Under Attack Read online

  Nina

  The Friendly Vampire

  Book 5

  Under Attack

  Katrina Kahler & John Zakour

  Copyright © KC Global Enterprises Pty Ltd

  All Rights Reserved

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1: Surprised

  Chapter 2: Searching for Answers

  Chapter 3: Attracting Trouble

  Chapter 4: Another Surprise

  Chapter 5: An Introduction to Africa

  Chapter 6: The Mystery

  Chapter 7: Ant Attack

  Chapter 8: The Culprits

  Chapter 9: Discovery

  Chapter 10: Cousin Power

  Chapter 11: A Strange Sense of Style

  Chapter 12: The Meeting

  Chapter 1: Surprised

  The sun shined bright in the clear blue sky. I dipped my feet in the pond and kicked a little water at Jimmy. Jimmy laughed and kicked some water back at me.

  “You brat!” Jimmy joked.

  “Sorry, I am part vampire and part weretiger, I live for being mischievous,” I told him with a grin.

  He gave me a little hug.

  I sighed. I felt bad that we needed to sneak off into the woods to even talk and hang out. Of course, when you are part vampire and find yourself attracted to a guy whose mom is a vampire hunter, you have to take precautions. Especially since my mom, an extremely powerful vampire herself...didn’t exactly love the idea of me hanging out with Jimmy. We needed to play it safe. So safe, we even took my brother, Frank and my best friend, Ruby with us. Frank would have been perfectly happy to stand there skipping rocks off the pond with Jimmy. Lucky for me (and maybe Frank), Ruby was a lot smarter, especially when it came to picking up vibes. She dragged him into the woods to hunt for butterflies.

  Yeah, Frank might look like a tough guy, but he loved butterflies; even though he would always comment that he didn’t know why they were called butterflies because they were hardly ever yellow. Frank was lucky he was cute. Of course, Mom and Grandma always say that Frank is smart in his own way. I think they are just trying to beat nice.

  “Have you talked to your mom much about Adra?” I asked, bringing up our friend (and a fellow vampire girl). I never quite understood how Jimmy’s mom - a vampire hunter - could work with vampires, but I guessed that was a good thing for me. Right? I mean if she accepted some vampires in her life...she’d have to accept me. Right?

  “My mom doesn’t like to talk about the vampires working for her organization. She just doesn’t trust vampires,” Jimmy said. “But why are we sitting here in the woods by a pond talking about my mom?”

  I sighed. “Sorry, I just want your mom to like me.”

  Jimmy smiled, I didn’t think it was a forced smile. “She tolerates your existence, and that’s a start.”

  “Well…”

  Jimmy held up a finger. “Small steps. We need to take small steps.”

  “I’m a vampire and a tiger, I leap and bound!” I told him.

  Jimmy laughed. “Yeah, well my dad always said that patience is a virtue.”

  I nodded. “My dad says the same thing.”

  “Builds character,” Jimmy insisted.

  “Now you’re talking like my dad,” I said, giving him a little push.

  His smile grew. “I take that as an amazing compliment. Your dad is a great man. Even my mom thinks so. Ms. Elena would love to recruit him.”

  “My dad doesn’t do big companies, he’s a lone tiger,” I said.

  “They know. Still, they respect him," Jimmy said. He paused, "I think deep down, my mom understands you have amazing DNA!"

  “How romantic!” I replied sarcastically, batting my eyes. “I also have a great personality,” I added in a kidding tone.

  Jimmy laughed. “Well it’s true, you do.” He paused and processed what he said.

  I liked that about Jimmy, unlike most boys his age he actually would or could think about his words.

  “I mean that in the best possible way,” he smiled.

  I gave him a nod and smirk of recognition. “I get that. I do. But that’s usually code for: she’s at the awkward stage in life,” I said crossing my eyes.

  “I just mean that you’re the total package,” Jimmy said, leaning into me. He gave me another nudge.

  “Don't you even think about pushing me into this pond!” I warned with a grin.

  Jimmy put a hand over his heart. “I am a gentleman, I would never even consider doing such a deed,” he said in a noble voice.

  I put my hand on his back. I gave him a nice pat. Using my super vampire strength, I pushed him flying face first into the pond. He hit with an amazing splash. The water from his splash poured over me.

  “See, now you got me all wet!” I joked.

  Jimmy stood up and turned around knee deep in water, totally soaked. He spat some water out of his mouth and looked at me. “Sorry, if I ruined your makeup!” he kidded. He knew I never wore makeup.

  “Please, I’m a natural beauty,” I kidded back, fluffing my hair like an old-fashioned movie star.

  Jimmy started stalking towards me.

  A tongue, a big red giant tongue wrapped around Jimmy. The tongue yanked him back into the water.

  Before I could dive into the water after him, a giant green frog popped out of the water. The frog spat Jimmy towards me. Jimmy splashed down at my feet.

  “Oh my, that was not a fun experience,” he groaned. “Toad breath smells horrible!”

  “I’m a frog!” the giant creature said.

  I didn’t know what amazed me more: the giant green frog or the fact that the giant green frog spoke English.

  “You speak English?” I asked.

  “That’s your take away from this?” Jimmy asked, pushing himself up.

  I helped him to the shore. The frog hopped towards us. “Now that I have your attention…I do have your attention. Right?”

  I nodded. “You do. What do you want?”

  “I could have digested the human boy. But quite frankly, flies taste better. But, man, when you are a giant frog, it takes a lot of flies to make you happy.” He smiled. “But I digress about my digestion.”

  I crossed my arms. “Please get to the point,” I urged.

  “Nina, you are very calm about all of this,” Jimmy said.

  “Look, with the stuff I’ve dealt with before: glitters, ghost ninjas, gremlins, vultures that talk... giant frogs really aren’t out of the norm.”

  “Good point,” Jimmy said. “Though he did try to eat me.”

  The frog swam closer. He shook his head. “Nope, just an attention grabber!” he said. “Get it?” he asked, eyes popping even wider.

  “Yeah, you're the funniest frog I’ve ever talked to,” I told him sarcastically.

  “Agreed,” Jimmy said. “Sorry about the breath smelling comment,” he added. Jimmy always liked to be the good guy, even when he was almost swallowed by a giant frog.

  The frog hopped up and down, smiling and splashing us. “Oh no problems, bud, it must reek in there.”

  “Okay now, what’s this all about?” I asked.

  The frog put a hand over his chest and bowed, dipping his head into the pond. He pulled his head up. “I am Kerm, king of all frogs. I’m actually more of a force of nature than a king. But king just seems cooler.”

  “Actually, a force of nature seems cooler to me,” Jimmy said.

  “Do ya think?” Kerm asked.

  “I do,” Jimmy replied.

  Kerm looked at me. “And you?”

  “Force of nature does seem better to me,” I said, surprising myself by even thinking about it. “But like I said, why are you here, Kerm?”

  “Aren’t we all here to make the world a bett
er place?” Kerm asked.

  “Oh, that’s deep,” Jimmy said.

  “I don’t know the answer to that,” I said. “I was hoping for something a bit more solid from you, Kerm. I didn’t want my question answered with a question.”

  “Sorry, just building a bit of suspense. When you live mostly in the ether plane and only pop into existence now and then, you like to make the most of your time,” Kerm said. “But I am here, like we are all here, to fill my role in the universe.” He smiled; seemingly very proud that he had answered my question.

  However, he had managed to answer my question without actually helping me or giving me the answer I needed.

  “How can we help you?” I asked.

  “By fulfilling your role!” Kerm said. He looked at Jimmy. “Well, roles. But sorry, dude, your role isn’t as big as hers. I mean you seem like a perfectly good kid. But really, vampire hunters are easy enough to find in this world. Nina here, she is one of a kind. Unique. Special.”

  “I agree,” Jimmy said smiling at me.

  “I get it. I’m special,” I said. “But what do you need me to do?”

  “Oh, I’m just the first part of the clue here,” Kerm said. “This is big big big! Bigger than me.” He pointed at Jimmy with his tongue. “Bigger than you.” He smiled.

  “You have a nice smile for a frog,” Jimmy said.

  “Thanks!” Kerm said.

  “Guys, I love the mutual admiration society and all, but I would really love to know why we are standing here talking to a giant frog,” I said, starting to lose my patience just a little.

  "It is what it is," Kerm said. "When the universe tells me something, I don't ask why…I just do it." He looked up at the sky. "Maybe I should ask why.” He stood silently for a moment. He shook his head. “Nope, my duty is not to wonder why…my duty is to do what my senses say the universe wants me to do.”

  “Which is?” I asked.

  “To deliver a message to you, well part of a message,” Kerm said.

  “Which is?” I asked, tapping my foot.

  “Oh right. I guess my brain must still be taking physical form!” Kerm giggled.

  As much as this frog kind of made me a little crazy, I still liked him. I sensed he certainly meant well and wanted to help.

  “The message please?” I asked.

  “In the near future, you will be told that something is happening. But what appears to be...may not really be," Kerm said.

  “Okay, could you be more cryptic?” I asked sarcastically.

  Kerm nodded. “The wind makes noise but can’t be seen, and only smelled if it's a fart.” Kerm laughed. “See I can be cryptic and funny!”

  Jimmy laughed. “He is funny. I like him.”

  “Yeah, he is strangely appealing,” I said.

  We heard a rustling sound coming from the woods behind us, the woods where Frank and Ruby had gone to search for butterflies. The rustling grew louder. The leaves on the trees started to shake. Some of them blew off the trees, swirling to the ground.

  “Ah, here is part two, now,” Kerm said.

  A giant black and white moth emerged from the forest. This moth had to have a wingspan of more than 30 feet.

  “Ah, she’s so pretty!” Kerm sighed. “I don’t even have the urge to eat her!”

  Looking closely at the giant moth, I noticed she had Frank and Ruby hidden under her wings. They weren’t struggling. I didn’t think they could if they wanted to. The moth landed next to us. She eased Frank and Ruby to the ground. Frank still had his butterfly net in his hand.

  “Looks like you’re going to need a bigger net,” Jimmy kidded Frank.

  Frank snapped the net in two over his knee. "Actually, Florence here convinced me to just take photos and videos of moths, butterflies, and other insects," Frank said.

  “I’m glad you listened, young Frank!” Florence told him. She patted him on the head.

  “Thanks for the ride,” Ruby said. Ruby looked at me. “We went in search of butterflies, and instead, look at what found us.”

  “And man, what a moth she is!” Frank said. “She flies really fast, and her wings smell like honey.”

  “Lucky you, I got to experience frog breath,” Jimmy said.

  “Hi Florence, I’m Nina,” I said.

  “Please call me Flo,” she said. “I like it better. It matches my purpose perfectly; I love to flow where the universe sends me.”

  “What’s going on, Flo?” I asked.

  Flo flapped her wings, bathing us in fresh air. "I find it fascinating that we who are creatures of nature are dealing with you, a creature of supernature."

  “True, but we all share the same universe,” I told Flo.

  Flo nodded. "That is why I am here. You will soon be faced with somebody or something trying to blame nature or supernature for a problem. But it will most likely be neither of them."

  “Most likely?” I asked.

  Ruby spoke up, “The universe is very big. Random events can occur to change things.”

  Flo nodded. “Yes, there are many set courses an event can take...more of them point towards this being not what it seems. But there is always a slight chance that it can be what it seems.”

  “Could this be more confusing?” Frank asked. “I hope not because I am already really confused.”

  Flo patted Frank on the head again. “It is confusing. Let me explain more. We can not say that we are entirely certain that what will happen will happen and that it won't be a natural or supernatural cause. After all, that would take all the fun out of your investigations. We are just saying, look carefully and suspect what you wouldn't normally suspect."

  “So we should expect the unexpected,” Ruby said.

  “Yes, dear Ruby,” Flo said.

  “I never really know what to expect,” Frank said. “Everything seems unexpected to me.”

  “That’s what makes you special, bro,” I smiled.

  “Well put, Nina,” Flo said.

  “The universe can’t do all the work for you!” Kerm said. “That wouldn’t be any fun. We all may be small, but we still play our role in shaping the flow of the universe. It may be a very small role, but it’s our role, nevertheless!”

  "Kerm speaks the truth!" Flo said. Flo leaned into me, touching me on my head with her antennae. "You understand?"

  “Not totally, but I think I do. Mostly,” I admitted.

  Flo chuckled. “Good answer. That is why you are extra unique in this or any other world. No two beings are alike, of course, but you are less alike than any other.”

  “Is that a good thing?” I asked.

  Flo nodded. She flapped her wings and took off. She rose up and disappeared.

  “She is so cool!” Kerm said. “I wish I had her style and grace!” Kerm did a backflip into the pond, soaking us all with a huge splash. His head popped out from under the water. “Oops, my bad,” he said as he faded away.

  “We meet the most interesting creatures,” Frank said.

  “We sure do!” Ruby nodded her head.

  “Agreed,” Jimmy and I both said at exactly the same time. We looked at each other and smiled.

  Nina Note: I didn’t know what the future would hold, but it looked like it was going to be interesting, and I would have to be on my toes and ready for anything. Of course, being part vampire and part tiger, I usually was. It took a lot to surprise me these days...certainly way more than meeting a cryptic giant frog and moth. But yeah, it was fun for sure.

  As for my time with Jimmy, I loved that time...it was so special. Not much else to say there. I just needed to find a way to make our moms accept us.

  Chapter 2: Searching for Answers

  We all biked home. Of course, Jimmy separated from us a couple of blocks from our houses just so our moms wouldn’t think we were getting too close. I hated that we had to do that, but figured it was safer for Jimmy that way.

  As we walked into our house, Frank, Ruby and I discussed the events that just happened and the sort of cryp
tic message we had received.

  “I wish they could have been clearer,” I told Frank and Ruby. “After all, these are supernatural natural creatures; I would think they could tell us exactly what to expect.”

  Ruby shook her head. “I think that’s the point, they have an idea what to expect, but the future is still fluid. There are multiple possibilities and routes to those possibilities, so they can’t be certain.”

  “Like Mom says...nothing is ever certain in life except taxes,” Frank said.

  “Yeah, I guess,” I replied. “I just think Kerm or Flo could have given us more to go on.”

  "Children, come up here immediately!" Mom ordered from upstairs.

  “Wow, your mom has excellent hearing,” Ruby said. Ruby looked up the stairs and said, “May I come too?”

  I paused. “Yes, Ruby. You might be a normal human, but you are my favorite normal human. You are a trusted member of our team. I think of you as family.”

  “Awesome!” Ruby beamed.

  We headed up the stairs to Mom (and Dad’s) room. The door popped open. Mom sat in the lotus position hovering above the bed. Her eyes were opened when we entered the room.

  “Why were you in the woods?” she asked.

  Frank answered. “Butterfly hunting. You know how I love them, Mom. And Ruby does too.”

  Mom closed her eyes again. “Why were you there, Nina?”

  “Somebody has to protect these two. I mean, the woods do have some strange creatures," I replied.

  “Yes, but the creatures rarely reveal themselves to normal humans,” Mom said.

  “Frank and I are not normal,” I said.

  “That is true,” Mom said. She sniffed the air. “I sense there was another being with you. Was there?”

  Okay now, this was the moment of truth. Literally, I needed to decide if I wanted to tell Mom the truth or not. I took a breath and then another.

  “I invited Jimmy,” Frank said before I could say anything.

  Mom’s left eye popped open. “Oh?” she asked. “Pray tell why?”

  “I knew Nina would be bored looking for butterflies. I thought having Jimmy to talk to would help entertain her and keep her busy.” He gave me a little push. “I mean, I love ya sis, but when you are bored, you get cranky.”