Consuming Darkness (Chp. 8)

Emrick stood stunned. No one, ever, talked to him like that. He watched as Leala knocked on the door to his office, then dissappeared inside. He could hear Viva crying softly, then Leala's soothing voice. Suddenly his heart clenched. Viva was still crying, but it was softer. She was calming.
Just as he was about to follow his cell phone rang. He grimaced and flipped it open. "Speak." He answered gruffly.
"Really now." Laurent said with his mild french accent, followed by it's mild attitude.
"What do you want Laurent, I have a bit of a situation here." He told the Frenchman.
"What has happened, is something wrong?" Laurent asked in a frenzy.
"Nothing is wrong...should something be wrong?" Emrick asked his pacients stretched.
"No of course not. I merely called to warn you that the Vampire we were hunting got away. Be on he look out for him. Is the woman still with you?" Ermick growled.
"Yes." He gritted. "HOW COULD YOU LET HIM GET AWAY?" Emrick was furious.
"He escaped out a window." Laurent explained in his nonchalant French way. "We are still hunting him. Just be careful, don't leave the woman alone. You can take her over to see Nissa when you go to work." Laurent suggested.
"I don't think so, the last thing I need is that poor woman abused by your sister and her foul French stories." Laurent snorted knowing that his sister Garbiella was known for her dirty stories. "No, I think I'll take her and the girl with me." He said, sighing.
"Well, be careful. I'm sure Starlet would like to see her. Drop Vive by the house on your way, I would like to see her again. She was most charming."
Emrick rolled his eyes. "I will, if you insist. And Laurent?" Emrick said in a freidnly, calm voice. "if you don't catch that Vampire, and he gets to Leala, I'll kill you...AND him." With the Emrick snapped hte phone closed, his mind chasing over the events leading up to his current predicament. He was angry, too angry for words.
Suddenly something brushed Emrick's leg, he looked down. He could not help smiling when he saw the tiny kitten jump up and put its paws on his legs, then fall over, as it lost its balance. Sighing, he bent down and picked the little cat up, holding him in the crook of his arm, he rubbed the cat behind the ears gently.
"Welcome to the family, little fella." Emrick said, as he walked down the hall to his office. He threw the door open, and moved inside the room. Leala was on the bed holding Viva as she cried. Neither noticed for a moment that he was there. Then Viva looked up.
She sniffled, wiped her nose on her shirt sleeve and stood, she looked him in the eye and said, "As soon as my clothes are dry I'll be going. And I'll take Imp with me, you won't have to worry about him."
"Imp? Is that what you're calling this thing?" He asked holding the kitten out. She nodded and tried to take the cat, but Emrick was too quick pulling him away. "And just where will you go?" He asked, pressing the cat to his side, as it struggled a little, but calmed.
"I'll go back to staying with Judy and Spoon. Spoon's friend had a tent in Louis Armstrong Park. I've been living there for the last three weeks, I'm sure he would let me sleep there again. He likes Judy and his friend Hole likes me, besides I bring in money most of the time." She shrugged.
"What makes you think they are still here?" Emrick asked smuggly.
"They've been here for the last year I'm sure they would stay for another two days. Now give me my damned cat and let me go. You don't want me here, and I understand, it's not like you're the first person to turn me out, when I stopped being useful." She said.
Leala who had been quiet through the exchange moved to stand. She came up next to Viva, and placed her hand on her shoulder. "You can stay with me." She said. "So can Imp. We don't have a 'no pets' policy to get in the way."
"Wait a minute. Neither of you are going anywhere, you are both my responsiblity." Emrick said, as Imp began to struggle. "Hey, you can't mutany too." He said pulling the kitten up to look him in the eye. The cat meowed, and Emrick handed him over to Viva. "Just be sure to clean up after him." Emrick said, then turned and walked out the door. Both Viva and Leala were silent, neither knew what to think.1

That evening Emrick came into his office. Viva and Leala had taken over, folding laundry, chatting about girl things, he supposed. Then Viva had reveiled something that made Emricks heart sink, and skip a beat.
"My mother was very special. I think that's why she drank so much. She could see things. Things others could not. She heard things too. And I can hear them. She told me once that her mother could see the past, and her grandmother could read cards. She taught me how, that's how I was making money." Emrick paled a little, tasting her blood on his tongue again. He was angry with himself, he should have probed her past, looking for any sign, but he had been so worried about her finding out about him, he had not thought. He had broken a law, a law that he could, and probably would with Starlet in the mood she was in, be put to death for. He growled softly. He had taken a witches blood, with out her permision. He could kick himself. He would havwe to worry over it another time.
He had to go to work. "Viva." He said as he came into the office. "I have to go to work, would you and Leala like to come along. I'm giving my Vampire Tour tonight. You both might enjoy it, and you can get out of the house." He told them. Viva looked from Leala to Emrick, then nodded.
"That would be fun, let me get dressed." She said grabbing an outfit, and her make-up bag and heading for the bathroom, leaving Leala and Emrick alone. Emrick stood at the door, Leala stayed planted on the bed. He shoved his hands in his pocket, as she stared at him.
"No, I don't think I'd like to go." She said. Emrick rocked back on his heels.
"Why not?" He asked giving her a hard look.
"Well, my blouse is blood stained, and as good as I look in your clothes, I don't think it would be a good idea to go prancing about the city in them." She told him crossing her arms over her chest.
"You have a point, but I can't miss work, and you can't stay here alone. I'm sure Viva has something that will fit you." Leala goffed.
"I don't think so. She still has a child's body. Those things would NEVER fit me." She told him as Viva came back into the room.
"I have a couple of Judy's things, she's your size, you can wear those." Viva said as she went over to her bag. "I washed them today, so they are clean." She assured her as she began to pull clothes out of the bag. Leala watched in horror as a short skirt, and halter top fell out of the bag. "These will fit." Viva said picking them up and handing them to Leala.
"I don't think so. I'll look like a hooker." She told Viva. "I'm sorry Vive but, I don't think so." Viva frowned.
"Try them on, then we'll decide." Viva said without being detured.
"And can ya hurry, we have about twenty minutes before I'm late. And if you don't come with me, you'll be subjected to a foul mouthed French woman all night."