Harley Hounds

Elizabeth grew calmer as the familiar landmarks passed: the used car dealership, the brand new Dairy Queen, the first light between the Kroger and CVS. She recognized a few vehicles and waved as she turned onto her own street, pulling into the driveway of a small house.1

"Beth!" her mother called, swinging open the door. "What are you doing here?"2

"I just missed you guys too much," Beth grinned. "Plus, I forgot a few things." Her mother rolled her eyes. Susan was a short, tough, practical woman. She knew how to party when the occasion called for it, but also knew when to get down to business.3

"You dad is out back, with the boys," Susan smiled. "Go say hello while I see if I can find anything you're missing." She walked back into the house while Beth slipped along the side of the building between the siding and her father's two-seater truck. A lot of good-natured swearing was coming from the back yard.4

"I wouldn't have to keep fixing this, Allan, if you would just drive at a reasonable speed." Her father was leaning over a motorcycle, prying at some part that was jammed. At least six other bikes, and their drivers, stood around, chuckling. The driver of the offending bike just shrugged.5

"I had to pass that semi, Arthur. He was hauling chickens. You don't drive behind a chicken truck if you're on a bike."6

"Oh, I don't know, Allan." another man spoke up, "Maybe the feathered look would be good on you." Everyone laughed, then Allan spotted Beth coming down the hill.7

"Hey Arthur! Look who's home so soon!" The other men turned as Arthur stood, and Beth wasn't quite sure who hugged her first. For several minutes she was just the filling in a jean and leather sandwich, but eventually she was standing on her own feet again.8

"Hey guys. Who messed up this time?" she asked, smiling.9

"Well, Allan here was trying to pass this trailer of chickens, right?" one of the men laughed.10

"And he almost landed in the ditch when his throttle pretty much failed on him," another finished. Allan laughed as well, but raised his arms to show Beth the lack of scars.11

"And not a scratch on me," he said proudly.12

"Yes, well," Arthur sighed, straightening up after fixing the problem, "You might not be so lucky next time. You guys better be careful out there. No one looks for bikers anymore, and I can only fix the bikes, not the bikers." Everyone nodded.13

"So what brings you home so soon, Beth," one of the boys asked again.14

"That is a long story, one for inside," Beth smiled, and motioned everyone into the back door, through the kitchen into the living room. Susan's eyes flashed for a moment at the greasy boots tracking across her carpet, but rolled her eyes and sat down with the rest of the group. "I have to tell you guys something, but you have to promise me you won't go do anything stupid until I tell you the whole story."15

The room visibly tensed. Beth made herself sit straight and not cringe. Everyone in the living room loved her dearly, but if they didn't, she shuddered to think what they could do to her, if they wanted. There was no real way of softening the blow, so she took a breath and said it. "My roommate is a vampire."16

It was a testament to her character that no one moved. Who else could make such an announcement to an audience with straight faces? It is easier to believe in monsters when you are a monster yourself. Arthur grew tense, his eyes glazing over to pale gold. The rest of the boys kept better control - but it was not their daughter going to college with a blood-sucking roommate.17

"Now, I've talked to her," Beth began, putting her hands up to calm everyone down. Susan looked on the verge of morphing right then and there. "Her name is Kitra. She works sort of like we do. She doesn't take an unwilling.. um.. donor.. unless it is an escaped convict, serial rapist, something of that nature. And she has already agreed to make the campus population off limits. Unless one of them turns out to be an axe murderer, or something."18

Allan smirked. Beth continued. "She has two older vampires traveling with her, a male and a female. I think they're acting as parents for the campus suits. They know about our pack, and they're willing to travel back home to hunt, if we would feel better."19

"Oh, are they?" Arthur's tone wasn't very convincing. Beth sighed inwardly. He was a stubborn man, and a more stubborn wolf.20

"Dad, please don't fly off the handle. Kitra has about three college degrees already. I don't think she got those by running around like Dracula, draining people right and left. People would notice. Her coven is willing to keep a low profile. They won't start anything if we don't."21

The room smelled a little calmer, but Beth knew none of the leather-clad males were convinced of anything. They would need to see this little vampire to be sure of her. The thought made Beth groan. As if the situation wasn't awkward enough. She was pretty sure of her next statement, regardless.22

"I'm guessing that you guys will want to escort me back, just to be sure?"23

"Are we that transparent?" another young biker, named Trevor, asked. Beth smiled. Her family, in all of its forms, was awesome. Almost as much as they were intimidating. The thought of seven bikers pulling into the campus parking lot was amusing, to say the least. It would certainly solidify her status to the rest of campus.24

"I know there is no way of telling you otherwise," she smiled. And it would be a good idea to give everyone a taste of what would happen to anyone who messed with the Kendallville pack's youngest daughter.25

"Saddle up," Allan said, standing up and walking out the front door. The rest of the boys followed. Soon, a loud rumbling was heard in the back yard as seven Harleys jumped to life.26

"You stick by the guys until Allan says its ok," Arthur said sternly. He gave his daughter a hug, then turned her around to her mother, who did the same.27

"Be safe," Susan smiled, as she always said when Beth left on a trip. But this time, her mother's eyes were a deep amber, instead of hazel. If Beth wasn't safe, someone was in very deep trouble.