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VI

Morning came, bringing with it the smell of coffee and cocoa. Angel mumbled something in her sleep and then sat up and gasped when she saw someone busy at work in her kitchen.
"Jaden!" she exclaimed.
"Hey!" he smiled, turning around and waving. "Sorry to surprise you, but I honestly didn't think you were here. I thought you went out early. Happy Saturday!"
"Jay, Rachel was killed last night!" Angel shouted, jumping out of her bed and seeing that she was still in her clothes from the previous night.
"I know," Jaden said softly. "And from what I heard, you were there. That's why I'm here. I wanted to make you something for breakfast and then take you out for the day. The funeral's tomorrow, and I want you to be comforted until then."
"Jay, what would I do without you?" Angel smiled, moving towards him and giving him a small hug. "You always know how to take care of me."
"You may want to get cleaned up. I have some good plans for the day," Jaden smiled, noticing the blood on her shirt and skirt.
"What are we going to do?" Angel asked, headed towards her dresser to get some new clothes.
"A brief optometrist appointment, an afternoon in Central Park, and a night in Broadway," Jaden grinned. "Sound good to you?"
"It sounds wonderful," Angel nodded, and then rushed into her bathroom.
The feeling of hot water coursing against her body comforted her like nothing else could. She had time to think, time to pray, and she could almost feel all the coldness and blood from last night dripping off her with the soothing water. She was no longer afraid from last night, but she was puzzled over what had happened. Had she simply fainted? What had happened that she awoke this morning to find herself in bed, still in her clothes from the previous night? She couldn't remember anything after Ghost spoke to her.
Once she was finished showering, Angel got into her new clothes for the day, a simple deep blue dress, good for walking around in and staying warm. She dried her hair with her towel, to the best of her ability, and then went into her small dining area to find eggs, bacon, and toast already waiting on the table.
"Your chair, madam," Jaden grinned, bowing deeply and pulling her chair out for her.
Jaden did everything he could to occupy Angel's mind, knowing that, were she given a moment to think, she would panic or be miserable over Rachel's death. Angel did a splendid acting job, pretending that she wasn't at all thinking of Rachel, but of course her mind was on her deceased friend and her murderer.
The optometrist was ready for Jaden when he arrived at the office with Angel a short while later. Jaden was immediately ushered into a room, where he brought Angel, and then the doctor began his examination. Jaden winced fiercely when a light was shined in his eyes, and he had trouble with the eye drops, but he took it all like a pro, and finally, twenty minutes later, he sat back and waited for the doctor's verdict.
"Well," the doctor said slowly, sitting down next to Jaden. "I'm afraid your blindness is coming on a whole lot faster than expected."
"What do you mean?" Angel asked worriedly.
"I can only see shadows now," Jaden said calmly. "We knew this was coming. Just not so soon."
"But there has to be some way to correct it!" Angel gasped. "It's nearly impossible for someone to go blind now! What with all the technology we have!"
"Sometimes things happen, Angel," Jaden said quietly. "It'll be all right."
Angel bit her lip and stayed quiet, though her heart was bleeding. He couldn't see. Jaden, her best friend, couldn't see. When she needed his sight and know-how the most, he couldn't see.
She remained silent as they left the office and then made their way leisurely through Central Park. Angel gazed at her friend's handsome features as they walked, noting the way the sun hit the red highlights in his golden hair, making them glisten, sparkling like a crown. His fine nose always entranced her, his high cheekbones, his desirous lips, and his beautiful eyes, those eyes that could no longer see.
"Angel, I'm fine," Jaden said easily. "I know you have trouble believing that, since I'm going blind, but I assure you, I'll be okay."
She nodded, gulping back a cry as she did so. He then stopped and turned abruptly, putting his hands on her shoulders and making her stop.
"Shh…" he said comfortingly, putting his thumbs to her cheeks. "Don't cry for me."
"But it's so unfair!" Angel sniffed, bowing her head as the tears coursed down. "I need you to see for me, Jay, to let me know what you think about things, to watch out for me."
"And I still will. I always will," he assured her gently. "As far as I'm concerned, you're my girl."
"Yours and Ghost's both," she cried, trying to smile through her tears. "I must just be drop dead gorgeous."
He didn't answer, but she looked up to see his eyes gazing down steadily into her face, seeing her, but just barely. His hazel eyes pierced into her very soul, and for the first time since meeting him, Angel felt shy. She didn't know how to respond to him. Was she really as exposed as he made her feel?
"You're terrified that you'll yield to that vampire," Jaden said slowly when he finally spoke again. "You don't think you'll be able to stand against him."
"Not with how close he gets," Angel trembled, shaking her head. "Just his closeness seems to make me freeze."
"It's how many creatures stalk their prey," Jaden said, taking her arm in his and beginning to walk again. "They hypnotize them and then go in for the kill. Before the victim knows what has happened, they're dead."
"I don't want to be one of the victims," Angel whispered. "And I'm so afraid I'll end up that way."
"For right now, don't worry about it," Jaden said, stopping at a hot dog stand. "I know we just ate, but hot dog before the play?"
"How can you put up with me?" Angel asked, watching him point out his choice of toppings to the vendor. "I'm such a pain."
"No you aren't," Jaden smiled. "You're a beautiful, intellectual girl who has more than her share of difficulty, like every human does, including me. Now, for this afternoon, I want you to enjoy yourself. No more talk about vampires or blindness. We're going to see a play, and then we're going to get back home just in time to make dinner for your guests. I'll be with you the entire time. You'll be fine."
He handed her a hot dog and then grinned.
"Let me see that smile, Angel."
Angel smiled weakly, and he shook his head, laughing.
"That was a fake one. I want a real one. One of your glowing, gorgeous smiles."
"How can you tell when I'm smiling?" Angel asked, tears glistening in her eyes.
"I can hear it in your voice."
"But I didn't just tell you anything."
"Listen, I've known you long enough to know when you're smiling or not," Jaden grinned, resting his elbow on her shoulder. "Come on."
She smiled then, for his sake, and he put his fingertips on her lips and nodded.
"There it is. I didn't think you'd have a true smile that first time."
"That was cheating!" Angel laughed, elbowing him gently in the stomach.
"But it worked. I have a song for you. It's such a beautiful day, we need a song," Jaden grinned, leading her towards Broadway.
"A song?" Angel chuckled, watching him start high stepping, like some show horse.
"Sure. Here it goes.

Come walking with me, I want you to see our Main Street.
You'll know the whole town, by just walking down our Main Street.
There's the corner where the boys hang out…"

He waved his hand towards one of the streets for emphasis.

"…As each girl goes by they rate her.
Whistle, and try to date her, later.
Baby are you going steady?

And then we can stop, and chat with a cop on Main Street.
He made an arrest, way back in 1903.
He'll ask me who is the pretty stranger.
How proud I'm gonna be
When you walk down Main Street with me."*

To Angel's surprise, he downed the rest of his hot dog, took her hands in his, and then began to waltz. She couldn't stop laughing as they waltzed, she clumsily and he elegantly, people watching them, grinning.
They danced and skipped about, like young children, until they got to the theater Jaden wanted.
"The Majestic" where "The Phantom of the Opera" played.
"Jaden!" Angel gasped, turning to look up at him. "You didn't…"
"I know you love the Phantom," Jaden sighed, running his fingers through his hair. "I guess it's his voice the chicks dig. I'll never know. I know he's a bit dark, and you've been having to deal with a whole bunch of that lately, but I thought you'd enjoy it."
"So long as you don't mention Ghost's name at all during the show, I'll be great. Thank you so much!" Angel exclaimed as he opened the theater door for her.
"You're welcome," he smiled, and then followed her into the theater.

Angel was in a much better mood that night when she finished cooking the burgers for dinner and put them out on her kitchen table in her studio. Forrest and Jaden were there, frying up some French fries, as Angel didn't quite know how to do those to her satisfaction. Not that the vampires would be eating any of the fries, but still…
Angel hummed and did a little dance as she set out the last platter of burgers, and then she pirouetted and moved towards the door when she heard a knock.
She opened the door, and her gaiety somewhat vanquished when she saw the vampires standing there, waiting.
"Well, someone looks flushed. Happy to see me?" Dorian asked, stepping into the studio.
Whisper, right behind Dorian, immediately saw where Angel's eyes were looking. She was gazing at his neck and the swollen, pussy marks that were there. Quickly, he flipped his collar up, trying to hide the marks, but the damage had already been done.
Rachel locked in death's embrace. Blood pooling from her ashen skin. The vampire with the dark eyes. Whisper pressing his mouth to Rachel, trying, supposedly, to revive her. The young actress dying in Angel's arms…
"We made burgers tonight. Hope you don't mind," Jaden said, putting his hand on Angel's shoulder and turning her towards the kitchen.
"I want to hear who killed Rachel," Angel spoke firmly, gesturing to the food. "Help yourselves."
"Whisper and Ghost would know who that was better than anyone else," Bartholomew said easily, putting several of the burgers on his plate.
"How would Ghost know?" Angel demanded.
"Ghost knows just about everything," Christopher shrugged.
"It would be best for all of you humans if you never knew who it was," Whisper said easily. "I have no intentions of telling you."
"Can you at least tell me what happened?" Angel exclaimed, exasperated.
"It's all quite simple," Whisper said, taking a bite of his burger. "Your friend Rachel was getting drunk in that club, and she was flirting incessantly with our vampire friend, whom, by the way, she'd been seeing for over a month, but never spoke to. His inviting presence, as well as her drunkenness, led to what you saw happening in the back alley. He had been trying to take advantage of her for months, and he succeeded. I tried to intervene, but this particular vampire has…"
He stopped for a moment, trying to think.
"Powerful allies," Adrian said for him.
"Exactly," Whisper nodded. "For my efforts, I got hurt and your friend was killed. It's all very simple."
"You had been watching him for months, and you never stopped him then?" Forrest asked, a frown on his face.
"There are darker forces than just what you have seen. You've seen nothing yet, Angel," Dorian said darkly. "The absence of light you've seen, the violence, is nothing compared to what there truly is. And contrary to human beliefs, yes, vampires do have enemies amongst themselves. Unfortunately, they rarely die."
"How great are your enemies?" Jaden asked quietly.
"You saw that bite on Whisper's neck. You decide for yourself," Baron shrugged.
"I didn't see it," Jaden said gently.
"I beg your pardon?" Drake snorted.
"He's blind," Angel said sadly.
"Oh. Thank God that you are. You don't need to see all the happenings now," Bartholomew spoke.
"We hear you and Ghost had an encounter last night," Whisper said, sitting back easily, his food already gone.
"What?" Forrest snapped.
"Angel?" Jaden exclaimed.
"Your wording is horrendous," Angel said, surprised by her friends' immediate concern. "We didn't do anything. You know I went after Ghost," she said, gesturing to Jaden. "I did see him, yes."
"Got rather close, too," Dorian chuckled.
"Stop it!" Angel snapped. "Nothing happened!"
"You just fainted dead into his arms," Christopher nodded, tapping his fingers against the table.
"Where is he, anyway?" Angel asked.
"Why? You want to see him?" Bartholomew asked, an eyebrow arched.
"Argh! Just stop it!" she exclaimed. "I want to know what he's going to do about Rachel!"
"Nothing," Whisper shrugged. "What can he do? Bring her back from the dead? Unfortunately, though he has a great deal of power, he can't do that. And you really don't want to see him right now."
"What do you mean?" Angel frowned.
"He was rather tempted by you last night," Baron said with a shrug. "There are certain needs a vampire has, and he was half tempted to take care of those needs."
"Are you men finished eating?" Forrest asked.
"Of course," Christopher nodded.
"Great. You can leave now."
"My, my. One would almost think you didn't appreciate our company," Adrian chuckled and then led the others out of the studio.
Jaden closed the door behind them, and then both men went to Angel and began to question her.
"What happened last night?"
"Were you and Ghost alone?"
"Did he hurt you?"
"Stop it!" Angel hissed. "I'm fine! If I weren't fine, I wouldn't be here! And I'm an adult, must I remind you? I've been dealing with these vampires for quite awhile, and so far I've been quite safe! The only harm he did was hitting me over the head, but at the time, it was the nicest thing anyone could have done for me. He knocked me senseless so I'd stop worrying about Rachel."
"And what did he do after that?" Jaden demanded.
"I don't know, but he didn't hurt me," Angel sighed.
"And you know this how?" Forrest questioned.
"Because I'm alive, and aside from a bruise on my head, I'm perfectly fine. I was fully clothed when I woke up this morning with no indication that he had done anything. I think he just brought me to the studio and put me in my bed, then left me to myself."
Jaden and Forrest exchanged worried glances, and then both sighed.
"Okay, Angel," Forrest said. "I'm going to beg you to stay away from that vampire. He's the leader, you'll recall."
"How could I forget?" Angel yawned. "Look, I need to get some sleep before the funeral tomorrow. Please, let me alone. I'll be fine. Jay, thank you so much for the wonderful day. I had a great time. And both of you stop worrying! I'll be fine."

* "Main Street" – Gene Kelly