Twice Bitten

by Diana Greenbird

  Enraged that Gabriel had fallen for a descendant of the hunters they had devoted their lives to rid the world of – and was attempting to break the natural laws to turn her – the pair went into a blind fury: killing all in their wake.

  Though the witches and Gabriel were powerful: they were no match for two Mors Exercitus with anger on their side.

  With Susanna, Gabriel and the coven slain, no one knew whether the spell had worked. And no one dare attempt it again, in fear of retribution.

  When I woke up, I grabbed my pen first thing and wrote down the details of the new dream. It was as if my mind had known that over the past couple of weeks I’d managed to sort through all the hazy details of the first dream and now moved on to the next chapter of the story of the Mors Exercitus and the immune humans.

  I’d been happily enthralled in the first part of the dream, seeing the New World as it originally was in the first years of settlement, but by the time it came to the trial, the dream petered off into fog. I remembered love and violence, but only an impression of both. Perhaps tonight I’d dream the same again and be able to remember more in the morning.

  ‘What are you guys thinking about doing for Halloween?’ Jenny asked us at lunch.

  Halloween wasn’t for another two weeks, but she was trying to distract us all from the cast list that was being posted after school. I’d said that I’d probably tanked my call back, but Gi swore that wasn’t the case. She probably couldn’t tell that when I said “probably” I meant “hopefully”. Emerson knew exactly what I meant since he kept smirking and reassuring me that I’d definitely have some part in the play. Asshole.

  Martha was all nerves and pretending not to be. Since Gi hadn’t been in the last couple of plays, Martha had gotten one lead and then a supporting role the year after. She was sure she was going to get neither now that the queen bee had returned to the stage. Robbie and Jenny took turns telling us all to ignore her.

  ‘Probably going trick or treating with the twins,’ Gi said. ‘They usually get really into costumes…’ she explained to me and Emerson, who’d never had a Halloween with the AA Team before. ‘They’ve been asking dad whether he can find them WALL-E and EVE costumes. We’re probably going to have to make them.’

  ‘What costumes?’ I asked.

  ‘Those little Disney robots?’ Gi said.

  ‘You don’t know WALL-E?’ Jenny asked, aghast.

  ‘It’s a kid’s film, isn’t it?’

  Jenny and Gi rolled their eyes at me, whilst Emerson looked as clueless as me.

  ‘Do you two have any Halloween plans?’ Jenny asked.

  Emerson shrugged. ‘Not really.’

  ‘Emma tried to invite him to her party again,’ Martha commented, secretly looking up from her phone when she thought Emerson wasn’t looking to see his reaction.

  The freaking nerve of the bitch. Emma, not Martha’s gossiping. I was used to that by now.

  ‘I’m not interested,’ Emerson said. I would like to think so considering his best friend was Gi.

  ‘Well, we all know you’re not interested in dating her, you’ve got Liv,’ Jenny rolled her eyes. She ignored Martha’s scowl. And my shocked face.

  ‘What are your plans, Jenny?’ Emerson asked.

  ‘Me, Martha and Robbie always dress up and rent the Rocky Horror Show,’ Jenny said. ‘Time honoured tradition.’

  ‘It’s all very exclusive,’ Gi said. ‘Even if I didn’t take the twins trick or treating, I’m not invited.’

  I would have thought that Martha might have been a little annoyed that she couldn’t invite Emerson to their Halloween night, but from the smile on her face, it looked like she was just pleased there was one thing Gi couldn’t lay claim to.

  ‘You can’t take it personally, Gi,’ Jenny said. ‘We’re one hundred percent AA Team three hundred and sixty-four days of the year. But there has to be some commitment to our old trio.’

  ‘I wasn’t allowed to go trick or treating with them until we were thirteen and by then we were too old,’ Robbie said. ‘And that’s with knowing them since I was five.’

  ‘You would have ruined our couple’s costumes,’ Martha said.

  ‘But me and Jenny were the couple.’

  ‘Oh, please. You and Jenny weren’t properly dating ‘til you were fifteen.’

  ‘Our first kiss says otherwise,’ Robbie pointed out.

  ‘It was seven minutes in heaven, and you were eight.’

  ‘Technically I always count our first date when we were fourteen when we all went on family vacation together,’ Jenny said.

  Everyone looked to Gi as the deciding vote.

  ‘Don’t get me into this. The AA Team was only formed two years ago, and you were well and truly a couple by then,’ Gi said.

  ‘It’s a moot point anyway. You eventually made it into the Halloween tradition, so that has to be good enough,’ Martha said.

  After lunch, I had class with Emerson. He was sat in the seat behind me, so we didn’t talk, but I could feel his presence and the way his eyes would pin me. When the bell rang, he walked out with me so we could meet the others at the theatre to read the cast list posted up on the bulletin board outside.

  ‘What did Jenny mean when she said you weren’t interested in Emma because you “had me”?’

  Emerson just rolled his eyes at me. ‘And here was me thinking you’d let that comment pass you by.’

  ‘I’m serious. She doesn’t actually think me and you are a thing, does she?’

  ‘I’m pretty sure most of the school think you and Gi are a thing,’ Emerson said, nonchalantly. ‘At least that’s what Charlotte tells me the cheerleaders say. And most of the footballers. The baseball team hasn’t really decided what way you swing.’

  ‘Great,’ I said, my word drenched in sarcasm.

  I’d been entirely invisible in all my old schools – even when I was at the epicentre of most trouble. But here I was the subject to gossip.

  We stopped by our lockers and put our stuff away. As we made our way out the main building to the theatre, Emerson took to teasing me about how good I’d look in boho-chic. He was certain I’d gotten a part, but I was still praying I was spared. I could help Gi from backstage. I didn’t need to act.

  When I eventually read the cast listing, I didn’t even understand what my character meant. Gi had to explain that it was a minor speaking role: a couple of lines in the first act. I would have preferred it if Ms Phillips had decided that I wasn’t cut out for any part, but I’d take what I could get.

  Gi would play Scaramouche, with Emerson as the lead, Galileo. Martha was Meatloaf, and Jenny was one of the Bohemians. Lisa was Gi’s understudy.

  ‘Remember there are no small parts,’ Martha told Jenny as she looked at the cast sheet. ‘The chorus is just as important as the leads.’

  Jenny might have only been in the chorus, but she had a few spoken lines in this play, which was a big deal to her.

  Jenny gave her friend a withering stare. ‘Go suck a lemon, Martha.’

  Martha huffed once (that might possibly have been her attempt at being nice – only it came across far too sarcastic and uppity to be believed) then walked off to talk to Ms Phillips.

  Robbie grabbed Jenny from behind and swung her around – celebrating. She squealed as her boyfriend kissed her on the neck. ‘So proud of you, babe.’

  ‘Shouldn’t you be at practice?’ Jenny asked, out of breath from being swung.

  ‘Had to see my girl first, didn’t I?’

  Robbie kissed her again. He was never usually that into showing affection, though they always sat together, or with her on his lap. I had a sneaking suspicion it was because he had been under the impression that he would be needed here to console his girlfriend after another failed audition and was genuinely pleased he didn’t have to.

  We had all been swept up in watching Jenny celebrate that I hadn’t noticed Lisa sneaking behind us to read the sheet outside the auditorium with the cast listed. Emerson did, as
he immediately stood in front of Gi, and distracted her. He gave me a look over his shoulder as if to tell me to deal with her before she got to Gi.

  ‘She probably only got the role because they know she’ll be able to borrow her girlfriend’s wardrobe to save on the costume budget,’ Lisa snarked to Hope as soon as she saw the cast sheet. Both girls were in their cheer uniform.

  I assumed the “girlfriend” comment was directed at me – not exactly a surprise considering what Emerson had just told me – though I didn’t get the clothing insult. As they left, Gi poked her head around Emerson’s shoulder. Clearly, we hadn’t shielded her that well as she was searching my face to see if I was upset from the comment.

  ‘What? How was that supposed to insult me?’ I asked.

  ‘Which bit needs explaining, the homophobia or the fashion insult?’ Gi asked, shaking her head at my complete disregard to what anyone thought of me.

  ‘The clothes. I understood the girlfriend comment.’

  ‘Scaramouche costume’s a bit gothic,’ Gi explained.

  ‘How the hell am I a goth?’ I asked.

  Emerson just looked over at my dark clothes, dark hair and pale skin, and raised an eyebrow. He seemed to find it funny that out of the two, that had been what I got insulted over.

  ‘Do you want me to fake tan and bleach like Emma?’ I asked him.

  ‘I didn’t say anything,’ he pointed out.

  ‘I like black,’ I said.

  ‘It suits you,’ he said.

  ‘Is that a dig at my dark soul?’

  Emerson looked at Gi. ‘If she said it, can I agree?’

  ‘Asshole,’ I said.

  The next few days in school we hung out like normal, only the second half of lunch Martha made us run lines from the play. She wanted us off script immediately. Since I had only a few lines, it didn’t exactly take me a while to learn them by heart.

  I would have thought that rehearsing for a play with Emerson would be Martha’s dream – what with his “artistic soul” and all, but apparently Emerson’s blasé attitude towards stage directions and flippant remarks that he’d be “ready when they needed him” didn’t cut it with Martha’s strict theatrical regimen. She refused to run lines with him unless he’d take things seriously. Which meant they didn’t run lines together.

  Gi laughed behind her hand most of the time when Martha and Emerson would get into it during lunch about the play, but by the end of the week she admitted that they probably should run lines seriously since all cast rehearsals would be starting the week of Halloween and Ms Phillips was known to be extra strict with the leads.

  The actual play wouldn’t be performed until the Winter showcase, wrapping up in time for all us final years to fully focus on our SATs, so Emerson had a good few months to get the play memorised. It was apparently Ms Phillips inventive punishments for her actors who couldn’t remember their lines that had Emerson and Gi inviting themselves over to my house after church that Sunday to go through the scenes.

  I lay on the couch, my script in my lap whilst Emerson and Gi stood on the other side of the coffee table in the living room. Maybelle and Ken were out, so we had the house free to rehearse. Or rather the musical’s leads did, I just sat and watched them, occasionally piping up when they had a scene with another person and I read the lines for the absent cast member.

  Jenny and Robbie were on a date and Martha was working. I had a feeling that Gi specifically chose this time so that Emerson wouldn’t wind Martha up and would actually pay attention. Gi always gave me a pointed look when Emerson acted up around Martha – like he was doing it for me or something. I mean, I did find it hilarious and didn’t bother to hide my laughter like Gi did, but I hardly saw how that meant that it was my fault.

  Emerson was wearing his cap backwards and was still outfitting himself in the sweats that apparently manipulated me into being more relaxed around him. Gi was in her usual Cath Kidston dress, knitted tights, adorable boots and hair in ribbons. If her character was going to have to dress like me for this play, I was so there for that. It would be hilarious to see Gi in something other than bright colours, flower prints and 1950s dresses.

  We’d started on the scene after the Seven Seas of Rhye, with Galileo waking from his dream.

  GALILEO

  Forget it Scaramouche, this is my fight!

  SCARAMOUCHE

  Excuse me? How do you work that out?

  GALILEO

  Because I’m the man! Britney said so. Besides which you mean too much to me, I can’t let you risk your life.

  SCARAMOUCHE

  “Let me”? What am I some kind of possession now?

  GALILEO

  Oh, for God’s sake Scaramouche, does everything always have to be a fight with you? I thought you said you’d mellowed out.

  Between the lines, Gi would try and keep a straight face, but she kept on looking between me and Emerson. When Emerson saw what she was doing, he began to crack a smile, too. I thought this was supposed to be a serious read through. I didn’t get their friendship sometimes.

  They continue to read.

  SCARAMOUCHE

  Well I haven’t!

  GALILEO

  Well it could get a bit boring!

  SCARAMOUCHE

  Good!

  GALILEO

  Look! You’re my girlfriend and I want to protect you.

  SCARAMOUCHE

  You think just because I gave you one you own me or something?

  GALILEO

  Oh, you are such a pain with this constant female assertion thing!

  SCARAMOUCHE

  Fine! At least we know where we stand.

  GALILEO

  Yes, we do!

  SCARAMOUCHE

  Which is not together!

  GALILEO

  If you say so!

  Gi couldn’t continue. She dropped the script and just kept laughing.

  ‘What? What’s so damn funny?’

  ‘You and Scaramouche don’t just share the same taste in clothing,’ Emerson said.

  ‘You have to admit, Liv. It’s sort of like listening to you and Emerson bicker.’

  I flung my script across the room at Gi’s head. ‘We don’t bicker.’

  ‘You’re completely right, love,’ Emerson said.

  ‘Don’t agree with me.’

  ‘Fine. You’re wrong,’ Emerson said.

  ‘Oh, shut up.’

  Emerson sat down on the arm of the couch, flicking back through the script. He pretended that he was ignoring me, but I could see that annoying little smirk of his as he laughed at me.

  ‘Okay, okay, let’s start Act Two from the top again,’ Gi interjected, trying to put a stop to our argument. Like she could sense I was going to start on him for that stupid grin.

  Emerson flicked to the page of Act Two, then visibly paled. ‘Let me, urgh, just get some water first,’ Emerson said and exited into the kitchen before we could stop him.

  ‘Do you think he’s being weird about the kiss thing again?’ Gi asked me.

  As Emerson couldn’t drink anything other than blood – my answer was yes.

  When we’d read through the first time, he’d said he would prefer to save the whole stage actions until the big night. That was when the first argument with Martha began.

  Gi had mentioned that perhaps today they should attempt some stage directions, just to get the feel for it before they started getting to it in class. She wanted to get through the awkwardness since they were probably going to have to kiss in rehearsal. Ms Phillips would want to make sure they didn’t do anything inappropriate. One year she’d left the leads to it and they’d practically made a baby on the stage. Gi had been watching with her hands over her eyes the entire time, Jenny said. Martha had been furious after with a hint of smugness (as she’d told Ms Phillips, if she’d been cast as the lead, she wouldn’t have behaved like that).

  I got up off the couch, leaving Gi in the living room and found Emerson.

  ‘What
’s the big deal, love?’ I teased. ‘It’s one measly kiss. Surely Gi’s not so bad?’

  Emerson had his back turned towards me, looking out of the kitchen window. Maybelle’s garden was fairly low maintenance, mostly rocks and stones rather than plants and trees. But I suppose it was pretty in a way. Not completely ignore-your-company beautiful, but alright to look at.

  ‘I mean on the scale of human interaction, a kiss on stage with your friend is hardly up there, Emerson. It’s not exactly sex is it? With your life-span you’ve probably bagged a thousand women – men?’

  ‘I’m straight,’ Emerson said.

  I shrugged. ‘I didn’t want to assume.’ He might have said he liked me, but that didn’t mean like like, or whatever shit kids today said. Plus, he could always be bi.

  It didn’t make a difference to me whether I was crushing on a straight, gay or bi vampire. Me and Emerson were a total no-go. My traitorous body could enjoy him all it wanted, but my brain was in charge here and I was not touching that with a twenty-foot pole.

  I supposed in the long lifetime that vampires had they could probably say they were one of the surest people out there of their sexuality. They would have had years to experiment and figure out what they liked. Gender, race, hell – political preferences. When you had all the time in the world, you could probably try them all. The rock n roll theme certainly worked for this lead as he’d no doubt spent decades – centuries? – figuring himself out.

  ‘How old are you?’ I asked him.

  Emerson finally turned around. ‘Seriously?’

  ‘What? Is it some massive social faux pas to ask a vamp their age?’

  ‘Why do you want to know?’

  I’d always been curious, and this seemed like as good a time as any to ask. We were still doing the Q&A thing, after all. I could only translate so much of the Grimm files to what I knew about Emerson, but that didn’t tell me personal facts. I was intrigued. Especially since we were hanging out more often as friends.

  ‘You seem young. And you’re in high school. I’ve always had it in my head that vampires are ancient – but there are some lamia who’d be making the choice now, wouldn’t they? And they’d be a vampire and literally only eighteen.’

  One of the reasons it was a surprise to see a vamp in school was that lamia around sixteen tended to drop out and become home schooled. Their hormones went off the charts the time their choice came around. If they chose to become a vampire, they would have the hunger to adjust to, along with the glamour and all their preternatural senses. They couldn’t very well just continue their normal lives in class and not blow the secret when they ended up ripping the handle off a door or having half the school unexpectedly want to bone them because they were insanely attractive all of a sudden.