Loving the Vampire

The cheers that rang out behind Anthea broadened her own grin. Her kids, her baseball team, had just won the first game of the season and she couldn't be prouder of them. She lunged from her seat and ran to meet the huddled bundle of little bodies as they jumped and screamed for joy. She had to admit, she'd fully expected to lose the first game, but the girls had come together. Their next few games should be easy, as long as she can keep the girls focused and grounded. Mark, the captain's dad, called all the girls to his tent where he'd set up a gas grill and was making hot dogs and burgers. She went around the field and picked up discarded balls and gloves. Not for the first time, she wished her mother could see her, could be proud of her. She sighed as she threw the last ball into the basket, now full of items. That was wishful thinking and something she'd promised herself she'd stop doing. She thanked Mark for the burger he handed her and sat down with the girls to eat. She noticed the way he looked at her, and she was flattered. But he was definitely not her type. Another thing her mother had to be disappointed about. She shook off the bad memory and focussed on the girls. They were excited and hyped up, they deserved a pat on the back and a present coach. Shoving down her own insecurities, she focussed on them and enjoyed the victory they had worked hard for. "Can we offer you a ride home?" Mark asked as he packed the grill onto the back of his truck. "It's no problem." "No, but thank you. I prefer the walk, it gives me time to think, and some quiet time after a day like today." She smiled at him, careful to keep it friendly and not flirty. "I'll see you next weekend." He never missed a game. "Yeah, okay, sure, next weekend." He mumbled. "Hey, Mark?" Anthea waited for him to look at her. "Thank you for taking care of the girls after their games. They always enjoy it and we never really thank you." "It's my pleasure, and Chrissy likes hanging out with the girls too. It's easier to have them hang out here after a game than taking the whole team home for celebrations." "I can imagine." She waved at Chrissy then, with a last smile at Mark, turned to go to her office. She had a few things to sort out before she could go home. She closed the door behind her and, after making sure she locked the door, went to her desk and flopped down on the chair. The day had taken a lot out of her and she could feel her body fighting fatigue. Usually, she would have taken time to replenish her energy, but the day had gotten away from her and she felt like she could sleep for weeks. She would go home, take a long, hot bath and let the universe replenish her. Anthea stacked the papers she had to take home, stuffed them in her bag, and made sure her windows were locked, and found she had no energy left to transport herself home. "Great." She mumbled. "Walk it is." She hated feeling so vulnerable but this was Clubar, nothing ever happened to anyone in the small town. That was why she'd chosen it. It was quiet and far from her hometown. She could be who she wanted to be, and still keep the parts of her she wanted to be. "I'll walk, and I'll be fine." So she was used to having guards twenty-four-seven at home, but that was only because at home, everyone knew who she was. Here, everyone saw only Anthea Smith, the PE teacher. She wondered again what they would think if they ever found out that a Fae lived among them, and not only Fae but a princess. Royalty in Clubar, she laughed a little as she locked her door behind her. They would probably run in the opposite direction. Humans didn't have much tolerance for other world beings. They never had. And most likely never would. She waved at Mr. Jenkins the grounds keeper as she left the school grounds and made her way home. She needed a few things from the store, at least that was on her way. It was the last part of her walk that had her a bit worried. The alley never really bothered her unless she had to walk home. And since moving to Clubar two years before, she'd only had to walk it three times. It gave her the creeps and always made her feel like someone was watching her. But just like the other times, she would just walk it again, and she would be fine. She stopped for a second as she looked down the dark alley. She'd taken longer than she'd hoped at the store and darkness had fully fallen now. Anthea shifted the grocery bags to one hand so she could keep her right hand free. She took one last long breath, then started forward. She was almost all the way through when she heard the soft footfalls. If she hadn't been listening for trouble, she would have missed it. She wanted to speed up, her instincts telling her to run. But she forced herself to keep her pace and wait. Maybe whoever it was was just passing through too. She was wrong, so very wrong.