Birthday Boy

PART ONE

Jayme stood awkwardly with a glass of some sort of alcohol clutched tightly in her hand. People danced drunkenly around her stepping on each others toes. Could someone please remind her exactly why she had come here again?

This party was a complete disaster! The room on campus where the missing in action host decided to have it was trashed beyond a little tidying up and tender loving care. It was a demolition zone and Jayme could swear the big disco ball hung clumsily above the crowds of people would come down at any minute. It was time to leave before the cops came. She knew they must have been called. This party was out of control and people were going to get injured.

The stained couches were already piled with unconscious teens. Jayme was sure what the stains were most probably blood rather than spilt drinks. Sighing, she shoved her cup into the hands of an acquaintance of hers and began to shove her way through the crowds to the nearest exit. Staying here any longer would only deafen her. The music was way to loud and not her taste anyway.

Her friends and classmates would be too out of it to even notice her disappearance so she had no one to say goodbye to. She was supposed to leave with them but Jayme could not withstand another minute at that party. Jayme guessed that parties just weren't her thing at the moment. Especially poorly planned ones.

It was approaching midnight and she wasn't staying on campus tonight. Her boyfriend was waiting for her at his friend's flat. He was the one to encouraged her to get out and socialise tonight. He was supposed to come too but had last minute studying. At least he didn't have to suffer like her.

Maybe she was being unfair. The start of the event had been fun and gave her a chance to catch up with her friends. Her friends back home were party organizing experts so she was probably being snobby since the planners of this party don't have as much skill in the area.

Jayme was just annoyed it turned out like every other party she had been to in this town since her arrival. It was basically just the usual who can get the biggest hang over tomorrow contest. Jayme too one last look around the room, friends were no where to be seen like the birthday boy who must have realised it sucked and fled to avoid the cops and staff at the university.

"I guess the birthday boy got sick of his own party and I don't blame him for it," she mumbled.

Jayme was a little nervous about walking to her boyfriends on her own since it was an unfamiliar town. Jayme didn't want to end up getting lost and end up wandering the streets. Maybe she should have waited for her friends and asked for a ride in one of their old cars. Though that would have resulted in her being involved in a car crash due to how drunk they were. Luckily it wasn't cold so if she did get lost she wouldn't freeze to death.

Jayme left the loud pumping music behind as she walked through the corridors and exited the university campus.

She wasn't all that familiar with the town. Jayme rarely left campus and when she did she was with friends. The town was really quiet so there really wasn't much to do. Tonight it was deathly quiet, like a ghost town. Tonight was the perfect night for a horror story setting. Nobody would hear you screaming in an alley as a psycho murdered you.

"That isn't something you should be thinking about right now Jayme." Jayme told her self off shivering at her thoughts.

Luckily Morganville was a nice one despite the lack of things to do. The coffee shop she had visited once or twice was great. The owner, Oliver his name was, always had something friendly to say but he wasn't a push over. If anyone caused trouble in his shop, one look and they were gone. Jayme made a note to visit again sometime in the week as it had been awhile since she had drunk a real good mocha alongside an equally delicious muffin.

Jayme turned the corner expecting the street to be deserted and found she had ran right into the birthday boy and some of his wingmen making a racket with some beer cans. It looked like they were trying to have a soccer match. Most of the time they couldn't even kick the can. Jayme watched for several minutes while trying to work out a way of walking passed them without being noticed sadly her time was up and they had spotted her.

"Hey Jay," the birthday boy and his friends called called.

Jay? Nobody had called her that in years. Not since middle school was she known as Jay or Me. Though one friend still called her Me occasionally. It doesn't matter though, the nicknames didn't particularly bother her, usually.

Now she felt bad for not knowing his name, "Er... hello gentlemen."

"How was the party?"

What should I say? I don't want to hurt his feelings...

"It was very... enjoyable."

Damn Jayme you can act better than that, you're lucky they're drunk.

"We got bored and decided to leave but I'm glad you liked it."

He knows his party sucked then, I like honest people.

Jayme smiled politely and walked past them. She could feel a headache coming on and just wanted to get to her destination of a comfortable bed where she could crash for the night. Birthday boy seemed to have plans that were different to hers and yanked her back by the wrist. Jayme turned to complain when she saw his expression. His expression made her realise she was in deep shit and would have to be careful how she handled him.

"Liar!" he shouted before shoving her to the floor.

What the hell?

Birthday boy wasn't a very friendly drunk but an aggressive one she guessed. Good job she was a pro at self defence and generally kicking butt, in her opinion anyway.

Jayme quickly got up from the ground and got into a defensive position, no matter how much she wanted to punch the guy for most probably giving her a bruised ass she knew it wouldn't be wise to make the first move.

He raised a hand which she hadn't noticed had a glass bottle held tightly in it before. Birthday then proceeded to attempt to hit her over the head. Jayme aimed a kick in his guts before the glass impacted which would have caused her to receive a nasty blow to the head. Grabbing the bottle from his hand Jayme disposed of it quickly. An idiotic friend of his then stepped forward as Birthday was recovering, aiming a clumsy punch at her shoulder which she blocked easily and gave him a strong fist to his face.

The others in the group were unsure of what to do but didn't need to act as Birthday Boy and the idiotic friend came back for more. Punches and kicks were thrown and Jayme winced and swore as her lip burst and shins were kicked. The upper hand would no longer be hers if she didn't end the fight now. Plus the fight was pretty ridiculous and not even worth it.

Jayme waited for them to attack again but instead they stopped. Birthday Boy began moving his hands around in the deep pockets of his baggy jeans. He pulled out is phone and passed it to his most sober looking friend. The others probably wouldn't have been able to press the tiny buttons correctly.

"Call my protector Mr. B," Birthday boy ordered, "He'll show her who's boss."

"Are you sure?" his friend questioned, "This isn't really that big of a deal."

"Just do it." He ordered.

Protector? Is he some kind of rich kid or important person who needs body guards? Maybe he was pretending to phone for help to frighten her away. A thought sprang to life in Jayme's mind, though she would look chicken she could run now while they were distracted. They were too drunk to chase her very far anyway.

"Bbut..." his friend tried to make an excuse some how frightened by the thought of someone coming to their aid.

It was now or never and Jayme chose now. She bolted down the street not looking back relying on her ears for follows and they came, she heard the clumsy stamp of footsteps. The chase one on. Would Jayme get away or was she simply relocating the fight?

While running she pulled out her phone and rang her boyfriend.

"Jayme?" he questioned when he picked up.

"I'm being chased by the parties host and his goons," Jayme spoke with fear down the cell phone.

Jayme turned left sharply knocking over a trash can in an attempt to lose them.

"Why? Where are you?" he spoke panicked down the phone.

"They're angry and drunk and I don't know!"

Jayme turned again going right and continuing running still hearing yells behind her. If this wasn't as serious the adrenaline rush this gave her would be be worth it. Danger always thrilled her. A button on the phone was pressed ending the call.

It was too dark to see where she was so arriving at a low garden fence helped Jayme know she wasn't too far off track. Not having time to weigh up her options Jayme decided to just go with her gut and jumped over it as another attempt to lose them. If it failed it could always wake the home owners up and then they would see she was being chased and possibly help if luck was on her side.

Jayme's adrenaline sky rocketed as she tried out some free running as she made her way of various obstacles in each garden in the almost pitch blackness before heading over the next fence. Jayme cursed as she jumped over what was to be the last fence and onto a pile of trash cans wincing at the loudness in the silent street.

Had she lost them? Jayme didn't want to wait and see she had to keep moving for a while longer before she could ring her boyfriend again and get directions. Running down the alley way she ended up in she came out onto a long street with dim lighting.

Jayme was out of breath and tired wishing she hadn't left the party or even gone at all. At least she had an interesting story to share once she got out of this mess. All she wanted was a hot drink, pyjamas and a bed. Also maybe some plasters for her sore and raw feet that had rubbed on the leather of her boots.

Keeping a slow steady jog to cover further ground and gain more distance between the hopefully long gone drunken gang and whatever creep they called Jayme looked up at the moon in the night sky. Jayme smiled, It would all be over soon.

The street was never ending with barely any light. The street lights were placed a strange distance away from one another, Jayme figured the town couldn't afford many. The occasional strange noise began to freak her out as she slowed to a jog and tried to keep her harsh breathing from making a sound. If they caught up now Jayme didn't know where she could run. She really hated strange towns and now regretted not learning her way round.

Jayme stifled a surprised yelp as she heard a screech and then a meow as a cat ran out in front of her. Glaring at the departing feline she continued her never ending journey. Seconds felt like minutes as her eyes drooped and legs refused to cooperate. Jayme was just too god damn tired to continue. If she found a bench she would take her chances and just spent the night there.

Then as her heart slowed after the previous scare the sounds of shoe covered feet rang in Jayme's ears. It wasn't a run just a casual walk. Jayme stopped and so did the noise. They weren't hers though. They started up again a second before Jayme began walking confirming her suspicion of another person's presence with her in the dark. Why did they stop when she did though?

Could it be that those boys found her? Jayme felt like crying and her heart began to beat rapidly as she hurried to next street light a distance away. Chills ran up her spine as she power walked and then a cold whisper made her shudder and stop breathing.

"Jay...me," The soft male sounding voice spoke slowly.

Jayme clenched her fists and jumped around expecting to connect her fists with a face but instead no one was there. Just an empty street.

"Jay...me," she heard again from the direction she had been walking in.

She turned back round and again found no one. Jayme shook her head and continued walking trying to blame her imagination though it wasn't that vivid and the cold chills still lingered uncomfortably.

"Jay... me,"

Jayme ignored it.

A second later, "Jay...me,"

She still ignored the bone freezing creepy voice until...

"I'm awful thirsty Jayme, are you?"

Jayme stopped and took a defensive stance as she checked all directions and pivoted around eyeing every detail of her surroundings. She was not imagining this.

"Whoever you are fuck off." Jayme spoke before continuing.

"Touchy, I only asked a question," the voice spoke, "Are you thirsty?"

To be honest she was. Her throat was dry and she would kill for a bottle of water or even a glass of the parties toxic punch, anything to open her closing throat.

"How about we play a game?," the voice proposed, "If you answer my question correctly, I will give you a drink but if I win you give me a drink."

"I don't have a drink to give you," Jayme spoke irritated, "And if your thirsty why not drink your own?"

"My own drink isn't to my liking but yours is,"

"I already told you I don't have one dammit."

"But you do Jayme, around ten refreshing pints if I remember correctly."

10 pints? I think I'd know if I had any drinkable liquid on me, especially that much... oh god, is he talking blood? This guy is sick and I have the worst luck in the world. Angry drunks and now a psychopath. The odds were not in her favour. Sweat trickled down Jayme's face and neck. Could this be the end, her fate? Being murdered in a quiet town like Morganville was how she was going to die. Jayme could not accept this.

Jayme pulled out her phone and hit the speed dial for the police but only managed to get one word out, "Help!"

Her arm was locked in a bone crushing grip as the phone was ripped out of her hand and dropped it on the floor. Crying out in pain Jayme fell to the floor clutching her arm and reaching desperately for the phone a metre away. She began to crawl but her leg was stamped on and a blood curdling crack was heard as she let out an agonising cry.

A man then appeared beside her knelt down smiling. He didn't look like a bad guy but he was.

"I've been expecting you Jayme, my name is Brandon," he whispered.

Jayme's hair covered her face and he gently pushed it back behind her ears, "I was tipped off that you would be heading this way, I was supposed to make this quick but you seem like such good fun that I can't help but play with you first, Jayme."

"Why are you doing this to me?" Jayme asked angrily.

Brandon places a cold finger on his lips and on hers smiling still.

"Now lets play my game." Brandon said, "Remember if you answer correctly you get a drink and since I am a gentlemen I'll also drop you off at the hospital. But if you don't, I'll end your pain. Either way you win, sound good?"

"Ass... hole." Jayme got out through her pain.

"Is that what kids these days use for yes?"

Brandon dug his fingers into her cheek drawing blood. Jayme cursed and glared at him and saw something strange in his eyes. Hunger?

"What is the name of the young gentlemen whose birthday it is today?" Brandon asked her.

Brandon was serious about this. Jayme racked her brains for his name desperately. Even though he might just be playing with her she didn't have an option she had to play along just for the smallest chance she could walk away, crawl away even, from this.

"Times up," Brandon announced.

Jayme's anger flared, "You never said there was a time limit!"

"Your answer?"

"How the hell am I supposed to know the name of a nobody like him?" Jayme spat, "He doesn't deserved one anyway, he'd a complete jerk. Just Birthday Boy to me."

"Too bad."

Brandon smiled widely and slowly his teeth changed. His canine's lengthened and sharpened to razors and he let out a hiss. Everything began to slot into place in Jayme's mind like a puzzle piece. Brandon wasn't a psychopath, he was a vampire.

I'm a goner, aren't I?, Jayme thought. His teeth then slowly started to pierce Jayme's skin and she closed her eyes willing the pain that took over as her blood was drained from her to vanish.

When Jayme next opened her eyes she awoke to spotless white. Could this be heaven? She was surprised as she never was a believer...

A/N My first Morganville story! Make sure to review and alert. The second part is coming in 2 weeks so keep a look out. from Neeve