"You had me worried sick," Malon growled. She folded her arms over her chest, he eyebrows furrowed in anger. "You said you would stop coming home late."

I rubbed my forehead, trying to ease the headache I felt. "I'm sorry, Mal. I got caught up with work, okay? Also, I never said that." I pulled my phone from my pocket, checking the time. Hopefully Caeda and Marth were awake. "I'm running next door to talk to Mrs. Caeda, okay? I need to thank her for letting you stay the night yesterday."

Pushing my brown hair from my face, I sighed. I slipped my phone back in my pocket, grabbing my work bag.

"You forgot to put that head of garlic back into the fridge," Malon said softly. "I know you took it to work with you, and... I appreciate it. But you don't have to take that stinky thing around with you everywhere."

I froze where I stood.

Without turning, I nodded. "I think I threw it out last night at work."

"You wasted the whole garlic—" Malon began.

"It's not a big deal. I'll grab another one from the store after work today." I pulled my lanyard from my bag with my badge on it. "Don't miss the bus, Mal. I'll see you tonight."

As I walked to the front door of our home, I could hear Malon in the kitchen, scooping her cereal into her mouth. I opened the door. "Maybe running into a vampire would teach her a lesson to not come home so late," she mumbled.

I shut the door behind me as I exited.

I quickly made my way to Caeda's house, knocking on her front door quickly. I waited a few minutes before Marth showed up in front of the door. He grinned, holding a mug of coffee in his hand, which immediately reminded me that I had forgotten to make my own pot this morning.

"Zel! Come on in," he said cheerily, despite almost being seven in the morning.

I smiled. "Thanks, Marth. Caeda up?"

He nodded his head. "She's in the kitchen. Just finished making breakfast if you want some."

I nodded. "Thanks." I walked into their home, their foyer almost the same as ours next door. However, as soon as you made your way into the kitchen, you could tell just how much more spacious their home was. Soft white lights decorated the ceiling, brightening up every room. Caeda stood behind the marble island in their kitchen, a baby pink apron wrapped around her body. She smiled a toothy smile as she saw me, placing the bowl of pancake mix on the counter, throwing her arms out to her sides.

I set my bag on the floor, holding my arms out, a little less enthusiastically than her. "Hey, Caeda." I smiled.

"Zellie! So glad you could stop by this morning." She winked. "How was your date?"

My smile faded. "That's... actually what I wanted to talk to you about."

Caeda's eyes widened as her smile disappeared. She took my hands and pulled me into the dining room. "What's troubling you hon?"

Caeda was six years older than me. She felt like the older sister I never had, yet, my best friend at the same time. She knew everything about me. Absolutely everything...

"I'm so sorry for not making it home early last night," I said quietly. "I got stood up."

Caeda gasped. "No."

"Yeah," I nodded, "and to make myself feel better, I drank my feelings away, and..."

Caeda squeezed my hands. "And, what?"

I looked down into my lap. "I ran into a vampire at eleven at night," I whispered.

Caeda's body shook. "You...?"

"I killed him," I said. "I was able to escape, and no one saw, so I'm—"

Caeda enveloped me in a hug. "Oh, Zelda," she said softly. "I'm so happy that you're safe." She began to pet my hair. "I don't know what Marth, Malon or I would have done if something bad happened to you." She pulled away, returning her hands to mine. She stared at me sadly for a moment. "Are you doing alright?"

I nodded. "It was... scary. All I could think about was Malon, and whether or not I was going to get home to her..."

Caeda returned to hugging me. "Everything is okay now, Zelda. You never have to worry about Malon. Marth and I will always be here to take care of her, no matter what."

I nodded in Caeda's shoulder. "I just don't think I'll ever be able to tell Malon."

Caeda kissed my forehead. "You don't have to. I understand."

_________________

I sat in the very back of the bus, staring outside of the window. Talking with Caeda brought up many unwanted memories that I tried to keep in the back of my mind.

I was only eleven. Malon was a newborn, staying at my aunt's house. I've heard time and time again about how Malon's existence was only a mistake, but I refuse to accept that. She has brought so much light into my life, especially after the incident, fourteen years ago.

My parents took me out to my very first concert that night. It was a beautiful orchestra traveling around the country, performing for the holidays. It was an early gift to me, and I was beyond excited. After the concert had ended, I skipped to the car with my mother and father, holding their hands. I was the happiest I had ever been.

On our drive home, my father swerved his car off to the side of the road after seeing a dark silhouette in the middle of the street. Fearing he would have hit an innocent passerby, he put him, my mother and I in danger, instead. The car hit the guardrail, totaling the front. My father's arm was in front of my mother, clutching her right side. His head quickly turned to me.

I can still hear his voice.

"Zelda? Baby? Are you okay?" he asked worriedly. He unbuckled his seat belt, almost throwing himself over the center console.

I was such a daddy's girl.

I began crying as I held my arms out to him. "Is mom okay?"

"Yes, baby," my mother replied from the front seat. "I'm okay, I promise. Just startled, that's all."

I wrapped my arms around my father's neck, holding on as he picked me up. He exited the car on the right side; the side away from the road. My mother opened her door soon after, standing beside my father and I.

My mother kissed my forehead. "Everything is okay, sweetie. We'll call for help and everything will be fine."

I nodded, laying my head on my father's shoulder.

Before I could hug him a little longer, he passed me off into my mother's arms.

"Dear?" my mother asked, confused. "What're you doing? You shouldn't stand too close to the car in case something happens." She stared at the smoke emitting from the engine. She began to step back.

"I want to make sure the person that was in the road is okay," he responded, searching past the car.

The atmosphere made my stomach churn. I felt like I was going to be sick.

My father stood in the road, a singular lamppost lighting the street. He looked in both directions of the winding backroad, unable to see anyone.

My mother's cry was the loudest I had ever heard.

A man cloaked in darkness sprung upon my father, sinking his teeth in the side of his neck. My father screamed in agony, falling to his knees, unable to push the figure off of him.

My mother clutched my small body. "Rhoam!" she screamed, watching the love of her life get attacked by monsters of the night.

"Run!" he groaned through gritted teeth.

I had never seen my mother run so fast. I wish I had known then how fast those hideous monsters could move, for I would have told her to hide in a ditch or behind a bush. Maybe she would have made it out alive with me.

His hearing was impeccable. My mother's heels on the leaves created just enough sound for him to track us. My breathing was heavy as my hands clutched my mother's fluffy fur coat. I watched behind as a pair of red eyes flew from tree to tree above. "Mom," I cried, unable to control the tears from my eyes. "Mom, we have to go get dad."

My mother could barely breathe. "Baby, we have to run," she sobbed. "We have to get away."

"Daddy is back there!" I yelled.

"Hush!" my mother quieted me, her teeth clenched. "Be quiet, or they'll—"

The shadowed figure fell in front of my mother and I. "Lovely night tonight, isn't it?" he asked menacingly, licking his lips.

I felt my mother's body shake. "Please, don't hurt her," she pleaded. "Do anything you want with me, just leave my daughter alone."

The white-haired vampire stepped into the moonlight, his tongue tapping the tip of his right fang. "And why should I do that?"

"She's so young, she has so much ahead of her. I beg of you...!" My mother turned her body away from the vampire, where I rested on her hip behind her. "Just let her go. She won't report anything to anyone, so—"

My eyes widened as my mother's own blood splattered upon my cheek.

Her arms fell limp and I landed in the fall leaves on my tailbone. I gasped, kicking my legs and pushing myself away from my mother. I could hear the vampire sucking the life out of my mother. I couldn't scream. I couldn't run.

I was forced to sit and watch.

My mother's body fell into a pile of leaves. Her body faced the other direction.

The vampire stared at me. He slowly walked in my direction, cracking his knuckles. "I wonder why she was so adamant on protecting you." He squatted down in front of me, my body paralyzed with immense fear. My arm had been held up in front of my body, but now, it was by my side.

My lips quivered as I tried to speak. "V-Vampires... They aren't real—"

"Aren't real?" the vampire screeched. He bellowed with laughter. "You're one funny kid. I'm standing right before you, and yet you're still in denial. After watching me devour your parents' blood, at that."

My heart hammered in my chest. I could hear the harsh thumping in my ears. The back of my neck turned hot.

The vampire took a stick nearby, digging the tip into his open palm. His blood was almost black. It dropped ever so slowly, almost as if it was thicker than human blood.

His hand slammed against my mouth. My eyes widened.

"Hey, lady, are you going to get off the bus?"

I shook my head, blinking my eyes furiously. "E-Excuse me?" I asked, looking around.

The bud driver was standing a couple feet away from me. "You've been on my bus for over thirty minutes. I know you. You work at the police department, don't you?"

I nodded.

She sighed. She straightened the cap on her head. "I'll take you back. You missed your stop."

I gasped. "I'm so sorry, ma'am. I've just been out of it lately."

She smiled. "No worries, miss. I've been there before. It'll only be a short drive into the inner city."

I stared at my phone, trying to concentrate on something other than the traumatic memories swarming through my head.

The taste of his cold blood against my tongue... The strange rush of heightened senses and strength... The strange shade of color my hair turned in an instant...

The last thing his chilling voice spoke to me that night...

"Live this life and never forget. You are the one in power."

How fast my legs had run as I bolted in the other direction.

_________

yeah❤️