HOME | DD

Description
II

Angel gasped as Target swerved steeply again, nearly dislodging her.

"Forrest!" she shouted, clinging to him as tightly as possible. "Haven't I mentioned to you that I haven't ridden before?"

"And you're hanging on perfectly," Forrest grinned. "I know this trot is kind of bouncy, so we're going to speed it up a bit."

"Forrest! I'm going to fall off!" Angel wailed.

"Just keep holding on and you'll be fine!"

Angel bit her lip viciously as Target broke into a smooth, fast canter. She squeezed her eyes shut as he just missed another tree and then charged across the moonlit path in Central Park. Forrest's communications' devices were making all sorts of noises from his pocket, and she could hear police reports coming in over them. They were closing in on the vampires, even though she hadn't seen a single one of them yet.

"Shadow, 9:00!" One of the other policemen called, and Forrest immediately turned Target onto an open grass area where several benches were located.

"Got him!" he called, and Angel's eyes widened when she saw a shadow rushing ahead of them, leaping over a bench and charging towards the woods.

"He's headed for the bridge!" Forrest called to the others, and the horses immediately began to gallop, Angel holding on for dear life. "Angel, we're going over a jump!" Forrest told her, leaning low over Target's withers.

"You might be, but I'm going to fall off!" Angel shouted.

"We're closing in on them, Angel! Only a few yards more and we should be at that bridge!"
"And they'll go right through it and ambush us on the other side!" Angel yelled as Target flew over one of the benches and then landed on the other side. She yelped as her body began to slip off the horse, but Forrest reached back and pulled her back up.

"The bridge is closed!" Forrest said.

"They know what we want! Forrest, they're always at least one step ahead of us! This is a bad idea!" Angel shivered, clinging to him.

Forrest didn't answer, but Target suddenly came to a sliding stop, and Angel struggled with all her worth to stay on the horse's back.

"That was a nightmare!" she declared, and then closed her mouth when she saw seven shadows standing in front of the closed bridge, all looking ready for battle.

All the horses stopped in a row, blocking the vampires from the pathway.

"You can either come peaceably or violently, whichever you choose," Forrest's chief officer, Cpt. Rayson, demanded. "We want all of you off the streets of New York and behind bars where you belong."

The vampires didn't speak, but braced themselves, standing tall and strong, their fists at their sides and their cloaks billowing about them in the breeze. All of them were tall, powerful men, Angel could tell, and she cuddled up closer to Forrest, nearly hiding her face in the back of his shoulder.

"We're giving you an opportunity to prove yourselves valuable enough for us to spare your lives," Cpt. Rayson said, drawing his gun.

"If you wanted us to come peaceably," one of the vampires hissed, his voice dark and threatening, "Then you wouldn't have brought the woman with the light."

"Does she make you uncomfortable?" Forrest asked, urging Target to take a few steps closer to the shadows.

"Forrest, don't," Angel pleaded, the horse shivering nervously beneath her.

"Yes, she makes us uncomfortable," the vampire growled, crouching low. "If you wish to have a tranquil conversation with us without bloodshed, then get her out of here."

"And where would you have us put her? She's our security," Cpt. Rayson grinned. "Imagine, powerful beings like you afraid of a little light. What are you scared of? Are you so hideous to look at that the light is a threat?"

"Silence!" the vampire roared, and Target began to prance in place nervously, sensing that something dangerous was about to happen.

"No!" Cpt. Rayson barked back. "Surrender, or we will kill you!"

"We may just kill you before you get a chance!" the vampire snarled, and then all seven men surged at the horses with speed that was impossible for normal humans.

Two of the horses reared as the vampires grabbed their riders and pulled them to the ground, beginning to plummet them until they were bloody. Angel screamed as the speaker of the group lunged at Forrest, grabbed him by the neck, and then ripped him off Target's back. Target reared and then bucked, dislodging Angel and making her fall hard to the ground.

These horses had been trained for anything, but they still had their predator vs. prey instincts, and right now all of them knew that the predators were out, making the animals terrorized. Seven of the horses fled, leaving their riders to their fates.

Angel was stunned by the fall, and she could barely think as one of the vampires suddenly dropped down next to her and grabbed hold of her throat.

"Let me go!" she wheezed, trying to breathe as the vampire pulled her up into a sitting position, making her long hair fall out of its bun and drape wildly down her back.

"You were warned," the vampire hissed, his eyes piercing into hers. "You didn't heed the warning."

"Don't hurt me!" Angel panicked, looking over to Forrest for help, but he was far too involved in a tangle with one of the men for him to see that she needed help.

"You'd be absolutely heavenly to hurt," the vampire hissed, moving one icy hand to the back of her neck and the other to her wrists, holding her tightly.

Angel squirmed and fought as he lowered his mouth towards her throat, and just before he was able to touch her, she screamed.

"Stop! I came here to make a bargain!"

"I beg your pardon?" the vampire smirked, his eyes glistening into hers.

"I want to speak to your leader. I know you have one. He's always up on the rooftops, watching us. My guess is he's on the bridge right now, looking down at us," Angel gasped, eyes wide with fear. "I want to talk to him, possibly about coming to an agreement."

"And what makes you think he wants to see you?" the vampire growled.

"I can discuss with him the possibility of me no longer using my light against you," Angel said hoarsely.

The man immediately released her and stood up, towering above her, a smirk on his pale face.

"He might like to see you. He just might," the man grinned, stroking his chin. "You are exceptionally attractive, and he does favor beautiful women."

"Will you let me see him, then?" Angel asked. "Please?"

"I tell you what," the man spoke, stepping back from her. "You go back to your lovely home, and I'll have his answer for you in a couple of hours. I'll bring you his reply."

He signaled to the other men, and they immediately left the police and made their way into the shadows.

"Wait!" Angel cried, cold terror gripping her heart. "You know where I live?"

There was no answer, and Angel was left in the dark, shivering and more terrified than she had ever been in her life.

Forrest escorted Angel back to her studio and then left her there, assuring her that the police were always there for her if she needed them. He had been terribly battered, and it was a miracle he and none of the others had been bitten and killed.

Angel closed and locked her door as soon as he left, her fingers trembling from fear. Her whole body was shivering, and she moved over to one of her couches and plopped down onto it. Her body was icy cold, and her breaths were unhealthy and rapid, absolutely terrorized.

"Oh God," she prayed. "I'm going to die. I'm just going to die. It's as simple as that. And I'm so scared! Oh, am I scared!"

Her hand came to rest on the phone near the couch, and her thoughts immediately turned to Jaden. He was so much braver than she, and he was always so calm. Perhaps he'd be able to help her, would have some good advice to calm her nerves.

Angel picked up the phone and then dialed his number. She caught sight of her clock as she did so, noticing that it was well past midnight. He'd be fast asleep, but she needed him now, just to hear his soothing voice.

"Hello?" Jaden spoke, sounding exhausted and sleepy.

"Jay, this is Angel. I'm sorry to call you so early in the morning, but…"

"Hey. What's wrong?" Jaden asked, immediately concerned. "You sound shaky."

"I am," Angel struggled. "I just had a really bad encounter."

"With whom? Did some man try and hurt you? What happened?" Jaden demanded, fully awake now.

"I…I think, I'm just a little shaken, I guess. It's not really anything important."

"I'm coming over."

"No! It's too late for that! You have trouble seeing in the dark!" Angel exclaimed.

"I'll be fine. I'm coming over. You sound like you just had a heart attack."

Jaden hung up the phone, and Angel shook her head and ran her fingers through her hair tiredly.

Three minutes later, there was a knock on her door, and terrorized that it was one of the vampires, she went to it and spoke.

"Who is it?"

"Jaden. Who else?" Jaden asked.

Angel let him in and then closed and locked the door behind him, gesturing for him to sit down on one of the couches. Jaden had brought his dog along with him, a German Shepherd by the name of Crimson. He was a large, red dog, and he loved Angel just as much as he loved Jaden. He greeted her with a happy yelp and then trotted over into the living area.

"Now, would you be so kind as to tell me what all this is about?" Jaden asked, studying Angel's face as she sat down across from him.

"I have someone coming over very soon, and I'm a little scared," Angel whispered.

"Someone coming over? Who? Why?" Jaden demanded, leaning forward, his eyes boring into hers.

"He…he has a message for me, that could just about kill me," Angel said, trying hard to remain composed as terror consumed her again.

"What have you been doing? How do you get into situations like this?" Jaden asked, his voice demanding and harsh.

"Why are you getting angry at me? I called you because I was scared!" Angel cried. "Jaden, I didn't want a lecture from you!"

Jaden became silent as he gazed at her, wondering why she was so troubled and she wasn't telling him anything. He couldn't think of anything helpful to say, because he had no clue what she had gotten herself into. She had been out past midnight, possibly with Forrest, and while Forrest was a good man, who knows what could have happened. Did he take her to a bar and now she had a stalker? What was she so worried about?

There was a knock on the door, and Jaden stood up to get it.

"Don't get it," Angel said quickly.

"Why not? You certainly aren't going to get it," Jaden frowned, opening the door.

He found a piece of paper taped to the door, and he pulled it off, closed the door and locked it, and then brought the paper to Angel. "This is all that was there," he said coolly. "Now would you please tell me what's going on?"

Angel gazed at the paper, reading it slowly. The letter was written in gorgeous, old-fashioned calligraphy, and it was written in scarlet ink. Her eyes widened as she read, and she shook her head when she was finished.

"Let me see that," Jaden said quietly. She handed him the paper, and he immediately began to read it, out loud.

"To Miss Angel,

I offer you my grandest and most hospitable greetings. I humbly accept your invitation to meet you. I shall see you tomorrow night, in Central Park, at midnight. I will not tell you exactly where I shall be waiting, for I fear you shall be bringing company with you, although I truly wish, for your sake and theirs, that you wouldn't. You shall have to find me. I also highly advise that you keep your light to a minimum, as I am sensitive to light and shall be in rather a sour mood if you attempt to blind me on our first meeting. I eagerly anticipate meeting the woman whose remarkable light seems to terrorize my weak companions. Until tomorrow night, I remain yours.

Your Servant,
Ghost."

"Ghost?" Jaden asked, looking up at Angel.

"Yes. The man I'm supposed to meet."

"You haven't been gambling, have you?" Jaden asked.

"No!" Angel exclaimed, standing up and pacing. "Ghost is the leader of a band of vampires I've been searching for."

"Vampires?" Jaden gasped, standing up and grabbing hold of her arms. "What do you mean?"

"I mean just what I said. I've been out chasing vampires with Forrest and the other police officers," Angel said. "I decided to meet with the leader, to see if we can come up with some sort of agreement."

"Agreement? How can you possibly agree with a vampire?"

"They've been feeding off the women in New York," Angel explained. "I have an idea that could stop them from doing that. I'm prepared to make food for them here that they can eat, so they don't need to prey off women. If this Ghost agrees with me, I'll feed them in exchange for them no longer killing off people."

"You're bringing the police of course," Jaden said, amazed.

"Ghost said not to. I'm just worried because they knew where I live. That means they're watching me."

"Did you touch that writing?" Jaden asked, studying the letter.

"I did."

"Oh sick. Angel, go wash your hands right now. With lots of soap."

"Why? What…"

Angel stopped mid-sentence and her face went ashen. "You think that's…"

She nearly hurled as she rushed over to the sink and put the water on burning hot. She lathered her hands in soap, so that she couldn't see her hands anymore, and scrubbed them until they were nearly raw.

"Oh gross! Gross! Gross! Gross!" she exclaimed. "Ooh, vampires are so sick! Why write in blood? Ugh!"

"What did you think that was?" Jaden chuckled, despite himself. "Does your dad know you've been doing this?"

"Yes," Angel nodded. "I have a gift that he knows about. I have to use it."

"Your amazing light," Jaden nodded. "Look, I know I can't stop you from going to see Ghost. But can I at least go with you?"

"No! If he's threatening the police, he'll just kill you!" Angel declared.

"I could take care of myself and you," Jaden frowned.

"Jaden, you're sweet, and I really care about you. You're my best friend. The last thing I want is for you to get hurt. This is a test, don't you see? It's a test to see if I'm afraid," Angel sighed. "If I bring security, I'm weak and my word can't be trusted."

"Or it's just a trick to get an extremely beautiful, intoxicating woman in the grasp of a vampire," Jaden scowled.

"That's the nicest thing anyone's ever said about me," Angel blushed, walking over to him. "I'll be okay. I'm just a little scared."

She hugged him, smiling as she did so.

"Thanks for being there for me, Jaden. I know I can always count on you."

"I'm leaving Crimson here with you tonight," Jaden said. "I don't trust those vampires."

"Thank you," Angel smiled and then pet Crimson's head. "I really appreciate it, Jaden."

"And please, let me know as soon as you get back tomorrow night, even if I am already asleep," Jaden said, putting his hand on her cheek. "I want you to be safe."

"I will be," Angel nodded, and then watched him leave.

She went into the bathroom and got changed, then slid into her bed. She pulled the covers up over her body and then patted the part of the bed near her feet.

"Hop on up, Crimson."

Crimson wagged his tail and then hopped up onto the edge of the bed, making the whole bed shake. He then circled a couple of times and lay down with a contented snort. Angel closed her eyes and prayed, letting herself drift into sleep as she spoke to her true Comforter and Protector.

Forrest and the other police were infuriated the next day when they saw Ghost's letter. If the vampire wanted to see Angel, then by all means, the police were going to go with her! Angel pleaded with them, doing her best to convince them that she would be okay. Finally, reluctantly, they agreed, but only after informing her that she would have all sorts of devices on her, letting them know exactly what was going on every second. And she would carry weapons, one dagger on her left upper arm, and a pistol in her left boot.

Angel spent all that day planning and praying. She was going to meet the vampire she had wanted to meet for years, the one she had been watching ever since she first started working with the police, the magnificent, powerful one who's mere presence kept his men strong and in line. Ghost.

She studied up tactics that the vampires had used in the past to lure their prey. The stories were always the same. Their voices were alluring, making women nearly fall into their arms. They were romantics, using their charm and their good looks to drag their prey in and then kill them. They usually went for women, though there were cases of them going after men, but those were times of self-defense or lack of food. Angel determined she wouldn't fall for a single one of those traps. Unlike the other women, she was well informed and she would be armed.

Jaden was extremely protective of her that day, never letting her out of his sight. He stayed close, walking with her everywhere and only leaving her to herself when she returned to her studio to prepare for the evening.

Angel dressed in something warm, black pants and a dark green shirt, making sure to cover up her necklace and arm herself with the dagger and gun beforehand. She pulled on a pair of knee-high black boots, added a long, thick black trench coat and green and red scarf to her attire, and then gazed at herself in the mirror as she pulled her hair up into a French Twist. There. She was ready.

She slipped in her earpiece that would keep her in contact with the police, and then she spent the next couple of hours reading and praying.

When the clock struck 11:40, she left the studio and made her way to the building lobby. She was startled when she heard her name being called.

"Angel! Angel wait!"

Angel turned to see Jaden running towards her, Crimson at his heels.

"I had to see you off," he said, stopping before her, breathing heavily from running. "Listen to me. Don't say a word," he said, putting his fingers to her lips. "You be careful, you understand? I want you to come back safe and with no regrets."

"Jaden, you're the best friend I have," Angel smiled gently. "I'll make it back, I promise."

He nodded, choking back words he wanted to say but just couldn't at the moment. Instead, he took her gloved hands in his and massaged her hands gently, gazing down at their entwined fingers, willing all of his words to speak in his actions. Angel glanced up into his hazel eyes, and he met her gaze from behind his thick lenses. She could see unmistakable love there, a love that she wasn't yet ready to claim as her own. He understood that, and he didn't say anything. He leaned forward and kissed her cheek gently before he pulled back, waved slightly, and smiled sadly. She gave him the best reassuring smile she could muster and then turned and raced out of the building.

It didn't take long to get to Central Park. It was extremely dark and there was a snow flurry when she arrived, hindering her vision and making her cold, but she walked along one of the dark paths, searching left and right for any signs of a vampire. The snow and a harsh breeze made the air freezing cold, but still Angel pressed on, determined to find Ghost and talk to him.

A great clock was just striking midnight when Angel turned on her path and saw a shadow seated casually on a park bench, one leg crossed over the other in a smug manner.

She had found the Ghost.