The Perfect Story

CHAPTER FOUR: Vampire, Dragons, and Fairies--Oh My!

As the sun began to sink below the roofs of pastel colored buildings, the group started to look for a place to spend the night.

"We really didn't plan out this little adventure at all," Kelly reflected sadly.

"Yes, you humans are very---" Arthur began.

"---Stupid, yes, we've heard," Evan finished for him, rolling his eyes.

"Let's just stop in a hotel," Kelly suggested, pointing to the brightly lit billboard further up the road, advertising "Sunny Days Inn".

"Sunny Days Inn," read Nicole, "Sounds depressing."

"Has anyone got any money?" Asked Evan, to which everyone reached into their pockets---except for Arthur, who had none---and then came out empty handed, shaking their heads dejectedly.

"What's it matter?" Asked Kelly. "There probably won't be people there anyway."

"I wouldn't be so sure," contradicted Arthur, "the closer we travel to the main characters, the more people we'll meet. We don't want to get in the way of anyone though, we might mess up the plot."

As it turned out, both Kelly and Arthur were right. Although there was a man working at the front desk, he appeared to be in a dead faint, head pressing into the keyboard and typing an eternity of 'q's.

"Wonder what made him faint," said Evan curiously.

"Erm, guys?" Kelly inquired in a small, flat little voice, "I don't think he's asleep."

She pointed to the two red puncture marks on his neck, rather like a snake bite.

"Oh, dear," sighed Arthur. "Looks like a vampire got to him."

"A what?" Demanded Evan.

"You know, blood sucking demon, usually dashingly attractive." Arthur shook his head, sending sparkles cascading through the brightly lit lobby. "I don't fancy them much, usually come from the worst written novels."

"Guess we'll have to find our own room," sighed Nicole, walking over to the corpse.

She slipped her hand into the jeans pocket, fumbling around.

"Nicole! What on earth are you doing?" Demanded Kelly, wide-eyed.

"Looking for this," said Nicole in a 'duh' tone, holding up a key. "I think it's the master key, so it should unlock all the doors."

"Nothing in his wallet except for a horrible driver's license photo," she added, tossing his leather wallet aside.

"I happen to think I look very nice in that photo," hissed the corpse from behind her, opening his crimson red eyes.

Nicole froze, slowly turning to face the newly-made vampire.

"Um, t-that's what she m-meant to say!" Chuckled Kelly nervously.

"No, it's not," frowned Nicole, who was feeling pretty fed up with mythical creatures. "You," she scrunched up her eyes while reading the name on the license, "---Stephano, look completely horrendous!"

Stephano looked rather shocked. "I-it was the lighting!" He stumbled over his words. "It made me look sickly!"

"Uhuh," laughed Nicole, "right. The 'lighting' gave you this giant pimple?"

"Nicole!" Hissed Evan, "Don't provoke him!"

Nicole, however, didn't seem to hear him. She plopped down on the counter next to Stephano and took a deep breath, as though preparing for a long speech.