Mere Mortal by Katie Roman

  ~*~*~

  Melvin Klein sat on the stairs to my place when I returned. I kept Sasha secure in one hand and brandished the bat at him with the other. He didn't move to attack me. He just sat there, looking as miserable as ever.

  “What do you want?”

  “You don't understand my sister. She's not like this.”

  That strength, that malice. She didn't seem to be anything, but a bully. “Three times now she's hurt me.”

  “It's the vampire that turned her. Some old one named Simon. They're lovers or something. I don't know. She started seeing him and everything changed. She turned me. I didn't want this. I didn't want to help her hunt for whatever this Simon guy wanted.”

  Simon. He was the one who wanted Angie's information. Why? I looked at Melvin. His dyed hair unwashed. His clothes ill-fitting on his skinny frame. He looked pathetic.

  He continued when I said nothing. “Before Simon she'd never have done any of this. Sure, she had a temper, but she wasn't violent. Just give her what she wants and I'm sure she'll leave you alone.”

  “I don't believe that. She likes this hunter-prey scenario more than you seem to realize.” She looked at me like I was lunch. Her duty to this Simon vampire first, then do as she likes with her victim. Those blue-green eyes burned with lust and hunger. If she bound me once to do her bidding for her master, there was nothing stopping her from continuing to do so until I was a shell.

  “Leave my sister alone!” His voice rose. He snarled at me. Showing such ferocity that I backed away from. In my arms Sasha growled back.

  “Hey!” Chris poked his head out of the front door. “I told you to get lost!”

  Melvin's fight evaporated, but his eyes filled with hate as he pushed past me. Chris and I watched in silence until he was gone from view.

  “I called the BSB when he showed up looking for you.” Chris stated as I walked in. “They're sending someone over.”