A quick glare from Ken shuts Chris up, though the pain filled grin remains. He turns to the girl, speaking firmly as she curls up away from them all. “He did not mean it that way.” Shooting another warning glare at Chris he continues “What’s your name girl?”

“My name old man is Katherine Turow,” gritting her teeth, her eyes flaring with anger, she pushes forwards for a moment before she catches sight of her own blood stained hands. She blinks for a few moments, shrinking into herself again, whispering “What… what was that?”

And in this small van, there is no question on what that was. There is a moment of silence as the others, all but Richard who stares into thin air, look to Mark’s. His worn face does not flinch from the task, his tone crisp and businesslike as he explains “A demon. A vampire to be exact. It was going to kill you and drink your blood. Or the other way round. We stopped it.”

For a time, she stays quiet, her eyes growing haunted before she mutters quietly, half-disbelieving. Not wishing to believe, not daring to, her voice grows firmer as she speaks “Impossible. Vampires… vampires don’t exist.”

A snort from Chris, one that he quickly regrets as pain shoots through him. He falls silent, as Ken just levels a gray eyed stare at her. She meets his gaze for a short time before casting her own eyes down, shivering before whispering “It can’t be true.”

Voice harsh and broken, pain filled Richard snarls out “Of occurs enot. And it didn’t just kill Lex. Didn’t just rip his throat out and spit on his grave. Didn’t fucking use his fangs and…” breaks off, stifling a sob as his hands shake at his side with suppressed anger.

Reaching out gently, Lavelle places his hand on Richard’s shaking shoulders, murmuring gently into his ear. A single thrust by Richard shakes the hand off, yet it returns and after a time, he stops trying to shake it off, instead listening to the murmured voice.

Ken stares at the two for a time before turning back to Katherine, her face still holding the vestiges of the pain that Richards words drew. After a time, she regains control, but stays silent. Unwilling to break any further news to them all, Ken turns from them to stare into the darkness of the silent van.

Later that night, Freeman and Marks stand in the kitchen of their rented suburban house. Glasses in hand, they whisper to one another, flicking glances upwards to, what was until recently, Lex’s room.

“She’s got spirit.”

“She’s untrained.”

“Lex’s dead. Sarah died two months ago. And before that Mitch got hurt so bad he ain’t coming out of the hospital. We need people.”

“She’ll slow us down. And he’s so near.” A hand clenches around the glass, before it relaxes with an expelled breath “So near…”

“We can train her as we move. If she agrees.”

“If she doesn’t…”

A light goes off in the hallway above, and the two fall silent as footsteps come down the stairs. A parting glance is exchanged between the two before they head for their own beds.

Afternoon light filters through the curtains before Katherine stumbles down the stairs. Hiding a tired yawn behind the back of her hand, she limps into the kitchen, wondering where the aches and bruises came from. I didn’t get hurt last night… did I?

Lavelle smiles slightly at her as she comes in, moving around the kitchen to push a plate of eggs, bacon, sausages and toast in front of her. With a gesture to the fridge and a mention of milk and coke inside, he moves aside to continue his cooking. From opposite the plate, Marks flicks a glance up at her before returning to his food. Richard does not even do that much, continuing to play with his food.

Cheerful group aren’t they. Pouring herself some coke, she sits down and begins to eat, a murmured greeting from Freeman as he enters raising her head. She smiles slightly at the older man, his face and mannerisms somehow reminding her of an old uncle. Taking a seat to the side, he nods his thanks to Lavelle before lighting up.

“Those will kill you.” Reacting without thinking, she utters the warning before she shuts her mouth, the amused looks on the other three’s faces making her flush slightly. Stupid, stupid girl.

They eat in silence after that, the quiet hanging heavy on them all. In the end, it is she who speaks once more “What happens now? To me? Am I… am I free to go?”

“Yes.” Marks looks up to her, staring at her form before continuing slowly, placing his fork down “But, if you do, you won’t likely last long. They’ll… find you. Hunt you down. Kill you to hide their secret. Or worst.”

“What could be worst than death?” Dreading the answer, yet unable to help but ask it.

“The monsters… they have a way of binding you. Destroying your mind, your soul. You become their slave.” Frowning, Mark stares at his hand before he continues, slowly “We don’t know how it works, but keep their slaves from their masters long enough, and they become gibbering pieces of shit. I think… we think… they need the proximity.”

“Oh.” She stays silent for a time, digesting this piece of information and its implications on her and her life. “What then am I to do?”

“You can join us. Fight these things that took away your life. Make sure they don’t do the same to another.” Mark’s continues to speak, even as Richard raises his head. His lips thin, though he stays silent as Ken continues “Or at least, stay with us for a while. We can help you relocate to a safer place.”

Her lips part for a moment, the churning chaos that is her mind offered one last glimpse of hope. She nods dumbly, whispering “Safer?”

“The world isn’t as safe as it was last night. It never was.” Lavelle speaks softly, his voice trying for comforting and half-succeeding. “It’s just that you never knew about it. Now you do. And it knows about you.”

She offers him a bleak smile, gratitude at the little kindnest flowing through her before she looks down once more, her eyes half-shutting. For atime, she keeps it closed before she whispers “How many of them are there?”

“We don’t know. We normally find… two or three every city. At least, we did. Further south we come, the more there seem to be. And the nastier.”

“Must be the sun.” Chuckling Freeman drags on his stick one last time before stubbing it out, letting the smoke trickle from his mouth slowly.

A quick glare quells what little humour springs from Freeman before Marks continues, his voice low “I won’t lie to you. It’s not an easy life. But… you can’t go back to what you were. I’ve seen others try. Most end up dead or living a half-life. So scared of the monsters that the monsters win in the end.”

She nods dumbly, understanding that fear. Even here, in the sunlight, amongst others, she can feel the icy daggers stab into her heart, the smallest sound making her start. Some of it, she believes is shock. Some of it. “I… I need some time.”

“Of course.” Marks gestures to the others, and slowly they filter out, leaving her to her thoughts. Thoughts that turn around endlessly within her mind.

“Where do I sign up?” Clad in a pair of borrowed jeans and a white t-shirt, she stands outside the small house, watching the guys pack the van. Cans of paint continue to be packed, even as Ken looks up to see her come out. He nods slightly, heaving another can inside as he answers her.

“You sure about this?”

“For now. Where are you going?”

“Nowhere for now. Richard. Get Lavelle. Go with her. Normal procedure. Yesterday.”

Placing aside the piece of wood he was sharpening, Richard stands, moving to take Katherine by the arm as he leads her inside. “Come on. We’re going to withdraw your money.”

“What…? Why?”

“I’ll explain on the way.” Tilting his head upwards, he shouts up the stairs for Lavelle as he picks up a set of keys.

Midnight. Rubbing bleary eyes, she squints at the two others in the car as they head out from the city. She hides a quick yawn, the drone of the radio pressing against her senses. She curls up slightly more, too tired to glare at the two uninformative, unrepentant idiots in front of her.

“… the blaze on Pier and 42nd Street that injured 15 and killed four is believed to be arson. Police Chief Charles Landell in an interview said…”

Yawning again, she curls up further on the backseat, tugging the coat up to her chin. I wonder why we had to leave so fast.