He stood looking at the final remnants of the storm that’d hit the city. He could smell it in the air; another was coming. Maybe another day of downpours and dark clouds. He didn’t mind so much because it meant he’d be able to watch the day unfold without fear of the sun affecting him.

Sanders stood on the balcony as Tanya rolled over in bed. The cemetery had been a lousy hit for them. And although vlad numbers were on the rise, they still lost a good twenty. He shook his head and crossed his fingers tightly behind his back, praying that Megan had the information about where to find the shaman. If that wasn’t found, he’d have to think again of how to keep tabs on the crew at the motel. They were indeed, very smart, and they must have a leader.

Someone’s holding them together.

Sanders pondered on that thought as Tanya called him to go back to bed. She was hungry, and not for a feed. Her body was in a state of wanting. And although old, Sanders had pleasured her to insurmountable heights.

He walked back into his motel room and closed the balcony doors. He left the thick curtains open, so he was able to watch the moon as it slowly passed into what was supposed to be daylight. His robe slipped from his shoulders as Tanya cooed on the bed.

“Mmm, I see you’ve gained power and prowess from the moonlight, Master.”

Sanders was aroused, although not all of it was from the moon or Tanya’s naked body that rested on the top of the bed. He had constant thoughts of what would be. How he could have who he pleased, whenever and wherever.

He sat on the edge of the bed. Tanya’s hand rested on his shoulder. He began to lift his legs as the cell phone vibrated at the side of him. He picked up the cell and saw Megan had texted.

Megan: Master, I have news

Sanders: Well done, my child

Megan: Meet me in twenty minutes, they are all sleeping

Sanders: Where?

Megan: Down by the river

Sanders: See you there

He placed the phone back on the side table and stood.

“Was that Megan?” Tanya asked. She was sitting and brushing her long hair over her shoulder. The bedsheet which covered her body now slid down her soft skin as she watched Sanders walk to the closet.

“It was. I have to go out.”

“Master, do you want me to come with you?”

“Tanya, I’m fine.”

“What happens if you are attacked, or something like that,” she asked.

Sanders turned and smiled as he slipped into his black silk shirt and slowly popped the ebony buttons through the holes, one by one. “What can possibly threaten me in the darkness?” he replied. “I am the darkness. The shadows embrace me as if they are mine. Creatures of the night look up and worship me. The darkness in the world is of my doing.”

Tanya rested on the pillows as Sanders finished dressing. He picked up the cell and the keys. He slipped them into his pocket and walked to the balcony. He pulled open the door. He turned and smiled.

“I’ll be back soon. Wait for me.” With that comment, he placed one hand on the damp steel of the balcony railing and leaped into the darkness.

Tanya slipped from the bed and walked into the closet. She pulled out a black sweatshirt, jeans, and boots. It wasn’t concern she felt for Sanders, at least, not all of it. As he’d said, the darkness was his to own, and that he did, very well. The thoughts that passed through Tanya’s mind consisted of a different color, they were tainted with green. She was a little envious of Megan. She messaged, and he responded in a flash.

She’s his fucking favorite. I know it.

Tanya pulled the balcony door closed behind her and looked into the street below. She called on her vlad as she stepped from the balcony. She crouched as her feet hit the narrow street. The golden glow in her eyes shone as her tight lips grimaced. Tanya sprinted toward the river. She wanted to see what happened with Megan and Sanders.

Tanya’s boots hit puddles, and water splashed on parked cars and store windows. Sanders was fast on his feet, and she needed to run as fast as she could to keep him within distance. Another two or three blocks and she’d slow, then stick to the shadows. The area by the river was wide open, and she wasn’t sure of where she could hide with a good vantage point.

She looked at the sky. It seemed that Sanders was right. Another storm was coming, and it looked like it’d hit before they got back to the motel. That could help her. It would mask her scent and any noise that she might make. Tanya’s chest burned with a fiery breath as she slowed. The sound of her footsteps fell silent. The asphalt of the street stopped, and the area close to the river turned to old cobblestones. Her boots slipped against the curves of the stones as she steadied herself on the cast iron bollards that ran along the edge of the river walkway.

Tanya peered into the night, toward the river. Sanders walked along the path between the grasses. The silhouette of Megan was leaning on the railings. The occasional flash of a buoy’s light could be seen as it bobbed in the river.

She looked around for a place she could watch from. Tanya saw a traveling carnival that’d been set up by the river. The dull colors and mirrors of the carousel enticed her. She crept along the wall and ran over the path to where the wooden horses sat resting on golden-colored poles. She lifted her foot and walked between the horses. A large black one covered her from view. Her icy cold fingers wrapped in its mane as she peered toward the end of the jetty. There, Sanders stood with Megan.

Tanya smelled the air. Through the old wood and the musty smell of the horse’s mane, she could smell Megan, and she smelled of stale sex.

Tanya looked over her shoulder. A large faded mirror sat in the center of the carousel. Her golden eyes peered back at her own reflection.

Jesus, what the hell are you doing?

Gabriel woke and rolled over in bed. His arm hit the empty space where Megan should be. He looked over to the bathroom. The light was out. He sat up and called as he looked around the quiet motel room. Slithers of moonlight fell through the glass doors.

Where the fuck has she gone?

He swung his legs to the floor and pulled on jogging bottoms and a t-shirt. He stepped into the hallway and walked to the staircase. His bare feet were padded against the old oak floorboards. The motel was perfectly silent, although a light was on downstairs.

“Megan,” he called, toward the light. No answer.

He walked through the wooden archway and saw the doors open to the rear pool. Dustin sat sipping on a mug of cocoa.

“Couldn’t sleep?” Gabriel asked.

“Nah! I was looking at this key the guardian gave to me.”

He handed the bundle (of small bones which was tied, with what appeared to be human hair) to Gabriel. He turned it over in his fingers.

“I’ve got to say, it was pretty sly not telling me what you were doing.”

Dustin smiled. He knew that. “I know, but things have a tendency to be found out by the vlads, and low and behold, they found out again,” Dustin explained. “I’m not sure how they find out what we’re doing every time.”

“Well, it beats me. It’s not like there’s a lot of us. There’s only Kelvin, Megan, Maria, and us.”

“How well do you know Megan?”

“We go way back. Almost back to the start of it all. I know she can be a little on the mouthy side, but she did kill Kat who was a vlad.”

Dustin shook his head. He found it hard to comprehend that vlads might; just might, be able to read minds. It was hard enough to believe they even existed. He stood from the table. He asked Gabriel if he wanted cocoa. Gabriel replied that he would as Dustin began heading back toward the kitchen.

“What are you doing up, anyway?”

Perhaps now isn’t the best time to say Megan has gone missing?

“I had a bad dream and wanted to clear my head.”

Dustin vanished inside. Gabriel considered the fact he’d have to question Megan. She was prone to becoming a little on the defensive side, so words needed to be chosen carefully. When she got back from wherever she was.

Dustin arrived with two mugs of steaming hot cocoa. They sat in silence as they sipped. Suddenly, a noise came from the other side of the pool. Dustin cocked his ear to listen. A shadow appeared under the pergola and walked toward the motel.

“What’s that?” Gabriel whispered. His heart raced as he thought that the vlads might’ve found the motel.

“Nothing to worry about, that’s what that is.” Dustin giggled.

Maria stepped from the shadows with her jacket and her boots in her hands. She walked toward the table and slipped into the vacant chair.

“Oh boy!” she muttered.

“What’s wrong, got lost along the way home?” Dustin asked, with a hint of sarcasm.

Maria frowned. It was bad enough him knowing that she’d visited Willy’s bed in the woods, but to make fun of her in front of Gabriel was pushing it a bit too far.

“What are you two doing up, anyway?” Maria asked as she ran her fingers through her unkempt hair, trying to make herself appear a little more presentable.

“Gabriel had a…” A large roar came from the hut that was buried in the trees at the bottom of the garden. “A bad dream,” Dustin said as he stared at the trees. “I was thinking of our next move.”

“What’s our next move?” Maria asked.

“Well, I need to hide this key; for one,” he said as he picked up the bundle of bones and slipped it into his pocket. “Then, I must find the location that LeBron told me about, God rest his soul.”

“Do you want us to help?”

“Not this time. I’m concerned the vlads know too much. If I keep it to myself then I know there won’t be a leak.”

“You can’t go walking around on your own.” Maria turned as Willy appeared. The button of his pants was unfastened and his shirt thrown over his shoulder. He looked surprised as the three figures sat at the table and stared at him.

“Oh!”

Dustin smirked from behind the lip of his mug. “Rough night?”

Willy grinned as if he’d notched up another victory under his belt. Although, he knew he was Maria’s victory.

“I’ve been running with the pack, so to speak.”

All eyes turned to Maria as she reached out to Dustin. “Give me a sip of that damned cocoa, will you.” She bowed her head and diverted her eyes away from everyone.

“I see nearly everyone’s awake. Only the kid and Megan, then we’ve got a full crew.”

To that response, Kelvin walked through the doors, still half asleep. “You lot make a lot of noise, you know. It’s enough to wake the dead.”

“Only Megan then,” Willy said, trying to flatten his hair.

“I’ve seen her clothes. I think she’s in the other pool having a midnight swim.”

Gabriel huffed to himself. He hadn’t considered she might’ve gone for a swim at three in the morning. How stupid of him, that was.

“We kicked some serious ass, though,” Kelvin remarked as he peered into Gabriel's mug to see if there was any cocoa left.

“We did, but the main guardians died in the process. Not all ends as well as expected.”

“With all this voodoo crap, I’m sure they can do something. You don’t think they’d let him die and that’d be the end of it, do you?”

“Get real; you don’t think they can bring him back to life?” Maria asked as she slid the mug back to Dustin. She felt happier that the conversation had been diverted away from her.

“Who knows? We’ve seen some weird shit so far, and I feel that’s only the start of it all.”

Dustin frowned as Maria drank all his cocoa. He placed the empty cup back onto the table. “I agree with that.”

Maria stood and grabbed her jacket and her boots. “I’m hitting the shower and then grabbing a few hours shut-eye.” She walked to the door. Without looking, she said, “And no, Willy, I don’t need you to join me.”

“Who said I was going to ask?”

Dustin laughed. “That’s one thing you’ll have to learn about Maria. Once is never enough.”

Willy huffed, comically. “Bah! I can resist. No problem at all,” he added, and his eyes fell to the doorway. “Maria!” He needed her. “Maria, hold up a second, will you.”

“I’ll take you to the dark where you can feel my loving spark.”