It's Friday, it's February, and it's freezing outside. I couldn't seem to stop writing, and now it's time for a chapter! (and I think it's my longest one yet). Sam is in for a busy day!
Chapter 6
The next morning, Sammy joined her mom in the mud room for breakfast, and Lucy was disheveled. Her hands were shaking, and her breathing was shallow. Her eyes were on the door, and she was barely keeping it together.
"I don't think I slept a wink, Sam. I'm so worried about him. He's not like this." Lucy was talking about Michael. She had been talking about him all morning, and as soon as she found out that he hadn't come home; oh God, she was a mess. Without giving away any details from the night before, Sammy cleared her throat.
"You're right. I don't know what's going on with him." She held out her hand for her mom to hold, and Lucy held to her tight. Lucy wasn't going to risk losing Samantha, too. They sat in silence for a while, and Sammy was trying to think of anything to distract her mom. Mike better have figured out a solution to their monster problem.
"Hey mom?" She started again, and Lucy looked to her to keep going. "Do you want to do something for Max? I feel real lousy that you ran out on him last night."
"I'd like that." Lucy agreed with a small smile, squeezing her hand. "Oh Sam, it's not your fault. I was worried about you, and I didn't think twice about it. I think he'll understand. Max said that he had sons of his own."
Michael came in not long after, and Sam came to the conclusion that they were still at square one. It would be useless for her to wait for him to come up with the answers to their monster problem. Lucy and Sam changed and got ready for the day, and headed into town with little mention of Michael. Lucy was in a much better mood thinking of getting Max an apology gift, and Gramps recommended Blood Thirsty, a wine shop that the widow Johnson owned. Lucy picked out a cheap bottle of Cabernet, and they set off with the directions towards Max's.
What they didn't anticipate was that Thorn wouldn't be so eager to see them. He snarled and attacked, leaving Lucy running for the gate. She dropped the bottle, red wine staining the white paint. Lucy didn't care. She had to get out of there! Thorn had taken a chunk out of her skirt, and Sam pulled her over the gate with all of her might. They were out of breath, startled, and didn't know what to do.
They took off for the boardwalk, Lucy wanting to stop at work and call Max with an apology in case he didn't see the shattered bottle of wine on his porch. In the meantime, Sam took off for the comic shop. She had to see the Frog Brothers.
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"Does your brother sleep a lot?"
"Is he afraid of the sun?"
"Does he have bad breath?
"Long fingernails?" They asked back to back. Her head was spinning, and Sam was shaking her head at an alarming rate.
"I don't know!" She shot back, throwing her arms up in frustration. "He was floating and everything, and I was scared to death!" Sammy was exasperated. "I could see right through him, like he was a ghost! What am I supposed to do?"
"You could see through him?" Edgar asked in disbelief, and thought for a moment. "No shit?"
"Honest." She chirped, running over the the Vampires Everywhere comics. She was looking for an answer, anything to help her save Michael. Edgar and Alan shared a look, a hopeful look. It was as if all their lives they had been waiting for the moment to strike back against the attacks in Santa Carla; against the vampires.
"You've got to keep a low profile, Sam." She raised a brow. How was she supposed to do that?
"Keep a low profile? Are you insane!? They must have saw me, I was in the house!" She was scared about the motorcycles around her house. Of who was on the motorcycles. They must have something to do with it. They must be the ones terrorizing Mike.
"Calm down, Sammy. We'll work this out, and we'll keep you safe." Alan offered, putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
"We will?" Edgar asked, and Alan rolled his eyes.
"We are awesome monster bashers; we know all of their weaknesses." Alan confirmed.
"We do?" Edgar asked again. He was bashed over the head with a comic.
"You're not helping."
"Where do we start?" Sam jumped in, laying out all of the Vampire comics she found.
They went over everything from the beginning. The trio looked at every tactical weakness; garlic, holy water, stakes, churches, running water, silver. You name it; and they talked about it. Now for Sam, a girl with needs of protection, was interested in how to spot a vampire. They could look like anyone on the boardwalk. Look for the sharp yellow teeth, the cunning eyes, the bad breath. They would have long fingernails and be as pale as a ghost. Vampires were cunning, sexy, and deceitful. The Frog Brothers talked about how they would need dim and dark places to hide from the sun and hold their coven of the undead. Sometimes they could control animals; bats and birds, and they told her all about the Hounds of Hell. It was on the tip of her tongue to bring up Thorn attacking her mom, but thought better of it. Max was on a date with Lucy when the strange things started happening around their home, and Thorn was probably just protecting the house while Max was away.
She told them all of the weird things happening to Michael, and they came to the conclusion that he was only a half vampire; that his mortal soul could still be saved. They let Sam know what would happen if he were to make a kill, and that if he did, there would be no saving him. He would have to be killed to protect the greater good.
"I'm not going to kill my brother." She spoke in a flat tone. Michael would live. There was no other option.
"Fine. If you don't, then we will." Edgar grunted, and Alan pulled him back.
"Ignore him. Keep a low profile, sleep with garlic, and never invite a vampire into your house. Got it?" Edgar and Alan were looking at her, and she nodded without hesitation. She wouldn't take any risks.
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It was about that time that Lucy had finished up with checking in at work, and she made her way to Santa Carla Comics. She looked with curiosity at all of the books. Neither of her children had taken a great interest in comics, and with the stale atmosphere, she was almost relieved. She spotted Sammy by the registers, and made her way over with a small smile.
"All done, sweetheart?" She chimed, and the three jumped up, turning to face her. Lucy took note of the boys and of the silly way they looked. The dressed like they were straight out of a comic book!
"Yeah, all done." Sam turned, linking her arm with her moms. "Mom, I'd like to introduce you to my friends Edgar and Alan." She nodded in their direction, and they both grunted a response back. They waved their goodbyes and headed back towards the car. It was getting late. They needed to get home, and Sam looked off to west, the sun setting over the water.
"Did you get a hold of Max?" Sam asked, trying to distract herself and casting a side glance to her mom.
"No, but I left him a message and put a note on his desk." She smiled. "You know, I've been a busy bee ever since we got into town. How about the two of us grab dinner?" Sam's head was spinning at her words. They had to get home, and fast! She didn't want a frightful interaction with the undead!
"Are you okay, Sam?" Lucy asked, concerned. Sammy had fallen into a daze.
"Of course," she shook it off, "I just don't feel like staying out late." Sam could see the car in the distance. They were almost there!
"Well that makes two of us." Lucy spoke with a soft laugh. "How about we get a pizza to take home? Guidachellis is just a block down." Sammy nodded cautiously. Nothing would happen to them. She would follow all of the rules the Frog Brothers gave her.
Guidachellis was an upbeat Italian restaurant meant for the whole family. Lucy and Sam walked in, overwhelmed with the smell of pizza and garlic and bread sticks. Kids were running around, and it was packed with people. Maybe Lucy proposed the best idea for dinner. No vampire would want to be a hundred feet from this place!
"For here, or to go?" The hostess asked quickly.
"To go - " Lucy started, but Sam tugged her shoulder.
"How about we sit down for a little while? We can always take home the leftovers." Sam justified, a matching smile growing on both of their faces. She could see the car, they would reek like garlic, and it would be a straight shot home. No vampires would mess with them.
"Here, thank you." Lucy corrected, and the hostess led them to a booth next to the window overlooking the water. They could see that the boardwalk was preparing for a concert, testing out the lighting on the stage.
They sat and chatted about everything they could think of while waiting for their dinner. The divorce, Gramps, Lucy's childhood in Santa Carla. Lucy talked about how handsome Max looked for their dinner date the night before, and she slowed, asking if Sam had a crush.
"Well what about those brothers?" She asked in between bites of pizza.
"Them? No!" Sam croaked, her mouth falling open. "They are just a couple of kids that run the comic shop. I met them our first night here." She never thought of the Frog Brothers that way. And there was no way she would tell her mom that they were vampire hunters.
"I'm only joking." Her mom teased. "Maybe you'll find a sweet boy when school starts back up?"
"Maybe." Sam rolled her eyes, but looking out the window she was caught on a figure standing outside of the pizza shop. Marko was standing against the railing, and she saw him laughing with a group of guys. They all looked like they were having a great time, and a small smile graced her features. Lucy noticed, and instead of saying anything to her daughter she followed her view. She was looking at the group of boys that had come into the video store!
Sammy tried not to stare, but Marko looked so happy, and it felt contagious. His eyes drifted up, locking onto hers as if he knew she had been staring. With a cheshire grin he sent a small wave her way, and Sam fought the urge to wave back. She nodded in acknowledgement, her cheeks burning with embarrassment. She probably looked like a deer caught in the headlights.
"Who's that?" Lucy asked with a curious grin.
"Oh, that's Marko." Sam's eyes drifted back out the window, but Marko and his friends were gone. They had disappeared. Raising her brow, her attention turned back to her mom.
"He's awfully cute, Sammy." Her mom added. Sam was blushing furiously by now, and her mom had caught her staring.
"Oh yes, he's very cute." Sammy agreed without really thinking about it. She blinked. Did she say that out loud?
They paid and walked out of the pizzeria with leftovers in hand, and they took a moment to appreciate the lights from the boardwalk and the music from the concert. It was a beautiful night. They meandered through the growing crowds, and stopped when Sammy was bumped in the shoulder.
"Sorry -" she started, but never finished. Looking over her shoulder, this guy was staring at her. He had a wild mane of hair that fell past his shoulders, and had a cocky grin like he meant to bump into her.
"Oh no, I'm sorry chica." He smirked. "It's Sam, right?"
She stopped, and both Lucy and Sam looked at each other in confusion. Who was this guy?
"Yeah, that's me. Do I know you?" She asked, straightening her shoulders. He looked to Lucy and back to her, and shook his head. He looked wild like a rockstar. His mesh shirt was torn at the top, and his white jeans were almost brown with dust. Taking a step forward, he held out his hand.
"My name's Paul."
Sammy took his hand, and the three of them backed up against the pier to clear a way for the oncoming traffic.
"Paul," Sammy started, "we better get going." She smiled, and Lucy nodded in agreement. It was getting late, and the weirdos were coming out of the woodwork.
"Hey, I get it." He agreed after a moment, putting his hands up in surrender. "Have a good night, and if you see Marko, tell him I'm looking for him." Sam raised a brow. He knew Marko? Before she could ask anything more he backtracked into the crowds, leaving the duo with unanswered questions. The two raced off to the parking lot, and they were ready to get home. They made it to the car, until Sam heard someone calling her name. She turned, and watched Marko weaving in and out of cars to get over to her, and she turned towards Lucy in a tizzy.
"I'll give you two a minute." Lucy didn't want to eavesdrop, still uncomfortable with the run in with the other guy, and she got in the car.
"Hey Sammy, wait up!" Marko grinned, jumping out of the way of a family of four heading home for the night. He looked chipper as ever, and she found herself smiling again, matching his mood. He leaned on the car next to theirs, about two feet of space between them.
"Hey there." She grinned, keeping her cool. "Are you trying to get hit by a car?" She joked, and Marko shook his head, showing off his pearly whites.
"I didn't see you here last night." He replied in a matter of fact way. Sam paused, not knowing what to say. Was he expecting her?
"Were you looking for me, Marko?" She teased slowly, testing the waters.
"I mean, I wanted to see you here last night." He corrected himself, putting his hands in his jacket pockets.
Sammy stopped to focus; did she hear him right? Why was he waiting for her?
"I didn't come down to the boardwalk...it was a weird night." she paused, and she noticed that he was watching her with introspective eyes and a charming cheshire grin. Taking a moment to distract herself from goggling over him, she continued. "But trust me, I would have much rather been here last night."
There was a light in his eyes, and he was locked on to her. Moving in closer, he bumped her shoulder and ran a hand through his hair. Was he nervous? There was no way.
"You know, my friends and I were waiting in line for Guidachellis earlier, but that line was brutal. They were booked about an hour out by the time we got there, so we bailed. Not even their garlic bread was worth the wait, and you know what? It was one hell of a coincidence that you were in there. We can't keep running into each other like this." He shook his head; he sounded like an idiot.
"I'm rambling." He admitted.
"Don't sweat it." She grinned. Was she making him nervous? Was she nervous? Sammy cocked her head to the side as carefully as she could, checking to see if Lucy was watching. "What are you hanging around here for? Don't you have friends to get back to?" She sloppily grinned, catching his eyes again.
Marko's demeanor had changed with her words, and his shy smile turned into as sly grin. His pupils grew and he leaned down, cupping her cheek. She could feel his breath on her neck and he paused for a moment, but then responded with intention.
"Maybe I wanted to see you tonight instead." He whispered, and Sammy sucked in a breath she had been holding. "Maybe," he hesitated, "Maybe I haven't been able to stop thinking about you."
Marko leaned in close once more, and without Sam fully realizing what he was doing, he pecked her on the cheek. She felt pin pricks all the way down into her fingers, goosebumps jumped up and nipped at her skin, and she was frozen to the spot. What did he do to her? Her skin was on fire, and his hot breath on her skin was overwhelming. She grabbed his hand unconsciously when he started to pull back, and in response he squeezed it back in reassurance.
"I don't know what you've done to me." he whispered, the words almost lost to the breeze. "I don't think it's coincidence we keep running into each other." Marko tucked a piece of Sam's hair behind her ear, pulling away ever so slowly. He exhaled, biting his lip slightly, and his eyes fell back to her. Her heart was beating so quickly, and Sam thought this was another one of her dreams. She squeezed his hand again to be sure; it was him. Marko was really there.
"Marko -" she started, and watched as his eyes captured her. Her body was electric, and her other hand drifted towards his shoulder, looking for stability. She didn't know how to explain what she felt, and her brain was muddled; confused with her surroundings. Sam was having trouble focusing on anything else around them; all she could see was Marko. "What's happening?"
He shook his head, a small 'I don't know' falling from his lips, but his eyes were glued to her. Sam's vision was foggy, and she held onto Marko as if to keep her from floating away.
"I'd like to see you." he admitted, pulling an arm around her to keep her close. It was as if he also didn't want her to float away. Taking in his words, Sammy couldn't help but smile back up at him. She was absolutely beaming.
"I'd like that." She agreed. "Here, give me a moment."
Without another word, Sam pulled out of his grasp and walked back around to her car, watching as Lucy raised a brow. Sammy shook her head, holding back a shit eating grin, and looked back to see Marko watching her with hawk eyes; his gaze ever steady. Sammy opened the passenger door and popped open the glove box. After a moment of digging around she pulled out a pen, and one of the napkins from the pizzeria. She scribbled on the napkin, and proud of her work she padded back over to him, leaned in, and handed it over to him.
"I'll call you." He grinned down at her, not even looking at the paper, and kissed the top of her hand in praise. The twinkle in his eyes was confident, and his boyish charm was all too much for Sam to think about.
"It's a date." Sam purred, much to her own surprise. He squeezed her hand again before turning and walking back towards the crowd, his gaze lingering on her for a moment longer.
"And hey, Paul is looking for you!" Sam called out, remembering her run in earlier, and Marko shook his head with a smirk.
"I know." He winked, and walked back through the sea of cars. She turned backs towards the car a moment later, covering her blush with her hands. With her hand on the car door, a wisp of air brushed past her out of the blue, and she steadied herself the breeze.
Goodnight beautiful.
Sam turned in a hurry to follow the voice, but Marko was gone. There was no one there.