Neighbors



“So I close this account of how we left New Orleans and went to lose ourselves in the great world.” *Merrick
1
“New York City,” A Lawyer says making arrangements. He’d been working for this man for years and he sdill;didn’t know where he was half the time. The secret words, the French accent now he after a few years of silence, he wanted a home. All hush-hush as usual. He wanted something quite and small but in a large metropolis. He didn’t want to leave America so a part of NYC made a lot of sense.
His secretary dropped a file on his desk of all the available real estate in NYC. He turned the page and the names of some of the residents in a community on the border of Brooklyn and Queens caught his eye. The names of the residents, how could all these people of immense fame live there unknown? This would be perfect and he was early. He would call him later after he checked to make sure it was free how many rooms it had and if those people had ever been found.
Everything had been arranged they would first have to be interviewed but if all went well they would move in on Wednesday August 4. He wondered what he would say about the catacombs under the house. Catacombs in New York? The house was red brick, three floors counting the attic.
Pyra was sitting in her living room freaking out a little. Josh’s birthday was less than a week away and she still hadn’t gotten him his main gift. Sure she had about a dozen little things for him from an orange comforter, to a first edition hard bound copy of The Hobbit. That could be his gift but it seems lacking. She had barely known him when she gave him the recording studio. Now they were like brother and sister. She cracked on him about *Nsync being no Backstreet every chance she got. He had tried to warn her about Jerky, like he knew he was nothing but a jackass. Well now she had whatever she and Jacob had.
JC was out with Nausi and Mystic. Pyra’s birthday was coming up. The day after his, he wondered if they’d have another 48 hr. party. Anyway he had only gotten her some Pajama’s and some earrings. He had seen her trying to stuff a bunch of different things into her coffin all wrapped in birthday paper. He had suddenly felt cheap as she shrank everything to fit.
“What else do you want to get her?” Mystic asks.
“I don’t know, what you get her?” JC asks.
“Some Videos and a CD oh and a note book.” JC turns to Nausi.
“Nail polish, a crazy shirt, Garfield stuff, and a video game.”
They roamed Manhattan Mall and then took JC to the wholesale jewelry stores to get ideas. The day ended with him having a few more things including a clip on watch he thought was interesting and figured Pyra would like. They head home and he unlocks the front door silently. He walked in and almost stepped on Lucky who half screamed and half meowed as he ran away. That whole talking thing was a work in progress, he was like a toddler but instead of making baby sounds he made cat ones.
Pyra was sitting on the couch pulling on her pendant and he knew she didn’t know he was there yet. He wondered what she was thinking that had her so entranced. She suddenly gets an idea and turns to reach for the phone and sees JC.
“Hey!” Pyra says surprised to see him.
“Hi. Sorry I spooked you.”
“Its okay. I’m going out for a little while,” Pyra climbs the stairs and returns later in clothes that swallow her. Her pants were at least two sizes to big and baggy when they were a normal size and an oversized t-shirt. She had something against clothes that fit. She pulls on her blades and is out the door in a flash. Funny girl his roommate.
She returns a few hours later with a package as he goes out the door. He doesn’t believe he hadn’t thought of this before. By the time he’s back and safely hidden what he got at Mystic’s who applauded his gift. Pyra is packing for work the next day. He warms up some chicken he baked the night before and cuts two slices of the cake Pyra made. They settle down to a meal in front of the TV and watch the WB Sunday night line up. In a seedy motel in Georgia. . . “I can’t believe we have to live like this? In this rat infested hell hole,” Merrick says.
“We had to leave and the Talamasca will never search for us here,” David says.
Louis was calmly reading a book in the corner and Lestat was lying on the bed listening to classical music. Quite like his previous coma like state, except he is aware of what is going on around him. He has a new cell phone lying on his chest, waiting for his most trusted attorney the one that had not even been fooled by the body thief. Now he had to come through again, they needed a home away from here. The people, the air, it was just to close to home but that was what David wanted an instant disappearance once they had a home. He was pretty sure they had fallen out of the Talamasca’s radar but to be sure the three of them who still ate were reduced to the ‘little drink.’ No one was to die while they were there. He was bored, there was nothing to do here, and he didn’t need to hunt. Nothing, the only reason they were there at all was because Merrick wanted a bed.
Lestat’s cell rang and he took off the headphones. He answered the phone on the second ring with some restraint and was giving the room a fang tooth grin before a minute has passed. He said yes a few times frowned then said yes a few more times a few quick words in French then he’s done.
“Well?” David asks.
“Well what?” Lestat asks lying back on the bed. He’s about to put back on his headphones when he stops like he suddenly got a revelation. “Oh we’re moving to New York, Brooklyn I believe.” Lestat says then does put on the headphones. Merrick starts dancing around the room and grabs Louis who smiles but doesn’t join in the dance. He didn’t care where he was really. Just as long as he was in the company of those he loved. David had his own thoughts but decided New York was a large city what were the chances. He tapped Lestat and mouths when? The vampire shrugs and points to the phone. So there would be another call.
He liked to know where they were moving, but he didn’t know where she lived. No she was rich and lived with the rich; she had to be in that upper east side or was it west. He didn’t know that city or her case really except the most horrifying part. She had no limitation except ones that were self imposed and her morals were more a day to day decision, malice, and love, truly were equal in her heart. And her loyalty was fierce; she controlled the one thing that could put an end to them all, if he was correct even the mighty Lestat could fall at her power.
“And what would this demon be my David?” Merrick asked.
“Pray you never find out,” David says looking at Louis and then Lestat finally into Merrick’s green eyes. “That none of us do.”
2

She was sitting in the desert. The sun was rising, she was waiting. The little light that had already come was covering her like a warm blanket. She wanted to stay in it forever and it had just only begun. It as beautiful the sand shone, naturally white reflecting the colors of the sunrise. It was all for her, the light the warmth, the energy. When it fully rose it would happen. The anticipation was almost as wonderful as what would happen.
Pyra woke from her dream feeling a calming sense of joy but had no idea what she had just dreamed. Her room looked dark and grim but she didn’t let that fool her. She turned to her clock and saw the red flashing 8:31 in annoyance. She should get up she really should. But she would scare people if she was on time, with that thought she sank back into her bed and woke again around 9am. She gave up and went into the shower, turning off her air conditioner on the way. My how she hated summer, it was too freaking hot. She always felt like she was stalked by the sun, shade disappeared when she walked.
Her hair still dripping she opened her closet and tried to pick her outfit, Edge would see her in it. What the hell did it matter they were ‘just friends’ anyway. Well she did have Jacob. Where was he again, eh who cared he wasn’t here, stupid TV show hadn’t even started airing yet. She wasn’t sure how it would do when it did. It would happen soon enough she guessed. Though she did want to give Lou Pearl man that thinner curse from the Steven King novel but he’d probably just start his own boy band.
She chose black jogger pants with red stripes and a red tank top and threw a black short sleeved shirt over it. She chooses matching jewelry and wondered for the millionth time why she couldn’t take off her pendant if she wanted too. White socks and black Nikes completed the outfit and she headed downstairs for breakfast.
JC, Justin, his mom, Jimmy Wright, and a lawyer whose name escaped Pyra were sitting at the table in discussion over contracts. This was becoming way too familiar, she felt so bad for the boys, that’s when she noticed the other three were walking into the front door with breakfast foods. They were gearing up for a long day a really long day of phone calls and debates to break from RCA, join Jive and keep their name. JC just had to be against cursing the bums both verbally and magically.
She hugged each one though she lingered in Lance’s arms longer than she should. But it always felt so nice to be close to him. Aw well another lost cause, why did she have to keep liking the guys who didn’t like her as anything but a freaking friend. Yeah life sucked her and JC made perfect roommates they never got who they wanted. They’d be 90 and rolling around in wheelchairs alone because they never got who they really wanted, they’d be each other’s company. Okay now she was making herself depressed.
“Pyra, you want a bagel? They were just made,” Joey says.
“The good stuff.”
“Nothing better in the world,” Joey says and no one else understands about New York bagels. Pyra takes one and goes into the fridge for some butter.
“These poor non-new Yorkers, they just don’t understand,” Pyra says and takes a bite. “it’s like the street dogs.”
“Bacteria on a bun,” Chris says.
“Is bacteria supposed to be that good?” Joey asks.
Everyone shakes their head as Pyra puts some water in the coffee maker. Pyra couldn’t stand the stuff but Josh couldn’t function with out it. She got 8 mugs and used a little magic so there was a enough for all the mugs and then handed them out as the guys added their sugar and cream, it took her a second to realize she forgot spoons. She quickly gets them then sits at the counter to eat hearing everything but at the same time not retaining a word.
“You know you don’t have to serve us right?” Lance says.
“I still feel like you’re guests, which you are technically.”
The doorbell rings and Pyra answers taking a package for herself. She opens the box right away and sees a wrapped gift. She looks at it and looks around for a card. She finally finds one stuck to the bottom of the gift. She opens the envelope and starts reading.
My mom told me if I ever met a girl like you to . . . (she opens the card) RUN! It wasn’t even a birthday card but Pyra liked it all the same and spent the next few minutes trying to decipher Jacob's chicken scratch. I’m sorry I couldn’t make it to your birthday. I wish I could but with this shoe? Shoe? Oh show. Pyra starts reading again. I wish you the best birthday you can possibly have (without me) and I hope this gift is to your hiking. Why did guys have such horrible writing? It took a while to get but it was worth it. Call me when you get it I’ll be waiting. Jacob.
Pyra shakes the box and knows its clothes. Clothes never fit; everyone thought she was smaller than she was. And they didn’t get clothes for people her sizes were made for people a few inches shorter. She had freakishly long arms and legs. Long sleeves and pants were a bitch to buy but she opened it anyway.
Inside was a red Hurley t-shirt, and two pairs of pants. A pair of army flares covered in zippers and it had strips of the material hooked from one part of the pants to the other.
“Oh dear,” Justin’s mom said looking at the pants.
Pyra looks inside the pants and they are in waist measurements. 28, 36 she wondered if that was good but felt weird asking. She’d just try them on. The second pair was pretty normal. A size 7/8 black mudd jeans. She liked the handprint. Though thought it shouldn’t be white it was mudd after all.
She wanted to try on the army pants they looked really cool. She would have to thank Jacob. She could do it now. She looked over at the phone it was on the table in between a stack of papers and a mug of coffee. She knew she wouldn’t get it. She went back upstairs gifts in hand and found her cell phone. She dialed up Jacob's cell and let it ring and ring. She wondered if he didn’t have voicemail. Then, when she was about to give up an annoyed and groggy voice answered.
“Do you know what time it is?”
“According to my phone it is now 10:14am. Any other questions?”
Jacob’s entire attitude changed. If Pyra could see him she would know he had sat up in bed and was rubbing the sleep away from his eyes. He smiled as he addressed her better. “Hey Pyra.” “By the lovely greeting I’m guessing I woke you. But anyways thanks for the gifts I love the army pants.”
“So they all fit right? We’re about the same height so I guessed from there.”
“um . . .” Pyra starts looking at the pants in her hand.
“You DID try them on right?”
“Um, hold on a sec,” Pyra pulls off her joggers pants and pulls on the army pants. They fit perfectly. “The army one fit perfectly,” Pyra says having the phone floating by her ear as she pulls on the flares. “The black ones too! You buy clothes for me better than I do.”
“Thanks, I think.”
“Well I’ll let you get some sleep; you sound like you need it.”
“It’s much more fun when you’re keeping me awake,” Jacob says.
“Oh hush, don’t make me come down there.”
“Is that a promise?” Jacob asks.
“You’re such a bad boy.”
“And you love it.”
“Cocky too! You are not a star yet boy.”
“Yet, you said it not me.”
“Go to sleep Jacob.”
“I can’t Trevor’s been knocking on the door for a while now. I have to let him and the camera’s in, before they break down the door. Bye.”
“Later.”
Pyra changes her outfit putting on the army pants and switching to a matching green tank top under her black shirt. She puts on a set of dog tags she has then goes back downstairs in her new pants. Lucky starts attacking the strips instantly. She picks up the cat and decides to give him breakfast. She opens a can of cat food and he isn’t interested at first looking at Joey who’s eating another bagel. Pyra looks at JC and he is looking at the contracts they all signed over in Germany.
“We have to break from him too it’s his fault most of this is happening. RCA played their part but it seems that Lou is the base of everything,” The lawyer says and Pyra is disturbed. Should she warn Jacob keep her mouth shut and let him find out on his own. Lou was giving the boy a big chance and he was a hot head. Mouth shut it is.
She looked at her watch. She’d have to flame to make it there in time now. But since that took only a few seconds she had half an hour. She went upstairs and brought her luggage down. She took another look at the guys whose expressions ranged from confused to downright enraged. She turns to the door and Lance turns to look at her.
Lance was quite sure he was obsessed. He and Pyra had kissed a couple of times even once when they were kids. It was funny how he had found out. They were playing stupid games and asking questions when everyone had to tell about their first kiss. Pyra said she had just arrived at a bed and breakfast in Mississippi, where the kids were having some kind of party and this nice guy James invited her to join in. It hadn’t even registered until she said their braces got caught together. Not something you forgot. Lance had asked her what color her hair was and her response had been why.
Brownish blond with bangs? Pyra had stared, and he simply had said. “Did I ever tell you my first name is James?” The guys hadn’t let either one of them live it down for weeks. Then one day Pyra had just grabbed him in front of them all and kissed him. The memory still made him smile, especially since Pyra had a boyfriend, she had dumped him at some point and moved to some guy named Jacob who was never around. Well he was good for a kiss now and then but nothing more. Ah well at least she was always on his arm at awards shows. She was evil sometimes to the winners and he was sure one day he would get thrown out for laughing during a speech. He hoped she liked his gift; she always made him laugh so he decided to return the favor by buying her the deaf comedy jam collectors set. He had thrown in a charm bracelet with a roller blade and guitar charm. He felt he could add more charms as time went on. JC was easy some clothes and cds and he was done.
He was staring at her again. One of the few times she wasn’t wearing clothes 12 sizes too big. Those new pants strange, but they actually showed how she was shaped. And how long her legs were . . .Lance forced his mind to focus on the task before him and his band mates. They had huge problems, and it could bring their world crashing down. Everything they had worked so hard to get starting with all that work in Germany, because they had practically signed their souls away for a record deal.
Pyra looked over at everyone again. Yeah this was depressing. She should go and keep up the semblance of the quasi-normal girl. She stood and the first eye she caught was Chris’ so she waved bye and like dominoes they all followed even the lawyer. She’d like a hug from Lance but would have to hug everyone to get that and she wasn’t feeling up to Chris’ dirty jokes.
“Good luck,” Pyra said as she closed the door. She walked past the newly rented house. She wondered who would be living there. Well Mystic would tell her, she was in charge of security and spying! Who needed big brother when you had Mystic. There was another moving van, big mattress. So it was probably a couple.
Pyra flamed herself into a small closet at the airport and just made it to her flight 20 minutes later. She was meeting Edge and Jason at the airport or she wouldn’t have bothered. Texas woo she thought with out an ounce of energy as the plane started its takeoff.
3

Lestat was lying in the bed in the hotel music blasting yet again Louis lay beside him asleep, he sat up and looked down at his newly enhanced friend. Merrick and David had gone out to feed, both easily believable as humans. Louis had declined the invitation, he had declined traveling with Merrick a lot. Lestat knew that Merrick getting him to turn her, had been the last nail in the coffin as mortals liked to say. It wasn’t simple coincidence that had him choose that night of all nights to end it.
Louis his poor old tortured soul. His phone rang interrupting his thoughts. Mozart. He had been playing with the phone and found ring tones. He let it ring enjoying the sound.
“Well are you going to answer it?” Louis asks awake. He smiles.
“Yes?”
“Everything has been arranged the interview is Thursday.”
“Why not sooner?” Lestat asks his patience was at an end. Hiding here like he feared for his life after facing heaven and Hell was not right.
“There are certain things that must be done and most of the residents of the property are at work Monday and Tuesday. You can view them on television live, I believe tonight. They are quite famous and that is how I know you won’t be disturbed or found.”
“And what do these lovely Neighbors do?”
“Professional wrestling.” The smile on Lestat’s face faded.
“Brutes beating each other within an inch of their life? Lack of intelligence, and of necks?”
“Actually, they’re women.” Lestat gets an image of a hideous man-woman where the line between genders is blurred and he wonders if he shouldn’t get a new home. Well a newer one. “Quite Visible necks, and all highly educated as a Physical Therapist, Teacher and a Psychologist. One is actually filiming a movie as we speak.”
“That’s it?” Lestat asks.
“Well there was a matter of names, we would like to have your identities ready for you when you arrive.”
“I’ll call you.” Lestat says and hangs up. “Hungry?” Lestat asks smiling.
“Lestat you don’t need to feed yet you go out almost every night why?”
“Why not?” Louis just shakes his head.
“Tell me about these neighbors.”
Lestat reaches for the remote and starts flipping channels and luckily finds Raw before Nitro. The Dudley’s are putting a hideous thing with red spandex on through a table. Louis looked at Lestat who was picturing the man woman again when he saw Chyna leading them on; he just turned it off.
“And what was that?” Louis asked.
“Our neighbors choice of employment.” Louis turns back on the TV to see them.
Edge and Christian are tag team champions and living the good life. They had two leather recliners and Pyra was sitting on Edge. Christian was sitting to their left; in between them was a small table with chips on it.
“You know what would so rule now?” Edge asks.
“What?” Pyra asks.
“Some RC Edge Cola.”
“Yeah that would rule,” Christian says looking at Pyra.
“Why do I have to get it?” Edge gives her a smile and she’s up on her feet giving Christian a dirty look.
She returns with the soda and hands it to Christian. She opens Edge’s and puts a straw in it and hands it to him as Christian’s explodes violently when he opens it.
“Yuck, I’m covered in soda.”
“You really should get that stuff cleaned out before its stains,” Pyra says as he walks out. “And you?”
“Fine,” Edge says, like he is totally ignorant to the fact that Pyra shook Christian’s soda. He smiles as Pyra takes the soda away.
“So what exactly are you hiding under that title?” Christian walks back in and the both of them look annoyed.
“Dude I so forgot that I had a spare.”
Pyra bangs her head against Edge’s chest and says, “Can I kill him? It won’t hurt much.”
“Pyra! That reeks.”
“Oh fine.”
Lestat and Louis look at each other as the show goes to commercial. Louis silently turns off the TV and neither one has the words to describe what they saw. In all their years, that had to be the most insane performance ever.
“This place is looking better by the moment,” Lestat says finally.
“Is that one of them?” he asks.
“No idea.”
“Well, that last one wasn’t so bad,” Louis says.
“So what do you want to be named?”
“You decide I don’t care,” Louis says turning to his side.
Lestat sighs, Louis was dour and even more of a homebody then usual. Combine it with the fact that he didn’t have to feed as often, he probably wouldn’t leave this hotel room until they left. He started thinking of names for them.
Back in crazy TV land, Pyra had climbed out of Edge’s lap because try as she might she couldn’t find a good reason to stay. If she had just noticed Edge’s frown she may have stayed. She adjusted the tank top, that was the main part of her ‘proper refereeing attire’ and plays with her pendant.
“So you guys are coming right?”
“I can’t but Edge will.”
“Um okay. So Edge you’ll finally get to meet Josh.”
“Its his birthday too right?”
“Yeah the day before mine.”
“Anyone else from here coming?” Edge asks.
“Nausi, Mystic, Matt, Jeff, I think that’s it.”
“I see,” Edge said staring at Pyra. Jason rolls his eyes, there was Edge starring at Pyra like a steak special and she didn’t even notice. Oblivious didn’t describe it, she was blind in the exact size and shape of Edge’s romantic feelings. He was too nice a guy to try to mess with her and Chris, then she already had a new boyfriend.
Jason didn’t mention he has seen Pyra and this new boyfriend getting hot and heavy at least a month before she had broken up with Chris. Well Edge could use a little heart break and this would kill him. Bring him down a notch or two. Of course he wanted them together he would never make it when she cheated on him. It had made him like Pyra more, that she could be so wicked. She laughed when she broke up with Chris, he had thought only he did that.
She was drinking his soda. Edge wanted her back in his lap. Well he wanted a lot more than her sitting in his lap. How had she gotten another boyfriend so quickly? He had asked her like less than a week later how the single life was and she had said she wouldn’t know. He couldn’t believe it why would she get back together with him. That had set off another fit of laughter and she said no way never again.
“Psst, Edge.” No answer, “yo Edge!” He glanced to her face and did the only thing he could do to hide his embarrassment, he grinned crazily making her shake her head.
“Yes?”
“I don’t know you looked out there.”
Edge stands, “Isn’t that my soda?”
“Want it? Come and get it,” Pyra says taking a step back.
Edge takes a step forward but his mind couldn’t be further from the can. He does the only thing he can. He grabs both of Pyra’s hands causing the soda to fall and he uses his other free hand to start tickling her. She is laughing and shrieking at the same time. Jason slips out of the room, hoping his absence will take them past friends. He’s standing outside and is passed by The Rock.
“What’s going on in there?” The Rock asks hearing the shrieks and laughter.
“Pyra and Edge.” The Rock raises a very famous eyebrow. “No nothing like that.”
“But its plain to see they like each other. It’s the very reason this story line developed, their natural chemistry.”
“Plain to everyone but them,” Jason mutters. “They need a kick in the head if you ask me.”
The Rock nods and moves on preparing for an interview with Kevin Kelly. The short man was standing in front of the screen squirming and The Rock put a hand on him to calm him. Jason thought this sentiment was sickening and went back inside the room where Pyra and Edge were each sitting on the chairs. Well this would be like a kick. Jason walks directly over to Pyra lifts her and drops her in Edge’s lap in a swift motion and sits in the chair.
“This seat’s taken,” He says smiling at Pyra’s slightly stunned expression and at his friend who can’t help but smile at this turn of events.
“Okay, your fake brother’s insane.”
“Don’t you like the seating arrangement?”
“Well it does have its pluses.” Pyra says smiling and pulling lightly on one of Edge’s curls.
That was another thing! They were constantly flirting, over and over. But it was worth less they both refused to believe they were anything more than friends. Jason tried to tell Edge but he just thought he was being nice. He was positive Mystic, Nausikaa, or both had probably tried to enlighten Pyra. Dimwits!! The both of them.

4

Lestat couldn’t believe it, he had to be interviewed before he would be allowed to live in his new home. It wasn’t his yet but he wanted it. All he had to do was win over a few wrestlers, how hard could that be? His lawyer walked in briefcase in hand he had everyone’s newly acquired identity. He would now be known as Quinlan Jude, where he had come up with that name he wasn’t even sure. Louis would be Fabian Chartier, David had been no fun changing his last name to Young. Merrick seemed to have some fun choosing her name, Endora Powers. The witch of Endor, had he ever known that story? He wasn’t sure but he knew it now. The lawyer was handing out identification and saying things Lestat was sure he should be listening to.
“Well they should be here any moment.”
Lestat heard voices in the hall and started to focus on them. “She’s late isn’t she?”
“Well she does have two minutes,” Mystic says as her phone rings. “Hey there, Py . . .” Nausi yanks the phone away. “Where the fudge are you?”
“Hey Nausi, look I’m having some issues with Josh’s gift that I have to deal with now. I can’t make it besides if they move in I’ll get to meet them later anyway right? Right. Later.” Pyra hangs up as Nausi hands Mystic back her cell.
“She’s not coming, the loser.”
“Okay so let’s go meet these dudes, see if they are good enough for us.”
They pushed opened the door and Lestat saw two angels. He was amazed by their beauty. One with raven hair and such an exotic look and the other, the hair, the eyes, the skin, had he ever seen mortals so beautiful. He was glad he had dressed so well, a long red crushed velvet jacket, black leather pants and a black silk shirt. Louis was wearing a royal blue silk shirt, and black dress pants. He had opted out of a jacket since in this weather it was ridiculous. David still hadn’t learned he was now a young man and was dressed in an old fashioned suit. Merrick wore a shapeless white silk dress and a string of pearls. All her hair pulled back away from her face and held with an antique clip.
“Hello, I’m Mystic and this is Nausikaa.” Mystic says extending her hand to the closest person, the lawyer.
“I’m Mr. Jude’s personal attorney.”
“Ah, I see.” Lestat takes the opportunity to introduce himself.
”I would be Quinlan Jude, a pleasure.” He takes her hand and kisses the back and does the same to Nausi. “Nausikaa.”
“Nausi, please,” she says retrieving her hand.
“And this would be Fabian Chartier, David Young, and Endora Powers.” The hand shakes continue then Nausi and Mystic take seats across from them at the table.
“First question, what do you guys do?”
“Do you have a stable source of income?”
“No and yes in that order,” Lestat replies. “We’re all quite wealthy.”
“Okay any convictions?” Nausi asks quite bluntly.
“What?” David stammers losing all his British composure.
“You heard me, I don’t care if it was jaywalking I want to know.”
“No nothing like that,” Lestat said forcing to keep a straight face. Countless murders over the centuries but documented proof, they were not foolish enough for that. They had all even fed tonight to add some color to their appearance and warmth to their touch.
The interview continued on a calmer nature after that blunt question with Lestat doing most of the talking for his friends. Now since Merrick said next to nothing and Lestat is such a charming person it is decided that they can be allowed to move in. the rest of the conversation turns to the rules and how life works on the compound.
“I see , how do we enter this compound?”
“There’s an eye scan, you’ll all be programmed into it. Then you can come and go as you please.”
“And when can we move in?”
“Well, Nausi has work Monday and Tuesday and I'll be filming, I'm the the only one who can put you in. Wednesday 4pm?”
“Um, how about later?” Lestat asks.
“Whenever, your moving men can come anytime on Wednesday.
“Is that all?” David asks.
“Two things, I’d like to be invited to any party you guys throw. And most important, they’re taken.”
“Who? Or What is taken?” Lestat asks.
“Well this is really for Endora unless you guys are gay. Anyway all the guys are taken, I don’t care if they’re a fish, they’re taken, Joshua taken, Chester taken, Mike taken, Shane taken, Matt taken, Jeff taken, Mr. Hahn taken, Lucky taken, Mr. Bo jangles taken, Shannon taken, even Raven is taken. I don’t care if they’re here for a party they’re taken.”
“Look don’t touch I understand,” Merrick replies.
“Who said you could look?” Mystic says as she and Nausi walk out.
“She was kidding right?” Merrick says already seeing what she said as a challenge to claim every single male that sets foot on the property her conquest. It was too bad it was already a rule not to feed on anyone who lived on the property. Merrick thought about who the first name she had mentioned was. Joshua, the first one she would claim, with her voodoo and new gifts it should be easy.

5

Wednesday August 4, 1999 8pm . . .
Fabian Chartier, Quinlan Jude, David Young and Endora Powers are all standing outside Here with Mystic who is about to add them to the optical scan when the gate is opened from the inside and Pyra comes speeding out in her blades head phones blasting Millennium, she slams into David before she can stop herself and she and the vampire end up sprawled on the concrete. A pale white hand with the most awesome nails she’s ever seen on a guy reaches to help her up. She uses him to regain her balance.
“Thanks,” She says looking into a pair of violet shades he nods and she turns to David who is dusting off his preppy gear. “Sorry, you okay?” David looks at her and for a second a look of pure terror takes him then he nods.
“Pyra! What the hell? You just come out here knocking down our neighbors? Nice way to say hi.” Mytic says and Pyra looks at her friend confused. Her hair went down to midback she has pointy ears and was in a beautiful sparkling gown.
Pyra takes out the head phones and you can clearly hear Larger than Life, “Say something Arwen?”
Mystic looks about ready to strangle the taller girl. “Do you know how long its gonna take me to reprogram this? Do you?”
“No clue,” Pyra says clearly bored only intrested in Mystic's getup. She reaches for one of Mystic's ear and her friend quickly backs away.
“Don't touch me! You know how long it takes to get these ears on? Stay here! I have to get something,” Mystic says annoyed going back into the property.
“But . . .” Pyra turns to the four people standing there. Two extremely pale, two tan, wait no that girl was black, just light. She leans against the sophisticated piece of machinery then moves over to the side. “Hola, I’m Pyra.”
“What kind of name is that?” Merrick asks before she can stop herself.
“Mine, any more dumb questions?” Lestat was taken aback rude wasn’t she? And why did David look like he had seen a ghost. “So you have a name or you just like insulting others?”
“Endora . . . Endora Powers.”
“I see, and the rest of you?”
“Quinlan Jude,” Lestat says extending a hand. She takes it and he kisses the back of her hand. She smiles a little surprised.
“I’m Fabian Chariter,” Louis says doing the same as Lestat.
Pyra waits looking at David. He doesn’t say anything avoiding looking at Pyra still with a sightly stunned look on his face. “Hey are you okay? You want to sit down? You didn’t hit your head or anything? Hey I’m sorry I ran into you, could you say something? Anything?”
“David,” he whispers.
“Nice to meet you,” Pyra says still looking concerned.
“I’m fine,” he says forcing a smile and Pyra nods.
“So where you guys from?”
“Europe,” Lestat says vaguly.
“Yeah and I’m from North America. A little more?”
“France,” He replies.
“Cool and the shades are for the bright glaring moon light?” Lestat shrugs.
“So where were you speeding off too?” Lestat asks.
Pyra looks at him, where the hell was she going again and why wouldn’t his cute friend in the shades talk? God! Her short attention span had gotten the better of her again. She backtracked in her mind. At home bored with JC . . . then ah ha! “No where really, just for a few jumps, I was bored.”
“Jumps?” Pyra points to her feet.
“Ramps and stairs and stuff.”
“Don’t you need protection?”
“No, I think its called a death wish,” Pyra says balancing on one foot and pulling off a blade and switching to the other. One sock was bright red and the other was bright yellow. “Much better,” She says standing upright.
“Do you know your socks don’t match?” Merrick asks.
“They match each other, why must socks be the same color?”
“Why different?”
“Why not?” Pyra says pulling out a pack of gum and offering to each of them who decline.
Lestat was reevaluating her again. She wasn’t so much rude as she approached you the way you approached her. Most humans would feel a slight discomfort around four vampires even if they didn’t understand it. She was completely off guard, he decided to see what was going on in her head. Nothing, naturally defensive he guessed. But he didn’t have to read her mind to see two things quite clearly, she didn’t like Merrick and she was infatuated with Louis. Louis seemed to be picking up mortal woman right and left lately. He gives his friend a smile.
“I’m back,” The elfed out Mystic says and Lestat wonder why he didn’t hear her footsteps. She connects a device to the optical scan punches in a few codes and throws Pyra an evil look. She returns it with a smile. After another 5 minutes Mystic is ready to scan the new people in. She punches in a few more codes as each person steps up individually.
Louis was observing his two new neighbors. Pyra seemed just as deranged as Lestat could be at times, but she seemed to be really kind showing such strong concern for David. If she noticed anything at all about them she didn’t show it. Mystic was being serious and quite official despite Pyra’s antics. But he could tell thee women where close friends. Once Mystic had really started fixing the device Pyra had sat silently in the grass. He would like to see Mystic’s behavior on a more informal note. But he got a nice impression from her warm smile.
David couldn’t help it. There he was standing mere feet from something the Talamasca thought of killing to protect people. They would have stopped watching but the Elders put a stop to that notion whoever they were. He wonders if they would even have succeeded, somehow he doubts it. Pyra, some sort of magical primal force. And there she was sitting in the grass doing nothing. Her toes wiggling in the bright socks, that indeed matched each other even if not in the conventional sense.
She didn’t like this girl, sitting on the grass like they were nothing. Pyra spat out her gum into the wrapper dropped it on the floor beside her and put in another piece. Mystic she wasn’t sure about yet, though she didn’t like the air of superiority she had about her like she was queen of the world. Maybe she would teach her a lesson and the way she had startled David. Rude and annoying!
Lestat was the first one done with his eye scan and he sat down on the grass across from Pyra. She looked up at him and removed the headphones when she saw him speak.
“what are you listening to?”
“Backstreet Boys,” He shrugs and Pyra looks stunned. “You do know who they are?”
“No I prefer classical.”
“Oh, but still. Oh never mind I’m quite deranged when it comes to them.” Louis was done next and he sat beside Lestat. Oh so cute, she wondered what color his eyes were. Then a sudden idea entered her mind. Damn it they were gay. Wait she shouldn’t jump to conclusions.
“You guys been friends long?”
“Seems like forever,” Louis says speaking for the first time.
“So you’re all just friends moving in together?”
“Yes is that so strange?”
“Please, I moved in with a practical stranger. At least you guys are friends. Speaking of which stay here.” Pyra gets up and runs back into the property. She returns a few minutes later with, Joshua who is wearing dark navy baggy jeans and a Hard rock Café T-shirt. Pyra was also holding something tiny lost in a blue towel.
“Hey ok, this is Quinlan, Fabian, David and that over there is Endora.” She looks up at him messing up the scanning process and breaking one of Mystic’s rules on her first night. And on the worse possible subject.
“You moved! Are you trying to make me late?! I don't have time for this.”
“I was saying hi.”
“Don’t be stupid! I told you not to move.”
“Any way, this is Joshua my . . .”
“Husband,” Endora says losing interest.
“What?!” Pyra and JC exclaim simultaneously and unconsciously stepping away from each other. “No freaking way!” Pyra continues.
“Ew!”
“He’s my roommate! Roommate! Don’t be sick!” Pyra turns to JC. “Did you just ew me?”
“Um, uh . . .I. . .”
“I see how it is . . .”
“What are you holding?” Lestat asks still sitting.
“This is Lucky, he seems to have tried to go fishing. Josh fished him out, he’s a little damp,” Pyra says exposing a medium sized black cat that she is toweling dry. Lucky suddenly wants his freedom and bounds our of Pyra’s hold and shakes the rest of the water off him and starts licking his fur back into place while staring at their new neighbors.
"Cat’s always seem so intelligent,” Lestat says, Lucky meows.
“Can I,” Fabian asks pointing towards Lucky.
“Um, I think so, worse case scenario he runs, he doesn’t attack, much. Lucky is a nice cat.” He lifts the cat which purrs at his soft petting. Lestat smiles a cat would have to be the pet for his Louis just independent enough, while wanting to be taken care of.
"Seems like he likes you," Pyra says as Louis puts the cat down and it walks right back into his arms. Lucky starts hissing the moment Merrick sits down and she turns her nose up at the cat.
"Why must you hold that filthy thing."
"I only see one filthy thing around here," Pyra says taking her previous seat on the grass as JC joins her.
"How rude!"
"Really? I thought i was being nice." Pyra says as Lestat tries very hard to hide his grin. Louis just continues to stroke Lucky.
"What did I do to you?"
"Okay you've know me less then ten minutes and you give me disgusted looks and insult my name,and my cat give me one good reason to be nice to you. Even my cat doesn't like you."
"You know not who you challenge."
"I know not? Dude you have no freaking clue, its the stuff nightmares are made of." Louis felt Pyra's change in mood and something else that for the moment made no sense.
"Okay I have to get out of here like now since some people," Mystic says looking directly at Merrick, "Can't follow simple directions."
"Your friend did the same thing," Merrick starts.
"No Pyra just froze the program, that takes only like a second to fix. YOU on the other hand messed up a whole lot more and could have blinded yourself!"
"Well I think its time we went to our home," David says wanting to end the battle and to get away from Pyra. Lestat stands hearing the urgency in his voice and Louis follows suit. He hands Pyra back Lucky and walks to their house. Some furniture had been moved in earlier that day so they all sat in chairs that belonged in various places.
"We have a major problem," David says as everyone settles in their seats and he starts pacing around them.
"What?" Lestat says already looking around and plotting how his house would look.
"Its Pyra."
"That toad?" Merrick says.
"That toad as you like to say can easily kill us all."
"What?!" Lestat exclaims in what David thinks is shock until a slight chuckle excapes him, then a full on roar of laughter. "David I thought you had something serious to discuss."
"Its true, did you happen to try to scan her mind?"
"Yes all I saw was a wall."
"Of flame her chosen element. if you had probed farther there is no telling what she may have done. A member of the order was knocked dumb trying to enter the depths of her mind when she was mearly 12. He is not himself to this day."
"That girl?" Lestat says seeing the gum munching cat lover as anything but a threat.
"Yes which is why I feel we must . . ." Knock knock Lestat goes to the door where Pyra is standing.
"Pyra?"
"Um did one of you drop a celly?" Pyra says holding up Lestat's new phone. He puts his hand to his pocket and remebers he had placed it on his lap since his lawyer was to call with the final arrangments of the guards at his places in New Orleans. In his worry for David he must have dropped it.
"Thank you, cherie."
"No problem," Pyra says.
"Quite sure, good night." Lesat says watching the girl walk off the porch. "Yes David I can see how her returning my cell phone shows the monster she is."
"Lestat I'm serious, she had fallen off the Talamasca's radar shortly after college, we would have sightings of her in New York but could never find her home. We must leave this place."
"You just gave me the perfect reason to stay. Even the Talamsca can't find us here. We stay David, nothing will chase me out of another home. And have to admit I'm rather fond of the two of them already."
"You can't mean that, be reasonable."
"David my patience is coming to an end. When we leave here it will be to return to New Orleans. Now if you insist on doing it now the road will be paved with the blood of your brothers and sisters."
"Lestat . . ." he waves his hand at David showing that he won't change his mind. "Louis surely the way you felt Merrick's power when you first encounterd her you feel it now."
"I don't know what I felt, but I know what I saw, a kind woman with a caring heart."
"And you Merrick?"
"She was nothing more than a foul tongued harpie." David sinks into a chair in defeat knowing that one day they will all live to regret it.
"Then all I ask of you all is to avoid her. Don't provoke her, live like she doesn't exist."
"Not a problem, I already detest them both."
"That would make us very rude neighbors don't you think so David?" Lestat says highly more intersted in Pyra then he would have be if not for David's little speech.
"Lestat you wouldn't," Davivd says."
"Wouldn't what? Make friends with our gracius new neighbors? Show you once and for all what fools you and your entire talamasca are." Lestat stands suddendly and walks out of the the house.
He's not really sure where he's going and reaches the other two houses on the property. He could go see the enchanting Nausikaa, but that wouldn't upset David nearly as much as going to see Pyra. If that was Nausi's house which he could tell because he could clearly see the girl in her second floor window on the phone. He walked across the way thinking maybe he should pay David some mind. He knocked on the door and Pyra's roommate answered.
"Hello, Joshua."
"Hi, come in," JC says and he does and takes a seat on the couch and wonders why someone would have orange pillows on a black soft leather couch.
"Josh the entire point of gouging on snack foods in front of the big screen is that you bring the snack food before sunup!" Pyra says walking out of the game/entertainmet room and not noticing Quinn.
"Pyra . . ."
"I refuse to watch anything that has a reference to George Lucas!" Pyra finally notices Quinn. "Oh hi!"
"Hello," He says smiling. "Nice pajamas." Pyra couldn't be happier she was wearing red silk ones with a black tank and nothing with a cartoon on it.
"Thanks. So what's going on?"
"Well, I was going to ask for a tour, but you seem to be settling in for the night. Might I join you for a while?"
"Sure," JC says.
"Are you hungry?"
"We all ate before we came knowing we didn't have anything at home I'm quite full."
"Okay well come on." Over the last year JC and Pyra had been cribing up their house and they took Quinn to a movie theater part still under consrtuction. As it was now it was connected to the game room. Pyra thinks they really need to stop doing things the normal way. The omly reason it worked at all was because Pyra gave it a helping hand. They removed the plastic sheeting on one more of the large chairs.
"Okay Quinn, help us out here,Carrie or Star Wars," Pyra says making a face.
"See now he's gonna choose Carrie," JC says whining.
"Why do you like this crap? 'Luke (Darth vader noise) I am your father'. Who gives a rat's ass!"
"Pyra, its cool imagine you never knew your parents and then you find out your dad is everything you thought to be evil."
"What a way to give people who don't know their parents hope," Pyra mutters annoyed.
"I'm sorry that's not what I meant."
"Josh chill, its just that time of the year. Nothing good can come of it." Quinn is completly lost. He can't for the life of him unserstand what he's a witness to. "Oh Quinn, Um long twisted story short, I'm adopted and my birthday is coming up it puts me in a constant PBS (pre birthday syndrome) . . . that sounded better in my head."
"Movie time," JC says poping in the tape. Quinn was between Pyra and JC and JC had snuck in Firestarter by Steven King instead.
"Hey! Joshie you rock," Pyra says. Lestat actually finds the movie quite interesting and wonders what the Talamasca would do if they ever got a hold of such a child. The thought doesn't bring a smile to his face as he thinks of how much they want to get their hands on him. Even the way David had talked about Pyra. Why would a member have been so desperate to enter the private place that is her mind and at age 12 none the less. He glanced at Pyra, she had fallen asleep. He got no sense of a witch off her no sense of anything extrodinary.
"Pyra," He softly whispered and she stirred opening her eyes.
"I'm sorry I didn't mean to wake you."
"Its okay." Pyra says sitting back up. "You like the movie?"
"Yes, it was intersting," Quinn says.
"So how about I take you on this tour on well later today."
"Maybe tonight I have some things to do today." Lestat says wondering if they won't have to leave just to keep their secret.
"Alright and you can bring David and Fabian too."
"And Dora?"
"Sure we'll see if she floats."
"Pyra," Jc says.
"What? Its an old test for bitchcraft the puritians used to do it. If you float your a witch and if you drown you're not and they've sent you to God." Lestat laughs. "Well I guess its better then the one where they throw you off a cliff and if you fly you're guilty and if you plung to your death you're innocent and are one with God. You gotta love their logic." Lestat just continues to laugh.
"What is it like midnight now?" JC asks.
"I believe so," Lestat says. "Well, I've imposed on your kindness long enough," Quinn says standing.
"Its no big deal you're welcome anytime well execpt maybe early in the morning, me and Josh don't understand the meaning of morning its just not in our collective vocabulary. Noon maybe, if you're lucky."
"Neither am I. I should warn you I'm quite a night owl, you might not even see me during the day."
"Well then we'll be perfect neighbors," Pyra says walking with him and JC to the front door.
"I'll see you tomorrow."
"Bye Quinn!"
"Goodnight,"JC says shutting the door.
"He's nice don't you think?"
"Yeah, you should be nice to that girl, they do live together."
"He didn't seem to care, fine I'll use the out of sight out of mind for the bitch queen."
Over at Lestat's house he walks in hoping Louis is in a talking mood. His friend had moved a chair and had built a fire despite the summer heat and was staring into it calmly. Lestat kneels directly in front of the chair to get his friends attention though he knows he has no need.
"You're going to drive David mad or away."
"All in a days work, I believe I started driving him mad when he was a mortal. But I want to talk to you about something vastly more interesting."
"And what is that?"
"Our neighbors of course."
"What have you been doing?"
"Watching a movie, Firestarter, fitting don't you think?"
"How so?"
"What David said and the barriers in her mind all that fire, you should be able to read minds, you should be able to do a lot more," Lestat says standing and looking down on his friend. His face was a mask of disinterest and sadness. Louis may be more powerful but he hadn't changed, it would take a lot for him to even to try and find out how strong he was now. He had no interest in it. "And where is David?"
"He said he needed air."
"And the little witch?" Louis shrugged as Lestat started pacing just to have something to do. "We're going on a tour of the grounds tomorrow night, feed early."
"Who will be giving this tour?"
"Well Mystic will still be filming her movie, isn't she such a beautiful woman?"
"Yes, but . . ."
"Well since she's busy I asked Pyra. Who was more than happy to say yes after I agreed to bring you."
"Just me?"
"David also, just not Endora though she didn't directly say it."
"David will never come."
"I know, but if Pyra was such a powerful monster would she not take one look at us and see us for what we are or at least what we aren't."
"I see your point, David's never acted like this before."
"I know the Talamascan in him would never pass up the chance to deal with the supernatural."

6


Thursday August 5, 1999 8:30pm. . .
Knock Knock "You get it," Pyra says poking JC.
"I'm busy," JC says taking Lucky off Pyra's lap, "besides there's a cat on me." Lucky starts laughing and they both grin.
"Fine." Pyra walks over to the door knowing its someone who lives on the property and extra happy when she sees which someones. Fabian and Quinn were standing at the door both looking hot. JC watched with a raised eyebrow as Pyra flamed her sweats and huge t-shirt to black bondage pants with red straps and red shirt that said, 'I only ask that you treat no better then you would the Queen'. "Silence."
"I didn't say a word," JC replies as Pyra opens the door. Both guys were wearing their shades violet on Quinn, green on Fabian.
"I'll be back later Joshie."
The guys wave as Pyra steps out and shuts the door. Both guys were in slacks and dress shirts with the sleeves rolled up just a little.
“So where do you guys want to start?”
“Right here seems just fine,” Quinn says.
“Okay, hey you wanna see inside?” Pyra says pointing to her house.
“Alright,” Pyra turns the knob then knocks. “Joshie, hello?”
”Back so soon?”
“Yeah decided on a tour of the indoor variety first.”
“Oh,” JC says as Lucky walks around Louis legs.
“Ok Lucky really likes you,” Pyra says as he picks up the cat again.
“Well this would be the living room.” Pyra turns to the right and points to the stairs, “that would be the den.”
”Where? Upstairs?”
“Ah no,” Pyra walks over to the wall and shows how it reveals a hidden door.
“Interesting.”
“Yeah, well it’s our little den place,” Pyra says as they walk in and Lestat is drawn to the book case his books in particular.
“You read Anne Rice?”
“Yeah I love her stuff.”
“Who are your favorite characters?”
“Lestat, Louis and Armand. Well maybe flip Lestat and Louis.”
”You like Louis better than Lestat?”
“Don’t say it like that, like its all weird.”
“But why Louis doesn’t do anything.”
”Quinn . . .” Fabian starts.
“I just want her to explain it to me.”
“Man what are you a male Mystic? I just do ok, I think Louis is more interesting.”
“More interesting?! Did he go to heaven and hell? Switch bodies?”
”Awake the Queen of the Damned, turn his momma, act like quite the psycho? No but being some out of this world vampire doesn’t mean I find you interesting just means I find you cool. See Louis interesting, Armand interesting, Marius interesting. Lestat’s kinda predictable.”
“Predictable? How can he be predictable?” Lestat asks calmly realizing he actually wants to hear this take on him.
“Hello I’m Lestat and I’ll go on a life/soul altering journey and come out the same vampire that dances with corpses.” Lestat looks at Louis who is finding the whole thing quite entertaining. “Predictable in the sense that he never learns anything except maybe in Memnoch and that drove him nuts at least for a while. Its like hello I almost eradicated men, and vampires as a whole, what do I do? Go torment a seventy year old man who I later make a vampire against his will. And what’s with the crying?”
“Don’t you cry?”
“Actually no, I find it pointless and messy.”
“So you’ve never shed a tear?”
“That would be a bold face lie, but I don’t think anything made me cry since my age was in single digits.”
“So Louis well I guess Lestat would agree with you.”
“Well yeah, but it has to be odd when you’re reading a book and you’re waiting for the ‘dusty’ best friend to make an appearance.”
”Shall we continue?”
“Sure Fabian,” Pyra says slipping her arm in his as Lestat gawks and Lucky slips out of the vampire’s hold and back to the living room. “Coming?” Pyra asks smiling so he knows there aren’t any real hard feelings.
She takes them through the dinning room and into the game room and point out the guest room and sometime during all that Quinn and her are arm in arm. The house tour only includes the down stairs and soon they were back outside and walking to the woods.
“Okay so its up to you guys here, see on that side is the Shire and on this side is Fangorn.” They look between the two very different woods the vines and the bleakness of Fangorn which brings to mind the worst of horror movies and the Shire that even in the middle of the night looked cheery and had flowers blooming.
”Oh and the first rule of the woods, don’t you dare hurt a tree. It wouldn’t be good for your health. Especially not in Fangorn.”
“Can we go into this Fangorn? Or is that forbidden also?” Lestat asks smiling.
“Course not, so no Shire for you?”
“Seems rather tame, unless of course you want to go to the Shire.”
“No thanks. Into Fangorn we go.”
The three of them enter Fangorn and seem to enter a different world. From the swirling mist that covers the floor to the clear drop in temperature. The noises in the woods no were near normal sounding like a moaning and the creaking.
“Do creatures live here?”
”Mostly in the Shire. The animals don’t really like it here. There are a few horses, and you know furry little woodland creatures. Even Lucky won’t come with me here and he’ll follow me almost anywhere.”
“I see.” Lestat says and they walk deeper into the wood. “So are we going some where in particular?” Pyra is too busy looking at an immensely large tree to heat him. He looks at it and gets the eerie notion that its alive, alive enough to be looking at him.
“Pyra?” Fabain says clearly more attuned to the oddness of this wood.
“Huh what?” Pyra says coming out of a daze where she had had a little telepathic talk with Treebeard telling him these are their new neighbors and that they were perfectly normal and not ready to meet an Ent.
“Who’s that?” Fabian says pointing across the way and some water. All you see is a person a dark cloak on a black horse looking towards them their entire form looming in shadow.
“I don’t believe this crap!”
“Who is that?” Lestat asks.
“No one,” Pyra says picking up a stick and hurling it with more force then she should have at Mystic and she can almost hear her friends mental gasp as she and the horse disappear through the trees.
“Why did you do that?”
“Do what? Come on lets go,” Pyra says turning around.
“But . . . “ Fabian puts an arm on Quinn and shakes his head. He was starting to feel that danger David had been so keen on and he understood now. Calm she was no danger but vexed he felt something stronger then he had ever felt from Merrick.
Once out of the woo Pyra takes a deep breath and waits for the guys to join her hoping they didn’t get lost. She would so smack Mystic later. They come out of the woods a few moments later and Pyra grins.
”Okay over there is Nausi, Shane and Shannon’s place. Did you meet the guys?”
“No.”
“Alright, let’s see if they’re even home.”
They walk over to Nausi’s and Pyra rings the door bell once. She waits and eventually Shannon answers. “Hey Pyra, what’s going on?”
“You meet our new neighbors?”
”Nah, one sec. Shane! Put down the comics for one second and be a good neighbor and come meet some people.”
“Bite me wolf boy,” Shane says.
”Alrighty then Quinn and Fabian meet Shane and Shannon and vice versa,” Pyra says as the guys shake.
"So what are you guys doing?" Pyra asks.
"Nothing," Shane says not moving from the door frame.
"Are we not allowed in?" Pyra says not noticing Shannon vanished.
"Uh . . ." Shane says looking back into the house.
"Clearly he's planning something he doesn't want you to see."
"Oh wait is it me and Joshie's gift?"
"Maybe?"
"Next time say so, I'll see you dudes later."
"Bye, Pyra, guys it was nice meeting you."
"What is this talk of a gift?" Lestat asks.
"Me and Josh's bday's are coming up."
"Really when?"
"The 8th for Joshie and the 9th for me. There'll be some kind of party, like until dawn you guys are so invited and don't you dare buy me something."
"Why not?"
"Cause I said so."
"I should warn you i like breaking rules," Lestat says smiling.
"He's a trouble maker isn't he?" Fabian nods.
"Of the worse sort."
"There goes the neighborhood. Okay we have one more set of neighbors to meet then we can go to like my favorite place here."
"And where would that be?"
"You'll see, Fabian." Pyra says as they walk up Chester, Mike, and Joe's steps.
Knock Knock
"Who Dares interrupt thhe Chemist at work?" Chester says opening the door. "Ah it is you, something devious this way comes."
"Chester can you just pretend you are normal?"
"Aye, but the Chemist is a brilliant . . ." He stops finally noticing the new neighbors.
"Yeah, our new neighbors, this is Quinn and this is Fabian."
"Well come on in," Chester says sounding like a game show host as he shakes their hands as they walk in.
"Mike, Joe, they're here!"
"Who?" Joe yells from upstairs.
"Our neighbors you bastard! Get down here and bring Spike."
"Yeah!"
"Chester you need help."
"How much do you charge?"
"Arm and a Bass." Pyra says as Mike and Joe come downstairs. "Hey dudes, this is Quinn and this is Fabian, our new neighbors, oh there are two more but they opted out of my grand tour. David and Endora."
"What was that? Was that some dislike," Chester asks as the other two guys shakes hands.
"Chester sush ok."
"Okay don't hurt me."
"Sorry too late." Pyra says poking Chester in the arm as he falls to the floor faking agony.
"Funny," Pyra says kneeling down in front of him. He pulls her down and pins her as Mike and Joe come downstairs.
"About time!" Joe says.
"You know!" Mike replies as Pyra easily shoves Chester off her and takes Fabian's out streched hand to stand.
"Ooo Chester, your girl's tough," Joe says.
"I can take her," Chester says and Pyra looks at him with doubt. "Grr."
"I'm shaking." Pyra says. Joe and Mike actually remember the neighbors and step away from Pyra and Chester for introductions.
"I'm Joe Hahn."
"Quinlan Jude."
"Mike Shinoda."
"Fabian Chartier"
"Nice to meet you guys."
"You as well, are they always like this?" Quinn says looking back at Pyra and Chester who were poking each other incessantly.
"No, at least I don't think so. It was better when they were both glasses wearing dorks," Joe says.
"They are both wearing glasses," Quinn points out.
"Oh," Joe says noticing for the first time that Pyra wasn't in contacts.
"But you get the idea they sat in the corner talking about books and you'd almost forget them." Quinn smiles glancing at Louis.
"I understand completly."
"Well bring the rest of you guys around for a hi anytime," Mike says.
"Of course, maybe I'll be able to later tonight," Lestat says.
"I think they're done," Fabian says and the four of them turn to Pyra who is standing alone. Chester returns a few seconds later with a cup of juice Pyra drains in on sip.
"Oh hey you guys want anything?"
"Now that you ask . . ." Mike starts as both vampires shake their head.
"Shall we continue?" Lestat asks and Pyra nods handing Chester the cup.
"Okay, later dudes."
"Bye, Pyra."
The three of them head outside and Pyra turns to go right back to the woods. But this time going over to the side of the shire and the little park before the woods actually start. She sits on the middle swing as the two Vampires stand over her.
"This is my favorite part of what?," Pyra says.
"Really," Lestat says walking behind her. "May I?"
"Sure," Pyra says as Lestat starts pushing the swing. In a few moments he has a high but steady rhythm going with Louis giving him a dark look.
"What?" He asks laughing his hair blowing in the breeze he was causing.
"Isn't this the least bit dangerous?"
"Pyra, Fabian is worrying about your safety."
"Cute!" She shouts then brings the swing to a halt standing a little out of breath. "Hey you all have seen the parking lot right?"
"Yes most of my cars have arrived."
"What's the point of more than one?" Pyra asks.
"Well I can't drive a topless car in the middle of winter in New York and the tops are always an insult to the beauty . . ." Lestat stops when he sees Louis whisper something to Pyra that makes her laugh. "What did you say?"
"Just the truth old friend, that your vanity would allow nothing less."
"Should I be like you?"
"I have no use for such things," Louis says.
"I hear you man my car collects dust. God forbid I get another. So Fabian is that Quinn's only vanity?"
"If I were only so lucky . . ." Louis says returning Pyra's smile. "But Cherie what are your vanities?"
"Clothes mostly. My closet is the size of most bed rooms yet I still shop and complain of having nothing to wear."
"Sounds like someone I know," Fabian says clearly very happy in the company of thier new neighbor. Cause Louis rarely made jokes or smiled for that matter. He already loved Pyra like he had done so many mortals and immortals alike and he was almost sure Louis felt the same.
"Well, I guess that is the end of our grand tour," Pyra says and Lestat can tell by her tone its the last thing that she wants.
"Well we can show you our home it is already partially furnished and I'm sure David and Endora have been hard at work." Both Pyra and Louis seem uncomfortable at the request. "It will be fun."
"Oh okay," Pyra says.
They all walk to the vampires house and Lestat was right. As far as he could see most of the things that had been arranged in a mess downstairs were where they belonged. He could hear David moving about in the room that was to be the library and Merrick was somewhere over their heads. Pyra looked around and walked towards a strange altar thing that had just been opened but not moved as the packing materials littered the floor around it.
"What on earth is that?" Lestat hisses smelling faint traces of blood and food from it.
"Merrick's altar," Louis whispers back. "Ah Pyra I wouldn't touch that."
"{Voodoo, monsters, this stupid shit}" Pyra mutters to herself in Creole. As Lestat raises an eyebrow.
"Was that French?" He says not really having caught the words.
"No, Creloe my French it quite limited," Pyra says as Merrick comes downstairs.
"What are you doing?!" She shrieks running over to protect her shrine.
"Don't worry so much, I could care less about your little shrine," Pyra says clearly letting her know the entire thing was beneath her.
"Don't toy with things you don't understand."
"{It is you who doesn't understand, Haiti is s place you would be laughed at for your prayers}," Merrick is stunned into silence, though she doesn't understand the words she knows what the language is and is no where near happy about it. She composes her self and says.
"Speaking that language is of little cosequense."
"Would you rather I pray to Papa Legba and give him his sacrifies in English? The difference language makes is beyond your understanding."
"Do not think I fear you," Merrick says lifting the platform her shrine is on and carrying it upstairs.
"Just goes to show how dumb you are," Pyra mutters.
"Now then the grand tour," Lestat says as if nothing odd had just happened at all. Pyra shrugs walking back over to the two men.
"My room," Lestat says leading Pyra upstairs to the room he had already had arranged while the younger vampires still slept. Pyra walked in and instantly liked the mix of old and new. There was a laptop sitting on an antique desk, the kind that a lid like part that could lock so if it was closed you wouldn't see the laptop. The bed reminded her of her own but the was something more masculine about it though she couldn't figure it out since they had dark curtains and sheets. His windows also had heavy curtians. “And I thought I hated the sun,” Pyra says smiling.
“And one of my vanities,” Lestat says pulling open his closet.
”Ooo red,” is Pyra’s first reaction and the vampire smiles hiding his fangs effortlessly.
The tour of their house is pretty short do to the mostly under construction vibe of the house and its rooms. Lestat since he actually doesn’t want to send David running screaming into the night keeps Pyra out of the library where he is arranging all their books which between pack rat Louis and Talamascan David make quite an interesting and vast collection. After their first encounter Merrick and Pyra don’t run into each other again and The night ends with both guys walking her home and some chaste kisses on the cheeks.
“Bye guys,” Pyra says shutting the door as they walk back to their house.
”Have fun?”
”Hours with two gorgeous men, yeah I had a great time.”
”Don’t you have a boyfriend?”
“No I have a Jacob, there’s a slight difference. Man the hotness there was just . . .”
“So you have the hots for Quinn?”
”Actually I think Fabian is hotter, but he’s so quiet.”
”And not blond . . . blue eyed?”
“Green . . . no wait those were his shades I have no clue but they seemed to be light. And who says I can’t have room in my heart for dark haired, quiet guys with light eyes?”
“Er . . .no one.” JC says and Pyra wonders why he sounds nervous when she realizes who else that could describe.
”But blonds are . . . .“ Pyra grins her mind on a 6’ 4” blond. “Just tasty.”
“Tasty? Ok stop there I’m a guy here not stuff I need to hear.”
”Your not a guy you’re my Joshie! I can paint your toes and do your hair,” Pyra says grinning.
”You’re crazy.”
“Well duh, what does that have to do with painting your toes and having a good old fashioned slumber party?” JC rolls his eyes and Pyra just smiles all the more.

7

Sunday August 8, 1999
Pyra turned off her alarm and quietly crept downstairs to make JC a birthday breakfast. She starts cooking and Lucky wakes and starts to watch silently. Setting everything neatly on a tray she even has a fake plastic daisy in a small vase that is actually a lion and its mane. She knocks on the door and JC grumbles soemthing along the lines of go away.
"You naked?"
"No..." Pyra pushes open the door and sees JC still wrapped up in his sheets covering his head from the day light.
"Oh come on birthday boy."
"It can be my birthday later, around six."
"Josh look at me," He pokes part of his face out from under the sheet and sees what Pyra is holding. He sits up surpried.
"Wow, thanks Pyra."
"No problem dude, enjoy," She says pressing a little button on the lion/daisy as it starts sing 'The lion sleeps tonight'. JC laughs at the dancing flower as he digs in.
A light scratching at the door got Pyra’s attention and she gets up off JC’s bed and opens the door. Lucky runs in and onto JC’s bed holding something in his mouth. Pyra finally sees the carnation a bright orange one that grows in the shire.
“Present,” Lucky says happily. “Happy Birthday.”
“Wow, thank you Lucky,” the awe in his voice genuine. Even with a talking cat you didn’t expect to get presents from your pets. He pets the cats head and he purrs.
“You like it?”
”Yes Lucky, its great.”
“Present for Pyra,” Lucky says showing off a red carnation.
“Lucky you’re amazing,” Pyra says lifting the cat and kissing him. When she puts him down he starts watching the dancing flower which had stopped playing though continued to sway.
JC finished his breakfast and placed his flowers (both real and plastic) aside and Pyra took the tray.
“You don’t have to…”
“Josh go shower and I’ll bring you a present.”
”Ok ok I’ll go.”
“Come on Lucky,” Pyra says lifting the cat, “You can help me pick one.”
“Okay.”
“When did you get these anyway?”
”I goed when you sleep.”
”Went. Say I went goed is not a word.”
”Ok.” Lucky says and Pyra wonders if she’d even ever be able to do this again. Lucky only had to be told once and he got it right it was probably why in less than a year he talked a storm though his sentences were sometimes jagged.
“So which one?” Pyra says laying out the gifts on the bed after dropping Josh’s tray in the kitchen.
“This one its soft,” Lucky says laying on what she believed was a long sleeved dark blue shirt or the pair of black chords she got him.
“Soft one it is.”
“Cool.”
“Yeah,” Pyra replies smiling.
Ring Ring
“Hello?”
“Hey Py Py.”
“Hey Nausi what’s shaking?”
“Doing the medic thing today, so Chazie up yet?”
“Yeah he’s in the shower.”
“I see.”
“Tell him you called?”
”Nah I’ll call him back later how goes it with the new people?”
”I don’t like that Endora girl but Quinn and Fabian are mighty cool peeps.
“Its cause she’s black isn’t Pyra. Why does it always have to be about race with you?”
”Funny.”
“Wait, wasn’t there another guy?”
”Yeah David he seems nice doesn’t talk much, I don’t think I’ve seen him since the first time we met.”
”Uh huh well I’m being called to tend to a Orc that got a little to close to Gimli toodles.”
”Later.”
“So which one?” Pyra says laying out the gifts on the bed after dropping Josh’s tray in the kitchen.
“This one its soft,” Lucky says laying on what she believed was a long sleeved dark blue shirt or the pair of black chords she got him.
“Soft one it is.”
“Cool.”
“Yeah,” Pyra replies smiling.
Ring Ring
“Hello?”
“Hey Py Py.”
“Hey Nausi what’s shaking?”
“Doing the medic thing today, so Chazie up yet?”
“Yeah he’s in the shower.”
“I see.”
“Tell him you called?”
”Nah I’ll call him back later how goes it with the new people?”
”I don’t like that Endora girl but Quinn and Fabian are mighty cool peeps.
“Its cause she’s black isn’t Pyra. Why does it always have to be about race with you?”
”Funny.”
“Wait, wasn’t there another guy?”
”Yeah David he seems nice doesn’t talk much, I don’t think I’ve seen him since the first time we met.”
”Uh huh well I’m being called to tend to a Orc that got a little to close to Gimli toodles.”
”Later.”
Pyra puts the phone down and lifts Lucky and the gift and heads back to JC’s room. She open the door a little bit and puts Lucky down.
”See if he’s out and dressed.”
”Okay.”
”You know you could just ask,” JC says opening the door in a red wife beater and black boy shorts.
“Ooo good colors,” Pyra says holding out the gift.
“Open! Open!” Lucky exclaims as JC sits on the floor in his doorway and after a while reveals a dark blue shirt. He smiles and stands to hug Pyra.
”Thank you.”
“No Prob,” Pyra says smiling as well.
That night what is abuzz with people and celebration. The second you walked through the gate you saw two boxes. Both about the height of a person and twice as wide. One was spray pained with flames and had a giant black P on it and the other was bright orange with a gold JC sprayed on it. As they arrived the guest tossed their gifts in to be opened later. The party was pretty much an outdoor barbeque with picnic tables, and grills scattered about in a serve yourself manner.
It was one of the few times the gate was left open though there was sill a spell that was for most purposes as strong as the Mithril gate. There were a couple of caterers working the party and they had a DJ refusing to allow Joe to do it as he was a guest. Though when the DJ started spinning some trance they had to urge to send him into fangorn to deal with ents.
The first guests were of course all the residents of What? Mike, Shane, Shannon, Chester, and Joe. Lucky of course was a guest of honor with a little kitty crown.
The new neighbors were the last to come out of their homes as darkness fell. David looked around and slinked back onto his porch avoiding the party. Fabian looked about ready to join him but Quinn held a tight grip on him. Endora seemed the only one to instantly get into the party mood spinning her string of pearls between her fingers as she stood near the DJ and swayed to music you shouldn’t be swaying to.
The first actual guests to arrive were Nsync. All the guys were laden with gifts and when they saw the two boxes were more then happy to dump them in their respective boxes. Pyra and JC are standing together and are approached by the guys and hugged.
”Hey peoples,” Pyra says as Lance wraps his arms around her from behind.
”Maybe we should have just put a ribbon on him,” Chris says winking at Lance and Pyra sticks her tongue out at him.
“Funny.”
“Hey aren’t we one short?” Pyra says looking between, Chris, Joey and Lance.
”Yeah where is Justin?” JC adds.
”Right here,” hey Pyra I want you to meet someone. This is Britney, JC you remember her.”
”From MMC yeah,” JC says nodding his head as Pyra shakes the girls hand.
“It was great that ya’ll invited me and all. I know we didn’t hang out much at the Club JC.”
”No problem,” JC says clearly not interested though both Britney and Justin seem blind to the fact.
“So mingle, enjoy the party you can meet our new neighbors.”
”Oh my god ya’ll he looks like Brad Pitt,” Britney says dragging Justin over to Quinn and Fabian. Pyra rubs her ears.
”Ok…”
”I know,” JC says shaking his head. “He likes her, just call it bad taste.”
”She seems ok,” Lance says.
”Give it time,” JC mutters.
“Whatever its time to Par-taaa” Chris says swiveling his hips and Pyra and JC burst into laughter.
“Yeah Chris you’re a dork,” Pyra says.
”No a party animal,” Chris corrects and Pyra shrugs.
“Sure, sure an animal, whatever,” JC says used to his band mate’s antics.
While Chris ran off to get his groove on, Pyra and JC watched Lucky scamper past them with what looked like a chicken wing between his teeth. They both turned as a little bell sounded and JC’s brother. He walked over grinning to give his brother a hug. Pyra smiles wondering absently what it would be like to have a sibling. She looks to the gate hearing ringing again to see her co-workers arriving, Jeff, Matt, and Adam. She looked at them and watched ginning as they dumped their gifts and was surprised to see Matt had something for JC as well.
She smiled and waved as they looked in her direction, then her face expanded into a massive grin as took off towards them in a run. Adam blinked surprised as Pyra came towards him, then grinned, until Pyra went right past him and nearly tackled someone behind him. Matt burst into laughter and Jeff patted him on the back. He turns to Pyra and catches the tail end of a kiss.
“I thought you couldn’t come!”
“Yeah the season ended taping yesterday.”
”Darn liar,” Pyra says grinning as she hugs him.
”Hey Pyra.”
”Oh hey guys,” Pyra says to the four remaining members of the band.
”Yeah now she sees us, how did we become part of Jacobs entourage?”
“I don’t know but I want to talk to her,” Trevor says eyeing Britney.
”Taken, by Justin,” Pyra says.
“Wait wait wait,” Eric says looking around, “Where are all the girls?”
“Turn around,” Pyra says as Fahmida and Karla enter the property, “Karla is married though, and I don’t see you getting very far with Fahmida.” Pyra walks away from the band leading Jacob to her friends. “Hey dorks.”
”Loser,” Fahmida says smiling and hugging Pyra along with Karla.
”Who are you calling a dork?” Karla says pretending to slap Pyra as she gives Jacob the once over.
”Abuse! Anyways, Karla, Fahmida, this is Jacob.”
”Hey,” he says shaking both girls hands.
“Josh is over there with his brother if you want to say hi. Foods over there and I got halal chicken so you can eat it.”
“Oh mah God thanks Pyra.”
”Yeah I couldn’t find Halal hot dogs but they are Kosher. When in doubt go for the green grill its all veggie.”
“Man Pyra, you’re the coolest.”
”I know I am, enjoy.”
A few minutes later the female population of the party increased again as they were joined by Tori and Jonie who oddly enough hit it off with Joey and decided to stay even after Tori chatted with Pyra and left.
A while later a strange thing happens as a the music changes to some intersting sounding instrumental. A large white screen is rolled onto the property in the middle of What? and starts to show a beatiful natural landscape.
In this place there are houses built into the sides of hills, and everything is a very lush green. Pyra and JC both move closer wondering what this is and knowing its not dangerous since it made it in when a voice starts.
JC starts mouthing the words along with the voice. The scene ends with a hand writing turn around. Both Pyra and JC turn and hear two laughing voices.
"Doofs! You really turned didn't you?" Mystic says as the hand is revealed to be belonging to Nausi.
"What were you expecting Bilbo?" She asks smiling.
"Well fluffy ones, we're sorry we couldn't come to the party and all but you know being in Middle Earth and all, heh heh heh."
"So anyways we wanted to wish you a happy birthday. You are cool peoples and I guess your okay too Pyra." The party laughs and Pyra rolls her eyes.
"Now, Joshie guess where that place was...The Shire! And seeing as you love the hobbit I thought you would like to come visit the set. Meet Ian, and such oh and you can come too Pyra."
"What is this pick on Pyra day?"
"Dude that's everyday," Pyra looks at the screen confused. She gets tapped on the shoulder and turns and is face to face with Nausi. "AH! What the hell man?" Pyra says turing to JC who's hugging Mystic and she gives her friend a hug.
"I thought you couldn't come?"
"That's what we wanted you to believe, heh heh."
"Nausi!" Fahmida exclaims walking over with Karla.
"Fahmz!"
"I see how it is Fahmida."
"Hi Mystic," Fahmida and Karla say together.
"So don't you guys think its about time you opened your presents?" Mystic says producing two envelopes. Pyra and JC take them and each have a different riddle.
"What's this?" JC says reading his.
"Figure it out and you get your gift."
"Can't you just give it to me?"
"No I don't have it anyway," Mystic says as Jc grins and starts walking away. He comes back a few minutes later annoyed holding another clue.
"How many more of these are there?"
"Heh heh," is Mystic's only reply as she goes to the food.
Pyra reads her riddle and reads it again. Not your average.... "Aww thanks Lucky, you're awesome she whispers."
"Itchy," he whispers back and Pyra laughs and puts him down after she rubbed behind his ears.
Pyra opened the clue but before she could read it JC came running past her and swept Mytstic up into his arms spun her around saying Thank you over and over and over again. He kissed her on the lips then put her down abruptly. He didn't notice the evil look from Jeff but glanced at Mystic a little worried now that he had calmed down.
"I'm sorry," he whisperd looking down.
"Its okay. So you like it?"
"Like it!" JC exclaimed hugging her again, "I loved it I mean its a car! Thank you."
"You're walcome Joshie."
"Stop glaring," Adam whispers to Jeff.
"I'm not glaring."
"And that's your natural hair."
"Adam please, go drool over Pyra," Jeff says annoyed Adam just shook his head and left Matt to deal with his brother. He walked over to Pyra and stood beside her and whispered.
"Why don't they go out?"
"Long sorid tale."
"So what are you reading?
"Its like a riddle for my gift. Mystic likes her fun."
"Need help?"
"I guess I should read it first," Pyra said smiling.
"Yeah," Adam says putting his hands on her shoulders and reading with her.
Dan notices this and pokes Jacob pointing at Pyra and Adam. He looks and shrughs going back to his hamburger.
"Your one strange boyfriend." Jacob just shrugged again.
"Oh I think I figured it out, um is there a park near by?"
"Well there are woods on the back of the property."
"No, I mean like a park, with swings." Pyra reads the clue again.
"Ooohhhh. Ok I get it now, yeah come on," Pyra leads Adam to the Shire. Sitting on top of the second swing is yet another folded piece of paper.Pyra sighed annoyed and read the clue. Adam took the paper and just stared.
"Okay I can't help you there."
"The white witch who passed the last test when great evil was brought there. Its The Lady of the wood, from Lord of the Rings, Galadriel so that would be in Lothlorien."
"Um how do you get to there short of sneaking onto the set?"
"There's a part of the woods, that we uh call Lothlorien so..."
"Well then let's go."
Pyra glanced back at the party and knew she wouldn't be missed as she lead Adam deeper into the woods.
"Creepy huh?"
"Scared want me to hold your hand?"
"Ah ha ha ha," Adam says flashing Pyra another perfect grin.
"Okay right around here and over the bridge."
"Over the bridge and through the woods..."
"To grandmother's house we go." Both Pyra and Adam are laughing when they stop. Hanging from the branches of one of the taller trees were various necklaces and braclets. They were all extremly shinny and Pyra grinned at the white gold, silver, and platinum.
She reached up and then reached on her tippy toes. The necklaces were just out of her reach. "How the heck did little ity bity Mystic get these all the way up there?"
"A ladder?" Adam says easily reaching for the necklaces and bracelets. He hands them all to Pyra who gives him a kiss on the cheek.
"Thanks Barbie."
"No problem," He says smiling madly.
"Dude what's with the giddy attack? Who's birthday is it?"
"I'm just having fun, I guess we should head back right?" Pyra nods as she starts to lead the way.
They return to the party and Pyra makes a small detour to drop Mystic's gifts on her bed. She whirls and is face to face with a blue eyed blond.
"Time for a private party?" Jacob whispers.
"Dude there's like a birthday party for me happening down there."
"But I haven't given you my gift yet."
"I'm wearing it."
"This gift is much more personal," Jacob whispers stepping closer to Pyra who steps back until she bumps into her bed. Jacob carefully pushes her down on the bed away from the jewlery then climbed on top of her.
"Um, don't I have a cake to cut?"
"Right after I see how nice these pants look off," Jacob says and reaches down for a kiss. A few minutes later they are interrupted by a cough.
"What what?" Jacob growls.
"They're looking for you," Adam says trying his best to keep his face netural.
"Why the hell would they want to see me?"
"Not you. The birthday girl."
"Told you. Thanks Barbie."
"Sure," Adam says turning quickly when Jacob starts to look at him oddly. The three walk out of the house back to the party. There is a small table set up with the cake and the two knives. JC shakeshis head, at Pyra and Jacob and smothes out her frizzy hair.
"You couldn't wait a few more hours?" He whispers.
"I could, Jacob had other plans."
"Uh huh, and I the only one who feels like a little kid?"
"At least there are no candles."
"We're just lucky we're different ages."
"Yoh, I want some cake," Fahmida says annoyed.
"Hey don't start a fight with me when I'm holding a nice sharp knife."
"Are you threatening me?"
"Maybe."
"Pyra, come on," JC says as camera's flash in their face.
"Oh alright." Pyra says as she and JC stand side by side. "Isn't this like a wedding tradition Pyra whispers and JC grins.
"So we're married?"
"Oh dear god no I want my husband to look good."
"Ha ha, I'm gonna mash the cake into your hair for that one."
"You wouldn't."
"Hello! Cut the cake!" Pyra and JC smile at Chris and wink at each other. They cut a slice of cake and Happy Birthday starts up courtsey of the DJ and together they mash a slice of cake in Chris' face. The entire party laughs as Chris tastes part of his face. "Mmm tasty."
"You freak," Pyra says shaking her head at Chris as JC puts a spot of frosting on her nose. "You!" He runs away laughing.
“You better run far punk!”
“Its just a spot on your nose,” Karla says.
”Not the point.”
“Okay come on guys. Its about time you opened your presents,” Chester says leading them to two chairs.
Pyra and JC go to retrieve each other’s gifts and Pyra hands him a small envelope and he a large box. They sit and Chester rips at Pyra’s gift wrapping.
“Who’s gift is it?”
”Look I don’t know what your deal is with un wrapping gifts like your gonna save the paper but we don’t have that kind of patience.”
Pyra finishes pulling off the wrapping and looks at the picture on the box and grins madly. “Dude! A bass!”
JC on the other hand is reading a certificate with disbelieving eyes. “You got me…”
”Chasez Music? Yep, now all the stuff you guys record can be legally yours and all that good stuff.”
“Hey hey keep it moving,” Mike says handing JC another gift as Chester does the same to Pyra.
”Pearl Jam?” JC says looking at the CD. Not exactly his thing. He looked over at Pyra and she was opening a Garfield shirt. She then moved to the smaller box that fell from inside the shirt.
“Oooo pretty, thanks uh…”
”Me,” Lance says as Pyra puts on the charm bracelet.
"Aww come give me a hug."
"Nope sorry another gift to open. Oh this one's from me," Chester says handing Pyra the gift wrapped in math equasion wrapping paper.
"Weirdo where do you find these things?"
"Open it." Pyra finds a complete guitar kit, picks, a flame strap, some extra strings.
"Oooo more stuff for me bass."
"Dude!" JC exclaims opening his signed first edition copy of The Hobbit.
Pyra and JC spend a good half an hour unwrapping gifts as the DJ continues to spin and the cake is distributed to the guests leaving slices for the guests of honor. The party picks up again after the gift opening. Pyra is playing to wall flower alone this time as JC dances with Mystic.
"Isn't this party for you?"
"Huh? Yeah."
"Then why aren't you dancing?" Quinn asks.
"Um cause I..." Pyra doesn't get to finish her sentence as he leads her to dance. "But I..."
"Its your birthday and a party celebrate."
"Maybe standing in a corner is my kind of celebration."
Quinn grins and looks around and spotted his target being talked to yet another death by that little blond girl. "Then at least save poor Fabian from the clutches of that one."
"What one?" Pyra says turning. "Oh." She walks over to Britney and Fabian. "Hey I'm gonna steal him for a little bit."
"Aww al'right. Hey ya'll seen Justin?"
"Nah I gues he's hiding the same place Jacob is."
"I'll look for 'em and send Jacob to 'ya."
"Okay thanks."
"Do I look like Brad Pitt?"
"Um...yeah, but only from where he played Louis, in that one scene right before he finds Claudia." Pyra says and doesn't notice the glimmer of hurt in Fabians eyes. "And you look younger. Okay I'm gonna stop talking now."
"No its nice to see Fabian blush," Quinn says and Pyra looks up stunned.
"Come on you have to have heard it before."
"No," Fabian whispers.
"Hmm, Fabian, this seems more your speed," Quinn says as a slow love song starts. "Why not take the birthday girl for a dance?" Quinn asks already shoving them away.
"Pushy isn't he?" Pyra asks as Fabian tentativly wraps his arms around her.
"Quite."
Pyra feels eyes boring into her angrily and for a second thinks its Jacob. She turns and sees Merrick glaring from her porch with David. She smiles and continues to dance with Louis until there is a tap on his shoulder.
"May I?" Louis nods and Pyra and Jacob easily fall into step with each other dancing much closer than she and Louis were.
Louis walks back to his porch and David is shaking his head. "Louis I expect such rashness from Lestat but not from you."
"I did nothing rash, I am not Lestat."
"Your words peirce me," Lestat says laughing and joining them.
"Why must you two befriend that harpie?" Merrick asks looking at Louis.
"Is that some jealously I hear Dora?" Lestat asks. She replies by huffing and going into the house. She goes to her room and opens a tiny drawer fingering the wrapped bit of chewed gum.
"You may have had your dance tonight but never again. I will show you you know not with whom you toy."


~End~