Chapter 3. One week later

Walking through the town centre, a sketch book in my hand as the heat of the sun kissed at my cheek, I could have sworn someone was following me. I stopped to gaze at the clock tower. There have always been rumours that inside the clock tower, there is a map, a map that tells you how to leave Ghost Town. However no one believes that, there’s no way to escape Ghost Town, and even if you found a way, you’d be killed before you could escape or pass on the information. I was heading towards Jonathan’s grandma’s coffee shop that he had inherited when he was fifteen. I work in the coffee shop every day; alongside Summer and Caspar, who like me, never ask for pay because we already know that Jonathan has been having some trouble with customers and having the consul always threatening to close the shop if he doesn't pay a certain amount of money every month seemed to make that dream less of a reality. I stood in front of the shop, looking at the dusty old sigh that hung on top, ‘cafe of angels’, some of the letters had faded, I kept reminding Jonathan that fixing the sigh and giving the shop a makeover could help attract more customers, I mean the cafe of angels looked more like the house of death.

I walked into the shop and noticed there weren't a lot of people in today, about four. I went around the counter and put on my apron.

“So, what do you think” Summer said from behind me

“Bout what?” I asked

“Bout what?” she replied, mimicking me. “About the hottie on table seven” she leaned against the counter and looked at table seven. Following her gaze I could see what she meant about hottie. “You can’t expect me to believe that you haven’t noticed”

Actually I had. How could I forget the black hair with blue highlights? He was the one me and Jonathan had encountered last week when we almost got locked out.

“Haven’t noticed what?” Jonathan said, coming out the rusty door that was behind the counter.

“We should add a new door to the list of things we need to change about this place” I said, ignoring his question.

“Haven’t noticed what?” he repeated, but there was something in his voice that I couldn't figure out.

“Crystal blue eyes over there” Summer chipped in.

“Hey, what’s wrong with brown eyes” Caspar shouted from behind the door that said employees only.

“Yer, what’s wrong with brown eyes” Jonathan said, agreeing with Caspar.

That led to Jonathan and Summer having an argument about why blue eyes are better that brown. I looked at table seven to find the stranger, who is a vampire, but is not a vampire, looking at me with obvious boredom and impatience in his eyes. He lifted his hand and waved over to me, before I could decide whether or not to go over to him I was already there. Confused, I decided to play dumb and act like I didn't know him.

“Hi, can I take your order?” I said in a happy, high pitched girly voice.

That wiped the grin off his face. “Yes, I would have a Formosa silver tip” he said.

“What?” I asked, puzzled.

 He sighed “How about a mocha pearl tea, surely you must have it here Leah”

How did he know my name?

“Do you mind ordering something that is real or at least on the menu” I said, picking up the menu he had undoubtedly discarded.

“Well then, I’ll have a latte” he finally said.

 After asking if he needed anything else and him saying no, I walked away with the piece of paper that had his order written on it, walking past Summer and Jonathan who seemed to still be arguing, I walked through the employees only door and handed the piece of paper to Caspar. unlike most kids in Ghost town, he was brought to stadfell dorm when he was sixteen. 

I could still hear the arguing of Summer and Jonathan, so I marched out the door, leaving Caspar behind, determined to put a stop to this silly quarrel, but when I walked out the door everyone was quiet and staring at a vampire police who had just walked in. The door shut loudly behind me and suddenly all eyes were on me, including the vampire whose gaze sliced through me like a sharp knife. And his red eyes and blond hair seemed to fit the image he was probably going for. Scary- bad-a*s- vampire- that- is- not- to- be- messed- with.    

“I am looking for a Caspar Johnson” he said. “I believe he works here”

In front of me I saw Jonathan stiffen.

“I repeat, I am looking for a Caspar Johnson” he said again, his voice tight and stern.

I didn't know what to do, Summer was likely to break down any minute, Jonathan was a bad liar and I was still in shock, but no way were we going to give our friend away to a vampire. Did Caspar know he was coming?

I looked to table seven to see the fake vampire smiling as though he enjoyed seeing us suffer.

“Okay how about this? If Caspar works here he can go” The vampire said.

I saw Jonathan’s body relax but mine didn't, I haven’t met any vampires personally, but I've heard enough about them to know that they don’t just let someone go for nothing.

“In exchange” he continued “For a girl called Leah, Leah Evermore”

I froze. What would they want with me? And more importantly, why did Summer look like she was considering ratting me out?

The fake vampire on table seven, suddenly stood up and in one quick motion, drove a stake through the vampire polices heart. Everyone gasped, shocked. Then again I was more amazed if anything. This proved that the fake vampire defiantly wasn't a vampire at all. He walked towards me, avoiding the stone cold vampire that was slowly rotting away. He walked around the counter, ignoring Jonathan and Summer and stood in front of me.

“Ready?” he whispered

“For what!?” I suddenly burst out.

“Ready to leave” he answered, unaffected by my anger.

“I am not going anywhere with you!” I exclaimed.

His face turned serious now. “Well it’s your choice, wait for another vampire to come for you or come with me”

“Why should I trust you?”

He laughed, but it lacked humour. ”I did just save your life”

“Who are you?” I asked softly.

“Questions later, we leave now” he said and turned to Jonathan who gaze was still fixed on him. “Is there a back door?”

“Yes” I said when Jonathan didn't say anything. “Through there” I said pointing at the employee’s only door. The vampire killer was through the door first, I was about to follow him when all of a sudden Jonathan was in front of me, blocking the door and stopping me from leaving.

“Don’t tell me you’re actually considering following this weirdo” Jonathan hissed

“Jonathan, that vampire asked for me, not you or summer, but me”

“He wanted Caspar too”

“But, was willing to trade Caspar for me, I’m not sure about you but that doesn't sound like a good thing”

“I know but, what if he’s going to lead you to another vampire police?”

“And what If I decide your life means nothing to me” The vampire killer shouted from behind the door. “Now let Leah through, otherwise I’d break down this door and stab you with a spoon”

Jonathan looked at me.

“He’s joking” I said.

“Are you sure about that Leah” The vampire killer continued “This door is practically broken, your friend doesn't weigh much, and it’s only a couple of minutes before the other vamps get here also spoons are quite dangerous”

“Jonathan, let her through” Summer said, which surprised both me and Jonathan. “We have enough to worry about; I’m not sure if you've noticed but there’s a dead vampire on the floor and 3 witnesses.”

“Okay” Jonathan finally said and moved out my way. “But if you don’t come back soon I will tell the police everything”

Jonathan pushed the door open for me and there stood the vampire killer with a spoon in each hand.

“You were serious” Jonathan said, shocked.

The vampire killer gave him an off-course-you-dumb-a*s look and dropped the spoons on the nearby counter.

“Where’s Caspar?” Jonathan asked, scanning the room.

“Gone” the vampire killer said, as if that answered everything.

“What do you mean gone” I demanded

“He’s where were going”

“Where is that?” I insisted

“Can we save the questions for later?”

“I’m not going anywhere until-“the vampire killer grabbed my arm and pushed me against the counter.

 “ Look kid, I don’t have all day, so if were going, we go now and tell your little boyfriend to drop the knife he’s carrying because it would only take me two seconds to snap his neck”

I looked over his shoulder to see Jonathan with a knife in his hand.

“Jonathan put the knife down” I said

“Wait! You trust this guy?” Jonathan exclaimed

“He has answers, and answers are what I need right now”

“Leah, the police wouldn't have done anything to you, I mean it’s not like you've done anything wrong”

“It’s more than that” me and the vampire killer said at the same time. We looked at each other.

“Let’s go” the vampire killer said, letting me go.

“I’ll see you soon Jonathan” I said and followed the vampire killer out the back door, where the sun was already setting.