Rivals Read online

  “In other words, there is no room for improvement?" Grandma Jasmine asked, her eyebrow raised.

  Shaking my head, I said. “Of course, there is always room for improvement, just on my own terms. Besides, improvement doesn’t make me more special!” I insisted.

  “You're just playing with words now," Grandma Jasmine said. She grinned. "I'll take that saying…I agree with you, Jasmine!"

  “But…” I said.

  Before I could say anything else, Grandma Jasmine raised her arms and turned into a bat. (Yeah, she could be old school when it came to vampire ways.) She flapped her wings and flew out of my room.

  The second Grandma Jasmine disappeared, I heard a knock. “Can I come in?” Mom asked.

  “Ah, there’s a giant hole in the wall, so sure,” I said.

  Mom walked in and sniffed the air. “Jasmine was here!” she said.

  I sighed, “Yes, it’s been a busy day and it’s not even 7:30 a.m. yet.”

  “What did Jasmine want?” Mom asked.

  “To tell me I was special.”

  “No really?” Mom prompted.

  I sighed again. “Yes really.”

  Mom sat next to me on the bed. “Let me guess, she heard how well you passed your dad’s silly test.”

  “Yep,” I nodded.

  Mom smiled. “What you did was impressive, especially for one your age. I was much older before I could use my telekinetic abilities.”

  “Wait, you can move things with your mind, too?” I asked.

  Mom nodded again. “We are from the most powerful line of vampires, the first to venture to the new world. Many of our ancestors can do it. Few can do it well. None could ever do it before the age of fifty.”

  “Is Grandma Jasmine telekinetic too?” I asked.

  Mom shrugged. “Truthfully, your Grandma and I have never been that close, so I don’t really know. I’d assume so. But I’m not totally sure.”

  “Why don’t you see her more?” I asked. “Why aren’t you two closer?”

  Mom shook her head and chuckled. “First off, honey, vampires are mostly loners. We live for a LONG time. We are strong of will and body. We really don’t need other people. We aren’t pack-animals like regular humans.”

  “Aren’t we just humans that are different?” I asked.

  Mom grinned. “Yes, our abilities are most likely caused by a mutated gene some 1700 years ago. We are actually random freaks of nature. But we don’t like to think of ourselves in that way. It might be part of the reason we avoid each other so much. Truthfully, I don’t know. I do know this can be a lonely life.” Mom’s grin turned into a true smile. “That’s why I am so glad I met your father. He understood me and my situation. He has so much love and compassion and such a beautiful big heart. You are like him in so, so, so many ways.”

  “Let me guess, Grandma Jasmine didn’t like Dad,” I said.

  Mom nodded again. “She didn’t want me to be with anybody. She said werewolves and tigers are pack animals and I don’t need a pack. And, I don’t think she thought I was good enough for a man as brilliant and as rich as your father. As much as vampires and werebeings don’t get along, I think she respects your father’s brain. I know she respects his money. My mom isn’t the deepest of beings,” Mom chuckled.

  “What about your dad?” I asked.

  Mom shrugged. “He died shortly after I was born.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry,” I said.

  Mom grinned. "Nothing to be sorry about. I never met the man." She paused for a moment. "Anyway, after what you went through with your father's little test, I just wanted to say how proud I am," Mom said.

  I hugged her. As I hugged her, I thought if ever there was a time to tell her how I felt about Jimmy, this would be it. Mom had opened up to me. She had shown me her emotional, caring side. It felt good. It felt like an opening.

  Pulling back just a bit I said, "I love you, Mom!"

  “I love you too,” she replied. “You, Frank, and your father are the best part of my life. And I have an amazing life!” Mom said.

  Yep, if I was ever going to tell Mom about my feelings towards Jimmy, then this had to be my moment. I took a deep breath so I could think a little longer. Mom and I were in a good place right now. I figured, why ruin it by bringing up Jimmy? I had her permission to talk with him; I decided to leave it at that for the moment. After all, Mom really liked Ruby. That meant she knew humans could be caring as well as great friends with vampires and half vampires. I felt Mom was softening her views. The more time she spent with Ruby and other regular humans, the easier it would be for me to tell her my feelings towards Jimmy. At least, that was my story for now. Who knows? Maybe I was being a coward?

  I stood up and pointed to my bathroom. “Now, if you don’t mind, I have to get ready for school.”

  Mom stood up. “I understand. I’ll go make sure Mumford has a special breakfast ready for you.”

  Nina Note: Wow, it had been a crazy day and I hadn’t even eaten breakfast yet. I felt good about myself knowing that I could move objects with my mind. Not just that I was capable, but that I’d become telekinetic at an earlier age than any other vampire, ever.

  As for my visit from Grandma Jasmine...I’m still not sure what to make of that. I had the feeling she wanted something from me. I know she claims to want to help me be better, which she very well may. Thing is, with her, I was worried that she wanted something else too. Just I had no idea what.

  I loved the feel-good moment with my mom. I always knew my mom loved me and was proud of me, but it felt great to hear her say it. I guess even vampire weretigers need positive reinforcement.

  Chapter 3: Trolling

  Sitting down to breakfast with my family, I felt determined to set the day back on a normal course. I would eat my bacon, eggs, and toast and drink my tomato juice just like I did any other breakfast. I would talk about my day. I wouldn’t think about the fact that I could move things with my mind. (Even though that was super cool.) I would put the sand golem to the back of my mind. That was over and done with. I had proved what I needed to prove. I wouldn’t think about anything at all out of the ordinary.

  Of course, our lawn gnome, Gomer walked into the room. “I am here to give my morning daily report,” Gomer said. He removed his hat and jumped up onto the middle of the table. Turning to Mumford our Mummy Assistant, he said, “That jam smells delicious!”

  Mumford smiled; you could see him beaming through his bandages. “Thank you, it’s homemade strawberry! I grew the berries myself. I picked them myself. I squashed them myself.” He showed us the red stains on his hand bandages. “Of course, strawberry stains are hard to get out of bandages but it’s worth it!”

  “Yes, yes it is," Dad agreed, spreading some jam on his toast.

  “Why are we having daily briefings?” I asked.

  “Actually, they are daily morning briefings,” Gomer corrected.

  “Why are we having any briefings at all?” I asked.

  “It seemed like a good idea considering all the increased weird activity going on lately,” Dad said.

  “Yeah, but most of it is coming from THIS house!” I insisted.

  “I love briefings, they are so brief and they sound like briefcases!” Frank said.

  Looking at Mom, I pleaded with my eyes.

  Mom shook her head. “Nina, dear, your dad is a very brilliant man and if he thinks we need morning briefings, then I agree.”

  Aunt Mika took a sip of her coffee, then another sip. "If I can drink my coffee and listen, then I'm cool."

  Dad looked at me. “Nixy, I understand your concern, but these briefings are for our own good so we all know what’s going on. I promise you they will be brief.”

  “Hence the name!” Frank said.

  “Fine,” I said. “As long as they are brief!”

  “Oh, they will be! They are called briefs!” Frank giggled. His nose snorted, spraying milk everywhere. “Hey, I just realized some people call underpants briefs.”
/>   Yeah, if only the girls from school could see him now. Ah, who am I kidding? Even with milk spurting from his nose, most girls would still think Frank was handsome. Truthfully, he was less gross than the vast majority of thirteen-year-old boys. Sure, that's not saying a lot, but it is saying something.

  “Okay, let’s hear the brief,” I groaned.

  Gomer cleared his throat. “Well, I am happy to report that mummy activity is steady. The dark mummies are still living at the old amusement park but so far they are causing no trouble. The white mummies are still out in the woods, roasting marshmallows.”

  “We do love our marshmallows,” Mumford said.

  “There have been no sightings of Glitters or Phantom Ninjas, which I take as another positive sign."

  “Agreed,” Dad said.

  “I believe they now realize Nina is more than a match for them,” Gomer said.

  “I agree,” I said, biting into a piece of toast with jam. The jam was superb.

  “On a less positive note, we believe there has been an upsurge in troll activity. Both types of trolls.”

  "Wait...both types of trolls?" I asked. "Why is there more than one kind of troll?"

  “There just are,” Dad said. “There are the cute little trolls, the ones with the really long hair and pot bellies, and there are also the eight-foot-tall hideous looking ones.”

  “I dated one of those, once,” Aunt Mika said. “He was a great kisser.”

  “Are trolls good or bad?” Frank asked. I felt so glad he asked that instead of me, as I had been thinking the same thing.

  “Depends,” Dad said. “Trolls, like people and vampires, come in all types. Some are good and some are bad. It’s hard to tell with trolls.”

  “I hear the little ones like to hang out on the Internet,” Mumford said.

  “Well, who doesn't?" Frank added.

  Thinking about what Aunt Mika had said, I asked her, “Wait, how did you date a big ugly troll?”

  “You know…we went out, had dinner, went to the movies.” Aunt Mika said with a grin. “Did I mention that he was the best kisser?”

  “Yes, yes you did. But if big trolls…”

  “They call themselves BT’s,” Gomer said.

  “But if big trolls are eight feet tall and look hideous, how could you go out with them in public?”

  “Big trolls are shape-shifters,” Aunt Mika said. “That’s how they can fit into society so well.”

  “Oh, that’s weird,” I said.

  “Nah, just another means of survival,” Mom told me. “Our mailman, Steve is a troll. He’s a perfectly fine mailman and I bet you never suspected he was a troll.”

  “Ah, that’s why he wears so much cologne,” Aunt Mika said. “I should have known.” She grinned. “Steve is kind of cute!”

  “Wait, why the cologne?” I asked trying not to sound as confused as I must have sounded.

  “Trolls have a distinct scent,” Dad said. “Most other beings find it yucky. Trolls cover it with cologne.”

  “I actually liked Bobby’s scent,” Aunt Mika said. “It was a musky musk!” she sighed.

  “Sis, you have always been a bit different,” Dad smiled. “That’s why I like you so much!”

  We heard a knock at the front door. “That must be Ruby coming over for her ride to school,” I said.

  Aunt Mika jumped up quickly and ran off to her bedroom to cover her green skin with thick make-up.

  I stood up and hurried to the door. I wanted to tell Ruby about all that had happened. Opening the door without really thinking, I saw Mailman Steve standing there dressed in his blue uniform. Okay, now this could NOT have been a coincidence.

  Mailman Steve tipped his cap to me then he said, "Top of the morning to you, Miss Nina. I have a special delivery for you." Examining him closely, I noticed his hands were both behind his back. "Do you accept the delivery?" he asked.

  “Sure, I guess,” I shrugged.

  Mailman Steve reached into his mailbag and pulled out a pie with a whipped cream topping. “Do you like pumpkin pie?”

  “Sure,” I replied.

  Mailman Steve splattered the pie into my face. “Great!” he said. “This is from an admirer. Not!” he said. He turned and ran away yelling, “Sorry! Sorry!! Sorry!!”

  I wiped the pumpkin and cream from my face, blinking my eyes to clear them. No, no, no, this was my prettiest outfit and now it totally needed to be washed! Mailman Steve was not going to get away with this. I had to find out why he’d shoved the pie into my face and who my un-admirer was. Leaping off the porch, I bounded after Mailman Steve. Yes, he had a good lead on me. He had already raced most of the way down the long walkway that led up to our house. For an old guy, he moved really fast. I guess trolls could move quicker than I thought. Still, I knew I was faster. I darted down the walkway after him.

  Just as Mailman Steve reached the gate to our house, I saw Ruby appear.

  “Stop him!” I shouted to Ruby.

  Without even thinking about it, Ruby stepped to the side and stuck out her leg, tripping mailman Steve. Mailman Steve tumbled to the ground.

  “Young lady, tripping a federal employee is a federal offense!” he blurted.

  Ruby shrugged. “Sorry, in my book, best friends take precedence over federal employees.”

  Leaping through the air, I landed next to the downed Mailman Steve. Showing him my fist, I said, “I’d stay down if I were you.”

  Ruby looked at me. “Nina, what happened to you?”

  Pointing at Mailman Steve, I said, “HE pied me in the face with pumpkin pie!”

  “And whipped cream,” Mailman Steve added.

  I growled at him. I bent down, picked him up and hoisted him over my shoulder. “Let’s go inside and talk!”

  “I prefer to talk outside,” he said. “Man, you vampires are strong.”

  “Wait, how does Mailman Steve know you are part vampire?” Ruby asked, following me up the pathway.

  “Cause apparently he’s a troll,” I said, stomping towards the house.

  Ruby ran to catch up with me. She asked, "Ah, so he's one of the shape-changing Big Trolls!"

  “Wait, you know about them?” I was shocked.

  Ruby nodded. “Sure, your mom gave me access to the supernatural web so I could read up on them. I love learning. That’s how I can help you.”

  “Plus, you are great at tripping people!” Mailman Steve added.

  Ruby truly was a great friend. She may have been a normal girl, but she had already absorbed more about my unique world than I had. I was lucky to have her on my side and by my side.

  “What are we going to do with him?” Ruby asked as we bounded up the porch stairs.

  “We’re going to get him to talk!” I said. “Well not us, but Mom will.” Glancing down at my now ruined outfit, I groaned. “I’m going to have to change.”

  Ruby nodded. “Yes and too bad. You look super pretty in that skirt and top.” She paused for a second then added. “But then again, you look good in everything you wear.”

  I dropped Mailman Steve down on a couch. Sticking my finger in his face, I ordered. “You will wait here!”

  “I will wait here,” he repeated. “But I can’t wait too long cause neither rain nor snow nor sleet nor angry vampires can stop the mail.”

  “Mom!” I shouted.

  Mom came into the room with a smiling Aunt Mika.

  “Hi, Stevey!” Aunt Mika waved.

  Mom looked me over. “You go change. I’ll get this troll to talk!” Mom said to Mika, “Don’t encourage him, sister-in-law. This troll just pied my daughter.”

  Aunt Mika looked at me. “And that was such a cute outfit.”

  “Yeah, that seems to be the general consensus," I said. I streaked upstairs and changed into a slightly more casual t-shirt and jeans. I raced back downstairs before Mom had even begun.

  “Girl, you are fast,” Ruby said. “And you still look adorable!”

  “Agreed,” Aunt Mika said.

&nb
sp; Mailman Steve nodded. “Yes, you are fast. Even for a vampire.”

  “Must be the tiger in me.” Pointing at him I said, “And stop trying to get on my good side!”

  Lowering his head, he quietly replied, “Sorry.”

  “Nina, this is going to be so cool!” Ruby said, rubbing her hands together. “I’ve never really seen your mom use her powers!”

  “Ruby, sleep!” I ordered.

  Ruby closed her eyes and dropped her head.

  “Why’d you do that?” Mom asked me.

  “I don’t know; I guess I didn’t want her to see you at your scariest!”

  “Oh, honey, this won't be that scary. Besides your friend should know what we can do," Mom said.

  “Right,” I replied. “Ruby, wake up! And forget you were asleep!”

  Ruby’s eyes popped open.

  Mom put a finger under Mailman Steve’s chin and lifted his head up. “Look me in the eyes,” she ordered.

  Mailman Steve did as he was told.

  “Reveal your true self!”

  Mailman Steve's head, neck, and ears all stretched out. His nose grew a good foot longer. His fingers became long and spindling. His teeth looked more like an animal's teeth than a man's. His skin tone became bluish.

  “Trolls are blue?” I asked.

  Mailman Steve, the troll, shrugged. “We tend to take on the colors of our environment. I’ve worn that blue hat and scarf so much it’s become a part of me.”

  “Makes sense,” Ruby said.

  “Does it really?” I asked.

  Mom stood over Mailman Steve with her arms crossed and her front leg tapping. “Why did you pie my daughter?”

  “You know, I truly have no idea. Last night after making my deliveries, I went home to my cave and I suddenly had the urge to make a pie that I could smack Nina in the face with. I don’t know why. I like Nina; she’s a good girl. She always says hi, she never orders really heavy packages. In fact, a dog was chasing me once and Nina scared it away.” Lowering his eyes, he said. “I’m sorry. I truly am.”

  Motioning to the door, Mom said, “Okay, you can go.”