Run, Little Vampire. Run!

Ch. 5: Fight Club

(Mason’s POV)

Nate was being weird after that. He kept looking around but when either me, or Kraig, asked what he was lookin' for, he’d just say “nothin” and shrug his shoulders at us. I didn’t have any more classes with Jessie so far, but I was pleasantly surprised when we got to the cafeteria and she was sitting back in the corner at a table all by herself eating a pear as she was reading some sort of novel.

I still couldn’t believe she apologized to me. Everytime I think I’ve got her figured out, she finds a way to surprise me.

We got in line for food and when we got up there I realized it was just nasty cold-cut sandwiches that looked like they were made back during the f**kin depression or something. I had no intention of eating that cr*p, so I turned to the guys to suggest running over to Burger King or something. But when I did, Nate was gone. He was back a second later and I frowned as I asked, “Where the h*ll did you run off too?” “Nowhere, man. I just used the frickin' bathroom. When did that become a crime?”

His attitude surprised me. He was a bit defensive and I didn’t get why. I chose to just ignore it and suggest, “I ain't eating this slop. Wanna go to Burger King or something?” “Sure!” Kraig says enthusiastically while Nate answers in a bored voice, “Sounds good.”

I just rolled my eyes and started for the door. When we got into the hall, Kriag stopped and said, “Hey! I almost forgot. My wallet's in my locker. Let me run and get it.” “Naw, it’s okay. I’ll cover today.” I said and he gave me a cheesy grin as he said, “Man, I’m suddenly really hungry today.” His comment made Nate and I both laugh, but as we started for the school’s exit I heard a commotion in the cafeteria and poked my head in the door.

I was shocked at what I was seeing. There was Michelle, who was a vamp, with a handful of Jessie’s hair as she was bashing her face into the table. Her eyes were turning blood red as the smell of fresh blood filled the room.

I started to run to Jessie but had to stop myself as I realized there were too many people watching. I couldn’t just show myself in front of all these humans and, as I glanced around the room and saw so many red eyes, I growled “Sh*t! What the f**k is she thinking?!” as I stalked toward them.

Nate was laughing his ass off as he said, “Let it go, man. It’s just the dweeb.” “Dude! Look around you. Chelle is gonna expose us all!” Kraig said in a soft growl. Thank god I wouldn't have to defend my actions.

I strode up to Michelle, grabbed her by the hair, and pulled her away from Jessie as I quietly snarled, “Let her go!” Michelle immediately let go and I pushed her over to Kraig before turning to Jessie and helping her back onto her chair properly. Blood was pouring from her nose and the scent was absolutely intoxicating. It was all I could do to not whisk her out of here, find a secluded area, and drain her dry. But then I saw the bruising and scratches and my heart sunk to the pit of my stomach.

I called a couple of guys over that I knew were human and said, “Help her to the nurse, will yah'? And don’t be mean to her. I’m pretty sure she’s had enough for one day.” They just nodded. They seemed sympathetic to her for the moment, so I let it be as they helped her out of the cafeteria. I turned to Kraig and said firmly, “Get her sorry a** to my car.”

Kraig was leaving with Michelle as Nate asked, “Sooo… we’re not going to Burger King then?” I just rolled my eyes and he laughed softly. “You’re an a**, you know that?” I laughed as I shook my head and he shrugged n’ said, “yeah, but you love me anyhow.”

After that, we left and took Michelle back to the castle. We threw her in the dungeons until I could go speak with my father about all this. “I don’t get what the big deal is, man. Chelle was just beatin' on the dweeb. No big deal.” Nate said as we walked away from the cells. I gritted my teeth at his comment as Kraig said, “Man… didn’t you see all those red eyes? Chelle nearly exposed us to the humans and then we’d all be in deep sh*t with the queen.”

Nate scoffed at that thought as he said, “Don’t you guys get it? The queen is so distracted with this st*pid party we can pretty much do anything we f**kin wanna and she won’t care.” I stopped in my tracks and looked at him. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “Nate? Are you serious right now? If she outs us, we can’t go back to that school. Not to mention the fact that it’s against the law. And I’m the f**kin crown prince! I can’t just sit back and let the law be broken right in front of me.”

Nate laughed a little as he said, “Yeah, I guess you're right. Sorry man.” I just nodded before sighing, “I gotta go. I need to talk to my father and get this dealt with as soon as possible.” I said and he nodded before saying, “Good luck man.”

We parted ways at that point, though Kraig walked with me until we got to the throne room. There I walked inside while he waited for me outside. Thankfully, my father was alone with his advisors when I went in. “Ahh, Mason. You’re home early.” Father said as I approached.

I nodded as I said, “Father, there was trouble at school today. A vampire, Michelle Edwards, attacked a human girl. She bashed her head into a table, spilling her blood. She didn’t stop, either, and when the scent of blood filled the cafeteria, many of the vampires present began to lose control.” “They showed themselves?” Father asked as he frowned and I shook my head, “No father. But their bloodlust put them on the verge of it. Even Michelle's eyes were turning and still she kept on with her attack.”

My father didn't look happy. He wasn't one to take such things lightly. “This human? How did she fair?” Father asked and I sighed as I answered, “I don’t know, father. I had two human boys take her to the nurse for treatment. But from what I saw, I certainly wouldn’t be surprised to find out she had a broken nose.” “This is completely unacceptable. Where is this Michelle Edwards now?” Father asked and I simply said, “In a cell.”

Dad was just motioning two of the guards over when another came bursting into the room. “Your Majesty! There’s been a murder in the cells! A young vampire girl was just found dead.” All I could do was frown.

It couldn’t be her, could it? I looked outside the door and Kraig was still standing there, looking at me in shock. He must've been thinking the same as me. “What was the girl’s name?” My father asked and the guard responded, “I believe it was Michelle something, Your Majesty. She was only just brought in a short time ago.

What the actual f**k?!

(Jessie’s POV)

I still don’t know what just happened. One minute, I was eating a pear and reading my book. The next Michelle was smashing my face into the lunch table. Thankfully, Mason showed up.

Now there's a thought I never dreamed I’d have.

Now I’m sitting here in the nurse's office waiting for mom or dad to come get me. I was praying for it to be my dad because he tends to be the cooler head with things like this. But, no. No such luck. “Oh dear god! What happened, baby?” Mom asked the minute she was through the door.

I could already tell by the look on her face she was gonna cause a scene. That look only got worse when the nurse said, “Jessica got in a little scuffle with one of the other girls at lunch.” Mom glared at the nurse as she said, “Little? Look at my daughter's face and say that word to me again! I dare you! Go on… SAY IT!”

The poor nurse looked like she didn’t know whether to run away or hide under her desk. But when she didn’t answer, Mom said, “And just where is this other girl right now?” The poor nurse looked at me and I shrugged. I had no idea where she was. So the nurse said, “I don’t know. I’m sorry. She didn’t come up here.”

Mom was livid. She glared at the nurse. I said absolutely nothing. I knew better than to try and stop the wrecking ball that is my mother when she’s on a mission to defend me or dad in some way. “Where.. Is.. the.. f*ckin.. principal?” Oh man, she’s enunciating each word as she talks through her teeth now. She had that scary “mom-vibe” going on and, even with all the pain I was in, I just got up and followed mom when the nurse said, “his office?” and mom stormed off in that direction.

Mom was in such a state she didn’t notice me staggering a little as I followed her. Thankfully, the principal's office was only down the hall from the nurse. Mom had her phone out as was recording as we walked into the office and she shouted, “where is the principal! I want to see him NOW!”

I guess he heard her… what am I saying? Of course, he heard her. The deaf lady around the corner from us heard her. But, anyway, the next thing I knew his door was being flung open and he was asking, “what is all the raucous about?” Mom didn’t like that, apparently, because she snarled, “the raucous is about my daughter being assaulted at lunch. I want to know what you’re doing about it!”

The principal looked at me and back at my mom and said, “Come into my office, please.” So we followed. I went unsteadily behind mom but I made it. As I sat down, mom asked again, “so what is being done about this?” and the principal sighed as he said, “Mrs. Monroe. I’m afraid your daughter is the one you should be more concerned about. From what I understand, it was Jessica who started it all.”

My mom just burst out laughing as she said, “look principal d*ckhead… if you knew my daughter at all you’d know she never fights with anyone. Ever! Check her records, go on. She’s never so much as gotten a late slip at this school. She’s been here for eight years now and has perfect attendance, no record of trouble or violence, and a gpa of 5.0 and is already taking advanced college courses online. And you expect me to believe she’s the one who started a fight that ended up with her face looking like someone used it for kickball practice? Do you think I’m an id**t?” The principal looked taken aback by mom’s question and stuttered out, “Well.. n..no.” So mom interrupted, “good! Then pull up the video of the cafeteria and show me the footage. Cause I wanna see my daughter start this fight so I know how severely to punish her.”

I tried to roll my eyes at that but it hurt too much so I settled for a heavy sigh.

Reluctantly, the principal did as she asked. I kinda think he was a little afraid of mom, but whatever. As we watch the footage it’s clear that I’m minding my own business and she just starts wailin-on me. Mom gets this smug look on her face as she says, “clearly you didn’t consult your most unbiased spectator before making your judgement. I would like a copy of that sent to my email immediately, please.”

Mr. Larkin didn’t seem happy but he did what she had asked and once she watched him hit send she said, “now I’m taking my daughter to the hospital and this had better not affect her attendance record or you’ll be hearing from our lawyer. And I don’t know who that little b*tch is, but she had better be properly disciplined and told to stay away from my Jessica from now on.” As soon as mom mentioned a lawyer, Mr. Larkin paled. He knew mom was dead serious, so his only answer was a simple, “Yes, Mrs. Monroe.”

After that, we left. When we got in the car, mom turned her recorder off and the car on, then headed to the hospital. I was diagnosed with a severe concussion, a broken nose, a fractured cheekbone, and a bruised jaw. When the d*mba** doctor tried to insinuate I was being ab*sed by my dad, mom took out her phone and showed him the video from school.

He was horrified by what he saw but he apologized for the insinuation.

As soon as we got home, mom enrolled me in a different school. Then she called her office and got the lawyers involved. The minute she said she got the camera footage, they were all on board about putting forth a lawsuit. So I guess we’re suing the public school system in Michigan. Oh happy day. (Did you catch the sarcasm?)

The one thing that did kind of make me feel better, though, was when the doctor said I couldn’t return to classes until my cheek and nose were healed a little. He wrote me a note for three weeks! I couldn’t believe it. It takes six to eight weeks for a break or a fracture to heal normally and they were giving me half that time off. Mom called my old school, you know, the one I'm currently at, and told them they’d have to accommodate me by sending my school work to me via email.

Again, they weren’t happy but they complied.

I, on the other hand, was ecstatic. I get to stay home for three weeks and when I go back it’ll be to a new school. The doctor said all the bruising should be gone by then and they wanna see me again in a few days to check my concussion, but other than that, I had no real restrictions. Just nothing strenuous and no sports. Not that I play any sports at school or anything. Though I’m on a bowling team in the next township over with my self-defense instructor.

Nick's a good guy. He’s huge, too, man. Like, body-builder-huge. The first time I saw him, I nearly ran away. This dude was gonna be throwing me around like a rag-doll and I was paying him to do it. But he turned out to be an old softy and now we’re friends. Well, sorta.