Chapter 5

It turned out Mary had hidden herself very well. Not even Santiago could help them find her. Eventually Anthony found out she had taken a trip out of town. They knew it was only a matter of time before she returned. All they had to do was wait. Time past and Samantha was thinking about going to college in the city and tried to forget about Nick but couldn't. By her eighteenth birthday he haunted her dreams. In each one she would show her true self showing her new fangs as the extended at will showing those same nails as her father. That night her fangs and nails sprang forth for real and she awoke from her dream crying and bleeding. Anthony came into her room and held her as she sobbed into his shoulder the pain becoming excruciating. Later that night after the change had stopped she went to her bathroom in their apartment and looked at herself in the mirror. Despite these changes she was still just as attractive if not more, her fangs giving her an exotic quality. Her mind went to Nick and what he might think of her if he saw her like this. She wanted to be with him so badly right at that moment and tell him everything keeping no secrets between them. Now she understood now what her father meant. Indeed her body and mind ached not to be near him. Unlike humans for her father and her, the connection was immediate and could not be forgotten. It would stay with her for the rest of her life. She could not escape it no matter how hard she tried. Now there was no question in her mind that Nick was the one for her. Samantha knew Nick would not see her because she had hidden the truth before scared that he would leave her. She had not told him she had been underage when they had meant and he had found out anyway. This lapse in judgment had caused their break up but Samantha knew she had to see him even if it was from a distance.

Detective Nicholas Bane had made some powerful enemies among the crime rings. One crime lord decided to remove the annoying thorn in his side. A black Lexus pulled up to the curb as Samantha was knocking at the front door. At the third knock Nick answered the door. "Can we talk please?" Samantha asked. Nick stepped aside to let her in. Entering the house Samantha was wearing tight jeans and a sports jacket, she heard him close the door behind her before she turned around to face him. "What do you want to talk about?" Nick said. "I would like to talk about you and me." Samantha replied. Nick did not reply right away nor did he show any expression. He had found out Samantha was seventeen purely by accident. She had just finished testing for her driver's license and passed. Deciding to drive home she got distracted as she changed the radio station and accidentally ran a red light. Unfortunately a cop pulled her over and gave her a ticket. That same cop mentioned that he had pulled over some seventeen year old and described her to Nick who happened to be a friend of his while they were talking at lunch. Nick had been hurt that she hadn't trusted him with the truth and wanted to know if there was anything else she was hiding. Samantha simply refused not to answer and broke up afraid that if he knew the truth about what she really was he wouldn't like her and might run away terrified.

"I am eighteen now Nick so I am no long minor, but there are some other things I want to tell you about." Samantha said. "Like what?" Nick said barely hiding his interest. He began to wonder what was wrong with him. Why was he talking to her? She had lied to him once, but he still could get her out of his mind. "I'm not like any other woman you have ever met..." Samantha began then her mind flashed back to the memory of the Lexus out front. She did not know why she thought of it, but decided it was best to check it out through the window just to be sure. Looking out the window she saw two men get out of the car. Both men looked like classic hit men right out of the movies as they got out the car. They had the suits and gelled up hair one might think they were showing up for business meeting. Samantha saw one tuck a pistol in his belt. "Um... Nick have you pissed off any mob bosses lately?" Samantha asked. Rushing over to the window Nick looked out to see what she was talking about. He saw the two men approaching the house, and they saw him. "Get down!" Nick yelled as one of them pulled his gun. Both Nick and her ducked down as bullets shattered the window to pieces spraying glass everywhere. Nick crawled across the floor to his gun on the coffee table. With two shots one of the hit men busted the lock. Anger rose in Samantha's chest as she got up from the floor. When the first gunmen stepped through the doorway she was waiting. Grabbing his forearm with two hands she broke it in two. Next she grabbed the gun as it fell from his now limp hand and used gunman as a human shield. Firing two shots into the second hit man before he could even get a beat on her she watched as he fell to the ground just outside the door dead with two bullet holes in his chest. It happened quickly in a blur of movement that had caught both assailants totally by surprise. The surviving gun after she let him go fell to the floor and was now moaning in pain holding his broken arm, a quick punch to the jaw quickly silenced him. When Samantha looked up she saw Nick standing there staring at her dumbfounded. His mind was still trying to register what had just happened.

Calming herself she spoke up saying, "This was not how I wanted to tell you." Finally coming back to his senses Nick burst out, "Tell me what? That you can dispatch two men in less than five seconds?" In the blink of an eye she stood right next to him. "That's not exactly what I was talking about." Samantha said believing it to be the best explanation she could give. Nick flinched noticeably as he was startled by how quickly she managed to move across the room. "How in the hell did you do that?"

"As they would say in the movie "Interview With A Vampire" a series of simple movements." Samantha said. Nick stepped back saying, "What does that make you a vampire?" Shaking her head Samantha said, "Apparently I am very similar but not quite." Nick didn't understand all of this. This was simply too much for one guy to handle. "Similar! What do you mean similar?" Nick shouted.

"Calm down Nick." Samantha said trying desperately to soothe him as he was all worked up. "Calm down? You just took out two guys as if they were nothing!" Nick yelled. "Look can we go someplace and to talk. It occurs to me that they will try again once they realize these two have failed. Frankly I don't want have to guard you twenty-four seven now can we go?" Figuring she made a valid point Nick decided to follow her. After checking his car quickly to make sure they hadn't put a bomb on it for insurance they drove off. The sound of sirens could be heard in the distance after the neighborhood lay behind them.

"So where are we going?" Nick asked. Samantha was busy looking out the passenger window trying to decide how she was going to explain all of this to him. "We're going to my place." Samantha said turning her head to look at him she saw a questioning look on his face. "It's the safest place for you right now. You can lay low there. Hopefully they'll forget about you after awhile." Samantha said.

"I have a job to do. I should be back the station finding out who tried to kill me." Nick said. "For being the supposed more experienced person out of the two of us you sure are acting stupid. Doing your job is about to get you killed and you might have died back there if I hadn't stepped in. I can't always protect you." Samantha said. His pride stung Nick said, "I don't need your protection, and who asked for your help anyways I sure as hell didn't!"

"Fine pull the car over! If you're going to dig your own grave I don't have to watch." Samantha yelled back. When Nick hesitated she punched the dashboard smashing it in. "What the hell are you doing? Are you insane?" Nick yelled pulling off the freeway. When the car stopped Samantha got out and rushed off to a group of trees. Nick pissed off headed after ready to have it out. When he caught up to her he found her crying. Nick stopped short confused unsure of what he should do next. He saw her shoulders shudder with each sob. Guilt washed over him after he thought how harsh he had been with her. She had come back to open up to him and had risked her life to save his and he was acting like a jerk. At that moment he wanted only to comfort her and soothe away her pain. He couldn't help thinking she was right about one thing she was different. One moment she seemed so impressively strong and confident, and the next moment she seemed so weak, so vulnerable.

Samantha turned around to face him as he bent down and laid a hand on her shoulder. "I can't control it anymore. I'm losing my mind. So... tired... so... tired." Samantha said her eyelids growing heavy. She passed out Nick barely caught her before she hit the ground. Lifting her up he carried her to the car. The passenger door was still open, so he was able to put her in the car with little trouble. Buckling her in he closed the door. Getting in the driver's side he pulled out and took her to her apartment. Anthony appeared at the door as if on cue. "What happened?" Anthony said as Nick stepped out of the car he headed towards them. "We had some trouble. She seems fine now she just passed out from all the strain." Nick replied. Looking at his daughter in Nick's arms as Anthony said, "Alright let's get her inside." Deciding it was best to take her upstairs himself he took her from Nick who also seemed a little worn out. Anthony easily carried her up the stairs with Nick in tow trying to keep up. When they finally got to the apartment Nick opened the door and watched Anthony carry Samantha to her room before he closed the front door.

When he returned Nick was waiting in the living room his eyes searching his surroundings a habit of his. He liked to be aware of his surroundings and it had saved his neck more than once. Nick told him everything taking a seat on the couch that Anthony offered. Taking his usual place on the rocking chair Anthony began to rock back and forth thinking. "I should have expected as much. Samantha has had problems adjusting. Her sleep seems troubled. I hear her pacing in the middle of the night. I try to give her some privacy but I know it has something to do with you. You appear to be all she can think about. Through our shared mental connection I see your image and hear your name. Love seems to be hard on our kind." Anthony said. "You mean vampires." Nick added. "If I were to define us, I would say we are something in between humans and vampires. Perhaps this diary will better explain it." Anthony said handing Nick worn leather bound book. "It belonged to my late father." Anthony said.