Secrets of the Night

Author: stargirl

Rated: PG13

Rating :

Yay, I finally finished the second chapter! *Dances* It seemed like the terrible two's of writing for awhile there… Write chapter TWO for The Switching of a Princess, write chapter TWO for Just an Orphan, write chapter TWO for Secrets of the Night. *sigh* But here we go. I'm not the happiest with it, but I think it's okay. If you have any suggestions or ideas send them my way! I'd love to hear your thoughts and comments on this. Maybe it'll spur on a chapter three? ^__^ Hugs Star

"God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. So we will not fear, even if earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea." Psalm 46:1-2

* * *

Chapter 2

"Mrs. Talen?" the voice questioned over the phone.

Irene frowned, unsure of what unsettled her about the voice. "Y-yes. Who is this?"

"I'm a friend and co-worker of Marcus. Something important has come up. Could I talk to him? I believe he said he was going over there."

"Well… he's out with my niece. They went to the park, but they should be back soon…"

"No, no. I'll just catch him in the morning. Thank you for your help."

The man hung up. Irene pulled back, staring at the phone for a moment. Shaking her head, she set it down and turned away.

* * *

Mike laughed, setting his head back on the worn brown sofa. Just that _easy_. He felt drunk. Dazed, giddy, on top of the world. Ready to send a victory cry.

"Mikey."

His eyes snapped open at the soft, throaty voice. He lifted his head and gazed at the girl in the hallway with an unreadable expression. The yellow light from the hallway splashed on the girl's back. Her face hid in the shadows, yet a pair of vivid green eyes, dueling his own, peered at him.

"I told you never to call me that."

She only stared back, her silence a clear sign to him that she was upset.

"Where've you been?"

"It's none of your business."

The girl shook her head, wavy copper hair, collected in a ponytail, bouncing against her shoulders. "We used to be so close--"

"Lita." He looked up with a sharp look. Inside, he knew she was right. They had been close. But he wasn't the same as when he was twelve years old. And to hell if she wouldn't accept that.

He rose from the couch, blood prickling under his skin at his unsettled thoughts. He had called the gang together. He picked up his coat. "There's something I have to do."

"You're leaving again?" Lita demanded.

He tugged his coat on and headed out the door for his answer.

Lita's eyes narrowed from where she stood. What was he up to? He didn't give any clue that something was up through his actions, but… that phone call. It didn't make any sense. Who was Mrs. Talen? Mike didn't have "co-workers" unless referring to his friends. But none of them were named "Marcus."

She shook her head. He thought she hadn't accepted that he was different. But he was wrong. She had for a long time now. She never wasted time guessing, and this time wasn't any different. Her eyes set in determination and jaw set stubbornly, she grabbed her own jacked and left the apartment.

* * *

Mike chuckled, and leaned against the brick wall. He was going to get a response out of this. "She's six."

Val stared. Jair stared, eyes widened. Pierce goddamn choked. "As in YEARS?"

"Yeah, as in years." He smiled. Cool, mocking.

Pierce turned and threw up his arms. "Oh great! Now I just KNOW tonight will be thrilling. Can't we just… I dunno," he pulled his fingers threw his blonde hair, "Wait until she's older. Least we can have a little fun then."

What an idiot. Mike grimaced. Val finally spoke up, but his voice rose soft and chilling, his eyes still their narrowed intensity. "Don't be a fool, Pierce. If we wait till she's older, she'd be powerful enough to kill you on sight. Mike's right… it has to be now."

Mike nodded at pierce then turned with an eyebrow to Jair who straightened and smirked.

"Let's do it."

* * *

Serena fidgeted as her legs grew sore over her uncle's arms as she held onto him piggyback.

"Hey, be careful up there," Uncle Marcus said, "and don't get any of that in my hair!"

Serena giggled, swinging her legs a final time before digging her head in the crook of a prickly neck that smelled of cologne and biting into her chocolate icecream cone. "Hey, Uncle Marcus…"

"Yeah?"

"Why are you never around much?" she asked.

He kept walking for a moment, as they edged out of the shadows into the glow of the next like placed around the park, then stopped, his head turning slightly to the right. "Guess I haven't been around as much as I'd have liked to. My job's a bit… consuming at times. But you know what, sunshine? I'm going to be around _a lot_ more often."

"Really?" Serena grinned, her arms tightening around his neck.

"Ah… You bet," he said, nodding and motioning with his hand as best as he could with her leg imprisoning his arms. "Every single minute of every day. I'm telling you, you'll be sick of me in no time. You really will."

Laughing, Serena shook his head. "No, I won't."

He shook his head and lowered it. Her uncle was funny. If only Uncle Kent could be like him. She couldn't remember the two ever being together. Mom would always pat her and say that it was for the best.

Uncle Marcus had stopped, obviously completely falling into his tirade of self-pity. "You won't like me anymore. You really won't. You'll be begging me to leave. You just won't like me anymore," he paused for a sob.

"You're weird." Serena kept laughing.

The mourning voice abruptly became indignant. "No I'm not. I am not weird."

"Uh huh, weird."

"Not."

"Are."

"Want me to drop you?"

Biting down a grin, Serena suddenly pushed a half-eaten icecream cone in front of his face. "I'm done."

After an awkward moment of her uncle trying to reach the cone with his arms resembling a midget's growing from his waist, he dropped the cone into the tin trash can next to the light... and proceeded with a disgusted noise. "Ugh, you didn't warn me it was melting!"

Serena giggled, watching him examine the sticky brown goo on his hand.

"You think this is funny?"

She just barely peeked over his shoulder before letting out a squeak of mhh-hmm.

"You're disgusting you know that---Oh! Wait a minute. I can wipe it on this brown rag. You know it's just so convenient I'm carrying it..."

Serena's head shot up as she screeched, "No!"

"What, what's wrong---Oh, all right, I won't. There's a water fountain up next to the library over there."

Settling a bit, but still with an indignant frown, Serena said, "Give me Teddy," and promptly curled up on his back as she hugged the "brown rag."

"That wasn't funny," she mumbled into his neck.

"Awe, I thou--" his voice trailed off.

Serena felt his body stiffen, and craned her neck to see a hard-set face that was very different from before. Her uncle's jaw was tight, everything but his eyes completely still.

"Wha---Uncle Marcus?" Serena said, almost afraid to be heard. Was it something she said? But… he was looking around the park… Serena looked up too, suddenly nervous. Everything was quiet. Just the swaying branches, lake, and blotches of light. But… something was wrong. She looked back to her Uncle, unable to see his face.

"Uncle Marc---"

"Quiet."

It was soft and sharp. She had never heard her uncle sound like that. Trying to push back the hurt, she averted her gaze. Her stomach felt queasy. She turned her head, not sure what she was looking for when she was caught in a pair of eyes from the shadows. Just that, a pair of eyes. Cool green, staring right at them, at her. Her body trembled, and this time her voice was dazed, whimpering. "Uncle Marcus…"

He paused from telling her to quiet again, and slowly turned his head and saw what she did, and his hold on her legs tightened as a curt word came from under his breath.

The eyes were moving closer, and a body was revealed by smooth washes of light that glided over it. A young man, with black or brown hair and a grin playing at his lips.

Serena's eyes widened, breaths growing rapid. His teeth, the man's teeth, they were sharp! No… her small fingers tightened on Marcus's jacket.

Marcus stepped back on instinct even before three others stepped into view. His heart thumped in his chest, his adrenaline rushing and muscles readying for action. There wasn't time for fear when dealing with such creatures.

Was it just a gang out for a hunt? Or… did they know? But they couldn't… Marcus' breath caught as he watched the leader.

The vampire's smile grew with a smile that held the answer. "You know what we want. Why don't you just hand that little sunflower over to us?"

Marcus' jaw hardened.

The vampire shook his head with a laugh. "Of course. That damn loyalty thing. Your race has always had that weakness."

"Uncle Marcus?" Serena squeaked, not taking her eyes off of the creature.

The vampire was the one who responded. "Well hello little girl, you are a cute thing aren't you?" One of the other shadowed figures let out a grunted laugh, the other two simply smiling.

Thoughts rushed through Marcus as fast as his blood. Fragments of thoughts. Serena had to be safe. A slim chance he would live. But he had to protect her and was willing to die to do so. His fists tightened over the girl's slim legs hanging by his sides as he took a steadying breath. Beth. Sadly, the name drifted in his mind along with her smiling face, mousy brown curls framing its cherubic shape. They hadn't been married that long. Oh Beth. He could scarcely bear the thought of leaving her.

He swallowed, teeth still clenched, eyes alert. He stepped back once more. A wall of hedges were behind him. He turned his head slightly, talking under his breath. "Serenity, listen to me carefully. When I tell you, go through those bushes and run. Ran fast, get out of the park."

"I dun wanna--" she began to whimper.

He hooked his one arm through both of her legs, slipping his right hand up to squeeze one of her arms that encircled his neck. "No. You'll be safe as long as you don't come back."

"I'm scared."

He swallowed, nodding his head as he massaged her hand, taking it into his. The next words he spoke were just as soft, but no longer directed to Serena. "Alna K'trais, Senca c'lai." He murmured it three times with a racing heart, letting Serena slip down his back, tugging her hands away from his legs. The three vampires shared a look but didn't make a move.

"Now Serenity!" He pushed her back and lunged forward, a gold crackling ball conjuring in his cupped hands as he did so. He threw it at the head vampire. The lean form stumbled back a few feet, the magic shocking the creature's skin. After a still moment, the vampire looked up, eyes dark and a laugh on his lips. Rolling his shoulders, he walked forward, the three other vampires suddenly behind Marcus.

* * *

Serenity grunted, running so fast that it was hard to keep balance. She pushed herself away from a tree she began to swerve into, feet tripping on roots that creeped from the grown. Her chest pounded, mind thick. What was happening? Was Uncle Marcus okay?

A human cry broke through the park, stopping her in her tracks. Her slight muscles tensed and trembled. Uncle Marcus! She had to go back. Breaths still quick, she whipped around. She took a few steps before running, winding around the last few trees. She wasn't near a light as they only followed the sidewalks. The shadowed trees brought goosebumps to her arms. A bird cooed, nestled invisibly in the branches above. She lunged forward, scared, needing to see Uncle Marcus to reassure herself. A form suddenly moved in front of her. A tall and smooth form. Green eyes grinned down at her with a sick feeling of panic roaming in her stomach.