.
“Who are you?” She asks.
“Their PA.” She doesn’t say anything in response.
“Hi, little one, you a big fan?” Zeke asks her.
“The biggest.”
“She has all your posters, CD’s, and magazines,” her brother says, rolling his eyes.
“Wow, you must be our number one fan.” He takes her book and pen and writes a little message then signs his name. “There you go, if you give our Veronica here your address, I am sure we can send you out some tickets to our next concert.”
“Really?” the girl shrieks. “You are the best.” She hugs him, and he hugs her back.
“Can I ask something?” her brother asks when Zeke stands up.
“Shoot.”
“Can I see your teeth?” He shows his teeth, pretending to be a vampire. Zeke quickly does it, his fangs popping out. The boy looks amazed. “That’s so cool.”
“Stay in school.” Zeke messes the boy’s hair, then realizes the boy's eyes are gowing faintly in the dim light.