FicWad

When Mr. Lee threatened to call my parents, I laughed. Shocking both Mr. Lee and Mrs. Milner, I plucked my phone out of my pocket and hit the speed dial and called my mom.

I put it on speaker and set it on Mr. Lee's desk. It rang three times and my moms coarse cat voice answered. “Nelly? Aren't you in school?” she sounded confused. “Yeah mom, but I'm getting suspended because I know my rights.” I laughed and crossed my arms over my chest.

Mom sighed and switched hands on her phone. “Nell, you can't keep getting into trouble. What will your father say?” I laughed again. “Oh please! You know that Dad knows I'm the bad one. And you both know why I'm like this.” I switched to Latin on the last sentence. Latin's the most common language among shape-shifters.

The humans of course didn't know Latin. To them, it was a 'dead language'. I rolled my eyes and mom sighed again. She spoke to me in Latin as well.

“I know you're worried about that, but you're not your sister dear.” Three years ago, my dad, head of the big cats, married off my older sister to the son of the head of the birds to keep the peace between us. So now my brother in law is a hawk versus the jaguar Crista had had a crush on.

But she went along with the wedding like the good little kitten mom and dad had always known. Whenever they came over, she looked happy enough. And if she wasn't, well that's on her.

“Even still, I'm not changing that any time soon. So, am I grounded or what?” I cut to the chase in English now. With another sigh, mom made the humans splutter. “No dear. I have to go now. Crista's on the other line.” she said softly.

“'Kay. Tell Crista I said hi. Later moms.” I picked my phone up and hit the the end button.

While I slipped my phone back in my pocket, Mr. Lee shuffled papers around on his desk. “Well, Ms. Parduc, if your mother is okay with this, you may now go on your bike. I will see you next Tuesday.”

I stood up, grabbed my bag and left. On my way back to the apartment, I made plans and thought.

Well I have five free days now. What to do, what to do? I could drop by home and see how mom and dad are doing. Or I could watch T.V. in the apartment all day like a hobo. Oh I know! I'll go to the club. I wonder if my two favorite vamps will be there?

Only one way to find out. I wrote a note for Sen when she came back later, grabbed my panther-claw necklace and my keys to the apartment and the front door. Before I left, I stopped by the bathroom to fix myself.

I back-combed my hair and added eyeshadow to my eyeliner and mascara. Looking in the mirror, I saw how all my panther features could be brought out by human makeup.

My green cat eyes gleamed and my black hair shimmered. I put my necklace on and it made me look all the more wild. With a sigh, I tucked my necklace in my tank-top and flicked the light off.

I locked the door behind me and turned and headed for the front door of the building, a huge smile on my face. I felt my fangs grow a little, making me look very wild and very, very scary.

On foot, I made my way to the city and into the club. The sun was just setting and I knocked on the door, looking in every direction. I pulled my necklace out of my tank-top now and the door opened.

“Password?” a voice hissed at me. I rolled my eyes. “I suggest you let me in now, before I claw your face off, James.” Stupid werewolves.

“Sorry Ms. Parduc. Come in, please.” he stepped away and opened the door. I stepped in and he shut the door behind me. “Go pee on a mail box or something, James. You look tense.” I mocked him and headed for the stairs.

I went down them and opened the heavy metal door. “Nell!” a chorus of happy voices sounded at my arrival. I looked around and spotted Mikey at his usual air hockey table.

Smiling, I let my teeth grow out. I made my way over to his table and he smiled up at me. “Hey Nell, just a second.” he made the winning shot and his opponent, another vamp, gaped at him.

“Hey kid! Where's Gee? Oh I call next by the way.” I took the paddle from the other vamp and bumped him out of the way with my hip. Mikey sighed and started the table for a new game.

“He has school stuff to do with a witch. Ugh I hope he doesn't come home with a curse on him.” he shuttered and I set the puck on the table, shaking my head. “Mikes, you know that's as big as a lie as vamps getting burned by the sun. Witches aren't that bad.” I hit the puck and it flew across the table.

He sent it back and answered. “I know that some are okay,” he emphasized the some “but how do I know if this one is?” he said, blocking another shot. I hit it back and I zipped into the goal. A light flashed over my head and a point ticked to my side from the middle.

“Well, do you know this witch's name? I have a lot of witch friends. I might know this one.” he got the puck out of the table and set it back on the surface, hitting it quickly. “Yeah. Frank Iero. Him and his mom moved in next to us yesterday.”

I froze and the puck went straight past my paddle. Iero? As in the strongest witch family left in the world? And he lives next to them? Lucky! “Don't you know who they are?!” I asked, getting the puck.

He shrugged. “Their witches. What else is there?” he said, getting ready for my next move. “Mikey, their not just witches. Their the strongest witches now. The Ieros are to the witches what my family is to the big cats.”

His jaw dropped and I made another point. “What?” he said slowly. I nodded and went on. “I think you're lucky to live next to them. I wish I could meet you brother's friend. And if I were you, I wouldn't do anything to make them mad okay?” he got the puck and turned it in his hands.

“I don't believe it! He doesn't even look dangerous. What all do you know about the Ieros Nells?” he looked at me and set the puck on the table again. “Well, from what my friend told me, they fought the vampires in the blood war and won some big battle. And something about them being the new start or something like that.” I wish I could tell him more.

With a quick swat of the puck, I won the game. He set his paddle on the table and came around to take me hand. “Thanks for the info. Thirsty?” he nodded to the bar. I shrugged and he pulled me through the crowd.

“Hey Nell. The usual?” Bruce asked. I liked Bruce. He was a witch with a brain like a sponge. I nodded and he started in on my drink. A minute later, he set a glass of cream rimmed with tuna juice.

“Thanks Bruce.” I picked it up and took a drink. Mikey looked at me with disgust. “How can you drink that?” he wrinkled his nose and looked back at Bruce. “Just A-B positive for me, Bruce.” I choked on my cream. “Ugh! And you question my taste?!” he chuckled and took a sip out of the clear glass Bruce handed him.

The blood clung to his lips and I smiled slightly. “You look like a drag-queen Mikes!” he tilted his head. I smiled wider and wiped of his mouth with my thumb. “I swear vamps are so clueless about that sometimes. It's a wonder why so many of you actually get pegged as drag-queens.” I teased him and cleaned my hand on a napkin.

He grinned at me, showing off his sparkly fangs. “I wouldn't made taking a bite outta you, Nell.” he mocked, grabbing my shoulders and leaning closer to me, tilting his head down. I let him get close enough to my neck that I felt his lips brushing my skin. “And I wouldn't mind taking a hunk of your face off with my claws, but that's not gonna happen either?”

I felt his breath roll across my skin as he chuckled again and kissed my neck lightly. “No, I guess not.” he pulled back and took another sip from his glass. I'd gotten used to the Way brothers' sense of humor years ago, so now it didn't scare me like the first time Mikey did that.

It was even funnier now when Gee did it. He was so much older than me he looked like a human ped. with a human girl. I laughed again and downed the rest of my drink. “No it's not.” But I wondered what it was like to have a vamp drink from you. Not that I'd ever tell Mikes or Gee that.






Oh UAR! Your chapters coming up soon! I won't forget!!!!! Promise!!! Hugs and taco eating pandas, Lalatherapist16