Krimson Mind: The Krimson Cycle Vol. 1

Chapter Eighteen

James drove back to his mother's house as fast as he could and not attract the attention of a police cruiser. It took longer than he wanted it too, but he finally managed to pull up in front of the house. He barely had the engine off before he was out of the Neon and running up to the house.

He walked inside, and found both Kari and Amy sitting in at the kitchen table eating lunch. Neither of them said anything as he took his usual seat and looked at them both as if he hadn't seen them in a very long time.

"What's wrong, James?" Kari asked after she washed down a bite of sandwich with a drink of tea.

"Well... it's a bit complicated." He replied.

"So start at the beginning." Amy suggested quietly.

"You know that Krimson is a vampire. But what you don't know is very important. She used to be an assassin. She hunted... thropes, were-wolves and creatures like that." James began

"That explains some of what happened at school last week." Amy replied.

"It gets better. She used to work of the Vampire King. But she got tired of killing."

"That's a surprise." Kari said coldly.

"Mom let him continue, at least!" Amy said in shock.

"Anyway." James said, trying to keep his temper in check. "She escaped and has been on the run for the last thousand years or so. And today, her former Master has found her." James told them.

The color in Kari's face drained away as she listened to her son's story. She imagined all sorts of horrible vampires suddenly invading the city and killing everyone until they found what they sought. Then she imagined that these horrible vampires detecting Krimson's essence on him. They would probably drag the whole family into the front yard and kill Amy and herself to get James to reveal their location. She shook off the thought and began to glare at him.

"And you thought that you'd stop by and let us know about this?" Her voice was low and had a very dangerous tone to it. "Well, that's so nice!" She snapped. "Get out. Get the fuck out of my house and take your vampire problems with you. Go live with your whore!" She cried.

"Mom! You can't just kick him out!" Amy cried as she shot to her feet and knocked over her chair.

"You stay out of this, Amy!" Kari shouted at her daughter. "Get the fuck out of my house and don't ever come back here!" She screamed at James.

James didn't argue. He walked out of the kitchen and went upstairs to his room. He fought off the tears that threatened to rain down. He dug around in his closet, and found duffle bag that he had used while he was on the track team his senior year. He filled it with clothes until it impossibly full. As he dug around for another bag, Amy quietly entered his room and closed the door behind her.

She walked over to her brother and gave her the kind of hug that a polar bear would have been proud of. They stayed like that for a few minutes, before James pulled away and looked into his sister's tear streaked face.

"It's not fair!" Amy whimpered. "She can't do this to you!"

"Yes... yes she can. And as much as it pains me to admit it, she's right." James told her.

"What do you mean? How is she right?" Amy demanded.

"Alexioff, he is the Vampire King's top general, is after her and everybody she has been in contact with. That includes me. And by sending me away, she is protecting not only herself, but you too." James explained quietly.