Thunder booms through valleys deep,

Lightning splits the sky.

Tonight the moon hangs blood red,

a disembodied eye.

Through forest black and marshes bleak,

The mist rises from the lake.

In caves and caverns bats are stirring,

the Earth begins to shake.

Amongst the trees the wolves are padding,

being summoned by the moon.

Their howling tears the night apart,

they’ll be here all too soon.

From bat and wolf, spawn twisted creatures,

born of beast and man.

In dead of night when moon is fullest,

avoid them if you can.

They own the night, with fang and claw,

they prowl our darkest fears.

Close your windows, lock all doors,

The witching hour is near.

-         From “Vampires and Werewolves”

By Jojoba Mansell

        Queen finally made her way to L.A. after a couple more days of flying and resting. She was about to go find her Clan when a woman caught her eye. She’d just finished running, or at least, that was the impression she gave based on the outfit. She stepped into first one store, then the clothing shop next door. She’d been in there longer, but was still out relatively quickly. She looked satisfied with her look, and entered the restaurant with polite greetings from the doorman. After she’d disappeared inside, rather than head to her Clan, Queen quickly followed suit, needing to know more about this woman, and why she was so intriguing.

        “Hello, miss, and welcome to Restaurante de La Rosa,” the doorman greeted kindly as he bowed and opened the door.

        She simply nodded and smiled, receiving the same kind of greeting from the hostess, “Are you by yourself?” she asked simply.

        Queen shook her head and pointed towards the woman the hostess had just sat down, “I’m with her,” she murmured softly, quickly making her way over and leaving a confused hostess at her station.

        Queen waited until the waitress had left before approaching, “I know what you are,” she stated, rather matter-of-factly.

        The girl she was so intrigued by had been people watching, despite having sensed the new presence, “What do you mean?” she replied rather casually.

        “I know what you are, that’s all there is to it. You might not, but I definitely do. If you want to know more, you’ll meet me at the corner of Marianne and North Highland, tomorrow at noon.”

        That sparked more than a little interest in her, and she turned to look at Queen with a steely gaze, “What was that?” she asked calmly, though bordering on what sounded like anger.

        “You heard me; what’s it to you?”

        She seemed to be thinking for a minute, as if debating on whether to bring up some topic or another.

        “I received an email earlier today,” she started slowly, as she turned her gaze back towards me, “Someone wants to meet me at that same time and place, with the added bonus of friends, family, and myself being harmed if I don’t.”

        As soon as she mentioned that email, my eyes lit up in fear for her life, though as to why, I wasn’t sure, “Okay. Are you doing anything else after this?” I asked, the eagerness to keep her close, and safe, evident in my voice, though I doubt that's what she perceived it as.

        She shook her head in response, “Go straight home, then. I’ll follow you, and keep you safe, at least for tonight.” I said as I got up, leaving in quite the hurry.

        “Wait, I don’t know who you are!” she called out as she grasped my wrist before I could get too far from her table.

        “You will soon enough. Good-bye, Rosalyn.”

        “I…” I heard her start, but by then, I was almost out the door.

        I left the building and turned a corner as I started making calls, getting more and more frustrated as each one ended. “Shit. Fuck! Useless! Incompetent!” I half-spoke half-yelled at the device in my hand, “That didn’t get me anywhere, or any information I don’t already have.” I mumbled as I leaned my head against the calming brick, watching day slowly turn into night as the sun set and the moon rose.

        Two, maybe three, hours had passed since my visit to her table, and I yawned, having been walking up and down the block waiting for her to leave.

        ‘About fucking time,’ I thought to myself when I finally caught sight of her exiting the restaurant.

        I let Rosalyn get a few blocks before trailing, though she noticed me a few blocks later. I was mentally cursing myself as she turned around to confront me, “What’s your name?” Rosalyn asked.

        “Hmm. What’s it to you?” I asked her, unable to keep the smugness out of my voice.

“You look familiar, like I’ve seen you somewhere before.” she replied softly, “but maybe I’m mistaken.” She added hesitantly as she turned around to continue her walk home.

        This caught me off guard and I shut my lips, opting to be silent the rest of the way.

        The rest of the way home was silent, other than our footsteps pounding in our ears. We’d finally made it back to my house before she spoke again, “You say I’m familiar?” she asked softly.

        I simply nodded and unlocked my door, flipping on the hall light and finally got a good look at her.

        That’s when I saw, why she was familiar. ‘Why hadn’t I noticed this before?’ I thought to myself, though mouth moved quicker than brain, even though I was still drinking in her gorgeous figure; the toned muscles, bright red eyes and... 'Wait, bright red eyes?'

        “Where… are your wings?” I asked hesitantly.

        As if she knew what I was going to ask before I got the words out, they unfurled behind her slowly, stopping about halfway. I opened my mouth, but no sound came out. I’m sure the look on my face was nothing but terror, as she quickly clamped a hand over my mouth.

        “Are you terrified?” she asked calmly, her red eyes gazing deep into mine.

        I shook and nodded my head, my heart beating at an incredibly fast pace as she cautiously removed her hand, keeping it nearby in case I was to make any sound other than respond to her question. “But… You… You can’t be real,” I started softly, the hesitance obvious, “Or I’m dreaming again…” I trail off as I back up into my house.

        “What did you just say?” she demanded, reaching behind me to keep the door open long enough for both of us to end up inside before she closed and locked it.

        ‘Open mouth and insert foot,’ I thought to myself as we awkwardly made our way to my living room, where she promptly began to pace.

        “Shit. Fuck, shit, fuck fuck!” she muttered, though I don’t think she intended me to hear it, “How could this have happened?! I knew you were interesting when I first laid eyes on you… but not like this! How long have you been seeing into my life?! How long have you been watching me for?!” she demanded again as her ire grew.

        I’d managed to sit down on the couch, trying to make myself invisible before she turned on me and picked me up single-handedly, said hand wrapped around my throat. I struggled to speak, internally thankful that she wasn’t squeezing to kill, at least, not yet, “I don’t know! Last night, and the night before… but I don’t recall any other times before then! I saw you escape from some car, then play chicken with oncoming traffic. From there, you made camp in a random field; I have a near photographic memory, I remember almost everything..” I manage to gasp out, before words failed me and black starting creeping in at the edge of my vision.

        Not that I had much longer to wait, as my answer seemed to satisfy her and she set me back down on the couch, seemingly calmer, “If that’s the situation then… You’re sick, and won’t be at school, at least for a few days. No questions; I tell you to do something, you do it. Understood?” she said commandingly.

        I was barely able to nod, not quite having gotten my wind back, as I moved to make my way upstairs. ‘That was… definitely a turn on, wasn’t it?’ I thought to myself as I packed a duffel bag, making sure I’d had all the necessities.

        She’d followed me up a few minutes later, definitely calmer than she was before. Unfortunately for me, I was in the middle of undressing and getting a towel wrapped around me as she stood in my doorway, “You about done?” she asked casually.

        I jumped and squeaked, catching sight of her leaning against the doorframe, “I, uh… how… much did you see?” I asked softly as I looked away, the blush evident on my face as I gathered up a change of clothes for after the quick shower I planned on taking.

        “Enough,” she said simply, but emphasizing each syllable to indicate that she’d seen everything, which served to make my blush deepen.

        I quickly made my way into the master bathroom and shut the door, though it didn’t have a lock. I sighed softly and set my change of clothes down nearby, letting the towel drop as I made my way to my shower, spending a few seconds adjusting the temperature before stepping in.

        I had gotten lost in thought, letting the hot water wash over my body as I mentally reviewed the day’s events, when my shower door opened up ever so slightly.

        “I wondered what was taking you so long,” she said softly, though I thought I heard the tell-tale sign of lust underneath.

        “I still haven’t had a chance to bathe after my run earlier,” I muttered in response, not wanting to open my eyes, thinking she’d go away if I didn’t.

        “Look at me,” she commanded, though her voice remained soft.

        I gulped the breath I’d been holding and obeyed, just as she tilted my head up to gaze into my eyes, “Such pretty eyes,” she murmured softly, her red ones blazing with… care? Lust? Curiosity?

        Whatever emotion they were alight with, they seemed brighter now than they had all night.

        I let out a shaky breath and blinked a couple times as she withdrew the finger from under my chin, letting my head fall as I drank her in, every last, gorgeous, ebony inch.

        I gulped again as I saw her crotch, where I’d been expecting… not what was there, “You’re like me…” I murmured softly, tilting my head to look up at her again, only to be surprised by how close her face had gotten to mine.

        Her lips brushed mine for split second as she moved towards my ear, “Yes, and right now isn’t the time, chīsana koneko,” she whispered commandingly yet seductively, “Hurry up so we can get a move on.” She added as she stood up to her full height, just over 6’ if I had to guess.

        I nodded dumbly; my dry mouth, beating heart, and unfortunately hard member somehow speeding up the process that normally takes at least thirty minutes.

        Within forty-five minutes of her having nearly put me unconscious in the living room, I was finally showered, dressed, and ready to go as we stepped out the front door, and I locked it for what was probably the last time, at least for a while.

        “Well? Where are we going?” I asked, curiosity getting the better of everything else.

        She just stared at me, humming to herself, “Didn’t I say no questions?” she asked, rhetorically, “Regardless, you’ll find out when we get there. That is, provided you can keep up. I like to move fast.”

        I merely nodded as I pointed towards the side of the house, where my motorcycle sat, covered and hidden. I was glad then, that it started rather silently. Though, that didn’t seem to do anything to keep Queen from glaring at me as she unfurled her wings, taking off as high as she dared.

        From her position up in the sky, she led me up streets, down streets, around side streets; all over parts of town I’d never visited, simply because I never had a reason to. Once she deemed the coast was clear, she floated down until she landed behind me, making herself comfortable against my back.

        “Okay; from now on, you’re driving, and I’m giving the directions. Can you handle that, chīsana koneko?” she murmured softly, almost seductively, as she wrapped her arms around my waist.

        I nodded, even as the rest of my body shivered from the close contact, not having been with anyone in… years. ‘I’m just touch starved,’ I thought to myself, ‘that’s gotta be my problem.’

        “Not going to ask me where we’re going?” she asks after a few minutes of moonlit silence, with nothing more than the wind to keep us company.

        I shook my head in response, an eye on the road, and trying to ignore this feeling in my stomach that something is going to go wrong.

        “Well… Once you’re out of the city, look for a street with no sign, and turn there. I can’t remember if it’ll be on the right or the left, though.” She directs, shifting a little behind me, which elicits a laugh from her, “Someone’s a little bit eager, wouldn’t you say?” she asks as she leans forward, close enough so her breath nips my ear.

        I can only blush in response as I come back into the present, and realize that I not only shifted with her, but also closer to her subconsciously.

        About another thirty minutes, at least I think, I’m not sure, she taps my shoulder and points forwards, “There, that’s the street you want. And be careful, there’s going to be security checks and guards between here and our final destination. In fact,” she breaks off, squinting at something in the distance, “there’s one coming up.”

        Right as she finished her sentence, almost as if out of nowhere, a big, muscle-bound guy with a shaved head and covered in tattoos was making his way towards us.

        “State your name and business, ma’am,” he says gruffly.

        I look him up and down a few times and shake my head, deferring to the woman whose been tormenting me all night, who, thankfully, steps in for me.

        “Hi, Jean, it’s just me. Glad to see you’re still around,” she said nonchalantly, obviously having known him for a while.

        He nodded and waved us forward, “I’ll radio ahead; we’ll be waiting at the Gate, Queen,” he said as he leaned his head towards the radio on his shoulder.

        I blanched then as he flew off and disappeared as quickly as he’d appeared before processing what he’d said, “Queen?!” I nearly screamed, even as I got the motorcycle back into motion.

        “It’s a long story. Just drive, okay?” she says exasperatedly.