Right now Rori and Jake were sat at a table in the pizzeria at the complex, but earlier, Rori had been nervous about spending her first evening with her first friend in the community. There was just something about him that was making her feel that way and she couldn't put her finger on it. Her heart had been racing a mile and she had been pacing back and forth in her room. In fact, she was so nervous, that she had almost called off the meet up several times. But now, it was seven in the evening, and she was sat across from Jake Wheeler, and her heart was still racing. She hadn't been able to say much of anything other than hello when he had called in for her.
Jake was feeling just as nervous, there was something about her, something that made him want to protect her with everything that he had. When he had spoken to his older brother about it last night, he was soon told that he had done what was called imprinting. His brother Jonah had then went into great detail about the whole imprinting and what it meant, and that it typically meant that person was their soul mate. But he had laughed it off, how could he even think about having a soul mate when he was only eighteen years old. Still, this feeling was intense and he couldn't help but to wonder if his brother was right after all.
The silence between them at that moment was quite deafening and he realised that he had to break it. “So, what made you and your dad come to Pandora?” He asked, giving her a bit of a smile. Finally, she thought, someone had broken that awkwardness that was forming. Smiling back at him, “Work. He was hired to be the new sheriff here.” Ah, thought Jake, he might have known. How many sheriffs had they had in the past year? Ten? Fifteen? He had lost count. The one crazy thing about this place was that it was full of supernatural creatures, and the sheriffs had always been bog standard human beings. They had all either been killed because they tried to attack the residents, or they had been run out as they couldn't deal with it. But they had never left before one of the vampires erased their memories of what they had come to find out. Only those who lived in the community knew what they were. True, there were a few normal human beings here also, but they all knew what they were and they were happy and they lived in perfect harmony with one another, but it was mostly supernatural residents, in all shapes and forms.
Realising he had been quiet for a bit too long, he nodded his head, “I see. So your dad is in law then, cool. Has he met John McCoy yet? He's like the big chief or captain or whatever it is he's known as at the station.” John was an okay guy, he wasn't exactly human either, but he was the one that always hired all of the sheriffs, it made him wonder if he had done a background check on this James, to see if he could cut it once he found out about everybody. Rori smiled, “Yeah, he took us to the house, O.M.G., that house is amazing. Like have you ever been in it? It's got rooms like I've never seen. It's like a hotel there's that many and I'm not done exploring yet. It's going to take me forever to find everything. You have to help me when dad's at work one day, help me explore, you up for it?” Jake laughed, he couldn't help it, the zealousness coming from her was electrifying. He didn't know much about the house, he did know it was one of the oldest ones in the community and it was the one that all the previous sheriffs had lived in. So, it might be interesting for him to go searching it with her. So he nodded, “Yeah, sure, why not. It'll be fun, you just say when, and so long as I don't have a shift here, I'll be there.”
He hadn't even thought about the fact he had brought her for pizza when she had that last night. He had just been so flustered about knowing where to take her, that he thought of it at the last minute. That wasn't all he had planned however, he had booked an alley for them to go bowling, though he hadn't thought about asking if she even liked to play. “I just had a scary thought.” He looked across at her with a slight frown on his face, “What is it?” Rori asked, “Do you like bowling?” She giggled a little, flicking her hair back, “I do as a matter of fact, but I warn you, I'm good, I am the queen of strikes, according to my dad. Why?” Though she had fair idea why he had asked that question. “I booked us an alley without even thinking, thank god you like it. We've got an hour to get through this pizza.” He had ordered them a big sixteen inch one, and they weren't even half way through it yet. Rori laughed, “Good, I look forward to it.”
Rori and Jake had enjoyed their time at the pizzeria and were now at the bowling alley. Rori had warned Jake that she was known as the queen of strikes, and Jake soon realised how correct that statement was. He was amazed at the score board above, she had about six to his rubbish two. “You weren't wrong, you are so good at this, damn. Someone taught you well.” He chuckled, as yet another bowl went down the gutter. He was quite shit at this when you think about it, probably should have thought of something better to do than this. He was being shown up by a girl. “Yes, I did warn you. My dad, he's pretty good too to be fair.” Jake smiled and nodded his head, he had noticed that in the short time he had been talking to her from tonight that she hadn't mentioned a mother once. “So, is it just you and your dad then? No mother?” He had to ask.
She put down the bowl she had lifted up for her shot again, it was damn heavy when you weren't about throw it. “No, according to my dad, she passed away when I was just a baby. I don't even remember her. I have photos, but that's it. She was beautiful though, that I can tell you.” She took out a photo that she carried in her purse and handed it to Jake. He took it from her and traced a finger around her mother's face. “Wow, she almost looks ethereal. There's a glow about her.” He wasn't sure what it was, it wasn't like there was a physical glow in the picture or anything, but something about her, just seemed to shine out at him. As he handed it back, “Well, I know where you get that beautiful face from now.” He said, winking and chuckling. Once more Rori went a bright shade of red, pushing hair away from her face, “Thanks.” Then throwing the bowl and getting yet another strike. “You are way too good at this.” She heard Jake say and she laughed.
Jake picked up the bowl for his next turn and once more, down the gutter it went. From behind he heard a slow applause, “Well done Wheeler, well done. That was an awesome strike.” Behind them stood Nick Morningstar. Jake wasn't sure how to take to him. On one hand he could be the sweetest boy at school, everyone loved him, or at least, they were drawn to him, including himself, but on the other hand, he could be very annoying. At worst he was a horror, but that only happened when his father got into his head. For the most part Nick went with his human side, which he got from his mother and he was raised by his mother, so that side was definitely shown more often. Nick was what they call a Nephilim, half human and half angel, only the angel that fathered him, was none other than Lucifer himself. “Ha ha.” Jake said simply, “You know I've always been rubbish at this, it's not as simple as being kicked in the butt by a girl. Feel like a game, make me feel less hopeless?” He chuckled, and Nick walked closer, then noticed the blonde that he was playing with. She was cute, way too cute. She had a wonderful aura, he could see it emitting from her like a white powerful glow. He had seen that several times, a lot stronger than this, but he had seen it, and he also knew what it meant. So was it possible that this girl was one as well? If not full breed, half breed at the very least. “Who's your friend? Care to introduce me first before I make up my mind if I want to thrash your butt or not?”
To be fair, he wasn't that good at the game either, and in fact, Jake was usually better at it than he was himself. Still, he couldn't help but to tease him. Jake smiled, “Sure, this is Aurora Hanaway, her father is the new sheriff in town, Aurora, this is Nick Morningstar, the best loved kid at school, or so he would have us all believe. He's a pain in the ass most of the time.” He chuckled and then patted his friend on the back. Rori inched a little closer, and held out her hand. “Well, hello there Nick Morningstar, I'm Aurora like Jake said, but I get called Rori, it rolls off the tongue easier.” Nick shook her hand, “Pleased to meet you. So you'll know all about this place then, if your dad is the sheriff.” As far as he was aware all the sheriffs were told what they were getting into before they arrived. However, the look that appeared across Rori's face would beg to differ on that, she looked blank. “Um, not really sure I know what you mean. All we knew is that it was a gated community, that most of the residents didn't leave unless they were going somewhere else specific.” Jake leaning over her from behind was giving Nick that look as if to say, don't say a thing. Nick gave a bit of a nod of his head, “Oh, yeah, of course, think nothing of it, I just mean that we're all really nice people of course.”
Somehow Rori didn't believe that. There was more to it, the way that he looked when he said what he had told her that maybe her initial thoughts on the town name being called Pandora meant exactly that, it was a Pandora's box of residents. How cool would that be? “Fair enough. Well, do you want to join in? This game is almost finished, we can add your name to the final game we have left.” She might as well make another friend, after all, they were here to stay, she hoped. Nick smiled, “Sure, why not. Just need to talk to Jake alone for a second though if you don't mind.” Rori nodded and smiled, “Yeah, that's fine.” Nick pulled Jake away from her out of earshot.
Jake frowned, wondering what it was about. “What's up, and don't talk about us too loudly, I'm not sure that Rori and her father know about us all, I don't want her to find out in error or in a shocking way.” Nick waved his hand, in that, shut up way, “Yeah, yeah fine, listen, been meaning to talk to you for a while now about that Mike Rennie. I don't like him, I know everyone thinks he's this angel sweetheart of a guy and he can't do no wrong, but I've been watching him closely and something tells me that he's trouble.” Jake laughed, he couldn't help it. Michael Rennie was definitely the sweetest kid in school. The teachers loved him, he was top of his class, straight A's, and he was the best jock at school. The girls fell at his feet. “What makes you think that?” Nick shrugged, “A feeling. Don't forget who I am, the devil's son, I have an insight into these things, and I'm telling you, he's no good. All those random killings of the past sheriffs and some of the residents that have gone missing? I think it's him. I swear to it. So I was tracking him tonight, trying to see if I could catch him in the act. But he always seems to give me the slip, so, I might need your help, are you cool with that?”
Well, after all this time, the mysterious killings had been going on for about a year and a half now, and Nick was just figuring this out about Mike now? “I still think you're barking up the wrong tree, but yeah, sure, I'll help. Right, come on, I've left my girl far too long.” Nick slapped Jake on the back, “Your girl, right, she only arrived yesterday didn't she? You got tickets on yourself lad. I'm the one she wants, just you wait. Nobody can resist me.” Jake scowled and mumbled some swear words that were inaudible. “Best man wins.” He retorted as they both made their way back to Rori.
Meanwhile as the game carried on among the three teens, in the background the prowler from the night before, was once again hanging around. They were keeping to the shadows of the bowling alley building. Watching, sniffing, keeping a close eye on Rori, Jake and Nick. For he had picked up on that same aroma from the night before, and it was standing a few feet away from him. The aroma that he and all of his kind went crazy for, the scent of a faerie.
With the bowling game complete, all three teens had gone to the bar and were sipping on fizzy cocktails, non alcoholic, after all, even at eighteen, in America they weren't at age to drink. Not that it usually stopped them at parties, but when in a licensed bar, it wasn't something that they could get away with. With they had, they had gone and booked extra games, in the end, Rori had completely buckled both of them, but Nick still managed to get out on top over Jake. The film had been forgotten, despite the fact that Jake had booked it earlier. It was a complete waste, but it didn't matter, there would be plenty of other times to go the cinema, and since his mother worked there, he would get the money back anyway.
All three had been talking among themselves for the past hour, and when Rori looked at the time, she knew that she was going to have to get going. “Hey guys, this has been fun, but I really better get home. Dad isn't overly strict with me, but he does like me to be home before midnight, especially if I haven't warned him I'll be later. Plus, we've only just moved here, so he'll be extra vigilant.” She stood up after finishing her drink grabbed her jacket and made to leave. How bad could it be to walk home? They weren't that far from where she lived.
Jake jumped up, grabbing her arm gently, “Hey, where do you think you're going by yourself? That's not how we work things here. Nobody goes home alone.” As he said that, Nick gave him a slight nod of the head. Especially since he was sure that Mike was roaming around and he did not trust him one little bit. “Yeah, Aurora, Jake's right, let us walk you home.” He stood up and linked his arm through one of hers, and she stood there, not sure what to do. Hadn't she come here with Jake? Yet here was Nick linking his arm with hers. Well, she took Jake's hand with her other. “Fair enough, not going to argue with boys who know how this town is run.” She smiled and all three of them walked out of the bowling alley heading towards her home.
As they walked in a nice calming silence, Rori began to think. Jake was a sweetheart, but there was something about Nick that she couldn't quite shake. The way he looked at her, it was mesmerising, almost like he was digging into her very soul. It was also quite terrifying at the same time. Each time she caught him glancing at her, she would shiver, and yet her heart was racing a mile a minute also. But when she looked in the other direction and caught Jake looking at her, something inside her calmed immediately and she felt safe. She had no idea what was going on, but one made her feel safe, the other made her feel naughty, for want of a better word.
After about twenty minutes, they had reached Rori's home, “Well, that's me here guys. Thanks for the walk home. I'll be alright now.” She was at the gate, with a path leading up to the porch. However, Nick was shaking his head, “No, we need to walk you right to your door.” Jake giving him that look as if to say, don't freak her out. Rori frowned, “Honestly, I'm fine here. On you go. I'll see you soon.” She reached up and gave Jake a kiss on the cheek, which prompted Nick to say, what about me and pointed to his cheek. She blushed, not sure what to do. She had gone from getting hardly any attention from boys at her old home to two guys trying to woo her. Jake however punched Nick on the arm, “Piss off you, I was the one to invite her out tonight, you just clung to us like a sorry no mates limpet.” Nick grinned and patted Jake on the back, “Fair point.” He stepped back out of the way a little to leave the two alone.
Jake moved closer to Rori, “Seriously, are you sure you'll be okay? You're not used to this place yet and especially not at night.” Rori laughed, “It can't be any worse than my previous home. I'll be fine.” She kissed him on the cheek again, “I had a good time tonight, thank you. Next time, just you and I though please.” Jake wasn't going to argue with that, “You're on. Sorry about Nick, he has a habit of just moulding himself into anything anywhere. He's a good guy really but also a total pain in the tush.” He chuckled, “I'll call you tomorrow, arrange another meet up.” Rori smiled and then walked up the path to the porch and into her house.
She turned back to see if Jake and Nick were still there, but they weren't. As she made to walk into her house, she heard a rustling in the bushes nearby. “Hello?” She said, but there was no response. There was another rustle however. “Hello?” Rori said again. This time a form came forward, with a smile and introduced themselves. “Hi, sorry, I didn't mean to alarm you, I hope that I didn't. I seem to have lost my dog.” Rori gave a sad smile. “Oh, I'm sorry. Do you want me to help you look?” If he did, she would have to let her dad know that she was back but just helping to look for a dog. So as he didn't get too worried about her length of time being out.
The guy smiled, in fact, he grinned, “That would be awesome. I'm Michael Rennie, everyone around here calls me Mike.” He held his hand out which Rori shook. “Aurora Hanaway, but I usually get Rori.” Mike smiled, “It's lovely to meet you Rori. I'm sure that Pebbles is around here somewhere, just managed to break free of the leash.” He had it swinging from his hand.
Rori opened the door and shouted into her dad that she was back but just helping one of the neighbours with something. Then she was back. “Where did Pebbles break free? With the gates they can't be outside here at any rate.” Mike smiled, “Oh she'll be in here somewhere that I can guarantee.” Rori began to shout, “Pebbles, Pebbles.” Soon a ball of white and black fluff came running towards them, wagging it's tail. “Well, that was easy. Did you not think to shout on her?” Rori asked rather incredulously. Mike put his hand up to his forehead. “Never crossed my mind, but, it doesn't matter, it got me to meet you. I'm going to take a stab that you're the newcomer?” Rori smiled and nodded, “Yeah, my dad is the new sheriff.” Mike nodded, “Thought so. Well, I hope you will enjoy our community and welcome. Thanks for the help. I'll see you around at school no doubt.” He then took off and Rori finally made her way into the house.
After saying goodnight to her dad, she went up to her bedroom, and within minutes was lying on her bed, a hundred thoughts running through her head. Tossing and turning, finding it difficult to drift off to sleep. In the short space of time since she had arrived here, she had met four of the residents, and not one of them was a female thus far. Should that be worrying? She yawned, sleep was there, she could feel it, but her brain was resisting it. Eventually she drifted off, not realising that outside her window, someone was hanging from the roof, peeking down into her room. Eyes glowing in the dark, mouth watering, fangs protruding, taking in that same essence that was so intoxicating to them. Deep breaths in, and slow ones out. Yes, they would have that meal, but it wouldn't be tonight, it couldn't, not so soon after she had arrived. True, previous sheriffs and their families had gone missing before, but never on the second night of their arrival, they had to be more careful than that. But one night, in the future, that meal would be theirs, or maybe, they would just take her and keep her locked somewhere and feed off that essence whenever the need was necessary. That might be better actually, allow the essence to rebuild over time and then feed again. Yes, a life long feeding tube, much better than just killing her.
