Chapter Sixteen: Downtown Girl:

Lauren would have to make it through the day to prove that she can survive. That alone didn’t sound enjoyable. Damn it, Doyle, she thought. Did he have to bail on her when she was still in need? Too late to complain now. Lauren heavily breathed in and closed her eyes.

Head downtown.

Lauren opened her eyes and looked around. Huh? Doyle? Where is that bastard now? She could only see the sky she hoovered in. That’s right, he was still asleep on the motel. Why he would go back there, she didn’t try to process it.

The female vampire closed her eyes again.

Head downtown. Look for a shop called Paula Ann’s. My card is in your right pocket. Don’t ask any questions, just do it.

Was he talking to her in her head? Lauren remembered what happened when Doyle touched her on the forehead. She frowned and narrowed her eyes.

“Oh,” she muttered. “That lazy bastard.” Still, he did try to help her survive in broad daylight. Might as well roll with it. Lauren disappeared from the sky.

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She appeared in the skies over downtown. Her body felt heavy from all that teleporting around. Lauren could feel herself sinking towards the ground. Oh crap. I’m going to be really hurt if I keep falling like this. What will I do? Lauren landed on the ground with a crash.

“Ow,” she mumbled under her breath as she rubbed her head. When the female vampire looked up, she noticed a crowd gathering around her.

“Are you okay, miss?” an old lady asked. She reached out to help Lauren to her feet, but the vampire slapped her hand away.

“Don’t touch me!” she growled. Lauren jumped to her feet. She froze as Doyle’s voice rang through her head.

Don’t make any eye contact. Keep walking until to you reach your destination.

Lauren bolted past the crowd and walked down the crowded street. She walked around with her eyes lowered, looking for Paula Ann’s. The vampire didn’t have time to think about what that was or why go there? Survival took over her mind. She would have to prove that she could find through the daylight in order to keep it together. I can do this, she told herself.

You can’t miss Paula Ann’s. The store is bright gold with big dark red letters. Listen out for the wind chimes to guide you closer.

Lauren closed her eyes and took a listen. She couldn’t hear anything over the chatter and footsteps of people. There sounds increase as they passed her by. They just had to talk about useless things like romance, clothes, vegan food, and hipster bullshit. Lauren balled up her fists as she tried to ignore the annoying chatter. If she had to hear about which celebrity was dating whom on some stupid reality show…

The vampire clenched her teeth.

“Oh, will you all just shut up!” she screamed. Suddenly, everything around her froze. Lauren looked around at the still life she stood in. The decoration trees looked more active than the people and animals themselves. Lauren shifted her eyes left and right.

“Okay…” she said. “What just happened? This is weird.” Lauren began to process her situation when she heard ringing behind her. She turned around and saw a giant gold building with the words, “Paula Ann’s” in dark red letters just down the road. Lauren jumped up with her fist in the air.

“Yes! I did it!” she said. The female vampire took off running down the street towards the shop. She had to grind her feet to a stop when she reached the glass doors. The vampire pushed them open and walked inside. A man about forty-one years old in a snazzy purple suit turned around a grinned. He straightened up his sunglasses.

“Welcome, miss!” he said. “You discovered the wonderful world of Paula’s Ann!” Lauren blinked with a confused look on her face.

“Uh… hi…” she said, waving. The man looked her up and down and frowned.

“Where did you get those clothes, a dumpster?” he asked. “Honey, the goth look is out. Out!” He moved his arm up and down and back and forth in a cross motion. Lauren looked down at her dirty jeans and tore back halter top.

“These aren’t goth,” she said. “I was at a party when was I walked out for a hunt. It’s not my fault that I didn’t get time to change because I was kidnapped and turned into some sun freak!” The man raised his eyebrow.

“Sun freak?” he asked.

“Yes,” Lauren said, nodding. The man leaned in close with a cat-like smile on his face. His poor potential customer stumbled back, screaming.

“Gah!” she yelled. The man straightened up his shades as he whistled.

“Oh!” he said. “So you’re the sun vampire that Doyle told me about earlier!” Lauren tilted her head.

“He did?” she asked. “How?” The man patted her on the shoulder.

“You really do have so much to re-learn,” he said. “Go on, tell me all of the juicy details of how you became like this. I feel that you have an interesting story to tell.”

“Not really…” she said. “I mean, I was just kidnapped and turned into this human couple’s science experiment.”

“Go on…” the man said.

“Go on?” Lauren asked. “What else is there to say?” He grabbed her by the hands.

“Tell me everything!” he said. “And maybe I can get you into some better clothes.” She blinked as she tried to keep up with his fast talking.

“Listen, uh…” she said.

“Fred,” the man said. “Call me Fred.”

“Listen, Fred,” Lauren began again. “I don’t know why I’m here. I just came to this…” She took a moment to look around at all of the women’s clothes on ranks, hangers, and mannequins in the store.

“Clothing store,” she continued. “Because Doyle told me to.”

“I know,” Fred said. Because she could say another word, he grabbed her by the wrist and dragged her to the back to get fitted.