Xander's Chance

"Are you listening now?" Jonny prodded. He licked her blood off his fangs.

"What are you?"

"Vampire, for the most part."

The nurse's assertion about there being some sort of cult made more sense. Standing before her was a kid who really thought he was one. He bit her. It hurt.

"What do you want me to do?" she asked finally.

"Obtain something from someone along with instructions on how to use it."

"And you can't do this? You're kinda freaky."

"Your skill makes it easier for you."

"What skill?"

"One that even I do not possess." His teeth shortened and turned normal as she watched.

She felt ill. This wasn't a joke. She wasn't ready to admit he was a vampire, but his presence, the direct threat, and the fact he'd already hurt her cousin meant he was some sort of sadistic criminal. The idea of anyone hurting her cousins filled her with fury and fear.

"Look, this is insane," she said, her shock wearing off. "You need to leave, before I call the police." She held up her cell.

The teen studied her. Jessi turned towards the door, ready to leave him in the hallway so she could lock herself and Ashley in the room. Unable to explain the weird sight of his teeth growing, she also wasn't able to believe the weird kid was a vampire.

He rested a hand on her shoulder. Fed up, Jessi opened her mouth to warn him off one last time before she decked him. Fire shot through her, and the world around her warped and changed like in a dream. The door to Ashley's hospital room disappeared in a kaleidoscopic swirl of colors that made her dizzy. When the world solidified again, she was somewhere else.

Somewhere very different.

This has to be some weird nightmare. Jessi froze, not completely connecting with the fact she stood in a place unlike the coastal southern California area. Wherever she was, she was reminded of Northern California, where she lived until she took up guardianship of the cousins. The morning sun was gentle, the air missing the heavy ocean humidity. Fleetingly, she registered the familiar scent of pine trees and grass and thought of how long it had been since she visited her family.

"I can show you horrible things to make you take this seriously."

Jessi faced the youth again and stepped away from him, his energy adding to her distress. Jonny's steady gaze was on her. His hands were in his pockets. Despite the surreal experience, Jessi saw something in his face that reminded her of the cousins. He was a little lost, like they had been after their lives were uprooted by their parent's deaths.