Chapter 4

            Darla started the car, and slowly maneuvered out of the parking lot. Jade again looked out the window to see the rest of the town. Darla slowly moved the car from the main street and followed a dirt road to a small shop hidden in the woods.

            “What this?” Jade asked.

            “This is my shop; I'm not allowed to have it in town so I had it build out here,” Darla said sounding happy. “After my Daughter died, I bought this building and made it into a shop. It was one of the things that got me through her death.” She said almost sounding like she was about to cry. “Maybe this place will help you too.”

            “I see, what kind of shop is it?”

            “Well, it’s an Occult shop. I sell things that normal people wouldn't think of seeing. The town isn't happy about it, but then again no one knows its location but you, Mike, and I. Of course, some people would buy from it, so they know about it too.” She spoke.

            “Okay.”

            Jade and Darla got out of the car and walked to the door. Darla unlocked it, and walked in. the chime of a bell startled her.  Darla took off her jacket and place it behind the register. Jade looked around the shop, she touched some of the things she thought were cool. It was getting dark, Darla turned on the rest of the lights to the store.

            “Jade if there is anything you want let me know,” Darla said.

            Jade look at Darla, she had underestimated her Aunt. This place was cool. “I love your shop; a lot of this stuff is way too extreme for me.” She spoke.

            The chime of the bell startled Jade, she turned around to face whoever was coming through the door. A lady, a beautiful lady with golden blonde hair walked in.

            “Jade please grab me a statue from the back,” Darla asked motioning for her to go to the back room.

            “Um okay, but I don't know what I'm looking for?” She questioned.

            “It’s on the right in the back, please go now,” Darla said trying not to sound like she was worried about Jade.

            Jade did as she was asked. She walked to the back room and looked around. There were no statues anywhere, she headed back to the front of the store. She heard Darla talking to the lady, she stopped to listen.

            “Darla who’s the fresh meat?”

            “Don't worry about her Alexandra.” She spoke. “She’s only helping me for the night, tomorrow it will be me alone again.”

            “She kind of looks like Jayden.”

            “No!” Darla snapped at the lady.

            “Is she Rachel's daughter?” The lady growled at her.

            “Yes,” Darla sighed whispering it, she didn’t want Jade to know, her father was Jayden. 

            “I see, I'll take these. We will have to talk more later about this since you have fresh ears listening.”

            How'd she know I was listening, Jade thought.

            Alexandra left; Jade came to the front of the store. She wanted to ask Darla what that was about. She knew her mother, and who was this Jayden?

            “How does she know mom?” Jade asked.

            “Um, your mother used to live here before you were born. She moved away once she found out she was pregnant with you.” Darla lied.

            “Who is Jayden?” Jade asked, hoping Darla wouldn’t get mad at her for asking.

            “No one, just a fling your mother had. They were in love, but she left him. He has since moved away.” She lied again.

            “It doesn't seem like it if she said I kind of look like him. Is he my father?”

            “No.” She said. “Like I said it was just a fling she had.”

            Jade decided it was best not to press the matter anymore, she went back to looking through the books on the shelf. She found one she liked, titled “Legends of Hewsen Era.”

            “Can I have this one?” Jade said flashing the book cover to Darla.

            Darla looked at the book and shook her head. “You're not going to let the legend go, are you?”

            “Na I'm interested, besides it’s an easy read,” Jade said.

            “Okay it’s yours, I hope you will help me out with the shop. If you do, you can have anything here.”

            “Sure, it might be fun,” Jade said looking around the shop. She would love to read everything in the shop, even though she didn’t understand most of what it was.

            The bell Chime again startled Jade, She looked over to the door, a man and a lady came through.

            “Talon, Lena.” Darla greeted.

            Jade looked over to Darla. She motioned her head silently asking her to go to the back again. She sighed and did as she was told. She listened to the conversation.

            “So, who is she Darla?” the man asked.

            “Rachel's daughter, but don't let it get around okay,” Darla whispered.

            “You know he is going to find out about her?” Lena questioned.

            “Yes, but right now it’s not a good time to tell her.” Darla sighed. “She just lost her mother, and having found out her father is a vampire, don’t think it’s going to go too well.”

            “Will there ever be a good time?” the lady asked.

            “No,” Darla said.

            The chime of the door told Jade the two were gone. Jade walked out to the front of the store. Darla looked a little worried.

            “So again, who is Jayden,” Jade demanded to know. She knew her Aunt was lying, and she’d just been caught.

            “No one, don't ask about him again,” Darla growled. She walked away from Jade. She didn’t want Jade around Jayden; he wasn’t in his right mind.

            “Fine, but I will find out who he is.” Jade challenged.

            “I know.” She spoke. “It’s time to close up shop, the two customers that come here are done shopping.”

            “Okay,” Jade said grabbing the book that Darla said she could have.

            Darla closed the blinds, locked up the money, and then shut the lights off. Jade waited by the front door, Darla looked over and smiled. She opened the door and gestured for Jade to walk out, she then locked the door. Jade looked around, she felt watched. Goosebumps ran down her arm, she shivered.

            “What’s wrong?” Darla asked.

            “I don't know, I kind of feel. Eh never mind.” Jade said looking around. She felt the eyes on her only. She wasn’t sure if it was Jayden, or if it was the others that came into the shop earlier in the evening.

            “You kind of feel what?” Darla pressed on.

            “Like something is out there watching, and waiting?” She spoke. “Now I sound liked a paranoid freak.” She laughed.

            “Yeah, that is kind of odd. You and I are the only ones out here tonight. Get in the car.”

            Jade and Darla got in the car, Darla started the car and headed back down the dirt road heading home. The car ride was silent, Jade thought about what she learned tonight. She wanted to find the answers Darla was hiding from her. Mike waited on the porch; he was sipping coffee he smiled when they pulled up.

            “Out here long?” Darla asked getting out of the car. She grabbed her bag and walked through Mike.

            “No just came out when you pulled up. Did you ladies have fun?” he said looking at Darla and then at Jade.

            “Somewhat, then again had some issues.” She complained.

            “What type of issues?” Mike asked as he sipped his cup.

            “We'll talk about it later, Jade, you should head to bed,” Darla said looking at Jade.

            “Okay night guys.” Jade excused herself, she wanted to get some reading done. She wanted to plan out how she would approach Darla again.

            Jade walked inside the house and went up to her room. She closed the door and went to the window. She wanted to go out but didn't know if they would check up on her in the middle of the night. She slowly opened the window and looked out, Darla and Mike were in the backyard arguing.