Chapter 27: 27

Sierra had the code portion of the website figured out. Looking at the colorful text on black made some part of my brain hurt, but so far I was only asked to do the photography for the page. Lee was the first to volunteer for her portrait to be taken. However, she wanted it taken under a dingy bridge while she made a cool pose. The result was that everyone had their portrait taken somewhere unique. Sierra had a gamer style pic with her headphones on and lounging in a computer chair. Ellias made a rude gesture at the camera until I convinced him people wouldn’t be able to advertise it publicly if he didn’t stop. I opted to skip mine, because I wasn’t a people person and would rather go incognito if we ever did get rich and famous. Christian decided to take his with Mr Slithers draped over his shoulders and the snake enclosure right behind him. That left Scarlet. She wasn’t paying much attention as we went about our rounds between location. Mostly, she clung to me. She was definitely more comfortable now that Lee and the others were actively interacting with her regularly, but it was clear I was still her favorite.

“How do you want your portrait?” Lee asked her.

She blinked a bit confused at the question.

“You know, for your profile on the website?”

I found Scarlet looking even more confused. “Website?” she asked.

“We have like a posting on the internet,” I explained. “And we can put a picture of each of us on there.” She met my gaze processing the words. I was hoping she’d be able to figure out the internet was kind of like a public space where information was exchanged, but I couldn’t be sure. I just didn’t know what her world had been like before she left the asylum.

Something clicked, I saw the lightbulb moment as she perked up and nodded at Lee. “Is it smart for me to have my photo out there?” she asked.

“Huh?” was Lee’s response. “Why wouldn’t it be?”

Scarlet went quiet and looked up at me. For a moment I forgot, too.

“Uhh–” I cut in finally. “If she’s not comfortable doing it, don’t pressure her to.”

Scarlet hugged even closer to me, a bit overwhelmed by what was going on.

“I can do it,” she said. She sounded so shy.

“You don’t have to,” I reminded her gently.

“I want to,” she said. “But let’s do it together, you work hard for this too,” she urged. She grabbed my hand and pulled me over to where Christian was still letting Mr Slithers drape over his shoulders. The snake darted his head back, startled by her sudden appearance. His tongue flicked uncertainly.

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Scarlet squeezed my hand and pulled me close.

My panic started to climb, staring into the camera lens as Lee went behind it. She was grinning somewhat mischievously. I was sure it had something to do with Scarlet being the only person in the world to convince me to go in front of a camera.

I gave it my best smile, which I could feel was strained and wrapped an arm around Scarlet’s shoulder. I was sure the picture would get passed between bullies in school, but to be frank I just didn't care anymore. 

Lee took the picture. The almost-familiar sound of my camera shutter felt different from the other side and as soon as I heard it go off I detached myself from Scarlet and got out of frame. My hair stood on end, knowing I’d just voluntarily stood in front of a camera. A bad taste lingered in the back of my subconscious, wanting to stir up all the bad memories I had of cameras. And, I realized as sadness started to take over, the bitter-sweet ones too.

I shook myself and willed the sadness to stay at bay for now. I would have time to process feelings later, when I was alone and the sound of the shower would cover up any noise I made.

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Brent Johnson was tired. His eyes were so dry and sandy they no longer tried to close. They just stuck open, but it didn’t mean his consciousness wasn’t dangerously close to passing out.

The twins were waiting in the back for him to finally turn driving over to them, but he was determined to get there. It was just another thirty minutes. He was so close after driving for eighteen hours. Some part of his brain was thinking of the luxury of the bed at the motel, but his conscious mind was reminding him that they had to be vigilant. If Blacke had managed to slip past them, he might be planning something. Maybe he and Demetrius had split ways in an attempt to throw them off. He couldn’t be sure, but he knew that deer had been mutilated by one of the two. 

The Bludges were a troublesome pair. He was fairly certain Demetrius was the changer and Blacke the changed but he couldn’t be sure. Age got so weird with vampires. Sometimes they were old and looked young. Sometimes they were young and looked old. Demtrius was the older-looking but there was little way to tell who was in charge.

His grip tightened on the steering wheel, realizing the road had blacked out in his memory for a moment there. He had to focus. The road.

The cars on the road, thought there were few of those at this hour.

And the lines on the road, he had to keep between them. 

Blacke was an asshole, he remembered. A cold-blooded murderer, as most of them were. Demetrius surely wasn’t much better but he hadn’t murdered loved ones just because he could. Either he only murdered to feed or he was far more careful about disposing of human bodies.

Vampires were slippery creatures. They murdered people. For that, Brent would slay them all.

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