Vampires 101
Pearl pressed against the cold stone of the building into the shadows as she watched the light-haired pale man walk towards the store. "Thoth's Library" looked innocent enough. Was it a vampire hangout? Who was this guy? He looked a lot like Allen. Had she found him finally? She could hardly keep herself from yelling to the man. He went in the front doors, Pearl quickly darting after him, peering sideways into the building then glancing briefly at her outfit in disgust. Blue jeans and a sunshine-yellow tank top were not good for following people. Pearl took a deep breath, then walked quietly into the store.

Having given Avery the night off, Logan found himself sitting behind the counter without much to do. It had seemed like a good idea at the time; pull a double shift at the store to keep from thinking much about his break-up with Izzy. Then again, that plan would've only worked had there been more than five customers all day, or if a shipment of inventory had been delivered. Alas, it was one of those slow days that left the former Watcher with nothing but time. Time led to thinking, which was not where Logan wanted to be in the days following the break-up.

Logan wasn't emotionally paralyzed by what happened, and he was certainly still able to sleep, eat, practice basic hygiene and go to work, but to say he was handling the whole thing with a stiff upper lip and a positive attitude would've been overstating things. It still hurt, and Logan could still see reminders of his ex everywhere he looked. Then again, she was with him when the store opened, and one of the back rooms was her workshop, so that stood to reason.

Boy, things had the potential to get awkward.

Hearing the door open brought a smile to Logan's face, the former Watcher standing and putting the book he'd been pretending to read on the counter. He fought the urge to roll his eyes at the pale man with the light brown hair walked in, watching him make a beeline for the succubi section. Ralph, one of the regulars who never bought anything -- some pasty 21-year-old who needed some sun with an unnatural fixation for creatures with more than five breasts.

The blonde entering behind him was different; Logan didn't remember ever seeing her before. Focusing on her, because he thought she might actually buy something, Logan put on his best smile. "Good evening," he offered. "Welcome to Thoth's Library. Let me know if there's anything I can help you with."

Pearl glanced at the fellow behind the counter, then at the man she'd followed. She repeated this process a few times, then turned to the man behind the counter. "Thank you," she whispered, watching the fellow she'd followed out of the corner of her eye "I was just following him." Pearl motioned pointing at the man browsing the books. If he was her brother, he was sure being mean! She held a finger to her lips and sneaked carefully around the shelves, angling for a better look at him. He was reading about demons. That was very like her brother -- his nose always in books about vampires, demons and werewolves when he visited her. She ventured forward a few more steps.

"Oh, you know Ralph?" Logan inquired with a quirked brow, finding it odd for someone to just wander in because they were following someone else. Ralph didn't even seem to notice, either, which meant he was either oblivious to his surroundings or really engrossed in that book. For everyone's sake, Logan hoped it was the former.

Pearl walked backwards quickly to the counter, then stopped and faced the confused fellow. "Ralph? His name is Ralph," she repeated, clearly dejected. He wasn't Allen? Maybe it was an assumed name, like hers! "Is he a vampire, do you know? I'm looking for someone who looks a lot like him. Around 27 years old. Might go by Allen?" she looked at him hopefully, fighting back tears.

The former Watcher laughed. "No," he said. "If that was a vampire, he wouldn't have made it in here without an invite first." Logan waved a finger around his head to indicate the whole of the store. "Mystical ward and all that."

Seeing the tears in the woman's eyes, the smile on Logan's face disappeared. Ignoring Ralph, and any reaction he might've had if he actually lifted his nose from that book, the former Watcher leaned forward and rested his elbows on the counter. "You're looking for a vampire?" he asked, his left brow shooting skyward.

Maybe this girl was a Slayer? It was really the only thing that made sense, though Logan didn't get any kick-ass vibes from the girl. Then again, he'd never been that good spotting a Slayer on-sight without any obvious visual cues.

"Yes. My brother. Long story. I was supposed to come here to this city to find him," she said, trying to reveal as little as possible while saying as much as she could. She leaned forward suddenly and gripped the counter edge "What do you mean they can't come in without an invite?" she queried fiercely. Mystical ward? Invitations? What sort of shop was this exactly? She pushed back and took a long look around where she was standing.

"What sort of shop is this, exactly?" she asked. She was so pissed off that Ralph wasn't Allen that she wanted to scream and cry all at the same time. Every night walking street to street, searching. She'd been so sure her efforts were about to pay off. Her abilities were on edge, as she smelled cloth singeing briefly where she had her hands on her hips. "Hey, do you have anything that can put supernatural abilities in check? I need help with it," she said gesturing to the singe marks on her hips.

"We should," Logan answered with a curious glance, emerging from behind the counter and standing in front of the blonde. "We've got dozens of books of mystical powers and spells, and there are a few charms in the front of the shop over by the door."

He glanced at the stocked shelves and had a moment of self-satisfaction; Izzy might've encouraged him and offered support, but this store was his creation. He'd opened it. It was a momentary reprieve from the disappointment and doubt that had filled his head in recent nights.

"Occult library," he explained. "Tailored to the general public. Lotta people wanna know about monsters and demons now."

"Occult library," she mulled that over as she started towards the charms. "Would any of these be good for, say, not randomly lighting things on fire? I could use help with that. Usually I try to warm the air around me to keep things under control, but it's not working so well at the moment. When you're walking around in the snow in summerwear people stare, it's just really awkward."

Pearl looked at each of the charms carefully. They were quite beautiful. Turning to Logan, she smiled, the flow of tears not having spilled after all. "I feel kind of silly for following that Ralph guy," she remarked with a giggle.

Logan gave her a reassuring smile, using a small key to open the case holding the charms and amulets before pulling a small orange orb attached to a silver necklace from the case. Handing the orb to the blonde, he let himself steal a glance back at Ralph. He was still happily immersed in one of the thicker volumes, and much to the former Watcher's delight and relief, both hands were still visible.

As long as Ralph kept from pulling a Pee Wee Herman, everything would be alright.

Returning his attention to the blonde, the bookstore owner explained, "That's an elemental charm," he explained. "It ... the color represents an element, and it changes depending on who's near it. You mentioned setting things on fire? The orb would be orange in your presence. The orb itself won't control whatever power you have ... for that, you need a series of simple rituals and some basic meditation."

Motioning over his shoulder, Logan meandered toward the divination and meditation series of shelves, grabbing a beginner's meditation guide and glancing for anything regarding control of elemental powers. The search proved fruitless, until the former Watcher remembered he kept those texts under the general magicks section. By far Thoth's Library's biggest section, it took up the entire right-side wall. Unsure where exactly the volume in question was, Logan pointed as he kept talking.

"Any other details you could offer about your ability, Ms. ...?"

"Call me Pearl," she said, staring into the orb on the charm as she followed the shopkeeper around. "My ability is pyro-ki-something-or-other. I've had it since I was born. I can create fire, heat, make shapes with fire. A nice girl I met at work asked me if I can put out flames, and I haven't tried that yet. Could probably singe a proper trim on Ralph's hair given enough time and him not moving," she said, glancing at the boy with the demon book.

"I'm somewhat in control of it. I can't make an ice cream sundae at work -- I melt them. I've lit a few things on fire accidentally. Occasionally I go to the river edge and make shapes above the water so I don't burn anything, but when I get emotionally distraught I lose most of my control on it ..." she continued rattling on glancing curiously around as they walked. She felt a lot better now.

"Hey. Do you know much about vampires?" she asked suddenly.

"Loss of control in times of heightened emotional stress isn't unusual," Logan offered. "I've heard telekinetics complain of the same thing. Ideally, that's where the meditation comes in."

Finding the book he was looking for -- a volume on the origins and realities of the fire elemental, the former Watcher handed that to Pearl as well. He was feeling good about himself again, since he was having such an easy time helping the blonde with her questions. There was something about being able to help someone that gave his self-esteem the shot in the arm it desperately needed at this point; Logan was suddenly glad he'd pulled a double-shift and gave Avery the night off after all.

Frowning at the abrupt change in subject -- though more out of surprise than anything -- Logan glanced at Pearl again. "A fair bit ... what do you want to know?"

"Well, I already know some of the basics. They drink blood, they can't be out in sunlight, fangs, living dead; that sort of thing. But where do I find them? It's hard to find a vampire in this city! I've been walking around for months now looking in dark places for them, and haven't found one. Do they all know each other? Perhaps a psychic link or something?"

She asked and braced herself for the reaction she'd gotten from her fellow waitress the first time she'd asked: a good shaking and no information.

Again, Logan frowned. He turned to face Pearl and folded his arms over his chest, wondering why anyone in their right mind would actually want to find a vampire. He guessed her admission to being able to create fire and all that meant she wasn't a Slayer, so what possible reason could she have for actively seeking out one of the undead?

The former Watcher's mind was awash with possibilities. Revenge? He had to admit, her fire ability gave her a distinct advantage if she could control it. Just a snap of her fingers and poof! No more vampire. Mere curiosity, wondering what it would be like to be in the company of one? Logan hoped not; that scenario rarely ended well for anyone other than the vampire.

"Maybe they're lying low since everyone knows now," he theorized, knowing full well there were probably some vampires who relished in the new way of things. "I gotta say, though ... not every day someone actually wants to find a vampire.

"Why?"

"My brother wanted to become a vampire, so he left and came here to find one to change him. He always was stubborn and money motivates even the undead. He withdrew his entire college fund, left some with me, and took the rest with him. So I'm pretty sure he's a vampire by now -- I was supposed to come here to find him," she said barely above a whisper.

Telling this strange man her goals seemed a bit odd, but she felt better having told someone what she was up to. She regarded his body language. Obviously her behavior was frowned upon in normal society if she could gauge by the frown and crossed arms. Pearl put her hands on her hips and looked him squarely in the eyes "That's not a bad thing, is it?" she half-challenged.

"Wanting to find your brother? No," he offered with a head shake. "Tracking down a vampire? It could be a problem, though your fire ability could protect you."

Leading Pearl to the vampire section, Logan figured there were any number of books she could buy that could help teach her about vampires. No one introductory volume was better than the other, and the variety in content was almost negligible. "I hate to be the one to say this, but ... you should probably hear it from someone. If your brother's a vampire, then ..."

The former Watcher sighed, trying to use as delicate a voice as possible. "Then he's not really your brother anymore. He's just a demon walking around in your brother's body."

Pearl stopped walking dead in her tracks. "Not my brother? But. Where would my brother be then if not in his body? I don't understand!" she shook her head violently. No, he would still be her brother. What was she here for if he wasn't here anymore? Why would he help her escape just to leave forever? This didn't make any sense. "Why would a demon want a dead person's body? This is more complicated than I'd thought," she said, staring at him.

"What ... what should I do if I find him then? Can I turn him back?" Pearl looked around at the books and closed her eyes a minute to get a grip on herself -- her thoughts were a mass of jumbled "what-if's". This had turned into a very stressful night indeed. Maybe she would have to re-think her life if her brother was indeed dead. The prospect was daunting.

Logan shook his head, remorse in his eyes. "I'm sorry," he said. "Near as we know, vampirism can't be reversed."

The former Watcher fell silent for a moment, deciding to give Pearl a moment to compose herself when he saw her close her eyes. "It's," he began again, struggling to find the words, "it's a bit complicated. Before there were humans, the world was overrun with demons. Not demons like we know today. Larger, more powerful ones. These true demons, the Old Ones, were eventually banished to another dimension. Before leaving, one of the demons infused itself with a human's blood ... creating the first vampire.

"If your brother's a vampire, he's just a demon who lives off blood now." He looked at the floor for a moment, wishing there was a more delicate, sensitive way to explain all this. He glanced at Pearl again, shaking his head.

"I'm sorry."


Pearl stared at him, eyes wide in horror, then did the only sensible thing she could. She sank to the ground and just sat against a bookshelf, staring at her hands in disbelief. None of this made any sense at all. She continued staring and mumbling something, pulling her necklace from her shirt and staring at the cross pendant. "He said this would protect me. That it was old and blessed and would keep the evil bad things away," she remarked irrelevantly. Did he know what he'd turn into? How could he even want to do that?

"Do you have a book on how to get rid of them? If he failed in becoming a vampire, he's dead anyway. He said he'd be turned or die trying, so either way he's dead. That's what you're telling me. And if there's a demon running around in Allen's body, then I'll have to kill it. Then I'll go after the people responsible for this mess and I'll kill them too." she said calmly, as if she were discussing what she liked in her tea.

The people responsible, in her eyes, were her parents. It wouldn't be hard to track them down. It would be easy to kill them as well for putting her in that place, making her brother go crazy and wanting to be a vampire. For being the selfish, spoiled idiots that they were. She stood again, staring at him, planning all of this very quickly in her head, smiling suddenly as if a light had gone on in her head. "But I think I will definitely need to learn to control myself first. You have a lot of resources here," Pearl said turning to look over the books on the shelves.

"People?"

Logan hoped Pearl wasn't being literal about that, that she was simply using the word "people" as an umbrella term, referring actually to whatever vampire or vampires who had gotten to her brother. The former Watcher tried to convince himself that was the case as he turned toward the bookshelf once more, grabbing a large volume that focused solely on protecting against and disposing of vampires. Spells, rituals and manners of killing were discussed within the pages, exactly what Pearl would need if she were ever unfortunate enough to find that her brother was a vampire.

Handing the tome to the blonde, Logan cleared his throat. "As insensitive as it might sound?" he offered. "I think I'd prefer your brother being dead. It's better than being undead."

Pearl nodded in agreement. "You're right. I'm sure once I've sat down, had dinner and read up a little I'll see the logic of it. Right now, I have to consider all of the new information you've given me and what that means," she said, looking the book over carefully. "Thank you for the information, books and the necklace. How much do I owe you? And when do I bring these back, since it's a library?"

Logan offered a reassuring laugh, shaking his head. "Library in name only," he said. You get to keep everything you buy here."

Leading Pearl to the counter, the former Watcher tallied up everything and smiled. The total was actually somewhere in the $150 range thanks to the rare elemental orb, but because of the blonde's plight -- somehow, he didn't really think she was swimming in money -- Logan decided to give her a hefty discount. Business had been so much better of later -- this day notwithstanding -- that he could afford to do so.

"You're in luck," he said. "90 percent off all charms and pendants. Your total comes to $30.58."

Pearl glanced at the charm in her hand, then at the shopkeeper curiously as she handed him two $20 bills. "Thank you," she said huskily noting that there was no sign anywhere noting such a thing. It was his shop, after all.

"I'll be back sometime. I think the diner I work at is very far down on this road a ways," she noted, pointing vaguely in a southern direction on the street. "Um. Please don't ... you know ... say anything ... about all this. It's supposed to be a secret." She shrugged and turned around. "They really can't come in unless you invite them?" she asked incredulously, examining the doorway carefully.

Logan gave a nod. "No invite, no undead in the store. Private residences are the same way; I had to have a spell cast to do that here, but at home? Long as you don't tell them to come in, they can't get to you."

Giving Pearl her change and putting her merchandise in a bag, he gave her a reassuring smile. "And don't worry, your secret's safe with me. Feel free to come back if you have any more questions."

Pearl grinned at Logan, "Thank you so much -- I'll be back, just watch!" With that uncharacteristic last word, she picked up her bag and shook her head, half giggling as she walked out the door.