H for Hartley [EDITING, not updating until present chapters are re-written]

H for Hartley Chapter 11

"R-Rebecca?" I stuttered, not quite believing what I was seeing.

A dark haired girl was crouched down on the marshland forest floor, with her back facing me.

She was on her toes and her spine curled like a tail. I heard gnashing and small groans.

Her ears perked up when her name was called, and she froze. In one slow nervous movement, she was standing and facing me.

A drip of blood was caught on the corner of her mouth.

She bared two fangs.

"Rebecca?" I repeated again, still in shock to discover this small human was in fact, not human at all.

"James..." she said sheepishly and looked at her toes, "I-I know what this must look like..."

She stepped forward and looked at me straight in the eyes without blinking. Her voice became quiet and soft, at first I thought she was trying to flirt, but then I realised this was no time or place to be flirting.

She was trying to hypnotise me.

Ha! She was trying to hypnotise ME? She would get a pleasant surprise when it didn't work.

"You didn't see anything here," she began, her voice lulling, "You turned the wrong way when going back to your home...and you will forget EVERYTHING."

For a second I just stared at her, and then snorted, before bursting out laughing.

"You should have seen your face," I gasped between chuckles.

"W-What?" she blinked in surprise and took a step back, "H-How..."

"Surprised?" I asked.

She stared at me and shook her head slowly, "But...that's never not worked before..."

"Enjoy your little meal there?" I asked pointing to the dead rabbit that was at her heels.

"Oh James please..." she begged, "You can't tell anyone..."

"Easy," I said gently and put a hand on her shoulder, "Rebecca...I'm...I'm a vampire too."

Her eyes widened, "No...it can't..."

"Oh yes," I smirked, as she continued to leave her mouth open and stare at me dumbfounded.

"You are?" she asked.

"Positive." I took her hand and placed it against my chest, to let her feel there was no heartbeat.

She opened her mouth again, and smiled incredulously. "You're a vampire!"

"Ssh!" I quietened her, "Not so loud!"

She retracted her hand from my chest and smiled, "Sorry. I just can't believe..."

She walked away from me for a few steps, and turned back round to look at me again, still smiling.

"What?" I chuckled.

"I just can't believe there are others in this god forsaken town," she smiled, "I can't believe there are others at ALL."

"Me either," I smiled as I put my hands in my pockets.

Rebecca...simple, little Rebecca...was a vampire.

And there was others...

"How did you..."

"Change?" she finished for me.

I nodded.

"I changed around about 1901, by a man called Hector Valentine."